What is the IWD theme for 2010?  Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all

Today- I challenge you to take a few moments to learn about the history of International Womens Day and reflect on what it means. Here is a moving video that reminds us there is still much work to.  I hope you share this post with women in your life who you admire and celebrate today!

It is incredible how easily trash can be transformed into an array of eco-chic fashion statements! One of our favorite pieces from the Rebagz collection is the super stylish Carry Anything Anywhere Bag and we want to share a chance to WIN one of these multi-purpose totes with our loyal Organic Bug friends.

To enter for a chance to win this coveted bag  (a $94 value) be sure to visit- How to Win!  Giveaway – Organic Bug – Rebagz Carry Anything Anywhere Bag – Ends 3/14/10

Here are some of the many reasons we love Rebagz! And, if you don’t already own one, you will definitely want one when you see how eco- and human-friendly the company is:

1.  Rebagz handbags are manufactured using fair trade guidelines: The manufacturer in the Philippines is committed to paying employees a fair wage and providing a safe and healthy work environment….in other words, this is a company that puts people first.  By supporting Rebagz, you are contributing to the financial well-being of the women they employ, along with their families and their community at large.

2.  Rebagz handbags are environmentally sustainable: Made using recycled juice packs, rice sacks, paper + PET plastic, each Rebagz design incorporates lots of eco-friendly materials. Even the loop and button closure on the Carry Anything Anywhere Bag is expertly crafted from woven recycled juice packs.

Recycling uses less energy, decreasing oil dependence; reduces landfill, curbing leaching of contaminants into the soil and water supply; and improves air quality through the reduction of toxic incinerator emissions.

3.  Rebagz handbags are well made and functional: The entire collection of Juicy Hand Woven bags are water resistant, easy to clean, and durable!  The Carry Anything Anywhere Bag is so versatile you’ll wonder what you ever did without one. Since it is unlined it can easily be wiped clean inside and out making it useful for just about anything: gardening, the beach, a gym bag, overnight bag, shopping bag, commuter tote, the list goes on & on!

4. There is a fabulous Rebagz Eco-Chic Handbag for every occasion: Beautiful detailing, vibrant, fashionable and functional are just some of the ways to describe these amazing creations. Larger bags are multi-purpose, mid-size bags are the perfect size for bopping around town and mini bags can do double time as wristlets or cosmetics travel bags!

Learn more about the talented Rebagz creator, Marty Stevens-Heebner, on our Rebagz Brands Page and hear Marty in her own words below!

You can get a tan, brew tea and

The PlanetSolar team is not intending on replacing conventional watercrafts, however they did note that it was boats that allowed the first great explorations of our world. With the first boat dating back more than 10,000 years it is easy to forget how clean such transportation can be. “Today,” the PlanetSolar team suggests, “the boat is the most used means of transport of goods. It represents single-handedly almost 1.4 billions of tons of carbon dioxide (in 2008), that is 6% of the total carbon dioxide emissions and twice more than the air transport.”

To learn more about the boat that will hopefully set standards for future development, click here.

These funds were allocated to help make low-income homes more energy efficient to save money and emissions all while stimulating the job market. “The job creation impact of what was considered to be one of the department’s most ‘shovel ready’ projects has not materialized,” the report said. An example of this takes place in New York where only 280 weatherization projects have been completed out of their 45,400 goal. This goal is projected over three years, but that means that less than 1 percent of the project has been completed, leaving only two more years for full execution.

Since the act included such an increase of funds from other years, state officials are claiming it’s hard to keep up with the increased budgets. “We went from a budget of $13 million for weatherizations to $327 million,” said Gordon Anderson, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. “So we needed to get a serious plan in place to assure that our agency and all our contractors had the adequate capacity to administer the funds.”

Hopefully this plan will happen fast and will be effectively implemented. Weatherizing homes is one of the easiest things we can do to save money and the planet, and of course, increase available jobs.

By nature, the touring industry has a negative impact on the environment because of the combined carbon footprint of tours, concerts, videos and albums. We are left to wonder, is there anything really green about the music scene? There wasn’t until Guster’s vocalist/guitarist Adam Gardner and his wife, Lauren Sullivan, founded Reverb- an environmental organization devoted to greening the music industry. Since its start-up in 2004, Reverb cut more than 67,000 tons of carbon from the music industry and greened 81 tours by creating outreach displays at concerts, partnering up with environmentalist groups, offering bio diesel fuel for vehicles, and encouraging recycling and waste reduction. Taking Reverb one step further, the couple started the Green Music Group, a project created to inspire environmental change. The GMG launched on January 30, 2010 and is founded by a team of musicians, fans, record labels, and music industry leaders who seek to inspire environmental change through powerful music performances that spread awareness of global issues. With the support of founding members (including Dave Mathews Band, Linkin Park, The Roots, Sheryl Crow, Barenaked Ladies, Bonnie Raitt and Maroon 5), GMG wants to “make big changes by targeting small tasks to use the collective power of the music community to take action and bring about universal environmental change”.

So what does the future look like for GMG and the music industry? We can expect to see new eco-friendly standards for venues, labels and tours, green grants given to up- and-coming artists, environmental challenges aimed at members and prizes donated to groups.

If you want to support positive environmental action within the music industry you can sign up to become a part of the GMG crew. To show their appreciation, you are automatically entered to win an autographed eco-friendly guitar and you will even receive a free song from the launch session. Not a bad gig, eh?

Stay up to date by following the Green Music Group on Twitter!

Become a fan of the Green Music Group on Facebook

Check out this video from the Launch Event!

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

solar panel

In the state of California, a bill was implemented where a home owner using solar panels could sell their excess energy back to the utilities company. When the law was first issued, a cap of 2.5 percent of the total utilities energy was allowed to be purchased from homeowners, however recently they increased the cap to 5 percent.

Not only is this a major benefit for our beautiful planet and hopefully a lead other states will follow, but it is a plus for the homeowners who’s monthly utilities bills’ may go from $100 to as little as a dollar a month. Also, this action will create green job growth within the state of California, helping with their current state. Bill author Assembly member Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) said, “California leads the nation in solar energy, accounting for more than 65 percent of the all the solar installed in the U.S. Net metering has been absolutely fundamental to that success. The passage of this bill means continued green job growth, further energy bill savings, progress in the fight against climate change, and a brighter future for California.”

To learn more about this bill, check out the press release.

To help people understand the impact of overpopulation and to give them a chance to take action in their own lives, the Center for Biological Diversity created a unique campaign to draw attention to the problems of overpopulation.

The Center in Arizona distributed free packets of Endangered Species Condoms representing six endangered species: the polar bear, the snail darter, spotted owl, American burying beetle, jaguar and the coqui guajon rock frog. The campaign launched on Valentine’s Day, and over 3,000 volunteers distributed over 100,000 condoms to encourage people to “hump smarter, save the snail darter”.

The condoms are being distributed in each of the 50 states to highlight how unsustainable human population growth is driving species extinct at a disastrously rapid rate. The aesthetically pleasing packages which feature clever slogans can be found in bars, supermarkets, schools, local events and you can even order a free package from their website (not to mention 5 people will be chosen to win a lifetime supply of rubbers). They are distributed to anyone ranging from college students, to grandmothers, to ministries, to healthcare providers. Each package contains two condoms, original artwork and information on that species including facts about overpopulation and the extinction crisis as well as suggestions on how the human population can be stabilized.

The comedic approach is to catch people’s attention, get them to laugh and hopefully get them to talk about overpopulation which is happening right here, right now.

The campaign works to ensure a world that is livable for other species by encouraging people to practice responsible reproduction.

To learn more about the Center’s campaign

To enter to win a lifetime supply of condoms.

The Artists from Caribbean Craft are Accounted for!

It has been 6 weeks since a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake rippled through Haiti resulting in one of the largest humanitarian crisis in years.  While much progress has been made to rescue and rebuild what is left from the disastrous quake and its unforgiving aftershocks; there is still much work and healing to be done.

Days after the event occurred, I posted a list of reputable organizations who needed donations to rebuild in Demonstrating Compassionate Action to Haiti’s Earthquake Victims and expressed concern for the artisans from Caribbean Craft,  a Haitian group of artists who create some of our favorite home decor pieces using recycled oil drums.

I am relieved to share this update from Gifts with Humanity, the retail arm of our importer.  We have been told that they have indeed heard from all their Haitian artisans from Caribbean Craft! They are all accounted for, one with a foot injury.  Unfortunately they have no idea when they can resume production because of the conditions and lack of facilities to import the oil drums to recycle into their art…which is the situation thousands of survivors are now finding themselves in; the lack of resources means they cannot find employment at this time.

Green America’s Green Business Network recently shared their updates on the Haitian recover efforts with their members:

….I want to share with you a couple ways that our members and colleagues are pulling together to help the survivors of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Our hearts are heavy as we see the suffering and feel so inadequate. There’s both immediate disaster recovery to do as well longer term rebuilding work.

First, our allies like Mercy Corps and Haiti Partners are working on addressing key issues such as clean water and shelter. Network for Good has put together a list of organizations on the ground doing direct work today.

Second, we’d like to point you to the resources in our online community investing center for ways you can invest to help Haiti rebuild over time. By searching for “Haiti,” a number of investment organizations will be there—Fonkoze and Accion International on providing microfinance to Calvert and Mennonite Economic Development Associates on providing loan programs.

I am posting links from this article in our side column Rebuild Haiti. For those of us who are blessed with good health and income, my hope is that will continue to send our support their way to take on this massive undertaking.  Helping to rebuild Haiti into a stronger nation and eradicating the poor and desperate conditions will have a positive long term impact on our global culture as a whole.

]]> http://organicbugblog.com/haiti-6-weeks-later-rebuilding-will-continue-for-years-to-come/feed/ 0 http://organicbugblog.com/less-is-more/ http://organicbugblog.com/less-is-more/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:35:11 +0000 Emily http://organicbugblog.com/?p=961 Between the Saints winning the Super bowl and today being Fat Tuesday, Louisiana’s excitement has been taken to a whole new level. Despite the threat of rain and chilly temperatures, Mardi Gras events are going on as planned. Millions of people stand shoulder to shoulder in the streets of New Orleans to take part in the festive parades and to watch in awe the extravagant floats that fill the streets.  This year, artist Catherine Pears impresses many by taking Mardi Gras to a whole new level by turning it green.

Recycling is something the eco artist Pears surely takes seriously. Not only does she see the benefits of recycling but to her, the most obvious ways of recycling is to reduce and reuse, which is exactly what she did to create this year’s Mardi Gras float. The float features three women-the 3 graces- made from scratch out of cloth, wire, fiberglass and other random objects. The eyelashes on the women are made from old worn out paint brushes, the cloth that was used was left over from previous projects, and the wire came straight from a metal scrap yard. She’s not even ashamed to admit that she will pick up things from the side of the road if she thinks it will be useful, like dead tennis balls and pieces of  styrofoam. She even used old latex paint, creating a float that is as environmentally sound as possible. We appreciate Catherine Pears and give her major kudos for her ability to conserve resources and turn Mardi Gras green.

Now, who said it ain’t easy being green?