Bike, Bike, Bike!!!

Did you know that May is National Bike Month? The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) celebrates each year by biking as much as possible to promote the benefits of cycling, show us how much fun it can be, and show us how useful it can be to get around. Of course I mention this because it is such an environmentally sound means of transportation. You don't use any fuel except yourself and I know that you have plenty of energy to jump on a bike today. Lots of events take place around the week of May 12-16th and Friday the 16th, today, is Bike to Work day. I know that most of you are already wrapping up your day, but it's still May, so you can still celebrate. For a listing of events going on around the country please visit Bike Month Special Events. And for a little bit of history and 50 quick tips on how to celebrate this month please visit 50 Things for Bike Month.

It's Children's Day too!

We all know its Mother's Day this weekend and I can only reiterate to you some basic information when you buy those special gifts: shop local, organic, recycled and sustainable whether its flowers, makeup, cards or fancy lotions. We must also remember that this special day wouldn't exist if it weren't for our children and it's probably a good idea to start instilling some earth-friendly habits while they're young. If your child's school is nearby, have them walk or ride their bike to and from school. Not comfortable with that? The next easy solution is carpooling with other kids or taking the school bus if provided. Buy your children recycled school materials. Pack their lunches in reusable containers. Make gardening a family activity. Celebrate Mother Earth with your children this weekend!!!

This box is green!

As you stroll down the aisle in any store, grocery, toy, furniture or whatever it is, you'll notice that everything is packaged with endless amounts of plastic, cardboard, bubble wrap and twisty ties. There's no need for this extraneous waste when it's going to be immediately thrown out to a landfill! Sure, you can reuse the bubble wrap and such, but who does that besides those who ship things every day? When it comes to being creative on how to eliminate packaging in products, take a cue from the designers Marcel Krings and Sebastian Mϋhlhäuser. They've collaboratively created a set of room furniture that fits inside a box which they call Casulo. How? Check out the video below. Even better news is the fact that no tools are required for assembly, and you end up using every single part of the box when you're done! If you're interested in more details, check out their website at www.mein-casulo.de.

The green vehicle that's best for you.

Biodiesel, ethanol, and natural gas; these are all alternative fuels used in environmentally friendly vehicles today to reduce the impact on the environment. It can be a bit overwhelming to research and consider which vehicle may be the best choice for you and maybe you're not in the market for one at this time. That's ok because there are still ways to reduce your impact with your current automobile. It may remind you a bit of a back-to-basics car maintenance guide, but these instructions are common knowledge that have been tried and true for many years. It never hurts to have a refresher course! Keep your tires inflated. This will increase your mileage, meaning you don’t fill up your tank so much in the long run. Take out the junk from your trunk. It just adds weight causing the vehicle to use more energy to move the increased weight. If you have cargo on the roof, this causes aerodynamic drag. Tune up your car. When your air filter is clean and your engine is tuned you increase your fuel economy. Drive slow and steady to maximize efficiency. When you drive aggressively and brake quickly you reduce your highway mileage by a significant amount.

Shedding some light on GreenSwitch™

Green what? As in "light switch?" Yep that's right. Today is a big day... it's EARTH DAY! 38 years ago marked the first officially celebrated Earth Day in the U.S. and as we look back in time we can see the huge strides that have been made since: increased environmental awareness, boosted recycling efforts, promotion of clean energy, and many other fascinating developments. As we continue to integrate earth-friendly practices into our lives we undoubtedly preserve that which is necessary to live in a harmonically wealthy environment for future generations. Whether this is achieved by simply using that one cup of water to brush your teeth or going full on by installing solar panels in your home, there is always something more that you can do. This brings me back to GreenSwitch™, a simple, effective, and modern technology used to conserve energy in your home. Essentially, it is an energy management system connected to your wall plugs, light switches, and thermostat which you can program to turn off in any designated combination with one simple switch. You can retrofit the system into your current home or add it during construction and you'll ultimately save time, energy, and money. For more exciting and detailed information visit www.greenswitch.tv and stay tuned for more exciting developments!

In preparation for Earth Day...

The official date is only 4 days away, but there are still plenty of activities you'll be able to participate in before then. I recommend that you take a look at your local informative resources such as newspapers to find out what kind of events are going on in your area. In order to help you prepare for a weekend of informative and fun activities, I've compiled a list of the most commonly used green terms and their definitions so that you'll know exactly what everyone is talking about at these events. ORGANIC: used to describe the growth of vegetables, fruits, etc without the use of artificial pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, hormones, etc. Products come from a natural source in the most natural way. RENEWABLE: refers to a natural resource that can be replenished so that they aren't permanently depleted such as solar energy, hydro power, wind power, and also fast-growing bamboo. RECLAIMED or RECYCLED: materials that are used for the production of something new instead of being thrown away and eventually ending up at a landfill. SUSTAINABLE: refers to practices that are able to fulfill the needs of the current generation without compromising those of future generations, essentially doing no lasting harm to the environment. FAIR TRADE: this refers to the socially responsible movement that promotes sustainable practices by companies in the production of goods that incorporate healthy working conditions and support local economies. BIODEGRADABLE: material that can be broken down and decomposed by microorganisms into simple substances. These substances are reabsorbed into the ecosystem and not harmful to the environment. These are just a few of the many terms used in greenspeak. Have fun celebrating Earth Day this weekend!

Earth Day is April 22nd

I dare you to get even more involved after the highly successful global Earth Hour event held a couple of weeks ago. Earth Day is just around the corner and there is so much going on around the world that I've compiled a simple list of the biggest events so that you can participate. Green Apple Festival: produced in partnership with Earth Day Network, this is one of the largest U.S. widespread events that will include music entertainment by top artists and interactive exhibits in order to increase environmental awareness. These events are completely free and will be hosted in the biggest cities including Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas. Visit http://www.greenapplemusicfestival.com/ for further details. Shift Green: This two-day event will be held in Tokyo on April 19-20th which will focus on environmentally friendly energy sources, will provide organic & locally produced food from a variety of restaurants & cafes on site, and will host an organic farmer's market. There will also be many more types of booths available with an assortment of products. This event will run entirely on 100% green energy. Visit http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/Tokyo for more information. Catalunya Earth Fair: This event will also be held on the 19-20th and will be hosted in Barcelona. Their theme for this year is to fight against genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Visit http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/Barcelona for more information. Make sure that you walk, bike, or take public transportation to get to one of these events. And if you don't make it, I encourage you to look into your local publication or participate in a simple activity like planting a tree. Have some fun in the sun!