Archive for the ‘Sustainable’ Category

Starting  a Green Revolution in our own back yard is probably the simplest and best thing we can do to make an impact on our immediate environment. We all talk about going back to nature and what we can do to reduce our carbon foot print and the impact we have on mother nature. What we don’t realize is that we don’t have to go all out and do grandiose things in order to make a difference. Every little bit counts and if each of us does a little bit, together it is a grandiose thing.

Many of us probably never heard of “Victory Gardens, which were also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany^[1] during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort these gardens were also considered a civil “morale booster” — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. Making victory gardens became a part of daily life on the home front.” (Wikipedia)

We don’t have to wait to be at war to start a garden, although we are. We can make a positive impact by growing our own food. All we need is a little patch of dirt, some water, some sun and some seeds. Homegrown food tastes better, has more nutrition, puts less pesticides into the land and water system, and is less expensive than buying “Organic Food”. I can;t think of a better way to make and impact on your environment and save money at the same time.

Now you may say, well I don’t have a patch of dirt, I live in an apartment. And I say  find a community garden you can be part of, start one if there isn’t one. Share a patch of dirt with a neighbor, make it a social event. Start a container garden. Where there is a will, there is a way.

With all the innovations these days like the “Topsy Turby Hanging Tomato Planter” you don’t even need a patch of dirt. It grows tomatoes from a hanging planter, now it can’t get easier than that.

But if you do have a patch of dirt all you need to get started with your Victory Garden is a shovel, some water 4-6 hours of Sun and a $3 packet of seeds. Start small and if you find your green thumb then stretch out as far as is manageable for you.

• Start a compost bin, keep it going through the year for natural fertilizer.
• Dig out a 4×4 patch of land
• Amend the soil as needed for your area, ask your local home store for recommendations.
• Plant your seeds, you might want to start the seeds indoors then transfer the seedlings.
• Water
• Get a lawn chair and wait…
• Invite your friends over and enjoy the harvest

Here are some great Organic growing resources:

• Zone Map and other goodies Avant Gardening
• Organic Gardening
• Natural Pest Control
• Composting

bibi

Comments (5)

If you’re thinking about ways to make your own power and getting off the grid even partially, you have several readily accessible options for which the Government is willing to give you a tax credit of 30% of your cost. Making your own Power does not mean that you have to generate “all” the power for your home, there are options for every taste and pocketbook.

1. Photovoltaic  Systems
2. Residential Small Wind Turbines
3. Solar Water Heating
4. Geo Thermal Heat Pump

SOLAR Power Systems: Going Solar used to bring to mind expensive and cumbersome equipment, that would make it feasible only for those with deep pockets and dedicated environmentalists. But as time has passed Solar Power has become more and more affordable and less and less intrusive.

• Photovoltaic Systems: solar electric or photovoltaic technology uses the sun’s energy to make electricity for the whole home and possible more that you can sell back to your Local Energy Company. In essence you become your own utility company. Solar Modules are an investment and add immediate and long-term value to your home.

• Solar Water Heating: can cut your water heating bills in half. Solar water heaters come in a variety of designs, all including a collector and storage tank, and all using the sun’s thermal energy to heat water. A recent study done on Solar Water Heating systems shows that it has a payback period of just two years.
  • Type of collectors and the circulation system.
    • Batch collectors
    • Flat-plate collectors
    • Evacuated tube collectors
    • Direct systems
    • Closed-loop, or indirect
    • Active, or forced-circulation
    • Passive systems
  • DIY Solar Projects

Residential Small Wind Turbines:

• A wind turbine system, is installed on top of a tall tower, collects kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home’s electrical system. Typically it can lower your electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent.
• DIY Wind Power Projects

Geo Thermal Heat Pump:

• A Geo Thermal Heat Pump uses the earth as either a source of heat in the winter, or as a coolant in the summer. This design takes advantage of moderate temperatures in the shallow ground to boost efficiency and reduce operational costs.

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credits

Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap no longer applies. For More Info Energy Department.

If making your own Power is not an option for you right now, you can direct your energy dollars towards renewables by purchasing “green power.” This may be an option through your utility company, check out the EPA’s Green Power Locator.

bibi

Comments (7)

Green Shopping can be fun and  eBay is a great source of Eco-Friendly products. Whether you are looking for a gift for your environmentally conscious friend or just something for around the house.

By using Vintage or Used products you are giving those products a new lease on life and at the same time reducing the use of new raw materials and the energy needed to produce them.

Look for items made from recycled, organic or sustainable materials like hemp, soy or bamboo. If you are feeling adventurous look for items that artists have given a second life to, like bags made from candy wrappers or soda can pop tops.

Don’t forget to look for items that can help us reduce our use of resources like solar powered phone chargers, or hybrid energy efficient computers.

Don’t overlook refurbished electronics, if you are not a slave to the “latest” fashion in electronics, you can often find great deals in refurbished electronic and at the same time keeping those materials out of the landfill.

bibi

Comments (4)

Raising Cattle is becoming a Green Business. Ranchers are adapting greener measures to leave less of a footprint while conserving water, protecting endangered species of animals, plants and the land from overgrazing. Check it out…

bibi

Post a Comment

When the price of gas started going up a few months ago everyone pointed their fingers at the size of our gas guzzling cars. How wasteful they are, the carbon footprints they have, how they contributed to the troubles that the auto industry is experiencing now. While all this is definitely true, does anyone stop and think about the size of the houses we live in and the impact they have on our planet? After all really, how many rooms can we occupy at once?

Since 1940 the average square footage of a house in the US has gone up by 800 square feet, from 1200 sq ft. to 2000 sq ft. That’s and increase of almost 67%. I doubt very seriously that the average number of people in a  household has gone up 67%. In fact the number of people per household has dropped dramatically since 1940. So we have to ask ourselves, is all this space necessary.

Beyond the averages are the no longer rare mega mansions, found almost in every corner of the country. Why anyone would need a 56,000 sq ft home like Candy Spelling, or the 60,000 sq ft mansion sold by Donald Trump for a cool 100mil, or the 66,000 sq ft home owned by Bill Gates is beyond any reasoning that I can find acceptable. But that’s just me.

We seem to like space, to be surrounded by empty rooms that we can walk into anytime we like, but that spend most of the time empty. Maybe it’s a possession thing, or a territorial thing who knows. But the bottom line is that the bigger the space, the bigger the footprint, and the amount of energy that is consumed.

Some Statistics:

• Average Household of 2000 sq ft uses 8900 kw hours of electricity a year.
• Half the energy consumed in a home is for heating and cooling it.
• The typical home is a major source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for over twice as much carbon dioxide (CO2) annually as the average automobile. (ref: HERE)

Maybe we need to reevaluate how we use space, if there is a need for so much of it, and if the space is already there how to share it with others. Back in 1940 the average house was 1200 sq ft and 3-4 people lived in it, in 2003 the average house was 2000 sq ft and 2-3 people lived in it. Not only has our appetite for house space gone up, but also our need for personal space. Not sure what this says about our society, but we have to ask ourselves, are these, luxuries that we can afford to live with or do we need to rethink our needs.

The EPA has a Household Emissions Calculator that you an use to figure out the footprint of your house.

Here are some tips from the EPA that can help you reduce your footprint at home.

bibi

Comments (3)

Who would have thought that you could be green while cooking. Green cooking brings up thoughts of organic and sustainable products, natural and local ingredients, but there are also things that you can do around the kitchen that will keep you in the green.
This month’s issue of Better Homes and Garden put together a list of easy ways to be a greener cook:

• Fill the Freezer: Use less energy by filling up your freezer. Take advantage of the bountiful of vegetables of summer, by freezing them for the winter.

• Put a lid on boiling water: This little trick will prevent heat and energy from escaping.

• Don’t Open that door: Stop yourself from peeking in the oven while things are cooking, this can drop the temperature to drop from 25 to 50 degrees, and cause you to have to cook things longer.

• No-waste Baking: This is a great tip to avoid wasting foil and parchment paper, buy a reusable nonstick silicone baking mat.

• Choose the right cookware: Choosing the right size pot or pan for what you are cooking can help you save energy and time.

• Fill’er up: Not running the dishwasher until it’s full to the rim and skipping the drying cycle will conserve energy and water.

• Unplug: Unplug anything that is not in use especially small appliances, you’d be surprise how much energy is used by appliances while not in use, and this goes for anything around the house that is plugged in but not in use.

• Lights Out: and last but not least, lights out when you leave any room.

bibi

Comments (2)

For the ladies out there, here is a list of famous hunks with a green thumb, so to speak. They not only make it a point to look good, but also to do good.

Leonardo Di Caprio

Besides being a greeny himself, he is out to convince others of the virtues of going green. You can catch him in several “environmental” productions.

• The 11th Hour a documentary about climate change.
• Greensburg chronicles the rebuilding of the town of Greensburg, Kansas which was wiped out by an EF5 tornado back in 2007 and is reinventing itself into totally sustainable and eco-friendly town.

George Clooney

He drives a one seater electric car called Tango and soon to be driving the $100k Tesla Roadster 100% electric, burns no oil and looks great. They both do.

Edward Norton

• While often playing the bad guy, the mysterious Edward Norton works with Friends of the High Line a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and reuse of the High Line - a 1.5 mile, elevated railway that runs along the West Side of Manhattan.
• He has also worked with National Geo on a series called Strange Days on Planet Earth on Climate change… Ecosystem degradation… Clean energy… Poverty… Disease…  Strange Days on Planet Earth connects some of the greatest issues of our day.

John Ledgend

• The legendary R&B singer has performed in the Live Earth Concerts in London, is spokesman for GQ’s The Gentleman’s Fund to support the five cornerstones essential to men: opportunity, health, education, environment, and justice.
• He is also involved in the Show Me Campaign helping impoverished villagers in Africa become self-sustaining.

Adam Levine

• The hot rocker from Maroon5 has been on “Gen E” Generation Environment spots promoting environmental awareness through public service announcements.
• Is actively involved in the “greening” of concert venues. ReverbRock…
• They are also involved with Global Cool who’s mission is to inspire one billion people to  reduce their co2 emissions by one tonne.

bibi

Comments (1)

If your in Atlanta the week of Oct 7th stop by the GreenBusiness Works Expo. It is being held Oct 7th and 8th. at the Cobb Galeria Center in Atlanta Georgia. It is a comprehensive environmental EXPO designed to educate corporations and municipalities about sustainability programs, services and products available to support their environmental stewardship efforts.

If you are in any of these professions or positions then you should attend or send someone from your company to represent.

• Corporate Sustainability Officers and Environmental Managers
• US Mayors and other Elected Officials
• Facility Managers, Supervisors and Building Service Contractors
• Hospitality Industry Leaders including Hotel, Restaurant and Entertainment District Managers
• Development Community
  • Developers, Builders, and Contractors Architects and Engineers
  • Commercial and Residential Interior Designers

• Facility Managers, Supervisors and Building Service Contractors
• Hospitality Industry Leaders including Hotel, Restaurant and Entertainment District Managers
• Meeting and Event Planners
• Bankers and Environmental Financiers and Real Estate Brokers
• Warehouse, Plant and Project Managers
• Fleet Directors and Managers
• Marketing and Communication Officers
• Human Resource Managers

Available at the expo will be Speakers, Roundtable Experts, and the trade show exhibition.

Keynote speakers will be:

Scott Seydel
President, The Seydel Companies
Board of Directors Chairperson, Global Green USA

and

Andy Savitz
Sr. Consultant, Sustainable Business Strategies

Attend and get your business involved to learn from leading experts who have already practiced sustainability successfully through exclusive educational programs, networking opportunities, best practices, leading case studies, and products and services that support corporate and community environmental stewardship efforts and positively impact ROI.

bibi

Post a Comment