Sunday, November 4, 2007
Carbon Footprint - The Recap
Besides learning about carbon footprinting, I’ve also learned about the world of blogging. It’s huge, incomprehensibly huge. The ease of which I could change this site’s template, edit my words, receive comments and add a survey or favorite link section is amazing. I’ve been recommending blogging to many friends, if not to write one than to read one. The information out there is waiting to be read and noticed.
Carbon footprinting, reducing green house gases, saving energy, renewable energy sources, recycling, Energy Star light bulbs, carpooling, public transportation, carbon offsets, buying local, green economy; so many buzz words, so little time to make that change for our future.
What are YOU doing?
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Green Businesses
EcoBusinesslinks offers a site that is easy to navigate to find anything from beauty products to solar panels in the US, with some links to the UK, too. At the bottom of the home page, there is a link to environmental news around the world, with more links to organizations and sources for up to date information. This is probably the most comprehensive site yet that I’ve seen. Worth a look-see!
Have you come across any eco-friendly businesses in your community? At community produce stands and off-beat shops I’ve found organic clothes and books. It seems like the eco business is taking off. Whole Foods Market must have tons of information in its stores. I should walk through one day and check out prices. Trader Joe’s is another great store with an organic line. Maybe these stores are in your vicinity?
Well, enjoy looking around these websites or stores. Happy shopping!
Source:
EcoBusinesslinks
Friday, November 2, 2007
Carbon Offsets
Money can’t buy you love, but it can buy you what’s called a carbon offset. You still want to help the environment and the cause to reduce greenhouse gases, and there are legitimate companies that can help you feel better it. One I like is called Terrapass, which tells you how to green just about anything, including your wedding! The money you donate funds projects promoting clean energy, like wind farms or tree planting.
Also on this site you can enter your car information, such as year, make and model, and it calculates the emissions your car contributes to the environment. It also gives a quote of what you could pay to offset your car.
Here’s what it said for my car; I have a Chrysler 2001 Town and Country. On average, I drive it 12,000 miles, and it emits a little over that in lbs. of CO2. The amount I could pay to offset my carbon emissions? About $80 a year. The money goes towards funding environmental clean funds. Skeptic that I am, I’m not writing a check. I’d do a little more investigating to see just where my money would actually be going.
There are several carbon offset websites to visit and explore. The basic premise is great, but one has to wonder if people would rather write a check than to really change their habits at home. Nobody said it was going to be easy.
Source:
Terrapass, retrieved November 1, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
State Info Revealed
This website, Eredux.com, helps communities across the United States develop social networks to help their town “Go Green” by giving them online tools and resources to accomplish a pro-action style. By filling in your zip code, you will be directed to a local blog space which has events and resources for that particular town.
The New Jersey facts are outstanding regarding our carbon footprint. All the states are listed with green bars that signify their population, their carbon output, and their total carbon ranking. Where do you think NJ is on the scale? Top, near the top? Well, we’re 9th in population, our per capita carbon output is 41, yet our carbon ranking is 16. What does it mean?
Well, each NJ resident produces 15 tons, yes TONS, of carbon dioxide each year. We are the 16th highest polluting state, which is not a surprise since we have a high population and industry. Is anyone surprised, or appalled? Remember your carbon footprint number from the calculator? Can you now see how this affects everyone in the state, and the nation?
Check out this informative interactive site.
Source:
Eredux.com website, Retreived October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Renewable Energy Sources
I have seen wind farms in the hills of Livermore, CA, and what a beautiful sight it is; hundreds if not thousands of windmills creating energy for the community as their white blades turn. New wind parks on and off shore are in the planning stages worldwide.
This is a renewable energy source which does not contribute to greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane).
Hydro-electric power, or water power, is used by creating dams or using tidal flows. However, the bigger issue is with the environment in developed nations and what other factors would be affected. It is recommended for small scale operations such as small farms, businesses, or homes.
We have all seen solar panels on house roofs in our area, and if you haven’t, start looking! There are a few brave folks in South Jersey who have made the jump. Special windows help trap heat in the house while the solar energy is stored in a grid system while waiting to be used. Yes, the winter months may be different due to the suns positioning, and the solar paneling need to be free of snow build up, but it works!
Geothermal energy is from the earth’s core, and can be used as heating or for electricity. It’s created by pumping oil or water into the Earth, then after it evaporates the hot gases that vent out run turbines to electric generators. Complex, yes, and if oil is used it doesn’t seem environmentally right. But on a small scale, it can be used to hear buildings. Also, certain locations cool down, meaning that they may dry up, so operations would have to be moved. It doesn’t sound like a renewable energy source if the heat at the core gets used up.
Sources:
Renewable fuel sources link from Robin Nixon’s blog, (1983-2007)
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Impressive Blog Discovered
I was impressed with his resource page. Finding it took some searching, but if you go to his home website, then to his website link, up comes a big list of his passions…environment issues being one. I was interested in renewable fuel sources so I clicked on the link. Wow…alternate energy sources to help decrease our carbon footprint! Check out my next entry as I talk more in depth about wind, water, solar, geothermal energy as well as energy from biofuels.
So, how are you coming with decreasing your carbon footprint? Try the calculator yet? Buy those Energy Star lightbulbs? Governor Corzine just asked NJ citizens to replace at least 5 bulbs with Energy Star…maybe I’ll see you at the hardware store this weekend.
Sources:
Robin Nixon’s blog
Renewable fuel sources link from Robin Nixon’s blog, (1983-2007)
Friday, October 26, 2007
Future Job Opportunities
Why? Well, Mr. Jones has taken the green concept one step further. He is looking ahead to the time when the US will need trained people in the solar industry; a great vocation for youth to be able to do. He wants Congress to allocate $125 million to train 30,000 young people in green trades. His aim is to help poor African American families, but anyone would benefit from this training. Green trade or economy might be the new buzz word in the future. We need people like Van Jones to think ahead, to prepare, to educate people NOW before it’s too late.
Check out his website Green for All and see what Mr. Jones is doing “to combine solutions to America’s two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction.”
Source:
The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 22, 2007, “Seeing Green in Going Green”, commentary by Thomas Friedman.
Green for All Website, (not affiliated)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Movie that started it all
I watched the movie and was horrified to see what has happened to our earth in the last century alone. Finally, the last 10 minutes of the film offered a glimmer of hope to what individuals can do to slow down the destruction of our atmosphere. The website that accompanies the movie, An Inconvenient Truth, does a great job defining global warming and what is happening around the earth. There is also a link to “Take Action”, which gives one ideas how to help locally, nationally, and internationally. It links to how one can become carbon neutral by answering questions similar to the calculator I mentioned in a previous blog.
Regardless of your political ties and leanings, it’s worth checking out. If you rent it, keep it on through the end credits, as Melissa Etheridge sings the theme song as the words are on the screen. Powerful.
Sources:
An Inconvenient Truth Website, 2006
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Video and TV Influences
So what, you may ask? It’s a reminder that we ALL have some kind of footprint that we are leaving behind. No matter what we do, we are leaving behind problems for future generations. I just heard that John Stossel from 20/20 on ABC, had comments about global warming on Friday, October 19th. From his remarks, it appears that he is trying to disprove the seriousness of global warming, that it is not a man-made issue. Does that mean the human race shouldn’t take action? He begins, “The globe is warming, it's our fault and the consequences are going to be terrible. So goes the rhetoric spouted by politicians, celebrities and the media.” I hope that his underlying tone is not political, but if anyone follows the news these days, it seems that one party is all for a reduction in CO2, and the other isn’t making legislation changes needed for businesses/organizations to decrease their footprints. I’m not going down the political path here, but the bottom line is that something has to change, and soon.
Sources:
ABCNews Website, “Man vs. Nature” article by John Stossel, October 19, 2007
YouTube Website, “Carbon Footprint Advert”
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Calculator
Allow yourself 10-15 minutes to complete the online calculator. After I completed the exercise, I noticed that my footprint was reduced significantly because I recycled, but if I went one step further by using Energy Star light bulbs, then it would help the environment even more.
After you are done filling in the necessary blanks, you’ll see your totals at the bottom. Are you surprised? Shocked? Concerned? Take some time to reflect on what you discovered.
Source:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, Personal Emission Calulator
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Red Meat Issue
Another point is that these suggestions seem moot in the face of other countries that are not doing their part to reduce green house gases. I want to stress “The Power of One”, yes, change starts simply with one person and grows from there. Like voting, it’s a copout to think your vote doesn’t count, so why bother. Come on! Take a stand, whether you see the results now or never, the small step you make now will benefit someone down the road…..eons from now….your descendants.
It’s a water bottle, a light bulb, a plastic bag. It couldn’t be easier.
Sources:
Green Lifestyle Handbook, by Jeremy Rifkin (1990)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Secondary Footprint explained
☼ Use your tap water instead of buying bottled - your tap water is most likely just fine to drink, yet millions of us buy water in plastic bottles. The emissions used to make the bottles, recycle them and transport them to your store are high. Check your tap water first.
☼Buy local food and produce – Check the label before you buy food at the market. Buy local as often as possible because it travels fewer miles, reducing the emissions used for transportation.
☼Plant a garden to provide fruit and vegetables.
☼Reduce your consumption of red meat.
☼Check clothing labels. If it comes from beyond 1000 miles, the process of transporting it to your store has used fossil fuels.
☼Avoid items that come in unnecessary packaging. The manufacturing of the packaging alone is wasteful.
Yes, the production as well as transportation of an item is just as important as the item itself regarding carbon footprinting. Try one tip a week, or month; start slow and then you’ll realize just reducing a little of your secondary footprint isn’t as hard as you may have thought.
Check this quick video out from Treehugger that describes how one person is reducing her secondary footprint.
Source:
Carbon Footprint website, Secondary Carbon Footprint
Treehugger video, "Reducing the Impact"
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Definition of Carbon Footprint
So what is a carbon footprint, you ask? I found a great site Carbonfootprint.com that simply says that it is a measure of the impact human activities have on our environment in terms of how much greenhouse gases are produced. This measurement is in units of CO2, carbon dioxide. This footprint is made up of two parts, the primary or direct footprint, and the secondary or indirect footprint. Here’s a quick breakdown of what it means:
☼ Primary measures our use of car and plane use through emissions of CO2 – burning fossil fuels.
☼ Secondary measures CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use, which are associated with the manufacturing and distributing of these products.
So now, what does that all mean? Are there ways we can begin to eliminate some of our impact? Actually, there are some very easy things we can do to reduce our primary use, such as:
Carpool, car-share, use public transportation, and fly less. More drastic measures would include using solar and renewable energy sources.
Look for my next post as I explore ways to reduce our secondary or indirect footprint.
Source: