The Green Diaries

I was wondering around Planet Organic a few months ago looking for some new house cleaning products that were toxic free and affordable. A huge bottle of dish detergent with a punk rock style logo jumped out at me: Bio-D . I picked it up thinking it would be, like just about everything else eco-friendly, triple the price of standard toxin-full stuff and a bit of a let-down. But it was actually cheaper than standard dish detergent ounce per ounce so I bought it, though cynical that it would be any good.  After one load of dishes, I was a Bio-D fan. And here's why: Bio-D Dish Detergent (Washing-up Liquid) Super sudsy. No film. Smells good. Cheap. Lasts a really long time. No nasty chemicals. Cool bottle.  Vote: Thumbs up. So after this happy experience we decided to try their laundry detergent which is a bit tricky in our home as my husband is allergic to them all.  Bio-D Laundry Liquid No chemicals or dyes. Same price as mainstream products. Smelled a bit earthy at first....

London is going to take part in one hour of lights-out across the city on June 21, the summer solstice, from 9pm - 10pm. What a way to celebrate the longest day of the year. Apparently, by not using any electricity for just one hour, the city will save 300 tons of CO2. Amazing. Cities around the world have already held the symbolic, and practical, lights-out events. Hopefully, they will become a normal part of city life rather than just annual statements. +Guardian article on Lights-out London   The official site, including a register-your-support page, is at: +Lights Out London Send us your lights-out experiences and please participate!

The biggest, grimiest, big-car loving, gas guzzling never-a-dull-moment NYC is requiring all of the iconic yellow cabs to go hybrid by 2012. This is really exciting news and should make a huge difference. The policy is part of New York's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. I was not surprised to learn the the classic yellow cabs only got 14 miles to the gallon and the push to hybrid should double the MPGs. New hybrid buses and refuse collections vehicles were also in the plans.  It's encouraging to see cities embracing their roles for change.