Sun & Shower

It’s true. I like Granny Smith green apples best. But those aren’t the kind of apples I’m talking about. I’m referring to the company that brought us one of the two greatest inventions of the 21st century - the iPod. (Tivo is the other, for those who are wondering)

Greenpeace recently released their Green Electronics Guide and ranked Apple last among the leading mobile and PC manufacturers in the world. Rankings were based on global policies, how the companies eliminate harmful chemicals and what they do with their products after customers discard them.

With the surge in Apple’s popularity and customer loyalty, it is important that they take responsibility for their actions. But what can we do? The folks at Green My Apple are leading the charge. To date, over 45,000 Mac users have told Steve Jobs to go green. You can too.

The hit show, American Idol, is giving something back. Tuesday night, the six finalists sang “life anthem” songs and corporate sponsors donated money to Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) based on the number of viewers’ votes received via phone and text message. Over 70 million votes were received. Wednesday night, American Idol brought together some of the biggest stars in music, television and film to ask those watching the results show to also donate to the cause.

Click here to see what your money can do.

Already, state officials are circling, waiting for approval to kill hundreds of gray wolves in Yellowstone’s wild country and central Idaho.

The governor of Idaho himself said, “I’m prepared to bid for that first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.”

Click here to help save the wolves.

April 22nd is Earth Day.  Check the below sites for ideas about what you can do today to help the environment of tomorrow.

International Earth Day

Earth Day

Government Earth Day Site

EPA Earth Day Site

The Wilderness Society

Want to learn more about the green economy?  Green Festivals bring together people and businesses to share how they are contributing to a sustainable community.  This year, Green Festival will be at McCormick Place in Chicago April 21-22.

Chicago Green Festival will feature over 300 exhibits and more than 150 speakers on 5 stages.  There will also be music, art and organic food from local organizations and businesses.  Admission is just $10 per day.

I heard back from Argo Tea about whether they serve organic and/or fair trade teas.  Here is the response:

Thank you for your message.  Currently we offer two organic teas: Red Tea (Rooibos) and Gunpowder.  Although at this time our teas are not fair trade, we support fair trade principles and are looking into ways to introduce fair trade, as well as a greater offering of organic teas in the future.  Your interest in Argo Tea is much appreciated, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or comments.

Given that they are still somewhat new and trying to grow in Chicago, I’m not going to write them off just yet.  I will, however, be keeping a close eye on whether they follow through with introducing more organic and fair trade teas into their selection.

While walking to work this morning, I was greeted with a glorious vision.  A new Argo Tea location is now open in my office building!  Just yesterday, I was searching for some place other than Starbucks or Caribou Coffee to get my tea.  Today, I have an entire store dedicated to tea located right in my building.

Argo Tea is an up and coming urban cafe in Chicago, seeking to be like Starbucks for tea drinkers.  There are now 7 locations spread throughout the city and Evanston.  The tea is loose leaf and imported from all over the world.  An exhaustive internet search came up short on whether Argo Tea serves fair trade and/or organic teas.   I have sent them an email and will provide an update when I receive a response.

Putting the fair trade/organic question aside, Argo Tea provides a wide range of teas including my favorite: white tea.  Today’s cup was a mix of white and peach ginger.  By combining a fruity herbal tea with a white tea, I get the benefits of white tea’s antioxidants and the taste of sweet fruit.  I highly recommend this combination.

It’s well documented that massage therapy helps athletes recover from workouts but daily, or even weekly, massages are more than most people can afford.  The Stick is here to help.

I had seen The Stick at several marathon and triathlon expos, and even tried it out a couple of times, but I never thought it was worth the money ($30-50).  I always figured a baseball bat or something similar would work just as well.  It doesn’t.

The Stick works so well because of the sticky grips and rolling spindles.  It’s made of a space-age plastic that bends around the muscles, providing a complete and effective massage.  Use it both before and after a workout.  Pre-workout, it warms up the muscles and prepares them for the challenge ahead.  Post-workout, it helps with recovery and relieves muscle pain.

Recently, I used The Stick prior to a weekend long run and it was the best run I’ve had in a long time.  Normally, it takes me about 2 miles to get warmed up and find my rhythm.  After using The Stick, I was warmed up and in my rhythm in less than a mile.  This may not be a huge concern for runs over 5 miles but anything shorter than that and The Stick is a huge benefit.

A personal trainer friend of mine recommends using it prior to exercise and then waiting 2 hours after exercise to use it again.  Also be sure to drink plenty of water as you would after massage therapy.  It will help flush out the toxins released from your muscles.

Overall, I highly recommend this product for all athletes and particularly those who suffer from sore and/or tight muscles.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, polar bears are losing their homes and their lives to global warming.

“Over the past three decades, more than a million square miles of sea ice — an area the size of Norway, Denmark and Sweden combined — have disappeared. Scientists predict that 80 percent of the summer sea ice that polar bears depend on for survival could be gone in 20 years, and all of it by 2040. As a result, the world’s polar bears could face global extinction by the end of this century.”

 Click here to read more and learn how you can help.