Tell Starbucks to be Eco-Friendly

Ever noticed that your Starbucks coffee lid has a recycling symbol? Ever wondered if your coffee cup could be dropped in the paper bin? What about those plastic pastry dishes, what should we do with those?

Starbucks is an enormous company with a social conscience. Doing things like placing labeled recycling bins in stores would be a helpful way for customers to do the right thing.

It just so happens that now you can push Starbucks to improve their in-store eco-efforts. The company has started a website call My Starbucks Idea where you can submit your ideas and vote on the ideas of others.

To vote for eco-friendly programs click HERE. You'll have to set-up an account, but its totally worth it. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment you'll get when you see green progress being made in your local Starbucks!

Rocket Fuel in Drinking Water to Stay

Believe it or not, toxic rocket fuel is leaking into drinking water supplies around America. Perchlorate, as its technically called, has been found in water samples in 395 sites in 35 states. The level of perchlorate is high enough in these samples to affect thyroid function and to pose developmental health risks, specifically for babies and the unborn. 

While this might sound shocking to you, the Environmental Protection Agency is not concerned. They have written a draft regulatory document that expresses their refusal to regulate the presence of perchlorate in drinking water. 

According to the EPA document, mandating perchlorate clean-up would not result in a "meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by public-water systems." This conclusion has already been questioned by both Democrats and environmentalists. 

Some believe the reason the EPA has refused to regulate perchlorate is because the Defense Department is largely responsible for the drinking water contamination. Perchlorate was used for decades in testing missiles and rockets, according to Congressional investigators. If the EPA set a national drinking water standard that required costly clean-up efforts, the Defense Department could face liability. 

The Defense Department denies that they intervened in the EPA's decision and insists that the high levels of perchlorate comes from fireworks, road flares and fertilizer. 

Perchlorate is more problematic in California and the Southwest, where its been discovered in the Colorado River, a water source for 20 million people. While the EPA fails to act on rocket fuel in drinking water, California and Massachusetts have set a drinking water standard greatly limiting the amount of acceptable perchlorate contamination. 

Read more HERE. 

Boxed Wine: Good for the Environment

The New York Times is reporting today that Italy's Agriculture Ministry has approved the use of its "Quality Assurance Stamp" on some boxed Italian wines. This is in response to a growing trend around the world of moving to boxed wines for environmental reasons.

Boxed wines are not new, they've been around for more than three decades. They are popular in Australia and France, but they have failed to catch on in the United States. With consumers and businesses thinking more about their carbon footprints, it may not be long before boxed wine is more common in America.

Those heavy glass bottles used to transport wine is difficult to ship because it is delicate and does not make the best use of space. According to the Times, a 750 mL bottle of wine generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon dioxide during its journey from California to New York. A 3 liter box, by comparison, uses half the amount of carbon dioxide of a 750 mL bottle. If 97% of wine consumed in the United States was switched to box packaging, two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced each year, the equivalent of taking 400,000 cars off the road.

There are some other benefits associated with boxed wines. For example, if you have a hard time finishing a bottle of wine (you lightweight) boxes keep wine fresh for about four weeks longer than a bottle.

Some California wine makers are beginning to embrace the boxed wine movement. Hopefully Italy's seal of approval will make this eco-friendly option more palatable in the U.S.

To read the full New York Times story on boxed wine, click HERE.

Water from the Air and Power from the Sun

You probably have a water cooler in your office that people use as an excuse to get out of their cubicle and wander around. All of those unnecessary trips to get water add up and over time your office (and all the world's offices) go through an alarming amount of water that has to be shipped in.

Imagine if your water cooler made its own water and did so using solar power. Imagine no more. Kilmatec has created a water cooler that combines a dehumidifier with a series of filters that can collect five gallons of water from the air in 24 hours. Once the water is filtered, it is very drinkable.

In addition to providing free water collected from the air, Kilmatec offers a solar panel option that allows the machine to operate on completely renewable energy. This is especially helpful if there is an emergency and your office or home runs out of clean water and electricity.

This new machine even has hot and cold water spouts.

Unfortunately, Kilmatec hasn't released a price for the cooler. To read more, click HERE

No Cook Recipes = Cooler Kitchen

As it heats up outside, you are probably looking for any way to keep your home cool. With electricity prices on the rise any break from cranking up the air conditioning would be great too. 

To help you out, Real Simple magazine and MSNBC have a few "no cook" recipes on their website to make summer a little more survivable. These recipes are also great for bringing with you to a potluck summer get together because you don't have to warm them up.

Check the recipes out HERE

Red, White, Blue and Green - An Eco-Friendly 4th

Avoiding the crowds at a theme park or fireworks show and attending a backyard party is my favorite way to celebrate Independence Day. In the heat of summer and with the constant shuffle, its great to relax with friends.

If you're thinking of throwing a party at home for the 4th, here are a couple easy tips on how to keep it a little greener this year.

• Use Reusable Dishes: Your impulse is to buy paper plates, but using your own plates (and borrowing a few) will save money and reduce waste.
  
• Buy Organic: For the watermelon, strawberries and peaches you'll be serving with your BBQ, try to choose organic so it (and the earth) will be free of pesticides and chemicals. Don't forget to buy organic beer too (click HERE)
• Encourage Recycling: If you are serving drinks in cans or bottles, make sure a recycling bin is convenient so your guests can easily toss their empty containers into the bin.
  
• Go Big: Rather than buying individual packages of food or drinks, buy bigger bags and bottles that can be poured into bowls or pitchers. This way you reduce waste.
• Keep Guests Outside: Barring a thunderstorm or a heat wave, its best to keep your guests outside during your 4th of July party. Having people go in-and-out all day will waste air conditioning, thereby wasting electricity. Put up your own, or borrowed, umbrellas, covers, tents and fans to control the heat. When guests have to use the restroom, choose one for public use and keep the A/C vents on the path to that bathroom closed, while the doors to the other rooms are shut so no air conditioning can leak out.
  
• Avoid Fireworks: You can see the reasons why HERE. Instead, get noisemakers, pinatas, etc. or start a bonfire.
  

Have lots of fun celebrating your independence!

A $480 Bottle of Water

Bottled water has been around for a long time. The initial stigma attached to buying overpriced bottles of a free product has worn off and now its a regular accessory. But as a Washington Post story explains, both traditional and luxury bottled waters are rarely better than the tap.

"Concentrated water" from Hawaii is currently selling for $33.50 for a two-ounce bottle. The secret of the concentrated desalinated seawater is that it must be mixed with...water. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, a Tennessee water company called BlingH20 is selling a special edition bottle of its water for $480. That is a million times more expensive than tap water.

These are ridiculous examples of a larger trend that shows bottled water companies trying to make their product into a premium good described as substantially better your tap water. Some are even creating terminology like "mouth feel" to attach a wine like experience to drinking their product.

The reality is that in many taste tests, people cannot differentiate between tap water and bottled water. In fact, water from Dasani and Aquafina actually is tap water that has experienced additional filtering and purification just to make the clean water seem cleaner (and more marketable).

There is a perception that water from far away is somehow better than water acquired nearby. Of course this idea means using fuel, packaging and manufacturing to unnecessarily bring a product across the country, or the planet, when it could be easily acquired in your own kitchen. Think of the carbon emitted just to create and ship the petroleum based plastic bottles filled with heavy water.

If you'd like to read the results of a Case Western Reserve University experiment that tested the differences between bottled and tap water, go HERE. To read the full Washington Post story go HERE. To find some earth friendly reusable water bottles go HERE.

Organic Beer for Your 4th of July Party

Rather than working, I'm guessing you're putting together your grocery list for Friday's 4th of July BBQ. Of course you can't celebrate American independence without drinking American beer. This year, celebrate American ingenuity as well by picking up some organic brews. Below is a guide to some of the best from The Daily Green.

• Eel River Brewing Company: Based out of Scotia, California, this brewer was the first to be certified organic in the US. The brewery is in a building formerly used as a lumber mill and uses leftover wood chips, bark and other organic matter for energy. They sell a wide range of beers including blondes and I.P.A.'s. You can visit their website HERE.

• Wolaver's Certified Organic Beer: One of the country's original organic brewers, this Vermont beer maker focuses on sustainability from the beginning of the brewing process to the end. The by-product of their brewing is even donated to local dairy farms to be used as cattle feed. They sell ales, porters, lagers and seasonal brews. Check them out HERE.
  

• Butte Creek Brewing: If you want to buy a beer that gives more than a buzz, check out Butte Creek Brewing. In addition to using organic methods, the brewery donates a portion of its proceeds to restoring the Chinook salmon population that has badly dwindled. They sell a porter, pale ale and a pilsner. Their website is HERE.
  

• Peak Organic: Peak is a brand I've seen around Washington, DC. It is a Portland, Maine brewing company that not only uses organic hops, barley and malt in their beer but also infuses local maple syrup in some brews. The brewery began in 1998 with a home beer making kit and has expanded into a great variety of beers including an amber, nut brown ale, maple oat ale and a summer blend. Click HERE for their site.
  

• Lakefront Brewery: Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a long beer tradition that now includes an organic brewer in Lakefront Brewery. The beer is largely distributed throughout the Midwest but is also available at the Whole Foods in Georgetown in DC. They have some unique brews, including a British-style bitter and a gluten free option. Find out where the beer is available by clicking HERE.
  

Don't forget to keep a recycling bin out for your guests so you can easily recycle all those glass beer bottles.

The Milk Jug Gets a New Eco-Design

You know eco-living has reached saturation point in our society when Wal-Mart and Costco are selling milk in new, environmentally friendly jugs.

This is exactly what is happening at the massive chain stores. The New York Times reports today that the experimental milk jug will cut labor, fuel and carbon costs while keeping milk fresher longer at a lower price.

Many customers are complaining about the new jugs because they require a "rock and pour" technique instead of the traditional "lift and tip." The jugs don't have spouts and newbies tend to spill milk all over during their first attempts.

Packaging and business experts say that consumers need to get used to changes in traditional food packaging as grocery stores attempt to cut energy and shipping costs everywhere. These new milk jugs can be shipped in a more efficient manner that cuts labor costs in half and reduces water usage by 60-70%. In addition, the improved shape and more efficient shipping means milk can go from cow to store in a few hours as opposed to a full day.

Consumers should be happy about the changes because they mean lower grocery costs (the new milk container costs 10 to 20 cents less), fresher food and better environmental standards.

To read the full New York Times article, go HERE.

Green DC: Local Green Buying Guide

This post is part of a weekly feature where we will focus on events and issues, related to the environment, happening in our own back yard of Washington, DC. Come back next Wednesday for another post.

I've tried to list many of the eco-friendly places to shop in DC in the past. The website Gridskipper.com has also taken a shot at listing DC's green shopping sites. However, being a green consumer incoporates so many different factors that its nearly impossible to list every local farmers market, thrift store, organic market, fair trade shop, vegan restaurant, etc., in town.

So rather than waste perfectly good blog space trying to list all these green locations in DC, I'm going to rely on the New American Dream's Green Guide to DC.

This guide is essential for living and contributing to the DC community. It is a great resource on all of the local farmers markets, book stores, gardens, repair shops, flea markets and more. The guide also includes websites and contact information for several local community organizations or resources.

In addition to all the above-mentioned information, the New American Dream surveyed 50 businesses in Northwest DC communities and compared their performance in three categories 1)Save, 2)Local, and 3)Green. They then list not only the scores and rankings of these businesses so you know which is being a good neighbor.

I really could go on and on about this guide. It is very intuitive with lots of facts about the benefits of buying local and buying green. If you want to view the most comprehensive green guide to Washington, DC just click HERE.

As an aside, guides are also available for Nashville, Meadville, PA, Brooklyn and Wolfeboro, NH.

Grilling Green

Spring is fully upon us and in one month it will be summer time. That means its time to get back to the great American tradition of weekend grilling. I've already smelled that enticing aroma of sizzling barbecues around my neighborhood.

If you're looking to turn your backyard BBQ into a green occasion, follow the tips below for Treehugger.com

1. Choose locations accessible to public transport. Encourage all those who come to take transit, carpool, ride their bikes or walk to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestions.

2. Smoke contributes to smog. Avoid charcoal and wood grills in favour of propane to reduce air pollution. Avoid lighter fluid which releases Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs which are hazardous to health.

3. Use reusable dishes rather than plastics or styrofoam and washable napkins rather than paper.. If you must use disposables, use compostable plates, cups and utensils.

4. Shop greener to reduce waste especially of packaging. Avoid single serving products. Buy in bulk and larger containers. For drinks buy recyclable containers rather than juice boxes which are not recyclable in SF.

5. After the barbecue, recycle the recyclables and put the compostable items including paper in the green bin.

6. It is suggested that leftover food should be sent home with people in reusable containers or given to the food bank if larger quantities are leftover.

More Baby Bottle Fears

A story published in the Washington Post on April 26th confirmed what I had posted in THIS entry a few weeks ago, that bisphenol A (BPA) may be more of a threat to our health than the government will admit.

BPA is a chemical used to manufacture several plastic products ranging from baby bottles to eyeglasses. For years, several studies have shown that the chemical can have a variety of negative health impacts like breast cancer, prostate cancer, reproductive health problems and behavior disorders on laboratory rats.

From 1997 - 2005, 116 studies were conducted to uncover possible health issues associated with BPA. Many of these studies specifically focused on the impact even a small amount of BPA exposure could cause. Of these 116 studies conducted by objective government scientists, 90% showed a negative health effect associated with exposure to BPA.

The question posed in the Washington Post story is this: If 90% of government studies show a link between health disorders and exposure to BPA, why does the FDA approve of BPA's inclusion in consumer products like baby bottles?"

The answer is that the FDA doesn't rely on objective government studies for its regulatory decision-making. Instead, it relies on the industry's studies. The same industry that gains monetarily by continuing to include BPA in its products is providing research results for the FDA.
This odd relationship between a federal regulatory agency, and the industries it is required to regulate, is not unusual. According to David Michaels a former regulator in the Clinton administration, this type of relationship is the same used by the tobacco industry to slow regulation of its products.

"If you fight the science, you're able to postpone regulation and victim compensation, as well. As in this case, eventually the science becomes overwhelming. But if you can get five or 10 years of avoiding pollution control or production of chemicals, you've greatly increased your product."

Of course the industry and the FDA see the situation differently. The industry defends its studies and says they uphold the highest standards when investigating their products. The FDA says its the responsibility of the industry to prove the products are safe and that the agency provides instructions on the way these studies are carried out.

What is interesting, however, is that of all the industry-funded studies released, none show any connection between BPA and negative health effects. In addition, these industries have hired very powerful lobbying/PR/law firms to manage any fallout associated with their unusual relationships with the FDA. The Weinberg Group is a firm that has its own scientists and lawyers and has represented corporations who produce Agent Orange, tobacco and teflon. They are currently representing plastics manufacturers who use BPA and have used strong-arm tactics to influence federal agencies in the past.

This controversial situation hasn't been ignored by Congress. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) has requested documents from the Weinberg Group that show their intervention with federal government decision-making. After information was unearthed that industry research groups in Virginia were covering up facts that showed BPA could cause cancer or premature puberty, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) launched investigations that ended contracts between the feds and these groups.

If you'd like to read the full Post article, click HERE.

NBC News - Pacific Salmon Disappearing Fast

An order issued by fishing authorities prohibits any fishing of Pacific Salmon because stocks have declined drastically over the past few years for an unknown reason. Several theories have been suggested ranging from ocean temperature warming to disease. Whatever the cause, there is serious fear that the Pacific Salmon is quickly facing possible extinction.

Watch the story below.

Baby Bottles: Glass vs. Plastic

An article in today's Washington Post discusses a growing movement among new parents away from plastic bottles in favor of glass bottles for their babies. In general, choosing almost anything over plastic is better for the environment, but in the context of baby bottles, this is especially true.

According to the Post article, "Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a manmade chemical used in polycarbonate plastic, the material used to make most baby bottles and other shatterproof plastic food containers. Americans are widely exposed to BPA, but opinions on its safety are mixed.",

While the Food & Drug Administration currently approves of BPA in combination with food sources, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is slightly more apprehensive about BPA. Some studies show that the chemical has negative impacts on rat reproductive systems. Until additional tests can be preformed, the CDC is not fully supportive of BPA in baby bottles.

The Washington Post interviewed pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, author of "Raising Baby Green." Dr. Greene said that he cannot assure the parents of his patients that plastic bottles containing BPA are safe for babies. He goes on to say that he would use glass bottles for his own children.

All of this talk about plastic bottles and baby health has lead to a sharp increase in the sale of glass bottles. Current sales of glass bottles at Babies 'R' Us increased five fold in 2007. Baby bottle manufacturer Dr. Brown has begun manufacturing glass bottles after exclusively selling a polycarbonate bottle for a decade.

Keep in mind that glass bottles are recyclable and are not made using petroleum or toxic chemicals. Plastic bottles cannot necessarily make the same claim.

To read the full Post article go HERE

To buy Dr. Brown's glass bottles go HERE

Whole Foods Ditches Plastic & So Can You

Whole Foods has decided that it will no longer use plastic bags to package your groceries at the check-out lane. Their reason for doing this is simple. Plastic bags are bad for the earth.

Why? Plastic bags are made using petroleum. You probably know that burning petroleum releases carbon dioxide into the air. It is believed that the release of carbon dioxide is the cause of global climate change. Petroleum is also difficult to obtain and requires political relationships with nefarious nations. Plastic bags do not break-down in the dump and the cost of recycling them is actually more than the cost of manufacturing a new one.

Whole Foods isn't the first group to quit using plastic bags. The Chinese government passed a ban last year because of the environmental damage and lifespan of plastic bags. Other countries and some of our states have considered a similar ban.

Whole Foods will begin cutting out plastic bags on April 22nd in commemoration of Earth Day. To prepare, begin collecting any cloth bags you might have around your house. If you don't have any cloth bags or if you'd like some bags specifically for grocery shopping, you can buy some HERE. Keep some bags in your trunk, at work, and maybe in your purse.

You will feel great knowing you are reducing our country's reliance on oil and helping to keep plastic bags out of garbage dumps or nature. Plus, cloth bags are more reliable and tough. So when Whole Foods makes the change-over on April 22nd, make sure you do too!

Wine With Shades of Green

Who doesn't love a nice glass of wine while sitting with friends after a long work week? For many, there is great anxiety associated with choosing the right wine when having guests over. So many pieces go into consideration: region, vintage, variety, winemaker, etc. I bet there is a piece you have overlooked on many occasions when choosing the perfect wine; the green piece.

I'm not trying to make your wine selection process more difficult by adding another factor for consideration. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to make things easier. A "green" wine will be a conversation starter and might encourage others to mimic your environmental consciousness.

What should you look for when choosing an eco-friendly wine?

• Buy Local: Buying local is a good idea whether you are purchasing wine, food, or anything else. It cuts down on shipping waste and fuels small businesses. In the context of wine, a local wine can be less expensive. In addition, many wine shop owners have more experience with local wines and can provide more thorough reviews than they can with non-local wines. Even stores like Whole Foods sell wines from your community. If you want to meet the wine-makers themselves, local wines offer the opportunity to tour the vineyard or ask questions directly at a farmers' market.
  

• Buy Organic: Buying organic wine has become a little more confusing than it use to be. The USDA recently released standards for organic label products. For a wine to be truly organic, it must be made from organically grown grapes AND be free of sulfates. Very few wines meet both standards. You should look for wines from grapes grown organically because this cuts down on pesticides and toxic fertilizers that infect ground-water supplies and poison lakes and rivers. If you would like a full explanation of the difference between conventional and organic viticulture go HERE. If you are looking for wines from organically grown grapes go HERE.

• Buy Boxed: Many readers will think I should be shot for even suggesting that you purchase boxed wine. Other readers will squeal with joy that they can serve boxed wine with some political correctness. Boxed wines that are made of "Tetra Paks" have a reduced amount of green house gas emissions than glass bottles of wine and require less energy to ship. Avoid those single-serving boxed wines though because they require more packaging for less product. Make sure that when you choose to drink boxed wines, you do it responsibly: recycle the box.
  

What is Fair Trade & Organic Coffee?

If you visit Starbucks on a regular basis, you've probably noticed the option to buy organic or fair trade coffee. Most people probably know what organic means, and many are vaguely aware of what fair trade means, but how are these words applied to coffee?

Fair trade coffee is actually a certification that is granted by TransFair USA. The program is designed to allow farmers in developing countries access to consumer markets where coffee is in demand. Farmers are often trained on coffee production and are paid a fair wage for their products so they can improve their living conditions and those of their community.

As part of the deal, Fair Trade farmers must agree to use environmentally sustainable practices when growing their products. Some of these practices include interplanting crop species to improve soil condition, improving water conservation, and prohibiting crops in conservation areas. In addition, high labor standards are required for farmers to earn the Fair Trade label for their products. The Fair Trade process prevents abuse of farmers by middlemen by connecting growers with sellers directly.

Organic coffee means that the coffee was grown without using chemicals, pesticides, and toxic fertilizers. Although it is unanimously agreed that these pollutants do not survive the roasting process to reach your body, they are extremely hazardous to the water bodies and drinking water supplies. The additional nutrients and toxins often find their way into lakes, rivers and oceans to poison fish & plant species. Plus, it is unhealthy for farmers and laborers to be exposed to these toxic fertilizers and pesticides.

There is another category for coffee called "Shade grown." Shade grown coffee is grown under the canopy of tree branches in areas where the soil is appropriate for plant growth. Believe it or not, all coffee was once grown in the shade. Coffee plants are a shade loving shrub that, until 25 years ago, grew naturally in areas under tree limbs. Farmers have genetically modified coffee plants so they can grow in full sunlight to provide better yields. This has resulted in the complete clearing of tree covered areas in favor of flat, treeless rows of shrubs.

There are many more benefits to growing coffee in the shade. For one, it benefits migratory bird species who rely on the forest areas for temporary housing during their migration. In fact, over the past 25 years, migratory bird species who rely on just such forests have declined in population by 50% as trees have been cleared for more non-shade grown coffee. Also, taste is improved when coffee is grown in the shade. Less coffee beans grow per plant, increasing flavor concentration and reducing the bitterness.

If you are interested in buying organic, fair trade, and/or shade grown coffee, there are plenty of places in your community that sell it. But if you want to buy it online, look HERE.

Growing Vegetables in the City

Being an urban dweller sometimes means sacrificing the plants and open spaces of a more rural community. Of course, living in an apartment also means avoiding the pain and annoyance of working in the yard. It is possible to satisfy your need for greenery and growing your own vegetables, all from the convenience of your apartment window.

Many species of plants and vegetables grow quickly and easily from above ground pots located on widow sills. The key is to know where to start.

First, make sure you are using 4" plants. If you visit your local nursery, you can find plenty of different options in this size category. The most popular choices are cucumbers, peppers, beans, lettuce, eggplant, squash, radishes, parsley and tomatoes.

Second, choose the right size pot for your 4" plants. Some plant species, like green onions, parsley and herbs can survive in smaller pots of 6 to 10 inches. Vegetable species thrive in 5 gallon containers. Radishes and beets can be grown in flat cake pans.

Third, prepare the pot. Place rocks at the bottom of your pot, over the drainage holes, to ensure that water drains out slowly and the soil is able to properly absorb water. Put a combination of compost, slow-release fertilizer and soil in the pot. Arrange the plants in your pots and pack the soil tightly around them. Water the plants well and place them on your window sill.

Fourth, water your plants everyday. Avoid getting the plant leaves wet, this may invite disease. Mix a nutrient solution into your water 6 days a week. Provide plenty of light for your plants. The vegetables are going to require far more light than any of the other plants. Lettuce, onions, parsley and radishes can tolerate more shade.

The table below breaks down some of the essential factors in choosing plants, pots and areas for your project. You can also check THIS site and THIS site for more information.

Crop	Number of days for germination	General size of container	Amount of light required	Number of days from seeding to harvest
Beans	5-8	Medium	Sun	45-65
Cucumbers	5-8	Large	Sun	50-70
Eggplant	8-12	Large	Sun	90-120
Lettuce, leaf	6-8	Medium	Partial shade	45-60
Onions	6-8	Small	Partial shade	80-100
Parsley	10-12	Small	Partial shade	70-90
Pepper	10-14	Large	Sun	90-120
Radish	4-6	Small	Partial shade	20-60
Squash	5-7	Large	Sun	50-70
Tomato	7-10	Large	Sun	90-130

Subway Takes the Challenge

I have blogged in the past about eating fast food and staying green at the same time. It may seem tough, but by parking your car rather than waiting in the drive-thru lane, taking only those supplies (i.e. napkins, bags, lids, containers, etc.) that you truly need, and staying away from Styrofoam, you can really reduce your impact while you eat fast.

Now Subway is making it a little easier to stay green when you eat in a hurry. First, Subway has moved storage locations closer to its restaurants to reduce fuel consumption by 1.6 million gallons annually. Second, Subway has announced that it will start buying cutlery that is made from polypropylene rather than polystyrene. The change in materials for Subway's annual order of 400,000 forks & knives will result in 2,800 barrels of oil saved/year and 1,200 metric tons less carbon dioxide in the air. Third, Subway's cups will also change to polypropylene which will mean 515,000 less pounds of resin used each year.

In addition, Subway is experimenting with green restaurants via a Kissimmee, Florida location that utilizes a multitude of green technology. LED lighting, low-flow water fixtures, light sensors in bathrooms, passive cooling, and variably controlled ovens should help the restaurant lower its electricity usage considerably while improving overhead costs in the long run.

Whole Foods Bag Discount

Just a quick note to discuss something that happened to me this weekend.

I was at Whole Foods shopping for all the Thanksgiving fixings. When it came time to check out, I handed my cloth bags to the cashier as I always do. This time, however, she counted out the bags and entered the number into her register. Then, a magical thing happened, it deducted money from my bill!

It was like 7 cents/bag, but still! I don't know how long this program has been in effect, but it was very rewarding. Thanks Whole Foods.