Go Green: A Resource Guide - Recently Updated Pages

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shakmatt — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:35:09 CDT

Aiming for the Greener Good
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Delve into the books, websites,organizations, and blogs--all vetted, reviewed and annotated by Go Greeners.

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Sanhoury — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:35:18 CDT

World Wildlife Fund

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:54:16 CDT

The Basics:

Title: World Wildlife Fund

Author: World Wildlife Fund

URL: www.worldwildlife.org (US site); http://wwf.org (WWF international sites)
Date: 2007

Notes:

At a Glance: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the largest multinational conservation organization in the world: it works in 100 countries and is supported by close to 5 million members globally. For more than 45 years the WWF has worked to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and the health of ecological systems by promoting sustainable approaches, promoting the efficient use of resources and energy, promoting the reduction of pollution and by protecting natural areas and wild populations of plants and animals. WWF work addresses issues in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater realms, and takes place on global, continental, ecoregional, and local scales.

Best for: Those who want to help save the environment. For those without a lot of time a monetary donation will be put to good use by the organization (less than 7% of the monies raised go to administrative expenses). For those with more time, the WWF’s Conservation Action Network, fellowships and educational programs, seminars, and Parties for the Plant are all great ways to help save the environment.

Standout Features: This site is jam-packed with wonderful information on the environment, conservation science, and endangered species. Plus, interactive tools like the games, e-cards, photo galleries, and WildFinder make this site fun! For those wanting to donate money, the WWF has an animal “adoption” program.

Keep in Mind: WWF wants you to help protect the environment by joining the organization. “Donate Now” buttons are prevalent on the vast majority of the pages, but there are not any advertisements from outside companies. Because the WWF has been around for 45 years, money donated to the organization goes to support solid and time-sustaining programs.

Suggested by: HeatherMeix

Women's Earth Alliance

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:53:54 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Women's Earth Alliance

Author: Melinda Kramer, Founder and Director, Women's Earth Alliance

URL: www.womensearthalliance.org
Date: 2005-2007

Notes:
At a Glance: Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA) is a coalition of grassroots women environmental advocates from around the world who are engaging in collective action. WEA facilitates access to communication tools, support services, networking capabilities, and face-to-face exchanges, thereby helping to develop a united agenda for impacting environmental (and social) change at the local and global level. As environmental degradation deepens worldwide, the need for strengthened community and collaborative approaches is becoming increasingly essential across the globe. WEA believes that providing women the opportunity to reach their full potential as environmental stewards will facilitate a critical shift toward positive ecological and social change.

Best for: The environmental feminist.

Standout Features: Women’s Earth Alliance combines environmental and social activism from around the world in the hopes of enacting ecological change. Each phase of WEA's work has a critical purpose—to connect and build networks between women working on environmental issues. WEA holds international conferences, regional training workshops, transformative advocacy exchanges, and builds global communications platforms. This site also offers opportunities for getting involved with the global women’s environmental movement.

Keep in Mind: Women’s Earth Alliance grew out of a network launched in 2005, called Women’s Global Green Action Network. This group shared a common concern – the lack of networking and support services available at the grassroots level, where environmental challenges are most pressing. As this is a relatively new non-profit organization, the website design is lacking professionalism and there is a "soft" ask for monetary donations.

Suggested by: HeatherMeix

weeHouses

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:53:41 CDT

The Basics:
Title: weeHouses
Author: Alchemy Architects
URL:http://www.weehouses.com
Date: None given

Notes:

At a Glance: The weeHouse is one of several mini, space-, cost-, and energy-efficient module homes on the market today. The website offers pricing and delivery tables, floorplans, an FAQ, other information about this modern alternative to building from scratch.

Best for: New potential home owners with a modern aesthetic. People curious about the extremes that can be taken to make a home green.

Standout Features: Many of the green building sites out there focus on products, techniques, and technologies which can be used to modify an existing structure, or build a new one from scratch. The weeHouse is built in a factory and can be delivered almost ready-made to a plot, and is extremely cost-effective and customizable. It can also be used to build offices, or as an addition to an existing home. There are several levels of energy efficiency available for most utilities, with suggestions based on your climate.

Keep in Mind: This is a product promotional website. Alchemy Architects want to help the environment, but they also want to sell you a home.

Suggested by: donahrm

Walking

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:53:15 CDT

The Basics:

Title: The Complete Guide to Walking: for health, weight loss and fitness

Author: Mark Fenton
URL: Click here to locate the book.
Date: 2007

Notes:
At a Glance: If you are going to take walking seriously and use it as an alternate form of transportation, then you need to do it properly. This book gives the essentials for building a solid exercise program around walking. While the book focuses on health and exercise benefits of walking, any walker, including commuters should learn the basics of proper footwear, clothing and safety tips.

Best for: Anyone who wants to engage in the most basic form of sustainable transportation and gain some personal health benefits while contributing to a cleaner environment.

Standout Features: This book provides all the tips for healthy walking and gives inspiration and ideas to those who want to promote the development of walkable communities. Readers on Amazon.com give this book 5 stars and noted that it is the best walking book available - from beginners to experienced.

Keep in Mind: The book was written for improving health through better and regular exercise, but has the side benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by leaving the car at home.

Suggested by: enbn54

Simply Green

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:51:36 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Simply Green web log
Author: Danny Seo
URL: http://dannyseo.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Date: First published July 2006

Notes:

At a Glance:Simply Green is a web blog created by Danny Seo, who has written books on creating stylish gifts and parties that are also eco-conscience. He has a column in the magazine Country Home, called Fresh Thinking and his blog is a way for him to include all his ideas and thoughts that he can not fit into his column. The blog is updated regularly and contains information on his current activities as well as any crafty ecofriendly ideas that he creates.

Best for: The consumer who is crafty, resourceful, and enjoys the many ideas of Danny Seo. They want to stay in loop on all the new innovated ideas that he has on being green and creative. The aspect of "going green" this website is best suited for is green entertaining.

Standout Features:

Danny Seo's blog is updated often, almost every other day. All his blog entries contained pictures of the topic of his current blog.
The blog highlights not only his new craft ideas but aloshow he is incorporating green living in his day to day life.
Example: He gives a craft idea on how to turn your old glass Christmas bulbs into new decorations by melting your old candles and dipping the ornaments in the wax. It creates a stylish frosted snow look and also makes them less breakable.
The most recent entries can be viewed on the page and past entries are located in the archives section. Readers can also sort the entries by categories such as, beauty, food and drink, and home design.
Reader's can subscribe to his blog and receive emails when there is a update. They can also post comments on his entries and read other subscriber,s comments.

Keep in Mind: This is a fairly new blog, the first posting was in July of 2006. Blogs can also contain opinions that are not necessarily backed up with citied and factual information.

Suggested by: deanna15

Simple Steps

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:51:17 CDT

The Basics:
Title: Simple Steps "A Healthier You. A Healthier Home. A Healthier Earth."
Author: National Resources Defense Council
URL:www.simplesteps.org
Date: 2007

Notes:
At a Glance: Simple Steps offers their readers simple actions they can do to improve the health of their homes, the planet, and themselves. The site offers actions that the reader can take depending on how much free time they are able to invest, be it a minute, several hours, or weeks. The site is intended to educate readers on the health dangers of various common household products, what they can do to mitigate these threats, as well as steps they can take to advocate for lawmakers to create policies that protect consumers. A portion of the site focuses on safe products and foods for pregnant women and children -- for example, foods to avoid, things to look for in buying clothing and toys for children, what products have dangerous levels of toxins.

Best for: A primary audience of Simple Steps is mothers who are concerned with the health and future of their children as well as the planet. The site has information on products and foods that are safe for pregnant women and children -- for example, foods to avoid, things to look for when buying clothing and toys for children, and what products have dangerous levels of toxins and should be avoided. Simple Steps also has a feature called "Ask Dr. Gina" where readers can e-mail questions and concerns to a physician who specializes in environmental medicine.

Standout Features: Simple Steps is useful because it offers, as the name states, steps that are simple enough that anyone interested in improving their home and personal health can take no matter how busy their lifestyle is. For example, a tip on improving the energy efficiency of laundry simply by using cold water and drying heavy towels separate from lighter materials. If the user has more time and money to invest, they can purchase an energy efficient washer and dryer. Simple Steps encourages readers to get involved by contacting local, state, and national politicians and asking them to support policies that protect the environment.

Keep in Mind: Simple Steps is an initiative of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to protecting the environment and public health.

Suggested by: ksalay

Recycled Crafts Box

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:49:51 CDT

The Basics:
Title: Recycled Crafts Box
Author: Laura C. Martin
URL: Find this book in a library
Date: 2003

Notes:
At a Glance: This goal of this book is to explain to children the importance of reusing things that normally get thrown away. The book includes a section on trash and how it is processed, an explanation of why recycling is important, and an overview of things kids can do to help the environment. The bulk of the book is made up of craft activities that incorporate recycled materials.

Best for: Elementary to middle-school age children. The craft activities range from easy to intermediate, and include step-by-step instructions for making toys, musical instruments and decorations using household materials that might normally get thrown away.

Standout Features: While there are many books dedicated to reyclable craft projects for children, this one includes a wide variety of projects for different age groups and is visually appealing with lots of images. The introduction presents major concepts in recycling in a clever, easy-to-understand way, with plenty of illustrations.

Keep in Mind: This book is put out by Storey Publishing, whose mission is to serve customers "by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.” The book is also published on recycled paper.

Suggested by: meganbd

Planet Earth: The Complete Series

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:49:17 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Planet Earth: The Complete Series
Author: David Attenborough
Publisher: BBC Video
URL: Find it at your local library
Date: 2007

Notes:

At a Glance: This award-winning television series now on DVD is comprised of eleven parts. The individual episodes focus on different ecological systems and their inhabitants. The episodes are: “From Pole to Pole,” “Mountains,” “Fresh Water,” “Caves,” “Deserts,” “Ice Worlds,” “Great Plains,” “Jungles,” “Shallow Seas,” “Seasonal Forests,” and “Ocean Deep.” In addition, the standard-definition version includes a three-part bonus series called “Planet Earth: The Future” that explores a variety of environmental issues, and how they might affect Earth's future. The series has garnered 4 Emmys including Outstanding Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming, as well as several other awards in Britain and the United States.

Best for: Anyone with a passing interest in nature, Earth's multitude of species, breathtaking views, impressive cinematography, documentaries, or learning more about our planet will enjoy this series.

Standout Features: The series provides visual documentation of numerous locations and species that the average individual will never have witnessed in person. It gives a sense of how large and complex the biosphere is. The series also provides a sense of what may be lost with climate change and environmental degradation, while stillmanaging to be entertaining.

Keep in Mind: The series was produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation. There is also an American version narrated by Sigourney Weaver that aired on the Discovery Channel, which is owned by Discovery Communications.

Suggested by: rcasper

Offsite 2007

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:48:53 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Offsite 2007
Author: Building Research Establishment Limited
URL:http://www.offsite2007.com/
Date: 2006-2007

Notes:
At a Glance: Offsite 2007 was an exhibition hosted by BRE in response to England's new Code for Sustainable homes. Seven companies each designed and constructed a fully-functional building, using the most cutting edge "sustainability" and "smart" (sensors and automatic controls) technologies to generate the smallest carbon footprint possible. The park is still open, and the website offers photographs and descriptions of all of the buildings.

Best for: Anyone interested in seeing how far green technologies can go, while maintaining stylish design aesthetics.

Standout Features: This site has a high "cool factor," which can inspire people to want to learn more about sustainable housing. The photoblog highlights real technologies which can be put to use today. The photos are very well done, and the descriptions are quite informative.

Keep in Mind: Funding for the individual buildings came from the firms which created them -- so each individual company naturally promotes its own products, as well as the products of any partners they may have. BRE itself is a non-profit, charitable organization. This is a British exhibit, so not all products/technologies featured may be available in the rest of the world.

Suggested by: donahrm

Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:48:30 CDT

The Basics:

Title: The Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair

Author: Denis Hayes
URL: Find it at your local library.
Date: 2000

Notes:

At a Glance: This book specifically focuses on global warming in its discussion of politics and scientific facts, but its tips for how to help the planet are relevant for anyone who is interested in what the book calls "clean living." It addresses issues ranging from transportation to heating systems to refrigerators. For many of the categories, the author does not name specific companies that are preferrable but gives the reader a list of qualities to look for when buying an item. Overall, this book strives to give the reader as much information as possible about global warming and what we can do to help the planet.

Best for: Anyone who is interested in helping the planet. The book is well organized and user-friendly, so anyone should be able to find it useful.

Standout Features:

The political and scientific discussions that begin and end the book. It is not every green-living book that addresses public policies and Earth friendly fuel cells.

"Eco-IQ Quiz" at the beginning of the book gives the reader an idea of what the book contains and also what he/she might not know about environmental issues. After taking the quiz, the reader can either choose to go through the book from beginning to end as usual or to jump straight to those sections which address the questions from the quiz that he/she is curious about.

Sidebars, either called "Toolbox" or "Energy Extras," which highlight interesting or important facts pulled from the text. This helps navigate the sections of text more easily and points out what is really crucial for the reader to know.

Keep in Mind: The author is the Chairman and CEO of the Earth Day Network, and the publisher of the book is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information on environmental solutions to people.

Suggested by: treasab

Make My House Green

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:47:22 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Make My House Green
Author: Missoula's Green Team
URL:http://www.makemyhousegreen.com/
Date: 2007

Notes:
At a Glance: A blog dedicated to recording the progress of rebuilding a house using three basic green principles: (re)use sustainable materials, be energy efficient, and buy local products. Features include a project overview, a map of the area, photos, weekly updates, general environmental articals, and links to local Minnesotan and national contractors and organizations involved in the green industry.

Best for: Prospective homeowners and contractors who want to see a realistic green building project from start to finish.

Standout Features:This project was very recently completed, making it very up to date and relevant for today's green-minded builders and owners.

The weekly updates are great, as they show the steps that real people took to create a green home. What differentiates this from some of the other building projects and websites out there, is that the end result is a relatively modest home. A much larger range of people can use the techniques and products used to build this house than those used for Offsite 2007 or even in Building Green TV.

Keep in Mind: The build was sponsored by local radio stations and a local bank.The site is sponsored by rotating, animated ads for local companies.

Suggested by: donahrm

Listed Green

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:46:47 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Listed Green
Author: ListedGreen
URL:http://www.listedgreen.com/
Date: 2007

Notes:
At a Glance: ListedGreen is a real estate company based in Nevada that is trying to bring together green resources and green listings in one easy place. The website is designed for people to be able to list and find properties for sale which fall under established green guidelines. In addition to the ability to search for and create listings, the website offers a categorized list of links to green resources and organizations, with a focus on green building and energy efficiency.

Best for: People looking to buy or sell a green home, or those curious about green standards and pricing.

Standout Features: Links to active green organizations in the real estate and building industries.
Gives some insight into what real estate companies think constitute green listings, as well as a comparison point for green vs "normal" housing costs.

Keep in Mind: ListedGreen, a member of several national green associations, is a commercial firm which makes a profit from listing fees. The site is very new, and a little West Coast-centric as they are based in Nevada.

Suggested by: donahrm

LifeTips 101 Green Travel Tips

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:46:31 CDT

The Basics:

Title: LifeTips 101 Green Travel Tips

Author: Linda Handiak
URL: http://www.amazon.com
Date: 9 May 2007

Notes:

At a Glance: Handy paperback that encourages green travel and provides tips for evaluating green travel choices.

Best for: Travellers on the go who want some quick tips on how they can green up.

Standout Features: Paperback is an easy read ....101 travel tips in 100 pages, and it only costs $9.99.

Keep in Mind: The author is an avid traveller and understands that although it is hard to change habits,it is necessary to preserve the environment. She is a freelance writer and publishes travel articles regularly.

Suggested by: ggraves

Lazy Environmentalist

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:46:13 CDT

The Basics:

Title: The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living
Author: Josh Dorfman
URL:Find it at your local library
Date: 2007

Notes:

At a Glance:

This book covers a broad range of topics from travel to home decor to electronics. Each chapter begins with a few pages of the author summarizing what is happening to make things in that subject area more environment-friendly or giving suggestions on how to be green in that area. He then lists companies or organizations relevant to that topic that might be helpful to the reader.

Best for:
Someone who is interested in being green in areas of his/her life that he/she may not even have thought could or should be changed. Also for people who are interested in becoming green without a lot of effort or without losing many of the luxuries in life.

Standout Features:
Fun topics! Who knew there were travel agencies, hotels, and car rentals that were environment-friendly? Or green real estate agencies? This book has many more ways to make your life green than I had ever imagined was possible.

Keep in Mind:
The author is the host of his own radio show, also called The Lazy Environmentalist, so what he does in this book is what he does for a living - recommending products and services for people who want to be green.

Suggested by: treasab

Keepers of the Earth

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:45:55 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children
Authors: Michael J. Caduto; Joseph Bruchac
URL: Find it at your local library.
Date: 1999

Notes:
At a Glance: "A selection of traditional tales from various Indian peoples, each accompanied by instructions for related activities dealing with aspects of the environment." (Library of Congress catalog description)

Best for: Teachers, parents, or other caregivers. This is a book for interacting with children about environmental issues.

Standout Features: Each section contains a traditional Native American story (from several different tribes), followed by questions to spark discussion, an activity related to the environmental concerns raised in the story, and suggestions for "extending the experience" (or, long-term projects to keep the story and its environmental aspects fresh in the mind). Additionally, there is a section at the beginning of the book suggesting how adults can most effectively use the book with children.

Keep in Mind: This is a collection of traditional Native American stories, with supplemental materials for sparking discussions about humans' treatment of the environment. Making connections between stories and our own lives is just as valuable as reading a straight non-fiction book.

Suggested by: laurabang

It's Easy Being Green

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:45:39 CDT

The Basics:

Title: It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living
Author: Crissy Trask
URL:Find it at your local library

Date: 2006

Notes:

At a Glance:
The subtitle - A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living - sums up this book well. The author has created a helpful list of practical tips for being green in day-to-day life, which are nicely organized according to what aspect of life they apply to. She has also compiled a list of helpful websites, both for more information on being green and for environment-friendly shopping. As the title suggests, her emphasis is on how easy it is to be green.

Best for:
Anyone interested in being green. This book would be a great starting point for someone who is new to green living, but it would be just as useful to someone who is already trying to live a green life but is perhaps looking for a few more ways to help the environment.

Standout Features:
The 50+ pages of tips for becoming green, complete with check-boxes so the reader can keep track of his/her progress and know which areas still need work.

The chapter on Buying Green includes great tips on what to look for on labels to determine if a product is environmentally friendly.

Keep in Mind:

The author is the director of Green Matters, a business dedicated to environmental education and activism on the internet. She also runs Green Matters Home and Lifestyle Consulting, through which she advises people on ways to be green in various aspects of their lives.

Suggested by: treasab

Homes that Heal

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:44:38 CDT

The Basics:
Title: Homes That Heal (and those that don’t): How Your Home Could be Harming Your Family’s Health
Author: Athena Thompson

URL: Find the book at your local library
Date: 2004 (2nd edition)

Notes:

At a Glance: Homes That Heal focuses on problems such as poor indoor air quality, mold, and how unhealthy buildings can make people sick. It shows how our homes can contribute to many of the health problems related to air quality. This book is easy-to-read, and alerts people to focus attetion on health issues on a daily basis.

Best for: Busy mothers and other familiy members because it is written to be easily understood and it is filled with useful information and resources. In addition, it will also attract anyone who is interested in the health of his or her family and who plans to green their homes.

Standout Features: Here, the topic “green home” really narrows down to the home’s air quality which is tightly related to the health of whole families. From the book, you would know everything you ever wanted to know about the air in your house and how it might affect your and your children’s health.

Keep in Mind: The book mainly focuses on helping readers find and understand what kind of things might harm your and your families’ health in your home and points out the importance of greening your home. The book does not provide specific instructions on how to green your home more generally.

Suggested by: Rebecca Chen

Guide to Greener Electronics

shakmatt — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:44:04 CDT

The Basics:

Title: Guide To Greener Electronics
Author: Greenpeace
URL: [ Guide To Greener Electronics ]
Date: 2007

Notes:
At a Glance: "This Guide ranks leading mobile phone, game console, TV and PC manufacturers on their global policies and practice on eliminating harmful chemicals and on taking responsibility for their products once they are discarded by consumers. Companies are ranked on information that is publicly available and clarifications and communications with the companies." (Description from website.)

Best for: Lessening the impact of your electronics consumption, specifically mobile phones, TVs, game consoles, and computers. The Guide is updated quarterly.

Standout Features: Companies are ranked according to two different categories: 1) Chemicals/toxic waste policy and practice (assessed with 5 criteria) and 2) Policy and practice on Producer Responsibility for taking back their discarded products and recycling (4 criteria). The guide presents tables that highlight the overall rank of each company reviewed, as well as tables with more specific breakdowns of the company's ranking.

Keep in Mind: This guide is not all-encompassing, ranking only the leading companies in each electronics field, although more companies are added to the guide each quarter. Also note that companies are ranked on the lifecycle of their products (toxic waste and recycling policies), and not on the company's energy use.
The data for this guide is collected from information that is publicly available by Greenpeace, an organization that "exist[s] to expose environmental criminals, and to challenge government and corporations when they fail to live up to their mandate to safeguard our environment and our future" (from Greenpeace website).

Suggested by: laurabang