More Hip Than Hippie #246 - French Kiss

Renowned documentary filmmaker Gerard Ungerman discusses his passion for truth, justice and environmentalism.

Frenchman Gerard Ungerman recently moved to Chico (for l'amour!) and found an enthusiastic community of like-minded green folk. The Hipsters delve into his past work, current projects and his latest endeavor: chronicling the life of the Green Diva herself! Also, the final show of 2009 affords Val the chance to fulfill her fantasy of naming an episode after a Meg Ryan movie.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: We keep the cold at bay with another full-bodied ale. Winter Seasonal Imperial IPA from Mendocino Brewing Co. is a crowdpleaser, so bundle up and make a beer run; this Limited Edition brew won't be around for long.

Chocolate: Store-brand goodness! Safeway Select Dark Chocolate with Lemon and Pepper is full of lively flavor, if a tad bit sweet. We thinks it's made by Lindt; the packaging gave us a hindt.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Thing! Give your skin a buzz with Honey Face Cleanser by Rand Hill Naturals. It's just raw honey with a blend of essential oils. Use it daily, you'll bee thrilled with the results!
• Common cents. The Audubon Society helps to "change" the world with their Pennies for the Planet campaign, focusing this year on endangered coastlines.
• Roadkill. Yes, Dori found it.

Hip News

• Nopenhagen. No big results came out of the COP15, just a vague promise to do better. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
• Tapped out. Looks like bottled water sales are slipping. Is it because the economy's down, or could it be the result of Hipsters like you choosing reusable bottles? Depends who you ask.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Check your vision! For 2010, create a vision board with images of the things you want to accomplish or attain. Use a shadow box if you want 3D images, or just put together a simple collage. You can make one for your personal goals, one for your professional goals...as many as you want! Just make sure to hang it where you can see it every day and turn those visions into reality!

 

French Kiss

Renowned documentary filmmaker Gerard Ungerman recently moved to Chico (for l'amour!) and found an enthusiastic community of like-minded green folk. Now he's involved in several new projects, including Green Transition Chico. But his latest endeavor may be his boldest: chronicling the life of the Green Diva herself!

• Films. Gerard's work is created without corporate money or outside grants through his company, Free-Will Productions.
• Education. Gerard hosted the Green Film and Solutions series through CSU Chico.
• Community. Since making Chico his new hometown, Gerard has become part of the movement to create a Transition Town here. Interested? He recommends the Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins.

 

Listener E-mails

Dear Santa, can we have some more e-mails please?! Send your questions and compliments to hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our new blog! And remember to post articles, links and naughty French phrases at our MHTH forum!Win a Greenfeet Prize Pack! "The Legend of Dori's Engagement Ring" Contest is on until 12/25/09! Just come up with a history for her 1930s-era ring; most creative tale wins! E-mail your entry to us today!

• Ashanti in Texas wants to find a green job now that she's made the move to Austin. Try Greenopolis and Grist, or the Yahoo! resource list. Check out show #196, Green Around the Collar.
• Maggie in Spain seeks inexpensive green freebies. Google "eco-friendly promotional products" and be sure to choose something useful!
• Jen in Portland geeks out on Val's clean ducts. She says to check dsireusa to find tax credits for weatherization improvements. She also promises to bring us beer in the new year. Don't threaten us with a good time!
• Elsie in Moss Landing, CA shares an article about the downside of carbon trading. Sounds like someone should film a documentary about this...
• Brooke in New York left us a message on Facebook about the Rat Fan Club, which is based here in Chico! Who knew?

Show the world you're More Hip Than Hippie! Grab some merch for Boxing Day or anyday!Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes! More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.

More Hip Than Hippie #245 - A Drinking Problem

Despite federal regulations, you can't take drinking water safety for granted.

Prozac and makeup and lead, oh my! We all want to trust our tapwater. Unfortunately, more than 20% of US water-treatment systems have broken some of the rules of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Hipsters flush out the facts and provide some solutions. Also, Val spews (off-air) expletives as winter descends upon Northern California!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: We're staying warm with another heady brew. Old Plowshare Stout from North Coast Brewing Co. has enough rich flavor to take the chill off a December night.

Chocolate: Our new Favorite Listener, KC in Korea, supplied a pair of pleasurable treats. Lotte Ghana bar is smooth & sweet; Jeju Orange Chocolate and Cactus Chocolate are fun candies. Komapsumnida!

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Beer Magazine. This month's articles: Beer and Chocolate Pairings; Green Brewing; An Interview with George Wendt (Norm!). Really, do we need to say more?

Hip News

• Hot in herre. A new report ranks 2009 as the 5th warmest year on record, and this decade was warmer than the previous two. Let it hang all out.
• Copenhatin'. GOP lawmakers will go to the COP15 to promise the world no new US climate laws until "scientific fascism" ends.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Tap into the truth! Figure out what's floating around in your drinking water. Go to the EPA website and locate data about your local water quality. There's also lots of great info about water, so dive in!

 

A Drinking Problem

We all want to trust our tapwater. However, as many as 19 million Americans are sickened by it each year. What the heck is in it? How do we find out if our water is safe? Can we do anything to purify it? H2OMG!

 

• The EPA has identified at least 9 Unexpected Things in Drinking Water.
• The Safe Drinking Water Act passed in 1974 to ensure the quality of Americans' drinking water.
• The Environmental Working Group released its list of cities with the best and worst tap water. Congrats to Arlington, TX!
• Find out what's flowing from your faucet with a water test kit.
• Household systems like Brita can filter out most contaminants. Be sure to change the filters regularly.
• Turn your tap water into a science project! Teach kids to reclaim dirty drinking water with a fun kit.

 

Listener E-mails

What, are your fingers frozen? We need e-mail! Send your questions and compliments to hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our new blog! And remember to post articles, links and Christmas lists at our MHTH forum!Win a Greenfeet Prize Pack! "The Legend of Dori's Engagement Ring" Contest is on until 12/25/09! Just come up with a history for her 1930s-era ring; most creative tale wins! E-mail your entry to us today!

• Alisa in New York is in a lather about laundry! She recommends a cup of baking soda in the wash to soften hard municipal water. It won't harm clothing or the water supply. Win.
• Patrick in North Carolina is bloated with BPA after a chicken soup binge, and would like an alternative to canned soup. Try those aseptic packages or spend a little more for glass. He also shares a TED moment and disses Julie Andrews. Does someone need a spoonful of sugar?

Show the world you're More Hip Than Hippie! Grab some merch for Christmas or anyday!Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes! More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.

More Hip Than Hippie #244 - Natural Pet Treats

Animal lovers can extend their pets' lives by adding homemade natural supplements to their regular diet.

Responsible pet owners insist on good nutrition for their furry family members. The Hipsters talk to Tammy Furmanski and Richard Holmes, who have researched the best foods for healthy nutritional supplements that are tasty, too. (Um, we'll take their word for it...) Also, Val goes into wedding-planner mode as Dori and Chris make it official!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Gotta love a beer that looks like motor oil when you pour it! Dark but not heavy, Porteus Porter from Elysian Brewing Co. warms a wintry day with its slightly smoky flavor.

Chocolate: Dori's new fiance(!) supplied a box of yummy handmade chocolates from The Parrot, a cool retro shop in Helena, MT. We loved their ginger crystals dipped in either dark chocolate or milk chocolate.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Dori's Engagement Ring! She and Chris chose a vintage 1930's piece as part of their green, frugal wedding. Concoct a legend for the ring and email it to us by Christmas; most creative story wins a Greenfeet prize pack!
• Val's Favorite Things! A collection of Green Science Kits inspire creative play, using recycled materials. With 7 to choose from, these clever kits will keep the kids busy, in a good way!
• Urge to surge. Spark some geeky romance with the Candlestrip, a "power strip" candleholder with "power cord" candles.

Hip News

• Hopenhagen. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) is underway this week. Stay informed so you'll know who to blame.
• Leading the charge. It's official: the Chevy Volt will launch in California late next year. Partnering with the state's utilities, Chevy plans to set up charging stations and collect performance data before rolling out nationwide.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Sock it to me! Americans generate 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, and gift wrap comprises a good chunk of that. Get creative this year; use socks, t-shirts and other bits of fabric instead of wasteful paper. A ChicoBag makes great wrapping for a gift within a gift!

 

Natural Pet Treats

Responsible pet owners insist on good nutrition for their furry family members. Tammy Furmanski and Richard Holmes researched the best foods for healthy nutritional supplements that are tasty, too!

• Purpose. Tammy and Richard's goal is to provide healthy treats for cats and dogs via Chico Pet Company.
• Passion. Resources for their recipes include OnlyNaturalPet.com and the book Food As Medicine.
• Pet food. They recommend a raw food diet including healthy table scraps. Wellness and Wysong products also get thumbs up.
• Problems. Unfortunately, commercial pet food recalls are all too common.
• Press. Tammy and her business were profiled in the Chico News & Review.

Listener E-mails

• Rob in Kentucky keeps us supplied with eco-funny comics like the one above. He also has a laundry tip: clean out the lint trap halfway through the drying cycle to speed things along. Thanks y'all!
• KC in Korea wonders what to do about older Nalgene bottles, which may contain BPA. Err on the side of caution; repurpose them as dry good containers and go for safer bottles, like Klean Kanteen.
• Tina in Texas makes her own cheap 'n easy laundry detergent. Great idea, but be careful with the Fels Naptha soap.
• Keith in Hawaii reviewed our Biodiesel 101 show for his Environmental Politics class. Mahalo!
• Katie in Toronto (eh!) is still alive and still listening! We love you man!

Happy Holidays! Keep sending your questions and compliments to hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our new blog! And remember to post articles, links and clever giftwrap ideas at our MHTH forum!

 

Send Val at least 25 beer caps for her patio project, and get a free MHTH bottle opener! Mail them to More Hip Val, 275 Fairchild Ave. #107, Chico, CA 95973. No Sierra Nevada please!

Show the world you're More Hip Than Hippie! Grab some merch for Winter Solstice or anyday!Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes! More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.