A Report from the Polar Bear Plunge and Eco Friendly Pens

I cannot thank you enough for supporting me in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! It means the world to me. Attached are some photos. I'm the gal in the black bathing suit with the toboggan, the black boa and pink gloves.

I'm happy to announce that I raised over $1,305 thanks to the generous donations of 40 family, friends, colleagues and clients.

About 200 people and dogs of all ages plunged. Despite the call for rain or snow, we had great weather. It was sunny and in the mid 30s and the water temperature was about 35 degrees. Last year, the air and water temperature was in the 40s (we also held the plunge in December).

I have to confess that as soon as I got in the water this year, I felt immense pain as my feet went numb and started to tingle in a scary way! It was all I could do to run into the water and quickly turn around and head back to the beach. All I could thing about was getting OUT of the water and putting socks ON my feet which felt like a block of ice! The whole water experience lasted probably 30 seconds or less. This was much different compared to last year when I went back in a SECOND time since I felt I hadn't spent sufficient time in the water.

Nonetheless, this year I had a great time and plan to do it again next year! I'm eternally grateful to the following companies who helped me make this a green event!

Rick Erber from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company provided the coffee and tea and all the fixings, including soy milk for the vegans! They are a local roaster (support your local economy and buy coffee that isn't shipped cross country) that offers fair trade/grown coffee/organic coffee (better for the Earth and the workers in the fields). They also contribute proceeds to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Dale Ball from New Leaf Vegan Society got up at 4 a.m. to make vegan applesauce oat muffins, corn muffins and chocolate chip cookies. The food was a hit (there were no leftovers!) and she proved to us that vegan food can be tasty and not scary! My non vegan boyfriend Jeff, who is a chocoholic, ate about ½ dozen of the chocolate chip cookies!

Peter Grazzini from Perfecting Settings provided me with beautiful, ocean-water colored, shimmery linens for our food buffet as well as recycling bins. Yes, if you place an order with them, they'll rent you recycling bins, too! They also take back the hangers and plastic wrap that linens come with and reuse the hangers and then bale and recycle the plastic wrap as well as the shrink wrap that is wrapped around their rental items.

Keith Losoya from Waste Neutral Group is composting all of our waste. We were able to compost the food waste as well as cups, wooden stirrers, napkins, etc. We had 2 bags of compost, a small bag of waste for the landfill and 1 PLASTIC bottle was placed in the recycling bin (I guess everybody else knew better than to bring plastic to an environmental event!). By composting your waste, you reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our already over extended landfills.

Our after party was at The Rockfish Restaurant, a green restaurant in Annapolis which offsets its energy consumption with wind power. They also recycle, utilize sustainable seafood, and have an organic herb and vegetable garden on their roof!

I hope you'll support these folks who have gone green.

Thanks again for your help and I hope this inspires you to live and work green!

Lori

Hear Lori talk about her plunge experience on NPR affiliate WAMU! Click here and listen to "Environmentalists Participate in Polar Bear Plunge".



Green Tip:
Eco Friendly Pens

When purchasing disposable pens (I prefer non-disposable Cross pens and just purchase refills) for the office or a special event, use a brand that is made of recycled content. The ECOAd^TMBio Pen is 95% biodegradable and will produce no toxic residue. The bio-polymers used in molding come from renewable U.S. grown resources such as soy proteins or starch from potatoes, corn, wheat, tapioca or beets (I just got hungry!) versus evil, traditional plastic. It is reinforced with less than 5% synthetic polymers and the plastics are 100% biodegradable.

Join Me at the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! and Green Scissors

I'm doing it again! I'm taking a cold plunge to fight global warming.

THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th, I'm going to jump into the icy Chesapeake Bay for a cause I am extremely passionate about: the fight against global warming.

I'll join hundreds of other crazy folks in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The event, organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), is meant to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

The basics are right below.

The Basics
Last year, I had a blast plunging AND I raised over $1,200. My goal this year is $2,000, but I'm only at $980! Help me out! Last year, my friends and family pledged anywhere from $25-$100 each. I realize that with the current economy, you may not be able to pledge that much, so GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE! $5, $10 or $20 is fine by me. Give up one of your vices for a week and put it towards a good cause! Contributions are tax-deductible.

Also, I'm donating my event planning services to ensure that the plunge is a green event!

How to Make a Pledge
It takes about TWO MINUTES to make a pledge! IF you pledge, I promise to email you photos of me plunging!

Credit Card
Donate via secure webpage.

If you pledged last year, you'll be happy to know that it is MUCH EASIER to pledge this year!

Check
Make your check out to "CCAN" and mail to

P.O. Box 11138
Takoma Park, MD 20912

On the memo line, write Plunge/Lori Hill on the memo line, so they know who your pledge is supporting.

Watch Me on the Video!
Watch the video of last year's plunge. That is me at the 1:40 mark – the gal with the toboggan.

Thanks in advance for your interest and support in the fight against global warming - and for supporting me while I turn a little blue in the process!

If you're not busy, please consider coming out to join me I the plunge or cheer me on this January 10th - it's a really fun event!

Thanks for helping CCAN save the world!

Warmly (but not in the global sense),

Lori

Green Tip:
Green Scissors

The folks at Ideal Bite sent me this tip about scissors from Klean Earth that have handles made of 70% recycled plastic and cost from $6-$14.

Join Me at the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! and Wine Cork Recycling

I'm doing it again! I'm taking a cold plunge to fight global warming.

In less than one month, on January 10th, I'm going to jump into the icy Chesapeake Bay for a cause I am extremely passionate about: the fight against global warming.

Yes, I, Lori Hill, the one who is ALWAYS cold in the winter time (I'm sitting in my basement office right now wearing 3 layers of clothing and fingerless gloves as I write this!), will be plunging right into the water near the headquarters of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation which happens to be one of the greenest building the country!. I'll join hundreds of other crazy folks in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The event, organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), is meant to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

The basics are right below. To read more about CCAN, see further below.

The Basics
Last year, I had a blast plunging AND I raised over $1,200. I'd like to nearly double that this year with a goal of $2,000. In addition, this year I'm donating my event planning services to ensure that the plunge is a green event!

Last year, my friends and family pledged anywhere from $25-$100 each. I realize that with the current economy, you may not be able to pledge that much, so GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE! $5, $10 or $20 is fine by me. Give up one of your vices for a week and put it towards a good cause! Contributions are tax-deductible.

How to Make a Pledge
It takes about TWO MINUTES to make a pledge! IF you pledge, I promise to email you photos of me plunging!

Credit Card
Donate via secure webpage.

If you pledged last year, you'll be happy to know that it is MUCH EASIER to pledge this year!

Check
Make your check out to "CCAN" and mail to

P.O. Box 11138
Takoma Park, MD 20912

On the memo line, write Plunge/Lori Hill on the memo line, so they know who your pledge is supporting.

Watch Me on the Video!
Watch the video of last year's plunge. That is me at the 1:40 mark – the gal with the toboggan.

Thanks in advance for your interest and support in the fight against global warming - and for supporting me while I turn a little blue in the process!

If you're not busy, please consider coming out to join me I the plunge or cheer me on this January 10th - it's a really fun event!

Thanks for helping CCAN save the world!

Warmly (but not in the global sense),

Lori

*More About CCAN and How I Got Involved with the Plunge

Not too long after I saw "An Inconvenient Truth", I went to a clean energy open house at the home of CCAN's executive director Mike Tidwell. That was the impetus that began my quest to be as green as humanly possible.

By making a pledge to support my playful suffering, you'll help CCAN fulfill its very serious mission of educating and mobilizing the citizens of Maryland, DC and Virginia to take concrete steps to protect our climate. We are particularly at risk of the effects of climate change – Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, DC and cities in Virginia could be under water if we don't act soon.

CCAN is an extremely reputable, nonprofit organization with an emphasis on community-based, grassroots organizing. They have been central to every major fight on global warming in the Maryland/Virginia/DC region, and are currently leading the charge for comprehensive global warming legislation in Maryland, for no new coal in Virginia and, as part of 1 Sky, for strong federal legislation in 2009. You can learn more about them at www.chesapeakeclimate.org.

Green Tip:
Wine Cork Recycling

Instead of pitching your wine corks in the trash (who would dare do such a thing?), send your corks to Yemm & Hart Ltd.

They are collecting wine cork stoppers with the goal of converting them into a useful self sustaining product (Y&H are all about converting recycled materials into something new).

Another alternative is to make your own cork board. Hot glue corks to a piece of plywood and attached photos, notes, etc. You can place the corks round side up and/or cylindrical side up.

Flood Annapolis and If you can't recycle at home or your office, make it happen!

On Thursday, January 17th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., I'm joining a group of activists to descend on Annapolis and demand that our elected officials find solutions to global warming. Maryland is one of the most vulnerable states when it comes to the effect of global warming. We need to demand that something is done now!

Green Tip:
If you can't recycle at home or your office, make it happen!

Don't be afraid to speak out! If you are unhappy with the recycling program for your jurisdiction or office building (or lack thereof), write your local officials and ask for change! Organize a petition within your neighborhood or office! There is no reason why we can't ALL recycle and reduce the amount of waste that goes into our overflowing landfills.

For information about recycling in your area, visit www.earth911.org.

Getting Cold to Fight Global Warming and What To Do With Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

On Saturday, December 8th, I jumped into the icy Chesapeake Bay for the Third Annual Polar Bear Plunge. The event was organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

Thanks to supportive friends and family, I raised over $1,300! I had the best time the day of the plunge. Over 200 men, women, children and dogs took the plunge in 49 degree water on a partly sunny 40 degree morning.

View a completely fun, totally inspiring two minute video of our Plunge (keep your volume turned up!)

I hope you'll join me next year!

Green Tip:

What To Do With Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

Don't leave your Christmas tree for the trash collector (unless your jurisdiction has a special pick up for trees).

Cut it up and use the needles as mulch, the branches as kindling and the trunk as firewood (after it's dried out).

If you don't have a wood burning fireplace, give your wood as a belated holiday gift to your friends and family!

Source: ehow.com