a different point of view

In the midst of all these union strikes over internet content, here is a fresher perspective to think about from the folks over at TED. Learn how creativity is being strangled by the law.

Love it!

To keep along with today's theme, check out these wonderful ads.
Please "Use only what you need." Check out the article on how Denver Water is getting the message out on Wisebread.

PS I have been more diligent about turning off power strips and unplugging things this month. And my bill went from $20 bucks to $9.

The Story of Stuff

Sorry, guys, for being so neglectful. I started a new job, a nine-to-fiver unfortunately. Because guess what? Our economy sucks, and SAG is on strike, SAG isn't on strike. Oh, wait. SAG is on strike. It feels like everything is coming to a head, and that huge, untimely, obnoxious zit is about to explode. And I haven't gotten a single call to work on a set for two months. And about a handful of my friends haven't either. So, you take what you can get. The good news is that the production office I work for is a dream. Reams of recycled paper, separated trash bins built-in to the kitchen cabinetry, even my own little blue bin underneath my desk. It brought a tiny tiny tear to my eye.

But anways, I've got something really important to share. It's called The Story of Stuff. And it's great. If you ever wanted a simple way to make your friends and family understand that we're all connected, that everything we consume affects people on a global scale, and that something needs to change NOW.....here it is. Annie Leonard is my hero of the moment. hmmm. Maybe that's a new segment I could start here on ecopix. Send me your suggestions for your Heroes of the Moment.

Please check out the website and share it with your friends. Here is just a taste of all its goodness:

Obama '08!

A Mouse Does Its Part

On a recent visit to the home of THE mouse, I was definitely pleased to see that such a large company is doing their part. The Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California is decked out to the nines with not just A Nightmare Before Christmas decorations, but also with a multitude of environmentally friendly practices. Every trash can in the park has a recyclables partner and their napkins are made of recycled paper. There are reminders throughout the park to conserve and recycle which I'm sure is welcomed by parents with kids screaming because they weren't tall enough to ride Space Mountain.

The conservationist attitude extends throughout the park that may not be visibly seen by its guests. The subs from Finding Nemo Submarine voyage are emission-free and the steam trains are powered with bio-diesel. Cast members manage to recycle 92,000 pounds of cardboard each week and they recycle 1,176 tons of green plant and foliage waste material a year.

Beyond Disneyland, the Walt Disney Company also recently donated $1.5 million to the Treepeople Organization to help reforest fire-ravaged areas in the mountains surrounding greater Los Angeles.

So, I applaud them for upholding Walt's commitment to conservation and preservation. For more information, please check out Disney's site: environmentality.com

For my fellow Californians...

I just wanted to share some information that might have fallen through the cracks in the midst of this economy crisis. Treehugger posted an article today that there are several renewable energy propositions on the ballots for a few states. In California, Proposition 7 "requires government-owned utilities to generate 20% of their electricity from renewable energy by 2010, a standard currently applicable to private electrical corporations." Proposition 10 "authorizes $5 billion in bonds paid from state's General Fund, to help consumers and others purchase certain vehicles and to fund research in renewable energy and alternative fuel vehicles." But there are actually several environmental organizations opposed to both propositions that are seemingly beneficial to the environmental cause. For further information, please check this out. The Union of Concerned Scientists also provides interesting insight into both propositions.

Recycle Your Media Waste

I am adding two sites to the Resources list today that you should definitely keep on file: CD Recycling Center of America and GreenDisk.com. Both are excellent resources for properly and securely disposing your unwanted cds and dvds.

I recommend using CD Recycling center for personal use in addition to office use, since they do not charge you for their services. The facility takes cds, dvds, and any of the packaging that goes along with it. The only costs to you are shipping and the time it takes to sort your items. However, you must register with their site and notify them of your upcoming shipment.

Got a PA twiddling their thumbs in the corner of the office? You may also download graphics to properly label your recycling bins.

Greendisk is a useful resource for production and post production offices and film festivals that generate or collect mutiple and various types of media waste. For a fee, they take the following items:
-All forms of electronic media and their cases: diskettes, zip disks, CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs et al, video tape (i.e. VHS), audio tape, game cartridges, DAT, DLT, Beta or Digibeta, and virtually all other type of computer tapes.
-Hard drives, Zip and Jazz drives, jump drives, etc.
-All forms of printer cartridges including both inkjet and toner.
-All types of cell phones, pagers, PDAs and their chargers, cables, and headset accessories.
-All types of rechargeable batteries (not regular alkaline ones) and their chargers.
-All of the cords, cables, boards, chips, etc. attached to or removed from a computer.

They also take small computer accessories such as Ipods, digital cameras and laptops, but you must use their specific shipping materials. You can purchase boxes that can be used for collection and shipment, as well, for your office's workstations. If you purchase your boxes through them, they also include postage, processing and an audit report with a Certificate of Destruction. Greendisk helps to complete the cycle by selling recycled CDs and cases. You can also include one of these companies' links printed on the artwork of your new dvd cases to pass on the good word.

One last note: if you're sending off "obsolete" unused media, such as blank DV tapes, DVCAMs, or Betacams, try donating it to a local film school that is probably still using such stocks.