Organic Change, Organic Life, Eco-Friendly Water

Just4theplanet tips its hat to environmental hero Joseph J. Romm (born June 27, 1960). He is an American author, blogger, physicist and climate expert who concentrates on methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming (  http://www.just4theplanet.com/research/climate-change/ ) and increasing energy security through energy efficiency green energy technologies and green transportation technologies. In December 2008, Romm was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In March 2009, Rolling Stone magazine named Romm to its list of “100 People Who Are Changing America”. In September 2009, Time magazine named him one of its “Heroes of the Environment (2009) calling him “The Web’s most influential climate-change blogger”. Romm is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress where he writes and maintains their climate blog, ClimateProgress.org. In 2008, Time magazine named Romm’s blog one of the “Top 15 Green Websites”, an...

Sustainable Consumption Institute is to host a public debate in London England entitled “Economic growth, prosperity and sustainability: a contradiction?” Chaired by Professor Dale Southerton (Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester) and with panellists, Professors Tim Jackson (RESOLVE, University of Surrey) and Paul Ekins (UCL Energy Institute, University College London) , the debate is sure to be very interesting. Global climate change is one of the greatest collective action problems facing mankind. Despite efforts by businesses, governments and households to ‘green’ their activities, the problem remains that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to rise. As such, the search for ecological, social and economic sustainability in the future continues to raise a number of difficult questions. Can economic growth be decoupled from ecological damage? Is continued economic growth essential to finance ‘sustainability’ measures and invest in innovative ‘green’ technol...

By Matthew Gibson - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2008 Many of us run our business from our home, or a small office. While we may have little to no time to reflect on our impact on the environment, it’s now easier than ever to reduce that impact, starting with a few clicks of the mouse. Many actions do not require a lot of concentration or changes to your routine to ensure our green business stays green, on-line. Here are a few things that we adhere to within our organization that may also help you. Computer Power  - One of the first things to do is ensure you have the proper power settings enabled on your computers and other electronic devices. Many people do not, thus using a lot of energy even when you’re not working. Just turn on the sleep modes of your computers and monitors to conserve power, or consider upgrading to a new 0-watt standby LCD screen. Paper Consumption  - Paper, some would say it’s a requirement of every business. No longer. While some studies show that...

By Lucia Lorente - as printed in O.W.N. Fall 2008 In Ecuador, some rural areas do not have access to electricity. Communities use a huge number of battery-operated flashlights, consuming 10-12 batteries per month at a total expense of around 5-8 USD – a high portion out of an income that is often less than 2 USD per day! Further, batteries are toxic products that contain harmful metals and substances. The used batteries are not properly discharged. They fill fields all over, and children are found playing with the colourful used “toys,” even putting them into their mouths! Aware of this situation,  Pacari Chocolate , the first organic and fair trade chocolate developed in Ecuador from bean to final product, and its parent company Ecuadorian Organics have started a new program. The community-minded firm imports solar-powered flashlights to help farmers get around 5-6 hours of light. The batteries required last around three years, saving tremendous expense and waste. The solar energy...

Unilever commits to 75% sustainable packaging Unilever made a well-timed move to commit to sustainable sourcing of packaging in July with research studies showing consumers will change purchasing decisions to support this type of ethical commitment. Unilever published its sustainable paper and board packaging sourcing policy as part of its commitment to double the size of the business while reducing its environmental impact. The policy outlines the Unilever’s ambitious goal to work with its suppliers to source 75 per cent of its paper and board packaging from sustainably managed forests or from recycled material by 2015, rising to 100 per cent by 2020. The commitment makes Unilever the first global FMCG company to commit to sourcing all of its paper and board packaging from sustainably managed forests or recycled material within a clearly defined timeframe. For the company’s requirements for paper from virgin sources, preference will be given to supplies delivered through the Forest ...

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics. We are the only organization in the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. The OCA represents over 850,000 members, subscribers and volunteers, including several thousand businesses in the natural foods and organic marketplace. Our US and international policy board is broadly representative of the organic, family farm, environmental, and public interest community. The Organic Consumers Association was formed in 1998 in the wake of the mass backlash by organic consumers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

Well, look at the company itself. Enagic has been in business for over 36 years, their customer service is real (not like all the other ionizers companies online). Their sold devices have been working for an average of 20 to 25 years and the company can confirm it because each machine has an ID number. This is the only product they manufacture. Hospitals, hotels, restaurants, etc... buy from Enagic, not from small competitors which are not specializing in ionized water device like Enagic.  Other good reasons:  All steps of the manufacturing process are performed in the Enagic factory; production of parts and packaging to assembly, testing, inspection and final packaging. The complete in-house production ensures a high-quality product. Enagic has a ton of international certificates such as ISO certificates, that can be seen on their websites. They are part of DSA;  The Direct Selling Association (DSA) is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufa...

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, the term colony collapse disorder was first applied to a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honey bee colonies in North America in late 2006. Colony collapse is economically significant because many agricultural crops worldwide are pollinated by bees. The cause or causes of the syndrome are not yet fully understood, although many authorities attribute the problem to biotic factors such as Varroa mites and insect diseases. Other proposed causes include environmental change-related stresses, malnutrition and pesticides (e.g.. neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid), migratory beekeeping, cell phone radiation and genetically modified (GM) crops with pest control characteristics. It has also been suggested that it may be due to a combination of many factors and that...

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_21940.cfm