Monday, June 30th, 2008
Pentagon Fights EPA On Pollution Cleanup
The Defense Department, the nation’s biggest polluter, is resisting orders from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up Fort Meade and two other military bases where the EPA says dumped chemicals pose ‘imminent and substantial’ dangers to public health and the environment.
8 Ways to Green Your Garden
Summer is a great opportunity to spend time in the garden. Sunny days provide nice weather and extra daylight. School is out so you’ve got extra potential workers. The ground is fertile from springtime rain.
Biodiesel’s New Approval Rating Could Ease Warranty Concerns
Lack of warranty support for biodiesel has been a major stumbling block for new diesel owners who want to start using the fuel. But three long-awaited ASTM specifications could help change that.
Unprecedented bill could spark renewables in US
A new feed-in tarriff bill, mimicing many laws already in place in Europe, could pave the road for a renewable energy revolution in the United States.
Cost Benefits Could Bring Natural Gas Vehicles To Forefront
There is nothing really new about using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a vehicle. The new thing, the reason that talk about CNG is growing, is that natural gas now costs about half as much per unit energy as gasoline and has an even greater cost advantage over diesel fuel.
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Monday, June 23rd, 2008
Top Scientist: Put Oil Firm Chiefs on Trial for High Crimes
James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer.
Are Artificial Reefs Good for the Environment?
It sounds like a great idea. Sink an old fleet of subway cars in the ocean. Plants & invertebrates will colonize the hulking structure. Fish will migrate there & reproduce. And before long, the replenished ecosystem thats great for recreational fishing & diving. But some scientists aren’t so sure they replenish the ecosystem.
NASA Climatologist: “Almost Too Late to Stop Global Warming”
On Monday, NASA climatologist Dr.James Hansen will testify at a House committee hearing that it is almost, but not quite, too late to start defusing what he calls the “global warming time bomb.” He will offer a plan for cuts in emissions and also a warning about the risks of further inaction.
Is the ‘Oil Drilling Debate’ Masking the Real Issue?
Should we be focusing on making oil cheap or should we focus on making it obsolete? Of course in an ideal world, gas would be cheap and increasingly obsolete. We don’t live in an ideal world. By focusing on unrealistic “quick fix” solutions, are we just scraping ourselves up a little more time to keep avoiding the real issue?
Germany ‘is world’s greenest country’
Germany has been labelled the world’s greenest country after it cut its energy use by more than any other state in 2007.
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Monday, June 2nd, 2008
Secrets of Stonehenge unearthed
Now that’s a pretty impressive tombstone. New research suggests that Stonehenge was used as a cemetery for more than 500 years, much longer than previously thought. The new findings also show that people used the area as a burial site long before placement of its trademark stones (or sarsen stones) was complete.
How to harvest solar power? Beam it down from space!
The satellites would electromagnetically beam gigawatts of solar energy back to ground-based receivers, where it would then be converted to electricity and transferred to power grids. The floating power plants could provide round-the-clock clean, renewable electricity.
Scientists Invent Machine to Suck CO2 & Fight Global Warming
Scientists say they have invented a machine that can suck carbon dioxide out of the air – potentially creating a vital weapon in the war against global warming. The blueprint for the CO2 ’scrubber’ raises the prospect of a generation of machines which would help reduce the billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere.
The Coming Energy Wars - A Bargain at $200
Oil prices could hit $200 a barrel in the next few months. How the spike changes everything. This spring, America hit a historic point. With average gas prices per gallon edging toward $4, America’s notoriously profligate ways started to change fast. Americans are driving less, using mass transit more, buying fewer gas guzzlers.
How Man-Made Noise May Be Altering Earth’s Ecology
The contamination of biophony may soon become a serious environmental issue — Scientist Bernie Krause says that man-made sounds are already wreaking havoc with animal communication. We worry about the carbon emissions from SUVs and airplanes; maybe we should be equally concerned about the racket they cause.
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
Service allows you to offset environmental impact of books
If you collect books, you’ve probably noticed that they’re made of paper, and that paper comes from trees. Raz Godelnik noticed — he thinks green (not Irish, eco-ish) — and he wanted to balance his books with new trees. So he started the website Eco-Libris; there, anyone can donate money to plant trees to offset book purchases.
Yahoo sees rosy outlook for 2009, 2010
Yahoo Inc. has released a rosy outlook for the next two years, hoping to give investors a better understanding why the slumping Internet pioneer isn’t willing to sell to Microsoft Corp. for less than $45 billion.
Solar trumps shade in California prosecution of tree owners
The Santa Clara County district attorney pressed criminal charges against Richard Treanor for the shade his redwoods cast on the solar panels that Mark Vargas uses for 100 percent of his home’s power.
24 Great Niche Web Design Galleries
CSS galleries can be a great source of inspiration, but if you’re looking for something in particular they can be a bit of a nightmare. Since niche galleries have a tighter focus it allows them to be more detailed. Below you’ll find a list of niche galleries, that focus on things from color schemes, to layout, and specific content types.
Bellavista Rainforest Treehouse Community Is Endor on Earth
Finca Bellavista is an Endor-like treehouse village in the making, with paths and platforms perched on 150-foot trees. Located six miles from Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, this sustainable rainforest community doesn’t have stupid Ewoks or shield generators, but cute monkeys, site-wide Wi-Fi with internet sat link and biodigestors running on solar power.
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Monday, February 4th, 2008
I was in Home Depot over the weekend getting some stuff. I was in the molding aisle when I overheard some dude talking to a nice couple. We were all in the same boat…looking for molding. The dude and the couple were talking about recycled materials used in the molding…I think. Then, somehow they got onto the shopping bag issue. You know, the bags at grocery stores and Wal-Mart stores.
The lady mentioned something about how you can recycle your used bags at the grocery stores. This is something I learned only a few weeks ago. She also mentioned that the store will actually give you a credit if you bring your own bag(s). I thought that was pretty cool, but have never experienced it myself.
Then, the dude starts talking about how so many recycled products are more expensive than their non-recycled counterparts. He said that it boggled his mind why that is. He continued to ask why in the world he would pay more for a recycled product when he could get the non-recycled product for less. He again said that his mind was boggled. It was even confused. I, being the guy who just spent almost double the regular cost for paper towels and toilet paper (100% recycled), was eager to jump in. I wanted to tell the man that by purchasing the recycled products, he was doing something good for the bigger picture. But I didn’t. My urge faded away when I realized my words would be lost on him. He kind of stuck me as the type of guy who was set in his ways. Being the “tough talker” he was, I most likely would’ve come off as some liberal San Fransiscan. From my experience, many of these Home Depot shoppers I come across, don’t seem to have rational views on societal issues. I walked away thinking of how stupid he was.
By the time I got to the end of the aisle, I realize that he did have a point. Most people are heavily influenced by what’s in their wallets. If this recycled product thing is ever going to take off, the producers of these products have to stop punishing people for buying them. Isn’t it weird that so much stuff out there that is good for you and good for the planet costs twice as much as all the junk that isn’t? Things are a little backwards, in my opinion.
Anyway, Laura and I went shopping at the local expensive Hannaford that night. We brought two of our reusable tote bags with us. When I arrived at the checkout area and the nice lady noticed we had two of our own bags, she credited us five cents each. I know that isn’t much, but I thought it was pretty cool. The whole way home I kept on talking about how I was going to write about it.
When we arrived back at the house, I was still thinking. I mentioned how neat it was for stores to reward people for using their own shopping bags. Then, as I was entering the house, I remembered an article that I read the day before. It was about how, in Dublin, after a tax was introduced on plastic bags, their use dropped 94%. I began to think about the fact that I never once saw anyone else in Hannaford with their own reusable shopping bags. I am sure people use them, but I have never seen them. Strange. Perhaps rewarding people for using their own bags is good, but punishing them for not is better. After all, a 94% reduction is plastic bag use is something to write home about.
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Friday, January 4th, 2008
I have been running into this quite a bit lately. I linked to the first story I saw about it in Digg. I guess a lot of other people are kind of disturbed about the whole thing too. In my 34 years on this planet, I have learned that there are a bunch of people out there who do a very good job of hiding things from the average Joe. The problem with this is that poor old average Joe has no idea he is doing anything wrong. What Joe needs to learn is that every single time he goes to the store, whatever he buys ends up in the dirt or in the ocean…and that’s that. We are all quite guilty.
I did a Google search for Floating Garbage and this is what I found. It is simply disgusting. Going through life, I hear about all the terrible things we are doing to this planet, but this just tops the cake. I can’t believe that all the other animals that we live with have to put up with this. Take a look:
- Trashed - Across the Pacific Ocean, Plastics, Plastics, Everywhere
- Oceans of Garbage
- Are There Really ‘Continents’ of Floating Garbage?
- The plastic killing fields
- Floating toxic plastic garbage island twice the size of Texas
Wow. I am not sure that anyone can even point fingers here. It’s the cover-up that gets to me. I think I have enough faith in humanity to assume that if the majority of us knew about this, we would’ve done something about it by now.
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Monday, December 31st, 2007
Huge Asteroid Headed for Earth–Too Close for Comfort
It is headed our way, and it’s a big one, but the chances of hitting Earth are 1-in-3030, and it won’t be in the neighborhood until 2048. Naturally, a rock of that size would do significant damage to the planet. The asteroid is 130 meters across–that’s about 142 yards or 1-1/2 football fields, if you’re American.
Continent-sized floating garbage patch threatens food chain
In one of the few places on Earth where people can rarely be found, the human race has well and truly made its mark. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lies a floating garbage patch twice the size of Britain. A place where the water is filled with six times as much plastic as plankton, a plastic-plankton soup that is entering the food chain.
Planet Earth 2007: Top 10 Science Revelations
From the damning climate report by the IPCC to projections of an impending peak in global oil production, 2007 was full of startling findings and prognostications about the blue marble we call home.
Blue is the new green
Advertising firm JWT predicts that one of the top trends of 2008 will see blue replacing green as the color of environmentalism, social conscience, and all-round niceness.
How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree
If you had a real Christmas tree this year how are you planning to get rid of it? Here is a short guide on how to properly dispose of your Christmas tree.
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Thursday, November 29th, 2007
So I watched the Republican debate last night, live on CNN.com. I am not sure why I watched it…I guess I was interested in what they had to offer.
I have to say, some of it was interesting. They touched on some good issues, such as the war and fiscal policy. I was slightly pleased at that. They also touched on some really annoying things. The problem was that the candidates seemed to be trying to “out conservative” each other.
In the beginning, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney got in a little (way overblown) tussle about illegal immigration. While the topic is legitimate, I am not sure how having a few unknown illegals doing some landscaping for you affects your judgement as president. Well, I suppose it all matters in Republican debates. There were a few ridiculously idiotic questions, such as, “Do you believe in every single word of the Bible?” and “What does the Confederate Flag mean to you?” I have to admit that I am disappointed that I will never get those few minutes of my life back. I guess I have to blame CNN for letting those questions through.
So people, there you have it. While the earth’s temperature steadily climbs, glaciers melt and wars rage, American television is asking potential presidential candidates whether or not they believe in every word of the Bible, verbatim.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot a really good one…”How many guns do you own and what kind are they?” Now that one was fabulous, just fabulous. What intellectual and stimulating conversation. I think even the candidates were rolling their eyes at that one.
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Saturday, November 17th, 2007
I have had this post on my “todo” list for some time. I am not really sure how to write it without people getting mad at me. It seems like every time I write about something that threatens people’s ways of life, I hear about it. I can understand that, because I wouldn’t want someone telling me what to do, but perhaps a suggestion…I would listen to.
I guess we are all beginning to realize there is a problem out there. I just read an article on Yahoo!, titled, “UN panel: Climate change accelerating.” That’s not good. I mean, the article was well written, but what it was about isn’t good.
I think I have become an ever increasingly bitter person. It probably has something to do with me thinking an awful lot about stuff. I spend time thinking about consumption, power, working, relationships and life in general. It kills me to go out there in the world and see people who don’t seem to be doing much thinking at all.
One of the things that really gets to me is people buying too much stuff. I write a lot about things I have purchased and it may seem like I purchase a lot. Maybe I do. Let’s just say that half the stuff I write about, I never get. I usually spend a few months tossing it around in my head. I always think and think and think and that’s one annoying thing about me. Also, I usually buy stuff that has a purpose. I buy things I need for either survival or for business. I never buy things because they are on sale. The good thing is that Laura and I recycle more than we through away. There is rarely a full garbage can out at the end of the driveway on pickup day.
I saw this lady on Oprah the other day who had “hoarding disease.” The show was helping her overcome her problem and they were going through all the junk she had in her house. They would ask how she got some of the items and one time, she responded something like, “Oh, well that was on sale. They were almost asking me to buy it.” To me, that’s just crazy. Who buys something they don’t need because it’s on sale? Who does that?
I suffer from thinking about chains of events. Every purchase has polluted in its own way. Every little trinket has either cut down a tree, burned oil for shipping, used too much packaging, created sub-par working conditions…you get the idea. So how does one live a life being angry about their own purchases and even angrier about other people’s purchases? I don’t know. All I know is that every time I mention it, people get mad at me.
I like charities as much as the next guy, but I have begun thinking about them too. I am starting to think that I have some sort of problem. Now, people can’t just ask me to contribute without me thinking about whether the charity abused animals for research, caused the purchase of way too many toys or cut down a rain forest. The only thing I can think of to donate to is PETA because they don’t seem to be filling the world up with junk or polluting.
As you may know, I have been doing some research on the next car I am going to buy. This is especially important because cars create lots of pollution. There is a debate in my head whether to get one with not so good gas mileage or one with really good gas mileage. I know I am not going to drive nearly as much as I used to, so this issue is smaller than it should be. I think about it though and I guess that’s good.
We have been hearing about over-consumption for a long time now. Why is it that people still are shocked to hear someone talk about it? Can I say that I am not for buying kids so many toys without being branded as being against kids? Can I say that I think people should think more about efficiency when donating new houses to the less fortunate without being branded as being against the poor? Can I say that researchers should consider the rights of animals when doing medical research without being branded as being against the ill?
As you can see, there is a fine line to walk when talking about these issues. Unfortunately, if no one talks about them, we are going to be living on a very hot planet, among many many stinky landfills with no more animals. That is not good.
The good thing is that there are a few people out there who think along the same lines as I do. TreeHugger has a good article called, “Birthdays Without Pressure” which links to a related website that deals with the problems with birthday parties.
Read a little of the information on the websites I just linked to and please leave me a comment.
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Wednesday, November 14th, 2007
To save gas.
Well, it’s good for you too, for a little while. We all need to get out of the house, but I am sure that killing that two hour commute each day would leave a little hair on your head.
So much happens during that commute. I don’t think I need to explain what here, but I will say this…for the past few weeks, I have been taking Thursdays and Fridays off. I have had nice, four day weekends. I don’t think about working at my full time job at all. This past Monday, while I was driving into work, I began getting in a bad mood. I was almost to the job, so maybe that had something to do with it. Also, when I got to work, my left eye started twitching. I have had the twitch the week before, but it went away over the weekend. Hmmm….
I would say the main reason to work at home (if you can), besides saving your sanity, is to save gas. Check out this website for more information on that.
This morning, I passed by the gas station down the road from me. The cheapest gas was priced at $3.11. I fear that it will go up more. I like staying home and not paying for it. Also, when I don’t drive to work, I don’t smell the truck fumes that I have in the past.
Sometimes I wonder what happened to the old days, when people actually used to work in the towns they lived in. They had ten minute commutes. I like the idea of that. This whole commuting for half the day thing is the pits.
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