*The following is a guest post . It does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Greenmi staff. If you would like to have a post published on Greenmi, please refer to our submit an article page.  Message BN7EPUUNYAXP*

The power the sun provides is clean, free, will never run low and can improve your home’s performance.
As energy prices continue to rise, solar energy is becoming increasingly attractive to homeowners, who
can expect to start seeing returns on a home solar energy system in as little as four years. Solar energy is
also desirable because:

It helps save the environment. Many homeowners in the U.S. depend on inefficient, non-renewable,
toxic forms of energy – oil, gas and coal – to power their homes. The use of these limited natural
resources releases pollutants such as heavy metals, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, which cause smog
and acid rain, as well as contribute to global warming. When you install a home solar energy system, you
reduce your dependence on these non-renewable resources.

It saves you money. Energy prices can be volatile due to energy markets; foreign instability; natural or
man-made disasters; or limited supply. Historically, rates go up at a rate of about six percent per year.
When you install a solar system, the sun helps you create your own source of electricity, thus reducing
your dependence on the power company and providing more stable energy prices.

You help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy sources. The U.S. provides about 40 percent of its
oil needs from North America and the rest from the Middle East, South America and Russia. If there’s
turmoil in a partnering country (or an oil spill) the can impact make a dent in your wallet. By creating
your own power, you help the U.S. achieve energy independence, reduce your reliance on local power
grids and will possibly have a way to power your home if there’s a natural disaster.

It increases the value of your home. A home solar energy system pays off in multiple ways. In addition
to reducing your power bills, a solar system can increase the value of your home by up to $5.50 per
watt. With a 3.1-kilowatt solar system, your home’s value has the potential to increase $17,000.

Getting Started

When considering ways to go green and save on your power bill, it’s wise to have a certified energy
auditor conduct a home performance test or home energy audit. This test will reveal inefficiencies
throughout your home and show where energy is leaking out. You may find that you can save money
with simple fixes such as sealing cracks or replacing the weather stripping on your windows. The auditor
conducting the home performance assessment can also answer your questions about alternative
sustainable energy sources available and which options would work well for your home.

Types of Home Solar Energy Systems

Solar panels: Solar electric panels (photovoltaics or PV) are glass and metal panels made of assembled
photovoltaic cells that collect the sun’s photons (light energy). Photons energize the electrons in the

semiconductors and create DC electricity. The array of panels, attached to your roof, is connected to an
inverter that converts the direct current (DC) that the photovoltaic cells create to the alternating current
(AC) that your home uses.

Solar hot water panels are also made of glass and aluminum but have a core of copper tubing (with fluid
inside) to collect heat.

Solar electric systems: When you have this type of system, your home gets its power from both solar
energy and your utility company. If your home uses up all the solar energy it produces during the month,
it will tap into your local power grid for energy. On the other hand, if you produce more energy than you
need, the power company will purchase the extra electricity from you, usually at a 1-for-1 rate.

Solar hot water systems: Also called a solar thermal system, a solar hot water system uses the sun’s
energy instead of gas to produce hot water. This type of hot water system uses solar panels and a
plumbing collector that circulates glycol in a closed-loop system. As the panels absorb the sun’s rays, the
glycol converts, preserves and circulates the heat. This system saves by pre-heating water for your water
heater, so it uses energy less often. Usually 60-70 percent of annual hot water energy can be conserved
with solar.

A home solar energy system is a smart and logical investment in your home. Talk to a local solar system
provider to learn about the tax incentives you may receive and to find out whether your home is a good
candidate for this type of renewable energy.

Author Bio: Jonathan Cohen, the Founder and Principal at Imagine Energy
(http://www.imagineenergy.net/), and energy consulting and contracting
firm based in Portland, Oregon, contributed this post. Imagine Energy
provides complete energy solutions with in-house HVAC, Solar, Insulation,
Plumbing, and Electrical services.

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This is a fantastic gluten free, vegan recipe for a creamy spinach artichoke dip that will blow your socks off…

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup cooked cremini mushrooms (canned are fine)
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cups vegan shredded cheese (mozzarella or Monterrey Jack)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 small onion minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Drain the artichoke hearts and coarsely chop in a food processor.

(recipe shared via pinterest)

Honestly, this is a simple, DIY recipe that is gluten free, vegan, and delicious.  Make your own spinach dip the easy way and even add some artichoke to add some complexity…

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With the increasing cost of electricity and having a house, many people are looking for ways to save. One way to certainly save over the long term is to install solar panels on your home. However, for many people, the idea of having solar panels on their roofs still seems like science fiction. To help clear up some of the mystery, below are five useful facts about why installing solar panels on your house may be a great idea.

1. Solar Panels Do Not Have Moving Parts

One thing many people may find surprising is that solar panels do not have moving parts. For this reason, once the panels are installed, maintenance isn’t that complicated unlike other systems you may find throughout your house.

2. Maintaining Solar Panels Is Simple

Due to the fact that solar panels do not have any moving pieces, routine maintenance of a solar power system for a home is quite simple. The panels themselves only need to be cleaned to remove dust and other build-up such as bird droppings. This can simply be done with a hose four times a year.

3. Shade Should Be a Primary Concern

However, there are still things you should consider before installing any solar panels. The amount of shade your home receives is one very important factor. Depending on the type of panel, if there are shadows over it, the panel may reduce its electricity output or cease functioning all together. This is why making sure your home is clear of shade during the sunniest parts of the day is important.

4. The Size of Your System Depends on Your Location

It’s quite simple. Certain areas receive a lot more sunlight than others. Due to this reason, homes that receive more sunlight on average will need fewer panels to produce enough energy to power those homes. Homes that receive less will need more. Simple!

5. Your System Can Be Subsidized by Tax Credits

One thing many governments have been trying to do is influence citizens to use less energy and adopt “green” technologies. Due to this, many governments, including give taxpayers tax credits for installing solar panels on their homes. While it won’t likely pay for the entire system, depending on your location, your tax savings could be substantial.

If you are looking for more information about solar panels before you make your decision, speak to the experts. In the UK, Brill Energy are here to help. Visit: www.brillenergy.com

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Waste King Ltd. is setting a new precedent for serving the community while still keeping Britain clean with residential and commercial recycling, disposal, and clearance services.  The services they offer are both cost effective and eco-friendly; now you can add humanitarian to the list.  Their efforts to raise money and donate books, cd’s and DVD’s to charities all over the UK are setting a standard for other waste management companies to follow.

Hopefully the efforts of Waste King LTD will inspire other waste removal businesses to get more involved with local charities; or any charities at all…

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*The following is a guest post . It does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Greenmi staff. If you would like to have a post published on Greenmi, please refer to our submit an article page.*

It’s well-known that where greed begins, ethics and moral values end.

The gold mining industryis no stranger to this concept. In their blind pursuit of gold, moguls will do anything it takes to stay at the top of the food chain…even if it means harming, or even killing those at the bottom.

Welcome to the dangerous world of gold mining.

When envisioning the hunt for gold, people naively picture men during the California Gold Rush panning for gold or working with pickaxes to free chunks of gold from caves. This is a pipe dream and far from today’s harsh reality. The truth is that, after thousands of years of humans relentlessly pursuing gold, major gold resources have been depleted.

Gold that is mined today is minute in proportion to the ore surrounding it. The average proportion of gold to surrounding ore is 10 grams of gold per one ton of ore surrounding it! That is literally like looking for a needle in a haystack. So, how do miners extract the microscopic amounts of gold from the ore surrounding it?

Enter the science of explosives and chemical solvents. Large open-pit mines are created through blasting and excavating large amounts of ore. The ore is then pulverized and mixed with water to create a muddy mixture called slurry. The slurry is then treated with a liquid solvent to dissolve the gold from the ore. It sounds innocent enough, however the liquid solvent used is none other than the highly toxic cyanide, the gas used in the Holocaust to murder thousands of victims in gas chambers. In high concentrations, this toxic cocktail could be fatal to humans and mammals.
Yes, this is the chemical that now has to be safely disposed of. Bear in mind that gold excavation is not performed in barren, uninhabited areas. Gold companies simply follow the gold, and if that gold happens to be found near people, well then, so be it. Nothing will stop them! So the burning question is, where does that cyanide go?

Mining companies try to come up with countless ways to dispose of the highly toxic cyanide. One company which is lauded for its efforts to carefully and safely dispose of the cyanide does so by keeping the contaminated water in a reservoir with trenches to prevent leakage. In the case of a natural disaster, however, an entire reservoir of highly toxic water could be unleashed. There have also been cases where the cyanide leached into the soil and groundwater, contaminating and harming the entire ecosystem. In a town in Romania, pipes carrying cyanide burst, creating irreversible damage tothe town and its inhabitants.

Recently, a simple yet brilliant way of eliminating all this harm to ecosystems has been introduced.  Everyday Americans can recycle, donate their gold to charity, or even get cash for gold, while helping to keep our planet safe. When selling old gold to be melted down and reused, there are only winners. The gold is being recycled, thus cuttingback on the need for dangerously mined gold, and due to record high gold prices, the seller gets extra cash for gold jewelry that was collecting dust. One can only hope that this new trend will continue to gain in popularity, thus
reducing the need for hazardous gold mining.

Fay Rich is a jeweler and gold expert who urges consumers to get cash for gold now, while the going is good. He recommends Captain Cash for Gold, a metal refiner that is dedicated to a eco friendly policy of integrity and reliability.

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Ever wondered one resource so abundant, when you open your faucet you expect it to flow down your tap and believe it to be there always?

But the real hard truth the companies don’t want you to know, the government doesn’t want you to know and make you believe everything is all right. Yes, water the most important part of human survival and for our mere existence is now a scares resource.

World’s Water Breakdown:

75% of earth is covered in water, out of which 97.5 % of that is ocean and which leaves us 2.5% of that as fresh water. Out of that 2.5% fresh water 70% is locked in ice caps on the glaciers, which leaves us 30% as groundwater of which we can get access to. Out of that 30%, 29% of it is wasted, polluted , unusable which leaves around 1% of the water for human consumption. About 70% Is used for irrigation producing our food and 22% used for industry.

After the break down only 0.08 % of it is used for domestic consumption!

Shocking number right?

3 billion people are predicted to live in water-stressed areas by 2050 (Falkenmark and Rockstrom 1993).

The significance wastage of water is mind boggling, 29% of the water, which is available, is polluted by Industries, farming sector and even through deforestation. The measurement of water toxic level is measured through a measuring system called BOD (biological oxygen demand). A higher number indicates that the water is polluted, and lower BOD indicates fresh, clean water.  The amount of organic waste that has been dumped in the water is increasing water BOD and making it unfit for drinking.

Deforestation has been a major source of water pollution surrounding the water basin as well as the flow region. Clearing patches of forest makes the silt lose and when water runs off from the slops to the river it usually caries all the silt in it, increasing the water base and taking with it all the “humus” a naturally growing agent on trees, which is decomposed in air but becomes a great pollutant for the river beds.

Industrial water wastage is one of the greatest sources of water pollution as well as consumption. A personal story I want to share with you guys is the water wastage in clothes manufacturing, being raised up in a business family in India we’ve had a business of Textile that is producing the colored threads for various clothing line. Water is one of the key ingredients to make it. Just the manufacturing of a single cotton T-shirt takes up to 300 gallons of water, dyes and other chemical to get that shine look and texture.

What happens to the water used it gets added with toxins and once it is used, it cannot be reused again so it’s dumped in the drain. 300 gallons per t-shirt is used and thrown away and never to be used raises serious question for the word “Sustainability”.  And the best part about it is Water-exporting.

You might think I’m crazy and say water cant be exported, but look at it this way; nearly all our stuff is made in third world countries where there are less stringent water regulations and protocols for protecting water source and disposal mechanism. Large MNC’s and companies have managed to use up their water and give first the western world a pretty comfortable life. Coca-Cola’s operations in India have come under intense scrutiny as many communities are experiencing severe water shortages as well as contaminated groundwater and soil that some assert are a result of coco-cola’s bottling operation.

Similar cases have been brought up in different African countries. Another strange interesting fact you guys wouldn’t have heard is ever wondered on your orange juice packs it’s said: “Ingredients from outside and within your country”. That’s because world’s 85% of orange juice is made in São Paulo, Brazil and Florida, United states. That means that they use local resources such as water to produce these oranges and which is hence exported to countries, which doesn’t produce, and they take benefit of it. This situation has caused an immense pressure on the local water bodies of such countries. For information on more products and their way of production and true accounting for it visit : Water Footprint.org You should also watch the documentary “Flow”.  Here’s the trailer::

The major problem for securing how much water is available for human consumption is due the fact that water is embedded in all of our stuff and hence a true figure is hard to achieve, the direct water use by an individual is far less than the consumption of water in true nature cause 46% of water used is in food products, around 23% in household use where as our other goods and services use up 28.4%.

There is a need for every person in the world to understand the importance of it, nearly 1 out of 5 person is deprived of water each day , which is a general basic commodity and a right for everyone to use. The bottling of water and selling it for profit is another devil which gives rise to the water export situation. While people in under developed countries have to walk for miles to get a pail full of water, companies sell us their water labeling it as stuff from the finest spring across the world.

There is still hope to achieve a better society where everyone isn’t deprived of water :

• True water reporting is impossible and hard to count, since technology hasn’t improved to extract about 60% of the ground water.
• There is a serious need for reduction of personal water and wastage of water.
• Manufacturing industries which gobble so much water foreg: the paper making industries which uses 300 tones of water to make 1 ton of paper should reorganize their operations.
• We’re pouring humongous amounts of water on our lawns about 200 gallons per day per person during the growing season which is a serious problem.
• The need for educating people for start consuming locally grown products and less processed foods is a way to stop putting pressure on rest of the world for our needs.
• Water governance and programs to manage water in this context should be developed to ensure long-term sustainability and ecological integrity.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  It is impossible to give a full scale damage of the real problem. to read more about the serious problem of bottled water, watch this clip :

Learn more about water conservation and get lots of other cool videos like this one from http://storyofstuff.org (this is their video, they did a great job, eh?).

Thoughts on water conservation are welcomed below in the comments section!

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How to have an Eco-Friendly Barbecue

In today’s environmentally aware world, people are becoming more conscious of the damage to
the environment that a non Eco-friendly barbecue can cause.

A non Eco-friendly barbecue can release many chemicals and emissions into the air, however with a little forethought and planning, it is very easy to barbeque and still go green. The following tips can help.

Build your own Eco-friendly Barbecue Grill

The very best Eco-friendly barbecue is one that is home built. A few rocks or bricks surrounding charcoal will do the trick and a metal shelf from the kitchen oven works well as a grill top. It is helpful to have the barbeque at a
proper height to avoid back strain. A homemade barbecue will not win any beauty contests but the
user can feel assured the environment is not being harmed.

Purchase Charcoal Responsibly

Avoid buying charcoal briquettes, as they may contain products such as sodium nitrate and coal dust as a result of processing and also contribute to deforestation. Lump charcoal from sustainable forests is the green choice. It is marked by the Forest Stewardship Council logo, which proves the product was produced with ecological integrity.

Consider Domestic Charcoal

The majority of charcoal used in the United Kingdom is imported. This contributes not only to the deforestation problem but adds transport emissions to an already overtaxed atmosphere. Domestic, FSC approved charcoal can be purchased in 3kg bags at stores such Tesco, B & Q and Sainsbury’s for around £6. Online sources include
dorsetcharcoal.co.uk or graigfarm.co.uk.

Avoid Using Natural Gas at your Eco-friendly Barbecue

While it is true that natural gas burns cleaner than standard charcoal, it actually leaves a larger
overall footprint and is still non-renewable energy.

A basic gas grill uses a great deal of fuel when all of its parts, including electronic ignition, are considered. Eco-friendly charcoal will simply replace carbon monoxide that was absorbed by trees and other plants during their lifetimes, making it carbon neutral.

In short, natural gas is a big no-no for your Eco-friendly barbecue.

Say No to Firelighters

Firelighters will make the barbecue heat up faster but they will also leave toxic residue on food if insufficient time has passed between lighting and cooking. Using sticks, twigs or old newspaper is a safer alternative, especially
with lump charcoal.

This method does require close supervision, but offers a great opportunity to sit
down and enjoy the great outdoors while your Eco-friendly barbecue heats up. Using a cover while cooking will
cut down on total emissions, as well.

Don’t Use Disposable Barbecues

Disposable barbecues offer convenience in that they don’t require cleaning and can
be tossed after use. Most people don’t realise they are generally not recyclable and are therefore
quite bad for the environment. An investment in a small barbecue that can be used again is a better
choice. A product called the Portable Barbecue Bucket can be found at crocus.co.uk for around
£20.

Here you can find a list of great Eco-friendly barbecue grills.

Watch The Packaging

Buying large packs of barbecue meat should be avoided, as it contains low quality ingredients and the meat itself is most likely factory farmed. Better to use high grade meats with homemade marinades and flavourings. Buy only what is actually needed for the meal, including beverages. Planning carefully will eliminate leftovers that often get thrown away and wasted. Using real plates and flatware will result in better tasting
food and will not add to the trash overload in local landfills. The only disposable item at an Eco-friendly barbecue
should be napkins made from recycled material.

Cleaning up a grill can be green, too.

Using a grill brush in addition to baking soda is a super gentle way to get the job done and gives great results.

Following these simple tips can result in a delicious outdoor meal that is easy on the environment. Another little known green fact is FSC charcoal remnants can be composted and used again in a garden or flower bed, making it super friendly after the event.

It is wise to remember that everything people do has an effect on the planet and its resources. There is only one Earth so always go forth with consideration.

This article was written by Andrew Potter who writer for My Online Estate Agent, the UK’s best online estate agent.

More tips on how to make an eco-friendly barbecue are welcome below in the comments!

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Ecological Footprint

The Ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth’s ecosystem. It basically tells us how much humans consume, to sustain our current trend and culture of living vs. the Earth’s Ecological capacity to regenerate. The calculator works by summing up all the biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless corresponding waste. So, to check your own footprint you need to enter few simple details to calculate how many earths/Global Hectares it requires sustaining the living needs of ever person on this earth.

To calculate your ecological footprints follow the link : Personal Ecological Footprint

Ecological footprint breakdown:

My Personal footprint summed up-to 3.2 earths, which is pretty high cause we don’t have 3.2 earths.

The calculator showed 60% of the land required to sequester my needs from planet earth was just for food. About another 10-12% was required to produce electricity , dispose my waste and generate various services.

Global hectare:

A global hectare is a common unit that encompasses the average productivity of all the biologically productive land and sea area in the world in a given year. Biologically productive areas include cropland, forest and fishing grounds, and do not include deserts, glaciers and the open ocean. My personal footprint showed I required 5.7 of global hectares for my yearly consumption. I alone was producing 6.1 tonnes of carbon.

One thing I noticed about this calculator was I tried to reduced all my consumption to a minimum that is never consume meat, eat only unprocessed food, make less garbage than regular households, have electricity, living in a green small home and only travelling by a bicycle. The result, which I received was 2.5 earths, which is still very high and raised serious issues and questions , have humans crossed a point beyond return? Are we a generation of mindless consumerism?

For 2006, humanity’s total Ecological Footprint was estimated at 1.4 planet Earths – in other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.4 times as fast as Earth can renew them, which raises serious issues on our sustainability for future generations and even the current one.

Steps to reduce your Ecological Footprint:

• Consume less of meat products. Meat and their by products require the highest amount of water for their production, applying their true cost accounting a 1 kg=2.2 pounds of meat (Assuming Beef) it requires 15500 litres of water per kg of beef. The animal consumes nearly 1300 kg of grains (wheat, oats, barley, corn, dry peas, soybean meal and other small grains),
  7200 kg of roughages (pasture, dry hay, silage and other roughages), 24 cubic meter of water for drinking and 7 cubic meter of water for servicing. (Source: waterfootprint.org)
• Start using 100% post recycling packaging products.If we used post-recycled material we could save 14 million hectares each year.
• Overall , as humans we should start building love for the stuff and resources we have. This is the only way we can stop consuming more and more and start building a better , greener planet for us and our future generations.

[Ecological Footprint image from http://library.thinkquest.org/]

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Spring is here, the birds are out, and it’s time to get the farm in order!

The garden needs tons of work this year.  The tiller will be haunting my dreams soon enough.  Here’s some pics of the garden…

::Update:: Links to the full size images are available below. Please click “Share” or “Like” below and help support us!…

::Thank you for supporting us by clicking like below::

Thanks for all your support and talk with you soon!

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I had a domain with GoDaddy this morning.  It was transferred after I saw this video…

WARNING! This video is not for young children (unless of course you want to explain why Bob Parsons made dumbo take a permanent nap). It’s totally up to you.

The video of Bob Parsons killing the elephant that’s causing all the controversy:

::Thank you for supporting us by clicking like below::

The only thing worse than GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons Killing an elephant, is posting a video about it…

What an ASS!

You can see the above video in full screen view by clicking here:: watch the elephant hunt video here.

PETA announced that they are transferring all of their domains to another broker (they have several hundred).  PETA is a pretty extremist organization and I usually do not endorse them in any way, but I do agree with their stance on this one.  I hope they make a stink.

These pictures show why.

(Images courtesy of video.me)

1. First, we see Bob looking over the area affected by the elephants.  He explains that if the elephants are not killed, the villagers will starve.  Not true at all!  Several methods have been used to help problem elephants relocate.  For 1, they hate bees and avoid hives at all costs.  Remember, these are not stupid animals.
2. Next in Pics 2&3, we see Bob Parsons posing with a “dangerous” elephant… I mean his trophy.

How is Bob Parsons and others like him allowed to hunt and kill elephants?

First off, the African elephant is listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). It is also listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as endangered as well. It is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, except for certain countries (Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia) which were reclassified to Appendix II.  Why were they reclassified?

Maybe so obnoxiously wealthy individuals can spend millions of dollars each year to go and hunt “problem elephants”.  Money is the sole motivation the governments in these impoverished nations reclassified the species.  As a result of these reclassifications, elephants deemed dangerous (aka “problem elephants”) are allowed to be hunted.  Not unlike Japanese whalers that operate under the guise of “scientific research”.  The Japanese have been taking whale tissue samples and weighing their organs in the name of scientific research for years.  So the hunt continues, and they can continue to sell the meat to market.  Although the two hunts differ in several ways, I find them both equally obnoxious, crude, and harmful.

So, what exactly is a problem elephant and why does Bob Parsons care?

In simple terms it is an elephant that poses a threat directly to humans or to their way of life.  They smash crops, act aggressively towards villages and it’s inhabitants, or kill livestock.  But is that really the fault of the elephants?

Absolutely not! But the fault doesn’t lie with the fringe villages either.  Farmers migrate for the same reasons elephants do:: they simply don’t have enough space.  But how can you compete with an animal the size of an elephant?

I guess you import a few millionaires a year that want some PR, let them shoot an elephant causing problems because their habitat is shrinking, then pass out clothing branded with a company logo to the hungry villagers fighting over the meat.

If you have a domain with GoDaddy, transfer it!  Is that really what you want to see people doing with your hard earned money?

Namecheap is actually losing money by offering transfers for $4.99.  $1 of that goes directly to elephant conservation.  Namecheap is far superior on many levels anyway.  Transfer your domain and make your voice heard!  http://su.pr/2FFw87

Don’t get me wrong, since the dawn of man we have been omnivorous.  Subsistence hunting is one thing.  Many people rely on the hunt to survive.  I do not and cannot judge.  It’s one thing to take a deer or turkey to feed your family…

But an endangered species?  Especially one of the most intelligent, caring, nurturing, charismatic, and dynamic species this planet has ever seen?  You’re kidding yourself if you think Bob Parsons cares.

::UPDATE 4-2:: Notice while the villagers rip the meat off the elephant the song “Hell’s Bells” from AC/DC plays in the background. The lyrics are about Satan being evil, killing the young and taking them to hell. “You’re only young but you’re gonna die. I won’t take no prisoners, won’t spare no lives. Nobody’s putting up a fight. I got my bell, I’m gonna take you to hell. I’m gonna get you, Satan get you,” and “I’ll give you black sensations up and down your spine. If you’re into evil, you’re a friend of mine.” Classy…

I know it won’t happen, but I hope Bob Parsons and the GoDaddy brand suffer irreparable damage for this blatant PR gimmick and horrendous taste in posting this video:: let alone hunting an endangered species on a technicality we all know to be a farce.

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Donate to Japan, but please do so mindfully.

It’s sad to say, but opportunists seem to pop out of the woodwork in times of dire need.  They manipulate, cheat, and steal not only from those in need, but from those looking to help as well.

Unfortunately, the recent horrors in Japan are no exception.  Here are some tips to avoid the scammers, courtesy of the FBI and the AARP.

How To Avoid The Donate To Japan Scams:

• Assume all unsolicited emails are bogus!  Do not click on any links,  To see a charity’s website, type its web address into the browser bar yourself.

• If a charity calls you looking for a donation, don’t just whip out the plastic.  Always ask for printed materials. Even if you have heard of them before.  But remember, just because they mail you information does not necessarily mean they are legitimate! If you request written information be mailed to you and they refuse, they are not legit.  Period.

• Do not give in to high pressure sales tactics.  This is a sure sign they are calling you from a basement boiler room in Queens.  Hang up, don’t feel bad, and don’t give them a second thought.  If you donate to Japan relief efforts, you want it to go to the people in need!

• Do not ever give out your credit card information to anyone who calls YOU.  Tell them you will donate online.  If you call the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders, different story.  A check through the mail is usually safe, so is paypal.  They will advocate for you if you get ripped off.

• Beware of “organizations” that mimic legitimate organizations.  Do not give money to “The Bread Kross”.  They will take your money and laugh all the way to their Caribbean bank.

• Orgs mailing you material are the least likely to be scams, but they are not foolproof. If you are receiving mail from an organization that you have never donated to before, just toss it.  Anyone can buy a mailing list.  It’s really too easy. If a mailing seems genuine and you want to donate, do not send payment to the address on the mailing! Sounds weird, but if you check them out online they will have a mailing address there too.  They will probably even have a paypal donation link.  Anyone can print any address they want on a mailer. It’s too easy to photoshop a legit organization’s crest onto a mailer with a P.O Box.  Sketchy…
• Avoid (dot)blogspot, (dot)wordpress, Tumblr, or any other free blogging “donation” stations.  Any legit organization has a legit web address.  Free platforms are a hackers paradise.  Avoid the free blogging platforms.

Onto the good stuff.  Legit organizations that have you and the devastated people of Japan close to their heart.  They need your help and can help you donate to Japan and make sure the people most in need get your aid.  If you can afford to donate, please do so.  Life altering event doesn’t begin to come close to paraphrase the suffering many people in Japan are going through right now.

Organizations with Japan Relief at the Forefront; Courtesy of our friends at savejapandolphins.org (click on their link so they notice us!!!! Same donate to Japan Info as below)

• Japanese Red Cross: http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html

• Peace Boat: http://www.peaceboat.org/english/index.php

• Japanese Americans Citizen’s League: https://secure2.convio.net/dri/site/Donation2?idb=126499583&df_id=1700&1700.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=xth7h1uv12.app246b

• Otsuchi Recovery Effort: http://www.otsuchi.org/

• Japan Society: http://www.japansociety.org/earthquake

• Yoshiki Foundation: http://www.yoshikifoundation.org

• Google Crisis Response: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

• Charity Navigator: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1221

Thank you for your time, keep Japan in your heart and please look to give with your time or in any way you can… They need it.

Any further information on how to Donate To Japan disaster relief is appreciated in the comments below.

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I want to expound a little on my previous soil testing video post.  I didn’t do the topic justice at all and I think I need to go into a little more detail…

Soil testing is one of the most important things any gardener/farmer can do.   If you are farming or gardening for sustainability, this practice sways from important to critical.

There are 3 main things to check in your soil test:

• The NPK ratio (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium)
• The PH level
• The soil density

Here’s a fantastic video on soil testing:

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This kick ass Soil Testing video was made by GLHeilig.  He’s good stuff, so check out his Youtube Channel!

Additional pointers to utilize after your soil testing:

• Knowing the density of your soil is essential.  Well balanced soil is happy soil (just had a Bob Ross moment… happy trees have balanced soil
• Sandy soil is no good because it drains too quickly.  Add compost to hold moisture.
• Clay soil compacts tightly and doesn’t drain well; mix in sand.  Straw and other brown matter works pretty well.  Just remember to let it break down before planting right away.
• Quality topsoil contains proper proportions of sand, silt and clay.  Mixed with good compost, you have a winning combination for sustainability.
• Buy soil test kit from garden shop or hardware store; select one that tests for nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and pH.  Better yet, take your soil samples to your local University and have them test it.  It’s cheap and the most effective way to test.
• To test at home, dig small amounts of soil from various parts of your garden, yard or flowerbed using a garden trowel.  Add measured amounts of soil, water and reactive agent to plastic test chamber; shake well.  Wait 2 minutes for soil to settle and color to develop.  Compare the soil solution color to the color-coded chart printed on the test chamber.
• Be sure to follow the recommendations of the testing lab! If the soil testing shows the soil is too acidic, add lime; if too alkaline, add peat moss or sulfur.  Test your soil at least every three years and treat it as needed.

Testing your soil is not only a good idea, it’s necessary in order to prevent runoff, keep your soil in balance, and save your well earned cash on unnecessary fertilizer.

If you have experience with soil testing, post a comment and share your experiences!

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IMG from Magic City Post

I found this video on how to collect a soil sample earlier and had to post it immediately.

This guy gives some awesome pointers on both the benefits of soil testing as well as how to go about it.

Soil testing is a big deal for every gardener/sustainable farmer.  You’ve heard me talk a bit about simple composting and the benefits it brings.  I should have started with soil health…

…But hey, hindsight’s 20/20, eh?

Now you can start to see why I love everything about composting (especially straw bale compost)!

As with everything in life, balance is key.  If your soil is out of balance, you are welcoming a host of problems.  Compost helps maintain balance and optimal soil health.  Testing ensures your crops will start healthy, cut pest problems, and keeps the eco-system in check.

After all, who knows what the person who lived on your property before you did to the soil?

Thoughts?

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Elderberry syrup is a must if you are looking for Eco-friendly products to take the place of all those stale bottles of cold & flu medicine in your cupboard!

I don’t know about you, but I hate the idea of putting pharmaceuticals in my body.  Just a thought of chasing down an aspirin with red number 40 flavored cough syrup makes me want to gag.

Now, that’s not to say I’m an expert on homeopathic remedies…

… That’s why I love having knowledgeable friends!

My buddy Jeff Davis is the founder and editor in chief at ecosnobberysucks.com, a site that in my opinion has been long overdue. Why? Because eco-snobs absolutely do suck!

But I digress…

The other day Jeff got me hip to an awesome all-natural remedy for the common cold. The timing couldn’t be better since this is the time of year I normally get sick; and you already know how I feel about pharmaceuticals.

The Truth About Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa.

Image of elderberry syrup from http://ecosnobberysucks.com

elderberry syrup was even used in the Panama flu outbreak of 1995.  So needless to say, it has a pretty solid track record.

The first thing that stuck out to me about this elderberry syrup recipe (besides it’s track record) is its simplicity.  The second thing without cheap was to make!  Had I bought this at a health food store this would’ve easily run me at least $15.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Here’s the ingredients list:

• 2 cups distilled water
• 2 oz of dried elderberries (preferably organic)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger root
• 4 oz of food grade vegetable glycerin
• 2 cups of honey

But, as with most things in life, the secret is not in the ingredients but what you do with them.  To get the instructions and directions for use, go and visit the Eco-Snobbery Sucks article at:

Treating the cold and flu naturally

If you have experience using or making elderberry syrup, leave a comment and tell us about it!

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It is available on our Facebook Fanpage and it’s fun.  It’s a puzzle

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Simple, eh?

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• Indoor Air Pollution Dangers
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• Soap Nuts Are An Eco-Friendly Cleanser

Natural shampoo from Soap Nuts:: DIY

Why should you choose to make natural shampoo from soap nuts?

4 steps to natural shampoo:

Natural Shampoo… and bodywash?

Don’t fret, this recipe will leave your hair naturally clean and can double as body wash.

::Word of Warning:: Use caution the first few times you use it: Raw Saponin in either powder or liquid form is an eye irritant.

So that’s the homemade natural shampoo recipe.  Love natural shampoo’s made from soap nuts; share by leaving a comment below

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A unique spin on recycling; snow fences offer premium reclaimed wood!

Reclaimed wood is always a great thing to utilize.  If your anything like me, you probably see using reclaimed wood as an inspired act.  You could even make the argument that it is essential in any green home.

One Wyoming company, Centennial Woods, utilizes old snow fence planks as beautiful reclaimed wood.  I was really pretty surprised to hear about what they are doing…

…Kind of a “that makes too much sense not to do” kind of thing.  Anyway, the wood reclaimed from the snow fences looks pretty amazing, I must say.

The reclaimed wood from the siding has a very unique look to it.

The wood has a very unique look as it has been weathered for years in the frigid Wyoming winter wind.  I love the weathered look…

The furniture you could have made from it would look great, but what I really like is the siding.

I spoke with a representative of Centennial Woods named Kyle Henriksen.  He was cool enough to answer these questions for me:

• How many snow fences are there in Wyoming?
  • Wyoming has close to 300 miles of snow fence.
  Snow fences are a basic necessity in Wyoming.  With over 97million square miles and only 544K people, not many trees, and never-ending wind, there is really nothing to stop the snow from blowing across the state and forming drifts wherever they want.  Wyoming has several major interstates and railroad routes and it costs the state and private companies a lot of money to continually plow the transit routes; also, creating huge amounts of emission from the plows and machinery used in the clearing process.  We dictate where the drifts occur and herd the snow just like the cattle we have out here!

What is the environmental impact of these old fences and the reclaimed wood from them?

In the past, once the wood on the fences was too dilapidated to be effective, it was torn down and

A solitary Wyoming snow fence, ripe for it's reclaimed lumbeput in a landfill or burned. We are happy to give it a wonderful second life!

To date, Centennial Woods has turned 6 million linear feet of Wyoming snow fence into reclaimed wood.

This is roughly the equivalent of about 105 miles.  Pretty amazing stuff, right?

Here’s the best part of this reclaimed wood:

It also is helping to keep more than 10,000 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere and saving the state of Wyoming and other entities more than $10 million.

Here are a few more questions Keith answered for me about the reclaimed wood…

• What can people use the wood for?
  • The use of the reclaimed wood is limitless and really up to the imagination of the designer, builder, homeowner, etc.  Most often, the wood  is used for siding, soffits, trim, flooring, ceilings, ceilings, wall paneling or wall features, cabinetry and even furniture!  We love when our customers get creative with our product and always encourage them to share their projects with us.
• What is the Vision & Mission statement of your organization.
  • Centennial Woods’ mission is to continue its industry leadership and growth in the reclaimed lumber and flooring market, providing customers the premier option for beautiful, naturally weathered wood that is sustainably harvested and free of lead and arsenic based paints/treatments and VOC off-gassing.

Reclaimed wood siding...

This is an absolutely fantastic company.  First off, I get some of the best looking, natural wood available.  They save tax dollars; they save the state; and their based exclusively upon recycling and reclaiming wood!  My kinda company…

Learn more about Centennial Woods and their reclaimed wood at: Centennial Woods, LLC Toll Free: 866-778-8762 Office: 307-742-3672  1482 Commerce Drive, Suite A2 Laramie, Wyoming, 82070

If you all are fans of reclaimed wood, let us know by leaving a comment below!

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Is there a way to help your pool go green, or at least contribute to a more sustainable environment?  Todd McDonald has stepped up to the plate and explained how pool maintenance has become a more sustainable practice over the last few years.

Eco-Friendly Pool Maintenance Alternatives

If you’ve owned a pool for any length of time, it’s quite likely you’ve had to deal with the occasional flair-up of algae or other pool contaminant (that’s not the green we like to see).  It’s also likely that your prescription for a cure included a fair amount of pool chemicals such as chlorine, bromine, and copper algaecide.  While they do the trick, these pool chemicals can be a bit rough on our environment (not too mention your skin and clothes!) as they go off into the air, mix with soil when water is vacuumed out, or even from the occasional spill.

Even if you’re the best among us and you’ve kept your pool clear 100% of the time, it’s virtually impossible to avoid using heavy doses of chemicals for maintenance…or is it?  Below are a few ideas/products to help you find a little more balance between enjoying your pool and keeping our environment healthy as can be.

Eco-Friendly Pool Cleaning Methods

Ultraviolet Pool Cleaners:  By harnessing the unique power of ultraviolet light, these pool cleaners blast contaminating particles as water flows through them.  It’s true that these wont allow your pool to be 100% chlorine free, but they can greatly decrease the amount of chlorine, bromine, or other pool chemicals that you might need to use.  These systems have been around in other countries for quite awhile now and popularized due to their efficiency.

The Intellichlor chlorine generator is a great example of an eco-friendly pool cleanser. It creates chlorine naturally from salt water pool systems, reducing the amount of additional chlorine.

Salt Water Pools:  Often misunderstood – salt-water pools do not function by utilizing extremely high levels of salt to maintain water balance.  Instead, salt is added to the pool water and then utilized by a chlorine generator (such as the IntelliChlor chlorine generator) to create chlorine naturally.  If you’re interested in utilizing a salt water system, be sure you have a complete understanding of how the system works and are prepared to carefully watch your pools levels.

Ozone Pool Cleaning Systems:  Pools utilizing ozone-cleaning systems do need to utilize chlorine, but as with ultraviolet cleaning systems, the amount can be greatly reduced.  Essentially ozone is generated through a variety of ultraviolet light and mixed in with pool water via jets or other circulation systems.  The generated ozone breaks down into the pool water and then destroys unwanted contaminants mixed into the water.

While no system is perfect, each of these three common chlorine alternatives/reducers can help you move away from a heavy dependence on common pool chemicals.  There are other unique options such as aquatic plant pools and self-sustaining pools that can allow you to enjoy natural beauty and a great chemical-free swimming experience as well.  These types of pools have also been enjoyed around the world for years and are just starting to break into the United States as a reasonable option when developing a pool.

If you’ve come up with a creative solution to help keep your pool clean we’d love to hear about it as well! Remember, no matter which direction you go, any step toward reducing your pool chemical dependency is a step toward a green home and a stronger environment.

Article by Todd McDonald

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Many of us use bottled water & coolers in many ways in many places.  Why does it matter?

The Future of Drinking Water: Think Outside Bottled Water

A traditional, wasteful bottled water cooler. Hopefully the use of these coolers will decline along with other bottled water products.

The market around water, arguably the most vital resource on the planet, is
experiencing rapid reconfiguration. Internationally, consumers are becoming increasingly
informed of the threats bottled water poses to their health, their environment, and their
pocketbook. In 2008, Americans drank 100 million less gallons of bottled water than in
2007, marking the beginning a since continuous decline in consumption. Municipalities
are taxing bottled water, communities are battling water privatization, embracing water conservation, and NGO
publications are exposing the facts of bottled water impurity. The paradigm shift away
from bottled water towards more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives has begun.
There are three intrinsic problems of bottled water that catalyzed the transition in
consumer preference that the water industry is witnessing:
The high cost, the
environmental waste, and the health hazards. Disclosing these problems will empower
the consumer to rethink the way they drink, to consider better alternatives, to move
beyond bottles.

Cost- With fuel prices on the rise, the transportation of bottled water has become a costly
enterprise to run. The large financial burden of bottling remotely and shipping water
across long distances to the point of consumption is passed off as a price premium to the
consumer. Bottled water can cost up to 10,000 times more than drinking from the tap.

Environmental Waste- Along with price concerns, the bottling and transporting of water
is polluting and resource depleting. Last year alone, the production of bottled water
required the equivalent of 17 million barrels of oil — enough fuel to run 1 million U.S.
cars for a year—and generated more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. Each year,
it is estimated that 50 billion plastic water bottles end up in landfills or as roadside litter,
which take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade. Plus, it requires 3 times as much water to
make a plastic bottle as it does to fill it. Sustainable? Lets do the math.

Health- Recently, the NRDC concluded a four-year study of 103 brands of bottled
water, finding that about 1 in every 3 bottles tested contained levels of contamination -
- including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. These results, along with
disclosure on the BPA leaching issue, uproot the image of purity, which the bottled water
companies once paid big marketing dollars to create.

Alternatives to Bottled Water

Once informed, the conscious consumer may seek alternatives to bottled water.

The Venus water cooler is less wasteful than traditional bottled water coolers.

While some turn to tap water, this is not always a viable option in certain polluted areas.
Most popular for the home, are small point-of-use filtration systems that attach to a

faucet and eliminate the need to buy and store packs of bottled water. Recently, these systems have become more sophisticated, less expensive, and have transformed into
larger more powerful units, designed to serve both residential and commercial needs.
One company, Blue Reserve Water, works nationally to promote a new product that has
begun to dramatically change how businesses and homes receive their drinking water.
As manufacturing partners with LG, their stainless steel bottle-less water coolers
combine top of the line water purification technology with the aesthetics and
functionality of a typical 5-gallon water bubbler. The cooler connects to a nearby water
line in a building, similarly to hooking up a refrigerator or coffee brewer. The water then
travels into the cooler, passing through a 9-stage purification system before being stored
in stainless steel reservoirs for on demand use. Still providing instant hot and cold pure
water, the stand-alone point-of-use water cooler effectively eliminates the bottle as well
as the associated inefficiencies of water delivery.
Blue Reserve Water’s mission is to bring to market sustainable drinking water
products that make economic sense to the consumer. “By helping a business save money
while cutting down on their carbon footprint, we are basically killing two birds with one
stone.” COO, Nick Friedman explains. “there is less of a waste stream, less bills to pay,
yet no sacrifice in quality.” The company has grown rapidly, displacing thousands of
plastic bottles through servicing municipalities, businesses, and homes.

The Future of Water: Beyond Bottled Water

The alternatives to bottled water are growing in popularity, carving out an
increasing share in the water industry. In the US, Zenith Intl. reported the number of
bottle-less water coolers to have risen 16% between 2008-2009. Significant growth,
driven by consumer preferences, challenging economic conditions, and the debate over
water availability, will help not only eco-businesses like Blue Reserve Water, but, more
importantly, the world in which we live.

Author: Brandon Pollock
Contact: 888-880-5543 x101 or b.pollock@bluereserve.com.  Additional resources and information about bottled water and bottled water alternatives can be found at http://www.bluereserve.com or by emailing info@bluereserve.com.

Go green & kill Bottled Water and Bottled Water coolers for good!

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Very cool article in the Long Island Press today I wanted to pass on to you.  If you live in Long Island and green building design is your cup of tea, you may be interested in this contest.  The opportunity to design a green home and see your plans implemented on a foreclosed home is pretty cool.  Here is the article…

Press conference announcing the green building design contest on Long Island. Image courtesy of the Long Island Press

Piles of snow, sand and leaves lined the quiet residential street in Wyandanch. A handful of cars idled nearby with their occupants hidden behind fogged windshields and a layer of slush. The only break in the silence was the occasional lurch of a massive snow plow clearing a section of a non-descript vacant lot. Three men are gathered closely together on a patch of blacktop, presumably the remnants of a driveway—the only remaining evidence of the home that once stood at 54 North 15th Street. The topic of conversation was whether or not to move a neighbor’s stalled van from the lot before a news conference Tuesday to announce an initiative to revitalize the property.

There is nothing remarkable about a foreclosed piece of property in an economically challenged neighborhood. In the scheme of things it certainly seems an unlikely spot for officials to gather to make an announcement; abandoned properties are nothing to crow about. But for the people who emerged from their cars and trudged toward the site, this may very well be Long Island’s Alamo.

Officials from the Town of Babylon, United Way of Long Island (UWLI), the Long Island chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) announced they are co-sponsoring a national design competition as a part of their mission to build the most sustainable and affordable home possible on this site. The leaders of this unlikely alliance have determined this section, block and lot to be the place where both green and affordable housing will be redefined.

In what they are referring to as “Attainable L.I. – Where Affordable Meets Sustainable,” these groups have effectively eschewed the large-scale projects that have been hamstrung by financial hurdles and political red tape in favor of a smaller suburban model that is replicable throughout Long Island. Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone hopes one result of this collaboration is to bring “green into the mainstream.”

Bellone is no stranger to the green housing movement. The Long Island Green Homes Program, devised by Bellone and his staff a few years ago, won accolades from the USGBC and other municipalities nationwide for establishing a startlingly simple mechanism whereby homeowners can make energy efficient improvements without incurring debt.

Vince Capogna, executive director of USGBC-LI, said it is important housing is “affordable to build and maintain.” Capogna also highlighted the importance of affordability as well as “respecting the health of the occupants and the shared natural resources of our Island.”

What’s notable about this collaboration is the willingness among large organizations to play small-ball and birth a project that may produce a large ripple effect if only from a single pebble. This strategy stands in stark contrast to the massive proposed affordable housing developments in recent years that have been met with harsh opposition or disappeared from the planning landscape entirely.

Flanked by UWLI Youth Build program members Darryl Troutman, Latanya Mowatt, Curtis Thompson, UWLI President and CEO Theresa Regnante hailed LI’s “can do spirit” adding “it can be done.”

Youth Build program members will be providing much of the labor for the project that, according to Regnante, began with an idea from Rick Wertheim, an executive at UWLI. Babylon Town and the USGBC-LI immediately embraced the idea of an architecture competition and the idea spread quickly from there.

“Energy efficient and affordable home ownership is no longer a luxury” says Michael Deering, LIPA’s vice president of Environmental Affairs. “It’s a necessity.”

LIPA has committed funding to the program as well as guidance in terms of energy efficiency. According to Deering, the competition represents the “evolution in the development of homes.”

Since green-building initiatives have gained public support in recent years, some contractors, homeowners and building owners have been loath to make improvements to existing structures or build entirely “green” because it is cost prohibitive. Bellone was quick to acknowledge the prevailing sentiment that “green means high costs.”

“We intend to show, right here in Wyandanch, that you can build green and affordable,” he said.

For his part, Capogna believes the beauty in opening this competition to the public is that all submissions will be “free and open source.” Essentially, all architectural plans and final entries will be released to the public, even those that aren’t chosen as the final plan for the model house in Wyandanch.

Information about the competition can be found on the website www.attainableli.com and submissions will be accepted through a customized portal on www.openarchitecturenetwork.org, an open source online community “dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design.” The winning professional design will be awarded $10,000 from Attainable L.I.

This article was found in the Long Island Press and was written by Jed Morey.

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Why indoor air pollution dangers should concern you

People today are spending more than 90% of their time indoors, where they are exposed to thousands of airborne pollutants that cause indoor air pollution dangers. Many materials are known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic particles into the air that may have negative effects on human health. Poor ventilation, varying temperatures and humidity all factor into the concentration levels of  pollution and can lead to amounts up to100 times higher than those outside. indoor air pollution is now viewed by many health organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as one of the greatest risks to human health.

What exactly are  indoor air pollution dangers?

Adverse health effects from indoor air pollution can be experienced soon after exposure or develop years later.

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Immediate and short term effects can include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. More severe symptoms of diseases such as asthma, dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis can also be triggered soon after. Serious and chronic health effects may appear years after exposure or from prolonged or repeated periods of exposure.

The effects of indoor air contamination include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, which can all be severely debilitating or even fatal. Most modern materials are processed and exposed to chemicals today that are known to contribute to indoor air contamination, which are then absorbed and carried into the finished goods. Consumers will then unknowingly bring these products home where they might be exposed to conditions where they’ll emit the chemicals into the air and be easily breathed in by humans unaware of the danger. You may be surprised to learn that the toxic emissions from many of these sources are not controlled or are only partially controlled by federal, state or local law. The USEPA encourages voluntary standards for indoor pollution, like those set by a third party organization such as the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) to help establish federal, state or local regulations.

What can you do to avoid indoor air pollution dangers?

The GREENGUARD Certification programs can help you find low-emitting interior products and building materials. Founded in 2001, the GEI is an industry independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting the health of people and improving quality of life, specifically by reducing the amount of toxic chemicals people are exposed to, especially when it comes to indoor air quality.   The organization works to provide a third party certification program to help consumers avoid products that contribute to indoor contamination. When a company’s products are certified, this signals that the product meets specific emission standards in the home or in surroundings where humans are.   Certification means that the products offered by the company meet stringent requirements set by the organization for safe emissions (or lacking factors contributing to indoor air pollution).  Drapes, shades and blinds, which are made of processed fabric and often exposed to direct heat and humidity, are one common household product that is submitted for certification by manufacturers to undergo rigorous review by the GEI. Manufacturer’s who wish to receive this certification must design a window treatment that is safer for the home using fewer chemicals in the production process and then submit for review with the GEI. Materials will be tested and reviewed for more than 10,000 individual volatile organic compounds and required to meet stringent health-based emission levels for over 350 of these individual VOCs. Products are also tested for emissions of formaldehyde, aldehydes, respirable particles, ozone and other pollutants that are know to cause serious health problems. Testing takes place in dynamic environmental chambers designed to simulate product use in typical indoor environments. Many certified products will be required to pass annual re-certification testing and quarterly monitoring tests to safeguard against potential changes in the products or manufacturing that could affect indoor air pollution factors.

Look specifically for products that meet the requirements of Greenguard’s Children and Schools Certification Program, which offers stricter criteria for products used at home and can assure consumers that it should be safe to use where they live. It is up to the consumer to be aware of indoor air pollution & toxic chemicals and to look for and even demand products with this level of certified approval from a reputable third party organization. There are only a few manufacturers who have actually produced products which have been able to receive this seal of approval from Greenguard. You can view a full list of Greenguard certified products through their website here and avoid the pitfalls of indoor air pollution. For more information regarding indoor air pollution, please visit http://www.greenguard.org.

Tom Vatury is a writer and specializes in window treatments. The views expressed within this article belong to Tom, though we do recognize his passions in the avoidance of indoor air pollution dangers and their causes.

If you have a mind, comment below on indoor air pollution dangers!

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These plans will teach you how to build chicken coops so simply and effectively…

…you will save money while leaving a smaller footprint, AND you can build them even if you failed shop class like I did!

Build Chicken Coops Now

I know how you are feeling.  The urge to live a more sustainably…  a little more “off the grid”.

A big part of that for me was taking control of my food supply.  That might be your motivation too…

..or maybe you are just tired of 3-5 week old grocery store eggs being labeled “fresh”!

Well, I have found (aside from gardening), that raising chickens has huge benefits.  Then I inevitably came upon the thought…

“Where will they stay?  I can’t keep them in the house”.

Chickens live in chicken coops!

Perfect.  So I started window shopping for chicken coops and was shocked by some of the prices.

Then I remember thinking about plans I had seen on the internet to build my own chicken coops.  I immediately put that out of my mind…

…I was a horrible carpenter.  Heck, I even failed middle school shop!

So I sought a little guidance and low and behold I have a great looking chicken coop that serves it’s purpose very well.

One of the chicken coops I have built, this one at my folks near Seattle.

It holds up to anything and here’s the best part…

…I documented what exactly I did, how I did it, and how I got most of my materials recycled!

Building chicken coops doesn’t have to give you a migraine…

It gives me a headache to even think about looking at blueprints.  I have always been a visual and audial learner.

I find it so much easier to see pictures or listen to instruction.  Better yet if both are available at the same time.

Unfortunately for me, there were very few options available that had lots of pictures correlated to the blueprints or the text.  I know it sounds juvenile, but I need that.  We saw a need…

That’s why we created our own system.

Get The Plans Now

Our chicken coop plans do not include any complicated blueprints.  At all…

Why make building your chicken coops more complicated than it has to be?

Keeping it simple, easy, and effective is our highest priority.

Figuring out complicated chicken coop plans should be the last thing you need to be doing.   Simplicity is key.  With these chicken coop plans, you will have a chicken coop built before you know it!

What to Expect With Our Chicken Coops Plans

Here’s what it is and what’s included:

• Simple List of Materials We Used
• How we got our recycled materials and tips on getting your own
• Easy to follow, step by step photo instructions
• Perfect for first time newbies and master carpenters alike
• Instant download after 5 of your friends visit your unique URL below!

What this is not and who it is not for:

• Highly technical blueprints
• People who want to figure things out the hard way…
• Information on how to raise chickens

As I said, this tutorial is for anyone and everyone who wants to build their own chicken coops.  The best part is, the way we show you how to do this is very adaptable.  Whether you want build a coop for 2 chickens or 20, the way we show you how to carry this out is very easy to adapt.  But here’s the best part…

Our chicken coops were built from recycled materials!

This does a few things for you…

1. It helps you save a TON of cash.
2. It makes your build more environmentally friendly.
3. This helps support more small suppliers in your community.
4. It helps you take your reduce, reuse, recycle lifestyle to the next level.

Building your own chicken coops is easy!  Learn how to build your own chicken coops by clicking on the “chicken coop plans” page link at the tip of the site or by sending visitors to this page.  Learn more below:

Refer a friend, build your chicken coops with ease!

UPDATE: We now have to email you the plans, apologies but please sign up below to gain access to them right away. Enter your email below or click on the Facebook button for fast signup!
Get Instant Access

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Pencils Recycled From Newspaper

pencils recycled from TreeSmart. Image Courtesy Of TreeSmart- www.treesmart.com/

I came across this product yesterday and could not wait to post this!  A company called TreeSmart has created something very special.  What they invented takes Eco-friendly products and recycling to a new level…

They invented a type of pencil made exclusively from recycled newspaper!

They even made a cool video about it…

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Video and following info about pencils recycled from newspaper courtesy of http://www.treesmart.com/aboutus.htm

pencils recycled From Newspapers…Best Invention Ever?

Here are the facts about wood pencils and why we should be using recycled pencils:

• 79 million pencils could be made from a single press run of the Sunday Paper.
• Recycling 1 2.5 foot stack of newspapers saves a 20 foot pine tree.
• Many pencil manufacturers use wood taken from the rainforest.
• Deforestation is a major cause of many negative environmental changes.

In other words, we need to look into more sustainable methods (like reclaimed wood for 1).

Here are some facts about TreeSmart product and pencils recycled from newspaper benefits:

• They are made in the USA (Oregon to be exact)
• They are very durable
• These recycled pencils are 100% waterproof, so no worries if they get a little wet or you are caught in the rain.
• The gum erasers are very effective and work very well, unlike so many other recycled pencils.
• The Pencils don’t jam sharpeners.  I have had bad experiences myself with other pencils recycled jamming up sharpeners, and these work like a charm!
• Whole newspaper sheets are rolled around HB high-quality #2 graphite.
• TreeSmart® recycles English newspapers.
• No mulching or mixing with toxic recycling chemicals.
• A special adhesive formula is used to bind the newsprint together into a cohesive core trunk that is as hard as wood.
• They sharpen easily, just like wood – most of our users tell us they sharpen better and last longer than wood pencils.
• Newsprint images are visible on the pencil surface.
• All pencils are made with high-quality ferrules and latex-free erasers that do not smudge.
• Selective colors for erasers are available upon request.

These really are fantastic products.  They fulfill several needs at once:

• They are a cost effective alternative compared to other recycled pencil options.
• They recycle newspapers, a hugely inefficient and wasteful practice.
• TreeSmart is giving us a highly effective alternative to traditional wood pencils, right here and now.

Wood pencils are proven to be harmful for the environment just in how the wood to manufacture them is harvested.  This is an outdated practice that there is no need for in this age.  Displacing indigenous animals, soil erosion, urban sprawl, climate change…

…and the list goes on.  Supporting integrity driven businesses such as these is the only way we can begin to repair the generations of damage we have caused on our environment.

Help make that change today by contacting TreeSmart.  You can contact TreeSmart directly with any questions or orders you may have at (800) 459-8767. You can also email them if it is more convenient at sales@treesmart.com.

Ask them about their products.  Ask them the facts.  Involve yourself.

For more information about this revolutionary invention, go to http://www.treesmart.com/ and check out their pencils recycled from newspaper for yourself, go green, and support the green movement!

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Logo for the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) taken from asla.org

American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) Featured on Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (CEIL)…

Mouthful isn’t it???

Well it’s important for our green building efforts; here’s why…

As you well know, last year the Obama administration put into effect an order that put a huge emphasis on environmental sustainability programs called Executive Order 13514.  This order is better known by it’s formal title, The Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance.

This order had been talked about for several years leading up to it’s signing on Oct. 5th, 2009 and focused on expanding upon the environmental performance requirements of E.O 13423 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  Each order signed was intended to build upon the previous.

The purpose is to strengthen our nation’s resolve to be more socially and environmentally conscious (duhh…).

Each E.O and Act focuses on goals set towards environmental sustainability and economic stability growing together through several points.

• Reduction of energy intensity
• Increasing the use of renewable energy
• Reducing water intensity
• Sustainable building
• Increasing accountability and transparency
• Greenhouse Gas management
• Waste and pollution reduction

Ok, that’s the brief history…

…Here’s where it get’s a bit interesting…

At this point, you’re probably saying to yourself “but isn’t most of this covered by the LEED system”?

The short answer is… NO…

And that’s where Nancy Somerville comes in.  In short, Nancy’s awesome.

Nancy is the executive VP and CEO of the American Society of Landscape Architects and in addition to playing a key role in working with federal agencies to discover and implement the need of E.O 13514 (almost got my E.O’s screwed up there), she has helped the greater D.C area realize the need for rooftop gardens.

She has been working with SITES as a representative of the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects remember).

So why do you care and what does this have to do with LEEDS?  Well I’ll tell you…

The fact is, the LEED system simply doesn’t cover too much of the landscape architecture arena.  They focus on quantifying and rating green buildings.  This is why SITES is important (and why Nancy rocks).

Before SITES, landscapes had no standards upon which to call any sort of landscape architecture “green“.

SITES, of which the ASLA is a founding member, gives the ability for landscape architects and their work to be certified sustainable.  Why does this matter to you?

Because the vast majority of trees in heavily populated areas are non-indigenous… THAT’S WHY!  I know many of you live in sunny SoCal, Phoenix, and similar eco-systems.  Take a look around you…

You live in a desert, and nearly every tree and plant around you is from somewhere else!  Wonder why you have a water shortage???  Wonder why your community isn’t as sustainable as it could be?  That’s why!

SITES is looking to be the checks and balances we need to create sustainable communities at the landscaping level.  They also give programs like the LEED system more depth and credibility.  While the LEED system is still the standard for the building itself, SITES certification for landscapes in the surrounding area will give the building points towards their LEED credentials.

Here is the announcement CEIL released to the press the other day.  You will find the link to listen to their interview with Somerville at the bottom.

CEIL Logo (Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership). Image from CEILeadership.org

ASLA Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Somerville to discuss ASLA green initiatives.

Alexandria, VA, September 05, 2010 –(PR.com)– The Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership just released a podcasted interview with the American Society of Landscape Architects’ Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Somerville. Ms. Somerville discusses ASLA’s green initiatives including their Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™).

“Stewardship of the land has always been ASLA’s mission,” says Somerville. “We focus on issues that allow our members to offer their expertise, particularly in sustainable and livable healthy communities.”

In 2006, ASLA introduced its first green roof at their Washington, DC headquarters. The roof acts as a demonstration for public tours and has helped decrease the building’s heating and cooling costs.

“The most promising aspect of green roofs is what they can do for environmental issues, particularly in the DC area,” says Somerville. In addition to ASLA, many federal agencies have installed green roofs in downtown DC, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Department of Transportation.

ASLA is a founding partner of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) along with the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin and the U.S. Botanic Gardens.

“In the past, we didn’t have guidelines defining the requirements of sustainable landscaping,“ Somerville explains. “Under SITES, we have created the benchmarks and standard operating procedures to create sustainable designs.”

Currently in the pilot phase, SITES offers every type of landscape design the opportunity to become certified. The rating system measures landscape sustainability and awards points that can contribute to the LEED system.

“The USGBC leadership considers SITES to be complimentary to LEED,” explains Somerville. “We are covering the natural resources that LEED doesn’t.”

A number of federal agencies have helped develop the SITES rating system and sit on their coordinating committee, including U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Air Force, and the White House Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Council on Environmental Quality.

“There is a substantial involvement from federal agencies,” closes Somerville. “The knowledge that they bring to SITES makes them a role model for sustainable projects.”

Listen to the interview: To hear the interview go to www.CEILeadership.org.

About ASLA
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 16,000 members in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. The Society’s mission is to lead, to educate and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments. Members of the Society use their “ASLA” suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org.

For more information contact Ann Seltz, President, at aseltz@CEILeadership.org or at 703-706-8221 or visit www.CEILeadership.org.

About CEIL
Inform, Educate, Enable.
The Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (www.CEILeadership.org) is an independent organization that facilitates information and education exchange among government and military professionals charged with identifying, specifying and buying green goods and services, and with vendors, contractors and consultants that provide green goods and services. CEIL is the sponsor of GOVgreen Conference and Exposition, a nonpartisan event designed to bring government employees and green suppliers together in one convenient location to discover optimal solutions to green the government. The event takes place November 9-10 in Washington, D.C. and is free to all credentialed government professionals and military personnel.

Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (CEIL)
Ann Seltz
703-706-8221
aseltz@CEILeadership.org
www.ceileadership.org

Interesting, eh?  If you have any more information or comments on the ASLA or SITES, post it below.

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Recycle your InkJet cartridges!

You have heard me mention InkJet Cartridge Recycling in some of my previous posts such as different ways to recycle and recycling 101, but I felt this issue needed a little more depth.

Fay Salmons is a wealth of information when it comes to InkJet cartridge recycling.  She wrote this fantastic article that I wanted to share with you that not only explains why recycling your cartridges are important, but also how you can go about doing so.  Our landfills are filling up fast, and so many of the materials taking up this valuable space are avoidable.

So this leads us to the question…

Why InkJet Cartridge Recycling?

Of all the different ways to recycle, InkJet Cartridge Recycling efforts of giant printing supplies companies are really a great help to the environment. By taking out used cartridges from the hands of consumers, manufacturers reduce the amount of plastic materials thrown on landfills. Actually, there are plenty of reasons why you should support InkJet cartridge recycling programs and it’s up to you to take the necessary steps.

An ink cartridge, or printer cartridge, is a small casing unit that contains ink and is specifically built to fit into the printer equipment. When your printer runs out of ink, you can either replace the cartridge or refill it with new ink at refilling stations. The ink component of the cartridge is considered harmful to the environment because it contains toxic chemicals, such as petroleum.

InkJet Cartridge Recycling Is Necessary!

Millions of ink cartridges and toner cartridges are thrown on landfills each year in the U.S. alone. Both the ink and casing unit of the printing cartridge is toxic to the environment. The ink contains toxic chemicals, like petroleum, while the casing is made from polymer plastic, which is a non-biodegradable material. To save our environment from further destruction, we need to support recycling efforts by returning or purchasing reusable ink cartridges, or recycling InkJet Cartridges.

There are actually several manufacturers of printing supplies that keep recycling programs. Some of these are HP, Epson, and Kyocera. Each manufacturer has different versions of their recycling programs, but all of these are designed to reduce landfill wastes and promote a healthier environment.

Since 1991, HP’s recycling program, Planet Partners, offers consumers different options on how to return their used HP InkJet and laser jet ink cartridges for recycling. You have the choice to return these cartridges through their designated collection centers or ship the materials (check their website for the details).

You should know that HP doesn’t make refurbished ink cartridges out of your old cartridge. They disassemble, sort, and shred these to make other useful products, like clothing hangers and roofing tiles.

Epson’s free recycling program is done in partnership with Funding Factory. Currently, they’re only offering one option of sending out your empty ink cartridges, which is through mail. Epson also accepts donations of your old Epson hardware equipments, such as printers and scanners.

Just like Epson, Kyocera lets consumers send out their empty toner containers by mailing it to them. You have to remember that you need to send this in their original packaging. Place the cartridges in a plastic bag, which is then placed into the original container box. Kyocera recycles returned cartridges into new toner cartridges.

There are plenty of institutions out there that you can choose to donate your empty InkJet cartridges. Some charitable organizations have even started out their own ink jet cartridge recycling programs. You can research about these more, so you’ll know how they plan to dispose of the cartridges and the perks of donating.

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Japanese Citizens See Dolphin Hunt For What It Is

For those of you who don’t know, Ric O’Barry is an activist that has dedicated his life to ending the killing and capturing of dolphins all over the world.  Recently, Ric traveled to Japan to raise awareness of the Japanese Dolphin Hunt and slaughter.  If you have seen “The Cove”, you know that there is a nationwide blackout regarding the practice of the dolphin slaughter in Taiji and other areas of Japan.

The Dolphin Hunt Exposed

This is the most recent post by Ric, in which he chronicles the demonstration in front of the US Embassy in Tokyo Japan.

All images and text is from the Save Japan Dolphins blog.  SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG AND IF YOU CAN, DONATE! find them here:  http://savejapandolphins.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

by Ric O’Barry
Campaign Director
Save Japan Dolphins
Earth Island Institute

Today was our big day to make a splash in the media in Tokyo about protecting dolphins. And we succeeded.

We have kept our presence fairly quiet up until yesterday, Sept. 1st, the start of the bloody dolphin hunting season. We needed to keep a low profile in order to avoid pulling out the extreme nationalist groups in protest. While the threat of violence is very low here in Tokyo, the major problem would be us all getting kicked out of our hotel. The nationalist groups make a lot of noise with bullhorns and trucks with loudspeakers, and they basically make life unlivable for Japanese people. They could cause a lot of grief to our hotel, and the hotel would in turn blame us. (Indeed, we already have run into several problems with our hotel. For example, we had planned on having interviews with media in my room, but that was canceled when the hotel staff found out what we were doing. Now I have to go to TV studios or do press interviews in coffee shops around the area, rather than stay in my hotel)

So today, we began by bringing all our international volunteers to a plaza near the US Embassy. The Japanese police, charged with protecting the Embassy, would not let us get too close with our crowd, but we had TV cameras and print journalists from all the major Tokyo media outlets, so our message went out nationally today to the people of Japan. Our volunteers from around the world, holding flags representing the 151 countries from which we garnered 1.7 million signatures on our online petitions, were lined up. Several held strands of origami dolphins prepared by artist Peggy Oki, and we also had several inflated dolphin balloons for the cameras. I unfurled our long petition — about 15 feet long — for the cameras.

I told the dozens of reporters that we were here to ask the Obama Administration to help end the killing of dolphins. The Obama folks can talk to their counterparts in the Japanese government, telling them just how damaging the dolphin hunt is. I urged President Obama, when he comes to Japan in November, to talk to the new Japanese Prime Minister about dolphins and mercury. The government of Japan must take care of its natural biological heritage as well as the health of its people.

(The government in Japan is in flux now with elections coming in two short weeks. For this reason, our partner organizations in Japan advised us to hold off trying to present our petition to the Japanese Ministry of Health (which handles issues of food contamination) and the Ministry of Fisheries. We will go to them when the time is right, and we will have many more signers on our petitions by then.)

I was then escorted by the Tokyo Police, with media following along across the street, up to the US Embassy, along with volunteers Alyson Richards and Melissa Carbonne (who work with Hollywood celebrities in support of environmental issues), NASCAR driver Leilani Munter (who only accepts green sponsors for her winning race cars), and my colleague from Earth Island, Mark J. Palmer, with his ever-present camera.

With me went our beautiful “nobori” (a traditional Japanese banner) with dolphins and the name of our campaign in Japanese. It really stood out. Earlier we had asked supporters to help us come to Japan and get their name printed on the nobori so they could come with me in spirit. For all of you who donated, I thank you for your support and wanted you to know that your names went with me up to the gates of the US Embassy in Tokyo. Someday, hopefully soon, your names will go with me to Japan in celebration of the end of the dolphin hunts.

In front of the gates of the embassy, I met Mr. Bruce Howard, Counselor for Science, Environment and Health, representing the American Ambassador. He accepted our petition, as I urged him to see that it gets to the President. (We plan to follow up with a similar ceremony in Washington DC, to present the petitions to the White House and the Japan Embassy.)

Our three volunteers each then talked with Mr. Howard. telling him their own story of why they had come half-way around the world to be here with me in Tokyo. We are here to protect the lives of dolphins and to protect the lives of the people of Japan from mercury poisoning.

Afterwards, I was whisked away by a cab to do an hour interview with CBS News.

Was it worth it? I think it was. We educated millions of Japanese people who read the papers and watch the television news. With “The Cove” still showing in theaters in Japan, more and more people are learning the truth about the dolphin hunts.

There’s more. We just heard from our Japanese friends that the extreme nationalist groups, that had been building up to confront us in Taiji this year and who almost blocked “The Cove” movie from being screened in Japan, have announced on their web page that they will no longer actively protest “The Cove” or Ric O’Barry in order to focus on other priorities in Japan.

And while the dolphin hunters of Taiji failed to find any dolphins yesterday, they did reportedly find 20 bottlenose dolphins offshore and herded them into the Cove this morning. But we further heard that, while they kept several (as many as ten?) for the aquarium trade, they released the rest as they did last year. None were butchered for meat. We are working to confirm this claim.

We of course do not want to get our hopes too high — we do expect dolphins and small whales to be butchered in the Cove, and the process of chasing and netting-in the dolphins is extremely damaging to dolphins (they die of capture stress and get entangled in the nets and drown), the news that once again the dolphin hunters decided, in the glare of publicity, to release some dolphins is a good sign for us.

But we cannot give up. This kind of victory is fleeting, and we will not rest until the killing stops for good.

Again, my thanks to all our volunteers who traveled here to be with me on behalf of the dolphins. Thanks especially to Leilani, Alyson and Melissa, who spoke to the US Embassy from their hearts today on behalf of dolphins. We cannot ignore their message — 1.7 million people, so far, have supported their message. Our campaign to Save Japan Dolphins will only grow and grow, and we will stop the killing, that I guarantee.

Thank you so much Ric for doing what is right instead of what is easy.  Share your opinions on the Japan dolphin slaughter, or dolphin killing of any sort world-wide by leaving a comment below.

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Austin Plumber First to Go Green?

If you live in Austin, you can now say that your toilet is going green... certifiably!

Not Your Common Plumbing (NYC Plumbing), owned by Mike Marugo, a master plumber who moved from New York to Austin several years ago, has become the first and currently, only Austin plumbing company to be certified as a Green Plumber by GreenPlumbers USA.

“It sure would have been a whole lot easier just to put the word “green” in everything, but I felt it important to be certified and licensed by the recognized organization in the industry,” says Mike Marugo.

How can a plumber go green?

A green plumber is one who is certified as participating in sustainable practices related to the plumbing field. Mike Marugo received this certification by performing his job in such a way that it saves his clients water and energy, and by successfully completing the required certification courses. It’s not always easy to get this certification requiring hours of training. These classes are on the following topics: climate care, water care, solar hot water, efficient technology, and inspections.

“I did wonder going through this if it was worth it, but given the general mindset in a city like Austin who loves going green as much as possible and the City of Austin’s goal of reducing how much water is used per person, I was convinced that being certified as a green plumber in Austin would give my clients peace of mind that I could help them save money over time,” said Mike Marugo.

With the recent droughts in the past few years, its been even more pressing to reduce Austin’s water usage. According to the City’s estimates, Austin water usage is 170 gallon per day per person. They want to reduce usage to 140 gallons per day per person. And with the average monthly water bill in Austin being approx $67 and water rates set to increase in the near future, saving water is becoming a smart money saver too. Initiatives to replace water-wasting toilets with reduced water toilets are still available. More information about Austin’s first and only green plumber can be found on his website http://www.nycplumbingonline.com.

Its a great time to call 512-647-6431 because until September 30, 2010 Not Your Common Plumbing is offering a reduced installation rate for Austinites taking advantage of the city’s homeowner rebate program for water saving toilets.

— WebWireID122106 —

This was a press release I found through webwire.  For more information, contact Not Your Common Plumbing directly.  It sounds like they have some pretty awesome deals going on right now, so if you need plumbing work done, you may want to contact them.  Any comments about plumbing going green in Austin, have your say below.

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Palfridge Ltd. has developed an Eco-friendly refrigeration solution

Blueprints for the new eco-friendly solar refrigerators manufactured by Palfridge, LTD.

Leverkusen/Manzini, August 2010 – Swaziland in southern Africa is one of the world’s poorest countries. Its inhabitants live widely dispersed in villages and have to grow their own food. Temperatures are high and food goes off quickly because electricity is not widely available and, consequently, communal refrigerating appliances can only be used to a limited extent.

Palfridge Ltd., a leading manufacturer of refrigerating appliances in southern Africa based in Swaziland, has developed an eco-friendly refrigeration solution. The company manufactures appliances with very thick-walled insulation made of rigid polyurethane foam based on raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience. Thanks to its outstanding insulating properties, rigid polyurethane foam is used in most refrigerating appliances worldwide. ‘Polyurethane insulation has therefore contributed significantly to reducing the energy consumption of refrigerators from 1950 to 2005 by 65 percent’, says Robbie Buchanan, an expert for polyurethane insulation at Bayer MaterialScience in South Africa.

The Palfridge appliances have an insulating layer 10 centimeters thick, which keeps the contents cool for up to five days without electricity – even at external temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius.

Some of the company’s product lines are also equipped with two 90 Watt solar modules, which are a great help in powering refrigeration appliances in hot countries. ‘Thanks to these and other measures to boost efficiency, our appliances consume substantially less energy than conventional refrigerators,’ reveals Mr. Roy Singh, Technical Director at Palfridge.

Long-term refrigeration of both food and medicines is essential to many people’s survival in Swaziland. More than 25 percent of the population is HIV positive – one of the highest rates anywhere in the world – and therefore dependent on drugs that need to be stored in a cool place, as do drugs to treat malaria.

Only recently, Palfridge was the first company in Africa to switch its entire production to Eco-friendly refrigerants in the form of hydrocarbons. ‘This enabled emissions of gases containing fluorine to be reduced by a total of 29,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. In addition to improving conditions for the people, these measures also make a small contribution to climate protection,’ continues Roy Singh. The project was financed under the Proklima program of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2009 sales of EUR 7.5 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 14,300 people at the end of 2009. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

Find more information at www.bayermaterialscience.com, www.climate.bayer.com, www.palfridge.com and www.gtz.de/proklima.

— WebWireID121947 —

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Green Leafy Veggies: The Diabetes Killer?

If you have a family history or feel you are at high risk for developing diabetes, green vegetables might be the key.  Nancy Walsh of MedPage Today just released an article about a study recently concluded that was funded by the

Green leafy vegetables (like brussel sprouts here) are fantastic for reducing your risk of diabetes.

Cardiovascular Research Department of the University of Leicester.  The study concluded by stating that certain green vegetables reduce the risk of diabetes, a disease that is really becoming something of an epidemic in many 1st world countries (especially the US).

It has been known for a long time that diet greatly influences how vulnerable you are to diabetes, but until now many studies only told you what not to eat to lower your risk.  This is one of the first studies I have seen that tells us what we CAN eat to reduce our risk.

Now, keep in mind that even though this article is placed in our organic living category, the study doesn’t mention anything in particular regarding organic foods.  I do want to mention however that organic foods are proven to be higher in many essential vitamins and minerals, including anti-oxidants.  They also are grown without pesticides and herbicides, many of which are know to cause a wide variety of diseases.

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Here is what Nancy had to say:

Reducing Your Risk For Diabetes With Green Vegetables

Increasing the daily intake of green leafy vegetables could significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, a British meta-analysis found.

Consuming 1.35 servings of these vegetables per day was associated with a 14% reduction in risk compared with consuming only 0.2 servings (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.96, P=0.01), according to Patrice Carter, a PhD student at the University of Leicester, and colleagues.

A trend also was seen suggesting a benefit for consuming greater quantities of fruits and vegetables overall, although this was not statistically significant, the researchers reported online in BMJ.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has been rising dramatically during the past two decades, with diet being a major contributor, but evidence thus far has been conflicting as to whether increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables would have an impact.

To sort through this evidence, Carter and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, identifying six studies that met their inclusion criteria.

The studies included a combined population of 223,512 subjects who were 30 to 74 years of age.

Length of the studies ranged from 4.6 to 23 years.

Comparisons of the lowest versus highest intake of fruit and vegetables found these hazard ratios for type 2 diabetes:

• Vegetables only, HR 0.91 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.09, P=0.32)
• Fruit only, HR 0.93 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.01, P=0.27)
• Fruit and vegetables overall, HR 1 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.09, P=0.97)

The researchers found considerable heterogeneity between the studies, so they carried out a sensitivity analysis, examining multiple factors that could be sources of bias.

They found no influence of study location, despite one study’s having been conducted in China, where the traditional diet is high in fruit and vegetables.

They also found no significant interaction for sex, although only two of the studies included men.

Heterogeneity also could result from differences in food group classifications, with some studies defining green leafy vegetables as lettuce, spinach, and kale, while others included Chinese greens.

The researchers pointed out that the food group of green leafy vegetables actually includes brassicas, such as cabbage and cauliflower, Compositae such as lettuce, and herbs such as parsley and dill.

They listed possible reasons why fruit and vegetables might help prevent chronic disease, among them the antioxidant effects of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and polyphenols, as well as the magnesium and polyunsaturated fatty acid content.

However, they noted that the benefits of these compounds are likely to result from consumption in foods rather than as dietary supplements, with disappointing results having been seen in earlier trials of supplements for disease prevention.

The importance of overall nutrition was echoed in an editorial by Jim Mann, PhD, of the University of Otago, in Dunedin, New Zealand, and Dagfinn Aune, BSc, of Imperial College in London, that accompanied the meta-analysis.

“Although some studies have shown associations between individual vegetables and fruits and coronary heart disease, stroke, and some cancers (for example, allium vegetables and stomach and colorectal cancer, tomatoes and prostate cancer), most current recommendations focus on food groups as a whole rather than magic bullets,” they wrote.

The editorialists noted that although it may be “reasonable” to draw attention to the potential benefits of green leafy vegetables, the more important message is for increasing fruit and vegetable intake overall.

“The findings are also a useful reminder to clinicians that giving dietary advice may be just as beneficial, if not more so, than prescribing drugs to patients at risk of chronic disease,” wrote Mann and Aune.

The authors of the meta-analysis pointed out certain limitations to their study, including potential publication bias and the possibility that some trials may not have adequately controlled for other relevant factors such as physical activity.

Thank you Nancy for making this information so readily accessible.  Diabetes affects us all in one way or another.  Hopefully people will heed this advice and eat their veggies!  So remember, reduce your risk of diabetes and eat your green vegetables!

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I got this great message the other day from Márcia Gomes de Oliveira, the director of the Uranium film festival of Rio de Janeiro.  I learned a bit about the role of nuclear power in South America, amongst other things, and I thought you all might appreciate the Eco-info.  Here’s what Marcia had to say…

Please note that the following copy is an email sent to us and contains information that may not reflect the views of the staff at greenmi.net.  The author can answer any questions you need and her email address can be found at the bottom of the post.

Uranium film festival of Rio de Janeiro Info

“We are seeking support for the first Uranium Film Festival of Rio de Janeiro - scheduled for the end of May 2011. For the first time in history Brazilians will be able to see international Anti-Nuclear-Documentaries in cinema. The film and video festival “Urânio em Movi(e)mento – 1st International World Uranium Film Festival Rio de Janeiro 2011” will help to bring the Uranium- and Nuclear Question into the national and international public. Actual Brazil and all South America experiences a new boom of nuclear energy and uranium mining projects, without any important movement against it. Because the population is not yet well informed about the radioactive nuclear risks. Today the Brazilian government is building the third nuclear power plant in Rio de Janeiro, Angra 3, and the first nuclear submarine of Latin America – everything with the help of France and the well-known AREVA.  Also the government is planning the next nuclear power plants number 4 and 5 in the Northeast of Brazil and new uranium mines are planned also. Today Brazil has an abandoned uranium mine in Minas Gerais, since 2000 an operating uranium mine in Bahia and soon a new uranium mine in Ceará. Beside of all that Brazil created strategic nuclear partnerships not only with Argentine, but especially with South Africa and India.

So it is important to inform the public. In a democracy only “we the people” can change things and can stop nuclear power plants, nuclear submarines or uranium mining. Only people who are well informed about the nuclear risks are willing to stop it, so the uranium question is first at all an information question.

Until today most of the documentaries about uranium and the nuclear risks are mainly in English, German or French – but not in Portuguese. So the second advantage of  the Uranium Film Festival project is to subtitle the films to create the so called Yellow Archive. Yellow is the colour of Uranium and for that a symbol for the whole nuclear industry. The Yellow Archive will be the first-ever film library in Brazil and Latin America dedicated to environmental films about the whole nuclear fuel chain organized by the Uranio em Movi(e)mento Festival. Believing that awareness is the first step in making positive changes to better our environment, the Yellow Archive hopes to increase public awareness. The DVDs will be used for non-profit, educational and research purposes. Especially schools, universities, environmental groups and other grass root movements will have access to the Yellow Archive.

Concerns regarding nuclear power and Uranium mining in Brazil have created a need for the first Uranium Film Festival taking place in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. Image courtesy of http://www.freewebs.com/leichik/science.htm

We think the Urânio em Movi(e)mento Festival is very important not only for Brazil, Latin America and other Portuguese speaking countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. The event in Rio de Janeiro also will help to bring the Uranium-Question into the international public world-wide. Rio de Janeiro is not only the real centre of the nuclear industry of Brazil and Latin America. Rio will be the centre of the next soccer world cup and the city of the next Olympic games and so the world is watching! And we should not forget that the important UNCED 1992 happened in Rio! And May 2012 when the “Rio+20 Earth Summit” proposed by President Lula will happen, Rio de Janeiro will be again in the focus of the environmental world and hopefully we will have parallel of that global event our second International World Uranium Film Festival Rio de Janeiro.

So please support our project!
It is not much we need.
But it will make a difference!

The organizers are Márcia Gomes de Oliveira, Norbert G. Suchanek and other concerned citizens of Brazil. The film festival Urânio em Movi(e)mento will happen in May 2011, 21th until 28th.

Email-contact: Marcia.Gomes@online.de

Does anyone else have any information about the Uranium film festival of Rio de Janeiro they would like to share?

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I love straw bale compost bins!

As you may have read in my previous composting post, compost made simple, I have used several different methods to create compost.

My favorite method uses an extremely low-cost resource that your compost needs anyway: straw bales.

Buy some straw bales from the local market or feed store, we can use them to make a highly efficient straw bale compost bin.  In case you don’t have any straw bales laying around, they are very cheap and a great resource that you should invest in anyway.  Here is how I utilize the straw to fashion a simple straw bale compost bin.

Creating Your Straw Bale Compost Bin

Straw bale compost bins do a great job of retaining both moisture and heat.

So here’s what you do…

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A straw bale compost bin holds the compost very well and also helps retain heat and moisture, all while adding valuable brown matter to your heap.  Layer your yard waste and table scraps with soil within the straw bale compost bin.  In time, the bales will decompose along with your kitchen and yard waste; perfect to include in your new straw bale compost system made from new bales.  Whenever you have new organic waste to add, simply add it to the top of the pile, mother nature does the rest.

Simple Composting With Straw Bales

How you mix your compost is an important factor as well, you will get better results if you utilize some very basic components into your pile.

You should always include fresh green matter, dried brown organic materials such as leaves, and soil.

The green matter should be the fresh waste from your garden, flowerbeds, or home.  Brown matter includes any older and dead garden waste, paper products, sawdust, or old leaves.

Be sure to layer these materials with soil, or feel free to add manure or older compost in place of soil to give your compost an extra boost by increasing the quantity of microorganisms and worms to the mix.  I like to layer the manure over the top of the heap to keep critters out.

Creating compost with these three organic resources in equilibrium is the ideal way to fashion nutrient loaded compost to put your gardens in balance.  Keeping the pile moist is the next step.

Keeping the pile nice and damp is as crucial for success as it is necessary to keep the smell depressed.  The moisture is fantastic for keeping the pile odor free and quickly starts a feeding frenzy for many little micro-organisms that break down the heap.

By keeping a warm and moist compost heap, bacteria and worms will break down your organic waste into exceptionally effective fertilizer.  Luckily for you, the straw bale compost method keeps your pile warm and moist with minimal work.

Keeping your pile in a location where you can capitalize on the heat from the sun is also necessary for the straw bale method to work.

The straw bale composting method works so well because it naturally retains the heat and kicks your efforts into overdrive.  Remember, you can’t compost unless you give micro-organisms the environment they crave!

Following these simple steps will produce high potency fertilizer that your garden will thank you for, all from straw bale compost.

If you have any straw bale compost stories of your own, let us know by leaving a comment below!

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Earlier today, the AP reported some very encouraging news in the field of alternative energy.  Apparently Las Vegas schools are making the transition to solar power, helping to salvage some of the 65 million dollars the schools spend annually on energy.  This is a brilliant move in my opinion, as it looks like the Las Vegas Schools’ solar power switch will give them fantastic tax rebates.  They also look to cash in on rebates to get the Vegas solar power system up and running, something all businesses should take a que from.

Here is the original story released:

Switch to Solar Power For Las Vegas Schools

Rooftop solar panels (not in Las Vegas), but you still get the idea

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The cash-strapped Clark County school district is hoping a $4 million investment in rooftop solar panels for up to 20 campuses will produce power and cut costs.

Associate facilities superintendent Paul Gerner says the photovoltaic systems could provide 25 percent of the schools’ power and save $190,000 a year.

But officials aren’t counting on energy savings to pay startup costs.

Instead, they expect to receive $1.4 million in federal stimulus funding and $1.2 million in one-time rebates from NV Energy once the first five schools are outfitted.

The NV Energy rebate pays $5 per photovoltaic watt of power, so that if 20 schools hook up solar power systems, the district could get rebates of up to $5 million.

The district currently spends about $65 million on electricity a year.

Julianne Thomas of the News Radio KXNT blog also gave a little more insight into this initiative:

The Clark County Las Vegas Schools Solar Power Initiative

Efforts are being made to help the Clark County School District save money. The “Review-Journal” says the district plans to invest four million dollars on rooftop solar panels for up to 20 schools. CCSD Associate superintendent Paul Gerner estimates the systems could provide about 25-percent of the schools’ power, while saving the school district about 190-thousand dollars a year over the next 20 years. The school district says it wants to have the 20 schools outfitted with solar power by November.

Paul Gerner and the Clark County School System should be applauded.  This move not only will save them money, but reduces their reliance on fossil fuels.  More businesses need to look to Las Vegas and their solar power initiative as a model of change.

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I was on Facebook the other day when a friend came to me with the proposition of a new Hydrogen Hybrid Fuel Propulsion System. The system is called Proyecto Sophia (Project Sophia) and it seems  that this system has a real chance to make a fantastically positive change in the world of alternative energy.  Hydrogen fuel has been a hot topic as of late and it is good to see people making strides in order to make this alternative fuel a reality.  Not only is hydrogen fuel sustainable, it has the potential to be highly effective, with little to almost no carbon offset.  This is the proposal that they sent us…

Update: 7-12-10

After speaking with our alternative fuels resource consultant.  He informed us that this is based on a very old idea that did not work at it’s inception.  The basis of this theory relies on the the mistaken assumption that cars generate excess electricity via their alternators that normally goes to waste and therefore is available for electrolysis. The amount of force required to turn an alternator or generator depends strictly on the electrical resistance of the circuits it is supplying, and residual heat lost due to friction. If an electrolysis unit is added to a car, the amperage it draws from the car’s electrical system will make the alternator harder to turn, which will put additional drag on the engine. As a result more fuel will be required to maintain the same rotational speed (RPM.)

Since we have not seen a demonstration, we have no way of verifying or denying that their idea is different or functional.  The idea is old, not their particular model.

Please note that we have not yet seen a demonstration.  They are willing to give a demonstration to those that show a genuine interest in purchasing their system.  This is not an endorsement of the project, we simply want to get the word out to those who may be interested in this technology.  The original Spanish proposal is below, the rough translation into English is just below that.

PROYECTO SOPHIA

CORDOBA  2010

CHBV

PROYECTO SOPHIA

(SISTEMA  DE PROPULSION HIBRIDA)

The Proyecto Sophia team at work on their hydrogen fuel system

El termino propulsión híbrida es utilizado para referirse a vehículos con mas de una fuente de propulsión.  Los sistemas híbridos pueden incorporar varios tipos de acumuladores de energía y/o conversores de energía.

El objetivo del desarrollo de las tecnologías híbridas es combinar dos fuentes de energía de manera que las cualidades de cada sistema sean utilizadas bajo condiciones de generación variables, de tal forma que las ventajas globales del desarrollo del sistema híbrido pesen mas que el costo de su configuración.

En plena búsqueda de un mejor medio ambiente y de preservar al máximo los recursos naturales, como así también disminuir los peligrosos niveles de contaminación ambiental, los precios en progresivo aumento y la dependencia de otros países, a hecho despertar a nivel mundial la necesidad de buscar una salida alternativa  destinada a la sustitución de  los combustibles fósiles (hidrocarburos y sus derivados), que a su vez pertenecen al grupo de no renovables y que en relación de sus reservas producen grandes alteraciones económicas en el mundo.

En este sentido de Hidrógeno se perfila como una de las nuevas fuentes de combustibles renovables y tal vez el de mayor importancia.  Su elevada eficiencia energética y el hecho de que en su producción y uso no se emitan contaminantes a la atmósfera, lo convierten en uno de  los combustibles del futuro.

FUNDAMENTOS DEL HIDROGENO GASEOSO

La realización de instalaciones de hidrogeno fiables y seguras requiere del conocimiento de sus

Proyecto Sophia Team showing off their work

propiedades físicas y de su comportamiento frente a los riesgos intrínsecos que posee cualquier instalación de combustibles además de conocer los principios generales de seguridad y de cómo debe usarse el hidrogeno de forma segura, es muy importante reconocer las propiedades del hidrogeno y los peligros asociados para diseñar instalaciones y proyectos seguros sobre todo en lo que se refiere con los nuevos usos del hidrogeno.  Las propiedades del hidrogeno relacionadas con la seguridad y su contribución a los posibles peligros potenciales es el punto de partida de la seguridad en los diseños, la manipulación y el uso del hidrogeno en cualquier instalación.

Pagina  1 / 4

PROPIEDADES DEL HIDROGENO GASEOSO

Las propiedades físicas y químicas de los combustibles gaseosos como el metano, propano e hidrogeno son bastante diferentes de los combustibles líquidos mas comúnmente usados como la gasolina.

.El hidrogeno o es ni mas ni menos peligroso en si que la gasolina, el propano o el metano.  La contribución potencial de una propiedad en particular del hidrogeno a un peligro determinado depende fuertemente de las condiciones especificas bajo las cuales el hidrogeno es liberado y/o confinado.

Las propiedades más importantes del hidrogeno relativas a la seguridad se resumen en los siguientes puntos:

Ø Densidad; es el mas ligero de los elementos.

Ø Densidad respecto al aire: el hidrogeno gaseoso a temperatura ambiente tiene mucha menos densidad que el aire.

Ø Difusión: aunque el transporte de gas por difusión es mucho menor que el debido a la diferencia de densidad con el aire, el hidrogeno se difunde en el aire mucho mas de prisa que otros gases combustibles.

Ø Color, olor, gusto y toxicidad: el hidrogeno como el metano y propano es incoloro, inodoro e insípido y no toxico.

Ø Inflamabilidad y características de la llama: el hidrogeno es inflamable en el aire en un amplio rango de concentraciones y arde, en ausencia de impurezas, con una llama casi invisible.

Ø Energía de ignición: el hidrogeno puede entrar en ignición con una cantidad de energía muy pequeña.

Ø Limites de detonación: el hidrogeno puede detonar en un rango de concentración bastante amplio cuando esta confinado, pero es muy difícil que detone en espacios abiertos.

Ø Velocidad de llama: el hidrogeno, para concentraciones medias, tiene una velocidad de llama mayor que otros combustibles.

Ø Temperatura de ignición: el hidrogeno tiene mayor temperatura de ignición que los combustibles comunes.

Si bien el hidrogeno se caracteriza por ser elemento mas abundante en la tierra y en la atmósfera, se lo encuentra siempre asociado por lo que es necesario un proceso para su obtención.

The members of Project Sophia with their hydrogen hybrid test engine

Este proceso ha sido y es el escollo mas importante que afrontan los investigadores en razón del alto consumo energético (4 KWh x m3 H2) que conlleva el mismo, elevando costos, desvirtuando un uso generalizado y masivo.

Es en este sentido en que se pone en marcha el “PROYECTO SOPHIA”que apunta principalmente a la obtención de dicho gas partiendo de una fuente de 12 volt y 110 A, produciendo el mismo “in situ” sin almacenaje, proporcionando la cantidad suficiente y necesaria de acuerdo al requerimiento del motor y/o dispositivo  que se desee poner en marcha.

Pagina  2- 4

Como materia prima para la obtención de Hidrogeno podemos citar fundamentalmente:

• · Agua
• · Biomasa
• · Hidrocarburos

El agua es la fuente  de mayor disponibilidad y no produce emisiones conteniendo carbono. Se considera que la obtención de Hidrogeno libre, en el mediano y largo plazo, para uso generalizado, en especial en sistemas distribuidores de energía, provendrá a partir del agua * “EL AGUA SERA EL CARBON DEL FUTURO”* ( Julio Verne).

La descomposición del agua en oxigeno gaseoso e Hidrogeno gaseoso, uno y dos volúmenes respectivamente, puede llevarse a cabo a diferentes temperaturas y empleando diversos electrolitos. Podemos agrupar los métodos de la siguiente manera:

Electrolisis alcalina. Temperatura 80 a 110 grados centígrados

¿ Que es el *PROYECTO SOPHIA*?

Responde a una inquietud nacida en  l989, al observar la implementación de numerosos sistemas economizadores de variados diseños y contenido.  Funcionaban a base de agua, alcohol, gas oil, etc.  Decidimos incursionar en ese campo y lo hicimos con base de agua con previo tratamiento electrolítico.  Los resultados fueron sorprendentes, en el primer ensayo superamos el 60% de economía, de allí en adelante comenzó un desarrollo y estudio del sistema a fin de optimizar el mismo y comprobar en forma practica que rango de economía se podía lograr , fue así que a mediados de l991 logramos registrar una economía del 70%.  A partir de ese momento el proyecto se transformo en algo más ambicioso y apuntamos a reemplazar totalmente la gasolina por el H2 producido a bordo, siempre tratando el vehículo como híbrido.  Luego de varios meses de experimentación, problemas económicos, agravados por el robo de parte de los equipos, se abandono el proyecto por mas de un lustro, regresando a trabajar sobre el mismo en 1996, desde allí hasta la fecha, con

altibajos y recesos se fue desarrollando un método que hoy permite su implementación con ECONOMIZADOR, asegurando un rango superior al 90% de economía en el uso de gasolina y, como HIBRIDO  Y/O  DUAL, a partir de una ignición con gasolina por un espacio de tres a cinco minutos, permite pasar al sistema de inyección de H2 y continuar de esta manera.

Tendiendo a evitar totalmente el uso de cualquier tipo de gasolina incluida en  la ignición.

Este sistema se diseña en forma específica y exclusiva para el motor al que se aplicara, cubriendo de esta manera el rango de combustible necesario para su óptimo funcionamiento.

Pagina 3 – 4

Como apretada síntesis podemos decir que la síntesis previa, describe el sistema convertidor y su funcionamiento, hasta el momento los motores funcionan como híbridos mejoran la potencia en un 30 % son mas serenos y estables, tienen mas aceleración y menor temperatura interna lo cual favorece la lubricación y fundamentalmente NO EMITE GASES TOXICOS O CONTAMINANTES Liberando VAPOR DE AGUA COMO UNICO RESIDUO.

La creciente contaminación, el agotamiento de los recursos no renovables, la constante alza de precios, generan una economía totalmente dependiente, llevan a la necesidad de contar con otros combustibles alternativos.  En esta realidad surge el PROYECTO SOPHIA, como una alternativa válida que cubre todos los requerimientos de manera amplia y contribuye a mantener más limpio el planeta.

Las posibilidades de SOPHIA en expansión en su versión híbrida produce un ahorro en el uso del petróleo y sus derivados de un 90% , muy por encima de cualquier sistema que en este momento este en funcionamiento y aplicándose, con los beneficios de la baja contaminación, en sus versiones de H2 (sistema en desarrollo), no produce contaminación, solo emite vapor de agua por el escape, el costo de mantenimiento es ínfimo y sencillo, al trabajar con un propelente limpio el motor cambia su ritmo desarrollando mayor potencia y optimizando su rendimiento en todos sus aspectos.

SITUACION ACTUAL DEL PROYECTO

Se ha terminado y se encuentra funcionando un prototipo del proyecto, a través del mismo se ha podido comprobar y alcanzar los objetivos propuestos con total éxito.

Si es de su interés cuando lo soliciten le podemos hacer una demostración sobre el funcionamiento del mismo solicitándole que concurran a la misma con una pistola o equipo analizador de gases de escape para así  poder comprobar in situ que,  lo hemos logrado,  porque podrán comprobar que el único residuo que se genera con el motor en marcha es  vapor de agua.

Nos gustaría como primera medida que Uds. participen de la demostración, para luego realizar una reunión para hablar del futuro del proyecto.

Sabemos de la importancia que el proyecto tiene desde el punto de vista de la conservación del medio  ambiente, de la escasez de recursos petroleros  etc. etc. ,  por todo lo que Sophia representa quedando a su entera disposición para evacuarles cualquier duda que tengan  agradeciéndoles  desde ya su atención los saluda muy atte. .

Below is the rough English translation.

PROYECTO SOPHIA

HYDROGEN FUEL HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

The hydrogen fuel propulsion hybrid term is used to concern about vehicles whit more than one source of propulsion. The hybrid systems can incorporate several tips of energy accumulators and/or energy convertors.

The target of the development of the hybrid technologies is to combined two energy sources so the qualities of each system can be used under variables generation conditions.

Looking for a better environment, maximum preservation of natural resources, decreasing the environmental pollution as well as the progressive increase of the prices, and the dependency to other countries has awakened every entity around the world about search an alternative solution to the fossil fuel situation (hydrocarbons and it’s derivatives) that also represents the none renewable group and that in relationship with the reserve produces huge alteration of World economy.

In this sense hydrogen is seen as one of the new renewable fuel sources and perhaps the most important.

Its high energy efficiency and the fact that its production and use does not emit pollutants into the atmosphere, makes it one of the fuels of the future.

FUNDAMENTALS OF HYDROGEN GAS

The performance of hydrogen installations requires reliable and secure understanding of their physical properties and their response to the inherent risks that any installation of fuel. It also has to know the general principles of safety and how to use hydrogen safely is very important to recognize the properties of hydrogen and the dangers associated to design safer facilities and projects especially in regard to new uses of hydrogen. The properties of hydrogen-security and its contribution to potential hazards is the starting point of safety in design, handling and use of hydrogen in any facility

PROPERTIES OF HYDROGEN GAS

The physical and chemical properties of gaseous fuels such as methane, propane and hydrogen are quite different from the more commonly used liquid fuels like gasoline.

The hydrogen is neither more nor less dangerous than the gasoline, propane or methane. The potential contribution of a particular property of hydrogen to a particular hazard depends strongly on the specific conditions under which hydrogen fuel is released and / or confined.

The most important properties of hydrogen on safety are summarized in the following points:

•           Density; is the lightest of the elements.

•           Density relative to air: hydrogen gas at room temperature is much less dense than air.

•           Dissemination: Although gas transport by diffusion is much smaller than that due to the difference in air density, hydrogen diffuses into the air much more quickly than other fuel gases.

•           Color, smell, taste and toxicity: hydrogen fuel, methane, and propane are colorless, odorless, tasteless and non toxic.

•           Flammability and characteristics of the flame: hydrogen is flammable in air in a wide range of concentrations and burns, in the absence of impurities, with an almost invisible flame.

•           Ignition energy: hydrogen can ignite a very small amount of energy.

•           Detonation limits: hydrogen can detonate in a fairly wide concentration range when it’s confined, but it is very difficult to detonate in open spaces.

•           Flame Speed: hydrogen, for average concentrations, has a higher flame speed than other fuels.

•           Ignition temperature: hydrogen has a higher ignition temperature of common fuels.

While hydrogen is characterized being the most abundant element on earth and in the atmosphere, it is always find associated so is necessary a process for obtaining it.

This process has been and is the most important obstacle faced by researchers because of the high energy consumption (4 KWh x m3 H2) that carries the one, raising costs, detracting from a widespread and massive use.

It is in this sense that triggers the “PROYECTO SOPHIA” aimed primarily at obtaining this gas from a source of 12 volt and 110 A, producing it “in situ” without storage, providing adequate and necessary amount according to the requirement of the engine and / or device you wish to launch.

Pagina  2/ 5

As feedstock for Hydrogen production can mainly include:

•        Water

•        Biomass

•        Hydrocarbons

Water is the most widely available source and produces no emissions containing carbon. It is considered that generation of free hydrogen in the medium and long term, for widespread use, especially in power distribution systems, will come from water * “THE WATER WILL BE THE FUTURE OF CARBON * (Jules Verne).

The splitting of water into oxygen gas and hydrogen gas, one and two volumes respectively, can be carried out at different temperatures and using various electrolytes. Methods can be grouped as follows:

Alkaline electrolysis: Temperature 80 a 110 Celsius degrees

What is the *PROYECTO SOPHIA*?

Project Sophia responds to a concern born in l989, when looking at the implementation of many different designs-saving systems and content. It operates through water, alcohol, gas oil, etc. We decided to venture into this field and we did prior water-based electrolytic treatment. The results were surprising, in the first test exceeded 60% of economy, thereafter began a study of the system development and to optimize it and check in a range of economic practice that could be achieved, it was like that mid-l991 we recorded a 70% economy. From that moment the project has turned into something more ambitious and aim to completely replace gasoline with H2 produced on board, always trying the vehicle as a hybrid. After several months of experimentation, economic problems, aggravated by the theft of the equipment, the project was abandoned for over five years, returning to work on it in 1996, from there to date, with

breaks ups and downs and was developing a method that today allows its implementation with ECONOMIZER, ensuring a range greater than 90% economy in the use of gasoline and as HYBRID AND / OR DUAL, from ignition with gasoline by a space three to five minutes, lets move on to the H2 injection system and continue in this way. .

Tending to avoid the use of any fuel included in the ignition.

This system is designed specifically and exclusively for the engine to which it applies, thus covering the range of fuel needed for optimal functioning.

As a brief summary we can say that the previous synthesis, describes the drive system and its operation, so far as hybrid engines work improve power by 30% are more calm and stable, have more acceleration and a lower temperature which favors lubrication and essentially EMITS NO TOXIC FUMES OR POLLUTANTS released WATER VAPOR AS THE ONLY WASTE.

Increasing pollution, depletion of nonrenewable resources, the continued rise in prices, generating an economy totally dependent, leads to the need for alternative fuels. In this situation arises SOPHIA PROJECT, as a valid alternative that covers all requirements in a comprehensive manner and helps keep the planet cleaner.

The potential for expanding SOPHIA a hybrid version a saving in the use of petroleum and petroleum products 90%, well above any system currently in use and apply, with the benefits of low pollution in their versions of H2 (development system), produces no pollution, only emits water vapor from the exhaust, the maintenance cost is very small and simple, when working with a clean propellant motor changes its pace to develop more power and optimizing performance in all its aspects.

Hydrogen Propulsion PROJECT STATUS

Has been completed and is operating a prototype of the project, through it has been verified and achieve the objectives with total success.

If your interest on this project, we can do a demonstration on the operation when you’d like to. We will request you to bring a gun or equipment exhaust gas analyzer so you can verify in situ that we have succeeded, and see that the only waste that is generated by the engine is water vapor.

We would like as a first step that you participate in the demonstration, and then hold a meeting to discuss the future of the project.

We know the importance that the project is from the point of view of environmental conservation, shortage of petroleum resources and so on. etc., for all that Sophia represents remaining at your disposal to answer any questions you have thanking you for your attention

Contact us by e-mail: sophiaproyecto@gmail.com

hydrogen hybrid propulsion as utilized by Project Sophia

Project Sophia provided this simplified sketch to help explain the process of utilizing hydrogen as fuel in their hydrogen propulsion system.

The hydrogen fuel system proposed by the innovators at Project Sophia can be seen demonstrated if you contact them at the email address provided above.

If you have thoughts regarding hydrogen fuels or hydrogen hybrid fuel systems, leave a comment below…

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This article is titled Compost Made Simple for a reason:: because it is!!!

Why is composting so simple?  What most people don’t tell you is that composting of organic materials happens naturally in your compost pile, regardless of how much attention or care you put in.

With the proper mixture of water, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, microorganisms are allowed to break down organic matter to produce compost.  There are so many ways to create compost and compost piles, anyone who says there is only one way to do things is not being straight with you.  Each gardener has his and her own ways of creating fertile compost to add to their garden.  Here are some super-simple ways to create the nutrient rich compost you and your garden desire.

Simple Compost Pile:: Compost Made Simple Method 1

The compost pile is not only simple, but effective as well

Throwing your organic waste into a pile is the first compost made simple method.  Don’t worry about building a bin or container; just throw everything into a heap.  In your heap you can include all of your yard waste including plants, leaves, grass clippings, and pulled weeds.  After you have formed this base feel free to include kitchen scraps including old fruit and vegetables, egg shells, paper towels and newspapers, but never include dairy or meats.  All you need after this is patience.  Compost will begin to form at the bottom of the pile.  As decomposition takes effect, bacteria and worms will make their way up from the bottom and after a while, the top of the pile will begin to compost.

Simple Shovel Compost:: Compost Made Simple Method 2

The shovel method is also a great way to create compost.  If you have only a small amount of kitchen waste, this may be the method for you.  Find a spot in your yard you think needs enriching and dig a hole.  Into this hole you can put your kitchen scraps and chop them up with the shovel, covering them as you go.  In time, these scraps will become compost, without any extra work on your part.  Feel free to do this with your garden beds as well and next year you will have much richer soil.

Simple Straw Bale Compost:: Compost Made Easy Method 3

Straw bale compost is simple, effective, and sustainable.

I love this system so much, I went ahead and wrote a related post on how to do it.  Check out the straw bale compost post when you get the chance.  Here’s the jist…

If you have any straw bales lying around, you can use them to make a highly effective compost bin.  Stack the bales 2 high on three sides, making a simple enclosure so that you can store your waste.  Ten bales should do the trick.  Straw bales are great not only for holding the waste, but also retaining moisture and heat, speeding up the process.  Layer your yard waste and table scraps with soil within the bales.  In time, the bales will decompose along with your kitchen and yard waste; perfect to include in your new straw bale system made from new bales.

In all of these methods, the ingredients and how they mix are of the utmost importance.  You should always include fresh green matter, dried brown organic matter such as leaves, and soil.  Green matter should include grass clippings, kitchen scraps, weeds, or flowers.  The dried brown matter includes sawdust, newspaper, paper towels, or leaves.  In place of soil, feel free to add manure or old compost to give your compost an extra boost by increasing the amount of microorganisms and worms to the mix.

Creating compost with these three organic materials in balance is a sure-fire way to create nutrient rich compost to put your garden in equilibrium.  Follow the tips here in compost made simple, and you can’t lose!

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Texas Green Party Sways Right?

- Wayne Slater of The Dallas Morning News reports the Texas League of Conservation Voters have refused to endorse the Texas Green Party candidates in favor of Democrat Bill White.  Apparently, Texas Republicans funneled over half a million dollars through a Missouri corporation to get Green Party Texas on the ballot in an attempt to draw votes from White and secure the position for current Republican Governor Rick Perry.

David Weinberg, spokesman for The Texas League of Conservation Voters, stated that the Texas Green Party was wrong to accept help from the Republicans both in funding the operation and in accepting petitions gathered on their behalf by the right wingers.

How else could the Texas Green Party get on the ballot?

Picture of Kat Swift, the Texas Green Party Coordinator, ready to disembark for Austin on her invisible jet.

According to Slater, Kat Swift, the Texas Green Party state coordinator said that without the outside help, they had no shot of getting on the ballot.  Libertarians blame election laws for making it difficult for a third party to get on the ballot.

Here is the story as it appeared in The Dallas Morning News:

A leading state environmental group says it can’t support Texas Green Party candidates because the Greens used out-of-state corporate money to get on the Texas ballot. The Republican effort to put the Greens on the ballot could help Gov. Rick Perry by pulling votes from Democrat Bill White. The head of the Texas League of Conservation Voters says in a letter to party leaders that his group normally would share the Green Party’s pro-environmental agenda. But David Weinberg says the Greens were wrong to accept petitions gathered at the behest of Republican operatives and funded with $532,000 funneled through a Missouri-based corporation. The source of the funding remains a mystery.

“Texas has suffered for 10 years from having a governor who has put polluters before people and is in the pocket of big oil and big coal,” Weinberg said in his letter. “We believe that the best option for moving Texas forward in 2010 rests with candidate Bill White, who showed extraordinary leadership as mayor of Houston in cleaning up Houston’s air.” The Supreme Court is expected to rule this week on whether the Green Party candidates can be on the ballot in November.

Perry spokesman Mark Miner defended the governor’s environmental record. And he noted that White’s mayoral political committee last August gave $25,000 to the Texas League of Conservation Voters, which the group said it used for a membership drive.

Meanwhile, the Texas Libertarian Party said the real problem is the state’s election laws, which make it difficult for a third-party to get on the ballot. Green Party state coordinator Kat Swift says her party couldn’t have gotten on the fall ballot without the outside help. In a statement, Libertarian Party chair Pat Dixon scolded both Republicans and Democrats – the GOP for trying to manipulate the election using anonymous money and Democrats for trying to keep the Greens off the ballot.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think!!!

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Tea tree oil uses are vast and varied.

All About: Tea Tree Oil

This cure-all is coveted the world over for its broad uses from acne and sinus infections to disinfecting the home and getting rid of mold.  Below I will go through where tea tree oil is from, how it is used, and how to use it effectively.

With such a wide variety of applications, it’s no wonder that this oil is such a highly touted therapeutic remedy.

Click here to skip directly to tea tree oil Uses

• How is tea tree oil Made?
• History Of Tea Tree Oil
  • Tea Tree Oil In WWII
  • Modern History
• Uses of Tea Tree Oil
  • Tea Tree Oil For Acne
  • Is Tea Tree Oil an Antifungal?
  • Tea Tree Oil: The All Natural Antiseptic
    • Nail Fungus Remedy
    • Yeast Infection Remedy
• Treat Mold With Tea Tree Oil
• Tea Tree Oil Is a Powerful Cleanser
• Curtailing Body Odor

Tea Tree Oil Info

How Is Tea Tree Oil Made?

Tea tree oil as a finished product is derived from the essential oil steam distilled from the Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia (native to Australia and to Northern New South Wales).  The leaves are boiled and the steam is collected, distilled, and bottled. The best extract is usually clear to very pale golden in color and it exudes a fresh, camphor-like scent.

History Of Tea Tree Oil

In 1770, Captain James Cook (of the British ship H.M.S. Endeavor) landed at Botany Bay, Australia – near where Sydney is now. From there, he traveled north through the coastal regions of New South Wales. During this trek, he and his crew noticed the massive groves of trees thick with sticky, aromatic leaves.

The local natives told him about the healing powers of these trees. For many years, the natives had been using the leaves to treat cuts and wounds. Crushed leaves were applied directly to an injury, then held in place with a mud pack. This poultice helped fight infection in the wound.

This new found knowledge struck a cord with Captain Cook. Australia was originally an English penal colony and such a distance from Her Majesty’s Crown meant limited access to traditional medicines. Captain Cook and his men were grateful to the local natives (Aborigines) for showing them the uses for the Tea Tree, primarily the oil from its leaves.

Tea tree oil‘s effects as a natural medicine quickly spread amongst those that settled Australia in the 19th century.

Little did the early inhabitants of Austrailia know that 150 years later, the antimicrobial properties of Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) as it was called by Captain Cook, would be verified by the scientific community and its oil sold as a medicinal treatment for cuts, burns, bites, and a host of skin ailments in millions of stores worldwide.
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Modern History of Tea Tree Oil

Scientist Arthur Penfold is credited for quantifying the benefits of Tea tree oil.  Dr. Penfold noted that the “Tea Tree” is quite common in the North Coast district of New South Wales and that the oil from the crushed leaves yielded an oil of pale lemon tint with a pleasant odor.  This oil was successfully used by the native peoples as a non-poisonous, non irritating antiseptic of unusual strength.

The scientific breakthrough of the plant’s virtues came in 1923 when Penfold tested the oil of the tea tree and determined its antiseptic potency was roughly 12 times stronger than the most popular antiseptic at the time, carbolic acid. Penfold’s conclusions were confirmed extensively in clinical trials and the results published in the distinguished scientific journals of the day.  It wasn’t long before medical professionals and housewives alike began stocking their medicine cabinets with tea tree oil to have on hand for a wide variety of ailments.
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Tea Tree Oil In WWII

During World War II, an outbreak of foot-fungus hospitalized hundreds of Australian soldiers. None of the “modern” ointments, lotions and medicines would work to stop this outbreak. One day, a medic who was an aborigine from Australia, remembered about the Tea Tree and got some of the oil.

Soon Australian soldiers were issued tea tree oil in their first aid kits. The troops were staunch advocates of the oil’s insect repellent and anti-fungal properties. At the same time back in Australia, it was being utilized in a wide spectrum of home products such as shampoo, toothpaste, and other products to combat body odor, boils, acne and head lice.
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Uses for Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil from Desert Essence

As we have alluded to so far,  people over the years have discovered many, many uses for Tea Tree Oil.

Here are some of the best uses we have found…

Tea Tree Oil For Acne

Tea tree oil contains a constituent called terpinen-4-ol that is thought to be responsible for most of it’s antimicrobial properties. Because it is an anti-bacterial, applying topically to acne lesions has been thought to kill Propionibacterium acnes, the skin-dwelling bacteria that is involved in causing acne.
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How Does Tea Tree Oil Stack Up Against Other Treatments?

Although the oil has been a popular home remedy for acne, there has only been one older scientific study on tea tree oil and acne that we have been able to find.

A single-blind randomized trial by the Department of Dermatology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia compared the effectiveness and tolerance of 5% tea tree oil gel with 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion in 124 people with mild to moderate acne. People in both groups had a significant reduction in inflamed and non-inflamed acne lesions over the three month period, although tea tree oil was less effective than it’s counterpart.

Although the oil took longer to work initially, there were fewer side effects. In the benzoyl peroxide group, 79% of people had side effects including itching, stinging, burning, and dryness. Researchers noted that there were far fewer side effects in the group utilizing the all-natural gel.
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Should Undiluted Tea Tree Oil be Applied to Acne Lesions?

The undiluted oil has been known on occasion to cause skin irritation, redness, blistering, over-drying, and itching when applied directly to the skin for prolonged periods.

The concentration used in the only study to date was a 5% tea tree oil gel, which was applied to acne prone areas.

A 5%  solution can be made by mixing 1 parts tea tree oil to 20 parts water.
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What About Commercial Tea Tree Oil Acne Products?

There are a number of new topical acne products that contain tea tree oil. Have a look at the skin care aisle of the health food store. The company Kiss My Face just introduced a new topical gel that also has other herbal antiseptics, such as witch hazel, that may also be effective against acne.

Another place to look would be the drug store or a cosmetics store such as Sephora.  DDF has a benzoyl peroxide gel with tea tree oil that has consistently received high ratings from consumers.
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Is Tea Tree Oil an Anti-fungal?

If you didn’t catch on after we explored its resurrection in World War II, the answer, my friend, is a resounding…YES! It is a natural anti-fungal, though there are different ways to use it for different fungal infections. Here is a quick guide…

Treatment For Nail Fungus

Treating a nail fungus with tea tree oil will require one or two drops once a day until your nail starts to clear up.  Be sure your nail is clean and dry before administering the essential oil, as any water left on or around your nail may prevent the oil from getting into the nail and reduce its effectiveness. It can produce some mild skin irritation in an area that is already having problems. You can dilute the oil with a drop of olive oil to reduce the concentration being applied to your nail, if a full drop undiluted is too strong. Some experimentation may be necessary so don’t hesitate to slightly vary the concoction as no identical treatment will work for everyone.
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Treatment For Yeast Infections

Tea Tree oil is also an effective remedy for yeast infections.  Direct application should always be diluted, especially to our most sensitive areas. Being such a strong antiseptic, it may cause irritation for some women. If you notice any discomfort, rinse the area with lots of plain water and discontinue use.

For primarily external vaginal irritation, women can put a few drops of oil into a lukewarm sitz bath. For internal irritation or more persistent infections, treatment can either be completed using pre-sold Tea Tree oil suppositories or you can make your own using a few drops of oil in a suitable applicator covered with a vaginal lubricant such as K-Y jelly.  As we mentioned earlier, some people find that the oil can cause stinging on contact so use only a few drops diluted with additional K-Y if you feel it is necessary. Please make sure to check with your health care provider before beginning any new treatment.
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Tea Tree Oil: The All Natural Antiseptic

It has been known for thousands of years among aboriginal peoples that pure tea tree oil is awesome for cuts and burns.

You need to be sure to test if you have a reaction first though!

Apply just a touch to the underside of your wrist or the back of your leg and wait a couple of hours.  This is a great litmus test to see if you have an allergic reaction.  If after a few hours you do not notice a reaction, most likely you are good to apply a few drops to your cut, scrape, or burn.

If you do notice a rash or any other irregularity form, consult a dermatologist to find out why. Don’t wait to see what happens, do not try another dose, seek help!  Reactions are not to be taken lightly!
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Tea Tree Oil Cures Lice!

Head lice are hard enough on a kid, and pesticide shampoos may be off limits if your child has allergies or health problems. Sensory issues or skin sensitivity may also cut down on your de-lousing options.

The oil from the tea tree is a natural solution that drives lice away if you’ve got ‘em and keeps them away before you do. This is a fantastic alternative to all those chemical products on the market.

You may be able to find tea tree oil shampoo, or at least small bottles of the oil to drop into your child’s shampoo. Just a few drops added to a small to medium sized bottle of baby shampoo is all you need.  Desert Essence is a reliable brand which is available in both shampoo and oil.  After you add it, make certain you shake it up to mix it well!

Keep in mind that although tea tree oil is natural, that doesn’t automatically make it safe or the right choice for your family. It can cause skin rashes in those prone to allergies, and it can be toxic if ingested. Be sure to keep it out of your child’s reach and use it in reasonable quantities. However, if your child’s particular special needs make some of the pesticide shampoos a dangerous choice, this may be the best option.
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Treat Mold With Tea Tree Oil

Treating mold the all-natural way is simple and effective with the essential oil of the tea tree.  Simply add 2 tablespoons of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake it up.  This mixture works great to clean:

• Shower curtains
• Drains
• Tile
• Moldy ceilings
• Mold on wood

It’s important to note PLEASE that over time, tea tree oil will damage hardwood floors and cabinets, so use the following recipe sparingly and with great care. To treat mold in wood, mix 14 ounces of water with 1 ounce of Murphy’s oil soap and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Use an old spray bottle that has been cleaned thoroughly, and then mark the outside of the spray bottle so you know what it is for future use.

A few drops of oil in your humidifier can also sanitize the air inside your home.  If you notice an excess in the airborne contaminants in your home, including mold, this will work wonders for you!
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Tea Tree Oil Is a Powerful Cleanser and Disinfectant

In addition to getting rid of mold, the essential oil of the tea tree is a great household disinfectant.  It’s an excellent Eco-friendly option for all of you looking for easy, green ways to clean your home. Simply add a couple teaspoons of the oil to a couple cups of water and you have a powerful disinfecting cleanser.  Some items you can disinfect with this mixture include:

• The kitchen counter
• Door handles
• Bannisters
• The refrigerator
• The oven
• Porcelain
• Heavily used internal or external fixtures

Simply spray the cleaning solution on any surface where you would use traditional cleaning solution. Spray it on dirty car seats and high chairs and wipe them down. This helps to sanitize your child’s sitting and eating areas without using harsh chemicals that might do more harm than good. Be sure to let the solution dry completely before placing your child in the seats.

Try mixing the tea tree oil solution with kosher salt to scrub soap scum off of shower doors and bathtubs. The salt acts as an abrasive and cleaning aid alongside the cleansing properties of the oil. Rinse thoroughly and wear gloves.

Use the solution to wipe down surfaces in high-mold or high-humidity areas, such as bathrooms. Tea tree oil is a natural fungus fighter remember, and works great to combat mold and mildew. If you encounter large amounts of mold, or black mold, however, call a mold-removal specialist.

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Curtail Body Odor

Have issues with body odor?  Contrary to what most people think, body odor is not caused by sweat, it is caused by bacteria.  As a natural antiseptic, tea tree oil can be used to help curtail unwanted odor.  There are a couple of  ways to utilize the oil:

1. Apply a couple tablespoons of the essential oil to your bathwater.
2. Dilute a few drops of oil into a bowl of water and splash it under your armpits and any other area you are noticing unpleasant or embarrasing odor.

Tea tree oil has a rich history and a wide variety of uses, and we only scratched the surface!  Stay tuned to this article as we will update it regularly to keep up to date.  Don’t forget to leave a comment related to tea tree oil and thanks for stopping by!

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The purpose of recycling 101 is to show all of you holdouts out there how simple it is to recycle, even if your schedule is booked 24 hours a day and you have no prior knowledge of the 3 R’s.

So without further adieu…

Welcome to recycling 101!

From what I have seen, most people want to help the planet and start recycling.  Although more and more Americans are looking to help the environment by recycling, many have no idea where to  begin.  A lack of knowledge about the process of recycling alongside the notion that it is time-consuming contribute to the fact that many citizens don’t bother recycling.

It’s too bad that these misconceptions exist. In most communities, it is all too simple and cost effective to recycle anymore. I have compiled a few simple and effective ideas below on how to recycle… enjoy.

10 Tips To Help Your Recycling Efforts

Try these recycling tips to simplify your efforts

1. Set a convenient place aside to store and sort your recyclables.  Think about it, if you keep your recycling storage bin far away from your kitchen, are you as inclined to recycle?  Hell no, they are going to pile up until you are sick of seeing them.  Then you’re going to throw them away.  You know it…I know it.
2. Sort recyclables daily.  If you stay on top of it, it will only take a couple of minutes a day instead of an hour or two the night before trash day.  Most communities do not even require you to sort your recyclables anymore.  Just throw them in the bin and off you go!
3. You no longer have to rinse our cans and remove bottle labels.  Save yourself some time and throw them into their respective containers as is.
4. Use rechargeable batteries.  Seriously, you can go through hundreds of batteries, or 1 set of rechargeable’s.  I think the choice here is clear.
5. If you have tons of grocery store plastic bags like I do, you can take them back to the grocery store.  They will take them off your hands and recycle them.
6. One of the best ways to recycle is to cut down on the trash you take on in the first place.  Junk mail is one of those sources.  To opt out, go to opt-out.cdt.org.
7. Buy recycled products.  This is one of the best ways to remove tree and plastic byproducts from the waste stream.
8. Start a compost pile.  This is one of the greenest things you can do…period.   Think about it, you can utilize your organic waste and turn it into fertilizer!  This one is a no brainer.
9. When you get a new cellphone, recycle your old one.   Just google “cellphone recycling”, you will find a wide variety of options.
10. Consider donating items you don’t want.  To make your items reusable in a lot of ways is better than recycling.  They have a place with someone who will actually put it to use.  Plus, you cut down on all the fossil fuels burned by conventional recycling.

These are just a few tips that I plan to add to continually.  These are just the basics, hence the title; Recycling 101″! For more info on polystyrene recycling, check out our previous post.

Congrats!  You just passed recycling 101

If you have more info that could be added to recycling 101, leave a comment and have a green day!

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If you own a green home, rest assured that air conditioning is absolutely possible (it can even happen with renewable energy!).

Greenies with green homes have debated this issue extensively, and for good reason.  Traditional air conditioning sucks resources and is one of the biggest earth killers this planet has ever seen.  Without a doubt the best way to save energy on air conditioning is to either destroy it or never turn it on.  Unfortunately, this is just not practical for everyone; especially if you live in arid climates.  If you don’t believe me, try living in Tucson Arizona in August with just a box fan and a swamp cooler.  As green as you want your home to be, you will suffer!

No question the history of air conditioning has been anything but green. Some units use earth damaging chemicals and consume enormous amounts energy for what it does, needless to say they are not terribly efficient. Even units labeled “energy efficient” in use today still use tons of energy, causing enormous electricity bills and consuming fossil fuels in the process. Are there systems available that use no damaging chemicals and are truly high efficiency? The answer is… absolutely.

Size Does Matters

The first thing you need to consider when designing an air conditioning system for your green home is the size of the AC unit. Air conditioning systems should be sized correctly for the home that needs to be cooled.  Be certain to consider the number of rooms, the location of the house, the flora and fauna surrounding the home, the number of windows currently installed (as well as any that might be installed in the future), the floor plan of the house, and the square footage. It should not be too big or too small. Too big is a waste of resources and too small a system is a wasted investment.  Lastly, take a look at the renewable resources we can use to accomplish this.

Cooling from the Earth With Geo-Thermal Units

For the home to be truly green, renewable resources must be considered. One of the best renewable resources is called geothermal. Geo thermal units are great because they both heat and cool your home by utilizing the stable core temperature of the depth of the earth.  Have you ever noticed that most caves are the same temperature (around 55F) all year? We can use this constant temperature of the earth to cool air for air conditioning, making it a truly green home.

To execute geothermal cooling, water (or other liquid, depending on the contractors preference) is forced through a pipe buried at a certain depth under the ground (again, the depth varies depending on several factors). The liquid is cooled to the temperature of the earth that surrounds the pipe. Fans then force air to pass over the tube and the warm room air is transferred to the water (or other liquid) in the tube, transferring the hot air from the home back into the earth below. The heated water is then pushed back though the tube and the heat is transferred into the ground effectively cooling the liquid to 55 degrees.  The process then begins all over again and there it is; you have a green solution to heating your home in the winter and cooling it in the summer.

Geo-Thermal Units Are Clean and Efficient

Using Geo-thermal air conditioning is clean, quiet, and is quite simply better for the planet. Another great benefit is that there is a reduction in the amount of dust and allergens as many systems do not force air throughout the home like traditional air conditioners.

This system uses much less energy to create cool air for the home than conventional air conditioning and is much better for the environment. This system can also be used to heat the home. The cost of the system and the depth to which the tubes must be buried depends on the part of the world in which you live. Either way, geothermal energy systems are hands down the most Eco-friendly way to heat and cool your home.

If you have anything to add about your green home or geothermal systems, leave a comment and make your voice heard!

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You have probably already guessed, I am a huge fan of organic foods.

Organic foods are not only better for the ecosystem, but are better for your body as well.

Organic farms and gardens to not rely on harmful pesticides and herbicides;  so not only is the food quality better, the ecosystem around the garden or farm is healthier.

Oh, and sorry to get away from the Gulf oil spill, but I needed a break!  I was getting a bit depressed by that whole fiasco.

1. Non organic foods have less nutritional value.

Organic foods have many benefits; both ecologically and physiologically

It is no secret that most of the food we buy from the grocery store is processed. It is processed in industrial factories and subject to chemical and heat processors.
These processes wipe out the largest part of the vitamins, minerals and fiber in our food.
The vitamins and minerals that are left over after this processing are not sufficient, so our body takes essential nutrients from several of the body’s organs such as  the liver or the brain to make up for what we don’t get out of processed foods.

Stealing nutrients in this way from organs of the body leads to the acceleration of disease and old age. Eating organic foods ensures you obtain all of the vitamins your body needs that your food has to offer.

2. Organic foods contain no pesticides.

Most non-organic foods cultivation uses more than 400 chemicals, and on occasion the same harvest goes through several sprayings with dozens of different pesticides.

One category of chemicals known to harm the body commonly found in non-organic produce are called Phosphates. These chemicals are proven to harm fertility in men and is associated not only with chronic fatigue syndrome, but Parkinson’s disease as well.

For a farm to be certified organic, the use of pesticides and herbicides is strictly forbidden, making these foods much safer and healthier than non-organic foods. Eating organic foods help reduce the amount of of pesticides in our bodies significantly, so yesterday was a great time to start the organic foods detox!

3.  Organic produce does not contain artificial coloring.

The food industry uses artificial coloring to make the food look fresher and give it a more alluring look. Synthetic food coloring can cause different side-effects, ranging from milder to more serious ones. An illustration of this is a material marked on several food packaging – E102.

You can mostly locate it in noodles, crackers, beverages, and several other food stuffs. It has been associated with allergic reactions, headaches, asthma and hyperactivity in children.  Eating organic foods will eliminate artificial coloring from your diet.

4. Organic farms do not utilize genetic engineering.

Eating organic does not contain genetically engineered products.  You have probably heard quite a bit about genetic engineering lately as it has come under quite a bit of scrutiny.

Foods that have been genetically engineered are proven to be lower in nutritional value.  This is not to say that organic produce does not have non-organic roots!  Farms certified organic simply have proven that their soil is free of pesticides and herbicides.

They have also proven that they do not currently utilize chemicals.  Do your homework on each particular farm if you want to take an organic lifestyle seriously.

5. Organic foods do not contain antibiotics.

The World Health Organization (WHO) prohibits the use of antibiotics in organic meat. This is because recently there has been worry that antibiotic residues are carried to your dinner plate in meat and dairy products. This is discerning, because antibiotics may perhaps cause a person to be unaffected by to antibiotics, and in consequence reduce its effectiveness in treating human diseases (the WHO reported this concern back in 1997).

6. Eating organic foods takes care of the environment and is more humane to animals.

Pesticides not only leave residues of toxins in our own bodies, the earth around the farms, and our underground water systems, but also within the bodies of animals. Eating organic foods, which do not contain pesticides, integrates with nature and organic growing methods do not spoil nature – but instead contribute to it. The Animals in the surrounding micro-ecosystem are able to prosper in a natural method that best suit the best needs of the earth and the surrounding habitat.

These are only 6 of the many truths about eating organic foods.  We hope this makes your research a little easier.

Don’t forget to leave a comment pertaining to organic foods!

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Polystyrene Info (Also Known As Styrofoam)

Ban polystyrene! There is absolutely no reason to keep producing Styrofoam and polystyrene cups and plates. We need to ban this harmful substance and keep it away from our food and drink!

Polystyrene foam is everywhere.  You and I both see it each and every day in a multitude of different uses; most of which in my opinion are outdated and tragic.  There are just as many reasons to ban this substance as there are uses for it.

It is used in building materials, packaging, disposable cups, food trays, and because of it’s flammability (it uses benzene in it’s production) it is used in weapons of mass destruction such as hydrogen bombs and napalm.  Because of the benzene, this particular form of plastic is a carcinogenic and causes massive amounts of air pollution during both the manufacturing process and when it is burned after it is used.

Now, all Styrofoam is polystyrene; but not all polystyrene is Styrofoam.  Styrofoam is a particular form of polystyrene foam and is a trademark of the Dow chemical company.

Polystyrene environmental concerns

One of the horrible things about Polystyrene foam is that it takes hundreds of years to break down naturally.  Animals have also been known to eat the foam and it causes them to starve by blocking their digestive tract.  It is an increasingly prolific pollutant in our waterways as well, as you can see in the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch.

I am pretty shocked that in this day and age we allow food products to be stored in and on this toxic petroleum based substance at all.  A couple dozen cities in the US have lead the way to ban the substance, though we still lag behind countries such as China who have banned it outright.  In China, they have moved on to use more Eco-friendly alternatives such as sugar cane pulp, a trend I hope to see here in North America.

Unfortunately for us and our ecosystem, many recycling programs don’t accept polystyrene. One reason for this is that it takes up a lot of room in storage given it’s bulky nature.

It is highly unlikely that the manufacturing and use of this toxic substance will be discontinued for a long time to come given it’s relatively cheap price to purchase and manufacture.  Although we can do our best to buy products that do not utilize the foam, we need to deal with the substance that is currently taking up our landfill space and polluting our waterways.

Burning polystyrene is bad news

Many people still burn the substance to be rid of it and this is bad news.  Many people think that because chloro-fluoro hydrocarbons were eliminated from the manufacturing process of polystyrene foam it is safe to burn.  They are wrong.

Styrene gas is emitted when burned which is known to affect the human nervous system (along with other animal species I am sure).  It also emits a black, sooty smoke, indicating that it does not burn away completely.  This means that a toxic array of chemicals is released into the air affecting the surrounding ecosystem negatively.  Scary stuff considering a backyard pit burns at relatively low temperatures.

Keeping polystyrene out of the waste stream

In my eyes, polystyrene recycling is at a critical junction here in the US.  Our country uses tons of polystyrene and Styrofoam every month and recycling programs fro it are difficult to come by.  A pound of polystyrene recycled is a pound of new polystyrene that doesn’t have to be created.

Currently, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging is being recycled yearly at a rate of around 10-12% here in the United States.  This means that around 90% of the Styrofoam and polystyrene we use is thrown into landfills and waterways.  There is a simple way to find out how to recycle polystyrene though…

…just go to http://earth911.com/recycling/plastic/number-6-plastic-polystyrene/ and type in your zip code.  The closest polystyrene recycling centers to your home will come up in the search results!

If you have any tips or ideas about recycling Styrofoam or polystyrene foam, leave a comment below.

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The website I saw earlier today really made the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico hit home…literally.

I was in the middle of writing a new post about potatoes (I just recently planted my first crop…hooray!) when I got an email that made me stop short. It was from my brother in law, Dr. Tom Pine, and the link he shared with me in that email made me stop short, drop what I was doing, and create this video.

The oil spill hit home…visually

The site I was directed to was http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/.  The video below will show you what I found.  Enjoy…

Pretty compelling site, isn’t it?  Go check it out for yourself, I think it will move you as it did me.

Look for my post about my recent potato planting escapade, it will be finished by tomorrow.  In the meantime…

Leave a comment and share your thoughts about how the oil spill hits home for you.

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The oil spill and the slick it is causing is not getting any better any time soon.  In fact, projections indicate that it is getting worse even faster than previously expected.

I came across a series of videos on the NCAR website that was both impressive and disturbing.   According to the National Center for atmospheric research, it is a matter of days before the oil slick created by the blown pipe in the Gulf of Mexico makes it’s way around the tip of Florida.  Unnamed scientists for the NCAR have stated that some of the oil has already been caught up in a fast moving current called the “Loop Current”.

The slick originates in an area that is relatively calm, though it is very close to the Loop Current.  The Loop Current is an enormous flow of warmer water that is prominent in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.  The significance of the Loop Current is that it connects the Yucatan current with the Atlantic Gulf Stream.

Scientists estimate that once the oil slick hits the Loop Current, the contaminants will be able to travel up to 40 miles in a single day…

…but that’s not the worst of it.  Once the oil slick enters the Atlantic Gulf Stream, it will have the ability to travel nearly 100 miles in a single day!  That’s 3,000 miles per month!

Some reports estimate that the spill will not be capped until August, giving the predictions below plenty of time to create the worst case scenario…

…awesome.

Oil spill slick movement projections

I will be writing more as this fiasco continues.  In the meantime, my heart and thoughts go out to those volunteers and residence currently in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast working to clean up what BP and Halliburton seem to refuse to.

Latest Gulf Oil Spill News:

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Leave a comment if you are as outraged, concerned, or have any insight as to what can be done to make these heartless oil and construction companies step things up!!!

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Update:  I moved the soap nuts natural shampoo recipe.  Click here if you are looking for the soap nut shampoo recipe!

Feel free to click on the sections below to look up specific information and uses of Soap Nuts to save yourself some time.  There are several more recipe’s and uses that I did not have time to cover, so check back as we will be writing several more articles about Soap nuts and soapberries.

Soap Nuts Basics

• Soap nuts: The All Natural Detergent
• Washing Laundry With Soap Nuts

Soap Nuts: The All Natural Detergent

Soap Nuts Are A Fantastic All Natural Detergent

Why people insist upon using artificial cleansers at the rate they do is beyond me.  Chemical cleansers have been known to cause air pollution in the manufacturing process as well as pollute waterways and groundwater after they are flushed down our drain.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with using chemical cleansers in moderation.  They do serve a useful purpose at times.  Here is a little more info about a more natural way to clean almost everything you use in your home.

Soap nuts, also known as soapberries, have been used as a natural detergent and cleanser for thousands of years.  Soap nuts come from the fruit of around a dozen species of trees of the sapindus genus.  These trees are indigenous to Asia and parts of north and central America. The one most widely sought after for its cleansing attributes is known as the Soap Nut Tree (also known as the Chinese Soapberry).

A picture of chinese soapberries. These are some of the most common soapnuts on the market and can be used for many cleaning purposes. They have been used for several thousand years by people the world over for many, many uses. The original picture is from

A Soap nut is a small (just under an inch in diameter) yellow-brown fruit that contain a black seed. The shells around the fruit contain a chemical called saponin.  Saponin dissolves in water to form a froth that has the ability to lift grime and dirt by dissolving fats and oil .  Soapnuts are also great to use in your greywater pit or blackwater  system, so if sustainable living is your passion then you may find many uses for soapnuts.  Simply put the soapberries into your greywater pit and pour your dirty water over them.

If you plan to use soapnuts in grey or blackwater recycling systems, I would recommend that you purchase the whole nuts and pour your greywater over them.  For almost every other use I have found, purchasing the powder would probably be your best bet.  If you are using soapnuts as a cleanser, it takes time to grind the shell yourself.  You will get more use out of the powder and save yourself a ton of time.  If you are so inclined, you can use a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle to make the powder on your own.

Now, for all the great things soap nuts can do, they have been known to have a negative impact in waterways when overused.  Soapberries were once used by ancient peoples the world over to stun fish so that they float to the surface, making them easier to collect.  So if you use them in large amounts or high concentration, do not pour the concentrated extract directly into lakes or streams.

Here is the scientific name breakdown for the soapberry I found on http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SAPIN

Here are some great places to find soapberries:

I plan to write a series on the uses of the soapnut, so stay tuned to learn how this great natural cleanser can help you reduce your chemical output.

Washing Laundry With Soap Nuts

Using soap nuts to wash clothes is one of the more popular uses of this green wonder-nut.

A few soapberry shells in a cotton bag can replace your average laundry detergent.  2-3 teaspoons of soapnut powder poured directly into your washing machine will also do the trick.  A few shells in a cotton or mesh bag will generally last for 3-4 washes.

Soapnuts are also free of synthetic fragrances, yet another benefit soapnuts have over chemical detergents.  The shells are also fantastic organic matter to add to your compost pile once the saponin levels have been used up.  Soap nuts are still utilized abundantly in many countries for cleansing wool clothes and delicate fabrics and materials.

Using soapnuts to do your laundry can also save you cash!  You can typically expect to save up to 50% as opposed to your average chemical laden detergent.

Keep in mind that although soapberries are good for washing normal loads, soapnuts are not ideal for stubborn stains like red wine, blood, ink, etc. Also remember that warmer water is needed to release the saponin from the shell.  The higher the water  temperature, the more saponin is released throughout the washing process.

If you need to wash your laundry in cold water, try adding extra soapnuts to the bag.  You could also soak the bag with the soapnuts in some hot water for a few minutes, then throw the bag along with the water into the washing machine.  If you do utilize this method, let the water sit for a few minutes to cool before you add your cold water laundry.  If you throw those clothes into the hot water, that will defeat the whole purpose!

Another great aspect about soap nuts is that they are low sudsing, meaning they work very well with high-efficiency and front loading wash machines.

Share Your Soap Nuts Experiences

If you have experience with soap nuts, let us know by leaving a comment below!

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Recycling polystyrene can be a difficult proposition depending on where you live. Most neighborhood recycling programs don’t take this material and if they do, they place restrictions on what and how they will accept this egregious material.

Here is the latest information I have compiled on recycling the most Eco-unfriendly of materials.  (Can you tell that I hate Styrofoam?)

Update:  The info below is a constantly updated rss feed that sometimes displays links that simply contain the words polystyrene and recycling, but do not specifically have to do with recycling polystyrene.  This is occasional and sporatic, but inevitable.  Bear with us, we are working to rectify this but it is the best way to get you the most recent news in the industry.  Cheers and enjoy…

Information on Polystyrene Recycling

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Maintaining a compost heap can save your community money and resources, and composting gives you great fertilizer!

Most people who have gardens and yards generally have a large amount of organic waste.  This waste comes in a variety of forms be it grass clippings, leaves, or flower and vegetable waste.

Literally tons of money and time is wasted transporting this valuable compost to the dump. It’s not just a waste of potential fertilizer; it wastes a ton of money in transportation and maintenance costs alone…

…it’s really kinda disgusting if you think about it.

This organic waste, when composted and utilized properly, will do more good for your yard than any fertilizer or chemical. By properly overseeing the decomposition of your household organic waste in a compost pile, it will alter at the chemical level and produce fantastic fertilizer for your yard and garden. Therefore…

…all of the waste you have been throwing away can be used as fertilizer!

Usually people think of a compost heap and a nightmarish scenario enters their heads; piles and piles of decaying garbage emitting a disturbing smell.

However, when you maintain your compost pile correctly you will be able to create fantastic fertilizer without the horrendous odor.

I  began my compost pile for environmental reasons, and did I ever make some serious mistakes! I kept my compost heap too dry and without proper aeration, both bad mistakes if you are trying to keep the smell down.

My heap ended up producing an odor so foul that I had my neighbors knocking at my door. Not to mention the process simply never worked out.  Here are some tips to avoid this unpleasantness…

When you are looking around your yard for a place to start your compost heap, look in areas where you can spread the pile out.  Look for square footage where it will be unobtrusive and where you can properly spread out your future fertilizer. 

Having a really deep pile of compost is not a good idea because the more you aerate the pile, the better the process works.  It is much easier to spread the pile out over an large area than dig through a high pile of compost.

Your shed or tool shack roof can be a perfect place to store your compost. Many of my friends have used this method and it is a great way to keep the pile out of the way while still maintaining a large area to spread the compost material.

In your heap you can include almost any organic material from your kitchen, yard, and garden. This includes leaves, grass, most leftover food that you cannot otherwise use, or newspaper (though only 1/5 of your pile should include processed paper products.  You need a good balance of ingredients to make good compost, so be sure to mix in leaves and grass clippings with everything else).  It is generally not a good idea to include dairy products or non-organic waste.

Once you have begun to collect a good assortment of waste in your compost heap, it is very important to keep the pile moist. This, along with heat and aeration, encourages the breakdown of waste into compost.

For the best results, chop up everything that goes into your pile as fine as possible. The waste will start to compress once the composting process begins, so remember to aerate the pile or all will be lost!

I use a shovel or a pitchfork to mix everything up every few days, but using an aeration tool to poke tiny holes into the heap works just as well. Oxygen is required for decomposition, and aerating your compost pile is possible the best thing you can do for your future fertilizer.

If maintaining a compost pile sounds interesting to you, start at step one and figure out where you want to keep it. The most difficult part for me was figuring out where I would put it so that it got plenty of sunlight, was easy to water, and gave me the square footage necessary to do this properly.

If you found this helpful or would like to add anything, please leave a comment below!

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