Connecticut Green Living

Christmas begins with coffee. I don't care if you are "a tea person" or some phony "just water for me" whiner, java appears on every family's kitchen counter Christmas morning. This is because Santa was up all night delivering presents to Rome and Bali and now he/she's back, having just wrapped Junior's bike. Santa is knackered. I buy Steeped coffee from Santa Cruz whenever I want a quick, eco-friendly way to get my fix. "The Lineup" features several types, with names like "California Blend", a gentle everyday choice, and the bolder "Breakwater Blend". There are even decaf packets for you of the sensitive stomach. The company is certified as a "farm-to-cup" B Corp, meaning it has met standards for transparency, accountability and charitible giving. This is 100 percent ethically-sourced coffee, roasted in small batches. It comes in cute compostable bags that mimic the tea experience. I recommend reusing your ba...

If you haven't gotten the memo, our ocean - and yes, it is one ocean - is being choked with plastic. As the inimitable Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue - which provides marine-protected areas around the globe - reminds us, our very life here on Earth depends upon this ocean. The plastic, such as in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Gyre, contributes to altering the ocean's chemistry by absorbing C02. This causes what is called acidification, and this inhibits the ability of marine life to consume necessary nutrients, while eating away at calcium carbonate in their shells. This is Plastic Free July, a movement to draw awareness to the danger of plastic - not only for we humans but for our animal friends and most importantly the planet and our future Earth. Businesses, non-profits and individuals seem to be stepping up this year in a way I cannot remember in previous years. It's not just the storied young who care, either. Earle is in her eighties, for example. Ther...

California has long been touted as the most progressive state, but arguably it is also the greenest . It is therefore not surprising that a startup from Santa Cruz has developed a solution to all that coffee-making waste. Steeped Coffee is aptly named. According to the company release, "Brewed similar to tea, Steeped Coffee’s nitro sealed Steeped Bags, along with their guilt-free packaging made using renewable and compostable materials, achieve the unthinkable: freshly ground specialty coffee in a single-serving." When I lived in London , I had a kettle in my room to make my own coffee. It was common there to make single-serve coffee. When I saw these little bags, it reminded me of that. Then when I tore open the first bag, called "DRIFTWOOD", I was hooked. The intoxicating aroma rivals any other including fresh beans in the grinder. I DO think one needs to steep the maximum amount of time if he wants a stronger brew. I am used to two or three cups of piping hot...

I had the pleasure of trying several green products in 2019. From eco-friendly make-up remover wipes to distilled spirits, plant-based sesame milk to a long-lasting totable LED flashlight . This isn't hard news, but it isn't fake news either. I shy away from writing about products in a way that implies an endorsement, but I also hate to call out products that don't meet my criteria: eco-friendly but pleasant smelling or tasting, in the case of food and cleaning products. Let's be honest - cleaning solutions, for example, do have a long way to go. The mosquito repellent I raved about nonetheless has an odor that requires my keeping it in a special bag. I am still willing to sacrifice a little of the smell/taste comfort zone for lightening my footprint on the climate change scale. One product that has really grown on me is Greenerways Organic chemical-free all-purpose cleaner. The company also makes what is billed as "a skin-soothing, kid and pet safe line of SPF...

Vivint Solar just released a new report highlighting the states with the "naughtiest" and "nicest" relationship to coal, based on percentage of their energy that has historically come from burning it. "According to our analysis, while many states are moving away from coal, there is still a concerning number of states that get the vast majority of their energy from this dirty energy source," the company said in a statement. When coal is burned to create electricity, it emits carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulates that contribute to poor air quality and climate change. That's why Vivint has listed several states on its Naughty List and some on the Nice List. Where does Connecticut fit in? We're doing okay . Using data from The US Energy Information Association , the company compiled a report that highlights the percentage of coal each state used last year. They culled the total amount of electricity generated (megawatt ...

Connecticut doesn't have any cities that make it to the top largest 100 in America, so there is no way to know exactly how well we stack up against America's greenest. However, in the new WalletHub feature comparing various criteria of America's largest cities, clear lessons and practices can be learnt. For one thing, recycling and abandoning plastic bag use is a huge plus. Connecticut is on its way with the plastic bag tax (10 cents at most stores for a plastic bag ), encouraging reusable bag or no bag use. People (some people) gripe a little but most I've spoken to are very enthusiastic! WalletHub's top green cities from amongst America's largest 100 cities are: 1) San Francisco; 2) San Diego; 3) Irvine, CA; 4) Washington, DC; 5) San Jose; 6) Seattle; 7) Fremont, CA; 8) Sacramento; 9) Portland; 10) Oakland. The worst are: 91) Virginia Beach; 92) Jacksonville; 93) Detroit; 94) Cleveland; 95) Gilbert, AZ; 96) Mesa, AZ; 97) Lexington-Fayette, KY; 98) Toledo;...

UPDATE: I feel silly, but I had not read the directions for the SoapStandle prior to using it, so was confused because the soap stuck to it. Turns out, it was meant to work that way ! ( See tutorial.) The soap and stand are meant to stick together. Here, then, is my edited version of the original review: I love the premise of using a soap "standle" - that all the plastic waste from those disgusting pump liquid soap dispensers is killing ocean life. However, if one is more inclined to use a soap dish, as I have become accustomed to, it may seem a little odd when the soap sticks to it. That said, there are clear benefits to the SoapStandle, and I'm all for greening my bathroom. The publicist for SoapStandle tells me via e-mail that in the green home movement there is a trend to turn away from liquid soap. She claims that "during a typical trip to the sink, we use almost 7 times more liquid soap (2-3g) than bar soap (0.35g). That means more chemical feedstocks, more ...