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.