Archive for September, 2009
Obama Makes An Eco-friendly Faux Pas
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Wouldn’t you think that President Obama would have enough on his plate, with the precarious state of the economy, the battle over healthcare reform, teabaggers protesting against him in streets and the general malaise of the country? But no, guess again. This fearless leader has decided to go to Denmark on behalf of Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid.
Now, lets back up to a week ago. This same president addressed the G20 summit in Pittsburg, where he along with other world leaders, decided to make a real commitment to climate change, as it supposedly will be the death of all of us. The United States even made an eco-friendly commitment to be the leader in reducing their carbon footprint. This was all great, and it sounded really, really promising, as the most powerful country was leading by example. Well, what a difference a week makes.
This week an eco-friendly agenda seems to be the last thing on President Obama’s mind. Why? Well, he flew to Denmark for 24 hours. Yes I said 24 hours. He flew to Denmark for 24 hours, with two, count them two, 747 planes (one is Air Force One and the other a look-a-like) and a military cargo plane that would haul his bulletproof limo, of course. And who joined him on this 24-hour excursion to Denmark, why it was none other than Oprah and her inner circle. This was not always scheduled this way. Originally the First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah were to go and represent Chicago’s bid, but the president with all he has on his plate decided he needed to go to Denmark for 24 hours. This is supposed to be a president for a new technological age, a regular guy who cannot live without his BlackBerry and yet he could not find an eco-friendly solution to going on this trip? Would he not be able to get someone on his staff to set up an eco-friendly skype, ichat or other videoconference?
The Green MacGyver Eco-friendly crafts – DIY Swiffer Pads
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Normally our Green MacGyver series focuses on crafts for kids. We figured with school starting and kids being back at school. We’d introduce some crafts for adults as well.
Here is DIY eco friendly craft project that will work just as well as one of those handy Swiffer pads that get rid of dust and dirt on your floor. Even though the Swiffer may seem more green than hauling out your energy-sucking vacuum every time, when you consider the disposable nature of the pads, they lose a little of their friendliness to our fair planet. Why should we contribute to more waste heading to landfills when you can easily DIY your own homemade and reusable pads? Although there are suggestions that encourage using paper towels because they’re less expensive, that doesn’t exactly change the problem of tossing something disposable in the trash numerous times – our goal is to divert waste not change it.
Here are some of these DIY and reusable pad suggestions below. If you spray them with the MIY Green Home All-Purpose Cleaning Solutions the dust and lint will stick to the pad better. Then all you have to do it toss it in the laundry to get it ready for its next use. Even though some of these suggestions may seen a little out there they do reuse what otherwise would be tossed in the trash so proceed with an open-mind….the planet will be better for it.
Old socks – We all have random socks collecting in various drawers in our home that are either past their prime or have lost their mate. Here is how you can restore their purpose and put them to good use by placing them over your Swiffer for a fast, easily washable pad. Cotton socks work best!
Old washcloths - The wash cloths in your linen closet that have seen better days are a great option for sweeping the floor for dust and lint. Simply put on your Swiffer and spray with MIY Green Home All-Purpose Cleaner and they’ll be back in regular use rotation.
No Eco-friendly Living With Jon And Kate Plus Wasted Plates
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You probably know them. It’s been hard to ignore them (however hard you may try). They seem to be everywhere and have infiltrated pop culture at an alarming rate: they are Jon and Kate Plus 8. This is not a salacious story about the state of their divorce or about them as people. This is rather innocent by comparison but needs to be addressed nonetheless.
Kate was one of those self-proclaimed green gurus who espoused the merits of eco-friendly living at every turn. In the past Kate organized a family outing to an organic farm to buy an entire side of beef for her family so they didn’t consume any hormones. Kate and soon-to-be-ex-husband Jon brought in experts to teach them the art of eco-friendly living, which included how to cook organic and reduce their ecological footprint. They even had a special called “Jon and Kate Go Green”, where they took eco-friendly living to a new level by having solar panels installed on their home, and other energy saving measures. Now, these are all things that I applauded them for as they had an influence on many people; but now it would seem that they are not as green as they pretend to be.
My gripe comes from something I have observed, while taking part in this very public guilty pleasure - they use a lot of paper plates. They do not just use paper plates; they seem to use the cheapest thinnest paper plates possible. How do I know this? Well, anytime Kate makes an organic meal or they miss organic food while on one of their many vacations she comments on it. The plates have never been referred to as anything but paper plates and you can plainly see that they are very flimsy.
Lexicon of Ecofriendly Words Volume V - Renewable Energy Sources
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Keeping track of all the new ecofriendly words being thrown around nowadays can be a daunting task that can easily make you feel left out of the loop. Our Lexicon will attempt to make you hip to the new “green” word on the street. This volume deals with renewable energy and defines the top sources available for use.
Wind Energy
Wind is the movement of air that occurs when warm air rises and cooler air rushes in to replace it. Wind energy has been used for centuries to sail ships and drive windmills for a variety of reason. Today, wind energy is captured by wind turbines and used to generate electricity.
Solar Energy
The sun is the most powerful source of renewable energy. It is good for heating, lighting, cooling homes and other buildings, generating electricity, water heating, and other industrial processes. The sun fuels most forms of renewable energy: heat from the sun causes the wind to blow which contributes to the growth of trees and other plants that are used for biomass energy, and plays an essential role in the cycle of evaporation and precipitation that makes hydropower possible.
Hydropower
Water flowing is a strong force and is a renewable resource that is constantly recharged by the global cycle of evaporation and precipitation. The heat of the sun causes water in lakes and oceans to evaporate and form clouds. The water then falls back to Earth as rain or snow, and drains into rivers and streams that flow back to the ocean. Flowing water can be used to power water any number of industrial/mechanical processes. When captured by turbines and generators the energy from flowing water can be used to generate electricity.