More Hip Than Hippie #179 - GEMology

They didn't kill the electric car! Battery-powered vehicles are buzzing down a road near you, and the GEM is leading the charge. The Hipsters chat with Kent Collins, owner of Chico Eco Cars, and learn what it takes to make the switch to an EV, then they take a test drive. Also, the Chico Air Show approaches, and Val feels the need for speed!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: If Mother Earth herself brewed beer, this would be her signature ale! Green Lakes Organic Ale from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon rocks the planet and gets all 12 hips.

Chocolate: The holidays have arrived a little early, thanks to Divine Chocolate. They sent a box of their seasonal goodies, including the Divine Dark Chocolate After Dinner Mints. Give them as a hostess gift, then eat 'em up before the other guests do!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Things! Interactive giftwrap? Take re-gifting to a new level with reusable cloth Wrapsacks. Each comes with a tracking number, so you can log online and follow its progress across the land.
• Control geek. The Plogg is a simple device that tracks your electricity usage, controls your appliances and connects wirelessly to your computer, phone or Blackberry. Want one? Gotta move to Europe!
• What, no Garbage-Patch? A new line of Method hand and body washes will be available in October. The scents, inspired by the ocean, include Water-Flower and Refresh-Mint.

 

Hip News

• Power surge. China is rushing to build a network of charging stations for electric vehicles. The US is rushing to Panda Express for lunch.
• Evolving doors. The world's greenest museum opens this month in San Francisco. The new California Academy of Sciences asks, "How did life evolve?" "How will it survive?" and "Does a pig wear lipstick?"

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Switch gears! Sit down with your family and evaluate your driving habits. Do you spend a lot of time navigating neighborhood streets? If so, you might benefit by switching to an electric vehicle. Solo commuters should consider electric scooters or bicycles.

GEMology

They didn't kill the electric car! Battery-powered vehicles are buzzing down a road near you, and the GEM is leading the charge. The Hipsters chat with Kent Collins, owner of Chico Eco Cars, and learn what it takes to make the switch to an EV. (Turns out, just a good extension cord!)

• Plug in. The basics: GEM stands for Global Electric Motorcars, a division of Chrysler, headquartered in Fargo, ND (dontcha know!).
• Power points. EV's save money and cut pollution. They also make people point and wave at you. Need to know more? Ask the Electric Auto Association.
• Stay current. Chrysler has declared 2010 the year of its electric car. Meanwhile, there's GEM's latest offering: the Peapod NEV.
• Electric outlet. Kent's brand-new eco-car dealership has Chico buzzing!

Listener E-mails Keep the energy flowing! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links and shameless plugs at our MHTH forum!

• Shout-out! Cheers to Robin, who listed us among her faves on Green Option's Sustainablog. You like us, you really like us!
• Sara in Colorado checked in on Facebook to tell us about her recycling project at Western State College. Way to go!
• Jenny in Ontario (eh!) presents a blog that focuses on the downside of wind farms. OK, but clean coal still blows.
• Elizabeth in Minnesota is a self-proclaimed "cheesegirl", and teaches us a thing or two about rennet and annotto. What a cheese whiz!
• Mary in New Hampshire (Live Free or Die!) wants to know which of her plastic water bottles won't kill her. Magic numbers: 1, 2, 4 and 5.
• Katie in Austin, TX shares a recipe for a More Hip libation: 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a pint of Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Sounds Hipsterlicious!

Tiara Alert! Nominations are open for the Podcast Awards! There's no swimsuit competition, but we can still kick butt in the People's Choice and Education categories, so click the link and choose More Hip Than Hippie! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva and MoreHipDori, at your service!Post a review at iTunes, and don't forget 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 is sponsored by Greenfeet.com

More Hip Than Hippie #178 - Palm Print

Are Oreos destroying the planet? Probably not, but like most processed foods, they contain a controversial ingredient. Palm oil is in heavy demand by food producers, and farmers are destroying rainforests to supply it. Dori and Val fill in the facts. Also, Val gets mooned by a swan and compares her husband to a trampoline!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Val learns to love fruit beer with a ginormous bottle of Tangerine Wheat Beer from Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, CA. So much citrus, you almost have to peel it!

Chocolate: How do you say "big-ass chocolate bar" in Danish? That would be Chok O Blok, the latest offering from Alex the Dragon. 70% San Domingo single origin dark chocolate, no messin' around!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Innspiring. Val and her hubby enjoyed a weekend at the eco-friendly Gaia Hotel in Anderson, CA. Her favorite part? The toilet!
• Sheet happens. Misprinted sheet metal is saved from the landfill and transformed into exotic glass-sided lanterns.
• Sake to me! Add Organic Nama Sake to your list of eco-friendly adult beverages. Serve that wild rice in true Japanese style.

 

Hip News

• Fresh air. The US House of Reps passed the No Child Left Inside Act, trying to improve environmental education in schools.
• Load Star State. San Antonio, Texas pioneers the first large-scale effort to convert human waste into natural gas.
• Speaking of dumps... A visit to the landfill in Japan could turn out to be a real treasure hunt. Precious metals abound from discarded electronics.
• Dodo with lipstick. Congratulations to this year's winner of the Rubber Dodo award: Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, crusader against the pesky polar bear.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

WD-4get about it! Quiet down those squeaky hinges with a spritz of cooking spray or a dab of lip balm. Apply it to the hinge's moving parts and wipe away any excess. Look for brands that don't contain petroleum or palm oil.

Palm Print

Are Oreos destroying the planet? Probably not, but like most processed foods, they contain a controversial ingredient. Palm oil is in heavy demand by food producers, and farmers are destroying rainforests to supply it. Dori and Val look at the environmental consequences of palm oil plantations, what corporations can do to stop it, and how consumers can make a difference.

• Palm reader. What is palm oil, and why do we love it? (Hint: it's full of fat.)
• Oil crisis. Drilling won't solve this problem either.
• There goes the neighborhood. A new study confirms oil palms make terrible rainforests.
• Not my Thin Mints! Step away from the Girl Scout cookies. You can make a difference by reading labels and avoiding products that contain palm oil. Learn more here.

Listener E-mails Pick our brains! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, flotsam and jetsam at our MHTH forum!

• Shout-out! Thanks for mentioning us Behind the Stall Door!
• Lisa in Wisconsin shares a clever gift idea: make catnip pillows out of old sweaters. Even better if you grow your own catnip.
• Dr. DeeDee in Mississippi wants to get rid of a trampoline without putting it in the landfill. This guy has some ideas.
• Sara in New Hampshire (Live Free or Die!) is proud of a UNH student whose research led to a new state law on wind energy. We're blown away!
• Theresa in North Carolina wonders what's up with the Saturn ads. Well, they're temporary, and hopefully not too bothersome. We gotta pay for the glorious More Hip Media Multiplex somehow!

Tiara Alert! Nominations are open for the Podcast Awards! There's no swimsuit competition, but we can still kick butt in the People's Choice and Education categories, so click the link and choose More Hip Than Hippie! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva and MoreHipDori, at your service!Post a review at iTunes, and don't forget 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 is sponsored by Greenfeet.com

More Hip Than Hippie #177 - Nit-Picking

September is Head Lice Prevention Month, so Dori and Val are itching to learn more about keeping the critters away! Listen for common-sense tips to help you head-off an outbreak. We'll also comb through the facts about "super lice" and offer some remedies you can make from scratch. Also, find out why Dori's high and Val's dry!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: This 20th Anniversary Black Butte XX Porter from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon is steeped in controversy. After Val spent 10 minutes prying open the wax-dipped top, she found it too malty to drink! Dori stepped up, drinking the entire 22 oz. bottle alone. Because there's no "I" in team.

Chocolate: Another yummy bar from Alex in Denmark. Even stone cold sober, Val wouldn't try to pronounce Urtekram økologisk Mørk chokolade. It's Fair Trade certified and Kan indeholde spor af mælk, nødder og peanuts. We think it's Danishious!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Things! It's a handy product with a mission: the BOGO Solar Task Light. Buy one, the company sends one to needy folks in Africa. The light charges even on a cloudy day, and helps Val and her hubby navigate to their new hot tub at night.
• Merlot and behold. The Six Pack Wine Rack made of wool felt is stylish, recyclable and produced in the USA. Unlike your wine bottles, it folds flat when it's empty.
• Wii demand a recount. Greenpeace released its 9th Guide to Greener Electronics. Still the best? Nokia. Still the worst? Nintendo.

 

Hip News

• Bureaucrappy. The suits at the FDA insist BPA is fine for your health, even as a new study suggests a link to heart disease and diabetes.
• Sino the times. China's largest milk producer is recalling baby formula tainted with melamine.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Fall into flowers! Autumn is the time to replant your flower beds. This year, save time and money by choosing perennials instead of annuals. Try your best to find plants native to your area. They'll thrive with less maintenance and they'll attract more birds and butterflies. Work with nature, not against it!

Nit-Picking

September is Head Lice Prevention Month, so Dori and Val are itching to learn more about keeping the critters away! Listen for common-sense tips to help you head-off an outbreak. We'll also comb through the facts about "super lice" and offer some remedies you can make from scratch.

• Myth-understood. Who knew? Head lice can't fly, don't spread disease and prefer clean hair over dirty hair!
• Nitting circle. About 1 in 10 kids will contract lice by the sixth grade. It's because of their lousy behavior.
• Look, up in your scalp... It's Super Lice! Faster than a speeding comb, able to resist OTC medications in 3-5 years.
• Lice-ense to kill. Natural remedies include mayonnaise, olive oil and this DIY recipe from The Green Witch Herbal.
• Who ya gonna call? One enterprising business offers a lice removal service for your home and your head.

Listener E-mails Is something bugging you? Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and photos of your malt-face at our MHTH forum!

• Beth in Florida cleans her keyboards with a cool alternative to canned air. It's a blast!
• Kevin is tired of tossing out Q-tips everyday. We suggest using an earwash to clean your canals. If you prefer swabs, these are organic and biodegradable.
• Scott in Michigan wants to make us cry. He loves the story of an amazing boy named Clinton Hill. Pass the tissue, please.
• Sandra in New York hooks up with her neighbors each week to exchange food, books and household goods, no strings attached.
• Denise in Florida invites Hipsters in the Blue Grass State to visit her son's new green business in Louisville.
• Molly in Baltimore (hey hon!) thought of us when she saw this project for making solar lanterns out of beer bottles. You light up our lives!

Let the world know you're More Hip Than Hippie! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva and MoreHipDori, at your service!Post a review at iTunes, and don't forget 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 is sponsored by Greenfeet.com

More Hip Than Hippie #176 - Power to the People

Energy independence isn't just for nations anymore! It's never been easier to generate power at home. Dori and Val let you know "watt" it takes to harness the energy of the sun and wind. Learn about equipment and permits, plus rebates to help ease you off the grid. You'll feel empowered!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: "Heaps of hops" for Hipsters in this Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Co. in Pennsylvania.

Chocolate: Longtime listener Alex the Dragon in Denmark sent a package of chocolate goodness. This week's choice: Vivani Feine Bitter Orange. Mange tak!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Newspeeper. ReKindle your love for newspapers with an electronic version, courtesy of Plastic Logic. Available next year, their reader is thin, light and easy to read. Just don't use it to potty-train your puppy.
• Good shop/Bad shop. Navigate those perilous shopping aisles with a little help from Good Guide. This new site helps you choose the best products while you're standing in the store. And yes, Val, there's an iPhone app coming soon.

 

Hip News

• Moneybags. A plastics trade group spent over $180,000 last month to fight Seattle's 20 cent bag fee. They could have bought 900,000 plastic bags with that. Or 36,000 ChicoBags.
• Does Yogi know? Meanwhile, France considers a "picnic tax" on disposable dishes. Don't tell the ranger, Boo-Boo!
• Hangover. Clothes hangers made of plastic or wire are very tough to recycle and usually end up in the landfill. Faye Dunaway weighs in on the issue at the end of the show.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Smile! A little toothpaste comes to the rescue for those scratched CD's and DVD's. Dab some paste (not gel!) on a cotton swap and polish the plastic surface until the scratches are gone. Wash the toothpaste off with water. If the disc still skips, hot-glue it to a paper lantern and make a disco ball!

Power to the People

Energy independence isn't just for nations anymore! It's never been easier to generate power at home. Dori and Val let you know "watt" it takes to harness the energy of the sun and wind. Learn about equipment and permits, plus rebates to help ease you off the grid.

• Power source. A great article from MSN provided most of the information for our topic.
• Meter operandi. Sending power back to your utility company is called net metering. You may not get you rich, but you'll be powerful!
• It's electrifyin'! Install Sunslate tiles on your roof, and no one but the sun will know you've gone solar.
• Dutch treat. From Holland, the new Energy Ball eggbeater-style turbine blows away your electric bill.
• Knowledge is power. Read up on wind systems and how to plan for them. Identify federal and state tax incentives for switching to solar power.

Listener E-mails We get a charge out of your letters! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and powerful ideas at our MHTH forum!

• Lacy in California helps a hip sista out with safety info for would-be bicycle commuters.
• Cassi in Tennessee is steaming mad about a campaign to save the endangered plastic bag.
• Ken in Bakersfield turned us on to the non-profit Solar Energy International, which provides workshops and online courses for homeowners.
• Big Ed in Indiana let us know about Samsung's new recycling program in the US.

Let the world know you're More Hip Than Hippie! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva and MoreHipDori, at your service!Post a review at iTunes, and don't forget 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 is sponsored by Greenfeet.com

More Hip Than Hippie #175 - What the Frack?

Gas companies use a process called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", to loosen rock and bring natural gas to the surface of wells. If you think this sounds hazardous, well, you're right. Dori and Val drill beneath the surface and let the statistics flow.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Check out our Grand Tetons! Listener Mike (Spanky) set us up with a threesome: Au Naturale Organic Blonde Ale and Workhorse Wheat Ale, plus Black Dog English Style Amber Ale from Spanish Peaks Brewing Co. in Wisconsin. Uh-oh, is that Val's malt face?

Chocolate: Mike again, with assorted goodies from Anacortes Chocolate Factory in Washington. Thanky Spanky!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Things! The best kitchen utensil is the one you use every day. Try this bamboo slotted spoon for stirring, scooping and straining with style. Keep it fresh with a little bamboo goo.
• Baby steps. Need eco-friendly shoes for the teeny weeny greenies in your life? Soft, comfy Pedoodles are made from recycled leather scraps.
• Oh Wiki, you're so fine! Get the scoop on all things environmental at the new Green Wiki. [citation needed]
• Green Miles. Tom Hanks is one of us! The actor supports The Nature Conservancy and buzzes around Hollywood in his electric car. Eco is as eco does...

 

Hip News

• Sole survivors. A new study finds 40% of freshwater fish species in North America are in jeopardy. Dori finds 100% of them are inedible.
• Little green Apples. The newest iPod nano is also the cleanest. Steve Jobs says it's mostly toxic free and highly recyclable.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Start meshing around! After you've eaten the last onion or potato, reuse that mesh produce bag. Slip it over a kitchen sponge for extra scrubbing power on pots and pans.

What the Frack?

Gas companies use a process called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", to loosen rock and bring natural gas to the surface of wells. If you think this sounds hazardous, well, you're right. Dori and Val drill beneath the surface and let the statistics flow. Learn about the environmental impact, the health risks and the fracking politics.

• Frack attack. Hydraulic fracturing typically involves pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of fluids and sand into an oil or gas formation. Water and air pollution ensue.
• Frackpot. The chemicals used in fracturing fluid are not subject to regulations or public disclosure, despite the dangers of exposure.
• Frack off. The Environmental Protection Agency bows to political pressure and refuses to investigate.
• Frack to nature. As pressure to drill increases, so does the potential threat to the environment.

Listener E-mails We dig it when you pump us for info! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and Tom Hanks movie quotes at our MHTH forum!

• Michele in North Carolina (y'all) found an mp3 player for little kids. The SweetPea3 can run on one rechargeable battery. She also shares the good news that NC is going green!
• Reverend Rachel in Texas needs suggestions for a "going green" gift basket. How about a reusable water bottle, biodegradable waste bags, a shower timer and an air filter whistle?
• Lottie in Massachusetts sees hopeful signs for a green economy: an event called Green Jobs Now and a report about a Green Recovery. We approve!
• Carri in Kansas loves master gardener Felder Rushing and his cool beer bottle trees. She also thinks Val would be a great supper guest on Planet Green. Are they serving beer and chocolate?

Let the world know you're More Hip Than Hippie! Post a review at iTunes, and don't forget 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 is sponsored by Greenfeet.com