by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

ONE YEAR in to IKEA’s program to reduce bag use at stores by 50%, the results are in - instead of cutting use in half, 92% of customers chose reusable bags over disposable plastic. Last year, IKEA motivated both reluctant and forgetful consumers by both offering a truly affordable reusable bag at checkout (.59) and charging 5 cents for use of traditional plastic bag. All proceeds went to American Forests, to help plant trees to restore forests and reduce CO2 emissions. As of October, 2008, IKEA has upped their call to action - only reusable bags will be available at their stores, eliminating all paper and plastic options.”No More Free Bags (REALLY!)”

Most people agree with the idea, though plastic bags are a long way from disappearing altogether. The disappointed among us are people use retail-produced bags at home for trash and cat litter. The problem? Those plastic bags take up to 1000 years to biodegrade - once again, we reach a crossroads of harsh reality of the conveniences we’ve become accustomed to. Biodegradable trash bags are available - we just have to get used to the higher cost. In my experience, what felt like sticker shock quickly subsided when I realized that with less consumption and more recycling, I’m sending only 1 trash bag to the curb per month. Really.

NY Times recently reported that, “Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced this month that he would push for a 6-cent fee on each plastic bag, both to raise as much as $16million/year for the city and to steer New Yorkers toward greener practices.” With effortful ease, times are changing. Be Here Now and we can reap the rewards to come.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Have you broken your bottled water habit yet? Recent numbers regarding bottled water sales indicate that many people are returning to the tap and/or the tap with filters. Tap water contaminant levels are usually more closely regulated, but I agree that filtering is the best bet for health and the environment. New reports show a “surprising array” of contaminants in many brands of bottled water, including those exceeding set standards by the companies themselves. If you are currently relying on bottled water for daily consumption, the monetary cost of any filter is quickly offset by making the switch and the cost to your health is, well, “priceless”.

I miss drinking fountains and still don’t understand why the movement to bring them back is not bigger. It seems that it will decrease litter, pollution, energy use, fuel costs and ensure that the safety of tap water is kept a priority. Most of the time, we want or need just a few gulps to quench our immediate thirst, something the drinking fountain does without waste - I often find discarded water bottles half full or more.

Since bottled water is such a big environmental and health issue, I don’t want to touch the soda industry. EEK - eco-disaster right there, turning a healthy necessity like water into a sugar/chemical-laden mess. It’s not news that it is the most acidic beverage you can drink, it leaches calcium from bones, dissolves the enamel on teeth, and, while diet sodas remove sugar and calories, adds a toxic level of chemicals like methanol. Even Fox News reported in 2007, “Soda May Seriously Harm Health”.

Go stainless steel portable for your water needs out and about. There need be no exceptions. Did you know that you can send an EMPTY water bottle of any kind through security with other carry-ons at the airport? You can then fill it at a fountain before getting airborne.

Break the bottled habit. This one’s a no-brainer. Your world and your health deserves it.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

We all know the green-speak of the times. It’s a user-friendly way of denoting our different lifestyles and commitments to the environment. It starts in one way or another - recycling, reusing, turning off the lights, turning down the heat, rethinking travel and commuting habits - but what keeps many of us strolling, washing or even dashing down the path towards more intensive methods of conservation?

It depends on your personality, making every path worthwhile and illuminating. For the analytical minds, it comes down to simple logic. Others are watching the savings of pennies and dollars add up. For parents, it’s a futuristic approach. Yuppies boil it down to “style” and attitude, the x-ers may find their greeness in a natural instinct to revolutionize while we pagans keep coming back to mama earth - the most literal treehuggers.

Then there’s the fun and happiness which seeps and creeps stealthily into your life when you start becoming more conscious, more aware, more deliberate in your life and relationships. That’s the one that keeps me going and growing, keeps me excited and hopeful for the future. And, most all of the changes I’ve made have brought more health to my body and mind - I feel strong, capable and “awake” and there’s not much else like that for helping you move through all parts of life - even the difficult ones.

So, don’t keep your deep dark green life to yourself - share the bliss! While at risk of being called, extreme or “carborexic”, most likely, you will inspire and motivate those around you. David Gershon, the author of “Low Carbon Diet” and founder of the Empowerment Institute says what we are doing “is fantastic, needed and catalytic.” We can show help others dwell in possibilities.

by Tao Oliveto, Carroboro, NC

The first of our cool, windy, sometimes damp Winter weather has descended upon us. My commitment to ‘ride or stay home’ is normally in danger. Not this year! I’ve pulled out the right gear from storage and made a small investment in some additions.

Arm warmers are my latest discovery - they are great for changing temperatures in the Fall, when you ride into town in 50 degrees, but return when it’s a balmy 73. Easy to pack and you can keep the chill out of your arms and shoulders without overheating your core. They are also inexplicably stylish, in a weird, gothic way.

Under helmet hat - something snug to hug the ears but fit comfortably under a helmet and doesn’t itch - ahhh!

Scarf - okay, this isn’t a traditional cycling accessory, but I love lightweight, colorful scarves wrapped around my neck in cool temps, on or off my bike. Again - easily chilled areas stay cozy, but you don’t have too much sweat in your middle.

Did I mention gloves? Well, it’s a must have investment that can make or break your daily cold-weather ride. Even high-end sport gloves won’t keep my fingers completely comfortable so I opted for mitten-style. Yes, they do make them for cycling and I found they leave me warmer but nimble enough to shift and brake safely.

I wear big ‘ol hiking boots most of the year, so my feet are happy, even while pedaling. But if you prefer cycling shoes or sneakers, consider shoe covers - warm toes will keep you in the saddle like nothing else.

Wind is the biggest issue for me, so I have a good jacket that can be worn on average days or over warmer gear. Long johns help when temps drop more - you can peel them off when you arrive to your destination.

I don’t like looking through dark lenses during dim Winter days, so I finally splurged on those lightweight sensor specs that block the wind (and bugs) nicely, but get dark only when the sun comes out.

There’s a lot of gear out there - my collection is a mish-mash from years of riding, all from different local bike shops, depending on where I’ve lived. There’s not much available yet that meets sustainable standards, so I make local buying my priority and make sure I go for quality stuff that will last all of my riding days.

Ride with me this Winter! Tao

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

I’ve been biking a lot more this year and I’m pretty happy about it. Daily commutes downtown, to stores and services like the bank and post office. To the coffee shop, to visit friends, to social events and my legs think nothing of those miles these days, which feels good, too. I’ve learned more about the right gear to get around conveniently and feel more confident.

Hmm, Confident? Cocky may be more like it. Ride a lot and you can begin to get a bit too headstrong about traffic - after all, I’m on my bike to rise above this carbon-emmitting mess, right? Well, not really. When you are on a bicycle, you ARE traffic. Although I wouldn’t say I’ve had any  truly close calls, I have caught myself taking chances for no good reason - you know, crossing at a red light because there are no cars in sight, riding through a parking lot to turn a corner, hopping onto the sidewalk and back onto the street when it seemed more convenient. Fortunately, I woke up - before I caused an accident. I now ride with my bike AND my head in the right place.

Of course, there is much that can and should be done on the driving side. Drivers education programs and testing should include important information when it comes to sharing the road - a big part of the safety equation. More and better-designed bicycle lanes, intersections and shoulders will go a long way towards creating harmony in the way we get around.

Still, there is a lot of good news for cyclists in this comprehensive article on Safe Streets, by Alan Durning, where he reminds us that not only is commuting by bicycle safer than you think, but “Not Pedaling Can Kill You”. Whether you ride now, or are considering it, this article is a must-read. Because the truth is, when you look at facts and figures, bicycle commuting is actually safer than any of us think. Statistics show that while bicycling is increasing, crashes are not. Bicycling is also safer that getting around by foot - pedestrians are 3 times more likely to be killed by a motorist per mile than cyclists.

Much of cycling safety seems to depend upon the rider - one survey shows that 80% of bike wrecks involve falling or colliding with something other than a moving vehicle. (Come to think of it, my only significant wreck was with a mailbox.) For more on this, read The Art of Urban Cycling: Lessons from the Street, by Robert Hurst.

If you’re still a cycle-skeptic, or a risk-taking rider, read the full article where you can wrap your head around the information above and much, much more. It could get you into a more fit world and body and help you keep both wheels on the ground.

There really are no coincidences. No mistakes, no accidents. This is how the journey happens, I promise. Just remember to keep your eyes, mind open.

There I was, in the woods with the dogs (again). We somehow disturbed a nest of yellowjackets - the dogs got the worst of it - those buggers burrow right into their fur. We got into a creek fairly quickly and I was pulling the stubborn bees off the dogs as fast as I could. I felt a few stings on my hands, but kept going until a bee found it’s way down the back of my jeans  - eek - sorry, girls, you’re on your own now! We finally outran the swarm and collapsed on the grass near the house.

BEE STING REMEDY: Within about 15 minutes, I was able to give the homeopathic remedy, Apis Mellifica, and a dose of baking soda dissolved in milk to all of us. (It works great if you can act fast!). Ayla’s eye swelled but went down again within 30 minutes of dosage and, as for me, I barely knew I was stung after an hour (I normally react to all bee stings with long-lasting pain and swelling). Moral of the story? Keep these remedies on hand, especially in the Fall, when some bees become more aggressive. But, the story has really only begun…

At this point, I realized I had thrown the leashes somewhere in the woods. I bravely returned to the scene of the crime that evening, but since the leashes were leather and the color of the ground, I couldn’t locate them. This is when the unfolding began. Need leashes…but I don’t want more toxic nylon or leather…time to search for more sustainable options. Of course, Hemp! I knew they were available, but I didn’t know how much I would learn and be inspired by the company which offered me the most simple, undyed version.

Rawganique made my day. Not just with the discovery of their many good for people and the planet products, but with their inspiring, hopeful and unambitious story of life and work. The founders of Rawganique, Touch Jamikorn and Klaus Wallner, former accomplished academics, set out to share information on sustainable living for humanity and the environment - and a way to live lightly and work mindfully. Living completely off-grid on Denman Island, BC, they co-founded a “human-scale” family business in 2000, replacing bad goods in the marketplace by offering products and clothing made of naturally organic and sustainable cotton, hemp and linen.

Their About Us page reads like a good book - one that leaves you hopeful and encouraged to find your own way to peace and balance in your life and in your work. They don’t take all the credit for finding their way to success, health and wholeness, but share the names and ideas of those who have guided and inspired them along the way. After all, this is how it works.

Watching. Listening. Sharing. Growing. Healing. All from a few bee stings~

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Remember Green Dimes? I joined last year and yep, for just a few dimes I’ve gotten off and stayed off most junk mail lists. However, another holiday season is approaching and I’m seeing some new catalogs have found me. I’ve been calling some of them to get of their lists, but it usually involves a long hold period, and reciting my name and address endlessly.

Just in time, I heard about a nonprofit, founded in October of 2007, which gets consumers OFF unwanted catalog lists. The online steps are simple and quick and once you’re in the system, you can return conveniently any time a new catalog shows up. This means you can still receive the catalogs you want, but, think twice (or three times) about how much you really get out of these when you can use their websites to browse products and place orders.

CatalogChoice.org is free and does not share your information with ANY lists of services. They already have over one million members and have kept over 13 million unwanted catalogs out of the mail. Catalog Choice also has a program for merchants which can help them clean up their distribution lists to save mailing costs, while actually increasing their customer base and respect customer preferences.

I’m signing on today, before the holiday mailing madness really gets in gear. Join me.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

One of the things I enjoy most in my co-housing community is that we don’t have much outdoor lighting. Solar lights illuminate the walkways from foot level, while only few lamps overhead light up the parking lot, allowing the stars and moon to quite literally, shine through the nights. Awareness of the moon cycles are a part of my evening strolls and hooping to music/drums in the field under only stars is extra magical.

Since the community is just a couple miles from downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro, we’re able to have this cake and eat it, too. Urban centers have a need to light up the night for safety, but it’s possible we’ve reached exaggerated proportions in our response. Some city areas are so bright, it defies logic and certainly, conservation of any sort. “But officer, I actually thought my headlights were on!”…..this happened to me more than once while driving in downtown areas:

This week, NY Times blog, Green Inc., reported that a number of municipalities are turning off streetlights to save energy, as much as 64% of them. Other programs include the switch to efficient lighting. St. Paul, MN, following the lead of cities like Anchorage and Austin, is currently testing LED streetlights in one of it’s neighborhoods. The advantages are many, including a brighter and whiter light, no mercury, less heat produced, and as much as a 10-year lifespan of each bulb. The energy savings averages around 50%, while further savings from lower maintenance costs sweeten the deal.

Ann Arbor, MI, already using LEDs, is also considering implementing motion sensors in areas, so lights come on only when needed. Now that’s smart and efficient! Imagine if stores and other public buildings, locked up at night, considered this option in lighting - energy/money savings AND theft prevention in one.

Motion sensor floodlights have been around for residential use for a long time and I wish they were more widely used. My theory is that it makes your home safer from intruders because the light coming on suddenly is more of deterrent than one that is on by routine.

The future of lighting and energy use is looking damn bright! Changed those bulbs at home or in the office yet? If you were intially turned off by the weird look and light of the introductory CFL bulbs, come out of the dark and into the many options of new and improved Super-efficient-super-saving CFL, solar and LED bulbs available today. Find 40 choices here on RealGoods.com, including indoor/outdoor floods, dimmables, 3-ways and speciality bulbs for your favorite lamps.