Towel Day

As we round the horn on the month of May, it’s time for us sci-fi comedy nerds to get ready for a day of remembrance and celebration. If you happen to be a sci-fi comedy nerd, then you know I’m talking about Towel Day (http://www.towelday.org/), the day when we all carry our towels to prove that we know where they’re at. If you’re not a sci-fi comedy nerd then, well, you may as well just stop reading now.

Towel Day is held on May 25 in memory of Douglas Adams, the genius behind all the many forms of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhiker%27s_guide_to_the_galaxy). Though every version of the story varies significantly—from radio to TV to novel to movie to video game to infinity—all versions focus on the story of Arthur Dent, an everyman Englishman who narrowly escapes the destruction of the planet Earth, and then spends much of his time wishing that he hadn’t.

Nothing seems to go quite right for Arthur, and that goes all the way to his clothes. When he was picked up by a passing UFO, Arthur probably wished that he was wearing something a little classier than a muddy bathrobe. Something that shows a little home-planet pride. You know, like a T-shirt that says, “Keep the Earth clean. It’s not Uranus.” Well it’s too late for Arthur, but you can pick up a shirt just like that right here: http://www.teehugger.com/Keep_The_Earth_Clean_p/thas1031.htm

Be prepared, and keep your towel with you at all times, because you never know when you’re going to have to unexpectedly flee the Earth in the belly of a Vogon ship. But until that day comes, we all need to take serious heed of our comical T-shirts and keep the Earth clean. Douglas Adams knew it, and he left a legacy of ecological work to prove it.

In 1990, Adams and zoologist Mark Carwardine published the book Last Chance to See, in which they chronicled their BBC-Radio sponsored trip around the world to visit endangered animals, such as the Kakapo—a unique and awesome parrot from New Zealand. According to the Kakapo Recovery Programme, “The kakapo is the rarest parrot in the world. It’s flightless, it’s the world’s heaviest parrot, it’s possibly the oldest living bird and it has a subsonic mating boom that can travel several kilometers.” And, as of today, there are only 90 left in the world. You can help save the endangered Kakapo by making a donation to the KRP here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/dz5eqy

In 1994, Adams participated in a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money and awareness for the British charity organization, Save the Rhino. The entire way up the mountain, the climbing party took turns wearing a rhino costume—Adams included—as it was one of the conditions of the hike that someone had to be dressed as a rhino at all times. This is, of course, ridiculous, but it did the trick, and Adams and his crew raised about 100,000 British pounds through the event. Find out how you can help Save the Rhino today by visiting their website, here: http://www.savetherhino.org/

Be like Douglas Adams and get out there and do your part to help save our planet’s endangered animals this Towel Day. Much like knowing where your towel is, showing that you care about the Earth proves that you’re a real hoopy frood.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

Earth Day Wrap Up

Woo! Was it just me, or was that an awesome Earth Day? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_day) All of us here at Tee Hugger loved having the opportunity to let down our hair and go wild. Just like our pal the elephant. That guy is so wild, we gave him his own T-shirt. Well, it’s not a T-shirt for him. An elephant wearing a T-shirt would be preposterous. It’s a T-shirt for you featuring a picture of him, and those words that describe him best: “Born to be Wild.” (http://www.teehugger.com/Born_To_Be_Wild_p/thjs1052.htm) But even if you didn’t party with a pachyderm, there were still lots of great things that happened this Earth Day.

The Earth Day Network launched their Green Generation campaign—a two-year initiative that launched this year and will culminate on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. Wow, next year Earth Day turns the big four-oh. That is, assuming it doesn’t mysteriously turn thirty-nine again like some age conscious holidays might...

And don’t feel bad about crashing the Green Generation’s year-long party, they’ve invited everyone—“people of all ages and all nationalities, consumers who are committed to buying green; community leaders who are focused on greening their communities; parents and teachers who work to provide healthy foods and green schools for their children; those who work in green jobs; academics whose research is focused on innovative products and services; scientists and engineers who develop new green technologies; and governments that seek to implement policies and support research that will build a green economy and healthy population, and the religious community who are committed to a vision of a just, sustainable, green planet.” If that sounds like you, come on over and join the party at http://www.earthday.net/greengeneration

In the USA, the Obama administration used Earth Day to “sell the American public and key lawmakers on “green jobs” as the solution for the United States' environmental and economic woes.” According to the New York Times, “It has become increasingly clear that the administration's central theme—not to mention its pitch to key lawmakers—is that energy-related legislative priorities are based not only on environmental merits but on their ability to create jobs.” A greener Earth and a greener wallet for American workers? Well happy Earth Day to you too, Mr. Obama!

On a more local scale, the citizens of Newark, NY—a town that has long suffered as the butt of many a “horrible place to be” jokes—showed that they have what it takes to beautify their little corner of the planet this Earth Day. “Some 39,000 students from more than 70 schools in Newark took part in an Earth Day celebration organized by the student community and philanthropy organization the LEAGUE. Students around the city cleaned streets and parks around their schools and planted flowers. Some 2 million seeds were planted in gardens around the city on Wednesday. At Hawthorne Avenue School, students filled the street as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who lives across the street, pumped up the crowd.” See a great video of Newark going green for Earth Day here: http://www.nj.com/helpinghands/carlyrothman/index.ssf/2009/04/newark_students_plant_flowers.html

You don’t hear it very often in the middle of the year, but we think it’s appropriate to say it now—Happy holidays to you and yours from all of us here in the Tee Hugger family.

Saving the gorillas, 15% at a time

Hey Tee Huggers, guess what!? It’s National Frozen Food Month! To celebrate we’re going to get a whole bunch of TV dinners, and we’re going to... wait, hold on... Oh man, March was frozen food month. We missed it. Well, moving on...

Hey Tee Huggers, guess what!? It’s Earth Month! Yes, Earth Day may be the ecological jewel in April’s crown, but April is the crown itself. All over the world, people are celebrating the beauty and splendor of April on Earth. Check out some pictures of said beauty and splendor here: http://www.earthsky.org/article/earth-month-gallery

But Earth Month isn’t just for people. Animals dig it too. That’s why Tee Hugger is running an Earth Month special for you, and for your furry friends a short step down the evolutionary ladder. When you buy any of our awesome 100% natural cotton T-shirts in the month of April, we’ll donate 15% of the sale to the Wildlife Conservation Society (http://www.bronxzoo.com/). You’ll get a top-quality T-shirt with a funny picture and perhaps even a clever entendre, and the WCS will get the funding they need to support their efforts to save endangered gorillas. Everybody wins during Earth Month.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “I want to save a gorilla, but I don’t know which shirt to get. They’re all so great!” Oh, stop it, blog reader. You’re embarrassing us. Here, let me help you out of your quandary: You’re buying a shirt for you, and you’re giving funding to the gorillas—who are you leaving off of your Earth Month gift list? That’s right. The Earth itself. If you want to give the Earth a gift that it will truly appreciate, hook it up with something it really needs: peace. Buying our “Peace for the Planet” design gets you a shirt, passes a little cha-ching on to the gorillas, and lets everyone who sees you know what to get for that hard-to-shop-for planet this Earth Month. (http://www.teehugger.com/Peace_For_The_Planet_p/thas1016_thjs1043.htm)

But we’re not the only ones pulling out all the stops this April. The good people of Mid-Columbia bring their local activism to the world with their Earth Month website. They encourage us all to take their “Earth Pledge 2009,” which goes a little something like this:
“Make a pledge to reduce the amount of trash you generate. You choose how you are going to reuse: start by refilling water bottles, reuse grocery bags, repair broken items and reroute useable items. We can make a world of difference by conserving natural resources and reducing the amount of garbage we send to landfills!”

I’m already honoring my pledge to reuse by reusing that copy in this blog entry. And now you’ve read it too, and maybe you’ll reuse something of your own. See how quickly conservationism snowballs when we all take the pledge? (http://www.earthmonthmc.org/pledge.php)

We’ve already raised awareness with our shirt, and we’ve helped fund wildlife conservation with our shirt, now it’s time to put that shirt on and get out in the field. The most important thing you can do to help Mother Earth during her very special month is to get out and volunteer. The folks at Planet Green have put together a great resource to help you get started: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/earth-day/earth-day-2009-volunteering.html

Me? I’m going to start my Earth Month festivities by turning off my freezer to save energy. But first, I’ve got a lot of frozen TV dinners to eat...

Let's get personal

Uh, hi. Okay, I’ve never done one of these before, so I don’t really know where to start. Um... okay, my name is Tee, and I joined this dating service just because, I mean, you know, I’m sort of looking for that special someone, but I mean, I’m not, like, looking for “the one” or anything, but if I found “the one,” you know, that would be awesome. But, whatever. Right?

So, okay, about me. Let’s see. First of all I’m really passionate about the environment. But you probably guessed that from my shirt. Yeah, it’s 100% organic cotton, and it has this funny message that says, “Solar Power Turns Me On.” (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1006_thjs1008.htm) Heh. Er. I mean, it’s just a joke though. You know, figuratively turned on. I don’t, like, get sexually aroused at photovoltaic cells or anything.

But I guess, you know, solar panels really are pretty exhilarating, in their own way. They take energy from the sun and turn it into electricity without having to harvest, mine, process, or transport anything. The sun just shines onto the panel, part of it is absorbed by a semiconductor, and then the freed electrons are directed a certain direction, and pow, you’ve got free electricity. It’s all right here: http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell1.htm You’ve got to admit, that’s pretty hot.

Let’s see, what else is there? Oh, my interests include sports, old kung-fu movies, and taking long walks in romantic places. Places like, I don’t know, Spain. Have you ever been to the wine country around Jumilla? The farms in that area are amazing. Like, for example, did you know that they have the largest photovoltaic solar power farm in the world? Seriously, that thing covers almost 250 acres, and it has a peak power capacity of 20 megawatts. That’s enough to power 20,000 homes for a year! (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/powering_20000.php) Yeah, I think that’s probably the most romantic place there is.

If you decide that you want to go out with me—no pressure, though—there’s something you should know: I’m very frugal. Not that I wouldn’t pay for your dinner or anything like that. I just mean, well, for example, last weekend I was fitting my house with solar panels to generate my household electricity. I figured I could save a few bucks on my electric bill, but man, solar panels are expensive! So what I did was—oh man, I can’t believe I’m telling you this—I called a company that maintains highway solar panels and asked if they would sell me some broken ones. They ended up giving me some for free! They’re kind of old and busted, but every bit of solar energy helps, right? Here’s the whole process I went through to get ’em: http://cleantechnica.com/2008/02/07/how-to-cheap-or-free-solar-panels/

So, uh, yeah. I guess that’s all the time I have for this personal ad... blog... dating thing here. If you think that maybe you want to go out with me, just go ahead and send me a text. I’ve got my phone on all the time. Literally, all the time. It never runs out of charge, ’cause it’s solar powered. Pretty sweet, huh? (http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/12/samsung-unveils-blue-earth-a-solar-powered-mobile-phone/) Maybe we can get together and do some karaoke or something. You are the sunshine of my life... Okay, uh, sorry. Call me!

We pass the savings on to you!

It’s the second week of March, and that means most of us here in good ’ol North America have just switched over to Daylight Saving Time. According to Wikipedia, this practice of rolling our clocks ahead one hour near the start of spring was first conceived by the English outdoorsman William Willett. Because Willett thought it was unfortunate that so many people slept through the morning of a summer day, and he also hated to quit golfing at dusk, he petitioned tirelessly to get Daylight Saving Time enacted. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_savings_time) The practice did not come into use in Willett’s lifetime, but it was eventually adopted by much of the world, proving that one person’s ideas can make a difference. If Willett can save the hours of a summer day, then we can save the Earth by saving other things. Let’s start saving, savers!

1. Save water! Here in the United States, we have enough water for drinking and washing, and still have enough left over for some pretty awesome water parks. But that is not the case in much of the world, where up to one half of the human population suffers from diseases directly linked to a lack of clean water. (http://whyfiles.org/131fresh_water/2.html) Every drop of water that you save is a drop of water that can be put to use somewhere else, so that’s why we at Tee Hugger encourage you to “Save Water—Shower with a friend.” It’s more than just a catchy slogan, it’s also a 100% organic cotton tee! (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1004.htm)

2. Save power! If we’re saving water, we can also save power. Heck, a lot of us buy them from the same utility provider. When California’s overloaded electrical grid forced rolling blackouts a few years ago, a collaboration of the state’s utilities, residents, businesses, institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations formed an initiative called “Flex Your Power.” “The campaign includes a comprehensive website, an electronic newsletter and blog, and educational materials. Flex Your Power has received national and international recognition, including an ENERGY STAR Award for excellence.” Whether you live in California or not, the “Flex Your Power” website is an excellent resource to find out how you can save power in your own home. (http://www.fypower.org/)

3. Save gasoline! Everyone has heard about the big fuel savings that you can get from buying a hybrid car, but who has the money to drop on a new ride just to increase their gas mileage? The good news is, there are things you can do to up the efficiency of your old jalopy as well. Even better, a lot of them come from just changing your driving habits, which is absolutely free! There is a list of 32 ways that you can save some gas listed here: http://www.opentravelinfo.com/travel-guide/uncategorized/how-to-save-money-on-gas-29-tips.html

4. Save landfill space! Did you know that Americans throw away over 200 million tons of garbage every single day? Sure you can recycle your cans and bottles, but what about your golf balls? Or dishwasher parts? Or pickle vinegar? To keep those things out of the landfill you’ll want to enlist the help of the folks at “How Can I Recycle This?” This web community is dedicated to finding ways to recycle... well... anything! Join in the fun at: http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/

We’ve got more hours of summer daylight thanks to Willett’s ideas, but we’ll have more water, energy, gas, and space thanks to yours. Chew on that, Willett!

Your Oscar Recap

Hollywood’s most glamorous day has come and gone, leaving nothing but a mess of glitter and stardust on the red carpet outside the Kodak Theater. If you missed the 81st Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, we’ll walk you through some of Oscar’s big winners in this week’s blog. (http://www.oscar.com)

Our star-studded evening begins on the red carpet, where America’s Next Top Model’s Jan Manuel noted that Kate Winslet’s hair “may look very retro, but is actually very futuristic.” In the ever-cycling world of style, where “what goes around, always comes around,” it’s nice to have someone who can tell us exactly what point on the temporal spectrum a hair helmet comes from. Later in the evening, that same very futuristic hairdo found its way to the stage as Ms. Winslet took the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Reader. Like host Hugh Jackman, we didn’t see The Reader, but we think she deserves the award nonetheless. What can we say? We’re big fans. You know what else we’re big fans of? Wind power. Which is fitting, because wind power uses big fans. It’s a visual thing. Check out the shirt: http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1003_thjs1007.htm

From there we move on to Best Actor, and to be perfectly honest, we were shocked by the Academy’s choice. They gave the award to Sean Penn, a man who is best known for playing Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, being married to Madonna, and punching out a photographer. I mean this is shocking on so many levels, because... wait, hold on... this just in: apparently I’ve been in a coma since 1986. Maybe so, but even to someone who has been eating through a tube for the past twenty-odd years, it’s pretty obvious that Mr. Penn is not just a movie star, but also a very outspoken activist. Even if you’re not a big celebrity like Sean Penn, you can learn how to go green like the stars do on Variety.com’s Green Hollywood page: http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=Lifestyle&jump=greenhollywood

The awards for Best Picture and Best Director both went to Slumdog Millionaire, a film that traces the life of an Indian boy from the slums of Mumbai to the stage of a TV game show. But while Who Wants to be a Millionaire can keep your wallet filled with green, it isn’t the best show for keeping your planet green. That award goes to Planet Green’s Go for the Green, hosted by Tom Green. Seriously, for this show to get any greener, it would have to be hosted by a leprechaun. You can learn all kinds of interesting green facts and even play the game for yourself at its website: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/go-for-the-green/index.html

This year’s trophy for Achievement in Visual Effects went to the crew of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, for taking hunky dreamboat Brad Pitt and making him look like a knobby little senior citizen who ages in reverse. If you’re an actual knobby little senior citizen, you can do your part to save the planet and maybe even feel a little younger in the process. According to ScientificBlogging.com, “Volunteering for environmental protection activities can be physically and mentally sustaining for older people.” (http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/gray_turns_green_older_people_stay_fit_keeping_the_environment_in_shape) If you’re a senior who wants to get involved in saving the planet you’ve enjoyed for so many years, you can also check out Greenseniors: a senior-friendly website dedicated to fixing the environment. (http://greenseniors.typepad.com/greenseniors/)

Now that we’ve rolled up the red carpet on another year of Oscar, it’s time for us all to roll out the green carpet for the Earth. Get ready, paparazzi!

Holiday Pileup!

Even though February is the shortest month, it sure packs in the holidays. Let’s have a quick rundown, shall we? Take notes, August. This is how it’s done.

Though it’s not technically a holiday, we’ve already passed a Friday the 13th this month. Superstitious people believe this day to be bad luck, but to horror movie fans, it’s the release date of a new movie featuring a certain a hockey-mask-wearing killer stalking co-eds through the forest. And after you see the way that guy swings a machete, you quickly realize that nobody is safe from his wrath. Not even the trees. Our advice? “Run, Forest! Run!” You can spread the word and keep your personal PG-13 rating when you cover yourself with a 100% organic “Run, Forest! Run!” tee here: http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1017_thjs1003.htm

After that came Valentine’s Day—a holiday best known as a celebration of love and candy. Of course, there are those who say that Valentine’s Day is an artificial “Hallmark holiday” designed just to sell cards and frilly pink trinkets. Those people may be right, but, statistically speaking, they’re also bitter, lonely spinsters. Hey, the numbers don’t lie, folks. Whether you believe in Valentine’s Day or not, you can take your sweetie on an ecologically sound date this February. Since men are from Mars and women are from Venus, we’ll take our green dating tips from aliens: http://www.itstheplanetdidiot.com/2008/05/zork-green-ti-3.html

For those of us here in the United States, there are three more holidays piled on in February. The first was Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12. This year our 16th president turned 200 years old—that’s right, Abe is now a bicentennial man. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is celebrating Lincoln’s big two-oh-oh with a campaign to help Hoosiers save the planet and save Lincoln pennies. Read all about it here: http://www.andersonfreepress.net/node/15052

But Honest Abe isn’t the only president blowing out candles this month. President numero uno, George Washington, turns 277 years old on February 22, 2009. What do you get a man who has everything (and has been dead for over two hundred years)? If you know your Washington lore, the answer is pretty obvious: a tree. When he was just a dumb kid, George famously chopped down his father’s cherry tree and then immediately copped to it, saying, “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.” Of course, most modern historians consider this tale to be apocryphal, but that’s beside the point. The point is, none of us should be cutting down trees with our little hatchets. In fact, we should be planting new ones. That’s why the Nature Conservancy started the Plant a Billion Trees program. For just one dollar per tree, they are working to repopulate the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Give George the gift of reforestation at: http://www.plantabillion.org/

And, because we love a month chock full of holidays, we Americans also celebrate Abe and George together on Presidents’ Day, February 16. This year Lincoln is rolling out the green carpet to the President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home National Monument. “A $15 million rehabilitation gives the public access to the most significant historic site directly associated with Abraham Lincoln's presidency aside from the White House, and to an important demonstration of how sustainable design principles can guide historic preservation.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS145427+18-Feb-2008+BW20080218)

Whew! That’s a lot of holidays! At least this year has no Leap Day...

Think about the Children

Much like Whitney Houston famously sang, we here at Tee Hugger believe the children are our future. That’s why this week we’ve brought in a special guest to help spread our environmental message to the next generation. Please help us welcome a special guest blogger, seven-year-old Internet sensation David, from “David After Dentist” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs). Welcome, David.

I didn’t feel anything. Uuugh. I feel funny.

As well you should, David. We all feel a little funny right now, what with the world economic downturn and the escalating environmental crisis.

Is this real life?

It is, my little anesthetized friend, it is. Although, these days, sometimes reality can be hard to swallow. Right is wrong, up is down, and black is green. Seriously. As more and more people come to realize that our planet is in peril, eco-friendly “green” causes are becoming very fashionable. Some people are even saying that “Green is the new Black.” In fact, those people are us. Check out the shirt: http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1005_thjs1006.htm

Okay, now. Okay, now I. I have two fingers.

We all have two fingers, David, metaphorically speaking. The first finger is awareness. Saving the planet is a big job, and in a battle like this, knowledge is power. Our friends in Canada offer an EcoKids website, where kids can check out awesome games and activities. (http://ecokids.earthday.ca/pub/) And of course the second finger is—

I have four fingers.

Nah-ah-ah-ah! Don’t put it in your mouth! You don’t want to get spit all over the second metaphorical finger: activism. Now that we have learned about the challenges our planet faces, it’s time to take action. “Action For Nature is a USA-based nonprofit organization that inspires young people to take action for the environment and protect the natural world in their own neighborhood and around the world.” Learn what kids like you can do to help make a difference at http://www.actionfornature.org/

I can’t see anything.

Turning a blind eye to the problem does not help to fix it, David. If we don’t start working hard to save our environment and reverse global warming, we could be facing a global depression, acidification of the oceans, and world hunger. (http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2525/)

UhhhhhDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

I’m sorry if I got a little intense there. I didn’t mean to scare you.

I don’t feel tired.

That’s the spirit, kiddo! We need you and your whole generation to be tireless in your commitment to ecology. Put that youthful energy to work right in your own neighborhood by recycling, planting trees, or organizing local cleanup projects. (http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/emotions/volunteering/article7.html)

Do I have stitches?

Uh huh.

Do I have stitches?

Yes.

On my teeth?

Yeah. Don’t touch it. Don’t.

You have four eyes.

That is very perceptive. In a way, we all have four eyes: two looking back at the mistakes that we’ve made that have polluted our planet, and two looking forward into the bright future that we are creating right now.

I feel funny. Why is this happening to me?

That funny feeling is a growing passion for nature, David. And it’s happening to you because you are beginning to realize that kids really can make a difference. Kids like the Tree Musketeers in El Segundo, California, who launched their own environmental TV quiz show. Or Melissa Poe of Nashville, Tennessee: kid-founder of “Kids For A Clean Environment” which now boasts 300,000 kid-members worldwide! (http://www.arborday.org/kids/kidsDif.cfm)

Is this going to be forever?

If you kids work hard to save it, then yes, the Earth is forever. If not, you’ve got twenty, thirty years tops before it becomes a lifeless, gas-choked cinder floating in space.

Ugggccch.

Ugggccch indeed, David. Ugggccch, indeed.

Groundhog Day

It’s Groundhog Day! For those of you outside the scope of American holidays and/or Bill Murray movies, that means that on February 2nd, that groundhog seer of seers, prognosticator of prognosticators, Punxsutawney Phil came out of his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob to predict the weather. Unfortunately for us, the little furball saw his shadow, so we’re in for an extra six weeks of winter this year. (http://www.groundhog.org/) Yes, I’m serious. Stop snickering, Europe, you’ve got your share of dumb holidays too.

This is the second year in a row that Phil has seen his shadow, and quite frankly, we’re sick of it. Next February, we must, at any cost, prevent that groundhog from seeing his shadow again. There have been several possible solutions proposed, ranging from turning the burrow door into the sun, to blindfolding Phil’s little eyes, to blasting him from all directions with high-intensity spotlights. Be we here at Tee Hugger have a plan so crazy it just might work: Plant more trees.

Hear us out. If we surround Gobbler’s Knob with a ring of heavy trees right now, then no matter how sunny it is next year, the shade from the trees will prevent Punxsutawney Phil from casting a shadow at all, let alone seeing it. Trees are our only hope of breaking this two-year chain of groundhog-induced wintery dystopia, and that’s why we say “More trees, please.” If you’re going to be in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania this year, spread the word to the Groundhog Club Inner Circle with your 100% organic “More trees, please” tee (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1038.htm).

But even after we’ve finished our crusade in Pennsylvania, there is still much work to be done. Trees are good for so much more than just rigging rodent-based weather forecasting systems.

1. Trees help clean the air.
A large factor contributing to smog accumulation in big cities is the “heat island” effect. Urban infrastructure, such as blacktop parking lots and concrete buildings, absorb the sun’s heat and radiate it back. A healthy tree cover, or “urban forest” helps to keep our cities in shade, reducing the heat buildup and in turn, reducing smog (which forms more easily in increased temperatures). On top of that, trees naturally pull carbon dioxide from the air as part of their principal life process: photosynthesis. “Tree foliage also removes from the atmosphere other chemicals, such as nitrogen oxides, airborne ammonia, some sulfur dioxide, and ozone, that are part of the smog and greenhouse effect problems.” That’s a lot of good work. Arguably even better than obscuring groundhog shadows. (http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/articles/misc/plntclar.html)

2. Trees save energy.
According to the Sacramento Tree Foundation, “Four trees planted around a home can save up to 30% on summer cooling costs.” In addition to providing shade, trees cool the air through the evaporation of water from their leaves. If your house is under a canopy of natural, oxygen-producing air conditioners, you don’t have to run the man-made kind as often or as fervently. This saves money in your wallet as well as resources at the power plant. Having a pleasant, energy-efficient summer is even better than scoring a few less weeks of winter. (http://www.sactree.com)

3. Trees are good for business.
In addition to their climate-controlling canopy, studies show that trees can also keep money in our troubled world economy by encouraging business. “A program of scientific studies has found that shoppers respond positively to trees in downtown business districts. These findings have been consistent across large, small and mid-size cities of the United States. The most positive consumer response is associated with streets having a mature, well-managed urban forest where overarching tree canopy helps create a ‘sense of place.’” (http://www.cfr.washington.edu/research.envmind/consumer.html)

That’s right, trees are the greatest. No matter how our furry weatherman friend makes his call next year, planting a tree or two is still a good idea. If you don’t have the space or the patience to plant a tree yourself, you can turn your green cash into green trees through TreeLink.org. TreeLink will put you in touch with a local tree bank in your area, so no matter where the groundhog goes, his shadow will be safe. (http://www.treelink.org/)

Extinction Stinks

So I missed last week’s episode of Battlestar Galactica. I called my friend and asked if he had taped it. “Taped it?” he laughed. “What is this? 1994?” So I called another friend. Again: “Taped? What does that even mean?” A third: “I didn’t tape it, but I can scratch it out on a stone tablet for you, Grandpa.”

I now realize that I have an endangered species attached to my entertainment center. The VHS VCR, once the undisputed king of video recording, is now, for all intents and purposes, extinct in the wild. There are some who would say, “Good riddance. My hard-drive-based DVR is better than your dumb half-inch magnetic tape with built-in anti-despooling mechanism ever was.” And they may be right. But what these cavalier technophiles don’t seem to realize is that once these last living specimens burn out, the VCR will never come back. Extinction is forever.

That’s why I went to the boss here at Tee Hugger and pitched a shirt that says “Extinction is Forever” with a big picture of a VHS recorder. He liked the idea, but thought it might be more effective if the VCR was replaced with a panda. (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1001.htm) Apparently more people identify with the plight of the panda than that of the VCR because pandas are “more lovable” and “actual living creatures” and saving them is “important” and “not just some dumb Luddite’s crusade.”

Well, I guess he does have a valid point.

1. The most important thing we can do to help save endangered animals is to protect their natural habitats. According to the Humane Society, “Human population growth and the consumption of open space and resources destroy habitat required by wildlife for survival. Human development can disturb whole ecosystems, often irreparably.” They suggest urging your local government officials to establish “Wildlife Corridors” to connect the increasingly segmented areas of wild habitat so that animals may be exposed to a larger range of genetic diversity, which keeps their populations healthy. (http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/habitat_loss_and_fragmentation/)

2. Support conservation organizations that focus on wildlife. Of course, the first one that pops into mind is the World Wildlife Fund, because of their logo depicting a lovable VCR. Er, panda. You can support the WWF with your dollars, but you can also support them with your attention and your curmudgeonly propensity for letter writing. If you join the WWF’s free Conservation Action Network email list, they’ll “send you email action alerts on breaking issues and let you send free personalized messages to policy makers. You can track which actions you've taken and learn about your victories.” (http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/PageServer?pagename=can_signup)

3. It would be great if saving an endangered animal was as easy as recycling a soda can, but sadly, it’s not. It takes a lot of people working together to make a difference. If you can’t support a conservation organization with your money, maybe you’d be more interested in supporting them with your own blood, sweat, and tears. Conservation International points out that “getting one's hands dirty is more than just occasional fun, it can be a life calling for many people who hate indoor desk work.” If you want to find out how to get out of your cubicle and get your own hands dirty, check out their career idea page here: http://www.conservation.org/act/ideas/Pages/ideas.aspx

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go down to the video store and rent a tape of Kung-Fu Panda: proof that VCRs and pandas can live in harmony.

Tacos are great

Hey, gang. I know I usually use this blog to talk about ways to save the Earth, but today there’s just one thing on my mind: I’m hungry. You know how it is; you work through lunch and then halfway through the afternoon you’ve got a monster in your belly kicking and growling. You know what I could go for right now? A taco. Dude. Tacos are a perfect food unit. I know soft tacos are traditional, but I’m a hard-shell guy all the way. A big bunch of crunch wrapped around a soft center of beans, salsa, and awesome? Best. Lunch. Ever.

All right, all right, on to the Earth saving. It’s just like Mom always used to say, “Earth first, tacos later.” What? Your mom didn’t say that? Seriously? Well maybe you should start saying it to her. Or maybe you should just let your wardrobe do the talking with one of Tee Hugger’s stylish, eco cotton “Earth first, tacos later” shirts (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1011.htm). It’s even got a picture of the Earth in the shape of a taco. Hard shell, not this soft shell nonsense.

If you love tacos, or even if you don’t (inconceivable!), there are things you can do to help make your diet more ecologically sound:

1. Hit the farmers’ market - There are thousands of local community farmers’ markets where you can buy shiny new vegetables fresh from the farm. You can find family and sustainable farms in your neighborhood that are ready to fill your face with produce at LocalHarvest.org (http://www.localharvest.org/).

2. Eat locally - Eating food produced locally, or even eating in local restaurants, helps reduce your carbon footprint and helps your local economy in one fell swoop. There’s a million reasons to eat local food. Why here’s ten of them now: http://www.lifebeginsat30.com/elc/2006/04/10_reasons_to_e.html

3. Eat carefully - Though eating locally is a good idea, you can do even better by making small modifications to your diet. Scientists now suggest that eating less red meat and dairy products could reduce your carbon footprint even more than eating locally. (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421161338.htm) Of course, eating less meat and eating locally is a one-two punch of greenhouse gas reduction.

4. Go vegetarian - Okay, let’s stop beating around the bush with these “farmers’ market” and “less red meat” shenanigans. If you’re really serious about using your diet to reduce your carbon emissions, you should do what Paul McCartney did and go vegetarian. According to GoVeg.com, “A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.” (http://www.goveg.com/environment-globalWarming.asp) Madness.

All right, I’m out of here. I can’t take it anymore. My belly needs an injection of locally grown vegetarian tacos, stat.

Baby, it’s cold outside...

It’s January, and here in the Northern Hemisphere, that means winter. Cold, bitter, frigid winter. As you’re out shoveling the driveway or knocking the icicles off your roof (or off your own nose), it’s really hard to get riled up about the threat of global warming. “Global warming?” you say.“Bring it! I’m freezin’ my knees off here!”

Although it may be the farthest thing from your mind as you strap on your earmuffs and tuck into another cup of hot cocoa, even during our winter, global warming still is a significant part of our global climate crisis. This week we’re going to zip up our parkas and talk about what we can do to help.

1. Scientists currently believe that the most important thing we can do to combat global warming is for each and every one of us to reduce our carbon footprint (defined as “a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a person, organization, or location at a given time”). Of course, awareness is key. Also, wearing multiple layers is the best way to keep the chill off as you wait for the bus. Kill those two birds with one stylish stone by picking up a 100% organic cotton “A Low Carbon Diet Keeps Me Cool” shirt from Tee Hugger (http://www.teehugger.com/Low_Carbon_Diet_p/thas1001.htm).

2. But how can you reduce your carbon footprint if you don’t even know how big it is? You can find out by taking the Environmental Defense Fund’s “personal pollution inventory” here: http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/carboncalculator.cfm

3. If your results were anything like ours, you’ll have to take a moment to catch your breath and wait for the shock to wear off. (Man, cross-country flights are brutal for carbon emissions. Who knew?) Luckily, after they scare you, the Environmental Defense fund is there to hold your hand with a PDF pamphlet full of tips on how you can put yourself on a low carbon diet(complete with cute pictures of the Earth as a weight-loss enthusiast) here: http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/documents/5119_LowCarbonguide.pdf

4. Call the mayor! If you’re doing everything you can to help fight global warming in your home, maybe it’s time to step it up to the next level and get your whole city on the bandwagon. The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement—an initiative launched by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in which mayors commit to reduce emissions in their cities to seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012—is supported by over 500 mayors across the country. Is it supported by yours? Visit USMayors.org to find out, and if your mayor isn’t on the list, do something about it! (http://usmayors.org/climateprotection/list.asp)

Only by working together can we help reduce greenhouse gasses and reduce the risk of a catastrophic global temperature hike. Now get fired up, bean activist, and stay warm this winter!

Bagging Day

It's January, and "The Holidays" are officially over. Sure there are more holidays coming up throughout the year, but that big year-end clump is all over and done with. No more feasting, gift-giving, or boxing. Seriously, Boxing Day, what's your deal? We've heard many differing explanations, from "It's the day that the rich folks used to give bonus boxes to their serfs and servants," to "It's the day that all of the boxes from Christmas gifts get thrown away," to "It's the day that you put on padded gloves and punch somebody until they lose consciousness." At any rate, here in America the debate is somewhat irrelevant. We don't celebrate Boxing Day. We here at Tee Hugger, however, would like to suggest a new holiday for December 26th: Bagging Day.

The new Bagging Day tradition is easy to understand and easy to celebrate, for Bagging Day is the day that we all resolve to use less plastic bags in the upcoming year. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, somewhere between 500 billion and a full trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. These bags end up in our landfills and oceans, wreaking all kinds of havoc with wildlife, as seen in this graphic slideshow put together by PoconoGreen: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/multimedia02/80505016

According to that same slideshow, if just one in every five Americans stopped using plastic bags, we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags in our lifetime. That's a messload and a half of bags! Show the world that you're ready to jump on our Bagging Day bandwagon with one of our 100% organic "No Thank You - I brought my own bag" shirts (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1002.htm). Modeled after the ubiquitous "Thank You" bag that you'll find in your neighborhood treetops and storm drains, this shirt is the official uniform of our grocery-schlepping revolution.

But Bagging Day is about more than fashion. Here are some simple things you can do to achieve your Bagging Day goals:

1. Use a cloth bag. It's a no brainer. You've got stuff to carry, you're going to need a bag. Use one that you can reuse indefinitely. You can get 'em in all shapes and sizes at the appropriately named ReusableBags.com: http://www.reusablebags.com/

2. But what about the thousand plastic bags you already undoubtedly have stuffed in a kitchen cabinet? You can get crafty and use those to make something great, like an entire 1950s outfit: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html

3. Bring 'em back where they came from. According to Salon.com, plastic bags are a troublesome nuisance to recycle at municipal recycling facilities, which may end up sending that bag you thought you recycled to the dump (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/10/plastic_bags/index1.html). According to them, "If you want to recycle a plastic bag it's better to bring it back to the store where you got it." Some states, such as California, actually mandate bag recycling programs at large grocery stores.

Happy Bagging Day, everyone! Let's keep it up until plastic bags are a historical footnote, and, much like Boxing Day, our holiday's origins are only a clouded memory.

New Year’s Resolutions

Right in the middle of this week we'll be kissing 2008 goodbye and saying hello to 2009. If you're ahead of the curve (and you must be, if you're reading this blog), you're probably already making your New Year's resolutions. Let's get the first one out of the way: I'm going to lose weight. Yes, we are a nation of fat fatty fatsos. So let's all take a step toward reducing our carbon footprint and our own waistlines at the same time by bicycling to work. I know it's tough, but we can keep ourselves motivated with our eco-friendly "Burn Fat, Not Oil" T-shirts (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1016.htm).

Okay, so you commute 73 miles a day through snow and bears and riding a bicycle isn't practical. Or you weigh 73 pounds already, and are afraid of losing any more weight. Fine. There are other simple things you can resolve to do to help save the planet.

1. Fight the Phantom Load Menace

Most of the electronics in your house are sucking down power even when they're turned off. Things like TVs, kitchen appliances, and laptop power adapters all "leak" power even when they're not in use. The US Department of Energy says that 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. That's a lot of juice being wasted on little green LEDs and clocks blinking 12:00. You can eliminate this so-called "vampire power" usage by unplugging your gear when it's not in use, or by plugging it into a power strip with an on/off switch that you can use to cut off all power to your favorite power leeches.

2. Replace your light bulbs

Seriously. What are you waiting for? Compact fluorescent bulbs aren't the buzzing, flickering migraine inducers of yesteryear. Today they come in lots of shapes and sizes, and work as well as regular incandescent bulbs. The Environmental Defense Fund has a handy guide to help you pick out the right bulbs for your home here: http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=632

3. Give the gift of carbon offsets

You're done shopping for your friends and family this holiday season, now it's time to buy a little something nice for the Earth. According to the EDF, when you buy carbon credits, "you essentially pay someone to reduce or remove global warming pollution in your name." It's important to buy your carbon offsets from a reliable source, so check out the EDF's Carbon Offset List at http://www.carbonoffsetlist.org for a list of fully reviewed offset sellers.

4. Get rid of your junk, but be green about it

Your New Year's resolutions might include cleaning out the ol' garage, but decluttering your life doesn't have to mean cluttering the Earth. There are safe, ecological ways to get rid of most everything, from motor oil, to pool chemicals, to those Christmas lights you just pulled down. To find out how, visit Earth911 at http://www.earth911.com

5. Get out and pitch in!

Cleaning up your own house is a good start, but there's a whole planet out there that needs a spit shine. Make it a goal this year to get out and participate in a local cleanup effort. See if there are groups in your area that let you "adopt" a section of park land, highway, or beach to keep clean. Or you can visit the Sierra Club's website to find environmental events in your area: http://www.sierraclub.org/

Happy New Year from all of your pals at Tee Hugger!

Computer Recycling

This is it, friends; the penultimate week of 2008. As the year runs to a close, we plunge deep into not only the holiday gift giving season, but the holiday gift receiving season as well. If you're on the edge of your yuletide seat waiting for Santa or Hanukah Harry to bring you a new computer this year, maybe you should stop and take a minute to think about what you're going to do with that old and busted machine once the new hotness shows up.

Many people don't know that computers and other electronic equipment contain many highly toxic materials, such as mercury, lead, arsenic, and chromium. Of course you know that. You're environmentally friendly, just like your shirt says. (And if your shirt doesn't say that, you might want to click over here: http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1009.htm) But I'm sure there are some people in your circle of gift giving that will just chuck their old computer in the trash can the second the new one successfully boots up. Here are some steps you can share with your friends to help keep those dirty bits and bytes out of the landfill this holiday season:

Step one: Clean it!

Before you get rid of your computer, you need to take all of that private data on your computer (such as financial information, personal files, and your naughty and nice list) and wipe it off the hard drive. You want to save the planet, but you don't want to lose your identity. There are lots of free programs available to scrub down your hard drive. Just point your search engine at the phrase "free disk cleaners" and let 'er rip.

Step two: Reuse it!

Obsolescence is a very relative thing. Your two-year-old computer may be too slow for you, but it's an upgrade for the guy who doesn't have a computer at all. If your computer is from 2003 or newer, many charitable organizations will accept it as a donation and give it to those in need of a hot cup of Internet. You can check your local area for computer repurposing projects, or visit the On It Foundation, which is dedicated to providing free computers and training to the children of low-income families: http://www.theonitfoundation.org/ And if saving the Earth and helping those in need isn't enough incentive to donate your old computer, you can also write your donation off on your taxes. Hear that? It's your karma and your wallet both going "cha-ching!"

Step three: Recycle it!

If you're replacing a digital dinosaur so old that charities won't even touch it, there are still green ways to get rid of that old fossil. Check with your computer manufacturer and see if they have a free recycling service, or find an electronics recycler in your area at: http://www.mygreenelectronics.org/ Make sure that your recycler is socially responsible by checking to see that they've signed the Electronic Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship, "the most rigorous criteria for sustainable and socially just electronics recycling," at: http://www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html

Happy holidays to you and yours from the whole gang at Tee Hugger. We hope you get that new machine you've got your eye on. And if you don't, well, it's just going to be obsolete in three months anyway.

3 ways to stay green this holiday!

Hey, everybody! Merry Christmas! Er... wait. Sorry, I didn't mean to be culturally insensitive or to imply or assume that you celebrate a certain holiday. Let's start over again. Happy Christmas or Hanukah everybody! Or, Chanukah, if you swing that way. Oh, what the heck, let's go ahead and complete the trifecta: Have a great Kwanzaa, too!

And for anyone who has slipped through the cracks, let's toss in a happy Festivus, a swell Decemberween, and a furry Life Day. And if you're really obscure, happy Refrigerator Day.

You know what? I give up. There are too many holidays all crammed together at the end of the year. I say we simplify the season and just agree that every day is Earth Day. December 22? Earth Day. December 25? Earth Day. December 26? Boxing Earth Day. There, isn't that a lot simpler? You can give your friends the memo and simplify your holiday shopping all in one fell swoop when you give everyone on your gift list a 100% natural "Every Day is Earth Day" tee. (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1012.htm) There, now your holiday dates and gift giving are all consolidated into one neat package. You're welcome.

Okay, I admit, this "Every Day is Earth Day" idea may take some time to catch on. In the meantime, there are steps you can take to make your existing religious or pop-culture-based holiday celebration greener. Why? Because, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. Even Scrooge wouldn't give the Earth a gift that crappy.

Here are some things you can do to make every day Earth Day this holiday season:

- Don't give lousy gifts. - This one may seem self-evident, but be honest, how many of you have given someone a Clapper or a Chia Pet? Sure those things are fun for a week, but you know they're ending up in the landfill before the Super Bowl. This year try, giving gifts that are actually reduce waste, such as battery chargers, perpetual calendars, or erasable message boards.

- Save a tree, forever. - According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold every year. Yes, most of these are farm-grown specifically for this purpose, but it is still a huge use of water and land resources that mankind could put to better use than seasonal decorating. Break the cycle of planned deforestation by picking up an artificial tree and keeping it year after year. As an added bonus, never again will you end up with a scratched car roof and a carpet full of pine needles.

- Wrap it up in junk mail. - According to the Recycler's Handbook, half the paper America consumes every year is used for gift wrap. Half! That's an insane amount of resources committed to temporary consumer product obfuscation. This year, let's all agree to refrain from buying rolls of shiny virgin paper impregnated with toxic metallic dyes and instead reuse something that's free and delivered daily to your front door: junk mail. If your household is like mine, every day you open the mailbox to find it chock full of large sheets of holiday sale flyers printed in festive reds and greens. Don't just toss that stuff in the recycle bin, put it into service as gift wrap for a few weeks, and then toss it in the recycle bin. That way everybody wins, especially the Earth.

For more tips on how you can have a green holiday season, check out the California Integrated Waste Management Board's holiday waste reduction page at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publiced/Holidays/

Happy holidays, Tee Huggers!

Tee Hugger Apparel

Hey there, blog reader. We're Tee Hugger, and we want you to be our pal. Why? Because you're not here on this Internet just to loaf around and crack wise until the boss lets you go home. You're here to make a difference while you loaf around and crack wise until the boss lets you go home. And so are we.

Like you, the gang here at Tee Hugger knows that caring for our fragile planet is hard work, but that doesn't mean that we can't have fun while we do it. We believe that the way to a society's heart is through its funny bone, and that's why our line of 100% organic cotton shirts preaches our message of green living through humor and not... well... preaching.

For example: According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80% of the Earth's natural forests have already been destroyed (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/deforestation/effect.html). While this statistic is grim, strides are being made to slow the process of deforestation, and one of the most important things we can do to keep this ball rolling is to raise awareness. Tee Hugger shirts, such as our "Run, Forest! Run!" design (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thas1017_thjs1003.htm), are a perfect silly segue to open up that serious discussion.

But once your funny shirt has opened that dialogue, your clever brain is going to need something to say. Something like, "Good news, everybody! Brazil just announced a plan to reduce deforestation rates in the Amazon region by 70% over the next ten years." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7759192.stm) Isn't that better than your tired old Forrest Gump impersonation?

Just stick with us and the Tee Hugger blog will fill your thinkhole with new facts, figures, and fun every week. You'll be the smartest eco-kid on your block. And the best dressed!

Environmental Tips

Go Organic. Buy clothes made from organic cotton, which doesn't harm wildlife of the environment.

Switch to low-energy fluorescent light bulbs. You'll save 150 pounds of CO2 a year per bulb!

Plant a tree. It will add oxygen to the environment and get rid of carbon dioxide!

Use a reusable bottle and fill it with filtered tap water. 80% of plastic water bottles end up in landfills!

Use a low-flow shower head. Your family could save 500 gallons of water per week!

Bring your own reusable bag. An estimated 100 Billion plastic bags end up in landfills every year.

Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth and save two gallons of water every minute.

Ride your bike. You'll reduce carbon emissions and stay fit!

Recycle. One aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours.

Decrease the amount of junk mail you receive to help reduce deforestation. Go to 41pounds.org to learn more.

Don't toss gift bags in the trash - reduce waste by reusing them from year to year to dress up presents.

Reduce garbage by using utensils that can be washed instead of tossing out plastic ones.

If you need a new computer, purchase a laptop instead of a desktop. It will require less electricity to run.

Reheat leftovers in a microwave or toaster oven. They use less energy than conventional ovens.

Fight toxins by planting peace lilies. They actually clean up indoor air.

Switch to low-energy fluorescent light bulbs. They last up to 10 times as long as regular light bulbs.

Clean the lint filter in your dryer regularly. A dirty filter uses up to 30% more energy to dry clothes.

Instead of using the dryer, try a drying rack. You will save electricity and your jeans won't shrink.

Save water by running only a fully loaded dishwasher. – not a half – full one.

Use a reusable sponge or rag to clean up spills rather than paper towels.

If you're printing a long document, save paper by changing the settings to print on both sides.

Purchase razors w/ replaceable cartridges instead of disposable razors that can't be reused.

Conserve energy by setting you fridge to 37 degrees.

Save energy by turning off the lights and television when you leave a room.

Unplug your phone charger – it draws energy just by being plugged into the power outlet.

When grabbing food on the rung, take only the number or napkins and plastic utensils you'll need.

Add oxygen to the environment ( and get rid of carbon dioxide) by planting a tree in your backyard.

When you need to jot something down, use a dry erase board instead of Post-it notes to save paper.

Avoid using the drive-through at fast –food places. Parking your car and going inside creates less pollution.

Choose ground delivery when shopping online it can be six times more energy efficient than overnight.

Use cruise control when you're driving on a highway – it will conserve gas.

Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth and save two gallons of water every minute.

Conserve energy used to heat your room by sealing any cracks around your bedroom window.

Use rechargeable batteries instead of throwing away old ones, which can leak toxins in to the ground.

Save Paper. Pay your monthly bills online rather than through the mail.

Shorten your shower by two minutes and you'll conserve about 10 gallons of water.