Green Daily

I was born in 1969, so the environmental movement has always been a part of my life. Over the years I've absorbed bits and pieces of the way it started: that "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson inspired a generation of activists; that the first Earth Day was organized as a teach-in by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, on April 22, 1970, and that 20 million people participated in it.

But in general, my attention, along with most of the world, has been trained on the future of the movement, not the past.

Award-winning documentary film maker Robert Stone believes that it's also important for us to understand the history of the environmental movement. In his new film, "Earth Days", he combines archival footage and present-day interviews with nine eco-pioneers, to construct the first Genesis tale for the green movement.

What energy-conscious ride is Jessica Alba driving these days? Which veggies are the most pesticidey? Who would win in a water conservation contest: You or your dishwasher? Today's Eco-Beat has all the latest and greatest green news and tips.

Hollywood Hotties and Their Green Rides Wanna know what all the gorgeous ladies of Hollywood drive? Here's a slide show. It's kinda like an old fashioned bikini babes car calendar with a green twist ... and without the bikinis. Or the calendar. Hmm, maybe that's not the best analogy.

Tesla Models S on Letterman Tonight Tesla CEO Elon Musk will show off the Model S sedan on the Late Show tonight. Will Letterman get to test drive the awesome seven-seater clean machine around the studio? Will he make a joke about Elon's name? We'll have to wait and see.

Which Veggies Should You Buy Organic? It's always a little creepy when you stop and think that the delicious bell peppers you're snacking on are covered in pesticides. To find out which veggies you should always buy organic, check out this list of the "12 Vegetables with the Most Pesticides."

Are You an Efficient Dishwasher? It's the classic dishwasher versus hand-washing debate, but there seems to be a hands-down winner (pun intended). Feel no eco-guilt next time you decide to kick back and let the machine do the work.

Disneynature Already Scheming for Earth Day 2010 So, you didn't get a chance to go see Earth this Earth Day? Maybe you're just not that into the beasts of the land. After the resounding success of Earth, it looks like Disney will release another documentary next Earth Day called Oceans.

Green in a Flash:

• The world's largest solar power tower went on line in Spain.
• Want to track the swine flu outbreak on a handy dandy Google map?
• Will Arlen Specter's party switch help bring a US climate bill?

(Photo by The Sak)

We have an eco-tastic double giveaway for you this week, in honor of Earth Day. The prize pack includes an amazing eco-friendly bag from the Sak, filled with amazing natural treats for your home from Altru, and gorgeous organic goodies for you from Physicians Formula. Check it out:

• The Sak Eco Harmony Dip Drawstring Bag -- made of 100% Bamboo and Recycled Cotton in hot caynne red
• The Unity Collection from Altru -- a collection of Altru home frangrance items, in the sensual Unity flavor
• Physicians Formula Organic wear® 100% Natural Origin Makeup-- a full collection of this new and incredible line of natural makeup!

And best of all, we're giving away another whole set of these prizes at sister site, StyleList! So when you're done entering here, go and enter there, too, for a second chance to win.

To enter, visit the original post before 5pm EST today and tell us how you celebrated Earth Day. It's that easy!

As you know, today is a very special day for the planet, so be sure to wish it a happy Earth Day. To help you do just that, today's Eco-Beat has all the news and tips you need to get your Earth Day party on. Rock on, planet earth!

Plant a Tree Without Even Thinking About It Disney said they'll plant a tree for every ticket they sell to their new eco-documentary, Earth, throughout opening weekend. Grab a ticket, enjoy the show, and plant a tree while you zone out to the mesmerizing images.

Shrink Your Footprint, Get a Free Missy Higgins Song In honor of Earth Day, Missy Higgins will let you download an unreleased version of "Where I Stood" for free. All you've got to do is pledge to reduce your eco-footprint by 2%. Remember people, your word is your bond.

AOL's New Energy-Saving Toolbar is Here! Looking for a way to reduce your computing footprint? A brand spanking new toolbar from AOL can help you save electricity, printer paper, and keep you plugged in to the latest green computing technology.

Do Earth Day on the Cheap! Our friends at WalletPop put together an awesome slide show that gives you 16 ways to reduce your footprint while saving some green. Most of them are pretty simple, but you've gotta check out the Chinese carpenter who built a DIY solar water heater out of beer bottles!

Screw Earth Day? You read that right. Grist says Earth Day is for wimps ... but even so, they're having an Earth Day sign-up special. Register with them and get a free download of their book and a chance to win tix to Bonaroo.

Ed Begley Jr. on QVC Today! We knew Ed had mild super powers, but apparently he is a master at the art of eco-tasking. Not only is he appearing on The Price Is Right today, but then he'll magically fly across the daytime TV universe to give us green demos on QVC!

Need Some Earth Day Snark? It's OK, everybody gets fed up with people constantly telling them how to live. Watch this Howcast about how to have an 'Extreme Earth Day,' vent your frustrations, then get back to saving the planet.

Green in a Flash:

• Is your town one of 'The 10 Best Cities to be in for Earth Day?'
• Take a photo journey through Colorado's renewable energy revolution.
• Watch some awesome eco-documentaries and learn more about the challenges that the planet is facing.

(Photo by Ed Yourdon on flickr)

Ideally, to celebrate Earth Day, I'd have my computer turned off and unplugged. However, like many of you, that's just not a possibility -- my job sort of calls for a computer to be used all day, every day, you know? But there is something really simple you and I can do to green our machines.

AOL's new Green Toolbar is here, it's awesome, and it's available to download. And I know, you're wondering how a toolbar is supposed to help you be more eco-conscious, right?

Easy peasy. It includes the Green Wizard Utility, which is an optional component that will help you fine-tune your computer to save energy. Additionally, it'll give you daily eco-tips, right there in your browser -- getting your green on was never so handy.

Go on and download it today -- it's fast and free, and a great way to make the time you spend on your PC echo the way you live the rest of your life!

(Photo by Getty Images)

Happy Earth Day! In 1970, 20 million Americans celebrated the first Earth Day, thanks to an inspired idea from U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson and a strong response from the fledgling grassroots environmental movement.

Today the green movement is practically mainstream, with hybrid cars, LEED buildings going up across the nation, and a Sigg bottle in every backpack. But there is still plenty of work to be done to keep our planet healthy, and today is the day to think about the big and small ways you can go a little greener.

Like most people, I have great intentions, but sometimes life gets so hectic that I fall back on old (bad) habits. In honor of Earth Day, here's my reminder list of regular life stuff I can do to make a difference every day. Feel free to add your ideas in the comments!

• Remember to carry a reusable grocery bag -- there are so many cute, convenient ones out there! I love the Envirosax graphic series because they fold up tiny! Now they offer an organic series, too, made of organic bamboo, linen or hemp.

• B.Y.O. Cup -- whether you're drinking coffee, tea or water, skip the disposable cup and fill up a mug or water bottle. Did you know that Starbucks coffee cups are not recycleable or compostable? That means over 2 billion cups get sent to landfill, just from that one chain!

• Try a green diet for a day -- or a week! Eliminating meat from a meal once in a while cuts down on your carbon footprint, and can be surprisingly tasty, too. Think local and organic, and remember that the farmers' market is your friend!
  
  Seafood lovers, remember to check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List before you bake, broil or fry. As delicious as Chilean Seabass may be, it's endangered so we all must abstain.

• Ask what your power company can do for you. Does your local power company offer alternative energy options? How about rebates? Take a minute to check; you might be surprised to find that you can save money, and help the planet. And remember, a lot of those Energy Star appliances also help with taxes, too!

• Break Up With Your Car for a Day. Americans have a love affair with their vehicles. But even if you have the most energy efficient hybrid or biodiesel car available, a little space is good for every relationship. Walk, bus or bike it once in a while.

• Unplug -- If you're not using it, it doesn't need to be plugged in. Maybe even go a step further, and take a break from the TV, video game, or computer. You could play cards, go for a walk, or take a nap.

• Let it air dry -- Nice weather has arrived in most parts of the country. Try hanging your load of laundry on a line instead of using the clothes dryer. While you're at it, how about letting your hair dry naturally, too? Come on, one day of wild frizzies won't kill you!
  

• Seriously, do you still have "regular" lightbulbs? Swap 'em out for compact fluorescent bulbs! They're even dimmable now.

• Recycled toilet paper has come a long way, I promise you -- it's quilted now! Check out Seventh Generation, Trader Joe's, or Marcal's new Small Steps line.
  

• Volunteer to plant a tree, landscape a park, or clean up a beach -- however you'd like to help, there is a non-profit in need of your skills. A quick search at VolunteerMatch.org will find you the volunteering opportunity of your dreams!

I'm sure I missed a bunch, which will come to me while I eat raw sunflower seeds and watch An Inconvenient Truth yet again. That Al Gore -- smart and sexy!

Why did Morrissey throw a fit at Coachella? Is gaining weight good for the environment? Guess which tiny religious city-state is harvesting power from above? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all the latest awesome green news and tips.

Erykah Badu, Adrien Grenier Design for Kiehl's In time for Earth Day, Kiehls has released its fairly traded, organic body lotion in a limited edition 100% recycled bottle designed by Adrian Grenier, Erykah Badu, Kelly Slater, and students from Parson's New School of Design.

The Skinny on Obesity and the Environment Thinking about packing on a few pounds just for kicks? Not so fast, obese adults eat more and are less likely to walk rather than drive.

Morrissey Pulls a Britney Spears You heard about Britney walking off stage in Vancouver because she smelled pot smoke in the crowd? Well, Morrissey apparently had the same reaction at last weekend's Coachella festival -- to the smell of meat.

Vatican Constructing Europe's Largest Solar Farm I've always been jealous of the fact that the Pope has his own country and a car named after him (the Popemobile). Soon, he's also going to have Europe's biggest solar power plant too. Sheesh.

California Mandates More Efficient Flat Panel TVs Buying a new flat panel TV for the digital switch? California has proposed standards to make flat panels 50% more efficient by 2013 -- that's hardcore. Until then, look for the Energy Star logo.

Green in a Flash:

• Surprise! The EPA has declared that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health.
• This week is International TV Turnoff Week.
• Bikers: Ride on the road and risk getting run over, or ride on sidewalks and risk slamming into a pregnant celebrity?

In honor of Earth Day, we have a truly eco-fantastic giveaway this week. It's an amazing eco-friendly bag from the Sak, filled with amazing natural treats for your home from Altru, and gorgeous organic goodies for you from Physicians Formula. Everything in the prize is earth-friendly!

(Photo by The Sak)

The Sak Eco Harmony Dip Drawstring Bag -- You'll love the look of this fabulous and fashionable bag, which is made of 100% Bamboo and Recycled Cotton. As always, you can count on the functional SAK interior, with two pockets and a zippered pocket. It also has some eco-cool bling: a hand carved and painted mandala made of sono-wood, a sustainable wood from Indonesia, attached with traditional Indonesian prayer beads.

The Unity Collection from Altru -- Make your home an oasis with this collection of Altru home frangrance items, in the sensual Unity flavor, a combination of burmese woods and honey. The collection includes a soy blend wax candle in hammered copper, interior fragrance oil with diffusing reeds, and rich exotic incense sticks.

Altru, which was created by Manuela Testolini, is commited to social responsibility through it's support of Perfect World, a non-profit organization that she also created, to help children become "compassionate, socially conscious and responsible leaders."

(Photo by Altru)

Physicians Formula Organic wear® 100% Natural Origin Makeup -- this is an incredible line of natural makeup available at drugstore prices. It's 100% free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives or parabens, comes in eco-conscious packaging, and contains 100% certified organic ingredients. The prize includes a huge set of Organic wear® products, including the yummy Superfruit lipgloss and the mascara with the green leaf applicactor that everyone is talking about!

And even better? We're giving away another whole set of these prizes at sister site, StyleList! So when you're done entering here, you can go and enter there, too, for a second chance to win.

Are you ready to celebrate Earth Day with all of this schwag? Then let's get this giveaway rolling!

Why did Will Ferrell drink his own pee? Want a bendable, fold-able, kinetically-powered cell phone? Which celeb gave their Beverly Hills Mansion a $15m eco-makeover? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all of the latest awesome green news and tips.

Will Ferrell Learns About Survival with Bear Grylls Drinking (his own) urine, eating reindeer eyeballs ... it's all in a day's work for comedic superstar Will Ferrell -- who is now officially a lot harder to kill. He recently survived an episode of Man vs. Wild in Northern Sweden, where he got "urine drunk."

Kyocera Developing a Kinetic Folding Cell Phone The more you interact with this soft-ish folding phone, the more kinetic energy it harvests from its piezoelectric generators. Open it up for wide screen interaction, then fold it up like a wallet.

Eva Longoria Parker Designs HEB Shopping Bags Eva's teamed up with grocery chain HEB to design cute little bags for Earth Day. What's that? You already have reusable shopping bags? I don't care. Go buy some more. Do whatever this gorgeous woman tells you! Sorry, I just think she's hot.

Jennifer Aniston's House Gets Greenovated Jen's all about shrinking her eco-footprint. Her Malibu mansion recently got $15M worth of energy-conscious updates including solar panels, reflective roofing, and drought-resistant plants. She also traded in the Range Rover for a Prius.

The Cadillac Volt? Maybe? Rumor has it that GM's luxury brand may release a long-range hybrid based on the Volt in 2011. I'm trying to picture just how ugly the Volt would look in Mary Kay pink... ehhh.

Green in a Flash:

• The Obama administration is making the pitch for high speed rail.
• Study finds that only about, say, 98% of products that make eco-claims are greenwashing.
• Golden arches fall from sky and take out an SUV. Crazy.
  

Why is Pamela Anderson supporting the beef industry? Need more reasons to hate junk email? Want to spice up your Earth Day? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news and tips.

Pamela Anderson to Perform at Cabaret/Steakhouse! Pamela's a major PETA supporter and once called Jessica Simpson a whore for wearing a pro-meat shirt. So, I'm wondering how an appearance at a trendy new Upper East Side beef emporium gels with her anti-meat politics?

Spam Sucks ... Tons of Energy In addition to being incredibly annoying, spam emails are now so pervasive that creating, sending, and deleting all of these messages gobbled up as much energy as 2.4M American homes last year.

Want to Meet Leonardo DiCaprio? It'll probably cost you an arm and a leg, but Global Green is holding a charity auction and one of the items up on the block is a the "Experience with Leo" -- a glorified photo op at the premiere of his next flick.

Have an Ecorotic Earth Day A sex shop called Good Vibrations is giving away a collection of sustainable sex toys for Earth Day. Don't get me wrong, Earth Day's a great holiday, but it could definitely benefit from more sex appeal.

Kelly Ripa Launches Eco-Friendly Washer and Dryer Electrolux and Kelly have teamed up to release a set of "Kelly Green" energy-saving washers and dryers for Earth Day. Don't know if it works with your laundry room motif, but they're literally bright green.

Green in a Flash:

• Toronto may require buildings be retrofitted with a green roof.
  
• It's moving season, so is it greener to rent a truck or use your car?
• Yamaha is testing golf carts that run on cow dung -- because that's practical, right?

Whether you're looking for a celebrity charity auction to plant trees, a way to reuse a toilet plunger, or updates on the Pet Shop Boys ... today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news.

Should The Pet Shop Boys Change their Name? PETA Europe has asked The Pet Shop Boys to change their name to The Rescue Shelter Boys. This is the funniest idea PETA's had in a while! For obvious reasons, the legendary UK duo has declined (check out their response).

Toilet Plungers Make Cool Lamp Shades Who'd a thunk it? They actually look really very modern. I recommend a very strong -- yet eco-friendly -- disinfectant for this upcycling project.

Want to Plant Trees and Score a Celebrity Autographed Eco-Bag? Until April 22 (Earth Day), you can bid on a stylin' Sakroots weekender eco-friendly bag signed by Jessica Alba, Alec Baldwin, Rosie Perez and more. For each dollar donated, the Nature Conservancy plants a tree!

World's First Wind-Powered Movie Theater It's a drive-in, so they don't have to worry about heating or A/C. Still, how awesome is that? Will they show An Inconvenient Truth on repeat? Green tip: don't idle your car during the movie, it's rude.

Obama Administration May Tweak Earth's Thermostat The Obama administration is considering a backup climate change plan to shoot a cloud of reflective particles into the atmosphere to cool the planet. Let's hope it doesn't come to that ... it may affect our ability to tan poolside.

Green in a Flash:

• Celebs are raving about Lavera's green tanning goo .
• Sears is offering Earth Day home energy audits for $99 (usually $550).
• Jay Leno got to drive a Volt test vehicle, and he liked it.

Wanna find out where to score a dress made of vegetables? Or where one of this year's biggest Earth Day parties is going to be? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news.

Everybody Wants to Know: Who Made the Cabbage Dress? Cloris Leachman's incredible edible dress took 12 heads of cabbage to make, and it was all assembled on the day of the shoot -- for maximum freshness. Question: is all edible clothing eco-friendly?

A Bookshelf Made Out of Books It's not a riddle; it's actually an awesome DIY building concept using old books to create unique, recycled shelving. Trendy wordsmiths would refer to this as "upcycling."

Ben Harper Will Rock Roma on Earth Day Where's the happening place to be this Earth Day? Apparently, it's Rome. Ben Harper and National Geographic will be holding a free concert! All you've got to do is buy a plane ticket -- and some carbon offsets (because it's Earth Day, people).

Organic Pancake Batter in a Can Could a pressurized can of pancake batter possibly be organic? Jorge Garcia (Hurley on LOST) wondered the same thing on his blog. Since it's sold at Whole Foods, I'm inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. But, even if it's organic, would you eat it?

Street Legal Electric Motorcycle Available in May Zero Motorcycles unveiled their emissions-free street bike yesterday and you could be riding this sweet hog around town as soon as early May. I'm going to dream about popping all-electric wheelies tonight.

Green in a Flash:

• It's National Cell Phone Recycling Week, and 100 million recycled phones saves enough energy to power 18,500 homes for an entire year.
• Oh crap, looks like our reusable grocery bags aren't all that green.
• On the topic of green shelving ... sustainable designer William Warren has built shelves that double as a coffin when you pass on.

Looking for a slightly underachieving, yet effective and inexpensive way to make a difference for Earth Day? Then Disney's got a deal for you. They've offered up a bribe to all nature documentary addicts and/or lovers of the planet to get them to pack into theaters for the opening weekend of Disneynautre's ode to the planet: Earth. If you'll plant your butt in a seat, Disney will plant a tree in your honor.

Pretty cool eh? The trees will be planted in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, a place that Disney's conservationists have identified as a global conservation hot spot, since only 7% of the forest remains in tact. Disney's savvy box office bribe might help moviegoers that are on the fence decide to brave the opening weekend crowd and catch what Disneynature's Dick Cook calls "an entertaining and unprecedented view of our planet, with some of the most astonishing imagery and exciting natural drama ever presented on the big screen."

Will Disneynature's Earth rival other monumental planet documentaries like Planet Earth? Find out when it opens on Earth Day, April 22nd.

[via Ecorazzi]

If you have really good eco-intentions, but the idea of single-handedly saving the entire planet -- endangered animals included -- from climate change and everything else is sort of ... overwhelming, you might be interested in 1 Thing for Green.

This online, grassroots initiative helps you go greener, one step, and one day, at a time.

Every day they have an idea posted on the site. Yesterday was refill your ink cartridges instead of buying new ones. The ideas are sponsored by retail partners who sponsor a special rate or discount to make the "one thing" even easier and more appealing.

Like so many eco-friendly endeavors, they're really gearing up for Earth Day, April 22, 2009. They'll be adding more information and contests, and you can submit tips and photos.

You can also join the Facebook cause, if you want to help spread the word, and follow them on Twitter.

You may feel a little burned-out on earth-friendly holidays this week, but that's no excuse not to commemorate the original plant a tree day -- Arbor Day was established in Nebraska City in 1872. You can put off the actual digging in the dirt until this weekend, we won't tell. The only thing you have to do today is decide what kind of tree would work in your designated area. That's easy enough, right?

The Arbor Day Foundation has a whole site to help you identify a good tree for your space. Do you need a round tree or a columnar one? What grows well in your climate? What's the best tree for a DIY tree attack? You can even get 10 free trees if you join the Foundation. Personally, I hate joining stuff, so I'll just head to the local plant nursery. Still, a 6-month membership is only $10 -- that's $1 per tree -- not a bad deal.