JUST REMEMBER THIS

I know you're crying inside.
I'm not.

It's my last blog. I never thought I would hit this number, but I must say, I am proud that I have. I understand that the environment may not be the most interesting topic to read about, and I know now that it is not the easiest topic to write about. However, in researching this issue and reading numerous articles, I have learned so much about the good and bad of our world.
I had to
I hope that those of you who have visited- all three of you, have learned something too.

If you haven't, learn this- and if you have, remember it:

1. Buy energy efficient light bulbs- they may not be as cheap as the others, but they last ten times longer and use two-thirds less energy. To paint a bigger picture, just know that if every American changed at least one light bulb it would prevent an amount of greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 cars.

2. Take shorter showers- my weakness. There is a drought in Georgia, and in many countries, water has become a luxury since access to it is so limited. By taking shorter showers, you'll conserve 350 pounds of CO2 and save at least $100 a year.

3. Cancel your catalogs. And if you don't read them, do the same for your magazines and newspapers. All of these can be found online. This way, less forests will be demolished, and less waste will be created.
If you do read your printed magazines and papers, make sure to recycle them when you're done.

4. Re-use your plastic bags, and get yourself a re-usable shopping bag.
Why, you ask?
The amount of oil it takes to make 14 plastic bags would run your car for one mile.
And just think how those miles would add up if you walked the one mile and saved that gas for a longer drive.

I think that covers it for now. Energy, water, paper, and plastic.
Make these changes first, and when you're ready, I encourage you to seek other tips to living a greener lifestyle.

Thanks for Reading!

THE RED AND GREEN SEASON GETS GREENER

Here come the holidays!

I don't know about you, but I am excited! The holidays represent a great time of the year. Time with the family. Nights by the fireplace kept safe from the outside chill.
All great things.
However, the best thing about this time of the year- it's an end to a semester!
If that's not reason for a party, I don't know what is!

You may be attending, or you may be hosting. Regardless, there are ways to keep the planet in mind.

1. If you're inviting, evites are the best option. In a society driven by the convenience and dependence on technology, no one opens mail anymore. It's all about emails! Get on an evite site and create an invitation colorful and fun.

2. Paper plates are tacky!
Class it up by pulling out those nice dishes you never use. Even if your dishes aren't nice, they are nicer to the environment and that is reason enough.
If you must use disposable dishes and cups, make sure to have a sharpie handy. Writing names on cups and dishes reduces waste.

3.That's another thing- don't waste. Recycle.

4. Keep it cozy. Use dim lighting and candles to create an intimate, warm environment for friends and family to relax and visit. They don't need to know that your not really doing it for them. You are doing it to conserve energy.

5. Get it local. Go organic.
Whether you are providing the food or just bringing a bottle of wine, know that you have options. Instead of getting your veggie platter or cheeses from the produce section of the grocery store, get to your local farmers market. The products are better for you, and far better tasting.
As for wines, don't get drunk off pesticides and chemicals. Support you local organic farms. You're buzz will be healthier for you! If that's possible.

No matter what you do at your holiday parties, do it with your health, and the health of your world, in mind.

CORN PROVIDES MORE THAN NOURISHMENT

Good news for all you car- drivers and gas buyers.
Hot off the press!

It has been announced today that a new energy bill has passed through the House of Representatives and is on its way to the Senate. Keep your fingers crossed! This bill will raise auto fuel economy standards for the first time in 30 years to 35 miles per gallon. It will establish a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires utilities to produce 15 percent of their energy for renewables by the year 2020. It will also implement a Renewable Fuel Standard that will call for 36 billion gallons of ethanol in our fuel supply by 2022, and 15 billion of that by 2015 from corn ethanol.
It seems so far. Better sooner than later, but better later than never.

As it makes it’s way to the Senate, it has been reported that Republicans have threatened to filibuster.
Now, I’m not trying to point fingers at a party, but that is what I have read.
Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will hold a vote on Saturday to end the filibuster.

President Bush has said he will veto the bill if it includes the tax provisions or the RPS.
Not cool.

I am not the smartest when it comes to political issues, but I know that we need policies in place if we are ever going to make changes. If only I could tell President Bush that. You would think he would know.

HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH...OR LACK THERE OF

“Just because you are eco-friendly, doesn’t mean you have gone hippie.”
-A quote from MSN Green.

This is a common misconception about environmentalist. I do not consider myself an environmentalist in any way, shape, or form, but I have a concern for the well-being of our planet.

My concern for the environment largely stems from my desire for a healthier and more prosperous society. I link organic products to a decrease in obesity. Hybrid vehicles and electric run buses and subways to cleaner air. Cleaner air could decrease athma, heart and lung disease cases, amongst many other health conditions I presume. Recycling would decrease the use of landfills and mass production of plastics and other harmful materials. Less landfills means less carbon emissions, less impact on climate change, which would result in less of an impact on eco-system destruction. And as I realized recently, more eco-friendly implementations would provide more job opportunities.
The list of benefits goes on and on.

Many people roll their eyes at the discussion of the environment, and I still don’t understand why. Even if you don’t believe global warming is a crisis or even exists, can you not see the smog? The trash that lines the streets of L.A.? Increased health problems? Growing rates of obesity?

The small changes we make in our daily habits should be for more than the planet, it should be for you. For your family.

We search for cures for disease and illnesses. We fund research groups and we cry about health care. Why not decrease disease an illness now so we have less to research, need less medications, and lose less people to unfortunate health conditions? So health care won’t be so difficult to have because there will be less health problems to fund.
Why not?

Why do people roll their eyes at that?

HAVE YOUR COFFEE AND DRINK IT TOO

I love my coffee. I love it every morning. I look forward to it. 

Whether enjoying it while reading my emails, or taking it to go for my morning drive to work or school- It doesn't matter where I have it, as long as I have it. 

I am having some right now, in fact.  

Addiction? 

maybe. 

As I sip away, while visiting a new-found website, I came across a book review that said this:

To bring us our daily cup of coffee, nearly 30 million farmers in more than 50 countries toil in conditions unimaginable for most drinkers. “All of the major issues of the twenty-first century — globalization, immigration, women’s rights, pollution, indigenous rights and self-determination — are being played out through this cup of coffee in villages and remote areas around the world,” writes Dean Cycon in the prologue to his new book, Javatrekker.

I look down at my coffee, and I don't love it so much. I kind of resent it. However, I only have myself to blame.

Dean Cycon is not only the author of this book, he is the founder of Coffee Kids, a nonprofit that uses donations from coffee companies to help children in coffee growing countries. And Dean's Beans, a coffee trading company that does so much more.

I read up on them. I was refreshed to realize that just maybe I can drink my coffee without guilt- if I buy it from Dean's Beans, of course.  

Dean's Beans buys only shade grown coffees to support healthy environments for growers and protect critical migratory bird habitat. Their organic coffee comes only from small farmers and importers that are committed to Fair Trade.

The best part, every pound purchased from Dean's Beans contributes funds to the welfare of the coffee growers and the communities they live in. 

 Now that's Fair Trade!

I have no idea where my coffee comes from, or the conditions it's grown in. Maybe I should. If I buy from Dean's Beans, I will. 

Now I can really enjoy my coffee, knowing that somewhere an entire community is benefitting from it.

GREEN PLANET- GREEN ECONOMY $$

I knew that global warming prevention would give us a healthier environment, provide a world where eco-systems and forests could thrive, but I never realized it would also give us jobs. Duh!

"No magical green fairies are going to come down and put up all those solar panels," said Van Jones, a civil rights lawyer, founder and executive director of a nonprofit organized to ensure that the low income, and working poor have access to "green-collar" jobs."We can make a green pathway out of poverty."

I've never thought of this. New eco-implementations will open new opportunities, call for new jobs, and new skilled labor. I don't believe that it will pull the poor off the streets, but it will provide more jobs for those who are looking and possibly struggling.

 Just one more great thing about going green!

Jobs are hard to find. We can always use more of them. Eco-friendly buildings and LEED designs are rare. We can always use more of those too. It's the perfect combo!

I, personally, have only envisioned the impact of "green" initiatives on our environment- our air,our health, our animals, our planet entirely.  I never realized what it could do for our economy. If global warming was a universal concern, and everyone made a conscious effort, we could change so much. We have to want it. 

Jones says we have to ask ourselves: Who are we going to be? Before we ask ourselves what we're going to do.

Who are we going to be? Well, if we continue with the way we are now, we will be unhealthy, we will be less of a planet.  We already know what we need to do. Maybe we should ask ourselves, who do we want to be?  Then just do it.

FOX ATTACKS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

Fox takes a mocking tone on the increased concern of global warming. Do you think they are attacking the cause, or challenging it? 

They, as so many do, discuss Al Gore. Is it "Planet Fever of PR fever?" Gore followers were awaiting an announcement earlier this year, and when they didn't get it, people have continued to question if 'one day' he'll run again. If so, is this his way of getting the vote, or is it a sincere concern for our environment? 

What do you think? I would like to believe it is sincere, but who knows?

Do you agree with the video? Is Fox lying, and attacking a cause they disagree with or raising questions and discussion? 

Let me know what you think. Just curious.

GIVE A BETTER GIFT

How many times have you been asked "What do you want to for Christmas?" As for me- countless. All year round, there are things I want, things I wish I had, things I wish I could afford. Now when I'm asked, I draw a blank. Well, if any of you are in the same boat, consider asking for something a little different this christmas- something that will bring more lasting affects than a sweater. 

Imagine a cute little lemur, or a goat. A tiger. A mama gorilla and her baby.  Imagine a lush rainforest, green and fresh, where raindrops rustle through trees and animal calls echo- the sound of waterfalls in the near distance. 

Now imagine them gone.

What a boring world.

If you don't know what to ask for, or don't know what to give, donate to a cause that you or someone you know cares about.  Whatever it is. It's more thoughtful than a sweater, jewelry, a  CD, a new tie, or new video game. Think about it. 

If you must give a material item- something you can wrap, look into recycled products and items made by sustainable materials. There's some cool stuff out there. It's a different idea, but also more impactful. It shows you put thought into your purchase, and made an effort to find a product better for them and for the world they live in. What a great gift!

Just think about it. Take a look around. You might really like what you can find.

Check out these sites:

http://betterpresent.org/

http://green.msn.com/Articles/article.aspx?aid=287

 http://green.msn.com/Articles/article.aspx?aid=285

ONE STEP CLOSER TO ANTARCTICA

Good news, my trip to Antarctica is now within sight! Kind of. Seeing it only from my couch, Antarctica is a place, to most of us, that can only be imagined. Well, now planning a trip there may be almost as easy as planning your next summer vacation. Kind of. It may be without the warm beaches, resorts, or hotels even- but you can still go.

An eight year satellite mapping project reached it's victory Tuesday when The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) was unveiled.  This high-definition color map is now the most geographically accurate image of the continent ever made. The best part, it can be viewed by anyone with access to the internet- or anyone for that matter. This will aid researchers in plotting their expeditions, and geologist can better study it's formation. And for us, the general public, it is a more realistic view of a place we have only seen from the perspective of TV cameramen.

The resolution of the LIMA is 10 times better than any other database for Antarctica, making it possible to see images as small as half the size of a basketball court. 

This is important. It will allow researchers to better study the ecosystems that live on the continent, and monitor the affects of global warming.

Antarctica has experienced more global warming over the last 50 years than the global average. Haven't we all seen the images of our polar bears searching for food, and the melting ice that surrounds them? LIMA may be a huge step in learning even more about how global warming is affecting this continent, but most importantly, what needs to be done to stop it or slow it.

Want to see? Go here: http://lima.usgs.gov/   or here: http://lima.nasa.gov/

GO HERE

It's fresh and it's easy. It's Fresh & Easy! The UK born grocery store has made it's way to the states without leaving a footprint.  Fresh & Easy is a smaller grocery store, but may also be the most affordable, healthiest, and environmentally friendly.

You'll find less of the common name brands that you find at other grocery stores, and more of the Fresh&Easy line products- but don't shrug at that. Fresh & Easy products contain no added trans fats or artificial colors and flavoring.  As claimed by the company, whenever possible Fresh&Easy uses local farmers and suppliers. If it's not as local as down the street, it is always within the United States. And you know what that means- it's a lot less expensive!

All important. But even more impressive, they have made the environment their priority.  

The company is a pilot member of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Their stores will use 30% less energy than the average grocery store due to various implementations.  Stores are lit by skylights and auto-dim lighting that (hence the name) dim when there is enough natural light.  Increased insulation in stores means less use of heaters and air conditioning. Solar panels line the roof, and hybrid and family parking mark the closest spaces.

They are great to their environment. They are great to their neighbors. They are great to their employers.

They are sprouting all throughout Southern California, and not without bearing gifts. The company donates $1,000 to every neighborhood they open in. 

Okay, I have ranted and raved about them enough. Check them out for yourself. Go here to find a store near you: http://www.freshandeasy.com/home.aspx

Then, go there!

'SELF' RANKS SOCAL

Ready for a surprise?

 Self Magazine released their 'Healthiest Cities' list of 2007 in this December's issue. And guess what....L.A. has made the list! Yes, yes, yes, L.A. has taken the title of 'Dirtiest Air.'

I am sure you are gasping with shock.

Due to numerous ports and refineries, and about six million vehicles commuting through the county, the American Lung Association concludes that L.A. is responsible for creating the highest level of ozone and pollution. Blessed with our sunny days and warm temperatures, we also have smog. It's no wonder why so many people want to move here!

L.A also pulled away with one other honor. It was listed as #4 of the 'Least Smoky' cities, and It's a good thing. With the ozone, pollution and smog, do we really need smoke?

For those of you who live in Orange County, you should be very proud.  Orange County was listed as #4 on the 'Least Smoky' list, #3 on the 'Healthiest Eaters' list, and #1 on the 'Fittest' list. Self claims that the OC's yearlong beach season can be a motivation for residents to exercise.

No surprise there.

Some other familiar areas made the cut as well. Riverside walked away as #4 on the 'Dirtiest Air' list, and #3 as the 'Worst Place to Have a Baby.'  Bakersfield- a little further, took #5 on the 'Unhealthiest Breasts' list, #3 on the 'Dirtiest Air' list, and #1 as the city with the 'Most Toxic Sites.' Not one worthy honor.

Well, SoCal, there's more bad than good. My suggestion- walk, ride a bike, or drive a Prius. Change something!

CHERNOBYL MAKES THE LIST

I wrote last about the beautiful places of the world, most of which I have only seen from my television screen. I fixate on them, hope to visit them, and wish for more places like them. But as often as I forget that those places need protection from deconstruction, I forget even more that there are horribly polluted areas desperately in need of reconstruction.

I found this picture while reading the ' Worst Polluted Places' list of 2007, constructed by conservation groups and issued this past September. 

This picture is the hardest thing to look at. But it is the biggest eye opener to me.

This boy is an orphan in Chernobyl, Ukraine and a radiation victim. The 1986 nucelar explosion in Chernobyl affected thousands and continues to affect previous residents and residents in surrounding areas. The children suffer the most. From 1992-2002 in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, there were more than 4,000 children diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Currently, more than five million people live in those areas, classified as contaminated. 

Though a large amount of radiation was released at the time of the disaster, the majority is still within the plant. It is estimated that more than 100 tons of radioactive products could be released if another accident occurs.

What can we do? Well, I know we are all hard-working college students and our money earned is usually money we need. But, keep the children of Chernobyl and other polluted places in mind when you have a few extra bucks to give. 

You can donate here: 

https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=14660

STOP THE CLOCK!

Have you seen the recent documentary series, Planet Earth? If you haven't, I highly recommend it. If you have, you know how amazing it can be to learn about different species and observe them in their natural habitat- at least from the comfort of your of your own home. Sitting on my couch, in a house, on a street busy with cars, in a city busy with people, full of buildings, stores and smog, it is easy to forget about the beautiful lush areas of the world that still exist, and wild animals that actually live outside of a zoo.  They may be far, far away, but I take pleasure in knowing they're out there, seeing them on TV, and imagining that just maybe one day I could go there. 

Well, at the rate we are going, that's not going to happen. 

To think that those animals are quickly dying off, and the areas they survive in are going from thick forests to man-made developments, is scary to me. This problem is a result of two factors- habitat deconstruction and climate change. I, like many people, don't know what I could do to single-handedly help the situation, but I know I would like to. I like my "Planet Earth," even if it's only from my couch.

Through MSN Green I found an organization that has made a commitment to endangered species and areas- Conservation International. They don't necessarily want money, which is good since I have none, they just want a signature. So I signed it! 

Their "Stop The Clock" campaign is collecting signatures to present to policy-makers from 189 countries. The more signatures, the more government officials will understand the importance of implementing responsible conservation policies to ease climate change and maintain ocean and forest habitats to end species extinction.

The way I see it- these policies will benefit more than just the animals and the ares they live in, they will benefit us. Easing climate change, can improve human health. Maintaining clean oceans means that we will have healthier fish to eat and cleaner waters to swim in. 

You can sign it for the animals,you can sign it for yourself, or you can sign it for others. You should just sign it.

NBCU: It Doesn't Stop With Green Week

Endulging in my weeknight sitcoms, an advertisement for NBCU Green Week caught my attention. NBC Universal has dedicated its programming to raising awareness on environmental issues from November 4th through the 11th.

Initially I was reminded of issues I've addressed in previous blogs- Is NBCU jumping on the bandwagon? Is it a business strategy created by a large network that just wants to market themselves as green because they see money in the cause? Or, is it a genuine concern for our environment and desire to spread a message? I didn't know and didn't care, but looked into it regardless. It turns out, NBCU's committment to the environment goes far beyond one week of TV shows.

In May of this year, the Universal Studios lot installed it's first solar panel energy system that is the largest in the industry. Recently, they announced the development of their new West Coast News Headquarter and Content Center which will be leading examples of sustainable design and construction under the U.S. Green Council's LEED certification. They will also seek LEED certification for their existing buildings. NBCU's office supplier is providing them with paper made of 34% recyclable content, however they plan on using less of it by utilizing multi-functional office machines that will also eliminate the need for multiple devices. The list goes on.

Maybe Green Week will draw a profit and higher ratings for the network. Maybe it won't. Maybe people who don't necessarily care about the environment will be turned off by the idea of their favorite shows addressing an issue they are already tired of hearing about. It doesn't really matter. NBCU believes this is an important issue, they care about it, and they are making it heard. Maybe they will get a response.

Could It Be, A Battle At Sea?

Earlier this year, the Japanese set out on their (illegal) whaling voyage to hunt a target goal of 960 whales. A fire on deck (luckily) forced them to abort their mission early for the first time in 20 years, 452 whales short of their goal. Though they returned with 508, much of that whale meat on board was damaged by the fire and the chemicals used to fight it. Even scarier thing is, the meat will still be sold to an unsuspecting public who most likely will remain ignorant to the contamination.

Sea Shepherd to the rescue!
While the Japanese are repairing their boat damaged by the fire and preparing to return to the Whale Sanctuary this December, so is Sea Shepherd. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is an organization founded in 1981 with a mission to protect marine wildlife. Also repairing their boat, the Robert Hunter, Sea Shepherd will set out on “Operation Migaloo” to be at the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary this December to defend these whales from the illegal acts of the Japanese.

Sounds like a battle to me!

There are so many horrible elements to this issue:
1. They are killing our whales, an already endangered species.
2. They are selling contaminated whale meat to the public who could possibly die from it, all to make a profit.
3. No one has stopped this. It is illegal activity that has existed in Japan for 20 years now, and in other areas of the world.
Non profit organizations are amazing, but stronger forces need to get involved.

Ask The Candidates

Of course I hope that my question gets chosen, but most importantly I hope it gets answered- whether asked by myself or anyone else. I think this is something we can all relate to.



Does this concern you?

The Smoke Makes Me Swell

As I left my house Tuesday morning, I walked out to find my car covered in a mixture of dirt and ash. I walked into my room that night to the smell of campfire that had seeped in from a slightly opened window (my mistake). The smoke that has engulfed us has caused great damage to our already deteriorating air quality. However, have you realized that it may equally be damaging your health? I didn’t, until today.

Living with Lupus for about four years now I have had my good days and bad, but luckily have been doing well for a long time now. Monday morning I woke-up after a nights worth of crappy sleep to sore shoulders, a sore neck, even sore elbows, and fat swollen hands. I have woken up that way every day this week. I have had headaches, random moments of slight nausea, and been completely drained. All symptoms may be common with a Lupus flare-up, but I had been doing so well and I was so proud of that. I thought I knew my body, and I definitely thought I knew my illness, but I just couldn’t pinpoint the problem and it bothered me. What did I do wrong? Did I eat something? Am I over-working myself? Am I stressed? Am I about to get sick? Are my organs okay? Is my disease progressing? Well, it may be, and if it is, now I know why- because I’m breathing.

In an article I read earlier today, Michael Kleinman, professor of environmental health at UCI said that the tiniest particles of smoke pose the greatest health risk and can aggravate various health conditions (insert: Lupus). These particles can be penetrated into the lungs causing irritation and inflammation as well as enter into your bloodstream. Case solved.

I have to try really hard to maintain my health. It's tough to realize that the worsening conditions of our environment, in a matter of days, can so easily counteract all of my efforts.

Let's take care of our world. You may not feel the effects, but some of us do.

Would You Jump On The Hollywood Bandwagon?

“Hollywood always has a cause,” or so I was told by a co-worker just recently. “First it’s AIDS, then it’s cancer, now it’s global warming! It’s annoying!” Though I had to agree, Hollywood does always have a cause, I didn’t see it in the negative way she did.

Our conversation sparked when she, we’ll call her Tracy, claimed that global warming does not affect her, and won’t in her lifetime. I disagree. However, true or not, I argued that if you believe it exists, wouldn’t you care enough to want to keep it from affecting those who will come after us- our kids, grandkids, whoever? She doesn’t care. Though her ignorance and attitude on the subject irritated me enough, it was her reason that really bothered me- Hollywood and Al Gore. Referring to both as hypocrites and their followers as “bandwagon,” I couldn’t grasp that her reason to not care about the world she lives in is because of the group she feels she would associated with. My question stands: Is that such a bad group to be associated with? If you’re recycling, making a conscious effort to conserve energy and water, or saving up for a hybrid, does it really matter why you are doing it?

I was once told by a church member, “it doesn’t matter what gets you to church, it just matters that you’re there.” I apply the same concept to this cause, and probably any other cause Hollywood may be promoting- curing AIDS and cancer would be a good thing! And I don’t care if Al Gore is a hypocrite or not. That’s his problem, not mine. If we are doing our part, whether it’s because we see Cameron Diaz doing it, or because we actually care, all that should matter is that we are making the effort, not why.

Can Wal-Mart Go Green?

I’ve had a hard time liking Wal-Mart for the last several years. I have heard bad stories of how they treat their employees, and being the number one employer in the U.S., their chain has put a lot of local family owned businesses into the ground. Recently, I have developed a new respect for the company. Earlier this month, Wal-Mart held a Sustainability Summit to discuss their plans to go green. However, the topic caused a lot of controversy from outsiders who have questioned if a company as big as Wal-Mart could ever be green. Probably not completely, but should it stop them from trying? I don’t think so.

Attending the Summit were representatives of Wal-Mart suppliers who discussed with associates the idea of renewable energy, organics, and efficient manufacturing. They questioned how they can green their packaging and encourage their suppliers to do the same. Though they are aiming for zero waste and 100% renewability, accomplishing this will only solve for 8% of their carbon footprint. They have a long way to go, a lot of questions to answer, and a lot of planning to do, but they seem to be committed and that’s a good thing.

Critics of the chain believe that in order to reduce carbon emissions, we are supposed to be re-using what we already have, buying and manufacturing less. I agree, though I don’t believe Wal-Mart will be promoting that concept. However, if they are going to be selling products, they might as well go about it in an eco-friendly way, or as best as they can.

Being one of the largest companies in the world, I have faith that if Wal-Mart can go green, if only to reduce their carbon footprint by 50%, imagine what other companies can do. Hopefully, this initiative will inspire other businesses to do the same.

Blackle.com - Use it.

http://www.blackle.com

In January of this year, a blog titled “Black Google Would Save 750 Watt-hours A Year” grabbed the attention of Heap Media, a company committed to developing online services with global reach. After calculating that it takes about 74 watts to display an all white screen and only 59 watts to display an all black one, Heap Media created its new black screen search engine powered by Google called Blackle. Based on the extreme popularity of Google, it is estimated that if the 200 million people who used Google every day switched to Blackle, global energy used could be reduced by 750 Megawatt-hours per year.

Aside from being just a great idea, I admire Heap Media for recognizing that small steps can create a huge difference. Heap Media said this about their new initiative, “We believe that there is value in the concept because even if the energy savings are small, they all add up. Secondly we feel that seeing Blackle every time we load our web browser reminds us that we need to keep taking small steps to save energy.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

By using Blackle.com, we are each taking small steps to conserve our energy. However, we can take this information and go one small step further. By changing your desktop background or altering your display color settings to darker tones, we will be saving energy every time we log on, not just when we search.

Missed Opportunities

As I said in my previous blog, I attended the National Public Lands Day volunteer event at Carbon Canyon Regional Park on Saturday, September 29th. It was so discouraging! Visiting the website, I was so excited about participating in such a wonderful mission, and I was sure there would have been a good crowd of volunteers. I arrived that morning to find a group of about nine girl-scouts picking weeds out of what already was a beautiful garden. Not to down-play their work, I was definitely impressed with their commitment to the project, positive attitude, and high spirits while working out in the hot sun. They were there for the right reasons. They told me themselves that they were looking for a way to give back, and this seemed a good way to do it.

Why is it that so few, as many as nine girl scouts no older than 12, were the only ones looking for a way to give back that day? Why were they the only ones that knew about this event? Some might say the lack of a turn-out could be due to bad marketing, and I can’t say I don’t agree. This event, something celebrated for 14 years now, is something that I had never heard about until about a month ago. However, maybe if I had I been looking for a way to give back sometime over the last 14 years, I may have found it a long time ago. So I guess that is what discourages me. Why is that so many people aren’t looking for a way to give back? Can we change that? If so, how?

CALL TO ACTION

This Saturday marks the 14th annual National Lands Day, an event organized to educate the public on critical environmental and natural resource issues. By welcoming volunteers to participate in the clean-up of our natural lands, it also promotes the idea that when we, as a community, pull together, we can preserve the beauty of the area we live in. In fact, we need to pull together as a community.

I learned about this event just recently and decided that this year I would not only participate, but document it for an upcoming broadcast of OC News. I am hoping that this story will shed a little more light on the event, raise awareness regarding the need to care for our land, and hopefully encourage people to participate in the years ahead.

Just like the house we live in, the world, on a much larger scale, is our home. Every home needs up-keep and repair from time to time. Just as a family divides the chores and everyone contributes, so should we as a community, and most importantly, as a nation.

If you want to learn where you can volunteer to celebrate this Saturdays National Public Lands Day, go to http://www.publiclandsday.org/

Global Warming: Fact or False?

As I was taking the long drive home today from my internship in Hollywood, I sat in the horrific L.A traffic starring at break lights and the brown layer of smog that surrounded me and clouded my vision of the downtown high-rises. Every time I take this drive, my concern for our air quality grows, and my guilt for driving such a distance increases. Tired of listening to music, I actually decided to tune into some talk radio and catch up on my news. I couldn’t have done it at a more perfect time.

I was listening to an interview with a man named Steve Milloy who, with his website JunkScience.com, challenges the very concept of global warming. In fact, he is so confident that we, humans, have no control over climate change and are not at all causing catastrophic global warming, that he is offering $125,000 to anyone who can prove him otherwise.

Over the last year, I have tried to read-up on and stay informed about the constant changing conditions of our environment and the good and bad human behaviors that can affect it. This website and its article titled “The Real Inconvenient Truth” has put so much of what I have learned, and thought I understood, into question. I still believe that we, humans, can protect our environment through various behaviors and possibly take climate control into our hands. However, though I believe it to be possible, now, I don’t know that it is.

What do you think?

Read The Real 'Inconvenient Truth' at http://www.junkscience.com/Greenhouse/
To learn more about the Ultimate Global Warming Challenge, go to http://www.junkscience.com/

Seattle Gets Applause

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I took a recent trip to Seattle. I wanted to recognize the city's efforts on raising awareness and fighting the affects of global warming, as well as honor them for encouraging their entire community to be a part of the solution.

It was amazing to see what a city can look like when everyone within it does their part. Cities attract a wide variety of people all different from the next. However, in Seattle, it's evident that if there is only one thing that they all share in common, it's a love for their environment and a will to keep it clean. (If only all cities were like that)

Thanks USPS!

I read in an article earlier this month that the United Stated Postal Service, the second largest employer in the nation, has implemented a new eco-friendly design for their Express and Priority packaging. If you are as passionate about improving the conditions of our environment as I am, you must be happy to hear that. If you aren’t, the following paragraphs may bore you.

The USPS has teamed up with MBDC (McDonough Braungart Chemistry Design), and adopted their “cradle-to-cradle” policy which saves 15,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. “Cradle to grave” would result in products eventually ending up in a landfill, while “cradle to cradle” ensures products are 100% renewable. MBDC analyzed 14,000 of the ingredients used in USPS packaging to guarantee it met all 39 criteria for human and environmental health, including toxicity, renewable energy, water stewardship and recyclability.

It is refreshing to hear that one of the leading companies in our nation is making a commitment to doing their part by implementing changes that will create such a positive impact. They are not only spreading a positive message, but they are now also creating a demand for eco-friendly products from their suppliers. Hopefully the ripple affect won’t stop there. It would be nice to see other companies (including Wal-Mart, the nations largest employer) start to follow their lead.

Calling All Seafood Lovers!

I took a trip to Seattle this last weekend, and amongst the many things I did, my family and I made sure to take advantage of the rare sunny weather and take a short boat tour. Gliding amongst the blue water, under the warm sun watching sail boats with a view of the city in the background, I was completely taken away by the beauty of the ocean. As I usually am when in its presence, I was mesmerized by the gorgeous color, reflection of sunlight off the ripples of the ocean, and enjoying the cool breeze that reflected from it. I was completely oblivious to the scary truth that lay beneath it.

A recent article in Wired Magazine stated that 96 percent of edible seafood is currently endangered. Science magazine predicted last November that the world’s supply of seafood could nearly be gone by 2048. It sounds hard to believe that such vast oceans covering about 70 percent of the earth could ever run low on food supply. However, it is our avid appetite for seafood that has sparked an increase in fish farming and over-fishing, driving these fish to near extinction.

Though fish are traditionally meant to be wild-caught, and are much healthier that way, technology to harvest fish offshore created problems including over-fishing and the releasing of bycatch (unwanted creatures) back into the ocean. Fish farming currently provides at least half of the worlds seafood supply. According to an article in Seattle’s Conscious Choice magazine, Inland farms require large amounts of wild-caught fish to feed the farm grown. In that same article, it is stated that it takes three pounds of wild-caught feeder fish to feed one pound of farm raised salmon. How ironic is that? We are taking larger amounts of feeder fish straight from our oceans to feed a smaller amount of fish raised on a farm! The aquaculture process also contaminates water ways with antibiotics used to treat the farm-raised fish.

For those of us who prefer a healthier wild-caught fish to feed our seafood craving, fish farming has definitely made it more difficult to find, and the USDA is not helping. While standards for organic seafood are in draft with the USDA, at least 18 seafood companies are claiming “organic” or “wild-caught” on their packaging- but that’s a whole other blog.

Preserving our fish supply is as easy as purchasing or ordering certain fish only while they are in season and resisting them when they are not. Choosing to pay the higher price for wild-caught fish rather than settling for the less expensive farm-grown will help create a difference in demand. The ocean is undoubtedly breathtaking from the outside, but if we really stop to take a look at what is happening beneath that gorgeous blue surface, it may not look so pretty anymore. We can still change that.

So You Think It's Organic

While concern of global warming and the health of our environment is a growing cause, people are also taking their own health into consideration and are coughing up the cash for organic food products. Because of this, more food manufacturers are wanting to market their products as organic, but are finding they cannot use the sufficient ingredients needed while staying within the standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Though I would say, “tough,” if your ingredients aren’t organic, you should not sport the label, the USDA may be bending. A recent USDA proposal is currently in the works to allow for 38 non-organic ingredients to be used in products that display the organic label.

According to USDA regulations, a product can be labeled organic as long as it contains just five percent or less of approved non-organic ingredients. As of May 2007, only five ingredients were listed as approved non-organic ingredients that could be used: cornstarch, water-extracted gum, kelp, unbleached lecithin and pectin. In June of this year, the USDA proposed 38 more, including 19 food colorings, two starches, sausage casings, hops (the number two ingredient in beer), fish oil and a variety of spices.

As a consumer wanting to stay as health conscious as possible, I am already disappointed to learn that products I believe to be organic are not completely organic. On top of that, the USDA is considering adding ingredients such as sausage casings to my organic food!

Ronnie Cummins, executive director of Organic Consumers Association, said it best in Conscious Choice magazine, a Seattle publication, when he said that limiting the list of approved non-organic ingredients is a positive thing that will prevent companies from using the over 600 non-organic ingredients requested by food manufacturers. I also agree with his comment that fish oil, hops, and sausage casings should not be included in food that is labeled organic, because that is simply not what we are getting.

Is It Worth Five Cents?

As summer continues to scorch us with soaring temperatures, many of us are reaching for the nearest cold beverage to keep us cool. However, would we be so quick to purchase if the prices on our favorite soft drinks or bottled water brands reflected a tax that other states do not require?

With a growing concern for the environment and a sense of urgency to slow the affects of global warming, an article in last Thursdays Wall Street Journal states beverage makers are in the process of developing plans to reduce bottled waste and encourage recycling. However, their strategies do not include the idea of enforcing a nationwide deposit tax to the sale price of these beverages, which had been proposed earlier by lawmakers.

This idea originally sparked when the switch from glass bottled soft drinks to plastic bottles and aluminum cans began creating more litter. While eleven states, including California, currently have deposit laws on soft drinks, only four states are preparing to extend the law to the sale of bottled water. My question to you is as follows: Would you be willing to pay an extra five cents for bottled water if you knew it would increase recycling, and inevitably, improve the condition of our planet?

According to that same article, The Container Recycling Institute says beverage-container recycling rates average at about 70% in deposit law states, but only at a mere 34% across the nation.

In an attempt to avoid the possibility of a new federal bill, beverage makers are making significant progress by producing bottles that use less plastic. But is that enough? Coca-Cola has developed plans and invested over $41 million in building new recycling plants. However, running these plants may end up consuming enough energy to offset their effort at recycling all together.

Five cents here and there is a small price to pay for a better future, and it is sad to see that currently eleven states agree with that. Do you?