Start A Green Living Now!
Green Living
Eco-Friendly Interior Design Informal Education
Pursuing a career in a green field in this day and age is a good idea considering society’s efforts toward cleaning up the planet and increasing our awareness for the effect that we have on our planet. Naturally, the need for professionals in the area of eco-friendly modifications and efforts is on the rise. With demand for these professionals, educational facilities to support the eco-friendly landscape are also growing in demand. One of the developing trends in interior design education is a student looking to earn a degree in green interior design and other related certifications. While some schools are starting to offer classes for eco-friendly design, the availability and diversity of these courses is still limited. This is a dilemma for people looking to enter this specialized field. Numerous people facing this predicament have opted to take classes related to the environment, eco-friendly building techniques and sustainable living. While these topics may not appear to be directly related to a degree in green interior design, these subjects can provide a foundation of knowledge for students to build off of as they pursue the profession. Having skills and knowledge in similar eco-friendly subjects will give a student a leg up when ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Green Beer
Organic beer is the way to go. Organic beer is on the rise with dozens of brands and brews to choose from. Beer with an organic label has been certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as following strict, legally binding farming regulations. The barley and hops are organically grown. There are no toxic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or chemical preservatives; only fresh, non-toxic ingredients. Drinking and purchasing organic beer is a good way to support more sustainable agriculture and combat global warming. Some beers contain traces of animal products. Gelatin, which is made from animal tissue, or isinglass, which is a collagen made from fish bladders, are used to clarify beers without putting them through a filtration process. This is done because the filtration process could potentially lessen the flavor of the beer. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, try a brew like the Green Man Beer from New Zealand, which is completely animal free. Show your support for green beer companies. Pay attention for beer companies that are doing everything they can to achieve environmental responsibility. Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada powers its brewery with solar power. Anderson Brewery in Chico is solar powered and may be the first 100% sustainable brewery. Cascade Green is an ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Eco-Friendly Online Shopping Site, Part I
The one stop shop for a greener future, Green N Brown (greennbrown.com), is an online shopping website that aims to become the world's most trusted brand of environmentally safe and responsible products for a healthy lifestyle. Green N Brown provides information and a shopping experience for eco-friendly shoppers by offering an extensive selection of Green (eco-friendly) and Brown (organic) products. Green N Brown decided to tackle the challenge that consumers face in making sure that the organic or green products that they purchase, are in fact good for the environment. Green N Brown invested in the development of a simulation model that measures each product for its impact on the environment. Green N Brown does this by informing online shoppers about the effect that their purchase will have on the environment. For example, when a consumer purchases the Eco Shoppers Bag, they will help save one million sea birds. These birds die from ingesting or being strangled by plastic each and every year. Another example is that more than one thousand trees can be saved if one percent of the United States population purchases the Akbar-Wall-Hanging instead of the conventional one. The information that Green N Brown directly associates ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Carbon Footprint Labels
People everywhere want to do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint, but it’s no easy task. Companies are making an increased effort to label their wide variety of products with a number that would indicate the amount of carbon that went into producing the product. For example, a box of powdered laundry detergent could show a carbon footprint of 750 grams, while a bottle of concentrated liquid could show a footprint of 650 grams. This labeling system is currently more popular in the European Union. It’s important to note that last year California Representative Ira Ruskin introduced a bill to the House that would have created a labeling standard in the state. Unfortunately, the bill did not make it out of committee. A Dartmouth geography professor has been studying the issue of labeling the carbon number on products and presented some of her findings at the American Association of Geographers' conference in the early part of this year. A British supermarket chain began labeling produce with food miles, which indicated to consumers what food was locally grown and which was imported and therefore worse for the environment. The information was misleading as it turned out to be better for the ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
An Eco-Friendly Approach to Skiing and Snowboarding
How to shop for skis and snowboards. Support independent gear companies like Colorado's Venture Snowboards, which converted its entire set up to run on wind power. Be on the look out for new green equipment like snowboards made of bamboo, and skis made of Paulownia. Neither of the two relies on the traditional timber that's used in most skis and snowboards. Also consider buying used gear, or boards and skis made with timber approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. If you don’t ski or snowboard often, rent at the mountain instead of purchasing ahead of time. Think green when traveling to the mountains. Take public transportation where possible. Emilio's ski and snowboard shop in New York City runs a shuttle service straight to the slopes from the city. Look into whether any of the ski shops in your area provide this service. On the east coast, some train lines will drop you off well into free resort shuttle bus territory. Carpooling is a great idea if you can get a group of friends together. If you can’t, inquire with resorts in your area to see if they have any kind of carpool service. California’s Kirkwood resort provides its own carpool service, the K-Pool. Cross-country ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
