On Friday, the Obama Administration announced that it will cancel debt from Brazil in exchange for forest protection. The U.S. has done the same for Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the Philippines. Deforestation accounts for about 20 percent of global warming emissions, making zero deforestation a priority in places like Brazil and Indonesia, which rank third and fourth for GHG emissions, respectively.

In total, the U.S. will cancel $21 million of Brazil's debt in exchange for protection of the Amazon. This won't cancel all Brazil's debt payments, but it will lesson them over the next five years.

"Over time, these debt-for-nature programmes will together generate more than $239 million to protect tropical forests around the world," according to the State Department.

Even with a tight economy parents and students still need the back-to-school shopping trip for clothes, backpacks, computers and school supplies. A survey conducted by the National Retail Federation found that this year consumers expect to spend an average of $606 for back-to-school needs.

A little advanced planning can help both the environment and your pocketbook. Here are a few tips from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that can point you in the right direction.
 

In the last 200 years people have cut down approximately 30% of the world’s woodlands, according to the World Resources Institute. Since trees are a key defense in combating CO2, this affects all of us as the planet continues to heat up. Deforestation is also bad news for animals that rely on trees for food and shelter. In 1994 the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) developed an honest and credible system for identifying well-managed forests as acceptable sources of forest products. FSC certification criteria include the preservation of habitat and watersheds through less intensive harvesting, reduction of streamside erosion and avoidance of synthetic pesticides. If you’re launching a new wood project, look for wood bearing the FSC label. Not sure where you can buy FSC wood? Check out their webpage for a list of resources.

Source: greenissexy.org

Whoever decided that linen and cotton were the official fabrics of summer must not have had to do their own laundry. While these fabrics help keep you cool in the hot summer months they do more than their fair share of wrinkling. The next time you find yourself reaching for the iron, consider hanging your clothes in the bathroom while you shower. The steam from your shower will help smooth wrinkles from the fabric and help you to keep the iron unplugged another day. Facing some deep ridges? Spritz fabric with water from a squirt-bottle and smooth fabric with your hands before jumping in the shower. Drying your clothes on a clothes-line or drying rack can also help eliminate creasing in your clothes. Wrinkled clothes aren’t sexy, but finding ways to reduce your energy use is!

source: greenissexy.org

Being vegan can be tough if you love cosmetics. Finding animal-free eyeshadows and mascaras isn't easy to begin with, and then there's the issue of being able to find the colors you want. We've talked about Urban Decay's cruelty-free policy and their increasing number of vegan products before, but this year they're bumping their vegan cred up a notch with the recently released Vegan Palette.

Depending on your cultural and culinary heritage, this one might be a hard sell—but apparently mini-sized teacup cows are not the only micro solution to more sustainable meat being proposed.

It turns out that encouraging a diet of insects and other creepy-crawlies could also be a great way to feed the world.

News comes via The Guardian that insects could be the key to meeting global food demand, and that a proposal on the eating of insects is being seriously considered by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization:

The thermometer says 85, your house feels even hotter, and still, you find yourself have a craving for an apple crisp. Well, why not try something outrageously different and build yourself a solar oven. Solar cooking is an easy and safe way to get your food on without consuming any fuels (including burning the BBQ coals) and will keep your kitchen nice and cool.

It might sound a little overwhelming, but it’s easier than you think. With just cardboard, aluminum foil, a bit of wire, and a little bit of patience, a solar oven can be yours. There are several online spots to find step by step directions.