I received my first iPhone bill today (sorry, BB) and there was also information on AT&T’s commitment to plant a tree for every customer that switches to paperless billing.

Between now and Dec. 31, the company will donate $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree for every customer that goes paperless -up to one million trees. Not only that, but you can choose among different reforestation projects, including one in Florida to replant trees in areas hurt by storms and hurricanes.

Yes, I know what you are thinking: greenwashing. The company saves a lot more than $1 by having you go paperless: no postage, no printing, no billing clerks.

But I think this is a win-win situation. Like it’s the case with many environmental issues, going paperless is the right thing to do no matter from which perspective you look at it, and how many companies are actually doing something extra to promote it?

>Check the facts: 1 million customers that switch to paperless billing means: continue

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to watch some of the best and latest food-related documentaries, which will be screened locally as part of the Earth Month film series Let’s Re-take our Plates, organized by Whole Foods.

I’m particularly excited about No Impact Man, the documentary based on the Brooklyn family that decided to reduce their waste to the minimum for a whole year (I couldn’t drop the book). Other films include Fast Food Nation, Food. Inc, What’s on Your Plate? and The Garden, all very politically-charged films making strong arguments against the state of the food industry.

Here is the schedule:

Fast Food Nation
4:45 p.m, April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

King Corn/ Big River
2:30 p.m. April 17
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
2 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

The Garden
12 p.m., April 18
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale
$7

Food Inc.
5 p.m., April 19
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

No Impact Man
7 p.m., April 19
Coral Gables Congregational Church
3010 De Soto Blvd., Coral Gables
$5

What’s on Your Plate?
5 p.m. April 20
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Fast Food Nation
5 p.m., April 21
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

The Garden
8 p.m., April 21
Miami Beach Cinematheque
512 Espanola Way, Miami Beach
$10

End of the Line
5 p.m. April 22,
Cobb Theater
11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens
$5

Food Inc.
7:30 p.m., April 23
Temple Bet Shira
7500 SW 120th Street, Miami
$5

Visit the Let’s Re-take our Plates site for more information

The number of Earth Day events in South Florida grows every year, but that’s no excuse to miss any of them. Here’s a list of South Florida Earth Day 2010 events.

If you don’t see an event, please e-mail me at editor@theecozine.com

LET’S RE-TAKE OUR PLATES FILM SERIES
WHEN: April 10-23
WHERE: Locations across South Florida
WHY: This is your best chance to watch some of the best and newest documentaries showcasing what really goes into your food and how much damage we’re doing to our planet. Documentaries include No Impact Man, The Garden, Food Inc,
ADMISSION: $5-$7
MORE INFO: Click here to read more on the film series

EARTH DAY EVERYDAY
WHEN: Saturday April 17
TIME: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale.
WHY: Speakers all day and booths with great, local environmentalists and conservationists.
ADMISSION: regular park admission, $6/ car, $2/ pedestrian
MORE INFO: click here

EARTH MIAMI ON JUNGLE ISLAND
WHEN: April 17-18
WHERE:1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami.
WHY: Two-day festival commemorates Earth Day with eco-tours a local horticulturist, recycle animal sculpture display by South Florida schools, interactive eco-conscious activities and stations
ADMISSION: $20 when you bring a can or bottle to recycle
MORE INFO: Call (305) 400-7000‎ or visit www.JungleIsland.com

THE FALLS’ “GO GREEN” EXPO
WHEN: Saturday, April 17
TIME: 1-5 p.m. The Little Planet Helper’s Club from 2-4 p.m.
WHERE: The Falls’ Center Court, U.S. 1 and SW 136th Street.
WHY: Expo will showcase various businesses that will educate families about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO:Call 305-255-4571

EARTHFEST 2010
WHEN: Sunday, April 18th,
TIME: 12 to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Crandon Park Visitors & Biscayne Nature Center, 6767 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne.
WHY: Celebrates 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Includes performances by Expand the Love and hands-on nature workshops on organic gardening, every child outdoors, raw food preparation, yoga and deep ecology. Must bring concert blanket or portable chair.
ADMISSION: regular park entrance, $6/ person
MORE INFO: Call 305-323-8858 or click here

GREEN DRINKS SOUTH FLORIDA
WHEN: Thursday, April 22
TIME: 6:30 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Boca Raton Resort and Country Club
WHY: This is a black-tie event with a green-tie flair. Network with green business owners, enjoy an ECO fashion show, watch the ECO lifestyle awards, and have a delicious organic buffet dinner.
ADMISSION: $125
MORE INFO: www.southfloridagreendrinks.org

MIAMI GOING GREEN
WHEN: Saturday, April 24
TIME: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
WHY: The team onboard the Bahamas to U.S. Solar-Powered Crossing expedition will arrive to Bayfront Park. Also, dozens of local vendors and green organizations will be there.
ADMISSION: free
MORE INFO: Click here

Image courtesy of flyingsinger

Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

Some good and bad news here: I got an e-mail today about a new sustainability report by FPL highlighting the company as a national leader in clean energy.

The report recognizes FPL as the number one producer of wind and solar power in the US, and goes on talking about how FPL plans to make Florida the second state in solar energy generation, how FPL generates more power from its wind farm than from its largest nuclear plant, and how FPL owns the largest wind farm in the world, located in Texas.

I was happy to hear this, not only because finally so much heat will be used for something other than attracting tourists (who consume and leave a lot of waste behind, but that should be another topic), but because I always felt that Florida was a little behind compared to other more energy efficient states.

Well, what does it matter now? Not even an hour later, breaking news about our favorite energy company pop up on the web again, this time pointing out how FPL is trying to expand its nuclear plants and not only pass on the costs to its customers- $67 million next year-, but -and this is the real bummer- how FPL told the Public Service Commission that nuclear power is key to Florida’s future energy plans.

“Nuclear power continues to be more economical than the latest state-of-the-art natural gas power plant. Our analysis indicates that the new nuclear units would save our customers more than $1 billion a year in fuel,” FPL spokesman Mayco Villafana told the Sun Sentinel.

Now I don’t know what to think. Was FPL’s sustainability report released a day before the hearings at the Public Service Commission intentionally? What do you think? Is the company trying to fool us?

The PSC hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote expected Oct. 16.

09/10/09 update: More disappointing news: Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned yesterday and two others went on administrative leave after a Miami Herald investigation revealed that the employees had given their Blackberry codes to FPL’s lawyer, letting them text message eachother without leaving any paper trail. It seems that there will be new hires at FPL’s pr office.

Photo by afloresm

Ever wonder what the future will be like if we continue sabotaging earth like this? Not that great, according to ‘The Age of Stupid’ director Franny Armstrong.

That’s what she explores in her sci-fi-documentary-drama which will be released simultaneously in more than 500 theaters across the US on Sept. 21 ( on the eve of the UN General Assembly’s climate session) in an event that will include live appearances from Kofi Annan, Thom Yorke and other activists.

The film is set in 2055, and revolves around a fictional “last man on Earth” (Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite) who watches “archive” footage from 2008 and asks “why didn’t we stop climate change while we had the chance?”

We get to see interviews with a Hurricane Katrina victim, a British wind farm developer, an aspiring Nigerian doctor, an elderly French mountain guide, a wealthy Indian entrepreneur and an 8-year-old Iraq war refugee – whose lives have all been affected by some aspect of the global warming phenomenon.

Although the film has a futuristic dystopian tone, it will hopefully send enough chills down our spines to inspire us to do more.

The nationwide release and live appearances will screen at a handful of theaters across South Florida, so get your tickets early.

If you go:
What: The Age of Stupid screening and live Q&A
When: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 21, 2009.
Where: Screenings throughout the tri-county area, including at Sunset Place 24, Cypress Creek Station 16, Movies at the Falls 12, Dolphin 19 Cinemas, and South Beach Stadium 18.
For locations and tickets visit: http://www.ageofstupid.net/screenings/country/united_states and click on Florida.

Ever wonder what the future will be like if we continue sabotaging earth like this? Not that great, according to ‘The Age of Stupid’ director Franny Armstrong.

That’s what she explores in her sci-fi-documentary-drama which will be released simultaneously in more than 500 theaters across the US on Sept. 21 ( on the eve of the UN General Assembly’s climate session) in an event that will include live appearances from Kofi Annan, Thom Yorke and other activists.

The film is set in 2055, and revolves around a fictional “last man on Earth” (Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite) who watches “archive” footage from 2008 and asks “why didn’t we stop climate change while we had the chance?”

We get to see interviews with a Hurricane Katrina victim, a British wind farm developer, an aspiring Nigerian doctor, an elderly French mountain guide, a wealthy Indian entrepreneur and an 8-year-old Iraq war refugee – whose lives have all been affected by some aspect of the global warming phenomenon.

Although the film has a futuristic dystopian tone, it will hopefully send enough chills down our spines to inspire us to do more.

The nationwide release and live appearances will screen at a handful of theaters across South Florida, so get your tickets early.

If you go:
What: The Age of Stupid screening and live Q&A
When: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 21, 2009.
Where: Screenings throughout the tri-county area, including at Sunset Place 24, Cypress Creek Station 16, Movies at the Falls 12, Dolphin 19 Cinemas, and South Beach Stadium 18.
For locations and tickets visit: http://www.ageofstupid.net/screenings/country/united_states and click on Florida.