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Earth Sheltered Homes: Environmentally Friendly
2007-06-24 20:11:00
This Low Impact Earth Shelter ed Home was a site that I stumbled on yesterday in which I was inspired to show people on this blog about it in case no one has ever really seen or heard of what earth sheltered homes are. They are the most environmentally friendly homes that can be built as they do not use up valuable resources as they are made from the earth. It took about 1000-1500 man hours with two people to build and is one way to have a minimal impact on the environment. Having a home like this reduces the cost you would have to heat and cool a conventional house. Thermal Energy is stored during the day and released when temperatures cool thereby reducing costs for temperature regulation. There are so many other advantages but I encourage you to do a little more research on earth sheltered homes. In a later post I will show some designs I have chosen as my dream home that I hope to build within a year or two. :)Technorati Tags: Environment, Earth http://www.theenv...
More About: Homes , Friendly , Iron

Eco Conscious Shoppers...save money here
2007-06-24 16:00:00
KeepCash.com is a site that has online coupons for everything. Since this blog focuses on theenvironmental issues, I thought I would suggest shopping at this very earth/eco-friendly online store: MotherNature.com Coupons. More specifically if you go here, you can find a gift with any purchase from the online store. KeepKash.com has regular updates for coupons and product deals so you will always find something new. MotherNature.com is the leading online information source and e-tailer of vitamins, supplements, herbs and other natural and healthy living products. When I want to buy eco-friendly products I definitely go here, and with the online coupons I can save even more money. So before your next online purchase make sure you consider KeepKash.com for online coupons that can save you a little extra money.*This is a sponsored post by KeepKash.com*http://www.theenvironmentalb log.org/atom.xml
More About: Money , Save Money , Save , Cons , Shopper

Manufactured Landscape - Must See Documentary
2007-06-24 03:02:00
"Manu factured Landscape "This film comes at a time when we as a population have become so great in number that we have begun to transform the landscape of the earth that we were born to. This film is so abstract that it allows the viewer to comprehend the veracity of what our industrialized society is today. A lot of the focus is on China and their manufacturers.It boggles the mind to just sit in silence as the film just continues to display landscape after landscape of assembly lines, mines, dams, trash, quarries, tedious robotic work, work...that looks like slave labor, and piles of industrial trash and e-waste.One of the segments where there was a bit of narration explained how most of America's recycled electronics and goods end up back in China. Images of IC(integrated circuits) chips piled mountain high for the extraction of the precious metals from the pins of the chips. Its a process where they heat up the components which give off a smell that can be detected from 5km to 1...
More About: Documentary , Documenta , Must

New FDA safety rules for Dietary Products
2007-06-23 19:29:00
The FDA has now commenced its attack against the dietary supplement industry. Although right now the new rules are not so harsh and seem reasonable given the scare from Chinese ingredients in various US products. The FDA now seeks to have every ingredient tested to make sure that the ingredients are exactly what appear to be on the label...not unreasonable at all. However, it is evident to myself that this is just a baby step towards the FDA having complete control over vitamins and supplements to minimize the positive effects that vitamins and minerals have on people and maximize the $$Profits$$ that Big Pharmaceutical Industry makes on keeping people alive and on medication until old age, thereby sucking every last dollar out of the people. If the United States lived a truly healthy life style...the pharmaceutical industry would bankrupt. The only true obstacle in Big Pharma's way is the Vitamin and Supplement Industry which is aimed at preventing illnesses and keeping people hea...
More About: Safety , Products , Rules , Safe , Prod

Ride Your Bicycle instead of Driving
2007-06-22 19:19:00
I just wanted to take a little time out of my day today to remind everyone who lives in a beautiful city like Eugene, Oregon that it is summer time. Which means that the weather is beautiful and it's time to bust out that bicycle you've had in storage all year. Don't have a bike? Well check out these awesome beach bikes that were made for just cruising around town. If you live in a college town like I do, having a bike is a must if you truly care about the environment and would rather ride your bike than drive a car and contribute to global warming. These bikes only have one gear and are for fun and leisure. This also makes the price of the bikes very cheap compared to geared bikes. You can check out their selection for men's bikes which come in a very cool black or yellow. For the ladies, woman's beach cruiser's come in blue, vanilla, and yellow. Definitely check this website out, they are a start up company and could use some support. For all you Californians out there, ge...
More About: Driving , Ride , Ving , Bicycle

Environmentally Friendly Appliances at Home Depot
2007-06-20 04:54:00
There are some key ways to help save the environment and save a little extra money in the long run if you follow a few simple rules:1.)Replace your old incandescent bulbs with energy efficient bulbs2.)Buy energy star appliances (actually right now Home Depot is offering a $250 rebate if you purchase an energy star appliance worth $497 or more)3.)And lastly Home Depot has a new program called Eco Options which is designed to give you environmentally friendly product options for your home and home improvement needs.So if you feel the need to buy that new appliance...try and make the switch to energy efficient products to help you save in the long run and help save the environment. But before you go...check out Home Depot Coupons, a site that has a bunch of online coupons for different online stores. In particular, the Home Depot online store is teaming with savings. But don't forget to also visit the homepage of the coupon site here: Coupon ChiefThis is a Sponsored Post by www.coupo...
More About: Friendly , Appliances , Iron

Native American Tribes Speak out about Climate Change
2007-06-19 16:40:00
Members from 6 tribes in the United States attended a meeting last month with the United Nations called "Indigenous Perspective on Climate Change ." The consensus within the native American community about climate change is that humans have caused quite a bit of pollution that is now being visibly seen. They refer to our planet as Mother Earth and view climate change or global warming as Mother Earth's defiant nature in getting even with those who have offset the balances. For those that believe in the Gaea theory, the notion that Earth is a living organism that will do whatever necessary to sustain itself, this holds true.As a way to fight back against climate change, some tribes in California, Minnesota, and New Mexico have taken their casino profits and used them to fund renewable energy projects. The native Americans have always had a saying which stated to use nature respectfully, never taking more than is needed. They truly believe that Mother Earth is beginning a "cleansing...
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China Plants Trees to hold back Desertification
2007-06-18 16:30:00
In the inner parts of Mongolia there has been a problem of desertification that has been spreading south at a rate of 3km per year. The dust storms made once fertile land very difficult to farm anything for a profit. The government decided to try and build a 'great green wall' of trees and grassland approximately 435 miles which will stretch from Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Shanxi provinces by 2010. This is a noble cause that the Chinese government is doing to prevent further desertification. Note: the picture on the right is not an actual picture of the 'Great Green Wall.'Environmental News NetworkTechnorati Tags: global warming, China , desertification http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Plants , Trees , Back , Plan

Cutbacks in Refinery Plans due to push in Biofuels
2007-06-18 16:14:00
One of the major 'official' reason for our gas prices being so high is the lack of enough oil refineries to keep the gasoline flowing. Building more would eventually bring down gas prices. However, a new push in Congress for more biofuel consumption and Bush's plan to cut back gasoline use by 20%. Politicians say that a huge expansion in biofuels will eventually bring gas prices down. But with a cutback in the oil industries plans for building new refineries...the gas prices are likely to stay high at the pump for quite a while. While I also agree with Congress to push for more biofuels in order to alleviate the US dependence on foreign oil imports...I also believe something should be done about the gas prices.Associated PressTechnorati Tags: global warming http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Plans , Biofuels , Plan , Fine , Fuels

Canada Approves plan to Bury Nuclear Waste
2007-06-18 07:57:00
Last Thursday apparently our neighbors to the north (Canada :P) decided that it was going to be okay to bury nuclear waste deep within the depths of the earth. Environmentalists are saying its too risky, I am saying just do it. No one knows what to do with nuclear waste, no one wants to deal with it either. But the fact is that we must do something with it...and Canada has a vast area of rural unpopulated land. I mean burying it deep underground in a responsible manner is much safer than keeping the 36,000 metric tons of waste at ground level which it is at currently. According to the article finding a suitable location and the time it would take to build a safe storage facility would take 60 years! Talk about taking your time. By the time the facility would be built who knows what kind of new technology might offer us a new or clean renewable energy source. But I just say whatever and let the Canadians do there thing...doesn't harm me in any way.Source: Reuters CanadaTechnorati Ta...
More About: Nuclear , Waste , Plan , Rove

Apogee Search SEO
2007-06-18 06:57:00
Houston SEO is a page on www.apogee-search.com which happens to have a proven track record for search engine optimization campaigns. In the overview section of their site you will see that they offer a free search engine marketing analysis. They also evaluate your company or business in order to get high ranks on Google and other popular search engines which leads to more sales. They also evaluate your competitors to develop the best online marketing strategy for your company or business. In other words they make it happen for you. The SEO site also has a very interesting Search Engine Marketing Glossary which has a page full of information on a bunch of terms you may not know. For example, the term 'flog' (which I have never heard of before): means a fake blog generally created to advocate for a company, product, or idea. There are others such as 'Google Death Penalty' and 'Google Hell' which might be important to know. *This is Sponspored by www.apogee-search.com*http://ww...
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Rental Car Companies Hertz and Avis to boost Hybrid Fleet
2007-06-18 02:45:00
This is an issue that really hits home. I drive a hybrid everyday in Eugene, but what if I travel to Arizona for a month or two for job training with my company? How will I continue to sport my hybrid-ness :P Well my company goes through Avis car rental and I am pretty sure they do not currently carry hybrid models. So this is exciting news to me to know the next time I go to training in Tempe, that I can select a green car. Hertz has made the announcement that it will spend $68 million to buy 3,400 Toyota Prius hybrids by 2008. While Avis Budget Inc. said it will purchase 1000 Prius hybrids which will be available by next week! While the number of hybrid vehicles are small compared to normal gasoline running vehicles, rental car companies are making a first step. This is a sign of progress in the new green revolution. :)Source: Associated PressTechnorati Tags: Hybrid , Prius, Avis, Hertz, Toyota http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Companies , Rental , Rent , Boost

Financial Aid and Student Loans
2007-06-18 02:30:00
As a recent college graduate who achieved a Bachelors degree in Electronic Engineering...I am fully aware of hardships and confusion there might be surrounding financial aid. Well here is a website that will help you out with questions regarding your federal stafford loans. It is a fully comprehensive website with information on how to apply for student financial aid or how to consolidate loans. When I attended school, I applied for federal stafford loans. A stafford loan is a government guaranteed loan that offers low interest rates and deferred payments as long as you're in school. Without these stafford loans I would not have been able to make it through college and succeed as I have. There are two types of stafford loans:Subsidized: interest is paid for by the government until you graduate college (you must be a financial need.Unsubsidized: interest accrues from the date of originI believe I had a combination of both of these loans. When I was all done with school I had ab...
More About: Student , Loans , Financial , Student Loans , Finan

20 Common Species of Birds in Decline in America
2007-06-16 23:43:00
In the past 40 years 20 common species of birds in America have been on a decline of at least half! Some of those species had as many a half million covering a wide range. This is some serious sad news people! 40 years ago there were twice as many birds flying around. What has our society come to...I suppose with the population explosion certain species will have to suffer, however, hearing news like this is always a saddening thing. Among the birds that have steadily declined are:northern pintail, great scaup, boreal chickadee, common tern, loggerhead shrike, field sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, snow bunting, black-throated sparrow, lark sparrow, common grackle, American bittern, horned lark, little blue heron, ruffed grouse, meadowlark, hummingbird, whippoorwill, grosbeak, red wing blackbirds, northern bobwhite Northern bobwhite were among those with the largest drop: in 1967 there were 31 million, now there's only 5.5 million. Certain species of birds are benefiting from ind...
More About: Birds , Common , Line , Comm

PayPerPost Receives $7Million in funding...get your piece
2007-06-16 23:33:00
An attempt by PayPerPost to increase sales and sign ups in a blogger outreach promotion to bloggers has commenced to help spread the word about themselves. They are currently offering three opportunities valued at $10.77, $70, and $700. The great part about these opportunites is that they are offered to any bloggers...even one's without a high ranking. That means if you sign up at PayPerPost.com and obtain an approved blog anyone can start generating money from their blogs. That means even if you have an unranked page from google or alexa that you may still qualify to accept the opportunity being offered by payperpost.com. The whole idea is so that the word can be spread to everyone across the Internet. I myself am very glad to be spreading this information to all others who may want to join in. When I first started blogging I never thought that I would qualify to monetize it...yet there are truly many opportunities available. Payperpost is one of those avenues in which someone ca...
More About: Funding , Million , Piece

WatAir: Turning air into Water
2007-06-14 21:45:00
There is an interesting new device out there aimed at solving the problems of no clean water. Large populations in Africa and elsewhere have lacked clean drinking water for years. This contraption was invented to literally suck the water out of the air and trickle it down into a well. Just one of these devices can generate enough drinking water for an entire family. The inverted pyramid shape was designed by two Israeli architects and is mimicked after leaves collecting the morning dew. Whats more is that this has been designed to exist in almost any climate. More of these should out there making a difference in the world. Information obtained on this post comes from GreenDiary and more specifically this page.Technorati Tags: global warming, water, precipitation http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
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IDrive-B Free Online Backup up for your blogs!
2007-06-14 20:57:00
For all you bloggers out in cyberspace there is a website that allows you to have an Online Backup of your blog or any other digital content you want to store for later. It's called IDrive-B specially made for bloggers...and is totally free up to up to 1GB after which a pro account can get you more storage. Once you have backed up your blog for the first time, idrive.com has a great feature which automatically backs up your blog periodically. So it's super easy...all you have to do is set it up once and never do it again knowing that your content is safely backed up. This website is a great tool for bloggers but also for anyone else. For example, Idrive-E also has standard features that encrypt critical backed up data up to 2GB on your home computer or laptop for free, and unlimited for $4.95 per month. As a blogger I have been using this service to back up my blogs so I know they are safe. Give this service a try :)This post is sponsored by www.idrive.comhttp://www.theenvironment.. .
More About: Free , Blogs , Line

Reware Solar Powered Backpacks for your Clean Energy Needs
2007-06-14 05:41:00
There is this company called Reware that has designed a line of backpack products that contain solar cells on them to collect free energy from the sun. These cool and hip products can keep your electronic gadgets juiced while you may be in the great outdoors, suburbia, or even in the city. Believe it or not...these backpacks can power your cell phone, digital camera, i-pods, and even your laptop. The line of backpacks utilize ThinFilm Solar Power, a revolutionary thin and flexible solar charging system, for all your charging needs. Also, I think its worth mentioning that these backpacks are made from recycled fabrics. Each bag is keeping 8, 2-liter soda bottles from landfills...talk about true eco-friendly products. Being the environmentalist that I am, I would truly choose to charge all my gadgets from my backpack in the backyard rather than letting my energy company charge me. It allows someone to be a little more independent from power companies, while contributing to reducing th...
More About: Energy , Clean , Backpacks , Pack

Vacation Rentals in South Carolina
2007-06-14 04:37:00
Everyone needs to get away sometime or another...so why not check out www.vlbo.com. Its a great site that allows you to search for vacation rental homes no matter what state you live in or plan to visit. More particularly, if you happen to travel to South Carolina then visiting the Myrtle Beach vacation rentals page is a must. The site lets you choose from several different listings depending on what your wants and needs are. All of the information about each listing is posted with information such as square footage, rooms, bathrooms, and how many people it can accommodate. It also lists detailed information about the appliances available as well as unique features such as whether or not the place has a deck, pool, and/or Internet access. The picture posted here is just one of the locations on Myrtle Beach which exemplifies the beauty of the area. The site also has a convenient search feature that allows the user to search by state or city. The next time you plan on renting a vacat...
More About: Vacation , South Carolina , Rentals

Florida company recalls 'toxic' China toothpaste
2007-06-12 16:46:00
170,000 oral products could contain diethylene glycol, used in antifreeze...a Florida company today issued a nationwide recall for toothpaste it imported from China and distributed to wholesalers, warning the product could contain a poisonous chemical. The brands in question are Shir Fresh Mint Flouride, Shir Fresh Ice Shir Mint Flouride and ...read more | digg story http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Company , Toothpaste , Paste

Thunder? It's the sound of Greenland melting
2007-06-10 21:59:00
It's too early in the year to see icebergs crumple regularly but the sound is a reminder. As politicians squabble over how to act on climate change, Greenland's ice cap is melting, and faster than scientists had thought possible. If the ice cap melted entirely, oceans would rise by 23 feet, flooding New York and London, and drowning island nations.read more | digg storyhttp://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/ atom.xml
More About: Sound , Thunder , Under , Hunde

Toyota to go all Hybrid by 2020
2007-06-08 00:01:00
According to Motor Authority Toyota 's VP, Masatami Takimoto, all Toyota vehicles will be hybrid by 2020! Toyota expects to have the prices of hybrid technology down to the same costs as gasoline only cars by 2010. With the success of the hybrid revolution for Toyota, achieving the goal of all cars being hyrbid by 2020 does not seem too far out. Its always nice to see other fellow hybrid drivers on the street while driving. Soon enough perhaps they will completely take over. Who knows? Source:(CNET)Technorati Tags: Toyota, Hybrid s, Prius http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml

Toyota Reaches 1 million Hybrid Sales
2007-06-07 23:52:00
Posted From:http://nikhusni.com/cars/milestone-t oyota-reaches-1-million-hybrid-salesToyot a announced today that its hybrid sales have surpassed the one million mark after ten years of sales. The feat is a major landmark for Toyota , a pioneer in the development of petrol-electric hybrid cars, and comes as rival car makers around the world prepare for the launch of their own hybrids.Sales of Toyota hybrids have reached 345,000 in Japan, with the rest of the world accounting for 702,000 units. This brings its total hybrid sales to 1.047 million units. Of this, 757,600 of these were Prius cars, the clear leader in hybrid cars today.Technorati Tags: Hybrid s, Toyota http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
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Review of VideoJug.com
2007-06-07 21:45:00
Hello fellow bloggers. I am writing this to tell other bloggers about a great new resource for video bloggers, or niche bloggers that would like to embed some video content on their site. The website is called http://www.videojug.com and it works much like youtube but seems to have a more professional database of videos for you picking. Just as I have embedded my first video in the previous post: Environmental Activist Basics, anyone else can have a professional video. Having a professional video from VideoJug.com can strengthen an argument or stance that one might have on a particular subject. Just thought I would put it out there so maybe a few other people could give it a try. Cheers!Technorati Tags: videojug, youtube http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
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Environmental Activist Basics
2007-06-07 21:39:00
VideoJug: Spreading The Word About Green LivingTechnorati Tags: global warming http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
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Sierra Club fights toxic detergent Ingredient
2007-06-07 04:57:00
Source: Environmental News NetworkThe Sierra Club has just asked the Federal Government to ban use on a toxic ingredient found in detergent. Nonylphenol ethoxylates, or NPE's are suspected to create estrogen in fish causing many fish to be both sexes. The fish are affected in these bodies of water: southern Great Lakes, the Potomac River watershed and the Southern California coast. Apparently these ingredients are far stricter in Canada and Europe. It's time the EPA does its job and heeds the warnings from this environmental group. I encourage you guys to take action and write letters to Congress telling them how you feel about these ingredients. They shouldn't be running off to the water without any regulation in my opinion.Technorati Tags: Water Pollution, Sierra Club, EPA http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Fights , Toxic , Ingredient

EPA deals a blow to water pollution protection.
2007-06-07 04:29:00
A blow to environmentalists that care about water pollution has been dealt to by the Environmental Prot ection Agency(EPA) and the Army Core of Engineers.--> This article explains it all. Apparently the Clean Water Act will only protect bodies of water that can have boats on it and won't protect streams. Environmental groups believe that this will put smaller bodies of water at risk. The EPA has done a few things that are good for the environment, but lack any real interest in the many facets of true environmentalism. Now its up to the people to protect the their local streams and small bodies of water. Although the government doesn't support a full pledge to protecting the environment from water pollution, it doesn't mean that people can't protect it on their own. My commends to those who do.Technorati Tags: EPA, Water Pollution http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml

FTC disagrees with Whole Foods buyout of Wild Oats
2007-06-06 22:27:00
Source:ReutersThe Federal Trade Commission has announced to Whole Foods and Wild Oats that they disapprove of the plans for Whole Foods to buy out Wild Oats. They say that Whole Foods( the nation's largest organic grocer) would raise prices and lower quality. Although I don't know of any nearby Whole Foods or Wild Oats in my area here in Eugene, I would say that I agree with the FTC on this one. I know that Whole Foods wants to build a large scale store in downtown Eugene, but many local residents oppose due to there being a variety of locally owned health food stores that would most likely go out of business if the project was approved. I Personally like how my local health food store is two blocks away, and I can grab some organic vegetables for dinner really quick without the hassle of a going into a large store. I support local small businesses and my local farmers markets as much as I can for the plain and simple reason of healthier choices and supporting the local economy in...
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According to the Law...
2007-06-06 00:47:00
Found this at: http://www.minimumsecurity.net/toons/131. htmTechnorati Tags: politics http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: The Law , Cord , Accord

Poop belongs in the Toilet
2007-06-04 18:52:00
This article is from Got2begreen.com"Now there is a diaper we can flush. gDiapers has created a flushable diaper that is biodegradable. Everything created into these nifty diapers is reabsorbed back into the eco-system. When the diaper is flushed, it goes through sewage treatment process and not into a landfill."Whats more is that apparently if want to you can add the urine soiled diapers to your home compost! They supposedly add a rich source of nitrogen after 50-150 days of decomposition. What a great idea. Hopefully this post can spread so that the readers who have infants can make the switch if they feel compelled to do so.Technorati Tags: diapers http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/atom. xml
More About: Poop , Toilet , Belo