2nd Green Revolution

Roughly half the electricity produced in this country comes from coal (EIA). In order to reduce consumption and residential lower our energy bills, it is imperative to scour one’s home for so-called energy vampires – items that draw electricity from the outlet even when they are seemingly not in use. Also referred to as the “phantom load”, these may be as simple as phone chargers remaining plugged in, or even as innocuous as a toaster oven that draws power to run one of three or four clocks in the kitchen or electric toothbrushes that remain plugged in despite being fully charged. Read the rest of this entry »

Estimates indicate that roughly 30% of the waste found in landfills is organic (food and plant material). With this in mind, composting offers a viable solution to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills. On its own, this would not necessarily be enough to make composting worthwhile. However, the compost that’s produced at the end of the process helps replace fertilizer in the garden. With an initial investment of $35, vermicomposting (composting with worms) is a low cost option that yields both compost and more worms over its lifetime. Read the rest of this entry »

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
- Ghandi

What is growth? If one looks at an organism, growth requires inputs (food/energy, micro-nutrients, water, etc). For the economy to grow, massive inputs are also needed, mostly in the form of energy and materials. Currently, the major difference is that the economy relies on nonrenewable resources (fossil fuels and minerals) whereas organisms depend on renewable sources of food. If the economy is to grow in a sustainable manner, nature may be the best guide. This regenerative economy could serve as a model going forward.

Unfortunately, the current model of consumption and increasing technological advancements make for a cyclical pattern of consumption and disposal. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my favorite concepts to teach in my science classes revolves around population growth. Looking at the exponential growth of the human population over the past two centuries always gives me pause for reflection. How can the earth support this continually growing number of people? What is its carrying capacity?

It is with this in mind that I debated having children. The impact of more people, especially with regards to the level of consumption in Western society, weighed heavily on my mind. Watching National Geographic’s special The Human Footprint a few years ago made me ponder this fact even more.

Now that I have a child, born on Tuesday night, I have the ultimate responsibility to the next generation. Read the rest of this entry »

With the movement for outdoor education and increasing youths’ general experiences in nature gaining steam, legislation referred to as “No Child Left Inside” (NCLI) passed its first major hurdle. Directly related to the work of Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, NCLI aims to combat what Louv terms nature-deficit disorder.

The state of Connecticut has their own initiative of the same name. Intended to “encourage Connecticut families and visitors alike to enjoy all the recreational resources and outdoor activities available in Connecticut’s state parks, forests and waterways”, the state’s directive aims to reconnect families with Connecticut’s natural environs. Read the rest of this entry »

With the proliferation of websites, weeding through the valuable and worthless can be all-consuming. Several sites contain worthwhile simulations and games that get people thinking about resource management. Today’s post details a few of those that do a particularly good job.

Chevron, the oil and gas megalith, teamed up with The Economic Group to develop Energyville. The goal of Energyville is to power a large city (with a population of nearly 6 million). Players must consider the economic, environmental, and security impacts associated with their choices. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday’s post about the Chinese automaker BYD’s announcement at the Detroit auto show begs the question about the future of the automobile. What does the coming decade hold in store for the automobile? Share your thoughts by answering the following poll:

(polls)

- Eric Wilson

Last weekend’s post “Global Freezing” brought up a couple of important points about why society needs to change its collective behavior. In fact, behavior (along with technology) was posited as the main pathway to achieve energy independence.

One tool currently on the market that encompasses both the technological and behavioral changes needed is the smart meter. Several posts on 2nd Green Revolution have dealt with this topic. Earlier this month on NPR, reporter David Kestenbaum interviewed Dan Reicher, software developer at Google. Host Steve Inskeep provided the following introduction: Read the rest of this entry »

• I will be smarter than bottled water companies and drink for free what they are trying to sell me. Last year we consumed about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Several bottled water brands use the same H₂0 that’s available from your faucet. Use a water bottle and refill it throughout the day — for free.

• If I can remember to TiVo “Lost,” I can remember to bring my own bags to the grocery store. Plastic bags are made from petroleum and only about 1 percent of the estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags consumed worldwide are recycled each year. Most end up in landfills (where they take perhaps 1000 years to decompose) or in the sea.

• I will take a day off from road rage and take mass transit or car-pool one day a week. If you have public transportation options available to you, try switching to the train or bus one day a week. According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation use saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year, and can reduce household expenses by $6,200. If you don’t live near public transportation, try organizing a once-a-week carpool with your neighbors or coworkers. You’ll save on fuel, tolls, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing cars from the road. As a bonus, you’ll gain access to that exclusive carpool lane.

• I Will Connect with Congress. Send your senator or representative a letter that you support green business, clean technology, and action against climate change. Congressional leaders are pretty easy to find these days on the Internet. Congress.org helps you connect. Just type in your zip code and voile!

• I Will Buy in Bulk. This reduces packaging and can make shipping easier and more efficient.

Sources: #1-3, The Daily Green; #4-5, GreenRightNow