Wed, 20 December 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #79 - Heat Up Your Home Thermostats aren't the only thing rising when the outside temperature drops. Energy bills tend to skyrocket this time of year as we attempt to stave off old Jack Frost. With some simple tips and heating alternatives, you can save money and the planet. With all the good you'll be doing, you'll warm up in no time!
Beer and Chocolate:
 Beer: Blackberry Blonde from Etna Brewing Co.
Chocolate: Flavor 70 cinn from sweetriot, cacao nibs covered in 70% dark chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Greenneck hipster Laura also sent some Lake Champlain chocolate truffles. You rock Laura!
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Reindeer on a bun. If you're ever in Chicago, you might be interested in picking up a reindeer hot dog for $8 Not so sure about this one. . .
- And the winners are. . . The winners of our green Christmas song are Ashley in Third Place, Rebecca in Second Place, and Sarah coming in First Place. Way to go girls!
- More Hip merch! More Hip Than Hippie t-shirts have arrived! Check Greenfeet.com, they will be available for purchase soon!
News:
- A Christmas Kiss! Read some fun facts about mistletoe from About.com.
- Be on ABC's "Wife Swap"! The popular ABC show "Wife Swap" is looking for a green family to be on an upcoming episode. If you're interested, send an email to Rachelle.Mendez@rdfusa.com.
Home Heating Alternatives
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- FEED333. Michelle wanted to let us know about FEED333, a campaign that aims to feed 3 million children in 33 days. The effort started on November 29.
- Deconstructing Dinner. Meetul recommends the podcast Deconstructing Dinner for some yummy advice about food and cooking.
- Alan recommends checking out the Rocky Mountain Institute for great environmental info.
- Recycling plastic bags with style. Jenny from Georgia found a great way to recycle plastic bags. She suggests knitting old plastic bags into a much more stylish bag. They look beautiful and they're helping the planet! What a great idea!
- Leonardo Dicaprio and a plug for More Hip! Karen found a site where Leo Dicaprio posted an open answer question asking what you do to help fight global warming. Karen responded by plugging More Hip Than Hippie. Thanks! We have the greatest listeners in the world!
- Go green between the sheets! Kellie just found out that Victoria's Secret will be using eco-friendly paper for it's popular catalogue. Yay!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_79_Heat_Up_Your_Home.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:40 PM |
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Wed, 13 December 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #78 - Thinking Outside the Gift Box
Tired of giving scratchy wool sweaters and CD's for holidays? Shake things up this year by giving an alternative gift. We've got a few links to help you find something for everyone!
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Xingu Black Beer from Brazil.
Chocolate: We tried several different kinds of chocolate sent to us by listener Tom. Thanks Tom!
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- More Hip merch! More Hip Than Hippie t-shirts have arrived! Check Greenfeet.com, they will be available for purchase soon!
- A little Dittie just for you. Tampons need style too, that's why there's the Dittie, feminine care products with "diva-worthy" style. Think tampons with a fortune cookie type message on the outside. We're not so sure about this one!
- Holiday Contest! Don't forget to submit your green holiday song by December 15 for your chance to win More Hip Than Hippie merchandise. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Send email entries to hip@greenfeet.com.
News:
- About.com has reported that the EPA may abandon health standards that regulate lead in the air. What are they thinking?
More Hip Book Club
Our next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma  by Michael Pollan.
Thinking Outside the Gift Box
- World Wildlife Fund
- Symbolic Animal Adoption - choose from a wide variety of species and your donation will be used to fight threats like habitat loss and poaching faced by critically endangered species.
- Planning on giving big this year? Make an Extraordinary Gift with donations ranging from $1000- $2.5 million. The gifts go directly to the supporting the program of your choice.
- Oxfam America Unwrapped
Each item purchased is a donation to Oxfam America's many programs and will help people living in poverty throughout the world.
Some of the gifts available:
- $20 irrigates a farmer's land for 2 months.
- $75 buys a cow for a family.
- $90 provides gender rights training for community activists.
- $100 starts a small business.
- Nonviolent Peace Force
- Peace Bonds support unarmed peacekeeping activities such as accompanying mothers who are journeying to retrieve their children who have been abducted as child soldiers.
- For the wonderfully wacky
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Beer. . eh? Julia from Canada wrote in to let us know about her favorite beer, Picaroon's Irish Red. Also, check out Just Us Coffee Roasters Co-op, an organic and fair trade coffee roasting company in Nova Scotia.
- Save the planet taking care of your dirty laundry. Alan had some suggestions for cutting down your energy use when doing laundry. He recommends Nellie's Dryerballs (pick yours up at Greenfeet!), which help reduce the time it takes to dry clothes. You can also try using a spinner, which reduces drying time by getting out excess water stored in clothes.
- Wrap it up. Howard came across an interesting alternative to traditional gift wrapping used by the Japanese called Furoshiki. It's a traditional cloth that is used to wrap gifts, clothes and other goods.
- Breath easier with this gift. Laura discovered CarbonFund.org, a site about offsetting your carbon footprint. Give the gift of a cleaner planet, for the holidays offset a friend's carbon output by purchasing a ClimateTag. A tax-deductible donation of just $55 will neutralize all of your pal's global-warming gasses.
- Shift your gift! Jason wanted to spread the word about ShiftYourGift.com, a new option in sustainable holiday shopping. The site has compiled 50 of the top sustainable gifts for the holidays, and 5% of every sale goes to the non-profit organization of your choice.
- Safe cell phones. Alison was wondering about the safety of cell phones and the dreaded cell phone radiation. Check out IndyStar.com for the facts about cell safety.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
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Wed, 6 December 2006
More Hip Than Hippie # 77 - Check Your Charity Ever wonder what charities really spend their money on? While most non-profit organizations are legit, others spend more money on big benefits and fund raisers than on the programs that support the actual cause. We'll go over a few tips for giving wisely this holiday season, so that you know your generosity is helping those who need it most.
Beer and Chocolate:
 Beer: Samson Stout and Redrum Ale aka Trail Ridge Red from the Estes Park Brewery in Estes Park, CO.
Chocolate: Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Is there anything technology can't do? At Fontifier.com you can make your own handwriting into a font for your computer. Now handwritten notes are as close as your keyboard!
- Musical memories. Did you know the brain holds on to musical memories even when the music is absent? That's why Earworms Musical Brain Trainer CD's use song drills to teach foreign languages. Pretty cool, huh?
- Holiday Contest! Don't forget to submit your green holiday song by December 15 for your chance to win More Hip Than Hippie merchandise. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Send email entries to hip@greenfeet.com.
News:
- Global Warming goes before Supreme Court. For the first time, oral arguments dealing with global warming are being heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case will determine if the government has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
More Hip Book Club
Our next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.
Check Your Charity
When donating to charities this year, make sure your money goes to helping the people who need it the most. Check out some of these websites for tips on how to give wisely:
Help others while taking care of your holiday shopping. Here are some great sites:
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Water, water, everywhere! Ever wonder how much water goes into processing everyday beverages? Heidi did and was amazed by her research. Check out her findings about how much water we really drink.
- Go local. Dee found a great article on how to make locally grown foods more accessible.
- Go green with Bare Naked Ladies. Kellie wanted us to check out this recent blog from Jim,the bass player for BNL. The November 22 entry gives some stats on how much BNL has sold in carbon offsets in the form of CO2 offset stickers.
- Love the luffa? Planet Protector found an article about how to grow your own luffa sponge at Groovy Green. The luffa is actually a vegetable that you can grow in your own garden. You'll never be so satisfied by exfoliation!
- Ski resorts turn to wind power. Tara discovered that two ski resorts near her in Maine are now operating on 100% wind power.
- Reaction to removal of breast feeding mother from Delta Airlines flight. Jennifer in Kentucky was just one of many mothers to participate in nurse-ins at Delta airport counters in 35 cities. The protest was held on November 21st.
- Apparently, the truth really is inconvenient. Alison in NYC found an article about the obstacles blocking Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" from classrooms. The National Science Teachers Association reportedly turned down 50,000 free copies of the documentary about global warming over concerns of introducing "special interests" in the classroom. The NSTA failed to mention that Exxon Mobil has donated over $6 million dollars to fund programs like "Building a Presence for Science" and also has a representative on the group's corporate advisory board.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_77_Check_Your_Charity.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:37 PM |
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Wed, 29 November 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #76 - Holiday Survival Guide Don't let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season leave you frazzled! We'll give you some tips that will help you reduce your of waste output, prepare your home for the holidays, give the perfect gift, and just plain survive this most hectic time of year.
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Fat Weasel Ale from Steinhaus Brewery, available at Trader Joe's. If you're lucky, you can find one near you!
Chocolate: An assortment of Holl's Chocolate Truffles sent to us by the lovely Karen from West Virginia. Thanks Karen!
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Relax with an organic bath. The Organic Bath Co. has tons of organic goodies to relax and rejuvenate the most stressed out holiday shoppers. Try the Bubble Bath Petals in pomegranate fig.
- Take a bite out of this. Check out these hilarious ABC cookie cutters, and we're not talking about the alphabet. ABC stands for "Already Been Chewed," making the cookies look like someone has already had a bite!
- Oprah and global warming. Oprah is looking for families who are doing their part to combat global warming to contribute for a future show. Write in and let her know how you've helped the planet, and maybe while you're at it you can turn her onto your favorite hip podcast!
- More Hip Holiday Contest on now! Get those creative juices flowing and spread some holiday cheer by entering our Holiday contest.
- Sing your heart out! Take any Christmas Carol or holiday song and tweak the words to fit a 'green' theme.
- Submit your entry. We'd prefer that you call our hotline at 530-554-2605 or skype us at MoreHip and sing your diddy yourself. We will also accept email entries at hip@greenfeet.com, but be prepared to hear Dori and Val belt them out on the show.
- Judging. The winner will be selected based on creativity and effort. Don't worry, how well you sing is not part of the judging criteria.
- For the winner. . . a box of More Hip Than Hippie merchandise and a surprise or two from Greenfeet.
- Enter to win today! The deadline for submitting entries is Friday December 15th.
News:
- Dagoba goes mainstream with Hershey. According to a recent issue of Organic Retailer Magazine, The Hershey Co. has bought Oregon based Dagoba Organic Chocolate. Maybe next time you reach for that impulse buy in the checkout line, you'll be able to grab organic chocolate!
- Richard Branson gives big. Plenty Magazine reports that Richard Branson, CEO of the Virgin Group, has pledged his personal profits for the next decade to research and development of green energy sources. This donation is estimated at $3 billion dollars.
More Hip Book Club
Join us as we wrap up our first book Fast Food Nation with a live chat on Sunday Decemember 3rd at 10 am PST. See you there!
Our next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.
Holiday Survival Guide
Listen in for some great tips that will help you survive the stress of holiday season! Try some of these great products, available at Greenfeet.com, for a more eco-friendly holiday.
- Decrease your waste output in style with the Compost Crock, complete with charcoal filter to keep your kitchen smelling good.
- Forget plastic bags for your yard waste. Instead, try biodegradable BioBags.
- At your next holiday shindig, ditch paper plates and reach for bambu Disposable Veneerware. It's stylish and good for the planet!
- Real tree or fake tree? Listen to last years show to hear what Dori and Val have to say about the tree debate!
Teenie Weenie Greenie:
Keeping your tires inflated saves the planet, and might even save your life. Learn why at About.com.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Save the best for last. Craig wanted to let us know about Last.fm, a social music site that tracks the listening habits of its users and can make recommendations on other music they might like. Check out the MHTH page and Craig's page too. Thanks Craig!
- Lower your CO2 emissions! Shayna discovered an article with some bright ideas for trimming your CO2 emissions.
- BUST'n out! BUST magazine provides an uncensored view on the female experience. But don't worry, Kellie assures us that this isn't one of those "I hate men" type of feminist publications! She found a great article about how to take those old plastic bags and turn them into a cool reusable tote. Subscribe to BUST here!
- Meaty. . . Doug found a couple of video clips that tie right in with our More Hip Book Club selection, Fast Food Nation. The Meatrix and Backwards Hamburger use animation to delve into the problems with the meat packing industry.
- Biddie-tastic! Our very own Jillicious found this swinging clip of The Lascivious Biddies rocking out their song "Betty". It's a sneak peak from their new DVD The Lascivious Biddies Live in New York City.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_76_Holiday_Survival_Guide.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:54 PM |
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Thu, 23 November 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Green CreditHelp others this holiday season simply by shopping! Find the green credit card that's right for you, and a portion of every purchase you make will go to a worthy cause. No you don't have to feel so bad about those mounting charges! Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen.
Chocolate: Milk Chocolate Cajou with Cashews and Raisins from Alter Eco.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Meet Up! Do you live close to Chico, CA? Take a little road trip up to MHTH's hometown to see Jonathan Richman in concert on December 7.
- Send eco-friendly holiday greetings. Greene Street Greetings allows you to send holiday cheer near and far with post consumer waste recycled paper.
- Dead sexy! Check out the Men of Mortuaries Calendar. Proceeds go to the KAMM foundation to help people going through treatment for breast cancer.
- Pick a Present! Get your holiday shopping done and get a free gift for yourself! Spend $75 at Greenfeet and receive one free gift valued up to $20! You can't lose!
- Know your brew. Get the Quick Study Beer Guide and find out the truth behind some common beer myths.
- Snailwell Gazette. Subscribe to this quirky publication at SnailwellGazette.com.
- Plant for the Planet. Help fight global warming by joining Plant for the Planet, a campaign that hopes to plant a billion trees.
- More Hip Than Hippie Merch! Be the first on the block to have your very own More Hip Than Hippie Klean Kanteen, available at Greenfeet.
News:
- Keep your distance! Icebergs are heading north toward the Timaru coast in New Zealand. Fishermen beware!
More Hip Book ClubOur next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Charge it! With Green Credit
Help the planet while you get your holiday shopping done! Put those purchases on the card - a green credit card. With each purchase, money will go to help the environment!
- Who's been naughty and who's been nice? Check out CoopAmerica.org and Treehugger.com to find out.
- Find out what the major lending institutions are funding at DirtyMoney.org.
- Your credit card could be funding political candidates that you don't agree with. Find out at OpenSecrets.org .
- The American Express Red Card is available for those of you in the UK. 1% of each purchase goes to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa.
- Get the Working Assets Visa Card and ten cents from every purchase will be donated to nonprofit groups like Doctors Without Borders.
- The Salmon Nation credit card from ShoreBank Pacific donates a percentage from each purchase to Ecotrust and Salmon Nation.
- The GreenCard Visa is for those of you in the Netherlands. It has a unique program that offsets all carbon emissions released into the atmosphere through the manufacture and use of products bought with the card.
- Try the Greenpeace Affinity Card if you live in the UK. Money from each purchase goes to support Greenpeace.
Listener Emails Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- A little chocolate each day keeps the doctor away? It's true folks! As the saying goes, "great minds think alike". Crystal and Patrick found an article about how a little chocolate can be good for your heart. The discovery was made after participants in a heart study at Johns Hopkins University cheated on their diets, indulging in some chocolate goodness.
- A gathering of hipsters. Doug had a location suggestion for a More Hip Than Hippie gathering in the Spring. He recommends Hershey Lodge. It's close to the chocoholic mecca, the Hershey Chocolate Factory. Sounds good to us!
- Safe lawns across the country. Cameron found out SafeLawns.org in 2007 will be launching "The Year of the Safe Lawn". The effort will encourage the public to utilize natural and organic lawn care techniques.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_75_Green_Credit.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:41 AM |
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Wed, 15 November 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #74 - Green Hobbies With the short days of Winter upon us, it's important to keep active to avoid that Winter slump. Hobbies are a great way to occupy your time while doing something you enjoy. We'll cover a few popular green hobbies that you can do all year round.
Beer and Chocolate: 
Beer: Waimea Bay Pale Ale from Waimea Brewing Company in Kauai, Hawaii.
Chocolate: Dolfin Dark Chocolate with Pink Peppercorn.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Fun bags! This is an interesting eco-friendly choice from Japan - the No! Shopping Bag Bra. The lacy red bra has padded cups that can be removed and transformed into bags to carry your groceries. Guess you could call it a meeting of sexy and sustainability!
- Size DOES matter! Men, don't feel left out! Like the Wonderbra before it, the WonderJock from Aussiebum offers men the appearance of enlargement in all the right places!
- What can you do today? Find a way to make the world a better place by checking out 100 Ways to Save The Environment.
- Don't let static cling put a damper on your day! Not a fan of commercial fabric softeners? Try one of these six tips to put static cling in its place.
News:
- Blood Diamond. In theaters December 9, the movie Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio digs into the dangerous world of the diamond trade in South Africa.
- Don't get sucked into the vortex! According to a Greenpeace study, old toothbrushes, beach toys, and used condoms are among the items that have created a vortex of plastic trash accumulating between Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. The pollution is causing problems for the area's ocean life as fish, turtles, and birds get tangled in the mess.
- Potential environmental benefits of 2006 election. With Republicans on their way out, there are hopes for a greener future with environmental issues such as global warming and renewable energy moving to the forefront of the political agenda.
- Dolphin developments in the Far East. A bottlenose dolphin captured near Japan has what appears to be the remains of hind legs. It is believed that the animals once lived on land millions of years ago. More than 20,000 dolphins are facing destruction as part of the annual hunt by Japanese fisherman. The fisherman claim it is a form of 'pest control' to offset the amount of fish the dolphins eat. You can help prevent this slaughter by contacting the Japanese Embassy.
More Hip Book Club
Keep on reading everybody! We've got a discussion thread set up on the forum and can't wait to hear your thoughts on the second part of Fast Food Nation.
Our next book? In January, we'll be starting our second book, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Green Hobbies
Combine a hobby you're passionate about with being green and you'll have plenty of ways to pass the darker days of Winter!
- Geocaching is like a green treasure hunt where you find caches hidden by others using a GPS unit.
- Try picking up 10 pieces of trash on your way to finding the cache.
- Learn more about this worldwide phenomenon and find cache coordinates at Geocaching.com.
- Gardening is a great way to get out into nature and make the world more beautiful.
- As the weather gets colder, try bringing the gardening inside with a mini herb garden. It's great for kids and the fresh herbs add that something special to your cooking.
- Get tips, ideas, and more at You Grow Girl.
- Bird watching is a great Winter hobby because with a small set up, you can do it from inside your home.
- Enjoy different species of birds from the
comfort of your home! Outside a window, set up
several bird feeders of varying heights to
accommodate the preferences of different birds.
- Find more tips at Birdwatching.com.
- Knitting will pass the time while creating funky and fun gifts for friends and family.
- When it's cold outside, there is no better gift that a snuggly scarf or cozy beanie.
- Find knitting patterns, techniques, and more at About.com.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- No cheerleader beer here! Theresa from Santa Cruz Mountains wanted to turn us onto her favorite organic brewery, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing. If you ever get a chance to try out one of their beers, she recommends the Organic IPA. Thanks for the tip Theresa!
- While we're on the subject of cheerleaders... Doug found this hilarious clip of some cheerleaders greatest hits!
- Barenaked Planet. Kellie found out that her favorite band, Barenaked Ladies, is joining with environmental group Reverb to launch Barenaked Planet on their upcoming tour. The environmental effort includes the use of biodiesel vehicles for the entire tour, recycling and composting back stage, wind energy offsetting for every show, and an eco-village with non-profit organizations and green businesses at each tour stop. Talk about using your star power for a good cause!
- Good Kitty. Hilary wanted to recommend an eco-friendly cat litter called Kitty Soft. It's made from 100% recycled newspaper with baking soda and since there is no dust it's great for people with allergies. Thanks Hilary!
- Put me in Coach! Bob wanted to let us know about his podcast, the Baseball History Podcast. It's all about America's favorite pastime and a great way to learn about this great sport!
- Can you keep a secret? We can't! Mike sent us a link to the not-so-secret In-N-Out Burger secret menu. We'd like ours Animal Style, please!
- Building a greener future. Do you live near Denver, Colorado? Green Jim is planning on attending Greenbuild 2006 in Denver, America's largest green conference, from November 15-17. If you're planning on attending, be sure to check out the forum and maybe there can be a More Hip Meet Up! Don't miss out!
- Cheers to Chico! Jessica found an article on Solar Buzz praising the beloved hometown of More Hip Than Hippie, Chico, California. The City of Chico recently dedicated its 1.1 Megawatt ground-mounted solar tracking system at the city's Water Pollution Control Plant. The tracking system is just one part of Chico's effort to educate its citizens about the benefits of solar energy.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_74_Green_Hobbies.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:34 PM |
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Wed, 8 November 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #73 - Slow Food Forget fast food, have you heard of the Slow Food Movement? We're finding out what it means to be a part of this movement and talking about what you can do to slow down and enjoy everything life has to offer!
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Celebration Ale from Chico's own Sierra Nevada Brewery.
Chocolate: Retro Key Lime Pie, a dark chocolate bar filled with Key Lime ganache and Retro Salty Pretzel, a dark chocolate bar filled with salty pretzel chunks. Both bars are from The Chocolate Bar, sent to us by Laura in NYC.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
News:
- One fish too many. Science journal has reported that if current trends of overfishing and pollution continue, seafood populations may collapse by 2048. Does that mean no more Go Fish?
More Hip Book Club
Are you enjoying Fast Food Nation as much as we are? Keep up the reading! We'll be chatting about the book up through "The Most Dangerous Job" on next week's show!
Slow Food Movement
Learn more about Maria Venturino's restaurant, Red Tavern.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Aromatherapy yarn. Lisa was looking for some natural plant dyed aromatherapy yarn. We're not sure if it's completely natural, but you can try Lang's Emotion Colors Yarn and Emotion Yarn.
- Don't get burned! New listener Stacy wanted to know a more eco-friendly way to store foods for freezing. Try some glassware, available at Greenfeet.
- Sustainable style. Sean found a cardboard laptop case. Our only question is what happens if it gets wet?
- Sun in a hose? That's what Aveda's President Dominique Conseil is saying about a new hybrid lighting system being tested at the company's manufacturing plant. Alison from New York came across the article about a lighting system that pulls sunlight into fluorescent light bulbs when it's sunny outside but uses traditional electricity when it's cloudy.
- What's your favorite brew? Heidi from VA wanted to let us know about some of her favorites. She loves the Morimoto Hazelnut Signature Ale from Rogue Brewery in OR. She is also a big fan of the Chicory Stout from Dogfish HeadBrewery out of Delaware. Thanks for the recommendations Heidi! Be sure to check out Heidi's blog at Groxie.com.
- Fellow podcaster. Shedtroll is a young hippie with a podcast. Check out his show, The Demented Random Guy Podcast.
- Solar goes mainstream. Shayna found out that Home Depot will soon be carrying solar roofs. Yay!
- Faux Rocks! Fashion Show. Julia, a fashion designer and design instructor wanted to let us know about a cruelty-free fashion show that she has organized with her students. The Faux Rocks! fashion show will happen on November 18 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson, Nevada.
- Hybrids a thing of the past? BJK found an article about how several of the major automakers will be launching lines of New Age diesels. These new green vehicles will boost fuel economy by 25%-40% while still delivering the power that American drivers crave.
- Keep Texas Beautiful. Michelle wanted to let us know about the Keep Texas Beautiful series of ornaments. All proceeds from the ornaments benefit programs that work to empower Texans to improve the environment.
- Coming November 16th. Samantha in San Francisco wanted spread the word about Lets Green This City, an effort to make San Fran the greenest city in the United States. It's hoped that this might also inspire other cities to make the commitment to a greener future. Be sure to check out the website when it launches Nov. 16th at www.letsgreenthiscity.com.
- Patrick had quite a few interesting links for us this week.
- Palm and pumpkin seed oil could soon be powering mobile phone networks across Africa in a plan to replace fossil fuels with sustainable biofuels made from crops grown by local farmers.
- Check out this -interesting?- workout equipment, the iGallop. Trust us, just watch the video!
- If you ever make it out to North Carolina, you'll want to go on a tour at the Carolina Brewing Company in Holly Springs. Lets just say they have a very generous taste-testing segment at the beginning and end of the tour. Sounds like our kind of place!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_73_Slow_Food.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:31 PM |
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Wed, 1 November 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #72 - I'm Hatin' It We're talking about what it's like living in a Fast Food Nation. Did you know that fast food tends to be cheaper because of lower quality and unhealthy ingredients? Fast food could be a driving force behind a growing obeseity problem in lower income families.
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale from - gasp!- Anheuser-Busch. Chocolate: Dark Belgian Chocolate by Lake Champlain Chocolates.
Hip News and Finds
Finds: - Be sure to pick up the first official piece of More Hip Than Hippie merchandise - the More Hip Bottle Opener made from a recycled bicycle chain.
- Giant blueberries or purple tomatoes? Oregon State University researchers are in the process of developing a hybrid tomato that has dark purple skin. The new pigment is contains nutrients thought to reduce the risk of cancer.
- "You'll shoot your eye out," was the response young Ralphie would receive when he revealed the present he wanted most, a Red Ryder BB gun, in the classic movie "A Christmas Story". Now fans of the movie can tour the famous Cleveland house where much of the movie was filmed.
- Get crafty by making one-of-a-kind gifts from your old woolen sweaters!
News: - Don't drink the water! An investigation by the Environmental Working Group has discovered that public water supplies in 42 U.S. states are contaminated with 141 unregulated chemicals. Which state with the most contaminants in their drinking water? Tune in to find out!
More Hip Book Club
This week we dive into Fast Food Nation, and will be talking about the first section, "The American Way". We hope everyone is keeping up with their reading! The next section we will be covering will be through the chapter "The Most Dangerous Job".
I'm Hatin' It
Learn how too much corn in your diet can result in some serious health problems. Read the article I'm Hatin' It at about.com!
Listener Emails Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Over the shoulder boulder holders. Melanie from Chicago shared Dori and Val's frustration with underwires until she discovered Decent Exposures. None of their bras have wires, instead they turn to a wide elastic band for support. They even are available in organic cotton! Thanks for the great tip Melanie!
- Greenwashing. Kellie found this article about a new low cost, energy-efficient laptop that will be sold at Wal-Mart. Why are we not surprised?
- Polluters pay high price. New forum member BluPoet03 wanted to let us know about a London proposal that would raise the price of parking permits for drivers of the most polluting cars. The car owners could potentially be charged up to three times more for permits to park outside of their homes.
- Is there anything hemp can't do? While doing some online shopping at Natural Collections Tom discovered products using hemp plastic. Just another reason that the industrial use of hemp should be legal!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_72_Im_Hatin_It.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:08 PM |
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Wed, 25 October 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #71 - Good Fish, Bad Fish It's a well known fact that the omega 3 essential fatty acids found in fish have a number of healthy benefits. However, the growing pollution problem is causing rising mercury levels in seafood. How do you know how much is too much when eating fish, and do the health benefits outweigh the risks? We'll help you nagivate these murky waters by giving you tips for making healthy choices and reducing your mercury intake.
Beer and Chocolate:  Beer: Oktoberfest from Joseph Brau Brewery, by Trader Joe's. You can't get it online, but if you're lucky you can find a Trader Joe's near you!
Chocolate: Java Truffle filled Dark Chocolate by Lake Champlain Chocolates. Thanks for hooking us up, Laura!
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- What can you do to make a difference? Saturday October 28 is Make A Difference Day, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Take a look around your community and see how you can help make it a better place. By taking on one small project or deed to help out, you contribute to the big picture of making the world a better place!
- Get your organic on the run. A new restaurant and catering chain, Organic-To-Go, is tapping into a market that is often overlooked by traditional fast-food joints. Now you can have your favorite organic treats and eats, like organic roasted, herbed potatoes, while you're out running errands. Or if you're too busy to get out, you can have it delivered right to your doorstep in a recycled plastic bag. Why didn't someone think of this before?
News:
- Seeing red. Popular retail chain the Gap has launched a new clothing line called (Product) Red, with a percentage of sales going to The Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Pick yourself up a shirt, it will make you feel good inside and out.
- Who tops the list? The EPA just published its annual list of the best workplaces for commuters among the Fortune 500 companies.
- Have you had a ghostly experience? Since Halloween is just around the corner, we're asking you to share your otherworldly experiences with us. Have a good story? Skype us at "morehip" and leave us a message with your story. Don't have Skype? Get it here or you can call +1 530.554.2605 and leave a message.
Essential Oil
Pick up your Ginger essential oil at Greenfeet, it's great for treating a number of ailments. Here are just a few of its uses:
- Reduces motion sickness and morning sickness.
- A good preventative remedy for infectious illnesses.
- Treat arthritis, aching muscles, and poor circulation.
Good Fish, Bad Fish
Don't let fish leave a bad taste in your mouth! Despite the health benefits associated with eating fish, mercury levels in commercial fish and shellfish are raising concerns. Have no fear, with a few tips and a little knowledge, you can make healthy choices on your next trip to the market.
More Hip Book Club
We hope you're enjoying our first book, Fast Food Nation! We'll be talking about the first section "The American Way" on next week's show and look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Golf anyone? Shayna found this article about how some people are turning to souped-up golf carts for their full-time ride. They are considered alternative-fuel vehicles, which means serious federal tax breaks for the drivers. Maybe you can spend the money you save on those expensive greens fees!
- Walk the line. Rebecca from Boston was looking for some information about line drying clothes. Check out LaundryList.org.
- Queue up for The Snailwell Gazette. Elizabeth just launched the new website for her publication The Snailwell Gazette. It's all about the antics of an American family living in jolly old England and is sure to have you laughing!
- Vroom Vroom. Paul wanted to let us know about Diesel Secret Energy, a kit that can have any diesel engine running on a vegetable oil based fuel in as quickly as one day. Sounds like a great idea to us!
- Wood is good. Aimee in San Francisco found Suissa Computers, a company that uses wood casings for their computers. They're cool looking and eco-friendly!
- Crazy for cacao! A listener found an article in The Seattle Times that gives chocolate lovers the lowdown on cacao content.
- Do you use CFL's? A thread in the forum was discussing the mercury content in the energy-efficient bulbs. To learn more, read this fact sheet.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_71_Good_Fish_Bad_Fish.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:57 PM |
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Wed, 18 October 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #70 - Green Pest Control As Winter approaches, we find ourselves staying closer to home and sharing the warmth of a crackling fire with family. The only problem is that as the temperature drops, humans are not the only ones heading for shelter. Before long, you'll find the yourself in the unwelcome company of common pests such as ants, roaches, and moths as they begin to seek refuge from the harsh weather.
Have no fear! We've got some simple 'recipes' for natural pest control that will have you giving those pests a run for their money.
Beer and Chocolate:
 Beer: Freak Out Ale by The Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, CA.
Chocolate: West Africa 73% Cacao Dark Chocolate from Neuhaus.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Political humor heats up. Forget jokes about elephants and donkeys, late-night television humor has global warming in its sights. You'll have your environmentalist friends in stitches with some of these one-liners from Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
- Apple crisp, anyone? This holiday season your friends and family will be blown away at your cooking prowess when you serve up this delicious apple crisp.
- Get crafty with your kids. All you need is an old cd and your imagination to make this fun flashy fish disk. You'll love making it as much as your kids do!
- Drink beer and save the world? Sign us up! Find out more in the book Fermenting Revolution.
- Be kind to the planet, one load of laundry at a time. Check out LaundryList.org and get your own clothes drying rack. You will help save the planet by saving energy!
- Listen to John Romano's new album "Evolution" here!
News: - It keeps growing and growing... The U.S. population has hit the 300 million mark and is raising concerns among environmentalists. Americans are consuming more food, energy, and natural resources than ever before, leaving environmentalists wondering how much longer the planet can handle the growth.
- Health officials have found cow manure from a ranch in California that carries a strain of E. Coli that matches the strain found in the recent outbreak in bagged spinach. Officials are still attempting to determine the connection between the infected cattle and the contamination of the spinach.
More Hip Book Club
We hope you've gotten your copy of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, the first selection of the More Hip Book Club. For the slightly younger set (13 years old +) you'll want to check out Chew On This by Eric Schlosser, a toned down version of Fast Food Nation that is perfect for the teenager in your life.
Green Pest Control
Don't let pesky pests put a damper on your holiday season! Keep roaches, ants, and moths at a distance this winter with some simple, natural recipes and tips for pest control.
- Recipes
- Natural Pest Control Services
- Useful books about natural pest control:
- Check out these helpful products available at Greenfeet
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- From recycling to riches. Tim sent us an article about Chinese billionaire Zhang Yin, who has surpassed both Oprah and J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame, as the richest self-made woman in the world. The source of Zhang's wealth? She is the founder of Nine Dragons Paper, a company that recycles scrap paper from the U.S. for use in China.
- Did you know? Marketing Assistant Rachel stumbled upon a great source of random facts at AskMen.com. For example, did you know it is estimated that any one time, .7% of the world's population is drunk? Fascinating.
- Could it get any better? Several listeners wanted to tell us about a new chocolate beer from Miller Brewing called Miller Classic Chocolate Lager. We can't wait to get our hands on this one!
- Halloween gets green. Ruth found some great tips for having a green Halloween. With a few simple changes, you can reduce waste and make a positive impact on the planet this October 31.
- Light up your life. Shayna found this video clip about lighting your home with Hybrid Solar Lighting.
- The chocolate that wasn't. Nancy wanted to send us a bar of Venchi 85% cacao chocolate, unfortunately her son beat us to it! It's the thought that counts!
- Say Adios to fleas. Leslie Beth is in search of a healthy alternative to traditional flea control treatments for her cats. Try Spotted Dog Aromatherapy Spray.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_70_Green_Pest_Control.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:37 PM |
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Wed, 11 October 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #69 - Breast Cancer Awareness It's Breast Cancer Awareness month, so we're going to be chatting about some great resources for information on risk factors, prevention, and cancer research. Also, we introduce the first book we will be reading for the More Hip Book Club.
Beer and Chocolate:
 Beer: Old Slugger Pale Ale and Benchwarmer Porter from Cooperstown Brewing.
Chocolate: Swiss Dark Chocolate with Coconut Art Bar by Ithaca Fine Chocolates, sent to us from Texas by 'Green neck' Hipster Laura. Thanks!
Hip News and Finds:
 Finds:
- Find more great projects and articles like the ones Jillicious chatted about in ReadyMade Magazine.
- Chasing Zero. This great article in Good Magazine is 'An Experiment in Extreme Urban Environmentalism'. New York has one of the smallest per capita ecological footprints in the country, and one reporter set out on a month-long experiment to discover how much more the footprint could shrink.
- Tired of all the gas-guzzling cars out there? You'll want to check out 40MPG.org, a website that is working to make 40 miles per gallon the standard for all cars in the United States.
- Dogs are people too! Well not really, but you love them like family and now you can share your love of beer with your favorite four-legged friend!
Happy Tail Ale is a non-alcoholic beer for dogs, and we put it to the test with a panel of six pooches very close to our hearts. Val's Labradors Sam, Zoey, and Daisy, Rachel's black lab Kirin Ichiban, and Greenfeet employee Erin's Artemis and Raya were all very eager taste-testing participants.
The results? A whopping 5 out of 6 happy tails!
Why Happy Tail Ale and not regular human beer? Dogs can't metabolize alcohol, so your favorite brew isn't a healthy choice for your furry friend. Happy Tail Ale uses all human grade ingredients tailored for a dogs tastes. There's no carbonation or alcohol, and it's brewed with malted barley, filtered water, natural beef flavor, and fortified with Glucosamine and Vitamin E. Trust us, they love this stuff!
News:
- Beer turns men into women? Guys will definitely want to read more about this humorous study!
- Wine isn't the only thing that gets better with age. The Supercentenarian Research Foundation hopes to discover why some people reach supercentenarian status, that's 110 years and older, and to develop strategies that combat the effects of aging.
- Don't drink the carrot juice! Four people have been poisoned by botulism in carrot juice in the Southeast. Three people in Georgia and one woman in Tampa, FL have experienced respiratory failure and paralyzation and remain hospitalized since drinking the bottled carrot juice.
- Winter's tale. A baby bottlenose dolphin named Winter, who lost her tail after getting caught in the buoy line of a crab trap, might be getting a new lease on life. Though Winter has learned to swim without her tail, marine scientist Steve McCulloch is hoping that a prosthetic tail can make life a little easier for the resilient dolphin.
- U.S. Senators seek investigation of Bush. Fourteen Senators are calling for an investigation into allegations that the Bush administration repeatedly tried to silence scientists from speaking out about the dangers of global warming.
More Hip Book Club
 The first selection for the fabulous More Hip Book Club will be Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Buy your copy at Amazon.com or Half.com.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we've decided to do our part in raising the awareness.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Correction! Eileen sent us a correction to an article we talked about last week. It turns out that 'Governator' Arnold Schwarzenegger has not actually sold all of his Hummers. A media representive from his office said that Schwarzenegger still owns four of his hummers. Thanks for the update!
- Celebrate Fair Trade Month. Jean, who works for TransFair USA suggested that we do a show on Fair Trade Month. Great idea! You'll also want to check out DiscoverFairTrade.org.
- Is there such a thing as a 'greener' war? Melissa sent us an article about how one of the world's largest arms manufacturers, BAE systems, is introducing more 'environmentally friendly' weapons in an effort to minimize harm to the environment and people. These 'environmentally friendly' weapons include bullets with a lower lead content to reduce risk to to humans. Maybe this is an obvious question, but even with a lower lead content, won't the bullets still be harmful to those that get shot with them?
- Forget green thumbs, we've got green toes! Dee sent us a link to Plants For A Future, a resource for unusual and rare plants. She also a great photo of some artsy green feet!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_69_Breast_Cancer_Awareness.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:40 PM |
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Wed, 4 October 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #68 - Interview with an Eco-Warrior She's back from vacation and better than ever! Val makes her triumphant return to the patio this week to tell us all about her East Coast adventure. We also spend a few minutes chatting up our favorite Eco-lawyer. There will be beer. There will be chocolate. There will be many listener emails. It's going to be an exciting show, you don't want to miss out!
Beer and Chocolate:  Beer: Big Al IPA from Smuttynose Brewery - Thanks again Smartchick Sara!
Chocolate:Dolfin Chocolat Noir Au The Earl Grey. That's French for yummy dark chocolate with earl grey!
Hip News and Finds Finds:
- This is a picture of the restaurant Val and Rob went to on their East Coast Tour. It looks like Friendly's is taking food service to the next level!
- Jillicious found SustainLane Government, a website that hopes to help cities improve their sustainability. Access is free and it works by connecting city officials to practices and programs that have worked in other cities. You can help by telling your city officials about the site.
- Get serious about chocolate tasting. By following a few easy steps, you can learn how to taste dark chocolate - the right way. Apparently, just stuffing your face isn't proper. Hmph.
News:
- Calling all satisfied customers! Greenfeet is up for Co-op America's 2006 Green Business of the Year and voting wraps up October 5. Show Greenfeet your appreciation by voting now!
- Can they do that? New York City is proposing a ban on trans fats in restaurant food. If enacted, all restaurants using trans fats would be forced to switch to healthier oils within six months or risk being fined. Good for our waistline, bad for when you just need a french fry.
- A new Olympic sport? Probably not, but border volleyball has become quite a hit at a small beach along the US-Mexico border in Southern California. Players and spectators alike gather on their respective sides of the 20-foot metal pylons that mark the border and a game ensues.
- Governator says, "Hasta la vista, baby" to his collection of Hummers. A British newspaper reported that CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has sold his eight Hummers to prove his commitment to 'terminate' (hehe) global warming. The sale of his Hummers, which get a dismal 10 mpg, happened shortly after California announced that it is suing six major auto makers over their vehicles' greenhouse gas emissions.
Interview with an Eco-Warrior:
Here are some of the links our lawyer, William Morris, discusses during the interview:
Listener Emails Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Image of Hope. Laurie sent us this beautiful picture! Thanks Laurie!
- What is a single gal to do? Sometimes it can be hard to find fresh, organic produce when you're living in a big city. Laura in NYC uses Urban Organics, a service that delivers organic goods right to your door step. She was having trouble making those organic goodies last long enough to enjoy in a household of one until she discovered Evert Fresh Produce Bags on Greenfeet.com. Glad we could help, Laura!
- A different kind of chocolate bar. Mary Ellen sent us an email about an Israeli restaurateur who has opened a chocolate bar off New York's Union Square called Chocolate By The Bald Man. Let's make sure we've got this straight: it's a restaurant that serves only chocolate? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?!
- Girl Scouts make good by recycling. Lorre's Girl Scout troop in rural Minnesota made headlines by leading the nation in recycling plastic soda bottles. They receive five cents for each bottle, which goes toward funding a trip for the girls in 2009. Lorre got the idea after hearing about the company TerraCycle and their fund-raising projects on a past episode of MHTH. Keep up the good work girls!
- $50 french fries? Brian sent us this article about how the increased use of biodiesel might drive up the price of cooking oil. The silver lining of this cloud is that if the price of french fries rises, we'd buy less and get skinnier! We'll take that trade off, thank you very much!
- Pollution within our bodies? Not a pleasant thought. Eileen found an interview on NPR with science writer David Ewing Duncan, who set out to learn more about the pollution within our bodies and where it comes from. You can read more about his findings in the October issue of National Geographic.
- A brush with benefits! Sarah wanted to let us know about a hairbrush that will make you beautiful on the outside and inside. Not only is Aveda's ceramic round brush made from 100% post-consumer waste, but sales help support victims of Hurricane Katrina. Thanks for the tip Sarah!
- Concerns over going green. Melissa sent us a post from TerraBlog about an article in Forbes that claims buying green causes more harm than help. We're always up for a good debate!
- It's all about the pets. William sent us a bunch of great links with products for our furry friends.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
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Wed, 27 September 2006
More Hip Than Hippie #67 - Beer, but No Val It's official: Beer is good for you. Nope, you don't have wax in your ears; beer can have a positive effect on your health.
What's the catch? The benefits only come with drinking in moderation. But you probably knew that already, being the intelligent, responsible adult of legal drinking age that you are.
So do something good for your body and crack open your favorite frosty brew. Here's to your health!
Beer and Chocolate:  Beer: Old Thumper from England's Ringwood Brewery.
Chocolate: Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Truffle. You can't get it online, but if you're lucky you can find a Trader Joe's near you.
Hip News News:
- 'Rebel Billionaire' joins fight against global warming. Richard Branson, the British business mogul behind the Virgin brand, has pledged $3 billion, yes we said billion, dollars over the next ten years to fight global warming and promote alternative energy. If only all billionaires were so generous.
- California takes a stand: The state has filed a global warming lawsuit against six major car makers claiming that greenhouse gasses from their cars have cost the state millions of dollars. Hopefully, this will encourage companies to make more eco-friendly cars.
- Google says, "Don't be evil" and is willing to back up its famous slogan. The company is launching a new charity, Google.org, that will be developing a super-efficient hybrid car that is expected to go more than 100 miles per gallon.
- Nothing like a game of tennis... in your head. British doctors have used brain scans to discover that a woman in a vegetative state imagined playing tennis in her head. Does that mean she'll be tired when she wakes up?
Beer - Can it get any better? It's a wonderful day. It's true! Beer in moderation can have health benefits. For those of you still in disbelief, here are just a few of the ways that beer is good for you:
- Reduces chances of heart disease
- Reduction in kidney stones
- Cancer prevention
- Fights osteoporosis
Think we might be biased? Check out these sites to learn more:
Feng Shui Tip Did you know that your dining table can affect your career? Neither did we! The larger your dining table, the better and stronger its energy - and the more your career can grow. The best energy comes from a dining table in one of these shapes: circle, square, rectangular, oval, or octagonal. Our question is, what other shapes are there?
Listener Emails Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- What's more manly than a Harley? An electric Harley. Martha has a friend who drives one. She also thinks he might be the perfect man for a certain single co-host of a popular podcast. Hook it up Martha!
- Bulletproof chickens? BJK sent us a great email about researchers working to develop clothing from the stray feathers in henhouses. The feathers' honeycomb structure gives researchers hope that they can be made into weather resistant clothing and bulletproof vests.
- Chocolate: Need we say more? Doug wanted to let us know about the first organic chocolate factory in the U.S. called Theo Chocolate. Yummy!
- Experience Eco-Luxury. Our very own Jillicious found GreenBliss ecospa parties, that brings eco-friendly relaxation to your home. Sign us up!
Direct download: More_Hip_67_Beer_But_No_Val.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:12 PM |
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Wed, 20 September 2006
More Hip Than Hippie # 66 - Eco-Athlete We've been getting quite a few emails asking for a show about green fitness, so here it is. We did some research to find out how environmentally conscious some of the leading athletic companies are. We also give you some great resources for eco-friendly workout gear. Enjoy the show!
Beer and Chocolate:  Beer: Liberty Ale by Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco, CA.
Chocolate: Trader Joe's Divine Duets Belgian Dark Chocolate with almond praline cream. You can't get it online, but if you're lucky you can find a Trader Joe's near you.
Hip News and Finds Finds: All of our finds this week come from Natural Home magazine:
- Alternative energy has a new spokeswoman: Lady Liberty. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island have become the first two American landmarks to be powered completely by alternative energy. Amazing! Find out more at StatueofLiberty.org.
- The next generation of scouting: Spiral Scouts International. This co-ed eco-program teaches kids all about the earth, camping and outdoor skills, as well as Earth-centered mythology. What a great idea!
- Calling all new mommies! Check out Natural Knits for Babies and Moms. They have great patterns that use organic yarn for stuffed animals, as well as baby and maternity clothing.
News:
- Start stretching out your neck muscles for this one folks. A California redwood called Hyperion has been tentatively measured as the world's tallest living thing, coming in at a staggering 378.1 feet tall!
- Intersex fish anyone? Male fish that have developed female sexual traits are being found in the Potomac River, raising concerns about the pollutants in the water source for millions of people.
- Affordable footwear? "Impossible!" you say, but not anymore! New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury is now endorsing a sneaker called the "Starbury One" that will cost just $15 - we'll believe it when we see it!
Eco-Athlete
Listener Emails Once again, we have a bunch of great listener emails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Kristi from Minnesota wrote in to let us know about the changes Adobe is making in an effort to go green. Keep up the good work Adobe!
- Mike-e wanted to tell us about one of his favorite websites, Care2.com where a donation is made to each of their nine causes every time you click on a link. It's also a great source for environmental tips and news. Thanks Mike-e!
- Lauren found this site about the Fur Products Labeling Act. It turns out that clothing using less than $150 worth of fur doesn't have to list the types of animals killed on the label. That means your clothing could use fur and you might not even know it!
- Michael found a blog article about how Honda will start producing cars that run on 100% ethanol. It's good to hear that the big companies are working toward a greener future!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_66_Eco_Athlete.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 8:51 PM |
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Wed, 13 September 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Going Solar This week it's all about having fun with the sun, solar power that is. We'll tell you about several solar powered gadgets as well as interview Tim Hamor of Alternative Energy Systems. We try a new beer and chocolate and elighten you with hip news and finds.
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Foster's Lager from Australia. Crikey! This one's for you Steve!
Chocolate: Dagoba's Latte Organic Chocolate with milk chocolate, ground coffee, and cinnamon.
Hip News and Finds Finds:
- You've got to see this! Watch OkGo get crazy with some treadmills in their new music video for the song "Here it goes again". You can see it on our myspace page. Hey, while you're there, why not add us as your friend?
- Worried about your energy bill this winter? Have no fear! USA Weekend featured this great article with money and energy saving tips.
- Hablas Español?? There is a contest going on in Argentina on taking items found at your local hardware store and turning them into functional home accessories. You can find out more at this site if your Spanish es muy bueno!
News:
- We're excited to hear that child labor is decreasing in Asia, but are these changes happening fast enough? Read more about the plight here
- The world mourns the sudden death of famed environmentalist Steve Irwin, who was pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming in the Great Barrier Reef on September 4, 2006.
- Want to send a message? The Queensland Government website has set up this page where you can send your messages of sympathy and condolence to Irwin's family.
- Feeling generous? You can make a donation in memory of Steve to an organization close to his heart, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.
Solar Gadgets
Here are some great solar powered gadgets that will light up your life:
- Get charged up with the Solio solar powered iPod charger. Now you'll never miss another MHTH, no matter where you are in the world!
- Ever wonder what would happen if a robot and a sunflower had a baby? Why would you? But since we brought it up, check out the SunFlower Solar Station.
- For a great way to teach kids about solar energy, get yourself some SunPrint Solar Photographic Paper.
- LumiWall Solar Glass looks like shaded glass during the day, but lights up with led lights at night. It won't provide any energy for your home, but it sure looks cool.
- Use solar energy to keep pesky mosquitos at a distance with this amazing gadget.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great listener comments. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com. And don't forget to post articles, links, and speak your mind at our MHTH forum!
- Margaret wrote in to let us know about where to find reusable coffee pods for Senseo coffeemakers, they're called ecopads. Thanks for the tip Margaret!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_65_Going_Solar.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:27 PM |
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Thu, 7 September 2006
More Hip Than Hippie # 64 - A Light SubjectLight pollution is a growing, and often overlooked, problem affecting our communities. As the glow from city lights increases, our view of the night sky diminishes. However, light pollution doesn't just affect the star-gazing crowd anymore. It's causing more and more problems for our nocturnal animal friends as well. Learn how light pollution impacts your community and how you can help. Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Dark Canyon Ale from Feather River Brewing Company in Magalia, CA.
Chocolate: Newman's Own Sweet Dark Chocolate.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
News- Europe's first spacecraft to the moon, the SMART-1 ended its three-year mission with a planned crash. Talk about some expensive fireworks!
- The New York Times reported that the National Park Service is adopting a policy that will emphasize conservation over recreation. It's about time if you ask us!
Live Forum Chat with Dori and ValAre you craving some time with the girls? Dori and Val will be live on the forum on 9-9 at 9am (Pacific Time). Don't miss this opportunity to talk with your favorite podcast hosts, Dori and Val. Ok - Rob, Jillicious and (ta-da) Marketing Assistant Rachel might be there too!
Light Pollution
We've got some great links with the basics about light pollution as well as where you can find lighting that won't contribute to the problem.
Feng Shui Tip of the WeekPoison arrows create Shar Chi, or the killing breath, which creates misfortune and bad luck. Poison arrows are created by pointed, angled, or sharp objects that seem to be directly aimed at a house and the main front door. Some examples of poison arrows are rivers, roads, or railway lines that seem to be directly aimed at ones main front door. You should avoid sitting, sleeping, working, eating, or living in places that are hit by these arrows.
Misfortune caused by poison arrows can come in the forms of illness, missed opportunities, law suits, quarrels, financial losses, and other forms of bad luck.
Tips to block or redirect the Shar Chi from poison arrows include planting trees, building walls, or shifting main door directions.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great e-mails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com And don't forget our forum to post articles, links, and speak your mind!
- Mary Ellen from Akron, PA wrote to let us know about an interesting way to deal with cat litter, vermicomposting. The result of a high school student's experiment was a litter box where worms cleaned the waste. Proof that worms do more than just squirm!
- Jennifer (aka Barking Beagles) found a great site for eco-friendly school fundraising, School Garden Co. They sell handmade herbal body products, but the best part is they donate a whopping 50% of all sales back to the schools. Thanks for filling us in Jennifer!
- Doug found an article on Treehugger.com about how the Bush administration is planning to drill for oil on Alaska's North Slope. No good! You can take action by sending letters to the powers-that-be asking them to stop the leases at SaveTLake.org.
- Smart Chick Sara found this article in response the critique of Al Gore and An Inconvenient Truth. We are happy to hear that it appears the charges are false, sorry we ever doubted you Al!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_64_A_Light_Subject.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:24 AM |
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Wed, 30 August 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Freedom from The FlushWe explore the ins and outs (this is way too easy!) of composting toilets. How they work, where to get them, and we discuss the top brands of composting toilets designed to deal with number 2! We taste some beer sent to us by lovely Smart Chick Sara, eat some chocolate, and answer listener e-mails. Be prepared for some excessive potty humor in this one folks! Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Co. in New Hampshire. Big Thanks to listener Smart Chick Sara for this one!
Chocolate: Terra Nostra Valencia Orange organic milk chocolate bar with a silky orange yogurt center.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- If you like DIY, you'll love this article we found in Blueprint Magazine. Learn how to turn your old buttons into bling in a few easy steps!
- Don't miss out on this offer! Get a free preview issue of Blueprint with no strings attached.
News- A Wisconsin man got trapped in a vat of 110-degree chocolate in what journalists are calling a "two-hour nightmare". Nightmare for him is more like a dream come true for us!
- Is water now more valuable than oil? Check out this article about the growing scarcity of freshwater.
Live Forum Chat with Dori and ValAre you craving some time with the girls? Dori and Val will be live on the forum on 9-9 at 9am (Pacific Time). Don't miss this opportunity to talk with your favorite podcast hosts, Dori and Val. Ok - Rob, Jillicious and (ta-da) Marketing Assistant Rachel might be there too!
Composting ToiletsSo you're already a fan of composting, but are you ready to make the leap to composting human waste (aka humanure)? We give you the low down on composting toilets so you can decide if it's the right choice for you.
Essential Oil of the Week
Geranium is an essential oil that's balancing, helps relieve symptoms of PMS and Menopause and is downright relaxing. Blends well with citrus oils. Click here to get some for yourself.
Listener Emails
Once again, we have a bunch of great e-mails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com And don't forget our forum to post articles, links, and speak your mind!
- Kristi sent us this article from Economist.com about e-waste in the tech industry.
- Welcome aboard to new listener Carrie who wanted to let us know about Fox Ryde Gardens. They provide healthy alternatives to many chemical-based personal care items. Thanks for the tip Carrie!
- Jessica sent us a link to her cool blog The Green Adventure where small groups of friends can take part in baby step challenges to make the planet a healthier place. Way-to-go Jessica!
- Catherine from Huntington Beach discovered Etsy.com listening to another podcast (it's OK Catherine, we won't hold it against you!). It's a great place to buy and sell all things handmade. Thanks Catherine!
- Flowers that smell like cocoa? Could it be so? Steve wanted to let us know about Chocolate Cosmos, he buys his at jungseed.com but you can also check out Lingle's Herbs for other hard to find herbs and seeds.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype ? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_63_Freedom_From_The_Flush.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:42 PM |
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Thu, 24 August 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Picture ThisWe take a snapshot (ha-ha, get it?) at how eco friendly photo taking is and can be. We found some interesting information we think youâ??ll enjoy. As usual we have some great beer and chocolate as well as fantastic listener email. Keep â??em coming! Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Twisted Thistle IPA from Belhaven Brewery.
Chocolate Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
- Find the cheapest gas in your town at GasBuddy.com.
- From junk to fun, visit aGaiN NYC for fun handbags and accessories made from recycled materials.
- Got a rooftop garden in your area? Take a photo and enter Ecological Home Ideas magazine's Gardens In The Sky contest.
News- According to The Salt Lake Tribune, women like tech toys more than shoes. We're not so sure about that one, but you'll have to read it and make your own conclusion.
- Get your very own EDUN ONEtee designed by Ali Hewson, Bono, and New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory. Not only will you look hip wearing it, but you'll be supporting the Campaign To Make Poverty history.
- California Industrial Hemp Farming Act passes final Senate vote.
Live Forum Chat with Dori and ValAre you craving some time with the girls? Dori and Val will be live on the forum on 9-9 at 9am (Pacific Time). Don't miss this opportunity to talk with your favorite podcast hosts, Dori and Val. Ok - Rob, Jillicious and (ta-da) Marketing assistant Rachel might be there too!
Be Kind To Humankind Week August 25-31
That's right folks, there is a whole week dedicated to being kind. So be nice dammit! Check out http://www.bekindweek.org for tips and ideas.
Alert Alert!
There is a coupod in this weeks show. Listen for details.
Picture This- taking a look at cameras
Have you ever wondered if there was a more eco-friendly way to take pictures? Well, lucky for you we explore this topic and shed some light on what goes on in the darkroom.
- Go to Silvergrain for eco-friendly photo developing chemicals.
- Are you reluctant about getting a new digital camera due to a lack of personal funds? Check out Casio's Trade In, Trade Up program to save a few bucks.
- Need to recycle those single use batteries? Call 2 Recycle will help you keep them out of the landfill (which, by the way, it is illegal to dump batteries in the trash in many states such as California).
Listener EmailsOnce again, we have a bunch of great e-mails. Keep 'em rolling in at hip@greenfeet.com And don't forget our forum to post articles, links, and speak your mind! - Kayla just got back from a trip to Vermont. She has some great links to places she visited. She discovered Endangered Species Chocolate (good timing Kayla) and here's a link to find a food co-op in your area, http://www.cooperativegrocer.coop/coops/
- She discovered Wolavers (although we get the impression she's too young to indulge) but trust us, Kayla, this is good organic brew.
- BJK sent us a link to CNN.com about how the lovely FDA has approved viruses as a food additive. Still not sure about this!
- Laura is a new listener. Yay! Question is "How do I get rid of junk mail?" Here ya go!
Stop Junk Mail
NewDream.org
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com. Send us a voice message at our Skype address "morehip" or +1 530.554.2605. Don't have Skype? Get it - it's free!
Direct download: More_Hip_62_Picture_This.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 3:53 AM |
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Thu, 17 August 2006
More Hip Than Hippie -A Chat with Hip JimHipJim, formerly known as EcoJim, is really Jim Hartzfeld, Managing Director, InterfaceRAISE Vice President of Sustainable Strategy, InterfaceFLOR Commercial Immediate Past Chairman, U.S. Green Building Council Busy guy? Just a tad. Yet he found time to chat it up with us two hipsters about the work happening at Interface and all things sustainable. We think you'll love him as much as we do.
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Skinny Dip from New Belgium Brewing Company.
Chocolate Dark Chocolate Coffee and Tiramis�º Dark Chocolate courtesy of our new best friends The Chocolate Traveler.
Hip News and Finds
Finds:
News
Live Forum Chat with Dori and ValAre you craving some time with the girls? Dori and Val will be live on the forum on 9-9 at 9 am (Pacific Time). Don't miss this opportunity to talk with your favorite podcast hosts, Dori and Val. Ok -Rob, Jillicious and Intern Rachel might be there too!
Our Interview with HipJim from Interface Corporation
Want to find out more about Interface Corporations Sustainability Practices? Take a listen to fellow Podcaster, Hipster and all-around great guy, Doug Pilgrim and his show Sustainable Business Practices/ The Interface Conversations found at http://www.sbpradio.com.
HipJim sent us some links and info to give us more insight into Interface as well as to expand our knowledge. Here they are mostly in his words (they were too good for us not to use)
http://www.interfaceglobal.com - The Interface home page. Note the "Mission Zero" promise in the lower left. We know of no other multinational corporation to state such a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). The prime design element is the voice box. We are using this to demonstrate that we need new, authentic conversations about what really matters. Our message is not about telling the world we know the answer. It's about our goal to build a new dialogue.
http://www.interfacesustainability.com - Our "living" sustainability report on the web.
http://www.InterfaceFLOR.com -our residential carpet brand. First and foremost, it's about the joy of design. These are the guys that have the R&R (return and recycle) program we mentioned and products that contain PLA and kenaf. The new catalogue has a funny spread about the new installation method that prohibits the need for glues, tack strips and those smelly, weird guys you don't know coming into your home. We make no promises about the ones you know. Their products are more expensive than the cheap wall to wall carpet you buy, but not more than people spend on area rugs. The best part is you can design the rug yourself on- line, it arrives on your doorstep by UPS, you can pick up a square and clean it when it gets stained, and you can ship it back to us for free when you're done. We'll reuse or recycle it and promise the carpet won't go to the landfill. http://www.florcatalogue.com/
"The Corporation" -here is the website to this chilling documentary about the founding of the modern corporate entity and its current behavior. We don't necessary believe and support all the positions taken by the film, but use it often to begin conversations with suppliers and customers about how business should be conducted. If anything, you could say that our mission is to demonstrate an alternative business model to that depicted in the film. http://www.thecorporation.com/ (DNV - we will be watching it this week -it just arrived in Val's mailbox)
Powering factories with landfill gas -Here is a link to a CNN story done on our landfill gas project. Yep, we use methane than comes out of landfills to power our factory to make carpet. And of course, the electricity is 100% renewable through renewable energy credits, too.
Prius Contest -"The Big Squeeze" -Here's the article about Ray Anderson and me competing on fuel mileage. (DNV - Read this -its hilarious!)
The photograph provided by Brian Gassel, TVS ©2004
Listener Emails
- Tracy sent us a photo of last years Christmas stocking to show her dedication to high quality, high cacao content -way to go Tracy!
- Smart Chick Sara sent us this article from Treehugger.com about a brewery in Greenland that's brewing beer with the melting ice cap.
- Cindy is freaking out about plastic. Breathe deep, Cindy. Here's the article that caused her hysteria.
- Here's the photo from Ready Made Magazine I promised about the plastic bag purse.
- Cathy sent us an article about food coloring - made from beatles.
- BJK sent us this article from CNN.com on a South African Hotel that pampers worms. Just shows worms and humans can live harmoniously.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_61_Hip_Jim.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 3:28 AM |
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Wed, 9 August 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Back to SchoolIt's that time again! Dust off those backpacks, sharpen those pencils and be prepared to study. We've got loads of great tips to make this years Back to School adventure more eco-friendly than ever. Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Butte Creek Organic Revolution X Imperial India Ale. This one packs a whollap!
Chocolate Denman Island Cocoa Loco Canadian Chocolate
Hip News and Finds
Back to School It's Back to School Time!As moms, we're pretty excited to see our kiddos off to school - not so sure how they all feel about it. However, being prepared and ready for action always eases the pain. Here are some sources to ensure your troops are ready for learnin'.
Listener Emails- BJK sent us this piece from the BBC: BP shuts down 12 Alaska Oil Wells
- Listener Kayla sent us some links regarding Green Jeans. Here are some companies offering eco friendly versions:
- Here's the link to Nylon Magazine - they discussed green jeans in the August issue
- Doug took a looksey on Ebay and found some vintage metal Partridge Family lunchboxes. Great ideas for kids whether it be Scooby Doo or Jimmy Neutron. Not sure if these vintage babies are still here but take a gander: http://search.ebay.com/
- Don gave a shoutout to the podcast Environminute who mentioned on their July 26th, 2006 episode a new process for manufacturing biodegradable plastic bags. Here's our pick - BioBags. Completely compostable as they're made from corn. Excellent!
- Christine emailed us this article from Treehugger.com about Ikea. She also wanted to hear this song about Ikea by Jonathon Coulton. Visit his site www.JonathanCoulton.com.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_60_Back_To_School_Again.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:31 PM |
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Thu, 3 August 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Green JobsSo, you want to find a Green Job? This show has some tips, resources and general info on how you can identify, locate and/or create your Green Dream Job. We've got finds, news and some great Canadian chocolate and English Brew. Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: St. Peter's English Ale
Chocolate: Den man Island Simply Dark Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate courtesy of listener Cindy.
Finds & Hip News:
Finds:
Hip News: Dori posted it on the forum under the "interesting link" section. Go check it out!
Essential Oil of the Week: Cedarwood Atlas Essential Oil.
Green Jobs - What, Where and How
A Visit With Jason Trout
Tune in for our chat with Jason Trout - Green Entrepreneur Extraordinaire! He's the co founder of www.planet-save.com, www.greenbusiness.net, www.theactionblog.com, and is a partner in www.redjellyfish.com. Yeah, he's kinda busy. But he took some time out to chat with us over some beer and chocolate.
Here are some sources for green jobs:
Here's the application we discussed in the "Become a Green Advocate in Your Job" portion of the interview. Fill it out and take it to the powers that be in your organization with some ideas on how your company can reduce waste and its environmental footprint. Greenfeet.com is a proud two year winner of this award.
Listener Emails
- Doug is back! He responded to Allison in NYC regarding her "guilt" for getting a new AC unit. Have no fear Allison! Figure out how much power your AC uses and buy the Energy Credits from Native Energy! www.nativeenergy.com
- The other Doug found by using a waiters cork screw/bottle opener he tends not to bend the cap. Hmmm - we haven't mastered that yet. We'll keep you posted. www.drinkstuff.com
- Calvin - a brand new listener is going to be a freshman. And, while he suggested a Back to School Episode (Calvin - can you read minds?) he also wanted us to know that New Mexico's power supplier (PNM) has a wind farm on the Eastern Plains of his state. Cool.
- Alison has a pooch named Barley Boddington. We're in love! Here's the pic of her favorite canine.
- Todd shared this article from Smithsonian Magazine entitled "Corn Plastic to the Rescue". Interesting read
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_59_Get_a_Green_Job.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:02 AM |
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Thu, 27 July 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Podcast #58 - In Bed with Debra Lynn DaddHave no fear, we're still rated PG
(well, ok, maybe PG13)! This week we consult with the Queen of Green herself, Ms. Debra Lynn Dadd. Author and fellow Green Diva, Debra crawls into bed with us to discuss creating a healthy, chemical free bedroom. You gotta listen to this one! Dori's recovering from being ill on her vacation (can you say blah?) and we have lots of great listener email. Tune in!
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Drop Top Amber Ale by Widmer Brewing Company Portland, Oregon
Chocolate Our stellar listener Cindy brought us back some chocolate from her visit to her native Canada. She sent a few different varieties so we'll be spreading it out. This week its Botticelli's Double Dark from AlpineConfections, Inc in B.C. Canada. Yippee!
Finds & Hip News:
- We're a tad light this week as Dori was laid up in bed eating chocolate and watching her soaps. Not really, but Val thinks she was faking being ill. Note: Val will be discussing her black eye next week once Dori reads these notes.
- We found this great piece in EarthTalk â?? a newsletter from the folks at E Magazine. It's about the better environmental choice: cork wine stoppers, plastic stoppers or screw caps.
- Check out the August/September issue of Ready Made Magazine. It's chock full of cool ideas.
- Val also caught up on this months issue of Plenty Magazine and its got some great articles. If you haven't read it, give it a whirl.
- Dumpster Diving links
In Bed With Debra Lynn Dadd Our chat with Debra Lynn Dadd was a hoot. She's smart, funny and a fellow diva. What's not to love? Visit her website at www.Debralynndadd.com for all sorts of fantastic information as well as her ebook on creating a healthy, natural bedroom. She's the author of Home Safe Home and an expert in her field. Welcome Debra!
Listener Emails
- Patrick found a source for the multi-switch power strips we were talking about last week. Check this out www.bitsltd.net
- Doug turned us on to www.groovygreen.com. Kinda like Treehugger. Cool site.
- Kate requested some help in sourcing some products to help clean the carpets at school not loaded with toxic chemicals. Kate try these two products. You may be able to locate them in your area or look for oxygen based cleaners.
- Linda is located in Gauteng, South Africa and needs some assistance in finding a source for goats milk products. Can someone help her out? If so, please post on our listener forum .
- Patrick ADORES our singing. Ok, he actually politely insinuated that he hates it. What a shame. Anyhoo, he wants our feedback on this site to see if its all about greenwashing. Post feedback on the forum please!
- Marc sent us a photo of the ultimate green roof located in Toronto Canada (eh?). It's build entirely underground. You Canadians are pretty smart folks! Check out this photo.
- Onawa is from OK (Oklahoma) City and is going to be a new mommy. We are so excited for you! We promise to do a show on healthy pregnancy - soon! She's included a photo of her with her OK friends. Here's a shout out to all of you!
- The lovely Jill-icious sent us this link from Wikipedia about Global Dimming (Does this mean we're getting dumber? Hmmm)
- John Romano (one of our favorite Music Men) has a new site promoting ethanol as a way to decrease our dependency on foreign oil. Please pay it a visit, shoot him an email to say hi and tell your friends. www.e85-now.com
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
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Wed, 19 July 2006
 Danny Seo is in the house! Perhaps you know him as Editor at Large for Organic Style Magazine, Author, or Television Personality. We know him as one of the coolest guys in the "green" world. He has a new book called " Simply Green Parties" and he's here to discuss it, how he got his inspiration and he dishes on Oprah. Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Blackberry Boude from Etna Brewing Company Etna, CA
Chocolate: Green Tea Dark Chocolate
Finds & Hip News:
Shout Outs
Thank you to everyone who voted for us at Podcast Alley - the comments are wonderful! Don't forget to vote for us at the Podcast Awards under “Peoples Choice? and visit our Myspace page at www.myspace.com/morehip
Our More Hip interview with Danny Seo
Don't miss this interview with Danny Seo. He is very cool. While you're at it make sure to pick up his new book- "Simply Green Parties"
Listener Emails
- Dave send us quite the email - it was fantastic! We'll post in on the forum under our show notes. We forgot to mention that he included a snippet from Monty Python called “The Undertaker? and a photo of his bee bag.
- Aimee is struggling to find the best way to travel between home and college. After she read this article she's looking for some help. We've given our tip - anyone else out there wish to chime in? www.alternet.org
- Sherri sent this piece you might want to peruse. Interesting.
- Christine in New York City sent over this article from the NY Times travel section on travel in Europe. Also included are links to the Istanbul based organization that places volunteers on about 70 organic farms throughout Turkey and is affiliated with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.org)
- Klynch sent this little diddie about beer. How did you know?
- Another email regarding beer. Hip, Hip, Horray! Thanks, Eric!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_57_Danny_Seo.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 6:58 PM |
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Thu, 13 July 2006
More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #56 - Christmas in JulyThis week we're talking holidays. Stop that whining - it's going to be ok, we promise. It's all about being prepared - have a strategy and setting some goals. We also have some ideas for homemade gifts you can start working on now. And, many of these ideas can be used any time of year.
Our lovely intern Rachel joins us for the show and somehow we talk poop again. Hmmm.
Please vote for us at Podcast Alley. Check out our listener forum to see what everyone is talking about.
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Stockyard Oatmeal Stout. Stockyard Brewing Company, Chicago, IL
Chocolate:Villars Swiss Chocolate 72% Cacao content.
Finds & Hip News:
Winners of our 1st Anniversary Quiz:
1st Place: Jannette Elvey
2nd Place: Carolin Hamann
3rd Place: Lynda D
Each winner receives 3 tins of chocolate covered cacao nibs from our wonderful friends over at Sweet Riot. Thank you Rioters! Indulge, enjoy and do share (even if its just one - we understand completely).
Here are the other items our winners received courtesy of Greenfeet.com.
Thank you to everyone who entered - we have more great contests and promotions on the horizon so stay tuned!
Planning ahead for holiday gift givingDo it Yourself Homemade Gifts These ideas are for all of you "Hey I could make that" crafters who never get around to it because you run out of time. Take some time this summer while the weather is lovely and make something!
Candle Supplies:
On the show we discussed the show Living Fresh found on the Discovery Home channel. Check it out - Host Sara Snow has great tips and it's an enjoyable show. (Canadians - check your listings. It might be available in your area.)
Listener Emails
- Katie sent us this interesting piece on Ricoh, manufacturers of office machinery, and their new plant based plastics.
- Eileen recommended this book called The The Omnivore's Dilema.
She also gave us this great summer drink recipe we girls are going to have to try: Summer Beer
3 bottles beer
1 minute maid (or natural version) of lime-ade concentrate
1 lime-ad can filled with vodka
Stir, pour on ice.
Do not drive! - Esther, from Israel, found this cool product to clean your grills and other items around your home. It's made from powdered recycled glass!
- Julie from C -eh -N - eh - D - eh! Wanted to share two websites. www.storewars.org
www.themeatrix.com - Craig sent us the picture of rhino poo sculptures. Val thinks she wants one.
- Christine shared her love of the movie Down With Love
- Matt aka m@ sent us this link from the UK on Swampy - their local protestor.
- Lizzie sent us a bunch of links from Squidoo - one of her favorites.
See ya next week when we interview Danny Seo. Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_56_Christmas_in_July.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:09 AM |
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Thu, 6 July 2006
More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #55 -It's camping season!With summer heat and long, lazy days the timing is perfect to head for the hills. This week we dish some tips and ideas for a trip that's all about leaving smaller footprints while having a great time. We've got some great beer, chocolate and you, our listeners. Tune in! It's a new month – Please vote for us at Podcast Alley. Check out our listener forum to see what everyone is talking about.
Beer and Chocolate: Beer: Sac-Squatch Scotch Ale from the Sacramento Brewing Company. This stuff packs a wallop – 7% alcohol content so it's not for lightweights!
Chocolate: We decided to give mainstream chocolate a go - see if it lives up to its name. Ghirardelli Intense Dark Espresso Escape. Cacao content 60% (wha? Intense? Woosies -but, does it taste good?)
Finds & Hip News:
Green CampingTis the season and we've got loads of tips and ideas (some quite silly) that will help to decrease the size of your footprint in the great outdoors. Here are some links to find out more information.
Supplies for Camping
Listener Emails - Eileen invited us to check out the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California.
- Gail is back from Kenya! Hurrah! She sent a photo of herself along with some children from Nairobi doing the Cha Cha slide. Looks like fun! Here are the products she took with her:
- Patrick send us a bit on a new Hollywood film called Blood Diamonds. Let's just say the Diamond industry is not too happy with it.
- Pat sent us this story from the BBC how No superstores 'means prosperity'. It's interesting.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_55_Green_Camping.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:39 AM |
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Wed, 28 June 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Snap, Crackle, Pop - The Health and Environmental Impact of FireworksThis week we explode!No, not really - actually, we discuss fireworks and their impact on our personal health and the environment. Who knew? Dori and I chat about our "mission: bring your own take out box" and we read email. Tune in! PS - it's a new month. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcast Alley!
Beer and Chocolate:
Beer: Anchor Steam Ale. Recommended by Kellie (ding ding) from San Francisco.
Chocolate: The Chocolate Traveler. It's a tin with wedges of Bittersweet Chocolate. Yum!
Finds & Hip News:
- If you are a carnivore, check out www.eatwild.com for news and sources of grass fed meat. If you're not, ignore this find and move on!
- Design-e2 is a cool website with a whole section devoted to green design. Subscribe to their video and audio podcasts - they cover topics such as 'green apple', 'the green machine' and others. You can view them at www.design-e2.com
- Ever written on paper made from Elephant Dung? Neither have we. But, it may be in your future. Val is looking into carrying it through Greenfeet.com, but in the meantime, see how it's made and the mission of the organization dedicated to saving their native elephants.
- Earth is having a temper tantrum - and the heat is rising!
- Any self respecting beer lover needs to read this.
- Val about had a cow when Dori shared this one. If anyone buys one, well, we don't want to know about it.
Shout-Outs: We wanna give a big shout out to Tara for mentioning us on her blog and to Doug Pilgrim for doing the same. We appreciate it!
Fireworks - Snap, Crackle, Pop - The Health and Environmental Impact of Fireworks
Attention: This recall for "Thunderstick Rocket" Fireworks just released as they are a serious explosion hazard. Read the entire Press Release from the CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission).
This week we discussed how fireworks affect both our health and our environment. We were both surprised with what we found.
- If you want to learn how Pyrotechnics are made, visit the website of a PBS show called Kaboom. The show was made several years ago, but the information is great. You can learn about the periodic table of elements to the actual design of a commercial firework rocket. You can even learn how they demolish buildings through implosion.
- Read about Disney's advancement in air launch technology (yes, this is from 2004).
- The American Pyrotechnics Association
Listener Emails- Our new listener forum is very active - Thank You! We hope you are all enjoying it as much as we are. If you haven't registered, do it now!
- Michael and several other listeners were quick to inform us of a possible impending chocolate shortage due to a trio of plant diseases. Here's a link to the podcast version of the NPR story.
- Another Michael shared a story about Peugeot developing a diesel racecar for the 2007 Le Mans classic. Fantastico! Hereâ??s the scoop: www.autoblog.com
- Guess what? According to ABC, a new study by Indian scientists say coffee could provide shield from radiation. Just don't let the cockroaches get a hold of that information.
See ya next week!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com . Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and podcastpickle.com.
1st Anniversay Quiz - Don't Miss Your Chance to Win!
Here's how it goes:
- Follow this link to a questionnaire containing 51 questions - one from each of our 51 shows.
- Each question will pertain to the topic covered in each show.
- Fill out the questionnaire and email it to hip@greenfeet.com by June 30th, 2006
- There will be three winners including the Grand Prize Winner
- What are we giving away? WE DON'T KNOW!!
But, anyone who's listened so far that's gotten a prize package can tell you that we don't disappoint. - All listeners from all over the world are eligible.
- Last date for submission is June 30th, 2006
Direct download: More_Hip_54_Fireworks_and_Feng_Shui.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:37 PM |
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Wed, 21 June 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Chill and GrillIt's hot! Summer is upon us and this week we're discussing cheap, eco-friendly ways to stay cool and beat the summer heat. We also talk BBQ - Options, health hazards and some tasty, meat free recipes (yes, we are gearing up to take a listeners challenge to go vegetarian for a week). Of course, we cover listener email and don't forget to submit your answers to our questionnaire! The Forum
Don't forget to visit our forum and add your two cents!
Beer and Chocolate:
The Beer: Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend from Brewery Ommegang. It's an ale with cherry lambic added.
The Chocolate: Dagoba Organic Chocolate Conacado 73%
Finds & Hip News:
The Finds:
Hip News:
Shout-Outs:- Squidoo.com - Go Green. Thanks for the nice review!
- Listener hannah8ball for listing us on her blog! Muchas Gracias!
Chill & Grill Ideas to Beat the Heat During the Summer Heat.
Grill tips and ideas.
For Coconut Shell Briquettes check out:
Great cookbooks to read and own: The Vegetarian Grill 200 Recipes for Flame Kissed Meals by Andrea ChesmanCelebrate Lavender Festival Cookbook
Try these recipes and email us how you like them!
Val mentioned her friend, John Lingle's cookbook now out of print. However, here is a link to some of the recipes.
Check out John's website for a wide selection of herb plants shipped directly to your home.
Listener Emails
- Christine from NY shared this hilarious video of a Minneapolis Pizza Delivery man who drives a gizmo electric car wearing tights and a cape. The ringer? He came to the rescue of a victim of crime.
- Doug sent a big Thank You to everyone who participated in the Lancaster Relay for Life. They met and exceeded their goal of $1 million for Breast Cancer research. Wahoo!
- Allison, a new listener, sent us an email to introduce us to her eco-handbag line, aGaiN. They're gorgeous! Check them out at www.againnyc.com
- Tom, a long time listener in Japan, sent us an article how Japan is trying to cut down on plastic bags. Yeah!
- Craig is struggling to find hemp jeans in South Africa. Turns out Hemp in Afrikaans means shirt so it turns up a bazillion (yes, with a b) results when Googled. Any one out there who can help?
- Caroline in NH (thanks for the 5 star review in iTunes!), sent us several links regarding organic farming, goats milk and the like. Here are a few for you all to check out: www.findarticles.com.
To find a farm in your area check out one of our favorite sites www.localharvest.org and to find out more about the plight of the American farmer check out nonais.org - Rachel is a new listener (welcome!) and put us up to a one week challenge of going Vegetarian. We're working toward it Rachel! She shared a band that she likes very much called A Perfect Circle. Here's their web site.
- Canadian listener Burridge.C (can you share your real first name?) sent us an interesting bit of info on a company called Enertia Builiding Systems that build homes that heat and cool themselves without fuel or electricity. The technology is fully explained at www.EnergyWithoutOil.org.
Direct download: More_Hip_53_Chill_and_Grill.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:46 PM |
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Wed, 14 June 2006
More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #52 - 1st Anniversary Show - It's a Party!That's right ladies and gentlemen, it's the 1st Anniversary of the More Hip Than Hippie Podcast. We are thrilled to have been allowed in your iPods and MP3's over the last year and want to thank each and every one of you.
We'd also like to give a special thanks to Jill-icious and Rob for all their hard work to make the show happen and to all you listeners who have pitched in with advice and support.
Finds:
Release the Hounds - No, no - Release the Forum!
There we go. The More Hip Than Hippie Listener Forum is officially live for participation. Check out our website www.morehipthanhippie.com and you'll see a link in the upper left hand corner.
We have several forum areas available for your participation:
- Show comments and feedback - Tell us what you think and provide food for thought or show your incredible sense of humor.
- Beer/Chocolate Reviews - we'll provide ours, you provide yours
- Your Questions - what burning questions do you have? Keep it clean, people.
- News and Interesting Links -this is a great place to post articles to share
- Rob's Rebuttal - He felt he needed a place to refute our remarks. Whatever, dude. Problem is he's funny.
All we ask is that when you open the link to the topic, post a reply if you are keeping within that thread of topic. That way it makes it easy to follow a trail. For instance, open the topic posted by the lovely BJK on interpreting her water report and you'll see a string of responses below. Get it? You can post a new topic at any time and we encourage you to open existing topics and chime in. Your participation is what will make this forum rock.
You'll notice the more you post, the higher your ranking. And if you sign up before June 30th, you'll have the Charter Member ranking giving you no power other than a slightly bigger ego.
Feel free to continue to email us at hip@greenfeet.com - we still love to hear from you.
Don't miss Dori and Val Live
Dori and Val will be live on the More Hip than Hippie forum Saturday June17th at 5:30pm Pacific time. Listen to the podcast for more details.
Shout Outs and Big Thank You's:
- Chance - Check out his site and his music.
- Dennis Laidler's Biodiversity & Environmental Sustainability Blog
- Rob's World
- Tracy from the blog Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
- Kati from Warehouse Gourmet
- Hillary Gayle's blog "how to decrease your ecological footprint & live more environmentally friendly without turning into a total dork"
- Natasha from Top 10 Sources.
Topic: What Topic? - This week it's all about the Beer and Chocolate! We welcome John Abbot, commercial brewer and beer connoisseur. This guy knows his stuff! We've selected 5 beers and 4 chocolates to see what goes with what - including a beer in a can.
Here's what we tried:
Beer:
Chocolate:
Listen to find what went best with what.
Here are some great sources to find out more about how to taste beer and conduct your own private beer tasting. This is an area we will definitely be exploring in upcoming shows.
Listener Emails
- Susan shared this article from the NY Times regarding alternatives to Teflon.
- Greg from OK (aka Oklahoma) informed us of a company in Missouri called www.greasel.com They sell fuel tanks and modification hardware for diesel vehicles. Check them out!
- Diana from Lawrence, Kansas sent us a link to Harper's Magazine about calculating car insurance by the mile instead of a flat rate. We think this is an interesting approach. Love to hear your feedback.
Kati emailed us a photo of the tub and tile cleaner from the Clean House, Clean Planet book offered at Greenfeet.com. - Bjk sent us this link for chocolate cheese �???�??�?�¢?? that's right! We need some now!
- Christine who loves Entourage star Adrien Grenier even more now that he's come out as being enviro-savvy sent us an article about it to share with you all.
- Emmie from Japan emailed us and suggested a cookbook called "Harumi's Japanese Cooking" by Harumi Kurihara.
- Yippie Adam - a fellow podcaster (check out his show at www.yippieshow.com) sent us this highly disturbing article. Well, the article itself is not disturbing, but the fact that they suggest using waste chocolate to power your car is. Val nearly fainted when she read this.
- Kellie helped to update us on the state of the bag tax in bayside town of San Francisco (ding ding). Apparently, it's going nowhere. The big bad bag lobbyists (who knew there were such folks) cut a deal with the city to decrease plastic bag consumption by 10 million - which is only 10 bags per person - or 1 large shopping trip. Trouble is, there doesn't appear to be anything in place to help make that happen. So, continue to bring your trusty reusable bag, sign Big Ed's pledge, and help spread the word.
- Brian was introduced to our show by his lovely wife yet he hasn't listened. (dude, what are you waiting for?) But, his wife does share the info so he feels as though he's listened! He has a question as to what to use for trash under the sink. Check out BioBags from Greenfeet.com. They're compostable, made from GMO free corn and are fairly strong. Val uses them all the time and Dori's ticked she didn't share that she had them. Now we all know.
Send us Your emails at hip@greenfeet.com . We love to hear from you. We may even read your email on the podcast. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and rate us at podcastpickle.com.
1st Anniversary Hip Hipster Contest
Here's how it goes:
- Follow this link to a questionnaire containing 51 questions - one from each of our 51 shows.
- Each question will pertain to the topic covered in each show.
- Fill out the questionnaire and email it to hip@greenfeet.com by June 30th, 2006
- There will be three winners including the Grand Prize Winner
- What are we giving away? WE DON'T KNOW!!
But, anyone who's listened so far that's gotten a prize package can tell you that we don't disappoint.
- All listeners from all over the world are eligible.
- Last date for submission is June 30th, 2006
If you need to access our previous shows to help find the answers, just check out the calendar at the left side of our site. The podcast started in June 2005, so if you want to start at the beginning (its a very good place to start) you can check it out in those archived shownotes. You might have to scroll down a bit, but it's there.
Direct download: More_Hip_52_1st_Anniversary.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:55 PM |
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Wed, 7 June 2006
More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #51 - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Mulch. The Dirt on Green Burials. We said it in the show, and we'll say it here. We're having fun with this topic. While it can be a grim subject for most, us girls decided to follow the light. Of course, we understand death to be a sensitive subject (we've both had our share of personal grief) but at the same time, it's a subject that our culture just doesn't discuss – and we think it's high time we did.
With that in mind, we've assembled some interesting tidbits on alternatives to traditional, highly non-green burials. We hope you'll become a little more enlightened and open up to the subject of going six feet under.
Finds and Hip news:
 Finds
Hip News
- Ethanol dazzles Wall Street, White House - from Yahoo News.
- China's longest river "cancerous" with pollution - from Yahoo News.
Beer and Chocolate and Nuts!
The Beer: Hebrew The Chosen Beer - Messiah Bold.
The Chocolate:Vivani Organic Dark Chocolate.
The Nuts: Chocolate Covered Almonds from Maisie Jane’s.
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Mulch - The Dirt on Green Burials
Green Cemeteries
Here are some other links to learn more about Green Burials – you truly owe it yourself and your family to explore these options. They make sense on so many levels:
Listener Emails
As usual, we got tons of it - unfortunately, we can't read all of it but we love every piece that comes our way – so don't stop! Here's what we discussed this week:
- Michael (along with the Podchef) shared his love affair with his reel mower. Val's going to get one. Maybe it will help her get her ass in shape (literally). Dori's opting for goats which is not a bad idea either. Here are a few websites to check out mowers:
- Jenn shared this rockin' "Green Dollhouse" created by professional architects. Check it out at www.brooklynkids.org
- Kellie (ding ding) from SF shared this tidbit from NPR regarding a Canadian (eh!) company making cellulose ethanol from straw and hay. Here’s the story – don’t forget to turn on (or up) your speakers.
- Gail emailed to let us know she's on her way to Kenya to entertain orphans who lost their parents to AIDS/HIV. Check out her website at www.tootsieclown.com and send her an email telling her what a commendable thing to do!
- Dave th' wave from Nova Scotia Candada (eh?) sent us a cool link about a new Canadian show called Code Green. Here’s the link www.codegreen.tv
- Amy is looking for a green job. If you can help her out, email us at hip@greenfeet.com and we'll hook you up. Otherwise Amy, here are some sources to help you find that green job of your dream.
- Steve is looking for a good, tasty nationally distributed Chocolate beer. Here's what we found Youngs Double Chocolate Stout. We’ve tried this before and gave it our full two hips each. You should be able to find it at Beverages N More or even Trader Joe's if you have one. If not, look for a well stocked liquor store and they could probably bring it in from their local distributor. Doesn't hurt to ask!
- Bob in Tulsa mentioned a soy based lubricant as a substitute for WD40 which is petroleum based. Check out BioKleen's Soy lube available at www.greenfeet.com.
Send us Your emails at hip@greenfeet.com . We love to hear from you. We may even read your email on the podcast. Don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley.com and rate us at podcastpickle.com.
 Direct download: More_Hip_51_Ashes_to_Ashes.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:30 PM |
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Wed, 31 May 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Art to Die For We love art â?? not that either one of us can paint, draw or heaven forbid, sculpt. But, we love to have fun anyway. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder correct? Plus, we have kids who are quite the artists and who doesnâ??t love their childâ??s art plastered all over the refrigerator and surrounding walls? We were astonished to find that many art supplies contain chemicals that can be harmful to those who use them. This show offers insight into alternatives to create beautiful and eco-friendly art.
Finds and Hip news:
Finds
- Val adores the publication MaryJanesFarm. Check it out at www.maryjanesfarm.org
- Dori shared two great finds this week. The first is Fabio as the spokesperson for I Canâ??t Believe Itâ??s Not Butter. We couldnâ??t help but giggle. Listen to hear Doriâ??s example. Check it out at www.thekitchenoflove.com
- Dori also shared her â??Briefâ?? Case to hide your valuables. Val about fell off her chair. Get your own pair at www.shomer-tec.com.
Hip News
Wine, Cheese and Chocolate!
This week we indulge and have cheese service. Wahoo!
Wine: Organic Vintners Mendocino Merlot â?? Vintage 2003. Itâ??s certified Vegan!
Cheese: Organic Valley Raw Milk Cheddar.
Cheese: Trader Joeâ??s Apricot Stilton
Chocolate: Sweet Andyâ??s Candies local to Chico, CA. Email him at sweetandycandies@yahoo.com and tell him to get off his ass and get a website built!
Art to Die For
Here are some links to find out more information regarding art supplies, their safety and eco friendly alternatives.
Listener Emails
- Daryen shared the links for Green Friday â?? a movement starting to promote sustainable transportation.
- Mike is participating in a Breast Cancer Prevention fundraiser cycling event. Please take the time to learn more at mpompa.podomatic.com
- Hereâ??s the trailer to the new movie that listener Christine told us about. Itâ??s called Who Killed The Electric Car? This looks fantastic!
- Gail is on her way to Kenya although we are not sure why and really want to know. Tell us Gail! Here are some links to some aromatherapy products that will help you sleep.
- Doug helped out with some information about organic honey. Hereâ??s where you can learn more.
- Michael shared his insight about the whole Organic Milk debate. Remember we discussed the Cornucopia Instituteâ??s report a few shows back. Hereâ??s some info to read and let us know what you think. Weâ??ll be doing some investigation of our own.
Stay tuned as next week we discuss Green Funerals! That should be interesting.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_50_Art_To_Die_For.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:56 PM |
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Wed, 24 May 2006
We're happy campers this week we've got beer sent in by hipsters Theresa & Michelle, yummy treats and we're talking yards. That's right, this week it's all about yards - particularly lawns and how much we truly dislike them. We've got some alternatives and ideas how to keep the one you've got (if you just can't part with it), happy and healthy without nasty chemicals. Finds and Hip News:
Finds
- We talked about RecycleBank - where you can earn Recyclebank dollars from your household recycling and use them at participating companies. Check it out at www.recyclebank.com
- Jill-icious sent us an email about www.commutercars.com. Called Tango, these little speed demons take up half the space of a traditional car and George Clooney boasts to own one. There are three models to choose from - the basic model starts at just over $18,000 U.S.
- Check out the Beach Solar Laundromat based in Toronto, Canada. It's really cool! www.mondial-energy.com
Hip News
- Griping about gas prices in an SUV - from Newsweek.
The Beer, Chocolate and TreatsBeer: Hipsters Theresa & Michelle thrilled us to death by sending us a half gallon of Chocolate Ale from Walter Payton's Roadhouse Complex in Aurora, IL. Yummmmmy! Here's the link to try some yourself www.americasbrewpub.com
Chocolate & Treats:
We bit into some Newman's Own Organics www.newmansownorganics.com Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and enjoyed some Maple Butter from Shady Maple Farms www.shadymaple.ca It's from Canada, eh! We tasted in spread on some local, Lundberg farms organic cinnamon rice cakes (we liked them despite our dislike of rice cakes!) www.lundberg.com
Lawn & Yard Care 101
Both of us agree that lawn is not the most earth friendly addition to our yards. There are lots of alternatives and ways to have a beautiful and healthy yard - some of them even include a more "friendly" lawn such as clover. Here are some links to check out for more information:
Here's some info on lawn info and alternatives:
Listener Emails
- Listener Karen shared this great short video on "water fuel". Check it out.
- Hipster Josh rides his bike to work and listens to MoreHip on the way. He heard us discuss how cool it would be to have a bike powered blender on the back. Guess what? He found one! Val's saving her pennies for this one - she'll have bike powered Margaritas in no time! www.bikeblender.com - downside is that they only fit on Xtracycles.
- Check out Josh's blog at www.eatingpeanuts.com
- The lovely Allison wants to know how to properly dispose of her ginormous bottle of baby oil that she's been using to take off her eye makeup. Here's what we found out: Bring it to your local household hazardous waste facility. Do not put it in the trash or down the drain.
What we use to get our eye make up off is this eye makeup remover from Osea or a good natural face cleanser works fine too. Val isn't sure how that last one will work on waterproof mascara. Let us know what you think if you try it.
- Doug is still looking for those one million signatures for the Lancaster Relay for Life - sign up! Here's the link.
- Liisa ( the one with two I's) shared a great article on LifeGem - the folks who make diamonds out of your grandmother. Apparently, they are making a diamond out of Beethoven's hair. Find out more here.
- Sara - here are some sources for you for organic cotton and hemp t-shirts. - American Apparel, TS Designs, Organic Consumers Association
Don't miss the promo for "The Tiny Guide" with Lee Ann Westover of the The Lascivious Biddies. Her newest podcast is for those who Travel slow, Travel small...and love every minute of it! You're going to love this one!
Don't forget to listen for the code that was left out two weeks ago!
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_49_Eco-friendly_Yard.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:48 PM |
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Wed, 17 May 2006
More Hip Than Hippie Pocast #48 - Take a Bike - For Your Health!The weather’s turned sunny and warm – perfect for riding a bike. By taking your bike instead of a car you’ll save money, do your part to help the environment and maybe even tone up those calf muscles. We’ll discuss the do’s, don’ts and how-to’s of riding around town. We’ll also chat about Fair Trade Day and cover the basics on what Fair Trade is. It’s a good refresher on the topic and it may help to explain the concept of Fair Trade to others. We’ve got fun, finds, beer, and chocolate and, as usual, lots of fantastic listener emails.
Finds and Hip News:
The Beer and Chocolate
The Beer: Boddingtons Pub Ale - find it at www.boddingtons.com. That link (which was on the can) didn't work for me, and when I did some research here is what I found.
The Chocolate: Ecco Bella’s Health by Chocolate at www.eccobella.com
Take a Bike - For Your Health
Join us for our chat with Ed from Chico Velo – a local bike club. This guy knows his way around a kickstand! Ed shares some great tips on how to prepare to bike to work – everything from ensuring you have the right equipment, back up plans and oh, yes, the sweat. How the heck do you stay fresh and dry? Visit these websites for more details on the benefits of actually riding your bike and tips on how to be successful biking to work, school, wherever with safety, comfort and style in mind.
Celebrate Fair Trade Day - It Does A World Good!In a nutshell, Fair Trade acknowledges basic human rights and environmental standards. It’s that simple. “Fair Trade? means that trading partnerships are based on reciprocal benefits and mutual respect. Here are some great resources to learn more. We strongly encourage all of you to understand Fair Trade and participate as well as sharing your knowledge with others. Remember, one of our loudest voices is how we spend each and every dollar. We do and can make a difference.
Listener Emails:
- A new listener in Noriko Japan wrote in and shared that they own a hybrid car called an Estima. It’s a hybrid minivan from Toyota. Check it out.
- Larry from Podcasting Dallas sent us an article to share regarding a University of Illinois research team who makes crude oil out of pig manure.
- Brian from “OK? had an issue with the new Plenty magazine (turns out the author of the article didn’t find MHTH her cup of tea) so we’d like to suggest that you send the editor your take on things. Here’s the email letters@plenty mag.com Brian also wanted to share his find for the week – a comic book collection on DVD ROM for the More Geek Than Hippie crowd.
- Heidi has been listening to our show for quite a while now (thank you) and is putting together a new environmental blog www.groxie.com (rock on!). She also came across a great article.
- Prabjit provided us with this ecological footprint calculator.
- Shayna sent this article from Google Reader that lists the top 10 states with the most hybrids.
- Jon and Karen from Everlution Forms emailed us and provided the link to 1% for the planet – an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet.
- Our friend Patrick sent an article to let the hippies meet the nerdies. More news about the Ethanol Tariff.
- Liz shared a great article from the Wall Street Journal about Organic Milk. Here it is.
- Katie shared with us Oregon’s first all organic brewery. www.rootsorganicbrewing.com
- Our favorite Doug over in Pennsylvania sent us the “green version? of digg.com - you can find it at www.hugg.com
- Gail. Here are the links to the DEET free insect repellents we were talking about. Herbal Armor Bite Blocker V’tae Outdoor Aromatherapy Mist (contains Catnip oil)
- Melissa is a new Canadian listener (eh!) and is building a deck this summer. Here are the sources for some alternatives to pressure treated lumber. Good luck and send us a picture when its complete!
- ACQ (Alkaline Copper Quaternary) lumber for posts and support beams
- Recycled Rubber/Plastic Lumber
- Jill sent us a link to this great website for kids (and grownups too). This is the link to the piece that we played at the end of the show.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_48_Bike_To_Work_Week.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:30 PM |
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Fri, 12 May 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Eco-friendly Dry CleaningThis week we're gonna show you how to NOT "Perc" up your day! It's all about the perils of Dry Cleaning - we'll air out our dirty laundry on the subject and you'll emerge fresh and full of chemical free goodness. Finds and Hip News:
Finds:
- Dori and Val missed No Pants Day - Click here to learn more and put it on your calendar for next year.
- Join Val whose joined the Plastic Bag pledge put together by listener "Big Ed" (We want to know how he got that name) and make the commitment to use as few plastic bags as possible. Learn about it here .
- The Triple P Quiz - from David Batstones newsletter the WAG
- CoopAmerica has just announced Responsible Shopper where you can learn the skinny on companies and how their operations and products impact human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability and more.
- K9 Water Co ., Inc. is proud to offer you Toilet Water, Puddle Water, Hose Water and Gutter Water, the world's first vitamin fortified bottled water specifically formulated to provide your dog with essential vitamins that contribute to overall good health and provide the hydration your dog needs.
Hip News:
The Beer and Chocolate Chip Cookies The Beer: Samuel Smith - find it at www.merchantduvin.comThe Chocolate Chip Cookies: Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Eco Friendly Dry Cleaning
Perc or Perchloroethylene is a common solvent used in dry cleaning.
But, it is a source of concern for workers and for the environment. To learn more about the impact on the environment, check out
Alternatives include CO2, Silicone and Wet Cleaning. Learn more about CO2 method at www.hangersdrycleaners.com
Learn more about the Silicone method at www.greenearthcleaning.com
Learn how to do Wet Cleaning at home at www.care2.com
The Space Bags - Check them out here.
Listener Emails
- Rob shared an update about industrial hemp and the state of North Dakota. Check out more at www.votehemp.com
- Theresa shared a very useful piece on the slowfood movement - a growing movement around the world. www.eatlocalchallenge.com is a blog that brings together consumers dedicated to supporting those who produce food that doesn't travel thousands of miles before it ends up on your plate. Her own journey can be found at foodwithaface.blogspot.com
- Craig (a new listener) mentioned Fry's Vegetarian Foods. See if they're available in your area www.frys-special.com
- Tracey and her husband use 20x20 allergen filters - the same size as a box fan. They tape it to the back and run all night in their room and they say it really works! Cool.
- Andrea pointed out the exhibit opening on May 20th at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. - it's all about sustainable architecture. Learn more at www.nbm.org
- Kellie (ding ding) sent us the link to the BBC News Online article and thought all of us should see this. It seems that the battery recycling movement is going global.
- Patrick forwarded this link on an article about a greener BMW. Interesting.
Patrick - here are some links to some alternatives to mineral oil and Vaseline for little ones:
California Baby I Love You Massage Oil, California Baby Moisturizing Creme, Mother's Lullaby Massage Oil, Wee Rub, Hemp Baby Salve.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_47_Eco-friendly_Dry_Cleaning.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 12:33 AM |
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Wed, 3 May 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - We've Gone Batty!This week we've gone batty. That's right - it's all about those furry, creepy flying things with a face that only a mother can love. Well, a mother and Val. She LOVES bats and shares some information that you might find mighty useful during this upcoming summer. We also discuss allergies, Dori gives the tooth fairy a bad name, we give away those Chance CD's (we love him!) and cover a lot of listener email. Here we go......
The Beer and The Chocolate (and a Tasty Treat)
The Beer: Butte Creek Brewing from Chico, CA We taste tested their Seasonal Spring Ale.
The Chocolate: Listener Katie from Toronto (eh!), kindly sent us a bar of micro-chocolatiers SOMA chocolate found at http://www.somachocolate.com. We dove into their bar called "The Dark Fire", 66% cacao spiced up with a blend of chili, cinnamon, ginger and their secret blend of spices. Oh, yeah baby!!!!
Tasty Treat: We also had the honor of gobbling up the tasty and nutritious Bear Fruit Bar from http://www.morfoods.com. With flavors like Organic Apple Blueberry and Organic Apple Raspberry - what's not to love?
Here's the 'complex' chocolate dipped bar recipe from owner Craig Gass. We'll be trying this out this week.
- Select Organic dark chocolate of choice.
- Slowly melt chocolate - be careful not to burn it or yourself.
- Dip 1/2 inch wide strips of Bear Fruit Bar of your choice halfway (or all of it!) into melted dark chocolate.
- Let sit on waxed paper until firm.
- Chase with your favorite organic beer!
Ha! We've found the recipe of our dreams.... Check out their website for retail locations.
Shout Outs!
Winners of Chance CD's
Congrats to the following winners of the Chance CD Giveaway. Stay tuned for more contests!
- Kellie in SF (ding ding)
- Hannah Ball
- Erin Arnold
Bats - Friend or Foe? (Depends if you're a mosquito!)
They're fantastic for the environment and while not a pet, they're pretty darn cool to have as your neighbor or tenant!
Allergies
Val's down and out (sniff, sniff, cough, wheeze, itch), but thankfully, Dori's built up a resistance. How are you fairing this springtime? Here's some info on natural alternatives to over the counter meds.
With all the choices, what really works? What have you done that's truly been effective? Please email us at hip@greenfeet.com.
Listener Emails
- Patrick emailed regarding SUV's and their true place in the world of transportation. Check out www.edmunds.com for specs on vehicles to do comparisons, www.dodge.com, and www.caranddriver.com
- Tammy provided us with some startling information on PFOA - a chemical found in Teflon. Check out these links
www.washingtonpost.comwww.ewg.org
Patrick is a believer in the "take your foot off the pedal" mode of driving. Here's a great article that he found: news.yahoo.comHere's the eagle website that Val adores sent to us by listener Karen. Remember, only watch for a short time as the volume is blocking many people out. This goes to say that you may need to try a few times to get through. www.infotecbusinesssystems.com or mms://array.galaxytelevision.net/hanlive/hanlive.wsx The lovely Jill-icious found this interesting idea on a greenbusiness forum. If you want to be on a tribal island but can't get on Survivor - here's your chance: www.springwise.com or www.tribewanted.comEmily discovered Yolo paints - no VOC's and they offer a very nice and broad natural palette.Travis bumped his head and forgot for a while that he enjoyed living green. But, he's recovered and is enjoying a new found love of biodiesel and all things green. Travis, here's a few links for you regarding corn plastic. You'll find pens, cups, all sorts of things.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com.
Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_46_Going_Batty.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:44 PM |
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Wed, 26 April 2006
More Hip than Hippie - An Interview with Julia Butterfly-Hill | | Val - Julia Butterfly-Hill - Dori
The Butterfly has landed! That's right - we have a fantastic show this week including a chat with the lovely Julia Butterfly-Hill. Sit back, relax and enjoy. You're going to love it. |
Rick Springfield!
We review our night on the town with Rick Springfield - notice the pictures. We're old pals now! And.....we review organic wine and ice cream. Wha???? No beer and chocolate? Well, since the show is full of surprises, why stop now?  | | Dori - Rick Springfield - Val |
Shout Outs!
Here's who's been talking about More Hip Than Hippie Lately. Thank You!
Finds and Hip News:
- Found on AOL News, drivers curb use of gas as price goes up. Surprised anyone?
- Eco Friendly Oregon Winemaker Earns Top Honor - this just in from listener Michael.
- Listener Doug has been taking our Mileage Challenge and has discovered he's improved his mpg by 10%! Get your results in NOW so we can share the findings. If you've forgotten the details, here they are: Take the Mileage Challenge - the point is to demonstrate just how much driving habits make a difference in fuel efficiency.
Step 1. Track mileage for one tank with normal driving habits.
Step 2. Track mileage for the next tank while maximizing the amount of time your foot is not on either pedal.
Send your results to hip@greenfeet.com . Please have your results to us by May 1, 2006. - Val found this great 4 minute flash movie on climate that a green colleague produced. His name is Joel and he's the Founder of GreenBiz.com. It's great.
The Wine and Ice Cream
What? No Beer and chocolate?
Wine: Bonterra Vineyards Organic Cabernet - 2003
Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry's Black and Tan. Yes, we've been informed that they beat us to the punch. But does it live up to our expectations?
The Interview: Julia Butterfly-Hill
In the 90's
Many of you may remember the name Julia Butterfly Hill from the late 90's when Ms. Hill made the headlines by setting up camp within the branches of Luna - an old growth tree in the Northern California Redwoods. The two year experience resulted in Luna's preservation and the tree became a symbol for protection against the environmental damages of clear cutting our forests.
www.circleoflifefoundation.org
Once Julia came back down, she was bombarded with cameras, interviews and a lot of attention. She decided she wanted to make a difference in this world and has been touring and educating ever since. She founded the Circle of Life Foundation found at www.circleoflifefoundation.org where you'll find a lot of wonderful, useful information on how you can make a difference.
Here is their mission statement: Founded in early 1999 by Julia Butterfly Hill, Circle of Life activates people through education, inspiration and connection to live in a way that honors the diversity and interdependence of all life. We believe that you, yes you, make the difference in the world.
Julia is not your average activist. She's not about the negative - she's about being proactive and taking action. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and both of us felt a little more enlightened as we parted ways.
Pictures from Rob's Party
 |  |  | | Dori and Val | Yummy Fondue! | Jill, Dori and Val |
Listener Emails
- Liz brought to our attention that not only Vanity Fair has a green issue out, so does Elle Magazine!
- Liisa (yes, the one with two i's) informed us that IKEA takes batteries, rechargeable batteries, CFL's, cardboard and Styrofoam for recycling. Hot diggety! Check them out to see if there's a store near you. www.ikea.com. But don't tell Liisa - seems she has a bit of a shopping problem there!
- Ding Ding - it's Kellie from San Francisco. Here's a link to an NPR story on the Dupont Teflon lawsuit. It's worth the 5 minute or so listen.
- Jay reminded us what trendsetters we are (blush, blush) by pointing out a few articles. The Boston Globe published an article about green travel. He likes http://tidepool.org for environmental news.
- You listeners are on top of things! We received several emails regarding Apple Computers Free Computer Take-Back Program. Kudos to Apple and to all of you for letting us know about it! Check out Apple for the skinny on the program: http://www.apple.com
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle .
Direct download: More_Hip_45_Julia_Butterfly_Hill.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:32 PM |
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Wed, 19 April 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Earth Day!Here comes the sun! Finally the sun has hit Northern California. It's almost Earth Day, and we wanted to give you the low down on what it means and some great easy tips on how to make a difference this year. Shout Outs
- Biddies update - The goal has been raised to $15,000 because of the success they've had. If you haven't donated yet now's you chance - click here to donate! They're walking this weekend so donate quick!
- Green Guy - He has a blog called Anthony's Chicken Tracks - check it out!
- Livingundermyroof.com - Their Blog focussing on Smart Choices for Our Families
The Finds
- Vanity Fair's entire issue this month is dedicated to Environmental issues. We suggest you pick up a copy.
- The More Hip than Hippie Newsletter - Get the shownotes delivered straight to your inbox! Check out the link on morehipthanhippie.com
- Dagoba Recall Update - Val talked with Melissa from Dagoba about the recall - check out their site here.
The Chocolate: Dagoba Organic Chai Milk Chocolate Bar - The original â??Chai Chocolateâ?? bar on the market.
The Beer: Hop Rod Rye from Bear Republic Brewing Company in Sonoma County.
Hip News
- An update - Eagle-On-Eagle Crime: Martha Attacked, George Alone With Offspring While Martha Recovers At Veterinary Hospital
- Fashion: Corn Clothes from Newsweek Magazine
- About.com - Can Organic Farming End World Hunger? Research Shows Organic Farming Can Feed the World Without Harming the Planet
The Band - Guster - Check out the site.
Earth Day
A Tale of Two Earth Days from About.com
Simple Steps to Make and Impact
- Switch to reusable bags.
- Use Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs and Water Bottles.
- Reduce the amount of packaging you bring home - buy in bulk or choose products with less packaging. Or buy products with high recycled content.
- Recycle what you can - close the loop.
- Conserve Water
- Eat locally produced foods that are in season.
- Buy Fair Trade Coffee and Chocolate.
- Drive Less an make your drive more efficient.
More Hip Mileage Challenge!
Take the Mileage Challenge - the point is to demonstrate just how much driving habits make a difference in fuel efficiency.
Step 1. Track mileage for one tank with normal driving habits.
Step 2. Track mileage for the next tank while maximizing the amount of time your foot is not on either pedal.
Send your results to hip@greenfeet.com. Please have your results to us by May 1, 2006.
Listener Emails
- Guster - a great band, is on the Campus Consciousness Tour with the aim to educate, inspire, and activate students. They hope to leave a positive impact on each community and college/university that the tour reaches. Kellie (ding ding) from SF emailed to let us know of a sad, yet funny story about Adam the lead singer. It involves a press conference, the ladies restroom, a tampon machine and the emergency room. Check out the bands diaries for details http://www.guster.com/diaries/02road/ - The episode above happened on April 6th.
- Jas (pronounced "Jayce") is a podcaster himself. Check out their show called Slippery Tangents at www.nightlightradio.com. Hey, he called us the Queens of Cacao - you gotta appreciate that!
- We heard back from the folks at Enterprise Vanpool. Turns out they operate 1300 vanpools in California and transport 13,000 people daily. That's impressive. Go Enterprise!
- Michael introduced us to Dropps - a concentrated form of detergent that's phosphate and chemical free. Val called and spoke with the owner of the company. She's so impressed, Greenfeet.com will be carrying it soon. Find out more at http://www.dropps.com/beautifulEarth.htm
- Brian from OK (Ooooklahoma - Val can't help but sing it like in the musical of the same name, much to the irritation of Dori) shared his find of the week - E*Trade electronic communication not only eliminates paper mailings but also have the National Arbor Day Foundation plant a tree for each account that makes the switch. Check them out at http://www.etrade.com/saveatree
- Michael inquired as to the safety of TSP - a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. It does contain phosphates and is illegal to use in some states due to its polluting of waterways. We suggest you use it sparingly and only if no other option is available.
- The lovely BJK emailed to share a story about Benzene in soda. She said now she knows why soda makes her rosacea flare up. Yuk. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/PublicHealth/tb1/3014
- Bob - our wonderful listener who sent us tiaras and Disney Antenna balls for Dori's kids informed us of his transformation from OC conservative to OC liberal environmentalkook. Congratulations! But if you start running around naked and hugging trees we won't claim to know anything about you!
- Hear ye, Hear ye - Matt is the first to come up with a suggested ice cream name for our bid for Ben & Jerry's Do Me a Flavor contest. We want to figure out a name for our Beer and Chocolate Ice Cream (recipe still in progress). His suggestion: More Hops Than Chippie. Hee-Hee. We love it. Keep those names coming everyone! Ohhâ?¦and he's a podcaster too. Check him out at www.mattsbasementworkshop.com
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle.
Direct download: More_Hip_44_Earth_Day_1.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:46 PM |
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Wed, 12 April 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Eco-Friendly Jewelry
This week Jill-icious is in the house! We talk Biddies, Jewels and a whole lotta emails. It's a great show so tune in!
Make A Difference: The Lascivious Biddies (one of our faves) are on a mission for MS (multiple sclerosis). Amanda, the lead singer, was diagnosed with MS back in 2005. Our own Jill was diagnosed with MS back in 2002 and she shares her experience and feelings on the subject. Listen to the promo here.
Team Biddy is walking in New York on April 23rd to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research. While we can't participate in the walk, we can help to raise funds. With that in mind, please click here to make a contribution to Team Biddy or to find out how you can join them if you'll be in the New York area. Come join us in helping the Biddies reach their goal!
The Beer: Blue Moon from Coors Brewing Co
The Chocolate: Sweet Riot Cacao Nibs. - You gotta try these!
Hip News:
- From Grist Magazine - In a new lawsuit, the Center for Biological Diversity has charged the Bush Administration with violating the 1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which requires the feds to regularly update fuel economy standards to the "maximum feasible level".
- About.com - March 29, 2006. Rule fails to lower consumer costs or ease U.S. Oil Dependency.
- ABC News - Bald Eagle Tends to Nest as Single Dad (Mom's in ICU with injuries from a terrorizing bimbo eagle).
- Tupperware - Val got her letter from Tuppeware explaining the type of plastic used in their products. Highlights from the letter include that Polycarbonate (#7) that we have expressed concern from is used in the following products. The Rock 'N Serve�¢?�¢ line, Pizza Keep 'N Heat container, TupperCare�¢?�¢ baby bottle, the base of the Meals-in-Minutes�¢?�¢ Microsteamer, elegant serving line, Table Collection and, from time to time, tumblers.
More Hip Finds of the Week:
Main Topic - Eco Friendly Jewelry. Yes! You can look gorgeous and be green. Here are some sources to check out.
Listener Emails
- Dagoba chocolate recall. Don't panic. They have been very responsive and direct and all offending bars are off shelves. Val had a talk with Melissa from Dagoba and she is still eating Dagoba chocolate - lots of it. Remember - part of what makes a great company is how they react when something negative happens.
- Listener Howard sent us this little diddy on the effect of not supporting local business.
- Listener bjk recommended this book for Dori as a resource of dealing with a pre-tween. Yeah, good luck with that. The Care and Keeping of You
- Patrick sent us an article about possible ethanol shortage - He also sent this one http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2006/Update52.htm
- Michael provided an article about Volkswagon's Blue/Green cars
- Alison recommended a list of coopamerica books that are very cool. Check them out. She also recommended these sites to get rid of your batteries.
- BJK - Check out the ring!
- Susan from Georgia Says she loves listening to More Hip than Hippie. She says it is a great compliment to other shows that are helping her to think green.
Thanks to the Lascivious Biddies for allowing us to play their music and for their efforts to raise funds for an MS cure. Thanks also to Sweet Riot for sending the Chocolate Nibs. Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to vote for us at Podcastalley.com, review our show at iTunes and Podcast Pickle , and while you're at it, tell all your friends, and if they won't listen tie them to a chair and stick some ear buds in their ears. (Please note: We don't actually condone violence - unless it helps build our listener base.)
Direct download: More_Hip_43_Eco-Friendly_Jewelry.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:09 PM |
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Wed, 5 April 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Eco-Friendly TravelThis week we talk about eco travel, our usual finds, beer and chocolate. The Chocolate: Bare Bottom Truffles - Lavender Truffles
The Beer: St. Louis Premium Framboise
The Finds
Eco-Travel
More Hip Mileage Challenge!Take the Mileage Challenge - the point is to demonstrate just how much driving habits make a difference in fuel efficiency. Step 1. Track mileage for one tank with normal driving habits. Step 2. Track mileage for the next tank while maximizing the amount of time your foot is not on either pedal. Send your results to hip@greenfeet.com. Please have your results to us by May 1, 2006.
Listener Emails
- Listener Barry (pronounced Berry) suggested Green Disk for recycling your tech trash.
- Gary reminded us to kill your screensaver to conserve energy as a PC with a screensaver going can use well over 100 watts of power, compared with only about 10 watts in sleep mode.
- Listener Patrick found this article on environmentally friendly glass for use in computer monitors. Cool.
- Karen (the lovely listener who helped hook us up with those smashing Bare Bottom Truffles) begs any listener going to (or living in) Canada to bring back chocolate from this company http://www.appletonchocolates.ca . She insists that everyone must read this page http://www.appletonchocolates.ca/internal/wasted.htm . If you can hook Karen up, give us a ringy-dingy and we'll put you in touch. Please note that we do charge a small fee of one truffle each for the effort.
- Patrick has a blog. Here he works through the math so people can see where the figures advertised on the packages of Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs come from. Check it out
Plus, he wants ya'll to check out this site http://www.ourcoolhouse.com - Last week we discussed Heinz vinegar as one of the only grain based vinegars (yes, petroleum is used in the distillation process). Here is the link to the FDA site
- Listener Lynda LOVES Health By Chocolate which is produced by EccoBella and is what is referred to as a beauty bar as there are added antioxidents. We love the excuse to eat this yummy chocolate.
- Shayna (aka Peppersmama) sent us this piece from digg.com discussing the pros and cons of hybrids, biodiesel, natural gas, ethanol and hydrogen cars.
Remember to Vote for us at podcastalley.com, review our show on iTunes, and Tell your friends about our podcast. Email us your comments at hip@greenfeet.com.
Direct download: More_Hip_42_Eco-Friendly_Travel.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:05 PM |
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Thu, 30 March 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Green WeddingsThis week we're talking green weddings, our weekly finds, and of course chocolate and beer. Rob's 40th/50th birthday is coming up soon. Val talks about being an Apple Blossom Princess and her tiara.
Weekly finds
The Beer: Newcastle Brown Ale
The Chocolate: Karen hooked us up! Bare Bottom Truffles - Dark Chocolate Truffles. Thanks for the T-shirts and the Chocolate!
Green Weddings:
- Invitations:
- Wardrobe - follow the rules of reduce, reuse, recycle, restore
- Candles - stick with beeswax or vegetable based candles.
- Gifts:
- Consider http://www.idofoundation.org if you don't need many gifts to have guests donate to the charity of your choice.
-
Felicite.com - to register in many places at once, set up a honeymoon fund or partial gift plans.
Purchase a copy of Organic Weddings by Michelle Kozin for loads of tips, ideas and resources.
More tips can be found at
Brides.com.
Listener Emails:
Vote for us at podcastalley.com and email us your thoughts at hip@greenfeet.com
Direct download: More_Hip_41_Green_Weddings.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 1:23 AM |
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Wed, 22 March 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Spring CleaningSpring has sprung - well, figuratively anyway. While most of the country is still in winter like conditions we're focusing this week on getting prepared for spring cleaning. It's a frame of mind and we're out to get you inspired and ready to attack those dust bunnies!!
Hip News, Hip News
- Val shared a story out of Plenty Magazine (April/May 2006 issue) about giant jellyfish that have invaded Tokyo. Freaky.
- On Yahoo! News Dori found an article linking green house gasses to global warming. Troubling news.
- Eco Recording artist Kellie Stoltz
Beer:
This week it's Purple Haze Raspberry Wheat Brew from Abita Brewing Company. Abita Springs, LA U.S.A.
Chocolate:
Hachez Orange Bar - Hachez's Cocoa D'Arriba 77% Cocoa Content- The mild chocolate enjoyment.
Spring Cleaning.
Don't let it be a daunting task. Dori and Val cover several ways to make it manageable, effective and even fun! (well, maybe that's going a bit too far).
Things like creating a plan, pacing yourself, setting goals and rewarding yourself for a job well done are covered. They also cover the basics and sustainable tools to get the job done.
Some Books to consider are:
Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan
Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd
Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold Bond
How Clean is Your House by Kim Woodburn and Aggie Mackenzie
Listener Emails
- Jon is on a mission! He's driving his Biodiesel VW Rabbit across the US to raise awareness and wanted to share this entry on his blog.
- Lee's dryer has balls! Wahoo! Actually, they're called dryer balls and they help fight static cling. Check them out at greenfeet.com
- Michael (who hates Priuses), shared this company who makes a bamboo bike. It's a bit pricey but cool nonetheless. http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm. Here's the article he also wrote to us about regarding smart cars so Val can trade her Prius in on one http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1938884,00.asp
- Greetings to Craig in Durban, South Africa. Thanks for listening!
- Rob sent us an update on hemp legislation. Check out more details at http://www.votehemp.com
- Our buddy Tom in the U.K. sent us this great article from the BBC about a new biofuel pump at a U.K. supermarket. Hurrah!
- Michael wanted to know about some alternatives to Roundup. Here ya go:
- Dennis defended Val as a fellow Prius owner (thanks, Dennis!). Actually, he brings up a good point. While a hybrid is not the ultimate solution, it does tend to get conversations started. We like that.
- Nancy had a concern as to whether emergency crews could use the "jaws of life" on a hybrid after an accident. According to the Toyota website, yes, you can. Several safety features are installed and training is available for all emergency personnel. Check out the website for more information.
- Howard gave us some more solid, green office tips. One was to donate unused cycles on your computer to BOINC projects that combine them to accomplish work that would normally require a super computer. It's worth checking out at http://boinc.berkeley.edu
- Kellie - our friend from San Francisco (ding ding). Check out a local publication called Bay Area Naturally http://www.naturalpages.com/ba.html to check out other green cleaning businesses for your MBA project.
- Joshua - our Aussie friend who typed slow so we could understand him (did we say smart ass?) turned us on to greenlagirl who has joined with others for the Starbucks challenge. Little did he know that Val already talked to her. Ha!
Check out her blog at http://greenlagirl.com and City Hippy at http://cityhippy.blogspot.com
- Nathan who as a new listener had questions regarding our theme music gave us a great link to find out more information how eating a vegan diet is greener than driving a hybrid car. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg18825304.800.html
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com. Remember to vote for us at podcastalley.
Direct download: More_Hip_40_Spring_Greening.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:24 PM |
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Wed, 15 March 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - The Eco-friendly OfficeVal attended the sustainability conference at Chico State. This week we do the usual finds, chocolate, beer and then we dive in to making the places your work and worship a bit more green.
The Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Made in Chico, CA.
The Chocolate:
Scharffenberger
(By the way I found out that while they are not organic or fair trade, this company is committed to sustainable farming. Find out more here.
The Finds:
- From about.com - Americans Would Support Higher Gas Tax to Reduce Global Warming - Economists Believe Raising Gasoline Prices Would Lower Consumption
- From CNN -
 Divers have discovered a new crustacean in the South Pacific that resembles a lobster and is covered with what looks like silky, blond fur, French researchers said Tuesday.
- From YahooNews - Wal-Mart doubling organic food offerings.
- Ideal Bite - Starbucks review - don't forget to read Starbuck's Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR)
Annual Report and judge for yourself.
Shout out: Podcasting Dallas with Larry (all by himself no Kevin - Kevin must be Val's imaginary friend). They featured us on their site this week.
Greening the office and the church
Dori and Val give a lot of great tips (to many for me to transcribe here) so I am going to be posting only the links they mention not the tips. I hope you find them helpful.
Listener Emails
- Kmpollock - Greening the Cube, by Joel Makower. Eco-friendly furniture meets the cubicle culture.
- Amanda - discovered a brand of reusable furnace filters called Web. You can trim them to any size and once a month you just remove the pad, rinse, and allow to dry.
- Chuck - Found this tidbit on digg.com about recycling styrofoam via bacteria! Read it here.
- Barry - Told us about an industrial cleaner manufacturer we can all check out named (no kidding) Beaver Research Company.
- Matt - attached a link from a UK site called the Eden project. I went there last year and bought a mouse mat made from recycled tyres which is great. So I thought more hip than hippy mouse mats would be cool!
- BJK - The mystery is over! It's a she!
- Mrs. B - Just wanted you to know that I won a contest at
Podcast Pickle
and get to pick the featured podcast of the day for a week. Today, I chose your show.
- Bob in Tulsa - found a company in Texas (
SOS From Texas
) that you
might like. They make clothes from organic cotton grown there in Texas
and woven there in the same way.
Don't forget to email us at hip@greenfeet.com and vote for us at podcastalley.com (and anywhere else you can), and review us at podcastpickle and itunes.
Direct download: More_Hip_39_Eco-friendly_Office.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 11:10 PM |
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Thu, 9 March 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Green MachinesWe move indoors - the weather is cruddy! This week we talk all about cars. Val goes on a couple of rants - one about a coffee chain and the ever annoying plastic bags.
This weeks finds
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Here's the low-down based on the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) information. It's considered non-toxic although we have reason to be somewhat concerned. The Hazardous Decomposition/By Products include: Oxides of carbon, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, aromatic compounds, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide. Hmmm. It can also cause gastrointestinal blockages in children and pets. We suggest you use it sparingly in desperate situations only.
- Static Cling anyone? Here's a simple solution to this nasty little problem. Tip courtesy of www.care2.com.
- From Real Simple Magazine: Val brought to light a great project to identify contents in pantry storage containers. Simply create an area of chalk board (using chalk board paint available at any hardware store) on your glass or stainless containers. Use to label contents, date of entry (to maintain freshness) and cooking tips. When switching contents, simply erase and poof! you're done!
- Also From Real Simple Magazine - Free ice cream! Wha? Where? On April 25th Ben & Jerry's (synonymous with YUM) is offering free ice cream cones at their scoop shops. Visit www.benjerry.com and click on "scoop shops". Thanks for the tip Real Simple Magazine!
- From ABC News: North Pole Meets South Pole: Both Ends of Earth Are Melting
The Beer: Carmel Wheat HefeWeizen by Carmel Brewing Company
The Chocolate: Valrhona Chocolat Noir
All About Cars
- Dori stumbled on this great article on how General Motors Derailed Public Transportation to Sell More Cars (really - that's the name of the piece). You can read more here.
- This week we discussed the various areas of cars. First up is the idea of community car sharing. If you live in an urban area, need a car only once in a while or only occasionally need a second car this may be the perfect service for you. Here are some sites to check out. You can find car sharing programs around the world!
- There are a lot of other companies located in major cities. Here are a few:
- Here's the top picks of Consumer Reports Annual Vehicle Guide
(note that news links may appear dead after time)
- Dori shared the Top 10 Ways to Equip Your Car for a Greener Planet. She found this at Edmunds.com
Listener Emails Wow. Once again we have tons of email - thank you! While we do our best to comment on every message, please note that we appreciate each and every one we get and yes, we do read them.
- Karen inquired as to sources for natural hair dyes. Here are a few to get you started: (please note that we have not used these products ourselves so use your due diligence as a consumer and ask questions, check guarantee, etc). Many of these can be found in your natural health food store or online.
100% Henna. Simply Google "henna natural hair dyes" and boatloads will appear.
Naturtints
Other Links:
- Tara inquired as to an ADA approved toothpaste. The only one we could find is Toms of Maine
Dori uses it - Val's not such a fan due to the content of sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Listener Michael provided a link to an interesting article on Mitsubishi Motors development of a plant-based resin for use in interiors. Good read.
- Sarabeth is all about cloth diapers and wanted to tell everyone there are cloth "pull-up" out there. Bloody Brilliant! Visit www.kellyscloset.com for all things diaper related.
- Liisa (with two eyes - oh, I get it. Two I's�..) wanted to shout the joys of Allterrain a great company that manufactures effective, DEET free insect repellents. We're proud to say that Greenfeet carries the repellent and is bringing on new products (like their repellent wipes) in a matter of a few days.
greenfeet.com
It's good stuff!
- Danny is moving and needs lots of good stuff for his kitchen. Oh, Danny. We can't help but blush with pride. Check out Greenfeet.com's great selection of kitchen products!
Greenfeet's Kitchen Products
Email us at
hip@greenfeet.com
and don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley, review us on itunes, and podcastpickle.com
Direct download: More_Hip_38_Green_Machines.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 5:42 AM |
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Thu, 2 March 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Feng ShuiDori's finally moved back into her house. We take a look at Feng Shui, taste some beer, eat some chocolate, and check out some listener emails.
Martha's New Magazine
Blueprint - Design Your Life - Expected to come out May and August 2006.
The Beer:
The Chocolate: Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Truffle. (Sorry no direct link to the chocolate).
The Beer: Eel River's Organic Porter from the Eel River Brewing Company.
In the News:
Feng Shui - location, location, locationFeng Shue has been used by Donald Trump, Virgin Airlines, the Bank of Englad and the United Nations.
It's even been used on TV sets such as Big Brother.
Feng Shui teaches us how to create harmony and balance around us by considering the effect of our environment on individual health and well being. It's the integration of the outside world and our internal environment and this philosophy is being employed by a growing number of architects and decorators that are integrating 3000 year old ideas into their contemporary building designs.
Nutshell - concept is to attract positive energy. What you put out, you get back. Nothing granola about it. Feng Shui is a philosophy - a way of seeing the world.
There are 8 key factors in Feng Shui Analysis.
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Ch'I of the land
- Shape of the lot
- Shape of the house
- Traffic and Road Influences
- Entrances
- Room arrangement
- Stairways
- General condition and level of upkeep
There are a variety of tools used in Feng Shui - Here are a few examples
-
Paint Color
- The Bagua (map of general area/building)
- Crystals
- Wind Chimes
- Flutes
- Mirrors
Here are some links for more information on Feng Shui:
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/picks/aatp_fengshui_bk.htm
http://www.fastfengshui.com/fast_fengshui_book.htm
Listener Emails
- Nancy - Full Plate Nutrition - What's up Girls! I finally listened to all the shows, so I've allowed
myself to write. I have a few questions for you:
What should I be telling people to freeze food in? Glass Storage has an advantage - doesn't need replacing. Stainless steel is good (Jill couldn't find a link - if you know where to get some- let her know). Non-PVC plastic. Aluminum foil.
What can we use for garbage bags? I tried the Seven Generations bags but they tear and leak
and they're too big to fit down the chute. Val recommended reexamining purchases to see if any alternatives exist to reduce packaging that is ultimately thrown away. There's Bio Bags from Greenfeet.com that come in trash and food waste size bags. They're made from corn so they won't be quite as sturdy as thick plastic, but they do the job.
- Lindsey from Athens, GA (one fo the 10 greenest cities in the U.S.) mentioned how San Francisco is looking into ways of turning their dog doo into methane fuel. Oh, poo!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060222/ap_on_sc/dog_waste_power
- Jennifer found us via Red Jellyfish (who we love) and suggested that we check out
Yesterday's News - an environmentall friendly cat litter. Jennifer says that its less tracking than Feline Pine. So there you go.
- Scott in Connecticut wanted to give us a heads up on a couple of good sites for green products:
www.unpluggedliving.com and www.treehugger.com
Of course, because we enjoy shameless self promotion, check out www.greenfeet.com because it rocks.
- Michael from Huntersville, North Carolina send us a very informative link to EFF - The Electronic Frontier Foundation regarding a code of conduct for Internet companies in authoritarian regimes. Good and interesting reading.
- Andrea - joined a CSA!
Email us at
hip@greenfeet.com
and don't forget to vote for us at podcastalley, review us on itunes, and podcastpickle.com
Direct download: MoreHip37FengShui.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 1:23 AM |
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Wed, 22 February 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Diapers - a loaded subjectThis week we continue tasting beer, chocolate and talk about green choices for diapers.
The Mileage Test
Rob has been participating in the mileage test with hybridcars.com. See the results here.
Body and Soul
Dori just received Body and Soul Magazine to fulfill the rest of her Organic Style subscription. She found a couple of things in this magazine she wanted to share. A tip about keeping small bugs out of your kitchen, and a couple of sites that encourage shopping green - greenerchoices.org and alonovo.com. Val also suggests Center for a New American Dream as a source to find shops that match your values.
The Beer:
Dirty Dick's Ale
from Youngs Brewing Company out of the UK.
The Chocolate: We're Making plans to try the Chocolate Testing kitand the 24 piece sampler from Dagoba, but this week we are trying Conocado from Dagoba.
| Val's Earings: She's got some cute one's on today that are made by So Luci Designs |
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| Curious George: Dori went to see it, thought it was a great kid's movie, and we like the soundtrack by Jack Johnson. | |
Hip News: EPA board: Teflon chemical a likely carcinogen - Read the article here.
Talking Babies - Diapers: The girls discuss the different options. For more information check out checnet.org
Some Environmentally Friendly Options - Disposable:
Recycle the diapers?: Visit Knowaste.com to find out how.
Vote for us and leave comments at Podcast Alley, Itunes, Podcast Pickle or any place that will let you! Email us at hip@greenfeet.com.
Shout Outs!:
Listener Emails
- Jay - In your last show (on chocolate), you were discussing a Consumer's Reports article about organic food (Organic for Less) and mentioned a seafood buying guide. The Monterey Bay Aquarium also has a good seafood buying guide. It's part of their Seafood Watch program and explains what seafood to avoid and what to buy and why. The guides are customizable to the region of the country you live in and you can print out a pocket version of the guide.
- Katie - Sent us this
linkwith great green travel ideas.
- Kevin - recommends greenfax.com to reduce paper use in the office, and emailing instead of faxing.
- Fiona - Since listening to your show, especially that one you did on plastic vs paper, I have bought myself a
collection of reusable bags and it's been about two months since I have brought a plastic bag home.
You've also helped me re-think a lot about what I buy, what things are made of, where they come
from, how they're packaged, and I'm shunning all the multi-national chain stores now in favour of
small businesses even though they are slightly more expensive and much less convenient for me.
The only downside to your show is that after each episode I find myself craving beer and dark
chocolate, and I normally don't like beer or dark chocolate!!
- Shelly - Healthy Armpit Solution - A nice alternative to deodorants is lemon juice! Yup,
just a few drops of lemon juice squeezed into your palm and splashed
under the pits will keep you fresh and odor-free for hours. I even
keep a lemon in the fridge at work just in case my work load gets me
overheated. It's easy to slice a little wedge out of the lemon and
sneak it in the bathroom with me. Plus, I figure I'm doing my
coworkers a favor by leaving a nice-smelling lemon rind in the bathroom
garbage.
- Tim from the UK - Feeling better after Beaver Fever!
- Tiffany - Shiny Things - I wanted to tell you about ecoist.com. They make clutches and totes out of recycled candy wrappers, food packages, and soda labels.
- Mike - Sent a link to this article about bottled water.
- Tim -
You mention that Aurora Glass is in Portland,
but it is actually in Eugene, OR (the greenest city I've ever lived
in).A funny coincidence. After I got home from work last Friday, I
grabbed a beer, sat on my patio, and listened to your "Biting into Chocolate" episode. The beer I grabbed was a Jubelale, the same beer
you tried in that episode.
Direct download: MoreHip36Diapers-ALoadedSubject.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 10:37 PM |
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Thu, 16 February 2006
More Hip than Hippie - A Tour of Dori's HouseThis week we take a look at Dori's house, visit with Rob (Val's hubby), and we select a winner from the Valentine's contest.
The winner's are Announced - You can see the winners of the contest here.
This week's finds
The Chocolate: Rob chose it this week. Newmans Own - Sweet Dark Chocolate Orange
The Beer: Big Daddy IPA - from Speak Easy
A tour of Dori's House
- Check out the photos from the tour here.
Visit Earth911.org - This site helps you to know where to dispose of the stuff we usually throw away when we remodel. Or visit freecycle.org.
Man on a Mission - Podsafe song of the year (according to Rob) by Chance.
Listener Emails
- Amy - I work at Super
Target and thought I would tell you that we also carry bamboo pillows I
don't know for sure how much bamboo content there is but I thought I would
mention it in case you didn't see them. Another thing I noticed at Target
was that we have a new gift card that you can purchase that is made of corn
starch. I thought this was a great alternative for the
plastic gift cards that we sell. And I am going to definitely talk to my
store manager about the organic flowers. I went to Organic Bouquet.com and
those flowers were so beautiful.
- Liisa - Hey ladies! Thought this
link
was relevant to recent discussions on both
whaling and dog food...
- Miranda and Howard - about Endangered Species Chocolate issues - Val has researched the issue oprmagazine.com. It's a lengthy answer, so listen to the podcast for the whole thing.
- BJK - Could we get another pet episode? I would like to see an episode on
natural solutions for flea and tick control, ear mite issues, internal
parasites, and grooming. (Also, are there any nasty tasting substances
that do not harm cats? My younger cat is pulling fur out of my olderone)
Also, here is my cyber Valentine's card: Picture a stack of recycled
paper implanted with seeds that are ready to sprout the second you bury
the paper. Punxsutawney Pa's Trailhead Gallery carries notecards and
other recycled paper goodies made by a local artist....all ready for
planting in your flower bed.
(Yes, we listened to your podcast on the way to see Phil...next year we
are getting married there)
- Doug - Reduce your dependency on oil - read more here.
- Karen - Diabetes from a Plastic? Estrogen mimic provokes insulin resistance. Read more here.
- Kalah - Found this website & book about "new materials that are transforming
our physical environment" and wanted to share it with you both.
- Philippe - Secondly, Dori, you were totally right about the Belgian situation; I didn't expect any less of you ;) However, I am from the Dutch speaking part of Belgium. My French name came from my mother, who's French speaking...
Don't forget to vote for us at podcast alley, and review the podcast on itunes.
Direct download: MoreHip35ATourofDorisHouse.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 2:02 AM |
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Thu, 9 February 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Biting into Chocolate Talking about chocolate and ding dongs. We even have an interview with Melissa from Dagoba Chocolate.
The Chocolate: Roseberry from who else but Dagoba.
The Beer: This weeks ale is Jubelale by the Deschutes Brewing Company
The Remodel: Dori's remodel (ok her home remodel) is almost done. This week she tells about her adventure of choosing window coverings.
John Cleese: Dori got to see John Cleese in Seven Ways to Skin an Ocelot.
This Weeks Finds:
- Top Ten Green Cities according to the Green Guide.
- Update - California Assembly Bill 1147 - It has been passed by the Assembly.
- Clothing Swap!!!! - Swaporamarama - The idea is to bring your unwanted clothes, trade them in and get tips from designers and seamstresses on how to make finds from the swap of clothes work for you. Also visit Swapstyle.com or meetup.com
- Cool Fuel Road Trip - Val found a new show she'll be watching called the
Coolfuel Roadtrip
- Dori and Val on the Amazing Race? That would be funny!
The interview! Melissa Schweisguth, Change-Maker at Dagoba Chocolate. This is a great interview. It's worth a listen or two!
Listener Emails:
- Shayna - Organic Foods - worth the money? from Consumer Reports. Read the Article here.
- Karen - Find Vetiver at greenfeet.com.
- Kelly - Let's just say she had a different definition of the word ding dong thank a choco covered snack cake.
- Theresa - Thought listener's or maybe just Val (for her dog's food) might be interested. I'm sure there are other natural foods out there - this is just one that is very readily available.
Newman's Own Organics
and this link for great kitty litter.
- Howard - Magazines offered electronically - check to see if you favorites are available.
- Alex - Great show...fun with the environment - who knew? I've taken your series on
Green Building, and the Home Energy Audit, and replayed them on Radio
Ecoshock, the planet's only full time environmental radio station. We're
non-profit, no commercials, just play the best interviews, news, podcasts,
and music about the blue Planet, 24/7.
Check it out at www.ecoshock.org
- Adam from the Yippie Show - So here I am looking for information about detoxing, green drinks and all that fun stuff, when I see a page that made me think "Dori & Val." No, normally I don't normally associate colon cleansing with super hot podcast babes, but I think you may enjoy this page.
Here is is a source for cacao nibs. The page has some good information about cacao. However, I am sure it isn't as enjoyable as your organic chocolate in bars.
- Katie - Hi Chiquitas! (is that what you call female residents of Chico?)
I last wrote back in October and was thrilled to hear my email read "on
air".I've taken up your challenge to make it my resolution to stop collecting
plastic bags, but I'm now faced with a dilemma: what do I do with my
garbage? as Prabjit's email mentioned in a previous show, I use plastic bags to line
my garbage cans, what is the green solution here?I recycle as much as I can and as I rent a small apartment establishing a
compost heap would not amuse my landlord. - Check out Biobags on greenfeet.com.
As for Val's waxing, sister, I feel your pain. I used the Parissa wax last
month. While my pasty white Canadian legs are now silky smooth, I'm still
cleaning wax off my counter. (What are your feelings on the Mr. Clean Magic
Eraser). I find myself "pumping myself up" before yanking the strip...
trying to focus on "no pain, no gain". My only words of wisdom through this
whole process, be sure to dedicate enough time to do BOTH legs as the same
time. My boyfriend laughed when I had to confess that I got tired and my
knees got sore so I only did half the job, I
have to admit, it looked really stupid under nylons.
- Tara - Just found you... soul mates, I tell you! Anyway, I wanted you to know that I can't stop obsessing about when I'll get to catch up on your shows... Long way to work? Sure! You need me to carpool? Absolutely! Road trip? All the way! Gave you a well deserved shout out on my blog enlightenme.blog.com - come visit me! I am also recycling the CDs I make of the podcasts and giving them to people I know will enjoy it as much as I do... Thanks for what your doing!
- Siera-Ana - Hi there Ladies!
I am an avid listener and was curious about when it is okay to use the anti-bacterial soaps and such...I don't want to gross you out, but here's the problem; I'm sure that a lot of other ladies has this problem too but won't admit it, so I am!
I went to see the good old OB/GYN doctor and she said that the skin on my under arm (pits) is in severe need of an anti-bacterial soap, but whenever I use it, I seem to break out more! with or without shaving!!! I have major pimples under there no matter what I do or do not do or use! The only thing that seems to semi-solves the problem is using my Dove anti-perspiring deoderant until that too starts making me ITCH like MAD! There isn't anything else out there that takes care of the "problem"...I haven't tried the rock deoderant yet...I kind of freaks me out! Val says Rob uses - the rock deodorant. Also use an antibacterial deodorant from V'tae.
- Tiffany - Always choose reusable bags - when in a pinch paper is better.
- Amanda - My husband and I found out recently that our Boston Terrier has hip
and knee problems with both hind legs and will have to have surgery
in the coming months. To help cover the cost we have started a
benefit auction on e bay that lists some of the photographs he (yes
the dog is a photographer like his parents ) has made. Thought you
would get a kick out of seeing it.
Click here.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com, vote for us at Podcast Alley and don't forget to send in your Valentine's (Winner's announced next week).
Direct download: MoreHip34BitingIntoChocolate.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 1:17 AM |
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Thu, 2 February 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Have a Green Valentine's Day!This week we talk about love, or at least Valentine's Day (Or as Dori call's it "Singles Awareness Day"). We have another contest underway! We talk about green ideas on how to celebrate, and also have an interview with Gerald Prolman, the CEO of OrganicBouquet.com.
What is Val Drinking? - Originally the bottle was full of Voss Sparkling water, but Val reused the bottle (which is very cool by the way) for her iced tea. She suggests using these bottles as an alternative to plastic water bottles.
Bamboo Sheets at Target - Val has a correction to make, Target does have bamboo sheets available. They aren't 100% Bamboo, but it's better than nothing.
Finds of the Week
Cell for Cash - A great site where you can sell you old cell phones.
Information from Dori's Sister - Can you return a bird to it's nest if it falls out? Check out this link from the Massachusetts Audubon Society for more information.
Hip News - Ford First to Offer E85 Hybrid From National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
Love Lib - Find more love games here.
| Ready Made Moment - One of Val's favorite magazine's Ready Made Magazine - In their love issue find the Ding Dong Cake. |
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The Beer of the Week - Mississippi Mud from Mississippi Brewing Co.
The Chocolate: Mon Cherri 72% 2 oz bar - from Dagoba.
Organic Flowers - You can feel good sending flowers
- This week we're taking a look at the flower industry - where in 2005 , 180 million stems of roses were produced for Valentine's Day. And according to the US Department of Commerce, in 2004 the US Market for flowers and plants equalled $19.5 Billion dollars.
- The concern lies with conventionally grown flowers and threat posed to the environment and the workers involved with growing them.
- Most of the flowers commercially sold in the US are imported - half come from Columbia. Mostly due to low wages and little or complete absence of pesticide regulation. It's disturbing to think that one woman's present is another woman's poison.
- Chemicals such as Methyl Bromide, Dursban, and even DDT are applied to flowers - but they don't just stay on the plants. These chemicals drift out, end up on the clothes of workers, enter the groundwater, contaminate food sources, end up in their children's bloodstream and that of wildlife. These chemicals cause cancer, birth defects, and even neurological problems.
- As an agricultural product, flowers entering the US must be pest-free. Conventionally growers turn to pesticides and herbicides for their blooms, while organic growers choose to look at alternative, more sustainable options.
We have Gerald Prolman, the CEO of OrganicBouquet.com on the phone.
He's here to discuss the success of his company and how organic flowers are here, affordable and the best choice when choosing flowers to express your love and affection. Listen to the interview to learn more, and visit their site to order your flowers for sweety today. |
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Listener Emails
- Jill - I suggested that when Val has a problem pronouncing a word she can type it in at cooldictionary.com to find the correct pronunciation.
- Chuck - Alternative to Lycra material for exercising.
Val found www.foxracing.com Look under jerseys.
- Sara - She has a lot of great things to say including this about the podcast "Thanks, ladies! I'm taking your "more hip than hippie" attitude to campus in the work that I do, and I think that kind of informative yet also fun approach to living green really works."
- Eileen - If the Sherwin Williams paint you got was the "Harmony" line, it is not only low-VOC, it is NO-VOC! So, rejoice.
- Scott - We all hate junk mail and it's a huge waste of resources, money, time etc. There was a link to a site that might help people reduce their junk mail. You might know about it but I just wanted to pass it on. http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist
- Jill - again! I mentioned to Dori and Val about a new podcast magazine (paper) that just came out. ID3 Mag
- Howard - He suggests that we make a list of international sites with "green" products. We're looking into it.
| Doug Emails - I enjoyed your piece on the birds in this weeks podcast, although I must scold you. They are not Canadian Geese, but Canada Geese. Canadian gives the impression that they are from Canada, or born in Canada, when in fact, most of them are born in the continental US. Sorry to nitpick.
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The Contest
Show us the love! Send us your homemade Valentine. Must be "green" valentine's made from recycled or "green" materials.
Must arrive by February 10th, 2006
Top 5 winners, win a treat bag from Dori and Val
Send Valentines to: More Hip Than Hippie C/O greenfeet.com - 1360 E. First Ave, Chico, CA, 95926
Submissions must include name, address and email address.
All submissions receive a 20% coupod from greenfeet.com (that's why we need your email address)
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com and vote for us at podcast alley.
Direct download: MoreHip33GreenValentinesDay.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 3:40 AM |
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Thu, 26 January 2006
More Hip than Hippie - A Home Energy AuditThis week we talk about a wayward whale, Eagle spotting, and Audits (Energy not IRS). In the news -
- Up the Thames - A whale ended up in the Thames river. Sadly he died while they were trying to help him back out to the wild.
- The Eagles - Val and her family went to see the Eagles out near the rice fields. They saw one - it was huge.
- Parisa - Val waxed her legs. At least she didn't cry. She likes the smooth legs, and that all the parts (minus the wax) is reusable.
- Dori's House - Floors are being refinished, paint is going on (all low voc paint from Sherwin Williams). Fennel Frond, Clear Day, and Sole - Check them out in the colors section on the Sherwin Williams site.
Our Finds of the Week- Scrapile.com - Dori found a company that makes great, stylish furniture out of scrap lumber.
- In Plenty
The Top Ten Things We Hope to Find as the Glaciers Melt - - Jimmy Hoffa
- Waldo
- The mates to all our loose socks
- A word that rhymes with "orange"
- Dave Chapelle
- Bill Gates's PIN number
- Edvard Munch's The Scream
- The Missing Link
- The lost pieces of the ozone layer
- Santa's Workshop
The Beer - Piraat Ale - a Belgium beer imported by Win-It-Too, Inc. out of Santa Barbara, CA
The Chocolate - NOT DARK!!!TerraNostra Chocolate Ricemilk Choco. For vegans this is a good choice. We liked it, but we're die hard dark chocolate fans so this wasn't top of our list.
The Home Energy Audit
Over 75% of our utility bills are spent on heating, cooling, lighting, cooking and running other appliances in their homes. Did you know that heating the shower for a family of four can cost up to $33 a month?
Make it a goal to save 20% on your monthly energy bills this year. By incorporating simple tips throughout the house, you can do it.
Before we start, here are the general steps to get started:
Step 1: Take the following tour throughout your home and determine where you lose the most energy. Are there holes and cracks in or around walls, ceilings, windows and electrical outlets. Is there enough insulation in exterior or basement walls? Do the appliances work properly? Are they sucking every dime out of your wallet due to their lack of energy efficiency? Is there a way to use daylight to reduce the time the lights are on in your home?
Step 2: Develop a plan. List priorities based on where you are losing the most energy, your budget and the amount of time you have available and what your limitations are if you are renting.
Step 3: Begin making changes around your house.
Living Room:
For south facing windows, keep draperies and shades open during the day as they received the most sunlight. Keep all drapes and shades closed at night to help reduce chill.
Minimize the use of your fireplace as warm air escapes through the chimney. Unless a fire is burning, keep the fireplace damper closed. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
If you have large blank walls, hang a tapestry to help trap warm air.
Kitchen:
Use your kitchen ventilation fan wisely - did you know that in just one hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warm air?
When using your oven, keep preheating time to a minimum and use the smallest pan possible to use less energy (less to wash, too). Limit the time you open the door as you lose heat - use the light to see what's happening inside.
Scrape, don't rinse off large pieces of food and bone from the dishes. Soaking and pre-washing should be reserved for burnt on foods.
Cover pots and pans with lids to retain heat and reduce cooking time.
Position your refrigerator or freezer away from direct sunlight or warm air so the appliance doesn't need to use more energy to keep cool. Example: dishwasher, range, heating ducts, etc)
Bedroom:
Unblock all heating registers, air supplies and return vents.
Plug all holes in walls including light switches, electrical outlets and windows to keep air from leaking out or in.
Keep doors closed to unoccupied rooms and close vents. Why heat an empty room?
Keep heated waterbeds covered when not in use.
Bathroom:
Install low flow showerheads and repair leaky faucets. Heating water is the second largest energy user in the home.
Leave the bathroom door open after a shower to let the warm steamy air circulate through the house.
Don't use the toilet as a trash can - every flush can use up to six gallons.
Don't let water run when shaving, washing your face or brushing your teeth. Brush your teeth while waiting for warm water, then fill the basin and wash or shave.
Lather once in the shower, Rob. A short shower uses half the water of a full bath. Use a shower timer to limit shower times.
Attic/Basement:
Add insulation to your attic and ducts. Check with your local utilities company for programs that provide free insulation or financial assistance. They're available in many states.
Have a professional tune up and inspect your furnace once a year and change your filters regularly. It can make a big difference in furnace efficiency.
General Tips:
Be conscious of how many lights are on in your home. If your kids need light, purchase a low wattage night light -they illuminate while using extremely little energy.
Wrap your water heater - this can make a big impact.
Set your water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees. Plenty hot enough to wash everything, saves energy and prevents scalding.
Switch to cold water laundry detergent, you can save up to $63 a year.
Set your thermostat at 68 in the winter and 80 in the summer. Adjust accordingly to your climate. A few degrees can add up to big bucks at bill time.
Houseplants add humidity and absorb toxins. Humid air feels warmer and helps to reduce winter colds and dry skin.
Use CFL's! They last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use at least 25% less energy. Buy quality - cheap bulbs burn out.
Paint walls light colors to reduce the amount of light you need.
Keep your light bulbs clean - dust absorbs light and reduces efficiency.
Keep South facing windows clean to maximize light and heat retention.
If you have old windows and can't afford new ones, apply plastic sheeting to help insulate.
Utilize weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows - prevents major heat loss.
Power down appliances when not in use - this means unplugging. Computers, stereo's, toasters, coffee pots, you get the idea. Just because they're off doesn't mean they're not pulling current.
Lots of little things add up to big savings. Keep track of your bills and your total wattage use. Consider buying a Kill-o-Watt to help detect key money sucking appliances.
Listener Emails
- Tracy sent over a great tip for eco-friendly cat litter (which, by the way the girls apologized for forgetting- especially cat lover Dori) made of recycled wood pellets and is completely compostable. They even have a form to fill out where you can get your first purchase free after rebate. You can find it at www.felinepine.com/cons_rebates.html
- Barry asked about a comprehensive list of green companies. While there isn't one complete list, the gals recommend Co-op America's National Green Pages. You can find them at most natural food stores and at several major booksellers. Or, you can get them free by joining Co-op America at www.coopamerica.org. Also Check out Organic Life Magazine, and Sustainable Industries Magazines.
- Jen - Hello,
A friend of mine just turned me on to your podcast - I just checked it out and I think it's great that you're putting that information out there! And you just sold me on the Earth Enzymes drain cleaner!
I'm currently looking for a new job in the Cleveland, OH area and would like to find some companies that are environmentally aware, that produce earth-friendly products, something to that effect. I've tried searching a little, but I'm having trouble finding any such companies in the area.
Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions. Val suggests checking with your local Chamber of Commerce. - Elizabeth in England - Let me just say you two are the California sisters I left behind! I am a transplanted Californian (Santa Maria is my home town) living in England. It is so great to download you guys every week. I have been committed to living green for years but it is an ongoing struggle! With four kids I am always challenged with things like how to pack my kids lunches without using prepackaged crap OR 5000 plastic sandwich bags, or how to recycle the mountains of boxes, bottles and cans that my family seems to generate in a timely manner before they take over our pantry and drive us out onto the streets! So thanks for the encouragement. I am currently conducting my own local organic beer and cider review in your honor and took myself out to lunch today at a local organic restaurant just because I was in the mood after your podcast! Hopefully I will be sending out four girls into the world that carry their own shopping bags, drink and eat locally, and drive environmentally responsibly cars. My crazy parenting style will be worth while if I can pull this off and with your help I hope to!! Thanks gals!!!
- Liisa - I just got back from vacation on the big island of Hawaii, and I took you guys with me... on my iPod (yes, I know that isn't the same as you actually getting to go).
About cleaning your drain with something other than Drain-O; white vinegar and baking soda down that sucker, cover it up and let it burn through that hair and icky stuff.
Congrats on getting a Trader Joe's! We love ours. They have a great Zen cleaner, excellent biodegradable laundry and dish detergents... and excellent organic dark chocolate bars.
Finally, a question: how safe is Oxi-clean for the environment? I have no idea how it works, other than it being bleach-free. Does it become inert after awhile? - Val says it gets it's power from oxygen. - Jarrod asked about good stains and urethanes that won't outgas he and his new wife to death (their cat Pixel does that just fine). Val recommends afm safecoat www.afmsafecoat.com
- Ann - Did you happen to see Target store's Sunday circular? They are selling bamboo sheets and towels - hooray! Nice to see a national retailer going green. Val went to the website, and didn't find that they had actual bamboo fibers, but bamboo texture and design. Let us know if we've got it wrong.
- Prabjit - Hello Dori and Val,
I'm a guy studying Psych/Art History in Tucson, Arizona and you babes got a primo podcast! I would know--I used to be subscribed to 50 of them (but now I'm down to 20. For me, you hold a spot next to the likes of NPR's podcast collection--important, urgent, diverse, oh so relevant, and HUMOROUS. First off I'll recommend another podcast to you and your listeners. The Vegan Cooking School is a tight, 15min podcast hosted by chef Tracy Jorg that's got some good recipes...chocolate pudding, tofu scramble, and yes beer battered onion rings! I just wanted people to know about it, so there.
Another comment concerns your show on Paper vs. Plastic. It made me think how I was raised in my house and how I keep my own apt. When grocery shopping at Albertsons (I'm a poor college student w/o a car and it's across the street..sry) I take my TJ's (Trader Joe's) canvas bag and walk to and from the store while listening to your podcast :). When shopping with a friend, I collect all the plastic bags that he and I used and I store them in my apartment. I use plastic bags to organize my clothes and laundry instead of a BIG dresser. I use them to cover the inside of small trash bins in the bath and bedroom so they stay clean of "goo". And the rest I save, so if someone has to blow chucks or something there's always a bag around.
So my question is what's your review of the Nalgene, post-consumer (#7) plastic bottles that about a fourth of college students own? Are they OK with the hippies? I've had one for a year now and I've never bought an ordinary plastic bottle because of it. Who've thought college students, fresh away from home, would revert back to babies -- carrying around bottles :) Ha! On a related note, though I can't find the article in my mailbox, my dad forwarded a news article telling people not to freeze water in cheap plastic bottles or heat food in Tupperware because of the release of dioxins. Having heard you gals cover parts of this too I thought I'd tell you that everyone on my email list got the message.
(Val said not to use #7 plastic bottles - switch to a stainless steel bottle - or use a glass bottle or a bottle from Biota.) - Andre, one of our Canadian listeners (eh?), shared a website with some disturbing information about pet food. Check out www.commondreams.org for more information.
Email us at hip@greenfeet.com
Direct download: More_Hip_32_Home_Energy_Audit.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 2:19 AM |
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Fri, 20 January 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Pets Part II - What comes out!
This week we taste an interesting chocolate, focus on what comes out of your pets (ick), and answer lots of listener emails.
The Chocolate - This chocolate has a little kick of chili and nibs. As suggested to us in a listener email -
Xocolatl from Dagoba
- Check it out.
The Beer - This one is from England - Young's winter warmer a dark seasonal ale from the Ram Brewery Wadsworth.
Val's Waxing: Val is going to try perisa leg wax. A natural product for hair removal - She will let us know how it goes.
Dori and Val are Proud to be a Californians:
Finds for the Week
- Martha Stewart Living Magazine - Suggests putting pebbles (that can match your decor in a baking dish and putting your boots on that so the moisture can be wisked away.
- Also from Martha Stewart Living - Paw Care- Winter walks are fun, but the rock salt used to melt snow can make a dog.s paws raw and chapped. To prevent a pet injury, fill a container with warm water before going outdoors, and briefly dunk each paw in the water when you return home. Keep a towel nearby for drying off.
- From Real Simple Magazine - Furnace Filter Replacement Reminder - Before this winter�s high energy bills have you heading out to the backyard to build a windmill, make sure you�re not adding to them by neglecting your furnace�s filter. For maximum efficiency, it should be replaced at least every three months, but often this task is forgotten. Sign up at www.filtersontime.com and filters will be shipped to you automatically, right on schedule. (You can also have water filters and air-purifier filters sent regularly.) That�s one less task for the to-do list.
- Another from Real Simple Magazine - Keeping your garbage disposal fresh - To get rid of odors, make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the garbage disposal. Simply run cold water through the drain after grinding. You can also use lemon, which will leave your disposal smelling lemony-fresh.
- For the party-goer - Tabletopics.com - great icebreakers and questions to freshen the conversations at your next cocktail party or family gathering. Val adds a few Valentine's party ideas. Email us your great party ideas at hip@greenfeet.com
Your Pets - What comes out of your pet and how to deal with itA city of 1,000,000 people would have an average dog population of 60-80,000. Each dog produces about a 1/4 of a pound of waste a day. That's 52,500 lbs of dog poop a day in just one city.
Pet waste can contain pathogens and bacteria that can be harmful to humans. Here are some of the illnesses that can be contracted by pet poop (any carnivore eating pet, that is) typically through ingesting contaminated water
-
Parasitic worms such as round, tape and hook worms
-
Cryptosporidium (val pronounced it right - yay!). It causes nasty intestinal unspeakables and fever
-
Salmonella
- Giardia (beaver fever - don't get Dori started on this)
Chlorine doesn't kill all of these pathogens so water treatment plants are not the answer. We need to dispose of poop properly.
What to do?
-
Control where your pet relieves him/herself.
-
Use biodegradable/compostable pet poop bags such as BioBags.
-
Till an area in your yard to make pooping in a specific area more attractive to Rover
-
Flush pet waste down the toilet (good for cat poop, but can fill up septic faster)
- The best idea is to compost your pet waste. You need to create a condition where the temperature is high enough to kill pathogens - it's like setting up a mini doggie septic tank.
Here are the tips that Val found on the internet on how to make your own pet composter.
Remember: NEVER use pet compost on edible garden or flower beds. It's best to use for trees and shrubs away from little hands.
Listener Emails
- Annie -
- Freecycle: thanks for turning me on to this - people have, and will take, ANYTHING (so TRY it!)
- Essential oils: I went out and bought tea tree and lavender oils. Tell me about the droppers, though. My oils have the droppers in the lid - and not the kind of dropper that you squeeze like eye drops. These seem kind of hard to control - do you recommend these kind and how do you know what the dropper is like if you can't open the bottle?
- Method products: have you learned anything about these? I have tried the dishwashing detergent and it seems to clean well but I want to know if they're good for the environment. Check out what Method has to say about their ingredients here
- When I pack my child's lunch, I have to use recloseable container so that the school can have him repack what he does not eat. I WAS using zip-top bags but found a fabric wrap at www.reusablebags.com that is a square of fabric with a safe plastic on the interior and a velcro close - it's called a Wrap-n-Mat. My son (4) can open and close it with no problem and it works great. Thanks for turning me on
www.reusablebags.com - I also bought some reusable shopping bags and am working on remembering to Just Say No to plastic bags at the store!
- Tell me about baby wipes. I use a lot of them with my 21-month-old and wonder about them. Are they recyclable - how can you tell?
- On a recent podcast, you talked about getting rid of the plastic, especially in your kitchen. Bet you didn't know you are not only green, but in style. In the most recent catalogs I received from Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel, they are carrying glass refrigerator ware! And, you talked about environmentally friendly paints. I just opened Sundance catalog and they are carrying a line of paints that use only post-consumer paints - decorators turn in their overages and Sundance blends them into paints that then leave no environmental footprint. How cool! Don't know if they are low VOC however ...
- Sirius: Congratulations on their interest in you! My thoughts are that if the deal had been right and meets your primary criteria, do you really care about the theme song? If so, make it a deal point that you get approval on a new one. Bottom line, I think your real value is your approach and your brand - More Hip Than Hippie is an awesome brand and you girls just rock!
- Is wax paper recyclable? Afraid Not
- Idea: Ok, what if manufacturers had to include ideas on how to recycle/reuse their packaging as part of the packaging?
- Idea: Plastic bags: Why not take your extra bags to your local library or thrift store so they can reuse them (until you run out because you're using reusable bags!)
- Dennis - Hi Dori, Hi Val,
Thanks for reading my email on your show! You are more than welcome to add
my blog link to your site (meadowdance.blogspot.com)- it shows the progress
of my next book.
Your suggestions are perfect. I've actually had dinner with Doug Wood, the
author of Old Turtle. He's a great guy.
I look forward to next week's show as I have a 100 lbs. Golden Retriever
that leaves all sort of recycled dog food all over the yard. I've always
struggled with the best way to deal with it.
Dennis
- Shayna - Because of your ladies wonderful show, I've started trying to find ways I can make a difference. I've told my family I will not buy disposable plastic silverware, cups and plates anymore. I've started recycling all our newspapers and plastic bottles and hope to start saving the cans soon.
I was at Bed, Bath and Beyond today and found these GREAT reusable "shopping bags". They had a bunch of colors, they are probably 2' x 2' and zip closed across the top. The best part, is they fold up nicely and snap shut and have great handles. I bought 3. Thanks for the great show and all the good ideas!
- Diana - Dori and Val, I have been listening to the show for quite a while now and it just gets better and better. I've been influenced by you to change a few things: I no longer use perfume or air sprays.. Instead I now use essential oils-I've found my favorite so far to be sandalwood. In the new year, I vow to find green household cleansers so the episode where you touched on that topic I found to be very helpful. And one more thing. I know that you didn't want to get too technical or scientific about essential oils, but, I was given an essential oil body spray. I wonder if there would be any red flags as far as ingredients that would make this false?
Keep up the good work! I'll keep listening!
- Rowena and Gerry - Hey there, Dori and Val. Happy new year to you both!
My husband and I really think your show's a great thing! ... just wanted to let you know that we think you're doing an excellent job of "planting seeds" for a greener world.
We're gradually making the switch away from plastics and teflon to glass, stainless steel, wood, etc.
I was wondering if you have any suggestions for healthier alternatives to foam when it comes to stuffing pillows? I thought I heard one of your guests who specializes in green construction of buildings mention in one of your summer or fall shows that foam is something you want to get away from when creating a healthy indoor environment. We're looking to stuff 2 beautifully handcrafted (in Bangladesh) floor pillows that are 32 inches square. Look forward to hearing any green suggestions you've got!
- Bob - I was listening to your ideas about reducing the amount of junk mail
you get. I like your idea of using a different middle initial, but if
you want some more fun, give yourself a different title each time.
It's so much fun to open a piece of mail addressed to Dr. Val or Dori,
PhD. Plus you can get really creative with your different titles.
- Tom - Hello Dori and Val, and a very Happy New Year and belated Merry
Christmas!
I've been on holiday in the UK, visiting my family, for the past three
weeks so was excited to come back to several podcasts from you waiting
for me!
I was just listening to your latest podcast and heard you
mention some great schemes done by Co-op America, I wanted to mention
that in the UK the Co-op supermarket chain has made all of their own
brands fairtrade. I just thought you'd like to mention that, for anyone
who doesn't know it.
Also in Japan (where I teach English) there is a green Co-op system
which supports local farmers. You can get a catalogue of locally
produced produts and, where I live at least, you place an order and on
Wednesday they bring you your fresh fruit, veg, meat and dairy products,
all produced locally.
Also I noticed that if you download the podcast on to an ipod (there are
other mp3 players available mind) and press the centre button whilst
it's playing, after you go past the skip function and the rating
function you come to the show notes. The full show notes too! So Jill's
work is not in vain, you can read them on the go and thus there is no
excuse not to now!!
- Chris - Hello ladies, my name is chris and im new to your pod cast...
but I love it and it is by far my favorite of all ive heard...
I just wanted to know more about you guys and how long you have been "hippies", im about 17 and im the only hippie in the whole school... so i just wanted to talk to someone who knows what they are talkin about...
I'll stay in touch
- Aster - Hi Dori and Val,
what a great New Year show! I have a podcast too (i'm from the
Netherlands, that's the 'horrible English excuse'), and my latest
podcast, was about truffles, organic slave-free chocolate, and Vivani
chocolat! Isn't it great? Its called chunks 'n bits, and it's in
international>dutch (itunes), but it's dutch, so i wouldn't know how
that could be to any use.
Well, i'm defenitly naming you in the next show!
By the way, my dad owns an organic-food shop, that's why I know quite
a lot about that stuff actually (the reason to make my podcast). I
still wanted to tell you something about the 'Beauty to die for'
show. Check out 'urtekram'. I don't know if it's available in the US,
but I love their shampoo and deo (it just works :) ).
Love your show!
- Theresa - I really like that you guys suggest fairtrade/organic coffee, but the
next time you talk coffee, please urge folks to practice green coffee
making at home in one more way - use a reusable filter. They are thin
metal mesh and the coffeemaker companies sell them for $20 or $30 dollars. Dump the grounds in your compost pile or garden and there
you go - no wasted filters!Keep up the great work!! - Try hemp filters
- Joe - I did better that vote for you at podcast alley (which I have done for last few months).... (drum roll....)
More Hip than Hippie has won the Best Environmental Podcast for 2005 on moraca.org !!!! I know it is exciting .... anyway I know at least one or two of my friends here in Sarasota have started listening and several hundred people have seen the posting... Keep up the great work...
Val's Pet Picks Check these items out at greenfeet.com - Y.U.M. (Your Ugly Mutt) - a line created to clear out the doggie odor. Vitae - Spotted Dog line. Ceramic dog bowls. Organic catnip toys.
Direct download: More_Hip_31_Pets-What_Comes_Out.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 9:30 PM |
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Fri, 13 January 2006
More Hip than Hippie - Going to the Dogs - Part IThis week (and next week) we are going to talk about the ins and outs of pet care. This week it is the ins, next week the outs. Dori's children get busy calling birds. Val has a question about rescuing birds. Val goes wine tasting (with cheese and chocolate in tow).
The Chocolate- Vivani brand premium organic dark chocolate. Premium pleasure for chocolate lovers!
The Beer- Hennepin Bottle Conditioned Belgian Style Ale. From Cooperstown where Val is going in June.
Finds of the Week
- From the USA Weekend Insert - Go green, get tax credit - credits for green home and car owners -If you're not subject to the alternative minimum tax, there are tax credits for home and car owners who go green in 2006. (Note: The total maximum credit for all energy-saving home improvements is $500 per home.)
- USDA purchasing biobased products- Biobased products, like the biodiesel fuel, are gaining steam and are used to make household cleaners, bath gels, even cups and utensils. The USDA has announced an initiative to purchase more biobased products for government use. This will help foster production so everyday folks can buy the products and help the environment.
- Coop America - Adopt a Supermarket. Co-op America's ADOPT-A-SUPERMARKET campaign is linking up Fair Trade advocates with stores in their local communities to keep pressure on supermarkets to increase the amount and variety of Fair Trade products sold and to ask stores to do their part to promote justice for farmers and artisans.
- Ask your favorite magazines to go woodwise - from Coop America
- Smart shoppers fish picks from thegreenguide.com and can be found in this months issue of Natural Home and Garden.
- Chocolate’s Bittersweet Legacy - Learn more about why you should buy fair trade chocolate. - another article that can be found in Natural Home and Garden Magazine - some good chocolate to choose - Dagoba, Equal Exchange, Green & Blacks, and Ithica fine chocolate art bars.
- A Quiz - You'll have to listen for the fuel and money saving quiz.
Bring on the Dogs
There's a lot of controversy out there regarding the best diet for your pet. The pet food industry is huge
Info from the FDA
There is no requirement that pet food products have premarket approval by FDA. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act does require that pet foods, like human foods, be pure and wholesome, contain no harmful or deleterious substances, and be truthfully labeled. Canned pet foods must be processed in conformance with low acid canned food (LACF) regulations designed to ensure that the finished product is free of any viable microorganisms.
Explanation of how to read a pet food label: To learn more visit the FDA Website on Pet Food Labels
- The "95%" rule applies to products consisting primarily of meat, poultry or fish, such as some of the canned products. They have simple names, such as "Beef for Dogs" or "Tuna Cat Food." In these examples, at least 95% of the product must be the named ingredient (beef or tuna, respectively), not counting the water added for processing and "condiments."
- The "25%" or "dinner" rule applies to many canned and dry products. If the named ingredients comprise at least 25% of the product (not counting the water for processing), but less than 95%, the name must include a qualifying descriptive term, such as "Beef Dinner for Dogs." Many descriptors other than "dinner" are used, however. "Platter," "entree," "nuggets" and "formula" are just a few examples.
- The "3%" or "with" rule was originally intended to apply only to ingredients highlighted on the principal display panel, but outside the product name, in order to allow manufacturers to point out the presence of minor ingredients that were not added in sufficient quantity to merit a "dinner" claim. For example, a "Cheese Dinner," with 25% cheese, would not be feasible or economical to produce, but either a "Beef Dinner for Dogs" or "Chicken Formula Cat Food" could include a side burst "with cheese" if at least 3% cheese is added.
- Under the "flavor" rule, a specific percentage is not required, but a product must contain an amount sufficient to be able to be detected. There are specific test methods, using animals trained to prefer specific flavors, that can be used to confirm this claim. In the example of "Beef Flavor Dog Food," the word "flavor" must appear on the label in the same size, style and color as the word "beef." The corresponding ingredient may be beef, but more often it is another substance that will give the characterizing flavor, such as beef meal or beef by-products.
Watch out for the term natural. To quote the FDA
The term "natural" is often used on pet food labels, although that term does not have an official definition either. For the most part, "natural" can be construed as equivalent to a lack of artificial flavors, artificial colors, or artificial preservatives in the product. As mentioned above, artificial flavors are rarely employed anyway. Artificial colors are not really necessary, except to please the pet owner's eye. If used, they must be from approved sources, the same as for human foods. Especially for high-fat dry products, some form of preservative must be used to prevent rancidity. Natural-source preservatives, such as mixed tocopherols (a source of vitamin E), can be used in place of artificial preservatives. However, they may not be as effective.
"Natural" is not the same as "organic." The latter term refers to the conditions under which the plants were grown or animals were raised. There are no official rules governing the labeling of organic foods (for humans or pets) at this time, but the United States Department of Agriculture is developing regulations dictating what types of pesticides, fertilizers and other substances can be used in organic farming.
Many Pet Foods contain ethoxyquin, approved as a food additive over thirty-five years ago for use as an antioxidant chemical preservative in animal feeds. Approximately ten years ago, reports from dog owners were made attributing the presence of ethoxyquin in the dog food with a myriad of adverse effects, such as allergic reactions, skin problems, major organ failure, behavior problems, and cancer. There's still research being done to determine toxic dosage.
Benefit of a Raw Diet
According to doggienews.com,
"Jane Anderson, who publishes a popular BARF website RawLearning.com, suggests that feeding an appropriate raw diet is the best way to provide a solid platform for a dog's health. "You probably already know that there is no commercial dog food that even comes close to providing the benefits of an appropriate raw diet for your dog. And there is no such thing as "quality" or "human-grade" kibble.", she explains on her website."
Ms Andersons site has a FAQ section regarding feeding a raw food diet
Here are a few benefits she lists:
A raw diet provides a range of benefits that commercial dog diets can never hope to even closely match.
These benefits include:
1. no doggy odour
2. naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
3. the time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bones give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
4. much less stools produced - and they are firm, and turn chalky after a couple of days
5. decreased or non-existant vet bills (your dogs are healthier!)
6. less cost for dog food - commercial dog foods are ludicriously expensive
7. mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild - and certainly even the modern day dog has a digestive tract exactly the same as a wolf
8. puppies develop at a more appropriate rate - and quick growth spurts are avoided. A GOOD breeder will want to stop fast growth in any pup.
9. the ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial dog foods will never assist in this important muscle development.
What do you feed your dog/cat?
- raw meaty bones and/or whole carcasses - chicken, lamb, pork, whole raw fish (at least once a week), beef, rabbit
- whole raw eggs in their shells (I let the dogs crack the shells)
- organ meat
- Her dogs will also get fish heads, eel, prawns, squid, and any other raw meaty carcass she can get. Sometimes this means kangaroo!
Remember that dogs and cats are carnivores and don't need vegetables and grains directly.
Read from Tracey's page on the big picture.
To find a Holistic Vet in your area - Click Here.
If you have any questions or ideas - email us at hip@greenfeet.com
Listener Emails
- Phillipe - Wanted to know our suggestion for getting through the midterm exams - Val suggests, lots of water, as much sleep as you can get, a little lavender or vetiver for stressful situations. And she would suggest B vitamins.
He also had a very good tip - he found a site (www.greenseat.be)where you can compensate your flights by paying for the planting of the amount of trees necessary to compensate the emissions caused by your flight: you can make your seat a green seat! On the site you can input your whole travel journey (including the used airline) and they calculate the amount of trees necessary to compensate for the emissions. It usually costs about 2-5% of your ticket prize but it can really make a difference...
- Jill - had cheese service - here are the cheeses she had (in case Val's pronunciations through you off) - Here is how it read in the menu: Chef Lou's Cheese Presentation: St. Nectaire (France), Cremosa Tartufo (Italy) Thomas Hoe Stephenson Stilton (England), Fiscallini San Jaoquin Gold (California) Membrillo, Lucque Olives, Spiced Nuts, Autumn Fruit and Warm Baguette.
- Karen - I just noticed that Equal Exchange very dark chocolate (my personal favorite of all of the organic chocolate I've sampled) is a good source of dietary fiber. A single serving (220 cal) of this stuff contains 20% of your daily value of dietary fiber! The lighter chocolates I've looked at don't seem to have as much fiber as the darker ones.
How coincidental that you just did a podcast about lemon essential oil and I had recently bought some to make home-made furniture polish from the recipe in the most recent issue of Natural Home & Garden. I made this furniture polish, used it before our house guests arrived, and it worked BETTER than the lemon pledge I _used_ to use. It leaves the wood with a rich, warm glow and is not sticky (after you do the wipe with a dry rag, as they recommend). Check this stuff out - it's under "Nourish Your Wood Furniture" in the "Good to Know" section of the January/February issue.
Recipe for Furniture Vinaigrette courtesy of the January/February issue of Natural Home & Garden Magazine
- Paul and Arlene - Stopped by the store and met Val. They had a lot of good suggestions for future green building episodes. He suggests lime plaster for the exterior of homes.
- Eileen - Have you tried Xocolatl from Dogoba.
- Johanna -Small tidbit.. if you want a finer grain raw sugar for like baking, you can put it in your blender and it can grind it down just as fine as powdered sugar. Also, in regards to xylitol… you can buy gum in some stores with the only sweetner being xylitol. Good stuff. Half the calories of regular sugar and does nothing to your glycemic index. This means its safe for diabetic people. Xylitol is also great because its good for your teeth and can help wean you from regular sugar.
- Mike - He tried out our recipe for cleaning silver on a silver tea set. Because the pieces are too big for a flat baking dish, I used a glass punch bowl so that at least half of each piece could be submerged.
But the recipe wasn't working. The cleaning was happening, but barely noticable. He then did a google search on "baking soda polish silver" and found a missing ingredient with the scientific reason why it works.
http://www.darylscience.com/Demos/Silver.html
The trick was to add salt to the water to act as a salt bridge for the electrolytic current that transfers the sulphur on the silver to the aluminum.
It was like magic. Within a minute, the tarnish was totally gone, even though the water had cooled off by the time he added the salt.
You could smell the sulphur, so I'd also recommend a well ventilated place for the cleaning, unless you want the "benefits" of a sulphur hot spring in your house.
- John - You can move up from Z-list to R-list celebrities!
I love your show - I'm going to buy a biodiesel VW Rabbit today thanks
to your shows back in the Summer!
Vote for us at Podcast Alley! Send us your emails at hip@greenfeet.com. Don't forget to add us to your favorites on Podcast Pickle.
Direct download: More_Hip_30_Going_to_the_Dogs.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 1:43 AM |
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Mon, 9 January 2006
Here it is! The Sweet Potato Recipe - Julie apparently got it from Epicurious.com.
CIDER-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES WITH CRANBERRIES
3 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until halfway cooked (a knife inserted into center will encounter considerable resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain and cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Combine cider, sugar, butter, salt and allspice in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, stirring often. Add sweet potatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add cranberries and continue cooking until liquid is reduced to syrupy glaze and sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with green onions.
Category: general
-- posted at: 2:41 PM |
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Fri, 6 January 2006
More Hip Than Hippie - Getting to know your Drain!This episode you hear about our New Year's Eve Celebrations. We resolve to make some changes for the New Year, read some listener emails and another essential oil of the week. And we are going to help you get to know your drain.
The Beer of the Week: Eye of the Hawk from the Mendocino Brewing Company.
Val made her Trouffles: Val got this recipe from Martha Stewart (ok from her website), and added a few touches of her own.
Simple Chocolate Truffles
Makes 3 dozen
Keep these truffles chilled until ready to eat.
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
Best-quality cocoa powder, for rolling
1. Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife, and place in a large heat-proof bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes; use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until combined. Allow to sit at room temperature until just thickened, about 15 minutes.
3. Pour ganache mixture into a shallow glass dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until mixture is very cold and set but still pliable, about 30 minutes.
4. Using a small spoon, scoop out ganache into 1-inch nuggets; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for 10 minutes. Use fingertips to mold truffles into round shapes. Roll in cocoa powder to coat; chill in an airtight container until ready to serve.
***Val also added 2 tablespoons of Raspberry brandy and place one fresh raspberry in the center (frozen work too, but are a bit more messy)
This Weeks Finds
- Inovations for 2006 - from USA Weekend. "The solar-powered backpack
Backpacks were once for campers, then for students, and now they have become increasingly popular with commuters. To help you keep your cellphone and other gadgets charged, several companies offer backpacks with built-in solar panels. Two of the best reviewed: Voltaic "Solar Bags" and Reware's "Juice Bag." Prices for the backpacks start at about $200. Find them online at voltaicsystems.com or rewarestore.com and at select stores nationwide. "
- Emissions Neutral Vehicles - While ENV's are often expensive and hard to find, a new bike that is due out later this year may change all that - click here to learn more.
- Stop Receiving Junk Mail - We found this one on about.com (eh?). Help preserve the environment and keep your sanity. One tip - go to Optoutprescreen.com or junkbusters.com A few more resources to check out are www.newdream.org
or Direct Marketing Association.
- A new Magazine for you to check out - Green Light Magazine (Digitally Produced).
- In Plenty - Paper thick walls - Discarded phone books and old newspapers were used to build a building - check it out at Eve's Garden Organic Bed & Breakfast and Ecology Resource Center.
Getting to know your Drain!Introduce YourselfIt is highly unlikely that you have formally introduced yourself to your drains, and while we’re not asking you to go that far, we hope you will take this opportunity to learn a little bit more about where your drain leads and where the things you send down it may end up. Everything we put down the drain can have an effect on our personal environment – including cleaning products. It can affect the water we drink, and enjoy for recreation. Household chemicals, if improperly used or discarded can leach into the soil or filter into neighboring waters.
Where Does Your Drain Lead?
The answer to where your drain leads can be slightly different depending on what kind of drain we are talking about. So let’s start there. I would like you to meet your household drain. This drain can lead one of two places. It can lead to the sewer or to a septic tank depending on the system you have in your house.
The Sewer
If your drain leads to the sewer, you may think that you don’t have to worry about what goes down your drain, but nothing is further from the truth. Many of the chemicals we use in our homes are toxic. The toxic chemicals are not only dangerous to the health of your family when you use them in your home, but also can contaminate the water supply when they are dumped down the drain. You may think that they get diluted enough when they are dumped not to cause a problem, but that may not be the case. In some cases small amounts of hazardous materials that you can find around your home can ruin one million gallons of water. Many of the municipal water treatment plants rely on bacteria or other organisms to decompose the waste, but some of the toxins can pass through unchanged, leaving the water polluted. The bacteria they are counting on to purify the water may also be killed, and rendered ineffective. If that doesn’t happen, it can also damage the pipes that carry the water, corroding them, which may cause them to release fumes. Sewage treatment plants are designed to treat sewage, not hazardous chemicals, so flushing them down the toilet isn’t the answer either.
The Septic System
If your drain leads to a septic system, you may know that the concept behind them is that the waste water is put into a tank that is buried underground. Some of the products are decomposed, and the remaining wastewater goes into a drain field to continue to breakdown. When there are toxins dumped or spilled into the drains, it can cause the bacteria that help in the process to die, and thus the process may no longer work properly, and surface waters may become contaminated. This can cause a lot of problems ranging from smell to contaminated yards to spoiled ground water.
The Storm Drain
A third kind of drain is a storm drain. These are the drains along the side of the road that do not lead to the sewer. They collect water from outside our homes and carry it untreated to the waterways. They lead directly to streams, rivers and lakes. Some people dump their left over products into these drains thinking it is a safe way to rid their home of the unwanted chemicals. They are intended for flood control, not for dumping. When we wash our cars or change our oil, any run off may be going directly into our lakes and streams. This makes knowledge of the products we use essential to the preservation of our water supplies.
So what can you do to protect your waterways?
• It is important to know what kind of products you have in your house. When you purchase chemicals for use in your home you may want to check out the level of warning that accompanies that product. POISON means highly toxic; DANGER means extremely flammable, corrosive, or highly toxic; and WARNING or CAUTION means less toxic.
• Select less toxic alternatives to conventional cleaners, drain openers, and other products. Try to use non-toxic substitutes whenever possible.
• Check with local government how to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste, or take them to a local hazardous waste collection center.
• Share left over cleaning supplies with others, or use them up.
• Decrease Erosion.
• Plant plants.
• Ask you lawn service what kind of chemicals they use.
It may seem that the amount of toxic products that you use may not have an affect on the water you use, but putting that with the chemicals of all of your neighbors, it can really add up to a big problem. There is no question that without clean water, the earth would be uninhabitable. We take for granted the water that we use everyday. Many of us may think about saving water through water conservation, but it is as important to save our water from the chemicals we are using in our homes.
Any tips or ideas - email us at hip@greenfeet.com
Essential Oil of the Week: Vetiver
Botanical Name: Vetiveria zizanioides
Vetiver, one of Val's all time favorites, is a tall, tufted, perennial, scented grass with a straight stem, long narrow leaves and an abundant complex lacework of underground white rootlets.
The essential oil is obtained through steam distillation from the roots and rootlets which are washed, chopped, dried and soaked.
It's dark brown, olive or amber looking with a smokey, earthy, dirt smell that provides a grounding effect. It reminds Val of the smell after a fresh summer rain.
Uses:
Inhaled directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball that has had 2-3 drops applied. May also be used in an aromatherapy diffuser for a calming effect.
Add a few drops per ounce of carrier oil and use as a massage oil for arthritis, aches and pains.
Add approximately 4 - 6 drops (remember: less is more) to your bath to relax and de-stress
Explore the internet for recipes suitable for your ailment.
Ready Made Magazines - Book How to make almost Everything - A Do-it Yourself Primer. If you try any ideas from this book or the magazine, please email us pictures!
Listener Emails
- Doug - Concerned that we would discontinue if we went with going to satelite radio.
- Bob - What don't they like about the theme song? Also Says many more supportive things. He is great!
- Janesdaddy (aka Chris)- Says "NO Don't do it", and don't change the theme song. He love us just the way we are.
- Dennis - Hippie New Year - Says More Hip Than Hippie is his favorite Podcast! He writes Children's books, and will be turning his focus toward sustainability. Wanted to know of publishers who use good products to make their books. His books are available at Raventreebooks.com or his blog (Note from Jill - Interesting Blog - Definately check it out). Some Books Dori and Val have read to their children with an environmental slant is The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Old Turtle.
- Luanne - I really enjoy your podcast, but the theme song grates on my nerves. If you plan to attract a wider audience, and your show really could, that song won't help.
I don't subscribe to satellite radio and have no reason to, but it sounds like a good move for you. Just don't drop the podcast.
Kudos for promoting the non-use of antibacterial products. Anything strong enough to kill most bacteria ( and if you really need an anti-bacterial product, you want it to kill all "bad" germs, which also kills beneficial germs, duh) has to be toxic enough to harm nearly every other living thing. Scary.
- Pepper's Mamma - Enjoying the show - Doesn't have recycling in her part of Boise. She went online and saw her local waste management and saw they did have a limited program, and she will start using that soon.
- Chuck - Hello lovely ladies,
First let me just say how much I love the show. You make going green
much more fun than I ever thought it would be. And as 2006 is my big
new years resolution for going green, I'm glad I found your show a
few months ago. I live in British Columbia (the canuck equivilant of
california) there just aren't a huge number of organic/natural
resources. Online ordering is of course a huge saving grace, but
shipping costs and packaging are always a concern; am I better off to
let things pile up and do a big order, or get it as I need it? Loving
the essential oils you're bringing us ... Any thoughts
to doing a green vehicle show/segment? Alternatives to just buying
new tires/cleaning products right off the shelf, as a thought.
Lastly, wondering what you think of juicing and the machines that go
along with it. Please please keep up the show, its my all time
favourite and I'm more excited about seeing a new show than I am
about that first jolt of caffeine in the morning. You girls rock!
Thanks again, ya hosers,
Chuck
PS - the show notes are great... gotta give jill some love for that! EH!
Direct download: More_Hip_29_Know_Your_Drain.mp3
Category: podcasts
-- posted at: 3:55 PM |
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by Cheryl Kimball 
by George H. Harrison. 
