I love my new reusable bag by Flip & Tumble. It’s attractive, roomy, has a shoulder pad on the strap and rolls up into a small, lightweight ball that fits easily in my purse. I showed it to my cat Boo. He didn’t think much of it as a ball. I shook it open. That [...]
Holiday Guide to Reuse & Recycling
After the holidays, we’re often left with the problem of what to do with all the waste — from the platters of uneaten food to the Christmas tree to the old things that the shiny new gifts replaced. The answer: reuse or recycle them. See my new “Holiday Guide to Reuse & Recycling” for practical, [...]
BPA Risk from Food and Beverage Cans
Public health experts have been warning consumers for the last few years about the possible risk of BPA exposure from the epoxy lining in food and beverage cans. Now a November 2011 study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health shows the concern to be well-founded. The Harvard study found highly elevated levels [...]
Green Giving for the Holidays
I still remember virtually every gift I received in childhood, not because the gifts were so special, but because they were so few. Though I was a comfortable child of the post-war boom, the times were thrifty compared to today. I never had more than a few dolls, games, crayons, records, books, a bike and [...]
Avoiding Factory Farm Foods
If you believe that it’s wrong to subject animals to a lifetime of pain and deprivation, you should be very careful about what you eat. Virtually all animal foods in this country — not just meat, but milk, cheese and eggs — are produced by a system of agriculture that subjects farm animals to just [...]
Let’s Put Overpopulation Back on the Agenda
The world’s population topped 7 billion yesterday, according to the United Nations. Amazingly, it was covered in the media not so much as a problem as a milestone. Oh look, we’ve hit the big 7-0-0-0-0-0-0 mark. How can that be? Overpopulation is one of the root causes of our most pressing environmental problems — from [...]
Fall Pasta with Swiss Chard, Apple and Maple Syrup
This is a very earthy, satisfying and quick fall recipe with no animal products. If you’re not in a rush, you could try making it with quinoa or barley instead of pasta for a more nutritious meal. Ingredients for 2 servings A small handful of pistachios or halved walnuts 4 tbsp olive oil 1/2 c [...]
Keep Drugs out of Drinking Water
Disposing of old, expired and/or unneeded medications is tricky. You don’t want kids, teens or pets to get a hold of them (or drug abusers for that matter), so you might think the old recommendation to flush them down the toilet is good advice. But this practice solves one problem only to create another. With [...]
A Local’s View of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
9/11 is a national event but for those of us who lived in Tribeca in the shadow of the towers at the time, it was a local event, too. My son went to school just 5 blocks away at P.S. 234 and was there when the first plane struck. I visited 234 this morning and [...]
How Permeable Pavement Stood up to Hurricane Irene
While riding out Hurricane Irene in suburban New Jersey at my brother’s house this weekend, I got to see permeable pavement in action. The storm dumped over 7 inches of rain onto his town in about 12 hours. As I was out walking my dog in the worst of it, I saw water streaming off [...]
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This Green Blog is the companion blog to NRDC's This Green Life, a green living column written by Sheryl Eisenberg for the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Subscribe to get it for FREE each month.) Sheryl has also written Greentips for the Union of Concerned Scientists and designs websites for environmental groups and others with her firm, Mixit Productions.
Holiday gifts that save the environment
I go to NRDC Green Gifts when I need presents for friends who care about the planet and don't need more stuff. These gifts are very meaningful for the right kind of person—and do real good in the world. My fave: Revive a Rainforest. For just $15, NRDC plants a tree in the Costa Rican rainforest for your friend or family member.
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