The debate over climate change and energy independence is often divisive and polarizing.  First we must confront the apathetic and the nay-sayers, which has not been easy in the USA with the purported "Climate-gate" bruhaha and our concern over 10% unemployment.  The Obama Administration has not been very helpful with its "green jobs" rhetoric--I think every week we have heard of the push for "home weatherization" schemes, which leaves me with the image of former Avon salespeople tapping our walls to make sure they are properly insulated (is this really the best Obama & Co. can do?).  Then you've got the debate over who should lead . . . corporations, or government?  Well, what about non-profits?  One organization with a stellar "green" record is the American Jewish Committee (AJC), a 103-year-old advocacy group with 32 chapters in the United States. (more...)

My elementary school in Cupertino was a great place to spend the K-6 years, come to think of it.  It was walking distance (unless you're an Angelino), and it was small enough to know everyone.  Best of all, there was a huge playground and field, big enough to serve as a city park.  Many school in Cupertino have that luxury.  Looking back, however, it would have been nice if there was a garden.  Back in the 70s and 80s, however, community and school gardens were not high on the list for parents and teachers.  Organic was not in our vocabulary, and if your family didn't garden, there was plenty of produce in the local Lucky or Safeway stores.  Gardens, however, are making a huge comeback.

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Weddings.  We plan for them, cry at them . . . and pay for them.  The average cost of a wedding in the US costs over $20,000, and most fall into the $15,000 to $25,000 range.  Oh, and that is not including the ring or honeymoon.  And I don't want to take any attention from the bride(zilla), but there's all that waste.  I cringe when I see the Hummer limousines cruise through LA--tugging along the hot tub--how many gallons to the mile is that anyway.  We also get plastic trinkets that we end up tossing, then there's the food waste, a dress never worn again, etc.  I've heard that in order to save money, some couples buy sheet cake to serve, but then the "wedding cake" for show is Styrofoam dressed up in frosting:  clever, but revolting (LA does recycle Styrofoam, however!). (more...)

You've got to love New York.  It's easy to see why Manhattan residents are so smug.  The city is a permanent fixture in our popular culture, whether you love it or not.  TV shows from I Love Lucy to Seinfeld to Sex in the City are pretty spot on when showcasing the town's marvels and madness.  Pity the fool who goes there and eats at Starbucks or a fast-food outlet.  There's so much to explore.  True, if you can't find it there, you can't find it anywhere:  from $5 hot chocolate (sipping chocolate, excuse me!) to rice pudding stores to Korean fried chicken outlets, eating in NY is a journey in itself.  Then there is the shopping:  the extravagant boutiques, the riches you can find in its second-hand shops, the chain stores that are 5 floors tall, and the book stores covering every topic imaginable.  Did you walk past your favorite designer?  Never mind, there's another one of his or her stores a few blocks down.

Driving in a taxi from one of New York's airports to Manhattan (or in our case, downtown Brooklyn) is always a feast for the eyes.  The skyline in the distance, the billboards, the brownstones, the endless stream of taxis . . . it all just adds to the excitement when visiting one of the world's true great cities.  As we arrived closer to our hotel, one billboard in particular caught my attention.  I took my eyes off the view of Manhattan, only cause I rolled them up to the top of my head.  There it was:  a billboard advertising green storage.  Naturally I was dubious. (more...)

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 the real thing.  To me, that's not very green.  Rather gauche, I think.  All the companies slap on labels such as "eco-friendly" and "natural."  I call it greenwashing. (more...)