Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

People Won't Change for the Environment (on my campus)

A recent article outlines a pretty simplistic poll conducted in London about people’s willingness to change their behaviour for the good of the planet.

A straw poll of 15 British men and 15 British women between the ages of 25-75 in central London, showed all were willing to make small changes for the environment, such as recycling, but few would commit to more fundamental changes to behavior.

The outcome was pretty surprising. People will “try” to drive less, and others take a shot at proper recycling. But no one is ready for a change in their lifestyle. This inspired me. I was sure I could find better numbers and results here in Toronto, Canada. We are supposed to be eco-friendly up here, right?

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Starre Vartan to Speak at "Plugging Into Green" Panel in Brooklyn

P.S. 107 Kicks off its 5th Annual “Readings on the 4th Floor” Series by Plugging into the Green Movement Leading writers from the frontlines of “green” discuss life and community-changing strategies.

Why in a city with the cleanest water in the country do the mass of New Yorkers cling to their chemical-infused bottled water? Is “reduce, reuse, recycle” a livable reality for most families?

Leading writers on all issues green will gather to sort through the facts from the garbage at the 5th Annual “Readings on the 4th Floor” series which kicks off Wednesday, January 21st in Park Slope, Brooklyn at 7:30 PM.

The theme of the first reading is “Plug Into Green.” The reading and discussion will feature:

Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbage Land & most recently Bottlemania
Helen Coronato, author of Eco-Friendly Families
Starre Vartan, author of The Eco-Chick Guide to Life

The discussion will be moderated by Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger, the internet’s leading green news portal.

Each of the authors approaches different aspects of green. Coronato has produced a hands-on guide for families that want to adopt eco lifestyles.

Royte is an investigative reporter devoted to uncovering the truth behind topics like the marketing of bottled water and the disposal of trash in America.

Starre Vartan is determined to prove that green can be fabulous, fashionable and not too expensive.

The unifying tone of the panelists is one of levity and humor toward a crucially-important topic: Green doesn’t have to be dull or scolding.

Plug into Green will be held on the 4th Floor of PS 107, which is located at 13th Street and 8th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Tickets are $15 online at www.ps107.org or $20 at the door.

All books will be available for sale.

This esteemed topical literary series continues to raise funds for the newly renovated fourth floor library/art/performance space of P.S. 107 and has featured everyone from Pulitzer prize winning authors such as Jumpha Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies, to leading journalists including George Packer of The New Yorker.

The series this year will continue through the spring with evenings devoted to making theater happen in New York and Brooklyn nov

The Week in Green

I decided that there is so much “green” news out there each week that I would update Eco-Chick readers on what I think are the most interesting stories and topics.  Here is “The Week in Green.”

Be Green and Vote: In most states you have until the end of the week to register to vote in the Presidential election.  Some say “why should I vote”?  No matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat, an environmentalist or a creationist (not sure why anyone would be), you MUST exercise your right to vote.  In this week Grist, Umbra Fisk wrote a piece called Citizen Bane: On the importance of voting.  A must read for all and if you have not registered to vote go to Declare Yourself to find out your state’s deadline and all you need to register.

Bush’s Environmental Record: In a week that has once again exposed the incompetence of the Bush administration, the Republicans have boycotted a review of Bush’s environmental record, as reported by the Environmental News Service. All of us know this administration has failed the American people on environmental and health issues while letting big business run rampant without oversight.  “For six years the administration sat by while oil imports increased, gas prices rose and global warming became more and more threatening,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. “It refused to set higher fuel efficiency standards for vehicles even when the data showed that the current trajectory was actually hurting the U.S. auto industry, desiccating its market share.”

Fast Food is transforming the waistlines of the Greek: Our fast and highly process foods are making the U.S. a nation of the overweight, sick and obese. We have been told that the healthful Mediterranean diet — emphasizing olive oil, fresh produce and fish — is the way to go. But as reported in the New York Times this week, the Greeks have succumbed to our ways and are now seeing increased negative health effects from the change in their nation’s diet.  So much so that the government has began lectures on nutrition in schools.  As stated in the article, “In Greece, three-quarters of the adult population is overweight or obese, the worst rate in Europe “by far,” according to the United Nations. The rates of overweight 12-year-old boys rose more than 200 percent from 1982 to 2002 and have been rising even faster since.”

The reusable shopping bag, green or not?: If you’re reading this, and you are, you probably have about a half a dozen or so reusable shopping bags.  Those of us who do, proudly bring them to the supermarket making our statement that we are taking one step in reducing waste and helping the environment. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal this week entitled “An Inconvenient Bag,” reusable shopping bags are the new “it” freebie.  Sales are up 76% from this time last year.  Wow, what a business, but is it a green business? “Many of the cheap, reusable bags that retailers favor are produced in Chinese factories and made from nonwoven polypropylene, a form of plastic that requires about 28 times as much energy to produce as the plastic used in standard disposable bags and eight times as much as a paper sack, according to Mr. Sterling, of Natural Capitalism Solutions.

Reclaiming Cow Shit for Energy: So many people dis on the cow because they feel that bovines are a leading causes of global warming.  They burp and fart methane. Well, a farm in Vermont is now taking the waste from their cattle and converting into clean burning natural gas to create a new and recurring source of green energy. The Green Mountain Dairy in Shelton, Vermont is part of an alternative energy program that converts methane from cow manure in to electricity.  Check out this interesting and progressive program by reading  Electricity From What Cows Leave Behind in the New York Times, The Business of Green section.

If there is something that you think is interesting, topical or important, please post it to the comments here, on my Facebook Group (Green Luvin’) and/or my Facebook blog, Green Luvin’.  You can also follow me on Twitter @Green_Luvin.

Best Office Air Cleaners: Get Your Indoor Plant On

If your office environment is anything like mine, chances are you’re surrounded by rows and rows of cubical farms (covered in hideous synthetic fabric pattern!), with circulated air and very little natural light. Although its not something you think about all the time, the air quality of most offices is pretty poor, and this can make you feel less than optimal after being there 8+ hours a day.

So in order to brighten your spirits (help you forget you’re at work) as well as improve the air quality around you get some plants!

Although virtually all plants will help some to improve indoor air quality, some are better than others for absorbing common pollutants. In a study done by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in the 80′s it was found that:

:: English ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and Mother-in-law’s Tongue are the best plants for treating air contaminated with Benzene

:: Peace lily, gerbera daisy, and bamboo palms are very effective in treating Trichloroethylene

:: bamboo palm, Mother-in-law’s tongue, dracaena warneckei, peace lily, dracaena marginata, golden pathos, and green spider plant work well for filtering Formaldehyde

And last year the Peace Lily, which made all 3 above lists was voted the Office Plant of the Year in The Netherlands! So instead of putting another tchotchky on your desk, start a cubicle garden!

For more info on plants in the workplace visit the Healthy Plants in the Workplace information campaign and the Plants at Work information campaign.

Eco-Hunk: David Suzuki

David Suzuki is a Canadian hero, one of our top 10 Canadians even. He is best known for his television show The Nature Of Things airing across the world. He is a scientists and avid environmentalist. In 1990 he founded the David Suzuki Foundation which as the mission of finding a balance in the environment around us in our everyday lives.

Dr. Suzuki has his PhD in Zoology from the University of Chicago. He worked as a professor at the University of British Columbia for over 40 years until his retirement, but can still be found doing a packed lecture every now and then. He has been awarded 22 honorary degrees. Due to his love for the environment he isn’t found in too many different places. Although he purchases carbon credits his touring puts him tonnes over his carbon footprint. Thus he has stopped vacationing and attempts to appear by video conference as often as possible. His university tour of 2008 comprised of UBC and McGill.

He has been a very vocal in the fight against climate change. He has claimed that Canada should be international outlaws for reneging on Kyoto and that scientists who deny climate change are funded by big corporations. Suzuki is disgusted by these scientists who are funded from inappropriate sources because it is these skeptics and deniers that aren’t allowing the public to be convinced that climate change is an extremely pressing issue of our days.

Suzuki’s most recent big news campaign is his Nature Challenge, which I urge you all to take a look at and join. What is the challenge? It’s all pretty simple. The way you travel, what you eat, the energy you use and public action. Way to implement the challenge into your life are outlined here. Most of the thing are things that a lot of us will already do – but it’s good to reevaluate your life and see where you can improve. I for one and shutting the computer off at night, and turning the heat in the house down a couple degrees. Sure – it takes longer for me to check my email in the morning because the CP isn’t just on, and I’m slightly colder but it’s not doing me any harm.

Check the nature challenge out! David Suzuki is someone I look up to so much. He has devoted his entire life to spreading the word about climate change. He lived a hard life as a prisoner of war in Canada, but has moved on to become one of the greatest environmentalists of our time. Love!