housegreening gifts
it’s surprising that with all the attention going green is getting these days, so many people are resistant to the idea. i’ve tried sending personal emails, guilt-tripping, begging and bribing, but my success rate has been admittedly pathetic. it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the reason my methods fail is that none of what i am doing is making my friends to want to be eco-conscious. all they wonder is “what is in it for me?” and the answer that i am presenting is “nothing.”
when facebook first started gaining popularity, i turned a blind eye to my friends’ claims that it was the social networking tool and that i simply needed to join. i eventually gave in because a boy that i liked invited me, but more importantly because i saw something that i wanted at the end of the rope - the boy. good news - i got him in the end!
what does all of this have to do with anything? well, one of my girlfriends recently purchased a home, and i’ve been bugging about what to give her as a housewarming gift.
my original plans were wild and not really well thought out:
 |
“a set of natty ice beer can cups would be eco-friendly and hip!” i thought. no.
but a great alternative for a guy’s housewarming!
plan b: my friend is already somewhat green, but what better way to boost her eco-consciousness to the next level than by giving her the tools she needs to greenify her new place?!
green lemonaide’s ‘get started’ toolkit does just that, and it’s a present, which will positively associate eco-friendliness to getting gifts in my friend’s mind!
get yours at greenloop.
green lemonaide’s kit is super-pretty and very matchy, but you could certainly put together your own, personalizing it to suit your friend’s tastes. remember, the 99¢ store is your friend.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
diddy gripes about gas prices
saw this youtube clip of diddy on eco-hustler’s blog, and was alarmed but not surprised. the video depicts the artist formerly known as puff daddy griping that he could no longer fly on his private jet because gas prices (at the time this video was filmed) were too high.
although i agree wholeheartedly with eco-hustler that i wish more celebrities (especially those who are role models for urban youth) would step up and promote green thought, i don’t blame diddy for being oblivious. no matter how obvious the green movement appears to us ecophiles, it is still relatively low-profile compared to other causes. i think this is because many celebrities (not all, because there are many out there who live and promote green) are so busy that they want to endorse one-shot deal causes. case in point: diddy was a key supporter of the vote or die campaign, but was not at the polls (or even registered to vote) as he preached we all should be! for celebrities who talk the green talk, like gwyneth paltrow, walking the green walk is something that takes constant care and effort everyday. all of this just reinforces the concept that being eco-friendly isn’t just a hyped up campaign, it is a lifestyle.
see more of what eco-hustler has to say here.
another thing that i found disturbing is that some people seem to think that being green somehow goes against rap’s hardcore image. true, the images the media often associates with eco-friendliness (grass, flowers, blue sky, green leaf), don’t mesh well with hip hop’s persona. perhaps we need to emphasize that eco-consciousness is not about gardening or making things pretty. the future of our planet is at stake. we’re fighting a war. for most of us, it is a quiet and peaceful war, but it was exactly this kind of war that the leaders that i admire most, martin luther king jr. and mahatma ghandi, waged on hatred and intolerance, and i think they made amazing progress that continues to touch our lives today.
even though most of us are not celebrities, it is just as important for us to use the influence you have on your friends, family and especially kids to promote a change in the way that we think and act. yoroshiku ne.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
save the planet and make $
there have been so many times when i thought to myself that the only way to get people to start recycling, conserving and, basically, changing their ways was to pay them!
well, the founders of savetheplanetandwin.com had the same idea, and have thought of a simple way to actually pay you to reduce your carbon footprint. of course, they can’t actually see whether or not you are taking shorter showers, walking or biking more, or using less electricity, so the program is really based on the honor system. but the idea is that by clicking on sponsor links and shopping for green products, you will be able to educate yourself about the smarter and greener choices that are available to you.
 |
now that more people are strapped for cash than ever, i really hope that getting people to see the green light, even if it means having to pay them, will be easier. like i’ve written in past posts, some people make a living out of recycling on a daily basis, even though they have no intention of saving the environment at all. they just do it because they need the money. seems like there is a constant debate in the green space about what it means to really be “green.” what if you’re just doing it for the money, like some manufacturers do in order to attract eco-savvy customers? is it about intent or outcome? personally, i think a homeless woman who collects and recycles cans in order to make an extra buck to grab a slice of pizza is doing her part just as much as i am when i recycle my newspapers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
green is the way to “go”
ecocoffins by creative coffins are crafted from unbleached pulp which is made out of at least 60% recycled paper and wood pulp sourced from sustainable forests. each coffin weighs under 10kgs which drastically reduces the transportation (oil) costs associated with death baskets. why anyone would choose a traditional sarcophagus when these radical designs are out there is baffling to me.
hey, if you’re going to go through all that trouble customizing your ipod, why not your final resting place?
imagine your friends and family gathered around this beauty.
this is the one i’m eyeing for my own final resting spot. it’s called the comedian. “rest in peas.”
get it? chuckle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
free fridays: beginner argentine tango class and habana outpost basement of blood
instead of spending a wad of cash on happy hour tonight only to wake up tomorrow morning with a poor taste in your mouth (coppery, kind of like you ate a bunch of pennies), why not check out these 100% free events?
absolute beginner argentine tango class
Date: Friday, October 24th & Saturday, September 25th
Time: 8:30pm & 8:00pm respectively
Location: Triangulo (135 West 20th, #301 btw 6th and 7th Ave)
Cost: Free
habana outpost basement of blood
Date: Friday, October 24th - Sunday
Time: 4pm-8pm Friday, 2pm-7pm all weekend
Location: Habana Outpost (757 Fulton St. at S. Portland, Ft. Greene)
Cost: Free
What’s scarier than global warming and a market meltdown combined? How about The Basement of Blood at Habana Outpost. High school students from Brooklyn’s Green School have created ghoulish scenes from everyday garbage, and you can check out the recycled haunted house all weekend. “The Basement of Blood is the first project by Habana Works’ teen program, Break It Down. The program offers project-based internships to high school students that bring discarded resources back into use and on to the market.” All ages.
courtesy of freenyc.net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
paperless recession specials
these deals are perfect for these uncertain economic times and you don’t even have to print them out! just text the paperless coupon to yourself and show the cashier on your cell.
free bean burrito or taco when you buy one at taco bell
free order of burgers ($15 value) with purchase of specialty drink in lounge at pop burger
88¢ falafel sandwiches at snackalicious
free pitcher of beer with 5 or more friends at wicked willy’s
deals courtesy of 8coupons.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
your chance to speak out for green jobs
wecansolveit.org makes it really easy to write a letter to the daily news, the times, the post, the wall street journal, the tribune, and other major players in your area asking for green jobs.
not enough people know how vital it is for us to transition to 100% clean energy. this transition that will not only create millions of new jobs for families across the country but will also enhance national security and reduce global warming pollution.
write yours here: speak out for green jobs
my letter:
Dear members of the media and goverment,
As you know, we have two major problems on our hands: 1. hundreds of thousands of Americans are in need of jobs right now and 2. our dependence on oil is threatening the very earth that we live on and our status as the most innovative country in the world. Why then, are we sleeping on the opportunity to solve both problems with one solution?
In the 50s and 60s, the race to reach the moon was the test of human ingenuity and we proved that we were up to the challenge, surpassing all other nations and cementing our right to say “We were the first.” So why now are we faltering in a race that is the modern-day equivalent to the moon-race? Are we that has-been athlete that peaked years ago and now lives in his dreamworld, surrounded by trophies of the past and convinced that he is still number one?
What about Rocky? What about Blue from Old School? People around the globe love American movies because they show our willingness to get up off our keesters, accept what is wrong with us and fix it. We will never throw in the towel! Let’s return to the forefront of technology. Let’s never be dependent on other countries for our energy needs again. Let’s never again have to fight wars to secure our sources of energy.
The earlier we start creating and training people for jobs in clean energy, the more of a head start we get and the more expertise we build. Though the situation surrounding our financial sector and the resulting loss of jobs are extremely unfortunate, these conditions create the perfect opportunity to harvest the best and brightest consultants, operations managers, bankers, private equity and other finance professionals who may have lost their jobs for cheaper and more selectively than we could have ever done before.
We are ready and waiting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mtv switch commercial
with so many green “posers” out there, mtv had to say something. not that they’re completely shameless or blameless either:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
why is this a site?
swyyne has always been an experiment for me. with all of the other super eco sites out there, i've been feeling like i want to contribute something just a bit different. so for now, here are my random musings.
look for stuff
feed yourself