Eco-ski destinations and resorts provide a greener alternative for skiing and other recreational and sports enthusiasts. Private hotels and lodges are now incorporating green and environmentally friendly initiatives in their building and design practices and day-to-day operations as a way of contributing to the preservation of their local environment. Listed below are just some of the best eco-friendly global destinations for skiing and other recreational activities. You can get great late ski deals online so grab a bargain and see you on the slopes.

Nipika Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canadacaaa

Nestled high in the Canadian Rockies is the Nipika Mountain Resort, a self-sufficient and sustainable accommodation property. Its proximity to the Canadian Rockies makes it an ideal lodging option for skiing enthusiasts. Nipika Mountain Resort is completely off-grid, all cabins and rooms are powered by natural solar and wind sources. Cabin building materials and furniture in Nipika are made from dead wood procured from the surrounding forests.

Hotel Terra, Jackson Hole, U.S.A.

Located near the Jackson Hole Mountain Ski Resort and the Grand Teton National Park, Hotel Terra Jackson is a LEED certified hotel that integrates eco-friendly components in its architecture, design, operations, and energy utilization practices. Energy for the hotel is produced from green sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. Even the toiletries, beds and bedding ensembles are made from organic and natural materials. Recycling is highly encouraged and practiced in the hotel main rooms and guest rooms.

Aravis Lodge, La Clusaz, France

Aravis Lodge is one of the best eco-ski accommodation properties in St. Jean De Sixt near the La Clusaz ski commune in the French Alps. The Aravis Lodge is situated in a century-old chalet with 17 bedrooms and comfortable guest amenities like sauna and massage facilities.
The hotel incorporates an impressive array of eco-friendly practices including utilization of solar energy to produce heat and hot water. Even the in-house restaurant incorporates sustainable practices and uses free range local produce and free trade products in their menu.

Going green isn’t restricted to the house and office, by far. Choosing eco-minded destinations such as these Ski Resort options or Eco-Spa Resorts can make your green efforts even more enjoyable! Have fun!

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3 Fantastic Eco Ski Destinations

As the shift to a greater ecological consciousness continues out of the necessity of long term survival, you might be wondering just what it is that you can do to help out the effort. Here are a few things to get you started on reforming your life in tune with the balanced harmony of our planet.

Garden

The first thing that you can do is plant a garden. By growing your own food, you cut down on the energy required for transportation. This eliminates the need for petrochemicals to be created in order to be sprayed as fertilizers. Best of all, you get to eat fresh, organic food and gain the satisfaction of knowing that you have the ability to feed yourself.

Washing Machine

The second thing that you can do is upgrade your washing machines. Consider buying an energy efficient washing machine if your old one uses up too much water or too much energy during the washing process. Top manufactures such as Beko washing machines make some fantastic energy saving machines now so it’s a great time to get a new far more eco-friendly washing machine.

Use cold water or a cool wash with your washing machine. Heating water during a wash cycle uses up a lot of electricity. Since electricity is overwhelmingly created by burning fossil fuels, this also cuts down on the carbon emissions being released. With modern eco laundry soaps hot wash cycles are a thing of the past.

Get Bargains

To get great bargains and help the earth a good thing that you can do is stop buying new when you can get “new to you”. Check out Craigslist, Freecyle, or your local thrift store to find quality used goods for a fraction of the price of new things. This prevents resources from being used to create new items and extends the life of ones that already exist.

Bulbs

An illuminating idea to be greener is to swap out your old incandescent light bulbs for CFLs. This decreases the energy which is used to power the lights that brighten your life. Although it is a small step, many small steps are necessary in a journey of a thousand miles.

Power Down

An important step to become slightly more ecologically friendly is to turn off your computer whenever you aren’t using it. This saves electricity and it saves you money. This is yet another example where helping the planet can also help you.

Thermostat

You need to make sure you lower your thermostat in winter and increase it in summer. A difference of a few degrees can vastly lower your electricity costs. Plus, it means less coal and natural gas needs to be burned in order to provide you with unnecessary levels of comfort. This also lowers the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants floating around in the atmosphere, contributing to the severity and speed at which our shared climate is changing drastically.

Home Office

When you work from home, not only do you eliminate the commute to and from work, but there is an immense amount you can do to make sure you are working green. Use recycled copy paper, for web work use a green web hosting company that uses eco-friendly ways to power the servers, don’t print unless you have to and print double sided if you can. Check out these eco office articles for more ideas such as this one on cutting out plastic in the office.

There are many other things that you can do to cut down on your environmental impact. To get more ecologically preferable ideas look around on blogs like treehugger.com, and thedailygreen.com to help you on your path towards a more sustainable life for yourself, our planetary habitat, and future generations.

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7 Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly at Home 2011

The greenest printing is no printing at all, but sometimes you have to have a business card or brochure to give to potential clients. So, if you must print, print green! Printing for Less has covered a wide scope of green printing practices from FSC certified paper, vegetable based inks, wind-powered facilities and more. I have always highly recommended them to my clients.

This month PFL is offering new customers $100 off their first order of $300 with coupon code Affiliate100 (exp 10-1-2011). Visit PrintingForLess to take advantage of these huge savings! If you have a smaller order and don’t meet the $300 balance, no problem. Use my referral code for $50 off your first order of any amount. Use code RP1D6SEJM at checkout, there is no expiration.

These savings are huge and my clients have always been very impressed with the final product. So, print green & save green on your next printing project!

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Green Printing $100 OFF for September

Looking for a more eco-friendly way to brush? Ever consider the amount of waste that accumulates from old toothbrushes? It may not seem like much when you only consider yourself, but think about your entire family, neighborhood, town, or state.

Everyone knows how important it is to recycle and choose biodegradable products when possible. We all know about recycling paper, plastic, and glass. It gets harder when thinking about recycling things that aren’t 100% recyclable. What people may not know is that there are alternatives to traditional plastic toothbrushes that will reduce the waste that frequent toothbrush changes cause.

These five toothbrushes provide a unique way to brush that will lessen the negative impact they leave on this earth and still help against gum disease, which will give environmental enthusiast another reason to smile.

Preserve recyclable toothbrushes

This company sends their toothbrushes in a recycled wrapper that doubles as a return mailer for sending the toothbrush back for recycling. The toothbrush itself is also made of post consumer recycled materials.

Environmental Toothbrush

The handle on this toothbrush is made of bamboo, which is a natural cellulose fiber. The brush also features biodegradable bristles and comes packaged in a cardboard box making almost the entire toothbrush and packaging biodegradable.

Radius Source

This toothbrush is made of a bio-plastic handle made with recycled dollar bills, wood, or flax blended with 100% recycled polypropylene. The toothbrush offers replaceable heads which cut back on 93% of waste.

Dr. Du-Mores

The plastic used in this toothbrush breaks down to no more than CO2, water, and humus. The brush is also made with antibacterial bristles and 100% FDA compliant materials.

Acca Kappa

These toothbrushes, made of cellulose acetate, are entirely biodegradable and come in a simple pearl design.
The next time you need to change your toothbrush, consider checking out one of these earth-friendly brands. Each brush offers something that will support the environment, and some at a cost that is less than what you may be paying for your toothbrush now. They will provide the same function as an ordinary toothbrush, but the impact after their use will be dramatically lessened.

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Five Eco-Friendly Toothbrushes

If you love to cook then you know that your kitchen can sometimes take on a life of its own. Some kitchens are warm and inviting. Others are cluttered and can seem to suck the life right out of a person. If you want your kitchen to be more inviting than it is, the answer might be to create a green kitchen.

Creating a green kitchen doesn’t mean painting the walls green. It means making your kitchen eco-friendly. It’s amazing how much better you will feel about cooking in your kitchen when you know that you are saving time, energy and money. Protecting the planet and your own finances will allow you to infuse your kitchen and each dish you cook with more love and flavor.

Invest In A Good Freezer:

One of the best things you can do to save both money and energy in the kitchen is to invest in a good freezer. Typically, the newer the freezer, the better. The reason being that newer appliances are equipped with some of the most efficient parts to date. Whether it’s a Frigidaire, a General Electric, or any brand in between, make sure that it is the most energy efficient option. The best type to get is a chest freezer because most of the cold air will stay in it when you open it up. A freezer that opens in the front will let all of the cold air out.

Once you have your great energy-efficient freezer, you can start buying meats, frozen vegetables and other freezer items in bulk or any time they are on sale. Bulk packaging tends to be less wasteful and save you more money.

A good freezer will also help you to cook in bulk. You can save a lot of time and a lot of money on your energy bills by cooking a lot of food at one time. Freeze the food in freezer bags or freezer safe containers and then take it out and defrost it when you want to eat it. You can even package foods in single-serve sizes for quick defrosting when you’re in a rush.

Use Small And Efficient Appliances:

In general, the smaller the appliance, the less energy output. So, for example, a microwave or a toaster oven uses a lot less energy than using a large oven. It also puts out a lot less heat, which is helpful in the warm months. Some other advantages of small appliances include:

• They Are Easy To Clean
• They Heat Up Quickly And Efficiently
• They Are Capable Of Cooking Large Amounts

Don’t Waste Water:

A lot of water is usually wasted in an average kitchen. If you’ve been drinking bottled water, try getting yourself a faucet filter or a filtered water pitcher. Also, get your plumber to install a low-flow faucet, or do it yourself, if you happen to be handy with that sort of thing. An energy-efficient and water-efficient dishwasher will complete your water-efficient kitchen and definitely lower your utility bills.

Save With Stew:

Finally, you can increase the efficiency of your kitchen and reduce your energy spending by making mixed dishes, such as stews. Soups, casseroles, stir fry recipes and similar dishes can be cooked in one container. Many of them can even be cooked in crock pots or slow cookers. That will cut down on heat and energy spent during cooking. It will also cut down on dishes that need to be washed later on.

This guest contribution was submitted by Chris Lurmen, who specializes in writing about green living. Specifically on the topic of energy efficient kitchen appliances, and also conducts a thorough analysis on the latest kitchen gadgets including toaster oven reviews, green cleaning products and other cooking devices.

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A Green Kitchen Is A Happy Kitchen

The longer sunny days and sweltering heat can only mean one thing—the summer is here. And what better what to kick-start the season than by sprucing up your work wardrobe and dressing accordingly? To help you sizzle in the office this summer while simultaneously working to be eco-friendly, consider giving-in to these fashion-forward trends.

White Hot

Nothing screams summer more than a crisp white blouse, like this one offered by Bodkin Crocus. Made of organic cotton, this blouse gives a new twist on the basic button down office shirt—it’s longer in the back and shorter in the front which means you can pair it up with some high-waisted pants or skirt for the office, or you can tie it up in the front and add some shorts for
a sexy summer look on the weekend. Not to mention, the color will help your sun-kissed skin glow a little brighter.

If you would prefer to let your legs breathe a little bit, go for a white hot summer dress—like this one from Kelly b Couture. While it’s a bit pricey, this dress (which is made from organic cotton voile) is a great investment due to its versatility—have to meet up some friends for happy hour or have a hot date after work? Pair this dress with a blazer or light cardigan for the office and then simply take it off whenever 5 o’clock strolls around to be ready for any after-work occasion.

Light and Airy

Because the summer is all about keeping cool, if you’re going to wear pants to work at least try to wear pants made from less constraining material like linen. Not only are linen pants like the ones offered by Ellen Fisher perfect for the summer because they’re light and airy, but linen is also one of the most sustainable materials in the world.

Fun and Flirty Footwear

While sandals are usually the go-to summer shoe, if you aren’t too fond of flats or your office has a strict policy about open toe shoes, another summer alternative are some eco-friendly wedges, like these offered by vegan-company Beyond Skin. The flower accent and bright tropical color makes them the perfect shoe for the summer—and as a plus they’re made from recycled material.

If you ever decide to take a break from heels and want to opt for some flats, try these Natural Crochet Canvas Split Body Flats from Rocket Dog or these flats from Tom’s—not only is crochet a popular summer material that is safe for the environment, but they also let your feet breathe a little bit too.

This guest contribution was submitted by Pamelia Brown, who specializes in writing about associates degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: pamelia.brown @ gmail.com.

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Must-Have Items for Summer Office Wear

Why not support the gadget craze while doing something good for the environment? You can find endless gadgets online that are environmentally friendly that also do their part to help save on energy! Envirogadget is a great online source for all of your nerdy, green gadget needs. Here are some fun office gadgets to take to work.

Portable 40W Solar Power Station
This is a solar powered work station where you can plug in your computer, phone, lamp and other electrical devices that can be powered by the sun. Note: Positioning the station near a window with an excessive amount of available sunlight is vital to the proper function of this solar power station.

Recycled Circuit Board Photo Frame
Decorate your office with recyclable circuit photo frames made from recycled motherboards that are environmentally friendly to Mother Earth. If you’re technologically savvy, these frames will highlight the “geek” in you while adding to your environmentally friendly side.

The Green Recycled and Recyclable 16-Ounce Mug By Aladdin
Take your coffee to work and recharge your energy all day long with an environmentally friendly and green, recycled coffee mug. This mug is 100% recycled from food grade plastic and helps you help the environment without buying paper and Styrofoam cups everyday.

HiSaver – Energy Saving Powerbar for PCs
If a Solar Power Station isn’t in your budget or your preference for office gadgets, consider buying an energy-saving Powerbar to use at work for you PC. This power strip is connected to a motion sensor and after 10 minutes of no activity, will automatically cut itself and up to 4 attached devices off from using energy.

Eco-cartridge – Recycled Cardbord Ink Cartridge Concept
What makes these ink cartridges eco-friendly is that they are made out of cardboard and therefore, do not need to be shipped in excessive packaging. These cartridges are designed for Epson 79 printers and are made with biodegradable cardboard and packaging products.

Globe – Energy Saving Desk Lamp
Almost everyone has a desk lamp at work or even home. Imagine having one that was is friendly to the environment – now you can. This lamp uses a 13 watt light bulb and can save up to 25% of electricity than a typical desk lamp.

With modern technology, being environmentally friendly can be fun and tech savvy too! Do your part to help Mother Earth – if you’re going to buy office supplies and gadgets, make sure they’re energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education and performs research surrounding online degrees. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

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Environmentally Friendly Gadgets in the Workplace

Regardless of whether or not you adopt an eco-friendly attitude in your personal life, you should consider what the impact of your company has on the environment, your community, and the people who live there. Embracing an eco-consciousness with it comes to your business is not only a good move to shine up your public image (and potentially increase consumer approval and consequently, sales), but it’s also the right thing to do for the environment. Every company that operates publicly should make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint within the community that supports them. So whether you have a small family operation that only employs a handful of people or you’re responsible for running a branch of an international, multi-million dollar corporation that employs hundreds or thousands globally, you need to be socially responsible enough to look at your pollution and waste and make an effort to do less harm.

One great way to start is with a waste assessment. If you’re not tracking your company’s waste, you could be doing more than just throwing away trash that could be recycled or using up unnecessary energy that pollutes the air and water; you could be losing a lot of needless money. By examining records (such as utility bills), doing company walkthroughs to see how materials are being used, and sorting through trash occasionally to see how many items are being wasted, you can get a good idea of the extent to which your business is flushing money (and the environment) down the drain. Ideally, you will find only a modicum of waste, but more likely it will be a landslide.

Next, you need to go about repairing the damage. A good step in the right direction is implementing a recycling program, and if you do it right, it will more than pay for itself. Start by setting up bins around the office, workshop, warehouse, or storefront you operate for employees, clients, and customers to recycle. You can make separate bins for glass, plastic, aluminum, and paper, or simply put it all together for later sorting (although this seems like a form of waste in itself…a time-waster). Next, set up a pickup with your local recycling center or find a way to transport these items yourself. A pickup will likely cost you something, but if you do it yourself, you can earn back the money you spent on your setup by turning in your cans and bottles for cash (either by weight or by item). Perhaps you can even get employees to pitch in and put the money into an “office party” fund or donate it to a green charity. By the way, donations are another great way to help the eco-friendly community, and you can use them as a tax write-off.

You should also make every effort to ensure that what’s coming into your business is just as green as what’s going out. Conserving energy or opting for sustainable alternatives is a great way to cut back on harmful pollution created by energy production, so use natural light whenever possible, set computer systems to go into sleep mode after a period of non-usage, install the insulation needed to cut back on heat and air conditioning, and think about adding solar panels on the roof of your facility (government rebates and tax breaks can reduce the initial cost and you’ll see a marked drop in utility bills). Doing your part for the environment doesn’t have to cost a lot, but it will take some effort on your part. Don’t shirk your responsibility in this area and your community, the environment, and future generations will all benefit (as will your business).

Leon Harris writes for Ryson which specializes in bucket elevator conveyors and incline screw conveyor systems to help reduce your business operation costs.

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Business Gone Green: Simple Ways to Go Eco-Friendly

Are you hoping to find an environmentally friendly employer? It may seem like a daunting task, but it is actually getting easier every day. Here are five tips that you may want to keep in mind:

1. Brand yourself green. Environmentalism starts at home. To find a green job, you need to be green yourself – that is, if you want to land that green job once you find it. Start showing your own commitment to the environment. Remember that actions speak louder than words. Telling interviewers that you feel strongly about the environment is a good start – but it isn’t enough. Make sure that you are taking actions to reduce your own carbon footprint, like taking the bus or biking to work, buying sustainably grown local produce, and finding ways to reduce your consumption. Try volunteering with a local conservation organization (or an organization dedicated to whatever environmental issue you feel the most strongly about). You might also want to start your own blog or regular podcast, or even a video blog, on environmental issues. You obviously feel strongly about the environment, so don’t be shy – speak up! Another wonderful way to brand yourself green is to start an environmental initiative in your current workplace. You could organize a walk/bike to work program, or start an e-waste recycling initiative. Doing so not only shows your commitment to the environment, but also shows your leadership skills – something that is also in demand.
2. Turn to your personal and work networks. If there is one thing that most people love, it is being confided in and asked for advice. Let the people in your network know that you are looking for work, and tell them a little about what you’re looking for. Let them know that you are especially looking for a job at an environmentally-friendly company or organization. Be specific – if you would not consider working for a company that encourages reckless consumption and spending, then say so. If your primary concern is recycling and conservation, let your network know that. You may be surprised at how helpful your personal contacts can be.
3. Decide what you are looking for. One way that your network may be able to help you is in the area of focusing your vision. Exactly what kind of job are you hoping to find? Is there a nexus somewhere, a special niche, where your particular unique background and training meets an organizational need that is connected with environmentalism? Your friends, family, and colleagues will probably have more questions for you! Talk with them at some length if they are willing to take the time, because these discussions will help you to narrow your job search. You are a busy person. You don’t have time to look for all the green jobs in the world. You only have time to look for that particular subset of jobs that is a good fit for you personally. Remember to ask yourself not only what kind of green job you hope to find, but also what other factors are important in your job search. Are you willing to move? Do you care how big or how little the organization is? Do you need to have regular 9-5 hours?
4. Broaden your personal and work networks by joining green networks. In many parts of the country, green networks are forming that are dedicated to business practices. Below are a few networks that you may want to look into. You might also try your local Chamber of Commerce or business groups, or check for local news and events through social networking sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. While you are at it, you can use accounts at those sites to broadcast your interest in the environment (as long as you are not constantly tweeting or posting – if so, you run the risk of appearing to spend more time socializing than working, unless updating social networks is part of your job).
   • Clean Economy Network
   • Green Business Networking
   • Idealist.org
   • Sustainable Business.com. Sustainable Business also covers news stories
     related to green businesses.
5. Remember that not all green jobs are advertised as green. Some companies and organizations made a bigger deal about their green policies than others do. Likewise, remember that not all organizations that claim to be green really are. Some companies are starting to engage in a practice known as “greenwashing,” where they use the language of environmentalism as a marketing ploy and claim to donate profits to environmental organizations. In some cases, these companies really are committed to making a difference. But in other cases, the greenwashing is for marketing and advertising purposes. Think about whether that is enough for you (I’m not judging – it’s your choice!)

It’s important to find a job that you feel enthusiastic about, with an employer that you are proud to work for – so don’t give up. Give it a little time, and soon you’ll find the eco-friendly job you’ve been dreaming of.

Brendan Cruickshank (Vice President of Client Services) – Brendan is a veteran of the online job search and recruiting industry, having spent the past 8 years in senior client services roles with major sites like Juju.com and JobsInTheMoney.com. He is quoted regularly as an expert in employment and jobs trends in major media outlets like the Washington Post, US News & World Report, and Forbes and has spoken at recruiting industry events such as Onrec and Kennedy Information’s Corporate Recruiting Conference.

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The Green Job Front – Five Tips to Find a Green Career

Each year I partner with a great green company to sponsor Holiday gifts for my clients. This year I connected with Melissa Riviera of Naturally Good Soaps and it has been a true pleasure! A bit of background:

Naturally Good Soaps is currently a web based business. All my products are made in small batches to ensure quality control. You will not find any synthetic chemicals, animal by products, parabens, or petroleum based items in my shop. What you will find is quality vegetable oils, herbs, spices  and clays as well as amazing essential oils used to provide the aromatic experience. Naturally Good Soaps products are vegan friendly except for the products (2) that are listed to have honey.

I don’t believe in animal testing, I only test 100% on humans. I also try to leave very little imprint on the environment by recycling all packaging, using eco-friendly packaging, and by purchasing raw ingredients locally.

Naturally Good Soaps put together a great weatherizing gift set for my clients including: Classic Oatmeal Soap, Spearmint Lip Balm, and Healing Salve all packaged in handmade, NYC themed cosmetic bags. Melissa was even sweet enough to send me one and I love everything!

I love working with eco-friendly small businesses each year to bring a small token of appreciation to my clients during the holidays. The holidays are at our heals and Naturally Good Soaps make for great green gifts and stocking stuffers! Be sure to check out their store.

Thank you, Melissa!

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Green Gift Giving: Naturally Good Soaps