Photo by hellochris

off-grid takes a look at “green” celebrities and sorts them into those who are simply PREENing their own image by appearing green, and those who are dyed-in-the-wool GREENies who even walk the green walk when they’re not being watched.

Here are some quotes from two-faced celebs who talk green and walk mean.

Ashley Tisdale:

“You definitely want to keep the environment healthy because were living in it and we want to keep it for as long as we can.�
So how does she do her part? “I dont use that much hairspray.�

Cate Blanchett:

She converted her home to solar power and plans to power an entire Sydney Theatre Company season off-grid, with solar panels and rainwater collection systems. But since the press conference announcing this she has done precisely zip. PREENER!

Bonnie Sommerville:

“I save everything - wrapping paper, ribbons. I bought a bunch of organic cotton bags that I bring to the grocery store now. And I bring my hangers back to the dry cleaners, which is very important and easy to do. Every time you pick up your dry cleaning, bring your wire hangers back.� PREENER!

Now here are some more celebs who walk the walk:

Edward Norton:

The actor helped launch a Solar Neighbours Program, which gets solar panels into low-income homes in Los Angeles. GREENER!

Daryl Hannah:

She was arrested for staging a 23-day tree-sit in a bid to save an urban community garden in LA. GREENER!

Alanis Morissette:

The singer campaigns against oil drilling in Alaska and has a solar-powered home. GREENER!

Here’s one you missed guys. In an interview with the Independent, Guns N Roses’ Slash said: “People need to think more about the loss of energy and actually do something about it. For me, I try to turn off the faucet when I am brushing my teeth and I try and remember to close the refrigerator door.” I try to remember to close to fridge door too, but it’s just so DIFFICULT.

Read more at Preen or Green? [off-grid]

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I bet you’ve read dozens of articles telling you to switch to low energy light bulbs and to insulate your cavity walls if you want to save energy and be green. I know I have. And that’s all very well if you own your own home and have the money available to buy those CFL light bulbs. But what if you don’t? Are you doomed to live a life of excess and waste just because you can’t afford to go green? I think not. There are plenty of things that you can do that will curb your carbon emissions and save yourself some money to boot.

1. Food

Grow your own. This isn’t a short term solution to going green, but it’s a good way to cut your food bill and your food miles in one foul swoop. There’s no need to even go out and buy seeds. Save seeds from the fruit that you eat and look out for seeds and seedling being given away on Freecycle. If you don’t have a garden, you can grow herbs and salad leaves on your windowsill. The cut and come again varieties of salad and stir-fry leaves are especially economical. Or get really inventive with a vertical garden on a balcony or outside wall. (see photograph of vertical garden by Nicolas Boullosa) Work with what you have.

If you’re in the habit of eating ready-meals, you’re most likely paying over the odds per meal. If you cook from scratch in large batches and freeze meal-size portions you will be saving money, eating healthier food and reducing the amount of packaging that you throw away.

Take home-made packed lunches to work. You’ll save lots and if you pack your lunch in a reusable container you’ll be saving resources and reducing waste too.

2. Cleaning
Green cleaning products are expensive. Next time you have to buy a cleaning spray, creams or bleach, instead buy yourself some cheap distilled vinegar, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and soda crystals and you’ll be able to tackle any cleaning task. You will be spending less, and reducing your exposure to nasty chemicals by changing your cleaning products to the good old-fashioned stuff.

And by the way, you can also use bicarbonate of soda as a very effective and cheap deodorant.

3. Compost
Composting your food waste only applies if you have a garden, but it doesn’t have to be a big garden. You don’t even need a compost bin to compost. You could just dig a hole and fill it up with your compostables, then cover it over with soil and dig another hole. You’re not just reducing the waste that you throw away, but making yourself some lovely compost for growing your own food.

4. Save Energy
Switch off lights when you leave the room, and switch off appliances/chargers when they’re not in use.

Turn down your heating thermostat by one degree and put on a jumper.

Close your curtains as dusk to keep the heat in.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Do you really need it? Could you do without it? It’s worth asking yourself this question every time you consider buying something. If you can’t do without it, could you buy or acquire it second-hand? Be inspired by the compacters who buy nothing new except food, medicine and toiletries.

Lean on Freecycle. Why not? I’ve been a member of my local Freecycle group for a number of years now and have given away and received lots of great things. Some things that I received via Freecycle a few years ago and I used until I no longer needed them (like baby things), have gone on to be Freecycled again.

Reuse plastic bags as rubbish bags, or take them back to the shop and use them to carry your groceries home again. If you’re creative and can knit or crochet, make a reusable bag out of your plastic bags and use them for years.

6. Transport
Cycling is a very economical way to get around, no bus or train fares, no fuel to buy and no need to pay for parking. If you don’t have a bicycle, try Freecycle. You can either keep an eye out for one that someone wants to give away, or you can post a “wanted” ad and perhaps jog someone’s memory about the bicycle in their garage that they haven’t used in years and would be happy to give to you. Cycling is good for the environment (no carbon emissions and no pollution) and good for you too, and it’s cheaper than going to a gym.

7. Join the Green Gym
Plenty of urbanites don’t get enough exercise from their sedentary lifestyles and so resort to gym to keep fit and toned up. Here’s an alternative that’s free and will make good use of your time. The BCTV’s Green Gym sessions happen once a week in local areas and last up to three hours. After some basic warm-up exercises you get involved in doing environmental conservation or gardening activities with a trained leader. You could be planting a new hedge, cutting back an overgrown path, or helping to build a community garden. Find out when your nearest Green Gym is.

So you see, you don’t need to be able to afford (or want) to spend money on insulation, light bulbs and organic food to start living the green life, and hopefully once you get started being frugally green you’ll come up with lots more ideas to save the planet on a tight budget. If you’d like to share your ideas, please leave a comment.

Advertisement: Reduce your CO2 footprint by as much as 2 tonnes/year & save up to £150 on your energy bills.

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Now you can make love with an eye on fair play with a French Letter condom. The rubber used to make the condoms is FSC certified and is traded fairly through the Fair Deal Trading supply chain. A royalty from each pack of French Letter condoms goes to ensuring that fair wages are paid to rubber plantation workers, and that they have adequate healthcare and pensions.

And just in case you’re wondering whether fairly traded condoms are as reliable as your regular brand, fear not. French Letter condoms carry the BSI kitemark and the CE mark. They will be available online from Natural Alternative Products at £8.99 for a pack of 12.

[via: SmartPlanet]

Advertisement: Reduce your CO2 footprint by as much as 2 tonnes/year & save up to £150 on your energy bills.

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