Greenwashing the Lorax? Check my article on Triple Pundit about the use of the Lorax for commercial purposes

Here's an update on an article I published today on Triple Pundit on what looks to be a cynical use by corporations of a great children's book with an environmental message: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. It deals with the 70 sponsorships the Lorax movie has and focuses especially on the use Mazda is doing of the Lorax to promote its new SUV.

The article is entitled 'Lorax Tie-ins Go Overboard: Is it Greenwashing?'. Here's the first part of the article:

41 years after Dr. Seuss wrote this story, the Lorax is back, this time on the big screen as an animated 3-D musical comedy film. The movie is already a big hit, grossing more than $125 million in its first two weeks. According to Box Office Mojo, this is the second best opening for a movie concerned with environmental issues after Avatar. Yet, as some critics would claim, it should not be considered a “green” movie at all, given its massive use for commercial purposes.

To read the full article go to http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/03/companies-lorax-greenwash/



Links to other articles I wrote for Triple Pundit can be found at http://www.triplepundit.com/author/raz-godelnik/

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant trees for your books!

100 green apps - VeganYumYum Mobile

We are creating a list of the top 100 apps that will help you go green as part of our effort to promote a more sustainable lifestyle. Apps become an integral part of our life and a valuable tool and we believe we should also take advantage of them when it comes go greening up our life.

Every week we bring you a new app from the 100 green apps list, and today we're happy to introduce an app with great vegan recipes.

Our app is VeganYumYum Mobile from VeganYumYum. This app is for iPhone and iPad and is free.






















Here are more details about VeganYumYum App:

VeganYumYum Mobile lets you search, view, and organize all your favorite recipes from the award-winning food blog, VeganYumYum.com.

Here you can see VeganYumYum on Martha Stewart:



You can check top 100 green apps at http://www.ecolibris.net/greenapps.asp. As you'll see, this list is in work, but we promise to update it every week until we'll have all 100 green apps.

Last week's green app - inBloom.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

How green is the New iPad?

The New iPad was revealed this week by Apple and as always made a lot of buzz. So much was written about each and every specification of the new iPad model and it looks like the perfect timing to ask the question that is most important to us - how green or eco-friendly the New iPad is?

Exactly one year ago (March 9, 2011) I asked the same question about the iPad 2 in an article on TriplePundit entitled 'How Green is the iPad 2?'. I developed there a model based on 3 criteria that was supposed to help figuring out. Here's a reminder of this model:

An upgraded device could be valued as a green upgrade if it meets the following three requirements:

1. It includes at least five significant improvements to the previous model.

2. It improves the environmental and social impacts of the previous model by at least 20%.

3. The company releasing the new model sets up a goal of reusing or recycling at least 95% of the old models when replaced with the new model.

Now, let's see if the New iPad meet these criteria:

1. 5 significant improvements comparing to the previous model

Let's look at a comparison that was published on Huffington Post between the New iPad and iPad 2 (you can click on the infographic to see it in full size):

So what do we have here? Better resolution, better storage capacity, and that's it. So maximum of 2 improvements you call significant. Bottom line: Apple doesn't meet the first criteria.

2. At least 20% improvement in the environmental and social impacts of the previous model

We still need to wait and see as Apple didn't publish yet the carbon footprint of the New iPad. My guestimation is that the improvement in the carbon footprint will be in the range of 10-20 percent, but again, we'll have to wait and see. With regards to the social footprint, I guess any new improvements that will come out as a result of the Fair Labor Association's audit will be implemented in the manufacturing lines of all the iPad models so the New iPad doesn't really change anything.

Bottom line: the jury is still out.

3. Setting up a goal by Apple of reusing or recycling at least 95% of the old models when replaced with the new model.

Apple hasn't said anything about such a goal and it's quite clear this issue is not on its agenda, at least not the New iPad release's agenda.

Bottom line: Apple does not meet this criteria.

As you can see of the three criteria, Apple might be able to meet one at best. Therefore we can conclude that while the New iPad might be pretty, worth the money and even cool, it is certainly not green. Hopefully with the next iPad (iPad 4?), Apple will do a better job when it comes to makes its devices more sustainable.

For more information on how green is the iPad visit our iPad webpage at http://www.ecolibris.net/ipad.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Recommended book on Kickstarter: Yeti Leaves Home

Kickstarter is a great place to fund interesting new products and projects, including books. Great books. So we decided we want to help spread the word on book projects we like on Kickstarter and every weekend we'll share one with you.

Today's Kickstarter book is Yeti Leaves Home, a children's book on a Yeti leaving home by by Jennifer Campbell & Troy Harris.

Goal: $5,000

Pledged so far: $1,227 (32 backers)

Still missing: $3,773

Days left: 28 days (until April 1)

Here's a description of the project:

What’s the project low-down?

Yeti Leaves Home” is a self-published, hand-illustrated storybook. It is a book for kids, adult versions of kids, and parents to read to their kids.

At some point in our lives, the place and people we grew up with are not ours to call home anymore. “Yeti Leaves Home” tells the tale of one young Yeti's travels, as he sets out to make a new home for himself. The book also relates to those moments in children’s lives when the act of growing up requires their independence and confidence. Join Yeti through his many trials and triumphs and share the joy of all the friends he meets along the way. Will Yeti find a place to call his own?

Why do you need my pledge?

Donations for this project will be put towards the printing costs of the book. $4000 of the Kickstarter funds raised will go towards a beautiful, full-color, hardbound, square format book printed on high-quality matte paper. The remainder of the budget will go towards production, packaging and shipping of the rewards to our supporters!

The Story So Far

The book is halfway done! The original illustrations from the book will be exhibited at Practical Art Gallery in Phoenix, Arizona for the month of May. It is our goal to have the book printed in time for the opening reception on Friday May 11th 2012.

Last week's Kickstarter recommendation - Ballad of a Bottom Feeder- A love story

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Paige Wolf, author of Spit That Out! is going on a mini book tour!

Spit That Out!, a book by Paige Wolf is one of my favorite books. Not only a tree is planted with Eco-Libris for each sold copy, but it is also a valuable book with great advice to parents, or as Babble.com described it - a must read for eco-concerned parents.

And now the author Paige Wolf is having a mini book tour, which is a great opportunity to meet her and learn more about the book and get a signed copy if you live in or nearby Philly, NY or Spring Lake Heights, N.J.

Here are more details on the upcoming book tour from the author Paige Wolf:

March is shaping up to be a mini-book tour for Spit That Out! As I visit a few wonderful places in Philly, New Jersey, and New York. First, I'll be speaking to Philly Mompreneurs March 1st, at 7:30 p.m., at Ali's Wagon, 2017 Fairmount Ave. I'm honored to be a part of the Eat, Drink and Be Mommy series at the Museum of Motherhood in New York City. On Friday, March 2 from 1-3p.m., I'll be signing books at this groundbreaking new space with a mission to support and celebrate all mothers.

I'll also be doing a book signing at Nature's Corner in Spring Lake Heights, N.J. on Sunday, March 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you live near Monmouth County, this is a great opportunity to check out this amazing natural foods market.

Paige Wolf, Green Living Expert Media Reel from paige wolf on Vimeo.

For more details on the book please visit http://www.spitthatoutthebook.com/buy.php

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Top 100 book apps: Chimps Should Be Chimps Storybook

We believe in the digital future of books as a way to reduce eventually the footprint of books, which means we also believe in apps. Book apps are integral part of the digital age of books and we want to share with you some great book apps we find and thus we are assembling a list of the top 100 book apps.

In order to get into our list apps need to both book/ebook related and affordable - we choose only apps that are either free or cost less than $2.

So every week we update you with a new app on out list of top book apps. Today we're happy to introduce you a special app for kids that comes directly from the zoo!

Our app today is Chimps Should Be Chimps by the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Project ChimpCARE and Manning Productions. This app is for iPad and is free.

Here are more details about the Chimps Should Be Chimps Storybook app:

Chimps Should Be Chimps is a FREE iPad interactive storybook presented by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Project ChimpCARE and Manning Productions. Check out the trailer and behind-the-scenes videos at www.chimpsshouldbechimps.com.

Meet Poe and Lulu, the zoo’s oldest chimp and his granddaughter. Curious Lulu knows Poe didn’t always live in the zoo -- what was life like when he was a tyke? As Poe traces his history, he reveals the hidden hardships of his childhood in entertainment and shares the joy he finds in his new home. The story celebrates the delights of swinging, climbing trees, being with family, and following Poe’s motto: above all, chimps should be chimps.

Features include:
⋆ Explore 16 vibrant, full-page illustrations and a rich, rhyming story
⋆ Tap to uncover secret surprises and sound effects
⋆ Collect all ten Chimp Facts hidden inside the zoo
⋆ Jump straight to your favorite scene from the “Pick a Page” menu
⋆ View the full collection of Chimp Facts at a glance
⋆ Learn more about Project ChimpCARE and the story’s background in “About the App”

Visit www.chimpsshouldbechimps.com to watch videos, learn more about Project ChimpCARE, read our behind-the-scenes blog, or contact us with questions or support requests.

The Story Behind the Story:

Chimps Should Be Chimps is intended to entertain, engage and educate. Recent studies show that seeing chimps dressed up for movies and advertisements gives people the wrong impression that wild chimpanzee populations are healthy and safe. To make matters worse, chimpanzee “actors” are often separated from their mothers at a young age, mistreated on set and abandoned once they are too old to control. Our primary goal is to raise awareness of the problematic issues surrounding chimpanzees in entertainment. We hope to explore these complex issues in an age-appropriate way while shaping a lifelong respect for these fascinating, endangered animals.

“The inspiration from the book came from trying to talk to my own kids about chimpanzees. The story aims to relate how chimpanzees deserve to be free from these antiquated practices of being dressed up for human amusement. But perhaps just as importantly, it conveys to kids the importance of being yourself and believing in what comes naturally to you.”
-- Steve Ross, Director of Project ChimpCARE

Please note that Chimps Should Be Chimps is designed as a read-aloud experience for parents and children to share. Read-to-Me mode is not available at this time.

Last book app - Free Books

You can check top 100 book apps at http://www.ecolibris.net/bookapps.asp. As you'll see, this list is in work, but we promise to update it every week until we'll have all 100 book apps.

You're also welcome to check our list of 100 green apps.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Fast Company magazine is sharing its experience in moving to recycled paper

Fast Company apparently is now not only one of the most interesting business magazines, but also a greener magazine, using recycled paper (yes, they're still printing the magazine...).

Here's an interesting video clip with Fast Company's Managing Editor, Allegra Lagani, who shares how Fast Company transitioned to recycled paper and the obstacles and opportunities she discovered during this journey.



Here are some more details from Better Paper Project:

Allegra commented, "Sustainability is one of the core areas that Fast Company focuses on, so in order to practice what we preach, we need to use recycled paper." Their decision to use recycled paper sets Fast Company apart from over 97% of the magazine industry that still uses virgin paper.

The process of switching to recycled paper taught Fast Company that the myths about recycled paper being lower quality than virgin paper are no longer true. As Allegra said, "I think a lot of the limitations are from years ago before the world of recycled paper had been explored."

Frank Locantore, the Director of Green America's Better Paper Project said, "Fast Company sets a terrific example for the rest of the magazine industry. Sustainable publishing is an integral part of twenty-first century publishing."

If the entire North American magazine industry included a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled paper in their publications, we would save over 10 million trees, 7 billion gallons of wastewater and over 1.5 billion pounds of CO2 (the equivalent of removing over 160,000 cars from the road).

"Fast Company: Obstacles and Opportunities" is an excellent resource for publishing industry executives to learn how major titles, like Fast Company, have overcome minor obstacles in order to use recycled paper and distinguish itself as a responsible and sustainable publication.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!