Reusable: Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls

You do not have to be a crafter to repurpose your left over toilet paper rolls and prevent waste.

Here are a few ideas we collected:

1. Donate them to your local animal shelter. Small animals love playing in toilet paper rolls and chewing them up to make bedding.

2. Keep spare electrical cords tangle-free by fanfolding the cord and putting it through a toilet paper roll. You can even decorate the roll with colorful paper.

3. Store string around the outside of a roll to prevent tangles. You can create notches at each end to attach the string ends to.

4. Give to kids along with some markers or paint and see what crafts they come up with!

5. Roll your linens up in longer paper towel rolls to avoid creases caused by storage.

6. Use the rolls as seedling planters. Rather than purchase several small starter pots, use one tray, insert in several rolls cut in half horizontally and place soil and the plants in each roll.

7. Poke holes in the rolls and use them as toy building blocks. Kids can poke the ends of pencils into the rolls to build objects.

8. Create wall art! Take a look at these amazing designs by blogger Tali Schiffer Oren for inspiration. Here is one of Tara’s creations:

9. Prevent your kids’ artwork from sitting in boxes and wrinkling by rolling the pieces up and fitting them into paper towel tubes.

Passive Houses Come to America

Upon first hearing the term “passive house,” one might think, “Aren’t all houses passive?” I mean, they do just kind of sit there. They don’t really make a scene or step on any toes. In reality, the homes we live in are often inflicting some kind of footprint onto the environment with high energy consumption. The U.S. Energy Information Administration states buildings are responsible for 48% of greenhouse gas emissions each year and that 76% of all electricity generated by power plants in the United States goes towards the building sector.

A passive house, on the other hand, seeks to conserve energy, while also functioning as a livable home. PassiveHouse.us says:

“A Passive House is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Any remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. Avoidance of heat gain through shading and window orientation also helps to limit any cooling load, which is similarly minimized. An energy recovery ventilator provides a constant, balanced fresh air supply. The result is an impressive system that not only saves up to 90% of space heating costs, but also provides a uniquely terrific indoor air quality.”

Or, in other words, it’s a building which follows the German Passivhaus standard for energy efficiency, one which focuses on reducing its ecological footprint resulting in ultra-low energy for heating and cooling. The U.S. is taking interest in this standard, however slowly. As of 2010, there were under 20 houses in the U.S., but across the global map there are around 25,000.

Inhabitat reposted an article on their Facebook and Twitter pages of an amazing Williamsburg, NY passive house above a creative shop. The space had been transformed from a standard Brooklyn apartment to a modern, energy efficient home, and the effects are quite stunning. A family in Utah also completed the project last year, to suit their family’s needs. The family bungalow is now an open, welcoming area, perfect for entertaining. See more at OurPassiveHouse.org.

For more information on the passive house movement, visit the Passive House Institute website as well as Passipedia – there is a wiki for everything. And now, more photos!

Where the Trees Are

Researchers at the Woods Hole Research Center, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey created the map pictured above, an inventory of the United States’ concentrations of biomass. The darkest greens on the map show areas with the densest and most robust forest growth.

According to the NASA Earth Observatory, the map provides perhaps the most detailed “view of forest structure and carbon storage ever assembled for any country.”

The purpose of the map is to take an accurate, current inventory of the nation’s forests in order to know how best to manage and preserve forests.

Trees fill our air with oxygen. They provide shade on sunny days, prevent erosion and slow a harsh wind. They provide us with raw materials, food, medicines and more. What actions have you made in your daily life to protect our forests?

Green Social Networking For Good in 2012

Many people now consider logging into Facebook as a normal routine, checking in at least once every day. But the last couple of years have shown a growth in social networks tailored to niche communities, like eco-friendly issues. Below are a few networks to take a look at if you’re interested in keeping up with the latest green causes.

The Care2 Network has over 17,000,000 worldwide members, so newcomers are bound to find a group or conversation thread to join matching their interests. The homepage features Care2′s latest petitions and actions, ranging from anti-fur campaigns to child trafficking. There are also daily eco-deals and frequently updated blog posts to keep informed. Members can earn credits for taking part in certain actions and connecting with other users. Definitely a prime information hub for all social causes, with an emphasis on saving the planet.

Carbon Rally is a great site for those hoping to decrease their footprint this year. Rallies are daily as well as are ongoing challenges that one can take part in either as an individual or a group. There are workshops to create your own challenges or sign up for existing ones. Keep track of your progress in-line with other users by using the Rally Map. The goal is to provide a fun and rewarding experience to impact energy consumption.

Change.org may be best known for its poignant and moving petition stream, where users can create a petition based on an issue they care about and use Change.org’s resources to spread the word to the masses. You can also browse hundreds of online petitions by subject area, from sustainability to women’s rights and help causes you care about gain more traction. Keep track of global progress by viewing Change.org’s map of signed petitions. To mobilize local support in your community, set up a meeting via Change.org’s platform as well.

Wiser Earth is an eco-focused network for sustainable organizations and individuals to find each other and share resources. Users can take advantage of a massive Job Board, solution sharing and view what those in your network are up to. By using mind-maps streaming from a list of ten interest areas, users can search and click on related interests and find information in that area. For example, by selecting interest in Urban Communication, I was led to many more subcategories including Green Cities. From there I was led to names of those in the Sustainable Communities program at the University of California, related jobs and events, as well as articles. Very neat!

Greenopolis is a Web 2.0 site helping ordinary folks recycle more easily, track conservation and reward those working towards a cleaner planet. By using a combination of their web network and kiosks, Greenopolis maximizes real-time services and updates, using blogs, video/photo uploads, podcasts, social networks, and infographics. Greenopolis uses branded imagery to help users track their recycling actions and receive rewards. You can find a kiosk at many Whole Foods Markets. Social recycling is in in 2012.

Holiday Best Sellers at Organic Bug!

It’s not too late to shop OrganicBug.com and ship 2 Day Express or Overnight in order to receive your products in time for Christmas!

For 2 Day Express, please order by TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th at 1:00 pm EST. For Overnight shipping, please order by WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21st at 1:00 pm EST and call for availability. Read the holiday shipping guidelines.

Here are a few of our Top Sellers this holiday season!

Santa’s Last Days to Ship from Organic Bug

Be sure to follow these guidelines to get your packages in time for Christmas!*

Ground Shipping: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15th by 1 pm EST
takes 2-5 business days after processing for delivery~you will get a tracking number but NO Guaranteed delivery date

2 Day Express: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th by 1:00 pm EST
takes 2-3 business days after processing for delivery~you will get a tracking number and a Guaranteed delivery date

Overnight: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21st by 1:00 pm EST
call for availability

Should you have any questions, please contact us using our Toll Free Number: 888.428.7050 9 am to 5 pm EST M-F
(if you are calling from outside the US, please call 386.428.7050)

*IMPORTANT NOTES:

Check AVAILABILITY and any special shipping notes in RED on each product page. Some products ship direct from our vendors and orders may not ship immediately so notice the AVAILABILITY of each product prior to ordering to know when the item will ship.

We are unable to guarantee delivery if there are weather delays. These Shipping Dates are for packages shipped to addresses in the Continental US only. Products shipping to PO Boxes CANNOT be shipped using 2 Day Express or Next Day Air.

Of course, if you are just too late or you don’t know what to buy,

Santa uses INSTANT DELIVERY when you buy Organic Bug eGift Certificates!

Today Only: FREE SHIPPING on all Organic Bug Orders!

Shop TODAY (Dec. 12) on OrganicBug.com and receive FREE SHIPPING on all orders! Finish up your holiday shopping with eco-friendly, sustainable products.

We’ve got some other fun holiday treats as well. Our brand new feature “Multiple Ship To” lets consumers shop ’til they drop by assigning a unique gift recipient to each product selected, in time for the holidays and all those Secret Santas. “Ship To” allows customers to create multiple addresses within the same order, while requiring only ONE check out experience.

Not sure what to get someone on your list? Choose from these popular items, or buy a gift card!

Giveaway: Win a Girls Viola Thermal Dress from Sustainable Kids!

Enter to Win the Girls Thermal Dress

Discounts on Organic Bug products ALL Weekend!

Our Black Friday deals last through Sunday!

Take a look at all of our SALES going on right now!

Climate Change Activist’s Uphill Battle

What do you do when you find yourself between a rock and a hard place when it comes to defending the defenseless? It wasn’t all that long ago when environmental activist Tim DeChristopher was convicted on two felony counts for “making $1.8 million in false oil and gas drilling bids at a federal auction,” according to the Associated Press. The 29-year old DeChristopher did so “to run up the price of 13 oil-and-gas leases near Utah’s Arches and Canyonlands national parks,” in order to save them. Tim registered under the name “Bidder 70″ and outbid the oil companies, but was then unable to pay. This same auction was later ruled as possibly illegal, and definitely poorly conducted. He was eventually sentenced to two years in prison; and many supporters are stating the obvious. DeChristopher’s conviction wasn’t about the bids; it was about preserving power (Treehugger).

DeChristopher’s defense team claimed a necessity defense, meaning he had to choose between two evils and bidding was the lesser of those evils to avoid imminent harm. Prosecutors prohibited this defense and disallowed evidence which could have supported his case for the necessity defense. Prosecutor John Huber stated, “It becomes clear that the defendant’s hopes are to have a prominent venue for his global-warming show — a platform from which he could educate the masses.” The overall stance in cases like DeChristopher’s is that it is criminal to educate the masses about the destruction of national parks and the environment in favor of oil. Additionally, Judge Benson, who presided over the case and sentenced DeChristopher to prison for two years, asserted that DeChristopher’s actions were undeserving of comparisons to historical acts of nonviolent protest or civil disobedience, essentially reiterating the hardball stance that the environment is not a valid cause worth federal protections.

The point of these heavy sentences is to deter future environmental protestors to reach out to help stave off the effects of climate change. Activists such as DeChristopher believe the path our earth is headed down will be extremely disastrous. Barriers to solving the environmental crisis are political, not technological. DeChristopher responded to the judge’s statement during his court address:

“The certainty of this statement [that his sentence will act to deter] not only ignores the history of political prisoners, it ignores the severity of the present situation. Those who are inspired to follow my actions are those who understand that we are on a path toward catastrophic consequences of climate change. They know their future, and the future of their loved ones, is on the line. And they know we are running out of time to turn things around. The closer we get to that point where it’s too late, the less people have to lose by fighting back. The power of the Justice Department is based on its ability to take things away from people. The more that people feel that they have nothing to lose, the more that power begins to shrivel. The people who are committed to fighting for a livable future will not be discouraged or intimidated by anything that happens here today.

And neither will I. I will continue to confront the system that threatens our future. Given the destruction of our democratic institutions that once gave citizens access to power, my future will likely involve civil disobedience. Nothing that happens here today will change that. I don’t mean that in any sort of disrespectful way at all, but you don’t have that authority. You have authority over my life, but not my principles. Those are mine alone.”

DeChristopher’s defense team is seeking an appeal. In the meantime, DeChristopher is writing from prison for the environmental blog Grist in order to spread the word about climate change and the urgency with which he hopes others will begin to get involved. He also cofounded the activism network, Peaceful Uprising to spread the word about a sustainable future.

What is your opinion on the Tim DeChristopher case?

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