The answer is yes! These items are all recyclable and they are a member of the Bag Family!  A Bag’s Life is a great program which serves as a public educational campaign that unites non-profits, business, community and government organizations around the common goal of promoting the three R’s as they relate to me, and others like me — reduce, reuse and recycle.

Here is a list of the Bag Family – don’t throw them in the trash!

Newspaper Bags
They protect millions of newspapers from damage every day and you can do right by them by getting them into the recycling stream.
Dry Cleaning Bags
Some dry cleaners actually have their own recycling programs, but if yours doesn’t, bring them back with me.
Bread Bags
Shake the crumbs out first and they’re good to go.
Veggie Bags
These bags can be pretty important because they help keep your produce separated from things like raw meat.
Product Wraps
These come with toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, diapers and more. And I bet you end up with a lot of these guys — probably more than bags! Aren’t you glad all this wrap can be diverted from a landfill too?
Furniture Wrap
Think about that wrap that kept your sofa from getting scratched or dirty during a move. Valuable, wasn’t it? Well recyclers want it too!
Electronic Wrap
This includes bubble wrap as well.
Plastic Retail Bags
Be sure to remove any hard plastic and string handles first.
Food Storage Bags
If they’re clean and dry, bring ‘em back!
Cereal Box Liners
If it tears like paper, don’t include it, but otherwise if it’s clean, you can recycle it.
Tyvek
If it’s plain, with no sticky labels.
Plastic Shipping Envelopes
Remove the labels first.
Ice Bags
Take away any metal closures and wait for them to dry out first.
Bag’s labeled #2 or #4
Clean and dry bags can go back to the store to be recycled.

A Bag’s Life program is already in several states, and is now coming to Georgia! Whether or not your state is participating in this great initiative you can use their locator to find out where you can drop off your plastic items for recycling!

by Lindsay E. Brown

Chipotle Ad Upstages Some Grammy Performances
Chipotle’s anti-factory farming ad first appeared across the Internet last year. The chain officially debuted the two-minute commercial during the Grammys to a national audience, and it has since received rave reviews. The commercial follows a local farmer who takes up factory farming in pursuit of the big bucks, before an epiphany reverts him back to his, well, roots — organic farming. Between Nelson’s charming rendition of Coldplay’s wistful classic and the deftly packaged narrative, this commercial packs quite an emotional punch! See for yourself.

24 Hours to Stop Keystone XL: Activists Launch a “Signature Bomb” to Stop Congress from Forcing Tar Sands Pipeline
Senate Republicans have put forward an amendment to the transportation bill to try and reverse President Obama’s Keystone XL rejection and revive the pipeline. In the next few days, the U.S. Senate will vote to determine the fate of the Keystone. A coalition of environmental organizations have rolled out a “signature bomb” in an attempt to get 500,000 citizens to tell Senators to stop trying to force a decision on Keystone XL. They beat their goal and have now received over 700,000 signatures!

Eco Fashion Designers at New York Fashion Week
Eco fashion is a force to be reckoned with, and a category that’s gaining clout during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Starre Vartan gives you sustainable style highlights from her front-row view at the New York Shows.

Court Rules Monsanto Guilty of Chemical Poisoning in France
The American biotech giant Monsanto was found guilty by a French Court for poisoning a French farmer. This judgement could lend weight to other health claims against pesticides. If you’re interested in learning more about how Monsanto has affected the health of humans, honeybees, and Mother Earth, read Maryam Henein’s blog; she’s the Director of the must-watch documentary Vanishing of the Bees.

No, You Weren’t Hallucinating: January Was Really Warm
You’ve probably noticed warmer temperatures than you’re used to for this time of year. Maybe you’ve even gone outside without a jacket which is typically unheard of for this time of year in your area. Well, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released U.S. weather stats recently and reported that January 2012 is the fourth warmest January since modern record keeping began in the late 1800s.

States Sue E.P.A. Over Delayed Soot Rules
Eleven states, including New York and California, joined forces to sue the federal Environmental Protection Agency over the EPA’s failure to comply with federal clean air act and adopt air quality standards that protect the public’s health.

DOL Publishes Green Jobs Guide for Women
The U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau just released a new (free!) green jobs guide titled, “Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman’s Guide to a Sustainable Career.” “Many occupations in the clean energy economy remain virtually untapped by women,” said Sara Manzano-Díaz, director of the Women’s Bureau. Hopefully women of all ages in America who are searching for a job will download this guide.

Bill McKibben Discusses His 700,000 Anti-Keystone Emails on Colbert
350.org’s founder, Bill McKibben appeared on the Colbert Report Monday night to discuss his anti-Keystone email campaign to the Senate. The funnyman got a few satirical digs in, and McKibben patiently explained why it isn’t accurate when mining advocates argue that “everything we’re extracting from the ground is natural.”

This post was written by eco-contributor Lindsay E. Brown. She’s the managing editor at Eco-Chick.com, publisher of BrownLovesGreen.org, an author, and regularly contributes to EarthHour.org and a host of other sites across the web. Follow her on Twitter: @LindsEBrown

Photo Courtesy of Starre Vartan of Eco-Chick.com

What are we going to do about the national crisis of childhood diabetes?

• About 1 in every 400 children and adolescents has diabetes
• U.S. kids 8 – 18 average 8 hours a day in front of some type of media screen
• Health care providers are finding more and more children with type 2 diabetes, a disease usually diagnosed in adults aged 40 years or older.

On March 14th our sixth Enlightenment Luncheon will concentrate on Diabetes & the Rising Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes in Children. I started the Enlightenment Luncheon series with Stephanie Blank several years ago to highlight children’s health issues. The event is co-chaired by myself, Stephanie Blank and Lisa Rayner, and is co-sponsored by Emory’s Department of Pediatrics.

I am really excited about our upcoming luncheon and expert guest speakers. Our keynote speaker is Griffin Platt Rodgers, MD, MBA Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Our panel includes Mark Hyman, MD Chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine, Andrew J. Muir, MD, MHS Bernard Marcus Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology; Professor and Division Director, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Emory University and K.M. Venkat Narayan, MD, MSc, MBA Ruth and O.C. Hubert Chair of Global Health, Professor of Epidemiology, Emory University.

My dear friend, Mark Hyman, is one of the panelists. We met a few years ago on a whitewater paddling trip in Peru, and have been close friends ever since. Mark is a brilliant doctor who looks at things differently, with a more integrative and holistic approach. Mark is a celebrated doctor and author who provides whole body and mind solutions for improving your health through diet, lifestyle and empowering yourself with the knowledge you need. I can not say enough how much I’m looking forward to hearing him discussing this critical problem THAT CAN BE SOLVED!

Join me at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel for this incredible luncheon. You can register and find out more about the other participants here.

* Statistics from the CDC, Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Family Foundation Report

Last Thursday I hosted a breakfast to welcome Denise Quarles, the Director of Sustainabilty for the City of Atlanta. I felt like I was surrounded by members of my extended family. These are people who I’ve been working along with and who share my passion of cleaning up our environment for future generations. It was a great morning of reconnecting and sharing ideas. Suzanne Burnes, Denise Quarles and Mayor Kasim Reed shared their sustainability vision for the future of Atlanta. He also reminded us that we have taken Atlanta from one of the biggest polluters in the country to one that has reduced water by 20 percent and is in compliance more than 96 percent of the time! That is really something to be proud of but the work is not over yet. Together, we can all make Atlanta the number one most sustainable city in the country and a model to other cities. By our powers combined!

You can read more about what the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability has in store for Atlanta here! If you are not an Atlantan then make sure you tell your leadership that you want your city to prioritize your clean air and water too!

On my trip to Ghana last week I had the opportunity to visit the facility of one of my favorite companies in the world, Trashy Bags.

Due to the very limited access to fresh drinking water in Ghana, most people drink their water from one-use throwaway plastic bags. These bags go to landfills or clutter up the streets in alarming numbers. This is a significant and growing problem in Ghana. However, Trashy Bags is doing something about it. In the video, I take a tour through the Trashy Bags facility to see how they recycle these plastic bags into reusable shopping bags and handbags!

I recently returned from a trip to Ghana to support the Rotary Club of Accra Airport and the Ghana Planeteers. My visit was fun, inspiring, educational, exhausting and so many more adjectives! My trip to Ghana is one that will always remain close to my heart. You can learn more about my trip and the people I met and places I went here.

One of the most remarkable effects of my dad’s Captain Planet series has been it’s global reach. The cartoon series was designed to appeal to children of all colors, faiths and experiences. Captain Planet became a hit in the country of Ghana, and today the Ghana Planeteers is one of the most active Planeteer groups in the world. I traveled to Ghana last week to speak to the Rotary Club of Accra Airport as they launch their foundation to raise money for community service projects and to support the Ghana Planeteer movement.

I recently became a Rotary member and I was really inspired by the work of the Rotary Club of Accra Airport and the Ghana Planeteers. Though only a short trip, I met so many people, visited inspiring companies and saw the first-hand benefits of their good works. Here are some of the highlights of the exciting things we did and people we met.

The trip began with an interview on ETV national program to talk about working with the Rotary Club of Accra Airport and the Planeteer movement in Ghana. From there we went to the American Embassy to meet with Ambassador Donald Teteilbaum and talk about the different programs going on here that we can partner with for the environment and children’s health issues. Afterwards, we visited children from the Achimota Prep School and talked with the kids about getting involved in the Captain Planet movement.

Later I attended the first environmental stakeholders meeting in Ghana with the Ministry of Environment which the Planeteers helped organize. There were many groups, media and government representatives there as we discussed the main challenges facing Ghana and what we could all do by working together to help solve these problems. There is so much energy and passion in Accra for solving environmental issues.

The following day, I participated in several media appearances from being on a national TV talk show with the members of the Rotary Club of Accra Airport, to being on one of the top radio shows in Accra, 99.7 Joy FM, to talk more about the Rotary Club and the Ghana Planeteer movement.

Our next stop was Zoom Lion, the largest provider of waste management services in the country and employer of over 60,000 youth in the city.  Zoom Lion has been very helpful working with the Planeteers during our clean-up projects. They told us that they built a new waste separation and composting facility about 45 minutes outside the city. So of course, I asked if we could see it! Their plan is to have transfer stations in Accra which will load the waste into a rail car and bring it out to the plant. Through a combination of workers and machines – Zoom Lion will take out plastics, metals, glass and other large objects for recycling to keep them out of the landfill. This new facility is the first step to instituting a recycling program for Ghana and will also create 300 new jobs for the area!

From there we visited another inspiring company called Trashy Bags. One of the main problems in Accra is due to the very little access to fresh drinking water most people get their water from plastic water drinking bags, and the disposal of these bags is a major environmental issue. One of my favorite companies in the world, Trashy Bags recycles discarded water drink pouches and ice cream wrappers by turning them into handbags and shopping bags.

Once they collect the bags, they are washed, sewn together and cut into patterns. Old billboard signs are also used to make handbags.

The final event of the day was a special meet up with all the Planeteers at the Silverbird Cinema to watch the first episode from the Captain Planet series. We had a great turnout! I’m so excited to see these young students and career professional getting involved with Captain Planet. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of our Planeteer leaders go on to be President of Ghana one day. . .

My primary purpose in visiting Ghana is the creation of a foundation by the Rotary Club that will allow the club to raise additional money to provide more services for the community. Currently, the Rotary Club provides services like de-worming exercises for children, eye screenings, literacy programs and donations of incubators and medical supplies for local hospitals. We started early Saturday morning by meeting the Rotarians at a local church and then driving together to a neighborhood in Accra called Glefe. Glefe is one of the poorest areas in Accra. There is no waste sanitation or running water. I worked with the Rotary members who had set up four stations in the community to give de-worming medicine to the kids. The medicine kills the parasites that can cause serious sickness or death. The kids need to take this medicine at least twice per year. I can tell you that nothing has touched me more than the day I spent at Glefe.

Although the area needs serious attention – the kids were very spirited and outgoing. These are the type of community service projects that make me proud to be a member of Rotary.  We were able to see over 3,000 kids that day.

Saturday night was the big event for Rotary Club of Accra Airport to launch their foundation. The Club honored me by making a special dress for me out of three different patterns in Rotary colors. I really love my new dress!

I was asked to be the guest speaker at this beautiful outdoor dinner. The club took pledges from the attendees and raised $130,000 to kick-off the foundation!

My last day in Ghana began by attending the International Central Gospel Chapel for a morning service with Edward Boateng. The Reverend gave a great educational sermon about the actions we need to follow to live a good and meaningful life. Afterwards, the Reverend and I spoke together about how when we pollute our air and water – we are really stealing from our children and future generations. I’m hoping it will be a topic for his sermon on Earth Day!

This trip has truly made a large impact on my life. The people of Ghana have been so warm and inviting, and have inspired me to keep working to support their efforts to save the environment and protect the health of their kids. I know I have established lifelong friendships from this trip.

I also want to say a special thank you to Letty Ashworth and Delta Airlines who sponsored our trip and made everything possible. Letty and her husband Bill joined us for the trip. Delta now flies three times per week from Atlanta to Accra. I know this will help foster increased relationships between the two cities.

Check out all the pictures from my trip -

by Lindsay E. Brown

Chile: Man Arrested for Stealing Glaciers

Add glacial theft to the list of most bizarre crimes ever committed. A Chilean man was arrested for stealing ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier to sell to upscale bars and restaurants for gourmet ice cubes. Tourists in southern Chile are often served whiskey chilled with glacial ice. I’ll have whiskey on glacial rocks, please. Glacial ice used for designer drinks is a trend our world simply can’t afford.

Gasland Director Arrested for Filming in Congress

Josh Fox, director of GASLAND, was arrested on Capitol Hill for trying to film a committee meeting about fracking. In a statement, Fox said: “I was arrested today for exercising my First Amendment rights to freedom of the press on Capitol Hill. I was not expecting to be arrested for practicing journalism.”

Food Crisis as Drought and Cold Hit Mexico
Mexico is facing one of its worst droughts in decades, wreaking havoc on farms across the country and causing a severe food crisis.The drought which has been compounded by freezing temperatures, has left two million people without access to drinking water and pushed up the cost of some produce.

Scout’s Honor: The Push for Sustainable Cookies Isn’t Over Yet
Two Girl Scouts are putting pressure on the organization to stop using palm oil as an ingredient in cookies which contributes to deforestation, consequently destroying endangered species habitats and old-growth trees. (Palm oil plantations have also been known to employ children and treat their workers badly.)

The Girl Who Silenced the World
Speaking of girls who are bettering our world, watch this moving video of a young girl who eloquently sums up our environmental crisis.

Shrinking Polar Ice Caps May Be to Blame for Frigid Europe
Europe has been hit with a cold spell which has caused nearly 300 deaths across the continent, and snow accumulations not seen in five decades. A recent study suggests that shrinking amounts of ice in the arctic have to do with the plummeting temperatures.

Obesogens: An Environmental Link to Obesity

According to this article, chemicals could be making you pack on the pounds. There is growing evidence that chemical “obesogens” may be contributing to the obesity epidemic. In the United States, more than 35% of adults and nearly 17% of children aged 2–19 years are obese.

This post was written by eco-contributor Lindsay E. Brown. She’s the managing editor at Eco-Chick.com, publisher of BrownLovesGreen.org, an author, and regularly contributes to EarthHour.org and a host of other sites across the web. Follow her on Twitter: @LindsEBrown

In 5 minutes this young girl sums up our environmental crisis. I was brought to tears the first time I watched it. I don’t know how anyone could watch this video and not be moved to take action. Please watch this!

Hello from Ghana! I’m in Ghana to speak to the Rotary Club of Accra Airport Saturday night as they launch their foundation to raise money for community service projects. I’m also here to support the Ghana Planeteer movement. The Ghana Planeteers were founded last year and have now grown to over 200 members. These young professionals, comprised mostly of 20 and 30-year-olds, want to make a difference in cleaning up the environment in Ghana. Their projects include beach and river cleanups, working in the schools to educate the younger kids about the importance of recycling and helping to clean up throwaway plastic items that have littered the ground.

Yesterday was a full day! Started the morning with an interview on ETV national program to talk about working with the Rotary Club of Accra Airport and the Planeteer movement in Ghana. Then we went to the American Embassy to meet with Ambassador Donald Teteilbaum and talk about the different programs going on here that we can partner with for the environment and children’s health issues.

The next stop was the highlight of the day. We stopped at the Achimota Prep School and talked with the kids about getting involved in the Captain Planet movement. The kids were very enthusiastic about working to clean up the environment and helping to lead recycling projects. The kids were so surprised when Captain Planet himself showed up! The Planeteers are working in the schools to get the kids involved in recycling and to help spread the message to their parents and neighbors.

Later I attended the first environmental stakeholders meeting in Ghana with the Ministry of Environment which the Planeteers helped organize. We had many groups, media and government representatives there as we discussed the main challenges facing Ghana and what we could all do by working together to help solve these problems. One of the main problems is the disposal of plastic water drinking bags. It is estimated that over 60 million of these bags are thrown away every week in Accra, the Capital of Ghana. The stakeholders talked about how we can collect these plastics to keep them out of the waste stream and rivers – as well as some creative options for recycling this plastic. One creative option was a company called Trashy Bags which turns the thrown away bags into shopping bags.

I also had the chance to meet with representatives from CARE who are working on deforestation issues and a representative from ACUMEN Fund that provides business loans to socially responsible companies that work to reduce poverty through social enterprises and breakthrough ideas.

Here’s a pic of me and Laura Elizabeth at the launching of the group one year ago -

Stay tuned for pictures and more news from Ghana! Happy Friday to everyone and remember to keep your Super Bowl as green as possible!