Author: Go Green Items Blog
Website: http://gogreenitemsgirl.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/another-man…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://gogreenitemsgirl.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/another-man…

Author: Elaine Shannon
Website: http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/12/toxic-plastic-chemical-bpa…

By Elaine Shannon

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the outcry over Rachel Carson’s path-breaking Silent Spring and global mobilization around the first Earth Day spurred scientists to attempt to quantify how much pollution was getting into people. Early methods — measuring contaminants in water, air and soil, constructing mathematical models, analyzing lifestyles — were roundabout and ultimately unsatisfying.

Well, no more guesswork and no more denials. Biomonitoring techniques — testing blood, urine and human tissue — are producing irrefutable evidence that human bodies are awash in toxic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

This week, a newly published laboratory analysis of 10 umbilical cord blood samples, commissioned by Environmental Working Group and Rachel’s (as in Carson) Network, an organization of grassroots advocates, offers sobering new insights on the extent to which environmental pollutants are inescapable, even in the womb. The 10 samples, from children …

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://www.enviroblog.org/2009/12/toxic-plastic-chemical-bpa…

Author: Davina
Website: http://flgreenliving.com/blog/2009/12/03/irs-gives-winter-in…

If you or your clients needed a motivator to do some home winterizing projects, the IRS recently sweetened the deal.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), enacted earlier this year, expanded two home energy tax credits: the non-business energy property credit and the residential energy efficient property credit.

That means you can perform energy-saving home improvements and reduce your 2009 tax hit. The credit equals 30 percent of what you spend on eligible energy-saving improvements, up to a maximum tax credit of $1,500 for the combined 2009 and 2010 tax years. The IRS says that by spending as little as $5,000 before the end of this year on eligible upgrades, taxpayers can save as much as $1,500 on their federal tax return.

What included? The cost of certain high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters and stoves that burn biomass all qualify, along with labor costs for installing these items.

The cost of energy-efficient windows and…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://flgreenliving.com/blog/2009/12/03/irs-gives-winter-in…

Author: Green Talk
Website: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-talk/jRYI/~3/k2jqR0nlzc…

As many of you know, climate talks in Copenhagen are upcoming.  Although the Big Boys will be there representing their interests, what about us?  Can we be assure that our interests in the environment are taken into account when decisions are made?  We need someone there to represent us.

Huffington Post agrees and is sponsoring a contest to send one person to Copenhagen as an ambassador.  We are fortunate that one of our green moms, Diane MacEachern, has stepped up to the plate to represent us.

See her video:

Diane is not your ordinarily green mom.  She is a noted author of several books and in particular, the Big Green Purse, and popular blogger.  In addition, she is not a newbie to the environmental game.  She has been advocating for the environment for over 20 years and was recently named one of  70 Glamour Magazine’s Eco Heroes.  Not too shabby.

On a personal level what I love about Diane is she is modest beyond beliefs and down to earth.  What you see is what…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-talk/jRYI/~3/k2jqR0nlzc…

Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2009/12/03/element-hotels-rolls-ou…

Element Hotels has just announced its plans to install ChargePoint electric car-charging stations at all of its properties by the end of 2009, as well as offer preferred space for electric and hybrid vehicles.

This move is one more step toward the Starwood-owned brand’s huge initiative to establish itself as THE premiere environmentally-friendly hotel chain.

The eco-chic brand recently tested a pilot of this program at its Element Lexington property, which turned out to be a tremendous success. The program is a first for the hotel industry.

“At Element, we aim to provide greener options for our guests, and the charging stations are a perfect next step,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty-Select Brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Even guests who don’t yet drive electric cars tell us that the charging stations are encouraging them to think about more sustainable alternatives, and that’s very gratifying.”

With six Element hotels open to-date,…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://www.terracurve.com/2009/12/03/element-hotels-rolls-ou…

Author: Joe Ascanio
Website: http://www.terracurve.com/2009/12/03/where-did-everybody-go/…

Kayak.com has just released a post-Thanksgiving Holiday breakdown of the latest travel trends. Are great deals hidden between the lines?

Immensely popular search engine and fare aggregator Kayak.com’s analysis of travel search data is perhaps shedding some light on upcoming travel trends for the 2010 winter travel season.

According to the site, people searched for holiday-travel flights well in advance, with 77% of searches taking place at least an entire month prior to Thanksgiving. Only 3% waited until the last minute (one week before).

“While we received a number of inquiries before Thanksgiving regarding last minute travel, only a small percentage of people waited until the last minute,” said Giorgos Zacharia, KAYAK’s Chief Scientist. “Since most people seem to book far in advance, we began looking at trends for travel this winter, and there seem to be some good deals.”

The trends data is based on flight and hotel searches made on Kayak’s network of sites (kayak.com,…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://www.terracurve.com/2009/12/03/where-did-everybody-go/…