So whether you know it or not, I'm a huge Hank Green fan. Not only because he's part of the infamous Brotherhood 2.0 group (http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers), but also because he's part of http://www.ecogeek.com/ . So he's a geek. And he's eco. What's not to love?

Recently, EcoGeek started a YouTube channel. I just wanted to link you there, quickly, because he can explain things in his over-hyper, hysterically funny manner. For some reason, YouTube has decided to hate me, so I have absolutely NO IDEA how to post the video. Heh. So mosey on over to the channel, which is: http://www.youtube.com/user/thecogeek

Enjoy, and Best Wishes!
--Fluffy Puppy

Crocs In Green

[by Fluffy Puppy on March 24, 2009]

Y'know how everyone is always calling Crocs rubber or plastic? They're not, according to crocshoes.com,

Crocs are made of PCCR, a closed-cell material that virtually eliminates odor. No-one will clear a room with smelly feet if they are wearing a pair of Crocs. The material also discourages sweating, making Crocs even more comfortable.

So what's the deal? Why are these shoes so popular?

People seem to like Crocs because they're comfortable. They're slip resistant, they have an arch support, circulation nubs and even an orthoepic heel protection cup. Now how awesome is that?

But are they recyclable?

Ever heard of SolesUnited? It's this new program started by Croc shoes. I find it so amazing. You send in your old, worn out Crocs, the manufacturers clean, grind, and remake them. Well yeah. A lot of companies do that. But the coolest thing? SolesUnited send the new, freshly made Crocs to Africa and give them away to people who can't afford shoes.

SolesUnited are indicative by the emblem, which is the recycling sign, on the heel.

But the question is: where do I send them?

All you have to do if go to this website: http://solesunited.com/Locations.aspx and enter your zip. Then it will list the places in your area that accept donations.

Sites: http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/category/items/fabric/page/3 http://www.psychoastronomy.org/tracy/mt/archives/001417.html http://www.solesunited.com/index.html http://www.crocsshoes.com.au/shop/faq.html http://www.crocs.com

One Mitten, Two Mitten, Red Mitten, Blue Mitten

[by Fluffy Puppy on March 23, 2009]

Not many winters will pass when you don't see a spare mitten lying in the snow, or lying alone in the back of your closet. And, though there are probably a thousand identical mittens in the world, the chances of coming across one is very rare. Even then, there'll always be a spare mitten in the world, watching, waiting, until somebody attempts to pair it.

So what're you to do with the pieces of orphaned cloth? Here's a few suggestions:

• Make a drawstring bag.


• Throw a spare mitten into a hamster/mouse cage, and your pet will chew it up and use it as bedding.


• Use as a duster. Merely put the mitten on, dust the desired surface, and wash.


• Make glove puppets.


• Small gift bags.


• Fill with sand, stitch up, and you've got yourself a bean bag!


• Fill with newspaper, etc., stitch up, and you have a cat toy!


• iPod pouch/USB sock


• Reuse and wear mismatched mittens next year... it's the new fad!


• Make into a Christmas stocking.

I used the following sites for information:
http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20060908/how-can-i-reuse-or-recycle-random-odd-gloves#comments
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/reuse-errant-mittens.html
http://greenopolis.com/myopolis/blogs/veshengro/reuses-errant-mittens
http://www.greendaily.com/2009/02/18/what-to-do-with-lonely-mittens/

Chlorine in My Hair, Chlorine in My Hair!

By Fluffy Puppy [March 18, 2009]





You know how after you pull yourself away from the warmth of the hot tub, or the cool waters of the pool, your hair feels weird? That's the Chlorine's fault. The inner layer of your hair, also called the cortex, is protected by a cuticle, or the outer layer, which is caked with a natural lubricant called serbum. Chlorine sucks the serbum from your hair, and may cause the cortex to crack, which causes split ends.



There's a solution to this! Or, rather, quite a few:

• Don't use hair dyes, curling irons or blow dryers too often.


• If you have one on hand, condition your hair before putting on a swimming cap. It doesn't keep all the water out, but it certainly makes a difference.


• Don't use a brush on wet hair -- a wide-tooth comb is better.


• When drying your hair, pat or squeeze with a towel, and/or blow dry your hair on medium or cool. Leave your hair slightly damp to prevent frizzing.
  
• When shampooing your hair, add 1/4 cup of baking power or club soda to the shampoo.


• Water, fruit juices and herbal teas can also help with lubricating your hair. Drink sodas and coffees in moderation, because they cause dehydration not only to the hair, but to the skin, too.


• When looking for shampoo, look for the ingredient EDTA (Ethyelen Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid). It helps remove chlorine from the hair.

By using baking powder, you're saving the enviornment. If you don't buy truckloads of shampoo at a time, it saves the gas to transport these soaps. It also saves the landfills an extra plastic bottle.

I used the following websites for information:
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/repaire-chlorine-damaged-hair.html
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0727.html
http://www.womanarticles.net/fashion-and-beauty/542/how-to-repair-swimming-hair-damage/

Organic Chocolate

By Squirrel [March 18, 2009]
Edited by Fluffy Puppy [March 18, 2009]


If you want chocolate, you can save money and be green by making your own organic chocolate! Studies have shown that the polyphenols, a group of chemical substances found in plants, found in chocolate can help with heart health. The antioxidants found in cacao can reverse the signs of aging, too. If you want to buy chocolate then you should try the Endangered Species or Green and Black's. I read that a chef had made a Make Your Own Organic Chocolate Kit in these flavors: Goji Berry, Cacao Nib or Goldenberry. The flavors aren't local; the raw cacao comes from Peru, the goji berries from China and the goldenberries from Columbia. Each kit costs $9.99, and can be found here: http://www.navitasnaturals.com/products/chocolate-kits.html


Sites I used:
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/diy-chocolate-kits.html

Save Your Scraps

By Squirrel [March 18, 2009]

Edited by Fluffy Puppy [March 18, 2009]

If you hate throwing away food, here's what you do! You can get a bird feeder to put your scraps in: All you have to do is grind it up! You can put the following in the feeder:

• Bread crumbs


• Stale cakes or cookies


• Seeds such as sunflower seeds


• Unsalted peanuts


• Fruit pieces (Fresh fruit is always better)


• Cooked pasta

Try to avoid seasonings like salt.

Sites I used:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/scrap-food-bird-feeder.html

The world is getting warmer, and humans aren't doing too much about it. That's a problem!

Squirrel, Momma Llama and I are going green! Check back to Now It's Easy Being Green often to find tips and articles about saving the planet.

One day, everyone will be green -- one Muppet at a time.