Work & Play

Green dishwashing detergents put to the test

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Phosphates help everyday cleaners get the dirt out, but when they reach fresh water, they can be harmful to fish and plant life. More than a dozen new laws sharply limit phosphorus in dishwashing detergents. Consumer Reports and 7 On Your Side are now testing the greener cleaners and Michael Finney says they see big improvements:

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Better World Books touring with music festival this summer

Better World Books, an online bookseller founded by three Notre Dame students in 2002, is that rare enterprise: a business with a triple-bottom-line structure, committed to not only profits but social and environmental awareness. The company was recently selected to participate in the Lilith Fair, a 36-city music festival featuring the work of female artists like Cat Power and Sheryl Crow. Along with several other socially-conscious groups, Better World Books will feature booths on the concert grounds.

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Natural ways to keep your pets flea-free without pesticide-laden spot drops

Ah, summertime, and the itchin’ is easy — for your dog, your cat, perhaps even your ankles. With the heat come fleas, which means more fleas, and more and more and before you know it, you’ve got a full-on flea crisis.

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Silk skirts from vintage saris unite women from all walks of life

Who’d have thought that silk skirts could change lives? Marianne Tyrrell suspected they could. A life coach and former delegate to the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, she’s always known that when women feel visually transformed they often feel mentally changed. Add to that the knowledge that, by looking and feeling good, they are creating jobs for other women across the globe.  Then add that they’re helping the environment — and saving gorgeous vintage silks from certain doom.

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Consumer Reports picks best water filters to replace bottled water

There’s good news for consumers when it comes to clean drinking water.  Consumer Reports says water filter manufacturers are producing products that effectively remove impurities, not just improve taste and appearance. Filters costing as little as $30 can provide cleaner, better-tasting water, according to the consumer magazine’s latest water filter tests. Consumer Reports tested 38 carafe, faucet, countertop, reverse osmosis, and undersink water filters. The results appear in the May issue and online.

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Target placing recycling stations in all stores

Target has launched permanent community recycling stations in all 1,740 stores to kick-off a month-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The celebration also includes the launch of an online eco-boutique where guests can find eco-friendly products and learn more about the company’s commitment to the environment, a month-long sweepstakes and a reusable bag giveaway.

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Lincoln introduces MKZ sedan as its first hybrid

From Green Right Now Reports

Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln division today introduced its first hybrid, the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, a premium midsize car that the company says will be the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America.

The car was debuted today at the New York International Auto Show. Lincoln said its hybrid is expected to deliver at least 41 miles per gallon in the city when it goes on sale this fall. That would top its nearest competitor, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, by 6 mpg.

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Green Test Drive: VW Golf TDI delivers good mpg, great fun

By Clint Williams

The 2010 Volkswagen Golf  TDI is a taut, tidy example of Teutonic car making. And the clean burning, turbo-charged diesel engine delivers impressive fuel economy that reduces your carbon footprint while still delivering plenty of what we like to call smiles per gallon.

The Golf – once known as the Rabbit – has been redesigned for 2010 and sports a new front end design that includes a wider, double-bar grille. The look is sleeker, a bit more elegant, but it still looks like a Golf.

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Greener cars for 2010: Here are 11 to watch

By Bill Sullivan

The electric car is almost here. Hybrids abound. Diesel has cleaned up its act. Even conventional internal combustion engines can be tweaked to do a bit less harm to the environment.

A brighter, cleaner future is a mantra at the auto shows this year. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and a different sort of impression emerges: Change may be coming to the automobile industry, but progress is slow — even grudging — and the message can be murky.

Chevy has been hyping the much-discussed Volt, for example. The manufacturer’s new electric car – due later this year – can go up to 40 miles on a single charge before a gasoline engine kicks in to keep passengers from becoming stranded.

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Google Maps adds bike routes

From Green Right Now Reports

If you’re one of the 57 million Americans who ride a bike, mapping your daily commute, exploring new trails, and planning recreational rides should be easier with a new online tool from Google, which has added biking directions in the U.S. to Google Maps.

Google says the feature, announced at this week’s National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C.,  has been the most requested addition for Google Maps. The service includes step-by-step bicycling directions, bike trails outlined directly on the map and a new “bicycling” layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads.

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