My 5: Gary Sutterlin, Breeze Dryer, CEO

September 2, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Front Page, My 5, Slideshow | Leave a Comment

lue Planet Green Living (BPGL) asked ecopreneur Gary Sutterlin two questions we ask all our interviewees. Sutterlin and his wife, Gayle, are the owners of Breeze Dryer, the North American distributors of Hills Hoist and other Hills clothes-drying solutions. Following are Sutterlin’s responses:

BPGL: What are the five most important things we can do to save protect the planet?

In order to protect the planet, we need to begin to live our lives with a focus on our impact on this earth.

* Consumers need to begin to understand where and how goods make their way to the store shelves….

My 5: Gary Sutterlin, Breeze Dryer, CEO (Read Full Article)

ReUse Connection – Ideas for Repurposing, Freely Shared

August 31, 2010 | Filed under Africa, Blog, Books, Eco-Friendly, Ecopreneurs, Front Page, Peace Corps, Recycling, Slideshow, Sustainability, U.S. | 1 Comment

Ian Moise is the founder of ReUse Connection, a Facebook page and future website dedicated to finding alternative uses for items or materials people might otherwise throw away. For example, do you ever wonder what to do with used plastic tape dispensers? ReUse Connection readers suggested ideas as varied as making candle holders, using them [...]

ReUse Connection – Ideas for Repurposing, Freely Shared (Read Full Article)

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Helps Change Lives through Improved Sanitation

August 30, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Community, Consultants, Front Page, Health, India, Indonesia, International Development, Sanitation, Slideshow, Tanzania | 3 Comments

“There are 2.6 billion people without access to improved sanitation. And, according to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), that’s supposed to be halved by the year 2015,” Ian Moise [mo-EEZ] told Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL).

Moise is a returned Peace Corps volunteer, who currently consults on a global sanitation project for the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP). “Our project is one of the many projects working on expanding access to ‘improved sanitation’ for a target of roughly 1.3 billion people,” he said… (Part 1 of a 2-Part Interview)

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Helps Change Lives through Improved Sanitation (Read Full Article)

My 5: Jennie Nigrosh, The Green Garmento, President and Co-Founder

August 28, 2010 | Filed under Barack Obama, Blog, Ecopreneurs, Front Page, My 5, Slideshow | 2 Comments

Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL) asks our interviewees to answer two questions that give us insights into their thinking about the planet we all share. Today, Jennie Nigrosh, president and co-founder of The Green Garmento, gives us her responses. The Green Garmento is a reusable polypropylene bag that replaces the ubiquitous, single-use, plastic dry cleaning bags.

BPGL: What are the five most important things we can do to protect the planet?

NIGROSH:

1. Education. We have to learn where the problems are, understand the answers, and do the best we can to solve them….

My 5: Jennie Nigrosh, The Green Garmento, President and Co-Founder (Read Full Article)

ChasingGreen Website – Simple Ideas, Practical Tips for Green Living

August 27, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Eco-Friendly, Environment, Front Page, Green Living, Pollution, Slideshow, Sustainability | 3 Comments

ChasingGreen is a young website with great content and a lot of promise. I was completely taken aback by the site’s ease of navigation and the solid information it provides. “Going green” is a topic that has been discussed for years and has consumed much of our time and energy. But the process is actually comprised of many small steps. And, as ChasingGreen clearly shows readers, most of those steps are relatively easy, such as choosing one brand of coffee over another or mowing your lawn with a mower that consumes less gas….

ChasingGreen Website – Simple Ideas, Practical Tips for Green Living (Read Full Article)

Green Cleaning for Every Budget

August 25, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Chemicals, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Front Page, Green Cleaning, Homes, Slideshow, Tips, VOCs | 3 Comments

Since World War Two, more than 80,000 new chemicals have been introduced to the market. Consumers come in contact with about 3,000 of these chemicals every day in the form of cleaning products, such as air fresheners, dishwashing detergent, and floor cleaners. These products can be accidentally ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through skin contact. Unfortunately, cleaning your home with harsh, chemical cleaning products often fills it with more toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than were there to begin with, making your home even less healthy than before you “cleaned” it.

Luckily, there are several ways to ensure that your home stays clean — the green and natural way. It can be difficult to comb through every ingredient on a product label, and it can be expensive to invest in a green-certified vacuum and other cleaning items. Hiring a cleaning service is sometimes the best route to take if pressed for time. Look for a cleaning service that offers an eco-friendly option, which means that they will clean your home with green-certified products and methods….

Green Cleaning for Every Budget (Read Full Article)

Naturally Fresh Deodorants – Odor Protection without Health Risks

August 24, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Deodorant, Front Page, Hygiene, Personal Care, Slideshow | 2 Comments

When you work at a busy Mexican restaurant with a broken air conditioning system in the middle of summer, you worry about sweat and body odor.

So I was really nervous when I tested Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal in Tropical Breeze before a hectic weekend shift. I normally return from work covered in my own blood, sweat, and tears, and other people’s chili con queso. I need a deodorant that works.

I had my doubts about the product because, though I’ve eco-tized most of my toiletries, I haven’t been able to give up my tough Sure brand deodorant/antiperspirant that I buy from the drugstore. I’m so paranoid about sweat and bad odor that I ignore the warnings about aluminum, the active ingredient in traditional deodorant/antiperspirant.

But I was really surprised by Naturally Fresh….

Naturally Fresh Deodorants – Odor Protection without Health Risks (Read Full Article)

Breeze Dryer – Eco-Friendly Solutions for Drying Your Laundry

August 20, 2010 | Filed under Australia, Blog, Carbon, Ecopreneurs, Electricity, Environment, Front Page, North America, Pennsylvania, Slideshow | 4 Comments

“Why do you care about drying clothes outside?” Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL) asked Gary Sutterlin, President and CEO of Breeze Dryer. “Do you have a passion for this, or is it just a business?

“For us, it goes beyond that,” Sutterlin said. “It really was a life lesson for our children. I’m a pharmacist by training, my wife’s a Ph.D. by training. I was doing very well in the pharmaceutical industry as an executive and pretty much walked away overnight. Our passion was to make a difference in this world. We found that medium through clotheslines.”

The clotheslines that Sutterlin and his wife, Gayle, sell are made by Hills, an Australian manufacturer known for quality and reliability. We interviewed Sutterlin by phone from his home in Pennsylvania….

Breeze Dryer – Eco-Friendly Solutions for Drying Your Laundry (Read Full Article)

Working for Green – A “Video-Based Web Community” of Ecopreneurs

August 18, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Economy, Ecopreneurs, Environment, Filmmakers, Front Page, Green Business, Slideshow, Sustainability | 4 Comments

“A big part of what we’re doing — and what gives me great passion — are the personal success stories about individuals,” says Susan Neisloss. “I can’t tell you how important it is for me to be able to share these stories and to have people give us good ideas. That is the key to building this community.”

Neisloss is speaking about the community of people who visit Working for Green, the website she has published for about a year. A seasoned broadcaster and reporter, she interviews ecopreneurs who are making a living by starting and running environmentally friendly businesses….

Working for Green – A “Video-Based Web Community” of Ecopreneurs (Read Full Article)

The Green Garmento – An Eco-Friendly Dry Cleaning Tote

August 17, 2010 | Filed under Blog, California, Clothing, Donations, Dry Cleaning, Eco-Friendly, Ecopreneurs, Front Page, Recycling, Repurposing, Slideshow | 5 Comments

“Using The Green Garmento for your dry cleaning is similar to the reusable totes movement, which started as something grocery stores were offering and has changed the way people do their grocery shopping,” says Jennie Nigrosh, president and co-founder of The Green Garmento.

Nigrosh’s product is a dry cleaning bag that consumers use over and over again, both as a hamper at home and as a way to transport their dry cleaning without plastic bags. “Way beyond the fact that we have an interesting product that helps make life easier, helps to organize your closet, and helps you be green all at the same time,” Nigrosh adds, “it’s a new category.

Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL) interviewed Nigrosh by phone from her California office to learn more about The Green Garmento as well as its acceptance in the dry-cleaning world and in homes around the nation….

The Green Garmento – An Eco-Friendly Dry Cleaning Tote (Read Full Article)

Bag Green Guilt by Jen Pleasants

August 16, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Books, Climate Change, Conservation, Eco-Friendly, Environment, Front Page, Global Warming, Green Living, Recycling, Slideshow, Sustainability | 4 Comments

Going green can be overwhelming when you’re just getting started. For beginners, the steps involved may seem too complex to digest and act upon.

This can cause a large amount of anxiety, resulting in impaired physical and mental health, such as high-blood pressure (a leading cause of heart attacks) and paralyzing guilt. Bag Green Guilt: 5 Easy Steps: Turn Eco-Anxiety Into Constructive Energy by Jen Pleasants explores options to reduce such needless stress….

Bag Green Guilt by Jen Pleasants (Read Full Article)

BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit Coming to Monterey

August 13, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Blog, California, Conservation, Events, Front Page, Ocean, Slideshow | 3 Comments

Monterey, California, is a lovely seaside community with a world-class aquarium. It’s long been a vacation destination for ocean enthusiasts. And now, it is the new, permanent setting for the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit.

If you’re planning to be in Northern California August 24–29, consider attending the festival to see the year’s leading films about the wonders of the ocean, to hear lectures and panel discussions by leading ocean researchers, to view an ecstatically beautiful photo exhibit by National Geographic photographer David Doubilet, and to participate in other exciting events….

BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit Coming to Monterey (Read Full Article)

Super Natural Home by Beth Greer

August 12, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Books, Chemicals, Eco-Friendly, Front Page, Green Living, Organic, Slideshow | 2 Comments

Every once in a while, I’ll read a book so filled with helpful information that I want to remember every single thing it says. Super Natural Home by Beth Greer is that kind of book.

From the introduction, where I learned that the author had been healed of a 5 cm benign tumor in her chest by changing her diet, to the fact-filled chapters jam-packed with tips and suggestions, to the list of resources in the back, this is a book that gives value on every single page….

Super Natural Home by Beth Greer (Read Full Article)

Iowa Rivers Revival Invites You to Rivers Rock! September 11

August 11, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Blog, Family Friendly, Front Page, Iowa, Nonprofits, River, Slideshow | 2 Comments

Whether you’re a paddler, a lover of rivers, or someone who wants to find out what all the fuss is about, Iowa Rivers Revival invites you to fall in love with Iowa’s rivers at Rivers Rock! Float and Music Fest on Saturday, September 11….

Iowa Rivers Revival Invites You to Rivers Rock! September 11 (Read Full Article)

“I Can’t Walk Away and Leave Malnourished Children Standing There”

August 10, 2010 | Filed under Activists, Blog, Children, Donations, Events, Front Page, Health, Humanitarian, Hunger, Nutrition, Philippines, Poverty, Slideshow, Social Action, Take Action | 6 Comments

My cousin, David Wasson, knows about childhood nutrition better than most. David is an award-winning chef who spent his career preparing meals for wealthy people and teaching their children to cook. He also taught cooking at a community college in the United States. As he approached retirement, David embarked on a completely new venture that would profoundly change his life. Today, as the Chef and Child Foundation Ambassador to the Philippines, David cooks for children who are as familiar with hunger as most people reading this post are familiar with a full belly.

His work is urgent. With every meal he cooks, he fights to save children’s lives and the health of their brains and bodies….

“I Can’t Walk Away and Leave Malnourished Children Standing There” (Read Full Article)

1 Mississippi Photo Contest Ends Sunday

August 5, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Blog, Contest, Ecology, Front Page, Natural Resources, River, Slideshow, U.S. | 3 Comments

The Mississippi River has long been memorialized in song, story, and legend for its beauty and the spirit of adventure it inspires. Uniting 31 states in its watershed, the river is a part of our culture and our heritage as Americans. And it serves as a superhighway for goods that flow north and south, connecting communities along the way. This valuable asset deserves our protection and our respect.

A group called 1 Mississippi has invited both amateur and professional photographers to submit photos of this diverse and important waterway that unites our nation. But hurry! The contest ends on Sunday.

1 Mississippi Photo Contest Ends Sunday (Read Full Article)

Cast Your Vote for the “Hardest-Working ___ in America”

August 4, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Activists, Blog, Business, Contest, Economy, Events, Front Page, Slideshow, U.S. | 2 Comments

Mitchum’s brand team calls its product the “hardest working anti-perspirant in America.” And, as part of their latest advertising strategy, they’re running a contest that invites people to submit videos of the “hardest-working ____ in America.” Entrants were invited to fill in the blank with a noun, then to post a video about themselves or someone else they nominated. The goal is to convince the rest of us to vote for them.

While this is obviously another clever marketing strategy similar to a few other companies’ efforts (Pepsi and Intuit come to mind), the stakes are high enough that the prize could do some real good. And that’s why I’m weighing in with a suggestion that you take a look at the videos of the ten finalists and choose the one that resonates with you….

Cast Your Vote for the “Hardest-Working ___ in America” (Read Full Article)

2010 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Among Largest Ever, Scientists Say

August 3, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Blog, Chemicals, Coast, Ecosystem, Events, Front Page, Louisiana, Pollution, Scientists, Slideshow, Water | 4 Comments

The delicate ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico was wounded long before Katrina stormed ashore, and her wildlife was poisoned by chemicals streaming down the Mississippi River long before BP stirred a few million gallons of crude into her waters. The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) has been monitoring hypoxia — lack of oxygen — in the Gulf waters since 1985. Much of this hypoxia is caused by agricultural chemicals and farm animal waste products that flow into the Mississippi from 19 states to the north. (Iowa alone is estimated to be responsible for 25% of the farm chemicals and fecal matter pouring into the Gulf.) Efforts are underway to reduce the agricultural pollution that is contributing heavily to the Dead Zone, but more must be done to make a positive impact on the area.

Yesterday, Blue Planet Green Living received an email from Dr. Nancy Rabalais, Executive Director of LUMCON, with the group’s latest report. The following information is reprinted from “2010 DEAD ZONE – ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER,” dated 1 August 2010, from Cocodrie, Louisiana….

“The area of hypoxia, or low oxygen, in the northern Gulf of Mexico west of the Mississippi River delta covered 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles) of the bottom and extended far into Texas waters. The relative size is almost that of Massachusetts. The critical value that defines hypoxia is 2 mg/L, or ppm, because trawlers cannot catch fish or shrimp on the bottom when oxygen falls lower….”

2010 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Among Largest Ever, Scientists Say (Read Full Article)

Enviro-Log – Cleaner Burning with Recycled Waxed Cardboard Logs

August 2, 2010 | Filed under Blog, Business, Canada, Eco-Friendly, Energy, Entrepreneurs, Front Page, Green Business, Landfill, Renewable Energy, Slideshow, Solid Waste, Sustainability, U.S. | 2 Comments

Have you ever wondered what happens to the waxed cardboard boxes that vegetables are transported in? Most of the time, they’re dumped in landfills. But that’s changing, as they are now being reclaimed and turned into Enviro-Logs, clean-burning logs for your fireplace, campfire, or woodstove. Today, Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL) spoke with Ross McRoy, the founder of Enviro-Log, to find out his take on why Enviro-Log is a better choice as an alternative to wood. It’s too hot in Iowa to light a fire this month, so we aren’t able to review Enviro-Log for its quality of fire or length of burn — we’ll get to that in a month or two, when the nights cool down….

Enviro-Log – Cleaner Burning with Recycled Waxed Cardboard Logs (Read Full Article)

Take Action Today to Support the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010

July 29, 2010 | Filed under 2010, Blog, Chemicals, Front Page, Government, Health, Laws, Personal Care, Slideshow, Take Action, U.S. | 4 Comments

In our house over the past two years or so, we’ve been carefully examining every personal care product we buy. If you’re a long-time reader of Blue Planet Green Living (BPGL), you already know that we are huge fans of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and their Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database. Today, we received [...]

Take Action Today to Support the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (Read Full Article)