Keb’Mo’ plays “It Hurts Me, Too”.

The Carbon Disclosure Project is an investor-backed nonprofit organization that monitors greenhouse gas emissions for large corporations.   The CDP represents 534 institutional investors, with a combined $64 trillion under management.  In 2008, it published the emissions data for 1550 of the world’s largest corporations, accounting for 26% of global anthropogenic emissions.  At the beginning of 2010, the group turned its attention to water consumption reports, with the CDP Water Disclosure Project.

Beginning in January, a survey was sent out to participating investors, with an eye towards identifying companies’ water use in industries such as food and beverages, auto manufacturing, mining, pharmaceuticals, and electric utilities, the London-based group said in a statement.   The questionnaire is modeled on CDP’s  emissions data monitoring.

Growing populations and economic development are putting pressure on global water resources. The United Nations forecasts that almost half the world’s population will live in areas facing water stress or a shortage by 2030, according to CDP.

“Much of the impact of climate change will be felt through changing patterns of water availability,” Paul Dickinson, CDP’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. “CDP Water Disclosure will raise this awareness and drive companies to take action to mitigate risks and seize opportunities.”

The obvious drain on natural resources is of top concern regarding water use, however as water becomes a greater cost issue,  the environment may well benefit from the financial element that may ultimately spur large corporations to adopt less wasteful water practices.

Prominent corporations like Ford Motor, PepsiCo, and Molson Coors Brewing have already signed on to the water disclosure program.

It’s summertime and a lot of you are planning a driving vacation. Wearing a seat belt is often the difference between life and death.  For more summer driving tips, visit the AAA website.

Even a quick trip to the corner store requires a seat belt. Buckle up for safety!

I recently came across Nonna Joann Bruso’s Picky Eater blog post detailing the literal shelf life of a fast food child’s meal.  The author chose a MacDonald’s Happy Meal to discuss various components of fast food, from the obvious health detriment to cost analysis.  It’s a fascinating, albeit breezy, look at what we feed our kids.

Here’s the photo of the food on the day of purchase:

Below is the photo of the food ONE YEAR later:

The food had been sitting on a shelf in her office.  The author describes smelling whiffs of french fries for the first few days, then nothing.  No flies, no decomposition.

After watching “Super Size Me”, and reading “Fast Food Nation”, I have chosen to avoid fast food for myself and my family.   With all the crazy busy going on in our lives, that’s not always an easy choice, and yes, sometimes my kids get cranky when they have to wait until we get home to eat.  At times, it’s not an option to avoid the fast food, and on those days, I sigh and buy.  It’s all about balance, choice, and an extra helping of broccoli….

Josh Clayton Felt – ‘Windows’ HQ video. Enjoy!

I am often accused of feeling guilty for things which aren’t really my fault.  Now I find out that I can share the guilt with my ancient forebears.

According to a new report from Science,  our ancestors’ hunting the woolly mammoth to extinction may have caused some global warming, contributing a rise in temperature of about .1 degree Celsius.

This human-driven climate change occurred about 15,000 years ago.  The mammoths were responsible for pruning the young leaves off trees, similar to today’s elephants.  This pruning kept the northern lands of North America, Europe, and Asia mostly free of forests, maintaining a fairly temperate climate.  With the disappearance of the mammoth,  a certain type of birch tree, called the Betula, exploded across the area, creating forests that replaced as much as 1/4 of the former grassland.

The effect of the forest expansion was rising temperatures, as the more mature branches and trunks, and the darker leaves absorbed more solar radiation, continuing the warming trend even through the winter months.

Although it is impossible to ascertain that ancient humans were responsible for the extinction of the woolly mammoth, many researchers believe that over-hunting did indeed contribute to the animal’s eventual demise.

Obviously, people started to affect global warming much earlier than we thought.

We’ve re-launched our Facebook eCycle Group Page!  Please re-join the FB group to continue reading tips and updates about eCycle Group, Inc.  As a thank you for joining, you will be eligible to win a $25 Amazon gift card.  Please join soon, as the random drawing will take place on July 15.

Here are some of the plans our current subscribers have for the free gift card and for the extra cash they earn by recycling printer cartridges with eCycle Group:

• Margie used her check to help offset the cost of her company’s holiday celebration (we’re always up for a good party, too!)
• Barbara’s company also uses the money earned from eCycling to pay for employee functions.  She adds that in addition to the obvious benefits of recycling, they are also building employee relations and morale.  They plan on hosting a cookout at lunch time (we  love a good barbecue– what time should we come by?!)
• Susie’s class is using the money to help fund a mission project.  She adds that she enjoys the idea of recycling for her community while helping fund another!
• Karyn reports that her school uses the monthly eCycle checks towards purchases not covered by public funds (congratulations on supporting your school!)
• Rosemary eCycles year ‘round to stock her science class with updated supplies.  Her goal is to buy more microscopes, so she’s crossing her fingers for that extra $25!
• Kyle has plans to buy a reusable coffee cup when he wins the gift card (will you buy us a cappuccino with the leftover money?!)

What are your plans for your eCycle Group checks?

Now that summer is in full swing, it’s time to pull out the hot weather gear– all the toys and tools for the pool and beach, camping, grilling, and vacationing. By laying everything out, you can quickly see what survived its winter storage, and what could use an update.

Before you run to the trash bin or store (depending on whether you are discarding or renewing!), consider how you could recycle your goods. For instance, if your kids have outgrown inflatable pool toys, pass them along to friends with younger children.

If your beach towels have seen better days, a quick pass with a sewing machine can instantly refresh the edges. If you aren’t handy with a sewing machine, barter services or goods with a like-minded neighbor who is friendly with a sewing machine! It only takes 10 minutes per towel, but that’s a lot of bulk to keep out of the landfill!

Camping gear can be expensive; taking care of your gear as soon as you return from a trip will help exend its life. Set up your tent in the backyard to air it out and dry it off. Sweep away any leaves or debris to avoid contamination while storing it for the next camping adventure. Likewise, air out your camp bedding. Store your self-inflating sleep pads and sleeping bags loosely folded instead of inside their stuff bags; this will help maintain loft, which will lead to more comfortable sleeping on your next trip. Remove all batteries from your gadgets to avoid corrosion, but store the batteries with your camping gear so that you don’t find yourself without power when you’re ready to sleep under the stars.

When grill gear gets rusty, it’s time to replace. To avoid getting rust on your new grill utensils, remember to dry each ustensil after washing, and rub a thin film of vegetable oil on the metal parts to discourage rust from forming. By choking off the oxygen supply, you can avoid rust oxidation. Use the rusty tools in the garden, but avoid using them in the vegetable patch, as bacteria loves rust, and you don’t want to chance introducing tetanus to your food-producing soil.

There’s a lot of fun to be had, so enjoy the long, sunny days of summer!

The U.S. EPA estimates that 40 percent of all waste is generated in the workplace, so your business could be doing a lot by recycling.  You’ve signed up with eCycle Group to start recycling your printer and toner cartridges and old cell phones.  You’ve read all the information on the website, and you are eager to begin recycling.
Where to start?

First, designate a leader for the program to carry out the eCycle Group recycling process and keep things organized.  Ideally, this person will be organized and passionate about recycling.  Without a designated recycling coordinator, you will soon be left with material in the wrong bins. This isn’t a full-time position, and can typically be handled with only a few hours of work per month.

Once you appoint a coordinator, have that person distribute recycling bins in high-traffic areas. It could be a kitchen or break room, near the copier, right at the entrance or all of the above. Just make sure your bins don’t block the flow of your business.  The bins don’t have to be fancy; sturdy cardboard boxes clearly marked will suffice.

The next step is to label, both the bins themselves and the area around the bins. Write down exactly what should be put in each bin so you don’t end up with contamination.

It’s a nice touch to write the material accepted on the wall next to the bin, and send a company-wide e-mail with any changes. This will also help identify recycling to your custodial staff, who might otherwise mix it in with garbage.

The recycling coordinator may also need to transport material to one central location in the office for easy packing, as well as contact Fed Ex for package pick up. For this reason, it’s probably best to choose a recycling coordinator that doesn’t mind a little manual labor.

If your company is small, you might consider offering to collect cartridges, etc from neighboring businesses, and let employees bring in cartridges and phones from home. The additional packing to ship to eCycle Group will be a small amount of extra work, and you will get some good PR out of it, not to mention some extra cash to offset the extra labor.

Father’s Day is this Sunday; are you looking for ideas to celebrate the special man in your life?

This year, consider going green for Father’s Day!  Begin the day with a visit to the local farmer’s market to purchase the ingredients for his celebratory breakfast:  fresh eggs from a local farmer, whole grain bread to slice thickly into crunchy toast, and organic preserves or local honey to sweeten the deal. Wash it down with fresh squeezed juice and fair-trade coffee.

Follow your locavore breakfast with a sustainable gift.  Instead of the usual shirt and tie, how about supporting the World Wild Life organization with a gift that will help protect the future of nature. Your symbolic adoption supports WWF’s global efforts to protect wild animals and their habitats.  Purchase a card online for a $50 donation.  Choose among 100 different species– nothing says I love you like adopting a pygmy elephant!

If dad is the sporty type, news from the golf front promises environmental change in the form of biodegradable golf balls from Dixon Golf for about $40, and Biomax’s Biodegradable Golf tees (100 for about $11).

Remember soap-on-a rope?  Tweak this traditional gift by turning to Burt’s Bees Men’s Natural Grooming kit for $20.  With products containing ingredients that come from renewable and plentiful resources found in nature, and absolutely no petroleum compounds, the grooming essentials in this travel kit are perfect for Dad’s business trips.

Still want to buy that tie?  How about a one of a kind wallet or passport cover created with vintage ties?  The Narwhal Company creates original accessories from recycled ties for approximately $20.

Happy Father’s Day, to all our eCycle Group fathers.  You make our world go ’round!