Green Deen

By Fatima Elkabti

Are you hungry for change? Well, set the table, because edible contact lenses are only an FDA approval away.

While most optical lenses are made of plastic or glass, a research group at Tufts University suggests that silkworms’ fiber can be used to develop biodegradable optical lenses. These lenses are so eco-friendly, they’re edible. (The only unfortunate ingredient in this process is the silkworm pupae that must be boiled to produce the silk fiber).

In addition to contact lens manufacture, the silk fiber can potentially find (profitable) application in several other biomedical products, particularly where the alternative is toxic and doesn’t disintegrate in vivo.

Why, this is great news, you might say. When will it come to a clinic near me? Well, apparently the silkworms that produce the fiber have an expensive palate. Their mulberry-leaf diet raises the production costs of the fiber over those of current contact lenses. In short, the eco-friendly lenses cost more to make.

So what’s to expect? Yet another wrestling match between corporate ethics and profits? Perhaps, as in the case of organic foods, buyers will make shelf-space for a more expensive product. Or, the demand curve may raise an unconvinced brow, and the silkworms will be spared a fateful death.

Though biodegradable contact lenses are eye candy for environmentalists, there are millions of people who can only squint their eyes at this piece of news. According to the most recent data available to the World Health Organization, about 124 million people worldwide have low vision that could be easily corrected with basic optical services. Can anyone say: Where in the world is universal healthcare?

But hear me out. News of biodegradable contact lenses brightens my day like no other. It inspires in me a pride in what the men and women in lab coats do. But it also reminds me that, a mother struggling to feed her children may not afford to buy organic, that a country with a strained economy will not enforce stringent clean-air requirements and that a child who cannot read the board and cannot afford a pair of glasses is falling far far behind.

I’d like to see that, with one hand, we cheer on our scientists and researchers and with the other put a pair of glasses on the bridge of a schoolchild’s nose.

Just as eco-friendly optics are good for our Earth in the long-run, an investment in the basic healthcare of all people – domestically or abroad – is not such a bad long-range plan for attaining the world peace we’ve all been craving.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/20/silk-lens-optics.html

*Jazaky Allahu khayran to our writer Fatima Elkabti

Labels: bio degradable, edible, silk worms, WHO

By: Rehan Jalali
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how can I workout and
eat properly while I am fasting? Most people see the blessed month of
Ramadhan as a time when they will surely lose strength and or muscle mass
and some people think they can only "maintain" during this month. This
cannot be further from the truth. In fact, if you use some of the strategies I
am about to share with you, you can make some of your best gains during
this month! It's all about maximizing nutrient uptake, maintaining proper
hydration, and modifying key fat burning/muscle building hormones in your
favor during this month.
First of all, let's look at what happens to your body during Ramadhan.
While you are fasting, obviously you become more dehydrated at rest--but
actually less than if you had exercised aerobically for over an hour (so
exercise causes greater dehydration for that time period versus fasting).
Your main metabolic fuel source for bodily function during fasting is mainly
fat, which is a good thing. There is a great advantage fasting when the days
are shorter as more meals can be eaten during the night. So the goals during
Ramadhan are to maximize metabolism (even though your metabolism will
slow down due to less frequent meals), preserve and enhance as much lean
muscle mass as possible (which will inherently increase metabolic rate and
allow you to burn more calories at rest), and maximize your workout (both
cardio and weight training). During Ramadhan, depending on your goals, I
really recommend that you limit cardio to 2 days a week at the most. This is
again to preserve as much lean muscle tissue as possible. There is actually
research showing the health benefits of fasting. It is truly a physical
purification.
Training Times
Ok, enough of the background, let's get to the meat of it! I am going to set
the record straight here. The best time to do a weight training workout is
NOT while fasting. This can create way too much muscle breakdown and
cause a significant rise in the catabolic hormone cortisol. Training while in
a state of dehydration can decrease strength significantly. In fact, research
indicates that dehydrating a muscle by as little as 3% can cause a 12% loss
in strength. Training while you are fasting can actually be more
detrimental than beneficial! The best time to weight train during
Ramadhan is after Taraweh prayers at night. This will insure that you will
have several meals and plenty of water in your system before going to the
gym. This will also allow you to consume your all-important post workout
meal or shake which is essential to muscle growth and even fat loss. If this
is too late then the next best time to weight train is about 1 hour after Iftar
before taraweh prayer. The best time to do cardio work for maximum fat
loss is before suhur—yep that's the truth. Of course, most people I know
will not want to get up at around 3: 30 AM and do cardio! If you CAN pull
this off then the best thing to do is get up and drink plenty of water with a
cup of coffee or green tea, wait 30 minutes and perform 30-45 minutes of
moderate intensity cardio work like a brisk walk on a treadmill. If this is out
of the question for you, then the next best time to do cardio is approximately
30-45 minutes after a "light" iftar (I will define this shortly).
So now you know when to train, it's time to learn what to eat and drink
(think water, water, and more water!).
Suhur meal (morning/pre-dawn)
For suhur, it is imperitive to drink plenty of water, eat a good blend of
protein, carbohydrates, and essential fat—that's right "good fats" have many
fat burning and muscle building properties and their importance is even
greater during Ramadhan. Some good "suhur" foods include:
Egg whites (1 yolk)
Chicken breast
Oatmeal
Cream of wheat
Protein shake
Cinnamon
Bananas
Raw, Dark Honey
Raisins or dates
Fibrous vegetables –This will help increase the feeling of fullness as well.
All natural peanut butter
Flax seed oil
Olive oil – preferably extra virgin (which means it's cold processed and the
essential fatty acids are preserved)
Plenty of water
It is important to take a solid Multi-Vitamin/ multi-mineral supplement with
suhur as well to make sure daily minimum requirements of key nutrients are
met. One good one is Opti-Pack by Super Nutrition. Taking extra vitamin C
and vitamin E can also be helpful. It is very important to watch your sodium
intake at this time as high sodium can cause greater dehydration plus
increase thirst during the day—not good for fasters. Avoid high sodium
foods like soups, sauces, condiments, gravies, high sodium bread
products, and canned meats.
Iftar meal
This is a key time for rehydration. The wisdom in Islam is never ending.
We break our fast with dates and water but if you investigate this
nutritionally, you will see that dates are very unique in their nutrient content.
They contain very high levels of potassium, a key re-hydration mineral and a
special carbohydrate blend that enhance hydration above and beyond water
alone. So basically when you eat a date and water for iftar your body gets
hydrated again much faster than with water alone (this is a complex topic but
I don't want to bore you with the details—You can think of dates and water
as a very advanced form of Gatorade®). You should also eat some quality
protein at this time as well. I recommend three dates and a meal
replacement protein powder like ZI Diet MRP from VPX Sports, Lean Body
by Labrada, or Myoplex from EAS. Of course, drink plenty of water. Then
1- 1.5 hours later have a food meal (or follow the schedule above for cardio).
Then during taraweh, depending if you pray 8 or 20 rakahs, have a protein
bar in the middle (not while you are praying of course!) or have another
small protein and complex carbohydrate meal after the 8 rakahs—drink
plenty of water if you have a protein bar. Then go train about 30-45 minutes
after eating the bar. After the workout, have another nutrition shake (as
mentioned a few lines ago) with plenty of water. Eating small meals at night
can trick your body into speeding up metabolic rate (not to mention increase
nutrient absorption and stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels). Your body
loves homeostasis and wants to maintain a certain balance—you literally
have to shock it constantly to lose fat and gain muscle over the long run!
There is so much wisdom in "Eat and drink but not to excess" and we should
try and follow that especially during Ramadhan.
SAMPLE Ramadhan MEAL PLAN for fat loss and muscle gain
(*This plan is for a 170 lb male, please adjust amounts for bodyweight)
Suhur:
Eat 6-8 egg whites (one yolk)
One bowl of plain oatmeal w/ cinammon, raisins and a banana
1 teaspoon all-natural peanut butter or olive oil or flax seed oil
Plenty of water (16-24 oz.)
Opti-pack by Super Nutrition (one pack) –multi-vitamin/mineral
Iftar (the evening opening of the fast):
Three Dates and a Nutrition Shake (ZI Diet MRP from VPX Sports, Lean
Body by Labrada, or Myoplex from EAS)
Plenty of water
For cardio wokouts --Do cardio 45 minutes after this meal for 30-45 minutes
at a moderate pace or do a sprint workout if you have less time and then
have the next meal before taraweh. (Have a cup of green tea with Iftar on
cardio days)
For weight training days: Eat another food meal before Taraweh like chicken
breast (or baked salmon), brown rice and some veggies OR
Baked Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Orange Roughy, or Mahi mahi), sweet potato,
and a garden salad or some steamed vegetables.
Drink plenty of water during taraweh--Go to the gym after taraweh. (If you
pray 20 rakahs, then have a protein bar in the middle of taraweh). Drink
plenty of water during the workout and you can even have Powerade™ or a
sports drink during the workout.
After the workout, have another Nutrition Shake --lots of water of course.
Then sleep 45 minutes later or stay up all night eating and working like I do!
Following these simple workout and nutrition tips can really help you make
great gains during this blessed month. May God help give us patience and
strength in this month and throughout the year and make us strong mentally,
internally, spiritually, and physically!

Jazaky Allahu khayran Aicha!

If we really believe that it is Allah's earth, then how could we not be in favor of looking after it? How could we waste water or use things that harm the soil? How could we drop things on the ground or ignore signs to protect the environment? Chopping down trees in great numbers will one day have a bad effect on the earth as a whole. We all know that our constant need for more energy means that we use more and more petrol and cause more and more fumes to go into the atmosphere. We know now, only too late, that a great hole has been made in the earth's ozone layer, which scientists tell us will take up to a thousand years to patch up.

Allah had nothing to gain by creating the earth. He is perfect and lacks nothing, so He did not need to create the earth at all. If it wasn't created for the sake of idle sport, then, it must have been created for a serious reason. Allah tells us in another place that: 'I have only created the Jinns and men, that they may serve me.' (51:56).

In other words, it is the duty of all creation to serve and to praise Allah. That is why we were created. In the same way, the plants and the flowers and the trees were not just made for fun. They were made for us to enjoy. They are gifts which we take for granted, but we do so at our peril.

Labels: Allah, environment, Qur'an

"With the $1 Presidential Coin, every man, woman and child will make a personal statement about the money they spend. The coin is 100 percent recyclable and lasts for decades, offering consumers -- and Mother Earth -- tangible benefits that are especially relevant today."

A $1 bill changes hands for only 21 months before it becomes so tattered and dirty that it's removed from circulation and shredded. Most of the old bills end up in landfills, according to the Federal Reserve, although a small share is sold as souvenirs or recycled into roof tiles, stationery and other items. (OregonLive)

Considering that all coins are 100% recyclable, is this a case of greenwashing or is the government really encouraging us to go green?

For about two years there have been E. Coli outbreaks in spinach and lettuce causing about 3 deaths and sickened some 200 hundred people. Just recently the FDA approved ionizing radiation for spinach and lettuce.

Ionizing radiation is used to sterilize food from pathogens. Basically it works at the atomic level to remove tightly bound electrons from the orbit of an atom using high amounts of energy. This causes the atom to become charged or ionized and kills any living organism on the spinach or lettuce.

Instead of investing an effort on resolving the issue of crop contamination, the FDA approved radiation claiming that there is no "significant effect on the human environment". There hasn't been extensive research on the effects of radiation on consumer safety and wholesomeness of treated spinach and lettuce.

By law food that has been radiated must have a special "radura" logo on it and it must state that the food has been treated by radiation or irradiation.

For more information click here.

*FDA has also approved radiation of: meat, poultry, seeds for sprouting, spices and molluscan shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams.

We all know Google is pretty awesome (this blog is hosted by Google), but here is one more reason why I am such a fan.

On August 19th, CleanTechnica.com reported:

Geothermal energy has finally hit the big time. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, announced today that it is investing $10.25 million in an energy technology called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The funding will also go towards geothermal resource mapping, information tools, and a geothermal energy policy agenda.

And it looks like Google made a wise investment choice. According to an MIT report on EGS, only 2% of the heat beneath the continental US between 3 and 10 kilometers (depths we can reach with current technology) is more than 2,500 the annual energy use of the United States.

While traditional geothermal energy relies on finding natural pockets of hot water and steam, EGS fractures the hot rock, circulates water in its system, and uses the steam created from the process to create electricity in a turbine.

The investments will go towards three institutions: AltaRock Energy, Potter Drilling, and the Southern Methodist University Geothermal Lab.

Google’s funding may just be the push we need to really get geothermal off the ground, once again proving that government funding and initiatives can’t do everything. Substantial change can only come when private investors and corporations decide to help out—whatever their motives may be.

More Posts on Geothermal Energy:

• Google To Spend $10 Million on Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
• Germany Creates Boom In Geothermal Electricity
• Harness A Volcano To Power Your Town
• Geothermal: It Ain’t Sexy But It Sure Is Smart

Source: CleanTechnica

Labels: EGS, energy, geothermal, google

"The Plastic Battle" was the winner of Friends of the Earth's Best One-Minute Green Film Award:



Now think of where all that is going to end up.

And as if harming the environment and disturbing any calm mental state by increasing frustration levels upon attempting to actually reach the product wasn't enough:

A study conducted at the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center at Fox Chase found that "compounds in plastic packaging act as environmental estrogens altering breast genes." Check it out.

Read more about Dioxins and PVCs.

Get Involved:

• Keep America Beautiful
• The Sustainable Packaging Coalition
• Check out and contribute to Planet Sci's Packaging Hall of Shame
• Support sustainable packaging designs.
  
• Packaging should definitely be a factor when considering what (not) to buy.

Labels: cancer, dioxin, industrial design, packaging, plastic, PVC, sustainable, waste

Labels: Comic, Rustle the Leaf

Clean water is a limited resource, and we are lucky to have it so readily available. To save water, we frequently hear about turning off the faucet when brushing our teeth, but rarely do we hear about turning it off when making wudu.

Labels: waste, Water, wudu

Hitting the wallets to make a difference; that seems to be an efficient way to prod some change in the contemporary-global-scheme-of-things. This policy may set a good example for other countries.

South Africa’s Climate Change Plan Includes Carbon Tax

by: Sibongile Khumalo
Sun Aug 3, 12:38 AM ET

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - South Africa's government has set out an ambitious proposal to deal with climate change in the coming years, including slapping a possible carbon tax on carbon dioxide-spewing industries.

Saying the world faced "a global climate emergency," the environment ministry unveiled the strategy geared toward reducing greenhouse gases last week.

"The world faces a global climate emergency. It is now clear that only action by both developed and developing countries can prevent the climate crisis from deepening," environment minister Martinus Van Schalkwyk said in a statement.

The plan, which includes stringent energy efficiency measures, has been endorsed by the cabinet, though parliament must still approve it. Finance officials are investigating ways of implementing the tax.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said evidence for warming was now "unequivocal" and that there was a more than 90-percent probability that humans were the cause for it.

Read on here.

Labels: action, carbon tax, climate change, economy, international, plan, policy, South Africa, tax

Thinking about upgrading to a new phone plan? Credo Mobile donates 1% of your charges to the cause of your choice including Rainforest Action Network, Organic Farming Research Network & more!

Not to mention their solar powered chargers and even solar powered charger messenger bag!

Labels: cell phones, solar powered

Check this out:

College students from across the nation have been protesting their schools to put a halt producing their apparel under the same sweatshop conditions and in the same factories that supply retailers such as Wal-Mart.

This article written on Planet Green by Jeannine Ouellette:
...At present, most university clothing is produced under the same (decidedly un-green) sweatshop conditions and in the same factories that supply giant retailers like Wal-Mart. But through the Sweat-Free Campus movement, student activists hope to create an alternative model in which universities will buy only apparel made in factories that demonstrate respect for worker rights ahead of low price.

The international movement for sweat-free campuses has been building steam since 2005, with thousands of students joining in rallies, marches, sit-ins, and other efforts to ignite change.

How much difference will it make? Perhaps a lot. Universities are major purchasers of apparel, so even a single institution acting on its own is a formidable adversary to those reaping giant profits by exploiting workers in sweatshops under exploitative conditions. When many universities act collaboratively, the effects can really garner the attention of industry giants.

To Continue: Planet Green

Take Action:

Do what the United Students Against Sweatshops are doing:

1. Know the Source: Whatever you purchase, contact the company and ask about the workers and their living conditions and whether the business has a code of conducts to protect its workers and their rights. If they fail to communicate the information to you, then its one you probably don't want to stick with.

2. Switch to green and sweat free companies: Check out Co-Op America's Ending SweatShop Program, although some listed there have concerns about their environmental practices. (Something I am still searching, any help is appreciated! )

3. Spread the Word: Check out the USAS (as stated above) is one great to work with others to spread the word and get the community involved.

For More information: Help End Sweatshops

Courtesy of Planet Green and writters.

Labels: Planet Green, sweat free companies, Sweat shop

The map to the left depicts the carbon dioxide trail left behind by the Olympic torch. The bearing of the torch is a modern addition to the Olympics ceremony. The ritual of lighting the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece was introduced in 1928. In 1936 the torch relay from Olympia to the host city was also introduced. The concept of the torch relay was put in place by the German government to promote National Socialism.

Thus far the torch has emitted about 5500 tons of CO2. The torch relay has also added a total of 11 million pounds of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Thankfully, London plans to make the torch relay carbon neutral in 2012.

With summer bringing along its scorching California weather, many people, including myself run to the beach to enjoy the cooling feeling of walking along the shore while enjoying the nice scent of salt water. Unfortunately, however, California is home to some of the dirtiest beaches. The picture to the left is of Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. Looking down from the cliff, the ocean surrounding the beach looks almost as if it is turquoise in color, but if you drive down, you will see why it is one of the dirtiest beaches in California.

Check out this article in the LA Times to see which beaches in the LA area are the dirtiest and which ones are fairly clean:

For the fifth year in a row, Los Angeles County is home to the dirtiest beaches in the state, with repeat offenders Avalon on Santa Catalina Island and Santa Monica among those with the highest levels of fecal bacteria in ocean water, according to a Natural Resources Defense Council report to be released today.

"The problem's not going away," said Michelle Mehta, an attorney with the nonprofit organization's water program.

Also among the top 10 foulest shores were Doheny State Beach south of Dana Point Harbor, Ocean Beach at Vicente Street in San Francisco, Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and Rincon Beach Creek mouth in Ventura County.

>>Continue>>

Labels: Dirty beaches, ocean, summer, Water

Assalamau `alaykum wa rahamutuallahi wa barakatu!

With the recent news on charging plastic bags at grocery stores, a few organizations have started opposing the idea. Therefore there has been a debate as to whether the charge should be set forth and dismissed. Because this ban requires support, it would be great if everyone took one minute to read the Heal the Bay’s Action Alert on AB 2058 and letting your legislative know about your support on the Plastic Bag Litter Reduction Act. We all want to be environmental friendly, well this is one way you can help out and all it requires is your computer!

Wa alaykum assalaam wa rahamutuallahi wa barakatu.



Action Alert

The American Chemistry Council and bag manufacturers are digging into their deep pockets to fund a campaign against AB 2058 (Plastic Bag Litter Reduction Act). They are spreading misinformation about the environmental and societal impacts of reducing plastic bag usage. For the first time, California has the chance to pass the most aggressive policy to reduce plastic bag consumption. We can't allow the American Chemistry Council and others to use their large budgets to spread misinformation to legislators and the public. AB 2058 -- NEEDS YOUR HELP! Under AB 2058, large grocery stores and pharmacies would be required to charge a 25 cent fee for plastic grocery bags, the proceeds of which would be used for local litter abatement, cleanup and prevention programs. This fee-based approach has encouraged shoppers to bring their own reusable bags and has reduced plastic bag consumption in Ireland by over 90%. Tell your legislator to SUPPORT AB 2058. Let your legislator know that all Californians want to protect their community from plastic bag pollution. Please take a few moments to fill out this form with sample letter and we will hand deliver your letter to legislative offices in Sacramento.

www.healthebay.org/alert/ab2058

Labels: heal the bay, litter reduction, plastic bags, trash

So what's the deal with sugar? Are sugar-free products a good alternative? What about good ol' candy?

Well here's the skinny on the sweet stuff: Sugar has been seen as Enemy #1 – not just refined sugars, but all sugars. Many people go out of their way to avoid sugar in the diet. Artificial sweeteners are a common substitute for sugars. People are comforted in the knowledge that their food contains no sugar or fat, and they over consume this “safe” food, and may even be tempted to give these to children in attempts at reducing their sugar intake.

Even raw sugar is refined, the only true "natural" sugar is evaporated cane juice; which does not go as much processing as its fine white counterpart. Evaporated cane juice even has nutritional value, containing fiber and riboflavin.

Natural and organic foods often contain evaporated cane juice and candy is joining the bandwagon. Kids love the sweet stuff, and its very hard to hide such sweet treats from them. A great alternative to refined sugary treats are organic pops. Lollipops containing fruit juice or evaporated cane juice is a better step towards helping our kids make better choices.

Some fun brands to try: YummyEarth, and Trader Joe's Organic Pops.

Source: http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/sugar-coated-truth.asp

Labels: kids, lollipops, organic, safe, sugar

I must admit when I first saw the Smart Car I was amazed and for a brief moment, wanted one for myself. Alhamdulilah reality struck and this cute little car was starting to get a lot of media coverage and critics analyzed it in an effort to shine light on whether this tiny car was really fuel efficient and good for the environment as its advertisers would want us to think. What I found was not much of a shock: the car averages about 32 miles/gallon, 4 miles less than the EPA estimate and the car isn't built as solid as most of its drivers or potential drivers would like.

This article on TreeHugger discusses the car in a little more detail:

Smart Car: How Smart Is It?
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 05.12.08

The Smart Car is undoubtedly cute and novel, but is it a smart choice for drivers that are concerned about the environment as well as their wallet? We've given the Smart a lot of coverege here on treehugger (here, here, here, here, here and here, for instance), always evoking mixed reviews from our writers and readers alike. Eric Taub of the NY Times recently test drove the Smart ForTwo for two weeks on the streets of Los Angeles, and found the experience to be, well, mediocre. While he acknowledged that the car got him as much attention as the iPhone when it first came out, when it came time to take it on the roads the car underperformed in numerous ways. Continue.


More information: smartUSA

Labels: fuel efficient, smart car

Labels: fair, going green, muslims

Capitalizing on the Digg craze, Hugg brings you user generated green news. Articles are not simply submitted by us, but those we "hugg" most are displayed on Hugg.com's front page.

Here are just a few top hugged articles:

How a Small Honey Business is Breathing Life and Jobs into a Poor Chicago 'hood

50% Don’t Think Obama or McCain Can Lower Gas Prices

Locally Grown...Styrofoam?

Labels: green, hugg