Green Living -

Why food manufacturers should take biodiversity...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Without vibrant ecosystems, our food system will become less diverse and less resilient, says Andrew Kuyk.

Why should the number of other species on the planet be an issue for food manufacturers? After all, the fossil record tells us that there have been five previous waves of mass extinction, including the dinosaurs – and if it wasn’t for these wipe-outs, we might never have evolved! So why worry now, if a few birds and insects are going the same way…?

Because the habitats and resources around us are ultimately as vital to our survival as they are to that of many other species currently under threat. And because that threat is largely the result of our own actions. To some extent, we can use technology to insulate ourselves – and other life-forms – from the more immediate consequences of our behaviour. We can pollinate plants without the aid of insects, remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere without rainforests, and purify water without healthy soils…

But we won’t be able to stand in for all of these ‘ecosystem services’. They rely on the interaction of myriad plants, animals and micro-organisms: it’s not a one-man job. And without them, our food system will become less diverse and less resilient. As climate conditions change, it’s increasingly important that we have a biodiverse world: a sort of genetic reserve on which we will almost certainly need to draw to cope with the challenges ahead.

We have no way of knowing which species we can ‘afford’ to squander
The problem is that we have no way of knowing now which species we can ‘afford’ to squander, or what the unintended consequences might be of allowing small but vital parts of larger systems to be lost. In the words of Joni Mitchell, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. Or, as John Beddington, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, put it in the Foresight Report: “The implications of failing to act [to protect biodiversity] are grave and potentially irreversible, not least for the global food system”.

This is why food manufacturers should take the question of biodiversity seriously, and consider it integral to the food security debate. Cereal company Jordans is a great example of a business that has fully incorporated its commitment to biodiversity into its operations. For over 25 years, it has worked only with grain farmers who dedicate 10% of their land to wildlife habitats.

On a much smaller scale, Nestlé’s award-winning butterfly meadow at Fawden, Newcastle Upon Tyne, demonstrates how to raise awareness and engage employees. The meadow aims to encourage indigenous wildlife, including Large White and Red Admiral butterflies, to an area where there had been little focus on natural habitat.

However, translating awareness into wider action is a challenge. Not only do market mechanisms currently fail to capture the costs of environmental impacts: they often appear to incentivise habitat destruction, by rewarding an increase in cultivable land, or the overuse of chemicals to increase yields.

Buying from certified sustainable sources frequently involves a price premium, reflecting not only the more limited pool of supply, but also the additional costs of segregation and identity preservation. For many global commodities, the impacts will vary enormously according to where, when and how they are grown and what the alternative land uses might be.

It’s an issue the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) recently addressed in a workshop in collaboration with Forum for the Future, which looked at the practical implications for sourcing wheat. This followed another workshop withWWF, which set out the rationale for food manufacturers to act on supply chain and biodiversity issues.

The supply chain has been a key focus for FDF in the past year, following a review of our Five-fold Environmental Ambition, which has also been effective in cutting waste and reducing the emissions of UK food manufacturers.

Now, we are working on guidance for our members to ensure their environmental performance continues to improve, so that they can feed those seven billion, and counting…

Andrew Kuyk is Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness, Food and Drink Federation.

Not Just Any Plane – It’s A Solar Ship !

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:24:57 +0000

The phone began ringing just after 1 AM January 13, 2010. My husband rolled over and looked at the caller ID. It’s Marcy he said, as he pressed the answer button and held the phone up so we both could hear at the same time. Guys, I need your help, were the first breathless words we heard.

Dr. Marcy and I had been best friends for over thirty years. We had met in Laboratory Technology School in Fort Lauderdale. I was a single mother with two small boys, she a lone free spirit on her way to becoming a pediatrician whose life mission would become serving the poorest children in the United States and around the world. Years later when my husband Jeff, a nurse, and I a Laboratory Technologist, had meet working at a hospital in Texas, Marcy had been my maid of honor.

You heard about the earthquake in Haiti, she asked. Jeff and I looked at each other in the dim light of our bedroom both knowing where the question was leading.

Six years earlier, the day after the December 26^th 2004 earthquake and Tsunami that had hit Indonesia we had received almost the same call. In less than 3 days Marcy had mobilized hospitals, doctors and nurses here in Florida for donations and Marcy along with several others had traveled to Banda Aceh for a month to help in the rescue, recovery and treatment of the people of Indonesia. We worked as her logistical support here in the states to get supplies in.

Now the scenario was repeating. I have already started putting together a team, she said, I want you and Jeff to work on logistics again, and we need to be able to leave in two days. The airport in Port-au-Prince is closed, planes and helicopters can’t get in, the hospitals and most of the houses are rubble. They will need blood, medical supplies, food, water, and shelters. We will have to bring everything by boat and ships from Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Can I count on you, was the question we were both waiting to hear. I looked into Jeff’s eyes, they looked very sad but committed and unwavering, slowly, he nodded his chin once. Yes, I said, were in. Once again we started mobilizing everyone we knew, making phone calls, calling in favors. Everyone we contacted wanted to help in whatever way they could, coming together in a whirlwind of controlled chaos to move as quickly as possible, because time was the most precious commodity when trying save lives.

In the days that followed the inability to get relief workers and supplies in were the most exasperating and difficult part of trying to help. Supplies rolled in quickly to Fort Lauderdale, Miami and many other parts of the United States and world, people gave clothing, food, water, tents, generators, gasoline, blood and medical supplies. Yet while the people of Haiti waited, many of those supplies languished in warehouses and on docks waiting for a way to get them on the ground to the people who needed them most.

In both Indonesia and Haiti supplies would eventually slowly trickle in, but the logistics of getting these supplies in was the hardest part of trying to help.

Three days later, shortly before noon Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop alert for Port-au-Prince airport. It read- "Due to no available ramp space at the Port-au-Prince airport and with the international heavy jets inbound the Haitians are not accepting any aircraft into their airspace," the alert says. "Airborne aircraft can expect to hold in excess of one hour. Aircraft operators are also reminded that there is no available fuel at the airport."

The port also took heavy damage in the earthquake, with the cranes used to offload container ships toppled. For the moment, it does not appear that large ships can dock at the port. This was the situation we faced.

The reason I am relating this story to you is because today, I was made aware of a very different, new, and special kind of airplane. One that is uniquely qualified to not only meet these kinds of disasters, but many other situations in which lack of runways, fuel and isolated locations can now be overcome.

It’s called the SOLAR SHIP and it comes in three sizes.

The brain child of Canadian Jay Godsall, founder and chief executive of Solar Ship, says his aircraft will be able to go where no roads are built, where landing locations are too small or have been destroyed, and where existing airplanes and helicopters can’t reach on a single tank of fuel.

In an October 14^th 2011 interview with the Toronto Star, Godsall points out the need for this type of aircraft in his own words. He said “when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, it took eight days before supplies and other aid could be delivered to the city of Jacmel.

Roads from the capital, Port-au-Prince, were blocked. The small airstrip and fuelling infrastructure in Jacmel were too damaged to accommodate supply flights from the closest U.S. city, Miami. “Nobody could land,” says Godsall. “If we could make a similar run, and do it here in Ontario, it would be an irrefutable demonstration of our aircraft.”

Not quite an airship, not quite an airplane, the Solar Ship is a hybrid of both. The delta-shaped aircraft is filled with helium, but slightly less than what’s required to lift it off the ground.

Solar panels across the top of its body, backed up by a lithium-ion battery system, supply enough electricity to drive it forward and into the air. In this way, the design achieves just the right balance of static lift (like a blimp) and aerodynamic lift (like a plane). Perfect for short take off and landings. (STOL).
No fuel is required for this sun-charged ship -- a significant implication for disaster relief situations, remote areas with no infrastructure and for places that cannot be reached on one tank of fuel.

The Solar Ship isn’t really designed to compete with jets or even propeller powered airplanes. At one end spectrum the Solar Ship is likely competing against helicopters which are very expensive to operate and have limited load carrying capacity, and at the other end it’s competing against trucks driving very slowly along primitive roads in remote corners of the world.

The aircraft is not fast. The company lists three sizes that are being developed with a top cruise speed of 75 miles per hour. But the smallest Solar Ship on the drawing board has a payload of more than 1,600 pounds and a range of almost 1,600 miles. Next up is one projected to have a payload of more than 5,500 pounds that can be carried more than 3,000 miles. The one that stretches the imagine the furthest with a payload of more than 66,000 pounds is designed for a range of more than 3,700 miles. Of course the range also translates to endurance if observation – science or military – is how you want to use any of these aircraft.

The company points out that such heavier-than-air airships provide numerous advantages over their lighter-than-air brethren. Firstly, no mooring infrastructure or ballast weight is required to keep the aircraft from floating away during loading or unloading, making them more practical for the remote locations in which they are designed to operate. Additionally, not relying on buoyancy for lift means the aircraft can be smaller than lighter-than-air aircraft carrying the same payload. They are also more structurally robust and more maneuverable and resistant to wind and weather conditions.

Solar Ship - transportation without depending on things that often aren’t available in remote areas – fossil fuels, roads, or runways.

To learn more and see a video of this ground breaking aircraft go to http://solarship.com/

or watch on YouTube:

When you see it I think your reaction might just be like mine- Is this cool or what and it can help save lives.

E3Wise

Secretary Salazar answers your questions about...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:04:32 +0000

From: E3 Wise February 6^th 2012.

Received announcement today (02/06/2012) by email from Department of Interior 4:30 PM.

Forwarding To: Any Interested Members of Alt Energy Shift.com, E3Wise conservation partnership groups and the public.

Subject: The following is a FREE live chat announced by the Secretary of Interior Salazar to host a live chat discussion on the subject conservation and outdoor recreation. We are passing this information on to all interested parties. The following is a copy of the email and the government links to submit questions early and participate in the live chat.

E3Wise

U.S. Department of the Interior

Secretary Salazar answers your questions about conservation and outdoor recreation Tuesday, February 7^th.-Email follows

Dear Friend,

Tomorrow, Secretary Ken Salazar is hosting a live chat at 1:00 pm EDT to discuss conservation and outdoor recreation. According to some recent non-governmental estimates, outdoor recreation, conservation and heritage initiatives support as many as 8.4 million jobs and provide as much as $1 trillion in annual economic benefits. The chat is a chance for sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts to hear directly from the Secretary and ask him questions about economic benefits of conservation and connecting Americans to the outdoors.

You can ask your questions in advance by sending them to newmedia@ios.doi.gov. Or ask them during the chat at www.doi.gov/live.
We look forward to speaking with you on Tuesday, February 7th at 1:00 pm, EDT.

Thanks,
Tim Fullerton
Director of New Media
U.S. Department of the Interior

Award-winning compostable plastic bag launched

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:44:28 +0000

A new, affordable design replaces plastic with biodegradable fibres from waste paper and food.

Plastic bags get such a bad rap that you begin to wonder if they’re just the sustainability scapegoat, or if they actually deserve it. But with between 500 billion and a trillion consumed worldwide every year (around 100 per person), it’s fair to say that they do. Local initiatives to ban them (from Modbury in Devon, to San Francisco) are all very well, but behaviour is a slow-moving bus.

So the commercial development of an affordable, compostable replacement is good news. Start-up Cyclewood Solutions has licensed a technology developed by the University of Minnesota for a bag made from lignin. This is one of the most abundant polymers on the planet, naturally occurring in wood and plant stems. Millions of tonnes of it are discarded each year as a waste by-product of the food and paper industries.

“By using a waste stream, we can offer retailers a product that is comparable in price to conventional plastic products”, says Nhiem Cao, President and CEO of Cyclewood. The Xylobag, he claims, biodegrades in 150 days, following exposure to bacteria or fungus. It costs $0.015/bag, only slightly more than the average cost to a retailer of a standard bag made from polyethylene ($0.012).

Ramani Narayan, professor in chemical engineering and materials science at Michigan State University, says Cyclewood will face competition from other biodegradable bags already on the market. But these competitors don’t do quite the same job: they may release carbon and methane as they decompose, and can’t be thrown onto the compost heap as a useful resource.

The new business was awarded a $10,000 prize in the Austin Technology Incubator regional Cleantech Open, which aims to recognise big business ideas that tackle “urgent energy, environmental and economic challenges”. – Nick Huber

This article by Carl Frankel originally appeared in Green Futures, published by Forum for the Future.

45 Compelling Eco Infographics

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:45:52 +0000

Sometimes to help put things like the imminent threats of rising seas, air pollution, energy consumption and the size of the great pacific garbage patch into perspective we need a more visual representation of the data.

Infographics make complex data and information much easier to understand and to put into context. Most of these 45 eco-infographics are mind boggling, compelling and/or informative.

We've collected a gallery of environment, energy and green living related infographics for your viewing. Comment and share your favorites.

Start here... 45 Eco-Infographics

How to Donate or Recycle My Old Computers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:34:55 +0000

Find a Local Program

EcoSquid
EcoSquid is a web search platform that helps consumers identify the best options to resell, recycle, or donate new and used electronics. EcoSquid enables consumers to find opportunities to earn cash for electronics that have value, or recycling or donation options for those that do not.
Earth 911
Earth 911 is a comprehensive communication medium for the environment. Earth 911 has taken environmental hotlines, web sites and other information sources nationwide, and consolidated them into one network. Once you contact the Earth 911 network, you will find community-specific information on eCycling and much more.
My Green Electronics
Provided by the Consumer Electronics Association, this site is a resource for consumers wishing to purchase green products and/or searching for local opportunities to recycle or donate used electronics.
Electronic Industries Alliance’s Consumer Education Initiative
The Electronic Industries Alliance’s eCycling Central website helps you find reuse, recycling and donation programs for electronics products in your state.
TechSoup
TechSoup has compiled a comprehensive body of information to promote computer recycling and reuse. This site provides resources for those who would like to donate hardware, those who would like to acquire recycled hardware, and refurbishers.
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)
RBRC can help you recycle portable rechargeable batteries commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. Search for collection sites by zip code.

Manufacturer and Retailer Programs

Manufacturers and retailers take different approaches to give you several options to donate or recycle your electronics. The following programs developed by EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling partners may be national or regional in scope and may:

Offer takeback, mail-in, or trade-in programs;
Support local organizations that collect equipment;
Host collection events at retail locations; or
Support local recycling events with cities and municipalities.

AT&T Reuse and Recycle

Reuse & Recycle Program offers you the option to bring unwanted cell phones, Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) and other accessories (regardless of the manufacturer or carrier) to an AT&T operated store or participating authorized dealer store near you. Use the store locator to find a participating store near you.
For information on holding a cell phone recycling collection at your business or in your community, please visit AT&T’s online starter kit for donations.

Best Buy

Best Buy offers consumer electronics recycling programs in all Best Buy US stores. Best Buy will accept most electronics, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. Consumers can bring in up to two items a day per household. See Best Buy Recycling for details.
Drop off old cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and ink-jet cartridges at the free recycling kiosks located just inside the door of every US Best Buy store.
Trade in unwanted electronic products for Best Buy gift cards or just recycle it for free. See Best Buy Trade-In for a step-by-step process for Tech Trade-In.

Dell

Dell RECONNECT is a comprehensive electronics recovery, reuse and environmentally responsible recycling partnership between Goodwill Industries and Dell, Inc. for consumers in participating communities. See participating locations.
How it works
Recycling and Donation
Asset Recovery Services

eBay

Rethink Initiative provides information, tools and solutions that make it easy to find new users for idle computers and electronics, and responsibly recycle unwanted products.

Hewlett-Packard

Intel

Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) provides technology-based education for K-16 students through the process of refurbishing donated equipment for schools.

LG Electronics

Offers consumers a free mail-in recycling program for old cell phones and their accessories (any make or model). Simply box up your old phone and accessories, print off the pre-paid mailing label from their website and mail in the phone for recycling.
Offers consumers free take back and recycling of any product such as televisions, monitors, audio equipment, video cassette players and recorders, DVD players and recorders, combination TV/VCR and TV/DVD units, set top boxes and accessories associated with those products that have the LG, ZENITH or GOLDSTAR brands. Consumers can drop off up to five items at any one time for free at any of these locations.

Motorola

Consumers can visit Motorola’s website to print out postage paid mailing labels (PDF) (1 pg, 112K, about PDF) and send in any unused phones or accessories.
Motorola also created the Race to Recycle program, an innovative fundraising opportunity for K-12 schools, that allows them to earn extra money by recycling old mobile phones.

NEC Display Solutions

Total Trade Program

Nokia

Offers a free mail-in recycling program for old cell phones. Simply print a prepaid shipping label and send in your unwanted phones. Additionally, consumers can pick up a prepaid shipping envelope at any of the Nokia flagship stores in Chicago and New York.

Office Depot

Tech Recycling Boxes ($5-$15 depending on size) are available at participating stores. You can fill the boxes with as many used consumer electronics (cell phones/PDAs, computers, televisions, etc) as will fit and drop the unsealed boxes off at any Office Depot store to be recycled.
Every store has kiosks where consumers can drop off used cell phones, batteries and accessories.

Samsung

Offers a mail-in recycling program to customers who want to recycle Samsung cell phones and accessories. Simply box up your old phone and accessories, print off the pre-paid mailing label from the website and mail in the phone for recycling.

Sony

Sony Ericsson

Offers consumers the ability to print pre-printed shipping label from their Web site and mail in old devices (any make or model) free of charge.
Offers an event based cell phone recycling program. For more information on setting up a cell phone recycling program in your area, contact Steve Coston (steve.coston@sonyericsson.com).

Sprint

Offers two cell phone recycling programs for consumers:
- The Sprint Buyback program offers Sprint customers an account credit for returning eligible Sprint and Nextel models of phones.
- The Sprint Project Connect program is available to all consumers. It accepts wireless phones, batteries, accessories and connection cards for recycling — regardless of make, model, condition, or service provider.
You can participate in either program at no charge by visiting Sprint’s website or a Sprint retail store. Use the store locator to find a participating store near you.
Sprint provides consumers with the free cell phone data eraser tool to clear any personal information from the phone.

Staples

EcoEasy offers consumers in-store recycling of computers, monitors, printers, desktop copiers and other electronic waste for a fee of $10 per item
All Staples stores offer in-store collection bins where consumers can drop-off cell phones, PDAs, chargers, other handheld electronics, and ink and toner cartridges for recycling ($3 rebates are available for some eligible toner cartridges).

T-Mobile

Handset Recycling Program offers both in-store drop-off locations and a mail-in recycling option for cell phones, PDAs, and accessories. To use the mail in option, simply box up your mobile devise and accessories, print off the pre-paid mailing label (PDF) (1 pg, 1.2MB, about PDF) from the Web site and mail in the phone for recycling.
Postage paid recycling bags are included with all purchases. Customers can also pick up a recycling envelope at any T-Mobile store. Use the store locator to find a participating T-Mobile store in your area.

Toshiba

Recycling and Trade-In Program

Verizon

Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine program collects no-longer-used wireless phones and equipment in any condition from any service provider. The used phones are either refurbished for reuse or recycled. Used phones can be returned to any Verizon Wireless retail store across the country. Use the Store Locator to find the Verizon store closest to you.
Wireless phones and equipment donations can also be sent to:[indent]
Verizon Wireless HopeLine
c/o CMB Wireless Group
630 Broadway Avenue
Holbrook, NY 11741[/indent]

Government-Supported Donation and Recycling Programs

Preventing waste in the first place is usually preferable to any waste management option...including recycling. When you outgrow your computers, cell phones and other equipment, and pass them on to new users, that’s reuse. Learn more about the benefits of Reusing and Donating Electronics. If donation for reuse or repair is no longer practical, you can send your used electronics for recycling. Electronic equipment can be recycled for recovery of metals, plastics, glass and other materials. To find a program in your community, you might want to start with your state or local government’s website. The following websites provide examples of government-supported ecycling programs and additional sources of information:

e-cycle St. Louis: Electronics Recycling for the Region
This consumer electronics collection program has been developed by the St. Louis Regional Partnership for Electronics Recovery to encourage reuse and recycling of unwanted electronics in the St. Louis region.
eRecycle.org
This website provides guidance and information to consumers in California about recycling electronics.
Federal Electronic Challenge
If you are a government agency or a business, check out the Federal Electronics Challenge for tools on how a large institution can donate or recycle its used electronics.
www.ecyclingtools.com
This resource kit provides information on the entire lifecycle of electronics and contains useful information to help you address your e-waste concerns.

Source: www.epa.gov

Construction company puts biodiversity on its a...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:19:28 +0000

Lafarge transforms old quarry sites to give a new home to indigenous flora and fauna.

Wildfowl and birds have a new haven on the site of a former sand and gravel quarry in North Yorkshire, thanks to a wetland restoration project by Lafarge.

The wealth of biodiversity at Marfield Wetlands was commended in the inaugural Natural England Biodiversity Awards, part of the 2011 Mineral Product Association’s restoration and biodiversity event.

The Marfield area has a long history of mineral extraction, dating back to the 16th century, according to parish records. The site was initially quarried on an ad hoc basis by the Swinton Estate, before it was sold in the 1950s. Extraction stopped in 1989, before Lafarge acquired the land in the late ’90s. The concrete and aggregates group recognised the potential for biodiversity, and revised the original restoration plans.

“It boasts a diverse range of habitat including lakes, lowland fen and lowland mixed deciduous woodland”, says David Park, regional restoration manager for Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK. “But most importantly, it features wetland which was once very common in North Yorkshire, and has now declined by a staggering 80%.”

Better news yet is that Marfield is not a one-off. Lafarge is planning the restoration of the remainder of its sand and gravel extraction sites. The RSPB estimates that the mineral products industry alone could deliver biodiversity targets for nine out of 11 priority habitats in the UK. - Anna Simpson

This article by Carl Frankel originally appeared in Green Futures, published by Forum for the Future.

Ignoring a global warning-Those in the U.S. who...

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Recently I have been compiling research for work I am doing and I came across an editorial from the Los Angeles Times Opinion section dated December 9^th 2011. Upon rereading it I thought it would be a good posting for Alt Energy Shift. To many of us in the environmental community it seems to preach to the choir, however with this said I think it is important to keep stressing the scientific realties of climate change to Americans and demonstrates the stark need for change. Here is the editorial.

Shared by E3Wise

Nero probably didn't really fiddle while Rome burned; for one thing, fiddles as we know them today didn't exist yet, and for another, historians at the time dismissed the story as a rumor. Moreover, it's hard to believe that even a tyrant as petty and murderous as Nero would be foolish enough to watch the burning of his city-state and do nothing about it. But we Americans are.

Climate change is no longer a theoretical concept to be debated at symposiums by science nerds. It is happening right here, right now. Thirteen of the warmest years on record worldwide have happened in the past 15 years. In the U.S., 12 weather-related disasters this year have caused in excess of $1 billion in damage each, a record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Although many expected the global economic downturn to slow the output of greenhouse gases, emissions actually have been accelerating at an alarming rate, growing 5.9% in 2010 — the biggest jump since 2003. The American response? Fiddling around.

The 17th annual United Nations climate conference, which aims at coming up with a successor to the Kyoto Protocol or a new international agreement, wraps up Friday in Durban, South Africa. You can be forgiven for not knowing about this, because U.S. media have largely ignored it. And not just the media. In 2009, when Democrats controlled the House and there was still some hope of passing a climate bill, more than 20 members of Congress attended the conference in Copenhagen. This year, not a single one showed up.

The U.S. position at the talks can be described as, well, nuanced. Chief climate negotiator Todd Stern says that he favors a legally binding treaty to replace Kyoto (which the U.S. Senate never ratified), but only if it holds developing nations such as China and India to the same mandatory standards as industrialized countries such as the U.S. Yet he acknowledges that those nations will never go along with such a deal, so countries should just make voluntary pledges to cut emissions and hold themselves accountable. In other words: "I will now perform Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major. Does anybody else smell smoke?"

The voluntary approach isn't getting us far. At last year's climate conference in Cancun, the world agreed to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial norm. Yet that goal can't be met under the current global pledges of voluntary reductions, leading to predictions of up to 4 degrees of warming by the end of the century. That would mean catastrophic sea-level rise, drought, famine and weather-related carnage. Fortunately, we'll all be dead by then. But our progeny will not thank us

Recycled Polyester, Organic Cotton or Hemp - Wh...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:57:41 +0000

We all know by now that organic is better than conventional. And if the eco-revolution started with organic food, nowadays we have a choice in every aspect of life including clothing. There are so many good reasons to choose organic clothing that we almost never ask ourselves which fiber is really green. Is it possible a synthetic fiber to be better for the environment than an organic one? Let’s have closer look at some of the most popular green fibers – organic cotton, organic hemp and recycled polyester, and find out how much eco-friendly they actually are.

Chemicals & GMOs

Organic cotton
It is grown without pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers as well as GM (genetically modified) organisms. Organic cotton farmers save money on production by reducing the high costs associated with chemical processing as well as avoid workers’ poisoning, water contamination and depletion of soil nutrients.

Hemp
It is one of the most ecologically friendly plants. It is pest resistant - no pesticides are needed. Moreover, when hemp is grown in rotation, it has been known to reduce the pests in future crops. Hemp is grown so thickly that it kills the other plants around due to which no herbicides are required. Finally, hemp not only needs little or no fertilizers, but it turns back most of the nutrients it takes from the soil. So, because of its unique nature, the changes required in the cultivation of hemp to produce organic hemp are minimal.

Recycled polyester
It is done by used plastic bottles. The recycling is either mechanical or chemical. The former can be done only a few times before the yarn gets good only for the landfill. The latter turns the yarn as strong and beautiful as the original polyester, but it is costly and rarely done. Another consideration is the antimony trioxide (carcinogen) that is released during the production of recycled polyester. Antimony causes cancer in mice and its exposure is accumulative. Though it is bound to the polymer while heated (as during the recycling process), we are still not absolutely sure that its presence in our recycled polyester clothing is 100% safe.

Energy & CO2 emissions

Since herbicides and pesticides are responsible for most of the energy used in farming, organic methods produce less carbon-dioxide emissions. In this category, organic cotton is a winner requiring a bit less energy than organic hemp.
Recycled polyester is the most energy intensive fiber among organic cotton and hemp. It is estimated that Americans use over 2.5 million plastic bottles each hour, which “contribute” to the deaths of 100,000 marine animals every year. Next time, when you buy a fashion t-shirt from recycled polyester, know that it is made from approximately five plastic bottles. It is one very beautiful way to limit the amount of plastics in the world, isn't it?

Land use

Organic cotton requires less energy to grow, but thelack of synthetic fertilizers and the adoption of crop rotation results in 20 to 50% lower yields. So, if organic cotton is to replace the production of conventional cotton, a greater land area would be needed.
On the other hand, one acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as 2-3 acres of cotton every year.

Water use

One big environmental drawback of cotton is water use. Organic cotton, however, may go to extremes and use 5900 liters of water per kilogram of fiber in California to make two t-shirts or 80 liters in Brazil where organic cotton is mostly rain-fed.
Unlike cotton, hemp does not have a high water requirement. This plant has deep roots, which enable it to take advantage of the subsoil moisture, thus requiring little or no watering.
Though difficult to compare, the water used in recycled polyester production is only a fraction of what is required in cotton growing. Water is not an input in the recycling process. It is mainly used to clean the shredded pieces of plastic and to remove the dirt and debris.

Shipping

Most of the world’s organic cotton is grown in developing countries. Before reaching the consumers in the West, it travels the world for processing and manufacturing. That’s a big carbon footprint for one T-shirt!
Though, one can surely find organic cotton fiber made in USA, this is not true for hemp. Industrial hemp (Cannabis Sativa) is classified as marijuana in the USA. It means that hemp fiber is imported from China, Europe, Chile and North Korea. Thus, shipping costs greatly increase the ecologic footprint of hemp.

Conclusion

Recycled polyester is soft and durable. It is wrinkle - shrink - stain resistant. Its benefits include:
- less soil, water and air contamination;
- less dependence on oil used in the production of original polyester;
- millions of plastic bottles saved from the landfill daily and less emissions from incinerators.
However, recycled polyester is not recyclable, unless the chemical recycling process is used. There are few manufacturers, e.g Victor Innovatex, who make synthetic fabrics (without the use of antimony!) that are recycled and are recyclable (closed loop = the fiber never loses its value) too.
There will be always certain trade offs when choosing one fabric over another regardless of whether it's synthetic or organic. But let's look at the glass as half full and appreciate the fact that by buying organic fabrics we vote for healthy farmers, fair wages, clean water, fresh air, sweatshop-free production and a lot more. On the other, recycled polyester is a good try to "save" the used plastic bottles (at least for a while) from the landfills, while looking for an affordable way to manufacture synthetic fibers that are recycled and recyclable.

Cell Phones Radiation | Kids Are More Exposed a...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:52:19 +0000

I am sure you have already found that risks and dangers stand behind every corner. Here is the next one called cell phones radiation. When I got familiar with this issue, I suddenly remembered how many times I have let my toddler playing with my mobile or "speaking" with his grandmas. I know you will not throw away your phone when you read this, but hope that it will at least make you smarter when using a cell phone, buying a new one and especially when your kids are nearby such a device.

What is Cell Phones Radiation?

I won't give you a lesson on cell phones radiation. I will just say that mobile phones emit energy in waves (electromagnetic radiation or EMR) that penetrates the human head and body. And what's the big deal with this? Television, computers, coffee blenders, hair dryers, and even the vacuum cleaners, they all emit EMR...
In order to sell mobile phones in the USA the manufacturer has to receive an approval from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). To get that approval there should be SAR (specific absorption rate) tests done. In other words, the manufacturer should prove that the radiation emitted by his phones are within the FCC standards of acceptable radiation absorbed by a cell phone user's brain and body.
You will ask what the problem is? Actually, there are a few:
- usually cell phones radiation tests are done by the manufacturer himself or by Telecommunications Certification Bodies. The latter take active part in determining the compliance of cell phones together with FCC;
- current SAR measurement is based on animal studies done in the late 70s and early 80s;
- FCC standards give adults only a thin margin of safety over radiation levels that harm animals;
- the cell phones radiation standards ignore children.

Cell phones radiation effects & Why kids are at greater risk?

The World Health Organization classifies cell phones radiation on the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) scale in Group 2B, which means possibly carcinogenic. Long-term (over 10 years) cell phone users can get
- glioma: brain tumor,
- acoustic neuroma: tumor of the nerve that connects the year to the brain,
- parotid gland tumors.
Cell phones are around for 2 decades only. I imagine that you are old enough to have had a childhood without cell phones. What about our kids? Approximately at 15 years of age they will be already considered long-term users. Moreover, research shows that kids have thinner and softer skull, which means that their heads absorb more radiation that adults. A recent study of Danish kids that use cell phones and whose mothers have also used cell phones during pregnancy reveals that they are 80% more likely to have hyperactivity and emotional problems. What would these same kids suffer when they reach our age?

How to reduce kids' exposure to cell phones radiation?

1. Don't let kids to use cell phones. If this is necessary, it is better for them to send text messages or use a headset or speaker rather than speaking on the phone.
2. Buy them a low-radiation phone. Check the EWG Guide to choose a cell phone with the lowest possible radiation.
3. Don't let your kids use any antenna caps or keypad covers. This forces the cell phone to use more power and consequently to emit more radiation.
4. Don't let your baby or toddler play with cell phones.
Next time when you plan to buy a cell phone, apart from the look and features, consider also the radiation level. Be informed and take the best decisions to protect your family and yourself.

Healthy recipe: Warm Farro Pilaf with Dried Cra...

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:40:23 +0000

Farro is a chewy and tender Italian wheat grain like barley with a mild flavor. Cracked farro cooks much faster than whole regular farro, and it doesn't require soaking before it's made.

Ingredient List (Serves 6)

FARRO

Farro in can be made a few days ahead or even frozen.

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium carrot, cut in half
1 celery rib, cut in half
1/2 small onion
1 1/4 cups pearled farro
4 cups no-chicken broth

PILAF

2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced (2/3 cup)
1/2 lb. kale, center stem removed, chopped (4 packed cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. To make Farro: Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables start to brown. Add farro, and stir to coat grains with oil. Pour in broth, and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, or until just tender; drain. Discard carrot, celery, and onion. Cool Farro.

2. To make Pilaf: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté diced onion 5 to 7 minutes. Add kale, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until just wilted. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in garlic and Aleppo pepper. Cook 1 minute, then add Farro, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed through. Remove from heat, and stir in dried cranberries and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 329, Protein: 10g, Total fat: 13g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 49g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 370mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 10g

Source: Vegetariantimes

Recipe of the week: Ginger Soba Noodles

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:53:09 +0000

Ingredients

4 ounces soba noodles
1/2 large carrot, grated
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper
7 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed

Dressing

1 tablespoon sesame oil
3/4 inch piece ginger, grated
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Boil water and prepare soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse them while they are still a bit firm or they will become mushy.
Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Press excess liquid out of tofu, then cut into 1-inch squares. Spray pan with cooking spray and add tofu, arranging into one layer. Saute for about 6-8 minutes, turning often to brown all sides of the blocks.
Combine all dressing ingredients. Either whisk together or blend in a blender (I use a Magic Bullet).
In a large bowl, combine carrot, green onions, bell pepper, cooled tofu, and soba noodles. Pour dressing over and toss.
This can be eaten immediately, but I recommend refrigerating for one hour, then letting it come to room temperature.

Source: ATouchofZing

"Green" Kids

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:17:53 +0000

First of all it is up to the parents to teach their kids as early as possible the meaning of “green living”, and why it is so important for them to take part of it.

Here are some tips how to save money and energy on raising kids.

The sooner your kid is toilet trained the better for your wallet and the environment. The average child uses up to 5,000 diapers. Imagine what the production and disposal of all this cost on energy and the damage it causes to your purse. Make sure your kid uses the potty as soon as possible. Use washable diapers as they create less greenhouse gas emissions than disposable ones; assuming you wash them at 60 degrees and dry them on the line.

Some kids sleep better with a night light. Just make sure that you use energy saving or LED lighting for it. If possible you can switch off the light when you go to bed yourself. Teach the kid to switch off the light himself; learning good habits cannot start early enough.

They grow very fast those kids. This shows in the many clothes they need. Consider to buy used clothes for your kids. Or organize a relay system with family and neighbors. A small spot or hole in the favorite sweater can be easily hidden with embroidery or sewed on attributes. If you like to choose new clothes, look for some with environmental labels.

“Just bought this toy, and it is already broken”, does this sound familiar? Toys’ lives seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Look for toys that can resist rough handling and are easy to repair when it breaks. Do not forget to look for eco-labels when buying toys. Consider to borrow books and toys at a library. In this way you will find out whether the kid really likes a toy or book, before purchasing it.

Talk to family and neighbors, to learn about the way they manage their kids’ upbringing. Surf a lot on the net to find information about things that may be handy while raising kids.

How to Conserve Water - Tips & Tricks | Sav...

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:59:06 +0000

I bet you have heard it many times - save water... save the planet....But do we really do it? Well, this time I am determined. I will change my habits to save the planet (hardly), but to reduce my water footprint and most of all to give a good example to my kid. Who knows, he may save the planet one day ;) While doing my research, I found the "evergreen" rules for water conservation, but also came across some great ideas and tricks on how to conserve water easily. See what I have found and how we can save money by going green. If you have other water saving tips, be welcome to share them here.

How to Conserve Water (Beginners' Level)
Here are those tips and tricks on how to conserve water that are easy to implement. Neither money, nor time investment, nor special preparations are needed. It's just you and your conscious.

Take shorter showers. I should confess I used to be a ten-minute-shower-person. I love long and hot showers. They are so relaxing especially after busy or cold days. But let's face it - more than 21% of the household water use comes from the shower. Not to count the fact that water may run unused till we wait for a good to us temperature. Nevertheless, I know I can reduce the minutes under the shower and start relaxing, let's say in a more efficient way.

Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. That's how you can conserve about 2 gallons of water per brushing.

Skip a shave. If you still have to shave every day, just don't rinse your razor under a running tap, but fill your basin with little warm water.

Do not wash your hair every day. I think this is not only a good how to conserve water tip, it's a good hair maintenance advice too. If you still feel the need to wash your hair every day, why don't you try a different hair cut or style.

Run your dishwasher only when it’s full. I used to wash my dishes by hand just because I thought I'd use less water. If you are like me, don't fool yourself. A dishwasher will save you about 10 gallons of water per washing and will use less soap too.

Fully load your washing machine. It will save you about 3 gallons of water for each wash. A front-loading washing machine is more efficient than a top-loading one.

Don't let the tap dripping. Fix leaky sinks and running toilets quickly.

"If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." Have you heard this before? :) This was one of the fresh how to conserve water tips for me. If you don't feel ok with this, why don't you try implement it during the night? At least you will not wake everybody up when you flush the water.

Use the small flush if you have a dual flush toilet. It is sufficient for just about anything, and when it isn't, doing two small flushes is actually better than one big one.

How to Conserve Water (Intermediate Level)
How to conserve water has never been easier, but these water saving tips may require some financial investment. If you are as determined to go green and save money as I am, then they deserve at least your attention.

Toilet lid sink. Frankly, this was a real finding for me on how to conserve water in the most practical way. When you wash your hands, water is saved in the tank and is used to flush the toilet next time. It not only saves water, but space too. Note that you can buy only the tank.

Install a low-flow shower head and reduce your shower water use by 20 to 60%.

Instant Off Water Saver This is another "precious" how to conserve water trick. Practically, Instant Off controls the water. When you push the rod, water starts. Once the rod is released, water stops. This little water saving device is perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, garage sinks and RVs.

Use waterless car wash. So, instead of using 500 gallons of water to wash your car by yourself or 32 gallons at the commercial car wash stations, go for the waterless way and you'll get your car shining like new. Learn more and see products offered at Eco Touch and Freedom.

Collect rainwater from your roof's downspout in a rain barrel to irrigate your garden. In Colorado, there is a law that bans rainwater capture...., but anywhere else, this water saving tip may be quite valuable and save lots of gallons of clean water from being spent in watering the garden.

How to Conserve Water (Masters' Level)

water recycling - greywater and wastewater reuse systems. This how to conserve water idea is of high difficulty and may require big financial investment. Greywater systems take the water from your shower and kitchen (never from the toilet) and redirect it to watering the garden. Learn more at Greywater Action.

Now, knowing how to conserve water, you just need to start doing it. Water and money are both scarce resources. Let's save them thinking of our kids' future.

Vancouver, BC sets goal to be the greenest city...

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:19:43 +0000

In 2007 the city of Vancouver, BC coined the term "EcoDensity," which describes urban development in terms of ecological sustainability: More people in less space living in ways that minimize the ecological footprint. This translates to innovative ways to produce and transmit energy, efficient greenspaces and reduced reliance on fossil fuel powered transportation methods, among other things.

Vancouver is a stunningly beautiful city located on the west coast of Canada, surrounded by sparkling water, mountains and forests. Incorporated in 1886, the geography of the city - located on a peninsula - forces density. The city itself is just 44 square miles with a population of close to 650,000 people. More live in the surrounding metro area of towns and suburbs.

To meet the challenges of a densely packed population, Vancouver builds dedicated bicycle lanes and discourages the use of cars in its downtown core, has rooftop gardens, uses the heat generated by untreated sewage to heat one of its neighborhoods and strongly encourages carbon neutral construction and public transportation. In short, the city has taken aim at being the greenest city in the world by 2020, according to an article in the Seattle Times.

Quote

"Vancouver recently announced its desire to become the world's greenest city by 2020. As such, Western Canada's urban hub has set ambitious goals to turn itself into a living laboratory for all things sustainable. The city is moving to reduce solid waste by 50 percent, cut residents' carbon footprints by a third and dramatically increase public transit, walking and bike use. It is packing citizens in more densely, trying to encourage more locals to grow food and generally urging lighter living on the land."

Not everyone agrees the goal can be met, and one of the costs of being green is a high cost of living, a scarcity of some services and a difficulty for some services to keep up with a growing population, and a large homeless population. As a large port city, Vancouver serves as a hub for tons of fossil fuel driven trucks carrying cargo to and from the harbor.

Quote

"We are not going to be the greenest city in the world by 2020," says Price. "The northern Europeans will have something to say about that. But, depending on how you define it, we stand a reasonable chance of attaining that title in North America."

But, even working to attain the goal will yield results and should help to serve as a model to other cities.

Healthy Recipe of the week: Linguine with Tuna...

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:47:47 +0000

Ingredients

Kosher salt
12 ounces linguine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
1 5-ounce can albacore tuna, packed in olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

Per serving: Calories 524; Fat 16 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 6 mg; Sodium 641 mg; Carbohydrate 73 g; Fiber 7 g; Protein 24 g

Source: FoodNetwork Magazine

A New Life for Old T-Shirts

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:02:25 +0000

Most T-shirts do not have a long lifespan. The ends become frayed, they develop stains, they stretch out and no longer fit. If your old T-shirts are in no condition to donate to a thrift shop or charity, you can still extend their lives without throwing them away.

Long ago, people used cloth until only small scraps were left, and even the scraps generally found their way into something. It was more than just economic necessity -- the culture emphasized not wasting anything. This is a lesson from the past we would do well to heed today as natural resources dwindle and the population of the planet increases.

The following are just a few ways to re-use T-shirts.

Make a fashionable fringe scarf using just a pair of scissors.

And here's another T-Shirt Scarf

Use strips of old T-shirts to make a soft, braided rag rug

If you crochet, here's a project with detailed instructions for a crocheted rag rug from T-shirts

This is a great project for making a T-shirt pillow for kids or a funky, conversation starter on your sofa

If you don't know how to sew, don't fret, you can make a no-sew removable pillow cover with scissors, hemming tape and an iron

If you're really ambitious, make a quilt out of T-shirts

Finally, if your T-shirts are clean but stained beyond use, cut them into squares and use them as dust rags or rags for washing the car. The stains don't matter and you can use them until they disintegrate.

11 Cool Ways You Can Use Coffee at Home

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:25:44 +0000

The cool thing about this list is that you can use the coffee leftovers... grounds. Lets get started!

Cleaning pots and pans - Simply use a handful of coffee grounds.
Use as a deodorizer - Place grounds in a jar or dish which absorbs refrigerators odors.
Place a small amount of grounds in your ashtrays to reduce the smell of cigarette butts.
Rub on hands to remove smell of onions, fish, etc.
Clean old food off of dishes.
Scrub your barbecue grill.
Natural roach control - Place dried grounds in a glass jar against a wall. There's no way out for them.
Cover up furniture scratches - Dab coffee onto the scratches for darker woods.
Coffee grounds are an excellent nutritional addition to compost.
Place grounds into your compost.
Lastly you can use coffee grounds as a facial and/or body scrub.

Try some of these and add your own below.

All-Star Veggie Burger

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:08:57 +0000

Ingredients

1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
5 tablespoons Korean barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the mashed garbanzo beans and basil. Mix in the oat bran, quick oats, and rice; the mixture should seem a little dry.
In a separate bowl, mash the tofu with your hands, trying to squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Drain of the water, and repeat the process until there is hardly any water worth pouring off. It is not necessary to remove all of the water. Pour the barbeque sauce over the tofu, and stir to coat.
Stir the tofu into the garbanzo beans and oats. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage; mix until well blended.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Form patties out of the bean mixture, and fry them in hot oil for about 5 minutes per side. Serve as you would burgers.

source:JINGOYE

Green Fashion

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:09:59 +0000

Living green does not mean that your life is dull and grey because you focus on time-consuming and tedious activities. Let us brighten up our green lifestyle, not only with positive actions but also with fashionable green clothing.

Clothing troubles the environment in different ways. In the cultivation of textile crops pesticides are being used. Production of synthetic fabric and chemicals and dyes for the treatment of clothing also causes pollution.

Eco-friendly clothing is the alternative. Clothing made from organically fibers. For instance organically grown cotton; cotton grown without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Insects are contested by other insects. The cotton is picked by hand. The cultivation of cotton is mixed with grains and vegetables to prevent the exhaust of the land.

When you want to buy environmentally friendly clothing you have to look for the special labels used to distinguish them from ordinary clothes. These labels you may find on clothing subject to certain conditions and requirements. The most important is GOTS.

GOTS= Global Organic Textile Standard: The aim of the standard is to define world-wide recognized requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labeling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. Textile processors and manufacturers are enabled to export their organic fabrics and garments with one certification accepted in all major markets. (Source: http://www.global-st...e-standard.html)

The percentage of organic fibers is printed on the label; it should be at least 70% for grade �made with organic �, and 95% for �organic�

When buying clothes look for labels stating the clothing is eco-friendly manufactured. May be you will find out that you have to pay a little more for these eco�s than for ordinary clothes, but at least you know that you wear �green�.