all things good and green

do you have an
all things good and green
piece of news to share?

or would you like to tell us
about your Earth Day doings?

NOW IS THE TIME!

As the Writes blog enters the last week of its Earth Day celebration, I'm happy to share space with educators, librarians, students, and any readers who would like to stop by and comment on all things good and green. It'd be great to hear what's going on with curriculums, classrooms, and reading lists, as well as any work being done in schools (or communities). Planting gardens, trees, recycling, water conservation, learning about the inner workings of our planet and how to operate in synergy with nature...please share anything and everything you do, have done, or plan on for the future. Sharing is welcomed for all grade levels, preschool to high school.

As thanks for your participation, anyone who submits a comment between now and Earth Day (April 22, 2013 midnight) will be entered to win a wildflower gift pack (see below) or one of four signed copies of wildflowers. Please note that a separate Goodreads Giveaway runs through Earth Day, and free Kindle downloads of wildflowers will be available on April 22.

wildflower gift pack includes:

1 signed copy of wildflowers

1 12x12 original painting, 

recycled mixed media on canvas

1 travel-size orange moleskin journal,

1 hand-crafted bookmark

blog giveaway winners will be drawn on 4.23

**please note**

wildflowers is rated PG-13

If you wish to participant and you're under the age of 18, please get your parents permission.  Kids and teens should only use first names or initials when commenting, and if one of these participants win a drawing, alternate gifts will be awarded.  Winners under the age of 13 will receive the middle grade novel, Here Where the Sunbeams are Green by Helen Phillips and for those under the age of 8, the picture book All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon will be gifted.  Please indicate your age when commenting to receive the appropriate prize.

all things good and green

Starting Sunday and on through Earth Day, the Writes blog will be celebrating educators, librarians, and students.  Today in the all things good and green post 

I offer a challenge.  When you have an extra five minutes at your computer, Google things like: environmental activist teen or eco-friendly library or educator environment, and pick one story to read. There are lots of cool things going on with our kids, their teachers, and our librarians if we just take a moment to look around.

The links above go to the following stories:

1.  A Rolling Out article about a teen activist using art to raise environmental awareness

2.  The BookRiot website featuring a list of LEED certified libraries across the country

3.  NAAEE's (No. Amer. Assoc. for Environmental Ed.) website offering ideas for teachers

in other news... 

an Earth Day art sale

Thank you to Homeology, a eco-focused home interiors boutique, for helping with the Earth Day celebration by discounting all R McCormack original art.  With discounts of 20-40%, there's a piece for any budget.  Click on links below to view a few examples of the works for sale.

Currently at 40% off:

uneven

inward

tapestry 

30% off:

the tractor

sequence

marie antoinette

And at 20% the newest collection Wildflowers and Cityscapes:

all things good and green

all things good and green

oily - adj  

1. of, like, consisting of, or containing oil  

2.  smooth; slippery; unctuous

yep, that seems to describe StayGreen Oil, who operates a free online service, facilitating redistribution of different types of oil.  their role is to hook up buyers and sellers of both used cooking and used motor oil, and once that connection is made, the oils are repurposed for things like biodiesel fuel and soap (from cooking oil, not motor).  motor oil is a tricky thing, and recycling or disposing of it in responsible ways is vital to the environment.  looks like StayGreen is doing their part. 

earth day is fast approaching.  
hope you're finding ways to do your part, too.

ps: thanks to all who stopped by for the call for contributors. the initial posting didn't garner many comments, but it was better to try and fall short, than to not try at all.  And even as the Writes blog moves on to other topics, the conversation about supporting small, local, and/or enviro-minded businesses continues.  anyone is welcome, at anytime, to post a comment about your business or information for one you love.

all things good and green

all things good and green

What do you know about about the air quality inside your home?  

Did you know furnishings, carpets, and cleaning products can 

pollute your air with chemicals and off-gasing?  

Did you know that opening a few windows can make a difference 

in keeping the air you breathe pure and clean?

If you want to make a bigger impact, get a houseplant!  There are many good resources for the kinds of houseplants that do the best at clearing the air, but I like NASA's list.  I also love this TEDTalk (see below) on the subject.  So, when you're buying your other outdoor plants and flowers for spring gardening, grab a few plants for the house.  Place them in bedrooms, near computer equipment, and in high-traffic living areas to make the most of their amazing abilities to support human health.

call for contributors

all things good and green...with a twist

Do you know a Local First, Shop Small, or enviro-minded business who would like to reach a new audience with free advertising?  Do you know an Indie bookstore that deserves recognition and could use a little free face-time on the internet? Maybe you know an educator, librarian, or high school student who would enjoy the opportunity to win a free read?

If so, as part of the month-long Earth Day celebration going on now, the blog will be hosting an outreach project that allows the groups mentioned above space to tell us more about who they are and what they do to support the planet.

For businesses and bookstores: 

On Sunday April 7, businesses and Indie bookstores are invited to visit the blog and post a comment telling us about their business. With a brief description of the business, city and state, and web information, all blog traffic will learn what you do and where to find you.  This is the fRead Project's effort to thank the business owners for their dedication to their local communities, as well as the global community.

For educators, librarians, and high school students:

On Sunday April 14, the blog invites educators, librarians, and high school students to share their environmental curriculums, book recommendations, and Earth Day doings.  This event will run for the full week leading up to Earth Day (April 14-20), and in exchange for their participation, they'll be entered into daily drawings to win a books, music samplers, and other goodies.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in the events listed above, feel free to share as a tweet or post on Facebook.  Thank you for all your help to spread the word.

This promotion is hosted by The fRead Project and wildflowers, a young adult novel and ecotopian mystery.

all things good and green

all things good and green

Forget the DeLorean time machine that runs on Miller beer.

Forget cars that use french fry grease as fuel.

In Denver the Tuk Tuk runs on animal feces (and trash).

Offsetting about 20% of its total energy use by using 
his type of fuel, the motorized carts will also use
up 90% of the zoo's previously unused poo.  
Click here to learn more.

Denver isn't the only place getting creating with animal waste,

check out this inventive chicken farmer's use of fowl droppings.

In other (completely unrelated to poo) news, 
you can win free music this weekend.

A three song sampler from iTunes is up for grabs,

and all you need to do to enter is submit an Earth Day comment.

Click here to enter!

all things good and green

all things good and green

In the book, wind is a problem, but in real life, wind becomes 

a clean resource for power.  Check out this article 

describing how Carbon County, WY has just been approved 

to house the largest wind farm in North America.  

The farm will host 1,000 turbines.  

The next largest farm is near Roscoe, Texas 

and holds 627 turbines.

Thanks for stopping by the blog.  

If you're looking for the "meet the characters" post, click here.

If you'd like to enter the Goodreads giveaway, click here.

all things good and green

all things good and green

If you've read wildflowers, you know that a natural disaster sends one climate domino knocking into another until the entire West and Southwest have changed into only somewhat inhabitable zones.  All the events in the book are imagined possibilities, but the truth is the characters are living out the futuristic environmental moments we're creating today.  Lucky for us, there are groups dedicated to learning more and teaching us how to be better stewards of Planet Earth.  

And here's one now:

The Climate Reality Project

who just launched 

The Price of Carbon

This simple video shows us what carbon costs us and 

how we can participate in a conversation on carbon.