Articles Written by Beth Funari

There once was a time when the now ubiquitous catchphrase "there's an app for that" elicited a cynical reaction in me. Perhaps it was because I held on to my blackberry for a little too long (I thought it was easier to type on.) Or, maybe it's because I tend to be a bit skeptical when it comes to the notion that technology can solve all our problems. Maybe I even thought "hey my grandparents and their parents and everyone before them did just fine without apps or iPhones so I can too." Whatever the reason... I got over my stubbornness and discovered a whole slew of apps that make my life easier. There's several eco apps that are particularly useful and interesting to me, and I think these free eco apps listed below might be helpful to you too. iRecycle:  Tells you how, where and when to recycle.  You can sort by categories such as automotive, electronics, glass, household, paper and more. The app will use your location, or you can input a specific location and it pulls up resources that'll help you decide where to take your stuff. Click through for more apps to help you stay green!

Last Friday the New York Times announced that it's eradicating their green blog. My first reaction? Boo! Hogwash! That's a bunch of crap! In all seriousness though my worry is that this cut is sending a message that environmental issues just aren't that important. While times are certainly tough for print publications these days, and cuts may be necessary this is a big blow to the Times eco-minded readers. Though in hindsight the demise of the green blog isn't all that shocking given that in January the Times announced that it was dismantling their Environment Desk team. The New York Times managing editor for news operations, Dean Baquet said, "Today, environmental stories are partly business, economic, national or local, among other subjects," Baquet said. "They are more complex. We need to have people working on the different desks that can cover different parts of the story." Not an unfair point but let's be real here...

Hey readers, have any exciting spring or summer travel plans coming up? If you're flying and can manage it financially try to fly direct. Layovers in your itinerary can add miles to your carbon footprint. When you take one flight as opposed to hopping on a few to reach your final destination you'll help save excess emissions. (Plus, you usually arrive feeling a little less frazzled and your luggage is less likely to go missing.) When this just isn't possible - financially or logistically (flying direct internationally is often tough) - be sure to be aware of your impact while vacationing.

Are you a historic house enthusiast, a masonry aficionado, or someone with an interest and appreciation for preserving architectural history? Either way the Designer Craftsmen and Historic Home Show is a worthwhile event to check out. The Historic Home Show is happening at the Valley Forge Convention Center March 8-10th. The Historic Home Show serves as a great educational resource for learning about restoring, renovating and preserving the nation's architectural heritage. We're teaming up again this year with LimeWorks.US to offer a free ticket to a few lucky GreenPhilly readers! LimeWorks.US  owner Andrew deGruchy will present on Saturday March 9 at 12pm on Historic Masonry Dos and Don’ts.  

I don't know about you but I could use some greens after all the Valentine's treats I've consumed for the past week. Luckily, this warm brussels sprouts salad recipe should do the trick. (It's all about balance, right?) And, let's just take a second to pay homage to brussels sprouts. As a kid I remember them as mushy and bland with a bit of an offensive aroma. But, after trying them roasted a few years back my feelings towards brussels completely changed. It turns out they're seriously tasty when prepared the right way. I mostly enjoy them baked and crispy but in this recipe I sautéed em for a change, and they tasted delish. This is one of those dishes that's really simple but the contrasting flavors makes it taste like you put a lot of work into it. Click through for the recipe!

This weekend an estimated 40,000 people marched in Washington DC to support action for climate change. They gathered outside President Obama's doorstep to urge immediate rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline and energy extraction practices that threaten the environment. The Keystone XL Pipeline project would pipe some of the planet's dirtiest oil from Canada through America to be shipped overseas through the Gulf of Mexico. This tar sands oil proposal could be disastrous for our planet - producing tar sands crude that kicks out two or three times as much carbon pollution as producing conventional crude oil.

Whether you're spending Valentine's day with your buddies, your significant other, your couch and some booze, and chocolate today I bring you some ideas to make this red themed hallmark-holiday a bit greener. Cards are sweet, and these days most drug stores offer a decent selection printed on recycled paper. But why not up the thoughtfulness ante, and create a homemade card from scratch. Use recycled construction paper or the back of some paper you have lying around the house. Surely, your Valentine won't mind the chicken scratch list on the back side when you've put so much effort into a cute homemade card. ( I did this for my husband one year and he said it was his favorite card I've given.) Red roses are traditional, a little boring and not the most sustainable choice as they often carry a big carbon footprint from being flow in from afar. Instead of flowers treat your Valentine or yourself to a house plant. They clean household air and last MUCH longer. What's valentine's day without chocolate?  If  you or your Valentine is a chocoholic like me choose fair trade options like Endangered Species chocolate or Alter Eco. Skip the tacky and cliche box o'chocolates; You never know what you're biting into in those, anyway! Feel like baking?

Happy weekend! Here's a few quotes on sustainability and being green to lighten up your Friday. (Or, you know ... just get you thinking about the state of the planet.) There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.  ~Robert Lynd, The Blue Lion and Other Essays Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,  For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain. America, America, man sheds his waste on thee, And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea. ~George Carlin “People 'over-produce' pollution because they are not paying for the costs of dealing with it.”   Ha-Joon Chang, 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism

Raise your hand if you want to enjoy your food with a helping of genetically modified ingredients. Anyone? Bueller...Bueller? No, didn't think so... We've previously discussed the California GMO veto known as Prop 37 which would have would have required food companies, grocers and retailers to label products with genetically modified ingredients as such. While the proposition didn't pass this year and has yet to be introduced in Pennsylvania (though farmers have spoken up) and other states there are some key things we can do to avoid GMOs. 1. Purchase food that's 100% organic, and check it twice. In the US and Canada food is not permitted to be labeled 100% organic if it's been genetically modified. The trouble is that many food items are splashed with the "organic" label and no percentage explicitly expressed. If it doesn't say 100% it's not necessarily free of GMOs. 2. Become familiar with fruit and vegetable label numbers.