Last month in September I wrote a blog about fashionable recycled outfits. Well for many of you guys that enjoyed my previews blog, I have another fashion blog for you today. No I’m not going to show you more fashionable and creative outfits but I am going introduce you to the accessories that can go with that outfit. If your looking for a hand bag to go with that beautiful outfit of yours but you can’t find what you like or something different from what your friends have then maybe a newspaper bag is what you need. You might be thinking newspaper? Yes a bag made out of newspapers. What if it rains? Don’t worry its water resistant. The newspaper is laminated so that water can damage that purse. The cool thing about these bags is that they are hand made and trust me you’re never going to see another bag that is just like yours. Maybe a hand bag isn’t what you are looking for, maybe your searching for the perfect earrings to match that dress for tonight. Imagine you wearing real silver and being eco friendly as well.
You might think impossible but nothing is impossible these days. These earrings are real leaves from the Brazilian rainforest that are then hand dipped in real silver. How can this help the environment? Well every pair of earrings that is bought helps plant a tree at Nugaard Designs. If earrings aren’t what you need how about a necklace? You can get a beautiful necklace handmade from recycled glass. These are just some of the accessories available, if you’re interested in any of theses items here are some websites; but remember being green and fashionable at the same time isn’t cheap.
http://www.uncommongoods.com
http://www.delight.com
http://www.planettrash.co.uk
http://www.buygreen.com
- Betsy Garcia
Okay. We all know what the big highlight of this month is, Halloween. And with ALL the Halloween madness around the corner, there are a couple of tips I would like to give you to help you save some money and at the same time to go green.
“Bacteria are one of the most abundant organisms on the planet and also one of the most studied. Today, scientists use bacteria for genetics research, antibiotics, and yes! Even biofuels. Recent technological advances have made a battery running on bacteria a reality. Known as microbial fuels cells or MFCs, batteries running on bacteria and other microbes have been keenly researched by scientist for decades.”
Join other climate concerned Houstonians tomorrow for community service projects and Low Carbon Rally at City Hall tomorrow as part of the 350 International Climate Change project.
The stimulus bill passed through Congress had many alternative energy incentives attached including wind energy. The major fault though, was the production tax credit’s (PTC) lack of language including Native Americans. Reservations are said to contain the most wind potential, but the resources are not being used because Natives receive no benefit in creating wind energy. Luckily, by making the PTC a tradable tax credit, Native populations can slowly wean off of gambling casinos and into a prospering economy. Current populations are considered impoverished because the only source of income coming in are through gambling casinos and uranium mining projects. Unfortunately these industries lead to alcoholism and lung cancer. Poverty stricken reservations are treated as a global underclass and a change in language for the PTC can make drastic changes. By making the PTC tradable, Native populations are able to develop wind farms and receive tax credits, but since Natives do not pay taxes the credits are deemed useless. However, Joint Reservation Projects are willing to trade money for the tax credits, this frees up money in the Congressional treasury and develops powerful wind energy. Including Native Americans in the gradual shift to renewable and alternative energy sources is key to the driving force behind saving the environment and curbing greenhouse gases.
From fossil fuels to corn ethanol, Americans need to switch over to brighter and greener forms of energy. Switchgrass, a fast growing plant is looking quite promising, but is overlooked among citizens. The Department of Energy truly believes that biofuels are the keystone transition from dependence to independence. The native crop can easily reduce reliance on foreign oil, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen the agricultural sector. The major problem with corn ethanol is the price fluctuation and the fast paced transition instead of a gradual switch over. Switchgrass, however provides many benefits such as the cost competitiveness, the push in biodiversity, and the lack of a need for pesticides. It is one of the fastest growing crops that can be processed into a biofuel, but with corn ethanol and oil overshadowing the true potential of the grass, switchgrass is still stuck in the research and development phase. It is also empirically proven that switchgrass actuall adds organic nutrients to the soil ensuring a long lasting harvest. With its strong roots, the cash crop can last through the winter and prevent soil erosion. The air produced from the plant reduces carbon dioxide and it slows the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Naturally, since we don’t eat grass, price spikes won’t occur as with corn ethanol. Only with determination and public knowledge can society bring this promising grass to the forefront, so American, now, switch!