UGOGRN

Wonderful weaves!

2012-01-21T08:55:00.006-05:00

Recycle Knitting

One of the projects we did over winter break was some knitting! Thanks to Claudine Niski for sending us hoops and getting us "hooked"!

This was the large hoop using two large bags from Goodwill and a black garbage bag. I made the hook and knot from braiding some left over bags.

This small bag was made from a black garbage bag, the blue bag your newspaper comes in and some clear produce bags. The strap was made from black bag strips fused with an iron. The cool button was from our button box!

This hat was not made of plastic, but I used the leftover yarn from another project. I used a knit 2/pearl 2 pattern. The flower on the hat was made from yellow telephone book plastic bags, leftover black garbage bag, a white and a brown grocery bag.

This cool clutch was make from 5 grocery bags, alternating colors. I lined it with some scrap cotton. It makes me think of a casual day at the beach!

I made this acorn satchel using three plastic Target bags, two yellow bags and three tan shopping bags. I tied it off with a dark blue ribbon that has some light wire in it, and finished it with some fun pins!

The small bag and flower can easily be done in a couple hours. Larger bags take about 4 hours and the hat took about 6 hours. I made all of these using a knitting loom.

Foods to eat to stop the PMS

2012-01-17T23:10:00.004-05:00

I'm seeing an acupuncturist and this month I was experiencing some major signs of PMS. I eat a pretty healthy diet so she suggested a couple modifications and the results were amazing! My 800mg strength cramps stopped, my moodiness decreased, and I felt a lot better. What was the secret? The week before my period I ate red meat, almonds and apricots.

I looked up the 3 foods to see what may be in the foods that are helping me. Almonds are rich in magnesium, riboflavin, Vitamin E and iron; red meat has more zinc, Vitamin B12, niacin, thiamin and iron; and the apricots are high in fiber have Vitamin A and beta carotene and iron. But why did this combination work so well and so fast? I think it's the triple whammy of iron along with the other nutrients.

I felt better after eating a medium rare steak for dinner. The next morning I added almonds and chopped some apricots for my oatmeal. That night I made meatloaf and had rice pudding with almonds and apricots.

So consider adding these three things to your menu the week prior to your monthly visitor. You may find some relief!

Eco fun winter outings

2012-01-15T18:03:00.010-05:00

What do you want to do today?

That is the question that can drive some people nuts, especially when they have no idea as to what they want to do.

We were looking for some family events to that turned out to be great ways to learn about our local area!

The Royal Gorge
We live an hour from this beautiful ravine called the Royal Gorge. They have a little theme park there that is open in the summer months. You can ride on the carousel and eat funnel cake. But not in the winter! In the winter, the only thing open is the beauty of the gorge with very few distractions.

Taken from the sky train that spans across the gorge.

On the other side of the gorge there is a little petting zoo and pens where you can see live elk and bison.

The walk across the bridge is also breathtaking and not too strenuous...even Mom did it!

Cave of the Winds
Another great place to see that was about 30 minutes away is the Cave of the Winds.
Here you can see some small stalactites and stalagmites, cave coral and other rock formations. It is not a huge cave, but a great place for your beginner spelunkers. They also offer a lantern tour for those who really love small, dark places.

The cave is well lit with spot lights that enhance the natural beauty.

The cave has been dug out over the years and stairs and handrails were added. Because of this the dry air from outside has entered the cave so the formations will no longer grow. One of the workers wanted this line of a poem inscribed on the walls in compensation for his many years of work excavating the cave.

Fun at home
Sometimes you can find fun right in your own yard! We moved here in June so this is our first Colorado winter. The unique dry, powder like snow is great for making snow angels and snowmen. You can even create eat your own snow cones with the fresh fallen snow!

New Year! New Green ideas!

2012-01-09T21:08:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! It's so exciting to start a new year. I love looking back through pictures to see what we did and then make plans for the coming year.

It made me realize that I have so much to blog about, but have not set aside the time to do it, so now I can spend the month of January hitting some of the missed news from 2011. :)

The best way to recap, in my opinion, is to start backward from today. So my my first recap topic is on our lovable furry friends, our dogs! Yes, I said dogs! We now have 2, Lucy the schnauzer and Aspen the terrier-poodle.

Aspen joined us Christmas eve. We adopted him from the Humane Society . They have from the outside, one of the best facilities I have ever seen. It is very family friendly and you can tell their goal is to get animals into good homes. The process was very easy. They have a great website that they keep very up to date. You can browse the animals that are currently there and see a short bio on them. Then when you go you can ask to visit with the animal. Once you decide you are ready to adopt, they have one form you fill out and they load your information into the computer. Then you can leave that day with the animal!

Aspen has been a joy, but he did experience Kennel Cough. We had to get antibiotics for Aspen, and we caught it quickly enough that Lucy did not pick it up. Aspen is on Science Diet. That is what the vet was feeding him and so we bought a bag to continue his diet during the transition. Lucy eats Blue for senior dogs which we can get at PetsMart. I really like the mix of vegetables and minerals included with the rice. Another good brand is Innova. For a 10 year old, she has a lot of energy and she is not plump like some dogs her age. (Well she did gain 2 pounds over the holidays because she got some extra dog treats. Her favorite snack is usually a piece of carrot!)

Lucy had her own issues with her on-going battle with gum disease. She has had issues since the day I adopted her. At this visit she had 19 teeth pulled. (She already had 8 pulled previously when we lived in Mississippi.) I'm happy to report she is recovering well, and the tooth loss has not effected her appetite. :)

Dogs are great, and if you can, please consider getting them from a rescue or the humane society. Those animals need a home and the cost to you is very small compared to buying one at a store or a breeder. You will find that a mixed breeds from the pound can have a great disposition and make a great life long companion!

Winter Hair Beware!

2011-10-28T19:27:00.008-04:00

The problem
Yes, I'm a Leo and I care about my hair! In my shower and under my sink you will find a ton of hair care products. Not ECO GROOVY! So, last month I looked into finding a shampoo and conditioner that will not dry out my hair and fits better into my eco-conscious lifestyle.

Living on the coast, it's not such a big deal. The humidity is there and keeps the moisture in my hair. Living in the high country of the midwest my hair dries out in an instant! Adding oils just makes it dried out and oily looking.

So I went online, read reviews and watched other women on You-Tube with the same issues. From the search I discovered Hair One hair cleanser.

It's sulfate free and is a cleanser and conditioner. I've been using it for a month now and no longer need to use my deep conditioning conditioner, leave in conditioner and night hair conditioner.
The proof? My husband no longer tells me I look like Monfils in the morning. :)

The savings
Now I calculate my savings.
By switching to Hair One for my cleansing and conditioning needs, I can stop using:
Natures Gate Shampoo $5
Natures Gate Conditioner $5
Nexus Split End repair $11.50
Aveda Sun Care After Sun Masque $25
Roots of Nature Shea Butter $5
Total $51.50 every 3 months

Hair One $12-$15 depending on the scent

Total Savings!!! About $36 per quarter or $144 per year!

I'm also saving the cost of plastic.
Instead of 20 plastic bottles, I'm only using 4 per year!
The best way to lessen the environmental impact is to Reduce the Use!
http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

What am I doing with the unused conditioners?
- Conditioning my leather boots, jacket and purse

- Conditioning my dog Lucy

I hope this gets you interested in shrinking your footprint!

See more!

Human Impact: Synthetic Sea "plastic in the open ocean"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaSewyddd4

Pumpkins are not just for jack o lanterns!

2011-10-25T00:56:00.006-04:00

I love finding new ways to make gifts, and the more organic the better! During the month of October a great gift can be a carved pumpkin.

Here are two pumpkins that I carved after watching the pumpkin carving challenge on Food Network. (Isn't it funny how sitting on your couch, you can watch professionals creating masterpieces and you think...I can do that.)

4 hours later...
The eagle is made by thinning out the rind of the pumpkin. I gave it to a friend who was promoted to Colonel in the US Air Force. I used an Exacto knife, paring knife and a lemon zester. It took 2 tea light candles to light this puppy up, so next time I'll keep scraping to make the rind thinner.

My hubby is a Saints fan so I made this after the Saints beat the Colts 60 something to 7. Geaux Saints! To make this simple lantern I drew on the logo, used an Exacto knife and paring knife and then went back over the outline with a black marker.

Now, go out and create your own masterpiece!

Cool Crafting

2011-10-25T00:50:00.002-04:00

I'm going craft crazy!

Along with carving bio-degradable pumpkins.... I've continued my need to make new things out of old! I splurged and bought a Cricut. With this I'm able to create some very spiffy new items from old.

Below is an example of what will be a Happy Birthday sign and cheesecake decoration for my hubby. I used blue craft paper craps and an old calendar. This machine cuts so precisely, what was old really looks new!

Apps are where it's at!

2011-09-14T20:58:00.003-04:00

I have an iPhone. For those fellow smart phone owners I'm sure that you will agree that apps are just cool. For those non smart phone users, and I know you are out there, an app is short for an application. I like to think of it as a mini software program that does amazing things.

Here are a couple apps that I want to share with you, that you may want to check out.

Fooducate - http://blog.fooducate.com/

Fooducate is a cool program that lets you scan the barcode of a food product. It then pulls up the nutrition label and gives the item a rating of A to F. For example, I scanned my milk, Silk Almond Milk. It gave it a grade of A-. It received a - because the Vanilla flavored one has 4tsp of sugar per serving. I also scanned a Kashi snack bar and it got a C+. What is really cool is that it provides a list of alternative snacks that are healthier. In this case it recommended a banana or some trail mix.

Smart Foods - Organic Diet Buddy - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-foods-organic-diet-buddy/id418833988?mt=8

This is a great app that helps with deciding on if you should by organic. One major reason that many people to not buy organic fruits and vegetables is cost. The organics are just more expensive, which I think is funny since they are saving money in not having to buy pesticides, but I digress. With this app you can look up a piece of produce and it gives you an opinion on whether or not it is safe to not go organic. It also has a nice map feature which lists your local farmers markets.

So enjoy the apps and enjoy getting better educated on what you are ingesting!

UGOGRN goes Colorado!

2011-07-30T20:50:00.008-04:00

(view from Pikes Peak)

UGOGRN is now in Colorado Springs, Colorado!

I relocated here about 2 months ago now and the family is loving it! The views here are spectacular and the air is clear. But the rocky mountain high becomes bothersome after awhile...the air here is so thin! Soon we will be acclimated and can enjoy the sites.

Close up of the pines on Pikes Peak. Beautiful!

Anasazi Cliff Dwellings
http://www.cliffdwellingsmuseum.com/

While in Manitou be sure to visit the Adams Mountain Cafe. http://www.adamsmountain.com/ It's know for it's slow food and all natural ingredients. I just call it great food!

Joys of Juicing

2011-03-12T21:06:00.003-05:00

Happy juicer sitting at home on the counter.

A couple months ago I delved into juicing. Here is my review...

I absolutely love my juicer. I am new to juicing and read all of the reviews before selecting this model and I'm very happy with it.

The first week I got my juicer, I used it everyday juicing just about every vegetable and fruit in the refrigerator. Carrots, lettuce, celery, apples, potatoes and parsley! (Parsley if very green and bitter.) When you juice fibrous items like celery, it can build up a little in the tube, but that is what the brush tool is for.

My favorite juice is 2 pears, 1/4 cucumber, 1 sweet potato and 1 orange.

Cleaning is a snap. I run water through the juicer first to get all of the juice out, then I pop the top off and take it to the sink. It's easy to rinse the pieces with soapy water and it all fits in the drain board. (Be sure to use the brush on all of the pieces to get any residual fiber off.)

I come back later and wipe off any excess water and the put it all back together to store. Very easy.

I even tried running frozen fruits and a frozen banana through it to make frozen smoothies. It was a little messy but fun to do and delicious!

With this juicer I can get an extra serving of organic fruits and veggies each day. Yeah!

Re-purposed Art

2011-01-13T20:28:00.005-05:00

If you haven't noticed I put a new link on my blog. It goes to Etsy where you can find some of the art my mom and I create.

Re-purposed Cardboard
One thing you will find is some boxes and matching cards that I made out of old calendars, cereal boxes, pizza boxes and beer boxes.

Re-purposed Plastic Bags
The next thing I'm really excited to delve into is re-purposing those horrid plastic bags that you find drifting down the street and in trees. I just read up on how to fuse the plastic so you can create your own "fabric". From there you can can sew it into anything.

Coming soon! A new line of something baggy!

No waste holiday!

2010-12-30T10:23:00.006-05:00

Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ. It's a time when friends and family get together. I've noticed during this time the trashcans get fuller on my street as well. People have bought gifts and the cans are filled with boxes, colored paper and packing supplies. Also, the old broken items are disposed of and new items are put in their place. I had to think about, what I would do differently this year to cut back on the waste! How can I reuse and recycle during this holiday season?

Recycle

Cans: We opened a lot of cans this season: condensed milk, beans, pie filling, etc. All of the cans went into the recycle pile for pickup. I also reused a can; we needed a new drip can for the BBQ and the beans can fit just right!

Wrap your gifts in recyclable and biodegradable wrapping:
Use brown packing paper and raffia ribbons made of recycles plastic bags for a country look. Use cloth for an elegant look!

Reuse
Boxes: I was able to reuse many boxes for packing an sending gifts.
Other boxes I wrapped and used as decor around the house and others for gifts that were hard to wrap like clothing.

Tins: What to do with tins that hold Christmas cookies? Save them for next year and fill them with homemade goodies or use contact paper and recover them. They make great storage cans!

Biodegradable gifts

Food is always a great gift! Here is a great idea to use up some of that leftover candy!

Chocolate popcorn:
It's easy! Take 2 cups brown sugar, 1 c. butter and 1/2 c. corn or maple syrup. Let is slow boil for 5 min. Take it off the heat and add 1/2 tp baking soda, 1/2 tp salt, and 1 tp vanilla. Then spread on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and cool for 10 min. Then dump it on wax paper. Melt some leftover Halloween and Christmas candies, chocolate and mix in your favorite nuts, raisins, mini marshmallows, etc and pour over the caramel popcorn. When the chocolate hardens break the clumps apart and store in tin containers or plastic ziplocks. :)

Iced tea:
Something as simple as this can cause a lot of waste. Instead of buying your iced tea in a can or buying powdered mix. Just boil your water on the stove and brew a big pot of tea. Then add sugar and a fresh lemon to taste. The tea tastes much fresher and you can add flavors like lemon, mint or toss in a candy cane!

A UGOGRN Holiday Decorations

2010-12-04T17:35:00.009-05:00

PAPER FLOWER Ornaments

These great ornaments were made out of paper bags!
You will need 6-8 paper bags. The size of the flower depends on the size of the bag.

First cut out the bottom of the bag.
Next lay the bag flat with the top of the bag facing up; cut the top edges of your bag to form a "bullet" shape.
Do this to all of your bags.

Next punch a whole in the bottom of the bag and attach a string. Tie the string loosely to allow the bags to move.

Carefully glue the bottom quarter of the bags together and allow to dry.

Then take the tip of the top bag and pull it around to the tip of the bottom bag; opening the flower. Tape or staple the "petals" together and hang!

The GIFT OF FLOWERS

You can never go wrong with flowers as a gift. Poinsettias are great for the season. Watch for sales at your home and garden store or grow your own!
Find fun holiday pots at thrift store or decorate your own pot to your liking.
Friends and family can transplant these plants into their yards after the holidays or put them in a larger pot to continue to grow!

Cardboard GINGERBREAD MEN

Here is a fun and easy decoration to spruce up your presents. Cut out a gingerbread man out of an old cardboard box. You can then draw a face, add clothes, etc. They make great gift tags or embellishments to your packages. Plus you can rip it up when you are done and compost it!

Gardening galore

2010-08-28T22:50:00.008-04:00

I'm very excited. I have a composting bin!

Yes, I finally got the bin I have wanted to get since I moved to a house with a good size yard.

I'm very excited about this particular composter because it's made completely of recycled plastic. I actually found it on sale at Lowes. It's a very simple one, and is really just a place to store your clippings and garbage in a way the wildlife cannot get to it.

So far I have thrown in my garden clippings and some garbage. Next I will start putting my shredded paper in there instead of taking to the recycling center. I am looking forward to creating some great soil that I can put around my plants and bushes this winter!

Composting is not pretty so I'm including some shots of my small garden. The eggplants, basil and hot peppers took off and have been amazing! However the rain has been heavy so the tomatoes didn't turn out so well. Enjoy!

Distracted by the Gulf Coast

2010-06-14T12:02:00.004-04:00

HOUSE ON HOLD

Well, my house projects have been put on hold. I knew whatever I didn't do before moving in would not get done till months down the road. People burn out .... you know!
So, I still need to paint the trim in the kitchen with my low VOC paint from LOWES :), but instead I have been enjoying the rivers and the gulf around southern Mississippi.

HORN ISLAND

My latest adventure was to Horn Island. It is about 20 min out in the Gulf of Mexico from Ocean Springs, MS. I am pleased to report that the oil has not taken a toll out there yet. I think what is saving us is the Mississippi River! The heavy rains in the mid-west is pushing down the Mississippi and spewing out into the gulf. That is keeping the oil from reaching our coastline.

Here are some pictures from our day at Horn Island.

Marine Life in the Gulf of Mexico

2010-06-04T12:21:00.004-04:00

TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS

Ted and I took a weekend getaway to New Orleans! The city still has a long way to go to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina, but the downtown area is certainly coming back to life. The purpose of this trip was to relax for the weekend and to see the Audubon Aquarium located by the river in New Orleans.

My favorite exhibit was the jelly fish. They are amazing creatures. The one exhibit that stood out the most to me was the one paid for by the oil companies. As you can see it is set up like you are under an oil rig. With the spill going on out here, it may be a generation before the gulf looks like this again. Thank you Audubon Institute for educating us on our world under the sea!

Short-sighted oil

2010-05-04T00:10:00.006-04:00

I got a lot of my projects done before moving in the house, and still need to post the fancy photos, but I got a little burnt out from the move.

One of the things I have put off lately is getting the oil changed in my car. If you remember I have a Hybrid Lexus RX-400, which may be the last car I own, it can do anything. I took it to a new place to me called American Lube Fast. They were awesome and took good care of me. While waiting for my oil change I noticed an add display they had for ECO POWER synthetic oil. I had to check it out and this is what I found: http://www.ecopoweroil.com/
Please check it out and ask for it where you get motor oil!

I was so excited by this find and it dawned on me on Sunday that what I needed to blog about was not this ECO groovy find, but about what we are facing right now with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Our country is so dependent on oil that we risk our own environment to get it. What we need is to continue to find better ways to use what we have, like the recycled and refined oil and to continue to change to renewable resources.

My first thought when I heard about the oil rig explosion was of the oil spills off the coast of California. Then my mind raced to the Exxon Valdez accident. Here is a good site to refresh you on the facts of that spill. http://www.evostc.state.ak.us/recovery/lingeringoil.cfm It will still be decades before the oil will dissipate from that area.

Now read up on the amount of oil being released in the Gulf today.: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/01/AR2010050102496.html
It will take several generations before this part of the world will regain it's marine life.

So, please think twice before you buy and look for things made of and by renewable resources. It is the only way we will change. Let's stop polluting and start repairing our environment.

Color Pallette

2010-03-28T17:40:00.011-04:00

Along with flooring, I want to put on a fresh coat of paint in several of the rooms of this new home! I looked for eco-friendly paint with no-VOC (volatile organic compounds). LOWES has no-VOC Olympic premium paint. OCs are unstable, carbon-containing compounds that readily vaporize into the air. When they enter the air, they react with other elements to produce ozone, which causes air pollution and a host of health issues including breathing problems, headache, burning, watery eyes and nausea.

The first photo is my mom's room. She wants just an off white wall, but I think I'll dress it up with a colored trim.

The hallway is currently a mint green. That has got to go, along with the curtains. This will become a warm dark cream called Vanilla Brandy trimmed in Crumb Cookie.

The office will get a pop of color called Mexican Moonlite trimmed in Crumb Cookie.

The master bedroom with have a happy creamy yellow color called Belgian Waffle with a brighter white trim.

Am I leaving the wood paneling in the living room you ask? No, that will get a makeover as well. More to follow!

Making my new home green!

2010-03-05T18:22:00.005-05:00

I'm buying a new home in beautiful Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
I'm determined to make green choices as I make changes the home. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

First thing I'm going to do is replace the carpet in the bedroom and living room and cover the vinyl with bamboo flooring. The previous owners were smokers so there are burn holes here and there and the smell is in the carpeting.

The picture above is my dream flooring that will cost way too much to install.

More to come!...

There really are gaters here...

2010-01-20T20:26:00.004-05:00

This place is a little closer to home. It's the Davis Bayou in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. This is a nice spot with a bike loop and walking paths.

Yes, that is a gater! We came upon that driving up to the walking trail. The trail was on the opposite side of the road, thank goodness. There was also a turtle nearby sunning himself.

This is a great place for bird watching as well. I think this is an egret. It could be a heron, I'm not sure. There was a heron with it earlier but it flew away.

What really caught my eye were the blankets of grasses. I can just imagine all of the marine life that lives in there. This is a place that I want to visit again.

Gulf Coast Beauty

2010-01-20T20:08:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the long delay in writing. A lot has been going on this year, moving to the Gulf Coast was just part of it!

What a beautiful part of the country. The coast is made up of a web of rivers, marshes and wetlands. Not to mention the fantastic beaches, peninsulas and barrier islands.

My first exploration was this past August was to Santa Rosa Island just south of Pensacola, Florida. There you will find Gulf Islands National Seashore, an amazing stretch of beach ending with Fort Pickens.

Pure Wine-ing

2009-09-20T23:03:00.008-04:00

I did some wine shopping today. Nothing special, but I wanted a red and a white to have in the ready at home. While perusing the aisle in this small package store, I could not find an organic wine. Why was this important to me all of a sudden? I love all wines, but I watched a great movie about where our food comes from (which will be in another post), and I was re-enlightened about the use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture.

So when I got home I went on-line to look for some organic wines. I learned new terms such as bio-dynamic, vegan and NSA no-sulfites added.
It's not just about how the grapes are grown but how the wine is crafted.
The best place that I found to get a wide selection of organic and bio-dynamic wines is on www.Wines.com . They have an organic section and Organic Wine club.

I'm not quite ready to join a club, but I do feel more knowledgible about organic wines and will continue to look for them in the local stores. However, this would make a good gift! wink wink :)

Gorgeous gardening

2009-08-23T17:08:00.005-04:00

Let's take Going Green literally today and apply it to the back patio.

About a month after moving to Mississippi, the community held a "garden party". A local landscaper brought in plants and low-water shrubs to teach us about garden care.

The first 50 people would get a free garden hose and petunias.

I, of course, went and got my petunias for the front yard and since I already had hoses, they gave me a free sprinkler. They had all sorts of plants on display. The soil here is mostly sand so there were a lot of grass varieties that you would find on the beach. They also had some standard flowers that grow well in full sun in pots.

Before I left they asked me to sign up for a drawing. They were giving out these tall spindly stalks to a few homes. They said they would bloom, but the guy couldn't remember what the plant was called, unusual I thought since he was representing a landscaping company. But I don't remember the company's name, so I can't hold it against him.

Anyway, I won one of these plants and put it in my backyard. Well, the wind came and blew it over once, so I moved it to against the house. I gave it water and some fertilizer and one morning I walked out to the sight above. I grabbed the camera and then looked up the plant on the internet.

I had won an Angel Trumpet.
It blooms at night and closes during the day.
It has a wonderful sweet smelling fragrance.

Well, now I have a reason to enjoy the back patio at night and in the early morning. I get to see the Angel Trumpet in full bloom. Who knew that going green would smell so sweet?

Homeproject

2009-08-15T22:40:00.006-04:00

I just watched an amazing moving called Home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

It has beautiful cinematography that captures the beauty of our planet. It also shows what is happening to the planet today.

After watching I feel a greater need to reduce my footprint and I have an idea...

Most Americans love to get something new. But why does new have to mean manufactured and fresh from the factory. Why can't new be something new to you, or repurposed, or a new creation from something old. You see this a lot in art but not so much with household items. I'm not talking resold like in a thrift shop. I'm talking recreated like the items on this website: Uncommon Goods

I also feel the strong need to Act Local and Think Global more than ever. What if every community could sustain itsself? Each community has its own organic farm and local livestock. Each community had its own crafters. You have your own sources of energy and trade would be out of variety, not necessity. The Amish have it right in some respects but I don't mean to go back before electricity.

Definitely something to think about. Watch the movie and let me know what thoughts you have.

Hello from Mississippi!

2009-08-05T06:59:00.006-04:00

I am now writing to you from the beautiful state of Mississippi! Now that I have relocated, I have lots to share about my eco-journey, the many twists and turns, but today I'm sharing my need for a guest bed.

Now that I'm set up in a house rather than an apartment, I now have the room to properly host a guest! However, I move often and do not want a lot of new furniture to populate this room.

I'll be able to decorate the room with stuff I already have, but the centerpiece, the main reason for the room is missing. I need a bed! I looked at many alternatives, sleeper couches, futons, tatamis, air mattresses. All were good, but didn't have the eco theme that I am trying to create. What I need should either be reused or if it's new it is created sustainably.

After days of surfing on the web, I found my solution! http://www.northernnaturals.com/ Northern naturals makes a great mattress out of sustainable materials that I can put directly on the floor and fold up and keep in the closet when not in use. This makes perfect sense for moving around and is a great sustainable product made in Vermont.
I feel good about this purchase on many levels.
My mattress will arrive in a week and I'll post a photo of the finished room.

THE FUTON
The Futon arrived! It's a very pretty red color. I have it folded to the side of the room right now with the comforter on top of it. I have a fitted sheet that I used to use on a full size bed and two pillows that are in the brown chest which I found for $18 at a thrift store. I tried the futon out and it's very comfortable. I don't know why I spent twice as much for my current queen size mattress and box spring. I think I'll make a simple window covering to pull it all together and wha-la!

New location...newgogrn

2009-05-10T23:00:00.005-04:00

Lots has happened since my last blog so i'll start with the end...i'm moving to Mississippi!

So, in the UGOGRN style, i am thinking hard about how to stay green while i'm in this transition.

Steps to a Green Move.
1. Think recycle! - I'm cleaning out the closets and instead of throwing anything away i'm recycling and donating whatever i can. I've seemed to have accumulated a lot of cardboard boxes, small ones, smaller than a shoe box. I think i was thinking of using them as gift boxes, but now i only see them being packed in more boxes. So off they go to the recycling dumpster!

2. Think reuse! - I'm finding homes for everything that i no longer need, and cannot take apart to recycle. Some things i've given to friends, like books and magazines that my friends have said they would like to read. I gave my mom a blouse that I no longer wear, but she is moving too so I just added to her box of clothes. (oops!)
My sorority alumni does a huge garage sale each year. Proceeds go to Children's Hospital and to scholarships. That is a great place for me to donate items.

3. Waste=Food - I am bound to have to throw somethings away. But i need to remember what i put in the landfill may stay in the landfill. I still need to think if i can recycle the item instead of throwing it in the garbage. I have started a pile of items that can be taken to the hazardous material collection point like old paint and batteries. I also have some electronics that I found in a box that are too old for someone else to use..sorry handspring trio! That old thing will need to go to an electronics collection point. I also have a lot of house plants. Those have been going to friends and neighbors as going away gifts. I go away and they get a gift...what a great twist!

4. Clean green - After moving out, i will need to clean the apartment to get my security deposit back. So, i will use non-toxic cleaning supplies to do the job. I use Shaklee products, but there are many products around like Seventh Generation that are non-toxic.

After i make my move, i'll redecorate the site as well as my new home...which is Leeds certified! http://www.greenhomeguide.org/green_home_programs/LEED_for_homes.html
I'm moving on to an Air Force base and the new housing is all Leeds certified housing. I'm so proud that the Services are so environmentally aware now.

I'll try to keep posting while I move. It will be fun to do green reports from the road!

More moving tips: HGTV's Frontdoor http://www.frontdoor.com/Buy/Pack-Up-A-Load-Of-Green-Moving-Tips/1529
Frog box http://www.frogbox.com/

Environmental Stewardship

2009-02-23T22:34:00.005-05:00

A few months ago I started working with my church to get it to GO GREEN.

This all started when my Pastor used my license plate in his sermon. He was talking about "getting the message" and used environmental awareness as an example. I was listening intently when he mentioned that topic and to my surprise he said something like...and one of our members of the congregation even put it on her car: UGOGRN...she gets it! This wasn't the main point of his sermon of course, but for me...well that was my in.

After that I volunteered to attend a meeting of the Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light. http://gwipl.org/ Over the next month I arranged an Energy Audit of our church. It took a few months to get the results back and the team back together, but now we are making plans for building improvements which is a tremendous beginning.

If you are interested in checking on our progress you can view it here:
http://gracepresby.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=88

Why Change?

2009-01-28T22:06:00.003-05:00

Why Change to CFLs?
Check out this site and post your results.
Here are mine!

14 60 Watts
2 100 Watts
6 65 Watts
Annual savings $157.39
Life of the bulbs $862.40!

http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/products/pop_lighting_calc.htm

The New Administration - Going Green?

2009-01-25T19:15:00.003-05:00

Just before President Bush left office he signed a bill creating the largest nature preserve ever... in the ocean. Although this is a great step... I feel that re-opening offshore drilling is counterproductive to the efforts of keeping our oceans thriving.

I went online and checked out President Obama's new White House website. Here are excerpts from his Energy and the Environment Plan.

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment/

The energy challenges our country faces are severe and have gone unaddressed for far too long. Our addiction to foreign oil doesn't just undermine our national security and wreak havoc on our environment -- it cripples our economy and strains the budgets of working families all across America. President Obama and Vice President Biden have a comprehensive plan to invest in alternative and renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs.

The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:

* Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
* Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
* Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.
* Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
* Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

Energy Plan Overview

Provide Short-term Relief to American Families

* Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation.
* Swap Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Cut Prices.

Eliminate Our Current Imports from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 Years

* Increase Fuel Economy Standards.
* Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015.
* Create a New $7,000 Tax Credit for Purchasing Advanced Vehicles.
* Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
* A “Use it or Lose It” Approach to Existing Oil and Gas Leases.
* Promote the Responsible Domestic Production of Oil and Natural Gas.

Create Millions of New Green Jobs

* Ensure 10 percent of Our Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
* Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source – Energy Efficiency.
* Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.
* Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.
* Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

Reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050

* Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
* Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change.

I look forward to see how America responds the next 4 years!!!
UGOGRN America!

Happy Hybrid

2008-12-31T12:28:00.003-05:00

I did it! I finally went hybrid...and got a car that I wasn't actually planning to get.

Hybrid Hunting
If you have been reading this blog you will probably know my "stop and go" journey on cutting back on driving, and finding alternative methods of transportation like walking, my bike, and taking the metro. I am still not at the point where I am willing to drop a car entirely so I figured it's time to move up to a hybrid. It's time because the car industry is dropping prices like Wallmart and I knew someone who was interested in buying my old car.

If you can't tell already, when I have an idea to do something I usually just jump right in. :) So, I went online and checked out the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape. Those were in the right price range and size ranges for me. Based on my extensive 1 hour read, and my experience riding in a friend's Prius and a eco-taxi Escape...I called the bank to work out financing and the Toyota dealership to tell them I was on my way.

A few days later ... after cautions from my family and close friends I decided to take a day and to do a test drive of the hybrids that I was interested in - plus added two more to the list Mercury and Lexus.

I do not like car shopping and was jazzed about the car buying service I was using with USAA. So, going out to do test drives was going to put me into the den of the lion! But I reminded myself that I am a Leo and was a match for any salesman with my keen poker face. Off I went with boyfriend and mom to test drive these magnificent machines.

We started with the Escape. I didn't mind the sparse interior (the easier to keep clean, I'm thinking) but the handling and ride were okay. It also seemed to quickly go to engine and mostly used combo engine/battery power. The switch from engine to engine/battery was also jerky and loud. It was still pleasant car but I was ready to move on. Sorry Ford...I had high hopes...the eco-taxi rode well.

Next the Prius. Again, the interior was sparse, and the dash was really high-tech. In fact it was a little too spacey for me. It's all digital and seems to be projected to you. The dashboard reminded me of the Ford Taurus which I learned how to drive in... and I didn't like the Ford Taurus. But, I did love the hybrid engine display! So, I was still happy with the Prius idea.

Mercury...I didn't test drive the Mercury. The man at the Mercury dealer was very honest letting us know that the Mercury and the Ford Escape were the same car, different features. So off we went to Lexus.

No one warned me about the Lexus. Lexus is a different level of car all together, and so is a Lexus dealership. Wow, if you want to feel special...go test drive a Lexus. You don't need to buy one, just go for the experience and the great little coffee/mocha/hot chocolate machine in the waiting room. The Lexus was the Prius and more. I test drove the RX400h because it's the only one I could even come close to affording. Wow! Smooth! Maximized battery usage! Great display! Rode like my old 4-runner which I loved (sorry about comparing it to a 4-runner, but it's everything good that I loved about my 4-runner!!!) I was quite pleased. But, it was still more expensive than I wanted to pay. Next stop Carmax.

Carmax is a really great experience. It's not cushy like Lexus but very friendly! I took my old car to Carmax and got an estimate on the value. They valued it higher than I was expecting, and Lexus said they would honor the estimate. I also checked on the price of some used Lexus cars. (Would that me Lexi?) With the increased value of my car and the discounts I could get with Lexus and USAA, it brought the price down to something I could afford. Success!

So here I am with my new Hybrid...happily reducing my carbon footprint.

(Thanks C for the "happily reducing my carbon footprint" line. That's what she said when she saw my picture.

Having fun reducing my footprint

2008-12-31T12:04:00.007-05:00

I've been away from the computer for the holidays, but I'm back and have lots to share!

Green Holiday
Not only has my Christmas been green because of no snow this winter, but because I found ways to reuse and recycle! Here are some of the things I did this Christmas, please add your comments to let me know what you did.
- Christmas cards- I only sent out about 15 this year. I did photos and sent them in recycled paper envelopes. The rest of my holiday greetings were done via the computer.
- Decorations - I bought no new decorations this year. I reused the ones from last year in new ways. This year, since I live in an apartment, I just decorated the mantle and living room. We have many families in my area that can't afford decorations for the holidays. My church did a collection and gave them out to the families the week before Christmas. What a great way spread holiday cheer!
- Gifts - All of the gift exchanges I participated in this year were white elephant gift exchanges. It was so much fun seeing the crazy re-gifting. If the item was really odd, there was usually a $5 starbucks card taped to the bottom of it. :) Also, a fun way to wrap presents is using fabric. I attached some fun and unique ways to wrap with fabric. If you don't have great handkerchiefs or fabrics at home go out to the thrift stores and find some old holiday prints!
- Party dishes - I've been charged to provide the side or vegetable for most of the holiday parties I have attended. So, my dish this year is a roasted root dish. Cut up some organic turnips, celery, parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc.; coat with olive oil; salt and pepper and then bake it on a cookie sheet for 50 min -- stirring once. Yum! You have to try this! I bring my dish in a reusable container! No disposables for the land fill. :)
- Alternative Gifts - Instead of getting some of my relatives another thing to put in their homes I sent an alternative gift of a donation. For example: I donated $20 to Habitat for Humanity and gave them a card that I made using a Habitat for Humanity theme and noted I gave a donation in their name. Many of my older relatives that already have everything they want really appreciate those types of gifts.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Ford's part of the bailout

2008-12-03T22:44:00.009-05:00

I am really impressed with Ford Motor company and have been since 2005.

I owned a Ford Escort diesel station wagon back in 1989. I never thought of Ford as a premiere auto company, but they made okay cars. The old 1960s mustangs were still the most impressive. That and their truck line. Our family car was the Ford Mustang II and that was driven until it fell apart. :) When I graduated from college I bought a Honda Civic and didn't look back.

In 2005 I crossed paths with Ford again in my Sustainability course when I was getting a Masters of Science in Management. I learned terms like Green Thinking, Waste=Food, sustainable design and how Ford was transforming. The CEO took this and made it the vision for Ford. I thought...YES! They took the manufacturing plant and put a green roof on it. Ford was paying a lot of money for the pollution they spewed into the river at the plant in Detroit and into the air. They invested in the philosophy that waste=food and the environment in and outside the plan is improving.

Then I learned about Ford's Hybrid line of vehicles. Go Ford! I really got excited about Ford again. More so than the roll out of the new Ford Mustang convertible. I am really excited about their hybrid and hopefully soon an electric line of cars. That is the future and that is where Ford seems to be heading. My hope for them is to continue in that vein and to build a smaller version of they Hybrid Escape, and Hybrid versions of the Edge and Focus...and the ultimate would be a Hybrid Miata. I would squeal like a 5 year old on Christmas morning if Ford came out with a Hybrid Miata in 2010.

On the radio tonight I heard an interview with the CEO of Ford and he talked about their company's participation with the auto industry bailout. I was very impressed with Ford's present financial situation. He talked about focusing on the Ford and Mazda product lines, continuing to improve the safety and efficiency of their cars (thank goodness after the Ford Explorer fiasco in 1996-1997) and continue to grow their hybrid and alternative powered lines. He also stated they are in a good financial situation, they are not going bankrupt and they sold off excess product lines. Ford is focused and Ford is fierce!

Ford, my hope for you is that you continue to grow.
-Build green manufacturing plants, showrooms and car lots
-Transport your cars using trucks fueled by hydrogen and solar power
-Start a line of electric cars
-Build cars that will capture and/or create energy that can be pumped back into the home or storage batteries in parking lots
-Invest in green communities that do not need to use their cars as much
-Create a new and innovative ways in personal transport
-Be the leader in not just the auto industry but in a new economy of alternative fuels and renewable resources
-Push your sustainable concepts to your suppliers and out to your customers
-Partner with universities and put bright young minds to work on these technical challenges
-Partner with schools to educate our next generation

Ford ... UGOGRN!

Greening my church

2008-11-30T20:21:00.002-05:00

It's about being good stewards of the earth, and that is a path that my church is taking.

There are a lot of environmentally conscious people who attend my church, however, our building is far from being green building and we don't have a sustainability plan. When I was asked if I was interested in helping to find ways to green our church I jumped at the chance!

My church had previously attended a meeting at the Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light. Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light (GWIPL) is a non-profit initiative that helps congregations, religious institutions and others in the Washington, DC area work for a more just, sustainable and healthier creation by reducing the threat of global warming. I learned a lot about what we can do not just to improve our building, but education programs and sermons that tie sustainable living to stewardship of creation. This really struck a chord in me so I asked about how to get things started at my church. http://www.gwipl.org/about_us.asp

First thing that the group offered was for us to have an Energy Assessment done of our building. The building was started in 1952 with additions in the 60s and 70s. So, there are a lot of improvements that can be made. Our audit took place on the 23rd of November so we will get a complete write up in a few weeks.

Next it was recommended I get a small committee together that will look at the assessment and the other ministries and programs in the church and start educating them on sustainable choices. GWIPL offers information to use on their website and will also come and instruct in the church. This is also a network of other local churches that are doing their best to go green so we can share ideas.

I am so excited about the possibilities and what we can do in this area. I'm praying that this will take hold with a good committee and that my church can make a positive contribution to the local neighborhoods.

2008-11-15T16:29:00.005-05:00

Friday was Recycle Day.
In honor of recycle day I decided to make some handmade paper. I have never done this before so I thought is would be an interesting project.
I have always liked the look of handmade paper, especially the kind with flower pedals in it.

I of course bought a kit to do this. I am creative, but not creative enough to not buy a kit. :)
Here is the recipe I used:
2 cups water
2 hand fulls of shredded paper from my paper shredder.

You blend the paper until it becomes a pulp. It has a bluish tint from the ink.

The kit comes with a wooden frame with a screen and plastic grid strapped to it. You put the frame in a tube of water, with the water about 1/4 from the top of the frame. Then you poor the pulp into the frame. The pulp spreads and then you slowly lift the frame from the water. You then put the frame onto a cookie sheet and unstrap the frame and pull it away. The plastic grid then has the screen resting on it with a layer of pulp. You put a finer mesh screen on top of that and start pressing the water from it it with a sponge. Yes, this takes as long to do as it took you to read all of the this. Phew!

So now I have a thick piece of paper/pulp. You now transfer that to some thick paper that comes with the kit and you press the paper/pulp between the sheets to get out more water. Then if you are impatient you can iron the paper to get it dry.

Well my first page is as thick as light cardboard. But I did it!
I made 4 sheets today and the last one has rose pedals in it. I'm quite pleased with myself. Here is a better recipe to use.

2 cups of water
1 hand full of shredded paper
1 pinch of dryer lint

Dryer lint? Yes, dryer lint. I read that using a pinch of cotton pulp or dryer lint will keep the ink from running should you decide to use this as actual paper. The kit even comes with a form for making matching envelopes.

My entire project took 2 hours for 4 pieces of paper to include clean up time.
Look out! I think I may do this for Christmas presents this year.

Hybrid Highlights

2008-11-02T06:57:00.002-05:00

Toyota has a concept car called the CR-Z.
http://automobiles.honda.com/cr-z/

Instead of switching to a hybrid I've been buying carbon offsets and driving less, but I still want to make the change. However, I want to get a smaller car. My ideal would be a Mazda Miata, but I'm not seeing any ads for that on the web. (Hint Hint)

I did see news about a concept car from Honda called the CR-Z. This stylish little number is compact like the CR-V and a bit sporty as well.

Everyone go to the site and fill out the questionnaire! Honda needs to go forward and capture this car market. The people are ready!

Commuting Habits Part II

2008-11-02T06:30:00.002-05:00

The agony
My big plan to bike to work has been curtailed once again. Literally, "the will is there but the body is weak". I had no idea how hard it is to bike 14 miles to work!

The struggle
It took me forever to plan the route and talk myself into riding to work. I got the bike ready, told co-workers and family and then had to face the inevitable ... and actually ride the bike.

The valiant effort
Now, I do know how to ride a bike. I used to ride my bike to school every day since second or third grade. But I haven't ridden in the street since 2000 when I fell off my bike when I hit the curb wrong, let go of the handle bars and landed on my face which broke my jaw in 3 places. I recovered fine from the spill, but I'm timid when riding on the street, which is the first and last part of my trek to work.
But I have a nice Trek comfort bike and the center of gravity is positioned more like a cruiser. The likely of a wipe-out on this bike is a lot less likely then on my previous road bike.
So, before actually hitting the route to work...yes I know I'm killing you! I decided to just ride around where I live. I wanted to get used to street riding again. One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I did just that. And wow what an eye opener.

Still not there yet
First of all, it was a lot harder than I expected. I don't live in a flat area so the little hills were a challenge to go up, but fun to coast down.

Second, 14 miles is farther than I expected. I didn't even ride 14 miles that day and it took me 90 min because I was slow on the up hill and had to stop at the traffic lights. My ride to work takes me onto a path so I won't have as many stops but I will encounter as many hills. My test run was also about 10 miles, so I should estimate a 2 hour ride to be safe. Since I need to be at work by 6:30am I'll need to leave my house at least by 4:30am. At 4:30am I can barely find my bathroom from my bedroom let alone try to balance on a bicycle! So, I need to build up some speed to keep from having to get up so early before I make this ride to work.

Any benefit?
So is there any benefit in this sad story? Yes, I learned I can run errands using my bike. The 2 paniers are the size of 2 large grocery bags. I have plenty of room to make a trip to the supermarket. I used my bike to drop of 2 bags of clothing at a collection site near where I live. So, yes I'm making progress and will continue to choose my bike over the car for those trips under 10 miles from my house. I still want to someday ride to work, but I will need to work on increasing my speed and shaking off the excuses!

Runner's World Green Edition

2008-10-07T21:17:00.002-04:00

I'm so proud of my favorite magazine Runner's World! It came out with a green issue. They did pretty well with 20% recycled paper, but can do better. They do offer the magazine on zinio.com. That is an interesting site with all of the major magazines. I have to see if it works with my Kindle.

I can't wait to read about their shoe picks. I have a feeling that NIKE will rank pretty high. Their whole company took on sustainability and made a difference in not just what they manufacture, but how they manufacture and distribute their products.
www.nike.com

Striving to Ride

2008-09-28T14:08:00.002-04:00

http://www.climateride.org/

Striving to Ride

Unfortunately I'm still striving to ride to work.
What have I done? I got my bike cleaned up and bought some paniers (bike saddle bags) so I can carry stuff. Then I rode around town. It took about an hour and a half to go 10 miles. That was okay, but I live 14 miles from work and I need to get there by 6:30am to shower and be in my office by 7am. So, I have some work to do to get fast enough to ride to work.

As I work on cruising the streets, I was cruising the web and fund this 5 day ride from New York to DC. How great is this!

BPA - a chemical you should know

2008-09-07T19:23:00.005-04:00

BPA is a chemical found in plastics that you should know about.

Chemical Used In Food Containers Disrupts Brain Development
ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2005) — The chemical bisphenol A (BPA), widely used in products such as food cans, milk container linings, water pipes and even dental sealants, has now been found to disrupt important effects of estrogen in the developing brain.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051203123328.htm

The health dangers of reusing plastic bottles and bags
Consumers have been warned about the hazard of DEHA or Diethylhydroxylamine, that it leaches from the plastic into the product. Many have heeded the warning but there is another problem, all plastics contain Bisphenol A. All plastics with the letters PET on them are not safe, they contain Bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A was first synthesized in 1891, experiments in the 1930's revealed evidence of its estogenicity. In other words in could mimic the effects of estogen. Discovered by Dodds & Lawson 1936-1938, they shelved Bispenol A until later, when it was discovered it could be polymerized, into a form we all know as, polycarbonate plastic.
http://www.helium.com/items/282897-the-health-dangers-of-reusing-plastic-bottles-and-bags

Start buying plastics that do not contain bisphenol A.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/picnic/3 National Geographic - Picnic Perfect Plastics
by Danielle Masterson

Baby bottles without bisphenol A

Concerns are on the rise about the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA. It’s used to make a variety of food containers, including some plastic baby bottles. The federal government has issued a draft report on BPA’s health risks for infants and children. And Canada recently moved to ban BPA in baby bottles. Consumer Reports has just run tests to find the best options for parents.

Consumer Reports' medical adviser, Dr. Orly Avitzur, says newer studies suggest health risks for children from BPA. Based on the latest laboratory research, the National Institutes of Health has discovered that BPA exposure during development may affect the brain and the reproductive system (through its ability to mimic activity of the hormone estrogen), and may cause other health problems.

Bisphenol A is found in many kinds of containers, including baby bottles made of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a hard, translucent plastic that can be clear or colored. Containers made of polycarbonate may have the recycling code #7 on the bottom, and sometimes the letters “PC.”

Some stores and Web sites now sell plastic baby bottles labeled “without BPA,” or “Bisphenol-A Free.” Consumer Reports used an outside lab that specializes in plastic analysis to test several of these bottles, and found that BPA levels in them were negligible.

The bottles we tested are better choices if you want to use plastic and still limit your baby’s exposure to BPA. Another option for parents concerned about BPA is to use glass baby bottles. But you have to handle these with care, of course, because they may break.

The baby bottles we tested that have a negligible level of BPA are BornFree, Evenflo Classic without BPA Custom Flow, Medela Breast Milk Feeding and Storage Set, Nuby Non-Drip by Luv n’care, and MAM Silk-Touch Nipple Anti-Colic Valve by Sassy, Inc.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/eating-and-sleeping/bottles-nipples/baby-bottles-and-bisphenol-a/overview/baby-bottles-without-bisphenol-a-ov.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=plastic%20baby%20bottles

Errands by bike is the way to be!

2008-09-07T18:07:00.003-04:00

I'm sooo excited about my bike ride today.
Hurricane Hanna blew through yesterday and left a beautiful day in it's wake.

Today I decided to do my errands by bike instead of the usually quick trip in the car. As I left my condo complex, I noticed the beautiful day. I had to take the sidewalk along a busy street, so I focused on the beautiful sky.

My first stop was to drop off some older summer outfits that I wasn't going to wear anymore. The panniers (I call them saddle-bags) worked great! I had 2 small trash bags sized bags of clothes to donate and rode up to the clothing dumpsters a few miles from my house. What a double whammy! Donating clothes and riding my bike.

So now, feeling especially good, I hit the road and traversed about 6 more miles of bike lanes and bike paths to my friend's house. I went over metro rails and by busy highways. I especially like riding by the people stopped in traffic, and riding over the freeway was also exhilarating.

After a nice rest stop I hit the road again, to drop off movies at Blockbuster. Then, back to the condo. The entire trip took about 2 hours because I was taking my time.

Now I not only feel like I got my errands done, but I feel refreshed after getting some exercise!

I can't wait to find more trails!

Composter Chronicals

2008-08-07T22:18:00.007-04:00

I figure I should give you all an update on my composter.

Yes, I still have it and yes, I moved it to the patio.

I am really happy about composting, but I am learning people are only interested in doing it if it doesn't smell. Now it didn't smell really bad, but it did have a distinctive odor when you opened the lid.

I did follow the directions which said to add baking soda if an odor is detected, and to make sure the compost is not watery by adding more fibrous materials. It even has a built in filter. The box worked really well as long as you didn't open the lid.
In fact everyone would clear out of the kitchen, even my dog Ginger (featured at the bottom of the webpage) when the lid was opened.

So although the consensus is that composting is good and we have less to put in the trash can, survey says "ERRRR!" to having the composter in the kitchen.

Notice in the photo, that you do not see the woman's face. Is it because she is holding her breath?

I still think the problem was not enough of the dry material. I started to add shredded paper and that seems to be working nicely. The last batch of compost was also wet and all of the website say it should be like dirt and smell earthy.

So the journey with the composter continues. But in the mean time, the plants are all doing well and the noses are all a bit happier.

More great eco-inventions

2008-08-03T16:23:00.003-04:00

Here is an interesting concept. Take your electrical appliances and add a hand crank to them. This was done with a blender. Now you don't need to worry where you energy is coming from, it's coming from you!

The video is pretty funny. Obviously the first guy has never made a margarita before.

People in Hong Kong Gym Generate Electricity While Exercising

2008-07-22T07:47:00.001-04:00

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-03/2007-03-11-voa14.cfm?CFID=173734539&CFTOKEN=50104984

People in Hong Kong Gym Generate Electricity While Exercising
By Claudia Blume Hong Kong 11 March 2007

Blume report - Download 278k
Listen to Blume report

As the political and ecological aspects of energy rise in people's consciousness, the search for new and clean ways to generate energy is

generated from gym users" hspace=2 src="http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Laput-Gym_Demo_eng_195_11_march_2007.jpg" width=210 vspace=2 border=0>

California Fitness Gym's demonstration how energy is
generated from gym users

gaining momentum. A fitness center in Hong Kong has joined the movement with a new idea: the energy generated by the members as they exercise is transformed into electricity to help light the facility. Claudia Blume has more.

The serious exerciser's motto used to be, no pain, no gain. At Hong Kong's California Fitness centers, the new catch phrase might be, no sweat, no light. When club members use certain exercise machines, the energy they generate is turned into stored electricity. To make the fluorescent tubes in the studio's ceiling light up, they have to start pumping.

The consoles of the exercise machines themselves were already powered by human energy. But about 90 percent of the energy produced during workouts was dissipated as heat.

Lucien Gambarota, a Hong Kong-based renewable energy entrepreneur and the inventor of the idea, says an average person can produce 50 watts of electricity per hour. He explains how the energy created by the exercisers is transformed into

explains how the energy from exercisers is transformed into
electricity " hspace=2 src="http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Laput_Lucien_Gambarato_eng_195_11_March_2007.jpg" width=210 vspace=2 border=0>

Lucien Gambarota, inventor and renewable energy entrepreneur
explains how the energy from exercisers is transformed into
electricity

electricity.

"Each of these machines, they are equipped with a generator inside. So what we did, we diverted part of the electricity produced by the machine to recharge a battery, he said. "And with what we store in the battery, we have been able to power part of the lighting system."

Gym users are enthusiastic about the new project, which started at the end of February.

"I think it's a really good idea. At least the energy is used for something good. It gives you more reason - you are not wasting what you are using, so it's better that way," said a club member.

So far, only 13 of the club's exercise machines are hooked up to a battery. Because of the encouraging results in the start-up phase, however, the center is planning to expand the idea throughout the gym.

Steve Clinefelter, president of the Asia-wide California Fitness chain, says his company will even consider expanding the human power project further.

"If that proves successful and economically viable, then we see nothing that would stop us from continuing to grow to more and more of our clubs, and ultimately to the entire industry, and all clubs worldwide would consider and choose this kind of an alternative power source," he said.

Clinefelter's other vision for the future: he says he plans to hook up the club's television sets to the human-generation system. If you want to watch TV while working on the stationary bike or the Stairmaster - you are just going to have to pump harder.

History of alternative fuels

2008-07-16T23:18:00.003-04:00

This article in the Washington Post today and it really made me think!
It travels back to the time when we were dependent on whale oil.
We move off of whale to shale and coal, but now we see that was not the best alternative either. What is the best next way to go? Nuclear? Geo-thermal? Wind and Solar? I feel the best way is to stay in tune with nature, not fight against it.

The Whale Oil Economy

An arctic cemetery in Longyearbyen, Norway.
An arctic cemetery in Longyearbyen, Norway. (By Chris Jackson -- Getty Images)

By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, July 16, 2008; Page A17

IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE -- North of Oslo, north of Longyearbyen, almost as north as North itself, the National Geographic Endeavor breaks pack ice in endless daylight through a gray-teal sea. The expedition has been cruising near Svalbard, a group of high arctic islands larger than Denmark -- in summer, a land of brown mountains streaked with snow-filled gullies, low clouds that blur distinctions of sky and land, and wide glaciers reaching the ocean in gashes of bright sky blue.

Ashore, this arctic desert is so harsh that the region's natives wisely never settled here -- only men digging coal, trapping arctic fox and polar bear, and hunting whales were foolish enough to come. A forlorn whaling camp remains -- ruined cabins, a few shallow human graves in the permafrost (most were washed away) and dozens of massive right whale skulls, still bleeding whale oil into the ground, feeding moss and low, pink flowers. Whalers searched for oil in blubber and bone to light their economy. Now the question arises: Is this last wilderness being changed by another kind of oil?

Stefan is a Swedish member of the crew who has sailed these waters for 24 years, after catching "polar fever" as a youth. When asked about the effects of warming he has witnessed, Stefan, who wanted only his first name to be used, displays a sailor's skepticism. Populations of walrus and polar bear, he believes, have been growing in strength, not declining. Ice conditions show "huge variation from one season to another," making it difficult to discern a pattern. But the local Hopen island weather station records that the thickness of winter sea ice has shrunk by 16 inches since the 1960s. And "the glaciers," Stefan says, "are retreating everywhere."

This desolate, grand, forgotten sea has suddenly come to the center of world attention for one reason: the pace of climate change is faster than expected. In the past 50 years, as much as half of summer sea ice has gone missing. Another few decades could mean that the ice disappears entirely. The absence of ice in water has little to do with raising sea levels; it is water stored on land in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets that could fill the oceans like a brimming bathtub. But since ice acts as a kind of mirror, less ice means less reflected sunlight, which means that the Arctic could heat at twice the rate of the rest of the world. And in the past five years, some of Greenland's glaciers have shown accelerated melting as well. (The Antarctic sheet seems more stable because it is more isolated from global weather patterns.)
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With this melting from ice sheets and glaciers -- and the natural expansion of warmer water -- the global sea level is rising about 3 millimeters a year, 75 percent more than the average of the past century. Some climate scientists predict an increase of a little less than half a meter by 2100; others predict considerably more. In normal circumstances, a rise in the sea level of a half-meter or a meter might be manageable. But during a storm surge, it could be catastrophic in low-lying areas, turning once-in-a-century floods into regular occurrences.

Arctic warming is part of an increasingly compelling case for global warming -- or, more accurately, climate disruption that seems to come from warming. Around the world, we see signs large and small: tree lines moving north; the bleaching of coral in tropical waters; changes in growing seasons; the growth in population of destructive pests such as the pine beetle; the drying of southern Africa, the Mediterranean and the U.S. Southwest.

Global climate, of course, has changed before. But climate conditions for the past 10,000 years have been relatively stable, to the great benefit of civilization. Current temperature increases point beyond that band of comfort and don't seem explainable by natural cycles. The one factor dramatically different from the past is the human production of greenhouse gases, particularly the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is higher than at any time in the past 800,000 years.

The challenge of replacing carbon in our economy is massive -- and many incompletely known factors, from ice dynamics to the flow of ocean currents, determine its urgency. Answers will require a politically difficult task: acting with uncertain risk.

But as I stand near the top of the world on a desolate shore with whale skulls and ruins, the crude oil economy appears about as primitive and destructive as the whale oil economy now seems.

michaelgerson@cfr.org

Eating Your Words

2008-07-14T21:41:00.006-04:00

So I'm online doing another search for non-toxic printer ink and I came across these sites: Icing Images
http://www.icingimages.com/info.php?info=b367e62383
and KopyKake
http://www.kopykake.com/pc_edible_ink.html

Not only is this ink non-toxic but it's kosher! So the way it works is you buy a thin icing sheet that feeds into your printer like paper. You can then print out your image and it bonds to the icing on your cake. You have to check out the site to see all of the great cakes and cupcakes!

If you don't want to print them yourself you can send in a photo and they will print it and send it to you. I may do this sometime for a special occasion.

Now the cost of the ink is about $70 and you can do about 85 printouts with it. You will also want to have a dedicated printer for your food so you don't contaminate your icing sheets with standard printer ink which is not non-toxic.

I want to go non-toxic all the time! It costs about the same if I buy my ink at Staples, but if I knock-off ink online, it's about half that price.

What's next? Edible ink pens!
http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/04/comic-cupcakes.html

Commuting Habits

2008-07-13T15:56:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to start riding my bike to work to save on gas but most importantly to reduce my carbon output even more. (I ride a shuttle and metro to work.)
But, I find myself procrastinating and finding reasons why I'm not ready.

So, I'm taking a new tactic and it's working.
1. I talked to my co-workers about biking to work.
I have a few co-workers who do ride their bikes to work and they told me all of the good routes to take.
2. Plan the morning. I realized I have 14 mile ride so I will need to shower when I get to work. That means prepositioning my work clothes so I have less to carry with me on my bike. I also need to leave early enough in the morning. I already scoped out where to park my bike at the gym.
3. Tell others my plan. The more I tell others my plan, the more people ask me about it and remind me to just do it!
4. Check out my bike and take a test ride. Today it the day for me to do that. I set aside time to dust off the bike and find my way to the bike path. Once I get to the path it's a straight shot to work. I have my bike lock and reflector gear to wear so I should be good to go.
5. Now just do it! This week I'm going to give it a go. I said that last week, but I really mean it now! Ha!

So, if you see me this week, be sure to ask me if I make it to step 5!

Energy Tapping Toilets!

2008-06-25T21:18:00.003-04:00

This is funny but true!

Energy-Stingy Japan, an Extravagant Indulgence: Posh Privies
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/24/AR2008062401285.html?hpid=topnews

Despite the crazy toliets, Japan is doing amazingly well in lowering energy consumption in their industry. US companies can do this too! We just need to keep bugging them to do it!

2008-06-24T20:53:00.003-04:00

WOLF TRAP GREEN UPDATE
The latest on Wolf Trap's environmental initiative.Do Your Part
Help Wolf Trap and other national parks to reduce global warming. Join us today and track your impact online.
Sign up today to Do Your Part!
http://www.doyourpartparks.org/wotr

This is a very cool sight to see your footprint and offers a challenge for you to improve. It even gives you cost savings for going green. :)

Big fan of Sequoia National Park

2008-06-24T20:33:00.003-04:00

I'm a big fan of the park. I received an email from the Sierra club with some news regarding the preservation of the trees in the park.

Giant Sequoia
I am delighted to share with you some very exciting news about a giant victory for Sierra Club and the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Just a week ago we saw the end to the Sierra Club’s three year long battle with the timber industry, preventing them - once and for all - from logging in the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

The win came at the 11th hour, as the Sierra Club legal team prepared to appear in the Ninth Circuit court to argue the last case standing, a last-ditch appeal by the timber industry, regarding commercial logging in the Monument. But on the eve of the hearing, they abandoned and withdrew their appeal - putting the final nail in the coffin of this very drawn out case - and putting an end to the pillage of these iconic trees.

This was a major victory for the Sierra Club - and it would not have been possible without the support of our committed Members and Supporters. Thank you.

Beginning in 1901, when John Muir lobbied for the expansion of Sequoia National Park to encompass the entire range of the giant sequoia, the Sierra Club has advocated for the protection of giant sequoia ecosystems in their entirety. And, after years of fighting to keep our towering Sequoia trees safe from the timber industry's saws, we have finally won. Thanks to this hard-earned victory, our children and grandchildren will be able to stand in awe of these noble giants for generations to come.

Thank you again for your contribution to this critical victory - it never could have happened without your support.

Sincerely,

Signature Carl Pope

Pearl Jam and Conservation

2008-06-22T15:58:00.003-04:00

I'm going to a Pearl Jam concert tonight.
Who knew they are big into conservation and carbon offsets! Rock on!

ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION
Carbon Portfolio Strategy

The Carbon Portfolio Strategy is the newest component of our ongoing efforts to advance clean renewable energy and carbon mitigation. Through this Strategy, we will donate a total of $100,000 to nine organizations doing innovative work around climate change, renewable energy, and the environment.

We hope that by highlighting and creating a commons for these groups, we can advance preservation of existing ecosystems, restoration of degraded environments, and continued investment in clean, renewable energy technologies. Furthermore, by working with these groups and others to mitigate our own carbon emissions, we ultimately hope to get Pearl Jam at 0% net emissions for our tours and businesses.
2006 CARBON PORTFOLIO STRATEGY
American Solar Energy Society
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Cascade Land Conservancy
Conservation International
EarthCorps
Green Empowerment
Honor the Earth
IslandWood
Washington Clean Energy Initiative

INVESTING IN STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE CARBON—
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND BEYOND

While the Carbon Portfolio Strategy has national and international components, the initial focus is on the Pacific Northwest -- our home. By identifying and supporting leaders in the environmental community, we hope to raise this region's carbon consciousness while also investing in a clean energy future.

We encourage you to identify and support leaders in your own community leading the charge for clean and renewable energy. In addition, we hope that you'll take a close look at how their daily activities contribute to the increasing amounts of carbon emissions in the air.

http://www.pearljam.com/activism/carbon.php

Lower Your Dependency on Fossil Fuels Now!

2008-06-18T23:22:00.006-04:00

Lower your dependency on fossil fuels today! Pass it on!

- Fuel prices are at an all time high and expect to go up
- Corn and soy prices are rising due to the need for alternative fuels and floods are devastating crops
- Industry is calling to drill for oil in protected areas but the oil may only last 2.5 years at our current rate of consumption. This just pushes off the problem another 2 years.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/allBreakingNews/idUKN1825856920080618

The good news is according to the national news tonight Americans are cutting back on driving. We reduced the number of miles driven by 4.4 million in April compared to April of last year and according to the report the trend is expected to continue. Despite an increase in population and the number of vehicles that puts us at 2005 levels. It will be interesting to see how much the decline has increased now that gas is over $4.00 a gallon.

You can lower our nation's consumption of fossil fuels! - Let's continue the trend.
http://www.startribune.com/business/18148539.html

Who is using fossil fuels and how much?
- Petroleum products
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_psup_dc_nus_mbblpd_a.htm
- Petroleum product consumption
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/gifs/Fig14.gif
- Fossil Fuel is 40% of the fuel we use
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/prelim_trends/rea_prereport.html

Reduce your fuel consumption by:

* Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's)
* Walking and biking
* Carpooling or taking public transportation only when you must - cut back driving errands to once a week - consolidate your trips
* Lowering your heat in the winter and air conditioner in the summer
* Turning off lights and electronic equipment when not in use--even in "standby" mode, electronics still consume energy- unplug equipment not in use
* Buying high efficiency appliances
* Using people and animal power, geothermal, wind and other renewable energy resources
* Investing in renewable technologies
* Using email and buy items produced locally to lower the need for shipping
* Doing these things at your workplace, church, market, etc.

Saving Time and Keeping a small carbon footprint!

Apartment Composting - Part 2

2008-06-12T19:18:00.002-04:00

Wow! It's been almost a week since I started composting. It's nice not having to take the trash out every night. :)

I've been asked why I didn't go the worm route and got the electric composter. I just didn't like the idea of having worms in the kitchen. It was creeping me out. With no yard and a tiny patio, I needed something. So until I get over the worms or have a yard I decided to invest in the machine.

I have had a little smell. The biggest smell is old coffee. I only make it at home once a week so I must use strong coffee! Ha! I added more baking soda, so the smell did go away.

Now I am so excited. Over the week I collected enough scraps to make a batch. The machine ran and then deposited the compost into the lower chamber. Now I can continue to add to the composter because it all stays in the upper chamber, but I need to wait 5 days before removing the bottom tray - enough time to let the compost dry out.

One batch seems to be just enough for all of my potted plants. But I won't need to fertilize them every week...anybody need some compost? I'm buying! :)

Apartment Composting

2008-06-06T22:48:00.005-04:00

Okay, I've been dying to try composting in my apartment but have hesitated because everything I have read about was using live worms. So after searching long and hard I have found one to try out.

I bought a Nature Mill composter (see picture). Here is the website: http://www.naturemill.com/howItWorks.html
Be sure to watch the video because it explains how to use it.

Now I plugged mine in today and you can't just start putting in scraps. First you put in 2 cups of outdoor dirt from the ground. It also comes with a bag of sawdust pellets and a box of baking soda. At the start of each "batch" you need to thrown in the sawdust pellets and baking soda if you don't have a lot of "brown" items. "Brown" items are the untreated or unpainted sawdust, wood shavings, bread, rice, pasta, grains, nuts, nut shells, straw, dry flowers, small yard leaves, coffee ground and paper filters.
The "brown" items balance the "green" (organic) items and gives you the nice soil in the bottom tray.

Okay so here it goes. As the instructions say, composting takes time so I'll check back with you in about a month with progress. I should be reporting I have had 2 great batches of soil!

If you are interested in buying one, let me know! I have coupons for $30 off a composter.

SALTWATER....THIS IS A MUST SEE

2008-06-05T09:32:00.004-04:00

Oh if application were as great as the science. I really hope this takes off. With global warming, the seas are rising...and now we can use the extra seawater to run our cars.

But seriously I have been struggling with whether to trade in my car for an electric car or a hybrid. I've been mulling it over for a couple years now and I still haven't done it. I do purchase the carbon offsets, so I am contributing to wind and solar power and the planting of more trees, but I'm still causing the emissions. So I'll continue to wrestle with this dilemma, perhaps for another year, or perhaps when they make the seawater cars.

Invest is decreasing emissions

2008-05-14T20:28:00.006-04:00

Climate Change: What is your impact?

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/activities/art23932.html

I try to do my part by taking the metro to work and minimally drive my car. May is ride your bike to work month, so I've scouted out a route to work which will take me about an hour to ride. I just need the weather to cooperate.

But how well am I doing? Here is another way to measure your carbon footprint and offset your current carbon output as you learn how you are effecting climate change.

Climate Change Calculator

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/
I took the quiz and my household is doing pretty good. We contribute to about 1/2 the emission of an average 2 person household in the US, but a little over twice as much as the world average.

Take the quiz and see what you can do today! :)

Green Cities

2008-05-14T20:08:00.002-04:00

Lots of cities and counties have their own green efforts.

Here is a great way to learn about what is going on in your area.

Learn More About Cool Counties and Take Action
Sierra Club's Cool Counties Forum -- Visit our forum to find many resources for county governments. Post your questions or helpful information to share with others! There are several county climate action plans, including a climate action plan template from Alameda County, CA that your county can adapt to create their own plan. Explore the many useful tools we’ve collected for you, like ICLEI's Preparing for Climate Change -- A Guidebook for Local, Regional, and State Governments.

NACo's Green Government Database -- Check out the National Association of Counties' searchable database of county climate and environmental programs, policies, resolutions, and plans.

Sign the petition to get Clorox to take back their filters

2008-05-11T22:50:00.004-04:00

Brita water filters are a great way to improve your drinking water, but the filters are just filling the land fills. Please help get Clorox to take back their water filters for recycling!

http://www.gopetition.com/online/18444.html

Send them your filters
http://www.takebackthefilter.org/

Rebuilding Green

2008-05-05T20:13:00.006-04:00

cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vn5aGbAJ3gg/SB-kFGN1DoI/AAAAAAAAD4Q/pcU7DR5gYK0/s320/green_building-0422.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197052902483758722" />
Since the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast, communities are deciding to rebuild Green.

Out of tragedy they see opportunity.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/02/greensburg.green/index.html
updated 3:54 p.m. EDT, Fri May 2, 2008
GREENSBURG, Kansas (CNN) -- There are still piles of bricks and rubble on countless streets in Greensburg, Kansas, a year after a tornado demolished more than 90 percent of the town.

On May 4, 2007, a ferocious twister blasted Greensburg, Kansas, killing 11 people in the town of 1,400.

Yet what is happening in the city's rebuilding process may not only re-invent Greensburg but provide a model for "green" building everywhere.

Just a week after the deadly tornado hit May 4, 2007, a similar idea sparked in the mayor, a representative from the governor's office and a nonprofit expert from a nearby town.

The concept: If the whole town had to be rebuilt anyway, why not be bold and build it as a global example of conservation, energy efficiency and creativity?
Daniel Wallach, the nonprofit specialist, soon got the green light to help residents and businesses start over in a project known as Greensburg GreenTown.
"Kansas is known for being very conservative," Wallach said.
"My first order of business was to listen. What I heard were a lot of concerns about politicization and being associated with 'tree huggers.' I helped frame it with the people here in such a way they saw, this is their movement," he said.

Fifth-generation Greensburg resident Anita Hohl joined the staff of Greensburg GreenTown as a Web specialist.
"I was pretty green to begin with. I used to get teased about being a tree hugger. Now it's 'the thing!' This has really brought us so much closer together. What you can accomplish when just a few people are working toward the same goal is amazing," she said. Her farming grandparents instilled the virtue of being energy-efficient.
"My grandma always put her clothes on the line, did her own gardening and re-used everything," Hohl said.

Hohl and her husband, a daughter, a son, four cats, a dog and two birds are among the Greensburg residents in "FEMAville," a cluster of mobile homes set up as temporary housing. The family hopes to break ground soon for their new house and move in by Thanksgiving. Although they have made the best of the cramped quarters, she says, there are some challenges.

"It sort of feels like living in a cheap motel! But it's a lot better than it could be. It's nice to have a place to be," she said.
From the start, the GreenTown staff knew that getting the business community on board with the green plan was vital.

And in rural America, there is no business that's more of a bedrock than the John Deere dealership. In Greensburg, that dealership has been in the Estes family for four generations. Their facility was wiped out by the twister. "The building was a total loss. And we saved only 13 pieces of machinery out of 220 on the lot," Kelly Estes said. "The FEMA guy said he had never seen anything like it. Steel twisted into brick, and then the miles per hour needed to pick up combines that weigh 25,000 pounds and move them half a mile in the air," he said. Kelly and his brother Mike decided to rebuild in town to the highest green-building standard.

The U.S. Green Building Council establishes a rating system for efficient buildings called LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The Greensburg facility is aiming for LEED platinum, the most demanding standard.

There is one wind turbine on their new property, a 100-foot structure designed to generate 5 kilowatts of electricity. It is providing power for the construction site.
Although "green" may be viewed as trendy and new by some, Mike Estes knows that it is not for show.
"We're looking at saving money here; truthfully, we are. We're running a business. If we can't make this make sense, why would we do it?" he asked.
And he says the non-political approach of the city in encouraging energy efficiency has helped.

"I don't think it's red or blue to be green; I think green is green, and green makes sense. And green saves you green!" he said with a laugh.
Being a model for the world in energy efficiency is a major goal of Greensburg GreenTown.
But there is another even more urgent aim: keeping this rural town from disappearing. The lack of jobs in many small towns means that after teenagers graduate from high school, they have to leave to find other opportunities.
"The average age of people living in rural communities is in their 50s," Wallach said. "There are very few folks in the communities under that age, because there are just no jobs. Families have been split up for decades."

So in addition to the long-term goal of Greensburg's pre-tornado businesses from leaving, people hope to attract new green trade as well. The city wants to open a biodiesel facility as one of its first green newcomers.
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Another long-term goal is to have 100 percent renewable energy. It is probable that the greatest contribution would come from large wind turbines.

"The timing of all this is, in some ways, almost spooky," Wallach said. "It's like the world was ready for this to happen, for a town to be completely re-imagined. The tragedy was terrible. But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity."
_____________

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2008-03-04/commentary.php
The New, Green New Orleans
New Orleans' longstanding practice of dumping wood, metal, plastic and other recyclables into landfills contradicts any notion of reusing resources to rebuild and sustain the city. "That's the opposite of sustainability. That's just crazy," says John Klingman, a professor of architecture at Tulane University and an expert in green construction. Sadly, buildings that are razed in Orleans Parish are simply carted off to a landfill. This practice deprives builders and citizens of any chance to reuse pieces of our city's architectural heritage — doorframes, doors, handmade bricks, elaborate millwork, slate roofing tiles and other building products. This is senseless, but there is a way to stop the insanity. TransLoad America, a company specializing in handling, recycling and disposing of waste, proposes building two waste-sorting and recycling facilities in New Orleans. These facilities are not landfills. Through a systematic series of sorting steps, TLA expects to recycle up to 70 percent of what it receives in construction and demolition debris. TLA's proposal has widespread support among local environmental groups, but promoters of existing and proposed landfills are trying to derail City Council approval of TLA's facilities. That would be a major setback to local recovery and recycling efforts.

To understand why TLA's facilities are needed, it's important to understand how its handling of construction and demolition debris differs from the current practice of hauling and landfilling. The first step is a simple one: immediately reusable resources, such as clean brick or undamaged wood, are culled from incoming debris. These materials are made available at no cost to environmental groups or residents to be used for rebuilding. After that, plastic, metal and glass are separated out and sent to recycling plants. Some of the wood is converted into energy pellets that can be used in power plants or made into logs that can be burned in wood stoves or fireplaces. Finally, the remaining nonprocessable materials are delivered by rail to a TLA landfill in St. Charles Parish.

TLA proposes two facilities — one on the Industrial Canal at Chef Menteur Highway exclusively for construction and demolition debris, and a second on the Michoud Canal in eastern New Orleans. The Michoud facility will handle construction and demolition debris as well as commercial solid waste from local businesses. Residue from commercial waste, after the recycling process, will be sealed in airtight, watertight bales and transported via train to a landfill in Alabama. No waste will stay in New Orleans.

Another advantage of TLA's process is its practice of transporting materials via rail. Trains produce less air pollution than diesel dump trucks, are more fuel efficient and are safer than truck transportation. Over the course of two years, a TLA facility in Newark, N.J., has saved more than 1.7 million gallons of diesel fuel by riding the rails. Trains also mean fewer trucks on the streets, which means less congestion and damage to local roads. TLA selected both its proposed New Orleans sites because of their proximity to existing rail lines.

If its facilities win City Council approval, TLA will make an initial investment of $20 million and employ 100 people between both plants. When TLA first began investigating the prospect of coming to New Orleans in 2006, in the wake of Katrina and at the onset of a massive recovery effort, company officials thought their proposals would be a good environmental fit. But, as often happens, politics also plays a role.

Even though the proposed facilities would be located in heavy industrial areas, TLA needs a "conditional use" permit from City Hall. That requires review by the City Planning Commission (which split 4-4, despite a favorable recommendation from its staff) and by the City Council. Eastern New Orleans has been traumatized by massive landfills, and citizens there are rightly anxious about any proposed waste-treatment plant. TLA has worked with city planners and community leaders to address concerns about the facilities. Now it's up to the City Council, which could consider TLA's applications this week. We urge the council to approve both proposals.

New Orleans should be a model of sustainability, yet we have no waste-disposal facilities that recycle.

TLA's supporters include Dr. Earthea Nance, director of infrastructure and environmental planning in the city's Office of Recovery Management, and Wynecta Fisher, director of the Mayor's Office of Environmental Affairs. State Rep. Cedric Richmond, whose district comprises much of eastern New Orleans, also supports TLA's proposal. Other endorsements come from experts like Beverly Wright, executive director of Dillard University's Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, and Bo Fudickar, technology industry director for the state's Department of Economic Development.

Some worry that eastern New Orleans is becoming the city's dump. TLA's plants will have the opposite effect — they will make eastern New Orleans a vital part of the new, green New Orleans. The City Council should grant TLA's conditional use permits as soon as possible.

-------------
http://www.jetsongreen.com/2006/12/brad_pitt_globa.html

Dec 26,2006
Brad Pitt + Global Green USA Seeking Partners for New Orleans Green Community
Brad_pitt_global_green

This is fantastic news--we have a little quid pro quo that could change the future of a company forever. Seriously. Pitt + Global Green USA have partnered to build a sustainable community in New Orleans. They are seeking cornerstone partners, each with category exclusivity, to help create a prototype for affordable, green housing. Housing will be energy-efficient with environmentally conscious and weather-resistant materials. Here's how the deal works:

Potential Partner Company Provides:

* $1-2 million in year one, with right of first refusal in years two-four
* Support for green initiatives through employee education
* Support for green initiatives through consumer awareness program, sales of iconic products, etc.

Potential Partner Company Receives:

* Inclusion in Global Green USA stories with media outlets such as "The Oprah Winfrey Show," People Magazine, "The Today Show," "Dateline NBC," VH1, etc.
* Earn consumer trust and brand loyalty through commitment to Go Global Green
* Affiliation with celebrity spokesperson Brad Pitt

The deadline to act on this is January 31, 2007. That's about it as far available information, but I think this could be a great opportunity to get your company going on an explosively green track. Will it be profitable? Hard to say, but there looks to be substantial upside. Via PRNewswire via 'razzi.

Sustainable Dining - Seafood

2008-04-27T14:02:00.005-04:00

I went to a really great restaurant last night in Georgetown called Hook DC. We went for a friend's birthday party. It was not only a good time with friends, but the food was incredibly delicious and they teach you a little about sustainable fishing practices as they describe their menu.
http://www.hookdc.com/

For dinner I had the Bluefish over some risotto with tomato sauce, and pesto on the side. I thought the pesto would be too overbearing, but it really complemented the taste of the fish!

The Bluefish are found in the Mid and South Atlantic waters. 40% are caught using gillnets. There isn't an abundance of these fish, but they are not being over-fished, like the Salmon, so the population is pretty stable.

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/op/bluefish/

Finally some hot eco-fashion!

2008-04-23T22:41:00.004-04:00

Move over hoodies, tees and yoga outfits.
Finally I'm seeing some real eco-fashion.

Check this out...

http://www.pandasnack.com/

http://www.lindaloudermilk.com

http://www.ecocitizenonline.com/

More Towns Committing To "Going Green"

2008-04-22T20:01:00.003-04:00

Seeing news like this really makes my day.
HAPPY EARTH DAY!

I just downloaded Google Earth and one of my big projects I want to do is log on there all of the towns that are committed to environmental planning.
If anyone knows of a site already, let me know so I won't try to recreate it! :)

More Towns Committing To "Going Green"
Cherry Hill, N.J. One Of The Communities That Makes Environmental Planning A Priority
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/20/national/main4029387.shtml

Time to Run!

2008-04-20T12:08:00.001-04:00

It's time enjoy the trail system!
Here are some runs I've been doing in the DC, Northern VA area. It's a great way to see your town and to see why it's important to stop pollution and waste.

Thrifty Green

2008-04-12T16:11:00.005-04:00

Going Green is also thrifty

Here are some cost savings I have each month, now that I no longer by these items.
I also have fewer containers to throw away or recycle by switching to one good all purpose cleaner and getting bar soaps and shampoos.

Ajax 2.49
Separate wood cleaner 5.51
Separate Window cleaner 9.99
Lotions 10
Fingernail polish 4
Mascara 15
Nail polish remover 6.75
Sunless tanning lotion 9.49
Air freshner 6
Shower gels 8 (Now using bar soap from Kiss my Face)and Pangea Organics
Bleach 4.5
Separate stain remover 6
Separate toilet bowl cleaner 4.5
Separate shower cleaner 10
Total $102.23

What did I do with the money? I sent that money to the Nature Conservancy.
What else can I stop buying?

U.S. Armed Forces go eco-friendly

2008-04-04T09:40:00.001-04:00

U. S. Armed Forces go eco-friendly

BY: Jennifer Griffin, Fox News
04/04/2008

The Armed Forces are going green.

The Army and Air Force are developing technology to turn trash into gas — and therefore cash — for the Department of Defense, the largest consumer of energy in the United States.

According to Pentagon figures, the Defense Department spent $13.6 billion for energy in 2006. It uses 340,000 barrels of oil a day, or 1.5 percent of the total energy consumed in the U.S.

Pentagon officials consider that dependency on oil — much of it produced abroad — not only a huge expense, but a national security risk as well.

The Armed Forces use 1.2 million barrels of oil each month in Iraq alone, and former CIA director James Woolsey, an energy adviser to the Pentagon, has estimated that it costs the U.S. $100 for every gallon, when the cost of maintaining supply lines and security is taken into account.

In December 2005, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed his department to “do all it can” to save energy. He set up a task force headed by his deputy, Gordon England, and former Defense and Energy Secretary James Schlesinger.

The Air Force took the lead, winning an Environmental Protection Agency “Green Power” award in 2006 as one of the top 25 purchasers of green power.

It has since won four more energy awards, and is now the leading purchaser and user of wind energy in the United States.

Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada is powered by the largest solar-power array in the Americas — saving the government an estimated $1 million a year.

Dyess, Minot, and Fairchild Air Force bases purchase 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources of energy.

Airmen and their families have been using biomass fuel at Hill Air Force Base in Utah since 2004, thanks to a 1.3 megawatt landfill gas project. In other words, they are creating gas from the air base’s trash.

But saving money isn't the only reason for going green. Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer noted that 70 percent of U.S. military vehicles traveling on roads in Iraq's volatile Anbar province were oil tankers providing fuel for the troops, easy targets for roadside bombs. He requested that the Pentagon send generators that could convert trash into fuel to generate electricity, so that fewer oil trucks would be on the road.

Defense Life Sciences, based in McLean, Va., was given a contract to come up with a solution. It teamed with a group of researchers at Purdue University and developed two 4-ton “tactical bio-refineries” that they are preparing to send to Iraq next month. Each can run for 20 hours on a ton of trash — enough electricity to power a small village.

Organic garbage is fed into a reactor, in which it is fermented into ethanol. Then plastic, cardboard and other paper items are burned to create propane or methane. These elements are then combusted in a modified diesel engine to power a 60 kilowatt generator.

The prototype costs $1 million and is now ready to be tested in a war zone.

Virginia's pollution - how is it measuring up?

2008-04-04T00:06:00.002-04:00

Air Quality
http://vaperforms.virginia.gov/i-airQuality.php
Virginia is holding levels down, but has not reduced total emissions. While emissions per unit of economic activity in the state continue to fall for many pollutants, strong ecohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifnomic growth at the same time potentially erodes any gains in air quality that tighter emission controls might achieve.

Virginia is within the federal limits on air quality for all pollutants except for ozone in Northern Virginia. Starting in 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began using a more stringent standard for ozone performance. Since that time, Virginia has significantly reduced the number of days when the ozone standard was exceeded, from 235 days per year on average between 1997 and 1999 to an average 51.7 days between 2005 and 2007. Northern Virginia, with an average of 38.7 days exceeding the ozone standard between 2005 and 2007, had the poorest air quality. In 2006, Virginia had 56 days where the air quality was considered unhealthy for people with asthma and lung disease, a part of the population that is most sensitive to changes in air quality.

Water Quality
http://vaperforms.virginia.gov/i-waterQuality.php

The Chesapeake Bay is a particularly important water resource for the state. While Virginia has agreed to reduce its contribution to the nitrogen and phosphorous loads in the bay by substantial amounts by 2010, progress toward this goal has been slow. The pace of the cleanup should, however, improve as point source regulations are fully implemented, non-point source funding increases, and targeting of best management practices expands.

Likewise, the number of impaired waterways throughout the Commonwealth that have been restored is slowly increasing. Since some waterways have impairments not under state control, improvements in these waterways may be measured as incremental improvements rather than as a shift from impaired status to unimpaired or restored status.

Superfund sites
http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/va.htm

Wiki How

2008-04-03T23:22:00.002-04:00

This is a cool site!

Wiki How
http://www.wikihow.com/Live-Without-a-Car

http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Your-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions

http://www.wikihow.com/Achieve-Energy-Independence

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-the-Environment-at-Home

http://www.wikihow.com/Recycle

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Hydroponic-Bog-Garden-%28Water-Recycling%29

http://www.wikihow.com/Compost

http://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Healthy-as-a-Vegetarian

http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Your-Neighborhood-Clean

National Geographic - Global Warming Fast Facts

2008-04-03T23:05:00.003-04:00

Global Warming Fast Facts
National Geographic News
Updated June 14, 2007

Global warming, or climate change, is a subject that shows no sign of cooling down.

Here's the lowdown on why it's happening, what's causing it, and how it might change the planet.

Is It Happening?

Yes. Earth is already showing many signs of worldwide climate change.

• Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

• The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia, according to a number of climate studies. And the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850.

• The Arctic is feeling the effects the most. Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average, according to the multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report compiled between 2000 and 2004.

• Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss.

• Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910. In the Northern Hemisphere, thaws also come a week earlier in spring and freezes begin a week later.

• Coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature, suffered the worst bleaching—or die-off in response to stress—ever recorded in 1998, with some areas seeing bleach rates of 70 percent. Experts expect these sorts of events to increase in frequency and intensity in the next 50 years as sea temperatures rise.

• An upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms, is also attributed in part to climate change by some experts.

Are Humans Causing It?

• "Very likely," the IPCC said in a February 2007 report.

The report, based on the work of some 2,500 scientists in more than 130 countries, concluded that humans have caused all or most of the current planetary warming. Human-caused global warming is often called anthropogenic climate change.

• Industrialization, deforestation, and pollution have greatly increased atmospheric concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gases that help trap heat near Earth's surface. (See an interactive feature on how global warming works.)

• Humans are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb it.

• These gases persist in the atmosphere for years, meaning that even if such emissions were eliminated today, it would not immediately stop global warming.

• Some experts point out that natural cycles in Earth's orbit can alter the planet's exposure to sunlight, which may explain the current trend. Earth has indeed experienced warming and cooling cycles roughly every hundred thousand years due to these orbital shifts, but such changes have occurred over the span of several centuries. Today's changes have taken place over the past hundred years or less.

• Other recent research has suggested that the effects of variations in the sun's output are "negligible" as a factor in warming, but other, more complicated solar mechanisms could possibly play a role.

What's Going to Happen?

A follow-up report by the IPCC released in April 2007 warned that global warming could lead to large-scale food and water shortages and have catastrophic effects on wildlife.

• Sea level could rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 to 59 centimeters) by century's end, the IPCC's February 2007 report projects. Rises of just 4 inches (10 centimeters) could flood many South Seas islands and swamp large parts of Southeast Asia.

• Some hundred million people live within 3 feet (1 meter) of mean sea level, and much of the world's population is concentrated in vulnerable coastal cities. In the U.S., Louisiana and Florida are especially at risk.

• Glaciers around the world could melt, causing sea levels to rise while creating water shortages in regions dependent on runoff for fresh water.

• Strong hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, wildfires, and other natural disasters may become commonplace in many parts of the world. The growth of deserts may also cause food shortages in many places.

• More than a million species face extinction from disappearing habitat, changing ecosystems, and acidifying oceans.

• The ocean's circulation system, known as the ocean conveyor belt, could be permanently altered, causing a mini-ice age in Western Europe and other rapid changes.

• At some point in the future, warming could become uncontrollable by creating a so-called positive feedback effect. Rising temperatures could release additional greenhouse gases by unlocking methane in permafrost and undersea deposits, freeing carbon trapped in sea ice, and causing increased evaporation of water.

Here is another good link with graphs from SDSU: http://globalwarming.sdsu.edu/

Solids or liquids?

2008-03-31T00:09:00.007-04:00

If I have to choose solid or liquid, I naturally pick the liquid.
Something about liquid is soothing and I tend to go with the flow.

But I am finding it's better to go solid. Solid shampoo that is. A solid shampoo is easier to travel with. Traveling by air you have the airport restrictions of claiming your little liquids in the little plastic baggies as you go through security, so I put the normal size bottle in in my luggage. My shampoo will inevitably burst open in my bag so I have to keep in in a plastic ziplock of it's own.
A solid shampoo is also smaller and easier to pack! Taking up less room in the luggage is always a plus.

But now I have a new quest...along with going green by ridding my closet of products, is to cut out the unnecessary plastic in my life.

Who knew the first step would be my Shampoo?

I read about this shampoo the other day and looked it up on the web. JR Liggett's is one of several non-liquid shampoos. One small bar lasts as long as 24 oz of bottled shampoo. Burt's Bees has one and so does Lush. JR Liggett's comes in a paper wrapper.

I figure with my long hair and because I exercise and wash my hair every day...I go through about 8 bottles of shampoo and 10 bottles of conditioner a year. 18 bottles a year and over 10 years, that adds up to a pile of 180 bottles from just shampoo and conditioner alone...and that's just me!

So instead of collecting a garage full of plastic bottles, I'll recycle the paper wrapper that the bar of biodegradable soap comes in.

What was old is new again.
My mom remembers when she was little and she had her cake of hair soap. How sweet :)
Now I have mine.

Waste=Food Imagine feeding your pet plastic...

2008-03-26T19:26:00.008-04:00

Plastic Vortex

... that is what we are doing to the Albatross in the Pacific and to other animals.

An increase of plastic waste in the Pacific is putting birds and animals on the Midway Islands at risk.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7310000/newsid_7314800?redirect=7314857.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1

Animals are mistaking our trash for food and it's killing their young. This report by the BBC shows how it effects the Albatross.
What can we do?

Be accountable! The trash stops here!
- Reduce your stuff - limit your purchases and recycle! Remember, everything you throw away doesn't just go to the dump...it becomes something or someone's food either by consumption or by breaking down and coming a part of our soil and water
- Help clean it up - Volunteer at your local beach, river and land clean up programs. Make it a goal to volunteer twice a year.
- Call your local government, businesses and groups - Get others involved! Local government can create laws that encourage companies to create biodegradable or recyclable products. Businesses and groups can help organize clean ups. Businesses can create non-toxic and biodegradable products or use them if they provide a service.
- Educate others - Pass the word on to others to be responsible for their waste.

Great website to check out: http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2008/01/hand-lotion-is-it-for-bees.html

Air Pollution - the bad and good news

2008-03-24T21:04:00.005-04:00

Pollution Visible From East Asia To North America In New Satellite Image
Click here to view the article.
It's amazing that we now have the ability to see an attribute pollution around the globe.

Atmospheric Scientists Map Pollution Decrease
The clear air act of 1999 makes a difference today!
40% reduction in pollution over the Ohio River Valley

Keep up the good work Ohio! Now lets get Virginia to switch from coal to a non-polluting source of energy!

USPS makes recycling easier - Recycle your handheld electronics today!

2008-03-24T19:37:00.004-04:00

United States Postal Service
Click on the link for the full article
Free Recycling Through the Mail
U.S. Postal Service Starts Service in 1,500 Post Offices

WASHINGTON, DC —Free and green. Those are the goals of a pilot program launched today by the U.S. Postal Service that allows customers to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge.

The “Mail Back” program helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices, making it easier for customers to discard used or obsolete small electronics in an environmentally responsible way. Customers use free envelopes found in 1,500 Post Offices to mail back inkjet cartridges, PDAs, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players – without having to pay for postage.

...

The pilot is set for 10 areas across the country, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego, but could become a national program this fall if the pilot program proves successful.

Kick the Bottled Water Habit

2008-03-23T18:33:00.004-04:00

The living machine at Oberlin College with a settlement tank in the foreground and filtering tanks in the background

Here is a great article with alternatives to bottled water.
Kick the Bottled Water Habit - New American Dream

If you live in an area where you do not have clean drinking water, there are ways you can get involved and clean up the water in your area. Start with your local city council and paper and then work your way up. You can even build a living machine in your own backyard and then spread the news!

You bring up a great point! Many of us take for granted that we have many sources of clean water in US, but that is not 100% true.

There are many places here and around that world that do not have clean drinking water.

There are still other options to bottled water such as these:
http://www.disasterlogistics.org/html/water.html

http://www.advancedwaterfilters.com

http://www.lenntech.com/natural-wastewater-treatment.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_machines

http://pbogdonoff.home.igc.org/LivingMachine/

Bottled water needs to return to being a good way to occasionally get water to places that need it on a temporary basis, and not a water source unto itself.

What is in your water? - A solution to dispose of unwanted drugs.

2008-03-10T23:30:00.011-04:00

While in Colorado, I heard on the news today that traces of antibiotics were found in the tap water. How did they get there? The most likely way is by flushing medicine down the toilet or sending it down the drain. This is a good way to keep people from poisoning themselves, or from selling it to other people, but sending it down the drain doesn't get rid of it, it just sends the problem elsewhere.

Denver water: trace amounts of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals

Looking for a solution, I found this problem was also announced in Virgina!
Scientists found " -- an anti-seizure medication, two anti-inflammatory drugs, two kinds of antibiotics and a common disinfectant "
Area Tap Water Has Traces of Medicines

This study shows that this problem is not just seen in waste water, but is also traced back to runoff.
March 2008 | Study links agriculture to increase of intersex fish
in Potomac basin
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3285

With a little further digging, I see the Environmental Working Group did their own test of tap water in Dec 2007 and found similar results.

More than 140 contaminants with no enforceable safety limits found in the nation's drinking water

So what can we do when you no longer need your medication, or it expires?

Since there are no laws stating how to dispose of pharmaceuticals, I am finding that people, hospitals, clinics are all asking how can you dispose of these drugs?
Do you incinerate them? Do you send them back to the company?

- The state of Maine entertained a mail-back and pharmacy collection program.

- Law enforcement incinerates confiscated drugs.

- Here is the best solution I have found on the web. Pharmaceutical disposal companies turn unwanted, outdated drugs into power. EMILY FREDRIX. AP
.
Call your local hazardous waste locations and encourage them to start Pharmaceutical Disposal to Power programs in your neighborhood!

Making a change one lipstick at a time

2008-03-10T23:22:00.000-04:00

CHANGING MY FAVORITE SKIN CARE FOR THE BETTER

Here is an update!
I did hear back from Mary Kay and they received my package.
I returned all of my products that contained ingredients with a score of moderate to high hazard found on the Skin Deep cosmetics database.

They are going to send me information on their new minerals line of foundations and powders. This new line replaces the current one and is also supposed to have eco-friendly packaging. Old cosmetic cases that hold the current snap in colors can be returned to Consultants who can turn them back in to Mary Kay at convention (so as not to create more carbon waste from millions of women mailing in a package).

The company is moving in the right direction and I'm eager to see the ingredients for their new line of minerals and skin care products.

---------------------------------
Tuesday, September 4, 2007

This weekend I started researching non-toxic/organic skincare and cosmetics. Why? Because I use them everyday and since I'm not ready to eliminate them from my routine, I figure there is a better way to it.

CHANGING MY FAVORITE SKIN CARE FOR THE BETTER
I love Mary Kay cosmetics and skincare. So much that I'm signed up as a consultant. But I've learned that Mary Kay has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
http://www.safecosmetics.org/companies/compact_with_america.cfm
Also the products listed on Skin Deep, a cosmetic safety database, are ranked from moderate to high hazard.

I wrote Mary Kay asking them to create a line of non-toxic skincare and cosmetics. The products are great, but I think they can be made better.

WHAT TO DO NOW
So while I'm doing that, I looked for some non-toxic/organic lines to try. I tried Aubrey but it didn't work for me, buy MyChelle works really well, I think it's just a bit pricey for me.
I also found Alima Cosmetics. I bought some to try out.

GOAL
However, my goal is to get Mary Kay to start a new line of non-toxic/organic skin care and cosmetics. They company is fantastic and I want it to continue on and thrive as a business. It's focused on helping women, and I think this change is right in line with their focus.

Green webs

2008-03-08T21:11:00.006-05:00

I've been looking on line to find more ideas for my blog and I found some MEGA green sites!

Here are a couple of sites that I found:

Green Mommy's Blogroll
Best Green Blogs
Care2 Network
There is a huge diverse world out there of eco-bloggers. Intriguing.

Mow your way to lower emissions?

2008-03-02T14:08:00.007-05:00

Micro-managing? Good intentions? Unintended consequences? Is corn a bad thing?

A good vision, goal or law sets a goal and provides motivation; it should not tell you how to it. This rule of thumb was proven again when a law was passed in the US to produce ethanol from corn.

Pols Drunk On Corn-Based Ethanol Have Left Millions With Hangover

Unintended consequences abound when corn prices went up and food prices went up. A good economic analysis or even a quick sketch of a food chain could have foreseen this dilemma.

Please continue to push for the use of renewable energy sources, but don't tie it to one way of doing it because YOU know it works. Set the goal, and let the industry bring forward the right mix of alternatives. But, stay actively involved by setting achievable goals and keep pushing for them until they are achieved. Then be ready for the next round!

Greening my rental

2008-02-05T21:49:00.001-05:00

My renter moved out of my condo and now I have the chance to Green it!
Here is what I'm looking to do.

- repaint using noVOC paint
- put new linoleum in using a non-toxic glue
- check all windows and doors are properly sealed
- replace all bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs

If you can think of anything else let me know!

THE WORK IS DONE!
It's ready for moving in. Please use these links to see the listing.

Listing on Military by Owner.com

http://Listing on Craig's List

Eco Cottages - Venice Beach

2008-02-03T21:15:00.003-05:00

What a concept! Everyone check this out, especially if you are in Southern California!
What a great idea this is. If you own a rental, why not make it an eco-cottage too!

http://www.venicebeachecocottages.com/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/the_venice_beach_eco_cottages.php

Reuse and Recycle - New Fish Tank!

2008-01-28T21:31:00.001-05:00

OUT WITH THE OLD and IN WITH THE NEW

Our fish are getting too big for the 2 gallon fish tank they are in.
Felix and Oscar need a bigger home.

I SHOULD have gone to Craigslist or Freecycle, but I went to PetSmart and got a 5 gallon tank. I did, however, put the old tank on Craigslist. I also recycled the box that the new take came in :)
Here is my ad.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/zip/555114512.html
Free 2 gallon fish tank Alexandria
Reply to: sale-555114512@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-01-28, 9:29PM EST

This is the way to go! No use putting it in the landfill! Reuse and recycle! :)

--------------------

SUCCESS! NEW HOME for an OLD TANK

I love Craigslist and email. Within minutes I had emails from people interested in getting the fish tank. A guy came by today and picked it up. I felt so good about being able to give it to someone who would use it, and the internet made it so easy. AND the person was local so you don't have the postage and environmental cost of shipping. The only thing that could have made it more green would be if the guys walked or rode a bike. Ha! :)

I suggest everyone to clean up and find a home for anything they could possibly throw away. I think this is a good alternative to Goodwill, where the item could be sitting on a shelf somewhere. This way I know it goes to someone who will be using it.

A little bit of instant Green satisfaction!

Green Spa

2008-01-27T20:26:00.000-05:00

My BFF gave me a gift certificate to a spa, but I haven't cashed it in yet. Why? Because I'm looking for a Green Spa, not just any luxury-fu fu-aromatherapy place.

It took a while, but I found two.

Natural Body Spa in Arlington VA and
Comfort and Joy Spa in Fairfax VA.

So,I'm going to sign up for one of them, and I'll let you know how the algae wrap crumbles!

Eating Green - Part 2 - Eat and Drink your Fruit and Veggies

2008-01-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

I'm always wondering, what are the right veggies and fruits to eat.
Here is a great guide from Whole Foods.

Fruit list

Vegetable List
Look here to get you daily dose of vitamins.
Then choose your food according to the growing season where you live.

Here is a link to the organic farms in my local area for more info!
http://www.fallschurchenvironment.org/csa.html

Also, don't forget the local vinyards!
My favorite is Linden Vineyards, but many Celebs have bought some local farms an vineyards
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/17/AR2007081701080_pf.html

Going Green on a Dime

2008-01-23T20:22:00.000-05:00

Going green shouldn't cost you a lot of money.

It's a way of thinking! Waste=Food
Try not to create waste that can't be composted. If you can't compost it then recycle it. If you can't recycle it, than make sure it can be reused.

The article I read a while back really made me think about the waste I create.
- I now have grocery totes that I can reuse, so I will eventually not have that bag of plastic garbage bags.
- I'm more conscious about waste at work. The garbage is picked up everyday and I barely have a thing in it!
--- I bring my lunch to work in a tupperware and I bring my silverware.
--- I have a mug and water bottle that I refill
--- I am guilty of the occasional mocha latte, so I need to get a mug with a lid that I can take to the coffee stand
--- So I'm down to the occasional wrapper from any snacks I eat or Kleenex (which I think is more hygenic than a hanky. Do they make biodegradable tissues?

I love it!

Organic food for your pet!

2008-01-17T23:08:00.001-05:00

Dog lovers unite!
Pets can develop cancer much quicker than we can, and the biggest factor is their diet.
I found an interesting site called The Whole Dog Journal.
This led me to a list of organic and natural pet food and recommended ways to prepare your own food for your pet.

Then I found this great store!
http://www.felixandoscar.com/
I need to check it out. There is one near me.
-------------
Okay. I checked out Felix and Ocsar and boy did I learn a lot.

Most dog food is not organic. It is too expensive to do that, and if you really want pure organic food for your pet then you need to make your own food, basically share your organic food with your pet.

So, if you want to get PET FOOD, then you need to look for human grade meats in the food. By doing this, you know it is good quality and not diseased. The lady at the store said she has noticed that these types of pet food are much easier for the animals to digest. They make a great supplement to any food you make at home, and many people just feed their pets the dry food. A DDD sister recommended I mix the dry with regular food for best results.

There is no reason for the rest of the ingredients not to be organic, except for the cost. I took 6 samples home for the ultimate test. Ginger would have to like the food! This is what I did.
I laid out the 6 bags on the floor and had her sniff each one. Then I watched. She didn't scratch at any and just looked at me. (She wasn't understanding this test so we tried again.) I had her sniff at each one and then started pushing them around a little. She did the same and then I noticed she kept going to one bag.... California Natural. Ginger is actually from Wyoming and I'm from California, but I know she is a Californian at heart (she did live there for about 5 years.)
She ate that for dinner and the next morning...everything came out okay.

Now I looked up the other brands on the internet. Both Wellness and INNOVA came back with high ratings. The others had mixed ratings, and Timberwolf came back with some bad ratings. The reviews said the formula seemed to have changed, that the food looked paler in color, and come people called the company to ask about it. Some said the formula did change, but the bag still displayed the old ingredients... Also, I checked the Pet Food recall list. None of those products were on the list, but it did warn about venison in the food.

Ginger tried Wellness next. She seemed to like that one as well and everything was fine the next day. Both Wellness and California Naturals seemed to have simple ingredients, no fillers, and very few preservatives.

Then Ginger tried INNOVA. This is an interesting brand. It also includes other types of food, not just rice and chicken. It had a little alfalfa and dried cranberries. INNOVA made food that would be like the food your pet would find in the outdoors to give them the minerals they need and to aid in digestion. Ginger tried the Senior formula and SHE LOVED IT! She even had a little pep that night and the next morning. So, I bought her a bag, but she still has a bag of Purina One to finish up.
I'll let you know how she fairs with the new food next month.

Great article from Consumer Reports - NY Taxi Fleet- What If It Was Green

2008-01-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

Consumer Reports - NY Taxi Fleet- What If It Was Green

Kia Rondo Taxi Cab Concept

Replacing current fleet with more fuel-efficient cars could save more than $66 million in fuel costs; 22,285,714 gallons of gasoline; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 88,400 tons annually

YONKERS, NY May 7, 2007; Consumer Reports evaluated the potential benefits of replacing NYC’s nearly 13,000 yellow Ford Crown Victorias with a more fuel-efficient car, like the proposed Kia Rondo taxi unveiled at the New York Auto Show.

The results: Using the current $2.97 per gallon national average for regular gas, the potential annual fuel savings from switching the existing medallion taxi fleet to the Rondo, or a similar-performing car, could be 22,285,714 gallons and $66,188,571 million in fuel costs. Greenhouse gas emissions could also be reduced by 88,400 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

CR made these calculations after seeing a display at the recent Auto Show by the Design Trust for Public Space, which looked at the future of urban taxis. Carmakers were invited to showcase potential fuel-efficient replacements for the Crown Victoria taxi cab, which gets around 10 mpg in city driving.

The compact, minivan-like Kia Rondo was the only entry displayed by a major manufacturer. Consumer Reports crunched the numbers to evaluate the potential impact if a fleet of four-cylinder Rondos replaced the Crown Victorias. CR came up with the hypothetical fuel and cost savings based on an estimated 14 mpg for the Rondo in city driving. Beyond reducing gasoline consumption, switching the fleet could help achieve Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s recently announced initiative for a 30-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Even if a fraction of the total 53,000 New York city taxis, and other vehicles for hire, were exchanged for more-fuel-efficient cars, the savings and reduced emissions in just this one fleet would be significant. And the change could potentially inspire fleets in other cities to move toward more fuel-efficient vehicles.

A closer look at and the potential benefits for updating the NYC taxi fleet can be found at: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars.

Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It conducts the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Website; the magazine’s auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe to Consumer Reports, call 1-800-234-1645. Information and articles from the magazine can be accessed online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/05/07/046838.html

Green Products at good prices - FOUND!

2008-01-04T18:16:00.000-05:00

After watching the Oprah show I learned that Shaklee sells natural, non-toxic products for the home at good prices. This is exactly what I was looking for so I signed up!

Here is the link to my site so you can get these products too.

http://www.shaklee.net/janethaug

New Year - New Green Goal

2008-01-04T14:10:00.001-05:00

Resolution 1: Reduce my waste
It's a new year, 2008, and I've been wondering what my new year's resolution will be. I haven't been able to think of anything that was very inspiring until I saw this website. This man saved his trash for a year and really learned a lot about how much trash one person can generate. It really inspired me to pursue zeroing out my waste.

http://saveyourtrash.typepad.com/save_your_trash/wacky-questions.html

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/

Recap of 2007
Last year went pretty well. I started this blog and what is really nice about it, is I can go back and really see the areas that I'm struggling with, and the areas where I have made progress.

PROGRESS
- Well I've made some progress on the cosmetics front. I've returned all of my skincare, shampoo, makeup etc that had some of the nastiest chemicals to the company with a note why. I haven't heard from them, but didn't expect to.
I then replaced it with a smaller amount of non or low-toxic formulas. I really tried to reduce it to the essentials. The result? I have more room in my bathroom and my skin looks and feels really good! Those nasty brown spots on my face from sunburns of the past are even fading and I'm not using any specialty treatments. The products smell better too.
What am I using?
Products from Kiss My Face and Myschelle; and I spoiled myself with some lotions from Origins. My shampoo and conditioner is from ABBA. I love it, my hair isn't frizzy and smells great, but it's pricy so I get it when it's on sale. When I buy at ULTA I also get points for my purchases. I'm still looking for a brand that works as well and not as expensive.

- I'm also clearing out my junk room and closets and I'm finding a lot of stuff. I've organized my stuff (like they do on those shows on HGTV, I love those shows) into piles for REUSE (donations to Goodwill), RECYCLE (paper, plastic, electronics) and WASTE. I was surprised how small the waste pile was, but after reading the website above, I could go one step better by not buying things that become waste later on anyway!
I have noticed that I have a lot of pens. If you are missing a pen or wonder where the pens have gone, please note I probably have it at my house in my pen drawer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good Quotes

2008-01-04T13:58:00.001-05:00

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
- Pablo Picasso

Oprah is finally going green!

2008-01-03T17:49:00.000-05:00

Check this out tomorrow!

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200704/tows_past_20070420.jhtml?promocode=HP51

Eating Green - eat your veggies!

2008-01-03T17:44:00.001-05:00

Here is a fantastic way to eat green. Find some awesome recipes!
This has some different stuff like turnips and parsnips. I dare you not to like it!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=printerFriendly&recipe_id=1108240

Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables
From Cooking Light

Honey amplifies the natural sugars of the caramelized vegetables in this dish. If you can't find tupelo honey, substitute another medium-color, floral variety, such as dandelion, loosestrife, or orange blossom.

2 cups coarsely chopped peeled sweet potato (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled turnip (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped parsnip (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrot (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup tupelo honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 shallots, halved
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.
Combine all ingredients except the cooking spray in a large bowl; toss to coat. Place vegetable mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and begin to brown, stirring every 15 minutes.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 118(27% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 33mg; SODIUM 171mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g

Eco-drycleaning

2007-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Drycleaning in today uses a lot of chemicals and your clothes come back with that strange smell. There are cleaners now that are chemical conscious.
http://www.prestovalet.net/Hours_and_Locations.html

Here is more info on the non-toxic style of drycleaning.
http://www.greenearthcleaning.com/

UGO-GRUEN!

2007-12-12T05:50:00.000-05:00

I just got back from spending some time in Germany.
It was so great to see different ways they Go Green in their daily life.

- None of he buildings I was in have Air Conditioning. Since it rarely gets really hot there, they can open a window.
- They have great radiators for heat. You can use on the one in the bathroom to hang your towels. They also have a temperature gauge on the shower faucet so you can set the water to a constant temperature.
- You see green architecture in the building construction and they build to last.
- I was near Frankfurt and they have villages or towns with lots of space between them. There are a lot of local farms and yard gardens.

I wish I could have seen more, but it is great to travel and see how other countries live.

Here more things I learned since then.
- The German Green Party was the first successful party with an environmental agenda.
- The recycling program and waste management has a lot of critics, but here is some info on how they do it.
- Conservation work - WWF
- Pollution - German Embassy

Instilling good habits

2007-12-03T21:23:00.000-05:00

My office recently moved into a new space and we are no longer near the recycling drop. We are also no longer near a bathroom, but that is another matter.
I've noticed that my office mates are throwing their recycleables in the trash! The last guy who said something about not throwing out cans ended up with a case of empties strewn on his desk. Well, maybe not a case, but it was a lot of cans. I was happy to see all of the cans not in the trash.

So what am I doing about it? Nothing yet, but I plan to set up a little recycling collection in the new office area. Then I'll have to remember to take it out once a week. :)

Back in the box

2007-12-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

My mom can be a defeatist. Everything has chemicals, nothing is good for you. You spend too much time worrying about the ingredients. But the ingredients are everything and when you take a look at what is in that pretty packaging you would be amazed.

Amazed in a good way. I found this great skincare line called Mychelle . This product is great because not only does it not use harsh chemicals, but the price is also reasonable AND it works! I also found Kiss My Face skincare is rated well in not using toxins or harsh chemicals. I just got a sample kit so I'll have to get back to you on the effectiveness. I did try Burts Bees, but it made me breakout....too much wax. :)

The sad news is that my Mary Kay products have a ton of harsh chemicals. I sent a letter and emailed Mary Kay asking them to start an organic line and to stop using the harsh chemicals in their formulas. I did get a nice letter back thanking me for my recommendations. As I go through each product and check the ingredients, I'm not liking what I'm finding. So, I'm sending them back. I packed all of the products with chemicals linked to cancer back in the box with a letter.

I really hope I am able to make an impact. I really like the company and I think it is important for them to create a line that is safe to make and safe to use over time.

Recycle burnt out bulbs and more!

2007-11-26T21:28:00.000-05:00

Earth 911 updated their site!

Here are all of the things I can take to my local Household Hazardous Waste facility.
Don't just throw these items out! Take them to your HHM!

Accepted Items
Typical materials which you should bring to the HHM drop-off facility include:
home, lawn and garden chemicals used for pest, insect and weed control
compact fluorescent light bulbs
automotive fuel
windshield wiper fluid
antifreeze
brake fluid
transmission fluid
gas additives
gear oil and most car care products
car batteries
flammable cleaning solvents such as kerosene, turpentine, varsol, mineral spirits, parts cleaners, floor strippers, rug cleaners, and spot removers
lamp and heating oil
fluorescent tubes
corrosives such as muriatic acid, and oven or drain cleaners with lye
swimming pool additives
photo chemicals
thermometers, thermostats, and barometers containing mercury
oil and latex paint, varnish, stains, polyurethane
propane tanks (small hand held type; please take the larger propane tanks from grills to your hardware store for recycling).

Jitterbugs sited in national park

2007-11-25T20:45:00.000-05:00

Who knew you could dance green.

I was looking for a neat way to celebrate a birthday and I thought, "Where is a good place to go dancing?" I was searching for ballroom dancing, which I learned much later, will mostly turn up dance lessons.

Last year I went to the Swamp Romp which is a Zydeco music festival held at Wolftrap each year. There is a group of people that have a great time dancing and I found out they all take lessons together, some are dance teachers, and they all like to dance at a place called Glen Echo.

Now fast forward a year or so later and I am sitting on my bed at 11 at night trying to find a place to go dancing and that pops into my head. So I Google Glen Echo, MD and I find the Spanish Ballroom.

So we drive to this National Park and get to a small parking lot. There are no signs and two lighted walkways, a wooden bridge and a cement path. We have no idea where to go, but as I look around for signs a few more cars drive up and park. I watch as the people head for the wooden bridge. It's about 40 degrees out, pretty cold, so we scurry after the people...past a sign for a Children's museum, and a sign for pottery. Some people veer off to the right... but I see a sign for the restrooms so we plug ahead. Then I see a sign for bumper cars and wonder where the heck we are, and we come upon a lighted building. Yes, it's the Spanish ballroom and no heat But, that is okay because within minutes the place is packed with about 80 people learning to Lindy Hop and Jitterbug. Within an hour we are jumping like the best of them to the Tom Cunningham Orchestra. (The have great ties.)

So national parks are not just for hiking and camping, but they are also a place to jump, jive and wail.

Think globally...Vacation locally

2007-11-23T19:36:00.000-05:00

This year's vacation was a trip to Eco-groovy Vermont.
I got to see the leaves in their glory and experience a lot more than I expected there. Who knew there were so many small farms. Well, I didn't. See what else is there in my picture link:

Eco-Groovy Award

2007-11-19T21:52:00.001-05:00

This award is for websites that promote environmental issues in a positive and inspiring way.

Your site inspires people to think and to act with nature in mind, promoting sustainable living, ecosystems, sustainable design, renewable energy, recycling, conservation, organics, non-toxics

Thank you for dedication to the environment! You get it! You go green!
-UGOGRN

The goal is to focus people's attention on environmental factors which in turn can reduce pollution, disease, overpopulation and crime.

Award Winners

1. Nov 07 - The Inn at Weathersfield LINK
2. Nov 07 - Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt (my favorite yogurt) LINK

Renewable Energy

2007-11-18T23:16:00.000-05:00

Why do we need to switch to renewable energy? Not just because it's better for the planet and will cause less pollution. The world demands oil and it is part of the reason for the wars in the Middle East. The need for natural resources is a big reason why people go to war.

I recently went to the Middle East and saw what the US and coalition forces are doing first hand. I went to Bagram and saw the wounded soldiers and civilians. I learned how careful our troops our despite the bad press. I felt what it was like to stay in trailers, some are not so lucky and live in plywood huts called B-huts.

The armed forces and state department need your help and support.
We need to get our industry and homes converted to using renewable energy sources now, not 20 years down the road.

The troops living in the forward operating bases know how to conserve. Clean water is hard to come by. They shower in 3 min. Wet down, turn off the water...lather up...and a quick rinse. 3 min. When was the last time you spend only 3 min in the shower? A lot of people take 20-30 min in the shower. You used about 5 gallons per minute in the shower. 15 gallons is a lot of water! Imagine carrying 15 - 1 gallon jugs. A 10 min shower takes 50 gallons of water! What a waste!
A bath takes about 50 gallons of water. Save water by taking a bath as a treat. http://agfacts.tamu.edu/D10/Comal/FCS/Water/index.htm

In the desert there is so much sand and dust that my eyes were constantly irritated. I had to drink a couple gallons of water to stay hydrated and my skin got very dry. Lotion was my constant companion! We will all live in arid lands like the Middle East if we are not careful now.

Dubai was an incredible site, but I kept wondering where will they get all of the water for the city they are building? How are those islands messing with the ocean's ecosystem. How will this effect their fish populations? Are those buildings running on oil or renewable resources. I don't see solar panels! Are they thinking waste=food? I am sure I was driving my travel companions crazy.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=242202&ssid=26&sid=env

But I am not alone in thinking that much is being lost with the rapid building of Dubai. With all of that money, why can't they build a city with electric rail and low emissions? They can build solar buildings and keep open spaces to capture the beauty of the desert. Don't make it all look like LA or New York!
Why can't all of it's buildings be built like this one: http://www.dynamicarchitecture.net/

How will they deal with all of the sewage? They need buildings that treat their own waste!
http://elements.bnim.com/resources/livingbuildingright.html

I hope more people jump in and invest in these systems that will not destroy and may improve the environment in the middle east. The businesses and the rich can afford to try the latest in technology. The rest of the world can only benefit from the way they build this new city.

This trip renewed my energy!

What to do with that burnt out bulb

2007-09-30T21:13:00.000-04:00

I switched to the new flourescent bulbs a few years ago and I now have my first burnt out bulb. I knew I needed to recycle it, so I looked on the package and it took me to www.lamprecycle.org
I just wanted to find out how to recycle the bulb.
That site took me to Energy Star site,
which took me to the Earth 911 site which led me to a dead end.
That site only had places in Maryland which accepted the bulbs.
(UPDATE: Earth 911 has updated their site!)

I went back to the Energy Star site,
which took me to the EPA site,
which took me to the www.arlingtonva.us site which gave a facility in Arlington. And this is what it says:

HHM Facilty Location and Hours of Operation
Arlington County's household hazardous materials (HHM) facility is for disposal of household hazardous materials generated by Arlington residents. The HHM drop-off facility is located on the grounds of the Water Pollution Control Plant at 3402 S. Glebe Rd. The HHM entrance is at 3151 S. Fern St, at the intersection of South Fern Street and South Glebe Road.
We do not accept commercial or business hazardous materials.
The HHM drop-off facility is open every Saturday between 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, except during major holidays and scheduled E-CARE collection events (typically held one Saturday in April and October). Please call 703-228-6832 to verify HHM facility closures during these times.
A scheduled appointment is not required to drop-off materials on Saturdays. However, citizens are encouraged to confirm acceptability of their HHM materials by calling the HHM chemist at (703) 228-6832 before arrival at our facility. On Saturdays, citizens should proceed directly to the HHM storage sheds and check-in with the HHM chemist.
Monday - Friday hours are by appointment only. Call (703) 228-6832 during business hours to schedule an appointment. On weekdays, citizens with appointments should report to the security guard at the gate.

So I'm just asking....how many complex ways are there to dispose of a lightbulb?
There has got to be a better way.

A Green Idea - Brainstorming

2007-09-17T21:57:00.000-04:00

I had a green idea today. Let me throw this out there and see if there in any interest.

I am thinking of going to website that will cover 50 states in 50 weeks. Once a week is a profile of 2 towns or cities in one of the 50 states and their status on going green.

I need to think of what the factors they will be ranked on.
The time consuming part is gathering the data on the cities and scoring their efforts. If would be great to visit the city to get some photos to go along with the profile.
Then rank them against the ideal and against themselves.

I think it would promote going green across the US and give people a visual on how well the US is doing against the ideal.

I welcome your suggestions, especially on what the factors should be.