Green Sexy

Hey Honey!

No, I'm not hitting on you---I'm here to extol the virtues of honey!  Turns out this ooey gooey golden goodness is good for more than just sweetening your tea.  I've known quite a few singers who will not only drink honey-sweetened tea before performing, but some who will actually chug honey straight to give their throats a good coating.   Honey is also great for a sore throat because of its antimicrobial properties, and it can even kill the bacteria that caused the infection.  With its anti-bacterial properties, honey can be an aid in digestion.  Last, but not least (and certainly not the last benefit of honey), honey is great for treating burns.  According to Men's Health magazine, "New Zealand researchers found that burned skin covered with honey healed as much as 4 days faster than skin treated with antibiotic creams or sterile wound dressings". That's due to honey's anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Well, I'm going to have some tea and crumpets with a good dollop of honey!   

Fair Trade Chocolate---A Guilt-Free Treat?

For years, chocolate lovers felt guilty about their sweet habit, but recent research has proven that moderate levels of dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure.  That's great news, but unless you're eating fairly traded chocolate, you should still feel a degree of guilt.  Now, first of all, what do I mean by "fair trade"?  Fair trade can be defined as companies negotiating directly with the growers or producers of products to establish a fair price for the product (afsc.org).  In addition, fair trade seeks to improve the working conditions and quality of life of the growers and producers of fairly traded goods.  According to globalexchange.org:  "284,000 children toil in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields" and "Cocoa companies pay prices so low that many cocoa farmers cannot meet their families’ basic needs."  That's why it's vitally important to buy only fairly traded chocolate! 

There are many delicious fairly traded brands out there.  I have personally indulged in Divine Chocolate's delicious 70% dark chocolate bars and have given out these decadent delights as Christmas gifts to my family and my coworkers for the past four years. This farmer-owned company gets its chocolate from Ghana and directly improves the livelihoods of small cocoa farmers in West Africa.  I have also had the distinct pleasure to experience the joy of Equal Exchange's fair trade chocolate bars.  Equal Exchange's cocoa comes from farmer cooperatives in the Domincan Republic and Peru.  I especially enjoyed the Organic Dark Chocolate with Pure Cocoa Nibs---it was sooooo good!  The Art Bar, sold out of Ithaca, NY, is a certified fair trade chocolate bar that includes a postcard with a work of art on it (there are 24 collectible postcards in all).  A creation of Ithaca Fine Chocolates, this bar was the first fair trade certified chocolate offered for sale by a U.S. chocolate company!  10% of the proceeds from the sales of these bars go to fund art programs in Ithaca and Washington, D.C.

I could go on and on about all of the wonderful fair trade chocolate bars out there, but I'm afraid that I'll short-circuit my computer if I drool on it anymore!   

One.org---Sign their Petition & Get Our Next President to Visit Africa!

I was surprised to find out that President Bush, in his recent visit to Africa (the second of his Presidency), became only the second United States President (the first was President Bill Clinton) to visit Africa while in office.  Only the second!  What is wrong with us?  With all of the human and environmental tragedies that have occurred on the African continent over the years, no other United States Presidents have visited Africa during their terms?  That is deplorable. 

Granted, the United States has been much improved in the past decade in their allocation of aid to Africa.  President Bush's President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has helped increase the number of HIV and AIDS infected Africans who can receive the life-saving drugs they need to survive from only 4,000 in 2003 to 34,000 in 2006.  In Zanzibar, a partnership between the government of Tanzania, the Global Fund, USAID and the Presidential Malaria Initiative have contributed to an 83% drop in malaria cases in that region since 2003. 

Still, there is no substitute for our leader having tangible and physical contact with the people of a continent  so in need of our assistance.  Having our President visit Africa gives this continent the media exposure it needs to further elevate its status as a worldwide priority for aid and assistance.  A Presidential visit to Africa helps Americans, who may be ignorant of problems outside of their present sphere of existence, to see that we are a global family and we need to reach out to our African brothers and sisters. 

So, with the help of One.org, an organization whose mission is to fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty, I urge you to check out the candidate's positions on tackling worldwide disease and extreme poverty. Then I implore you sign a petition asking the candidates to pledge to visit Africa during their first term as President.
 

If you choose to sign this pledge petition, please leave me a comment on this post and I'll send you a white band that I purchased from One.org (while supplies last).  All the proceeds of my donation will go towards supporting One.org's advocacy and lobbying efforts in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. 

John McCain Strikes Out!

Here's a bit of disturbing news I received in my email from Sierra Club regarding John McCain:

"Last week, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the 2007 National Environmental Scorecard giving Senator McCain a score of ZERO. According to the scorecard, McCain was the only member of Congress to skip all 15 crucial environmental votes scored by LCV."

You may say, give the guy a break---it's an election year and he's absent for the votes because he's hitting the campaign trail.  While it is true that all major candidates have missed some key environmental votes because they were campaigning, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama missed only four votes in 2007.  Hillary Clinton's LCV National Environmental Score for 2007 was 73% (87% lifetime), while Barack Obama's score for 2007 was 67% (86% lifetime).  Contrast that with John McCain's 0% score for 2007 and his paltry 24% lifetime score! 

So, voter---it appears that either Clinton or Obama would be good environmental stewards based on their lifetime scores as calculated by the League of Conservation Voters.  John McCain's platform is one based primarily on Homeland Security; but isn't our shared homeland, which is the Earth, in imminent peril?  What is he planning to do to protect the only homeland we've got?  So, when you step behind that curtain at your polling place this November, vote your conscience---vote for the Earth.

Artifex: The Winds of Change!

While shopping for a nice Valentine's gift for my wife on Etsy.com, I came across a t-shirt that I just had to have!  Sooo...I bought myself a nice little Valentine's gift (I also got my wife some stuff too), and at the same time I got the environment a little gift.  How so?  Let me tell you...

Chris Reagen and his brother Tim are the co-founders of Artifex Shirts.  While studying at the University at Buffalo, Chris attended a lecture put on by Reverb, which is an environmental organization founded by Guster guitarist/vocalist Adam Gardner.  Four days later Chris had the honor to have front row center seats to a lecture by Al Gore!  Well, that's when Chris decided to get his green on!  With his website making abilities and his brother's screen printing hobby, they created an organic t-shirt company.  Chris (who is presently a Latin teacher in Boston) chose the word "Artifex" for their company's name because it means:  artist, artistic, artful, or creative.  When you take a look at their shirts, you'll see that the adjectives fit.  All of their shirts are printed on 100% organic cotton purchased from econscious.net, an organic clothing company.  Now, not only are the t-shirts cool, but they also help support renewable energy efforts!  You see, $3 from every shirt sold will be donated to Native Energy, which is a Native-American majority owned renewable energy company.  Not only will you look cool in your windmill t-shirt, but you'll also feel cool knowing that your purchase will provide for carbon offsets and will help fund the production of a windmill facility in South Dakota!  Artifex Shirts---that's one Green-Sexy company!

You can check them out at www.artifexshirts.com, www.myspace.com/artifexshirts, or at www.artifexshirts.etsy.com.

Korean Pianist Turns On the Juice!

On Tuesday, February 19th, Korean pianist Soyeon Lee wore a dress made of 6,000 recycled juice pouches during the second half of her recital at Zankel Hall, New York City.  She wore this dress because she wanted to promote the possibilities of recycling.  The dress was designed by Nina Valenti and was pieced together from juice pouches collected by hundreds of American schoolchildren.   Soyeon Lee also contacted and worked with two companies that helped make her dress a reality.  The first company she contacted was TerraCycle, Inc.,which is a company that turns garbage into consumer products.  The other company she contacted was Honest Tea, Inc., which makes organic bottled teas and uses recyclable pouches.  With TerraCycle's vision and Honest Tea's grape juice pouches, the concept became a reality! 

Check out this dress!!!

Here's the photo shoot:

Balloons---Fun and Biodegradable?

I went to a free balloon animal show at the Rochester, NY Public Library today with my nieces and I learned an interesting fact about balloons.  The two performers, who call themselves "Just Clowning Around", in addition to making some fabulous balloon animals and shapes, also informed the assembled crowd that latex balloons biodegrade in about as much time as an oak leaf (circa 10 years).  Who knew?  Latex balloons are made from the latex harvested from rubber trees in Southeast Asia.  Being a naturally-derived product, latex balloons biodegrade just like other natural substances.  There are some concerns about the environmental impact of mass balloon launches, but according to the Balloon Council (who ever knew there was such a thing?), only self-tied latex balloons with no strings or ribbons attached are used in professional mass balloon launches, per industry standards. Also, balloon litter ranked 37th out of 80 of the Center for Marine Conservation's list of common items, which I guess is pretty good?  The Balloon Council also claims that there is only anecdotal evidence of latex balloons being the cause of death of marine animals.  If anything, they say that mylar balloons, which are those silvery balloons commonly sold in supermarkets, are a greater danger to marine animals and the environment because they are made out of a metalized nylon that doesn't biodegrade.

So, next time you're planning little Billy's birthday bash, consider: mylar balloons bad, latex balloons better?   Yep.

Earthship Nicaragua---Watch It Grow!!!

They're building an Earthship in Nicaragua!  I was contacted by Claudia Gonella and Coldwell Banker Nicaragua team who are in their 29th day of building their Nicaraguan Earthship.  Check out their blog today and you can see their Earthship as it is being built!  VERY COOL!

HDTV Conversion---A Potential E-Waste Disaster?

In an effort to provide more programming options, offer a clearer picture, and to free up the airwaves for emergency responders, all U.S. television stations will cease their analog broadcasts in favor of a digital signal.  This switchover to the digital signal will occur on February 17, 2009.  In order to still use an old analog television, you'll have to either buy a converter box (which is estimated to cost $50-70 dollars) or pay a cable or satellite company for their digital signal.  Otherwise, you'll have to buy a digital television. 

In any case, this changeover will cost television-watching Americans money.  In an effort to lessen the financial burden this may have on some people, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is offering a TV Converter Box Coupon Program, in which consumers can apply online for a $40 government coupon that can be used to purchase approved converter boxes. 

Another, and much more detrimental effect this changeover will have, is the potential environmental impact of people throwing away their old analog television sets.   Environmentalists' concerns over this potential e-waste disaster are growing as the changeover date quickly approaches.   No, not everyone responsibly disposes of their lead-filled analog television sets, thus adding to the ever-increasing e-waste problem. There are, however, environmentally-safe ways to recycle your analog television sets (and other electronic waste)---check out mygreenelectronics.org, and type in your zip code to find a local business that will take your e-waste. 

Hopefully broadcasters, television manufacturers, and our government will do their part in educating the public on how to properly dispose of their analog television sets.  Only time will tell if we'll get a "clearer picture" of how the digital switchover will affect our environment.

Mother Hubbard's Cupboard---Grain Prices Soar

If the headlines read: 

Improved Standard of Living in Once Stunted Nations
Alternative Fuel Initiative Supported By Federal Government
Farmers Receive Subsidies From Federal Government To Grow Crops

Then you'd say, "Hey---things are looking up!"  Oddly enough, it turns out that all of these things have contributed to the lowest estimated U.S. wheat stockpiles since 1948 and rising wheat prices (up to over $10 per bushel in mid-February '08, from only $3.54 in '92).  In countries such as Afghanistan, flour prices have soared up to 60% to 80% in the past year.  The price of corn tortillas rose 400%, leading to protests in Mexico City in late January.  The UN World Food Program anticipates major difficulties reducing hunger in developing nations with rising prices cutting into their food aid budgets (no better time than now to play the vocabulary game at Freerice.com, eh?). 

Rising oil prices have made the transporting food to the market an expensive proposition, so you'd think that farmers would be thrilled that the federal government has gone full speed ahead on its alternative energy initiatives.  Well, farmers of corn and palm have benefited from government subsidies since their crops translate directly to biofuels, but this selective subsidization has been to the detriment of farmers who grow soy and wheat.  Thus, less wheat, less stock, higher prices. 

With the rise of service and technology-oriented jobs, people in Asian countries have gained economic mobility.  With an increased standard of living in developing nations, people are eating better and eating more meat.  According to Homi Kharas at the Brookings Institution, it takes about eight times as much corn to produce the same number of calories from meat as from bread.  As a result, the demand for feed grains has increased.

Some kind of balance has to be struck between our Western energy needs and government initiatives and the reality of food production decreases and world demand for grains.  There are no easy solutions, especially when you consider the fact that the energy bill George Bush signed last year requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2022 (with 15 billion of that being corn-based ethanol).