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“Save the Trees” Paper Towel Design Contest


One of the oldest earth-friendly paper goods company is having a killer contest right now, perfect for all tree huggers. Marcal Paper Products, LLC, manufactures premium recycled paper towels, bath tissue, facial tissue and napkins for home consumption and to distributors for away-from-home use in hotels, restaurants, hospitals, offices, factories, and schools. Not only are [...]

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“Save the Trees” Paper Towel Design Contest

Top 50 Green Power Partners


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently released their latest list of top green partners in their Green Power Partnership program. In case you haven’t heard of this program, it’s a voluntary program that allows companies to buy green power which can help reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use. Also this program’s funds go [...]

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Top 50 Green Power Partners

Obama’s Green Action in First 100 Days


The Environmental New Service has a piece posted about Obama’s first 100 days and the green actions he’s taken thus far. According to the piece, most environmentalists, while not happy to the max, are pretty darn satisfied with Obama’s eco-related progress so far. Obama seems to be at the same level as eco-minded Americans. At [...]

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Obama’s Green Action in First 100 Days

Air Pollution Can Lead to Small Babies


In the last post we looked at the current findings about air quality in the U.S. Timely info since information from a new study was just published this week relating that air pollution may lead to smaller babies. The piece, which is available online and is soon to be published in the Journal of Epidemiology [...]

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Air Pollution Can Lead to Small Babies

Plants Great for Healing Hospital Patients


In case you think all this green talk about planting trees and preserving and creating more green spaces is a waste of time, you should know that plants are not only healthy for the planet, but are beneficial for human health too.Yes, we all know people need trees to breathe, but there are health benefits [...]

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Plants Great for Healing Hospital Patients

Portable, Solar-Powered Speakers for Your Summer Parties


Here’s a great design concept just in time for summer when gatherings move outdoors and you want the music to move with you. Finnish designer Pekka Salokannel has created the portable and solar-powered Gramo Speakers that allow you to hook up the music inside or outside while skipping the need for electricity.

The speakers are outfitted with three layers of solar PV panels that charge a built-in battery pack so even in the dark, the speakers can keep the party going. If you need to move the speakers further than your patio, they fold flat so that they can be easily carried in a pocket or bag. The volume is be controlled by soft-touch controls on the speakers.

The Gramo is designed to work with your computer, iPod or iPhone.

Since the speakers are still just a concept, there’s no information on the sound quality or pricing. Regardless, it’s a wonderful design. I hope to see these, or something similar, available soon.

via Ecofriend

Making Poop Beautiful: L’Oreal Cosmetics to Run Factory on Cow Waste


We knew that the use of biomass as an energy source was growing, but we didn’t know it had gone chic. L’Oreal Cosmetics has announced that they are installing a biomass system at their factory in Libramont, Belgium where they produce many of their brands’ haircare products.

The plant plant will feature an anaerobic digestion system that will capture methane from waste that comes from nearby cattle farms. When the system’s installation is completed at the end of the summer, methane will be used to generate 85% of the plant’s power. Even better is that this is just a single step in the cosmetics giant’s plan to cut their factory and warehouse emissions in half by 2015 (based on 2005 levels).

In order to meet their goal, the company will be installing additional onsite renewable energy systems like solar PV and solar thermaland buying more green power from suppliers.

The company also hopes to cut their water use by 30 to 35 percent in the same time frame by using rainwater capture and steam-cleaning technologies.

It’s great to see a large beauty company like L’Oreal making substantial commitments to reducing their emissions and water use. Now, to get them to make significant changes in their packaging and ingredients…

via Business Green

U.S. Cities With the Worst Air


A report released today, the 2009 State of the Air report by the American Lung Association highlights the U.S. cities with the worst air quality. The report ranks metropolitan areas by the levels of ozone and particle pollution during 2005, 2006 and 2007 using data found in monitoring sites across the United States and data [...]

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U.S. Cities With the Worst Air

Incredibly Slim, Versatile Loudspeakers Could Change The Face of Audio

  • Posted by
  • April 28, 2009

Audiophiles have long been presented with an unending dilemma, pitting the need for sonic perfection against the desire to maintain a comfortable, aesthetic living environment (and happy spouse). This is usually a precarious balance, since the best-sounding speakers are often the largest and, dare we say, ugliest. While many technologies have addressed this dilemma in [...]

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  1. Weatherproof Outdoor Speakers: Polk Audio Atrium Self-Powered Loudspeakers
  2. Shure E3C Sound Isolating Earphones
  3. The Greenest Audio Systems Of 2008

Green homes save long term money


Green homes have been all over the news in the last few years. The benefits of going green with building and remodeling are a huge perk for the environment, which is a given, but now we’re starting to see the long term money saving advantages that home owners can reap by going green as well.

According [...]

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Green homes save long term money