More Hip Than Hippie # 84 - The State of the Climate

The environmental movement is gaining more supporters as world leaders gather to discuss how to stop global warming. We'll be talking about the recent political developments from the 2007 World Economic Forum and how these initiatives will affect you.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale from North Coast Brewing Company.

Chocolate: We tried some Japanese chocolates in 99%, 86%, and 72% sent to us from listener Tom Collins. Thanks Tom!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• More Hip T-shirts available for purchase! Order yours today!
• Check out Patagonia's DIY shoes made with leather from the factory floor!
• Green Day seeks to mobilize youth. Pop- punk trio Green Day has joined forces with the NDRC to encourage youth action for the environment.

News:

• California first to ban dry-cleaning chemical. By 2023 California will have completely banned the use of perchloroethylene, the most common chemical used by dry cleaners that has been linked to a variety of cancers.
• Winner of trip to space loses his ticket. Brian Emmett won a sweepstakes held by Oracle Corp. receiving a free trip to space. However, the tax burden of the trip would have meant huge debt that Emmett would be unable to pay.
• Could your chocolate be weighed down? Raven found an article about the lead content in chocolate. In March 2006, Dagoba had to recall several lines of their chocolate due to lead contamination with levels above the FDA's "safe" limit of 0.5 parts per million.

More Hip Book Club

Pretty soon we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

The State of the Climate

Find out what politicians and world leaders are doing to stop global warming how it affects you!

• Clouds lift on Climate Change at the 2007 World Economic Forum.
• Bush and climate change
• Blair optimistic over climate change

Listener Emails

Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!

• A new way to roll. Tom found a Japanese company that makes toilet paper from recycled juice and milk cartons. The site is completely in Japanese, but this nifty illustration gets the point across!
• Eco-friendly pet care. Cat recommends OnlyNaturalPet.com for reasonably priced natural pet remedies. The company also buys green wind energy to offset their electricity use, recycles their boxes and packaging materials, and employs a natural care vet to answer any questions you might have.
• Liz was looking for an eco-friendly way to kill moss and algae. Try Safer Brand Moss and Algae Killer.
• If you're looking for natural vinegar, Patrick recommends White House vinegar. Another good brand to try is Natural Value, available at health stores across the country.
• Oil companies in Canada. Sebastien in Quebec was looking for information regarding the oil in Canada. Check out these sites:
  • Sierralegal.org
  • GasandOil.com
  • Pembina.org
• One listener was seeking an eco-friendly way of disposing of old prescriptions. Check out Earth911.org for some good suggestions.

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!

More HIp Than Hippie #83 - Valentines & Chico Bags

There's a coupod during the show, so listen closely and you can save yourself some bucks on your next Greenfeet purchase!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Hue Beer from Hue Brewery in Vietnam

Chocolate: Bayano from Seeds of Change, a dark chocolate bar with cacao nibs and cinnamon oil.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• More Hip T-shirts available for purchase! Order yours today!
• A Convenient Truth Contest. Make a green video about how to fight global warming and you could win an all-expense paid, carbon offset trip to Alaska for 2 and gear from Patagonia.
• Email the Gates Foundation and urge them to stop donating to companies that pollute!

News:

• 'Jungle Woman' emerges from the wild. On January 13, a Cambodian villager discovered the 'Jungle Woman' naked, bare bones thin, and stealing food from his lunch box. Officials have been unable to gain any information directly from the woman since it appears she doesn't speak any language, instead communicating with grunts and primitive sign language.
• How organic is Wal-Mart? Wisconsin officials have launched an investigation into Wal-Mart's organic products after reports that the retail giant is misleading consumers.

Reusable Bags: Why you need one

We have Andy, creator of the Chico Bag, on the patio and chatting with us about the importance of reusable shopping bags.

Find more facts about reusable bags at ReusableBags.com

Order your Chico Bag from Greenfeet.com!

Green Valentine's Day

Single and looking for the perfect eco-date on Valentine's Day? Check out some of these green dating and networking sites to meet someone special that shares your love for the planet.

• Green-Passions.com
• VeganPassions.com
• GreenSingles.com
• Earth Wise Singles

Show that special someone you care with a Valentine's Day that is as eco-friendly as it is thoughtful!

• Organic Flowers
  • OrganicBouquet.com
  • Diamond Organics
  • California Organic Flowers
• Fair Trade Chocolate
  • AlterEco
  • Dagoba Chocolates
  • Lake Champlain Chocolates
• Tattoo your diamond. Dalumi Diamonds has developed a system that lets you tattoo a message on to your diamond.
• Sustainable gifts from Greenfeet
  • Limited Edition Valentine's Day Bike Chain Bottle Opener
  • Fire & Light Red Recycled Glass Heart
  • Heart with Sunburst Suncatcher

     

Listener Emails

Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!

• 'Green Neck Hipster' Laura recommends Lion Brand Yarn Company for those who like to crochet and knit. The company has a great line of organic cotton yarn.
• Calling all Connecticut Hipsters! Jillicious found a free eco-friendly event for Connecticut Hipsters called Build A Greener Connecticut. The event takes place in Hartford on February 1, 2007 and will act as a forum on the environment, economic, and public health benefits of green building strategies.
• Major corporations join fight against global warming. Michelle found an article reporting that many major U.S. corporations are adding to the pressure on the federal government to address climate change. The coalition, called the United States Climate Action Partnership, includes PG&E, DuPont Co. and General Electric Co. to name a few.
• Jenny in Flowery Branch, GA wanted to show us her cool new fuel-efficient ride, a Honda Fit. Looks good Jenny!
• Brits buy more fruits and vegetables. Tom sent us an article about this healthy trend in Britain. According to a survey the British are buying more fruits and vegetables, the biggest increase in twenty years.
• Looking for a leak-proof travel mug? If you prefer not to shop at Starbucks, Kristi in Minneapolis recommends the OXO Good Grip Travel Mug.
• Road trip! If you're looking for some good roadside attractions on your next road trip in the, Kellie suggests RoadsideAmerica.com. The site is dedicated to all things "world's largest", "world's smallest", and unique.
• Small steps across America. Carrie is so dedicated to the idea that small steps create big change, she's putting her walking shoes where her mouth is. She is currently planning to walk from Los Angeles to New York City in order to raise awareness for the environment. It's a big project planning her route and she needs all the help she can get! She needs help planning her route, financing the trek, and setting up a place for those she meets along the way to donate to environmental institutions. If you can help, or know anyone that can, shoot us an email at hip@greenfeet.com and we'll put you in contact with Carrie.

More Hip Than Hippie # 82 - Pick Your Poison

"Green Oil Company" would be an oxymoron, however some oil companies are more eco-friendly than others. We'll be talking about U.S. oil companies and which two are the most and which two are the least eco-friendly.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Mateveza from Butte Creek Brewing Co. in Chico, CA.

Chocolate: Bija Omega Truffles from Flora.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• More Hip T-shirts available for purchase! Order yours today!
• United Students for Fair Trade. USFT is a great organization for students looking to make an impact on their world. Their core objective is to raise awareness and expand demand for Fair Trade alternatives both on campuses and in communities.
• Not a fan of wine glass charms? Every Day with Rachael Ray suggests using a grease pencil to label glasses at your next party. The names will wipe right off when it's time to clean up!
• Check out MaryJanesFarm for organic pre-made meals and freeze dried ingredients.
• Shout out! Big Thanks to RRRose who made a post about More Hip on the Tales of the Bondgirls blog!

News:

• Wal-Mart sets its sights on zero waste. The retail giant has set a long-term goal of zero waste. Wal-Mart aims to reduce solid waste from its U.S. stores by 25% over the next two years.
• Doomsday clock moves closer to midnight. The doomsday clock has been moved two minutes ahead to 11:55, making it only 5 minutes away from midnight.
• Congress proposes mandatory limits on greenhouse gases. If passed, the legislation would reduce carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases to one- third of the levels in 2000 by 2050.

 

More Hip Book Club

Pretty soon we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

Pick Your Poison

An article entitled "Pick Your Poison" appeared in the Sierra Club and is about which U.S. oil companies have the best environmental reputation. Here are their results:

• Bottom of the Barrel - worst companies.
  • ExxonMobil
  • ConocoPhillips
• Middle of the Barrel - average companies.
  • Royal Dutch Shell
  • Chevron
  • Valero Energy Corporation
  • Citgo
• Top of the Barrel - most eco-friendly companies.
  • BP
  • Sunoco

 

Listener Emails

Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!

• Arlington, VA unveils new environmental initiative. Sara was happy to let us know that the county she works for, Arlington, is working to reduce County greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent by 2012. Hopefully this will become a trend all across the country!
• Find your old books new homes. Melanie in Chicago found a great site for exchanging old books called Bookins.com. It allows you to trade your old books for ones you've been wanting to read for a small flat fee. What a great idea!
• Milk carton mayhem! Elizabeth was looking for some good ideas to recycle milk cartons.

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!

More Hip Than Hippie #81 - This and That

This episode we're talking about Wal-Mart's plan to use flexible scheduling. Also there will be our usual news and finds.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Honey Wheat Ale from Mount St. Helena Brewing Company.

Chocolate: Santander Colombian Single Origin 70% with Pineapple bits

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Do all those old CD's laying around make you want to sing the blues? Check out LaLa, a system for trading your old CD's you don't want anymore or that are already copied to your iPod for other used CD's you want. It works like this: you trade your CD's for just $1 each plus a $.75 shipping charge and for each CD you send out, you will get one that you want in return. Pretty cool if you ask us!
• Ants have you feeling antsy? Try this chemical-free recipe that works overnight from "Common Sense Pest Control".
• Heat it up. TrueFuel is an eco-friendly firelog that's made from 100% recycled hard wood fiber from sawmill residue.
• Looking for a change of scenery? If there is a move in your future, you might want to check out Lyons, Colorado. That's where you'll find Lyons Valley Village, a new sustainable community that uses Built-Green construction for the homes and solar hot water systems.
• More Hip t-shirts available for purchase! Order yours today!
• Find yourself an eco-date. If you're looking for someone special that shares your passion for green living, try one of these social networking sites:
  • VeganPassions.com
  • Earth Wise Singles
  • GreenSingles.com

News:

• A new era in efficiency for solar power. The Department of Energy has reported that scientists have produced a more efficient solar cell. The cell is the first to break the 40-percent efficiency barrier on solar cell devices.

Flexible Scheduling Stirs Up Workers

Wal-Mart, Target, Radio Shack, and Mervyns are just a few of the major retailers to implement flexible shifts for their workers. Instead of scheduling employees for predictable shifts, a computer system schedules employees based on the number of customers in the store at any given time. Employees are not happy with the new system which demands more flexibility and availability without a predictable paycheck.

What are your opinions on flexible scheduling? Tell us what you think in the MHTH forum.

Listener Emails

Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!

• These notecards will grow on you. Well, not actually on you, but they will grow. Reba from Baltimore heard about Grow-A-Note greeting cards on Rachael Ray's talk show. The cards are 100% tree free and have seeds embedded in the paper. When you're done reading it, plant it out in your garden and wildflowers will grow!
• Sheep Poo Paper won't make you say 'Ewwe'! Alison in Cambridge discovered Creative Paper Wales, the only craft paper mill in Wales and maker of Sheep Poo Paper. The paper is made from completely recycled materials (we're assuming that poo qualifies as 'recycled materials') and is just plain a unique product!

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!

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More Hip Than Hippie #80 - A Teenie Weenie Greenie New Year

With a new year comes a clean slate and a fresh opportunity to make the world a better place. We all know that small steps can lead to big change, so why not try making 2007 a year of Teenie Weenie Greenies? By making small changes in how we live our everyday life, we can ensure a healthy and happy planet for generations to come!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Sierra Nevada's Porter from our favorite local brewery in Chico, CA!

Chocolate: Thanks goes out to Carly and Kellie in San Francisco for sending us Charlemagne Orange Bio Organic chocolate bar!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Eco-friendly travel. Make your vacation plans with Travelocity or Expedia and you can offset the carbon dioxide emissions associated with your travel! The Conservation Fund has partnered with Travelocity to launch Go Zero, which fights global warming by planting trees. Expedia is also offering customers the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the purchase of a TerraPass.
• Media, PA - Officially Fair Trade! The small town of Media has become the first Fair Trade town in the United States. Let's hope this is a trend that catches on!
• Omega fatty acids minus the fish. For those of you who aren't big fans of eating fish but still want the omega fatty acids, this product is for you! Listener Elizabeth recommends Flora's Bija Omega Truffles, premium organic chocolates blended with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Sounds delicious!

 

More Hip Book Club

Our next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

A Teenie Weenie Greenie New Year

Getting Started:

• Start within your comfort zone - then be brave and venture out a bit.
• Spend 30 minutes or so to identify sore spots and set priorities. For example, could you use less plastic bags? Or would you like to eat fewer processed foods? Set priorities based on need and budget.

A few Teenie Weenie Greenies to get you started:

• Sign up for Big Ed's No Plastic Bag Pledge. Remember, you're only setting a goal for yourself so start with a realistic number.
• Keep a Chico Bag or other reusable bag in your backpack or car and use it on every shopping trip.
• Set a goal to eat at least 10% of your food organic.
• Stop junk mail! By answering a few questions at NewDream.org, you can decrease your junk mail by up to 70%!

 

Listener Emails

Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!

 

• Changing the world one meal at a time. Kristi from Minneapolis found an article that discusses how shoppers are expressing their political opinions by choosing to buy organic, fair trade, and local foods. Making fair trade and organic goods a priority sends a clear message to grocery stores that you have a concern for the environment and support poor farmers.
• Canadians love Cocoa Camino! Jay from Canada, eh? wanted to tell us about his favorite brand of organic chocolate, Cocoa Camino. We can't wait to try it out!
• PlayPumps bring clean water to Africa. Sara discovered PlayPumps, a water system that brings a clean and safe water supply to communities across Africa. As children play on a merry-go-round, it works to pump clean drinking water into a tower, providing easy access to a reliable source of water for millions.
• What can you do with all those Christmas cards? Linda was seeking some suggestions for recycling Christmas cards. Check out 10 creative ways to recycle Christmas cards.
• Caution for cell phone users. Kristin wanted to let us know about America the Green podcast. She wanted everyone to listen to a recent episode that discusses cell phone hazards to your health.

 

Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!