Rock 'N Roll Camp for Girls ROCK'TION
ROCK'TION 2009 promises to become the annual event that puts some ROCK into the fall season.  Entertainment by Karoake from Hell, a live auction featuring guitars signed by Joan Jett and Heart, art signed by Pearl Jam and memorabilia from Sandi West of the Runaways.
Fri, Nov 13, 7pm-12am
Billy Frank, Jr. Conference Center, 721 NW Ninth Ave, 2nd Fl

Junk to Funk Recycled Fashion Show Contest
An annual event aimed to educate it's audiences about waste reduction, recycling issues and to inspire creative re-use.  Showcasing wearable art and couture fashion based on the creative use of "trash" in an eclectic and often humorous production. Hosted by Mayor Sam Adams and Marjorie Skinner.
Sat, Nov 14, doors at 7pm, show at 8pm
Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St
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There’s a fun new way to stay motivated about recycling, and spotlight your business’s recycling practices. Recycle at Work is a great site sponsored by Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. The City of Portland’s goal is to progress toward a 75% recycling goal, and businesses are being asked to complete a Progress Report to let the city know about recycling practices at work. The Recycle at Work program offers some great advice on how to reach your company’s recycling goals, with everything from how to cut back on waste to green catering. More...

Buy organic
Conventionally grown cotton is responsible for as much as 10% of pesticide use in the world and up to 25% of insecticide use annually, according to Grist. The chemicals can impact workers and leach into the groundwater. Because the United States produces more cotton than all countries except China, much of this is on our soil.

Next, ask about the processing method for cotton, wool, and other fabrics. Look for those that use natural dyes and avoid chlorine bleaching. Organic Consumers estimates that 1/3lb of chemicals are used in the production of a cotton T-shirt, so buying secondhand comes second to buying a product that avoids the conventional cycle.
 
Image: CreativeCommons/Cosmic Kitty More...

It’s the little things in life…that add up. When ordering food to go, how many times were you given a pile of extra plasticware and napkins? This is not to mention those pesky clamshell food containers themselves. In the ongoing shift away from petroleum-based plastic products, you may have noticed some plastic items now have “Compostable” printed on them. Learn about how to differentiate between biodegradable and compostable, and consider choosing bioplastics and other earth-friendly tableware and food packaging.  More...

Chow, the food site, has a great new article called How Green Is Your Takeaway Container. You can take reusable containers, such as Tupperware or popular metal tiffins, to restaurants and carts and ask them to use yours instead of plastic take-out. Additionally, ask them not to include a plastic bag or plastic silverware, and bring your own reusable utensil.

Here's the scoop on our local curbside recycling:

Clam shell/plastic containers: No. These cannot be recycled curbside. Here at Chinook Book we collect them in a bin and deliver bunches to Far West Fibers. More...

Inspired by Earth Day? We have a complete list of the local websites and phone numbers you need to take action in five major areas of climate impact: transit, eating local, recycling, saving energy, and natural pest control.

Download our Quick Resources for Portland, and take a look at some of our worksheets for home energy and recycling while you're at it. More...

It is sunny as I write this, sitting on my porch, kids playing in the yard. It's one of the few days this week when the sun came out, giving rise to some hopeful feelings, and just in time. I just went through a riding slump.

Commuting by bike is hard. Well, the actual process of riding is not hard. However, there are variables that exacerbate the situation: weather and kids--and both are unpredictable. Our mornings were cold, sometimes icy. No matter what the time of day, the rain seemed to come just as we started, as if in defiance of my family’s desire to pedal. And even though my children want to ride our bike to and from school, those cold, wet, miserable days did take some cajoling.

I am through the slump and even with the unpredictable weather (and kids), commuting by bike is still simple. A basic existence. More...

We called the Metro Recycling Hotline and found out the Tetra Pak, or aseptic packages, were a controversial item in the past, but are now recyclable curbside in your blue bin. The containers should not be flattened, though, because sorters remove them from the conveyor belt and ship them to another recycling center that is hot enough. There were some surprises, too. Butter boxes and frozen food boxes cannot be recycled, because of a plastic lining. These go in the trash.

Examples of aseptic containers that are OK curbside:

• Orange juice containers
• Soy and rice milk boxes and containers
• Milk containers
• Juice containers
• Soup and stock boxes such as Imagine brand

Containers that are not accepted curbside:

• Frozen food boxes
• Cubed butter boxes

Call Metro Recycling Hotline: 503-234-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. More...