Well, it sure seems like a lot more people are doing wonderful things for our planet, and that a lot of people are celebrating Earth Day 2009. This morning I saw a video piece on the clothing manufacturer, Patagonia, and I have to say their efforts are not just interesting, but really worth celebrating. Go, Patagonia, go!

Patagonia from whatis waste on Vimeo.

At the world's biggest industrial technology fair in Hanover, Germany. energy company RWE showed it’s 400 volt “common plug” for electric cars.
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This week President Obama presented his “down payment” on a nationwide high-speed” rail system. "This is not some fanciful, pie-in-the-sky vision of the future," Obama said during an event at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. "It is happening right now. It's been happening for decades. The problem is it's been happening elsewhere, not here."

All aboard!

Okay, y’all –stop with the Texas jokes for today. Look what the Dallas County School system has accomplished: Retrofitting their school buses to run on vegetable oil! My favorite quote from a school offical was, “…we believe there’s a future in grease machines.” Well, I’ll be. With waste vegetable oil donated by Frito Lay, among others, the dual system buses start off with bio-diesel and then switch over to straight vegetable oil once the engine is warmed up. How about them Texans, just “blowin’ and goin’”!

I was pleasantly surprised to see a homemade sign, at the Border’s bookstore in Palo Alto, CA that said, “ It’s Easy Bein’ Green! Consider the environment before asking for a bag with your purchase.” I wondered a few things: How did that sign make it to the checkout counter? And, did it work?

I learned that the sign was the great idea of a part-time worker who just thought it was important. No corporate manifesto, just one employee making a difference. After watching people, for about 15 minutes, make their purchases, NO ONE asked for a bag --the sign clearly works! Gradual green at work. Little by little…