The Keep a Child Alive Community, which works to save the lives of children affected with HIV/AIDS around the world, along with STA Travel, a discount student travel agency, have created a new commercial contest geared towards high school and college students.

It’s all about combining creativity with humanitarian efforts to provide proper AIDS medication to effected children.

The Keep a Child Alive Community, which works to save the lives of children affected with HIV/AIDS around the world, along with STA Travel, a discount student travel agency, have created a new commercial contest geared towards high school and college students.

It’s all about combining creativity with humanitarian efforts to provide proper AIDS medication to effected children.

Here’s how it works:

• Using a digital camera, your iPhone or any other type of digital recording device, students will create a 60-second commercial that asks viewers to text the word “ALIVE” to the number 90999.
• This commercial will be uploaded to YouTube here.

For people who watch the commercial, once “Alive” is texted to 90999, $5 will be added to your mobile phone bill. This $5 will be donated directly to the Keep a Child Alive community, which will use the money to supply proper AIDS medication to children.

Want to know what the Grand Prize is? Two grand prize winners will win:

• A free round-trip ticket to Africa to work with the Keep a Child Alive community for one week in January 2010
• Free airing of their commercial on YouTube, the Keep a Child Alive website and other related sources

Here’s a contest submission that is now on YouTube:

The contest has been extended until June 1, 2009, so if you want to donate to a good cause and possibly visit Africa, give this video contest a try!

Source: Keep a Child Alive

It’s a brand new year, so for most people that means dedicating themselves to their new year’s resolutions. But let’s face it, we all make a lot of resolutions that we don’t keep. We’re either too busy at work or too consumed with our personal lives to truly stick to our goals.

One way you can stick to your resolutions is to make some green resolutions that would benefit both you and the environment…

It’s a brand new year, so for most people that means dedicating themselves to their new year’s resolutions. But let’s face it, we all make a lot of resolutions that we don’t keep. We’re either too busy at work or too consumed with our personal lives to truly stick to our goals.

One way you can stick to your resolutions is to make some green resolutions that would benefit both you and the environment. Just think about your traditional resolutions and add a green twist to them!

Here are ten eco friendly resolutions that you can make this year to have a happy and green new year:

1. Green Exercise ‘ With all the extra weight put on from feasting over the holidays the start of the New Year is a great opportunity to get in shape. And you can do it in an earth-friendly way! Check out our post on How to Green Your Exercise Routine.
2. Recycle ‘ Whether you take your plastic bottles or aluminum soda cans to a recycling center or do something creative like Recycling Your Used Coffee Grinds, get rid of your waste in an eco friendly way and help reduce trash in your area by recycling.
3. Switch to Reusable Shopping Bags – Countries like Africa, Australia and China have already banned plastic bags in many areas, so why not jump on the green bandwagon and stop using plastic bags yourself? You can purchase organic and eco friendly reusable shopping bags from ReusableBags.com.
4. Drive Less ‘ You may not be able to afford a hybrid vehicle but you CAN afford to cut down on carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint by driving less. If you live on campus check to see if you can rent a bike like the students at these universities, or try walking to your destination. If you have to drive you should carpool or join a ride share program.
5. Green Your Work Area ‘ You spend about 40 hours a week at your place of employment, so how about making it a bit more eco friendly? Not only will you be more productive at work, but you’ll also be helping out the environment. Check out our 10 Ways to Make Your Work Area Green blog post.
6. Stay in Touch with Family and Friends ‘ Make it a point to get back in contact with the family and friends that you haven’t had a chance to talk to in the past year. You can reduce paper waste by sending them an email or a free e-card, or you can purchase recycled greeting cards and notebook paper.
7. Volunteer ‘ Websites like Idealist.org offer hundreds of opportunities for you to join a green organization and volunteer your time. You can do just about anything, from planting trees to promoting animal rights.
8. Green Your Computer ‘ Even if you turned your laptop off at work last year it still consumed energy if it was plugged into the wall! So this year cut back on your computer’s energy consumption by installing a free energy-saving application from LocalCooling.com or by unplugging the cord when it’s not in use. You can also purchase an eco friendly laptop bag or buy green computer products from websites like Verdant Computing.
9. Start a Garden ‘ Even if you live in a small apartment with limited space you can still grow your own herbs and vegetables. Nothing is better and healthier than eating your own organically grown food.
10. Use Less Water ‘ There are many ways that you can reduce your water consumption, from turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth to taking shorter showers. If you’re interested in finding out what your water footprint is check out the website Waterfootprint.org.

These are just a few green resolutions that you can make.

If you have any other ideas please feel free to share them with the Green Student U community.

According to an article in the New York Times the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s a lot of extra ‘holiday cheer’ for a person to gain in a one month period.

We know that the holidays are meant for giving, so how about giving your health and the environment the perfect gift by greening your exercise routine…

According to an article in the New York Times the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s a lot of extra ‘holiday cheer’ for a person to gain in a one month period.

We know that the holidays are meant for giving, so how about giving your health and the environment the perfect gift by greening your exercise routine.

How to Green Your Exercise Routine

You may not think that a few simple actions can help you lose weight and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, but if you follow these tips you’ll be well on your way to a green exercise routine:

Try a Reusable Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is important when you exercise, so instead of buying a pack of bottled water and creating more plastic waste how about using a stainless steel or recycled water bottle that you can wash and reuse again.

Organic Eats

Get your energy boost with organic cereal and granola bars, or try a homemade smoothie by mixing organic yogurt, orange juice and fruit together in a blender.

Walk, Run or Ride a Bike

You don’t need an exercise machine that uses electricity to help you burn calories. You can always get your green exercise by walking, running or riding a bike around a park or neighborhood. You can even take along biodegradable bags and pick up trash and recyclable aluminum cans along the way to help clean up your surroundings.

Dress the Part

Whether you need a sports bra, running shorts or workout sneakers you can always find clothing and accessories made from organic cotton, recycled fabric, bamboo and other natural ingredients. You should also donate your old workout clothes to thrift stores.

Plant a Garden

If you have a backyard with available space or know someone who does then you can get a weekly workout by planting a garden. All the digging, planting, watering and weeding will give you a great workout every time you visit the garden, plus you can eat your organic fruits and vegetables as a healthy meal! To be extra eco friendly you can reuse rainwater caught in a barrel to water the plants.

Save Water: Wash Your Towels Less

Most likely you are going to take a shower after a heavy workout. If you use a towel to wipe away sweat you don’t have to wash it after its first use. Reuse the towel a few times more since you’re going to take a shower anyways. This will help conserve water because you’ll be using the washing machine less.

Natural Deodorants

Many deodorants contain harmful ingredients such as aluminum and formaldehyde, so freshen up after your hard workout by using deodorants made from all natural plant-based ingredients. Also, make sure that the product is certified ‘cruelty-free’ to prove that it has not been tested on animals.

You shouldn’t practice these tips only during the holidays. You should make them a part of your daily routine. You’ll not only get in shape and help out the environment, but you’ll also get a gift every day of the year instead of just on one day.

One of the most important aspects of living an eco-lifestyle is eating healthy. Even though we would all like to eat only organic food, not all of us have access to it, so we have make do with what is provided by our local supermarket.

One thing we need to be aware of when eating non-organically grown fruits and vegetables are pesticides…

One of the most important aspects of living an eco-lifestyle is eating healthy. Even though we would all like to eat only organic food, not all of us have access to it, so we have make do with what is provided by our local supermarket.

One thing we need to be aware of when eating non-organically grown fruits and vegetables are pesticides.

The Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce lists helpful information on the fruits and vegetables that are most exposed to pesticides, and how we can avoid exposure to them.

What Tops the List?

While preparing meals, even though people may think that they are washing toxic pesticides off from fruits and vegetables, there is a chance that residue will remain on the food. That means that we can still ingest these harmful chemicals, which can be destructive to our central nervous system

So what are the top 10 fruits and vegetables that have the highest exposure to pesticides, according to the report?

These fruits and veggies are least exposed to pesticides:

You can see the entire list here.

This doesn’t mean that you have to completely cut out peaches and apples from your diet. Just be sure to wash them completely before you take a bite.

Saving your health is an important part of saving the planet, so be cautious about what you eat.

Five environmental groups in Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, sued the EPA last Thursday because they say the federal government has violated the Clean Water Act of 1972.

These groups claim that farm and urban runoff, such as animal waste and fertilizers, are polluting Florida’s waterways…

Five environmental groups in Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the St. Johns Riverkeeper, sued the EPA last Thursday because they say the federal government has violated the Clean Water Act of 1972.

These groups claim that farm and urban runoff, such as animal waste and fertilizers, are polluting Florida’s waterways. This runoff is also fueling algae bloom growth in the water, which absorbs a majority of the oxygen in the surrounding ecosystems and kills the wildlife.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit is directed towards Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, which recognized in 1998 that ‘nutrient pollution is the leading cause of impairment in lakes and coastal waterways.’

But even though this was noted by the Florida EPA, nothing has been done to stop it. The waterways are still polluted, especially the Chesapeake Bay, which has been harboring toxic algae blooms for years.

Here’s the entire story.

It seems like a lot of people are suing the EPA nowadays. We wrote a blog a few months ago about how 18 states are suing the EPA for not regulating greenhouse gas emissions properly.

What does this say about the performance of the EPA? It’s true that they have a very hard job, but if they keep making broken promises, eventually no one will have faith in what they stand for.

Last year about 300 million compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) were sold in the U.S., thanks to people being more concerned about global warming.

The only bad thing about CFLs is that they contain small amounts of mercury in them, so when they are thrown away and broken the toxic vapors from the mercury can be inhaled by humans. And that can be a health risk…

Last year about 300 million compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) were sold in the U.S., thanks to people being more concerned about global warming.

The only bad thing about CFLs is that they contain small amounts of mercury in them, so when they are thrown away and broken the toxic vapors from the mercury can be inhaled by humans. And that can be a health risk.

So despite their eco-friendliness, many people think that it is too risky to throw away these bulbs.

That is until engineering students and researchers at Brown University developed a material that could absorb the mercury.

How does it work?

What the students did was they created a prototype of a special lining that would be placed inside CFL packaging. That way if any bulbs broke inside the packaging the mercury would be absorbed safely. Or if the mercury spilled on the floor or a table, the packaging could be placed on top of it to absorb the liquid.

The students also created special lining for plastic bags that would soak up any mercury from broken glass that was thrown away.

You can read more details about the story here.

If this material proves to work effectively, it could dramatically impact our environment, especially if the government approves energy-efficient lighting by 2012.

Let’s hope that the Brown University students continue improving this amazing discovery.

When a horrible odor starts to permeate throughout your home, the first thing that you want to do is to make it go away.

That’s when air fresheners come in handy. They battle unwanted smells in a single spray, but even though they can make your home smell like a meadow of flowers or fresh vanilla, what you may not know is that they can be damaging to your health…

When a horrible odor starts to permeate throughout your home, the first thing that you want to do is to make it go away.

That’s when air fresheners come in handy. They battle unwanted smells in a single spray, but even though they can make your home smell like a meadow of flowers or fresh vanilla, what you may not know is that they can be damaging to your health.

How Can Air Fresheners Damage Your Health?

According to Science Daily, The Daily Collegian and Time, air fresheners may not be the saviors of smell that we think they are.

A study conducted last year by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested 14 air freshener brands that were found on a shelf in Walgreens.

Out of these, 12 of the fresheners contained substantial amounts of the chemical phthalates, which if taken in large amounts can cause liver and testes damage, as well as birth defects.

And guess whose air freshener had the highest amount of phthalates? The Walgreens brand! This of course prompted them to remove the products from their shelves immediately.

Another study conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) found that air fresheners contain a volatile organic compound (VOC) called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB).

Volatile organic compounds cause soil, groundwater and air pollution, and 1,4 dichlorobenzene was determined to be a carcinogen. And carcinogens cause cancer.

Also, extended periods of exposure to this compound can damage your lungs, and can be especially dangerous for people who have asthma.

What Are the Alternatives?

Well, you can always open a window. Letting air circulate throughout the room will always make an unpleasant smell go away.

Other things you can do:

• Burn an organic candle
• Use an organic air freshener in-a-can from a company like Sunshine Scents
• Burn organic incense or oils from The Amma Shop or Gaia-Tree

It may be more convenient to grab a can of air freshener when something smells funny, but you should always keep in mind just how much more harmful the fumes from the spray are than what is making your house stink.

It only takes a minute to light a candle or to burn oil, so go for organic and take care of your body.

Nowadays, it seems that everyone has some sort of game console. If you don’t have an Xbox 360, a Playstation 3 or a Nintendo Wii, you’re just not considered cool.

But whether you’re a green gamer or not, you might want to take a second look at how these consoles could be harming your physical health…

Nowadays, it seems that everyone has some sort of game console. If you don’t have an Xbox 360, a Playstation 3 or a Nintendo Wii, you’re just not considered cool.

But whether you’re a green gamer or not, you might want to take a second look at how these consoles could be harming your physical health.

The Playing Dirty Report

According to the ‘Playing Dirty Report’ written by Greenpeace, all three of the above listed consoles contain a variety of hazardous chemicals.

So what kind of chemicals are in these consoles?

1. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) ‘ Polymer that contains dioxin, which can cause immune system problems, reproductive disorders and a variety of cancers.
2. Beryllium ‘ Element that if inhaled, can lead to acute beryllium disease, which is like pneumonia, and it can also lead to lung cancer.
3. Bromine ‘ Element that can irritate mucous membranes and also cause burns.
4. Phthalates ‘ Family of compounds made from alcohols and phthalic anhydride that can lead to asthma, cancer and other health-related problems.

Now don’t run home and throw away your PS3, Xbox or Wii in fear that you’ll acquire cancer from it.

First of all, even though these chemicals are found in small amounts in these consoles, unless you have a room full of them that you bought to sell on eBay, you won’t be in too much danger.

Secondly, game consoles, along with cell phones, computers and other electronics, are huge contributors to overcrowded landfills.

Instead of throwing your console away, receive cash for it by sending it to BuyMyTronics.com, which is a company that buys and recycles used iPods, cell phones and game consoles.

You can read the entire Greenpeace article here.

Video game systems will always be popular and they’ll always be in demand.

The best way to make sure that they stay toxic-free is for you to write the game makers and tell them to find more eco-friendly ways to manufacture their products.

According to a press release issued by the American Lung Association, Pittsburgh is the #1 city in the U.S. with the highest levels of particle pollution. This is a direct result of the ash, soot, car exhaust, aerosols and other harmful pollutants produced by the city.

Pittsburgh also ranks second for the most year-round particle pollution, right behind Los Angeles…

According to a press release issued by the American Lung Association, Pittsburgh is the #1 city in the U.S. with the highest levels of particle pollution. This is a direct result of the ash, soot, car exhaust, aerosols and other harmful pollutants produced by the city.

Pittsburgh also ranks second for the most year-round particle pollution, right behind Los Angeles.

The Rest of the Report

The report uses standards for ozone levels as created by the EPA and covers data from 1996-2006. One of the most interesting findings was that nearly one-third of the U.S. population lives in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone

Also, this was the first time ever that a city outside California took the #1 spot in the State of the Air Report.

Still, other cities grew closer to the top spot as some of the most polluted areas in America. These cities include Washington D.C., Atlanta, Charlotte and Baltimore.

You can read more statistics about the report here.

Even though a few cities, like Fresno, California, did improve their air quality standards, the overall result is that U.S. citizens are breathing in air that is hazardous to their health.

Hopefully this report will make city officials realize how the pollution is affecting the well-being of their citizens and force them to take action to make their cities cleaner and greener.

Spring is here! This means more sunshine, more flowers, and more insects.

This is the time of year when people spring into gear for a little post-winter fun outdoors. Bugs love this time of year, too! What can you do when you’re taking a sunset stroll down the avenue on a lovely spring evening and a mosquito turns you into a walking buffet table?

Spring is here! This means more sunshine, more flowers, and more insects.

This is the time of year when people spring into gear for a little post-winter fun outdoors. Bugs love this time of year, too! What can you do when you’re taking a sunset stroll down the avenue on a lovely spring evening and a mosquito turns you into a walking buffet table?

You can prevent bug bites and walk among the spring blooms comfortably while wearing chemical-free insect repellent!

There are a number of completely natural and organic ingredients out there with which to make your own insect repellent. It’s easy to make, smells good, and repels little critters so that you can properly enjoy a good spring day!

Insect Repellent You Can Make In Your Kitchen:

¼ cup vodka or distilled water

1 tsp organic aloe vera gel

1 tsp witch hazel extract

½ tsp almond oil or grapeseed oil

¼ tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp grapefruit seed extract

5 drops organic rose geranium essential oil

4 drops organic lemon balm essential oil

4 drops organic lavender oil

4 drops organic peppermint oil or organic citronella essential oil

2 drops organic tea tree oil or organic eucalyptus essential oil

2 drops organic rosemary essential oil or organic thyme essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Takes 20 minutes to make. Lasts 6 months. Apply by spraying lightly on body before enjoying nature.

If you don’t escape your venture outdoors without a bite, apply a drop of organic lavender oil to the bite. It should immediately stop itching and will heal faster than you can say mosquito!