Friday, April 30, 2010

Dubious green products.

Laundry brands including Ariel and Persil are misleading consumers with unsubstantiated eco claims, according to a Which? report. The report by the consumer watchdog found that almost half of the 14 laundry, toilet cleaner and nappy brands surveyed made environmental claims that could not be supported convincingly. All the toilet cleaners in the report including Tesco’s Naturally brand and Sainsbury’s Cleanhome brand and Green Force cleaners were criticised for making unproven claims. Tesco’s Naturally toilet cleaner claims that it contains no phosphates and leaves no hazardous chemical residues, but non-eco cleaners do not either. Which? says Tesco has agreed to change its packaging as a result of the report.

Ariel and Persil laundry detergents both carry a logo that implies the products encourage greener behaviour but the report found that it was unclear what environmental issues it relates to. Products targeting green consumers have a responsibility to be clear and unambiguous; while claims may be scientifically proven, the evidence has to be accessible to the average consumer. Here we are, trying to do good for the world but there are people who are trying to take advantage of those who care. Seriously guys. Have we humans lost respect for each other and just see one another as walking, talking money signs?

Tip of the day: Get spotless windows by mixing 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and dispense into a used spray bottle. Squirt on, then scrub with newspaper, not paper towels, which cause streaking.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

So eco-friendly....

An eco resort in Cambodia, construction of which involved the removal of swaths of trees and the building of a road in forest land, has been cancelled, according to the Phnom Penh Post.

The Sar Lar Investment company had already spent US$2 million of the total projected US$6 million project budget clearing forest and constructing a road to develop the Bou Sra Waterfall Eco Resort in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, before pulling out of the project because of "capital concerns," the paper reported.

One of the largest waterfalls in Cambodia, the Bou Sra site is popular with tourists and has seen an increase in visitors over the last year, but the area only has one guest house and various stores. Located in the country's south east, the site is about a 45 minute drive from the city of Sen Monorom, around 400 km from the capital Phnom Penh.

They decided to stop the project investment on March 20 because the housing development business of Okhna Sar Lar in Phnom Penh cannot sell anything. That is why they don’t have enough of a budget to continue the project. They have already completed a garden and a set of stairs down to the Bou Sra waterfall from the top. For now, the Mondulkiri Tourism Department will take care of the site until another investor comes along. As for when that will be, it is unclear. It is also uncertain how much of the forest has been cut down, and what will happen to that land if no new investors are found. Cambodia.com made mention of the planned resort before it was cancelled, saying Sar Lar Investment Co "has assured nearby villagers that the five-year project will not be disruptive to the environment as no forests are to be cut down for the development. Instead, Sar Lar hopes to make it an ecotourist undertaking which will create around 100 jobs for the ethnic minorities." Seriously guys, which part of it is eco-friendly?

Unless they revamp an old resort into an eco-friendly one then it'll be understandable but clearing away trees.. Maybe they should just replant trees there.

Tip of the day: Reduce your paper mail by opting to receive your newsletters or bills by email. You will definitely save loads of paper!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Check it before you buy it.

The government in Seoul will be tightening its inspection on eco-friendly farm products sold on the market to better meet consumer demand for safe food.

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service said the measure is aimed at fighting a steady rise in products that fail to meet set standards for residual pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Last year, the state-run body checked 13,444 products that have received so called green certificates and found problems in 391, up from 184 detected in 2007 when 9,353 products were checked randomly. Products with "green" certificate, which South Korea have been issuing since 2001, are in high demand and fetch higher prices on the market than ordinary agricultural goods and those imported abroad. Those that fail to meet quality control standards will be barred from using the certificates in the future. In serious cases, tougher administrative measures may be taken.

Information on farms that raise certified eco-friendly products will be posted on the internet (www.enviagro.go.kr) so consumers can check the products they are buying. It is sad knowing that there are people who are exploiting "green products", because they are taking advantage of the green consumers like you and me who buy these products because we actually care for the Earth and our health.

Tip of the day: Please check the products first, whether it is an authentic green product, before purchasing. If you do find a fake green products do let us know :)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Top 10 Green apps!!

Hello everyone! Hope you guys had a good weekend! I didn't do much as my Baby Boy was and is not feeling too good. Teething baby.... So I made a list of the top 10 Green apps for you guys to check out :)

1. Animal-Free (Free)
Animal-Free is a pocket reference guide for many common and hidden animal ingredients. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, part-time veg or simply trying to shop veg-friendly, this app by Symbiotic Software will help you make conscientious shopping decisions. New vegans will appreciate the list of commonly misunderstood or unfamiliar vegan ingredients that will help expand your dietary horizons.

2. CraigsMobileList (99 cents)
Is there anything greener than CraigsList? Yep, CraigsMobileList allows you to search, browse, post and respond to ads on your iPhone.
You also can track items you need, are donating or selling. Version 2.0 is a complete overhaul of the original, including a groundbreaking housing-search interface.

3. Cruelty Free (Free)
This handy shopping app is your guide to cruelty-free cosmetics, personal care and household products. Created by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, Cruelty Free lists over 200 U.S. and Canadian companies that don't test ingredients, formulations or finished products on animals.

4. Gorgeously Green Survival Guide (99 cents)
The Gorgeously Green Survival Guide is a quick reference for busy women. Developed by bestselling author Sophie Uliano, Gorgeously Green guides you through the confusion of shopping for eco-friendly choices. One of the best features is the ability to create convenient and helpful shopping lists for everything from lip sticks to light bulbs.

5. Greenpeace Tissue Guide (Free)
The Greenpeace Tissue Guide allows you to make informed decision when shopping for recycled tissue and toilet paper. Experts have rated more than 100 brands as "recommended," "could do better" and "avoid!"

6. Soleil Organics (99 cents)
Now here's a handy little app. Soleil Organics tells you when you should splurge on organics and when it's not worth the extra expenditure. This app also helps you unravel label terms to make informed decisions.

7. TheGoodGuide (Free)
GoodGuide helps you find safe, healthy and sustainable products while you shop. Simply scan the product's barcode to view detailed ratings for the health, environment and social responsibility of more than 65,000 products and companies.

8. Green Gas Saver (Free)
Green Gas Saver tells you when you're accelerating or taking a turn too fast, which can hinder your gas mileage. The idea behind the app is to keep the ball in the center of the screen. When you accelerate too quickly, the diameter of the ball increases and an alarm will sound, indicating you're accelerating too quickly. Green Gas also keeps a running score so you can see how well you're driving in real time. A few weeks with this app and driving efficiently will become ingrained.

9. Geocaching Toolkit (Free)
Geocaching, the green outdoors game of hiding and seeking treasures, has caught on throughout the world. Geocaching Toolkit guides players between locations with clues involving puzzles, calculations and projecting a new waypoint using distances and bearings. Sometimes the calculations are easy, but this toolkit can help when calculations become tedious.

10. Lonely Planet Travel Guides (Prices begin at 99 cents)
Lonely Planet Travel Guides are the guide of choice for many frugal and green travelers. Various apps provide paperless guides for both U.S. and international destinations. Some of the guides are buggy and need work, but Lonely Planet is working on updated versions. Tip: Read the reviews before buying.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

An Interesting Read :)

Commitment-phobes, get ready to take notes: according to the Eco-Love Survey recently conducted by Timberland, you've got a whole new category of breakup excuses at your disposal. Sure, he's tall, dark and handsome ... but he doesn't recycle? She's a high-powered blonde ... who litters? Back into the dating pool you go. In actuality, these aren't mere excuses, they're signs that environmental values are slowly trickling into yet another corner of our consciousness - the dating and mating corner. According to the Eco-Love Survey, green does matter when it comes to selecting a friend or partner:

* 56% of those surveyed wouldn't date a litter bug
* 24% would think twice about dating a non-recycler
* 20% wouldn't date the driver of a gas guzzler

The good news is, according to the 1,000 nationally representative Americans we surveyed, environmental responsibility is gaining traction as a positive character trait and something we consider when it comes to making decisions about the kind of people we want to spend time with in our personal lives. The not-so-good news is, it still doesn't matter a whole lot. When asked whether they believe environmentally-friendly women are more stylish, more sophisticated or more laid back than those who are not eco-friendly, the answer was a resounding "no", which leaves us with the mental image of an uptight, socially-inept and poorly dressed green girl, the stereotypical environmentalist you'd want as your lab partner but wouldn't dream of taking to the prom. Clearly, we've got a long way to go to bridge the gap between scorning the environmental despoilers and warmly embracing the eco-friendly. Is it that we need a better poster child for eco-chic? When asked which environmentally-friendly celebrity would most inspire them to go green, Cameron Diaz only garnered 27% of votes with Kate Hudson (26%) and Gwyneth Paltrow (21%) close behind. Is there some sort of gender bias, some kind of "guys don't make passes at girls who recycle glasses" thing going on? Sadly no, we can't even blame men for being the insensitive ones (this time). Nearly twice as many men as women surveyed believe eco-friendly girls make better life partners (24% vs. 14%).

It could just be that we're not ready to pair the notion of environmental responsibility with the "L" word because when the same survey participants were asked about the importance of eco-responsibility with no romantic strings attached, the results were a lot more encouraging. When asked which of the following environmental actions Americans need to take in the next year, they
said:

* Use energy efficient light bulbs (72%)
* Use non-toxic or non-chemical cleaners around the house (59%)
* Carpool, walk or ride bikes to work (57%)

As a company that's working hard to reduce our environmental footprint while engaging consumers who want to do the same, some of the survey results were disheartening but not enough to deter us from making beautiful (stylish, even!) durable, eco-conscious footwear for consumers who think that sort of thing matters (30%). As for the marriage between environmental values and romantic love, we'll continue to believe that that relationship, like any other, simply needs time to grow. And when it does, we'll be the first ones to throw recycled-compostable paper confetti at the happy couple.

By Margaret Morey-Reuner is the Senior Manager of Values Marketing for Timberland.

Tip of the day: Find a partner who is not really in to turning green and turn your partner into as eco-conscious individual.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

What will you be doing today?

I know for most of us, it is a working day so, us working people won't be able to go and celebrate Earth Day.

But that does not give us a reason to skip Earth Day altogether. So I suggest that we should bring Earth Day to work! Do something green at work today. Go paperless. Use less paper. Take the public transport. Walk. Cycle. Pack your own organic food. Do not do takeaway. Switch your PC or laptop off when you're in meetings or on your lunch break. Shop with your cloth bag. Bring your own reusable coffee cup when taking away your favourite coffee or latte. Make sure you switch off your electrical appliances from the main switch before leaving the house. Take a quick shower. Do not leave the tap running while brushing your teeth. Recycle. And the list goes on. So go ahead and influence your colleagues in going green! Remember to switch off the main switch by your desk as well before you head home.

Happy Earth Day!! :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Alternative climate summit in Bolivia

Environmental activists, indigenous leaders and Hollywood celebrities are gathering in Bolivia ahead of a self-styled global people's conference on climate change starting Tuesday. Thousands of attendees intend to highlight the plight of the world's poorest who they argue were largely ignored at the official United Nations sponsored summit in Copenhagen last December.

Critics say that the deal will not avert catastrophe and the "People's World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth Rights," which runs through Thursday, aims to draft new proposals for consideration at the next UN meeting in Mexico at the end of the year. Bolivia's UN ambassador, Pablo Solon, said the conference, which is expected to be attended by 18,000 people, is "the only way to get the climate change talks back on the track".

Developing nations have resisted a legally binding climate treaty, arguing that wealthy nations must bear the primary responsibility for climate change. Nearly 130 countries, including many of the world's poorest, will be represented at the Cochabamba conference, which symbolically reaches its climax on Earth Day. The conference will seek to refine proposals presented by Morales in Copenhagen that included the creation of a world tribunal for climate issues and a global referendum on environmental choices. Presidents Chavez and Morales were among the harshest critics of the December 2009 Copenhagen conference, arguing that developing countries were largely ignored in the debates. The conference begins the day after representatives from the world's leading economies gathered in Washington for a preparatory meeting ahead of the December UN summit in Cancun.

The US-led Major Economies Forum comprises 17 countries responsible for the bulk of global emissions and excludes smaller nations such as Sudan whose firebrand negotiators held up sessions at December's Copenhagen summit. Washington hopes the closed-door talks will allow key nations to quietly assess what they can achieve heading into the next major climate summit in December in Cancun.

Well, after the outcome of last year's summit in Copenhagen, let's see what will be achieved from this one. Heh. Hmmmmmm....

Monday, April 19, 2010

3 Days to Earth Day

There is 3 more days to go to Earth Day, the 22nd April 2010, so I've decided to list down some events that is connected to Earth Day in Singapore :)



1. The American Embassy will be holding a recycling programme on the 22nd April 2010, from 9.45 am til 3.45 pm. For more information, please visit their websites :)

2. Reupholstering furniture, held at the American Embassy as well on the 22nd April 2010, from 9 am til 4 pm. For more information, please visit their website :)

3. An Eco-Youth Concert will be held at Bishan Park, on the 24th April 2010, at 7.30 pm. This concert is brought to you by students from the ITE centre of the music and the arts. Admission is free :)

4. Avatar in Action - GOTO Book Exchange. "Give One, Take One" in short, all you need to do is bring your pre-owned book in order to exchange for another pre-owned book.

5. Greenridge Primary school will be collecting food waste (only apple and banana peel) on the 20th April 2010. To make fertilizers perhaps... ;)

6. Greenridge Primary School is collecting used cooking oil on the 27th of April. Please cool the oil, pour it in a plastic bottle and rinse the exterior with soap.

If you know of any green events pertaining to Earth Day please drop us a line :) Thank you

Tip of the day: You can recycle your paper towel and toilet roll cardboard tubes and use it as a cord organiser. Just roll up your electric cords and stuff it inside the tube :)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Plan your eco route no more :)

Thanks to Ford, you do not need to plan your eco-route on your own anymore :) Ford’s new map-based navigation system has three options: the fastest route, the shortest route and also the “Eco-Route.”

Drivers using a version of the MyFord Touch dashboard interface system, with SD-card-based mapping, will get a choice of three color-coded routes (with the eco-choice, in green). This version makes its debut this summer in the 2011 Ford Edge. Cars equipped with the system can access real-time traffic information from Sirius and then plot the greenest route to your destination, avoiding gridlocked roads. If real-time traffic information isn’t available, it relies on historic traffic data. It also looks at speed limits, and chooses the routes that give you consistent speeds. Ford said in testing,the Eco-Route yielded up to 15% fuel-economy improvements.

However, if the Eco-Route directed drivers onto highways with higher posted speed limits, it could cause them to go faster and actually affect fuel economy negatively. But then again, we probably do not have a need for that. The island is so small and our routes so straight forward that i do not think it matters hehe plus it is better for us to take the public transport :)

Tips of the day: Drive at a constant speed of 90 km/h in order to cut on emissions and save about 10% of your fuel bill.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Cycle for your meal :)

Crowne Plaza in Copenhagen is offering their hotel guests to cycle to produce electricity for the hotel on an exercise bike attached to a generator in exchange for a meal.

The whole plan is to get people fit and to reduce their carbon footprint :) So the guests have to produce at least 10 watt hours of electricity, which is roughly 15 minutes of cycling for someone of average fitness. The hotel already produces renewable energy with solar panels on its facade. Once they have produced the renewable energy, the guest will receive meal vouchers worth $36 or 26 euros. The bicycles will have iPhones attached to the handlebars to measure how much power is being generated for the hotel. The plan, the first in the world, will be launched on 19 April and will run for a year and is only for guests staying in the hotel. If this becomes successful, the electric bicycle programme will be extended to all Crowne Plaza hotels in the UK.

Maybe all exercise bikes in gyms, hotels or homes should be attached to a generator in order to produce their own electricity :)

Tip of the day: Make your own coffee cup sleeve by using your old denim. Measure your favourite take away cup and cut and sew your old denim cloth accordingly :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Walk on Glass!

A new type of pavement mix called filterpave is now available in the market.

This new pavement mix is made almost completely of recycled glass. The recycled glass is rolled to shave off sharp edges, mixed, poured and smoothed making both colourful and eco-friendly pavements. Sounds magical!!! Imagine when sunlight falls on it and all the colours it'll give off :)

Since it is twice as porous as concrete or asphault, and even though it is more expensive, with it being twice as porous means that it is actually the same price because you basically can use half as much :) The glass will absorb oils and things out of a car that is dripping and instead of staining the concrete and the oil running into the stream, it actually filters down into the glass so it will leak into the system instead of the stream.

More tests need to be done to see whether it can be used on major roadways, so for the time being Missouri will be using the eco-friendly warm-mix asphault on highways instead. Alot of emission is reduced because instead of heating normal asphault up to 300 degrees Farenheit, you only need to warm this eco-friendly one up.

Carbon Dioxide emissions will be reduced by 20-40%, Sulfur Dioxide by 20-35%, Carbon Monoxide by 10-30% Volatile Organic Compounds by 50% and Nitrous Oxides by 70%. The road last longer, it helps the environment and saves tax payers money! What more can you ask for!

Tip of the day: We live in the tropical region, which is very, very hot (and getting hotter). So wouldn't it make sense to shower in regular, tap water instead of switching on the heater and using warm water instead? You will definitely cool down and not feel so warm when you step out of the shower and won't be tempted to switch on the air-conditioning, right..

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Rice Husks Concrete?

Concrete made from rice husk and coal ash waste is being developed in a scheme to tackle climate change.

Traditional methods of concrete production release large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere so British and Indian researchers are working together on the scheme to cut the carbon footprint of concrete. The scale of the problems facing infrastructure development in India and the UK means that collaboration between a number of institutions is the only way to reach their goals. The researchers have been working as part of a UK-India Education & Research Initiative (UKIERI) project, led by the University of Dundee. A major component of traditional concrete is Portland cement but for every tonne of cement produced about one tonne of CO2 is released into the atmosphere. As a result concrete production amounts to approximately 5% of global CO2 emissions.

Concrete is the second most used material in the world after water, and so reducing the CO2 emissions produced by it could make a real difference to climate change. Rice husk is already used as a fuel in the boilers for the processing of paddy and for power generation. The ash of the rice husk (rice husk ash or RHA for short) is used as a super-pozzolan to make special concrete mixers. There are many uses for this RHA, such as green concrete, ceramic glaze, oil-spill absorbent, insulator, flame retardants, insecticide, bio-fertilizers and more.

I didn't know rice is super useful man! It's waste has more uses than human waste. Maybe we should make more studies on our waste (poo) to see what else we can use it for :) Well cow dung is used as a source of fuel..

Tip of the day: Have a quick or navy shower to save water. It is the
no.1 used material in the world so please save water and it is still wasted everyday! Or you can shower together with your partner. It helps saves water. Whatever works for you ;)

Monday, April 12, 2010

Eco friendly rebuilt for Cuba's disaster-hit homes

Hurricane Gustav slammed into the Cuban coastal town of Los Palacios in August, 2008, a dangerous category 4 storm.

It damaged 84 percent of the homes, many of them made of wood. Ten days later, Hurricane Ike tore across much of Cuba, dumping torrential rains on Los Palacios. And then in November, Paloma struck the island. The government put the combined damage at $10 billion. Now, a unique program helps victims re-build their lives and their homes. New houses have gone up all along the hurricane corridor in the western province of Pinar del Rio. Many of them are made entirely or partly of "eco-materials", local resources turned into construction materials at a low cost and all done in the community, which saves on their carbon footprint by transportation. After hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, CIDEM moves in quickly to set up mini-factories using its own low-tech machinery. In Los Palacios, CIDEM set up a mini-factory last year.

Five workers operate a simple contraption that uses vibrations to turn out blocks made from local gravel, sand and cement (sweet). The machine has the capacity to produce 1,200 blocks a day, that is equivalent to a house. In Cuba, the government works closely with CIDEM. They provide professionals to oversee the work and they guarantee hurricane victims paid leave from their jobs in order to rebuild houses. CIDEM has set up workshops in 18 countries in Latin America, five in Africa and most recently in Asia, with funding primarily from Switzerland and Canada.

The environment impact is about saving energy as little or no transportation is required to rebuild these houses, plus they recycle old materials :) Recycling is the way to go people!!!!!

Tip of the day: PLEASE SWITCH OFF you computer or laptop when you are done with it instead of leaving it idle or on sleep mode. You'll save lots of electricity and give your computer a rest too :) Peace.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Another Eco-Friendly Farming Neighbour

Hundreds of farmers in Klaten, Central Java, have converted from using chemical fertilizers and pesticides to organic ones.

At present, 75% use the organic fertilizers as part of their farming methods. The reason why they switched over is because chemical fertilizers is expensive and is harmful to people and the environment.

Concerned with the condition, Juwandi (leader of the Tani Mulyo farming group) and a number of community figures worked to develop an eco-friendly but profitable farming practice over the past year by joining the Tani Mulyo farming group. Assisted by bottled water producer Aqua and the Bina Swadaya NGO, they set up a lab last year to conduct tests as well as produce organic fertilizer from cattle and buffalo manure. After conducting tests for almost a year, they implemented the green farming method on seven of 85 hectares of rice fields at the end of last year with a mixed planting system, using 50 percent chemical and 50 percent organic fertilizers. Based on the harvest, production experienced between a 10 and 15 percent drop. A 1,700-square-meter plot using chemical fertilizer produced 0.85 tons of rice with a Rp 6,000-kilogram sale price, while the use of organic fertilizer produced 0.8 tons of rice at the higher Rp 7,000-kilogram sale price. There was not much difference in yield and the concern that the system would create a drop in the production by 30% was not proven so as many as 75% of the 450 farmers, who are grouped in the Tani Mulyo, are expected to apply for the eco-friendly planting pattern on about 85 hectares of their farmland by 2012.

So I say let's support these organic rice farmers by buying their products and eating them! It'll be better to if it's brown rice :) It is the healthier choice ;) Way to go Java!

Tips of the day: Support your local farmers and buy local products to cut down on your carbon footprint.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Lets Go Back To The Tiffin Wallah days!

Do you buy take away or pack lunch for yourself or your kids, in disposables? Well, maybe it's a time for a change!

Why not pack your lunch in a reusable lunch products? I know it is more convenient to use disposables, you just pack it and throw it when you're done.

But have you thought about the consequences of your actions? With plastic clogging up our rivers and oceans, and plus filling up the landfills, do you think these disposables are worth it? I think not.

So why not convert yourself to reusables. There are so many nice reusable lunch boxes now available in the market :) and seeing them makes me wanna buy all of them! Its sooooo nice! But I have to stop myself cos one is enough for the time being.. I'll be able to buy another set when my son starts school :) or as presents. I know in Singapore it is very seldom that we pack our lunches. Usually we eat out and these food places usually serve food in proper plates and utensils. But if you are the type who likes to control what you or your child eats, then please do convert to a reusable lunch box instead of disposables. It will save you money in the long run and you will be teaching your child and those around you a step in going green. If our grandparents or parents used to use the tiffins (the metal tins stacked on top of each other to transport food) then why can't we? Convenience is not the way unless it has a green purpose..

Tips of the day: Mentioned above :)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Convert your pet to a green one!

With "green" pet food, biscuits and other tasty treats available on many store shelves, pet owners now have a wide range of organic and earth-friendly options from which to choose.

But increasingly, owners are finding they can also make environmentally friendly choices that go beyond the food bowl with several new options available! The Good Dog Company makes leashes, collars, harnesses and toys with organic cotton and sustainable, natural hemp. Hemp is naturally hypoallergenic, anti-microbial so it's resistant to mold and mildew. Bowsers Pet Products manufactures a line of eco-friendly pet bed made out of polar fleece which is made from recycled plastic bottles and the foam is made from soy and is biodegradable. For dogs who want to beat the heat in an earth-friendly way, Gramercy Distribution, based in New York City, markets the Cool Vest. Unlike many other cooling vests, the product is not filled with chemical gels and requires no refrigeration. Maybe we people should get one ourselves! It'll be useful for those who can't stand the heat here!

Heh Heh Heh.. Well I don't feed my cats organic food as they don't like it but i do feed them dolphin safe food, so my conscious would be free from any guilt of accidentally killing a dolphin. So go ahead and try out organic food for your furry loved ones, who knows they might convert to a greener lifestyle ;)

Tips of the day: Try not to use tick and flea meds for your pet. It's bad for your pet's health as it depletes their immune system and we shouldn't be in contact with it anyway cos it is bad for us too.. Try adding Brewer's Yeast or Garlic to your pet's meal or use an essential oil to repel unwanted bugs :)

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Pest problems?

Some farmers in India are adopting eco-friendly methods to get rid of pests by using insect trappers instead of chemical pesticides.

The insect trapper has not only reduced their pesticide and labour expenditure, but also the use of strong chemicals in cultivation. The main advantage of this trapper is that it is more effective at night, as the light sliders attached to it attracts the insects, which cause them to fall into a bucket of water and diesel and subsequently die (even though they are insects, I somehow still feel their pain). It is a plus point using these trappers.

Your mind would be at ease that at least the farmed goods will be free of pesticides so you or your loved ones won't consume it but they can go one step farther by using natural fertilizers, example dung, instead of the chemically processed ones.. It will save them more money as well, as they have an abundance of cows grazing around :) If all farmers were to adopt eco-friendly methods of farming like this insect trapper, it will lessen the pollution and contamination of the Earth's soil and water..

Tips of the day: You can make your own fertilizers by using egg shells (dry it and crush them into powder, then sprinkle it on the soil) or you can sprinkle lime juice in the soil. Rabbit droppings work great as well! :)

Monday, April 5, 2010

Suffering from the Monday Blues?

Why not enjoy some eco-sex to wash away the blues :)

That's what Stephanie Iris Weiss book is called. Here are some tips from her book for the eco-friendly people who want to green up their sex life! Tip no.1: Have sex on a natural latex mattress. Not only is it more eco-friendly but it's also less bouncy :) Tip no.2: Use biodegradable or fair-trade condoms :) Tip no.3: Use organic aphrodisiacs (if u need to). Examples are avocado and chocolate for women and basil, bay leaf and cinnamon for the men :) Condoms usually get thrown in the toilet after use and ends up in the water system or worse the oceans which can cause danger to the marine life or sea birds. Throw them away responsibly. Have a guilt free pleasure! I'll probably get the book and see if there's any interesting tips in there :)

Tip of the day: Please refer to article above.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Loving the high life....

And not willing to let go of every goodness that comes with it?

Well there is one less thing that you have to do without in order to be green and that is the all time favourite of the elitists - CAVIAR. Greg Barker, the British MP for Bexhill and Battle, has revealed a financial interest in a British firm that produces ethical caviar in Latvia. Hey that rhymes.. Caviar in Latvia haha.

Ok, let us continue. So unlike traditional caviar, which is obtained by killing the ENDANGERED sturgeon, it is extracted by massaging it out of the live farmed fish which swim away when the process is complete. The sturgeon, which can live for the 35 years, then grow more eggs, 14 months later. Thats longer than the human reproductive cycle..

In addition to being less cruel, the technique helps to reduce the damage to wild sturgeon stocks. Over-fishing and poaching have devastated the traditional caviar fisheries in the Caspian Sea. The brand, Mottra (an ethical and sustainable business) was served at Tatler magazine's 300th anniversary party at the Frieze art fair. Penelope Cruz, the film star, has bought several pots from Harvey Nichols in London. Other fans of this ethical caviar include Rick Stein, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracy Emin. So enjoy your caviar, if it's from Mottra!

Tips of the days: Since it is the rainy season again here (well, it has been raining everyday), put your indoor plants out for some fresh, natural water. Your plants will definitely enjoy the outdoors more than the indoors.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Happy Easter

Hey peeps :) Just wanna wish everyone a lovely Good Friday and enjoy the long weekend ahead! For those who are planning to go away for the weekend, why not head somewhere nearby to lessen your carbon footprint. Head down to Sentosa or have a picnic on rustic Pulau Ubin, or take a boat down to check out Batam or head to the resort island of Bintan. Take a drive down to Malaysia and enjoy the seafood there.. I am just gonna stay home with my baby boy and enjoy some home-made chicken rice.. Yum Yum! Remember, think green, be green..

Thursday, April 1, 2010

How the Swedes keep themselves warm :)

There's a town in beautiful Sweden that uses a very interesting way to keep themselves warm during their very cold cold winter.

The people in Halmstad, Sweden uses the heat from burning bodies to keep themselves nice and warm! Don't worry, they're not ruthless killers. It's from the crematorium. Cremation of human remains can release toxins, like mercury from dental fillings, so the filtration of off-gases is very, very important. In order to effectively clean the emitted gases, they have to be cooled from 1000°C to under 150°C. Recovery of this heat for warming first the crematorium buildings and later the public heating system will save costs and use less water as well.

Heating is one of the biggest perpetrators of energy guzzling and carbon emissions in any house that needs it. Instead of having people paying so much for fossil fuel heat, why waste all that heat when people can reuse it to heat up their loving homes :)

Tip of the day: Or if you live alone with your partner, you can always keep each comfortably warm by stripping down to nothing and using your body warmth ;) But please remember to cover your windows with your curtains. You wouldn't want to be labeled as an exhibitionist or have peeping-toms hanging around. The first you'll save money on electricity and the latter as well, plus more! That is for the colder climates. For us people living on this hot hot island of Singapore, instead of blasting the air-conditioner to -10°C (that is sarcasm) or a more likely 18°C, just use less clothes or thin ones when you sleep and you can put the air-con up at a comfortable 24°C or just the old mighty fan :)