Biome+You is About Me and You Making a Change.

As I attend events promoting sustainability and our planet, I find myself rethinking what place Biome+You has in inciting change and advocacy. Tonight I realized that the majority of the apathy surrounding climate change is driven by the use of 'The Planet' as this third party that could use our help, when the reality of the situation is that we are an "infant species that is consuming resources in unprecedented proportions. We treat nature as a limitless commodity." (The 11th Hour) The planet has all the time in the world to 'fix' itself, but we don't.

I just finished watching the documentary, The 11th Hour, and found myself feeling as jolted as I did five years ago when I saw Who Killed the Electric Car, another great documentary.

This piece is a jostling record of the expletive that is our life. I want to tread lightly and give a balanced review of this work, so I will include some resources at the end of this post so you can read reviews from both skeptics and supporters.

The 11th Hour goes through great lengths to avoid the Doomsday rhetoric that inundates similar works. This is evident in their appeal to human sensibility, and its reliance on scientific study and tangible measures instead of the hazy abstractions of melting ice caps and burning forests. I take issue with the pace of the film as I had to rewind about twenty times to digest the gems of information and quotes sewn throughout this film.

Examples:

"Media, technology and services thrive when we free ourselves of fossil fuels. Energy independence allows us to divert our economies to the production of goods and services devoid from the perversions of petroleum lobbyists and agendas."

Akin to the ideals of Who Killed the Electric Car, "Open Energy Competition between dirty and clean fuels would yield more accurate reflections of public opinion then what we see today."

"Every time you buy something, you are voting...making the decision that you accept how this product has been created..."

"Things are the thieves of time...The more you have, the more you have to work and consume to maintain it."

"You can never have enough of what you don't know...consuming to fill a void in awareness."

In all, The 11th Hour is a call to action. An alarm has been sounded. We need to stop debating about whether or not our environment is changing, and make a concerted effort to change even the most granular facets of our lives to do more with less. Even if you're a skeptic about global warming, the worst that could happen from assuming sustainable practices would be an overabundance of resources.

Watch the film in bite-sized portions and take note. Changes in legislation and social norms start with your 'vote, every time you choose to put something in and around your body.

NY Times Review

RottenTomatoes.com Reviews

The 11th Hour Trailer

Funerals are killing the planet!

ETERNAL REEFS

The traditional funeral is killing the planet. This may be a morbid topic but an important and often overlooked facet of our lives.

For years, we have been expending tons of energy to lay our loved ones to rest in a hazardous way; unbeknownst to us. "827,060 gallons of embalming fluid is buried in the United States each year. The main danger of embalming fluid is to the embalmer and those that manufacture the fluid since it had been known to cause cancer." - Drinking Grandma. Cremation releases mercury into the ground and air, not to mention the cost of the traditional options ($10k and up).

Eternal Reefs is one of the more creative alternatives I have seen to the traditional burial. There are also natural burials and sustainable cemetery options available on the Eternal Reefs website.

Check out the information below and help create a sustainable planet.

See a list of alternatives at www.eternalreefs.com

Eternal Reefs on Fox News

Get Lit!

Eco fashion can keep you charged no matter what the weather. The Ultimate Green Store has all the latest in products to support a sustainable lifestyle.

Get out there and shop!

Go Green Expo | Jao Packs The POW!

Gale Mayron, alongside her father David, have unlocked the ancient secrets of Roman conquerors to ward off evil spirits and keep clean and moisturized at the same time. Jao is a line of bath and body products that uses no dyes, petroleum or artificial fragrances. I've used the moisturizer and hand-sanitizer for about a year now and have never looked back. This stuff lasts a long time because very little goes a long way. There is no dry, sticky feeling or chemical aroma. Clean doesn't have to feel that way : )

I could go on and on about the blissful scent of eucalyptus in this product, but I'll let Gale share her two-cents. Check out the video below and watch me cure my ashy elbows while Gale shares the story behind Jao.

Find Jao Products at a store near you.

Go Green Expo | KABS Electric Bicycles

I was introduced to KABS Electric Bicycles by Tai Ajani at NYC's Go Green Expo 2010. KABS are hybrid electric bicycles that allow you to commute to work and run errands around town with a single charge of the 10Amp 48Volt onboard battery. You'll be able to travel 40miles per charge at break-neck speeds of 20MPH. - The average person travels 33.4miles/day.

Find more electric bikes and mobility HERE.

Going Green, A Crappy Situation

Go Green Expo Entry 1: Mr. Ellie Pooh

This beautiful display caught my eye at the Go Green Expo.

This paper company is taking fare-trade to the next level. They have created fantastic stationary and books for the Eco-Masses. What's even more enticing is the story behind the paper. "These products are 100% handcrafted, 100% recycled, 75% dung but most of all, 100% fun." Yes, you read correctly; 75% dung - elephant pooh to be precise. Elephant pooh, pooh being the technical term, is a prime candidate for extracting paper because elephants eat such a healthy and fibrous diet.

Buying paper products from Mr. Ellie Pooh supports the jobs and families of the workers who make the paper in Sri Lanka.

Check out the media below for more information on the PPP (Poop Paper Process).

Mr. Ellie Pooh

Go Tufts Jumbos!

Leave It Better Than You Found It...

Do you remember playing with Legos in first grade or being in an elementary school art class? I'm still in that environment, but that's not the point : ) In these wonder years, your parents and teachers tried to instill in you a sense of responsibility for the things you used and the spaces you were in. "You should always leave it better than you found it!" my granny would say.

I think that meme still rings true today in a different way. As adults, we need to unclutter our lives, "empty our backpacks" - Gotta see Up In The Air.

But Steve, how do we do this? (@marquesstewart)

I have no idea, but I have found some inspiring examples of people trying to live simply while having minimal impact on the planet. They not only clean up their rooms, but they clean up their community and in-turn, the world we live in. I found it fitting that I plug the documentary, No Impact Man. This is the story of Colin Beavan's, no impact, family project. I appreciate this film because it shoes both extreme consumption and environmentalism while inciting a discussion on finding a middle ground.

I'm not expert, and certainly don't want to impose lifestyles on anyone. I take these examples and draw from them the greater habits that are involved in using less. I wouldn't give advice that I wouldn't follow myself, so my fiance and I will be working on doing our own impact experiment. It can be something as simple as no television for a week then gradually incorporating things like candles, instead of lights. I don't know what the best scenario is for you, but every bit makes a difference. Eliminating the extras or distractions may encourage family interactions that you never thought possible.

10 Things You Can Do

We don't have to throw our televisions out the window and make butter at home to reduce our impact, but in the process, you may learn to appreciate the nuances of your environment. - The rare glimmer of a star you may see through the haze of New York City's night sky.

Join others in the 1Week No Impact Experience

No Impact Man Trailer