Why Go Green?
Read our blog for reasons why you should go green!
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Why Do We Need a White House Farmer? |
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The tag line for the white house farmer reads "There’s always been a White House Chef… Now is the time for a White House Farmer…" We couldn't agree more!
The site was launched in November 2008 as a forum to follow up on Michael Pollan’s call for a White House Farmer. Pollan suggested the farmer be charged with transforming “five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn and plant[ing] in their place an organic fruit and vegetable garden” whose produce will be used by the White House Chef, and given to area food banks.
Read out the winner's statements and get what are the next steps!
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CarrotMob's Positive Consumer Impact Idea |
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We stumbled upon a a great idea that uses consumer buying power for good. It's called CarrotMob [as in carrots versus sticks]. Instead of boycotting products/companies [the stick] because they are bad, why not reward [the carrot] good products/companies by buy products in huge customer numbers to really make an positive and economic impact.
CarrotMob's Mission:
"Our goal is to improve the world by helping companies embrace socially responsible choices. Our primary focus is the environment. We recognize that corporations must keep profit as their top priority. Historically, this fact has meant that the environment has suffered, since companies have made more money by harming the planet. We are going to put rewards in place that will make environmental responsibility the more profitable choice. Companies will do what we want, not because of negative pressure, or morality, or a boycott, or a petition...there are enough sticks out there. We need a big juicy carrot. They will do what we say because they won't be able to resist the profits."
And how they implement it:
"We will create a large network of consumers. We will form partnerships with other larger advocacy groups to use their research and infrastructure. Together we will identify opportunities for improving corporate behavior. For example, let's say there's an environmentally harmful chemical in common brands of soap. We would approach several competing soap companies. We will explain the problem, and see which of them is willing to eliminate the harmful chemical. They will bid for our support. Each company will raise the bar with how much good they are willing to do. Perhaps Company X pledges to remove the chemical. Then Company Y pledges to remove the chemical and reduce factory emissions 20%. And so on. The bigger our network, the further they will be willing to go. We accept the best offer. Company Y agrees to take the steps that we want, and then we make it worth their while with a carrot: Everyone in the network buys millions of dollars worth of their soap, and in the process Company Y gains a wealth of reputation capital as well. The most responsible business decision also gets the most profit. Delicious!"
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TV is bad for the environment, too! |
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Here's something to think about before throwing your old TV [and other electronic devices] to the curb:
E-Waste Harmful Materials
Electronic waste accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste that you currently find in landfills. In addition to valuable metals like aluminum, electronics often contain hazardous materials like lead and mercury. When placed in a landfill, these materials (even in small doses) can contaminate soil as well as drinking water.
Televisions
Back before there were plasma screen and liquid crystal display (LCD) tubes, we were all watching our Super Bowls and sitcoms on cathode ray tubes (CRT). The CRT model provided room for all your switches and wires in a box behind the screen, but it also stored a lot of lead.
Approximately 20 percent of CRTs are comprised of lead, equivalent to between four and eight pounds per unit.
Combine this with the fact that the FCC is going to require all televisions to run a digital signal by February 19, 2009, and we could be looking at a lot of lead headed for landfills. Even the smallest amounts of lead can be a serious issue, and we’re talking about eight pounds per unit.earth911.org
On our recycling page, we've listed places to recycle your e-waste (#7 under the recycle section). |
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Paper or Plastic? Neither. |
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We found these interesting and thought-provoking facts on the Whole Foods Market website.
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Read more...
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In LEAN's January newsletter, we read that "The logging of Louisiana's sensitive cypress forests is significantly slower this winter than in the past.
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Read more...
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