CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Have you ever heard of Gore Tex? This fabric, with a name more aptly suited to your favorite dinosaur, was the first that let water vapor out and didn't let physical water in. It's an extremely thin layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), most commonly known as Teflon. In use by multiple brands, including The North Face, Adidas, Mephisto, Quiksilver, and Gore-Tex's own brand of GORE Bike and Running wear, you may be wearing this without realizing it. Green Theme International, a Portland, Oregon-based start-up claims that they, however, have the next best thing. Apparently, the fashion industry pollutes trillions of litres of water each year at an unsustainable rate, making it the second largest polluter in the world. The company's goal is to eliminate water from the textile-producing process. Using a process they call "Clean Chemistry", they can permanently bond finishes to fibers while staying dry and releasing zero hazardous discharge. Green Theme claims that their first process is a fluorine-free high definition finish treatment that outperforms previous water repellent fabrics. This process also provides a versatile platform for various other anti-odor, anti-bug, anti-microbial, and fire-resistant finishes. Traditionally, chemicals easily removed when washed are coated onto the fabric during production. Green Theme's process uses a combination of heat and pressure to crosslink the finish with each individual fiber itself. The finish then becomes part of the actual fabric. This provides lasting durability that won't wash out or wear off. The innovation uses no water, produces no hazardous discharge, no waste, no off-gassing, and is non-toxic. This is useful for athleisure, where GTI provides odor-blocking, anti-microbial everyday workout wear; they provide the only membrane-free outdoor wear that won't stop working after a few rainy hikes; water and waste-free, non-toxic fashion-forward everyday clothing; and GTI produces fire-resistant work safety gear. This is "Performance for the Planet." Currently, the brand Marmot uses this fabric in their line of clothing, among multiple other brands of water, wind, cold, and heat-resistant fabrics. They call this water-resistant fabric, made from upcycled nylon, EVODry. Green Theme International is also in talks with several other brands and outdoor clothing lines.

Just Energy, a world leading company in renewable energy and green living, has ranked the state of Hawaii the number three location for eco-friendly singles in search of love. The Just Energy team pulled data on each state's singles per capita, creating a ranked list. The rankings also take into consideration how "green friendly" each state's "dating atmospheres" are. This includes the number of Electric Vehicle charging stations and how many vegetarian restaurants there are. Oregon topped the rankings with 1.57 single-person households (by million), 118.8 EV stations per 1 million people, 41.4 vegan/vegetarian restaurants per 1 million people, and a 62.1 (out of 100) well-being index score. The worst state in the nation is Wyoming, coming in at 51 (DC was included; it took spot two.) with only 0.22 single-person households, 64.5 EV stations, 8.7 restaurants, and no data available for their well-being index score. With more progressive populations and plenty of earth-friendly date options, nine of the top ten states in the country were coastal. The singles ready to mingle live in Oregon, DC, Hawaii, Washington, New York, Maine, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada (the only outlier), and California. Alaska, despite having the most coastline and the highest well-being scores, came in second to last for green-dating. The data also correlates with online green dating trends from GreenSingles.com and the Conscious Dating Network. According to Jill Crosby, founder of the Conscious Dating Network, "Our members tend to have jobs and businesses that are in alignment with their hearts and values. Many of our members have jobs and own businesses in the renewable energy industry and are involved with charitable organizations that help others and create more sustainability." To actually find a like-minded partner, you might have to be in the right place at the right time. Some activities and locations recommended in Hawaii, by news organization Big Island Now, include: Get closer to nature while you take in the forest canopy at speeds of up to 45 miles an hour with Kohala Zipline. Among the Big Island activities certified as a sustainable Tour Operator by the Hawaii Ecotourism Association, this is sure to be a screaming good time. If it's a nice meal you're after, you can find a local and fresh lunch or dinner at Foster's Kitchen in Kona. Collaborating with local farmers, the menu incorporates local products from craft beers to locally produced kombucha to fresh breads to Kona coffee. Still hungry but don't want to go out? the Kona Farmer's Market can help with that. Open every Wednesday from 2:00--6:00 pm, this farmer's market will make sure that you only buy the freshest ingredients from the most local Hawaiian residents.

BOMBSHELL: As much as 40 percent of the food produced in America is not eaten. What happens to it? It ends up as food waste, contributing to climate change and making the world a stinkier place. And consumers share a great deal of the blame. The following four apps, however, can help you cut down on that blame and shame by helping to curb this not so tasty habit. (Three of the four require sizable amounts of community involvement, so even if there is no online community in your area, go ahead and get it started.) Olio  Olio is a food sharing app. It encourages neighbors to take that which was left over by others and claim it for themselves. This app does rely on a significant user base for its peer-to-peer network. So far, this has only happened in major cities. If you happen to come across an Olio network, you have to move fast! 40 percent of listings are claimed within an hour! According to the app's co-founder, Tessa Cook, "Once people take the leap of faith, they're almost universally delighted by the amount of groceries people give away when they leave town or start diets." Olio is available for both iPhone and Android. Food Rescue US Join 1,900 other "food heroes" in 12 locations who all receive alerts when surplus food needs to be picked up with Food Rescue US. This surplus typically comes from grocery stores, farmers markets, and caterers. The surplus is then delivered to soup kitchens and and other hunger-prevention organizations. If you would like to help, but constant notifications seem like a burden, there is still a way to be a "food hero". You can opt out of being "on call" and sign up for a recurring route, i.e. "a stop at Whole Foods every Saturday at 2 p.m." Alison Sherman says "We're not trying to influence policy; we're feeding people. I believe we can end hunger in the U.S. one community at a time." She is Food Rescue's director of communications. To become a food hero, visit the App store USDA FoodKeeper This joint venture from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Cornell University, and the Food Marketing Institute is helping consumers make sure what they consume is nice and fresh. For example: Freezing ground beef? Just hit "add to calendar" and in three months, you'll be reminded that it's time to use it or lose it. There are how to videos on things such as safe ways to thaw poultry. Unfortunately, these watch like a home-ec lesson, making them a little corny. "Buying things on sale and letting them spoil doesn't save money or food. You need to think about your inventory," said Robert Gravani, director emeritus of Cornell's National Good Agricultural Practices Program. You can download FoodKeeper on the Play store or the App store. Whether you want to help a restaurant save money or offer to take the extra tomatoes down the street, helping to curb food waste is something that's good for your wallet, your stomach, and the planet!

In international news, the French government has announced a plan to double installed wind generation capacity by the year 2023. This ten-point plan will simplify administrative procedures and accelerate the development of wind power projects. According to French leaders, this will cut the average time it takes for projects to be installed and connected to the French power grid in half! "Currently, it takes seven to nine years to develop offshore wind projects," stated Sebastian Lecornu, junior ecology minister. Wind has grown, on average, 22 percent a year since 2006. This is due to countries turning to low-carbon sources of energy worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy, including wind, solar, bio-energy, hydropower, and both wave and tidal energy, could account for nearly 30 percent of the global energy mix in the next 5 years. Reuters news agency reports that if successful, this could counter long-running opposition from activists keeping the country from reaching renewable energy targets (RETs). RETs currently include having up to 26 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind generation capacity installed by the year 2023, up from the current 12.9 GW. Those opposed to wind farms have been systematically filing appeals through administrative courts. These courts can take years to hear cases, thus delaying project development. In a government statement regarding its new proposals: "The direct consequence of this is a lengthening of the time it takes to complete a project, seven to nine years on average, compared to three to four years in Germany." About 70 percent of authorised projects are facing appeals in Administrative Tribunals courts, according to the government. Reforms would remove a level of jurisdiction in the appeals process.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Today is Tu B'Shevat (ט"ו בשבט), also known as Rosh HaShanah La'llanot (לאילנות ראש השנה) or New Year for the Trees. Occuring on the 15th of the Hebrew month Shevat (January/February) (שׁבט), it is celebrated as an ecological awareness day in modern day Israel and new trees are planted. In ancient Israel it represented the start of farming season when fruit would begin to blossom. According to biblical law in Judaism, there is a seven year agricultural cycle. On years one, two, four, and five, when the Holy Temple was located in Jerusalem, farmers would take a tenth of their produce and travel to Jerusalem to eat it in the holy city. On years three and six, farmers would give this 10 percent to the poor, who could consume it wherever they wished. On year seven, all produce belonged to anybody who wanted it and they could eat it wherever they liked. This made it especially important to figure out when the year, one of four new years in the Jewish religion, began.  Grains, vegetables, and legumes have the same new year as humans: the 1st of Tishrei (September/October) (תשרי), but any fruit blossoming between then and the 14th of Shevat is considered last year's produce. This is because Tu B'Shevat is four months after the celebration of Sukkot (סוכות). Sukkot is when Jews spend time in a temporary hut known as a Sukkah (סוכה) and thank God for sheltering the Jews during their journey from Egypt, and celebrate the end of the harvest season and agricultural year in Israel. Four months later, the rainy season is over and enough water has penetrated the soil to produce new fruit. One common way to celebrate this agricultural holiday is to partake in the consumption of the same foods our ancestors would have at this time. This includes things such as olives, dates, nuts, figs, grapes, and all sorts of dried fruits; all of which are produced in the mediterranean region of the country. A special blessing known as the Shehecheyanu (שחיכיאינו) is recited before the standard Ha'etz (העץ) if any of these fruits are being eaten for the first time. Whether you are a "member of the tribe" or not, break out the dried fruits and nuts and have a happy Tu B'Shevat (ט"ו בשבט שמח)!

According to the latest Renewable Energy Index from Green Energy Markets and lobby group GetUp!, new figures reveal that Australia's record solar energy uptake stands to save them $2 billion on power bills over the next 10 years. The report aims to show Australians not only how important green energy is to the country, but also to reducing pollution. The Australian Associated Press reports that the previous record was beaten when households installed more than 1,078 megawatts (MW) of solar energy on their roofs over the course of this past year. According to the report, there were 4,417 MW of renewable energy projects under construction. This will be able to provide 15,691 Australians with full-time work. More than 10,000 Gigawatt Hours (GWh) will also be generated due to wind and solar farms committed for development in 2017. This is equal to the entire electricity consumption of Tasmania, or half of the country's main grid. GetUp! environmental campaigns director Dr. Miriam Lyons says that this shows that Australians want renewable energy "These figures show Australian can, and should be, a global renewable energy superpower." Queensland still leads the nation in solar energy uptake, but Victoria has taken over New South Wales for second place due entirely to their 530 MW Stockyard Hill Wind Farm development. According to the report, "If we just maintained this level of capacity investments for another 10 years, there would be enough renewable energy capacity installed to generate almost two-thirds of Australia's expected 2030 electricity consumption." A record level of investment in renewable energy in 2017 has boosted the nation's large-scale generation capacity. The report is following figures from the Clean Energy Regulator that show Australia is on track to meet conservative Liberal-National federal government's 2020 Renewable Energy Target. While the government's National Energy Guarantee is energy neutral, Australia seems to be deciding its own energy future.

A line of activewear has recently launched that uses fabric not used in any other American clothing. And it's made just for children! This moisture wicking apparel from Lark Adventurwear is the first activewear line that keeps children sweat-free while protecting the environment via natural, eco-friendly fabric. According to founder Pallavi Golla, most parents don't know that name brand activewear and "athleisure" are made with chemicals that can potentially irritate skin. Her clothing is made from a 60/40 blend of cotton and bamboo (60 percent cotton, 40 percent bamboo). They are made in the USA with no chemicals or synthetic fabrics. The kimono style top makes opening and closing items such as rompers and onesies a breeze for changing. The items easily transition from comfortable indoor outfits to protective outdoor clothing. UPF50+ is built right in (akin to a child's rash guard, or "surf shirt"). This might make it sound like it was built for summer, but the moisture wicking fabric makes these items great for the sweating that comes with winter layers. (Those coats can get pretty warm once you step inside!) And the UPF is also still handy; up to 80 percent of UV rays can still come through on overcast days. The company was founded in 2016 when Golla's son Vyan was born. Golla began to notice that she remained cool and dry while her son became damp and sweaty. This led them to cut outdoor time short so that her son did not become sticky or burnt. With no luck finding activewear for her son, Golla quickly noticed the need for eco-friendly infant activewear for her son, and other babies just as curious and eager to learn about the world around them. In April, a new spring and summer line launches that includes t-shirts, dresses, shorts, and new trendy color schemes in sizes up to 4T. This is in addition to the long sleeve shirts, footie pajamas, bodysuits (long and short sleeved) and rompers already being sold in sizes up to 3T. You can also visit the company on both Facebook and Instagram.

Patagonia: a sparsely populated location at the bottom of South America makes up the southern section of the Andes Mountains. It also has deserts, pampas, grasslands, and coasts on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Not only is it a geographically diverse area, but it is now also a green vacation location! Founded in 2001 by two Chilean engineers, Yerko Ivelic and Javier Lopez, EcoCamp Patagonia is a campground comprised of geodesic domes that work with the planet to provide the energy necessary to power them up. The huts are inspired by the native Kaweskar tribe, indigenous to Chilean Patagonia, and their "leave no trace" lifestyle. Located in Torres del Paine national park, also in Chilean Patagonia, and run by the same people who created Chilean eco-friendly tour operator Cascada Expediciones, these renewable solar and hydraulically powered huts have served as an inspiration and trailblazers in the world of eco-travel. EcoCamp is committed to providing local employment, creating environmental awareness, and they only use locally grown and harvested foods. Not only is the landscape jaw dropping, but the little huts are beautiful both inside and out. With several to choose from, all with their own private bathrooms, it's no wonder that EcoCamp was selected as last year's 32nd best hotel in the world and South America's 2nd best hotel by Travel + Leisure. (These votes are compiled from over 300,000 T+L readers!) While staying at EcoCamp there is no shortage of activities. These include: stargazing, yoga, fly fishing, safaris, and not to mention hiking. Located at the start of many hiking trails, Torres del Paine includes ancient forests, glaciers, lakes, rivers, and fjords. The park is also home to a diverse range of animals, including pygmy owls, burrowing parrots, wild cats, and chingüe. To book your vacation, you can go to Cascada Expediciones' website and view details of the many different Patagonian experiences available. Come visit them in April or May 2018 and receive a free night at a hotel in one of four neighboring cities. You can visit this page to take advantage of this special offer.

The iconic red and yellow restaurant is going green. McDonald's has pledged to become more environmentally friendly by including recycling bins and sustainable packaging in it's restaurants worldwide. Multiple McDonald's employees, such as New Zealand's managing director Dave Howse and the United State's chief supply chain and sustainability officer Francesca Debiase have stated that packaging waste is the most important concern to McDonald's consumers. It has set it's goal at 100 percent sustainable packaging by the year 2025, using renewable, recyclable, or certified sources. New Zealand's 165 restaurants across the country have their work cut out for them as they plan to have this goal completed as soon as this April according to the Otago Daily Times, a local NZ paper out of the city of Dunedin. In the US, only about 50 percent of McDonald's packaging currently comes from sustainable sources. Only 10 percent of its restaurants have recycling bins available. McDonald's also has its sights set on 100 percent of its packaging not contributing to deforestation by 2020. Currently, around 64 percent of packaging meets that standard. They have also set the short-term goal of eliminating all foam packaging by the end of this year. The company has also worked towards other green goals in the past. In 2016, the company began to purchase sustainable beef. It was also made public that the restaurant chain had cut ties with its chicken supplier, Tyson Foods. This came after video of the animals being abused. Tyson Farmers also pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty. The announcement has been praised by environmental groups that have worked with McDonald's. "Today's announcement demonstrates McDonald's strong leadership in developing packaging and recycling solutions at a scale that can extend the life of our natural resources and push its industry toward more sustainable practices," stated Sheila Bonini, senior vice president of private sector engagement of the World Wildlife Fund. As the US's largest restaurant chain, McDonald's can have quite a large impact on changes made in the entire fast food industry. According to Brian Yarbrough, an equity analyst from brokerage firm Edward Jones, has said "It's in the forefront of people's minds right now--recycling green. Obviously, it's a positive development for them."

Who doesn't love superheroes? From Batman and Superman to The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy; Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse; in theaters and on paper; in America and in Japan, they are all over the world! They give us hope, offer escape, cheer us up when things seem bleakest, inspire us. Superheroes are a light in the dark. But what if that inspiration could be inspiration to protect the environment? That's the goal of the newest superhero: Mr. Eco. California Polytechnic State University alum Brett Edwards was looking for a way to merge his love of hip-hop and concerns for the environment, and thus: Mr. Eco was born. Mr. Eco travels the globe to bring the ideas of sustainability and wildlife conservation to youth. According to Mr. Eco "I believe that monumental change begins with the youngest members of society." Today, he has two albums, a popular youtube channel (that includes an adorable Star Wars themed anti-plastic straw rap), an active twitter feed, and has performed at more than 420 schools in 5 countries (including the US, St. Lucia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.) His message has reached over 210,000 students! One thing unique to Mr. Eco is that his rap is available for free. His store is built on a "pay what you want" system. "I firmly believe in music being as free as possible. Unlocked. Shared and spread. I believe that in order for artists to survive and create, their audiences need to step up and directly support them. Honor system. No judgment. If you're broke – take it. If you love it, come back and kick in later when you have the money. If you're rich, think about who you might be karmically covering if you really love this record." The default amount? If you are going to pay, all he asks for is $10. And just like new music artists debuting their first album at the checkout counter of your local Starbucks, Mr. Eco's debut album, Hybrid Hip-Hop, went live in nationwide Whole Foods stores in 2013. His show is most appropriate for children as young as kindergarten all the way up to sixth graders. Using a mix of dancing, call and response, storytelling, and plain old education, Mr. Eco shows kids how they can make an impact at home and at school to become what he calls EcoHeroes. "We will not run the show as an awards assembly, we believe that all kids deserve a chance to become EcoHeroes." Topics include littering, recycling, food waste, energy efficiency, and using reusable items. Mr. Eco isn't just a mascot for empowering youth to love Mother Earth. Brett Edwards, inspired by his high school environmental science teacher, is also an impassioned EcoHero himself. He sailed from Bermuda to Iceland, with 5 gyres, the major ocean currents of the world, studying ocean plastic pollution just 4 years ago in 2014. He was an Al Gore Climate Reality Leader in Chicago in 2013, only a year earlier. He is also a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Opisbo, also in 2013, with a degree in Business Entrepreneurship. His second album, Renewable Rap ...