According to the United Nations Environment Program, every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic, and of all the trash floating in the world’s oceans and in the Central Pacific, there are up to six pounds of marine litter to every pound of plankton.
Of the more than 200 billion pounds of plastic the world produced each year, 10 percent ends up in the ocean. 70 percent of that eventually sinks, doing damage to ocean floor life. The rest floats.
A vast amount of garbage has accumulated in The North Pacific Gyre, which is a slow moving clockwise [continue reading]
About the author: Lynn Hasselberger is the founder of myEARTH 360.com, a company that offers eco-friendly products and whose mission is to raise environmental awareness and help families transition to an earth-friendlier lifestyle. She is also the founder of the I Count For My Earth campaign and the author of the ICountForMyEarth blog.
The only poll where the margin of error is zero
OpinioNation
Have you made the switch to BPA-free products?
a.) Yes - Baby bottles, water bottles, toys, canned goods - you name it, I have replaced it with a BPA-free alternative.
b.) I try to avoid the chemical whenever possible, but it’s just so hard to keep track of which products have it. Who has the time?
c.) While I would love to, my budget just doesn’t allow for buying more costly BPA-free products.
d.) No - I really don’t think BPA is as big of a threat as it has been made out to be. The FDA approves small amounts of BPA for human consumption, so it must not be that bad, right?
and see the results in the next issue of Greenzine!
in brief
Another Truth About Bottled Water by Sarah Bloom
Over the past several years millions of dollars have been poured (pun intended) into campaigns to get us to drink more bottled water. It’s been touted as the healthy alternative to sugary soda, tea and juice; and everyone everywhere carries it with them.
But did you know that, unlike municipal water companies, bottled water companies are not required to make their water testing results public? Also, many drinking water contaminants are unregulated -- any level is legal as current FDA standards do not specify which microorganisms should be tested or what levels [continue reading]
About the author: Sarah Bloom is a GenGreen Ambassador, full-time eco mom and author of the Passionate Green blog where she writes about why and how to be green right now.
living the green life: tips and facts for total sustainability
Farmed vs. Wild-Caught Salmon
All the talk of over-fished salmon populations has led to a widespread misconception that farm raised salmon are a sustainable alternative to wild-caught fish. This could not be further from the truth. Farmed salmon contribute to the destruction of biodiversity in oceans because of the pollution, chemicals, parasites and non-native fish that escape from the farms, directly impacting native salmon populations in surrounding areas. Wild-caught salmon from Alaska is the best choice, due to the health and abundance of the population and effective management of the fishery and habitat.
in brief
Garden Planning to Share by Dottie Simmons
Once again it went from snow to summer weather in this wildly variable spring weather that has become the norm, but we had enough lovely days in April to begin the prep work on the garden.
Part of our garden plan is to have intentional excess to share with those who need it most. In the past we have taken garden excess down to local food distribution centers. Yes, everyone does appreciate good organic tomatoes, cucumbers and even zucchini.
About the author: Dottie Simmons is a natural soap maker in the mountains of Northern California where her family is dedicated to learning to live with minimal impact on the land. From her blog you can read musings on living a healthy, sustainable and off-grid life, and from her family’s self-sufficient homestead, come the natural and nontoxic soaps and body care products that are Simmons Natural Bodycare.
About GenGreen: The goal of GenGreen is to be the most comprehensive and diverse resource available for people looking to live a locally-focused, environmentally conscious lifestyle. This is accomplished through our network GenGreenLife.com where we have over 45,000 green business listings, 800 green events and
over 400 green collar jobs and volunteer opportunities to help you live your green life.
FEATURE:
OpinioNation POLL:
IN BRIEF:
LIVING THE GREEN LIFE:
IN BRIEF:
GREEN EVENTS:
World’s Biggest Landfill... in the Pacific Ocean?
OpinioNation
Farmed vs. Wild-Caught Salmon
Garden Planning to Share