Westminster Farms Inc., a dairy farm located in Vermont, and Green Mountain Power, which provides electricity to 90,000 residents in Vermont, are working together to create green energy electricity for local residents and businesses. It is a joint investment between the two, not only to make Vermont a greener state, but also to cut the cost of electricity production during these hard economic times.

Westminster Farms invested $700,000 and Green Mountain Power invested $175,000 into this green electric power project, but it also got help from both the U.S. and Vermont Departments of Agriculture.

Westminster Farms Inc., a dairy farm located in Vermont, and Green Mountain Power, which provides electricity to 90,000 residents in Vermont, are working together to create green energy electricity for local residents and businesses. It is a joint investment between the two, not only to make Vermont a greener state, but also to cut the cost of electricity production during these hard economic times.

Westminster Farms invested $700,000 and Green Mountain Power invested $175,000 into this green electric power project, but it also got help from both the U.S. and Vermont Departments of Agriculture.

About this green electricity project

You may not know this, but cow manure is a huge contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s also a big source of pollution when it runs off into surrounding beds of water. To eliminate these harmful effects of manure the Vermont dairy farm will use an anaerobic digester to mix, heat and break down the manure.  Then the manure will be used to produce methane biogas, which is used to generate electricity.

The liquid waste will be used as fertilizer and any other solid waste will be used as cattle bedding (which replaces sawdust - saving the farm over $80,000).

Right now the green electricity that is created from this project powers about 250 Vermont homes every day. If this project continues to prove to be a success both financially and environmentally, then it looks like Vermont is going to be a great green state!

Source: TriplePundit.com

Did you know that it’s a crime to throw away your food scraps in San Francisco? According to a new city law it is, so you better watch where you put the food that you don’t eat.

Following the lead that Seattle, Washington residents took in April of last year, as of today the people of San Francisco are now required to recycle all of their household’s extra food waste. How do they do it? They place the food in a sealed compost bin that gets picked up by the city’s curbside recycling program.

Did you know that it’s a crime to throw away your food scraps in San Francisco? According to a new city law it is, so you better watch where you put the food that you don’t eat.

Following the lead that Seattle, Washington residents took in April of last year, as of today the people of San Francisco are now required to recycle all of their household’s extra food waste. How do they do it? They place the food in a sealed compost bin that gets picked up by the city’s curbside recycling program.

More about the food scrap recycling program

The food recycling program in San Francisco has been embraced by the residents so far because they no longer have to deal with stinky food smells coming from their overflowing garbage. Plus, the city gets to cut its garbage costs basically in half!

Right now Organics Annex, where the city of San Francisco ships its food waste to be turned into compost, processes about 500 tons of it per day. That’s an amazing feat for a city that already keeps 72% of its entire garbage out of landfills.

The food recycling law is now passed in two states in the U.S., and we hope that other states start to realize just how necessary it is for our green future.

Source: NPR.com

You may not believe it, but the organic food industry is actually doing pretty well despite the recent problems with the economy.

The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), which provides economic information and research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, revealed in a current report that, “Organic products have shifted from being a lifestyle choice for a small share of consumers to being consumed at least occasionally by a majority of Americans.”

You may not believe it, but the organic food industry is actually doing pretty well despite the recent problems with the economy.

The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), which provides economic information and research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, revealed in a current report that, “Organic products have shifted from being a lifestyle choice for a small share of consumers to being consumed at least occasionally by a majority of Americans.”

For those of us living an eco-lifestyle, this is great news, and it might inspire others to switch to healthier organic foods.

Destined for Organic

If you don’t believe in the mainstreaming of organic food, here are a few true facts from the ERS:

• The 2006 price for a half-gallon container of milk ranged from 60% above non-organic milk for private label organic milk to 109% above non-organic for branded organic milk.
• Consumers prefer organic food because of their health concerns, as well as for environment and animal welfare concerns.
• Consumers are now willing to pay premium prices for organic foods.
• Organic food sales have quintupled over the same period, from $3.6 billion to $21.1 billion last year.
• Fruit and vegetables are the biggest organic food sellers at 37%.
• Organic dairy products sell at 16%.
• Organic beverages (grew by 40% in 2008) and packaged foods are at 13%.
• Organic breads and grains achieved 35% growth over the year.

The Organic Trade Association, which promotes organic trading to protect the environment and to better people’s lives, even said that organic food sales grew by 4.9% just this year, which is a huge increase for the organic industry.

It’s good to see that organic food and organic food stores are becoming more mainstream because it means that more of us are starting to care about our health and the impact that our food handling practices have on the environment.

If you’re interested in the organic food industry check out our post on Want go Join an Organic Farm Exchange Program?

Source: Food Navigator-USA.com

According to the National Geographic documentary Human Footprint, Americans consume about 989,985,594,240 half gallons of milk over the course of a lifetime.  This is good news because it shows that we are staying healthy by consuming milk, but it’s also bad news because it means we are creating more waste when we throw these plastic milk jugs away.

According to the National Geographic documentary Human Footprint, Americans consume about 989,985,594,240 half gallons of milk over the course of a lifetime.  This is good news because it shows that we are staying healthy by consuming milk, but it’s also bad news because it means we are creating more waste when we throw these plastic milk jugs away.

Although you should recycle plastic milk jugs by taking them to the recycling center or placing them on the curb for recycling pick-up, not everyone does. One way to recycle these gallon plastic milk jugs is to reuse them for other handy purposes.

Here are 10 tips for reusing plastic milk jugs:

Yarn Dispenser

Cut the top of the milk container off just enough so a ball of yarn and your hand can fit into the hole. Once the ball of yarn is in take the end of the yarn and bring it through the handle of the milk jug. This is a great way to keep the yarn from getting tangled together!

Scooper

For an easy way to scoop up kitty litter, dirt or anything else, cut off the top of milk jug right above the handle. You can then hold onto the handle and scoop up whatever you need to.

Bird Feeder

Instead of buying an expensive bird feeder try making your own! Check out these Milk Jug Bird Feeder Instructions for an easy way to feed the birds.

Or you can watch this cool YouTube video:

Funnel

This is one of the easiest homemade funnels to make. All that you need to do is to cut off the bottom of the milk jug right below the handle, turn it upside down and pour.

Piggy Bank

With the lid on the top of the milk jug, cut a small slit opposite of the handle and drop in your change. You can even use markers, paint or stickers to decorate your piggy bank.

Plant Base

Instead of buying a potted plant base or saucer you can just off the bottom of the milk jug and place the pot inside.

Meat Separator

It’s never good to see your hamburger patties sticking together once they’ve been in the freezer. To prevent this from happening you can cut the milk container into small circles or squares and place them between the patties.

Plastic Bag Dispenser

Cut a small hole across from the handle and then put in your plastic bags. You can take the bags out one by one from the hole whenever  you need one.

Toilet Bowl Brush/Plunger Holder

Cut a hole across from the handle that’s big enough for the toilet bowl cleaner or plunger to fit through.

Dustpan

With the lid still on, turn the milk jug container upside down and cut the top off at an angle. This is a great alternative to traditional dustpans.

We’ve shared with you a couple of green credit cards, including the Eco-Friendly Credit Cards from Brighter Planet, the Veridian Corn Credit Cards and the Surfrider Foundation’s New Green Credit Card, but now we have one of the greenest cards to date: a biodegradable credit card from Discover.

We’ve shared with you a couple of green credit cards, including the Eco-Friendly Credit Cards from Brighter Planet, the Veridian Corn Credit Cards and the Surfrider Foundation’s New Green Credit Card, but now we have one of the greenest cards to date: a biodegradable credit card from Discover.

Known as the Biodegradable Discover More Card, it was created because of consumer interest in green products. The biodegradable credit card has these green features:

• Made from biodegradable PVC plastic (great for plastic recycling)
• 99% of the card will break down completely within 5 years
• Card breaks down in soil, water and compost
• Leaves no toxic residue when it degrades

In addition to the green features, the biodegradable credit card lets owners receive5% to 20% cash back rewards all year round, and you can earn up to a 1% cash back bonus on all purchases.  You also get travel benefits and credit card fraud protection.

Now that you know about this cool biodegradable credit card, keep it in mind as you try to improve your credit and protect the planet.

We’ve shared with you many of General Motors’ green vehicles, including the 2009 Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid, the Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, as well as the news that GM Made Spain a Bit Greener by opening the world’s largest solar power panel plant, but now the car company is claiming that its new electric vehicle will be the first mass-produced vehicle to achieve a triple digit mpg rating!

We’ve shared with you many of General Motors’ green vehicles, including the 2009 Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid, the Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, as well as the news that GM Made Spain a Bit Greener by opening the world’s largest solar power panel plant, but now the car company is claiming that its new electric vehicle will be the first mass-produced vehicle to achieve a triple digit mpg rating!

The Chevrolet Volt is GM’s latest electric vehicle to amaze consumers with its 230 mpg city driving rating. No other green vehicle has been able to achieve this kind of gas mileage status, and GM hopes to keep it this way.

The Volt

The Chevy Volt is the answer to years of customers complaining that GM had failed to bring an electric vehicle to the market. Well, over a decade ago the company did produce the EV-1, but the electric vehicle failed and became the subject of the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?”

After the backlash of the film, GM decided to produce what many consider will be the greenest vehicle on the market. Why?

• The first 40 miles in a fully charged Volt is largely powered by the battery
• The car can extend its range to more than 300 miles with its flex fuel-powered engine-generator
• Almost no gasoline will be required

A person will have to stop to recharge the car along the way, but that’s a small price to pay for such an eco-friendly vehicle.

So, will this new electric vehicle be the hit that GM needs to pull itself out of the economic slump? We shall see.

Source: The Washington Post

For 25 years the Surfrider Foundation has been dedicated to preserving our planet’s oceans, waves and beaches.  Now you can help this non-profit grassroots organization and CardPartner, a company that helps organizations and charities create credit card programs, protect the world’s water by purchasing the new Surfrider Foundation Visa Rewards green credit card.

By simply activating your card the bank will donate $50 to one of the Surfrider Foundation’s water conservation programs.

For 25 years the Surfrider Foundation has been dedicated to preserving our planet’s oceans, waves and beaches.  Now you can help this non-profit grassroots organization and CardPartner, a company that helps organizations and charities create credit card programs, protect the world’s water by purchasing the new Surfrider Foundation Visa Rewards green credit card.

By simply activating your card the bank will donate $50 to one of the Surfrider Foundation’s water conservation programs.

The Visa Green Credit Card

Just like the Eco-Friendly Credit Cards from Brighter Planet, the new Surfrider Foundation green credit card offers many amazing benefits such as:

• No annual fee
• 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six months
• Earn points at hundreds of participating retailers
• Earn up to 15 bonus points per dollar at select merchants
• Redeem points for FREE airline tickets, merchandise and more
• Purchase protection
• Zero liability protection for unauthorized purchases
• Emergency cash and card replacement
• 24-hour roadside assistance

You can even choose between one of five Aaron Chang images for the visa green credit card: “Del Mar,” “Blue Wave,” “Pipeline,” “Teahupoo,” and “Isabell.”

This is a great way for you feel good about charging on your credit card. Now your love for shopping and the planet can go hand in hand!

To learn more about different types of credit cards check out Student Finance Domain.

We’ve shared a lot of PNC Bank’s green efforts with our readers, such as our posts PNC: A Green Bank with Eco-Friendly Service and PNC Bank Expands Green Initiatives, but PNC has really gone to where the grass is greener with its new easy green living wall.

The bank debuted plans last week to build a 2,380 sq. ft. soil-based Green Living Wall, which will appear on the side of its Pittsburgh headquarters.It will also feature a variety of other plants embedded in the green living wall that will make it into living art.

We’ve shared a lot of PNC Bank’s green efforts with our readers, such as our posts PNC: A Green Bank with Eco-Friendly Service and PNC Bank Expands Green Initiatives, but PNC has really gone to where the grass is greener with its new easy green living wall.

The bank debuted plans last week to build a 2,380 sq. ft. soil-based Green Living Wall, which will appear on the side of its Pittsburgh headquarters. It will also feature a variety of other plants embedded in the green living wall that will make it into living art.

Is This For Real?

Yes, this green living wall is for real, and it was created by Green Living Technologies, a New York green roof and wall manufacturer, and designed by Mingo Design.

Here are some cool green aspects of the green living wall:

• All hardware, plants, materials and installers were from within a 500 mile radius in Pittsburgh
• The  wall will use 602 panels of soil-based growth medium
• It will weigh 24 tons when fully watered
• Will require 15 minutes of watering at least once a week

Studies even show that a green living wall that faces south can make surrounding surfaces at least 70 to 80 degrees cooler!

PNC has done it again with this green idea. The bank was the first U.S. branch to build a green branch, and it will be the first U.S. branch to build the largest green living wall in North America.

The only thing we’re wondering is, “What happens when a rainstorm comes into Pittsburgh and causes the wall to weight more than 24 tons?”

Source: PR Web

Today, more people are living an eco lifestyle than ever before, so it was bound to happen: climate friendly food labels.  Most consumers read food labels to check ingredients that are in the product, but now consumers in Sweden will be able to read climate-change friendly labels to check the manufacturer’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

The first company to premiere the new good climate friendly labels will be a small milk producer from Stockholm. The label will reveal how the company reduced its energy and nutrient consumption by using manure over chemical-based fertilizer.

Right now, the climate friendly labeling process is voluntary, so not all companies will have the label on their products. The companies who do want the label on their products will have to prove that they have reduced greenhouse gas emissions in order to earn one.

If more companies catch on and see this as a positive initiative, maybe it will spill over from Sweden into America. It would be great for us to see the green energy use of our favorite products.

Let’s just hope that companies don’t abuse the system.

Source: New Scientist

Apple iPhones have become one of the most popular smartphones in the world. According to Fortune Magazine, iPhone sales increased by 245% in 2008, making Apple second only to Nokia in worldwide smartphone sales.

Besides having access to email and instant messenger, one cool aspect of the iPhone is the abundance of applications that you can download for it. For those of you living an eco lifestyle, there’s a new go green application that can be used to deliver useful green tips and news directly to your phone. It’s called The Green Brief.

Apple iPhones have become one of the most popular smartphones in the world. According to Fortune Magazine, iPhone sales increased by 245% in 2008, making Apple second only to Nokia in worldwide smartphone sales.

Besides having access to email and instant messenger, one cool aspect of the iPhone is the abundance of applications that you can download for it. For those of you living an eco lifestyle, there’s a new go green application that can be used to deliver useful green tips and news directly to your phone. It’s called The Green Brief.

Keeping up with the Green

The Green Brief green application was developed by Climate Change Communications Ltd. as a way to give people constant access to green information without them having to be directly in front of a computer. There are two ways that this is done:

• Tips - Eco friendly living tips that focus on home, business and travel are delivered to your iPhone.
• News- An RSS feed is embedded into your iPhone that updates you with environment, green technology and new green product news.

Does this sound like a cool go green application to you? If so, you can download it for only $2.99 at the iTunes Apple Store.

Source: 1888 Press Release