San Francisco garage goes completely green

Check out this article from CNN about a garage in San Francisco that's modifying hybrid vehicles to allow them to run completely on electricity.

This is yet another example of a growing plug-in movement in the country.

Get on board with a local organic farm

If you want to further your attempt at being carbon negative, another way is through your eating habits.

In the last year I have tried out participation in programs with local organic farms...it's the way George Washington and John Adams ate...it's the real deal!

While it started a bit trial and error and as a learning experience, it has ended up being very rewarding. I'm still doing it, and have been since February...so that alone should say something.

Just so you don't have to go through some of the issues I went through, allow me to impart some advice to you when you're considering one:

• Depending on where you live, you should have several to choose from in your area. While the idea of doing a little up front homework online might make you scratch your head, finding out your options in what is available to you will certainly pay off.
• A farm that knows what they're doing should have a website that's easy to navigate.
• You should be able to determine if they're certified organic...and if they're not, they might explain why on their website...most that aren't will claim that the certification costs money, but I don't know the validity of that. If they don't explain why they're certified organic, then ask. If it seems hokey from there, then move on. FYI - The better organic farm I've gone with in the last year was certified AND more affordable.
  
• You shouldn't have to pay more than $30 a week for a produce box. I currently pay $28 per week...that's $4 per day. That might seem like lots of money for veggies, but remember that you're getting the FRESHEST POSSIBLE stuff that you can't find in most grocery stores...and you're supporting a local organic farm, so there's something to be said about pride in purpose.
  
• When you pick up your veggies, it's already put together for you, and you'd be surprised at how much you get in a box...I can assure you it's more than enough to keep a household of two fed for a week, and we can't always finish everything!
  
• When given the option, get on board with a several week or seasonal program, which should usually offer a discount. It's all about long-term savings, and you worry less about when you pay.
• A farm that cares about its clients should allow you to modify options on your produce week to week.
  
• A good and reliable farm should have drop-off locations near your neighborhood.
• I'd suggest going with a weekly pickup, rather than bi-weekly, as some farms allow. It will provide you with fresher produce, and you won't ever wonder: "Is THIS the week I pick up my box?"
  
• Mark your pickup days, and when your program expires, on a calendar...as it then becomes a "happy errand" that's part of your weekly routine.
  
• Be courteous to your pickup spot and follow the etiquette; if you can't show up during the prescribed pickup times then alert them as such...don't be noisy...and return your boxes disassembled (per requests), for example. Just use common courtesy and common sense.
  
• Offering to be a pickup spot might sport you some free produce...but I'd try out the program first.
  
• Don't be taken aback if the produce has dirt on it. You need to wash the stuff no matter what...remember this is organic stuff!
• Don't expect the produce to look "pretty." For example, apples won't be shiny because they won't have the gross waxy stuff on their skin...remember this is the REAL DEAL!
  
• Eat fruit quickly...it can go bad fast...but remember you're getting more the following week!

I can assure you, that through my own experience going with an organic farm totally rocks. It saves time perusing around the grocery store, and you're ensured of the FRESHEST PRODUCE POSSIBLE.

To further educate yourself, you may read up on organic farming. It's worth a try, and you might be surprised at the benefits! S

Get LOHAS, baby!

It's healthy! It's green! It's Julie Andrews bouncing through a field of poppys in Switzerland!

It's LOHAS!

No, no, no, not alohas. Say LOHAS! Please don't say ALOHA...if you were going to...we're not in Hawaii (yet), nor are we leaving Hawaii, as aloha means both hello AND goodbye... that is if you confused "lohas" with "aloha," as I predicted... anyhoo...wait! LOHAS IS IN the word Aloha! Wow man! It's a Grateful Dead Dark Star live at the Fillmore '69 tripfest, maaaan!

Okay, sorry... it's actually a Radiohead live at Red Rocks 2008 brought to you by Bud Light tripfest. Got my wires crossed there.

So back to Aloha...uh, I mean LOHAS. Come on everyone, jump on the bandwagon! Jumping on the bandwagon, in a literal sense, would actually be the exact right thing to do, since bandwagons as I understand them are horse-driven, and therefore eco-friendly.

LOHAS stands for "Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability"... so there you are. I'm trusting you get the idea.

The LOHAS term is used to describe people who hold several key values, including:

Long-term View – They strive to improve the quality of life for the world’s present population while trying to ensure that future generations have options to grow unburdened by the delayed costs of our present growth and development policies.



Holistic Perspective – At its most abstract level, they look at the whole, the parts, and the intertwining and interaction of the parts to understand a given problem. They look at the interdependence of humans, machines and the environment in the broadest terms. At a more practical level, they look at the holistic interdependence of economic factors, community development and the physical environment as an essential starting point in analyzing problems and in coming up with workable solutions.



Stewardship of Natural Resources – A fundamental perspective of LOHAS is understanding the limits of exploiting our natural resources and the environment. A LOHAS goal is to live a sustainable life. That is, how do we protect and preserve the resources of our planet and how do we use these resources most efficiently and safely.



Empowerment Through Knowledge – The LOHAS worldview is built on the broadest possible sharing of knowledge. This sharing allows communities to empower themselves, plan effectively and make cooperative decisions where all of the stakeholders have the maximum access to information that is critical to the problem at hand. They believe everyone should live a life of continuous learning to enhance their personal development and that everyone has a responsibility to educate others of their insights.



Accepting Responsibility – The key LOHAS values of "Sustainability" and "Wellness" are empty intellectual concepts unless people and organizations act upon those values. Businesses bear a heavy responsibility in re-orienting our society along sustainable development lines. Their corporate social responsibility involves: understanding the life-cycle of products from initial concept and design to final end-use and recycling, eliminating waste in the production process wherever possible, reducing or eliminating toxic substances used in the process, reducing energy usage, using “full-cost accounting”, producing with zero defects, promoting intelligent consumerism and turning formerly negative aspects of production into positive aspects that improve the bottom line and competitive position of companies. Government agencies have the opportunity to make government “greener” and more efficient by showing the way for the private sector because of their vast procurement expenditures, energy usage, waste and recycling policies. Government can also promote model behavior by rewarding early adopters of sustainability with legislative and financial incentives. Ultimately, consumers have to be convinced that sustainability is important to the quality of their lives and to the lives of future generations. Unless each of us starts taking significant steps towards building a sustainable society, we may face catastrophic social and environmental crises after we have foregone many options with easier or lower social costs.



Prevention & Wellness – They believe people should strive to reduce health risk factors through prevention, self-knowledge and wellness activities.



Social Justice – They believe that social justice should prevail over self-aggrandizement, sexism, racism and unsound government policies.



Authenticity – They are adamant that “authenticity” should be at the core of people’s lives, culture, products, and communities, in other words – “people should practice what they preach.”

People all across America and the world have used LOHAS concepts to restructure their lives to be more in harmony with these values. Most of these lifestyle changes have been small, such as starting with “dolphin safe” tuna or cosmetics free from animal testing. Yet, over the last several decades, LOHAS lifestyles have spread to every corner of the country and to every demographic group.

Ideas about health, environment, business, energy or community development that were once considered “fringe” or “radical” are now part of the mainstream of American life. The medical profession and government agencies now understand that prevention of disease is just as important as advancing new treatments and providing an equitable distribution of medical services.

Many major corporations are slowly realizing that promoting health and safety on the job and using sustainable business practices help the long-term bottom line and improve the global competitiveness of the company. Local utility companies are promoting energy conservation and encouraging the deployment of renewable energy sources. Local and state political leaders are seeing the holistic “big picture” of economy, environment and social equity when it comes to making development decisions for their communities.

SIZE OF LOHAS AUDIENCE – 68 Million Adults in the U.S.

Why are LOHAS values important?

Because of the sheer magnitude of the number of people who are organizing their lives, their families and their communities around LOHAS values. Today, over 68 million adults in the U.S., or 32.3%, are part of the LOHAS market (Natural Marketing Institute). That is 1 of every 4 adults! If we include the an additional 30 million people who are just becoming aware of the meaning and benefits of LOHAS lifestyles, that brings the ratio up to an astounding 1 in 3 American adults.

Although these huge numbers are impressive, it is very difficult to identify LOHAS consumers through conventional demographic measures. LOHAS consumers are a representative sample of the U.S. population as a whole. Their ages, income and race match national sample profiles. They are not only Baby Boomers, but range in age from 18 to 70 years. Only two demographic characteristics really stand out: they are more highly educated and over 60% are women.

What unites LOHAS consumers is their shared values. They share a whole way of life and a whole set of beliefs about how the world works. They are skeptical and discerning. They have a different set of priorities than other Americans about what is important in life. They are continually redefining what success means. LOHAS consumers often choose careers that pay less, but offer other social compensations.

They are very creative. They start new businesses, new social movements, new ways of life, and new ways of seeing the world. They are personally and socially constructive. They are engaged in life. They are grounded optimists. Experience is often more important to them than the accumulation of products. That’s one of the reasons why spas and eco-tourism are booming industries.

So there it is...a tip of the top hat to lohaslifestyles.com for the information. Here's a good site to get you started in a most tubular and LOHAS of a way: LOHAS: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability - LOHAS S

Carbon Footprint Obsession Disease

Yep, it's a disease...you mean you haven't heard of it?

Maybe you've felt it, however. I know I do.

It may have started in me in the 1970s, when I was still under the age of 10. Not kidding...only at the time, I didn't really understand exactly "what it was" that was bothering me.

Maybe it was watching carbon emissions spewing out of the cars at the time in a cloud of blue and black smoke, and thinking "Huh. That stinky stuff probably isn't good for the air. If you add it all up over time, what are the consequences of all of it going to be on the atmosphere?"

I was probably as young as 7 or 8 at the time, and my mind was starting to pine over this stuff...and then I'd sky rocket the water bill by taking the garden hose to a mound of dirt to create streams in make-believe natural settings for my G.I. Joe and his jeep.

What can I say, I was Mr. Supersophiticated... way ahead of my time.

So you can only imagine where that's evolved around 30 years later.

I don't consider myself to be much of a worrywart, but I do have an obsessive-compulsive side...and I'd say the subject of the environment, and the behaviors related to my "carbon footprint," well...I guess they plague my brain.

Maybe plague isn't the right word, because it's all for a good cause...I say plague in the context that I feel the weight of the issue on my shoulders EVERYWHERE I GO...and I almost can't look at ANYTHING without trying to assess the carbon footprint equation it introduces to the planet.

It's attached to EVERYTHING. The behaviors of strangers. Which waste receptacle to use, and why isn't the glass one provided? Driving by fast food drive-thru lines with the rows of cars idling. Food consumption and its sources. Guilt at the gas pump on why I haven't picked up a hybrid yet...and contemplating if I'll still feel guilt at the pump even when I have a hybrid. The oil used in paving roads. Building design and efficiency of heating and cooling systems. The exhaust trail behind the plane flying overhead. The images on television of ice caps melting and polar bears in peril.

AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! There...now I feel better.

Anyone out there experiencing any symptoms? S

Helpful hints: laundry... and how to make it an environmentally friendly experience!

I recently had someone suggest I do a post on laundry -- since I did one on showering -- so here it is...

...I figure since I've already broken into your bathroom to dictate my in-your-face showering methods to you, now I'm moving onto the laundry room... so get your pen and paper on standby and be ready to take a few notes...

Attention! Role call!

I'll give you a short list today, for added convenience with your note-taking:

1. When given the chance, use front-load washers. They use 50% less water.
2. Detergent is important too... try purchasing one that's biodegradable and does not require hot water... an Earth-friendly brand that comes to mind is "Seventh Generation," but there's others out there.
3. Be mindful and economical with the laundry load versus the water level... and typically the water level difference in the settings isn't that significant, so it's definitely better to wash with a full load considering the power and water use.
4. If you think your load can get away with a shorter cycle, go with that.
5. Try to avoid, whenever possible, the use of the extra rinse setting.
   

I realize chatter about environmentally-friendly laundry methods might seem a bit over the top, but I can guarantee you won't be laughing at energy and oil prices as they continue to sky-rocket, and as water starts becoming a harder commodity.

We need to be prepared for what is going to feel like an unrelenting ambush on our way of life, the many conveniences we take for granted, and the false perception that we have unlimited resources to waste.

...the keyword being SUSTAINABILITY. Think big picture.

All I can say to that is READ UP ON IT, THINK IT, LIVE IT... and spread the word. It's really no skin off your back, and simply involves a little education and awareness. It can only serve your life, and those around you, in a positive way.

At any rate (hopefully lower rates), happy laundering! S

Helpful hints: saving water in the shower

Ooo laa laa, it's shower time.

I apply a special practice to about 90% of the time I shower... actually, more like 75% of the time (as if I'm keeping track with a calculator on standby as I towel off each day)...

I've been doing this for probably the last 10-15 years... not the showering, I mean... well I mean the practice I'm about to describe... I mean, I've been showing longer than that... oh shut up, man!

In the morning (or whenever) I'm planning to shower, I turn the water ON, get in with the water running from my water-saving shower head, and proceed to get wet. Then I shampoo and rinse.

Then I shut the water OFF... yep, that's what I do... I won't deny it.

I then put in a very small amount of conditioner (being the conservationist that I am), and then turn to the next step, as I lather up with soap... actually as many as 3 different kinds of biodegradable soap.

There's absolutely no reason to have the water on during this portion of the shower -- as you'll simply detract from the lathering up and lufa work that you're trying to achieve... yes, we must "achieve" EXFOLIATION UTOPIA with the illustrious lufa every other day.

After you've lathered and scrubbed, then turn the water ON again to rinse... then promptly turn it OFF again when you're finished... and please make sure you're PROMPT, or the shower police will enforce your ass.

Some might say this takes away from the pleasure of a hot shower waking you up -- and even I will occasionally treat myself to that... but you will be amazed how much water this practice saves.

...plus you get cleaner anyway, because of more accurate and comprehensive soap lathering... so there you are, try it out!

...and don't screw it up, or you'll get an earful! S

10 Things You Can Do to Fight Global Warming! - A list from the Environmental Defense Action Fund

Hey everyone, I just received my care package today from the Environmental Defense Action Fund, including my free tote bag to bring to the grocery store. One of the goodies in it listed 10 things we can do to fight global warming.

10 Things You Can Do to Fight Global Warming!

1. Recycle and buy minimally packed goods as much as possible.

2. Wash clothes in cold or warm water, not hot.

3. Install low-flow shower heads to use less water.

4. Run the dishwasher only when full and don’t use hear to dry dishes.

5. Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

6. Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency.

7. Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models.

8. Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation whenever possible.

9. Adjust your thermostat—lower in winter, higher in summer.

10. Share these simple steps with friends and family and increase awareness!

Follow these easy steps to fight global warming!

You can link to the EDAF site here: Environmental Defense Action Fund - Finding the ways that work. Since we tend to be creatures of repetition (until we make it part of our everyday lifestyle), I’ll try to reprint these sorts of lists when I come across them. S

Sign the LIVE EARTH PLEDGE now!!! Please...

The whole purpose of the concerts yesterday for Live Earth: A Climate in Crisis was to bring about awareness of global warming and its human impact; the point being that it takes action from individuals such as YOU and ME in terms of being mindful of the environment in our daily lives.

An instrument of our commitment to help the changing climate crisis is the Live Earth Pledge. This is the pledge. Read it over or just jump to the link below.

I PLEDGE:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"

3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;

4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,

7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

You can go to this link to sign the pledge and spread the word. The Live Earth Pledge Thanks for taking action! S