Take a look at your wallet.

This is something you bring with you almost everywhere and is a great representation of yourself. Avoiding leather and cruelty towards animals, there are a lot of different fun ways you can store your money.

Option 1:

Make your own wallet, there are many steps online to re purpose some old duct tape and make yourself something useful.
Old keyboard? take the screws off and the circuit sheet inside is perfect and durable enough to hold your monetary items.

a step by step video to help you make your own one of these

If you’re not the creative type, I would highly recommend a mighty wallet. Made of Tyvek material, it is durable and waterproof. It comes in various designs, most of which don’t look like wallets at all. From maps to comic strips, there are plenty to choose from.

Check out http://www.mightywallets.com/ and find your own recycled wallet.

Believe it or not, there are many things you can do with your tap water besides washing your car and showering. Rumor has it that it is actually clean enough to consume.

To urge the use of drinking tap water, Concord, Massachusetts has recently placed a ban on single use plastic water bottles. With over 50 billion bottles of water being produced in America annually, this is a great start to decrease those numbers. More shockingly, the amount of oil used to produce these bottles of water is enough to power 1.3 million cars for one year.

There are plenty of opinions against this new law.  The first to point out is taste.
How many times have you heard “I don’t like the taste of tap water”?
People seem to have a preconceived notion that tap water is dirty or not good to drink, when in fact it is bottled water that has less regulation than the city or towns water department. On top of all this, blind taste tests prove that people actually prefer tap water to bottled water.

Want some Aquafina or Dasani? Turn on your faucet and there it is. These brands are purified tap water put in water bottles and sold to the public with the marketing idea that it is safer to drink. Not to mention drinking the recommended amount of water per day from the tap would cost about $0.49 per year versus $1,400 in store bought bottled water.

Stores will surely still sell bottled water, the fine is minimal at $25 for a first offense and only $50 for each offense afterwards.  But not to fret, gallons of water are still on shelves as well as cases of water bottles may be had in the event of an emergency.

Drinking bottled water is for the arrogant and uneducated.

To learn more visit

http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-bottled-water/

Soccket Balls by Uncharted Play can capture and store kinetic energy and then use it to power a light!  They can also include an emergency cell phone charger and an energy tracking device.  Amazing!

Soccket balls by Uncharted Play

Read the full story from Time here:

Visit Uncharted Play here:

Walk into any store, classroom, restaurant or home and look around at the people you see.  I guarantee that half of them (especially the younger generation) have their eyes glued to the screen of their smartphone.  Since the iPhone was released in 2007, it has gained tremendous popularity. In 2011 alone, Apple sold 72 million iPhones.  I, myself, have had an iPhone for a few years, and I find that having the Internet in my pocket is incredibly useful.

I’m not the crazy texter type, and I much prefer to read a book than to be on a computer or a cell phone, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need to charge my phone.  I may not charge it as often as some, but it still needs to be done.  Every time I need to charge my phone, it gets plugged into a wall outlet and uses the power that my lovely coal-burning electric company has so kindly provided for me. So, when I came across this product, I immediately thought, “Waaaay Cool!”

Misemet Company has some really awesome green products, one being the Soladec Hybrid Solar Power Charger.  This really neat charger works for most USB devices, such as the iPhone or Andriod phones.  Not only does this charge your smartphone, or iPod, or whatever other nifty USB device you have, but it also has and LED light in case you’re stuck in the dark somewhere.  In addition the Lithium battery can hold its charge for up to two years, which could really come in handy in case of a power outage (oh no!) when you feel disconnected from the world.

Just in case you aren’t basking in the sun, you can still plug this charger into the wall or a USB outlet to juice it up so you can charge your devices on the go. I was just talking to a 16-year-old girl who told me she charges her phone four times a day (….what!?).  I would love to buy her this, and I think anyone that is constantly searching for an outlet to charge their things should invest.

The Soladec charger has fantastic reviews across the board.  Although I don’t personally own one (yet), others really seem to be loving it. Of the reviews on Amazon, an overwhelming majority gave this product four or five stars.  The biggest critic, who still gave the product three stars, was an engineer, who, of course, had to point out design flaws.  However, he still mentioned great functionality. He just would have made it more watertight, you know, in case you think it’s a good idea to charge this device outside on a cloudy, rainy day. (And why would you ever do that, anyway?)

The Soladec Hybrid Solar Power Charger is not sold directly from the manufacturer online, rather from other companies. The cheapest that I found this product was around $78, new on Amazon.  I think it seems like a really cool product, and I definitely think I’ll look into it.  If anyone else has tried this, let me know what you think!

Algae lamps have the abilityto collect more CO2 than trees.  Energy production through algae plants is being researched, and there are products like lamps being designed and developed to harness this energy. Researchers at Stanford have been studying the electrical current that algae plants produce during photosynthesis, a plants way of creating energy by converting sunlight into chemical energy.  Scientists have been developing lamps that will generate electricity from algae, and are revolutionizing the way we produce energy. So Cool!

These lamps work by collecting CO2 and sunlight, which causes the algae to undergo photosynthesis. During the photosynthesis process, the algae lamp charges a battery that will then release light. I think lamps like these will be a great way to reduce electricity consumption from dirty energy like coal, oil, and gas. The lamps even look cool, while at the same time making the air cleaner and lighting the world.

http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/06/light-up-latro-algae-pet-lights-looks-like-beaker-of-green-goo/

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/april/electric-current-plants-041310.html

Above: a six-pack resued as a condiment carrier.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  We’ve all heard it, but what does it really mean.  If you’re like most people you’ll toss your empty can and bottles in the recycling bin, and try to use less paper plates.  However we always seem to forget about Reuse.  Like instead of tossing an old T-shirt that is stained, you could make it into a grocery shopping bag (See the first link below).   There are a lot of fun and creative ways to resuse items, just check out the links below.  And next time you go to throw something out, because it’s old, ruined, served it’s purpose, or no longer needed, try to be creative and think of a way that you or someone else can reuse it.  I’ve included some links with pictures and ideas of ways you can reuse objects.  Enjoy, and be creative!  Let us know if you try any of the ideas below, and how they worked for you.

http://www.instructables.com/id/FASTEST-RECYCLED-T-SHIRT-TOTE-BAG/

http://twistedsifter.com/2012/06/creative-ways-to-repurpose-reuse-and-upcycle-old-things/

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/

Across the country on February 17th there will be a massive uprising, standing up to big oil. Thousands will gather in Washington, DC for a monumental action lead by 350.org, The Sierra Club, and the Hip Hop Caucus against the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that will extend a pipeline carrying tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast . Will you be there? It is time to stand up to big oil and special interests once and for all. The American public does not need decades more of investment in foreign oil and dangerous extraction projects that will only lead to more spills, destruction of the natural environment , and natural disasters.

We must stand together and tell Obama, Congress, and anyone else who hasn’t rejected the pipeline’s plan that drilling for MORE oil and endangering MORE of the natural environment are not the solutions to the energy crisis. The solution is investing in renewable energy like solar, wind, rain, geothermal, waves, and tides. We must take greed and corporate lobbying out of the discussions about the future of energy and change the conversation to include what is most sustainable, renewable, and environmentally sound for generations to come. Will you be there?

*When: February 17th, at 12 Noon
Where: The National Mall, Washington D.C.
Who: 350.org, The Sierra Club and the Hip-Hop Caucus

Why: To tell Barack Obama it’s time to lead in the fight against climate change, beginning with the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. 

For more information about rides, housing and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://forwardonclimate.org

*http://act.350.org/signup/presidentsday

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ” -Margaret Mead

Last time you went to your mailbox, how much junk mail did you get?  1 piece, 2, 3, more?  About 100 million trees are used in the production of junk mail each year.  So do yourself and the planet a favor unsubscribe!

Most people don’t know that there a number of website, and even some apps (for Android and iPhone) that allow you to unsubscribe.  So check out the links below, each website has it’s own advantages, and start saving paper!

• http://ww35.proquo.com/

• https://www.dmachoice.org/

• https://www.catalogchoice.org/

• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.readabl.paperkarma&hl=en

• http://www.geekwire.com/2012/paperkarma-mobile-app-stops-junk-mail-tracks-simple-photo-click/

Image Source: http://phoenix.gov/publicworks/recycling/junkmail.html 

WHile canvassing for the SouthCoast Energy Challenge in the Swansea Mall this weekend, I came across something unexpected and new: an ecoATM! Now you may be wondering what an ecoATM is, so I did a little research, an ecoATM is a machine that gives you cash for old and broken electronics, such as cell phones, iPods, and mp3 players. Below is a video showing how it works.

For more information see http://www.ecoatm.com/

As promised here is a blog highlighting some great and free green android apps.  Just a fair warning, I don’t have an android phone, so can’t vouch firsthand for these apps.  If anyone has used them or has any other great green apps, please write about them in the comments!

Find Green – This app helps you to find Green businesses, including farmers’ markets, recycling centers, and local businesses.

Green Driving Gauge – This app checks your driving for high speeds, frequent braking, and fast acceleartion.  Then it tells how you can drive more efficiently.

My Planet - Calculate your carbon footprint, and see how your everyday choices make an impact on the world.

Green Tips - This app is exactly what it sounds like: a list of green tips.  Don’t worry there are new tips event he most environmentally-conscious won’t know.

GoodGuide - This app is also available on the iPhone.  It tell you whether products are safe, healthy, green, and responsible or not.

  My Recycle List – Also available on the iPhone.  This app helps you find recycling centers and tells you what recyclables they take.

  Go Green – This app also has green tips, but it rates your “greenness”.

There you have it seven green android apps!  Like I said before I haven’t personally used these apps, so please share your opinions below in the comments.  Also let us know about other green apps.