Think Inside The Box

File this under "why didn't I think of that?" A new startup called "Boxed Water Is Better" has launched, and you guessed it, they offer convenience water in a box. Their goal is a mixture of art and sustainability; take a moment to read this caption from the BWIB site:

"About 90% of the Boxed Water container is made from a renewable resource, trees, that when harvested in a responsible, managed, and ethical way serve as an amazing renewable resource that benefits the environment even as it's renewed. Our carbon footprint is dramatically lower as our boxes are shipped flat to our filler and filled only as demand is created, opposed to most bottled water companies that ship their empty bottles across the globe to be filled, then shipped back for consumption. The flat, unfilled boxes we can fit on 2 pallets, or roughly 5% of a truckload, would require about 5 truckloads for empty plastic or glass bottles. Our cartons can also be broken down to their original flat state, are recyclable in most areas, and will be everywhere shortly. We're also giving 20% of our profits back to the resources our product is composed of - water and trees. Not only does it simply make sense, but we really enjoy supporting water and forestation organizations as it's part of our company's ethos and way of thinking to give back and participate. All that and an over-arching focus on simple and beautiful design that compliments our brand as well as the spaces it's sold and consumed in."

Sounds good to us. Any company aimed at reducing the mass distribution of plastic water bottles is a welcome addition. I look forward to grabbing a container, and hopefully converting it into a potted plant once I finish it. That's going to look good on the desk.

If you can't find any boxed water at your local store, and you live in a major U.S. city, then just enjoy the tap water!

Junk Your Junk Mail

You see it everyday, I know I do. Junk mail. It comes from everywhere, and you never asked for it. I confronted my postal carrier today, and she seemed upset that I would want to stop all the supermarket circulars and other junk. "Why?" I asked. She mentioned how much money the USPS makes from all this direct mail advertising, and how it would hurt the post office. I told her to charge more for stamps. She changed her tone, and then told me (reluctantly) to check out a website that will stop your junk mail.

The site she mentioned is called www.greendimes.com. The site was started by a dot com entrepreneur, who suffered the same frustrations with junk mail. The service costs $20 per year, and they will plant 5 trees for every member who joins.

There are other similar services, such as www.41pounds.org, which is named for the average amount of junk mail received by persons each year. The cost is $41 for 5 years ($8.20/year), and they will donate 1/3 of the fees to environmental causes.

Both services have been reviewed by major news sources, so please have a look a both and pick one that you feel happy about. In either case, they guarantee to cut your junk mail delivery by 90% in less than 16 weeks.

Go Ahead, Make Me Sustainable

Always on the lookout for valuable community sites, Flutter has discovered one that she thinks you should check out. It's called MakeMeSustainable.com and it may just help you lead a better path in life. From the website:

"You care about global warming and want to do something about it, even if you are not the type to put your arms around a tree, or are more likely to order in a pizza than roast a tofurkey. We will help you to understand and reduce your environmental impact, and save you money while we're at it. Through our tools you can implement personalized actions and track your progress. Our community allows you to share your success and network with other concerned individuals and check out businesses that are doing their part in your neighborhood."

By offering a tool for both individuals and businesses alike, MakeMeSustainable has empowered its community with the tools to track their lifestyle. They provide many ways to "take action," as well as coordinate with others in your area.

Create a profile today and see what you can do!

CNN Has Solutions

We at F&F are big fans of solutions. CNN has a great series entitled Green Warriors, that highlights new innovations in green technology. You can't help but have hope when you see how many innovations they profile on this show. All of the segments are available on the CNN website here:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/solutions/

Take a look, and see how algae and other biofuels are making headlines!

Hot in the City

Two green focused exhibits are currently on display in NYC museums.

First, at the Museum of the City of NY, Growing and Greening New York: PlaNYC and the Future of the City, will make the complexities of greater environmental sustainability in New York City vivid, compelling, and understandable by bringing environmental concerns to life on an individual, human scale.
The exhibition will take the visitor through the course of a day-7 a.m. through 2 a.m.-and link routine activities with information documenting their collective impact on the environment, while also offering alternatives for making these actions less harmful to our world and highlighting innovations that will lead to greater sustainability by 2030.
PlaNYC2030 is an ambitious blueprint for New York City as it confronts the prospect of continued population growth and the urgency of protecting the city’s natural environment to improve urban life. Its 127 proposals range from planting more trees to designing better power plants to cleaning up brownfields to building new parks and housing across the five boroughs. Together, they suggest how the city might plan for growth while confronting issues of livability and global climate change. On display: Dec 11 through Apr 12.

Second, The American Museum of Natural History, Climate Change: The Threat to Life and A New Energy Future, will examine one of the most pressing scientific issues of our time—the massive, human-induced warming of Earth, a phenomenon that could lead to drought, rising sea levels, heavy storms, and other events with potentially dire impacts on the health of society and the natural world. This exhibition will explore the science, history, and impact of climate change, and illuminate ways in which individuals, communities and nations can reduce their carbon footprints. On display: Now-Oct 16 2009.

F&F is planning on visiting both exhibits, and will be posting a full review! If you have already seen either one, please add your comments below.

Burt Knows Bees

Colony Collapse Disorder (or CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or Western honey bee colony abruptly disappear. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, the term Colony Collapse Disorder was first applied to a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honey bee colonies in North America in late 2006. (via Wikipedia).

Burt's Bees is dedicated to researching this issue, and saving the honey bees. Have a look at this view they created.

Green Energy Options in NY

Ever wish you could install a wind farm or solar array on your roof? For most New Yorkers, this is a pipe dream; however, you would be surprised at the options for getting renewable energy into your home.

Read on...

How-To: Get Renewable Energy in New York City

New York City residents, what are you waiting for? You can make a serious reduction in your personal carbon footprint overnight—well, at least by the time your next month's bill arrives—by signing up with a renewable energy provider. Just remember, just because your energy is green doesn't mean you can be wasteful with it. It's still important to reduce your overall energy demand.