From the Protect Human Health section of The David Suzuki Foundation website, is this article about the danger of flame retardant chemicals to human health, http://www.davidsuzuki.org/health/toxics/default.asp. Only the article is excerpted below, but if you go to the website, there are resources listed, links and press releases for further background on the topic:
FLAME RETARDANTS
A Burning Issue
If you're like most people, you’ve probably never heard of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). But along with virtually every Canadian, you are surrounded by these chemicals.
These chemicals are used as flame retardants in a wide-range of consumer products, including TVs, computers, electronics, motor vehicles, carpets, and furniture.
Health effects of PBDE exposure include damage to the neurological, reproductive, immune, and hormonal systems. The most widely used chemical in this group, decaBDE, is also a suspected carcinogen. These toxic chemicals are released into the environment during manufacturing, and end up in household dust as products containing them degrade.
The discovery that PBDEs are rapidly accumulating in humans and the environment has raised serious concerns. Sweden has banned all these chemicals for health and environmental reasons. Many U.S. states are following suit. Legislation to ban decaBDE has been introduced in Washington, California, Maine, and Illinois.
There are currently no restrictions on the manufacture, import, sale, or use of PBDEs in Canada, despite the fact that Canadian women and killer whales have some of the world’s highest concentrations of PBDEs. PBDEs found in marine mammals increased by 7,000 per cent from 1984-2003 and continue to double every 3.5 to four years.
Many firefighters' organizations in the United States strongly support motions to ban PBDEs, because of the occupational health hazards they present to these frontline workers. Firefighters are keenly aware of the dangers of highly flammable consumer products, but they also know many alternatives to PBDEs are available today.
The good news is that the federal government is currently developing a PBDE risk management strategy. The bad news is that proposed regulations announced last December would exempt the most commonly used PBDE: decaBDE.
The David Suzuki Foundation has formally objected to the proposed regulations and advocates a ban on all PBDEs.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Clean Biodiesel Technology
From the November/December 2006, GREEN@WORK magazine, www.greenatworkmag.com, Sustainable Cities: Change at the grassroots level, page 26, an article about the benefits of biodiesel technology:
From SUPPLY TO DEMAND
The values of heightened respect for the environment and prudent use of natural resources have become increasingly central in the transportation sector.
Special to Green@Work
For most of the century, the main concern of transport planners and policy makers was the "supply" of transportation, specifically in ensuring that the supporting infrastructure was going to be adquate. It was the uspply and efficient operation of vehicles that got attention. Analysts claim most cities overbuilt their physical transportation infrastructures, leading to unsustainable levels of traffic. As a result, the sustainable transportation movement has gradually been gaining in force. However, the movement is still in a minority.
Actual expenditures in the urban transport sector are determined by criteria other than sustainability. But, gradually, there has been a shift in public spending away from building and supply, to management and demand. the values of heightened respect for the environment and prudent use of natural resources have become increasingly central.
The Benefits of Clean Diesel Technology
Green Diesel Technology vehicles developed by International Truck and Engine Corp. and IC Corporation, International's wholly-owned affiliate, are the wave of the future. Through the use of development of new clean technologies, the diesel industry is expected to cross a historic milestone in 2007; one that will put diesel on par with some of the most advanced, clean and energy-saving solutions of the future. In January, U.S. truck and engine manufacturers wlll begin producing the most advanced, clean technology ever produced for heavy-duty trucks and buses. Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel will play a leading role in helping cities and states meet strict new air quality goals set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA's rules for heavy-duty engines mandate a 90 percent reduction in particulate matter (PM) emissions from today's standards, and a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx). The guidelines also require reductions in emissions of hydro-carbons (HC). While NOx standards and HC standards will be phased in between 2007 and 2010, it is feasible to retrofit recent model diesel vehicles with filters to reduce PM. Factors that affect retrofitting include geographic location, duty cycle and engine type. International is exmining the best way to provide retrofit options to its customers.
The development of the hydraulic hybrid is the reslt of the partnership between the EPA, U.S. Army, United Parcel Service (UPS), International and Eaton Corporation. UPS is the world's largest package-delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The EPA and UPS plan to evaluate the vehicle's fuel economy performance and emissions during a series of tests in 2006. In laboratory testing, the EPA's patented hydraulic hybrid diesel technology achieved a 60- to 70-percent improvement in fuel economy, and more than a 40-percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to a conventional UPS vehicle.
The deevlopment of the hydraulic hybrid is the result of a partnership between the EPA, U.S. Army, United Parcel Service (UPS), International and Eaton Corporation.
From SUPPLY TO DEMAND
The values of heightened respect for the environment and prudent use of natural resources have become increasingly central in the transportation sector.
Special to Green@Work
For most of the century, the main concern of transport planners and policy makers was the "supply" of transportation, specifically in ensuring that the supporting infrastructure was going to be adquate. It was the uspply and efficient operation of vehicles that got attention. Analysts claim most cities overbuilt their physical transportation infrastructures, leading to unsustainable levels of traffic. As a result, the sustainable transportation movement has gradually been gaining in force. However, the movement is still in a minority.
Actual expenditures in the urban transport sector are determined by criteria other than sustainability. But, gradually, there has been a shift in public spending away from building and supply, to management and demand. the values of heightened respect for the environment and prudent use of natural resources have become increasingly central.
The Benefits of Clean Diesel Technology
Green Diesel Technology vehicles developed by International Truck and Engine Corp. and IC Corporation, International's wholly-owned affiliate, are the wave of the future. Through the use of development of new clean technologies, the diesel industry is expected to cross a historic milestone in 2007; one that will put diesel on par with some of the most advanced, clean and energy-saving solutions of the future. In January, U.S. truck and engine manufacturers wlll begin producing the most advanced, clean technology ever produced for heavy-duty trucks and buses. Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel will play a leading role in helping cities and states meet strict new air quality goals set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA's rules for heavy-duty engines mandate a 90 percent reduction in particulate matter (PM) emissions from today's standards, and a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx). The guidelines also require reductions in emissions of hydro-carbons (HC). While NOx standards and HC standards will be phased in between 2007 and 2010, it is feasible to retrofit recent model diesel vehicles with filters to reduce PM. Factors that affect retrofitting include geographic location, duty cycle and engine type. International is exmining the best way to provide retrofit options to its customers.
The development of the hydraulic hybrid is the reslt of the partnership between the EPA, U.S. Army, United Parcel Service (UPS), International and Eaton Corporation. UPS is the world's largest package-delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The EPA and UPS plan to evaluate the vehicle's fuel economy performance and emissions during a series of tests in 2006. In laboratory testing, the EPA's patented hydraulic hybrid diesel technology achieved a 60- to 70-percent improvement in fuel economy, and more than a 40-percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to a conventional UPS vehicle.
The deevlopment of the hydraulic hybrid is the result of a partnership between the EPA, U.S. Army, United Parcel Service (UPS), International and Eaton Corporation.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Green Activist: Daryl Hannah
From the spring & summer 2007, greenliving magazine, pages 26-28, an article about Daryl Hannah and her environmental activism:
SENSE & SENSITIVITY
Daryl Hannah Walks Lightly and Talks Positively
by Julia Dault
When Darryl Hannah was a child she made two very important decisions. The first makes sense for a girl with big dreams; she wanted to be in the movies. The second is less likely for a young 'un; at age 11, she decided to become a vegetarian.
What evolved out of her childhood hopes and decisions has been success in every sense. Not only is Hannah in the movies but she has also built a film career that spans nearly 30 years and includes an astounding number of roles, including Pris in Ridley Scott's cult classic Blade Runner (1982), Madison in Ron Howard's Splash (1984), Annelle in Steel Magnolias (1989) and more recently, the unforgettable one-eyed assassin Elie Driver in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004). And her vegetarianism? Not once has she strayed from her promise to herself. And in fact, her determination and her love of nature set her on a course for lifelong environmental activism.
"I grew up on the 42nd floor of a building in downtown Chicago," she says, "and every summer, my dad used to send us to camp in the Rockies. There was no electricity, no running water - we pitched tents, cooked in the open. I found that the world made sense to me in nature."
The order she found out in the wild has since translated into education, mindfulness, drive and a belief in the importance of even the smallest gesture, all integral to Hannah's everyday life. "I like to focus on solutions," she says. "I like to inspire people to see the positives, the innovations, the people out there who are making a difference." Hannah's efforts haven't gone unrecognized. Since 2004, she has won a number of awards, including the first Influencer Award from the National Biodisel Board and the Ongoing Commitment Award from the Environmental Media Association.
So what, exactly does Daryl Hannah do? Well, the more appropriate question might be: what doesn't she do?
For starters, with the help of a loyal editor, she writers, directs and produces her own series of weekly video blogs called dhlovelife (www.dhlovelife.com), which has a devoted following. "We get letters from moms, grandmothers, scientists, all types of different people," she says. Teachers have asked for permission to use the episodes in their classrooms. The show's subjects are diverse, with a light yet informative mix of education and inspiration. The opening credits alone set the tone for the series, with an ecstatic Hannah skating - and falling, and laughing - on a wintry natural rink.
The site is also a portal for everything from news stories about plastic-bag recycling to corporate watch-dogging to more in-depth reports on issues bit and small, such as global warming, animal sanctuaries, biodynamic farming and more. "My goal is to help guide people," Hannah says about the ways she organizes and prioritizes the information on the site. "I have sources I rely on and can get authentic answers. I like being able to help people make the better choices."
One of Hannah's major concerns is green-washing, increasingly popular co-opting of "green" labelling that doesn't always indicate a truly green choice or product. "Greening is often used in advertising to brand products, especially by large corporations," she explains. "GE, BP, Shell Oil - you sometimes see commercials with windmills, solar panels and farmers, but what are those companies really doing? There are no standards or restrictions on using the term 'green.' It's important to be really thorough and know exactly what you're buying."
This quest for knowledge has propelled Hannah to all sorts of places, from Rwanda to local farmers' markets and everywhere in between. For three weeks in June of last year, for example, she joined Joan Baez and Julia Butterfly Hill in chaining herself to a walnut tree on the South Central Farm in Los Angeles - the largest urban farm in the United States - to protest the farmers' eviction (she was arrested, along with the other two women and more than 40 farmers and their supporters). Of the occasion, she says, "The South Central Farm represented the perfect, simple solution to the crisis we're facing as a planet."
Of course, what also helped raise awareness was Hannah's own fame, though she is too modest to call it that. "I realized early on that the only purpose for..." she trails off, "the attention aspects of it...." Finally: "I could use it to communicate something positive," she concludes. In other words, her fame has helped her in her consciousness-raising when it comes to the environment.
And because of inexplicable, voyeuristic need to know about celebrities, Hannah's personal commitment to living lightly is a perfect example for those in search of a well-known model citizen. "I power my house with solar panels, my car runs on biodiesel, there's a great water system, everything is made from recycled materials. I use energy-saving appliances and light bulbs," she says. "And my house is small, it's only one room with an additional room outside. Smaller is better. People need to be encouraged to live more simply."
For Hannah, simple living also means kinder living, both to the world and to yourself. "It's a constant process of refinement," she says. "It's not necessary to be hard and fine-tuned. I'm always trying to improve, to get better."
And though Hannah's footprint is small and her awareness - and commitment - large, like all of us, the current environmental crisis can sometimes seem like too big a problem to solve - or even affect. "Oh yes," she says with a laugh, "I can feel overwhelmed. It's natural, everyone does. The challenge is to bring yourself back around, address the pressing issues and refocus your energies. The best thing you can do is look for answers." She pauses, searching for the right words, then concludes with conviction, "They're everywhere."
SENSE & SENSITIVITY
Daryl Hannah Walks Lightly and Talks Positively
by Julia Dault
When Darryl Hannah was a child she made two very important decisions. The first makes sense for a girl with big dreams; she wanted to be in the movies. The second is less likely for a young 'un; at age 11, she decided to become a vegetarian.
What evolved out of her childhood hopes and decisions has been success in every sense. Not only is Hannah in the movies but she has also built a film career that spans nearly 30 years and includes an astounding number of roles, including Pris in Ridley Scott's cult classic Blade Runner (1982), Madison in Ron Howard's Splash (1984), Annelle in Steel Magnolias (1989) and more recently, the unforgettable one-eyed assassin Elie Driver in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Volume 2 (2004). And her vegetarianism? Not once has she strayed from her promise to herself. And in fact, her determination and her love of nature set her on a course for lifelong environmental activism.
"I grew up on the 42nd floor of a building in downtown Chicago," she says, "and every summer, my dad used to send us to camp in the Rockies. There was no electricity, no running water - we pitched tents, cooked in the open. I found that the world made sense to me in nature."
The order she found out in the wild has since translated into education, mindfulness, drive and a belief in the importance of even the smallest gesture, all integral to Hannah's everyday life. "I like to focus on solutions," she says. "I like to inspire people to see the positives, the innovations, the people out there who are making a difference." Hannah's efforts haven't gone unrecognized. Since 2004, she has won a number of awards, including the first Influencer Award from the National Biodisel Board and the Ongoing Commitment Award from the Environmental Media Association.
So what, exactly does Daryl Hannah do? Well, the more appropriate question might be: what doesn't she do?
For starters, with the help of a loyal editor, she writers, directs and produces her own series of weekly video blogs called dhlovelife (www.dhlovelife.com), which has a devoted following. "We get letters from moms, grandmothers, scientists, all types of different people," she says. Teachers have asked for permission to use the episodes in their classrooms. The show's subjects are diverse, with a light yet informative mix of education and inspiration. The opening credits alone set the tone for the series, with an ecstatic Hannah skating - and falling, and laughing - on a wintry natural rink.
The site is also a portal for everything from news stories about plastic-bag recycling to corporate watch-dogging to more in-depth reports on issues bit and small, such as global warming, animal sanctuaries, biodynamic farming and more. "My goal is to help guide people," Hannah says about the ways she organizes and prioritizes the information on the site. "I have sources I rely on and can get authentic answers. I like being able to help people make the better choices."
One of Hannah's major concerns is green-washing, increasingly popular co-opting of "green" labelling that doesn't always indicate a truly green choice or product. "Greening is often used in advertising to brand products, especially by large corporations," she explains. "GE, BP, Shell Oil - you sometimes see commercials with windmills, solar panels and farmers, but what are those companies really doing? There are no standards or restrictions on using the term 'green.' It's important to be really thorough and know exactly what you're buying."
This quest for knowledge has propelled Hannah to all sorts of places, from Rwanda to local farmers' markets and everywhere in between. For three weeks in June of last year, for example, she joined Joan Baez and Julia Butterfly Hill in chaining herself to a walnut tree on the South Central Farm in Los Angeles - the largest urban farm in the United States - to protest the farmers' eviction (she was arrested, along with the other two women and more than 40 farmers and their supporters). Of the occasion, she says, "The South Central Farm represented the perfect, simple solution to the crisis we're facing as a planet."
Of course, what also helped raise awareness was Hannah's own fame, though she is too modest to call it that. "I realized early on that the only purpose for..." she trails off, "the attention aspects of it...." Finally: "I could use it to communicate something positive," she concludes. In other words, her fame has helped her in her consciousness-raising when it comes to the environment.
And because of inexplicable, voyeuristic need to know about celebrities, Hannah's personal commitment to living lightly is a perfect example for those in search of a well-known model citizen. "I power my house with solar panels, my car runs on biodiesel, there's a great water system, everything is made from recycled materials. I use energy-saving appliances and light bulbs," she says. "And my house is small, it's only one room with an additional room outside. Smaller is better. People need to be encouraged to live more simply."
For Hannah, simple living also means kinder living, both to the world and to yourself. "It's a constant process of refinement," she says. "It's not necessary to be hard and fine-tuned. I'm always trying to improve, to get better."
And though Hannah's footprint is small and her awareness - and commitment - large, like all of us, the current environmental crisis can sometimes seem like too big a problem to solve - or even affect. "Oh yes," she says with a laugh, "I can feel overwhelmed. It's natural, everyone does. The challenge is to bring yourself back around, address the pressing issues and refocus your energies. The best thing you can do is look for answers." She pauses, searching for the right words, then concludes with conviction, "They're everywhere."
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Green Investments in the Future
From the Spring & Summer 2007 issue of Green Living, pages 31-33, here is an article about three businessmen investing in a green future. What follows is an excerpt from page 33, on one of the three, Ray Civello.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
These successful, strong-minded individuals prove that green is the way to go
by Meredith Dault
Ray Civello
After establishing his first salon 23 years ago (there are now four Civello salons in the Greater Toronto area), Ray Civello found his business was taking a toll on his life. "I was completely overloaded with work, but I didn't have any balance," he says. It was an important wake-up call. Soon after that realization, he met Horst Rechelbacher, founder of the Aveda line of hair and beauty products, and in 1994, formed Collega Inc. and became Aveda's Canadian distributor.
Civello says Aveda's environmental position was in line with his own renewed values: Aveda has funded a number of green initiatives, including Alphabet Soup, a documentary by Canadian Ian Connacher about plastics found floating in the ocean, which is now used by Aveda to inspire better packaging initiatives. In fact, over the past four years, Aveda has increased its use of post-consumer recycled content in its shampoo bottles to 80 percent from 45 percent; some packaging is as high as 100 percent. Its products are made form plant-based, natural ingredients from sustainable resources and it's committed to fair-trade business practices.
Civello is currently working towards making his company's ecological footprint carbon neutral. From keeping the lights off during the hot summer months to banning paper cups, plastic and Styrofoam in the cafeteria, he says making a difference is about the "small steps" that can be implemented daily.
He recently founded another company, Melacor, to design, buy and retrofit commercial and residential buildings with sustainable and recycled components. The Aveda Institute Toronto was the first project, and is elegantly outfitted with bamboo floors and agriboard countertops (made from composite crop waste such as wheat, straw and sunflower husks). He plans to incorporate geothermal heating into his next project.
Collega and all the Aveda salons promote a green life, often fundraising for environmental organizations such as Environmental Defence and Evergreen. "If people think hairdressers can't change the way things are done, they're wrong," says Civello. "They can. Outside the stereotypes is where the magic lives."
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
These successful, strong-minded individuals prove that green is the way to go
by Meredith Dault
Ray Civello
After establishing his first salon 23 years ago (there are now four Civello salons in the Greater Toronto area), Ray Civello found his business was taking a toll on his life. "I was completely overloaded with work, but I didn't have any balance," he says. It was an important wake-up call. Soon after that realization, he met Horst Rechelbacher, founder of the Aveda line of hair and beauty products, and in 1994, formed Collega Inc. and became Aveda's Canadian distributor.
Civello says Aveda's environmental position was in line with his own renewed values: Aveda has funded a number of green initiatives, including Alphabet Soup, a documentary by Canadian Ian Connacher about plastics found floating in the ocean, which is now used by Aveda to inspire better packaging initiatives. In fact, over the past four years, Aveda has increased its use of post-consumer recycled content in its shampoo bottles to 80 percent from 45 percent; some packaging is as high as 100 percent. Its products are made form plant-based, natural ingredients from sustainable resources and it's committed to fair-trade business practices.
Civello is currently working towards making his company's ecological footprint carbon neutral. From keeping the lights off during the hot summer months to banning paper cups, plastic and Styrofoam in the cafeteria, he says making a difference is about the "small steps" that can be implemented daily.
He recently founded another company, Melacor, to design, buy and retrofit commercial and residential buildings with sustainable and recycled components. The Aveda Institute Toronto was the first project, and is elegantly outfitted with bamboo floors and agriboard countertops (made from composite crop waste such as wheat, straw and sunflower husks). He plans to incorporate geothermal heating into his next project.
Collega and all the Aveda salons promote a green life, often fundraising for environmental organizations such as Environmental Defence and Evergreen. "If people think hairdressers can't change the way things are done, they're wrong," says Civello. "They can. Outside the stereotypes is where the magic lives."
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
10 Ways to be Environmentally Responsible
These tips are from a brochure from Earth Day Canada for Earth Day 2007. If you have seen the summary of the UN Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change synthesis report, forming part of the Climate Change 2007 report, you know we all will need to act to slow global warming.
Take Action!
1. Reduce home energy use - and save money - in a few simple steps. Visit ecoactionteams.ca for more information.
2. Choose locally grown and organically produced food. Ask your school to incorporate a healthy salad bar as part of its lunch program - visit foodshare.net to find out how.
3. Donate your time and money to an environmental charity or initiate of your choice.
4. Choose public transit or the most fuel-efficient vehicle possible and commit to driving less - get healthy with active transportation such as walking or biking.
5. Plant native species of trees, shrubs and plants to reduce your lawn cover and enhance the carbon absorbing capacity of the Earth.
6. Consider the environment when making purchases. Many consumer products - including cars and appliances - have an Energuide rating to help in making this decision.
7. Try eating meat-free one day a week - the production and processing of grains requires far less water and land than that of livestock.
8. Consider the environment when making work-related decisions. You may be the catalyst in enhancing your company's enviromental commitment - while saving them money in the process.
9. Replace toxic chemical cleaners and pesticides with natural, non-toxic alternatives.
10. Subscribe to renewable energy utilities, which promote the use of wind, solar and small scale hydro-electricity generation.
Take Action!
1. Reduce home energy use - and save money - in a few simple steps. Visit ecoactionteams.ca for more information.
2. Choose locally grown and organically produced food. Ask your school to incorporate a healthy salad bar as part of its lunch program - visit foodshare.net to find out how.
3. Donate your time and money to an environmental charity or initiate of your choice.
4. Choose public transit or the most fuel-efficient vehicle possible and commit to driving less - get healthy with active transportation such as walking or biking.
5. Plant native species of trees, shrubs and plants to reduce your lawn cover and enhance the carbon absorbing capacity of the Earth.
6. Consider the environment when making purchases. Many consumer products - including cars and appliances - have an Energuide rating to help in making this decision.
7. Try eating meat-free one day a week - the production and processing of grains requires far less water and land than that of livestock.
8. Consider the environment when making work-related decisions. You may be the catalyst in enhancing your company's enviromental commitment - while saving them money in the process.
9. Replace toxic chemical cleaners and pesticides with natural, non-toxic alternatives.
10. Subscribe to renewable energy utilities, which promote the use of wind, solar and small scale hydro-electricity generation.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Greening Schools
If you've got kids in school, you have an ideal place to combat climate change and the harsh effects it has on the developing world.
According to Statistics Canada, nearly 5.3 million children spend a good chunk of each weekday in public schools across Canada. Imagine the positive environmental impact if students and staff decided to go as green as possible in their schools.
Climate change has a disastrous effect on poor families around the world. For example, children and their parents in Africa who can least afford to cope with natural disasters are facing increased flooding and droughts. And scientists predict that this will only worsen unless steps are taken to stop global warming.
Fortunately, many Canadian schools are embracing the challenge to go green, knowing that the future of children here and around the world depends on it. The British Columbia Ministry of Education, for example, now offers guidelines and resources to help schools become eco-friendly.
Here are some simple ways to go green at your school. (These suggestions can also be used in community centres, arenas or any public gathering place.)
According to Statistics Canada, nearly 5.3 million children spend a good chunk of each weekday in public schools across Canada. Imagine the positive environmental impact if students and staff decided to go as green as possible in their schools.
Climate change has a disastrous effect on poor families around the world. For example, children and their parents in Africa who can least afford to cope with natural disasters are facing increased flooding and droughts. And scientists predict that this will only worsen unless steps are taken to stop global warming.
Fortunately, many Canadian schools are embracing the challenge to go green, knowing that the future of children here and around the world depends on it. The British Columbia Ministry of Education, for example, now offers guidelines and resources to help schools become eco-friendly.
Here are some simple ways to go green at your school. (These suggestions can also be used in community centres, arenas or any public gathering place.)
- Start or join a committee comprised of students, parents and teachers. Begin by contacting your school board or checking its website for information. Think of ways you can motivate the entire student body to join in. Kids embrace causes-especially ones where they can see their immediate impact.
- Contact a community service club that has conservation as its goal. Ontario, for example, has the Ontario Environmental Network that lists 500 environmental organizations across the province. When starting a movement at your school, you can benefit a great deal from an established organization's know-how.
- Try to go “carbon neutral.” This simply involves estimating the green-house-gas emissions the school is responsible for (check out DavidSuzuki.org for online carbon calculators) and finding ways to compensate through projects like wind farms or reforestation projects. Organizing fundraisers will help you invest in these green projects.
- Ban idling. Walk through any school parking lot and you will likely find an idling vehicle. According to Friends of the Earth, Canadians idle away $1.3 million in greenhouse-gas-producing fuel each year. Create a policy that urges parents, school-bus drivers and anyone else who visits your school to turn their vehicles off while waiting.
- Do what you already know. Many steps that energy-efficient families use in their homes can translate into a school setting. Something as simple as switching off computer monitors when they are not in use can have a significant impact. The average desktop computer is estimated to consume 420 kilowatts of power each year. When you are talking about more than 1 million computers being used in Canadian schools, the energy savings add up.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Green Innovation by Cities: Examples for Other Levels of Government
Here is a an article by David Suzuki from the David Suzuki Foundation's , findingsolutions, Summer 2007, back page about how cities, by their innovation and creativity in dealing with global warming issues, are setting an example of the other levels of government. I couldn't agree with him more.
lastword Dr. David Suzuki
MUNICIPAL MAKEOVER
Climate change already threatens the infrastructure of Canada's cities and our health. But we can do something about it.
Cities are amazing things. Today, more than 80 per cent of Canadians live in them. And as much as three-quarters of Canada's carbon emissions are emitted within municipal boundaries. Our cities are our homes, but they are also huge consumers of energy. That's why the small changes we make in our cities have a tremendous effect on the rest of the country.
Climate change already threatens the infrastructure of Canada's cities and our health. But we can do something about it. Just as we renovate our homes and maintain them, we need to do the same with our cities if we're going to deal with global warming.
It's time for us to apply our ingenuity and creativity to enhancing our cities. I'm proud to report that we don't have to go far to see revolutionary ideas in action.
Toronto's Atmospheric Fund provides grants and loans to projects that combat global climate change and improve air quality. Calgary's public transit C-train is powered by wind energy. And in Vancouver, despite an increase of 50,000 new residents in the past decade, transit trips have increased by 50 per cent.
Small changes in our cities have big effects. Municipal bylaws are just one example. Bylaws and local regulations address garbage disposal, lighting, road systems, planning and transit availability. Action in these areas educates and informs communities, helops address environmental problems and helps build sustainable neighbourhoods.
Cities can also make a huge difference through smarter purchasing decisions. For example, replacing municipal light-duty cars and pickups with hybrid-electric vehicles saves taxpayers' money and reduces air pollution.
On a larger scale, we also need to rethink our approach to urban planning. Sprawl not only drains our precious free time and expands our waistlines, but requires the drivers spend more time in their cars. Many cities are establishing more bike lanes, which are safer than high-speed expressways. And improved transit options make it convenient for commuters to leave their cars a[t] home.
The ideas are all here. And so is the public will. We need to develop our own visions and actions, work with our residents, and cooperate with other levels of government to make our cities more livable and sustainable, and protect our communities and our health.
Our cities are hotbeds of creativity and innovation, of imagination and vision. Citizens, city councilors, architects and urban planners are all working to make their communities better places to live. And they are role models to the other levels of government.
lastword Dr. David Suzuki
MUNICIPAL MAKEOVER
Climate change already threatens the infrastructure of Canada's cities and our health. But we can do something about it.
Cities are amazing things. Today, more than 80 per cent of Canadians live in them. And as much as three-quarters of Canada's carbon emissions are emitted within municipal boundaries. Our cities are our homes, but they are also huge consumers of energy. That's why the small changes we make in our cities have a tremendous effect on the rest of the country.
Climate change already threatens the infrastructure of Canada's cities and our health. But we can do something about it. Just as we renovate our homes and maintain them, we need to do the same with our cities if we're going to deal with global warming.
It's time for us to apply our ingenuity and creativity to enhancing our cities. I'm proud to report that we don't have to go far to see revolutionary ideas in action.
Toronto's Atmospheric Fund provides grants and loans to projects that combat global climate change and improve air quality. Calgary's public transit C-train is powered by wind energy. And in Vancouver, despite an increase of 50,000 new residents in the past decade, transit trips have increased by 50 per cent.
Small changes in our cities have big effects. Municipal bylaws are just one example. Bylaws and local regulations address garbage disposal, lighting, road systems, planning and transit availability. Action in these areas educates and informs communities, helops address environmental problems and helps build sustainable neighbourhoods.
Cities can also make a huge difference through smarter purchasing decisions. For example, replacing municipal light-duty cars and pickups with hybrid-electric vehicles saves taxpayers' money and reduces air pollution.
On a larger scale, we also need to rethink our approach to urban planning. Sprawl not only drains our precious free time and expands our waistlines, but requires the drivers spend more time in their cars. Many cities are establishing more bike lanes, which are safer than high-speed expressways. And improved transit options make it convenient for commuters to leave their cars a[t] home.
The ideas are all here. And so is the public will. We need to develop our own visions and actions, work with our residents, and cooperate with other levels of government to make our cities more livable and sustainable, and protect our communities and our health.
Our cities are hotbeds of creativity and innovation, of imagination and vision. Citizens, city councilors, architects and urban planners are all working to make their communities better places to live. And they are role models to the other levels of government.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
What You Can Do: Tips To Improve Fuel Economy
From the Monday, August 13, 2007, Metro, page 14:
Tips to Improve Fuel Economy
Automotive manufacturers continue to make improvements to the internal combustion engine to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce both smog and greenhouse gas emissions.
Priority focus has also been placed on developing new, environmentally-friendly technologies including hybrids, biofuels, electric vehicles and fuel cells.
Here are some steps drivers can take to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles every day:
Tips to Improve Fuel Economy
Automotive manufacturers continue to make improvements to the internal combustion engine to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce both smog and greenhouse gas emissions.
Priority focus has also been placed on developing new, environmentally-friendly technologies including hybrids, biofuels, electric vehicles and fuel cells.
Here are some steps drivers can take to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles every day:
- Plan your trips and driving routes to avoid traffic congestion.
- Observe speed limits.
- Accelerate smoothly.
- Maintain steady speeds.
- Limit the use of accessories.
- Don't carry more than you need.
- Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained -- proper tire pressure, clean your air filter, etc.
News Canada
From the Summer 2007, Issue #7, of the bullfrog Buzz, the big voice on green power that's making a difference in the world we share information on a new sustainable clothing line by Cotton Ginny:
bullfrogpowered
Here are just a few of the many organizations that have made the switch to Bullfrog Power since our last newsletter. Bullfrog Power thanks all of its customers for their support.
Sustainable style
This spring, Cotton Ginny launched “OLOGY”, a new sustainable clothing line. The OLOGY collection is part of Cotton's Ginny's commitment to offering affordable eco-friendly fashions. Bamboo-ology, Soy-ology and Corn-ology, the first three collections in the OLOGY line, are made from 100 per cent sustainable fibers. By combining sustainable fibers such as bamboo, soy and corn with certified organic cotton, Cotton Ginny wants to expand the sustainable apparel landscape while continuing to offer comfortable, quality clothing. Five Cotton Ginny locations are now bullfrogpowered: Calgary (Westhills Town Centre) and Edmonton (West Edmonton Mall) in Alberta; and Collingwood, Guelph (Stone Road Mall) and North York (Yorkdale Plaza) in Ontario.
www.cottonginny.ca
www.cgology.ca
bullfrogpowered
Here are just a few of the many organizations that have made the switch to Bullfrog Power since our last newsletter. Bullfrog Power thanks all of its customers for their support.
Sustainable style
This spring, Cotton Ginny launched “OLOGY”, a new sustainable clothing line. The OLOGY collection is part of Cotton's Ginny's commitment to offering affordable eco-friendly fashions. Bamboo-ology, Soy-ology and Corn-ology, the first three collections in the OLOGY line, are made from 100 per cent sustainable fibers. By combining sustainable fibers such as bamboo, soy and corn with certified organic cotton, Cotton Ginny wants to expand the sustainable apparel landscape while continuing to offer comfortable, quality clothing. Five Cotton Ginny locations are now bullfrogpowered: Calgary (Westhills Town Centre) and Edmonton (West Edmonton Mall) in Alberta; and Collingwood, Guelph (Stone Road Mall) and North York (Yorkdale Plaza) in Ontario.
www.cottonginny.ca
www.cgology.ca
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Alberta Tar Sands & South Dakota Refineries
Since the tar sands are an ecological nightmare, there's nothing worse than seeing a joint Canada - U.S. project to pipe oil from the tar sands to a U.S. refinery, instead of money going into more renewable energy development. Here is a Tuesday, October 23, 2007, Toronto Star article from the Business section, page B6:
ALBERTA'S TAR SANDS TO SUPPLY SOUTH DAKOTA'S OIL PROJECTS
Pipeline, refinery would tap into Canadian crude
Dirk Lammers
Associate Press
Sioux Falls, S.D. -- As oil hovers around $90 (U.S.) a barrel, the race is on to tap more heavily into the world's second-largest oil reserve, and South Dakota -- a major ethanol producer that typically sits on the alternative side of the fuel industry -- is finding itself at the crossroads of two major oil projects.
One is a 590,000-barrel-a-day pipeline with plans to deliver Canadian crude to Patoka, Ill. and Cushing, Okla. The other is a proposed refinery that would be the first new U.S. refinery location in more than 25 years.
Supply for both projects would come from the oil sands of northern Alberta, home to some 175 billion barrels of crude, putting the region second only in terms of the world's oil reserves.
U.S. refiners are converting their plants to handle thicker Canadian crude, and pipeline specialists such as Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. are looking to connect supply with demand.
TransCanada plans to begin construction this spring on the Keystone pipeline, a 3,456-kilometre route passing through the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Robert Jones, a TransCanada vice-president and a director of the Keystone project, said transporting crude oil by rail or trucks is less environmentally friendly than moving it underground.
New pipelines are critical infrastructure if North America is to achieve greater energy independence, he said.
"The U.S. refiners have to do something to respond to increasing energy demands in the U.S." Jones said. "So their choices are, import more oil offshore from foreign sources, or look to Canada and have a reliable source of crude oil to supply the refineries."
Jones and TransCanada already have firm, long-term contracts for nearly 500,000 and 590,000 barrels that will be transported along the route each day.
That means passage along Keystone is nearly booked, and the line won't be able to supply South Dakota's other potential oil project -- the Hyperion Energy Center.
Privately held Hyperion Resources of Dallas wants to build a 400,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery in either Elk Point -- which sits less than 80 kilometres from the planned Keystone route -- or in another undisclosed Midwest site.
The refinery would be built to handle Canadian crude and the most obvious way to get it to a refinery is by pipeline, said J.L. (Corky) Frank, a Hyperion project executive.
ALBERTA'S TAR SANDS TO SUPPLY SOUTH DAKOTA'S OIL PROJECTS
Pipeline, refinery would tap into Canadian crude
Dirk Lammers
Associate Press
Sioux Falls, S.D. -- As oil hovers around $90 (U.S.) a barrel, the race is on to tap more heavily into the world's second-largest oil reserve, and South Dakota -- a major ethanol producer that typically sits on the alternative side of the fuel industry -- is finding itself at the crossroads of two major oil projects.
One is a 590,000-barrel-a-day pipeline with plans to deliver Canadian crude to Patoka, Ill. and Cushing, Okla. The other is a proposed refinery that would be the first new U.S. refinery location in more than 25 years.
Supply for both projects would come from the oil sands of northern Alberta, home to some 175 billion barrels of crude, putting the region second only in terms of the world's oil reserves.
U.S. refiners are converting their plants to handle thicker Canadian crude, and pipeline specialists such as Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. are looking to connect supply with demand.
TransCanada plans to begin construction this spring on the Keystone pipeline, a 3,456-kilometre route passing through the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Robert Jones, a TransCanada vice-president and a director of the Keystone project, said transporting crude oil by rail or trucks is less environmentally friendly than moving it underground.
New pipelines are critical infrastructure if North America is to achieve greater energy independence, he said.
"The U.S. refiners have to do something to respond to increasing energy demands in the U.S." Jones said. "So their choices are, import more oil offshore from foreign sources, or look to Canada and have a reliable source of crude oil to supply the refineries."
Jones and TransCanada already have firm, long-term contracts for nearly 500,000 and 590,000 barrels that will be transported along the route each day.
That means passage along Keystone is nearly booked, and the line won't be able to supply South Dakota's other potential oil project -- the Hyperion Energy Center.
Privately held Hyperion Resources of Dallas wants to build a 400,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery in either Elk Point -- which sits less than 80 kilometres from the planned Keystone route -- or in another undisclosed Midwest site.
The refinery would be built to handle Canadian crude and the most obvious way to get it to a refinery is by pipeline, said J.L. (Corky) Frank, a Hyperion project executive.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Excerpts from The Little Green Book by Ron Neilson
In his book, The Little Green Handbook, Ron Nielson lists “seven groups of critical global trends and events… that have four common features:
1. They are associated with a hastened deterioration of the environment, both physical and social.
2. They show that, for the first time in human history, we are approaching and crossing global limited: the ecological limits of our planet…. and the limits of human-induced damage to the planet.
3. They are happening in a relatively short time. They began about 200 years ago….
4. They docus on an even shorter time: the second or third quarter of the 21st century. They show that we are likely to experience dramatic changes, with the possibility of a global collapse of life-supporting systems."
So what are the seven groups of critical global trends and events listed in the book?
1. The population explosion
2. Diminishing land resources
3. Diminishing water resources
4. The destruction of the atmosphere
5. The approaching energy crisis
6. Social decline
7. Conflicts and increasing killer power
For those of you who like statistics and charts to back up a writer's points, this book is full of them. For those who aren't fond of charts, you will still get the bleak picture even without looking at statistical charts.
The book contains the following quotation from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower about the effects of war and the costs of war on society at large:
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hopsitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8000 people. This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatending war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”
1. They are associated with a hastened deterioration of the environment, both physical and social.
2. They show that, for the first time in human history, we are approaching and crossing global limited: the ecological limits of our planet…. and the limits of human-induced damage to the planet.
3. They are happening in a relatively short time. They began about 200 years ago….
4. They docus on an even shorter time: the second or third quarter of the 21st century. They show that we are likely to experience dramatic changes, with the possibility of a global collapse of life-supporting systems."
So what are the seven groups of critical global trends and events listed in the book?
1. The population explosion
2. Diminishing land resources
3. Diminishing water resources
4. The destruction of the atmosphere
5. The approaching energy crisis
6. Social decline
7. Conflicts and increasing killer power
For those of you who like statistics and charts to back up a writer's points, this book is full of them. For those who aren't fond of charts, you will still get the bleak picture even without looking at statistical charts.
The book contains the following quotation from U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower about the effects of war and the costs of war on society at large:
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hopsitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8000 people. This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatending war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Environmentally Friendly Dishwasher & Laundry Soaps
From the Gaia Community at Zaadz, here is an article on environmentally friendly dishwasher and laundry detergent:
Eco-Friendly Detergents
What You Need to Know
A Q&A with EarthTalk, republished with permission.
Q. What are the best kinds of dishwasher and laundry soaps to use, considering where all the wastewater goes? --Jessica Weichert, Waterford, CA
A. The average North American produces between 60 and 150 gallons of wastewater every day, much of it as a result of washing dishes and clothes. Municipal water treatment facilities do their best to filter out the synthetic chemicals common in most mainstream dishwasher and laundry soaps, but some of these pollutants inevitably get into rivers, lakes and coastal areas, where they can cause a wide range of problems.
Perhaps the most worrisome of these pollutants, phosphates, can cause large build-ups of algae and bacteria that rob water bodies of oxygen and thus choke out other life forms.
In response to just such a problem occuring in Lakes Ontario and Erie in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the U.S. and Canada signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. The agreement banned the use of phosphates in laundry detergents and dish soaps used in the region, and resulted in a significant decrease in algae blooms throughout the Great Lakes.
Despite the success of the agreement, phosphates and other synthetic chemicals continue to be widely used in laundry and dish soaps throughout the world. Aside from their effect on water bodies, these ingredients also trigger allergies, irritate the skin and eyes and carry other health risks.
Fortunately, consumers now have more environmentally friendly choices than ever. Companies such as Seventh Generation, Ecover, Bioshield and Naturally Yours make safer dishwasher and laundry soaps that do not contain phosphates or other harmful synethetic chemicals.
According to Seventh Generation's CEO Jeffrey Hollander, consumers interested in doing the right thing for the environment should look at ingredients, not slogans. "Just because a product says it is natural doesn't mean it is nontoxic," he says.
Environmentally friendly ingredients to look for include grain alcohol, coconut or other plant oils, rosemary and sage. Synthetic ingredients to avoid include butyl cellosave, petroleum, triclosan and phosphates.
It is best to avoid detergents that employ fragrances, as they can contain chemicals known as phthalates that have been linked to cancer.
Household-cleaning chores can often be accomplished with non-toxic, household alternatives -- such as water mixed with borax, lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar or washing soda.
Laundry and automative dishwashing soaps are not so easily replaced with home concoctions. But Emily Main, senior editor at "The Greener Guide," recommends adding one-quarter cup of baking soda or white vinegar to clothes washes to act as a fabric softener. For stain removal she suggests soaking fabrics in water mixed with either borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar.
As to home remedies for dishwashing, some hardcore homesteaders recommend trying an equal mix of borax and baking soda, but this is probably best used only in a pinch as the abrasiveness of such a mixture can scratch glassware over time.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION?
Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it online, or send an e-mail. To read past columns, visit the EarthTalk archives.
Article Sourced from http://community.gaiam.com
Eco-Friendly Detergents
What You Need to Know
A Q&A with EarthTalk, republished with permission.
Q. What are the best kinds of dishwasher and laundry soaps to use, considering where all the wastewater goes? --Jessica Weichert, Waterford, CA
A. The average North American produces between 60 and 150 gallons of wastewater every day, much of it as a result of washing dishes and clothes. Municipal water treatment facilities do their best to filter out the synthetic chemicals common in most mainstream dishwasher and laundry soaps, but some of these pollutants inevitably get into rivers, lakes and coastal areas, where they can cause a wide range of problems.
Perhaps the most worrisome of these pollutants, phosphates, can cause large build-ups of algae and bacteria that rob water bodies of oxygen and thus choke out other life forms.
In response to just such a problem occuring in Lakes Ontario and Erie in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the U.S. and Canada signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. The agreement banned the use of phosphates in laundry detergents and dish soaps used in the region, and resulted in a significant decrease in algae blooms throughout the Great Lakes.
Despite the success of the agreement, phosphates and other synthetic chemicals continue to be widely used in laundry and dish soaps throughout the world. Aside from their effect on water bodies, these ingredients also trigger allergies, irritate the skin and eyes and carry other health risks.
Fortunately, consumers now have more environmentally friendly choices than ever. Companies such as Seventh Generation, Ecover, Bioshield and Naturally Yours make safer dishwasher and laundry soaps that do not contain phosphates or other harmful synethetic chemicals.
According to Seventh Generation's CEO Jeffrey Hollander, consumers interested in doing the right thing for the environment should look at ingredients, not slogans. "Just because a product says it is natural doesn't mean it is nontoxic," he says.
Environmentally friendly ingredients to look for include grain alcohol, coconut or other plant oils, rosemary and sage. Synthetic ingredients to avoid include butyl cellosave, petroleum, triclosan and phosphates.
It is best to avoid detergents that employ fragrances, as they can contain chemicals known as phthalates that have been linked to cancer.
Household-cleaning chores can often be accomplished with non-toxic, household alternatives -- such as water mixed with borax, lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar or washing soda.
Laundry and automative dishwashing soaps are not so easily replaced with home concoctions. But Emily Main, senior editor at "The Greener Guide," recommends adding one-quarter cup of baking soda or white vinegar to clothes washes to act as a fabric softener. For stain removal she suggests soaking fabrics in water mixed with either borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar.
As to home remedies for dishwashing, some hardcore homesteaders recommend trying an equal mix of borax and baking soda, but this is probably best used only in a pinch as the abrasiveness of such a mixture can scratch glassware over time.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION?
Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it online, or send an e-mail. To read past columns, visit the EarthTalk archives.
Article Sourced from http://community.gaiam.com
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