iHippie

Noooo! That's not true! That's impossible!

2006-06-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

I love my iPod. It's cute. It's cuddly. It helps me look cool and avoid small talk with strangers on the bus. I can even use it to listen to music. On top of all that, I was actually feeling pretty good about it fitting into my green lifestyle. Since getting my iPod, I've purchased only digital music, meaning no CD packaging waste for the me. Plus, Apple has a decent recycling program in place. However, this article hit me like a glitch right in the middle of my favorite song. According to the report quoted in the story, Apple's iPods are made in China by mainly female workers who earn as little as £27 per month--that's $49.75 to you and me. Not good.

Of course, the report goes on to point out that "Apple is just one of thousands of companies that now use Chinese facilities to manufacture its products. Low wages, long hours and China's industrial secrecy make the country attractive to business, particularly as increased competition and consumer expectations force companies to deliver products at attractive prices." So one could argue that, as a corporation, Apple is just a symptom of a larger problem. They have to answer to stockholders who demand the largest profit margin possible, meaning they must find ways to reduce production costs while continuing to offer the best product possible. One could argue that, but I won't. All the competition may be doing it, but that doesn't make it right. Integrity goes a long way with consumers like me, and I'd personally pay more if I knew the reason for the increased cost was that the people who made my iPod were being fairly compensated. It may be time to write a little letter to Mr. Jobs.

Screw that!

2006-05-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I made a post about voting with your dollars, i.e., buying organic and fair trade products so major manufacturers are forced to take note and change their ways. Well, I still think that's the right thing to do, but I may have been a little naive in believing it would only produce positive results. From what I've been reading, Wal-Mart's choice to sell organics in response to consumer demand is a double-edged sword. Yes, a wider audience will be educated (hopefully) on the benefits of organic farming, but a large corporation like Wal-Mart actually has the power to weaken organic standards. Whaaaa? Yeah, that's right, and don't think they won't do it either if it means greater profit for them. They're apparently already exposing loopholes in the existing laws. Frankly, I'm a little disenchanted. Wal-Mart? Smiley face? I thought I could trust that little guy. I guess the lesson is that it's always wrong to be optimistic when there's money involved. You are right to laugh at me.

Thank you, CO2! Now, I don't have to wear a sweater.

2006-05-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's a good thing this is a blog and not a radio show because I'm speechless. This ad campaign has me absolutely dumbfounded this morning. In addition to arguing that global warming isn't happening, which is the standard approach of Kyoto-offenders like GM and Exxon Mobil, the first of these two spots funded by said corporations is ostensibly saying the more CO2 the better. "Hey, let's get excited about global warming. Don't you want to wear your bathing suit year-round and have leathery-brown skin and live with the threat of catastrophic hurricanes in Manhattan?" It has to be a joke, right? I'm afraid no t.

By the way, this campaign is strategically timed to coincide with the opening of Al Gore's new movie An Inconvenient Truth, which I encourage everyone to see when it opens next Wednesday. Don't worry, it won't be cold in the theatre like it used to be before fabulous global warming.

Do Your Shoes Have a Soul?

2006-05-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

As alluded to in the masthead of this blog, hippies and iHippies agree on environmental and social issues but may differ in areas such as the importance they place on style... or whether or not they even include that word in their vocabulary. An iHippie is not ashamed to be fashionable, but she also thinks about the materials and labor used in the production of her chic clothing. With that in mind, let's examine one of the staples of the hipster or mod uniform--the Converse Chuck Taylor shoe. The problem with these shoes is that they are manufactured overseas, and Converse is owned by Nike, a company that has long been accused of sweatshop labor.

"Oh no! Oh my!" you might yelp, "Now, what ever will I wear to the Wolf Parade concert?"

Never fear, my budding iHippie; allow me to introduce you to No Sweat shoes. These shoes are made by union workers in Indonesia (you can even check out the wages and benefits of the people who make them), and although No Sweat's legal counsel made them explicitly state on their site that these are not Chuck Taylors, I've been fooling my hipster friends for months now... and feeling doubly good about it.

So if you want to make a statement about labor issues while you're making a statement about your chosen crowd, head on over to No Sweat and pick up some soles with soul.

Who's the Greenest of them All?

2006-05-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

According to a recent post by treehugger, my home town is powered by the top-rated green energy utility in the country. How proud I must be. Austin Energy uses wind power, landfill gas, and small hydro to supply 435 MWh/year to Austin and surrouding areas. Their GreenChoice Renewable Energy Program is fully subscribed and is so popular (due in part to the fact that renewable sources are now less expensive than fossil fuel and in part to the fact that Austinites are just cool that way) that the utility recently had a drawing to decide which customers would get to subscribe to the next batch of renewable energy. Of course, I entered, and believe it or not, my account was randomly drawn. I never win anything that requires luck--there must have been some karma involved.

On a sidenote, this news about Austin Energy makes me think of something Austin Mayor Will Wynn said when I heard him speak recently at the Sustainable Shoppers Ball. I can't remember all the details (e.g., dates and figures), but he told a story about a coal power plant that was planned for construction a few years back. The land was purchased and the plans were drawn. However, the plant was never built because Austinites conserved enough energy to make the power plant unnecessary. A huge cheer went up from the crowd and one little, green tear started to form in the corner of this iHippie's eye.

Laziness Is Good for the Environment

2006-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Did anyone ever tell you to rinse off your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher? If so, you may have thought about it practically and wondered aloud, "What's the dishwasher for if I have to clean my plate first?" Well, now, you have another argument to add to your armamentarium--not washing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is actually better for the environment.

Today's dishwashers are powerful enough to get dishes clean as long as you knock off any excess food (into your compost pile of course). Just make sure you only run the dishwasher when it's full and only use about a tablespoon of soap. You'll end up saving money and energy, and energy conserved is a victory for the environment. For added savings, air dry (rather than heat dry) your dishes and wipe them down with a clean towel to avoid streaking.

Also, don't let anyone tell you that doing all your dishes by hand is more environmentally friendly than using a dishwasher. According to a study in Germany, a dishwasher uses half the energy, one-sixth of the water and less soap than hand-washing an identical set of dirty dishes.

So tonight when you finish dinner, relax and enjoy the comforts of modern technology with a clean conscience.

How to Use Your Green

2006-05-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

The aforementioned Ford deal brings to mind a point that's worth making. I believe the thing that gets lost on a lot of environmentalists is that any positive change is good for us and the planet. Sure most corporations care more about profits than they do the environment, and they make deals like the one Ford made to improve their public image. But if we stay positive and realize that--no matter the impetus behind the move--it's a step in the right direction, we may just get somewhere in halting global warming and other problems facing our society. That's what makes this new movement of environmentalists different -- we understand the market; we know how to use it in our favor; and, while we know a little skepticism is beneficial, we remain optimistic that we can change society rather than just dropping out of it.

With that in mind, the most important thing we can do right now is make our voices heard with our dollars. By purchasing fair-trade clothing, hybrid automobiles, organic foods and more, we're forcing major companies to take notice and change their practices. As much as we'd like corporations like Wal-Mart to just go away, it's not happening. So let's take things like their choice to sell organic foods as a positive...even if we'd still never be caught dead there.

Baby Green

2006-05-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

After a long layoff, my blog has been reborn. As I wipe the placenta from my eyes, I see a world where people such as myself are redefining what it means to be an environmentalist. Tree-huggers and hippies of yesteryear take note, today's green aesthete knows the best way to make a difference in society is to remain a part of it and infiltrate it with positive ideas. It's in this spirit that I'm relaunching my blog as iHippie. (Plus, after seeing the Ford commercial featuring Kermit the Frog, I felt less than original about the old blog title. Although, I must commend Ford for their recent deal with TerraPass.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new direction. Plans for iHippie include: updates on simple ways to make a difference, tips for looking stylish and feeling good about it and posts that occur more than once every 6 months. Exciting.

I Was So Much Older Then; I'm Younger Than That Now

2006-02-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

Just over a week ago, I turned 31. During my birthday celebration, I was reminded by my family that one year ago I didn't like the idea of turning 30. I had forgotten about that, but I was indeed terrified of the idea of getting older. I didn't want wrinkles; I didn't want to lose my hair; I didn't want to show any of the physical signs of aging. Then something happened to me in the last year. I realized, through my quest to live a natural and green life, that letting go of fear and embracing your age can be the most liberating thing one can do.

Despite what some have told me, my hair is thinning and has been for a few years. It's deceiving to most people because my hairline is not receding and the hair I have is very thick. However, the hair on my crown is sparse and getting thinner. Just as I was reminded of on my most recent birthday, there was a time when this consumed me. I used Rogaine and I even considered taking Propecia. I didn't want to look old, and bald usually equals old. Then, one day, I was in the store with my wife, and I had a bottle of Rogaine in my hand ready for purchase. Something stopped me. I started thinking to myself, "Why am I doing this? This goes against what I believe and the lifestyle I'm trying to cultivate. For one, I'm contributing money to the very drug companies that I believe are overmedicating our children and our entire society. Secondly, I'm putting a synthetic substance on my body. And, finally, who am I trying to impress? I have a beautiful family that loves me for the person I am -- not what I look like." So I put the bottle back, and I've never felt so free.

Now, I'm reading a great book that confirms I did the right thing, and that the key to aging gracefully is accepting and embracing the process. The book is Healthy Aging by Dr. Andrew Weil, and I highly recommend it. Weil points out that aging is inevitable and, thus, our goal should not be to reverse the physical appearance of aging but to age gracefully and healthfully so that we can enjoy vitality and mental clarity well into our older years and then decline rapidly over the last year or so of life. He covers many ways to achieve such a goal, but the first step is accepting aging as a natural and, more importantly, positive process. Think of wine, cheese, whiskey, trees and violins. They all get better with age. We, too, have that ability to become great and wise people as we age if we aren't obsessed with the way we look.

One thing I want to note is that, in saying all of this, I don't mean to imply that exercise and physical care are not important. They are important and they are some of the answers to staving off the debilitating diseases that can cause long and painful declines, be expensive and sap the quality of later years. The point is to understand that you can look old and healthy. Try to erase from your mind the media's picture of youth equaling health. It will set you free, and you'll feel younger.

What the Fuchs?

2006-02-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's my toothbrush, that's what. Yep, I have a replaceable head toothbrush made by Fuchs. It's described as ecologically correct, and I hate to be wrong so I picked one up a few months ago. So far, I'm loving it. A package of four replacement heads is only $5.45, which equates to getting a new toothbrush for about $1.36 each. Not a bad deal for a very serviceable hygienic device. Plus, in keeping the same handle and just throwing out the head every 4-6 weeks (per dentist recommendation), I'm reducing my contribution to our landfills. Fresh breath and reduced waste are right up there on my priority list--it feels good to combine them. I definitely recommend picking one up next time you're at the store. Sometimes, you've just got to say, "what the Fuchs."

Don't Drive Guilty

2006-02-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

My conscience has been nagging me lately about my driving. I live about 10 miles from my office and about 20 from my son's school, and busses don't run anywhere near my house. That adds up to a lot of driving and a lot of CO2 and particulate matter released into the atmosphere. It's also contributing to the country's dependence on foreign oil and, on a selfish note, doing a stellar job of depleting my bank account. So what finally happened is I broke down and bought a 2002 Toyota Prius, but before I did that, I discovered the wonderful TerraPass.

As I've said before in this space, it's unreasonable to think that everyone can go out and buy a hybrid or, beter yet, take non-combustible means of transportation everywhere they go--there are too many outside factors like families, the price of centrally located homes, the lack of public transportation, etc. that leave people in situations where they have to rely on their cars. Now, however, there is something simple everyone can do to counteract some of the harmful effects of driving--get a TerraPass. All you do is go to the site, calculate your car's emissions for the year, and pay between $29.95-$79.95, depending on your particular vehicle and driving habits. That money then goes to fund clean energy projects that reduce industrial carbon dioxide emissions. So in effect, you're paying to keep things stable--you're still driving and emitting CO2, but you're also helping reduce that same amount of CO2. Plus, you get a cool static cling decal and a bumper sticker to tell people how you're taking responsibility for global warming and doing your part to stop it--let's face it, as humans, we want people to know when we do something positive. So, even though I now have a hybrid, I'm still emitting 4,832 pounds of CO2 per year, and I'm getting a TerraPass to make up for that. Oh, and you can buy them for people as gifts, too. On an unrelated note, my birthday is in two days.

All the Colors of the Chemically Enhanced Rainbow

2006-01-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

Remember the little leprechaun singing about his breakfast cereal?

Pink hearts, yellow moons,
Blue diamonds, red balloons.
That's me Lucky Charms.
They're magically delicious.

Sounds irresistible, doesn't it? But what if Lucky the leprechaun told you they were really yellow #5 moons, blue #1 diamonds and red #40 balloons? Or, better yet, that they were tartrazine moons, brilliant blue FCF diamonds and allura red AC balloons? A little less appetizing? Slightly scary?

When processed food manufacturers and their advertisers target our kids (and us) with bright and colorful foods, they fail to mention the dangerous chemicals that give them their seemingly joyful shades--chemicals that, according to some studies, can cause hyperactivity in children.

In a clinical trial conducted in Melbourne, Australia, 54 children aged 2-14 were examined for their reactions to tartrazine, the coal-tar derivative that is the FDA-approved coloring known as yellow #5. Of the 54 children observed, 44% had significant reactions to tartrazine. The affected kids were irritable, restless and had sleep disturbances. Additionally, the higher the dose of the chemical administered, the longer the symptoms lasted.

Other notable research on artificial food colorings includes a study conducted at England’s University of Southampton and published in the journal Archives of Child Health. Similar to the Australian study, this trial also found that common artificial colors and preservatives used in food products can have significant impact on the behavior of otherwise healthy children and make them hyperactive.

The Southampton University study tested 227 children aged 3-4 and examined the effects of chemicals including tartrazine and sunset yellow (yellow #6); and according to the lead researcher of the study, the amounts administered were on the “low side of normal.”

The most telling information gathered from this study is that parents, who did not know whether their child was on a diet free from additives or given food with colorings and preservatives, reported on their child’s behavior. Parents of children who did not receive the additives noted that their kids were significantly less hyperactive. If and when those children were given food colorings and preservatives, those same parents noted a clear increase in hyperactivity. And, in children with the highest level of hyperactivity, the incidence of abnormal behavior fell from 15% to 6% when the additives were removed from the diet.

Renowned health expert and author, Dr. Andrew Weil agrees that artificial food coloring should be eliminated from diets of children and adults, but he cites additional reasons.

“The danger,” writes Weil, “is that the chemicals used to create color are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that damages DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer.”

Weil goes on to point out that many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic. So the fact that an artificial additive hasn’t been proven to be harmful, doesn’t necessarily make it safe. It could just mean not enough research has been done yet.

This information, the two studies discussed and loads of similar research suggest that it is best to avoid artificial food coloring and that we can even reduce the occurrence of hyperactive behavior in our children by decreasing their intake of artificial food colorings.

The good news is that a simple diet change can have such a positive impact. The bad news is that these synthetic food colorings are everywhere you look—if you’re looking. The American food industry uses 3,000 tons of food color per year, and many of the additives that are banned in other countries are approved by the FDA. So, you have to rely on your own best judgment. Just remember, the next time a leprechaun is trying to sell your family a tartrazine pot of gold, your child’s eyes may be smiling, but his or her brain and body will be better served by avoiding artificial colors.

Not Soy Good?

2005-11-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, I realize this is no way to run a blog—it’s been over a month since my first post, and I apologize. I think I made some lofty promises in my first entry, and I kind of freaked myself out—there’s no way I could continue to have a life and a full-time job and live up to the expectations I set for myself on October 26. So, my new promise to myself and you, the reader, is to do my best to research, compile information and share what I’ve learned on a variety of green topics. I am not an expert, but I will work hard to find the truth. Additionally, I welcome your feedback and input so we can learn from each other.

So, what finally got me inspired to break the silence? Soy. Just like John Belushi’s Little Chocolate Donuts, soy (in all of its many forms) has been on my training table for years. I’ve read all the good press about the isoflavones in soy and the bad press about dairy and animal fat, and I’ve tried to replace everything I can with soy-based foods. I drink soy milk, eat soy meat tacos, snack on edamame and shun chicken in my Pad Thai in favor of tofu. So, when I heard a co-worker discussing the dangers of soy, I immediately started questioning her about what she knew and where she had heard this. (I’d heard various things in the past about soy causing some problems, but I could never find solid evidence on it.) Well, my co-worker was convinced—she was finished with soy. I, however, was not so easily sold.

I hurried to my computer and started to research. The first article I found was this one from the New York Daily News, which talks about how soy can cause your thyroid to shut down. It's a disorder called hypothyroidism, and it comes with symptoms such as lethargy, weight gain, depression, inability to tolerate cold, dry skin, coarse hair and mental "fogginess." Despite my sudden inability to think clearly, I pressed on to get an answer. Have I been poisoning myself with soy for the past 10 years?

After heading over to my favorite authority on health, Dr. Weil, I felt a little better. In this article , the good doctor addresses the potential harms caused by soy and dispels most of them. The area that remains scary is the effect soy may have on the thyroid. On this matter, Dr. Weil writes, “Excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function, but only if you have a thyroid disorder to begin with or if you’re not getting enough iodine in your diet (a rare deficiency in the United States).” How do you know if you have a thyroid disorder? You can have your levels checked by a doctor, especially if you experience the symptoms above. If you don’t have a known thyroid disorder but are still concerned about the effect excess soy could have on you, it would probably be a good idea to limit your intake to one serving per day. That is the approach I plan to take. As is the case with most things, moderation is the key. In fact, even the NY Daily News article ends by stating, “If, indeed, the Asian diet is one to be emulated, then why not use soy the way they have for thousands of years: in moderation.” If you’re interested in reducing soy intake, 30 milligrams seems to be a good daily limit. Here are some examples of such a serving size:

7 ounces of soybeans
4 ounces of tofu
8 ounces of soy milk
1.6 ounces of miso
2.8 ounces of soybean sprouts

Turning Green

2005-10-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of people, the older I get, the more I consider the ramifications behind every choice I make--how it will affect my health, the environment, the people around me and others all over the world. As I consider all of these things, I find myself wanting to make healthy, environmentally friendly and socially conscious choices in everything I do. To make this a reality and do it right though, I have to do a ton of research. Even then, some of the options aren't practical or affordable so I end up compromising and just doing the best I can. With a young family to support, dropping out and becoming a hippie isn't an option--just like buying a brand new hybrid isn't exactly feasible.

I estimate that most people are like I am--interested in making positive choices but somewhat constrained for whatever reason. This is where this blog comes in. As I go through all of the many options out there for everything from what deodorant I should use to where I should shop to the type of fuel I use in my car, I'd like to help others by documenting the research I do--I'll be obsessive compulsive about this stuff so you don't have to. There will be nothing preachy about the content. It will simply be the facts:

How does a particular product, food or choice affect the user?
How does it affect the environment?
How does it affect others?
Is it practical?
Is it affordable?
Are there other comparable options?

Once that information is laid out there, the reader can make his or her choice. There's no pressure to do anything, but I have to say, from my own experience, that just knowing the truth about the sustainability of a certain kind of fish or how my tennis shoes were manufactured, for example, puts enough pressure on me to make a certain choice. Ignorance is bliss but only for the ignorant. (I think I said that.)