Green Atlanta colleges

Emory and Georgia Tech were featured in the Princeton Review as two of the top 11 greenest colleges, their newest category. Yay for Atlanta!

Here's the whole list:


Green Honor Roll (in alphabetical order)

Arizona State University at the Tempe campus
Bates College (Lewiston, ME)
Binghamton University (State Univ. of New York at Binghamton)
College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, ME)
Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
Harvard College (Cambridge, MA)
University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH)
University of Oregon (Eugene, OR)
University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
Yale University (New Haven, CT)

For more info on Emory's eco efforts, visit http://www.emory.edu/sustainability.cfm; for Georgia Tech info, visit http://www.sustainable.gatech.edu/.

http://green.msn.com/galleries/photos/photos.aspx?preview=true&gid=221&GT1=45002&page=6

Southeast Green

Check out Southeast Green: it's a great site with lots of green resources and tons of valuable info.

www.southeastgreen.com.

Green Homeowner's Insurance Policy

I just got a media release that said the following...how cool?

Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine recently joined Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company Regional Vice President Chris Molinari to announce the approval of the first green homeowners’ insurance policy in Georgia. This new coverage approved by Commissioner Oxendine became available this year, and will enable Georgia homeowners with conventional homes to rebuild to the latest environmental standards after a loss.

If home is damaged (partial loss), customers may choose from a menu of items

• Energy Star rated appliances, lighting, electronic equipment and roofing / insulation
• An Energy Star upgrade of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems
• Forest Stewardship Council certified wood for millwork, ceilings, siding and framing, including bamboo flooring
• Non-toxic, low odor paints and carpeting
• Water-saving plumbing fixtures
• Elimination of ozone-depleting refrigerants and fire extinguishing agents, replaced with environmentally friendly alternatives
• If the home is destroyed, customer can choose to have it rebuilt to USGBC LEED Certified standards
• How much does it cost? On a $1 million home, the green coverage would cost $70 – or about what we’re paying now to fill up a tank of gas. There is a minimum of $25 on less expensive homes and a maximum of $600 on a very expensive home.

Eco-friendly exterminator

So I came home from vacation to a lovely swarm of ants in my kitchen and bathroom...although I am all about being natural and organic, the idea of loads of ants hanging around my apartment creeps me out more than the chemicals, I think! So, I called Arrow exterminators, and told them that I was not into the chemical thing, but that I needed some help. To my surprise, they said the company is switching over to being eco-friendly, and they're in transition now.

The person I spoke with was super helpful and said he's put down a note to make sure they use eco-friendly stuff in my place. I'm impressed so far--now, if they can only get rid of the ants...

www.arrowexterminators.com

Eat less meat to help the earth

The UN just announced that people should have at least one meat-free day a week in order to help combat global warming. It's so interesting when the food world meets the environmental world--I love that they're actually so intertwined...usually when you help one, you help the other.

To read more about this, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7600005.stm...or search around online, and you'll find a bunch of articles on the topic.

Let me know what you think!

Puppy Love

You love your four-legged pal to pieces...which is why you'll start taking him or her to the newly opened City Dog Market, which is all about being natural. Located in Brookhaven, the shop offers organic food and dog treats, non-toxic and earth-friendly dog and cat toys, and a welcoming atmosphere with helpful, friendly employees. No wonder they call themselves "Better than a belly rub."

www.citydogmarket.com

Clean and Green

Did you know that the inside of your home could be way more unhealthy than the air outside? That's why it's important to clean green--with nontoxic, organic cleaning products. If you want to find a like-minded cleaning service, check out Eco Clean Atlanta--an earth-friendly home cleaning service based in Decatur. They also incorporate essential oils into the process, leaving your home feeling fresh and smelling wonderful. For more info, visit www.ecocleanatl.com.