Living Live Earth

Essential Skill # 56: Drive a Frybrid

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:42:00 +0000

"If you were the Lego-set type as a kid, you have the skills to convert a diesel car or truck to run on straight waste vegetable oil (WVO) from local restaurants," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.

You can also use biodiesel produced from specific crops -- like corn -- but it's not the perfect alternative fuel answer we were once led to believe. With food shortages all over the world, it's hard to justify using limited farm land to grow plants for fuel instead of plants for food.

So Essential Skill #56 seems to be the best alternative fuel answer for your car:

Drive a frybrid.

"Any car that runs on diesel fuel can be converted into a grease car (or 'frybrid')," writes de Rothschild, "but old, built-to-last Mercedes are a popular choice.... Expect to pay at least $2,000 for an old Benz. Veggie oil conversion kits start around $500. Some shops specialize in grease-car conversions; expect a complete installation to cost at least $1,500."

Best of all, there's a huge supply of grease -- an estimated 3.8 billion pounds produced at restaurants each year in the U.S. alone. All it takes is a little effort on your part to reach out to local restaurants and secure your own regular source of frybrid fuel.

Learn more at GreaseCar.com and Treehugger's How To Convert Your Diesel Car to Run on Food Grease.

Essential Skill #55: Choose Your Fuel

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:57:00 +0000

"Ethanol from switchgrass and ditch weed, bio-diesel from algae and turkey offal, geothermal hydrogen, tidal electricity, methane ice, P-series fuel -- it's enough to give your gas tank a real identity crisis," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.

In other words, we're a long way off from deciding on the best alternative to diesel. It's Essential Skill #55 in The Handbook:

Choose your fuel.

De Rothschild weighs the pros and cons of the top contenders:

1) Biofuels (ethanol, bio-diesel and methane)

PROS: If it's organic, it can probably be turned into fuel.

CONS: It forces a choice between using plants for food or fuel. It also comes with the negative environmental impact of farming.

2) Electricity

PROS: There's already an existing infrastructure for this technology. Its centralized generation also makes carbon capture relatively easy.

CONS: To use this alternative fuel, you have to buy a new electric car. And reliance on battery technology limits range of driving and fuel time.

3) Hydrogen

PROS: The only waste product produced from hydrogen fuel is water, and it's carbon neutral if it's produced from renewable resources.

CONS: Building the infastructure for hydrogen technology could cost up to $500 billion, and it could be decades before we can even use it.

"If we were really smart," writes de Rothschild, "we'd invest as much of our remaining fossil energy as we can in wind turbines and solar panels. The best fuel is the one you do not burn up in the first place."

Essential Skill #54: Say "Nuclear" Correctly

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:45:00 +0000

"First things first: 'nuclear' is not pronounced 'new-cue-ler," writes author David de Rothschild in The Global Warming Survival Handbook. "Or 'new-cler.' Since it's likely to be rolling off more tongues than ever in the coming years, it's best to get that straightened out right now."

It's Essential Skill #54 in The Handbook: Say "Nuclear" Correctly.

But really, the way you pronounce the word is of little consequence. What matters most is that you get the facts on this potentially devastating "solution" to global warming.

Despite all its drawbacks and dangers, even some environmentalists who once spoke against it are embracing nuclear power, desperate for any other way to power the planet without fossil fuels. But is it really worth the risk considering the following fact?

"In order for nuclear energy to displace enough fossil-fuel energy to make any real difference in global warming," writes de Rothschild, "worldwide nuclear output would have to double by 2050 and continue at that capacity for at least 50 years."

But here's the real kicker.

"Even that massive increase of atomic energy ... would only prevent .33 degrees Fahrenheit of global temperature rise."

Weigh that pro against the cons, and the balance seems rather out of whack, don't you think?

The drawbacks of nuclear energy include:

Nuclear plant meltdowns
Problem of how to safely store nuclear waste (which remains active for thousands of years)
Possibility of it falling into terrorist hands
Nuclear energy is not a renewable resource, as uranium reserves are limited

Instead of investing in the potential dangers of nuclear energy, encourage your leaders to use your tax dollars to concentrate on clean, renewable alternative technologies, like wind power, hydropower and geothermal power.

Essential Skill #53: Skate on Old Tires

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:26:00 +0000

Every year, 290 million tires are disposed of in the United States. The problem is that it's illegal to send them to the landfill in 46 U.S. states. Why? Because tires can:

Contaminate surface-water runoff
Self-combust, emitting toxic fumes and taking months to burn out
Attract rodents and insects
Serve as a breeding ground for dengue fever and encephalitis

So what are we supposed to do with old tires? Follow Essential Skill #53 in the The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:

Skate on old tires.

"In Washington, D.C.," writes Handbook author David de Rothschild, "the nonprofit East Coast Round Wall Foundation recovered tires from abandoned lots and National Parks, filled them with dirt, and laid them down as the foundation of the Green Skate Lab. After forming the walls of the bowl with tires, workers put down rebar and then poured concrete.

"The result: a 100% volunteer-built skate environment made entirely of reused and recycled materials."

Click this link for more info about how to build a skatepark in your community.

Essential Skill #52: Invent the Antidote

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:47:00 +0000

"If Thomas Edison knew how much his lightbulb would someday contribute to global warming, he probably would have kept on going until he invented a solution for carbon emissions," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.

"Alas, he was an inventor, not a soothsayer. That leaves you, ingenius reader, to solve humanity's biggest challenge."

It's Essential Skill #52 in The Handbook:

Invent the antidote.

Maybe you could alter biodiesel production so that it that doesn't require so much heat. Or maybe you can invent an electric car battery that's smaller, cheaper, less toxic, longer-lasting and faster-charging.

Or probably more realistically, maybe you can tell your representatives in Congress that you want funds allocated to programs in which scientists are already working to solve these and other alternative energy challenges.

More ideas de Rothschild hopes could one day help do the trick include:

Releasing sulfur particles into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and heat back into space
Installing giant mirrors in space to deflect the Sun's rays
Sink iron to the bottom of the ocean to absord CO2
Sequester carbon dioxide at the bottom of the ocean

As far-fetched as some of these concepts may sound now, the same could be said of global warming itself, which took years for the world to understand and accept. Anything is possible, including inspired, creative solutions to climate change.

Essential Skill #51: Dig a Very Deep Hole

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:04:00 +0000

"Is your gas-guzzling furnace robbing you blind each winter?" asks author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "Do you fear that your air-conditioner may be causing those rolling blackouts? Are solar panels not an option at your Scandinavian winter retreat?"

Then Essential Skill #51 in The Handbook is for you:

Dig a very deep hole.

From this hole comes geothermal energy, using the temperature of the earth to heat or cool your home! We'll warn you now though -- the initial investment doesn't come cheap at an estimated $7,500 or more. But you're going to be cutting down on your emissions by as much as 40 percent, which will inevitably be reflected in your bank account for years to come.

In the words of de Rothschilds, here's how it works:

"A geothermal pump brings water (or water and antifreeze) up through pipes sunk into the ground. In the winter, when the ambient air is cooler, the water absorbs the Earth's heat, which is then concentrated by unobtrusive in-house equipment to warm your environment.

"In summer, the system acts as a heat sink, taking heat from your home's ambient air into the cooler ground. You need only add energy to power a compressor and heat exchanger."

Ninety percent of the homes in Iceland run on geothermal power. And for every million homes that use it, we cut 4.4 million tons of annual emissions.

For more details, click the following for info on How To Heat and Cool a Home With Geothermal Power.

Essential Skill #50: Bamboo Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:44:00 +0000

"Bamboo and trees both sequester CO2 in their roots and branches as they grow," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "But bamboo stores more CO2 and generates 35 percent more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees."

Thus Essential Skill #50 in The Handbook:

Bamboo your life!

From bamboo furniture, to bamboo flooring, to bamboo utensils, to fabrics for bamboo linens and bamboo clothes, this wood alternative is versatile too. And instead of the years it takes to grow a tree, bamboo is a grass that grows in just a matter of days -- as much as 2 to 3 feet in just 24 hours! So while chopping down trees means deforestation, chopping down bamboo means clearing the way for another harvest.

Benefits of bamboo include:

Sequestering CO2
Reducing rainforest deforestation
No fertilizer or pesticides necessary
Stabilization of the soil

"If we planted one million acres of bamboo, we would eliminate up to 4.8 million tons of CO2 per year," writes de Rothschild in The Handbook. If you want to help, cut down on your wood consumption and buy bamboo when you can.

Essential Skill #49: Restock for the Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:38:00 +0000

If you're still buying bottled water, you're behind the curve. "Worldwide, we drink some 41 billion gallons of bottled water a year," says author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "even though it's often no safer or better-tasting than tap, and wastes fuel and water for bottling and transport."

That's not to say you need to tote around a glass or cup, or simply go without. There are plenty of refillable, durable water bottles out there for you to choose from.

But you need not limit this philosphy to water bottles alone. "A useful rule for reducing global warming," writes de Rothschild, is to "buy less stuff." And when that's not an option, follow these tips and buy:

"If buy stuff you must," writes de Rothschild, "restock with planet-friendly goods."

Essential Skill #48: Green Your Roof

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:01:00 +0000

What home renovation can reduce your cooling and heating costs by 50 percent (not to mention greenhouse gas emissions)? It's Essential Skill #48 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:

Green your roof.

A green roof (i.e., a roof covered with soil, grass and foilage) absorbs solar radiation. So instead of bouncing off the roof and into the surrounding area, or penetrating the roof and heating up the house inside, heat is absorbed by the plants. So you're not only keeping your neighborhood cooler, but also your house for a lower electric bill and fewer carbon emissions. Even during the winter time, a green roof acts as insulation so you save on heating bills too.

Though you should probably consult with a professional, here's the basics for installing a green roof on top of your home:

1) Lay down a waterproof layer over your standard roof
2) Top it with drainage materials and soil
3) Plant foliage native to your region -- the less water needed for growth, the better

"Your roof -- or, rather, your green roof -- should be a key part of your carbon reduction strategy," writes author David de Rothschild in The Handbook, "plant it, water it, enjoy it."

Essential Skill #47: Install a Windmill

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:38:00 +0000

"Nobody likes the thudding sound of a power bill meeting your wallet," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "Good news: freeing yourself from utility serfdom is getting easier and cheaper."

It's Essential Skill #47 in The Handbook:

Install a windmill.

Of course, it's not just your pocketbook that will rejoice at your energy savings on wind power. So will the earth. "If 100,000 households installed an ample-sized wind turbine, the annual CO2 reduction would be 900,000 tons."

If you're thinking about installing a windmill, here's what you need to know:

The ideal average wind speed on your property should be at least 10 miles per hour, and the harder the wind blows, the more energy you'll save -- as much as a 50 percent more with just a couple of mph difference
Cost of wind power has fallen 90 percent during the past two decades
Your utility company may offer the option of supporting wind power through the main grid instead of installing your own, as you may still find it too costly for your own personal windmill installation

As great as wind power sounds, we couldn't help but worry about its impact on birds. We've heard before that blades from windmills are to blame for bird deaths. But de Rothschild sets our mind at ease there too. Turns out that of all the bird deaths caused by humans every year, only 1 in 10,000 are caused by windmills.

"Wind can't carry our whole load," writes de Rothschild, "but it could go a long way toward capping our carbon output."

Essential Skill #46: Build a Straw Home

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:17:00 +0000

"Straw has been used in construction for thousands of years," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "and bales were turned into buildings in the 1800s on the American Great Plains -- where there were no trees. The idea of building with straw was rediscovered by eco-conscious architects in the 1980s, and today's straw houses are not just drafty little houses on the prairie."

So what makes straw-bale construction such an eco-friendly alternative to wood? Well, there' s the obvious reason of all the trees saved in the process. Then there's the fact that the straw that's used for home construction is "waste" straw that would normally be burned, emitting CO2 into the air. Finally, straw is a super-insulator -- keeping it cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter.

Of course, at first consideration there appears to be one serious drawback -- fire hazard. But as it turns out, straw is actually more fire-resistant than wood construction!

Here are the basics of straw home construction:

Straw bales are used to fill in a wood frame
The straw-stuffed walls are two-feet thick
It's coated with stucco and plaster
You get two to three times more energy efficiency than with traditional construction

"Combined with other green building tricks," writes de Rothschild, "(south-facing windows for 'passive solar' heating, efficient heating and cooling systems, and double-paned, low-e windows), your energy use can drop by two-thirds."

Essential Skill #45: Take a Bath Together

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:15:00 +0000

"In a matter of just a few decades, millions of people will experience water shortages as a result of global warming," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. Meanwhile, most of us take the water we do have for granted.

Just a regular 6-minute shower uses 24 gallons of water! And though a bath uses even more, at an average of 30 gallons per tub, it's still the smarter choice if you follow Essential Skill #45 in The Handbook:

Take a bath together.

Instead of using 24 gallons each on a shower, you're using only 15 gallons each in the tub.

Of course, there are many other ways to conserve on water at home:

If you're running water waiting for it to get hot, catch it in a bucket then use it to water your indoor and outdoor plants
Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave
Fill the sink with water for washing and rinsing the dishes instead of letting it run full-force the whole time
Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when you have full loads

Click this link for Treehugger's ideas for water conservation.

Essential Skill #44: Build a Bat House

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:36:00 +0000

The hotter it gets from climate change, the more hospitable it is for mosquitoes. They're more than just annoying though, leaving you with itchy skin -- they carry diseases like West Nile virus. Your best defense? Bats. Thus Essential Skill # 44 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:

Build a bat house.

"Our maligned friends like nothing more than to swoop down and enjoy a disease-vectory snack," writes Handbook author David de Rothschild. "Little brown and big brown bats, the most common in North America, can catch up to 1,200 insects an hour."

If building a bat house to invite bats to your neighborhood sounds a little extreme, consider this: you probably already have them. "Except for in polar regions," writes de Rothschild, "they live almost everywhere."

You can buy a bat house or build one yourself. Just remember to install it 15 feet off the ground at least 100 yards away from the house. So if you live in a neighborhood where the houses are less than 100 yards apart, hold off until you get that second home out of the city.

Click this link to learn more about housing bats in your backyard.

Essential Skill #43: Reuse the News

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:07:00 +0000

"Paper can only be recylced three to five times before its fibers break down," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "Each trip to the pulper only delays its ultimate date with a landfill."

So de Rothschild suggests Essential Skill #43 in The Handbook:

Reuse the news.

Of course, this Essential Skill need not apply to those of you who get your news exclusively through electronic media (i.e., the Internet, TV, radio, etc.). You're already way ahead of the curve. Problem is, old habits die hard and there's just something people cannot resist about the feel of holding the news in their hands, turning the pages, clipping the stories. Not long ago, The Watch Team was among them, though we're exclusively electronic-news now. (Though our paper newspaper-neighbors sometimes share theirs with us.)

If you do still get the daily newspaper, here's some of de Rothschild's creative recycling ideas. Use newspaper to:

Protect fragile items in shipping boxes
Make paper mache artwork
Stuff it in your shoes to keep their shape
Pick up after your dog
Wrap presents

Click this link for paper mache directions and projects.

Essential Skill #42: Share the Driving

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:21:00 +0000

"The average commuter burns 340 gallons a year, creating a 3.4-ton cloud of CO2," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "Ride with one extra passenger and you've cut that figure in half. Find one more and you've cut it by two-thirds."

So Essential Skill #42 is all-too obvious:

Share the driving.

Here in Phoenix, most of our freeways have HOV lanes just for carpoolers. If you don't qualify with at least two passengers in the car during specified times during the week, you're subject to getting pulled over. A couple of years ago, a woman argued she was justified, as she was pregnant. Apparently, it doesn't work that way. I'm pretty sure she had a fine to pay.

Getting to be in the carpool lane is such a treat here because so few people actually do it. If you're among them, you're zipping by at two or three times the speed of those unfortunate solo drivers in the other lanes.

Now I know that Phoenix is probably pretty average in terms of carpooling ratio, as 10 percent of Americans do so. That seems about right -- 1 vehicle in the carpool lane for every 10 in the others.

Though saving time getting where you're going is an important incentive for carpooling, it's certainly not the only one. "If one million people carpooled," writes de Rothshild, "1.7 million tons of CO2 would be eliminated per year."

And here's something we didn't know -- " 'Poolers can qualify for discounts of up to 20 percent on insurance ... and your employer may offer sweet incentives like free parking, shortened workdays, salary bonuses and ever cash rewards."

If you don't know anyone heading in your direction, check out CarpoolConnect.com to search for and find someone who is.

Essential Skill #41: Invest Wisely

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:36:00 +0000

"Not every profit dollar has to come at the environment's expense," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "It is possible to do well by doing good. If you know where to invest, you can save the planet while saving up your nest egg."

It's Essential Skill #41 in the Handbook: Invest wisely.

De Rothschild suggests SocialFunds.com as a great place to start. They not only have investment news, but also two 20-page how-to guides that they'll email to you for free. Click these links to get your free copies of the Community Investment Guide and Mutual Funds Guide.

"By investing wisely," writes de Rothschild, "you will help support companies that are working to solve global warming.

"Turn those green values into greenbacks."

For more info, check out The Motley Food Goes Green and Green Money Journal.

Essential Skill #40: Retrofit Your Career

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:50:00 +0000

"Green doesn't mean antibusiness," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "It means the planet needs new solutions."

You can be part of these new solutions with Essential Skill #40 in the Handbook:

Retrofit your career.

"Whether you start a company or join one, now is the time to get in on the ground floor of the green boom." Though the possibilities are plentiful, here's CareerBuilder's picks for the "Top 25 Green Gigs":

1) Hydrologist
2) Environmental Engineer
3) Pest Control Technician
4) Conservation Biologist
5) Science Teacher
6) Toxicologist
7) Pollution Control Technician
8) Fund-raising Director
9) Ecologist
10) Camp Counselor
11) Business Manager
12) Economist
13) Forester
14) Environmental Attorney
15) Community Affairs Manager
16) Environmental Health and Safety Technician
17) Landscape Architect
18) Waste Disposal Manager
19) Environmental Chemist
20) Corporate Waste Compliance Coordinator
21) Urban and Regional Planner
22) Agricultural Inspector
23) Wastewater Water Operator
24) Wildlife Biologist
25) Pollution Control Engineer

Click this link to find associated salaries and job openings for the "Top 25 Green Gigs" listed above.

Of course, if you're already in a career that you love, simply find creative ways of incorporating more eco-friendly choices, practices and policies.

Essential Skill #39: Plant a Tree (Mindfully)

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:26:00 +0000

Everywhere you turn these days, it seems we're being asked to help plant trees to offset our carbon footprint. Yet, according to author David de Rothschild, it's more complicated than that. It's Essential Skill #39 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:

Plant a tree (mindfully).

"In temperate parts of the globe, such as the U.S. and Europe, one result climatologists fear is that all those trees you plant will absorb and retain heat from the Sun," writes de Rothschild, "contributing to a rise in the temperature of the Earth's surface of up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100 in those regions."

Instead, it's best to sponsor the planting of trees in tropical areas.

"Tropical forests filter pollutants quickly and, with their deep roots, draw up water that evaporates into the atmosphere, helping to foster protective cloud cover that reflects sunlight back into space."

Critics of the tree planting solution point to the fact that when a tree dies -- and decomposes naturally or is burned as firewood -- the tree releases back into the atmosphere all the carbon dioxide sequestered throughout its life time.

That's why de Rothschild stresses the importance of caring for the trees we plant. And when a tree does die, it should be salvaged for lumber or disposed of in a landfill (as opposed to mulching or burning).

Click this link to learn more from the Tropical Rainforest Coalition.

Essential Skill #38: Choose the Right Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:53:00 +0000

When you're going through the checkout line, most cashiers no longer bother to ask, "Paper or plastic?" Everything goes right into the plastic bags hanging from the dispeners conveniently placed right in front of them, with the paper bags usually hidden from view under the counter. Paper bags have their own drawbacks, but at least they don't take 1,000 years to decompose.

Fortunately, we have another choice altogether -- the reusable bags that are taking grocery store clerks by storm. Granted, you have to be quick with those trigger-happy plastic baggers, like placing your bags before your groceries on the conveyor belt, or blurting out "I've got bags!" before you can even squeeze in a friendly hello.

Though more and more people switch to reusable bags every day, it's impossible to ignore the countless grocery carts rolling out of stores with 10+ plastic bags filled with food that you know would have fit into four or five of those roomy reusable bags of your own.

"The average American family of four tosses out about 1,500 plastic sacks a year," write author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook's Essential Skill #38: Choose the Right Bag. "Most of these [plastic] bags aren't biodegrading; the plastic just breaks up into tinier and tinier bits until it leaches into the soil or water."

Some cities are taking matters into their own hands, banning plastic bags altogether. But we shouldn't need laws to make such a smart, simple choice.

"There are an estimated 500 billion to one trillion new plastic bags used every year. That's as many as two million per minute," writes de Rothschild. "If one million people switched to reusable bags, we'd eliminate the need for one billion plastic bags."

If you have yet to make the switch, make it now. And if you tend to forget your bags at home, keep extras in the car. You can get them from most grocery stores, but they tend to be flimsy and are rarely made from recycled materials. Check out these durable reusable bag designs made from recycled cotton, plastic bottles and containers at ReusableBags.com.

Essential Skill #37: Find a Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:23:00 +0000

Find a hero.

That's Essential Skill #37 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook.

Our hero inspired this blog. From his organization of the Live Earth Concerts ... to his book and movie An Inconvenient Truth ... to his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize -- no one has raised awareness of climate change more than Al Gore.

Yet, Al Gore is one of countless eco-heroes whose lasting legacy on this earth will be the dedicated work they did on its behalf.

Handbook author David de Rothschild highlights some of these heroes, like:

Jacques Cousteau, a scuba diver whose television specials showed us the importance of appreciating and preserving marine life
Petra Kelly, who co-founded the German Green Party -- the world's first environmentalist party to achieve political significance
John Muir, who co-founded the Sierra Club and helped Yosemite win designation as a national park
Greg Nickels, the Seattle mayor who created the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement that hundreds have now signed
Wangari Maathai, who founded the Green Belt movement in Kenya, which has planted more than 20 million acres of trees.
Yvon Chouinard, a rock-climber who developed "clean climbing" equipment to minimize damage to the rocks
Adam Wajrak, Poland's leading environmental journalist, working to protect wildlife threatened by post-communist development
William McDonough, a leading architect in the sustainability movement

Read about other eco-heroes in the Ecology Hall of Fame.

As I said, our hero -- Al Gore -- inspired us to create this blog, as well as the associated website, Living Live Earth.

What does your eco-hero inspire in you?

Essential Skill #36: Decongest Downtown

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:38:00 +0000

"One million commuters waste about 47 million hours per year because of traffic congestion," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. Thus the need for Essential Skill # 36:

Decongest downtown.

As unlikely as it seems, Manhattan demonstrates just the kind of decongestion de Rothschild is talking about. Sure, there's bumper-to-bumper traffic in the streets, but there's also heel-to-toe traffic on the sidewalks, as so many Manhattanites "hoof it" most everywhere they go. Or they ride bikes, or take public transportation.

In fact, 82 percent of Manhattan residents walk, bike or take public transit instead of riding or driving in a car. The results are substantial:

"Manhattanites consume gasoline at a low rate that the country as a whole hasnt' matched since the 1920s," writes de Rothschild, "and generate less than one-third of the carbon emissions of the average American."

In the Handbook, de Rothschild notes three ways that cities are decongesting their downtown areas: 1) Charging vehicles to go downtown, 2) City bike programs and 3) Bus Rapid Transit, where one lane is designated for buses only. Cities all over the world are adopting programs like these at a greater rate than ever, and the public is responding.

Click these links for details on congestion charging, shared bike programs and bus rapid transit.

Essential Skill #35: Ride a Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:50:00 +0000

"About one-quarter of the carbon emissions we produce pours out of the tailpipes of our vehicles," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.

"Fortunately, you've had the key to solving this problem within your grasp since about the age of eight." It's Essential Skill #35 in The Handbook:

Ride a bike.

We could save 100,000 tons of carbon emissions every year if one million people committed to this: Every week, pick one 5-mile trip and ride your bike instead of driving your car.

So the next time you need to drop a letter off at the post office, pick up a few things at the grocery store or get cash out of the ATM, forget gasing up at the pump -- just slam an energy drink and pedal your two-wheeler down the street.

"No need for petitions, sign-waving, or calling on your leaders to do something about global warming," writes de Rothschild (though that's essential too). "On your bike, you're already doing it."

Essential Skill #34: Watch the Front Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:16:00 +0000

How do we know global warming is starting to take its toll? By relying on Essential Skill #34 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:

Watch the front lines.

"Climate change happens too gradually for us to feel the difference between one day and the next," writes Handbook author David de Rothschild, "but that doesn't mean we can't monitor the front lines of global warming."

These are the top 11 places de Rothschild says to watch for the most visual evidence of climate change:

1) New Orleans
2) Canadian Arctic
3) Venice
4) Komodo National Park
5) Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras
6) Sundarbans
7) Kilimanjaro National Park
8) Himalayas
9) Amazon
10) Greenland Ice Sheet
11) Great Barrier Reef

"Landscapes around the world are already decaying," writes de Rothschild, "and among the first wave of casualties are some of the most cherished wonders. Keep watch on these fragile corners of the Earth to follow the progress of climate change."

Essential Skill #33: Harvest the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:28:00 +0000

As impossible as it seems in our world today, as many as two billion people do not have elecricity. Add to that the other billion people whose only source of power is batteries, kerosene and candles, and that's one-third of the global population living in what author David de Rothschild calls "energy poverty." In response, he points to Essential Skill #33 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:

Harvest the sun.

Not only is solar power a good idea for people who are literally living in the dark in many developing countries, but it's also a great answer to the problem of global warming. Solar energy is a renewable resource that can replace the coal-fired power plants that generate most of our electricity today.

Of course, the problem is cost. "The price of solar systems is coming down," writes de Rothschild, "though a set of rooftop panels can still cost thousands of dollars."

One solution to the problem of cost is the example set by residents in Portola Valley, California. By joining together in their purchase of solar panels at a bulk discount, they saved 30% off the regular price. It's known as the Collective Power Program. Similar programs have spread throughout California and are moving into five other states this year.

Remember though, this high cost of solar is only temporary.

"Solar power's costs are predicted to match coal's by 2010," writes author David de Rothschild. "Soon, solar will be embedded in virtually everything, from shingles and windows to the tops of cars, with every bit of solar power displacing electricity produced from fossil fuel."

For more information on getting bulk discounts on solar systems for your community, check out this link to Solar City. Though they may not offer the program in your part of the country just yet, it will at least get you moving in the right direction.

Essential Skill #32: Get Lost In Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Living the Live Earth Pledge) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:31:00 +0000

"Remind yourself what it is you're trying save: nature," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.

Busy with work, errands and household chores, we all too often treat the outdoors simply as an unavoidable transition from the house to the car to the school to our jobs to the store to the restaurant and back home again. If we're not careful, nature simply fades into the background of our lives. That's why we all need Essential Skill #32 in the Handbook:

Get lost in nature.

It's literally time to stop and smell the roses, whether they're in your own front yard or a field of flowers in the Holland.

"There are still 1.8 million square miles of unexplored rainforest in the Brazilian Amazon," writes de Rothschild. "Nearly one-quarter of the Earth's land is mountains waiting to be climbed. There are almost 600,000 miles of coastline -- much of it untouched -- and millions of square miles of glorious desert waiting to be crossed."

In other words, the world we're trying to save from global warming is still alive and well out there. The more we take the time to enjoy it, the harder we'll fight to keep it.

Take the time to enjoy your own backyard at least 15 minutes a day. Get your kids involved in outdoor activities and sports. Take your family camping, hiking, skiing or whitewater rafting. And plan vacations to places where the biggest tourist attractions are the landscapes, not the shopping malls.