Bombs Away!

How have some decided to fight back against deforestation and desertification caused by humans?

With "Seed bombs!" a person named Jin Wook and some friends came up with the idea of seed bombs and the seed bomb mission. Mission seed bomb utilizes an aircraft carrying charges full of seed capsules. The capsules are dispersed over areas where natural vegetation has died due to deforestation and desertification.

The special seed bomb capsules that are dropped over these lands simply contain soil and seeds housed in biodegradable plastic. While the soil provides nutrients and moisture the seeds grow inside the capsule that is slowly melting away. By the time the capsule has melted the new life inside is strong enough in theory to continue on it’s own. Although these seed bombs are not being dropped quite yet botanists are currently researching the kind of seeds that will best be suited for the seed bombs. Pretty Cool!

To Make Seed Bombs

Set the balls on newspaper and allow to dry for 24 - 48 hours. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to sow.

Seed bombing is also known as "Seed Grenades". A seed bomb can also be a compressed clod of soil containing live vegetation that may be thrown onto empty lots or ugly unused land. The first seed grenades were made from condoms filled with local wildflower seeds, water and fertilizer. The seed grenades were tossed over fences onto empty lots in New York City in order to make the neighborhoods look better. It was the start of the Guerrilla Gardening movement.

Written by our contributor Steve Allen

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I am not sure if there is such a thing as being TOO GREEN, but I often find myself giving dirty looks to people in LARGE VEHICLES (especially when there is only one driver in it and they are not using it to tow cargo). I do drive a car for work like most, but I do drive a hybrid just for the purposes of work. When I come home, the car stays parked and goes not a single mile until my work week starts anew. On my days off, I happily walk, bike, and take public transportation to all my needs as I live in downtown Portland, Oregon.

When I go grocery shopping, I always bring my own re-usable bags (especially since their durable). When asked for paper or plastic, I often times find myself snobbishly saying "neither" with an uninviting tone. I am not proud of my eco-snobbery, but I do try to do my part. Some people claim that we never smile. That may be true during the long rainy winters in the Pacific Northwest, but we ARE happy when the sun comes out.

I also DO think that if you are someone who claims to be "green" then you are likely to have been classified by someone else as an eco-snob. Their are some pretty obvious characteristics that make an eco-snob who they are. Most of the time it is out of their control...it just happens. They don't mean to be snobby or snarky, but often times their is a feeling of being better then the other guy because 'you' made the better choice for the environment.

There are plenty of signs to watch out for when on the lookout for eco-snobs. Beware of their favorite hang out spots such as the local farmer's markets, any Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or local Health Food Store (especially co-ops). They also like to hang in packs of bicycles in downtowns with flashy lights and hipster clothes. I even saw one them riding down the street with a boombox attached to the back of their bicycle with blaring indie music. Below is my unofficial list of How to Spot an Eco-Snob for yourself.

The Environmental Blog's Unofficial List of How to Spot an Eco-Snob

Beware of those that wear earthy clothing

Their are plenty more out their, if you have any more ideas, please share them in the comment section...this could get fun =P

**Note: This post is not intended to offend anyone, it is simply intended to be comical**

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For those parent's out there that are concerned about toys being hazardous or toxic with all those recalls and lead scares lately, not to worry because purchasing toys will be a worry free activity (as it should be). The EcoLogo program has kicked off its first environmental standard for toys. EcoLogo is recognized worldwide and is the largest most respected environmental standard and certification mark.

You can be assured when buying a product with the EcoLogo that it has met strict standards and was produced to be as sustainable as possible. For the past few years many toy companies were marketing with the terms "all natural" or "earth friendly" with no proof to back it up. Can we say green washing? Over the next 12-18 months EcoLogo will be working to develop environmental standards for toys.

So there will no more misleading labels that can make you wonder if that plastic bumble bee your baby is teething on is toxic free. Scot Case, executive director of the EcoLogo Program, said in a statement, "The new EcoLogo standard will define clear criteria that products must meet before they can claim environmental leadership." There should be a peace of mind about what toys you choose to purchase for your children, and with a non profit organization like this, finally there will be.

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