Pure lavender products from Bayliss Botanicals

Baylisss Botanicals and Donna Bayliss have been pioneers in the cosmetic industry, offering pure, certified organic lavender in its botanicals

Consumers have grown familiar with seeing the terms natural, “organic”, and essential oils in their products. Whether they apply to our food, personal care or cosmetics, we’ve come to expect a level of quality when we hear or see these on the packaging.

But all is not always what it seems.

Donna Bayliss, the owner of Bayliss Ranch and Bayliss Botanicals, knows this firsthand.

California’s Troubled Waters: the Estuary vs. the Tap

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, focus on Governor Brown’s latest water war, photo by Media Creations

On Wednesday, California Governor Jerry Brown and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced what they consider a landmark solution to the state’s water shortage: plans to build a massive twin tunnel system that will bring precious water from the San Joaquin River Delta to farms and cities. These two 33-mile-long tunnels have stirred the pot of an ongoing water war. This controversy is at the heart of a new documentary, Over Troubled Waters.

To understand the issues and some surprising history that’s been concealed, and have a chance to win tickets to the Sacramento premier of Over Troubled Waters, see http://bit.ly/NyVftn.

New energy efficiency software makes life easier for builders and homeowners

Ed & Rachelle Begley, the King and Queen of living green; photo by Lisa Franchot

For those of you who may not know them, Ed Begley, Jr. and Rachelle Carson-Begley are “the King and Queen of green”.

Well-known environmental activists, the Begleys take living green to new heights in order to achieve the lowest carbon footprint possible. Along with driving an electric vehicle, being vegan and having what could be considered one of the greenest homes in America, the Begleys introduce TV viewers to an expanding variety of energy efficient, eco-friendly products, services and lifestyles on a weekly basis as hosts of the show Living with Ed.

Iceberg twice the size of Manhattan breaks off Greenland

Climate change deniers have got to be having a tough time of it these days.

Take a look at this 46 square mile chunk of ice that broke off the Petermann Glacier in Greenland recently, then read the great post by Judy Molland and watch the video she posted.

Hard to argue with reality. But you decide.

Mushrooms can be green too!

Premier Mushrooms, one of the top growers in the country, incorporates environmental practices

Once considered “food for the gods” by the Romans. Egyptian Pharaohs forbid commoners to eat mushrooms, saving these delicacies for themselves. By the late 1800’s, mushrooms were being cultivated in the United States, in Pennsylvania, as a side crop.

Today, Americans enjoy over 750 million pounds of mushrooms each year. Northern California is home to one of the countries top growers, Premier Mushrooms, a five-year old company based in Colusa, California, that produces close to 11 million pounds of white, crimini and portobello mushrooms annually.

Turning Trash Into Renewable Energy

Can we all agree that using more renewable energy and less oil would be a good thing? Great, and any objections to sending less trash to the landfill? Well Sierra Energy Corp., a recent winner at the Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge, has developed a system that can help us do both.

To learn more about Sierra Energy and this award-winning, high energy, low pollution producing gasification system, see http://bit.ly/Md5FKP.

A plastic bag tax is working – in Wales

As more cities and countries jump on the bandwagon to ban plastic bags, the question remains as to whether or not a ban or even a tax will be effective in changing consumer habits. Now there’s concrete evidence in the British Isles that it’s making a difference.

Carbon Footprint shrinks, Trees grow with Green Air Project

Our carbon footprint is definitely cause for concern, especially given the news that global warming has already permanently altered our world. If you do not have the time or space to plant your own tree (or even if you do), why not sponsor a responsibly-managed forest?

The Green Air Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping both individuals and businesses reduce their carbon footprint by creating forests. To learn more about this great program and how individuals and businesses can get involved and make a difference, go to http://bit.ly/NhccIX.

This App Can Fight Forest Fires

FireWhat app delivers the latest fire updates, rather than firefighters working off data that’s 12 to 24 hours old

For firefighters, timely information truly is of the essence. FireWhat Inc., a start-up company founded by two firefighters and an MIT graduate, has developed a free, game-changing mobile platform for the Fire Service. Its Web site and mobile app give firefighters the latest information on fires, rather than having to depend on “updates” that can be 12 to 24 hours old. This helps save lives and, in some surprising ways, the environment.

To learn more about this timesaving, innovative resource that’s helping both firefighters and homeowners help get ahead of pending fire disasters, go to http://bit.ly/MAn1kd. And to find out about its more local impact in northern California, see http://bit.ly/MSLoxA.

Eliminate smells naturally with “What Odor?”

There are dozens of different brands of air and carpet fresheners on the market. the majority of them don’t really get rid of a “bad” or lingering smell. They simply mask it, and not always well.

When you have a pet, the problem can be even worse. Sadly, statistics show one of the top reasons people surrender or get rid of their dogs is due to household “accidents”. Besides the mess, the lingering smell in your home can drive you up a wall and create real issues within families.

Nelson Grist, President and CEO of For the Earth Corp., wondered if there was some way to create a true odor eliminator that could make the difference. The result of his research is What Odor?.