• Determine which plants will thrive in a specific spot in your yard or home.
• Diagnose an ailing plant so you can bring it back to health.
• Access detailed plant information on over 5000+ plants; create a custom plant library of your favorite plants.

According to USA Open official site, The USTA has put into place a series of “green” initiatives in an effort to reduce the environmental impact of the USOpen and help educate tennis fans to the benefits of being more eco-friendly. Here are just some of the environmental initiatives at the 2008 USOpen:

• Following the US Open, approximately 20,000 Wilson tennis ball cans used at the tournament will be recycled. The 60,000 used Wilson tennis balls will be reused for NTC programming and then donated to other community/youth programs.
• Various US Open information pieces, from the tournament guide to the grounds map to the Daily Drawsheet, will be printed on paper containing 30% post-consumer waste — more than 103,000 printed pieces and 330,000 Drawsheets are distributed during the event.
• The 2.4 million napkins used during the event are made up of 90% post-consumer waste.
• Eco-Tips — featuring a newly-designed US Open green logo reminding fans to reduce, reuse and recycle — will be promoted in the US Open program, the Daily Drawsheet, USOpen.org/USTA.com and video board messaging.
• Lexus, the “Official Vehicle of the US Open,” will provide player transportation services during the event with hybrid vehicles comprising 20% of the overall fleet.

It would be great if everyone can particiate in Going Green.
Please do your part. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Green Values
Green Parties around the world share common values as expressed in the Charter of the Global Greens.

The policies of the Green Party of Canada are based on six fundamental principles:

Ecological Wisdom
We acknowledge that human beings are part of the natural world and we respect the specific values of all forms of life, including non-human species.
 
Social Justice
We assert that the key to social justice is the equitable distribution of resources to ensure that all have full opportunities for personal and social development.

Participatory Democracy
We strive for a democracy in which all citizens have the right to express their views, and are able to directly participate in decisions which affect their lives.

Non-Violence
We declare our commitment to non-violence and strive for a culture of peace and cooperation between states.

Sustainability
We recognize the scope for the material expansion of society within the biosphere, and the need to maintain biodiversity through use of renewable resources.
 
Respect for Diversity
We honour and value equally the Earth’s biological and ecological diversity together with the cultural, linguistic, ethnic, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity.

• Green Car Dealership
• Low-Carbon Groceries
• Green Shopping Bags
• Environmental Microfinance
• Green Building Certification

If you are interested in learning more info about greeen trends for small business, please click the link above.

It’s really nice to have some lights in your backyard - well, don’t use electricity, consider a solar-powered outdoor lights instead. Here we recommend Corona , a solar-powered outdoor lighting system. It can be staked to the ground, attached to a wall, or simply placed on a table top.

The Corona solar light’s photovoltaic cell transforms sunlight into energy during the day, and its LEDs automatically start to glow when the sun sets. It uses no glues or fasteners, making it simple to disassemble for recycling.

Put some in your garden, you will enjoy seeing beautiful solar-powered green sunflowers in your outdoor spaces

The Environmental Symbol of Beijing Olympics, which was created using a calligraphic art form, is composed of human and tree-like shapes. The logo consists of the crown of a tree and the shape of a human being, which are used to create the form of a large tree reaching the sky. The image represents harmony and unity between human beings and nature. Just like swinging coloured strips that encircle and cross each other, the green lines form a luxuriant crown of a tree and recall flowers in full bloom, embodying the sustainable development of nature.

The purpose of the carbon tax is to encourage individuals and businesses to make more environmentally responsible choices, reducing their use of fossil fuels and related emissions. The tax has the advantage of providing an incentive without favouring one way to reduce emissions over another. Business and individuals can choose to avoid it by reducing usage, increasing efficiency, changing fuels, adopting new technology or any combination of these approaches.

A higher price for higher-carbon choices also makes greener options more commercially viable, thereby encouraging businesses and entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions that offer consumers and business affordable, lower or no-carbon emission alternatives.

British Columbia’s carbon tax is based on the following principles:

Broad-based: The carbon tax will apply to virtually all fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane, and home heating fuel, making it among the broadest and most comprehensive in the world.

Phased in: The carbon tax will be phased in to give individuals, businesses, and industry time to adapt, innovate, and reduce the impact of the tax. The carbon tax starts at a rate based on $10 per tonne of associated carbon, or carbon-equivalent, emissions and will rise by $5 a year for the next four years — reaching $30 per tonne by 2012. This works out to 2.41 cents per litre for gasoline, rising gradually to 7.24 cents a litre by 2012. For diesel and home heating oil, it works out to 2.76 cents per litre, rising to 8.27 cents over the same five-year period.

Protection for lower-income households: To help offset the cost of the carbon tax, lower-income British Columbians will receive an annual Climate Action Credit of $100 per adult and $30 per child; the credit will be paid quarterly along with the federal Goods and Services Tax Credit.

Revenue-neutral: The carbon tax will be revenue neutral. Legislation will require a plan to be tabled in the legislature each year, showing how the revenue raised will be returned to taxpayers. All revenue generated by the carbon tax will be returned to individuals and businesses through reductions to other taxes. None of the carbon tax revenue will be used for expenditure programs.

Integrated Approach: The carbon tax is one of several key building blocks to help government reduce B.C.’s greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020. The carbon tax and complementary measures such as the cap and trade system will be integrated to avoid unfairness or double taxation.

B.C.’s Climate Action Dividend
Separate from and in addition to the tax reductions made possible by the revenue-neutral carbon tax, every British Columbia resident will receive a one-time, $100 Climate Action Dividend to encourage the transition to a greener lifestyle.

It is the government’s hope that British Columbians will apply the funds toward purchases that can help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and, by doing so, also reduce the amount of carbon tax they would otherwise pay.

• Some paper use can’t be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods.
• Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones.
• Use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen, and provide biodegradable cleaners for the custodial staff.
• Buy office administrative appliance in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes.
• Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and recycled replacements are cheaper than new ones.