Their philosophy is as simple as their name.

As they say on the OMAOG site, “When we all do one act, we act as one, & help the planet.”

We’ve gathered ten acts of green for our Summer Green Tips.  Enjoy, stay cool, & act green.

1)  Close curtains on hot Summer days.
2)  And open windows on cooler evenings.
3)  Install a solar paneled roof.  (Can’t do that?  Try the other acts below…)
4)  Grow your own vegetables.
5)  Or buy them locally at the farmer’s market (check out the Myrtle Avenue Farm Stand).
6)  Use natural pesticides (like Orange Guard – we have it in the shop).
7)  Use fans instead of the AC (it’ll use about 90% less energy).
8)  Be sure your sun block’s a safe one (the ones we have at Green in BKLYN are super safe).
9)  Use a safe bug repellent (like Don’t Bug Me Bug patches – also at the shop).
10)  Carry & drink plenty of water from a safe, unlined stainless steel water bottle (like Klean Kanteen – they have no BPAs, which plastic & lined bottles do).

Our focus in the shop continues to be on greening the planet & living an eco-friendly life.  But we’re fine tuning that this week to focus on keeping our cool…

So here are some suggestions on how to stay cool.  Low energy style.  Without air conditioning.  Though you can definitely combine them with AC – especially with temps in the triple digits!

1. If you want to get into the outdoors, do it carefully. Usually the early morning & evening are cooled down enough to enjoy your walk, run, hike, bike, gardening or yard work.  Just be sure to stay hydrated while you’re out there!
2. Soak your feet in a bucket of cold water. Or your wrists.  The body radiates heat from the hands, feet, face & ears, so cooling any of these will efficiently cool the body.
3. Put your sweaty self in the path of a cool breeze or fan. Water vapor produced by sweating takes heat away from your body if it’s exposed to air & allowed to evaporate.  So make the fan your friend.
4. Dress – or undress – as is appropriate. Naked, next-to-nothing, natural fibers &/or light colored clothing (which reflects light rather than attracts it) are all options for keeping your cool while choosing your dress.
5. Keep it moving. The air that is…  In the evening, open windows & use fans to create a cross-breeze, circulating cooler evening/night air through the rooms.  When the sun hits your building in the morning, close the windows, shades & doors & keep them closed till it’s cooler outside than in.  PS – Leaving kitchen cabinets open all night helps too.  If you leave them closed, they store heat & your home won’t cool off as much.
6. Turn off electrical heat sources including the stove, incandescent light bulbs & computers.  Don’t use the stove or oven to eat.  If you have to heat your food, use a microwave.  Incandescent light bulbs create heat so switch to compact fluorescents (CFLs).  Turn off lamps, computers, TVS – all that hot stuff – when not in use.
7. Adjust your pilot light.  Or turn it off. If you have a gas stove with pilot lights, make sure they’re set correctly.  Too high & they’ll produce excess heat. Or, just turn the gas off for the summer.
8. Eat spicy food. Spicy food increases perspiration which cools the body as it evaporates.  It can cause an endorphin rush that is lovely & could make you forget about the heat.  Maybe.
9. Try a hint of mint. Slather on lotion with peppermint, shower with peppermint soap or use a minty foot soak.  Mint refreshes the skin & leaves a nice cooling sensation.  It also takes yummy!
10. If all else fails, go to the mall, library, church, movie theater or some other air-conditioned public building.

Every person who purchases a To-Go Ware item at Green in BKLYN, we’ll enter them in a drawing for two free Lilith Fair tickets (for July 31st at PNC Bank Arts Center)!  Including:

• Reusable Bamboo Utensils (fork, knife, spoon, chopsticks)
• 2- & 3-Tier Tiffin Sets (stainless steel stackable food carriers)
• 2- & 3-Tier Tiffin Insulated Carriers (brown or green)
• All Stackable Sidekicks (stainless steel mini carriers)

RePEaT Utensil Sets are made from recycled plastic bottles (RPET) & bamboo.  Each set repurposes one plastic bottle, uses sustainable bamboo & is very stylish!

The Tiffins & Sidekicks are great plastic-free foodware. Stainless.  Stylish.  Stackable.  Sustainable.  Safe & Non-Leaching.  BPA-Free.  Phthalate-Free.  Groovy & amazing.

Reuse.  Repurpose.  Reduce your forkprint.  Review some rockin’ music.  And… RePEaT!

Ones who’ve lived here all their lives or for many years.  And those who’ve just made it into the neighborhood – visiting from out of town (including the other boroughs) or finally making the move into Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene/Bed-Stuy.

When they’re the latter (new neighbors), we have the unofficial welcome to the ‘hood package including:

• Our Green Book: Linking the Green Community
• BrooklynNow Guide: Extraordinary Businesses in the near-city neighborhoods of Brooklyn
• Plenty: The Ultimate Guide to Life & Leisure in Clinton Hill/Fort Greene
• The Hill: Journal of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill & Wallabout

I consider these four resources to be some of the best in covering much of Green in BKLYN’s focus areas… Eco-friendly information, the Borough of Brooklyn & the neighborhoods of Clinton Hill & Fort Greene.

So, if you’re in the shop, ask for copies of their paper versions.  If you’re on-line, check them out there (simply click on their names above).

Either way, enjoy the ‘hood!  We’re in one of the best in the City!

A perfect time to Spring clean & finally get rid of all that electronic waste that’s been cluttering up the entry to your apartment, the feng shui in your home, the mobility in your pad.  Reduce, reuse, recycle & get that junk out of the way…

• What: A Free Electronics Recycling Day
• Date: Saturday, May 8th 2010
• Time: 12-3PM
• Location: PS 107 @ 1301 8th Avenue, Brooklyn 11215
• To Be Recycled: Electronic Equipment (see below)

Electronic equipment that will be accepted includes broken or unwanted computers, monitors, keyboards, PDAs, mouses, cellphones, printers, dvd and cd players, routers, remote controls, stereos, cables).  However, it does NOT include household appliances like TVs, microwave ovens, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc., which will not be accepted.

Sponsored by the Mac Support Store in Brooklyn.  Thanks, folks!

PS – They’re also having a great raffle: Enter the $1 raffle & win a new Apple Mighty Mouse or Mac OS 10.6 “Snow Leopard,” courtesy of The Mac Support Store, Brooklyn’s First Authorized Repair Shop!

At Green in BKLYN, we collect & recycle #5 plastics, cell phones & batteries (

In addition, our blogs include lots of recycling info (just type “recycle” or “recycling” in our Search area for all kinds of info).

And we share info on e-waste recycling events, whenever possible…

This month, in celebration of Earth Day (4/22) there’s a veritable smorgasbord of e-waste recycling options.  Courtesy of the Lower East Side Ecology Center, we offer “The List”.  Reduce, reuse, recycle y’all!

The Ecology Center is holding seven electronic waste (“e-waste”) collections to responsibly recycle unwanted or broken electronics from New York City residents (no business waste).  All you have to do is bring your e-waste to the collection event – rain or shine!

For a list of acceptable materials, click here.  Just remember, no home appliances such as microwaves or refrigerators.

LOCATIONS & DATES:
Union Square (Union Sq. Park North Plaza btw 17th St & Bway)
Sunday, March 28, 10am-4pm

Roosevelt Island (Good Sheperd Plaza @ 543 Main St)
Saturday, April 03, 10am-4pm

Midtown Manhattan (Tekserve – 119 W 23rd St btw 6 & 7 Ave)
Saturday, April 10, 10am-4pm

Jackson Heights, Queens (Travers Park – 78th St btw N Blvd & 34th Ave)
Sunday, April 11, 10am-4pm

Fort Greene, Brooklyn (Habana Outpost – South Portland Ave & Fulton St)
Saturday, April 17, 10am-4pm

West Harlem (Morningside Park – Morningside Ave btw 113th & 114th St)
Sunday, April 18, 10am-4pm

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (PS 29 School Yard – Baltic St btw Henry & Clinton St)
Sunday, April 25, 10am-4pm

Recently I received an email from Sarah, at myearthhour.org.  She reminded me that Earth Hour was on March 27th this year.  And asked me to remind Green in BKLYN’s customers & blog readers.

What is Earth Hour & when is it?  Let me let their website explain…

1. What is Earth Hour?

• Earth Hour is World Wildlife Fund’s global initiative where individuals, schools, organizations, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to cast a vote in favor of action on climate change. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants send a powerful, visual message demanding action on climate change.

• Earth Hour is the largest climate event in history. In 2009, more than 4,000 cities in 87 countries went dark. Here in the United States, and estimated 80 million Americans participated, along with 318 cities and 8 US states.

• Participants in this movement are encouraged invite friends and family to take action, and incorporate ideas and solutions for combating climate change into their daily lives.

2. When is the next Earth Hour?
Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time.

3. What is in store for Earth Hour 2010?
On Saturday, March 27th 2010 at 8:30 p.m. hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour, symbolically calling for action on climate change. In the United States, WWF is looking for continued support from the hundreds of local governments, communities and business, as well as the tens of millions of Americans who voted with their light switch during Earth Hour 09.

4. What happened during Earth Hour in 2009?

• In 2009, hundreds of millions of people in more than 4,000 cities in 87 countries on seven continents participated. In the U.S., 80 million Americans, 318 cities and eight states officially turned off their lights for Earth Hour including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and San Francisco.

• They were joined by iconic landmarks from around the world including the Las Vegas Strip, NY’s Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, UN headquarters, and Broadway theater marquees, Golden Gate Bridge, Seattle’s Space Needle, Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple in Salt Lake City, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Sears Tower, the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Thomas Edison’s New Jersey laboratory (the birthplace of the light bulb), the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London, Paris’ Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower, Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube, Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong, Sydney’s Opera House and Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

• Oscar nominated actor Edward Norton Jr. was the official ambassador for Earth Hour 2009 with support from Nobel Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actresses Janeane Garofalo and Jennette McCurdy, fashionistas Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, as well as musicians Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Coldplay, Jo Dee Messina, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Mary Mary, Dierks Bently, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Lady Antebellum, SHeDAISY, Finger Eleven, Simple Plan, Justin Nozuka, The Veronicas and Rise Against.

5. How can I encourage friends and family to join the fight against climate change?
Through www.EarthHour.org we’ve made it easy for you to invite your friends and family to join in the fight against climate change.

Join us joining millions others on March 27th at 8:30pm – Earth Hour 2010!

Reprinted from LOHAS, the following information by Patty James includes small suggestions for big change…  Fifty-two simple ways to be healthier… One a week?  Sounds doable…  Here’s to our health – salud, y’all!

According to an annual survey, over 100 million people at the beginning of each year vow to make improvements to their life, most dealing with various aspects of their health.  Whether it is to lose those pesky ten pounds, cut out the junk food or quit a nasty habit, four out of every five people who try to make those changes fail to keep at them.

Big changes are often daunting & hard to fold into your everyday life; they are simply not sustainable.  Try a new healthy habit a week.  These are small changes that can make a big impact on not only your health but the environment’s health as well.

1.     Drink 8 glasses of pure water a day.
2.     Get rid of any junk food in your house.  If it’s not there, don’t go get it.
3.     Limit your caffeine intake: 1-2 cups of coffee a day.
4.     Plan your weekly meals on your day off.
5.     Spend 30 minutes twice a week cutting up fresh veggies to have them ready at all times.
6.     Keep seasonal fruit at home & eat it when you’re hungry or when a sweet tooth strikes.
7.     Substitute raw nuts & seeds for processed granola bars.
8.     Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach; it’s hard on your stomach & burns up B vitamins.
9.     Eat raw vegetables every day.  Raw veggies contain important enzymes that can be lost when they’re cooked.
10.   Purchase as much of your food organic as you can.  Your body will appreciate it as will our planet.
11.   Next time you make cookies or cake, substitute half of the butter with applesauce, pumpkin or prune puree.  Less fat; more nutrients.
12.   Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
13.   Vary your food; if you eat it today, don’t eat it for 4 days.
14.   Different colored food has different nutrients, so eat from the rainbow.  Red peppers, orange carrots, green kale, etc.
15.   Thicken soups with pureed beans.  Delicious & added nutrition.
16.   Don’t drink water from plastic bottles.  Polycarbonate water bottles (labeled #7) contain bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic & has been linked to chromosome damage & hormone disruption.
17.   Start your day with a glass of fresh lemon water – 1/2 to 1 juiced lemon in water. Your liver loves it.
18.   De-stress.  Find out what works for you.  Warm baths?  Exercise?  Reading?  Yoga?  Walks in the woods?  Find out what calms & soothes you & practice daily.
19.   Move daily.  Find the movement that moves your body & eases your mind & make it a part of who you are.  If you enjoy it, you will do it.
20.   Eat at a table, cloth napkin on your lap & chew well.  Be thankful.
21.   Next time you want scrambled eggs (or tofu), sauté some veggies first, then add eggs.  Try eating your veggies all day!
22.   Dry brush your skin before you shower in the morning.  It’s good for your lymphatic system & your skin will be so much softer & healthier.
23.   Have at least one day a week without meat.  Meatless Monday perhaps.
24.   Eat more beans!  They’re high in protein, dietary fiber & taste so good.
25.   Use whole grain flour in your baking instead of white flour.  Whole-wheat pastry flour is a fine grind &  much healthier than the white stuff.
26.   Remove white sugar from your diet or at least limit it.  Use maple syrup, honey, agave or stevia instead.
27.   Don’t eat fake food! No artificial anything!
28.   Don’t eat out as much. Cook more.
29.   Exercise your mind!  Learn a new dance, read a good book.  Learn a new language.  Keep your mind moving as well as your body.
30.   Learn to communicate better.  Speak your mind, kindly & be done with it.  Don’t hold grudges.  Forgive yourself & others.
31.   Make your own vinaigrette for your salads.  Olive &/or flax oil, lemon juice or vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a minced garlic clove & a little salt and pepper.
32.   Use sea salt instead of the highly processed salt you find in many grocery stores.
33.   Reduce salt intake.  Use fresh herbs & lemon juice to boost flavor.
34.   Try to stay off computers & away from anything electronic two hours before bed for a better night’s sleep.
35.   Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
36.   Switch to whole wheat, corn or quinoa pasta (there are many selections) instead of pasta that uses refined flour.
37.   Don’t eat or drink any food with trans-fat.  Watch those non-dairy creamers!
38.   Add more leafy greens to your life-kale, chard, spinach, radicchio, etc.  They are wonder foods!  Steam the greens for a couple minutes, drain & set aside.  In a pan sauté some onions, garlic & shitake mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes.  Add the kale back in, stir & serve.  Yum.
39.   Use less cheese in casseroles that call for cheese.  Instead sprinkle grated cheese on top.
40.   Begin each day with a good stretch & some deep breaths.
41.   Try new ingredients.  Buy a kohlrabi or something you’ve never tried before & go from there.  Keep yourself inspired.
42.   Don’t reward yourself or your family with food.
43.   Try to eat whatever food is in season; it’s more nutritious & tastes better.
44.   Don’t go hungry.  Eat healthy snacks so you don’t overeat later.
45.   Watch what you put on your skin.  Many products are loaded with chemicals that you shouldn’t rub into your skin.
46.   Bake instead of frying your meats & fish.
47.   Increase Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.  Sources include walnuts, flax seeds & oil & cold water fish such as salmon.  Healthy fats are important to good health.
48.   Increase your intake of legumes: lentil, beans & peas. They are good sources of protein, dietary fiber & blood sugar regulators.  Try split pea or lentil soup for breakfast!  Think outside the box.
49.   Take supplements.  Begin with a good multivitamin & speak with your health practitioner about others that may be needed for your optimum health.
50.   Watch your portion sizes as well as your plate & utensil sizes.  Some forks & spoons look like garden utensils.  Try chopsticks & eat slowly.
51.   Shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store.  Most of the more processed foods are located in the middle isles.
52.   Play!  Everyone needs to have fun!

1.  Make Your Own Card. Valentine’s Day ranks right up there with Christmas for card giving.  This year, how about trying something new?  Make your own cards using recycled paper!  It’s easy, fun, reduces wasted paper & gives a card an extra special touch!  Visit www.wikihow.com/Make-Paper for directions.

2.  Buy a Plant instead of giving cut flowers. Instead of cut flowers that get thrown away after a week, give the whole plant!  It’s a gift that keep on giving.  For an easier to care for option, ask for plants local to your region.

3.  Massage & Body Oils. A gift to share!  Organic body oils calm the nervous system, improve the circulation and tone the skin with great glide for perfect massages.  Have some fun and enjoy silky, smooth, healthy skin to boot!

4.  Find a restaurant that supports locally grown and/or organics foods. At localharvest.org find a restaurant that supports local, seasonal & organic foods.

5.  Reuse an old picture frame. Turn a great picture of you and your sweetie into an eco-conscience gift.  Use an old frame that’s lying around taking up space.  Clean it up & put some new life into it with a new picture.  Or, make your own frame from recycled materials.  Learn How.

6.  Travel the eco-friendly way.  Going away for a romantic weekend?  Find a hotel that’s eco-friendly at www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/. If you’re traveling somewhere to celebrate the occasion, consider offsetting your carbon emissions at Native Energy.

With the holidays upon us, many people are stopping in the shop asking for gift suggestions.  And though we know the holidays are more than the sum of the booty you git under the tree, menorah or kinara we thought it would be helpful to share our Gift Suggestions.

When you stop in the shop, we’re happy to help you make a selection or you can grab a handy “Wish List” for the ladies, fellas, tweens or wee ones in your life… We’ve reprinted a few of our favorites below.  Needless to say, you can pick them up at Green in BKLYN.  Oh, & we can gift wrap them, if you’d like!

Ladies:

• Michelle Obama Shopper
• Vintage Knitting Needle Bangle
• Recycled Inner Tube Purse
• Felted Soap
• Organic Cotton Sheets

Wee Ones:

• Felted Wool Chicks, Duckies & Bunnies
• Green Magic Kit
• Paper Bag Fleece Hat
• Frog Spud Bib
• Wooden ABC Blocks with Pull Cart

Tweens:

• Water Powered Alarm Clock
• Perpetual Puzzle Calendar
• “Double Dog Dare You” Wish Necklace
• Magic Thai Cartoon Wallet
• Solar Powered Recharger
• Tiffin with Carrier & Bamboo Utensils

Fellas:

• SodaStream Seltzer & Soda Maker
• Recycled Inner Tube Wallet
• Bamboo Compost Pail
• Red Stripe Beer Glasses (set of 4)
• Solar Powered Backpack