Zoo Lights is a festive annual tradition held at the National Zoo for the holidays. The entire zoo is decorated with colorful lights in animals shapes. Part of the fun is just being in the Zoo at night when it is usually closed.

The event runs from December 4th through the 13th (Friday – Sunday nights) and December 18th through January 2nd (every night) from 6:00-8:30pm.

In addition to the exiting light displays, the Zoo will also feature keeper talks and live music. You can even access the small mammal house, great ape house, reptile discovery center, think tank and the kids’ farm.

If you were curious, the displays at Zoo Lights are made of all LED lights that use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

See the full calendar of special events and buy tickets ($5 for FONZ members, $8 for non-members) by visiting the Zoo Lights website. Your ticket purchase benefits the Zoo’s animal research and conservation efforts.

Photo Credit: National Zoo website

The Federal government’s “Cash 4 Clunkers” campaign was a big hit with Americans looking to dump old fuel hogs in exchange for efficient new cars. Congress has debated extending the trade-in program to apply to appliances as well. This would mean anyone suffering with high utility bills because of old refrigerators could afford to replace them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the appliance version of “Cash 4 Clunkers” is moving forward through Congress very quickly.

Thankfully, the DC government is here to save the day for owners of inefficient appliances by offering rebates for Energy Star refrigerators, washers, heat pumps and dishwashers. Starting in April, DC will distribute claim forms for new appliance purchasers that will provide specific instructions and appliance requirements. You can be on the list to receive information on these rebates by going to the District Department of the Environment’s website and providing your email address.

The US Department of Energy estimates that appliances account for 17% of the average home’s energy bill. Imagine how much you could save over several years with more efficient appliances. This is definitely worth checking out.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User edcrowle

You might have some greenies on your shopping list this year. They can be kind of hard to shop for.

If you’ve already helped them become carbon neutral with a TerraPass, you’ve adopted them an endangered species from the National Zoo, and you’ve ordered them a great green book, what more can you do to satisfy their organic desires?

How about a kit that will save them $460 in energy bills and 7,442 pounds of carbon per year? Earth Aid Enterprises has put together a great array of gift packs for environmentally conscious folks on your shopping list.

At Earth Aid Enterprises‘ website, you can design a kit of products that conserve resources and cut utility costs at the same time. Among some of the products you can choose from are: programmable thermostats, tire pressure gauges, weather sensors, faucet & shower head aerators, dryer balls, smart strips, and more.

I really think it would be cool to get a big package of all these different products to fulfill that new year’s resolution of becoming greener in the new year. Go get your favorite tree hugger one now!

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User fille_de_photo

Thanksgiving is coming up and while it is often a time of excess, it shouldn’t be a time of waste. Let’s focus on what you can do to make your Thanksgiving get-together greener.

1. Go Reusable — Avoid disposable plates, flatware, glasses, napkins and food packaging. By using your regular dishes and reusable storage containers you save money and garbage.
2. Encourage Recycling — You’ll probably be serving wine, beer and soda at your dinner. Leave out labeled baskets or cans so your guests can easily recycle their empty containers.
3. Buy Local & Organic — Try the farmers market first. Buy local and organic ingredients that conserve more gasoline and keep chemicals out of the ground.
4. Carpool Guests — If you’re guests are coming from the same area, cut down on traffic, pollution and drunk driving issues by organizing a carpool.
5. Be Energy Efficient — Your house will warm up with all that cooking and all those guests. Keep the heat off if unnecessary and crack a window rather than running the A/C if it gets too warm.

Photo credit: Flickr CC User dracobotanicus

Most of our everyday activities create trash. From morning coffee in a paper cup, to TV dinner box for those of us too tired to cook, hardly even noticing, we fill up trash can after trashcan with waste that accumulates in our landfills, or even worse ends up in our streets, fields and oceans.

A trash audit could be an eye-opener for most of us, and is a necessary step to really getting a hold on what you currently throw out, and more importantly, what you can save from the trashcan. The audit itself is simple, just follow these easy steps:

• • Pick a time period – A week is a good place to start.
  • Get everyone in your household on board and go about your normal routine, and throw away what you usually do.
  • Weigh your trash each time you take it out.
  • Check daily to see what you threw away that could have been recycled, composted, reused or avoided.
  • Check with local government, who provides your recycling services, and get a list of what materials you can and cannot put in your curbside bin.  To find out about DC recycling program, go to http://www.recycle.dpw.dc.gov/recycle/cwp/view,a,1374,q,617354.asp
  • For everything that can’t be put in your curbside bin, check Earth911’s recycling database for drop-off locations near you. This includes items like paint, batteries, CFLs and pesticides.
  • Avoid buying products in excessive packaging -opt for containers that can be reused and refilled.

And remember: the best way to reduce trash is not to create it at all!

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User basmati – authentic help

You’re never too young (or old) to learn about the environment. Last week, the District celebrated the third annual School Garden Week where students of all ages (including those of us not technically in school anymore) participated in a variety of educational and fun events.

A program of the DC Environmental Education Consortium, DC School Garden Week is about celebrating and building awareness of the District’s school gardens. Approximately 80 DC schools have various types of gardening projects which provide wildlife habitat, absorb stormwater runoff, and beautify schoolyards – in addition to helping students cultivate respect for the environment.

Among the events in which educators and the public could participate were a lecture on starting a school garden and a screening of a student-made documentary about local efforts to improve school lunches.

DC School Garden Week ran through Saturday, October 10 and culminated in a DC Schoolyards Tour that highlighted five school gardens – all of which have diverse teaching purposes. Those seeking inspiration for starting their own school gardens learned firsthand how “outdoor classrooms” are easily integrated into the teaching curriculum. And those just wanting to see how some DC school gardens grow opted for a bike tour.

For more information, visit The DC School Garden Week site.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User Red Colander

A while back I read a New York Times article about Colin Beavan and his family. They were living in Manhattan and Colin had decided they’d go a year without making any impact on the environment. By the time the New York Times had caught up with the Beavans, they were already living without electricity or toilet paper. The impression I got from the article was that this project was just another wacky experiment by another wacky environmentalist (Colin). Having spent time with the Beavan family through the documentary No Impact Man, I think the New York Times got it all wrong.

No Impact Man begins with Colin Beavan and his wife Michelle Conlin grappling with the reality that in a few days they’re going to begin transitioning into a zero impact lifestyle.  The realities of this project hit Michelle the hardest as she is the true American consumer in the film. A shopaholic who confesses to spending nearly $1,000 on a pair of boots, Michelle most resembles the average 5th Avenue New Yorker.

In fact, it is through the eyes of Michelle that this project becomes interesting and relatable. Colin Beavan was the originator of the zero impact idea for the family. For him, it is all concept. He is anxious to begin the project and learn about local, sustainable farming methods or Nigerian pot-in-pot refrigerators. Michelle, on the other hand, is the loyal, supportive wife who struggles to give up a caffeine addiction in the beginning and watches as her husband brings composting worms into the house or takes the television out of the house.

Watching Michelle adjust to the zero impact lifestyle should make us all feel better about our fear of embracing eco-friendly choices. Michelle enjoys eating out in restaurants and vegging on the couch to watch reality TV. But seeing her successfully adapt to a different lifestyle should bring us all comfort as well.

As the family phases out their modern, environmentally damaging actions, Michelle learns that many of these conveniences have actually made for a less fulfilling, less exciting life. Once the TV is gone, the family spends significantly more time playing with their daughter. Now that all of their meals are cooked at home and are made of seasonal products purchased at the farmers’ market, Michelle feels a deeper connection to her food and sees her health improve. Riding bikes instead of taking the subway gives the family a new perspective on New York.

As the documentary progresses, Colin remains the thinker, committed to the project for the intellectual challenge it presents. Meanwhile, Michelle adapts fully to the changes in their life. She repeatedly says that she cannot imagine going back to their old habits. We’ve seen her transition from a hyper consuming Stabucks fiend, to a person fully committed to wearing-out her wardrobe befor considering anything new.

Michelle does struggle occasionally along the way. She sneaks ice at work for colder water and gets her hair dyed at the salon. She complains about using vacation time to visit a dirty farm when she’d much prefer to be somewhere far away from nature. She watches with hesitancy as her husband and her daughter stomp out their laundry stains in the bath tub. But her struggles are familiar and eventually she steps into the tub.

Maybe I’m wrong, but No Impact Man seems the wrong title for this documentary. The title and the New York Times article portray this experience through the eyes of Colin. For me, and I think for many viewers, the real compelling story is Michelle’s representation of all American consumers as she navigates a new world that in the end is actually less scary and more fulfilling than she ever imagined.

No Impact Man is premeiring September 25-26 at the E Street Theater in Metro Center.