Over and Under Two Vehicles Travel the Same Road at the Same Time

In China, plans are underway to begin construction of 115 miles of track that will house a huge bus, called the 3D Express Coach, that drives above the cars on the road. It will carry up to 1400 people and take only a year to complete. With construction slated to begin at the end of this year, commuters in Beijing will soon be traveling along in eco style -- the buses will be powered by both electricity and solar power.

Nice!

The widening and increased height of the busses means that roads don’t need to be widened which means there will be no congestion from construction.

There are quite a few projections of what the busses will look like here.

Lunt Solar Systems Has Revolutionized the Way We Look (Directly) at the Sun

Remember when you were a kid and adults said not to look directly at the sun because you could burn your eye balls? Some of us said ‘okay’ and went on our way, but people like Andrew Lunt, Owner of Lunt Solar Systems, never quite gave up the hankering for staring directly at the sun. He spent twenty years developing, testing, assembling and perfecting Lunt Solar System’s line of telescopes and filters made specifically for doing just that.

Okay, I know what you’re all thinking…“How cool is that?”

I felt the exact same way!

Based out of Tucson, Arizona, Lunt Solar telescopes and filters are carried in shops in nine states across the United States including California, Idaho, Oklahoma, New York and Georgia among others, and there are worldwide dealers in twenty seven other countries across the globe. Each ‘scope is created upon order, tested for performance and safety and then shipped out to the client individually. This means lead time is longer but the quality of the piece is greatly enhanced as it was not a model pulled from stock.

Andy is married to my sister’s best friend so I got some first hand info on some of the amazing achievements he has had in the past year alone. In 2009 his LS60 Pressure Tuned Telescope was awarded the prestigious honor of being named one of Popular Science’s Hot Products for the year. Right on! Plus he was filmed as part of a documentary on solar eclipses and what one can use to watch them safely.

I am no scientist and much of the technical, scientific aspects of his ‘scopes go way above my limited knowledge of wavelengths, nanometers, spectrums and other related terms defined by light but I do know that by spending a little extra time over at the Lunt Solar Blog or viewing the details of either the Visual Package or the Imaging Package I would gain a world of knowledge essential to any budding solar viewing enthusiast!

We over here at GLR love to dive into researching the truly Green, geeky, cool, funky and unique and Lunt Solar fits just about all of those categories with ease. Much time will be spent doing research! Congrats Andy, here’s to many more years of innovative developments in the realm of seeing the sky and its biggest star from a different angle!

Sun Crystals are Sprinkling Weddings with Sweetness!

What could be better for a busy bride than to have every last detail of her wedding planned for her? Sun Crystals all natural sweetener wondered the same thing and tomorrow, October 22, 2009, these folks are going to help a whole bunch of “sweet couples” tie the knot or renew their marriage vows at Foley Square in NYC.

The campaign is a simple concept -- “To celebrate the introduction of the SUN CRYSTALS® Brand, the first all-natural, low-calorie sweetener that marries stevia and sugar cane, two plants nourished by the sun. The event also highlights the brand's commitment to environmental sustainability. McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, with its SUN CRYSTALS® Sweetener Product is a member of 1% For The Planet®, donating 1% of its sales this year to the American Solar Energy Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S."

Get it? Marry, celebrate, commitment…it was an easy leap for Sun Crystals to bring the idea to light but the best part of all is the word “sun”.

The entire day’s events will be fully powered by rolling solar panels. Very cool!

Sun Crystals sent me the information on this event and I was thrilled to do a little write up on it but when I also received a sample of the product, well, I thought that was really sweet of them.

Get it? Sweet? Okay, okay, I know.

The sweetener is created by blending stevia and pure cane sugar, is 100% natural, low in calories (only 5 per packet as opposed to 15 in sugar) and boasts that only half as much is needed to do the job of sugar. On the back of the bag there is even a recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies and a claim that this is suitable for people with diabetes.

I am impressed that they are involved with 1% for the planet and that this year they are going with donation to solar energy as alternative energy sources will greatly assist with reducing climate change worldwide, allowing the sun to continue to help grow the very plants used to create this product.

The only information I could not find is if this product is sifted with bone char (so I am unsure as to its Vegan-ness) and whether or not the cane sugar is unbleached.

Overall I think what they are doing is sweet and I am granting a Four Leaf Rating to Sun Crystals!

Good luck with the nuptials tomorrow couples in NYC and thanks for keeping your eye on the Earth and its resources Sun Crystals! ♥love♥

Greening Up a Summer Camping Trip

A couple days ago over on my personal blog I discussed the likelihood that I would be taking at least one camping trip in my lifetime and it was very possible that trip would take place this summer. When considering all of the things that could be enjoyable while camping, I wondered how I could do so and still be kind to the Earth.

Our trip will involve some friends with babies and a dog as well as Matt and myself, and activities will include hiking, cooking, showering, sleeping, hanging out and reading, making ‘smores, drinking and of course eating campfire cooked food. What I found is there are ways to be kind to the Earth, still be somewhat light on our feet and have an enjoyable time while doing it.

One of the things that nerves me about camping is the pitch black of outdoors when walking to the bathroom at night. Well with the crank flashlight we have that should not be a problem! There is a handle on one side that pulls out and can be cranked repeatedly to juice the light. No batteries and no electricity required. The one we have is residing in my car trunk emergency kit right now. The light lasts for a few minutes and when it goes out simply crank it up again. It is a powerful light for illuminating a trail.

Perhaps however I want to do something a little lengthier that involves light at night. No problem! Countless companies sell lanterns with led lights but the K-Light from PiSAT Solar enjoys up to twenty hours of run time and takes nothing more than the sun to power it. The K-Light is water resistant (Both the unit and the solar panel) and the website boasts that it weighs about the same as a can of soda.

As the sun begins to set the bugs are drawn into the wondrous lantern light and because I am not one for bugs I will definitely be picking up some Badger Anti-Bug balm from my local REI. It is made from all Earth friendly ingredients and contains no DEET. With lemongrass and rosemary it will even smell nice, but don’t worry guys, it is not girly.

Sitting around the campfire is probably the activity I look most forward to while camping because of two things -- drinking beers and ‘smores.

By going for organic beer and wine it will be a nice way to thank the dirt beneath me as well as enjoy some yummy libations. Doing a quick Google search provided me with links to all kinds of local, organic beers.

Then it was on to the components of a great ‘smore -- chocolate, graham cracker and marshmallow. Sweet and Sara carries a vegan marshmallow (found in a bunch of Whole Food’s locations across the United States) and New Morning makes an organic honey graham but the most important topper of all, a bar of chocolate can be beneficial in a few ways. We received for the holidays last year Endangered Species Chocolate bars. The ones we got are dark (certified Vegan and Kosher!) but this innovative company (who donates 10% of all net profits to endangered species and their habitats) also carries a milk chocolate version of their 1.4 oz and 3 oz. bars as well.

This summer we campers will be well fed, safe and relaxed knowing we can keep the bugs away and the laughs over beers coming all while having little to no negative impact.

Next up, to find environmentally responsible tents, sleeping bags and athletic equipment to further enhance our eco-camping experience!

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.

All Nations Are Joining in the Fight for a Better Environment

This video from the Scottish Environmental Minister is inspiring to watch as he details their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050 as well as their impending marine bill and use of renewable energy resources. It is a global issue and it is fantastic to see that many other nations, large and small, are not only aware of the threat but that they are taking steps to do their part to better the planet for all living things. Way to go Scotland!

Impossible Not To Notice

Meet the Press is one of my personal favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning. Although I do not consider myself highly politically motivated, it is still important to me to watch how the people running our country respond to pointed questions that in other circumstances they may not want to answer. Tim Russert was my favorite host of this show because he was tough and relentless. After he passed away last summer and they brought in recently retired Tom Brokaw, replaced by Brian Williams on the Nightly News, to temporarily fill in I thought it was a fine choice.

This morning the televised interview was one that Tom recorded yesterday in Chicago where he interviewed President Elect Barack Obama. The interview was well put together with excellent questions as well as brilliant follow ups and there were times that Tom appeared to put a bit of the hammer down on Barack, such as the time frame for the middle class tax cut now that things have changed, economically speaking, so much since his campaign, or when it comes to his smoking. Like I said, the interview was good but that is not at all what struck me over the course of the hour long program. For the first time I paid more attention to the commercials than the program I was watching.

I wish I had counted because it would be a safe estimate to state that approximately 75% of the televised support was from companies or organizations promoting the environment.

Yippie!

There were some old standby ads such as those offered by Exxon Mobil for fuel efficiency or a spot or two of the NBC standard “The More You Know” but one commercial in particular, shown near the beginning of the program, struck me so positively that I actually remembered the website without writing it down.

That site is called This Is Reality.

The commercial is shown immediately upon clicking on the site so speakers are in order and what we hear is a gentleman telling all of us he is entering a new clean coal facility. He walks through the door and we see him suddenly standing in the middle of the desert. The end of the commercial flashes one simple sentence on the screen:

In reality, there is no such thing as clean coal.

Halleluiah! With all the mind boggling confusion over this extremely sensitive issue it is great to see someone finally putting the truth right out there.

The reason that coal is not a clean energy resource is complicated. Mining it involves disruption to the Earth itself -- destruction of mountains -- and because of the location anything left behind, missed or forgotten can enter run off rain, ending up in our waterways. The coal itself is a dirty substance as it is essentially a rock created from biodegraded plants preserved in earth and water. Burning this substance will release CO² emission, better known as greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. If power plants were able to capture those emissions prior to their release (known as carbon capture and sequestration or CSS) it would create a system where coal could in fact be burned more cleanly but still there is no way to be 100% “clean” when it comes to coal.

Sadly, not a single plant in the United States has put into place a way to capture the gas or address the other environmental challenges presented with ecologically responsible coal mining. The coal we burn is about as far from clean as we can get. Not to mention that since coal is a fossil fuel source it will eventually run out. So what is the alternative to burning coal since it is the number one leading resource for creation of electricity in this country?

Renewable resources such as wind, solar or hydro power can replace the dirty, dangerous business of coal mining and burning. These are areas where efforts in this country could truly make a world of difference and This Is Reality has reminded me today of why we should all look into those resources to keep our planet strong.

I am granting This Is Reality a Four Leaf rating for its information, desire to get it out there and courage to tell the truth.

Whatchu Talkin Bout?

Here I am rambling on about all this environmental whoo-ha and it just occurred to me that some readers may be new to the eco lifestyle and have no idea what we are all going on about over here. How dare I post a bunch of bloggity blogs without first sharing what all of those fancy terms even mean?! Well before those fantastic people glaze over and click away, I will share a list of a bunch of environmental based terms and what they mean to me. I encourage everyone to post in the comments if you have questions about certain terms or have a different opinion on what it means to you. Please note there are some terms I will just post the dictionary definition for because they just seem to sum it up so nicely. Now in no particular order, let’s get talking people!

Environment -- The most important of all the terms. To me this is the all encompassing, includes everything term. The environment is not just the untouchable ozone layer or air we breathe but also the house we live in, the car we drive, outer space, the job we work at, the websites we surf, the water we swim in, fish, drink, the tiny little ant that crawls across the sidewalk to the greatest desert, the smallest creature on the planet, the polar ice shelf, You, me, all breathing things, you get the picture. If you experience it at any time with any of your six senses then it is the environment. Treat it well.

Green -- This is a toughie because everyone has a slightly different take on what this means but to me, green means being, doing and promoting the betterment of the environment as much and as often as possible. What is your take on this word as used in an environmental capacity?

Recycle -- Probably the most widely used and recognized term where environmental living is concerned. The dictionary defines this as: to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse. This is important to remember – anything recycled in a traditionally adopted manner must go through another process to become something else. It will save that thing from being placed in a landfill (trash heap) but a process must be completed again to make the new item.

Upcycle -- Sort of like recycling except the item in question is generally not completely reprocessed, just repurposed or reused. Here is the difference: With recycling, I put a plastic bottle in my bin, it is taken to a plant, melted down and reformed into a plastic shopping bag. With upcycling I take a plastic bottle, cut it in half, coat the bottom with sticky back felt and use it as a pen holder. There is a process involved in repurposing that bottle but a lower impact process environmentally speaking. And I have a personalized, kick ass new pen holder to boot.

Eco -- This is simply the prefix used to shorten the length of an ecologically responsible word. Instead of saying “that shopping bag purse is an environmentally responsible item” we can be lazy and say “I love her eco-friendly purse!”. Eco-conscious, eco-responsible, eco-blogger, eco-mom, etc. What eco- do you define yourself as?

Repurpose -- Dictionary says: To use or convert for use in another format or product. This is another term for recycling, upcycling or reuse.

Earth Day – This is the day we greenies get to share the love of our blue and green marble in space with a whole slew of people that may not be focused on it any other time of year. There are amazing conventions, group meet ups, talks, discussions, actions and many other activities planned all over, you guessed it, the Earth on this day. In 2009 it is on April 22. Get involved!

Solar -- Fun in the sun baby! The heat and energy produced by everyone’s favorite flaming ball of gas is known as solar.

Passive Solar -- Collecting and using the rays of the sun without any mechanics. This is something I do every day and discussed here.

Photovoltaic Panels -- Cells in the form of flat panels (photodiodes) used to collect the suns rays and regenerate that into electric energy. This is known as Active Solar and they are sometimes referred to as PV’s.

Wind Turbine -- Wind, or kinetic, is harnessed through the rotating turbines (blades) and converted into energy. It is deemed a turbine when that energy is converted to electricity. Windmills use the power of wind to run machinery strictly.

Compost -- The dictionary tells us this is: a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil. Scraps of dinner or yard waste (like lawn clippings) can be saved and put back into the Earth to make a more nutrient friendly soil for planting.

Emission -- Basically a fancy-schmancy term for release or discharge. Every time we start and run our cars there is an emission created from the tail pipe for example. Emissions from many sources (methane gas, fossil fuels, etc), has led to increased air pollution across the planet. Using clean power such as solar or wind will help to keep emissions to a minimum.

Sustainable -- Anything that will continue to provide forever is sustainable. Wikipedia states “sustainability has been expressed as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. A fantastic explanation.

Renewable Resource -- Anything in nature that can be reproduced (or naturally recycled if you will) is renewable. A great example of a rapidly renewing resource used for many items would be bamboo. It grows quickly and can be easily replenished (also allowing for sustainability). A non renewable resource would be fossil fuel.

Global Warming -- The dictionary has a nice definition here: an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. So let’s break that down. The greenhouse effect happens when solar radiation is absorbed by gas in the atmosphere. It is natural and not a bad thing. When more of that radiation is trapped than escapes however it will lead to an increase in the temperature of the atmosphere in question. Temperatures in an overall sense go up and that results in warmer air and water. In our case the temperature on Earth has gone up by one degree in the past century. Now many people might be saying “big deal, one degree is barely noticeable so who really cares?”

Climate Change -- Here is where caring about the one degree really comes into play. Due to that seemingly tiny temperate increase so many things within our global ecosystem have shifted and not in a good way. Beach erosion is directly related as the sea levels begin to rise. When the sea becomes warmer the ice melts, just like in a glass of water. In that glass of water however is not an entire species that relies on the ice being there to survive. Ever wonder why there has been a significant increase in bizarre weather events of late like a tornado in Brooklyn or snow in southern California? All of this is a direct result of climate change.

Carbon Footprint -- Each of us have one because it is the measurable impact we all have on the planet. We can determine how much greenhouse gas is released through our individual daily activities (our personal emissions checklist). There are predictable and non predictable questions in a Life Cycle Assessment that help determine where we each stand and then we can truly gauge the areas we could cut back to help protect the first and most important term -- our Environment.

Who Knew?

Last night was game four of the ALCS, better known as “the flogging of the Boston Red Sox by the Tampa Bay Rays”. For those not in the know, these games determine who plays in the World Series. As a gal from Beantown I am a true fan of the Sox but seriously, is it not football season? How many more weeks of baseball are there? Geez. Even though it seems late in the year for this summer sport, we have been watching all the Sox games.

I noticed in the past couple weeks that there were commercials with Anderson Cooper from CNN airing during all the games to advertise for Planet In Peril, a show slated to air on CNN on December 12, 2008 about lacking energy resources across the world. He indicated that if we wanted to do something about it now, Americans watching Game 4 of the American League Championship Series should pledge to turn out their lights while watching the game. A fifteen second portion of the commercial is presented by Sharp -- pledge to watch the game with our lights out to conserve energy, taking the Sharp Lights Out Challenge.

Each person goes on over to the website and clicks on their state to pledge to conserve energy then turns their lights off. Sounds like a great thing all by itself but then, surprise a sweepstakes! Grand prize is a 46” LCD Aquos TV, first prize is a 42” LCD Aquos TV. Cool!

The kicker in all of this is that while I was doing my research into reporting on this energy reducing effort and contest I discovered how Sharp is bringing their carbon footprint down in a major way through strong environmental efforts. A small fraction of the things they are doing as a company include:

☼ The world’s largest roof mounted solar panel system on their Japanese manufacturing facility.

☼ A commitment to providing some of the most energy efficient products on the market.

☼ In the next two years they hope to reduce emissions with their products to the same level as what their manufacturing facilities produce so they off set each other.

☼ They have a strong commitment to energy saving technologies in the entire lifespan loop of their products: manufacturing, packaging, transporting, usage and disposal or recycling of the item.

Way to go Sharp! Your efforts to help our planet are amazing and that is why I am giving you a Four Green Leaf Rating! Hooray!



Even though the game is over (and if you’re a Sox fan you are really excited we are not playing tonight) the challenge and sweepstakes is still going strong but only through tomorrow so stop over to the TBS / Sharp website today, click on your state, actually turn off those lights (or other energy sucking devices) and enter the sweepstakes. Who knows, maybe you will find yourself saving even more energy with one of those beautiful TVs.