Palm | Kelapa Sawit

One of the key questions which need answered when you hear about a building being demolished is, "what are they going to do with the land?"

Hopefully in the case of the GE plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut...it won't hurt the nearby wetland.

GE is currently seeking approval from the Inland Wetlands Commision (IWC) to tear down the building which according to GE, "had no practical use." The IWC needs to give it's approval to the demolition because of how close it is to the Stillman Pond which feeds into another pond, which eventually ends in the Long Island Sound. Accroding to Thomas P. Cody, the attorney representing GE, "there should be no adverse environmental impact." However, when has anyone trusted what a lawyer said?!? GE needs to provide proof that the demolition will have no impact on the wetland area.

What do you think GE should do with this building? Should more studies be conducted about the environmental impact that tearing it down will have? Sound off by taking the survey below.



http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/thebridgeportnews/news/localnews/59627-massive-ge-plant-may-be-demolished-company-seeks-wetlands-approval.html

To make a vehicle work some sort of energy must be used. Gasoline and diesel are the normal sources but other products are coming to the forefront of alternative fuels. As the cost of conventional fuel rises consumers are demanding cheaper and more environmentally friendly ways to run their vehicles.
In the article, “Grease Guzzlers”, by Zachary Gonzalez-Landis we learn about this alternative fuel. Diesel engines are being converted to run on vegetable oil. “Vegetable oils are biofuels, renewable raw materials from which one can extract the same kind of energy as found in fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal”. The process of converting a diesel engine is actually often less than buying a new car. Besides the cost effectiveness of SVO or straight vegetable oil the benefits to the environment are astounding. “It’s a recycled resource; reduces air pollution and greenhouse gases; biodegrades and is non-toxic; decreases dependence on imported oil; and offers better fuel economy than diesel. Overall, biodiesel presents the lowest carbon footprint of any alternative fuel. And it’s cheaper”.
The only downfall is the lack of diesel vehicles in the United States. According to the article less than five percent of all cars in the U.S. run on diesel. How can we get the U.S. to take advantage of this cost saving environmentally friendly alternative? Any ideas?

Check out inthesetimes.com to read the rest of this informative article.

Blog posted by Debra Slasor

A report from the Globe and Mail in November of 2008 underscores just how important dirty oil is to Canada’s designs on the US energy markets:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is proposing to strike a joint climate-change pact with president-elect Barack Obama, an initiative that would seek to protect Alberta’s oil sands projects from potentially tough new U.S. climate-change rules by offering a secure North American energy supply.

This will be *the* tell-tale on Obama’s ability to push new energy solutions past the considerable influence of the oil majors. Cheap oil is out. What’s left is much more energy intensive to produce. Industry distracts policymakers with the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage. But even if CCS comes to pass (not bloody likely, but let’s say they make it in 2-3 decades from now, best case) and even if its implementation brings the carbon intensity of heavy crudes into line with conventional stuff, we’re only back to square one on the real problem–breaking free of a fossil-fueled economy. In fact, we’re two steps back because we’ve stranded our investments in an energy infrastructure that won’t outlast global warming.

One early sign of how Obama will respond will be his selection for the top spot on Climate in the new Administration. No doubt Canada’s oil lobby are rooting against reports that Mary Nichols is on the short list. As head honcho at the California Air Resources Board, she’s overseen development of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Recently released drafts seek to reduce the carbon footprint of California’s transportation sector by imposing penalties on refineries that choose to process dirty crudes like those from Canada’s tar sands. It’s a bold move, and target #1 for Canada’s oil lobby in the US.

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Blog posted by Debra Slasor

After three decades of cheap oil, the rising cost of gasoline is finally driving consumers away from gas guzzling cars trucks and SUVs, the mainstay of Detroit’s profit margins. Now General Motors, with its 100,000 workers, 1300 suppliers and thousands of dealerships around the country, may go bankrupt without federal support. If Wall Street is worth a $700 billion bailout, then what should Detroit get?

Our answer – nothing, not without conditions that reduce our dependence on oil. Our money should be offered on our terms. No automaker deserves federal funds or loan guarantees unless it commits to producing and selling at least 30,000 plug-in electric vehicles by the end of 2011 – and after those three years have passed and they’ve met the terms of the bailout, then let’s talk about more support for more plug-ins. Taxpayers’ dollars should be used to stabilize the industry and the jobs that depend on it by producing vehicles that end the downward spiral of our dependence on oil. Electric vehicles recharged by a green grid means green jobs, less greenhouse gas pollution, a more competitive domestic auto industry, not to mention saying no to tar sands development and good bye to wars for oil.

President-elect Obama has pledged to put one million plug-ins on the road by 2015 and grow five million green jobs. Sounds great - let’s get started with GM.

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http://sites.google.com/site/ecomerge2008/

When I hear the greenwashing, I recall the emission of car engine or organic something or such things. But I found this and I think it’s interesting. It is actually greenwash since they talk about the wild life and there are certain people who are deceived.

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David Hancocks, a former director and architect of zoos in the United States and Australia, is skeptical of the conservation benefits often claimed by zoos.
While many zoos tout breeding as a success story, Hancocks sees it as "merely basic zoo business: zoos must breed their animals to preserve their collections. Hardly any animals born in zoos are introduced to the wild."
Despite this, he wrote in an opinion column, "they nonetheless loudly position themselves as leaders in wildlife conservation. In truth, government and non-government agencies are most successful in restoring habitat and reintroducing wild species. Zoos play an occasional minor role - and want all the glory." Nor is he persuaded by the claims of many zoos that their redesigned enclosures improve conditions for the animals: "The new zoos, sans cages, make visitors feel better, but it is all deception. The animals typically have no contact with living plants, separated from them by electric wires." The attraction of such green washing is in attracting greater visitor numbers.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenwashing_Zoos

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Worldwide the movement toward green has been the primary focus for everyone. People are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, companies are promoting their green products, and now even the job market cannot escape the green. But this is not ordinary run of the mill green; this is a way to help those in need in hard times, while making an environmentally impact as well. The Green-Collar Jobs Campaign (http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=5) is dedicated to the green wave. As stated on their website, Green-Collar Jobs Campaign creates opportunities in the green economy for low-income people and people of color. Instead of the typical company looking to make a profit from the green, an organization is reaching out to make a difference in the world, and they are doing so on multiple levels. The concept that the Green Collar Job Campaign is using can easily be applied to many other not for profit organizations. An organization that is already committed to societal change would be able to implement programs to cause more friendly impact on the environment.
This example is a further illustration that the greenwashing has spread to all realms of the business world. However, it can be seen that as long as we as people look through the greenwash and question what is going on, there is the hope that we as a society can make healthy changes without moving to the fundamentalist mindset of GREEN. While continuing my search of green jobs I found another article from an organization that is about environmental justice. It brings to light green collar jobs. We are used to the traditional labels of blue and white collar jobs. The movement truly has enveloped all parts of business. Green collar jobs are everything that relates to the benefit of the environment. This label is being placed on anything and everything wherever possible. Until we are able to get away from this overwhelming urge to be green and contribute to the greenwashing, we will not be able to make a measureable difference; only one that has the label green.

Green Collar Jobs:
* Bicycle repair and bike delivery services
* Car and truck mechanic jobs, production jobs, and gas-station jobs related to biodiesel
* Energy retrofits to increase energy efficiency and conservation
* Green building
* Green waste composting on a large scale
* Hauling and reuse of construction materials and debris (C&D)
* Hazardous materials clean-up
* Landscaping
* Manufacturing jobs related to large scale production of appropriate technologies (i.e. solar panels, bike cargo systems, green waste bins, etc.)
* Materials reuse
* Non-toxic household cleaning in residential and commercial buildings
* Parks and open space expansion and maintenance
* Printing with non-toxic inks and dyes
* Public transit jobs related to driving, maintenance, and repair
* Recycling and reuse
* Small businesses producing products from recycled materials
* Solar installation
* Tree cutting and pruning
* Peri-urban and urban agriculture
* Water retrofits to increase water efficiency and conservation
* Whole home performance, including attic insulation, weatherization, etc.

Other Green Job Sites
http://www.greenforall.org/?gfa_splash=1
http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/528

-Josh R

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There once was a time when people did not have such an active hand in the environment. One day something changed and people started to realize that we had to take care of the planet we live on or it would no longer be capable of taking care of us. Unfortunately like most good intentions, corporations got a grasp on the green movement. While at first this did not seem like a bad thing, but rather a turn for the better to get more people to take part; it eventually became an overwhelming message. As with radio stations that play the same song over and over, companies were and are using the term green wherever they possibly can. As consumers we are bombarded with the green message and because of such the term has lost its meaning. Who is to say what it means anymore to be green… How can everything be green all of a sudden… Who is determining what is green and what is not… Or has it become a free for all of labeling products green… Today there are several online watchdogs to help us put on our rubber boots and tread through the garbage of media that has become greenwashing. One of these watchdogs that helps to call attention to the worst, and the best, has been the EnviroMedia Greenwashing Index With the tools that have created the capabilities of spreading the greenwashing over us all, EnviroMedia is publishing the most authentic green and the worst offenders. Watch the videos below and see what you think… Who is benefiting, society or the pockets of the companies…You decide.

BMW (South Africa) - Defining Innovation
The New TXU
GE Energy
Malaysian Palm Oil Council
Ford Commercial

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Focus on Greenwashing:
Fred Pearce of the United Kingdom’s guardian newspaper.

Towards the end of our term we start to worry that our voices haven’t been heard, or that we somehow did not broadcast the message strongly enough to gain the attention that we feel that greenwashing deserves.

For my last post I would like to highlight one of the earliest crusaders against greenwashing and leave with a link to his online articles. Mr. Pearce has been adding information on greenwashing for the last five years and his voice is a responsible one amid the confusion generated by deceitful companies out to make a buck (or two).

His website updates with any new greenwashing special he puts up and I would encourage all of you to take a look at what he has to say. Thank you.

-John O

Fred Pearce's Articles

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I found the below article and felt it was powerful in that it represents a good gone bad model that I think is consistently happening throughout business today. Palm oil...good, transfat free...good, deforestation...bad, global warming...very bad. Notice the sophistication and coordination of efforts as the producers of Palm oil seek to attain the 'sustainable' tag for use with their product, a total 'greenwashing' effort whose purpose is primarily to defend an industry that is not regulated and that is doing significant environmental damage through it's practices.

Unfortunately there is not, in my opinion, an easy answer. We want to eat healthy, we need to eat healthy, the issue is the complete disconnect we have between consumer products and the cost to the environment that is incurred by their production. We go to the market, pick the item off the shelf, and have no idea that by doing so we are supporting a global food supply system that is ruthless in it's methods and driven by the bottom line. For me personally it drives the message that we need to know what we are consuming, and the importance of shopping locally, the price paid because of the disconnection so many of us have with our food supply chain is simply too high and a price the planet, as in this example, cannot afford to pay.

Full text of the article and link follow below.

Bob Jellison
Portland State University
Capstone

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EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that palm oil, common in snack foods and health & beauty products, is destroying rainforests? If so, what can consumers do about it? -- Emma Miniscalco, via e-mail

It's no wonder that worldwide demand for palm oil has surged in recent years. Long used in cosmetics, palm oil is now all the rage in the snack food industry, since it is transfat-free and therefore seen as healthier than the shortening it replaces.

But to produce palm oil in large enough quantities to meet growing demand, farmers across Southeast Asia have been clearing huge swaths of biodiversity-rich tropical rainforest to make room for massive palm plantations. Today palm oil production is the largest cause of deforestation in Indonesia and other equatorial countries with dwindling expanses of tropical rainforest. Indonesia's endangered orangutan population, which depends upon the rainforest, has dwindled by as much as 50 percent in recent years.

The clearing of these forests is a big factor in global warming, given how much carbon dioxide (CO2) trees store when left alone. Once forests are cut, tons of CO2 heads skyward. Also, when not replaced by palm oil plantations, rainforests help maintain water resources by absorbing rainfall and then releasing it into streams and rivers, thus minimizing flooding and soil depletion.

Simply boycotting palm oil and the products containing it may not help, as reduced demand could force the companies behind the plantations to instead initiate more intensive timber harvesting and a widespread conversion of the land to agriculture, which would add a heavy pollution load onto the already compromised land, air and water. It is up to the countries involved in palm oil production to regulate the industry and budget sufficient funds for enforcement. But with huge profits coming in from the sale of palm oil, public officials in Indonesia and elsewhere are loathe to clamp down on their golden goose.

Several of the largest palm oil producers have joined forces with banks and nonprofit groups to try to green up the industry. In 2003, some 200 commercial entities in the global palm oil supply chain met and established the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to promote the growth of palm oil in an environmentally friendly manner. RSPO works to develop definitions and criteria for the sustainable production of palm oil, while facilitating the adoption of more green-friendly practices throughout the industry. The group celebrated its first shipment of "sustainable palm oil" to Europe this past November.

Despite progress, many green leaders are skeptical that RSPO has the teeth to make a positive impact on the fast-growing palm oil industry. Greenpeace International considers RSPO to be "little more than greenwash," pointing out that at least one RSPO-certified producer -- United Plantations, a supplier to Nestlé and Unilever -- is deforesting Indonesia's vulnerable peat land forests. And Sinar Mas, another major RSPO player, has cleared tropical rainforest all over the country for its palm oil plantations, and is still expanding rapidly. Greenpeace is calling for a moratorium on deforestation throughout Indonesia so that the RSPO and the government can take stock and then proceed accordingly.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via e-mail. Read past columns here.

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http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/palm-oil-rainforests-461208

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Greenwashing your floor? Who would have thought? I recently bought a laminate floor thinking I would save the environment a few extra chemicals being tossed away after shampooing my old carpet. Plus, the idea of tossing my old carpet to be replaced with new carpet that would eventually need to be thrown away - seemed like an endless cycle and I decided I would end the cycle with new flooring. The flooring would be easy to take care of, I reasoned. All I would need to do is sweep and wipe up any messes that are tracked into the house. Well, I didn't think about my dog - and rainy fall weather. So, I purchased a new Swiffer. The Swiffer seemed like the most obvious choice since my daughter could easily push it around on the floor to clean up. After I purchased it, my daughter faithfully used the push-mop. Then she told me I need new Swiffer pads. Well, what was I to do? Of course, I bought them so I could keep my floor shiny and new. It seemed all good to me.Then came the shock I never expected. Swiffer advertises as economically friendly. It claims to save gallons of water yearly as well as the chemicals in the detergent used. However, on the website http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/03/06/greenwashing-101-the-swiffer-green-or-greenwash/ bloggers JENNIFER VAN DER MEER and JILL FEHRENBACHER expose Swiffer for the greenwasher they are. Swiffer touts being eco-friendly while the packaging materials for their product will sit in landfills for years to come - exposing the earth to the chemicals from the plastic wrap. And the Swiffer sheets used to clean the floor also contain chemicals that will seep into the earth from the land fill. Why does Swiffer feel it is OK to lead consumers to believe their product is helping to save the environment? I am back to wiping my floor with wet paper towels or wash cloths. While I realize I am sparing the landfill from some unwanted chemicals, I also realize I have to use something. I just wish companies would not try to tell us they are green when they clearly aren't.

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ECO-FRIENDLY HOMEMADE HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

On a daily basis, people use household cleaners that are harmful to the environment. Some use them because they are convenient, and others use them because they believe there is nothing else in place of those cleaners.
The following are some ways household cleaners, that are not harmful to the environment, can be made.
•All purpose cleaner
Use ½ cup of baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar per gallon of water.
Add a dash of liquid castile soap and a dash of two of essential oil.
• Furniture polish
Mix 10-15 drops of lemon or lavender oils with a cup of water. Use rags
sponges, and scrubbers, instead of paper towels.
• Clean drains
Pour 1/3 cup of baking soda, followed by 1/3 cup of vinegar. After
several minutes follow with boiling water.

More info on www.eco-chick.com

The following sites can also give other ideas that can help go green.

HOW GREEN ARE YOU?
thegreenguide.com

PRODUCT REVIEWS
leafygreen.info

NATURAL CLEANING
frugalfun.com/cleansers.html

CLEAN WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
mrsmeyers.com

C.R.

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For me the most blatant example is greenwasing is a Hybrid vehicle. It's not the Toyota or Honda vehicles, which may not live up to hype but it's the transformation of the worst polluting vehicles into "hybrid" models. If you look at the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid 2WD the first thing you will notice is the giant "HYBRID" written across the bottom of the doors. General Motors uses this in an obvious attempt to let the customer know that they will not face the scorn of other SUV owners because their car is “green”. It must be, it says so right on the door.

Now of course no one can argue with the MPG numbers right? It's a hybrid after all it must get amazing mileage. Not really, when compared to the standard 2WD model it only averages 20 MPG or 5 MPG better than the non-hybrid model. What do you pay for this huge HYBRID graphic and 5 MPG fuel economy? According to Edmunds.com the 2009 model is going for $71,915, that's $16,015 more than the non-hybrid model. According to a side-by-side comparison at the USDOE fueleconomy.gov website, that's only an annual savings (based on 15000 miles) of $453 per year. Now for salesmen this gives them the ultimate trump card, why would anyone pay over $16,000 for a savings of 453 per year? What this does for General motors is it allows them to claim that they make "environmental" vehicles that they never have to sell. They use this same treatment for the hybrid models of the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid.

Ok, the good news is that if you need a SUV hybrid there are better models. The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid has a combined MPG rating of 32 MPG. That is an annual fuel cost of $850 per year and has an MSRP under $30,000. According to fueleconomy.gov that's more than seven (42 gallon) barrels of oil per year better than the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.


http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm

http://www.edmunds.com/ford/escapehybrid/2009/review.html

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Saturday, November 29, 2008

Are You Being Greenwashed?

There’s a product on the market called the Swiffer. It’s a plastic mop-like contraption that is designed to replace the good old fashion mop. The Swiffer comes with a box of disposable, plastic-wrapped, chemical-soaked pieces of paper that’s guaranteed to get your floor cleaner than if using a traditional mop, but with less effort. At first this may seem like a great idea, but these chemical-soaked pieces of paper go straight from the floor to the local area landfill, where the chemicals leech into the ground. Yet, the designer of the Swiffer published a piece in Businessweek magazine about how he is all for the greening of the planet and this device is his way of contributing to that cause. He says: Cleaning the floor with an old-fashioned mop and detergent is a messy and unpleasant job that uses many gallons of hot water and great amounts of detergent every week in millions of homes around the world. The water, the energy needed to heat that water, and the environmental impact of dumping the detergent into the waste stream are terribly costly, and all for a job no one likes doing anyway.

Okay, he claims to be for the greening of the planet, but he did fail to mention that those millions of homes around the world, who would likely buy this product, will require the continual purchase of these toxic chemical sheets that are for the landfill -- sheets so toxic, that they should not be used on unfinished, oiled, or waxed wooden boards, non-sealed tiles or carpeted floors, because the chemicals will damage these surfaces. In my opinion, this is hardly a sustainable design solution.

Click here to learn more about the Swiffer.

Click here to read the Businessweek article.

Mike Taylor

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The Greenwashing Index and You!

We have all heard of The Six Sins of Greenwashing , and now we have an Index to see if businesses are really Greenwashing or whitewashing with a green brush. Companies and organizations make their products look really healthy for the environment. We are lured in with the idea that we will be helping the environment. NOT SO FAST!! The Greenwashing Index provides us with a way to decide if a business ad is good for the environment. The goal of the site is to keep us educated about reading ads and being able to decide if what we are seeing is Greenwashing.
Enviromedia Social Marketing promotes the Greenwashing Index with the help of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication.
Here is the Greenwashing Index:
1. THE AD MISLEADS WITH WORDS
Do you believe the ad misleads the viewer/reader about the company’s/product’s environmental impact through the things it says? Does it seem the words are trying to make you believe there is a green claim when there isn’t? Focus on the words only — what do you think the ad is saying?
2. THE AD MISLEADS WITH VISUALS AND/OR GRAPHICS
Do you think the advertiser has used green or natural images in a way designed to make you think the product/company is more environmentally friendly than it really is?
3. THE AD MAKES A GREEN CLAIM THAT IS VAGUE OR SEEMINGLY UNPROVABLE
Does the ad claim environmental benefits without sufficiently identifying for you what they are? Has the advertiser provided a source for claims or for more information? Are the claims related to the company/product?
4. THE AD OVERSTATES OR EXAGGERATES HOW GREEN THE PRODUCT/COMPANY/SERVICE ACTUALLY IS
Do you believe the advertiser is overstating how green the product/company actually is? Are the green claims made by the ad believable? Do you think it's possible for the product/company to do the things depicted/stated?
5. THE AD LEAVES OUT OR MASKS IMPORTANT INFORMATION, MAKING THE GREEN CLAIM SOUND BETTER THAN IT IS
Do you think the ad exists to divert attention from something else the company does? Do you believe the relevant collateral consequences of the product/service are considered in the ad? Does it seem to you something is missing from the ad?
This site is available to make sure the environment isn’t sacrificed by our lack of information. They hope that businesses will start to regulate themselves by having a sustainable and be accountable for the sustainable practices they claim to have. Greenwashing can end.
Submitted By Kathy Sprick

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Spotting Greenwashing

Have you been Greenwashed? There are many companies that tell us they are good for the environment, but some companies are just Greenwashing. What does that mean? Some call it green marketing and the only thing green is the money they make off selling us their product. What can we do?

Here are some tips from the Enviromedia Social Marketing, which promotes the Greenwashing Index with the help of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, so we don’t get Greenwashed.

1. Truth: If you see a green ad, take a look at the company as a whole. Can you easily find more information about their sustainable business practices on their Website? Do they have a comprehensive environmental story? Is there believable information to substantiate the green claims you saw in the ad? If not, buyer beware.
2. The Whole Truth: Next, try Googling the company name plus the word “environment” and see what pops up. This is not very scientific, but if you as a consumer or advocate for the environment are upset with the company’s record, something’s bound to pop up. Like the Better Business Bureau for the environment, your responses count.
3. And Nothing But The Truth: “I know it when I see it.” (These are the words of Supreme Court Justice Warren Potter in a ruling on hard-core pornography in 1964.) These are words to remember as a consumer when you see ‘being green’ marketing claims. When you see the ad, how does it make you feel? Does it sound true and authentic, or just hype? Smart Shoppers are everywhere around the world, and your own attention to the green marketing claims is one more thing to carry with you to the store.

Submitted by Kathy Sprick

While perusing the video games shelves at my local Target, I couldn't help but laugh when I spotted a Nintendo DS game called "Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol." Nintendo describes the game as "one of the first games based on the growing environmental movement," and in the game, you are a robot that fights toxic "Smoglings" by planting flowers and building park equipment in a virtual environment.

How hypocritical is this? Afterwards - and out of curiosity - I went home and googled "Nintendo" and "greenwashing." Lo and behold, I found an article where Greenpeace ranked Nintendo as one of the least environmentally-friendly "gadget" companies out there today, flunking because of its "global policies on eliminating harmful chemicals and on taking responsibility for their products once they are discarded."  In addition, Greenpeace says, "Nintendo completely fails to show any environmental credentials," that they continue to produce too many toxic gadgets and that they don't do enough to live up to their green pledges. 

In other words, while a company like Nintendo may try to tout green tendencies via video games like "Chibi-Robo," the company itself does a lousy job being green in real life. It's stuff like this that makes me mad, and should really make a person think twice about supporting these companies that fail to measure up to their green claims. Unfortunately, being "green" is probably the last thing on a person's mind when they're trying to hunt down the Wii console or latest Wii games for their kids' Christmas presents.

Here is the source link.

- Cassie H.

http://www.greengiftguide.com a website with an eye catching home page and an even better motto: LIVE RESPONSIBILITY. SHOP SUSTAINABLY. This site offers gifts of varied nature from business, clothing, pets, garden, home and even toys. You can find green ideas to trim your tree, wrap your presents, and even entertain for the holidays. You can also get tips and facts and learn how to start a recycling program.
Wow, a million years is how long a glass bottle will sit in a landfill doing nothing and 80-100 years is the lifespan of an aluminum can.
Cool, did you know that clothes are made from recycled material products that come from recycled plastic. Such things like T-Shirts, jacket fiberfill, fleece sweaters, and sleeping bag fiberfill can be made from materials that results when plastic is recycled.
Obvious is the products that recycled material from glass can be made into like glassware, tile, and new glass containers but not so obvious is what recycled aluminum cans can create, which includes picture frames, home decor, and even baseball bats.
I found some great information on this site but like all others I have to questions how much investigation goes into the products that found there. When I read the disclaimer and found the site taking no responsibility for the items that are sold on the site it made me wonder. However, there were many great tips and facts that were helpful to me. To get more information about this site go to the link above.
Juli Knapp

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It's the holiday season and folks are looking for gifts and wrapping paper that are green and eco-friendly. For good ideas peruse your local holiday market for handmade items like soaps, baths and crafts that are made with organic home-made items that are made locally and avoid the advertising and Greenwashing marketing that is abound in the stores. Try to be creative with paper bag wrapping paper, twine and newspaper wraps instead of using store bought non-recyclable wrap and tinsel. For more ideas and inspirations read on:

Go to:
http://www.lime.com/features/green-holiday/Top-10-Green-Gift-Wrap-Ideas
for more information and ideas on green wrapping and recycling for gift ideas.

It is also recommended that if you buy a christmas tree, buy a live one and recycle it properly. Go to: http://earth911.com/blog/2008/11/11/treecycle-this-holiday-season/.

This website can tell you how christmas trees get recycled and what happens in the process. At home, we personally have a fake tree that is 7 foot tall. We have had this tree for the last six years. We like an artificial tree because we like to decorate before Thanksgiving and a live tree usually does not last as long in our home.

For ornaments, there are also awesome ways that you can decorate a christmas tree by making handcrafted ornaments. One favorite for my family has always been making dough out of flour, salt and water. Cutting or creating shapes out with cookie cutters and using our imagination as to how we want out ornaments to look and be. Cook them in the oven and paint them or decorate them the way you choose. Here is the recipe: http://crafts.kaboose.com/saltdoughgifttoppers.html.

My Mom and Grandma used to make dough people, ornaments and pins to give away as gift
presents with the above recipe. These times have brought back many happy memories with my family and I hope to give those same memories and sense of using your creative edge in creating eco-friendly items that can become family heirlooms over the years.

Here is a link for more information on other eco friendly gift giving and ideas.
http://crafts.kaboose.com/saltdoughgifttoppers.html.

You can also visit your local recyling center for items to be used for making ornaments, wrapping and hand crafted gift items. In Eugene there is M.E.C.C.A which stands for Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts. One can only imagine how junk can be recycled and made into something fun and unique. http://www.materials-exchange.org/

Happy Holidays!
Christina Lymath

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