Do you ever realize how casually people throw around the word toxic? It's a common catch-all phrase in the green community for materials and chemicals deemed unhealthy. But very few of us have ever experienced truly devastatingly toxic conditions: the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster near Pripyat, Russia, and the now equally-ominous and increasingly risky situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Russian photographer Elena Filatova has returned to Chernobyl's "dead zone" repeatedly over the last decade to document the area's isolation. Ghost Town is both a glimpse into the life, the movement, and the history of the people who lived near Chernobyl and were forced to flee, as well as a reflection on the ways nature both succumbs and overcomes the disasters we throw upon it. More

I've seen some incredible urban garden systems created by true visionaries, but I've never seen something quite like this. The Spiral Garden System is designed to inspire sustainability and to serve as a visual reminder of how close we can be to our own food systems. Thought up by a group of Spanish designers, the system is designed to be completely self-sufficient. Learn how after the jump!
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Buying organic is Green Living 101, right? Since conventional cotton production uses an estimated 25% of the world's chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it's been the metric by which a textile's eco-friendliness is measured. But a recent article in The New York Times on the decline of organic denim made the point that companies are moving beyond organic cotton as the be-all-end-all and considering the product's entire manufacturing process, its social as well as environmental implications, including water use, dye impact, soil health, labor issues, fair trade, and the reduction of scraps and other waste. More

"If you don't have your health, you don't have anything." This is a saying that is so old but as true today as it was when it was first uttered. Don't worry. While the topic of household chemicals and indoor air quality is very serious, some of the solutions are quite fun! From new cleaning products to paints, and from body care products to cosmetics, there are many fun, clean, and beautiful options that make living healthy worth living!

TOP ROW

• 1 The Secret Chemicals in Fragrances
• 2 10 Ingredients To Avoid In Your Face Products
• 3 Bubble Trouble: What Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
• 4 How To Read Labels and Avoid Toxic Cleaning Products
• 5 Hygiene Products for Dummies: Cosmetic Safety Database More

Our laptops are some of the most powerful and portable modes of communication and change. Yet with technology's 2 years-then-obsolete cycle, the e-waste poses a problem. So Autodesk challenged students at Stanford's ME3 program to develop a recyclable laptop in 9 months. The result? An awesome, modular laptop that kicks the "design for the grave" theory highlighted in The Story of Electronics to the curb, for good. Read below the jump to learn how! More

Did you know that while we were twisting our hands over the economy, health care, and elections, a Bill was passed called the National Indicators Act? It is an effort on behalf of the National Academy of Scientists and The State of the USA non-profit. Their goal? To develop a website with quantitative data on indicators about the US to help the public and lawmakers understand where we are as a nation. Why is this important? Find out: More

On November 6, prominent thought leaders, innovators and artists convened in Santa Monica, CA for the TEDxGreatPacificGarbagePatch event. They gathered to share observations on how plastic pollution affects ocean/environmental health and public health; explore solutions for reducing our plastic footprint,... More

It's Breast Cancer Month so it's time to raise awareness and share information on this far-reaching disease (1 in 8 women). You may already know the classic advice for preventing breast cancer like eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, managing weight, and breast feeding. In addition, it might be wise to adopt another strategy: avoiding environmental toxins. Read more for a quicklist of potential culprits. More

October is Fair Trade Month in America. It's held by TransFair USA, one of twenty members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. This year the theme of Fair Trade Month is Every Purchase Matters. By buying items that are certified Fair Trade (coffee, tea, sugar, olive oil, soap, and baskets, for example), you support fair prices, working conditions and compensation to farmers and workers all over the world. More

"Bartender, I'll have a soda. Hold the BPA please." This is easier said than done. Nearly all Americans have BPA in their bodies because of its widespread use, and while countries like Japan and Canada have taken steps to ban it, America has been lagging. Read more to find out what it is and how you can avoid it. More