Rebecca's Green Journal

Voting Green With Your Spending

2008-10-22T10:46:00.001-07:00

Green sustainable living is at odds with supporting an economy that is ever growing. Many people feel as though economics is a complicated subject, but it is far less complex than it may seem. In order for the economy to "grow," we need to consume more and more, without regard to sustainability. For this reason, a fundamental change in the economic system is necessary.

It's easy to say reduce, reuse, recycle, but the people who will suffer when reduced consumption impacts a business's bottom line will be the employees who are laid off, not the CEOs and major shareholders whose greed caused the problem. So it is tricky, but I think that we can start by making purchases from companies and individuals who are green and conscious. Stop and consider the practices of the business that you are considering buying something from and make the green, sustainable choice. Support those who share your intentions and try to support organic farmers, buy from small, green businesses when you can.

If we support green sustainable businesses, all businesses will have to go in that direction as they see that this is where the money is going, and we will have a greener planet as a result.

Green Sustainable Living

2008-10-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Sustainability is the key word when you talk about living green, and it is adherence to principles of green sustainable living that is the penultimate acceptance of reality in a very genuine sense. Nature informs us of our ecosystem's limitations, and we need to work within her "budget," as it were. Our economic system depends on consumption without regard to sustainability, and those who continue to cling to it as though it is some sort of immutable natural law are living in a state of denial. As disturbing as the present economic picture may be, I think that it is leading people to question the system and begin to consider a new paradigm, and I think that green living and sustainability will be at the core of a foundational economic shift that beckons just over the horizon.

Top 10 Reasons Offshore Drilling is a Bad Idea

2008-08-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

I got this information from a Greenpeace newsletter:

Top 10 reasons offshore drilling is such a dumb idea:
10. Offshore oil drilling won't impact gas prices today, and it won't have a significant impact on gas prices in the future.

9. This is nothing more than a money grab by the oil companies - who are already making record-breaking profits.

8. We burn 25% of the world's oil here in the U.S., but we have only 3% of the world's oil reserves. So even if all offshore oil magically came to market today, the vast majority of our oil would continue to be imported, and we wouldn't see price relief at the pump.

7. The current moratorium was put in place decades ago to protect us from the danger of oil spills along our coastlines and beaches.

6. Burning fossil fuels like oil causes global warming, which causes stronger hurricanes, which will threaten the very offshore drilling rigs being proposed, which will contribute to even more global warming.

5. To avoid the worst impacts of global warming, we need to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy within the next 10 years. The billions of dollars that would be spent on offshore oil drilling just postpones the inevitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

4. Oil exploration requires massive seismic testing - which threatens whales and dolphins.

3. Oil prices are set on the global oil market, so American oil is no cheaper than Saudi oil. We won't get a discount for oil drilled in the U.S.2. We can't solve the world's energy problems with the same drilling that created them.

1. Renewable energy is available now, so it's time to walk away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy future.

The Secret Life of Paper

2008-08-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Check this out. The Secret life of paper.

http://www.secret-life.org/paper/

Saving Water vs Recycling and Dish Towels

2008-02-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

Because I am presently living in Las Vegas, I frequently think about the issue of water waste. For instance, if a glass or plastic container needs considerable rinsing before putting it in the recycling bin, should I be more concerned with the water waste than the recycling? At home I have figured out a solution to this dilemma by can using the graywater from doing the dishes to rinse the recyclables. Work is another story altogether. People rinse each item before it goes into the recycling and I wonder if this is sensible. Another issue is that I feel that my efforts at work are a little stupid. We recycle all of our white paper which is great, but I brought in a recycling bin to work because this town offers only home curbside recycling, so I carry the work recycling home with me. I know this is futile, but I do it anyway.

Another issue is paper vs cloth napkins and dishtowels. I have not used paper towels for years and I have just become used to not having them. I keep a few napkins in the cabinet, but since it is not a habit I rarely use them. So I save the dirty cloth towels and napkins and do one small additional load of laundry per week, sometimes including rugs or towels. I use cold water and environmentally friendly detergent, but I was wondering if this was the best option and if paper may be the better choice. Luckily this morning I located an article which addresses this very subject in an Annie’s Green Living newsletter from Care2. The article explains all about the best options for paper towels and the paper vs cloth dilemma. It turns out that if you approach your cloth towels and napkins conscientiously, cloth is the greener option.
Image: Flicker

Here Comes the Sun

2008-02-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

Acciona just dedicated their 64 megawatt solar thermal plant in Boulder City, Nevada. Boulder City is just outside Las Vegas. Nevada Solar One is the third largest Solar power plant in the world and produces enough power for more than 14,000 households. The site covers about 400 acres, the solar collectors cover about three fourths of that area, the size of 200 football fields. It was constructed over a period of 16 months.

More on Ocean Dead Zones

2008-02-23T11:21:00.000-08:00

According to researchers "dead zones" off coastal Oregon, expanding into Washington and California, are likely caused by global warming. The "dead zones" are low-oxygen waters, which are almost completely devoid of marine life. An article by Kenneth R. Weiss said, "Video images scanned from the seafloor revealed a boneyard of crab skeletons, dead fish and other marine life smothered under a white mat of bacteria. At times, the camera's unblinking eye revealed nothing - a barren undersea desert in waters renowned for their bounty of Dungeness crabs and fat rockfish."

Low-oxygen dead zones have doubled in number every decade and exist around the world.

River Mountains Water Treatment Facility, Las Vegas

2008-02-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

I recently toured the River Mountains Water Treatment Facility in Las Vegas with a tour arranged through my job. I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting the tour was. They use Ozonation which is a water treatment process that destroys bacteria and other microorganisms through an infusion of ozone, a gas produced by subjecting oxygen molecules to high electrical voltages. Ozonation is effective for inactivating Cryptosporidium, bacteria and other naturally-occurring organisms. Ozonation also can reduce the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), which I learned are a result from the interaction of chlorine and naturally-occurring organic material in the water. Ozone is a strong disinfectant, but it does not remain in water very long. For that reason, chlorine is still added to protect the water. They have a contained system so that no ozone is released into the atmosphere. The facility is actually very pretty with desert landscaped paths. It was originally designed to accommodate public tours but since for security reasons they are not open to the public.

Although the facility was interesting, I have to say it paled in comparison to the view of the valley from the facility. It sits above Las Vegas Valley and it was nighttime so you could see all the lights. It was really beautiful, even though the amount of energy used to power the city is mind boggling. The highlight of the evening though was the lunar eclipse. Up and away from all the city lights we had a fantastic view of the eclipse and that made the trip worthwhile.

It's a Desert Out There

2008-02-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

A new study says that there is a 50% chance that Lake Mead will go dry by 2021 if global warming continues and water use is not restricted. I live in Las Vegas and I just want to say DUH! You just can’t believe the attitude toward water conservation here. Although there are incentives for removing grass and replacing it with desert landscaping, there has been no attempt to curtail growth. I am just surprised that the date is not sooner. In fact, researchers have stated that their estimates are conservative and that the water shortage is likely to be even more dire than they estimate. They say that there is 10% chance that Lake Mead could be dry by 2014.

Earth Friendly Valentine's Day Gift

2008-02-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a unique idea for Valentine's Day, save a hectare of rainforest in his or her name! It is a meaningful way to honor those you love, while helping to protect life on earth and stop global warming.

You can purchase a gift certificate in the name of a loved one and your contribution will help save the Selva Maya Rainforest.
Image: Flickr

Getting Real About Mercury Emissions

2008-02-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

A federal appeals court struck down a Bush administration policy exempting power plants from certain environmental regulations. The U.S. Court of Appeals negated a cap-and-trade rule. The policy would have allowed power plants failing to meet emission targets to buy credits from plants that did, instead of having to install their own mercury emissions controls.

The court struck down the cap-and-trade policy and the EPA's plan to exempt coal and oil-fired power plants from regulations to block emissions. EPA says the policy represented the nation's first attempt to control the emissions and would have reduced mercury emissions by 70 percent; however, the court ruled that the EPA did not have the authority to exempt the power plants.

"This means the EPA is going to have to go back and do a real job of regulating all the toxics coming out of these plants," said attorney James S. Pew, who argued on behalf of several environmental organizations that filed documents in the case. The EPA had no immediate comment.
Image: Flickr

Greener Valentine's Day Options

2008-02-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

I love it when you see companies that offer earth friendly alternatives. 1-800-Flowers.com now offers natural gifts. With Valentine's Day just around the corner you may want to consider these options instead of the traditional Valentine's Day gifts. They call the web page Planet Friendly, on which they offer greener gifting alternatives. You can get certified fair trade flowers, with or without a glass vase. As you know fair trade products directly support a better life for farmers and farm workers through fair prices, community development and environmental stewardship. How about an organic fruit, nut and snack gift set packed in an all-natural flax tray, or a beautiful selection of organic teas, or all natural cakes and brownies, awesome.

Human Impact on Earth Calls For New Epoch

2008-01-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

Humans have altered Earth so much that scientists say a new epoch in the planet's geologic history has begun. Earth's 4.5-billion-year history is divided into major eras, then periods, and finally epochs. The Holocene Epoch began after the last Ice Age. Nothing is official but it is suggested that this will be the end of the 10,000-year-old Holocene Epoch and the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch. Among the major changes bringing about this man-made epoch are altered sediment erosion patterns and deposits, major disturbances to the carbon cycle and global temperature, changes in biology like altered flowering times and new migration patterns, and acidification of the ocean, which is threatening marine life at the bottom of the food chain.
Scientists are saying that future scientists will have no trouble deciding if the proposal was timely. All they'll need to do is dig into the earth and examine its layers, which reveal a chronology of the changing conditions. As an example, they said, agriculture in Africa "has so degraded regional soil fertility that the economic development of whole nations will be diminished without drastic improvements of soil management." With more than half of all soils on Earth now being cultivated for food crops, grazed, or logged, how to sustain Earth’s soils is becoming a major scientific and policy issue.

Have You Seen the CO2 Widget?

2008-01-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

I got this cool widget on my blog and I would like to tell you about it. It was made by two students to raise awareness that computers contribute to climate change. The widget lets operators of Internet sites calculate how much CO2 their web properties generate. The widget calculates the total emissions of a web site or blog and then completely offsets those emissions for free. The CO2Stats Project currently pays to offset those emissions by investing in carbon offsets from Sustainable Travel International. The widget is available for free and can be found at www.co2stats.com.

Bamboo Flooring

2008-01-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

I was surfing the blogosphere and came across a Home Improvement Blog that had a really good post on Bamboo Flooring. I just posted about bamboo furniture and I find the subject very interesting so I read more about it. I think it is amazing what they can do with bamboo. I wish I was in need of flooring, actually I just wish I had a floor! It's OK, I am a renter.

Bamboo flooring is a great environmental option for flooring and it offers many of the qualities of hardwood and even costs less. Bamboo has a very low impact on the ecosystem because it grows fast, unlike hardwoods that take many years to regenerate. Bamboo also requires little water, fertilizer, or pesticides. The article explains that bamboo is harvested, split, flattened, processed, and dried and then the thin planks are glued together to create the boards that can be used for flooring.

Although it seems like bamboo would be fragile, quite the contrary is true. Bamboo flooring is just as durable as flooring made of hardwoods because the bamboo survives extreme temperature changes in its natural environment, making it extremely durable. Many bamboo floors even carry a warranty of 25 years.

From reading the the article I learned that the installation of bamboo flooring is not any more difficult than any other hardwood floor style. However, the bamboo should be allowed to sit in the house at room temperature for several days, allowing it to adjust to the relative humidity and temperature of the room. This will prevent gapping or swelling after the floor has been installed.

If you need Home Flooring this is a no-brainer, bamboo flooring is durable, beautiful, it comes in many colors, and it is is environmentally friendly and affordable.

Environmentally Friendly Home Furnishings

2008-01-19T18:18:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for new furniture and want something that is environmentally friendly, bamboo is a good option because it is sustainable. Bamboo grows quickly and requires little water, fertilizer, or pesticides.

Many companies are making environmentally friendly furniture from recycled metal, rubber, glass, plastic and even composite materials like particleboard made from 100 percent recycled wood fiber. I have purchased most of my furniture from the thrift store and refurbished it. Depending on the method of refurbishing this could be the "greenest" option.

Image: Flickr

For the Love of Art

2008-01-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

I am somewhat of an artist. I say that because I have done several paintings but I don't think that I have really great artistic ability. I wish I did because I enjoy painting very much. I keep hoping I will get better with experience. I have improved with experience to some extent, but I don't think art is exactly like music where "practice makes perfect."

I started college as an art major but later changed to environmental studies. I am happy I did change my field of study now because I like the work I do. One reason I changed my major was because I saw so many talented people whose work was head and shoulders above mine. I enjoy looking at my own artwork though, and if I don't enjoy it, I consider it a failure, of which I have many.

I was looking at a website that does fine art moving and storage. Now I would not go so far as to consider my art "fine art" by any stretch of the imagination, but for artists that have really valuable paintings, this is the way to go. If you are an art dealer whether it be your own artwork, or that of one of the masters, having an expert move these treasures is the only option. Imaginemindseye.com provides such moving expertise and also offers art storage.

Trash Bags on Hold

2008-01-18T06:07:00.000-08:00

Somehow we still end up with plastic bags in the house either from household members forgetting their canvas bags, or from shopping at various non-grocery stores where we have not developed a habit yet of bringing in a bag. I know that we can recycle these but we are doing something else. We are not buying trash bags until all the plastic bags are used up. They are usually small and don't fit right in the garbage can, but it seems like the right thing to do and better than recycling.

Obama and the Environment

2008-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking at Obama's website to see where he stands on the environment. All the candidates probably have good things to say about their work for the environment so, I don't know how seriously to take it but here are a few things I found out:
Senator Obama is a co-sponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 80% by 2050. He is also a co-sponsor of the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act which would mandate 60% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The first one sounds better, if we last that long!

Obama has worked for the elimination of childhood lead poisoning. He has done some work for restoration of the Great Lakes. He introduced two mercury bills which would reduce the amount of mercury that is deposited in oceans, lakes, and rivers, which in turn would reduce the amount of mercury in fish.

Obama has worked on numerous efforts in the Senate to increase access to and use of renewable fuels. Obama passed legislation with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. Obama also sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.

He has a pretty extensive environmental plan, to read about it click here.

Paper Facts

2008-01-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Here are a few facts that I came across. Our paper consumption is way out of control.

42% of the industrial wood harvest is used to make paper. The paper industry is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among U.S. manufacturing industries. Paper accounts for 25% of landfill waste and one third of municipal landfill waste. Municipal landfills account for one third of human-related methane emissions. Methane is 23-times more potent a greenhouse gas than is carbon dioxide.

Check this out. Paper made with 100% recycled content uses 44% less energy, produces 38% less greenhouse gas emissions, 41% less particulate emissions, 50% less wastewater, 49% less solid waste and 100% less wood! If your not using it in your office you should look into making the switch.

We Create our World

2008-01-12T17:29:00.001-08:00

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.--Buddha

Nine Legged Frog Cause For Concern

2008-01-11T18:50:00.000-08:00

I grew up in Florida and I used to catch frogs, but I never saw anything like this. A boy in Wichita, Kansas brought home a 9-legged frog. They think it may have come from a nearby pond and drainage ditch that used to be a landfill. They are concerned because kids play in that area, I would be too. They say that if there are environmental causes, then chances are you will see more of these things in that area. 35 states have reported abnormalities like this since 1996.

Hyper-mile

2008-01-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

One way to conserve gas is to drive moderately. High-speed driving and jack-rabbit starts increase both fuel use and emissions. I heard of a practice called hyper-miling, a way of getting the most miles out of each gallon of gas you buy. One thing that I try to do is take my foot off the gas long before the traffic light. Why race up to the light just to have to apply the brakes? It is kind of fun to hyper-mile. Just use common sense to hyper-mile or go here to learn more.

Making Headway

2008-01-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

Last summer Hawaii, New Jersey and Florida joined California to enact global warming pollution limits. Several other states also took action to promote cleaner energy, including North Carolina which passed a landmark energy bill, which includes a renewable energy standard and makes North Carolina one of only a handful of states to include a standard for energy efficiency. This is cool about North Carolina because North Carolina is also the first state in the nation to ban the construction or expansion of lagoons and sprayfields on hog farms. They sets strict health and environmental standards for new waste management systems on hog farms. These are just some facts I learned by visiting www.environmentaldefense.org

Telnet Server Products For Windows

2008-01-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

Many businesses these days are seeking telnet server products for Windows. But some companies don't know where to turn for networking, infrastructure, and security products. Pragma Systems, Inc. is a great resource for enterprise class remote access and security software. If you are in need of a Telnet Server or various state of the art connectivity needs, try the professionals at Pragma Systems.