NBC Universal will begin “Green Week” today. The company is pushing all of its networks to air environmentally-friendly programming for the whole week.
According to the Associated Press, this is the second “green week” for the company in the past six months. Another two “green weeks” are in the works. Read more here.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced in a press release it has added two electric vehicles to its State Fairgrounds fleet, thanks to a Clean Fuel Advanced Technology grant.
Electric vehicles isn’t the first way the fair has gone green, the fairgrounds uses bio-diesel to power the Gov. Kerr Scott building year-round, as well as some midway rides during the fair. The fair also recycles cooking oil and animal manure.
Raleigh Hosts Earth Celebration
RALEIGH, N.C. - Don Knaack has been making sweet music with instruments made of junk for 15 years.
Local artists are painting and decorating trash and recycling bins as part of the “Our Green Earth Event,” according to Eye of the Eagle Art officials.
The bins will be displayed at the April 19th event, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Clayton Town Square on Main Street. Art enthusiasts can bid on the bins and the winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m.
Bidders do not have to be present and the proceeds from the auction will be donated to local not-for-profits.
For more information visit www.eyeoftheeagleart.com
Parents, help your kids get in the Earth-friendly spirit by stopping by your local Wal-mart April 19 for free wildflower seeds.
Wal-mart will be giving away Nickelodeon’s The Big Green Help seed cards that kids can plant and watch their flowers grow!
Seeds will be given away beginning at 8 a.m. local time. For more info, click here.
Fashion boutiques Uniquities and Uniquities Mix announced a bold initiative to promote a green and sustainable lifestyle in their three Triangle locations.
The campaign begins with the introduction of new green collections and a re-usable green canvas Tote during Uniquities Green Designer Week from April 17 to 24 to coincide with Earth Day.
“We’re really excited to show our customers that you can be green and fashionable at the same time,” says Uniquities owner Julie Jennings. “Designers are starting to work with organic materials and we now have the opportunity to introduce our customers to clothing that’s both hip and sustainable. It’s amazing to see these new fashion choices that weren’t available last year or even a few months ago.”
During Green Designer Week Uniquities and Uniquities Mix will introduce new collections from new and current designers that incorporate organic fabrics and promote sustainability. Among the new lines are designer jeans made from organic denim from Green Label by J Brand and C&C California’s organic tees, which include recycled paper tags that have seeds in them. When the tag is planted, wildflowers will grow.
Uniquities is also introducing a new green canvas tote that will be free with any purchase during Green Designer Week. Customers will be encouraged to reuse the tote for future purchases with a $2 off discount when shopping with the tote. The goal is to stop producing disposable bags in favor of this tote. Stores will also display “Tips to Love the Planet” posters in each of stores with simple things we can all do to lessen the impact on our environment.
“While the green movement is common in many industries, it has not been embraced by fashion retail. We want to change that,” says Jennings. “It’s not possible for our stores or our customers to be environmentally perfect, but every little bit each of us can do individually can have an impact on the world we live in.”
Uniquities has locations on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and Cameron Village in Raleigh. Uniquties Mix is located in North Hills in Raleigh.
About Uniquities and Uniquities Mix:
Specializing in emerging to established designer clothing and accessories since 1992, Uniquities is the boutique southern women rely on to outfit themselves in the latest fashions. The first real women’s designer boutique in the area, Uniquities remains a fashion leader for women in the south and elsewhere. With a store in Chapel Hill and a newly expanded store in Raleigh, Uniquities’ mixture of denim, key brands and that special something brings in customers again and again. Uniquities Mix, which opened in Raleigh in October 2005, is a stylish and sophisticated combination of clothing, accessories and shoes for the more upscale customer who is looking for directional designer clothing mixed with contemporary essentials and a personalized shopping experience.
Today.com has an excerpt from the book “Green Babies, Sage Moms” written by author Dr. Lynda Fassa. The author of the book gives moms-to-be tips on how to grow green and raise a “green” child by eating specific organic foods during pregnancy. Click here to read more.
Durham motorists got the chance to recycle items through a drive-thru.
The staff from Duke University partnered with Creative Recycling of Durham to collect, pack and recycle electronics. The drive-thru recycling program lasted from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. By mid-afternoon, about 50 people showed up.
“Many, many of our electronics contain heavy metals,” said organizer Arwen Buchholz. “They go into the landfill and they’re crushed in the landfill, and those metals can leach out of the equipment into our landfill and our soil.” According to greenhome.com, more than 10 Million computers are dumped in landfills every year.
The Green Home Web site says:
“More than 700 chemicals are used to manufacture computers and their internal hardware is packed with cadmium, chromium, mercury and other heavy metals. But cathode ray tubes in monitors are the biggest problem.
The tubes contain lead, which protects viewers from radiation. When the tubes are pulverized, the lead - between 2.5 and 8 pounds of it per monitor - can seep through the landfill and into groundwater.”
Organizers at Duke say the event will likely be an annual event. They expect to have one every April in conjunction to Earth Day.
The North Carolina Departmentof Environament and Natural Resources released 16 tips to conserve energy on North 
Carolina highways.
To read all 16 tips, click here.
Learn More:
Rhonda Sherman, Extension Waste Specialist, NC State Dept. of Biological & Agricultural Engineering:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman/
Susan Quinby-Honer, Red Hen Enterprises:
http://www.redhenenterprises.net