Why Paint "Green"?

by Lia Mack of BeGreen Designs

Personally?
Because I care about my health and that of the environment. I cannot consciously buy, use, and toss something that is not only poisoning our land, water, and air, but can also contribute to or create health problems in my family and yours.

What you put into the Earth, you put into yourself...
What you put into the Earth, the Earth gives back to you...
You reap what you sow...
Plant a seed, you get a plant. Dump poison, you get poison!
Even my three year old gets it!

Know air pollution?
Guess what. The air your own home can be five to ten times worse than outdoor air pollution. Yes, even if you live in a city like LA or DC. The EPA estimates that indoor air pollution kills more than 11,000 Americans each year. What do we owe this unpleasantness to, you ask? Contaminants such as cleaning solutions, building materials, stains, and paints! Paints are one of the highest contributors to indoor air pollution. They "gas-off" fumes such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) not a nice organic, a bad one. These gasses can continue to gas-off for 3-5 years. Like that dark blue your room is painted with (I know I do). Well, dark pigments are the worse. They have the most VOCs and gas-off for years. The darker the pigment, the more VOCs, and the more gas-off fumes. You eat, sleep, play and work indoors. Most people spend up to 90% of their time indoors. Yikes! The gas-off of these contaminants can result in serious health problems.

Natural Beauty
We live in a natural world, and like babies, it should be treated in a natural gentle way. That is why I choose to switch to 'green' paints. There are so many choices, you won't have to compromise your style and color selection, durability or wallet! The paints I use are Zero VOC (low VOC paints still off gas and contain hazards). Begreendesigns only uses the most natural and eco-friendly materials. I am always looking for better green materials and paints. Just today I decided to, instead of recycling cereal boxes, use them as sample boards! See, being green is just that easy :)

Besides painting 'green', what else can we do? Glad you asked :)
We need to be stewards of this planet that we have been given. Look around and smell the 'great' outdoors. Isn't very great thanks to the industrial revolution. Don't get me wrong. I do like central air in August and movies in Hi-def. However, let's face it. We are ruining this great planet! So instead of placing the blame on people who don't recycle or companies who still produce hazardous waste to benefit their pockets, lets do something about it. Lets use OUR dollars and sense and only purchase green products and services that we know are made from and only use biodegradable, recyclable, sustainable, green, fairly traded resources and materials.

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Here, I've compiled a quick list to some of the Internet's best available information on the subject of 'green' paint, VOCs, healthy children's rooms...you name it!.
Non-Toxic Paints
EarthEasy.com
"Indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air , and according to the EPA, is considered to be one of the top 5 hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes..."
An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
Studies have found that indoor air pollution on average is 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors. During and for several hours immediately after certain activities, levels may be 1,000 times greater than outdoor levels...
Creating a Safe, Healthy Room for Your Child
Green Home Guide
"Newborns, infants, and toddlers are particularly susceptible to many toxic compounds. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are exposed to higher concentrations of pollutants because they breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food per kilogram of body weight than adults do; their skin is more permeable to certain toxicants; they are exposed to pollutants on the floor as they learn to crawl and play; and they often explore new objects by putting them in their mouths..."
'Green Paint' Makes Life Beautiful and Healthy!
"There are many options to look at when thinking about green paint. One of the easiest to find and most cost effective is Low or Zero-VOC paint. VOC, or volatile organic compounds, are carbon containing chemicals that readily evaporate into the atmosphere, destroying the ozone layer. VOCs are commonly found in paint, as well as gasoline, mineral spirits and nail polish. In addition to being ozone unfriendly, VOCs are responsible for polluting our indoor air, which has been found by the EPA to be 5 times worse than outdoor air. Low-VOC paints are often beneficial for people with breathing conditions as well as young children and the elderly..."
TreeHugger Asks: What Green Paints Do You Like?
"When it comes to choosing TreeHugger-friendly paint for whatever home improvement project that needs doing, we have a few ideas..."

The Linkery: Great Food with a Conscience

If you are looking for a place to eat in San Diego and want to eat at a place with excellent food and a friendly staff, try The Linkery. Owner Jay Porter is progressive when it comes to the quality of your meal as well as its ecological footprint. Known to spend many weeks away from his hometown to visit with the independent farmers that raise food for the restaurant, Jay also works very hard to bring you a meal without causing harm to the environment.

When we took some friends for dinner the other night, we were seriously impressed with the entire dinner. Instead of bottled water we were offered a carafe of cold, sage-infused water. Our silverware was wrapped in hemp, reusable napkins and what we thought was candlelight was actually a fuel-cell light. There were a variety of organic and vegetarian meals as well as local brews and wines. I really think the reusable To-Go boxes is really innovative. (food in plastic or styrofoam containers makes me cringe)

New Takeaway Containers, Greenstyle
Posted by Jay on Saturday, 18 August 2007

We’re continuing to try to reduce our environmental footprint, particularly with consumables waste — paper, tinfoil, plastic, etc. To-go containers have been a bugaboo for us, the tin foil pie-pan containers we’ve been using are not reusable and I understand they are very resource-intensive to make.

Starting this weekend, we’re going to pack all our to-go orders in heavier, dishwasher-safe, reusable plastic boxes. These containers cost us about a buck each, and for each container in a takeout order we’ll charge a buck.

If you like the container and want to use it at home, great. But if you don’t want it, just bring it back to us at any time and we’ll give you your buck back. As Chef Tell would say, “very simple, very easy.”

Also, if you prefer, you can bring your own container in and we’ll put your food in that, and then the dollar doesn’t even make the circuit.

In any event, we’re pleased to be trying this new system, which will allow us all to reduce waste without costing anything. Which we think is cool.

If you like a good local brew and some good food to go with it, join us at The Linkery Aug 28th for the Green Flash Brewmaster's Dinner.

Christmas in July

First, a disclaimer: We at LiveGreen do not discriminate when it comes to religion. Here, we talk about Christmas in the American sense (Santa Claus, Gifts, Big Dinners, Firends, Love). Now on to the blog.

You've all heard of the saying "Chistmas in July"... usually when somebody hits it big or when there is an unexpected windfall of money. Well, we'd like to talk about Christmas in December, the biggest shopping day of the year. As a consumer, you have the power to effect change with every dollar (or euro, pound, etc...) spent...and just around the corner (well, not really) comes the biggest spending season of the year. You can't get away from it! Holiday parties at work, in class, at friend's homes...there's the obligatory card to all of your friends and families. It's a time to spend and a time of waste as well. How many gifts have you returned or given to Goodwill after the holidays? Why do we need all of these gifts?

I'm not saying gifts are bad...it's great to give a loved one a gift showing how much you care. However, it seems that as we grow older, Christmas becomes a nostalic time best spent giving presents when really we just want to spend time with our friends and families. In the next six months we will be blogging about ways to make your holiday season green this year. From sustainably made gifts to no gifts at all.

We start in July with no gifts. My wife and I are in a similar stage with both of our families...a few of our siblings have kids, new Grandmas and Grandpas are just getting their first chances at spoiling, and siblings of long distances have but a few weeks a year to spend with eachother. We both come from large families. So when you add on a neice or nephew here and there the family becomes HUGE. The holidays represent a significant stress when it comes to gifts for people large and small...and then there's the 'Holiday Card' you should send to EVERYONE YOU'VE EVER MET! It's a little insane when you think of it.

Let's make this holiday a ZERO WASTE HOLIDAY. When it comes down to it, my family is not rich, but we can afford to buy some luxuries on our own. It's not like when I was a kid and had to mow lawns for months in order to buy a Super Soaker...I rather spend a lot of my money all the time on things like gas, food, clothes...the last thing I want to do is spend more. So what do we do?

Gifts: Make a pact with your family this season that no one will buy any gifts for anyone (except for kids if you want...and stay tuned for some sustainable gifts). Many cheap gifts are made in deplorable working conditions and are manufactured with earth UN-friendly materials. Think before you shop...can you live without the hassle of shopping in the busiest time of the year?

Cards: Send an eCard or nothing at all. What do you plan to acheive by sending a card? Data Transfer. You're trying to bring the people you care about (or even just acquaintances) up to speed on your life...maybe even bragging a little! Why do you need to use paper, ink, gas for transport, waste? Sending an eCard is a simple and efficient click of the mouse.

Green Drinks SD, this Thursday June 28th, Downtown

Make sure to mark the date! Green Drinks is coming to Hotel Solamar this Thursday, June 28th. Salomar is a cool green hotel in downtown SD...I look forward to checking it out.

Jbar, Hotel Solamar, 435 6th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101, (619) 531-8740

Every month, people all over the world working, studying or just interested in the environment are meeting up at informal gatherings known as GreenDrinks – it’s a chance to mix with other like-minded folks, to network, share info, enjoy an ice cold beer and make new friends. Now GreenDrinks has come to San Diego, and you’re invited!

Greens We Dig: Earth Friendly Moving

Last month my wife and I moved to our home in Encinitas. We wanted to move green and were fortunate to see a TreeHugger article that led us the Earth Friendly Moving. I sent an email over to ask about their service. A couple days later I received a phone call from the Owner or EFM, Spencer Brown. An hour later I hang up...I had to try and digest all the information he gave me. I thought about how to write up an article...spouting off stats like 20% of America moves every year or that the average move generates 250 pounds of trash! Spencer is truly a unique individual...I had to get him on camera.

So, please take a look at the first in a series of clips about the first ZERO-WASTE packing solution invented and created by Spencer Brown of Earth Friendly Moving.

Having trouble streaming? Try YouTube

Greens We Dig: Ideal Bite

Ideal Bite is a site that I stumbled upon sometime last year. I signed up to their newsletter and have been pleasantly surprised with their content. Sign up to their newsletter and a new eco-tip will be sent to you every day. I have found more than one useful tip, like Recycle 101 and plenty of tips on subjects I never thought of as green...such as help for a hangover

I recently had a chance to chat with Mindi Picotte, Marketing & PR Associate at Ideal Bite. She re-confirmed my choice of Ideal Bite as our first Greens We Dig post.

What I like most about Ideal Bite is that it’s about light green living – we keep it real, fun, and positive - no doom-and-gloom allowed. I can go home at the end of the day feeling good about what we do here.

Amanda and I truly believe that simple solutions can really be a factor in helping to restore this world. If you see a tip from Ideal Bite that you really like, let us know! As for Mindi, I asked her what her favorite tip was...

As for one eco-tip, that’s a tough one because there are so many! I’d have to say one of my favorite tips is “Beware of the Phantom Loads” – a phantom load is the energy used by appliances that are plugged in but not turned on, and simply by using a power strip to ‘unplug’ everything at once you can save tons of energy and cash – in the average home, phantom loads account for 40% of the energy bill!

Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living. Easy eco-living tips are presented in a short, sassy and free email each weekday. From organic wine to eco-friendly fashion, the Daily Tips provide level-headed advice for people who want to do the right thing without giving up creature comforts. The mission is to create a more sustainable world by connecting enlightened companies with Ideal Bite's 115,000+ subscribers who want to vote with their dollars by making small changes that add up. Far from eco-perfect themselves, the editors candidly share their humorous trials and tribulations in the blog. The secret sauce is a spoonful of “incremental environmentalism” with a keeping-it-real attitude... a perfect mix that empowers subscribers to align their values with everyday decisions.

Exciting, New LiveGreen Products!!!

If you haven't already checked them out, head on over to our LiveGreen Shop Page to see our new eco-friendly additions.


Our first addition, EPIC Cleaning Products! This local San Diego company has a product line of natural, environmentally friendly cleaning products. Even more, they donate 100% of their profits to non-profit environmental organizations. We are very happy to have their products for sale on our site as we enjoy using them every day. Our favorite scent is the citrus+ginger, but there are also a lavender and a free+clear (with no scent) fragrances. Come check it out!

Our second addition is a t-shirt. What's so special about it? Well, for one, the design and printing is done by a local artist here in San Diego Urban Octopus. The shirts themselves are made by American Apparel and are 100% organic cotton. We love to support local businesses, but we are totally excited that we can also support organic farming practices. Did you know that 10% of the worlds pesticides and 25% of the world's insecticides are used to grow cotton? That cotton shirt you're wearing...it took TWO POUNDS of chemicals to grow the material used to make it. Buy organic cotton and support environmentally friendly farming practices!!!!

And we still have our other products. Reusable Bags, Candles and Resource Revival Bottle Openers.

Green Drinks in Encinitas!!!! Migrate Home, April 25th

We are totally thrilled to see that Green Drinks will be held in our home town of Encinitas this month!!!! Come join us at Migrate Home on April 25th, 6-9pm!

Spring is in the air! I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Eastre. No, that's not a mis-spelling, but a shout out to the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, from whose name the word "Easter" is derived from. (gotta love that wikipedia)

GreenDrinks celebrates spring by migrating to North County. Lindy at Migrate Home has been gracious enough to invite Greendrinks into her new eco-boutique in the Lumberyard in Encinitas on Highway 101. It's a great new place and has an outdoor area for us all to enjoy what I hope will be another textbook evening. Last month was great, overwhelming the folks at the La Jolla Brew House, and I'd like to thank everyone for making it. We're pretty much a flash mob, showing up en masse and taking over.

I look forward to seeing everyone. This is not a bar, so anyone who wishes to bring a bottle of wine, some beer (great organic wines and beers out there) or their favorite libation will not be turned away. We'll be supplying some refreshments, but we'll have an empty ice chest as well. (any web-type folks out there who would like to help, I'd like to set up a GreenDrinks carpooling bulletin board. Let me know if you have any ideas. - JS)

Keep living (and drinking) green, and see you on the 25th. (Note the move to Wednesday)

John


Migrate Home, 937 S. Coast Highway 101, suite C103, Encinitas, CA 92024

Green Drinks: Simple, Unstructured...a talk with founder Edwin Datschefski

LiveGreen recently had a chance to sit down for a pint and a chat with Green Drinks founder Edwin Datschefski. Actually, it was virtual...Edwin being in the UK, LiveGreen from San Diego. ;)

Communication is key...we are very grateful to Edwin for allowing us an interview with one of the visionaries behind the fastest-growing environmentally aware communities in the world. In more than 200 cities around the world, Green Drinks is an unstructured, informal and random networking idea that brings people together every month to talk about all things green. I think the logo for Green Drinks Chattanooga encompasses the philosophy behind Green Drinks best.

The beginnings of Green Drinks is unlike any I’ve ever heard of. In 1989, Edwin found himself in a northern London pub called The Slug and Lettuce. While sharing a pint with several of his green design colleagues, Edwin noticed an enviro-minded acquaintance at a table nearby. As it turned out Edwin said, the friend was sitting with a few of his eco-conscious mates, so we pulled some tables together…and so a movement was born.

The original founders of Green Drinks are Edwin Datschefski, Yorick Benjamin and Paul Scott. A few years after starting Green Drinks, Edwin focused on setting up the greendrinks.org website in order to spread this great idea to other cities. Such a simple idea has brought like-minded people together in places like New York, London, and Amsterdam…all the way to places like Buenos Aires, Malta and San Juan.

What does Edwin see for Green Drinks in the next five years? More cities! Apart from that, we've toyed a lot with the format, but the basic theme of unstructured, informal random networking seems very stable and I don't see it evolving much though we give it every opportunity to do so.

Visit the greendrinks.org websites to find a local meeting near you. All you have to do is show up, grab a drink, and start talking. Cheers!

To be Green or Not to be Green...is that really the question?

The question really is what does “green” mean? It can mean many different things, but right now there are so many negative connotations with the word "green" that people are instantly put off. Being "green" doesn't mean you have to give up meat, it doesn't mean you have to sell your car and start bicycling to work, there are many things you can do to "be Green," and not have to feel like you are changing who you are.
The big problem right now with the "green" movement is that there is an all or nothing mentality which puts people off. The all or nothing mentality gives people permission to do nothing. Life isn’t about all or nothing, you work a little (or sometimes a lot), you spend time with your family, walk your dog, and do a bunch of little things everyday. The problem with thinking that you have to do everything is that people feel that if they can’t do everything they shouldn’t do anything, that’s just not true. It’s a lot of people doing little things who make a difference, rather than just a few people who do everything.
I hear I can’t afford solar panels, a hybrid car or to buy organic foods, but those aren’t the only things that make you “green,” there are much littler things too. We’ve all heard about the “3 R’s” reduce, reuse, recycle, and there is so much more. What about changing your laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, hand soap, the cleaning products you use, what about using reuseable grocery bags rather than choosing between plastic and paper. What about using non-chlorinated toilet paper, or recycled paper towels, there are simple things to change in your life that can make a difference, and won’t cost you anymore than you already spend.
Like I said before the more people who do little things the bigger the impact, just changing one thing in you life can make a difference.
A