Whether you’re a Facebook  member or not, you’ll want to check out [1 Thing]’s new group on Facebook.  Yep, [1 Thing] is social networking; we’re all about making friends. And there are bunches of 1 Thingers just like you in there group chatting. You can find our Facebook page HERE.

Used to be that the ultimate school recycling model was your Mom making you save your brown paper lunch bag and bringing it home to be used again and again. For some kids, having to save your lunch bag was a big pain on a whole number of levels. As it turns out, Mom may have been saving a few cents, but not in the most sustainable way...

In the long term, you really are better off taking a re-usable lunch container or even the good old reliable lunch box instead of the brown paper bag. The newer lunch kits can even help keep your lunch fresher by keeping it cooler! So drag out your "My Little Pony," "GI Joe" or "Knight Rider" lunch boxes and put 'em back to work! They're cool again for all the right reasons!

I Pity the Fool Who Wastes Paper

Hey sucka. That’s right, this is Mr. T. Yeah, I still exist. Mr. T’s taking a break from pitying fools and looking for paying work to yell at you about sustainability. What, you don’t think Mr. T knows about sustainability? Then you don’t know Mr. T. Here is some other stuff you don’t know about Mr. T:

• Many folk believe Mr. T's name “B.A.” on the A-Team stands for Bad Attitude. It doesn’t. It stands for “Bees and Ants.” Mr. T thought his character should have the secret power to control bees and ants. NBC didn’t go for it, which is why Mr. T thinks NBC stands for “Never Be Considering” Mr. T’s suggestions.

• Mr. T has a lovely baritone singing voice.

• Mr. T can run so fast around the world he can punch himself in the back of the head.
• Mr. T not only treats his mamma right, but yours too.

• And, Mr. T is all about sustainability.

Here in Portland, we are so innovative about renewable energy we’ve even found a way to turn your sweat into power. Well, not sweat exactly. The Green Microgym, 1237 NE Alberta St, Portland, has found away to reap energy from your workout. First off, the gym connected generators to the exercise bikes, so your pedal power turns into electrical power. In addition, the gym has found ways to make their other exercise equipment run on 1/3 less energy, gathers 40% of its operating energy form solar panels and is currently working on a way to collect energy from their elliptical training machines.

Check out this video to see how it all works:

Let’s face it, when you’re waking up in the morning there is not a lot going on in your mind except fighting that magnetic pull drawing you back to bed.  As you get ready in the morning you probably don’t put a lot of thought into what you put on your body and face, but you might want to. There is a lot of funky chemicals and waste that go into your daily routine.

Your Face: Fresh and Natural

Even though cosmetics are a 35 billion dollar industry, many of the ingredients that go into your lipsticks and foundation are unregulated. There are certain chemicals that experts say you should always look out for, but an even easier way to protect yourself is to go with cosmetics that are certified organic and natural.

Aluminum Free Deodorants

With gas prices at four giant sacks full of gold doubloons per gallon, everyone is looking for ways to save on the petrol. One way you can cut back on the gas waste is to cut back on the idling. Anytime your car idles for 30 seconds or more, you’d do better to shut the car off and restart it when it’s time to go. Here are some circumstances when you can shut it down: