The Green Life

Green Your New Year’s Resolution: Eat Less Meat

Happy new year! You may have already committed to the bulk of your resolutions, but deepening your shade of green will do us all good. This week, we’ll be giving you easy-to-stick-to ways to make 2009 greener.

Tip #2: Eat Less Meat

The statistics say it all:

Livestock production generates almost 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than the entire transportation sector. If Americans reduced meat consumption by just 20 percent, it would be as though we all switched from a sedan to a hybrid. (New York Times)

Animal factory farms pollute U.S. waterways more than all other industrial sources combined. And you’d save more water by refraining from eating a pound of beef than you would by not showering for an entire year. (E - The Environmental Magazine)

Producing 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of beef emits more carbon dioxide than does going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home. (The Guardian)

Those who can’t cut out meat entirely might decide to be carnivorous on only one or two days of the week.

What are your ecofriendly New Year’s resolutions? Please tell us in the space for comments below.

Daily Roundup

Going, Going, Gone… Last month, Bush paved the way for an auction of pristine stretches of Utah wilderness to oil and gas companies. CBS

Or Here To Stay? In response, college student Tim DeChristopher derailed the auction by ratcheting up bids and winning 13 parcels that he doesn’t intend to pay for. Grist

Getting The Green: Will environmental investments really get you the green you’re seeking? L.A. Times

TVA Woes: A couple of weeks after the huge coal-ash spill in Tennessee, conflicting information exists about air and water safety. NPR

Book It: Thanks to the economic downturn, libraries are experiencing an extreme resurgence in popularity. Treehugger

--Avital Binshtock

River Woes, Thanks To Domestic Oil Drilling

There's something in the water... Concerns about freshwater supplies are rising due to the renewed fervor of domestic oil production. The Colorado River is threatened by oil operations in its proximity, while drilling in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shales is contaminating the Monongahela River. The Bush administration’s auctioning of valuable riparian real estate hasn’t helped, to say the least.

Over its 1,450-mile journey, the Colorado River traverses seven states, waters 15 percent of the nation's crops, and provides potable water to 1 in 12 Americans. As for the Monongahela, 350,000 people rely on it for drinking water. However, nearby oil-drilling operations have pumped it full of toxic chemicals. While the EPA is doing tests, there are no definitive studies or rulings to prevent companies from dumping pollutants.

Will hunger for fossil-fuel independence overrule the thirst for safe drinking water? Let's hope not.

--Hannah Buoye

Green Your New Year’s Resolution: Get Unplugged

Happy new year! You may have already committed to the bulk of your resolutions, but deepening your shade of green will do us all good. This week, we’ll be giving you easy-to-stick-to ways to make 2009 greener.

Tip #1: Get Unplugged

Unplug any electrical appliance you’re not using to save more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide – and a good chunk of cash. "Energy vampires" that should be disconnected when not in use include phone chargers, computers, TVs, DVRs, hair dryers, and microwaves.

What are your ecofriendly resolutions for the new year? Please tell us in the space for comments below.

Green Your Holiday Party: Glassware

Dreaming of a green Christmas? This week, we'll show you ways to make your Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa party eco-friendly, from using the Sunday comics to wrap your gifts to buying LED holiday lights.

Tip #2: Reusable Glassware

One way to avoid the waste of disposable cups and plates is to use small, removable labels for glassware. Many hosts go through three or four times the number of disposable cups as they have guests, and this is a good way to not only conserve resources, but to inspire your guests to do the same.

What are your favorite ways to green your holiday parties? Please tell us in the space for comments below. (Thanks to Carmen Ramos-Kennedy for sharing the above tip.)

The Green Life will take a holiday break starting tomorrow, but we'll be back with new posts on Jan. 5. In the meantime, peruse our archives for a wealth of green-living tips.

Test Your Green IQ

Are you a whiz when it comes to green trivia? Find out how much you know about the big environmental news stories of 2008 by taking "The Year in Green" Quiz.

Green Your Holiday Party: Drinks

Dreaming of a green Christmas? This week we'll show you ways to make your Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa party eco-friendly, from using the Sunday comics to wrap your gifts to buying LED holiday lights.

Tip #1: Serve Green Drinks

Studies suggest that warm drinks promote good feelings, so turn up the cheer with homemade eggnog or vegan eggnog.  Give premixed hot chocolate with fair trade cocoa powder and marshmallows in mason jars as a party favor. Scrap the gift wrap entirely and give gifts in reusable tote bags.

Share your tips: What are your favorite holiday drink recipes?

The Green Life will take a holiday break starting on Dec. 24, but we'll be back with new posts on Jan. 5. In the meantime, peruse our archives for a wealth of green-living tips.

Daily Roundup

Environmental Menace? The Sierra Club's answer guy weighs in on kitty litter and scolds the owners of outdoor cats. Hey Mr. Green

Now Hear This: Scientists discover that so-called "whispering" bats aren't really whispering. They're actually shrieking. Science Daily

Math Wrap: Conserve your (recycled) wrapping paper this holiday season by using "The Scientific Guide to Gift Wrapping." New Scientist

On Course: After receiving a much-needed loan from the federal government, GM announced that the anticipated Chevy Volt is still on schedule for a 2010 debut. Green Tech

Green Seats: Ford hopes to woo environmentally conscious consumers with car seats made of natural hemp and soybean fibers. The Green Parent

My Eco-Valentine

Pink and red may take center stage this Valentine's Day, but that's no reason to forget about green. For the flower lovers in your life, consider seasonal bouquets grown as locally as possible. While imported flowers undergo inspection for pests, pesticide residue gets a free pass. That encourages growers to use highly toxic sprays, says the Pesticide Action Network. Look for blossoms that are organic or certified by the VeriFlora Sustainability Council, such as those sold at californiaorganicflowers.com. In season this time of year are bright anemones, tulips, and Dutch irises. Now what about chocolate? Selfless Sierra Club staffers tested 15 chocolate bars--all certified organic or fair trade, or made by small-scale artisanal companies. These three emerged as crave-worthy winners:

Artisanal
Madagascar premium dark chocolate by Amano Artisan Chocolate
Made with only cocoa beans, cocoa butter, cane sugar, and vanilla pods, this bar (minimum 70 percent cocoa) earned top marks for its tempting appearance, smooth texture, moderate sweetness, and pure cocoa flavor. This, our panelists agreed, is how chocolate should taste. amanochocolate.com

Organic 
New Moon 74 percent bittersweet dark chocolate by Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Organic cocoa beans, evaporated cane juice, cocoa butter, and non-GMO soy lecithin (an emulsifier) make up this smooth bar, which earned the highest score for aroma. One panelist described it as "dark and satisfying," and many detected coffee and earthy flavors complementing the "solidly unadorned chocolate" taste. dagobachocolate.com

Fair Trade
Art Bar exquisite Swiss dark chocolate with coconut by Ithaca Fine Chocolates
Certified both fair trade and organic, this bar (minimum 58 percent cocoa) scored better among panelists favoring semisweet or unsweetened chocolate over a sweeter bar. The coconut was a turnoff for some ("Reminds me of a flavored coffee," one noted), but most liked the nutty flavor and preferred it to other fair-trade entries, which struck tasters as "a little grainy" and too fruity, "like Skittles." ithacafinechocolates.com

Trendsetter: Art Pollard, Amano Artisan Chocolate

The Wasatch Range may not have Oompa Loompas, but crisp air makes the region suited to manufacturing small batches of single-origin dark chocolate. That's the specialty of Utah-based Amano Artisan Chocolate, which former physics lab machinist Art Pollard founded in 2006. Inspired by Belgian chocolate he tasted during his honeymoon, Pollard began studying the delicacy a decade ago, tracking down small-scale plantations with world-class cocoa beans and retooling lab equipment to make his own bars. Today Amano uses mostly vintage processors and is one of fewer than 25 artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate companies in the United States.

Q: What's so special about single-origin chocolate bars?
A: Every area creates its own flavors as a result of microclimates, soil conditions, and genetics. If you pick apples from nearby valleys, they taste pretty much the same. But cocoa grown two valleys apart--it's vastly different. It's a more sensitive crop, and there has been little effort to settle on distinct varieties as we have with other fruit.

Q: How can small chocolate makers influence a $13 billion industry?
A: Large cocoa companies don't encourage distinct native varieties, which have emerged from growing in a particular area for thousands of years and may have better flavor. Instead, preference goes to crops that have disease resistance and high productivity. Historically, it's been hard to separate one or two tons that are really special. We're helping farmers produce better beans and paying premium prices for them. Without that, we could lose the genetic heritage of cocoa.