Changing Lives, One Light at a Time

The children of Rizal, Philippines, gather around their solar lantern. Photo credit: One Million Lights website

Did you know that over 1.6 billion people around the world depend on burning kerosene to light their homes at night? This is responsible for 1.5 million deaths from burns and respiratory illnesses each YEAR, 62% of which are children. If you know this, you are most likely not one of those 1.6 billion people. This highly toxic and flammable substance is the only source of lighting for many areas around the world, and a very expensive one at that, contributing to the extreme poverty that these areas are facing. Well, what if YOU could help offer an alternative to put an end to this vicious cycle?

One Million Lights is a non-profit with a mission of improving lives all over the world by providing emissions-free and efficient lighting to homes. Their goal is to distribute one million solar lights to replace the burning of kerosene, and their partnerships, ambassadors, and international distribution programs are helping to make this goal happen. Not only are these lights sustainable, but they give those who are less fortunate the ability to utilize the sun even after it goes down. Lighting can allow children to continue their studies throughout the evening, and parents to continue their household chores and even relax after a long day of work. They offer a healthy and safe living environment, improving the all-around household experience. These lights utilize the sun's gift to brighten peoples' futures all over the world!

One Million Lights has had a tremendous amount of support in helping reach their goal! They have teamed up with World of Color's public charity, whose mission is very similar to their own. In addition, Energizer became a partner and started sponsoring night races around the world to raise awareness of the importance of safe and healthy lighting. Through the money raised at the races, Energizer pledged to donate 11 million hours of solar light to communities without electricity! EBay has also shown support through their donation of 15,000 solar lights to school children in India and Africa. College students around the world are even showing support by volunteering as ambassadors! They are working towards raising enough solar lights to deliver them to a selected location with the help of international distributors. Through the help of partnerships, ambassadors, and international distribution programs, One Million Lights has been able to brighten peoples’ futures all around the world, and has gotten many steps closer towards reaching their goal!

Brighten someone's night by giving the gift of light this holiday season!  Click here to buy or donate a solar light! Everyone deserves an opportunity for a bright future. 

Restituta Glino, a light recipient in Borongan Village, checks on his dinner. Photo credit: One Million Lights website

Distribution to Kenya, April 2012. Photo credit: Michael Goode

Tips for a Sustainable Holiday: Take 2 – Winter Holidays

The holiday season never stops! Just as we finish the stress of planning and cooking a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, the festivities of the month of December sneak up on us. To ensure you have a sustainable winter holiday season, try to incorporate these tips into your planning and spending:

Reuse:

• Save wrapping paper (especially foil backed and tissue) and ribbons - these items are not recyclable - to wrap future gifts.
• Use fronts of old cards to create postcards or gift tags.
• If you get a cut tree, be sure to recycle it
• Reuse the packing peanuts to mail your next package, or if you don’t want them laying around take them to your nearby UPS store!
• Keep burned out holiday lights out of the landfill; they are recyclable at Lowe's

If every American family wrapped three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields! So why not skip out on buying new wrapping paper and use anything you can find, saves money and trees or try and give presents in reusable bags. This will allow for your gift receiver to continue using this bag during their grocery trips further reducing the amount of plastic bags used.

Gift Giving: Splurging during the holiday season has become a custom—the more gifts the better. Try having a Secret Santa, where each person’s name gets put into a hat and everyone draws a person for whom they buy a present for. This decreases the amount of gifts bought and lets you make each gift more personal. When you buy presents, support your local merchants which will help you reduce your carbon footprint and pump dollars into the local economy.

Cooking and entertaining:

• Send email invites instead of paper invitations.
• When planning a menu, choose local foods that are in season.  

Finally, don’t feel like a Charlie Brown Christmas is a bad one! Go for a smaller tree and (if you’re like my family) reuse those decorations each year. There’s no need to constantly buy new lights, ornaments, and tree skirts, right?

But most importantly, keep in mind that the holidays are not about the gifts, the errands, the trimmings; they're about celebrating with your family and friends.

Peace, Love, & Beer!

Right in the heart of Kinston, North Carolina, Mother Earth was born. A lonely, worn-down brick building was given a second chance. Trent Mooring and Stephen Hill, brought together by their shared passion for home-grown vegetables and hand-crafted beer founded Mother Earth Brewing Co. in 2007. They envisioned a sustainable brewery, researched sustainable building materials and techniques, and Mother Earth was born the following year.

Not only is the location and structure of the building recycled itself, but sustainable materials were used for building almost every additional detail. To start, this sustainable brewery contains a six-kilowatt solar array on the rooftop, right off the bat reducing their emissions. The building also contains blue-jean insulation, which is a 100% recyclable product and has great noise-barriers. Soy-based spray foam insulation was used on the second story ceiling, eliminating the use of harmful chemicals, low Volatile organic compounds (VOC) paint was used on the walls, and eco carpet made from renewable resources was installed. They also invested in eco valves and eco faucets to reduce water use by 30%, a tankless water heater that heats almost instantly and only when it is needed, and a rain catcher to provide outside irrigation.

There’s just no way a business could possibly become any more sustainable than this, right? Well, think again! The Mother Earth brewing process in itself is sustainable! When grain is done being used for brewing, it is sent to local farmers as top quality feed for their animals. In addition, their “hop project” involves planting hops locally and organically. Even the tap handles are made from one of the most sustainable resources, bamboo – the most rapidly growing plant on earth – taking in a greater amount of carbon dioxide and taking pressure off of traditional hardwood forests. Even the employees are sustainable! Mother Earth’s very own brewer, Josh D. Brewer traded in his car for a bicycle to reduce his emissions during his commutes to and from work, as well as his travels elsewhere.

Mother Earth Brewing Co. is in the process of becoming Gold LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) through the U.S. Green Building Council, which will make them the first brewery in the U.S. to earn this level of certification. This Brewery is a leading example for up and coming sustainable businesses everywhere. Mooring and Hill’s heart and soul not only went into the planning and building process, it went into their brewing recipe as well! Word on the street is their beer is quite tasty, so give back to Mother Earth and check it out for yourself! There will be more sustainable technologies to come as Mooring and Hill continue to please Mother Earth by keeping her close to home.