Stain Removal Articles

Farmers Market Directory and Locations (6,000+ Listings)

CarbonPig — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:47:49 +0000

Please follow the link above to navigate to the directory.

You can also access the directory here: Farmers Market Directory

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How to Calculate the Savings of a Lighting Retrofit for a Commercial Building

CarbonPig — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:49:16 +0000

In this example of the calculations for the commercial building building lighting retrofit, we are assuming the following building characteristics.

In order to conduct the calculations, you need to know some specific information on the existing lighting system in the building. This slide show you some basic assumptions.

To carry through later calculation steps, we have researched the average performance of T12 lamps from major lighting manufacturers.

In order to get a full picture of the performance, similar was conducted to understand the performance of commercially available ballasts. This is important because in commercial lighting systems, the actual light bulb and the ballast that houses them both consume electricity.

The next few slides show you how to calculate the energy consumption from the existing lighting system.

The next few slides show you how to calculate the cost of the existing lighting system.

In this example, there are other higher performing lighting systems available.

The next few slides show you how to calculate the energy consumption of the proposed new lighting system.

The next few slides show you the cost of the new lighting system.

These slides show you the saving from the lighting retrofit of the commercial building.

That is a considerable amount of savings for this one building. The following slides show you the payback of this investment.

In addition to simple paybacks, there are often incentives available from utilities for projects like this.

Here are other options that the building owner would have to improve performance.

These example calculations have shown how to calculate the savings of lighting retrofits for commercial buildings. In this specific case, the payback is very compelling, and barring unknown circumstances, this would likely be a smart retrofit to move forward with.

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Shame on You Crate & Barrel

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

You can watch the youtube video below to get a sense of the amount of packaging that was used to deliver these spoons. I must admit that the packaging wasn't simply piled on top of the spoons as the video shows, but was nicely bundled the first time I opened the box and looked for the spoons. The video was made as an afterthought because I felt I had to share with the world how irresponsible Crate & Barrel was being by using such an absurd amount of packing.

Why Crate & Barrels Packing and Shipping Process is Shameful

These spoons aren't fragile and didn't necessitate this many layers of synthetic packaging protection.
The box is way oversized.
The packaging envelope included 2 identical damage cards.
These spoons were part of a gift registry from many months ago and I will be going to the same shopping center as the nearest Crate & Barrel this weekend (they could have emailed me with a voucher or given me the option to select if I wanted shipping or pickup).
I returned all the other cutlery pieces of this particular set I had received already because the other items rusted after one washing in the dishwasher (that should be in their database).
Now I have to ride my bike or take the bus to the store to return these items. (Thanks to Rob - I had written drive before! oops)
There was no name included indicating who gifted these spoons.

Now, I'm not the type of person that just criticizes. Here are some suggestions on what Crate & Barrel could do to clean up their wasteful act.

A Few Things Crate and Barrel Should Change

Create a fragility rating for each of the items you carry - something like 1 - 5.
Package your items based on this rating (least fragile gets less packaging in general).
Size your boxes to be slightly larger than products being shipped (You can't ignore the greenhouse gas emissions from the delivery trucks and airplanes who have to use more space than necessary - i.e., a truck could carry 50,000 spoons or 500 spoons on a route depending on how you package).
Send an email when shipping items, or give people the choice when checking out online, indicating that they have a choice to do an in-store pickup at their local Crate & Barrel (we may need to run an unavoidable errand nearby in the near-term).
Don't send damage cards. With your current fortress-style packaging approach, there won't be damage, and, if there is, then I think it's fair to expect your customer to go online to file a damage/return claim.
Your spoons - they rust because they're made with cheap metal. Cheap things don't last and that's not sustainable.

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Eco Transport for Road, Rail, Land and Water

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

Road Eco Transport

Roads constitute the most diverse and widely used land transportation network in the world, thus making them an ideal candidate for eco transport options. In fact, according to the CIA Factbook, the estimated total length of the global road network is about 33.5 million kilometers. Therefore, ensuring that there are sustainable transportation options is essential.

The MIT Media Lab Smart Cities Group is definitely the place to look for eco transport solutions development. Here is a quick overview of the various projects under their Mobility Program that are promising innovations in the sustainable transportation sector:

The RoboScooter

The RoboScooter comes in both folding and non-folding versions and features in-wheel electric motors, lithium-ion batteries, and a cast-aluminum frame. They are designed to serve as a replacement to a 50cc conventional gas-powered scooter. The RoboScooter is made up of far fewer parts than a traditional eco scooter and has batteries that can easily be changed and charged. Compared to the traditional scooter, the RoboScooter defines part of an overarching eco transport network.

Road Trains

Road trains are an interesting method of eco transport. Widely used in Australia and Argentina, these semi trucks utilize one semi-truck engine unit to carry more trailers than typically seen in both the US and EU.

A considerable amount of efficiency is gained by these trucks, but they are very difficult to stop quickly and can pose a safety concern.

Air Eco Transport

The Wright brothers were on to something when they started inventing flying machines and since this innovation air travel has changed the way we all view the world considerably. Since we can't imagine a world without planes we've decided to focus on eco transport modes jets and baloons.Â

Eco Jets

When it comes to eco transport in the air, then Boeing is definitely taking the lead with the development of the 787 Dreamliner.

Made from more than 50% composite materials and engines designed by General Electric (GEnx Next Generation Engines) and Royals Royce, the Dreamliner consumes 20% less fuel than comparable planes now being used. While the development of this plane does not indicate that the final stage in air eco transport has been reached, it's definitely heading in the right direction for sustainable transportation.Â

Eco Balloons

A more far fetched idea for eco transport in the air is the concept that was used by the Japanese when they released more than 9,000 balloon bombs (http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/) towards the US during World War II.

Using balloons to transport goods in the air stream is a valid idea if you take away the bombs. We know that pollution from China impact Californians, so there must be a consistent flow.

While this might not be the most viable sustainable transportation option, or the easisest to organize, it does raise one clear question for society: How can natural systems be leveraged to transport goods?

Rail Eco Transport

Trains are by far one of the most efficient ways to move goods and people and that is why they most easily fit into the category of eco transport. In fact, according to Network Rail, a UK-based rail infrastructure company, a tonne (1000 kg) of goods can travel 246 miles by rails on the same amount of fuel it would take to move the goods less than 90 miles by semi-truck.

One of the main advantages that trains have is that they are on a fixed track that doesn't allow for lateral drift and that regenerative braking can be used to re-harvest some of their kinetic energy; hence eco transport. In fact, the Shinkansen, or Japanese bullet trains, return this energy directly to the overhead electricity cables called the catenary. This is different from traditional diesel locomotives, whereby the heat generated through braking is simply dissipated into the ambient air.

Water Eco Transport

One of the most promising areas of eco transport is on the ocean. One of the most unique ideas to emerge of late are from the numerous companies offering sail retrofits for large ocean liners. One of them, Skysails, claims to be able to reduce ocean liner costs in excess of 30% by adding the sail technology to existing ships conducting trans-oceanic voyages loaded with cargo.

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The 10 Most Sustainable Countries in the World

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

The Ten Most Sustainable Countries

Download the sustainability data used to make this chart.

Iceland (93.5)

Iceland is one of the most sustainable countries in the world and it is likely that the country will continue to excel in a variety of environmental management areas. Some of the areas that the EPI highlights about this sustainable country are a low environmental burden of disease, low air pollution, high water quality for both humans and in ecosystems, pristine forests and effective management of timber reserves, and an effective climate change policy.

In Icelandic politics the sustainability performance initiatives are driven by two distinct governmental bodies, which include the Environment Agency of Iceland and Iceland's Ministry for the Environment. Some of the most effective policies that make Iceland a relatively sustainable country are the Emissions of Greenhouse Gases Act from 2007 and the Nature Conservation Act, which was passed in 1999.

Switzerland (89.1)

High up in the Alps and smack dab in the middle of the EU lies Switzerland - a sustainable country. The history of Switzerland can be told from a vantage point of being very resource constrained, but the innovative policies and advanced environmental management practices in Switzerland have propelled them into becoming one of the most sustainable countries in the world.

One of the challenges for Switzerland in remaining one of the most sustainable countries are the rapidly melting glaciers in the alps. The glaciers are melting due to global warming and the melt water is essential to the Swiss agriculture system.

Thirty-one percent of Switzerland is covered in woods and close to 100k jobs are directly related to the vast timber resource. In general Switzerland is very resource poor, but they have an abundance of wood, so the culture has evolved to use this resource in many products including their homes, which are historically all built from wood.

The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment is the governmental body that helps make this sustainable country thrive. The are responsible for a number of areas that enhance the sustainability performance for the small country such as climate change, biodiversity, air, and hydrology. The office also maintains a comprehensive and extremely interesting database of dozens of environmental performance indicators that assess trends and give the current state of affairs for some of the primary drivers that make Switzerland a sustainable country.

Costa Rica (86.4)

Beautiful Costa Rica is well known as a haven of eco tourism for their dense rain forests and beautiful beaches, but many travelers may not be aware that it is also one of the most sustainable countries in the world. The environmental performance of this sustainable country is driven through both the Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Telecommunications and the governments massive conservation efforts under their national parks program.

Costa Rica is one of the most sustainable countries because of its dedication to their forest and water systems in the country. By focusing on these environmental management aspects, they've been able to to improve their sustainability performance in a number of areas that help them to maintain they're more than 10k species of plants and 800+ species of butterflies found in the 10% of protected areas.

Sweden (86.0)

What makes Sweden one of the most sustainable countries in the world? As shown in the chart above, Sweden's environmental performance is top-notch in the areas of environmental health, forestry, and water management.

Their are a number of government agencies in Sweden that help to make it a sustainable country. These include the Ministry of the Environment, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Chemicals Agency, the National Board of Housing, Building, and Planning, who is responsible for all land and water management, and the Environmental Objectives Portal.

It may prove difficult in time for Sweden to remain in the top ten most sustainable countries if they are not able to meet their climate obligations as noted here. However, the Swedish government has set an ambitious goal of having zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Norway (81.1)

Norway has earned it's way onto the list of the most sustainable countries in the world because of its active management management regimes and progressive environmental policies. However, Norwegians have a very high level of affluence and it may prove difficult to attain the status of a sustainable country if the trending shown in the following chart continues.

The chart shows that purchases abroad and purchases of "other goods and services" has increased dramatically over the last four decades. Consumption patterns like this are clearly not sustainable and, if continued, could jepoardize Norway's ranking as one of the most sustainable countries.

The Climate and Pollution Agency under the direction of the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment maintains a very interesting database of environmental performance indicators and provides more information on the environmental performance of this sustainable country.

Mauritius (80.6)

You may not know a lot about this sustainable country, but Mauritius is an over-achiever in the environmental management sector, thus becoming one of the most sustainable countries globally. Mauritius' environmental performance in the areas of fisheries, forests, and agriculture has helped propel them into the top rankings.

The Mauritius Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development has played an integral role in making Mauritius a sustainable country and you can find a considerable amount of information on the environmental management regime via their helpful web portal.

One of the more innovative policies that the country has championed is the environmental protection fee, which is payable at the point of entry to the country covers devices like cell phone and pneumatic tires.

France (78.2)

A sustainable bastion of the EU, France has achieved high ranking in the environmental performance index for somewhat controversial reasons. It's notable nuclear program hasn't helped distinguish the France as one of the most sustainable countries in the area of climate change, despite the fact that they have significantly reduced this sustainable country's greenhouse gas emissions.

France has aggressive legislation that helps to keep the air quality high for humans and an active fisheries management program that ranks high. Many of Frances environmental performance initiatives are managed by the Ministry of Sustainable Development.

Austria (78.1)

Austria is another sustainable country whose heritage and environmental performance is inextricably linked to the European Alps. Most sustainable countries share one thing in common -- they are small and Austria is no exception to this norm. Austria is only 84k square kilometers and hosts a population of almost 8 million people. Of this area, 46% is forested land.

The geographic context of the forests and mountains has mandated Austria to manage the land very carefully for many decades. The Federal Environment Agency plays a critical role when it comes to making sure that the forest and fisheries are sustainably managed.

Cuba (78.1)

Many people don't think of Cuba as one of the most sustainable countries, but persistent management of the natural resources and habitats since 1981 has earned it the title of "sustainable country". Cuba managed to pass what is known as Law 33 in 1981 to start a long process of transforming the environmental performance of the country.

Cuba was the only country in the world rated as having "sustainable development" in the World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report 2006 because they met the two underlying criteria of the Human Development Index and the "Ecological Footprint".

The Ministry of Science, Technology, and the Environment is the primary body that oversees the environmental management of the country.

Colombia (76.8)

Most sustainable countries are resource constrained in many ways, but Colombia is anything but that, as they boast being the second most biologically diverse country in the world (10% of global total). Therefore, managing the sustainability of Colombia should be a key priority for the entire planet.

Unfortunately, as recently as the early 2000's Colombia was losing up to 200k hectares of natural forest every year. However, you can see that part of the reason that Colombia is a sustainable country now is the fact that they rate very highly in the forest area of the environmental performance index (see table above).

The Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development plays a principle role in determining the environmental management regimes in this sustainable country. They also keep an up-to-date legislative agenda on their portal for more detailed information.

Additional Sustainable Country Resources

The INECE hosts a great list of Environmental Departments and Agencies globally
The United Nations Millenium Development Goals (#7 - sustainability goals)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency Learn the Issues Website

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Motorcycles Create More Greenhouse Gas Emissions than SUVs

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

How Much Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2) Do Motorcycles Emit Compared to Cars and Trucks?

The following chart shows the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile traveled (PMT) for seven classes of vehicles including sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, diesel buses, and motorcycles (2-cyl, 4-cyl, and sport bikes).

Lifecycle GHG Emissions by Vehicle Class

Adapted From: UC Berkeley Center for Future of Urban Transport Report: Life-cycle Energy and Emissions Inventories for Motorcycles, Diesel Automobiles, School Buses, Electric Buses, Chicago Rail, and New York City Rail

Federal regulations help to control motorcycle emissions, but the regulations don't do enough to make them emissions competitive with a hybrid car, which, if it were represented in this chart above, would easily prevail as the most efficient vehicle per PMT. Looking up the exact amount of emissions that are generated from a specific model of motorcycle is quite difficult because manufacturers aren't required to test and register the fuel economy with the Environmental Protection Agency. Auto manufactures, on the other hand, have to test every make and model and report the fuel economy.

The Los Angeles Times recently covered the topic that motorcycles mileage and emissions are not reported in the government fuel economy guides in the article The Measure of Motorcycles' MPG.

Are Motorcycle Emissions Regulated?

Yes. The Federal Government has been trying to get a handle on motorcycle emissions for years because they are also responsible for high levels of other nasty "criteria air pollutants" like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), PM10, SOx, and NOx. You can find the current EPA regulations here: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/roadbike.htm

Milligrams of VOCs Emitted per Passenger Mile Traveled

Adapted From: UC Berkeley Center for Future of Urban Transport Report referenced in previous figure.

Does this Mean that Motorcycles are Bad for the Environment?

In short, yes; especially sport bikes. The amount of environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions that motorcycles emit over the course of their lifetimes is very large compared to alternate modes of transportation. If you want to reduce your impact, then you should take the bus during peak hours (i.e. rush hour) because, according to the information published by UC Berkeley, that is the least harmful way to cover ground in a motor vehicle.

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BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Luxury Hybrid Sport Car

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

This Beemer is powered by 2 turbodiesel engines--one on each axle.

When you're not burning fuel, then you'll be able to rely on the 98 lithium-polymer batteries!

Start saving today, because you'll be able to buy one of these in a few years.

You can view the full specs on BMW's website.

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Masters Degrees in Sustainability and Environmental Management

CarbonPig — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:55:52 +0000

YALE SCHOOL OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Founded in 1901, The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies offers a number of degrees focused in this areas of environmental management and environmental science. I may be a bit biased because I got my masters (M.E.M) from Yale, but it is hands down the best program in the country.

Once you've entered the program there is an incredible amount of resources at your finger tips that will allow you to specialize in almost any area of environmental management and science that you wish.

in addition to the master degrees listed below, there are eight joint degree programs that you can pursue.

Degrees Offered:

Master of Environmental Management (M.E.M.)
Master of Forestry (M.F.)
Master of Forest Science (M.F.S.)
Master of Environmental Science (M.E.Sc)

Yale FES also offer the following joint degrees:

Master of Business Administration and M.E.M
Law (J.D.) and M.E.M.

NICHOLAS SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT

This school at Duke was formed in 1991 when the former School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the Duke University Marine Lab (both founded in 1938) formerly merged to form the Nicholas School.

Degrees Offered:

Master of Environmental Management (M.E.M.)

To earn the M.E.M. degree at Duke, you must also choose one of the following areas of specialization:Â

Coastal Environmental Management (C.E.M.)
Ecosystem Science and Conservation (E.S.C.)
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health (E.E.H.)
Energy and Environment (E.E.)
Environmental Economics and Policy (E.E.P.)
Global Environmental Change (G.E.C.)
Water and Air Resources (W.A.R.)

In addition to the professional degree programs, Duke also offers an online degree called the Duke Environmental Leadership - Master in Environmental Management degree for those who can't attend school in a full-time capacity or can't relocate.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Michigan offers a world-class program in a number of key environmental management and sustainable management degrees including:

Master Degrees - M.S.
Aquatic Sciences: Research and Management
Behavior, Education and Communication
Conservation Biology

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