This year more than others, the push to “Go Greenâ€ has become more prevalent. Everywhere we turn that phrase is being used by companies who either just recently introduced a green initiative or have been committed to helping Mother Earth for several years – or sometimes even decades.

Today, one of my favorite eco-friendly companies – Nalgene – is being featured on the Oprah Winfrey show in her Going Green 101 segment.  While I’m glad to hear Oprah gave the green light to this segment right before Earth Day so her viewers could make small changes in their lifestyle and help the environment; I’m especially happy to hear Nalgene will be included in the segment.

Several years ago, I was first introduced to the Nalgene water bottle by my uncle.  He walks everywhere in Manhattan and always carried a Nalgene bottle instead of a different bottled water every day.  And now it’s a rare day when you don’t see me carrying my pink <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000KI129K/islandtravela-20">N-Gen Nalgene water bottle</a>.  So it wasn’t surprising last month when I did a Going Green segment for WCBS TV and included the latest addition to the Nalgene water bottle line in the segment – their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MWCINI/islandtravela-20">Grip n Gulp cup</a> (pretty much a bottle toddlers can’t destroy) which my son doesn’t go anywhere without.

I like that by making just a small lifestyle change in our household in choosing to use Nalgene bottles whenever possible we are doing our part to decrease the number of disposable plastic water bottles we use.   It’s a great way to help the environment without jumping fully into a new lifestyle we aren’t completely capable of keeping up.  After all, enough oil is used in the production of disposable water bottles annually to fuel 100,000 cars for a full year. 

Nalgene’s commitment to curbing America’s dependence on bottled water with their taste- and odor-resistant, leak proof plastic containers is expanding even further with their latest campaign to reduce disposable bottle waste called “Refill, Not Landfillâ€.  Nalgene research shows one person uses 166 bottles each year.  (In my opinion New Yorkers are probably responsible for a much larger number.) To decrease that number, consumers can take an online pledge at the <a href="http://www.refillnotlandfill.org/">Refill Not Landfill website</a> to reduce their bottled water consumption by drinking from a reusable container for one week, one month or one year. 

<font size="2">If you support would like to support this campaign and purchase a limited edition Refill Not Landfill Nalgene bottle, all proceeds will go to <a href="http://www.nativeenergy.com/"><strong>Native Energy</strong></a></font><font color="#006699"> </font>supporting their mission to help build Native American, farmer-owned, community based renewable energy projects that create social, economic, and environmental benefits.

MORE INFO:
Buy a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CDHADA/islandtravela-20">Nalgene Bottle</a> for you or a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MWCINI/islandtravela-20">Grip n Gulp cup </a>for your toddler.
<a href="http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/">Visit the Nalgene Outdoor website </a> 
<a href="http://www.refillnotlandfill.org/">Refill, Not Landfill campaign website</a>
<a href="http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=1174">Buy a Refill, Not Landfill limited edition bottle   </a> 
<a href="http://www.nativeenergy.com/">Learn more about Native Energy</a>

* Don’t forget, this Sunday, April 22<sup>nd</sup> is Earth Day.  Take your children to participate in the free festivities in your neighborhood. This Sunday, the kids and I will be participating in Earth Day festivities at the Green Apple Music Festival here in Manhattan.  The Laurie Berkner Band will be performing on The Great Hill in Central Park and Brady Rymer will be the opening band. Fun! *