A Gold Project Gone Green

I must admit, my own career in the Girl Scouts was short-lived - one year as a Brownie and that was it. Luckily there are other girls out there who stick with it, and some accomplish some pretty amazing things. Enter Margaret, a high school student from Winston-Salem who decided that for her Gold Award Project, she would teach small groups how to re-purpose old t-shirts into reusable tote bags.

If you're like me, you don't know what a Gold Award Project is. It's a big deal. It is the highest award that a Girl Scout aged 14-18 can earn, and it has been described as the thing that you really want to be remembered for as a Girl Scout. It should be something that the girl is passionate about and that fills a need in her community. Oh, and this one will just happen to impress hipsters, crafters and the eco-minded everywhere, although that is not a requirement.

Margaret chose her project because it combines many of her interests - sewing, repurposing clothing and living green. She is scheduling sewing workshops to teach as many people as possible how to sew the t-shirt tote bags, and she is requesting that each workshop attendee teach at least one other person (how's that for community building?). In addition, she is sewing t-shirt totes to give away at a local supermarket. In each tote she's placing a copy of the sewing instructions and information about the City of Winston-Salem's recycling program.

Margaret hopes that her simple sewing project will empower others by showing them that one person can make a difference and that small steps can be accomplished cost-effectively and creatively...so that everyone can say NO to "paper or plastic."

Congratulations, Margaret, on a thoughtful, needed, timely, creative and eco-chic job well-done!

Do They Have This Stuff on Snopes?

Check out The Christian Science Monitor's discussion of Climate Culture's Top 10 Green Living Myths! There are some things that may really surprise you, and it highlights the reason why critical thinking skills are such a fundamental focus of environmental education. Recycled paper is always better than virgin paper, right? Well, not necessarily according to the list. There are so many factors that we need to consider that the answer to "what's best for the environment?" can get pretty tricky. This list and the discussion and comments that follow will definitely get you thinking, and that's a good thing!

PaperbackBookSwap

What a cool idea...it's like Netflix, but with books (you remember books, dont you?). And the best part...it's free (for now, at least)! At PaperBackSwap you list books that you are willing to swap with other members. Once you do that, you get two free book credits with which you can order two books online from the more than 3 million available. That book is now your book to keep. For each book you swap, you get another credit with which you can choose another book. Read on....

Guide to Greener Electronics

Every three months Greenpeace comes out with an updated Guide to Greener Electronics. Find out which companies were docked points for breaking their promises of phasing out toxic chemicals. Learn which companies really are cleaning up their act. It's all inside...the Guide to Greener Electronics!

Time to Address Your Drinking Habit

Interested in knowing exactly how much money you would save if you cut your consumption of bottled water? Well, the Center for a New American Dream is interested in you knowing. Check out their Bottled Water Cost Calculator to find out exactly what you spend on your habit. You'll also see how much water, oil and energy is used to get you that bottled water as well as the amount of CO2 produced. Just in case you were wondering...

Do You Have a Health eHome?

WebMD and the nonprofit Healthy Child Healthy World have partnered to produce Health eHome. Wander through the kitchen, family room, bathroom, bedroom and even out to the yard and find out what items may be impacting your health or that of the environment. Click on the shower curtain in the bathroom, for example, and you'll get a short blurb on cleaning options and PVC health issues. Want to know more? You can click to watch a video about offgassing, or read about ways to prevent mold and allergies. Learn about the issues, test your knowledge and find out ways that you can take action...it's all at the Health eHome!

The Electronics Recycling Superguide

It is hard to keep up with which manufacturers and retailers offer which services for recycling your old electronics. PC Mag has developed a comprehensive list that can help you figure it all out! Their folks researched all of the major electronics manufacturers to find out what kinds of recycling programs they offer, where they are available, and whether there is a cost or opportunity for cash back associated with them. Also included in the Superguide are programs run by major retailers and opportunities for cash back or gift cards when you recycle your used electronics. It's all in the Electronics Recycling Guide...Landfill shmandfill!