FINAL: Al Tepper - my new home

Whilst I no longer update CityHippy and leave it as a resource for your entertainment and information you can find my new home over at http://www.altepper.com

Please do drop by and say hello...

Cheers

Al

FEATURE: Carnival of the Green #52

Some housekeeping before I begin.

THE END?
This is the last post on CityHippy. For now. CityHippy may well be back, you never know. It has been a blast. Namaste to you all.

A NEW BEGINNING
I am now happily working away as Head of Marketing at NaturalCollection.com (winner of the Observer Newspaper's 'Ethical Retailer of the Year 2006' I might add). They are totally awesome...but don't take my word for it.

Natural Collection now sources thousands of products and receives around 200,000 web hits per day. Ethically speaking, their products stand up to scrutiny, and as a conscious consumer you can be sure it's the place to buy anything from hemp plastic kitchen scales to a birdhouse with real soul

- Observer Ethical Awards 2006

FROM THE ASHES
Some of the editors of CityHippy have decided to carry on after CityHippy and have set up a brand new collective green blog which I fully support and endorse - you might even see me posting on this new blog from time to time. Amongst other places...

Ladies and gentleman...please do give a big green blog welcome to:


The blog is called GreenGirlsGlobal - check it out. They launched yesterday with nine, yes nine editors - they are still figuring the comments thing out to prevent masses of spam so bear with them. If you liked CityHippy...you are gonna love GGG. They rock! Are you a green girl? Wanna write for them? Drop them a line.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
I leave one campaign with the engine (fuel cell naturally) running, other than the ongoing Starbucks Challenge of course, and that campaign is the Christmas Lights campaign. Launched by myself and Green Jenni this campaign has massive potential to affect change.

The simple lightbulb can be such a powerful weapon in the right hands. Wanna make a massive difference with just a simple lightbulb? Click here for more info.

THE CARNIVAL OF THE GREEN
And so we reach the one year blogiversary of the Carnival of the Green. Last September Nick Aster and I sat in a pub in Chelsea, West London, talking about the green blogosphere. The Carnival of the Green was born and I am very proud to have been involved. Namaste Nick and Namaste to all the hosts and posters who have participated.

The Carnival of the Green is a weekly round up of the green blogosphere. Last week the Carnival of the Green was hosted by Groovy Green and next week the Carnival drops in to it's other home: TriplePundit. From now on the Carnival will be managed by those lovely folks at Treehugger - am sure it will go from strength to strength.

So, without further ado...welcome to the...

Carnival of the Green [Imagine fireworks going off...]

Kicking us off this week is Jennifer Miner who tells us about St. John Ecotravel and Ecotourism and the reliance of the luxury vacation islands on volunteers to keep the ecosystem going.

Next up Stephen Balogh over at GroovyGreen reminds us why busy is not neccessarily a good thing...very thought-provoking indeed. get a coffee (shade-grown, organic and fairtrade of course) and some cookies for this one.

A quick stroll over to LA brings us LAGreenLiving's interview with zero emissions traveler Tim Harvey. They caught up with the Vancouver native as he passed through Los Angeles, on his way to completing a 2-year, round-the-world trek with no emissions. Wow!

Heading on back to the Eastern USA Harlan Weikle over at Greener magazine brings us a review of the new green movie...The Great Warming. The filmography stuns, the dialogue is compelling and the special effects will overwhelm you but, in the end, it is simply the message of “The Great Warming”, which will chill you. Word is this outdoes Mr Gore's brilliant Inconvenient Truth! Way to go!

Moving on over to Miami we find Rebecca bringing news that a Miami science magnet school has launched the first Green School Challenge for the city. The students are studying the energy use of their school, and looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions. Very inspiring. Who says youth is wasted on the young eh?

Pablo over at TriplePundit breaks down the calculations deciding engine efficiency.

Don Bosch from Evangelical Ecologist has posted a whole slug of links on green faith and greening the planet, he has even offered up a little tribute to his favorite Brit (who could that be I wonder he he he) at the bottom.

The greener side waited outside for two hours to hear Clinton stump for clean energy in San Francisco, where it almost felt like 1992. Hopefully without the dubious fashion and electronic music...

Elisa was a visitor inside NYC's first "green" office building, the new Hearst HQ recently and she tells us about the features she saw and was told about that make this building one-of-a-kind.

Biologist Sally Kneidel writes about a state-of-the-art passive solar home, explains how customers can purchase Green Power from their local power companies and promote the development of sustainable energy sources and has links to several sources of consumer help for installing solar hardware and for purchasing Green Power.

Finally...Rebecca from GreenerMiami is conducting a survey of green bloggers to see if they are interested in getting together for a conference.

The pleasure has been all mine folks...

Bye for now...

Namaste

Al

P.S. Please do stay in touch via email or via:

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NEWS: Big Oil in Charge of Energy Study (USA)

Sometimes I just don't get what goes on in the heads of our heads of government! I stare at my computer screen and say "WHAT!" Forgive me I'm not trying to be enigmatic and cryptic although one would think that is the case with the current administration; because I can not possibly begin to understand why the former CEO of ExxonMobil, Lee Raymond, has been hand picked to lead a very influential study that will help develop policy solutions to America's energy crisis!

I'm going to try and leave my very pointed opinions out of this posting but will say I have a hard time believing Mr. Raymond and friends (the National Petroleum Council) will provide a fair and impartial study on the use and benefit of alternative energy. Shawnee Hoover (Exxpose Exxon campaign director) said it best, "What's next? Jack Abramoff appointed to solve corruption?"

Environmental bloggers and other groups are collaborating to get the word out for people to send letters urging Bush's Secretary of Energy to take this very important assignment away from the biased viewpoint of big oil. Here's one blogger's viewpoint: Oil Change International

For more details on what's going on click here: Exxpose Exxon Details, and to take action click here.


~Arcadia

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NEWS: Carnival of the Green #51

All hallows is nearly upon us and the funk of Monday is relieved only by the knowledge that another Carnival of the Green is born and this time we are taken to Groovy Green.

This week I choose the wisdom of General Krang as my pick of the carnival. Hilarious and somewhat scary if you think about it.

More info about the Carnival of the Green re hosting (now booked up into May 07) and posting available here.

Next week the Carnival of the Green celebrates its 1st Birthday right here at CityHippy. And that will also be our last post...

Namaste

Al

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NEWS: Scotland's first organic food festival

Next weekend the Soil Association Scotland presents an Organic Food Fair at The Old Fruitmarket (cracking venue) and nearby Glasgow Metropolitan College. There are going to be loads of stalls, and not just of the food variety. I may have to relent and get something from the Coco Chocolate stall, I'm very good when they appear at Edinburgh Farmers Market but it can't last, their stuff looks just so very tasty. Bellfield Organics will be there, we get some veg from them when they appear at the market. Black Isle Brewery is a favourite of my boyfriend and whilst I don't eat anything that Summer Isles Smokehouse produce (I'm vegetarian) I have been to their premises on holiday in stunning Achiltibuie and the fish-eaters in my family declared the smoked salmon to be delicious. They also sell smoked cheese from around the country so I may be able to pick up some yummy Grimbister from my home islands of Orkney.

Grassroots are providing the food up at the college, we ate at their cafe last night and it's got to be one of my favourite places to eat. Tasty organic food will also be available at the Fruitmarket.

That's enough to tempt us on to the train and over to Glasgow for the day, sounds like it's going to be a brilliant day.

Katherine
Chatiryworld

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NEWS: PVC, the poison plastic!

I love it when readers contact me! It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside that maybe you are making a difference. Such was the case recently when I was contacted by Eriq Wities and Emily Weinstein of Free Range Studios , to discuss their latest project. In case you aren't familiar with Free Range Studios, they are the production company that brought us the award winning video on factory farms called The Meatrix! Over 20 million have already seen this!

They hope to score another hit with their lastest video called: Sam Suds and the case of PVC, The Poison Plastic. This is another cleverly done cartoon spoof on how harmful PVC can be to consumers. What's worse is how this soft plastic is used in the manufacturing of children's toys!

If you aren't completely familiar with PVC, then this video and it's website is chock full of information that you need to know and ways on how you can help. Here in the USA we have a mass retailer called Target (much like a Wal-Mart), there is a call to action to get Target to phase-out PVC. Many other retailers and manufacturers have already begun the process (Wal-Mart is actually one of them, surprisingly!!.....followed by Nike, The Body Shop, and IKEA).

The Center for Health, Environment and Justice is the non-profit group that's leading the charge. One of the best things you'll find on their site are links to alternatives to PVC. Many people continue to use items because they just don't know a better alternative exists. We at CityHippy know that for every conventional way of doing things there is often a greener and better idea!

~Arcadia

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NEWS: Carnival of the Green #50

I love Mondays...I used to hate them but the Carnival of the Green just cheers me right up.

This week we travel to the venerable How To Save The World blog and this week I choose the coverage of the continued revelations regarding religious revival in favour of our beloved environment as my pick of the carnival.

More info about the Carnival of the Green re hosting (now booked up into May 07) and posting available here.

Namaste

Al

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SPECIAL: A dad in need - thankyou

Wow! Coby alone raised over £500 for his pyjamathon. Matthew and his family are making local news now and I certainly think we have all done good things here people. One family's massive suffering is made just that bit easier. Let's hope young Matthew makes a full recovery...

Thanks to all of you who sponsored Coby and whilst we did not hit the magic £1,000 here is a pic of him in pyjamas on the day. Enjoy...


Namaste

Al

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