YES! Magazine GIVEAWAY

Times are tough – money is hard to come by – and winter is roaring it’s head. How about something for nothing? SCREAM to be GREEN doesn’t do giveaways very often, but I think this is a great one. We’re giving away a one year subscription to YES! Magazine. Just look at the covers above and see their commitment to the environment and sustainability! Sustainability, climate change (with Bill McKibben no less), locavores, oil, water battles, etc. Cozy up in a warm blanket with this gem of a magazine. Did I mention that YES! is printed on 100% post consumer waste recycled paper? It is.

From their FAQ:

What is YES! magazine all about?
We focus on a different topic each quarter, each one on opportunities for social change toward a more just, sustainable, and compassionate world. Recent issues have focused on redefining the “good life,” great urban places, preserving and reclaiming water resources, rethinking elderhood, finding alternatives to oil dependence.

Here is an example of some of the great material available in Yes! Magazine.

“Christmas With No Presents?”
by Colin Beavan, No Impact Man
“No Impact Man,” Colin Beavan, suspected the holidays would be just as merry without all the stuff — and he was right! Beavan and his small family have committed to living a no-net-environmental-impact lifestyle in the middle of New York City, and blogs about the adventure at NoImpactMan.com. Here he shares his very merry Christmas story — minus the stuff.

Related stories in the Sustainable Happiness issue:

* “Be Happy Anyway”
by Sarah van Gelder and Doug Pibel
The economic boom didn’t bring us (or the planet) happiness. So maybe there’s an upside to the downturn.

* “10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy”
by Jen Angel
In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.

* “Happiness Test”
by Stephen Post and Mike McCullough
Researchers say thankful people tend to be happy people. YES! offers this test to find out your gratitude score.

The rules are simple. Leave a comment by 11:59PM CST, December 12, 2008 and one random lucky winner will be picked to receive a one year subscription to Yes! Magazine. If you read Yes! Magazine, we’d love to hear from you, too – enter the contest and let us know what you think.

Also – I encourage you all to follow Yes! Magazine on Twitter, too. You can follow me, too – I’d love the company.

Following The Trail Of Toxic E-Waste

After the earlier “Greening of China” we happen to be watching 60 Minutes on CBS.  Tonight they had a story on following the toxic trail of e-waste.  It’s amazing and appalling all at the same time.  The conditions that poor Chinese farmers are put through for $8/day.  The children are filled with lead in their bloodstream.  The soil and water is too contaminated to drink.  People are inhaling carcinogenic toxins on a regular basis.  All for $8.


I would like to note that many major US computer manufacturers will take back their e-waste and are committed to ethically and properly dispose of their e-waste in the US. Please do your homework when recycling your e-waste. Check the Basel Action Network for more information on responsible e-waste recycling.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Here’s a great 10min piece on e-waste recycling in poor communities across the world.

Al Gore To Buy PLENTY Magazine?

Ahh – my first true green magazine love.  PLENTY Magazine.  We’ve written about you in the past.  My wife informed me of a rumor that PLENTY is being purchased by none other than Al Gore.  After a little research, I found the article on Huff Po which led me to Conde Naste.

So is Al really buying PLENTY?  Hrmmm…mums the word from PLENTY founder, but it looks like there is definitely some truth to the rumors.

[from Conde Naste Portfolio.com] Asked about the situation, Plenty founder Mark Spellun acknowledged there is a deal of some sort in the works but said it was “not correct” to say that Gore was buying the company. “That wouldn’t be quite accurate,” he said. Pressed on whether that means Gore is purchasing some sort of interest, however, either directly or through another entity, Spellun declined to comment further, saying an announcement would come next week.

I love me some PLENTY Magazine and I welcome the additional role of Al Gore involved.  This is a perfect time for a 3 R’s giveaway.  I’ll be reducing, reusing, and recycling by giving away a few gently – okay – well abused – issues of PLENTY – about the last 5 issues.  Stay tuned.

Jack Johnson Has Environmental Demands

If you want Double J to perform – you’re going to have to meet some serious demands.  No- he’s not a pompous ass that wants only red M&M’s. 

From USA Today:
His musical success has afforded him the ability to stipulate the conditions under which he’ll perform. Johnson’s contracts require that event organizers compost and recycle at least 50% of the waste generated at the show and purchase carbon-dioxide offsets covering the energy his show uses.

To reach out to fans, he has created a social networking site, allatonce.org, where people can talk about green initiatives, trade greening tips and organize carpools to concerts. As an incentive, visitors get free downloads from Johnson and other musicians.

“You’ve got to get them while they’re young,” he jokes.

Johnson continues his green campaign at Virgin Fest, where he joins an eclectic group of headliners: Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters, Kanye West and Bob Dylan. His allatonce.org will set up camp at the festival’s Green Spot, an area where non-profit groups connect with concertgoers. “It takes time to see the effects of environmental activism, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Source: Ecorazzi, USA Today

Jack Johnson and Friends at Kokua Fest 2008
Dave Matthews / Mason Jennings / more

“Greenwashing” Graffiti Is Cool

This form of greenwashing is pretty cool.  They’re calling it “reverse graffiti.”  You pressure wash your message into concrete or whatever is dirty (get your mind out of the gutter).  I think it’s pretty cool.  This particular mural was commissioned by Clorox to promote their new GreenWorks products.  Checkout the gallery of pics as they created the mural.  Banksy should get in on this.

Maybe I should hook up the old pressure washer and put a nice message in the sidewalk at the school where my daughter goes – something like “Idle-Free Zone” or “Let The Kids Breathe” or “We’re not at the Olympics in China, so turn off your engine!” 

Apparently, in Montreal, they’re not a fan of clean tagging.  Coldplay and a Canadian cell phone company could be in trouble.  In a bit of maverick advertising, the title of the latest album Viva La Vida has been washed into sidewalks all over the city.  It violates a law about advertising on public property. 

Source: GreenDaily

To Drill Or Not To Drill?

I love The Daily Show. This week, there was a segment called “To Drill or Not To Drill?” It’s pretty good. My favorite is at the very end – after McCain went on ripping about the whole “air pressure” deal in the tires – even handing out pressure guages – McCain released this statement, “…Sen. Obama a couple of days ago said that we ought to all inflate out tires, and I don’t disagree with that. The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it…”

and of course…your moment of zen…

(more…)

State of the Eco-nomy

A special shoutout to Katie at Gardenpunks.com for alerting me to this video from GOOD magazine. I’ve always liked GOOD since I first saw it – I don’t know it if is the content or the aesthetic of the content.  Anyway…here is a video on the State of the Eco-nomy

Paris Hilton Announces Energy Plan

After being called out by McCain in an ad against Obama, Paris Hilton has announced her energy plan.

Greenpeace Gets A Piece

Wow…ummm…I’m not sure if this is safe for work or not…it’s the dirtiest environmental ad I’ve seen yet.  I guess this is what happens when no one is in the forest to witness it…

SnagFilms Serves Documentaries to the Masses

I was contacted by someone at SnagFilms – a new site that is choc-full-o-documentaries.  Specifically, they have an environmental category.  This is great for all of you folks out there that are so earthy that you don’t have a TV or cable, yet you love the interwebs.  Of course, there are tons of other documentaries on here, too – so you’re not limited to just enviro-films (like the Townes Van Zandt doc I’ve been wanting to see!).

Some recommendations:

• Super Size Me  (Morgan Spurlock eats only McDonald’s for 30 days)
• Hudson Riverkeepers (Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s organization – 1998 doc)
• The Future of Food (The late great Jerry Garcia’s wife tackles the subject of the future of food)
• Fighting Goliath: The Texas Coal Wars (the story of Texans fighting against the construction of 18 coal-fired power plants)

Here are some stats on SnagFilms that I received in the email:

- Full length, award-winning films on your site completely free
- 250 or so feature-length, professionally produced documentaries, from small independent filmmakers and well-known sources
- SnagFilms widget can be easily embedded on your site and numerous social networking services and platforms.
- Many titles supports causes related to the film and encourage viewers to take action.
- SnagFilms movie player does not require a desktop download like other movie players but instead efficiently streams the films