plastic pile

I have a confession. I have a large collection of plastic that can't be recycled in NYC. Mostly #6 (PS or polystyrene) and some #5 (polypropylene) objects are piling up in our "office" (aka, second bedroom; aka, junk room). Coffee cup lids, containers that held mushrooms, yogurt containers -- I can't get myself to throw them away. I have a big project in mind for them, but yesterday I was thinking, maybe there's a place I can send this stuff to be recycled.

And I found out today, there is! Thanks to Ideal Bite, I found out that Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn will be happy to take my #5s and some of my number #4s (although these aren't as common) to send to Recycline. As I've mentioned before, they have a partnership with this maker of Preserve products. So the plastics that were destined to go to the dump (or the ocean) are now the stuff of toothbrushes, razors, and other household goods.

Now what to do with those #6s?

made in my backyard

It's nice to see when things are made close to home. While I can't be sure of the origins of their components, at least I know these finished products don't have far to ship. Check out some quality Made-in-Brooklyn goods courtesy of, funnily enough, Manhattan User's Guide.


And a few more Brooklyn-made goods:

• Copper pots
• Handbags and Manbags
• Dresses from AngelRox

robot love

Robots aren't always so cute. Think RoboCop, Terminator, HAL (well, I guess he's technically a computer). But what about Number 5 (Short Circuit), V.I.C.I (Small Wonder, okay, she was annoying), Twiki, or Artoo-Detoo?

In the cuteness department, WALL-E's got 'em all beat. He's freaking adorable. And not only is this fictional, computer-generated animation cute, the story surrounding him is an allegory about what we're doing to the environment. Could it get any better?

I don't want to give anything away, so go out and see it!

the dr is in

Dr. Hauschka makes some really great stuff. One of the key ingredients that makes their products so great is not really an ingredient at all: quality packaging. According to Dr. Hauschka,

Our Eco-conscious packaging and natural botanical preservatives help keeps products fresh without the use of chemical additives. In this way, we're able to maintain the vitality of our Biodynamic and organic plant ingredients, delivering their nurturing, supportive qualities directly to you.

Plus much of their ingredients are organic or biodynamic, the products don't contain parabens, and there's no animal testing. These features have been part of the principles of the grower of their ingredients, WALA Heilmittel, for over 60 years.

I've used the Rose Day Cream (on the heavier side, making it better for winter) and Cleansing Milk (well worth the price, it lasts a long time). They now make a Rose Day Cream Light for warmer months. And Sunscreen Cream SPF 20 to protect yourself from the summer sun.

They also make a Deodorant which I'd like to try (see my other post about natural deodorant here).

Not ready to commit to any specific products? Try the Daily Face Care Kit, a sampler of products small enough to pack away in carry-on luggage.

the sound of sleep

For years, my boyfriend used an air conditioner to drown out the noises of the city, just to get (and stay) asleep. It wasn't something I was accustomed to, but I learned to get used to it. But then I started thinking about how much energy sucking that air conditioner did, 365 days a year. We tried one of those noise machines with the varying sounds: rainforest, jungle, waterfall, plain old white noise. The problem with those things is that they're a recorded loop of sound. Whoooosh Whoooosh (hic) Whooosh. You can hear the slight skip where the loop starts again. Focusing on that hiccup is not conducive to a sound night's sleep.

Finally we found a sound machine that works. The Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner (quite a mouthful, but if you want to experience one, just click the link). It uses a small internal fan to make a whooshing sound. So now we're using a lot less energy and sleeping like babies. Whoooosh Whoooosh zzzzzzZZZZZZZZ

vast expanses of america

Nothing but peaks and valleys, green fields, vast plains for as far as the eye could see. Nothing but cows and their calves, destined for a CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation). Nothing but horses and ranches, for hundreds of miles -- from park to park, nation to nation.

On the US side, little in the way of renewable energy resources. With the abundance of land and sunshine, I expected to see solar panels gracing the pastures. None that I could see. On the Canadian side, adjacent the cattle were wind farms.

On both sides of the border, much talk about the consequences of receding glaciers. Drought. Fires. The lengthening summers and conversely shortening winters. The related changes in animal behavior.

Passing Butte, MT, my jaw dropped. As if someone had a giant chisel, the entire landscape was sliced out.

This is the America I experienced on my recent trip out West. Both amazing and alarming, at least from a passerby's perspective. It was beautiful, but I can't help but eco-scan everything I see.

happy 4th!

I'll be off for the holiday, so everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July!

something to cheer you up

Sorry about that nasty post about Wal-Mart, I just had to get it out. So how 'bout some sunshine to counter the gloom and doom: some philanthropic flowers. And how apropos, these flowers can help provide sustainable health care to people in need.




Project HOPE Siberia Lilies
Project HOPE's mission is to achieve sustainable advances in health care around the world by implementing health education programs and providing humanitarian assistance in areas of need. They have most recently sent 1.5 million dollars of medicine to help Indonesian Tsunami victims. Now you can support their critical humanitarian efforts while bringing a smile to a loved one's face by ordering this 10-stem bouquet of abundantly fragrant Siberia Lilies. 5% of each purchase will be donated to Project HOPE.*Vase not included. An optional vase is available at checkout.*Caution: Siberia lilies may be harmful to cats if ingested. Please consult your veterinarian for more information.

To order, click the image above.

why wal-mart isn't green

Warning: This is not an uplifting post.

I have the luxury of disliking Wal-Mart, simply because I don't have one in my backyard. Plus, being in the city I can support a multitude of small, local businesses when I need housewares, clothing, hardware, etc. But many people across the country don't have much choice over where they shop. Wal-Mart may be their only option for getting the daily necessities, from groceries to clothing to beauty products (in many cases because Wal-Mart put the little guys who couldn't compete with their low prices out of business). (Illustration: BusinessWeek)

A couple of weeks ago, I visited two different Wal-Marts, once out of necessity (in Cody, Wyoming) and once because I was dragged there (Virginia Beach). While I didn't completely scour the stores to examine every item for its eco-friendliness, I did notice a few things which irked me.

No organic produce (at least none that I could see)
In 2001, Wal-Mart became the largest food retailer in the US. If all (or even most) of their produce is conventional, they are contributing to a health and environmental disaster. Conventional farming methods rely on pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers for production. The run-off of treated soil and nitrogen fertilizers has led to the huge dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico (a simple explanation, here and here). Not providing customers with the option of organic is definitely not green.

Read more about conventional vs organic farming

No antibiotic-free/hormone-free, free range or organic meat
In the Virginia Beach Wal-Mart I thought I'd check out the meat department. I thought I'd see at least one organic or free-range meat product -- chicken at the very least. All I saw was unsustainable chicken, beef, and pork. These animals are most likely from a factory farm, which in itself is an environmental nightmare.

Ok, this is where I really go off...

Cheap is not sustainable: The 'China Price'
What a cruel joke that Wal-Mart's tagline is 'Save money. Live better.' because their cheap values are ultimately costing people their lives. I recently read the China Issue (May 2008) of National Geographic. While I was already aware of the negative health and environmental impacts of unregulated manufacturing in China, I still found myself shaking my head in disbelief. China's ecology hangs in the balance. The Yellow River, once China's lifeblood, is polluted to the point that it is undrinkable, and is drying to a trickle in some spots. The rate of cancer along the river is up to 23%. The river literally runs red (and other colors) from chemical runoff. (Image: Dang Yun/ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)

Cheap at any cost simply cannot last. As the world's demand for cheap goods (and cheap labor) continues, China -- the world's manufacturer -- is running out of natural resources. Not to mention the abuses of workers' rights, and disregard for human rights in and out of the country (ie, Sudan).

So, why do I hold Wal-Mart responsible for all of this? Simply because they have the greatest reach of all the big box stores. And according the National Geographic, 9% of all Chinese goods imported to the US end up on Wal-Mart's shelves. That might not sound like a lot until you really think about it. Think of the hundreds of thousands of retailers in this country. Now think about the piece of the China-goods pie that's going to Wal-Mart. It's staggering.

They say the are trying
It's not like they're doing nothing at all to try to be more sustainable. In 2005, Wal-Mart announced their goals for reducing their carbon footprint and being more environmentally responsible. They recently announced they'll be offering more local produce (probably to save money since these days local is cheaper due because it doesn't have to travel far). They sell CFLs, but soon that will be the only lighting option that can be sold by law. I'm sure I'm not covering all of the good things they have planned for the future, but I'm just not optimistic about the ability of a giant like Wal-Mart to be sustainable.

Haven't read enough bad news about Wal-Mart? Here's more about their negative enviro-impact from Grist.

Want to know where to shop instead? Keep reading this blog!

snow in the parks, both blessing and burden

Some of the things we wanted to do while in Yellowstone and Glacier were just not possible because of an obstacle. Snow. In June -- an anomaly for us Northeasterners. But it is a possibility in the higher elevations out West. While it was a minor annoyance that we couldn't hike Mount Washburn in Yellowstone or drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier, we still had an incredible time. I'd rather see some relief from drought -- as they've been experiencing in states like Wyoming and Montana -- and miss out on a few sights than deny the area some much needed precipitation. How timely that the New York Times published an article about this mixed blessing, check it out here.

afternoon eco-news

Sunny solutions for Golden State hands-free law

Milk drinkers cry over new eco jugs

Nau again soon? (I sure hope so!)

Incentives for New Yorkers making green home improvements

Grants for New Hampshire Dairies who go organic

Increase in organic spud production in Idaho warrants study

Eco scooting in the city

pesticides are not so peachy

No organic onions at the supermarket? Don't cry -- it's okay to reach for the conventional ones (at least in terms of your health). Out of 44 fruits and vegetables tested, onions were found to have the least pesticide residue. But think twice before eating conventional (ie, not organic) peaches or apples. They ranked highest on the pesticide-residue list. Check out the full list here (there's also a downloadable guide, courtesy of Environmental Working Group).

how i am spoiled

After being away for over 2 weeks, I have a greater appreciation of the kind of food I have access to. I live 2 blocks from a weekly farmer's market where I can get seasonal produce, pasture-raised beef and chicken, humanely raised pork, fresh dairy, good breads, etc. There are countless supermarkets and gourmet shops selling amazing food products. In the parts of NYC that I frequent, organic is just as accessible as conventional. I can go to restaurants that sell local, market ingredients not mystery meat from a mass distributor like Sysco. I don't have to rely on Wal-Mart for all of my shopping (more on that in a later post).

Being away from this cornucopia is eye-opening. In and around the national parks, from Wyoming to Canada, it was mostly the same menu no matter where we ate. One night we went to a place just north of Yellowstone that served trout. I asked the young waiter if it was caught locally. "Oh I don't know, it's from Sysco." That's as far as the provenance went, the largest nationwide food distributor. My boyfriend ordered something I wouldn't go near: chicken fried steak. I'm not sure you could call what was on his plate "steak," it was indeed mystery meat. Outside of Glacier, 400 miles north, we went to another place and I swear the menu was the same, barring a few personal twists. I wonder if the people living out there think about where their food comes from.

We did find a few exceptions to the homogeneous dining rule. In West Yellowstone, a cute little cafe with some Thai-inspired dishes. Even within Yellowstone itself, wild Alaskan Salmon and locally caught whitefish that's Marine Stewardship Council certified; plus fair-trade, organic coffee from Green Mountain (which my boyfriend said was delicious). On the way to Glacier, a cute little sandwich shop in a town called Ovando (pop. ~71). In St Mary's, Montana, a great little cafe with lots of vegetarian options and good local food. In Waterton, Canada, a restaurant we went back to twice just because it was rare to find well-prepared, quality food elsewhere.

While we did find these rare gems -- in most cases at the recommendation of park rangers (don't worry, we won't mention your names!) -- they were few and far between. What I need to keep in mind is that these were seasonal places we visited. The parks aren't fully functional for most of the year. They get most of their visitors from July to August with some coming in mid-June and September. And I'm sure most folks who live out there don't eat out that often -- if they do I'd hope there are some local hidden gems the tourists don't know about yet. Somehow, I doubt it.