Your Own Personal Cinema

As a kid who loved independent cinema (yes, I was that kid) the words "now playing in select cities" were pretty disheartening. My city was never, ever going to be selected. It was just too small and the existing movie screens were dedicated to the typical American blockbusters. If I was lucky, we would happen to visit Seattle or Portland and fit a trip to the movies into our schedule to see the costume dramas or British films I loved.

Now, I happen to live in a city that is often one of the select. Even so, there are a limited number of screens for indie movies. And a trip to the movies, let's face it, isn't exactly a green (or cheap) enterprise - there's the gas to get to and from the cinema, printed tickets which end up in the trash, disposable soda cups and popcorn tubs (let's not even talk about the chemical substances in the food-like products we eat for movie snacks - I mean really, what are Dots made of? Anyone?).

But now there's a greener way to watch movies (even greener than DVDs - do you ever think about all the trees that die to become Netflix envelopes? or what kind of petrochemicals can be found in the extreme-packaging that is a DVD box?) and so that people all over America can experience the indie movies that they wouldn't normally get to see.

Through a variety of outlets, including Amazon On Demand and IFC On Demand, you can order movies directly from your TV, using your remote -- movies that are currently in theaters. I know we've been able to do this for awhile, beginning in 2005 with Steven Soderbergh's Bubble. Soderbergh has continued to be a pioneer in the "pre-theatrical release" - using on-demand releases to build buzz -- building to the recent The Girlfriend Experience, which was released first to on-demand before going on to a critically-acclaimed theatrical release. If you don't know if you have one of these services, check out the "On Demand" button on your remote, check the features on your TiVo (you have Amazon and Blockbuster On Demand), your game console (the new ones allow you to download movies) or check out Netflix Instant.

Wily is going to use the remote to download a movie.

IFC On Demand is particularly cool, because it allows those who get the IFC Channel to rent, for about $5.99, movies that will never come to most of their local theaters. And because these movies stream directly to your TV, they put no more strain on the environment than the energy to have your TV on. In addition, you can make yourself healthy organic snacks that are packaging-free, or even a cocktail (try my Honey Lemon Drop a la Gustav or a Blood Orange Martini)

Currently, IFC On Demand is offering the critically-lauded Red Riding Trilogy. I, however, would particularly recommend Andrea Arnold's beautiful British film, Fish Tank. It stars newcomer Katie Jarvis as Mia, a 15-year-old girl who is constantly on the move, blazing around her Essex housing estate in search of ... something. Mia doesn't have the words to articulate what she wants, and there's not a single adult in her life who might help her uncover what it might be. That is, until her mother hooks up with Connor (the red-hot Michael Fassbender, who, like Daniel Craig in his indie days, exudes a charm that will soon be swept into a multiplex near you). While you can anticipate what might happen from that brief description, you also can't. Mia doesn't necessarily behave the way you'd expect, because she's a raw nerve that simply reacts. There is nothing pre-meditated in her attempts at redemption or revenge.

Without IFC On Demand, most Americans would probably have to wait months to see this little poetic gem, and then wait a few more while the few copies Netflix had circulated or the single copy at Blockbuster was constantly rented (indie fans, you know what I mean). Instead, they can watch in the comfort of their own homes without burning up a drop of oil.

Tonight, I'm planning to watch Big Fan, downloaded straight to my TV. Hopefully, you'll bring the cinema into your own home sometime soon.

Girl, Up In the Air

Did you see that movie Up in the Air? George Clooney plays a dude who spends three hundred days a year on the road and gets a hard-on from rental car rewards cards.

Let me tell you, sometimes I can relate.

I mean, I travel only a couple of times a month, but that's enough to make me feel that I live in different world than the other people in line at TSA. It's enough that it's really not right, the thrill I get from waving my "A-list" card and cutting to the front of the security line. Like Ryan Bingham, Clooney's character in Up in the Air, I love it.

I love hotels.

I love the little van that takes you to the parking lot.

I love the TSA workers (they're just doing their jobs, people! Smile at them!).

What I do not love about travel, however, is that in Travel-world, America's disposable culture is taken to the nth degree.

For example, there used to be a time when you could pack your own lunch and carry it onto the plane with you. And you still can, as long as nothing in your lunch is of a liquid or gelatinous consistency. If it is, it will be taken away. (My boss once had a can of tuna taken away because it was packed in water). As a result, most of us buy our lunches and drinks once we've passed through security, and then throw away a wad of wrappers, plastic dishes, and disposable flatware.

And what about the hotel? I admit, I don't bring shampoo most of the time, because I know a tiny disposable bottle will be provided for me. I don't take it with me to recycle. I leave it in the hotel room. Really - what am I expecting? It's not as if little mice are going to fill re-fill it once I leave. The hotel staff are going to throw it away.

I've been thinking about this a bit, and I've thought of a few ideas that I'm going to try out to green my travel -- some I've already tried out. Here they are:

• Bring an empty water bottle. Of course, you can no longer bring your own liquids into the terminal, hence the price-gouging of three dollar bottles just past the X-ray machines. But you can bring an empty bottle and fill it up at a water fountain. However, it might get your bag an extra check as they make sure your bottle is actually empty (or so I've learned).
• Check a bag when you have time. Even when I bring a carry-on size suitcase, I sometimes check it. This way, I can bring my regular bottle of shampoo, rather than purchasing a small bottle (more plastic!). I also bring a few other non-disposable items, such as my reusable coffee mug and reusable flatware. Those items can go through security, sure, but why lug them around when you don't have to?
• Load up your computer with entertainment. I usually have work to do on the plane, but for those of you who are lucky enough to have free time and would purchase a stack of magazines, why not download a few episodes of your favorite shows instead? If your computer has a decent battery, you shouldn't be using too much energy, and you'll probably save money as well as paper. And if you're going to use your computer ...
• Don't plug in if you don't have to. I'm totally guilty of juicing up every time I see an outlet in the airport, just because I know I won't have access in the air. However, now that I do have an excellent battery, I'm trying to curb this habit.
• Reuse those hotel towels. Of course, the practice of not washing hotel towels every day to "save the planet" is the practice that helped spawn the concept of "greenwashing." Who cares if it saves the hotels money? It's still better for the planet.
• Walk. I love walking in unfamiliar cities, but many work travelers fail to notice the distinctions between towns because they cab it between the hotel and restaurant, hotel and conference center, etc. What's sadder than hearing someone say, "I don't know the difference between New York and Paris - they all look the same"? But you'll never say that if you walk.

Do you have any green travel tips?

Favorite Reusables

Packaging is important.

Some packaging just doesn't last, and it ends up being thrown in landfills or choking a sea turtle. If marketers were smart, they'd realize that if they put more thought into how their packages could be reused, they'd be stealthily recruiting secret advertisers who carry their product packaging around even when the contents are gone.

For example, I can usually be found carrying this used Voss water bottle. It's glass, so I don't have to worry about chemicals leaching into my water and causing boy frogs to grow frog boobs.

I love Illy Coffee, but it's too expensive for every day. When I used up the coffee, I kept the can and store generic-brand coffee in it from the bulk section of my supermarket. It's much easier to scoop coffee out of this can than a paper bag.

My iPod headphones were always getting tangled when I threw them into my backpack. An Altoid tin makes the perfect carrying case. An iPod nano can fit in there too, although it's a little tight.

This once held Burt's Bees face mask. Now I put some Tums in there for traveling (airport food -- not good for the stomach). I love how it looks like something that belongs on the shelves at an old-timey apothecary. These jars are great for other medications bought in bulk -- again, it's a lot easier to grab a couple of ibuprofen out of this jar than to pour them out of the massive container you get at Costco.

When selecting items at the store, it's worth it to pay a little more to buy an item that is encased in non-disposable packaging. Of course, finding things to reuse is best, but choosing items that you can recycle is great too. The key is to think about it while you're at the store, rather than after you get home. It all goes back to the fact that being greener is about being more intentional all the time. So next time you see me in the grocery store, and I'm taking five minutes to choose the particular brand of coffee or water I want, just be patient with me.

Who are you?

So, lately I've been traveling here and there, and visiting with many of you, my wonderful friends. And you have told me that you read this blog.

Huzzah!

I'm so grateful to all of you, and all of the kind words that you say, particularly those of you who read it more often than my own mother and father. Which face it, is almost all of you.

I would like to know who you are -- even if you have told me to my face that you read this blog.

Please leave a comment below, telling who you are (doesn't have to be your real name) and where you're from, and anything else about yourself that you care to share.

And, of course, there are a few other ways to stay connected:

1) You can become a follower of Light Green if you have a Google or Blogger account. You'll get updates directly to your account. Let's face it, who doesn't want Light Green updates?

3) You can make Light Green a favorite on your facebook page or link on your own blog.

3) You can tell your friends about Light Green! Your friends called, and they said they want to read entertaining and enlightening musings about the environment. Go ahead, share the wealth!

Riches to Rags

In the past, I've written about my love-hate relationship with recycled paper towels. Although I know that paper towels use precious resources (not only trees for their production, but energy for transport, packaging materials, resources for disposal ... the list goes on and on) as a pet owner I've always kept a few paper towels around for ... ahem ... (insert your own indelicate mess here).

About a month ago, I realized that I was almost out of paper towels so I put them on the shopping list (yes, it's a paper list. I'm not perfect). I got to the store and ... I don't know ... a whim struck me.

I decided I was done with paper towels.

As I have also written before, being green involves a certain degree of organization. It should not be done whimfully. Yet, going off paper towels has proved to be hardship-free (luckily the cat hasn't cough! cough! on the furniture lately.) Previously, while cleaning my closet, I'd transformed a bunch of T-shirts into rags. I'd used them mostly for dusting. Now they are what I use for all of my general cleaning.

T-shirts, pillow cases, old towels -- all too grungy to be reused. Cut them into pieces and they can be used for all of your cleaning needs.

I've found that a nice, soft T-shirt works best for dusting and cleaning delicate items (and the TV screen), while a stiffer cotton is better for scrubbing.

This green experiment has worked out, but I have one paper towel left.

Just in case.

Saturday Morning Interweb Round-up

Oh, interweb ... I have missed you.

If you've noticed a bit of a blogging lag lately, it's because my work recently has involved a lot of intense computer time, and I just haven't felt like getting on the web when I get home. This morning, however, I spent a good couple of hours in bed with my world's best oatmeal, my organic, fair-trade coffee, and my computer, Dora. (the Spanish word for computer is computadora, and I sometimes say, "Where's my computadora?" To which my nephew once answered, "Here's your computer Dora." Ah, 7 year olds!)

I found some great sustainability (and some just fun) stuff and wanted to share:

• First of all -- and you can tell how scattered I am by the fact that I haven't posted this yet -- Light Green is being featured on a "real" sustainability website, [1Thing]PDX! You can visit to read Light Green posts, and also read about other great sustainability ideas such as this post on how to avoid BPA.
• Over at Finding My Feet, there's an absolutely adorable upcycling project that turns some old playing cards and a Lay's Stax can into a quiver and arrows for a little Robin Hood. As a former archery instructor, I totally get the allure of weaponry; as a big fan of Robin Hood movies, books, etc., I'm happy to see the younger generation is loving that old story.
• Maybe you'd rather read a book than read online. Still, the web is a great place to check out new releases. I just received my copy of Alabama Studio Style, the latest from sustainable stitcher Alabama Chanin. Natalie (or "Alabama" as she's known) Chanin is a couturier who's committed to using sustainable materials while creating unique pieces that are like wearable art. And Michael Pollan, one of my personal heroes, has just come out with a new book, Food Rules, which goes further in-depth to his three rules for eating "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
• Valentine's Day is coming up. Last year I wrote this post about having a DIY Valentine's Day. This year I'm totally enamored with the photos on i am baker. I'm not saying I'll be able to replicate any of that, I'm just saying I love to dream.
• As you know if you've read this blog for more than a week, I'm a little obsessed with healthy and natural foods. For that reason, I loved this week's episode of Parks and Recreation. In it, Leslie Knope goes up against a food company that is trying to sell "nutritious" snack bars in the Pawnee City Parks, and they try to trick the residents into believing they are natural. Click here to watch online.

Hope you enjoy this round-up as much as I enjoyed finding these sites to share. Have a great weekend!

Shampoo U

Do you remember the classic scene in Little Women when Jo sells her hair to pay for a train ticket and snotty little Amy says something like, "It was your one glory!"? Or do you remember that book - I think it's called The Holy Bible - in which Samson's power resides in his hair, and that crafty Delilah has only to cut it to render him a weakling? Or remember Rapunzel? Or ...

Yes, hair seems to hold a mysterious magic for cultures around the world. And in fact, one of the images of the green movement is a rude dude with a nasty ponytail that reeks of essential oils. For many years, I believed that to use green hair products meant to end up looking like that guy - stringy, dull-looking hair with an oil slick that would put Exxon to shame.

I tried green shampoos. I really did. But every time, it ended up being a waste of a plastic bottle. Here's what happened. Repeatedly.

Day 1: Oh, this new green shampoo might actually work. La, la, I'm happy.

Day 3: Hmm...

Day 5: It's noon. Why does my hair look as if I didn't take a shower? Argh! It's the curse of natural shampoo! I'm getting rid of that stuff!

Finally, I gave up. I just stopped trying. But when I made my "Year of Living Beautifully" resolution (to transition to beauty products that rate a 5 or lower on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database, which rates beauty products on a ten-point scale from low to high hazard) I knew I would have to buckle down and give the greener shampoos another try.

In researching, I've found that many "green" shampoos that have been recommended to me aren't actually green at all. For example, they might rack up a "high hazard" rating, or may contain sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate, which is known to be a skin irritant, and may have other health implications. SLS, as it's known, is what makes shampoo lather, and most of us feel that without the lather, our shampoo isn't working. So ... most of the green shampoos don't seem to work.

Very unscientifically, I went to the natural foods store, looked at the shampoos, and picked one that added volume and was cheap: Burt's Bees Very Volumizing Pomegranate and Soy Shampoo. It's not the greenest shampoo ever produced, but it has a lower hazard (4) than many more expensive brands that are sold in the "natural" aisle (I won't name names, but you can go to Skin Deep yourself - I was pretty appalled to see the ratings on many popular brands) and is sulfate-free.

I actually started using it before the new year, and have now been using it for two months. Out of all the "natural" shampoos I've tried, it leaves my hair looking ... well, like I've actually washed my hair. My hair is exactly as manageable as I would like, and while, perhaps not quite as soft, I'm really happy with the overall result. My one tip, should you choose to try it out, is to make sure your hair is very wet the moment before you slap the shampoo on your head. This creates the lather that SLS would have created.

Now, if only a prince would climb up my hair ...