The American of ecofriendly consumers arrive in France. The locavores is how you are supposed to call them, consume only foods produced near where they live. No bananas and neither exotic fruits, Paris will have to eat more classic fruits like apples and pears. The aim is to focus on short-circuits by purchasing products directly from farmers or farms. There are many advantages, firstly because the food taste better, and of course, the environmental issue, with the carbone emissions related to the transportation of goods. The last advantage is not least, the locavores save money. As there are fewer intermediaries between the buyer and seller, the costs are limited.

The locavores therefore prefer to buy seasonnal products, with the cycles of nature, or to purchase directly on the markets, boycotting supermarkets in their region. However becoming a locavore is not easy. This is not to deprive you of all the foods you can eat now. Simply make a list of everything you eat over several weeks. This technique certainly will take time, but at least the change will not be too abrupt and you will not likely to be discouraged. Because ecology is a daily struggle in a society which is far from being self-sufficient today.

In order to clean up at home without buying expensive cleaning products and not always effective, not to mention their corrosivity, toxicity and pollution they generate, there is an alternative to “green” household products purchased in stores: natural products alone or mixed!
White vinegar, baking soda, soap, lemon and its juice are the best allies for any scouring, cleaning and shining at home. They work alone or mixed.
The combination of lemon juice or vinegar and baking soda makes a great efficient couple, at a very modest cost. Who says that being environmentally friendly works only for the rich? It can protect the planet and make significant savings!

Information: it is best to wear gloves when you use these products, some are acidic. Baking soda might be natural, but it remains a chemical product. To be released in a forthcoming article: the presentation of these 100% natural products that are revolutionizing our lives.

For all iPhone fans, here is an environmentally friendly solution to use this device in need of energy consumption: a solar case.
This white or black leather case helps protect your phone from shock and scratches, but the most important, environmentally rechargeable. On the front you will find a mini solar panel that allows your iPhone to recover much of its autonomy in 3h (10h for complete autonomy).
A 1500mAH lithium battery is also incorporated inside the cover. And for all those who wish, the case has a USB port for recharging via PC or MAC, if the weather is bad.

It costs 25€ to get this solar case

Remember last November we presented the concept of Monsieur Poulet, a website fun and participatory, where artists and fans are daily around a permanent and retributed challenge, and have the privilege of seeing their picture or design chosen to be printed on clothing and accessories manufactured according to the rules of fair trade. Great news for all fans, the first Paris boutique Monsieur Poulet has opened its doors. Located in the heart of the Marais, at 24 rue de Sevigne, the shop which is only 25 square meters, offers all male and female models of the moment, as well as organic cotton tote bag. Find out about the brand new Monsieur Poulet sweats.

Monsieur Poulet
24, rue de Sévigné
75004 Paris
France
Open daily.

Photos ©

To organize a green festival, the recipe is simple. To send your invites, choose the email by creating a personalized card on the Internet, where specialized sites abound. Simple and fun, you can join a plan (in black and white for printing). We can add a sentence to the invitation to encourage car-pooling: He who does not drink takes everyone back home. So there is less CO2 emissions and you can say farewell to parking issues. On the organizational aspect, in the winter, you can turn off the heating because it is well known, drinking, talking, laughing and dancing is hot! Replace the most luminous lights with candles, which is more intimate and friendly. Book a room for smokers , who maybe, being so sad to be appart from the rest of the group may stop smoking in 2009. It’s needless to provide too much food, try to manage to know the approximate number of guests. Choose seasonal products and organic food , and finger food to eat with your fingers. This year, we stop to cutlery and cups. Farewell also paper towels . Okay, there could be a lot of dishes to do afterwards, but the action you give the green heart from. Create a playlist on Itunes, n’invitez that people who make you laugh, have fun, and you’ll get the best festival of the year écolo

Toutallantvert is a beautiful story of two lovers and two supporters of the planet. Anne-Sophie and David decided to create a little more than a year, will have a very special mission: to accompany those who wish to a lifestyle more environmentally friendly and sustainable, including through a selection of products green for our lives. Because the main question that arose Anne-Sophie and David is “what world do we want our children to live in?”. A question that makes you think of a world where excessive individualism and consumerism are ubiquitous.

However, attitudes are changing, and our two young enthusiasts have quickly realized that they were not alone seeking green solutions. Their first environmental action? Sending their products in recovered or recycled cardboard boxes. It is in the north, in the heart of the Flanders region, that our two friends live and meet neighboring businesses, seeking new cardboard boxes. A beautiful story, which is visible everywhere, as more and more people take action in the great adventure of ecology. A couple to follow.
Découvrez The Tout Allant Vert blog.

The illusory nature of modern life and the consumer society is becoming increasingly apparent. International affairs keep on making the same point. Once again, the environmental and humanitarian advocates at Greenpeace have raised public awareness, this time with Cosmetox, their guide to the use of industrial chemicals and beauty products.

In an era where appearances and superficial beauty are everything, it seems that consumers are capable of forgetting that they regularly use toxic substances – in everyday products. Toothpaste, makeup remover, shampoo, shower gel, babycare products, makeup and perfume all come under scrutiny. Brands and manufacturers are awarded good or bad marks accordingly. Despite its fun approach, this guide has the serious aim of enabling readers to become aware of the potential danger if nothing is done to prevent cosmetics multinationals from using synthetic and chemical substances as they see fit. For instance, readers discover that some substances are used to add smell, colour or taste to products like toothpaste and lip balm. Potential dangers include a damaged immune system, breast cancer, decreased fertility for both women and men, as well as other growth and development anomalies.

Cosmetox is certainly disquieting. Being confronted with reality in this way may be unpleasant, but at the end of the day only we can respond, by consuming better and less. Making more informed choices will certainly enable us to improve our health and protect the environment - these substances are major polluters, too.

Greenpeace
22, rue des Rasselins
75020 Paris
France
T. : +33.1.44.64.02.02

How can the impact of human activity on the planet to be kept to a minimum? To help find out the answers, come and visit the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, which is staging a major exhibition from December 16, 2008 to August 30, 2009. «La Terre et Nous» deals with the issue of dwindling resources due to exploding demographics and the increasing proportion of city-dwellers. It’s an alarming prospect: by 2025, almost 75% of us will be living on only 5% of the Earth’s surface – in cities.
To solve the environmental problems relating to transport, energy, waste and water, the exhibition offers us ways in which we can change: this is because changing our individual lifestyles is a difficult but vital part of the equation.
To solve the environmental problems relating to transport, energy, waste and water, the exhibition offers us ways in which we can change: this is because changing our individual lifestyles is a difficult but vital part of the equation.

Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
30, avenue Corentin-Cariou
75019 Paris
France
T. : +33.1.40.05.70.00
citeservice@cite-sciences.fr
Ouvert du mardi au samedi de 10h à 18h, et le dimanche de 10h à 19h. Fermé le lundi.
Open on Thuesday to Saturdy from 10 to 18h, and Sunday from 10 to 19h. Closed Monday

photo credit : Cite-sciences.fr

The campaign “Let’s reduce our waste quickly, it overflows” aims to educate French, about wasting and recycling. Each person produces an average of 390 kg of garbage per year. It is to understand, act and talk around us, learn what are the eco-gestures that will rebalance our world in the futur. Thus, the website, fresh and airy, gives us a list of ecofriendly actions to achieve  daily: buy cheese cut, limit printing, use rechargeable batteries, rent tools (in instead of buying systematically and use it only 4 times in your life), put a “Stop ads” on your mailbox, and lots of other good ideas.
The website is aimed at both citizens, businesses and communities. As a bonus, there are tricks to get people to a lifestyle more environmentally friendly: email signatures incorporating eco-actions, etc. to send ecards.

Paris and the surrounding region are breaking new ground by aiming to build more and more ecological, environmentally-friendly buildings. In Paris itself, a new skyscraper is to be built at La Défense by 2012. The structure will be totally transparent, revealing people working inside, gardens and lights. The Generali tower will be green, with a ventilation system powered by solar panels.

As to environmentally-friendly social housing, the Paris suburbs of Saint-Denis and Sucy-en-Brie are approaching the general public directly, with the offer of green social housing by 2009. The Soa architectural practice will be conducting both projects, which comply with the High Environmental Quality standard. The 38 homes in Seine-Saint-Denis will have green roofs, while the 35 homes in Sucy-en-Brie in the Val-de-Marne will use rock foundations, natural light and plants.

These new initiatives in Greater Paris make it one of the most innovative European cities in terms of care for the environment.

photos credit : Linternaute.com