Creationists and Climate Change Deniers: Two Peas in a Pod

Every now and then, a new nugget of ‘information’ comes to our attention that supposedly proves that climate change ‘can’t be man-made’. One such story was that “Captain Cook and Lord Nelson’ s logs indicate 1730’s global warming wasn’t man made”.  DeSmogBlog and The Guardian both already debunked that one, so we won’t go there.  But, it does call attention to the fact that climate change deniers often distort facts to fit their narrow viewpoint.  For many, it has called to mind comparisons between those who deny climate change and those who deny evolution.  It all comes down to a refusal to accept a logical scientific argument.

Greenfyre dug into the similarities:

Some small kernel of fact is distorted and mutated until it emerges appearing to say the opposite of what it originally said. Rarely do the Deniers seem to make things up out of thin air. Whether this is so that they can argue that their’s is a plausible interpretation of the facts or a subconscious attempt to retain some small shred of integrity by pretending that what they do is not lying cannot be known.

The second interesting thing is how the strategy and tactics of the Climate Change Deniers is identical to those of the Evolution Deniers.

This excellent little video by potholer54 “Creationist Junk Debunked #1 – Introduction” could just as easily be talking about Climate Deniers. It is well worth watching for understanding both Evolution and Climate Change  Denier methods, and because it is fun.

It’s true – watch this video and see how easy it is to replace ‘creationists’ with ‘climate change deniers’.  It’s easy to understand once you realize they’re the same people.  Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not talking about climate change skeptics who are seeking facts so they can better understand the issue.  I mean the flat-out deniers who perpetuate and cling to misinformation and lies.

The Ethical Paleontologist explains the connection:

If you believe that all the coal, oil and gas we’re burning was laid down over no more than 6,000 years, rather than 300 million years, then effectively fossil fuels are a renewable source of energy. As we’re only releasing 6,000 years of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere rather than millions of years’ worth, then we can’t be responsible for the increase in carbon dioxide, so we haven’t caused any climate change, right? And if you believe the Earth is only 6,000 years old, then those sea level and oxygen isotope curves going back hundreds of thousands of years mean nothing to you. It’s all an artefact. The last glacial period ended 10,000 years ago - 4,000 years before the Earth was created. So all the usual evidence for MMCC is lost on them.

There’s no arguing with people who close their eyes and stick their fingers in their ears when presented with scientific fact.  That’s what’s scary – that so many Americans are evolution deniers, and that America is responsible for most of the world’s pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (second only to China).  It’s an uphill battle, indeed.

Link [Greenfyre] + [The Ethical Paleontologist]

Do You Really Need Fiji Water More Than Fijians Do?

Fiji water seems to have replaced Evian in the status-symbol category, becoming an accessory seen in the arms of the same type of people who constantly carry tiny dogs. You know, the Paris Hilton set. It’s marketed as a super-fresh, great-tasting bottled water that’s far superior to what comes out of your tap.  But, wake-up call: at least you have clean water coming out of your tap.  That’s more than Fijians have.

Yes, that’s right: as a money-hungry corporation (big surprise) drills into the artesian aquifer in this remote South Pacific island, bottles it up (with plastic bottles imported from China) and sends it across the world to areas where people already have clean water to drink, native Fijians have to make do with dirty, polluted water.

From willisays:

In looking for examples of good clean water programs, I came accross the Humanitarian Services division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over the last 5 years, they’ve done clean water projects in 34 countries. More about that later.

Here’s where the two stories converge. One of those projects is in Fiji. The village Navunimono gets it’s water from a river polluted by cattle grazing, runoff and other stuff. Humanitarian Services helped the village construct 3 water tanks and now they have clean water.

I’m happy they have clean water now but the story points out problems around the world. What did the military dictator of Fiji do about the water problem? What about the American company taking clean water from another part of the island chain?

This is a great example of how entitled and self-absorbed much of the Western world has become – especially America.  We’re more than happy to consume away at the expense of other people.  Most of us are born into privilege compared to the citizens of third world countries, yet it’s never enough.  We have to tear basic human rights like clean water out of the hands of the less fortunate so that we can enjoy ridiculous excesses like imported water in plastic bottles.

Link [willisays]

What Stock Market Crash? Bush has $$ in the Bank.

While everyone freaks out about the stock market crash and bailout negotiations, a certain someone is still sitting pretty…

New Green College Ratings Website: GreenReportCard.org

Just a few years ago, finding information about sustainability at colleges across the U.S. and Canada was practically impossible.  Now, not only do we get green college rankings from sources like Forbes, Sierra Magazine, Grist and The Daily Green, we can also rely on The Princeton Review with their ‘Green Honor Roll’ as well as a new website, GreenReportCard.org.  Today’s college students have information at their fingertips that tells them how hard colleges and universities are working to be green.

The interactive College Sustainability Report Card at GreenReportCard.org is the first independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments, gathering information through research and surveys.  More than 300 schools have been rated.  Each is given a letter grade for overall ecological sustainability as well as letter grades in categories like ‘climate change and energy’, ‘green building’, ‘transportation’ and ‘investment priorities’.

When you type in the name of a participating university, you’ll see not just those letter grades but also an explanation for each.  For example, the University of Florida – Gainesville received an ‘A’ for food and recycling, and GreenReportCard.org explains:

UF purchases local dairy products and sources produce through two suppliers who, together, buy from 70 Florida farms. Organic, shade-grown coffee is purchased from a local roaster and dining services offers cage-free eggs and a variety of organic produce. Both dining halls use reusable china, and to-go containers are made from 100 percent sugarcane. UF initiated the Tail-gator recycling program for home game days in 2006.

Even better, you can compare schools to see how their efforts stack up.  It really puts power into students’ hands, and beyond that it helps motivate schools to work harder at being green.  The website is free and easy to use, and it even has a ‘get involved’ page where students can learn about how they can help their schools improve their green score.  Pretty awesome!

Link [GreenReportCard.org] via [ReadWriteWeb]

Green College Spotlight: California State University at Chico

California State University at Chico has spent the last decade putting forth a huge effort toward sustainability, reflecting a deep desire to preserve the natural beauty of the city of Chico, which is renowned for its many beautiful parks, greenways and tracts of undeveloped land. As such, they’re working hard to be good stewards of the land, teaching students to be ‘environmentally literate citizens’.

Chico State’s Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development, Scott G. McNall, explains the university’s commitment to sustainability:

We intend to make CSU, Chico the distinctive “green” campus in California and become a national leader in environmental education, science, and policy analysis; the building of environmentally friendly facilities, and practicing and modeling for others sustainable practices. We see civic engagement and sustainability powerfully linked as a way to help students understand that democracy must be actively created and nurtured and as a way to work with others to build and live in the community.

Students, faculty and staff at Chico State have thrown themselves headlong into sustainable initiatives, as evidenced by the long list of sustainability practices currently in place at the school.  They’re actively working to reduce CO2, construct sustainable buildings, implement energy conservation practices, purchase and invest in environmentally and socially responsible products, conducting environmental audits and minimizing the use of hazardous chemicals.

CSU was among the first schools in the nation to sign a long-range commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).  On campus, they’ve installed a thermal energy storage system and have committed to incorporate LEED-sponsored sustainability practices into all future buildings.  Solar panels on the roofs of Yolo Hall and Acker Gym supply power to the university, reducing carbon emissions equivalent to that produced by 430 commuter vehicles.

Transportation on campus includes bicycles and free bus transit, and the Facilities Management Services has a fleet of 43 electric vehicles. Chico State has had recycling and composting in place since 1996, and so far they’ve saved 632 tons of recyclable and compostable waste from ending up in the landfill.  Students enthusiastically take part in a variety of eco activities, from growing organic veggies at the university farm to going on ‘adventure outings’ that increase appreciation for the natural world.  They even help local elementary school students understand the value of the environment through hands-on activities at the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve.

All that Chico State is doing towards a greener future is a great example of how green colleges are bridging the divide between environmentalists and ordinary citizens.  Hopefully, in the years to come, these kinds of sustainability initiatives will be ordinary and commonplace – a part of daily life.  Eco-conscious colleges and universities are helping to instill environmental responsibility into the very people who will lead the charge toward a greener future – the youth.  Great work, Chico State!

Link [California State University at Chico]

Arctic Sea ‘Foaming with Methane’ as Permafrost Melts

Scientists have discovered the first evidence that millions of tons of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, are being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed.  It’s not yet confirmed, but if it turns out to be true, it could be an extremely bad sign for the future of every living thing on earth.  Scientists believe that underground stores of methane, when suddenly released into the atmosphere, cause rapid increases in global temperatures.

From The Independent:

In the past few days, the researchers have seen areas of sea foaming with gas bubbling up through “methane chimneys” rising from the sea floor. They believe that the sub-sea layer of permafrost, which has acted like a “lid” to prevent the gas from escaping, has melted away to allow methane to rise from underground deposits formed before the last ice age.

They have warned that this is likely to be linked with the rapid warming that the region has experienced in recent years.

Methane is about 20 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and many scientists fear that its release could accelerate global warming in a giant positive feedback where more atmospheric methane causes higher temperatures, leading to further permafrost melting and the release of yet more methane.

The area where the methane was discovered covers thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.

So, basically, the damage we’ve already done has led to the permafrost melting.  The permafrost had been keeping all of this methane from escaping.  As the methane escapes, it will accelerate global warming at such a dramatic pace that there might not be anything we can do to counteract the effects.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that we should stop all of our efforts to fight global warming – the opposite is true.  This news, if it’s confirmed, should light a fire under our collective asses and force us to get serious about the things that are causing global warming.  It might be too late, but isn’t fighting better than sitting around waiting for Mother Nature to squash us like ants?

Link [The Independent] via [WorldChanging]

Get Trees for Your City Using Your American Express Card

American Express® is giving its cardholders a chance to win up to $300,000 worth of trees for their city with the ‘Root for Your City’ contest, going on until October 31st.  How it works is simple: look for participating merchants in your area on the American Express® website, or watch for the tree icon in-store. Pay for your purchase with any American Express® Card to ‘vote’ for your city.  The city that gets the largest amount of votes wins a $300,000 tree-planting grant, and the second through eighth place cities will each receive $100,000 toward planting trees.

Find participating businesses in your area today and you can help green up your city simply by making purchases.  The merchants participating include jewelry stores, shoe stores, furniture stores, movie theatres, museums, restaurants, clothing boutiques and even acupuncturists and fish markets.  The cities participating include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, NYC, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Get more info at the American Express website!

Link [Root for Your City]

Get Your Green Ideas to Google

Have you ever had a great idea that could help the planet but not enough cash to make it happen? Get your green ideas to Google’s Project 10^1000. It’s a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.

From the website:

If you have an idea that you believe would help somebody, we want to hear about it. We’re looking for ideas that help as many people as possible, in any way, and we’re committing the funding to launch them. You can submit your ideas and help vote on ideas from others. Final idea selections will be made by an advisory board.

Al Gore Urges Civil Disobedience to Fight Coal Plants

Al Gore has a message for you, environmentalists: it’s okay to engage in a little civil disobedience here and there when the goal is as important as stopping the construction of coal plants that don’t have the ability to store carbon.  After all, civil disobedience is one of the few ways ordinary citizens still have to make sure our voices are heard.  Gore, speaking to a philanthropic meeting in New York, said on Wednesday that “the world has lost ground to the climate crisis”.

From Reuters:

“If you’re a young person looking at the future of this planet and looking at what is being done right now, and not done, I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants that do not have carbon capture and sequestration,” Gore told the Clinton Global Initiative gathering to loud applause.

“I believe for a carbon company to spend money convincing the stock-buying public that the risk from the global climate crisis is not that great represents a form of stock fraud because they are misrepresenting a material fact,” he said. “I hope these state attorney generals around the country will take some action on that.”

According to the government, about 28 coal plants are currently under construction in the United States right now and another 20 projects have permits or are near the start of construction.  The carbon emitted from coal plants are a key factor in global warming.

Part of the problem is the fact that we, as a nation, have been apathetic for too long.  We’ve allowed money-hungry corporations to control our lives and dictate our futures, to the extent that every living creature on earth is now in danger. The truth is that we do hold a lot of power in our hands.  We outnumber the executives and the government officials.  If we all stand together and demand something, it will be done.  We just haven’t taken that power into our hands on a mass scale.  So we say, hell yeah, Al.  Civil disobedience is definitely called for in these frightening times.

Link [Reuters]
Photo credit: Sydney Indymedia

The Greenest Hotels in the U.S., from Manhattan to Waikiki

Most of us have learned by now that you can’t trust a company to be honest about whether they’re truly eco-friendly or not.  Greenwashing is rampant right now, and many consumers are noticing the terms ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’, ‘earth-friendly’ and other claims on brochures and other marketing materials for all kinds of products and services.  Lately, more and more hotels have been trying to get in on the game, and as Forbes Traveler found, some claim to be green with nothing but an ‘optional recycling program’ to back it up.  That’s why Forbes Traveler set out to find the greenest hotels in America – the ones that have worked sustainability into the daily operations of their businesses.

Some of the hotels on the list, from Forbes Traveler:

• NYC, NY – New York Marriott Downtown: Company-wide policy to cut energy consumption by 25% by 2017; biodegradable cutlery; turned golf courses into Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.
• Townsend, MT – Bison Quest Sanctuary and Spa: Founded by a wildlife biologist on a private bison reserve; completely wind and solar powered; composting for organic waste
• Key West, FL – Banyan Resort: Solar-powered swimming pools; biodegradable tiki bar; deck made of recycled lumber; grounds are xeriscaped with native flora; first ‘Green Lodging Facility’ in the Florida Keys.
• Boston, MA – Seaport Hotel: Chemical-free, electrolyzed water instead of bleach for cleaning; food waste is composted; purchases from eco-friendly suppliers; on-site vegetable and herb garden.

The list also includes hotels, resorts and bed & breakfasts in Honolulu, Hot Springs Arkansas, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Homer Alaska, San Francisco, Asheville North Carolina, Taos New Mexico, Buena Vista Colorado, Austin Texas and Maiden Rock, Wisconsin.

Check out the rest at ForbesTraveler.com.

Link [Forbes Traveler]

Bette Midler Quits Touring to Help Save the Planet

If you want to see Bette Midler live, you’ll have to plan a trip to Las Vegas.  The singer won’t be going on the road anymore from now on, she says, because the fleet of 14 trucks needed to ship her show from city to city is having way too harmful of an impact on the environment.  Instead, she’ll be performing a $13 million dollar residency in Sin City.

From Sky News:

“Over the years, the number of trucks that I have behind me has grown exponentially and I don’t really like that, I don’t like wasting the gas,” she told me on a promotional trip to London.

“Fourteen trucks, that’s a lot of gas. So I decided I’d stay put for a while,” she added.

Surely moving equipment in trucks is unavoidable for a touring show, I ask her?

“I can avoid it,” she says, shaking her head, and going on to provide an impressive list of her green credentials that would put most celebrities to shame.

“I don’t drive much, I have a Smart car, I have a hybrid, I drive a [Toyota] Prius,” she says.

This is awesome, but thousands of people traveling to Vegas isn’t as green as can be, either.  May we suggest that, if Ms. Midler wishes to go on the road again in the future, she contact Reverb for help making her tour more green? 14 trucks definitely isn’t necessary, and I’m sure there are a thousand different ways they could green up her show.  Whether or not she ever goes back on her decision not to tour again, kudos to her for realizing that she could be doing better by the planet.  If only more people would stop to think about how much pollution they’re causing as they go about their daily business, we’d be a lot further along in our fight against global warming.

Link [Sky News]

Featured Change Agent: Mike Davis is Recycling Pollution into Solutions

Each week, EarthFirst.com will be featuring a new ‘Change Agent’ from Changents.com, a social media site that connects people who are doing good in the world with a support system of advocates, donors, publicity generators and fans.

This week we’re putting the spotlight on Mike Davis, a change agent who’s fighting to turn millions of chemical-filled discarded cigarette butts into cigarette collection bins.  That’s right, he’s pushing the ‘Responsible Smokers Act’, which seeks to educate the public about the environmental and health impacts of the improper disposal of cigarette butts, which contain carcinogens.

The rationale behind Mike’s idea is simple: smokers make their own choice to expose themselves to the harmful substances in cigarettes.  But when they litter the streets, waterways, parks and other public spaces with the remnants of those cigarettes, they’re infringing on non-smokers’ rights not to be contact with those substances.  There hasn’t been a lot of research into whether improperly discarded cigarette butts might be contaminating our water and soil.  As Mike points out, cigarette filters were created to trap and contain many of the harmful ingredients in cigarettes – so, how do we know those toxins aren’t getting to the rest of us through other means?

Mike Davis’ solution is not only to make the public more aware of this problem, but to actually recycle used cigarette filters, which are made of cellulose acetate, into cigarette collection bins. He’s currently working with the patent holder of cigarette butt recycling and hopes to have a program in place soon.

Mike is currently seeking someone with a degree in business and knowledge about startups and running non-profit organizations to help him develop his business model.  He’s also seeking a 501 ©(3) fiscal sponsorship so he can begin accepting donations, a chemist to help him in the process of recycling the cigarette filters and a web designer willing to donate their time and skills to help him build a website for the Responsible Smokers Act.

If you can provide any of these services or want to help Mike in another way, join Changents as a backer.  Respond to his action requests, volunteer, give Mike support or just help spread the word.  Joining Changents is easy and becoming a backer will allow you to help out other change agents seeking to make the world a better place as well.

Link [Changents]

STRiDA MAS Debuts New Folding Bike

Bikes are already fairly portable, and obviously a very green way to get around.  But, imagine being able to easily fold up and carry a lightweight bicycle that you could carry around with you, easily bringing it on a train or into your office building.  Folding bike company STRiDA just released the MAS Special Signature, which does just that.  The bike, which features a Swiss engineered drive system and a rustproof aluminum frame, folds up in just 5 seconds flat.

From Inhabitat:

The MAS Special is named after its inventor Mark Sanders. Weighing in at 22 pounds, it features a lightweight collapsible bike constructed from aluminum. Its unique triangular frame allows it for to collapse quickly, while giving it great stability and making it quite comfortable to ride.

Instead of a greasy chain, the STRiDA comes equipped with a clean and quiet Kevlar Belt, while a two-speed drive system allows the rider to seamlessly shift gears with the tap of a heel.

Be prepared to drop quite a load of cash if you’re set on this bike: it’s got a $1,400 price tag.  But even for those of us who can’t afford to get one right away, this is an awesome peek into the sort of green technology we’ll be seeing in the years to come.  If, on the other hand, money is no object for you, you can pick up a MAS Special Signature of your very own next spring.

Link [Inhabitat] + [STRiDA]

Palin Unable to Recall McCain’s History of Supporting Regulation

Sarah Palin is criminally unprepared to step foot in the White House, let alone be a heartbeat away from the presidency.  The McCain campaign has done everything they can to keep this woman under wraps and unavailable to the media, and the reason is becoming clear.  She doesn’t know enough about politics to be a middle school social studies teacher. Just look at how she reacted to questioning by Katie Couric about running mate John McCain’s history of supporting regulation.  She couldn’t name a single instance in which McCain had pushed for more regulation.  Check it out:

Is anyone else reminded, when watching Sarah Palin in interviews, of another beauty queen being asked a ‘tough question’?  Here, let me refresh your memory:

Gee, if Sarah Palin can’t even handle Katie Couric in an interview, I can’t wait to see the Vice Presidential debates.  It’s doubtful that Joe Biden will be anywhere near as gentle as Katie.  Whee!

Link [The Huffington Post]

Who’s Who in Green: Sean Daily

Sean Daily is the co-founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of Green Living Ideas, a website that provides ideas, tips and info to help people improve the sustainability of every aspect of their lives, from consumption of energy at home to waste recycling. If you’ve ever had a question about how to ‘green up’ just about anything in your life, chances are, Green Living Ideas has the answer – it’s the most comprehensive source of green living tips on the web.

Sean is also host of the popular Green Talk Radio podcast, which is a play-on-demand audiocast that brings all of Green Living Ideas’ tips to the airwaves. Listeners tuning into Greek Talk Radio will get a plethora of green tips through interviews with experts, authors and owners of green businesses around the world. Topics on Green Talk Radio run the gamut from making smart purchasing decisions to the latest green technology.

Based in the San Francisco Bay area, Sean Daily is an internationally recognized expert on technology publishing and enterprise information technologies. Before he founded Green Living Ideas, Sean founded and served as CEO at RealTimePublishers.com, which is a leading web-based publisher of books, community portals, videos and other media. That experience undoubtedly gave him a lot of practical knowledge and inspiration for Green Living Ideas, which is brimming with information written by a team of ‘green gurus’.

Wondering how to battle household pests in an environmentally friendly way? Green Living Ideas has the scoop. Looking for eco-friendly gift ideas? Check. Seeking information about sustainable seafood, or tips for removing toxins from the air in your home? Check and double check. Recent articles illuminate the ways you can choose investment stocks according to the companies’ social concerns, how to find a greener plumber, an overview of eco eyewear and how to achieve healthy, organic soil to grow veggies in. We told you it’s comprehensive!

Through providing the public with such a huge volume of incredibly useful green info, Sean has put the power of living sustainably into the hands of anyone who can access the internet. That’s big – and it’s testament to how much this podcaster, entrepreneur, writer and visionary can achieve in the years to come.

Sean Daily’s Green Score: 22,332

Democrats Totally Puss Out on Offshore Drilling Ban

Well, it happened: in the midst of election season, during the double-whammy of an energy crisis and a financial collapse, the Democrats have let go of the reigns on an extremely important environmental issue: offshore drilling.  They’ve been railing against letting the 26-year-old ban expire all year, and when it came down to it, they gave in to pressure from Republicans.  Nice job.

From The Guardian:

Although the drilling debate dominated the campaign dialog for much of last month, the McCain camp had little to say when Democrats announced late yesterday that their plan to fund the government until next spring would let the drilling ban expire.

That silence is proof of the financial markets’ sudden rise to the top of the US political agenda, as well as a recent decline in fuel prices.

A few Democrats from coastal states, however, openly lamented their party’s decision to give ground in the face of a White House veto threat on the funding plan.

“I think it’s awful. This battle is not over,” California senator Dianne Feinstein, an ardent opponent of coastal drilling, said. “We will come back and fight another day, that’s for sure.”

Part of the problem is, undoubtedly, a false perception among the public that offshore drilling will ease the energy crisis, which many believe would in turn help lessen the blow from the current meltdown in the financial markets.  Unfortunately, the idea that offshore drilling will have any impact at all on the energy market for at least 10 years is about as realistic as believing that Santa Claus really does drop down millions of chimneys on one night, or that John McCain would be a good president.

The Sierra Club, at least, is holding on to a sliver of hope: they released a memo to reporters that relayed their belief that a new president could turn this thing around, saying, “The moratorium could very well be restored by a new Congress and president who understand that more offshore drilling will do nothing to lower gas prices or solve our energy crisis”.

Link [The Guardian] via [Truthdig]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Book Review: The Eco Chick Guide to Life

If you’ve been looking for ways to be more environmentally responsible, but still want to maintain a stylish, convenient, modern lifestyle, we know just the book you should be reading. The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to be Fabulously Green, by Eco-Chick.com’s Starre Vartan, is the definitive guide to going green without sacrificing the good things in life. In fact, the book is jam-packed with practical, fun advice on topics like fashion, travel, cleaning, beauty, saving energy and decorating your home.

Starre, a noted journalist and environmental scientist with a fantastic eye for chic eco-friendly fashion, doesn’t just give tips for living a greener life. She gives the rationale behind them, explaining, for example, that diamond, gold, silver and platinum mining create gaping holes in the earth and pollute the water and topsoil. Her solution? Buy vintage jewelry, or seek out suppliers that meet Fair Trade and ethical and environmental mining standards. Even better, Starre illustrates how you can be ‘fabulously green’ without having to drop loads of cash – you can be eco-chic on a budget.

A ‘green shopping basket’ is also provided for each chapter, giving you the inside scoop on where to score goods like ethically produced jewelry, toxin-free personal care products, drain cleaners that won’t harm the earth and even organic beer and wine. In fact, The Eco Chick Guide to Life even provides recipes for delicious fresh, seasonal cocktails like the Fizzy Harvest Mojito – which would be perfect for autumn!

My personal favorite chapter is ‘Fab, Eco-Friendly Fiestas’ which contains a quiz to help you determine your party style, tips for encouraging your guests to go with the green flow at all of your soirees and all of the various ways you can make every aspect of entertaining more earth-friendly. It’ll be a great guide to have on hand for the upcoming holiday season.

The best thing about this little book is you can use it as a compact little resource for practically any questions that pop up in your mind about to green up your clothes, home, transportation, vacations, groceries and more. Pick it up at Amazon.com or your local bookstore, and be sure to check out the Eco Chick blog for even more tips!

Link [Eco Chick] + [Amazon.com]

Global Warming? It Must Be the Hats.

In this video from Friends of the Earth, two polar bears muse on the causes of global warming. Oh and they have Australian accents…what accent did you think they’d have?

Great Green Job of the Week: Fight Dirty Coal for the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is seeking an Associate Regional Representative in Little Rock, Arkansas to focus mainly on stopping dirty coal-fired power plants in Arkansas and promote clean energy alternatives.  The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization with chapters around the United States, and has hundreds of thousands of members.

Job Title: Associate Regional Representative

Reports to: Regional Staff Director, Southern Region

Context: Carries out the strategies and activities for the National Coal Campaign in Arkansas. Participates in the development of strategies and priorities for the National Coal Campaign, and for the Arkansas Chapter.

Scope: The Associate Regional Representative coordinates with chapter and national staff and volunteers on a broad, education effort on coal and related energy and conservation issues throughout the Southern Region.

Job Activities:

• Works to develop and/or support strong Sierra Club committees and presence in the state on issues of coal and related energy and conservation issues.
• Collaborates in development of campaign strategy and implementation, including developing strong grassroots networks.
• Represents Sierra Club to the public and in the media, including developing public education and media strategy, in coordination with staff and volunteers.
• Develops positive working relationships with existing coalitions on coal and related energy and conservation issues; works to build and sustain issue coalitions.
• Educates and trains volunteer leaders, including writing training materials.
• Lobbies public officials on issues of importance to Sierra Club.
• Coordinates preparation of special reports and other publications and alerts.
• Participates in political campaign strategy and works on electoral campaigns.
• Participates in various issue committee and conservation meetings.
• Monitors or participates in public meetings and local activities around the state related to coal development and related energy and conservation issues.
• Performs miscellaneous duties as directed. Seasonal Activities:
• Heavier seasonal workloads may occur as a result of project deadlines, staff absences and vacancies, and during peak activity periods.  Frequent weekend and/or evening work required.

For a list of knowledge & skills required, see the ‘Help Wanted’ section on the Arkansas Sierra Club website.  Apply via email to Jim.Price@SierraClub.org.

Link [Arkansas Sierra Club] via [Treehugger Job Board]
Image credit: Arkansas Sierra Club & Wikimedia Commons

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