As we BBQ, enjoy fireworks, and celebrate the Fourth of July with friends and family, let’s not forget about the environment. JB gave us some great Fourth of July tips yesterday.
Here in California, we have hundreds of wildfires, some of which have burned homes and thousands of acres. The fear this Fourth of July weekend is that even more fires will be ignited by illegal fireworks. Fines in California start as high as $1,000 in certain areas simply for possession. For those of you who want to enjoy fireworks, find a public show. Many areas have large shows for the public to enjoy which are not only safe, but also environmentally friendly. Certainly, blowing up all those fireworks individually is not good for the environment, not to mention the fire danger they pose. Let’s give our firefighters and first responders a break no matter where you live.

In addition to the possibility of starting a fire, many fireworks available today are much more powerful than those in the past. Not only does this mean higher danger levels and risk of injuries, but this also means releasing more chemicals into our environment, which we certainly don’t need.

Please stick to the BBQs and public fireworks show this year. Enjoy yourself this Fourth of July, and don’t forget about all those who’ve sacrificed to give us the chance to enjoy the barbeques and fireworks we’ve come to love.

To me, the fourth of July is synonymous with barbeques, picnics and fireworks… oh yeah, and all that patriotism stuff too.

Here are a few green tips to consider as you enjoy your extended weekend:

• Use dishware and silverware – no paper plates & cups and plastic utensils if you can avoid it.
• Eat locally grown fruits & veggies.
• Avoid red meat – try a veggie burger.  It’s not that bad, I promise!
• Compost your garbage.
• Cook with charcoal, not propane.  I just learned that it’s a better alternative since it comes from wood, rather than fossil fuels.
• Friends having a party?  Carpool with others and help spare the air…and your wallet!

I’m sure our readers have dozens of other tips to share – don’t be shy in sharing!

From all of us at TTMYGG, we wish you all a safe and wonderful fourth of July!

It was only a matter of time before this happened. Planet Green, the first and only (so far) 24-hour channel devoted to eco-friendliness just launched. Planet Green is part of the parent company that own the Discovery Channel, which I admit is one of my favorite channels. I never thought non-fiction television could be so compelling – and I’m not talking about “reality TV” folks.

Planet Green offers both television and online content focused around all things green. This includes not only tips and suggestions to help make your life more green, but also the latest green technology, how others are going green, and how you can detoxify your home and your lifestyle. As Planet Green says, it, along with TreeHugger.com, is helping to energize and move the green conversation into the spotlight.

There is a handy channel finder for you to located the channel it’s on in your area and with your particular subscriber. It’s even offered in HD quality if you want to be really blown away by green! They appear to have some great programming that I can’t wait to start watching.

Instead of sending these rolls to the landfill, reuse them and have an afternoon of fun with your kids.

I recently came across a blog called 1plus1 (oneplusone) that is dedicated to “uber stylish, eco friendly and affordable clothing”. 1plus1 is dedicated to “sustainable, organic, fair trade, vintage, recycled, making the world a better place designers, garments and companies”. When you read that, what’s not to love?

I was skeptical at first, but when I read the blog, I came across some really stylish clothing that appeared both affordable and friendly to the environment. Every piece of fashion they profile on the website has a sustainable or environmental friendly aspect to it. I’ve seen shirts, makeup, jeans, jackets, handbags, decorative accessories, and all types of products profiled. There are usually at least two to three new items profiled every day. I enjoy the fact that they always show a picture of the product and discuss how the product is eco friendly.

I couldn’t find a way to search through existing blog posts, and I also wish there was some type of categorization by type of fashion. Other than that, I love the idea of 1plus1, and I can’t wait to see more eco friendly fashions on their website.

The Live Earth concerts, a series of concerts happening on all 7 continents, (including Antartica!) to raise awareness of climate change is happening right now!

Those concerts, which were are at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro; the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; and HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg, are being broadcast on tv, as well as webcast here: http://www.liveearth.msn.com/

I’m watching it on TV, and it’s been pretty good, with acts like Joss Stone (who was just on), the Beastie Boys, and some groups that I’ve never heard of, because I’m too old. Oh, let’s not forget Shakira.

Also, they’re showing nifty climate change films and commercials, some of which are interesting, and inspiring. The website with event info is here, and the MSN site where you can check out the videos is here.

Here’s a clip of him being interviewed by Stephen Colbert.

 Thoughts?  Comments?

Although the TED website doesn’t have that video on yet, I did find a great episode of Charlie Rose where he talks with John Doerr, Scott McNealy and K.R. Sridhar about alternative energies.

I also found a follow up presentation from last year’s TED by none other than Al Gore. Watch it here

If you haven’t already seen it, I recommend doing so. You may think it to be too extreme, and maybe it is. But it will leave you thinking about the environment and your impact on it.

And if you’re still not convinced about seeing An Inconvenient Truth, then read what Leonardo DiCaprio said [paraphrased]: “It’s every American’s moral obligation to see this film.” (I read this in an interview he did with GQ; and NO, I am not a frequent reader of GQ as I am not a man.). Do it for Leo!