Create More Time & Help the Environment

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
January 05 2010

One of the simplest ways for you to cut down on your environmental footprint may be to do more of your shopping online. Compared with buying online, purchasing an item in a store may have an environmental impact that’s 50 times higher, and carbon emissions may be 15 times greater.

The study, which was conducted by MindClick GSM, a sustainability consulting firm, may give some added incentives for those of you who prefer to shop from behind your computer instead of going to the mall.
It also builds on prior research, including a study by Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Design Institute, which found that shopping online reduces environmental impact with 35 percent less energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions than shopping in a store. 
Why do brick-and-mortar stores take such an environmental toll? Typically retailers have products shipped from a distributor to a regional warehouse, and then distributed to individual stores. This requires not only extra energy but also extra packaging. Customers then drive to and from the store, and take their purchases home in another package, typically a plastic bag.
There are, of course, many variables that these studies did not take into account. For instance, those people who walk to a store or take public transportation. Or those who frequent local merchants selling local goods, which therefore have not been transported great distances. Factors such as these may make local shopping friendlier than online.
In general, however, the emerging evidence is showing that shopping online is far better for the environment than driving to the mall.

What May be Even Better for the Environment than Shopping Online?

Shopping less overall. 
Buying “stuff” you don’t really need can take a massive toll on the environment, in many more ways than you may realize. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend you watch The Story of Stuff, as it does a phenomenal job of illustrating the real effects of over-consumption and over-production.

All of this “stuff” -- the electronics, the toys, the clothes and all the other material goods that we in the United States use to express our very own personal value -- carry a hefty price tag, not just for your wallet but also for the planet and the people who live on it.

The Story of Stuff shows just how all these products end up in your home, detailing the processes of extraction (trashing the planet), production (adding in toxic chemicals), distribution, consumption and ultimately disposal. The impact all of this has on communities at home and abroad are hidden from your view, yet it is immense.
This is a complex, interactive web that many of us fail to fully appreciate.

How to Protect Your Identity When Shopping Online

While convenience is often cited as the biggest benefit to shopping online, safety is typically the greatest concern. Many online stores may not encrypt the credit cards that you give them and store them in a database that makes them vulnerable to hackers. This puts you at risk for abuse of your credit card or even worse, identity theft.
Our store does encrypt cards and does not put you at risk.
When shopping elsewhere online, many credit card companies have responded to this risk by allowing you to obtain a temporary credit card that is only good for one time. Check your credit card's website for information.
Further, sites that display "https" before their address when you're entering sensitive information and those displaying certification symbols from TRUSTe and other organizations are among the safest sites on the Web, so look for these symbols before you buy.
Our store is a participant in the TRUSTe Privacy Seal Program.

More Tips for Greener Shopping

In general, purchasing locally sourced and locally crafted goods, from a local merchant, will be best for the environment and your local economy. For items you cannot get made locally, seek out responsible companies that do not exploit people or the environment to make your purchases from.
Finally, make the switch from paper or plastic bags to cloth shopping bags. Each reusable shopping bag you use has the potential to eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of disposable bags over its lifetime.

YouTube Debut - Be there for the first upload

The Gown Rack has a YouTube channel now, just created today. There aren't any uploads yet, but I think it'll be a great way to share some of the lovely things seen over here on this side of the globe. Sometimes, photos just aren't enough and our blog caps videos at 100mb (thumbs down sign).


Uploads will come soon, but why not subscribe now? 


Stay in the know, and be there for TGR's YouTube debut! 


Subscribe to the CHANNEL from THIS LINK.


Thank you friends & subscribers!

Power Plaid for the winter months, $10 Hoop Earrings from TGR, and a man's answer so full of BS, it actually makes sense.

If you'd like a splash of plaid for you and/or your home, check out the plaid gear I have listed on pages 2-4 of my catalog, including a plaid cookie jar in the shape of a handbag. Didn't think something like that existed, did you?

This clever question/answer is so full of BS, it makes perfect sense.

Q: How can men sit on their asses all day without moving?

A: Men have very powerful sets of sitting muscles developed by
evolution that enable us to sit for extended periods of time without getting tired. In prehistoric times, it was often necessary to sit in one spot for extended periods of time while hunting for prey. The more successful hunters were able to sit very still for very extended periods of time thereby passing on this ability to their progeny. The fidgety types were all gobbled up by saber- toothed tigers, etc. The end result is that almost all modern men are born with this innate ability.

Diamond Cut Platinum Hoop Earrings for €6 !

I mean, get the look of diamond cut platinum hoop earrings and pay just €6. ($8.75) Fashion Jewelry. Free shipping in Germany and surrounding EU countries, except Italy because they don't care for junk from other countries. For shipping to the U.S., add $1.25 to the unit price. (That's 10 bucks in case you have trouble with numbers). Limited quantities available from my lovely Cologne distributor, better email me first if you plan on ordering 20 million pairs. Purchase using the Pay Now button on the left side of our home page. Item Description: Fashion Hoop Earrrings

These earrings were made for candlelight/dim light because they are cut with that in mind. Inside, outside, front & back. Ladies, if your man gives you a cheap & cool gift from the heart, don't hate, appreciate! See video.

                                                   

Tunes from/for Tuners

I frequently get emailed new music thanks to the wonderful musical network that is MySpace. I check out everything that is sent to me, even if it takes me days to get around to it. I mean weeks. Out of, say, 80 songs, there are sometimes one or two that don't irritate me within the first 4 seconds. Sometimes I wait 15 seconds or so before the shutting the noise down. I think that's fair enough. I've decided to share those with you that, this month, I was able to listen to in their entirety. 


'Look at Me'- Mirrors
Listen on MySpace

'Deadbeat Summer' - Neon Indian
Listen on MySpace

'Felix Da Houscat/ Radio S' - Shinichi Osawa

Sorry, changed my mind about that last one.

For a moment, I was digging La Roux, with one album out now in the States. Although 'Quicksand' is quite catchy, I left my player on repeat and it played 'In for the Kill' and 'Quicksand' three times each, and now I cannot stand the singer's voice.  Therefore, no link. 

FYI - Neon Indian plays:

Nov 21 2009 8:00P

Club congress

Tuscon, Arizona

If one of my peeps can get to this show, please let me know how the live performance is! I have also added 'Deadbeat Summer' to my MySpace page music player  if you want to check it out there.

Saddle bags are cool, we knew that.

Korean saddle and bag maker aiming for Brooks and Carradice

By Gary Boulanger, US editor

The US $159 Zimbale leather saddle. (Zimbale)

• 
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British saddle maker Brooks has owned the leather saddle category for decades, and now a Korean company called Zimbale is branching out into the lucrative US market via Hyde Park Cyclesports in Boise, Idaho.

"My own interest in Zimbale came about partly out of frustration with the unpredictable availability of similar products from existing suppliers and manufacturers," Hyde Park Cyclesports owner Jim Powers told BikeRadar. "I received an email from Zimbale and asked for some samples. I was impressed enough with the samples to begin a conversation about becoming the US distributor.
"We were able to come to an agreement, and now I'm working towards meeting their projections for sales in this country. Interbike is the first step."
According to Powers, the Zimbale brand was created by a small group of individuals with backgrounds in textiles, manufacturing and cycling who also saw the need for a more reliable source of fine leather saddles and leather and textile saddlebags. The group is in Korea, and the bags are made in Korea.

The US $79 Zimbale leather saddle bag

The US $159 Zimbale leather saddle is shaped like the Brooks Swallow model, made of Australian cowhide with saddlebag tabs. The US $79 Zimbale leather saddle bag comes in honey, brown or black Australian cowhide.
Powers is also distributing Zimbale's Carradice-inspired cotton saddlebags, starting at US $54 for the 2.3-litre seat pouch.

For more information, visit www.hydeparkcyclesports.com.

Introducing PHOTOBOOTH a fully portable, 11MP (that's eleven million pixels) digital photo booth that does more than just take pretty pictures

Indulge a bit of old-skool photography with this clever, partly inflatable, architect-designed photo booth. Actually, the old-skool bit isn't entirely true - this photo booth is fully digital and portable, so it's probably more accurate to describe it as high-tech. Created by two Melbourne based photographers, who believe it to be the world's first portable design, the photo booth is perfect for events where party goers are prone to a spot of exhibitionism after a drink or two. The booth can also be branded to transform it into useful marketing tool. Smile! - Lisa Evans

Lisa (at The Cool Hunter) forgot to mention the high resolution part. Also, password protected galleries of your event can be published online, ALLOWING EVERYONE  A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE CURTAIN (assuming you were at the event, and have the password). Perfect for the 'look at me crowd' and for bringing that shy executive out of his shell. The Gown Rack wants this at her next party! Read more here.

Don't forget to live while you're at it

At The Gown Rack, we do believe in living life to the fullest. The good, the bad & the ugly. Our recommendation for this month:  Don't be afraid to join a hip-hop class full of teenagers, even if you happen to be in your mid-40's. You are never too old to dance and lose yourself in the music.

Live well, and make friends. You never know when you'll need one.

Just for fun, see how many of these questions you can answer YES to:

Been arrested? --- YES

Been in the back of a cop car?--- YES

Kissed someone you didn't like? --- YES

Slept in until 5 PM? --- YES

Ran a red light? --- YES

Been suspended from school? --- YES

Experienced love at first sight? --- YES

Totaled your car in an accident? --- YES

Been fired from a job? --- YES

Fired somebody? --- YES

Sang karaoke? --- YES

Pointed a gun at someone? --- YES

Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? --- YES

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? --- YES

Kissed in the rain? --- YES

Had a close brush with death (your own)? --- YES

Seen someone dead? --- YES

Played spin-the-bottle? --- YES

Had a one night stand?--- YES

Smoked a cigar? --- YES

Sat on a rooftop? --- YES

Smuggled something into another country? --- YES

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? --- YES

Broken a bone? --- YES

Skipped school? --- YES

Eaten a bug? --- YES

Sleepwalked? --- YES

Walked a moonlit beach? --- YES

Ridden a motorcycle? --- YES

Dumped someone? --- YES

Lied to avoid a ticket? --- YES

Ridden in a helicopter? --- YES

Shaved your head? --- YES

Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? --- YES

Eaten snake? --- YES

Marched/Protested? --- YES

Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? --- YES

Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? --- YES

Been in a band? --- YES

Been on TV? --- YES

Shot a gun? --- YES

Skinny-dipped? --- YES

Gave someone stitches? --- YES

Ridden a surfboard? --- YES

Drank straight from a liquor bottle? --- YES

Had surgery? --- YES

Streaked? --- YES

Taken by ambulance to hospital? --- YES

Passed out when not drinking? --- YES

Peed on a bush? ---YES

Donated Blood? --- YES

Grabbed electric fence? --- YES

Eaten alligator meat? --- YES

Killed an animal when not hunting? --- YES

Peed your pants in public? --- YES

Written graffiti? --- YES

Still love someone you shouldn't? --- YES

Been in handcuffs? --- YES

Believe in love? --- YES

Sleep on a certain side of the bed?-- YES