For Earth Day, NBC, the station that changed its logo green to show how much they care, had a rather interesting piece on their nightly news last evening. To highlight and celebrate Earth Day, they decided to feature President Bush’s family and talk about how “green” they are. I found this to be a fantastic example of greenwashing and very accurately timed to go along with the site Greenpeace just launched – www.StopGreenwash.org.

I mean, COME ON, President Bush being highlighted as green. That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. So what if he has an organic garden out in Texas with a few solar panels on the barn. Does Brian Williams think his audience forgot what a terrible job President Bush has been on environmental issues?

Instead of praising President Bush, they should have been reprimanding him and urging him to do better where he actually has the power to make change and set a precedence that counts on a global scale, as the president of the U.S. This is like putting a piece of tape on a crack in the sidewalk when you are the one in charge of making concrete.

We only have one planet, and thanks to Bush we’ve done a hell of a job polluting it these past 7 years. Let’s look at some facts,

• In 2005, Bush admits humans cause global warming but refuses to take any action to prevent it.

• Polar bears, instead of listing them as an endangered species, the Administration continues to allow the approval of oil drilling leases in prime polar bear habitat,

• The Administration continues to push for drilling in the Arctic,

• Bush is a former oil company owner, Exxon is making record, billion dollar profits while prices at the pump sky rocket and carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels continue to grow.

• The list could go on, but I’ll try to keep this post short…

I am outraged that NBC chose to feature the most un-environmental president on Earth Day. Why not highlight the hundreds of environmental organizations striving everyday to reverse the damage done by his administration. Or, the school children who are cleaning up their communities and learning why it’s important to take care of the environment.

What a disappointment. And, a damn fine example of greenwashing.

Now that I’ve found this news clip online, I was easily able to add it to the www.StopGreenwash.org website, just by using the link provided to it on the NBC page. I just added the video to the Greenpeace library and now people can vote on it. I hope you’ll give it 5 stars for being the most egregious example of greenwashing.

And, next time you see some BS being thrown at you, post the video or ad up on the Greenpeace site for all to see!

 

 

 --Michelle

 

As I sit here eating an empire apple that my mom picked at an orchard, I think about how just one bruise or wiggly worm would have ruined my delicious healthy treat. Well, there is some sour news about another apple to share with you. Test results have proven that the newly popular iPhone contains hazardous substances—both inside and out—bruising Apple’s image and putting them way behind the competition for “green” progress.

The company that prides itself on being innovative somehow can’t manage to use substances that won’t harm their customers or the environment.

The wiggly worm in apple’s iPhone has to be their iconic white earphones. The vinyl plastic earphone wiring at levels that are prohibited in young children’s toys in San Francisco and the European Union (EU).
 
It’s clear that Apple is not listening to their customers who want environmentally friendly products. But, what about those customers who want to be environmentally conscience? Well, Apple isn’t making it easy for them.

When disassembling the iPhone for testing, Greenpeace discovered that the battery was glued and soldered to the handset.  This makes it super hard for people to replace the battery and will undermine recycling of the iPhone when it is discarded.

While other phone companies like Nokia are coming out with less hazardous phones, why can’t Apple?

 

I remember sitting in a college auditorium about 10 years ago listening to 2 professors debate global warming. They each took their prospective sides and argued until they were blue in the face. One professor talked about the scientific evidence of gases like carbon dioxide being released when we burn fossil fuels. The accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere, trap heat and cause the Earth to warm—like the inside of a big, giant greenhouse. The other professor talked about the historical cycle of the Earth and how it’s a living entity that goes through cycles of cold (ice ages) and hot.

After the debate, I remember thinking that they both had some very good arguments to support their side of the story. But, in the end I was captivated by the greenhouse gas argument. Even if it is natural for the Earth to get colder and hotter, you can’t ignore the fact that greenhouse gases are having a destructive effect on our planet.  And, we need to work together to curb their use.

This was ten years ago—and the debate still continues. I’m encouraged that the U.S. Congress is working on an energy bill that will put into place measures that will help curb global warming. But, why has it taken ten years (or more, I’m sure). If scientists knew about global warming a decade ago, why are we just getting around to coming up with solutions today?

I’m glad people are learning about global warming and pushing the pendulum forward to get things moving. Even celebrities are rallying for the cause and getting people engaged.

I just wish it didn’t have to take ten years for people to take notice and really start rallying around causes like global warming—after all this is the only planet we have. If we don’t take care of it—who will?

It took a decade to get people to notice global warming—how long will it now take for changes to start being implemented to stop it?

I can't believe how crazy it sounds to hear that the nuclear industry is trying to build more plants and get more federal funding to do so.

The nuclear industry is actually trying to paint itself green! It is true that they don’t emit greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. But, do they think we’ve forgotten disasters like Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl? There is still no way to take care of nuclear waste that will remain dangerous for 240,000 years.

But this isn’t stopping the nuclear industry from trying to convince Americans and Congress that we need more nuclear reactors here in the U.S. Right now, they’re lobbying Congress for increased funding to build more and expand current nuclear power facilities. This is an outrage! Your taxpayer dollars should be invested in renewable energy sources like wind and solar, NOT towards dangerous nuclear power.

Take action now before the nuclear industry puts us all in danger! Tell your Representative that you don’t want nuclear power and that they should put an end to nuclear subsidies and support renewable energy instead.

This is just outrageous! I'm writing my Representative right now.

Fans and eager readers waited in long lines at bookstores in the middle of the night and children all across the world are staying up way past their bedtimes to read the latest Harry Potter book. And, I am just as excited about the final book as everyone else.

But, I’m not excited to find out what happens to Harry and his friends (I must admit I don’t know the difference between a muggle and a hogwart).  I’m excited because the publisher of the book, Scholastic, finally agreed to print the book with a “forest friendly” policy.

This is HUGE news—since the book sold 8.3 millions copies in just 24 hours here in the United States. That’s a lot of paper and a lot of trees to make the paper!

Readers will be happy to know that the greener “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” contains a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste (pcw) fiber, and nearly two-thirds of the paper will be approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.

As deforestation and global climate change take their toll on our planet’s struggling ecosystems—it is uplifting to know that “we” as consumers have the power to change the course of the future. By demanding forest friendly books, driving energy efficient cars (not gas-guzzling SUVs), and bringing our own canvas bags shopping we can set in motion positive changes that will help our future.

This weekend, I just may pop into my local library and pick up one of the Harry Potter books to see what all the hype is about. If Harry can go Green—I can learn why Voldemort is so scary.