Think Green Live Clean

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If technology has and continues to bridge gaps of all kinds, it makes sense that an app would be developed that seeks to decrease water bottle consumption. How? Well, it’s simple. Help consumers locate alternatives- like drinking fountains. Read more…

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Plastic bottles have been a topic of green news for what seems like ages, and usually the bottom line is centered around consuming less, i.e. – investing in reusable bottles, etc. But what if the root of the issue was addressed instead and the option to consume plastic bottles was eliminated? Well, a couple companies have set out to do just that. PepsiCo recently announced a bottle that will be derived from plants- and not just partially like the original PlantBottle from Coca-Cola, but derived from 100% plant-based material. Could this be the beginning of a large-scale trend in eliminating plastic containers? Read more…

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BIGGER. Always better?  When it comes to sustainability in the retail world, that certainly isn’t the case. Corporate giants like Costco and Walmart for example, could arguably be considered unsustainable by the sheer nature of their business models, which often encourage people to purchase impulsively and in excessive amounts. But since the global economy is growing rapidly, these businesses are not going anywhere anytime soon. So, it’s nice to hear when companies like Costco adopt sustainable policies- in this case, a sustainable seafood policy along with a pledge to play more of a leadership role in aquaculture. Read more…

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Egypt has covered all news forums lately- yet not so much for matters of green news.  But, amongst the many social and political issues plaguing the country, environmental issues loom as well.  As the most vulnerable of the Arab states largely due to industry and population concentrations along the coastline, Egypt needs a comprehensive climate change agenda that it has yet to house internally under Mubarak’s leadership.  With the Mediterranean sea level on the rise threatening crops and water supply and a disrupted governmental structure, it is all the more important that the country develop a climate change plan to prepare for the future. Read more…

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Ever heard of piezoelectricity? Don’t worry, neither has the majority of society.  Soon however, it might be making green news all over the place.  This so-called “charge that gathers in solid materials in response to strain” (like crystal and ceramic) has attracted the attention of the science and the business world alike. And this isn’t any sort of ‘negative’ strain per se; the strain refers to pressure that initiates a charge inside certain materials- like the pressure from walking on a sidewalk, for example. Or…dancing. Read more…

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What’s been on people’s minds lately?  Well, dead animals certainly have- blackbirds in Arkansas, turtles in Italy, manatees off the Florida Coast…you name it.  In fact, these incidents have been the talk of green news as of late; three of Google’s top ten “Hot Searches” are related to the hundreds of dead birds that fell from the sky in Arkansas and Louisiana.  Is this simply a media-induced frenzy, a sign that our precious world is ending, or an environmental concern that needs to be addressed?  While substantial amounts of information are missing, there are still some essential things to take from this unique series of phenomena. Read more…

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The actuality of running out of water is quite unfathomable; especially given that, well… we live off the stuff. But when you take into consideration circumstantial influences, like a sizeable starving population, a rapidly expanding youth populace, and an addictive plant (similar to tobacco) that is quickly depleting the water supply, the notion becomes a bit more real.   All things considered, it is no wonder that Yemen could be the first country to completely run out of water. Read more…

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From the amount of food wasted daily to the amount of un-environmentally friendly details in the design, the restaurant industry is not the most eco-conscious of all industries.  While we have seen a trend of incorporating local and organic produce (certainly worth noting), the physical restaurant itself isn’t so “green”, nor is the amount of food tossed-organic or not.  However, Arthur Potts Dawson set out to change the restaurant industries approach to sustainability and is making strides in changing the restaurant world as we know it- from the design to the dining experience itself. Read more…

Gathering food and collecting firewood?  Sounds like a couple obsolete activities of the past, right?  But if we take a moment to consider rural, economically deprived societies of today, these activities have crucial significance for women and for our environment.   Women are responsible for tasks directly affected by environmental degradation: gathering food, water, and firewood- the essentials of rural life.  And more importantly, many women in these circumstances are not in an empowered position that allows them to initiate change- or believe they can, for that matter.  But there’s hope.  And there is action.  Read more…

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“Don’t forget to turn the clocks back!”  Whether you’re a punctual clock-changer or someone who misses an important meeting due to the switch, daylight saving time has likely affected you in some way.  After all, it is a practice that has been used for years in the U.S. as a means of energy conservation.  But does daylight savings provide the same benefit it did years ago?  And on top of that, how does it affect our health? Read more…