By NBC Universal

On Wednesday, November 28, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City was lit - an annual tradition celebrating its 75th anniversary. This year marks the first-ever solar powered tree, a collaboration of GE Energy and Tishman Speyer, one of the world's leading owners, developers, operators, and fund managers of first-class real estate - including Rockefeller Center. The lighting was televised live on NBC during the network's tenth annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special.

As part of an overall energy conservation initiative for Rockefeller Center, Tishman Speyer installed 363 GE solar panels on the roof of 45 Rockefeller Plaza to help reduce the building's electricity consumption. The solar energy roof, which will be the largest privately owned solar energy generation station in Manhattan, will conserve energy during peak usage times year-round and help power the tree's new energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights.

The solar panels will create a 70 kilowatt DC generation station that is tied to the Rockefeller Center grid and will help reduce the building's electricity consumption. The solar installation will also keep approximately 67,392 lbs. of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year and more than 2,000,000 lbs. over its 30-year lifespan. The tree's 30,000 LEDs, on five miles of wire, will draw a fraction of the power that is traditionally required by the tree, reducing energy consumption from 3,510 kilowatt hours to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day, saving as much energy as a single family would use in a month in a 2,000 square foot home. The new solar energy roof will generate more electricity in its first year than the tree lights will consume over the 42 days they will be illuminated.

Also for the first time this year, the tree was cut with a handheld saw to reduce energy use. Tishman Speyer is replanting/re-greening the land where the tree came from and recycling all appropriate materials used during the cutting event. Upon completion of the holiday season, the tree will be milled and treated and made into lumber to be used by Habitat for Humanity.

NBC's broadcast of the Christmas in Rockefeller Center special was co-hosted by Today's Al Roker and recording artists Nick Lachey and Ashley Tisdale. Musical artists Natasha Bedingfield, Tony Bennett, Celine Dion and Josh Groban, among others, performed current hits and holiday classics.

NBC Universal

By Heather Stephenson, IdealBite.com

Who knew that we were all at such risk of constant dehydration? Read enough magazines or watch enough commercials, and sooner or later, you'll be convinced that your body is in severe need of hydration, electrolytically imbalanced and far from its peak performance.

Oh puhlease. When I grew up, kids playing sports drank... well, water. And that water? It came from a tap, not a plastic bottle with a label.

But if I bought the idea that electrolytic sports drinks were critical to my health (and trust me, as a girl who occasionally imbibes too much of a different kind of liquid, there is something miraculous about those blue sports drinks as a hangover cure), you can bet I'd be reaching for some coconut water instead. Natural coconut water - the "juice" inside a coconut when you split it open - offers the same electrolytes and potassium as conventional sports drinks, but with fewer calories and none of the artificial additives. I was a complete skeptic until I tried it.

I promise - it's good stuff. Who knows? I might even start running (without anyone chasing me) if it means I'll be in desperate "need" of some hydrating coconut fluids...

-Heather Stephenson, Co-Founder, Ideal Bite

By Zem Joaquin, ecofabulous.com

'Tis the season to get informed. When shopping for papers there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, regarding recycled content - always check out the percentage: a label that reads "30% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste" means 70% virgin wood cut down from forests, 20% post-consumer waste and 10% post-industrial waste - a little play on words to make you think they're more eco than they actually are (look for 100%, if possible). Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) paper is also key. Paper mills that use chlorine for bleaching produce chlorinated organic compounds such as highly toxic dioxins which cause a host of health and environmental problems.

Next you want to consider the dyes being used. Conventional dyes that are petroleum-based emit harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. Look for vegetable-based dyes, such as soy that has been found to emit 82% less VOCs. They are also considerably easier to remove from paper during the de-inking phase of recycling.

Other things to look for are the sustainable practices a company engages in (hopefully): like where do they get their power? Do they practice fair trade? Do they buy their materials locally? At the end of the day, though, we want paper products that we love, that are simply beautiful.

One company to check out is Fish Lips Paper Designs. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper that is Processed Chlorine Free and printed entirely with soy inks (they also use Green-e certified wind power) their high-quality wrapping papers don't skimp on cool at all. The "one love" is perfect for pets and what gent wouldn't love a gift wrapped in the "dirty martini" paper?

Their holiday line can also help green a notoriously wasteful time of year; "don't be a flake" is great for Christmas and Hanukkah alike, but I'm not so sure about Kwanzaa. Of course you could try my favorite technique - cut out pages of magazines that are befitting of the recipient. My super-stylish sister gets fashion magazine picks, while my dad gets old golf images. Use whatever you have or ask a friend their old books.

Zem Joaquin
ecofabulous.com

By Peter Pachal, SCIFI.com

We all know we should use less power, recycle more and take shorter showers, but few people really live as efficiently as they can. What might help is a visual reminder that's ever-present, constantly reminding us of the impact we're having on the environment, and how much we can do better.

Enter the EnergyTree. A concept proposed by designer Ben Arent, the tree is like any houseplant, except you never need to water it. Its container does that for you, though the amount of water and nutrients the tree gets depends on how energy-efficient you are. Turn down your heat at night and the Tree will be strong and healthy; leave your Xbox on when you're not playing and those branches might start to look bare. How would this all work exactly? More pics and info below.

Exactly how the EnergyTree would monitor your energy consumption is a little hazy, though from Arent's description, it would involve connecting devices via control ports (so the tree could turn off gear not in use) and weighing the content of recycling bins. Sounds like a custom installer might be involved. Of course, there's the obligatory Internet connection, too, which would let you score "green points" online and boast to the world about how green you are. 'Cause that's what it's really all about, isn't it?

Peter Pachal
SCIFI.com

By Lisa Blau, VitalJuiceDaily.com

When it comes to holiday gift giving, there's a shade of green for everyone on your list. Here are some suggestions for giving environmentally responsible gifts that your friends, family and planet will thank you for:

When heading to those holiday parties grab a bottle of ecohol to take for the host or hostess. Square One Vodka is made with 100% organic North Dakota rye and comes in a non-frosted glass bottle (frosted glass uses lots of chemicals) with a bamboo label that peels off so the bottle can be reused as a vase. Toss in a bottle of organic fruit mixer from Modmix in delicious flavors like Citrus Margarita or Pomegranate Cosmo to really get the party started.

For Mom, why not treat her to some organic pampering. Body oil from Origins Organics makes for a relaxing bath or massage - and she'll feel good knowing that their sustainable packaging has preserved some 1,500 trees and counting. She might also like to indulge in Pangea Organic's new mask (it's packed with antioxidant rich Acai and Goji Berry!). Even better? She can plant the packaging and watch herbs sprout for future use.

If your Dad is always grumbling about the many bills he gets in the mail, why not do him a favor and thin out his mail entirely? Sign him up for Green Dimes and they'll not only reduce his junk mail by 90%, they'll also plant 10 trees in his honor. Just think, if everyone in the U.S. did this we'd spare 100 million trees each year.

We're sure your fashion-forward sister will love anything from Under the Canopy - the first brand in "EcoFashion" makes one of the softest robes on the planet in 100% organic cotton. If she prefers to make more of a statement, give her a "Think Green" t-shirt from Zooey (also popular with the always-statement-making young Hollywood set).

For your tech-obsessed brother, give a solar powered charger to juice all of his portable gadgets. The Solio charges at the same rate as if it's plugged into the wall, and when fully powered can charge his cell phone at least twice.

Everyone in the family should get their stocking stuffed with a Sigg - beautifully designed reusable water bottles that are cool enough to carry with you always.

And there's no better way to say thank you, then sending a thank you note - but email it on personalized e-stationery (check out the selection from Iomoi.com).

If you're still looking for green gift giving inspiration peruse these sites: Earth Moment stocks everything from jewelry to TV's and they donate a piece of the revenue from every product to CarbonFund.org; Great Green Goods is a shopping blog dedicated to all gifts eco-friendly; and 1% for the Planet will help you find retailers that donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations.

Have other green gift giving ideas? I'd love to hear about them.

Lisa Blau
Editor, Vital Juice Daily

By Jimmy Wong, amoswong.com

In recent news, the Nordic nations (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland) via a joint statement have raised the alarm over the melting Arctic. They are worried that this phenomenon will have irreversible consequences, threatening livelihood and doubling the rate of ice melt.

United Nations (UN) has put the blame on burning fossil fuel for this melt. While the nations and head of states work on their protocols and what needs to be done, I have already start practicing “environmental-friendly” life whenever and wherever possible. How? Read on for some of my many ways.

Many of us own a car; the more fortunate ones own more than one. A huge majority of our cars run on fossil fuel; the remaining minority operates on biofuel, natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, hydrogen and electricity. My car runs on fossil fuel because I cannot afford Honda's new hydrogen car. I drive my car everyday and each minute I burn fossil fuel and contribute to the overall rise in global temperature, although in a minute way.

What I practice are ways to reduce the burning of fossil fuel and at the same time, saving me money against the rising global fossil fuel price. As you may know, Malaysia is right smack in the tropical region and hence is a very hot place. Using the car’s air conditioning consumes about 20% extra fuel. For me, whenever my car is cooled down, I turn off the air conditioning. Call me crazy, call me a fool, but switching off air-conditioning whenever you don’t need it saves fuel, saves money and saves the environment. Fixing heat reflecting films helps a great deal.

I have already changed the way I drive, from being heavy footed to very light. I seldom accelerate more than what is required, using momentum to help push the car, thereby reducing fuel consumption. I also reduce the need to hard brake by looking further ahead, decelerate much earlier on whenever I see traffic ahead.

These simple methods have helped me reduce my fuel consumption by some 15%; at the same time, reducing the emission by the same margin. Can you imagine if 20 million Malaysians reduce 15% emission? Malaysia will have a very blue sky.

Jimmy Wong
amoswong.com

By Heather Stephenson, IdealBite.com

In a move that apparently makes me horrifically old-fashioned (if the comments of my peers are any indication), I admit to being quite attached to cleaning my counters with actual dishcloths. If I spill something and it's a bigger job than a cloth can handle, I grab an old tea towel and soak it up. Everything tosses into the washer. To me, this makes perfect sense.

But for whatever reason, it seems like most people I know use some version of a freakin' baby wipe to sweep down their counters. You know the ones - anti-bacterial disposable wipes - one swipe and a toss. And god forbid a glass of wine upends on the counter or kitchen floor... out come the paper towels - a whole roll in the service of mopping up something that could just as easily have been sucked into washable, reusable towel.

When did we become such creepy germophobes? Has anyone ever seen any studies that show that the kids of parents who use bleach-infused wipes instead of a dishcloth (maybe even a cloth that's a day past its prime and might need to head to the laundry) have fewer bouts of sickness than those who use a dishcloth? (This isn't rhetorical - if you know of a study, let me know... I've never found one.) Is it really more convenient to go to the store, buy a plastic package of countertop-babywipes, find said wipes under the sink, rip out seven or eight, clean, and ultimately recycle the plastic package, than it is to wash and fold a few cloths and towels?

Really?

Heather Stephenson
Co-Founder, Ideal Bite

By Christian Martin, iVillage.com

I'd always been a little conflicted about Global Warming. Intellectually I knew it was a bad thing, I'd watched Al Gore's documentary and was suitably scared and like everyone else I like Polar Bears and wish them all the best. On the other hand I live in New York City, hate winter and am quite fond of late falls and early springs. Not very PC? You bet but until now I felt okay about it; I take the subway to work, separate my paper and plastic and when I have a few extra dollars in my pocket I buy one of those swirly fluorescent light bulbs. I figured I was doing my part.

Then I had kids, two of them.

Now when I fly across country and look down and see subdivisions spreading like fungus across what was farmland only a few years ago I get upset. When I read that we are running out of water in the Southwest and the Southeast because we have built and built without any concern for the future but only with the idea of how many houses we can cram onto a single acre I get more upset. When I am forced to hug the shoulder of the road to avoid oncoming SUV's and Hummers driven by a single occupant because - well I can't fathom the reason people would drive a Hummer when gas prices are routinely above three dollars a gallon - I get angry.

So what can I do to secure the planet for my children besides huff and puff as I look out airplane windows and glare at oncoming traffic?

The first thing is to get involved. I routinely let my elected officials know how I feel. This means I e-mail my state assemblymen, my mayor, my congressman, my senators and my president to let them know how I feel about global degradation and what I am in favor of and maybe just as importantly what I am against - a continued over reliance on fossil fuels.

But there is also a lot I do in my everyday existence. I walk my kids to school. It is good for them and me, I save a few bucks on gas, lessen traffic and don't pollute the environment. I have made turning off the lights when you leave the room an absolute mandate in my house (points are added or subtracted for the kids depending on how well they do - redeemable for ice cream on the weekends). I make it a hard fast rule that if we bring something home - a toy or gizmo for dad - something also has to leave the house. It can't go into the garbage out front it needs to make its way to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or our church. I don't use lighter fluid when I start the BBQ and I only buy organic food. I wear a sweater in the winter and preach the benefits of an extra blanket at night. I installed double paned windows and put in low flow toilets. In short I do anything I can think of to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Why? Because in the last few years my eyes alone have convinced me that something pretty serious is going on (99.9% of all scientists agreeing doesn't hurt either). The idea that the world will be even more difficult place to navigate for my children is unfathomable. I want my kids to be concerned with first loves, great jobs, what to name my grandchildren. I don't want them consumed with global warming, dwindling water supplies, a country that is a single vast suburb, clogged with traffic and few open spaces. I want my children and future generations to know the joy of a snowball fight, an endless view of pristine forest and rivers and streams that are clean enough to drink from and fish from. At the pace we are going that won't happen. So to everyone I say do your part, pitch in and find 5 or 6 ways you can be a little bit more green. It will save you a few bucks, make you feel better about yourself and help save the world.

Christian Martin
iVillage, VP & Executive Producer, Programming, Content & Integration
http://www.iVillage.com

By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com

With Thanksgiving just days away, I've been musing about this past year and recounting my blessings. High on the list is the fact that Green has certainly busted out all over. This newfound mass awareness of the eco-friendly lifestyle and its importance to us all makes living Green much easier.

Certainly, I'm thankful for my Going Green group that gives me a voice to share my thoughts, and the chance to hear my Green friends on Connect. I'm thankful for the recent launch of GreenIsUniversal.com which gives us Green folk another forum to spread the word. These blessings got me thinking about all the wonderful people I'm connected to now as together we try to make our lives a little Greener.

- Elmer, my raw milk farmer, who courageously battles with the FDA every day and travels to NYC from his organic farm in Pennsylvania so my family can enjoy the benefits of raw dairy.
- Laura Jordan, owner of Ka Nani Essentials, a mother and small business entrepreneur of wonderful, handmade, custom, organic, natural beauty products.
- Local farmers who work with the earth and struggle at times against arcane government regulations to provide organic, nutritious produce to my local grocery store.
- Companies like Dr. Hauschka, Bambu, EO, HERdesign and Pangea Organics who are dedicated to providing superior organic, Green products while advocating and practicing an eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle.
- Rhea Alexander, president and design director of D.I.G.S. , an eco-conscious, quality, home accessories design company who helps me to decorate Green without compromising style.
- Experts like Paul Novack at Green Depot who teaches me how to make my home more Green and provides me with the Green products that keep my living space clean and allergy and toxin free. It's nice not being allergic to my apartment anymore!
- Loyal, inspirational Going Green members like Jenjerdear, Katen2006, Heartsong 2000 and Charming 1223. Keep your comments coming!
- And my husband, Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, a pioneer in nutritional medicine and the scientific backbone of my Going Green group. His patient advice and expert Green teachings have been a constant and motivating source for my own Green lifestyle.

I'd love to hear about your own "Green Team" - the people and companies who you rely on everyday to make living healthy and eco-friendly possible for all of us.

Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
Please join my Going Green group and read my Green Blog

With all the talk of green living in the media, having a green wedding is something many couples are considering. And it's not as difficult to plan as you may think. Here are a few simple ways that you can have an eco-friendly wedding:

• Tell your florist that you only want to use organic and locally grown flowers


• Order your invitations on recycled paper - Oblation Papers offers a beautiful line of invites on recycled cotton handmade paper


• In lieu of traditional wedding favors, make a donation to an environmental charity - The I Do Foundation has a list of a dozen green charities and organizations you can choose from


• Have the caterer and baker create your wedding menu and cake from organic and locally grown ingredients

Visit From "I Will" to "I Do" for more wedding planning tips. Or post your eco-wedding questions on the Eco-Friendly Weddings message board to learn how you can have an eco-chic wedding from our eco-expert.

Anne Chertoff
iVillage, Producer
http://www.ivillage.com

By Leah Zerbe, WCAU Philadelphia

You are what you eat, but if fish is on your fork several times a month, you could be poisoning yourself. Many forms of fish are great for people, there's no doubt about it. But because of several factors, mainly the pollution from coal-generated power facilities that produce energy for many homes, mercury levels are rising inside of our bodies.

In many fish, mercury built up under the scales and shells can cause adverse health problems if eaten by people. Children and women of childbearing age are at an increased risk, according to the government and environmental advocacy groups.

Most fish is lean and full of healthy omega-3 fats, but some species are also laden with mercury, a harmful toxin that can interfere with the central nervous system and brain. The Natural Resources Defense Council, sourcing the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration, listed fish safe to eat and fish to avoid.

Mercury has been used for making thermometers and thermostats and in some chemical and industrial facilities. The real problem arises once the pollution moves into the air and makes its way into oceans and waterways, building up in the fish people eat, according to NRDC. Once mercury enters a waterway, naturally occurring bacteria absorb it and convert it to a form called methyl mercury," according to information published by NRDC. This transition is particularly significant for humans, who absorb methyl mercury easily and are especially vulnerable to its effects. Mercury then works its way up the food chain as large fish consume contaminated smaller fish. Instead of dissolving or breaking down, mercury accumulates at ever-increasing levels.

Scientists have said that predatory fish such as large tuna, swordfish, shark and mackerel can have mercury concentrations in their bodies that are 10,000 times higher than those of their surrounding habitat.

According to the EPA, if a pregnant mother eats fish contaminated with mercury, it can harm the fetus' growing brain and nervous system, which can affect cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language and other motor and visual spatial skills.

It also affects growing children because they absorb more nutrients as their brains and nervous systems develop.

By far, people ingest the highest amounts of mercury through tuna because it is one of the most popular fish to eat, according to environmental groups.

It is also important for fisherman to check local advisories because some fish are so highly contaminated that they should not even be eaten at all.

Greening Your Way To Mercury Reduction

Eating fish brings mercury into people's bodies, but if you've feasted on lobster and tuna your whole life, don't panic. There are ways to cut mercury contamination inside your body and in the environment.

Restrict Portions Or Don't Eat Fish At All:
Obviously, people who cut fish out of their diets will consume much less mercury than those that eat it. If cutting fish out of the diet isn't an option, people can drop mercury levels inside their bodies by choosing to eat fish with lower levels of the toxin and by eating less of it. Most doctors say it takes several months for levels to drop. Blood tests can detect mercury levels.

Need another reason? Think about how much energy goes into getting crab legs harvested thousands of miles away onto your plate. Ships have to span long distances in dangerous conditions to catch the crabs, return to land, ship them to other parts of the world and make sure they are refrigerated through the entire process.

Many species are also harvested using environmentally destructive methods and are perilously low in numbers, which could affect how some people chose their meals, too.

Heat Your Home With Clean Energy
Remember, one big source of mercury pollution comes from power plants.
Many are not in a financial or geologically feasible position to install solar panels, geothermal heating systems or windmills in their back yards.

Still, there are options. Many power companies, including Peco, offer programs where customers can purchase wind power instead of fossil-fuel-generated heat. You won't have the windmill in your yard, but the company will purchase the same amount of wind power for the power grid.

Stay Informed, Become An Activist
Stay on top of environmental laws and loopholes associated with cutting industrial and power plant emissions.

According to NRDC's Web site:

By law, the Environmental Protection Agency is obligated to require power plants to cut roughly 90 percent of their emissions of mercury and other toxic pollution by 2008. Instead, in March 2005 the agency let polluters off the hook, requiring much smaller reductions and giving electric companies more than two decades to accomplish them. What's more, the agency essentially allowed polluting companies to do nothing for the next 12 years.

The nonprofit organization also said people should ask their grocery stores, fish markets and restaurants to label fish and post warnings about the dangers associated with the fish they sell.

Leah Zerbe
WCAU NBC 10 Philadelphia
http://nbc10.com/goinggreen/14299413/detail.html

By Simran Sethi, NBC News

If everyone lived like me, we'd need another 1 1/2 planets to sustain ourselves.

How do I know? Based on my ecological footprint -- the imprint I make on the world as a result of how I live, act, and consume.

I'm five feet tall, weigh 96 pounds, and my shoe size is 6. But my ecological footprint is 11 acres: an average of the fossil fuels needed to power my life, the water needed to raise my food, & the land needed to absorb my waste.

Lest you think I'm living extravagantly:
- I walk practically everywhere and drive an average of 5 miles per week --
- I eat modest amounts of meat and try to buy local produce --
- And I rent a sweet little apartment in the Heartland.

The average ecological footprint of an American is actually 24 acres, which would require more than 5 planets to sustain.

What makes footprints so big? For me, it's getting on lots of planes & eating a fair amount of processed food. Although I can't forgo my flights, I can make adjustments in other areas of my life to offset that consumption, because when it comes to the environment, size matters. And no matter what they say about big feet, this is a footprint we should all shrink.

To find out how you measure up, take the Ecological Footprint quiz at:
http://www.earthday.net/Footprint/

Simran Sethi
NBC News, Environmental Correspondent
http://www.nbcnews.com

By Rachel Gray, iVillage.com

With the green revolution taking off, there's a serious push for sustainable, eco-friendly resources. Lately, I'm seeing bamboo test the waters of industries where cotton historically reins supreme.

I'm a huge fan of cotton clothing - comfortable, affordable and easy to care for - but because it's a difficult crop to grow, it doesn't have the best rep when it comes to the environment. Tremendous amounts of pesticides and chemicals are needed to produce cotton, which is not only hazardous to the environment, but the people who harvest it. Maybe it is time to look for a more earth-friendly fabric.

Bamboo fiber is a seemingly great alternative. Unlike cotton, it is sustainable and grows at rapid speeds without the use of pesticides. The fiber, created by crushing the woody stalks of the plant, is turned into a soft fabric that is noted for a breatheability ideal for clothing and bedding.

I plan to test run these bamboo sheets from Gaima to see if they're just as smooth and comfortable as my favorite cotton sets. Order yours, or pick up these affordable ones on your next trip to Target, so we can compare notes.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Rachel Gray, Associate Producer
iVillage.com
http://housecalls.ivillage.com/home/

By Nicole Walters, GreenIsUniversal.com

On a particularly hot and muggy day in July, my husband and I went mountain biking with our dog, Zero. Unfortunately, we chose a very foul smelling path riddled with biting flies. So we were especially relieved to get back to our car where we could blast the A/C into our sweaty faces and drink lots of water.

While I was cutting a water bottle into a drinking bowl for Zero and seeing to his hydration, a man on a bike approached the driver side window where my husband was sitting and knocked on it. My husband, being a foreigner and not yet as jaded as I am to the ways of my fellow Americans, opened up the window and said hello. Big mistake.

One quick glance at that this man told me he wore his dedication to being carbon free like a badge of honor: from the road dust coating his padded knee gear, to the rear view mirror that was permanently attached to his glasses, all the way down to his Carbon Free or Die t-shirt. I cringed at the thought of his pending criticism but honestly, I couldn't think of what he could say. Had we not just been enjoying nature on our bikes with our furry friend? Had I not just recycled the water bottle and provided nourishment for another living creature? What more could he want from us?? Over the purr of our idling car, he proceeded to tell us that "Just 10 minutes of idling per day causes 550 pounds of CO2 per year." Even though this was a new bit of green knowledge that I normally would've found useful, I was ticked off at the guy! I just continued to let Zero drink and listened as my husband told him that he liked what he was saying, but that he had absolutely terrible timing. An argument ensued and the biker rode off having done no good but annoy two people who otherwise would have been open to and considerate of his message.

So I did some research on idling and found this really useful site with tons of anti-idling facts and one of the writer's personal experiences with delivering the sometimes sensitive message: www.thehcf.org/antiidlingprimer.html.

So often times we green people have trouble with the delivery of our messages. It's hard to get across a point that you feel so passionate about without sometimes sounding like a nut or becoming frustrated when people don't seem to take you seriously. My one bit of advice to this is to remember that not all of the world is green, or wants to be, but whatever message you do send, make sure it's a positive one.

Nicole Walters
GreenIsUniversal.com

By Trevor Curwin, SCIFI.com

Renewable energy is still just a small part of the of our overall energy use. While it's growing steadily, we're going to need alternatives if we hope to reduce our dependency on oil, and the carbon-dioxide it chugs into the atmosphere when we burn it. Luckily, brainiacs in labs around the world are finding even more efficient ways to produce energy from what's readily available and not buried beneath megatons of earthly crust.

Here's a look at eight different ways you may be tanking up at home and on the road in the near and distant future.

1. Hydrogen
Like the new BMW TV ads say, their still-unavailable Hydrogen 7 is "ready for the world… when the world is ready." But progress on California's "hydrogen highway" hasn't quite hit the numbers supporters hoped it would. Fuel-cell technology has alternately been a darling of Wall Street and Detroit for almost a decade now, but we've yet to see many hydrogen-powered vehicles in the wild. The technology seems like an environmentalist's wet dream (literally), with hydrogen bonding with oxygen to produce power and water — and no greenhouse-gas emissions to speak of. But building a new series of hydrogen power stations hasn't been as easy as once thought, and people still think "Hindenberg" when they think "hydrogen," although it seems to be a safe enough technology that transit authorities uses hundreds of hydrogen-powered buses to move us around urban centers. Still, hydrogen's ultimate downfall may be battery technologies and other clean fuels that could overtake it before it has the chance to get wide adoption.

2. Biofuels
This is a fractious bunch of youngsters, with fraternal twins biodiesel and corn-based ethanol trying to keep its younger sibling — cellulosic ethanol — from hogging the family photos. Enormous amounts of capital have flowed into developing both biodiesel (Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is funding the biggest biodiesel refinery in the country in Washington State) and corn-based ethanol (Sun Microsystems founder and venture capital Vinod Khosla has made big bets in this space). Converting vehicles and power plants to these renewable fuels that act and burn like fossil fuels has certainly made much headway. Heck, you could be burning an ethanol blend in your car right now and not even know it, and installing conversion kits for biodiesel makes putting on new spinning rims look tough.

3. Solar
Solar is probably the sexiest of the renewables, what with its black shiny arrays, tilting half-interested at Old Sol. Between tax breaks to install solar panels and new sleeker technology that makes your neighbors want to say "cool roof, man," solar is beginning to take off. Thin-film technology — allowing you to bend the silicon components into more flexible shapes — and increases in solar-cell efficiency mean you can install solar in the Northeast more viably. And momentum is there among legislators as well. In Colorado, the state has passed a "renewable portfolio standard," meaning that not only do utilities need to produce a great deal of renewable energy in the coming decades or face penalties, but they also have to buy a portion of that renewable energy from its customers with solar roofs.

4. Wind
Windmills have come a long way from Kansas farm country and being Don Quixote's nemesis. Wind power first took off — as did many renewable energy sources — in the late '70s and early '80s with the last spike in the price of oil. But after that it stalled until fairly recently. With many states forcing utilities into renewable energy production, this has spurred great technological advances in wind power, and now wind projects are installed or planned in almost every state. The era of having your own windmill, and going "off the grid," is also back, with personal household models costing under $20,000, assuming you have forgiving neighbors. And efficiencies in technology mean you don't need a hurricane to generate a lot of power. But wind's popularity has also created a bottleneck — estimates are that you'll be waiting longer for a wind turbine (about 18 months) than you will for a black Prius.

5. Batteries
They're not really a fuel, but they're the "universal solvent" to our current rate of use of fossil fuels. Technically, we still burn more dinosaur soup making electricity for buildings than on the road, but all those cars and trucks we sit in use energy in other ways, too. They require gas stations everywhere, and that means yet more trucks to haul three grades of gas and Cinnabons to highway rest stops across the country. But new battery technology will last longer and charge more quickly, making it possible to burn the right fuel in the right place, rather than transporting the wrong fuel all over the place. So maybe as you drive from Seattle to Boston, you'll top up your electric or hybrid car with tidal power in Seattle, wind power in Colorado, cellulosic ethanol in Nebraska, biogasoline in Illinois and biomass to carry you into Boston.

6. Tides
Think about how it feels to have someone chucking a bucket of water in your face, then multiply that by several hundred million, and you get an idea of the energy going untapped around our coastlines every day. Test facilities for harnessing tidal power in Canada's Bay of Fundy have been around since the '70s, and San Francisco will be putting in a high-tech tidal plant at the Golden Gate soon. There are certainly environmental concerns around tidal power, since these projects usually involve some kind of plant at the narrow mouth of a bay or inlet, where the water is moving fastest and most violently, meaning it's not so great for the fish or birds nearby. But the future of ocean power is wave technology, where floating platforms and buoys, dozens of miles offshore, harvest the energy of wave motion. Think of an upside-down yo-yo, except your finger is an anchor at the bottom of the ocean, and the spinning spool floats on the surface. As each wave passes, the yo-yo gets pulled up, and pulls your finger… or a turbine.

7. Garbage
Meet the newest member of the energy family: last year's trash. While incinerators haven't really been widespread since the '60s because of pollution concerns, companies like American Combustion are working on the next generation of burning, like their PyreJet. It combines a long-range supersonic oxygen jet and focused carbon injection — essentially a jet engine — to reduce last night's Dominos, a year's worth of Sports Illustrateds you didn't get a chance to read and that old blow-up doll into valuable energy for everyone. Now there's always an answer to, "Who would want that?" when you're at someone else's house.

8. Nuclear Fusion
Like that kid in eighth grade who tried to be really cool but annoyed everyone, the nuclear industry has been talking a lot lately, telling everyone at recess about how their emissions "carbon-free." True, but wind power doesn't need to go around the lunchroom calling itself "plutonium-239-free," so quit being a punk or I'll be seeing you after school by the monkey bars at Three Mile Island, and don't tell your homeroom teacher. But if the opposite of hate is love, then the opposite of fission is fusion, and while it's not exactly around the corner, it holds out a lot of promise. Yes, it's the energy choice of the Sun itself, but simply put, in fusion, two lighter atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus. In doing so, it releases a few megatons of energy, ideally producing a waste product more benign, though not harmless, compared to its fissile brother. A European test plant managed to produce an output of 16 megawatts of electricity using fusion (about as much as a coal plant), but only for a few seconds. New test facilities are planned, so who knows? The atom may be our pal after all.

Trevor Curwin
SCIFI.com

By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com

Britney wants more, Paris needs less and everyone wants Jennifer's. Hair tops the list of what women obsess about the most. A great hair day gives us confidence and a little bounce in our step. I mean how often do you hear "I'm having a bad skin day"?

But what price do we pay for gorgeous hair? Does great hair have to be a byproduct of rubbing dangerous chemicals into our scalp that seep through skin and blood, to circulate to every corner of our bodies? If you are a regular reader, you know that nature is on the way to save you and your hairdo.

This review is a bit overdue. After Shampooing with Antifreeze, I realized how critical it is to use natural hair products that don't use sodium lauryl sulfate or other chemical surfactants. This is a manmade substance manufactured from a toxic petroleum derivative, ethylene oxide gas, that believe me is neither ecological nor sustainable. To bring nature back to my hair, I started experimenting and sampling months ago and used 10 different organic and all natural hair products on a random basis, switching brand shampoos, conditioners and hair gels each day. So when I developed a very itchy dry scalp and clogged hair follicles (nasty scalp pimples!) for the first time in my life, I had no idea which product I had reacted adversely to. So it was back to the drawing board with a strict 4 consecutive days of one brand experiment before I switched to another. I learned which ones I must avoid, which ones really worked, and now can say my hair has never looked so shiny and healthy and clean.

After weeks of experiments in my shower laboratory, I have discovered hair products that are 100% natural and 100% gorgeous. And since I like a good lather, I prefer products that still allow me to make my soapy hair soup without sodium lauryl sulfate or other chemicals. I'll confess that I am blessed with pretty great hair - dark brown, shiny, slight wave, normal to oily, shoulder length and overall easy to manage. So I don't have major hair issues except that my hair is sensitive to change. It can lose its shape pretty quickly in a strong wind, after a good head tossing nap or 4 hours in an airplane. So I added these factors to my natural experiment and exposed my hair to the elements and as many naps as possible.

Recommended natural hair products:

• Max Green Alchemy: all pure plant origin products, certified vegan and cruelty-free
  
  • Scalp Rescue Shampoo, Conditioner and Hair gel: shampooed into a great lather, conditioned well to strengthen and shine, gel is alcohol-free without waxy build up; 100% plant derived, chemical-free, paraben-free and this amazing trio cured my itchy dry scalp while proving gentle enough for everyday use; $16 for 8.8 oz; $12 for 8.2 oz. gel
  • Skin Deep score: 0.7!
• Dr. Hauschka: this company practices sustainable, eco-friendly business practices from recyclable and biodegradable packaging to organic and naturally derived ingredients, all free of synthetic fragrances
  • Nasturtium & Lemon shampoo: for normal to oily hair; $13 for 8.4 oz.
  • Apricot & Sea Buckthorn shampoo: for dry to damaged hair; $13 for 8.4 oz.
  • Jojoba & Marsh Mallow Conditioner: $14.50 for 8.4 oz.
  • Skin Deep score: not rated
• Burt's Bees: an earth friendly, natural personal care company making a wide range of natural products formulated to help you maximize your well-being and protect your environment - and to make our busy lives easier, these winners are widely available in health food and drug stores.

  

  • More Moisture Raspberry & Brazil Nut Shampoo: uses coconut and sunflower oils to naturally clean, raspberry extract antioxidants to protect hair from sun and pollution and naturally smell "Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific!"; $8 for 12 oz.
  
  
  • More Moisture Raspberry & Brazil Nut Conditioner: marula and brazil nut oils provide a deep conditioning without product build up; $8 for 12 oz.
  
  
  • Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment: take the time to do this once a week for at least 5 minutes before shampooing, this treatment of avocado and olive oils soothe your scalp and rosemary, almond oil and nettle provide a glossy shine; $9 for 4.34 oz.
  
  
  • Skin Deep score: 1-3

While conducting this experiment, my friend supermodel Carol Alt told me how she has washed her long luscious hair with a flower. Yes. Just flower petals and water. I'm sure that there are many other natural ways to clean your hair. Let us know if you have your own homemade solutions. Our chemical-free ears are open.

Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
http://www.ivillage.com/green/

By Simran Sethi, NBC News

In 1970 economist Milton Friedman infamously said, "There is one & only one social responsibility of business - to use its resources. . .to increase its profits." CEOs took that maxim to heart and used it as a reason to focus on the bottom line at any cost.

Today, business is redefining social responsibility. The bottom line is growing into the triple bottom line (addressing the economic, environmental and social impacts of business) and, for many companies the new mantra is: "to do well by doing good," creating value for shareholders and stakeholders - everyone involved with or impacted by a company.

Why does this make good business sense? Because good corporate citizenship builds value and reduces risk. Companies recognize eco-efficiencies like changing light bulbs & reducing packaging are actually saving them money. Efforts to limit pollution don't just help the planet, they reduce a company's risk. And treating people well and paying them fairly isn't just the right thing to do, it increases employee retention.

Companies have expanded the bottom line and their assessments of value not because they're philanthropists but because maximizing stakeholder value does just what Milton Friedman hoped - it increases profits.

Simran Sethi
http://www.nbcnews.com

By Alexis Finc, gURL.com

About two years ago, my parents decided to invest in solar panels. At the time I thought they were joking; sure, they had begun making smaller green changes to the house over the years. Our light bulbs took a few minutes to warm up (fluorescents), the water pressure was always turned down in an effort to conserve, and my dad even built the deck out of recycled tire material. But solar panels? In New Jersey?

Sure enough, one weekend I arrived home for a visit only to be greeted by what looked like a UFO about to launch off our side yard. The solar panels had arrived. And I have to say, I had never seen my parents more excited... EVER. All weekend, my mom and dad hovered around the electrical meter shouting off numbers, like it was the lottery.

Two years after that huge aircraft landed, they are still in love with their solar panels. They even joined a solar panel group to learn more about conserving energy. (Don't get my dad started about wind power!) And my mom claims her next house will be "totally green." Who knows what their motivation is, but I have to admit, I am proud of them... in a totally green way.

Alexis Finc
gURL, Editor/Community Producer
http://gURL.com

By BravoTV.com

We at Bravotv.com love us some instant nostalgia: Remember that coffee we got 10 minutes ago -- that was delicious; Remember when Lindsay Lohan was in rehab? (You can fill that last one with your favorite celebrities.) Play at work or home -- it really never gets old.

Anyway, remember when littering was something people tried not to do? When "litterbug" was an offensive term? We can recall a time when not littering was what it meant to "be Green." But as the concept of "Green" advances, people forget the little things they can do, and used to do. One of our editors has recently noticed an upsurge (OK, she's seen it once or twice) of people throwing things out of their car windows and onto the highway. Who does this anymore? Didn't they go to elementary school and get all the lectures about littering? Sheesh!

We know the 90s are back in a big way -- flannel shirts, anyone? -- but littering?! Come on guys, some things should remain in the past.

Bravo Staff
http://www.bravotv.com/green/

By Jennifer Mirsky, iVillage.com

I am what you could call "green challenged." Or ecologically incorrect. Besides loving the color green and what it stands for (nature, money, the green room), there are times when I think I am one of the worst enemies a tree could encounter. I just consume paper. Computer paper, paper towels, toilet paper, hardbound notebook paper…you get the drift. I'm the early BlackBerry adopter who still felt a need to carry around a Filofax. I'm the student who learns better from words on the page. I'm the creative type they wrote about years ago in The New York Times who clips newspaper articles in the belief that one time, one day, these papers will prove to be the missing link for my future book/documentary/TV series. I also take long showers. And single-handedly keep Poland Spring in business with my individual bottle purchases.

Where am I on The Greencurve? I'm scared to find out.

But the good news is there's hope for me. There are people out there like the Lazy Environmentalist (Author Josh Dorfman) who are showing me how I can be more ecologically correct while still enjoying my current lifestyle. I can take long showers as long as they're water-efficient. My toilet bowl does not in fact need to be flushed with water clean enough to brush my teeth.

I can take baby steps. I've already enacted my promise to no longer let the newspaper into my house - it's all online for me. I can remember to turn the lights off as I leave each room. I had my first victory the other day - I installed a washcloth by the kitchen sink lest I be tempted to use a paper towel. That's one small washcloth for a woman, one giant leap for mankind!

Jennifer Mirsky
iVillage, Vice President, Editorial Programming
http://www.ivillage.com/green/