Avon Calls for a Green Makeover

 By Adam Aston – Q&A with director of corporate responsibility Susan Arnot Heaney

The first “Avon Lady” started knocking on doors in New Hampshire back in 1886, selling beauty products directly to her friends and neighbors. The door-to-door approach may seem familiar — even quaint — today, but it was groundbreaking at a time when women had few job options outside the farm or factory and rarely owned or ran their own businesses. By offering credit, products, and sales support, Avon created the possibility for them to do so. By the turn of the century, the ranks of Avon Ladies surpassed 5,000. … Continue Reading

Going Green for Your Driveway

Franke James DIY Green Driveway Project

by Chris Keenan – Permeable driveways have always fascinated me. Well, maybe not when I was a kid and loved to skateboard. They help to absorb runoff, recharge aquifers, and naturally filter water on its way to the river outfall, lake, or ocean, vastly helping water quality. It reduces flood dangers and lessens the need for obtrusive storm channels and drains. Furthermore, it aids in the heat island effect, which is when the sun’s heat is stored in the asphalt and concrete of urban areas. This helps to trap heat and alter the area’s general climate. … Continue Reading

Maynard named green community – Massachusettes

Green Living on Campus – Opening Fall 2012

Prescott College - Newly designed prototype of campus courtyard

Just as growth in nature is perceived as beautiful and healthy, so too can growth in the built environment be considered both productive and beneficial when pursued with the ideals of social and environmental sustainability.

True Community

Freshman-year students will be living and studying with like-minded peers who share their same interests. Students have shared courses with the other Village community members during their freshman year fostering bonds that can last a lifetime. Peer mentors, faculty and Student Life staff will all work to support students during their transitional year at Prescott College. … Continue Reading

No-Fuss Green Living Intended For Metro Dwellers

Green living is an option that many are turning to.

by Diva – We all reside on earth and there isnt an additional one. Everybody was born here, existed here, and will certainly die here. Our kids, as well as their sons and daughters, will likewise live their lives on this planet. Certainly these reasons single-handedly should encourage most men and women to live a greener lifestyle. The removal of forests and animal extinction are a few of the ways that we humans have damaged our earth. We hear about this all the time, on TV and in tabloids so its about time we actually did something about it. … Continue Reading

Making Green Living An Everyday Habit

Part of an eco lifestyle is eating healthy, using green transportation when possible, participating in green efforts, and saving energy in any and every way possible.

We all know that planet Earth is becoming more polluted annually. In order to reduce the planet’s pollution level, a lot of people are turning to a green lifestyle. Living green is an extremely personal decision that every last person on Earth should decide on their own. The reputation of people who live green is incessantly tested due to the radical people that you see all over the news. There are numerous ways to begin living green without overdoing it and becoming a hardcore fanatic. Not everyone has to make use of solar power or construct a wind turbine to generate heat and electricity. If you decide to begin following a green way of life, you can start by taking little steps; you don’t have to do everything right away. And if you instruct your children these little things, it will become second nature to them, and it will continue to help the Earth for generations to come. … Continue Reading

Smart Tips for Eco-friendly, Cost-effective Shipping

Shipping is the lifeblood of the modern economy, vital for businesses to stay active and meet the demands of their clients. Often, in the rush to get products out, shippers will overlook practices which may be considered greener, for shipping practices that are easier because “it’s the way it has always been done.”

In a world of limited resources, this is an attitude that businesses will have to get away from. It will become ever more important to choose environmentally-friendly shipping practices while also keeping costs down. Here are a few tips in the right direction. … Continue Reading

Study claims solar power is more viable than ever

50kw of solar, enough to power 10 to 20 homes.

by Chris Nova - Many analysts claim that solar power for the masses is simply not cost effective, and therefore not a realistic option for most power requirements. However, a recent study conducted at Queen’s University and published in the December edition of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews concludes the public isn’t properly informed about the viability of solar photovoltaic energy.

“Many analysts project a higher cost for solar photovoltaic energy because they don’t consider recent technological advancements and price reductions,” says Joshua Pearce, Adjunct Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

“Older models for determining solar photovoltaic energy costs are too conservative.”

Pearce believes solar photovoltaic systems are being innovated to the point where they are practically capable of generating energy at the same cost as more traditional sources of energy.

Obviously, there are multiple factors used to determine the cost of solar photovoltaic systems for consumers, including installation and maintenance costs, finance charges, the life expectancy of the system, and the amount of electricity it generates.

The problem, Pearce says, is that some analytical studies don’t consider the impressive 70% reduction in the cost of solar panels since 2009. Additionally, research now shows the productivity of the top solar panels only drops between 0.1 and 0.2 percent annually. This is much less than the one percent used in most cost analyses.   Continue reading more…