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I’m a little bit obsessed right now; let’s just get that out of the way. Over the weekend, I purchased a juicer, largely inspired by the film Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. Right now, I’m full of juicer love, and I’ll be the first to admit that when I try something new, I usually go a tad overboard. I literally rushed home from work with two bags of produce, eager to start juicing in earnest. For the last few days, I’ve been drinking two to four large cups of veggie juice a day, interspersed with salads and other greens. I feel almost freakishly clearheaded and my clothes are starting to fit differently.

I’m Missing You, Juicer

I’m also preparing for a trip next month, and already I’m brainstorming. I feel like a juice junkie. How can I take my juice with me on the plane? Travel food is seldom, if ever, healthy, so of course, I can have the option of bringing some snacks and homemade sandwiches on the plane. But what about my juice? I thought. I’m already picturing my juicer, sad and alone, sitting on the countertop while I’m 3,000 miles away.

That’s right. I’m becoming a big, green juice junkie. I admit it.

Have Juice, Will Travel (Maybe)

What if alternative travelers want to travel with homemade juice? Sadly, airplanes seem to be low on the list of juice-friendly transportation. However, according to the TSA guidelines, I could bring salsa, jam, or dip on the plane with me – if I packed it in a three-ounce container and put it in a zip-top plastic baggie. Moms will probably be able to bring juice in a baby food container, but those of us without little ones may need to brave the plane without juice, depending on the TSA.

If you want to take homemade juice on trains or buses (or any other non-plane mode of transportation), go for it. Just remember that fresh juice contains the most nutrients if you consume it immediately after you make it. Plus, fresh homemade juice has a tendency to separate slightly, with the top part becoming a sort of juicy foam and the bottom part taking on a more liquid appearance. Adding some ice or putting it in a cooler might preserve the freshness as well, or at least keep it cold.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By cronewynd

It seems that marriage is everywhere on the national stage. Everyone has an opinion on marriage, freedom, and what the legal right to love will do to our country. (Pay attention, Religious Right. Gay marriage won’t destroy America!)

Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement or A Very Long Plane Ride?

Recently, I saw a wonderful 2009 documentary called Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement, about the 42 year-long romantic partnership between Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer. The documentary explores their remarkable relationship and focuses on Edie and Thea (then in their 70s) flying to Canada to get married  because they want to be legal wives before Thea succumbs to fatal multiple sclerosis. There’s a scene in Edie and Thea when the women are leaving for Canada and getting into a van…and there’s wheelchair-bound Thea,  brave and amazing and frail, preparing to fly to Toronto in the dead of winter, miles from her homestate, to get married.

What does this documentary of two elderly women getting married have to do with green principles?

Everything.

Edie and Thea traveled to Canada because gay marriage is legal in Toronto. When this generation is in our seventies and eighties, hopefully things will be different and easier. But what if you want to get married in your home state, right now? What if you want to have a “staycation” wedding – a real, legal wedding – and save some money?

260,000 Plane Tickets?

Well, with the way things currently stand in America, chances are you may not live in one of the handful of states in which gay marriage is legal. If that’s the case, you won’t really have that option to have a legal wedding in your homestate, not if you want to be legally married.

According to a recent article, there are approximately 130,000 same-sex couples in America. What if all of them – at some point – had to travel to another state (or to Canada) to get married? That’s approximately 260,000 individuals who must travel across state lines in order to be legally married. Now think about all the friends and relatives who deserve to be there with them. I shutter to think of the gas mileage, the plane fare, and the carbon credits needed to offset such a journey. Flat out, it’s not fair to LGBT couples or their families. All that travel – unless it’s offset – is bad for the earth. Plus, it’s expensive.

Discrimination Is Not Green Or Kind

Needing to travel to get married while other people don’t have to is also a gross discrimination. I remember 70-something Thea teetering in her wheelchair on her way to Canada because she had no other legal way to marry her beloved Edie. (When my grandparents were in their 70s, they couldn’t be bothered to shut the bathroom door, let alone board a plane to Canada.) Wouldn’t it have been nice and less expensive for Edie and Thea if they could have simply gotten married ten minutes from their home in a nice, little park or house of worship? I think so. That would have been the greener, easier choice. But anti-gay discrimination didn’t give them that option.

Discrimination is not a green choice. Not by a long shot, America.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By MightyBoyBrian

Spring is here, or so we hear. (In Florida our weather is pretty much the same – gorgeous – all year round.) I understand that in other parts of the world, the cold is giving way to flowers and warmth. Spring means renewal: as the earth wakes up from ice and cold, so do we. Renew your eco-joy with these springtime steps.

Eco-Bags in Light Colors

Ditch the dull black and brown travel bags for fun and funky luggage in light, festive colors. Crisp white eco-friendly luggage can put a spring in your step. So can eco-friendly purses and backpacks in hues of pinks, greens, or yellows.

Declutter Before You Depart

Before you leave town, give your house a fresh sense of renewal by cleaning the clutter out of closets and garages. Go through what you find. Contact Goodwill or your local shelter and give away any old clothes, dishes, or furniture that have seen better days. Have an upcycle party and invite friends to trade their old stuff. One green traveler’s trash is another green traveler’s treasure – and if money is tight, trading items is a thrifty way to save your green.

Before You Leave, Clean

I like to tidy up before I leave town. There’s nothing more annoying to me than coming back to a dirty house, so before I leave I make sure that counters are scrubbed and bedsheets are changed. Ditch the toxic house cleaning products as well! Instead of glass cleaner or disinfectant, use vinegar. Instead of toxic scrubbing powders, use baking soda.

Spring Showers

Not only does spring bring color and renewal – it also brings the rain. If you’re hitting the road, protect yourself from blustery days and surprise showers with cute, non-toxic raingear. This umbrella is made of recycled steel and aluminum and has a bamboo handle.

Spring Friendly Travel Apps

If you need to track the ever-changing weather, check out The Weather Channel’s app – perfect for road travel. Going to be on the road? Try Roadninja – a travel app that lets you know what’s coming up off the next highway exit. You can look up exits from anywhere on the road and it’s handy if you need to find a potty or a vegetarian restaurant in a hurry.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By notamaiar

You’re on vacation! You’re in an airplane or in a moving car and your little bundle of love needs a diaper change. Time to pull out diapers made of cloth, which you’ll have to wash later.

Oooh! Everything about that just sounds like fodder for a bad vacation movie.

My good friend who I consider an “eco-mommy” is always trying to find new ways to introduce green products into her kids’ lives. When she and her small family travel, she confessed to me that diapers are the one thing that never seem to go green in her family, especially when the family heads off on vacation.

But whether you decide on reusable or disposable diapers, almost anything is better for the earth than a traditional diaper.

Dirty (Traditional) Diaper Facts

It can take up to 500 years for one diaper to decompose, according to the EPA. Now imagine how many thousands of diapers most parents go through in one year? Disposable diapers make up a solid 5% of landfill waste and can cost several thousands of dollars from baby’s first diaper to potty training.

Cloth Facts for Traveling Parents

Simply put, cloth diapers can be reused. For this reason, cloth diapers may not be the most convenient option for parents on vacation. Most diaper services use non-green products to clean the diapers, and that may not be something green parents are comfortable with. As a result, you may have to figure out how much time you have to wash diapers. However, pro-cloth parents say that there are many green positives to cloth diapers. You’ll save a great deal of your own green by switching to cloth. Plus, most babies who are in cloth diapers seldom if ever get diaper rash, and cloth-diaper parents might have to use less cloth diapers in the first place, because babies can feel when they’ve wet themselves a little more acutely than if they were wearing traditional diapers. Due to the reality of cleaning cloth diapers, this option may not be the best for the family who’s traveling, although when you get back home feel free to check out all the great items at TinyTush.com, including these disposable diaper liners.

The Alternative

For families who want the convenience of a disposable diaper, check out earth-friendly brands, such as Seventh Generation , which has no petroleum-based lotions, fragrances, or latex. All that’s good and green for baby, but the fact is that most disposable diapers are not totally biodegradable. For more info, check out this fantastic disposable “green” diaper chart.
Disposable diapers may be flat-out easier to pack when you’re off to grandma’s or on a cross-country jaunt, but when you return home (and if you’re up for the time it will take), cloth diapers may be worth a try.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By majorbonnet

Gay-friendly travel apps are a must-have when exploring the world. Since you’re not wasting paper, apps are green (and if you’re a real travel bug, the more greener it is to have apps that replace heavy travel books).

Fun

I really liked Gay Scout by Damron. It allows you to narrow your search according to city and then look up everything from entertainment to hotel accommodations and places to eat. This app is also integrated with Google Maps, making it easy to navigate new areas. Another good one is GayCities, newly updated in January of 2012. It includes fast access to everything from reviews to maps and more.

Equal Rights and History

If you want to make sure that your hard-earned cash is going to businesses that support equal rights, make sure to download the official app for the Human Rights Campaign. Revamped for 2012, the new edition includes thousands of LGBT-friendly businesses and it can be searched according to category. If you want to impress (or annoy) travel companions, feel free to quote some famous gays by checking the Gay Quotes app.

Must-Haves

A few years ago, I left the country and  made the mistake of calling home on an actual cell phone. Even though I only made a brief phone call, it was hardly worth the exorbitant phone bill that I received a month later. I wish I’d thought to download Skype, which would have saved me an embarrassing amount of money. Through Skype, I could have connected to the Internet and then called home using the Skype app and not a traditional cell phone. Downloading a currency converter for international travels can be an invaluable app. Geared to familes with kids but a life-saver for anyone who’s just had to go, one of my all time favorite travel apps has to be WheretoWee, a handy little app when you need to find a restroom in a new city. Another is the amazing Trip It, which collects all your travel info and stores it.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By nrkbeta

Florida’s weather can be notoriously changeable. It’s been a little cold and rainy in South Florida lately – and when I say “cold,” I really mean the  kind of weather that makes northerners think that we’re wusses and we have to drag out the extra blankets and layer our clothing. (When I talk to my friends who live in Boston, I truly understand that we have nothing to complain about.) I’ve really enjoyed our recent cold-and-rainy streak. It’s been gorgeous. Even though our rainy season doesn’t start until May and even though January saw Florida’s lowest rainfall since 1932, it seems like we’ve had quite a bit of rain. Follow these green tips to stay dry and safe in South Florida.

Rain Gear for Kids

Florida can be rainy and wet. If you’re venturing outside, make sure that your raincoat or rain slicker is PVC-free. Remember our old enemy PVC? PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It’s basically a toxic plastic that can cause cancer and do serious harm to your immune system. It’s used in a variety of items, from children’s toys to the outside of raincoats. It’s important to avoid PVC, so if you’re looking for a safe rain gear that’s good and green, check out some of these cute ones just for kids.

Rain Gear for Adults

Kids aren’t the only ones who can be harmed by PVC-laced items. Adults should avoid raincoats, rain hats, or umbrellas that contain PVC. For a traditional look on your rainy vacation, there’s nothing wrong with a classic yellow rain slicker. If you want to go traditional, check out this PVC-free raincoat. If you want a raincoat that can stop waste dead in its tracks, check this out. Although not exactly a steal at almost $300, the selling points are that the jacket can degrade in a landfill and the hood was made specifically with room to wear over a helmet, so you can stay dry while cycling around town.

Traveling in the Rain

Heading out in the South Florida rain? Make sure that your car’s tires are inflated before exploring in your own backyard. There’s nothing worse than popping a tire on a wet highway because your pressure got too low. Firm tires also help increase fuel economy.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By lemony snacker

I’ve got a lot of books in my house. Most readers that I know, myself included, have very, very mixed feelings about the changing face of the publishing industry. With the rise of Kindles and iPads, books seem to be getting pushed aside. Nothing can ever replace the feel of a worn, well-loved book in my hands.

Reading Green on the Road

I admit it – I love taking my e-reader with me on long trips. It’s a little bit less of a hassle to pack one slender e-reader as opposed to three different books. This reminds me of my transition to iPod from portable cd player. Before I finally broke down and got an iPod, not only did I lug a portable cd player on trips, but I carted a mini-folder of cds with me as well. That added at least four extra pounds to my carryon, and I really had to adore those cds to cart them with me cross-country.

I feel the same way about books, in terms of weight. If I now know that the extra weight of my suitcase or carryon can actually increase my carbon footprint (and make my luggage ten times heavier), then bringing five or six books on the plane with me is a lot less attractive.

Eco-Bookworms Need Help

However, the jury is still out about who really wins the green award, in the knock-down drag-out fight between real, actual, honest-to-God paper books and e-books.

It’s easy to build a case against books. They’re heavier, publishers aren’t always able to recycle them due to the glue in the binding, and, of course, the more books you have in your house, the more trees have been cut down.

While e-readers save trees, you’re using extra electricity. Plus, with the exception of Apple, researchers found that not many e-reader companies declare how green their readers are.

Strike a Balance

What’s greener? Books or e-readers? It depends on how much you read, really. The more you read, the greener of an option the e-reader is for you. The less you read, the more time it will take you to offset the carbon footprint of a Kindle, according to the Cleantech Group. On the other hand, if you read more than, say, twenty-two books a year, consider a Kindle or an e-reader to save all those trees. Remember, Kindles or iPads are especially handy when you’re on the road or in an airplane.
But, if you’re like me and can’t seem to imagine a happy life without real books, just become book conscious and reuse them, which is a fantastic green option. Always go for secondhand books over new ones, don’t overlook the public library, and check out great online sites to get rid of old books or trade old book for “new” old books.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Sutherland Shire Libraries

Sustainable travel is important. As we learn about green travel, we come into contact with the many ways we can help protect our environment. For example, we already know that carbon credits are a good way to offset a plane trip. Another ecofriendly travel tip is to travel light (your wallet will thank you for it) and travel nonstop, in order to cut down on your carbon footprint.

But protecting our health is also an important part of green travel.

Sometimes, when I’m on a plane, I can already feel the tell-tale signs of impending illness: headache, itchy eyes, and a runny nose. I know that if I don’t take simple precautions, I’ll feel rundown after I get off the plane, and nothing – not even the knowledge that I’ve flown nonstop to reduce my carbon footprint – will make me feel better for at least a week.

Anti-Sick Gel, Please

To cut down on my chances of getting sick, I’ve learned to make sure that I’ve got handy anti-bacterial gels or wipes with me at all times. Some anti-bacterial gels are even eco-friendly, without fragrance and with green ingredients. Prefer to take wipes instead? I love these green ones. Remember your plastic baggies so that your ecofriendly anti-bacterial gel can fly with you.

Manners

Go by the good-neighbor rule. If you’re the one who’s feeling sick, please cover your mouth or nose if you have to cough or sneeze.

Socks

Going through pre-flight security? Since I know I’ll have to take off my shoes as part of most security checks, I’m never without socks when I’m traveling. Make sure you wear socks in order to avoid walking barefoot on the same carpet as the last several hundred travelers who flew the friendly skies. (Can you imagine all those germs? Oh no, thank you.) If you’re traveling in flip-flops or sandles, stow the socks in your purse or backpack and pull them on when you’re in line. Socks will also come in handy if you want to take off your shoes and get comfortable on your non-stop, green-friendly flight.

Water, Water Everywhere

It’s easy to get dehydrated in the dry air of the cabin, so be sure that you’re drinking from your stainless steel (or eco-friendly, BPA-free) water bottle. If possible, avoid caffeine or alcohol, neither of which will keep you hydrated. If for some reason you don’t have your travel bottle with you, remember to ask for water frequently.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By victoire_za

Green travel can be divided up into three camps: the beginners, the intermediates, and the heavyweights. Where do you fit in – and how can you improve your green travel habits?

Eco-Friendly Products

Are You a Beginner?

Beginners recycle only sometimes while at home, if they can find the bin. Maybe you’ve forgotten to inflate your tires if you’re traveling by car, or you’ve forgotten to book a nonstop flight because it will use less C02 then a plane trip that will take several stops. A good way for the beginners to move up to the intermediate level? Look into carbon credits and never leave home without the water bottle.

Are You an Intermediate?

If you’re at the intermediate level of green travel, you use carbon credits to offset major plane trips and your road trip tires are always inflated. You always use stainless steel water bottles when on long trips. When traveling by plane, you remember to book a nonstop flight and also know the importance of only packing what you need. A good way for intermediates to move up to the heavyweight level? Continue to stay aware of ways to go green, no matter where you are. Make sure that you’re aware of national directories that can support all kinds of green travel.

Are You a Heavyweight?

Wow! Not only do you use carbon credits to offset trips, but you’re able to stay aware throughout your green vacation, perhaps thanks to organizations like Sustainable Travel International. Your knack for recycling doesn’t go on a holiday when you do. No, you’re able to find recycling bins within a ten-foot radius of your hotel. Renting a car? Not if you can find suitable public transport or a fantastic car-sharing program. If you’re on a camping trip, you follow the green camping golden rule: only remove what you brought with you. Most importantly? You’re always willing to learn more – and make personal adjustments that can help you find your individual eco-friendly path.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Sommer Poquette

Joining green groups is just one way to help develop your green commitment.

Travel is always a little better with a buddy and most of us, unless we’re set to go on some kind of solo wilderness retreat, travel with other people, whether we explore our world with families, a husband or wife, or with our kids. Discussing eco-concerns with friends can help you to stick to your carefully developed green resolutions for 2012. By using a green buddy system, we can all make a little more of a difference.

Little Choices Matter

As we travel with families and kids, we can continuously remind them that little choices matter and the important thing is that we’re doing what we can. Whether it’s finding ways to conserve energy or replacing plastic bottles with reusable ones, we can mentor them to make better choices.

Big Buddies

Not only does our mentoring of little ones help with our green commitment, but accepting help from friends and travel buddies can also help us stay committed to green travel ways. We can start to talk about the good choices that we’ve made whether on small getaways or during larger trips, encouraging each other on the plane or off the beaten path to stay aware of each choice.

Online and Offline Groups

In order to fuel your green travel fire, get involved in the community. Look up online communities or websites in order to stay connected with others. Whether you’re just getting involved in the green movement or whether you just need to connect with others in order to be reminded of why you’re going out of your way to choose green travel snacks or make eco-friendly travel choices. Also, turn off the computer and go out into the offline world in order to search for new support. Look for local meet up groups and friends whose green principles match your own.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Lauren Manning