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Adding a little message can make a difference

Lots of people are adding a little line at the end of the their email messages that do make a difference. They say something like:

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I like this one I received recently:

WWOOF around the world

WWOOF is a world-wide network that helps people share more sustainable ways of living. It's an exchange program -- if you volunteer, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodations and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. You'll work on organic farms and such, working a set number of hours, helping your hosts.

There are over 50 countries involved. If this is for you, check out: http://wwoof.org/

Tesla's new electric car, highly desirable

When you build a car that's electric, you start with one built-in advantage: Electric cars just don't have to be as complex mechanically as the car you're probably driving now. Sophisticated electronics and software take the place of the pounds and pounds of machinery required to introduce a spark and ignite the fuel that powers an internal combustion engine. So says the Tesla Motors website.

Tesla is at the forefront of electric cars. Their elegantly designed Roadster is the first production high-performance electric car. Unlike some electric models that offer a gasoline option, this car only operates on electricity. Designers claim it can go 221 miles in mixed city/highway driving on a full battery charge.

If it was a high rise, they would all be for it

Florida Power & Light (FPL), this week, agreed to reduce their nine new wind turbines down to six after the residents of St. Lucie County fought the plan to have three placed in state-owned Blind Creek Park. FPL will now place the turbines around the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant on Hutchinson Island, land that FPL owns.

“What we've heard consistently from the residents and commissioners of St. Lucie County is that they share our commitment to renewable energy but don't want to use public lands for wind turbines,” said Eric Silagy, vice president of development for FPL, in a statement. “We hope that by removing this obstacle we can continue progress on a project that helps meet the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and St. Lucie County's goal of becoming a renewable energy leader.”

Sometimes NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) gets a little weird. I'm not sure how the turbines would be hurting anyone and it's a shame that we need to move into the future with two steps forward and one step back, but six is better than nothing.

Arnold prefers black pavement to green

Looks like developers got to the Governator. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger fired his own brother in law, Bobby Shriver and actor-director Clint Eastwood, both on a California state parks commission because they were against the Governor's disgraceful plan to add a toll road through a state park.

"I had hoped to continue to do this work and continue to protect the park system from developers," Shriver said. "It shows you how strong these developers were that were able to arm-wrestle the governor into firing us."

Shriver, the commission chairman, and Eastwood, the vice chairman, led the panel in its unanimous opposition in 2005 to a six-lane toll road that would cut through San Onofre State Beach, one of Southern California's most cherished surfing beaches.

Shriver and Eastwood supported a 2006 lawsuit to block the toll road and urged the California Coastal Commission to reject the project, which it did last month. That decision is being appealed by local transportation agencies.

Pepsi Center makes its environment better

Denver's 19,000-seat Pepsi Center is making an effort to help the environment. They added giant air circulating fans in the roof which should help air conditioning circulation and even added a new Zamboni that cleans the hockey rink's ice.

"There's a significant challenge in retrofitting a building this large, but these are the right things to do for the environment," Kroenke Sports vice president of venue operations Dave Jolette said. "Even though this building is less than a decade old, it needed some large scale modifications to get things started."

The Pepsi Center is home to NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche, NLL Colorado Mammoth and AFL Colorado Crush. The arena hosts more than 200 sporting events and concerts a year and is the site of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

The arena's engineering crew found ways to conserve energy, recycle materials and reduce the building's carbon footprint. Pepsi Center became the first sports venue to join the Environmental Protection Agency's "Climate Leaders" program, an industry-government partnership that works to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a company-wide basis to develop comprehensive climate change strategies.

Alas, if only they could do something about the hot air, sure to be filling the arena at the presidental convention.

How do you recycle in an large building?

How do you recycle when you live in an apartment or condo? Do you lug the bottles and jars and newspapers down to the trash? Do you wait until they build up and bring a bunch at once?

What is the most convenient way? People don't like recycling in large buildings because it is so difficult. It seems like it's so easy to just throw everything down the garbage chute.

Starbucks Foundation donates to water fund

The Starbucks Foundation is making two new grant commitments to help support water, sanitation and hygiene education programs in water-stressed African communities.

CARE and Project Concern International will each receive $1 million from the foundation’s Ethos Water Fund over a three year period. Collectively, the organizations' efforts are expected to benefit an estimated 54,000 people who currently lack access to clean water and sanitation services.

Kenya animal killing continue

According to National Geographic, at least three lions and up to four elephants were killed near Kenya's Amboseli National Park in recent weeks.

Maasai tribesmen use spearing to kill elephants in the area. Poor farmers resent the animals who threaten their livestock and feel they are there to "entertain" tourists and serve no other purpose.

Garden Crusader Awards

Gardener's Supply Company donates 8% of their company profits to programs and organizations that are using gardening to improve the world.

Their Garden Crusader Awards honor people who are creating gardens that provide fresh food, revivie urban areas, birng neighbors together and spark postitive change in their communities.

Twenty one new award winners are chosen each year. Do you know a Garden Crusader? You can nominate them here.

Join the world for "Earth Hour 2008"

On March 31, 2007, 2.2 million people at 2100 businesses in Sydney Australia turned off their lights for one hour -- Earth Hour.

If the greenhouse reduction achieved in the Sydney central business district during Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.

On Saturday, March 29, 2008, millions of people around the world will turn off the lights for one hour to make a bold statement about climate change.Check out www.earthhour.org and register yourself, your business, school or organization and help raise awareness about global warming while there is still time.

Captain could be fined and jailed for oil spill

Capt. John Costa, the pilot of the ship that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into San Francisco bay last November could face up to 18 months in jail and more than $100,00 in fines if he is convicted.
Story here.

Nordstrom's new recycled bags, boxes

Nordstrom is going green next month by changing over their gift boxes and shopping bags (and even tissue paper) to 100% recycled material. They are also introducing reusable shopping totes, which will be made of a metallic brushed linen material, easily folded, featuring a skyline, design by famed artist Ruben Toledo, of the city where the bag is sold. The storage case for the tote is only 6" x 7" x 1".

The $21.95 bag will first be introduced on the west coast.

We know our customers care about the environment and this is an effort to serve them better and reduce our impact," said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom. "We will continue to look for ways we can be a better corporate citizen."

Cancer-causing chemical in "organic" soaps?

According to the L.A. Times:

New tests of 100 "natural" and "organic" soaps, shampoos and other consumer products show that nearly half of them contained a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing.

Many items that tested positive for the carcinogen are well-known brands, including Kiss My Face, Alba, Seventh Generation and Nature's Gate products, sold in retail stores across the nation.
Whole story here.

Purses made from candy wrappers

Ecoist.com offers recyclyed items for every day use including handbags made of candy wrappers. They offer jewelery items, too, made from repurposed materials like discarded food packages, soda bottle labels, rice bags, soda can pull-tabs, and movie billboards. For more info: http://www.ecoist.com/

"The View" is going green

The View is all about going green today. Tune in!

Going green on St. Patrick's Day

Many people want to go green but don't know how to start. How about starting in little ways today -- St. Patrick's Day -- a day of green.

Pick up some organic beer to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Add some organic green food coloring and you're all set!

As for recycling -- about 45 percent of cans are recycled, compared with around 25 percent of bottles. People often feel that the bottles decompose in landfills and tend to just throw them in the trash rather than recycle them. Not true.

World Water Week starts today

From today and ending next Saturday, March 22, you can help save a life by drinking tap water at participating restaurants around the country.

During World Water Week, starting today, $1.00 will go to UNICEF's Tap Project for each glass of tap water you order and consume at the restaurants. The project provides clean drinking water to children in over 90 countries around the world.

Find a participating restaurant near you here. Over 300 restaurants in New York City alone are participating.

New 165-acre nature area opens in S. Florida

"We want to be able to teach people about nature," said Kelli Whitney, park naturalist at the new 165-acre Long Key Natural Area in Davie, Florida (near Ft. Laudedale).

The new area has archaeological dig pits for faux digs, alligator skeletons and a replica of a Native American chickee hut just to name a few of the exciting things in store for locals and tourists. Story here.

Welcome!

Welcome to Green Times -- the blog about the environment. Hopefully we'll have a nice give and take here on what is important in living a green life. As our subtitle says, we are about "going, being and living green."

Please feel free to email us photos, stories, news events or whatever else you might light published on the subject. Our email address is to the upper right.

Thank you.
The Editors