On April 15, Sprint announced its newest ID Pack called, Green ID pack that “automatically loads apps, widgets and shortcuts tailor-made for users who want to live a more environmentally sustainable life and help others to do the same.” This awesome feature is already available for owners of the LG Optimus S™, Sanyo Zio™, Samsung Transform™, Samsung Epic™ 4G* and Samsung Galaxy Tab™ on their devices with one simple click. Sprint’s newest environmentally preferred phone, the Samsung Replenish™, also will offer the Green ID pack when it becomes available on May 8.

The team has worked tirelessly to create a very successful and engaging blog that more than 14 members contribute regularly. The topics we share are everything green, including eco-tips, tutorials, and eco news. In addition, we cover tips on building and managing our handmade businesses, feature our creative members, and review members’ Etsy shops.

But what Sprint was interested in was not just our content, but also the amazingly creative green handmade crafts that our talented members make and sell on Etsy. It wanted its Android customers to be able to click from their mobile devices to our Etsy shops to buy our eco crafts via our website. It was more than thrilling to hear that a big corporation like Sprint would be interested in a team of eco-friendly handmade artists. It was definitely an inspiring news.

What is Green ID Pack Exactly?

The Green ID pack has four screens; Green Shop, Green Now, Live Green, and Take Action.

“Green Shop” screen will feature our team’s logo that will directly take the users to our website. From the website, they can click the category tabs on the left, which will bring them to members’ items on Etsy. We will be sharing the screen with some prominent companies like eBay Green, Green Deals.org, Seasonal Harvest, and Light Bulb Finder.

Other screens on Green ID Pack include, Green Now which has TreenHugger, Earth911, and GreenBiz.com; Live Green that has a widget that delivers weekly tips from Green America, link to the Green You app, and shortcuts to TreeHugger; Take Action which has the National Audubon Society, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Green Education Foundation and more.

As you can imagine, we are extremely proud and excited about this recognition and the opportunity to work with one of the greenest telecom companies that ranked at No. 6 as America’s Greenest Companies by Newsweek in 2010. Sprint was also ranked highest among the wireless carrier industry on the Carbon Disclosure Project’s “Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index.” In addition, Sprint received the “Sustainability Leadership Award” at the 2010 International Electronics Recycling Conference and Expo for its leadership among wireless carriers in the recycling of mobile handsets.

As small business owners, this recognition is beyond what we dreamed of since we regard Sprint as big corporate America that does not notice handmade crafters’ humble mission of keeping the planet clean and safe for our children.

So my message to you, readers, is that keep your mission to live green. No act is small. If you continue your cleaner lifestyle, it will pay you back in many ways. Look at our little handmade team. We would have never thought that our little handmade business would be noticed by a big corporation like Sprint and look where we are now.

Team Eco Etsy is a moderated team of over 400 active members that are dedicated to managing our Etsy shops in an eco-friendly manner by keeping our environment safe and sustainable.

Karen

When she is not co-leading Team EcoEtsy, Karen Lee blogs about eco-living and tips on her blog, ecokaren (www.ecokaren.com) and sells her eco-goodies on Etsy (http://ecokaren.etsy.com), in that order. Karen is a chiropractor who found correlation between health and living green while in practice and currently tries to reach out to as many people as she can about the importance of living green.

Eco Etsy Partners with Sprint is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

They end up being depots for all kinds of things that wouldn’t necessarily be stored in the general living space due to fumes or hazardous ingredients that are dangerous to the whole family.

If you are interested in making the garage a more user friendly area here are some suggestions that will improve its overall environment:

• Discard noxious materials: toxic chemicals and substances like pesticides and weed killers are notoriously found in garages. With new eco-friendly products entering the market all the time these once necessary items are no longer needed. Just remember to dispose of them safely.
• Replace incandescent bulbs: Use CFLs or if you can find and afford them, LEDs. Both will last longer and be more energy efficient.


courtesy improvementscatalog.com

• Make a recycling station: Many people don’t recycle or don’t do enough recycling because of space. The garage is the perfect place to set up a system of boxes or bins for paper, plastic, glass, etc. Just like using one’s time wisely is important, making good use of space is a plus and this is the perfect way to make it happen in the garage.
• Non toxic paint: when it comes time to replace or refinish the garage door, use  ecological paint. It won’t pollute, is biodegradable, and most importantly will be safe for children and pets.
• Weather stripping: Many garages have an internal door leading into the house. Like windows, the door and surrounding frame may have cracks where air is escaping or seeping in; the effects of which will be felt on your heating or electric bills. Weather stripping will prevent these losses by making the home more energy efficient and help you save in the bank.
• Fight mold and mildew: Every month do a quick check to see if moisture is spawning mold, which could create serious allergenic conditions for members of the family. If found clean well to prevent spreading to the home or structural damage to masonry in the garage itself.
• Upgrade to a Greener car: When the time is right consider making a change in this direction. With a reduction in fumes fogging up the neighborhood and less need for trips to the pump it’s a good healthy alternative.
• Manual lawnmower: Like the car it’s a healthier choice than gasoline or electric. There’s no worry of spills, fumes, or dangerous accidents with power cords.


courtesy planetgreen.discovery.com

• Use permeable cement: If you have to redo the driveway including the garage floor replacing it with permeable concrete which will prevent contaminants from dripping off a car and flowing into the street towards the sewer. Instead, it will drain through the permeable floor filtering out toxins in the soil in the process.
• House plants: Studies have shown they help purify air. With various factors from mold to car exhaust to paint fumes dirtying up the breathable air, what better place to encourage plant growth than in the garage.

Jakob

Jakob Barry writes for www.Networx.com, a growing community of users sharing and monitoring home improvement projects allowing homeowners and contractors to get the most from their resources. He covers various home improvement topics including green landscaping and barn style garage doors.

Greening Your Garage is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

So whether daffodil stems have barely pierced the dirt or have already popped open where you live, here are five eco-friendly ways to dump the winter blahs and celebrate spring.

Why are they eco-friendly?

• They don’t require buying
• They produce no waste
• They have no impact on the Earth

1. Plan an afternoon outside

• Hunt for signs of spring. See who can find the most.
• Dye silks that kids love to use for play
• Take a book about trees and identify as many as you can. Take a sketch book and let everyone draw the different trees
• Making bark rubbings using crayons
• Collect rocks to use for crafting
• Play clothes pin tag and other tag games
• Build a shelter from things you have lying around
• Create an obstacle course from natural materials, for example, rocks and branches

2. Create!

• Look around your house and gather materials that you can use to make spring collages. Papers of all kinds of course, costume jewelry, even nuts and bolts. Give everyone a piece of cardboard, then glue the items on to make flowers or other spring images.
• Make birdhouses cardboard or scrap lumber. The former can be hung outside in protected areas or kept inside as a reminder of spring.
• Hand make a book featuring quotes about spring.
• Make up a play, song, puppet show or skit with a spring theme.
• Paint or wrap paper around cans that you can fill with flowers or blooming branches when the time is right
• Make flower pins using felt you can easily make from old wool sweaters

3. Go a little crazy! (You’ve just been through a long winter, it’s OK!)

• Eat breakfast under the dining table
• Stage a backwards dinner (insist that no one will get their broccoli unless they eat their dessert)
• Make faces with your food
• Make flour finger paints then “finger paint” with your feet!
• Exchange roles for a meal. Put everyone’s name on a piece of paper (remember to recycle). Each person chooses. Whomever they get, they assume that role during dinner.
• No matter your age, try standing on your head (with help and against a wall still counts)
• Put on some springlike music and dance til you drop

Lynn & Corey

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

Celebrate Spring with these 3 Eco-ideas is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

PeopleTowels are reusable, personal organic cotton hand towels.  A simple solution with big impacts and following are 11 tips to help you Toss the Towel in 2011:

• Commit to 21 days- it takes 21 days to create a new habit.
• Make it daily – How many times do you wash your hands in a day? Remember to use your PeopleTowels each time.
• Get a buddy – the PeopleTowels Ambassador program is an exciting way to make a difference, earn cash rewards, and provide discounts to your network.  The program is open to all interested parties and you can learn more here.
• Plan a head- Have your PeopleTowels with you and a fresh one ready to go for the next day.
• Inspire -Spread eco awareness and promote the B.Y.O.Towel message to friends and families.
• Know the benefits -By switching to PeopleTowels, you are reducing deforestation, waste and pollution.
• Do it for yourself – By taking daily eco action have confidence that you’re making a positive difference.
• Do it for our natural resources- The average person uses 3,000+ paper towels outside the home each year, equivalent to approximately 8 large garbage bags of single use paper towels per person.  Each person who switches to PeopleTowels can save 1/4 of a tree, conserve 250 gallons of water, cut CO2 emissions by 34 lbs. and reduce landfill waste by 23 lbs. in one year.
• Do it for your business – Businesses large and small can Improve Stock Value, Employee Engagement and Reduce Impacts with PeopleTowels.   PeopleTowels with a corporate logo as part of a corporate sustainability plan, employee gifts, awards, supplier and client gifts, is a means to connect the dots of the corporate sustainability plan to demonstrating daily practice to valued stakeholders.
• Support sustainable business practices.  PeopleTowels beautifully integrates the sustainability concepts of organic, fair trade, and energy efficiency into one little towel that can help the environment in a multiple of ways.  PeopleTowels also supports The Breast Cancer Fund and 1% for the Planet.
• Pass this post along or Visit PeopleTowels Website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Green New Year’s Resolution: Toss the Towel republished with permission from the Taiga Company blog.

Julie

Julie Urlaub is Founder & Managing Partner of Taiga Company, a sustainability consulting firm located in Houston, Texas dedicated to accelerating the integration of sustainability concepts in business. Today, Julie speaks, writes, and advises clients on a variety of issues related to the intersection between environmental stewardship, and sustainable business practices. Her writing has been featured in SocialYell’s Corporate Advice, the GreenEcomonyPost, the Business Exchange and, the ThinkGreenAlliance. Connect with Taiga Company on Facebook and Twitter. Also Find Julie on LinkedIn.

Green New Year's Resolution: Toss the Towel is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

courtesy stock.xchng, myles

Part 2 – Make Your Car Journey a Greener One

1. Fuels - The best fuel available is pure vegetable oil (except soya oil), but failing that go for sustainably produced biodiesel. There is an obligation now for all diesel sold in the UK to contain 2.5% biodiesel, rising to 10% in 2010. Bioethanol is the equivalent to biodiesel, but for petrol engines.
2. Check your tires regularly - ensure they are at the right pressure and keep the engine well tuned and serviced (new oil and filters alone make a fair difference).
3. Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by up to 25%, so use sparingly. However, above about 50mph air conditioning is more fuel efficient than having the windows open, as this causes turbulence.
4. Driving styles are important. Accelerate slowly, decelerate slowly and approach roundabouts gently so there is more chance you will not have to stop completely. Keep a good distance from the car in front (less braking/accelerating) as this should cut around 10% or £100 off fuel consumption every year.
5. Try to keep your engine at between 2000 and 4000 revs, as below this range you will strain the engine and above it race it. Both these extremes burn more fuel so cost more money.
6. Turn your engine off when stationary at a traffic jam etc. Most cars start easily and reliably, and the idea that starting a car takes loads of fuel is about 20 years out of date.
7. Lift sharing is a great idea if you can find someone to share with, but always play it safe until you know the person. Car clubs are worth investigating too if you are an infrequent driver.
8. Firestone makes fuel-saving tires for most cars. Varta offers about the most environmentally friendly batteries and Zymol has a natural car polish.
9. New car - The most eco-friendly cars around at the moment are electrically powered. Next in the eco-stakes are hybrid cars, which run on a mixture of electrical and petrol power. LPG is also quite a good option as it is efficient, but is still a fossil fuel.
10. Act on CO2 has teamed up with What Car? to rate the 10 greenest cars in 14 different categories, such as SUV or small family. They also have the emissions data for all new cars and say how much road tax you will have to pay. If you are considering buying a new car, it is worth having a look at www.whatcar.com.

Read Part 1 – Recycling and Waste.

Angus

Angus Middleton grew up in a small village in Kent, where his parents lived a semi self-sufficient lifestyle. With a degree in Geophysics and a Master’s at LEEDS, he spent time working as an environmental consultant before founding Ecoboom in 2009. Angus started Ecoboom to help people in the UK improve their lifestyles through becoming more eco. Ecoboom aims to bring together all the disparate eco resources on the web, empowering both the providers and users of these resources. Angus believes that unity is vital to achieve a smooth transition to a low carbon world: united we stand, divided we fall! Connect with Angus on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Green Living Ideas – Part 2 is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Part 1 – Recycling and Waste

courtesy stock.xchng, sundstrom

In the UK each and every one of us produces about half a tonne of waste per year. Since some of us produce almost no waste whatsoever, others must throw away a lot. There are varying opinions about what to do with all this waste, but most people agree that it would be a good idea not to make it in the first place. If possible, don’t throw things away. So, what should we do instead?

• Repair and reuse things  - we live in a consumerist culture where buying things, throwing them away and then buying more things to replace them is encouraged. Think about what you buy so that you can break this cycle by having them repaired or using them for something else further down the line. Try not to buy electrical gadgets that come as sealed units, as these generally have to be thrown away when they break.
• Never throw away clothes - take them to a charity shop. Even if they are too foul ever to be worn again, they can have a second life as rags.
• Shop away your packaging. The smaller, local shops tend to pack things in a more sensible way, such as in paper, but if you have to use supermarkets then use the specialist counters rather than buying off-the-shelf. The butchers, fishmongers and delis all use far less packaging than the pre-packed stuff.
• Recycle your rubbish. This sounds fairly obvious, but it is worth phoning your local council to find out exactly what can be recycled where – you may be surprised. Do not try to recycle rubbish that your council can’t process – it could make a whole batch of recycled material unusable and consign tons of otherwise useful raw materials to landfill.
• Buy second hand stuff whenever practical and sell your old stuff on (or give it away). This is not only a lot kinder to the planet, but a lot lighter on your wallet. It is also recently beloved of the Uber-fashionistas, so anyone thinking that second hand is shameful is sadly behind the times.

Only as a last resort should anything actually be thrown away. This is where the concept of ‘Zero Waste’ comes in – not throwing anything away but repairing, reusing or recycling the whole lot.

Perhaps the greatest source of waste is the kitchen. A massive 33% of food bought in the UK is thrown away, mostly without needing to be. That means for every £1 an average person spends of food, they are throwing 33p straight down the drain.

• It is much easier to use what you buy if you shop using the ‘little and often’ philosophy
• If you have a big enough garden to make a proper compost heap, then all food waste can be put in it. These sorts of composts need quite a lot of feeding, so comparatively large quantities of stuff like grass cuttings are necessary, which in turn requires quite a large garden
• If you live in a town, the local council should provide a green-waste bin (often brown in colour) so you can put all your woody stuff in there.
• If you have a smaller garden, wormeries will take most food waste and compost bins will take any uncooked vegetable waste. The actual compost itself does not smell, but the liquid yuk coming out the bottom stinks.
• Another way to deal with the meat, fish and cooked kitchen waste is to invest in a bokashi system. This is basically a box that you fill up with the nasty stuff, layering it with a sort of bran that is made especially for Bokashis from bacteria and fungi. This Bokishi ferments and pickles the rubbish, which after 2 weeks is ready to be added to a standard compost bin or even dug straight into the garden.

Coming soon, Part 2 – Make Your Car Journey a Greener One.

Angus

Angus Middleton grew up in a small village in Kent, where his parents lived a semi self-sufficient lifestyle. With a degree in Geophysics and a Master’s at LEEDS, he spent time working as an environmental consultant before founding Ecoboom in 2009. Angus started Ecoboom to help people in the UK improve their lifestyles through becoming more eco. Ecoboom aims to bring together all the disparate eco resources on the web, empowering both the providers and users of these resources. Angus believes that unity is vital to achieve a smooth transition to a low carbon world: united we stand, divided we fall! Connect with Angus on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Greener Living Ideas is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

iStock image

They say a hug is a great gift – one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange.  But as a sustainable living consultant, I wonder, how do you hug the planet?

Perhaps it’s in the expression of our daily choices.  Maybe hugging the planet is by living a sustainable lifestyle.  Consider that while we are here on this planet, many of us want to make a difference in the way we treat our environment.  Many want to make a significant contribution to the role business takes in shaping our economy, society, and environment.

The human values of kindness, generosity and willingness are ways we can all hug our planet:

• Kindness in living green is not only being kind to our planet, but kind to each other.  Compassion for where each of us is in relation to the green path.
• Generosity in green living is not only sharing eco awareness and eco resources, but also going above and beyond to inspire, promote, and encourage others on the green path.
• Willingness in green living is demonstrating your values through eco action and generating results

As you are going about your day, approach your world from the place of appreciation for our natural resources and community.  Discover ways you can hug your planet!  Here are some ideas:

• Pick up litter you see as you are walking on the sidewalk.
• Turn the lights off after someone else has forgotten as they left the room.
• Collect scrap office paper and bring it to the recycling center.
• Bring an organic meal to friends after just having a baby.
• Treat a friend to organic fare at a local sustainable restaurant.
• Teach a child how to ride a bike.
• Invite a friend on a nature walk.
• Share your favorite green blog with friends.
• Volunteer to clean up the break room and use eco friendly cleaning supplies.
• Feed the birds from a park bench or feeder.
• Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter.
• Donate a bag of organic coffee and share with your office.
• Make a contribution to your favorite charity.
• Volunteer your time for a worthwhile organization.
• Notice and compliment the sustainable efforts other are doing.

As Bill Keane said, “A hug is like a boomerang – you get it back right away”.

Julie

Julie Urlaub is Founder & Managing Partner of Taiga Company, a sustainability consulting firm located in Houston, Texas dedicated to accelerating the integration of sustainability concepts in business. Today, Julie speaks, writes, and advises clients on a variety of issues related to the intersection between environmental stewardship, and sustainable business practices. Her writing has been featured in SocialYell’s Corporate Advice, the GreenEcomonyPost, the Business Exchange and, the ThinkGreenAlliance. Connect with Taiga Company on Facebook and Twitter. Also Find Julie on LinkedIn.

Eco Actions: Gifts that Keep on Giving is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Use the minimum required to get the job done. You wouldn’t bathe a newborn baby in a Roman bathtub, would you? Of course not. It’s far more than necessary to accomplish the objective. Likewise, extravagant use of household appliances doesn’t make much sense either. Although you may be accustomed to heating certain foods in a conventional oven, consider whether such meals can be prepared with a toaster oven or microwave without sacrificing quality. Instead of the stove, use a slow cooker to make soups and stews. When cooking on a stove top, use the smallest burner that’ll fit your pot or pan. Any excess will result in wasted money and energy.

Unplug appliances when they’re not in use. Even if turned off, many electronic devices continue to draw a small amount of energy when plugged in. If you’re not using it on a regular basis, unplug it and move it out of the way. Disconnecting all those counter ornaments disguised as cooking equipment might get you to finally admit you made a bad purchase decision. As an added bonus, clearing your counter tops of infrequently used appliances will likely lead to a more spacious and comfortable cooking environment.

Reuse and repurpose food packaging. Those plastic Chinese take out containers are perfect for storing leftovers. An empty ketchup bottle doubles as a pancake batter dispenser. Add a country spin to your glassware by using old salsa and mayonnaise jars as drinking glasses. Before you recycle or trash anything, ask yourself, “How can I get more use out of this?” If you’re not that creative, learn new ways to give your stuff a second life by browsing Real Simple’s New Uses for Old Things for more ideas.

Embrace the art of laziness and maximize the use of your dishwasher.

• Assuming your dishwasher is energy efficient, hand washing may be the more costly alternative to cleaning dishes.
• Save even more time and money by skipping the often extraneous step of pre-rinsing which can use up to 20 gallons of water. Scrape heavily soiled items if you’re concerned your dishwasher won’t be able to fulfill its job duties without your assistance.
• Wait until you have a full load of dishes before running your dishwasher. Recall the baby in a big ol’ bathtub analogy.
• Additionally, use the no heat dry feature. Yes, drying time will increase, but don’t worry. Your dishes will eventually dry. Worst case scenario, you’re forced to use a *gulp* wet dish.

Reduce refrigeration costs.

• Don’t leave the refrigerator door open. The fridge already accounts for about 8% of your home’s total energy consumption. Take a second, and close the door.
• Try to keep your refrigerator full for the most efficient cooling. (You should notice a theme at this point.) If you’re light on actual food, a few full containers of water is all it takes to accomplish this.
• Clean the condenser coils on an annual basis.
• Set your fridge’s temperature between 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
• And last but not least, learn to live with just one refrigerator/freezer combo. That should be enough for most families. If I didn’t personally know an individual who has a side by side refrigerator, an upright freezer, and a deep freezer, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.

Kick your bottled water addiction. Use a water filter instead. In case you’re unaware of how inexplicably expensive and damaging to the environment bottled water is, here’s a clever little infographic that summarizes these points nicely.

If you’re in the market for a new kitchen appliance, look for one that bears the Energy Star. It’s usually not cost effective to swap out a less efficient appliance in good working condition with one that consumes less energy. However, you should consider the electricity required to power a new appliance when the time comes to replace the old one. The Energy Star designation means the machine satisfies strict energy efficiency tests set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. You can further reduce the overall price of your new energy efficient product by applying for rebates and other sales incentives.

What strategies do you use to minimize energy consumption in your kitchen?

Shawanda Greene

In November 2007, Shawanda Greene had $54 in her savings account and about $25,000 in debt. By the end of December 2008, she was debt free with a 3-month emergency fund of $7,500. During that time period, she adopted a lifestyle of what some would consider extreme frugality. Shawanda now spreads the wealth as blogger-in-chief of You Have More Than You Think – a productivity focused guide to maximizing the money you have to obtain more of what you want.

7 Simple Ways to Save Energy in the Kitchen is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

1. Don’t make your freezer work overtime. Fill used milk or orange juice cartons with water and place in freezer. Your freezer uses a lot less energy cooling down an already frozen jug of water than it does cooling down air which warms up every time you open the door.

2. Toss a few lemon or orange peels along with a cup of salt or a few ice cubes to clean and deodorize your garbage disposal. Better yet, instead of using the garbage disposal, compost your scraps!  That new garden you’ve been planning could use the nutrients, and you’ll save a little more on the energy bill.

3. Save a tree, give up the paper towels and opt for naturally anti-bacterial bamboo or organic cotton hand towels that you can throw in the wash.  You only have to buy them once rather than every time you go shopping.

4. Replace your sulfate (chemical foaming agents), phthalate (nasty synthetic fragrances), paraben (synthetic preservatives linked to cancer) ridden dish washing liquid with an eco-friendly biodegradable option.

5. Keep your microwave tidy. A clean microwave maximizes energy output. AND unplug your microwave when you’re not using it. Most assuredly you probably have a wall clock, so don’t keep your microwave plugged in just to tell the time.

In fact, any appliance that you’re not using is still drawing power that you’re paying for and that is creating more carbon. So unplug it all – your coffee maker, toaster, cell phone charger, even your TV. If it’s plugged in, it’s costing you. Ask yourself if it’s really worth it.

photo courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net

5 Simple Tips to Help Green Your Kitchen is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag