St. Patricks’ Day this week turned cities green literally – from landmarks to libations. But how green have major metro areas around the U.S. been throughout the year? The American Cities Business Journal group has released a new study on the matter.

Their inaugural Green Cities Index examined 43 U.S. cities, and ranked them based on 20 criteria encompassing residents’ environmental behavior, cities’ use or abuse of land and water, and presence of a variety of environment related projects and industries. The Green Cities Index 2010 survey results have …

Tags: austin , boston , EcoMeme , Energy Star , Energy Star label , green cities index , green jobs , green living , greensboro , honolulu , houston , lora kolodny , Portland , San Francisco , smarter cities , sustainable city , water pollution

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You haven’t replaced that water-sucking front lawn with organic vegetables to share with neighbors, begun hang drying your laundry out by the Infinity pool or sewing your own reusable tampons in your craft room. BFD! You don’t have to be a card carrying member of the Earth Liberation Front to be going green.

We all go there differently. Some, by living the little tree house on the Prairie life; others put themselves on the front lines to brave the political battle of solving climate change; and then there …

Tags: eco friendly lifestyle , family , green consumer , green living , green parenting , green quiz , gruppies , how green is whole foods , middle class , organic gardening , reusable tampons , yuppies

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Anyone who subscribes the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) philosophy will appreciate the results of this new study recently completed by Thomas Dietz and his colleagues at Michigan State University.

In a first of its kind study, the researchers examined the potential emissions reduction (PER) of 17 well-known energy saving actions that individuals already do or could do without any major lifestyle disruption and minimal to little damage to the wallet.

What they found was that if these 17 simple household actions were universally adopted by Americans, US carbon emissions could …

Tags: carbon emission reduction , carbon emissions , green actions , green living , household actions to reduce carbon emissions , reducing carbon emissions

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It’s a question we may hear asked more and more. Judges in England recently had to decide whether green beliefs have the same rights and protections as religious or philosophical beliefs.

The case in question is between an environmentalist, Tim Nicholson, who claims he was unfairly dismissed because of his “philosophical belief about climate change and the environment,” and his former employer, Grainger plc, who maintains that the dismissal was based “Solely by the operational needs of the company during a period of extraordinary market turbulence.”

Nicholson, who says his green beliefs …

Tags: green beliefs , green living , green living and employment , green rights , sacked for green beliefs

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You know what it’s like to live green. You eat organic food, carry a reusable bag to the grocery store and haven’t touched a plastic bottle to your lips since before Obama had a White House address. But living green in a brown world is tough.

For example, maybe you can’t find a favorite organic wine at the farmer’s market, so you visit a huge supermarket chain. Can you still find the greenest wine, and if so, who has the most organic, dry-farm and sustainable grapes? Has your head exploded yet?

Not …

Tags: carbon footprint , environment , green living , guide , lifestyle

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I’ve been walking my suburban San Francisco neighborhood for 13 years now, first as a newly married in jogging apparel, then as a new mom pushing a carriage, then one pushing a double umbrella stroller, and now, as an old mom yanking on a pug dog’s leash as I hike the steep hills. I’ve observed a happy change evolving in the landscape, from estates with thirsty sprawling lawns graced with European cottage-style gardens to inventive green designs using rocks or wild grasses as ground cover and gorgeous compositions …

Tags: climate , garden , green , green living , plants , reduce , water , weather

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BlackBerries, legal pads and architectural blueprints don’t sound like the usual items one would find Nuns gathered around. But then, the Episcopal sisters of the Community of the Holy Spirit in New York City have never been ones to follow the trend. They are, instead trend makers, especially with their newest mission – the building of a green convent. And I”˜m not talking green paint here.

These nuns are totally focused on ensuring that the environmental impact of this convent will be as minimal as possible. Having hired Chelsea based …

Tags: eco-convent , green convent , green living

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There’s nothing I like more than checking the mailbox and discovering a magazine or two. But it’s not the greenest read around. So I did a little Googling and discovered there are plenty of digital
magazines available to keep me reading for an eternity. And many are free.

Canada-based Green Living Magazine is a quarterly magazine that offers celebrity profiles, engaging features and departments on natural beauty, eco fashion, fitness and active lifestyles, organic food, earth-friendly green gifts, eco heroes and tips for a healthy home.

Eco …

Tags: eco , free , going green , green living , magazine , tips

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