Go Green AND Be the Latest in Fashion

Come on. You knew it was inevitable. With all the celebrities involved. The obvious PR push to make environmentalism the latest and greatest. Well, now you can be "green" AND a hip, cool trend-setter at the same time.

According to this article which appeared in yesterday's New York Times, supermarket chain Whole Foods has started selling reusable, grocery bags designed by London handbag designer Anya Hindmarch. These bags, which sell for $15 and don the catchy phrase "I'm NOT a plastic bag," are being released in just 15 stores in the New York area (to create demand of course!) and they're already showing up on Ebay for as much as $300 a whack!! (Not to mention the near riot that occurred in Taiwan last month when shoppers stampeded in order to get their hands on one and sent 30 people to the hospital.)

Of course, the plastics industry is not happy about this. They say that it's not their plastic bags that are the problem (even though they can take up to 500 years to break down in a landfill and require millions of gallons of oil to produce) - it's people's behaviors. That's right. It's the public's fault as usual. The makers of plastic bags say that we need to recycle more, but I say that we need to start taking the 3 R's to heart and start focusing on reducing the amount of goods we consume and stop using recycling as the answer that makes everything OK. And because of that I think selling reusable grocery bags is a great idea which is why I wish I weren't so cynical about it.

See, I understand the need for making things fun and creating a buzz so that people tear themselves away from their televisions, computers, cell phones, etc. and take an interest in something other than themselves. I understand that we are facing a crisis as we try and figure out how to dispose of, without causing even more damage to our precious planet, the approximately 100 billion plastic bags we as Americans throw away each year (and recycle less than 1 percent of). I guess I'm just a bit of a romantic. I wish that people would take action, not because it's the "in" thing to do, after all fads fade away, but because it's the right thing to do; the necessary thing.

***This post also appears today over at the Soccer Mom Vote.

More and Less

Today I learned: that while the average American family has gone from 3.1 people per household in 1974 to 2.6 people in 2004, the size of their homes has expanded from 1,695 square feet to 2,349 square feet during the same time period.

While I'm not surprised by this statistic, it's interesting to see the numbers. My husband reels against the modern age of "McMansions" and "Edward Scissorhands" suburban housing developments. My biggest issue, although I'm sure you can guess, is the sprawl itself.

Why do we need more living space for less people? Why do we need three bathrooms, four bedrooms, a family room, a living room, a den, a playroom and a finished basement all for one woman, one man and their single child? I admit I LOVE having my own space, a home I can call my own; I enjoy not worrying about my boys' running around or wrestling bothering the people downstairs, but I wouldn't buy something I didn't need just to impress my friends and neighbors. (Besides I'm not the greatest housekeeper and I don't have the desire to keep something that big clean.)

Just another example of how we Americans seem to have an infinite desire to consume all that is in sight; to live the mantra "Bigger is better;" that Americans do it better. And our inability to curb our appetites is leading to all sorts of trouble - harming our environment, our health, our relationships with each other . . .

Why do we feel we need to gorge ourselves? What vacuous holes are we trying to fill? And why do we continue to uncontrollably consume when all logic and emotion tells us it's not working?


P.S. I also learned today that yardwork can be fun, almost addictive, and even therapeutic. (It helps when you're doing said yardwork with a friend :) I was out in the yard today pulling weeds and dead brush (and strange stalks I'm not sure what they are yet) and it was invigorating and strangely hypnotic. I couldn't stop. I was soaking in the sun, getting a little dirty and not even noticing the tiny scratches on my arms and hands (until I washed up later and they stung just a little bit.)

My little green piece of the city with my adequately sized home sitting on top of it is plenty big for me.

China's Coal Mines

Today I learned: that China is the world's leading consumer of coal. According to NPR, 70% of China's energy comes from coal - "the dirtiest of all fuels to produce energy."

The biggest problem? Greenhouse gases. China is averaging about one new coal-fired power plant per week which will certainly lead to its surpassing the U.S. in greenhouse gas emissions - maybe even by the end of 2007.

There is certainly a need for this country's rush to produce more and more electricity; China is undergoing an industrial revolution and it's moving with incredible speed. (It is estimated that with such rapid growth and development by 2031 China will need more oil than the world can produce.) And yet, still 10 million people living in rural areas of the country live without the convenience of electricity. Coal happens to be the easiest and fastest way to generate the power this new era in China's history demands.

And it's not just the effects on the environment. Coal mining is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, and some accuse Chinese mining companies of overlooking safety hazards and putting their employees at risk in order to keep up with the demand - and profit - for such large quantities of coal. Thousands die annually in mine accidents or from mining related health problems.

But isn't China doing just what every other wealthy country has done for decades? Is it fair for the rest of the world to say, "Stop!" After all, the U.S. has a horrendous record when it comes to environmental issues - and as a matter of fact it's our consumption of and dependence upon vast quantities of oil - contributing to greenhouse gas emissions in its production and its use - which has helped make the rich richer over here in the West.

But whether it's fair or not, because of China's large population it's environmental impact on the world is greater and happens at a faster rate when care is not taken to use renewable, "clean" energy and limit greenhouse gas emissions. While it's easy to pick on China because of it's sudden impact, it's time we all take a step back and own up to our own contributions to the environmental mess we find ourselves in.

This is a worldwide problem and it will take the cooperation of all the world's citizens to make a change.

A Child's Wisdom

I've bragged several times about the intelligence and humor of my boys. I know, I know. You're probably tired of hearing about it already, but here are a couple of good ones that I just couldn't pass up sharing with you.

"If people want to be healthy, then we have to make sure we keep the earth healthy, too." --- The wisdom of my four-year-old that surfaced while we were talking about Earth Day.

"They should put the Yankees in diapers . . . Because they stink!" --- My two-year-old's reaction to hearing that the New York Yankees were leading the game against our favorite baseball team the Boston Red Sox


Happy Earth Day, everybody! While it's honorable to do your part today in helping the environment, let's make every day Earth Day so that we can all be healthy!!

The Fight to Stop Global Warming Heats Up

Tonight I received the following email. (Many of you probably already know this because I immediately forwarded it onto you!)

Now I will admit that I opened it because "Al Gore" was listed as the sender. I mean, believe it or not I don't get email everyday from a former President-elect. And once I read it, I knew I had to pass it on to as many people as I could.

So here is a copy of the email I sent to several of the people in my address book, followed by the email I received from Al. Please take it to heart. Our very lives depend upon it.

From Nancy:
As we all know global warming is quite possible the issue of our time and will define us as a generation to our children and grandchildren. There is no more time to waste, so Mr. Gore is going to Congress in a few weeks to continue his work in slowing, and eventually stopping, global warming. It's not a political issue - it's one that affects our very survival and the survival of our beautiful planet.

So please take action and provide Al with a stack of signatures so big he'll need an army to carry the boxes up the steps of the Capitol on March 21st.

Don't be one of those people who regrets later that they stood by and did nothing.



From Mr. Gore:
On March 21st, I'll hand-deliver your message to Washington when I testify at Congressional hearings on the climate crisis.

Can you commit to finding 10 friends to send a message to Congress demanding immediate action?

Ask them to visit:

http://algore.com/cards.html


Dear Nancy,

When the producers of An Inconvenient Truth first approached me with the concept for the film, I was skeptical. Could we really take a slideshow about the climate crisis and turn it into a compelling movie? Davis Guggenheim’s Oscar win for best documentary and a second one for Melissa Etheridge’s beautiful song “I Need to Wake Up” was a testament to their ability, but it was also a testament to you.

It was you who packed the theaters and got your friends to go see this film, greatly increasing the audience. And then this past December, it was you who connected through MoveOn.org and AlGore.com to attend An Inconvenient Truth viewing parties. At those parties and in the weeks that followed, nearly 200,000 of you wrote to Congress, demanding that they address the climate crisis like the planetary emergency that it is.

Even though I have been a life-long movie fan, I didn’t really understand how big of an audience a movie could reach. And of course I never would have imagined in a million years that a movie that I was a part of would receive two Academy Awards—or one—or would have ever been made in the first place! As humbling as this moment is, An Inconvenient Truth will only succeed if it drives all of us to take action. That’s why I’m asking you to join me in the next stage of our fight. On March 21st, I'm going to hand-deliver the messages you signed when I testify at Congressional hearings on the climate crisis.

This is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate to Congress that we demand immediate action. And I need your help to really make this moment count. Can you commit to getting 10 friends to send their message to Congress through AlGore.com before March 21st? The more voices I can bring to Washington, the more powerful our message will be.

To get your friends involved, just forward them this note or direct them to:

http://algore.com/cards.html

There is no longer a debate about the fact that global warming is real. We're causing it. The consequences are serious, and could be headed towards catastrophe if we don’t fix it. And it's not too late. I don't want to imagine a future in which our children say, “What were our parents thinking?” “Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?” And I know you don’t either.

The hundreds of thousands of you who signed messages to Congress showed me what's possible. Working together we can unite millions of people and build support for real action on a scale that has never been seen before.

Help me take the first step and fill up that hearing room with your signatures. That picture alone will send a powerful message.

Can you commit to getting ten more people to send messages to Congress demanding action to stop global warming?

http://algore.com/cards.html

I’m looking forward to working with you on this monumental task.

Thank you,

Al Gore


So stop just reading about this catastrophe waiting to happen - do something! Start by adding your signature and telling your representatives in Congress that we cannot wait any longer for real solutions to global warming. And while you're at it, find out what you can do in your own life to lessen the destruction of our Mother Earth. (You can start by going to see An Inconvenient Truth if you haven't already done so. It will blow you away.)

HodgePodge

So I've been in a writing mood lately and because of that my reading has fallen quite behind. In fact, I have a stack of magazines I need to catch up with. And books? Forget it. That's why I'm hoping that reading a few banned books this week will give me a jumpstart.

Anyway, as I'm catching up I've found quite a few excellent articles that I want to share. I won't offer up too much commentary, but do encourage you to check out the links. I'm only putting the good ones out there, so if you find that you have some time be sure and give at least one or two a quick read:

• Here's a great article from the New York Times about one of my favorite organizations, MomsRising.org. It's a good introduction for those of you still not familiar with the organization, founded by some of the same people who started MoveOn.org, who are really working toward making a change in how the U.S. treats families (and mothers in particular) with grassroots movements to change and create legislation. In fact, they have a documentary that illustrates the need for such an organization and I'm contemplating hosting a screening party of my own to get the word out. Details to follow on that since I don't even have the DVD yet. (Don't worry, Cheryl, I'll be inside so there's no worry of my canceling due to rain or cold :)


• Also the Virtual March to Stop Global Warming has some interesting things happening over at their website. They've teamed up with the Natural Resources Defence Council to create a Beat the Heat interactive map, "that highlights the global warming solutions and consequences . . . and concrete actions that will drastically cut global warming pollution." This is one of those things that will take minutes to investigate, but provides valuable information and easy solutions for people like you and me in doing our part to slow global warming.


• I found a similar article in my inbox a few weeks ago (but am just getting around to reading) from the NRDC's "This Green Life" publication. Author Sheryl Eisenberg points out that while we can each do a little something to promote energy efficiency, waste reduction, etc. the most important thing is to get others involved as well. Her metaphor is that we should act not individually but as levers to assist others in making changes to their lives and that by acting as levers we can make that change easier and have a greater effect on the environment. (Reminds me of you, Shannon! Great idea to carpool to Parents Night Out - why take two cars when you only need one?)


• And finally, (for this installment at least) you must read this short blurb on The Progressive's website about Bush's proposed cuts to public television. The Administration has tried this move before, but previous attempts have been thwarted by a viewing public that said, "No Way!" Well, that time has come again as Bush has proposed a 25% reduction of federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. If you don't even need to read the article to know that this is a bad idea and want to do something about it, click on over to MoveOn.org and sign their petition now.

I guess that does it for now. I'm sure I'll have all sorts of things to add in the coming weeks as I try to make some headway in my backed-up reading department. Yes, it will probably take weeks :)

Is It Hot in Here?

While surfing National Geographic's website (yes, currently NG is an obsession of mine) I found this alarming headline, "2006 Was Warmest Year Yet Recorded for U.S." Now, I know we've all been commenting on the unseasonably warm December that has hit not only the Northeast, but the Midwest apparently - while places like Denver, uhhmm, have been suffering foot after foot of snow.

So what gives? Is it global warming? Is it El Nino? (Can you make the tilda over the "n" on Blogger? Or from my keyboard? I can't find it. My high school Spanish teachers would be disappointed in me.)

Apparently, according to preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina, the annual average temperature in the U.S. was 55 degrees Fahrenheit in 2006 which is the warmest year since 1895 when such data started being recorded. The average temperature was also 2.2 degrees F higher than the 20th century average.

While scientists agree that El Nino certainly contributed to the warmer temperatures, especially those experienced in the month of December where no state in the union experienced temperatures below their averages and five recorded their warmest Decembers ever, they also warn that 2006 is part of a "disturbing long-term trend of increasing temperatures."

"The past nine years have all been among the 25 warmest years on record for the contiguous U.S., a streak which is unprecedented in the historical record," the NCDC report says.

Scientists believe that this long-term increase can be attributed to the emission of greenhouse gases - global warming, people. It's not a "theory." In fact, with every passing month it becomes more and more concrete. And if the Brits at the U.K. Met Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Change are correct then 2007 will be even warmer (globally) and the warmest year yet on record as the long-term increases continue and El Nino keeps the waters off the northwest coast of South America nice and toasty.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not really liking these crazy weather patterns. I mean, I don't ski or snowboard or snowshoe or generally go out into the snow unless dragged by my children, BUT it just doesn't feel right around here! A Christmas without snow happens all the time, but being able to play football and soccer in a green backyard without even having to wear a jacket during the first weekend in January - it just isn't right!!

Am I right?

And the implications for the spring are disastrous as well. First of all, without all the snow melt, lakes and streams and water tables are going to be low - really low - and that means a lack of water all around. There will probably be all kinds of water bans during the dog days of summer which are predicted to be VERY hot indeed in 2007.

So you tell me . . . Should we continue our fossil fuel burning ways while we continue to emit unprecedented amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and cut down thousands of acres of trees in the Amazon that would otherwise be soaking up some of these nasty greenhouse gases and releasing it back into the atmosphere as oxygen . . . or should we do something about it? I mean, really. While we can't change the path of El Nino, we certainly can have an impact on its effects by trying to prevent the annual increases in temperature due to global warming.

What have we got to lose if we try?

Well, everything if we don't.

With Gifts, Too, Less Can Be More

I had a wonderful night out last night with one of my very best friends and while family, kids, husbands, politics, etc. were all great topics of conversation, it was our discussion about NaNo - writing a novel in general - that was most inspiring. We talked about plot, we talked about motivation and frustration, we talked about just getting the words down on paper (the part that I've been having the most trouble with during these early days of November). So instead of writing some long, time consuming blog entry, I have decided to share a brilliant column that landed in my inbox today, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, and use the time I would have spent blogging instead working on my novel. Thank you, Shannon :)

From This Green Life, November 2006:
By Sheryl Eisenberg

I can still remember virtually every gift I received in childhood, not because the gifts were so special, but because they were so few. Though I was a comfortable child of the post-war boom, the times were thrifty compared to today. I never had more than a few dolls, stuffed animals, board games, crayons, records, books, a bike and a sled. And that was enough, more than enough, yet not so much more that I didn't appreciate each and every item -- and enjoy it to the end of its useful life, or my childhood, whichever came first.

What middle class American child can say the same today? Our kids are so inundated with playthings, they need bins and chests and extra closets to store them all. And we adults are equally awash in our grown-up toys.

Nevertheless, this holiday season, we will rush to the stores, actual and virtual, to buy more for our kids and each other. What gives?

That the shopping frenzy is inconsistent with the spiritual and communal essence of the holidays is an old subject. I recently came across a reference to it in Howard's End, a wonderful story from 1910 that takes place in England, from which I gathered that not only isn't commercialization of the holidays new, it's not even uniquely American. The only point worth noting in 2006 is that the situation is worse than ever, and not just because we are increasingly out of touch with the meaning of the holidays (of all faiths). Our heedless extravagance has environmental costs that are steep and growing.

The world's population is currently using 25 percent more resources each year than the earth can generate in that time, according to the latest Living Planet Report by the World Wildlife Fund. And that figure is projected to rise to 200 percent in the next 50 years if we don't change course.

Do you wonder how it's possible to consume more than the earth produces? We manage it by living off our capital -- the resources that it's taken tens or hundreds or, in the case of fossil fuels, millions of years to accumulate. And you know what happens when you live off your capital.

Though by no means the only offenders, Americans are among the worst (#2 on the list, after the United Arab Emirates). Our average per capita "ecological footprint" is over four times bigger than the earth can afford. While our seasonal lavishness isn't the only reason, it does contribute largely to the problem.

But enough of this grinchiness. No one wants to give up on the holidays or the sense of abundance that the season bestows. The only question is how to be generous without bankrupting the earth. Here are some thoughts.

Give things people need and can use, rather than products plucked from the shelves simply because they look good.

Choose gifts made of sustainable materials -- bamboo rather than wood, hemp, organic cotton and wool, fleece made from recycled soda bottles, post-consumer recycled paper, natural cosmetics and organic, fair-trade chocolates and coffees.

Buy locally made products, as the energy used to transport goods to the stores is one of the huge, hidden environmental costs of the holidays.

Look for used things with a provenance. Old books and maps, retro clothing, antique jewelry and the like are one-of-a-kind gifts that collectors and aficionados will appreciate.

Give things that reduce energy usage, such as commuter bicycles, solar-powered products, battery rechargers and carbon offsets.

Avoid excessively packaged products. The packaging wastes resources without adding value and, if made from plastic, can release toxins after being discarded.

Give tickets for concerts, shows, museums, sporting events, outdoor activities or parks.

Give a party rather than presents -- and tell your guests that the party's gift-free.

Give of yourself. Promise a shift of babysitting or dog-walking or a service that uses your special talents or skills, such as a webpage, a bridge lesson or home improvement help.

Swap contributions. Set up a registry listing your favorite non-profits at whatgoesaround.org and suggest to your friends that they register, too, so you can give to their causes while they give to yours.

Most important, remember that the greatest gift of the season is the holidays themselves. It's the one time of year when society permits you -- indeed, encourages you -- to escape from the daily hurly-burly and experience the meaning and poetry of life. Don't miss the chance.

***Sheryl Eisenberg, a long-time advisor to NRDC, posts a new This Green Life every month. Sheryl makes her home in Tribeca (NYC), where -- along with her children, Sophie and Gabby, and husband, Peter -- she tries to put her environmental principles into practice. No fooling.

One Planet No Longer Enough

I doubled my word count yesterday for NaNo (but I'm still well behind pace since I haven't done any writing today) and my brain is fried, so I decided to do some blogging to break things up a bit. During my "light" reading break, I ran across this article and felt compelled to share it.

According to a report put together by the environmental group WWF, "the Earth's natural resources are being used 25 per cent faster than the planet can renew them." And at that rate, and the anticipated rate of human population growth, the report predicts that "large-scale ecosystem collapse" is likely by the middle of this century.

The two biggest contributing factors to ecological destruction by human beings has been our propensity to consume natural resources faster than Mother Nature can replenish them and in consuming so much so fast, carbon-dioxide emissions are at their highest and account for 48 percent of the damage humans have had on the environment since 2003.

The WWF also noted a decline in biodiversity across the board and around the world with animal species suffering an overall 27 percent decline. Tropical land species suffered the biggest hit with a 55 percent decrease in population among the 695 species monitored.

So let me spell it out for you - Human beings suck when it comes to taking care of the environment that surrounds us. If we drive too many plant and animal species to extinction, if we continue to release unprecedented amounts of carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere, if we continue to ignore that our gluttony is killing the Earth - we won't have an Earth to abuse anymore.

When you think about it, it isn't about politics, or money, or jobs - it's about survival; and human beings MUST change if they wish to stick around.