News from EcoPlum - "And a Happy New Year to YOU!" Edition

What's New at www.ecoplum.com
January 2011 Newsletter

Greetings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you all had a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday season. I was off skiing with the family in Vermont. It's so beautiful there - I have to say it was hard to come back to the city and the MOUNDS of dirty snow and uncollected garbage. We sure do create a lot of waste! How nice would it be if everyone in NYC (or in your town) made ONE small change to reduce the amount of waste they created? Here are a some easy personal sustainability pledges you can make in the New Year:

#1: Stop buying plastic disposable water bottles. Carry around your own reusable bottle in your backpack, briefcase, shoulder bag, or purse.

#2: Stop using disposable plastic shopping bags. Carry around at least one Chicobag with you - these definitely fit easily into your pocketbook, briefcase, even pocket.

#3: Recycle at home and at work. 1-800-Recycling.com's widget is a great resource for this. Also check out our "What to do with your stuff" page for where and how to recycle different types of materials.

#4: Stop using disposable coffee cups. Carry around your own reusable coffee mug. Ask for a ceramic "for here" cup if you plan to hang around the coffee shop to enjoy your coffee.

#5: Stop buying wrapping paper - use colorful newspaper, children's art projects, reusable gift bags or cloth for your gifts. If you must buy it, get recycled gift wrap.

#6: Stop using disposable wrap and bags for your kids' lunches. Instead purchase reusable bags and lunch materials.

#7: Eat less meat. Reducing the amount of meat you eat can have a significant impact on the environment - methane from cows is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

#8: Take public transportation whenever you are in a city. Check this out for a guide of public transportation options in your city.

#9: Ask yourself "do I really need it?" when you are about to buy a new appliance. If you do need it, make sure it is Energy Star rated.

#10: Stop using paper plates and utensils. If absolutely necessary, buy ones made of recycled and biodegradable material.

Enjoy this issue - Robin and Anne have their own New Year's resolutions, Dede's got the scoop on Natalie Portman, and we've got updates on BPA and Sleep Loss!

Also - check out our new line of comfy recycled clothing from Repair the World! Use your special discount code for EcoPlum Pie subscribers only: 10% off with code "PIENEWS."

All the best for 2011!

Best regards,

Gia Machlin

President and CEO

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and family!

In this issue

Featured EcoInfo

Designing Green with Robin Baron

Dede's Green Scene

Accidental Locavore

The EcoPlum Blog

Upcoming Events

Ecoplum Photos

Featured EcoInfo:

Featured EcoLiving Ideas:

Update on BPA

Find yourself frequently drinking from a plastic bottle, eating canned goods or shopping till you drop? Well, certain plastics and the lining of aluminum cans are known to contain Bisphenol A (BPA), but now shopping receipts might also be a threat. Before you go ahead and sip that water or grab your receipt and throw it in your (hopefully reusable) bag, read on for the latest news and research on the potentially harmful chemical.

BPA is an organic compound used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It acts as a monomer in plastic and is a lightweight, high-performance plastic that possesses a unique balance of toughness, dimensional stability, optical clarity, high heat resistance and excellent electrical resistance, hence why it's used in so many products. Epoxy resins containing BPA are found on the inside of most plastics and cans that contain food in order to help preserve the food within. BPA has also been found in much more than just plastic bottles. This includes fungicides, thermal paper and PVC piping. Read More!

Dim the Lights

What is it about going to sleep that is so difficult for many of us? According to the The National Sleep Foundation, 65 percent of Americans report having trouble sleeping at least once a week and almost half (44 percent) report difficulty sleeping every night.

The long term effects of sleep loss can take a toll on our health. Poor quality and quantity of sleep can weaken the immune system, wreak havoc on our skin, increase stress hormones and may play a role in the development of both cancer and diabetes. Poor sleep habits can also lead to weight gain, as lack of sleep increases ghrelin levels that signal hunger and reduces levels of leptin, the hormone that helps us know when we're full - which explains why I am always so hungry on days when I haven't slept well. Read More!

Featured EcoTipz:

Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill this Winter!

Are you looking for great ways to cut your energy bills this winter? Try out these hot tips from Energy Star! Make sure you seal up any air leaks in your home to maximize energy efficiency. Check your heating and cooling system filters each month. You should schedule maintenance of your systems before each upcoming season. If you are buying new appliances or products, check to see if they have the Energy Star logo. These are products approved by the EPA. Use a programmable thermostat to regulate your home's temperature when you're away. Lastly, assess the energy efficiency of your home. You can use the Home Energy Advisor site that also gives advice based on your area.

Check out the Energy Star Site for other great tips on how you can reduce your energy bill and your carbon emissions! Read More!

Designing Green with Robin Baron: Resolutions will be Green With Envy

The holidays have come and gone and now it's time to dive headfirst into much anticipated to-do lists and resolutions! The most popular resolution seems to always be exercise... especially after a full month (or more!) of non-stop parties with festive drinks and guilty food galore! Along with all of your other resolutions, have you thought about being greener this year? Now more than ever, there are more options for your everyday routines. Here are some great ideas that can give you a solid foundation for a green lifestyle.

What if there was a way to blend your inner iron pumping tough guy with your green hearted soft side? Well there is! At Green Fitness Studio in Brooklyn, they strive to be more than just a gym, but rather a community creating a 360 lifestyle that builds responsible living from the ground up. Whether its recycled rubber and bamboo flooring (which you may recall me speaking about here), a living roof to reduce energy for cooling and stop rain water waste, energy-saving heat mirrored glass in the atrium, or an array of water-saving showers, faucets, and toilets in the locker rooms, eco-gyms know how to make the most of their resources. Read More!

Dede's Green Scene: Natalie Portman, the Green Swan!

Who doesn't love Natalie Portman? Whoever wrote the phrase, "men wanted her and women wanted to be her," they must have been referring to Miss (soon to be Mrs.) Natalie Portman. She not only starred in the Star Wars prequels, but she attended Harvard University, even had some papers published in journals, and did I mention that she's gorgeous? Yet, Portman is not only down to earth, but she's for the Earth. She is quite passionate about the planet and she is definitely doing her part.

Natalie has been a vegetarian since childhood and recently upgraded to veganism after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book, Eating Animals. In fact, the book inspired her so much that she wrote a review of the book for the Huffington Post. Not only does Portman not eat animals, she also doesn't wear any. She happily abstains from fur, feathers and leather. She even launched her own vegan shoe brand in 2007 (pictured below) called Te Casan and after recently becoming the face for Miss Dior Cherie, Portman persuaded Dior to design a line of vegan shoes. Read More!

The Accidental Locavore: No New Year's Resolutions, but Three Green Goals for 2011.

We're all works in progress, and the reason we come to Web sites like EcoPlum, is to find ideas and help in living a greener, more environmentally friendly life. No matter why you do it, every step helps. How and what you eat is a big part of that. So, for 2011, here are a couple of goals the Accidental Locavore is setting. They're not big; just some small steps in the right direction.

1. Support local businesses
Whether it's a local grower, farmer, purveyor, or the small very specialized business down the street, local is better. And get out of your comfort zone with food. Try a cut of meat you've never had, experiment with an unusual vegetable at your farmer's market, or go for a different type of fish that might be more sustainable than the best sellers. Most businesses (especially when it comes to food), are more than happy to explain what it is and share ideas on how best to cook it. You can't believe how much I've learned from talking to the people behind the counter. That's one of my favorite things about farmers' markets and local purveyors. Read More!

From the Ecoplum blog: Time to Invite Others to the Party

As I've mentioned frequently, a few years ago I was clueless about environmental issues. I didn't even know about the effect of cow farts on climate change. But then I had my "AHA!" moment and became keenly aware of the effect that my actions (and my eating habits) had on the environment. I changed my behavior and tried to preach as much as I could about it. Problem was, I was preaching to the choir. My mission to convert the unconverted, to get them to see the light and have their "AHA!" moment was falling upon deaf ears. What I failed to realize was that the majority of people are not going to have an "AHA!" moment and completely change their lives like I did. There needs to be a shift among mainstream consumers, which includes buy in from business, government, and constituents. I can imagine the frustration amongst the folks who have been environmental activists for years, banging their heads against a wall while the rest of us carried on with our wasteful ways. I'm sorry! I wish I knew then what I know now.

The good news is the tide is finally turning (can I use any more cliches?) and I think my job is going to be easier than the one that the veteran environmentalists had in front of them. Thanks to Al Gore and others, at least the issues are out there, whether or not people decide to take action. But there is another big catalyst in play: we are no longer having a party with ourselves. What do I mean by that? A decade ago, Seventh Generation refused to do business with Walmart - just on principle. Fast forward to 2010, Seventh Generation is all over Walmart. (OK, the fact that founder Jeffrey Hollender was later ousted by the company board definitely puts a skeptical spin on this - but try to set that aside while I attempt to make my point). Why the shift? Because Hollender realized that the only way to make a dent was to reach out to people where they were. Another pioneer who has been given a hard time for dancing with Walmart is Adam Werbach, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi S. Yet thanks to his efforts he has brought personal sustainability practices and awareness to hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide.Read More!