When I started putting this blog together I wanted to do something fun like “5 Totally Hot Ways to Ditch Your Denim & Be Green About It…” Yes, that was actually the original title.  But as I researched, I came across something so very cool, that I couldn’t wait to share it with YOU.

I found COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.^® denim drive changing the world one pair of jeans at a time.  In 2006, a grassroots student organization took off educating students about the green and renewable values of denim.  Just one year later 14,556 articles of denim had been collecting, which nearly doubled the initial estimates.  The collected denim was then sent to a leader in the recycling community, Allen Company.  The denim was compacted into 1,000 lbs. bales and then shipped off to JBM Fibers where they would return the denim to its original cotton fiber state.  But, the quest isn’t quite over for the denim.  Finally Bonded Logic Inc. converts the denim into UltraTouch™ Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation.  The insulation is then used in houses built by Habitat for Humanity.

UltraTouch™ is composed of 85% recycled cotton fibers; it is an environmentally safe, itchy-free insulation that doesn’t have carcinogenic warnings, formaldehyde or chemical irritants.  It even insulates and absorbs sound up to 30% more than typical fiberglass insulation.  Most importantly, it is one of the ONLY insulation products with an active mold/mildew inhibitor.

The COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.^® denim drive has rendered 270,617 articles of denim; these have produced over 585,000 sq feet of UltraTouch™ Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation and are now warming 540 homes in communities in need.  The denim drive was so successful that the organization has had to temporarily suspend collections.

Since collections have been suspended, start putting your old jeans aside now for when this gets going again.  If ever there was a fabulous and worthy cause that we could use our old clothes for, then this is it!  Donating your old jeans here not only renders a green and eco-friendly product, but it also specifically goes to help human beings build a home to stay safe and protected in.  I truly can not wait to donate my denim to them as soon as possible!

I am truly touched and affected when I come across companies and organizations doing something to actually change the world and save lives.  Today I was directed to CSDW.org (of Proctor & Gamble), and I learned some staggering facts as well as some fabulous resolutions.  CSDW (Children’s Safe Drinking Water) is a program designed to bring safer water to a big part of the world.

It took a while to process some of the following information and how terribly dangerous many communities water supplies are.

• More than one billion people do not have access to safe water.
• Diarrhea caused by drinking contaminated water remains a leading cause of illness and death among infants and children in the developing world.
• About 1.8 million children die every year due to diarrheal diseases.
• More children die from diarrheal illnesses like cholera and dysentery than from HIV/AIDS or malaria combined.
• P&G has collaborated with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) since 1995 to develop safe drinking water systems that people can easily use in their homes.
• There is conclusive evidence that simple, low-cost interventions at the community level can dramatically improve the quality of household stored water and greatly reduce the risk of diarrheal disease and death.
• It is well documented that simply providing safe, clean, drinkable water can reduce deadly diarrhea and other devastating diseases by about 50%.

To combat this hazardous situation, the CSDW is distributing the PUR Packet (a product of PUR), to clean up to 10 liters of water at a time.  The PUR Packet is exceptionally more useful in these cultures because a little bit goes a long way; they are also a greener response to this problem by saving on the countless water bottles sent to these struggling cultures. P&G works with organizations like PSI, CARE, World Vision, Aquaya Institute, USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the International Council of Nurses, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Save the Children, Samaritan’s Purse, and Americares; these organizations and the CSDW are over half way to their goal of cleaning 4 billion liters of water before 2012.

If you would like to help this global movement, then don’t wait another minute.  The CSDW accepts PayPal.  Even small contributions can make a huge difference.  One PUR Packet cleans 10 Liters of water, and costs 10¢.  $1.00 will provide one child with clean water for 50 days, $7.50 can provide that same child with clean water for a year, and $30.00 gives one family clean water for a full year.

This morning, I found a great article from Fast Company discussing the world’s largest Tidal Turbine; I got really excited about how alternative energy is evolving, and I did some research.  Here are three things cool new developments for alternative energy:

1)      Hydroelectric Power & Tidal Turbines

Hydroelectricity has been around for quite some time; it’s probably best recognized by harnessing the power of rivers through turbines and dames, but in 2008 the first commercial tidal turbine went live in Northern Ireland.  The next big step for hydroelectricity looks like a $7.5 million and 130 ton machine that will immediately generate 1 MW (energy to power 1,000 homes); it’s name: The AK-1000.  By 2020 this machine should generate 700 MW.  Check out the Atlantis Resource Corporation for more details!

2)      Solar Thermal Power

Beyond traditional solar power, solar thermal power plants focus the sun’s energy using parabolic troughs to feed into a steam cycle around 700 ° F.  The steam powers turbine generators that can generate up to 250MW.  Using thermal storage technologies, energy can be stored and released on demand.  If you want to know more about Solar Thermal Energy, a leading US company Solar Trust of America is doing some incredible stuff.

3)      Algae-Based Fuels

Just last week, the New York Times published a blog about a $52 million deal for just one San Francisco based company (Solazyme) to commercialize their algae-based fuel.  Solazyme is also contracted to the US NAVY for 20,000 gallons of fuel for ships while creating and generating new jet fuel.  The University of Tulsa also received $1 million in funding three years ago from San Diego-based Sapphire Energy Inc. along with a $750K federal grant for algae-based fuel research project focusing on energy for automobiles.

Most of these alternative forms of energy have been in development for some time now, but with increasing awareness from the rest of the world due to events like the Gulf Oil Spill we are seeing faster improvements toward a greener future.

Organic Bug strives to provide goods that are eco-friendly and organic as our part to make tomorrow a better place.

You didn’t just think that beers were good for drinking and beer pong did you? Well if you did, you are in for a treat, and also to be proven wrong! Beer can be used for a lot of things, many, however, are unusual. Check it out!

Enrich Soil
Pour a few tablespoons of flat beer into your garden to cultivate the soil. The yeasty soil will help plants grow stronger and help things flourish.

Lighten Hair
Soak you hair in beer and then lay in the sun. It will pull out terrific highlights and let your hair get a buzz as well as yourself.

Polish Wood Furniture
Get a damp microfiber cloth and wet it with your flat beer, then rub gently into your furniture. It will give it a polish and bring back some color.

Stain Removal
Much like club soda, beer will take out the stains in cloth and carpet. Just make sure to rinse with water after will take out the smell.

Soothe Tired Feet
Want to give your feet a nice treatment? Give yourself a beer pedicure. The bubbles actually will make your feet feel soothed and calm.

Polish Gold Jewelry
Drop your rings and other trinkets into a dish of beer, and then remove to polish. It will give a beautiful gloss and shine to your things.

Batter Up
We’ve got a recipe for making beer batter fried zucchini spears that’s just waiting for some leftover beer.

Bath In Beer
Bathing in beer can help soften and soothe skin. Make sure to rinse or you may smell like a human ale

All of us leave a carbon footprint, and while some footprints are bigger than others – it’s wonderful to see companies developing ways to help offset some of the eco-damage that we can cause. I recently was turned on to Terapass, and was very impressed with what I saw.

First and foremost, Terapass is a company that allows you to purchase the reduction of your carbon footprint. Here’s how it works: You (as a consumer or a business owner) may calculate an estimate of your carbon emissions, you may then purchase your TerraPass online, the proceeds then go to 10 separate projects (in 2010) in North America that are either Wind Farms, Landfill Gas Capture, or Farm Power (making the best use of animal waste.

Terrapass walks the walk as well as talking the talk. 100% of their carbon offsets are verified annually by broadly accepted standards. They also only sell carbon offsets that are happening in today’s world and do not depend on future developments (for example waiting for the maturation of trees). Finally, they maintain transparency by promoting and making available the sold carbon credits, including the project name, location, type, standard, verifier and the exact quantity of carbon credits that they purchased from each project. This way, you know exactly where your money goes.

If you haven’t checked this out yet, you should! It’s a great way to help save the planet while maintaining responsibility for your own carbon footprint!

Whether you’re a bohemian and organic yogini or just a person wanting to be a little more green, there are a few things you can always do to make a difference. Even for the greenest of us, remembering some basics can help to reignite and remind us of simple things to make our lives a bit better.

1) Reduce

Let’s face it: even in tough economic times most people live in somewhat of a state of abundance, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. We also could all use for a little reduction in how we buy and how we consume. Use less paper, print things less often, open the windows, don’t make as much food, actually eat your leftovers, put a timer in your shower, don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth, etc. Look at your life and find at least 3 ways today to reduce your use.

2) Reuse

The best part of reusing anything is in the creative opportunities that can be found. Not only can you get in touch with your inner artisan, but there are also real-life practical ways to reuse household items. Use your old socks as cleaning rags, make a blanket or quilt out of old t-shirts, old bills and junk mail can become crap paper for notes, jars can become flower vases, and more. Next time you go to throw things away, take a moment and get creative before you toss that junk in the garbage

3) Recycle

Many communities offer a diverse recycling program that can keep many things out of our landfills. I recently learned about a service in my community that will even take away old appliances AND provide you with a credit off a utilities bill if a new energy efficient appliance is purchased. Electronics are also in high demand right now for recycling. Check out EPA.gov for more information about local recycling electronics efforts.

4) Shop smarter – Shop greener

Shopping greener doesn’t necessarily mean buying organic goods from your local mega supermarket. So many day-to-day products now offer eco-friendly, safe, and (often) organic alternatives; sometimes these alternatives may be a bit more pricey, but the positive difference they make over heavy chemical brothers and sisters. You can also find green alternative products that have been recognized and approved by various organizations like Green Seal.

5) Power down

Most everybody has fallen asleep with the TV on, or left a light on in the bathroom while leaving the house in a hurry. Mistakes happen, but being conscious and powering down really DO make a difference. Beyond being aware of simple things, there are several little things that we often overlook: don’t leave things on the charger after they have finished, turn off your computer when you are done, take advantage of cooler days and turn off the AC, etc.

There are so many ways to be more green for beginners and veterans! Organic Bug offers tools, goods, gifts, and more to help make your life be a little more green!

This morning, a friend sent me a link to what might be the cleverest uses of beer boxes I have ever seen.

Earlier this summer, German architecture students at the University of Applied Science in Detmold designed (website in German), realized, and constructed BOXEL.  The pavilion is constructed in one week by students out of over 2,000 beer boxes that have each been in use for over 10 years donated from a local brewery; the boxes will be recycled when the pavilion is disassembled.

Boxel was conceptualized by Henri Schweynoch in his response to an impromptu competition from Prof. Marco Hemmerling.  The building shape is based on a minimal surface and is organized along free form geometry.  The structure is held together by a series of slats and screws with the additional support of bracings in some of the upper areas.  The three base points of the structure also are concrete lined boxes as load-bearing points.

These students have demonstrated (even unintentionally) great ways to reuse common items.  Organic Bug supports reusing and recycling objects in useful ways.  After 10 years of use, these beer boxes were given one last task before they find themselves recycled – what a great example of being green.

Sun Chips of Frito Lay is making quite the crunch this week.  From Facebook, to twitter, to the Wall Street Journal there is a steady buzz about all the noise that Frito-Lay has been making with their green line of snacks.  Sun Chips is definitely making positive strides toward a greener treat from their packaging to their actual products.

Seven months ago Sun Chips began mass distribution of their products in a newer noisier bag.  The bag is made out of a plant-based material, polylactic acid, and claims to fully decompose in about 14 weeks if put into hot active compost (pretty good compared to the nearly 100 years it takes typical chip bags).  The polymer used to make the bags has a higher “glass transition temperature” which basically means that it’s more brittle than rubbery.

One of the current production plants for Sun Chips has also transitioned to Solar Energy to help lower their environmental impact.  In Modesto, CA 145,000 bags of Sun Chips are produced and ready to ship each and every day.  The plant in Modest is one of eight separate facilities that creates and packages the noisy treats; don’t get too excited because they have a long way to go, but their efforts should be celebrated for now.

Despite their green efforts, they have yet to make the transition to an organic product.  Perhaps that will be their next step.  Don’t let anybody trick you into thinking snacks like this are “healthy,” but Sun Chips are definitely less bad for you than some of their competition.

All-in-all, Frito-Lay is making some great steps in the right direction.  Hopefully people can ignore the noisy bag due to the positive impact that it can make over the alternatives.

For more eco-friendlier products, swing over to Organic Bug for everything from organic gluten free sweet brownie treats to jewelry made out of recycled glass!

By now, you probably have heard about the findings from a recent study from the Environmental Working Group about sunscreens.  Many of the major brands tested by the EWP in 2010 Sunscreen Guide,  failed to make the grade.  These findings inspired a post from us last month: Is Your Sunscreen Providing Enough Protection? - and inspired me to pay better attention to my own personal summer skin care for myself and family.

SustainLane, a wonderful source of eco and health news & commentary, came out with their own recommendations and tips as a result of this study.  Though the 2010 summer season is coming to a close; we felt like this information was relevant and important enough to pass on to our readers and friends.  Here are some guidelines to choosing safe sunscreens from the article Is Your Suncreen Safe :

1. Don’t rely on SPF ratings. As we said, SPF only accounts for UVB-ray protection, which means the higher the number the more likely it is that you’re being misled about the protection. Part of the reason the EWG slagged this crop of sunscreens is because many are making claims of SPF 50 and over. In fact, some are promising SPF as high as 100 this season. (Insert eye roll here.)

2. Avoid chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens absorb the rays so you don’t have to, and then they sneak into your body and mess around with your hormones. Oxybenzone, a hormone-disruptor found in 97 percent of Americans according to the CDC, is one widely used active to avoid—and if you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for the planet: Every year, 4,000 to 6,000 tons of chemical sunscreen comes off our bodies (and into the ocean), destroying the coral reef in the process.

3. Zinc is your new best friend. This is the cleanest and most effective active ingredient you can find in a sunscreen. It offers broad-spectrum protection—that means from both UVA and UVB rays—while posing absolutely no health threat. And fear not: Advances in technology mean the zinc on the market is nothing like the stuff you used to see striping your lifeguard’s nose.

4. Titanium dioxide is your new second-best friend. As an ingredient, it’s not as clean as zinc—you won’t find it in your multivitamin since it’s dangerous when ingested or inhaled—but it offers the same meaningful protection and isn’t absorbed through skin. All of the 39 EWG top-rated sunscreens featured zinc and/or titanium.

5. Beware of nanoparticles. Used in some sunscreens to make titanium dioxide appear less white on the skin, nanoparticles are a hot-button issue right now. By making them that small, there is evidence that the particles can then migrate to body tissue, where they may wreak all kinds of havoc. In Europe, companies using nanos have to say so; not so over here, though.

6. Avoid vitamin A in sunscreen like the plague. While animal studies never represent conclusive evidence for humans, when other mammals are getting cancer faster—as was shown in the FDA’s study of vitamin A and sun exposure—it’s a good idea to avoid the suspected culprit. It’s packed into a lot of anti-agers and sunscreens, and should be avoided at all costs.

7. Be wary of the other ingredients in there. Fragrance (which contain phthalates), chemical preservatives like parabens (which may or may not mess with hormones), and a host of other questionable things are found in most mainstream sun products. We’ll cover these in more depth in future columns and in our book, but in the meantime, remember that the fewer ingredients the better.

8. Don’t count on sunscreen alone. Even if you’re using the good stuff, most of us tend not to apply enough, or reapply it like we should. The false sense of security offered by sunscreen is thought to be one of its biggest threats. Which takes us to…

9. Protect your head. The EWG and any doctor with a brain will tell you as much. Hats, protective clothing and shade are still your best bet when it comes to avoiding sun exposure. But…

10. Get a little unprotected exposure. While it goes against everything we’ve been taught, some doctors are recommending we get limited exposure to the sun without any sunscreen to ensure healthy vitamin D levels. If you don’t want to risk it—and we don’t blame you if you don’t—make sure to get your D in other ways, through diet and supplements.

This is the second installment in a series inspired by No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, a forthcoming book by GOOD’s features editor Siobhan O’Connor and her co-author Alexandra Spunt.

So plastic floats, we all know that. Well did we also know that plastic when applied correctly and with the right amount of experts can complete a voyage across the Pacific? Probably not. Take a look at David de Rothschild’s project, Plastiki. The Plastiki is a distinctive, one-of-a-kind 60-foot catamaran made out of 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles and other recycled PET plastic and waste products. The craft was built with many renewable energy systems, including solar panels, wind and trailing propeller turbines, and bicycle generator and was inspired by the cradle to cradle philosophy.

On March 20, 2010, the sailing vessel set off from San Francisco to sail the Pacific. The team plans on landing in Sydney, Australia and is planning to visit sites that are related to environmental importance. The locations all are sites of environmental susceptibility with issues such as global warming, rising sea levels, ocean acidification and marine pollution.

Plastiki arrived in Sydney Harbour at 11.10 am Australia time on July 26, 2010.