Machine that makes toilet paper out of recycled office paper

A Japanese company called Oriental has developed a machine that will transform your old office shreddings into a roll of toilet paper, all in the comfort of your office!   The White Goat, as it is aptly named, takes about 30 minutes to process 40 sheets of office paper into 1 roll of toilet paper, and Oriental claims that it only costs about $0.11 in energy per roll.  At a hefty price tag of $100,000 per unit, the White Goat will not be economical for most, but the concept is definitely a step in the right direction.  The White Goat will go on sale to the public in Japan this summer.  I highly recommend checking out the video!  It’s really neat!!

“Greening” the Olympics

As the oldest, largest-spanning, and most widely-publicized sporting event on Earth, the biennial Olympic games are bound to have a significant impact on the surrounding environments – from the creation of new buildings in vast Olympic villages, to travel and lodging for the millions of athletes and attendees.  It’s a good thing that the IOC has taken notice.  Since 1995, through the development of the Olympic Sport and Environment Commission, organizing committees of the Olympic Games have progressively increased their focus on the environmental and sustainable development issues in the preparations and staging of the Olympics.  In fact, the official Olympic website proudly exclaims that “the environment is the third dimension of Olympism.”

Here are some of the steps that have been taken to reduce the environmental impact in the current Winter Games in Vancouver:

– A wastewater management system filters water used within the Vancouver Convention Centre, and reuses it for flush fixtures and irrigation of a rooftop garden.  In addition, captured rainwater is used to irrigate landscaping, and water usage is reduced with low-flow toilets.

– CP Rail, the official freight provider for Vancouver 2010, is using GE’s Evolution Locomotive Engines, which reduce emissions by 40% and fuel use by 5% compared to previous locomotive engines.

– Installing LED lighting at the Vancouver Convention Centre & throughout the Olympic Village

– The 2010 Olympic Medals are made, in part, out of recycled e-waste

– Innovative alternative energy systems have been implemented in the Olympic districts; the Vancouver district is using waste heat from sewer lines, and Whistler, is turning waste heat from the waste water treatment plant into energy.

– They also plan to offset a large portion of the CO2 emissions created by the games.

Although there is still far to go, the Committee’s efforts have set a tremendous standard for future Olympic cities/events to follow.  The David Suzuki Foundation, one of the world’s most respected scientific proponents of environmental conservation, gave the 2010 Olympics “a bronze medal” for their climate actions.  As for future Games, plans are already being set in place to make the 2012 London Summer Olympics as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible.  Now, if we can only get our governments to follow suit…

Send a “Green” Valentine

Looking for an eco-conscious way to woo your sweetie for the big V-Day?  Or maybe you’re one of the love-haters who is just as content simmering away Feb. 14th chugging down a glass of bubbly, throwing back the groceries and maxin’ out on the couch.  Either way, we have some great environmentally-friendly suggestions for you as you’re selecting your party products!

Organic Wine:  Before you grab the first organically-labeled wine you see, here’s a brief tutorial:

–       100% Organic—Contains 100% organic ingredients and no added sulfites.

–       Organic—Contains 95% organic ingredients and no added sulfites.

–       Made with Organic Ingredients—Contains at least 70% percent organic ingredients; may contain added sulfur dioxide. These wines are certified organic but do not contain the USDA seal.

–       In the United States, wines labeled “organic” cannot contain added sulfites. Wines that have added sulfites, but are otherwise organic, are labeled “wine made from organic grapes.”

–       All countries have different “organic” certification criteria.  The above designations only apply in the U.S.

To find an organic wine that fits your taste, sites like Ken’s Wine Guide, The Organic Wine Journal & Organic Wine Review offer plenty of reviews to help you hone in on the best.  Thegreenguide.com has a great “Organic Wine 101,” as well as a side-by-side product comparison, based on certification.

Organic Chocolate: Follow these links for reviews on the best organic chocolates on the market: Click here or here.

Food: Warming up the kitchen for that ultra-romantic homemade dinner?  Grab the freshest meats & veggies at your local organic food provider.  Click here to search for all-natural food stores and farmers’ markets near you! 

Flowers: Make a trip to the local farmer’s market, or find a local flower farmer near you by clicking here.  Not only will you be reducing your carbon footprint by eliminating the shipping process (most U.S. flowers are imported), but your flowers will probably smell better and last longer, too!  Plus, imported flowers oftentimes carry foreign pests!  Ewwwwww…

How and where to recycle your CFL lightbulbs

Although LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are best for saving energy, CFL (Compact Fluorescent) light bulbs are currently much more affordable, so they are serving as a good stepping-stone in helping us bridge the gap between stone-age incandescent bulbs and LEDs.  There is one major issue with CFLs, however, which can render their eco-saving benefits useless if not handled properly.  As you probably know, CFLs contain low amounts of mercury, which are necessary evils in helping them function properly.  Therefore, purchasing CFLs can seem daunting and pointless from an environmental perspective.  It doesn’t need to be so!  There are now plenty of places to drop off your used CFLs, and here is a simple list of resources (Note: these are also useful for thermometers, or any other mercury-containing product):

WHERE TO DISPOSE OF/RECYCLE CFLs:

Option 1:  Home Depot (All)

Option 2:  Ikea (All)

Option 3:  At Earth911.com, you can do a quick search by product and zip code, and they will give you a list of places in your area that recycle those products.

IF A BULB BREAKS: Click here for a link to the EPA’s proper cleanup and disposal guidelines.

**HELPFUL TOOL: Productdose.com has put together a neat Excel spreadsheet that you can use to help determine which type of bulb (LED vs CFL vs Incandescent) is right for you.  Click here for a link to the associated article, or download the Excel sheet here: LightBulb_Comparison.xls.

What to do with that VCR: Recycling your old electronics!

In the technological age, electronic devices such as cell phones, computers and TV’s seem to have shorter and shorter lifespans.  With new gadgetry and technology evolving by the minute, one wonders how long it will be until our cell phones and iPods follow suit of Tupperware and mops, and simply become disposable.  Ecossentials has put together some suggestions for what you can do with that old Palm Pilot and VCR:

(NOTE: Prior to handing off your gadgets, be sure to properly remove any personal information, documents or contact lists, and cancel any cell phone service!)

IF IT STILL WORKS:

1. Craigslist : You would be surprised at how many people may be interested in your old gadgets.  I tested it out with some old (and I mean OLD) cell phones that we’d been collecting, and I got at least $20 for each!  The best thing about Craigslist is that it’s FREE – so you can’t lose!  Just be sure to meet any potential buyers in a public place, and get the cash before you give them the item.
2. Donate it:  If you donate to one of these worthy programs, you can write it off on your taxes AND feel good about helping a worthy cause!
   • Goodwill
   • Salvation Army
   • Cell Phones for Soldiers: This hugely popular campaign sells your donated cell phones to a company called ReCellular, and in turn uses that cash to purchase calling cards for the soldiers.  *Keep in mind, old, obsolete models will not bring in any money for the charity.  As it states on the ReCellular website: “Current cell phone models are most in demand and can yield $10.00 or more per phone for your charity. Second tier, older cell phones will typically generate between $1.00 and $3.00 for your charity. And, although we will recycle the obsolete models, they will yield no funding for your charity.”
   • The Practical Environmentalist offers further suggestions on recycling your old cell phones.

3.  Sell it to Gazelle.com.  Gazelle.com, and other sites like it, will buy your old electronics from you, and then offer them a new life.

IF IT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS:

1. Recycle your old computers and peripherals via Green Disk.
2. The EPA has put together an extensive list of ways & places to recycle or donate your old electronics.
3. Planet Green offers DIY tips on how to repair common electronic issues right at home, as well as tips on how to make your techie investments last.

TO ENSURE THAT YOUR NEXT ELECTRONICS PURCHASE IS “GREEN”:  Check with resources such as  Energy Star, Consumer Reports, EPEAT, Greenpeace, who have already done lots of research for you.