[Technology] Honda Cars Philippines Introduces Honda Jazz Special Edition

The Honda Jazz is arguably the most popular Honda car model in the Philippine today. Those who go for aesthetics love its sleek look and high customize-ability. It's small size and quick speed make it a breeze to drive and park around Metro Manila.

Doesn't it make you go green with envy?

But most importantly, it's fuel efficiency allows one to save money on ever-increasing and extremely high gas prices in the country. Never mind that fuel efficiency equals environment friendliness.

This February 2012, Honda Cars Philippines introduces the Honda Jazz Special Edition. Fully assembled in Japan, the new model comes all jazzed-up with additional features, first and foremost is it's lime green exterior. On a side note, my dad just bought a 2012 Jazz late last year. It was my choice, and now I'm so green with envy for the special edition model.

Here are some of the new features you can find in the new Jazz:

• steering wheel audio control, you can adjust the stereo volume and other basic stuff without letting go of the steering wheel
• cruise control, so you can maintain the same speed (without stepping on the gas or break) while driving on highways (wow!)
• manually-adjustable headlight leveling switch, so you can be a good Samaritan and not blind the cars driving on the opposite lane at night

The Honda Jazz Special Edition uses the same 5-speed automatic transmission and 1.5 liter engine as before. The new model retails for P899,000.  For more information, please visit the website of Honda Cars Philippines.

[Architecture] Ayala Land Launches 'Appreciating Earth' Sustainability Campaign

Last January 22 - Ayala Land launched its 2012 sustainability campaign entitled Appreciating Earth. This campaign seeks to highlight how one of the biggest real estate companies in the country consistently demonstrates sustainability in all of its projects, developments, and operations.

Sustainability was observed, for example, in the design of construction of Ayala Malls. The Greenbelt and Glorietta Malls in Makati are interconnected via walkways, to encourage walking instead of driving or taking public transportation. The newer malls also feature green roofs that keep the mall cooler. Organic vegetables are even grown on the roof of Market!Market!.

NUVALI, a 1,700-hectare eco-community between Calamba and Sta. Rosa, is a flagship project of Ayala Land. Aside from housing the Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, home to a variety of common and rare bird species, and the Evolving Center, containing interactive exhibits and a sustainability resource library, NUVALI also encourages green living 24/7.

 Green living at NUVALI

Underground lies a double-piping system which regulates and allows for the delivery of potable and recycled water, depending on how the water will be used. Above ground are tree-lined walking and biking paths, which encourage walking. The community also has its own transport system, to discourage the use of private vehicles. Energy-efficient lighting fixtures are also used along the streets of NUVALI.

The true test for this eco-community would be how it stands the test of time. As more and more people flock to NUVALI to live, work, and play, its environment-friendly initiatives will be put to the test. Hopefully, Ayala Land will succeed so other real estate companies may follow its example of building sustainable communities and appreciating earth.

[Event] Kitchen Revolution Cooking Classes for March 2012

Vegan chef, baker, teacher, and blogger Marie Gonzalez invites you to join her Kitchen Revolution Cooking Classes this March 2012. Her classes are held during Wednesdays or Saturdays, from 10am to 2pm, at the Kitchen Revolution Headquarters in Ayala Alabang.

Register early and pay a discounted fee of only P1,500 or register at the door and pay P1,750.

Here is the schedule for Marie's classes this March:

• March 3 (Saturday) - Shack of vegan sandwiches
• March 7 (Wednesday) - Soups to make you sing
• March 10 (Saturday) - No muss, no fuss (sweet) brunch 3.0
• March 14 (Wednesday) - Dessert mayhem: Sexy, low-fat desserts
• March 28 (Wednesday) - A taste of the Mediterranean (back by popular demand)

Register and learn new and tasty vegan recipes! Refer to the poster above for complete details on each of these classes. For more information, email info@kitchenrevolution.ph, SMS 0917-8945086, or visit the Kitchen Revolution blog.

Marie Gonzalez is a rising superstar in the culinary world. Aside from writing her blog, giving talks, and cooking classes, she is also a regular columnist for Yummy Magazine. She has also written for or been featured in the Philippine Star, Sunday Inquire Magazine, Appetite Magazine, and Esquire Magazine. She has also been featured in ANC's Green Living TV.

*All photos taken from Kitchen Revolution.

[News] Coca-Cola Philippines Makes World's 1st Tansan Billboard in Celebration of 100th Year

Coca-Cola Philippines put up the world's first tansan billboard along North Edsa, Quezon City, near TriNoma and SM City.  You may not notice it at first glance, but the coke bottle is actually completely composed of recycled plastic bottle caps or recycled tansans. These bottle caps also line the billboard's frame. Similar billboards were also set up simultaneously, on January 17, 2012, in Cebu and Davao.

(Photo taken from angsawariko.com)

This is not the first time Coca-Cola has found a way to greenify its billboards. In 2011, the company partnered with WWF-Philippines to put up the first plant billboard in the country. This billboard featured 3,600 fukien tea plants, which absorbed carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles along EDSA. It's wonderful how the Coca-Cola plant billboard survived with the help of a micro-irrigation system.

 (Photo taken from babblingpoint.blogspot.com)

Hopefully, the soda company will continue to advocate the use of recycled and environmentally friendly materials in their future billboards.

[Technology] Logitech launches solar powered wireless keyboard

Logitech lets you clear your computer desk of annoying cable clutter and reduces your dependence on toxic batteries by introducing the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750. The company's first light powered keyboard can work for up to 3 months in complete darkness when fully charged.

It can also recharge itself even when inside your home or office, whether using sunlight or lamplight. The Logitech keyboard is aesthetically pleasing, with its black, silver, blue, pink, and green colors and sleek design. In fact, the device is extremely sexy, at only 1/3 of an inch thick.

Aside from looking good this solar keyboard feels good as well. It's keys are very tactile and their round edges make it easy to touch-type from key to key. The device also takes advantage of Logitech Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless technology, which prevents any type of lag or delay even when the keyboard is positioned a fair distance away from your CPU.

Thus, you can type from the comforts of your couch, while your CPU is at your desk, and you're using your television as a monitor. Moreover the unifying receiver the keyboard comes with is so small, you don't need to take it out of your computer or laptop while bringing it around.

On Amazon, the Logitech Solar Powered Keyboard has gotten almost 350 customer reviews already. Most of them are positive, giving the device an average score of 4.5/5. Click here to read customer reviews on the Logitech K750 on Amazon.

[Event] CARA Holds Adopt a Cat Event at Greenbelt 5

Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) Welfare Philippines in cooperation with Greenbelt and Ayala Center held an Adopt a Cat Event today, February 25, 2012, at the Fashion Walk at Greenbelt 5.

This event, from 3pm to 8pm, was the perfect opportunity for cat lovers to choose and bring home their very own cat or cats. Current CARA foster mums of cats were present to give advice on how to take care of your own adopted kitty.

According to their website, the regular cat adoption fee is only P800 per cat, but remember that you will be spending on other necessities such as vaccinations, food, visits to the veterinarian and so on.

Visit CARA's official website to find out more about the adoption process, and why adopting a dog or cat is better than buying one. CARA is a group of animal lovers in the Philippines that has been around since the year 2000.




It is a non-profit, non-government organization whose goal it is to reduce the plight of animals in the country. The group operates solely from donations and pet sponsorships from the Philippines and abroad.

Here are additional details on how you can sponsor a pet from CARA and how you can donate to CARA. For more information on this and future Adopt a Cat events, here are some important contact details:

General Information: info@caraphil.org

adoption@caraphil.org / 09158905535 *

sponsor@caraphil.org

membership@yahoo.com / 09162574539

Media: guerrerotanya@gmail.com

CARA clinic:  caraclinic@gmail.com / 02 353-3381 / 09107297026

*Compassion and Responsibility for Animals Welfare Philippines doesn't have its own shelter, so it cannot take animals in. Animals available for adoption are rescued and housed by the CARA members themselves.

[Business] Jacinto & Lirio sells bags, notebooks made from water hyacinth leather

Kwaderno by Jacinto & Lirio is a line of journals made whose covers are made lined with water hyacinth leather, and whose pages are recycled paper. As the company advertises, "what was once a nuisance was transformed into an item of elegance."

This unique journal is both environmentally friendly and fashionable. It's also refillable, so you don't have to toss it in the trash once you run out of pages. These refillable notebook journals are available at ECHOstore Serendra and Fully Booked branches in Manila.

 Elegante 

Jacinto & Lirio also has a line of bags made from water hyacinth leather. J&L currently has two bag lines, its regular Elegante Collection and its limited edition Unica Collection. Elegante is a collection of clutch bags that come several designs: Amihan, Apadel, Dalisay, Luna, Oriol, and Sol.

Each bag used to cost P4,800, but is now available for just P2,742!

Meanwhile, the Unica Collection can be further subdivided into four categories:

Gabriela 

1. Gabriela is a square-shaped shoulder bag made from from sustainable cow leather and water hyacinth leather. It features metal rings inlaid with water hyacinth leather and a leather-wrapped zipper head. Choose from mint green, mauve mahogany, vermilion rose, and apricot natural. Each Gabriela shoulder bag costs P5,482.

Gregoria

2. Gregoria is a traditional handbag made from sustainable cow leather and water hyacinth leather. It features a wooden handle made from acacia and maple. Choose from mauve mahogany,  spring green, matte gold, and platinum silver. Each Gregoria handbag costs P6,127.50.

 Marcela

3. Marcela features a water proof plastic body adorned with water hyacinth leather base and piping. It is equipped with additional plastic pouches making it a perfect fashion accessory for the poolside or the beach. Each bag also has a water hyacinth image imposed on plant leather. Choose from tangerine, hot pink, lemon yellow, and nut brown.  Every Marcela bag costs P6,192.

Teodora

4. Teodora is a canvass bag made from 100% hyacinth leather. It comes with both a leather handbag strap and an adjustable nylon strap, depending on how you want to carry your bag. It also features a variety of compartments and pockets, making it perfect for women on-the-go. It even has a cushioned pocket for your laptop. Choose from fuchsia midnight black, turquoise, purple, and celadon. Each Teodora canvass bag costs P6,450.

Miss Earth 2011 Wears Jacinto & Lirio

For more information on where and how to order these bags, please visit the Jacinto & Lirio official website. You can also like the Kwaderno by Jacinto & Lirio Facebook Page and the Jacinto & Liro Facebook Page, for up to the minute information on promos and announcements.

[News] The Philippines 42nd Greenest Country Among 132, According to 2012 EPI

EPI 2012 Ranks the Philippines as a 'Strong Performer' in Being Environmental

(taken from cebutriptours.com)

Good news! The Philippines has recently been identified as the 42nd greenest country in the world by the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Our country got a score of 57.4, below Portugal's 57.64 and South Korea's 57.2. Thus, the country has been labelled as a 'strong performer.'

(taken from surigaodelsur.net)

The EPI was drafted by Columbia University and Yale University, in partnership with the European Commission and World Economic Forum's Joint Research Center. All 132 countries included in the list were graded according to 22 performance indicators. They were then ranked as either strongest performers, strong performers, modest performers, weaker performers, and weakest performers.

The five strongest performers were:

(taken from designpinoy.com)

1. Switzerland (76.69)
2. Latvia (70.37)
3. Norway (69.92)
4. Luxembourg (69.2)
5. Costa Rica (69.03)

Meanwhile, the five weakest performers were:

(taken from blogs.sacbee.com)

1. Iraq (25.32)
2. Turkmenistan (31.75)
3. Uzbekistan (32.24)
4. Kazakhstan (32.94)
5. South Africa (34.55)

Click here to see the complete EPI 2012 rankings.

Shocking Results in EPI Analysis of the Philippines?

(taken from lightseepsthrough.blogspot.com)

Looking at the detailed EPI country profile of the Philippines, you will see how the country was ranked based on various categories. Some results, were expected, like the no. 1 ranking we got for agriculture. However, getting a no. 1 ranking for forest cover is quite perplexing. Does this mean that we have the best implementation of anti-illegal logging laws in the world? I don't think so.

(taken from nationsenyclopeida.com)

We also got pretty good score for outdoor pollution, which might be possible if they took into consideration the whole country, and not just Metro Manila. We also under-exploit fish stocks, according to the EPI report. Overall, our fishing industry got a ranking of 30. Not bad, if it's true.

We even rank high in biosystem diversity, because of how we protect our critical habitats, how we safeguard marine protected areas.

On the flip side, we have to improve on areas such as water sanitation, child mortality (as expected), and indoor pollution (so that's where all the smog went!), where we ranked very low in.  

Want to learn more? You can find lots of downloadable content including the full EPI 2012 report here.

[Green Living] Kitchen Revolution - 'Making Vegetables Look and Taste Sexy, One Dish at a Time'

Kitchen Revolution, is a food blog owned and written by Marie Gonzalez. I learned about Marie, her blog, and her cooking classes/workshops, while searching for past episodes of ANC's Green Living TV.

 Marie Gonzalez

Now, I've subscribed to post-by-post updates from her food and healthy living blog. Marie is a an advocate for plant-based or vegan food which she says contributes to happier animals, a happier earth, and a happier you.

Through her blog, readers will find advice on how to live green from what they eat to what they drink. Moreover, they will receive updates on the latest cooking classes and cooking workshops organized and facilitated by Marie herself.

 Kitchen Revolution Cooking Classes for February 2012

That's right! You can sign-up for Marie's workshops in Alabang, which she holds several times a month. There, you can learn how to prepare the most delectable and healthy vegan recipes and plant-based recipes. Those interested can get in touch with Marie through email (info@kitchenrevolution.ph) and SMS (0917-89145086).

 Cupcakes have never been this green and healthy!

Learn how to prepare dishes so tasty, nobody will believe they're vegan!

Marie studied at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York. Then she trained at "Pure Food and Wine (a raw vegan restaurant) and Dirt Candy (a vegetarian restaurant)." Aside from being a restaurant owner, chef, lecturer, and blogger, she also writes regularly for Yummy Magazine. 

For more information on Marie and Kitchen Revolution, do visit the Kitchen Revolution blog, and the Kitchen Revolution Facebook page. You can also follow Marie Gonzales on Twitter.


*All photos taken from the Kitchen Revolution blog or Facebook page.

[Technology] Water Powered Alarm Clocks for a Greener Home

For those of us, who can't wake up in the morning without our personal alarm clocks, here's a new way to go green. Use water powered alarm clocks and lessen the money you spend and waste you produce when using disposable batteries.

 (Photo taken from www.envirogadget.com)

H20 powered alarm clocks function like regular alarm clocks. You just need to fill them with ordinary tap water and they can function for months, or even a year. You can buy clocks in different colors, shapes, sizes. More expensive clocks have additional features like countdown timers, thermometers, large LCD displays, and classy designs.

 (Photo taken from www.thefairtradingcompany.com)

They would make a great addition to your green home, and could be affordable and unique presents for your love ones or giveaways during an event or workshop. For more environmental gift ideas check out my 2011 Xmas gift guide.

(Photo taken from www.annesaeonlane.wordpress.com)

Search online and you will find lots of producers and sellers of these green alarm clocks. For example, Bedol is a company that sells various eco-friendly stuff, including green water clocks. Check out their video and see how easy it is to use their clocks:

[Technology] USBCell - Green Energy with Rechargeable USB Batteries

USBCell, a revolutionary product from Moxia Energy Ltd., now serves as a greener and more affordable alternative to traditional batteries and even rechargeable batteries. 

An estimated 15 billion batteries are thrown away each year. These are batteries which contain toxic chemicals that endanger all forms of life. The use of rechargeable batteries never became mainstream because it was too inconvenient to carry a charger with you everywhere you go.

USBCell AA batteries are more convenient because you can just plug them on your PC or notebook's USB port, whether you are at home, school, work, or even on-the-go. It takes around 5 hours to fully charge a battery, and this battery can be recharged hundreds of times. Moreover, these NiMH batteries don't break down due to partial charging, so you can just plug it in and out as you please.

These batteries can power the today's modern devices including digital cameras, MP3 players, wireless keyboards, wireless mice, battery-operated toys, and the list goes on. The USB-charged batteries can be bought and various packages as seen in the USBCell website.

Now, AAA batteries, 9V cell batteries, and several cellular phone battery sizes are now being sold by Moxia Energy as well. For those interested in buying, you can also check-out USBCell on Amazon, where the product now ranks 4.5 out of 5 stars, after 52 reviews.

Hopefully, more people will begin using products like this to reduce the number of traditional batteries being thrown away each year. 

[Green Living] Jaime Zobel, Greater Good Apparel Launch Fashion Wear for the Environment

Jaime Zobel de Ayala, chairman emeritus of Ayala Corporation partnered with the Greater Good Apparel team in conceptualizing a new line of fashion wear that makes an environmental statement.

 

On December 2, 2012, the "Jaime Zobel x Greater Good Collection" was launched in support of Haribon Foundation's Road to 2020 initiative - "an environmental conservation movement to restore 1 million hectares of rainforests using native tree species by the year 2020."

You contribute to the planting of three seedlings each time you purchase a shirt from a Greater Good Apparel concept store in SM Mall of Asia or SM North Edsa. Moreover, you get to wear a fashionable outfit featuring a photograph by Jaime Zobel de Ayala.

Truly, caring for the environment has never looked this good. For more information on this initiative, do visit the website of Greater Good Apparel, and like them on Facebook.

Want a green bag to match your eco-shirt? Take a look at these high-fashion handbags made from water hyacinth leather, from local bag manufacturer Jacinto and Lirio.