Archive for March, 2008
March 9th, 2008
Try the New LIL Environmental Impact Calculator
Stumble it!
We are very excited to announce the launch of the NEW Low Impact Living Environmental Impact Calculator!
This brand-new household environmental calculator is the first of its kind — it shows not only the carbon but also energy, water, wastewater, trash, and stormwater runoff footprints of your home and lifestyle. In addition, it recommends projects based on your specific inputs that can save you money, reduce your environmental impact, or in many cases both at the same time!
The Impact Calculator also calculates a score called the Low Impact Living Index™, or LILI™, that encapsulates in one number your overall environmental footprint. It allows comparisons to other homes near you or across the country. The Impact Calculator and LILI combined provide you with a clear roadmap to a greener home and lifestyle.
** Make sure to register when you use the calculator – that way you can save your customized results and re-visit them in the future to get more low impact living ideas and track your progress. Here are some examples of what you can do with the calculator:
- – Estimate how many offsets you need for your entire carbon footprint, your home only, one or all of your cars, and air travel (all separately);
- – Finally see what how much simple projects such as turning down the temperature of your hot water heater or installing a low-flow showerhead will truly save based on your home;
- – Determine how much a solar PV (electric) system would cost for 100% of your electricity, AND also how much less it would cost after first doing projects like installing CFL or LED lighting or a new refrigerator;
- – Examine how much a graywater system would cost for your existing needs, OR how much less it would cost after first installing low-flow water fixtures and appliances;
- – Figure out what projects give you the most “bang for your green buck”!
We will add new projects to the calculator each month. Very soon we will add a project that shows whether wind power makes sense near you, and also the benefits of using power strips that automatically shut all of the power off when you aren’t using your TV or computer.
Read on to learn more, or click here to get started!
Step 1: Calculate your household’s environmental impacts
By just entering your ZIP code and home size, the LIL Environmental Impact Calculator tells you what your impact is based on regional default values. You can then customize the inputs based on your home, and in no more than a few minutes you can have a customized profile that reflects the specifics of your home. Your LILI tells you how you rank relative to a typical home in your region (LILI = 100). Get a 50 and you’re doing great, but a 200 means you have quite a bit of work to do!
Step 2: Review Green Home and Lifestyle Projects
Based on your inputs, the Environmental Impact Calculator recommends a set of projects that make sense for you. The project savings estimates (both environmental and financial) are customized to your home inputs and regional climate, prices and rebates. You can select projects to see how they would affect your overall environmental impact. Once you’ve decided to do one, each project has a list of products and services, specific to your area, that help you get started. When you finish a project, check it off and watch your LILI go down!
3. Save Your Projects and Your Profile
You can also save your profile and revisit it later. This means that you can use it as your green home checklist, and you can see what improvements you have achieved through time.
And, we plan on adding 2-3 new projects a month, so each month you can come back to see whether new projects make sense for you.
Popularity: 20% [?]
March 7th, 2008
Green Events in March and April
We continue to work to bring you a selection of exciting green events going on across the U.S. Here are events for March and April. There are SO many wonderful Earth Day events slated for April that we’ll do an update post at the end of this month to fill you in on a fuller list of Earth Day events.
MARCH 2008
March 3- 9 EarthVision Environmental Film Festival 2008 – Santa Cruz, California
EarthVision International Environmental Film Festival 2008 celebrates ten years of highlighting films about crucial ecological issues, providing a venue for independent filmmakers from around the world and inspiring people to get involved in creating positive change for the planet. Organized by Earth Vision at The Mello Center, The Rio Theatre and the Veteran’s Memorial Hall.
March 11 San Diego: The Making of a Greener City — San Diego, CA
Making of a Greener City by Keynote Speaker, Josh Gelfand, Vice Chair of the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership and Managing Editor for EcoInvestmentClub.com and Eco Investment News Network Investing Green in San Diego by Guest Speaker, Jan P. Schalkwijk, CFA, Principal of JPS Global Investments, revered as Downtown’s Sustainable Investment Advisor and trusted Guest Writer for EcoInvestmentClub.com and Eco Investment News Network.
March 18 The Ethical Sourcing Forum — New York, New York
CSR professionals, policy makers, business leaders and other key stakeholders will gather under one roof to discuss the methods and means by which they can ensure sustainability of their supply chains on the global platform.
March 12-14 ECO:nomics — Santa Barbara, California
A unique conference from the editors of The Wall Street Journal, ECO:nomics takes a CEO-level view of the rapidly developing relationship between the environment and the bottom line.Organized by The Wall Street Journal at Bacara Resort & Spa. For more information:
March 22 Container Gardening — San Francisco, CA
Ideal for the urban organic gardener, this workshop will focus on edible and ornamental plants and plantings in containers. Containers for balconies, patios or in the kitchen, you’ll be amazed at the beauty and bounty you can harvest from container gardening! $10; No one turned away for lack of funds. 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Garden for the Environment, 7th Ave at Lawton Street, San Francisco. To Pre-Register, please call (415) 731-5627 or email info@gardenfortheenvironment.org.
March 26 San Diego Sustainability Business Forum — San Diego, CA
Hear from business leaders how they have adopted “green” practices to enhance both their company’s bottom line and the environment. Business can be green without going in the red!
March 29 Green Rehabilitation — Warren, Vermont
This class will present, discuss and analyze the basic principles associated with green building, green living and sustainable design. Class held by Yestermorrow Design/Build School.
March 26-30 Aspen Environment Forum — Aspen, Colorado
The Aspen Environment Forum will encourage exchanges between experts and ordinary citizens, scientists and economists, cost-conscious business leaders and journalists, poets and engineers. Organized by The Aspen Institute and National Geographic Magazine
APRIL 2008
April 5 Gulf Coast Green 2008 Symposium and Expo — Houston, Texas
Gulf Coast Green 2008 Symposium and Expo is the leading green building conference along the Gulf
Coast region. Organized by AIA Houston. Venue: Reliant Park.
April 12-13 Seattle Green Festival — Seattle, Washington
Named one of the top 10 green cities in the U.S. in 2005 by National Geographic’s The Green Guide, what better place to celebrate an urban community’s vision of green than Seattle? Led by the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, the City of Seattle is proud to co-host the first Green Festival in the Pacific Northwest. Discover some of the best green products and services the Northwest has to offer. And, through Seattle Climate Action Now!, Clean & Green Seattle, and the city’s many other climate projects, you’ll learn how neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their city a healthier place to live. For more details on time, location, vendors and speakers visit http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/767/390/
April 18-20 Green Apple Festival — Nationwide
The third annual Green Apple Festival, produced in partnership with Earth Day Network and presented by Chase, announces “America’s Largest Earth Day Celebration”– a weekend of music and environmental awareness culminating on Sunday, April 20th with eight free festivals occurring simultaneously at landmark locations across the U.S.
Approximately 500,000 people are expected to attend the all-inclusive, interactive and free public events in New York City (Central Park), Washington, DC (The National Mall), Chicago IL (Lincoln Park Zoo), Miami FL (Bicentennial Park), Denver CO (City Park), Dallas TX (Fair Park), San Francisco CA (Golden Gate Park) and Los Angeles CA (Santa Monica Pier).
Earth Day Network, the non-profit organization created by the original founders of Earth Day in 1970, and Green Apple Festival are proud to announce that the National Mall event in Washington, DC alone will bring together world environmental leaders, community activists, A-list talent and crowds in the hundreds of thousands to make this one of the largest Earth Day gatherings in U.S. history.
April 19 National Environmental Education Week — Nationwide
Now in its fourth consecutive year, National EE Week seeks to enhance the educational impact of Earth Day and provides recognition to educators that are committed to implementing environmental education in their classrooms.Organized by National Environmental Education Foundation. Visit www.eeweek.org
April 22 Earth Day 5K 2008 — Minneapolis, MN
The Bottineau Neighborhood Association will again be sponsoring a 5K Run as part of our Earth Day activities. Like last year, the race will start and end near Gluek Park (1926 Marshall Street, NE Mpls) and begin at 9:00 AM. It will be a timed race and we are currently debating getting the course certified. Race fees are yet to be determined. Again, families and pets are welcome. Breakfast will be served after the race.
April 21 Earth Day: River Restoration — Woodin Creek Park, Washington
Grab your gloves, shovels and love for the environment and be ready to cut back unwanted vegetation along the banks of the Sammamish River. This is a great opportunity for community volunteers to take pride in Woodinville and to preserve our northwest woodland character.
April 22 Vote for your favorite local bands for Earth Day — Asheville, NC
It’s time to vote for your favorite local bands, winners of which will perform at Earthday Asheville at the Orange Peel on April 22. Quality Forward has received submissions from more than 75 bands to perform at Earthday Asheville, an event that run 8 p.m.-12 a.m. (tickets are $10). You can vote, from Sunday-April 8, at www.earthdayasheville.org.
April 26 4th Annual Green Gardens Tour — Santa Monica, CA
The 4th Annual Green Gardens Tour, highlighting home gardens that demonstrate sustainable designs, practices, and technologies, has been set for Saturday, April 26, 2008, from 10am to 4pm. All attendees at the tour will receive the Green Sourcebook, a free compendium of garden information, ideas and suggestions that will become the interested gardener’s “green” companion. This year’s theme, Gardening With Intent: Water Management, dramatically emphasizes the tour’s motto, “Sustainable is Attainable!” For tickets and event information call 310-264-4224.
April 26-27 Go Green Expo — New York, New York
A truly unique event from the ground up, Go Green Expo will change not only the public’s perception of environmentalism but also how events like this are produced and managed. Visit www.gogreenexpo.com
April 27-29 All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show — Chicago, Illinois
The All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show is the only show in the industry that gives chain and independent retailers, manufacturers, distributors, chefs and foodservice establishments access to more organic companies and more certified organic products than any other industry trade event. This show is packed with the tools and information you need to differentiate your business and achieve your financial objectives. Here you can source the hottest products and discover the latest trends in the fastest-growing segment in the industry. Hosted by the Organic Trade Association.
Popularity: 1% [?]
March 6th, 2008
Eco Eats: Cooking with the Seasons
Whether you are a locavore aiming for a 100 mile diet or just a conscious consumer who wants to add more eco-friendly, healthy food to your current diet, eating local in-season produce is good for your community, better for the planet and it often costs less too.
We have decided to encourage your local gastronomy by looking into what’s in season near you and offering recipes each month to help you take advantage of the local bounty.
Avocados and grapefruit are in season this month in California and Florida; carrots are popping up in New York and Washington; sweet potatoes are ripe for the digging in Texas and North Carolina; and local spinach should be headed to the market in Iowa and Missouri.
The following recipes are easy additions to any meal. If you have a delicious way to use produce that is in-season this March, please share it with our online community. Bon Appetite!
California and Florida
Grapefruit, Avocado, and Fennel Salad from Epicurious
2 large pink grapefruits, peel and white pith removed
1 pound fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut into paper-thin slices
2 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into thin slices
2 cups arugula
salad dressing (see recipe for ingredients)
New York and Washington
Roasted Baby Carrots with Marmalade from Chow
12 small baby carrots, tops removed and peeled
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Texas and North Carolina
Sweet Potato Fries from the Food Network
Cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Iowa and Missouri
Quinoa-Spinach Bake from Martha Stewart Living
1 pound spinach, leaves picked and washed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon picked fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 cup uncooked quinoa)
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Olive-oil cooking spray
Popularity: 1% [?]
March 5th, 2008
Radiant Heating: Is It For You?
A new trend that is “radiating” around green homes right now is using a radiant heating system rather than conventional forced air systems. Speaking from experience, since I am currently installing radiant heating in my own home, I hope to arm you with some additional insight into this type of system.
The Benefits of Radiant Heat Systems
The intent of a radiant heating system is for heat to radiate upward from the floor surface which acts like an ultra-efficient low level radiator. Rather than forcing air to come out of a single vent in the ceiling, wall or floor, the radiant system creates an even flow of warm air that starts from the floor and naturally rises to heat an entire house. The heat usually comes from tubes filled with warm water that are embedded into a concrete or plywood sub-floor. There are also electric coil systems that can be used in smaller areas or exterior surfaces. Keeping such a large surface like the floor at an even level of heat will warm other objects and people in a room rather than directly heating the air. In a well insulated home, the heating temperature can be kept lower with a radiant heat system, and this results in lower energy use and costs.
Radiant heating can also improve your indoor air quality. If you don’t properly maintain a conventional forced air sytem (which entails cleaning the air ducts every year and changing all the air filters) you could be blowing allergens and even toxins around your home. Radiant heating systems have no filters to change and will never run the risk of polluting the air. One more added bonus is the silence of a radiant system, no fans blowing, sideboards creaking, or water gurgling.
There is no question that radiant heating is warm and cozy, but does it make sense for all green homes?
The upfront costs of installing a radiant system are more expensive than a conventional heating system and may not produce as high a return on the initial investment. If you live in an older home in a colder climate, and in an older energy-inefficient home, radiant heat can be a very worthwhile investment. It would particularly make sense if you are planning any floor replacement work already.
However, if you have a fairly green home already (or are building one), it is likely already designed for energy efficiency (e.g., you probably have good insulation and an energy-efficient furnace). These homes often utilize passive solar strategies combined with good insulation to control thermal comfort. A radiant system might be overkill and potentially provide too much heat for some well designed green homes. For example, if you live in a warmer climate, it may cost $10,000 to install a radiant system to offset $100 worth of heat per year. This may make sense if you like being able to walk on the bare floors all year round, but it should be something to think about when it comes to prioritizing the green attributes for your home.
Another thing to think about is the flooring that will rest on top of the radiant heat system. BE SURE to check with the warranty of your finished flooring manufacturer or installer to avoid any potential problems. There are some wood manufacturers that will not warranty a floor if it is put over a radiant system.
How Can I Get a Radiant Heating System?
There are a variety of methods and manufacturers of radiant heating systems. If you are building a new home, you can work with your contractor and plumber to install a radiant system right into a new foundation. Companies like the Radiant Floor Company will map out and design a system that works with the heating zones within your home.
If you are renovating and keeping the existing floors, there are products like Uponor’s Quik Trak, WarmBoard, or GCS Radiant that will go over virtually any material and create a great subfloor for your finished flooring material.
For those of you in cold climates, it is not too late to install a radiant floor and still enjoy it for the rest of the season. If you are in a warmer area, you may want to do a little more research. As with any green decision for your home, it should be dependent on your own green goals. Help us radiate the word on radiant systems and let us know of your experiences.
Popularity: 2% [?]
March 3rd, 2008
How To Tuesday: Make Green Home Cleaners
So many of the standard cleaning agents we have all used in our homes are made with toxic chemicals and petroleum derivatives. When we spray 409 or some other standard cleaner around our homes we and our children breathe in ammonia and hundreds of other toxins. Most laundry and dish soaps are made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource. We don’t need to pollute our homes with these scary cleaners, right?
Fortunately it is very easy to use a few simple ingredients to make your own effective, healthy cleaning potions. White vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, borax and good old water are mainly all you need to get started. And you won’t believe what you can do with toothpaste! Making these cleaners will save you money AND protect the environment and the health of your family.
Make An All-Purpose Floor/Kitchen/Bath Cleaner:
Mix together a tablespoon of borax (available in most grocery store laundry sections), a tablespoon of liquid soap (like castile soap, which is also available at most grocery stores), a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a quart of warm water. Shake it up and use it as you would a normal cleaner.
Window Cleaner:
Fill a spray bottle with water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice or a 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Spray and wipe off as you would with a standard cleaner.
Bathtub Scouring Agent:
Mix baking soda and water into a paste. Scrub the tub. You can polish it off with a spray of the all purpose cleaner you made above for further sanitizing, if you like.
Furniture Polish:
Mix one 1 cup mineral oil and 1 cup white vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth.
Carpet Freshener and Cleaner:
Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet then vacuum it up. If you need to treat spots, mix 1/4 cup of liquid soap (like castile) and 1/2 cup of warm water. Beat them together and then rub the foam into the spots. Then rinse with clean water and blot dry.
Silver Polish:
Toothpaste! Yes– this works! Just put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush or wet cloth and go to town. When you’re done polishing, rinse the item well in warm water and then dry with a soft cloth.
BONUS TIP: How to keep your drain clog-free without corrosive liquids!
1. Put two tablespoons of baking soda into/over the drain of your sink or tub.
2. Pour one cup of vinegar on the baking soda. (It will fizz a lot– do not panic, this is normal.)
3. Wait about five minutes, and then pour a kettle of boiling water over the soda/vinegar residue.
4. If this doesn’t work, try it a second time. If this doesn’t work then, get out the good old snake.
Do you have mixes you’ve tried that worked well for you? Let us know in the comments section!
Popularity: 4% [?]
