Crowne Achievement

Until recently hotels have represented the pinnacle of wastefulness in our disposable culture. It seems almost to be a right of the traveler to indulge in excesses on the road that he'd not even consider at home. After all, you're paying for everything from housekeeping to mini soap bars when you're handed your key card at the front desk, so why not get your money's worth? An extra towel to dry your feet here, a lotion sample gone missing there – hey, you're on vacation, live it up.

However, if we choose not to leave our sponsible mindset at the front door of our abode when departing for points known, we can still get the pampered experience and keep our conscience intact. Leaving behind the toiletry samples we'll probably never use is one way. Staying at a Crowne Plaza hotel is another.

Crowne Plaza, like a number of other hotel chains these days, is taking sponsibility for its carbon footprint by taking part in Conserving For TomorrowSM, an environmental program developed exclusively for InterContinental® Hotels Group, of which Crowne Plaza is a member. Over half of the entire InterContinental Hotels Group properties are participating in the Conserving For Tomorrow Linens and Towels Re-Use Program.

As it's explained on Project Planet's website, "Conserving For Tomorrow revolves around asking guests to use their bed linens and towels more than once. When guests participate and re-use their sheets and towels, hotels save money in reduced water, energy, labor, detergent; and sheet/towel replacement costs.

"Environmentally, Conserving For Tomorrow makes a large impact, saving 6000 gallons of water monthly and 40 gallons of detergent monthly (based on average-sized 100 room hotel.)"

Thanks to Crowne Plaza and other hotel members of the InterContinenal Group, all of us with a shared sense of sponisbility can sleep a little easier at night, especially when away from home.

COnscious Clothing

By now everyone knows that U2 lead singer Bono is a socially conscious juggernaut, acting as a voice for various organizations over the years, from 46664 to ALAFA to Amnesty International. His latest fight is against poverty and disease the world over, particularly on the African continent. To this end he helped organize ONE.

What most people don't realize however, is that his wife, Ali Hewson, is equally dedicated to change and is a partner in ONE along with her husband. In addition the pair, along with New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory, has created Edun, a clothing company aimed at creating beautiful clothes using ethical conditions and to help create long-term sustainable employment in the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

The collection includes denim, organic graphic tees, fleece tops, sweaters, knit and woven tops, blouses, dresses and casual jackets. The color palette pulls from the various shades of nature at night, from dusk through dawn.

Items are fairly pricey, but the proceeds go to supporting sustainability and fair trade as well as earth-friendly practices. Frankly, we'd rather spend our clothing budget on products that make a difference over those that make business executives wealthy.

Not for the Birds

Here at sponsible we believe in supporting not just the environment, but those businesses that choose to support it as well, sometimes even in the face of more economically viable business practices.

A few days back we highlighted Akasha, the new Earth-friendly restaurant in the L.A. town of Culver City. Today we thought we'd hop a plane to the right coast and give props to what may well be the most sustainable restaurant in the whole of Manhattan.

Birdbath, Neighborhood Green Bakery is actually more than simply a sustainable restaurant; it's a model of sustainability that sets standards by which all businesses should be measured.

Created by the owners of The City Bakery, a Los Angeles and, more recently New York, franchise, Birdbath is nothing short of an inspiration to the eco set. The walls are made of wheat, the countertops, recycled paper. They rely on wind power as their sole source of energy. Their floor is reclaimed wood. And on and on and on.

Needless to say, all of the ingredients that go into their muffins, breads and pasteries are organic, not to mention locally grown and farmed. The delivery men ride rickshaws. The staff wears linen, hemp and vintage. Just incredible.

While we can't personally vouch for the food, there's little doubt it's as good as are it's creators' practices. We're planning a trip to our hometown of NYC soon and will be sure to stop by the West Village for a taste test. We'll be sure to take lots of pictures and take a big bite for all of our readers.

Simple Pleasure

For many of us a good pair of shoes is one of life's great pleasures. To be cushioned in stylish comfort as we go about our workaday lives is a desire that's launched a thousand footwear companies - at least.

Looking beyond only our creature comforts, however, we now have the chance to walk stylishly, comfortably and environmentally all at the same time, thanks to Simple Shoes.

A division of the Santa Barbara-based company Deckers Outdoor Corp. (who also owns UGG and Teva), Simple Shoes makes footwear that not only looks cool and is built for comfort, but every pair they produce is made with sustainability in mind. Soles made from used tires, uppers of hemp, recycled PET (soda bottle) laces, are just a few of the materials that go into their very green line.

As if their products' green cred isn't enough, Deckers itself is more than up to snuff when it comes to sustainability, having been chosen the City of Santa Barbara's "Recycler of the Year." They even post things on their site like the success of their company carpooling program and when employees decide to bike rather than drive to the office. Bravo!

We encourage sponsible readers to consider purchasing a pair of Simple Shoes, not just for the comfort, the style or even the sustainability issue, but to help a support a company that is practicing what it preaches and may well serve as inspiration to others.

Good Eats

Culver City is fast becoming one of Southern California's hippest, most environmentally progressive communities and thanks to the opening of Akasha Restaurant, it's just gained a bit more cred on both fronts.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining at the brand new Culver City hotspot and left with both my tastebuds and conscience well sated. Former home of the old school Italian eatery San Gennaro, Akasha is the brainchild of chef Akasha Richardson, whose own green-tinged conscience is reflected in every aspect of the restaurant's being, right down to the recycled plastic aprons worn by the waitstaff.

In addition to the aprons, employees are outfitted with organic cotton shirts and black Levi's jeans. Even the menus themselves are covered in recycled particleboard- the kind those old, brown clipboards were made from.

As for the restaurant, the interior features an entirely green buildout, with walls covered in reclaimed siding from an old barn. The banquet seats are lined in hemp fabric and the chairs in organic leather. I'm probably leaving out a good deal more recycled and reclaimed materials, but there was only so much info I could absorb, courtesy of manager Sophie and waitress Brynn, before my mind zeroed in on the vittles before me.

As for the menu, every item is organic and sustainably farmed and all ingredient purchased according to fair trade standards. And delicious, at least my meal and that of my buddy Greg. I had the quinoa and lentils topped with slices of organic chicken. Exotic, hearty, subtle and very satisfying. Greg had the salmon and was equally pleased. We started with the cannelli bean hummus with seasoned pita, which disappeared faster than it probably should have in polite company.

Here's to wishing Akasha a long and fruitful (organic fruit, of course) tenure as a SoCal hotspot for good times, good food and a good, green initiative.

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For today's video, we focus on organic farming and ponder the question of whether it can sustain us...

Green Hearts

If you're like us you may be running around today, grabbing last minute gifts for your Honey, overwhelmed by the sudden realization that your procrastination could lead to relationship annihilation. As you're wracking your brain for ideas we'd like to make a suggestion, a sponsible suggestion.

This Valentine's Day, why not show your love for your sweetie with a gift that won't just save your relationship, but quite possibly the world too? Satisfy her sweet tooth as well as your sense of sponsibility by bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifuying her a box of rainforest-grown chocolates?

Both Whole Foods and Vitamin Shoppe carry Endangered Species Chocolate Co. bars in a variety of flavors and intensities. We've tasted them and can vouch for their taste as well as their sustainability.

While flowers are a traditional Valentine's Day gift, why not buy her a living plant instead? Plants continue to draw CO2 from the air and emit oxygen long after cut flowers have wilted. Plus, they'll serve as an everpresent reminder of your love for her.

Finally, take your best girl out tonight for a meal that's not just delicious, but earth-friendly. Cities across the country now host a variety of organic, vegan and vegetarian restaurants, all of which engage in fair trade and sustainable practices. And because such restaurants are just outside mainstream appeal, you should have a good shot at getting a reservation for this evening, assuming you call right... now.

Biofuel a Bust?

While we and a number of others have been championing biofuels as a potential savior from our oil dependency, recent news suggests we may need to look elsewhere for the next big energy resource.

The current issue of the esteemed journal Science features two studies , both of which conclude that the environmental cost of producing biofuel is higher even than that of producing conventional forms of energy. The revelation in the studies is that while previously only the relative carbon excess from burning bio and fossil fuels had been compared, the impact caused by clearing swaths of land to grow the crops has been calculated as well. The final conclusion was that the reduction in emissions from using biofuels would be outweighed 93 times by the negative impact of the land clearing required to grow biofuel crops.

On green forums around the web a sea change has occurred within the two days since the NY Times article announcing the news was released. Whereas a month ago the biofuel bandwagon was filled to capacity, it's now towing a very light load, which certainly saves on fuel, bio or otherwise.

Of course, while the growing of crops specifically for biofuel may no longer be a desirable fuel option, biofuel shouldn't be totally counted out yet. Using waste vegetable oil to fuel diesel cars is still a great way to save on fossil fuel and make use of something that otherwise would have gone to waste. Also, a system of extracting oil from algae is being developed by companies like GreenFuels Technology Corporation of Cambridge, Massachussetts. Not only does the algae produce an oil that can run a car, but the algae itself actually absorbs CO2, much like a plant.

The efforts of people like Veggie Van owner Josh Tickell is also invaluable in that it sparks interest in renewable, sustainable energy and inevitably begins new conversations revolving around curing us of our fossil fuel fixation.

The real tragedy in the release of this study would be if a single person threw up their hands with the thought that alternative energy is a pipe dream. In the end it may not be biofuel, at least not the vegetable kind, but it will certainly grow from the same spirit that brought us vegifuels.

SPONSIBLE CHALLENGE #4: HONDA

For anyone following this blog over the past two months, you'll remember how I found myself in a position to either buy or lease a car as the lease on my 2004 Honda Civic was expiring. I had recently attended a screening of Josh Tickell's "Fields of Fuel" and was gung ho to get an auto that ran on biodiesel.

In the end, I opted to lease a new Honda C Hybrid. While in theory the idea of owning a cool early-80's Mercedes converted to run on vegetable oil was appealing, the reality was that I didn't have nearly the time to get and convert the stuff to get back and forth between the San Fernando Valley and Santa Monica every day. Plus, I figure that by leasing a hybrid I would be increasing demand for clean-fuel technology as well as keeping my car's environmental impact low.

While I don't regret having gone the hybrid route, I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't have opted for the wildly popular Toyota Prius instead.

While my Civic is a great car–roomy, modern, comfortable and pretty–it's been very disappointing for its gas mileage. although it's window sticker advertises 40/city and 45/highway, mine is averaging 35.0 mpg (I have a digital mpg readout on the dashboard) and that's primarily by way of highway driving. While I didn't expect to average 42.5 mpg, I fully believed I'd be hovering in the 40 mpg range. This, in contrast from Prius drivers, who rave about the car's over-45 mpg true efficiency rate (it advertises a 51mpg average).

When I spoke with the dealer who leased me the car and told him of my disappointment he assured me that it would take "around 15,000 miles" before the car "adjusted" to my personal driving style and would then suddenly jump up in fuel efficiency. I don't believe it.

So, our fourth Sponsible Challenge goes out to Honda USA for their deceptive claim in which they purport to be greener than they actually are. Sponsible.org is going to be sending Honda a challenge in two parts:

1. To take sponsibility for their false claims and,
2. To either publish the car's true gas mileage moving forward, or make the adjustments necessary to get the Civic Hybrid to meet their claims.

As always, we'll be sure to let you know as soon as we receive any kind of response to our challenge. Here's to hoping Honda takes full sponsibility for their claims and their cars.

-Shawn

GOOD Stuff

If you haven't already, check out GOOD magazine, available at most newsstands. Matching irreverant humor with a strong impetus for social responsibility, GOOD is everything we'd aspire to be if we were in print.

Their design is modern, stories compelling and insights deep. We especially like how they state their environmental impact right on their cover and donate 100% of their subscription sales to the non-profit of your choosing. Just incredible.

In other words, get GOOD.

VOTE

No punny headline required here. the message of today's blog is simple: If you're in one of the 24 states contesting for Presidential nominees tomorrow we at sponsible urge you to please, please, please (as the late James Brown would have said) get to your local polling place and do your civic duty.

Our democracy works best when it is engaged by as large a percentage of our populace as possible. That's the nature of a democracy. In recent years our government has unilaterally decided to make us their servants when, in fact, they are supposed to be ours. Even the President. We hired him to work for we, the people.

So please take accountability, sponsibility if you will, for what should be considered not just a privilege, but an obligation for every person of voting age. This Tuesday go out and vote, for yourself, and for future generations.

While we're on the topic of elections we'd like to take the opportunity to make an endorsement, for Barack Obama, to be the Democratic Party's candidate and next President of the United States of America.

While we did initially come out in support of John Edwards for his strong views on healthcare, poverty, campaign finance reform, opposition to nuclear energy and pro-environment stance, Obama wasn't far behind in our minds.

While the Illinois Senator may not share Edwards' conviction on some of our favorite issues, he is sincerely committed to others. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a score of 96 as opposed to Hillary Clinton's 90.

We also appreciate the fact that Mr. Obama grew up as a "minority" and so has seen firsthand the inequities that exist in our nation to this day. He has a unique perspective and a keen mind. He also is the most charismatic leader we've seen since John Kennedy. That charisma can go a long way towards getting bi-partisanship when it comes time to propose policy.

Please enjoy Voting Day tomorrow. We certainly will.

Parks Permit

A couple of weeks back we directed a SPONSIBLE CHALLENGE at California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for "his" proposal to close 48 state parks to help save some money in the face of a staggering $38 billion deficit.

Over the past week we decided to find out the details of the proposal that has become the center of so much controversy. To that end we contacted Kris Lannin Liang, Deputy Director Public Affairs, Department of Parks & Recreation to ask her how and why the proposal came to pass.

To our surprise we learned that it was not, contrary to media reports, the Governor who ordered the closing of the parks, but the Park Directors', and that it was actually a stopgap measure that would prevent a much more widespread crisis. Had all the parks been kept open the entire parks system would have degraded so badly that they would have lost visitors for the forseeable future.

Liang's suggestion to rehabilitate the state's parks program? To reform the budget and get the parks off the General Fund and into their own. She said that collectively they're actively pursuing ways in which they can create public private partnerships as a way of bringing in extra revenue.

We're pleased to learn that Governor Schwarzenegger, who we recently awarded as the most sponsible political figure of 2007, hasn't turned his back on California's greatest resource– it's natural beauty. Unfortunately the mass media loves to inform by way of generalities and sensationalism. It makes us wonder how many other stories we read each day are presented only as half truths.

Green Sun

Despite being an inveterate health nut, I do have a soft spot for a crunchy snack that you won't find in Whole Foods or Trader Joe's nor at the Farmer's Market. Still, of all the mainstream chips found in the supermarket's snack aisle, Sun Chips qualify as one of the healthier options, due in large part to their whole grains (as opposed to the heavily processed flours used in most) and consequently their 2 grams of fiber per serving. And the taste just can't be beat, for all three of the flavors.

But after taking a closer look at the packaging while grabbing a handful of the Harvest Cheddar flavor tonight I noticed the green energy credit logo in the lower right corner of the bag. As it turns out, Frito-Lay, Inc. purchases green energy credits to offset 100% of the electricity used during the production of the tasty treats. Very cool.

I then went to the Sun Chips site and learned that they're installing a bank of solar panels that will generate 75% of the energy needed to produce the chips. Even cooler. Then I read that they sponsor the Komen Race for a Cure to fight breast cancer. They promote volunteerism and provide contact info for getting involved with this worthy cause. Super cool.

For me at least, it's now more of a no-brainer than ever– when I'm feeling peckish I follow the Sun... Chips.

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Here's a bit of info about the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk: