by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

My year of Buy Nothing New pledge ended, without fanfare, last Fall. As a result, I’m happily hooked on thrift, reused and recycled purchasing for most of my needs but, beginning with a holiday order from Real Goods, I’m occasionally shopping new again. When possible, I stick with local goods, but did find myself online this month, buying some things I couldn’t find here - namely, organic cotton underwear and 3 thermal shirts.

I’ve always liked online shopping. It’s fast and easy. However, I’ve been nagged by the thought that my new stuff has to travel many miles to find me and I can’t say, “I don’t need a bag” when checking out, like I would at a local store. I need to know, by the bottom line, is online shopping more eco-responsible than shopping at retail stores?

Much to my relief and surprise, I’ve heard some good news through Ideal Bite and Cool-Companies. A report by the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, a non-profit organization that helps companies and public institutions reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, show that internet shopping has significantly decreased energy demand since 1998 and could have an even larger impact on energy and resource savings into the future.

Despite their size, e-commerce warehouses use 1/16th of the energy used to operate retail stores. More e-commerce equals less need for retail space and the resources used to build and maintain it. This, of course, means saving open space and trees through both less construction and the decrease in paper use - a savings of as much as 2.7 million tons of paper per year. What about the environmental costs of shipping? More good news: ground shipping uses 1/10 the energy of driving yourself to the mall and even shipping 10 pounds of packages by air, uses 40% less fuel than the same purchase made by car.
Of course, all these energy savings means less power plants and less greenhouse gas pollution. And less driving and shopping means more free time for us. It’s becoming obvious that the balance of our future depends on our willingness to change our habits and perspective. It can be a win-win for our lives, our environment and the economy. Now that’s something to celebrate.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

There’s lots of talk about Holiday shopping (or not) and gift-giving (or not) this year. Even the people who are giving are talking about not giving so much. There’s many worthy and creative angles to come from on this subject and it’s all out there. First, it was about giving organic, then Fair Trade was all the rage. This year, it’s all about going beyond the mall and giving handmade gifts, (10,463 people took the Buy Handmade Pledge so far). More families are choosing to give one gift to each person by drawing names or giving through groups like Heifer International.

There’s exceptions to the new rules, of course. Kids have visions of sugarplums (or skateboards) dancing in their heads this time of year, and there’s plenty of room to indulge those dreams (and often in eco-fashion if you do your research). For the grown-ups, there are still special things that come packed with meaning, memories and beauty (this is where the organic/Fair Trade/handmade part comes in.)

In terms of meaningful gifts, there’s one standby gift that I rarely hesitate to give and always love to get. Books. I can’t get enough of them and I know many people just like me. I buy and trade at used bookstores all year-round, but for newer reads that I can’t readily find, I shop Independent. Enter Booksense. It’s the easy way to give favorite picks to people near and far and support Independent booksellers at the same time. Booksense markets Independent booksellers throughout the country by providing an online store locater by zip code and by selling gift cards to any of those stores. Booksense.com also connects Independent online sellers on their site.

It appears that a general consensus has taken hold: Less is more. Keep it healthy for the planet and people, DIY says more, consumables count and, overall, it’s not about the stuff. Interestingly, this new attitude has done nothing to dampen the holiday spirit. In fact, those I’ve spoken with seem to be basking in a kind of joyful relief. With shopping kept to a minimum, the pressure is off and the opportunity to rekindle the spirit of the season is looking every bit as good as a full Christmas stocking.

by Jerry Stifelman, The Change

Michael Pollen has a superb piece in this past Sunday’s NY Times magazine about the sustainability of industrial agriculture. He’s concerned that we’re watering down the term “sustainability” to a kind of agreeable lowest common denominator that everyone can agree with and that no one has to do very much about. He instead offers a very precise definition of unustainability:

“A practice or process that can’t go on indefinitely because it is destroying the very conditions on which it depends.”

Which makes the definition of sustainability, thus: “A practice or process that can continue indefinitely by virtue of preserving the conditions upon which it depends.”

This is inarguable. And since The Change likes (and depends upon) the truth, we will advocated this to all of our clients.

In fact, this definition is so crystal frickin’ clear, I think it should be sent to every legislator, public executive and business executive and they should be asked to evaluate all systems that come before them accordingly.

The Truth is Your Best Tool - ready or not.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Innovation. I just like the word. The sound of it has flow and the meaning is filled with hope for the future. I wasn’t always keen on the idea of feeding our lives with yet more technology, but connecting with, rather than exploiting, the powerful resources of nature has been the missing link in runaway science of the industrial revolution.

Annette von Jouanne, an electrical engineering professor at Oregon State University, knows the power of the waves. Von Jouanne, an avid surfer, is director of the school’s Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility, heading research on the wave power of the West coast as alternative energy. Wave power has many advantages over solar and wind - providing more power from smaller volume. Wave power is also available 80 - 90 percent of the time, compared to wind and solar, which can measure as low as 45 - 65% in availability.

While wave power is uniquely predictable, current available wave energy systems are complex and vulnerable to the untamed marine environment. Von Jouanne is working on a simpler system, using her expertise and passion for the open water. She is working with O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory, state and federal agencies and private companies, such as Ocean Power Technologies.

The Ocean experts make up one big Think Tank and I’m excited about the possibilities. In some ways, we need to turn back the clock to the simpler, healthier ways of living. But REDUCE, reuse, recycle, CFLs and a return to local farming, will not be enough. We need to reTHINK the way we harvest the power we do need and innovative science will play an important role in getting us there in time to save our lives on this planet. Surf’s Up!

(Sierra Magazine regularly reports on environmental innovators and other heroes of our changing times.)

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

There’s nothing like good beer on a hot summer’s day, or oatmeal Porter on a cold winter’s Day…and the weather has been so crazy lately, you can probably take your pick, even in December. But can I drink my beer and go green, too? You bet your beer mug!

At least 4 Brewers have jumped on the eco-smart bandwagon, making good beer even better and cutting costs in the process. The way of brewing, just like any business, uses a lot of energy and creates a lot of waste. And, just like any business, there are many ways to use less energy and create a lot less waste.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company uses hydrogen fuel cells and newly installed solar panels for energy production. This means that their alternative system will provide 75 % of the heat and electricity used daily in the brewing process.

New Belgium Brewing Company is known for its environmentally advanced operations. The plant already captures methane gas released while treating wastewater and uses it to produce 10% of the power they need, saving $18,000 in energy costs. They buy wind power for the rest of their needs and run their local delivery trucks on biodiesel fuel. New construction in an upcoming expansion will include a variety of eco-conscious techniques. Recycled steel components and recycled concrete will be used, natural lighting will be built into the building and the heating and cooling system employs an alternative to the use of Freon.

Great Lakes Brewing Company is after zero waste. They share used grains with a baker and local farmer, runs a community “Fatty Wagon” shuttle bus on leftover veggie oil from pubs. In Winter, they shut down refrigeration, open the doors to the cooler and let mother nature do her work.

The Japanese Brewers, Sapporo Breweries, in response to customer health concerns and increasing eco-awareness, are encouraging their barley growers to reduce the use of chemicals and carbon emissions.

Unlike most soft-drinks, which are extravagantly bad for your body in every way and bad for the planet, good beer - in moderation - has health benefits (fermentation!) and serves a social niche - one that is centered around long rambling conversations and good cheer. Share that cheer with your Mother - Earth, that is - by drinking green. Ask your local stores to bring in your favorites.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

What is an activist? Who are they? What do they do? What do they want? Are they idealists or realists? These are some of the questions I ask myself daily.

I live in a way that emphasizes stewardship of the planet, people and animals. It’s not impact-free, but feels ethical, moral and conscientious - AND, I keep finding ways to make it more so. But, it’s not self-sacrificing or self-less. I do it because it benefits me - it feels good, makes my life more simple and enjoyable and gives me hope about the future.

Does the way I live make me an activist? Hardly. I only became in activist when I was willing to step out into the world with both my actions and my voice. My lifestyle is not hard, but speaking out about it definitely has been. Activism requires a voice and, just like the bumper sticker reads, sometimes that voice is going to shake. I’ve reluctantly taken on “activist” jobs for years now. I’ve participated in rallies, written letters and joined various task forces - finding safety in numbers. But there is one thing I’ve always been reluctant to do - talk about it in real life. Think about it - no one does this on any regular basis. We are taught to be non-judgmental….to live and let live…

However, we are at the point where “living” is not always keeping things living. Staying quiet about what we see, while hoping for change, just isn’t working. Although I’ve hoped that carrying about my own bags, water bottles and napkins would be enough to influence the people around me, I found out that it’s not. It’s taken courage to talk about it, make suggestions and provide information to people I’m close to, but I’m trying. I started with my family and now try to talk to friends whenever opportunities arise. It has been easier than I thought.

No Impact Man has committed to an extremely sustainable way of living - impressive and inspiring. His hugely successful blog and its following shows that people are influenced by his story or at the very least, curious about his experience. His lifestyle is not activism, but his blog is definitely a tool toward that end.

Martin Eakes, founder of Self Help, credits his mother for teaching him something important. He was told, “If you see a problem, it is your responsibility to fix it.” An activist is someone who makes an effort to see problems that are not being addressed and then makes an effort to change it.

By Tao

When it comes to our efforts towards and equitable, sustainable and green world, I’m more convinced than ever that we are not doing enough. Despite many well-intentioned endeavors, businesses, governments and individuals are stuck in wasteful ways that are desecrating our bodies and the planet and causing worldwide suffering to all living things. Doing more - much more - is systematically available, can change the course of history and bring meaning and integrity back into our consumer-driven lives.

What’s in our way? The misbegotten belief that the changes required in our lives can (or should be) easy, cheap and above all, convenient. This myth is perpetuated by a combination of economics, fear and laziness, causing us to miss an important opportunity. Doing the big stuff requires big change - call it sacrifice if you want to - and we’re more than capable of tapping in to our evolutionary potential as humans.

We’re ready for the truth. Read more at today’s The Washing Post. Here’s an excerpt from Going Green? Easy Doesn’t Do It by Michael Maniates, professor of environmental and political sciences:

“To stop at “easy” is to say that the best we can do is accept an uninspired politics of guilt around a parade of uncoordinated individual action. What of the power and exhilaration that comes from working with others toward bold possibilities for the future? What of present sacrifice for future gain? “

By Michael Maniates

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Speaking of Oregon, you can go there to ride a bicycle - or to drink some of the healthiest, happiest, inspiration-driven teas on the planet and for the planet.

Heartsong Herbal Brewing Company was created by Chai Mama Liz and Chai Guy Chad of Ashland, Oregon with a vision of health and sustainability - and a rock-band vibe - at the forefront. Rooted in the values of ecology and community, Heartsong is brewing with creativity and passion and offers the most uniquely healthy teas in the industry - by the mug or by the jug. Their story will lead you from night shift brewing, to festivals and farmer’s markets, to Burning Man, and back to Ashland’s Chai Hut.

Liz and Chad’s vision is to create a business with strong, deep local roots and use it to make healthy, tasty, interesting, idealistic beverages as alternatives to the corporate, sugared-corn-syruped drinks that dominate the market. These original chai blends are filled with 24 vitamins and mineral, 15 amino acids and lots of antioxidants, serving up a body-restoring, stimulant-free invigorator that will put any commercial energy drink to the test.When it comes to the health benefits of Heartsong Chai and Pepper Brews, even green teas pale by comparison. Find Heartsong at these local businesses, or purchase online here.

True to communal priorities, Heartsong doesn’t mind sharing the local spotlight with another Ashland team of tea artisans. Once again, an intention to improve the world united people in friendship and hope, giving birth to the organic yerba mate company, EcoTeas. “My vision for EcoTeas is a small, prosperous tea company that aligns with the planetary effort to build a peaceful and sustainable furture,” says Founder, Stefan Schachler. “Together may be sip our teas in excellent health as we dream up a better world.” The company soon earned the reputation of selling consciously-grown, great-tasting teas at excellent prices. You can buy them in stores throughout the country or order online.

Disclosure: The Change works with Heartsong and is stoked to do so.