The Superman Strip- #1

The great thing about saving the planet is that you don't have to be Superman. Everyone can do their bit.

#1 Buying less is part of it, as is making better use of what we already have.

#2 Use Glass Containers to microwave your food.

#3 Resist the temptation to over tidy your garden. Rotting logs, nettles and dead heads (sunflowers, cardoons) are an important source of food and shelter for insects and birds. Leave them in your garden for as long as possible (and ignore tutting neighbours.....ahaaa!).

The alternatives to Plastic Bags

Retailers step up efforts to reduce plastic bag use:

1. Checkout operators would soon be asking customers with three items or less if they wanted a plastic bag.

2. Customers were able to purchase reusable eco-shopping bags from the stores.

3. People were being encouraged to reuse their shopping bags and staff were being taught how to pack more efficiently.

Read the complete article at:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10434222

Alternative to Plastic in Gardening:

Why SF says No to Plastic Bags? Check out the facts!

No more Plastic Bags in San Francisco!

The city's Board of Supervisors approved to outlaw plastic checkout bags at large supermarkets in about six months and large chain pharmacies in about a year. I wish the same to happen all over the world. Read the complete story at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/28/MNGDROT5QN1.DTL


THE FACTS:

#1 According to the EPA, U.S. consumes over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps each year.

#2 Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

#3 Manufacturing 100 billion plastic shopping bags needs an estimated 12 million barrels of oil.

#4 Plastic is forever. Bags made of HDPE persist on our planet for up to 1,000 years.

#5 The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store.

#6 Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation.

#7 Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food.

Top Stories: Earth Day

1. Google: The official Google Blog reports that it has joined forces with Scholastic to distribute lesson plans (and a contest) to middle-schoolers across the U.S.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/celebrating-earth-day.html

2. Home Depot: A range of products named eco-options are launched, which makes it easier for the consumer to identify the products which have less impact on the environment.
http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html

3. Office Depot: Launches a new section of its website devoted to green e-commerce. You can buy anything from recycled paper to non-toxic highlighters.
http://www.officedepot.com/storeFront.do?N=302113+10000

4. Teko: It makes eco-friendly socks from organic cotton, lngeo corn fiber and wool from environmentally friendly sound sheep farm.
http://www.tekosocks.com/

5. Marriott International: It will be hosting a Green Fair for 3000 of its employees today at its HQ in Bethesda, MD. The event show cases green products and has guest speakers.

6. India Glazes Limited: It is promoting use of reusable, environmental friendly bags made of Jute, Cotton and Canvas cloth. This itself is reasonably Earth-friendly.
http://www.indiaglazes.com

7. San Diego Earth Works: In its 18th anniversary, this is supposed to be the largest free annual environmental fair in the world.
http://www.earthdayweb.org/SDEW_EarthFair.html

Why do we celebrate Earth Day?

Let me start by asking you a simple question. Why do we celebrate birthdays? Is it the fact that we have survived another year against all odds or is it the hope to live another year?

It is not the past which is foremost on our minds but it is about future. We celebrate having come so far and would want to see ourselves more successful in the year ahead. We try to learn from the mistakes made in the past and try not to repeat them. We want to make a better future for ourselves and for the generations to come.

Similarly, Earth Day is the time to celebrate our achievements and to set new targets to accelerate the process of saving the environment. It is time to create new visions to save our planet.

Earth Day celebration was started by Senator Gaylord Nelson. To read the complete story about how did it all start, go to the following link: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/redrecy/earthday.html

Save Earth, Go Natural!
Check out the 10 Tips offered on Earth Day by the National Geographic Society: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/113/tips