Carbon · Eco-Chick

Browsing all posts tagged with carbon

A Little "C'mon I Wanna Laia"

I live my life on the turn of a dime. Honestly, I do. Most of the time I decide what to do that day, that day. The spice of life for me is spontaneity. I live it all the time. I don’t think we, as a society, do enough of it. Like the time when I said “Hi” to a guy in June, exchanged some hand-written letters, texted a few times, and then a few months later, decided to run off to Hawaii together. Random? Yes. Crazy? Only to uptight prudes. Unsafe? Beautiful desserted tropical island? Mmmm, no red flags there.

So what better way to feel reborn again, to rekindle that flame of dreamy spontaneity then by MuuMuu Heaven…A company located in the dreamy, romantic Hawaiian Islands that gives new life to muumuus, vintage wear, and accessories.

Want to find out how to get 10% off your order? Sign up for my Mailing List newsletter, and I’ll give you the code. Go ahead. Be spontaneous. And if you are looking for flights, hit up Travelocity.com, but make sure you purchase your carbon transfers.

accessories, car, carbon, Eco-Chick, electric, News, summer, travel, vintage

What's Your Footprint?

4 Comments

by Starre Vartan · 03/19/06

I just learned that if everyone on the planet lived as I do, it would take 4.2 Earths to provide for them. Meaning: I take up three times as much resources as I should. And that’s with keeping my house at 60 degrees all winter, driving minimally in an efficient car, and being a vegetarian.

This is how it works; on Earth there are 4.5 productive acres available per living human being. The average American uses 24 acres per person. That mean that every American uses up six times what the average Turkish person uses, for example. And obviously, plenty of folks get WAY less than their share.

How many Earths would we need to support your lifestyle? Find out by taking the quiz at My Footprint. You can also find out what your carbon footprint is at this site. And here’s another one, just for kicks. You can adjust them if you live outside the U.S. You can see how people in other countries rate here. Fill me in on your results, and if you have a low number, how come?

car, carbon, carbon footprint, driving, Eco-Chick, resources, spa, style, vegetarian

Ask Chicky: Clear Skies or Dirty Air?

1 Comment

by Starre Vartan · 03/06/06

Dear Chicky,

My boyfriend and I (we’re both in our early 30′s) have a bet: I say air quality is better than when we were kids, he says it’s worse. Who’s right?

–Itching to Be Right
Dear Itching,

Though it’s always fun to watch one half of a couple do the “I’m right and you’re wrong” dance, I’m sorry to report that nobody’s winning the bet on this one. You’re both right, depending on what kind of standard you’re using to judge air quality, and where you live.
Overall, air quality has improved in most parts of the United States, due to several decades of pollution rules and enforcement under the Clean Air Act. In the Southeastern parts of the country where population growth has exploded, there are higher levels of pollution than before (since housing wasn’t exactly planned around people riding their air-friendly bikes to work), but they’re still within the normal range on most days. Some cities, like Los Angeles, have made dramatic improvements in air quality, something that Angelenos notice when they step outside their doors and enjoy visible views. That’s the good news.

Ask Chicky, bikes, car, carbon, cars, children, cities, Easter, Eco-Chick, emissions, Energy, epa, fur, health, kids, Los Angeles, News, Plants, Pollution, reduce, Technology

State of the Union Address States Something Incredible

1 Comment

by Jennifer Veilleux · 02/27/06

Although our President has tried to hold back the tide of change toward cleaner healthier energy, some things he said in his last State of the Union Address suggests that he may be changing his tune, at least for now. The oil money man said that “America is addicted to oil”, and implied that this is a bad thing.

Bush acknowledged that energy sources from solar, wind, and hydrogen not only exist, but that further support into research and development for “alternative energies” will be funded by the federal government! In his speech he declared that we have to push forward in two vital areas: how we power our homes and offices and how we power our vehicles. Following his speech, Bush even went so far as to visit a plant that produces solar panels in Michigan and make public statements about the importance of the technology.

Regarding vehicles, ethanol was mentioned specifically in the State of the Union Address. Ethanol is a fuel that can be produced from various plants and plant matter. It can be manufactured in our own backyard or rather our own rural communities, and in fact, it already is. There is a fuel available, called E85; a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and it is used to power cars and trucks.

Brazil, Bush, business, car, carbon, cars, coal, dress, driving, Eco-Chick, emissions, Energy, Europe, fur, gas, Germany, health, Home, News, nuclear, oil, Plants, plates, produce, reduce, sugar, Technology

I (Heart) Tom's

2 Comments

by Starre Vartan · 02/15/06

I’ve been a fan of Tom’s of Maine since I was a whippersnapping treehugger in tie-dye with a flower in my hair. They make the best natural toothpastes (who else would have thought of gingermint?), and some damn good deoderants and other personal care stuff. They’ve been doing it for years, too- they’re not just another LOHAS-loving capitalist company.

Now, Tom’s is going 100% wind-power. That means that their 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant will be run with energy from wind turbines in Nebraska. Their press release elucidates:

The change will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million pounds per year, the equivalent of planting 214 acres of trees or removing 138 cars from the road.

Mmmmm……Tom’s gingermint.