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 to say on the same issue.

Blog Action Day is a major social media effort to get everyone talking about an important issue on one day. No matter your blog’s topic, you can participate. When bloggers come together to focus on one topic, it gives attention to that topic, exposes readers, and shows the world that we can tackle some big issues if we all focus our efforts together.

Any blogger, large or small can participate. Head over to the Blog Action Day site and register your blog, or blogs. I usually sign a bunch of my blogs up and this year, so far Tree Hugging Family is on board (of course) as well as Thrifty Mommy, Blisstree Green Living, and Best Green Home Tips.

On October 15th you can sit back and let everyone discuss climate change, or you can join in and actively participate in the conversation. I’m gonna say join in!

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 – the sun dumb ass…” or “This guy says you’re wrong” then there’s a link back to some joke website by Joe Blow the unpublished scientific mind who rambles on and on about nothing. Um, ok. I don’t respond to these because it’s a waste of my time.

The people who want me dead hate mail: To be honest it’s a little startling to get an email from someone who says they’ll find me where I live and get me or that they want to hold my brain in their hands, but oddly, they don’t freak me out like the stupid hate mailers. Sometimes, low and behold the crazies actually offer up some facts to support their violence mind set. NOT that I condone violence but well, at least they’re thinking.

I find all of the above strange because one, I don’t write about global warming all that often, and two, while I do believe in global warming, my whole stance is going green for other reasons too, not just because of global warming. Lastly, hello, nice family blog! I’m not out to get anyone. Oddly, in my real world offline life, people argue with me about global warming, but not to such extremes. I’m guessing hiding behind the Internet makes one braver. Or maybe the people I know in real life just don’t care. I’m not really sure.

That said, maybe you’re not getting death threats, maybe you’re just arguing with people nicely. Still, if you have these global warming issues with folks online or in real life I know a guide that can help you out.

Grist put together an amazing guide called: How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic: Responses to the most common skeptical arguments on global warming, that covers so many arguments and issues related to global warming it boggles the mind about how they found the time to pull this together. The guide is divided into common skeptical arguments on global warming, which include; Stages of Denial, Scientific Topics, Types of Argument, and Levels of Sophistication.

This Grist guide handles the easy – there is no proof that CO2 is causing global warming, to the misinformed – natural emissions dwarf human emissions, to non-scientific – global warming is a hoax, to naive – It’s the sun, stupid, and everything in-between. With over a hundred pieces to this guide so far (it appears to be growing) you’re sure to find one good way to debate with your questioning neighbor, mean MIL, crackpot co-worker and anyone else who comes your way.

Grist rocks all the time, and this guide just makes me love them more. Take a look today.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 year, or just head over to the official Earth Hour website to sign up. Earth Hour is happening tomorrow, Saturday March 28th at 8:30 – 9:30 pm.

Green contests!!

Speaking of Peggy, Light Green Stairs is having a contest with green goodies. Sinupret for Kids Giveaway Package – Sinupret is a cool natural plant-based allergy remedy for the littles. If you’ve got kids and pollen, head over to the contest to score some free Sinupret. THEN stick around and check out this too fun for words video (not green – still wicked fun).

Don’t have kids or pollen? Well, hopefully you have feet! Click here to learn about how you can win some cool new Keds Green Labels. Neat-o.

Green news you need to know…

‘First Locavore’ Michele Obama to Oprah: Veggie Garden Coming to White House Lawn. Ah raise your hand if you remember the video about this very topic I posted here! I DO.

LunchBots: A Non Toxic, Healthier Alternative – no they aren’t little robots that pack the lunches for you, but they’re about that slick.

Learn all about the first and only USDA organic certified bar in the world. Very cool for thirsty folks.

Do you have any cool green news to share this week?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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:

• Any kid under 14 can join nationwide, not just Chicago youth.
• All members receive a free gift for joining plus a quarterly newsletter.
• Kids who join up can enter to win prizes for writing essays.
• There are lots of cool kid-friendly learning materials at the site about bio-diesel plus games and activities.

About that killer bus above:

The Clean Air Club Bus, is a recycled school bus, created by Cook-Illinois Corporation. It travels to local Chicago area schools to share hands-on, interactive exhibits with kids.

Get your littles online, and head over to the new Clean Air Club to learn more.

[bus image via Clean Air Club]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 point.

Now, do we have any non-believers out there; who still are into green living? If so, tell me why in the comments.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

“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.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 to act to reverse climate change. Why 350? It’s the “red line” we’ve passed in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We’ve exceeded 350 parts per million, and we need to get back down.

Learn more at 350.org and watch the 90-second cartoon below. It’s not depressing. It gets jazzy toward the end.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 guide.

Maybe I’m too optimistic or a fool, but I like to form my opinions based on how I perceive a candidate will act in the future, not by what he’s done in the past. So, I’m not as attached to voting records as some citizens may be. After all, Obama inhaled in the past, but does that mean he’ll do it again as President?

Overall, I think Obama is sincere in his green efforts. He has lots of big ideas, but the question is whether he’ll be able to implement them.

You can read more on Obama’s goals on Energy & Environment at his Obama O8 site.

Also, take a look at

•Grist candidate profiles

•Obama’s Coal Stance (clean coal?)

Would Obama be able to affect green change once in the White House?

Image via Newscom. Used with permission.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in June 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and he’s been very critical of Bush’s lack of environmental leadership.

Here’s an excerpt from McCain’s recent speech on climate change in Portland, Oregon. You can read the whole speech with the link, but I picked this part because I think it shows that he does believe global warming is real.

“Some of the most compelling evidence of global warming comes to us from NASA. No longer do we need to rely on guesswork and computer modeling, because satellite images reveal a dramatic disappearance of glaciers, Antarctic ice shelves and polar ice sheets. And I’ve seen some of this evidence up close. A few years ago I traveled to the area of Svalbard, Norway, a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean. I was shown the southernmost point where a glacier had reached twenty years earlier. From there, we had to venture northward up the fjord to see where that same glacier ends today — because all the rest has melted. On a trip to Alaska, I heard about a national park visitor’s center that was built to offer a picture-perfect view of a large glacier. Problem is, the glacier is gone. A work of nature that took ages to form had melted away in a matter of decades.

Our scientists have also seen and measured reduced snowpack, with earlier runoffs in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. We have seen sustained drought in the Southwest, and across the world average temperatures that seem to reach new records every few years. We have seen a higher incidence of extreme weather events. In the frozen wilds of Alaska, the Arctic, Antarctic, and elsewhere, wildlife biologists have noted sudden changes in animal migration patterns, a loss of their habitat, a rise in sea levels. And you would think that if the polar bears, walruses, and sea birds have the good sense to respond to new conditions and new dangers, then humanity can respond as well.”

To learn more, I highly recommend the Grist candidate profiles. Also, check out Time’s article: How Green is John McCain?

Do you think John McCain is sincere in his green efforts?

Image used with permission: Newscom

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in June 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

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 are just as bad. SUVs are not an earth-friendly choice, but they’re also not worse than some other things we do.

Also, if you have an SUV because you feel it’s the only car that fits your family, something else to consider is how much you drive. If you’re driving a more earth friendly car, but one that still uses gas, and you drive A LOT vs. driving an SUV maybe three short times a week, and walk other places, than this specific SUV is more eco-friendly than the other car. It’s not just the car, but your habits with your car that matter.

Would I get one. Hmmm, no. I’d rather have a more eco-friendly option and still drive less. Also, I don’t think they’re safe, but that has less to do with being safe for the planet and more to do with crashes.

I can sum up SUVs some, but since cars are so not my area of green expertise, I found you some links.

SUVs = bad:

GM SUV spoofed by environmentalists

The Anti SUV Portal

Environmental vanity plates don’t stop SUV pollution

SUVs = not so bad as we think, or at least only as bad as other stuff:

Some surprisingly clean facts about SUV’s

Computer servers ‘as bad’ for climate as SUVs

Eco-options:

Hilary over at Eco Friendly Driver, has a ton of posts about greener SUVs.

Since someone obviously added this to the green sins poll – you tell me; if you have an SUV, how come? Do you think it’s a sin and if so, why not simply drive another car?

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family