Archive for January, 2009
January 21st, 2009
I don’t see many “now we have to clean up this giant mess” stories yet.
But this Fox News piece questioned how green the inauguration was.
The Institute for Liberty, a conservative think tank, estimated recently that the millions of people coming to the inauguration will generate a half-billion pounds of carbon dioxide — 260 million pounds from the 600 private jets that will come to Washington, and another 260 million pounds from personal vehicles.
It says the pollution amounts to more than 575 million pounds of CO2, which would take the average U.S. household 57,598 years to produce.
January 20th, 2009
… in his inaugural address.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
January 20th, 2009
Don’t just throw away those clear or orange sleeves that protect your Register Star from the elements.
Reuse them for …
– dog droppings
– car trash
– craft supplies
– ice packs
– gift bags
… or …
– covering a wet umbrella
– kitty litter scooping
Any other ideas, people?
P.S. Found a way to make a bag OUT OF newspapers here along the way.
January 19th, 2009
From the-in-case-you-missed-it department:
This is mostly not for “green” reasons, but more kids are going vegetarian, which is good for the planet, as I’ve written before. That’s about 367,000 children in the United States, or about 1 in 200.
Other surveys suggest the rate could be four to six times that among older teens who have more control over what they eat than young children do.
Vegetarian diets exclude meat, but the name is sometimes loosely worn. Some self-described vegetarians eat fish or poultry on occasion, while others, called vegans, cut out animal products of any kind, including eggs and dairy products.
Anecdotally, adolescent vegetarianism seems to be rising, thanks in part to YouTube animal slaughter videos that shock the developing sensibilities of many U.S. children. But there isn’t enough long-term data to prove that, according to government researchers.
Vegetarians say it’s animal welfare, not health, that most often causes kids to stop eating meat.
If you want your kids to eat healthier, here’s one resource I found from HealthyRockford.com. If your kids are vegetarian, you can just Google away to find more info.
January 16th, 2009
I launched this blog back in May as a limited effort, but it has snowballed from there because of growing interest in living a eco-friendly lifestyle.
While I and other greenies may be mocked (and I’m not that hard-core), I think the general population is more aware of its impact on the planet and trying to do better.
In the Sunday Life&Style section of the Register Star, starting Jan. 18, we’re adding a weekly Go Green page to help you “do better.” I wrote about it here. We hope to include calendar listings, news and as much advice as possible.
January 15th, 2009
Today, the New York Times is expected to launch an eight-person environmental team (seven reporters and an editor). According to the Columbia Journalism Review …
As gas prices soared last summer and the cost of powering homes and cars became a central issue in the presidential campaign, journalists seemed to clue into the fact that the climate story is really an energy story at heart.
What most do not realize—and what makes the Times’s arrangement so progressive—is that behind energy lies human behavior and whether or not we efficiently manage all our natural resources, from power, to food, to habitat, and beyond.
Times reporter Andrew Revkin, a member of the environment team, has written about this extensively on his blog, Dot Earth. In a recent interview, Revkin explained to CJR why he thinks it’s not climate that is the “story of our time,” but rather sustainability in a world moving toward nine billion inhabitants.
…
Unfortunately, as newsrooms around the country shrink and close, such dedicated focus and coordination is becoming increasingly challenging. When I asked (assistant managing editor Glenn) Kramon whether the Times’s reorganization had anything to do with cutting costs, he replied that it is “just the opposite.” He has been agitating for the team for a couple of years and sees it as a “dream come true.”
Cool news. The Times already has a pretty nice environment page.
January 15th, 2009
Just a reminder that an event Georgette Braun highlighted in her column is coming up.
Jan. 17 — “Not Buying It”: 2 to 5 p.m. at Rockford Public Library Main Branch auditorium, 215 N. Wyman St., Rockford, free. Discussion on Judith Levine’s “Not Buying It,” a chronicle of her yearlong quest to only buy necessities and what that taught her, as well as the film, “Affluenza,” a look at the materialistic attitude that contributed to the current economic situation.
Apparently, video of that film is out there.
I think many of us could use a reminder to cut back on what we don’t need. If any of you have read the book or see the movie, share your thoughts.
January 14th, 2009
Unless you follow Machesney Park news closely (and its political atmosphere certainly has been interesting lately), you might have missed the news that money is available to make homes there more energy efficient … if you meet certain income requirements.
Village trustees on Monday approved a resolution which is part of the village’s Home Improvement Program. The program, in place for 10 years, aims to improve the older housing stock by partnering with the Illinois Housing Development Authority to rehabilitate single-family, owner-occupied homes. The housing authority has a new program that would provide funds to the village to make qualifying households more energy efficient.
Homeowners must apply for appliances such as refrigerators, bathroom exhaust fans, dishwashers, air-conditioners and furnaces that have earned the Energy Star rating from the federal government. To qualify for the program, residents must be ComEd customers, must be a single-family owner-occupied home and meet income guidelines. For example, a family of four must make less than $31,800 annually.
This is good news: making energy efficiency more accessible.
Interesting fact on Energy Star:
The typical household spends $2,000 a year on energy bills. With ENERGY STAR, you can save more than 30% or more than $700 per year, with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort.
January 13th, 2009
… money. And the planet, to an extent, if you use reusable bags to avoid all the paper bags.
In the past, I’ve reused the cardboard six-pack case from Logli’s, which gives you 10 percent off if you buy that many. Last weekend I went to Mimi’s Wine and Gifts on Perryville (formerly WineStyles) and bought a six-pack bag like this, which qualifies me for discounts in the future.
I imagine other stores have similar offers. Chime in here…
January 12th, 2009
A co-worker passed this along:
The Moto W233 Renew is in line with an unofficial green theme of the 2009 CES gadget-fest, with several product makers introducing items that consume less energy or are made of recycled materials. Motorola is using recycled water bottles to make the plastic housing protecting the Renew, which will be available at T-Mobile in the first quarter.
Motorola didn’t disclose a price for the Renew, but a spokeswoman said it will be “very affordable.”
The Schaumburg company called it “the world’s first carbon neutral phone.” In an alliance with Carbonfund.org, Motorola said it has offset “the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation.”
Apparently this is a good choice if you’re JUST looking for a phone:
The W233 Renew has 2GB memory and offers a whopping nine hours of talk time. But if you are looking for features, you are in the wrong lawn. The phone has a music player but no camera or internet browsing capability.
A step in the right direction. I’ve liked Motorola phones in the past. Not fond of their smart phone (which is what I need), but I know some who like it.
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