Greener by Choice

Joining us today is Richard Sundance Owen, founder and executive director of the Environmental Cleanup Coalition. Today we’re talking about how Plastic Pollution is affecting our oceans, food chain and the health of marine animals, as well as our own. 

Did you know “An estimated 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped in the world’s oceans every year. And worst of all most of it is plastic.”

What a horrific amount of trash. Today, let’s discover how the Environmental Cleanup Coalition’s helping to reduce this and what we as everyday people can do to help make a difference.

Highlights from the Mother Earth News Fair

Last weekend I attended the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA. Wow,What an amazing weekend. First for those of you who may not know about Mother Earth News, they are a magazine that has been helping folks live self-reliant, sustainable, meaningful lives for more than 40 years. With an audience of more than 3 million readers worldwide, it is the largest and longest-running environmental lifestyle magazine on the planet.

Second, I’d like to share a few of the talks I really enjoyed: Pickin’ Chickens: An introduction to heritage breeds with Jeannette Beranger from The Livestock Conservancy and Earthen Building with Rusty and Walker Orner of Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living.

It’s a green road trip

It’s 5:30am in Wilmington, VT and I’m getting ready to head out the door and travel to Seven Springs, PA for the Mother Earth News Fair.

I am so excited to be spending the weekend with hundreds of Green Movement Leaders, learning more about their products and services, and sharing their stories with you over the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine has been helping folks live self-reliant, sustainable, meaningful lives for more than 40 years. With an audience of more than 3 million readers worldwide, it is the largest and longest-running environmental lifestyle magazine on the planet.

The MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIRS are fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle events that feature dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops from the leading authorities on: Renewable Energy, Small-Scale Agriculture, Gardening, Green Building, Green Transportation and Natural Health.

Check out full details at http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/about.aspx#axzz3D5pePuEU

Protecting nearly 200 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. Eric Hallman executive director of The Livestock Conservancy speaks with The Green Up Girl.

Now, you may be scratching your head and thinking, “but I see cows and chickens all the time, how can they be endangered?” Just like there are endangered species such as pandas, tigers, and elephants, there are also endangered livestock and poultry BREEDS. Specifically, 21% of the world’s 8,000 livestock breeds are in danger of extinction. Just like there are heirloom seeds that need saving, the Livestock Conservancy works to protect heritage breeds – for the security of our agricultural system.

Do you believe that if a few a passionate people come together they can create change? Well according to the email I just received from Green America, the voices of conscious citizens have been heard by the Apple Corporation.

“Apple announced that it would ban benzene and n-hexane — two dangerous industrial chemicals — from its first tier factories in China starting September 2014.” This is a very important first step and I’m so glad to hear they are listening. Apple is saying that it took the action because they heard from thousands of consumers voicing their concerns.

So that’s the good news, now for the bad news.

The China Labor Watch and Green America’s undercover investigators found harmful chemicals being dumped into the groundwater, locked safety doors, and other violations. If you lived in a community where your ground water was being poisoned, would you want someone to step in and help? I’m hoping yes, discover how you can easily assist.

Misty Reilly founder of RocknSocks started her business because her husband was always forgetting to pack his socks and would have to borrow hers when they attended music festivals. It got her thinking about the fact that you can get a whole new wardrobe from independent designers at these music festivals, but not some basic accessories. It all came together, when she decided to bring funky and fashionable eco-friendly socks to rock-n-roll music festivals. RocknSocks was born.

The reality is we all are going to die someday. I know it is sad to think about this topic, but all amazing things and creatures must pass on at some point. You can’t live forever, even though you may want to.

Besides the emotional trauma, many folks are worried about the possible environmental pollution a burial can cause. From the poisonous embalming fluid, to the chemically treated caskets, and cement burial vaults.

But what if your burial could be handled in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way? Discover more about green burials.

Wood pallets, old fencing, and beat up pianos are turned into finely crafted, cherished pieces of furniture thanks to the work of Casey Muldoon from Custom ReWorks.These materials would have other wise ended up in the landfill. Instead Casey uses his creativity to give them new life and purpose. View many of projects at Facebook.com/CustomReWorks.

Stop Junk Mail From Polluting Your Mail Box. What a waste "More than 100 million trees are cut down every year to produce junk mail.”  Discover the simple 5 ways to protect the trees and keep your mail box empty. Receive resources; mailing addresses, email and website addresses to contact the right sources. Visit GreenerbyChoice.com.

Joining us today is Jane Jones, founder of Magical Earth Retreats, a non-profit organization that connects children and adults with nature. Magical Earth Retreats is on a mission to bring as many children and adults to the mountains to experience mother earth in order that they understand our connectivity with everything while creating love and beauty in everyone’s garden of life.

I’m also proud to be a board of director for Magical Earth Retreats and witnessed first hand the joy that Jane and her staff bring to the children that attend these many programs.