Helene Webman, an environmentally concerned mother of two from Phoenix, saw an opportunity to save precious resources each time she left her iPhone charger plugged in. The result is a prototype for the EarthPlug™, a low cost add-on to your iPhone charger that allows the user to easily disengage the plug from the outlet when it’s not in use.

“After your iPhone is fully charged, you simply slide the charger out from within the EarthPlug,” says Webman. “Your charger remains anchored to the wall so you always know where it is, but because the plug is no longer in the outlet you put an end to vampire draw.”

Webman recently launched EarthPlug at Kickstarter, the popular website that provides a way for anyone with an idea to promote and fund creative projects. Webman is looking to raise $8,000 to take her prototype to production.

“After many trials and errors, we have a working prototype that is ready for manufacturing,” she explains. “Kickstarter contributions will be used for initial tooling and production.”

The first EarthPlug is designed for the iPhone, but once the company gets off the ground Webman hopes to create similar devices for a wide variety of electronics and home appliances.

“Nobody is going to go bankrupt from the cost of vampire draw for one iPhone,” says Webman. “But on a large scale it can make a huge environmental impact, which is why I created EarthPlug and why this project is so important to me. Today most of our energy comes from non-renewable sources so we have a responsibility to conserve.”

The EarthPlug page on Kickstarter is a family affair, with Helene’s daughter Zoe, a sophomore at University of Arizona, adding unique animation to the site. The younger Webman’s video, “Martha Invents the Earth Plug” teaches visitors to the site how vampire power can bleed electronic devices dry.

For more information on EarthPlug visit Webman’s Kickstarter page.

Put an End to ‘Vampire Power’ With EarthPlug for iPhone is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: Has anyone calculated the energy wasted at night by unnecessary lighting in and around buildings? What can we do to reduce our light footprint? – Bill Rehkamp, via e-mail

Americans do squander a lot of electricity keeping things lit up at night while most of us sleep. This light blocks our view of the night sky and stars, creates glare hazards on roads, messes with our circadian sleep-wake rhythms, interrupts the patterns of nocturnal wildlife, and is by and large annoying. It also takes a financial toll: The federally funded National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) reports that poorly-aimed, unshielded outdoor lights waste $2 billion (17.4 billion kilowatt-hours) of energy in the U.S.each year.

NOAO has monitored outdoor lighting levels across the U.S. and beyond for the past six years through its GLOBE at Night program whereby citizen-scientists track nearby outdoor lighting levels over a two-week period beginning in late March and submit their observations to NOAO electronically. A simple star map provided by NOAO is all that participants need to track their slice of sky. “All it takes is a few minutes for a family to measure their night sky brightness by noting how many stars are missing from an easy-to-find constellation like Leo (in the northern hemisphere) or Crux (in the southern hemisphere),” says GLOBE at Night project director Connie Walker. “This tells us how much light is directed upwards into the sky.”

Over the last six annual campaigns, participants from 100-plus countries have contributed almost 70,000 measurements, giving project organizers a detailed picture of light pollution globally. Unfortunately, analysis of the data shows that participants have seen brighter skies and fewer stars over time, meaning that light pollution is a growing problem. The free and publicly-accessible data gathered by the project is not only useful for educational purposes but can also help inform planners and policymakers on decisions about increasing public safety, reducing energy consumption and even identifying parks and green spaces that can serve as “sky oases” where city dwellers can appreciate the night sky from a safe, dark place.

According to the McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative (DSI), the solution to light pollution is 90 percent education and 10 percent technology. “We can reclaim vast amounts of energy currently wasted inadvertently into the night sky…by using light fixtures that are shielded to reflect light down where it is needed, as well as using the smallest number of lights and lowest wattage bulbs necessary to effectively light an area,” says DSI. Leading by example through the installation of downward-pointing outdoor light fixtures is a great place for home and building owners to start: “Once people see it in action, and understand its implications for cost savings and enhanced visibility, they are far more likely to adopt good lighting practices on their own.” Another group committed to reducing light pollution, the International Dark-Sky Association, maintains a list of distributors that sell approved fixtures to prevent light pollution.

Some cities have instituted standards to limit outdoor night lighting to protect citizens against unwanted light (or “light trespass”). The International Dark-Sky Association has developed a set of model lighting ordinances that cities and towns can adopt and modify to suit their needs accordingly. Also, the U.S. Green Building Council has incorporated a credit for buildings seeking to reduce the amount of light trespass and sky glow through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Photo Credit: Brand X Pictures

CONTACTS: GLOBE At Night, www.globeatnight.org; Dark Skies Initiative, www.mcdonaldobservatory.org/darkskies; International Dark Sky Association, www.darksky.org.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Are we suffering from light pollution? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Many people are used to the idea of abundant fresh water simply because they’ve lived their lives in an age where it is made readily available through water treatment systems and home plumbing. But there are a lot of people worldwide who live without easily accessible fresh water, and even in areas where tap water is readily accessible, it’s still important to conserve water.

There’s just one question: how can it be done? Let’s take a look at the different people conserving water in the 21st century and see how they do it.

How Individuals Conserve Water

There are a number of ways that you as an individual can conserve water at home. Consider these options:

• Rain barrels: A lot of people collect rainwater out of the sky through the use of rain barrels; it makes for an abundant source of outdoor cleaning water that doesn’t come out of a hose.
• Effective sink habits: Not letting the water always run while washing dishes or brushing your teeth is a great way to conserve on water usage.
• Watering plants and lawns in the morning or evening: Watering at cooler times prevents evaporation and the waste of water.
• Fixing leaky pipes, faucets, and valves.

These are just a few of the habits you can undertake in order to use water more efficiently. But what if you’re part of a larger organization, like a business?

How Businesses Conserve Water

Businesses are often in the same boat as individuals when it comes to conserving water – oftentimes, conserving water is just a matter of breaking bad habits. The problem for businesses is that it’s easier to break one’s own bad habits than to change the habits of a few dozen employees.

Businesses still have a variety of options to conserve water. They could install low-flow devices in their bathrooms (such as low-flush toilets) in order to make the water conservation automatic. They could check for leaks in the office and appoint a water conservation manager to make sure that employees are aware of some ways to conserve water.

How Governments Conserve Water

Governments can often have the largest impact on water conservation – if they’re doing it right.

It’s important for government first to set an example and start conserving on its own water use; the public doesn’t want to hear about water conservation ordinances if their own local government is not putting their money where their mouth is.

It’s also important that governments equip citizens to conserve water by restricting laws against, for example, collecting rain water. These types of regulations have a way of hampering the people who are already trying to do the right thing.

Image courtesy by Lee Cannon.

Gabriel Adams writes for Sample Valves And Equipment, a company that manufactures sanitary sampling valves.

How Individuals, Companies & Governments are Conserving Water is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Operation Smile provides free reconstructive surgery for children around the world who are suffering from facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate – healing their smiles and transforming their lives forever. Sanuk has partnered with Operation Smile for nearly 2 years providing donations that have helped heal over 500 children worldwide. Recently a team of employees and surfers from Sanuk traveled to Peru to participate in one of Operation Smile’s medical missions. Sanuk surfers Matt Meola, Torrey Meister and Alek Parker volunteered on the eight day mission, quickly becoming popular with the local families, doctors, and Operation Smile medical volunteers.

Smile…Pass it on! So says Sanuk Footwear is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

The first and only green products directory and review web site, bayUnity.com, will help online shoppers find the best eco-friendly products. This free, one-of-a-kind directory allows consumers to search for green products in good faith, because the products are reviewed and ranked by customers.

“bayUnity.com is like Yelp mixed with Etsy,” Founder Jason Daung said. “It is a niche product directory with a review feature. This site will help shoppers avoid costly mistakes. You won’t find anything else like it on the web.”

Unlike other directory sites, bayUnity.com lists and ranks products, as well as the companies. Fueled by real customer reviews, bayUnity.com connects green customers, companies and product users together at one online location.

Retailers receive several benefits, because signing up and posting eco-friendly products on bayUnity.com is free. With a couple clicks, retailers can list their green products, build exposure and begin to draw new customers to their web sites. The utilization of bayUnity.com will also help the retailer collect loyal followers, gain feedback and can ultimately improve the retailer’s web site SEO.

About bayUnity.com

bayUnity.com is an eco-friendly product review web site. The first of its kind, bayUnity.com is a product directory and a social tool that promotes customer feedback. At bayUnity.com, shoppers can research green products and companies to make an informed purchasing decision. All eco-friendly product reviews and company reviews are written by consumers, for consumers, which makes shopping for green products easier than ever before. bayUnity.com is a directory of the best eco-friendly products and is a driving force to help consumers go green. For more info contact JasonD@bayunity.com, 1-888-707-5009 www.bayUnity.com.

First Green Products Directory and Review Site Launched is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Back to the story.  I went to my IPhone and found everything I needed for Yama Sushi in Briarcliff Manor, New York, (i.e. got my restaurant menus and could call straight from the link ). What happenes when we get there?; It’s crowded!!

So my wife calls our friends to go to another restaurant called Oriental Diner in Hawthorne, New York. I mean there was NINE of us so we had to find the best place.

Green Lighting Connection

Here’s the Green Lighting connection for everyone out there trying to go green and find a quick way.

I stated in the Huffington Post a while ago that when you write a book called Green Lighting, your perspective of this world really changes. So every restaurant I go to saddens me by their lighting.  It stinks and also it’s cutting into their companies profits. That then reduces employment options for the rest of us.

I mean if we changed every light in every restaurant and private corporate complex. Here is a moonshot:

Let us change every street lamp in America to LED.

As I recently wrote up an excerpt on green lighting I realized numbers say more than I can regarding retrofits, jobs and energy prices:

In California, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) officials switched to LEDs for functional and outdoor lighting, reducing annual lighting costs by $55,000 and lifetime maintenance costs by $980,000. In Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Sentry Equipment Corporation chose to light its newfactory almost entirelywith LEDs, both interior and exterior. The initial cost was three times more than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, but this price premium is expected to be repaid within two years from electricity savings. The bulbs are expected to last for 20 years.

James Cameron Wants Green Lighting Too!

Recently I attended the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards that James Cameron was being awarded for his innovative use of technology with the movie Avatar.

Back when the BP oil spill occurred, I had the chance to interview him at the Environmental Media Association awards dinner.  What he stated then still unfortunately still rings true: The Gulf Is Not Clean!! I thanked James for his efforts by giving him a copy of my book Green Lighting.  He was extremely appreciative and after our discussion about the World Bank and energy projects across the globe we agreed at that moment about one thing; if we just do green lighting across America we can easily save this country.  From taxes, jobs, energy efficiency which reduces power plant emissions, to some of our larger national security issues regarding energy security. Everything! It is so important to recognize that each one of us can make a difference.

In the book Green Lighting, you’ll find:

Flip the switch to energy-efficient lighting

This do-it-yourself guide makes it easy to upgrade residential and commercial lighting to reduce costs and environmental impact while maintaining or even improving the quality of the lighting. Filled with step-by-step instructions,  Green Lighting shows you how to save money and energy with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), compact fluorescent lighting (CFL), solar lights, windows, skylights, fixtures, controls, and other bright ideas. Methods for calculating return on investment plus recommended sources for energy-efficient products, are included in this practical resource.

Additionally you’ll find that Green Lighting covers:

• Color temperature measurements
• In-depth details on the differences between LEDs and CFLs How utilities bill for electricity usage
• Comparing wattage and determining energy savings ENERGY STAR® ratings Purchasing appropriate bulbs, fixtures, and sensors
• Developing a comprehensive green lighting plan for your entire home, office, or commercial environment Incandescent, halogen, and gas-discharge lighting Solar and next-generation lighting.

Green Lighting is really the way to go because as my friends at MSI LED company have helped transform energy savings into massive amounts of cash coming back to their bottom line.  We are talking about Macy’s, Jones NY, TD Bank and countless others.  After the first month of those bulbs being in one store, Macy’s and Jones NY wanted in, saving millions per year…Millions!!

Green Lighting can help YOU to make a greater impact on this economy, the green jobs needed for us to succeed as a country and more importantly get us a cleaner, greener more cost effective world.

So when you go to a restaurant or need to get restaurant menus after writing the book Green Lighting and understanding it’s correlation to everything, your trip to a restaurant will never be the same again.

Green Lighting Mindset is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

The next few months bring a number of exciting milestones in the evolution of the .green Top-Level Domain, including the publication of all new gTLD applicants during the month of May.

The DotGreen Community, Inc. just relaunched www.dotgreen.org where you can find out more about .green domains coming in 2013 and our early partnerships.

The .green TLD is designed to generate an “income stream for green” through domain sales and may be the only environmental new Top Level Domain with an established Non-Profit for Public Benefit Charity, called The DotGreen Foundation, a U.S. 501 (c)3 Organization.  The DotGreen Foundation has partnered with EarthShare to deliver support to programs and projects aimed at sustainability in all regions of the world.

The DotGreen Community is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

McGraw-Hill Professional had asked me to do a Third Edition of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brandt for many reasons.  However, it was because of my experience and passion for electric cars that I did the Second Edition.  That was extremely humbling and I am looking forward to getting this book out to everyone.

Here is the new book intro for “Build Your Own Electric Vehicle”:

The advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) are well-known: nonpolluting operation, a renewable power source, safety, and low cost of operation.  Let’s get some more electric cars on the road and watch what happens.

Since I worked for the State of New York (specifically the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the NY Power Authority on alternative fueled vehicles and electric cars, I knew electric drive rocked. I was like the East Coast version of the movie by Chris Paine, Who Killed The Electric Car and drove electric vehicles.

Also, back in 2008 when I wrote about the supply of old electric cars I referred to the original THINK City (YES AND THE ORIGINAL PIVCO, THINK CITY), Toyota RAV4EV, Tesla Roadster, Ford Ranger, Chrysler EPIC Minivan, Honda EV Plus and know what an electric car can do on the road.  So if we can get more people to want to build their own electric car (you don’t have to convert it yourself) this book is for you!!!

Now we have the Tesla Roadster, Tesla Model X, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus electric, Rolls Royce starting to develop prototypes after the second edition showed someone converting an old car to electric. Bam!!

As we said in the second edition, we’ll say it again:

“Empowering people with the tools to convert their own vehicles provides an immediate path away from petroleum dependence and should be part of the solutions portfolio.” – Chelsea Sexton, Co-founder, Plug In America and featured in Who Killed the Electric Car?

“Create a superior driving experience, strengthen America, and restore the planet’s ecosystems…that’s the promise of this book and it’s well worth a read!” – Josh Dorfman, Founder & CEO – Vivavi, Modern Green Furniture Store; Author, The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living.

Source: McGraw Hill Professional

More on Electric Vehicles From The Green Living Guy:

• Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant and Seth Leitman
• Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Seth Leitman
• Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel

‘Build Your Own Electric Vehicle’ Going Third Edition! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: Which are the most fuel-efficient hybrid and/or all-electric cars available to consumers today (just the affordable ones, please!)? — Jack Madison, Chicago, IL

Given increased environmental awareness, high gas prices and a continually slumping economy, it’s no wonder that more fuel efficient cars are all the rage these days. The best deal going may be Honda’s hybrid, the 42 miles-per-gallon (MPG) Insight ($18,350). Meanwhile, the newest version of Toyota’s flagship hybrid, the Prius ($23,015), garners an impressive 50 MPG. Other solid choices include Toyota’s 41-MPG Camry hybrid ($25,900), Ford’s 39-MPG Fusion hybrid ($28,700), Lexus’ 42-MPG CT 200h ($29,120) and Lincoln’s 39-MPG MKZ Hybrid ($34,755).

For even greater efficiency and lower sticker prices, consider going electric, whereby you can charge your vehicle at ordinary electric outlets at home or work. Mitsubishi’s new MiEV ($29,125) electric is the most fuel efficient car available to U.S. consumers in the 2012 model year, achieving 112 “MPG-equivalent” (the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s rating for electric vehicles that swaps in electricity for gas in its calculations) and a 62 mile range per full charge—not bad considering four adults can fit fairly comfortably inside. Another option is Smart’s FourTwo Electric ($28,752), a two-seater with an 87 MPG-equivalent. And Nissan’s all-electric Leaf ($35,200) achieves 99 MPG efficiency for a range up to 100 miles.

So-called “plug-in” hybrids also allow drivers to charge their vehicles’ electric batteries via common power outlets, but also can use gasoline as needed for a longer range. Though pricey at $39,145, the Chevy Volt may save you money in the long run because it gets a whopping 94 MPG-equivalent in its preferred all-electric mode. An onboard gas generator produces more electricity as the vehicle is driven, extending the car’s range with a full tank of gas to some 375 miles. Toyota released a plug-in version of its Prius ($32,760) this year, as well. It gets 87 MPG in electric mode (but this will only get you 15 miles without gas assistance) and a respectable 49 MPG in regular hybrid mode.

Another factor to consider when deciding which of these new uber-efficient vehicles may be right for you is the availability of additional incentives. Buyers of a new Volt, MiEV, FourTwo Electric or Leaf, for example, can cash in on a federal tax credit of $7,500—and some states may offer additional incentives—bringing the overall cost of these cars down to within the range of similarly sized traditional car models. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) posts all of the relevant federal tax incentives online at its Fuel Efficient Vehicle Tax Information Center website. For state-by-state incentives, check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE), a free online resources maintained by the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

Of course, consumers don’t have to go hybrid or electric to enjoy improved fuel efficiency these days. Scion’s iQ ($15,265) and Honda’s CR-Z ($19,545) each get 37 MPG out of sporty little gas-powered internal combustion engines. Kia, Toyota, Chevrolet, Hyundia and Nissan also make smaller traditional cars that get a respectable 33-34 MPG for sticker prices under $15,000.

Photo courtesy Mitsubishi, Toyota, General Motors.

CONTACTS: DOE’s Fuel Efficient Vehicle Tax Information Center, www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxcenter.shtml; DSIRE, www.dsireusa.org; Edmunds’ “Decoding Electric Car MPG,” www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/decoding-electric-car-mpg.html.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Affordable Fuel Efficient Car Choices for 2012 is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Along with continued horror stories and predications of dire consequences are incredible feats of innovation in the marketplace. As we have learned more about all the problems we face, bright minds have taken this news as motivation to create a better world. There is now an influx of “green” products on the market. These are products that are made with natural materials, that do more with less, use alternative energy and promote more sustainable lifestyles.

Voting with Your Dollars

Many of us feel politically impotent and don’t feel as if our votes really matter much. But even if we are disenfranchised politically, there is still a realm where the average individual has a lot of power. And that is in the marketplace. Being a capitalist society, what the market says goes. When you purchase a green item, you are making a calculated decision with your money about your values, desires and expectations. Not only is using these products better for the environment, but the mere purchase of these products also sends a powerful message about what you want and expect from companies that drive our world.

Shifting the Marketplace

The more people who vote with their dollars, the more change we will see. This will mean a great change in the things we are purchasing and thus the impact these things have on the planet. By buying green and organic products, we are supporting good farming and business practices, and the businesses that provide us with these types of wares. As the popularity of these products grows, the market will gradually shift to an overall more sustainable marketplace. Basically, with more people buying greener, more sustainable products, the market for outdated and unsustainable products will dwindle.

Shopping doesn’t seem like a way to do right by the environment, but the where, what and why of our shopping habits actually has the potential to make a really big difference. When we buy green products, we are making a statement to society and to business about a change in our expectations and values. The more of us who choose to make these statements by putting our money where our mouths are, the more the marketplace will reflect this change in values and the more sustainable the overall marketplace will be. What we buy really does make a difference and by making conscious consumer decisions, we can help drive our nation forward towards a more sustainable, green future that provides us with a high standard of living, without the excessive burden on the environment.

Photo Sorrel Organic Cardigan/Dress courtesy allgreenshopping.com.

This article was contributed by allgreenshopping.com providers of fashionable eco clothing as well as offer a variety of green cleaning products.

If We All Shop Green, We Can Make An Impact is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag