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Uniform Project Pilot Series: Sarah Jones
On August 1, Green Team muse, vintage fashionista, and founder of the Uniform Project Sheena Matheiken, launched the UP Pilot Series, a new twelve-month experiment with a dozen new and inspiring trendsetters, all committed to proving to the world that sustainable style is some of the most eclectic, unique, and inspirational fashion out there. Oh yeah, and to raise money for some great causes. To celebrate, we launched a twelve-month interview series back in August between Sheena and her Pilots, to give Green Team-ers the skinny on the challenge, the inspiration, and – of course – the eBay shopping tips. This month Sarah Jones, designer and co-founder of Ruffeo Hearts Lil’ Snotty (RHLS), gives her Little Black Dress transformative powers using sustainable hemp silk, geometry, and some brilliantly placed zippers.
A Chat between Sheena and Sarah
Sheena Matheiken: You’ve been busy dealing with the madness that is New York Fashion Week and you’ve taken on the 1-dress challenge with U.P on top of it. Can you share some thoughts on your motivations to do this?
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Eco-Friendly Eating: Planters Nutmobile and Mr. Peanut Go Green
There’s no denying it: the Planters brand is becoming – dare we say – hip. First, it snagged Robert Downey, Jr. to voice Mr. Peanut in its new TV commercials. Now, the Nutmobile has gone positively green.
“Its newest iteration runs on bio-diesel and has a wind turbine, solar panels, LED interior lighting, recycled parts, and wood floors reclaimed from a 19th-century Pennsylvania barn,” writes The New York Times. But according to AutoBlog, the bio-diesel is not, alas, nut-based – perhaps to avoid any awkward and unpleasant nut cannibalism implications? More »
Morning Links: President Obama Quit Smoking
President Obama Calls It Quits – Michelle Obama says her husband ditched the nicotine habit at least a year ago. (The Huffington Post)
Take a Study Break – A new study claims that brief diversions can improve focus, giving you a whole new excuse to read Blisstree while you’re at work. (ScienceDaily)
Stay on That Treadmill – If you’re less than inspired by the prospect of more time on the treadmill, check out these tips for getting through winter workouts. (FitSugar) More »
Gallery: 10 Hollywood Celebrities Helping to Save the Planet
Whether they’re putting their star power or their money (or both) into projects to protect and save the earth, or just help make it a better place for all of us to live, Hollywood celebrities have a long history of supporting environmental programs and projects. (And the good PR doesn’t hurt their careers, either.) And while it’s all too easy for spoiled celebs to end up in rehab or make the news for less-than-noble antics (Mel and Charlie, this means you), the ten who made our gallery are doing the opposite — setting a good example for others by living environmentally-conscious lives, and encouraging the rest of us to do the same. Here’s who and how: More »
Buick Goes Green-ish In 1980: Flashback Friday
Magic Johnson and a horse jockey walk into a Buick dealership in 1980. There’s a big Buick and a small Buick. (Get it?) Hilarity ensues in this vintage TV commercial, but mostly because the “efficient” Electra Limited gets a whopping 18 miles per gallon: More »
Get Ready to Feel Guilty: Take a look at 6 of the least eco-friendly types of packaging on earth. (via The Daily Green)
Google Invests In Foot-Powered Monorail
Google has invested $1.05 million into this system of plastic pedal-powered pods called a Schweeb. They think it could change the way people get around in urban areas.
We’re not so sure. While it may be a fun tourist attraction, we don’t really see how this could work as a mode of everyday transportation. Are we thinking too small here? Let us know what you think.
And anyone else reminded of the plastic pods at a drive-thru bank? More »
Natural Gas Drilling? Don’t “Frack” With My Mountain
On Saturday night, at the home of some friends in the Catskills region of upstate New York, I attended an informal screening of Gasland – the anything-but-uplifting new documentary by Josh Fox about the plague of natural gas drilling in the U.S. (HBO will air the film through 2012, and it’s also currently playing at a few select U.S. theaters. It won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year.)
We’ve already mentioned Gasland several times on Blisstree, but this is the first time we’ve seen it ourselves. (I’m a resident of upstate New York, so the issue is particularly important to me.) But first thing’s first: This is Fox’s first documentary, and it shows. This Pennsylvania resident is unquestionably passionate about protecting his own land from natural gas hydraulic fracturing, but he’s way too interested in putting himself in front of the camera instead of focusing on the compelling and disturbing story at hand. He’s also a fan of artistically beautiful cinematography, which, in this case, repeatedly makes you want to yell “Go make an art film!” at the screen.
But I’m not a film critic, and this isn’t a movie review.
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a method used to harness the earth’s abundant supply of natural gas. Proponents of the process will tell you that it’s clean energy that will cure us of our dependency on foreign oil by using our own natural resources. Problem is, as an energy source, natural gas is at least as dirty as oil production, if not more so. It’s basically like trading one nasty, addictive habit for another. More »
Exercise Makes Laundry Even Less Fun (But More Eco-Friendly)
Would you ride an exercise bike to power your washing machine? Electronics company Haier has developed a prototype of a bike that can wash a full load of laundry (with cold water, which is more energy-efficient) using energy generated by 20 minutes of you on a stationary bike. More »
Vena Microhydro System: Water-Powered Energy On The Go
OK, so this thing doesn’t really exist yet, but Vena Microhydro System concept – a portable, water-powered personal charger – is the latest imaginary item on our “want list”. The concept product is a small underwater turbine device that’s designed to be small enough to fit in a backpack, and can be used to generate power from a river: Campers, hikers, and especially rafters could use it to charge personal items like phones, flashlights, and GPS-devices (anything with rechargeable batteries).
Hey,… More »
Sugar Shock: Shell will be launching a biofuel venture in Brazil, along with the world’s biggest sugarcane producer. (via Fast Company)
If You Don’t Have an Electric Car, You Hate America
Well, that’s kind of what Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary David Sandalow said. He said that electric cars are patriotic, quiet and cheap to drive. Hummers are expensive to drive and really loud — does that make them un-patriotic? Wait, I think I saw a Hummer near Ground Zero today! Get Glenn Beck, stat!
We do like Sandalow’s idea of electric cars becoming the norm, though. We’d love to plug our car nightly rather than stop for gas every few days, and… More »
Your Car Needs a Drink: Whisky as Biofuel
Scientists in Scotland have created a biofuel for cars made of Scottish whiskey distillation waste. Normal cars can use the fuel without making any changes to the engine. And even cooler news? The researchers are planning to file a patent application for the fuel in order to sell it at gas stations in Great Britain.
Now we just hope that Americans will catch on – Bourbon-powered cars, anyone?
via Huffington Post… More »
From Poop to Power: Waste Fuels Chicken Farm
At Olivera Egg Ranch in French Camp, California, chicken poop will soon be fueling a mini-power plant. The chicken waste will be be converted into methane gas, which will then be converted into renewable energy. The plant will be able to power the entire ranch — making it a closed loop system. Wouldn’t it be great if all farms could function like this?
Do you think that new homes will ever come with a system that converts human waste into renewable… More »
Eco-Friendly Transportation: Finland’s Green Highway
Finland would like to create the world’s first “green highway.” It would have service stations with charging ports for electric cars and gas pumps with biofuel made of waste and other local resources. “Smart” lighting is also an idea that would be incorporated — lights would be switched off at entryways that are empty of cars, and lights along the highway would adjust to weather conditions. The country wants to create a model for a green highway that could be… More »
PSA: Ryan Reynolds for Clean Energy
Ryan Reynolds is a cool dude. Remember Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place? Hi-larious. Now he is lending his talents to a the National Resources Defense Council for a PSA on clean energy. Check out how you can urge your senators to vote for clean energy here.
via Ecorazzi… More »
Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation with Aaron Neville: Videos That Crack Us Up
Tom Brokaw (Chris Parnell) and R&B crooner Aaron Neville (Horatio Sans) take a minute to discuss the future of American energy. We’ll start stocking up on cocoa butter now.
Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation w/ Aaron Neville from Comedy Central’s Big Lake
via Funny or Die… More »
From Butter to Biodiesel: How Fat Could Fuel Your Car
Did you ever think that eco-friendly biofuel could be extracted from the pats of butter innocently sitting on your dinner table? We didn’t either. But Michael J. Haas, a research biochemist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, did. He came up with the idea in 2007, when thinking of what to do with the 800-pound all-butter sculpture that is created every year for the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
A team of researchers at a small company called BlackGold Biofuels melted the butter… More »
Free Webinar for Women: Solar Power Your Home
General public opinion is that the current energy crisis is a man’s problem (like drinking milk from the carton or B.O.), but a survey by the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment shows that 90% of women are enthusiastic about solar energy playing a serious role in our country’s environmental future. And why shouldn’t we care? Women have always looked for innovative solutions to tough problems.
That’s why One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), a free service that helps homeowners… More »
10 Ways to an Eco-Chic Living Room: Green Your House Series
Kick back and relax at home in your living room — just not in a pleather recliner in front of a plasma TV with the A/C blasting. Here are 10 natural selections that will liven up your living room in the eco-friendliest (and eco-chicest) ways.
Energy-Efficient Boob-Tube
With all their bells and whistles, some flat-screens now rival the fridge as your home’s energy Public Enemy Number One. Your best bet: an Energy Star-certified LCD or LED model (plasma TVs tend to be… More »