Green-Livin

Green Livin Do You Need Nature Therapy?

2008-08-09T10:45:00.007-05:00

Green Livin Get back to green basics

One of the best ways to groom your inner green is to reconnect with nature. Understanding the significance of living a green life becomes a lot more important when you realize that you're part of nature yourself. I'm a firm believer that when I'm in my biggest funk simply walking outside can help me snap out of it. It's a reminder that there is just so much more to life than the minute issue currently overwhelming my thoughts. Is this therapy? What's Nature Therapy?

I believe that a holistic path of healing includes a personal and intimate connection with the natural world.

There are tons of programs that encourage reconnecting with the wilderness. The intention is to restore balance, harmony, inspiration, and imagination by attuning to the energies and seasons of nature.Nurture your greener side with afternoon medicine walks. The non-strenuous walk can be in a group or in solitude.

Go alone into nature for an allotted period of time and go back to basics. Don't worry, you learn what you will need to know about equipment and using a backpack, safety procedures, wilderness ethics, and minimal impact camping.

I believe in ecopsychology, a practice that joins psychology and ecology to assist us in remembering we are part of a very big life process and that we are embedded in nature.
Don't fret because you can practice nature therapy at home or plan your own therapeutic trip:

Pick a Saturday and go on a nature walk. I didn't say hike for a reason because the point of the walk is not the intense workout that you get from climbing a mountain; but rather, quieting your mind. Or if possible, sign up for a guided nature walk in your area.

Plan a camping trip or go national park hopping and check out all the spectacular nature out there. From Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the United States has the largest national park system in the world all waiting to be explored.

Green Livin Where the Wild Things Are

2008-08-08T09:36:00.006-05:00

Green Livin Why Children Still Need Nature

I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.

~Henry David Thoreau

Green livin The creek was child territory, A communal green space.

As a child, I had a creek in my backyard. I lived at the creek. The minute perfection of a baby crawdad held in my palm elicited one of my earliest moments of wonder. My creek was an ever-changing constant. It could dry to a mere trickle in a dry summer or burst from its bank after a heavy spring rain with a current that begged attempts at rafting. It was a refuge, my chief source of entertainment, a place to play with like-minded adventurous friends, and a great source of snakes.

The creek was what anthropologists call a “magic circle of play”. A place both real and imagined; it was a world away from adults. Adults were rarely needed or wanted—unless we made an exceptionally interesting find. The imagined danger was delicious.

With surprising wisdom, the adults of my childhood left children to their own devices. They knew that children need the space, solitude and most importantly, unrushed time in nature. I knew neighbors were nearby if true need arose. In the many years of creek play, Luckily for me, my neighbors were familiar with children and childhood. The creek was child territory. A communal green space. At twilight, children crouched and flitted along its banks like moths. The creek was one of the first places I sought comfort in.

When my own sons were small, I looked forward to sharing the creek world with them and they were also thrilled with the creek’s offerings. We soon discovered, however, that the climate had changed. The fish and animals were thriving, but the banks had been groomed and planted up to the water’s edge. New neighbors worried about damage children might cause to the plantings and to themselves. One expressed fear that an injury in the creek might result in a lawsuit. The sidewalk that had connected the creek to several subdivisions was claimed as private property and made forbidden to the public. These actions speak not only to Americans’ growing litigiousness, but also of the pervasive paranoia, creeping isolationism, and culture of fear that is killing American neighborhoods and keeping our children indoors. Rather than agrue with neighbors, we departed the creek and mourned the loss.

Children have always been drawn to wild, natural spaces. Toddlers allowed to explore will seek out mud under a bush or explore the most unkempt area of a backyard. Children come equipped with a natural curiosity toward the wild. The author Valerie Andrews says in her book, A Passion for this Earth, “As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen unselfconsciously to the soughing of the trees.” In much of America, however, children have disappeared from the landscape.

Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, writes that a lack of exposure to nature leads to not only a decrease in a child’s sense of wonder, but also an actual loss of senses. Nature is restorative. A recent study from the University of Illinois shows what parents have long known anecdotally: that children suffering from ADHD who are exposed to green spaces show marked improvement. Nature therapy is becoming a popular recommendation among child psychologists. Yet fewer and fewer American children are playing outdoors.

I hope that we can reawaken within ourselves and in our children the love of green places. I hope we can remember that aesthetics should not take precedence over sharing the natural world with children. We need to reclaim the creeks and other magic circles for our children. If we fail in reconnecting with nature, We will have yet another generation of children who collectively echo the fourth grader in Louv’s book who announced, “I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are”; a message truly worthy of our fear.

Green Livin Toyota Projects Gas Prices To Hit $5.00 By Middle Of Next Decade

2008-08-07T14:24:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Toyota Projects Gas Prices To Hit $5.00 By Middle Of Next Decade, We Think They're Being Optimistic

Toyota is basing its production plans on projections that US gas prices could rise as high as $5.00 a gallon as soon as 2015. The Japanese automaker also believes the full-size truck market will experience a significant recovery in the near future. Despite demand for its fuel-efficient Prius hybrid reaching an all-time high, it is unable to increase production of the vehicle until the 2011 model year. But gas hit $4.00 a gallon earlier this year: It seems unlikely that it'll take seven years for it to rise another dollar, so is Toyota being too optimistic with its projections?

Bob Carter, general manager for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., made the projections in remarks to reporters at and industry conference yesterday. Going on to say that while he expects total full-size truck sales to drop to 1.45 million in 2008, from 2.14 million in 2007, he expects those sales to rebound.

"We are absolutely confident that the recovery will take place, it's just arguable when," Carter said. "We've reduced production. It's our intention to build to the market. But when that market comes back, the core buyer who uses the truck for employment, who uses it for work, whether it's the landscaping company or the contractor, can't substitute a Corolla or a Yaris."
But they could use a smaller, more fuel-efficient truck. Carter does expect to see a significant reduction in demand amongst recreational truck buyers — the kind of people who buy big trucks because they want them, not because they need them for work.

A new 2011 Toyota Prius is in the works, as is a new plant in Mississippi that will be capable of producing a significantly higher number of the hybrids. But until then, Carter says, "In the short term after having that kind of increase last year and a big increase the year before that we're restricted on capacity and components." But with a new Honda hybrid on the way, maybe priced as low as $18,000, and the Chevy Volt scheduled to arrive as early as 2010, that may not be enough — especially if fuel prices hit the $5-per-gallon figure earlier than Toyota is projecting.

[Automotive News, Sub. Req.]

(Photo: jalopnik )

Green Livin Coinstar Calls Cashing In Change 'Recycling'

2008-08-06T14:06:00.003-05:00

Green Livin Is Coin Star Really Recycling?

"Coinstar wants you to 'recycle' your coins in their machines, and save the environment! Minus their 8.9% fee of course." They even have a little wizard on their website that estimates how many parts of the environment—water, energy consumption, and geological waste—you save by putting those coins back into circulation, instead of hoarding them like the polar bear murderer you are. They don't provide any source for these estimates, though, and we're not convinced you're doing anything "green" other than lining Coinstar's pockets.

From Coinstar's website:

"Think of it as a new form of recycling—when you reuse your change instead of letting it sit idle in your coin jar, fewer coins are produced. And that translates into environmental savings by reducing hte need for limited natural resources used to create new coin.
We're deeply skeptical of any one-to-one benefit statement like this, not least because it ignores the total cost of running the Coinstar company, which is a key component of any coin recycling "movement."

If you're going to cash in your spare change, look for a Commerce Bank branch nearby first. Their change machines are free and you don't have to be a Commerce customer to use them.

Green Livin Toxic Chemical in Plastic Bottles & Cans

2008-08-05T13:08:00.009-05:00

Toxic Chemical in Plastic Bottles & Cans Damaging Children's Brains & Reproductive Organs but Government & Chemical Industry Remain Unconcerned

Green Livin A federal report finds 'some concern' that fetuses, babies and children are at risk from bisphenol A. But plastics industry officials see no serious risk.

Green Livin A controversial, estrogen-like chemical in plastic could be harming the development of children's brains and reproductive organs, a federal health agency concluded in a report released Tuesday.

The National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, concluded that there was "some concern" that fetuses, babies and children were in danger because bisphenol A, or BPA, harmed animals at low levels found in nearly all human bodies.

An ingredient of polycarbonate plastic, BPA is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in industry today. It can seep from hard plastic beverage containers such as baby bottles, as well as from liners in cans containing food and infant formula.

The federal institute is the first government agency in the U.S. to conclude that low levels of BPA could be harming humans. Its findings will be used to help regulators at federal and state environmental agencies to develop policies governing its use.

The draft report followed an 18-month review that was fraught with allegations of bias, heated disputes among scientists and the firing of a consulting company with financial ties to the chemical industry.

Some scientists suspect that exposure early in life disrupts hormones and alters genes, programming a fetus or child for breast or prostate cancer, premature female puberty, attention deficit disorders and other reproductive or neurological disorders.

Full Story: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/16/nation/na-plastic16

Green Livin Always Print Your Gas Pump Receipt As Proof Of Purchase

2008-08-04T09:46:00.002-05:00

Green Livin Shoplifting Always Print Your Gas Receipt

You probably wouldn't try to leave a retail store without a receipt, but you might not think about it when you're at the gas pump—after all, it's not like you're going to bring the gas back for a refund. But a reader points out that you should always have your proof of purchase just in case you end up in an awkward situation:

I had an interesting experience on Friday and a life lesson I think is worth passing onto other readers. On Friday I stopped at a United Dairy Farmers (local Cincinnati convenience store/ice cream parlor) to fill up while gas is relatively cheap. I pulled up to the pump, swiped my card, filled up, and paused before printing the receipt. Usually those things just end up wadding up in my pocket or under the seats of the car, but what the hell, I hit yes anyway. I then went inside to get a soft drink.

"Anything else?" the cashier asked. I said no, paid in change, and went back to my car. I pulled out of the lot, turned left, and I wasn't more than 200 yards away when a cop comes up behind me, lights flashing. I knew I couldn't have been speeding so I was genuinely confused. He said the woman at the United Dairy Farmers said I drove off without paying for gas. I said that was incorrect, and he said "She said it was a silver car, and she pointed at yours." I do drive a silver car, but I had paid for gas, and wait! I told the officer I had my receipt, and he wrote down the details: Amount, pump number, last 4 of my credit card, and the time. I also pulled out the credit card I paid with and my license, just to verify everything was on the up and up. He was cool about it, apologized, and I was on my way.

Lesson here is to always print that receipt out. I rarely check it against my statements now that I don't fill up as often. But without that 3x1 strip of paper I would have had a totally different story to tell. Needless to say I won't be taking my business to United Dairy Farmers anymore - being falsely accused of theft is a dealbreaker.

Green Livin At the Pump And Past The Limit

2008-08-04T09:06:00.006-05:00

Green Livin High Prices Cause Drivers to Hit Credit Card Cutoffs

Green livin the pump slowed and cut off Brendan Baker's gasoline purchase at $74. He returned the nozzle to the pump, swiped his credit card a second time, then put the nozzle back in his 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 and continued fueling. He finished pumping and looked at his two receipts, which totaled $95.23.

"Normally I don't keep them because they remind me how much money I wasted," said Baker, a computer technician refueling at his local Sunoco station in Centreville.

With skyrocketing gas prices, many customers are bumping up against pay-at-the-pump credit card limits -- often $75. Rules limiting these transactions are nothing new, but with gas prices exceeding $4 per gallon, it's increasingly easy to exceed the limit, leaving many customers to face the hassle of dealing with two-transaction purchases.

At the station where Baker was filling up, 30 to 50 cars out of a total of about 900 hit the limit each day, according to the station owner. On a recent Saturday afternoon, the station bustled with Toyota 4Runners, Tacomas and other fuel-thirsty vehicles.

Back in 2003, when Jeff Urban bought his Hummer, paying $75 to fill up would have been unthinkable. But now, Urban joked, his goliath SUV will soon be a three-transaction vehicle.
Getting cut off mid fill-up is "a pain," Urban said after fueling. "Especially in Northern Virginia, where it's a go-go-go lifestyle, it's an extra couple of minutes out of the day that frustrates you."
Customers who pay inside stations can still use their credit cards like anywhere else and face no limit.

But at the pump, the size of credit card purchases has been limited largely to protect gas stations, which can be charged if there's a problem with the transactions. Purchases at the pump are particularly vulnerable to trouble since no signature is required to verify the user's identity. And since the credit card is swiped before the gas is pumped, there's no way to know the size of the purchase when it's authorized.

Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card generally guarantee that merchants will be paid the first $75 of a pay-at-the-pump transaction. American Express determines its limits based on the contractual relationship with the companies. But beyond those levels, gas stations are more likely to foot the bill in what are called charge backs if a transaction is bad.

Gas station owners and managers say they are already hard-pressed to hand more money back to credit card issuers. The high price of gasoline has left many stations in a financial fix. They've squeezed their average markup to remain competitive and the interchange fees they pay to credit card issuers, which rise with the sale price, are up.

The average station makes a profit of $60 at the pump per day, says Jeff Lenard, a spokesman for the National Association of Convenience Stores. "It's not uncommon to lose money selling gas. So the idea of losing $20 or $50 [in charge backs] is too much."

Visa recently amended its rules to make it less risky for stations to increase the limit on pay-at-the-pump sales. Until April 2007, merchants could be charged the entire amount of any bad purchase over $50. That month, Visa changed its rules so that merchants were liable only for the amount of the purchase that exceeded $50. In April of this year, Visa increased the limit to $75.

Discover has also increased its limit to $75 from $50. MasterCard has had a $75 limit for several years.

Stations "are faced with two bad options -- allow the pump to go beyond $75 and risk not getting paid . . . or take a customer from frustrated [with gas prices] to outright anger," Lenard said.

Even when station owners want to take on more risk, limits are generally set by the oil companies rather than by the stations themselves. Sunoco limits the transactions to $75 if customers are using Visa or MasterCard. Chevron and Exxon Mobil's limits are either $75 or $100, depending on the credit card used. East of the Rocky Mountains, BP sets a pay-at-the-pump limit of $100, although a spokesman said some stations may choose to set higher limits.
In response to complaints over the payment restrictions, a few individually owned stations have increased their limits.

Gezahegne Daba, manager of a Hess station on the corner of New York and Montana avenues in Northeast Washington, said his station recently raised the pay-at-the-pump limit to $100 after a rash of consumer complaints.

Across the street, Thomas Goode paid an additional 2 cents per gallon to fill up the Chevy Astro van he used for work at a Shell station. A few months earlier, he had been using the Hess station, but it would cut him off at $50. After stopping at Shell one day, he discovered the station had a higher limit for his corporate card. "After I pumped the gas and I found out there wasn't a $50 limit on it, I just kept" going there, he said.

A Gaithersburg Liberty station recently negotiated to increase its limits to $75 from $50, though some cards still cut off at $50. The station also offers customers a 5-cent per gallon discount if they pay cash.

Many customers are taking the deal.

"I used to fill up with a credit card, but now I fill up with cash because it's cheaper," said Kevork Araklian, who said he expected his weekly gas bill for his 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe to reach $220 this week. He doesn't mind paying inside. "It just takes two seconds," he said.

A handful of area stations are avoiding the problem of interchange fees and charge backs altogether by accepting only cash. Filling up at a cash-only Freestate station in Rockville, Ann Seltz says she used to find paying with cash irritating until the fuel bill for her Audi A4, which should take only premium gasoline, got so expensive. "Now I go wherever's cheapest," she said.

Green Livin The 7 Most Fuel Efficient Used Cars Under $10,000

2008-08-03T08:49:00.003-05:00

Green Livin You're sick of your SUV and thinking of getting a car that's new to you, but which ones get the best gas mileage for the price? Green Livin and Consumer Reports has the answer — a list of the 7 most fuel efficient used cars for under $10,000.

Why buy used? Well, as CR says "depreciation accounts for 46 percent of the owner costs over a five-year period." Why not let someone else take the hit?

"By focusing on a nearly-new model, say 2-3 years old, you can find a vehicle that offers comparable fuel economy, performance, safety, and reliability as a new car, often with some transferable warranty coverage remaining.

Amen! Anyway, here's the list. Some of the cars are older than 2-3 years, but hey. They're all under $10k.

Here's the list:

2000 Honda Insight (manual) 51 mpg
2001-02 Toyota Prius 41 mpg
2000-05 Toyota Echo 38 mpg
1998-2002 Chevrolet Prizm 32 mpg
1998 Mazda Protegé LX 32 mpg
1998-2000 Toyota Corolla LE 32 mpg
1998-2001 Acura Integra LS (manual) 32 mpg

Consumer Reports has a list of the top cars from $10,000-$20,000, which you can view here.

Best used cars for fuel economy [Consumer Reports]

(Photo: smcgee )

Green Livin How Often Do You Really Need an Oil Change?

2008-08-02T10:27:00.001-05:00

Green Livin How often do you really need to change your car's oil? Conventional wisdom has always put it at every 3,000 miles to prevent engine wear, but isn't changing oil that frequently wasteful and unnecessary? Whats the "greenest" and longest-lasting oil you should use?

Green Livin There is much debate in the automotive world over how often drivers of typical passenger cars or light trucks should change their oil. The quick-lube chains usually recommend it be done every three months or 3,000 miles, but many mechanics would tell you that such frequent changes are overkill.

Indeed, most car owner's manuals recommend changing out the oil less frequently, usually after 5,000 or 7,500 miles.

According to the automotive website Edmunds.com, the answer depends more on driving patterns than anything else. Those who rarely drive more than 10 miles at a time (which doesn't get the oil hot enough to boil off moisture condensation) or who start their car frequently when the oil isn't hot (when most engine wear occurs) should change their oil more often -- at least twice a year, even if that's every 1,000 miles, according to Edmunds.

But commuters who drive more than 20 miles a day on mostly flat freeway can go as far as their owner's manual recommends, if not longer, between changes. As a car ages, more frequent changes might be in order, but that's for a qualified mechanic to decide on a case-by-case basis.

"The necessity of 3,000-mile oil changes is a myth that has been handed down for decades," writes Austin Davis, proprietor of the website TrustMyMechanic.com. He says that the economics of the oil change industry demand pushing customers to get their oil changed more frequently -- purportedly as "cheap insurance" against problems cropping up -- whether they need it or not. One of the largest oil change chains, Jiffy Lube, for instance, is owned by Pennzoil-Quaker State, and as such has an incentive to sell as much of the company's traditional petroleum-based oil as possible.

One way to reduce trips to and money spent unnecessarily on quick-lube outlets is to switch to synthetic oils, which last longer and perform better than their traditional petroleum-based counterparts. Davis says that educated drivers should opt for longer lasting, better performing synthetic oils, which are "most likely good for 10,000 to 15,000 miles or six months," whether or not their manufacturers recommend more frequent changes. Some synthetic motor oils, like Amsoil, NEO and Red Line, to name a few, are created specifically to last 25,000 miles or one year before needing a change.

While neither conventional nor synthetic motor oils are good for the environment if disposed of improperly or spilled, most environmentalists would opt for the latter since it lasts three or more times longer and thus reduces waste (or energy use if recycled). Researchers have also been experimenting with producing greener motor oils. One pilot project out of Purdue University has produced high-quality, carbon-neutral motor oil from canola crops.

But consumers should not expect to see such products on store or garage shelves anytime soon, as the costs of production are high and the availability of cropland is limited. But the very existence of such alternatives -- no doubt more are in the offing -- bodes well for the future as oil becomes more scarce and expensive.

Green Livin Total Solar Eclipse Tonight: Where, How to See It

2008-08-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Watch for the Solar Eclipse Tonight

Green Livin Solar eclipses have been blamed in the past for war, famine, and the deaths of kings. But the upcoming total eclipse tonight will mostly be celebrated by excited sky-watchers—even if it won't break any records.

The sun will be completely obscured for just under two and a half minutes, "a tad on the short side," according to astrophysicist Fred Espenak, an eclipse expert based at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

A typical eclipse lasts for three minutes, Espenak said, and the longest possible is seven and a half minutes.

When it starts, this year's full eclipse will be visible from a narrow arc spanning the Northern Hemisphere.

Its path will begin in Canada and continue northeast across Greenland and the Arctic, then southeast through central Russia, Mongolia, and China.

The eclipse will start around 8:30 a.m. Greenwich mean time in the eastern part of the arc, leading to totality in just under an hour.

In a much wider swath of the globe—including northeastern North America along with most of Europe and Asia—people will be able to see a partial eclipse.

"Drop Dead Gorgeous"

A multiple-exposure image shows the many phases of a total solar eclipse. During totality (the few minutes of time when the sun is totally eclipsed), daytime skies become as dark as a moonlit night and the ambient temperature drops noticeably

The moon crosses between Earth and the sun once a month during the new moon. For an eclipse to happen, the moon has to come directly between the two bodies—it can't be too high or low relative to Earth.

Sometimes the moon will be close enough that just an edge will pass in between, resulting in a partial eclipse.

About 25 percent of eclipses are total eclipses, and there are about seven of these a decade, Espenak said. But at any given geographic location, a total eclipse will be visible an average of once in 375 years.

The last total solar eclipse visible from the United States was in 1979, and it was seen mostly in the Pacific Northwest.

When a total solar eclipse takes place, about half the daytime world doesn't see any of it, Espenak said. Another 49 percent of people see it as a partial eclipse.

Less than one percent of people see totality, which Espenak describes as "drop dead gorgeous."

"On a scale of one to ten, a partial eclipse is of some interest," he said. "A total eclipse on that scale is ten million. It can't be compared to anything else. It should be on everybody's life list."

Of course, the weather can throw a monkey wrench in any observation plans.

This year, conditions in China are likely to be most favorable for getting a good look at the full eclipse, according to weather data analyzed by Espenak and Jay Anderson from the University of Manitoba in Canada.

Their calculations show that the skies above China in August are cloudy around 35 percent of the time, compared with upward of 90 percent of the time in many other parts of the eclipse's path.

"It's always a crapshoot," Espenak said. "You try to stack the odds in your favor."

Tom Burns, director of the Perkins Observatory in Delaware, Ohio, helped put together a viewing-safety Web site during the Christmas eclipse of 2001.

He was hearing too often, he recalled, of people trying to view the partial eclipse through sunglasses, compact discs, or—surprisingly—Pop Tart bags.

"The only time it's safe to observe an eclipse through a Pop Tart bag is if the Pop Tart is still in it," he said.

He and his colleagues, who frequently instruct groups of sky-gazers on safe sun-watching, instead recommend special eclipse glasses.

For the growing population of sky-gazers who would love to see an eclipse and can't make it northward this year, it might be best to make reservations to visit southern Illinois, he added.

Weather permitting, people there will get to see total solar eclipses in 2017 and 2024

Green Livin Four Day School Week in Bid to Cut Energy Costs

2008-07-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

Green Livin Schools kick off eco-initiative

Green Livin In what sounds like a bright idea school's are committed to studying the idea of a 4 day school week as energy costs climb. A practice which would mean less time on the road for school buses along with lower heating bills and CO2 emissions because the schools heat supply could be shut down for a three day weekend.

Not to mention the need for one less set of school lunches to be shipped and prepared, along with one less daily commute for school personnel. All of which would most certainly cut both energy usage and CO2 as well.

Is this a genuine possibility or a pipe dream?

Energy Saving Four Day School Week Has Drawbacks
Such is the question, particularly as changing a school district has, historically, been just slightly less challenging than turning a battleship for most people.

And there are plenty of reasons why the savings might not add up as well, particularly as the cost of day care for most parents would increase significantly as schools often serve a dual role for working parents in an age when two incomes is usually a necessity.

And what may be a saving to the school district on energy bills and CO2 emissions may simply be transferred to those same parents as well. With the costs of running a school system currently spread over the entire population, it’s more than possible that those same costs will simply be redistributed to those with young children who often least can afford the increase.

Perhaps our readers have a suggestions on how schools might make a 4 day week work in an age of climate change and rising energy costs. Anyone able to see how it might work wonders?

Green Livin Cigarette Butt Litter

2008-07-30T07:45:00.010-05:00

Green Livin Only smokers can stop cigarette butt litter.

Whether by habit, lack of resources or lack of caring, not enough is happening to reduce the amount of litter. Cigarette butt litter is still around 50% of all the litter.

Reusable and fire-resistant, the pocket ashtrays are designed to make it easy for smokers to do the right thing with their cigarette butts.

Research shows that many new cars no longer have ashtrays, so more smokers are throwing cigarette butts out of car windows where they can cause roadside fires. Recent tests showed that for every 1,000 smouldering butts that are discarded, 40 fires could result.

To combat this Planet Ark, Clean Up and Landcare have distributed half a million Go Green pocket ashtrays into 1,000 Coles Myer retail stores.

So, purchase a Go Green BUTTsOUT pocket ashtray for the great outdoors and:

Keep our beaches and waterways clean

Reduce the risk of bushfires

Help protect our wildlife and vegetation

Stop the littering of 7 billion butts

Avoid butt littering fines

The $1.59 Go Green BUTTsOUT pocket ashtray is available now in 1,000 Coles and Bi-Lo supermarkets and selected Coles Express, Liquorland, Theo's and Vintage Cellars retail stores.
Ten cents from each ashtray sold is donated to Planet Ark, Clean Up and Landcare.

What is a BUTTsOUT?

A funky reusable pocket ashtray that you can put your cigarette butts in whenever you are outdoors or not near a bin.

The BUTTsOUT personal ashtray is fire-resistant and re-usable, lasting from 3-12 months. It is also:

Easy to use (single hand operation)

Traps in most smell and smoke

Fits easily into the palm of the hand,pocket or purse and can clip onto a belt or bag

The only personal ashtray made in Australia

Comes in over 100 colour combinations

Can be printed with logos and littering messages

BUTTsOUT resources and background include:

Councils Workplaces & Corporate Branding
Retailers
Universities & Colleges Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes

Sustainable solution – the three phase approach to reducing butt litter that BUTTsOUT has pioneered around the world, and has recently seen Colchester council achieve 86.6% reduction

ENpsych – the environmental psychology and behavioural principles that underpin the BUTTsOUT global approach

Campaign resources that provide the infrastructure, educational and awareness material and information for your campaign. Resources can be tailored to your needs to provide maximum impact

The 5 Star Butt Litter Compliance Checklist provides the means for building owners and/or tenants to assess their efforts to provide adequate education and disposal infrastructure for reducing cigarette butt litter around their buildings

The BUTTsOUT which is the centerpiece to all campaigns – a unique personal ashtray that is functional, re-usable, easy to use, and welcomed by smokers

Green Livin Johnny Depp's Island to be Solar and Hydrogen Powered

2008-07-29T09:59:00.004-05:00

Green Livin Buried in an article over on Huffington Post regarding carbon-free fuel is an interesting reveal that actor Johnny Depp is planning on converting his island home to run on solar hydrogen technology.

Back in 2005, Depp bought the the 35-acre island in the Bahamas for around $3m after being inspired by what friend Marlon Brando had done with his own Tahitian paradise. In an interview with the Guardian, the actor recalled his conversation with the late Brando,

“Depp said, ‘Hey, man, I found this thing, this island!’ Brando said, ‘Well, what’s the elevation? Do you have a water system there? What about the electricity?’

Several years later, it appears that Depp is finally getting serious about emulating Brando’s earth-friendly tech elements. According to Peter Hoffmann, the Pirates of the Carribean star is third in line to receive a grid-independent solar hydrogen system from Mike Strizki. The inventor created the nation’s first solar-hydrogen house in New Jersey — without sacrificing any of the amenities included in his 3,500 square-foot home. You can check out a video of his system below.

Depending on the size of Depp’s home on the island, the cost is expected to run between $250,000-$500,000 — which, for someone with an island, isn’t a bad deal for unlimited, clean energy.

Green Livin The Oil Sands Of Alberta

2008-07-28T09:00:00.003-05:00

Green Livin Where Black Gold And Riches Can Be Found In The Sand

There’s an oil boom going on right now. Not in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or any of those places, but 600 miles north of Montana.

In Alberta, Canada, in a town called Fort McMurray where, in the dead of winter, the temperature sometimes zooms up to zero.

The oilmen up there aren’t digging holes in the sand and hoping for a spout.

They’re digging up dirt — dirt that is saturated with oil.

They’re called oil sands, and if you’ve never heard of them then you’re in for a big surprise because the reserves are so vast in the province of Alberta that they will help solve America’s energy needs for the next century.

Within a few years, the oil sands are likely to become more important to the United States than all the oil that comes to us from Saudi Arabia.

Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, vehicles that look like prehistoric beasts move across an arctic wasteland, extracting the oil sands.

There is so much to scoop, so much money to be made.

There are 175 billion barrels of proven oil reserves here. That’s second to Saudi Arabia’s 260 billion but it’s only what companies can get with today’s technology. The estimate of how many more barrels of oil are buried deeper underground is staggering.

The oil sands are buried under forests in Alberta that are the size of Florida.

The oil here doesn’t come gushing out of the sand the way it does in the Middle East. The oil is in the sand. It has to be dug up and processed.

The oil sands look like a very rich, pliable kind of topsoil. Why doesn’t oil come out when squeezed? Well, because it’s not warm enough. If you add this to hot water you’ll start the separation process and you’ll see the oil come to the top of the water and you’ll see sand drop to the bottom.

It may look like topsoil but all it grows is money.

It didn’t always. The oil sands have been in the ground for millions of years, but for decades, prospectors lost millions of dollars trying to squeeze the oil out of the sand. It simply cost too much.

But then $40 a barrel happened and the oil sands not only made sense, they made billions for the people digging them. But it wasn’t just the price of oil that changed the landscape, it was the toys. That’s what they call the giant trucks and shovels that roam the mines.

Everything about the oil industry has always been big. It’s characterized by bigness, from the pumps to the personalities. But up here in Alberta, it’s frankly ridiculous. The mine operates the world's biggest truck. It’s three stories high and costs $5 million. It carries a load of 400 tons of oil sands, which means, at today’s oil prices, each load is worth $10,000 dollars.

The oil sands then go into a plant. They’re heated in a cell, which separates the oil from the sand. The result looks like something out of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. This oil froth is then sent to an upgrader and eventually to a refinery.

The capital of the oil sands frenzy is a frontier town called Fort McMurray, which isn’t in the middle of nowhere. It’s north of nowhere and colder than the Klondike, but a boomtown just the same.

Is this comparable to a gold rush?

I think it’s bigger than a gold rush. We’re expecting $100 billion over the next 10 years to be invested in this area — $100 billion in a population that, currently, is 70,000 people.

"We’re managing $5 billion here. And, about 10 percent of it is in the oil sands. So, it’s the largest single investment we have," Pickens says.

And if oil sands are the answer for investors, does Pickens think the oil sands are the answer for the United States? "

Oh, I think so," he says.

A million barrels a day are now coming out of the oil sands and oil production is expected to triple within a decade. It won’t replace Middle Eastern oil but at that point it will be the single largest source of foreign oil for the United States, even bigger than Saudi Arabia, which sends a million and a half barrels a day to America.

"When it comes to exploration in the oil sands, you can’t drill a dry hole. It’s there," he says. "We know where it is. They’ve outlined it. You don’t have any risk. But other conventional sectors around the world, there’s a huge exploration risk."

The exploration risks are the least of it. Much of the world’s crude is in the Middle East where the instability is deeper than the oil. When Alberta’s blue-eyed sheiks took to Wall Street last summer in their Stetsons to drum up support for the oil sands, their message seemed to be, "If you can’t trust Alberta, who can you trust?"

100,000 people are needed in Fort McMurray. That’s why one oil company has built a runway to fly workers daily from civilization to Fort McMurray. But why would anyone want to come work in a place where temperatures plummet to 40 below and the sun sets shortly after it rises in the long winter? Well, perhaps because the oil companies pay some of the highest salaries in North America.

The oil companies still have other problems. Creating energy from oil sands requires so much energy that the oil companies wind up spiking greenhouse gas emissions. "And they do it in volumes that exceed any other production of oil crude anywhere on the planet," says Elizabeth May, the director of the Sierra Club of Canada.

She takes issue not only with what the oil sands are doing to the atmosphere, but to the land. The oil companies, environmentalists say, are digging up an entire province. Take a helicopter ride over the mines and you’ll think you’re flying over the moon after a moonquake.

"One of the reasons they can be mined the way they’ve been mined is the out of sight, out of mind aspect of it. And your film crew is one of the few that’s gone in there to look at how devastating this is," May says.

The oil companies say they will reduce greenhouse gasses and they point out they are required by Canadian law to refill old mines and plant new trees, and that is happening — slowly. One company, Syncrude, has even introduced bison to land that once was a barren pit.

There is a larger question that not only environmentalists are asking: will the availability of an enormous supply of secure oil right next door mean America will have little incentive to reduce its dependence on oil?

"What Canada’s doing," says May, "is continuing to feed the U.S. addiction to fossil fuels, instead of being the kinda friend who says, 'Let’s make a helpful intervention here.' We're acting as the supplier of a drug fix to the U.S., while all the time saying, 'Just say no.' But we keep selling it."

As blank as the landscape around Fort McMurray, where the world of oil exploration ends.

Does Pickens think the days of cheap oil are gone?

"They’re gone," he says. "From what we knew as cheap oil, when I pumped gasoline in Ray Smith’s Sinclair station on Hinkley Street in Holdenvale, Oklahoma, 11 cents a gallon, that’s gone."

Will we ever again see $1.50 a gallon? "We won’t ever see $1.50 a gallon. No, that’s gone," says Pickens.

Right around the corner from Fort McMurray you can still see oil being produced the traditional way. It’s picturesque now. The wells are still pumping but they belong to the past, like the iron horse that once rode across these prairies.

The future? Up here in Alberta they’re convinced it’s in the dirt.

Green Livin A Modest Proposal: Eco-Friendly Stimulus

2008-07-27T08:30:00.005-05:00

Green Livin ECONOMISTS and members of Congress are now on the prowl for new ways to stimulate spending in our dreary economy. Here’s my humble suggestion: “Cash for Clunkers,” the best stimulus idea you’ve never heard of.

Cash for Clunkers is a generic name for a variety of programs under which the government buys up some of the oldest, most polluting vehicles and scraps them. If done successfully, it holds the promise of performing a remarkable public policy trifecta — stimulating the economy, improving the environment and reducing income inequality all at the same time. Here’s how.

A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT The oldest cars, especially those in poor condition, pollute far more per mile driven than newer cars with better emission controls. A California study estimated that cars 13 years old and older accounted for 25 percent of the miles driven but 75 percent of all pollution from cars. So we can reduce pollution by pulling some of these wrecks off the road. Several pilot programs have found that doing so is a cost-effective way to reduce emissions.

MORE EQUAL INCOME DISTRIBUTION It won’t surprise you to learn that the well-to-do own relatively few clunkers. Most are owned, instead, by low-income people. So if the government bought some of these vehicles at above-market prices, it would transfer a little purchasing power to the poor.

AN EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC STIMULUS With almost all the income tax rebates paid out, and the economy weakening, Cash for Clunkers would be a timely stimulus in 2009. As was made clear during the Congressional debate last winter, prompt spending is critical to an effective stimulus program. And the quickest, surest way to get more consumer spending is to put more cash into the hands of people who live hand-to-mouth.

Here’s an example of how a Cash for Clunkers program might work. The government would post buying prices, perhaps set at a 20 percent premium over something like Kelley Blue Book prices, for cars and trucks above a certain age (say, 15 years) and below a certain maximum value (perhaps $5,000). A special premium might even be offered for the worst gas guzzlers and the worst polluters. An income ceiling for sellers might also be imposed — say, family income below $60,000 a year — to make sure the money goes to lower-income households.

The numbers in this example are purely illustrative. By raising the 20 percent premium, lowering the 15-year minimum age, or raising the $5,000 maximum price or the $60,000 income ceiling, you make the program broader and costlier — and create a bigger stimulus. By moving any of these in the opposite direction, you make the program narrower, cheaper and smaller.

People who sell their clunkers would receive government checks, perhaps paid to them at the motor vehicle bureau office where they turn in their old vehicles. They would be free to spend this money as they see fit, whether on a new car or truck or some other form of transportation — or anything else. To ensure that the program really pulls clunkers off the roads, only vehicles that had been registered and driven for, say, the past year would be eligible.

The government can either sell the cars it buys to licensed recyclers for scrap, or refit them with new emissions controls and resell them. But the government must not ship the cars to poor countries, where they would continue to belch pollutants.

Cash for Clunkers is not the pipe dream of some academic scribblers. Local variants are either now in operation or have been tested in California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Texas, Virginia and several Canadian provinces. So there is no need for a “proof of concept.” Rather, a national Cash for Clunkers program could learn from all this experience in building a better system.

THE big need to date has been money, which is why the scope of Cash for Clunkers programs has been limited. And that, of course, is where the need for stimulus comes in. We now want intelligent ways for the federal government to spend money.

Here’s a high-end cost calculation for a national program. Suppose we took two million cars off the road a year, at an average purchase price of $3,500 (the top price in the Texas program today). Including all the administrative costs of running the program, that would probably cost about $8 billion. Compared with other nationwide income-transfer or environmental policies, that’s a pretty small bill. For stimulus purposes, it would, of course, be better to run the program on a larger scale, if possible. There are over 250 million cars and light trucks on American roads, and some 30 percent are 15 years old or older. That’s at least 75 million clunkers. At five million cars a year — an ambitious target, to be sure — the program would cost less than $20 billion, still cheap compared with the $168 billion stimulus enacted in February.

And what would all this money buy? First, less pollution. The Texas program estimated that clunkers spew 10 to 30 times as much pollution as newer cars. Second, the subsidy value (the 20 percent premium in my example) is a direct income transfer to the owners of clunkers, who are mostly low-income people. Third, these folks would almost certainly spend the cash they receive — not just the subsidy, but the entire payment, giving the economy a much-needed boost.

Oh, and I left out a fourth possible goal. By pulling millions of old cars off the road, Cash for Clunkers would stimulate the demand for new cars as people trade up. It need hardly be pointed out that our ailing auto industry, like our ailing economy, could use a shot in the arm right now. Scrapping two million or more clunkers a year should help.

With today’s concerns over stimulus, inequality and greenhouse gases, as well as an aging vehicle fleet, Cash for Clunkers is an idea whose time may finally have come. Write your congressman.

Green Livin 7 Celebrity Environmentalists in Need of Green 101

2008-07-26T07:50:00.003-05:00

Green Livin We love our green celebrities, but for the most part, they are as fresh and new to this fight against climate change as Brangolina's twin babies Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline are to the world. They can give global warming a big 'ol kick in the organically-grown cotton pants simply by gracing the covers of supermarket rags. They can get the word out by looking posh in gleaming hybrids, shopping with chic reusable bags, or sending thousands of extra stilettos to New Orleans. But just like free-range baby chicks taking their first tottering steps into the farmyard, sometimes they fall in a big pile of cow dung meant for the methane digester.

We're not going to call them eco hypocrites, that term that is all the rage now. These folks are on the right track, just under informed or misadvised. Here are our top seven green celebrities who need to enroll in Eco 101 ASAP.

1.)Paul McCartney and the Lexus Hybrid Delivered by Plane Fiasco

Given, it wasn't really the fault of our favorite green knight (and apparently he's really peeved). But somebody in his posse should have kept closer tabs on how that free Lexus LS600H Hybrid was going to get from Japan to the U.K. Green car it was -- but not any more. Delivery by plane instead of by boat means its transport footprint was 100 times larger, and it got 4 mpg for the first 5,966 miles of it’s life without even hitting the road. The shocking carbon blunder: This Beatles alum might as well have jumped in his car and driven around the world six times.

2.) When Woody Harrelson Forgot His Vegan Belt and Shoes

Woody Harrelson was green before it was trendy. He scaled the Golden Gate Bridge to save the redwoods, was inspired by the fish he saw during a scuba trip to become a vegetarian, is keen on biodiesel (he took a road trip across the West Coast in a hemp oil-fueled biodiesel bus), and doesn't like it when scientists stick pins in rats.

But what to do when you are in France for the Cannes Film Festival without your most favorite vegan belt and shoes? Why fly them over from California, of course.

Don't worry, he has taken punishment into his own hands and is now starving himself on an island for 40 days. We don't mind if you eat Woody, but the veganism extremism is a bit over-the-top...

3.) Arnold Schwarzenegger and the State of California's Tax on Used Fryer Grease

Dear Arnold, with all the amazing eco initiatives rolling out from the state of California, we've notice a bit of umm..slippery bureaucracy. Do you really need to tax fryer grease repurposed from a chowder house? Mechanic Dave Eck inspired the world with his feet of vegetable oil-powered vehicles, but California through the book at him. Granted the Governator was out of the loop, but seems a bit unfair that in the Golden State, Eck's a tax cheat and illegally operating without a "diesel fuel supplier's license" and permission from the Air Resources Board. Oh yeah, the poor guy also needs $1 million in liability insurance just in case he spills some.
The good news? He can drive in the carpool lane.

4.) Google Founders and Their $60 million dollar "Party Plane"

Gotta have at least one air travel culprit on this list. In the workplace, media giant Google is greening the way with a solar-clad headquarters, cafeterias serving hormone-free chicken, beef from free-range cows and eggs from cage-free hens, and free shuttle service for employees. They even have an employee incentive plan that encourages walking, biking, and taking public transportation.

Course, that doesn't mean the co-founders follow it: After a public dispute, Sergey Brin and Larry Page were revealed to be more concerned about the size of the mattresses in their $60 million dollar "party plane." The Boeing 767 carries 180 passengers in commercial use and is three times as heavy as a conventional executive plane, says the Wall Street Journal. Tripped out with the comforts of home, the Google plane is luxury all the way, with customized showers, dining rooms, and bedrooms...which leave room for only 50 people.

5.) Gwyneth Paltrow's Perfume Smells Fishy

Oh Gwynnie, you promote hybrids, shop for organic products and green baby furniture, and support Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Father of Inconvenient Truth Al Gore, so why are you hawking a perfume line that contains seriously dangerous chemicals? According to the Cosmetic Database, Estée Lauder Pleasures Delight body lotion gets a hazard score of 8 out of 10 (10 being dose yourself with this stuff and bring on the cancer, birth defects, reproduction failures, and immune toxicity). And it's not like she didn't have better options: Of all the skin creams on the market we could lather up with, 96 percent show better scores.

6.) Vanity Fair's Green Issue Features Material Girl

Ok, so this one's not exactly a celebrity, but Vanity Fair, tell us again: How exactly is Madonna green? Spending almost 10,000 dollars a month on Kabbalah-blessed hydration, she's more the Queen of Bottled Water than the Queen of Pop. Some even blame her for starting the trend in the 1980's, with her promotion of Evian. She also invests in oil exploration, and her carbon footprint could squash us flat, at 100 times the average British citizen's. And no hybrid for this gas-wallowing diva: Her fleet includes a Mercedes Maybach, two Range Rovers, Audi A8s, and a Mini Cooper S.

7.) Cold Play Frontman Chris Martin and the Dead Mango Trees

He's probably the least green of those on our list, but Coldplay frontman Chris Martin (husband to #5) gets kudos for his fight for fair trade, eco-themed lyrics, and his aversion to meat. In 2005, he was named PETA's World’s Sexiest Vegetarian. Yep, the intentions were good when he launched his scheme to offset CO2 emissions created by 26 million in album sales by planting 10,000 mango trees in southern India. Bummer we never saw the fruits of his labor. Most of the trees died in 2006. v

Green Livin Miley Cyrus 'eco-anthem'

2008-07-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Wake Up America

Green Livin Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) wants America to wake up and deal with global warming ... though she's not quite sure what that means. At least, that's what she admits in a song -- dubbed an "eco-anthem" by some, though I'm curious what qualifies it as an anthem -- on her new release Breakout.

It may seem not to fit on an album whose title track whines "Every week's the same/Stuck in school's so lame/My parents say that I'm lazy/Getting up at 8 a.m.'s crazy/Tired of bein' told what to do/So unfair, so uncool." But once you listen to it (or read the lyrics), you may agree with the Entertainment Weekly reviewer who suggests Miley "talks about our troubled planet as if it were a needy adolescent." In which case, perhaps the song fits quite well.

No word yet on whether she'll be touring by biodiesel bus, releasing the CD in ecofriendly packaging, or really doing anything more than singing about doing something. But as many artists have found recently, singing eco-songs is one step in the right direction.

Listen to Miley's "Wake Up America" here and check out the full lyrics below:

Wake Up America

Oh, can you take care of her
Oh, maybe you can spare her

Several moments of your consideration
Leading up to the final destination

Oh, the earth is calling out,
I wanna learn what it's all about,
But everything I read -- global warming, going green
I don't know what all this means, but it seems to be saying

Wake up, America, we're all in this together
It's our home so let's take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to wake up, America
Tomorrow becomes a new day and everything you do
Matters, yeah, everything you do matters in some way

Stand up, I'll try if you will
Wake up, it's not a fire drill
All she needs is a little attention
Can you give her just a little attention?

Uh oh, it's easy to look away
But it's getting harder day by day

Everything I read -- global warming, going green
I don't know what all this means, but it seems to be saying

Wake up, America, we're all in this together
It's our home so let's take care of it
You know you want to
You know that you got to wake up, America
Tomorrow becomes a new day and everything you do
Matters, yeah, everything you do matters in some way

I know that you don't want to hear it
Especially coming from someone so young

But in the back seat, yeah, they want to hear it (they want to hear it)

So come on (turn it up)
Come on (turn it up)
So come on (turn it up)

Wake up, America, we're all in this together
It's our home so let's take care of it
You know that you want to
You know that you got to wake up, America
Tomorrow becomes a new day and everything you do
Matters, yeah, everything you do matters in some way

Green Livin Celeb's Gone Green

2008-07-24T00:01:00.014-05:00

Green Livin Leonardo DiCaprio's Eco-Charity. Plus Tommy Lee's Rockin' Green Life and Jesscia Alba's A Green Mom

...A genuine go-to-green guy, Leonardo DiCaprio always takes time for the environment. Now, the actor is selling his $300 thousand Jaeger-LeCoultre watch to benefit his eco-charity, the Leonardo Dicaprio Fund. DiCaprio teamed up with the Swiss watch-maker to sell his and another $400 thousand time-piece in the fall of 2008 - 100% of proceeds will go to his fund. A big chunk of cash to drop on a watch - no doubt! But, at least the "crazy" money spent on these luxury items will go to a worthy cause.
Check Out: Leonardo Dicaprio Fund

Tommy Lee's Vegetarian Diet:

...It must be love! The hard-living rocker says he's gone veggie in an effort to rebuild his relationship with ex-wife and PETA fave Pamela Anderson. "I just went vegetarian and I dig it, I feel lighter, I like it. I figured that this is something I hadn't done yet but wanted to," reveals Tommy Lee. And I'm sure Tommy's show on Planet Green, "Battleground Earth," also taught him a go-green trick or two. Watch Tommy Lee talk about going vegetarian.

Jessica Alba Thinking Green Vaccines:

...Just like all new moms, the actress is worried about her child's health. She's already greened her daughter's nursery, wardrobe, and diet - now she's concerned about vaccinations. "I've been reading a lot about kids and infections, autism and vaccinations," adds Alba. According to ecorazzi, the average child receives 24 vaccines to protect against 16 different diseases. Opponents think kids' today receive too many, too soon and many of these vaccines are toxic. Read about How To Green Your Baby.

Julianne Moore's A Natural Beauty:

...Love an actress who keeps her beauty real. At 47, Julianne is happy to look her age. "I don't know why women do botox," reveals Moore,"It doesn't make them younger, it just makes them look like they have had work done." Moore's secret to a youthful glow? Living away from Hollywood (she's in New York) and a happy home life with her husband Bart Freundlich and their two kids.

Green Livin Graywater

2008-07-23T11:01:00.005-05:00

Green Livin What is Graywater?

“waste water that does not contain sewage or fecal contamination (such as from the shower) and can be reused for irrigation after filtration.”

Graywater Central, from Oasis Design, defines it in a slightly different manner:
“Any water that has been used in the home, except water from toilets, is called graywater. Dish, shower, sink, and laundry water comprise 50-80% of residential waste water. This may be reused for other purposes, especially landscape irrigation.”

As part of ways to save the planet, we recommend the re-use of water, but what are the benefits of using graywater? Again, Graywater Central lists a few:

Lower fresh water use
Less strain on failing septic tank or treatment plant
Graywater treatment in topsoil is highly effective
Ability to build in areas unsuitable for conventional treatment
Less energy and chemical use
Groundwater recharge
Plant growth
Reclamation of otherwise wasted nutrients

Greywater.com is a great source of information that provides step-by-step information on how to set up an irrigation system, how much water you could save, what to do about pollutants and so on.

Advanced Greywater Treatment

Green Livin The Sun Lounger

2008-07-22T10:16:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Solar Sun Chair

It seems an obvious idea, doesn't it? By their very nature, sun loungers spend an awful lot of time soaking up rays, so why not turn that energy into something more than just a whole lot of sunburn for you?

This chaise lounge has a panel over the head made of solar panel fabric that acts as a sunshade and moves to protect you from the sun. At the same time it collects solar energy. This is converted into electricity that can be used to charge all those essential gadgets needed for the beach such as a dock to download your digital camera pictures and load up MP3 players and even a GPS in case you get lost. It has a sliding laptop table so that you can read Green Livin at the same time. Of course there are speakers and long-range WiFi antennae. Called the "Tech Chair", the humble sun lounger has been transformed into an "advanced technological hub of summer entertainment".The concept, perhaps surprisingly, is the brainchild of designers at PC World.

Green Livin 17 Electric Cars You Must See

2008-07-21T08:33:00.009-05:00

Green Livin Electric Cars

Over the past 3 years, TreeHugger has wrote about many electric cars. We think it's time to look in the rearview mirror, so here's an overview. If you see anything you like, just follow the links to see the original articles.

Electric Roadster by Tesla Motors

The electric car that made a lot of people do a double-take (in a good way). Yes, it's expensive, and yes, it's only a two-seater, but it can make people want it like few other green cars, and someone has to pay the early-adopter 'tax'. Our first post about it was in two years ago. Since then, we've written about the opening of the first Tesla Motors store in California, about what happens to a Tesla battery pack at the end of its life, and recently about Tesla's hiring of a new VP of Engineering and Manufacturing. Update: The Tesla electric Roadster has just started shipping to customers and Martin Eberhard Blogs About Getting his Tesla Roadster.

Model S by Tesla Motors

We don't really know much about Tesla's second car yet, so no picture. It used to be known as the 'Whitestar' but is now the 'Model S'. A 5-seat, 4-door sporty sedan in the vein of the BMW 5. Should sell for about $60,000 and manage 225 miles on a charge.

E6 Electric Car by BYD

BYD is China's biggest battery maker, and that gives them an edge over most automakers when when it comes to electric cars (the battery's always the big challenge). The E6 electric car was introduced at the 2008 Beijing International Auto Show. We don't know yet when the company will start selling it, but its F6DM plug-in hybrid is scheduled for 2010 (probably to be followed by the F3DM plug-in hybrid). Range for the E6 should be 300 km (186 miles).

XS500 Electric Car by Miles

When we first wrote about the XS500 by Miles, it generated quite a bit of excitement because of its relatively low price tag for a highway-capable electric car: $30,000. We then got more information about the XS500 and confirmation that the target price was now "$30,000 to $35,000" for the 2009 XS500 in the US. The XS500 should have an all-electric range of about 120 miles.

i MiEV Electric Car by Mitsubishi

We've written a lot about the cute little i MiEV electric car by Mitsubishi. It seems relatively close to commercialization. Mitsubishi even announced that it was 1 year ahead of schedule, and it has plans to sell it globally. For more, you can see photos of the i MiEV at the New York Auto Show and three Japanese commercials.

R1e Electric Car by Subaru

The R1e by Subaru is kind of a cross between the i MiEV above and Toyota's iQ urban car (spy shots of the Toyota iQ here). For more, you can see photos of the Subaru R1e driving around New York City, and more info about the two R1e electric cars that will be tested by the New York power authority. Our guess is that the R1e won't be commercialized - it's probably a learning platform for Subaru - and the Subaru G4e electric car has more chances of making it to market.

Electric Supercar by Hybrid Technologies

This one is still a concept, and who knows if it will ever be sold, but we're told that a prototype should be on the road next Autumn. It was designed by Hybrid Technologies and doesn't seem to have a name yet. They have planned two version: All-electric, and plug-in hybrid. The latter will try to compete in the Automotive X Prize.

Electric Minis by PML and BMW

This is actually two different electric cars. The first one is a normal Mini that was modified by PML (pictured above). They added electric motors in the wheels and it could apparently do 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds! The second version of the electric Mini has been announced by BMW, but unfortunately they're only going to sell them in California, and they're only going to make 500.

EV1 Electric Car by General Motors (RIP)

Next we have the now defunct EV1 electric car that was manufactured by General Motors between 1996 and 1999, and leased in California and Arizona. A good way to get more background info on it is to watch the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?. Some people have questioned how good it actually was, but even if it had big flaws, that's a little beside the point. It was a first, and should have opened the floodgates for more. Instead, the cars were crushed and even removed from museums.

Electric Car by Mercedes (2010)

We don't yet know what this one will look like (pictured above is the F700 concept), but Mercedes has announced ambitious plans to eliminate fossil fuels from its car lineup by 2015, and that includes an electric car in 2010. We'll have to wait and see.

Electric Car by Nissan (2010-2012)

Similarly to Mercedes, Nissan has announced an electric car to be introduced in 2010 and mass-produced in 2012. We don't know yet what it will look like or what it will be called. Pictured above is Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in front of a test-car (not electric).

REVA Electric Car

When we dig a bit deeper in the archives, we find the REVA electric car. It's not exactly going to set the mainstream car market afire, but it has the benefit over many other electric cars to be available now. In fact, you can probably see some driving around London.

ZENN Low Speed Electric Car by Feel Good Cars

According to the makers of the ZENN electric car, the name is actually an acronym for "Zero Emissions, No Noise". It is a "low speed neighborhood vehicle" with a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 40 miles.

Tango Electric Car

Mostly known as "That small electric car that George Clooney drives!", the electric Tango is faster than you might think: With a 0 to 60 time of 4 seconds, it can smoke quite a few sports cars. Bonus: You can park 3-4 of them side by side in a regular parking spot.

Eliica Electric Car by KEIO University

A few years ago, this 8-wheel electric monster got segments on evening news all around the world. Even Japan's then prime minister went to have a look. The Eliica electric car is a true speed demon. In the right conditions, it can do 400kph (250mph), and 0 to 100km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4 seconds. It is powered by li-ion batteries, and the only thing is can't do is go back to the future.

Wrightspeed X1 Electric Car

The fastest electric cars mentioned above can do 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds. That's fast, really fast! But that's not enough, apparently: The X1 can do 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, leaving the competition in the dust. There's even a popular video of the electric car beating a Ferrari and a Porsche.

Saturn SP1 Electric Car Conversion by Students of Napoleon High School

It's no the prettiest of most high-tech electric car featured here, but we've got to give some kudos to teachers and students of Napoleon High School in Jackson, Michigan. This 1995 Saturn SP1 was converted to run on electricity as part of a school project for the automotive-technology students. Now that's the kind of homework we wish we had in high-school!

Green Livin Flying Pigs ?

2008-07-20T08:15:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Radioactive Pigs

Las Vegas -- It hit 117 degrees here. But what's heating up longer term is another kind of heat -- radiation. The Department of Energy applied for its long-sought permit to open a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. DOE proceeded, as it always has on this project, with reckless disregard of the fact that isn't nearly ready to answer the questions that will arise. Just before the filing, the State of Nevada revealed that it had identified between 250 and 500 legal flaws in the permit process, any one of which could be the basis for a legal challenge.

Steve Frishman, technical policy coordinator for the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, warned: "We believe there should be real designs….The whole license application is whether the NRC can say whether there will be reasonable assurance the repository is safe. How can you have reasonable assurance when you don't know what the (radiation) doses are to the public?"

More evidence of the hard-wired sloppiness that has plagued Yucca from the start popped up a week after DOE filed for its NRC permit. Holtec International, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of nuclear waste storage systems, called Yucca a "doomed undertaking" and said the safety procedures proposed by DOE were a "fool's errand."

Normally outsiders have a hard time grasping the technical issues at Yucca, but this latest recklessness is simplicity itself. Yucca lies near earthquake faults and is expected to experience quakes of up to 6.5 on the Richter scale. DOE rejected Holtec's proposal that the nuclear waste casks undergoing the four-year "cool down" period before being storied permanently should be tied down with seismic anchors. Now in San Francisco, where I live, gargoyles on office building are seismically anchored. It seems abundantly clear that nuclear waste casks should be as well. But DOE wants to save money and, as Holtec said, in an earthquake "pigs will fly before the casks will stay put." Again, this is not the opinion of Greenpeace -- it's a company that stores nuclear waste as a business.

So how does this play out politically? Nevada is a Presidential battleground state, and has a closely contested Congressional seat as well.

Sixty percent of Nevadans continue to oppose Yucca. More than half say that a Presidential candidate's stance on Yucca will influence their vote in November. John McCain supports Yucca. Barack Obama opposes it. More troubling for Nevadans, McCain favors an investment of hundreds of billions of dollars in constructing at least 45 new nuclear power plants, and perhaps as many as 145. These new plants if built will need storage -- and Yucca, as presently designed, will be full. But the pressure will be enormous to just ship the added waste to Nevada, on the grounds that it is already at risk.

As Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid put it during McCain's most recent visit to Las Vegas, McCain "believes Nevada is a wasteland."

Commissioner Reid also drew a sharp contrast between the two candidates: “While Sen. McCain wants to bury the most toxic substance known to man in our state, Sen. Obama wants to spend billions of dollars to invest in new technologies that will create 5 million new jobs across the country.”

McCain's response to Nevada was scornful. From the seemingly safe distance of California, he rejected the notion that there could be anything wrong with the Yucca site, saying “It’s not a technological breakthrough that needs to be taken; it’s a NIMBY problem.” However, it appears that NIMBY is a relative concept, depending on whose backyard we're talking about. Because when asked earlier what he thought about the safety of just shipping radioactive waste through Arizona to get to Yucca, McCain, as this YouTube clip shows, made it clear he didn't like the idea at all.

But about a half million Nevadans have moved into the state since DOE last seriously tried to move the Yucca Mountain project along. Our challenge is going to be educating those new residents about the federal plan to use junk science and rushed permits to make their state the designated sacrifice zone to revive the financial fortunes of America's nuclear power complex

Green Livin Green Spaces

2008-07-19T07:54:00.003-05:00

Grand Canyon Adventure

Few subjects utilize Imax 3-D as fully as the whitewater rafting journey chronicled in Grand Canyon Adventure. There's plenty of bucking and torquing through the Colorado River's Class IVs, and in more placid moments, panoramas induce a sense of wonderment for the Southwest's lifeline and the gorge that it created.

This sort of grandeur hardly needs a narrative, but Grand Canyon Adventure hitches itself to one anyway by tagging along with author/photographer/anthropologist Wade Davis and daughter Tara. Narrated by Robert Redford and scored with Dave Matthews Band remixes, their trip takes place amid pleas to save it from drought, overuse, and mismanagement.

The Davises are easy to like but hard to take seriously, especially when Bobby Kennedy, chief attorney of Riverkeeper and passionate spokesman for the environmental movement, is in the next boat. Yet Kennedy receives scant screen time, perhaps because his crusade contrasts too starkly with the Davises' affecting family story.

The Colorado is as imperiled as it is spectacular. Imax does a great job with spectacle, but the peril remains as grave as ever.

Green Livin Starbucks going rBGH Free

2008-07-18T07:36:00.010-05:00

Green Livin Udderly awesome

If you haven't been ordering that double whipped Frappuccino at your local Starbucks with soy milk, you've likely been gulping down Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH). It makes cows produce more milk, but it's thought to increase the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer in humans (if only they could come up with something to make cows squirt machiatto directly from their udders).

But now, after two years of pressure from the organization Food and Water Watch, Starbucks has announced that it's going to go rBGH free by December 31, 2007.

Moo-chas gracias, Starbucks! (photo: Tami Witschger)

Whew! Now you can guzzle that cinnamon dulce de leche latte with abandon (so long as you don't mind that growing coffee generally requires cutting down the rainforest, or that Starbucks busts unions).

Starbucks spokesman Brandon Borrman says the campaign had nothing to do with the decision.
"This decision was purely driven by our customers," Borrman said. "Increasing numbers of our customers were calling and asking us to do it, and the number of customers ordering organic milk was increasing, and we wanted to meet that demand."

Food and Water Watch spokesperson Jennifer Mueller noted that much of that activity (including 33,000 emails) was generated from call-in days conducted by her organization.
If you want to thank Starbucks CEO Jim Donald for not poisoning you with milk (or ask what "doppio" really means), you can reach the company at 1-800-235-2883.

Green Livin Toyota Struggles to Meet Prius Hybrid Demand

2008-07-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

GREEN LIVIN DETROIT - The surge in popularity for it's hybrids have left Toyota Motor Corp facing an unusual problem. A shortage of their popular models like the Prius hybrid.

The limited inventory of small cars has really hurt Toyota, which reported a 11.5 percent drop in US sales in June.

In contrast, Japanese rival Honda Motor Co reported a 13.8 percent sales rise on record demand for its Fit subcompact car and Civic sedan.

Toyota executives said a dwindling inventory of vehicles, such as the Prius, Yaris and Corolla, forced the automaker to try and keep up with demand , while US auto sales dropped almost 9 percent.

Sales of Toyota's Prius, the top-selling hybrid in the US market, fell 26 percent as dealers ran short of inventory and customers faced a six-month waiting list.

"It is very doubtful that there is going to be able to satisfy the Prius demand and that is very unfortunate," said Jim Lentz, Toyota's head of North American sales.

Toyota had a one-day supply of the Prius hybrid and a 2-1/2 day supply of its hybrid Camry sedan at the end of June.

Toyota cars also ran low in June. Dealer supply of Corolla sedans was down to a 15-day supply, while Yaris had a 7-day supply at the end of June, the automaker said. Toyota expects inventories of Yaris and Corolla to increase in August and was working on its hybrid battery manufacturing plant in Japan.

The current Prius uses nickel-metal hydride batteries made by Panasonic EV and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd.

Toyota, which put the first hybrid car on the road in 1997, goal is reaching global annual sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2010, more than double last year's sales.

Toyota's Lentz said the production constraint made it hard to forecast the market for the hybrid model in the US, the Japanese automaker's largest market.
"We don't know what the top end on Prius is," Lentz said.

In the US market the 3 major Japanese automakers were mixed in June with Nissan Motor Co posting a 7.5 percent decline.

Honda skirted the downtrend in overall US light car sales, outselling Chrysler LLC for the 2nd month in June and ranked 3rd in the US market.

The 3 major Japanese automakers increased their share of the US market to 1.8 over a year ago.

The market share of the 3 Detroit automakers General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler -- fell to 45.8 percent in June from 50.2 percent a year earlier

Green Livin George W. Bush: a Funny Guy

2008-07-16T07:35:00.001-05:00

Green Livin President Bush is a funny guy. As the G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan , Bush apparently ended a private meeting with other leaders with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

We'll let the London Telegraph, the only outlet to report this story, explain the reaction from the obviously humorless onlookers:

"Bush then punched the air while grinning , as the rest of those present looked on in shock ... One official who witnessed the scene said afterwards: 'Everyone was very surprised that he was making a joke about America's record on pollution.'"

Okay, maybe tensions were high because climate change negotiations didn't go as well as some people hoped. Some of that is because the U.S. blocked all proposals on interim emissions targets and benchmarks. But come on people, the man was just trying to lighten the mood!

Green Livin Make your Pool Chemical Free

2008-07-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Green Pool Cleaners

Green Livin Swimming is a great way to stay in shape: it’s a very low-impact, total-body workout. Unfortunately, the chlorine-based cleaning systems we’ve been using in our pools for years have some very bad side effects, including acute respiratory problems. Also, these systems are not effective against all of the nastiest things you can pick up from a swimming pool.

If you’re building or remodeling a pool at your home, or if you just want the facts so you can speak with the people in charge of your gym or community pool, here is the dirt on the latest in people- and earth-friendly aquatic fitness technologies...

Make a Chemical free Pool

A variety of alternatives to chlorine are being used to keep pools clean. Salt is probably the most common today, but salt systems have their downside along with their upside. They do evaporate slower, so you save some water. And they do cut the amount of chemicals in your pool, so they’re definitely a step in the right direction.

But salt systems still use chlorine—in fact, the salt itself is turned into chlorine, albeit in much smaller concentrations than a chlorine system. But you still have many of the same health risks as you do with chlorine, and you’re still contaminating the ground and surface water sources with chlorine when you backwash your pool.

There are completely chemical-free pool cleaning systems out there, however. ECOsmarte makes systems that use copper ionization and liquid oxidation to sanitize pool water, using no dangerous chemicals in the process. Meanwhile, the company’s Filter Glass technology uses 100% recycled, post-consumer waste glass. Better yet, ECOsmarte contributes 5% of its profits to a non-profit organization (of your choosing) that works toward cleaner water and a healthier environment.

There are also clean pools known as “natural pools,” such as those made by Terravita Gardens, which use plants to keep your pool clean. Not only are they chemical free, they also use natural materials to build the pools, giving you something quite close to a naturally occurring swimming hole in your backyard. The plants can either be in the pool, out of the pool, or both, and even conventional swimming pools can be transformed into natural pools.

Save Water and Energy

No matter what kind of pool you have, there are a number of things you can do to lessen its impact on the environment and your health. Here are a few handy suggestions:

Pool covers save water, decrease energy expenditures, and can help to keep your pool from polluting the air. In hot, arid areas, pools can lose more than 5 feet of water a year to evaporation. That water must be replaced from limited resources that are already in high demand.

Worse yet, as pool water evaporates, it carries the harmful chemicals in your pool into the atmosphere. Installing a pool cover therefore not only saves water, it prevents pollution. Installing a pool cover can also help to retain heat in colder areas, saving energy that would have been spent heating your pool.

For the lowest impact, look for pool covers made of recyclable or organic material. A company called Heatsavr has developed a liquid pool cover: when added to your pool, it forms a layer one molecule thick on top of the water that does not need to be removed before swimming and will reform itself when the pool’s water is still.

Chlorine becomes toxic and even carcinogenic when it combines with organic matter—like dirt, leaves, skin, or hair, for instance. Showering before you get into the pool helps to reduce the amount of organic matter present in your pool that reacts with the chlorine.

If possible, set your pool's filter and sweeper systems to run only during off-peak hours. When demand gets too high during peak hours, energy companies can be forced to use backup generators that are not as efficient as their main generators, and they’ll probably charge you more for the privilege, too.

Don’t run your filter and sweeper as long during the fall and winter months when you will not be using your pool anyway. A pool cover will help to keep it clean enough, and you'll save on energy costs.

Getting creative with the landscaping around your pool can have aesthetic benefits and keep your pool cool in the summer and warm in the winter. When designed as a windbreak, landscaping can even help to prevent evaporation.

If your pool needs a professional cleaning—wherein the entire pool is drained and the sides scrubbed with acid—make sure to use a green pool service that recycles your old pool water. This can save as much as 30,000 gallons of water!

If you live near an unpolluted lake, pond, or swimming hole, you’re one of the lucky ones because you get to swim in a pure, self-cleaning body of water. For now, city-dwelling swimmers will often have to settle for man-made pools, and hopefully these will all be as clean and clear as pristine mountain lakes some day. And if that’s what we hope for in the future, the future is already within our grasp...

Green Livin New York Times Building's Sunscreen Removed, Emissions Increased, Thanks To Frenchman Climber "Fighting Carbon Emissions"

2008-07-14T00:01:00.003-05:00

Green Livin When Alain Robert climbed the sunscreen on the New York Times building. Alain Robert may claim to have climbed it for environmental causes, but in fact he has done the environment a huge disservice- it will be a long time before architects put exterior shades on buildings again. Thanks for nothing, Alain." Robert had written that his climb was "a peaceful way to create support for far greater and urgent action from world leaders on global warming. Emissions are still climbing. So am I."

Two copycats later, the New York Times is removing the ceramic tubes. Now the system which cut down the heating load by almost 50% is being removed from the lower portion of the building, directly contributing to the use of more fuel and contributing to global warming. Once again, Thanks for nothing, Alain Robert.

David Dunlap writes in the Times:

The alteration of the facade designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop amounted to a very public and visible admission of defeat, at least temporarily. One of the aesthetic and functional elements that had garnered worldwide attention for The Times’s building at 620 Eighth Avenue was being transformed in the name of security.

It was unclear how far the removal would extend: eight feet, nine feet, 10 feet from the canopy that had offered inadvertently easy access to the three climbers who have scaled the tower.

The screens of ceramic rods that float in front of the clear glass curtain wall are in many ways the building’s signature. “The complexity comes from the skin, the surface of the building actually vibrating, working with the weather,” Renzo Piano, the architect, said in 2001. Likening it to a “fabric of ceramic,” he called the screens a “suncoat” — as opposed to a raincoat — that would cut the transmission of light and heat into the interior, thereby permitting the use of clear, rather than tinted, glass. ::New York Times

Green Livin Alternatives to Pesticide Poisons

2008-07-13T00:01:00.005-05:00

Green Livin How to kill pests without killing yourself or the ... How to kill pests without killing yourself or the earth......

There are about 50 to 60 million insect species on earth - we have named only about 1 million and there are only about 1 thousand pest species - already over 50% of these thousand pests are already resistant to our volatile, dangerous, synthetic pesticide POISONS.We accidentally lose about 25,000 to 100,000 species of insects, plants and animals every year due to "man's footprint". But, after poisoning the entire world and contaminating every living thing for over 60 years with these dangerous and ineffective pesticide POISONS we have not even controlled much less eliminated even one pest species and every year we use/misuse more and more pesticide POISONS to try to "keep up"! Even with all of this expensive and unnecessary pollution - we lose more and more crops and lives to these thousand pests every year.

We are losing the war against these thousand pests mainly because we insist on using only synthetic pesticide POISONS and fertilizers There has been a severe "knowledge drought" - a worldwide decline in agricultural R&D, especially in production research and safe, more effective pest control since the advent of synthetic pesticide POISONS and fertilizers. Today we are like lemmings running to the sea insisting that is the "right way". The greatest challenge facing humanity this century is the necessity for us to double our global food production with less land, less water, less nutrients, less science, frequent droughts, more and more contamination and ever-increasing pest damage.

National Poison Prevention Week, March 18-24,2007 was created to highlight the dangers of poisoning and how to prevent it. One study shows that about 70,000 children in the USA were involved in common household pesticide-related (acute) poisonings or exposures in 2004. At least two peer-reviewed studies have described associations between autism rates and pesticides (D'Amelio et al 2005; Roberts EM et al 2007 in EHP).

It is estimated that 300,000 farm workers suffer acute pesticide poisoning each year just in the United States - No one is checking chronic contamination. In order to try to help "stem the tide", I have just finished re-writing my IPM encyclopedia entitled: THE BEST CONTROL II, that contains over 2,800 safe and far more effective alternatives to pesticide POISONS.

This new website at http://www.thebestcontrol2.com/ has been basically updated; all we have left to update is Chapter 39 and to renumber the pages. All of these copyrighted items are free for you to read and/or download.

There is simply no need to POISON yourself or your family or to have any pest problems.

Stephen L. Tvedten

2530 Hayes Street

Marne, Michigan 49435

1-616-677-1261

Source : Stephen L. Tvedten

Green Livin "eco-bridge": Coming to Chicago's lakefront?

2008-07-12T00:01:00.003-05:00

Green Livin Picture this on the downtown lakefront: A two mile-long land bridge arcing into Lake Michigan and outfitted with wind turbines and a soaring central observation tower. The "Eco-Bridge," Chicago architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill call it. They've been quietly shopping the idea over the past year to civic, business and political leaders, including Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Let's set aside for now the inconvenient hurdle that the land bridge would cost $1 billion and no funding source has been identified.

The bridge, a 21st Century update of a comparable breakwater scheme in Daniel Burnham's celebrated 1909 Plan of Chicago, would form a grand civic space and a harbor, stretching from the Adler Planetarium on the south to East Wacker Drive on the north. You could walk on it, jog on it, maybe even bike on it.

The bridge's observation tower would provide a place to gaze back at the skyline and a display platform for the Olympic flame should Chicago be selected as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It would be built on slag, a byproduct of steel-making, and the slag would be permeable, Smith said, allowing fish to use it as a habitat.

"We've covered a lot of bases. Everyone has been has been conceptually for it," Smith said Thursday in telephone interview from London. "The biggest hang-up is probably the money."

Among the heavy hitters the idea has been presented to, Smith said, are Sadhu Johnston, a deputy mayor and Daley's chief environmental adviser; former Sara Lee Corp. chairman John Bryan; Pat Ryan, the Aon executive chairman who is heading up Chicago's Olympic bid; and members of the Chicago Central Area Committee, the influential group of downtown business and cultural leaders.

The architects have also presented the plan to conservationists, wind energy engineers and developers of wind energy. However, they have not met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which traditionally has a say in shoreline re-development.

Beyond providing a vivid symbol of Daley's efforts to transform Chicago into "the greenest city in America," the plan is being pushed with a more practical aim in mind: Boosting tourism. Citing how Millennium Park has improved the downtown economy, Smith said of the Eco-Bridge: "We see it as another major attraction...that would draw more people to Chicago."

Smith is used to thinking big. A former partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago, the firm responsible for Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center, he's the chief designer for the 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, which will be the city's second-tallest building when it is completed next year. His credits also include the under-construction Burj Dubai, a mixed-used tower in Dubai that is already the world's tallest building even though it won't be finished until next year. The Burj's height, a closely-guarded secret, is expected to be about 2,600 feet, or half a mile into the sky.

The harbor formed by the Eco-Bridge could house 5,000 to 10,000 boats, depending on the types of moorings that were used, and could replace the current Monroe Harbor if that harbor needed to be converted to an Olympic rowing site, Smith said. Chicago's Olympic plan for the 2016 Summer Games proposes a rowing site off the shoreline of Grant Park.

"In order to make that a serious site," Smith said of Monroe Harbor, "you'd have to get rid of the boats for a couple of years. If you did this, you could simply move the boats" to the new harbor. Afterwards, he said, the Olympic rowing site might stay free of boats and become a sailing school or some other type of water amenity for the public.

There are other hurdles besides the big price tag. In its current form, the Eco-Bridge plan calls for "vertical-axis" wind turbines instead of conventional turbines that use propeller blades, in part because the latter are considered ungainly. But the vertical turbines don't generate as much power as propeller tubines, Smith said.

The next step?

"Talking to the Corps of Engineers and then finding a billion dollars," Smith quipped.

Sounding more serious, he added: "I think the mayor would support it. He was enthusiastic about it initially. We need to touch all the bases and we need to know that public opinion is for us."

Green Livin It Ain’t Easy Being Green

2008-07-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

Green Livin Beloved Muppet Kermit the Frog once crooned that it ain’t easy being green. Think how hard it is to remodel in an ecologically-friendly manner when your supplies are wood, stone and chemicals.

The Chicago Sun-Times provides a list of green-friendly remodeling tips:

"The green light on going green

HOME REMODELING Environmentally friendly advice to fix up entire home

If you’re planning on remodeling, now it’s easier to do it green.

The City of Chicago Department of Environment has produced six new guides to help homeowners remodel in ways that use less energy, improve air quality, minimize waste and recycle. Greater energy efficiency means cost savings, reduced pollution and increased comfort.

Kitchens

The Kitchens guide covers flooring, appliances, cabinetry, countertops and tile.

It’s estimated that the average kitchen accounts for 20 to 40 percent of a home’s total energy bill. If your refrigerator and dishwasher are more than 10 years old, you can reduce your utility bills by replacing those old appliances.

Another money-saving trick is to size your appliances to your needs. The style of fridge is important too. In general, models with the freezer on top use up to 25 percent less energy than comparable side-by-side models. Models with through-the-door ice and water use more energy too.

New cabinetry can be the most expensive component in a kitchen remodeling. First, determine whether your cabinets need to be replaced or resurfaced, refinished or repainted. If space is the issue, there are ways to maximize what you already have. Increase storage by adding shelves within the cabinets. Pullout shelves can be added that allow you to retain the existing cabinet doors.

Baths and laundry

The baths and laundry guide explores energy-efficient and water-efficient alternatives for showers, baths, sinks and toilets.

Where do you begin? Define your priorities. Create a list of your most common tasks. Does the design make tasks easier? In terms of space, take an inventory of all categories of space: personal space, elbow room, storage space and floor space. Explore simpler solutions first, such as creating a grooming station in the bedroom to free up traffic jams. Or consolidate cleaning supplies in one area (that’s inaccessible to children, of course).

Building envelope

With the building envelope guide, you can learn weatherization techniques for your home. How to choose roofing materials, insulation and windows is addressed as well.

A home’s building envelope consists of structural materials and finishes such as siding, sheathing, windows, doors, roofing and other materials that prevent heat loss through air leaks.

For example, your roof has a tough job; after all, Chicago receives an average of 33 inches of rainfall and 3 feet of snow every year. Your roof’s ability to shed this moisture dramatically affects your home’s longevity.

Weatherization includes tightening up the building envelope by using caulk, foam and weather-stripping.

An adequately insulated home will provide energy savings and a comfortable environment. Homes that were built before 1970 have little or no insulation.

Painting

The topics in the painting guide include removal of old paint, color choices and low-voc (the least toxic) paints for family and house health.

A new coat of paint can brighten a home, but the painting process can compromise indoor air quality and even release toxic substances (such as lead from existing painted surfaces).

Six hundred million gallons of paint are used every year, according to the National Paint & Coatings Association. A significant portion is wasted through buying too much paint or improper storage. Some of this paint ends up being improperly disposed of, which threatens public health, wildlife and water quality.

Salvage and reuse

In salvage and reuse, you can learn about reuse opportunities in your home, including flooring, molding and cabinets as well as products made from recycled goods.

The City of Chicago requires contractors to recycle construction and demolition debris. Since March of 2006, more than 430,000 tons (or 90 percent of the material generated) has been diverted from landfills. Although home projects represent only a portion of the construction waste total, remodeling invariably results in a variety of items being discarded.

You can incorporate recycled items into your project. For example, you can find salvaged supplies for almost every building material. Especially in Chicago’s vintage homes, used building materials can temper the newness of a remodeling project while tying fresh elements to the existing home.

Hiring the pros

How to find green contractors or architects is explained in this section of the green remodeling guide.

For your remodeling project, your contractor will need special skills and experience. The ideal green remodeling professional will offer direct experience with a project scope similar to yours, plus plenty of knowledge for green concepts and practices.

Remember, you often get what you pay for when hiring a contractor. The lowest bid seldom turns out to be the best deal.

Download the complete series of green remodeling guides at www.cityofchicago.org/environment. Chicago Department of Environment, (312) 744-7606.

Green Livin Climate risk from a flat screen TV

2008-07-10T00:27:00.007-05:00

Green Livin The rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world's largest coal-fired power stations, a leading environmental scientist warned yesterday.

Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tonnes.

As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry, said Michael Prather, director of the environment institute at the University of California, Irvine.

Prather's research reveals that production of the gas, which remains in the atmosphere for 550 years, is "exploding" and is expected to double by next year. Unlike common greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), emissions of the gas are not restricted by the Kyoto protocol or similar agreements.

Writing in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Prather and a colleague, Juno Hsu, state that this year's production of the gas is equivalent to 67m tonnes of carbon dioxide, meaning it has "a potential greenhouse impact larger than that of the industrialised nations' emissions of PFCs or SF6, or even that of the world's largest coal-fired power plants".

While concerns have led Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology to avoid using the gas, Air Products, which produces it for the electronics industry, told New Scientist that very little nitrogen trifluoride is released into the atmosphere. But Prather argues that as the gas is not controlled in the same way as other greenhouse gases, companies may be careless with it.

Green Livin It's Organic Baby

2008-07-09T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin What is Organic?

Organic refers to the way agricultural products—food and Fiber—are grown and processed. Organic food production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

What Does "Certified Organic" Mean?

"Certified Organic" means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations. Certification includes inspections of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the standards which have been set. The USDA requires that all USDA Certified Organic products contain at least 95% organic ingredients.

Can Any Type of Agricultural Product Become Certified Organic?

Yes, any agricultural product that meets third-party or state certification requirements may be considered organic. Organic foods are becoming available in an impressive variety, including pasta, prepared sauces, frozen juices, frozen meals, milk, ice cream and frozen novelties, cereals, meat, poultry, breads, soups, chocolate, cookies, beer, wine, vodka and more. These foods, in order to be certified organic, have all been grown and processed according to organic standards and must maintain a high level of quality. Organic fiber products, too, have moved beyond T-shirts and include bed and bath linens, tablecloths, napkins, cosmetic puffs, feminine hygiene products and men's, women's and children's clothing in a variety of styles.

Who Regulates the Certified Organic Claims?

The federal government sets standards for the production, processing and certification of organic food in the Organic Food Production Act of 1990. The National Organic Standards Board was then established to develop guidelines and procedures to regulate all organic crops. In December 2000, the U. S. Department of Agriculture unveiled detailed regulations to implement OFPA. These took effect April 21, 2001, with an 18-month implementation period ending October 2002. At that time, any food labeled organic must meet these national organic standards. USDA's National Organic Program oversees the program.

Are All Organic Products Completely Free of Pesticide Residues?

Certified organic products have been grown and handled according to strict standards without toxic and persistent chemical inputs. However, organic crops are inadvertently exposed to agricultural chemicals that are now pervasive in rain and ground water due to their overuse during the past 50 years in North America, and due to drift via wind and rain.

Do Organic Farmers Ever Use Pesticides?

Prevention is the organic farmer's primary strategy for disease, weed and insect control. By building healthy soils, organic farmers find that healthy plants are better able to resist disease and insects. Organic producers often select species that are well adapted for the climate and therefore resist disease and pests. When pest populations get out of balance, growers will try various options like insect predators, mating disruption, traps and barriers. If these fail, permission may be granted by the certifier to apply botanical or other nonpersistent pest controls under restricted conditions. Botanicals are derived from plants and are broken down quickly by oxygen and sunlight.

How Will Purchasing Organic Products Help Keep Our Water Clean?

Conventional agricultural methods can cause water contamination. Beginning in May 1995, a network of environmental organizations, including the Environmental Working Group, began testing tap water for herbicides in cities across the USAs' Corn Belt, and in Louisiana and Maryland. The results revealed widespread contamination of tap water with many different pesticides at levels that present serious health risks. In some cities, herbicides in tap water exceed federal lifetime health standards for weeks or months at a time. The organic farmer's elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, in combination with soil building, works to prevent contamination, and protects and conserves water resources.

Is Organic Food Better For You?

There is no conclusive evidence at this time to suggest that organically produced foods are more nutritious. Rather, organic foods and fiber are spared the application of toxic and persistent insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. In the long run, organic farming techniques provide a safer, more sustainable environment for everyone.

Why Does Organic Food Sometimes Cost More?

Prices for organic foods reflect many of the same costs as conventional items in terms of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage. Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations governing all of these steps, so the process is often more labor-and management-intensive, and farming tends to be on a smaller scale. There is also mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production—cleanup of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers—were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same or, more likely, be cheaper. Source: Organic Trade Association

Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has put in place a set of national standards that food labeled "organic" must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. After October 21, 2002, when you buy food labeled "organic," you can be sure that it was produced using the highest organic production and handling standards in the world.

What Is Organic Food?

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides;fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

When I Go To The Supermarket, How Can I Tell Organically Produced Food From Conventionally Produced Food?

You must look at package labels and watch for signs in the supermarket. Along with the national organic standards, USDA developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. The USDA Organic seal also tells you that a product is at least 95 percent organic.

Will I Find the USDA Organic Seal on All 100% Organic Products, or Products with at Least 95% Organic Ingredients?

No. The use of the seal is voluntary.

What does "Made with Organic" Mean?

The "Made with Organic" statement should not be confused with "Organic". Processed products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients, but less than 95%, can use the phrase "made with organic ingredients" and list up to three of the organic ingredients or food groups on the principal display panel.

How is Use of the USDA Organic Seal Protected?

People who sell or label a product "organic" when they know it does not meet USDA standards can be fined up to $10,000 for each violation.

Does Natural Mean Organic?

No. Natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, don't confuse these terms with "organic." Only food labeled "organic" has been certified as meeting USDA organic standards. Source: USDA

Green Livin The Oily Moneygrabbers Move In!

2008-07-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Rising Gas Prices are Just the Beginning of U.S. Financial Woes

We always knew it was coming in 2007 we saw the start of the Oil Companies plunder what's not lawfully thiers in Iraq. Now gasoline prices have reached a national average of $4.00 a gallon for the first time. Across the South, Southwest and the upper Great Plains, the combination of low incomes, high gas prices and heavy dependence on pickup trucks and vans is putting especially heavy presssure on family budgets.

Some farm workers are going as far as borrowing money from their bosses so they can fill their tanks and get to work. Some are switching jobs for shorter commutes. People are giving up meat so they can buy fuel, and gasoline theft is rising. Drivers are running out of gas more often, leaving their cars by the side of the road until they can scrape together gas money.

The disparity between rural America and the rest of the country is a matter of simple home economics. Nationwide, Americans are now spending about 4 percent of their take-home income on gasoline. As a result, gasoline expenses are rivaling what families spend on food and housing.

“This crisis really impacts those who are at the economic margins of society, mostly in the rural areas and particularly parts of the Southeast,” said Fred Rozell, retail pricing director at the Oil Price Information Service, a fuel analysis firm. “These are people who have to decide between food and transportation.”

Rising oil prices affect so much more than just prices at the pump. Not only are you spending more on commuting, but prices on everything from groceries to tires, household goods and petroleum based personal products are also soaring.

Companies that make goods using raw materials derived from oil are trying to cope as well, opting between raising prices, shifting their production process to something less costly, or cutting workers.

The tire giant Goodyear has raised the prices by 15 percent in just four months. Procter & Gamble have averaged an increase of 5 percent on some of thier products, and Dow Company has hiked its prices as much as 20 percent across the board.

Meanwhile, incomes are stagnating, and for many, disappearing altogether. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics reported a jump in the unemployment rate from 5 percent to 5.5 percent with the loss of 861,000 jobs in the month of May.

Economists say that despite widespread concern about gasoline prices, the nationwide impact of the oil crisis has so far been gentler than during the oil crises of the 1970s and 1980s, when shortages caused long lines at the pump, set off inflation and drove the economy into recession.

Green Livin Last Child in the Woods

2008-07-07T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder

Green Livin “Our kids can’t do that any more,” that inspired Richard Louv’s new book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Louv, who writes for the San Diego Tribune and serves on the advisory boards of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and Parents magazine, spent 10 years traveling around the country gathering material for this book. His interviews with child-development researchers, environmentalists, parents, children, college students, teachers, scientists. and religious leaders led him to the conclusion that baby boomers are probably the last generation to have run wild in the woods, freely explored the nearby creek bed, or built dens and tree houses in nearby vacant lots. Children born after 1980 seldom hear the words “Go and play outside.” With few exceptions, theirs is a contained and constrained generation, with little or no direct experience of the natural world.

Urban growth and suburban sprawl have swallowed up vast acres of open land. Legal restraints that would have been unthinkable 30 years ago have further restricted children’s outdoor play. Trees in parks and playgrounds have been cordoned off to prevent tree climbing and possible lawsuits. Some condominium, cooperative and homeowners’ associations even ban private gardens and discourage free outdoor play, and there are local communities that require permits to build even the most primitive tree house.

Louv tells of schools, under pressure from administrators and parents to increase test scores, that have eliminated hands-on nature study from the curriculum and, in some cases, even cancelled outdoor recess. The busy lives of today’s over-stretched and over-stressed parents allow little time for outdoor activities, and even good intentions have unintended consequences. Ordinances designed to protect endangered flora and fauna have eliminated access to wide swaths of seashore, marsh, meadowland, and wilderness. No wonder children are driven indoors to the lure of electronic entertainment, ipods, video games, and TV.

Unlike earlier generations, many of today’s parents see the outdoors as a dangerous place. Fears— of strangers and kidnappings, of gangs and drug dealers taking over parks and vacant corner lots, of encroaching wildlife from mountain lions to virus-bearing mosquitoes—while genuine, have also been sensationalized by the media. In the author’s words, “We have scared children straight out of the woods and fields.”

As a result, children are exhibiting what Louv has labeled “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Although the term does not appear in any medical lexicon, the author uses the term to describe a set of symptoms linked to our separation from nature. These include an increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and childhood obesity, lack of creativity and curiosity, ignorance of local flora and fauna, loss of respect for nature and the living world, and a diminishing sense of community.

Fortunately, there is an antidote for nature deficit disorder—getting children back into the wild. The latest research demonstrates that when children have hands-on experiences with nature, even if it is simply in the weed lot at the end of the street, they reap the benefits. Researchers cite diminishment in levels of ADHD, fewer incidents of anxiety and depression, improved self-esteem, enhanced brain development, higher levels of curiosity and creativity, and a sense of connectedness to the community and the environment.

To provide all children with access to nature requires rethinking our current societal and cultural infrastructures. Models already exist, both in Europe and here in the States, and Louv devotes the second half of the book to exploring them. He cites contemporary examples of schools that use the surrounding ecological community as their classroom, often with astoundingly successful outcomes, including improved test scores. He looks at urban planning concepts that incorporate natural corridors for wildlife, energy-self-sufficient urban malls that merge nature into their design, city rooftop gardens, and green public spaces. “ Surprisingly, one of the best examples of what the future could hold is the city of Chicago,” writes Louv.

Under the leadership of Mayor Richard Daley, who aims to make Chicago the greenest city in the nation, the municipality has already restored 28 miles of boulevard gardens, and turned 21 acres of underused city land and abandoned gas stations into pocket parks and 72 community gardens. City parks have incorporated areas of restored prairie land, and City Hall boasts a 30,000-square-foot roof garden that helps insulate the building, absorbs excess storm water, and acts as a giant air purifier. It also houses two beehives and 4,000 honeybees, which yielded 150 pounds of honey in the first year.

Despite the seriousness of its subject, Last Child in the Woods, is a delightful read. Louv is a consummate storyteller, and the book is replete with stories and personal reminisces. He recounts a conversation he had with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, who serves as senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council and is President of Riverkeeper, an organization that has helped bring the Hudson River back from its watery, polluted grave. “I was known as the family’s nature child,” recalls Kennedy. “I spent every afternoon in the woods when I was growing up. I loved finding salamanders, crayfish, frogs. My room was filled with aquariums, filled, from the time I was six years old.”

Richard Louv is convinced that such early nature experiences are essential if we are to produce tomorrow’s creative thinkers and change agents. To help prove his point he asked his teenage son, Matthew, to look up biographies of those he calls “the famously creative.” What a wonderful eclectic list he compiled: Science fiction author and futurist Arthur C. Clarke, whose budding cosmic consciousness was awakened by childhood bicycle rides under starry skies: a two-year-old Jane Goodall, sleeping with earthworms under her pillow; Thomas Edison who, as a very young child was found sitting on a clutch of goose eggs, hoping to hatch goslings; and the young Cesar Chavez, inspired by the land, soil, and waters of Arizona’s Gila River regions. Others who made Matthew’s list were Samuel Clemens, T.S. Elliot, John Muir, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

The work of Louise Chawla, International Coordinator of UNESCO’s Growing Up in Cities program, supports Louv’s premise. For most environmentalists, it was intense nature experiences in the early years that inspired their later work. Who, she asks, will take on environmental stewardship for our Earth if today’s and tomorrow’s children are denied these experiences?

In Richard Louv’s words “Healing the broken bond between our young and nature is in our self interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demand it, but also because our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends on it. The health of the Earth is at stake.”

Green Livin Old School Diapers with A New Twist

2008-07-06T01:03:00.014-05:00

Green Livin We’ve all heard the “Disposable Diaper VS Cloth Diaper” debate, and the pros and cons of each are pretty obvious. Parents want the convenience of the disposable without the guilt of knowing that they are throwing thousands of diapers in a landfill that will take approximately 500 years to decompose. This means that your great, great, great, grandchildren will one day be up to their necks in “diaper duty” thanks to our generation’s need for convenience. To make matters worse, most disposable diapers are created with chemicals known to be toxic which can be irritating to a baby’s skin and pollutes the soil when discarded. So…what are our options?

gDiapers are a revolution––a flushable diaper system that is good for babies, parents and the planet. gDiapers put human waste where it belongs, in the toilet. gDiapers have no elemental chlorine no perfumes, no smell, no garbage and no guilt. gDiapers are designed keep babies comfortable and the Earth a little happier. gDiaper flushables with super absorber keep bottoms feeling dry. Washable ‘little g’ pants, with snap in liners, are made of water resistant breathable material to keep wetness away. Starter kits contain 2 washable pants, 10 flushables, and 1 swishstick for $24.99. Refill packs are $13.99 and contain 40 small flushables or 32 medium/large flushables.

Disposable diapers, with eighteen to twenty to twenty billion thrown away each year, are the third largest contributor to landfills. The plastic contained in these diapers takes up to 500 years to decompose. Additionally, most of these diapers also contain untreated human waste that can leach into the water table.

What are gDiapers and how do they work?

gDiapers are a unique and distinctive diaper option that keeps babies dry andcomfortable and are radically better for the environment. The design consists of astylish, washable outer pant and an ultra-absorbent inner pad – a flushable. Parentssimply keep a ready supply of flushables on hand, similar to the convenience ofdisposables. When ready to dispose of the flushable, parents tear along theperforation, stir (using the gDiapers provided Swishstick) and flush. There is nosmell, no mess and no garbage, no guilt.

Why is flushing good?

When you flush the flushable it enters the waste stream and ends up at awastewater facility, where the sludge, or what’s been flushed, goes through anumber of processes to remove pathogens and odors. The ultimate goal is tomake Biosolids that are often used as soil re-conditioners. As sludge is 90%water, in the process, “de-watering” needs to take place before the Biosolids canbe dried and made into dried pellets. To achieve this, many wastewater facilitiesuse a polymer with the very same qualities of the SAP found in our flushables.That is, they can hold 100 times their weight in water, which is great for keepingbabies skin dry but just as good for removing water from sludge. Further more,in drought stricken countries like Australia, wastewater facilities add extra superabsorber so that the Biosolids they make can hold more water.

Why do I need to tear the flushable?

To allow all the contents of the flushable to fall into the toilet bowl. The contentsinclude fluff pulp and super absorber. If super absorber gets trapped in the pouchit may clog your toilet. Super absorber holds 100 times its weight in fluid – greatfor keeping babies dry. But to flush, the contents need to be set free from thepouch, stirred, then flushed.

What are flushables made of?

lushables are made of an outer material that is designed to go down the toiletand is compostable. The outer fabric has a stay dry feel, which is soft againstyour baby’s bottom. The contents are made up of elemental-chlorine-free,farmed tree fluff pulpand super absorber. That's it!

Do flushables biodegrade?

In our own research - where we buried the flushable in soil, it biodegraded nicely,thank you very much. But in the commercial world, no diaper manufacturer canactually claim biodegradability as nothing, and we mean nothing biodegrades inlandfill – where diapers end up. Landfills are airless environments that hampe

Co-founders: Jason and Kimberly Graham-Nye. While living in beautiful Sydney, Australia, Kim and Jason felt very fortunate to discover a Tasmanian company that made flushable diapers. So they brought the concept to America and named it gDiapers.

Diaper/environmental facts

Diapers are the third largest contributor to landfills, World Watch Institute Good Stuff Guide

It takes up to 500 years for these tons of disposable diapers to biodegrade, The Insider’slGuide to Natural Health, www.whatreallyworks.co.uk

90% of Americans use disposable diapers, Lehrburger, Mullen, Jones. Diapers:
Environmental Impacts and Lifecycle Analysis. January 1991
*most parenting websites estimate this number has reached 95 percent in recent years

The average child is diapered 5,000 times before being toilet trained, University of Minnesota, Extension Service, 1999.

www.gdiapers.com
for a happy planet

Green Livin The Love Canal

2008-07-05T00:27:00.021-05:00

Green Livin The Love Canal Revisited: Race, Class, and Gender in Environmental Activism

I was just a young boy when the Love Canal fiasco that occurred in Niagara Falls, N.Y., in 1978, but the horror disaster is just as gripping 30 years later to me as it surely was for the people who lived through it. Imagine discovering your house or apartment was built just above a toxic chemical waste dump site.

In Elizabeth D. Blum's new book, Love Canal Revisited: Race, Class, and Gender in Environmental Activism, she looks at the far-reaching implications of this historic case study that galvanized a neighborhood across every barrier humans try to construct. If you're an activist, this book is must-read simply for its historical context. But if you seek to understand what motivates people to get involved in environmental causes, this book is also helpful.

Here's a green nugget discussing this ecological travesty:

"Gendered language was fluid at Love Canal, although certain patterns emerged among the different groups. The most prominent language among the women at Love Canal was certainly maternalism. Concern for the health and safety of their families, especially their children, crossed both racial and class lines. Men involved at Love Canal emphasized economic concerns most visibly, but this economic response varied somewhat with the men's class and status. The elite men who dominated LCARA focused almost exclusively on the adverse effects on tourism and tax dollars. The working-class men in the neighborhood used economic concerns as a basis for their activism, pressing for a freeze on mortgage payments or taxes.

"Yet this dichotomy was hardly set in stone. Economic worries motivated several women in the neighborhood, especially businesswomen and single mothers responsible for the financial well-being of their families. Conversely, the male resident representatives of LCARA focused on health issues. In addition, groups enlarged the frame of the debate by introducing and emphasizing different aspects. Working-class whites cited citizenship rights as a basis for activism. The African American renters believed that race and class bias perpetuated their situation, and their activism explicitly emphasized a more inclusive solution at Love Canal. The ETF saw its activism as part of the broader environmental movement and incorporated language stressing the widespread nature of the problem and the idea of stewardship as a way to work toward change and prevent future problems."

Green Livin A Deal Is Struck

2008-07-04T23:32:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Plum Creek Timber, owns the lands above and is selling it to two conservation groups.

A huge patchwork of privately owned forest in northwest Montana — much of it wilderness, and will be permanently protected from development under an agreement reached by two conservation groups, the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land.

The groups will pay $510 million for about 500 square miles of forest now owned by Plum Creek Timber based in Seattle. It is one of the biggest sales of forest land for preservation purposes in United States history, conservation experts said.

Half the amount will come from private donations and about half from the federal government under a new tax-credit bond mechanism that was included in the giant farm bill recently passed by Congress over President Bush’s veto.

This preservation sale is one of the biggest of its kind.

The bond mechanism was devised by Senator Max Baucus. Mr. Baucus spokesmans said the senator was approached about a year ago by representatives of the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land, who argued that new tools had to be created to buy the Plum Creek properties if they were to be protected.

The lands were considered valuable, and vulnerable to the effects of development. Most were in fragments — 640-acre squares interspersed in a checkerboard with public lands mostly owned by the Forest Service. Checkerboard ownership is a legacy of the railroad-building of the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the government offered millions of acres of the West as an incentive to companies laying track through Montana and other Rocky Mountain states.

The purchases, which are to be completed in phases over the next two years, with most of the land then conveyed to the Forest Service or other government agencies over the next decade, will essentially fill in the checkerboard, Mr. Ginn said. An outline of the project is on the Nature Conservancy’s Web site, http://www.nature.org/.

Creating a more continuous fabric of lands in public ownership also helps the Forest Service in its firefighting duties, since a filled-in checkerboard reduces access issues in reaching interior areas of the forest.

While long-term protection is the goal, the deal also includes provisions for some continued timber cutting on the lands in Montana over the next 15 years. Third-party-certified sustainable forestry standards would be used in choosing how much to cut and where, and that overall timber cutting would decline.

Green Livin Sunscreen What to Buy

2008-07-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin What to Look For

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., and one million people are diagnosed with it every year. Despite the high numbers, skin cancer is preventable with proper protection.

Mineral Ingredients

Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are minerals that physically block ultraviolet (UV) rays from reaching your skin, as opposed to other sunscreens that use chemicals to absorb UV rays. Minerals are considered the best protection against sunburn because they block both UVB rays (which cause sunburns) and UVA rays (which cause skin aging and cancer). Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, don't always protect against UVA. And some break down in sunlight in as little as half an hour, while also interfering with your hormonal systems.
All the sunscreens listed use either titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or a combination of both. None contain chemical sunscreens.

Name
Protection Rating
Nano-sized or Micronized Particles?
MSRP
Website
Phone Number

Purchasing Information

Alba Botanica Sun Fragrance-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18
SPF 18
micronized
$9.95
http://www.albabotanica.com/, 877-263-9456

Avalon Organics Baby Avalon Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18
SPF 18
micronized
$9.95
http://www.avalonorganics.com/, 800-227-5120

Badger Sunblock SPF 30
SPF 30
micronized
$16.00
http://www.badgerbalm.com/, 800-603-6100

Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 30
SPF 30
nano-sized
$15.00
http://www.burtsbees.com/

California Baby No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion
SPF 30+
micronized
$17.99
http://www.californiababy.com/, 877-576-2825

Caribbean Solutions SolGuard SPF 8
SPF 8
nano-sized
$16.00
http://www.caribbean-sol.com/, 888-877-7338

Clinique City Block
SPF 40
micronized
$16.50
http://www.clinique.com/

Devita Solar Body Block 30
SPF 30
micronized
$27.95
http://www.holisticbeauty.net/

Dr. Hauschka Sunscreen Cream for Children and Sensitive Skin SPF
SPF 30
micronized
$27.95
http://www.drhauschka.com/, 800-247-9907

Eco Lani Sunscreen
SPF 15
micronized
$15.50
http://www.lanisimpson.com/

Epicuren Zinc Oxide Sunscreen
SPF 20
micronized
$38
http://www.joybeauty.com/

Jason Sunbrellas Chemical Free Sun Block SPF 30+
SPF 30+
micronized
$12.00
http://www.veganessentials.com/, 866-888-3426

Juice Organics Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
SPF 30
neither
$29.00
http://www.juicebeauty.com/

Lavera Sun Block SPF 40 Neutral
SPF 40
micronized
$22.50
http://www.lavera.com/

Mexitan SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
SPF 30
micronized
$16.95
http://www.mexitan.com/

Soleo Organics
SPF 30
nano-sized
$25
http://www.soleousa.com/

UV Natural Adult SPF 30+ Sunscreen
SPF 30
neither
$32.80
http://www.rei.com/, 800-426-4840

Zinc Oxide Ointment, $2.50-$5.00 (available at drugstores)
n/a
neither
$5
http://www.drugstore.com/

Coolibar swimsuits and clothing
UPF 50+
--
from $19.95
http://www.coolibar.com/, 800-926-6509

Patagonia clothing with UPF
UPF 30+
--
from $78
http://www.patagonia.com/, 800-638-6464

Shark Suit swim suits and clothing
UPF 50+
--
from $26.95
http://www.sharksuit.com/, 212-334-8498

Sun Precautions clothing
SPF 30+
--
from $49.94
http://www.sunprecautions.com/, 800-882-7860

Tilley TH4 hat
UPF 50+
--
$69
http://www.tilley.com/, 800-363-8737

SunGuard SPF Laundry Additive
UPF 30
--
$1.99/box
http://www.sunguardsunprotection.com/, 866-871-3157

Protection Rating

SPF (or sun protection factor) is an FDA-regulated rating system that represents how long it will take for exposed skin to burn with the sunscreen applied. For example, if your unprotected skin usually burns in 10 minutes, a sunscreen with an SPF 15 would prevent a sunburn for 15 times that length of time, or 150 minutes (two and a half hours). However, SPF only rates UVB rays, not skin damaging UVA rays. For that reason, never rely entirely on a sunscreen's SPF, and look for products that advertise "broad-spectrum protection," which means it protects against both types of rays.

Fabrics and sun-protective clothing are rated according to UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), which measures how well these items prevent sunburn in the same way that SPF does. While UPF does apply to both UVA and UVB rays, UPF claims aren't federally regulated, as SPF ratings are.

Nano-sized or Micronized Particles?

The primary drawback to sunscreens with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide is that they can leave a white tint on your skin. To make the lotions transparent, manufacturers shrink titanium dioxide or zinc oxide particles down to nano-sized particles. Smaller particles can act differently than larger particles when they enter the body, nano-sized particles have been cause for concern: Research indicates that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are small enough to bypass your body's "blood-brain barrier" (a natural defense against foreign substances in the bloodstream) and enter the brain where they can damage brain cells. Larger particles, however, are blocked by that barrier and don't pose this problem. In 2006 the Australian government review on the topic found that neither titanium dioxide nor zinc oxide penetrate the skin deep enough to actually enter the bloodstream, and most scientific evidence supports the fact that nano-sized particles of these ingredients are often trapped in the outer layer of the skin and not absorbed (always avoided powders that may be inhaled). Now, if your leaning on the side of safety, you should choose sunscreens that use micronized ingredients (particles larger than 100 nm), which are mostly transparent but may still offer a slight tint.

Green Livin Energy Use Less - Save More

2008-07-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

Green Livin Energy Saving Tips

Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors to stop air leaks

Seal gaps in floors and walls around pipes and electrical wiring

Change air filters monthly

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents

Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads

Fix any leaky faucets – one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month

Tune-up your heating and cooling system annually to keep it running as efficiently as possible

Inspect your ductwork and repair any leaks

Add insulation to your attic, crawl space and any accessible exterior walls

Wrap your water heater with insulation or install an insulating blanket

Use power strips for home electronics and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use

Replace worn-out seals on your refrigerator and freezer

Perform a do-it-yourself home energy audit online .

Reduce hot water use by taking shorter showers

Use cold water for the rinse cycle in your washer

Turn off lights, televisions and other appliances when not in use

Clean refrigerator coils regularly to keep compressor running efficiently

Set the refrigerator temperature at 36° to 39° F and freezer at 0° to 5° F

Use the microwave when possible – it cooks faster

Air-dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s heat drying option

Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full

Match the size of your pot or pan to the size of the burner

Make sure your dryer’s outside vent is clear and clean the lint filter after every load

Consider replacing your older model appliances, especially if older than 10 years, with an ENERGY STAR appliance

Install foam gaskets behind electric-outlet and switch-plate covers

Dry one load of clothes immediately after another to minimize heat loss

Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator before cooking

Keep your outside air unit clean and clear of debris or weeds

Use low-watt bulbs where lighting is not critical

Keep your freezer full. The fuller the freezer, the less cold air you lose when opening the door

Use the self-cleaning cycle of your oven right after you finish baking. That will give it a head start in heating up

Image credit: Cooler Master

Green Livin The Concept of A Greener Gadget

2008-07-01T00:01:00.004-05:00

Green Livin Linc - The Lifecycle Concept Phone

Green livin at the Greener Gadgets conference, there were a lot of great ideas and opportunities for gadgets to really become greener, including product takeback programs, efficiency, and cradle-to-cradle philosophies. With that, we present Kaleidoscope’s concept for a greener gadget - LINC.

LINC is a typical touch screen smart phone with all the connectivity and features. It’s got a cell phone, a media player, a web browser, GPS, downloadable content, Bluetooth, wifi, the latest 3G network. LINC is leased to the user as a service, not a product. The user holds on to the device for about a year, and when the next generation of hardware comes along, the user receives a new LINC in the mail. The LINCs inform the user of their hardware upgrade, wirelessly transfer the digital account, and before being shipped back to the manufacturer, LINC informs the user of the next part of its journey.

LINC is to be shipped back to a regional manufacturing facility. The device contains valuable materials like aluminum, glass, and electronic components that the producer can harvest for re-use. Typically, mobile phones contain hazardous waste that goes into a landfill or are left in a desk drawer to sit in.

LINC is designed for automated disassembly. A directed radiant heat beam targets its internal memory metal latch, releasing the assembly. In one step, LINC automatically disassembles into its few simple components, glass, aluminum and its circuit flex. The glass and aluminum, not containing any paints or adhesives, are easily recycled to pure grade materials for immediate reuse. The remaining flexible circuit contains all the electronics necessary for the entire device. It’s full of hazardous materials, but it has been safely recovered for proper disposal. Many of the chip sets can easily be pulled for reuse. Components like the graphics card are out dated for LINC, but can be used in devices like portable gaming systems.

In one step, LINC automatically disassembles into its few simple components, glass, aluminum and its circuit flex.

Linc changes the entire paradigm of the production and consumption model today. If implemented, a design such as this could greatly reduce hazardous waste and improve environmental health by reducing e-waste. But Kaleidoscope also wanted something that is very desirable and in line with the kind of gadgets todays users expect. Something that targets all the key issues of today's gadgets and attempts to offer feasible solutions and start a discussion as to how Kaleidoscope could do better.

LINC is leased to the user as a service, not a product.

The Greener Grass is produced by Kaleidoscope, a product development consultancy in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Green Livin Ali G's Take On The Enviornment

2008-06-30T01:01:00.007-05:00

Green Livin Ali G show's that anyone can learn about the Environemt. Watch as Ali G find's out about the Evironment at a Tree Protest.

NFT - Ali G (Environment)

Ali G - Environment

Green Livin Ali G finds out about Recycling and The Ozone.

Ali G - Discusses the Rain Forest

Green Livin Ali G and Ralph Nader on rainforests and energy

I hope you enjoyed todays post. Keep on Living Green.

Green Livin Home Depot Launches National CFL Bulb Recycling Iniative Also Implementing In Store Energy Conservation Program

2008-06-29T11:46:00.010-05:00

Green Livin The Home Depot®, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today expanded its long-term commitment to the environment and sustainability by launching a national in-store, consumer compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb recycling program at all 1,973 The Home Depot locations. This free service is the first such offering made so widely available by a retailer in the United States and offers customers additional options for making environmentally conscious decisions from purchase to disposal. The Home Depot Canada launched a CFL recycling program in November, 2007.

At each The Home Depot store, customers can simply bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.

In addition to the CFL recycling program, The Home Depot has also launched an in store
energy conservation program to switch Light Fixture Showrooms in U.S. stores from incandescent bulbs to CFLs by Fall 2008 and save $16 million annually in energy costs.

The CFL recycling program is an extension of The Home Depot’s Eco Options program. Eco Options, launched in April 2007, is a classification that allows customers to easily identify products that have less of an impact on the environment.

"The CFL recycling program is another example of how The Home Depot is empowering customers to help make a difference in their own homes, and have less of an impact on the environment," said Ron Jarvis, senior vice president, Environmental Innovation. "With more than 75 percent of households located within 10 miles of a Home Depot store, this program is the first national solution to providing Americans with a convenient way to recycle CFLs."

Switching from traditional light bulbs to CFLs is an easy change consumers can make to reduce energy use at home. According to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program, if every American switched out one incandescent bulb to a CFL, it would prevent more than 600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 800,000 cars. As the largest retailer of light bulbs in the country, The Home Depot sold over 75 million CFL’s in 2007, which saved Americans approximately $4.8 billion in energy costs and 51.8 billon pounds in CO2 greenhouse gases over the life of the bulbs.

Other environmental initiatives The Home Depot has implemented since the launch of Eco Options in April 2007 include:

Store recycling program in the U.S. of shrink wrap and mixed plastics, which will result in 50 million pounds of waste diverted from landfills each year.
Internal recycling initiative at corporate headquarters that is projected to increase the amount of recycled materials from 30 percent to at least 65 percent.
Renewed commitment to use transportation partners registered in SmartWay program and ensuring The Home Depot distribution facilities and stores further promote emission reduction.

For more information on the CFL Recycling Program or Eco Options, please visit

http://www.homedepot.com/ecooptions .

About The Home Depot

The Home Depot® is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,262 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2007, The Home Depot had sales of $77.3 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $4.2 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Green Livin Shell opens combination hydrogen and gasoline station in LA

2008-06-28T11:46:00.009-05:00

Green Livin We’ve discovered the BMW Hydrogen 7's perfect refueling station. A new Shell station that sells both hydrogen and standard gasoline opened in West Los. The station is located on Santa Monica Boulevard and Federal Avenue, near I-405 - this is right near the recently-opened Tesla Motors store.

New FCX Clarity drivers and participants in GM's Project Driveway should be able to refuel their cars at the station and feel pretty good about the provenance of their purchase. Shell will be selling hydrogen made using electrolysis right there at the station. To further cast a green haze over the whole thing, Shell is buying "green electricity" from the utilities to crack the water.

In hydrogen vehicles, an electric motor powers the wheels. A chemical reaction inside a unit called a fuel cell -- usually between hydrogen and oxygen -- creates electricity for the motor.

The only tail pipe emission is water vapor, which produces zero carbon emissions and has the potential to significantly reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect against climate change.

California already has more fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen refueling stations than any other part of the world, and last year recorded 1.5 million zero emission miles from hydrogen FCV trials. Twenty-five hydrogen stations currently operate in California, most in the San Francisco-Sacramento corridor and the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego regions, serving more than 100 fuel cell passenger vehicles and transit buses, with a further ten stations already in the planning stages.

Hydrogen production at the Shell station will be done on-site by the electrolysis of water using 'green electricity'purchased from the Los Angeles City Department of Water & Power. It will then be compressed and stored to provide daily fueling.

The station will also support a U.S. Department of Energy hydrogen infrastructure program, to supply hydrogen to future and existing General Motors FCVs in the LA metro area. GM plans to lease more than thirty Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell-Electric compact SUVs to private and commercial customers in Southern California, as part of a three-year trial, called "Project Driveaway" to test the vehicles in real world driving conditions.

With the US one of the largest automotive markets in the world, with over 247 million vehicles on its roads, car ownership predicted to increase by 45% between 2005 and 20203, and US energy consumption set to rise to 139.9 quadrillion Btu by 20154, hydrogen FCVs are set to play an important part in the United States' growing energy and mobility needs.

In addition to zero tailpipe emissions, finding ways to produce hydrogen from renewable sources will be critically important to making the fuel infrastructure sustainable. And with ground breaking approaches to produce 'green hydrogen', manufactured from renewable energy sources, such as bioethanol (derived from biomass) and solar energy being researched for the future, 'well to wheel' emissions will be able to near zero.

Hydrogen can also be produced from a number of different feedstocks including oil, coal, and biomass. This allows different countries to manufacture hydrogen with their own domestic supplies, and at the same time reduce costs and increase security of supply.

California is leading the way with clean fuels, as it moves one step closer to realizing its hydrogen program, FCVs powered by hydrogen will provide a sustainable transportation choice for the future, opening up new markets across the globe. This requires the sustained effort of energy companies, auto manufacturers and federal and state governments working together. To help develop a safe and reliable fueling infrastructure for future clean energy vehicles, as the only major energy company involved in FCV vehicle demonstrations in all three major hydrogen markets -- North America, Japan, and Europe.

"This is a very exciting development; Shell is helping to usher in the hydrogen age. Hats off to Shell for implementing innovative solutions to mitigate air pollution.

'Shell Hydrogen' refers to the companies of the Shell Group of companies that are engaged in the pursuit and development of businesses related to hydrogen and fuel cells. Each of the companies that make up the Shell Group of companies is a separate and distinct legal entity. Principal offices of Shell Hydrogen are located in The Hague, the Netherlands, with regional bases in Houston and Tokyo. Shell Hydrogen has been developing hydrogen and fuel cell businesses since 1999. For further information, please visit http://www.shell.com/hydrogen .

Sources:

1 = Green electricity purchased from the Los Angeles City Department ofWater & Power is credited against the power company's allowance ofgreen sourced power.

2 = US Bureau of Transport Statistics -- 247,421,120 vehicles on US roadsin 2006

3 = Unsustainable Transport Report, January 2005, Professor DavidBannister, University College London

- Over the next 25 years, we are likely to see a furtherincrease of 75 per cent in car ownership levels and a growth of 56per cent in traffic levels globally

- In developed countries, there is some stability in the patterns oftravel, with car ownership expected to increase by 45 per cent(North America) and 54 per cent in other OECD countries

4 = US Energy Information Administration, International Energy OutlookReport 2006

Green Livin Gas Saving Tips

2008-06-27T14:04:00.030-05:00

Green Livin While the rising cost of oil has the price of gasoline skyrocketing, people everywhere are preparing for cross-country road trips. We can't really argue with that innate desire to get closer to nature and out on the open road, and whether you're still driving an SUV, chances are you plan to get in a car to go some where this summer. These money- and gas-saving tips are designed to help you squeeze every last bit of power out of that precious petrol--and cause fewer CO2 emissions. This comprehensive list has several tasks that should be done before even starting your car; others require minor adjustments to your driving style. All of them will help you drive a little greener.

Green Living Gas-Saving Tips: Questions to Ask Before You Turn on the Engine

1. Is your engine tuned up?
Fixing a car that is out of tune will boost gas mileage, be sure to give your car regular tune-ups.

2. Is your body in good shape?
Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, will create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

3. Is your air filter clean?
When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

4. What grade is your oil?
You can improve your car's gas mileage by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words "energy conserving" on the API performance label; this oil contains friction-reducing additives.

5. Got shade?
Buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car. This will help reduce air conditioning use.

Green Living Save Money on Gas at the Pump

6. Don't overfill 'er up.
Avoid filling your gas tank to the top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill your gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle.

7. Use the lowest octane you can.
Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car.

8. Tighten that cap.
Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing, or damaged gas caps cause millions of gallons of gas to evaporate each year.

9. Wait until you're near empty.
Don't fill up until your tank is near empty; this will extend your gas because you are hauling a lighter load as the tank nears empty.

10. Find credit card discounts.
Some credit cards offer savings on gas when you use the card toward your purchases. Dmitry Popov Founder of http://www.pumpandsave.com/ provides a comprehensive list of Gas Rebate Credit Card Offers and additional consumer benefits. Popov’s website not only list the top gas cash back credit cards selected by consumers, but also serves as a resource guide that provides tips and strategies on how to save and earn cash on gas.

11. Membership has its privileges.
Some gas stations offer membership benefits. There are also department and grocery stores that give discounts at the fuel pump when you use their store membership cards.

12. Brand names.
Brand means nothing in the gas world; they are all using the same refineries, trucks, and pipelines to transport the fuel. Go for cost when it comes to the price of gas.

13. Keep your eyes on the prize.
Scope out the gas prices while you're driving you will notice price differences from all the different Gas Stations.

14. Don't get desperate.
The first gas station you encounter after a long stretch will never be the cheapest - drive a little further to find a cheaper station.

15. In the city, don't shop around.
Don't price shop for gas locally by driving around, the miles you drive will almost certainly eliminate the savings, and stop-and-go city traffic does a number on your average efficiency.

16. Exit, stage left. On the highway, that is.
On the highway, take an exit at a moderately sized city and head for the city center. There will likely be several stations near the ramp with cheaper gas.

Green Living Things to Check Before You Get on the Road

17. Are they open?
Is the place you are going to open for business? Shops often have irregular hours, especially at nights and on the weekends.

18. Do you know where you are going?
Have you confirmed that the address you are given actually exists and is accurate? IF not, you could be wasting fuel and time on miles being lost.

19. Did you do your due diligence?
Use the World Wide Web, newspapers, or phone book to comparison shop before you drive around to several stores.

20. Do they have what you want?
Restaurants often have long waits; products can be out of stock, and so on. Confirm that the place you're headed can deliver the goods before you get there.

21. Can it be delivered?
Find companies willing to delivery what you need to your home. Amazon, dry cleaning delivery services, food, and anything else that will bring what you need without burning up your gas may save some loot and the planet some warming.

22. Do you have to go right now?
Traveling in off-peak times will reduce your time spent in traffic, waiting for lights, etc.

23. Can you combine trips?
Combine errands into one trip and plan your stops for the most efficient route. You'll save yourself time and money.

Green Living Save Gas and Money: Are You Using Your Vehicle Wisely?

24. Could you walk or bike?
Just burn calories, man. Pay attention to why, where, and when you drive.

25. Is there a public transportation option available?
Look into public transportation; after you figure in driving around for parking and such, it may actually be faster.

26. Should you get a rental car?
A small car almost always has a better fuel economy due to its smaller mass; in certain situations you may want to rent a smaller vehicle for the trip instead of using your own.

27. Did you maximize the square footage of your vehicle?
For human cargo, carpools reduce travel monotony and gas expense--all riders chip in to help you buy. Carpooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. If you're hauling materials such as wood, fill the whole vehicle on each trip.

Green Living Save Gas by Planning Your Route

28. No rough stuff.
Riding on dirt or gravel will rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

29. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, and straighter.
Compare traveling distance differences remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight as the crow flies.

30. Avoid heavy traffic and lots of traffic lights.
The shortest route is not always the most fuel efficient if you have to stop a lot.

Green Living Getting Ready for Takeoff

31. Are your tires fat or flat?
Proper tire pressure will give you better gas mileage. Inflate all tires to maximum limit; each tire should also be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-roundness.

32. Lose the top.
Remove vinyl tops, they cause air drag.

33. Lose the racks.
Remove ski, bicycle, or luggage racks from your roof if you don't need it. They also cause air drag.

34. Drop the rest of the dead weight.
Get rid of all extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

35. Trucks leave that tailgate up.
You will get more mileage if you leave the tailgate (MythBusters Tested and Approved).

36. Use your GPS.
A GPS unit will pay for itself in wasted time and gas very quickly.

Green Living Save Gas During Engine Startup

37. Turn off electronics.
Starting your car with electronic devices, like the radio, air conditioning, and 12-volt refrigerator turned off will put less strain on your engine which translates to better gas mileages.

38. Close the sun or moon roof.
Having these open will increase drag.

39. Turn the key and get moving.
Modern vehicles do not need to be warmed up, even on cold mornings - 30 seconds is plenty of time.

40. Turn off the choke.
If the car is revving, check that the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up.

41. Check for leaks.
Before you take your car out, check the driveway for gas tank leaks. Even little ones can waste plenty of fuel over time.

Green Living Save Gas While On The Road

42. Drive steadily.
Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Maintain a steady pace--the ideal trip is one where you never stop except for signs and lights.

43. Don't exceed the legal speed limit.
However tough it may be to comprehend, the primarily goal of a speed limit for your traveling safety. However, it is also a good estimate of the most efficient speed for the road as well.

44. Careful with those brakes.
A car consumes the most gas as it accelerates, while a moving car doesn't require much gasoline to keep moving. Ideally, the brake should be used sparingly, expert hypermilers roll to a dead stop at every red light and stop sign.

45. Shift up early and down late.
If you have a manual transmission and want to save some gas, here's a hot tip: You need to shift up as soon as you can and shift down as the last possible moment.

46. Avoid hard stops.
Panic or hard stops will also cost you; anticipate stop signs, pedestrian walkways, and traffic lights.

47. Get on the good foot: Use your right one only.
To avoid riding the brake and wasting gas, use your right foot to control both pedals.

48. Don't weave.
The more you weave the more gas you burn. Keep your wheel still and steady as she goes.

49. Don't accelerate up hill.
Don’t accelerate up a hill. When approaching it, build up speed before the incline, maintain on the way up, then coast down.

50. Follow traffic reports.
The radio is the road's information superhighway, and traffic reports are there for a reason. Use them to avoid jams and other delays, which can help keep your momentum steady.

Green Living Save Gas During City Driving

51. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts.
Always accelerate slowly when starting from a dead stop. A good rule of thumb is to not push the pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel.

52. Beat the Wind.
Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance, which will dramatically decrease your mileage. Try and keep it under 40, even if the speed limit is faster.

53. Time the lights.
Stop lights are sometimes timed for your motoring advantage; moving steadily at the speed limit will boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.

54. Open up windows .
In stop-and-go traffic, shutting off the air conditioning and opening the windows can lighten your fuel use. Air conditioning can lower your fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.

55. Turn it off.
You can save gas if you turn off you car while waiting at long traffic light sequences, railroad crossings or while your better half pulls money from the ATM. If you are not moving for more then 30 seconds, you should turn off the engine. For every hour you're sitting at idle, you're probably burning a gallon of gasoline.

Green Living Save Gas During Highway Driving

56. Keep windows closed.
Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

57. Cruise along.
If you have a cruise control and there isn't a whole lot of traffic, you probably should use it will keep the speed consistent and help you save gas.

58. Overdrive.
Use the overdrive gears, as this will generally keep your RPM down.

59. Kill the AC.
Using the air conditioning drinks gas - consider turning it off 5 minutes before you reach your destination.

Green Living Save Gas During Shutdown

60. No revs.
Avoid "revving" the engine as you switch the engine off.

61. Forward only.
Park your car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoiding reverse gear maneuvers will save gas.

62. Go for the shade.
The hot summer sun makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna; when you get moving you will want to cool it down, either through rolling down the windows or using the AC. Parking your vehicle in the shade will help keep it cool when you start up again.

63. Use the garage.
Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.

64. Window prep.
In the summer, roll down the windows just a tiny bit so the air can circulate through your car while you are parked. This will help keep it cool when you start up again.

65. Park and walk.
If you wander all over the parking lot looking for that really close parking space, you'll use more gas. Don't be afraid to walk a ways--it might do you good. With gas prices on the rise, make the system work for you.

Green Living Save More Gas After the Trip Has Ended

66. Make a Log
After your trip, make a journal entry on the 'mileage victories' and 'mileage failures' of your trip.

Green Livin How Did You Go Green?

2008-06-26T08:20:00.019-05:00

Green Living Habits, Hacks and How to Tips

If there's one thing the Internet is great for, it's pooling the collective wisdom of the masses. And if there's one thing we want to do at Green Livin, it's bring all that information together. Since Living Green means a lot of different things to a many different people, and since there are many different elements to the Green living lifestyle, we're asking readers to leave comments on what they have done to Live Green .

Do you flush your toilets with rainwater run off? Make your own biodiesel by recycling used cooking grease? Do you bring your own containers for takeout? Maybe you've just begun carrying a earth friendly shopping bag or have a garden to grow your own food. From simple to the extreme, we want to hear your comments, so we can share those with everyone. With enough comments I will do a post on the ways people are Living Green.

We're looking for all your tips! For example I have listed a few categories:

Green Living Habits

Things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment, like composting, recycling, or shopping at a thrift store.

Green Living Hacks

Have you made conversions to your house, vehicle, appliances, or other possessions to increase sustainability? If you've created a rain water collector, made your own solar water heater, I want to hear about it.

Green Living How To

Do you naturally lead your friends down the path of Green Living? Whether you're the average American, bicycle repairman, an eco-living expert, or an organic fiend, channel your inner teacher, and help bring your how-to tips to the world.

Ready, Set, Go Green !

Of course, lots of tips will fit into more than one category, don't worry about that. Here is one from myself, Green Livin founder Stephen Harrell. I have personally created my own wildlife habitat. Big or small, I want to hear your comments about what you are doing to help make a difference.

Instructions for Sharing your Tips:

Make a short and simple video 60 seconds long or less, and upload it to any video hosting site - Youtube, Flickr, etc.

Title your video with Green Livin Green Tips: (provide a short explanation of your tip). For example "Green Livin Green Tips: How-to Make your own cleaning supplies".

When you have your video complete and ready to view, email the link to: stephenmharrell@gmail.com and every day I will post my favorite submissions.

Green Livin Dentist, Begone!

2008-06-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

Eat these power foods to strengthen your teeth and gums

You know that some foods are bad for your dental health - but did you know that some foods are actually good for it? “Eating specific foods can strengthen and naturally whiten teeth and kill toxic bacteria in your mouth,” says Melvin Pierson, D.D.S., spokes person for the Academy of General Dentistry. So, dig in and fight tooth decay the natural way.

Rebuild enamel Yogurt, cheese, and milk are good sources of calcium, which help shore up tooth enamel and strengthen the bone around your teeth. By forming a temporary coating on your teeth, calcium also deflects natural acids in your mouth and helps prevent decay.

Boosts Gum Health Grapefruit aids in wound healing and was shown to decrease gum bleeding in a German study. In addition, it prevents the collagen network in your gums from breaking down and loosening around your teeth. Grapefruits acid can, however, temporarily reduce the strength of your tooth enamel, so dentists recommend waiting at least 30 minutes after eating grapefruit to brush your teeth. And grapefruit interacts with some medicines, so check with your pharmacist if you plan to start eating regularly.

Busts bacteria Kiwis, oranges, limes, cranberries, and strawberries are rich with vitamin c, a powerful killer of oral bacteria. Green tea contains catechins that kill bacteria in the mouth. Spicy foods such as wasabi have phytochemicals that inhibit the growth of gums.

Smell sweeter Some herbs naturally freshen the breath you exhale. Mint and parsley kill bacteria in the mouth. Plus, they contain monoterpenes, substances that move rapidly through the blood stream to your lungs to counter the odor in your mouth.

Stop stains Cauliflower, spinach, lettuce, and broccoli are all sources of minerals that create a protective film on teeth and help prevent red wine, cola, or coffee stains from penetrating the enamel. Strawberries have bleaching elements to brighten your smile, while hard, crunchy foods such as carrots, nuts, and seeds help slough off plaque. Chewing raw veggies also stimulates saliva, which neutralizes acids and strengthens teeth using vitamins and minerals from the foods.

Green Livin Bra Power: Can Bouncing Breasts Charge an iPod?

2008-06-24T09:57:00.020-05:00

This goes out to all women

Women, who love sports, probably have always found the concept of breasts bothersome. If all goes according to plan, they will fulfill their intended function for about three of the 70 years that you will have them. The rest of the time, they will alternate between getting in the way and embarrassing you.

Question: Can we harness breast energy and put it to better use? TreeHugger and Instructables teamed up to make a working chest charger which relies only on the rise and fall of the chest during breathing. So this question seems viable.

Research has discovered that a size D-cup breast in a low support bra can move up to 35 cm (whoa) during exercise. Now, all women know that not one of them with D-cups are wearing "low support bras" during exercise. There is a lot of bouncing going on even with the best, most expensive sport bra money can buy.

Since Slate scooped us on this one, we won't give away any more secrets. You will have to pop over to Slate to see what was learned in a survey of sports experts, nanotech fabric specialists and the inventor of the Lightning Pack power-generating backpack. This certainly is as good as the idea of running around half-naked in a solar powered bra!

Via: ::Slate

Image credit: TreeHugger

Green Livin Help Protect Wildlife in Your Neighborhood

2008-06-23T01:01:00.003-05:00

Have you ever wondered where that songbird that used to sing outside your window has gone? Do you ever wishing that you could see more butterflies fluttering in your garden?

You should create your own Certified Wildlife Habitat check with the National Wildlife Federation. You should judt provide them all the essential elements wildlife need to survive: food, water, cover.

After certifying your yard , you receive this:

when watching the beautiful birds, butterflies and other animals gathering at your wildlife-friendly haven.

Your garden has now come to Life!

You should certify, you would also be eligible to purchase their Certified Wildlife Habitat yard sign.

Green Livin Tennessee State Parks Gas Price Discount Promotion

2008-06-22T11:35:00.028-05:00

Tennessee State Parks don’t want the increase in gasoline cost to keep you from visiting your state parks.

So...They have put together 2 great opportunities to offset the price of gasoline.

Opportunity 1:Come stay 1 night in any one of our inns, Sunday through Thursday and we will deduct $20 per night from the normal daily rate with the presentation of this coupon.

OR

Opportunity 2: With this coupon, if you purchase our Gas Price Discount Package for $179 plus tax, they will take $40 off normal retail price.

>> Click here to print this coupon.<<

For $139 plus tax, you get:

1 standard inn room for any 2 consecutive nights Sunday through Thursday

4 buffet breakfast tickets (includes beverage and gratuity)

2 Tennessee State Park souvenir caps

______________________________________________

You can choose from 6 participating Tennessee State Park Inns:

Fall Creek Falls
Henry Horton
Montgomery Bell
Natchez Trace
Paris Landing
Pickwick Landing

Reservations call (866) 836-6757

No other discounts apply. No breaking of packages and no other combinations. Not for use by groups. Sunday through Thursday only; no weekends or holidays. Package is non-commissionable. Not for use with cabins. Based on room availability. May be cancelled without notice.

Green Livin Zap VOCs with Houseplants

2008-06-21T11:26:00.008-05:00

Pick up a few of these common houseplants the next time you visit a local nursery: palms, ferns, corn plant, dragon tree (dracaena), rubber plant, weeping fig (ficus), English ivy, peace lily, florist mum, gerber daisy, dumb cane (dieffenbachia), schefflera, orchid, spider plant, philodendron, arrowhead plant, pothos, dwarf banana and Chinese evergreen.

Houseplants can help remove certain harmful volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from indoor air. Things nobody wants around their lungs, or their kids.

In the 1980s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) conducted a study of 19 houseplants in an attempt to find ways to purify air for extended stays in orbiting space stations. The tests were conducted in sealed test chambers that contained pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene, commonly present in indoor air from paints, varnishes, insulation, particleboard, pressed wood, adhesives and other sources.

What they learned for outer space can be applied to your inner space as well. Many of these plants are adapted to tropical climates and grow under dense canopies and low-light conditions. They have to be superefficient in capturing light as well as in processing the gases necessary for photosynthesis. Because of these traits, they have greater potential for capturing other gases, including harmful ones.

Green Livin The 350 Challenge

2008-06-20T00:01:00.003-05:00

Thank you!

Stephen—

Four weeks ago, we launched the 350 Challenge to help bloggers like yourself raise awareness for the fight against global warming.

You quickly rose to the challenge. Today we're proud to announce that not only did we hit our goal, but we blew right past it. As of this morning, over 400 bloggers are participating in the challenge.

Thanks to you, Brighter Planet will now offset 350 pounds of CO2 on your behalf . Here is your offset certificate to commemorate your involvement.

Adam Rubin
Brighter Planet

Green Livin TVA offers free kits to help cut electricity bills

2008-06-19T08:13:00.009-05:00

Frank Krisle liked his home energy audit and free electricity-saving kit — which came with compact fluorescent lightbulbs and other gear — so much that he took it to church with him.

He thrust the utility-supplied items upon his Sunday school class at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in East Nashville in a bit of secular proselytizing.

"There's a lot of energy-saving things people can do that a lot of people don't realize," said Krisle, 71.

The energy efficiency devotee is just what the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity through more than 150 distributors, wants to see: ratepayers taking part in the "do-it-yourself" audits and spreading the word to reduce energy use.

Customers get the free kit after completing the audit. (Complete it online at http://www.tva.com/ or call TVA's toll-free number, 1-800-663-1835, to request one.)

If all the 23,000 customers in the Tennessee Valley who have done audits so far this year used all the items in their kits, about 13.8 million pounds of global-warming-related carbon dioxide could be saved annually, according to Nashville Electric Service, one of TVA's distributors.

The customers, also, could each reduce their electric bills by $24-$48 a year.

Following an audit's recommendations could save hundreds of dollars or more on a bill each year and mean much larger decreases in the airborne carbon that comes mainly from coal-fired power plants.

Krisle's audit report that he got back "within one hour" of filling out a form online shows that about 70 percent — or $1,575 — of his annual electric bill goes for heating and cooling. A high efficiency heat pump, it said, could reduce that by about $370 a year.

Krisle, owner of an electrical contracting firm, had taken advantage of a TVA program in the 1980s — also available through NES and other distributors — that provided more detailed home energy audits done by professionals and helped homeowners install insulation, solar water heaters and other conservation measures.

Krisle sees the audit and kit as a good way everyone can save money, and said he intends to put in a new heat pump when he's able.

"I've used the light bulbs. I've used the filter whistle," Krisle said. A round, plastic whistle comes with the kit to alert when a filter needs changing, to save energy and money. He put it on the filter in the return air duct in his home.

"It works," he said. "When that filter gets dirty, it barely sounds — and then, as days go by, it gets louder.

"The first time, you don't know what it is."

Green Livin House approves funds for 'green' schools

2008-06-18T07:33:00.007-05:00

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved more than $20 billion over the next five years to help states build and renovate schools to make them more energy-efficient and good for the environment.

Democrats said the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act would save school districts billions in energy costs while reducing environmentally linked health problems.

The White House threatened a veto, saying it was wrong for the federal government to launch a costly new school building program.

The legislation passed 250-164 and now must be considered by the Senate.

The measure approves $6.4 billion for the 2009 budget year and similar sums in consequent years to help school districts modernize facilities to improve the learning climate, promote student and teacher health and make schools more energy efficient.

Projects would have to meet one of three widely recognized standards for building construction materials and energy sources: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, Energy Star, or Collaborative For High Performance Schools. Requirements for meeting the green standards would be phased in, but by 2013, 90 percent of the funds would have to be used for green projects.

Democratic supporters cited studies that a green school uses 35 percent less energy than a conventional school, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, uses 30 percent less water and has better lighting and temperature controls that encourage student achievement.

The legislation, said Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., will "not only save them energy, not only will make the facilities safer, cleaner and better for the learning environment these children need, it will also dramatically change the cost of running a school district."

But Republicans, and the White House, saw the bill as a federal intrusion into education matters normally under the jurisdiction of states and local governments.

"The Democrats' massive $20 billion 'green scheme' would place faceless Washington bureaucrats in charge of priorities historically and best handled by states and local school districts," said House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio. Other Republicans warned it would siphon off funds from federal programs for poor or disabled students.

The bill "would create an inappropriate and costly new federal role in modernizing and renovating public schools," the White House said in issuing its veto threat.

The White House also objected to a funding formula linking amounts that a state receives to Title I, the federal program for schools receiving aid for low-income students. No school under the formula would receive less than $5,000.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Ky., also approves federal funding of $100 million a year for five years for public schools in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Green Livin LIFESAVER: World’s First Ultra Filtration Water Bottle

2008-06-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

Over the years, Milan has evolved from merely hosting a furniture fair every spring to having almost every street taken over by all types of innovative design every April. This year, sustainable design joined in the fray more than ever, with many exciting exhibits highlighting socially conscious design, including the Well-Tech Awards. At this inspirational show we discovered the Lifesaver bottle - a beautifully simple concept for portable water filtration, and one that could make a real difference to a world increasingly threatened by shortages of clean, drinkable water.

The Lifesaver was developed in response to natural disasters such as 2004’s tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The concept is relatively simple, based upon the fact that the smallest virus is 25 nanometers across, so by using a filter with holes 15 nanometers across, all nasties can be trapped without the need for chemicals. The term ‘nasties’ is actually quite an understatement. Lifesaver can filter out bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens. And in the real world, of course, the bottle was much harder to realize than we’ve described it. The bottle is the world’s first ultra filtration water bottle, and the inventor put all of his life savings into developing it.

But it was this level of development effort that has brought about a product that is exceptionally easy to use. Fill it with water by unscrewing the base and dipping it in the nearest puddle or stream, screw the base back and use the pump to force the water through to a teat at the other end. The clean water can then be drunk directly or poured into a separate container for storage. These simple instructions make it suitable for use by children, and in developing countries.

The unit uses replaceable filters, which can treat about 4000 liters of water – five and a half years of usage if you drank 2 liters every day. The filter is speedy, too - 750ml of water can be prepared in just under a minute. And users can rest safe in the knowledge they’re getting maximum life out of the product without poisoning themselves, as the unit has a unique feature to shut itself off when the cartridge has expired.

Costing £230 ($460), the Lifesaver isn’t exactly cheap, but it is a world first, and we’re sure the price reflects the genuinely innovative R&D that went into its development. Not only was it featured at Well-tech, it won ‘Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement’ at Soldier Technology 2007. It’s ironic that a design that can bring world peace can also support world conflict, but here’s hoping it’s used for the former rather than the latter.

+ The Lifesaver Bottle

+ Well-Tech Awards

Green Livin Reverse Grafitti in San Francisco: Dirty Art

2008-06-16T08:13:00.022-05:00

Reverse Grafitti: Creating Art by Cleaning Up

Three years ago, http://www.treehugger.com/ wrote about an air pollution guerilla marketing tactic in Chicago where they power-washed sidewalks with stencil forms to create shapes and texts. Well, they have found what the next level of that idea looks like!

The Reverse Grafitti Project in San Francisco is creating environmental art by cleaning up dirt and grime from walls. In the video above, you can see them making a 140 feet long mural in the Broadway tunnel. It shows native species of native plants that would be living in the area of that tunnel if it wasn't currently the city's downtown (that project was a promo for Green Works).

More on the Reverse Grafitti Project
Reverse Grafitti Project
The Reverse Graffiti Project in San Francisco
Moose's Reverse Graffiti

Green Livin Grass Roots: Easy Organic Lawn Care

2008-06-15T11:56:00.008-05:00

Organic yard care is simple once you go through the steps of disconnecting your lawn from its chemical life-support system.

Curing this chemical dependency has its environmental benefits. One 40-pound bag of synthetic fertilizer contains the fossil-fuel equivalent of approximately 2.5 gallons of gasoline, and mowing for one hour with a gasoline-powered mower generates the same amount of pollution as driving a car for 20 miles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To keep lawns green, we apply about 10,000 gallons of water, which leads to fungal diseases and weeds that attract pests, so we douse our coveted green patches with approximately 67 million pounds a year of synthetic pesticides.

All this activity takes its toll. Nitrates and phosphates from synthetic fertilizers run into streams, where they kill aquatic life. Numerous studies have linked common household herbicides and pesticides to asthma, cancer, reduced fertility and neurological harm to fetuses, infants and children. In a February 2006 Occupational and Environmental Health study, home and garden insecticide use during pregnancy and childhood was associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia. Homeowners often apply chemicals and then track them indoors, where long-term exposures to children and pets are likely. The popular herbicide 2,4-D, a suspected hormone disruptor, was found on tables, windowsills, floors and in the air of homes shortly after the chemical was applied outside homes, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2001.

It's getting easier to avoid these harmful chemicals, thanks to increasing resources and the availability of least-toxic products. "The shift to organic lawn care reflects a broader awareness of the dangers of pesticides to both the environment and our health," says Eileen Gunn, project director for the advocacy group Beyond Pesticides.

As in any detoxification program, the first step is admitting that you have a problem, says Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual (Storey, 2007, $19.95). "The organic lawn is not a ton of work—it really isn't—but it requires more understanding."

Start with the Soil

"Everything is as healthy as the soil it grows in," says Harmen Vos, president of the Organicdutchman lawn service in New Jersey. Healthy soil contains naturally occurring potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus as well as billions of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa and larger creatures like earthworms that build soil structure. Chemically treated grass, in contrast, has very little life because, over time, the fertilizers and pesticides kill or slow down these helpful bugs.

To aid your organic conversion, many university cooperative extension offices will test your existing soil for organic matter, nutrients and pH for a small fee. Once you know what's in your soil, you can begin to bring it back to life. Lawns prefer slightly acidic soils with a pH range of 6.5 to 7, but flowers, shrubs and trees vary in their pH preferences. Lime helps balance acidic soil, while sulfur helps with alkaline. Other soil improvers such as worm castings, kelp, fish wastes and decomposed organic matter called humates add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Compost or "compost tea"—liquid compost that more readily penetrates soil—can help restore beneficial microbial life. You can have it applied by an expert in organic lawn care, or purchase organic compost, such as Intervale ($15/20 qts.; http://www.gardeners.com/, 888-833-1412) or Vermont Compost Plus ($12/20 qts.; http://www.fedcoseeds.com/, 207-873-7333). Bill Duesing, contributor to The NOFA Organic Lawn and Turf Handbook, a publication of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA, 2007, $25), suggests that you make your own compost using lawn clippings, food scraps and fall leaves.

Go Native

The amount of shade and rainfall, soil type and temperature ranges, as well as how much time your family will spend on the lawn, have an impact on your lawn's health, so choose a grass that can tolerate those things. Native grasses tend to be easier to maintain, since they are adapted to local conditions. For instance, seashore paspalum, native to the Southeastern U.S. coast, is so salt-tolerant that it can be watered with seawater, although this is not recommended because seawater will degrade soil quality.

Your grass of choice will also determine how much to take off the top when mowing. Cutting too short creates stress and weakens the plant. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, try a manual push mower like the Scotts Classic reel mower ($129.99; http://www.cleanairgardening.com/). They are surprisingly easy to push, and you'll wonder why they were abandoned for the far more dangerous and polluting power mowers. Keep the mower blades sharpened and leave clipped blades on the grass as compost; they recycle nitrogen.

Read The Weeds

Weeds are messengers that tell you what's wrong with your soil, says Tukey. "You can kill the messenger all day long," he says, "but it doesn't kill the message." For example, dandelions indicate that soil is too low in calcium, too high in potassium and too acidic.

However, not all "weeds" are bad. Clover is drought tolerant, stays green all winter and converts nitrogen into a form usable by other plants. A lawn that contains about 5 percent clover can create enough usable nitrogen to make fertilizing unnecessary if clippings are left on the lawn.

Detrimental weeds, especially those with deep root systems, can be removed using a long, forked "dandelion weeder" or spot-sprayed with vinegar. Corn gluten applied early in spring is another chemical-free alternative to pre-emergent herbicides, like 2,4-D, that kill germinating weed seeds.

Chopping up weeds in your mower might spread the seeds, causing a bigger problem. Instead, bury them in the compost pile, where internal heat generated by beneficial bacteria kills seeds.

Water, Water—But Not Everywhere

Cities nationwide are facing water shortages (see "American Waters"), so reduce and reuse what you can.

Healthy grasses will sink deeper roots and won't need as much water as over-fertilized grasses. Instead of following a set schedule, water only when needed. How will you know? The grass starts to look a little wilted and gray and doesn't spring back as quickly when stepped on.

Water in the morning so that evaporation is minimal and because leaving grass wet at night encourages fungal diseases. Water should soak six inches or more into the soil to reach the roots. Set a cake pan near your sprinkler, and when it's roughly full, you'll have watered sufficiently. To avoid waste, stop when you see runoff down the driveway, and resume after the soil has absorbed what's already there. If you cannot deliver the entire inch in one session, water in alternating sections. Keeping a layer of mulch over your flowerbeds and vegetable garden will trap moisture and reduce evaporation from those areas.

Cut down on consumption by harvesting rain in rain barrels ($134; http://www.gaiam.com/, 877-989-6321). Or be creative: George Spalek, a homeowner in Santa Fe, N.M., collects rain in five cattle-feeding troughs, purchased from a farm-supply store, that he paints and covers with a mesh screen to keep out mosquitoes and dirt.

Also, match your plants with your locale, says Douglas F. Welsh, Ph.D., professor and extension horticulturist at Texas A&M University. "It is as inappropriate to have a cactus in Newark, New Jersey, as it is to have azaleas in El Paso, Texas." He prefers Xeriscaping, landscaping practices that reduce water waste through an equal mix of adaptable plants, decks, walkways and smaller lawns. "People have a mental image of drought-tolerant landscapes as wagon wheels, animal skulls and a few cacti," says Welsh, but "we can have high-quality landscapes that are in harmony with the environment we live in."

With signs of spring in my neighborhood comes a proliferation of small yellow flags warning children to stay off pesticide-treated lawns. As my chemical-free lawn flourishes and more organic products and services become available, I hope that those yellow flags will become a thing of the past.

Green Livin Red Scare-ing Away High Gas Prices

2008-06-14T11:58:00.008-05:00

You can tell that Big Oil and their bestie, Vice President Dick "So?" Cheney, are getting really desperate. After seven long years of disastrous energy and economic policies, the Bush Administration's chickens have really come home to roost.

With Big Oil in everybody's sights, Dirty Dick felt the need to trot out the most dread enemy of all time to try and distract the American people from the real villains. Yes, my friends, the red scare is back.

For years now -- but especially since the failed policies of the Bush administration have caused gas to top $4 a gallon -- conservatives have been peddling the myth that Red China is drilling in Cuban waters mere inches from Key West. And with the Red Menace so close to all those faux Ernest Hemingways, why, we should drill everywhere, posthaste! They've even cooked up maps with menacing looking Chinese flags casting a shadow long enough to blot out the sun on South Beach. Like most myths propagated by the Right Wing (e.g. Ann Coulter is a babe and not, in fact, a face-eating undead zombie waiting to suck out your brains), it seems that there's exactly zero truth to this one. (pdf) But there was so much wheel-spinning going on that the Congressional Research Service even had to do a report to disprove the idea.

After throwing some red meat (literally!) at the base (Cheney was addressing the archconservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce), he then went on to say that all we need is oil -- and more of it. And we need to get it by drilling everywhere -- even environmentally sensitive areas. And for good measure, we ought to throw in some tax cuts for the wealthy while we're at it. And then pass some more really excellent trade deals.

Can we just finally agree once and for all that Dick Cheney and Dr. Evil are, in fact, the same person?

Green Livin RecycleBank Puts $30M in the Bank

2008-06-13T07:21:00.011-05:00

The most low-tech of clean technologies, recycling, got a boost today. RecycleBank, a Philadelphia-based startup that runs incentive-based recycling programs, has raised $30 million in Series B funding led by the high-profile VCs at Kleiner Perkins, PEHub reports via VentureWire. RecycleBank’s round also included existing investors RRE Ventures and Sigma Partners, who together invested $13.1 million in a Series A financing last year.

As far as low-tech cleantech goes, this is a big investment. Kleiner Perkins Partner John Doerr was quite excited about RecycleBank’s mission and business when he talked about the company at the Berkeley Energy Symposium, saying applying the right business model to existing technology can be good business for the planet.

RecycleBank seeks to revitalize municipal recycling by incentivizing the program for consumers. The more a customer recycles, the more “RecycleBank Dollars” he or she earns, which can be redeemed for discounts at over 250 different businesses. So by recycling more beer bottles, newspapers and shampoo bottles you can get discounts on Jockey underwear, Starbucks lattés or even PetCo dog food.

Customers are given a special recycling bin (each has a unique RFID tag built in) in which they can recycle glass, plastic, metal, paper and cardboard. The recycling trucks identify each container and weigh the contents, crediting the household. Customers can track and manage their recycling and rewards through RecycleBank’s web site.

RecycleBank is also tackling e-waste through a partnership with CollectiveGood. The company plans to soon (according to its web site) expand to include the recycling of computers, printers, scanners and fax machines. But it will have competition in the form of SecondRotation and BuyMyTronics, both of whom pay cash for old gizmos.

Making the recycling business a profitable one is a tall order. Amid a budget crisis in 2002, New York City stopped recycling glass and plastic altogether because the program was losing too much money (the Big Apple has since resumed recycling). But RecycleBank is all too aware of what a volatile market it can be; it points to the most recent Annual Nationwide Survey of Solid Waste Management in the U.S., which notes that 28 states have seen recycling rates go down since 2001.

RecycleBank makes its money from the municipalities themselves, who pay based on number of household involved. The company also gets a cut from the recyclers, assuming they see a boost in materials coming in.

Early pilot programs turned in some impressive recycling adoption rates. In two Philadelphia communities RecycleBank boosted recycling rates to 90 percent each, up from 35 and 7 percent, respectively.