One Billion Bulbs

My sister sent me a link to the One Billion Bulbs site and I had to get on over here to share it with all of you too! Talk about an awesome concept!

These folks have started a website where people can sign up to indicate how many CFL's they have purchased to replace standard incandescent light bulbs. The mission is to save people money and the world's energy by getting 1,000,000,000 light bulbs changed over.

So far they have enough members signed up that they have tracked over 170,000 changed bulbs around the world. Over 148,000 of those have come from the United States alone.

We switched over just about every single bulb in our home with a CFL as soon as the incandescent burned out. The exceptions to this are overhead lights where 1. CFL does not fit or 2. Can not be installed for safety issues. We have 4 floor lamps and 4 overhead lights where CFL's can be utilized and have changed over all the lamps at this time.

To date, those 4 replaced bulbs are calculated at the One Billion Bulbs site to save us $52.84 and 443 lbs of greenhouse gas (CO2) annually (at an approximate 4 hour usage per bulb per day). Now that's savings I can get behind!

I hope everyone has a chance to not only check out the site, and sign up to record your own activity, but to also replace as many of your own bulbs with compact fluorescents as possible to save money and the planet!

Global Warming Versus Climate Change

As you know, I live in the northeast US in Boston, Massachusetts. Our country, except a couple small pockets, has had an unseasonable cold snap in recent weeks, most notably places like southern Florida.

Online friends have posted photos of palm trees encrusted in ice, their own yards engulfed in the rare sight of frost and other odd occurrences due to this weather and although not all, some of these folks have accompanied these photos with statements like “So much for global warming huh?”

Actually, no. As a matter of fact the warming part of global warming has everything to do with the current state of affairs.

First of all let me define both terms, global warming and climate change.

Global Warming: An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change.

Climate Change: Any change in global temperatures and precipitation over time due to natural variability or to human activity.

Wait, so does that mean these two terms define the same basic thing? Well, sort of. They are not exactly the same, but one certainly can not occur without the other.

Here’s how I explained it to a friend who shared the photo of the ice encrusted palm leaves and who had also linked to an article indicating North Dakota had experienced temperatures at -52 degrees (with the wind chill), and she made reference to the ‘so much for…’ statement I talked about above:

It is actually BECAUSE of global warming this is happening...temps go up, water & polar ice shelf melts, more water is evaporated into atmosphere, less definitive line where the "cold" weather should be, more severe weather as more moisture falls from the sky :-(

That is in the simplest of terms, there are certainly loads of other factors and ways of explaining it, but the bottom line is that when the climate changes due to the overall temperature (global mean temp) increasing, a whole lot more extreme weather will most definitely be seen everywhere.

So what can we do?

One of the number one contributors to warming is greenhouse gas, sometimes referred to as CO2 but better known as emissions. Every time we turn up our heat, drive our car, run water, eat prepackaged foods, fly in an airplane, shop for new items and a plethora of other somewhat ingrained daily activities we are creating emissions. By focusing our lives in a more concerted effort to reduce our emissions we will all make a step toward a more regulated environment.

Use throw blankets, sweaters and fuzzy wool socks if alternative energy is not an option in your home. Plan so errands are done in bulk and closer to home on the same day to reduce the number of times you start your car. Try to work from home one or two days a week (this not only reduces driving but energy use in the office as lights and heat remain off or lower than average). Turn off the water while brushing teeth, only flush every other time, or drink filtered tap water to help conserve water resources. Shop at a weekly Farmer’s Market for local and organic produce (if that isn’t possible due to geographic location [like me], try to shop for regionally grown in-season produce) instead of buying prepackaged foods (something had to be run to create all that packaging right?). Take a train for your next trip or if you absolutely must fly be sure to get on a full flight and sit in coach as opposed to a private plane.

But most importantly spread the word! It is only by education that we are able to fully understand the meaning of a word or phrase so if someone in your life is blowing off global warming as ‘not real’ because of the frigid temperatures and record snowfall in their area, educate them! The more the word spreads the faster we can find ways to fix it.

Photo credit: Gary Braasch, Chicago, Illinois 1995, World View of Global Warming

Positioning Oneself for Green Collar Jobs

Everyone knows that the best way to a solid job is a solid education but what many people may not be aware of is that more and more schools are taking the word sustainable to heart and offering comprehensive degrees in various Green fields of study! Berea College in Kentucky, Unity College in Maine and University of Wisconsin in River Falls are just three such schools focused on not only an environmental program of study but pursuing Green initiatives on campus as well.

Berea College offers a Sustainability and Environmental Studies Program which emphasizes sustainable based communities through the application of ecological design concepts. Although the program is only offered as a minor at this time, the efforts of the campus as a whole toward Greener practices make it a fantastic place to learn. On campus, the college houses the Ecovillage building where students take part in advancing the environmental benefits of sustainable campus living.

In addition to their program of study Berea has completed some pretty cool Green initiatives. Boone Tavern, the College run hotel, recently completed a $10 million renovation making them the first LEED certified hotel in Kentucky and their Lincoln Building was certified LEED as well, pretty impressive for a building constructed in 1886! Locally grown, organic foods are served in the Tavern and dining halls and they have installed a central plant which allows for optimal heating and cooling of the campus buildings while maintaining a much reduced energy consumption level.

Unity College is so dedicated to a Greener way of life the President of the facility currently lives in a LEED Platinum certified residence (the only one who does in the United States!) and the school only gets better from there. They are a small school (only about 500 students) that was founded in 1965 to specifically train in all areas of environmental focus. The campus is touted as being the entire 225 acres of land the college resides on.

Of their 24 Bachelor majors, twenty one are targeted specifically toward the environment. From Marine Biology or Forestry to Environmental Writing or Conservation Law Enforcement, it is likely Unity will have a degree program for those people interested in a little adventure with their environmental degree. They are even receptive to those who have been home schooled.

The River Falls Campus of the University of Wisconsin has partnered with three other campus locations (Parkside, Stout and Superior, as well as the Extension school) to provide a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management degree. The program is an exclusive online program and is a 63 credit Bachelor program, certified and accredited. Direct from the website, the program prepares a student “to help businesses develop sustainable practices for a global marketplace, while still helping to preserve natural resources and strengthen community”.

The list of general competencies a student walks away with at the end of their studies is staggering. All students will be trained in the areas of energy, water consumption, world geography, carbon offsets and a slew of others too vast to mention. Their program is ideal for students who are interested in pursuing a career in a corporate environment but who still have a strong mindset on the planet we all live and work on, and their desire to help protect it.

These three very different schools, with widely varying approaches to learning about the world we live in, will help to provide the students of tomorrow the skills required to fill the Green Collar jobs which will be so desperately needed.

The One Bag At A Time Reusable Shopping Bag

Using a reusable shopping bag is not exactly a new concept; people have been taking advantage of cloth or canvas bags for decades. Prior to the recent surge of renewed interest in these bags, we of course had the two choices coined in the ever recognizable question “paper or plastic”. So what suddenly became wrong with paper and plastic that has everyone scrambling to spend the approximate $.99 on each reusable bag? A lot.

A few months ago I made a fairly large purchase for a client in a local hardware store called Tags. The store was offering one free reusable bag for every $50 spent in the store. By the time all was said and done I had enough Tags imprinted bags to accommodate for the entire purchase and when I got them home I noticed a tag hanging from the strap indicating these bags were created by a company called 1 Bag At A Time.

I flipped the tag over to read the information the company wanted to share regarding paper and plastic bag usage and was blown away by the statistics provided; and I write about this stuff all the time!

Based on the tag, 1 Bag At A Time indicates:

“Making a paper bag emits 70% more global warming gas than making a plastic bag.

380 billion plastic bags or wraps are thrown away in America each year.

14 plastic bags contain enough petroleum to drive a car a mile.”

There were a couple more statistics but my brain already began spinning figures. If we divide the 380 billion bags by the 14 bags, Americans alone could be driving approximately 27,142,857,143 more miles without touching another single drop of petroleum. That’s one heck of a road trip huh?

I held off on completing this article for a few months because I truly wanted to see how these bags held up under the wear and tear of not only weekly grocery shopping but toting anything I intended to shop for or travel with. The answer? Phenomenal.

We are tough on our stuff, especially when it comes to something like a bag so it would need to hold up to be worth it (read: so this bag doesn’t just end up as disposable in a landfill somewhere instead). So here are my estimated stats:

“I shop for groceries weekly and formerly acquired an average of 15 plastic bags per trip.

I have used these reusable bags each week for 12 weeks.”

Have you done the math yet? No? Well let me help you out -- that is approximately 180 bags saved so far and roughly translates into being able to drive 13 miles, which pretty much completely negates my trips to and from the grocery store (and then some!).

Other good things about these bags are that the straps are long enough that I can sling them over my shoulder, the capacity is large enough that I can hold much more in far fewer bags, they have a removable bottom stiffener (these are made from plastic) to provide extra bottom support and they can be machine washed on cold so even if my stuff leaks I can salvage the bag.

These bags are available for purchase in hundreds of stores throughout 43 of the 50 states and Washington DC (not available in Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota or Wyoming but they are looking for suggestions of where to provide them in these areas so if you are local please check out the website contact information and give them a suggestion or two!). There are 65 locations in California alone.

Or order bags directly from their website! The company offers a variety of bags for purchase online -- jute, standard, wine bottle bags, small size, “Clean Air” design, a sampler pack and cooler bags (insulated) not to mention bottom stiffener replacements. They provide for the average consumer looking for a few good bags as well as to the wholesale market like companies who with to order in bulk with a logo.

At just under $.99 per bag the cost could not be better and considering the overall benefit to the environment I feel the definite need to award the 1 Bag At A Time reusable shopping bag a Four and A Half Leaf Rating!

I will now consider ordering a whole slew of your bags when I plan to sell at craft fairs or otherwise and hope you continue to provide custom sizes and styles as one or more of these might just get stuffed in everyone’s stocking for the holidays this year!
♥love♥

GreenSol Offers up its Water in a Plant Based Bio Plastic Water Bottle

Oh yes, you read that correctly! There is a brand new movement in the plastics industry and its initials are PLA -- plant based, poly lactic acid, plastics. GreenSol is leading the charge in producing a more ecologically responsible choice for their water bottles and I was lucky enough to get my hands on one.

Bottled by Nature’s Bottles in Pacifica, CA and filled with natural spring water from Private Spring Water, GreenSol is certainly attempting to live up to their tag line: “Saving the Earth One Bottle At A Time”.

The bottle is made from 100% renewable and sustainable resources (PLA is created from corn starch), consists of no petroleum, is said to biodegrade in a maximum of 90 days when placed in a commercial composting facility, only utilizes 35% of the average fossil fuels and emits approximately 75% less greenhouse gas during manufacture. If composting is not an option the bottles can always be recycled the old fashioned way.

When this bottle of water was shipped to me it was done so in minimal corrugated cardboard packaging (which it was requested I reuse of course!) and protected by corn based packing peanuts. I was informed that the product is made available for larger events and recycling bins are also provided to expedite the renewal of the material.

Major named companies are getting on board with GreenSol from Quaker to Microsoft, REI to Walmart. I can see why. I opened up the water and immediately noticed…well…nothing. There was no after taste like I sometimes experience with standard plastic bottles, it felt just as sturdy and .

One concern is that the cap is not PLA but a PET based. Nature’s Bottles does address this on their website and indicates they are looking into various solutions for a safe and stable alternative. The label however is PLA but another concern is that the glue used to affix it is not mentioned online as being plant based.

With such a focus on turning the table on the “disposable” mindset through use of natural products that will quickly biodegrade to house their water I am granting GreenSol a Four and a Half Leaf Rating!

Very, very impressive! I will feel comfortable re-using this water bottle to fill with my tap water for as long as it lasts.
♥love♥

President Calls for Higher MPG and Lowered Emissions

Yesterday President Barack Obama stood out on the White House lawn and addressed members of his cabinet known as his “Energy Green Team”, representatives from the auto industry, environmental advocates, key Governors from a few states, the residents of this nation and others.

He made the announcement that for the first time in our nation’s history we will now have a policy in place for all new cars and trucks to increase fuel efficiency by an average of 5% each year from 2012 - 2016 to a new national standard of 35.5 mpg (average) and a decrease in emissions which would be equal to taking 377 million cars off the road over the next six and one half years. Taking California’s stringent requirements, working with members of the auto industry and environmental leaders this policy will be fully enforced on US auto makers by the year 2016.



HOORAY!

One Sweet World

As many of you know, music is one of my very favorite forms of media. I have always felt that a songwriter can convey as much, if not more, emotion in three or so minutes than any television program or movie because of the written words and accompanying melody. I love to hear bands play songs that teach us how to celebrate our planet, especially when the band is a huge proponent of treating her kindly.

A group of musicians which I listen to often, Dave Matthews Band, falls into this category of love for Mother Earth. They spend a goodly portion of their time and efforts in supporting organizations and causes that benefit our planet and its many residents such as the Bama Works Fund (which they founded), NYC public education and parks, San Francisco Bay area charities (specifically for the homeless and children), Clean Air-Cool Planet (a 100% CO2 offset initiative to “back pedal” to their 1991 tour), Vote For Change, AIDS research and a slew of other causes far too vast to list in this blog.

One of my all time favorite songs by this talented band is called One Sweet World from their 1993 release Remember Two Things. Their love for the Earth shines through in the lyrics and the melody makes me so happy I just want to go plant trees and flowers! I have seen DMB live only twice in the past eleven years but will see them again this summer, front row, in Hershey, PA. Until then I will enjoy this video of One Sweet World (from Farm Aid performance in 2001) and I hope all of you do too! I have included the lyrics below as well. Have a sweet day everyone! ♥love♥



Lyrics to One Sweet World

Nine planets 'round the sun
Only one does the sun embrace
Upon this watered one
So much to we take for granted

So let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely

If green should turn to grey
Would our hearts still bloody beat?
And if the mountains tumble away, river dry
Would it stop the stepping feet?

Oh, let us sleep outside tonight
Lay down in our mother's arms
For here we can rest safely

Take all that we can get
When it's done
Nobody left to bury
Nobody left to dig the holes
And here we can rest safely

One Sweet World
Around this star is spinning
One Sweet World
And in her breath I'm swimming
And here I will rest in peace.

Power Shift 2009

Bill McKibben, author and environmental activist, speaks both passionately and enthusiastically in this video from Power Shift 2009.

What is Power Shift?

Power Shift was an event held in Washington DC from February 27 - March 2 of this year. A collective of amazing speakers as well as America’s youth (who are adamant about continuing the fight to stop global warming, increase use of renewable energy and lessen climate change impacts) gathered to enjoy lectures, concerts, workshops and receive training at the DC Convention Center.

Please enjoy as Bill shares his thoughts and experiences. He emphatically supports the organization 350.org. This is an organization dedicated to pursuing the shift back downward to 350 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. That number is considered the minimum safest level. Currently we are at 387.



I urge everyone to visit the websites for Power Shift and 350.org for more information on how to get involved.