Living In A Toxic World

What if the Electric Car was not Killed?

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:48:00 +0000

Last night I (finally) watched Who Killed the Electric Car? and it did not disappoint. It really made me angry to be honest. The electric car, which will supposedly renew the automobile industry and lead us into a clean green future, was available at least 10 years ago in a viable format. We all know what happened but watching the movie in light of the auto bailouts really got to me.

GM could have been a leader in the electric car segment. Instead they did things the way they still do and ended up bankrupt and needing billions of our dollars. Now, the technological edge that would lead us out of recession and into a more sustainable future has been squandered. If they were left to go bankrupt we may have saved ourselves from future blunders of this sort. I also find it odd that during the auto bankruptcies and bailouts there was never a mention that GM had already developed and destroyed the technology that the governments were demanding they develop as a condition of the loans. The whole thing stinks and it makes me really upset that we are still 10 years away from a breakthrough. I'm afraid that this business as usual approach will keep us 10 years away 10 years from now.

Alternative Health Remedies

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +0000

There is no shortage of alternative health remedies out there. Various foods, herbs and supplements are available that claim to cure everything. This article has 5 interesting ones that remedy various ailments. Some are more commonly known and all have been supported with some research.

At home I try to use some natural remedies for general health. I'm not sure if taking one specific thing cures anything but I think if you incorporate healthy choices into your lifestyle then they will all combine for overall good health. Recently I have started making my own teas from lemon balm and peppermint that I have grown in my garden. Combined with some local honey it is a great tea that may help with colds. Either way, I like it and I'm sure it has some positive properties. These are the kinds of simple things that we can all do without spending loads of money in the supplements aisle.

Brownfields to Renewable Energy Sites

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:14:00 +0000

I found a couple of links about converting brownfields to sites for renewable energy via an article on Slashdot. The first is an article about the idea from The Daily Climate and the second is a list of brownfield sites from the EPA.

Despite the fact that we have thousands of these contaminated sites this sounds look a good idea. It puts recycling to work in a whole new way. It looks like Detroit could become the green capital of the U.S.A. the way it was the automotive capital since it has lots of industrial sites that could be repurposed. It is such a simple idea that makes so much sense I'm surprised it hasn't already been going on. I look forward to seeing how this develops.

Urban Farming

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:56:00 +0000

There has been a lot going on with urban gardens and raising chickens along with a few other things. What if a an entire urban area was transformed into a farm? Check out this article about Detroit being converted into a farm. The premise is interesting and the article contains some interesting stats.

The most compelling thing that I found was the concept of a deindustrial revolution taking place. If you combine the current economic crisis with peak oil and global warming it may be forced upon us. Something to think about...

Toxic Waters

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:02:00 +0000

Thanks to Google Maps Mania, I found a piece on the NY Times where you can search the U.S. for toxic water pollution. Check it out here.

This is how I think modern technology needs to be used to inform the public about what is going on in their backyards, literally. There are no excuses anymore and nobody can hide behind regulatory walls or keeping things hidden from the public. Hopefully this brings in some increased responsibility on the part of those that have polluted and puts the pressure on regulators to actually regulate.

I applaud the NY Times for their work on this and it goes to show that a media outlet which is focused on quality reporting is important to society.

No Impact Man

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:49:00 +0000

No Impact Man is a film, book and blog about living with no impact on the environment. A very interesting and informative experiment on a dramatic lifestyle change. Get more details here and watch the film trailer here.

I think Colin Beavan has done what many of us would like to do; "unplug" and still live a productive life. I hope his experience along with the book and film prove to people on the fence that it can be done. I am one of those people and want to do it so badly but I'm terrified of how it will impact my life. I already live pretty modestly but I still rely on a lot of things that seem too hard to give up. I look forward to seeing how Colin's experience went and see what I can do.

Make It

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Lots of people are making their own things or repurposing what they have. Mister Jalopy is probably on of the more famous people in this arena. Here is a piece about him on CNN and his Owner's Manifesto that he wrote for Make.

While this type of work is not for everyone due to technical limitations I think everyone can learn a little bit and there are plenty of DIY and MIY resources on the internet. It's like we all became lazy about everything because we could always buy another one or there was always a new gadget that would solve that problem. Thinking about products differently and incorporating a cradle-to-cradle design mentality will go a long way in addressing our garbage problems.

9 for Organic

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:16:00 +0000

In the produce aisle you may notice stickers on produce with a 4 digit code. 5 digit codes that begin with 9 indicate organic and those that begin with 8 note GMO foods. Something to be aware of when shopping for produce. For more information check out this post at Enviroblog. A handy thing from the post is a link to all the codes for produce. You can search and see what each code is so you can see exactly what you are getting.

Hints for Green Marketing

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:41:00 +0000

If you are running a business and have considered marketing your product or service as green review these tips. They are all great and relevant but I think one critical point is missing. Actually be green, don't just sell it. Maybe it is implied in there but I didn't get that message. Slowly, green business operations are becoming the norm but there is still a long way to go in my view. I think that green business makes sense for so many reasons. Some of these are: efficiency saves money, better products equals happier customers and finally a healthy planet and customers will be more likely to be around to need your stuff.

Cheap Stuff

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:33:00 +0000

Everybody buys cheap stuff. Whether it is vacuums that last 9 months or picture frames. We have come to expect, even accept, cheap products that are disposable. I found via Make an article with a title that sums it up perfectly: The Crapification of Everything is Just Beginning.

Now that just about everything is crap, how can we keep the level of garbage down? Many people have lamented the disposable aspect of a consumer society but now we have gone past that point. We expect garbage when we buy something because we are unwilling or unable to pay more. If we ever begin to pay for the disposal costs and environmental impact of our stuff we will all be bankrupt or never buy anything. It is time to evaluate what we buy and why before we're overwhelmed with garbage.

Fix It If You Can

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:16:00 +0000

One of the problems with so many of the things we buy is that they are difficult to fix. Usually they are cheaper to replace, too. What if you could find an easy way to repair rather than toss and replace?

iFixit is a site that has parts and repair help for Apple products and has teardowns of other gadgets so you can see what's inside and maybe get an idea on how to fix it. A step in the right direction to reduce our consumption and keep electronic waste out of landfills.

Mapping of Environmental Issues

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Coal-fired power plants have a significant impact on the environment. The Sierra Club is monitoring the progress of every proposed plant in the U.S. You can see them on this map and follow along.

Another issue you can follow with an online map is the plastic garbage vortex in the Pacific. Project Kaisei is studying it and you can follow their expedition with a Google Earth plugin.

I found both of these on Google Maps Mania which is a site dedicated to presenting all the Google Maps mashups they can find about everything.

Wash Your Produce

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

This time of year more and more produce is available in North America as harvest time is here. However, all those tasty fruits and veggies need to be thoroughly cleaned of pesticide residue. Lifehacker comes through again with a recipe for a produce wash.

1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
20 drops grapefruit seed extract (available at Whole Foods or your local health food store or you can substitute lemon juice in a pinch)

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then, transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce (avoid using on mushrooms), let sit 5 to 10 minutes and rinse.

Doesn't get much simpler. Enjoy the harvest!

The Cost of a Coffee Buzz

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:45:00 +0000

I'm a regular coffee drinker. I drink plain coffee or espresso most often. Occasionally, I splurge and get something fancy. With two kids in the house, I have come to appreciate the caffeine a little more. Check out this chart about caffeine and calories. That will make you think twice about some of the crazy concoctions at the coffee shop.

Bailing Out on the Environment

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:06:00 +0000

I know the GM bankruptcy is old news but there is one environmentally noteworthy component. Under the government orchestrated bankruptcy, GM has left many liabilities in "Old GM" and taken the assets to the "New GM". One of the liabilities left behind is $530 million worth of environmental liabilities. Unfortunately, "Old GM" only has $1.2 billion available to distribute. That adds another layer of costs to the taxpayer as they are now bailing out GM and paying for the cleanup of their polluted sites. This is not picking on GM, this is just the way the law works.

It seems that corporate bankruptcies are a way to leave behind obligations to society at large and take the best parts of your business and start over. The irony is that part of GM moving forward is creating "greener" cars that are more efficient and environmentally friendly. Hopefully they build them a little cleaner this time around, too.

Non-Toxic Cleaners

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:13:00 +0000

It has been a while since I last wrote. Having a new baby in the house takes a lot of time and energy as you may know. I thought I would be able to keep up but I decided to take a break. I want to write about non-toxic cleaners. Evaluating how we cleaned our home is how we became more aware of what was in our home. It sort of got us started on greener living and was the catalyst for creating this blog. That was around the time of our first child so I figured a good first post after our second would be about non-toxic cleaners.

Vinegar, baking soda, lemon and tea tree oil are my top ingredients around the house for cleaning. They are less hazardous, easy to find and cheaper overall. Combined with a little more elbow grease and you can cover just about every cleaning job.

Lifehacker has recently posted about making a non-toxic cleaning kit for your home and according to the article these cleaners are significantly less expensive.

Be Back Soon

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:03:00 +0000

Sorry for the sudden drop off. Have a new baby at home and the schedule has changed dramatically. Planning to post in the next week or two. Thanks.

U.S. Electricity Mix

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:21:00 +0000

The source of electricity across the U.S. vary greatly. If a minimum standard for renewable sources is to be set we need to examine what is currently on line. Check out the map and dataset available at ManyEyes and see where your state fits. Biggest surprise to me was Vermont with 72% nuclear. Maybe it has one plant and has a low total generation that skews the number a bit.

More Environmental Mapping

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:43:00 +0000

Online mapping technology has changed the way environmental data can be distributed. By localizing and visually displaying the environmental data people can become more aware of what is going on in their backyard. Google Maps Mania has listed a couple of new maps that provide data. Check them out and if you find any more let me know.

Find a Green Place Near You

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Green Map is an online social mapping tool that will plot "green" sites. They have links to maps and information about the area mapped. If you're planning a trip or want to see what might be in your area check it out.

Are You Living Close to a Nuclear Site?

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:40:00 +0000

You may be living near a nuclear site and may not really know what it does. As part of compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency the U.S. has to file a report about civilian nuclear sites. The Federation of American Scientists has a copy of the report. There is some debate as to the sensitivity of the report and whether it was meant for public release. However, if you live near one you may find out more about it and if you don't know you may find out that a site is closer than you think.

It is important for people to know what is in their backyard. I think once people realize the extent of the nuclear sites they may begin to wonder whether nuclear power is really an option. I'm sure if given the choice people would vote for renewables and conservation over nuclear.

Food is an Environmental Issue

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Food production, consumption and transportation is becoming a bigger environmental issue. Every element of food has an environmental impact and the growing disconnect between people and their food supply is exacerbating the problem. I found an excellent article at Grist that summarizes the issue. Everybody can do a little bit to reduce their "foodprint". By acquiring a little knowledge about what it takes to get your food home you can be more aware of the impacts.

GM is Bankrupt. Now What?

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Everybody knows that GM is bankrupt. Many people probably thought it has been for a while. The broader impact is still unknown. Thousands of people will be out of work and see reduced benefits. Where is their bailout? The upsetting part is that individuals have to suck it up and deal with the hardship while companies are too big to fail and have to be rescued.

However painful this is going to be maybe something good will come out of it. I hope at some point that we realize a few important things. GM was an integral part of suburbanization and expansion of our economy. By extension, this created the environmental difficulties and mass consumerism we are currently living with. While many may look at the bankruptcy of GM as a business failure it is actually a social failure. The bankruptcy of GM represents the bankrupt economic model we are currently trying to revive. It is a reflection of our lifestyle. When we awaken to this point then we can move forward to create a sustainable economic model that respects the ideals of democracy and free enterprise.

Looking for a Green Job?

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:00:00 +0000

If you are looking for a green job the number of resources is growing. One of those places is CleanTech Recruits. It operates like most job search sites and you can post your resume. The jobs are mostly in the U.S. but there are numerous listings around the world as well. Happy hunting.

Alternative Energy Investing

febutterfly2@hotmail.com (FeButterfly) — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:32:00 +0000

If you think alternative energy is the future then maybe you want to invest in the sector. A good analysis of sector ETFs by Charles Morand is available at SeekingAlpha. As with any investment do your homework. The sector, in my opinion, is gaining many entrants right now and at some point there will be a few great companies that emerge and define the industry. Now it's just a matter of picking the right one:)