Denim, jeans, dungarees – whatever you want to call them, those traditional indigo pants are an iconic part of American culture, like Chervolet trucks and apple pie. Finding the right pair of jeans is often a nightmare, especially for women, thanks to the variety of cuts and brands available.

We've all been schooled on the benefits of organic cotton, but eco-friendly denim is still often quite pricey, usually ranging from $150-350 a pair. Hailing from Seattle, Certified Jeans sells organic cotton, made in the USA jeans for a humble $74-88 a pair, depending on the wash chosen. Enjoy trying before you buy? You won't find this brand in the shopping malls: according to the company's website, "Suburban shopping malls are a primary generator [of] residential and commercial sprawl and often are responsible for losses of wetlands, natural habitat and agricultural land. And, these malls are unattractive commercial development."

If you already know your size, ordering from Certified is a great, affordable options for eco-jeans. You can purchase via e-mail or over the phone; sizing info is happily supplied upon request, helping to assure you order the correct size. Three colors are available – natural cotton color (often referred to as vanilla), dark navy blue, and traditional denim/stonewash; in terms of cut, there are two options for women (traditional and boot cut) and three options for men (standard/easy, slim, and loose). If you happen to be in the mood to spend or become a dedicated fan of the brand, for every seven pairs of jeans you purchase or have credited to your name, you will receive one pair free (shipping included).

Simple, comfortable, economical, and ecological – no muss, no fuss from Certified Jeans.

Proving that sustainability is a priority for today's young people, two colleges are incorporating sustainability into their graduation ceremonies. Grads at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania took pledges of sustainability at their commencement, while Ohio's Oberlin College took the first step in a five-year plan to make Commencement/Reunion Weekend completely carbon neutral.

At Dickinson, grads signed sustainability pledges, vowing to recycle more and conserve resources. Those who signed pledges, about a fifth of the graduating class, wore green ribbons on their commencement gowns to signify their committment to sustainability. Dickinson itself has significantly increased the amount of sustainabilty measure the university is taking, and even boasts an alumni group specifically committed to sustainabilty on campus. The school has operated an environmentally-friendly apartment complex, dubbed the "Tree House", for fifteen years, and has a Campus Sustainability Specialist on staff.

Oberlin wants to green its actual commencement ceremony by implementing such changes as printing graduation programs on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, biodegradable tableware and local and organic food at dining events, available carbon offsets for travelers, and CFLs in outdoor lighting. Oberlin students will also have green ribbons on their gowns signifying their committment to sustainability. Future measure include widespread composting for all food and tableware waste over the course of the weekend, and university-fascilitated ride-shares for those travelling to and from Oberlin. Oberlin even has a "sustainability portfolio", documenting the campus's committment to sustainability.

For those that believe that young people today are focused only on themselves, measures like the ones at Dickinson and Oberlin are visible reminders of this generations committment to creating a sustainable future. With college and university presidents pledging to fight climate change, it's inevitable that other schools and students follow suit.

Natural Soap?Myth: Beauty products sold as “natural” and “organic” at health food stores and coops are truly natural and organic.

Facts: Some natural, organic beauty products are exactly what they claim to be; however, many of the trusted brands featured in health food stores and coops contain harmful ingredients and/or are not 100% natural. Anyone can claim their product is natural and/or organic, as there are no federal certifications or safety testing for beauty products. There are no official guidelines as to what constitutes a natural product, and even though a beauty product may contain certified organic ingredients, it may not be 100% natural. Some beauty products labeled organic, contain only a single digit percentage of organic ingredients.

Rebecca recently wrote about beauty products in Tip o’ the Day: Cosmetics that Cause Concern. She advised readers to visit the Environmental Working Group's cosmentic data base Skin Deep, which provides analysis of many beauty products. When consulting this site, I became concerned when I saw many of the “natural” beauty products I purchased at our local coop were rated higher than I expected for toxicity. By reading labels, I discovered many of these brands utilize ingredients that are not natural or may only be derived from natural ingredients. According to Skin Deep FAQ, “It is often difficult for us to identify which ingredients in products are truly organic, since "organic" is a generally marketing term used by many in the cosmetic industry to imply that the product is natural.”

Let’s look closely at one such “natural” body product I use every day. Alba Body Lotion made by Avalon Natural Products received a score of 8 out of 10, according to Skin Deep. Here are the ingredients from the packaging, some of which are organically grown:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, BENZOPHENONE-3. INGREDIENTS: CERTIFIED ORGANIC HERBAL INFUSION OF CHAMOMILE (CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA), ECHINACEA (ECHINACEA PURPUREA), GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS), LAVENDER (LAVANDULA OFFICINALIS) AND ROSE HIPS (ROSA CANINA), ISOPROPYL PALMITATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, SWEET ALMOND OIL (PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS), CETYL ALCOHOL, SILICA, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE BARBADENSIS, ORCHID EXTRACT (CYMBIDIUM GRANDIFLORUM), ALPHA-HYDROXY ACIDS OF GLYCOLIC (SUGAR), LACTIC (VEGETABLE) AND ASCORBIC (CITRUS FRUIT), BOTANICAL FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), METHYL/PROPYLPARABEN, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE AND TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E).

The fragrance is considered to be of the highest concern for hazard, but the ingredient that stands out as the most unnatural is methyl/propylparaben. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports methyl and butyl parabens and certain preservatives have been linked to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers. "True organic personal-care products would not contain preservatives," says Diana Kaye, cofounder of the organic care line Terressentials. According to Wikipedia, methyl/proplylparaben belongs to the paraben family, “Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries…. Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost…probably explains why parabens are so commonplace.”

Another common ingredient used in “natural” beauty products is sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate (SLES/SLS). This surfactant is derived from coconut oil and fell victim to an Internet rumor as carcinogenic. It is commonly used in “natural” beauty products, as well as engNatural, Organic Beauty?ine degreasers and antifreeze. Although SLES/SLS do not cause cancer, it is in fact an eye and skin irritant. In people with sensitive skin (prone to dermatitis, acne, eczema, psoriasis and chemical sensitivity), the drying property of SLS/SLES can cause flare-ups or may worsen existing conditions. This has been my experience with my son, who’s eczema disappeared after only three days on SLS free soap. As the Natural Health Information Center warns us, “Do not believe that just because a product is labeled as "natural" it is free from SLS or SLES. Most common brands of "Natural" or "Herbal" shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient – check your labels!” Many “natural” beauty companies stand by the use of SLS/SLES, such as Tom’s of Maine (now owned by Colgate/Palmolive). Other companies, such as Aubrey Organics, question its safety. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps has put together a video using a forensic drug test to demonstrate how many, “Companies mislead consumers in conflating their detergent-based products with ecological biodegradable soaps, even calling these synthetic detergent products ‘organic’. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are real soaps made from real organic oils, while these other so-called ‘Soap’ products are detergents made from petroleum and conventional vegetable material. They are not soap, they are not organic, they are not natural.” Although SLS/SLES is derived from coconut oil, and many “natural” companies will place coconut in parentheses on the label behind SLS/SLES, it is not considered natural by all. In Germany, where there is an effort underway to label cosmetics and personal care products as certified natural, formulations containing sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate cannot be certified natural.

Read the Label!You can take action on this issue by signing EWG’s petition in support of government-mandated safety testing of product ingredients. Alternative products do exist that are truly natural and organic, but the consumer will need to read labels, research ingredients, and review Skin Deep to find the safest, natural beauty products. The advises, “There are still no regulations that keep unethical body care companies from making fraudulent ‘organic’ labeling claims outside of the USDA organic certification process… As a consumer, if you purchase a body care product that claims to be organic but does not have the USDA certified organic symbol, you have no way of knowing how much (or how little) organic content that product actually has.”

Inside the Digital Dump
Born Again Green
When Disaster Strikes, Rebuild Green
Why Are They Greener Than We Are?
Wave Power Tipped as ‘Holy Grail’ for Australia

(more)

(Posted by David Zaks in News and Views at 10:12 PM)

Posted by Brian (in Amsterdam)

One thousand schoolchildren send an SOS for whale protection and launch the Migrating Human Whale Project from the shores of Loreto Bay National Marine Park in Baja, Mexico.

This is the first of eight Human Whale aerial images involving nearly ten thousand schoolchildren from Mexico to Alaska leading up to the International Whaling Commission
meeting in Anchorage on May 28.

If you want to add to the chorus of whale defenders worldwide, join the Big Blue March May 27th. Wear something blue!

Posted by Dave (in Anchorage, Alaska) Following up on Stephanie's post on the 17 dead whales and dolphins in Berlin, the dead mammals have now turned up for 7 hours in downtown Stockholm! The whale defenders on site talked to…

Filed under: Hydrogen, Ford, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

AutoblogGreen got a call from Ford this afternoon to let us know about a special new project they are working on. The team behind the HySeries Drive Edge is teaming up with Ohio State University to create a special fuel cell powered Fusion. This fall the Fusion XV1 will traveling out to the Bonneville Salt Flats to make a run at the land speed record for fuel cell vehicles in the production class.

Ohio State currently holds the world record for electrically driven vehicles at almost 315mph with the Buckeye Bullet and they are lending their Bonneville experience to the new project. The OSU team will be providing the motor and fuel cell technology they are using on the second generation Bullet and the Ford engineers are doing the systems integration into a production body shell.

The Fusion XV1 will look pretty much like a standard Fusion but with aerodynamics optimized for a maximum speed run on the salt. The car is currently being built at Roush Engineering facility, and ABG will be bringing you more exclusive updates on the progress of the project over the coming weeks and months. If all goes according to plan Ford and OSU will be setting parallel records this fall with Buckeye Bullet 2 and Fusion XV1 in the unlimited and production classes.

[Source: Ford]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Etc., SMART

Live Earth sounds like one of the biggest parties on earth, ever. And the best part, it’s about worldwide awareness of global warming. It will be the Le Mans of concerts, 24 hours straight, broadcast in 120 countries, from venues in Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Hamburg, London, Rio de Janeiro and New York. Artists playing include The Police, Madonna, Genesis, Bon Jovi, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sheryl Crow. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the Chili Peppers. It is a key part of the S.O.S. (Save Our Selves) awareness campaign (launched by Kevin Wall and former U.S. VP/MVP Al Gore), which consists also of PSAs, short films, books, and “interactive web experiences.”

smart is going to be the chauffeur/shuttle service for the celebrities for the event, which, after the publicity tour follows, will make for a tasty marketing treat for smart. Then people have had a chance to drive them, and they have seen their favorite stars driving them, and by golly, maybe they should have one too. That would actually be no bad thing, because the fortwo claims “the lowest CO2 emissions of any vehicle on the market,” being one of the main reasons they are supporting the S.O.S. campaign, as well as being “the world’s only mass production vehicle that actually consumes only three litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.”

Well, it sounds like they feel they have some bragging rights, and perhaps they do. I’ll reserve judgment until I drive one myself.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: smart]
smart now an Official Global Partner of Live Earth

• Partnership announced today in Stuttgart by DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche, SOS/Live Earth founder Kevin Wall and singer Katie Melua
• 24-hour concert series on all continents to combat global warming
• Largest global music event of all time
• True to its philosophy, smart is supporting the Live Earth concerts and “Save Our Selves – SOS” campaign against global warming launched by Founder Kevin Wall and Partner former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

DaimlerChrysler is, with smart, the world’s only automotive manufacturer serving as an official partner of the Live Earth concerts on 7 July 2007. smart is providing the official shuttle service for all artists and other celebrities participating in Live Earth.

“With the smart fortwo, DaimlerChrysler has set new standards in urban mobility and low CO2emissions in inner cities without making any sacrifices in terms of functionality, comfort or driving pleasure,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management DaimlerChrysler and Head of Mercedes Car Group.

“This vehicle combines like no other a modern lifestyle and individual mobility with environmental protection. We are therefore happy that the smart – which boasts the lowest CO2 emissions of any vehicle on the market – will support the Live Earth concerts and the SOS campaign.”

The smart fortwo diesel is the world champion in low CO2 emissions, releasing only 88 grams of CO2 per kilometre driven. It is also the world’s only mass production vehicle that actually consumes only three litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. “The smart fortwo offers an unconventional solution to problems associated with urban mobility today,” said Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice President Marketing and Sales at smart.

“And we need to have such solutions in all areas of life if we’re going to face up to the dangers of climate change. Our goal with the smart brand is to encourage people to live responsibly, question conventional views, and remain open to new, forward-looking solutions.”

Kevin Wall welcomed smart as an official global partner of his initiative: “I’m pleased that we’ve got a strong partner in smart, which has already taken major steps forward in the battle to stop global warming.

“Together, we can demonstrate to billions of people that there are technologies on the road today with low CO2 emissions, which is an important contribution to achieving global climate protection goals.”

“Live Earth will unite people from across all continents to spur action against the climate crisis from individuals, corporations and governments,” Al Gore said. “Live Earth will spread our call for action to address the climate crisis to millions of Germans, Europeans and people worldwide.”

The objective of the Live Earth concerts is to mobilise more than two billion people to play an active role in climate protection. The nine concerts will offer a total of 24 hours of live music at venues in Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Hamburg, London, Rio de Janeiro and New York. They will be broadcast in more than 120 countries on TV, the radio and the Internet.

The events will feature performances by internationally renowned rock and pop stars including The Police, Madonna, Genesis, Bon Jovi, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sheryl Crow.

“I’m happy to be part of an event for this exceptionally important cause and I hope our contribution not only by taking part but also by acting as green as possible will influence others,” said singer Katie Melua at today’s press conference in Stuttgart. Melua will perform at the German Live Earth concert in Hamburg.

Live Earth is a project of the SOS campaign, which aims to motivate people around the world to “Answer the Call” through solutions-based short films, PSAs, books, and interactive web experience, and through the Live Earth concerts. Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection and other international nongovernmental organisations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to make immediate and lasting changes to solve the climate crisis.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection and Partner of Live Earth.

The smart fortwo has won over nearly 800,000 customers in 36 countries since it was first launched in October 1998. As a DaimlerChrysler brand, smart benefits from the parent company’s engineering expertise and many years of experience in the automotive industry.

The new smart fortwo goes on sale in the UK in September and will become available in the U.S. for the first time in 2008.

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol

That’s genetically modified not General Motors. In most other developed countries of the world outside of the United States GM crops have not exactly caught on. In fact most people want nothing to do with so-called Franken-food. However the Japanese agriculture ministry is now taking a look at the use of GM crops as a feedstock for biofuels rather than food or feed. Ultimately they would like to see the new hybrids approved for human consumption as well but that’s another story.

But before that happens they want to see GM crops commercialized for non-food applications like biofuels. Since genetically modified rice can yield more grain per acre it would be preferred as a fuel feedstock. However even with that it would be unlikely that there would not be enough acreage to really make domestic biofuel a viable alternative in Japan. One of the other concerns with modified plants is that when grown in the open they can cross-pollinate with conventional versions, contaminating those as well.

[Source: The Asahi Shimbun]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Last week, I flew over the coast of Greenland at 800 kph. As the northern sun glinted off the aluminum of the wing, I watched the ice floes — at first rare white specks on the Prussian blue sea — grow gradually more numerous until they ran in great streaks of broken ice where the waves were pushing them together. Gradually they grew closer together still, and more studded with icebergs, until in the distance I could see enormous sheets of ice, glowing white and blending on the horizon into clouds and fog. And then, rising steeply up, the mountains of Greenland, masses of ice and snow and dark brown rock. It was like watching a documentary on global warming in reverse. Except it wasn’t. That footage won’t run backwards. I have no idea if massive expanses of broken ice at that location are the norm or unusual at this time of year. But we do know that climate change is driving us towards an ice-free world, more quickly than we expected, and by flying home from Portugal, I was helping fuel that great planetary melting. As symbols, it doesn’t get much better than that: rocketing across the sky in… (more)

(Posted by Alex Steffen in Climate Change at 3:37 PM)