October 6th, 2009
Now that I’m a city resident, my means of transportation have changed. My car isn’t always readily available, and while Boston is a small city, it’s not always possible to walk. So after a month of paying way too much for cabs, taking the T in the wrong direction (what the heck does inbound/outbound mean?), and being late to work after sweating it out on a 2 ½ mile trek along the waterfront, I decided to finally take my own advice and get a bike.
During a trip to Amsterdam this summer, I really fell in love with biking. From the Van Gogh Museum and Rembrandt Square to the Heineken Brewery and Anne Frank’s House, there is so much to see in this amazing city. Amsterdam’s public transportation is enviable, but the true way to experience the city is by bike. Plus, there was something about seeing a businessman in a suit riding a bike to work that made me really want to hop on and pedal around. So after renting a bike for the day and seeing the entire city, I decided I was going to bring the biking spirit back home with me.
Not only do I enjoy biking now, but I’ve realized that biking is a great way to go green. Bikes don’t use gas, so the only thing you’re burning are calories. They are also much smaller than cars and take up less space, which is a great thing in crowded urban settings. It’s a really leisurely way to see the sights without contributing to city pollution with car traffic or the structured schedule of a tour bus. Plus, who doesn’t remember when they first learned to ride without training wheels? A day on a bike will bring you back, and what’s more fun than that?
Biking around Boston? Mayor Menino is a supporter. As an avid biker, the mayor supports local business initiatives aimed at promoting biking for customers and employees alike. Click here for a link to the 2009 Bike Friendly Award Winners for the annual Boston Green Awards.
Category: Keeping It GreenTags: bike friendly award winners, Boston, boston green awards, eco-friendly, go green, green activities, green businesses, Pixxlz, www.pixxlz.com | Comments (0)
September 10th, 2009
Don’t have the time or money for a vacation this fall? Think about a staycation. Also known as ecotourism, this new form of vacationing is bettering the environment through reduced travel while also helping your local economy. Both budget conscience and environmentally conscience people have converted their annual vacations into a relaxing time at home, enjoying the perks of their own local towns or cities. It’s a fabulous way to reduce your carbon footprint while still enjoying your time away from work or school. Sure the grass always seems greener on the beaches of Mexico, but there are plenty of great things to do in town or even in your own backyard. As a new resident of Boston, I have a ton of new things to experience right in my own backyard. So I came up with a list of five activities to do here in Boston on a weekend staycation that are sure to encourage you to use your next vacation days to stick around town.
5 Staycation Ideas for Bostonians
1. Visit the New England Aquarium – It’s a great place to bring your kids or to revisit if you haven’t since you were a kid yourself. Look into their LiveBlue initiative, a plan to help our oceans’ areas in need.
2. Walk the Freedom Trail – I’m not biased just because it happens to pass by my front door. Boston is a city full of history and this is a great way to see it.
3. Go on a picnic – Pack up a great meal at home and head to Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park overlooking the harbor.
4. Head to the South End and visit the SOWA Open Market – Local artisans and a great location make this a fun weekend activity.
5. Bike around – Boston is a great walking city, but rent a bike and experience the city in a different way. Boston Bike Tours is located right on the Boston Common, a perfect place for your tour to start! Or check out Hub On Wheels, a citywide ride and festival on September 27th!
Category: Keeping It GreenTags: Boston, eco-friendly, ecotourism, Pixxlz, staycation, sustainable vacation | Comments (0)
July 10th, 2009
It’s getting close to 5 pm on a Friday afternoon, and I’m sure most people have happy hour on the brain. Well to satiate your martini craving, check out this article from thedailygreen.com for some less-than-obvious uses for that extra bottle of bottom-shelf vodka you’ve got lying around. My personal favorite? Use it to ease a toothache. Is it me or is that just another way of saying “Yup, it’s still best when consumed.”
10 Weird Uses for Vodka
Category: Keeping It GreenTags: vodka tip | Comments (0)
June 11th, 2009
If you’re like me, it’s hard not to pay attention to celebrity gossip. Sure, I’ve got plenty of better things to do, yet I always seem to find myself checking in to see what Brangelina is up to throughout the day! So imagine my excitement when I stumbled across ecorazzi.com, the Perez Hilton-esque blog offering the latest in green gossip. Juicy green stories about celebrities? Yes, please!
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June 3rd, 2009
There are so many changes that we can all make to live a little greener. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, but every little bit counts! With summer fast approaching 
I thought it would be fun to offer some green summer tips for everyone from planetgreen.discovery.com.
I’m partial to #3. I don’t need much encouragement to BBQ in the summer, but now I can do it in a cleaner way!
Keeping It Green This Summer
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April 9th, 2009
Middlebury Switches to 100% Recycled Content Papers
In keeping with its leadership in sustainability, Middlebury’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, Alison Byerly, announced that the College has adopted a policy to use 100% recycled content (aka post consumer waste – PCW) , process chlorine free paper (PCF) in all printers and copiers and outsourced publications. The College has begun purchasing 100% PCW- PCF paper in place of the 30% PCW-PCF that it previously used for printers and copiers. The shift will see Middlebury reducing its consumption of trees, water and electricity by 300% compared with the 30% recycled content paper it has been using. The increase in cost would be as little as $100 per month. This small difference in cost could be easily offset by a 1.5% decrease in current usage….more.
It makes me really happy to see Middleburry switch to 100%PCW paper. Pixxlz.com: if you didn’t know offers 100%PCW. Not 50%…100%PCW. We’re hoping other colleges and business catch on to how important it is to use a sustainable printers like Pixxlz.com. Don’t think because we’re Green we’re also more expensive. Our prices are cheap, and the reason we do this is to encourage everyone to PRINT GREEN!
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April 2nd, 2009
Down 2 Earth is a green expo for eco-savvy consumers and businesses. The event starts this weekend and they have some great exhibitors like: Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Green Mountain Coffee, Green Restaurant Association, Hub On Wheels, Solar Air Systems, Zipcar, and more.
APRIL 3, 4 & 5 2009
- Friday: 5pm–9pm
- Saturday: 11am–7pm
- Sunday: 11am–5pm
Hynes Convention Center
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115
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February 27th, 2009
Have you heard of the Green Garmento? Do you bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store? What about to the dry-cleaners? That’s what I thought.
The Green Garmento is the same idea as grocery shopping. These are reusable garment bags. It’s pretty darn cool if you ask me. They have fun colors and you can order online.
I love walking down the street in Boston with my dry-cleaning now!
Just think about how many plastic bags dry-cleaners use….nasty. Oh…here is the best part: FREE bag!
If you want to take it a step further, try finding an eco-friendly dry cleaner near you.
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December 19th, 2008
Happy New Year Everyone!
Here’s a list I’ve complied to help us start the new year off with a bang.
1. Eco-Friendly cleaning products: There are so many good and effective green products on the market now, that there is almost no excuse for this one. Just look at everything you can do with plain old banking soda.
2. Use less paper: Buy recycled content paper for everything (home and office). That’s when you contact Pixxlz.com 
3. Walk, Bike, or use Public Transportation: Not only is it better for the environment, but you’ll also get some exercise and save money on gas.
4. Bring my own bags to the grocery store: This is a no brainer
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November 26th, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Tomorrow will be a lovely day of eating a lot, and sleeping more. Even though this is usually a day of major self indulgence, it’s also an opportunity to do some good for the environment. When everyone else is buying disposable roasting pans and throwing out tons of trash and leftovers, you can make your contribution with some simple and fun ideas.
I thought you all might injoy this great site about the top 10 tips for an eco-friendly thanksgiving. The article covers things like recycling, buying locally grown food and other earth friendly ideas. Personally I’m a fan of tip 4, celebrating at home, but it never happens.
Enjoy Tips for an Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving from About.com
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