Bisphenol-A (BPA) pays again the headlines. Already known to be present in our everyday consumer objects (baby bottles, cans, drugs or cosmetics), it has been proved that our receipts and credit card are also impregnated. A disturbing revelation when we know that this toxic product (already classified as such in Canada and soon in the U.S.), produces tumors and breast cancers in women, the youth and fetal deterioration in breast tissue . Remember that each year nearly 1,000 synthetic chemicals are created when there are already 80,000! More than 500 of them are to cause cancer or disrupt hormones in our bodies, and are mostly related to our lifestyle in the West. For now, despite the warning given by some forty scientists recognized the French government seems unwilling to classify bisphenol A as a toxic, dangerous for our health and of course the environment.

The sales site online Greenweez offers Internet users a panel of 5,000 green products, organic or natural. The navigation is easy and airy, this site provides access to a look at topics that speak for themselves: light, water, air, indoor-outdoor etc.. With one click, you can find the flagship site, acclaimed by consumers. Each season, Greenweez reverse 5 to 10% of its profits to organizations related to the protection of the environment. Because now we are all aware that we must act, with Greenweez we can buy green and smart.

Specialist in aromatherapy since 1990, Florame offers organic cosmetics certified by Ecocert, based on essential oils. No araben, dyes, phenoxyethanol, and synthetic fragrances, these products are fresh and unique. Florame has a range of exceptional essential oils with almost 120 references. Pink, lemon, peppermint, lavender, juniper, mandarin, all the smells of nature are captured in scents, moisturizing or cleansing milk, floral water and even shower gels. In addition, Florame offers various treatments and hair removal in the institute. A good reason to go to one of the three Paris.

Open all year, from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Florame Odéon
8, rue Dupuytren – 75006 Paris – T. : 01.44.07.34.53

Florame Marais
15, rue des rosiers – 75004 Paris – T. : 01.42.77.19.00

Florame Tour Eiffel / Invalides
44, rue Cler – 75007 Paris – T. : 01.45.

Since November, the ecofriendly mobile phone “Blue Earth” by Samsung is available in stores. Ideal green Christmas gift, it is recharged by solar energy through photovoltaic panels on the back of the camera. With this configuration, it allows autonomy of 25min after being charged for 1h in the sun. Completely environmentally friendly, the Blue Earth has a hull made of recycled materials (extracts from plastic bottles), and contains no harmful substance (brominated flame retardants, PVC or phthalates). This smart phone also has features related to the environment. The eco-walk is a pedometer that calculates the amount of carbon saved by walking with a converter trees saved. With Samsung’s touch interface, the Blue Earth is just as powerful as other mobile manufacturer in South Korea: 2.8 inch screen, 5 megapixel camera, FM radio, 3G +, RSS reader …
In addition, the packaging is made from recycled paper. An eco-package that wishes to expand the brand to end all its product lines.
Like the Blue Earth blue steel design, Samsung has also commercialized a mobile input range: the Solar Crest Samsung E1107. It allows only 5 to 10min autonomy instead of the 25 allowed by the Blue Earth. The difference is in price: from 300€ for the Blue Earth and 49€ for the E1107 Crest Solar.

Celebrations for New Year’s Eve approach very quickly and you wonder again what you are going to be able to offer to your family? Look no further Abrakado.fr is the website for you! It’s fun, you can find in a few clicks the perfect gift for your grandmother, your spouse or your best friend. To do this, you simply answer a short questionnaire with: your average budget, the occasion (birthday, Valentine’s Day or Christmas), age and sex of the person who will receive your gift, the type of housing (apartment or house). Finally, choose the type of gift you want (fun, high-tech, education …), and the profile of the person (gourmet, epicurean, sports, flirt …). Once the questionnaire completed, the website displays a selection of tailor-made gifts!
As a bonus, Abrakado.fr gives back 1% of its turnover to CO2 Solidarity to participate in a project to build 1,000 solar passive buildings in the Himalayas, in India.

On November 24th, we introduced Jean-Louis Lamy, who with his wife Patricia, has created Couleurs Bio one of the first organic online market places. Suppliers of Hotel Gavarni and therefore involved in the protection of the environment, Couleurs Bio is the foremost choice of a man and a woman concerned about the health of their little girl who decided to get engage in organic. Today, the couple who both work for the well being of the environment is in difficulty.
The legal transformation of their business in SARL or SAS, in order to meet development needed to sustain Couleurs Bio was refused by several banks (including their main bank Societe Generale). The cause? A lack of real estate assets to be mortgaged as collateral input. So when the government talks about recommendations for SMEs, Jean-Louis and Patricia laugh yellow, because these recommendations seem ineffective.
Today, they appeal to all those who wish to move from consumer to “consom’actor” providing financial assistance to Couleurs Bio. A legal transformation which will enable their company to respond to changing market for organic products and offer the same time, lower prices for consumers. This type of investment (a minimum of 500 €) creates exemptions and reductions of tax provided by law. Our support to real actors in the protection of the environment.

To know more (in French):
Legifrance.gouv.fr
Apce.com

To contact Jean-Louis Lamy :
couleursbio@gmail.com

Avatar, the new blockbuster from James Cameron, is on the French theaters today. Let’s see what is the implication of the movie maker in protecting the planet.

Nature is everywhere in history. The ecological message was important to you?
At one point Jake explains to the people of Pandora, the Na’vi, there is no more “green” on Earth. I found it a very powerful metaphor. I think mankind is not evil, they are not “guilty”, but they must be more responsible for the planet. For that we must change and give up certain things. Unfortunately men are not very talented when it comes to making sacrifices.

Have you done the carbon credits of Avatar?
We used a lot of energy with WETA computers so it’s a bit ironic, I agree. Fortunately, these studios are in New Zealand where much of the energy is hydro electric. The ecological footprint is quite small. In my life, I’m more careful. I live in a ranch that produces its own land and solar energy. But it’s true that big Hollywood movies should think more about their ecological footprint. A good place for Avatar: we shot in a completely virtual rainforest!

Avatar from Кот да Винчи on Vimeo.

Source: Metrofrance.com

Until January 15th, 2010, the 1st arrondissement of Paris will be illuminated with green decorations. As part of operation Paris illumine Paris, some places have the privilege of being decorated with recycled elements but equally magic to the “traditional” non-ecological ones. The Rue de Richelieu, now boasts over 200 meters, 10 diagonal cross hung from lampposts in the street lighting. These are illuminated by LEDs, which are installed on  collected multicolored plastic bottles. Place André Malraux has as some Christmas trees a bit special one: 4 meters high, they are made entirely of plastic bottles!
This entire operation of ecofriendly decorating has been designed by Fabrice Peltier, the founder of DesignPack Gallery. This company is specialized in the art of packaging and offers a selection of Christmas gifts consisting exclusively of works and objects made from recycled packaging.

Each year millions of greeting cards are sold worldwide. This beautiful tradition that has endured for centuries is also devastating ecologically speaking. When one considers the number of trees fell to produce these cards, we can only look to a green solution: the electronic greeting cards. Many websites like www.hallmark.com allow users to send in a green card to their relatives or friends, for any occasion. Easy to use, connect to the website then select the card (moving or stationary, with or without sound effects) and mode of transmission (cell phone or email address). It then adds a small custom text and decides the date of shipment. Once the card is sent, you receive a receipt in your own mailbox. Often humorous, the cards are as much fun as a card received by mail.

1)Why did you decide to create a green company of transportation?
My four partners and I are part of the generation that has realized the importance of issues related to climate change. Transportation is, moreover, one of the main sources of carbone emissions in France, taking account of environmental issues has become very clear. We have therefore decided to build our fleet of vehicles exclusively from 3 Toyota Prius hybrid (89 g / km CO2), to train our drivers in the techniques of eco-driving and offsetting all our greenhouse emissions. These choices give us the certainty to minimize the impact of our activities on the environment and enable our customers to register their travel in a sustainable development approach.

2) How are you different from “traditional” taxi?
First, we differentiate ourselves by this commitment to the environment. Although the main Parisian taxi companies have hybrid vehicles in their fleets, an initiative that we welcome and we also encourage, they can train all their drivers to an eco-driving and offset all emissions generated by their vehicles. Thus, only our company can claim to be totally neutral environment.
Then, we have taken great care to quality of service provided. Our drivers adhere to a behavioral charter which requires them to accommodate the customer, handle your luggage or to master conversational English. In addition, all our vehicles offer unprecedented services such as Wi-Fi broadband and television to allow passengers to work, learn or relax during the trip.
Finally, the last major difference is the price. Our rates are fixed, that is to say, announced at the time of booking and independent of the journey. The price of a race with NEOCAB is equivalent to that of a taxi booking.

3) Tell us about your meeting with Xavier Moraga, the Gavarni hotel manager.
We contacted Mr. Moraga just before the launch of our business. Like most people involved and interested in ecology, we heard about the Hotel Gavarni and measures the director had put in place to protect the environment. We were convinced that there is a link between this facility and our business, that conviction has since been verified since NEOCAB is now part of the sustainable development process of the hotel Gavarni ensuring taxi journeys to its customers.

4) Why join a hotel? Is it the only hotel you work with?
The main advantage of hotels for our business is that they can cause a number of important races and spread throughout the day (the application is not necessarily concentrated on peak hours). However, the hotel Gavarni is currently the only one with whom we work. Our service is indeed very influenced by the environmental dimension, it is thus logical that this element is part of a comprehensive facilities, and the number of green hotels in Paris is still limited …

5) You offer many services in your car. How do you manage to combine technology and ecology?
The various services we offer in our vehicles cause actual energy consumption, but this has little impact on our environmental footprint. First, the electric motor of the Toyota Prius 3 recharges automatically, which means it does not need extra energy. Moreover, our process of carbon offsetting naturally includes all of our activity, consumption of our cars in the extraction and refining of oil needed for their operations through our activity “in house” (headquarters , communication media, etc..). Finally, we think it’s time to stop associating ecology with compromise. It is quite possible to adopt responsible behavior on the environment without making sacrifices in comfort or prices, at least that is what NEOCAB defends and offers its customers.