Are they worth it? The jury’s still out. One way to look at the issue is that carbon credits let you pay for the privilege to pollute. But that’s not to say that carbon credits in and of themselves should be seen as negative. After all, if you have to fly across the country, it’s certainly a good idea to try to neutralize the damage. They also make a fantastic gift for that eco-minded friend or relative has everything.

The key is to make sure that the credits you purchase will actually be used to support a green project. Here’s how to make sure your offsets are legit.

Do your homework. Before you spend your hard earned dollars on carbon offsets, check out a carbon credit buying guide such as Clean Air-Cool Planet to get a better idea of what to look for in a carbon credit company.

Dig in

. Research the company to make sure it is legit. Look for those that are certified and audited by a third party such as Environmental Resources Trust or the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance.

Try it. Check out the carbon offsets offered by Carbon Fund or Green-e.

Exxon/Mobil
HQ? Dallas, TX
Where’s the oil from? Mexico, Canada, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Iraq
How much do they spend on alternative energy? They’re not talking
Environmental record? Exxon will forever be linked with the notorious Exxon Valdez tanker spill in 1989 when 11 million gallons of oil marred Alaskan reefs and waters.

BP
HQ? London, U.K.
Where’s the oil from? Canada, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Angola
How much do they spend on alternative energy? $600 million
Environmental record? BP was the original bad boy of the oil biz; however, a recent makeover means that BP is now the most transparent of all the oil companies with real efforts to support alternative energy and improve social responsibility.

Wanna know more? Read the full report from Good Magazine here.

]]> http://www.thegreenparent.com/2008/07/20/how-green-is-your-gas-station/feed/ 12 http://www.thegreenparent.com/2008/07/18/how-to-green-your-kids-without-nagging/ http://www.thegreenparent.com/2008/07/18/how-to-green-your-kids-without-nagging/#comments Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:46:00 +0000 Jenn Savedge http://www.thegreenparent.com/?p=192 As a mom, I spend enough hours of my day “nagging” my kids about one thing or another (“wear a sweater”,” eat your broccoli,” etc.) So I knew that if I didn’t get my girls involved and excited about going green, it would become just one more thing that I had to nag them about (“recycle that can!”) Here’s how I teach my kids to go green:

1. Be A Model: Like most kids, my girls learn more from what I do than from what I say. So I try to “walk the walk” by recycling, buying green, saving energy, reducing trash, and conserving water every chance I get.
2. Get Dirty!: My girls and I get outside as often as possible, even if it’s just for a little walk each day. Every minute kids spend outdoors increases their connection to the environment and improves the chances they’ll want to protect it.
3. Be A Team

   : My girls are young, but they still have plenty of great ideas about protecting the planet. So I make it a point to listen and make them part of the team, instead of just telling them how I think it should be done. (Just the other day, my eldest daughter, Emily, decided to divide each sheet of her drawing paper into four sections, so that she could draw eight small pictures on each sheet instead of just two. It’s a great idea that never would have gone over if I had suggested it!)

4. Make It Fun
   download ultramarines: a warhammer 40,000 movie film in hd

   : In our house, going green is not a sacrifice. It’s crafts, hikes, gardening, books, and trips to the museum. In other words, it’s fun stuff that we all look forward to doing each day!

Just how toxic is your bathroom?

To date, 89% of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (an in-house panel appointed by the cosmetics industry), or anyone else.

A 2004 survey by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research group, found that the average adult uses approximately nine personal care products each day, for a total of 126 unique chemical ingredients.

While some products are tested for reactions such as skin redness, rashes, or stinging, there is little to no information about the long-term safety of these chemical cocktails for either humans or the environment.

The good news is that you don’t have to give up washing your hair or smelling good in order to protect your health and be nice to the planet. There are safe, non-toxic alternatives to virtually every personal care product your family needs. Here are the top 5 ways to green your beauty regime.

1. Read The Labels: Take five seconds to read the label and put down any product that contains phthalates, mercury, toluene, lead, formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, parabens (hormone-disrupting preservatives such as methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, and propylparaben), or BHA. These chemicals are considered the most detrimental to human and environmental health.
2. Use A Little Less: Reevaluate your beauty regimen to see if you can get by with a little less. Do you really need all of those beauty products in your cabinet? For each product you eliminate, you’ll save money and reduce the chemicals in your body and in the environment.
   
3. Be Kind To Animals: Animal testing is unnecessary, unethical, and just plain cruel. Look for the “Leaping Bunny” label to make sure your beauty products are “cruelty-free.” This symbol, created by the The Coalition For Consumer Information On Cosmetics, is the only international standard for personal care products indicating that they have not been tested on animals.
4. Don’t Leave A Carbon Footprint On Your Face: O.K., so you’ve cut back on the amount of oil and gas you use in your car, now how about reducing the carbon footprint of the chemicals you use on your body? Petroleum derivatives are found in a surprising number of personal care products such as lip balm, lotions, and lubricants, as well as the plastics used in sanitary products. Pass on products that use petroleum or its derivatives (paraffin oil, propylene glycol, and ethylene) and look for alternatives such as beeswax, cocoa butter, and vegetable oils instead.
5. Skip Disposables: According the environmental news website Grist , 2 billion disposable razors end up in United States landfills each year. Invest in a reusable and refillable razor to save money and take a knick out the waste stream.

At The Hotel

• Turn off lights, air conditioning units, TVs, and other appliances before you leave for the day.
• Most hotels have a policy in place to limit unnecessary bedding and towel changes. If yours does, take advantage of it…if it doesn’t, ask if they’ll consider it.
• Bring along your own bar of soap and reusable bottles of shampoo, lotion, and condition.

Getting Around

• Walk, ride your bike, or take public transportation whenever possible.
• If you do need a car, consider using a car-sharing program such as ZipCar or Flexcar that offers eco-friendly cars for rent by the hour, day, or week. Or rent a hybrid or electric vehicle from EV Rentals.
• Carry your own reusable drink bottle and tote bag to avoid the need for disposables.

Low-Impact Activities

• No matter where you go, try to get outside as much as possible during your trip. Visit a local park or waterfront, take a walking tour, or rent a bike, sailboat, canoe, or kayak and go explore.

• If possible, use a digital camera to eliminate the chemicals and paper required to make unnecessary prints. If your camera requires batteries, use rechargeables instead of disposables.
• Don’t take maps of brochures unless you really need them.
• Slip the cheap plastic trinkets and cheesy t-shirt and look for sustainable souvenirs that are made locally and support the local economy. But be sure to avoid any products made from endangered and/or threatened species such as those that contain tortoise shells, ivory, feathers, coral, or animal skins.
• Rent or borrow gear that you will use infrequently instead of purchasing new.
• If you visit a natural area on your vacation, respect the environment by following designated trails, paying entrance fees, disposing of your trash properly, and not harassing the wildlife. Take only pictures and leave nothing but footprints.
• If you are traveling to another country, minimize your global impact by showing your respect for the local culture. Read up on the environmental, economic, and social issues of your destination. Learn a few words of the local language and be sure you understand and adhere to cultural norms.

Dining Out

Click here for tips on eating green on the go.

Keep It Light: Save you back and save the planet by keeping your load as light as possible. The less you pack, the less energy (yours and the planet’s) it will take to get your bags to your destination.

Grab the Green Stuff:

Of course, packing lightly doesn’t mean that you should skimp on the green essentials. Make sure you have these supplies in your suitcase so that you can go green on the go:

• Reusable drink bottle
• Reusable tote bag
• Reusable bottles of toiletries
• Digital camera
• A great green read

Before you head off on your eco-friendly vacation, take these steps to make sure that things stay green back home:

• Adjust your hot water heater and heating and air conditioning units to use the minimum amount of energy necessary while you’re gone. (If you have pets that are staying behind…be sure to leave the house a comfortable temperature for them!)
• If you need to leave a light on for security purposes, use a timer to avoid wasting electricity.
• Stop your newspaper.
• If possible, turn off your water (from the pipes outside) to prevent flooding or leaks while you’re gone. Just be sure to turn the water back on slowly and check thoroughly for leaks when you return.
• Unplug all unnecessary appliances and electronics (such as TVs, coffee machines, and computers) to eliminate energy “leaks.”
• Lift the wire on your freezer’s ice machine to turn it off and prevent leaks while you’re away.

• On-site recycling
• Shuttle service to and from the airport and other popular destinations
• Low-flow toilets and showerheads
• Motion activated lights
• Native plant landscaping
• Eco-friendly cleaners
• Bicycle rentals

At The Hotel

Make your green hotel even greener by turning off lights, air conditioning units, TVs, and other appliances before you leave for the day. Ask housekeeping to limit unnecessary bedding and towel changes to save energy and water. If housekeeping doesn’t comply, put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. And bring along your own bar of soap and reusable bottles of shampoo, lotion, and conditioner instead of using the disposable bottles proved by the hotel.

As a general rule, the closer you stay to home, the less energy will be used and pollution created to get your family to your destination. But that doesn’t mean you need to skip the vacation or avoid traveling altogether. Here’s how to green your next trip.

Try A Staycation: Skyrocketing gas prices have caused many American families to cancel their travel plans this year. If your family will be “staycationing” (or staying at home for vacation), consider this your golden opportunity to check out your local scene. Explore nearby parks, museums, shops, and restaurants. Put up a tent in the backyard and let your kids stay up late telling ghost stories under the stars. Hit your local library and movie rental store to stock up on new selections. If you don’t already have one, borrow or rent a canoe to explore your local waterways. Take a walk or ride bikes, play board games, order pizza (eco-friendly pizza, of course) or just curl up with a great green read. Need more ideas? Check out The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Backyard Adventures for some great staycationing ideas.

Vacations That Give Back: Looking for an unconventional family vacation? Consider a volunteer excursion where you and your family exchange work for accommodations, food, and sometimes even travel expenses. The Sierra Club offers a number of family service trips such as building new trails near Aspen or preserving artifacts in Dinosaur National Monument. Or contact the World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms to learn about organic farms around the world that welcome families in exchange for a few hours of work.

Low-Impact Travel: If you do decide to hit the open road (or tracks or skies), be good to the planet by minimizing the impact of your travel. Planes emit more carbon dioxide per traveler than any other means of transportation, followed by cars and trains. If you are traveling in the United States, consider taking a family-friendly train ride to your destination. You will reduce your family’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and save yourself the torture of flying with children. Need to fly? Consider offsetting your trip with a program like Better World Travel’s TravelCool Carbon Offset Program or Green-e that will support green energy or tree planting programs that neutralize the greenhouse gas emitted during your travel. And if you drive, get a tune up before you go to improve your gas mileage by up to 15%.

For more info about eco-friendly vacations and sustainable tourism, check out these sites:

Better World Club

Green Map Atlas

Green Travel Hub

Planeta

Responsible Travel

The Rainforest Alliance

No Impact Gifts

• Save paper, stamps, and the planet, by sending dad a Father’s Day Ecard
• Give him a Charity Choice Gift Card that he can redeem to support one of his favorite nationally recognized charities.
• Tickets anyone? Give dad tickets to his favorite concert, movie, museum, or art show.
• Whip up a batch of dad’s favorite treats. Try these recipes for Grilled Antipasto, Banana and Pecan Pancakes, Crispy Rice Treats, or Beef Jerky.
• Plant a tree, flower, or garden together.
• Make dad a computer slideshow of his favorite photos and homemade artwork.
• Here’s an idea from Green Halloween‘s Corey Colwell-Lipson: make dad a treasure hunt or hike of pre-hidden notes that recount memories or share “dad-gratitudes” to let dad know how special he is.

Eco-Savvy Gifts

Book-Worm Dad:Give dad a great green read to entertain and inform him this Father’s Day. The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth Friendly Living is a great choice for dads who want to raise kids without trashing the planet. It includes interviews with his favorite environmentalists as well as how-to instructions for building an eco-friendly birdhouse or getting the best fuel economy out of his car. Or try American Earth, a fascinating anthology of environmental writing edited by eco-hero Bill McKibben (he’s also interviewed in The Green Parent.) American Earth includes a foreword by Al Gore and the insightful writings of inspirational environmentalists such as Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, John Muir, Rachel Carson, and Michael Pollan.

High-Tech Dad: For dads who love their gadgets, try the Bamboo Phone/PDA Charger that lets him organize and charge all of his personal electronics (like cell phones, PDAs, Mp3s, and digital cameras) in one location. It’s made from eco-savvy bamboo and with all of his chargers plugged in to one power strip, he’ll be able to eliminate “phantom” energy use with the click of a button. Or give dad a CEIVA Digital Photo Frame and he’ll have easy access to all of his favorite shots without the eco-impact of film, photo printing, and albums.

Young At Heart Dad: What dad wouldn’t love his own race car or viking ship? Give him the eco-friendly version with a solar-powered Race Car or Valient Viking Ship that you two can put together. And don’t forget to challenge dad to a backyard race!

Outdoorsy Dad: Whether your dad loves to hike, paddle, or ski, he’ll love the a Solar Backpack that holds all of his essentials while using sunlight to charge his iPod, cell phone, or PDA. Or try
a Watergeeks filtered sports bottle made from BPA free plastic that filters tap water for dads on the go.

Sensitive Skin Dad: Help dad take care of his skin with products that are as gentle on his face as they are on the planet. Try vedaDUDE’s line of natural skin care products for men. Each product is made from organic ingredients like organic aloe leaf juice, organic green tea, and organic bilberry extract.