Are you planning on watching the Super Bowl this Sunday? At first I was going to skip it, but then I read this great article about Saints player Scott Fujita and decided to watch and root for the Saints. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm fanatical about gay rights, so this really got me excited.
What does this have to do with the environment? Well, nothing, but I thought I would share it anyway. Besides the Super Bowl, February is also time for cupids and valentines and Brianna's got a few tips on how to green your Valentine's Day. It's also the height of the winter and you may be concerned about rising energy costs. Check out Amelia's article about how to conserve and save energy and money during this frigid season.
One way to make it through the winter is to go skiing a lot - which is something my family likes to do - but did you know that some ski areas have a much better environmental record than others? This month's featured EcoTip includes a guide to find greener places to ski. And while Chryso's off this month, Dede's rolling with her monthly Green Scene article.
This month's newsletter is packed with tons of other fun stuff, so enjoy, and DEFINITELY check out the pictures from the Broadway Green Alliance events this week (yes, that's my daughter Talia with Corbin Bleu!! And that is the real Meredith Viera - not the wax one.) We've also added a monthly event calendar so those of you in the NYC area can come by and meet us!
As always, please check out our specials at the end of this newsletter, because this month we will donate 50% of all proceeds from sales of Amazon Kindles and trial Netflix subscriptions to Doctors Without Borders' efforts in Haiti.
Happy Valentine's Day. Wishing you a happy day with your spouse, partner, pet, loved one(s), or best friend.
Best,
Gia Machlin
President and CEO
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and family!
"Be Mine", "Kiss Me" and "Nature Lover"? Valentine's Day isn't all about pink and red
It's been
called a made-up or a Hallmark holiday, but nevertheless, it shows up
every year on February 14th. It can involve chocolates, flowers, cards
and dinner--but the consumerism of Valentine's Day doesn't have to be
eco-heartbreak. A
box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers is traditional and sweet,
but are they always eco-mindful? Instead of purchasing that cheap
heart-shaped box of chocolates at your local convenience store, try organic sweets.
They may cost a few more bucks, but you and your Valentine can rest
easy that these confections have a low impact on the environment. Read More!
Green Energy
In the
middle of winter, home energy use ranks high on the list of concerns
for most homeowners, regardless of whether that energy comes from coal,
natural gas, or alternative sources. While you may be more focused on
lowering your monthly bill than worrying about how your electricity is
made, you should consider the long-term impact of your energy choices
on the planet. Over 50 percent of energy in the U.S. is currently
generated bycoal,
which releases mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide into the
atmosphere when burned. Coal mining is dangerous and usually degrades
the environment around the sites.Read More!
Ski Area Environmental Report Card 2009/2010
Are you
looking to hit the slopes this winter? Well, make sure where you ski is
green as well as white! The Ski Area Environmental Scorecard grades
Western ski resorts on their environmental practices and policies. The
Scorecard is celebrating its 10 year anniversary and is getting a
makeover to commemorate. The Scorecard has broken down the report card
into four individual categories instead of one. This will give users a
more precise depiction of the environmental impact of their ski
resorts. Learn more about the Scorecard here!
From The Orchard:
Actions for the Chesapeake Bay
The
Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches across 64,000 square miles and
encompasses parts of six states and the District of Columbia. The
Chesapeake Bay and its watershed make up one of the most biologically
productive systems in the world, with more than 3,600 migratory and
resident animal species that live, feed, find shelter and reproduce in
the estuary and its watershed. Habitats in the watershed provide a
vital ecological link for Atlantic Coast fish populations and birds
using the Atlantic Flyway.
Being
one of the best studied ecosystems in the world, the Bay remains in a
degraded state due to a variety of stressors including poor water
quality, eutrophication, hypoxia, development, disease, overfishing,
invasive species, contaminants and climate change.Read More!
Dede's Green Scene- Red, Hot and Green!
You
may recognize Carter Oosterhouse from the TLC show "Trading Spaces,"
but now he is imparting his green living knowledge on viewers
everywhere. He not only hosts his own show on HGTV, but he lends his
eco-friendly expertise to the Rachael Ray show and is now giving
Broadway a green hand. If you were fortunate enough to see the revival
of "Bye Bye Birdie," (the show closed on January 24), you may have seen
lots of bright colored sets and costumes, but what may not have been as
visible was how green John Stamos' dressing room was! "Bye Bye Birdie"
was the first show at the newly renovated Henry Miller Theater. The
theater holds the honor of being the first green theater since it's
opening in May 2009. To celebrate, they brought in the green HGTV
superstar, Carter Oosterhouse, to spice up John Stamos' dressing room
to demonstrate that being eco-friendly can be stylish. Oosterhouse
spruced up the room with green MDF (medium density
fiberboard ) and a
rug made out of bamboo, a sustainable wood. Click here for photos!
Carter
Oosterhouse is known for "Carter Can" on HGTV. Viewers see him renovate
homes, occasionally adding in eco-friendly pieces. In a recent
renovation, he installed eco-friendly laminate flooring, which 75% is
made of post consumer materials and water-based adhesive. Now, Carter
has a new weekly show devoted to designing eco-friendly -- "Red, Hot
and Green" -- where Carter teams up with interior designer, Nicole
Facciuto, to show viewers simple ways to create a stylish greener home
with sustainable design and lower energy costs. Read More!
From The Blog:
What's it gonna take to completely bag the plastic bag?
It still amazes me - our obsession with plastic bags. Yesterday I was
at Duane Reade (the New York version of CVS, Walgreens, whatever
pharmacy/convenience store you have in your neck of the woods) and the
guy ahead of me at the cashier buys a bag of chips, stands there while
the clerk puts them in a plastic bag, takes the bag and walks towards
the exit, takes the bag of chips out of the plastic bag, and throws the
bag in the trash on the way out!! Seriously! I wanted to run after him
and say - are you kidding me? I'm actually not sure why I didn't, but
some rare bit of self control held me back.
Then there are the folks I see every day, walking up Broadway with
their groceries, plastic bags hanging from each hand - when I am SURE
they have tons of reusable bags at home somewhere. I want to just sneer
at them and say - why do you think it's not your responsibility to take
care of the planet? But I don't. Why? Read More!
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Ecoplum Pie Archives
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It's been
called a made-up or a Hallmark holiday, but nevertheless, it shows up
every year on February 14th. It can involve chocolates, flowers, cards
and dinner--but the consumerism of Valentine's Day doesn't have to be
eco-heartbreak. 
Green Scene- Red, Hot and Green! 
