"Open Mike Night"

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Tree Hugger Consulting Blog's "Open Mike Night." It is a chance to share your funny experiences related to green. Whether it is the darn things the kids say, a reaction to a humorous incident, or a joke you recently heard, we wanna hear it! The only rule is: The post must not be scandalous, slanderous, or in poor taste.

Okay, I'll start:

I was at my first home show, plying my sustainable consulting wares. All I had was the sign provided by the show, "Tree Hugger Consulting." In the middle of a throng of people, a woman asks, "So, are you one?" I look at her quizically and respond, "Am I one what?" She says, "A tree hugger." I half smile (cause I think my business name is sort of humorous), and say, "Yeah, I guess I am." She proceeds to lay into me, blaming me for the failure of the logging industry in Oregon, saying I am responsible for jobs lost, mills closing, etc. I smile and say, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Enjoy the show." At the time this was quite a shock to me, and the accusation stung a bit. But there were a couple of things I couldn't figure out: how could a 30-something person be responsible for actions that took place before she was born? And, how could one person cause the entire logging industry to collapse? Didn't know I was so powerful!

Now it's your turn ....


4/7/09

Here are a few "low-tech" green gadgets. Can you guess what they are?

1. Wall-mounted efficiency toggle - This device can achieve a 100% reduction in power usage and activate the natural light in any room.

2. ioAerial garment purifier - This razor-thin cord harnesses wind power. Setup is a snap. Arrange wet garments along the ioAerial to initiate dehydration. Cycle completes in three to four hours. Can be installed indoors or out to utilize sustainably harvested power.

3. Anti-solar panels - Combining special opaque paneling, an adjustable vertical axis, and a full 120-degree variable angle for light displacement and absorption, anti-solar panels will be all the buzz this summer.

4. Eco-friendly textile restoration kit - Cut your waste - and your wardrobe budget - with this chemical-free textile-refurbishment tool. Handheld, user-friendly, and compact, this precision instrument allows you to reattach buttons, mend holes, adjust waistlines, and even eco-convert entire outfits into reusable shopping bags when they go out of style.

5. SmarterCar - Introducing the only human-powered, zero-emissions vehicle on the market! Municipalities are adapting their infrastructures to accommodate this hot transport unit, which is out-of-the-box compliant with all major traffic laws.


Here are the answers: (1) light switch, (2) clothes line, (3) mini blinds, (4) needle and thread, and (5) bicycle.

Courtesy of RooftopComedy.com, as published in Fast Company magazine, April 2009.