Green Daily

Free range farmer only ten years old

Kelly Leahy — 2008-09-06T13:57:00+00:00

Filed under: Food, News

Elsa Amiss lives on the Higher Hingle Farm with her parents and siblings. After watching her parents sell over 100 organic ducks a week, Elsa decided to start her own business. She sells organic duck eggs to local markets and oversees the care of 300 ducks. She is England's youngest supermarket supplier.

Underneath a giant tent, Elsa's brothers collect the eggs. Each egg is hand washed by Elsa before she enlists the help of her two brothers and sister to label and box them for shipment. She releases the birds daily into the pasture to forage.

Elsa oversees the sales end of the business as well. She and her parents were recent recipients of Made in Britain Food Champion of the Year award. With her winnings, Elsa hopes to upgrade her egg stamp to colored ink and go to Legoland (she is ten after all).

Duck eggs are available in the United States as well though not as common as chicken eggs. Duck eggs have a higher fat content and contain more protein than those of their cousins. They come in a range of sizes, as do chicken eggs and the shells are a bit tougher to crack. Otherwise, there are few discernable differences especially when baking.

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Green Blog Tour

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-09-06T11:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Green Blog Tour

Dangers of tagless clothes

Sometimes it feels like we trade one problem for another. Tiffany at Nature Moms Blog alerts readers to the possible dangers of those tagless clothes, like chemical burns. Yikes.

So where can we drill in the U.S.?

From the Sierra Club via Green Options, check out this map that shows all the places in the U.S. that are already leased for oil drilling and available for future drilling. It might surprise you.

Is an RV a true outdoor experience?

Heidi at Outdoor Baby tackles a reader's question about the environmental soundness of buying an RV (recreational vehicle) for camping. Heidi addresses the eco-friendliness of an RV itself, and also compares the experience of camping in an RV versus camping in a tent. See her post for her final recommendation!

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California considers 'water bank' to combat drought

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-06T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Local, Polit-eco

With nine of California's counties already declared to be in a state of emergency as a result of two years of below-average rainfall, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing forward plans to set up the first 'water bank' in the state since the early 90's. Anticipating yet another dry winter in 2009, the California Department of Water Resources is already laying the groundwork for a way to help out parched regions deal with next year's water shortages.

Instead of the 'bank' being a gigantic water storage facility, as it may sound, it's really a mechanism for transferring water from northern California -- where water resources are more plentiful -- to the bone dry southern half. Basically, the state will purchase water from areas with full reservoirs, or adequate ground water wells, and send it downstream. Users on the receiving end must commit to a %20 reduction in water consumption right off the bat. According to California's drought coordinator Wendy Martin: "We're not going to let people take water and use it for frivolous reasons." What? No Slip 'n Slides? This sounds serious.

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Aveda helps Fashion Week go green

Kyle Hepp — 2008-09-06T10:37:00+00:00

Filed under: Fashion

New York Fashion Week is a huge event which tends to have a big impact on the environment. While fashion around the globe is slowly moving towards going green, many of the big designers have yet to catch. But this year, a few big names in the industry are taking small steps in the right direction.

Aveda has partnered with Rodarte, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang and Preen to help them commit to a program called "Green Backstage."

As part of their efforts to help the environment, the designers will do the following:

Replace bottled water with New York City tap water, eliminating up to 400 plastic water bottles backstage per show. In place of plastic bottles, Aveda will provide reusable liter-sized non-toxic aluminum SIGG bottles filled with New York City tap water.
Eliminate use of fur in show and in all retail iterations.
Serve organic, locally-sourced food to models, stylists, makeup artists and production staff backstage. Food provided by City Bakery for Aveda.
Print all programs and show invitations on post-consumer recycled paper.

Now if only all designers would take the same initiative!

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Computer recycling, under the radar

Beth Lebwohl — 2008-09-05T15:48:00+00:00

As Austin-based EnviroMedia reports, it just became mandatory in Texas for manufacturers to see to the recycling of (new) computer equipment purchased in the state.

Here is the official language from the TCEQ website: "[As of] September 1, 2008, the manufacturer will offer a recycling program -- free of charge at the time of recycling -- to collect and recycle consumers' used computer equipment." That includes monitors, laptops, keyboards and mice. (For more detailed information, you can visit a TCEQ-maintained website for consumers, which includes a list of manufacturers sorted by brand.)

EnviroMedia Blogger Valerie Davis makes two great points about the new law. First: there are only four states with computer takeback laws; Texas, Minnesota, Maine and Maryland. Why not more?

Second: where will all those old TV's go when television goes digital in 2009? Analog heaven, I guess...what a nice place that must be, filled to the brim with mix tapes.

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Green Daily Weekly Roundup

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-09-05T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Green Daily Weekly Roundup

Exxon ad is banned in UK for misleading green message
Take a look at Exxon's ad and decide for yourself.

The remaining contenders
Check out our gallery of the remaining presidential and VP contenders and their stand on the environment.

The RNC is BPA-Free
Sea spies some RNC swag, a water bottle proudly announcing that it is BPA-free. Not that BPA is a problem. Or maybe it is.

Arctic becomes an island, enters death spiral.
The Arctic becomes an island for the first time in 125,000 years. Shipping companies already planning to use new routes.

School bus driver circles Brooklyn for five hours
Besides the atrocious waste of gas, I can't imagine how those kids were feeling after that.

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Fallout Boy: Eco-tips and unfunny outtakes for DoSomething.org

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-05T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities, Activism, Climate Change

As part of DoSomething.org's efforts to get America's youth to well... do something to fight global warming, they're offering 10 Green Grants to anyone age 25 or younger who comes up with a project that positively impacts the environment. To ensure that the news about the grants gets out to its intended audience, they've enlisted the help of Fallout Boy -- who apparent can't read from a teleprompter or ad-lib very well.

These Green Grants are sponsored by Maximum Ride books and will put $500 in the hands of the top 10 green thinkers. All you need to do is come up with an idea to clean up your town, conserve resources, improve recycling efforts, etc. and submit an online application. Oh yeah, and you have to live in either the US or Canada to apply.

When it comes to helpful videos full of eco-tips and energy conservation advice, I always turn to the Green Team. The Green Team packs about twice the tips (although many of them are not green at all) and ten times the laughs as these emo-clowns.

[via Ecorazzi]

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Green Daily Giveaway Reminder: Boca - burgers and more!

Cat Lincoln — 2008-09-05T14:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Food

If you're a meatless eater, and want to try the new flavors from Boca, don't miss this week's giveaway: three coupons, each good for one free package of Boca Meatless Products.

Click on over to the original post (please don't comment here, it won't count!) and leave a comment telling us about your favorite meat-free dish. At 5 pm EST we'll pick a winner at random. That could be you, but you have to enter to win!

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A different type of power plant

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-05T13:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Gadgets and Tech, GreenTech

As solar technology continues to make gains in efficiency and affordability, designers are starting to take on the next challenge in the evolution of solar technology: how to make it aesthetic, or at least inconspicuous. While many are solving that problem by integrating solar panels into poolside furniture and ladies undergarments, a consortium of designers in Japan are taking a more functional approach: solar leaves.

While they don't seem to have the art of camouflage perfected quite yet (it looks like a bad silk ficus), these thin-film solar leaves are designed to blend into other foliage, grabbing maximum sunlight without spoiling your view. This prototype -- designed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Mitsubishi, and Tokki Corp -- gives us an idea of the wide variety of forms that thin-film technology is allowing solar systems to take. Each leaf on this solar power plant is coated with its own protective film that will allow it to stand up to the elements.

[via Engadget]

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Asian pollution could warm Europe and U.S.

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-09-05T12:29:00+00:00

Filed under: Climate Change

When it comes to environmental issues, including air pollution, it's not just about your own little piece of the world. What happens across the globe can have far-reaching effects. According to a new report by NOAA, pollution from Asia could create summer hot spots in the central U.S. and southern Europe by 2050.

Particle pollution, or soot, originating from Asian power plants, cooking and heating might only stay in the air for a few days locally, but its warming effect can last for decades globally. Particulate matter is a major consideration in daily air quality, but should also be considered for its impact on climate change, according to scientists. Soot is the black carbon particles that result from combustion; since soot particles are dark, they absorb heat.

According to this report, soot and sulfate pollution originating in Asia is likely to make the Midwest U.S. and southern parts of Europe hotter and drier, but are not necessarily expected to change Asia's climate.

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PBDEs: Wash small kids' hands frequently to lower ingestion

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-09-05T11:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Health, Kids and Parenting

Environmental Working Group recently tested twenty mothers and their toddlers for the presence of toxic fire retardants, such as PBDEs, in their blood. They found that the young children had three times as much of these hormone-disrupting chemicals in their blood as their mothers. The children were also found to have much higher levels than the newborns tested.

PBDEs are a class of fire retardants added to household furniture and electronic items. That means they could be lurking in your couches, chairs and even your laptop. So why do kids have such higher levels? According to EWG, one contributing factor is because young children put their hands in their mouths so often, ingesting ten times more PBDEs than adults.

What can you do? According to EWG, try to avoid buying furniture and electronics with PBDEs, more of which you can read about in the report here. Also, EWG recommends replacing any foam items that have ripped covers or broken-down foam, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, not reupholstering foam furniture and being careful when removing old carpet padding.

And here's a simple way to help tackle this problem, if you don't have the money to replace every single piece of furniture in your home: On a day-to-day basis, make sure small children wash their hands frequently.

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Ricky Gervais is backing PETA

Kyle Hepp — 2008-09-05T10:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities

Sure, PETA might be a little bat-you-know-what crazy. But their collective heart is in the right place. Ricky Gervais knows this so he agreed to back them up after his his PETA friends informed him that bear fur is used for the hats of the National Guard.

Ricky contacted Gordon Brown by letter and he made note of the fact that it takes one whole bear just to make one tiny hat. Often times the bears are left to bleed to death and orphan small cubs who then starve to death.

He thinks that's ridiculous and we have to agree. Plus, the star of The Office is not alone in his request. He also points out that the majority of the British public oppose the use of their taxpayer funds to make fur hats.

So let's hope that PETA + Ricky = change for the U.K.

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Eco-conscious labeling comes to Ebay

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-05T09:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Fashion, Natural Body Care, Plants and Wildlife

Since many of the items for sale on Ebay are second-hand, you could probably consider your online shopping obsession a "recycling obsession," and that might help boost your Scuppie self-esteem. However, if you really want to feel good about you shopping addiction, there's a Ebay store that can help you justify all sorts of green and socially-conscious purchases by labeling its goods according to their contribution to the earth. It's called WorldofGood.com.

WorldofGood.com's labeling system -- entitled Goodprint -- is broken down into four categories: People Positive, Eco Positive, Animal Friendly, and Supports a Cause. At the store, you're able actually search their goods based on which causes you care about. So, if animals are your thing, you can search only the products that promote 'species preservation.' If you're not familiar with World of Good, most of their merchandise consists of clothing, baskets, and accessories from around the world -- like Beth's favorite Nepalese sling bag -- so it's not necessarily everyone cup of tea.

Still, I think they really might be on to something here. I'd like to see Ebay launch a site wide eco-labeling system that sellers could register for.

[via Earth2Tech]

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The RNC is BPA-free

Sea Stachura — 2008-09-04T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Food, Health, Polit-eco

As a member of the media covering life beyond the perimeter of the Republican National Convention at Saint Paul's XCel Center I can't tell you whether the metal detectors, video monitors or hairspray being used is environmentally-friendly.

But I can tell you some of the swag disagrees with the FDA on BPA. That is, the Food and Drug Administration earlier stated that Bisphenol A had not been linked to cancer, and was exposure to it in plastics did not warrant health concerns.

The official Republican National Convention give-away water bottle, however, if BPA-free.

The containers are made from #1 plastic, completely recyclable. The jug also proudly announces it is BPA-free. Get yours in red or blue, but only if you know someone inside the fence that can cross the border.

Me? I'm waiting for these puppies to go on sale on eBay, just like Alaska's state jet.

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Green products you shouldn't waste your money buying

Christina Clark — 2008-09-04T17:07:00+00:00

Filed under: Shopping Guide, Tips

Here at Green Daily we spend a lot of time telling you about all the options for new green products. Things you can buy or check out to reduce your carbon footprint, create less trash and more. But what about green products that just aren't worth the cost?

Smart Money came up with a list of what to avoid. Read on to get the info.

OLED televisions (organic light emitting diode) have super thin screens and and use 40% less energy than LCD televisions. The problem? OLEDs are so new they cost a lot and its hard to tell if you are getting a good one. And the thin screens don't come with any guarantees they will hold up. Sony's 11 inch XEL-1 costs $2,500. Seems like a good reason to wait to me!
Some "organic" products at the grocery store. With studies showing that some organics are not more nutritious and labels that can be misleading, it's not always the best idea to buy organic. Some places sell "organic" seafood when the FDA has no organic certification for seafood.
Hormone free labeled poultry, pork and eggs can be misleading. The FDA already requires these foods to be hormone free so if a company is charging a premium price for foods labeled that way, you're not getting anything out of the ordinary.
Carbon offsets - a nice idea but with no government regulations it's hard to say how far your contribution is going.
Organic wine and spirits may help prevent a hangover the next day but might not be a good green investment. For example, a wine made with organic grapes can still have plenty of additives included in the winemaking process. And, it won't last as long on the shelf so aging an organic wine can turn it into vinegar.
Green building is all the rage right now with everything going towards LEED certifications. That's all well and good if you have lots of money to spend or are staying put for a long time. But if you spend thousands of dollars on solar panels now and won't recoup that money in energy savings for at least 10 years it isn't a good investment for you. Focus on things with a quicker return like energy efficient appliances and more insulation in your home.

[Via Smart Money]

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Huge EU power grid could power 70 million home

Eugene Sandhu — 2008-09-04T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Alternative Energy

At this point they're still at the planning stages, but this proposed transnational power grid, designed by Greenpeace, is pretty ambitious.

The basic idea: connect 10,000 wind turbines from over 100 different wind farms in seven countries scattered around the North Sea. That's a lot of wind farms, countries and distances to figure out, but if successful, this shared renewable energy could power 70 million European homes.

The idea of using a massive grid to share wind-generated energy could take care of that pesky problems with wind-power - it's not always windy. By having a grid to share power, a windy day in Scotland can off-set a still day in Germany. There would also be supplements of energy from Scandinavian hydro power.

The plans have been called "ambitious but realistic" by senior official types and I'm guessing these big projects are going to get more popular as the EU tries to meet their 20-20-20 plan (cut 20% of greenhouse gases, get 20% of primary energy from renewables, and knock 20% off of energy use - all by 2020).

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School bus driver circles Brooklyn for 5 hours

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-04T15:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Activism

Next to getting stuck in bumper to bumper traffic -- which is definitely one of the most rage-provoking ways to waste gas and spew CO2 -- the second most annoying way to burn up all of your fuel is to get lost. Not only do you feel like an idiot for not consulting a map before you set out, but you have to watch that needle on your gas gauge count down towards 'E.' Now, imagine the pressure you'd feel if you were lost for 5 hours and you were driving a bus load of school children.

That's right, after picking up about a dozen first graders and kindergartners from the Achievement First Brownsville Charter School, a Brooklyn bus driver 'got lost' and circled the borough for a grand total of 5 hours. When police finally apprehended the wayward driver, they arrested him. Not for wasting tons of diesel fuel -- though that might please some of us -- but for just being dangerously weird.

I guess we may never know what he was thinking, or why he refused to stop and get directions, but I have a well thought-out theory: he's one of these energy-waster activists, here to destroy the planet.

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Storms like Gustav, getting stronger, due to warming oceans

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-09-04T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: News

So, is a warming globe responsible for stronger storms, such as Hurricane Gustav? Yes, says climate scientist James Elsner, of Florida State, in an interview with Reuters this week. According to Elsner, as the ocean gets warmer, the strongest tropical storms get stronger. Elsner expects stronger storms in the future if the seas continue to warm.

After looking at 26 years of data, scientists concluded that it was the strongest storms that got stronger as a result of increasing ocean warmth, in a "survival-of-the-fittest" argument. These results are in line with projections made by the U.N. IPCC, which has said that there may be more intense storms in the future due to global warming, and that this is more likely than not due to human activities. However, Elsner's study made no reference to any human causes for warming oceans.

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Hybrid wars: Honda revives the Insight

Josh Loposer — 2008-09-04T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Cars and Transportation

Honda may have been the first major automaker to get a hybrid on the road here in the US, but when the Prius rolled out, sales of the less-practical 2-seater plummeted and Honda discontinued its production in 2006. Now, Honda's launching a renewed effort to break into the hybrid-only market, only this time with more... insight? Looking strikingly similar to the car the killed the original, Honda has released concept shots of the 2009 Insight.

The new 5-door, five-seater model is Honda's attempt to wrestle a chunk of the market away from Toyota, and by the look of it, they might just give the Prius a run for its money. Not only is the new Insight more stylish and practical than its predecessor -- though sadly not as fuel efficient -- Honda has figured out a way to cut the cost of its hybrid drive system in half. Expected to make its debut in early 2009, the Insight will start at a very reasonable $18,500.

[via Autobloggreen]

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PETA's striptease quiz

Cat Lincoln — 2008-09-04T13:46:00+00:00

Filed under: Activism, Plants and Wildlife

PETA has a new method for teaching dudes, and chicks who like chicks, the facts about Animal Birth Control.

It's a 10 item quiz designed to raise awareness of animal reproduction issues, with questions like, "In six years, how many puppies can an unspayed dog and her litter produce?" Answer: a scary 60,000 puppies!

Interesting information, right? But probably more interesting to some folks is that the lovely Amber, pictured above, takes off an item of clothing for every correct answer.

She's wearing lacy red underwear, and yes, you can retake the questions you get wrong.

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