• Technological Breakthrough in Fight to Cut Greenhouse Gases – sciencedaily
• Save the Environment, One Commute at a Time – msnbc
• I believe what he really sees are profits. Brazil Soy King Sees Amazon as Food Solution – reuters
• Businesses Rush to Cash in on Solar Power - redorbit
• They all look the same. It’s kinda creepy. South Korea to Use Cloned Dogs to Sniff Out Drugs and Explosives – iht.com/ap
• Prayer may be the only solution. Choir Director Brings Prayers for Lower Gas Prices to SF
• Consumer alert! These are foods to avoid! 7 Common Foods That Can Actually Get You High – cracked.com

The Portable Solar Fan has many features; it possesses a very prominent fan, it’s solar powered, it has an LED lantern, a quartz clock and it charges an MP3 player or cell phone.

I profiled the typical consumer of this product:

• they’re an off-the-grid camper plagued by an overheated metabolism exacerbated by global warming
• they’re obsessed with time and blessed with better than 20×20 vision for reading the teensy clock
• they listen to Shania Twain’s Greatest Hits on their Zune MP3 player while camping in the dark.

Is that you?
£34.99 @ maplin.co.uk

(via: red ferret journal)

Preserve makes state of the art wares for our table, kitchen and personal hygiene that are made from recycled materials; and when the goods have lived their full life, rather than die in a landfill they’re also recyclable. Ergonomically designed tooth brushes and razors, as well as cutting boards and stackable, lidded storage bowls are just a few of Preserve’s useful items that will make you smile.

I love the attractive array of colors, and how lightweight all of the products feel.  I have a set of 3 mixing bowls — each designed with a pouring spout around the rim — having the ability to pour batter out of the bowl and into a baking dish is simply fabulous.

You can buy this set of 3 nesting mixing bowls at our OpenSky Shop.  Or look for them at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

Catch some good vibes today while learning about how to cut your carbon footprint, save some greenbacks and live a healthier lifestyle. Wondering what bamboo shirts, recycled counter-tops, tooth brushes or reusable bags feel like? Want to talk to the pros about installing solar panels to help power your home? Pump up your home grown tomatoes with worm poop? Enjoy learning how to green your life from the fine folks who are exhibiting and speaking in seminars at the Hilton (6th Ave, bet. 53 – 54 St.) today — the final day of this year’s GO GREEN EXPO in NYC.

10:00a-3p Sustainable Planet Film Festival, seminars and exhibits. I went yesterday and had a great time. $10 entry, kids under 12 free.

In an interesting turn of events, we found ourselves at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Earth Day this year. What a great chance to get a bird’s eye view of how Disney is engaging in earth-friendly pursuits. Disney’s cast members greeted all guests with a “Party for the Planet” pin, and the children were encouraged to participate in fun activities throughout the park that would keep them thinking about the wider world (no small task indeed). The Tree of Life, with its intertwining animal carvings, is a tremendous symbol of how all of us are connected in Nature. There was talk of protecting animals in their natural habitats on the Kilimanjaro Safari and we got a great look at two lions and many other species that roam the wild acres of the Animal Kingdom, all exciting visual reminders that we should be more conscious of how we share our world with animals.

While travelling we have been reading two wonderful books written by a family committed to raising awareness of endangered animals and ways to protect them in their natural habitats. Craig Hatkoff, founder of Turtle Pond Publications, and his two daughters, Juliana and Isabella, have captured the hearts of countless readers with their book “Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World.” Knut, a baby polar bear who was born at Zoo Berlin, was rejected by his mother at birth and has been raised by a zookeeper whose tireless efforts to nurture the newborn mirror (or even rival) the hardest work any mother has ever done. Almost overnight, Knut became the face of global warming and has emerged as a symbol for a greener world. Late last year, Zoo Berlin launched its campaign ‘Respect Habitats.Knut’. According to Zoo Berlin’s CEO, the Knut logo is “intended to be used as an emblem of positive strategies that deal with complex environmental issues in a fair manner.” Get a glimpse of Knut at play in his own swimming pool and his public debut at www.knut.net. (find where to buy)

Hatkoff and his girls have also penned “Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship” which shares the amazing story of a baby hippo orphaned in the Asian tsunami. Found alone on the beach after his family was washed away, Owen was raised in Kenya alongside a giant tortoise name Mzee. One of the most charming tales of friendship, this book is sure to have families talking about many aspects of love and tenderness. Turtle Pond has built a highly interactive website, featuring a fascinating documentary at owenandmzee.com (books can be purchased there, as well).

From the heart of the Big Green Apple, last night’s Go Green Gala at the Hilton was an evening of elegance and haute green style. Produced by Bradford Rand and his talented crew, the special event to benefit Riverkeeper and the Amazon Conservation Association was quite a success. The green carpet was rolled out for a room full of generous and enthusiastic supporters including Sissy Spacek, Anna Getty, Summer Rayne Oakes, Gillian Hearst-Shaw Simonds, Bobby Kennedy III and many other notables.

Guests were treated to the exclusive premiere of designer Maggie Norris’ eco couture collection aptly inspired by “global exploration, and re-purposing — to find another way, a better way.” The exquisite collection kicked off with a beautiful ensemble, a long flowing skirt and bustier refashioned from one of Lauren Bush’s Feed bags (a coveted auction item, with the handsome and affable Nigel Barker as acting auctioneer). Highlights included gorgeous vests, safari jackets and shorts, sassy skirts, stunning cut-out coats of every length, and a precious Lydia Hearst looking jewel-like in a magnificent sparkling gown. Jewelry designer Adria de Haume’s fabulous eco-jewelry was also featured.

The evening was hosted by the always glib and charming Lazy Environmentalist, Josh Dorfman. The Awards Ceremony recognized many well deserved recipients, champions in raising eco consciousness throughout the world. Among those recognized were Anderson Cooper, Nina Guralnick (President of LiveEarth), Kevin Wall (Founder of LiveEarth), author David Bach and accepting for Discovery Channel’s CEO David Zaslav — Graham Hill (Founder of Treehugger).

more event pix after the jump (more…)

This unisex 100% hemp hat will help protect you from those harmful summer rays. A nice alternative to the classic baseball cap, and great for those classic bad hair days. Be on the lookout for all types of hemp-based products (from sneakers and skateboards to wedding dresses and dog collars) — hemp is renewable and quite versatile.

Earth Fidel hat in black, sage or brown for $19 @ planetshoes.com

• Good idea, but I think that’s the Corn Lobby on line 3. McCain Favors End to Ethanol Subsidy As Food Costs Soar – yahoo! news
• Hot New Vacation Destination: Animal Rescue Shelters – livescience
• Ah…to feel the wind wafting through my hair once again…(pix) Balding Penguin’s Wetsuit Lets Him Swim Again – msnbc
• A nasty brew of pesticides, fertilizers and genetics. Punjab Reaps a Poisoned Harvest – bbc
• Week in Photos: Jellyfish robots, sheep sacrifice and more… – natgeo
• Just when you start to doubt our legislators…State Moves to Ban Fake Testicles on Vehicles – reuters
• Live by the bear, die by the bear, it’s natural. Peta Investigates the Death of Celebrity Animal Trainer – ecorazzi

• Hey, what’s our Seamus doing in that ad? check out Redford’s The Green (Tuesday’s @ 9p-12m)
• We’ll be lurking around this event — GoGreenExpo – NY Hilton – Sat & Sun 4/26 & 27
• UW-Madison Students Earn Serious Seed Capital for Supermarket Rooftop Gardening – (click on SKY VEGETABLES, left column, third link down)
• Swap-O-Ramarama at NYU April 27, 2-7pm
• Getting Paid to Drive – CBS Evening News
• Learning About Emissions from Business – CBS Evening News
• Calculating Your Carbon Footprint – CBS Evening News
• That Book Costs How Much? - The New York Times
• AD AGE – “Earth Day Like Christmas” (Alternative Consumer interview, only viewable if you have an e-subscription)
• OUTSIDE – May 2008 issue (Anderson Cooper on the cover) – Alternative Consumer’s on page 68!