Wanna invest in the political future of our country? The Iowa Electronic Market lets you do just that.
The idea behind the futures market, which is run by the University of Iowa's economics school, is that economics can predict political outcomes. Example: It correctly forecast George W. Bush's 2004 win over John Kerry.
Snap up some shares of Democratic dropout John Edwards for a paltry $0.002 today, and if a miracle happens, you could walk away with a few hundred bucks.
-Toshio...off to predict the near-future: a weekend of boozing at the Andersen Valley Boontville Brewfest...
I'm pretty sure I sucked down my fair share of formula from plastic bottles as an infant. But ever since I first heard the word leaching (as in toxins leaching from water bottle into water - shudder), I've been a little obsessed over cutting down on the plastic I have in my life. I use a BPA-free Brita pitcher every day, carry my Biter bottle with me everywhere, and definitely, always pass on the plastic bags at the grocery store. I'm forwarding today's tip (flagged "important") to everyone I know who has an infant...or a plastic water bottle. I even pop my Amy's organic frozen dinners out of their plastic dishes and nuke them on a real plate instead, and so far the only drawback is one more dish to wash, so I'm sticking to it.
-NY Editor Beth...off to pick up a glass storage container for my leftover beef and broccoli...
A few weeks ago, I watched a few of the undersea episodes of the amazing Planet Earth series, including the one where they happen upon a vampire squid. So there's a crappy YouTube video of it, but the proper footage from the DVD is far more impactful.
Anyway, it truly blew my mind, changed my perspective on the world just like the idea of black holes or the idea of gravity affecting time.
How does this relate to farm sanctuaries? Well, the fact is that animals are amazing - even the less exotic ones. They make the world more interesting. And it's worth taking the time to notice, even better if you can help them out in the process.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to take a gander at a goose...
I'm working intently 9-6 (all for you, Heather and Jen), but I do take time out to send the occasional Someecards.com ecard to an officemate. I'll know the recipient has opened the ecard because they'll break the stifling silence that tends to pervade the office with a massive laugh.
They even have some eco-themed ones:
-Toshio...off to get the memo...
PS. See the Biter team make some moves in JibJab ecards here and here.
We've posted Radar magazine's "100 ways we're trying to go green" on one of the doors in our SF office.
I think you'll find #63 especially relevant.
-Toshio...off to respond to a million confused emails...
During this year's Earth Hour, I'll be in beautiful Bodega Bay (yep, where The Birds was filmed). Barring any deadly avian attacks, I plan to pour myself a cocktail and kick back on the porch to admire the night sky. No candles, no big event...just me, the stars, our half-full moon, and the sound of the sea.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to look to the skies...
Certainly not the most eco thing (and these days – probably not the wisest unless you’re sporting lo-jack).
But it sure as hell was the warmest.
-Heather… off to marvel at how quiet my Prius is when it shuts down at stoplights…
So recently, my building manager started posting rather elaborate signs in the garbage area. One actually incorporates clippings from a magazine to create a sort of stalker-esque collage. Its message is good - to summarize: Before you throw stuff away, make sure you recycle what you can. But y’know, duh.
Monographs could be written about the efficacy of sign-posting, or lack thereof, but one thing’s certain: They do stand to be misinterpreted (especially when written in the passive voice), especially when one needs to cull the meaning of the message from within an artsy collage of seemingly random imagery. From the smell of things, it appears that no one in my building is worried about rinsing out their recyclables at all - either that, or the sign is convincing certain someones that they can recycle all their trash.
-Jenifer Morgan…off to post a sign about it…
...of how to dry your hands?
You could always just not wash. But I don't really recommend it.
-Heather... off to lather up...
Once I bought a “real silver bracelet” in a Tunisian market. I bargained, but got it for fair price…or so I thought. Two weeks later, the silver had almost completely worn away to reveal some sort of tin-like metal.
Silverwashing?
Been hung out to dry with supposedly “green” products? Tell us about it…
-Jenifer Morgan…off to recycle that bracelet…
Whenever I'm mid-flight and in need of a laugh, or just a little reminder of how ridiculous the human race can be, I turn to SkyMall.
Over at Pandasmash, the editors pitted some of SkyMall's best-of-the-worst, next-to-useless gadgets against what-were-they-thinking gizmos and put them all to a vote. The Championship Round's resulting two worthless gadgets? The DayClock (a wall clock that doesn't tell you the time of day, just which day of the week it is) and the Solar-Powered Bible (a steal at $149.95). At least the latter is eco-friendly, I guess.
-Toshio...off to ask "why?"...
Today's tip is the second in a series of monthly recycling tips intended to help us all figure out the nitty-gritty details of certain types of recycling and to answer some common questions.
Compared to a lot of materials, things made of metal tend to have a lot more potential for creative reuse. I love that more and more nonprofs take used vehicle donations - the cars are sold at auction to licensed car dealers or recyclers, and the majority of the sale price goes into the nonprof's bank account. Recently, I donated my old, giant, metal Power Mac to my favorite local theater company - I got more space in my house and a $500 tax deduction, the theater got a badly needed boost to its sound system. And while I normally return my hangers to the dry cleaner, I ended up bringing a few to my ballet school's dressing room so that my fellow dancers wouldn't have to pile their coats on the floor. I also just turned my beautiful old red tea kettle (which I replaced with an electric one) into a pot for a homeless plant.
Anything's better than sending things to a landfill, but recycling factories obviously use up a lot of energy and recycling pickup trucks obviously consume a lot of fuel.
All redistribution takes is a bit of thoughtfulness and creativity.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to scratch my head over what to do with that sardine can...
When I was little, I was a huge fan of merry-go-rounds, rotating office chairs, and being swung by my dad around in a circle through the air (I'm not entirely joking). Quite naturally, my affinity for these things extended to revolving doors, and I'd use one whenever given the option. And now that I know they save energy over regular swing doors, don't be surprised to find me turning the revolving door again and again...and again...and again...
-Toshio...off to spin round like a record baby...
We don't usually talk politics in the blog, but I was trés annoyed when I heard that the director of the EPA (that's Environmental Protection Agency) said no when CA wanted to make its own cars be eco-friendlier than the national standard. Even though it would only affect Californians, and after EPA experts told the director that CA should be allowed to do it (read more here).
Here's (a slightly modified version of) what went down:
California: We want cars in CA to be cleaner than the federal standard. You cool with that?
EPA director: Nope.
California: Well, can you at least tell us why?
EPA director: Negativo, California.
If you are similarly irritated by this strange behavior, you can send your own comment card to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson here.
-Toshio...off to do breathing exercises...
Anyone else feel like shopping for dinner is about as easy as assembling an IKEA filing cabinet blindfolded?
Step one: Remember to bring reusable bags.
Step two: Root out what's produced locally. At Whole Foods, some produce is labeled according to where it's grown, and of course at the farmers market, you can just ask...but I've realized that while I can tell you that Mumbai is on the Western coast of India, or that Iceland is north of Scandinavia and I think they raise sheep there, I frankly have no idea how far away Thermal, CA, is from SF (it's a big state) or whether the dates I want were actually grown or just packaged there.
Step three: Balance map of CA in one hand while keeping cart with errant wheel from careening into a canned pie-filling display and excuse self past person stopped mid-aisle trying to discern between Italian parsley and cilantro while chatting on her cell...
Step four: What was I supposed to buy again?
Step five: Use mnemonic device to recall meaning of numbers on produce labels.
Sheesh. All I can say is that step six, leaving the store knowing (at least approximately) where your food came from and how it was produced, is usually worth the effort.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to drink some grapes of Napa...
A friend of mine is a wine broker. I recently took a bunch of one-more-year-and-it's-vinegar bottles off her hands. I've never seen her park in her garage, and I finally figured out why: It is bursting at its concrete seams with...stuff! You couldn't step inside if your life depended on it.
Well, well, well, look at me all smug and superior. All of my belongings fit into my humble city apartment-no storage space (OK, except for those two boxes of Star Wars fan club memorabilia at Mom's), not even a car.
But the fact is, if I had a garage to fill up, you bet I'd end up doing it. I'd hold onto things just in case...in case in 20 years, say, my niece will want some natty old coat I don't wear anymore for a Halloween party. By then, it will be misshapen from storage, possibly eaten through by moths, and weirdly discolored - but hey, you never know, right?
Well, in the meantime, someone could be using it, and I could have one less thing to keep track of. Same with all stuff that's seen its day - trade it, gift it, give it away.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to trade some stuff for more space...
P.S. Here’s that cute photo of the other Jen (Boulden) that we mentioned in today’s Personally Speaking…
And now for the introductions...personally speaking, here's what they had to say.
Los Angeles Local Editor, Molly Roemer
Eco-confessions: I love being a surf bunny while my boyfriend chases waves all over the world, so I fly a lot. Even though nobody walks in LA, I do go to the market à pied, answer "neither" when asked "paper or plastic," and drive a Prius to keep my footprint a bit lighter.
Wanna Spy? You can find me on my yoga mat, namely at Liberation Yoga, where I teach and practice. This independent spirit of a studio is like Cheers to me.
Favorite Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Animal: Definitely cats. I'm pretty sure that I was one in a past life. Vegetable: Probably a beet, since it's earthy and rooty, and I have a sweet tooth. Miracle: This might sound cliché, but I'm pretty blown away by the miracle of life.
Chicago Local Editor, Alison Lara
Eco-confessions: As an incurable (and probably insufferable) gourmet, it's got to be imported foodstuffs. I know they're producing fine prosciuitti in Iowa these days, but I've tasted jamon iberico and there's no going back. I do carry it home from the store in a reusable bag, though...
Wanna Spy? If I could, I'd take up residence at Avec, a wine bar with amazing Mediterranean small plates. Or Hopleaf, the ultimate pub with a micro-brew list and moules-frites that slay me. (Catching the food theme yet?)
Favorite Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? Animal: I've never had a pet, but I think baby turtles are supercute. Saw a few hatch on the beach on my honeymoon. Vegetable: Summer-ripe tomato. Probably my desert-island food, if you don't count olive oil. Miracle: Language. I'm a sesquipedalian, aka word nerd, at heart.
Haven't signed up for the Chicago and LA editions (or at least told your friends about them)...still? Do it here, and enjoy.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to open some biodynamic bubbly...
The vegetarian and self-professed "treehugger" has plans to open a wind-powered male brothel in NV dubbed the Stud Farm. If that kind of info isn't enough to jumpstart your Ecorazzi addiction, um...
-Toshio...off to start my own venture...
But the dream lives on: to someday fill a room with packing peanuts and bubble-wrap walls, and just jump around in it for fun. Don't lie - you know you'd want a go at it too...
-Jenifer Morgan...off to settle for popping some virtual bubble wrap...
I'm guessing she probably flips through a little less than half of them, but then volume is how direct mail works. Marketing 101: She's not going to get through all of those catalogs, but bombard her with enough images of cashmere sweaters, and she'll have to have one.
Get off the catalog mailing lists, and you're bound to save some cash money.
-Toshio...off to put on a sweater...
"I'm lazy," is what I translated this as, and I was ready to [something really bad] until he promised to register to vote.
Like a really important comment card that actually gets read, voting is a one-day, less-than-once-a-year time to tell the government how it's doing, and where you want your tax dollars spent. So if you weren't planning on voting, come on.
-Toshio...off to punch a pillow...
I'm a daily email junkie. Honest. I probably get something on the order of 30-40 published emails every day. This email addiction keeps me up-to-speed on everything from cool dictionary words to hot gear for the men in my life to random brain games to cute (but unsustainable) handbags.
Because I'm so diligent about reading my daily emails, I sometimes see trends in the way these publications talk about things. And just occasionally, we sometimes rip those trends off.
My current favorite trend? Recaps of the most read, most opened, most clicked items in the daily email space. So in a move of pure (albeit anonymous) flattery, I'm pleased to launch our Biter Best email for 2007. Happy recapping.
-Heather... off to get my daily dose of spirituality...
Almost 700 tips later, we're still going strong, with enough excellent tip ideas to take us well into 2009.
Right now the big thing on my plate is planning a theme week for next year called Biter's Believe It Or Not Week. Each day we'll focus on something that's kind of hard to believe, but true. Wanna make my job way easier? Submit a green tip that really, really surprised you when you learned about it, and maybe you'll see your name in lights that week...well, maybe not lights, maybe more like light-gray text in the email tip, but you'll definitely have my gratitude!
-Toshio...off to brainstorm...
I recommend that latter, if you can bust the moves, since it means one less thing to carry around and one less plastic bottle to recycle. If you use a paper towel to dry, you can even use it as a kind of mitten until you've opened the door, then hold the door with your body, crumple the mitten, and shoot for the trash can. It's fun. Try it, and see.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to make a basket...
I Google most of the people I date - usually before the first time we go out. I'm guessing many of them have done the same. Kind of weird that we're in a world where you know so-and-so's mom's maiden name before the first make-out session.
-Toshio...off to get voted most likely to spend tonight all by his lonesome...
...a man after midnight! (If you know what band sings those lyrics, consider us friends.)
OK, so for better or for worse, a man - before or after or even at the very stroke of midnight - never made it onto my Christmas list. But it's been the Morgan way to make an official Christmas Wish List all my life - it's as much a tradition as eating take-'n'-bake pizza on Christmas Eve before taking silly family photos. Mind you, our lists have never been strictly material. On this years' lists (yes, we've already exchanged them) are things like ski-lift tickets, help weatherproofing the porch, a donation to the Jane Goodall Foundation, and a logo design (although only one of the family is actually capable of designing anything). I personally have always found relief in understanding what will bring my family comfort and joy.
There is one exception to the list-sharing, and it has to do with that man after midnight thing. There are just some people you ask for things like new baking pans, left-handed scissors, and dishtowels...and some you don't.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to remind my niece that she owes me her list...
P.S. If you’re hankerin’ to add some compassionate and sustainable fashion to your list, don’t miss our faux-fur tip next week, and in the meantime, bid on one of two high-fashion, faux-fab handbags here and here—proceeds benefit the Animal Protection Institute.
Trust me - paying good money for that copy of Nicole Richie's The Truth About Diamonds would've been way worse than the walk of shame I endured leaving the circulation desk.
-Toshio...off to see how the baby's doing...
Do you have your snowblower? Ladder? Giant pruning shears? Riding lawnmower? Small edging lawnmower? Compost chipper? Compost bins? Chainsaw? Leaf blower? Power paint roller?
Thousands of dollars and a very full tool shed later, you kinda need to step back and reevaluate. Really? Really, do you need all of that? You're gonna mow your lawn once a week, maybe. Prune a few times a year. Paint the house every so often...
So here's a radical idea: Go meet your neighbor. Loan, borrow, buy together. That ladder you have and use three times a year? Let everyone on the block have at it when need one. Then, when you need a chainsaw to get rid of that downed tree across your driveway, you can feel just fine asking to borrow the Jones's.
Sharing isn't gonna make your roses the prettiest on the block, but it might remind you to stop and smell them every so often.
-Heather...off to borrow someone to prune my roses...
Oh no. Like most things I do in my "play big or go home" life, I bought a whole house.
And it's 100 years old. (As I said to my mom: "I feel like I just learned to run, and now I have to do a sprint in the Olympics.")
In an effort to "green" the place up, I'm doing a remodel next year. In addition to putting in radiant flooring, on-demand water heating and solar panels, I'm going to be putting Solatubes in - incredibly cool "tubing" that brings sunlight from your roof anywhere in the house - even a really dark basement like the one I've got.
I'll report back once they are installed, but for now, check them out at: http://www.solatube.com/homeowner/beforeafter.php.
-Heather...off to open some blinds...
For whatever reason, it seems like most people I know use some version of a freakin' babywipe to sweep down their counters. And god forbid a glass of wine upends on the counter or kitchen floor...out come the paper towels - a whole roll in the service of mopping up something that could just as easily have been sucked into washable, reusable towel.
When did we become such creepy germophobes? Has anyone ever seen any studies that show that moms who use bleach-infused wipes have kids with fewer bouts of sickness than those who use a dishcloth - maybe even a cloth that is a day past its prime and might need to head to the laundry? (This isn't rhetorical - if you know of a study, let me know...I've never found one.) Is it really more convenient to go to the store to buy a plastic package of countertop-babywipes, find said wipes under the sink, rip out seven or eight, use them to clean, and then recycle the plastic package when they are all out, than it is to wash and fold a few cloths and towels?
Really?
-Heather...off to stop feeling sanctimonious, but still puzzled...
-Jenifer Morgan...off to work on my follow through...
trash, no?
-Heather… off to plan my Burning Man 2008 camp…
When my dad was in charge of collecting eyeglasses for his Lions Club, we always had a big bin of glasses in one of our closets. As with most health care issues, he was a self-diagnoser. He never went to an eye doctor, but instead tried on old pairs until he found a good fit, then put his old pair into the bin to pass along to someone else. Vanity had no part in it, and not only did he occasionally turn up in a pair too small (or way too big) for his features, but his ears were uneven, so they often sat lopsided.
Money saved not buying a new pair? $200. Entertainment unwittingly provided for daughter? Priceless.
-Jenifer Morgan…off to dig up that pair of hand-me-down LAPD sunglasses…
We plan to follow SF and NYC with launches in Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle and DC, so keep an eye out. In the meantime - if we aren't in YOUR backyard just yet, spread the good word to your NYC and SF friends. Because, let's face it...small changes add up.
-Heather... off to taste test some more eco-dishes at SF restaurants...
What some people might not know is that in addition to sucking power, screensavers are, in fact, unnecessary, thanks to new computer technology. Bite on that before your next trip on the Starfield Express.
-Toshio...off to book a Virgin Galactic flight...
But now, in addition to being fanless, our bathroom is really echo-ey, so if you happen to be hanging out in the hallway while someone's in the bathroom, you're gonna get an earful. I was shy at first, waiting for opportune moments when the place was empty to take care of business.
Then, the topic of the bathroom came up in conversation with my roommates. We all joked about our bathroom broadcasts, which helped us all get over it, and now I've got no fear, echoes or no echoes.
-Toshio...off to eat some beans...
Seriously - my recommendation on how to recycle your old TV? Keep your old one until it doesn't work anymore. Or if you are moving to a foreign country that doesn't accept your volt/watt needs? Do what I did, and give it to Jenifer Morgan, Senior Editor extraordinaire. (Oh, OK, sell it on Craigslist or post it to Freecycle - JM already has a TV.)
There's a reason the reduce and reuse comes generally before the recycle. (Oooh - preachy. So unlike me!)
-Heather...off to set the DVR on my old Toshiba...
A friend of mine has taken to handing the receipt back to any given cashier, saying, "No, thank you." This has naturally led to some awkward interpersonal situations, but you have to wonder what would happen if all the Biters in the world just started handing receipts right back...same with those 10% off tanning session flyers forced into your hand or stuck under your windshield. If only there were a service we could sign up for to fight off the paper dogs everywhere, not just in mail...
-Jenifer Morgan... off to plant a tree and sprout another arm...
I just finished the book Entre Nous: A Guide to Finding Your Inner French Girl, and it contained two particularly useful insights: 1) If you feel like taking a nap, take a nap (bien sur!), and 2) make friends with whoever delivers your mail, so they'll be more inclined to deliver your courrier important. I've got the first one covered (and how!), but the second is taking some work. It's either because we literally don't speak the same language...or, well, maybe my cookies just suck.
Got tips for winning the respect and admiration of your mail-delivery peeps? Do tell.
-Jenifer Morgan... off to win postal friends before going postal...
When I started walking to the grocery store, I put the bags in a really visible place in my kitchen. I'd forget at first, but eventually was able to make it into a habit since I couldn't avoid looking at the bags every time I went for ice cream or a pickle or whatever.
Anybody have good mnemonics for those who still can't seem to remember the damn things? Maybe put a dollar in a jar each time you forget? Wear a rubber band around your wrist on days you're going shopping?
-Toshio...off to put a dollar in the swear jar...
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