Image by joka2000 (via Flickr)

Well it’s that time of year again…it’s New Year’s Eve! The end of one year and the beginning of a new (hopefully even better) year. On this last day of the year, I wanted to provide you with some transportation ideas in case you are planning on ringing in the New Year away from home. Therefore, here are some ideas that could help you have both a great evening and get home safely at the end of the night:

1) AAA Auto Club is again offering their “Tipsy Tow” service in Southern California.  I’m sure they are offering similar services across the U.S. so if you want to take advantage of this service, please inquire with your local auto club.  The So Cal service begins at 6pm today and goes until 11:59pm on Friday, Jan 1st 2010.  They will tow your car home, as long as you live within 7 miles of your pickup location. Just call 1-800-400-4AAA and say “I need a tipsy tow” and they will come get you.  Note: There are restrictions to this service, so know before you go.

2) Some cities have cab service that is just a text away.  For example, GoFastCab offers service in San Diego CA, Los Angeles CA, San Jose/Silicon Valley CA, Orange County CA, Chicago IL, Phoenix and Tuscon AZ, Nashville TN and Charlotte NC.  You just text them with your complete pick-up address and within seconds you receive a text confirmation letting you know a local cab in on the way.  Seriously, how simple is that?! Just remember to put their number in your phone so you can text when you need to be picked up.

3) Many forms of public transportation have extended hours on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day so that you can enjoy the convenience of public transportation and not have to hassle with the holiday traffic on the freeways and roads.  The BART in San Francisco is extending their normal service until 3am.  The MTA in Los Angeles is offering 24-hour service, with Metro buses and trains running every 20 min from 9pm tonight until 5am tomorrow - New Year’s Day. Additionally, service will be free between 9pm New Year’s Eve and 2am New Year’s Day.  So be smart and check your local public transportation for their New Year’s Eve schedule.

4) Hire a designated driver service. It’s a little different than taking a cab or public transportation in that you actually drive to the party in your own car, then your “designated driver” comes and picks you up when you are ready to go home and drives you home in your own car. One creative company, YdriveLA, actually has their drivers arrive on folding scooters. The driver then puts the folding scooter in the trunk of your car and drives you home.

5) Last but not least is one of the simplest ideas of all, designate a friend or member of your group as the designated driver. I’m usually the designated driver when I go out with friends or family and I actually don’t mind at all. I have a good time, my friends have a good time and we can all get home safely.

So, plan your transportation needs ahead of time, don’t forget to make your New Year’s resolutions and have a safe, happy New Year’s Eve – see you in the new year!

Image by woodleywonderworks

When it comes to preserving the environment, what is the first thing you think of?  Recycling? Using solar panels? Water Conservation? Fuel Economy? Planting a tree? Cutting CO2 levels? Using “green” products instead of chemicals? Growing your own fresh herbs and vegetables?  How about making furniture and bedding?

To be honest, making furniture and bedding wasn’t one of my first thoughts either.  But, enter Hickory Springs and Preserve®, the world’s first bio-based foam for the furniture and bedding industry.  Preserve is made using a soy-based compound designed to cut down on the usual chemicals used in making foam.  It’s a healthier alternative to conventional furniture, as it is better for you and for the environment.  Another added benefit of their bio-based foam product is Hickory Springs estimates they conserve about 18,000 barrels of oil per year or enough energy to power over 1000 homes.

Not new to the industry, Hickory Springs has been in business for about 65 years and has been at the front of the ”green” movement in the furniture industry.  They were the one of the first to cut out CPCs and methylene chloride as auxiliary blowing agents and also one of the first to remove PBDE fire retardants as a result of health concerns about 5 years ago. 

That’s not all though….most of their furniture is made using many environmentally-friendly products including their Preserve® foam, scrap based steel makes at least 50% of their sinuous wire and upholstery coils, 100% recycled yarn is used on their furniture webbing, recycled materials are used for all fibers and sleeper/motion mechanisms in the furniture are made from 70-80% scrap steel.  

  Hickory Springs latest venture in preserving the environment really puts them in the limelight…it’s their EarthCare Challenge.  The EarthCare Challenge is a nationwide challenge that almost anyone (over 21) can enter.  All you have to do is submit a video showing why you are the most eco-oblivious or eco-chic contestant.  Videos will then be judged and six finalists will compete in a 45-day Green Makeover.  The contestants’ progress and actions will be tracked via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and EarthCareInside.   The grand prize winner is awarded an earth-friendly home furnishings makeover valued at $5,000! 

So, whether you are a seasoned environmentalist or someone who thinks “going green” means cashing in their bottles and cans, Hickory Springs new contest may just be right for you.  Send in your video, get your friends to send in theirs.  Who knows, we may just be cheering you on as one of the six finalists.  Remember….preserving the environment is for both the eco-oblivious and the eco-chic.

Image by wolfsavard 

For many years the only way we read magazines, books or newspapers were in their print format.  But like many companies over the last year or so, publishers have recently been feeling the affects of the economy.  People just aren’t buying and/or subscribing to their favorite newspapers or magazines like they used to. Why? Some say it’s to save money, others just don’t want newspapers or magazines lying around and others feel since they can get their information online why bother getting in print? 

To emphasis the situation further, even the New York Times Metro Desk recently cancelled all their newspaper/magazine subscriptions.  They stated, “If reporters want to check out the competition in the Post or the News, they can buy their own copies.” 

Do newspapers and magazines realize that going digital is the way to go?  I mean, less for the landfill is always better for the environment, right?  Many have already turned to the internet for purely economic reasons.  They can run their own websites where they provide subscribers, readers and visitors with up-to-date information, news, entertainment, articles, blogs, etc.  Some also provide links to their recently printed newspaper and/or magazine. 

What about moving to digital for green reasons though?  And what about those who just don’t have the resources to go digital or would rather just maintain their print version.  Well, they’d be smart to check out Zinio.

Zinio is currently the largest online newsstand in the world with over 50,000 digital magazines and books and e-stores in 15 languages.  Their focus is not just a green focus (print less, waste less) but a interactive focus as well.  They want to connect magazines and books with readers, subscribers and fans so we not only get to read our favorite magazine and/or book but we can interact with it as well.  We can do searches for specific articles, share our favorite quote with a friend, post it on a social media site or even save parts of articles we are interested in.  I know that would be something that would come in handy to almost any researcher, blogger or writer.

Then if publishers are looking for marketing services to help their bottom line, Zinio offers those as well.  Their marketing services can help publishers contact and get new customers from around the world.  Basically they offer the ability to increase circulation and ad revenues without increasing distribution costs.

As for people like you and I, Zinio offers easy access to a wide variety of magazines or allows us to get one specific issue (just like you would get at the newsstand), they offer a great resource for doing term paper or even blog research and an easy way to read new books, etc.  But what do you think?  Would you rather get your magazines and books online or just continue to get them in print?  Is going digital really the way to make the printing industry “green”?