Crowded Buses Are Here to Stay

Seattle bus riders have surely noticed a dramatic increase in ridership lately and may be wondering when Metro will make the necessary adjustments to meet the demand. Well, according to Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond that may not be anytime soon.

Check out this post from my favorite blog.

For those who think that gross is funny

MTV ad takes aim at water waste.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/14/mtv-switch-climate-change

Global Warming, I Has It

If you like LOL Cats and care about the planet, you are going to lurve
Global Warming Hates Kittens

Cleverly disseminating global warming information, these little kitties have one request:

“Save me from global warming!”

Also qualifying for the “Peculiar Green Post” award is Puma’s collection of shoes representing endangered species.

Now, go forth and be green.

Tapping Into Americans' Faith in Innovation

One of the toughest issues facing consumers these days is rising gas prices. The people are angry…very angry!

The Wall Street Journal discusses the aggressive marketing strategy used by companies such as ExxonMobil. By painting themselves as part of the solution to our growing energy crisis, oil companies have come under harsh criticism from Greenpeace and other environmental groups.

Don’t shoot me, but higher gas prices may help us in the end because money may be the only motivator which will actually result in a behavior change. How else are we going to get people to drive less, invest in hybrid cars and generally consume less?

$5.00 gas…here we come.

Green really is "Big in '08"

Ok, I have to preface this post by stating I've never warmed up to saying something was "Big in '08." But, when you receive mail from your mother who is generally two or three years behind on adopting any kind of idea or product (ever wonder who is still keeping the VHS industry alive?) it really has achieved "Big in '08" status.

As many of us in the office continue to plan our summer weddings, including me, I thought I would share an article (sent to me from Mom) that appeared in The Olympian on how you can make your special day ecofriendly. Of course, green weddings do come with a price, as Alex Lluch, a wedding planning book producer points out, "The average wedding costs about $27,000, according to recent statistics, but green weddings can cost up to 20 percent more."

Below are some tips on how to keep the big day green:

Reception

• Hold your ceremony and reception at the same location to cut down on consuming natural resources
• Outside receptions are generally more energy-efficient than indoors
• Use glassware and cloth napkins to cut down on waste

Ceremony

• Instead of using rice, which is in high demand and dangerous for birds, for throwing at the end of the ceremony, the article recommends using flower petals, waving ribbons or blowing bubbles.

Invitations

• Print invitations on recycled paper and limit the inserts that go with the invitation. One way I have limited invitation "filler" is by creating my own website to give hotel details and directions.

I'd be interested to hear how the rest of you are keeping, or have kept your weddings green.

Are you YAWNING?

Being a YAWN is all the rage these days. According to The Sunday Telegraph of London, “They are a new breed of Gen Xers and Ys, Young and Wealthy but Normal, or Yawns.”

A what???

“They drive hybrid cars, if they drive at all; shop at local stores, if they shop at all; and pay off their credit cards every month, if they use them at all. They may have disposable income, but whatever they make, they live below their means in a conscious effort to tread lightly on the Earth. Yawns sound dull, but they are the new movers and shakers, their dreams big and bold. They are men and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who want nothing less than to change the world and save the planet.”

CNN.com posted this great article about this new phenomenon and the potential effects it may have on spending in the coming years. Check it out here.

This article makes me think of a new philosophy we are trying to integrate into our outreach efforts with one of our clients. We are working to promote the positive experiences that customers get from using the service. The idea of making the actual experience more worthwhile, leaving the customer with a feeling of accomplishment and that they have done something meaningful seems crucial to targeting a YAWN.

If you are working on a green initiative for a client or trying to influence influencers, the Earth-consciousness of the YAWNs is something to consider.

Yellow + Blue

Check out our latest podcast with Joe Harrison of Herban Feast.

What a nice guy!

Let your Green do the talking

In early December, we hosted the Seattle Greendrinks event. Hundreds of people showed up to chat, network and drink some fine beverages. We pulled some of them away from their drinks and into our podcasting studio to hear what they had to say about everything from green New Years Resolutions to the fighting prowess of Al Gore. Find what everyone had to say by clicking here to download the Greendrinks podcast!

Let your GREEN do the talking

The Green Drinks event that we hosted at our office last night went off without a hitch - and from what I have heard so far it was a great time had by all. Copyrite and I had the opportunity to speak with a handful of really amazing people who are making a difference in our community and our environment everyday. We spoke with an oceanographer, a nutritionist, a producer and the man who started this whole thing, Gabrielle Scheer, among others. I wish we had had more time to interview others at the event for our podcast! We are working on editing the podcast now and it will be posted here and on the Green Drinks Website for all to download.

Gabrielle also spoke about some new things that are happening with Green Drinks like Green Lunches. You just give them your email address and they pair you up with 3 other people from Green Drinks to meet for lunch - I think it sounds exciting! You can hear all about it on the podcast.