I just saw this trailer yesterday and I have to see this!  This looks to be sort of an eco-version of the Super Size Me documentary, yet more funny and entertaining.  (I was mostly just grossed out and horrified by the latter).  “No Impact Man” is an extreme one year project by Colin Beavan and his family, in research of his book.  I love his wife in this trailer - so real and honest and how I’m sure the majority of us would feel if our man came to us and asked us to do such a thing.  It seems a little unbelievable that anyone could have absolutely “no impact” (on the planet) in one year, but I’m sure willing to watch and find out how this family tries to do so.

Colin can be found on his blog, or at Crazy Sexy Life (founded by Kris Carr, subject of the medical journey documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer). 

I’ve been traveling for the past couple weeks and recently checked-out of the the newly renovated Elan Hotel located near Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.  This boutique hotel is conveniently located near The Beverly Center and The Grove, is comparably affordable, modern, yet comfortable.  i stay green, a site that allows travels to rate and review “green hotels” gives Elan Hotel 3 stars and as a certified member of the California Green Lodging Association, they engage in best practices for energy conservation and environmental sustainability.

My stay lasted three nights which was a good amount of time to experience the amenities.  The zen-like lobby is an oasis in a sea of hustle and bustle that awaits outside and since it is a small hotel, my room was only a short walk from the lobby.  I was pleased to find a comfy bed (wish the sheets were organic cotton) and bathroom amenities housed in recycled paper packaging (wish they used organic products sans artificial fragrance), but the stay was more or just as comfortable as my past stays in mega-hotel chains.  A note card on the bathroom counter encourages guests to leave paper and plastic out of the trash cans, indicating the cleaning crew would recycle them and as many hotels do these days, they encouraged guests to only have sheets changed and bath linens exchanged when necessary.

I enjoyed my time at Elan Hotel, happy with my room (and the cozy bed!) and the accommodating staff, pleased about the price and location, but if you’re looking for a “dark green” or 5-leaf green hotel, this may not be entirely green enough for you.  On the other hand, if you’re in search of a property that is making changing towards reducing their environmental impact, then Elan Hotel definitely fits that bill.

Did you know many conventional fabric softeners coat clothes in softening agents made from animal fat?  I didn’t either but I stopped using conventional fabric detergents long ago due to the overwhelming synthetic fabric that trails whoever wear clothes washed with it.  Seventh Generation uses a plant-derived softening agent instead and this softener is scented with only 100% whole essential oils and botanical extracts - no knock-your-socks-off perfume cloud here.  I also truly appreciate that Seventh Generation has adapted a full-disclosure ingredient policy so that you can see for yourself what is in their products, which is much more than can be said for most laundry products. 

I’m using Seventh Generation Blue Eucalyptus + Lavender Fabric Softener for all my laundry right now and I really like it.  It’s my first time using it and I like the results - clothes come out smelling fresh, not perfumed, and they feel soft.  The other good news is that it’s really affordable - I didn’t buy my bottle on sale, but I just found it here for $3.95.  One bottle should get you through 40 loads if your using a conventional dryer and longer if you have a high efficient version.  This product is also formulated to work well with cold water so you can save money by saving energy! 

The bottle itself is made of at least 25% post-consumer recycled plastic and the contents does not include any animal ingredients and is not tested on animals, as noted by the Leaping Bunny seal. 

You may or may not have heard that this Saturday, March 28th between 8:30-9:30 p.m. is Earth Hour when millions of people in over 500 cities in 75 countries on all 7 continents will turn off their lights for one hour to send a powerful message. 

I’ll be participating and I’ve already started wondering what to do for an hour with no power…no TV, no internet…oh my!  (And I’ve started gathering candles.)  So my question for you is this: What you will do for one hour this Saturday while the lights are out??? 

Fun fact: Celebrity Earth Hour ambassadors include Cate Blanchett, Alanis Morissette, Janeane Garofalo, Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Jo Dee Messina, Kathy Mattea, Wynonna Judd and Coldplay.

To learn more visit www.earthhourus.org. 

I purchased the Frigidaire FTF2140 Washing Machine about a month ago and I really like it.  I was in need of a new washer and dryer and decided to buy stackables that would fit in the perfect alcove in my kitchen.  The following factors helped me decide to purchase this model:  

 1). Stackable: But not attached so if, in the future, I decide to put them in an actual laundry room, they can be placed side-by-side.   

2). Front-loading: I like the way it looks and if I decide to unstack them in the future, I could also place them underneath a countertop. 

3). Capacity: Holds 1.5 times more than the standard washing machine.

4). Energy Efficient: This model uses 70% less water and energy than standard models.   During the spin cycle the wash barrel spins up to 900 rpm instead of the standard 700 rpm, which means that my clothes are substantially more dry than when I used my old dryer.  About 15 minutes are shaved off dry time meaning saving on power and time! 

5). Less Detergent: This Energy Star washer uses 1/3 the amount of standard top-loading machines meaning spending less on laundry detergent. 

I really love the washer and very happy with my purchase, but the one downside is that after each load water gets trapped in the detergent/softener/bleach drawer (specifically in the softener/bleach compartments) and stays there until I pull the entire drawer out and empty it into the sink.  I’d rather not have to do this one extra step, but the pros definitely outweigh this one con. 

Two days ago J. Lohr Vineyards unveiled their 3-acre, state-of-the-art, 756 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) single-axis tracking system designed to offset 75% of the winery’s energy usage at its Paso Robles, CA operations.  They’ll now be operating the largest solar PV tracking array by a winery in North America.  The energy generated from J. Lohr’s new system will reduce CO2 emissions by 29,887 tons over 25 years. In practical terms, this is equivalent to planting 512 acres of trees (which sequester carbon from our air), or eliminating the air pollution that comes from driving 97 million road miles. 

The new, ground-mounted installation is made of 4,320 PV modules that track the sun from east to west daily to optimize production of solar-generated electricity. The system was designed and installed by Conergy, which is involved in 1 in 10 of the world’s solar photovoltaic projects.

This is a great step in their sustainable winegrowing and winemaking program, which also includes using organic soil amendments, limited use of chemicals, erosion control, water conservation, extensive pomace composting and materials recycling.

Allison Jordan, Executive Director for the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) says “J. Lohr has an impressive track record of environmental responsibility, and by both adopting sustainable practices and being willing to share its experience with others, is helping to expand the California wine industry’s widespread sustainability movement.”

“With numerous sunny days, Paso Robles isn’t just ideal for producing rich and flavorful Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines,” says Steve Lohr, J. Lohr’s Senior VP of Planning and Development, “it is also perfect for producing clean, renewable energy.  Owning our own solar tracking array is another important step in our commitment to environmentally-conscious practices.  In our own way, we are working to protect the very climate that nurtures our grapes, while contributing to efforts that reduce the need for drilling off our spectacular coast.”

 Now if only they’d make organic wine…

Now that one of sugarholics favorite holiday is behind us, you may be wondering how exactly to go about losing some of the extra baggage accrued over the last few months.  Blame it on the weather, holidays, economy or stress - but ready or not, here comes bathing suit season.

With so many trends, theories and infomercials, its hard to know where to start, where to spend your money and what is really going to give you results.  Afterall, you want something that isn’t going to:

1). Cost a ton.

2). Be boring.

3). Require a lot of time.

I have been on many a detox diet, but the one that resonated very loudly for me (and apparently Halle Berry) is called The Fat Flush Plan.  I had been following it on and off for a few years but decided to take the book’s exercise recommendation seriously and buy a ReboundAir Half Fold Rebounder when I finally got serious about losing weight about a year ago.  So what is a “rebounder” you may ask.  It’s a mini trampoline.  Yes, you jump up and down, up and down and bounce off fat.  Yes, yes you do.  Sounds too easy right?  It is.  Its up to you to make it as difficult or as easy as you want to but almost everyone can benefit from just 15 minutes per day and you’ll likely see fast results with 30-45 minutes per day.  (And it can be broken up into 15 minute manageable sessions too). 

Some benefits:

a). Uses no electricity (unlike a treadmill).

b). Easily folds and slides into a closet or under the bed.

c). Easy on joints.

d). Stimulates your lymphatic system.

e).  Lifetime warranty.

I know from personal experience that jumping on my own rebounder for 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week yielded a noticeable difference in the way my clothes fit and my muscles looked and felt (in fact I lost a few sizes).  I feel stronger, have more energy and I really did feel as though the fat was melting off my body.  Of course I was also eating well, but that won’t necessarily leave you toned.  After a few months I also incorporated hand weights and practiced boxing like moves while jumping to tone my upper body. 

Need more proof?  Check out what N.A.S.A. has to say about it here. 

Obviously the greenest choice would be to get outside and exercise, but let’s face it - not all of us have that luxury (or desire) when there’s two feet of snow on the group or in the miserably hot humid months of summer.  Save gas going to the gym and save electricity by not having to plug this in!  Its a bit of a chunk of change up front but knowing all the benefits, coming with a lifetime warranty and being much cheaper than a treadmill….I was sold and I’d say its one of the best purchases I’ve made.   

Last week Samsung introduced their new ultra slim, energy efficient Luxia range of LED based LCD high definition TVs during the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  Three models will be available (6000, 7000  & 8000), all of which use LED as their primary light source, one of which (LNXXB8000) includes a power indicator menu and is said to consume forty percent less power than any other LCD TV.   At just over an inch thick, each model meets the more stringent Energy Star® v3.0 guidelines by cutting power consumption to significantly new lows.  Unlike the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL) typically used in LCD TVs, this series uses LED backlights which are free of mercury.  Scheduled to be available for purchase by mid-year, these also include an optimized energy savings mode that adjusts the backlight and picture quality while continuing to produce smoother, more natural images.

[Click here to watch the Samsung Luxia video and read more]

This futurist high elevation retreat resembles a drop of mercury and distinctively reminds me of what locals call “The Bean” in Chicago’s Millenium Park (aka Cloud Gate).  Tourists stare into the mysterious art piece, take fun photos and throw their hats up into the hollow center.  No doubt Ross Lovegrove’s new project will be a work of modern art, but may also serve as a high elevation getaway.   Scheduled to begin construction in Italy in 2010, this pod will be solar & wind-turbine powered and is designed with a double glass exterior covered with a special reflective coating, completed transparent from the inside allowing guests a 360 degree view of their natural surroundings while cozy and warm, including enjoying a starlit sky in the comfort of bed. 

Do you think this distracts from the natural beauty of the landscape or do you think its a great idea to be able to enjoy it more fully whilst keeping warm?  

 {Via Inhabitat}

As cold weather approaches (mine seems to have already arrived…it was 36.5 degrees this morning!), the Christmas list begins to grow and our utility bills rise.  Seasonal Affective Disorder may be caused by more than just lack of Vitamin D…it may also be caused by the lack of funds in our bank accounts (especially nowadays). 

So how can we save on our utilities?  Black & Decker makes this cool gadget that you attach to your electrical meter and wirelessly determine how much power you are using and how much it is costing you at any given time.  You enter figures from your own utility bill and you’re able to tell how much all those lights you left on are costing you.  As you turn off your lights (and other electrical devices), according to Black & Decker you’re able to see your bill going down right before your eyes.   

Considering electric bills can double in winter months, depending where you live, this could pay for itself in the first month of use.