I love this event.  Lights out tonight 8:30-9:30p, eastern time. Feel the energy of everyone around the world uniting to raise awareness of climate change. A mere two years ago, this call to action was ignited in just one city — Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million people joined together to make a statement…what will you be doing during earth hour this year?  We’ll be stargazing in the Catskills.

Earth Hour via the UN (video)
Earth Hour 2009 video

Highlights of a press release and news from World Wildlife Fund…

EarthHour is a global initiative of WWF in which millions (more…)

• I’m sure that 1 mpg will stop global warming…U.S. Mileage Standards for Cars Up for First Time – reuters
• I can foresee a small problem with unions…Nanotechnology May Have Found its Henry Ford – cs monitor
• Let your fingers do the tracing…Forging a Hot Link to the Farmer Who Grows the Food – nytimes
• Through professional lenses…In Point Lobos, Where Edward Weston Saw the World Anew – nytimes
• Watch out for that overpass…Wind-Powered Car Breaks Record – bbc
• The challenge: can I get my mother-in-law to shut off the TV during tonight’s re-run of Dancing With the Stars?  Sydney First Major City to Mark Earth Hour 2009 – yahoo! news
• Elephant Angel Mystery Solved – ananova
• Today kicks off 3-day Better Living Show @ Portland Expo Center. Support Women Artists Now Sat & Sun, 1-4p.

UPDATE:  APRIL 6, 2009 – It’s official — Debbie B. and Brandi G. are our two lucky winners.  Thanks to everyone for participating. Check out our site’s right hand column, Green Giveaways to enter our most recent Giveaway!

Ladies, spring forward in eco style. Sponsored by KEDS Green Label, two lucky winners will each receive a pair of comfy classic low-tops, the Willow Lace Up.  Winners get to choose both their favorite color, and size.

Keds steps onto the green stage this week by introducing their first-ever line of eco friendly shoes.  Their green factor is high:  100 percent GOTS – certified organic cotton uppers and linings, 20 percent recycled rubber outersoles, Texon cellulose insole board made with 100 percent recycled fibers and non-toxic chemicals,shoelaces made from 100 percent recycled PET (water bottles), non-toxic, water-based cements, non-toxic inks and dyes, nickel-free hardware and are packaged in 100 percent post-consumer waste shoebox and tissue.

To Enter This Drawing, Simply:
Visit KEDS Green Label. Then enter a comment on this post telling us what you like best about this new green line.

Be sure you remember to add the following address to your email address book:
m at AlternativeConsumer.com. (*one entry per person)

Entries must be received by 6p, EST on Thursday, April 2, 2009. (USA & Canada residents only)

Winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email on Thursday, April 2 at approximately 8p (ET). Winner has 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void. Winners’ names will be included on this post.  Prize value: $55, plus free shipping to USA & Canada only.

*EXTRA CREDIT
If you have your own blog, you can post about the giveaway with a link back to this giveaway post. To make sure we know, you can come back and leave a comment with a link to your blog post.
If you Twitter, you can tweet about the giveaway, and leave a comment linking to the status.
Or you can also receive an additional entry by signing up to receive our RSS feed via email/Feedburner (see right side bar).

Time’s ticking, so start clicking — good luck!

Tesla has announced that it’s now taking orders for its Model S sedan, an all-electric, 7-passenger sedan that purrs a robust 300 miles per charge.  The quick-charging Model S can be plugged into any 120V, 220V or 480V outlet and will go 0-60 in under 6 seconds.

The car is expected to retail for around $49,900 after the deduction of a $7,500 federal tax credit. The floor-mounted powertrain creates both front and rear cargo space for those family trips to the beach.

get more info @ teslamotors.com

UPDATE:  Congratulations to Sharon A. — our official, lucky winner!  Thanks to everyone for participating … check out our home page (right hand column) to enter our most recent Great Green Giveaway.

original post:

Need to update your wardrobe for spring? This Great Green Giveaway is sponsored by Horny Toad.  One lucky winner receives a $100 Gift Certificate to put toward some cool Horny Toad clothes.

Since Horny Toad’s inception 12 years ago, they’ve been working quietly to incorporate the use of environmentally friendly fibers into their fabrics (like Modal® and Tencel®, recycled poly and organic cotton). The Spring ‘09 collection brings on new styles for men and women with color and fun inspired by the annual “Fiesta” celebration in Santa Barbara, CA, where the Toad is headquartered. Bring on that shot of organic tequila and a lime! Olé!

To Enter This Drawing, Simply:
Visit Horny Toad. Then enter a comment on this post telling us what you like about the clothes, and how they fit into your lifestyle.

Add the following address to your email address book:
m at AlternativeConsumer.com. (*one entry per person)

Entries must be received by 6p, EST on Friday, April 3, 2009. (free shipping, USA only)

One lucky winner will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email on Friday, April 3 at approximately 7p (ET). Winner has 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void. Winner’s name will also be included on this post.

*EXTRA CREDIT
If you have your own blog, you can post about the giveaway with a link back to this giveaway post. To make sure we know, you can come back and leave a comment with a link to your blog post.
If you Twitter, you can tweet about the giveaway, and leave a comment linking to the status.
Or you can also receive an additional entry by signing up to receive our RSS feed via email/Feedburner (see right side bar).

Time’s ticking, so start clicking — good luck!  Put a little spring in your step with some cool new threads.

Recently I had the opportunity to catch up with Bradford Rand, President / CEO of Go Green Expo.  I saw Bradford last Earth Day when he was coordinating — the first-ever, anywhere — GO GREEN EXPO in NYC. The premier event was a tremendous success. Here’s a recap of our phone conversation.

(photo above:  GO GREEN EXPO LA, January 2009)

Given today’s economy, are you seeing exhibitors and vendors energized by Obama’s push to go green, or are they cutting back?
Rand: I think that companies in general have less money to spend so they’re being very careful about where they’re putting their marketing dollars.  It’s definitely a challenge to get sponsors on board, but we’re plugging away. Everyday we’re selling booths.  (more…)

At least one big box store can see the marketing opportunity presented by Earth Day.  Staples is offering a $50 rebate on any printer purchase over $179 when customers recycle their old printer.  The event runs through May 2, 2009 in the company’s 1,500 stores.  Staples ran the same printer recycling event last year and collected over 100,000 printers.  Staples is also making a donation to the Carbonfund for every printer purchased from its EcoEasy line by HP.

On Earth Day, April 22nd,  Staples will also accept any technology product they sell for free recycling (one item per customer).

If you have an ink jet printer Staples offers a $3 rebate on recycled cartridges.  They’ve been running that program for some time.

U.K. consumer products designer Sarah Turner’s ReDesign range transforms discarded plastic bottles into designer lighting fixtures and lamps.

Bottles are cleaned, sandblasted and upcycled into decorative shapes totally unrecognizable from their original form. Then they are screwed into the inner shade, which is made from recycled card.  Turner has 3 different lampshade designs which can be utilized as floor, table or ceiling lamps.  She will soon be selling the lampshades, but until then, you can vote for her designs at the Ideal Home Show website in the Concept Products 2009 Competition.

• Recession Dampens Obama Negotiator’s Climate Debut – reuters
• Could this disrupt Gov. Palin’s wolf hunting and prayer sessions?  Alaskan Volcano Erupts Twice, Sends Ash 12 Miles Up – yahoo! news
• Put down that hammer you Maryland stone crab lovers…Crabs ‘Sense and Remember Pain’ – bbc
• Everglades Land Deal May be Scaled Back - msnbc
• Why doesn’t this sound positive?  Flowing Blood Could Power iPods and Cell Phones – livescience
• Yogurt Pepsi: 14 Horrifying Soft Drinks From Around the World – cracked.com

Shouldn’t your footwear say something about you?  These green Satire sneakers – The Ryde – from Simple Shoes feature certified organic cotton uppers and lining, an orthotic recycled tire pedbed; and they ship in recycled post-consumer packaging.  All this for $60 @ simpleshoes.com