Interview: Mark May of Ecosmart World

Each month GreenWorld365 will spotlight people, businesses, or organizations that are making strides towards greening our world. This month we interview Mark May of Ecosmartworld.

1. Tell us your story! How did you get interested in living a green lifestyle?

I’ve been living in Beautiful British Columbia, Canada most of my life where it’s hard not to be a nature enthusiast when you’re surrounded by Mountains, Old Growth Forests, and Glacier fed Lakes, Rivers and the Ocean. Recycling and conservation has always been a part of my life growing up. I guess I started being the most eco-conscious when I became an avid Hiker “Take only pictures, leave only footprints”. Ultimately movies like “the Corporation” and Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” put social responsibility and sustainability into more of a World perspective. And now I have an Eco-friendly product to promote in the marketplace and I’m obsessed with getting more information and making “Green Living” an integral part of mine and my family and friends lives.
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Eco-Friendly Markers Turn Your Whiteboard Green

Do you love the smell of markers in the morning? Not anymore. There’s a reusable marker on the market that’s removing the toxic smell of traditional whiteboard markers and doing a whole lot more for the environment, too.

Auspen reusable whiteboard markers are non-toxic, recyclable and — if you use whiteboard markers regularly — cheaper over the long haul.

While offices and schools will be attracted to the money savings of reusable whiteboard markers, here at GreenWorld365 we appreciate the eco-friendly aspect of the Auspen kit. Here are the top reasons that switching to Auspens is the greener choice for your whiteboard:

Non-toxic ink has an ultra low odor to reduce indoor toxins

Refillable inks means that Auspens can be used over and over again. In fact, according to the company, the Auspen Starter Kit with 6 pens is equal to approximately 246 disposable markers.

It’s a double-whammy of recycling. The pen barrels are made from recycled aluminum and they can be recycled again at the end of their usefulness.

The folks over at EcoSmart World were kind enough to send GreenWorld365 a set of Auspen Eco-Friendly Whiteboard Markers so that we could test them for ourselves.

I put these reusable markers through a typical work-week and have been truly pleased with the results. The ink is vibrant and exudes smoothly from the tips. The pen nibs have a finer point than many disposable whiteboard markers. If you find the nib breaking down after use, it can even be flipped over for longer wear.

I found it a pleasure to write with these pens, they flowed so nicely over the board that my normal chicken scrawl became slightly more legible. Of course, it might also be that fewer fumes left me free to concentrate on proper handwriting techniques.

All jokes aside, disposable whiteboard markers are a sort of “silent killer” when it comes to waste in offices and schools. They’re an often overlooked detail, but these small details contribute to the larger problem of toxic waste in landfills. Switching to a reusable whiteboard pen is an eco-friendly option for any organization that is trying to reduce their footprint.

At about $70 for the starter kit, Auspens will cost a bit more upfront. But, for those that share the larger vision of lowering indoor pollutants and keeping unnecessary items out of landfills, then the unexpected reward is money saved on office supplies.

California City Unveils Four 100 mpg Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles

Building on its status as the No. 1 Government Green Fleet in North America, the City of Long Beach unveiled four 100 mpg Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles on Tuesday. The City used cutting-edge technology to transform four Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicles into electric plug-in vehicles that boast 100 miles per gallon.

“As the owner of an electric vehicle, I can tell you that there are many benefits to using alternative fuel vehicles,” said Mayor Bob Foster.  “Utilizing plug-in hybrid electric technology helps create a cleaner, healthier environment and helps the City exceed regional, state and federal environmental regulations, which is an achievement we can all be proud of.”

These four vehicles are part of a City pilot project to determine how much additional fuel savings and environmental benefits electric plug-in vehicles can generate.

“The City’s long history with alternative vehicles and fuels has allowed it to become a leader among public agencies,” said Councilmember Suja Lowenthal.  “As stewards of the environment, we work hard to take steps toward a cleaner, greener Long Beach.”

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles use the same technology as the popular hybrids on the road today, but are outfitted with an additional battery that can power the vehicle from 20 to 60 miles on battery charge alone and can be recharged in a standard electrical outlet. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are more cost effective to operate because the vehicle runs primarily on the electric charge and not gasoline. Another benefit is that  these cars can be plugged in at night when energy rates are the lowest.

“Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can dramatically decrease the City’s dependence on imported oil, reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, as well as lower the City’s fuel costs,” said Carlos Velasquez, Acting Fleet Services Manager.   “Based on the successfulness of this pilot program, this technology may be expanded throughout the City’s hybrid fleet in coming years.”

The City of Long Beach has been using alternative fuels for more than 30 years, starting with compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in the 1970s.

The City’s fleet consists of 1,700 vehicles, and is a committed leader in reducing airborne particulate matter, carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases by providing several hundred vehicles in its light and heavy fleets, powered by CNG, LNG, propane, electricity and biodiesel, in addition to a growing number of hybrid vehicles.

Send Free V-Day Cards

Here at GreenWorld365 we’re crazy about sustainable living — fruits and veggies are at top of our favorites list. So when we heard that V-Day was February 14, naturally we assumed that meant Vegetable Day and set about planning a celebration.

It wasn’t long before we learned that the rest of world was getting ready for Valentine’s Day! Oh well.

We invite you to celebrate with us by sending these free Veggie Valentines to your friends and family. Tell your friends!

If you’re viewing this message from a friend, click here to send your own V-Day Card.

GreenWorld365 Attends Go Green Expo

The entire GreenWorld365 staff had a wonderful time today attending the Go Green Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was a pleasure to meet and engage so many passionate like-minded individuals. With booths displaying such a wide range of eco-friendly products and services to visit we had our hands full.

Exhibits consisted of products from a variety of categories such as Health, Beauty, Building, Home Supplies, Electric Cars, Electric Bicycles, Food, Fashion, Kids, Energy, Eco-travel and much more.

We had many great discoveries that we believe our readers will be interested in reading and learning about. Throughout the next few days and weeks we will be posting articles about many of the products and services we found to be extraordinary.

For the quickest updates follow GreenWorld365 via our RSS Feed, Twitter or Facebook.

Go Green Expo- Save the Date

SAVE THE DATE:  January 23-24

Go Green Expo is taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  This event is a trade show geared towards Eco-Friendly products and services.  There will be over 200 booths featuring health, beauty, food, fashion and energy products.  There will be a number of guest speakers including  Ed Begley, Jr. and Mariel Hemingway.

This event will also take place in Philedelphia, New York and Atlanta later in the year.  Visit here for more on those dates and locations.

Green Tips: Fan Out For Maximum Heat

Radiators and wall heaters are often inefficient at heating large spaces. This can be a real drain on your heating bill. Go green! Make your old heater more eco-friendly by using an oscillating fan to spread heat evenly through the room.

Oscillating fans are especially helpful in older homes that rely on their heating from a central radiator, wood stove, fireplace, or something similar. Because the heat generated from these types of appliances is usually limited to a short range, placing an oscillating fan next to it can help to push that warm air out and to the rest your home. This means you won’t have to add more wood to the fire or raise the temperature on the thermostat in order to heat your entire home – and of course this means you save money in the long run.

This is a great technique that can be used in your own home if you find that certain spots are left warmer than others. An oscillating fan will spread the heat out evenly, allowing you to live more comfortably in all areas of your home during the winter months, instead of having to stay in one room or another. Spreading the heat throughout the room will also save energy by allowing you to use less heat to warm larger spaces.

Sustainable Living — Learning From My Past

As a teenager growing up in the seventies, I lost count of the number of times I heard my parents say “ Go back into your room and turn out the lights.” Or “set the thermostat back to 68 degrees and put on a sweater if you’re cold.” When I would ask why, I’d get that age-old parental answer, “Because I said so.” I always thought they were just trying to cut cost but as I look back I realize it wasn’t about cost it was about waste. They were essentially living sustainable lives incorporating green, eco-friendly habits before we knew what it was. Read more

Deep Sea Texting: Finding eco-friendly fish on the fly

So you’re standing at the counter of your favorite fishmonger admiring all of the seafood choices; and you want to make a healthy, eco-friendly decision. What do you do? You pick up your cell phone, send a text message, and have valuable information to help aid in that decision within seconds.

Two non-profit organizations have compiled information that can be accessed quickly regarding the health and environmental concerns of fish. Both The Blue Ocean Institute, a New York-based organization, and Friend of the Sea, a U.K.-based organization, have made it simple to maintain your quest to eat healthy and remain eco-friendly. They provide a wonderful easy to obtain reference that will assist you when making a quick decision on a seafood purchase while shopping or dining out. Read more