We have discussed turning off appliances and phantom loads as a way to cut the electrical consumption of your home, but what about your office? Are there other considerations besides the electric bill? This video quantifies one of those considerations, CO2.
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We recently picked up two sets of drinking glasses at Walmart. Called the ECOGLASS, it’s made by Anchor Hocking, in Ohio. Made of 35% recycled materials, it’s 100% recyclable, and comes in 100% recyclable packaging made from 25% post consumer waste, and sustainable ink. It’s a good solid drinking glass, not easily broken. Qty 6 glasses for under $8. Did I mention it’s lead free?
Greg Lesher sent us his ebook on how to make tire based solar distillers, which work great with seawater or grey water. We recommend it. Here it is in his words:
I have figured out a way to use sea water or worse in the garden. One
could recycle 100% of the grey water from the home as distilled water
using no power or fossil fuels. And make the system using free used
tires and a few other cheep items available anywhere.
I have been messing around with solar stills for years but they are
not cheep to build and to grow a garden, out of the question because of
the cost alone.
Tires are a global problem, now I want 100’s for my use, and they are
more than happy to give them away! I put together an ebook at http://www.outback-taxidermy.com/Seawatergarden.
Or I can try and explain the process, but a pic is worth a thousand
words as in this case.
Greg
So many Americans dump thousands of gallons of water on their yards every years, and many pounds of chemical fertilizers, trying to keep the “green”. These yards are not green, they are chemical facsimiles of nature.
The Texas Commission On Environmental Quality offers the following points (and associated solutions) in their “Green Guide to Yard Care“:
Every year more than 5 million tons of yard trimmings and other organic materials end up in Texas landfills instead of building up the soil.
Millions of gallons of city treated water are used to irrigate landscapes where native vegetation once grew in naturally mulched soil, sustained by rainfall.
Much of that water runs off the land, eroding depleted and unprotected soils that are unable to absorb it. The excess sediment from your lawn and many other yards can smother aquatic life in the receiving bodies of water. Excess sediment can also increase the cost of operating water supply reservoirs.
Costly synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are applied to compensate for the loss of nutrients and protection once provided by organic debris and rich soil life. Surprising as it may seem, residential users apply more pounds per acre of these chemicals than farmers do—often to the point of disrupting beneficial soil life.
As your soil loses its organic matter, it allows more of these chemicals to run off and wash through it—contributing to the pollution of lakes, streams, and underground water. In excess, these pollutants can harm aquatic life or contaminate the food chain.
We have a new feature on our website. A series of environmentally focused videos can be found on the lower right side of this post and other articles on this website. Also check out the discussion topics to the right of this post. Hope you enjoy.
We recently obtained a new shower head. Now I know it’s hard to get excited about a shower head, but when you find a good one, a good shower is the only way to start the day. This particular unit saves on water (save more by showering with a friend), yet still provides a wonderful water soaking experience. Good flow, good pressure, and very invigorating. It has 5 water settings, and is direction adjustable.
Read more about the Monarch Maximum Flow Eco-Friendly Showerhead at http://www.greenandmore.com/eco-friendly-standard-spray-showerheads.html?itemId=844
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ClickGreener Makes All Your Holiday Shopping Greener – For Free
TORONTO, ON., December 3, 2007 – ClickGreener Inc., a groundbreaking new company, has launched ClickGreener.com just in time for the holiday season.
ClickGreener.com is the world’s first online shopping mall that empowers people to make their ordinary purchases greener – and help raise tens of thousands of dollars for the environment – all at no extra cost to the consumer.
“Each year, online shopping malls earn millions of dollars in referral fees,” said Owen Ward, President of ClickGreener. “We’ve decided to harness this power and use it to help the environment, by donating just over half of our referral fees to environmental non-profits.”
Visitors to ClickGreener.com will find many of North America’s leading online retailers of electronics, books, DVDs, clothing and more. By clicking on their retailer of choice, visitors will be connected to that retailer’s online store, where they can complete their purchase as usual. For every purchase made this way, ClickGreener donates 51% of the referral fee from that purchase to leading non-profit environmental organizations, including Carbonfund.org, WWF-Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation and Tree Canada. All of this is done at no additional cost to the shopper.
“People are looking for ways to contribute in a positive way to the environment,” continued Mr. Ward. “For every purchase made through ClickGreener, you will make a contribution to organizations working hard to protect and preserve our environment.”
“If only 1% of online purchases in North America were made through ClickGreener, approximately $10,000,000 will be raised every year. With the value of online shopping expected to double by 2011, the possibilities are truly inspiring.”
In addition, ClickGreener gives visitors access to promotional offers from many of its retailers, including deals that are not available to the general public. ClickGreener also identifies green products from its participating retailers to help people maximize their positive impact on the environment.
“Instead of dreaming of a white Christmas this year, we are giving people an easy way to make it a greener holiday season,” Mr. Ward adds. “Moreover, with access to many great deals, visitors to ClickGreener will also save a bit of that green for themselves!”
About ClickGreener Inc.
ClickGreener Inc. was created to harness the power of business to help make the world a healthier and greener place. Partnered with some of the most prestigious non-profit environmental organizations, including Carbonfund.org, WWF-Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation and Tree Canada, ClickGreener provides people with a simple way to make their ordinary shopping greener at no additional cost.
CONTACT
For additional information or to arrange interviews:
Owen Ward, President
Tel: 416.855.6373 Email: owen@clickgreener.com
WHERE WE STAND: A Surprising Look at the Real State of Our Planet (AMACOM Books; October 9, 2007) by Seymour Garte, Ph.D.
In WHERE WE STAND, Garte makes the case that the environment is in better shape than we have been led believe. He presents evidence that human and environmental welfare have been improving steadily for the past two decades. When crises arise, our urgent efforts to save the planet work. Scientific research, social activism and strong regulatory action have produced changes in the way businesses and people operate and these changes have been largely successful in solving most of the environmental and public health problems that we have faced. Garte combats environmental apathy with illustrations of the environmental movement’s achievements and their goals for the future. Hopeful, balanced, and convincing, WHERE WE STAND will change the way readers view the planet and the future.
Publisher’s Weekly Review of WHERE WE STAND:
Garte, a professor of public health, presents a well-researched, clearly written summary of the health of our planet, with histories of lead paint, ozone and various chemicals as well as analyses of human health and planetary health; the prognosis is surprisingly optimistic, and prescriptions are encouraging. While the environmental problems hyped daily on the news are real and ongoing, things have improved—air and water are cleaner, more food is available, life spans are up and infant mortality is down, diseases are better understood and treated—and will continue to improve if efforts continue. Garte points out the fallacies in standard right- and left-wing approaches—the planet is not in imminent danger of imploding, he says, but neither will it be saved by the free market—and shows how most improvements over the past 40 years have been the result of government intervention. Garte’s reasoned discussion and compelling, honest tone make this a valuable tool for increasing science literacy with regards to the important environmental issues of the day; Garte’s recommendations, to “continue on the paths we have been traveling and finally acknowledge the great progress that we have already made” should put new wind in discouraged environmentalists’ sails, while plentiful references, data and illustrations will give skeptics material to think over. (Sept.)
It doesn’t matter whether you are Democrat or Republican, it’s hard to disagree with this book. We read it and recommend it! – Steve Spence, Director, Green-Trust.org
NEW BOOK ON AMERICA’S OIL DEPENDENCE DECLARES
“OIL IS A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY”
October 17, 2007 – As oil prices reach record highs, it’s not just in the consumer pocketbook where war is being waged.
In, Freedom from Oil: How the Next President Can End the United States’ Oil Addiction (McGraw-Hill, October, 2007), author and Brookings Institution scholar David Sandalow writes that our current reliance on oil poses economic, environmental, and national security threats to the country:
1. Oil dependence strengthens Al Queda and other Islamic terrorists;
2. Oil dependence strengthens oil-exporting nations that oppose US interests;
3. Oil dependence threatens our men and women in uniform;
4. Oil dependence undermines democracy and good governance around the world;
5. Oil dependence is central to environmental degradation and contributes significantly to global warming;
6. Oil supplies are vulnerable to natural disasters, war, and terrorist attacks.
Writes Sandalow, America must take steps to counter the deeply entrenched use of oil in our society using a powerful combination of already-present technologies and far-reaching agendas, among them:
· Build millions of plug-in hybrid cars that have traditional engines and connect to the electric grid;
· Make competitively-priced biofuels available to every driver;
· Transform fuel efficiency standards to make sure the US fleet helps lead the world; and
· Transform federal transportation policy to level the playing field for mass transit and promote telecommuting.
Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) calls Freedom from Oil “Required reading for all concerned citizens and elected officials.”
Nobel Prize winner Al Gore says of the author, “When David Sandalow writes about energy and the environment, we should all pay close attention.”
Sandalow, a scholar at The Brookings Institution, worked for the Clinton/Gore White House, and spent much of 2005 traveling with Gore and working with him on the lecture that is now part of An Inconvenient Truth.
The book has a foreword from Senator Richard Lugar, as well as endorsements from General Wesley Clark, James Woolsey, Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton and former head of the CIA, and Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Sandalow is based in Washington, DC and is available for interviews.
Freedom from Oil
Author: David Sandalow
October, 2007
HC, $26.95
For review copies, interviews, and more information, contact:
Ann Pryor, Senior Publicity Manager
McGraw-Hill Companies
2 Penn Plaza, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10121
212.904.4078 tel
212.904.4091 fax
Professionally, I'm an IT Engineer (Executive Level) and Electronics Tech. Philosophically, I'm a Green Conservative, leaning towards Libertarian, and may have been a hippie in the 60's if I had been old enough. I live off grid, with Solar (PV), Wind, veggie oil fueled diesel generator power, veggie Chevy Suburban and have been teaching and living sustainable technology for over 10 years.
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