Girl Scouts Forever Green

I took the Girl Scouts Forever Green pledge. The girls have pledged reduce waste, save energy, and build rain gardens. Additionally, the Girl Scouts official website encourages people to “Take Action”, just like the SouthCoast Energy Challenge does!

The Girl Scout “pledges” in Eastern Massachusetts have eliminated 2,536,973 pounds of CO2, which they calculate is equivalent to emissions from 226 cars per year. I love the way these statistics are converted in an easy to understand way.

Join the girls and pledge HERE

Soccket Balls by Uncharted Play can capture and store kinetic energy and then use it to power a light!  They can also include an emergency cell phone charger and an energy tracking device.  Amazing!

Soccket balls by Uncharted Play

Read the full story from Time here:

Visit Uncharted Play here:

Public transportation is a necessity for creating sustainable communities–a good public transportation system means fewer cars on the road and fewer toxins in our air. I think transportation issues in Southeastern Massachusetts are often left out of environmentalist discussions, likely because public transportation in this area is used out of necessity, not choice.  Bus riders in Southeastern MA are, more often than not, low income minorities, immigrants, students, seniors, disabled members of the community and the working poor. The public transportation system in Southeastern Mass  is also horribly underfunded and lacks extended service into the evening and on Sundays. However, this might also be a result of the public transit system being under-utilized.  So, if you can choose to ride the bus, why wouldn’t you?

Here are some reasons to switch to using public transportation:

SAVING ENERGY! Want to decrease our dependency on foreign oil? If just 10% of Americans switched to using public transportation the U.S. reliance on foreign oil would decrease 40%.

IT’S SAFER! Riding a bus is about 80x safer than riding in a car, and riding a train or subway is even safer.

IT’S BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH! Studies show that people who switch to using public transportation regularly tend to be healthier than people who don’t, because of the exercise they get walking to and from bus stops, subway stations and their homes and offices.

USING  PUBLIC TRANSIT CAN SAVE YOU MONEY!  According to an APTA study, families that use public transportation can reduce their household expenses by over $6,000 annually, more than the average U.S. household spends on food every year.

For more about this check out:

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/reasons-public-transportation-environment.htm

For more on the local bus system check out: www.srtabus.com

Imagine if, instead of asphalt, our roads, parking lots, and driveways were made of solar panels.  Now imagine if these solar panels could also be heated to melt snow and ice.  This would prevent roads from becoming dangerously slippy without the use of salt and sand which can be hazardous to the surrounding environment (not to mention that stuff gets our cars dirty!).  Further imagine if these panels had LED lights set in to mark lanes, instead of painting and repainting lines on the road.  This would make them easier to see in the dark and during the rain.  Imagine if these solar roadways also doubled as a power grid–no more power outages due to storms, broken wires and telephone poles falling down.  Soon we won’t need to imagine all this!  This is where the Solar Roadways project, founded by Julie and Scott Brusaw, comes in.  Their goal is the turn the above dream into a reality.  To learn more and help out, visit the links below!

http://solarroadways.com/main.html

http://solarroadways.com/intro.shtml

Algae lamps have the abilityto collect more CO2 than trees.  Energy production through algae plants is being researched, and there are products like lamps being designed and developed to harness this energy. Researchers at Stanford have been studying the electrical current that algae plants produce during photosynthesis, a plants way of creating energy by converting sunlight into chemical energy.  Scientists have been developing lamps that will generate electricity from algae, and are revolutionizing the way we produce energy. So Cool!

These lamps work by collecting CO2 and sunlight, which causes the algae to undergo photosynthesis. During the photosynthesis process, the algae lamp charges a battery that will then release light. I think lamps like these will be a great way to reduce electricity consumption from dirty energy like coal, oil, and gas. The lamps even look cool, while at the same time making the air cleaner and lighting the world.

http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/06/light-up-latro-algae-pet-lights-looks-like-beaker-of-green-goo/

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/april/electric-current-plants-041310.html

Did you know:

“Becoming vegetarian is one of the most important and effective actions you can take to ease the strain on our Earth’s limited resources, protect the planet from pollution, prevent global warming, and save countless species from extinction”?

Breading animals for food consumes huge amounts of water, grain petroleum, pesticides and drugs.

The meat industry is a major cause of fresh water depletion. According to Ed Ayres, of the World Watch Institute, “Around the world, as more water is diverted to raising pigs and chickens instead of producing crops for direct consumption, millions of wells are going dry. India, China, North Africa and the U.S. are all running freshwater deficits, pumping more from their aquifers than rain can replenish.” [1]

According to Ayres, “Pass up one hamburger, and you’ll save as much water as you save by taking 40 showers with a low-flow nozzle.”

In addition, the rainforest is being destroyed at an alarming rate in order to make room for cattle ranching.

“It is estimated that for each hamburger made from rainforest beef, members of life forms from approximately 20 to 30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammals, and reptile species are destroyed.”

Click here for more info on how vegetarian diets help the planet:  http://www.chooseveg.com/environment.asp

Across the country on February 17th there will be a massive uprising, standing up to big oil. Thousands will gather in Washington, DC for a monumental action lead by 350.org, The Sierra Club, and the Hip Hop Caucus against the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that will extend a pipeline carrying tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast . Will you be there? It is time to stand up to big oil and special interests once and for all. The American public does not need decades more of investment in foreign oil and dangerous extraction projects that will only lead to more spills, destruction of the natural environment , and natural disasters.

We must stand together and tell Obama, Congress, and anyone else who hasn’t rejected the pipeline’s plan that drilling for MORE oil and endangering MORE of the natural environment are not the solutions to the energy crisis. The solution is investing in renewable energy like solar, wind, rain, geothermal, waves, and tides. We must take greed and corporate lobbying out of the discussions about the future of energy and change the conversation to include what is most sustainable, renewable, and environmentally sound for generations to come. Will you be there?

*When: February 17th, at 12 Noon
Where: The National Mall, Washington D.C.
Who: 350.org, The Sierra Club and the Hip-Hop Caucus

Why: To tell Barack Obama it’s time to lead in the fight against climate change, beginning with the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. 

For more information about rides, housing and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://forwardonclimate.org

*http://act.350.org/signup/presidentsday

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ” -Margaret Mead

Do it yourself!

How to make your own homemade laundry detergent

Making your own laundry detergent is better for the environment and can save you money.

There are dangerous chemicals found in your average laundry detergent like phenols and synthetic surfactants.

Phenols are toxic chemicals that can cause damage to your lungs, heart, and kidneys and liver.  I don’t mean to be a downer, and I’m not saying that if you use commercial detergents you’re going to cause serious harm to yourself.  BUT, phenols are easily absorbed into the skin and can be harmful to those with highly sensitive skin.

Surfactants are substances that bind oils and wash away in your washing water. Natural surfactants are safe for people and the groundwater, but synthetic surfactants are not. Synthetic surfactants are found in a lot of commercial detergents.

All in all, making your own detergent is better for the environment , cheaper, and better for your health.

Check out this great TED talk about moving forward to more energy efficiency by mastering the electron.

Justin Hall-Tipping: Freeing energy from the grid

Massachusetts is one of the greenest states in the U.S… but what does that really mean? With advances in alternative energies and initiatives throughout the state to improve our energy independence, one may think we are well on our way to being one of the most sustainable and energy conscious places around, right? Not so fast!

Our neighbors to the north, yes, Canada, specifically Victoria, British Columbia, has an upper hand on much of the state, and the U.S. for that matter. The Dockside Green, having completed construction in September 2010, has become one of the world frontrunners in green and sustainable communities. Developed on a 15 acre brownfield site formerly used by a company in the lighting industry for more than a decade, the Green has implemented sustainable practices that have earned Dockside Green its second residential LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)Platinum award, one of the highest accreditations for green and sustainable practices pertaining to edifices.

So, what has Dockside Green done in terms of making their homes and buildings more sustainable by which we could follow?

The Green is already using energies that we have just began implementing, such as wind and solar, but the Green goes far beyond what we are using today in terms of sustainability. The Green has taken advantage of “green roofs” on which rainwater is filtered by vegetation, reducing storm water run-off and filtering the water for use. The run-off water is rerouted and used in lavatories as flushing water. The vegetation also reduces heating and cooling costs by adding mass and thermal resistance and increases agricultural space. The site as a whole typically uses 65% less water than those of traditional developments. The design of the buildings have led to such efficient heating measures that much of the heat is sold-off as needed. The design and construction, along with financial savings measures have made the Green an “affordable community”, typically housing families with incomes of $30,000 to $60,000.

The following link is an interview with one of the developers, Joe Van Belleghem, in which he explains the plan and procedures of the Dockside Green (about 27 in total length): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jD7rATl39Y

If you would like to know more about the Dockside Green, please visit their website: http://www.docksidegreen.com/Home.aspx