Consumption

Every five minutes two million plastic beverage bottles are used in the United States. Five minutes; that’s all it takes for a nation to create this mass of waste.

426,000. That’s the number of cell phones retired in the US everyday. Now how many of these phones do you believe are disposed of properly, or even recycled?

These statistics are alarming to hear, but the reality is often hard to bear without visualizing the extent of these issues. Thanks to Chris Jordan of Chris Jordan’s Photographic Arts, we can do just that – visualize. In his collection, Running the Numbers, Jordan turns raw statistics like these into stunning pieces of artwork, each one a poignant social commentary regarding our penchant for consumption.

Ever wished you could keep track of how eco-friendly you were at home? Well, the Danish Designnord group has created a visual electricity meter for home use. The FlowerPod, a semi-transparent screen with an electronic flower display, grows blooms or wilts according to how thrifty its inhabitants have been in regards to their heating, cooling, water and electricity use.

Although I don’t think the Girl Scouts are going to be selling boxes of CFL lightbulbs instead of cookies any time soon—why change a good and delicious thing?--groups of other stripes are always looking for creative ways to raise money for their organizations. Now your group can choose to sell recycled paper goods, green home cleaners, energy-efficient showerheads, and yes, low-energy lightbulbs through several Web-based green fundraising organizations.

UPDATE: After we posted this story, we heard from the folks at Divide The Ride, a service that busy parents can use to form carpools for their kids. Parents enter their kids' activity schedule and invite families they know and trust to join the carpool. A carpool calendar is created and families who join the carpool will be emailed a complete schedule and reminders. Divide the Ride claims it's the only service designed exclusively for parents...and what parent couldn't use an extra set of wheels, for free?

If you don't have a subscription to GOOD Magazine, here's yet another reason to get one: Vampire Energy. As usual, GOOD uses hipster-approved graphics to educate us on issues like energy use.

So before the sun comes up:

1. check out this cool visual
2. unplug a few things in your house
3. get a subscription to GOOD

You'll be happy you did.

Two members of the New York City Council have introduced a trailblazing bill, Intro. 104, the Electronics Collection, Recycling, and Reuse Act, which, if passed later this year, would be the first mandatory municipal electronics recycling law in the country. It would make manufacturers responsible for collection and disposal of products when no longer usable, instead of leaving this task to consumers, who often simply dump them in the trash.

According to a new study, cutting down forests to grow crops for fuel causes more environmental damage than using biofuels can ever offset.

The quick moves to pass legislation to expand subsidies for crops, such as corn, that can be turned into biofuels was the first red flag. Can we stop the trend of businesses doing things that seem green, but are better for their bottom lines than for the environment?

Just in time for Halloween...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hvopk72Bx3Y

For more DIY videos from threadbanger, visit the Threadbanger website or the "DIY Vintage Jeans w/ Coffee" video featured on Grist.

Everyday we make choices about the food we eat. How much money do we spend on food? Is it healthy? Was it grown and processed in a way that damages the environment?

This TIME Magazine photo slideshow gives a glimpse of the the similarities and differences between different cultures in terms of food. Some spend less than $2 a week, others spend over $500. Some eat mostly fresh produce, others eat mostly pre-packaged food. What I like about this slideshow is that it challenges our notions of what a "normal" diet is.

Conscious Lifestyle was founded on the idea that we don't have to wait for elections to make a change. Everyday we have an opportunity for vote for kind of world we want through ordinary actions: eating food, investing our time, choosing how to dress, talk, etc. In this globalized world even small, sometimes overlooked actions, can have a ripple effect that can be felt around the world. In a word, it's about living a lifestyle in which we are aware of how our decisions affect other people and the environment.

Whole Foods' Whole Body campaign reflects the philosophy behind Conscious Lifestyle.