Like we didn't already know that.
I, like many others, have been very happy and excited to see that our society has finally embraced the green movement and taken environmental concerns seriously. No longer just seen as a hippie cause, companies are now awakening to the demands by their customers to be a little more globally responsible. True, the current crap economy has helped spawn a lot of it, but I'm not complaining.
While I'm certainly not a role model for completely sustainable living, I am keeping an eye open for new and innovative ways to incorporate changes into my lifestyle. I know that change, in general, scares the bejeezus out of a lot of people, or that subscribing to a particular pattern of behavior is so ingrained into their psyche that it's too much of an effort to undertake a shift in said behavior. While I do have some inner hippie, I'm not so far green that I'm researching the best method to knit my underwear out of hemp. Some of my fascination with what is taking place is a result of finding ways that allow people to still embrace the things they love, but in a more responsible way. My other fascination is found in the tasks that require little to no effort to chip in.
I wanted to share some of the services I have come across, and in most cases, already use, that I think should be spread through the grapevine.
This wonderful company has connections to the direct mail world. For just $20, GreenDimes will help you remove yourself from the mailing lists of unwanted catalogs, credit card offers, and junk mail. Better yet, they plant five trees for every membership. Even better, you can buy a subscription for someone else. The amount of trash that I see piled up in the bin by my mailbox area from everyone's junk mail discards makes me cringe every time. Keep mail meaningful... write a letter to that long-lost pen pal. Or send me some cookies.
I have been a fan of Zinio since 2006 when my beloved Premiere magazine was still traditionally in business. While I wasn't out of control, I do have what I suppose you would call a magazine fetish. I would only have, at most, maybe four subscriptions at a time, but I'm one of those people that has to flip through a magazine if it's lying within 20 feet of me. It's not even because of the content, necessarily, but just the feel of having a magazine in hand, curling that left side around the back, and, of course, all the pretty, glossy pictures. I'm still like that, but when I took a moment to look at all the magazines that I had received over the years, and how many of them I just flip through once and never pick up again, and how high the stacks were because I'd been saving them for recycling... I had to do something. I'm not even sure how I found zinio, but it could change your life.
With hundreds and hundreds of titles available, you can subscribe to your favorite magazine electronically, and usually for a cheaper price than you would for the paper version. By just downloading a simple reader program for your computer (also available for iPhone and iTouch!), you will be able to flip through your magazines just as you would if they were sitting in your lap. It uses that newfangled technology that simulates the actual page turning; which I think is just the coolest thing. You even flip through the little ad inserts that would normally be sticking out of the binding. Best of all, you can zoom in and out, save it to the computer for reading off-line, and even have one-click access to any web link that is printed on the page. With more titles added on a regular basis, and even free or single-issue purchases available, you can't beat it.
Like to read classics? Zinio also offers Digital Classics, a huge selection of free novels for you to get caught up on, from Jane Austen to Oscar Wilde. They are also beginning a small foray into the world of downloadable textbooks.
The Read Green Initiative is an e-magazine effort sponsored by Zinio. It is their campaign to promote the cause of using and wasting less paper for this medium. To give the reading-green effort a boost, Read Green Initiative is offering you the chance to explore and enjoy this concept with a free subscription to one of their magazines, using the Zinio reader. Purchase additional subscriptions beyond that, and a portion of the cost helps to buy more trees. They also help you spread the word with linkable banners that you can put on your personal websites. So what are you waiting for? It's FREE! No excuse not to check out this site and what Zinio has to offer. I signed up and received a free year of Positively Green! Speaking of which...
This magazine is relatively new, but Positively Green has the potential to be something great. Since I just found out that now my wonderful Domino magazine is stopping the presses (Damn you, Conde' Nast!!), I've been thinking about the next round of mags I wanted to follow. Perfect timing. Remember that mention of knitting underwear? Not here. This magazine has a wonderfully fresh look and a real feel. It helps you find ways to live a full life with an eco-conscious mind. Only one issue in, and I'm hooked. Their website is a work in progress, but also promises to be full of great resources and ways to interact. If you aren't interested in the magazine subscription, it might be worth your while to at least bookmark their site. I can't wait to see how it develops. (I still shed a tear for you, dear Domino...)
I've not yet ventured into these three great ideas yet, but there is a certain workout video that I can't find online to download and I refuse to buy. But I found it here! These are three great sites, all pretty self-explanatory: PaperBackSwap.com, SwapaCD.com, and SwapaDVD.com. After signing up for membership, you offer and upload at least ten titles that you are no longer using for others to search. By uploading to the library, you are given credits that you can use towards other titles in the system that have been donated by other users. The great thing is that this is NOT a library system; you get to keep the ones you receive. Even if you never decide to use those credits, it's a wonderful way to share your unwanted titles with someone you know is interested. You do have to pay for shipping it to them, but that is reciprocated if you select some in return. No matter which of the three avenues you choose, I think this is a brilliant idea to keep exploring new interests. PaperBackSwap also has a collection of hardcover books, audio books, and textbooks. All three sites are getting big-name press, which only means more members and more titles to choose from in the future!
Ah, Feline Pine. I was a little skeptical of your odd, healthy-cereal-looking, compressed pellets when you first came out. But I liked where you were going. One day, I decided to take the plunge and make the change for my cat box. I was not amused. I did not like said pellets, and apparently, neither did Figment. You could tell she wasn't digging it, literally and figuratively, and keeping the box free of the wee turned out to be more of a hassle than I thought. I was sad. Then, to my wonderful surprise, I found out they had made a scoopable, clumping version. And I love it.
We have always had a scoopable litter, because frankly, it just makes things better, especially when we had two cats, but I'll admit that I wasn't a fan of the fact that I knew it was just a bunch of hardened chemicals, on top of hearing how it wasn't good for them, and certainly not good to breathe that dust. The Feline Pine scoopable works fantastically. Just as good as any other I've tried, and it's still 100% natural. I have to get mine from PetSmart, luckily right across the street, so you likely won't be finding it in your local grocery store, but I promise that if you've been intrigued like I have, you won't be disappointed. Someday, when I get that compost bin started, too, I can even add the contents to the mix. Feline Pine, you have redeemed yourself.
*****
Though most of these suggestions are media-related (with the exception of cat poo, of course), I would love to share more ideas and innovations that I come across down the road, be it cars, clothing, gifts, etc. Seeing the new concepts gets me all giddy inside, sometimes. Until then, are you partaking in these other very simple baby steps to get you going in the right green direction? If not, get a move on!!
- Changing regular light bulbs to CFL bulbs. Seriously, if you don't have at least ONE of these in your house right now, I am so disappointed.
- Using a tote at the grocery store, or not using a bag at all if you don't need one. My favorite for light shopping is the ChicoBag, which is used by many companies to put their logo on. I have a wonderful, green Earth Fare grocery store one, and the best part is how small they get when you fold it up inside its built-in pouch. I carry it everywhere in my purse and use it constantly at every store I go to.
- Consolidate your errands in the car, or walk/ride a bike. Gas prices. Need I say more?
- Washing clothes with cold water instead of hot. I promise they get just as clean.
- Unplug every cord you are not using, and keep it unplugged until you need it. Then unplug it again as soon as you are done. This is one I have become obsessed with. Most people don't realize that if you leave that cord in the wall, electricity is still running through it and racking up on your electric bill and wasting energy, whether your phone is attached or not, or whether that coffee machine is on or off. I have a very small handful of things I keep plugged in all the time, mostly because of accessibility to the cord, and most of them are on a surge protector. Everything else - lamps, radios, small appliances, cell chargers, etc. - keep them unplugged! I have seen a definitely noticeable difference in my bill, as well, some months actually being close to half of what they were the previous year. Try this one. You may be shocked. HAHAHAA... Get it?!? I slay me.
Peas out, people!
