I’m always intrigued at what Google is doing on the energy front – and “green” front as a whole. I really don’t care if there is a future ulterior motive – it all seems to be for the good. Like working on PV technology to try to being renewable energy below the cost of coal. Here’s a video from CNN – I hate the way their stuff embeds, but enjoy it none-the-less.
The Sunday paper came and my wife made a comment that you could tell it’s almost Earth Day because all the stores have their “green” sales. To be honest – I’ve noticed this too. She even pointed out the new Ziploc Evolve bags that use 25% less plastic (oooh, ahhhhh..ughhhh). Sure – there is a less plastic and a 100% recycled cardboard container, but it’s still oil-based plastic and not PLA or something.) Everyone is having a eco-friendly sale. Target is selling Loomstate organic cotton products – but only for a month. Even Amazon.com is having an Earth Day sale. Macy’s is turning over a new leaf. Walmart is even having “Earth Month.” Of course the Disney Store is cashing in, too 8:-)
Where should my heart lie? Is the recyclable glass half empty or half full? Should I be happy that there are some sustainable products being marketed heavily right now or should I be a pessimist because they’re trying to capitalize off of Earth Day? The ones that piss me off are ads like Target – where they boast “in honor of earth week, our ad is made from 50% recycled fiber.” Why aren’t they printed on 100% recycled paper all the time (or even their boastful 50%)? So they’re saving some virgin trees…for this week at least.
If you really want to honor Earth Day – try not participating in consumerism – or buy something used (novel concept). The fact remains that we’re all consumers – so pick wisely, do a little research, and do your best not to be green washed. If you have to buy something new, I’d rather you buy something remotely sustainable. That’s the best advice I can give you. Consume wisely.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Reject.
Ben Folds – All You Can Eat
Do you drink bottled water? Do you know people who drink bottled water? Watch this trailer to the new doc called “TAPPED.” I hate that there is a generation of children being raised right now that only knows bottled water. WTF people – it’s called an immune system. You’ll be okay if you drink tap water. Really – you’ll live. Your kids won’t be mutants. Well – maybe they will from ingesting so much plastic from the bottled water.
Yeah – I know – there are cons to municipal treated water as well, but I think the pros definitely out weigh the cons. Let’s look at bottled water. Most of it comes in plastic bottles. Plastic is made from oil. Plastic leaches into the water. A lot of bottled water is just repackaged tap water (i.e. Dasani and Aquafina). Water is heavy to ship, thus using more oil. If you’re a fancy pants, you’re not drinking this “tap water.” You opt instead for Fiji water because it comes in a fancy square bottle and is shipped from Fiji (where a large percentage of islanders don’t have access to safe drinking water). Perhaps you are even more fancy pants than that and you drink San Pelligrino. Oooh…but glass recycles better than plastic and doesn’t leach. Correct – but it’s heavy – damn heavy! Oh…and it’s a Nestle brand…like they need another water brand. Nestle is like the Phillip Morris of water. San Pelligrino, Perrier, Vittel, Ice Mountain, Deer Park, Poland Spring, Deer Park, Zephyrhills, and of course, plain old Nestle.
When I was growing up, no one drank bottled water. Some might have taken old milk jugs to the grocery store to fill up for $0.25 from their filtered water. Perrier and Evian were the only bottled waters you could buy. Then sometime in the late 80’s it started catching on more and more. At some point there was a mindset projected on the population that you were a bad person if you didn’t drink bottled water. I just don’t understand it.
Water is a precious commodity – protect it – drink it – from the tap. I know it’s hard to believe here in the good old U.S. of A. that there will be wars fought for water, but there will be. It’s the next oil, you know (which we need to package the water for you).
Here’s your moment of Zen:
About a year ago, we wrote about the Organic Banana Project from Dole. More importantly that the project, we wrote about the consequences to the workers and the true costs involved. I stumbled upon this video from Current.com and thought it was very worthwhile for everyone to watch and learn.
I thought that Black Friday (aka Buy Nothing Day) would be a perfect time for everyone to watch “The Story of Stuff” again – or for the first time. Take 20 minutes away from your shopping to watch and ponder.
Times are tough – money is hard to come by – and winter is roaring it’s head. How about something for nothing? SCREAM to be GREEN doesn’t do giveaways very often, but I think this is a great one. We’re giving away a one year subscription to YES! Magazine. Just look at the covers above and see their commitment to the environment and sustainability! Sustainability, climate change (with Bill McKibben no less), locavores, oil, water battles, etc. Cozy up in a warm blanket with this gem of a magazine. Did I mention that YES! is printed on 100% post consumer waste recycled paper? It is.
From their FAQ:
What is YES! magazine all about?
We focus on a different topic each quarter, each one on opportunities for social change toward a more just, sustainable, and compassionate world. Recent issues have focused on redefining the “good life,” great urban places, preserving and reclaiming water resources, rethinking elderhood, finding alternatives to oil dependence.
Here is an example of some of the great material available in Yes! Magazine.
“Christmas With No Presents?”
by Colin Beavan, No Impact Man
“No Impact Man,” Colin Beavan, suspected the holidays would be just as merry without all the stuff — and he was right! Beavan and his small family have committed to living a no-net-environmental-impact lifestyle in the middle of New York City, and blogs about the adventure at NoImpactMan.com. Here he shares his very merry Christmas story — minus the stuff.
Related stories in the Sustainable Happiness issue:
* “Be Happy Anyway”
by Sarah van Gelder and Doug Pibel
The economic boom didn’t bring us (or the planet) happiness. So maybe there’s an upside to the downturn.
* “10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy”
by Jen Angel
In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.
* “Happiness Test”
by Stephen Post and Mike McCullough
Researchers say thankful people tend to be happy people. YES! offers this test to find out your gratitude score.
The rules are simple. Leave a comment by 11:59PM CST, December 12, 2008 and one random lucky winner will be picked to receive a one year subscription to Yes! Magazine. If you read Yes! Magazine, we’d love to hear from you, too – enter the contest and let us know what you think.
Also – I encourage you all to follow Yes! Magazine on Twitter, too. You can follow me, too – I’d love the company.
Broadway is going green – and not just Wicked. The Great White Way, strewn with incandescent bulbs eating megawatts of electricity are being replaced. Ten theaters have already replaced their bulbs and over the next year, all NYC Broadway theaters will replace their bulbs with energy efficient models. Theaters are using LED and CFLs that will mimic the same look and feel as the incandescent – at a fraction of the wattage and thus cost.
Not only are the theaters changing lightbulbs, they are outlining plans for more environmental change on the big stage. Playbills will be made from more recyclable materials and soluable inks. Stage sets will use recycled materials and will be recycled when they are done with a show. Cleaning supplies will be ecofriendly and even touring casts are looking at ways to reduce energy use in the trucking, etc.
“By this time next year, the lights on Broadway will burn just as bright, but the energy bills and our city’s carbon output will be lower,” Maybor Bloomberg said. “This commitment will raise the level of awareness for everyone involved in these shows including the audiences and that’s going to have an impact that reverberates far beyond the Big Apple.”
Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC, is providing guidance. He makes a very valid point. “It’s not like we’re running out of time,” Mr. Hershkowitz told people at the meeting. “We have run out of time.”
Source: New York Times
I’ll leave you with some clips of folks I know…
An open letter to Dunkin Donuts -
Congratulations on opening your first LEED certified store. I hope you don’t mind that I duotoned your logo to make it green. It just seemed fitting as you opened your first “green” store. I hope it is the first of many LEED stores to come and you’re not just teasing me. I really hope you’re not just waiving the eco-flag. Don’t lett all of your Twittering and posting pictures just be a big eco-tease.
As you know – me and you – we go way back. It’s a love story, really. I think it’s time that I let my readers know my love for you, but in the process, I’m going to have to air some of our dirty laundry. Sometimes I feel like I sacrifice my conscience to be with you, yet you don’t reciprocate. Sure, you take my money – but you don’t listen. It’s like trying to cuddle and talk with a prostitute. I know you just want my money. I feel like after all this time, you need to start giving back. I don’t ask for much – I’m a pretty missionary kinda guy with you – nothing kinky – so sure, sometimes I want hazelnut instead of plain. I have to spice it up from time-to-time, but I’m not asking too much of you. Just give me what you’re giving your customers in St Petersburg, FL.
I understand that you own a lot of real estate and also franchise a lot of stores, but really – can’t you change over your cups for all of your stores? Why do you still need to attack the environment by only giving out #6 styrofoam cups? There is nothing environmentally friendly about that and who knows what chemicals are offgassing into my coffee. It’s even difficult to recycle the cups you give out for iced coffee. Most municipalities only take #1 and #2 plastics. Give me a better option – please!
Let’s talk more about your LEED intiatives. The restaurant is built with energy efficient materials to help reduce heating and air conditioning costs by up to 40%. In a climate like Florida – this is a huge cost savings. I also love that you’re composting your grounds with the worms. I vermicompost in my basement. The kids love it and we get very rich soil in return. I love that one of your initiatives is that in-store diners get trays – such a novel concept. When I go to my Dunkin and eat in there, we always get bags and boxes and I try to have them not give them to me – but often fail or get dumbfounded looks. This can save approximately 50,000 bags per year in an average restaurant.
Overall – congratulations to Dunkin Donuts for taking their first green steps. Like most Americans, I want more, more, more – and not more consumption, but more steps. I want to alleviate my guiltiest of green pleasures – Dunkin Donuts coffee.
Okay – one last tidbit of information that you’re leaving out that many of us Eco-Greenies should all know and probably don’t: Dunkin Donuts has sold fair trade coffee since 2003. Why isn’t that in your press release?
So, Dunkin, thank you. Thank you for the good times and the bad times (like when I had to write a complaint letter about the mean counter-worker who yells at people for paying with a $20 bill). I’ll continue to be your John. It’s an addiction – like David Duchovny to sex, it’s me to your products. I don’t smoke, but if I did, I’d leave $2.04 on the dresser in the morning and enjoy a good smoke after having a large cup of your joe (cream, 2 Splenda – sometimes with hazelnut).
Much java love,
Jason
PS – feel free to follow Dunkin Donuts on Twitter and tell them what you think – http://twitter.com/dunkindonuts
(you didn’t think I’d have a post without a video, did you?)
After the earlier “Greening of China” we happen to be watching 60 Minutes on CBS. Tonight they had a story on following the toxic trail of e-waste. It’s amazing and appalling all at the same time. The conditions that poor Chinese farmers are put through for $8/day. The children are filled with lead in their bloodstream. The soil and water is too contaminated to drink. People are inhaling carcinogenic toxins on a regular basis. All for $8.
I would like to note that many major US computer manufacturers will take back their e-waste and are committed to ethically and properly dispose of their e-waste in the US. Please do your homework when recycling your e-waste. Check the Basel Action Network for more information on responsible e-waste recycling.
Here’s a great 10min piece on e-waste recycling in poor communities across the world.
Google.org announced that they are expanding their renewable effort of RE<Coal (renewable energy is less than coal). They are investing $10.25 million in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). This is huge. There is a lot of potential for geothermal energy and it’s not unique to any particular climate. These advances in clean energy could provide to be very useful. Instead of looking for hot pockets beneath the earth, EGS fractures rock and circulates water through them, producing steam. The steam is then harnessed in a traditional turbine to create energy. See the video below.
[from Google Press Release]
A recent MIT report on EGS estimates that just 2% of the heat below the continental United States between 3 and 10 kilometers, depths within the range of current drilling technology, is more than 2,500 times the country’s total annual energy use.
To advance EGS, Google.org announced funding for two companies and a university:
Source: Google Press Release
