GREEN JOURNEY

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Green Journey
by JANE BOGNER
SUNDAY, February 11, 2007

I've just returned from a green adventure without creating one ounce of pollution. My green adventure started and ended in the comfort of my studio as I traveled around the Internet learning about other people who are joining the green living movement.

First stop was the Bay Area where ten environmentally conscious friends made a Compact to buy nothing new in 2006 except food, essential toiletries and other health items. Most participants were able to complete their secondhand-only pledge slipping only a couple of times. Check out their blog on www.buzz.blogger.com.

I took a break to watch Living with Ed on HGTV (Sunday at 10pm). Actor Ed Begley, Jr lives in a modest house powered by solar energy with his wife and daughter. He has walked the environmental walk (or, in this case bicycled) since the 1960s. It's great fun to watch and www.hgtv.com lists rerun times.

Television station channel 20 (13 on cable) has a new feature called Your Green Report (www.yourtv20.com). This minute report is aired four times a day (9:58am, 1:58pm, 7:58pm, 9:58pm) and recently featured TerraPass (www.terrapass.com).

TerraPass is located in Menlo Park, California and has a program that allows individuals to purchase carbon credits to mitigate their personal carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint produced by driving and flying. These funds are then invested in clean energy and energy efficiency projects. Ed Begley is a TerraPass holder.

One of TerraPass's links is www.greendimes.com. Greendimes reports that 100 million trees are chopped down every year to produce paper for junk mail. An additional 28 billion gallons of water is used in this process for the 70 pounds of junk mail each American receives annually. For a dime a day, Greendimes takes names off major direct mail lists and will plant 12
trees for you each year.

When I checked their web site last Sunday, they had stopped 99 million pounds of junk mail, saved 253 million gallons of water and planted/saved 66 million trees.

The Natural Home Magazine (www.naturalhomeandgarden.com) located in Topeka Kansas, recently published their list of online living green resources some of which I have listed below. Natural Home is a resource for health-conscious, environmentally concerned homeowners. Their magazine and website feature sustainable, healthy homes, and the latest green products and services.

The Guide to Environmental Labels (www.eco-labels.org) is a resource provided by the Consumers' Union. It features a Label Report Card that explains the green claims on food and household cleaner labels along with information on organic foods.

The Center for a New American Dream (www.newdream.org) located in Maryland gives you a guide to consume responsibly, protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.

Speak of shopping, the Responsible Shopper (www.responsibleshopper.org) is a place where you can research a business' social and environmental track record.

TreeHugger (www.treehugger.com) is a web magazine with the mantra: "If you want doom & gloom, this is not the place. We are looking for solutions, constructive developments and positive initiatives." Their goal is to make sustainability mainstream and to be the one-stop for the environment.

Most web sites have e-newsletters with timely updates. If you have a favorite green website or even better, a local source, let me know and I'll share it with all our readers. My favorites include www.grist.org, www.thegreenguide.com, and www.recycle-guide.com (Solano county recycling guide).

My green traveling is over for the day and I'm ready to recharge by getting out and hiking.

VALCORE has a job opening for a part-time community outreach person. Please call the number below.

VALCORE Recycling Board Member Jane Bogner's "A Sorted Affair" is published every other week in the Times-Herald, Community Outlook Section. For recycling information call her at 645-8258 or visit www.VALCORErecycling.org.