The Real Dirt on Farmer John, "Growing the Local Food Movement"

The final film in the three part Slow Food Boston Film Festival will play at the Theodore Parker Church in West Roxbury on Sunday, 13 April, at 4pm. The film, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, is about John Peterson, a pioneer of organic farming and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the US. Slow Food Boston and the good folks at Theodore Parker Church have also arranged an impressive line-up of panelists to speak after the film, including Jim Buckle (Allandale Farm), Andrew Rodgers (Green Meadows), Kate Stillman (Stillman's at the Turkey Farm), Jen Hashley &
Pete Lowy (Verrill Farm, Pete & Jen's Backyard Birds), and James Lionette (Lionette's Market, Garden of Eden).

In preparation for the event, one of the organizers (Sue Barnard) has made a list of local CSAs, including meat CSAs, in the Boston area. The list needs some updating, but you can find information about Boston CSA and farm resources, on the church website. Click the link in the paragraph on the CSA Task Force.

This event ties in nicely with our own talk about building a local food movement. As a reminder, we will be holding a "Growint the Local Food Movement" potluck, on Sunday, March 30th, with Kate Mrozicki, CSA manager at The Food Project. We will have area CSA brochures available (thanks to all of the farmers who sent them along!), and you'll hear a great presentation, share what you have done (or hope to do) to support/grow local food, and eat yummy potluck food! If you would like to be added to our eVite list for this or future potlucks (Boston area only), please email susan(at)consciousconsuming(dot)com.

Boston Green Drinks April 1st, Bill McKibben speaks in Boston March 28-30

From our friends at Boston Green Drinks:
Come join us on Tuesday, April 1st at Cactus Club from ~6:30pm onward.
Location: 939 Boylston Street, Boston
Closest T: Green line to Hynes Convention Center.

Down 2 Earth, a consumer-oriented eco-living show is at the Hynes Convention Center March 28-30. Bill McKibben is one of the keynote speakers, and the content ranges from a seminar in sustainable design to a presentation on eco-conscious wedding planning. Go to d2eboston.com. (Note: Green Drinker Jennifer Baldwin is one of the organizers, and the Globe will have a story on the show on the 28th by Green Drinker Michael Prager.)

News notes:
The first auction of pollution credits under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a 10-state consortium that includes all of New England, has been scheduled for Sept. 10. RGGI is the first regional US group to tackle greenhouse-gas reductions with a cap-and-trade system. News brief here.

The US House recently passed a bill that would take the tax breaks that the top 5 oil companies receive — about $17 billion — and reapportion it as incentives for the solar, geothermal, wind, and biomass industries. A similar proposal failed earlier in the Senate, under threat of presidential veto. ... According to Lester Brown, founder of the Earth Policy Institute and author of "Plan B, 3.0, Mobilizing to Save Civilization," taking political action is the most important step any citizen can take, so please call your senators!

--

Elaine, Hershie, Michael

Boston Green Drinks Team

Freiker Works to get kids Biking to School

Another great non-profit in Boulder that encourages sustainability is Freiker. Freiker is short for "frequent biker," and the idea is to get kids motivated about riding their bikes to school by providing feedback about how frequently they ride via the Freikometer. According to their website, "The Freikometer counts riders using a radio-frequency identification (RFID). Freikers have RFID tags affixed to their helmets. When they ride to school, they ride past the Freikometer to 'ring in'." the Freikometers are solar powered, and I can attest (since my daughter goes to school at one of the shools with a Freikometer) that the kids LOVE to have their rides recorded. Freiker offers prizes, like an iPod to riders who ride their bikes 160 rides a year (not easy to do). But riding no matter the weather becomes a habit, and it's great habits like these that our kids need, both for their health and for the planet.

You can contact Freiker to make a donation or to see if they can expand to a school near you!

Conscious Consuming Events in March 2008

I interrupt my Boulder blast to let you all know about some great Conscious Consuming events in Boston:

First off, we wanted to thank you all for the enthusiastic response to our Discussion Series. We provided this as a tool on our website so that more people would take up the cause with people in their own local communities, and it seems to be working! Remember, we are offering small stipends to folks who hold their meetings and take phots or create blog entries about how it went. The goal is to inspire others to “Slow Down and Green Up!”

We wanted to let you know about two events we are holding in Boston in the near future. First, we are excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a lunch-time potluck on Sunday, March 30th, with Kate Mrozicki, CSA manager at The Food Project, to discuss “Growing the Local Food Economy.” We sent the eVite for this event earlier today, so if you didn’t receive one and would like to be added to our eVite list for this or future Boston events, please email susan (at) consciousconsuming (dot) org.

We also wanted to let you all know about the upcoming workshop "Global Warming Cafe: Concrete Steps to Decrease your Carbon Footprint," brought to you by the Boston Climate Action Network, The Jamaica Plain Forum and Conscious Consuming.

Saturday, March 29th, 1-5pm
1:00PM-5:00PM
FREE

First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist -Parish Hall
6 Eliot St.
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130
www.jamaicaplainforum.org

The Global Warming Cafe is a powerful, new social change technology that enables us to experience the power of community. Rather than passively listening to experts, the Global Warming Cafe is an opportunity to:

+ Draw on your experience,
+ Actively reflect with others in your community, and
+ Find ways with others to take practical steps forward

We will share, listen actively, draw ideas out on paper, laugh and learn. You will leave with knowledge about programs to help us lower our carbon footprint and transfer this knowledge to our homes, communities, workplaces, and beyond.

Take the leap from climate change-induced despair to informed empowerment!

Please RSVP for this event! Email Sarah at globalwarmingcafejp@gmail.com

Permaculture and The Great Reskilling

Part of Boulder County Going Local's mission is to help prepare individuals and the Boulder community for peak oil and climate change by building the local economy. To that end, this spring they have been offering a variety of free talks and fee-based workshops collectively labeled The Great Reskilling, which include everything from building greenhouses and installing solar panelling to designing your own permaculture garden. I went to a vermicomposting workshop a few weekends ago and got myself a worm bin to help build up the organic matter in the dry Colorado soil. This Saturday I attended a Permaculture Garden Design workshop with Sandy Cruz. I learned a lot about permaculture, which I knew very little about before the workshop. Mostly, I learned how we should all be to develop our gardening and food preservation skills if our communities are to become self-reliant. Here is a quote from the Boulder County Going Local website:

Many people have first hand experience in growing or eating locally produced food at some time in their life. The idea that we can eat whatever we want, whenever we want–mangoes in the winter, Thai spices in Northern Canada or an American burger in Delhi for cheap–is still fairly new and is highly problematic.

In North America a revival is taking place. More and more communities and towns have at least one farmers market. Awareness is spreading. Some people consciously choose to buy local produce when they go grocery shopping or belong to a box scheme or even pick herbs, fruits and veggies from their gardens in the warmer months. Reducing consumption and starting to produce locally is sometimes easier said than done, but this is an area where there are plenty of resources and examples of community groups and also lots of potential for individuals and communities to learn and succeed at various levels.

Why not try googling "permaculture workshop," "community gardens" or "gardening workshop" in your state, to see if you can reskill yourself?

Boulder County Going Local

I may have mentioned that my family relocated to Boulder, CO from Boston last summer. Boulder has a fantabulous group called Boulder County Going Local that is working on relocalizing the economy, from food production and distribution to supporting local, independent businesses. Conscious Consuming is also interested in these issues, as you know. Boulder has long been known as an "eco-community," and people living here are often said to live in the "Boulder Bubble." People in Boulder, I think, are far ahead of most communities in terms of awareness of minimizing climate impact and activities that support doing just that. For instance, during the holidays the city sponsored an LED Christmas light exchange, in which people from the community got to exchange their traditional light strings with LED strings for only $5 (they are normally about $20 a string in hardware stores, if you can find them at all). The two day event "sold out" on the first day, with a line wrapping down the Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall. I am not advocating that all of you conscious consumers out there move to Boulder, but that we all follow their lead, and implement some of the programs Boulder non-profits have pioneered in our own communities.

Here is an excerpt from the Boulder County Going Local website:

"BUY LOCAL FIRST!" refers to a commitment to the community. Rather than simply promoting "buying local," the campaign suggests our larger role as stewards. By thinking local first, we can make choices that have dramatic impact on our community, our economy, and our environment. While it will rarely be possible to buy everything we need or use from local independent businesses, we are advocating for people to first think local in order to maximize the impact of daily actions and purchasing decisions.

I will be posting some snippets from the worthy eco-forward non-profits in Boulder this week. Hope you enjoy reading them!

Leaving Behind the Trucker Hat - New York Times

I'm actually posting an article on time: Leaving Behind the Trucker Hat. Even though this article focuses on those who move out of the city to become farmers, there are nice examples of those who decided to stay in the city and start their own local businesses as well. Both are important for a local food revolution!

Keep Ads out of Children's Books!

From Commercial Alert:

Dear Friends,

HarperCollins Children's Books recently announced plans to publish a new series of books targeted at 8- to 12-year-olds featuring a character called "Mackenzie Blue."

Although touted by the publisher for teaching kids about protecting the environment and promoting global understanding, the Mackenzie Blue series actually aims to be a vehicle for delivering commercial messages, through product-placement hidden advertisements, product tie-ins, and affiliated multi-media corporate sponsorships. The author of the series, Tina Wells, is chief executive of Buzz Marketing Group, which specializes in marketing to children and adolescents.

Book publishers should not be exploiting children for commercial gain. Books should educate and entertain children - not encourage them to buy a particular brand of shoe or soft drink.

Please click here to tell HarperCollins not to publish "Mackenzie Blue" unless all product placements and tie-ins with external advertisers are removed.

- Jennifer Wedekind, Commercial Alert

Being Poor in a ‘Charge It’ Society - New York Times

Another article I am remiss in posting on time.

I liked this article, "You Are What You Spend," not only for the article but for the exchanges it produced in its
letters to the editor.

Do others have opinions?

Cindy

Why “local” and “Equal Exchange Fair Trade” are two sides of the same coin

Thank you to Phyllis Robinson at Equal Exchange for this great blog post and the permission to repost it here.

Farmers’ markets are springing up in food co-operative and church parking lots and on Main Streets throughout the country. More people are joining CSAs (community supported agriculture) and choosing locally grown products in their grocery stores. And as this trend continues, more and more consumers are starting to ask hard questions about where their food comes from and how its grown, who is growing it and under what conditions, and equally important of course, who’s making the decisions that control our food choices and who’s making the profits from those purchases?

The “buy local” movement implies that people are acknowledging all the hard work that goes into producing high quality, healthy, flavorful products and they want to support their local farmers. They want to know the farmers, how the food was grown and be assured that it’s both healthy for them and safe for the planet. To me, it says that we as consumers are choosing to re-personalize the food system; that we want to be a part of a movement that supports community and the planet and that we are ever more ready to resist the trend for corporate control of our food system and our values.

But what happens when we want to purchase products which aren’t grown locally - such as coffee, tea, chocolate or bananas? How do we translate “buy local” values for imported products? When I think about this desire for good, healthy food; for connections to the growers; and for honest, transparent business practices where farmers, workers, and consumers are all treated with respect and fairness, it sounds just like what we’ve been talking about and working for at Equal Exchange ever since our co-operative business was founded over 20 years ago.

In fact, it’s exactly the reason Equal Exchange has chosen to partner exclusively with small-scale farmer co-operatives when we buy our coffee, tea, and chocolate products. It may be more difficult to go direct, to visit remote, isolated communities, to communicate long-distance by shaky fax and telephone lines that are often down, across language and cultural barriers and time zones, than it would be to purchase our products through a broker or a large plantation owner with all of modern technology at their disposal.

But we do so, because ironically, although our products come from rural communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia, we share the same interests, values, and principles as the “buy local” advocates. We see our farmer partners as local actors in their own co-operatives and in their own communities, working together to create positive change and to resist agricultural and trade policies that also threaten them. We want to know our partners and we want our consumers to know our partners.

It’s why we lead dozens of trips to source each year so that consumers can see firsthand who the farmers are, how their products are grown, and what the farmers’ dreams and challenges are. Of course, we also want the farmers to know where their products are ending up, who’s enjoying them and how, and to make the notion of foreign “consumers” more real and human to them - this is the food system we are co-creating and the larger community and network that we and our partners and allies are helping to foster.

For more on this and on related topics, visit the Equal Exchange blog: Small Farmers. Big Change.

We've gotten a Grant and we're willing to share!

We are very excited to have recently been awarded a seed grant from the excellent non-profitSandy Hollow Arts and Recreation for the Environment, Inc. (SHARE). They run all-volunteer music festivals in Central Pennsylvania, and the proceeds from the festivals are awarded to various environmental non-profits. We applied for a grant to help launch our Conscious Consuming Discussion Series. Not only did we get funded, but we're sharing the grant money with our local organizers! Five lucky folks who implement a Discussion Series in their neighborhood will receive a stipend for their hard work. We call it a stipend, because really, it's a pittance, but if you were toying with the idea of launching a series to spread the good, green word, you may as well get a little something for your troubles. Please email susan (at) consciousconsuming (dot) com for more information or to help get your discussion series off the ground. We'd love to hear from you!

I Need a Virtual Break. No, Really. - New York Times

I'm digging myself out of a bunch of work right now, and found this article I meant to post a few days ago. This definitely applies to me!

I've now committed myself to turning my cell phone off after 10pm, and if I don't have any more studying to do that night, the same goes for my computer. It's extremely hard but worth my sanity in the end!

In print nationally!

I am very excited to have had a short article on Conscious Consuming published in the environmental magazine Orion. They have a terrific section called "Making Other Arrangements," in which social justice and environmental organizations can talk about their positive reactions to some of the challenges facing the world. You can read the article, In Lieu of More Stuff, and also read the very interesting comments that people made. Thanks to these readers, today I'm filled with HOPE!!!

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood 6th Annual Summit in Boston

Consuming Kids: The Sexualization of Children and Other Commercial Calamities
Boston: April 3-5, 2008

Register now at http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/events.htm

Featuring workshops and presentations by more than thirty leading scholars and activists, this year’s summit promises to be both eye-opening and inspiring. If you work with or for children, have children of your own, or if you’re just fed up with how corporate marketing undermines children’s wellbeing, this is the conference for you:
.
• Learn about the latest research showing how marketing undermines children’s health, values, and behavior.
• Discover the latest tricks and techniques marketers use to bypass parents and target children directly.
• Explore successful strategies to use at home, at work, and in your community to counter the harmful effects of marketing on children.
• Network with a diverse group of participants at the forefront of the ongoing struggle to reclaim childhood from corporate marketers.

Confirmed presenters include:
• Juliet Schor, author, Born to Buy
• Jean Kilbourne, author, Can’t Buy My Love
• Susan Gregory Thomas, author Buy, Buy, Baby
• Tim Kasser, author, the High Price of Materialism
• Susan Linn, author Consuming Kids


Plus special events:
• Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 PM. CCFC honors Supersize Me’s Morgan Spurlock with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award.
• Friday, April 4, at 7:30 PM. Only Children: A Concert Reading and Roundtable. Excerpts from this brand-new musical, fresh off a sold-out run in New York City, will be followed by a discussion with the playwrights, CCFC’s Enola Aird and Diane Levin, Sophie Godley of the AIDS Action Committee and other experts.

The complete summit schedule is available at: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/events/2008schedule.htm.

Register now at http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/events.htm

Slow Food Boston meets March 9th

Reprinted from the folks at Slow Food Boston:
It's Round Two of the Slow Food Boston's Winter Film Series!

Join us next Sunday, March 9th at 4:00PM at the Theodore Parker Church in West Roxbury for an afternoon of 'foodie' documentaries - two short films showcasing ways in which food diversity is being restored and sustained in our world today.

First we'll see Eat at Bill's: Life in the Monterey Market from Lisa Brenneis. This is the uplifting story of market owner Bill Fujimoto's desire to serve his customers well by seeking out and supporting local farmers and producers.

After that, we'll be showing Nick Versteeg's film on the festival of Terra Madre, held yearly in Turin, Italy. Organized and sponsored by Slow Food International, this is an incredible gathering of food communities from around the world, all being brought together in order to work toward establishing a Global Network of Food.

After the films, we are incredibly lucky to have local folks that have attended Terra Madre speaking about their experience and what they brought back home from the gathering.

Cost is $5, payable in advance via check or with cash at the door.

Hope to see you there,

Your friends at SFB HQ

PS: Please see the Slow Food Boston website for directions and info about possible childcare arrangements.

US Energy Policy, as explained by Gary Hart

I was recently reading the November 2007 Denver magazine 5280 (OK, so I'm a little behind in my reading) and came across a great article by former Senator Gary Hart about how our energy policy is plagued by a lack of political will and leadership. He says:

It is in the nature of capitalism for energy companies to continue their current efforts to maximize profits. It is in the nature of consumers to want readily available products at the lowest cost. Neither will change without a basic understanding that our current national energy policy is to sacrifice the lives of our sons and daughters for foreign oil and to sacrifice the global environment of future generations to our wasteful consumption... Many people say we do not have an energy policy. In fact, we do have an energy policy: It's to continue to import more than half our oil and sacrifice American lives so we can drive our Humvees.

I confess I know little about Senator Hart's policies from when he was in office, but boy, do I like how he's thinking now!!!

Sustainable Design Symposium in Boston

Sustainable Design Symposium: At the Crossroads of Art, Policy and Science
Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Saturday, March 29, 2008, 1-5pm

This Symposium will bring together important voices in arts, product
design and science who advocate sustainability in their work. They will
explore sustainable design in the context of art, science and policy and
showcase methods and materials for the design and creation of environmentally
responsible products and places.

Speakers are Michael Singer, Artist/Designer, http://www.michaelsinger.com
Ursula Tischner, Founder of econcept/Agency for Sustainable Design, Cologne, Germany
http://www.econcept.org and Teresita Cochran of Smit Design, http://www.smitdesign.biz.

Moderated by Terry Swack, Founder/CEO, Clean Culture, http://www.cleanculture.com.

Joint program of the UrbanArts Institute at Massachusetts College of
Art and Design, Goethe-Institut Boston and Down:2:Earth (D2E), a sustainable
living expo at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA.

Free and open to the public.

http://www.urbanartsinstitute.org - click on News and Events
http://www.d2eboston.com/events/event-details.php?id=16

TWO GLASSES OF WINE

This story went around via email this year, but in case you missed it there, it's a cute little anecdote about spending your time consciously, on what really matters to you, instead of just going through the motions:

TWO GLASSES OF WINE

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.' The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.' 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend.'

Boston Green Drinks March 4th

Elaine from Boston Green Drinks says to Save the Date!

Tuesday March 4th is Boston Green Drinks. Please join us at Solas, located at The Lenox (a green hotel!) on Tuesday March 4th from ~6:30pm onward. We have the second floor reserved - the stairs are just beyond the bar when you come through the front entrance. Hope to see you there!

Solas
710 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116

Closest T:
Green line: To Copley Station. Walk down Boylston just past Exeter.
Orange Line: To Back Bay Station. Walk towards Boylston Street. Take a Left on Boylston and continue just past Exeter.

Product Placement to New Heights

Thought this article about product placement in tween lit on Jezebel was particularly disturbing. Sure, it's just come out that we all read less anyway, but does anyone else find 1.8 brand mentions PER PAGE a little depressing?? Honestly, it just disturbs me to think of 12-year-olds being indoctrinated with Prada worship by fashion obsessed literary heroines. Reading is supposed to be good!

New Book out on Global Warming

EARTH UNDER FIRE: HOW GLOBAL WARMING IS CHANGING THE WORLD

Written and photographed by GARY BRAASCH

"The best book on global warming I've read this year."
-- Mark Hertsgaard, author of Earth Odyssey (14 December 2007)

Endorsed by Bill McKibben, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Scientific American

Published October 2007 by University of California Press

Based on an eight year project (documented at http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org), this book surveys the science behind climate change and introduces native people, lifelong observers, scientists, and others who are experiencing changes right now. Alongside Braasch's compelling words and images, essays by eminent scientists discuss the impacts of climate change on the oceans, biodiversity, fresh water, mountain cultures, plants and animals, and our health. EARTH UNDER FIRE: HOW GLOBAL WARMING IS CHANGING THE WORLD also offers an upbeat and intelligent account of how we can lessen the effects.

"Earth Under Fire is that rare book, a vivid and consequential work that needs to be held, studied, and pondered. No one who reads this can ignore our collective destiny."
--Paul Hawken, author of Blessed Unrest and The Ecology of Commerce

You can preview and link to order here, or you can order it from your local library. I just did!

Food News

Here's some food news from the Yale Sustainable Food Project:

Food labels in Europe are causing a sticky situation in Africa. As more and more consumers try to limit the food miles on their plate by shying away from food marked by "air-freighted" stickers, angry scientists aren't sure that food miles are all they're cracked up to be--and African farmers are worried that demand for their crops will plummet. Right now, those crops are mostly wheat, rice, and corn. But UN researchers, citing a 75 percent drop in cultivated crop varieties over the last century, are hoping to encourage more niche and value-added production of heritage crops in Africa.

On our own side of the Atlantic, the Environmental Working Group takes a look at the state of the 2007 Farm Bill and the outpouring of citizen interest that somehow failed to positively shape the bill. A Google Map illustrates the diverse sources of editorials calling for reform and lets you read snippets of each article.

EcoMoms Parties

Hmm, these EcoMoms parties sound a lot like our new Discussion Series. It's great to know that people are getting together all over the country to discuss environmental and consumption issues and taking steps towards sustainability. Let's keep it up!

More reasons to change to CFLs

This month's Greentips from the Union of Concerned Scientists give even more reasons to switch to compact fluorescent lights.

Remember the old CFL's that were sort of dim and really, really unattractive? If you're nodding, you're dating yourself, because those days are over! The new CFL's are better than ever. Give these lightbulbs another chance, and you'll be saving more than just money on your electric bill!

Companies Doing Good

What can I say? I'm a sucker for socially responsible business plans.

Here are two great companies that recently came to my attention. They both have combined philanthropy and social justice in their businesses, albeit in very different ways.

GOOD Magazine is a company that, when you subscribe, gives your subscription fee to a non-profit of your choice. Why do this instead of just giving the money away yourself? Because GOOD Magazine is also a publication that gives you real news and information, not that dumbed down version that you find on the newsstand these days. The power of knowledge, plus the support of organizations doing well, can lead to real change!

Summa Cum Laude Tutors takes a different approach to doing good. They enlist volunteer medical students to tutor high-income high school kids in Manhattan, and use the fees generated by this to give to worthy non-profit organizations. The med school kids gain skills in teaching and helping others towards academic success, and by volunteering, commit themselves to public service. Everybody wins!

These small businesses are showing that companies can really make a difference. Their philanthropy doesn't have to be a side job, either. I hope we see more and more of these business plans in the future.

Lights Out for Earth Hour

I first heard about Earth Hour 2008 through Facebook, that almighty powerhouse. The invitation reads:

On March 29th, 2008 at 8pm local time Earth Hour will commence ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a POWERFUL MESSAGE about the need for action on global warming.

Be part of making Earth Hour 2008 a huge, global success by telling your friends and family. Remember, every single light makes a statement and makes a difference.

Last year, on 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney (Australia) businesses turned off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney’s energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for one hour.

Visit earthhour.org for more information.

Candidates' Stance on Global Warming

An anonymous reader left a great comment last week, and in case you didn't get to read it, s/he says, "I am very frustrated with the fact that so few people are talking about presidential candidates and their thoughts on global warming. Now that it is down to just a few candidates I would think that this would be a bigger issue. Live Earth just picked up this topic and put out an article. Live Earth is also asking why the presidential candidates are not being solicited for their stance on the issue of the climate change. I just saw a poll on Earth Lab that says people care a lot about what their next leader thinks of global warming. Does anyone know of another poll or other results about this subject?"

Conscious Consuming is about educating people of all stripes about their consumption decisions. We are an environmental and social justice organization at heart, but believe that all candidates, and all people, can benefit by learning to "Slow Down and Green Up." We have been extremely encouraged over the past year about the increased attention being paid (in the mainstream media and by the public at large) to global warming, yet the news about how our collective lifestyles are impacting the planet is not good, overall. Each of the Presidential candidates does have a (more or less defined) plan to address global warming, and readers will find information on these plans, as well as scorecards and polling data at The League of Conservation Voters website.

Thanks for posting your comment, Anonymous. We appreciate your feedback!

Fair Trade Flowers and Cloned Meat Now Available!

In a "win some, lose some" week this February, Americans now have access to both Fair Trade flowers (which will be labeled and certified by TransFair USA), and cloned meat and milk products, which have no label at all if the biotech lobby gets its way--SCARY!!! According to TransFair, "The Fair Trade Certified label on your bouquet means that flower workers, most of whom are women, can put food on their tables, send their children to school, invest in community development, and use sustainable farming methods." You can check out an ever-growing list of where to buy Fair Trade flowers, and watch their Fair Trade flowers video on the Transfair website.

On the "lose some" side, the Union of Concerned Scientists reports in its journal FEED, that "The Food and Drug Administration has declared that milk and meat from cloned animals and their offspring are safe for human consumption." Despite the fact that these genetically engineered animals are often born with obvious birth defects, the biotech lobby wants to sell cloned meat and milk as a solution to world poverty (oh yeah, and to line their patented pockets). YUK! A better solution would be to stop growing so much corn to feed ruminant animals (that prefer grass anyway), eat lower on the food chain (plants), and use the surplus corn, land, and water to feed hungry people. If you haven't read Michael Pollan's "An Omnivore's Dilemma" yet, get cracking on it, so that you can then follow it up with his latest book, "In Defense of Food," now available at a library near you.

Labor standards in the cut flower industry

You're Invited to....

The Thorns of the Global Cut Flower Industry

Valentine's Day is coming up?

Any Idea Where Your Flowers REALLY Come From?

Presented by: Nora Ferm, International Labor Rights Forum

Tuesday, February 12th @ 4pm
Starr Auditorium, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA

Refreshments will be served.

If you have any questions, please contact
Karen_vega@ksg08.harvard.edu or Emerita_Torres@ksg09.harvard.edu

For information about the International Labor Rights Forum's
Fairness in Flowers Campaign, visit:
http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/MdLOLeY1kP0n/
--------------------------------------------------

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Earthworks offers native landscaping workshops

EarthWorks, one of the Boston non-profits that participated in Gift It Up! 2007, has some fantastic native landscaping workshops coming up this spring. I would especially try to take advantage of hosting a workshop, as you'll have some of the work done for you by the workshop attendees! How great is that?

Host a Workshop in Your Yard! 
EarthWorks is seeking an individual or group to host a landscaping workshop in their yard. You will receive a reduced-cost landscaping consultation and plant installation in part of your yard. We will consult with you before the workshop to select plants and design the planting to suit your needs.
Contact Ben Crouch if you are interested in hosting a workshop.

Tree Pruning
Saturday, March 8
Do you have a fruit tree that doesn't produce because it hasn't been pruned in years? Or have you pruned many trees before and just want to brush up on your technique? No matter what your experience level, this class will give participants the theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to enable them to correctly prune fruit, ornamental, and shade trees. Pruners will be available for in-class use.

Edible Landscaping
Saturday, April 26
This class offers participants the planning and technical skills to incorporate fruit- and nut-bearing plants into an existing home landscape. Participants will workshop ideas for their own spaces and practice new technical skills at the demonstration site where the class will take place. Participants will be encouraged to consider the aesthetics, maintenance implications, and environmental impact of their design.
 
Landscaping with Native Trees and Shrubs
Saturday, May 10
Incorporating the right native trees and shrubs into your landscape can help to cut down on time and energy used for watering and weeding. Native plants can add year-round beauty and intrigue to your landscape while increasing plant biodiversity and animal habitat. Technical skills covered in this workshop will include proper planting, care, and selection.
 
Workshop Fees
$40/$60 (per class) Members/General Public
$100/$150 (all three classes) Members/General Public
 
Preregistration is required. All workshops take place from 10am-2pm on Saturdays.

To reserve your spot, please call Annie at  617-442-1059 or e-mail admin@earthworksboston.org. Please include your name, phone number, address, and membership status. We cannot accept credit cards at this time; you will be asked to mail a check to EarthWorks to confirm your registration

Boston Green Drinks and Super Tuesday

This was submitted by Mike Prager, for Boston Green Drinks:

Today is Super Tuesday, Feb. 5th. It is not only Election Day in Massachusetts, but it is also the day for the Boston Green Drinks monthly gathering. Environmentalists of all stripes get together for networking and conversation.

They will meet at Pizzeria Uno, 820 Somerville Ave., Cambridge, just across the street from the Porter Square T entrance; they will be in the ground floor bar, next to the windows. Parking is available in the shopping center next door. Festivities start at 6:30 p.m.

So get out and vote for the greenest candidate you can find, and then come by and talk about it. See you then.

If you haven't yet heard of Green Drinks International, they are a self-organizing network of environmentalists, meeting monthly for friendly conversation and to discuss environmental issues. They are now in 314 cities worldwide, so visit their website to start or join a group near you!

SoJust MeetUp Next Wednesday Jan 30th at 7PM

Here is an event posting courtesy of Robbie Samuels of Socializing for Justice in Boston:

Are you looking for like-minded progressives to hang out with in Boston? Want to cross-promote your events and campaigns? Are you new to the area and looking for groups to get involved in? Are you psyched about building strong cross-issue coalitions?

Join Socializing for Justice at the Foggy Goggle* for Putting the SOCIAL Back in Social Justice IV
Wednesday, January 30th at 7PM
No program. No speaker. Just arrive and enjoy yourself.

RSVP (greatly appreciated!) at www.sojust.org - newcomers always welcome!

There will be drink and appetizer specials - 1/2 price appetizers, $7 pitchers of beer, and $12 fishbowls.

At Socializing for Justice (SoJust) events you can hang out with friends, make new ones, find a date, get the scoop on a job, and find out what's going on this weekend - political or social. And the best part is that SoJust members share your vision of building a more just world.

If you're involved with a group or project and want to spread the word bring flyers for the free lit table - and there'll be lots of opportunity to schmooze and network while sharing cheap pitchers of beer

*Sorry, this event is 21+ and the bathroom is located downstairs (no elevator).

The Foggy Goggle is across from the Hynes Convention Center at 911 Boylston Street.

$2 fee per person to cover group expenses.

From our FAQs:
"It's not very easy for me to meet new people and I'm not really one for small talk at bars."
We hear you. That's why at SoJust events, in addition to traditional name tags, we have "Ask Me About" and "Looking For" tags. That way you can slap whatever you're into lately up on your shirt and wait for fellow SoJusters to approach you. These seem to do the trick of moving past the basic "where do you live? what do you do for work?" questions to conversations that lead to more substantial connections.

"What actually happens at events?"
You'll always be greeted by friendly folks who can help get you socializing, introduce you to people, and chat with you about questions or wishes. It's likely a few people will be there promoting their campaigns and issues (yes, SoJust welcomes that sort of behavior). At our bigger events, there's always a literature table to toss down flyers, postcards, and other paraphenalia about events around town. Most importantly, we can pretty much guarantee there will be someone there you've never met before. As one of our members said, "You are bringing together people who might never get together otherwise - if that ain't a step towards justice I don't know what is."

Green Up Your Next Event

According to Greg Christian's publicist, Tali Hylen, "There is a growing trend to “go green” when it comes to event planning as more businesses and organizations recognize their social and environmental responsibilities. People are gaining consciousness about the considerable environmental costs and environmental waste involved with catered parties, and are working to find ways to decrease their collective ecological footprint. As the push to conserve energy and reduce wasteful operations is on the rise, one Chicago caterer is pleased to announce that his company will now expand to offer green and sustainable services for all elements involved with catered events.

Greg Christian Catering and Events offers such ‘green’ services as: natural, healthy, organic sustainable menus, invitations printed on recycled paper, biodegradable service ware, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, on and off-site composting and recycling, and numerous other ideas to help transform Chicago corporate meetings and parties, weddings and special events into green events. He also practices water conservation, offers re-usable living botanical centerpieces, and donates un-served foods to local food banks." How cool is that? I personally don't have catered events, but if I did, I would certainly look for a caterer as ecologically conscious as Greg. I have been to a few corporate meetings/events, and I'm usually shocked at all the stuff that gets thrown away. Perhaps if more conscious consumers got on the planning committees of these events, there would be a lot more caterers like Greg.

Greg says, "The reason we are including food miles to the recipe is to raise peoples consciousness to how far their food travels. The biggest polluter in the world is the global food system. Period. To lesson this pollution-chefs need to pay more attention to this-for the right reason. Chefs say they buy local for flavor. This is a good start-but the real reason should be -to save Mother Earth from all the pollution we-as chefs-contribute. When chefs start talking about food miles-people will listen-and pay more attention to where there food comes from. When chefs talk about better flavor-people will be a bit less apt to buy local-since getting to a farmers market-is very inconvenient for most-----so I will educate chefs to talk food miles-when they realize the pollution they are saving-and they pass this knowledge to their customers-real change will happen faster-so we can heal Mother Earth--and last as a species."

For more information about Greg Christian Catering and events, please visit www.gregchristian.com. If you don't live in the Chicago area, you might have luck finding a ecologically minded caterer in Co-op America's National Green Pages. They only have 30 restaurants/caterers listed so far, but one just might be in your neck of the woods. Alternately, you might talk to your caterer about your preferences, and educate them in the process. Go local, go durable, go organic, and try for zero waste!

Nonprofit Career Fair in Boston

Idealist.org is co-sponsoring a Nonprofit Career Fair in Boston on Tuesday, February 5th from 12pm – 4pm. The free
event is hosted by Boston University's Community Service Center, and will be held at Boston University’s George Sherman Union, at 775 Commonwealth Avenue.

This free career fair, for which 110 organizations have already signed up, is a great opportunity to learn about a wide variety of
jobs, internships, volunteer positions, and fellowships in the nonprofit sector. If you have been meaning to volunteer somewhere but haven't gotten around to it, or if you are thinking of a career in the nonprofit sector, this is a great chance to see what opportunities are out there in the Boston area.

Jillian Glazer, of Idealist.org goes on to say:
"People from every experience level, including undergraduate and grad-school students, experienced professionals (both from within the nonprofit sector and those transitioning from business and government), as well as other members of the community are welcome to attend.

For more information, and to register (it's free, but we need to know how many people to expect), please go to:
http://www.idealist.org/fairs.

and click on Boston in the list of cities on the right-hand side. Then, scroll down the page until you see the Registration for Job Seekers on the right, across from the list of registered organizations.

The 2008 Boston Nonprofit Career Fair is co-sponsored by the Brandeis University Hiatt Career Center, and this year our national series of Idealist Career Fairs is generously sponsored by e - NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service - and by Commongood Careers.

If you don't live in Boston, have no fear! Check out http://www.idealist.org/fairs to see if Idealist is hosting a non-profit fair in your fair city.

The Afterlife of Cellphones - New York Times

Here's a great article on what happens to cellphones after you throw them out or send them back to the manufacturer. E-waste is becoming a big problem because we keep replacing our months-old gadgets with newer, shinier ones.

Lots of websites have information on how to donate your cell phone or how to start your own donation drive for your organization. If you live in the Boston area, you can donate your old cellphones to The Network/La Red, which uses them in their LGBT domestic violence program. You can find donation boxes at places like Wainwright Bank.

The best way to reduce e-waste, of course, is to use electronics until the very bitter end, and then recycle them. Hopefully we can all help reduce this toxic waste!

What Happens within the First Hour of Drinking a Cola?

Here we thought the bad news about buying cola products was the multiitude of maladies wrought by the multinational corporate purveyors of the product. Here's some other bad news about the stuff.

-10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system, which is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake. You'd normally vomit from such an intake, but the phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

-20 minutes: Your blood sugar skyrockets. Your liver attempts to maximize insulin production in order to turn high levels of sugar into fat.

-40 minutes: As your body finishes absorbing the caffeine, your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your liver pumps more sugar into the bloodstream.

-45 minutes: Your body increases dopamine production, tricking you into feeling pleasure and adding to the addictiveness of the beverage.

-60 minutes: The sugar crash begins.

Source- Dr. Mercola: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9665.cfm

Another reason to give up plastic water bottles

In case you are still using colored Nalgene bottles, or other polycarbonate #7 plastics for drinking, you might want to read the Boston Globe article, "Is Plastic making us fat? . Recent research findings have linked the endocrine disrupter bisphenol A to animal obesity and an increase in fat cells. No wonder my diet hasn't been working!

"A recent US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that about 93 percent of the US population had bisphenol A, a chemical that can be found in canned goods and in hard, clear plastic items such as baby bottles and hiking containers, in their body. A study at the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that mice fed bisphenol A during early development - at lower amounts than what would have resulted in the levels found in most people in the CDC study - become markedly more obese as adults than those that weren't fed the chemical. Tufts University scientists observed similar phenomenon in rats."

My advice is to swich to stainless steel water bottles like Sigg bottles (available at Whole Foods and REI) or to bring glass mason jars with lids (not as handy for travel but it could work at the office).

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

While I'm on the light-hearted topic of garbage, let's talk about the great mass of plastic bags floating in the northern Pacific Ocean, called by some as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Yes, there's a large mass of plastic bags and other unbiodegradable things floating in the middle of the ocean, collected there by the currents pattern and left to disintegrate into small pieces, where they are eaten by sealife and enter the ocean food chain. Because it's in no country's territory, there's no specific party that is responsible for cleaning it up. Thus, it sits there, accumulating plastic, growing bigger every day.

I don't really have anything cheery to say about this, now, it's just another part of our altered environment. I just hope we figure out what to do before it's too late.

Naples: the Proverbial Canary?

The end of the world has come to Naples, Italy: there's no place to put the trash.

The city's garbage has been piling up in the streets since December, when the last landfill was closed. New incinerators are not yet operational, and the residents of neighboring countries are, understandably, not thrilled to take other people's garbage into their own land. People's health is at risk, especially with illegal burnings, dumpings into the ocean, and just sitting there, on the street, rotting.

Although part of Naples' problem can be attributed to politics and organized crime, I'd argue that part of it is the modern lifestyle, with tons of disposable items being used every day, little composting, and the stuff you don't want can just be magically taken away on garbage day.

Our way of living is starting to stink!

Ten Personal Solutions to Global Warming

Let's continue this week with a few more life-changing lists!

The Union of Concerned Scientists has put out a list of "Ten Personal Solutions" to combat global warming in your own life.

The Green Guide's Top Ten gives great tips on little things you can do, like shortening your shower time, that will add up to a lot of CO2 being saved in the atmosphere.

If you know of any other lists, or have any of your own tips on how to fight global warming in your life, leave us a comment!

The Rule of Finite Spaces

The post-holiday weeks can be very stressful for parents, who have to try to assimilate all the cool new stuff that their kids get into playrooms, bedrooms, and living rooms. Most conscious consuming parents out there implore the relatives to limit gifts; we ask for no gifts, experience gifts (like lessons or museum memberships), consumable gifts (like art supplies), or green gifts. But do the relatives listen? If you are a parent you know the answer.

So what to do with all the new stuff? I have tried to teach my children The Rule of Finite Spaces. We have a basket for doll clothes; when the basket is full it is time to donate some doll clothes to children who have less. We have a hamper for dress up, two shelves for books, a basket for stuffed animals, you get the picture. My children are only 4 and 7, but even they can see that when the basket/box/shelf is full, something has to go. Many parents feel a need to get rid of some older stuff with the holiday onslaught of new stuff. Some moms I've talked with do their playroom "clean out" while the kids are asleep. While I've been tempted to go that route (because it would save me from the endless "But I still play with that, mom!"), I feel like my children would miss an important lesson.

The ability to let go of attachment to your stuff is a process, and it's not necessarily easy. As a child I was a "saver." I saved all my birthday cards, photos, mementoes, souvenirs, etc. If you can believe it when my mother finally made me clear out boxes from her attic in my 20's I found boxes of stuffed animals and my Girl Scout uniform (I know, "what a loser!"). Clearly I was attached to my stuff, and it was hard to break out of that. Ultimately, though, I found the ability to let go of once prized treasures quite liberating.

I am trying to teach my children these lessons in increments:
Our stuff doesn't define us.
Our homes are finite spaces.
If you got something new, let go of the old one and give it to someone who has less.

Go see Reverend Billy's movie!

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping is one of our favorites, which is why we're so glad that his movie is in theatres! Produced by Morgan Spurlock, What Would Jesus Buy? is an entertaining lesson to us all about how obsessed Americans are about shopping.

If the movie isn't in a theatre nearby, never fear! Reverend Billy may be preaching in your hometown very soon!

8 Ways to Save Energy at Home

Happy New Year!

For many of us, the new year brings resolutions of better living. We hope that you'll consider taking these easy steps in your life to save energy in your home.

1. Low-flow shower head. Switch to a low-flow shower head and you have just taken the most effective step in saving water in your home. This cheap fixture will pay for itself in a year in what you save in water bills.



2. Faucet water saver. This dandy fixture on your kitchen or bathroom faucet lets you adjust the amount of water when washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Those extra seconds will add up to a lot of gallons saved!



3. Compact fluorescent light bulbs. We all know we should switch from those energy-losing incandescent light bulbs. Each bulb will save over $30 in your electricity bill, and you'll be saving more than 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from contributing to global warming, too. More info



4. Renewable energy. I opted to get my home electricity from wind energy through my electric utility, costing me 2 cents extra per kilowatt hour. For reducing my climate change impact, I think that's worth it! To find out renewable energy options in your state, ask your utility company or visit http://www.green-e.org/gogreene.shtml.



5. Paperless bills. This is so easy: choose to get your bills online from your utilities, credit card company, bank, and phone company. Sixty-three billion checks are written each year in the United States: imagine how much paper we could save if we all paid bills online?



6. Offset travel. We've become a traveling society, and all those air miles are building up carbon in our air. Offsetting each trip with clean energy for someone else is easy, and doesn't cost as much as you'd think. There are a dozen different companies out there; ones that I like are terrapass.com and nativeenergy.org.


7. Wash laundry in cold water. About 90% of energy used to do laundry is to heat water. Your clothes will also last longer when washed in cold water.



8. Unplug it! More than 5% of a typical home's energy bill comes from electricity "leaked" from appliances that are plugged in and turned off. Unplugging electronics and things like cell phone charges when not in use will save on your electricity bill.

These small changes in your life will do a big part in helping to reduce global warming and save natural resources for future generations.

We at Conscious Consuming hope that this new year will bring health and happiness to you and your loved ones!

Recycle Now Video

Here is a funny movie from Recycle Now with Ed Byrne. Even though I seriously doubt anyone reading this blog isn't recycling, his accent alone makes this video worth it. Plus I love how the Brits place their trash in "rubbish bins," don't you? One of his other You Tube videos is a little risque, so if you want to entice friends to recycle, get them to watch this first, then send them to You Tube and see what pops up!

Last Day to Donate!!!

Today is the last day to donate at Gift It Up! to ensure that your gift cards arrive by December 24th. You can still donate after today, but we can't guarantee the gift cards will get to you on time.

Donations to non-profits in a loved one's name is a great addition to, or substitution for, material gifts this holiday season. Donations show that you care about their values and that you're willing to give who they are, not what they want.

Start a new tradition of caring this year! Donate at www.giftitup.org today!

A World Consumed by Guilt - New York Times

Here's a great article that talks about the dangers of buying stuff solely on its "eco-friendly" label. We hope that consumers continue to question the truthfulness of a $1,065 canvas bag ("100% recyclable"??) from Barney's!

Nonprofit Highlight: EarthWorks Boston

One thing I like best about working with Gift It Up! is learning about all the great organizations that are working in my backyard. One of these is EarthWorks Boston, which is working to bring nature to the urban community. It does this through three main ways:

1. Planting fruit trees in open spaces, in conjunction with local neighborhood groups, to revive neglected spaces and share fruit with the community.
2. Bringing environment to 1,000 kids in the Boston schools through science-based programs in their own schoolyard.
3. Restoring Boston's own Urban Wilds areas, a total of 250 acres scattered throughout the city.

Donors can give tangible gifts such as dedicating a tree in an underforested area of Boston or giving an hour of environmental education lessons to Boston schoolchildren.

Local organizations like EarthWorks are crucial in making our city a real community. I hope you can join us in supporting them!

Featured Nonprofit: All Paws Rescue

Does someone in the family love animals? If so, donating to a no kill humane society such as All Paws Rescue may be just the kind of gift for the animal lover in your family. Or, of course, you can choose to adopt a dog or cat directly! Who wouldn't want to wake up Christmas morning to wet puppy kisses? Oh, OK, maybe your housemate...

All Paws Rescue, based in Massachusetts, is run by a group of dedicated volunteers. Services include the sheltering of homeless animals, pet placement services, veterinary assistance (including low-cost spay/neutering), and public awareness and Humane education outreach programs. I am a dog person, and have been thinking about animal shelters ever since I saw the indie film "Year of the Dog" this fall. The film portrays one woman's awakening to the fact that animals have feelings, and the reality is that many "shelters" euthanize dogs and cats when they cannot find suitable homes. She goes a little overboard for her love of dogs over the course of the movie, but in the end realizes that following her passion is more important than what people think of her. A good message for all of us conscious consumers, don't you think? You can donate to All Paws Rescue at http://www.giftitup.org/.

She also realizes that eating animals isn't very nice, either. While less than 10% of the US population is vegetarian, all people interested in reducing their carbon footprint should at least be trying to have meat-free meals. Livestock production is the 3rd largest emitter of greenhouse gases (behind only energy production and transportation), according to the Inernational Panel on Climate Change. For great resources on eating fewer animals, visit Go Veg.

Nonprofit Highlight: Free Wheelchair Mission

Free Wheelchair Mission makes an amazing difference in the lives of people with physical mobility issues in the developing world. For under $50, you can buy and ship a wheelchair to someone who might have been bedridden, or might be shunned in their community due to their lack of mobility. These wheelchairs are made with mountain bike tires and backyard lawn chairs. They are low-cost, durable, lightweight, and get the job done. You can visit Free Wheelchair Mission to see a video about the enormous difference a wheelchair can make in a person's life.

There are 100 million people worldwide who need wheelchairs, and Free Wheelchair Mission's goal is to get 20 million wheelchairs out into communities. They have distributed 285,000 wheelchairs to date. Conscious Consuming is proud to have Free Wheelchair Mission participate in Gift it Up! 2007, and we hope you consider this alternative gift opportunity. You can donate at http://www.giftitup.org/, or email your friends and family a Christmas link about Free Wheelchair Mission.

Gift It Up! on the Tuber Report!

The Tuber Report was awesome enough to take the day off for Gift It Up! Check it out:

Nonprofit Highlight: African Health Foundation

Here's the bad news:
An estimated 12 million children have become orphans due to AIDS in Africa. As you can imagine, this dramatic reduction in adults and parental care has devastating effects on the social stability of these communities.

Over 2 million children in Africa are living with HIV. One of the greatest threats to their health is malaria, which kills 3,000 children every day. A cheap and easy way of preventing malaria is providing $5 bed nets that will keep away infected mosquitoes as the children sleep.

Here's the good news:
Non-profits like African Health Foundation are working everyday to build infrastructure and bring social stability and hope to these communities. Clean water and food are just the beginning, supported by counseling and sports activities for kids that upkeep the mental health of the community. African Health Foundation also brings needed supplies, like those mosquito nets, to the areas of the most need.

You can help. Visit www.giftitup.org to give to African Health Foundation and many other worthy non-profit organizations.

5 Green Christmas Tips >> EasterKiwi

Gift It Up! got a mention on 5 Green Christmas Tips on EasterKiwi's blog, next to bunch of other great ideas on keeping your Christmas more environmentally-friendly. Thanks, J!

"The Gift of Giving" in the Globe

Well, Gift it Up! is tomorrow, and we finally got coverage in the Boston Globe. Hooray! Even though you probably know all of the details about Gift it Up! if you read our blog regularly, you can read reporter Danielle Capalbo's article The Gift of Giving just to appreciate her for letting other folks know about us.

Thanks, Danielle!

As you know if you are on our email list, we could use a few more baked goods for our bake sale table, and a few more volunteers to hand out quarter flyers on the street. If you have some time to spare, we'd love your help! Come on down to The River of Life Church at 440 Center St in JP. We are looking forward to a great event!

Bakers, Volunteers and Emailers needed for tomorrow 12/1!!!

Gift it Up! is tomorrow and we need some more help to make sure it's a big success.

Can you bake something? We have a bakesale to offset our costs and make sure the groups get all the money raised at the fair. We would love for you to bring something for the bakesale.

Can you come volunteer? Even if it's only for one or two hours, it would make a difference helping spread the word to people.

Can you spread the word? Please email friends, family and coworkers about Gift it Up! If they are local, encourage them to come. If they aren't, or can't make it, encourage them to visit us on the web. Our general message about the fair is below. Thanks for helping out!

Please visit our website at http://www.giftitup.org/ and consider make an honorary gift to your choice of nonprofits in a loved one's name.

Instead of the newest incarnation of something you probably already have, won't you consider giving a gift to change the world? If you live in the Boston area, come to Gift it Up! If you can't make it to the event, participate online at http://www.giftitup.org/.

Conscious Consuming gathers 14 non-profits on Saturday, December 1, at the River of Life Church in Jamaica Plain. "Shoppers" will get to talk with representatives from each of the nonprofits, browse their programs, choose a gift to fit any budget, and receive a Gift it Up! card announcing the gift. The event is to be held: Saturday, December 1 12noon – 4pm River of Life Church 440 Center Street Jamaica Plain, MA

Alternative gifting is a growing trend; it was even featured in the funny 2007 indie film "Year of the Dog." If you are unable to attend the fair, you can visit the Gift it Up! website at http://www.giftitup.org/ to learn more about it, to see the list of participating non-profits, and to purchase gifts securely on line.

Conscious Consuming is an all-volunteer non-profit, holding this event to reduce consumption and help other nonprofits. Please forward this info widely!

"Jolly and Green, with an Agenda"

There was a great article in the NY Times yesterday called "Jolly and Green, with an Agenda". It chronicled several people who have tried to bring their families along for a greener holiday, through alternative gifting, eco-gifts like LED holiday lights, and giving experiential gifts only. Here's an excerpt:

"It's not just the greens who feel this emotional tug at the end of the year: A 2005 survey by the Center for a New American Dream showed that 78 percent of Americans wish the holidays were “less materialistic.” At the same time, the average American spends about $900 on presents each year, according to the National Retail Federation."

The article talked about how such changes can be emotionally charged, especially between generations. Often our parents felt "want" more than we did, and holiday gifting is a time when they can be extravagant and feel the joys of giving things that they never had (my own mom shared one bicycle among 4 siblings). Many young adults today, however, really do have everything they need. The might WANT more stuff, but let's face it--they don't NEED it. They have grown up with all kinds of stuff, and if anything, are beginning to discover that stuff doesn't make them happy. As people into voluntary simplicity already know, the more stuff you have, the more time you use up taking care of it, repairing it, cleaning it, arranging it, etc. My house if full; I really don't want more stuff.

What do I want? I want to spend time with my family and friends, give to others who have less, enjoy a good meal, and oh, OK, go to a yoga class or two. Your experience will be different, but the essential thing is that these kinds of shared experiences bring back the joy, peace. and love that gives the holiday season such a good name.

Tis the Season to Gift It Up!

It's that time of the year again, when Conscious Consuming proudly presents Gift it Up! Please visit our website at www.giftitup.org and consider making a donation to your choice of nonprofits in a loved one's name.

According to the Consumer's Union, children in our country are sent 30,000 TV ads per year to get their parents to buy them stuff. And yet you know that there also are millions of children around the world who wish every day they had enough food or a safe place to sleep. American's produce 4-5 pounds of trash per person, per day, while children in many parts of the world labor to make us these cheap, "throwaway" goods. Instead of the newest incarnation of something you probably already have, won't you consider giving a gift to change the world?

If you live in the Boston area, come to Gift it Up! If you can't make it to the event, participate online at www.giftitup.org. Conscious Consuming gathers 14 non-profits on Saturday, December 1, at the River of Life Church in Jamaica Plain. "Shoppers" will get to talk with representatives from each of the nonprofits, browse their programs, choose a gift to fit any budget, and receive a Gift it Up! card announcing the gift. The event is to be held:

Saturday, December 1
12noon – 4pm
River of Life Church
440 Center Street
Jamaica Plain, MA

Alternative gifting is a growing trend; it was even featured in the funny 2007 indie film "Year of the Dog." If you are unable to attend the fair, you can visit the Gift it Up! website at www.giftitup.org to learn more about it, to see the list of participating non-profits, and to purchase gifts securely on line.

Conscious Consuming is an all-volunteer non-profit, holding this event to reduce consumption and help other nonprofits. Please forward this info widely!

Enjoy the peace and good will of the holiday season,

The Team at Conscious Consuming

Buying to Save the Earth? Watch this video first.

Here's a funny video Jerry Mander that follows this green consuming idea:



The New York Times follows up with him in a short interview.

Reactions? Add your comments!

What Buy Nothing Day Means to Me

About a week ago, my sister showed me a catalog she got in the mail. It was from Barney's, the department store, and the theme was "Green Holiday." Inside, the text says, "Join the Green Revolution, we did!" How do I feel about this, she asks?

Looking through this catalog, I was confronted with all the mixed feelings that I have as a business student and a staunch environmentalist. On the one hand, it's great that environmentalism is trendy these days, not just among the consuming public, but among companies that see environmentalism as a selling point for their products. Businesses might use the environment for good, creating new, cleaner technologies and reducing their waste without expense to the economy. On the other hand, every time someone in the U.S. buys anything, this consumption creates ripple effects around the world, causing possible environmental harms through resource depletion and pollution, or creating situations in which human rights are at risk or poor people and countries are dependent on our consumption of material goods for their survival.

For me, this is what Buy Nothing Day is all about. Taking a step away from this consumer lifestyle we live in, trying to understand what this lifestyle has done to our culture, our environment, and our happiness, and reflecting on the reasons why I'm part of this movement to consume wisely. I need a day in which I'm not burdened by what to buy, how much, what potential impacts it has, and why I'm buying it in the first place. In joining the Buy Nothing Day movement, I'm standing with many others who declare that we are humans first, not consumers.

So, I'm not joining the Green Revolution today, not if it means buying a whole bunch of stuff, eco-friendly or otherwise. I'll join the Green Revolution by learning about my impact on the world, by consuming consciously, and by spreading the word.

You can learn more about Buy Nothing Day at: http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

Turnabout is Fair Trade for Christmas Catalogs

Many thanks to guest blogger, Tereza Coraggio for this excellent article about her experiences asking catalog companies about the stories behind their products. Her experiences reminded me of Sara Bongiorni's response when asked by a reporter what she learned during A Year Without Made in China. "What do the US regulated labeling standards tell us?," the reporter inquired. Her reply, "Not much."

On to Tereza:

For those who see the people behind the products, Black Friday is aptly named, and not for the "in the black" of retail sales. The chocolate holidays – Halloween, Valentine's, Easter - are occasion enough for mourning, but Black Friday ushers in a season of darkness. Every year, I'm caught between loving the festivity, the excitement of the kids, and the warm generosity of family and community, and feeling a terrible sadness over the invisible workers, their lives squandered in making tokens of our affection. Although my kids no longer think elves supply the Disney channel, few know the full reality. This year, I decided to do something constructive with my conflict. I decided to turn the tables.

In September, the Center for a New American Dream sponsored a Carbon Conscious Consumer (C3) campaign called Junk Your Junkmail. For a $41 fee, of which 1/3rd was donated to nonprofits, I hired a business called 41pounds.org to get me off the direct mail lists and cancel my catalogs. Named for the 41 pounds of unsightly paper fat your mailbox consumes per year, they guaranteed an 80% reduced-carbonhydrate mail diet.

Looking at the pre-season glut, though, I started calling my own Christmas catalogs. I begin by finding something to praise – something I like that they're doing or an interesting product. Then I ask how they make sure that there's no child labor or sweatshop labor involved in making their products. Do they do unannounced factory inspections, or have an outside agency that certifies? What about their supply chain – how do they verify that the cocoa or cotton used isn't harvested by children, or that the mines producing the metals aren't hazardous to workers or the environment?

I ask them to pass my questions on to whoever can get back to me, and I give them my contact information. In the meantime, however, I request that they remove me from their mailing list. Their products are eye-catching, and I don't want the temptation, for me or my kids. I say that I can't blame the mess the world is in on anyone, if I don't care what I'm buying. When I can maintain a Zen humility, as a fellow-muddler slogging through life, the responses I get back are gratifying. These are some...

At Limited Too I talked to a black woman from Texas who politely agreed to pass my comments up the chain. Before hanging up, though, she said it was funny that I called just then. She’d seen a special on the Gap last night and thought to herself, "I used to shop there." She was happy to tell management that people cared, because we all have to stick together.
Unfortunately, the call to get off their mailing list put me onto their automated telemarketing. It's annoying that they can call you, but you don't have an option to talk back. To find a real person, I went to their website, which told me "all our jeans are made with love." Happy to hear this, I clicked to find out more. Up popped a window with stitching details. Where's the love? I googled an article called "Justice for All" on their new Justice brand name signaling a change in strategy. Hurray! That must mean fair wages and labor practices. No, it means prices that are 20% cheaper. Where's the justice? I'll tell you when I get hold of a real person to find out.

At Plow and Hearth, the rep listened thoughtfully, and said that I was the first person who’d asked these questions. I told him that over 20% of consumers now base their decisions on ethical concerns, according to Co-op America. So I was unlikely to be the last.

At Williams Sonoma, a mom who's homeschooled five kids mentioned a wooden shelf which brought jobs to an impoverished area. I said, yes, but...most manufacturing is done in impoverished areas. Are the jobs fair? She didn't know, but respected me for asking and would relay my concerns. I also found out that her teenage son bakes bread to surprise her when she comes home from work – just the kind of guy I wish my teenage daughter could meet.

I still wanted to try Williams-Sonoma's peppermint marshmallows that take 3 days to make. Besides their own line, they carry Rubicon Bakeries' from Richmond, CA. Looking them up on the web, I found they were started in 1973 by people concerned about the closures of state psychiatric hospitals. Their jobs provide training, housing, employment, and services to the homeless and mentally disabled, and they've recently opened a new bakery in Berkeley. With all this, I was holding my breath when I called to ask the million-dollar question. How do they know if there's child labor or slaves harvesting their cocoa beans? Fair Trade Chocolate! Hallelujah! I'm placing my Christmas orders now.

At Explorations, a catalog of New Age spirituality, I talked to a woman named Trinidad. She’s certain that the owners would NEVER source from anyone who wasn’t ethical, but she wasn't sure how they verify it. However, they’re going to get back to me on a few specifics – an orthopedic neck rest, a Zen alarm clock, and a statue of Gaia. She agreed that it would be spiritually disconcerting to meditate with products made in sweatshops. To my surprise, James Young emailed me, a product specialist from Gaiam. I hadn't noticed that Explorations was theirs. The first two products were made in China, and Gaia was of unknown origin (created or evolved?). Although he handled organic certification, he didn't know who certified their manufacturing standards.

Curiously, some user comments on Junk Your Junkmail were about Gaiam's excessive cataloging and selling of their lists. I asked James if he knew how many they sent out, and who they sold their list to. He thought I should call corporate, where decisions were made, instead of customer service. When I did, the receptionist first sent me to customer service, and then back to James. Hopefully, this isn't an infinite loop.

Title Nine Sports was also certain that everything was ethically made, but didn’t have any details. Their products were made all over the world according to different standards. So, I asked, Title Nine doesn’t have any standards of their own? No, she was certain they did, but she didn’t know them. If she was a customer, she’d want to know the same things, she said. But as a CS rep, didn’t she want to know? We agreed that Title Nine was marketing to young, socially-conscious consumers and I wasn’t the first to ask. She would pass on my concern. Since then, I read at StopTheJunkMail.com that Orvis and Title Nine topped the list of junk mail last month. I hope they left some trees to photograph with their outdoorsy sports line.

A surprising number of the people I talked to have said they agree with my concerns. The rest have taken my questions seriously and have been respectful. The Noble Collection was an exception. They specialize in upscale movie-theme paraphernalia billed as "Exclusive Treasures at Uncompromising Value." I asked what their uncompromising labor standards were for manufacturing. For a specific example, I chose the $650 18-karat One Ring for control of Middle Earth. "Made in the U.S.!", she said. "Do you know where the gold comes from?" I asked. "How do you know it's not the U.S.-owned Peruvian mine that's killed union organizers and sent death threats to the priest who represents the workers?" I mentioned that all of these movies are about the battle between good and evil – Narnia, Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code. Wouldn't it be contradictory to wear an icon for the 'good side' that paid money to kill union leaders and priests? Or that stunted children's growth from lead in the water? As she fumbled to transfer me, I could hear snickering in the background, and an incredulous, "She wants to know where the gold comes from?!!" The supervisor was curt in relaying my request to the product manager, but warmed to the task of taking me off their mailing list.

If you would like to join Accountability Anonymous, call your own catalogs and send the results to tereza@retrometro.com. Be polite. Evil may exist, but no one you'll talk to makes enough money. Don't forget to laugh, and remember that it's getting better. A very literate receptionist called my question arcane – by which she meant no insult, just that no one had asked it before. We can't blame the companies if we're not asking. And finally...may your days be jolly and bright, and the rest of black Fridays be white.

Green Toys for the Holidaze

I know many of you probably already subscribe to Co-op America's e-newsletter, but for those of you who don't, you might want to check out their list of Top 10 Toys for the Holidays. I have two kids of my own, and can personally attest to the longevity of some of the toys on their list, especially wooden toys and musical instruments. Everyone from toddlers on up loves to play with wooden toys; electronic toys that "do stuff" are not only annoying to listen to, but they hamper children's creativity. When the toy only has one way to be played with (like most electronic toys), children let it do its thing. But when a toy just "sits there," children have to use their imagination to creatively invent a scene, complete with characters, setting, action, and dialogue. They allow children to do the acting, instead of being acted upon. Not only are these kinds of toys educational in that regard, but they're non-toxic, and FUN to handle. My children have loved their musical instruments from toddlerhood, and seven years later, they're still a favorite when we have friends over (for parades, shows, jam sessions, you get the picture).

If the child on your list is over age 4 or 5, the Family Pastimes board games are a real winner. Not only are they made and sold by a family business, and made of recycled paper, but they are cooperative games. That means that the players have to work together to win the game, and no one child's feelings are hurt when they "lose." Buyer beware, however: these games work best in the context of family play. You actually need to spend time playing them with your kids or they'll sit on the shelf.

While as an organization we promote alternative gifting, I haven't sufficiently evolved as an alternative gifter not to buy my kids presents. As long as you're buying (for your children, neice, or nephew), you may as well get gifts that you'll all be happy to play with for a long, long time, and support some great green businesses in the process.