Sierra Club

River Woes, Thanks To Domestic Oil Drilling

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

Green Your New Year’s Resolution: 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. “Phantom” appliances that should be disconnected when not in use include phone chargers, computers, TVs, DVRs, and microwaves. (read more)

Green Your Holiday Party: 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. (read more)

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. (read more)

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: Give and 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. 2. In the meantime, peruse our archives for a wealth of green-living tips. (read more)

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 (read more)

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: (read more)

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. (read more)

A Healthy Start

Year after year, we resolve to get fit and, increasingly, go green. But studies suggest lasting change requires a bit more specificity than resolutions like "drive less" or "exercise more." To get started: 1. Make a list of short daily or weekly car trips. In the United States, one in four trips is a mile or less. 2. Identify walkable trips on this list that add up to at least 28 miles a week (go farther if you plan to bike). Research shows that people who maintain weight loss burn calories equivalent to this amount of activity. And cutting four miles from daily driving trims about 1,600 pounds of greenhouse-gas emissions annually. (read more)

Fresh Reads

Skip the postholiday letdown with a slew of new books. Start with Forecast (Henry Holt and Co.) by Stephan Faris--an account of climate-change impacts on cultures, politics, and economies worldwide. For a pick-me-up, turn to The Essential Green You by Deirdre Imus (Simon & Schuster), which includes shopping lists, recipes, and explanations of product labels. Ready for more green lit? Check out Death by Leisure (Grove Press), in which author Chris Ayres infiltrates the Los Angeles "leisuretocracy" to examine (with no small amount of humor) how high-flying U.S. lifestyles have contributed to environmental and economic collapse. (read more)