Neo-Hippie

Visual on Bottled Water

2009-12-23T22:32:00.000-08:00

Recycled Al Foil Coupon

2009-04-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/coupon.aspx

Save 50 cents on Reynold's Recycled Al foil!

Cost-Cutting Tips

2009-04-20T23:49:00.001-07:00

With this shitty economy, you are probably worried about money. Good thing that greener living means cheaper living! This is the 1st post to my new series aimed at saving you money.

Tip 1: Stop drinking bottled water. I consider bottled water a "stupid tax" and I judge everyone who does. Get the large refillable jugs or drink tap water. You would save hundreds of dollars a year.

Tip 2: I am not drinking alcohol anymore for health reasons, but it's also saving me money. It takes a lot of energy to grow the crops and ferment the grains/potatoes. Despite what you think, vices are consumed less (not more) in difficult times. I save $80 a week or $4000+ a year.

Tip 3: Dry your clothes on a line instead of the drier. I save $1.50 each time. I save at least $83 annually.

Tip 4: Don't get a new cell phone every year! If it works, it works! I save $200 a year.

NZ Day 5 and 6

2008-12-25T17:44:00.000-08:00

If you take Highway 1 N from Christhcurch, it brings you N on the coastline. about 180 km from christchurch is a beautiful town called Kaikoura (which means "eating crayfish" in Maori). I would stay at the Top Spot, a little hostel that's just S of town. Grab some seafood while you're here, too. The beaches here are beautiful, and there are tons of Seal colonies. Before you get into town when coming from the S, go to the Kaikoura peninsula lookout. The views from here are spectacular, showing the Seaward Kaikoura range and also the mountains to the South. If you have time, walk around the Kaikoura peninsula trail. This is really crazy because the rock formations change continuously as you walk the 2 or so mile trail. There are lots of seal colonies, as well as highlands from which to survey your progress. If you want a really strenuous, boring but spectacular view providing hike, go up Mt. Fyffe. the top of the mountain is about 5,000 feet in elevation, and is about 4 miles in from the pacific ocean. The top is frequently covered in snow. There's a hut at about 4,000 feet that you can stay at...just make sure you're ready to climb about a vertical mile before you start out.

View Larger Map

http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson-marlborough/mt-fyffe-and-seaward-kaikoura-range.pdf

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/backcountry-huts-by-region/nelson-marlborough/south-marlborough/mt-fyffe-hut/

NZ Day 4 REVISED

2008-12-25T17:42:00.001-08:00

http://www.pegasusbay.com for lunch and wine

NZ Day 3

2008-12-23T23:34:00.000-08:00

The Port Hills: Similar to the Berkeley Hills in appearance, these provide a great view of Christchurch, the NZ Alps and the Pacific ocean. There can be smog in the winter, but you should get a pretty clear view when you go. To get there from Christchurch, take the bus to Lyttleton (I think it's Bus 29) and get off at the Gondola, right before going through the Port Hills tunnel. There are lots of trails up here, though the path (I think it's called the Bridal Path) that starts from the base of the hills right next to the gondola is a strenuous but pretty short hike. When you're getting up to the ridge, hook a right and go to Castle Rock. This is a good place to sit and contemplate the view.

View Larger Map

NZ Day 2

2008-12-23T23:09:00.001-08:00

I will be staying at Cokers Backpackers Hostel at 52 Manchester Street, Christchurch, Canterbury 8011, New Zealand‎ - (03) 379 8580‎

View Larger Map

I will be viewing the botanical garden
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BotanicGardens/

NZ Day 1

2008-12-23T23:06:00.000-08:00

I will be in Auckland staying at Kiwi International Hostel at 411 Queen St, Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

View Larger Map

Winter lights

2008-12-07T23:17:00.001-08:00

Tonight I am telling you something you thought you would never hear from me. In fact, I could get fired for telling you this:

Don't use CFLs.

What? Huh? If you are like me, you have old incandescent light bulbs sitting around because you switched over to CFLs. It's time to switch back. Here's some background on why. Incandescent bulbs give off a lot of waste heat. That's why it hurts so much to touch one. It's also why they are so inefficient. CFLs are less hot. Your iron is 1200 Watts hot. Makes sense?

So why is Chris telling me to go back to incandescent bulbs??!??

In the winter, this waste heat is... well... heat! I'm cold! You need to use your OLD (do NOT buy anymore incandescent bulbs!!!) bulbs anyways. I hope you didn't throw them out. My #1 rule is use it till it breaks. Use your incandescent bulbs only in the winter time (hot summer days require CFLs that emit less heat). The waste heat from your inefficient bulbs help heat up your house so your heater works less hard. It's the anti-green way to be green in the winter.

While you're at it, iron your clothes at night so heat up your room. I just did.

Eliminate Junk Mail

2008-11-27T15:02:00.000-08:00

Junk mail sucks. Not only for you, but for the trees that had to die.

Use these FREE services (use all of them) to reduce junk mail:

http://www.coxtarget.com/mailsuppression/s/DisplayMailSuppressionForm
https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t
https://www.catalogchoice.org/
https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action

UPDATED official recommendations for voting

2008-10-25T19:25:00.001-07:00

1: YES! - high speed rail is good for the environment and long-term economy of CA
1a: YES! - ditto
2: YES! - no cages for animals is the humane thing to do. a no vote will make you burn in hell.
3: yes - my children need this
4: no - what a waste of tax payer's money
5: yes - saves money in the long run
6: no - fuck da police
7: yes

Prop 7 was extremely difficult for me. I had to read both the actual proposition and analysis. There are some loopholes that concern me. Most renewable projects under 30 MW will not qualify. I wonder how that will slow down innovation in the market like tidal wave and solar kites, but these tiny projects do not really account for much of our renewable energy portfolio. Small solar like Google's will still be developed for the great PR. The penalty for not meeting the set goals is REDUCED from 5 cents/kWh to 1. However, the penalty ceiling of $25mill is removed. Is 1 cent /kWh large enough for a utility company to care?!? I don't know. Some projects will be quickly approved, but I THINK environmental impact reports are still required according to the text. Emergency regulations may be written = loophole. On page 123, there's a HUGE loophole regarding what is considered an acceptable reason to not meet your goals. On the plus side, Prop 7 will force more energy organizations to comply with the 20, 40, and 50% goals. This is why I am voting yes. Please IM or email me regarding this Prop because I am still on the fence until I talk to my coworkers.

8: NO NO NO NO NO - I want to get married
9: no - it's all repeat stuff - waste of tax payer's money
10: yes - will help these technologies sell better
11: no - republicans can turn CA blue to red with this prop
12: no - tell them to get a job

If you live in San Francisco:
A: yes
B: no
C: yes
D: yes
E: no
F: yes

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Turn off your PC

2008-08-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

For those who do not turn off their PC when you leave the office... do it! Don't waste all that electricity for no reason. PCs run more smoothly when they are freshly booted anyways.

Also, turn off your mac/PC when you go to bed at night. Nothing makes me sadder than an away message that says "sleeping" or "went home"

Energy rates are going up

2008-08-24T12:14:00.001-07:00

Here's an insider tip from my work: your electricity rates are going up by 20% by the end of the year.

What to do: 1) if you haven't switched to CFLs yet, replace all dead incandescent bulbs with CFLs for now on 2) if your fridge is too cold, change the settings so it works less hard 3) stop using space heaters and put on a damned sweater

Stalk me

2008-08-03T22:29:00.000-07:00

i'm on twitter

www.twitter.com/wisswee

Vote or Die

2008-07-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

This November, CA will have the most important election in history. That is without exaggeration. If you have moved, you need to register to vote (unless you're republican - you should just die). I had a friend in college who didn't vote because it was too much work. Notice how I said HAD a friend as in past tense. She was lazy and stupid. Don't be lazy and stupid. Here's all the info you need when you vote this November.

President: Obama

Proposition:
1 - California High Speed Rail Bond. S.B. 1856.
VOTE YES! Reduces long-term carbon emissions from cars and planes

2 - Treatment of Farm Animals. Statute.
VOTE YES! It's humane for the animals!

3 - Children's Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program. Statute.
4 - Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy. Constitutional Amendment.
5 - Nonviolent Offenders. Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation. Statute.
6 - Criminal Penalties and Laws. Public Safety Funding. Statute.
Vote however you want.

7 - Renewable Energy. Statute.
VOTE YES! 50% renewable energy for your electricity!!! YAY!

8 - Limit on Marriage. Constitutional Amendment.
VOTE NO! Gay love is real love.

9 - Criminal Justice System. Victims' Rights. Parole. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
Vote however you want.

10 - Bonds. Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy. Statute.
I need to do more research, but voting yes sounds about right??

11 - Redistricting. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
VOTE NO! This reeks of republican trying to make CA less blue.

If you life in SF, Prop R - Rename the sewer plant to the "George Bush Sewer Treatment Plant" - Vote Yes!

Symphony at Dolores Park

2008-07-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I walked to Dolores Park to listen to a free performance by the SF Symphony. It was one of those amazing "I'm so glad I live in the city" days. The fact I could walk to such an amazing park is one of those really great things in my life right now. Avocados, French macaroons from Miette Bakery, watermelon juice and coconut milk boba from Sweetheart Cafe, Dolores Park. Not necessarily in that order. I brought a bright red blanket to sit on, real plates, real forks, and leftover cake from Tammy's 25th birthday and met Grover and Kiersten. These two are quickly becoming some of my favorite human beings. I wanted to get rid of my aging cake (3 days old at this point) so I cut it up, put it on plates, and handed it out to Grover and strangers. Tammy said this was as creepy as "Hey kids, want some candy?" It might have been, but it got me free nectarines (grown in CA and in season), cheese, and walnut bread from Acme (local bakery). I was glad Grover brought wine since he has the best taste in wine of anyone I know. He also brought organic strawberries, which was wonderful inside our champagne. We ended up at Grover's place for more wine and a screening of The Royal Tenenbaums. I love that entire movie (versus me loving only 3 seconds of Ratatouille). Kiersten taught us that Luna Park (Valencia and 18th - my favorite restaurant in the city) delivers! I'm drunk at this point so I was more excited than the Boston Terrier I saw earlier humping every dog he could find. The day was perfect except the shitty weather. Why am I wearing winter coats in the summer?

What was neo-hippie: Walking to the park, reusable bag, reusable plates and forks, not wasting food, local and organic fruit

What wasn't neo-hippie: Me getting drunk, that Boston Terrier humping the other dogs, getting delivery (lots of disposable boxes, most likely used a car)

Out of water

2008-07-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

In Atlanta this morning, officials will meet to discuss a previously unthinkable crisis: the city is approximately 120 days from exhausting its supply of fresh water.

How would you live if you knew you would be out of fresh water? Did you know CA's in a drought?

Assholes always tell me that we should just do desalinization because technology will fix everything. We might desal for drinking water but who on earth is willing to pay $2/gal to shower, wash their cars, and grow their food?

You may not pay for water, Mr. We-Live-In-A-$5000/Month-Flat, but we should treat it like it's going to be gone. Anyone who's ever had a real eco conversation with me knows that water is the new oil. I think water should be billed on a gallon per gallon basis, not per "unit" of 700+ gallons. Yes, water is very cheap. VERY cheap actually. So was gas at one point. Everyone lived wasteful lives because they could afford it until gas became a more realistic price (still way to cheap if you ask me). Now everyone wants a more efficient car or is moving out of the shitty suburbs to the city. Do you live a "SUV of the water world" life? Now is the time to live a "Prius of the water world" life. Here's how:

1) get your FREE sink aerators from your water company - that's SFPUC by civic center for your SF folks
2) fix all leaks - that's sinks and toilets. put leftover wine in your toilet tank and wait 2-5 minutes. Did the red color ooze into the bowl? Yes = leak
3) change out your showerhead to a FREE one from your water company - my low flow actually has MORE pressure than my old one

I had this lesbian friend who said that she wanted a luxurious showerhead and they don't like this IDEA of an eco showerhead. She's an asshole. Don't be an asshole. Just like sex, you should at least TRY it out before you completely write it off.

Editorials!

2008-07-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a new summer series: more editorials

Like most blogs, my blog used to be about my personal life. I deleted all posts and converted it to a sassy guide to being green. I have a lot of new ideas for my blog and making it more personal is a large focus on the direction of my blog. For now on, you'll be getting more insight into my life and how I live it.

You may or may not approve, but you'll learn of my mistakes and what I have learned from my mistakes.

Alcohol

2008-07-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Take a minute to think about how many drinks you have a week. Margaret asked me to do that a couple of weeks ago. She was shocked and said my liver must be crying. Nishimura has now made a lifestyle choice to drink less. I commend that because I almost forgot that alcohol is a very processed food (I've been very forgetful in general lately - blame the alcohol). It takes a lot of energy and water to create it. I'm going to cut the number of drinks I drink in half or even more.

Secret Life

2008-07-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

It all started with us joking about how Juan Carlos couldn't possibly work that many hours in a day. The boy must have had a secret life he didn't want us to know about. This happened at the same time when my secret life started to spill out into my public life. During Jay's birthday wine bash, Bill's stories about his past all shocked us and NOTHING shocks us.

Someone in one of my volunteer groups mentioned that we all have our public image and our private image.

This all got me thinking about our secret life. We all have stuff we share with only our closest friends. Whether it's sexual or some emotional damage done to you years ago, there's even some things nobody can ever know. THAT is your secret life. I have taken steps to green my private life mostly bc I always want to "walk the walk" in all aspects of my life. You should do the same.

With my freezeray I will stop the world

2008-07-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.drhorrible.com/act_I.html

Laundry day
See you there
Under things
Tumbling
Want to say
Love your hair
Here I go
Mumbling
With my freezeray I will stop the world
With my freezeray I will find the time to find the words to
Tell you how
How you make
Make me feel
What’s the phrase?
Like the fool
Kind of sick
Special needs
Anyways
With my freezeray I will stop the pain
It’s not a deathray or an icebeam – that’s all Johnny Snow
I just think you need time to know
That I’m the guy to make it real
The feelings you don’t dare to feel
I’ll bend the world to our will
And we’ll make time stand still
That’s the plan
Rule the world
You and me anyday
Love your hair
Anyways
With my freezeray I will stop

2) Eat less beef and rice

2008-06-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

It takes a lot of water to grow alfalfa to feed cows. A LOT! It also takes a ton of water to grow rice. Both alfalfa and rice are grown in CA. Eat less beef and rice.

Added bonus is you will loose weight, fat ass. Remember, less weight means less fuel used up to move your car. Less fuel used means less water required to process and transport that fuel.

CA is officially in a drought

2008-06-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

California announced it was in a drought June 4, 2008. You all know I've been bitching about water use for years now. I've even stopped watering my mom's lawn for a year now and planted natives plants.

This post marks the 1st entry of my Emergency Water Conservation Series.

1) Saving water brushing your teeth:

The average person uses 2 gallons of water brushing their teeth. You can do much better than this. Think of 2 milk containers. That's ridiculous! Here's how to accomplish it:

Brush your teeth, THEN floss.
1) Brush. Rinse just once while simultaneously rinsing your toothbrush.
2) Floss. Rinse one more time. Now the toothpaste is gone.
3) Make sure you have a 1 gpm aerator on your bathroom sink. Get one for free from your water company.

The water should be flowing for a total of 10-20 seconds for this entire process. Don't leave the water on while you brush because only morons do that.

Summer Changes Part 1

2008-05-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

A heatwave in SF inspired me to blog about how your life changes in the summer heat.

Background on peak demand:
There are 2 types of power plants. Those that are on all the time then there are those that only turn on during peak hours. The power plants that are on 24/7 tend to be semi-horrible for the planet. The power plants that are only on during peak hours are those that are most expensive and dirty to run. They react with anticipated demand for hot days because peak hours are the hottest and ppl use their air conditioning.

When it's the hot season, charge your batteries (cell phones etc) at night. Run the dish washer and washing machine after 7pm. Dry your clothes on a clothes line. Turn off everything that is unnecessary during peak hours including lights. Take cold showers. Turn down your water heater tank temperature to reduce standby losses. Wear less clothes (skanky ppl require less air conditioning). Stay downstairs (hot air rises). Set your a/c to 76 or higher. Get an attic fan to blow the hot air out of your attic (in this case your 120 degree attic will transfer heat downwards to your house).

Optional:
Plant a shade tree to shade the house. Get a solar water heating system.

Demand the Best

2008-04-30T18:53:00.001-07:00

My b'day recently passed so I've been doing a lot of soul searching. One thing that bothers me about the world is our ability to accept mediocrity. Artificial light is not the same as sunlight. Chemicals and processed food aren't the same as real food. Running on the treadmill is not the same as running somewhere pretty. We all make compromises. I don't have a garden anymore, but it's better than commuting 2.5 hours a day like some folks. There's comes a point when your compromise just isn't worth it. Stop accepting mediocrity!

Some people never open their blinds/drapes and just use artificial light. It's not the same, dufus. It doesn't react with your body the same. You don't produce vitamin D from fake light, your eyes grow tired and can't focus the same, some argue that the ions suck the life out of you, and we all bitch about our perceived "color" of the light. Open the blinds and let the sunlight in! It also lets fresh air in. My brother uses a hepa filter instead of religiously opening the windows.

Red lake #5 is not the same as the deep red of a cherry in the winter. You know my friends give me shit for avoiding food coloring? I refuse shitty fake food because I am too good for it. People say that I am a food snob and not everyone can afford to eat the way I do. Sue me, ass wipe. I am a food snob. In the 80s, red M&Ms and hair dye disappeared because they found out that their fake red was causing cancer. Once you get educated, you'll stop giving me shit for avoiding your fast food, processed, and shitty tasting junk food. While we're talking about processed food, fresh food has more nutrients and is more eco-friendly. Demand the best food. Demand local, seasonal, and organic foods! Do you know when apples are in season? No, it's not year round. Learn when your food is available by shopping at the farmers' market. Do you know where your food comes from? Ask your farmer where he grows it. It's important to be connected to everything. Be connected to your food, your family, your friends, and yourself. I've asked my dad to teach my nephew about gardening and food.

That's enough bitching for now.

How to wash your dishes

2008-04-28T23:55:00.001-07:00

If you use a dishwasher:
A dish washer (that isn't old as hell) actually uses less water than washing your dishes by hand! This assumes that:
a) You do not rinse your dishes prior to the wash
b) You only run the dish washer when it's full

c) Don't use the heat dry function. Just open the door and air dry it when it's done.
d) Use natural dish washing soap

If you hand wash:
1) Wash 2+ items at a time.
2) Never fill up the sink with water to do the dishes. My mouth drops when I see people do this. We don't live in the 60s!
3) Use cold water. Your hands will thank you.
4) Use natural soap
5) Put soap in a sponge and soap up your dishes with the water turned off.
6) Position the soapy dishes in a pile under the flowing water while rinsing 1 soapy dish in your hand. The water will cascade down and "pre-rinse" the other dishes while you rinse your current dish.
7) Dry your hands on a towel. Not a paper towel.

How to launder your clothes

2008-04-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

1) Only wash full loads. No exceptions.
2) Only use cold water. Your clothes will last longer and colors won't bleed.
3) Use the most concentrated detergent possible. Method 3x concentrated detergent is my choice - 64 oz because "bulk" items use less plastic than buying twice as many smaller items. Plus you save money buying in bulk.
4) Wash your clothes inside out except for items that you spilled food on.
5) Always choose the high spin option.
6) Don't dry your clothes. Hang them up to dry. Your clothes will last longer.
7) Leave the washer's lid open so mildew doesn't grow in the machine.

Optional:
8) Look into barrels that store the dirty wash water so you can use it to water your garden.
9) When your washer breaks, replace it with a high efficiency washing machine and get a rebate from your water district.

How to Wash Your Hands

2008-03-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

1) put NON-antibacterial soap on your DRY hands and rub
[antibacterial soap kills 0% more germs on your hands. yes 0% because triclosan takes 8 full minutes to work. who the hell washes their hands for 8 minutes? it's been proven to actually make you sick more often because it gives you a false sense of security]
[antibacterial soap is a contributing factor of these super germs you hear about]
[soap is an emulsifier and will grab the oils from your hands then rinse away in water. adding water will only distract the soap]
2) turn on the COLD water and rinse
[it keeps your hands from cracking and hot water doesnt kill any germs on your hands. c'mon did you think you were boiling your hands for 2 minutes in a stove?]

Method does not put triclosan (the antibacterial chemical) in their soaps. You can find them at Target or at drugstore.com

When I wash my hands at other people's houses and I see antibacterial soap, I automatically think they are tools. Don't fall for the marketing bullshit and listen to me.

Your water district will give you free sink aerators for the bathroom and kitchen if you ask. They reduce the rate of water that flows out of the faucet.

How to Take a Shower in 9 Minutes

2008-03-20T22:58:00.001-07:00

The thought process for your shower should be head to toe. Water flows downwards so it will wash your dirt and soap away in that direction.

1) shampoo this shampoo/soap doesn't cause cancer
1a) conditioner is optional
[the more products you use, the more greenhouse gases you emit (please dont be ugly tho)]
2) turn off the water (optional in the winter time)
[env benefits: using water actually emits a lot of greenhouse gases because it take energy to extract, transport, and filter the water.]
3) body soap. now is a good time to shave.
[benefit: with the water off, you can lather like a god.]
4) turn on the water but at a lower temperature.
[env benefit: heating water uses up a lot of energy (something close to the amount of greenhouse gases from your car i think).]
[Another benefit: you won't sweat after your shower is over if you don't shower with scalding hot water because sweating after a shower defeats the entire purpose.]
5) don't rinse your body just yet, but don't avoid the water either
6) wash your face while simultaneous rinsing the rest of your body - now is a good time to shave
7) rinse your face
8) consciously rinse the portions of your body that may have been missed

Your water district will give you free low flow shower heads (my free shower head has MORE pressure than the water guzzler I replaced it with!!!) if you just ask.

New Spring Series: How to Live Your Life

2008-03-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

As a neo-hippie, I never really push my views onto other people because that's annoying. You'll never hear me preach to you. I might give a suggestion or two if I feel you wouldn't mind, but nothing more than that (unless you're my family then I'll bitch and bitch).

That ends now.

I'm assuming that since you are visiting my blog, you are ready for some instructions on how to live your life. My blog is all about a view into how I live my life. How is that you ask? To be as green as possible without looking like a hemp-betch. Most posts from now on will deal with step by step instructions on how to do simple tasks because you're probably doing it wrong. I'll give environmental benefits as well as non-environmental benefits such as health, money, or social.

Why am I doing this? I'm so sick of all these green blogs or books give you "tips" on how to be green. The tips are either too rudimentary or advanced for people to do. Let's get this straight. I'm done with giving out tips. These are full on instructions on How to Live Your Life. Either enjoy my blog or eat shit.

No More Posts About my New Year's Resolution

2008-03-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

I don't like blogging about my New Year's resolution because it's boring. I still keep track ish but I won't post about it. Instead I'll summarize what I have learned about it so far.

1) People have asked me if they recycle or compost that they don't have to count their wrappings and containers. No. This isn't an exercise in less waste. It's an exercise in less consumption.
2) Peer pressure from work is hard. It's hard to be that one hippie guy who uses a real plate at the monthly work meeting. I did it anyways and guess what? The office manager now uses our real plates and silverware when ordering food for our meetings! Mission: Accomplished!
3) When drinking at a bar, ask for a real cup or else they give you those bullshit plastic cups. Especially when ordering water.
4) Napkins are given out gratuitously. Get in the habit of asking for just one or none.
5) Carry around silverware and a handkerchief, MacGuyver.
6) You buy bottled water if you don't have water on you. Always bring a bag with a bottle of water in it.
7) Plastic bags with a rubber band around it is tiny. Bring it with you everywhere. Everywhere. You always need a bag when you don't expect it.
8) Eat a restaurants that use real plates and silverware. Those other places are trashy. Literally.
9) Drink at bars that don't use plastic cups. How low class.
10) When eating at a pizza joint by your apartment, bring your own plate when ordering a slice.

Weeks 3 - 6

2008-02-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

Week 3:
6 cups
2 bags
1 fork
1 spoon

Week 4:
2 food containers
(I guess I didn't keep track this week)

Week 5:
3 Cups
2 food containers

Week 6:
4 Cups
1 Container
3 Bags
1 Fork
1 Plate
1 Pair of Chopsticks

I have now asked bars to give me real cups. During work meetings, I try to use plates, but sometimes I conform to paper plates. Always bring a bottle with you! I sometimes don't and then I'm thirsty all day to prevent a cup.

Week 2

2008-01-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

Week 2

3 Bags
4 Food containers
7 Cups

I use so many napkins and paper towels that I lose track. That's a bad thing. It's also hard because napkins are given to me freely. http://thesecomefromtrees.blogspot.com/

During a work meeting, I used a real plate instead of a paper plate. Same for my fork. People liked that I did that, but secretly hated me for me. I was THAT guy. After the meeting I wanted a bubbly water from our fridge, but I didn't because I didn't want to add the bottle to my list.

New Years Resolution

2008-01-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

Week 1:

2 Cups
3 Bags
3 Food take out containers
1 Spoon
Many many napkins

I used a handkerchief a couple of times instead of napkins. They came in handy when the bus seat was wet. It's easy to reduce your cups and bags by always bringing a bag/purse with a bottle of water and a small reusable bag. I'm having difficulty with the "always" part. I'm considering bringing a spork with me seeing that I used a spoon last week.

Boxes and Packing Nuts

2007-12-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

So you bought gifts online and now you have tons of boxes and packaging peanuts laying around your room. See the post office, UPS store, Kinko's FedEx store, or mom n pop mailing store? Donate your junk to them. You don't want it, but they do.

Difficulty: Easy

How much do I hate wrapping paper?

2007-12-25T12:27:00.000-08:00

Wrapping paper is the stupidest thing ever created. Let's spend $5 on some tacky looking dead tree and use it once then throw it away! Not only is it boring and stupid, but it shows how boring and stupid you are.

What to do: Use newspaper (ads are funny), old calendars, outdated maps, or building plans.

Difficulty: Easy

New Year's Resolution

2007-12-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here's my resolution for 2008.

Limit my use of:
Plastic bags: 1 per month
Shopping bags: 1 per month
Take out containers: 2 a week
Little baggies from restaurants (for bread): 2 a week
Plastic bottles: 1 per month
Napkins: 2 a week
Plastic silverware: 1 per month

Difficulty: Hard

Holiday Post

2007-12-18T22:57:00.000-08:00

Want to reduce your energy consumption? Don't put up xmas lights all over the place. If you pledged to change an incandescent lamp to a CFL, I would like to point out that your light up holiday seal pup and giant snowglobe are a waste of electricity. While some environmental actions require you to reduce the amount of luxury, this is not one of them. Xmas lights just aren't that great to begin with. Leave it to the professionals because your moving Grinch is scaring the children. If you must have that awful looking lit up Santa, at least put a timer on it. Don't have them on from noon-6pm when your energy consumption is a the dirtiest (older, dirtier power plants are used during this time to prevent rolling blackouts) and don't have them on after 11pm. People need their sleep and the birds are getting disoriented from your plastic Rudolf nose.

Difficulty: Easy.

updates

2007-10-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

i've moved to sf
expect more posts in january 08

sorry

Swaptree

2007-08-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.swaptree.com/WebFrmHowDoesThisWork.aspx

Huge news! A trading site that is free and awesome. It's so well done I can't believe it's free. Sign up now.

Vodka 360

2007-07-31T22:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.vodka360.com/index.php

Eco vodka. You can find it at BevMo.

External Hard Drive

2007-07-27T23:42:00.000-07:00

Need more data space? This external hard drive uses less power than other ext hdds.

http://www.kanguru.com/35ecohd.html

Battery Tips

2007-07-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

A fantastic post about how to make your batteries last longer.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/eco-tip_batteries.php

AQUS

2007-07-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

This device stores your used sink water and reroutes it to your toilet when you flush. It's fuckin awesome, but it's $300. I've asked my water company for a rebate because it definitely won't pay for itself anytime soon. I'll keep you posted.

http://www.watersavertech.com/AQUS-Water-Conservation.html

Clothes washer water

2007-07-07T10:26:00.001-07:00

I've rerouted my used water from my high efficiency clothes washer from the drain to the dirt outside of my garage. Eventually, I will store it in a bucket and use it to water my plants.

Stool

2007-07-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

This stool is made from scrap wood and a recycled bike tire. I like it.
http://www.uhurudesign.com/work.php?w=2

Drought

2007-06-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

The drought in CA (and other states) is still here. I have officially stopped watering my lawn.

Leave me a comment on what I should do with my lawn when it dies. Native plants? Astro turf? Put a sign that says "Drought in progress?"

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/2007/may/zin200705_pg.gif

Solio Solar Charger

2007-06-24T22:52:00.001-07:00

Here is a $100 solar charger that folds up. It looks like a flower and even comes in pink. What I like about this charger is that it has a suction cup on it so you can stick it to your office window.

http://www.solio.com/v2/shop/shop2_front.php

Solar Water Heater

2007-06-24T22:49:00.001-07:00

If you own a home, solar water heating is the smartest investment you can make. Solar water heating is cheap and will pay for itself really quickly. Depending on how expensive natural gas is (it gets more expensive every year), it can pay for itself in 3-5 years. That is really fast. Remember that there is a 30% (and going down) subsidy from the government for solar.

Here is a modern looking one. I make no claims for how efficient it is. I just like how it looks.

http://solarhotwater.siliconsolar.com/evacuated-solar-tubes-20.php

Solar Charger

2007-06-24T21:16:00.001-07:00

Here's a cool solar charger for your electronics. I'm too cheap to get one at $70, but it would make a really good gift. Hint hint!!

http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00304

Environmentally Friendly PC

2007-06-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of Earth-friendly PC companies out there, but now HP has one too. Get the one with Intel's Core 2 Duo. It's faster, better, and uses less electricity. Only buy a new computer once yours is broken or super super old.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF25a/12454-12454-64287-321881-3328896-3375897.html

Bamboo Bra

2007-06-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.lasenza.com/eng/categorysearch/redirect.cfm?sectionID=b2c/style/productDetails.cfm&itemID=120001-035&itemCategoryLevel1=108&itemCategoryLevel2=146

San Francisco Bans Bottled Water

2007-06-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's about fuckin time! Bottled water is so stupid. It's like buying bottled air. I do wonder how this will change the demand on the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the economics of self-filling water stations. The next thing SF needs to ban is Styrofoam.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/san_francisco_m.php

Printer Cartridges

2007-06-19T20:59:00.001-07:00

Refill your printer cartridges. Many new printers have microchips that render the cartridge useless after a certain amount of pages have printed. This prevents you from refilling it yourself. I like http://www.123inkjets.com/ because they refill cartridges and sells them to you at a discount. They are very local to where I live. Try to find one that is local to you too.

Why? To reduce the amount of trash/recycling that is necessary to print your Southwest boarding pass. Also, printing companies subsidize the cost of the printer by jacking up the price of the ink. Beat them at their own game by getting cheap ink!

Tap Water is So Hot Right Now

2007-06-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

Bottled water is so passe. Tap water is so hot right now.

http://lighterfootstep.com/5-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water-2.html

LED Lamps

2007-06-12T22:52:00.001-07:00

LEDs are the most efficient form of lighting ready for consumers today. Problem is LEDs are a little pricey. Designers and interior decorators are excited about this new form of light because of the really intersting designs that can be created with LEDs. Here is a really nice lamp that I want. Remember to not buy a new lamp unless yours is broken.

http://www.konceptech.com/ledlighting.html

Eat Everything

2007-06-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

We should eat all of our food and not waste anything. Of course, prepping the food will lead to some composting. Considering that it takes 14 calories of fossil fuels for every calorie you consume, you should eat less. This will lead to you buying less and wasting less. This will eventually help you lose weight. This will then lighten the load on your car and increase gas mileage while you're driving to the farmer's market to get local food.

Toyota

2007-06-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Toyota, now the number 1 car company in America, has recently lobbied against Carbon being labeled as an air pollutant. Now it is lobbying against increased CAFE mileage standards. I am so deeply disappointed in Toyota in that it is acting like an American company. I wanted to buy a new Prius, but it looks like I am going to wait for the new small hybrid from Honda. I feel like we have fallen under Toyota's eco spell but are now being punished for supporting them.

Honda will be releasing a hybrid Fit and a smaller hybrid (to replace the Insight). Don't forget about the Hybrid Civic, but the Hybrid Accord is canceled as of 2008 due to horrible sales.

Indoor Composter

2007-06-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Food is the #1 least recycled of all waste materials

What should you do? Compost! Here's an indoor (no odor, no worms) composter. http://naturemill.com/features.html

Drought!

2007-06-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

CA is having a drought. Don't be a betch and conserve water.

Look through my previous posts on how to do that.

http://feeds.treehugger.com/~r/treehuggersite/~3/123298336/drought_again.php

New Cell Phones Help With Phantom Loads

2007-06-05T23:05:00.001-07:00

Nokia (one of the greenest electronic companies according to Greenpeace) will be programming phones to alert you to unplug your phone charger once it is fully charged in 07. This reduces phantom loads (think energy vampire) because your charger sucks energy constantly, even if your phone isn't plugged in. Unplug all electronics that don't need to be plugged in. You can get power strips and turn the strip off if you aren't using the electronics.

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/253/

Greenwashing

2007-06-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

Do not fall for "greenwashing" or the false advertising of products as being green. I know Swiffer has tried to make their floor products claim that they are saving the world tons of water from mopping. Oh shove it up your ass. Disposable products like Swiffer are evil. As an environmentalist, disposable products use up so many resources INCLUDING WATER to create and they are not recyclable. As an economist, it's actually genius for them to create a disposable product because the consumer has to continue to buy refills. Case in point: why spend $10 on a broom and mop when you could charge consumers $200 in floor wipes? Why sell a $1 toilet brush when you could charge $30 on replacement toilet brush heads? Genius. Evil genius.

Also, organic foods flown in from other countries aren't that green. Beware of greenwashing. It's everywhere right now. Marketing teams think you're stupid. Don't prove them right.

Sunny D-ried Clothes

2007-06-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

I air dry my clothes. You can air dry your clothes inside if you live in a place with no backyard.

Benefits: 1) Your clothes go through less stress and will last longer (saves me tons of $$)
2) Provides humidity when your heating system zaps it all away (no more dry skin)
3) Save on natural gas costs ($$)

If you do dry your clothes in the sun, just dry them inside out to prevent color fading. You should wash your clothes inside out too. If you are drying elastic stuff like underwear, put them in the shade so the elastic doesn't break over time.

What do I do? I hang up my good clothes and dry them outside in a shady area. It takes longer to dry, but the air flow dries them sufficiently. I bring them in before the night dew and allow them to dry more in my closet (if they aren't already dry). Stupid clothes like undershirts and towels I put on a clothes line in direct sun. In CA summer, these things will dry in under an hour.

Why? Your house emits over 2x as much carbon as your car and drying your clothes is ~10% of your house's energy use. Eliminate that, betch.

Kettle

2007-06-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Tea kettles boil water faster than in a pot.

What should you do? Measure the amount of water you need to reduce waste then put it in your tea kettle. It'll boil faster and with more efficiency. Kettles are worth purchasing if you don't have one.

Mario Batali's New York Restaurant to Stop Serving Bottled Water

2007-05-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Listen up, water snob. What's in your overpriced bottled water? Most likely filtered tap water. Ouch! Mario Batali will now only serve tap water at his NYC restaurant. Good! Once a fat chef does something (food wise), it becomes cool. It's now cool to drink filtered tap water.

http://feeds.treehugger.com/~r/treehuggersite/~3/120785381/no_bottled_wate_1.php

Earlier post about bottled water: http://wisswee.blogspot.com/2007/04/true-cost-of-bottled-water.html

Recycled polyester swimming trunk

2007-05-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

Patagonia uses recycled polyester in their clothes. You can bring them old clothes and they will recycle them into new clothes too. Reusing clothes is probably a better idea though. Buy these shorts if you need trunks for the summer.

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/collection.jsp?OPTION=COLLECTIONS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&pageSize=11&pageNumber=2&ws=&catcode=SPECIAL_SP07_US.SC.MAIN.MENS.RECYCLED#sku.86761

Artek

2007-05-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

Designer Tom Dixon (merged with Artek) has created a furniture line called Bambu. There's a nice bamboo table and chair. Bamboo is technically a grass and grows super fast so it's a sustainable material to use.

http://www.artek.fi/en/products.html?Id=BambuT&P=3

Air Mattress

2007-05-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

If you like to camp, you know you need an air mattress for comfort and for warmth. Here is a sustainable air mattress!

http://www.pacoutdoor.com/2007/index.cfm?action=product&productID=137&groupID=22&familyID=1

Cool Fridge and Freezer

2007-05-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

How to keep the outside of your fridge cool: keep it away from sunlight from windows, keep it away from heat sources (heat duct, water heater, window), and pull it away from the wall a little bit so heat and rise easily

How to keep the inside of your fridge cool: clear your shit out so air can circulate

How to keep the inside of your freezer cool: pack it with shit. if your freezer is empty, fill it with containers of water. frozen items help cool down your freezer's air after your fat ass opens the door.

Also vacuum the bottom vents once in awhile and set your freezer and fridge's temperature to a temperature that's not ridiculously cold

Chez Panisse

2007-05-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

In response to how stupid it is to transport bottled water (why are we spending the fuel to import water from Fiji??), Chez Panisse in Berkeley has stopped using bottled water. Now they offer filtered water. Isn't that freakin' awesome? You should do the same.

http://www.theworlds50best.com/restaurants/restaurant_40.html

Earlier post about bottled water: http://wisswee.blogspot.com/2007/04/true-cost-of-bottled-water.html

Smaller Things

2007-05-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

Here's something I've started to do. I have a front loading washer and these washers detect how much clothing is in there and adjusts how much water it needs to use to wash it. To help reduce my water use, I have started buying smaller towels, underwear, socks (ankle vs crew). It's a small change, but I needed to buy new underwear and socks. It wasn't much of a sacrifice. Big towels aren't that luxorious to me, smaller socks are cooler in the summer months, and small underwear is sexier. Of course, only buy smaller things when you need them. Buying less ish is environmentally friendly too.

Compost

2007-05-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

From all the hippie things I do, the most rewarding is composting. I love putting my kitchen and yard waste in a hole and watch it turn into really nice dirt. There's worms and other friends of mine during the process that make me happy. There is something very rewarding about checking your compost 6 months later and seeing nothing but rich dirt. You can do this in the ground or in a composter. Many cities will subsidize the cost of the composter.

Not only does compost reduce the amount of shit you put into the landfill, composting also reduces the amount of methane that landfill produces! Composting actually helps with global warming! Talk about every little bit helps.

How to compost: dig a hole and put ish in there, cover it in 3 months and let it sit there for 6 months. Repeat this every 3 months at a new hole or composter.

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/info_compost.html

Junk Mail From WaMu

2007-05-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

Opt out of getting mailings from Washington Mutual if you have an account with them. I have never received so much junk mail from one company before. I get junk mail DAILY from them. Daily!

http://www.wamu.com/securityandprivacy/privacy.htm#optout

Twist LED Lights

2007-05-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

This company makes square twist together lights. You can rearrange the lights or even add shelves to make a table or shelf with built in lighting! Not cheap, but I am drooling over them.

http://www.glide-inc.com/

Uhuru Design

2007-05-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

This place makes furniture out of scrap wood and recycled aluminum. They actually look good!

http://www.uhurudesign.com/work.php?w=2

Save Water

2007-05-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

People often ask me how can they be better neo-hippies. I tell them to save water. It takes energy to find the water, pump the water, filter the water, disinfect the water, heat the water, etc.

What you should do? Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators (free from your water company), use cold water to wash your clothes, use cold water to wash your hands and face (better for you skin anyways), and if it's yellow, let it mellow.

Ultra-hippie? Get a high efficiency clothes washer (HECW) and 1.28 gallons per flush toilet. You can get a huge rebate on both of these items from your water company. I absolutely love my HECW because it's gentle on my clothes, washes well, and spins most of the moisture out so my clothes dry faster. I have a FloWise from American Standard toilet and I like it. Collect the cold water while waiting for your shower to heat up and put that water in your toilet tank when you flush. Only get native plants so you don't have to water them as often. If you're in southern CA, http://www.matilijanursery.com/ sells native plants.

iSave

2007-05-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

CA didn't get much rain this past year and now we're in for a drought. Want to know how much water you're saving? Get iSave! Is it silly? Yes, but it's also powered by water passing through it. Let's not dwell on how ironic that is, but how cool that is!

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/05/08/isave-faucets-monitor-water-use/

Green Dimes

2007-05-08T20:30:00.000-07:00

Stop junk mail and save the trees! For a dime a day, you can stop most of your junk mail. You can even give it as a gift *wink wink*

http://www.greendimes.com/

TransGlass Carafe

2007-05-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

I got this super awesome carafe. It's made out of an old wine bottle and it's really cute. Everyone loves it at my office.

http://www.re-modern.com/product/TG-SERV.html

Bamboo Utensils

2007-05-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

I own a bamboo spatula! It's super cool because it has a bump on the bottom so the spoon part never touches the counter when you put it down! Plus bamboo in its pure form (like this) is very sustainable. If your kitchen utensils are fine, don't buy this. If you need kitchen utensils, get these! I love them!!

http://www.branchhome.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=165

Kitchen Knobs

2007-05-07T21:51:00.001-07:00

I'm buying recycled glass and pewter knobs for my kitchen cabinets. They're super cool.

http://www.spectradecor.com/beachpebble.html

Cool Down This Summer

2007-05-02T23:42:00.000-07:00

This link is filled with useful ways to cut down on your energy use this summer while staying cool. I like it because it's organized by cheapest/most feasible to most expensive/intensive. I would also like to add getting naked/almost naked and blowing a fan on yourself. It works wonders!

http://lighterfootstep.com/a-giant-list-of-summer-cooling-tips-3.html

Thrift Shops

2007-05-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Reusing products is environmentally friendly AND they don't make things like they used to. Put those two concepts together and you've got the thrift shop. Buy silverware, furniture, and clothes from thrift shops!

Water Bottles

2007-05-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

If you are part of the health craze crowd, you carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. Let's make that a reusable bottle like a Nalgene. That's a simple way to reduce the amount of plastic you use. Let's take it one step farther. Bring your water bottle into restaurants and don't use a plastic cup while you dine.

Eat Less Meat

2007-05-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Enjoy meat? Most of us do. Try being vegetarian for at least one day a week. This will reduce the amount of water, fuel, and chemicals it takes to raise all those cows, chickens, and pigs. If you want to be full vegetarian, that would be best, but I don't ask for that kind of committment. We all need to eat less meat anyways for health reasons, let's add the environment to our list of reasons.

http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/veg/alternativeliving/10/english.htm

Trading

2007-05-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

Done with your music, books, and movies? Of course you are. Trade them! Trading your ish means less material used to create CDs and DVDs for others who want the same ish.

Music (my personal favorite): Trade your CDs at https://www.lala.com/frontend/action/signup?inviteToken=aT0xMzY0MjpkPTExNzgwNjQwMDAwMDA6dT01NTYxMEAxMzM1NQ%3D%3D-79AZc9Bl0aSKLbrfTt9P2g%3D%3D

Books: Sell them at your local library or trade them at http://www.paperbackswap.com/

DVDs: Trade them at http://www.peerflix.com/

Games: Trade them at http://www.gameswap.com/

Tunes for Trees

2007-05-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

Do you buy music from iTunes? Use the link below and trees will be planted for purchases made on iTunes. Buying music from iTunes is good because less materials are used for your music.

http://www.tunesfortrees.com/

10 Reasons to Eat Local

2007-04-29T22:42:00.001-07:00

Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction. (reference)
Locally grown produce is fresher. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.
Local food just plain tastes better. Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours? 'Nuff said.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be "rugged" or to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.
Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic. (reference)
Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.
Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story. Whether it's the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.
Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination. (reference)
Local food translates to more variety. When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket. Supermarkets are interested in selling "Name brand" fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes. Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.
Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space - farms and pastures - an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

http://www.lifebeginsat30.com/elc/2006/04/10_reasons_to_e.html

Recycled Tissue

2007-04-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

You can't recycle tissue, paper towels, or toilet paper. Used toilet paper is literally trees being flushed down the drain. Am I the only one who thinks cutting down trees to dry your hands is silly? If everyone replaced one roll of toilet paper with recycled toilet paper, many trees would be saved.

What should you do? For toilet paper, buy recycled toilet paper. You can find this at Trader Joe's or get Seventh Generation toilet paper. Also check out Staples.com for toilet paper in bulk. Staples.com is for business owners so they might be your cheapest option. For paper towels, use real towels. For tissue, cut up old shirts and pants to create hankerchiefs. I love the feel of cotton on my face instead of trees. If you insist on using tissue, get the recycled ones from the same companies I mentioned above. Keep in mind things like bleached vs non-bleached (non-bleached is better), post-consumer waste percentages in the paper product, and the amount of plastic used in wrapping the product. Seventh Generation is the best, but Staples.com is probably the cheapest.

Reduce Your Car's Weight to Improve Gas Mileage

2007-04-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

5 things to take out of your car to reduce its weight. Less weight in your car means better gas mileage.

Sports equipment. Golf clubs, baseball bats, cleats, basketballs - all that stuff needlessly adds weight to your car. So, take all of this stuff out of your car when you’re not going to be using it.
Your cases of CDs. The other day I took two full books of CDs out of my car. Just for fun I weighed the two of them and found out that I had been carrying around 35 extra pounds in my car.
Unused child safety seats. Now, I know it’s a pain to schlep this stuff in and out of the car, but if you’re really trying to improve gas mileage, it may be worth considering taking unused safety seats out of your car.
Miscellaneous trunk items. Tool boxes, luggage,
You. If you’re overweight you’re bringing down your car’s fuel economy. Lose some weight, get better gas mileage.

http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=343

Brown Rice vs White Rice

2007-04-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Looks like brown rice is not only better for you, but it's better for the environment too. This is because brown rice requires less processing and does not need to be fortified with vitamins like white rice.

http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/94/1/Brown-rice-vs-white-rice.html

Levi's Eco Jeans

2007-04-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

I tried on 2 pairs of Levi's Eco Jeans. They are made of organically grown cotton and coast $70. They felt like real jeans, but the look of Levi's doesn't do it for me. I hope you like them, but I didn't.

Driver Slower and Save Gas

2007-04-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

As you drive faster, the wind resistance of your car increases. With that logic, driving 80mph uses more gas than driving 75mph. There are NON-hybrid owners who get ~40-50mpg who accelerate slowly, cruise control, and coast a lot.

What should you do? Cruise control at 70 or 75. Trust me, anything faster than 75 will just make you approach someone in front of you faster. That's lame. Also, coast when you see the upcoming stoplight turn red. Coast a lot. There's absolutely no reason to accelerate for a stoplight. Laugh at the SUV who accelerates and then slams on their brakes. You both are stopped at the red light, but you are less lame.

Eat Local

2007-04-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

We output more carbon from eating than from driving! Why? Food usually travels 1,400 miles before it reaches your mouth! That's why neo-hippies try to eat local. There's a "low-carbon" diet which focuses on eating food that was grown 100 miles from you. Not only is local food better for the environment, it helps support the farms that are close to you. It sucks to watch these farms get developed into cookie-cutter suburbs. Also, the food travels for a shorter amount of time so it is fresher and has more nutrients left in it.

What should you do? Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). You pay the farm then pick up food weekly. If you don't have a CSA near you, shop at your farmer's market. Also look for fisherman's markets. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ Here you can search for a CSA by zip code.

Dine global. Eat local.

http://feeds.slashfood.com/~r/weblogsinc/slashfood/~3/109840542/

True Cost of Bottled Water

2007-04-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

For those who drink bottled water, remember that it takes fossil fuels and water to transport something as stupid as water. Let's not forget the wasted plastic bottles that don't end up recycled. For every bottle of water, it takes 6.74 bottles to get it to your mouth. That's insane. I personally don't drink bottled water because of the plastic chemicals leeching into the water. The chemicals cause cancer. The leeching occurs when the water heats up. Think about cooking plastic for dinner and eating it. That's your bottled water.

What should you do? Do what I do. Get a water cooler with 5 gallon bottles and fill them up with reverse osmosis filtered tap water. It's clean and refreshing without the plastic leeching. That's because 5 gallons is HUGE and the water doesn't heat up as much. Plus, you control how hot the bottles and not some truck driver driving a HOT truck. Instead of water bottles, get a Nalgene bottle. Christina Danko doesn't like Nalgene bottles because she thinks they're trendy. Get over it and do the earth a favor. Don't be lame. Earth trends are good.

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/04/tvs_vcrs_for_free_admissi.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

Dark Colors Saves Energy

2007-04-16T14:32:00.001-07:00

If you still use a CRT monitor, darker colors use less energy than light colors. Use Black Google and save energy!

What should you do? Make your blog's background a darker color.

http://black-google.blogspot.com/

Water Conservation Tips from the Mojave Water Agency

2007-04-16T14:31:00.001-07:00

WATER CONSERVATION FACTS:

• The human body is about 75% water.
• Every day in the United States, we drink about 110 million gallons of water.
• Showering and bathing is one of the largest users (27%) of water domestically.
• Less than 2% of the Earth’s water supply is fresh water.
• The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day.
• A leaky faucet can waste 100 gallons a day.
• One flush of the toilet uses 6 1/2 gallons of water.
• An average bath requires 37 gallons of water.
• An average family of four uses 881 gallons of water per week just by flushing the toilet.
• The average shower takes about 20 gallons of water, around 40 gallons are used in 10 minutes.
• You use about 5 gallons of water if you leave the water running while brushing your teeth.
• If you water your grass and trees more heavily, but less often, this saves water and builds stronger roots.
• Each person needs to drink about 2 1/2 quarts (80 ounces) of water everyday.
• Water your lawn only when it needs it. If you step on the grass and it springs back up when you move, it doesn’t need water. If it stays flat, it does need water.

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS:

• Run your dishwasher and washing machines only when they are full.
• When washing a car, use soap and water from a bucket. Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for rinsing.
• Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
• Water lawns during the early morning hours, or evening when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
• Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas. Using a hose to clean a driveway can waste hundreds of gallons of water.
• Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
• Take short showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water.
• Don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth or shaving. Get in the habit of turning off the water when it’s not being used.
• Use of bowl of water to clean fruits & vegetables rather than running water over them. You can reuse this for your houseplants.
• Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don’t waste water just because someone else is footing the bill such as when you are staying at a hotel.
• Try to do one thing each day that will result in a savings of water. Don’t worry if the saving is minimal. Every drop counts. And every person can make a difference. So tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers to “Turn it Off” and Keep it Off”.

Plastic Bags

2007-04-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you have a billion plastic grocery bags in your kitchen. You should reuse them instead of throwing them away or recycling them. Reuse is more energy efficient than recycling.

A few ways to reuse plastic bags:
- Put 10 of them in your car's trunk and use them at the grocery store. Why spend the money to buy a canvas bag?
- Use them to line your trash cans.
- Bunch some up at the bottom of a pot before adding soil to encourage drainage.

Soy Underwear

2007-04-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

2(x)ist is a famous men's underwear designer who recently added bamboo and soy fabrics to their line. We all know how much I love bamboo, but their soy undershirts and underwears interest me more. Soy fabric is made from the waste of soy plants so it takes trash out of the wastestream. Soy is also antibacterial so I don't stick at the end of the day.

http://www.2xist.com/

Of The Earth Clothes

2007-04-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

I purchased 2 soy/cotton polos for work from Korazon in downtown Ventura. I really liked the colors and the material is nice. It has a nice texture that is almost striped. Soy is also antibacterial so I don't stink at the end of the day. Their website sucks, but remember their name when you go shopping.

http://www.oftheearth.com/