Welcome to the PowerHouse

Black & Decker has come out with a new Energy Saver Series to help homeowners shave down their energy use. Energy Saver products include the Lights Out AutoSwitch that automatically turns out the lights in rooms not being used, the Thermal Leak Detector to find out where leaks could be costing you energy and money, and the Power Monitor that tracks your energy use in kilowatts and dollars as it's being used. Even if you don't get any of these gadgets, you can check out the PowerHouse Interactive Demo for tips on how to reduce your energy use in the home.

Raise a Green Glass

There is a line that divides this country. It's not between red states and blue states or between the north and the south...it separates those for whom it is more carbon efficient to drink wine from California from people for whom it’s more efficient to drink wine from Bordeaux. That is according to Tyler Colman, otherwise known as Dr. Vino. You may be hesitant to trust someone who calls themselves Dr. Vino, but this guy actually did his Ph.D. dissertation on the politics and economics of wine! Check out his research findings on calculating the carbon footprint of wine for more on how farming practices, distance traveled, packaging and more help determine the carbon footprint of your favorite bottle. Plan on raising a pint instead of a wine glass? Then check out How to Choose Green Wine and Beer from Yahoo Green. Cheers!

Cell-ebrate

Did you get a new phone over the holidays? Lucky you! What should you do with your old phone? Why, recycle it, of course. One way to do this is through Earthworks' Recycle My Cell Phone program. Sending in your old phone (and batteries, chargers, etc.) is free and tax deductable. Your phone will be refurbished or recycled, so you can enjoy your new gadget without worrying about where your old gadget will end up. You can even go crazy and collect old cell phones from friends and family. Cell-ebrate your way to the new year!

Thinking Outside the Big Box

Sometimes it's difficult to know what small, green businesses are in your area. It's getting easier thanks to the Organic Consumers Associations Breaking the Chains Buying Guide. Just type in your zip code and find the little green gems hidden in your neighborhood!

Thinking Outside the Box

Haven't you ever scrounged for boxes before moving day, only to find that they're not as sturdy or clean as you had hoped. Well, before your next move be sure to check out UsedCardboardBoxes.com. There you can order cardboard boxes that have been gently used or that were overruns, misprints or returns. Now you can get the boxes you need quickly and easily without using as many natural resources. As the folks at UsedCardboardBoxes say "you don't have cut down a tree to make a used cardboard box!"

Green Holidays

This time of year you see a lot of information on how to green your holiday season. Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa are almost upon us, so here are just a few of the sites providing ideas ans resources. Whatever you celebrate or don't celebrate, the point of these eco-friendly tips is to think about the choices you make. From the Decorating Diva, check out Eco Friendly Christmas 2008 - Resources and Inspiration Guide. Getting ready to light the menorah? Take a look at Jessica Jensen's Thoughts on a Green Chanukah. For those celebrating Kwanzaa, you may want to look at Eco-Friendly Kwanzaa from the folks at Healthy & Green Living. Happy Holidays!

Now You Can Recycle Your Caps!

Every recycling program has slightly different rules regarding what they will and won't accept. Sometimes plastic bottle caps can pose a problem, but now there is a solution! Recycle Caps With Aveda is a new campaign aimed at providing people with a way to recycle their bottle caps, keeping them out of the landfill. Individuals can go to their local Aveda store or salon to recycle their caps, and schools can collect caps and get special shipping labels from Aveda to send them in for recycling. Any rigid, polypropylene caps (#5) are accepted, so start collecting!

Turns Out That Local is Sexy...Who Knew?

Let's face it...those of us focused on environmental issues aren't used to being on the "What's Hot This Year" lists. Well, times are changing! The National Restaurant Association conducted a survey of more than 1600 chefs to find out "What's Hot in 2009." Eco-minded readers will be pleased to know the following made it on the top-20 list - #20 free-range poultry/pork, #18 organic wine, #10 sustainable seafood, #3 organic produce and #1 locally-grown produce. How's that for a new year to look forward to?

The Think Tank for All Things Warm and Fuzzy

Have you noticed lately that you see a lot of commercials brought to you by some group that you've never heard of and whose name sounds wholesome and vague? The Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow or the Environmental Literacy Council, for example. Consumer Reports has put together a fun little matching game in which your goal is to match the name of the think tank to its mission, and it is surprisingly difficult! Give it a try, and to learn more you can visit frontgroups.org, a joint project between Consumer Reports and the Center for Media and Democracy. Frontgroup.org is based on the principle that, as FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said, "the American public deserves to know when someone is trying to persuade them."

DIY Home Energy Audit

Check out the Home Energy Saver, an online do-it-yourself audit tool that can help you identify ways to save energy in your home and find the resources you need to do it. Sponsors of this cool tool include the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. By answering questions about your use of energy, appliances and your home's construction, the Home Energy Saver can help you pinpoint what can be changed, how much less energy would be needed and how much money you could be saving!

Ecodriving Tips

It can be frustrating to read a "Top 5 ways to..." list about greening a specific segment of your life only to find that the 5 suggestions listed don't apply to you, you already do, are not possible where you live...you get the point. So, I was excited to find this list from EcoModder titled "108 Hypermiling/Eco-Driving Tips." Surely we can all pick up some new ideas with 108 to choose from!

No More Sushi Blues

Now you can be a sushi aficionado AND an environmental aficionado at the same time! Thanks to a collaboration between the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Blue Ocean Institute and the Environmental Defense Fund, it's easy to make sushi choices that safeguard ocean wildlife and human health. The folks that brought us the easy-to-use seafood wallet cards have a new pocket guide dedicated to sushi. As with the originals, the new sushi guide takes into account fishing and farming practices as well as mercury and PCB contamination that could be harmful to human health. So, pile on the wasabi and go for it!

Peruse Alternative News and Reviews

If you have not already checked out the Alternative Consumer blog, you owe it to yourself to do so! Launched in early 2007, it offers green product reviews and environmental news. Even better, the posts are quick, upbeat and choc full of good information and resources. Find information on books, appliances, travel, alternative energy, food, reuse, recycling...the list goes on and on, so check out the Alternative Consumer already! Go, now...are you still here?

Save Some Green as You Green

Check out the SustainLane GreenSaver for coupons on sustainable products. You can even sign up for weekly e-mails to have the latest deals come to you!

Food Fight!!!!

Producer-Director Chris Taylor brings us Food Fight, a documentary about how American agriculture and food culture developed throughout the 20th century and the California food movement that has developed as a response. The film shares the story of the anti-corporate protesters, led by Alice Waters, who emerged in the 1960s and 1970s to create their own food chain of local, organic and sustainably-raised foods. They rejected what they saw as trading taste and nutrition for money and shelf-life. Food Fight was recently screened at the American Film Institute's AFI Fest in Los Angeles and continues to receive high praise.

Recycling at the NC State Fair!

The NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance is working with the NC Department of Agriculture to coordinate recycling stations for the collection of plastic bottles and aluminum cans throughout the fairgrounds during the 2008 State Fair. We are seeking volunteers to help staff these stations to prevent contamination of the recyclables. The fair will be held in Raleigh off Blue Ridge Road Thursday, October 16, 2008-Sunday, October 26, 2008.

There will be 4 recycling stations throughout the fairgrounds that need 2 volunteers per station per shift. The stations will be located by Dorton Arena, the Midway, the Green NC booth and by the Village of Yesteryear. The shifts will be 3 hours each starting at 10AM and ending at 10PM. Volunteers will NOT need to haul or sort recyclables but will be asked to communicate with the public about sorting their recyclables from regular trash. Volunteers will be given: 1. A worker day pass to get into the fair for free to work their shift, 2. A parking pass (if you sign up to work 2, 3 hour shifts - they do not need to be consecutive shifts) , 3. Fair t-shirt, and 4. Gloves. Keep in mind, parking is very limited and using the Park and Ride may still be your best option to get to the fairgrounds. Bus passes may be available.

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete this form (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XYkyYrhXkJTUE0xJYU_2f7Lg_3d_3d) with the preferred days and times you can work, along with the location you would like to be stationed at. NC DPPEA will contact you closer to the event to confirm your date, time and station.

Chris Jordan Photo Art

We all hear a lot of numbers regarding consumption that are supposed to wow us, but it can be hard to comprehend what the numbers really mean. Enter Chris Jordan - a photographic artist whose work allows our left brain and right brain to communicate and actually comprehend the enormity of the issue. Take Plastic Cups from Running the Numbers: An American Self Portrait, for example. From afar it looks like a funky, modern work that we might expect hanging on the wall in an art museum. Take a closer look, however, and you'll see that the funky, swirly lines are actually made up of plastic cups, 1 million of them to be exact, the number used on US airline flights every 6 hours. Jordan is able to stun the viewer over and over as he looks at cell phones, paper bags, aluminum cans, batteries and more. What I find most interesting is that each work is preceded by a title telling you what you are looking at, how many of them there are and what time period that represents. Even so, as one scrolls through the 3 versions of each piece, zooming in closer and closer, it is the visual depiction that is so stunning. Maybe all statistics should be accompanied by visuals such as this! Check it out for yourself at http://www.chrisjordan.com/.

Throwplace

Another great option for getting rid of items you no longer want without sending them to the landfill...Throwplace.com. Their tagline says it best - "Take what you need & throw what you don't." Users can list goods that they want to give away, and charities, businesses, or individuals registered with Throwplace can search the site and make requests for items. It is free to list items that you are giving away, and as a thrower you can designate whether you want the item in the charity, business, or free-for-all section. Charities can then request items listed in the charity section for free. Businesses must pay a small subscription fee in order to take things listed in the business section. The free-for-all section is pretty self-explanatory. So, shed your excess and get it to people who need it...at Throwplace!

Earth and Wallet Friendly Printing Tips From Lifehacker

If you have never checked out LifeHacker, you owe it to yourself. The Wall Street Journal, Oprah and Wired Magazine can't all be wrong! It's a daily blog packed with tips, tricks, downloads and shortcuts to make things in your life more efficient. Start by checking out "Smart and Easy Ways to Reduce Printing Costs" on LifeHacker. It takes you step by step not just on what print-settings can help you save some dough and be easier on the environment, but where you go to change those settings. It even includes tips on digital photos and avoiding wasting ink on unnecessary graphics. It's totally geek-chic, and now green to boot!

Re$ycle Some More

Yesterday I told you how you could get some money for recycling your cell phone. Turns out this works for more than just cell phones. Check out Gazelle, a site through which people have already kept 5 tons of electronics out of the landfill! Look up your used electronic device of choice (digital camera, laptop, camcorder...you get the idea) and the folks at Gazelle will make an offer on it. They send you the box to send it back to them in, and once they inspect your gadgets they will send you the money. They pay you for recycling! C'mon, it can't get much easier than that!

Re$ycle

Want to be green and maybe get some green? (That has been so overused...I don't know why I just wrote that). The Cell For Cash web site lists hundreds of cell phone. Simply indicate which one you have and Cell For Cash will send you a box to send it back to them for free. For some models, they will then send you a check! The company refurbishes the cell phones and then sells them is developing countries where cell service is often the most reliable type of communication.

Kelley Green Book

Many of us have relied on the Kelley Blue Book to find out the value of a used car or truck. Well, now the Kelley Blue Book folks have gone green! The new KBB Green section on their web site provides all sorts of information on hybrid diesel, biofuel and other alternative fuel vehicles. Have you been wondering whether it's worth it to trade in your clunker for a more fuel-efficient model? Answer a few simple questions and find out the upfront cost of trading in your car for a new one, how much money you'll save on fuel per month, and the time it will take for you to financially and emotionally break even. Yes, this site can even gauge your emotions! It also lets you know how many barrels of oil and metric tons of CO2 you's be saving the Earth. It's definitely a site worth checking out!

Word to Your Mother...

If you're a mom, a dad, or know any moms or dads, then you should check out the NatureMomsBlog - A Guide to Natural Family Life. It is written by Tiffany - Midwestern freelance writer and newspaper journalist, mother of three, cancer survivor and all-round guru of things that are green and natural. From book reviews to product reviews, parenting tips to project ideas - the NatureMomsBlog provides it all in a short, easy-to-read, interesting and organized format. Still not sure it's worth checking out? Well, are you interested in having less of an environmental impact while saving money, finding out about the latest BPA-free bottles for kids and adults, or how to detangle your child's hair without unknown frangrances? The NatureMomsBlog has covered all of that...in the last three days! You've got to check it out...mom said so.

Take Charge of Your Printing

Don't you hate it when you print something and you get that last page that has nothing on it? Well, now you can kiss that page goodbye! Check out GreenPrint, a free download that highlights and deletes unwanted pages, lets you choose what you really want to print, and even keeps track of all of the paper and money that you're saving while using it.

A Step (In Cute Shoes) In the Right Direction

As global climate change and other environmental impacts get more attention, more companies are attempting to somehow quantify the "green-ness" of their products. One attempt to do just that worth checking out is Patagonia's Footprint Chronicles. The Chronicles track the impact of specific products from their design to their delivery. Information provided includes distance traveled, CO2 emissions, waste generated, and energy consumed. Patagonia openly points out, from the company's perspective, what is good about a particular product and its lifecycle and what could use some work. There are currently ten products for which a Footprint Chronicle exists, and Patagonia plans on adding a few new products each season. Some folks question how well various methods of "footprint reporting" actually measure ecological impact and, perhaps more important, whether this information will change consumer behavior.

Measuring Your Green-ness

Wondering how green you are? How about how green entire countries are? National Geographic wanted to know just that. Check out Greendex, a worldwide tracking survey to measure consumer progress toward environmental sustainability. The Greendex survey included 14,000 people in 14 countries. It included questions about energy use, transportation, food, green products, personal attitudes and knowledge of environmental facts. National Geographic plans to track countries' Greendex over time. Go to the Greendex site to learn about which countries rank the highest, test your environmental knowledge, and measure your own personal Greendex!

Life Is a Highway...What Car Should You Drive On It?

Consumer Reports brings you the Guide to Driving Green. This thorough report contains much more that fuel efficiency comparisons. Learn when it makes sense (and cents) to trade in your current wheels for a more fuel-efficient model. Speaking of fuel-efficient models, find out how the various choices stack up. And it's not only about what kind of car you're driving, but also about how you drive it. Find out what things you can do to make your current car more fuel-efficient. What's in store for hybrids in the future? How do hybrids work, anyway? What about hydrogen fuel cells? An what's the difference between the various kinds of alternative fuels? Discover all of this and more in the Guide to Driving Green!

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Global Warming...

Did you know that the U.S. Postal Service has the largest civilian alternative vehicle fleet in the nation? In fact, the USPS has been taking many steps towards greening their operations and helping others do the same. Many of their mailing and shipping supplies carry a Cradle to Cradle Certification (not yet an evaluated certification program) which looks at products' impacts on human and environmental health, recyclability, and energy and water demands. The USPS is also testing out several mailback programs that would help consumers responsibly dispose of electronics, compact fluorescent bulbs and unused prescription medications. Oh, and did we mention that they have postage stamps made with soy ink and are upgrading their buildings to reduce energy use? Their colors may be red, white and blue, but the U.S. Postal Service is looking quite green these days! For more information, check out Greener Choices With the U.S. Postal Service.

The Green Home Guide

The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization that promotes buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy. Check out their Green Home Guide. This online resource provides renovation guidelines, project profiles, green building news, and information on green products and sustainable living. Whether you are looking to build your dreamhome or just making a few changes to your current digs, it's worth taking a look! Want to move into a home that is green already? Then check out their "Green Homes For Sale" listings.

The Makeup of Your Makeup

Sorry that it's been so long since the last Eco-Smart post. I've been busy struggling with the moral dilemma of whether to replace my BPA-containing water bottles with BPA-free bottles that (a) are made in the USA, but from a company that resisted the phasing out of BPA or (b) are made by a company that was quick to provide a no-BPA alternative, but produced overseas. Nevermind my moral dilemma...check out this book! Not Just a Pretty Face is by Stacey Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. That will sound familiar to you if you've checked out the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database (a GREAT resource!). Malkan takes a close look at the chemicals found in our daily beauty routine and tells the stories of folks she has met who are trying to make our products safer. Grist recently interviewed Malkan about the book. You can also learn more at the book's own Web site!

Eco-Smart Parent Guide

Check out the new Eco-Smart Parent Guide from the NC Office of Environmental Education! It's a helpful brochure meant to highlight some of the environmental and health issues surrounding your choices as a parent. It provides a top-ten list of helpful resources to get you started learning about the issues and how we can make choices that we feel good about for ourselves and our families. Feel free to print the guide and distribute it wherever you think it may be helpful. As with any of our publications, we're open to feedback on the guide. Enjoy!

It's Been a Bad Few Weeks For Seafood Lovers - EcoSmart News Clips

Be Smart. Buy Smart. Know Your Choices!



The Office of Environmental Education's Informed Consumer Initiative seeks to highlight some of the issues surrounding our consumer choices. The information and resources provided are not meant to advocate for any particular choice, but rather to let folks know what choices are out there and the costs and benefits associated with them.



Topics covered include: Food, Lawn & Garden, Energy, Water, Waste, Household Products, Personal Products, Product Distribution, Green Development, Recreation and Global Climate. On our Web site, current new articles relevant to North Carolina are posted so that you can continue to be an Informed Consumer! Click on each topic area to get to the articles.

• News stories are bulleted

==> Resources are marked with an arrow



Consumer news articles posted in the past several weeks include:

Water

• Cistern In Park Saves Water For City Flowers and Plants


• Roll Out the Barrel In Time for Rain


• State Awaits Federal Study On Drugs In Water


• Homeowners Association Wants Additional Rain Barrels To Roll Away


• Saving Water the Low-Tech Way


• Rain Barrels Prove Functional and Beautiful


• Recent NC Rains Ease Drought, But Experts Still Concerned


• US Water Pipelines Are Breaking


• Water Bottlers Face Growing Opposition


• Expert: Harvesting Rainwater Critical In Drought

Personal

• Plastic May Be Bad For Health


• Plastics Additive Raises Safety Fears


• CDC: Americans Carry 'Body Burden' of Toxic Sunscreen Chemical


• Feds Not Addressing Drugs In Water


• Canada First To Label Bisphenol A As Officially Dangerous


• Bottle Maker To Stop Using Plastic Linked to Health Concerns


• High Chemical Levels Found In Dogs and Cats


• U.S. Cites Fears On Chemicals In Plastics


• Studies On Chemical In Plastics Questioned


• Plastic-Bottle Scare Is a Boon For Some
  

Food

• State (of Virginia) OKs Plan For Asian Oysters


• Pollution Complicates Advice On Fish


• Council Approves Salmon Fishing Ban


• Maple Hill Couple Rewarded For Farming Technique


• California Winery Brings Green Ideas to This Year's Street Fair


• Maryland, Virginia Blue Crab Harvest to be Cut 34%


• Amid Crab Crunch, Legislators Push For State of Emergency


• Want to Reduce Your Food-Related Carbon Footprint? What You Eat Is More Important


• Than Where It Came From


• Fuel Prices, Regulations Affecting Seafood Landings

Global

• Western Antarctic Ice Chunk Collapses


• Global Warming Rushes Timing of Spring


• States Suing EPA Over Global Warming


• Scientist Denies Global Warming-Hurricane Link


• Unfrozen Arctic Unwatched


• Expert: Warming Means More Algae


• Poor Left Out of Environmental Loop


• Health Damage From Climate Change Has Already Started


• Hunters Worry About Global Warming


• Climate Expert Says He Underestimated Threat


• Pine Beetles May Affect Climate Change


• Watch for Climate Flaws In Fixes, Experts Warn

Energy

• Salt Could Shake Up World Energy Supply


• Drought Fuels Concerns About Ethanol Plant


• Credit Woes Afflict N.C. Biofuel Plans


• Changing Road Design Can Save Gas


• Fueled By Opportunities: Triad Has Key Roles In State's Drive For Alternative Fuels


• Spring Auto Fair Throws 'Green' Innovations In With Classic Works


• New Lightbulbs Up Energy Efficiency But Contain Mercury


• Rentals Will Sip Energy


• Trash Is No Place For Fluorescent


• Big Decision: How Much Corn To Plant


• Waste Not, Want Not? Researcher's Work Could Yield Alternative Fuel


• Aviation First: Plane Flies On Hydrogen, Fuel Cells


• Solid State Steps Out of the Shadows


• Inflation Spurs Biofuel Backlash


• WSTA Considers Hybrids Again


• Expert: Counties Need Wind Power Rules


• Crumbling Coal Power: Anticipated Federal Curbs On Emissions Signal Change


• Getting Wind of Proposed Turbine Rules


• Going Solar Without Breaking Budgets


• Ethanol Plane Will Add Bit of Green to Weekend Air Show


• Biofuels Center To Distribute $2.55M


• Fibrowatt To Harvest Chicken Scat


• Pain At the Pump


• Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Are Getting the Green Light


• Government to Release Proposed Fuel Economy Rules


• DC To Launch Nation's First European-Style Bike Share


• State Clears Coastal Wind Farm


• Kids, Marines Help Out the Planet

Recreation

• All American Trail A Place to Explore Naturally


• Go Outside and Play: Picking the Park For You


• Paddlers Take to the River In Preparation for April Event


• Serenity Beckons At Nature Preserve


• Birders Migrate to the Sandhills


• Land Trust Leads Yadkin Excursion to Connect People With the River


• Bicyclist Finds His Route

Green Development

• Parking Lot Is Big...Big and Eco-Friendly


• In 25 Years, County's Green Could Disappear


• Biowheels Goes Green In Bike Store Renovation


• New Complex Reuses Rubble


• Washington DC Home to First 'Green' Stadium In U.S.


• Past Is Prologue


• In Search of Investors, Builders Go Green


• Group Wants To Make Green Profitable


• Enterprise Opens 'Green' Branches


• Charlotte-Area Companies Honored for Green Practices


• New Blue Cross Building Is Going Green


• Green Design: Family Services Is Moving Into Its Environmentally Responsible Office Building


• On Earth Day, L.A. Passes a 'Green' Building Law to Clean the Air


• Lodgers Look to Walk the Eco-Talk


• What's Green In New York City

Waste

• Efforts To Stop Junk Mail Slowed


• In World's Dumps, Help For Warming


• Recycling Rises At Bars, Eateries Under New Law


• Ban On Garbage Disposals Is Fizzling


• Primo Goes National, Green


• Paper or Plastic? No Thanks, I Brought My Own From Home


• Plastic Grocery Bags Raise Environmental Issues

==> Battle of the Bags - Check out this MSNBC in depth look at the age-old question of
paper vs. plastic!





Where Did You Get That?

• Local Farmers and Shoppers Reaping Benefits From CSAs


• Eating Healthy Getting Pricey

Lawn & Garden

• Backyard Stewards


• Cary to Pay Owners of Drought-Tolerant Grass


• Bounty of Garden Lessons To Be Shared


• 5 Tips For Drought-Smart Gardening


• Ontario To Ban Sale, Use of Garden Pesticides


• Plant Sale Focuses On Water Conservation


• Greener Than Grass: Beautiful Yards Don't Need Lawns

==> Going Native: Urban Landscaping For Wildlife With Native Plants





House

==> HealthyCar - Find out which cars and car seats are low in potential hazards





General

• Is Earth Day the New Christmas?


• 'Green' Overload On Eve of Earth Day


• Marketers, Not Consumers, Need Environmental Education

==> GreenYour

==> SustainLane

==> Responsible Shopper from Co-op America

On the highway of green...

Check out SustainLane, an online green directory where you can find reviews of new green products and businesses. Sign up and contribute your opinions and ideas on green products that you have tried. You can even search by location for local green listings. It's all at SustainLane!

GreenYour...

Green your what? Green your whatever! It's up to you to fill in the blank. GreenYour is an interactive resource that provides carefully researched facts, tips, and product information on loads of topics. Writers and researchers collaborate to provide you with lots of helpful, quality information from greening your cleaning to greening your travel. Organizations and individuals with environmental backgrounds are invited to contribute their expertise. GreenYour does not accept any money from manufacturers or retailers. So, check out GreenYour and decide what you want to green. You can green your garden, your dog even your baby. You cannot, however (as I suspected) green your mother.

My Beer's In Trouble?...Now I Care About Global Climate Change!

Jim Salinger, a climate scientist with New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, recently shared some bad news with attendees at the Brewing and Distilling Convention. It turns out that global climate change will likely reduce the amount of malting barley that can be grown in New Zealand and Australia. This could mean more expensive beer or no beer at all, and these changes will likely occur within the next 30 years. Salinger only spoke about New Zealand and Australia, but similar changes could happen worldwide. This is the kind of climate research I can see researchers jumping on. You could be the one who saved the world one beer at a time.

EcoSmart News Clips

Be sure to check out EcoSmart News Clips from the past few weeks. Topics include:

• The disposal of the disposal


• Killer couches


• Drugs in the drinking water


• What?! Car washes aren't required to recycle water?


• Chemicals in plastics and body products


• Biofuel issues


• Better LEDs


• Why the drought could mean losing power

Find these stories and more by clicking on each of these EcoSmart news sections: Water, Personal, Food, Global Climate, Energy, Recreation, Green Development, Waste, Where Did You Get That?, Lawn & Garden, and House.

No More Throw Away Fashion

Are you all for the idea of buying used clothing but finding that your local thrift store is not high fashion enough for your taste? Check out WhatsMineIsYours.com, a swap Web site that feautures stylish, high fashion items. Unfortunately for all of us on this side of the lake, it's a British site. It was founded in 2004 by fashionista, stylist and personal shopper Judy Berger. Berger says she is interested in the journey of an item. Her site has made fashion more available and less wasteful. Sounds good to me!

What is a carbon footprint, anyway?

Carbon offsets, carbon footprints, ecological footprints...it's enough to make your head spin! So, wondering what a carbon footprint really is? Check out Treehugger's "Green Basics" explanation. Then follow the links to calculate your own carbon footprint!

How Many Times Do You See the Word 'Green' In This Installment of Eco-Smart News Clips???

• News Items are bulleted

>> New resources are marked with an arrow

Consumer News Articles Posted in the Last Few Weeks Include:

Energy

• Currituck Eyes Wind Turbine Ordinance
• Cities Jump On Hybrid Buses
• Power, Politics & Poultry: Are Litter Plants Worth Trade-Off For Energy?
• Coalition Plugs Electric Car Goals
• South Carolina Is a Battleground In the Debate Over America’s Coal Future
• Wind Power Growth Gusts Strongly In USA In 2007
• TREV (Two-Seater Renewable Energy Vehicle)
• Currituck County Commissioners OK Ordinance Regulating Wind Turbines
• Finally. Biofuels Crank Up In N.C.
• UN Warns of Biofuels’ Environmental Risk
• Coal-Fired Plant OK’d
• A Sustainable Superbowl
• Turbines Sprout As Wind Power Draws Attention In N.C.

Waste

• Whole Foods Sacks Plastic Bags
• More Stores Offer Alternatives to Plastic Bags
• Restaurant Owners Explore Recycling Options
• A Bagging Problem
• TVs Dump Lead In Landfills

House

• Household Products Are Going Green
• New Home Store Sells Green Supplies To Locals

Green Development
>> The Blue Green Alliance

• Green Subdivision In Fletcher May Be Wave of the Future
• Slow But Steady Gains In Raleigh’s ‘Green’ Goals
• Architects Design a Green Headquarters
• Home Builders Bet ‘Green’ Will Sell
• Triangle Home Builders Go Green
• Architecture Grad Goes ‘Green’
• Sustainability Scorecard Shows Green Business Has a Long Way To Go
• Choosing Green Building Materials Can Be Tricky
• ‘Green-Collar Jobs’ Increasing

Global

• UNC Joins Global Warming Teach-In
• Warmer Atlantic Worsens Hurricanes

Food

• High Levels of Mercury Found In Seafood
• Oyster Shell Recycling Looking To Expand

Personal

• Heat Causes Chemical To Leach From Plastic
• Tests On Babies Find Suspect Chemicals
• Plastic Bottles Release Potentially Harmful Chemicals (Bisphenol A) After Contact With Hot Liquids

Water

• Wastewater Could Aid Parched Raleigh YardsDrought Could Force Nuclear Plants To Shut Down

Hydrate Carefully

We've all heard the criticisms that bottled water is a needlessly wasteful product. Many consumers concerned with the health of themselves and the environment are drinking their water out of reusable containers. Unfortunately, there are dangers lurking there as well. Polycarbonate water bottles (like Nalgene) release small amounts of Bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like chemical. Makers of water bottles have long-claimed that the levels were safe, but a growing number of scientists are beginning to have their doubts. Studies have shown BPA to have negative impacts in animal studies, and the human health concerns include increased cancer risks, reduced fertility and childhood behavioral problems. In a recent study, University of Cincinnati scientists tested both old and new polycarbonate water bottles exposed to boiling water. Their results showed BPA being released as 55 times the normal room temperature rate. BPA is not a rare chemical, either. Besides water bottles, it is found in many baby bottles, the epoxy resins lining most tin cans and dental fillings. Some retailers, such as Mountain Equipment Co-op of Canada, have actually chosen to pull their polycarbonate water bottles from their shelves until more conclusive research is done. Don't give up yet on your quest to remain hydrated. Companies are already coming up with alternatives, like CamelBak, which is now offering a new BPA-free water bottle. Drink responsibly!

Land of Greenwash Confusion

Check out the MSNBC special on greenwashing featuring Grist's Katharine Wroth. Find out why "green" and "natural" might not be very reliable buzz words to go by. According to Katharine, labels that do have meaning behind them include USDA Organic, EnergyStar, Green Seal Certified and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). There are also several reliable Web sites suggested for more information that won't try and pull the green wool over your eyes. These include GreenerCars.org, the Responsible Purchasing Network and the Cosmetics Database. If nothing else, you get to hear a clip of the Genesis classic Land of Confusion. Check it out!

The Secret Life of Cell Phones

Seafood Watch Pocket Guides

It's hard to keep up with which seafood is sustainably harvested and which isn't. You don't have to, because the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program does it for you! Just order one of their FREE handy-dandy pocket guides so that you can make smart seafood choices. The guides are meant to empower consumers and businesses to make choices for healthier oceans. Options are broken down into three categories - GREEN - best choice, YELLOW - good alternative, and RED - avoid. But don't harvesting practices, aquaculture techniques and species populations change? Yes, and that is why the cards are updated twice a year! But aren't different options available in different places? Yes, which is why Seafood Watch offers guides specific to your region! But shouldn't health concerns also be considered? Yes, which is why the cards indicate which choices have health concerns associated with them! Quit asking questions and order your card already so that you can make smart, sustainable seafood choices. Go to http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp to learn more!

Eco-Smart News Clips

Here are your Eco-Smart news clips from the past few weeks!

--> Resources marked with an arrow

• Articles marked with a bullet

ENERGY

• Forests May Offer Energy Solutions
  
• City Eyes New Rate for Solar Power


• Officials: Free Energy Audits Save Money


• Study Boosts Switchgrass As New Alternative Fuel


• Ford to Unveil Eco-Friendlier Engine


• GM Eyes Breakthrough In Cellulosic Ethanol


• Auto Industry Shows Off Fuel Efficiency


• Study: Prarie Grass Can Produce Ethanol


• Biofuel Producers Launch State Trade Group


• Europe May Ban Imports of Some Biofuel Crops


• Variety Show: Hybrids, Gas Guzzlers Both On View
  

GREEN DEVELOPMENT

--> Green Builing Technology Database

--> North Carolina Solar Center

• Town Encourages Residents To Learn Smart-Growth Strategies


• 'Green' Insurance Policies Offer Home Upgrades


• Water-Absorbing Gardens Could Blossom In Region
  

WATER

• Keeping Clean With Less Water
  

GLOBAL

• Climate Talk's Cancellation Splits A Town


• 2007 Was Tied As Earth's Second-Warmest Year
  

WASTE

• China Launches Surprise Crackdown On Plastic Bags


• Bags Sold To Help Give Plastic the Sack
  

HOUSE

• Clorox Introduces Green Line of Cleaning Products
  

FOOD

• Woman Works to Create Bounty of Chemical-Free Local Produce


• Ocean Fish, Fresh From the Farm

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?

• Triangle Family Will Eat Local

You DO Have a Choice (at least about catalogs)

Getting lots of catalogs in the mail that you have no interest in? Check out Catalog Choice, a free service that lets you decide which catalogs you want to receive. Catalog Choice is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center and is endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Its mission is to reduce the number of repeat and unwanted catalogs in your mailbox and to promote sustainable business practices. Each year 53 million trees worth of catalogs show up in American mailboxes. Go to http://www.catalogchoice.org/ to clean out your mailbox!

Vroom Vroom

This week is the beginning of the North American International Auto Show (formerly the Detroit Auto Show). So, what's so eco-smart about that you ask? Well, it turns out that this year there are many automakers showing off their new green technologies. Check out these articles to learn more about them!

• Automakers Tout Green Technologies
  
• A Power Trip With Green Detours
  
• 'Green' Grows From Trendy to Increasingly Profitable

Greenwash Brigade

Sound too good to be true? It might be... Don't be lured by environmental claims that aren't true! Check out the Greenwash Brigade, part of American Public Media's Public Insight Network. These environmental professionals examine the eco-friendly claims made by companies, governments, and other organizations so you'll know what's fact and what's just a marketing tactic.

From Greener Gadgets to Greener Bars - It's Eco-Smart Consumer News!

The Office of Environmental Education's Informed Consumer Initiative seeks to highlight some of the issues surrounding our consumer choices. The information and resources provided are not meant to advocate for any particular choice, but rather to let folks know what choices are out there and the costs and benefits associated with them.

Topics covered include: Food, Lawn & Garden, Energy, Water, Waste, Household Products, Personal Products, Product Distribution, Green Development, Farm News, Recreation and Global Climate. On our Web site, current new articles relevant to North Carolina are posted so that you can continue to be an Informed Consumer!

• News Items are bulleted

>> New resources are marked with an arrow

Consumer News Articles Posted in the Last Few Weeks Include:

Energy

• Asphalt Roads Providing Soalr Heat
• Energy Bill Phases Out Light In Favor of Greener Devices
• Airport Trying Hybrid Shuttles
• For Fuel, N.C. Looks Homeward
• Saving Energy, Money: There Are Simple, Low-Cost and No-Cost Steps To Make Your Home More Efficient
• Bioheat May See Surge of Its Own
• Energy Savers: Managing Resources Is Good Business
• Energy Savers: Biodiesel Helps Run Diverse Fleet
• Energy Savers: House Captures Warmth of the Sun
• Energy Savers: Greasing His Wheels
• Energy Savings: Myth or Money

Waste

• N.C. Businesses Must Recycle Glass Bottles, Cans
• Holiday Season Right Time to Recycle

Where Did You Get That?

• N.C. Leads Fight To Stop Tainted Food
• Shun Imports From China's Polluting Factories?
  Yes: U.S. Should Put Pressure On Bloated Chinese Industrial Base
  No: Boycott Would Hurt Chinese People, Not the Polluters

Consumer Main

• Cities Enticing Residents to Go Green

>> MapEcos

House

• Gadget Makers Edge Toward Going Green

Green Development

• NCSU To Unveil $20 Million Sustainable Neighborhood
• 'Green' Building to Gain Ground at Modest Pace
• Green Homes Mark Milestone In Region
• Southern Living Goes Green for WNC Idea House
• New Home Outlook: Green Is Still a Go
• Walking In City Gets a Bit Safer

Global

• Melting Ice Pinned On Man, Nature
• 350: The Number to Remember On Global Warming
• Scientist Drills Shrinking Ice For Clues
• Increased Carbon Dioxide In Atmosphere Will Kill More People

All About Biofuels

What is the difference between ethanol and biodiesel? What is E85? Should you worry that food prices will rise if corn is used for ethanol? Get answers to all of these and MUCH more with Fill 'er Up - A Grist Special Series on Biofuels! Learn why people are for it, why people are against it and then make your own informed decision!