Conspicuous Authenticity: The New Social Status

May 03, 2010 2 Comments by

Have you been shamed by someone who mocked you for buying goodies at Trader Joe’s, therefore buying from an old codger billionaire German? Got glum looks because you love watching Glee, which broadcasts on the evil empire called Fox? You’ve been C-A’d. Someone subjected you to what Andrew Potter calls “conspicuous authenticity.”

art and culture Read more

What Green Economy?

Jan 24, 2010 9 Comments by

Yesterday, as I walked up Pico Boulevard to the Los Angeles Convention Center, a sense of doom overcame me as I saw the crowds outside the entrance on Figueroa Street.   Drat, I thought.  It’s 10:20, it started at 10, and I won’t get into the Go Green Expo.  The place is mobbed, so “green” [...]

business Read more

Green Job Fairs: Beware of the Scams

Oct 21, 2009 No Comments by

Recently I went to a Green Jobs Fair sponsored by the Los Angeles Community College District.  I figured it would be a good opportunity to network and meet companies; after all, few people actually get a job through such an event, so I went for the heck of it, with zero expectations.  Unfortunately, my expectations [...]

air - land - quality of life, energy Read more

Local-Washing?

Sep 24, 2009 No Comments by

You’ve probably heard of the term “greenwashing”:  slapping labels such as organic, natural, sustainable, free range, etc., which leads us to think this product is good for us.  It’s easy to fall into the trap, and well, as consumer trends change, businesses try to adapt.  But now it appears your favorite companies are going to [...]

air - land - quality of life, business, food and consumer products Read more

Buy used. Reuse. Use again. Repeat.

Sep 17, 2009 3 Comments by

We are inundated with “green” products everywhere, from local shops to the web.  Friends have been sending me all kinds of web sites that showcase green products for review.  I’ve seen “green” underwear, green dog accessories, green kitchen gadgets–my favorite is the plastic wishbone that vegetarians can snap instead of killing a chicken and snapping [...]

air - land - quality of life, food and consumer products Read more

So should we go for Conventional-ganic?

Jul 29, 2009 No Comments by

Today a UK study questioning the nutritional value of organic food made the newswires, and of course, sparked debate on the radio waves.  The study involved parsing through 50 years of research papers, zoomed in on 162 papers that compared the nutritional value of organic and conventional foods, and concluded, “the Bush administration had it [...]

air - land - quality of life, business, food and consumer products Read more

Green Botox? What?

Jun 19, 2009 No Comments by

Funny of the week:  I went to a “Green” event last night, and was surprised at how good it was.  People were friendly, there were folks from all walks of life, and people were normal.  Even the vegans were nice.  There was a table where one could put his brochures and business cards.  And then [...]

food and consumer products Read more

GayWashing

Jun 14, 2009 No Comments by

So yesterday we went to LA Pride in West Hollywood . . . walked around, and naturally my eyes gravitated to a bunch of tents that were pitching “green products.”   (more…)

air - land - quality of life, food and consumer products Read more

BioDegrading

Jun 10, 2009 No Comments by

I love Absolutely Fabulous, a British sitcom that has had a larger effect on current American TV than we realize.  In one episode, Edina praises her latest client, disposable sunglasses called “PopSpecs.” Her daughter, Saffie, attacks the product for littering the planet, and Edina points out the “kind to trees” label.  When Saffie asks, “How are they [...]

air - land - quality of life, food and consumer products Read more

Follow up to my post on bottled water

Jun 09, 2009 No Comments by

Here’s a great article regarding the issue of bottled water in Canada.  Thanks to a friend in Ottawa for passing it on. At a very base level, why pay for something you’re already paying for???

air - land - quality of life, water Read more

Bottled Water: the issues

Jun 09, 2009 No Comments by

I despise bottled water and avoid it whenever I can.  Sometimes you can’t help it—you go to an event or friend’s house, you get offered a bottle, you don’t want to be rude—so I usually end up taking it with me to be sure it gets recycled—and judging by the fact that our recycling bin [...]

air - land - quality of life, energy, food and consumer products, water Read more