Earth Hour: Turn Off Your Lights Tonight

Posted on March 29th, 2008 in environment by Green Talk

Tonight is Earth Hour where people all over the world will turn off their lights for one hour between 8 and 9 pm tonight to combat global warming. Watch this video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_c5K7Jdw9E[/youtube]

Thanks to Jason at Scream to Be Green for the post to remind me to post about Earth Hour and the video from Lynn at Organicmania .  Jason also has on his site a very funny video about what you can do tonight in the dark. It made me blush. Go watch it.

So, what will you do for Earth Hour (please spare me any naughty details….)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Wow Imports: Fair trade and Recycled Fun Household Products

Posted on March 28th, 2008 in household products by Green Talk

recycled clock

I recently ran across a site called WOW Imports, a Company who sells African fair trade bead and wire art as well as other imported items. As I was perusing the website, I thought, my readers would love these products.

 

The fair trade items help disadvantage African artisans, mainly from Zimbabwe and South African townships, to create a better lives for themselves. Some of the other items are made of recycled materials.


So, here are my new finds:

I fell in love with the above Israeli recycled aluminum clock. It is 8” by 15” and sells for $25.00. It comes in 4 different varieties. If clocks are not your thing, then maybe you would like the following items:

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tru-Stile: A Solution for Architectural Green Designed Doors

Posted on March 26th, 2008 in building materials by Green Talk

TSL3150_FOSSIL _LEAF

Photo by permission of Tru-Stile’s MDF door with 3form® Fossil resin.

In the last year, there have been numerous articles about greening your home using bamboo flooring, low flow toilets, and energy star appliances. You never hear a peep about using environmentally friendly materials for your exterior and interior doors. Besides your windows, doors are one of the largest architectural features in your home.

Since 1995, Tru-Stile has been manufacturing eco-friendly medium density fiberboard (MDF) interior doors. With 350 door design choices and the ability to build any custom design, green designers no longer have to sacrifice design or break the bank in order to specify green doors.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Learning Sustainability Through the National Building Museum’s Green Building Exhibit

Posted on March 24th, 2008 in New Jersey green, building materials by Green Talk

GH_logo_2x2



Recently, I was alerted by the director of NJ’s Community Green, a terrific green organization, about this wonderful green building exhibit at my local museum. I just could not fathom a green building exhibit in my hometown. Sure enough The Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey was the host of the National Building Museum’s Green Building exhibit (“NBM”) from February 11 through May 4, 2008. At first, I thought why do I need to go to an exhibit to see green building products? I lived, breathed, and ate green building products for two years when I built my house. I arrogantly thought, what possibly could I learn there that I already did not know?

The minute I walked into the room I realized I was in the company of some of the most incredible architectural displays of contemporary green buildings. My arrogance turned to humility then to awe as I perused the 21 different contemporary residential and mix use exhibits that contained scaled models of the buildings and large boards of their notable features.  Some of my favorites were as follows:

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Tree of Antiquity: Certified Organic Heirloom Apple Trees

Posted on March 22nd, 2008 in Gardening by Green Talk

feb 2008 037

Yesterday, I became the proud mama of nine small apple trees. I feel like sending out birth announcements since I am so excited. Here is how it would read:

With much happiness and anticipation, we are pleased to announce the adoption of our 9 bundles of semi-dwarf apple trees to our family. Smokehouse, Redgold, Pumpkin Russet, Rhode Island Greening, Macoun, Northern Spy, Idared, Empire, and King of Tompkin are from strong stock and were named after their heirloom ancestry, which in some cases dates back many, many years.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Delta Airlines Compliments its Greener Attitude with its Eco Sky Magazine

Posted on March 20th, 2008 in environment, travel by Green Talk

cover_march_08

Photo by permission of Delta Air Lines

 

Delta Air Lines has earned its wings this month by unveiling its green Sky Magazine issue sure to inspire its travelers to take those steps to make an environmental difference in our world. The magazine, which is chock full of helpful tips and thought provoking articles, is just one more addition to Delta’s present green business initiatives.

Don’t fret if you are not traveling this month, most of the articles are online. Here are some of my favorite ones:

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

To Re-upholster or Not, This is the Question

Posted on March 18th, 2008 in furniture by Green Talk

feb 2008 034

How many chairs and sofas are put to the curb in the name of worn, outdated, or stained fabric? Well, I am faced with this dilemma. What to do with my family room couches who have been through the civil war. Every day is a new game and different sides. After five years of abuse, the fabric just threw in the towel and said both sides win.

I could not blame the fabric. How was cotton chintz with its soft touch ever able to battle the child demons who thought nothing of it to take cushions and use them as swords in all out combat sessions? I swear I could hear my fabric wince every time an incoming pair of feet thought my couch was a launch pad or end zone for nameless games.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Coupster: Coupons that Save Green By Being Green

Posted on March 14th, 2008 in household products by Green Talk

coupster

Photo by permission of Coupster

 

Coupon clipping is as American as apple pie. However, how many times have you gotten to the store or restaurant and realized you had a coupon at home or you left it on the counter? Kind of like, I could have had a V-8 moment.

Coupster was created so savvy shoppers no longer felt that “I left it on the counter” frustration again by being able to gain access to savings via their cell phones. Only requested coupons are delivered directly to your cell phone via text messages. The program guarantees no spamming. Presently based in South Florida but expanding to all over the country, Coupster is a green idea that will not only save you money, but will spare trees from being cut down in the name of printing coupons.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

18 Ideas To Reuse Expired Credit Cards

Posted on March 13th, 2008 in Readers' Reuse Tips, recycling by Green Talk

credit card by squeaky marmot

Photo by Mike Martin Wong

How many of you have expired credit cards that either sit in your drawers, or you have cut up and thrown in the trash? These plastic wonders that allows us to say “charge it” can sit in our landfills for a very long time. Is there another way to reuse them rather than throw them out?

I was faced with this very situation with two weeping credit cards that had passed their useful lives. They begged me not to shred them, and they knew their pleas would be heard. They of course were dealing with an old green softie like me.

I promised them that I would rack my brain to see if I could reuse them in some way. “Don’t give up hope,” I assured them. Unfortunately, my clever hat was on the fritz that day, and I turned to the internet to see what others were suggesting. Here is what I found:

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Are You Spending Too Much Thyme on Your Lawn?

Posted on March 10th, 2008 in Gardening by Green Talk

may 2007 023

Some of My Curly Thyme Plants Soaking Before Planting

If you are feeling like the fertilizing, watering, and seeding routine is getting old, consider planting a ground cover for your lawn. According to the University of Illinois Extension, once ground covers are established, they need a minimum amount of maintenance.

Here is a list of ground covers that can take some traffic. See also the Stepables site where you can choose from different configurations as to zone, drought resistance, and the amount of traffic. Although the site tells you which ones are deer resistant, you should still check with your local extension for verification.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you either sign up for my free email updates via FeedBlitz, or subscribe to my RSS feed!

Next Page »