Senator Barack Obama and the Democratic Party are doing their best to walk the walk at the National Convention in Denver this week. In terms of the environment, they are showing their dedication to protect our planet by using green products, services and companies in all aspects of the Convention.

They are also holding an event to feature green technologies and jobs, to get national leaders, businesses owners, scientists and 25,000 graduate students from around the country on the same page concerning sustainable technologies and products. This event is incredibly inspiring because education and information sharing are two of the best ways to build the green movement and create real change for the environment.

One of the green companies asked to contribute to the Convention with products and the green event as a speaker and leader in the field is Martha’s Vineyard’s own Mark Martin. Mark’s company, Eco MV, built an innovative store on our island called The Bio Store and it is filled with sustainable, green and eco-safe products - for the kitchen, cleaning products, bath products, toys, clothes (even wedding dresses made of bamboo silk), take-out food containers and the best children’s book in the world - I’m Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo.

We are so thrilled to have Mark, his team and his company on the Vineyard - and we send him a hearty congratulations for being chosen to be part of the Democratic National Convention.

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This weekend features one of the most celebrated events on Martha’s Vineyard  - The West Tisbury Agricultural Fair. It’s the real deal from top to bottom with ribbons given for the best goat, the most beautiful quilts and the biggest tomato…and everything in between. There are tons of animals on display, and non-profits and businesses from around the island have booths with information and fun activities. Live music blasts for 4 straight days and the pig races are NOT to be missed.

Did we mention the rides? Roller Coasters, carousels, a ferris wheel and the salt and pepper shaker keep everyone busy. And, don’t forget the food: fried dough, ice cream from a local preschool, hot dogs, burgers made by the island fireman - you name it, they’ve got it.

We love the fair because it celebrates the green of the island, from sustainable local farms to community supported agriculture to conservation to alternative energy sources. There are recycle buckets located next to every trash can that are bigger, brighter and full of information. The mission of the fair, besides the fun, is to celebrate our deep connection, respect and gratitude for agriculture and the land.

Sound fun? Come next summer…the fair is always in late August, capping off the summer season in our little slice of paradise. We’d love to meet you!

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Dagny McKinley found our blog and contacted us about the great work that we were doing, and we jumped at the chance to feature her company, Onno Textiles. We LOVE to hear about people, business and KIDS that are doing good things for our environment. Here’s what she had to say:

Bonobo Kids: Tell us about your company?
Dagny McKinley: Onno was founded about 2 years ago, and it was set up to be an environmentally friendly company. Previously, the president had a t-shirt company, and he was upset by the amount of chemicals and the amount of water usage involved with the growing and production of non-organic, or conventional, cotton. Water usage is a big deal right now with droughts happening and a general need to preserve clean water. So Onno started working with organic cotton, hemp and bamboo.

And, while organic cotton uses less water for growing than conventional cotton, it still uses quite a bit, so we use organic cotton that has been grown as a rainfed crop. Hemp is basically a weed, so it is completely rainfed and never needs to be watered by a farmer; it’s the same with bamboo.

BK: Why does organic cotton use less water than conventional cotton?
DM: Because with organic cotton, farmers usually rotate crops and use natural fertilizers and beneficial insects to keep the damaging insects away - this makes the soil healthier and therefore, it requires less water.

BK: Tell us what is special about bamboo?
DM: Here are some cool bamboo facts:

• Bamboo cloth feels silky.
• Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world - it can grow up to 3 feet in one day!
• You can actually sit and watch it grow!
• It can grow in almost any climate.
• Bamboo is naturally anti-microbial which means when you wear it, it wicks away sweat and smell just like many human-made fabrics available today.

BK: How about Hemp? DM: Here are some cool hemp facts:

• Hemp is a nubbier, soft material.
• You used to be able to pay your taxes with hemp in the United States.
• Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were hemp farmers.
• Hemp acts like wool by keeping you warmer in cool weather and cooler in warm weather.
• Hemp naturally filters harmful UV rays.
• Hemp and marijuana plants are completely different - we’re talking apples and oranges, maybe apples and pears.

BK: What are the goals of Onno Textiles?
DM: There are three:

1. To make organic and sustainable more hip and easily accessible for people.
2. To offer our clothes at similar prices to conventional clothing.
3. To do something good for the environment.

Check out Onno Textiles for organic cotton, bamboo and hemp t-shirts and tote bags. Shirts come in mens, womens and kids sizes and a variety of beautiful colors! BUY GREEN TODAY.

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Straight from Bonobo Kids, here’s a list of simple ways to go back to school eco-friendly style! Remeber every green action you take at your home, helps the bonobos in their home.

1. When shopping for school supplies, buy recycled paper and notebooks.

2. Go hemp, go organic. Did you know that you can get just about anything made from sustainable materials like hemp and organic cotton? This ranges from backpacks, clothes, shoes, hats, toys, stuffed animals…you name it!

3. Say no to plastic. Reusable, cloth food bags are the perfect solution to plastic sandwich and snack bags.

4. Start a school garden. With the help of a science or home ec teacher, this is very doable. They can work it into the curriculum because gardening involves science, math, cooking, reading, writing and the social sciences. Then you can learn AND eat local (and delicious). For more info, please contact us.

5. Walk, ride or carpool to school. This is an easy one that we know you understand! Save gas, reduce polution, help the environment…oh, and if you’re walking or riding - get some exercise!!!

Don’t forget to tell us all about your efforts, we love to hear from you!

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This post is a Bonobo Kids exclusive. On Labor Day weekend, August 30th, Mathea will be doing a book signing at one of our favorite book stores on Martha’s Vineyard called Riley’s Reads. But, we didn’t want to just do a book signing, so we’ve organized a huge event that connects kids to their environment. The planned event is called: Kids! Clean up the Beach!!!

Every kid that brings beach trash to the signing gets a severely discounted, personally signed copy of I’m Lucy. With the help of our amazing sponsors, which I will detail in full soon, this event is growing by the second! It’s so perfect: we’ll be sharing I’m Lucy, educating people about bonobos and saving our local environment - all at the same time!

We’ll have video and pics galore…so I’ll keep you posted. Meantime, beg your parents to bring you to Martha’s Vineyard at the end of August - we hope to see you here!!!

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This is a tough question and we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Here’s the situation: if a chair, for example, is made from recycled plastic then is it ‘green’ because no new resources were used to make it? or is it ‘not green’ because it’s made out of plastic that off-gasses?

Hmmmm….perhaps both points are valid.

1. The Green Side. One of the biggest issues with saving the environment is that we need to preserve our natural resources (such as wood, coal, gas and oil). When we take a plastic product, like plastic bottles or bags, and turn them into a new product through recycling, we are not 1. depleting natural resources to make new products, and 2. filling our landfills and earth by throwing the old plastic away.

2. The Not Green Side. Still, there is a misconception that happens when people take products made from plastic (non-green) materials and recycle them into a new product. The issue is that people call them ‘green’ which makes buyers/users of the product think that it’s safe and non-toxic. But plastics are not natural fibers, they are human-made, and contain varying levels of toxins.

What do you think? Green or Not Green? Tell us in the comments below!

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Recently, we talked about how bonobos and chimpanzees are different…but we also noted that they are alike. They split into separate species 2 million years ago, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s fairly recent! Here are the many ways bonobos and chimpanzees are alike:

• They are both great apes, the largest of all primates.
• They are about the same size.
• Their arms are longer than their legs, and they can move using all four limbs simultaneously.
• They both have thumbs and opposable big toes used for holding on to things and climbing.
• Their hair evenly covers their entire body.
• Both bonobos and chimps eat plants, fruit, and insects.
• The females of both species carry baby for similar amounts of time and then care for them for many years (5-8) before the Females have similar gestation lengths and adults provide care to offspring for many years before they are self-sufficient.
• Bonobo and chimpanzee females usually give birth to one infant every five or six years.
• As great apes, they both have incredible mental abilities as compared to all other primates.
• They both live wildly in Africa.
• Both apes split their time between the ground and the trees and make nests in the trees for sleeping.
• Due to environmental concerns, habitat destruction and bushmeat hunting, both apes are in danger and need our help.

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I’m Lucy has been selected as a hot giveaway at Mom Blogger Club!

Moms, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents! Check out their awesome site…and enter to win a free I’m Lucy book. If you already have one, donate the new book to your school’s library, town library, local child care center or hospital. We’ll be glad to find a home for your book if you can’t think of one.

Big thanks to Mom Blogger Club for helping SAVE THE BONOBOS AND SAVE THE WORLD!

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Many people get confused and think that bonobos are just small, or pigmy, chimps - but they aren’t. The two apes became separate species about 2 million years ago and while they do have many similarities, they are noticeably different. Here’s how:

• Bonobos are thinner, have smaller heads and ears than chimps - and their straight black hair parts right down the middle of their heads.
• Bonobo faces are black from birth, with pink lips, and chimpanzee infants have light faces.
• Chimps hunt and eat small animals while bonobos do not.
• Bonobos only live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while chimps are found throughout western and central Africa.
• Bonobos easily walk upright; chimps walk primarily on all fours.
• Bonobos live in a matriarchal society where the top female is the leader of the group. Chimps have a patriarchal society where the males rule.
• While bonobos fight sometimes, they solve their tensions with touch and food, and there has been no documentation of them killing each other. Chimpanzees do fight and actually wage war in their societies.
• In bonobo societies, sons form strong bonds with their mothers that last into adulthood. In chimp societies, it’s the daughters and the mothers that have the lasting bond.
• There are currently 203,000 chimpanzees living in the wild, and only an estimated 10,000 bonobos.

Can you guess which picture is the bonobo and which is the chimpanzee?

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