Washing Machine Magic

"Are you tired of using harmful chemicals in your washer and dryer? Would you like an alternative that’s chemical-free, non-toxic, less expensive and gentle on the Earth… yet leaves your clothes really clean and soft?
Green Wash Balls for the washing machine and Magic Dryer Balls for the clothes dryer may be the answer!"

Reusable • No fragrances or dyes • Softens fabrics • Eco-friendly • Antibacterial • Easy to use • Hypo-allergenic • Non-irritating to skin • No spills • Detergent & chemical free • No plastic packaging

These washer and dryer balls are so easy to use and they are each good for about 1000 washes/dries.

To learn more about how the washer and dryer balls work and to order a set for your home check out this website

"Earth called. It says thanks."

Planning on getting a new cell phone for the new school year? Check out the Samsung Reclaim, the first phone on the market made out of 80% recycled materials. It's wicked cheap, and some of the proceeds go to The Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre program! Best of all, it comes in two colors- green and blue of course!

The Black Hole

At Green Fest, there was a simulation set up called the black hole. As you walked through the "tunnel" it got narrower and narrower. There were bottles, wires, batteries, and paper getting in your way and retorical questions causing you to think.



After you went through the "black hole," there was an open tent with pictures of nature and recycling and signs inspiring you to make a change while there is still time.

I think this would be a neat visual to constuct at Pingree one day where everyone will have to walk through it. Just one more way to get across to people that we need to make changes...and soon.

MassBike

MassBike is a group that, you guessed it, works for the bikers of Massachusetts! They have 5 goals: "working for better laws; improving access and safety for bikers; educating bicyclists and those around them; encouraging commuting by bike; and getting people riding." In the interest of more Pingree bike-to-school days, I was thinking it would be cool to get a representative to come talk about some of these things- at GreenFest they said that they do stuff like find safe routes to school, which is important for some of our farther-traveling classmates. I know Mr. Furnari is talking with Colin Davis about doing an assembly for our first bike-to-school day of the new year, and it would be sweet to get MassBike involved too! Check out their website, and if anyone's interested in joining MassBike they have a student rate of just $15!

"The Promise And Limits of Local Food"

I saw this article in the Opinion section of the Boston Globe. It describes the possiblity of increase of local food. The writer uses his knowledge of New England's history to set a realistic plan for future agriculture. Here is the link to the article and some excerps:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/26/the_promise_and_limits_of_local_food/

"Today New England’s population approaches 15 million, while only 7 percent of our land remains in agriculture. To come even close to feeding ourselves we would have to cut down a large part of our recovered forest - not something we want to repeat. But there are still good reasons to move toward more local food production. We need to determine which crops to grow here. What were we growing a century ago, when New England was already an urban, industrial society?"

"We need a targeted expansion in local production of foods that really belong in New England, tied to reforms throughout our global agricultural system - and certainly, some reduction of meat in our diets. This would bless us with healthier food, an attractive landscape, and opportunities for people to become more engaged with how their food is grown. Yes, we can shrink our carbon footprint, too, if we farm with that in mind. But in the end those connections, not some chimera of local self-sufficiency, are the real benefits of local farming."

GREEN FEST 2009

This past Saturday (August 22, 2009) Emma, Kyle, and I attended Green Fest 2009 in Boston! There were booths about everything green from green building, to jewelry, to food, to art and so much more. We have way too much information to share with you all at once, so we will post all the information we learned over the next few weeks.

PEM's Trash Menagerie

Until June 1, 2010, the Peabody Essex Museum will be displaying over 30 "improbable works of art" made from items otherwise destined for the dump. Items range from a super-sized bucket of monkeys display made of corrugated cardboard to an oyster shell made entirely of cigarette butts picked up from the beach to a centipede made of bundt cake pans and bicycle brake levers. There are also environmental facts painted on the walls as the museum tries to raise awareness about green living. I guess one man's trash IS another man's treasure!

More information can be found on the exhibit's website.

With the Swipe of a Card

Next time you sign up for a debit or credit card, you may want to see if you can get a cause attached to it.

Bank of America has introduced an option on debit and credit cards called MyExpression Banking. It allows you to "show your passion" for a chosen organization or cause--and that cause can be environmental! Depending on the terms of the specific organization, for every purchase you make on your card, Bank of America will donate a percentage of your purchase towards your chosen recipient.

Some environmental options offered are:
Arbor Day Foundation
Brighter Planet
Defenders of Wildlife
National Audubon Society
National Wildlife Federation
Sierra Club
World Wildlife Fund

Happy spending!

350, Because the World Needs to Know

Last night on the Colbert Report, Bill McKibben was interviewed. He co-founded this campaign, 350.org .




"Our mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.
Our focus is on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet."


They decided that October 24th would be an "International Day of Climate Action". More than 1000 communities have already pledged to honor this day. Some schools are planting 350 trees, others are hanging banners and raising awareness. I was thinking Pingree could do something in celebration of the day, too! Since we have about 350 students at school, maybe we could encourage bike riding? Any other ideas?

Green Sports

Ever thought about where your sports equipment comes from? Well, now that you have... check out Amazon's Fair Trade Sports catalog online! You can be sure that your soccer balls, frisbees, and sportswear are certified "green" and Fair Trade. In addition, all after-tax profits go to benefit children's charities such as Room to Read and the Boys & Girls Club.
Wishing you an active, green summer~

Better Batteries!

Fuji Battery recently created "Environmentally-Respectful" alkaline batteries. They have no mercury, cadmium or PVC plastics. All of their resources, used in factories, are reused and recycled. They can also be put into normal waste systems.




"Our mission is to provide consumers with the best environmentally respectful solutions to their portable power needs."