• Avoid power blackouts by turning off the power and creating a blackout…interesting.  Cuba Orders Extreme Measures to Cut Energy Use – reuters
• Sunlight propulsion…Dream of Solar Sailing in Space Lives on in New Project – cs monitor
• It’s always tough on the singles scene…(video)  Bees Fight to Death Over Females – bbc
• Didn’t I see Putin hunting tigers with his shirt off recently? Russia to Launch Program to Save Tigers Worldwide – msnbc
• Today’s the day – keeping the eco fashion local – Nau pops up in Soho – mother nature network
• NBC Launches 3rd Annual Green Week Sunday – green is universal
• Brown is beautiful…Brown Pelicans Recover From DDT, No Longer Endangered – enn
• It’s not cousin Duane…close those doors and windows…Origin of Household Dust Pinned Down – livescience

When it comes to air travel, the fit and finish of a plane’s interior is oh, about as exciting as taking off my shoes at the TSA check-point. Be it worn leather or fabric stock reminiscent of the early ’90s, it is, after all, comprised of a small seat, pull-down tray, and the eyeball-like air vents that blast freezing cold air either directly at your eyes or nowhere near you.

Southwest Airlines isn’t decking out their plane interiors with gadgetry like Virgin, but they are transforming one plane within their fleet as an innovative “green plane”—melding efficiency, eco-friendly materials, and comfort. By tweaking the interior, they’re reaping the benefit of a nearly five-pound-per-seat weight savings, reduced emissions and waste. The test cabin, outfitted with 100 percent recyclable and carbon-neutral Interface FLOR carpet, e-Leather and IZIT Leather eco-friendly leather alternatives, lighter Life Vest ouches and comfy, lightweight PURtec Foam Fill, will continue to carry passengers as usual.

Only a few days ago, Southwest also kicked off their new onboard recycling program, created to divert far more material from the waste stream. The 18-month process took into account the airline’s 68 city service and each city’s recycling program… a daunting task, no doubt. Bottom line: Southwest and their Southwest Cares program is making admirable strides to greening our nation’s blue skies fleet.  Do steps like these determine which airline you’ll fly?

Who doesn’t enjoy the sound of wind chimes ringing in the breeze?  Woodstock Chimes offers a wide selection of chimes to enhance any patio.  I had the opportunity to test and review the Capiz Solar Chime from Woodstock’s eco friendly, Asli Arts line. The Capiz chimes are made from natural, renewable resources and handcrafted by Balinese artisans – hand strung and hand dyed.

The Capiz Solar Chime we tested uses full capiz shells gently farmed in Indonesia.  In the 1500s, capiz shells, the outer shell of the marine mollusk, were used as windowpanes in houses; however, today they are used in various home decorations, including lamp shades, vases and wind chimes.

What makes these chimes different is their solar panel and a LED light, which enables the chime to cast off a soft, mood enhancing light in addition to its chime.  The solar panel charges the chime’s battery during the day and a sensor turns the light on at dusk as the sun goes down.  The solar panel piece is removable making it convenient to hang the chimes with or without it.

Another feature of Capiz Solar Chimes is that they are not small.  (more…)

Need an award winning cheese hand rubbed with lavender and freshly ground espresso for your Thanksgiving spread?  Wouldn’t lemon-dried blueberry biscotti wow your garden club at your weekly high tea?  Want to buy free range and organic meats, dairy or poultry in your area?

The folks at RegionalBest.com have created an internet marketplace for buying handmade, locally produced foods from artisans, farmers and small businesses in your area.  Forget making another trip to a big box store, go local and sustain and support small businesses in your community while enjoying quality, handcrafted baked goods, cheeses, beverages, seafood, sweets and vegan products from local purveyors.  RegionalBest features hundreds of products in over a dozen categories, including 225 foods for less than $25.

For the past few years, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the case of the shrinking car, being especially fond of the increasing fuel economy that accompanies smaller sized vehicles. And today, we’re taking a closer look at the smallest car we’ve seen yet; one that offers the added bonus of an electric powertrain, too.

The Tango—on display at last week’s SEMA show, an automotive specialty trade show in Las Vegas—mirrors the smart in length, but features a doozie of a difference in width. The svelte two-seater (one seat in each of two rows), is only slightly wider than three feet, making it ideal for the urban commuter. A very successful urban commuter, that is. The tiny trike weighs in at roughly $150,000.

So what’s the lowdown? Tango will travel approximately 120 miles per full charge and go from zero to 60 in four seconds (impressive, no?). Because of its sturdy cage and bottom-packed battery pack, the narrow mobile keeps from toppling sideways when sliding into a tight street side parking space. Priceless. Almost. For full specs, visit www.commutercars.com.

• Can someone tell Congress? Short term pain can lead to longterm gain…Climate Deal to Prevent Doubling of Energy Bills – reuters
• I’m mildly confused…Vatican Looks to Heavens for Signs of Alien Life – yahoo! news
• Nay sayer alert…Is Earth’s Capacity to Absorb CO2 Much Greater Than Expected? – sciencedaily
• Cost of the test is not covered for monkeys with pre-existing conditions…New Device Takes Gorilla’s Blood Pressure – aol news
• Can flavor be preserved? Researchers Creating Ice Cream That’s Good For You – livescience
• The latest crustacean news…The Deep-Sea Crab That Eats Trees – bbc
• A hoax perchance? Photo of Giant 55ft Boa Shocks China – ananova

UPDATE:  It’s official…congratulations to our 3 lucky ladies:  Janet F. of NJ, Belinda M. of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Amber G. of Illinois.  Thanks to everyone for entering, and don’t forget, you have to be in it to win it.  Stay tuned for our next Great Green Giveaway.  (original post follows.)

Add a little sparkle to your holidays.  We’re thrilled to feature Rebekah Green as our generous sponsor of this Great Green Giveaway. Rebekah’s new line of chic earrings are handcrafted, and made from recycled gold and fair trade gemstones — (ref our review).

Three lucky winners will be able to choose from an array of hip styles from her eco fabulous stud earring collection.  (Retail value, $20-45.00 plus free worldwide shipping.)

Here’s how to enter:

• checkout her unique collections @ rebekahgreen.com
• Then leave a comment on this post telling us why you think “buying green” makes a difference.
• Follow her on Twitter or friend on Facebook.  Leave a comment to let us know, and receive an extra entry.
• Add the following address to your email address book: m at AlternativeConsumer dot com.

Three lucky winners will be selected in our Random Drawing, and notified by email. Contest ends Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 11:59p (EST). Winners have 24 hours to claim their prize, or offer is null and void. Winners’ names will also be included on this post. Giveaway includes free shipping, anywhere in the world!

*One entry per person.
*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 (once per day), and be sure to refer to @altCon, and leave a comment linking to the status.
• You can also receive additional entries 3 more ways: subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter or friend us on FaceBook. (If you’re already a subscriber, just enter a comment to let us know.)

A little background about this ethical, socially responsible company, here.

This book review is part of the Green Books Campaign, whereby 100 bloggers are reviewing 100 great books printed in an environmentally friendly way.  This campaign is organized by Eco-Libris, a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. A full list of participating blogs and links to their reviews is available on the Eco-Libris website. So readers, feel free to jump in and let us know what you think about these green books, or any others.  My book review of Who Owns the Arctic? follows…

Several sovereign nations want the riches that lie beneath the Arctic’s diminishing ice – but does anyone really own it?  That question, posed by author Michael Byers, is both challenging and complex.  Having led two projects for ArcticNet, a Canadian government-funded research consortium: the first on the Northwest Passage, the second on competing claims to oil and gas reserves below the Arctic Ocean, Byers brings an expert’s perspective to the analysis born of both eyewitness accounts and first hand experiences from the tip of the iceberg, as well as exhaustive research.  Besides authoring War Law and Intent for a Nation, Byers holds the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia.

The book and issue, which on the surface may appear to be a boring academic exercise, turns out to be a fascinating read that outlines the history and issues surrounding Arctic ownership.  Canada, USA, Russia, Norway and Denmark all have land bordering these remote, icy waters — what criteria determines the fate of not only these countries, but also, perhaps our entire ecosystem?  There’s a lot at stake, and the laws governing the area seem as fluid and slippery as the ice melting.

In the end, Byers proposes a collaborative approach to answering this burning question. And, surprisingly, poses another, “more important question” instead:  “Are we, as a country, (Canada), up to the task?”  It is a complicated issue and in a world where these decisions are often influenced by giant energy companies and other special interests – - I ask, are we all, up to the task? Byers’ work is a compelling read on an intriguing and vital issue.  Grab a copy here and pass along to friends.  Or ask your public library for a copy.

green foot note:  “this book is printed on forest-friendly paper” by Douglas & McIntyre Publishers.

In my family, Thanksgiving was always the most stressful of holidays.  Would there be enough food? Would so-and-so come?  Would the house be clean enough?  Rarely among those concerns was, how sustainable is this holiday?  Well, times they are a changing and this Thanksgiving we’ll have a local turkey, relatives arriving via carpools and organic wine.  You can join the green Thanksgiving festivities with these easy tips.

The Food
Really, Thanksgiving is all about the food, but you don’t have to skimp on the stuffing to make this Thanksgiving more sustainable than last. Most families will not be convinced to give up the turkey this Thanksgiving. If you can go vegetarian or turkey free, more power to you; if not here are some alternatives:

• Make a shopping list before you go out.  Trying to think on the fly will cause unnecessary purchases.  Making the list well in advance will allow you to look for the best local options, rather than making frantic last minute decisions.  Try to minimize car mileage by planning your route precisely.
• Buy local and/or organic.  Thanksgiving is all about using your local resources to make delicious food.  Get your turkey from you local farmer’s market or local producers. You can look for a turkey provider near you, here.

It’s not just about the turkey!

• Take the 100-Mile Thanksgiving Challenge, and keep all your Thanksgiving foods close to home. If you’re in Albany, Seattle, Washington, Kansas City, Flagstaff, or Montgomery, The Daily Green has prepared 100 Mile Challenge recipes to use.
• Drink green.  Only buy wines with real cork stoppers, rather than plastic.  Trees are not cut down for cork, and it is a crucial part of the forestry industry.  Look for organic wines and liquors, and freshen tap water with a filter and some lemons.
• As the food coma starts to set in, think about your leftovers before you take that oh so alluring nap.
• Avoid plastic wrap. Most plastic wraps contain PVC which quickly winds up in landfills and has been linked to harmful environmental consequences.  Use aluminum foil or, even better, send family home with glass or ceramic storage containers that they can return to you after.  (The really conscientious may bring their own reusable leftover container, just in case…)
• Keep your hands dry!  A new study from the University of Bonn in Germany found that your dishwasher uses less soap, half the energy and 1/6 of the water you might during hand washing.  Air dry the dishes rather than heat drying them.
• Donate your fat.   If you’re in Texas, call up Plano and see if they’re still collecting turkey fat and turning it into biofuel.
• Donate leftover food to a shelter or food bank.

The Family
Thanksgiving is also about getting connected with family. For some, it’s the one time in the year where everyone is in the same room. Go green together!

• Know your guests.  Does Aunt Susan only eat white meat?  Is Danny a vegetarian?   Knowing who’s coming and what they’re expecting will help you shop efficiently and maximize your green options for each person.
• Pick a location that’s easy for everyone to get to.  The less air travel the better, and if you do fly consider carbon-reducing efforts to make up for it.
• Carpool.  Pick each other up on the way.
• Try to avoid sitting around the television on Thanksgiving Day.   Many towns have live parades, and your childrens’ school friends might be playing in football games in the area.  If you have diehard fans in the mix, make sure they’re all watching the same television, and aren’t scattered throughout the house.  Take the football out of the closet and see if anyone’s apt to want to throw the ball around, or organize an informal game of touch.

The Decorations
Home made decorations can be both fun and green.

• Send online invitations or organic ones.
• Thanksgiving is an earthy time. Use your creativity with sticks, stones, leaves, flowers and branches from your backyard or neighborhood.
• If you can’t get sticks or don’t want to get crafty, look for organic floral arrangements at your local farmers market or online.
• Use non-toxic cleaners to get that mom-level-clean before she actually shows up.