Articles Written by Beth Funari

Yesterday, environmentalists (along with most of America) listened with keen interest as our 44th President addressed the nation. President Obama made several comments to stress his resolve to combat climate change. Some highlights from his speech: Obama said, “We will build...

Philly is clearly psyched for the NFC championship game this Sunday. Personally, I’ll be watching, wearing my lucky jersey, drinking out of my lucky glass and cheering HARD! Another thing fans should be pleased about is the team’s green efforts. The eagles were the first professional sports organization to launch an environmental initiative. In 2003, the Eagles started the Go Green campaign. Some of the programs highlights to-date include:

Slow or clogged drain? Drano may seem like a good quick fix but it's full of nasty chemicals like sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is a man-made chemical that can easily burn the skin and throat if contact is made. But is there a safe alternative to drano? Here's a simple home remedy that's a safe alternative to drano and made from ingredients you likely have lying around the house:

A positive change is in effect for Philadelphia’s recycling program - Philadelphia residents can now recycle every week on the same day as their neighborhood trash collection day. This change is much more convenient for Philly dwellers. Gone are the days of trying to remember what two weeks of the month recycling pick-up falls on. Mayor Nutter’s administration's new policy is an indication that they've held true to their vow to improve Philadelphia’s recycling. Since the introduction of city-wide single-stream recycling last summer, Philly’s recycling rate has gone from about 6 to 10 %. Though we have a long way before being on par with other big city’s recycling programs, progress is being made. Not sure what day is your trash/recycling pick-up is?

American’s #1 New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. Sure, there’s some variations ... Such as "get fit, be healthier, make better food choices and then there are those who get specific - consume less than X number of calories everyday, cut out candy and chocolate, stop eating standing up etc." But the theme is we're resolving to lose weight in '09 (and '08 and '07...) This is the week I notice a shift in those around me in their approach to food and exercise. Co-workers that ran for the holiday treats in December now hold up their bag of carrot sticks and mutter “no thanks” to the leftover seasonal baked goods. My gym parking lot becomes impossible to get a spot in (though why not park two blocks away – it is exercise to walk over) and the battle to get a treadmill is fierce. But no complaining, I commend any efforts to take better care of ourselves. And it’s no mystery why people recommit themselves to these goals year after year. According to an article by Business Week this past August adult obesity rates have doubled since 1980, from 15% to 30%, and two-thirds of U.S. adults are now considered overweight or obese. That’s a pretty scary stat. But there’s a very real connection between getting healthier (read: slimmer!) and living green. As Julie pointed out in 10 Green New Years Resolutions in '09, there's plenty of simple fixes that go a long way. Here are some specific steps you can take to conquer your green and health resolution simultaneously:

Naturally, we use more energy in our homes during the holidays than other times of year. Here's some quick pointers to help you save where you can (without sacrificing any of your holiday spirit):

I've gotten a lot of questions recently on the environmental impact of Christmas tree. What's best- an all natural real pine or an artificial tree that'll last you a few years? Here's the dirt on real v. faux:

To take good care of the planet, you need to take care of yourself first. Last night Ali Shapiro, Health Counselor and Director of Integrative Nutritional Counseling, and Nicole Lipkin owner and Executive Director of Equilibria Psychological & Consultation Services hosted an event focusing on the importance of taking care of your body (your temple!) and mind. Ali & Nicole are both impressively knowledgeable in their own rights, and I would recommend anyone seeking help in their areas of expertise to give their services a try. Here's just a few things I took away from the discussion last night:

Stay safe on the roads and save energy by keeping your tires inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pounds per square inch (PSI.)