January 3rd at 11 a.m. "Right To Dry" Hearing HB 1523 with the Municipal and County Government Committee in room 301 at the Legislative Office Building behind the State House. The public is welcome to show their support for the right to dry your laundry outside. Please help this cause.

January 17th at 5 p.m. "Wood Pellet Heating workshop" presented by Charles Niebling with information from A-Z about wood pellets here at RGG.

"The Story of Stuff"
presents a lot to think
about with a fact-filled
look at our world that
may change the way you
look at stuff forever.

Story of Stuff  

New Green Gifts!

More green gift ideas at RGG - 2008 Lunar Phase Calendars made locally from 100% post-consumer recycled paper, organic cotton kitchen towels with matching dishcloths and potholders in six lovely earth-tone shades, and locally made organic grapevine Peace Wreaths that can be used year round - the epitome of sustainable.

    'Tis the Season! We are thankful to all of our customers during this time of environmental change as we make every effort to offer greener choices. As consumers we vote for change with our dollars as we choose where to shop. Responsible Shopper is the website where responsible shoppers may visit to find companies listed with documentation alerting the public about the social and environmental impacts of major corporations.

     During this season of increased card sending, we are pleased to devote a section of this newsletter to guest writer, Phil Riebel, founder and president of Carbon-free Cards, Inc., who has provided the information that follows:

    Did you know Americans buy 7 billion greeting cards per year? (1.9 billion cards sent during the holidays alone uses 300,000 trees. Holiday ribbon thrown away equals 38,000 miles.) Can you imagine the benefits to the planet if these cards were produced to have a low environmental footprint? Think of the life-cycle of paper and all of its associated environmental impacts. Here are a few ideas that make a difference:

     · Is it manufactured by a company with a good sustainability program? Transparent companies explain what they do, good examples being Upm-Kymmene and SCA, both selected as leaders in the industry based on the WWF (World Wildlife Foundation) Paper Scorecard and Guide to Buying Green Paper, found at Panda.org 

     · Look for eco-labels on the products denoting responsible manufacturing including sustainable forestry and low impacts to air, water, and landfills: FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative), and PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), EU Flower logo (European Union), and EcoLogo.

     · Don't assume that paper made with recycled content is better! Some grades with recycled content actually have a higher environmental footprint than grades made from wood.

     ·  ALWAYS RECYCLE PAPER. It is a valuable raw material for making many grades of paper (cardboard, paperboard, newsprint). The U.S. still landfills 45% of its paper, whereas Germany and Finland are at 20%.  

     ·  The global fiber cycle needs both wood and recycled fiber to work. At least 40% wood fiber is needed, preferably from responsibly managed forests.

     ·  Finally, look for companies with a low carbon footprint meaning they have a good climate change strategy, carbon-neutral energy, and low reliance on fossil fuels.

A product that considers the above principles is our line of beautiful Carbon-free Cards at Products. For each card sold, a tree is planted.

      For a greener holiday season this year, we should practice what we have heard over and over again: reduce, reuse, and recycle. REDUCE the quantity of gifts and go for quality. Avoid disposable products and over packaging. Reduce energy consumption by switching to LED Christmas lights. Reduce or eliminate paper and plastic products. REUSE gift wrappings, bags, and ribbon. Reuse shopping bags and carry reusable totes in your car. Reuse foil and plastic in the kitchen, replant a live Christmas tree. RECYCLE all paper, boxes, packing peanuts, plastics, and metals. Recycle a Christmas tree by mulching. Buy items made from recycled materials.

       The New Year appropriately ends the holiday season, a perfect time to turn over a new green leaf. There are many shades of green as we resolve to tread more lightly, the goal to become greener than we already are.

   During this charitable time of the year, consider giving to local environmental organizations. Other organizations may be found on our website:  Learning Links

Special Note - RGG will close at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve and at 3 p.m. New Year's Eve. We will be closed Christmas and New Year's Day.

Thank you for reading and for caring about the environment. And, as we say at Real Green Goods.

Have a Green Day!™ 

Sincerely,
All of us from Real Green Goods