I guess Paris Hilton's fellow celebutant Kim Kardashian could be greener than I give her credit for. I have a hunch, though, that her concerns lie a bit outside the sphere that is our planet.

I suppose my harsh words are lacking candor. That is, until you see the reality star's newest PSA, Burma Can't Wait, a part of the US Campaign for Burma. Oh. My. Gosh.

Really, there aren't even words. Apparently Burma can wait - for the heiress to pick out an appropriate outfit, that is. You'd think that for a cause as worthy as Burma, Kim could show an interest in more than just clothes. But I guess not. It kind of makes me wonder if the poor girl really doesn't know what a thesis is. I guess that one is up for debate.

If you must, go ahead and watch the video. And please, PLEASE tell us what you think. Honestly, can you really pass up the chance to comment on something so dreadful?

^{Photograph by Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images}

How many times have you thought about doing the green thing, but decided the effort wouldn't make any difference?

Instead of going for the fair trade alternative at your local Starbucks, you opt for a bolder blend. And when painting that old room, using non-VOC paint merely crossed your mind.

You may not think what you do will change the world, but every so often, one person makes a big HUGE difference:

• In 1776, German might have become the national language for the U.S. if it weren't for ONE vote.
• In 1923, Hitler was elected leader of the German Nazi Party by ONE vote.
• In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat for a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama.

I've got news for you. Green is the color of the future, and if you're not leading the way now, you'll certainly be following suit sooner or later. Really.

Did you know that an idle cell phone charger still consumes energy just by being plugged in?

How about that each person in the U.S. throws out almost five pounds of trash each day?

Going green isn't always easy. But you know what they say: All work and no play makes life a little dull. Your daily dose of green might revolve around what you need to add to your daily 'To Do' list, but today is a little different.

Instead of merely calculating your carbon offsets, take a little break from the mundane to find out just how many Earths it would take to sustain a world where everyone lived like you.

Consumer Consequences, an online game created by American Public Media doesn't just tell you what the world would be like, it shows you. As you enter your information about sustainable aspects of your life, the game's 'world' will reflect how clean or unclean your lifestyle is.

Ready to challenge yourself? Go for it! And don't forget to come back and brag (or not) about your score.

• Play Consumer Consequences
• BP Carbon Footprint Calculator

Oprah's covered it on her daytime television show, Oprah, and various how-to's are popping up all over the web. What is this new trend? It's called going 'freegan,' and even though it rhymes with 'vegan,' it's a lifestyle change that will take you in an entirely different direction.

It's arguable whether becoming a 'freegan' is more about living frugally or living the green life (and maybe it depends who's adopting 'freeganism'), but one thing's for sure: if you're a 'freegan' you're frugal, and you most certainly are green.

Curiosity been sparked yet? Looking to get away from a dead end job? Well, if you're not afraid of dumpster diving and living on the streets, you might just have what it takes. I suggest you memorize all you can about 'freeganism' before you make the commitment though; you may or may not have a computer (or internet) to read up on the subject after so long.

Information Fix:

• What is Freeganism?
• How to go Freegan?
• Forum: What Do You Think of Freeganism?

^{Photograph by Humain / Flickr}

Dove might be promoting their newest soaps with the tag-line "go fresh," but the company clearly hasn't distinguished the difference between "fresh" and "clean."

While Dove hasn't made any unsubstantiated claims about going green (which we commend considering that green publicity seems to be taking the world by storm), the company name isn't safe from being dragged through the mud; especially when Greenpeace is keeping tabs.

Apparently Dove isn't yet to the point of no return, but they are under the watchful eye of green organizations, and (more importantly) the general public.

So what, pray tell, have they done that's so wrong? Unfortunately, Unilever, Dove's parent company, has no qualms about buying palm oil from operations that clear-cut the Indonesian rainforest. At least, they didn't until the world got wind of it.

Here's hoping that Unilever will clean up their act. Otherwise, Proctor & Gamble might not be as green as we'd hope, but considering the alternative, maybe you really aren't fully clean unless you're Zest fully clean.

More Information:

• Watch the Greenpeace Dove Soap Commercial
• Sign the Greenpeace Petition

^{Photograph courtesy Greenpeace}

While we all miss the Dusky Seaside Sparrow and the Pygmy Rabbit, there’s not much we can do to bring them back from extinction. Of course, there is always the possibility of cloning, but that’s an entirely separate green issue I’d like to opt out of for now.

Unfortunately, aside from there being far fewer cute, cuddly bunnies and birds on our beloved planet, the disappearance of such animals is having a major effect on the world’s ecosystem – most specifically, our biosphere.

The lack of diversity in our planet’s biosphere is indeed sad, but the real kicker is that humankind’s lack of environmental responsibility could be costing us the cure to diseases like osteoporosis and cancer. Ouch.

A link between animal and human endangerment isn’t made all that often, but Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations, commented on the issue at a conference in Singapore. The U.N. leader was at the conference promoting a new book, Sustaining Life, that was recently published on the subject.

I say what’s done is done, but that certainly doesn’t mean we can’t be a little more careful from now on. I could live without spiders and snakes, but if they hold the cure to the common cold, so be it.

So Earth Day has arrived and you’re not quite sure what you can do to celebrate? Well, celebrate you must, so here are five ideas to keep you earthy all day long. Even if you can’t find the time to conquer all five, go for just one. You’ve heard it before, but even just a little bit of effort can make a big difference!

1. Take a Tour: Ever wonder how milk makes it all the way from a cow to your refrigerator? How about what happens after you drop off your cans for recycling? Earth Day may be one of the best days you can tour a small local farm or your local recycling center. Why not learn something new while you’re appreciating the planet?


2. Measure Your Footprint: If you’re stuck on the computer for much of the day, why not check out how much of an impact you’re having on the planet? Yahoo! Green and the Environmental Protection Agency both have great, interactive ways to calculate your carbon offsets.


3. Go Veg: You may think going vegetarian is a major lifestyle choice, and it is, but there’s no reason you can’t cut the meat for a day. Earth day is a great day to catch up on eating some locally grown foods; and if you need more convincing, just think of all that carbon your saving our planet from. Bravo.


4. Get Out There: Ride your bike, fly a kite; no matter what you do, your Earth Day is sure to be a good one if you get out there and actually enjoy it. Even if you’re stuck in some semi-arctic abyss, you can still get out there and go sledding, right?


5. Plant a Tree: You knew this one was coming: One of the best ways to offset carbon emissions is to get out there and get planting! Not to keen on trees? Start your own vegetable garden, herb garden, or even just plant some flowers. As long as it’s green and it grows, you’ve gone a step in the right direction!

Are you planning something different for your Earth Day Extravaganza? Leave a comment to get us all in gear for next year – or even next week!

^{Photograph by Tom Grill / Getty Images}

Okay, okay. So by now you must know how bad bottled water is for the environment. But believe it or not, all that hype about waste isn't the last you'll hear on the subject. Not by a long shot.

The bottles along use up 1.5 billion barrels of oil to produce each year, and 86% of the 30 billion bottles bought and sold in the U.S. last year were not recycled. Too bad, too, because almost all bottled water bottles are made from Type 1 plastic – perfect for that blue bin.

Even though those bottles mean bad news for landfills, that’s not the worst part of our nation’s bottled water obsession. Have you ever thought about what’s in your bottled water? Probably not; bottled water is supposed to be the purest in the land, right? Wrong.

Instead of purposefully paying for greener, cleaner water, most companies have you doling out the dough for nothing more than tap water (i.e. Coca Cola’s Dasani and Pepsi’s Aquafina). The nerve.

Even worse, regulations for tap water in cities across the U.S. are often more stringent than those for that pricey, ‘pure’ taste. The NRDC even reports that bottled water companies don’t strictly test for viruses such as Crypto-sporidium, Giardia, as well as other dirty little bacteria.

So as summer draws closer, will you believe the bottled hype, or will you take it to the tap? The choice is yours - so make it count.

Sound off:

• Leave a Comment
• Post in the Forum

^{Photograph by ULTRA.F / Getty Images}

Even if you’re already aware of where the U.S. ranks in carbon emissions emitted compared to other countries, you may or may not be surprised when research hits a little bit closer to home.

Ready or not, the Vulcan Project, a not-so-average map put together by atmospheric scientists at Purdue University is available via the web to tattle tale which states are not living up to their green potential.

Users can consider regions, states, or even large cities when checking out the data, but don’t expect to find the same stats you’ll find on any other map. Instead of focusing on population as the primary factor in carbon emission contributions, the Purdue professionals came up with their facts and figures according to fossil fuel usage through vehicles, power plants, and factories. Quite the undertaking if you ask me.

While Purdue’s findings are available to any and all that are interested, those that aren’t inclined to mull through pages of research can still be educated. Thanks to our uber-technological world, the stats have also been made available via YouTube. It’s like educational access television, only much, much better.

So where do you live and how does your state rank? Let us know after you’ve had a look!

^{Photograph courtesy Purdue University}

^{Photo © Joe Sohm / Getty Images}

I always thought the idea of turning SUVs into hybrid vehicles was a little bit of an oxymoron. It’s not necessarily the purchasers that are ‘morons,’ unless of course they could easily get by with a smaller car.

Well, even those paying several extra thousands of dollars to make their gas guzzlers ‘greener’ could be paying the piper yet again.

California seems to be the best and the worst at getting green going in the U.S., and the SUV-studded state is working on making drivers of those big beefy engines pay dearly. Among the ideas they’re going for are:

1. Raising registration fees for distinctively un-green vehicles
2. Offering rebates to purchasers of greener vehicles, and
3. Levying a mileage-based tax depending on vehicle pollution levels

I don’t know how well this will go over in the long run, but it seems like a step in the right direction. One thing’s for sure: California’s got the right idea. Some people have no interest in going green, but they’d certainly rather do that than give up their cold hard cash.

^{Photograph by Joe Sohm / Getty Images}

^{[Via Rueters]}