Be Wise! Be Healthy!
Be in the know about Sustainable Living and Green Building, Products & Experts
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October 2007
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by Elaine Ireland
The celebration of Halloween goes back 2,000 years to the Celts' New Year's Eve Celebration. Harvest at the end of the year and a celebration for the transition to beginning and hope of a good harvest next time around. Halloween was when the lines between life and death, the living and the dead were blurry and uncertain. The Celts knew their lives depended entirely on a certain life cycle. They knew to honor what kept them alive. Were they not smarter than we? (read on) |
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Scary Monsters & Super Freaks
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General Features |
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by Alan S. Glassman
Second of a series of articles about what should be of interest to anyone involved in the building professions. The relevance of geometry itself may be obvious to those responsible for the planning, design and construction of our buildings and infrastructure. But did you know there's meaning in shape and form? (read on) |
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By Jon Dougal
Ever since the rumors of Perrier bottled water being filled from NY city tap water were aired in the 70's, I have been skeptical of the claims of bottled water being better than tap water. I have followed the claims made by many bottlers and with the exception of distilled water; don't attribute much credit to their claims. Can anything else be in the water that isn't on the label? (read on) |
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| Most companies that sell H2O hate the idea, but the California Legislature wants to make it easier for people to find out what minerals, chemicals or bacteria are in the water they buy and whether its provenance is a well, artesian aquifer, spring -- mountain or otherwise -- or municipal reservoir. "Consumers have a right to know and understand the quality of their drinking water," (read on) |
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"... as biological knowledge grows the ethic will shift fundamentally so that everywhere ... the fauna and flora of a country will be thought part of the national heritage as important as its art, [and] its language ... ."
(E.O. Wilson 1984)
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| Consumers will soon be able to identify high-performance, water-efficient sink faucets for their bathrooms now that EPA has released a product specification for ones that use about 30 percent less water than conventional models. (read on) |
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| During a ceremony at San Jose City Hall earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Green Electronics Council recognized an elite group of pioneering organizations for using EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, when purchasing electronic products — saving the companies over $5 million combined. (read on) |
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Global Warming |
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Courtesy GreenPeace
Our story last month, "Nuclear Power Is Green Power - Or Is It?" , stirred much feedback to the editor. To continue the dialogue, this month we offer another perspective, that 'Nuclear Power is Not the Answer' and the opportunity to get and read Dr. Helen Caldicott's book on the same topic. (read on) |
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Courtesy CSRwire
Three in Four Want City and Local Governments to Take More Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gases. "Seven in ten Americans want their local governments to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," explains Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz of Yale University. "City and local leaders are critical players in the effort to reduce global warming and it's clear that their constituents want action. The public is on board and willing to help foot the bill. All that's left to do now is act." (read on) |
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| “The announcement sets the stage for another step forward in achieving our goal to return the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020,” said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. “Every single action we take - government, businesses, municipalities and individuals alike - makes a difference toward ultimately cooling our planet. California is showing the country and the world that we can and will help reverse the ominous tide of global warming.” (read on) |
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Health & Toxins |
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| EPA Reports on Decade of Progress on Children's Environmental Health, celebrating Children's Health Month each October by developing publications and activities that highlight the importance of protecting children from environmental risks. This year makes the tenth. In honor of Children's Health Month this year, EPA releases its publication, Children's Environmental Health: 2007 Highlights, seventh in an annual series, highlighting their work to protect children from environmental risks. (read on) |
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| Despite opposition from 54 scientists, EPA has approved a one-year registration of iodomethane (methyl iodide) under highly restrictive provisions governing its use. odomethane is a methyl bromide alternative that can be used as a pre-plant soil fumigant and can be used to control these pests on crops and plants such as strawberries, tomatoes and peppers, ornamentals, turf, trees, and vines. (read on) |
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Cleaner Transportation |
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CCourtesy CSRwire
UPS is adding 306 alternative fuel vehicles to its "green fleet," placing an order for 167 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) delivery trucks while taking delivery of 139 new propane delivery trucks in North America. Additionally, the company has launched an initiative to use biodiesel fuel in its ground support vehicles at the UPS Worldport® air hub in Louisville. (read on) |
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Building & Construction |
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By Jon Dougal
As the financial markets reel under the pressure of sub-prime lending policies, and home prices drop like stones in a vacuum, could there be a benefit to consumers? Foreclosures are mounting, but major mortgage holders are reticent to drop prices to realistic values in order to move their rising inventories of repossessed homes. As their inventories climb, they will of necessity have to drop retail prices to move the inventory. The probability is they will wait too long, then all mortgage holders will dump a the same time. (read on) |
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| Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, opened its first prototype store to test new retail concepts and the performance of green building features, including state-of-the-art technology and environmentally-friendly materials.Building upon more than 10 years of the co-op's leadership in green building design, REI Boulder was constructed using the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, specifically to achieve a LEED Silver certification. (read on) |
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| The international competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is taking place October 12- 20, 2007 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Twenty teams, consisting of students from colleges and universities around the world, will participate in the competition to design, build, and operate energy-efficient homes that are entirely solar-powered. The USGBC is proud to share the organization's experience and expertise as the developers of the LEED® green building rating system with the dedicated student builders in this year's competition. (read on) |
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| Pre-sized 'Solar in a Box' systems have been integrated by Ready Solar® with modular building system designs by developer JoT House. The concept of standardizing component parts for housing offers technically advanced systems at affordable prices, eliminating specialized construction and installation costs. (read on) |
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Lifestyle - What You Can Do |
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| EPA Chief Launches 10 City National Tour to Promote Energy Efficiency. A bright idea hits the road on a national tour to promote energy efficient lighting as an easy, effective and money-saving way for American households to help fight climate change. EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson kicked off the 10-city, 20-day Energy Star Change-a-Light Bus Tour today at Disneyland. "Protecting the environment, while saving money, is as easy as changing a light. And through the Change a Light bus tour, we're taking that message on the road," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. (read on) |
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| We Feed The World, Energy War, Radiant City, Before the Flood, Strange Culture And Sombe Ke: The Money Place All To Making Television Premiers On Sundance Channel In Fourth Quarter 2007. Six documentaries air as part of THE GREEN, the network's weekly primetime destination focusing on environmental topics. We Feed the World directed by Erwin Wagenhofer, Energy War directed by Shuchen Tan, IJsbrand van Veelen and Rudi Boon, Radiant City directed by Gary Burns and Jim Brown, Before the Flood directed by David Lindsay, Strange Culture directed by Lynn Hershman Leeson and Sombe Ke: The Money Place directed by David Henningson began their U.S. television premier on Sundance Channel. (read on) |
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| The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping energy bill in August 2007 that included a provision directing millions of dollars toward training a "green" workforce. Now it goes to the Senate and President for action. The Green Jobs Act of 2007 would authorize as much as $125 million a year for the national and state program to train workers in areas such as biofuel development, energy efficient buildings, renewable power, solar panel installation and energy efficient cars. (read on) |
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| Initiative Offers $150,000 in Awards for Ideas to Support Sustainability. KEEN - a leader in hybrid outdoor performance products, including footwear, socks and bags - has launched Hybrid.STAND, an innovative initiative designed to inspire and empower people who are passionate, active and involved - or want to become involved - with making a difference around sustainability. (read on) |
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GreenSage Guide to Living Green |
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How-To Steps You Can Take
by Elaine Ireland
There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 million single-family residences in the United States. Our homes consume approximately 35% of the energy used in this country for all the stuff we use energy for at home — like heating, cooling, lighting, running appliances. If each household reduced consumption by even 25%, collectively that energy efficiency would reduce emissions that contribute to smog, acid rain, polluted waterways and global warming. With 55 million, it means millions of us need to make changes to make an impact. Start with the simplest, least expensive steps. Then move forward. Its easy! How 'bout you? (read on) |
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Green Products |
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By Jon Dougal
With the proliferation of green building materials hitting the market almost daily it is hard to find a unique story on either the product or the company producing it. JER Envirotech ("JER") is one of those success stories worth telling. (read on) |
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| The world thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) market is forecast to reach $7.2 billion by 2015, compared to just over $1.0 billion today, according to a new report just released by NanoMarkets LC, an industry analyst firm. The market is being driven by the inherent advantages of TFPV including low cost, low weight, and the ability to manufacture on flexible substrates and embed solar power capabilities into walls, roofs and even windows. Unlike more conventional PV that uses crystalline silicon, TFPV also has the ability to operate under low light conditions. (read on) |
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by Michael Tardif, Assoc. AIA, Contributing Editor
At the AIA conference in San Antonio in May of 2007, there were many purveyors of BIM technology and the presentations heralded a massive move in the A/E community to totally spec a building with on-line technology. In fact the need for an arhitect's library and live samples were said to be things of the past. The following article seems to put BIM in context. (read on) |
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Green Economics |
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By Anne Moore Odell
With some help from KLD, SustainableBusiness.com releases their 6th annual Sustainable Business 20 List: The World's Top Sustainable Stocks. What do large-cap apparel maker Nike, medium-cap office furniture maker Herman Miller and small-cap coffee roaster Green Mountain Coffee Roasters all have in common? They are all found on the 2007 Sustainable Business 20 (SB20) List of the World's Top Sustainable Stocks. (read on) |
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By Jon Dougal
30% by sales volume of New Zealand businesses have started dumping suppliers based on their environmental, social and ethical standards, the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development reported. This is just one indication from a very small country that the consumer and wholesale markets are turning in a new direction. (read on) |
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Eyes on the Lawmakers |
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By Frank O'Donnell
A young man came to my door the other day, seeking money for the Democratic National Committee. "We need to elect Democrats next year," said the young man, "to work on issues like Iraq and global warming." Implicit in this pitch, similar to one on the DNC website was the notion that the current Congress (and President) will not take on the global warming issue, and that it could be a defining issue in the next election. (read on) |
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| In August, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a far-reaching energy bill that includes a number of AIA-backed initiatives, including carbon-neutral federal buildings by 2030, an extension of the energy-efficient commercial buildings tax deduction, and the construction of a photovoltaic sun wall on the Department of Energy's headquarters.(read on) |
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Green Experts Profile |
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Lester Brown, Plan B, Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble
an introduction and excerpt from a vibrant, most interesting author |
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Calendar of events |
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Dozens of Green Events Around the World to Participate in |
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Where Every Issue is a Green Issue
