The signs in Whole Foods about the cost of paper make it tempting (and Whole Foods will take back and claim to recycle plastic bags), but, if you haven't remembered your reusable bags, try to avoid the plastic anyways.

There is a whole body of various environmental derived theories of spirituality and ethics, but I'm not going to write about those. They mostly extend the ideas of rights or inherent value from just humans to other sentient beings or just to all of life, or even to landscapes as they existed before humans. The problem with these sorts of theories is that they tend to blow up a big beautiful romantic bubble of idealism that is popped the first time someone gets a roach infestation. It's fine to try regard all life as being equally deserving of legal rights as ourselves, but for many people that perspective is distant from why we should bend over and pick up some trash or stand up and turn off a light.

Are mothballs safe to use? If not, are there any environmentally friendly alternatives?

See the responses from E Magazine by clicking on the link below.

Wednesdays from 7-8:30, July 18 to August 15

CCAN’s Takoma Park office,
6839 Eastern Ave, Takoma Park MD 20912

If you have a great phone voice and think you can pitch CCAN, please volunteer for our membership drive phone bank. Our goal is to reach 500 members by August 15, and we need your help! If you have never phone banked with us before, don’t worry, we’ll get you fully trained. DINNER AND FUN INCLUDED! Just contact Susanna at susanna@chesapeakeclimate.org and let her know which of the following dates would work best for you: July 18, July 25 (tentative), August 1, August 15

Take our 4 question Volunteer Survey

Get credit for your volunteer time!
Many companies offer benefits for their employees who do volunteer work. We want to help you get the credit you deserve. Often times companies need nonprofits to register as a charity; if so, contact Susanna at susanna@chesapeakeclimate.org and let us help you get set up.

For more information email Info@chesapeakeclimate.org or call 301-270-3722

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network will once again open to the public Maryland's only 95-percent renewable energy household. The home, owned by Mike Tidwell of Takoma Park, is equipped with energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs, and is powered by photovoltaic solar panels, a solar hot-water system, and a corn-burning home-heating stove.

The house has been featured in magazines, newspapers, and TV and radio stations (including NPR) all across the United States and Europe, and was recently featured on the Voice of America all across the world. One of the most newsworthy aspects of the home is the fact that all of these energy changes were made for the cost of just a cup of coffee a day!

Make the Ride-Ons come every 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes, and they'd start to look useful for a day of errand running. I have to say that since the fares are payable by Metro Smartcard, I've been riding them a lot more often.

It's easy to see why hardcore environmentalists would disapprove of them conceptually because of the disincentive to change our own consumptive behaviors. But on a practical level, they are a step in the right direction... aren't they?

Help us frame the debate. Please comment on carbon offsets and whether you think they are a good or bad thing.

It's true that biofuels are a clean energy source we can get behind but we can't go all willy nilly on biofuels without addressing CONSUMPTION of all that is unclean.

This blog is awesome by the way.

Check this out: Wisebread.com.

(Thanks, Chris.)

There are 9 categories altogether this year– only one of them focuses specifically on the environment. But it's heart-warming to see the long and diverse list of nominees. ( I think it's twice as long as last year.) There are many write-ins coming in as well.

It'll make ya feel good....

No peace on earth without wind farms and 100 mpg cars

Check it out.