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Stop junk mail: A Complete guide to getting just the mail you want

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment (Saturday July 4, 2009 at 7:15 am)

junk mailStopping junk mail’s easy — theoretically — since all you need to do is say no. But because you have to say no to so many different companies — and may want to preserve one or two coupon mailers you use — de-cluttering your mail box can get difficult pretty fast. This perhaps explains why so many people still get — and complain about — the amount of junk mail they get.

But de-junk-mailing doesn’t have to be so hard! Just follow these steps to declare junk mail independence this July 4 — and to save a whole lot of paper ( read: trees) while you’re at it. I’ll start with the free services — a bit more time consuming, but easier to customize for your individual needs — then go on to the paid ones that do the hard work for you.

1. Bye bye credit card offers. These things have gotten a lot of people into financial holes lately — so stop the debt catastrophes from ever tempting you by opting out of credit card offers. You can opt out for 5 years or forever — though if you change your mind, all you have to do is stop by the site again to opt in.

2. Get off the Direct Marketing Association’s listfor $1 if you mail in the form (see right sidebar). There also appears to be  an online option that requires registration, but I don’t recommend this as it’s oddly complicated. Note that this step won’t stop the Val-Pak or ShopWise or any of the other local coupon packets — just the totally random junk mail that seemed to come outta nowhere. A few months after sending in the form, you’ll start to see a junk mail decrease.

3. Stop the catalogs. Sign up for the FREE Catalog Choice, which’ll let you halt catalogs you don’t want very easily AND monitor to make sure they actually are keeping you off their lists. You can also contact the catalog companies individually via their customer service lines — but of course that’ll take more time.

4. Ditch the local coupon listsVal-Pak, ShopWise, Pennysaver (call 800.422.4116), Local Community Values (call 626.472.5377), and Money Mailer. Annoyingly, you’ll need to contact each of them separately — but this could be good news for people who want to keep getting one of these but not the rest.

5. Junk the individual stuff. Still getting other types of junk mail? Call the customer service lines, then wait to get hold of an actual person who can take your name off the lists.

And now for the paid services!  If you really want off the lists but the above seems way too time consuming for you, these companies can help — for a small fee:

>> 41pounds.org. This company promises to reduce your junk mail by 80-95%! $41 covers you for five years, with $15 of that money going to a nonprofit of your choice. The fee covers you even if you move, as long as it’s within four years of subscribing.

>> GreenDimes. This company promises a 90% reduction in your junk mail. $20 covers you for a year — even if you move — and will get 5 trees planted for you on your behalf.

Got all that done? Then pat yourself on your back because you’ve really shrunk your carbon footprint today. Junk mail’s un-eco effect’s the equivalent of more than nine million cars (PDF) or the emissions generated by heating nearly 13 million homes for the winter, according to a study by ForestEthics.

Don’t see why you should have to do all this work to stop junk mail you never asked for in the first place? Then sign ForestEthics’ Do Not Mail Petition, which is pushing lawmakers to create a national Do Not Mail list, similar to the existing Do Not Call list. So far, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors want a Do Not Mail Registry and passed a resolution calling on California to create one — but the resolution’s non-binding and has no actual power to help people make the junk mail stop.

Unfortunately, this fight will probably go on for a while, as the United States Postal Service has launched a Mail Moves America campaign. USPS allies include some environmental groups, which themselves send unsolicited letters (usually asking for money) to mass mailing lists. So what can you do besides sign a petition and getting rid of your own junkmail? Make it a point never to respond to mailed requests for donations — and let the organizations you donate to know that their unsolicited junk mail has you rethinking your generosity.

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Majestical Roof: Pasadena’s No MMP (mass manufactured products) store

Posted by Siel in art/lit/music, consumerism, fashion, pasadena (Monday June 15, 2009 at 10:35 am)

Majestical Roof in Pasadena

3153168470 7296a87a35 m Majestical Roof: Pasadenas No MMP (mass manufactured products) storeIt’s true — Pasadena does have something Santa Monica does not: Majestical Roof — pro-local, pro-handmade store that serves as a hub for artists, craftsters, and the neighborhood fans who support them.

Getting to The Majestical Roof is in itself a pleasant adventure. This eco-conscious boutique is tucked inside a cozy courtyard, decorated with colorful murals and shady trees.

Once inside the store, explore carefully – because each item is a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted gem. “No MPP (no mass manufactured products)” brags the poster for Majestical Roof’s recent Alternative Art Market event.

Majestical Roof in Pasadena

3153170058 361821c33f m Majestical Roof: Pasadenas No MMP (mass manufactured products) storeRecycled fashions make a big comeback in this boutique: vintage ties recrafted into cellphone holders, funky purses made from repurposed fabric, and even cute doggie clothes revamped from old sweaters. This shop prides itself in supporting local crafters and artisans who create everything from handmade jewelry to bamboo T-shirts.

A few more highly recognized eco-brands, like No Sweat sneakers and ecoist purses made of recycled gum wrappers, also share the boutique’s space. And if you want artwork for the apartment, the walls here double as a gallery of sorts for unique paintings by local artists.

When I stopped by about a year ago (why does it take me so long to write these posts?) I ended up buying a unique book by a local artist called Joey Chou. The title: Crazy by the Letters: Mental Problems From A to Z.

2334255948 145a2a0f27 m Majestical Roof: Pasadenas No MMP (mass manufactured products) storeThis Edward Gorey-esque book has whimsical drawings of little kids suffering from psychological maladies. U, for example, is for poor little Urian: “Urian’s dream is to be a quality inspector in the factory like his dad. He doesn’t know it comes with the side-effect of Underload Syndrome.”

Crazy by the Letters now sits on my coffee table for my crazy friends to leaf through and self-diagnose their ills. Find out more about Majestical Roof in this short video by Pasadena.com — then pay the little store a visit!

The Majestical Roof. 88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Ste 102., Pasadena. 626.844.8886. Tues-Sat 11:30 am - 8 pm, Sun noon - 6 pm. Closed Mon.

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Deborah Lindquist brings goth to green fashion

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment, fashion, westhollywood (Friday June 12, 2009 at 10:18 am)
Deborah Lindquist Fall 2009 Press Preview at Point de Vue Salon in West Hollywood by you.

Upcycling out-of-style clothes into new chic outfits is a fast-growing eco-fashion market today — but designer Deborah Lindquist’s perhaps the best known for turning unwanted clothes into high-end eco-chic pieces. And earlier this week, Deborah debuted her Fall / Winter 2009 line — dubbed “Goth Girl Goes to the Country” — at Point de Vue Salon in West Hollywood.

(more…)

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Green With Pride at L.A. Pride Festival this weekend

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment, events (Thursday June 11, 2009 at 11:22 am)

3616703665 a151299712 m Green With Pride at L.A. Pride Festival this weekendGay marriage is the hot topic du jour in California — and now a new event hopes to marry the LGBT community with environmentalism. The L.A. Pride Festival, happening this weekend in West Hollywood, will feature a brand new Green With Pride “interactive eco-space” with information for sustainable living, and of course, eco-friendly products for sale.

Put together by New Avenue Marketing and Enfluence Group, Green With Pride’s signed on nonprofits like the U.S. Green Building Council and Global Green to help educate the festival attendees about living green and proud — as well as many eco-minded companies, selling everything from solar power systems to eco-skin care regimens. Singer/actress Deborah Cox’s been brought in as the“National Green With Pride Ambassador; she’ll perform on Sat., June 13 from 5 pm - 6 pm.

If you’re going to the festival, check out Carbonfund-offset Green With Pride area next to the main stage on June 13 and 14. Won’t be able to make it to the L.A. event? Then just wait a month to see Green with Pride at the San Diego Gay Pride Festival, July 18-19.

Earlier: Green weekender: River BBQ, vegan cookie sale, recycled billboard drop

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$195 Gucci T-shirt supports eco-film and nonprofit

Posted by Siel in art/lit/music, consumerism, environment, fashion, film (Thursday June 11, 2009 at 10:05 am)
home_1 by you.

Gucci T-shirts don’t come cheap — but buy an organic cotton Gucci T-shirt, and you’ll at least have the happy knowledge that your green will go towards an environmental cause.

$195 will get you an organic T-shirt and tote bag emblazoned with the Gucci logo using natural dyes (via ecosalon). Designed by Frida Giannini, the T-shirt’s created in support of Home, a new film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand of The Earth from Above fame. Partly funded by Gucci’s parent company the PPR Group, Home hit the theaters — and You Tube — on World Environment Day on June 5. Watch the film free online!

The eco-Ts are on sale at Gucci stores — with all profits from the sales going to GoodPlanet, Yann’s environmental nonprofit. Of course, you could go even greener by just sending the $195 directly to the nonprofit — but as evidenced by all the nonprofits who offer shwag for donations — even environmentalists want a little something in return for giving to a cause….

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Tuesday questions: Eco-duds

Posted by Siel in beauty, consumerism, questions (Tuesday June 9, 2009 at 7:15 am)

question markYour turn to help me –

There are eco-friendly products that work even better than their conventional counterparts — and there are eco-friendly products that just don’t work. Meyer Lemon Hand Lotion from Natural Spa by Earth Friendly Products (17.5 fl. oz for $15) is one of the latter — a product I’m afraid some newbie environmentalist will pick up and decide never to buy green again.

Meyer Lemon Hand Lotion from Natural SpaInconsistent texture’s the main problem with this lotion. At the top of the bottle, the “lotion” was all watery and gross — like the “watery stuff” at the top of some ketchup bottles. It took a few pumps before anything resembling lotion came out.

When I got to the bottom, the “lotion” developed the consistency of old peanut butter — hard, chunky, clumpy. Add on top of the fact that the lotion had a slightly medicinal smell and  doesn”t absorb very well, and you have an eco-product disaster.

Apparently, Earth Friendly Products realized their lotions had problems — because I found out after a call to the company yesterday that as of a couple months ago, the company’s stopped making its spa line — at least for now.  However, the product’s still available at Amazon and other online retailers.

Ever bought an eco-dud yourself? Share the details in the comments so we can all learn to avoid it!

Image via ecos.com

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Louis Vuitton and Edun: Now part of the same company

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment, fairtrade, fashion, organic (Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 1:23 pm)

Loved EDUN’s organic cotton T-shirts for their eco-friendly, fair trade goodness backed by a company founded on eco-socially conscious values? Get ready to shift your thinking a bit, because Louis Vuitton’s taken a big green bite of the green company.

 Louis Vuitton and Edun: Now part of the same company

That’s right, LVMH’s bought a near-50% minority stake in EDUN. This news isn’t necessarily bad — LVMH’s big and powerful, and could put some of that power into EDUN, helping to make socially and environmentally-conscious clothing a part of everyone’s wardrobe.

On the downside, LVMH isn’t known for its high labor standards, as M.J. Prest at Ethical Style points out. It’s unclear, as of now, what effect LVMH’s stake will have on EDUN’s practices.

How do you deal with buyouts of little companies you’ve grown to love? For my part, I still buy Tom’s of Maine toothpaste, even though it’s now owned by Colgate, mainly because the stuff hasn’t changed and I haven’t found another natural toothpaste that I like….

Photo via EDUN

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Radical uncluttering: Getting rid of stuff in search of new adventures

Posted by Siel in bicycle, consumerism, de-car-ing, environment (Saturday May 16, 2009 at 9:46 am)

Seek adventure and freedom? Willing to give up everything you own to bring those things in your life? No? Well then experience them vicariously via intrepid people who are de-stuff-ing their lives so they can travel light and free in pursuit of new adventures.

Meet Laura Crawford and Russ Roca of The Path Less Pedaled — a jewelry maker and photographer who are freeing themselves of the stuff that weighs them down — to travel by bike!

 Radical uncluttering: Getting rid of stuff in search of new adventures

Paring down their lives to just what will fit on two bicycles, Laura and Russ are embarking on an extended bike tour throughout the US and beyond – with the goal of connecting with and collecting the stories of people who followed a calling to live their lives in unique ways.

The Path Less Pedaled’s the two’s blog, documenting both their journey and those of other “lives less ordinary – independent artisans and makers, small business proprietors, community activists and more.” In fact, if you consider your life less ordinary, contact the bicycling duo, who are actively seeking stories. You could become part of The Path Less Pedaled’s journey and story!

3535687219 37e89b85da m Radical uncluttering: Getting rid of stuff in search of new adventuresCurrently, Laura and Russ are still at their Long Beach apartment, slowly getting rid of their stuff by giving it away to charity, selling it on Craigslist, and seeking stuff-takers on their blog. Anyone want a very cute Eeyore, who’s been Laura’s friend for a decade?

This “get rid of all your stuff and follow your own adventure” dealio isn’t just a bizarro idea dreamed up by crazy Californians. Meet Megan Deal, a graphic designer in Detroit and the brains behind Pay no less than $.01, a site described as “one part stoop sale and one part personal experiment” (via Mickipedia). Like Laura and Russ, Megan’s getting rid of almost all of her stuff — everything except what’ll fit into 1 bag (it’s unclear how big this single bag is).

 Radical uncluttering: Getting rid of stuff in search of new adventures

Why? Megan’s moving to Greensboro, Alabama come June 1 to work with a community-oriented design lab located on the campus of Hale Empowerment and Revitalization Organization, which “supports sustainable housing development and positive change for over 400 families a year in impoverished Hale County.” Writes Megan: “In preparation for total immersion into the Greensboro community, I am selling everything that I own…. By ridding myself of these possessions, I aim to both lighten my travel load and remove the obtrusive clutter from my everyday life.”

Visit Pay no less than $.01 to browse what Megan’s selling — and for the chance to own some of it. The items range from the eco-useful — like a stainless steel thermos — to somewhat less utilitarian stuff like “three incredibly small and useless glasses” or a single fat knitting needle. You can then make a donation of your choosing for the object of your desire — those outside Detroit will need to negotiate shipping fees — with the money going to Megan’s travel and living expenses.

Laura, Russ, and Megan aren’t the first to use the web for their radical stuff-cleanse. Back in 2001, one John Freyer launched Allmylifeforsale.com, which catalogued his sell-off of almost everything he owned on eBay — down to the domain name Allmylifeforsale.com itself, snapped up by the University of Iowa, Museum of Art. John not only sold his stuff but tracked them, asking for follow-up stories from buyers and even going on a road trip to visit some of them — before publishing a book about his work.

You may not be as radical as these three — but still be interested in getting more enjoyment out of life by getting rid of “stuff” that weighs you down — a move that also has nice environmental benefits. Some links to help you on your de-stuff-ing adventures:

>> Unclutterer. Erin Doland’s the editor in chief of this blog, which is “about streamlining your space and your possessions so that you can be more efficient at work and enjoy a more relaxing and serene environment at home.”

>> 29 Gifts. Created by Cami Walker, 29 Gifts lets you sign up to simply give one thing away each day for 29 days. I’ve taken this challengetwice!

>> Tiny Choices. Karina Tipton and Jenn Sturiale have lots of tiny tips for streamlining your life both for your sanity and for the environment. The girls encourage you to pack light and pack smart while traveling, just like Laura, Russ, and Megan!

Earlier: An Anti-capitalist video guide to happiness

Top two photos via pathlesspedaled.com; screenshot via goodbyewafflemaker.com

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Lead found in $200 necklace from Saks Fifth Avenue

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment, fashion (Friday May 15, 2009 at 10:03 am)

3533211565 5cfd17a5e0 m Lead found in $200 necklace from Saks Fifth AvenueLead in cheapo kids’ jewelry is now unfortunately no longer a surprise — but paying top dollar for your own baubles doesn’t necessarily mean you’re avoiding the toxic stuff.

A $200 necklace from Saks Fifth Avenue, in fact, is the latest piece of jewelry that’s caught the ire of the California Attorney General, who’s sent warnings to the high-end retailer — as well as Express, Wet Seal, and Styles for Less — letting them know their accessories are in violation of California law. (via Ethical Style) That toxic finding comes courtesy of Center for Environmental Health, a nonprofit that’s been undertaking lead testing for the California Attorney General.

The Center for Environmental Health points out that lead in adult jewelry could especially cause problems for pregnant women or for kids who play with the jewelry, though obviously, lead isn’t particularly good for anyone. Worried about the expensive necklace you’re wearing? CEH provides simple instructions for testing your jewelry — and other consumer products — for lead (you will need to buy a lead testing kit).

Earlier:
>> The Kiss of lead: The FDA stays tight-lipped about lead in popular lipsticks
>> A New product safety law could put eco baby clothing companies out of business

Photo by zyphbear

Update, 5/18/09: Eco Chick recycled jewelry for the eco chic

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E-tail vs. retail: Which is greener?

Posted by Siel in consumerism, environment (Thursday May 14, 2009 at 10:43 am)

3530858093 78280161f7 m E tail vs. retail: Which is greener?A new study’s got eco-bloggers embracing Amazon instead of local mom & pop shops.

Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Design Institute’s recent study had a sentence that read: “e-commerce had about 30% lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions compared to traditional retail” — which got Traveling the Green Way to announce that Online Shopping More Eco-Friendly. Connie Wu at Your Daily Thread took that title at face value, citing that post to declare that online shopping is more eco-friendly than shopping at a traditional retail store — then to recommend a whole bunch of e-tailers.

Trouble is, neither Traveling the Green Way nor Connie seem to have read the study in any detail. The Green Design Institute’s study itself, in fact, makes no such grand, sweeping pronouncement about how e-tailing eco-triumphs over local retail shopping.

First of all, GDI’s study title — “Life Cycle Comparison of Traditional Retail and E-commerce Logistics for Electronic Products: A Case Study of buy.com” — shows the study’s much more limited than either of those bloggers make it out to be. The words “Case Study of buy.com” and “for Electronic Products” make it clear that the results of the study can’t be applied to all e-commerce — despite the fact that Traveling the Green Way has no problem extrapolating it to cover travel equipment, and Connie eco-fashions.

And in fact, the study itself’s full of disclaimers. “There was significant uncertainty and variability in many of the numbers used in the analysis,” acknowledges the study near the beginning, then repeats the disclaimer that “substantial uncertainty exists in many of the parameters of the model and significant variability exists” near the end.

Why so many disclaimers? It seems the biggest wildcard in the carbon footprint of shopping is how people get to retail stores: “Customer transport in the retail system is the most important parameter to the overall results, being similar in scale to the overall emissions related to the e-commerce system.”

The study had to use the best average shopping trip it could come up with — which ended up being a 7.5 mile roundtrip in a car that gets 22.5 mpg to pick up just a couple items. That’s certainly a lot farther than I’m willing to drive to pick up a flash drive (that’s the shopping product used for the study) — especially in L.A. traffic!

The study also used ground shipping for its e-commerce calculations. Had the study used air shipping, the results would’ve been quite different: “there is a higher probability (around 50%) of the retail system having less CO2 emissions,” according to the study.

Considering all that, “Online Shopping More Eco-Friendly” is definitely NOT the conclusion I derive from this study.

Instead, the lessons I derive from the study are these: When shopping locally, try to walk, bike, or take public transportation — or if you must drive, carpool, combine trips as much as possible and don’t drive too far. When shopping online, get ground shipping.

Sandy Bauers, a blogger for The Philadelphia Inquirer’s GreenSpace who clearly DID read the study before writing about it, comes to the same conclusion: “So [shopping e-tail] isn’t an ironclad dictum. I view it more as information to factor in, measuring my circumstances against their statistical average.” And Umbra at Grist made the same recommendations about 2 years ago.

I do shop online for some things, but not for items that are available in biking distance. There are many many reasons for shopping locally whenever possible, from promoting walkable, unique neighborhoods to supporting local economies to making friends with your neighbors to increasing community engagement and decreasing social isolation.

Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not green because you too seek those things in your town.

Photo by acordova

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