"The Greenest Thing Ever To Happen to Retail"??

Walmart's Sustainability Index could be the greenest thing ever to happen to retail.

Interesting. Walmart's still no good for Main Street, but as one of a half dozen stores that can actually change WHAT is manufactured and HOW, this truly is a staggering step.

Not only would products' environmental information be labeled; the idea is that Walmart would also exercise its purchasing power BASED ON this data. Meaning products and companies with bad environmental records and effects would be LABELED as such if they were in the store, but might also not even make it into the store in the first place.

A story worth following.

Could You Use a Green Tax Break?

In case you haven't heard, the oft-mentioned but not-as-oft understood Stimulus Package includes a variety of tax credits for qualified energy efficiency improvements.

Some highlights that could affect YOU include tax credits for:
-materials costs (not labor) related to more energy efficient insulation, windows, furnace, boiler, and A/C installed in 2009.
-up to 30% of some larger energy-efficiency projects.
-geothermal heat pumps and small wind turbines.
-plug-in hybrid/electric cars and motorcycles, vehicle fuel cell systems

These are national tax credits. State-by-state tax credits and incentives have also been funded, so be sure to check out your own state's allocations and requirements.

If you have some energy-efficiency projects in mind for your house or car, this could very well be the perfect year to make them reality.

Specifics and qualifications will vary according to state, income, and project, so you'll have to take it from here, but here are a few good places to start your research:

Energy Star
Department of Energy
Alliance to Save Energy

St. Patrick's Green-o-Meter Off to a Good Start

A follow-up, about 15 hours later, at the close of St. Patrick's Day: how? How could they resist? Maybe everybody blew all their "green" jokes on St. Patrick's Day last year? I'm so...is it disappointed or proud? Hard to say.
Molly



* * *

Let's have some fun. How many "Go Green for St. Patrick's Day" list-serv messages do you think I'll receive today? Me, I'm guessin'...5, without even looking outside of my Inbox. Ready? Ticker starts NOW.

1. National Wildlife Federation

You don’t need four-leaf clovers to go green this St. Patrick’s Day. Just follow these easy steps and you’ll be reducing your impact on mother nature in no time.

1. Fix that drip. Water dripping from a
leaky faucet can waste up to 5,000
gallons of water a year. And, a leaky
toilet can waste a whopping 25,000
gallons a year.
2. Keep your tires properly inflated to
save the planet…and about 12 cents a
gallon!
3. Install a programmable thermostat.
Adjust the temperature for maximum
energy savings when you aren't home.

These are just a few of many tips that can help you save money and reduce your carbon footprint this spring.

And, if you’d like to know how your daily actions can add up to make a real impact on our environment, become a Good Neighbor today. When we all combine our small actions together, we make huge strides for the planet and those who will inherit it.

Plus, with a $15 donation, you’ll receive our popular Good Neighbor benefits package (see sidebar). So, let's get started!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Attention eBay shoppers!

I'm curious to hear people's reactions to eBay's new "Green Team" initiative. I haven't swum the deep waters of eBay yet as a buyer or seller, though I know I should and also know lots of people who love it.

I'll tell you that as someone who researches environmental and greening claims and is deeply attuned to "greenwashing" (false or exaggerated greening claims for marketing purposes), I have to say that at first glance, the eBay stuff looks pretty good.

What I see at first glance is (a) an open forum for discussion of environment-related topics, (b) a "Green Team" forumyou can join, (c) greening tips and tales from Daily Green, and the (by my estimation) most interesting and laudable parts, (d) tips on selling green and (3) tips on buying green.

Of course. eBay is a naturally mixed bag. The great side is - when you're finished with things, give/sell them to someone else! Reduce/re-use at its best. Saves you from making trash, saves the person buying from buying new. Great! Thumbs up! Fabulous! The shipping, of course...it would be better if we were all doing this in our own communities...but how picky can we be? And not all eBay stuff is used... But the point is that eBay's new "buy green" features enable and encourage you to find things that are "green" because they are used, "sustainable" (sounds like this is used to describe things that are new but created using sustainable materials), or "resource-saving" (i.e., energy-efficient).

But their "selling green" section (while not revolutionary, making good but not-new suggestions like "recycle" and "save and reuse packaging") does a very nice job of laying out some details about green packaging, green shipping, and even green marketing.

Anyway, I'll be quiet and let you
check it out.

Green FAQs - the best post all year!!!

This is a GREAT POST on Grist. Check it out - I bet you'll learn at least one thing.


Just the FAQs
Answers to readers' most frequently asked questions about green dilemmas
By Umbra Fisk
26 Oct 2005

Should I use paper or plastic bags at the grocery store?
Neither one is better. Best choice: bring your own cloth bag.

Should I dry my hands with paper towels or the electric blow dryer?
Use the dryer if you can't drip dry.

Should I wash my dishes by hand or use the dishwasher?
If you and your dishwasher are efficient, by all means bypass the sink.

Is it better to leave [lights, cars, computers] on when I'm not using them, or turn them off and restart them?
Restart! Whether you're driving, defeating darkness, or doing work, it takes more energy to keep your power-suckers running than it does to turn them off and on.

My old [car, refrigerator, washing machine] isn't energy efficient. Is it worse to keep using it, or to toss it and buy a new one?
In general, it's better to upgrade (whether washing machine, fridge, dishwasher, or car) -- but make sure your old machine is reused or recycled if possible.

Should I use cotton or disposable diapers?
I know you worry, parents, but honestly, it's a wash. Here's an idea: go diaperless!

Is it better to buy organic food from far away, or non-organic food grown locally?
Ideally, buy food that is both organic and local -- but if you have to choose, local is the way to go.

I want to follow your recommendation and buy compact fluorescent lightbulbs, but I've discovered they contain mercury. What should I do?
Buy them anyway -- the small amount of mercury (less than in a watch battery) can be handled by a hazardous-waste facility.

Which plastics are OK?
We don't like plastic, in general. But just make sure you avoid #3.

Which is better: Diesel? Biodiesel? Straight vegetable oil? Hybrid?
They're all bad. Stop driving!

But while you work toward that goal, here are thoughts on some of your quandaries: diesel vs. regular gasoline; converting to biodiesel; converting to veggie oil; biodiesel vs. veggie oil; and hybrids vs. veggie oil.

Can I put my [milk carton, stapled paper, nose wipe tissues, number 17 bottle] in the recycling?
I don't know. The only people who know are those running your recycling program -- usually your municipality. Those same people should be able to answer questions about why certain objects are accepted and others are not.

What's the one thing I can do to help the environment?
Watch out, helping the environment becomes addictive. There's no one answer, but try to limit your consumption and keep the big picture in mind.

"Green Living" Children's Books

I haven't checked all of these out, but they seem worth investigating! Feel free to post reviews if you know anything about these books.
Molly

* * *

February 23, 2009
Top Green Living Childrens' Books of 2009, from Earthly Happenings

This is a list of four fabulous new books for young readers. Published in 2009, they all teach kids about fun gardening, delicious organic food, easy recycling, nature, and environmental sustainability. They show the ties between our food, our environment, and ourselves. All come highly recommended by teachers and parents:

Two Old Potatoes and Me is a lovely book recently featured on Reading Rainbow by Lavar Burton. It tells the story of a little girl who finds two old potatoes in her father's kitchen. She and her father go through the process of planting the potatoes, growing a whole crop, and eating the results. Vibrant colors, rhythmic prose, and a recipe for mashed potatoes with nutmeg make this an inspiring and educational read.

Eddie's Garden How to Make Things Grow uses prose and beautiful illustrations to tell the story of how a little boy and his mother plant a vegetable garden.

Diary of a Worm explains what earthworms do and why they are so important. Written in fun-to-read diary form from the point of view a young worm, this book sheds a whole new light on a creature that spends most of its life underground.

365 Ways to Live Green for Kids: Saving the Environment at Home, School, or at Play--Every Day! teaches children about organic food, reducing pollution, environmental protection, and more. Complete with tips for every day of the year (and activities for home, school, and during playtime) this book reveals how easy it is to grow up eco-friendly.

Here's the original posting.

Who's Not Keeping Up?

These days, more and more consumers are using their purchasing power to make decisions about companies whose philosophies they want to support. In terms of climate control, here are a few that CERES has identified as "Climate Control Laggards" - either falling behind on sustainable retrofitting and innovation - or actively hampering improvements in this area.

Environmental Group CERES Identifies "Climate Control Laggards"

Are you signed up for Earth Hour yet?

Earth Hour 2009 will occur on March 28th from 8:30-9:30pm, local time, wherever you are in the world. Mark your calendars! And although (of course) you don't have to be signed up to turn off your lights, getting yourself on the list is a good way to show just how many people are joining forces, as the folks at Earth Hour say, "to show that it's possible to take action on global warming."

Kindermusik is, of course, signed up - and I just got this exciting update:

* * *

Dear Kindermusik,

Excitement is building all over the US and around the world. Here's a quick update on what's developed this week for Earth Hour:

More cities turning out: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis and the Village of Homer Glen, Illinois. We've heard rumblings from Houston and Seattle as well and would also love to get Washington, DC on board. If you're a DC resident, let Mayor Fenty know you want the city to turn out!

Help us turn out the lights on the US Capitol Dome—write to your Senators or Member of Congress.

What goes on in Vegas doesn't always stay there: Earth Hour officially launched in Sin City at a press event featuring a Panda Bear and Vegas showgirls. The Strip will indeed go dark for the full 60 minutes—the only time the lights have been dimmed except briefly in 1998 in honor of Frank Sinatra's death.

Other city news: Chicago held its official launch event last week, with Mayor Daley again pledging his support. Next up? Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas!

The city of lights goes dark: Paris and 27 other French cities announced they'll take part in Earth Hour, with the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame going dark. A total of 405 cities in 74 countries have pledged to participate—double the number of countries from last year.

And don't forget to mark your calendar...Earth Hour is March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm. Turn out. Take action.

Thanks!

The Earth Hour Team

Sign up here

Five Recycling Mysteries Solved!

Five Recycling Mysteries Solved!
By Lori Bongiorno



Wondering what to do with your stash of old batteries or the cans of unneeded paint taking up space in your garage? You know you shouldn't throw them out, but it really is time to get rid of them.

Resist the temptation to toss them in the trash anyway. The reason: They (and everything on the list below) contain toxic chemicals capable of contaminating the environment if not disposed of properly.

Unlike items that are picked up at the curb, you'll have to make a special effort to unload these ones responsibly. But, with a little advance planning and some good info, you'll see that it's really quite simple to dispose of these seemingly mysterious items. Here's how:

* Batteries. Recycling rechargeable batteries is fairly easy. Home Depot, Staples, Radio Shack, Best Buy, and other retailers take them back free of charge. There are fewer options for single-use batteries, but look for bins at your local Whole Foods Market, Ikea, or library. Otherwise, your best bet is the local household hazardous waste drop-off site. Where is it and what are your closest drop-off options? Search here for answers.

* CFLs. These energy-efficient bulbs are becoming easier to get rid of. Just drop old bulbs off at any Home Depot or Ikea for free recycling. Or ask about CFL recycling at your local Ace Hardware or home improvement store. You can search for other nearby solutions.

* Electronics. Every retailer that takes back rechargeable batteries also accepts mobile phones, as do most wireless providers. For computers, cameras, televisions, and others it's worthwhile do a little homework because some stores charge fees depending on item and brand. Check out Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot to see what's the best fit. Some places, like Radio Shack, have trade-in programs where you can receive store credit for your old gadgets.

* Motor Oil. In case you need some motivation, consider this factoid from Earth911: Every gallon of used motor oil that's improperly disposed of can contaminate one million gallons of drinking water. Bring it to Wal-Mart, Autozone, Jiffy Lube, or search online for more convenient choices.

* Paint. It's among the harder items in this group to dispose of, but it's worth it and totally doable. If the paint is still in good shape, consider donating it. As of now, there aren't any retailers that accept used paint so you'll need to make a special trip. Search Earth911 for a comprehensive list of options.


Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

Doodle 4 Google!

You've probably seen this already, but Google today has this announcement:
"Your child's design could be our logo and appear in the National Design Museum".

Check it out . . .


Welcome to Doodle 4 Google, a competition where we invite K-12 students to play around with our homepage logo and see what new designs they come up with. This year we're inviting U.S. kids to join in the doodling fun, around the intriguing theme "What I Wish for the World."

These are exciting times and both our country and the world are on the brink of significant change. At Google we believe in thinking big, and dreaming big, and we can't think of anything more important than encouraging students to do the same.

Registration closes at 11:59:59 PM Pacific time on March 17, 2009 and entries are due by 11:59:59 PM Pacific time on March 31, 2009. Teachers, you'll find everything you need to get started on the Registration page. Only teachers or school employees should register. Parents or students who are interested should contact their teacher to register them.

What I Wish For The World?

… we use plants for electricity
… we make college free for everyone
… we give health insurance to all who need it
… we connect everyone by cell phone or computer