By Anne Consroe
My final suggestion for buying green gifts this year is to purchase fair trade. Fair trade is defined as a market-based trading technique for a variety of exports that promises a fair price. Keeping in mind environmental and social standards, fair trade promotes economic self-sufficiency in developing countries.
Many retail stores in your area sell fair trade products. A personal favorite is Ten Thousand Villages (http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/). Selling only fair traded products in more than 150 stores, Ten Thousand Villages supports small artisans and farmers in developing countries by giving them a significantly higher price for their goods than what importing companies would otherwise pay. They also cut out the middle men, leaving you with very decently-priced merchandise.
Fair trade coffee, tea, and chocolate is available in Whole Foods (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/) and My Organic Market (http://www.myorganicmarket.com/).
Fair trade products can also be purchased through Equal Exchange (http://www.equalexchange.coop/).
This year, holiday shop with a conscience. To learn more about fair trade products, please visit http://www.fairtradefederation.org/ or http://www.fairtrade.net/.
A Fair Holiday
Green living and Coffee
Reducing your personal carbon footprint can be a difficult task, especially since we often don’t realize how much the small things we do impact the environment. Coffee for example is an essential part of most of our lives, especially during the end of semester craziness. According to the in International Coffee Organization, on average Americans drink 9.26 pounds of coffee a day!
Coffee production and distribution methods both have a significant impact on the environment. Fertilizers and machinery used on 
Should we all give up drinking coffee? I don’t know. What probably more important to realize is that almost everything we do has an impact on the environment. This impact needs to be part of our decision making process. Here’s another statistic that should get you thinking: 1000 Americans would have to give up coffee to compensate for the emissions from 1 car! So if coffee is too dear to you maybe its time to think about taking the train.
Sources:
Give More
By: Anne Consroe
Striving to give even “greener” gifts this holiday season? Why not give a gift of a donation? Many charitable organizations offer printable or mail-order cards when a donation is made around the holidays.
Heifer International strives to end hunger through charitable gifts of livestock and resources. Following the proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” Heifer uses livestock to change the lives of countless people worldwide. Recipients are taught how to care for the livestock, and reap the benefits of milk, eggs, or fur. They receive nutrition they otherwise would have gone on without, and many have the opportunity to sell excess eggs or milk (and profit) for the first time in their lives. Recipients are also instructed to spread the wealth after their animal has procreated, by giving offspring to their neighbors. Communities as a whole crawl out of poverty.
Sustainable Harvest International provides nutrition, education, and economic development to needy families in Central America, while reforesting endangered natural resources. This season, reforest a family farm, provide a woman with a small business loan, or plant gardens and trees. With donations starting at only $25, Sustainable Harvest International provides training, tools, and seeds to overcome poverty and spur community development.
This season, instead of buying something that will sit in a closet, give your loved ones charitable gifts that will make a significant and unforgettable impact in lives across the world.
Nanotechnology Could Thrust Us Light Years Forward
By: Shane Sabine
“Energy is a national security issue, and it is an international security issue of the highest order,” states president-elect’s National Security Advisor, Jim Jones. America’s reliance on foreign oil must cease, and innovation regarding solar energy might lead us in the right direction.
Nanotechnology may be our answer according to Cornell University. Research is being conducted at some of the world’s leading universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, and is supported by the likes of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. Please refer to Mr. Bill Steele’s report: Cornell Chronicle.
Ms. Marlow Epstein of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office in Arlington, VA provided four convincing reasons to implement nanotechnology:
1. Today’s flat rooftop solar panels are a little more than 20% efficient and could be limited to about 30% efficiency.
2. High-energy photons generating multiple electrons with solar cells made of silicon nanocrystals could convert more than 40% of the energy in light into electric power.
3. Reduced manufacturing costs as a result of using a low temperature process similar to printing instead of the high temperature vacuum deposition process typically used to produce conventional cells made with crystalline semiconductor material.
4. Reduced installation costs achieved by producing flexible rolls instead of rigid crystalline panels.
The aforementioned points have validity, and nanotechnology is certainly a hot issue. Please remember to read about the associated potential risks at "How Nanotechnology Works" in order to educate yourself more fully.
Fuel-Efficiency
Finally, as Anne talks about in "Green Thanksgiving Travel," we can all make small decisions to reduce the impact of our travel on the environment. Changes in policy and business priorities may happen slowly, but you can change the way you choose to travel now!
The Future of Innovation
By: Kethaki Nair
When looking for jobs, especially in green organizations, creativity is a highly valued skill. Its value emerges from the importance of innovation within the green industry. Constant innovation can make green technologies commercially viable as well as help green businesses.
As the economic situation gets worse many people are worried about the impact it will have on innovation. In general, as money becomes harder to come by businesses start cost-cutting and research is often the worst hit. This can halt the development of green technologies like solar energy generation. An alternative perspective is that the economic crisis could actual increase investment in innovation!
This perspective is based on the assumption that success is bad for innovation. It’s somewhat counter-intuitive (Interestingly it’s the basis on many popular movies! Think of Pixar’s Lightning McQueen). Companies that are forced to re-evaluate their approaches can move resources towards areas that are more sustainable. This can mean more resources for green innovations and ideas.
Most organizations will probably go through both these processes. The cost-cutting is going to be hard on many people. On the bright side it has forced many corporations to rethink their choices, and perhaps their commitment to sustainability.
The Little Seed: Green Your Baby
By: Shane Sabine
Fear not, job seekers: there will certainly be work in the green field for quite some time. Refer to www.thelittleseed.com, where you will find baby products available to parents. New mothers and co-founders Soleil Moon Frye and Paige Goldberg Tolmach opened this store in Los Angeles, CA about one year ago. Having found toxins in toys, bottles, and mattresses during their own searches motivated the two to make safe products available to consumers.
Interestingly, Paige’s husband co-owns a production company with Ashton Kutcher. This tie to the media allows The Little Seed’s message to be broadcast quite effectively.
Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine featured Soleil and Paige recently and the company was mentioned in an article on MSNBC’s website.
If anyone is particularly intrigued by The Little Seed’s movement, please welcome yourself to an internship. The business itself expects to grow very much so and could use an extra hand.
Green Gifts
By: Anne Consroe
The panic that ensued a few years ago over two of the biggest toy manufacturers in the United States selling products made with Chinese lead paint led many to think twice about the products they purchase. Many people began to research where and how their goods were manufactured. Many switched to domestically-made products.
Lead-paint, carcinogens, plastics, sweatshops, and imported products in general are getting me thinking about my holiday shopping list. Use the following suggestions for guilt-free green gifts this holiday season.
Check out http://www.treehugger.com for a green gift guide. Find a wide array of eco-conscious gifts made from recycled, safe, and wholesome products.
Worried about your plastic water bottle? Swiss-made Sigg water bottles (http://www.mysigg.com) sell a variety of healthy alternatives to plastic water bottles. BPA-free and built to last, Sigg bottles are great for everyone.
Tom’s Shoes (http://www.tomsshoes.com) takes a unique approach to gift giving. Manufactured in factories that operate according to fair labor conditions and pay fair wages, Tom’s Shoes are donated to children across the world. For every pair of Tom’s Shoes purchased, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Since May 2006, more than 60,000 pairs of shoes have been donated to children who desperately need shoes to prevent injuries and infections.
Keep in mind who makes your gifts this holiday season, as well has how the environment is impacted in your gift’s production and shipping. Domestically-made products result in fewer emissions than products shipped half-way around the world. Lots to keep in mind this holiday season. Happy shopping!
Building a Green Network
By: Kethaki Nair
Job hunting has required me to rediscover many skills that I thought I would never have to use outside the college application process. There’s the how-to-blow-my-own-trumpet-as-loud-as-possible skill, especially useful while writing cover-letters and resumes. In case you’re not sure what I am talking about think back to what it was like writing you ‘personal statement’ for college. Then there’s the need to summarize yourself for the, ‘Describe yourself in three words’ interview question, strikingly similar to the 100-word ‘essay’. I could go on.
So if you successfully navigated yourself through the college application process you should be well prepared for job-hunting, except for one thing- networking. Networking is an essential part of job-hunting, and for me it was new and intimidating. As in most other industries building a green network is essential for anyone planning to enter the field. It can help direct you to relevant information and connect you to people who could help you find a job.
As a student it is difficult to build a network. The two things that I have found are very useful are: clarity and starting early. It is important to be able convey your interests and aspirations clearly. This can help people remember you as opportunities come up. Starting early is also essential; networking can be a time-consuming process. The best resources are friends and family who can introduce you to people working in green industries. Most introductions happen via e-mail and are followed by a phone conversation. Other useful resources are your school’s alumni network and professional networking services like Experience Connections. Both can help you broaden your network and give you the opportunity to add a personal touch to your application.
Connections are important. So if you know somebody who knows somebody who may know somebody working in the green field, call them! Learn from their experiences and let them know what you are looking for.
Green Cleaning
By: Anne Consroe
As you clean your house this holiday season, keep in mind that it is possible, and possibly even more effective, to clean your house “green.” Many environmentally friendly products exist on the market, but some people do not know a few simple kitchen ingredients work just as well.
I recently had a nasty clogged drain in my bathtub. One half cup of baking soda poured down the drain followed by one half cup of white vinegar, allowed to bubble for a few minutes and followed by two quarts of boiling water, does just the trick. But be careful not to use this remedy after trying commercial drain cleaners, as this may result in toxic fumes.
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, and cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Diluted 1:1 with water, vinegar can be used on most surfaces. Use it in your toilet for water rings, on bathtub surfaces, sinks, and tile floors. Use in your kitchen and almost everywhere in your house.
Windows can be cleaned by mixing one part white vinegar to three parts water. This solution also helps with fogging glass, and reduces ice build-up on car windows.
Tarnished copper can be cleaned up with a paste made of vinegar and salt. Vinegar can also come to the aid of lime deposits around faucets. Cover the lime with vinegar-soaked paper towels, leave on for about an hour, and scrub. Clogged shower heads can be soaked and boiled in ½ cup vinegar and one quart water for 15 minutes.
Simple household tricks using ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, salt, or lemons (try throwing half a lemon down your garbage disposal to freshen) are usually on hand, are cheaper than conventional cleaning products, and are better for the environment. Happy cleaning!
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