Vacation :)

Hello everyone! Sorry for the sudden disappearance. I decided to pack up and visit my relatives in Germany so I'll be updating the blog with interesting and quirky eco news again in about 2 weeks time when I'm back on the island :) Remember that every little effort counts!!

An update on the Gulf oil spill

Chemical dispersants is being used to fight the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, only as long as their environmental benefits outweigh the costs. I wonder what they mean by it. Let's take a look at the cause and effect of this answer of theirs.

Environmental concerns of dispersants:
The primary ecological concern associated with dispersants is their ability to enhance the effective toxicity of oil via the dispersion process. Dispersants are able to enhance the distribution and movement of not just oil fractions, but also its more toxic, soluble, and mobile aromatic components, said an information sheet sent to Bellona Web by Richard Charter, a foremost expert on marine biology and oil spills who is a senior policy advisor for Marine Programmes for Defenders of Wildlife and is chairman of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. Dispersants transfer oil from the water surface into the water column, and while decreasing exposure to oil for surface dwelling organisms, such as seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles, it increases the exposure for the water column’s communities of fish, eggs and larvae as well as shrimp, corals and oysters. Dispersed oil particles tend to remain in the upper layers of the ocean and as they approach inshore areas, increasingly impact corals, oysters and shrimp. Dispersed oil particles tend to assume a less visible, more difficult to cleaned-up quality. They also assume pervasive presence in the environment, with increased opportunities for long-term ecological impacts, particularly in coastal areas. So basically its a "save either one" situation. The dispersants also make skimming oil off the surface of the water difficult as the balls of oil that form when dispersants are applied can clog skimming mechanisms. Due to time differences between Norway and the US Gulf Coast, it was not possible by press time to find out if the dispersants arriving from Norway are of the Corexit family, or if they contain 2-butoxyethanol, or 2-BE. 2-BE is known to cause heath dangers to clean up workers and wildlife alike. Chemical dispersants can concentrate leftover oil toxins in the water, where they can kill fish and migrate great distances. Corexit 9500 is associated with headaches, vomiting and reproductive problems as sides effects at high doses to clean-up workers. 2-BE has also been documented to cause the breakdown of red blood cells, leading to blood in urine and feces, and can damage the kidneys, liver, spleen and bone marrow of humans, effects not included on the information sheet for workers.

Eco-friendly Asiana :)

Asiana Airlines is not just flying high in the skies, but is also leading the way in environmental friendly efforts.

Aircrafts are a major source of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but Asiana Airlines has recognized the importance of reducing global warming as part of its corporate social responsibility. The company certified as a 5-star airline for four consecutive years from the airline research organization Skytrax, is better known as a pioneer in the industry for introducing ways to lower its carbon footprint. In 1995, Asiana became the first airline to obtain the ISO 14001 (environmental management
system) certification.

It has introduced energy-saving programs for its aircraft, such as aircraft engine washing, flight plan improvements, reduced flight distances and altitudes and conducts weight management. As a result of washing aircraft engines, Asiana's aircrafts improved its fuel efficiency and reduced 3 million tons of CO2 in 2008.

The firm has been implementing Korea's first Carbon Offset Program for its customers. On board the plane, Asiana also serves coffee that comes with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval. The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that ensures coffee farms have met rigorous standards for the conservation of natural resources and rights and welfare of farm workers and local communities. Recently, Asiana Airlines tested the ``Eco Flight,'' featuring a low-emission airplane from Gimpo to Haneda Airport in Japan. The flight reduces fuel use by 18 percent, uses lightweight food cards and operates at a consistent speed and altitude.

Asiana also launched a ``Green Travel, Green Life'' campaign to educate passengers on how to reduce CO2 emissions in their daily lives and travels. Departing passengers were given leaflets that inform them of the level of CO2 emissions produced in everyday life, as well as tips on how to combat this. Tips include decreasing baggage weight, using public transportation and avoiding leftover food inside the aircraft cabin. For all their efforts, Asiana received the 2009 Korea Green Climate Award last year, in recognition for its green management policies. In 2001, it was designated by the Ministry of Environment as the first environmentally friendly company within the service industry. In 2006, it received an environmental distinction for its maintenance facilities at Incheon International Airport, and in 2008, the 2008 Presidential Award of the National Environmental Management Grand Prix for its energy saving and CO2 reduction activities.

Important read.

The world's eco-systems are at risk of "rapid degradation and collapse." That’s among the grim findings of a new United Nations (UN) report.The third Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3) published by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) warns that unless "radical and creative action" is taken quickly " the variety of life on Earth, natural systems that support lives and livelihoods are at risk of collapsing.”

Based on more than 100 national reports and future scenarios for biodiversity, GBO-3 shows that world leaders failed to deliver on their commitment to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.The five main pressures directly causing biodiversity loss: habitat change, over-exploitation, pollution, invasive alien species and climate change.

The report also finds these stresses on the environment are either constant or increasing in intensity.Vertebrate species fell by nearly one third between 1970 and 2006, natural habitats are in decline, genetic diversity of crops is falling and 60 breeds of livestock have become extinct since 2000.“Business as usual is no longer an option if we are to avoid irreversible damage to the life-support systems of our planet,” said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, calling the report “a wake-up call for humanity.”The Economics of EnvironmentalismThe authors of the GBO-3 report argue that for a mere fraction of the money summoned up instantly by the world’s governments to mitigate the economic crisis, the serious and fundamental breakdown in the Earth’s life support systems could have been avoided.“Many economies remain blind to the huge value of the diversity of animals, plants and other life forms and their role in healthy and functioning ecosystems from forests and freshwaters to soils, oceans and even the atmosphere,” said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP.“To tackle the root causes of biodiversity loss, we must give it higher priority in all areas of decision-making and in all economic sectors,” says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.In remarks made in February, Ki-Moon argued the Earth’s eco-systems are our “natural capitol” and protecting them is really a bottom line issue. In fact, a UN-backed study estimates that loss of natural capital due to deforestation and land degradation alone stands at between $2 trillion and $4.5 trillion each year.“Too often environmental protection is seen as conflicting with economic protection. In fact they are two sides of the same coin.

All over the world, ecosystem services are a massive undervalued subsidy provided by the environment. When we lose these services through mismanagement, crops fail, profits drop, people become poorer, economies suffer,” said Ki-Moon.

Another reason to have a Stellar after a long day at work!

Over the past 12 months, InBev-owned Stella Artois has taken various measures to lessen its environmental impact, making its packaging greener and engaging consumers in recycling initiatives.

Since the start of their "Recylage de luxe" campaign last July, all Stella Artois' cans have been made from at least 50% recycled aluminium, the brand is working with its suppliers to ensure all its bottles are above the industry standard of 75% recycled glass, and its corrugated Stella Artois boxes are made from 100% recyclable paper. In November last year, Stella Artois launched two further advertising campaigns focusing on its use of compostable carton board and highlighting that its beer is brewed using just four ingredients. So little, yet so yummy :) burp! Stella Artois says that the overarching campaign has so far "been very successful". It says that its marketing has been "very motivating for consumers".

InBev has pledged to continue taking measures to improve the environmental credentials of its packaging and will continue to use advertising to communicate developments to consumers. The only downer for me is my lil' beer belly and age is really not helping in keeping it away hee hee hee but I just can't stop myself! One more Mr.
Bartender!

Tip of the day: Slow down to save on your fuel and lessen your pollution. It will benefit the air around you, save your hard earned money and make you a more patient man/woman ;)

Fake Organic Products

With the growing success of organics and increasing consumer interest in buying foods grown on sustainable farms without toxic chemicals, many food companies are launching new marketing campaigns full of environmental-friendly catchphrases and re-packaging products that lend the appearance of the company “going green” ,even if little or no actual change to the product has occurred.

In February, mega-food company Sara Lee launched the Eco-Grain™ label for its EarthGrains breads with a major marketing campaign that blanketed the Web, Facebook, Twitter and National Public Radio. Sara Lee billed the trademarked product as “environmentally friendly” bread that “will save the earth, one field at a time” because Eco-Grain wheat is grown with “precision agriculture.” Though actually used in small proportions in its EarthGrains brand breads, Eco-Grain is touted by the company as more sustainable than organic grain.

The trouble with calling Eco-Grain environmentally friendly is that synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, neither of which are environmentally friendly, are still used in the production of the wheat that is used to produce Eco-Grain. Also, precision agriculture isn’t exactly something new, or something exclusive to Eco-Grain farmers. In fact, more and more conventional farmers of all the major commodity crops are using precision technology in applying chemical fertilizer to their fields. In precision farming, satellite imagery is used to identify various levels of soil nutrients of a given field to determine fertilizer requirements for different areas of that field.

Also known as “variable rate technology” (VRT), this allows the farmer to pinpoint which areas of the field need more or less fertilizer, instead of blanketing the entire field with one big dose. It’s more of a cost-saving practice for farmers, not an environmentally friendly or sustainable method of production. Another point of confusion for consumers is in the term ‘natural’ which splays across the label in bold print: “Eco-Grain 100 % Natural.” How can it be 100% natural when they still use chemicals and pesticides? And there is a growing number of corporations like Sara Lee, who are seeking to profit from consumers’ interest in ecological and healthy food production. But unlike organic companies, these companies are doing practically nothing to ensure that ingredients are truly ecologically produced.

So all I have to say is; til someone stops these selfish, harmful companies from using deceiving "organinc-like" terms on their products, we should all be more careful when shopping and READ THE INGREDIENT LABELS OF ANY FOOD PRODUCTS so we won't be conned by them again.

I want this!

With the onset of summer in Jammu (India), earthen pots are becoming more and more popular.

The pots are widely used by the poor but this year, however, it has been observed that even the middle- class and the elite are readily buying these environment-friendly refrigerators. Only the poor would use earthen pots to cool water but now even the middle class is adapting this trend. Maybe it's because of health concerns and rising number of diseases, or due to recommendations from doctors.

The pots not only keep the water cool but do so in an environment-friendly way. It is also believed that drinking water stored in earthen pots is also much healthier. After one year or one season of use, the earthen pot can be broken and it can be mixed with earth again, which means it is reusable. And if we limit the use of refrigerants like neon and all, they all cause depletion of ozone layer which contributes to global warming. So using these pots would decrease global warming. The water stored in a clay pot has a refreshing flavor and gets cooled to as low as 14-15 degrees Celsius within a few hours naturally. Nice.

Tip of the day: Switch to a corded phone. You'll save energy cos you won't need to recharge the corded phone. Yes, it is not cool nor modern but it will do good for the Earth even if it is in a small way.

Banned Plastic Bottles

Concord's (a town in America) Town Meeting has just approved a ban on the sales of bottled water. I do understand their concern of plastic bottles but I think it is a bit over the line right. Wouldn't it be better to instead just sell bottled water in recycled plastic and teach the community about the importance of recycling? Or better still, only sell recycled products or beverages packaged in recycled materials.

I think this would be more practical then banning plastic bottles. I mean, the production of glass requires alot of energy as well, aluminum and steel cans are made out of toxic ores extracted from the ground by mining , not to mention that mining is dangerous and the environmental costs are huge. And not as if they are banning all plastic bottles. They still allow the sales of sweet drinks in plastic bottles so people who are thirsty have no choice but to buy these unhealthy choice instead. If you want to ban it, ban it all the way.

More on the Gulf oil spill :)

Rush Limbaugh, an American conservative political commentator, told his radio audience that there's no reason to spend millions of dollars cleaning up the recent massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The radio host, now being called an "Oil Spill Truther", says oil spills are natural events. "The ocean will take care of this on its own if it was left alone and left out there. It's natural. It's as natural as the ocean water is." Hmmm.. I wonder how it can be natural when man, not god, drilled a hole deep underground to reach the oil. Unless he's calling us humans god.

Natural or not, this particular massive oil slick was caused by an explosion (Apr. 20) inside the Deepwater Horizon oil rig off the Louisiana coast that left 11 workers missing and presumed dead. The rig sank two days later but oil still pumps from the drill head. Eco experts predict the environmental impact will be worse the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster that contaminated over 200 miles of Alaskan shoreline.

Limbaugh then takes another tact, suggesting that the oil rig explosion was an inside job, that "environmental wackos" as he calls them blew it up in order to stop the off-shore drilling that President Obama approved. Well, whatever the case is, if the drilling company had installed acoustic switches (these are mandate in countries such as Norway and Brazil), they could have stopped the oil flow remotely. The U.S considered mandating such a remote-controlled shut-off mechanism several years ago, but dropped it on strong resistance from the drilling companies who wanted to save cost.

Money money money, always money :)

Tip of the day: Use unwanted parts of your vegetables as compost for your plants. My mom uses it as fertilizers and her plants are growing well :)

We've been banned!!

There are too many tourists heading to Gangotri, Valley of Flowers and highly eco-sensitive zones of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand.

According to a rough estimate, thousands of pilgrims, who visit the hill state during the Kumbh, Chardham and Kanwar and other religious congregations, travel to these areas leaving heaps of non-degradable waste, including plastic, which are hazardous to environment. The Centre has decided to ban 2 key hydropower projects in the region last month and the state government has decided not to allow tourists to come near the Gaumukh glacier, the origin of the Ganga in Uttarkashi district.

In 2008, the government had restricted the number of tourists visiting Gaumukh and other Gangotri glaciers to only 150 per day. Another move is afoot to even restrict the number of tourists to 100 in future. According to a report of the Dehra Dun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), the glaciers are melting at a rate of 17-23 metres per year. The issue had become more contentious in the wake of controversy surround the inter-governmental panel on climate change (IPCC). Similarly, the government is trying to put restrictions on pilgrims to Hemkund Sahib and other shrines which are close to the Valley of Flowers, a world heritage site. Thousands of Sikhs travel every year to Hemkund Sahib, which is situated in an area known for its rich flora and fauna, and leave huge waste. The government had restricted the entry of tourists to the 14-km long area of the Nandadevi Biosephere Reserve few years ago. The government is also planning to carry a renewed campaign through tourist brochures and media telling travelers to remain sensitive to these areas with the slogan: “Leave only footprints and take only memories.” Why does it seem like we are irresponsible kids instead of thinking adults?

Tip of the day: Recycle your recyclables. It is one of the main steps to a greener you and a better life :)

Another man-made disaster

Five times as much oil as previously thought is leaking from a ruptured BP well.

The British energy giant launched one of the biggest containment operation ever, with the military joining dozens of ships and aircraft. The slick is estimated to cover an area of 4,700 square miles, making it one of the biggest oil spills in history. Despite attempts to slow its advance by setting it on fire, winds had blown the leading edge of the slick just three miles away from the mouth of the Mississipi Delta. The US Navy said it had sent 66,000 feet of inflatable boom and seven skimming systems to the disaster area to control the movement of spills.

The US Coast Guard said a scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had concluded that oil was gushing into the sea at the rate of 210,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) a day, five times more than earlier estimated. Thats a lot of precious oil and imagine the damage it will and has done. The head of BP's exploration and production arm admitted it had discovered a substantial new leak and conceded the revised US estimate of the amount of escaping oil could be correct. He said drilling a relief well to plug the leak, which is a mile down under the sea's surface, could take up to three months.

The spill followed an explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, leased by BP, on April 20 in which 11 workers are presumed to have died. The rig sank two days later some 50 miles off the coast. The slick could cause severe environmental damage to beaches, wildlife and estuaries in Louisiana and other states such as Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, in which a tanker spilt 11 million gallons of oil off Alaska, is going to pale into insignificance in comparison to this as it goes on. Mr Miller, whose company became famous by dousing 180 of the 600 oil fires in Kuwait after the Gulf War, said the new slick bore comparison with the Kuwait fires but was likely to be far more environmentally damaging as it was at sea rather than in the desert. He criticised BP's initial response, saying it worsened the slick by putting the fire out on the rig. That action led to the rig sinking, cutting off the only connection to the well and ensuring the leaking oil went into the sea rather than being burned off, said Mr Miller.

Another short-term solution reportedly being implemented was a plan to set up a bell-shaped device to catch the oil as rose to the surface from the well, before being pumped into container ships. This all happened because of our greed and need for oil. If we weren't so dependent on it might never have happened. We are all guilty.

Will we ever learn? (Part 1)

So last night I went to Stereophonics concert, who decided to start one and a half hour later. Rockstars.

I guess age is catching up to me so I am getting abit more impatient. And plus their stage presence wasn't that great. I might as well pop in their dvd on a large screen and press play. So overall it was all just ok.

What disappointed me the most is that everyone is talking about recycling and going green but there was no recycling bin to be found at the concert venue, which was held at Fort Canning Park.

As the night progressed, more and more litter was collected on the grass instead of the bin. I only saw one bin on the left hand side of the park which was slowly being filled with mainly cans and plastic bottles. And guess what were the main leftover of these litter-friendly concert goers? Beer cans and plastic bottles, which could all be recycled. These events companies should provide a recycling bin at all events.

Placing it there is a huge statement on its own. It will make people think twice about just disposing recyclable materials in the regular bin or littering. But the saddest thing about whole thing is that these people are all of a matured crowd.... If we adults can't even be responsible enough to not litter, then what about the simplest act of recycling? When are we ever gonna grow up....

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.

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!

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 :)

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.

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.

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!! :)

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....

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 :)