First, a link we’ve mentioned before (what’s that called, a relink?) but worth repeating because it’s a foodie’s treasure trove – it’s 50 of the world’s best food blogs. My personal favorite is Chez Pim, where I first learned how to sun-dry my own tomatoes without using the sun – jolly handy for us Brits.

This is upcycling par excellence: yarn created from the unlikeliest of sources including plastic netting, VHS tape, newspaper and human hair! Thanks to Matt and CraftStylish for this one – but as green as it is, the people-hair thing, well, must dash, bye.

Looking to build a new house for next to no money? Dan Phillips is the man to see. His house is 85% landfill – and as you can see in this Texas Country Reporter video, it looks terrific. So far Dan’s helped 8 families build and purchase a recycled home – could yours be number 9?

If you want a reminder that the wrong types of cosmetics, deodorants and chemical cleaners are causing havoc when they spill into the environment, look at the state of Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound – and that’s 30 years after the Clean Water Act kicked in. (Or take a look at what Luanne discovered last year).

Starbucks continues to play Good Cop and Bad Cop – hot on the heels of this public relations disaster, the company has announced it’s investing heavily in Fair Trade practices, aiming to supporting the development of small-scale farming initiatives with a $20 million investment. Good recovery, guys (and thanks, Treehugger).

Is there anything that looks more shabby than dirty, ripped advertisements peeling off billboards and oozing neglect? Therefore, logic dictates, is there anything potentially classier than advertisements made from natural, temporary materials, such as wheat, sea water and snow? The name of the most exciting thing to hit marketing this year is Curb – and Ecopreneurist has more details.

Obama has just signed a $5.7 billion bill to triple the size of AmeriCorps, touching the lives of millions of people. And every one of them is a starfish.

There’s a word with which science-led types like me are usually uncomfortable. It’s not something you can nail down with hi-tech testing and maths and statistical formulae. But it’s an undeniable part of our relationship with the natural world, so we need to look it in the face and grow comfortable with it. And it’s married with the word “ecology” here, at Green By Design.

Nixon! Sorry to scare you there. The famously grubby-pawed President has become something of a metaphor for monstrous evildoing in recent years (take Futurama‘s depiction). Yet it was Nixon’s administration that created the Environmental Protection Agency. Should we be kinder to his legacy? Well, no – but perhaps we should be a little grateful.

Now here’s a vital question: what happens when we start looking long and hard at how rampant commercialism is affecting people during their most impressionable time – childhood? Jennifer Lance at Eco Child’s Play cites the disturbing way that Disney is targeting young boys, apparently enlisting the help of “a researcher with a background in the casino industry”. Where’s the line?

Ugh – celebs. What are they like? Flying their personal trainers back and forth, owning their own private jet fleet, cutting down Giant Redwoods to make toothpicks for their dogs (okay, I made that one up). But while we love to hate celebs, we should also love to love them as well – taking as an example the work of Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), seen here at Razoo. If you need further convincing, take a look at Kaczmarek’s “Clothes Off Our Back” Foundation.

Feel like your brain has been taxed enough this week? Feeling the urge to fling oranges at illegal loggers? Thought so. Well then, here’s how, thanks to some people at Tropicana with an overabundance of time on their hands. Fruits away!

So many new green sites to keep up with. Take GreenDig, which we definitely do dig now that we’ve had the chance to catch up with it, even though it started up last year. Slow down, Internets!

Eco-news isn’t all bad, as Cailtin recently demonstrated – and if you’re looking for an even more epic shot in the arm, read through these 10 truly colossal green projects that have world-changing significance. Guaranteed to replace the spring in your step!

Finally, an important and timely safety announcement. Beware blueberry waffle mix – more specifically, of becoming an ingredient of it. That is all.

Image: Dreamtroll

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