The Renewable Energy Racers Set is the perfect way to educate children about three of the most significant sources of alternative energy; wind, solar or hydrogen. Each car is powered and recharged by one of these clean and ecofriendly energy sources, demonstrating their simplicity and use.

The Renewable Energy Racers Set also allows for the quick and easy comparison of these three green energy resources since each car is powered by one source only. The remote control cars have the basic movement controls left and right and forwards and backwards; nothing too fancy about the little electric motors in the toy cars. The key characteristics of the set are the differences in the energy sources.

The Solar panel can charge the toy car with enough electricity for up to 20 minutes of driving time. The time it takes to fully charge the batteries, usually 10-30 minutes, depends on the brightness and directness of the sunlight available.  The wind turbine can also provide 20 minutes of driving time from a 10-30 minute charge, and in this case it is dependent on the strength of the wind the turbine is placed in. The hydrogen fuel cell can provide a car with 5 minutes of run time from a 3 minute charge.

The Renewable Energy Racers Set helps to demonstrate, through the fun and very visual effect of race-able cars, the advantages and disadvantages of each clean energy source. The potential of each energy source depends on the characteristics of the environment in which it is placed. Education toys are always one of the easiest and most effective ways of making children familiar with new ideas and ways of thinking.

Source

Eco-friendly Promotional pens are now available!
A company called “Eco-Pens” is now offering eco-friendly pens and other eco-friendly promotional items for marketing your company the green way. They don’t just stop at pens though, their products include items such as: eco-friendly pens, recycled paper journals, biodegradable products
like water bottles and flyers. There are lanyards made from recycled
material, soda pop bottles, organic cotton and bamboo. Biodegradable
plastic cups and plates for the outdoor events. Calendars made from
recycled paper. Caps and T-shirts made from recycled material and
organic cotton. There are numerous home and office products now made
from recycled plastic. Golf balls, mouse pads, portfolios, messenger
bags all made from recycled material. The Eco-friendly Pens website states that they have:

Pens made
from recycled plastic, recycled paper, corn & vegetable derivative
bioplastic, wood and more. Eco pens are priced competitively with traditional pens. We are
featuring over 50 earth friendly pens- one of them is right for your
next trade show, job fair or event. Budget pleasing prices from under
$0.50 each to over $8.00 a pen means there is no reason not to “go
green”. Every
eco-pen includes a 1 color imprint. Many can be printed with addition
colors or in 2 locations. New- recycled plastic mechanical pencils! We are also proud to introduce a new line of recycled paper sticky
notes, recycled notebooks and recycled paper scratch pads. The notebooks
are made with 100% post consumer recycled content and come in a variety
of shapes and styles.

Businesses now have options when it comes to promotional materials, you have a green choice. Put your logo on an eco-pen and show
the world you care!

It’s all over the news, the radio, tv reports, newspapers and the internet about Jamie Oliver’s TV show “Jamie Oliver’s food revolution”. Basically he’s passionate about turning around the current School food system, which is basically reheated processed foods in favor of fresh foods, cooked on the premises and cooked from scratch. Sound familiar? Yep that’s what all eco-friendly people have been advocating for a while, and here we have a pioneer in Jamie Oliver taking it to our schools and wanting to restructure the menu’s, the food and even the tableware!

If you haven’t seen any of the episodes of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution they are available for viewing at hulu.com until June 5th so go check them out and be prepared to be amazed, disappointed, shocked and dumbfounded with the information revealed on the show. Each episode shows just what is wrong with our current food system, and the fact that this is going on in our schools is tragic. Childhood obesity (and morbid obesity) rates are on the rise, and looking at some of the students Jamie has sharing their stories on his show it is obvious that food is a problem for a lot of the children. They go to school to get educated and in return are being let down by the system.

Jamie shows that french fries are counted as vegetables, students are being given white refined processed breads, rolls etc, the meat products are full of byproducts, preservatives and fillers. The most tragic thing about the show was Jamie discovering that young children didn’t know their fresh fruits and vegetables, in a quiz none knew what a tomato, potato, beet or broccoli was! Are our children really so uneducated on basic foods these days? Apparently so! Basic cutlery is no longer used, in favor of finger foods for ease of use. When did the school system become more concerned with the dollar and ease of use over the health of our children?

Eco-Aspects
This isn’t just about health though, all this processed food is bad for the environment too and very eco-UNfriendly! Artificial ingredients, preservatives and fillers are bad for the environment and are usually overly packaged in cling wrap and plastics. Using fresh products eliminates waste and allows schools to source local produce which is more environmentally friendly. All these artificial additives and preservatives end up in our kids with no long term studies on the consequences. Children aren’t being allowed or taught to use basic silverware, instead packaged foods are used the wrappers and containers are sent to landfills. When children start to realize the impact foods have on their health, they begin to wonder about the impact on the environment, where their food comes from, and learn to make better choices. This should be happening from an early age!

If you haven’t watched the show check out the episodes on hulu, and if you have watched and are outraged by the processed foods in our school cafeteria’s then sign Jamie’s online petition to support his food revolution! Our children deserve better!!!

Annie Leonard is an activist who has spent the past 10 years traveling the globe fighting environmental threats and she has written and directed the short film “The Story of Stuff”, the film was produced by Free Range Studios, the makers of other highly
popular web-based films such as “The Meatrix” and “Grocery Store Wars”. The Story of Stuff examines how economic policies of the post-World War II
era ushered in notions of “planned obsolescence” and “perceived
obsolescence” —and how these notions are still driving much of the U.S.
and global economies today. Now however The Story of Stuff is also a book which has all the information from the film but more detail about materials, economy, production, distribution, consumption and disposal.

But there is more… Since making the Story of Stuff movie and book, now there is the Story of Bottled Water, and the Story of the Cap & Trade, and the upcoming Story of Electronics (due for viewing around May 2010).

The Story of Cap & Trade shows the story of “why you can’t solve a problem with the thinking that created it”. In this movie we learn about the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill.We discover energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme
and the “devils in the details” in current cap and trade
proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction
from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. If you’ve
heard about cap and trade, but aren’t sure how it works (or who
benefits), this is the film is for you. Already this movie has had over 600,000 views.

The Story of Bottled Water is the latest in “the story of” series and shows “how manufactured demand pushes what we don’t need and destroys what we need most”. This edition in the series really highlights everything wrong with today’s consumer driven society, and especially highlights that one third of bottled waters are in fact municipal water we are paying way over the odds for (roughly 2000x the price of tap water). Not only is the water often not cleaner, it’s not regulated and taste tests veer to preferences for the non-bottled water

“The Story of…” series provides great movies that are informative and fun, check out the Story of Stuff website for more information and to view the movies.

Our nation’s water and energy resources are increasingly important
topics of discussion not just in the news, but in classrooms and homes
as well. Recognizing the importance of conserving both water and energy
to protect the planet and reduce costs — and acknowledging the
connection between water and energy — EE Week’s 2010 theme is Be Water and
Energy Wise.

Focusing on Energy and Water for 2010 is a great way to introduce environmental impact to our children. On the EE Week website there are webpages with fact sheets, lesson plans and  videos about the water-energy connections. There is also a PDF on water and energy wise tips available in both English and Spanish as well as more resources for teachers, parents and students alike.

By registering to participate in EE Week 2010 you join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing the environmental literacy of students. You can also receive:

• Certificates of Participation;
• Monthly e-newsletters packed with EE resources for educators;
• Access to an online library of environmental curricula and EE resources;
• Opportunities to network and communicate with other educators who have successfully integrated environmental education into the curriculum;
• The opportunity to participate in EE Week’s spring 2010 webinar: Teaching the Water-Energy Connection; and
• Discounts and special offers for educational materials.

EE Week website is a great resource for teachers, home school programs and parents alike. Even those without children can spread the word and pass along the information to those who may not know of such a great program at educating our children about the environment and our impact on it. EE Week would be a great introduction of environmental awareness for kids of any age and we can never start to early with educating our children!

Projects like EE Week increase environmental awareness to all, not just children so why not see how you can get involved today?

• Canine TV star Lassie appears as mascot for an anti-litter campaign.
• “Crying Indian” PSA campaign, iconic symbol of environmental responsibility and one of the most successful PSA campaigns in history.
• President Reagan endorses the Clean Community System.
• Take Pride in America program, created to promote wise use of public lands, begins with federal agencies.
• “Close the Loop, Buy Recycled” U.S. EPA partnership
• Web-based educational tools, including Clean Sweep U.S.A
  “Back By Popular Neglect” PSA campaign

Each April is Keep America Beautiful month drawing attention to the campaigns and research done by Keep America Beautiful and their three primary areas of focus: litter reduction, waste minimization, and beautification.

The only way to make a difference is to get involved. Keep America Beautiful invites you to join the millions of volunteers who participate in Keep America Beautiful programs nationwide.

Get active with your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Connect with local businesses and government. However you take part, you will help transform your local environment into a cleaner, safer and healthier community.

• There are 565 Keep America Beautiful affiliates throughout the country. If you want to help keep your community clean and beautiful please volunteer!
• Join the Keep America Beautiful mailing list for emails on national programs, events, and good news network.
• Donate to Keep America Beautiful to provide much needed support for Keep America Beautiful educational and community programs.
• Become a sponsoring business by supporting local community initiatives or nation programs
• Volunteer for the Great American Cleanup

Great America Cleanup Campaign
Throughout the months of March, April and May, an anticipated 1,200 KAB
affiliates and participating organizations nationwide will rally an
estimated 3 million volunteers to hold litter and debris cleanups on
public lands and waterways, host recycling drives, spruce up community
amenities like parks and playgrounds, remove graffiti, plant trees and
community gardens, and host many more activities designed to improve the
living environments that we all call “home.” The 2010 theme, “Green Starts Here,” is a rallying call that encourages
volunteer groups, community leaders, and people of all ages and walks of
life to begin creating more sustainable communities through their
efforts as volunteers, and through their daily choices and actions. It
also reflects Keep America Beautiful’s long legacy of community
improvement activities. You can find volunteer locations at the Keep America Beautiful website

Source: www.kab.org

The human population currently stands at around 6.8 billion people.

A statement on their website identifies the issue clearly:

“Human overpopulation is the driving force behind the current mass-extinction crisis endangering:

• 12 percent of mammals

• 12 percent of birds

• 31 percent of reptiles

• 30 percent of amphibians

• 37 percent of fish
“

The Center has created six different packages for the condoms, each one with original artwork featuring and an endangered animal and a slogan. They partly clever, partly cheesy, but entirely effective.  One reads, “Use a Stopper, Save the Hopper,” referring to the Puerto Rican Rock Frog which has seen it’s habitat disappear due to deforestation.

Another reads, “Wear a Jimmy Hat, Save the Big Cat,” in reference to the Jaguar, the largest cat in the United States, which has been on the endangered species list since 1997. The other species being promoted are the polar bear, snail darter, spotted owl, and American burying beetle.

With volunteers all around the country, the organization will be giving
out the condoms in all fifty states. They will be distributed in bars,
supermarkets, schools, concerts, parties, and other public events, says
the group. In addition to the picture and slogan, each condom will have information facts on the animal and ways in which we can curb the negative effects of over population.

It is important to be aware of the dangerous effects of overpopulation, and it is every individual’s duty to understand and practice safe sex and responsible reproduction.

The group is also having a contest awarding not one, but five lucky winners free condoms for life. Click the link to enter: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/signUp.jsp?key=4846

For much more information on the group, and to learn more about overpopulation, check out their website: http://www.endangeredspeciescondoms.com/

Those that dispute and deny global warming will look to anything to justify their stubborn beliefs. One of their most common defences is pointing to the current weather happening in the world.  The anti-climate change group claims that the science is as simple as looking outside–it’s winter, and it’s cold.  This argument is all too common yet not at all surprising by a group that ignores the scientific method and research. Looking through such a narrow scope and small sampling is not only impractical when dealing with the environment, it is ineffective in any field.

There is new evidence, however, to add to the discussion that should hopefully continue to sway those who are on the fence.

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) released figures this past week that say the decade from 2000-2009 was the warmest in history. The year 2009 was the one of the hottest in history, second only to 2005.  According to NASA, all the subsequent hottest years have occurred since 1998.

James E. Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space
Studies, told The New York Times that minimal variations are expected, but the total evidence is overwhelming. “When we average temperature over 5
or 10 years to minimize that variability,” said Dr. Hansen. “We find global warming is continuing unabated.”

Critics have recently attacked Hansen and others in so called ‘climate-gate,’ in which they say scientists are selective in their temperatures and data. These nay-sayers tend to have far too small a scope instead of looking at the big picture. Despite tiny variations, the planet is getting consistently warmer. According to NASA, the earth has risen about .36 degrees Fahrenheit per decade over the past 30 years.

It is unfortunate that sometimes politicians or leaders are often right with their science and beliefs, but wrong with their message and their argument.  Too often politics trumps science, and those that do a better job arguing win.  When someone says that snow and cold weather are evidence global warming exist, they need to be corrected. It is not easy changing the minds of those who are stubborn and won’t give an inch, but part of taking care of the environment is being well informed, and have the ability to not only effectively communicate what is going on in the world, but effectively debate. 2009 was a hot year and the end of a hot decade, and that’s a fact.

Wednesday’s Quick Tip: Looking for eco-friendly cookware? Try checking out your local Walmart. That’s right. A lot of the Walmarts are now starting to carry an eco-friendly cookware line of products, which goes by the brand name of Starfrit.

Whether you are just now starting to stock up on school supplies for your kids or are looking to replace some of their regular school supplies with eco-friendly ones you might be interested in eco-friendly glue. Overall it’s great for the environment, but equally great to your child’s health, especially if they are very young and tend to stick things in their mouth that don’t exactly belong there. Take a look at what is available…

Biodegradable Glue
Ukky is the Dutch word for small child. This biodegradable adhesive is ideal for craft projects with young children. Non-toxic, water soluble, biodegradable glue, child safe, with minimum mess. 100 ml bottle

Coccoina Adhesive Glue Stick
The Coccoina Almond Scented Glue Stick is non-toxic, non-solvent, and acid free. Best of all it smells like marzipan, an almond-based confection popular in Italy for making sweets. Coccoina Almond Scented Glue Stick is ideal for scrapbooking and crafts, and also makes a sweet treat for kids going back-to-school.

Office Depot Brand Glue Stick
Neat, easy-to-use glue sticks. Makes paper self-sticking. Dries clear and wrinkle-free. Photo-safe, washable, acid-free, and certified AP nontoxic. Conforms to ASTM D-4236. Approved by school boards. Available in clear and colored (goes on colored and dries clear).

MagiGlue
MagiGlue was refined to a superior adhesive, without using precious non-renewable resources, animal products, or dangerous chemicals. It is vegan and non-acidic. The key to MagiGlue’s success over other bioadhesives is its blend of biopolymers that mimic the complexity of natural adhesive bonds, similar to those that hold barnacles to boats and docks, and algae to river rocks. MagiGlue was discovered by a scientist in Athena’s labs in 2005, while experimenting with a unique biopolymer. She found that it formed a strong adhesive bond when used to glue a wide variety of substances together, and that the bond dissolved in the presence of water. By adding another bioadhesive to the original biopolymer, she created an adhesive superior to standard white glue in strength, but still reversible in water: a property that lends the glue to several specialized uses, in addition to being an excellent all-purpose glue.

To kick things off here are the current results from last week’s poll:

It looks like out of those who voted the majority voted that they think Obama is doing a good job with helping the environment. That being the case, let’s hope he continues to do so, and there is always room for improvement when it comes to the environment.

As for this week’s poll, the question is: What Type of Books Do You Read (i.e. paperback, e-book)? Click Here to vote.

There are a lot of helpful books out there that help people to live a green life. Below you will find a few of my picks for helping to green your life, along with a way of compensating for the use of paperbacks.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth’s natural beauty. This makes for a very nice children’s book.

Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives by Carolyn Steel
The gargantuan effort needed to feed cities across the world on a daily basis has a massive and vastly under appreciated social and physical impact on both human populations and the planet. The rise and impact of such American hallmarks as industrialized food and meat production, the supermarket, fast food restaurant chains, and processed edibles on city life is examined alongside the historical roots and the contemporary issues at each stage of the food cycle, from farm to plate to landfill. Original and inspiring, this is a warning call to the waste and destruction caused by today’s food systems, and a guide to correcting its errors.

Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living by Josh Dorfman
In The Lazy Environmentalist, Josh Dorfman-host of the Sirius Satellite Radio program of the same name-provides comprehensive guidance to fashion-forward consumers who are as concerned about the long-term health of our planet as they are about the design of their bathroom fixtures. Covering topics that range from clothing to electronic gadgetry, home decor to recreation, and gardening to financial investment, Dorfman lets us know which trends to watch and which eco-conscious products-cars, toothbrushes, cell phones, pet accessories-to buy.

365 Ways to Live Green: Your Everyday Guide to Saving the Environment by Diane Gow McDilda
365 Ways to Live Green will educate, inspire, and motivate you to do your part. With easy-to-implement tips, you’ll learn how to create biodegradable home cleaning products, find the hidden ingredients in bad-for-you-foods, invest in green technology and stocks, buy eco-friendly clothes and accessories, and choose the right plants to nourish your yard.

Love reading but hate the idea of cutting down trees just to do it, and also really dislike e-books? There is a nice option for those who really would rather not give up their paperback books. Roughly 20 million trees or so are cut down about every year to create the books sold in the U.S. This can be roughly compensated for. A company called Eco-Libris is aimed toward planting a tree for every book that you read, which costs you a dollar per tree. Simply go to their website by clicking here and you will see on their front page how to go about donating.