Voting to Protect the Planet

Since Super Tuesday is this week, I thought that I would spend a few minutes thinking about which candidates' positions would be best for the planet...

First of all, I urge all of you to check out this chart at Grist Magazine.

Grist does a great job at discussing the positions of the remaining candidates on many facets of the Climate Crisis.

The most important factors in my opinion after looking at the scientific recommendations of what will be needed to avert a major global warming crisis are these...

1. Globally, we must lower carbon emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
2. A Cap and Trade system to do so seems the most likely to be politically possible in this country, but a carbon tax would be much more efficient according to most economists.
3. On fuel economy standards... the higher the better in my book. Why don't we just jump to 100 mpg and level the playing field with the rest of the world?
4. Renewable Energy: We need a market stimulus of a required 25% of the country's energy portfolio ASAP, and we need to fund R&D in this field in the billions!
5. Biofuels: Scientifically this is tricky as to effectiveness. Cellulosic ethanol offers the most promise, but can't yet be produced on an industrial scale. I support R&D funding in this area, but not over-subsidizing corn.
6. "Clean Coal": I would support this if it could work, but so far there are no indications that it will. And, coal-to-liquid fuels would actually worsen the carbon emissions of our fuel.
7. Nuclear: This could be a useful last-resort source of energy, But, there are a lot of problems with storage and safe disposal. It's likely that renewable energy and efficiency options would be much cheaper.

And, finally, whoever becomes president will not only need to deal with this issue at home, but will need to be able to be persuasive abroad as we must work with the developing world to truly deal with this global problem. And, this is not an issue to be seen in isolation. If a "green" economy becomes a goal for this nation, it could also be an outstanding source of economic stimulus and job creation. So, the issue of climate change is inseparable from the economy, poverty, and foreign relations.

Based on the work Grist has done in looking at the candidates' positions, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are essentially tied on the Democratic side, either would be a huge step forward on this issue for the nation. (Mike Gravel's positions are also very strong, but as far as I know he is no longer in the race.) On the Republican side, John McCain shows the most leadership on this issue. But, his targets are not strong enough to avert severe climate damage, he does not support renewable energy strongly enough, and his support for coal-based energy and fuels could be dangerous.



Now... get out there and vote green mamas! The next generation is counting on us to solve this crisis, and we can't do it alone. It will take real leadership from our nation!

Jessica

Sustainable Shopping... Part 1

Moms through the ages have engaged in both recreational shopping and shopping out of necessity. In other words, as soon as we drop the kids off or are heading home from work, we have to shop for milk, dinner, diapers, cupcakes for 60 tomorrow... whatever. And, when we get a free Saturday afternoon (such as a "dad-urday" afternoon), we like to hit the stores for some retail shoe shopping therapy!

So, though many would argue that shopping in and of itself is not really sustainable... it can be necessary, and it is a big part of our culture.

Moms who are trying to live a more sustainable life should first consider the sustainability of their consumer habits. It is important to generally shop less if we are to build a more sustainable culture. How many pairs of shoes, TV's, new ipods, jeans, handbags, etc. do you really need? I will leave that to each of you to consider, and I would challenge you to think of all of your purchases in longer terms in 2008. If, for example, you do need a new handbag, toy for your kid, couch, car, whatever... could you buy one that will last longer, was made locally, is more efficient, uses less water, is made from sustainably sourced materials, or comes in less packaging? I'm trying this year to, as contradictory as this might sound, make my shopping more sustainable.

To start off we're going to talk about tea.

I recently moved from Ann Arbor, MI which is full of people who are trying to make their lives more sustainable. When people live more sustainably the concept of sustainability bleeds into their businesses as well. So, I thought I would introduce you to a local business in Ann Arbor, that is taking the concept of sustainability and increasingly applying it to the reality of their business. The ideas presented here could be useful in many businesses, large or small. So, as a shopper, begin to look for them when you're buying everything from pacifiers to playpens, from car seats to cleaning products, from tomatoes to chocolate, and everything in between.

The company is called Arbor Teas.



As you have probably guessed, they sell tea. Now tea, in and of itself is no different from many consumer products. People buy it and consume it because they like it. It comes in packaging, it is bought, used and discarded. But, Arbor Teas has gone out of its way to make sure that their teas leave as small of an impact as possible.

They start by buying (and then selling to you) tea that is certified organic and most of it is fair trade certified. Thus, their teas have been farmed in such a way that is more beneficial to both the environment where it is farmed, and the local workers who farm it. Now, tea is not grown in the US, so there is some impact in the transportation of the tea from the village in India, China, Africa, Japan, etc. to you, but the overall impact is minimized by the organic farming method, and the fair trade treatment and payment of the farm workers.

Next, Arbor Teas has reconsidered the packaging of their teas. They teamed up with students at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources to minimize the carbon footprint of their packaging by converting from tin-plated steel canisters to canisters made of parchment-lined paperboard, which generate less than one-fifth of the carbon emissions of tin-plated steel canisters. And, these containers can still be re-used to extend their lifespan. Additionally, if you buy a gift certificate to Arbor Teas, you can have it sent paperless by email to the recipient. Cool!

Arbor Teas aggressively recycles many of their processing materials. Even packing peanuts that are used to protect the teas as they are mailed to customers are recycled. And, if you live in Ann Arbor, your tea will be delivered to you by bike... further cutting transport emissions.

Finally for the emissions that they can not reduce in absolute terms, such as delivery flights, ground transportation, facility electricity, etc., they have opted to either purchase renewable energy credits from their local electricity company or to offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits through Carbonfund.org.

So, kudos to Arbor Teas, and as a green living mom and shopper, you can take these ideas and take a look at local and corporate business in your community and ask how they are reducing their emissions. If they have not begun to look at their emissions, packaging, recycling, water and energy usage, materials sourcing, organic farming, etc. make some suggestions to improve your community businesses and support those businesses like Arbor Teas that are actively greening their products and operations.

Have a great green week mamas!

And, if any of you are shopping for a house in 2008... check out this green energy showplace! Hurry! Because as energy prices continue to soar... this one will be snapped right up!

Jessica

Go Green This Year! Start with a Reusable Shopping Bag

Happy New Year Green Moms!

This year, look here for easy ways to go green daily in our busy lives. Every change makes a difference!
Start by switching to reusable bags for all of your trips to the grocery store, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, the library, the Farmer's Market, even the mall. If you don't need a bag when you buy just a few small things, just tell the cashier that you don't need a bag. If you're buying more or larger things, carry your own bag. I have been testing this new habit for several months now, and though all reusable bags work, my favorite is the green one pictured above. (It comes in several colors.) It's called the Granite Gear Air Grocery Bag. You can get it at REI.com for $17.00. It's my favorite because it holds a lot, it's very strong, and it easily stuffs back down to a tiny bag that fits in your purse, so it's always there when you need it. The downside is its price compared with other reusable bags. Most grocery stores now sell them for just $1 or so. The one pictured above is available at Walmart for just $1. It is made of recycled materials and can be recycled!

So, start the new year right. The next time someone says, "Paper or plastic?" Say, "Neither, thanks... I have my own bag." Try it for 2 weeks and you'll be hooked!

Thanks to Kathryn in Houston, TX for help with this MLG Action!

Happy New Year Green Moms!
Jessica

You Tube Debut!

Check out our You Tube debut!

This video will jump start your family *Living Green*!

Enjoy and share with all of the young families in your life. I'd greatly appreciate any comments on the video, or ideas for future videos.

Thanks green mamas!

Jessica

Finding Eco-Quality on the Web

This week I'd like to point you to some excellent sites out there for finding all sorts of quality, environmentally-friendly products and services. These websites hand-select vendors, or rely on the input of others who have used them, to find products or services that are truly green. These sites look past green marketing to find products and services that save energy, are less toxic, save water, and are high quality.

Take some time to look them over... you may just find a few ideas for your holiday gift lists!

EVO
Low Impact Living
The Green Guide
Great Green Goods (a shopping blog)
Great Green Baby (a shopping blog for baby stuff)

Happy holiday shopping green mamas!

Jessica

Killer Toys!

Well, the holidays are fast-approaching, and I have begun to think about where to find gifts that are fun, kid-friendly, imagination enhancing and most of all... SAFE! It seems like we can't turn on the TV these days without hearing about another toy recall: lead, poison, drugs, you name it! This season, let's work together to support small companies that are both eco-friendly and kid-friendly. Here are some of my favorite sources. Let me hear from you about yours!

Greenfeet
I really like this source for all sorts of gift-giving (and getting! :))
The owner also produces an excellent podcast, called More Hip Than Hippie which is broadcast weekly. Learn more about it at their website! And, tell them I sent you!

Magic Cabin
This is a great new source for me that I saw on Martha Stewart's show last week. There are some excellent choices and ideas here!

Taraluna
Taraluna is another source for many types of gifts. The owner is on the greenbusiness listserve that I follow. Her store provides great customer service! If you visit them, tell them I sent you!

Tree City Diapers
This store is local to us here in Ann Arbor. It has a wonderful selection of all things for your little ones, plus slings, cloth diapers, nursing stuff, etc.
They also always provide great customer service! One of my favorite baby gifts is the kleen kanteen sippy cup... you'll find it here!

Other sources that look interesting, but that I have not tried personally...

Myriad

Koukla

Bella Luna Toys

Fat Brain Toys

ImagiPlay

Pristine Planet


Enjoy shopping with these eco-friendly and kid-safe retailers!

Have a great day!
Jessica

Want to Buy a Green House?

Isn't this just the most adorable stucco and limestone home. Inside you will find a chic limestone fireplace, a gourmet kitchen, four spacious bedrooms, four designer bathrooms, plus a bonus room with a tree-top balcony. It's in a lovely neighborhood in the western hills of Austin with a distant view of the Lake Travis dam. Move into this home and your children will walk to exemplary schools and you'll end each evening with a glass of wine on your upper balcony listening to the sounds of laughter echoing in the canyon. Just beyond your backyard is a greenbelt filled with trails for biking, running or nature walks.

Oh, and did I mention that in the bones of this home are some rock star "green" features!

The most important "green" features in this home will keep you cool in hot Texas summers without breaking the bank as the costs of energy continue to skyrocket! In fact, this home can produce much of the energy that it needs with free, clean energy from the sun! It also sparkles with a high tech radiant barrier and extra-high ceilings to keep it cool even without AC! And, for those days and nights when AC is a must... this house can cool only the rooms that you're in with 3 separate zones.

Beyond the cool factor... this home also has high efficiency lighting and appliances. The coolest thing about the most modern green homes like this one, is that your lifestyle is actually improved by living in them. With this home, you'll be saving the planet, saving money, and you won't be sacrificing a thing.

On the surface, this home looks like the modern, hip, high fashion home that it is... only you will know all of its hidden, high tech, planet-saving features. Well, that is until you start bragging about them to all of your neighbors, then they will be racing to keep up with you.

Come on Clark Kent... this Superman home is waiting for you!

Now that you just can't wait to live in this fabulous green Austin home... check out the listing and give my realtor, Maryann Pyle, a call (512-422-6207) she'd love to show you around. By the way, she's working on her EcoBroker certification, and is a great resource for green homes all over Austin!

Take care green mamas,

Jessica