More Hip Than Hippie - Art to Die For
We love art â?? not that either one of us can paint, draw or heaven forbid, sculpt. But, we love to have fun anyway. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder correct? Plus, we have kids who are quite the artists and who doesnâ??t love their childâ??s art plastered all over the refrigerator and surrounding walls? We were astonished to find that many art supplies contain chemicals that can be harmful to those who use them. This show offers insight into alternatives to create beautiful and eco-friendly art.

 

Finds and Hip news:

Finds

• Val adores the publication MaryJanesFarm. Check it out at www.maryjanesfarm.org
• Dori shared two great finds this week. The first is Fabio as the spokesperson for I Canâ??t Believe Itâ??s Not Butter. We couldnâ??t help but giggle. Listen to hear Doriâ??s example. Check it out at www.thekitchenoflove.com
• Dori also shared her â??Briefâ?? Case to hide your valuables. Val about fell off her chair. Get your own pair at www.shomer-tec.com.

 

Hip News

• Sierra Club Sues Over Mileage
• Britain Unveils Plans to Boost Biomass Sector

 

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate!

This week we indulge and have cheese service. Wahoo!
Wine: Organic Vintners Mendocino Merlot â?? Vintage 2003. Itâ??s certified Vegan!

Cheese: Organic Valley Raw Milk Cheddar.
Cheese: Trader Joeâ??s Apricot Stilton

Chocolate: Sweet Andyâ??s Candies local to Chico, CA. Email him at sweetandycandies@yahoo.com and tell him to get off his ass and get a website built!

Art to Die For

Here are some links to find out more information regarding art supplies, their safety and eco friendly alternatives.

• Eco- House â?? a great source for eco friendly finishes
• Blick Art Materials
• ArtSupply.com

 

Listener Emails

• Daryen shared the links for Green Friday â?? a movement starting to promote sustainable transportation.
• Mike is participating in a Breast Cancer Prevention fundraiser cycling event. Please take the time to learn more at mpompa.podomatic.com
• Hereâ??s the trailer to the new movie that listener Christine told us about. Itâ??s called Who Killed The Electric Car? This looks fantastic!
• Gail is on her way to Kenya although we are not sure why and really want to know. Tell us Gail! Here are some links to some aromatherapy products that will help you sleep.
  • Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil
  • Dream Time Essential Oil Blend
  • Sleep Soother Aromatherapy Mist
• Doug helped out with some information about organic honey. Hereâ??s where you can learn more.
• Michael shared his insight about the whole Organic Milk debate. Remember we discussed the Cornucopia Instituteâ??s report a few shows back. Hereâ??s some info to read and let us know what you think. Weâ??ll be doing some investigation of our own.

Stay tuned as next week we discuss Green Funerals! That should be interesting.

 

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .

We're happy campers this week we've got beer sent in by hipsters Theresa & Michelle, yummy treats and we're talking yards. That's right, this week it's all about yards - particularly lawns and how much we truly dislike them. We've got some alternatives and ideas how to keep the one you've got (if you just can't part with it), happy and healthy without nasty chemicals.

Finds and Hip News:

Finds

• We talked about RecycleBank - where you can earn Recyclebank dollars from your household recycling and use them at participating companies. Check it out at www.recyclebank.com
• Jill-icious sent us an email about www.commutercars.com. Called Tango, these little speed demons take up half the space of a traditional car and George Clooney boasts to own one. There are three models to choose from - the basic model starts at just over $18,000 U.S.
• Check out the Beach Solar Laundromat based in Toronto, Canada. It's really cool! www.mondial-energy.com

Hip News

• Griping about gas prices in an SUV - from Newsweek.

The Beer, Chocolate and Treats
Beer:
Hipsters Theresa & Michelle thrilled us to death by sending us a half gallon of Chocolate Ale from Walter Payton's Roadhouse Complex in Aurora, IL. Yummmmmy! Here's the link to try some yourself www.americasbrewpub.com

 

Chocolate & Treats:
We bit into some Newman's Own Organics www.newmansownorganics.com Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and enjoyed some Maple Butter from Shady Maple Farms www.shadymaple.ca It's from Canada, eh! We tasted in spread on some local, Lundberg farms organic cinnamon rice cakes (we liked them despite our dislike of rice cakes!) www.lundberg.com

Lawn & Yard Care 101
Both of us agree that lawn is not the most earth friendly addition to our yards. There are lots of alternatives and ways to have a beautiful and healthy yard - some of them even include a more "friendly" lawn such as clover. Here are some links to check out for more information:
Here's some info on lawn info and alternatives:

• Environmental Pollution and Landscaping
• 10 Ideas for Environment- Friendly or "Green" Living
• Green Yards: Go Natural and Save
• Clover: The Cheap, Low-Maintenance Alternative
• Tips from HGTV to use recycled materials in your garden. They're fun!
• Eco Friendly Yard & Weed Control Products
• Really Cool Product called a Flat-Sack that can be used all over the yard and house.
• Here's a book on how to organically control pests and bugs in your yard.

Listener Emails

• Listener Karen shared this great short video on "water fuel". Check it out.
• Hipster Josh rides his bike to work and listens to MoreHip on the way. He heard us discuss how cool it would be to have a bike powered blender on the back. Guess what? He found one! Val's saving her pennies for this one - she'll have bike powered Margaritas in no time! www.bikeblender.com - downside is that they only fit on Xtracycles.
• Check out Josh's blog at www.eatingpeanuts.com
• The lovely Allison wants to know how to properly dispose of her ginormous bottle of baby oil that she's been using to take off her eye makeup. Here's what we found out: Bring it to your local household hazardous waste facility. Do not put it in the trash or down the drain.
  What we use to get our eye make up off is this eye makeup remover from Osea or a good natural face cleanser works fine too. Val isn't sure how that last one will work on waterproof mascara. Let us know what you think if you try it.
• Doug is still looking for those one million signatures for the Lancaster Relay for Life - sign up! Here's the link.
• Liisa ( the one with two I's) shared a great article on LifeGem - the folks who make diamonds out of your grandmother. Apparently, they are making a diamond out of Beethoven's hair. Find out more here.
• Sara - here are some sources for you for organic cotton and hemp t-shirts. - American Apparel, TS Designs, Organic Consumers Association

Don't miss the promo for "The Tiny Guide" with Lee Ann Westover of the The Lascivious Biddies. Her newest podcast is for those who Travel slow, Travel small...and love every minute of it! You're going to love this one!

Don't forget to listen for the code that was left out two weeks ago!

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .

More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #48 - Take a Bike - For Your Health!
The weather’s turned sunny and warm – perfect for riding a bike. By taking your bike instead of a car you’ll save money, do your part to help the environment and maybe even tone up those calf muscles. We’ll discuss the do’s, don’ts and how-to’s of riding around town. We’ll also chat about Fair Trade Day and cover the basics on what Fair Trade is. It’s a good refresher on the topic and it may help to explain the concept of Fair Trade to others.

We’ve got fun, finds, beer, and chocolate and, as usual, lots of fantastic listener emails.

Finds and Hip News:

• ‘Green Roofs’ growing more popular – an article found on CNN.com
• Dori’s article on the Real Cost of Owning a Hybrid. Courtesy of aol.com.
• Is the hype about the benefits of green tea just that? Is it Hype? Read about it here.

The Beer and Chocolate

 

The Beer: Boddingtons Pub Ale - find it at www.boddingtons.com. That link (which was on the can) didn't work for me, and when I did some research here is what I found.

The Chocolate: Ecco Bella’s Health by Chocolate at www.eccobella.com

Take a Bike - For Your Health

Join us for our chat with Ed from Chico Velo – a local bike club. This guy knows his way around a kickstand! Ed shares some great tips on how to prepare to bike to work – everything from ensuring you have the right equipment, back up plans and oh, yes, the sweat. How the heck do you stay fresh and dry? Visit these websites for more details on the benefits of actually riding your bike and tips on how to be successful biking to work, school, wherever with safety, comfort and style in mind.

• www.chicovelo.org
• www.bikeleague.org
• www.californiabikecommute.com
• www.biketoworkvictoria.ca

Celebrate Fair Trade Day - It Does A World Good!
In a nutshell, Fair Trade acknowledges basic human rights and environmental standards. It’s that simple. “Fair Trade? means that trading partnerships are based on reciprocal benefits and mutual respect. Here are some great resources to learn more. We strongly encourage all of you to understand Fair Trade and participate as well as sharing your knowledge with others. Remember, one of our loudest voices is how we spend each and every dollar. We do and can make a difference.

• fairtraderesource.org
• www.globalexchange.org
• www.coopamerica.org
• www.fairtrade.net< /a>
• www.fairtradefederation.org

 

Listener Emails:

• A new listener in Noriko Japan wrote in and shared that they own a hybrid car called an Estima. It’s a hybrid minivan from Toyota. Check it out.
• Larry from Podcasting Dallas sent us an article to share regarding a University of Illinois research team who makes crude oil out of pig manure.
• Brian from “OK? had an issue with the new Plenty magazine (turns out the author of the article didn’t find MHTH her cup of tea) so we’d like to suggest that you send the editor your take on things. Here’s the email letters@plenty mag.com Brian also wanted to share his find for the week – a comic book collection on DVD ROM for the More Geek Than Hippie crowd.
• Heidi has been listening to our show for quite a while now (thank you) and is putting together a new environmental blog www.groxie.com (rock on!). She also came across a great article.
• Prabjit provided us with this ecological footprint calculator.
• Shayna sent this article from Google Reader that lists the top 10 states with the most hybrids.
• Jon and Karen from Everlution Forms emailed us and provided the link to 1% for the planet – an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet.
• Our friend Patrick sent an article to let the hippies meet the nerdies. More news about the Ethanol Tariff.
• Liz shared a great article from the Wall Street Journal about Organic Milk. Here it is.
• Katie shared with us Oregon’s first all organic brewery. www.rootsorganicbrewing.com
• Our favorite Doug over in Pennsylvania sent us the “green version? of digg.com - you can find it at www.hugg.com
• Gail. Here are the links to the DEET free insect repellents we were talking about. Herbal Armor Bite Blocker V’tae Outdoor Aromatherapy Mist (contains Catnip oil)
• Melissa is a new Canadian listener (eh!) and is building a deck this summer. Here are the sources for some alternatives to pressure treated lumber. Good luck and send us a picture when its complete!
• ACQ (Alkaline Copper Quaternary) lumber for posts and support beams
• Recycled Rubber/Plastic Lumber
  • www.ciwmb.ca.gov
  • www.continet.com
  • www.trex.com
• Jill sent us a link to this great website for kids (and grownups too). This is the link to the piece that we played at the end of the show.

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .

 

More Hip than Hippie - Eco-friendly Dry Cleaning
This week we're gonna show you how to NOT "Perc" up your day! It's all about the perils of Dry Cleaning - we'll air out our dirty laundry on the subject and you'll emerge fresh and full of chemical free goodness.

Finds and Hip News:
Finds:

• Dori and Val missed No Pants Day - Click here to learn more and put it on your calendar for next year.
• Join Val whose joined the Plastic Bag pledge put together by listener "Big Ed" (We want to know how he got that name) and make the commitment to use as few plastic bags as possible. Learn about it here .
• The Triple P Quiz - from David Batstones newsletter the WAG
• CoopAmerica has just announced Responsible Shopper where you can learn the skinny on companies and how their operations and products impact human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability and more.
• K9 Water Co ., Inc. is proud to offer you Toilet Water, Puddle Water, Hose Water and Gutter Water, the world's first vitamin fortified bottled water specifically formulated to provide your dog with essential vitamins that contribute to overall good health and provide the hydration your dog needs.

Hip News:

• AOL News - 16,000 Species Face Extinction, Group Says
• An Inconvenient Truth - Al Gore's new movie.

The Beer and Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Beer: Samuel Smith - find it at www.merchantduvin.com
The Chocolate Chip Cookies: Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies.

 

Eco Friendly Dry Cleaning

Perc or Perchloroethylene is a common solvent used in dry cleaning.
But, it is a source of concern for workers and for the environment. To learn more about the impact on the environment, check out

• www.coalitionforcleanair.org
• www.ehso.com
• www.wascomat.net

Alternatives include CO2, Silicone and Wet Cleaning. Learn more about CO2 method at www.hangersdrycleaners.com
Learn more about the Silicone method at www.greenearthcleaning.com
Learn how to do Wet Cleaning at home at www.care2.com
The Space Bags - Check them out here.

 

Listener Emails

• Rob shared an update about industrial hemp and the state of North Dakota. Check out more at www.votehemp.com
• Theresa shared a very useful piece on the slowfood movement - a growing movement around the world. www.eatlocalchallenge.com is a blog that brings together consumers dedicated to supporting those who produce food that doesn't travel thousands of miles before it ends up on your plate. Her own journey can be found at foodwithaface.blogspot.com
• Craig (a new listener) mentioned Fry's Vegetarian Foods. See if they're available in your area www.frys-special.com
• Tracey and her husband use 20x20 allergen filters - the same size as a box fan. They tape it to the back and run all night in their room and they say it really works! Cool.
• Andrea pointed out the exhibit opening on May 20th at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. - it's all about sustainable architecture. Learn more at www.nbm.org
• Kellie (ding ding) sent us the link to the BBC News Online article and thought all of us should see this. It seems that the battery recycling movement is going global.
• Patrick forwarded this link on an article about a greener BMW. Interesting.
  Patrick - here are some links to some alternatives to mineral oil and Vaseline for little ones:
  California Baby I Love You Massage Oil, California Baby Moisturizing Creme, Mother's Lullaby Massage Oil, Wee Rub, Hemp Baby Salve.

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .

 

More Hip Than Hippie - We've Gone Batty!
This week we've gone batty. That's right - it's all about those furry, creepy flying things with a face that only a mother can love. Well, a mother and Val. She LOVES bats and shares some information that you might find mighty useful during this upcoming summer. We also discuss allergies, Dori gives the tooth fairy a bad name, we give away those Chance CD's (we love him!) and cover a lot of listener email. Here we go......

 

The Beer and The Chocolate (and a Tasty Treat)

The Beer: Butte Creek Brewing from Chico, CA We taste tested their Seasonal Spring Ale.

The Chocolate: Listener Katie from Toronto (eh!), kindly sent us a bar of micro-chocolatiers SOMA chocolate found at http://www.somachocolate.com. We dove into their bar called "The Dark Fire", 66% cacao spiced up with a blend of chili, cinnamon, ginger and their secret blend of spices. Oh, yeah baby!!!!

Tasty Treat: We also had the honor of gobbling up the tasty and nutritious Bear Fruit Bar from http://www.morfoods.com. With flavors like Organic Apple Blueberry and Organic Apple Raspberry - what's not to love?

Here's the 'complex' chocolate dipped bar recipe from owner Craig Gass. We'll be trying this out this week.

1. Select Organic dark chocolate of choice.
2. Slowly melt chocolate - be careful not to burn it or yourself.
3. Dip 1/2 inch wide strips of Bear Fruit Bar of your choice halfway (or all of it!) into melted dark chocolate.
4. Let sit on waxed paper until firm.
5. Chase with your favorite organic beer!

Ha! We've found the recipe of our dreams.... Check out their website for retail locations.

Shout Outs!

• Podchef.show
• Techiescientist.blogspot.com
• cambridgechatter.blogspot.com

 

Winners of Chance CD's

Congrats to the following winners of the Chance CD Giveaway. Stay tuned for more contests!

• Kellie in SF (ding ding)
• Hannah Ball
• Erin Arnold

 

Bats - Friend or Foe? (Depends if you're a mosquito!)

They're fantastic for the environment and while not a pet, they're pretty darn cool to have as your neighbor or tenant!

• Bats: The Truth Revealed
• www.batbox.org - This site has not been updated for a while, but many of the links at the bottom are great - they include a lot of global information.
• www.batconservation.org - These people know it all!
• http://www.cdc.gov - Information from the U.S.A.'s Center for Disease Control on bats and rabies. Definitely worth a read!

 

Allergies
Val's down and out (sniff, sniff, cough, wheeze, itch), but thankfully, Dori's built up a resistance. How are you fairing this springtime? Here's some info on natural alternatives to over the counter meds.

With all the choices, what really works? What have you done that's truly been effective? Please email us at hip@greenfeet.com.

Listener Emails

• Patrick emailed regarding SUV's and their true place in the world of transportation. Check out www.edmunds.com for specs on vehicles to do comparisons, www.dodge.com, and www.caranddriver.com
• Tammy provided us with some startling information on PFOA - a chemical found in Teflon. Check out these links
  • pubs.acs.org
  • www.ohiocitizen.org

www.washingtonpost.com

www.ewg.org

Patrick is a believer in the "take your foot off the pedal" mode of driving. Here's a great article that he found: news.yahoo.com

Here's the eagle website that Val adores sent to us by listener Karen. Remember, only watch for a short time as the volume is blocking many people out. This goes to say that you may need to try a few times to get through. www.infotecbusinesssystems.com or mms://array.galaxytelevision.net/hanlive/hanlive.wsx

The lovely Jill-icious found this interesting idea on a greenbusiness forum. If you want to be on a tribal island but can't get on Survivor - here's your chance: www.springwise.com or www.tribewanted.com

Emily discovered Yolo paints - no VOC's and they offer a very nice and broad natural palette.

Travis bumped his head and forgot for a while that he enjoyed living green. But, he's recovered and is enjoying a new found love of biodiesel and all things green.

Travis, here's a few links for you regarding corn plastic. You'll find pens, cups, all sorts of things.

• www.greenearthofficesupply.com
• www.recycledproducts.com
• www.millerpromotions.com

 

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com.

Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .