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When it comes to wine, there are quite a few options. Some less drinkable than others however as our “research” quickly showed us. We’ll share the cream of the crop of sustainably grown wines. Not all are certified organic, but they all practice sustainable viticulture practices.

Shafer Vineyards

Shafer practices low impact sustainable practices including planting cover crops to control weeds and erosion, return nitrogen to the soil and provide habitat for “good” insects that feed on leafhoppers and other vineyard pests. To control the rodents that like to live in the cover crop, they installed barn owl nesting boxes. Shafer uses natural fertilizers and minimal use of sulfur to control mildew on the vines.

Winemaker notes

Shafer’s 2005 Merlot has won several awards, including Food and Wine’s “Merlot of the Year” award in 2007
Winemaker’s notes
“This Merlot comes with big scoops of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. I get fresh plums, sweet black cherries, currants, red licorice, a little pepper, and pleasing doses of fragrant earth, smoke, and minerality.” – Elias Fernandez

“… possesses crisp acidity as well as an elegant bouquet of berry fruit, menthol, sweet cherries, and spice. The tremendous aromatics are followed by abundant fruit.”

Willakenzie Estates

The philosophy at Willakenzie Estates is simple: “Healthy Soil, Healthy Vines, Healthy People”. They practice sustainable viticulture in every aspect of the company’s operation from planting cover crops and protecting wildlife habitat to taking care of their employees year round.

Winemaker notes

Willakenzie Estates creates a variety of wines from their single vineyard –each with it’s own distinct character– and have won acclaim across the board from the luscious Pinot Gris to the formidable Terres Basses.

“Producing Pinots with intense flavors, robust structures, round and supple tannins is our passion and raison d’être. ”

“Terres Basses–The beautiful, dark ruby color of this wine immediately suggests its depth. Rich aromas of cranberry, cassis, and plum are followed by hints of earthiness, tobacco, and subtle tangerine peel. The flavors offer both red and black fruit; black cherry, blackberry, and blueberry combining with rhubarb and pomegranate for a complex, satisfying palate impression and a long finish. This is a big wine, whose intense fruit is well balanced by bright acidity and supple tannins.”

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Free
Gives you information for DIY removal from junk mail lists – including access to their catalog screener so you can contact the catalog publishers directly. Download-able form letters to request removal from mailing lists.

$20- Premium
The same opt out information as the free account, but with automatic removal from many junk mail lists and quarterly reporting of list removals. Green Dimes will plant 5 trees in your name with their non-profit partners. (the offer is good for multiple names at the same address)

$36- Bundle
Everything in the premium package plus some green goodies. A reuse-able shopping bag, two compact florescent bulbs and a t-shirt.

Green Dimes has worked for over 5 million people to date. The company claims they can eliminate up to 90% of your junk mail. Isn’t it about time you reduced your junk mail?

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Locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person’s eyes. Details on the Pangea Day films can be viewed here.

The program will also include a number of exceptional speakers and musical performers. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof, and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova are among those taking part.

It starts at 18:00 GMT (11 PDT) and you can find out lots more here:http://www.pangeaday.org/

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While there are major efforts under way to provide desalination plants http://www.water-technology.net/projects/israel/ , create water sharing agreements between nations, the need is too immediate for many individuals who simply can’t wait for technology. They need pure water now.

Enter water filters like the LifeStraw, an inexpensive point of use device that can be used with little or no instruction, provide clean drinking water for up to a year, and are now being donated to villages around the world.

Another option, for those who can afford it, is the Slingshot. It’s designed by the inventive mind of Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway). The Slingshot uses a Sterling engine, which can run on pretty much anything that burns (dry manure, coal, propane) and distills 1,000 liters a day of pure water out of any water source, no matter how polluted. As you can see from this video, it’s small, and could easily be transported to where it is needed.

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You can build you worm condo, or you can buy one here for not much moolah.

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The United States single-handedly consumes 30% of the world’s paper.

Over 40% of wood pulp goes toward the production of paper

The total costs of using paper in the office can run 13 to 31 times the cost of purchasing the paper in the first place!

What does that mean? For every sheet of paper used, calculating purchasing costs, storage, copying, printing, postage, disposal, and recycling—So, a ream of paper that you paid $5 for can cost up to $155!

Citigroup did a study that showed if each employee used double-sided copying to save just one sheet of paper a week, the firm would save $700,000 a year.

Environmental costs
It takes more than 12 ounces of water to make one sheet of paper.
Over 40% of wood pulp goes toward the production of paper.

What can you do?

• Set your printer defaults to print double-sided, and make double-sided copies when possible.
• Use paper printed on only one side in your fax machine, for draft copies or internal documents, or as scratch paper.
• When you’re done with single sided copies, cut them into 1/2 or 1/4 sheets and staple together to use for notepads
• Use the print preview to spot formatting errors and blank pages before you print. Proofread first, and use the spell/grammar tool to help avoid errors that can cause documents to be reprinted.
• Print only the pages you need. If only a few pages of the document are needed, print only those pages instead of the whole report.
• Promote a “think before you copy” attitude. Consider sharing some documents with co-workers, or using presentation software instead of printing for meetings
• Email memos and newsletters that employees should see, but do not need to keep.
• Use revision features in word processing software instead of printing out drafts and making hand-written comments.
• Store forms electronically so hey can be printed only when needed.
• Create electronic versions of letterhead, so when you move or the letterhead needs updating you don’t throw all the old stuff away!
• Buy recycled-content paper, preferably made from paper pulp recycled without chlorine.
• Fix the copiers and printers. A copier that works well is less likely to jam and this helps save paper
• Use shredded non-sensitive documents for packing material.

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]]> http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/start-with-paper/feed/ http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/green-your-banking/ http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/green-your-banking/#comments Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:23:43 +0000 Editor http://greeningyou.com/blog/?p=16 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Green your banking", url: "http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/green-your-banking/" });]]> Did you know that where your checking account is held can make a difference in how sustainable your community is?

The Social Investment Forum Foundation and Co-op America have launched a campaign to encourage people and institutions to put their banking and investment dollars to work in local communities.

The goal of the 1% or More in Community Campaign is to help grow the community investing industry to more than $25 billion in assets in 2007. This would build off of the success of the Campaign in helping almost quadruple the amount of money involved in community investing between 2000 and 2005, when the industry grew from $5.4 billion in 2000 to $20 billion in 2006. SIF members have made their mark in the community investing industry, they increased their investments in Community Investing Institutions by $1.2 billion (from $800 million in 2002 to $2 billion in 2006).

Visit the website and find a bank or investment group that suits your needs while it uplifts your community!

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]]> http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/green-your-banking/feed/ http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/solar-doesnt-have-to-breakk-the-bank/ http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/solar-doesnt-have-to-breakk-the-bank/#comments Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:20:46 +0000 Editor http://greeningyou.com/blog/?p=14 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Solar doesn’t have to break the bank", url: "http://greeningyou.com/blog/2008/04/solar-doesnt-have-to-breakk-the-bank/" });]]> How about heating all or part of your home with your own solar powered heat? It’s not that far away from reality. It can be a simple as this passive heat collector
Or a hot air collector (boy do we need one of those!
It’s not hard to find the materials and tools either. Check out BuildItSolar for all kinds of solar stuff, from toys to panels and full on DIY solar kits.

Or you can just get out, collect some aluminim cans, and get bizzy.

Any way you cut it, Solar does not have to be a full-on roof full of high tech to make an impact!

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