Photo courtesy of Big Toys

I grew up in Arizona. It gets hot here in the summer. Did it stop me from going down that metal slide at the park? Nope. Did it hurt when I went down it? Yep. Did I do it over and over again? Yep. My kids will never know the joy (er, pain) of sliding down a metal slide.

Nowadays, nearly every piece of commercial playground equipment that I see has plastic slides. Sure, they still get hot in the summer, but not nearly as hot as the old school metal slides. However, I’ve always wondered if those slides were hiding a more toxic secret — PVC, BPA and other plastic nastiness.

The good news is, these slides may actually be better for your kids (and the environment) than you think. There is a definite trend among commercial playground equipment manufacturers to offer more eco-friendly product to their customers. That bright red slide your child goes down every week — it might just be PVC-free. That bridge they walk across to get to the bright red slide — depending on the manufacturer, it may be made out of recycled milk jugs.

Take Olympia, WA-based Big Toys, for example. The commercial playground equipment company was founded in 1970 and focuses on offering environmentally friendlier products to its customers. Some of the first pieces of playground equipment made by Big Toys used cast-offs from the plywood industry. The company was able to use byproducts of another manufacturing process to create beautiful cedar playground equipment.

Big Toys’ use of 100% post-consumer high-density polyethylene plastic keeps 1.5 million milk jugs out of landfills each year. The company also averages 78% recycled steel in its products, uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood that is treated without toxic chemicals and stopped using PVC in its entire product line in 2004. Oh, did I mention that the company also converted to wind power in 2008?

Big Toys creates a kid-friendly and environmentally friendly piece of playground equipment, but that’s not all. At the end of the equipment’s life, Big Toys takes it back and recycles it. Again, diverting more waste from local landfills.

Big Toys’ reach goes beyond the Pacific Northwest. The company has a worldwide distribution with independent sales representatives across the United States and Canada, as well as faraway countries like India and Thailand.

This is just one example of a commercial playground equipment company that is making a product with both the environment and your child’s health in mind. As going green becomes more important to American consumers, we’re sure to see more companies take a sustainable approach to playground manufacturing.

Aside from overabundance on college campuses while I was in school, the Denali jacket is noticeable for other reasons and is described on The North Face website as, “A favorite among outdoors enthusiasts, this classic fleece jacket provides comfort and warmth in cool to cold weather.” Soft fabrics, pragmatic pockets and an easily recognizable look solidly position this jacket as one of the regional favorites from California up the coast. For both men and women, the Denali is a go-to piece of outerwear when the temperature falls to or below what’s generally known as “brisk.” These are all good traits, but the most current version of the Denali jacket is really what has impressed me about The North Face.

The current generation of the Denali jacket is manufactured in a line of products that The North Face has labeled “Polartec Eco.” The Polartec Eco “materials are made from 90 percent post-industrial waste and 10 percent post-consumer waste, stopping the flow of materials to the landfill and creating valuable materials from waste,” the website helpfully informs us. Earth-friendly benefits that come about from producing the Denali with Polartec Eco materials as opposed to the traditional manner results in the following:

• Each yard of Denali fleece fabric saves 40 pounds of greenhouse gasses and 20.9 pounds of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere.
• Every Denali sold saves 0.8 gallons of gasoline.
• The per-yard energy savings is equivalent to 0.52 gallons of gasoline.

Along with this new rendition of the classic North Face Denali jacket, the men’s El Cap Peak 1/4 Zip, and Women’s El Cap Temple 1/4 Zip jackets are also constructed with recycled material. The North Face tells us that these products are all functioning as part of its commitment to sustainability. The environmental benefits from the El Cap are indicated as follows:

• Roughly 15.6 pounds in CO₂ emissions are spared from entering the atmosphere for each El Cap garment.
• Production of each El Cap saves roughly 0.33 gallons of gas.
• Per-yard energy savings equivalent to 0.17 gallons of gas.

To me, it is a great thing to see from a popular clothing manufacturer. Continuing in the tradition of creating products that are beneficial in the local climate, The North Face has now adopted production practices to respond to the more liberal, eco-friendly consumer climate of this region. And, for that, people like me, my girlfriend and I’m sure lots more, are quite grateful.

When I looked at the amount of energy required to produce steel, aluminum and titanium frames, I thought about my bike a little differently. While recycled steel and tin cans use 74% less energy than producing it raw, I learned a stunning statistic about just how much steel we use in America. Annually, we consume enough steel and tin cans to make a steel pipe running from Los Angeles to New York… and back, according to The Recycler’s Handbook written by EarthWorks Group.

Why not use a natural resource to fix the waste-producing, energy-sapping metal bike issue?

Bamboo is, after all, the fastest growing plant on earth, with about 500 species and hundreds of subspecies around the world, according to BikeBamboo.com. Harvested annually, bamboo trees reach full height in one year and gain hardness over the next six to eight. The question, then, is, are these bikes usable as our main source of transportation?

Scientists and engineers at The Earth Institute at Columbia University would like to think that cargo bikes made of bamboo would be sustainable. They are testing the theory in Africa, where bikes are often “boda-boda taxis,” due to need for transportation.

Approximately 800 bikes were tested in 2009, and the mass number was meant to spread the group’s message, which they did via blog last year. Their main goal was to develop ways to streamline cuts and borings for bamboo to make it more affordable and efficient. The treating time is currently around two hours per frame, which might explain why some companies charge as much as $1,300 per bike. One company that lets you chose your features for your final price is Calfee Design. But, Google will do just as much for your questions.

As for the inquiry: Are bamboo bikes simply a fad that is gaining increased value because of demand? Perhaps, says NPR news. Despite the hefty price, interest has spread worldwide, and the coolest part is that it’s supposed to be a smooth ride that lasts for thousands of miles. That’s my kind of bike. I’ll be trading in the beach cruiser when this blog makes me rich and famous.

One of the Eco Design bikes Trek makes

We’re a manufacturer, with a manufacturer’s footprint — but we know that to continue sustainably, we need to tread lightly. Through the efforts of Trek employees, our dealers are now recycling tires and tubes that we then turn into innovative bike commuter bags. In the past few years, our accessories brand, Bontrager, has significantly reduced the size and amount of packaging we use, and switched to paper products that are 100% recycled and recyclable. This past year, we dropped our annual coal consumption from 10.5 million pounds to 0 pounds by converting all our Wisconsin facilities to completely renewable energy sources. We’re not perfect, but we’re taking the necessary steps to reduce our footprint every day.

Last year, we challenged ourselves to offer the marketplace a product that would not only provide a realistic errand alternative to the car, but would also make the user feel good about how it was made. The result: Eco Design, a line of practical bikes, parts and accessories built using easily recycled materials and sustainable manufacturing processes. The bikes are built to last, too, because we know the easiest way to keep a product out of a landfill is to make sure it has a long, useful life. That’s the Eco Design ethos.

Our commitment to a healthy world doesn’t stop with our products — we’re committed to healthy employees, too. In our cafeteria, fried foods are expensive, thanks to a “Twinkie Tax,” while fresh fruit and our killer salad bar are dirt cheap. We provide showers, locker rooms and indoor bike storage to encourage people to bike to work. (And they do, from as far as 30 miles away.) We reserve the biggest and best percentage of the parking lot for carpoolers. Our fitness facility rivals any private gym, and we offer yoga and other wellness classes during the workday.

The healthiest thing you can do for yourself and your world is ride your bike. Forty percent of all U.S. car trips are less than 2 miles. TWO MILES! The impact you can have on the world and your own well-being by taking just half of your 2-mile trips by bicycle is incredible. I won’t bore you with statistics, but I’ll give you facts: You’ll feel better, look better and most importantly, you’ll have more fun. How many other products will do all that for you?

Eric Bjorling is the Lifestyle Marketing Guy at Trek Bicycle in Wisconsin.

Some marathons around the country are quite eco-forward in their practices. Here are a few races that you can feel good about running.

The Portland Marathon works to promote sustainability by distributing leftover food and left-behind clothing to appropriate local charities. Since 1993, if you cross the finish line at this marathon, you’ll receive a tree seedling to plant. The hope is that by planting a new tree, runners will help offset carbon emissions, since trees absorb carbon dioxide. Workers manage the course primarily by bicycle, eliminating the need for cars along the course. This race even has solar panels at the start/finish lines to conserve energy. Volunteer “green teams” work the day of the race to oversee recycling efforts and promote recycling.

The San Francisco Marathon is a leader in conservation.

The ING Hartford Marathon in Connecticut is taking part in a pilot program for the Council for Responsible Sport that is examining sustainability at sporting events in hopes of implementing strict environmental guidelines for certification. In 2010, this marathon will be carbon neutral. Instead of receiving bottled water or disposable cups at the end of the race, runners drink directly from the UTC water bubbler, which saved 10,000 bottles from the trash in 2007. The ING Hartford Marathon also promotes sneaker recycling, which is used to create new sport surfaces for playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, tracks and soccer and football fields around the country. Runners are served organic, local or all-natural food at the end of the race.

The Great Lakes Endurance folks are serious about sustainability. The organization puts on several races in Wisconsin, and its website is powered completely by wind energy. In the Grand Island Race, runners are disqualified if they litter on the course. The race is on an island, and mass transportation is provided (free of charge) by shuttle buses and ferryboats. Runners at Great Lakes Endurance races must carry a 20-oz. bottle of their own (if you forget it, you don’t run), and the race volunteers will provide filling stations along the course. After the race, a cookout takes place featuring foods grown, produced or raised in northeast Wisconsin — all sourced from within 100 miles of the race. The proceeds of the race go to the Navarino Nature Center’s environmental education efforts. Medals are made of blown glass or ceramic from local artists.

The San Francisco Marathon is going green by using compostable cups during the race, using pace bicycles instead of pace vehicles, donating food, shoes and other products to charities and separating recycling, composting and trash. At the awards ceremony, the stage runs on energy generated from human-powered bicycles. This marathon even has green goals for the future, including a water bubbler (or other alternative) to eliminate plastic bottles at the finish line, using solar panels at the start and finish, harnessing human energy by installing energy pads along the course and partnering with an environmental nonprofit.

The video game industry has evolved significantly since the days of Pong. Yes, I am old enough to remember playing Pong. Back in my Pong days, we’d plug the massive console into the television and marvel at the awesomeness of the game. Today, we keep the much smaller Playstation 3 plugged in to the even larger (albeit flat) television and continue to marvel at the awesomeness of the game du jour.

In contrast to my Pong days, I now have the ability to play some of today’s most popular games on my desktop computer or even my MacBook. I don’t even have to leave the house to get these games, I can simply log on to one of the many e-tailers offering digital downloads. After a recent download, I wondered if Internet gaming today is more eco-friendly than it was just a few years ago.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of Internet gaming over the past decade or so. Twelve years ago, when I was knee-deep in an all-girls Quake II clan, computer games were packaged in large 8-x10-inch cardboard boxes. The games were on multiple compact discs, came with printed manuals that were as big as books and sometimes had chunky plastic casing. None of these materials were recycled because, quite frankly, the recycling infrastructure wasn’t as good as it is now. Instead, all of these materials were simply thrown into the trash.

Fast-forward a few years and someone realized that the large boxes were wasteful and began to make boxes that are much smaller, roughly 5×7 inches. Right around this time, DVDs also became the media of choice for games. This cut down on the need for 15 CDs and thus reduced waste. This also allowed game manufacturers to put the manuals onto the DVDs themselves and simply include a small quick-start guide. Right there, waste was significantly reduced.

Today, there is no need for a box, a quick-start guide or a DVD. Instead, games can be downloaded directly from an e-tailer. You don’t have to get in the car and drive to your local game store. You don’t have to order a copy from an online site that is then delivered in a big, gas-hogging brown truck. You simply download the game, save it on your local hard drive and you’re good to go.

The waste generated from video and Internet gaming has been significantly reduced during my lifetime as a gamer. Now if only hardware manufacturers could do something about the energy-hogging systems we use to play these games…

Our first step was to look and see what, if any, problems existed in the golf ball space. What we found was astounding. We found that there are an estimated 300 million or more golf balls thrown away each year in the U.S. alone. If lined up, that many balls would make a line from LA to London and on to Moscow. The littering problem was bad enough, let alone the fact that many balls contain heavy metals used as filler that could seep into the ground. Why weren’t there ways to recycle these balls? We found out that it was not cost effective to try to separate the plastic from the rubber from the metal and recycle the respective parts, which was probably why no one had developed a system to do so. As actual ball manufacturers, we were in a unique position to actually try and solve this problem.

After a lot of R&D and many expensive failures, we were able to create a ball, the Dixon Earth, that we could grind up and utilize the material to manufacture other products like field turf and playground equipment. We are in the process of creating a putter and other equipment out of recycled material. This was a start, but to solve our original problem, much more had to be done. We focused on three key features. First, the ball had to perform as well or better than the competition or else no one would really care to play with it anyway. Second, it had to be priced comparably to the competition. Lastly, the recycling system had to be simple and easy so that golfers wouldn’t have to go out of their way to participate. We were convinced that given an equal choice, golfers would choose to be responsible.

We accomplished the first two parts by making a ball that was superior in performance to many of the top brands in golf and priced the ball comparably. To accomplish the third objective, we decided that golfers needed an incentive to recycle, so we decided to pay them to do the right thing. We set up recycling centers at pro shops where golfers could bring in their old golf balls and get credits toward new Dixon Earth balls. We offer a $1 ball-for-ball credit for every Dixon Earth ball returned for recycling and even offer a $0.50 ball-for-ball credit toward new Dixon Earth balls when any other brand of ball is brought in for recycling. We recycle the Dixon balls and are actually learning how to recycle the other brands. Our goal is to be able to recycle every brand of golf ball so that we can provide a solution to the original problem of billions of golf balls littering the earth.

It has been quite fun educating people that a golf ball can be eco friendly and still perform. When people hit our balls compared to their regular ball of choice they are typically surprised at how well it goes. We stand behind the quality of our product 100%.

Even more exciting is the following that we are attracting of people committed to doing good for the environment, golfers and non-golfers alike. Our new celebrity spokesperson, Don Cheadle, contacted me after playing with our golf ball wanting to be involved. Others are coming on board, and we plan to help lead golf toward sustainability with future releases of eco-friendly apparel, accessories and much more. Everyone can do their part in their respective industries if they take the time to make it a point of focus.

William Carey is a founder and CEO of Dixon Golf.

If you live in an urban area or are friends with someone who lives in an urban area, chances are you’ve heard how awesome Zipcar is. But, in case you don’t know, I’m here to tell you: Zipcar is pretty awesome.

Zipcars are available in more than 50 cities and 100 college campuses.

In a nutshell, Zipcar is a car-sharing service. You sign up online for a yearly subscription, and then you’re free to rent cars by the hour or day, either weeks or minutes in advance. It’s convenient and economical — the cars are parked in tons of locations in many major cities, and subscribers don’t pay for gas, insurance or parking. It’s also really hip — you can unlock a Mini Cooper with your iPhone. Yes, please!

But, the most appealing thing about Zipcar for a lot of people is that it’s an environmentally friendly way to get around during those times when mass transit isn’t an option. Let’s say you rely on public transportation to get around most of the time, but you buy furniture off Craigslist a few times a month, or you have a job that requires you to haul heavy garment bags across town every so often, or you’re a parent who has to schlep her kids to tennis matches on the weekends — you could almost justify having your own car, but at what cost to the environment? If you own your own car, you’re likely to drive it even when you don’t really need to, adding significant carbon dioxide emissions in the air.

According to Zipcar, each car in its fleet takes 15 to 20 personally owned vehicles off the road, and each of its members saves 219 gallons of gas per year by joining the service rather than owning a car. Car sharing is also a growing trend, according to the company, with upwards of 10% of the U.S. population expected to eventually adopt car sharing as their primary mode of transportation.

I’m proud to call myself part of that 10%. Zipcar has saved me from carrying a room’s worth of IKEA furniture on the subway countless times, so I try to return the favor by recruiting other people to join as often as I can.

As I mentioned in my New Year’s resolutions, one of my goals this year is to join my local CSA (community-supported agriculture) program. I had never heard of a CSA until about a year ago, when my friend in Minneapolis joined one, but ever since then it’s been one of those terms that I seem to hear everywhere.

An example of a CSA bounty

In a nutshell, a CSA is a program in which residents of a given area form a relationship with a local farm. Once a week or so during the spring, summer and fall, the farmers will bring their recently harvested produce — and sometimes meat, cheese and other dairy products — to a pre-determined location in the neighborhood, and the CSA members get together to divvy up the goods. (Many CSAs operate co-op style, wherein each CSA member is required to volunteer a few hours per month to do the sorting.) Then, the rest of the members pick up their goodies— usually either a half-share or a full share (based on standards set by the community), depending on household size — and voila!

There are many advantages of a CSA for city dwellers and farmers alike. CSA members get local, seasonal and often organic food to eat, which is better for them and the planet, since the food travels a shorter distance (from wherever the closest farm community is) and is grown with little to no pesticides or chemicals. Meanwhile, small farmers, who have been underpriced by many giant farm operations, have an outlet to sell their goods, helping them stay in business.

If you’re interested in joining a CSA, check the USDA website, which contains links to several CSA directories, or just Google “[your neighborhood] + CSA.” I, for one, can’t wait for my first delivery in the spring. I might change my tune when Brussels sprout season comes along, but for now, I’m excited!

Greg Peterson

There is something to eat in my yard every day, 365 days a year. Last Thanksgiving it was a wonderful salad of six different greens, including nasturtium leaves and sorrel (a surprise find, growing in the back “wild” area); ruby red pomegranate seeds; an incredible citrus called limequat that was sliced up skin and all for a tangy/sweet sensation; and a little bit of tarragon and fennel, with a smidge of that pretty little three-leaf clover you see growing in some yards called sourgrass. The flavors were so diverse and striking that I chose not to add any dressing at all.

I live in the heart of Phoenix, AZ, at what I now call the Urban Farm, an environmental showcase home. The site features a primarily edible landscape (including over 80 fruit trees), three different kinds of solar panels, rainwater and greywater harvesting, a remodeled 800-square-foot patio and an outdoor shower and kitchen made primarily from reclaimed materials. My intent is to present my home in a place where most people would live so that when visitors arrive they can imagine that they too could implement some of the changes I have made at The Urban Farm into their own “urban farms.”

It all started with food and my desire to garden. Over the past 20+ years I have re-landscaped my entire yard to the point that everything that I grow is either edible or supports the plants that are edible. I have planted trees that produce edible fruits and nuts; perennial herbs including basil and oregano that I use a hedge trimmer on periodically; along with the standard annual vegetables — broccoli, snow peas and cucumbers, just to name a few. Because of the name, visitors to the Urban Farm have an expectation that they will see long rows of corn and beans — a full working farm. To the contrary; much of what I grow lives in standard garden beds. If the casual passerby did not know any differently, they would just see a nicely landscaped yard.

The Urban Farm, Phoenix, AZ

Farming the city spaces around us presents a whole new paradigm for growing our own food and reigniting our connection to nature. The tools are here, and the knowledge is available. You can kindle your desire by getting your hands dirty, taking a chance and spreading some seeds. The fruits of your labor are much tastier than what you find in the grocery store and come along with the satisfaction that YOU grew them. Many people tell me of their “black” thumbs as they admire what is grown on the Urban Farm. I reflect back to them the years of experimenting that I have done, noting ALL the plants that did not live under my care, and that was how I learned.

For the past 10 years, the Urban Farm has regularly been available for tours and classes. The intent of these events is to share with visitors the different green lifestyle choices available to inspire them. Our events include classes on gardening, composting, keeping chickens, permaculture, edible landscape design, greywater and rainwater and the occasional house concert.

Greg Peterson is a green living and sustainability innovator who truly lives what he speaks. As a resident of Phoenix for the last 41 years, Greg is well versed in urban sustainability, green living and food production in dry lands. He was first introduced to desert gardening at the age of 12. In 1991, he discovered the concept of permaculture, bringing together many sustainability concepts into one cohesive system.

Greg is a writer, teacher and lecturer on many aspects of green living, sustainability and permaculture. His passion is to present the concepts so that everyone can conceptualize and implement some kind of green living concept into their lives. Greg was a contributing writer for Phoenix magazine for two years and for Edible Phoenix for three years. He is a dynamic speaker on green and sustainability topics and regularly draws hundreds of people for his “Living Green, What Does it Mean?” lectures.

For more information on these and other events, visit urbanfarm.org to sign up for our event email list.

For more information on living a green lifestyle and to find some great green products, visit YourGuideToGreen.com.

For more views of Greg Peterson’s Urban Farm, see Greg’s video or reach him at greg@urbanfarm.org.

According to Eco Mall, an online eco-friendly resource, “Teflon and other non-stick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year, according to tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group.” Basically, Teflon is highly toxic, especially at the temperatures it’s used for cooking on a stovetop. So, what’s the alternative?

First, there’s the old fashioned cast iron pots and pans that weigh a ton but work really well. Or, you can do what we did: Buy stainless steel stovetop cookware and add a small amount of olive oil to the pan so your pancakes don’t stick. Now, you can even buy non-stick eco-stovetop cookware.

One brand of eco-friendly cookware that has a wide range of options is Starfrit. Starfrit cookware is made of 99% recycled aluminum and uses a ceramic powder coating that is completely free of chemicals to make the cookware stick-free. The cookware is also such a great heat conductor that it uses 20% less energy for cooking. It can be cleaned with soap and water and requires no special care.

With so many choices breaking into the mainstream market, there’s no reason not to make the switch to eco-friendly cookware. It’s better for your health (and your pet’s health) and the environment.

Chipotle is a Mexican restaurant that prepares burritos in the same fashion Subway restaurants prepare sandwiches, assembly line style. This joint started in Colorado and has exploded onto the American fast food scene of late. But, other than being lumped into this all-encompassing category, this fast food chain is unlike all the rest, with its philosophy of “Food With Integrity.” The company website features a statement from the company founder, CEO and Chairman Steve Ells that reads, “‘Food With Integrity’ [is] a philosophy that we can always do better in terms of the food we buy. And, when we say better, we mean better in every sense of the word — better tasting, coming from better sources, better for the environment, better for the animals, and better for the farmers who raise the animals and grow the produce.”

My first encounter with Chipotle was in college when one opened near the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Since my first burrito, the place’s reputation has done nothing but skyrocket, and the eco-friendly, community-promoting commitment to betterment is surely helping its cause. Chipotle has implemented the idea of serving naturally raised meat (more so, in fact, than any other restaurant in the nation, according to its website), promotes sustainable farming practices and works with “dairy suppliers to eliminate the use of added hormones from their operations.” Two Chipotle restaurants, one in Minnetonka, MN, and the other in Gurnee, IL, are even LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Suffice it to say that there have been many Chipotle burritos in my past, and surely more in my future, but the environmental convictions of this company have caught the attention of many fans of big, hunkin’ burritos and green-thinking consumers alike. Though it’s not the greenest food around (yet), if you’re craving a greener version of the world’s most stellar fast food item, you can’t go wrong with Chipotle.