Archive for May, 2008
May 18th, 2008
on friday, i played in a 9-hole playday as part of the executive women’s golf association. a great day to get outside.
things that were good: i walked with a pull-cart. my tees are wooden. i have a plastic water bottle that came with my bag. and one of my fellow golfers gave me her mike’s hard lemonade to take home (figured i might have a better shot at recycling the plastic at home).
also, afterward at the “reception,” food was served on paper plates and with real silverware.
May 18th, 2008
one of the freelance writers for rockford woman, kelly epperson, wrote me this week regarding my plastic experiment….
“Tommy Tutone has changed his hit lyrics:
Jennie, Jennie you’re the girl for me
You don’t know me but you make me so happy
avoiding plastic i like your nerve
recycle queen ahead of the curve
Jennie, I’ve got your number
I need to make you mine
For a green girl, for a green girl
call 867-5309……”
below is the real song, of course.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/lqUPApCUt90" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
May 17th, 2008
i will be still doing my “don’t buy plastic” experiment this weekend, but i may not post the results until early monday.
in the meantime, chew on this…
stephanie baliga (above, in a 2006 picture as an auburn runner) is planning a “green” event July 26. she is the race director for severson dells’ hall creek scamper 5k run and 1 mile run/walk. severson dells is a not-for-profit organization at 8786 montague road (four miles southwest of rockford) that strives to connect people to nature. the scamper raises money for educational programs.
how is the race “green”? waste outputs and energy inputs will be minimized in organizing and putting on the race, baliga said in an e-mail. her press release calls the event “green, lean and serene.”
part of each entry fee will be used to buy carbon offsets to diminish the race’s carbon footprint. organic cotton t-shirts are guaranteed to the first 150 registered participants. businesses and organizations that promote the environment will be invited to showcase their products and services. and prizes will involve a nature theme.
printable race forms and more information are available here. or e-mail dellsgreenrun@gmail.com.
so the event raises interest in fitness, education and the environment.
May 16th, 2008
my youngest daughter barely eats. chocolate milk alone keeps her alive. but one thing she does eat is kraft cheese slices, which come in plastic wrap. above she was running away from me with cheese in hand.
i hate cheese, so the thought of buying a cheese block and cutting it makes me feel a little sick to my stomach.
i’d rather see if i can recycle the wrappers with plastic bags than go the other route.
May 16th, 2008
while many (ok, probably all) electronics are made of plastic, i wonder whether inventions like “video on demand” and the mp3s on the ipod have cut down on plastic consumption. or even netflix, since renting seems better than buying.
in a quick google search, i didn’t see anything come up.
May 15th, 2008
so far at work this morning, i’ve taken the plastic bag off the coffee filters in the kitchen and found a metal binder clip and a plastic bottle of hairspray in the garbage can of a departing co-worker who shall remain nameless.
i’ve started bringing a recycling bag to work so i can throw things like that in and then take them home.
speaking of bags, whenever i can find a memory card reader here at work, i’ll show you my bag of recycling bags at home. UPDATED: SEE BELOW. i separate them. one side is ones i know i’ll just recycle. one side is bags i’ll reuse.
not only do i recycle plastic shopping bags when i go to the grocery store each week, i also pack away things like newspaper bags or tortilla packaging or carrot bags (below).
May 15th, 2008
did you know:
– more than 46,000 pieces of plastic debris float on every square mile of ocean?
– americans use 4 million plastic bottles every hour, yet only 1 of every 4 is recycled?
– some plastics last for 700 years when buried?
these facts are courtesy of the university in our own back yard.
May 15th, 2008
i had this press release from the in my e-mail, so i’ll share it with you. pretty cool. the deadline is friday, so you better get going…
Celebrate and Inform Our Community about
“Who’s Going Green”
In a never-before joining of organizations celebrating the emerging green economy, the “Winnebago County Green Business” (WCGB) program today announced a “call for nominations” of area businesses and agencies for receipt of awards including “The Outstanding Green Business” and “The Outstanding Green Public Agency.” Presenting sponsors include Illinois Renewable Energy Association, Green Communities Coalition, Four Rivers Environmental Coalition, Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, Comprehensive Community Solutions/YouthBuild, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the River District, ComEd, and the Rockford Park District.
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Co-presentation of the awards will be made by Mayor Lawrence J. Morrissey and Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott H. Christiansen at an event May 29, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Webbs Norman Center, headquarters of the Rockford Park District, 401 S. Main St. Awards will be presented at 5:30 p.m. Mayor Morrissey, Chairman Christiansen and Dr. Robert Vogl, president of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association, will make brief remarks about our local green economy.
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The awards ceremony will be a part of an overall exposition event that will allow nominees to showcase their green efforts. Enjoy their displays, as well as the opportunity for businesses and members of the public to network to discover how we can work more effectively together toward a greener Winnebago County.
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“This is part of an incentive to tell us more about your green business,” said Kerry Knodle, WCGB steering committee member. “Many businesses have taken steps to incorporate sustainable practices into their operations and have improved their performance; but until now, the public has had no way of recognizing which businesses were ‘going green.’” Businesses and agencies that are nominated will be invited to participate in the display area at no charge. Space is, however, limited.
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As the final component of WCGB’s effort, each business and private agency nominated will be included in a “Green Business Inventory” as well as awarded a certificate, window sticker, and use of the 2008 logo.
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The event will be open to the public with no admission fee. The nomination form can be found at www.greencommunitiescoalition.org  or www.illinoisrenew.org .
May 15th, 2008
… and it was salsa. i realized that i took the salsa for my chimichanga recipe in to work for lunch but needed it for supper. whew. it comes in a glass container! and is available at a gas station!
May 14th, 2008
… after a good 10 or 15 years. when the cracks make it unusable, i’ll have to find a nonplastic alternative. maybe a wicker one like my daughter has. found this one on amazon.
i have tried to be more eco-smart about doing laundry. i make sure i have full loads, always wash in cold (except sheets… allergy problems!) and buy the condensed versions of tide.
my drycleaning is a whole other story. now that i’m a mom, i don’t iron. it’s my time-saving choice. but at least i’ve been buying the washable wool suits from the limited. they are awesome.
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