Give A Green Gift: Garden In A Box

Looking for a unique gift to send a client as a thank you? Here is a great idea that is completely green. Put together yourself or talk to your local gift basket company about sending a "green" gift consisting of a planters box, soil, seeds and gardening gear. Give the gift of life, plant life, that is.


CREATE THIS LOOK...


Planter: Smith & Hawken Windsor Window Box
Crafted from durable resin to lend the appearance wood without cracking or rotting.
Price: $169








Trowel: Smith & Hawken Trowel
Guaranteed for life, our English trowel is ideal for excavating, shaping and digging small holes for planting.
Price: $25








Hand Fork: Smith & Hawken Hand Fork
Guaranteed for life, our English hand fork is ideal for light weeding and digging in shallow soil.
Price: $25








Gardening Gloves: Essential WorkArmor Gloves from Target
Save Your Hands with this Gardening Glove Set. Great for the Green Thumb in Your Life. Made of Resin
Price: $29.99








Planter Starter Kit: Buzzy Porcelain Kitchen Herbs Grow Kit
This do-it-yourself growing kit makes it easy to enjoy cooking with fresh basil, parsley, chives, marjoram and thyme.
Price: $12.99

Get Hip Get Green Bags

You've probably already noticed or are already using these completely reusable bags for grocery shopping, packing a picnic, carrying books or whatever other useful need they are great for. Get Hip Get Green brings reusable shopping bags to a forefront of both “E”s: environmentalism and education. With three styles of bags that encourage users to get- hip- get- green and love-this-planet, Get Hip Get Green sells bags to help alleviate the amount of other bags that are regularly discarded and not recycled. The bags are great for multi-use. We even used similar bags last year at the Northwest Event Show, and we're still using them for various purposes to this day.

About Get Hip Bags...

• Each Bag comes with hangtag that explains just some of just some of the issues facing the environment today.
• Each Bag holds the equivalent load of 3-4 plastic bags or 2 Paper bags.
• Each bag is made from non-woven polypropolene and is 100% recyclable.
• Five of our Bags will hold the contents of a completely filled grocery cart.
• Each bag has a bottom stiffener that protects groceries and that can be easily removed for a quick wipe down.
• World wide we consume nearly 1 million plastic bags per minute. By using my bag you can help reduce this startling statistic.

Get your very own hip bag by clicking here.

Five Easy Ways To Live Green From HGTV

1. Looking for an excuse to replace that bulky computer monitor in the home office? An LCD flat panel model uses as little as a third of the electricity of conventional tube-based models, saving you on your power bill the equivalent of leaving a 50-watt bulb on all year.

When buying large-screen TVs, the savings comes from LCDs and rear-projection models, which use less than half the energy of plasma TVs.

2. You knew grilling was a healthy way to cook vittles, but did you know it was good for the air? Outdoor grills take less energy than electric kitchen stoves. They also keep heat out of the house, lowering air conditioning costs.

Stick with grills that use propane or natural gas; they emit 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per hour while a charcoal grill belches 11 pounds of the air-polluting compound for the same.

One more thing: dine on reusable plates made from bamboo, not disposable paper ones. The trees will thank you.

3. If you feel a little woozy after painting the bedroom with latex-based enamel, choose a product low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) instead. New designer colors and improved quality make these safer paints equivalent to standard ones and they benefit your health as well as the planet’s.

If you don't mind a paint fume buzz, try recycled paints. Filtered, reprocessed latex keeps harmful chemicals out of the landfill and at $5 to $7.50 a gallon, they’re a bargain. Colors and finishes are sometimes limited, though..

4. Skip the pesticides and use nature's method of bug-eradication: other animals. Install birdhouses to shelter feathered friends who dine on pesky beetles and grubs. Put out egg cases of Green Lacewings or Praying Mantises (less than $15, www.mastergardening.com) and they’ll gobble up aphids. Bats, and toads will dine on mosquitoes; attract them with bat houses ($25) and toad houses you can make yourself by overturning flower pots.

5. Organic food tastes better and it’s kinder to the earth. Thirty percent of the fossil fuel used on farms goes into the making of fertilizers.

Get greener by buying items grown or produced within 100 miles and you’ll reduce the amount of diesel fuel needed to ship food. You can get fresher food and help small-scale agriculture by shopping at neighborhood farmers’ markets.

Get more of these HGTV Green Ideas by clicking here.

Get INSPI(RED) This Father's Day

There are thousands of Father's Day cards to choose from each year. Finding the card that says exactly how you feel can be a daunting task. So this Father's Day, give a card that also gives back.

Check out these cards from Hallmark in their (PRODUCT) RED™ line. These cards literally help eliminate AIDS in Africa. There's no extra cost or special effort from you. The contributions to Global Fund comes right out of Hallmark's profits. Make a difference. Choose Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED™ and see how far a card can go.

Here are just a few samples of the Father's Day cards available at your local Hallmark right now.




THESE CARDS ARE MADE WITH RECYCLED PAPER.
20% recycled fiber.

Planet Green is the first and only 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network with a robust online presence and community. This new all green network launched yesterday and on-air content will reach 50 million homes with more than 250 hours of original green lifestyle programming. Both online and on-air, Planet Green's content is entertaining, relevant, and accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. By representing a broad range of ideas and perspectives, Planet Green is taking an active role in generating conversation and motivating individuals to take action when it comes to improving the environmental status of our planet.

Click here to find the channel in your area where Planet Green will air.

1% For The Planet

Businesses and corporations now have a simple way to contribute to a greener planet through a unique philanthropy opportunity. 1% For The Planet, a non-profit organization, acts as a conduit for action by working with companies willing to donate just 1% of their profits to various causes created to preserving the planet. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.

Learn more about this organization at onepercentfortheplanet.org

One Percent for the Planet has also teamed up with Jack Johnson on his 2008 World Tour and All At Once, a new social action network connecting nonprofits with people who want to become active in their local and world community. All At Once comes to life online at www.AllAtOnce.org and at every Jack Johnson concert in the Village Green, a collection of interactive booths where you can get educated, get inspired, and connect face-to-face with us and other local, national, and international non-profits.


All At Once from coreindustries on Vimeo.

Minimalist Design

If you share a passion for clean, minimalist design, you'll love a company called Modern-Twist. Modern-twist is a result of founder Kat Nouri's ongoing search and passion for products with attention to that extra little something--detail. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Modern-Twist takes cues from their environment to create household products by modern means, using materials or objects in new ways, often combining industry with nature. As a result, products by Modern-Twist have an organic feel to them. With a background in U.S. manufacturing, Nouri strives to manufacture Modern-Twist products responsibly. U.S. and overseas manufacturers that produce Modern-twist products share our values in respecting the environment, workers and consumers. Modern-twist donates one percent of profits to OnePercentForThePlanet.org.




Check out more of Modern-Twist's products including placemats, coasters, table runners, storage boxs and bags and more.

Starbucks Introduces A New Bean, Cocoa!

You may have noticed recent advertisements for the Starbucks Coffee Company's latest addition, cocoa! Together, Starbucks Coffee Company and The Hershey Company have created chocolates that are crafted with high-quality, flavorful cacao from around the world and then blended with premium natural ingredients, authentic Starbucks® coffee, Tazo tea and other authentic coffeehouse flavors.

Starbucks and The Hersey Company are working to make a positive difference in the world’s cacao-growing regions. As part of this commitment and shared values, The Hershey Company has begun to pilot and implement Cocoa Practices, in addition to the company’s current responsible sourcing initiatives. Cocoa Practices is Starbucks sustainable cocoa purchasing guidelines for Starbucks branded products, including Starbucks Chocolate. The effort encourages best practices in cocoa production among farmers, processors and exporters. The two companies are evaluating, identifying and supporting producers of quality, sustainably grown cacao.

For more information, visit www.starbucks.com/cocoa.

Nature Lights The Way

We'd like to introduce you to some everyday home decor items with a twist. Below we'll post some images of these items. See if you can guess what they are made of. Find the answers below the image.

Item #1: The Placemat

You may not believe it, but this intricately woven placemat is made of recycled candy wrappers. That's right, if you look closely you'll see the familiar logos of the tasty treats you've been eating for years. This placemat is fun, playful, totally recycled, and calorie-free, to boot! Pick yours up for $26 at VivaTerra.com.

Item#2: Decorative Bowls


You'll never guess what these handcrafted decorative bowls are formed from. Inventive natural sculptor Margaret Dorfman brilliantly transforms edibles into luminescent vessels. Building her bowls slice by slice from fresh produce, Dorfman presses each one into durable parchment, which she hand-shapes to resemble large, bright undulating flowers with vivid repeating patterns. Invisibly coated to maintain their vibrant translucent colors, the bowls comfortably hold a votive candle in a cup. The bowls above are made from Zucchini, Papaya and Beets. Retails for $42 and available at VivaTerra.com

Item #3: Lamps


This is one of our favorite works of “nature."

Founded in 1995 by Frank Lefebvre, Bleu Nature is a craft-based business located near Lille, in Northern France. Their principal material is driftwood, but they also use pebbles, lacquered wood, lacquered metal, leather, skins and petrified wood to create incredible home decor items. These pieces may be made in France, but they fit perfectly into the Northwest style.

Save a Tre-e-mail

One of the best things you can do around the office to practice greener methods of business is to avoid printing unnecessarily. We at banquetevent.com collective include a signature at the bottom of our emails with the simple phrase, "Save a tree. Please do not print this email unless you have to."

If this is something you too would like to do, an online service called GreenPrint now offers free green email signatures that you can add your email. Here are your options...


Greenprint also offers a software program that you install in your computer that helps you weed out unnecessary pages from things you want to print so you can print only what you need. Think about it, how often have you printed directions from Google Maps or Mapquest and the first page prints with just the web address at the top and the second page prints the directions. You never needed the first page, only the second. (See example below).


Greenprint offers a free at home version or a premium home version available for $29. For businesses Greenprint offers Enterprise available for $70.

To learn more about GreenPrint, click here.

Easy Steps To Living Green

Everywhere you turn these days you are seeing more and more people making changes in their everyday lives to live a greener life. Whether at home or in the office, people are choosing alternative methods to conduct everyday activities in ways that preserve the environment. Even if one person does one small thing to make a difference the impact of their action is massive. We like to continually provide you with ideas and solutions on how you can make the choice to live greener without requiring a major change in lifestyle.

From the Food Channel, comes the following simple steps on how to live a greener life. Try to make one change in your life and watch the results unfold and grow!

1. Plant a garden. What could be more sustainable than growing your own food? Tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, peppers and so many more wonderful vegetables can be easily harvested out of your own backyard. It’s good exercise, gives you a chance to get some fresh air, and if you grow more than you can consume, you can share it with your neighbors and become better friends. If your yard is too small or you live in an apartment or condo, you can still grow patio vegetable plants, or grow fresh herbs indoors.

2. Use appliances more efficiently. If you’re thinking about remodeling, look for appliances with the Energy Star sticker. The refrigerator is one of the home’s major users of energy. Those that have been built since July 2001 have more efficient standards. Use the water- and energy-saving settings on your appliances as much as possible. Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it. And if it breaks down, fix it, rather than throwing it out and buying a new one.

3. Use compact fluorescent lighting. CFL bulbs can really cut down on your utility bill. They’re 75% more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. Yes, they cost a bit more, but they last much longer. We all know what a pain it is to replace the bulb in the refrigerator. LED lights are another energy-efficient choice.

4. Ditch the plastic water bottles. Americans buy more than 8 billion gallons of bottled water and some 22 billion empty plastic water bottles are thrown away each year, according to National Geographic magazine. If you really can’t stand using plain old tap water, get a filter, such as Brita, and fill up a reusable neoprene bottle for your H2O to go.

5. Buy from the produce bin. Try to avoid products with excess packaging. Instead of picking up the veggies that are sealed (and sometimes re-sealed) in plastic packaging, buy the stuff right out of the bins. You can purchase only what you need that way, too, so there’s likely to be less waste. Instead of buying the bagged lettuce every time, buy a head of lettuce or two, and chop it up the way you like it.

6. Buy locally grown. If there’s a farmers market near you, support those local growers. Their fruits and vegetables will be fresher, better tasting and better for the environment. Produce that is flown or trucked to your store results in greenhouse gas pollution. According to figures from the National Resources Defense Council, most produce in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles before being sold. If you don’t live close to a farmers market, ask your local supermarket to stock more locally grown products in season.

7. Use reusables, not disposables. Keep the use of paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware to a minimum, if at all. Buy some nice cloth napkins, and use real dishes, glasses and flatware. It adds more class to your table and less waste to the landfill.

8. Neither paper nor plastic. Bring your own shopping tote bags to the market. According to National Geographic, 500 billion plastic bags are used per year worldwide, and it takes a lot of trees to create all the paper bags we use. Plus, you’ll be a good green role model, and you won’t have to deal with that tiresome question at the checkout counter.

9. Conserve water. You can do easy things like waiting till the dishwasher is full before using, and feeding excess water to your houseplants instead of pouring it down the drain. And it’s not really that hard to install a tap aerator to your kitchen faucet, which will reduce the flow by 50 to 75%.

10. Clean green. Use reusable microfiber cloth towels instead of paper towels and clean with earth-friendly cleaning solutions. But read labels carefully. Linda Chipperfield is V.P. of marketing for Green Seal™, the largest U.S.-based ecolabeling organization. Green Seal provides independent, science-based guidance to manufacturers and consumers. Chipperfield says it’s not always easy to tell which cleaning products really are earth-friendly. “There are a lot of green claims being made out there today, and many are unsubstantiated,” she says. Look for the Green Seal logo on the package, she advises, and watch out for ingredients such as phosphates, formaldehyde, and chlorine. “Hydrogen peroxide, for example, is a better-for-the-planet cleaning agent than chlorine,” Chipperfield says. “Nonylphenol ethers (NPE’s) are other ingredients to watch out for,” she says, “and avoid products with warnings about toxins or hazardous substances.”

11. Eat more veggies, less meat. Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases than driving cars, according to a 2006 study by the United Nations. Cattle raising is also a major source of land and water degradation. And plenty of studies have shown that consuming less meat and more fruits and vegetables is a healthier way to go.

12. Eat more home-cooked meals. Dining out frequently involves lots of disposable packaging and utensils. Not to mention the gasoline you’ll burn getting there. You’ll put less pollution into the air, and probably healthier foods into your body when you’re eating home cooking. When you do go out, try to patronize establishments that serve locally grown foods, and that minimize the use of disposables.

Local Building Receives Green Honors

Based in Washington, D.C., the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been the leading professional membership association for licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners since 1857. Through education, legislative and regulatory development, professional education, and research, the AIA and its more than 83,500 members express their commitment to excellence in design and livability in our nation’s buildings and communities.

Each year, the AIA, receives entries for their Top 10 Green Projects awards, and this year, a local building has made the list. The Discovery Center at South Lake Union is known as the "pavilion in the park." Its first use was for an exhibit telling the story of the South Lake Union neighborhood—its past, present, and future. This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2008. It was submitted by The Miller|Hull Partnership in Seattle, Washington. Additional project team members are listed on the "Process" screen.


The location of the Discovery Center, located in the heart of South Lake Union, is known for being a sustainable community. Sustainability is a term we often hear, but few people really understand its meaning:

• building, working and living in a way that is sensitive to our environment
• using local resources
• working to create positive impacts and changes throughout the community.

To find out more about the exhibits happening right now at the Discovery Center, click here.

Photo above by Lara Swimmer

Upcoming Green Events - This Weekend

April 26 , 2008 - BioLyle's Biodiesel Workshops
(Saturday), 10 AM - 3 PM.
South Seattle Community College
Class Fee: $59
Register by calling 206-764-5339
For more information visit http://biolyle.com/workshops/index.html
Learn to make your own fuel from used restaurant oil! Discover the chemistry and tricks of making quality biodiesel, as well as experimenting with different vegetable oils, catalysts, and pH indicators. Various reactor designs will be presented, with an emphasis on the appleseed reactor (made from an electric water heater) which will be operated in class. Other topics include myths and cacts about biodiesel; quality control, washing, cold weather issues, local availabilty and what's going on nationally and locally.



April 26, 2008 - Crooked Trails Annual Fundraiser
Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
7 PM
Crooked Trails, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting culturally and environmentally responsible travel, will host its annual fundraiser on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle. The celebration will feature world-fusion appetizers, Chilean wine by PengWine, northwest microbrews, global rhythms and both live and silent auctions.



The theme of this year’s event is “Share Yourself: The World Is Waiting to Meet You” – a reflection of Crooked Trails’ belief that by sharing ourselves we are enriched and inspired. Crooked Trails believes that everyone on the planet has something to share, whether it be time, knowledge, skills, energy, or enthusiasm. Through this sharing we make new connections that help us learn, grow, and change. Crooked Trails’ explores the ways in which we can share ourselves with the world and celebrates the endless possibilities this sharing can hold.

Past Crooked Trails fundraisers have been extremely popular, and a sell-out crowd of 200 guests is expected. All are welcome to join the festivities in order to learn about and support Crooked Trails’ partnerships with communities around the world. Pre-registration is required through the Crooked Trails website, http://www.crookedtrails.com/. The cost of the event is $50 per person.

More About Crooked Trails
Crooked Trails is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve cultural, ecological, and economic conditions around the world by changing the way people travel. Crooked Trails believes that travel should happen with host communities, not to them. If done properly, and with consent and management from the communities involved, tourism can bring much-needed community development as well as cultural sharing. Crooked Trails programs enrich the lives of both participants and the communities they visit. In addition to tourism activities, every Crooked Trails program includes a community service component. Participants may work on building a school in Kenya with a Maasai warrior, helping to make a documentary film in Peru with a Quechua shaman, digging a community well in the Himalayas with a Nepali farmer, or rebuilding a Thai coastal community destroyed by the tsunami. Crooked Trails also works to promote responsible travel through educational outreach programs in the Seattle area. Co-founders Christine Mackay and Tammy Leland are popular speakers and consultants on responsible travel and community-based tourism.

Find a Fellow Carpooler

Many people want to do their part to reduce pollution by carpooling, but it can be difficult to find other commuters near you that also want to carpool. A new service called RideSearch.com offers commuters a way to connect with other people traveling to the same or similar location and interested in carpooling. RideSearch began operation in January of 2008 and is quickly gaining buzz about its unique service. There are many benefits of carpooling. The average commuter knows gas prices are steadily climbing and are predicted to go even higher. Carpooling empowers you the commuter not to be at the mercy of the gas pump and helps your pocketbook at the same time.

Here is how RideSearch works...
1) Create your personal RideSearch profile.
2) Sign up for a membership.
3) Search listings using the "Find a Ride" button.
4) Reply to other listings by checking the message center for new messages from other carpoolers.

Help RideShare spread the word about their service by doing one or more of the following.

1) Post these flyers on office bulletin boards & at apartment complexes.

2) Send emails to coworkers about carpooling with RideSearch.

3) Create blue and white street signs that say: "Carpool. RideSearch.com" & ask your city council where you can put them up.

4) Blog about the benefits of carpooling with RideSearch.com.

5) Buy magnets from our online store and stick them around gas pumps.

6) Buy t-shirts and bumper stickers from our online store and give them away.

7) Email your city council about volunteering to adopt-a-highway signs for your city and use RideSearch for the sign.

8) Add a RideSearch bookmark to your network.

Earth Day Events in Seattle, WA

Spring Into Action with the King County Earth Day Expo
April 22 @ Westlake Park: Join King County at Westlake Park (4th & Pine, Seattle) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day and learn more about King County programs that protect and preserve the environment.

Help King County mulch, weed, or pot up trees.
Restoration projects are focused on restoring stream and wetland buffer habitats for fish and wildlife. Potted up plants are grown at the nursery for future projects. Volunteer efforts have been and continue to be critical to the success of our restoration projects.

Meet the Yard Talk duo
Doug Rice and Greg Rabourn, resident gardening gurus of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will be on site to answer your garden lawn care questions.

Northwest Natural Yard Days - April 15 - May 15, 2008
Northwest Natural Yard Days is a region-wide promotion of pesticide free and salmon friendly yard care practices. Northwest Natural Yard Days offers discounts of up to 25% off mulch mowing lawn mowers, bagged compost, natural organic fertilizer, less toxic pest and weed control, weed pullers and water conscience garden tools in home improvement centers and garden stores throughout Seattle, King County and Tacoma.

Looking for Earth Day Events in your area? Just check out your local tourism or city website. Cities all over the U.S. today are offering opportunities to get involved.

Happy Earth Day! Now Get Out There And Make A Difference!

We found these great Earth Day Tips from Treehugger.com and want to share them with you. Get out there and make a difference in your workplace today !

What’s the Big Deal About Earth Day Anyway?
A greener workplace can mean a lighter ecological footprint, a healthier and more productive place to work, and good news for the bottom line. Whether you’re the boss or the employee, whether your office is green already or still waiting to see the light, some practical steps can lay the groundwork for a healthy, low-impact workspace.

More work, less energy
Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver. Set computers to energy-saving settings and make sure to shut them down when you leave for the day (“standby” settings will continue to draw power even when not in use). By plugging hardware into a power strip with an on/off switch (or a smart power strip), the whole desktop setup can be turned off at once (make sure to power down inkjet printers before killing the power—they need to seal their cartridges). Printers, scanners, and other peripherals that are only used occasionally can be unplugged until they’re needed. And of course, turn off lights in spaces that are unoccupied.

Digitize
The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets (this also makes it easier to make offsite backup copies or take them with you when you move to a new office). Review documents onscreen rather than printing them out. Send emails instead of paper letters. New software like Greenprint helps eliminate blank pages from documents before printing and can also convert to PDF for paperless document sharing. Right now Greenprint is offer $6 off your order throughout the month of April.

Don’t be a paper pusher
When buying printer paper, look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and the minimum of chlorine bleaching. Try to choose printers and photocopiers that do double-sided printing. If your office ships packages, reuse boxes and use shredded waste paper as packing material.

Greening the commute
Some employers are giving a bonus to bike and carpool commuters and special perks to hybrid drivers. For those who think bike riding is for kids and tattooed couriers, consider a high-tech folding bike or an electrically assisted one (see below for more). To find other carpoolers in your area click here.

Work from home
Instant messaging, video conferencing, and other innovative workflow tools make effective telecommuting a reality. If you can telecommute, hold phone conferences, take online classes, or otherwise work from home, give it a try. It'll save you the time you would have spent on the trip as well as sparing the air. As a bonus, you get to work in your pajamas. Telecommuting works for 44 million Americans (not to mention the TreeHugger and the banquetevent.com staff at times). Also, consider the possibility of working four ten-hour days instead of five eight-hour days (a consolidated workweek), cutting the energy and time spent on commuting by 20% and giving you some lovely three-day weekends.

Use green materials
Some paper use can't be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods. Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones. Use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen, and provide biodegradable cleaners for the custodial staff. Buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes. Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and recycled replacements are cheaper than new ones.

Redesign the workspace
Greening the space in which you work has almost limitless possibilities. Start with good furniture, good lighting, and good air. Furniture can be manufactured from recycled materials as well as recyclable. Herman-Miller and Steelcase are two groundbreaking companies that have adopted the Cradle-to-Cradle protocol for many of their office chairs. Incandescent bulbs can be replaced with compact fluorescents and there is an ever-growing selection of high-end LED desk lamps that use miniscule amounts of energy. Not only is natural daylight a free source of lighting for the office, it has been proven to improve worker productivity and satisfaction (as well as boost sales in retail settings). Workspace air quality is also crucial. Good ventilation and low-VOC paints and materials (such as furniture and carpet) will keep employees healthy.


Lunch time
Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest (and healthiest) way to eat at work. Getting delivery and takeout almost inevitably ends with a miniature mountain of packaging waste. But if you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order (more efficient than many separate ones). Also, bring in a reusable plate, utensils, and napkins. If you do go out for lunch, try biking or walking instead of driving.

Get others in on the act
Share these tips with your colleagues. ...... and go to www.treehugger.com for even more information. Yeah we know, we are not that crazy about the name either..... but it works!

Celebrate Earth Day - April 22, 2008

A week from today, marks Earth Day. And what better time to start making an impact to preserve the world we live in than on this national day of awareness? Need some ideas on how you can do your part to share in the cause? Take our advice and do something to make a difference.

1. Send an Earth Day E-Card: Remind others that Earth Day is coming up and share a special note on how they can join you in doing something to preserve the Earth.


2. Plant a Tree: Contribute to the planet by donating one dollar to assist in the planting of 1 billion trees in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Learn more at PlantaBillion.org.

3. Visit a Nature Preserve: Sometimes the best way to get motivated is to see conservation efforts first hand. Visit a local nature preserve near you. If you live in Washington, click here for locations on preserves in your area. Any time of year, you can visit one of these great places, enjoy its natural wonders, and know that your investment in the Conservancy is working to protect it for generations to come.


4. Become a member of the Nature Conservatory: The Nature Conservancy's efforts to preserve the diversity of life on Earth depends solely on the support of its members. By joining the Nature Conservancy today, you'll help us achieve even more lasting results for both nature and people. Become a member by making a donation of $50 or more. Click here for a list of local Washington businesses that donate $1000 or more a year.

5. Take part in Video Conferencing: Many businesses like to conduct face-to-face interaction time with their clients. But that usually means driving across town to go meet them. Install free video conferencing tools, such as skype, to your computer and encourage your clients to do the same. Now you can communicate face-to-face, but reduce pollution by staying out of your car.

Computers Sometimes Grow in Trees

Take a look at the computer or monitor you are using right now. Do you know what it is made of? Possibly plastic or some other man-made material. But we'd like to ask why can't computers be made of a natural product like wood or bamboo? After all, these materials are quite beautiful and can be naturally harvested. Others have already begun the process of created electronics housed in natural material casings, although most of them do not come from America. Remarkable and beautiful designs made of sustainable materials include keyboards, monitor, cases, mice, LCD panels, sound systyems and even the mouse pad. The Swedish company, Swedx, works to ensure that the wood they use is harvested sustainably. They offer rather bulky mice and have a smaller selection of woods to chose from compared to a similar company out of Russia, but also much more affordable. See below for some of their products.
What really catches our eye, however, are the electronics made of bamboo as seen below. Bamboo is a grass rather than wood, but it is harder than oak. The fibers are even stronger than wood and steel. The Bamboo used in these LCD TVs is made from the Gramineae monocotyledonous plant. This type of plant is hard and panda friendly and as pandas only feed on soft bamboo there is no harm to wildlife. The unique bamboo color offers natural beauty and style which provides many advantages for consumers. It is one of a kind, ideal for homes, offices and of course an alternative to plastic surround. The other positive to using bamboo is the rate at which it grows. If you've ever had a bamboo plant in your yard, you know how strong of a plant it is and how quickly it matures.


We are completely enthralled by these designs and can't wait to see what designers come up with next.

Like No Golf Cart You've Ever Seen

We'd like to introduce you to the electric car, Zenn. Zenn cars are ideal for those travelers wishing to do their part to preserve the environment by reducing the use of oil and air pollution caused by gas powered vehicles. Zenn cars provide excellent alternative transportation for those who live and work in densely populated areas or who only travel within a corporate campus, city fleet, military base, etc. and only travel short, but frequent distances. Unlike an electric golf cart, Zenn cars look just like a gas powered vehicle and are enclosed to protect the driver from inclement weather. The Zenn car is also fully-equipped with safety features. Golf carts are also limited to private roads and cannot exceed a 15 mph speed limit, whereas Zenn cars can travel up to 35 mph.

Here are the basic facts about a Zenn Car...

How far can they go before needing to be recharged?
About 35 miles

How fast can they go?
Up to 25 mph

How long do they take to charge?
Fully charged after 8 hours, and 80% charged after 4 hours

Is it legal on public streets?
Yes, so long as the speed limit is no more than 35 mph.

Is Zenn like a hybrid?
Not really. It is purely electric relying solely on battery power. Hybrids operate on both gas and electric power.

What is the cost of running it?
Solely dependent on your regular electric bills.

Can you see yourself hob-knobbing around in your very own Zenn car? Here's where to get yours...

MCEV Co. LLC
1200 South Dearborn Street
Seattle, WA 98144
206-328-1750
www.mcev.biz

Recharged One Step At A Time

Remember when you were a child and you'd image what the "Future" would be like, with flying cars and robots walking around? Well, maybe the "future" isn't as far off as we think? Let us introduce you to a new robot-like knee brace that actually generates electricity as you walk, strong enough to recharge your cell phone or operate a GPS locator. Researchers at Simon Fraser University Locomotion Laboratory in Burnaby, Canada, have created an accessory that attaches to your knee to generate power with every step that you take.

Without getting too technical, the knee brace works much like a hybrid vehicle because it utilizes the kinetic energy released from your knee as it moves to take a step. The energy is harvested by the brace, preserving energy that is normally wasted. Not only is the device recycling energy, but it also acts as a protective brace for your knee muscles.

Create electricity and lose weight while doing it. Is there anything not to like?

"The most provocative residental high rise in Seattle since World War II"?

Mosler Lofts, a collection of 150 New York loft-style condominiums and town homes, is Seattle's first condominium tower that is certified Built Green and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and the Seattle-Post Intelligencer calls it "the most interesting and provocative residential high-rise to appear in Seattle since World War II."



Seven homes remain at Developer Direct pricing from $449,900. Homes range from an open one-bedroom to a 1,545-square-foot two-bedroom, southwesterly facing penthouse home priced at $1.395 million.

So how is this condominium built green, you ask? For one, the building is surrounded by Green Streets, meaning, the landscaping on the building's grounds incorporates eco-friendly techniques to finish the overall tranquil setting of a green building. The building itself is built with a green rooftop with a landscaped surface that will filter water naturally. Inside you'll find Energy Star appliances, non-toxic wall paint, and other eco-friendly home materials such as Sile stone kitchen countertops, Kahrs hardwood flooring, and imported porcelain bath tiles selected both for their beauty and sensibility.



So why should all this matter to you? According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for:

• 36% of total energy use and 65% of electricity consumption
• 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
• 30% of raw materials use
• 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
• 12% of potable water consumption

In the event industry, we rely heavily on tourism. The Northwest is famous for its beautiful waters, clean air and natural green vegetation, factoring for the increase in tourism to our lovely region. A “green” building incorporates design techniques, technologies, and materials that lessen its dependence on fossil fuels and minimize its overall negative environmental impact, allowing both our Northwest land and our economy to flourish as a result of simple eco-friendly building tactics.

21st Century Recycling At Its Most Innovative

It’s no secret that needless waste and heaps of scraps are part of the equation in today’s textile and garment manufacturing process. Granted there are some amazing results in terms of cutting edge fashion and eye-catching furniture designs, but this often comes at a huge cost in terms of the throw-away elements. The Cabbage Chair by Japanese designers, Nendo, defies this trend by taking waste paper from the pleated fabric industry and turning it into an organic marvel. The Cabbage Chair appears naturally as you peel away a roll of pleated fabric layer by layer. Naturally, due to the softness of the fabric, the chair is extremely comfortable and cozy. This recycled textile waste chair was designed for the XXIst Century Man exhibition curated by Issey Miyake. Nendo calls the chair a "primitive design [that] responds gently to fabrication and distribution costs and environmental concerns, the kinds of issues that face our 21st century selves."

So what do you think? Could you see having this chair in your living room or office?

One Person's Trash Is Another Person's Treasure

Hey all you party planners, we have a new on-the-go-planner for you to help you jot down important notes during all your busy meetings. Let us introduce you to the eco-friendly day planner from Nahui Ollin. Nahui Ollin is a collection of unique and fashionable accessories made from recycled materials. All merchandise is entirely hand-made by specially folding and weaving individual candy wrappers, gum wrappers and soda bottle labels--together to create the various beautiful shapes and sizes. That's right, these planners are made of recycled candy wrappers.

The wrappers are collected from manufacturers. The specific wrappers used are considered rejects by the manufacturer often because they have a small defect. What a creative way to practice recycling in an innovative and fresh way.

We hope this inspires you to be just as creative in the design of your next event.

Have you used someone's trash to create a treasure? Share it with us.

Recharged

Ever wished you could do away with all those annoying cell phone chargers that are cluttering up your space? Have you ever taken to cursing cell phone manufacturers for their extremely wasteful and inconvenient policies to manufacturer different types of batteries and chargers for every make and model of phone known to man? (We certainly have). Well here’s a design that promises an eco-friendly end to the hassles of multiple batteries and chargers - by offering up a single standardized battery that can fit in every type of personal electronic device. The Green Cell battery is safe, environmentally friendly, made without toxic chemicals, and — here’s the best part — when it runs out of juice on the go, it can easily be exchanged for a freshly charged battery at a local vendor machine.

Right now, this solution is only a concept, as it was presented recently at the New York City Greener Gadget Competition. The idea took 3rd place in the competition. Here's to hoping this genius idea becomes a reality.

Northwest Event Show - Registration Now Open!

The meeting & event planners' show, The Northwest Event Show is now open for registration.

The Northwest Event Show was designed for event planners, by event planners. This once a year event, blends entertainment, food, decor and networking to create an incredible and interactive display of innovation and design.

This year marks the 13th Anniversary of the Northwest Event Show. This year's theme for the show is GLOBALLY GETTING GREEN. In today's highly interactive and fast paced world, nuances in both design and interaction are infused in the event planning world to utilize eco-friendly tools in the planning of incredible events.

Come to the Northwest Event Show to gain insight into the ever-evolving world of event planning. The Northwest Event Show is always one step ahead of the curve in presenting the latest trends and newest services available to you. But don't take our word for it, come and see for yourself.

Show Details:
Date: September 23, 2008
Location: Washington State Convention & Trade Center
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free for meeting & event planners

REGISTER HERE