Sierra Club - The Green Life

Daily Roundup: March 9, 2010 Better Late: Today China and India formally joined the Copenhagen Accord, adding to the more than 100 countries that have signed the three-page agreement to combat rising global temperatures. Guardian Spread the Blame: A new study suggests that while China is often criticized for its carbon emissions, a large percentage of its energy consumption can be traced to the goods it makes for the Western world. Time Mountaintop Momentum: The EPA declared that while it does not intend to end the practice of mountaintop removal, it will try to minimize its effect on water quality. Charleston Gazette Double the Doubt: A recent poll suggests that the number of global-warming skeptics in the U.S. doubled from 10 to 20 percent from 2008 to 2009, which could constrain the passage of climate-change legislation. Christian Science Monitor Oscar-Winning Watchdogs: The documentarians behind the Oscar-winning film The Cove discovered whale being served at a sushi restaurant in Santa Monica. Authorities are now investigating. New York Times

Nike Scores with Recycled World Cup Soccer Jerseys There’s nothing inherently green about a month-long sports competition that requires participants and spectators to fly in from all over the planet, as is the case for the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in South Africa this June. Nike is making efforts, though, to push the World Cup in a more sustainable direction. The company sponsors several teams (including the Americans) and will be outfitting their players with jerseys made from recycled plastic water bottles. Soccer uniforms are typically made of polyester, which is a petroleum product, but manufacturing the recycled version burns 30 percent less energy than making new fabric. The plastic bottles are rescued from landfills in Japan and Taiwan, and only eight bottles are needed to make each jersey. For a pretty penny, fans will be able to purchase souvenir versions of their favorite team's shirt.

Green Your House Party: Invite Others Now that you’ve decided to host a Party for Wildlife to spur the conversation about conservation, who should you invite? Friends and family, of course, but consider extending the invitation to others too—neighbors, co-workers, members of your church. Keep it green by sending electronic invitations instead of paper ones.

Daily Roundup: March 8, 2010 No Exception: A new USGS study found that 100 percent of fish from U.S. streams are contaminated with mercury. The pollutant is a neurotoxin that gets into waterways largely because of the burning of coal for electricity. Natural News RIP, Old Friend: Edgar Wayburn, the Sierra Club’s former president, died on Friday at age 103. He protected more wild places than any other American, effectively doubling the amount of U.S. parkland. Los Angeles Times Plastic, Not Paper: Canada will replace its paper currency with plastic, which lasts longer, is cheaper to make, and is recyclable. On the other hand, it’s a synthetic polymer, the production of which causes environmental harm. About.com Cost of Driving: The work of Harvard researchers suggests that levying higher taxes on fuel would prove quite beneficial toward reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Dot Earth (NYT) Dolphins Triumphant? The Cove, a film about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, won an Oscar in the “Best Documentary” category. Ecorazzi

Mixed Reviews: Our Trail-Mix Taste Test No one knows exactly when humans first paired nuts with dried fruit and thought, "Gorp! I must have this as I journey forth afoot." We do know, however, that the salty-sweet concoction now called trail mix became commercially available in the 1960s and that makers have been refining recipes ever since. We recruited 15 hungry Sierra Club staffers to blind-taste and rate several varieties, the stipulation being that all the brands we tasted had to be Earth-conscious in some way (and therefore turned out to be more expensive than your average trail mix). The results were all over the map, so much so that we found only four worth recommending. More than one concoction received the lowest score of 1 from some tasters and the highest score of 10 from others — proving that one hiker's bird feed can be another's nectar. Here are Sierra magazine's top four brands.

Green Fashion Monday: An Organic Makeup Bag We’re loving the new accessories line from Apple & Bee, a company that’s carbon-neutral, a member of 1% For the Planet, and uses Earth-friendly materials in its products and packaging. This adorable makeup bag, for instance, is made of organic cotton and hemp.

Green Your House Party: Host a "Life" Viewing When you sign up to host a Party for Wildlife, you’ll get a packet of information you need to plan the party -- and if you sign up by Mar. 10, it'll include a free sneak-peak DVD of Life, allowing you and your guests to watch it before it airs.