Buying something new requires the extraction and destruction of a lot of resources, not to mention the destruction of our environment in extracting, hauling, manufacturing, packaging and shipping the item.

So if we want to avoid buying new things, what should we do if we need something? After all, there are always times when we feel we need something — not just want or desire, but need it for a real purpose. We might need new clothes, or books, or a bike so we can cut back on using a car.

One woman decided to buy nothing new, which is an interesting solution, but probably not for most people. But while you might not want to put such a drastic moratorium on yourself, here are 7 things you can do before even considering buying a new item.

1. Reconsider your need. Do you really really need it? Or is it a want? Or can you change things so you don’t need it? This should always be the first thing you do.
2. Borrow. You might only need it temporarily. Borrow books from friends or the library. Borrow a dress for a special occasion. Borrow a tool for a short-term project. Be sure to lend things in return, when you can.
3. Ask friends and family. Sometimes people you know might have the item you need, but not need it any longer. Instead of loaning it to you, they might be glad to give it to you. You only need to ask. I’ll often send out an email (or tweet) if I need something that others might have.
4. Freecycle. Same idea, but using a wider network. There are Freecycle networks in many areas — people who want to give something away, or who need something, post to the list and very often exchanges are made — for free.
5. Buy used. It’s infinitely better than buying new, because when you buy used you’re not having new resources taken from the earth and manufactured, but rather extending the life of resources that have already been used. Try thrift shops, charity stores, yard or garage sales, Craigslist or Ebay.
6. Make your own. This won’t work in every case (if I had to make my own clothes people would laugh at me more than they already do), but sometimes you can make something that’s just as good as buying, with inexpensive materials or materials you already have. This works if you’re good with crafts or carpentry especially. It can also be fun to get the family involved.
7. Go without. I know this seems the same as the first item on the list, but actually it’s a bit different: say you decide you really do need something, but can’t find it anywhere or make it. Should you buy new? Well, maybe you can go without it for awhile, until you do find a used version. Maybe you need it but don’t need it right now. Often things will turn up when you keep your eyes open — someone will happen to mention they have the item, or you’ll see it on Freecycle or Craigslist after a week or two. And sometimes, the need for the item will go away, and you’ll be glad you waited.

Sometimes you might have to buy a new item, even after exhausting all these options. But if you can run through this list first, often you’ll find you didn’t need it new.

7 WAYS … TO AVOID BUYING NEW STUFF by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. Visit Leo at www.zenhabits.net

Photo courtesy: Brave New Films

One mans decision to eliminate his familys impact on the environment in downtown Manhattan, has influenced many more than just his neighbors. Colin Beaven’s inner yearning to make a big difference to the health of the planet, has catapulted him into the eco spotlight with his film, No Impact Man. Here, The Green Dove shares an exclusive interview with the urban green warrior. We’re also giving readers the chance to win one of five No Impact Man DVDs.

A New York City writer and self-proclaimed liberal, in the documentary (which has just been released on DVD), Colin has big plans for his new book. He decides on a grand experiment to live one year with as little impact on the environment as possible. The problem is, the project requires his wife Michelle, an espresso guzzling, Prada-worshipping business writer and their young daughter to be fully on board.

As the family embarks on a year of no electricity, television, cars, toilet paper, elevators, or newspapers, Michelle must contend with caffeine withdrawal, compost worms, limited retail, and defending her own dreams, all in the name of supporting her husbands book project. What ensues is a not only a funny and entertaining look at well-intentioned environmentalism, but a touching, poignant take on the nature of contemporary marriage and what it means to pursue your dreams, even if it means driving those around you a little insane.

No Impact Man had its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, while also screening at SILVERDOCS and at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The Green Dove caught up with Colin to talk about No Impact Man, his hopes for the world’s future and more…

Can you describe the moment you had the idea for No Impact Man?
I was sad and angry about climate change and went around wagging my finger at everyone else. One day I came home and I realized I had left both air conditioners all day so the house would be cool when I got home. I realized that if I was the type of person who left the air conditioners on all day with no one home, I was part of the problem. I thought, I may not be able to change big business and government but I could, at least, change me. I discovered that when people witness someone trying to do something about the world’s problems, they are inspired to help too.

How has your life now changed because of firstly living as you did for that year, and secondly due to the success of the film and book?
I learned in the No Impact year that happiness does not depend on how much stuff I buy and use. It depends on whether my life has meaning, whether I get to spend time with people I love, and whether I get to follow the calling of my highest talents. That doesn’t cost anything! So it’s possible to live a life that is both better for the planet and better for me. The success of the film of the book has meant that I have the privilege of being part of a conversation about the things I care most about–how we can live good lives that don’t cost the earth. No writer could wish for more.

How did it affect you and your family spiritually (if at all)?
If we spend our lives making money to buy things that we then end up wasting by throwing out, doesn’t that, in a way, mean that we are wasting our life itself? Not wasting is a way of manifesting gratitude and honoring the wonderful gifts this life bestows on us. When we stop wasting, we see the value in things. But of course, you know that living environmentally is a spiritual exercise, or else you would not have asked the question.

What dietary changes did your family undergo?
We ate only local and seasonal which meant no processed food. In other words, we only ate food that was good for us. What is good for the planet turns out to be good for the people.

Your advice to those wanting to have as little impact on the earth as possible?
Wake up to your own life. Ask yourself if all the money you spend on things you spend on things you don’t even really enjoy is worth the time you spend working for that money. What do you really want from life? Can’t we do better? If you ask these questions, chances are you’ll end up living with less impact and more happiness. But if you want an easier answer: cut out beef which is unhealthy anyway, stop bottled water which is hugely expensive, and volunteer for an environmental nonprofit.

Do you think people pressure themselves to do everything and end up doing nothing?

We are in possibly the biggest crisis in the history of civilization. If we don’t reverse the global warming trend in the next few years, we may have irreversibly damaged the planet’s ability to support us. The good news is that we have huge opportunities in this crisis. We have the opportunity of asking how we really want to live. We have the opportunity to find a way of life that is not just better for the planet but better for us. Think, for example, of the jobs that would be generated if we started a robust renewable energy industry.

What were the most profound lessons you learned from the experience?
That we all make a difference. That the consequences of our lives affect everyone. The good news, if we choose to face this fact, is that we are designers of the future instead of victims of it.

What’s next for Colin Beavan?
More speaking, more writing, more spending time with my lovely little girl.

Keep up with Colin via his blog.

NO IMPACT MAN DVD GIVEAWAY!

*** To win one of five copies of the newly released No Impact Man DVD, sign up for The Green Dove eNews & Updates on the home page for a chance to win (US residents only). Winners announced March 1.

Living green can be overwhelming. Where to start? From eco cars and planet-friendly cleaning products to organic wines and veganism, its little wonder many opt to do nothing for fear of not being able to do it all.

Yet its the little steps that add up to mean something big.

A great way to test the eco waters is at this years Go Green Expo, to be held at the LA Convention Center from January 22 to 24. Get the goss on natural personal care products, green gadgets, eco-celebrities, yoga classes, green industry and activists including Ed Begley Jr., Mariel Hemingway, John Picard and Eric Corey Freed.

With more than 300 exhibitors, the Go Green Expo is a favorite for those who are eco-curious or full immersed in all things environmental.

Food and wine lovers also mark the event on their calendars thanks to the local restaurant and wine tasting pavilion. Pet lovers can also help fido go green at the Pet Expo.

For 50 per cent off the online ticket price, check out the Go Green banner on The Green Dove home page for the exclusive code.

Find out more about the 2010 Go Green Expo at www.gogreenexpo.com

Go Green Expo Los Angeles is proudly sponsored by The Green Dove, CBS Television, The Los Angeles Business Journal, Natural Health Magazine, Natural Home Magazine, Spirituality & Health Magazine, Mother Earth News, Kiwi Magazine, Green Lifestyles Magazine, Whole Life Times, The Sierra Club and more.

I recently got my car detailed at a local place and then gasped at the chemical fumes when I got inside. Are there green detailers out there, or products that I could use myself to keep my vehicle clean and my family out of harms way? – David Berkowitz, Newton, MA

Traditionally, auto detailing has employed a range of not-so-green-friendly products such as ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nonphenolethoxolates (NPEs), abrasive detergents, and chemical-based leather, vinyl, fabric and carpet treatments. Inside the car, they can off-gas harsh airborne pollutants; when washed down storm drains they can wreak havoc on public water supplies.

Unfortunately, while environmental awareness is beginning to crop up among auto detailing services (online discussion boards are full of posts from professional detailers sharing their tips for greener, more effective products and formulations), finding a green detailing service isnt very easy just yet, so doing it yourself might be the only way to ensure that the environment and your health are spared chemical insult. There are green detailing products and kits out there, easily found through an Internet search.

Two leading suppliers are Laura Kleins Green Cleaning, and Mean Green. These companies, among others, specialize in degreasers, dashboard dressings, tire cleaners, spot removers and other products made with natural, biodegradable water- and plant-based substances (including coconut, palm, citrus, corn and soy), combined and concentrated to be as effective as or better than their chemical-laden counterparts.

Another way to be green and clean at the same time is to choose wash and wax products that dont contain harsh chemical surfactants-and as such dont require water-wasting, polluting rinses. No-Wet Waterless Concepts and Optimum Polymer Technologies are two leading manufacturers for such goods.

Do-it-yourselfers should be careful not to dump wastewater into nearby storm drains not intended to carry toxic run-off. Most reputable car wash businesses go to great lengths to make sure the water, soaps, oils and other dirt from your car doesnt end up polluting groundwater, rivers and streams, and so should you. If you clean your car in your own driveway or garage, try to collect any run-off and dispose of it into a drain or toilet that will send it through the sewage treatment system, not into the curbside storm run-off drain that may well lead directly to a local water body or shoreline.

While finding a green detailer may not be easy, you can start by asking those operators in your region if they currently use environmentally-friendly products and/or processes. If not, ask them if they would be amenable to greening up their operations for the sake of attracting customers like you.

Some detailers that have already taken the green plunge include: Ecodetail Services of Sacramento, CA; Car Wash Concepts of Aliso Viejo, CA; Gias Detailing of Long Island, NY; Scotts Mobile Auto Detailing of Tarrant County, TX; and Elite Detailing Service Inc. of Plainfield, IL. These providers share an interest in environmental protection, use minimal amounts of water and other resources, and dispose of run-off according to the stringent standards set forth under the federal Clean Water and Clean Air acts.

CONTACTS: Laura Kleins, www.laurakleinsgreencleaning.com; Mean Green, www.meangreen.com; No-Wet Waterless, www.nowet.com; Optimum Polymer Technologies, www.optimumcarcare.com.

SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com.

The Climate Quilt Campaign (www.climatequilt.org), an International initiative created to encourage youth worldwide to get involved with protecting the environment was recently on display at the UN Climate Conference and is now headed back to the US for Earth Day (April 22).

The quilt was on display at both the NGO reception and the Global Day of Conversation in Copenhagen. Students around the world have designed “pledge patches” from recycled materials with their individual promises to preserve the future of the planet.

In Australia, the quilt has already gotten the attention of their government officials. The Australian delegation carried a portion of the climate quilt with them to Copenhagen in an effort to show their support of the campaign and help spread the word globally. Senator Penny Wong has made a promise back to the children of her country that have committed themselves to the campaign with her pledge, “To remember your pledges when I am at Copenhagen”.

The Climate Quilt Campaign launched in September during New York Climate Week as an initiative of Habitat Heroes with only two schools and has grown expontentially ever since. Schools and organizations from states across the US including New York, Connecticut, Maine, Montana, and Arizona s have already sent in their quilt panels. To date, the campaign has pledge patches from students from around countries such as US, Australia, China, New Zealand, the UK, Phillipines, Africa and South Africa.

The quilt has appeared on such well known television shows as The Today Show, Good Morning America, News 12 and in such high profile websites as Greenrightnow, Treehugger and Blisstree.

Children in every country and city throughout the world can still get involved through their schools or individually to have their pledge patch included by going to www.climatequilt.org.

“This Climate Quilt creates an opportunity to give a voice to our children and is a symbol of their deep commitment to preserve our Earth’s great resources for all future generations,” said Peg Watson, Founder of the Green Schools Alliance.

The campaign is designed to empower youth, raise awareness and build global community. The quilt will ultimately be a representation of children’s hopes and dreams for the future of the Earth and their pledge to do their part to protect the environment.

Several decades ago, a few creative thinkers started redefining the traditional idea of home. From coast to coast, people started looking at their environment and began building with eco-inspired homes.

Hawaiis famous Onion House is one popular example of a creative idea, now a national landmark and a beautiful testimonial to shift toward bio-architecture. Designed in tune with the curves of an onion, with a layered feel that mirrors the lucid skins of an onion, the house is a beautiful demonstration of the possibilities when nature if design icon.

Further down south in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, the Shell House takes the idea literally by designing a house that looks like a magnified shell. Senosian Arquitectos has the same idea with their design called “The Nautilus”. This Mexico-based design firm went beyond a shell exterior and designed an entire home patterned after a shell with a winding organic interior.

Nature is the Best Designer

A student of the worlds best designer, bio-architecture seeks to emulate the principles in naturally occurring constructions. In studying the natural principles of the most long-held designs, this form of aesthetic design looks at fundamental shapes in nature – the most recognizable being the seashell.

The seashell is the best representation of a math-centric natural element that shows why nature is the best designer. Encompassing the Fibonacci Sequence, or “the Golden Ratio”, a seashell shows perfection in proportion that has been the foundation for some of the greatest designs, including the Parthenon, and by some of the greatest minds, including Leonardo Da Vinci. The pattern has also been replicated in some of the worlds most cherished poetry by regulating rhyme and meters, as well as in music, such as Beethovens Fifth and many of Mozarts sonatas.

The term “bio-architecture” is also often referred to as “organic architecture”, a thinking that has gained popularity with the rise in eco-awareness. A shift toward green thinking took bio-architecture a step further and had creative-minded people thinking of how building could merge with the environment as well as reflect it.
Working with the Environment

Bio-architecture can not emulate natural designs, but can also become a part of natural constructions. Rather than create jarring buildings jutting out of plains, this type of architecture looks to emerge as a part of natural settings such as mountains, caves, and wooded areas, as well as present a home that uses resources wisely by cutting utility costs.

Even though these newer designs are based on older shifts toward innovative thinking, the earliest and most architecturally stunning design is still the pyramid. First built in 2700 BCE, pyramids reflect that most natural and easily recognizable natural element, the sun, by building a structure that represents the descending rays of light. These ancient structures are still being replicated today with the Louvre and Kazakhstans Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.

Bio Architecture: Designing with Nature in Mind is written by freelance writer Shireen Qudosi. Follow her on Twitter @ShireenQ or email her at shireen.qudosi@hotmail.com

More than 40 years after the well-known one-liner, “Just One Word: Plastics” from Mike Nichols classic movie The Graduate, the presence of plastics in society has evolved from a manufacturing wonder material to a hazardous consumer concern.

Petroleum is in almost every product that we use in our daily lives. In fact, plastics use as much of the imported petroleum as the jet fuel industry does (approximately 8 percent each). It takes about 100 millions years for the earth to produce just one drop of oil, but it takes most people about 45 minutes to use a disposable cup, only to be sent off to a landfill for 500 years.

Cereplast, Inc., a pioneering renewable plastics company, designs and manufactures proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics created from their cutting-edge breakthrough technology. This technology produces bio-based resins used to replace a significant portion of the petroleum-based additives in plastics by using natural material from starches such as tapioca, corn, wheat and potatoes.

For example, Safety 1st-Nature Next, is using Cereplast resins in their new line of bio-plastic products including the 3-in1 potty, booster seats, bathtubs and stools.

Mr. Frederic Scheer, founder and CEO of Cereplast and an 18-year veteran of the bio-plastics industry is spoke to The Green Dove about bio-plastics and how his company is busy making the resins for products ranging from plastic cutlery (they provided plastic foodservice items at the Salt Lake City Olympics), to product packaging and household items.

What do most people not know about traditional plastics that wrap much of their supermarket-purchased food?
90% of all wrappers used to wrap the fruits and vegetables in supermarkets are made in Asia, meaning that the life cycle assessment does not show such products as environmental-friendly. The safety might be also questionable, especially from plastics made in certain Asian countries that do not have the same stringent regulations on toxicity and health concerns.

How does the wrapping affect/contaminate our food?
Toxic chemicals, such as BPA, may be found in some plastics. Those chemicals then can leech out into the food and other plastic container and therefore contaminate it. Now so far science is very divided and no-one can confirm that it is dangerous. But in such a doubt Cereplast policy is to say lets abstain. Cereplasts resins contain no BPA.

Do you believe our throw-away culture will ever end?
I do believe that this culture will eventually phase out. I think it is important to remember that we live in a fast-paced world, so disposable products not only appeal to us because they are easy and require little to no effort, but they are also a quick solution. I am confident that the world is moving toward sustainability. It is a very slow process. But, we are using reusable shopping bags now and starting to bring lunch in the same container to work each day. The desire to become more eco-friendly is definitely there, it is just a question as to when this plan of action will actually start taking action, and I believe that it already has. Cereplast is informing consumers of the importance of taking responsibility for their products and methods of disposal. We are moving forward and rewriting the definition of “plastic.”

What is your background in the plastics industry?
Oh, I’ve been in the biodegradable plastics industry for more than two decades. In 1994 I became involved in the industry through Montedison SpA, a large chemical conglomerate operating Novamont SpA, an Italian resin manufacturer and research company. I could see even then, that the demand for biodegradable products would expand rapidly by the end of the decade, so I secured the exclusive distribution rights in North America for Mater-Bi„

If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco, be sure to check out (or into) the Orchard Garden Hotel, one of California’s greenest.

As proud sister to the award-winning Orchard Hotel, the $25 million Orchard Garden, this boutique accommodation is a short stroll from Union Square shops and theatres, blocks away from the Financial District dealmakers and San Franciscos famous cable cars, and just steps from the Chinatown Gates.

As one of the State’s first hotels built to the specifications of the “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design” (LEED

A new generation of eco-commerce is arising out of the dust of Amazon.com’s explosive growth – online shoppers, particularly parents, are more concerned than ever about product certification, safety and customer feedback. Enter Sproubaby.com, the brainchild of eco-preneur Jody Sherman. To cater to this more discerning market, his online baby products shop features only items vetted through expert, family and personal reviews.

In honor of busy parents everywhere, The Green Dove tracked down this businessman (pictured left) with a conscience to give us the lowdown on Sproutbaby’s mission, success to date and to also share some green words of wisdom.

How and when did sprout baby sprout?

The idea for Sproutbaby was conceived in my living room in may of 2008. We started building the site and testing in December of 2008 (which is why we are having our birthday celebration and giving away $2500 to one of our customers). The idea began as an exploration of how the social behavior of moms influenced purchasing behavior.

I started seeing moms talking to moms everywhere I went — once I started paying attention. I saw pregnant women talking to moms. I saw moms of all ages engaged in conversation with each other. And very often, what they were talking about was “What product do you use,” “When are you due?” “Who is your doctor?, “You should try this food,” and more. I began to see how much of a “club” these moms were a part of, and that they were in it for life. I started picking through their shopping carts and asking them questions about what they buy, why they buy it, how the do research, etc. And what I found was that the more eco-conscious they were, the more challenged they were in finding comprehensive resources where they could learn about products that were good to put in, on, and around their babies and families — and where to purchase them.

They went to a wide variety of sites, had “over the fence” discussions, read magazines, and networked with their mommy peers in the real world. So I thought “what if you could create a space where moms could locate, learn about, and purchase authentically great products that were good for their babies and good for the planet?” And thus sproutbaby was born.

What feedback have you received regarding the company’s mission and products?

Our customers love us. They tell us that our vision and promise matches to their concerns. They love our proactive approach to customer service. They are overwhelmingly positive about the products they have purchased from us. And this is both coming to me anecdotally, in the form of phone calls and emails, as well as quantifiably in the form of increased month over month sales and very high repeat customer purchases.

What do you say to people who use plastic disposable diapers, and are unaware of the detrimental effect these products have on the environment?

I say “you have to start somewhere”. I don’t think it is our place to preach to people about how they treat the planet. No one likes that approach, least of all me. And that approach is what has, for some people, made the idea of becoming “green” or “eco” seem daunting, exclusive, elusive, and expensive.

We know that some people are going to begin their approach to living with a smaller negative impact on the planet by feeding their babies an organic high-quality baby food. And on that front, I think we’ve nailed it by partnering with sprout baby food, an amazing new organic baby food, created by the food network’s Tyler Florence. It is organic and comes in environmentally-friendly non-bpa plastic pouches instead of glass or plastic jars. But most importantly, it tastes delicious.

For some people, they may not go any further than that, because of lifestyle, economic, or other choices that are unique to their situation. For others, adding high quality skin care products to their routine may be as far as they go. We can’t punish people for trying to do better. Naturally, we’d like to see our customers make the best and lowest impact choices possible, but it takes time, education, and advocacy. We try to influence this as much as possible by only offering what we believe are the best possible options in any category into which we enter.

We further try to educate and influence by providing helpful content to aid the decision making process, as well as sending what we hope our customers find to be useful emails that provide both information about and discounts on new products that help move new parents along in reducing their environmental footprint.

How optimistic are you about the world’s population achieving a sustainable future?

I am much more so than I was before I started Sproutbaby. I know that when I was growing up, my parents made what they thought were good choices and these choices were based on information that was state of the art at the time. As it turns out, with better information, we’ve learned that many of the decisions parents made had a detrimental impact that was previously not well understood.

Only with time and education did we come to learn that we have a finite set of resources on our planet. Every day we see a new customer come to our site and make a purchase for something that is a better option for their baby, family, and the planet, I feel more encouraged that the word is spreading. We don’t have the luxury to get it wrong with this generation and the next, and i think that message is loud and clear with new parents so I feel very positive that we will get it together.

Your favorite sprout baby product and why?

I have a few. When we launched, we started with just sprout baby food and I ate a lot of it. There were days that I was living on roasted banana and brown rice. As we’ve grown to add a wide variety of products, most of which are for moms and babies so they don’t have a use in my every day life, one product stands out and that is my Thinksport stainless steel water bottle. I love the way it feels in my hand. I like the design. I love that it keeps my water cold all day, and i love that it forces me to drink more water because I keep it with me all the time. I also like that it can take a beating. I’ve “bounce tested” it many times at the gym and it hasn’t taken more than just a scratch.

Any green words of wisdom you’d like to share?

The effort it “seems” to take to make your life more green is far more of an illusion than it is a reality. I used to think that it would take longer to sort my trash, turn off lights, make more mindful purchases, etc., turned out to be (for me) an excuse to not change my patterns. Once i made the commitment to change, and had a picture in my mind of for whom I was doing it (my nephews, who will be on this planet long after i’m gone) it became second nature. But I am also mindful that i am far from perfect in my stewardship of the planet. It is impractical for example, to ride a bike or walk everywhere, so I still have to use a car. I don’t have solar on my home. I try each day to do things that have less of an impact on the planet but I don’t beat myself up for being less than 100% because there are times when you just can’t be. I think that’s a long winded way of saying “commit to positive change one step at a time and feel good about that. once this new change becomes habit, add another, and so on.”