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	<title>Biofriendly Blog &#187; green</title>
	<atom:link href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/category/green/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog</link>
	<description>A Blog for a Cleaner Planet</description>
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		<title>Catch Up On Your Weekly Green News</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/catch-up-on-your-weekly-green-news/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/catch-up-on-your-weekly-green-news/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 18:13:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofriendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carbon neutral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chocolate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electric vehicle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[endangered]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fracking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[global warming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gorillas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ocean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plastic trash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weekly greens]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4889</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Dorena-wm / Creative Commons Well, the weekend is here and after a long week, I figured it was time to catch everyone up on some of the weekly green news I&#8217;ve seen, heard and read about this week. &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/catch-up-on-your-weekly-green-news/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4893" title="green tree oak nature outdoors life " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/4762145203_62ce9eed3a_z-e1336759358933.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="372" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorena-wm/4762145203/" target="_blank">Dorena-wm</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Well, the weekend is here and after a long week, I figured it was time to catch everyone up on some of the weekly green news I&#8217;ve seen, heard and read about this week. I know many of you keep up-to-date on the latest and greatest in environmental and green news, but here are a few you may not have checked out. Either way, take a gander at this week&#8217;s green news:</p>
<p>1) <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-rejects-fracking-to-tap-natural-gas-a-831764.html" target="_blank">German Government to Oppose Fracking</a>: In what some consider a bold move, Germany has stated they are pulling the plug on plans that were intent on using hydraulic fracturing aka &#8220;fracking&#8221; to extract natural gas.</p>
<p>2) For all you environmentally-friendly chocolate lovers out there, you&#8217;ll be happy to know that the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/may/11/carbon-neutral-chocolate" target="_blank">UK&#8217;s only carbon-neutral chocolate is transported by sailing ship</a>. That&#8217;s definitely one way to travel. Now if they could just get the price down&#8230;</p>
<p>3) <a href="http://ecopolitology.org/2012/05/09/only-1-in-10-americans-is-a-global-warming-denier-report-finds/" target="_blank">Only 1 in 10 Americans is a Global Warming Denier</a>: How do you feel about global warming? Do you believe it? Are you moderately concerned? Are you not quiet convinced? Well, according to a recent report only 10% of Americans are convinced there is no such thing as global warming and that what we, as humans, do have no impact on global temps whatsoever.</p>
<p>4) Speaking of global warming, or actually climate change, how about taking <a href="http://thegoodhuman.com/2012/05/07/a-3-minute-journey-through-the-last-250-years-of-our-climate-history/" target="_blank">a 3-minute journey through the last 250 years of our climate history</a>&#8230;</p>
<p>5) Have you been pondering the idea of getting an electric vehicle? With <a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/05/10/pges-new-ev-proposal-lays-groundwork-1-gallon-fuel" target="_blank">PG&amp;E&#8217;s new EV proposal laying groundwork for $1-per-gallon fuel</a>, now might be the right time to seriously consider it. Of course, we&#8217;re talking the equivalent of $1 a gallon, but you get the point.</p>
<p>6) <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508220114.htm" target="_blank">Plastic trash altering ocean habitats</a>: There is no lack of information on the importance of recycling, cutting down on the use of plastic materials and working hard to see that trash does not end up in the ocean. Unfortunately we are now seeing &#8220;a 100-fold upsurge in human-produced plastic garbage in the ocean is altering habitats in the marine environment&#8221;. So much so that <a href="http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/water/news-damages-world-oceans-may-cost-trillions" target="_blank">damage to the world&#8217;s oceans may cost trillions</a>.</p>
<p>7) <a href="http://www.care2.com/causes/worlds-rarest-gorilla-caught-on-film-in-cameroon.html" target="_blank">World&#8217;s rarest (and one of the most endangered) gorillas caught on film in Cameroon</a>. It&#8217;s nice to hear stories about the life and survival of species that we rarely see or even know still exist. What&#8217;s even better is getting a glimpse of them in their natural habitat&#8230;watch the video and you&#8217;ll see what I mean.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to green news for the week, but hopefully it will help to either peak your interest to find out more or at least put a little green in your life. Hope you have a wonderful and biofriendly weekend ahead. Don&#8217;t forget to get outdoors and check out some of that green that nature so aptly provides.</p>
</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Earth Day and Beyond: Pledge to do an Act of Green</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/earth-day-and-beyond-pledge-to-do-an-act-of-green/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/earth-day-and-beyond-pledge-to-do-an-act-of-green/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act of green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carpool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth Day 2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[save water]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4835</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Atli Haroarson / Creative Commons For 42 years Earth Days have come and gone. What makes this one any different? To start, today there are more than 22,000 Earth Day Network partners in 192 countries participating in the &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/earth-day-and-beyond-pledge-to-do-an-act-of-green/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p><img class="size-full wp-image-4842 alignleft" title="earth planet sun rays clouds green fields water life" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2558707414_e4aebd3efb_z-e1334967004955.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="560" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/atlih/2558707414/" target="_blank">Atli Haroarson</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>For 42 years Earth Days have come and gone. What makes this one any different? To start, today there are more than 22,000 Earth Day Network partners in 192 countries participating in the <a href="http://www.earthday.org/" target="_blank">Earth Day</a> mobilization movement. In addition, more than 1 billion people around the world will be taking part in this year&#8217;s Earth Day activities and events.</p>
<p>All in all, Earth Day is a great way for the people of earth to join together in a common purpose to &#8220;help Mobilize the Earth™&#8221;. It is one day when &#8220;People of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection.&#8221;</p>
<p><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1QXSe_1-Oik?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1QXSe_1-Oik?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p>
<p>I, for one, am all behind doing that because I truly enjoy certain aspects of this planet and I want my children and their children to be able to enjoy them too. Unfortunately, after Earth Day is over, many people are going to go right back to their &#8220;normal&#8221; non environmentally-friendly habits and routines.</p>
<p>There are a few actions, here and there, that will seep in. Actions that people will take home with them. One of the simplest things EVERY person on the planet can do though, is to <a href="http://act.earthday.org/" target="_blank">pledge to do an act of green</a>. I don&#8217;t mean you should make a one time pledge, but rather a pledge to do an act of green that you can continue to do each and every day throughout the year. Here are some examples of pledges you can make this Earth Day:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/community-tips/reduce-food-waste-460708" target="_blank">Reduce your food waste</a>. (Tip: It all starts with planning)</li>
<li>Plant and maintain a vegetable or herb garden.</li>
<li>Plant a tree.</li>
<li>Set your thermostat to save on energy costs associated with running your air conditioning (recommended is 78 when you&#8217;re at home and 85 when you are away).</li>
<li>Save water. Try these <a href="http://greenupgrader.com/19334/10-simple-ways-to-reduce-your-water-consumption/">10 simple ways to conserve water</a>.</li>
<li>Make more fresh, local and organic meals at home.</li>
<li>Go for a walk every day.</li>
<li>Help keep your park and neighborhood clean.</li>
<li>Donate your unused clothes and household items.</li>
<li>Carpool or take public transportation at least once a week.</li>
<li>Switch to natural cleaning supplies to clean your home.</li>
</ul>
<p>I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Here are a few more <a href="http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/summer.html" target="_blank">energy-saving tips</a> that will also help you get through Spring and into Summer. (I know it feels like Summer here already.)</p>
<p><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zh74zpo7MBI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zh74zpo7MBI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p>
<p>It all starts with making one simple pledge, one simple change in your life and lifestyle. Then this time next year you&#8217;ll be a lot further along and you&#8217;ll probably find your simple &#8220;act of green&#8221; has become the new normal.</p>
<p>Almost 993,000,000 people have pledged to do an act of green this Earth Day. What act of green are you pledging to do this Earth Day and beyond?</p>
</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Green St. Patrick&#8217;s Day Traditions</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-st-patricks-day-traditions/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-st-patricks-day-traditions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green beer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guinness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Irish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luck]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shamrocks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[St. Patrick's Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vegan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vegetarian]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4692</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Joe McCarthy / Creative Commons St. Patrick&#8217;s Day is one of those holidays where it doesn&#8217;t really seem to matter whether you are of true Irish decent or not. People from all across the globe love to join &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-st-patricks-day-traditions/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4722" title="shamrock clover St. Patrick's Day luck Irish" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3359779816_f5c8459c51_z-e1331848476690.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="300" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmcarthy99/3359779816/" target="_blank">Joe McCarthy</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>St. Patrick&#8217;s Day is one of those holidays where it doesn&#8217;t really seem to matter whether you are of true Irish decent or not. People from all across the globe love to join in the celebration when it comes to St. Patrick&#8217;s Day. Of course there are people who have their Irish traditions, handed down from generation to generation, while there are others who are fully content to go hopping from bar to bar in search of the greenest beer in town.</p>
<p>In order to give you a little head start on your holiday plans, and to instill a bit of the Irish spirit in you, here are a few green St. Patrick&#8217;s Day traditions:</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4726" title="Guinness Extra Stout North America vegan beer " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/5711534045_7ca39e1168_m.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="240" />1) Drinking green beer. Although Guinness beers are not commonly dyed green for St. Patrick&#8217;s Day, mostly because their dark color doesn&#8217;t allow the green dye to show through, Guinness does have a fairly &#8220;green&#8221; beer in that their <a href="http://www.barnivore.com/beer/26/Guinness#" target="_blank">Guinness Extra Stout &#8211; North America is vegan-friendly</a>. That makes it a nice addition to one of your St. Patrick&#8217;s Day meals.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynnmarie/5711534045/" target="_blank">Lynn Fennell</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>2) Planting shamrocks. One of the more traditional symbols of St. Patrick&#8217;s Day is the shamrock. Legend has it that St. Patrick used to use the shamrock, also known as a clover, in illustrating The Holy Trinity. Today the Irish, and many others around the world, consider the shamrock (especially the four-leaf clover version) to be a symbol of good luck.</p>
<p><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fyOWc6-i65M?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fyOWc6-i65M?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p>
<p>3) Eating your greens. Bacon (nowadays corned beef) and cabbage is a tasty Irish meal that is often served on St. Patrick&#8217;s Day. If you haven&#8217;t eaten it yourself, I&#8217;m sure you know of someone who has has eaten it. For those meat-lovers, it is a great way to combine meats with your greens and have a relatively well-balanced meal. For those of you who would rather have a vegetarian or vegan option, here are <a href="http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/03/14/10-vegetarian-and-vegan-dishes-for-st-patricks-day/" target="_blank">10 Vegetarian and Vegan Dishes for St. Patrick&#8217;s Day</a>.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4730" title="green trees park picnic holiday outdoors outside" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/6125922787_c360c9b81f_m.jpg" alt="" width="160" height="240" />4) Last but definitely NOT least, getting outdoors. People love an excuse to celebrate and if you&#8217;re going to celebrate St. Patrick&#8217;s Day, regardless of whether or not you are Irish, what better place to do it than outdoors? The backyard, a local park, the beach, a campground, or another outdoor destination of your choice.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21560098@N06/6125922787/" target="_blank">Nina Matthews</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Whatever you decide to do, I hope your day is filled with green from morning to night. Here&#8217;s to a happy and truly green St. Patrick&#8217;s Day!</p>
</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>7 Ways to Green Your Everyday Routine</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/7-ways-to-green-your-everyday-routine/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/7-ways-to-green-your-everyday-routine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clear your mind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emissions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental footprint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmentally-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fresh air]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outdoors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[routine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[walk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste not want not]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[well-made]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4468</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Ben / Creative Commons People are constantly talking about &#8220;going green&#8221; or being more environmentally-friendly, but what does that really mean? Does it mean you have to change the entire way you live your life? Should you get &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/7-ways-to-green-your-everyday-routine/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4481" title="new  york city park water reflection green nature outdoors walk fresh air" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4124282808_ba1fcc337a_z-e1327604346397.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="420" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/saeba/4124282808/" target="_blank">Ben</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>People are constantly talking about &#8220;going green&#8221; or being more environmentally-friendly, but what does that really mean? Does it mean you have to change the entire way you live your life? Should you get rid of everything from your cleaning supplies to your car in order to lessen your environmental footprint? Well, in actuality no, you don&#8217;t need to do that.</p>
<p>People shy away from adding &#8220;green&#8221; actions into their daily lives for a variety of reasons. Some think it takes too much time, others think it will cost more money, and other people believe there is no real reason to change because what they do doesn&#8217;t really matter. The thing is, what you do does matter. Even the little things add up quickly. And no&#8230;before you start grumbling, you don&#8217;t need to move mountains or go to some crazy extreme in order to make a change.</p>
<p>Start with implementing these 7 ways to green your everyday routine, and then go from there. How far you go is your decision. What kind of an impact you want to make is up to you.</p>
<p>1. <strong>Waste not, want not</strong>. Buying in bulk may work for some families, but it doesn&#8217;t work for everyone. How many times have you purchased food at the store to only have it later go bad in your fridge leaving you with &#8220;nothing&#8221; left to eat? Or you make a large meal and end up tossing part of it because your eyes are bigger than your stomach.</p>
<p>An easy way to prevent this is to plan ahead. Plan your meals, work out your recipes and buy only what you need. Europe is taking a stand on food waste. In fact, <a href="http://www.wastedfood.com/2012/01/20/europe-declares-war-on-waste/" target="_blank">Parliament recently called upon the European Commission to take measures in order to cut food waste in half by the year 2025</a>.</p>
<p>2. <strong><a href="http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2012/01/24/buy-well-made-goods/" target="_blank">If you can&#8217;t buy eco, at least buy well-made</a></strong>. Not everyone wants to buy eco or organic, even if they do they may not be able to afford buying the &#8220;green&#8221; items they need. In cases like that it is best to buy well-made. Buy items that will last for years and years to come, not disposable items that have to constantly be replaced.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4482" title="office girl work paper waste boxes desk " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2415343592_b1e6630d9c_z-e1327605841967.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="373" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshuacraig/2415343592/" target="_blank">Joshua Hoffman</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>3. <strong>Toss your work waste out the window</strong>. Not literally, of course. What I mean is while you are at work, take a look at some of your daily routines. Becoming aware of what you do day to day will allow you to see what wasteful actions you can remove from your routine. Do you print documents only to then toss them because you no longer need them? Do you buy bottled water rather than filling up your cup or mug at the water cooler? Do you leave your computer on at night? Do you turn off the lights when leaving a room? All of these things add up.</p>
<p>4. <strong><a href="http://www.walking.org/calm-solutions/walk-away-from-your-problems/" target="_blank">Walk away from your problems</a></strong>. Now this I mean literally. If you are feeling down, maybe a little blue or your having trouble resolving an issue at work or home, go for a walk. Going for a walk can help you clear your mind, allow you to get some time outdoors, add a little exercise into your day, and to top if off, you may just find yourself relaxed enough to be able to resolve those issues.</p>
<p>5. <strong>Cut down on water waste</strong>. Admit it, wasting water is something most of us do without even thinking about it. You turn on the water to brush your teeth, wash a dish, water the plants, etc. and all of a sudden you notice the faucet has been running a lot longer than it really needed to be.</p>
<p>The easiest way to cut down on water waste is to be aware of your actions. Turn on the water, use what you need, turn it off. Don&#8217;t run the dishwasher or washing machine half-full. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Don&#8217;t leave your sprinklers running on rainy days. A bonus for cutting down on water waste is you&#8217;ll probably notice a drop in your water bill too.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4484" title="open window fresh air indoor pollution blue curtains tree " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/5734257004_7f9206e19e_z-e1327606783431.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="350" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/3336/5734257004/" target="_blank">Diego Torres Silvestre</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>6. <strong>Fresh air is your friend</strong>. Many people spend the majority of their day indoors. Indoor air pollution is a big problem. You may not know how it affects you, but indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor air pollution. One of the simplest ways to lower indoor air pollution is to air out your home by leaving your windows open at least once a day. Here are a few <a href="http://www.dosomething.org/actnow/actionguide/11-ways-reduce-pollution-home" target="_blank">more ways to reduce indoor air pollution</a>.</p>
<p>7. <strong>Reduce, reuse and recycle</strong>. Okay, that is really three things, but they really go together. One of the most basic ways to green your everyday routine is by taking a look at your regular actions and determining how you can either reduce, reuse or recycle. How can you <a title="reduce vehicle emissions" href="http://biofriendly.backyardgoal.com/green_plus.php" target="_blank">reduce your vehicle emissions</a>? How can you reuse that material you are about to throw away? What can you recycle?</p>
<p>When it all comes down to it, many of us have &#8220;green&#8221; actions built into our daily routines right now. Take some time and see how you can make your daily routine a little greener. Then let me know &#8211; I&#8217;d love to hear what you are doing to green your everyday routine!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>10 Simple, Green New Year&#8217;s Resolutions Anyone Can Make</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/10-simple-green-new-years-resolutions-anyone-can-make/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/10-simple-green-new-years-resolutions-anyone-can-make/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:51:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofriendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[car-less]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emissions]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Fuel Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Happy New Year]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hope less]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meatless]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new years]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outside]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pay it forward]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[realize more]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resolutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reusable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[waste less]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water waste]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4369</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Creativity103 / Creative Commons The year is coming to a close and while some people may be fearful of making New Year&#8217;s resolutions, because they rarely keep them, here are 10 resolutions you&#8217;ll probably find pretty easy to &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/10-simple-green-new-years-resolutions-anyone-can-make/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4387" title="Happy New Year 2012 sparklers ringing in the new year" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/6603724951_7b352bda71_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="305" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/creative_stock/6603724951/" target="_blank">Creativity103</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>The year is coming to a close and while some people may be fearful of making New Year&#8217;s resolutions, because they rarely keep them, here are 10 resolutions you&#8217;ll probably find pretty easy to keep. The key is to keep this in mind: go small and go simple.</p>
<p>I think it is important to make resolutions you can include in your daily routine. Whether your resolution is to recycle your water bottle, switch to using reusable bottles, or turn off the water when you brush your teeth, just pick one small, simple action per day. These little actions will add up throughout the year until you&#8217;ve actually made some fairly significant and smart, green changes in your life.</p>
<p>1. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Smile</strong></span>. Once every day, for no reason at all, smile. Even laugh a little if you feel like, and definitely if you don&#8217;t feel like it. You will find a smile or laugh will brighten your day and your mood. Try it, it really does work.</p>
<p>2. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Unplug</strong></span>. I don&#8217;t just mean at the end of the day. I mean at various times throughout the day. Whether it&#8217;s deciding to unplug while you enjoy your lunch break, unplug while you take a quick walk, unplug while you run to the grocery store, or whatever. The key is to get unplugged. Yes we live in a technology-driven society, but that doesn&#8217;t mean your electronic devices need to define who you are and what you do.</p>
<p>3. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Grow something of your own</strong></span>. I mean grow some vegetables, or maybe a few herbs to add some new flavors to your food. If you think you have nowhere to grow anything or don&#8217;t know how, check out <a href="http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/" target="_blank">UrbanOrganicGardner.com</a>. My friend Mike has some wonderful tips and ideas, stemming from his personal experiences, for growing food right on your balcony.</p>
<p>4. Even if you are not a vegetarian, nor have any desire to become one, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>try skipping meat at least one day a week</strong></span>. Opt for another type of protein. It&#8217;s a relatively simple thing to do and if you need some good recipes, I recommend the recipes at <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/green-wine-guide/" target="_blank">Green Wine Guide</a>. Jerry can take almost any food and make it look and taste good.</p>
<p>5. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Cut down on your water waste</strong></span>. This one has many facets. You can turn off the water when you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, use bathtub water to water plants, put your lawn sprinklers on timers (or opt for native plants instead of a lawn), only wash dishes with a full dishwasher, only run your washing machine with a full load, use a waterless car wash and more. You simply need to act.</p>
<p>6. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Be a smarter consumer</strong></span>. Whether this applies to food, goods, materials, clothes or whatever, the idea is to buy only those items which you and your family will truly use. If you don&#8217;t need to buy a bulk package of carrots, don&#8217;t. Be honest with yourself and figure out which items you tend to let go to waste, then make a change to become a smarter consumer. I&#8217;ll bet you notice your costs will go down and the amount you throw away will go down too.</p>
<p>7. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Go outside</strong></span>. I say this a lot and I really mean it. Every day resolve to go outside, look around and soak in the beauty of nature around you. Not only will the light of day do you some good, but you might find you like it and then you&#8217;ll spend even more time outdoors.</p>
<p>8. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ditch the car</strong></span>. Wait&#8230;before you start ranting about how you cannot do that, all I&#8217;m talking about here is ditching your car for one day a week. Try going car-less at least once a week and see how you like it. Walk, ride your bike, jog, take public transportation, whatever will get you where you need to go without driving your car.</p>
<p>As an added bonus, for those of you who are interested, <a title="Biofriendly Corporation fuel additive" href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/products-page/" target="_blank">Biofriendly Corporation has a proven fuel additive</a> that can help you lower emissions while improving your fuel economy (on those days you do drive).</p>
<p>9. Throughout the year, take any good deed another does for you and <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">pay it forward</span></strong> instead of backward. Do a selfless act for someone else. Not because it would be cool, or because you expect to get something in return, but because it&#8217;s a good thing to do. Can you imagine all the good will if we all took steps to pay it forward? If you need help, here are <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/eco-friendly/eco-friendly-ways-to-pay-it-forward/" target="_blank">3 Eco-Friendly Ways to Pay it Forward</a>.</p>
<p>10. Last but not least, as my friends at EcoSalon put it so well, &#8220;<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://ecosalon.com/why-give-up-hope/" target="_blank">Hope Less. Realize more.</a></strong></span></em>&#8221; This one is pretty simple when you think about it. Stop hoping things will happen and take responsibility for making them happen. This is probably one of the most basic resolutions anyone can make.</p>
<p>There are many green New Year&#8217;s resolutions you can and probably will make today, tomorrow and throughout the year. I say, if you&#8217;re going to make them, make them simple so you can actually get them done. Wishing you and yours a truly happy and biofriendly New Year!</p>
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		<title>The Green Way to Acquire &#8216;New&#8217; Things</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/the-green-way-to-acquire-new-things/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/the-green-way-to-acquire-new-things/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:25:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[barter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christmas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consignment store]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Craigslist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exchange]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garage sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gifts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[landfill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[presents]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[return]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4323</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by asenat29 / Creative Commons Now that Christmas is over and many people have completed their inventory of the gifts and presents they received, it is time to discuss returns. If you are like most people you have probably &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/the-green-way-to-acquire-new-things/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4336" title="hands giving gift present wrapped box holiday christmas" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/6510934443_8bd2942b79_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="370" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153088@N08/6510934443/" target="_blank">asenat29</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Now that Christmas is over and many people have completed their inventory of the gifts and presents they received, it is time to discuss returns. If you are like most people you have probably already returned some of those gifts you either have no use for or don&#8217;t really want. However, there are other ways to &#8220;return&#8221; your gifts too.</p>
<p>Well, I guess technically I shouldn&#8217;t say return. Let me go over a smart green way to exchange those presents you don&#8217;t really want or need: trade them. Trade them with someone who has something you want, or trade them with someone who wants something you have.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4338" title="office gift exchange holidays christmas party " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/5303988212_c10ccee95a_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="160" />It is kind of like the gift exchanges done in many businesses and companies these days, where each person gets to pick a wrapped gift, then once you open it you can either choose to keep the gift or take someone else&#8217;s unwrapped gift and give them yours.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/waferboard/5303988212/" target="_blank">waferboard</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Whether you trade with friends, family, neighbors or via a trading website like Craigslist or <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/barter-sites/" target="_blank">any of these barter sites</a>, doesn&#8217;t matter. What matters is that you find a way to breathe new life into an item that would otherwise be discarded or left unused.</p>
<p><a href="http://ecoknowledge.neerg.com/2011/08/15/get-rid-of-your-stuff-without-throwing-it-away/" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4339" title="lawn garage sale trade sell stuff barter" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/4592569669_afbce7c6fc_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" />Having a garage sale or taking your items to a consignment store</a> could work as well, but in many cases it takes a lot more effort than you may want to invest. Of course anything is better than simply throwing the gift away.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobnrenee/4592569669/in/faves-30816202@N02/" target="_blank">Bob n&#8217; Renee</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>If you are determined you don&#8217;t want the gift, and that you don&#8217;t know of anyone else who does, why not donate it? It is one less thing that goes into the local landfill and one more thing that is available for someone else to use and enjoy.</p>
<p>After the holidays, and throughout the entire year, anytime you want to acquire something &#8216;new&#8217;, take a few minutes and find out if there is anything you can trade. It is a green and relatively simple way to get the things you want and get rid of the things you don&#8217;t, without anything making its way to the landfill. Sounds like a win-win to me!</p>
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		<title>7 Green Holiday Shopping and Gift Ideas</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-holiday-shopping-and-gift-ideas/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-holiday-shopping-and-gift-ideas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:30:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofriendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmer's market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ideas]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[local]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[make a list]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[reusable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wrapping paper]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4204</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Jenn Deering Davis / Creative Commons December is here and the holidays are just around the corner. Before you know it, the holidays will have come and gone and we will be ringing in the new year. But &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/green-holiday-shopping-and-gift-ideas/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4222" title="Macy's holiday Christmas decorations green shopping ideas tips" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/5210986774_1d07ecc04d_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="418" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hayesandjenn/5210986774/" target="_blank">Jenn Deering Davis</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>December is here and the holidays are just around the corner. Before you know it, the holidays will have come and gone and we will be ringing in the new year. But for those of you (me included) who haven&#8217;t managed to finish their holiday shopping, here are some green holiday shopping and gift tips that may help you wrap things up and do so in a relatively &#8220;green&#8221; fashion.</p>
<p>1) I am a strong advocate of making lists. Before you go out shopping for presents, food for a family gathering or holiday party, make a list and check it twice. Don&#8217;t forget to make a list of not only what you need, but where you need to go in order to get it. This way you can plan out your entire day, spend less time, waste less gas and be back home in no time&#8230;hopefully with your entire list checked off.</p>
<p>2) Do your last minute shopping online, especially if you have items that needs to be shipped. Think about it. This one is kind of a no-brainer. Rather than driving out to the mall, wandering around trying to find the exact right item, buying it, buying wrapping paper and packaging materials, going home and wrapping everything up, taking it to the post office and shipping it so it arrives on time. Whew! Shop online as it saves a lot more time, they ship it for you, and many sites, like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&amp;node=1289004011&amp;tag=googhydr-20&amp;hvadid=4105766395&amp;ref=pd_sl_26nvn0a75t_b" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, have eco-friendly shipping options.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4221" title="Christmas Macy's store shopping holiday season decorations" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/5297725768_480261a982_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" />3) Don&#8217;t get sucked into the hype. Not everyone needs the latest and greatest, brand new item to hit the holiday season.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/minichrisy/5297725768/" target="_blank">Clint Currier</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t get me wrong, I&#8217;m sure a lot of people love to get stuff like that, however, that doesn&#8217;t mean all gifts need to be brand new. Sometimes refurbished or gently used is just as good as new, and it is less expensive. Besides in the reduce-reuse-recycle scheme of things, doesn&#8217;t that make more sense?</p>
<p>4) <a href="http://azgreenmagazine.com/wordpress/2011/12/the-gift-of-green-click-here-for-charitable-donations/" target="_blank">Donate during the holidays</a>. There are many people in the world, and even in your own neighborhood, who are less fortunate than you. During the holiday season take some time and donate. You don&#8217;t have to donate money, you can donate goods, donate your time, and even donate your specific professional skill.</p>
<p>You can even donate as a gift to a friend or loved one. The neighbor who needs help repairing the fence would probably much rather have your help, than have you buy them a hammer. The dad who would rather spend the day with you instead of getting another tie to stick in their closet. There are tons of ideas and ways you can donate.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4226" title="reusable wrapping paper holiday christmas presents LyziWraps" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/4715988888_4edc228f4f_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" />5) Get creative with wrapping. It&#8217;s probably no surprise that <a href="http://earth911.com/recycling/paper/wrapping-paper/facts-about-recycling-wrapping-paper/" target="_blank">wrapping paper is a big waste</a>. Because of the dyes, non-paper additives and other materials that go into making up wrapping paper, most of it is non-recyclable.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/magro-family/4715988888/" target="_blank">Julie Magro</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Instead of investing in something that will only get one use before it goes in the trash, how about buying <a href="http://www.reuseit.com/store/chewing-reusable-gift-wrap-organic-cotton-give-cheer-p-2187.html" target="_blank">reusable wrapping</a> or using different materials, fabrics, reusable bags, and ribbons you have around the house. It&#8217;s a fun way to wrap and it is better for the environment. My mother-in-law is really good at this. In fact most of our gifts come in the same boxes/bags, year after year, holiday after holiday. Works for me!</p>
<p>6) This may seem like an odd shopping tip to some people&#8230;smile. That&#8217;s right. Smile while you&#8217;re shopping. Not only will it lift your spirits, but it will help lift the spirits of people around you as well. And there really is no less expensive way to brighten someone&#8217;s day than to smile. My guess is you&#8217;ll find your shopping adventures will be more enjoyable and time will past quickly.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4230" title="indoor winter farmers market bazaar goods produce gifts holiday" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/4163698172_ddae76e18e_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="420" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/perspicacious/4163698172/" target="_blank">LizMarie</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>7) Visit your local farmers&#8217; markets, not only for fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and other goods, but for handmade gifts as well. There are a number of very creative gifts you can find at the farmers&#8217; market. If you buy items, you are supporting your local community. If you don&#8217;t, you still may come up with some great ideas of gifts you can make yourself. Definitely a win-win!</p>
<p>Those are my 7 simple, green holiday shopping and gift ideas for this year. Take them to heart and I bet you will have a greener, more biofriendly holiday season! Don&#8217;t forget to share your green holiday shopping and/or gift ideas too.</p>
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		<title>Tips for Greening Your Thanksgiving</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/tips-for-greening-your-thanksgiving/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/tips-for-greening-your-thanksgiving/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:15:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[beeswax candles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BPA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fresh air]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fresh food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gratitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indoor air pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[thankful]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thanksgiving]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://biofriendly.com/blog/?p=4152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Stu Smith / Creative Commons Thanksgiving is upon us. While some consider the day as a holiday to take time off work, enjoy a hearty meal, and spend time with family, Thanksgiving can and does mean so much &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/tips-for-greening-your-thanksgiving/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4165" title="autumn trees leaves landscape nature environment holidays" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/5175529286_598316e162_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="172" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40139809@N00/5175529286/" target="_blank">Stu Smith</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Thanksgiving is upon us. While some consider the day as a holiday to take time off work, enjoy a hearty meal, and spend time with family, Thanksgiving can and does mean so much more. With the state of the world, and the environment in the condition it is currently in, why don&#8217;t you take a little time and green up your day. Here are a few tips for greening your Thanksgiving:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4164" title="fresh food Thanksgiving meal no BPA health eating feast cook from scratch" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/4149061861_82a7c52e8b_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="370" /><small>Image by <a href="http://mamawit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Lori Ann</a> / <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoann/4149061861/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a></small></p>
<p>1) Opt for fresh food and avoid the canned goods. BPA is found in the lining of many canned products. Why put you and your family at risk of BPA exposure, when you can have better tasting and healthier food by going fresh? Let&#8217;s face it, BPA is <a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/11/15/uninvited-thanksgiving-guest-bpa" target="_blank">an uninvited Thanksgiving guest</a>.</p>
<p>2) Cut down on food waste by making less food in the first place. I know there are a lot of people who dream of tables filled with turkey, rolls, stuffing, yams, cranberry sauce, gravy, salad, and other foods, when they think of Thanksgiving. But take a moment and think about how the table traditionally looks AFTER the big meal. Is there a lot of food left over? If you actually need all that food, then fine, but the key is not letting any of it go to waste (or is that not letting it go to your waist). Either way, take a look at some of these <a href="http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2011/11/21/food-waste-and-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">facts on food waste</a> if you need help cutting down.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4166" title="beeswax candles holiday indoor air pollution" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/3840708867_55c8180942_z-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" />3) Give up the traditional holiday candles, that are commonly known to cause indoor air pollution, and opt for more environmentally-friendly candles. If you want to use candles to add to your holiday atmosphere, that is fine, but it is safer to use beeswax or soy candles. Indoor air pollution is a problem most people are unaware of or ignore. Learn more about <a href="http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/candles2.htm" target="_blank">indoor air pollution and candles</a> before you add candles to your holiday decor.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheenacarmichael/3840708867/" target="_blank">Sheena Carmichael</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>4) Remember to air out your home the natural way. Over the holidays, homes can get stuffy and dry. Opening the windows and letting some fresh air in will help let the indoor air pollution out. Don&#8217;t forget to also turn your thermostat down. There is no reason to pay to heat your home when your guests will generate additional warmth. Natural heat/air is better for the environment anyway.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4169" title="organic eco wine trader joes white wine holiday" src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/4576598699_91df0cdcdd_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="159" />5) For those of you who like to drink a little wine during the holidays, check out some of these <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/25-cheap-eco-friendly-wines-holidays.html" target="_blank">inexpensive, eco-friendly wines</a> for Thanksgiving.</p>
<p><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vmiramontes/4576598699/" target="_blank">V Miramontes</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>6) Take steps to reduce, reuse, and recycle over Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season. According to the EPA, the volume of U.S. household waste increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year&#8217;s. Here are some <a href="http://www.epa.gov/region9/waste/recycling/index.html" target="_blank">tips to help you recycle, reduce and reuse</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4177" title="Thanksgiving day let us give thanks grateful holiday " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/4154134877_e7ab114001_z.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="420" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rfduck/4154134877/" target="_blank">Russ</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>I hope that each of you will be able to incorporate at least one, or more, of the above tips during the holidays. They are simple things designed to help you green your Thanksgiving and your life. Then keep in mind, there are so many people and things to be thankful for in this world. Let each of us do our part to show our gratitude through our actions, not just words.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.&#8221; &#8211; John F. Kennedy</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Solar Edition of the Weekly Greens</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/solar-edition-of-the-weekly-greens/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/solar-edition-of-the-weekly-greens/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CIGS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy Secretary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[future]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[innovation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renewable energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar cells]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar decathlon]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[solar panel parking lot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar roadways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steven Chu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weekly greens]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Image by Stefano Paltera, U.S. Dept of Energy / Creative Commons Happy Monday! This week I decided to start off the week with a solar edition of my weekly greens. There has been so much, good and not so good, &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/solar-edition-of-the-weekly-greens/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3977" title="Solar Decathlon 2011 solar power panels energy " src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/6173042881_d7f5ca5fb3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="128" /><small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon/6173042881/" target="_blank">Stefano Paltera, U.S. Dept of Energy</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Happy Monday! This week I decided to start off the week with a solar edition of my weekly greens. There has been so much, good and not so good, news about the solar industry recently that I figured it might be good to gather a few of the solar articles that crossed my plate this week and share them with you.</p>
<p>Here is this week&#8217;s solar edition of the weekly greens:</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.solarontarioblog.ca/solar-the-emerging-power/" target="_blank">Solar, the Emerging Power</a></strong></span>: You&#8217;re probably quite familiar with the solar industry by now, even if simply due to the Solyndra scandal. However, there is one thing to keep in mind, regardless of what happened with Solyndra, the solar industry continues to move ahead. Who knows, at the rate it&#8217;s expanding, we may see solar stepping in as a major player in the not too distant future.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://solarpanelspower.net/solar-power/solar-power-in-california" target="_blank">Solar Power in California</a></strong></span>: California continues to tap into the power of solar, making it one of the most popular renewable resources in the state. But what do you think is behind all the interest in solar power? Why are people all of a sudden turning to solar?</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://cleantechnica.com/2011/08/17/solar-roadways-the-company-to-build-solar-panel-parking-lot-top-transportation-stories/" target="_blank">Solar Roadways (the company) to Build Solar Panel Parking Lot</a></strong></span>: It looks like Solar Roadways has received a grant by the Federal Highway Administration to build a solar panel parking lot in Idaho. It is a pretty innovative idea when you think about it. Plus, if all goes well, we could be seeing solar sidewalks, streets, and highways generating energy day in and day out.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-solar-contest-20111001,0,384128.story" target="_blank">Producing flexible CIGS solar cells with record efficiency</a></strong></span>:Solar panel and solar cell design continues to advance. One of the latest advancements is a flexible solar cell which yields a 18.7% record efficiency. Lightweight, flexible solar cells have a huge potential and could allow solar to be used in areas previously thought impossible.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>University of Maryland wins Solar Decathlon for house design</strong></span>: Speaking of innovation, the University of Maryland managed to win 1st place in the U.S. DOE&#8217;s 2011 Solar Decathlon. Their winning design incorporated a number of sustainable features, including a green roof, rainwater collection, an indoor waterfall, and solar panels which will provide year-round power to the home. And better yet, their design is something that could be used in building homes starting&#8230;now.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/10/01/now-not-time-back-down-solar-innovation" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Now is Not the Time to Back Down from Solar Innovation</strong></span></a>: Needless to say, it is not time to back down from solar innovation. With technologies advancing and maturing, now is the time to promote high-quality production and reward improved performance standards. The need for clean energy is not going to go away. We need to tap into the all the benefits of solar energy, in addition to the other forms of renewable energy.</p>
<p><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/184945-chu-solyndra-doesnt-dent-case-for-us-solar-investment" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Chu: Solyndra&#8217;s collapse doesn&#8217;t dent solar investment case</strong></span></a>: Energy Secretary Steven Chu made it clear that despite the bankruptcy of Solyndra, there is still a need for federal investment and support of clean, green energy.</p>
<p>As Secretary Chu stated:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not enough for our country to invent clean energy technologies &#8211; we have to make them and use them, too.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>The time to tap into solar, and other renewable energy resources, is now. If we can ween ourselves away from our current sources of energy in favor of more sustainable energy sources, we will go a long way. Solar plays an important role in the future of worldwide energy, don&#8217;t you agree?</p>
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		<title>Autumn&#8217;s First Weekly Greens</title>
		<link>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/autumns-first-weekly-greens/</link>
		<comments>http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/autumns-first-weekly-greens/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:54:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tara</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[autumn]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Image by Lida Rose / Creative Commons Believe it or not, autumn is here and the year is almost 3/4 of the way over. With school back in, work piling up and holidays looming on the horizon, it may be &#8230; <a href="http://biofriendly.com/blog/green/autumns-first-weekly-greens/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p><img src="http://biofriendly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/254087015_f8ce97f5af.jpg" alt="" title="autumn fall leaves changing colors reflection nature beauty trees water" width="500" height="355" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3915" /><br />
<small>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lidarose/254087015/" target="_blank">Lida Rose</a> / Creative Commons</small></p>
<p>Believe it or not, autumn is here and the year is almost 3/4 of the way over. With school back in, work piling up and holidays looming on the horizon, it may be hard to keep up on the latest news. Even some of the most interesting green viewpoints and articles may be missed completely in favor of other news or work. </p>
<p>So, in honor of Autumn showing its face, let&#8217;s get right into this week&#8217;s weekly greens:</p>
<p>1) <a href="http://ecosnobberysucks.com/2011/09/going-green-and-getting-everywhere/" target="_blank">Going green and getting EVERYwhere</a>: Every green step you take makes a difference. Whether it makes a difference in your own life, in the life of your family, your friends, your neighbors or the world around you, each step makes a difference. It is the combined efforts of everyone which will bring about a broad change. </p>
<p>2) <a href="http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2011/09/25/plan-b-roadmap-for-stabilizing-the-climate/" target="_blank">Plan B: A Roadmap for Stabilizing the Climate</a>: Plan B is a movement set out to stabilize both population and climate. It is geared towards cutting carbon dioxide emissions, stabilizing population, eradicating poverty, and restoring the Earth&#8217;s natural systems. </p>
<p>3) <a href="http://www.moving-planet.org/" target="_blank">Moving Planet</a>: In case you missed it, Moving Planet was yesterday. Organized as a worldwide day to move beyond fossil fuels, there were over 2000 events in 175 different countries. Take a look at the photos, videos and <a href="http://moving-planet.org/demands" target="_blank">demands</a> for the future of the planet and its people. Hopefully you&#8217;ll be inspired to keep things moving forward.</p>
<p>4) <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/09/biomimicry-sustainability-fish-inspired-wind-turbines-3-d-printing.php" target="_blank">How Biomimicry Drives Sustainability: From Fish-Inspired Wind Turbines to the Future of 3-D Printing (Video)</a>: The numbers of inventions and innovations that have been inspired by nature may astound you. But why not use nature as a guide? If you are looking for sustainable ideas, you don&#8217;t need to look far. Here are <a href="http://brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicry/" target="_blank">15 of the coolest cases of biomimicry</a>. </p>
<p>5) <a href="http://blog.taigacompany.com/blog/sustainability-business-life-environment/worldwide-car-free-day-september-22" target="_blank">Worldwide Car Free Day</a> was September 22nd: Did you participate? If not, have you ever considered getting out of your car and opting for a different, hopefully more environmentally-friendly mode of transportation? Even if you decide to opt for public transportation, ride your bike or even walk 1 to 2 days a week, it can make a difference.</p>
<p>6) <a href="http://blog.builddirect.com/autumn-is-leaf-raking-season/" target="_blank">Autumn is leaf-raking season!</a>: Even though we know this time of year is the time when the leaves change colors and litter the ground as far as the eye can see, times are changing. Raking isn&#8217;t the chore it once was. Leaves can provide a lot of nourishment to your garden and should be USED in all their natural beauty. </p>
<p>7) <a href="http://energyboom.com/geothermal/canadian-study-shows-geothermal-potential-one-million-times-current-energy-demand" target="_blank">Canadian Study Shows Geothermal Potential at One Million Times Current Energy Demand</a>: Think about it&#8230;one million times the current energy demand. That&#8217;s a lot of energy. Even if only 40 percent can currently be extracted, don&#8217;t you think it&#8217;s worth further research and investment? </p>
<p>Well, there you have it. Although it&#8217;s just a drop in the environmental bucket for the week, if you&#8217;re looking for more green and eco-friendly news, you can <a href="http://twitter.com/biofriendlyblog" target="_blank">follow me on Twitter</a>. Until then, have a wonderful, biofriendly day and week ahead. </p>
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