Following are some of the best Earth Day pieces I saw yesterday. Read up for ideas about how to stay green all year long…

Political Habitat: Notes from an Earth Day realist – this was my favorite Earth Day read yesterday. Very smart and sums up the issues nicely.

Grist rounded up what folks thought of their whole screw Earth Day event in; We screwed Earth Day—get over it. A great round up and hey, they even mention the post I did on the event – Screw Earth Day! which yes, is cool beans even when redirected to Glam.

Treehugger, of course, had some nice pieces up for Earth Day; among my faves…

• 11 Environmentalist Heroes: an Earth Day Tribute
• “Anything’s Possible”: A Video Interview with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips
• Turning Earth Day into Every Day

Plan for 365 days of green this Earth Day – a full year’s calender of ways to stay green.

Love to your mother: Earth Day facts and figures – this cool piece looks at how this holiday is shaping up after 39 years worth of Earth Days.

So read up and see if you can find some green to love. You can also share your favorite Earth Day reads in the comments.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Earth Day News & Green Living Tips

The day was created in 1970, sponsored by a far-thinking Wisconsin senator named Gaylord Nelson. Today, Earth Day is recognized in nations around the world, not just in the United States.

To commemorate Earth Day, a variety of businesses are offering freebies:

Walgreen’s is offering a free canvas shopping bag (you are using these instead of plastic, aren’t you). In addition, they are giving a 15 to 20 percent discount on purchases today. Visit the Walgreen’s site and print a coupon for the bag before you go.

Kroger’s, too is offering a free canvas shopping bag.

Disney Stores are giving away free, reuseable water bottles.

(photo credit: stock xchng)

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Celebrate Earth Day

The green foil is 100% recycled from a mix of pre and post consumer aluminum, and even the cardboard packaging and core are recycled. It’s food safe and available in standard or heavy duty strengths.

For today only you can get yourself a free roll via rebate in honor or Earth Day!

[image: reynoldsrecycled.com]

Post from: Blisstree

Free Recycled Reynolds Wrap Today

I am a true believer in opposites attracting. That said, sometimes common ideals work out for the best.

That’s why I found it amusing (but awesome) timing when I read today about PlanetEarthSingles.com.

I mean, there’s tons of niche sites out there, but this is one especially designed for people who are…well…tree-huggers. (I am sorry, couldn’t resist.) So, whether you are all about carbon footprints or a raw foodist, you’ll find the person for you.

I think this is potentially a really cool thing – is it any different than joining a club or taking a class to meet someone with common interests? I wonder how many sites like this exist, though…are there groups for bloggers???

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Image: Sxc.hu

Post from: Blisstree

Go Green Dating This Earth Day

The ever opinionated Grist is running a campaign – Screw Earth Day, that pretty much shouts out my concerns about this one day a year event. I bet they didn’t like Earth Hour either (although, don’t quote me on that). But I digress. Each year I post about my Earth Day concerns, talk about my Earth Day concerns, and while some agree with me, others get a little huffy about it. It’s nice to know someone cool (Grist) is on my side.

Here’s what Grist has to say, (among other things), “One day is for amateurs… Screw Earth Day was born from mixed emotions about a day that we purists think doesn’t do enough to get the message across about what individuals can and should be doing to protect the environment. While even the most jaded Grist staffer gets a little excited on Earth Day, as lots and lots of people gather together in communities around the world to do something good for our dearly loved Mother Nature, in the back of our heads we’re thinking, “It’s not about a single day, dude, it’s about living green every day.””

Amen. TreeHugger responded to said campaign with their own green take, which I get, but don’t totally agree with because saying that Earth Day is not enough, is not particularly “Crapping all over Earth Day” – if anything I think Grist’s take is the greenest way to think and go.

Bonus, as part of the Screw Earth Day event, Grist is offering an exclusive free download of their award winning book, Wake Up and Smell the Planet just for registering for a free Grist account. This book, by the way is awesome – I highly recommend it.  Register at Grist and you’ll also be entered for a chance to win tickets and airfare for two to the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, TN June 11-14.

What’s your take? Do you think Earth Day is cool as beans, or are you more Grist flavored?

[images via Grist]

Post from: Blisstree

Screw Earth Day!

Aloha Salmon Burgers
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients

1 package MSC Certified WorldCatch Wild Alaskan Salmon Burgers (SeaPak
Salmon Burgers may be substituted) (found in the frozen food section)
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 small can pineapple slices, drained
4 slices red onion
4 slices Swiss cheese (if desired)
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
4 hamburger buns

Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill salmon burgers according to package directions brushing periodically with teriyaki sauce. Grill pineapple slices until slightly browned and
warmed through. Remove both from grill. Lightly toast hamburger buns on grill. Plate by placing salmon burger on toasted bun and topping with pineapple slice, lettuce, onion and Swiss cheese. Serve immediately.

(photo credit: Newscom)

Post from: Blisstree

Aloha Salmon Burgers

Guess again: “Sex is part of our lives, so any issue that concerns us out of the bedroom has implications inside it: if we recycle, buy local produce, watch our carbon use, and think ecologically in other ways, it makes sense to
do the same when we make sexual choices. Our well-being and that of the earth are connected, so consider where you can go Ecorotic!” says  Dr. Carol Queen, Good Vibrations‘ staff sexologist.

Just in time for Earth Day (cause it’s ALWAYS time for good toys), Good Vibrations has a new earth-friendly Ecorotic collection of all-natural and organic products, like the awesome Ooh La La Kit, shown at left.

Going green has never been sexier!

Image: Goodvibes.com

Post from: Blisstree

Having an Eco-Rotic Earth Day

Turn this nuisance into dinner!

Ok, maybe not. But my father’s wife Anni did. No kidding. A couple weeks ago they were in town and Anni asks me if I was going to use my dandelions. Really, it looked like we had a garden of them out there. (And it dawned on me our fruitful supply was likely due to Truman’s love of plucking them when they spout their fuzzy spherical heads and blowing the seeds about.) Anni said she wanted to pick them and I told her to have at it. Maybe, while she was out there she could pluck some crab grass and whatever other weeds were out there keeping company with the dandelions. Maybe she could mow and edge, too.

She plucked a generous amount – it was the leaves she was after – enough to fill a plastic shopping bag. She said it would make a nice side dish to their dinner that night. This is what I love about Anni. She isn’t afraid to try her hand at any dish. And she is a brilliant cook. She grew up on a farm in Germany and has an understanding of food that fascinates me. She tells us how as a kid her family would grow their own vegetables and render every ounce of a pig for months’ worth of meals. The original Slow Food, right? My father says the animals would live under their house in the winter to keep warm – which he said, in turn, would keep the family’s house warm. I’m not sure how much of the latter part of that statement is true, but it sure is fun to hear my father’s elaborations as if he were right there living with the livestock.

Dad and Anni said the Homewood, Alabama-dandelion mashed potatoes were fabulous. (Official name – Green Potatoes From Liguria.) Really, I’m looking at the Mark Bittman video and I’m thinking I might just try it myself. Rick’s game and Truman will try just about anything we put in front of him. It could be our salute to Earth Day later this month. (April 22.) Want to give it a try, too? What? Don’t have dandelions in your yard? I’d be happy to send you some, or no-freaking-sheet, you can buy them on E-bay!

Check out the recipe here:

Mark Bittman’s Green Potatoes from Liguria (New York Times)

(photo, Flickr, q8)

Post from: Blisstree

Eat Weeds for Earth Day!

According to Jewish lore, the sun is in the exact position each 28 years as it was when God created the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day (as recounted in the Bible’s Book of Genesis).

The Blessing of the Sun is all about gratitude and appreciation of nature. Around the world, services will be held outdoors. Jews have celebrated this event more than 200 times, including in 33 A.D., the year most scholars believe Jesus died. The next Birkat Hachamah will be in 2037.

For more about this celebration, visit Chabad.org.

(photo credit: Newscom)

Post from: Blisstree

Jewish Earth Day

The Caring for Earth and Earth Day Theme Unit offers a wide variety of resources and projects for a variety of ages and grades.  These involve reading suggestions, puzzles, research of related topics, worksheets, and much more.

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Earth Day Projects for Tots & Teens