From 830pm – 930pm (your local time).  One hour.  March 27.  Turn off all the lights.

Sit in the dark and pray.

Enjoy the dark with someone you love.

Play board games by candle light.

Lay out a blanket on the ground, cork a bottle of wine, and watch the sky, count the stars.

How would you ideally spend one electricity-free hour of your evening?

Earth Hour, the annual event.  March 27.  830-930pm.

I’m a purest.  Meaning, do not take this time to play on your laptop (which has been previously charged via electricity).  Do not use flashlights for reading.  Do not spend the hour babbling on your cellphone.

Yes, I know the candles you burned required electricity to create (odds are), not to mention are likely made from inefficient petroleum products.

I believe, however, that the point is to be aware of living in that moment, with the planet, and consciously reducing your impact.

The hour will fly, and hopefully you can have a joyful memory from the time you took to celebrate the 2010 Earth Hour.

Sustainably yours,

Ashley Sue

PS.  I opted not to use the “Dim the Lights” graphic for the annual event.  Go big or go home.  Why dim the lights when, really, you should just turn them off?  Are you focusing on the point if you leave the TV on while your lamps are off?  I do not think so.  Any rebuttals?

America, wake up.

If you are not in debt, if you carry no credit card balance, if you have not been facing job insecurity… then you are not experiencing middle America, and you can skip this post.  If you answered “yes” to any of the above (much less multiple), I cry out to you:

WAKE UP.

Many of you are awake, or waking, but some still are biting at every credit offer that comes across the table.  Easy way to get stuff without getting arrested?  Get a credit card.

American Express sent me a “pre-approved offer” (puh-lease) regarding their Black Card.

Their pitch?  “The Black Card is not just another piece of plastic.  Made with carbon it is the ultimate buying tool.”

WHAT?!  What wad of absolute pure lazy, thoughtless, consumerist drivel are they asking us to buy?

“Limited to only 1% of U.S. residents, Black Card members are ensured the highest caliber of personal service.  Cardmembers enjoy a 24-hour Concierge Assistant, Exclusive Rewards Program, and Luxury Gifts from some of the world’s top brands.  Made with carbon, the Visa Black Card is guaranteed to get you noticed.”

What does it take to be apart of that Elite 1%?

$495.00 US annually… and you get a 13.24% variable APR for your money.

Wake up.  Do not be a chump.  Maybe I should be saying these words to American Express and not the public.  Frankly, I do not know who needs a bigger wake up call.

Just remember… credit card companies give you no favors.  Their one mission is to get you to buy what you cannot afford.

Now, I will not get into the whole spiele regarding how to manage your credit.  Pick up a Suze Orman book if you need that kind of advice.  I do want to warn, however, to pay close attention to any credit card offers you do get.

No matter what your credit currently looks like, make sure every single month you pay every single last bill on time.  This will save you bundles in the long run, and I am not talking late fees.  Those are only a blade of grass in a meadow of problems when you try to avoid the bills.

Stay grounded.  Live within your means.  And if you have already made some financial mistakes, take a deep breath.  You can ALWAYS get back on path, starting today.

And avoid greenwashing junk like the Black Card.

Sustainably yours,

Ashley Sue

I’m sorry.  I lost my voice.

*Or 1&1 simply refused to work with the WP upgrade and froze all my websites.  That’s OK.  I’ve salvaged them.  And am moving to Dreamhost… this week.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

FYI, flowers are lovely and all, but incredibly eco-unfriendly.  Particularly when you’re talking the scale of the Rose Bowl Parade.  Doubting they are grown with much concern for toxins, not to mention the global transport for these flowers.  I have no doubt by refusing to watch the parade I am making a difference, too.

Meh.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY 2010!  I’m thirty now!

Sustainably yours,

Ashley Sue

Today, 10 December, means for those of you buying Christmas or Hanukkah gifts for your loved ones, time is ticking.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

With that, I have a few awesome, heart-felt, useful, and even handmade options and ideas!

1. I already mentioned Equal Exchange fair trade, organic, yummy coffees, chocolates, and nuts and berries! Cheers to that, and you get rockin’ deals on their baskets THROUGH 15th DECEMBER!  Less than five full days, so get to ordering!

2.  Ashley from Our Little Apartment has an awesome Etsy store. You know, I dig handmade stuff, and Etsy is cool, but I quickly tire of a lot of the frivolous stuff I see as crap you can buy on Etsy.

Yet, I just <3 Ashley’s store.  I absolutely drooool over her earrings, and a rad idea on being more eco-chic is getting quilted coozies for your coffee cups!  Next time you roll into a coffeeshop, slip out one of these awesome bad boys from your purse and tell them to keep their cardboard sleeve!  Seriously… I am in love!  Go Ashley!

3.  Allie from The Greenists (previously Allie’s Answers) has an awesome roundup of fun, ethical and healthy gifts… both for her and for the child in your life.  This is the best list I have seen.  The Lola mini clutch and both necklaces make me giddy, while I love all the wooden, classic-style playsets for kids!

4. Dianne (also) from The Greenists has gone the route of giving what can be eaten! Dianne’s take:

A few years ago I decided that edible gifts were the perfect way to go. They are simple, yet still show someone you care and are thinking about them during the holiday season.

Pass along the recipes too, and the receiver might joyfully remake that for years to come.  That is how I acquired some of my favorite holiday recipes!  In Dianne’s post, you’ll find her links to several great holiday gift ideas you can devour.

So, there you have it… my favorite picks for holiday gifts for 2009.

Cheers, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Sustainably yours,

Ashley Sue

I only wish I did not think about the BPA coating my hands (my purse, my pockets, etc.) every time I handle a receipt… and for quite a while afterward.

Meh…

As G.I. Joe reminds us, knowing is half the battle.  Right?

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

My hometown newspaper covered a hummingbird catch-and-release story back in August, talking about how hummingbirds are being banded for research, adopted by general public individuals, and released.

Courtesy of Catawba County Parks via Hickory Daily Record

What fascinated me is that these tiny little creatures, who’s wings move so quickly that we generally cannot see them, are much quicker than I even imagined.  The Hickory Daily Record story says that one bird, captured and banded last year, was recaptured and reported in Texas only 12 days later, averaging 89 miles a day.

Also, many of the birds have been documented as coming to the same park the same day, year after year.  Interesting.

That is crazy!

I am not sure exactly how I feel about capturing and banding hummingbirds at all, but I know I am for research and projects that promote and lead to conservancy.

On that note, check out the comments after the story to see many perspectives on both sides of the boundary.  You also get to see how many people think $20 to hold a hummingbird is a rip-off, though I think it should cost more than that.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

You know how I have difficultly finding shoes I like, but TOMS makes finding a shoe company I want to support easier with their One for One Movement.  You buy a pair of organic canvas or such shoes from TOMS, and they give a pair away to a child needing shoes.  Yes, they give a pair of shoes for each pair purchased.

TOMS has been really great at keeping me abreast of some of their initiatives and efforts.  I was happy to offer them the opportunity to explain in their own words what the initiative is.  Check it out:

According to UNICEF, every year, nearly 10 million kids in other countries die from preventable causes. More specifically, causes that can be prevented by simply wearing a pair of shoes. TOMS decided to do something about it – in fact, Chief Shoe Giver Blake Mycoskie founded the company solely (sorry, we couldn’t resist) to help counter that problem.  When consumers buy TOMS shoes, any pair at all, the company gives a pair to a child in need. They’ve already given more than 140,000 pairs of new shoes to children in need — in just 3 years. By the end of 2009, TOMS will give an additional 300,000 pairs of new shoes to children in need all around the world, including places in the US.  It was such a great idea that it worked and managed to help a whole lot of children in just its first three years. Not only that, but TOMS sells organic and canvas shoes — this not only teaches children a little bit can go a long way to help, but also the importance of organic materials in today’s world.

Thanks to several mothers and fathers who wanted to teach their children the power of giving and helping and the importance of organic materials, TOMS created their TOMS Youth Collection. This collection offers several styles for children, and buying any pair of shoes from the collection can support the One for One Movement.

The first collection of TOMS youth shoes, Tiny TOMS, will have nine different canvas styles for boys and girls. October might be a little late for back-to-school, but shopping for new shoes for your kids online with them, whatever the occasion, can help spread the TOMS One for One Movement and help get even more children who need shoes those shoes.

Just by shopping for TOMS youth shoes for back to school, a pair of shoes goes to a child who doesn’t have any. By wearing TOMS organic shoes, you – and now your kids! – can support the One for One Movement. Now that’s something that takes a step toward a better future.

Personally, I love this.  TOMS makes great shoes that are environmentally and socially responsible, as well as having vegan lines.  TOMS has a blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, and YouTube, proving they get what community means today in our culture.

Check out their comfy kicks and know you’re voting with your dollars for a company that cares about the world in which they are a part.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

After the SIGG debacle, which turned into the GAIAM debacle, it has turned to the war of bisphenol A-laden receipts.  Yes, according to articles in the last month, receipts are a primary BPA source that all Americans are exposed to (as well as canned foods).

Miss the receipt-full-of-BPA news clips?  Check here.

Really, this is annoying a bit.

Scare tactics abound us in the realm of living “healthy” and “green”.  Media and many other message-pushers rely on fear to get you motivated.  Have you seen the “Eat fruit alone or it gives you cancer” email?  Or “don’t drink cold water or it will give you cancer” email?

Further, we begin to feel like “hey, what around me isn’t toxic?”

It reminds me frequently of a conversation with my best friend Sara (also on Twitter) where we discussed ~ when is enough enough?  What all do we have to do in our daily lives to feel like we can breathe easily and safely?

Is avoiding nail polishes with formaldehyde, tolune, and phthalates enough?  What about your vinyl accessories?  Or the upholstery in your furniture, carpets, and car?  What about the paint on your walls?  Your drink bottle?  Your deodorant?  Your grocery bags?

And now, your receipts?

The loose-powdered BPA from receipts reportedly is much easier ingested and concentrated than that “locked” into polymers of can liners and water bottles.  Meaning, wash your hands super frequently because otherwise you eat it easily as the BPA moves from receipt to hands to food.

What about sticking the receipts in your wallet or purse?  Have you just transferred mega-toxins into (and onto) everything else you touch a hundred times a day and can barely wash out?

I mentioned last week that “no one gives” a hoot “about going green”, which I meant (in earnest) as a jab at deceitful companies such as SIGG and GAIAM.

The deeper issue is, however, it can be hard to give a hoot when it feels like a huge losing battle anyhow.

For instance, besides lousy water bottles and everyday receipts, you can find BPA in:

• ALL of your canned foods.  Yep.
• Soda cans.
• City drinking water.
• Pizza boxes made of recycled cardboard
• Recycled paper
• Wine (fermented in BPA-resin lined vats)
• Beer (likewise)

Find more info on that here.

So, what is a girl to do?

Give up?

Take it all on and battle every frustrating piece of news we get?

Quit our jobs and lobby congress?

All I can offer is the reminder that you are not alone in your frustration and efforts.  Together, we can hold our heads high and make differences where we can, forgive ourselves for the things we let slide, and resist temptation to give into the media pressure to scare you.

Stressing out frequently will kill you and your loved ones far quicker and more miserably than your receipts or your SIGG.

And as you keep living your life consciously and in stride, say no to receipts when you can (as a budding environmentalist, you prefer to save trees anyhow).  Pay attention to what is in your food… and cosmetics… etc.  Vote with your dollar and support companies you can believe in, who strive for progress.

Any suggestions?  I would love to hear from you.

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

After a week hiatus, I will have some major major major posts coming about hunting, weddings, BPA, CREE and LED technology jobs, and more!

I do apologize that I took a little break.  Marc and I are engaged.  He proposed while we vacationed at North Carolina’s Outer Banks (Buxton), and all last week was time with our families telling them.

I did squeeze in an amazing press conference with CREE and NC Governor Bev Perdue regarding green technology jobs coming to NC, however, and I can’t wait to share some awesome video with you.

Plus, I have at least one BIG giveaway coming up from Earth Fare… and maybe some from other companies too.

Hugs and sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue