Recycle Your Crocs

So you own Crocs. There might be a million different explanations for how you gained possession of a pair. Whether you love them or hate them, whether you have Croc pride or Croc shame and whether you plan to buy a new pair or stay away from them completely, you should know how to dispose of your Crocs when the time comes.

SolesUnited is a first-of-its-kind footwear recycling program for Crocs. They accept old worn out Crocs that are recycled into new shoes and donated to some of the poorest people in the world. 

There are two ways to get your Crocs to SolesUnited. First, you can go to one of the authorized retail locations which are listed HERE. Second, you can ship your Crocs to SolesUnited by clicking HERE. 

SolesUnited has set a goal of distributing 2 million shoes made from recycled donated Crocs to poor people in developing nations. So far they have given out 1 million. They accept all styles of Crocs footwear.

If you want to do more, or if you plan on buying another pair of Crocs soon, consider purchasing a pair of SolesUnited Crocs. They are made of 20% recycled product and for each pair you buy, Crocs will donate a pair of shoes to the SolesUnited program. These special edition Crocs are available to children and adults. Click HERE for the adult Crocs and HERE for the kids. 

The Onion: Bush Signs Birthday Treaty for Kyoto

The Onion has a great story today titled, "Bush Told to Sign Birthday Treaty for Someone Named Kyoto."

WASHINGTON—Enlisted by members of the House and Senate, presidential aide Rebecca Tandy brought a copy of the international climate-change treaty to President Bush's desk Monday and asked him to sign a birthday document for a Japanese dignitary named "Kyoto Protocol." "Mr. Protocol really likes treaties, so we got him this treaty instead of a card, so if you could just—all the other countries have already signed it," a nervous Tandy reportedly said to Bush, who quickly scrawled his signature on the treaty and told her to tell Kyoto he said "hi."

Read the full story HERE.

Raising a Green Dog

Raising a dog is a pretty straight forward experience. They eat, sleep, potty and play. Where in that routine is there room to make them more environmentally friendly? You'd be surprised.

First, lets get the dirty stuff out of the way and talk about your dog's waste. You should already be picking up any droppings when you're on walks. Dog's waste contains bacteria and nutrients that can get washed into rivers and lakes every time it rains. This has two consequences: 1) Our drinking water could become contaminated and 2) An overload of nutrients in water bodies could kill plants and animals. Always make sure you use biodegradable bags when picking up your dog's droppings (find some HERE).

Second, what kind of food is your dog eating? It might sound silly to feed your dog organic food, but the principle is the same whether its food for you or for your dog. Organic food is grown and raised without pesticides, harmful fertilizers or toxic chemicals. These things also wash away into rivers and streams which eventually lead to the ocean forming "dead zones" where no sea life can exist. Newman's Own has an organic line of dog foods that you can read about HERE.

Third, avoid pet supplies and toys made of plastic. Some dogs have an allergic reaction to plastic. If your dog's mouth area has a rash or breaks out often it might be because of a plastic water dish. Plastic is made using petroleum and, therefore, contributes to our little oil crisis. Instead, look for dog products made of recycled materials. The American Kennel Club has a green collection of products HERE. Planet Dog sells products made of recycled products HERE. Finally, Earthdog sells toys made of durable hemp you can find HERE.

Just by making a few changes, you can significantly decrease the impact you and your dog have on the planet.

Friends of the Earth Video Contest Winner

This is the winning video from the Friends of the Earth's one minute video competition.

Boxed Wine: Good for the Environment

The New York Times is reporting today that Italy's Agriculture Ministry has approved the use of its "Quality Assurance Stamp" on some boxed Italian wines. This is in response to a growing trend around the world of moving to boxed wines for environmental reasons.

Boxed wines are not new, they've been around for more than three decades. They are popular in Australia and France, but they have failed to catch on in the United States. With consumers and businesses thinking more about their carbon footprints, it may not be long before boxed wine is more common in America.

Those heavy glass bottles used to transport wine is difficult to ship because it is delicate and does not make the best use of space. According to the Times, a 750 mL bottle of wine generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon dioxide during its journey from California to New York. A 3 liter box, by comparison, uses half the amount of carbon dioxide of a 750 mL bottle. If 97% of wine consumed in the United States was switched to box packaging, two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced each year, the equivalent of taking 400,000 cars off the road.

There are some other benefits associated with boxed wines. For example, if you have a hard time finishing a bottle of wine (you lightweight) boxes keep wine fresh for about four weeks longer than a bottle.

Some California wine makers are beginning to embrace the boxed wine movement. Hopefully Italy's seal of approval will make this eco-friendly option more palatable in the U.S.

To read the full New York Times story on boxed wine, click HERE.

Find Your Eco-Soul Mate

Most first dates include the usual small talk about jobs, colleges, home towns and hobbies. On second and third dates the more controversial stuff comes out, like political affiliations, number of past sexual encounters and the number of children you plan to have.

If you are an environmentally-minded individual, its probably common for you to ask on the first date things like: Hummer or Prius, bottled water or water bottle, cloth bag or plastic bag, etc. Now you can avoid those awkward conversations by finding dates through eco-friendly dating sites that match individuals up with those who share their love of tree hugging.

In 1985, a dating organization called Green Singles was established to put together singles who share a "global consciousness influenced by holistic philosophies, green politics and a willingness to explore the mind, body and spirit." Apparently, the types of singles who use the site are marine biologists and permaculturists. You can find Green Singles online HERE.

On the website DemocraticSingles.net, you can search for available men and women based on their areas of passion, including environmental activism. A few highlights from the site include someone who enjoys mountain sex and someone looking for a partner to garden naked with.

Finally, you can find "carbon neutral love" at GreenSpeedDating.com. On the site you can join or plan a get-together for area eco-singles where everyone can mountain bike, hike, bicycle and drink organic beer together.

If you are sick of falling in love, only to have your heart broken by a litterer, check out one of these sites first.

To read the full Seattle Post-Intelligencier story on eco-dating click HERE.

Must See: British Air Traffic From Space

Blockbuster vs. Netflix: What is Greener?

If you are constantly examining your daily routines in search of ways to be slightly more environmentally friendly, you've probably wondered whether your Netflix account is greener than picking up a video from Blockbuster. Well apparently you're not alone because a Slate.com reader posed the same query to the Green Lantern, Jacob Leibenluft.

"The two methods of renting a DVD are only substantively different at the very end, when the disc travels to your doorstep. The Netflix DVD may be transported back and forth over much greater distances than the one from the local video store. But it's part of a much larger delivery in the back of a mail truck—and that reduces its environmental impact."

"...even just a two-mile drive to the video store will consume a few hundred times more energy than the Netflix delivery from a distribution center 200 miles away."

"Packaging accounts for another chunk of the difference between renting online or from the video store. It takes a significant amount of energy to make the lockable polypropylene case that you might get at a video store..."

"So remember: It's not just how far something travels that matters. It's the route it takes to get there."

To read the full Slate Green Lantern article, click HERE.

Must Read: Al Gore Places Infant Son in Rocket

From the Onion...

"Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet:"

EARTH—Former vice president Al Gore—who for the past three decades has unsuccessfully attempted to warn humanity of the coming destruction of our planet, only to be mocked and derided by the very people he has tried to save—launched his infant son into space Monday in the faint hope that his only child would reach the safety of another world.

Click HERE to read the full story

Green DC: Green Events at Wolf Trap

The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts is hosting special events this Sunday and Monday to spread awareness of environmental issues.

• Green Spot and Hootie: On Sunday the general public is welcome to visit the Green Spot at Wolf Trap park. There will many activities and exhibits with information on sustainable living. In the evening, Hootie and the Blowfish will be giving a free eco-friendly concert. The event beings at 5pm and the concert starts at 8pm. Bring a picnic for yourself and school supplies for local teachers. You can take a special Wolf Trap shuttle from West Falls Church metro station for free.

• Eco-Friendly Performers and Venues: Monday is less party and more business as the Wolf Trap Foundation and Americans for the Arts, the Aspen Institute, Reverb, Booz Allen Hamilton and NPS Climate Friendly Parks Program host environmental, arts, government and business leaders at the Booz Allen Hamilton Coporate Headquarters to discuss strategies and solutions for engaging performing artists and arts venues in environmental stewardship. If you would like to participate in this event, you can join the webinar by registering at THIS SITE. The public is invited to participate at 4:00pm.

Non-Toxic Sunscreens for Your 4th Celebrations

Its no secret that skin cancer is a constant threat if you spend a lot of time outdoors. But short of wearing a big hat, pants and long sleeves, you're probably going to get some sun exposure. This is especially true on holiday weekends like the one coming up! So you're going to have to wear sunscreen to protect yourself.

The trouble is, most sunscreens contain harmful ingredients that can have long term affects on your health and the health of your family. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control have reported that the chemical oxybenzone is present in 97% of Americans. This is probably because oxybenzone is a common suncreen ingredient that can be found in 600 of the sun protection products sold in the U.S. What is so bad about oxybenzone? It has been connected to allergies, hormone disruption, cellular damage and low birth weight.

What you're looking for in a sunscreen is a lack of dangerous chemicals, UVA and UVB protection as well as strength against the elements. The Daily Green has put together a list of just such sunscreens, I've posted five from their list below.

• UV Natural: The Environmental Working Group has chosen this as one of the safest, most effective sunscreens available. Their website is HERE.

• Aubrey Organics: Another product rated highly by the EWG. This sunscreen also contains hite camellia, organic shea butter and jojoba oil to improve the health of your skin. Their website is HERE.
  

• Badger Balm: The number one choice by the EWG. It comes in 30 SPF and combines zinc oxide with natural products to protect your skin. Their website is HERE.

• California Baby: The line of California Baby sunscreens is scattered throughout the EWG's list of top products. They are water resistant and made of sustainably produced organic ingredients. Their website is HERE.
  

• Dermalogica: This sunscreen is designed for those with sensitive skin. Their faceblock product is a favorite of the EWG. The sunscreen base is made of titanium dioxide, vitamins and anti-inflammatory botanical extracts. Their website is HERE.
  

The Onion's Obligatory Green Issue

Check out the Onion's Obligatory Green Issue, you can't miss the story titled "Solar-Power Technology Still Largely Confined to Calculators" or "Cheney Celebrates Earth Day by Breathing Oxygen."

You can check it out HERE. 

No Cook Recipes = Cooler Kitchen

As it heats up outside, you are probably looking for any way to keep your home cool. With electricity prices on the rise any break from cranking up the air conditioning would be great too. 

To help you out, Real Simple magazine and MSNBC have a few "no cook" recipes on their website to make summer a little more survivable. These recipes are also great for bringing with you to a potluck summer get together because you don't have to warm them up.

Check the recipes out HERE

Red, White, Blue and Green - An Eco-Friendly 4th

Avoiding the crowds at a theme park or fireworks show and attending a backyard party is my favorite way to celebrate Independence Day. In the heat of summer and with the constant shuffle, its great to relax with friends.

If you're thinking of throwing a party at home for the 4th, here are a couple easy tips on how to keep it a little greener this year.

• Use Reusable Dishes: Your impulse is to buy paper plates, but using your own plates (and borrowing a few) will save money and reduce waste.
  
• Buy Organic: For the watermelon, strawberries and peaches you'll be serving with your BBQ, try to choose organic so it (and the earth) will be free of pesticides and chemicals. Don't forget to buy organic beer too (click HERE)
• Encourage Recycling: If you are serving drinks in cans or bottles, make sure a recycling bin is convenient so your guests can easily toss their empty containers into the bin.
  
• Go Big: Rather than buying individual packages of food or drinks, buy bigger bags and bottles that can be poured into bowls or pitchers. This way you reduce waste.
• Keep Guests Outside: Barring a thunderstorm or a heat wave, its best to keep your guests outside during your 4th of July party. Having people go in-and-out all day will waste air conditioning, thereby wasting electricity. Put up your own, or borrowed, umbrellas, covers, tents and fans to control the heat. When guests have to use the restroom, choose one for public use and keep the A/C vents on the path to that bathroom closed, while the doors to the other rooms are shut so no air conditioning can leak out.
  
• Avoid Fireworks: You can see the reasons why HERE. Instead, get noisemakers, pinatas, etc. or start a bonfire.
  

Have lots of fun celebrating your independence!

Alternatives to Toxic Fireworks

Being an environmentalist can be a drag sometimes. You can't drive a big SUV, you can't set your air conditioning at 68 degrees and now you can't play with fireworks on the 4th of July. The last one almost seems un-American. Lucky for us, there are plenty of fun alternatives to fireworks for your celebration.

You may not know it, but the smoke and dust from a fireworks show contains dangerous metals, sulfur-coal compounds and other toxic chemicals. The blue color that appears is not just patriotic, it may cause cancer because it is made of copper with dioxin, a carcinogen. The fun popping and snapping you see is the result of cadmium, lithium and potassium nitrate, all of which may cause respiratory and other health defects. In addition to the personal health threats posed by fireworks is the environmental threats caused by dangerous chemicals raining down into our lakes and rivers.

There is a silver lining on fireworks' future. Disney is currently experimenting with a new launching technique that would rely on pressurized air instead of gun powder to launch their fireworks. This wouldn't reduce all the toxicity, but its a step in the right direction.

Until Mickey is able to create organic fireworks, we're going to have to find a greener alternative to our traditional fireworks show. Here are a few suggestions: a bonfire, noise makers, confetti, a laser show, a parade, a pinata, or a block party.

Wired: Guide to the Right CFL Bulb

Wired Magazine has a great new post on their website about which compact florescent bulb to use in each room of your home. They took into consideration the purpose of the room, who might be using it and which type of light would be most comfortable to your eyes when they were making their guide. Some highlights below. Enjoy!

Living Room/Dining Room:

• Use warmer CFLs in rooms where people will congregate.
• Yellow and Red tints in the 2,700K - 3,000K range soften skin and clothing for a more comforting environment.
• Steer clear of bluish bulbs in these rooms because they negative affect skin tone.

Study/Workshop:

• Choose blueish green tints that will help your iris focus on detail.
• Go with low energy 3,500K for reading or higher energy 4,100K for detail oriented work.

Bedroom:

• To create a romantic, inviting environment, go with bulbs of the 2,700K variety in warmer yellow and red tints.
  
• Choose a dimmable bulb to control the amount of light in the room.

Bathroom:

• CFL's don't last as long when they are turned off and on frequently. For bathrooms, a traditional incandescent bulb might be preferred.
  

Backyard:

• Choose "warmer" lights in the 3,000K range that have yellow or red tints to help create a cozier environment in the yard and to make yourself and your food look more delicious.
  

To read the full Wired piece, go HERE.

Samsung Making Eco-Friendly Phones

If you are using a cell phone made of petroleum based plastic and containing harmful carcinogenic metals, then the 20th century called and it wants its cell phone back. The environmentally friendly cell phone has officially arrived and its manufactured by Samsung.

Last week at a trade show in South Korea, Samsung unveiled two new cell phone models that integrate eco-thinking into their design. The first, the W510, is made of corn based plastic. It is covered in a water soluble coating and no harmful metals like lead or mercury were used in the manufacturing process.

The other cell phone they released, the F268, is also made of bio-plastic but it also is free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFR). The second phone complies with EPA "Energy Star" requirements and includes an alarm that notifies you when the battery is charged so you don't wastefully leave it plugged in after its done.

Unfortunately, neither cell phone will be available in the US anytime soon. Chine and South Korea will get their hands on these environmentally friendly phones in June. Its great that Samsung is making the effort. Plus, in our global community, environmentally friendly cell phones in Asia still have a positive impact for the rest of us.

A Must Read: Exxon Sullying "Green" Nationals Park

From Grist.org

"With public alarm over global warming at an all-time high, team owners of the Nationals baseball team spent millions for a "healthy Earth" park, with environmental features like low-flow plumbing and energy-efficient lighting. The new park has been officially declared a 'green facility' by the National Green Building Council, the first of its kind in American sports."

"Oil giant ExxonMobil, the biggest contributor to global warming of any company in the world, has its name splashed across the left field fence and, intermittently, behind home plate."

To read the full story go HERE.

Shyamalan's "The Happening" About the Environment

M. Night Shyamalan has made a great living creating films with creepy themes and twist endings. I've always felt that his work is more terrifying than most because he successfully integrates reality and fantasy. 

His newest film, "The Happening," is another example of this strategy. In the film, Shyamalan feeds into global fears about environmental catastrophe with a story about plants that release a toxic gas to defend themselves against human degradation of the planet. Apparently the gas released by these plants is a neurotoxin that forces people to commit violent suicides. 

The film follows an estranged couple (Mark Walberg and Zooey Deschanel) as they attempt to escape the effects of the gas. 

This isn't the only ecological disaster film slated for an upcoming release. The novel, The Swarm, has received the "green light" with its tale of an oceanic alien that wreaks havoc on humans in retaliation for our pollution. James Cameron is also currently working on an upcoming eco-film called "Avatar," which he describes as, "an old-fashioned jungle adventure with an environmental conscience."

Its hard to say what impact a large number of environmentally focused films might have on our culture. There could be a backlash where people get tired of being barraged by pro-environment messages. There could also be increased awareness of how closely tied humans are to their environment. Either way, be prepared for an onslaught of movies about the environment in coming months.

To hear an interview from NPR with Shyamalan about the environmental themes in "The Happening" click HERE.

American Idol Finale Will Be Green

American Idol is one of my guilty pleasures. It is such a predictable formula and I am constantly rolling my eyes at the repetitive comments from the judges. Regardless, I tune in year after year, applying my best analytical skills to try to predict who will stay and who will go.

This year I'm not going to make any predictions about who will come away with the big record deal because I'm not a huge fan of either contestant. Instead, I'm going to focus on some of the things FOX is doing at the finale to make it a more environmentally friendly affair.

In keeping with their goal to be carbon neutral by 2010, FOX is utilizing a combination of solar, wind and hydro power for the big finale. Also, FOX is installing solar panels to power media areas around the Nokia Theater that will later be donated to a California school through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Solar 4 R Schools program.

Tonight the winner of American Idol will be announced at 8:00 EST on FOX.