Green Unlimited

How about a trip to Tennessee's Montgomery Bell State Park?

2009-11-06T13:50:00.014-05:00

I ran into this link about eight new eco-friendly villas in Tennessee's Montgomery Bell State Park and showed my sister. We immediately agreed that we had no interest in going to rural Tennessee, but changed our minds when we saw what the villas look like.

Does that look like a villa for a state park to you? That's absolutely gorgeous, and green too.

The largest innovation is the geothermal system that includes a 450-foot well at each villa to take advantage of the year-round stable temperatures underground.

The system will result in 40 to 60 percent less energy being used for heating and cooling, which reduces pollution and costs, the announcement said. Also, it will provide hot water in summer for free.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs and outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic are part of the other green touches.

And these are just the first of green villas being built in Tennessee's state parks.

Agoda's top 10 list of eco-friendliest Asian resorts is out!

2009-11-06T12:32:00.012-05:00

Hotel reservations website Agoda has published its list of the top 10 eco-friendliest resorts in Asia. Among those that made the cut are The Orchid Hotel in Mumbai, India; Banyan Tree on Indonesia's Bintan Island; and El Nido in Palawan, Philippines *pauses to beam proudly* Not sure why an Australian hotel is on the list, though.

ekoVenture

2009-11-06T09:18:00.010-05:00

Hankering for a taste of adventure and to experience the great outdoors in other parts of the world? You should make ekoVenture your first stop. ekoVenture works with more than 450 tour operators around the world in order to help you plan your adventure/holiday. You also get to see people's reviews of the different tour packages they've enjoyed, so call it something a like a travel/social networking site. It's quite easy to get started; just type in the type of activities you're looking to do in a certain location and--presto! results! I looked for "diving" in the Philippines and the site churned out quite a lot of results, the first of them involving an underwater digital photography course which had me utterly excited. I'd gone diving once and had a disposable camera with me, and getting to take pictures underwater was completely exciting and different. Definitely sounds like a course I might want to take someday if I ever get around to taking a diving course first.

So anyway, back to ekoVenture. Check out the site now and plan your adventure! The best part of it is they give 10% of their profits to the local community in your destination.

Million Baby Crawl

2009-11-05T08:08:00.003-05:00

Protect future generations. Join Seventh Generation's virtual Million Baby Crawl. Click here to tell Congress to reform policies on toxic chemicals. You can even create and customize your own little crawler.

(photo from Amazon)

Lusting after e-book readers

2009-11-04T10:08:00.025-05:00

I lost most of my clothes, things, and books in a fire at our house last year, and when Typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana swept through the Philippines on September 26, many houses were swallowed up by floods, and I know quite a few people who were affected, with most of their belongings ruined by floodwaters--and those belongings definitely include their books, too.

So that why I've been eyeing e-book readers like crazy these days. E-book readers would not only make it easy to stash your whole library in one slim gadget, it would also make it easy for people to flee their houses in the event of an emergency or calamity. I figured e-book readers have to be fairly green as well; sure it's an electronic gadget, but you certainly don't need to buy actual books anymore since you can access the digital version; less waste, less use of paper? Now if someone can tell me if the amount of energy used to charge an e-reader or the materials used to construct each one will be a problem.

Chevrolet Equinox: A green car?

2009-11-03T08:10:00.020-05:00

We don't know about that, but Vancouver has recently snapped up eight of these fuel-cell babies as part of the 4,600-car fleet for the 2010 Winter Olympics in the city. People are currently abuzz at the possibility that the auto industry hasn't turned its back on fuel cells. Just think: Water coming out of the exhaust pipe rather than noxious, lung-crushing death. Sounds good already, but not really truly green, as it has been argued that cars powered by alternative fuels can never be really green, just eco-friendlier than regular vehicles.

MetroCard Mania

2009-11-02T19:01:00.004-05:00

I am guilty of being somewhat of a New York subway MetroCard hoarder. Not intentionally; it's just that there's little amounts left in each one and I just haven't refilled them. (In my defense, I do not live in the city now. When I used to live there, I reused a card until it expired. And when the cards expired, I disposed of them at the subway station receptacles after checking the balance.) This weekend, I was happy to see a sign on a subway advertising the EasyPay Xpress, an automatic-recharging program. This way, regular riders need to keep only one card.

Recycle the Fall

2009-11-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

I understand that the fall season is well underway in the U.S., which means crisp weather, the turning of the leaves, and the subsequent falling and sweeping up of the aforementioned leaves. With all the leaves that you'll be gathering, what are you supposed to do with them?

Boise, Idaho's got a good idea how you can deal with all those leaves. The city has been running its program called Recycle the Fall for a few years now. Residents are given $10 coupons for compostable paper leaf bags where they can stash their leaves for pick-up. The program runs from November 4 to December 2.

Glad to have Met you

2009-11-01T18:55:00.003-05:00

It's nice to see that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is recycling/reusing the buttons they give out for admission.

ITech Solar Charger

2009-10-28T06:03:00.011-04:00

It would be awesome if all of us already had mobile phones that would be charged automatically every time you step out in the sunshine, but until that happy day, we have solar chargers to work with, like this one from i.Tech. The Solar Charger 906 features a monocrystalline solar panel and also comes with 10 different adapter plugs to suit phones made by various manufacturers. It soaks up enough solar power to juice up your phone, but you can hook it up to a USB port to power up its rechargeable battery, too.

Southwest Airlines debuts green plane

2009-10-27T10:21:00.004-04:00

If you want to know more about how Southwest Airlines has been doing all it can to be green, you only have to take a look at Nuts About Southwest's environment-related posts to see what they've been up to. Just a couple of months ago, the company was recognized by the EPA as a Green Power Leader, and this month, Southwest Airlines is launching its green plane. The aircraft makes use of lighter materials that will translate to lesser weight for the plane, resulting in greater fuel efficiency.

Kind Toys

2009-10-26T11:43:00.003-04:00

Parents these days are more concerned about the type of products and food they're getting their kids. These must be wholesome, healthful, and should pose no risk to their children. Toys in particular are undergoing scrutiny, with parents rejecting them if they're not 100% kid- and environment-friendly. But not every toy manufacturer is jumping on board the green bandwagon yet, so sometimes, a parent takes it upon his or herself to find, produce, or sell green toys and games for children.

Kind Toys, for example, was started by a parent who experienced

"frustration at trying to find eco friendly toys and green games for my son. I wanted green gifts that looked good, felt good and had no batteries... but were still fun to play with."

And so Kind Toys was born, and is currently an online store carrying green toys from different brands, such as Solar Science, Green Lullaby, and Bioviva.

It would be nice to get a closer look at the people behind the company, so it's best to keep an eye on how Kind Toys will develop in the future.

Running for Conservation

2009-10-21T07:59:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite actors, Edward Norton, is running the New York Marathon on 01 November to support the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. 30 runners will be joining him, including 3 Maasai warriors. Good luck!

Click here to sponsor a runner.

(photo from Broadwayworld)

Oh gods, I want this

2009-10-21T03:16:00.004-04:00

Well, you know, not desperately, because I still have a perfectly functioning phone. But let's just say I didn't have one, then I would definitely go for Sony Ericsson's C901 GreenHeart. Like I mentioned before, the GreenHeart line was launched last year, with the C901 being its first pioneer product; another SE phone, the Naite, is also positioned as a green, energy-saving phone. Sony Ericsson has added more to its goals for the GreenHeart line, making use of water-borne paints and aggressively pursuing its global TakeBack program.

All keyed up

2009-10-21T02:43:00.007-04:00

This lamp wouldn't look out of place hanging from the ceiling of your apartment, a boutique, or a restaurant, which is a pretty good sign for something that was made entirely out of computer keyboard keys. It was designed by Nolan Herbut, who's currently taking up Industrial Design at the University of Alberta. This is just one of his two keyboard-made projects so far; the other one is the Wolfgang Keyboard Bench.

Nolan hasn't called himself a green designer, but from these two samples, it looks like an option he should be considering.

Travel green with Evergreen Ever-Lite

2009-10-20T13:23:00.004-04:00

Haven't you ever just wanted to take off in an RV and go on a road trip all over the country? I have. Well, the RV part isn't really necessary, but it's a fun idea nevertheless. One shudders to think of the costs it will entail though, fuel included, and a vehicle that size must surely eat through the fuel. It can't exactly be the greenest way to travel, can it?

Evergreen Recreational Vehicles thinks RVs CAN be green. The company has been devoted to giving the RV industry a brand-new face with the way it does business, and even has a Green Team dedicated to finding leaner, cleaner ways to handle operations and manufacturing. It focuses on creating innovative, sustainable, and eco-friendly travel trailers, the latest of which is the Ever-Lite, dubbed "The World's First Eco-Friendly Composite Travel Trailer." The Ever-Lite is wood-free, with most of its materials being recyclable, and because it's lightweight, that makes it easier to be towed by your vehicle, reportedly resulting in a more fuel-efficient performance due to lesser wind resistance.

This is an encouraging move by an RV company and we certainly hope even more RV manufacturers go down the same route, too.

SoleRebels

2009-10-19T08:08:00.003-04:00

It's no secret that many major sporting goods companies are guilty of taking advantage of the skills and sweat of third world laborers. It's not the most inspiring state of affairs, people working to manufacture top-quality products and making only a pittance for their hard work, even as the products go on to sell for millions around the world. In Ethiopia, the idea to create great footwear which will directly benefit the communities that make them took hold--and SoleRebels was born.

Founded by Ethiopian shoemaker Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, SoleRebels was launched in 2005 and carries footwear such as sandals, trainers, and open shoes, all of them handmade and being churned out by the hundreds--500 pairs of sandals or 200 pairs of shoes, to be exact--daily. The company's workshop is found in Addis Ababa.

Apart from providing livelihood, SoleRebels is also known as an eco-friendly brand, with the shoes being crafted out of recycled tires and woven fabrics. The shoes' popularity is on the rise and is being positioned as Africa's answer to Nike or Adidas. We have yet to spot SoleRebels in stores, but you can get them online from sites such as The Child Health Site store and even Amazon.

Just discovered: Human Nature

2009-10-19T02:18:00.003-04:00

I usually don't open e-mails about store or restaurant promos, but it's lucky that I did today, because it led me to a local website on bargains, which in turn led me to Human Nature. I thought they were distributors of organic products from abroad, but to my surprise, their products are locally sourced and made! I'm getting in touch with them soon to get more information and possibly even check out their office myself.

Green Dog Wash

2009-10-18T12:08:00.000-04:00

Grooming is a major part of keeping your dogs clean and healthy, but if you've never felt entirely comfortable leaving your precious pooch in the hands of groomers, you're not alone. Brian Corby thought it would be a great idea to have a self-service dog wash, and made his idea come to life last month, when Green Dog Wash opened in SoHo, Tampa, Florida. Green Dog Wash lets you wash your dog in a relaxed environment and even pick up some tips on eco-friendly pet care, as your pet spends time getting clean then getting to know other dogs in the dog wash, too. Green cleansers, cleverly named ShamPooch, have been developed by Green Dog Wash and eco-friendly toys and treats are available too.

Green Dog Wash, already known for its earth-friendly products and its use of all-recycled items, is working hard to be even greener and has recently joined San Francisco-based group The Matter of Trust, an organization that weaves mats out of hair gathered from salons and sends them off to be used to clean up oil spills. Green Dog Wash contributes a significant amount of dog hair and sends the lot to California.

It's definitely a clever idea that can only have come from someone who's truly dedicated to his pet, and luckily, Green Dog Wash is something that can do good for everyone else's dogs, too.

Staycation

2009-10-16T13:24:00.002-04:00

Apparently, there is now a term for the type of vacation where you don't actually go very far, and might even just be spending it around town, going to the nearest city, or exploring attractions in other towns (where have I been?): staycation. It's an interesting idea, and it definitely gives you the opportunity to see what your town has to offer, plus you'll get to use your imagination in planning activities and making the trip more exciting, too.

The Lovat: A green Loch Ness hotel

2009-10-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

One of my more ambitious travel plans in life is to go to the United Kingdom, ambitious mainly because doing so would sap me of all the financial resources I have and ones that I don't even have yet. Still, it can't hurt to dream and work for that dream. In the meantime, I keep my eye on things to do and see in the U.K., and where to eat and stay, too.

I just found out about The Lovat by the famous Loch Ness, and apart from giving people a great view of the loch and the nearby village, it also has its eco-friendliness going for it! The hotel makes use of eco-friendly cleaning products as well as fabrics, and energy efficiency efforts and recycling are regularly done. A locally made and designed eco-bag, recycled notepaper, and 100% recycled facial and toilet tissues are available in every room, too. The hotel's structure itself makes sure to stay in harmony with the area's natural ecosystem. Here's another interesting feature of the hotel:

The urinals have no flushing water & each have an eco-cube that contain millions of naturally occurring friendly microbes that eliminate any odour-producing bacteria.

The Lovat also encourages guests to participate in monitoring the amount of carbon emissions they produce as they travel to the hotel.

Now some people would say that to be truly green, don't travel too far at all, but really now, with so many incredible places around the world, it would be a shame to miss out on seeing them. Just make sure to travel in as eco-friendly a way as you can.

Green Broadway

2009-10-15T15:18:00.008-04:00

The Broadway Green Alliance (formerly Broadway goes Green) is acting to help Mother Earth. According to this article, the theatre industry have taken the following steps:

Playbill Magazine is working with NRDC to enhance their environmental practices, which are already extensive, and will be supporting the initiative by periodically reporting on the "Broadway Goes Green" efforts and regularly printing theatre related eco-tips in Playbill Magazine throughout the year.

Wicked has reviewed and revised its behind-the-scenes production activity to adopt greener practices.

Out of 39 Broadway theatres, ten have already replaced their marquee lights with more efficient lighting and an additional 14 conversions are underway. To date, over 10,000 exterior and interior bulbs have already been changed.

Production shops are offering environmentally preferable materials and are developing plans to recycle or reuse scenery.

Costumes are being washed in cold water whenever feasible.

Re-chargeable batteries are used in sound equipment whenever possible.

Many touring shows are offsetting the carbon emissions from transporting their equipment through investments in renewal energy and have purchased nearly 1,900 tons of offsets through the Touring Green program.

It's not easy being green, but the first step is the most important step.

Putting up a green parking lot

2009-10-15T14:32:00.004-04:00

Parking lots weren't exactly a symbol of eco-friendly living, since they signaled the tearing down of large green spaces to make room for smoke-belching vehicles. Today however, they're getting quite an interesting makeover.

"Green" is the new black in planning, design and construction philosophy, and it's no different for the parking industry. Parking designers are embracing practices such as using recycled materials, solar panels and energy-saving lighting and turning concrete rooftops into green surfaces to reduce storm-water runoff.

And apart from all the green features being installed in parking garages, parking garages today are being seen as way to actually encourage people to take public transportation. With their more strategic locations, people can simply drive to parking garages where they can leave their cars, hop on trains or buses in nearby stations, and be on their way to their destinations. It's an interesting change, really, because without any other way of getting to transit stops, cities can't hope to get more people interested in taking public transportation because there are no fast and easy ways to access them.

Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change

2009-10-15T11:48:00.005-04:00

Today's Blog Action Day 2009!

Thank goodness for efforts like Blog Action Day to keep spreading the word about important issues like climate change!

Now, what can we say about climate change? For starters, it is obvious to us that climate change is happening as we speak. We can choose to do nothing, or we can choose to do something. We can sit back, relax and think that climate change is some vague, abstract concept that will not affect us. But that's not really the case.

Recently in the Philippines, it was hit by two...TWO!...storms that left most of Luzon underwater, all within a span of one week. It was threatened by another one, which thankfully, stayed away and spared the country more grief. Add to that the tsunami in the South Pacific + Typhoons in Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan + Earthquake in Indonesia.

The thing with climate change is, its effects are fairly obvious. The Center for American Progress posted a comprehensive list Top 100 Effects of Global Warming. Read this list. Seriously. If you never thought it will affect you, then think again.

There is a world out there that needs our help. The first step we can take is to acknowledge that action is required from all of us. Starting now.

No Impact Project

2009-10-14T22:42:00.005-04:00

Colin Beavan and his family went a whole year living the "No Impact" way. He wrote a book about it and there's even a movie coming out. If you want to try a "carbon cleanse" for a week, click here to join. The experiment starts 18 October.