PrioriTcheck Blog

Local Potlucks are Eco Friendly!

2009-08-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

The act of simply sharing your meal has been a favorite form of conserving energy, reducing waste and thereby lessening the environmental impact for as long as man has walked the Earth. Dating back to the time of hunting and gathering, communities found the long day's work culminating around a shared meal where the fruits of their labor were enjoyed by all, nothing was wasted, and the energy put in was returned with the energy from the meal. It was a beautiful cycle, and in today's world of over-consumption, over-production, and fast-food culture, it is a cycle that is not used enough.

We obviously no longer live in the time of hunting and gathering, unless you fall into that group of people who spend their weekends hunting mushrooms and gathering wild fruits like Michael Pollan describes in his book Omnivore's Dilemma, but otherwise we now mainly live in a world where the energy put into our food exceeds the energy it provides, the disconnect between where our food comes from and how it is produced is so large that it is not even thought of when we sit down to eat, and we often eat alone and on the run, thereby not really appreciating our food. Not to mention the waste that is produced and the environmental impacts of the corporate food industry and the individual consumption lifestyle we have become accustomed to.

Well the wonderful world of local, hippie potlucks changes all of that. If most ingredients are local, then you know exactly where your food came from. If dishes were made by a friend or neighbor, then you know where the meal was produced. If meals are shared among your community of friends and neighbors, then the energy put in is conserved and the energy put out is spread among the group.

Local potlucks not only conserve on energy, kind of luck carpooling does, but it brings people together around a locally grown, healthy meal, and nothing beats a meal with friends! Start a weekly potluck today and enjoy meals from a variety of cultures, grown in neighbors' gardens or local farms, and trade cooking tips and recipes too. You could even give a purpose to your potluck, like discussing environmentalism or trading composting tips.

Best of all enjoy the company of your community and break bread together for the celebration of local food and the energy it provides us.

Corporate Food Culture

2009-07-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

Corporations Control Our Food..

In the U.S. four companies pack 83.5% of beef, 66% of pork, and crush 80% of soybeans
Two companies sell 58% of all seed corn
Corporations produce 98% of poultry in the U.S.

Which Promotes Industrial Agriculture..

In 2006, farms larger than 2,000 acres made up 4% of all farms receiving government aid, but they got 27% of the money
In 1935, the average farm was 135 acres. In 2002, average was 441 acres, median was 2,190
2% of farms produce 50% of all agricultural products in the country

Corporations Also Control Our Farming Methods..

U.S. farmers use 2 billion kg of pesticides per year. World-wide use is 10 billion kg
Genetically engineered herbicide-resistant crops have led to a 122-million pound increase in pesticide use
In 2000, 25% of corn and 54% of soybeans grown in the U.S. were genetically modified. In 2008, the numbers were 80% and 92%

And Control What Foods We Eat..

Iceburg lettuce, frozen and fried potatoes, potato chips, and canned tomatoes make up almost half of U.S. vegetable consumption
In 1967, U.S. per capita consumption of high fructose corn syrup was .03 pounds per year. In 2006, it was 58.2. Total consumption of all sweeteners went up 23% in the same period.
75% of the world's food is generated from just 12 varieties of plants and five animal species.

Making Us Sick and Creating Food Insecurity..

In 2007, before the current recession, 36.2 million people in the U.S. lived in food-insecure households, including 12.4 million children
Global food prices increased almost 50% in 2008
Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste each year
66% of adult Americans are overweight or obese

And environmental Disasters.

The "dead zone" at the mouth of the Mississippi River is now 8,000 square miles - about the size of New Jersey
38% of agricultural lands worldwide are designated "degraded".
Livestock production creates 18% of greenhouse gases globally.

Facts compiled from Yes!Magazine

FOOD INC

2009-07-14T03:59:00.001-07:00

It is a shame, yet not surprising, that this film is only playing in the "underground" theatres here, and in most places around the U.S. This means that only the open-minded, non-mainstream, (most likely)non-fast food eating people will see this movie; those that may already know a bit about the information discussed in the film. In fact, when I went to see the movie, I saw a bunch of my environmentalist friends in the row behind me, and there were only about 20 people in the theatre to begin with.

Such is the case with many great films that all people should see. It's those movies and documentaries that no mainstream theater will ever show that need to be seen most by those same mainstream consumers in order to wake them up and make sure they are at least aware of their choices while giving them the freedom to choose. Eating certain foods is a choice, and we all have the right to know where our food comes from. If we all knew what happened behind closed doors, we'd be demanding a change. For those that don't want to know, or those that choose to eat McDonald's every day- that's fine- it is everyone's right to choose. However, some of us, like one of the families featured in the movie, are making that choice because it is the cheapest caloric investment we can make to feed our families; it is the only option that's affordable and easily available, that we know will fill us up.

And that is a crying shame.

And of course the mainstream theatres aren't playing this movie. Their consumers would never visit the concession counters again after watching it and finding out that 90% of what's behind the counter is made from corn; corn that's being forced down our throats and the throats of animals that were born to eat grass, or algae (yes we are even feeding corn to fish these days) because of the surplus of this crop that we are subsidizing like crazy, a crop that is pretty much owned by Monsanto, an over-farmed crop that is hurting our farmers, our land, and our climate.

Please go see this movie. Even if you have to hunt it down in the alternative theatres- ask your mainstream theatre why they aren't playing it. Pay attention to what you put in your body, where it comes from, and how its production is affecting our environment, our health, and our animals' health.

CoMpOsT

2009-06-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Compost. It is not gross. It is not messy. It can be done no matter what your living situation is. It is nature at work!

I had a run-in with one of my housemates tonight. She confronted me about the food scraps container I started since moving into my new place. It is a simple sealed green Tupperware container where I deposit vegetable and fruit scraps (peels, broccoli stems, etc); it is kept out of the way and pretty much out of sight. However, she insisted that it was gross and must be kept outside. Although there are no foul smells emitting from it, no fruit flies circling it (as there are hovering over our trash bin), and it is just naturally decomposing produce, she still insisted it was the grossest thing she's ever seen.

This is when I promptly realized the reason we need more environmental education in our school system. If kids grow up learning that the decomposition of food is natural and in fact part of nature's cycle to feed the earth, they wouldn't grow up thinking composting is gross! They would instead come home from school to ask their parents to start composting in order to feed their garden of home grown herbs and vegetables, or in order to avoid throwing banana peels away so that they can sit useless in a land fill somewhere; defying their purpose in life. I want to see a future of people who have grown up with sustainable and healthy environmental practices that have been a part of their life since childhood, so that when they move into a group house with someone who wants to garden and compost they can at least not think it's the weirdest thing they've ever seen!
OK, now that I'm done venting about that, I will give you some information on how to compost, how composting works and why it is a great thing to do! Even if you don't have a garden to use the compost in, or you don't have a composting bin, you can still save your food scraps and donate them to a neighbor that is composting. There are all kinds of social networks, like Craigslist, CouchSurfing, and Meetup.com, that make it easy to find people in your area that may be gardening or part of a community/urban garden where a composting system is established and your food scraps would be much appreciated. Otherwise if you do have a garden and would like to feed your soil in the most organic and healthy way possible, or you want to reduce the impact of waste on the environment- compost!

To start visit the EPA's Create Your Own Compost site for some of the great tips below:

Select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile or bin.
Add your brown and green materials as you collect them, making sure larger pieces are chopped or shredded.
Moisten dry materials as they are added.
Once your compost pile is established, mix grass clippings and green waste into the pile and bury fruit and vegetable waste under 10 inches of compost material.
Optional: Cover top of compost with a tarp to keep it moist.
When the material at the bottom is dark and rich in color, your compost is ready to use (this is usually occurs in two months to two years).
The environmental benefits are worth the effort!

The environmental benefits of composting include less water usage on your garden because compost increases the soil's water retention, no need for chemical fertilizers that are toxic to the environment because compost naturally fertilizes, and most significantly it reduces methane, a greenhouse gas that is created by yard clippings sitting in landfills (which is where it all ends up if not composted!)

Take this Quiz now to see which scraps you can throw in your compost pile and which you shouldn't. Then check out all of these links to help you get your compost pile started!

D.C. Council to Charge for Plastic Bags!

2009-06-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

It's as if my internal wishes are coming true! If you've read my previous blog about the bane of my existence- plastic bags- you'd know why I am so ecstatic to read the news of yet another place in the States that is cracking down on plastic bag use. Plastic bags are the source of river pollution, street litter, and are used and wasted by the millions Everyday! Not to mention petroleum is used to create them, and we all know how we feel about our over-use and addiction to petroleum.

So to have cities, like San Francisco, that have banned plastic bags all together and other cities, including D.C. according to this article, that have or plan to charge retailers for every plastic bag used, is a great relief and a sure sign of progress!

Check it out : DC Council to Charge for Plastic Bags

Re Use! - Alternatives to Buying New

2009-05-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. This should not just be a mantra, we've gotta walk the walk. Maybe you are reducing your energy and vehicle use by turning off the lights, switching to fluorescent light bulbs, biking and walking or taking public transit, and maybe you are recycling all of your plastic, glass and paper, buying recycled products (like PrioriTcheck tote bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles), but what about reusing? This may not be such an obvious option.

I like to resuse any plastic bags I end up with, like the small plastic produce bags which I use to take my lunch to work in, or reusing plastic containers like hummus or yogurt containers to pack my lunch in. I also get most of my clothing, furniture or other household knick knacks as hand me downs from family, friends or strangers - via yardsales & thrift stores.

Yardsale and thrift store shopping is often over looked or viewed through the wrong lens. Items found at these hidden gems for shopping unfortunately get labeled too frequently as "junk", but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Most yardsale and thrift store items are just a collection of ordinary - a lot of the time still new - things that ordinary folks just don't want or need anymore, and sell for extremely cheap prices! I have found a two person tent in mint condition for only $10, two great Indian-themed canvas lamps for $6, wine glasses for $1, books for $.25, and pants and t-shirts that I'd find in the stores now at a price of $20 for only $2! You just have to know which yardsales to bypass and which you can score at, and this is easy to do. You don't have to dedicate your Saturday to planning a strategy for the best bargain hunt. You just have to think about the fact that thrift stores in wealthy areas will have great, modern day items for super cheap, while yardsales in a retirement community may not produce that perfect pair of stilettos you've been looking for. (although they may produce some funky antique earrings)

Yardsale and thrift store shopping is the perfect way to reuse, therefore avoiding the purchase of new products that, not only cost more, but contribute to the harmful production of new items with new plastic packaging and more waste.

It's better for the environment and cheaper for you. Also a great way to get to know your community! Check out this handy link to search for thrift stores and yardsales in your area, and don't forget about the ever-useful craigslist to find garage sales near you.

Teaching our kids about Sustainability-by Greening Schools!

2009-05-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

OK so I'm going to try not to do too much cross-posting with news from my day job and here at PrioriTcheck( my night job!). Especially because my day job happens to be a project of a large progressive political think tank and much of the work is policy focused, where as PrioriTcheck is all about raising awareness and giving tips on how to live lighter on our planet.

That said, this piece put out by CAP is great potential news for greening schools and the benefits it will provide, not only for the health of our environment, our students, and our teachers, but for the overall education and awareness of sustainability for children. It is something I feel very passionate about and hope to personally pursue one day because I think starting with children is vital in ultimately changing the way we live on our planet. Check out Schools Remodel for Sustainability:

..fostering a generation of truly eco-conscious individuals. Students who grow up immersed in an environment built around sustainable living will accept these practices as habits and carry sustainable values with them in their lives beyond the classroom. Students will also learn valuable first hand lessons about environmental responsibility, preparing them to enter the new “green economy.” Starting young is crucial to crafting the wider cultural mindset necessary to preserve our planet for generations to come.

Age of Stupid..How I Wish We Weren't So Stupid

2009-04-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

I saw this film last night, Age of Stupid, from McLibel director, Franny Armstrong. It is a great climate change awareness film, containing the usual warning signs and look into the future of what life may become if we don't stop destroying ourselves and our planet. However, It didn't leave me with the usual doom and gloom feelings about our environment as other similar films, but instead just left me frustrated and ashamed-frankly- of our society(the U.S. in particular) and our lifestyle choices.

I thought the film did a great job of showing how climate change really is occurring around us - not with scientific facts about far away glaciers melting, but with personal stories, like that of an avid mountain climber who is noticing the glacier melting rapidly near his home in the French Alps, or that of a New Orleans oil industry employee who was awakened to the climate crisis when he found himself rescuing 100 people from their rooftops in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

But this film went further and exposed the deeper, more fundamental problem of how and why we find ourselves in this environmental and energy crisis: greed and consumerism. Age of Stupid pointed to the fact that oil companies, like Shell, have exploited many countries, like Nigeria, for oil and propelled the industrialized world into a comfortable habit of receiving cheap oil and therefore wasting products and energy without thinking of the consequences. We are not only taking what we want from the Earth but are taking from underdeveloped and vulnerable countries and their people, all to shoot ourselves in the foot with the consequences of destroying the planet that we ALL share.

We are basically committing suicide in order to own hummers and flat screen TVs- it is not only stupid, it's disgusting.

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T06:45:00.001-07:00

Many environmentalists usually speak out on this day, saying they wish every day could be Earth Day, as it is for us tree huggers. However, I like to live in the moment and be grateful for what we have. At least society has agreed to recognize one day, this day in April every year, for our mother Earth. It is a day where people, who may not remember to live in tune with the environment in every other day of their lives, decide to dedicate this day to pitching in and cleaning up their local beach or river, planting new trees or participating in festivals and workshops to raise awareness about harmful practices that are damaging our planet.

These past few years have been particularly full of days that resemble today. Days, weeks, months, and years have passed this decade with people, activists, advocates, lobbyists, and entire non-profit organizations dedicating every waking moment to raising awareness about the one, vital aspect of our society that is causing most harm to, and drastically changing, our environment-yes those three all too familiar characters- CO2. Carbon Emissions. Green House Gases. They didn't use to be known as such. Back in the day, CO2 was just another living element on our chemistry tables, feeding the trees and keeping our planet alive. But something happened along the way. We started taking advantage of this Earth that gave life to us. Something blinded us along the way. We began to create and produce and manufacture and destroy and consume and waste, not worrying about the consequences. Something took over- and I believe the word for it is Greed. We began to create so much CO2 in our quest for ultimate capitalism that all of a sudden it was no longer a friendly element, CO2 was now the prime suspect in the assassination of our environment.

Trapped CO2 in the atmosphere, which is causing our planet to warm at frighteningly speedy rates, has been the core focus of many people's lives over the last few years, causing every day to be some form of Earth Day for them. These days are those in which people are fighting for the Earth and all that it has given to us that is worth fighting for - dramatic mountain ranges, endless oceans, breathtaking deserts, endearing animals, and all the many wonders that nature has to offer.

So it is today that I am grateful that the rest of society, even if only for a few hours, can recognize and appreciate the fight that so many others are dedicated to for the rest of the year- and will remain dedicated to until we see the end of fossil fuels and harmful CO2 emissions, and begin to see renewable energy, organic farms and happy healthy communities - and then every day will truly be an Earth day.

Produce Consume Waste..an Unhealthy Cycle

2009-03-08T11:00:00.001-07:00

This video by Annie Leonard is an old favorite of mine, it has recently been updated and I definitely recommend you check it out!

Our unhealthy cycle of producing, consuming and wasting is the all encompassing process that got us into this environmental and economical mess we find ourselves in, not to mention causing the decline of health and happiness in our society.

Annie puts all of this into perspective in a fantastic, short and easy to follow video.

Watch it here http://storyofstuff.com/ and pass it on!

Just Say NO to Plastic Bags

2009-02-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

I am standing at the check out counter. I've just come into the store to pick up a few things, when I realize I forgot my reusable bags (as usual). But I can easily carry these items in my hand when I pay and walk out, or I can put them in my purse (it's big enough these days). However, I am standing there busily swiping my card to pay and, before I can tell the cashier I don't need it, he puts my 3 little items in a big plastic bag. I quickly tell him I actually don't need a bag, apologize, and take my items out- handing the bag back to him. He throws it away!

I go to CVS the other day to buy chapstick, a tiny little tube of Burt's Bees. Again, I am busy paying for it when I look up and see the cashier has put this item, no bigger than my pinky, into a heaping plastic bag!

I have officially found my pet peeve.

For the past year and a half now, everywhere I go I am paying attention to how many bags we use for everything. How every store automatically gives you a bag (and puts about 3 items in per bag, so that you walk out with 10 plastic bags) without asking if you actually need it. What have we come to when we think we need a bag for everything- even as ridiculous as one tube of chapstick! Have we lost the capability to carry things? Do we just enjoy walking through the parking lot swinging that bag around with our one item in it? Or is it such an embedded habit of our society to get a plastic bag every single time you buy something, no matter what or how big it is, that we are not even thinking about what all this plastic waste means?

I say the latter. We are so conditioned in so many consumer habits that we are unaware of the consequences. At least we have been for a long time, but are now finally waking up. Here is why we should be aware of our plastic bag use:

*Each year, an estimated 4 to 5 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

*According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.(Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)

*Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade - breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest.

*Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.

*Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation. As part of Clean Up Australia Day, in one day nearly 500,000 plastic bags were collected.

*Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in Africa that a cottage industry has sprung up harvesting bags and using them to weave hats, and even bags. According to the BBC, one group harvests 30,000 per month.

*430,000 gallons of oil is needed to produce 100 million nondegradable plastic bags.

And here's how we can reduce our consumption of plastic (and paper) bags:

1. Start using reusable shopping bags. And if you can't seem to remember bringing them, keep trying! You'll get in the habit eventually. A good way to make yourself remember is to keep buying new ones when you realize you forgot them again at the checkout. After buying 20 bags at a dollar a pop, you'll start remembering to bring them in!

2. Refuse a bag. Unless going on your bulk shop for groceries, you probably don't really need a bag. Cashiers are programmed to give you one and don't always stop to think or bother to ask if you need one. If you don't need a bag, don't take one.

3. Reuse plastic bags you have accumulated as garbage liners.

4. Start using more compact reusable bags (like our simple organic totes) The big, bulky canvass bags are easier to forget or inconvenient to carry out on errands. Smaller, compact bags are small enough to stash in your purse, jacket, backpack, car, etc. so one is always handy.

5. Try to get stores to offer cash credits if you bring in your own bags. Luckily, stores in different cities (San Francisco) and different countries (Ireland) are beginning to ban or charge for plastic bags. Research these kinds of solutions and push for this to happen in your area!

6. Open your eyes to how many bags you consume: keep count. For instance, if you have a giant plastic bag holding plastic bags in your closet, take 5 minutes and count how many you have. (I counted a few hundred back in the day when I had an impressive stash) OR, count how many plastic and paper bags you go through in a week.

7. Spread the word to wake up others. Make a statement with our "Just Say NO to Plastic Bags" organic cotton tote or t-shirt.

8. Cut down on produce bags by bringing your own or reusing them. (Or like I tell my mom, "Do you really need a produce bag for that one cucumber?")

And as for me and my pet peeve, I hope one day it will be protocol for all store employees to ASK BEFORE BAGGING. Until then, maybe I'll begin wearing a pin that says "Please Ask Me If I Need A Bag First". (Yes I would wear it on my shirt all the time, I'm a total geek, I know.)

Recycle Guide

2009-01-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

Is this really getting recycled? Do I need to wash it out first? Does paper mean all things made of trees? - therefore my snotty tissue can go in the recycle bin, along with every tiny piece of paper, like receipts? What about plastic, as in plastic bags, wrapping or packaging??

I don't know about you guys, but these are the questions I have asked myself over time, and a little research has helped clear things up for me, so I thought I'd share!

Tip #1 When in Doubt, Throw it Out
This one was hard for me to swallow, because when in doubt, I'd resort to recycling it. But I have learned that this can do more harm than good(see link to Closet Environmentalist, she seems to be an expert in waste management). Apparently, the first stage of the sorting process for recycling is done by hand. So if there is anything on the top of the bin that you thought should be recycled, but it in fact isn't recyclable, it could lead to the whole pile being discarded! So when in doubt, throw it out. This will avoid wasting an entire pile of perfectly good, recyclable materials, underneath the item in question, from getting trashed.

Tip #2 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
Some of us stick with the basic plastic bottle/glass bottle recycling method, while others (guilty as charged!) are recycling fanatics and take it overboard, trying to recycle everything little thing that might make a difference. I will call myself out here and say that, although this is sweet and well-intentioned and all, it is pretty much unnecessary. So I've discovered. According to the experts, the sorting process -especially for paper- blasts out most of the smaller pieces in the sift and trashes them. Therefore, tissues, napkins, receipts and all the tiny bits of tree you tried to save aren't (unfortunately) being added to the pile. Phone books, stacks of office paper, cardboard boxes, etc can all happily be recycled though- so don't give up on paper! However, plastics, like wrapping and bits of packaging, are also pointless to try and recycle. Again, stick to the bulk of plastic bottles, cartons, grocery bags and condiment/produce tubs. But most importantly make sure they have the plastic codes, featured in the picture below. #1 and #2 are the best to recycle.

Tip #3 Cleanliness is Godliness.er.Recyclable-ness?
Relating to Plastic and Paper only, (because glass containers are processed at such high temperatures that they don't need to be cleaned), but if it's plastic or paper and it's dirty/greasy it won't even be considered. For non-greasy items, give it a rinse. But for plastic jars in contact with oil, like peanut butter jars or plastic salad dressing bottles, I recommend a good scrub to try and remove all residue. This one is a toss up though - Some say it's a waste of time and you should just conserve water and trash them because of the grease contamination. Pizza boxes and grease soaked papers fall in this category too. Contaminated, therefore non-recyclable!

Tip #4 One World, Many Recycling Programs
Every area has a different set of recycling standards, as in whether the city recycles at all or how many different types of items they recycle. Check your local recycling program for a better idea of what's collected/accepted in your area. I'd love to eventually provide a map with links to recycling guides per city..but this is a bit ambitious...maybe one day(or month) when I have a lot of time! For now, Google works wonders. Google: Recycle Guide______(your city/county).

Check it Out: http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/common.html
I thought this general consumer guide was really helpful and also highlighted the great point of checking bottles/packaging before you even buy products, to see if they are easily recyclable by what code they use(again the picture above). This makes your process much easier and helps you shop wisely buy only choosing brands that are up with the times and doing business with the Earth in mind!

Some thoughts

2009-01-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

People are starting to want to live green so they try to recycle, buy organic healthy foods, switch light bulbs, but we have to start thinking about what can come before all that. Instead of just trying to recycle everything, don't use so much stuff in the first place (less is more), use reusable bottles instead of plastic, buy products packaged in the least amount of stuff(glass jars, simple packaging- dont you hate it when one tiny item comes in like a fortress of plastic!?) Now, packaging is mainly up to the manufacturer but people can think of alternatives to buying that product, like make it ourselves, get creative, keep it simple( do we really need it?). And with food, instead of trying to buy organic everything or listening to all these "natural, healthy" advertisements for food, teach people how to turn the package over and look at whats in their food! The least amount of ingredients the better! Grow your own food, start co-ops, shop locally/farmers markets. This is how things were done back in the day so I know we can do it again. And definitely time organization is huge and an energy saver, have one laundry day, one food canning day, one shopping day, etc. I think the only way to teach people these things is: One- to get their attention with negative facts
(researching waste statistics is always alarming for me, I found a great video that talks about how keeping it simple is the key because we all have way too much stuff -here is the link www.storyofstuff.com/ ) Two- show them how easy it is to change and get back to basics/keep it simple & how rewarding it is for your life and the environment!

The Idea behind PrioriTcheck shirts

2009-01-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

I believe we need a higher awareness level about the state of our environment and the urgency of climate change. In my generation and younger, I feel people around the world are not taking the issues of the environment seriously. Either young people are not aware of the extent of our climate crisis, do not understand global warming or they may feel helpless to stop Earth's changes. My environmental organization would address this dire issue. Its aim would be to raise awareness among young people across the globe on climate change, issues causing it and ways to live more sustainably. The issue of climate change not only needs to reach young people in alternative ways, but it needs to be accepted and embraced just like other issues they hold significant. Instead of the negative connotation that caring for the environment seems to have today, we want young people to be proud and passionate about their concern for the environment.

Therefore, this organization's goal is to raise awareness on environmental issues and how everyday people can leave a lighter footprint on the earth and reduce effects of climate change. Some examples would be bringing the issues to light at music concerts and environmental festivals. By using outlets of music and entertainment to reach our target market with the urgent message of global warming, we not only reach this generation through sources they are familiar with, but we also grab their attention and encourage their involvement through the musicians they look up to. I believe even fashion can be used to raise awareness about such issues. Printing clever messages about climate change, the serious state of our environment and ways to help on t-shirts is an “in your face” way of raising awareness. The t-shirts can be promoted and sold at the music festivals, even possibly worn by the artists to spark demand and mass marketed and sold online with the goal of getting the message out. It is also a great method to popularize environmental issues in a way that catches on as a trend. Again, the end result of this is not to belittle the issue of living more green by making it yet another trend, but to use the popularity of that trend as an alternative method of getting the message across, because the traditional methods of preaching the facts just isn't working.

The shirts would be organic cotton and printed with water-based, eco-friendly dyes. A percent of the proceeds from the sale of shirts, concert and festival tickets, etc. would go to renewable energy projects. Therefore giving the organization a second tier of funding actual change for the environment along with its main focus of raising awareness about the issue.