I am a recovering Massachusetts dweller who used to work for a mostly environmental communications firm outside of Boston, so it was under some surprise that I randomly found a documentary playing on the Sundance channel that was entitled “The Greening of Southie“, which basically followed the development of the Maccallen Building in South Boston as it attempted to get an LEED certification of being a green building.

The interesting part of this movie was that it showed the very real issues that are going into green building development – the retraining of the construction workers for materials installation, the cost of travel for green materials and the prohibitive cost of living in green spaces. The most important of all the issues in the film highlighted the cultural differences between the ideology of green development and the army of workers that it effects. From the blue collar bricklayer to the upper middle class management who are trying to collate all of the existing materials together to get LEED certification – which ironically,? it appears to take an entire tree’s worth of paper to be certified as LEED.

My one problem with the project was that instead of installing solar panels on the roof of the building which would make the building much more energy efficient and reduce the tenant’s electrical bills, they installed some sort of roof shrubbery that grows in harsh climate and with minimal effort–but in a stroke of green karma retribution by the end of the film all of the plants had died, and would need to be replanted.

One of the thoughts that I had walking away from this was, yes, I think it is important to use more renewable goods instead of plastic laminate that will spend forever in a landfill after the construction & use process. But the most important thing we can do is to repurpose our existing living spaces using greener solutions – renewable flooring, carpeting, low VOC paints. The film is definatly worth a watch, however, after you do watch it, take a stroll over to the photojournalist essay on urban decay that is happening to the city of Detroit.

Earlier in the winter I posted an article about organic beers called Where to Find Great Organic Brews. Being that my parents are involved in the brewing industry, they were both excited that I’d written about organic beer and passed the link along to some of their friends and acquaintances who brew beer for a living.

One of the brewers my dad chatted with about my organic beer blog post was Hugh Sisson, Founder and General Partner of Baltimore’s Clipper City Brewing Company. Clipper City brews Oxford Organic Ales, and currently offers 2 award-winning organic brews – Oxford Class Organic Amber Ale and Oxford Organic Raspberry Wheat Beer.

After my parents returned home from a trip to Maryland, my dad mentioned that I’d overlooked Clipper City in my organic beer post, then pulled out three of their Raspberry Wheat Beer (I think the other three were absorbed by my dad as a “transportation tax”) – specially sent for my enjoyment by Hugh Sisson. I was dumbfounded – until that moment, no one had ever sent me anything (other than mail and comments, which I love) as a result of my blogging!

The beers, by the way, were delicious. The Raspberry Wheat Beer is light and fruity, with the berry taste lingering a moment after you swallow the brew. And while I savored the brews in the dead of New Hampshire’s winter, I tasted a hint of sunshine and endless summer days until I reached the bottom of the bottles. Clearly, receiving free bear hasn’t biased me at all!

All kidding aside though, Clipper City makes eco-friendly beers that taste great and are certified organic by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. In addition to brewing organic beers, the brewery is committed to being a part of their local community, and has a stated mission of “bringing back the local brewery.” Stop by Clipper City if you’re in the Baltimore area, and be sure you treat yourself to one of the Oxford Organic Ales. If you can’t make it to the brewery, Clipper City Beers are sold all over the east coast, and as far west as Illinois. Sadly however, they’re not available in New Hampshire or Vermont…

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Jessica pointed out that we all have Green Guilt. What she really brought to light was that even people who hold green issues near and dear to their hearts can not do everything possible to live a greener lifestyle. But just doing some things will help make the world a better place. One way to know what you can do better is to look at what you are doing now and list your sins.

My list of green sins include:

1) I own a van. This in and of itself is not really a green sin if I was using it for what it was designed for. Carrying more than 4 people a good distance and reducing everyone’s carbon footprint. However, I usually am the only person in the van at any time and I only do short trips around the city. This could easily be accomplished with a smaller car or even by moped. In fact, the van was bought with the idea that a much larger family would be using it but life throws you a curve ball sometimes. I know I should get something smaller, I know it is too big for my needs, and I know the price to fill the take is pushing $70 now and will be well close to $100 by the end of the year. But people have odd attachments to vehicles. I love driving the van and the extra space has come in handy for multi-state moves and hauling big things. I should part with it but I can’t bring myself to do it.

2) I eat out way too much. When you think about all the things that go into eating out and how much energy is wasted just to provide me a “cheap” and quick meal it really doesn’t play into the idea of being green. From the gas emissions, to the electricity, to the packaging, to the huge waste generated, our fast food restaurants need to do more in terms of helping the planet and not destroying it. One good example of this is our local McDonalds this week switched back to styrofoam cups because they are cheaper for the owner. The plastic cups were actually a greener choice because while they use more oil based products, they were completely recyclable. But on the whole, I am encouraging this bad behavior by giving them more money so I don’t have to cook.

3) Big Box Stores get my money more than local farmers. Vermont has a very high number of local farmers who produce milk, corn, beef, and other products that are better for me and i know it. But convenience has me going to the local supermarket and buying processed food from who knows where over local produce. Several people have started eating only local products and have termed themselves as “Localvores“. While I can’t say I am totally comfortable with that I know I should be buying my meat from the local butcher and getting corn and other products from the produce stand. Cost and extra chores is the only thing stopping me.

4) Some things I am not willing to deal with in the name of conservation. For example, I hate being hot and I use air conditioning. Even tho this is one of the more northern states and I should be able to deal with just using fans I still click on the AC in the house. I also have no problem with filling up the van with a tank of gas and going for a drive. It is wasteful and increases my dependency on oil.

There are some good things to go with the bad. I telecommute so I have eliminated the 1.5 hours I used to spend in the van going back and forth to work. I recycle constantly because our community massively supports it. When I bought a washer and dryer, we went to Recycle North and CraigsList to buy used appliances.

The idea here is even if you do something small like turning off the lights when you leave a room, it will have a much larger impact than you realize. Also, not everyone will be Super Green and do everything. Just do your part and change the things you can. Every little bit helps.

In my never-ending quest for the perfect t-shirt (one that’s funny, funky, perfectly political and sustainably manufactured), I’ve compiled yet another post full of shirts that I would love to own! My first t-shirt post, Expressing Your Inner Green, was a huge hit (and fun to write), so I thought it might be fun to find even more eco-friendly t-shirt sites and present people with some fun ideas for updating their wardrobe with the coolest tees around.

Based in Minneapolis, MN, Northern Sun is a 30-year old company that embraces environmental principles and passes their believes on in the form of organic t-shirts decorated with eco-slogans. In looking over their shirts, I found so many that I personally liked that I couldn’t choose just one to post here, so I’ve selected a few of my favorites to pass along.

This “Make Art Not War” design is by Shepard Fairey (the artist who created the ever-present iconic Obama image), and I actually first came across this image on the streets of Cambridge, MA. Fairey’s street art really spoke to me when I saw it, and I took several photographs that I eagerly passed along to friends and family. I really appreciate Fairey’s message of political dissent, and like the fact that his art is so accessible.

Northern Sun also makes this “Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper” shirt, the bike-friendly Recycle Organic shirt (the bicycle design above), and a funky “Support Local” design that would look great on my favorite plant lover. Northern Sun organic t-shirts range in price from about $20-$30, can be purchased in wholesale batches, and are available in a range of colors and sizes.

The Naked Hippie is another eco-committed company, and uses recycled packaging, paper, receipts and frame board in the distribution of their organic t-shirts. The company only works with organically-certified vendors, and only uses materials and methods in the production of their products. And unlike any other store I’ve ever visited or found online, The Naked Hippie actively encourages its users to “Shop Naked!”

If you want a shirt that makes a statement about the need for a new energy policy in the US, you might? like The Naked Hippie’s “Go With the Wind” design. On sale and available via the company’s website? for $30, this t-shirt is made from 100% organic cotton and gets its message across rather effectively. I also really like the cow on the front of this “Hormone Free” tee,? and think it adds a bit of humor to the serious issue of Bovine Growth Hormones in our dairy products.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to express your political views, this Peace Dove T-Shirt from Shirt Magic of Lewiston, California may be just what you need. Available in 100% organic cotton or in a 55% hemp/45% cotton blend, this $15.00 t-shirt is printed with non-toxic inks and manufactured in sweatshop-free facilities. I especially appreciate Shirt Magic’s stance against using Plastisol Inks in their products, and like their overall eco-attitude toward manufacturing organic hemp and cotton products. In addition to t-shirts, Shirt Magic also sells hemp clothing (hoodies, socks, underwear, etc), and will screen print your designs on their cotton or hemp t-shirts.

If you have an interest in actually designing, and possibly talking about eco-friendly t-shirts, than definitely check out the Artevist website. According to the company’s “About Us” page, Artevist is ” for people who love T-shirts: wearing them, designing them, and talking about them.” The site has all kind of online community elements available to users too, and encourages people to get involved in the conversation and participate in making eco-statements with wearable art.

Community members are able to vote for user-submitted t-shirt designs, and winning designs are turned into the shirts sold on the site. I like this “Breathe” shirt by artist Luke Ramsey. Made from 100% organic cotton and printed using non-toxic inks, this shirt can be purchased for $30 and is a constant reminder to slow down, let go and remember to breathe.

Wearing eco-tees is a great way to make a statement about the importance of living sustainably and with eco-principles. Every time you buy organic you support companies that share your philosophies, and every dollar you spend on organic goods is a step toward a more sustainable future. Eco-tees take this message a step further, as you’re able to share your beliefs (and sometimes a laugh) with the people you encounter every day.

My friends Julie, Jamie, and Aidan live in suburban Maryland and recently built their own backyard compost bin. In an effort to get the word out about how easy and practical it is to build this kind of sustainable product, Julie wrote up her experiences and I have posted her story below…

My husband and I are jealous of our California friends who enjoy the luxury of community sanctioned green waste composting. However, our municipality does not offer curbside green waste collection. Years ago, we constructed a chicken wire composter in a corner of our yard, and though it gave great compost, the open nature of the bin attracted all sorts of shady characters, including a gigantic groundhog who took a single bite of every tomato I grew! The chicken wire box made it quite difficult to remove compost from it, and it was hard to properly turn the compost without straining my back. Finally, when the chicken wire began to rust, I removed this bin, and as I researched a more user-friendly compost receptacle, we sadly did not compost for a few years.

This year, we decided to find a solution that would allow us to compost with minimal effort, and without attracting any hungry critters. There are a number of commercially available composting systems, including rolling bins, continuous loading systems with multiple bins, and electronic gadgets specifically designed for composting. However, most of these systems are inordinately expensive and are of questionable and variable quality, reliability, and efficiency. This document outlines a Do It Yourself (DIY) compost bin which can be built in one day. Total cost for all the materials required for our DIY bin was less than $60.00. Since this bin is constructed from a simple garbage can with a lid, the size and cost of any similar system depends only on the size of the garbage can one chooses.

Some advantages of this bin over a simple chicken-wire box are:

1. Since a garbage can does not look out of place behind the house, we can easily avoid detection by our Homeowner’s Association during their annual spring inspection (since composting is technically not allowed in our neighborhood).

2. The garbage-can bin is fully portable, allowing for flexibility in its placement, and making it simpler to spread the compost throughout the garden!

It will take a few months before we can truly say how efficient this design is, but we are optimistic that the simple design and mixing/aerating strategy should allow for good composting. We’ll be sure to update this entry as the season moves forward and our compost matures in this DIY bin.

Materials

1. One plastic garbage can with a tightly fitting lid.

• A 30-gallon garbage can is sufficient for a small household.
• We purchased a decent model for about $25 at Home Depot.

2. About 2-square feet of fiberglass screen (more or less depending on the size of your bin).

• One roll of plastic screen (enough to replace a window screen) is plenty.
• One 8×3 roll of fiberglass screen cost us $4 at Home Depot.

3. Gorilla Glue or any other clue capable of attaching plastic to plastic.

• We found a 10 ounce container of glue for $5.

4. Duct Tape – you’ll need about an 1/8 of a roll.

5. Compost Stirring Tool

• We purchased a Compost Turner specifically designed for this from Gaiam for about $20.
• A Garden Cultivation Tool would work just as well; I found one at Home Depot for $13.99.

6. “Brown Materials” to balance the green materials from the kitchen.

• We use leaves raked from the garden and last year’s dried botanical waste.
• You can also use saw dust from your wood shop if you have one.

Methods:

1. Purchase a garbage can with a tight lid.

2. Use a razor knife to carefully cut several holes in the sides and bottom of the trash can to allow air flow and drainage. (We cut diamond shaped holes, but the shape is not really important)

3. Cut squares of the screen to cover each hole in the trash can.

4. Moisten the edges of each hole and apply a thin layer of gorilla glue. Allow the glue to cure for 5 minutes.

5. Press the screen to cover each hole, making sure that the screen attaches securely. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.

6. Reinforce the edges of each hole with duct tape.

7. If you choose, you can place rocks or pebbles on the bottom of the bin to help with proper drainage, though it is not entirely necessary.

8. Elevate your new compost bin outside by placing it on top of some bricks, rocks, or wooden pallets, which will help with airflow and drainage.

9. Add a stirring implement such as the one above, or use a cultivation tool which will help you stir your compost from the bottom. Alternatively, you can roll your bin on the ground to stir the contents.

10. Add your green kitchen waste to the can with equal parts brown material (such as dry leaves).

11. Always secure the top of the bin securely to prevent critters from raiding your bin.

12. Each time you add additional green material, add equal parts brown material.

13. Stir your compost thoroughly each time you add more material. The key is to keep the compost aerated and “fluffy;” if it becomes too densely packed, the aerobic bacteria you rely on for degradation will suffocate.? If this happened, anaerobic organisms (like fungus) will take over, resulting in moldy mush that is not conducive to composting.

14. Check your compost frequently to assure that it is getting enough fresh air.? It should not seem wet or slimy;? if it starts to smell moldy or look slimy, you are either not adding enough brown material, or the compost is not getting enough oxygen.? Adding more dry leaves or sawdust, and/or more efficiently mixing and fluffing the contents should fix the problem.

15. EMPTY egg shells are an excellent addition to your compost.

16. NEVER add meat or dairy material to your compost, and definitely don’t add pet waste, or you will breed maggots, and your compost will be ruined.

17. NEVER add grass clippings to your compost, or you will grow grass wherever you use your compost!

18. You can adjust the pH of your compost by adding bloodmeal or baking soda. There is a wealth of references on the web which can help you attain a proper pH in your compost, as well as outlining the proper ratios of green to brown.

19. There are also some compost additives that claim to aid in faster composting by supplying enzymes and/or beneficial bacteria. This author has not evaluated their effectiveness, though in theory they should work.

20. Worms can be beneficial to your compost-if you like you can leave the bottom drainage holes open to allow worms to come into your compost. There are commercially available vermiculture kits, but this author is not sure if this DIY composter would be compatible with vermiculture systems.

21. In about 2-3 months, you should have good compost!

When my parents bought their home in 1999, the garden above (and in the other photos below) was an apathetic patch of gray-green grass that went dormant in the winter and brought little joy to neighbors or pedestrians. During their first few years in the house, my parents built a border garden around the grass, erected the shed so they would have someplace to store their tools, and planted a few patches of flowers to brighten up the space. My parents didn’t have the time to do a full-scale lawn renovation; their 260-year old house needed all the attention they could spare.

After they’d lived in New England for a few years, I needed a place to live and moved into a house I’d only ever visited. I had no friends in the area, couldn’t work, and was broke, so I decided to do something productive and tackle the yard. For 2 years I worked nearly 40-hours a week in my parent’s gardens, and paid back their generosity in letting me live there rent-free by making their yard as beautiful, and grass-free as possible.

My parents and I spoke at length about ripping up grass in various parts of their yard, and we all agreed that we would keep a small patch in the backyard so there would always be? a place for children to play. Other than maintaining a small patch of green in the sunniest part of the backyard, my parents let me know that I was free to rip up all the grass I so desired and replace it with flowers and gardens.

I am not alone in my attitude towards grass lawns – environmentalists have been writing about the damage large grass patches wreck on the environment since Rachel Carson published “Silent Spring” in 1962. Carson wrote about the use of pesticides on grass, and how applying these kinds of chemicals caused harm to humans, animals, and ecosystems. And in the years since “Silent Spring” was published, writers, environmentalists, activists and ordinary citizens have raised their voices (and pens) to educate the public about the problems with grass.

Grass is widely prevalent in the US, and according to a NASA-funded DoD study (which I tried to find a source for but, after much searching, as unable to do so), lawns cover approximately 50,000 square miles of land in this country – or a land mass the size of New York State. To kill unwanted plants from growing with grass and maintain the luscious green associated with well-manicured lawns, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals are applied to grass and the soil in which it grows. Water plays a huge role in maintaining grass too, and according to the EPA, approximately one third of all residential US water use goes to landscaping.

So if grass is so bad for the planet, why do so many people devote so much of their energy to its cause, and what can we do to shift away from the practice of planing, feeding, watering, mowing and otherwise maintaining grass lawns? Clearly there’s no one correct answer, and in some instances it’s good to have a little grass in your lawn. I’ll address a few alternatives to planing grass in a future post – in the meantime, think about your relationship with grass – do you enjoy sitting on the grass, do you spend hours each summer weekend mowing and clipping the plant, what would you prefer to grow if you were to rip up all the grass from your lawn…?

You can find out more on the environmental ramifications of grass from the following resources:

Turf War by Elizabeth Kolbert – The New Yorker, July 21, 2008

Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education by Michael Pollan (1991)

AntiLawn: Rethink Your Lawn Blog

From Lawn Addiction to Anti-Lawn Activism – Sustainable Gardening Blog, June 23, 2008

Turf Wars: The Battle Over the American Lawn – The Atavist

When you make purchases, are you careful to buy goods that are ethically sourced, Fair Trade, certified organic or made in the USA? Are you conscious of the path your dollars take once you’ve handed them over to a sales clerk or entered your credit card number in an online site? Do you care about where all of the materials used to manufacture the things you buy come from? If you answered yes to these questions, than you’re already on the road to becoming an ethical consumer, and following the principles of ethical consumerism when spending your hard earned money.

According to Knowmore.org (a site dedicated to raising awareness of corporate abuses and directing grassroots action against unsustainable corporate practices), Ethical Consumerism is “…a movement toward corporate reform, through which individuals recognize their own role in systems of oppression, and take personal steps toward resistance and positive change.” Ethical Consumerism encourages people to recognize the significance of collectively organized individual actions, and use that power to alter the landscape of traditional economic systems.

Knowmore.org encourages this kind of thinking by offering an online space for like-minded individuals to exchange ideas and find resources focused on combating corporate abuses. One useful tool on the organization’s site is called “Behind the Logos.” Knowmore.org assigns an “ethical rating” to global corporations like Volkswagen, American Express and De Beers that’s meant to help people understand where the products they purchase are sourced and manufactured, and whether the companies making those products are doing so according to ethical principles. With one quick click, you can find out that AT&T received positive ratings for Worker’s Rights, Human Rights and Environmental Issues, but has areas of concern around their Political Influence and Business Ethics.

Another resource for those interested in Ethical Consumerism is the Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN), an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing. The RPN is a member-based organization that provides consulting services and resources for paid members, but also publishes helpful guides for the everyday consumer. You can download Responsible Purchasing Guides that provide information about purchasing sustainable products, finding environmentally-conscious vendors, and working with governments to introduce eco-friendly goods into your state’s procurement policies.

If you’re interested in learning about European businesses, UK-based Ethical Consumer is an organization that researches the social and environmental records of companies, publishes free buyers guides, and scores companies based on how well they’ve incorporated ethics into their business models. You can become a member of Ethical Consumer to gain full access to their resources and services, otherwise you might have to pay a fee to access some of the research and information that’s on the organization’s website.

By educating yourself about the consumer choices you encounter on a daily basis, you take control over how you use your spending power to transform business practices and the greater economy. Once enough people realize that they can impact the process by only giving their money to ethical businesses, than real change can take place. If people continue letting big companies off the hook, and spend money with those businesses who practice socially irresponsible manufacturing, who invest their money (which is really your money) in corrupt organizations and governments, and who ignore the working conditions of their laborers, than those companies will keep on acting unethically.

Spend your money wisely and make sure you educate yourself before you open your wallet!