Posts Tagged ‘environmentally conscious’

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Apr

16th

Taiwanese Building Made of PET Bottles


The inspiration for using these beverage bottles as the primary construction material for the building came to developer Arthur Huang, of the Miniwiz plastic bottle building taiwanSustainable Energy Development Company by observing what was in the trash bins.  This is a link to a short and amazing video of a beautiful three story exhibition hall made of bottles. 

Builders turned bottles from Taiwan’s waste stream for reprocessing, into plastic containers that interlock strongly enough to block the elements and withstand storms or earthquakes, said Arthur Huang, managing director of the contractor Miniwiz Sustainable Energy Development Ltd.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8622212.stm

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Apr

8th

First Affordable Electric Car?


Nissan Leaf: The First Affordable Electric Car?

If you’re wondering when we’ll finally have an all-electric car that’s both affordable and dependable, Nissan may have the answer. The all-electric, five-passenger Leaf sedan goes on sale in December in select markets, with nationwide availability starting in 2011. The Leaf is highway-capable, as it MEN-AM10-gazette-nissan-leaf_resized400X266can top 70 mph, and its range (about 100 miles) more than covers average commutes. But what really sets the Leaf apart from other electric cars is its price. Starting at about $33,000, the Leaf’s price tag can fall to as low as about $25,000 after tax incentives. Actually driving the Leaf will cost significantly less than a comparable gas car. Recharging the Leaf can cost less than $3 per “fill up.” Sound promising?

This article courtesy of Mother Earth News.  To read the full article, go to http://tinyurl.com/yjweqxr

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Mar

28th

Greenest Building in US? Surprise!


The greenest building in the U.S isn’t a fancy hotel, apartment complex, or office building. It’s a monastery. The U.S. Green Building Council recently awarded the Benedictine Women of Madison’s Holy Wisdom Monastery a Platinum LEED rating with 63 out 69 possible points–the most points of any certified building in the country.

The Sisters at the 30,000 foot, two-story monastery in Middleton, Wisconsin never intended to set a LEED record. Apparently, they have always prized sustainability–just take a look at their restoration of 95 acres of farmland to prairie and their project to dredge a glacial lake that had been previously been filled with silt.

Of course, the monastery still had to work hard to set the record. Some of the ultra-green features in the Hoffman LLC-designed building include a geothermal heating and cooling system, a photovoltaic system on the Chapel roof, windows with special glazing that allow for light and climate control, and the restoration and reuse of old pipe organs and bells. Almost 100% of the 60,000-square-foot old Benedictine House was also recycled or reused in the building process. Not bad for a bunch of Sisters with a dream.monastery2

This article courtesy of FastCompany.com, written by Ariel Schwartz.

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Mar

27th

Dell: Earth Day and Refurb Ink


Earth Day is coming, and Dell has a wonderful program to plant trees to celebrate.  In partnership with Team Earth, Dell’s Facebook® fans will have the opportunity to donate one of 75,000 trees in a friend’s name. Become a fan and keep an eye out on our Facebook page for this special Earth Day event beginning mid-April.

Dell is also offering NextLife refurbished ink cartridges for many popular printer models that print up to 20% more pages than new, reduce waste in our landfills, and reduce resources used to produce new.  EPA estimates in 2003 said we dump 400 million cartridges into landfills each year.  If even 1% of that number was refurbished, it would be the equivalent in CO2 reduction of planting 15,000 trees.  That makes NextLife Ink cartridges a economically AND environmentally good choice!  Go to the Dell site and type in NextLife into the site search.

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Mar

26th

Are Green Jobs Putting America to Work?


Can green jobs spur an economic recovery? There’s no doubt about it. Just ask the veterans in Denver who once crawled around attics and tight spaces in Iraq and Afghanistan seeking terrorists but now crawl through homes in the United States to track down air leaks and find places that need insulation. After having graduated from a green jobs training program, they are among a new wave of workers who have found employment improving the energy efficiency of America’s residential and commercial buildings.

greenjobsgroupOr ask the manufacturing workers in the Midwest who, because their companies successfully transitioned into clean energy manufacturing, escaped the job loss that befell millions of their brethren over the past decade. In Ohio, a business that once manufactured packaging materials now produces harvesters that transform algae into fuels and plastics. Another that produced large-diameter bolts for construction projects is now making bolts for wind turbines. Not only do these jobs provide the income and stability that Americans want, but they also contribute to U.S. energy independ­ence and fight global climate change.

The statistics don’t lie: Even without a comprehensive national policy, clean energy jobs in the United States have grown at more than twice the rate of overall jobs over the past decade, according to a 2009 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Passage of a federal clean energy and climate bill will increase these job numbers exponentially by unleashing a torrent of economic innovation that has the potential not only to save our environment and climate but also to revive the U.S. economy.

By Jerome Ringo in US News and World Report

Jerome Ringo is the former president of the Apollo Alliance, a coalition that promotes clean energy and green jobs. He is currently senior executive for global strategies with Green Port, a private company that focuses on establishing sustainable “green” ports around the world.  Full Article available at:  http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2010/02/22/green-jobs-are-putting-america-to-work.html

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Mar

9th

Hope in Haiti-Massive Recycling Effort


In an encouraging article from American Recycler,  we find massive efforts underway to recycle tons of building materials demolished by the quake.  Port Au Prince was full of buildings built “on the cheap” with little in the way of building codes, and many were damaged already by ealier quakes.  The good news is, several American companies are working to send mobile recycling equipment there to salvage a great percentage of the materials, which will then be used to rebuild the city with more hurricane and earthquake resistant structures. 

High percentages of asphalt and concrete can be crushed and reused, and in a place like Haiti, where importing of materials is expensive it makes economic sense as well as environmental sense. 

According to the report, in the U.S. sometimes disaster clean up crews are paid by the yard and so little effort is put into separating materials so that recyclables can be harvested to use again.  The economics of recycling C&D material vary depending on the nature of the project. The bigger the project, the better the economies of scale and Port Au Prince may prove to be huge. In the United States, recycled aggregate usually costs less per ton than virgin when buying recycled materials from another site.  In this case, where the city already owns the materials, the savings will be truly significant.

Read more at http://www.americanrecycler.com/0310/095haiti.shtml

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Feb

22nd

Animal Shelters Join Green Effort!


  A number of buildings in the Dallas area have greened their interiors and exteriors, but one place in Plano has really done it right.Plano’s animal shelter was recently given Plano’s first LEED certification for an existing building. It’s one of the first 10 in North Texas to receive the designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Several Plano employees, especially Richard Medlen, facilities maintenance superintendent, and Jamie Cantrell, animal services manager, made it their job to assure that the shelter, open in its current location since 2001, was green.

Over time, this has included an array of energy-efficient moves such as changing lighting systems, using water conservation techniques, recycling and incorporating green materials.

The Plano Animal Shelter, a 15,000-square-foot building with 95 dog runs and 120 small-animal cages, had more than 50,000 visitors last year.

“We care for an average of 200 animals each day, and there are 25 employees who work out of the shelter,” Cantrell says.

Employees participate in several green programs that are unique to the shelter.

“All organic wastes are collected by the staff to be turned into compost at the city’s facility,” Cantrell says. “All cardboard, plastic and other recyclable material is separated from the rest of our refuse so that it doesn’t end up in our landfills.”

Read the rest here: http://tinyurl.com/yzyyjve

Thanks to: RITA COOK / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

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Jan

24th

School Lunches:Greening the Programs


If you are a green minded parent, you may be concerned abuot the environmental and health consequences of the choices made by your child’s school.  BetterSchoolFood.org offers a simple, sensible action plan that starts with eating lunch with your child to see and taste what’s being served. 

The site has great resources for parents and you can become a member if you like. Here’s a quote to give you an idea of what they offer: “Have you been told “They won’t eat it” and “It’s too expensive” in response to wanting to improve the food in your school cafeteria?  Then we have good news for you! A study done by the University of Minnesota has found that school lunch sales don’t decline when healthier meals are served. The study also shows that more nutritious lunches don’t necessarily cost schools more to produce.”

Another good site is www.farmtoschool.org, which connects schools with local farms in school districts across the nation.  There are 1200 participating school districts in Texas, and the program helps improve the quality of food and is environmentally sound because the produce is more local.  Visit these sites to learn more about how this important component of your child’s education is being handled, and if you see a need for improvement; jump in and be part of the solution for your own kids and others. 

Here’s great Youtube video from Whole Foods called “Five Ways to Help Your School”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6wSLaP1a0c&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=F68DD6C0034EA90D

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Jan

4th

Resolve: Greener Cleaning for 2010


A simple way to support your goals for going greener is to change the way you clean your home.  You can eliminate smells, germs, and grime without introducing toxic chemicals or supporting the production of these products using simple, inexpensive methods.

First, easily make your own cleaning solutions- Buy industrial sizes of white vinegar, baking soda, and some orange oil. Buy a non-noxious liquid soap like Mrs. Meyers and some Borax.  Buy or reuse a couple of sprayer bottles. Lay in a supply of microfiber cloths (so you can keep bathroom and kitchen cloths separate), rubber gloves, and a pumice stone.  You’re ready to go!

 Kitchen: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in your sprayer bottle for cleaning surfaces.  Especially greasy mess? Add a few drops of the orange oil. You will avoid combining toxic chemicals with food preparation surfaces.  Use baking soda for cleaning the inside of the fridge.  Make a paste of vinegar and soda for baked on oven messes (conventional oven cleaners have some of the most noxious chemicals going, and you will inhale them and introduce them into your food if you use them), and for stinky sink drains areas.  Stainless appliances?  A few drops of the liquid soap and wipe down with the grain.  If you have to have a commercial grease fighter to be happy, try Holy Cow in a gallon size, and mix with water in your sprayer bottle.  Not only are you eliminating toxic chemicals in your home, but reducing the demand for highly toxic chemicals in plastic bottles and all the environmental damage that goes with that entire process.

 Bathrooms: Use your 50/50 vinegar water spray here for surfaces and mirrors as well.  Baking soda paste scrubbed into grout and tub and sink gunky areas works great.  You can use Borax, which is cheap and non-toxic, for mildew areas in showers.  Industrial cleaners typically contain glycol ethers, which are easily absorbed through the skin and have been linked to reproductive problems and birth defects in animal studies.  Not a good idea, and way overkill considering the simple alternatives! 

Baking soda and your scrub brush to clean the “throne”, and if it needs whitening, hydrogen peroxide works or try (gently!) scrubbing stubborn stains with a pumice stone.

 While we are on the subject of clean, fresh smelling homes, please consider reducing or eliminating the use of aerosol sprays, scented oils, plug-ins, etc.  Many of these have not been tested for health effects, and add to the number of particles we breath in our indoor spaces that may contribute to allergies, breathing problems, and generally poor indoor air quality.  Opt for sensible ventilation practices instead; an open window when climate allows and use of vent fans to pull odors out.   

 Our Stanberry and Associates wish for you is a healthier, safer, and more eco-wise clean home for 2010, and a Happy New Year. 

 For further reading: 

 

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/show-whats-inside/cleaning-products-ingredients-guide

 

http://www.womenandenvironment.org/campaignsandprograms/SafeCleaning/recipes

 

HouseLogic green cleaning articles: http://tinyurl.com/yl4u7ha

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Dec

30th

Avoid Seven Foods for a Healthier 2010


Avoid These 7 Foods and You’re Off To A Healthier New Year- Courtesy www.dhlovelife.com, Darryl Hannah’s very interesting living green site.

1. Canned Tomatoes-  The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Acidity — a prominent characteristic of tomatoes — causes BPA to leach into your food.

2. Corn-Fed Beef- The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of books on sustainable farming

Cattle were designed to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. A recent comprehensive study found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

3. Microwave Popcorn- The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group

Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize — and migrate into your popcorn.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes- The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting.

5. Farmed Salmon- The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany

Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones- The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

7. Conventional Apples- The expert: Mark Kastel, codirector of the Cornucopia Institute

If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides with Parkinson’s disease.

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