Greenr

Eco-friendly Tips for Greening Your Spring Cleaning

Clinton — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:14:40 +0000

As rejuvenation outside begins, those of us concerned with the domestic angle may realize that chirping birds and blooming tulips herald the time of year for freshening up inside. Yes, spring cleaning time is upon us and hopefully we have the energy and determination to tackle it, thanks to longer days and extra sunshine.

Spring cleaning may take on many forms and may include many different tasks for each of us, but we all have one thing in common: to perform our yearly ritual in as ‘green’ a manner as possible. So dispose of the clutter of conventional cleaning techniques, and open the drapes to cleaner, greener tips for spring cleaning.

Use Natural Substances: Harsh chemical cleaners are not only harmful to your health and to the environment, they don’t have anything on natural substances like salt, water, vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Use these various ingredients to remove stains and fight odors.

Speaking of Odors: Chemical air fresheners are said to be a leading environmentally unhealthy ‘home’ product. And they’re unnecessary if you try natural baking soda or essential oils. Why mask or hide bad odors? Want fresh air inside? Open the windows! Let spring breezes circulate and freshen your indoor atmosphere. You can also try planting a few different houseplants that have exceptional air-purifying abilities

Clear Out the Clutter: Have a yard sale or visit a swap shop to get rid of items in good shape that you no longer use. Don’t forget about online classifieds like Craigslist or that old favorite, the ‘free-to-a-good-home’ sign. Your now unloved or unused possession may be just what someone else is looking for.

Recycle: Remember to take electronic waste like old cell phones and computers to appropriate recycling depots in your community. Some areas have specific drop-off locations on certain days, so check online. Going through old papers and magazines? Don’t forget to recycle these as well, instead of tossing them in the trash.

Eco-friendly Renos: Dreaming of a new daffodil yellow hue to spruce up your walls? If you’re considering repainting your rooms, choose a paint with a low VOC (volatile organic compounds). This will ensure a minimum amount of indoor air pollution, which can cause serious health problems.

Laundry: If you have large drapes or blankets to wash, hang them outside to dry or set up a special clothesline inside, perhaps in your basement or in a warm area of the house. The energy used to heat your home can do double duty by drying your laundry as well, and save you money on your power bill.

Organization: Proper organization can make life so much easier. But instead of stacking up on plastic bins, consider using neatly labeled (and even decoratively wrapped) shoe boxes or bamboo baskets. You can make your own cloth bags out of the fabric of old clothes to hang things in your closets.

Go Paperless: This is one tip that will ease the workload, not just for spring cleaning, but for everyday tidying up as well. Switch to online banking and keep track of other expenses by receiving messages or bills online.

Use Reusable Cleaning Tools: There may be times when paper towel is very convenient, but most wiping up and scrubbing down can be done with rags from old t-shirts or towels, or by using reusable sponges instead of using disposable mops or sweepers.

In the Dirt: While perhaps not a cleaning tip, it’s a great time of year to think about starting to grow herbs, tomato plants, or other favorite foods indoors so that when spring cleaning is but a distant memory, you’ll be relaxing in the summer sun, eating fresh, homegrown produce!

What are some of your favorite spring cleaning tips?

Blue Marble: Earth Through NASA’s Lens

Clinton — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:04:36 +0000

If there was ever any apathy towards the aesthetic beauty of a jeweled sphere teaming with life and hanging effortlessly in the great open space of the universe, NASA’s latest image of our planet will cause us all to pause for reflection. The spectacular view is the most detailed, true-color image ever taken to date.

By using different satellite-based observatories, scientists were able to piece together a seamless view of each and every square kilometer of the planet. Special mention goes to NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS – a single remote sensing device which captured much of the information required for the breathtaking ‘Blue Marble’ series.

At a distance of 700 kilometers above the earth’s surface, flying onboard the Terra satellite, MODIS was able to observe detailed features of terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric aspects of our planet. For land and coastal areas, images were collected from June to September 2001 and composited at intervals of every eight days to compensate for sensor-blocking cloud cover.

For the ocean shots, both shallow water true-color data and global ocean color or chlorophyll data were used.

With a mosaic of observations to work with, and with improved technologies making it possible to achieve greater detail in specific ‘trouble’ areas, such as in dense tropical forests that appear dark to satellites and in making highly reflective surfaces such as salt lakes appear more realistic, NASA offers its best-ever view of Earth to Earth’s inhabitants. The new ‘Blue Marble’ series is free of charge and available to educators, scientists, museums, and yes, the public. You can download images of the entire globe, or choose to narrow in on that little dot on this jeweled planet that you call home.

Thinking Outside of the Box: Bloom Energy Seeks to Revolutionize Energy Generation

Amoy — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:51:32 +0000

In the developing world, over a billion people go without electricity every day. Changing the situation by installing power grids would take an enormous amount of time and money.

In the developed world, energy runs freely into our homes and offices, but the effects of traditional power sources negatively impacts the environment and adds to the problem of climate change.

However, breakthrough technology that was originally developed for use outside both worlds, in outer space, in fact, could change everything.

An innovative solution using advanced fuel cell technology is being offered by a company named Bloom Energy, one of 26 businesses recognized as the 2010 Tech Pioneers by The World Economic Forum for making a positive impact on business and the way people live. Their solution? The Bloom Box.

Originally created as a response to a request by NASA to help make life on Mars sustainable, the Bloom Box could greatly benefit earth’s inhabitants by bringing much needed light and power to the poor, and helping to eliminate dependence on ‘the grid’ in richer nations.

By getting venture capitalists onboard with investments, the California based company now has a budget of millions of dollars to further develop this technology. By feeding oxygen into one side of a fuel cell and some form of fuel, such as hydrogen, into the other, a chemical reaction results in generating power. One or two small blocks can power an average home. Bloom Energy hopes to have reasonably-priced Bloom Boxes ready for residential use within five to ten years. Some businesses, such as Fed-Ex and Google, are already using refrigerator-sized Bloom Boxes as alternative power sources.

Co-founder and chief executive, K.R. Sridhar explains why he shifted his focus from outer space to Earth: “I quit doing my NASA work because I believe this particular technology can change the world.”

It could just be the energy-revolutionizing change the world is waiting for.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

A Call for Greener Vending Machines

Amoy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:57:25 +0000

Hmmm. Who’s the real junkie? The pop, chip and chocolate bar junkfood lover or the vending machine that sells the items?

We all know how handy these beacons of self-indulgence are in staving off the mid-afternoon blues, but recent green sentiment is pointing an accusing finger at vending machines for being energy-junkies.

It’s something that seems to be high on the mind of Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly. He’s considering a bylaw amendment that would require all vending machines in the city to be fitted with energy-saving devices. According to a city staff report, one vending machine alone is indirectly responsible for four tones of CO2 emissions annually.

Kelly claims that the energy-saving devices would greatly reduce the electricity needed to operate the machines, and he’s asking for the help and cooperation of snack food giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

Interestingly, PepsiCo began testing ‘green’ vending machines last year in the Washington, D.C. area and has plans to extend their use worldwide over the next few years. Working with Greenpeace Solutions, they’ve tried to promote an environmentally-responsible image by introducing machines that use 15 percent less energy than previous machines and that emit about 12 percent less greenhouse gas, using carbon dioxide to keep drinks cool instead of the usual ozone villains, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Coca-Cola followed a similar path and introduced HFC-free vending machines in Britain, and also used them at the Beijing Olympics. The new vending machines have another bonus: they will save businesses money on their electric bills.

It’s good to know that besides having that mid-afternoon sugar-craving ‘munchies’ attack on the mind, there’s still room for concern for the environment. Perhaps one day the two can exist harmoniously with the invention of zero-emissions vending machines. Until then, any progress to green our snack-food addiction is welcome.

Going Green: Making Great Cheese Even Better

Amoy — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:32:47 +0000

It looks like an eco-friendly future can include culinary delights like artisan cheeses. Introducing the first Platinum LEED-certified dairy: Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co., from Prince Edward County, Ontario.

With a rather expensive price tag of $2 million, Fifth Town is using a windmill, solar panels, low-flow faucets, non-toxic paints, and Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood to green the building they use to create award winning handmade goat and sheep cheeses.

But being green pays off. Heat and light sensors help to keep energy costs low, and the windmill alone saves $200 per month on power costs. Normal dairies age cheese with energy-guzzling fridges along with fog machines. Fifth Town employs three naturally cool and humid cement caves. They’ve also engineered a bio-wetland system that allows for the disposal of the by-product whey and which will save money in the long run as opposed to trucking it offsite.

Well-deserved publicity over their sustainability shone a spotlight on the dairy which has been operating since July 2008. CEO and founder Petra Cooper explains: “If I had to buy that media attention, I couldn’t have afforded to.”

Fifth Town has not only garnered recognition in its green enterprises, but has received kudos for its quality product, winning almost 30 awards from places like the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the British Empire Cheese Competition and the American Cheese Society.

Through the ‘free’ green publicity, Fifth Town has attracted loyal employees, as well as an avid customer following who, during summer months, can enjoy free tours of the green premises and purchase tasty morsels. Smart consumers realize that they are paying slightly higher prices not only for a system of production that does not harm the environment, but also for milk that comes from local, environmentally-sound farms, and for earth-friendly packaging.

It’s a win-win situation for those who love cheese, for an eco-conscious company with a quality product, and for the earth. Well done to the green dairy, Fifth Town!

Don’t Forget to Count Yourself In!

Clinton — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:34:37 +0000

The Great Backyard Bird Count starts today!

Just a reminder to count yourself in by participating in this year’s event. Don’t worry, if you haven’t had a chance to count today, there are still three more days, as the count goes until Monday, February 15. Incidentally, in some locales, Monday happens to be Family Day. What better way to enjoy the day off than outside listening with the kids for the sounds of avian life?

Chances are you’ll see something feathered, perhaps an American Goldfinch or a Canada Goose, as early tallies already entered put the Canada Goose at most numerous species with over 9000, and the American Goldfinch at 8000.

If you’re in an area that’s just been dumped with snow or is experiencing a ‘deep-freeze’, remember – you don’t have to be outside to count. You can participate by looking out your window!

Last year, 94,000 checklists were submitted. The GBBC needs our participation to make this year’s event the biggest ever. Happy birding.

Turn Your Everyday Commute into Juice for Your Gadgets

Clinton — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:37:28 +0000

Love cycling? Turn your daily commute into all the power you need to charge your mobile gadgets. The RollerGen generates 30 watts, stored in a removable Battery BOS which charges two of your favorite USB devices. Riding two miles will provide you with enough juice to charge a cellphone and a 30 minute commute completely charges up the battery.

This is a great device with a lot of potential for those of us who are off-the-grid and have access to a bicycle. The RollerGen mounts to your bike just like any other rack. A thumb control lets you raise and lower a high power dynamo against the tire. All you have to do is lower it when you want to generate electricity.

If the battery is fully charged or you need to do some tricky uphill maneuvers, you can raise the dynamo up again for zero-drag riding. The device also includes an underslung storage bin, which, besides housing the battery, can hold all the other goodies you’ll need for the day.

The Battery BOS itself, named after its shape, a Bar-Of-Soap, is a rechargeable storage unit that consolidates all your plugs into the USB standard. The removable battery also has an energy gauge, mini light, and the potential to replace hundreds of disposable batteries.

This ingenious bicycle-mounted energy generator is but one of the gadgets featured at the Greener Gadgets Design Competition taking place this month in New York City. With innovation like this, we have the power to change the world, well, at least when charging our gadgets!

Decision to Ban Mining Announced in BC’s Flathead River Valley

Clinton — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:28:11 +0000

One of the most wild and beautiful locations in North America, and one of the most biologically diverse and important places on earth, just received news that it will be able to stay that way.

BC’s Flathead River Valley is the only large valley of low elevation in Canada that remains unsettled. The untampered, lush floodplain supports a staggering amount of plant and animal life. Now, everything from the dazzling array of fragile wildflowers to mighty carnivores like the grizzlies, can breathe a sigh of relief.

Just days before the start of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the Province of British Columbia announced a ban on all mining, oil and gas development, as well as on coalbed gas extraction, in the Flathead River Valley.

The news was unexpected, but most welcome, to many who have been working to protect the ecologically rich region. However, one further step would be the icing on the cake. “We hope the government continues to listen to British Columbians and soon takes action to protect the Flathead permanently – in the form of a National Park and Wildlife Management Area,” said BC Sierra Club spokesperson, Sarah Cox.

Conservationists hope that one day the area will be part of a protected network of parks spanning the Rocky Mountains of BC, completing the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, first established in 1932 as the world’s largest Peace Park. Such a move would further protect the area by prohibiting logging and hunting.

For a place so ecologically rich that it is compared to the Okavango Delta and the Serengeti, and for a region that is referred to as the “Crown of the Continent”, the ban is a critical first step which, for now, protects the Flathead River Valley from human exploitation.