Editors Note: Due to the timing of our production of this piece, Senator Sarah Palin of Alaska was not yet announced as McCain’s running mate thus excluding her from the audio.  To be thorough and fair, we believe her environmental record should be made public.  Click here for a full article on the matter.

Can you save the planet with your vote this November?

We’re taking a hard look at the candidates through the eco-microscope and leaving nothing to chance when it comes to this decision of global consequence.

Meet the Republican Presidential Candidate, John McCain:

He is a self-proclaimed federalist which means he believes the onus is on the individual states to decide if they want off shore oil rigs or put a cap on their carbon emissions.

Like his hero Theodore Roosevelt, McCain believes that “we are vested with a sacred duty to be proper stewards of the resources upon which the quality of American Life depends.”  He knows that history shows that poverty is a poor steward.

McCain also scores a 53% by the League of Conservation Voters, the political voice of the national environmental movement.  It’s a mixed record but he has supported a ban on commercial whaling and higher EPA standards.

Make the candidates work for your vote and click here for more on the McCain/Palin ballot.

Photo by Tom LeGro.

Is it audacious to hope for an environmentally conscious President?

Meet the Democrats!

The Democratic National Convention roared through Denver with as many protests, covert meetings, and celebrity sightings as staged celebrations.  Here are some of the key points to consider with the Obama/Biden bill:

1.) Senator Obama’s so-called New Energy Plan promises 5 million new green collar jobs by strategically investing 150 billion dollars over the next 10 years to build a new clean energy grid.

2.) Deleware Senator Joe Biden has a fairly consistent voting record with environmentalists and has stated that “energy security” is his top priority.

and 3.) The team pledges to implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent before the year 2050.

Make the candidates work for your vote and for more on how the DNC went Green, click here.

Photo by Learfield News.

As if the back to school hustle and bustle wasn’t enough, could it be possible to to stay Green in the process?

From napsacks to pencils, making eco friendly choices on back to school gear is even easier than you may think.  For some help, we caught up with Jen Savadge, author of The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Environmentally Friendly Living.

So instead of shopping for new things, try scouring your closets and filing cabinets for used items that haven’t reached their last legs.

This advice goes beyond the classroom but to the home office, the boardroom, and in the field for all of us who require these tools. So keep sharpening your pencil and use it to the last inch because it’s those little things that help make a difference.

For more green back to school tips, click here.

Photo by elb_the_prof.

The door has slammed shut and the debate is over.  Climate change by human hands is real.

According to the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, industrial activity has irrefutably elevated global greenhouse gasses, reduced snowfall, increased temperature, and raised ocean levels higher than ever.

While stubborn skeptics, like big oil, are still claiming inefficiencies in the study, many have converted.

Troy Ribaudo, of the University of Massachusetts, has been researching the effects of the newest laser detection devices further supporting these climate conclusions.

At the forefront of science there is little question that these findings are indeed the final nail in the coffin regarding mankind’s impact on the environment.

For the full interview with Physicist, Troy Ribaudo, click here.

For daily updates on the climate crisis, check out the following links:

Climate Progress - An Insider’s View of Climate Science, Politics, and Solutions

Real Climate - Clmate Science from Climate Scientists

Desmog Blog - We’re here to clear the PR pollution that clouds the climate debate.

Photo by the Tyndall National Institute.

Blinded by the barrage of eco-friendly stickers on your everyday products?

Deafened by the earthy tones of green marketing verbiage?

Greenwashing is the process by which companies mislead consumers regarding environmentally friendly products.  You see it everyday, stickers that read, “natural, green, earth friendly…” you know the drill.

Here are some key terms to watch out for:

1.) Organic - according to food industry standards, organic food is grown without conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge.  If you see the USDA Organic Seal, that’s a safe choice.

2.) Environmentally Preferred - There is nothing about plastic or rubber that the environment prefers, so watch out for this term alongside unnatural or inorganic products.

3.) Sustainable - there is no standardized definition of sustainable in the context of commerce.  Sustainability implies permanence in nature so be especially aware of this term.

While there are many well-intentioned companies doing good things, protect yourself from greenwashing by understanding certain simple terms.

For more on greenwashing, click here.

Photo by MU_313679.

Who is our nation’s biggest polluter?

According to the Washington Post, it’s the US Defense Department.

According to a recent report, the Defense Department has refused to sign agreements required by law to allow Environmental Protection Agency officials to oversee cleanup of 12 military sites on American soil.

At Fort Meade, located in Maryland, toxic chemicals are being dumped into the soil and contaminating groundwater.  This is causing, and I quote, “imminent and substantial dangers to public health and the environment.”

Regarding other military branches, cleanup efforts have been mixed.  While the Navy has taken certain responsibility for their dirty sites, the Air Force has not signed an EPA agreement in 14 years.

Despite the threat of $28,000 fines per day, the Pentagon continues to ignore their duty to protect the health and well being of the citizens they’ve vowed to protect.

Check out some more of the country’s worst polluters here.

Photo by Citizen110.

Word of the day: upcycling.

What does it mean for the way we think about our trash?

Originally coined by Michael Braungart and William McDonough, authors of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, upcycling is the liberation of discarded materials to create something completely new and beneficial.  It differs from recycling in that the material doesn’t need to go through any extra steps to begin it’s new life as something else.

Take a sheet of hard industrial plastic, for example.  To recycle it, the type of plastic must be identified, sorted, cleaned, and reformed using a slew of chemical processes.  The same sheet can instead be upcycled and used with little or no modification to become the surface of a picnic table or other useful permanent object.  Upcycling gives meaning to the hands-on reuse of materials in their original state without the mystery of the hands-off method of recycling.

For some ways to try upcycling for yourself, check out these links!

Upcycle Art

Upcycling Old Clothes

Upcycled Furniture

Photo by Enno de Kroon.

Green means GO for American cities and the momentum continues to build.

Extraordinary advances in sustainable living have taken hold of our cities and this Green City Spotlight shines on some of their glowing examples:

Albuquerque, New Mexico - Inspired by the nearby Earthship community living in, under, and off the land, Albuquerque has recently mandated that all new buildings must meet at least a minimum of Green requirements.

New York, New York - The city that never sleeps has apparently been up all night thinking of ways to make city life sustainable.  From 300 new hybrid taxis, Mayor Bloomberg’s progressive PLAN NYC, and city-wide eco-education programs, the Big Green Apple has plenty to offer it’s 8.2 million residents.

Grand Rapids, Michigan - Now one of the largest purchasers of clean energy, receives 20% of it’s electricity from locally operated renewable sources.

For more Green City Spotlights, click here.

Photo by OpenThreads.

What’s the one room in the house that uses the most resources and energy to keep your household healthy?

If you guessed the bathroom, you’re spot on.  So how can you regulate the massive amounts of water used in your precious porcelain parlor to help you save money and lessen your environmental impact?

1.) Let’s talk toilets.  If you’ve got one from before 1994, you’re using double the water than that of newer models.  A $300 replacement could save you $50 a year and 180,000 gallons of water.

2.) Hit the showers!  With the simple, inexpensive switch of a shower head to one with a low flow rate of around 2 gallons per minute, you’ve just cut your water usage by 70%!

and 3.) Reuse your water! With the addition of water recirculation pumps and heat recovery systems, you’ll save money on hot water not to mention hundreds of thousands of gallons of usable graywater.

Photo by really short.

Editors Note:  We hope a dose of positivity helps Morgan during his hospital stay. GET WELL SOON!!!

He’s Batman’s outfitter.

He guided us through the icy March of the Pengiuns and may have been our first friend at the Electric Company.

Of course I’m talking about Morgan Freeman, Oscar winning actor, environmentalist, and subject of today’s Green Superhero.

From an unwanted blast of bus exhaust on a New York City street corner, Morgan Freeman began his 25 years of understated environmental work that has grown as broadly and influential as his acting career.  Named to the board of directors of Earth Biofuels, he currently works with BMW to promote their development of low and zero emission cars.

Though his sober understanding of our global need for energy, he says it’s not about “saving energy; (but) if we get the right kind of energy, there are endless amounts.”  Morgan chooses to express his excitement about the advancement of biofuels, and clean energy rather than his frustration.

For more Green Superheroes, click here.

Photo by divxplanet.