Elisa's Green Scene

Apple continues to respond to green concerns

Happy to see Treehugger's report that Apple has introduced an innovative new recycling program.

They'll recycle not only their own iPods, but also any cellphone. I've probably got about three version of cell phone lying around somewhere.

They'll even provide the shipping materials and pay for the shipping. Pretty cool, huh?

Now, it may be perfectly true that they'll do something with these returns...re-purpose or re-furbish them, be able to monetize the scrap materials... but so what? What are you doing with those dead devices?

Call me a fangirl, but I think it's cool.

Where the U.S. candidates (and all legislators for that matter) stand on green votes

Thanks to Treehugger for pointing me towards the League of Conservation Voters annual scorecard of how the first session of the 100th Congress did on environmental voting.

Treehugger's post saves you the time of looking up the presidential candidates yourself and lays out their environmental voting record snapshot:

Clinton’s score in 2007 was 73 percent (87 percent lifetime);

Obama’s was 67 percent (86 percent lifetime).

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) scored 0 percent in 2007 (24 percent lifetime)

Pretty stark difference.

A good compilation of serious environmental and clean-tech blogs

If you're into the serious side of green blogging...purely about the environment, clean-tech and green mainstream news, then I've added a new link to my blog roll that you should like: The Alltop Green page.

Alltop is Guy Kawasaki's latest endeavor, and it looks to be attempting to be a headline aggregator of the top sites in various categories, from Politics to Mommyblogging to Green.

I can appreciate the serious bent to the green section, but I would also encourage them to start adding all the many blogs that talk about what it takes to actually live green. I don't necessarily think you have to aggregate every site featuring green products for sale...but certainly there are sites that are more geared to the average person trying to do better, not just the scientist, investor or full-time activist. Right now the selections are heavy on the wonky side.

And I know the minute I write this that I'll probably get an email from Guy saying, OK, how about some suggestions? Put your link love where your mouth is. 'Cause he's all bloggy like that...paying attention to what people say about his stuff and asking for feedback and stuff.

Think I can get away with just pointing him to my blog roll?

Want to be part of a Hope Revolution?

Then check out BlogHer buddy Krystyn Heide's new project: hopeREVO.com

In her own words:
It began one evening when I decided to hide encouraging notes around New York City and inadvertently inspired other people who heard about it to do the same in their cities.

From now through April 1st, I encourage you to create a stackful of notes with messages of hope and leave them in public places. Blog about it. Tell your friends and family about it. Post photos of your notes to Flickr. Or be completely anonymous. Follow your own heart.

The site has but a few suggestions, and provides a template to create your own "hope notes."

Where would you leave one? And what would you say?

Bananas, Cucumber, Zuchini and more target the size and strengh of the male sexual organ. It's true!

OK, I don't usually use blog post titles that are bound to bring me a ton of disappointed Google searchers, but I couldn't resist.

Why? Because a friend just sent me this link, Whole Food Signatures

Of course, I first read it to say Whole Foods Signatures, and I was wondering if Whole Foods Market made its employees include one of these pearls of wisdom about different fruits and vegetables at the end of each email they sent.

But no.

It's just a list that highlights how different foods look like different parts of the human body...and happen to be good for those exact parts.

Example: " A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes."

Another example: "A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebelums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuro-transmitters for brain function."

And my favorite: "Bananas, Cucumber, Zuchini and more target the size and strengh of the male sexual organ. It's true!"

Hence the Google-bait post title :)

You know how I'm always rambling about what it will take for green products go mainstream?

Ok, well, you might not, but I am often rambling about it. And it's the subject of my monthly column entitled Silicon Veggie this month.

Enjoy :)

Very cool re-use

Check out this creative and very hip way to re-use something old and not so hip: Suitcase furniture (Hat tip: Treehugger)

Made by a company called maybe design, located in both Istanbul and Vienna, they feature a small grouping of what one would have to call eclectic products. Some don't have a particular re-use angle, like the platter designed specifically for serving shish kebab, or this one (10 points to anyone who can tell me what it is, or why they would call it a "bowl.")

But then they have these LP bowls (which do look exactly like bowls.)

The most eye-catching, though, are the suitcase furniture pieces. My grandmother had a house furnished entirely in authentic mid-century modern (acquired mid-century, natch) and these pieces would have fit right in.