Don't Throw Away Those Corks!

Someone will take them, recycle them, and help you feel better about how many you're popping! I've thought about composting them, but instead just find myself collecting them. (Read: slipping them in my pocket, grabbing them off counters, or saving them from kitchen trash cans a la George Costanza and the eclair, etc.)

I end up throwing them in containers around the house, much like I do with foam packing peanuts and bubble wrap.

Now I learn about THIS!

Known as ReCORK America, the program is focused on obtaining used and surplus corks from winery tasting rooms, bottling lines and quality assurance laboratories. In addition, collection locations are being established with key retailers and restaurants in larger metropolitan areas. A list of current collection locations is available on this Web site. It should be emphasized that only natural cork is being accepted. No plastic or metal closures please.

Because of natural cork’s ability to retain carbon dioxide (CO2) from its inception as a wine cork through its reuse as a recycled cork product, it is a perfect example of sustainable packaging. No other wine closure can make this claim.

Check it out yourself at the ReCORK America site.

Oh Sheryl....tell us it's not true!

Grist.org has brought it to our attention that Sheryl Crow recently came up with some "little" things we all can do to help the environment.

According to the BBC:

Crow has suggested using "only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required".

"I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting."

The BBC goes on to report that Crow has a clothing line that includes shirts with removable "dining sleeves" that you can use as a napkin and then swap out after your meal

I'm all for the cloth napkins - it's all we use at RG central - but wiping your mouth on your sleeve? This is a joke, right?

Harry Potter Goes Green

Love the books. Surprised myself by enjoying the movies, too. Along with everyone else, I'm hooked!

I'm anticipating the last book *sniff* and I'm ready to pre-order a copy.

Now we can all feel better about those millions of copies of the book that will be printed and purchased this summer.

Grist is reporting that each heavy copy will contain at least 30 percent recycled fiber AND that a limited deluxe edition will contain 100% recycled fiber.

Visit Grist for details. No time for me to elaborate...I've got to get on that deluxe-edition pre-order list stat!

Cow worship?

We were laughing last night about the most prevalent theme in our RG refrigerator. Keane said it looks like we're Hindu.

But really it's just a reflection of the rise of the "happy cow" as a signifier of "better dairy."

Sure it's marketing. Who wouldn't want to buy milk that comes from a cow that appears to be leaping with joy?

Tips for Spring Cleaning

If you're planning to freshen up your home and want to reduce the environmental impact you'll find a lot of help in "Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home" by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin.

It's chock-full of tips on getting things sparkling clean while reducing your impact on the environment.

You don't have to overwhelm family and pets with noxious fumes to accomplish a thorough cleaning.

"Green Clean" will help you select more benign products that still get the job done.

Don't be fooled: Many products marketed as "green" don't pass muster when you take a closer look.

The book is water and stain resistant, too, so you can toss it in to the bucket you use to schlep those eco-friendly cleaning supplies.

Buy "Green Clean" Now

Green Really is Mainstream

Despite what you may have heard, there really isn't a holier-than-thou bone in my body.

I think it's great that it's "Green Week" on Live With Regis &Kelly. I was just.....surprised.

Surely I shouldn't be.

Earth Day is a-comin'.

It appears that ABC is with-the-program and they've been talking up Planet Earth recently.

Kelly and (guest co-host/hubby) Mark Consuelos are about my age. They're part of the mid-30s *cough* generation raised through the 1970s with the 3 Rs (reduce, re-use, recycle), School House Rock, and the oil crisis.

Anyway, though I rarely watch it, I caught some of it Monday and lo-and-behold Danny Seo was on promoting his terrific book "Simple Steps To A Greener Home" and presenting....um....10 very RG and simple steps.

You can buy the fantastic book here. Simple Steps to a Greener Home with Danny Seo

And you can check out all the offerings from Green Week at Live here.

Enjoy!

Teenage Wasteland

Photo Courtesy Fry-o-Diesel

Samples left to right, raw trap grease, grease after it's been filtered but before final dewatering, and Fry-o-Diesel's final biodiesel fuel. Cool!

About 5,000 North Americans (hello, Canada!) have converted their diesel cars or trucks to run on vegetable oil. Some drive straight-vegetable-oil (SVO) vehicles, while others use alternative biodiesel fuels.

Do-it-yourselfers can convert a diesel engine to SVO for about $1,000, including the cost of tools.

I recently read a cool article about a man who converted a 1981 diesel Mercedes to SVO for his son. He needed another car and decided he wanted one that could be run on waste oil. He fuels up for FREE by taking unwanted waste oil off the hands of local restaurants. Disposing of waste oil properly is an added expense for businesses, so they're happy to hand it over!

That's where the work of a firm like Philapelphia's Fry-o-Diesel could come in handy. Funded in part by a Pennsylvania Energy Harvest grant, Fry-o-Diesel is collecting waste oil that would otherwise end up incinerated or dumped down drains (bad!), then filtering and processing it to produce biodiesel. This is still a test project, so the fuel isn't for sale, but Fry-o-Diesel hopes to demonstrate the feasibility of converting restaurant trap grease to heating oil and biodiesel.

For more information, visit the Fry-o-Diesel Web site, or listen to a cool NPR story about them while it remains available here.

I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend

A quick post with a link to a recent article about *swoon* plug-in hybrids. Click here to learn all about this attractive automobile option. Now that's dreamy!

I'm beginning to worry that my imaginary "boyfriend" (my future car that will run on waste oil) is going to get jealous of my infatuation with the plug-in hybrid technology. Oh, well! A girl has to have options and I reserve the right to change my mind.