Going Green? There’s an App for That!

Let’s be honest. We could all be a little bit nicer to Mother Earth.

Luckily, there’s an app for that. And, not surprisingly – we’ve given them all a whirl.

For the sake of phone storage, we were forced to choose a few of our favorites. Here are the apps that made the cut.

Now, let’s make every day Earth Day. Because it’s the only place we have to live. ☺

1. Farmstand

Craving a handful of sun-kissed strawberries? How about a bushel of crisp, organic lettuce? Mmmm…sounds like a sweet summer salad in the making! Luckily for you (and your taste buds), Farmstand is here to help. With a list of over 8,700 farmers markets worldwide, this app is your guide to fresh, local produce – complete with community photos, directions, open times and more. Your new favorite market – and your strawberry salad – awaits.

2. Carma Carpooling

Being in the pizza industry, we’re all about sharing. Most of the time. (“Hangriness” is very, very real, guys). So, when we hear about an app that combines sharing with sustainability – you know we’ve gotta have it. Enter Carma Carpooling: the real-time ride-sharing app that helps you find nearby commuters to ride and drive with. Because, on top of reducing traffic, carbon emissions and even the cost of your trip, who doesn’t want a car-full of new friends?

3. GoodGuide

How socially responsible is your shampoo? How “eco” is your Aveeno? In a world where it’s cool to be “all-natural,” GoodGuide is separating Earth-friendly fact from fiction – and all you need is a barcode. Simply scan a product to reveal its health, environmental and social rating, each based on extensive research from an in-house team of experts. From your laundry detergent to your lipstick, GoodGuide’s got your green-lovin’ life covered.

4. Ecoviate

A Twitter-style app for tree-huggers, Ecoviate is a must-have for all gung-ho greenies. Between a newsfeed chock full of eco-friendly tips and photos, to an ever-growing list of green activities in your area, the app is designed to spread sustainability – the social way. Complete with “Eco-points” and rewards, a leaderboard reveals how your environmental impact rates among your friends (come on, who doesn’t love a little competition?!). Plus, they plant one tree for every download. Sold!

Now, tell us. What are some of your go-to’s in green apps?

Great Wolf Lodge Goes GreenBox!

They've got six-story funnel slides, 4D movie theaters, water fort tree houses, indoor mazes & lazy rivers. 

And now, they've got the GreenBox.

It's official: Great Wolf Resorts, America's largest family of indoor water parks is makin' a sustainable splash across the nation. 

From the east coast to the west, from the Rockies to the Plains - all 13 Great Wolf Lodge destinations across 12 states have gone GreenBox.  

That sounds like something to "howl" about. ☺ 

So next time you're Hungry As A Wolf, stop by Great Wolf Lodge's on-site pizzeria: the newest home to our planet-friendly pizza box. 

How lucky are we to be hanging out in the throws of signature 5 cheese pies, massive meatball subs & cheesy loaves of garlic bread? 

 Yup. We're definitely going to stay.

 

But going GreenBox isn't the only way that Great Wolf Resorts is putting the Earth first. 

In 2007, they launched Project Green Wolf: a company-wide dedication to environmental sustainability. Think composting, food sharing, recycling and most importantly - water conservation. 

That settles it then. We call top bunk in the Wolf Den!

 

For Great Wolf, the GreenBox was the missing piece in the Project Green Wolf puzzle. And we couldn't be happier knowing it's the perfect fit.

Food Fact or Fiction?

We could fill 730 football stadiums a year with the food we throw away.

You heard that right. Across the U.S., 40% of food is tossed annually. That equates to over $165 billion of wasted meals – while 1 in every 6 Americans go hungry.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Maybe the fact that the 1.3 billion tons of food we waste each year would be enough to feed all the hungry in the world… 4 times. Or that, if discarded food was a country, it would be the third-largest producer of carbon dioxide in the world.

Well, that’s good enough reason for us.

It’s time to acknowledge the top three myths that help contribute to food waste. Then, we must ask ourselves: Which am I guilty of believing? And, most importantly, how will I make a difference?

Myth #1: “Sell By” or Die

We’ve all been there. Your morning bowl of Cheerios is begging to be drenched in a sea of fresh, cold milk. But it’s “best before” two days ago, so you and your Cheerios are out of luck. Because who wants to start their day off with a hefty dose of food poisoning?

But, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), that carton of milk is best before… well, whenever your nose and taste buds say so. And – for non-refrigerated foods, there is no difference in taste or quality after the expiration date.

It’s a fact: most dates on products are simply an indicator of peak freshness, not edibility. Oh, and what about “sell by”? Surprise, surprise… it’s a marketing tool that ensures proper turnover in retail stores.

But confusion over “sell by” dates causes 9 out of 10 Americans to toss their food, good or bad. While your box of easy mac might be “expired” this June, we promise it’ll taste just as creamy, cheesy and delicious a whole year from now. Even eggs can be consumed well past those arbitrary sell by dates.

Your best bet? Go grandma-style and practice the good ‘ol fashioned sniff test. Your Cheerios, your wallet and your full belly will thank you.

Myth #2: Misfits Must Go

26% of produce never makes it to grocery store shelves. Why? Because it’s ugly.

Due to retailers’ strict cosmetic standards, that lumpy carrot or bumpy tomato won’t even see the fluorescent light of day. The smallest blemish will have it cast aside like a leper, despite being both perfectly tasty and nutritious.

So, where does this freaky fruit end up? The mouths of the homeless? The tables of the hungry? Not even close. It’s transported to landfills… by the truckload. The worst offender is the potato, with 35% getting the boot for its flaws.

Wait – are potatoes even “pretty” to begin with?

Up to 30% of a farm’s harvest succumbs to the strict beauty standards of the produce aisle. And, if the farmer complains, well – the store will just find another farmer.

Who isn’t a little bruised, misshapen or a tad discolored (think lobster-like sunburn)? In a world with more than enough judgment to go around, our green beans shouldn’t have to face it too.   

Myth #3: Don’t Feed Fido!

80% of corn grown in the U.S. goes to feed livestock – a process that involves massive amounts of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests for farmland.

All the while, food scraps are bee-lining it to the dump, converting to methane (a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide) along the way. Since when did it become taboo to feed our animals “people food”?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), boiling scraps at high temperatures makes them safe for animals to consume – and brings farmers back to an age-old tradition (humans have been feeding animals food scraps for thousands of years).

Just ask Pinter Farms, a family-owned pig and cattle farm local to Rutgers University. Rutgers donates over a ton of dining hall food scraps daily to feed the animals at Pinter Farms, saving the university from landfill hauling fees – and Mother Earth from toxic gases.

So next time you find yourself with a stale loaf of bread or some leftover brown rice, think of your backyard buddies. They’re sure to appreciate it.

Solutions?

Eat ugly food. Eat or, better yet – donate your leftovers. Juice your old produce. Plan your meals. Make use of the freezer. And remember: 868 million people across the globe go to bed hungry each night.

An Eco Extravaganza

Did someone say cotton candy? Oh. We are so there.

 

Tack on a petting zoo, a Ferris wheel and a whole lot of GreenBox-lovin' college students, and we're in.

So when St. John's University invited us to be a part of this year's Earth Fest, it was a no-brainer. And when they decided to combine the event with their Spring Carnival - well, we even considered bringing along our sleeping bags.

"We saw you guys on Shark Tank!" never gets old. And neither does the look of amazement on people's faces when we break down our handy dandy pizza box right before their eyes.

 

And we couldn't be more grateful for such an opportunity.

 

Between the beautiful spring day and the fluffy alpaca in our sight line, it was one heck of an Earth-lovin' afternoon. The piping hot pie from our friends at SkinnyPizza was the icing on the cake - making for a one-of-a-kind event we'll never forget.

Here are few snaps of the action... tallest woman in the world and all. 

Recycle by Colors

We're big fans of recycling around here. In fact, as I look up across my desk, I catch a glimpse of our extra large green bin - piled high, overflowing with reusable goodness.

Ah. Be still my heart.

So when we saw that our recent post, Recycle by Numbers was a hit with readers - we figured, why stop there? Let's keep this educational train running.

Today, we bring you a handy guide on how best to re-use and recycle some of the most common materials. From your car battery to that 90's TV and everything in between, we guarantee you'll think twice about how to get rid of that hot pink Razr phone.

Oh, stop. We know you have one.

Let the learning begin.

Aluminum

Americans discard about 2.7 million tons of aluminum each year. But - only half that amount is recycled.

And, there's no excuse. Across the U.S., over 10,000 locations buy back aluminum cans. Plus, who doesn't love some extra cash? 100% recyclable, cans return to the shelves as new within only 60 days after dropping them into the bin. Oh, and recycling just one saves enough energy to run your TV for three hours.

Now that's a lot of Netflix binging.

Aluminum foil is no exception. Last year, Americans discarded almost 500,000 tons of the material - all of which could've been recycled. Re-use it as much as possible (it's easily wiped down) and give it a good rinse before dropping it into your bin. Better yet? Splurge a little for the 100% recycled foil. This kind uses 5% less energy than traditional foil during the manufacturing process.

Voila!

Glass

In the U.S. today, most glass bottles contain at least 27% recycled material. But, when it comes to recycling this sturdy substance, even the smallest remnants of food waste or dirt can contaminate the entire batch. Cue memories of mom nagging you to "rinse out the recyclables!" Yup, she was right... again.

Here's an interesting tidbit: brown glass, the most common color for beer bottles, is manufactured by adding nickel, sulfur and carbon to molten glass. Since this brown color can't be removed, recycled brown bottles = more brown bottles!

Pizza & a brew, anyone?! In the GreenBox, of course. ☺

So, feel free to toss your clear, green and amber glass into the recycling (rinsed clean!) - but mirrors, Pyrex and ceramics (such as dishware and ovenware) aren't accepted.

Batteries

Car batteries are the most recycled product in America. That's right - in the U.S. alone, about 100 million batteries are replaced a year, and 99% of these are recycled. Cool, huh?

Each car battery is made up of about 60% lead and contains three pounds of plastic - most of which can be reclaimed to produce new batteries. Oh, and the sulfuric acid contained within the product can be neutralized, purified & released as clean water.

Minds. Blown.

Bottom line? Many retailers (like AutoZone!) will take back batteries, but contact your local municipality to find out where to recycle yours. Easy as pie.

Computers

Each day, over 130,000 computers are dumped in landfills. But, guess what? Nearly 100% of your old computer can be re-used. Plastic, metal, glass... it's a recycling center's dream!

So, no need to chuck that dust-gathering laptop. Apple, Dell, HP and IBM are just a few of many manufacturers that offer trade-in options. Circuit City and Best Buy will also accept your "e-waste," and Staples even welcomes desktop printers, faxes and all-in-ones. Ta da!

TVs

Making the switch to a 75", HD, wall-mounted flat screen? Us too. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 18% of TVs discarded last year were recycled. That leaves 20 million televisions, each containing about 8 pounds of lead, polluting our landfills.

Check with your local municipality for drop-off centers, or find a retailer that offers a TV recycling program (LG and Sony do!). Or, if your TV is still in working condition, here's a list of non-profit organizations that would gladly take that clunker off your hands. They'll even scoop it up for free. 

Cell Phones

At this moment, over 1 billion gadgets are catching cobwebs in our junk drawers. And - only 10% of these will be recycled.

Trashed cell phones (hello, Blackberry) represent about 65,000 tons of electronic waste each year. For every 1 million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.

Yeah, we said it. Gold.

Before you toss that iPhone 4 (we know, it's so yesterday), consider a program like Eco-cell. They'll even pay you for your old smartphone! AT&T and Verizon both offer trade-in programs, and our personal favorite - Cell Phones for Soldiers - will ensure that your working device gets into the best of hands.

A MultiGreen of Uses

According to Business Week, the GreenBox is the “perfect pizza box”...and we’re darn proud to call it ours. 

But sometimes, we forget that the GreenBox is so much more than just a box – and thankfully, we’ve got you guys around to remind us. From an all-in-one picnic “basket” to a fashionable accessory, we’ve rounded up all the cool ways to “go GreenBox.”

What will you think up next?

1. Baked-good boxes. Norfolk, Virginia’s The Bakehouse at Chelsea is known for much more than just their fabulous pizza pie. Their scrumptious baked goods are a perfect fit inside the GreenBox, but we’re betting “leftovers” are a rare occurrence in the world of freshly-baked blueberry turnovers. ☺ 

2. Superb celebrations. When it comes to honoring their employees, Dough Artisan Pizzeria does it right. No “Employee of the Month” portrait is complete without a GreenBox cameo (or nine)! This one’s a keeper.  

3. Picture-perfect picnics. Customers of Skinny Pizza & Salvatore’s Tomato Pies are livin’ the dream. You just can’t top sunny days, delicious pizza & some of your closest friends. Next time, we’re inviting ourselves. ☺ 

4. Awesome accessories. A pizza purse? You got it. Neapolitan Express' appearance on NBC’s New York Live brought the GreenBox to a whole new level. That’s one cute clutch if we do say so ourselves. Gucci, are you listening?

5. Hip hair-do’s. We’re foreseeing a summer trend, all thanks to customers of Pizza Boli’s. As long as we can still overeat pizza and talk about how much we love the GreenBox, we’re all for it. ☺

6. Dough on display. Too pretty to eat, dontcha think? Virgil’s Plate is always showing us their GreenBox love, but this photo is an all-time favorite. They certainly know how to wear their heart on their sleeve… (wink wink)

7. A cool companion. Step aside, afternoon cup of tea. The GreenBox is in town. We all love a good book, but pizza on the side makes it a GREAT one (especially when it comes from a Skinny Pizza oven). Mmmm – is it time for lunch #2 yet?

Seaing Green Down Under

New wave pizza, tropical cocktails & sprawling views of Australia's Pyrmont Bay. Thanks to Pizzaperta, al fresco dining will never be the same. 

 

An open-air piazza style pizzeria inspired by the authenticity of Italian street food, Pizzaperta is in a class of its own. With Stefano Manfredi, Australia's Godfather of Italian Cuisine, at the helm (and one-of-a-kind pizza, including Buffalo Ricotta & Fennel Sausage on the menu), we wouldn't expect anything less. 

We're lucky enough to call them the first GreenBox users “down under,” and we've got GreenBox Australia to thank for making it happen. And the best news? The GreenBox is a hit among the Aussies (GreenBox Australia's Facebook page has over 23,000 likes and counting)! We're already rallying around the idea of a GreenBox team field trip ;)

But, we can't take all the credit. After catching us on ABC's Shark Tank, Chef Manfredi knew the GreenBox would be the perfect fit for his innovative “passion project” known today as Pizzaperta. 

In the words of Manfredi himself, “It is very clever in the way it is made…People are amazed with the box, especially how it morphs into a takeaway container, almost like a transformer.”

Talk about flattery. :)

In fact, they love the GB so much that they serve every pizza in their beautifully customized boxes. No plates necessary when you've got such handy eye candy to serve your picture-perfect pie.

Traditional pizza aside (ahem, their Marinara Australiana is calling us), we've got our eye on the Rio Sweet Calzone, with banana, dark chocolate, guava jam & caramelized macadamias folded inside freshly baked pizza dough. They've also come up with a “nutella pillow” dessert. Someone pinch us.  

In the words of a Pizzaperta fan, “This could become an addiction.” 

You got that right, mate.