Archive for October, 2011

From Orange to Green: Smart Tips for an Eco-Friendly Halloween

Monday, October 31st, 2011

It’s Halloween. The house is decorated; the costumes are bought. The bowls are filled with candy and you’re probably out of money. Believe it or not, next to Christmas, Americans spend the most amount of money on Halloween; a whopping $6.5 billion to be exact. The worst part about spending all this money is that there is very little to show for it. The cheap costumes are found littering the streets, candy is splurged on and decorations are tossed away. All we’re left with is rotted pumpkins and a few extra cavities.

Fortunately, you can not only save money by smart-shopping tactics, but also save the environment. In fact, such sites as greenhalloween.org are dedicated toward promoting a green Halloween. For starters, ditch the cheap PVC costumes that are cheaply made and usually only last one day. Instead, look through your own closet, head to a resale shop or sew one of your own costumes. Not handy? Try purchasing your child an actual dress-up costume that is quality made, kid-friendly and can be used over and over again.

For food, focus on the fresh fruits and vegetables instead of the candy treats for your family. Head to the local farmer’s market and see the abundance of colors and aromas that are there. If you have a sweet tooth, try making your own candied apples using fresh apples from the market. Organic jellies and homemade pies are other great treats for the Halloween season and will cost less than those giant bags of candy.

Since you can’t hand out produce to the trick-or-treaters, opt for treats that don’t come individually wrapped. Instead, try coupons from local restaurants or ice cream shops. For example, McDonalds sells coupon books for free cheeseburgers, shakes and the like. Or, try favors that can be purchased in bulk quantities and don’t come individually wrapped such as skeleton rings, stickers or glow in the dark bats. Pencils, pads of paper and erasers are other inexpensive favors that save on the environment.

Finally, be smart about your decorations. Use beeswax candles instead of paraffin ones that pollute the air. Get the most out of your carved pumpkins by cooking the seeds, or use the insides of the pumpkin for cooking and baking. You can also compost the remains of the pumpkins, as 99 percent are used for carving jack-o-lanterns and just end up in the landfills. And don’t waste money on cheap decorations that will be thrown in the garbage. Consider investing in decorations that can be reused or try making your own and save the money for Christmas – you’ll need it.

Image: usafeast.com

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Droughts cause less tumbleweeds in the Plains

Friday, October 28th, 2011

File:Tumbleweed rolling.jpgWhat can be said about tumbleweeds?  Well, according to those living in those western states where they are well known such as Kansas, they can wreak havoc on traffic causing car accidents, can tear down farmer’s fences, and make streets unnavigable.  Wow! 

Just recently, the New York times interviewed long time rancher Wiley McFarland.  He says that” tumbleweeds can be a lot like snow.”  Though they do not melt, they continue to be a major problem to the environment.  The tumbleweed season is known to be a short season and thankfully it has been reported that due to droughts, they are more manageable.

You may be curious as to what tumbleweeds really are?  I was always curious of what causes these to roll across those country roads.  According the the New York Times, they are “bush plants that use wind-fed journeys to spread seeds, a dispersal method of unfortunate efficiency.”

Okay, so tumbleweeds may be a nuiscance but they do offer that classic movie look don’t they?  Well, many “movie producers are inclined to collect these bushy plants and use them in their films because of what they have to offer in terms of looks.“  Tourists visiting western states also can’t help but snap a quick pic of a lone tumbleweed because they do look like something you would see in a movie if you are not used to seeing them in person.

I wonder if tumbelweeds cause any allergies like cottonwood does in eastern states?

Source: New York Times

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Volunteers Take Part in Make a Difference Day by Planting Trees

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

This weekend, people from all over the country celebrated Make a Difference Day. USA WEEKEND sponsors this day with HandsOn Network. It’s held on the fourth Saturday each October and designed to help others around the world by making a difference in one day. This special event may only last for one day, but having people come together for one common goal really does make a difference. One of the tasks that many organizations took part in was planting trees.

For example, several students from Montana State University planted maple, linden, hackberry and crabapple trees in a nearby neighborhood. Lawrence Tech students did the same thing, as they planted a variety of trees in Detroit neighborhoods.

It wasn’t just university students that came out to dig for the day. Community organizations also made plans to improve their cities by planting trees along bare streets and neighborhood parkways. Although many low-income areas were targeted because of their lack of healthy tree life, some areas took advantage of this day to create more areas for birds to live and migrate to.

With bird watching becoming a popular past time for millions of Americans, establishing homes for these birds is a necessity. Adults and children came out to help dig and plant for hours, and for most locations, the weather cooperated. In fact, some programs were so successful, they said they actually had to turn volunteers away.

The more we know about trees – how they lower toxins in the air, create more carbon dioxide, increase property value and increase bird watching opportunities – the more people are taking an active interest in preserving and planting them. In many parts of the country, people also felt that Make a Difference Day was one last opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors with the family before the cold weather really sets in.

If you missed out on this year’s Make a Difference Day, be sure to look for community events in your area next year. Or, take advantage of tree planting programs that are held throughout the year and always looking for volunteers to dig and plant.

Image: nj.com

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Is seaweed killing the coral reefs?

Friday, October 21st, 2011

File:Seaweed (Westerland).jpgIf I told you that seaweed is another killer of the coral reefs would you believe me?  I was quite shocked myself as we know that other culprits of this problems is usually related to the warming oceans and pollution etc.  I just recently found out that some seaweed causes “coral bleaching and suppresses photosynthesis by emitting anti-coral chemicals” according to National Geographic News.  Crazy, right?

An author in a recent study said that “such seaweed could be helping to curb coral growth on reefs worldwide.”  This seaweed sounds like it’s on steroids doesn’t it?  Wow, what kind of seaweed could actually kill the coral reefs like that?  Apparently it is mainly taking place around the Fiji Islands.

In years past, scientists have discovered that more and more coral reefs are being overcome by seaweed.  “It is unclear if algae is to blame or if it actually benefited from this.”  What exactly could slow this process if it can be helped?  You can read the full article;  National Geographic News on nationalgeographic.com.

Source: National Geographic

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Are greenhouse gases currently at a dangerous tipping point?

Friday, October 14th, 2011

File:Greenhouses gases.JPGThe answer to this question is yes, they have already reached that dangerous level according to global stewards on globalstewards.com.   Apparently, it has ” reached 455 parts per million.  This is the total “long term” carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”  This is definitely a cause for concern.  Is it just going to get worse over time or will we see a decline in greenhouse emissions?

Statistics are currently showing that in the 1990′s carbon emissions were fortunately growing less than 1% per year.   Though this wasn’t a whole lot at least it was progress.  But then in the year 2000, it apparently has grown a unsettling 3.5% per year.  In the year 2010 it hit a record!  You can read an article on this report over at BBC news.  Let me just say WOW, when it comes to the result of the rising record.

Could climate disasters be on the constant rise with these gas emissions?  I was pretty surpised to find that “70 percent of any disaster is climate related.” Yikes!  This has gone up around 50% since 10 years ago according to global stewards.  With climate disasters comes a high price and loss of human life.  Can you believe we can reduce or even prevent these climate disasters if we stop using so much carbon dioxide?    Why are we so careless when it comes to the environment? Do we really care about our planet to keep it around a while longer?  What about our children?  Let’s be good stewards of planet earth so that future generations will also emulate our actions and have a cleaner place to live and thrive.  If we just keep making it worse, what kind of world will they live in?  It’s quite scary to think about but it’s reality.  Do you want your children living in a place that is so contaminated that it could cause worse health problems?  Let’s start thinking “Green” in our lifestyles.

Source: Global Stewards

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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New Studies Show the Value of Urban Trees

Monday, October 10th, 2011

In a housing market that is seemingly getting worse each month, it’s important to retain the value of our houses as much as possible. New evidence is showing that trees add value to neighborhoods and can in turn, help preserve value and help homes to sell faster. Although studies have always shown the worth of trees in urban cities, these studies have become more important in recent years as we shift our focus toward preserving these trees and investing in more to be planted.

It is these issues that were at the heart of Mark Tercek’s speech last week. A representative of the Nature Conservancy, Tercek says that it’s time to focus on the economic value of nature conservation. He cited several studies, one in Oregon that found that homes sold faster when there were developed trees on the street.

Don’t think that urban trees are just for selling homes, either. The rental market is soaring right now, and these properties can be rented out faster when trees are planted nearby. You can expect, on average, that property will be increased by $5 to $21 a month for these rentals, which is extra money in the renter’s pocket. And for housing sales? Well that’s even more impressive, as a few established trees have been known to increase the value of a home by $7,000.

Cities are often hesitant to invest in new trees, as they are costly and labor-intensive to plant. But it’s important to remember that the value the trees bring to the neighborhood far exceeds these initial costs. If more cities invest in this project now, it can really help properties make back some of their money when the market starts to come back.

To get involved, see what programs exist in your neighborhood that work with trees. Some programs plant new trees, others recover dead and damaged trees. More importantly, trees are an excellent source of clean air and help to reduce pollution, toxins and energy consumed. If you have trees in your yard, you already know the benefits they offer in terms of keeping the home cooler, adding private and providing additional beauty.

Image Source: mikeslandcarellc.com

Source: Triple Pundit

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Chevy Investing in 16 Tree-Friendly Projects Across U.S.

Monday, October 10th, 2011

You read that right – Chevy is investing $40 million into tree-friendly projects across the country. This effort is supposed to prevent 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the earth’s atmosphere over the next five years. There are 16 projects total that include wind turbines and renewable biomass.

Chevy is sharing videos about this project at www.chevycarbonreduction.com. Every two weeks, you will see a new video released about a tree-friendly program that Chevy plans to invest in. Just like other missions, this one will include social media opportunities for people to show their support such as by planting a virtual tree on their Facebook pages.

Although the common misconception is that large companies such as Chevrolet stick to what they know best – building cars – this is simply not the case anymore. These large corporations are reaching out to help build a cleaner, healthier planet. When people see a name such as Chevy standing behind eco-friendly projects, they will most likely to support the cause.

Some examples of the projects that Chevy is investing in includes Metrolina Greenhouse in North Carolina that will have natural gas replaced by renewable biomass, a wind-turbine farm at Crow Lake Wind Farm in South Dakota and waste heat recovery at gas pipeline pumping stations in Montana.

Chevy has also partnered with the National Forest Foundation, the San Juan National Forest and signed a contract with Maine State Housing Authority. More specifically, the Maine project will support the weatherization of 5,000 homes in low-income areas in Maine where winters are cold and harsh.

It’s great to see 16 projects underway across the U.S. and supported by an industry leader such as Chevy. Be sure to visit www.chevycarbonreduction.com to learn more.

Source: Torque News

Image Source: automous.com

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Turbochargers impact on the environment

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

File:Hybrid tools Ford Fusion Hybrid.jpgThere are so many individuals on board the decision to purchase Eco-Friendly cars and this is most definitely a good thing, right?  What if everyone decided to go this route?  Would the environment really be better for it?

What about turbochargers, do they really help the environment too?  Sure, these cars are known to be very noisy and just downright obnoxious to say the least but apparently these vehicles “can improve fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine.”  Wow, nice!  And check out this statement by reuters story on Mark Halper’s post over at smartplanet.com: “A diesel engine fitted with a turbocharger can go 40 percent further and a gas engine 20 percent further on a liter of fuel.”  Now I say that is awesome.  40% further? 

The downside to this vehicle may be the price.  You will probably be expected to fork out more many than a standard vehicle but is it worth it?  I think it is and if you can afford it of course.

What about a downside to the environment?  Can the turbocharger pose some sort of problem or threat?  According to Mark Halper on smartplanet.com “there’s a hazard that consumers will get lulled into carrying on with a fossil fuel habit that would continue expanding the planet’s carbon footprint, even if internal combustion engine technologies become more efficient. An “efficient” turbocharged 23 mpg Ford Explorer is still an eco disgrace compared to ambitions of 100-mpg equivalence on newfangled electric cars.”

Source: Smart Planet and Reuter

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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