Farewell Chicago

As we bid Detox Chicago a fond farewell, we'd like to give a shout-out to our wonderful advocates. Four fantastic females allowed us to throw parties in their homes for a few of their friends. We stashed method in bookcases, bathrooms, and little nooks and crannies. Cocktails flowed and we got a chance to talk to people about everything from design to environmental responsibility. Everyone walked away with a plastic bag rehab tote stuffed with products and surprises; and hopefully a better understanding of every aspect of method. There's nothing better than getting the chance to tell why we do what we do.

- method advocacy team

Stop drafts from leaking in this Fall

Danny Seo, eco-guru extraordinaire, is full of great ideas especially when it comes to going green. Check out one of his clever tips below on going green this fall.

Going green this Fall isn't just good for Mother Earth, it can help save you money, too. Give the tip below a try and let us know what you think.

BE A DRAFT DODGER.

Winter Warm-Up Week: Keep the blustery cold air outdoors by stopping drafts at windows and doors. Place a draft dodger (a long fabric tube) along the edges where cold seeps inside to stop it in its tracks; you can find them at www.gaiam.com or stores like Bed Bath & Beyond. The draft dodger helps to keep your house warmer without turning up the heat which is both costly for the environment and your wallet.

For smaller windows, you can make your own dodger. Just fill a large sock (like an athletic sock) with pebbles, tie a a knot at the end, and place.

Announcing the winners of our skinny dipping story contest!

A couple of weeks ago we wrote here about our new line of personal care products, Marine Naturals.  Since it was inspired by the refreshing feeling of skinny dipping, we thought what better entertainment value could we get than to have people submit their favorite skinny dipping stories and pick the best one?

Well, we couldn't do it.  Pick one, that is.  We couldn't choose, so we had to pick two.  So Caitlin of Massachusetts and Maria of British Columbia are both getting a free Marine Naturals body wash and a free gel hand wash!  Read their skinny dipping tales after the jump.

(photo copyright Joakim Jansson via flickr.com)

California steps in the right direction with the new Green Chemistry Initiative

Recently the California Green Chemistry Initiative was signed by the Governator, creating the most comprehensive framework in the country for the regulation of toxic chemicals. Though it stops well short of requiring the use of green chemistry in all products made and sold in California, the Initiative does give the state much better abilities to police the worst actors amongst chemicals and products.

We are big supporters of green chemistry. Its concepts inform our product development process, and we’ve been proactive about promoting green chemistry on a wider basis in industry and public policy. We are members of the glamorous group known as the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council, and our co-founder Adam Lowry even spent some time at the State Assembly in Sacramento earlier this year talking about the ability of business to make great, innovative products using green chemistry.

Cheers to the California legislature for its groundbreaking work, and here’s to hoping the example is followed by other states.

Sipping sustainably in Chicago

While Detox Chicago is in full swing, we have to admit we've been partying it up at night. Our partner in crime, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, who brought along her "sustainable sips" to all our Detox events this year, came out again to join us in Chicago and we couldn't be happier. Her "sustainable sips" are a hit and even better, are all made with organic juices and liquors. We're sharing her "Green and White Fall Sangria" recipe we made this week below. And if you think that looks great, be sure to check out her other recipes here.

Green and White Fall Sangria

Organic seasonal fruits (we used apples, pears, figs and grapes)
Purus organic vodka
Veev acai liqueur
Lavender honey
Organic peach juice
Bonterra organic chardonnay

Finely chop fruit into a bowl or Tupperware container. Drizzle with honey then add a half-inch of each peach juice and vodka. Let marinate several hours. When ready to serve, spoon one tablespoon of fruit mixture into each glass, and top with Bonterra. Garnish with strawberry on the rim of the glass.

To learn more about Natalie, the Liquid Muse, visit her website at www.theliquidmuse.com.

Decoding numbers on plastic containers

Awhile back, we asked you to send in any questions you had for our very own greenskeepers and designers. In return, we promised to take your questions and answer them right here. Here’s a great question we thought we'd tackle first.

Q:
What is the difference between all those different plastic ratings? For recycling, what should people do with non-rated plastic? And are the caps and lids of bottles considered different or the same rating, and can they be recycled the same way as the bottle?

A:
Good question about recycled plastic. The numbers are actually a plastic identification code that specifies what material a given plastic package is made from. It’s easy to assume it’s an indicator of quality of recyclability, but it isn’t. Here’s a quick list of what each code stands for.

PET - 1 (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – used mostly for clarity and toughness. Commonly used for water bottles and food jars.

HDPE - 2 (High Density Polyethylene) – used mostly for strength and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for milk bottles and shopping bags.

PVC - 3 (Polyvinyl Chloride) – used mostly for versatility and strength. Commonly used for juice bottles, shrink wrap and PVC piping.

LDPE - 4 (Low Density Polyethylene) – used mostly for ease of sealing and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for freezer food bags and toothpaste bottles.

PP - 5 (Polypropylene) – used mostly for resistance to heat and resistance to moisture. Commonly used for microwavable ware and disposable cups and plates.

PS - 6 (Polystyrene) – used mostly for ease of usability.  Commonly used for egg cartons and disposable flatware.

7 (other) – Commonly used for electronic casings.

It’s true that very often, recycled plastic is used to make low-quality products (such as speed bumps and plastic lumber). And unfortunately, plastic that isn’t rated won't get recycled and should get tossed in the trash. It's important to check all your plastic before tossing it in the trash because there's nothing worse than tossing something away that has a chance at an afterlife. Most municipal recycling centers accept #1, 2, 4, and 5 coded plastics (method bottles are primarily #1 and 2) but it’s a good idea to always check with your own local municipal recycling center to see what they accept and learn where you can send off the plastics they don’t accept. Many caps, closures and triggers are plastic #5, PP, and could be recycled in your municipality, so it's worth checking out.

For more detailed information on the plastic codes, check out Wikipedia who has more information about the plastic identification code. To know what to compost, recycle vs. trash, use the handy chart below. It's something we've posted in our own kitchen to make knowing what goes in what bin, a little easier. Just know, this chart is best suited for our own San Francisco's Waste System, but it's still a good general guideline for every where else in the country.

A Simple Way to Lower Heating Costs

Growing up, I remember my father walking into little used rooms---the guest room, the study---and shutting closed the vents in each room.   It turns out he was trying to restrict the flow of warm air into these barely inhabited rooms to divert the heat into rooms that we were in.

If your home runs on a central heating system, this is a great way to bring more heat into your home without having to actually raise the thermostat. In fact, you may find that once you close the vents on several rooms, you may be able to lower the temperature if the other rooms get too warm.

But when weekend guests do show up, do your best to not only open the vents to warm up their room, but also do one simple thing to help keep the air clean, too.   Be sure to wipe down the vents with a damp towel to pick up all the collected dust and debris that’s rested on top of the vents. If left undusted, the heat can re-circulate the dust right into the air. Achoo!