Ecosalon

Lifestyle - Government's Stamps of Approval for Local Farmers

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:30:00 -0600

You know by now that we fly the flag for local farmers' markets. They're economical (no. 3 on our 10 Ways To Eat Well On A Budget), healthy, food-mile free, seasonal (varying your tastes and stimulating your imagination) and help support your local economy against the forces of mass-produced, dumbed-down food. But supporting local markets is largely a grassroots exercise. Wouldn't it be nice for a little federal help?

As Valerie Bauman reports for the Huffington Post, that support could be here at last - through the U.S. Food Stamps program. Market retailers are being provided with wireless terminals (looking very similar to shop-based credit card readers) that will allow their customers to purchase market food using electronic benefits.

With unemployment rising and wages stagnant, the number of Americans receiving food stamps is expected to rise to 28 million in 2009. This is a hefty investment in local, small-scale food production - and low-income families will get to enjoy the many benefits of market food. It's a refreshing change that a winning solution is here for a challenge we face.

Image: edseloh

Lifestyle - Light's Out for England's Churches?

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

I'd like to bring up a challenging topic for discussion with you all. What responsibility do churches have to encourage their parishioners to be responsible stewards of the Earth? If all animals and ecosystems are part of God’s magnificent creation, isn’t it imperative that Christians (to name just one faith as the predominant example) step forward to take care of the environment?

The Church of England is setting forth some ecologically-sound guidelines in a newly published book “Don’t Stop at the Lights.” This book proposes that parishioners not only replace their light bulbs, but that churches themselves turn off outdoor floodlights illuminating England’s grand churches in order to cut carbon emissions. The book suggests that parishioners can get together and sponsor illumination for special events.

“Don’t Stop at the Lights” contains other information and resources for environmental stewardship, like setting up swap-shops to avoid throwing away unwanted Christmas decorations, and using Lent as a time to go within and consider what more each person can do for the environment.

I admire the effort put forth by the Church of England, but considering that this is the destruction of God’s creation we’re talking about, wouldn't a more spiritually radical stance be more appropriate? I have to say it...what would Jesus do?

Image: Kelly McCarthy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2619178/Churches-told-to-dim-their-lights-for-the-sake-of-the-environment.html

Lifestyle - 20 Unforgettable Works of Environmental Art

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

Environmental art has the power to change the way we view our world. Some artists showcase the innate beauty in nature, while others make a statement with agit-prop or controversial imagery. Here are 20 powerful and unforgettable works whose artists seek to make you rethink your relationship with the Earth and its creatures.

1. Earth from the Air

Earth from the Air by Jann Arthus-Bertrand. A photographic documentation of the planet. Not just pictures, but portraits, showing a sense of place in many places around the world.

2. The Litmus Garden

The Litmus Garden designed by T. Allen Comp. With the help of over a hundred volunteers over an April weekend in 2001, a toxic river of coal mining waste was transformed into a series of cascading pools that eventually filter and clean the water before it flows into Blacklick Creek in Vintondale, PA. Different trees have been planted at the edge of each pool which reflect the different colors of the water as it purifies.

3. River Cubes

RiverCubes by Bob Johnson. The artist harvested debris found in local rivers and created sculptures of trash to be displayed nearby. The resulting “cubes” are ugly displays of plastic and rusting metal, but are powerful commentaries on what humans leave in a landscape.

4. Marsh Zone 2000

Marsh Zone 2000 by Mark Brest van Kempen. A large trash container was filled with remnants of a marsh which was the native ecosystem of Fairfield, CA, before it became a city. This container was moved around the city with special signs designating parking spaces for cattails, tule reeds and other plants that were there before the asphalt was.

5. Rivers and Tides

Editor's note: video embedding is having a hiccup - here's the link to watch the video on Youtube in the meantime. Thanks for your patience, everyone!

Rivers and Tides by Andy Goldsworthy. This 2001 film is a treasure, bringing environmental art into the public eye as it documents Goldsworthy’s playful and observant works using only the natural materials at hand to create something even more beautiful than nature itself.

6. Crude Awakening

Crude Awakening by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito. An installation at 2007’s Burning Man, a huge oil derrick was erected and surrounded by worshipping figures. One night, fireworks exploded over the derrick, climaxed by a huge fireball burning 900 gallons of jet fuel and 2,000 gallons of liquid propane. The derrick burned to the ground, symbolizing the end of our addiction to oil.

7. Zero Circles

Zero Circles by Daniel Dancer. Circles of stone placed on logging and mining roads on public lands, these installations are meant to raise awareness of private profits made from mining, logging and grazing on public lands.

8. Wheatfield – a Confrontation

Wheatfield - a Confrontation by Agnes Denes. In 1982, the artist planted 2 acres of wheat atop the Battery Park Landfill in Manhattan. 1,000 pounds of wheat were harvested and taken around the world in “The International Art Show for the End of World Hunger.” The point of this piece was a “comment on human values and misplaced priorities.”

9. Time Landscape

Time Landscape by Alan Sonfist. A radical art proposal for its time (1978), Sonfist planted a vacant lot in Manhattan in with trees that were native to the area before New York became the city it is today. He has gone on to create other historically accurate landscapes around the world.

10. Spiral Jetty

Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. A stone jetty built into the Great Salt Lake of Utah, this earthwork has been submerged and exposed over the years since it was created in 1970. As of February 2008, there has been a proposal for exploratory oil drilling in the lake, 5 miles away from the Jetty. This drilling could ruin this work of art as well as degrade the surrounding environment.

11. A Sheep In Wolf’s Clothing

A Sheep In Wolf’s Clothing by Sam Easterson. A video artist, Easterson was curious about seeing the world from an animal’s point of view. He straps tiny helmet-cams onto sheep, buffaloes, tarantulas and more. His goal is to put together the largest library of video captured from the viewpoint of animals and plants.

12. Agricultural Compositions

Agricultural Compositions by Jean Paul Ganem. The artist turns fields of human waste and pollution into colorful landscapes made up of compositions of different kinds and colors of plants. Beautiful views from the air.

13. Self-Portrait As Revealed By Trash

Self-Portrait As Revealed By Trash by Tim Gaudreau. For an entire year, Gaudreau photographed all the trash he threw away. An eye-opening piece on the environmental impact of just one human.

14. Surrounded Islands

Surrounded Islands by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Certainly one of the largest scale installation pieces, this artistic couple created huge pink polypropylene sheets and temporarily surrounded 11 small islands off Miami with the plastic cloth. Their other works include wrapped trees and an “iron curtain” made of old oil barrels.

15. Edible Estates

Edible Estates by Fritz Haeg. Bringing public awareness to the pointlessness and waste of the suburban lawn, Haeg has created numerous regional prototype gardens of edible landscapes at various museums around the world, which include drawings and documentation as the gardens grow.

16. Concrete Flags

Concrete Flags by Shai Zakai. The artist wanted to bring attention to excess concrete that was being poured into a creek in Israel. Flag shapes were “cookie cuttered” out of dried concrete in the stream and displayed. This art was used to raise money to clean the cement debris and restore the creek to health.

17. Trashlog

Trashlog by Nico Van Hoorn. Bringing awareness to the abundance of trash in the streets, for three years Van Hoorn walked every day and picked up one piece of trash which he then scanned and posted to his website. The original trashy blog.

18. Hundreds and Thousands

Hundreds and Thousands by Diana Lynn Thompson. Intimately connect people with nature, Thompson spent an entire summer numbering every leaf on 5 trees in Bear Creek Park in Surrey. When the leaves fell, she (and a whole slew of helpers) gathered them up and pinned them to a museum wall.

19. Micro Landscapes and Dissected Ecosystems

Micro Landscapes and Dissected Ecosystems by Josh Keyes. Slicing ecosystems down to their very core, Keyes’ paintings showcase tiny glimpses into what creates the little pieces of our world.

20. Music For Animals

Music For Animals by Jim Nollman. Wanting to bridge the gap between the species, Nollman makes recordings of himself playing music with animals – complete with the songs from the animals themselves.

Editor's note: Sara here. Honorable mention goes to environmental art in social media. "The shade of poison trees" by butler.corey is featured at the top of this post. There's something so haunting about a single leaf - and the tension of the water.

If you enjoy this post don't miss 15 Books That Will Forever Change How You See the World and 9 Life-Changing Inventions the Experts Said Would Fail.

Lifestyle - Nonsmoking Beaches in the Future?

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Have you ever had your day at the beach ruined by cigarette smoke? You’re there to breathe in the fresh salt air and you just can’t stop smelling that harsh cigarette smoke wafting in from one of your beach bunny neighbors.

The town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, agrees. (I'm on a clean air kick today.) The Barnstable Recreation Commission decided unanimously to send a request to the Town Manager to ban cigarette smoking on all the town's public beaches by the Summer 2009 season. The principle behind this push is that they want to maintain public beaches as clean and healthy areas, which smoking obviously does not promote.

Image: curran kelleher
I’m happy to say no to cigarette butts between my toes and that stifling stench in my nose, but what do you think? Is this a welcome proposition or an infringement on personal freedom?

Lifestyle - Compostable Plates: Hold the Granola, Please

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

I'm all for living la vida verde and being a good global citizen, but I have to say, most of the eco friendly plates I’ve come across are just so...homely. And they don’t stand up to anything beyond a light
salad without wilting, for the most part.

That is, until I came across the plates made by Verterra. They’re made from palm leaves, in intriguing shapes, and look like wood. And they’re no compromise: you can cook with them! Halibut without a problem, on a platter that impresses. What else do you need? Compostability, yes. That's no problem, as these plates compost in 3 months or less. Perfect for the eco-friendly picnic! (Prices vary but the cost isn't much more than standard disposables.)

Editor's note: this is a guest post from Paul Smith of GreenSmith Consulting. Thanks, Paul!

Lifestyle - 10 Eco Links to Green Your Week

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

Here are our favorites for starting your week in a green way:

Impulse buying, one of the great eco-curses of our age, just got hi-tech. As ABC News reports, new phone technology allows you to buy clothes the split-second you see them, cutting out all that tedious thinking about whether you need it or not.

Red means Danger - and never more so than in this map of areas of the US that have been offered for leasing by major oil companies. Unsettling.

Eco-friendly Internet search engines? Yes indeed - and there's 27 of them listed over at Web Ecoist. (If, like me, you're a touch skeptical, have a read of Blackle's well-argued explanation).

Totally recycled clothing is a goal that the fashion industry can't ignore. It looks like the message is getting across - take the 100% recycleable plastic shoes, as made by Melissa (and reported at Feelgood Style). Word is a few of our EcoSalon fashionistas own these chic slippers.

However, let's hope designers take sustainability a little more seriously than they take functionality.

How's this for escapism? The stunning Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (Wyoming) has a new eco-boutique, Hotel Terra - and to celebrate, it's giving away prizes of three days & nights of luxury pampering, complete with (offset) flights to and from Jackson Hole and much more besides. Go here before September 30th to join the competition - good luck! (And if you win, we'd love to hear about it while we grouse about not winning ourselves).

A huge round of applause for Wayne Smallman, who proposes a mobile electronics manifesto for greening up our favourite gadget, over at Blah Blah Technology (actual name; not Mike being lazy). Piezoelectric sensors are a fabulous suggestion for the future of electronics.

And on the subject of dazzling lateral thinking, what about the way asphalt becomes roastingly hot in the midday sun? As EcoGeek reports, researchers have found a way to channel that energy into water pipes. Ingenious.

If you want a forest to be the most effective collector of carbon dioxide it could be....leave it alone. Replanted forests have just a third of the capacity of untouched woodland, suggests a study from the Australian National University.

After writing about sea glass last week, it struck me that the word I was searching for, to describe the opaque finish on freshly retrieved sand-scoured beach glass...was frosted. Like these jewel-tone bottle vases from our sponsor Viva Terra. (I promise to buy a better dictionary).

Have a great week!

Image: Andrew*

Lifestyle - Waste Not, Want Not

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

Did your parents ever tell you about starving kids in China to get you to eat everything on your plate? Mine did, and even if the method was silly, I certainly learned the lesson and loathe wasting any food at all.

Not so with every American. A recent New York Times report reveals that an astonishing 27% of food in America goes straight to the landfill. So not only do we eat more than anyone else, we waste more too. This is a bad habit that has to change.

Waste not, want not, a common saying goes, and our editor, Sara, recently suggested some practical tips to reduce your food waste. Here are even more ideas:

1. Maintain a simple diet, based on the healthiest whole foods. The less hodge-podge, the easier it is to mix and manage what you already have.

2. Avoid fad foods or buying things just because they’re on sale. Be realistic; buy only what you’re really going to eat and not what you think you should eat because it’s supposedly good for you.

3. Keep dried goods in reused glass jars (Mason jars, spaghetti sauce jars, etc). This way it’s easier to see what you actually have, plus it’s quite attractive.

4. Zen is in; don’t overstuff the fridge. Unless you’re feeding a large family, you don’t need that much food in one place at one time. Keep some empty spaces so you can see what’s actually in there, otherwise you’ll end up with Slimy Brown Lettuce Syndrome.

5. See leftovers as an opportunity to get creative. Rather than always buying new ingredients to make new meals, use what you already have to make something spontaneous and creative. That’s the touski way.

6. Give back to the earth: Compost! What was once destined for the landfill can now be turned into valuable nutrition for the garden. Start a compost today - it's so easy and fun. (FYI, because of improper conditions, food won’t compost in a landfill. It just takes up space.)

7. Appreciate food. If you’ve ever planted a garden, you know the work and care it takes, so try planting something (even herbs in a pot) and learn to appreciate the work of your local, organic farmers.

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Lifestyle - 9 Life-Changing Inventions the Experts Said Would Never Work

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

The lightbulb. The telephone. Email. If you're a specialist in your field, there are two ways to become a household name: create something new...or claim it can never be done. If you want to be remembered on the Internet, choose the second one. Here are 9 examples of breakthroughs, inventions and innovations the experts were completely wrong about.

1. The Electric Lightbulb

Image: Marcin Wichary

"... good enough for our transatlantic friends ... but unworthy of the attention of practical or scientific men." British Parliamentary Committee, referring to Edison's light bulb, 1878.

"Everyone acquainted with the subject will recognize it as a conspicuous failure." Henry Morton, president of the Stevens Institute of Technology, on Edison's light bulb, 1880.

The Brits get sniffy about American innovation (not for the first time) - and miss the invention of the century. Now our light bulbs comes in all shapes and sizes, and we're eco-innovating faster than ever. Not too shabby for a conspicuous failure.

2. The A/C

Image: wander lima ~

"Fooling around with alternating current is just a waste of time. Nobody will use it, ever." Thomas Edison, 1889.

Oh Tom, you were doing so well. Edison enjoyed sniping at the efforts of his rival George Westinghouse (who bought the patent for a/c transmission from Nikola Tesla), and look where it got him. Fact is, it's easier and far more efficient to distribute power with a/c than with Edison's darling direct current. Oops.

3. The Personal Computer

Image: OneLaptopPerChild

We have reached the limits of what is possible with computers. John Von Neumann, 1949

Somewhat wide of the mark. Along came the integrated circuit (better known as the microchip), and things went crazy. Computers have allowed our species to really connect. We can even study and regulate our own planet - and there's still no computing limits in sight.

4. The Microchip

Image: Nokia Eco Sensor Concept phone.

"But what... is it good for?" An engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, commenting on the microchip in 1968.

Hardly anything - well, apart from virtually every piece of electronic equipment in gadgets, vehicles, computer networks, power stations, homes, offices and every other conceivable part of everyday life for this century and probably the next. But otherwise, yes - useless.

5. Data Transmission

Image: anomalous4

"Before man reaches the moon, your mail will be delivered within hours from New York to Australia by guided missiles. We stand on the threshold of rocket mail." Arthur Summerfield, U.S. Postmaster General under Eisenhower, 1959.

"Transmission of documents via telephone wires is possible in principle, but the apparatus required is so expensive that it will never become a practical proposition." Dennis Gabor, British physicist, 1962.

A brilliant scientist, Gabor received the Nobel Prize for inventing holography - but entirely failed to anticipate e-mail and the modem. (To be fair, so did everyone else). Nowadays, entire bookshelves can be transmitted for a few cents in the blink of an eye, making scientific collaboration a truly global enterprise. And all without rockets.

6. Online Shopping

Image: i'm george

"Remote shopping, while entirely feasible, will flop - because women like to get out of the house, like to handle merchandise, like to be able to change their minds." TIME, 1966.

It's true that both sexes like the tactile experience of shopping in person. But e-commerce? As PayPal's proft margins will attest, remote shopping is here to stay - and helps get money to where it's most needed.

7. The Automobile

Image: Cyberesque
"The ordinary "horseless carriage" is at present a luxury for the wealthy; and although its price will probably fall in the future, it will never, of course, come into as common use as the bicycle." Literary Digest, 1899.

If only that were true. But the infernal combustion engine shows no signs of slowing - in 2005, an estimated 53 million new cars hit the world's streets, fuelling all sorts of problems. Happily, we're fast rediscovering the bicycle and rethinking the automobile.

8. The Television

Image: Narisa

"While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility, a development of which we need waste little time dreaming."
Lee DeForest, American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, 1926.

Dream on. There are currently around 220 million "impossibilities" in the United States alone. TV is everywhere. It's just a shame the old types are full of lead - but every year sees a cleaner version, like the new Philips Eco FlatTV here.

9. Possibility

Image: Jake Shears

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

Supposedly said by Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899 - except he probably didn't. So the last word goes to actor and humorist Peter Ustinov:

"If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done."

In green tech, there are some truly audacious ideas that plenty of "experts" have been quick to write off. As they relate to every day living and things you can do to help the environment, we'll be covering them here, so be sure to bookmark us. ;) If the history of technology offers any lesson, it's that today's most cynical eco experts could very well end up with egg on their faces. Naturally we'll be diligently reporting on it all.

Further reading: 87 bad predictions about the future, courtesy of 2Spare.

Main image: Fabbio

Lifestyle - Cool Globes: All-City Eco Art Makes a Powerful Pro-Planet Statement

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

The bike path leading to the Golden Gate Bridge has been transformed into a sculpture museum of sorts with 40 brilliantly painted art globes lined like tiki torches along the sandy road at Chrissy Field.

Passers-by are mesmerized by the images and messages within, which direct us to act on behalf of the planet to preserve what we have. My favorite featured polar bears and warnings to "Keep frozen" with regard to its disappearing habitat.

The exhibit, Cool Globes, will remain in San Francisco for a couple of months before heading to San Diego and London. The round-up of these green globes was the brainchild of Chicago marketing professional Wendy Abrams, who says she wants to inspire people by talking about this topic in an upbeat, rather than negative manner.
The globes premiered in Chicago in 2007, where they also got an enthusiastic response.

Cool Globes seem to go with the flow in this spectacular setting of beach, vigorous outdoorsy people and wildlife. Each globe is sponsored by a company or individuals and is mounted on a large block of cement with plaques that contain statements about the theme and name of the artist.

It really is worth looking at, even it means halting the run or walk for a minute to take it all in. I forced myself to do exactly that, but still would like to return soon with my children to examine each one and appreciate both the process and result.

Pictured clockwise from top left:

Please Fly Wisely, Lee Tracy (yes, "our" very own Lee)
Warm Up: Wear a Sweater, Lindsay Obermeyer
Tall Grass: a Solution for Global Warming, Nina Weiss
First We Scream, Then We Act, Nancy L. Steinmeyer

Lifestyle - Make the Green Grade: Eco School Supplies Checklist

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0600

As a young girl my favorite time of year was the week before school started every September. Not because I went shopping for new clothes - a plaid skirt and white blouse were the extent of my “uniform”. I equated back-to-school with school supplies. A new binder with a plastic zip-lock envelope packed full of brand new pens and pencils - thrilling!

Those were the days…when new meant something good and fresh and exciting, but the world was eco-oblivious. Fast forward a few decades and it’s easier than 1-2-3 to green that school supplies list.

Here are some tips to get you and your little greenies started:

Encourage your kids to adopt an older sibling’s backpack from last year. Rips can be mended and ink stains can be covered with cool patches. If reuse isn’t an option, go green with this Hemp Cinch Backpack from EcoBodyWear. Available in natural, black and brown for $53. For older kids who carry laptops, there’s this Billboard Messenger Bag for $99.95 at YourGuidetoGreen or see A Guide to Eco Laptop Bags for other ideas.

Eating in the school cafeteria has become less fattening, but there’s nothing healthier and greener than bringing a bag from home. And lunch is an area where the eco-possibilities are endless. Go vintage with an old metal lunchbox or try Lunchopolis, a lead free insulated bag with a matching drink bottle and 4 reusable containers. On sale at YourGuidetoGreen in blue or green for $29.99. Several more options available here.

I admit, there’s nothing quite like the smell and feel of a new book, but buying used saves money and trees. AbeBooks is the one-stop textbook shop, and try half.com for the year’s reading list. Your local library is also an eco choice.

To organize papers and keep notes every student needs a 3-ring binder. New Leaf makes this Think Recycled 1” Binder ($6.99) in an eco-cool craft color, as well as a Think 3 Subject Sprial Notebook ($6.99). Both are available at NewLeafProducts. Get 100% recycled College Rule paper here too - 100 sheets at $3.99.

Back to school also means cutting and measuring. These KleenEarth® Stainless 7” Shears have 70% recycled handles and a ten-year warranty. Find them at TheGreenOffice for $5.49. If you can’t find an extra 12” ruler in one of your “junk drawers”, Office Depot sells this one made of 30% postconsumer content for $1.09.

Writing and drawing can be earth-friendly and non-toxic too. Pay close attention to the chemical content of ink markers and always choose water-based over anything else. Pilot offers a variety of eco-ink pens with up to 89% recycled content. Available at PilotBeGreen from $1.65 - $2.45 each. The Pentel Sign Pen® is certified nontoxic and available in black, red and blue - $14.49 per dozen at TheGreenOffice. What student doesn’t love Mr. Sketch® scented markers? Non-toxic and water-based, they’re safe and smell good too. A 12-Color set is $7.95 at eNasco.

Perfect for practicing handwriting, these TreeSmart pencils are made from recycled newspapers without using toxic chemicals or adhesives. The newsprint creates interesting and unique designs and they sharpen easily with a regular pencil sharpener. 12 pencils for $4.10 at PencilThings. A colored pencil set is also available for the same price.

Look no further than these fun non-stapling staplers for your go green student. They cut through paper creating a “chad-like” closure that binds up to 4 pages. Find them at Amazon - $16.95 for a pack of three (blue, red, green).

If these options are too overwhelming and one-stop-shop is more your thing, get a pre-packed Student Kit of eco-friendly, non-toxic items made specific to grade in school. Available at TheGreenOffice from $16.99 to $29.99 - Kindergarten through 8th grades.

Lastly, remember that when it comes to anything eco, less is more. Most teachers hand out a shopping list on the first day, so don't shop before you have it in your hot hands, and stick to it to avoid any unnecessary and wasteful purchases.

Image: FXR