Flow - For Love of Water

I don't go to the movies, but mom does and she is super excited about this movie. Flow - For Love of Water is a documentary investigation into the world water crisis. You heard me right - the world water crisis. Most of us take fresh water for granted but most of the world does not have access to this most basic need.

Americans spend $9 billion on bottled water each year, much of it merely treated tap water, while people in developing nations are at the mercy of corporations that hold clean water hostage. These people have to buy water or risk health issues by taking water from streams and rivers that are heavily polluted by industrial and agricultural waste.

The movie builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply by focusing on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emerging water cartel. By interviewing scientists and activists, filmmaker Irena Salina reveals this growing crisis, at both the global and human scale. The movie introduces the people in power behind the power struggle with water and asks the question "Can anyone really own water?" The movie also introduces people and institutions trying to solve this crisis by developing new techologies.

This is a serious issue that needs to be exposed and fixed while there is still time. Please get informed by seeing the movie which opens October 3, in Columbus, Atlanta, Portland, and Providence. Mom will be seeing the movie when it comes to Chicago on October 10. Check out the film, learn about the filmmakers, see the trailer, and learn what you can do to help at http://www.flowthefilm.com/

Vote The Environment

There has never been a better time to get involved with your voice than right now. You've heard it before - stand up and let your voice be heard by casting your vote. There are countless reasons to vote this year with issues ranging from the war, to the economy, gas prices, health care, immigration, abortion, etc. The list just goes on and on.

With so many issues going on in the world, it's easy to overlook the one issue that might seem less important, but which everything rests upon - the health of our environment. All the other issues will not matter if there is no world left for us to live in.

I know what you are thinking. The environment? More important than the economy? I have to put food on the table and gas in my car to get to work, I don't have time to worrry about the environment. You will have nothing to worry about if the environmental destruction underway continues at its current pace. This is our most pressing issue because the future (ours and all future generations) depend on us to fix the wrongs that have been done.

By scrutinizing and dissecting the voting records of public officials, we can make informed choices when we get to the voting booth. So before you pick your candidate of choice, take a moment and research his or her commitment to the environment.

Visit Patagonia's website at http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=1865 for more information about their Vote the Environment campaign. While you are there, put your zip code in the LCV's national enviromental scorecard box to see if your elected officials vote for the environment.

Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, Independent, Green or anything in between, help create the change you want to see. Register to vote, get informed, vote the environment!

Put Your Change To Good Use

Do you have lots of change just laying around the house? My dad has containers of change in his office and I don't know why he doesn't just cash them in. Maybe after I tell him about this new project he will change his mind (pun intended).

Coinstar, the coin counting people, launched change for our Earch, which raises awareness for how the simple activity of refusing coin can help the environment. Coinstar estimates that there is $10 billion in idle change in the U.S. If we put back just 10% of this amount back into circulation, we could reduce the number of new coins that need to be created, thus lowering our environmental impact and preserving natural resources. According to Coinstar, 78% of Americans say they would make more of an effort to reuse their change if they knew it could help the environment. By reusing change or cashing it in, this new form of recycling can really make a difference.

So how can you help? Cash you coins in at your local Coinstar Center from September 15 through October 15, 2008. The city with the highest percentage volume increase per machine compared to the same time period a year ago will be named 'Coinstar's Greenest City' and the organization affiliated with the selected project will receive a $10,000 grant. The competing cities are Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Milwaukee, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle. Even if you don't live in one of these cities, you are now aware of the change you can make by using and/or cashing in your change.


Since I live in the Chicago area, I have to give a shout out to Chicago's project, Chicago Gateway Green http://www.gatewaygreen.org/.

Chicago Gateway Green, through its program, TREEcago, is partnering with the City of Chicago to launch Mayor Daley's "Tree Farm Initiative" with a volunteer planting day. The site of the planting is set for 120th and Peoria, in Chicago’s southside West Pullman neighborhood. Abandoned lots dot Chicago's landscape; the Tree Farm Initiative will transform these desolate tracts into green spaces with
the ultimate goal of moving the adult trees to places of need around the city.

Through the local Alderman's office, the City, and Chicago Gateway Green's network of supporters, they are working to bring together a diverse and committed group of volunteers to plant the trees. After the initial planting, Chicago Gateway Green will be responsible for maintaining the trees through its TREEcago program.

Rows of native, hardwood saplings will be planted, totaling roughly 135 trees. Native species are used to minimize watering needs and to maximize survivability. These trees will provide innumerable benefits to their urban surroundings. They will remove carbon dioxide and harmful particulates from the air, and produce oxygen. Their canopies will provide shade as well as habitat for birds and small mammals, and will reduce potentially damaging stormwater run-off. Beyond their environmental contributions, trees improve quality of life as well; they reduce noise pollution and increase property values.

TripAdvisor Is Giving Away One Million Dollars!

Mom is a travel junkie and one of her favorite travel websites is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor provides recommendations for hotels, vacations, travel packages, and everything else related to travel. It is truly one stop shopping for everything you need to know about every destination you can imagine.

Let's say that you are planning a trip to Hawaii and you don't know which hotel to select. TripAdvisor's members post reviews of hotels complete with pictures and videos. Each hotel is rated based on the members stay, from everything to check-in, to room size, to hotel location. There is also a great forum section where members can ask questions about a location, like where is the best mexican restaurant on the island of Hawaii (Killer Taco of course!). This website is truly invaluable when planning a vacation or even a staycation.

TripAdvisor has a new promotion called "More than Footprints". This initiative will donate $1 million to five travel-related charities and you the TripAdvisor user will vote on how the money will be divided. The money will be divided amongst the following nonprofits:

Conservation International - Eco-tourism
Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - Emergency relief
National Geographic Society - Exploring and sustaining authentic places
The Nature Conservancy - Environmental protection
Save the Children - Aiding children around the world

So head on over to http://www.tripadvisor.com/ right now and cast your vote. Voting closes on November 9, at which time the $1 million will be divided according to the percentage of votes each cause receives. As an added bonus, each nonprofit will receive at least $50K just for participating. Kudos to TripAdvisor!

Yeah For Chicago!

Last week Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley unveiled the most aggessive plan of any major American city to reduce heat-trapping gases. This is great news, not just for those of us in Chicago, but for the entire nation as Chicago sets the bar high for other cities to follow.

The plan calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to three-fourths of 1990 levels by 2020 through more energy-efficient buildings, using clean and renewable energy sources, improving transportation and reducing industrial pollution. According to Mayor Daley "We can't solve the world's climate change problem in Chicago, but we can do our part. We have a shared responsibility to protect our planet."

According to Suzanne Malec-McKenna, Chicago's environmental commissioner, Chicago is the first major city to identify specific pollution sources and outline how it would achieve the reductions in a measurable way. Chicago will use a combination of incentives and mandates to achieve its goals, beginning with updating the city's building codes to require better insulation, heating and cooling systems and windows in all buildings. Additionally, the city also has an agreement with two coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions or shut down by 2015 and 2017, respectively.

Chicago's city hall already has a green rooftop and the new plans call for increasing the number of buildings with green rooftops, increasing recycling and carpooling and promoting alternative fuels.
The plan also calls for expanding the number of green rooftops, increasing recycling and car-pooling and promoting alternative fuels.

Officials say Chicago emits 34.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year; including the six surrounding counties, that climbs to 103 million metric tons per year. That's a lot of greenhouse gases! If climate change is not addressed, summer heat indexes in Chicago could climb as high as 105 degrees by the end of the century and there would be more frequent heavy rains and floods, according to researchers from Texas Tech University in Lubbock and the University of Illinois who were commissioned by the city to study climate change. It is already too hot for me in the summer, so I may have to move somewhere cooler - where I don't know. Just since 1980, Chicago's average temperature has risen approximately 2.6 degrees, 4 degrees in the winter.

You can check out all the details of the plan and find out what you can do at http://www.chicagoclimateaction.org/. I am so proud of the steps Chicago is making to do the right thing. Today, more than ever before, I am proud to be a Chicagoan.

Measure Your Eco-Footprint

I know what you're thinking - not another tool to measure my carbon footprint. I know everyone has completed one of these quizzes before, but even if you have, please take this quiz. In addition to measuring your impact, you can pick up tips on ways to reduce your impact. Let me give you an example to get you interested.

Question 4 asks you what you do when you shop. You make think that you only have two choices: bring my own bags to the store - check yes or no. Oh no, no, no. There are, hold onto your Sigg bottle, 15 items you can check. I bet no one can guess what these 15 are, which is why you should take the quiz. It will open your eyes to new ways to reduce your carbon footprint. There is room for improvement in all of us, so get started on the quiz at http://www.conservation.org/act/live_green/Pages/ecofootprint.aspx.

The Grateful Thread

In the mid 19th century, women of the coal mining towns of Northeastern Pennsylvania would weave and sew to help support their families. Today, women at The Grateful Thread weave and sew to support victims of domestic violence.

The Grateful Thread is a business initiative of Schuylkill Women in Crisis which serves Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Purchasing one of these fine products not only provides funds to support services, but also provides job training opportunities to victims of domestic violence and others re-entering the work force.

The Grateful Thread also supports the environment by offering many products made from 100% recycled materials. Donated fabrics and other materials are woven, knit and crocheted into colorful textiles which are then incorporated into everyday products such as totes, handbags, aprons, placemats, rugs, and more. Check out their great products at http://www.gratefulthread.org/.

Rising From Ashes

The emerald ash borer beetle is wreaking havoc on trees in the suburbs of Chicago and across the country. First discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002, the adult beetles nibble on ash foliage, but cause little damage. Their larvae, on the other hand, are the trouble makers. They eat away the inner bark, disrupting the trees ability to transport water and nutrients. The beetle probably arrived in the U.S. from its native Asia in solid wood packaging on ships and planes.

The emerald ash borer beetle is expected to kill 1/5 of all the street trees in Chicago! The beetle has killed more than 40 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more in other states. There is no way to stop the emerald ash borer's path of destruction other than to remove all ash trees. So, as the old saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

The Chicago Furniture Designers Association is presenting the exhibition Rising From Ashes: Furniture From Lost Trees. The furniture, more than 25 pieces, is made with salvaged ash lumber. Instead of throwing it away, these designers have taken a sustainable approach that is not only environmentally responsible, but also encourages artistic and technical creativity.

The exhibit also features wood carving, wood shaping, lumbering demonstrations, and a presentation on the ecology of the emerald ash borer. Best of all, this exhibit is free. Check out the exhibit, which is currently at Ryerson Woods, while you can or see it at one of its other stops. Dates and locations can be found on their website at http://www.risingfromashes.org/.

Local Pug In The News

One of my cousins is going to be a star!

Dinner dance gets Barrington Hills pug on cans of Alpo dog food. 4-year-old Ike spins around before attacking the bowl, earning him a year's worth of Alpo and a trip to Los Angeles

By Vikki Ortiz Chicago Tribune reporter
September 18, 2008

Ike the pug (with owner Mary Beth Holsteen) is the lucky combination of adorable and talented; his pre-food routine got him on cans of Alpo. (Tribune photo by Charles Cherney / September 17, 2008)

Alpo's hungry new face is a Barrington Hills pug selected for his habit of spinning like a top whenever he attacks his food dish. Thanks to his frenzied chowdowns, Ike earned the right to appear on 2.5 million cans of dog food. As part of his reward, Ike will soon be whisked off to Los Angeles to hobnob with other celebrity dogs, including Bruiser from the "Legally Blonde" movies and Gidget, the Taco Bell Chihuahua. "We're pretty excited," said Mary Beth Holsteen, 51, who entered her 18-pound pug into Alpo's nationwide video competition.

Asked to show why their dog was a "meat maniac," it was no contest. Holsteen and her husband, Frank, knew Ike's daily pre-dinner routine would make him a heavyweight contender. They filmed the dog spinning around and around—as he does every day at meal time—before diving head first into his bowl. He eats with such gusto that his hind legs actually go airborne.Impressed with his antics—and appetite—the judges chose Ike from about 200 contestants. The 4-year-old pug spent his puppyhood barking at mail carriers and attending suburban Little League games. Local pug enthusiasts were thrilled by his selection."It will probably have a good effect, especially if it's a good picture," said Lisa Farrell, president of Midwest Pug Rescue, which works to help find new homes for abandoned pugs. As a prize, the Holsteens get a hometown party and $10,000. Ike gets a year's supply of the dog food.

My mom really dropped the ball on this one. I do the exact same dance before I eat! I'm a meat maniac! I could have been famous! And rich! Ike is good looking by not as cute as me. Maybe they need a runner-up pug, in case Ike cannot fulfill his duties. Mom - pack my bags. I'm going out to LA baby!

Wednesday Wag Out!

Free Range Chicken Poop Lip Balm

When mom first saw this she told me that there was no way she would put a chicken product on her lips. I told her that I thought it was a joke and of course I was right. Not only is there no chicken in this lip balm, but there isn't even any poop. This is 100% pure soy, jojoba, sweet orange, lavender, and beeswax. Jamie Faith Tabor starting making this stuff in 2000 and people everywhere are crazy for it. So why is it call Chicken Poop? The name comes from Jamie's grandpas reply to her complaint of having chapped lips. He would say "I know how to fix those chapped lips. I'll rubs some chicken poop on 'em so you won't be lickin' 'em." YUK! Get your lips smooth as a pugs nose by picking up your own tube of Chicken Poop at http://www.drugstore.com/.

MomSpit

Who doesn't remember having your mom spit on her hand and wipe off a boo-boo or wipe your face clean? My mom still does this, so this product is right up her alley. MomSpit is a portable, foaming no-rinse cleanser that will fit right in your purse. It mousses and moisturizes, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean. It's pH balanced, biodegradable and best of all contains no human saliva. Available in fig, lemon, or unscented, get yours today at http://www.delight.com/.

Filthy Farmgirl Soap

Mom is always looking for all natural soaps and this company has some of the best out there. Filthy Farmgirl is not just a great name for soap, it is a way of life. They grow and harvest many of their own herbs and spices and they go out way to support local organic farmers whenever possible The soaps 100% natural and vegan friendly. According to their site, their soaps contain no detergents, surfactants, sulfates, artificial scents, colorizers, or petrolem products of any kind. The labels are even printed on 100% recycled paper. With 33 flavors to choose from, there's a scent for everyone. Get filthy today at http://shop.filthyfarmgirl.com/.

CO2 Saver

Mom says that is one of those things that will make people go hmmm when they read it. If you are even the least bit curious about the title, then read on.

CO2 Saver is a program that manages your computer's power usage when it's idle, by adjusting your Windows Power Management settings. By reducing energy and decreasing the demand on your power utility, you use less electricity. Less electricity used means fewer harmful emissions and greenhouse gases such as CO2 are released into the atmosphere. And you know what else is cool about this? Less electricity means less money out of pocket. This program will actually save you money and it's free. Pretty smart, huh?

You may be wondering how it calculates how much energy you are saving. They use averages, because as you know, each computer is different. According to their website, CO2 Saver detects the type of computer you're using (for example, desktop vs. laptop) and uses that information to help calculate how much energy it normally uses (and how much the program will save). In the Options menu under "Computer Details," you have the ability to enter more information about your computer and monitor(s) so this can be taken into account, as power consumption also varies widely across monitor types and sizes.

Okay, now for some slightly bad news. The program currently only works on Windows platforms (XP and Vista). They are working on developing a program for other platforms so look for it in the not too distant future. So for all you Windows users, head on over to http://co2saver.snap.com/ and start saving money and CO2.

No More Styrofoam!

Another brilliant idea from our friends up north. Now we just need to start similar campaigns in our own backyards.

Get It To Go Green is a campaign to urge Toronto's restaurants and cafes to use sustainable take-out containers made of corn, potato, and sugar-cane. Incentives to switch to "green" take-out containers are even being offered to businesses.

Styrofoam, which is petroleum based, is one of the worst things for the environment. Not only is it made from a non-renewable resource, it also contains the toxic substances Benzene and Styrene. Studies have shown that food and drinks contained in Styrofoam absorb these toxins. YUK!

In addition to the harmful affects to humans, Styrofoam is nearly indestructible. You may use a Styrofoam container for only a few minutes, but it can take several decades or even hundreds of years for Styrofoam to breakdown in the environment or in a landfill. And even after it breakdowns from its original form, it still won't fully biodegrade. It simply forms smaller pellets that will be around for thousands of years.

According to their website, similar efforts to ban Styrofoam have been successful in towns in California, Oregon, New York, Maine, and Alaska. Some towns banned Styrofoam way back in 1990!

Okay, so now what can you do? The first thing is to check out their website at http://www.naturopack.org/getittogogreenmain.html. There is lots of great information about the campaign, Styrofoam, and green containers. The second thing to do is spread the word. Tell people about the harmful effects of Styrofoam. The third thing is - okay, the list goes on and on. Just check out the site and take some action to protect our precious Earth.

Smithsonian Museum Day

What are you doing two weeks from today? Taking part in Smithsonian magazine's 4th Annual Museum Day of course!

On Saturday, September 27, 2008 you can enjoy free general admission for you and a guest to hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide. Search the museum day website by state to find participating museums near you.

What's the catch? There isn't a catch - it's free! Simply present the Museum Day admission card upon entrance to the museum and viola, you're in. The admission card is available in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian magazine or you can download it via their site at http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/admission.html.

So what are you waiting for! Now you don't have any excuses not to get some culture in your life.

Seven Years Later

Wednesday Wag Out!

CertainTees

Moms zoo pal Jen told her about CertainTees. CertainTees was started by an artist named Lee after she read The End of Nature by Bill McKibben. According to their website, Certaintees is a "project" concerning human nature and confronting our current need to adapt our habits dramatically and quickly in a world where our tools have become far swifter than our wisdom. CertainTees is a for-profit that promotes the work of 6 non-profit partners by contributing $5 per online tee purchase to a non-profit purse. Check out their cool designs at www.certaintees.com/intro/.

EO

Mom just bought shampoo and conditioner from EO, a company that is working collectively to make responsible, sustainable and authentic personal care products. EO stands for essential oils and it is a family owned and operated certified organic manufacturer of personal care products using the highest grade natural and certified organic ingredients. According to their website, they use ingredients that have uniquely beneficial traditional and therapeutic properties. They do not use synthetic colors, fragrances, or harsh chemicals in their products and they make their bottles from recycled PET bottles that have been collected and re-cast. Yeah to EO! Check out their full line of products at http://www.eoproducts.com/.

Plantable Thank You Cards

Why send an ordinary thank you card when you can send one that grows and blooms? The people at Satinbox bring us a unique thank you card set of eight with matching envelopes. After receiving and reading the 4" x 6" card, the lucky participant can plant the card in a pot of soil and watch it grow. Each set contains Bird's Eye, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Poppy, Catchfly, and Snap Dragon. It's like sending a gift along with a card - what a great idea! Head on over to http://www.satinbox.com/catalog/ to get your own set. And don't feel guilty if you don't want to send all eight!

SolesUnited

Those pretty little purple Crocs on your feet are not going to last forever. So what do you do when they fall apart? The brilliant minds at Crocs started a first of its kind recycled footwear donation program called SolesUnited to help keep Crocs out of landfills and to give back to people in need around the world.

The SolesUnited website breaks down the process into 4 easy steps:

1. Wear your crocs until the tread becomes worn and they reach the end of their life.

2. Donate your worn-out crocs at participating retailers.

3. Old crocs are made into new SolesUnited recycled shoes.

4. SolesUnited recycled shoes are delivered to those who need them.

According to their website, SolesUnited has donated over 1 million pairs of shoes. Their 2008 goal is to donate 2 million pairs of shoes.

Log on to the SolesUnited website at www.solesunited.com to pledge to donate your Crocs when they are worn out and to find a participating retailer near you. Mom put in our zip code and there are 7 locations within 7 miles of our house.

I don't wear Crocs, but I know lots of people who do. If you wear Crocs, please do your part to keep Crocs out of landfills.

Time For A Bike Ride!

Just a week ago my bike trailer arrived. I was very hesitant about gettting in it (see my post from last Saturday), but mom and dad worked patiently with me so I could get used to it. After a week of practice runs in the family room, today was my test ride.

Dad hooked the trailer up to moms bike. Kinda cute, huh? That's me in the trailer on the front lawn. As you can see, I am pretty excited about being the trailer. I jumped right in (kind of) and off we went.

Mom, with me in tow, and dad rode around the block. Dad thought it would be best to go for a short ride for my first ride. We started off a little slow because mom was not used to having a passenger and we rode on the sidewalk to keep us safe. As we turned the corner at the end of our block, we started riding in the street. After pedaling a few feet, we saw our good buddy Bob. Bob was at his neighbor's house at a garage sale. Mom and dad pulled over, and let me out of the trailer.

Once I was out of the trailer, I didn't want to get back in it. I like the trailer, but I love the freedom of cruising on my own four feet. Bob gave me some pets and then dad put me back in the trailer. We were off again, riding like the wind.

The jury is still out on the bike trailer. I liked riding in it, but I am not sure that it is my preferred mode of transportation. I like being out and about with mom and dad instead being cooped up in the house. Mom mentioned that she is going to take me for a ride everyday until the snow arrives. What? Is she crazy? I may just have to feign an illness to get out of riding in my trailer. Or maybe dad will save me from the madness that is my mom.

The Yellow Pages Go Green

Do you ever use the phonebooks that you receive every year? I am talking about the big, Sears catalog sized phone books that show up at your door. In the old days (before the Internet) looking phone numbers up in a phonebook was the only way to find phone numbers. With todays technology, almost no one ever uses these phone books and they generally ended up getting thrown away.

A movement has been started to stop the unwanted publication of phone books. Yellowpagesgoesgreen.org is an organization that is working to educate consumers and promote the green movement to eliminate the unsolicited delivery of Yellow and White Pages books. The movement does not want to stop the use of the books - if someone wants one they can call and order one.

Started by a college student who was renting a house in Liberty, Missouri, he noticed that many telephone books were delivered to the house every year. After speaking to his neighbors he found out that all of them just threw the books away. What a waste of resources! For a college student, the books were outdated because he could find the same information on the Internet, but he realized that some people may still use them. If he just figure out a way to get the books deliver to the people who really wanted them, a huge amount of resources could be saved every year. The best way to do this was to mimic the National No-Call Directory. Other movements to eliminate junk mail have (and are) working just great when people register at sites like greendimes.com.

Now for the hard facts. According to the yellowpagesgogreen.com website, over 500 million phone books are printed every year. To produce 500 million books:

19 million trees are harvested
1.6 billion pounds of paper are used
7.2 million barrels of oil are used to process the books (this does not included the fuel used to deliver the books to your doorstep)

Additionally, if all these books were thrown away (instead of recycled), they would take up 268,000 cubic yards in landfills.

These numbers are shocking when you first see them. Why produce something that no one uses when it will just get thrown away? Why use valuable resources that are in short supply?

Please think about whether you really need (and will use) a phone book. If you do not need one, visit www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org and sign up to remove your home or office from the telephone directory mailing list.

Purple Leg Warmers?

Mom took me to the doctor yesterday for my annual physical. The doctor checked me out and told mom that she would like to draw my blood so that she could run some tests. Draw some blood? No, my blood is fine, leave it in me. I tried to protest but to no avail.

The doctor took me in the back and stuck a needle in each arm - ouch! I took it like a man, but I told her that I wasn't very happy about it. And then the most embarrassing thing happened. The doctor was worried about my blood clotting (which would not have been a problem if she had just left it in me), so she wrapped these funky purple bandages around my arms. Luckily there wasn't a mirror around or I would have ripped them off. To make matters worse, when she took me back to mom, she told mom that the bandanges were purple leg warmers. Talk about adding insult to injury. I am not a product of the bad fashion 80's, but now I looked like I walked right out of Flashdance.

We left the examination room and there were two cocker spaniels that were could not stop laughing once they saw me. Take me home now, I barked at mom. Mom started to feel bad for me so she drove me right home. She promised to take the bandages off as soon as we got home, but of course she had to take a picture of me in all my glory. Thanks mom. Next time dad is taking me to the doctor.

Wednesday Wag Out!

Poopoopaper

Introducing the perfect gift for the person who has everything - a journal from The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company.

Since 2002 this company has been turning poo into paper. No, the paper doesn't smell because they allow the poo to dry out before rinsing it and washing it. The end result is the fibers from the vegetation that they elephants didn't digest.

The real purpose of their products is to creat a creative sustainable cycle where raw materials that have no other use are turned into a usuable product. Along the way this cycle provides jobs and a portion of the profits are donated to elephant welfare and conservation. Get your very own poo poo paper products at http://www.poopoopaper.com/.

Retro Sport Apparel

The start of the NFL season tomorrow means just one thing - time to get out the football apparel. Some of the coolest throwback apparel can be found at Retro Sport. They have old school logo t-shirts and even t-shirts of some defunct teams (think Chicago Cardinals). Since the Dallas Cowboys (Go Pokes!) are moms favorite team, she is sure to order something groovy to wear while she watches the boys win it all this year. So get your popcorn ready and head over to http://www.retrosportapparel.com/ to pick up cool t-shirts to wear to the game.

Deva Nutrition

It's difficult to find good vitamins, especially if you are vegan. Since 2003 Deva Nutrition has been providing vitamins, minerals, and food supplements for vegans and vegetarians. According to their website, their products are manufactured at GMP certified and FDA regulated facilities to achieve high quality. All of their products are formulated with the help of physicans and nutritionists to ensure the needs of vegans and vegetarians are being met. They are committed to protecting animal rights and they support environmental and animal rights non-profit organizations. Get right with the yourself and the world by checking out http://www.devanutrition.com/.

Songza

I like listening to music but mom loves it. Mom listens to all types of music, but I think her favorite is disco. No, that is not a typo.
Mom takes her ipod everywhere she goes. She puts her ipod in the Sounddock and turns up the music really loud when she cleans the house (which is not very often). When she found this website, she thought she had struck gold. Now she has an even bigger selection of music to listen than ever before. Maybe she will even let me choose some songs to listen to.

Launched in November 2007, Songza is the brainchild of Aza Raskin. According to the website, Songza is the single best place to search for and listen to music on the Web. You can listen to songs on Songza but not download them. You search by artist or title and the best thing about it is that it's free.

Dad was a little skeptical when mom told him about it. He thought maybe it was illegal, but mom assured him that it was legal (see the Songza website for complete details).

So shake your booty and check out Songza at http://www.songza.com/. Play, rate, share, and create a playlist of your favorite songs. And if you love disco, then share it with mom and get down tonight!