Each year on October 15th, bloggers all over the world join together to discuss one agreed upon and important topic facing the world. In 2007 we blogged about the environment. In 2008 we discussed poverty. This year, Blog Action Day is asking bloggers to tackle climate change.

Blog Action Day is the brainchild of Collis Ta’eed, and the first year he managed to recruit 20,000 bloggers to all write on the same topic on the same day. It was an amazing event. This year it should be even bigger and better, and it’s always fun to see what various bloggers have …read more

So, I’m not sure if you’re aware, since this is a nice family-minded blog, but whenever I post about global warming, the hate mail / comments start.

I get three basic kinds of hate mail or comments related to global warming:
Good hate mail: Nice smart hate mail or comments with decent arguments and respectful comments (these folks just don’t agree with me). I post these comments and try to respond to the emails.
Stupid hate mail: Idiot hate mail or comments that make no sense and offer no back up, “YOU SUCK!” or “You know why the ice is melting  – the …read more

Earth Hour again….
So, last year we posted about Earth Hour here at Tree Hugging Family. Of course that’s when Peggy, who was, I believe, pro-Earth Hour was still blogging here. Now it’s just me – and I don’t participate. I’m not an Earth Hour fan.

However, instead of posting my issues with EH here, I’ve got a post all about it over at Blisstree Green Living. You can check it out – Are You On Board With Earth Hour?
IF you happen to be an Earth Hour fan, I’d read Peggy’s post from last year her also on board post this …read more

I just got a heads up about a cool new club for earth-loving kids. The Clean Air Club, is an interactive website that helps to teach kids about the importance of protecting their environment. The club (and website) are appropriate for kiddos 14 and under.
The club was started by Cook-Illinois Corporation, the nation’s largest independently owned and operated school bus company. Recently, Cook-Illinois Corporation made some eco-changes to their company; they switched most of their fleet of 1,700 schools buses to bio-diesel fuel. This switch reduces around 1000 tons of toxic emissions in Chicago.
About the club – perks for kids: …read more

So what if it is?
Frankly I’m tired of this excuse. Yeah it might be a crock, but it’s a lame excuse to use to avoid green living.
Green living is so much more than the global warming issue. True green living supports local economy, fair employment, resource and nature preservation, healthy bodies, and much more. Green living will ensure we don’t live in a concrete jungle void of trees and allows us to learn how to keep dangerous toxins out of our homes and kids.
To flip with global warming. Don’t believe, believe, do what you like, but it’s really a moot …read more

Green to Blue-Third Place Tie from Brighter Planet on Vimeo.
“Green to Blue” was created by Elizabeth Klein for the national short film contest, Climate Matters. The film, which looks at global warming through the eyes of a child, won third place in the competition. The contest, sponsored by Brighter Planet and 1Sky with a partnership with Vimeo.com, aims to encourage the public to ask their leaders to take action against climate change.
Winning film submissions from the Climate Matters contest are going to be distributed to all presidential nominees and members of Congress.
See more videos at Brighter Planet.

It’s Sunday, and I’m trying to recover from being in a wedding. You know how exhausting that is, right? Put on your bridesmaid dress and let someone put way more hair spray in your hair than should be legal. But it’s all to make the bride happy.
So, why am I talking about this? Our atmosphere is also a little exhausted! And a group called 350.org is trying to change that. I learned about them from No Impact Man, and thought I should spread the word.
The goal of 350.org is to put more pressure on our political leaders …read more

As I mentioned in comments in Would McCain Be a Green President, I want to also talk about Obama.
And I want to let Obama talk as well. Click below to see Obama in an October 2007 speech on Clean Energy Future.

One reader commented in the McCain post that I should form my opinion not from campaign promises, but by voting record. In fact, two different readers suggested I take a look at the League of Conservation Voters. If you’d like to take a look at the stats and other info on that site, go to the LCV voter …read more

First off, I’m not a political writer. I’m also not a Republican. I’m not a Democrat either. Personally, I would have loved for there to be a really kick-ass, third-party candidate getting lots of attention. But that isn’t happening either.
So, what to do in November if you live in the United States?
I believe that the most important thing you can do is educate yourself about your choices. And vote!
While I’m not 100% convinced that John McCain would be a green President, I think he’s paying more attention than others in his party have in the past. McCain opposes drilling for …read more

This sin is ranking highish on our green sin poll. Peggy and I didn’t even think of this one. In fact a reader added it, and now more of you have clicked on it, voting that you do have an SUV.
I know almost nothing about cars, so I’m maybe the last person who should be writing this post. I did a little reading and found out that basically, with an SUV (a non-eco-friendly one) you’re burning more gas and creating more emissions than with some other cars. But an SUV is not the only bad car. Pick-up trucks, for example …read more