The Green Life

Happy Park(ing) Day!

It was a good reminder on my hurried way to work: "Breathe." The sign, put up by a downtown yoga studio, hung over a small plot of green space where a car would usually park, part of an international effort to celebrate--and advocate for--public space. In the United States, groups from Portland to Providence, Miami to Missoula, are transforming a corner of their towns for the day. If there's a park(ing) space near you, take a break this afternoon and check it out. If not, watch a video of last year's event and get inspired to create your own temporary park next time around.

Park Parking Only

On September 21, your city may have a little more green space than usual--at least for an hour or two. Sparked by the "art-ivism" of the San Francisco-based group Rebar, people around the world will be turning parking spots into temporary parks to reclaim public space from cars. Here's how to join the fun:

1. Find a vacant parking space and feed the meter.

2. Roll out a tarp and some sod.

3. Add plants, benches, and other amenities.

4. Chat with passersby and tell them about the project.

5. Clean up your site and reuse or recycle all materials.

Illustration by Josef Gast

A Tip a Day...

...keeps global warming at bay. (And other environmental problems too!)

Want to start living a lower-impact, higher-quality lifestyle? Not sure where to begin? Sign up for our new Green Life newsletter and receive an easy tip every day about a small change that can make a big difference. Simple steps like replacing conventional lightbulbs with more efficient ones, keeping your car tires properly inflated, or adjusting your thermostat a degree or two can save you money, reduce waste, and help save the planet. Don't delay, sign up today!

Tip Sheet

Looking for outdoor equipment and clothing that match your environmental principles? Sustainable Travel International simplifies the search with its annual green gear guide. Here are some of its tips:

• Buy bulk organic foods and cook them on the greenest stove that meets your needs. Some interesting options include a superefficient wood-burning backpack stove and a pollution-free solar oven.
• Suit up in ecofriendly materials like hemp, soy, or organic cotton and wool. Fabrics fashioned from recycled soda bottles are especially durable, while bamboo fibers are lightweight and quick-drying.
• Look at new options such as solar backpacks that can charge a satellite radio, snowboards with lightweight organic-cotton top layers, or skateboards with extra-flexible bamboo decks. Surfers, boarders, and bikers can maintain their gear with biodegradable and vegetable-based degreasers, lubricants, and waxes.
• Pick items with minimal, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging that's printed with soy-based inks.

For a list of recommended products, visit sustainabletravel.com/greengearguide.pdf.

Whole-Earth Workout

People will do just about anything to lose weight, a tendency the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers is putting to use for the environment. Participants in the "Green Gyms" movement, which started in 1999 and is now established in 50 cities, get their weekly workout by planting trees, creating gardens, clearing trails, and carrying out other conservation projects. Sessions include warm-up exercises, training in the use of tools, and even a tea break.

Illustration by Josef Gast

Welcome!

"The Green Life" was launched in the November/December 2005 issue of Sierra magazine as a place to showcase trendsetting people, cool products, and empowering ideas. Quickly we saw that there was too much happening, too fast, to limit our coverage to a few bimonthly pages, and thus this blog was born.

When we devoted our January/February 2005 issue to the burgeoning green-lifestyle movement, we saw there was a huge interest in earth-friendly options for living well. What we wear, where we live, how we get around, and how we spend our money affects not only our own quality of life, but the quality of our environment. Fortunately, style and sustainability increasingly go hand in hand, reaffirming our belief that the best things in life truly are green.

What's your favorite green product? What ideas have made your life a little easier and the Earth a little happier? Share your rants, raves, tips, and questions with other readers and us.

--Jennifer Hattam, editor