How to live an eco friendly lifestyle

States With Most Mass Transit Spending, 03/04/2009

2009-03-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. spend the most on mass transit.

"Cash For Transportation, Mass Transit Spending Per Capita", New York Times, A15, 03/04/2009.

The Best Environmental Congress Members, 2005-2006

2009-03-02T13:41:00.001-08:00

None in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,

California:

Sanshez(D), 74

Schiff(D), 74

Tauscher (D), 74

Thompson(D), 74

Waters(D), 74

Pelosi(D), 74

Capps(D), 74,

Solis(D), 74

Davis(D), 76,

Farr(D), 76

Lofgren(D), 76

Miller(D), 76

Sherman(D), 76

Stark(D), 76

Watson(D), 76

Woolsey(D), 76

Waxman(D), 81

Colorado,

Udall, 81

Connecticut,

DeLauro, 71

Johnson, 71

Shays, 74

Simmons, 74

Delaware,

Biden, 71

Carper, 72

Flordia,

Davis, 73

Wexler, 76

Nelson, 79

Georgia,

Barrow, 74

Lewis, 74

Hawaii,

Case, 75

Idaho, none

Illinois,

Schakowsky, 73

Jackson, 74

Indiana

Bayh, 74,

Iowa, none

Kansas, none

Kentucky,

Chandler, 75

Louisiana, none

Maine,

Hollen, 71

Cummings, 71

Sarbanes, 71

Michaud, 71

Allen, 74

Massachusetts,

Frank, 74

McGovern, 76

Tierney, 76

Michigan, none

Minnesota,

Dayton, 71

Sabo, 73

McCollum, 76

Mississippi, none

Missouri,

Carnahan, 73

Montana, none

Nebraska, none

Nevada

Reid, 71

Berkley, 71

New Hampshire, none

New Jersey

Lautenberg, 71

Pallone, 71

Holt, 76

New Mexico, none

New York,

Schumer, 71

Owens, 73

Slaughter, 73

Weiner, 73

Ackerman, 74

McCarthy, 74

Rangel, 74

Nadler, 74

Lowey, 74

Crowley, 76

Maloney, 76

North Carolina,

Price, 74

North Dakota, none

Ohio,

Kucinich, 76

Brown, 81

Oklahoma, none

Oregon,

Blumenauer, 71

Hooley, 76

DeFazio, 86

Pennsylvania,

Schwartz, 79

Rhode Island

Reed, 75

South Carolina, none

South Dakota, none

Tennessee, none

Texas,

Johnson, 73

Utah, none

Vermont, none

Virginia,

Moran, 73

Washington,

Dicks, 71

Inslee, 71

Smith, 71

McDermott, 74

Larsen, 77

Baird, 79

West Virginia,

Byrd, 74

Wisconsin,

Moore, 71

Baldwin, 76

Kind, 76

Wyoming, none

[1]http://www.uscongress-enviroscore.org/scoreframes.html

Electric Car Speech

2009-02-03T17:26:00.001-08:00

Hello, I am Mark Abell. My topic is based on a "thing" that could alleviate an incredible amount of this fine nation's problems at once. Before I reveal the identity of this marvelous item, I want to pose a question to our energetic audience members:

What if there was a means of transportation that could greatly reduce both air and noise pollution in cities, improve public health, strengthen U.S. National Security, preserve the autonomous flow of people, goods and services that we as Americans hold dear, and reduce the cost of commuting? Such an item probably sounds too good to be true but all of these considerations are actually fulfilled in one entity that is already available for public consumption.

This entity is the electric car. Firstly, electric cars are zero-emission vehicles, and do not contribute to air pollution, which causes asthma, like regular cars do. Secondly, electric cars are much quieter than traditional automobiles because electrical currents can travel through circuits much more quietly than gasoline can be pumped through pistons. Thirdly, electric cars do not rely on imported oil from the Middle East. As a consequence, electric cars do not fuel petrodictatorship that is, dictatorships in the 3rd world based on oil production. Fourthly, electric vehicles are still personal vehicles so individuals can travel freely without being inconvenienced. And, lastly, the cost of electricity is much less than the cost of gasoline. Electricity would run about 1 cent per mile versus 25cents -75 cents a mile for gasoline, reducing the cost of commuting by leaps and bounds.

Thank you very much and thanks for listening.

SAVE

How does the electric car meet those challenges I described? Well, firstly, unlike internal-combustion engine i.e. gasoline-powered cars which pump particulate matter into our air, and produce smog in our cities, electric cars are zero emission vehicles. This means that these vehicles do not produce particulate matter. Thus electric vehicles do not create any smog. Now as a sidenote, I must mention, personal transportation-cars and private industry are the primary creators of pollution in our cities. If every person were to switch from a regular automobile to an electric vehicle, we could reduce air pollution in cities by half.

SAVE

Now, the first concern that many individuals have is that electric cars are too expensive for regular people. This myth must be debunked. For instance, Zenn Motor Company of Toronto, Canada sells brand new electric vehicles for between $12,000 and $16,000[1] Ford Motor Company's 2009 Focus Sedan which receives 24-35mpg sells for between $14,995 and $17,970.

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZENN

States With Emissions Guidelines

2009-01-25T00:17:00.000-08:00

Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, D.C, Maryland?, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine.

Stephrn Power, Wall Street Journal, "Emissions Fight Squeezes Obama"

01/24/2009-01/25/2009

Swap Books, CDs, And Videogames At Swaptree

2009-01-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

Don't buy things new, trade for them on swaptree. It saves you money and the earth. Reference #1 is from the Daily Green, #2 is from The Wall Street Journal, #3 is from Wired Magazine, #4 is from The Huffington Post.

[1]http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/college-green-55100102

[2]http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121805999670918387.html

[3]http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/04/swaptree-wants.html

[4]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/starre-vartan/sharing-a-truly-radical-a_b_98685.html

Eco Sin, Bought a Nintendo DS

2009-01-20T19:20:00.001-08:00

I couldn't fight it, I bought a DS. Even though Nintendo gets a 0.8 for sustainability, I can't be perfect!

A Blog Uses a Microwave's Worth Of Electricity

2009-01-20T04:56:00.000-08:00

A Blog Uses a Microwave's Worth Of Electricity[1].

[1]http://green.msn.com/Home/Green-My-Blog/

Freeze Your Debit Card Or Credit Card And Put A Morotorium On Spending For Useless And Destructive Things

2009-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

I was really tempted to buy a PSP or Nintendo DS. But Sony gets a 5/10 for sustainability, Nintendo 0.8/10. So I froze my Debit Card until I can decide NO on both of those items.

Nokia, Most Sustainable Electronics Company

2009-01-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/guide-greener-electronics-9-edition-160908

Boycott Nintendo

2009-01-17T17:01:00.000-08:00

Nintendo scored the lowest(0.8/10) for sustainability, the worst off all companies.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics

Simply Living Well, written May 28,2008

2008-12-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

So you've heard it: gas and food prices seem to be rising exponentially and there seems like no end in sight. In light of a difficult economic situation we must stay positive. This is after all an opportunity to simplify our lives and actually live better.

Simplifying our lives brings many benefits. By, in the words of Henry David Thoreau "purchasing only items necessary to sustain life, we will save many thousands of dollars. Consequently, owning fewer items saves countless dollars in repairs and time invested in maintainance. Furthermore, material goods distance us from the activities we most love. Television, cell-phones, computers and other commercial products distract us from what we find to be the most worthwhile. In February of 2006, I unplugged my cable-line. I missed it initially but began occupying myself with even more interesting activities such as learning calligraphy, learning to breakdance, and cross-country skiing in Delaware Park. Those activities did not require a $50 subscription but they were extremely pleasant!

The Depressing Mileage of Ford's 18 Vehicle Fleet

2008-11-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

F-150: 15mpg
Flex AWD: 18 mpg
Flex FWD: 19mpg
Focus FWD:24mpg
Focus Coupe: 24mpg
F-150 Super Duty: 16mpg
E-Series: 15mpg
Taurus X AWD:18mpg
Taurus X FWD:17mpg
Taurus: 17mpg
Ranger 2WD: 21mpg
Ranger 4WD: 15mpg
Mustang Convertible: 14-17mpg
Mustang Coupe: 17mpg
Fusion AWD: 17mpg
Fusion FWD: 20mpg
Expedition: 10-12mpg
Explorer 2WD:14-15mpg
Explorer 4WD: 13-14mpg
Explorer Sport Trac: 14mpg
Escape Hybrid 4WD: 29mpg
Escape Hybrid FWD: 34mpg
Escape 4WD: 17-19mpg
Escape FWD:18-22mpg
Edge AWD:15mpg
Edge FWD: 17mpg

So in Ford's fleet of 18 vehicles, only the Escape Hybrid gets more than 30mpg. 1/18 get excellent mileage. Pathetic!

Ford's car models

2008-11-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

Ford's 2008 Vehicle lineup:
F-150:
Flex:
Focus:
Focus Coupe:
F-150 Super Duty:
E-Series:
Taurus X:
Taurus:
Ranger:
Mustang Convertible:
Mustang Coupe:
Fusion:
Expedition:
Explorer:
Explorer Sport Trac:
Escape Hybrid:
Escape:
Edge:

Lincoln:
MKZ:
MKS:
Towncar:
MKX:
Navigator:
Select Mark LT:

Mercury:
Milan:
Mariner:
Sable:
Mountaineer:
Grand Marquis:

Mazda:
Madza3 4-door
Mazda3 5-door
MazdaSPEED3
MADZA6
MX-5 Miata
RX-8
CX-7
CX-9
MADZA5
Tribute
B-Series Truck

Volvo:
S40
S60
S80
V50
V70
XC70
XC90
C30
C70

Destructive Rainstorm

2008-11-09T18:35:00.001-08:00

Today the environment destroyed my umbrella which will be thrown in a landfill and destroy the environment.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1529849&l=1b4e1&id=537991561

Industrial Capitalism Must Adapt

2008-11-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Target put out a catalog for toys this week. 45 pages out of the total 51 pages contained product sets that were primarily constructed of plastic (approximately 3/4 products were made out of plastic in each set) The 6 exception pages hawked board games, stuffed animals, bikes, skateboards, and scooters.

Then in Office Depot's catalog, 36 of 38 products were made of plastic. The other two products were professional photo paper(utilizes toxic chemicals) and a 20lb supply of Hamermill paper. I checked out Hamermill's website[1] and they are moderately sustainable so 1 product in 38 from Office Depot is sustainable!

Next, Office Max's catalog. 91 products were featured. 12 products did not feature plastic! So 13% of the catalog was plastic free!

Next Circuit City's catalog, the 8GB nano used little or no plastic, the Tom Tom GPS case didn't contain plastic but contained synthetic fiber, the 1GB iPod shuffle used little plastic, the Clamshell laptop bags don't contain plastic, the Kingston 1GB RAM chip doesn't contain plastic. Of the 270 products, every single one is toxic!

It is time that we realize we cannot utilize oil forever and that is time to move to more sustainable fibers such as biodegradable corn fibers.

This American lifestyle is not sustainable in the least!

[1]http://www.internationalpaper.com/Our%20Company/Environment/index.html

ECO Friendly Oral Hygiene

2008-11-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

From morning to evening:

Wake up.

Brush teeth.

1. Finger tip toothbrush by Dental Dots, Inc[1].
a. Health: 8.7/10
b. no Environmental
c. no Social Performance data available

2. Tom's of Maine Homeopathic Apricot toothpaste[2].
a. Health performance: 9.0
b. Environmental Performance: 9.2
c. Social Performance: 9.6

3. Tom's of Maine Alcohol Free Mouthwash[3]
a. Health:10
b. Environmental:9.2
c. Social:9.6

4. Tom's of Maine Anti-Plaque Floss[4]
a. Health:10
b. Environmental:9.2
c. Social: 9.6

[1]http://www.goodguide.com/products/193397-Dental-Dots-Fingertip-Toothbrush-Fresh-Mint?ontology=default
[2]http://www.goodguide.com/browse/152770/top
[3]http://www.goodguide.com/browse/152738/top
[4]http://www.goodguide.com/products/150497-Toms-Of-Maine-Floss-Anti-Plague-Unflavored?ontology=default

Feel bad: Just had to throw out a pair of Microsoft Zune Earbuds

2008-11-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

I feel bad. Today I disposed of my sister's broken Microsoft Zune earbuds which lasted less than 6 months before falling apart. The warranty has expired so sadly, I put those ear-buds into my trash-can today. Shame on Microsoft for producing such a shoddy product.

2008-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

"Boom"

Everyone seems to be in a hurry-
to go no where,
Like the futile peddling of a hampster
in a cage.
Destination uncertain, not a care
Programmed are the masses, as if
they were a mechanical gauge.
Methodical limbo, corporate control,
transportation systems and computer
rampage
Politically correct tunnel vision,
no broad picture to observe or perceive.
Traveling at too fast a pace to-
think of, or improve the situation,
Leaving too many unconcerned and naiive.
Creating the final page for
Societies disintegration.

Jan. 1, 2003
Charles D. Walter

Green Your Dating: Transportation and Food

2008-10-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

I acknowledge that there are many individuals in the world that are concerned with the well-being of the environment. However, many eco-concerned individuals have not yet learned how to apply an environmentally-conscious approach to their day-to-day lifestyle in a tangible way. The purpose of this post is to provide possible steps to take when planning an eco-conscious date.

Many Environmentalists are excited about dating. Hopefully my post can inspire Environmentalists to approach their "date-planning" in a way in which the earth will not be harmed. Firstly, dates pose the problem of transportation. Will you drive your car, ride a bus, ride the subway, bike, skateboard or walk to pick up your date? Well, picking up your date in a gasoline-driven automobile is most certainly a mistake on ideological grounds-cars pollute the air for everyone. So, driving for a date, in a sense, ruins the air for everyone in society, including the "loved one" you are picking up. Driving for a date, is then directly counter-productive to your love for the earth as well as for your partner. Driving for a date-score 20%. The Electric Car is a good alternative to the gasoline-engine automobile because it has 0 emissions and since no gas is required, the electric car does not bolster profits for the wicked oil companies, such as Exxon. However, an incredible amount of energy goes into the production of an Electric Car, and its production drives Capitalistic profit so it is not really ideal. Electric Car-score 60%. Consequently, riding a bus or a subway is a better option than driving a private automobile. Buses and Subways are very efficient means of transportation in cities and should be utilized whenever possible. Taking public transportation for a date-score 80%. However, bicycling to pick up your date is probably the most ideal option(be sure to wear deodorant ). In this case, the air is preserved, the individual riding receives physical exercise which can relieve pre-date anxiety, and within an urban context, the bicycle is highly efficient. It is at times, faster to travel between point A and point B via bicycle than by car because so many alternative routes are opened up- bicycles are small, can be used on sidewalks, and can easily navigate small-spaces. Skateboarding and walking are also intelligent options because neither activity contributes to air-pollution. The downside to those activities is that it may take a long time to reach your destination, in either case and you may perspire heavily on the way. Bicycling, skateboarding, and walking to a date-score 100%.
Second, is the problem of food. Will you eat out at a chain, a local restaurant, or a food-cooperative? Or, will you prepare food yourself at your home? Or, will you forage for food with your date?(this is a viable possibility that is commonly overlooked) The worst option here is to eat at a chain restaurant. Chains are generally not socially-conscious (with the exception of Starbucks which provides free health-care for many of its employees.) When this path is taken, 1)The Corporate-greed is served[you are adding to the profits of major conglomerates], 2) A further perpetuation of the homogenization of your community occurs, 3) You are (in many cases) provided with food that has been genetically engineered, 4) You are consuming food that is generally far-from wholesome, and 5) You are provided with portions that are enormously huge, which may serve to make you fat, and 6)Chains use disposable plates, bags, and cups which is an inefficient use of resources. Chains-score 20%. The next best option is a local restaurant that has Vegetarian or Vegan food that is imported from local sources and uses silverware, real-plates, and glasses. Patronizing local restaurants keeps money in your community and provides tax-revenue for your local school districts. The downside is many restaurants do not recycle or compost. Local restaurants-score 60%. The next best option is to go to a food-cooperative with organic vegetables that are imported from local sources(no more than 20 miles) If there it is locally-owned that is preferable but Whole Foods is permissible. Food-cooperative-score 70%. A cut above the food-cooperative is to attend a local Farmer's market. This way, you reward farmer's directly for their hard-work. If the farmer's have outsourced to a middle-man, and sell at a farmer's market, you at least get fresher food than you would at your local grocery store. Farmer's market-score 75%. The absolute creme de le creme of food-sources for dates is to forage together. If you can visit a neighbor's backyard and pick their apples, cherries, or blue-berries, that is the ideal food situation because 1) no money is spent, 2) the fruit is extremely fresh, 3) pesticides and chemicals are usually not used on trees and bushes in people's backyards. Finding berries in the woods while hiking is also ideal. If none of your neighbors have apple trees, and you cannot find wild-food to eat while hiking, a visit to a local orchard(preferably by bike but by electric car is also preferable) is also a promising alternative. Neighbors yard-score 100%, foraging while hiking-score 100%, visiting a local orchard, 80%(because you may have had to drive there, and there is a high likelihood that chemicals have been used on the plants.

A breakdown:

Transportation:
Driving-20%
Electric Car-60%
Public Transportation-80%
Bicyling-100%
Skateboarding-100%
Walking 100%

Food:
Chain: 20%
Local Restaurant:60%
Food-Cooperative: 70%
Farmer's Market: 75%
Local Orchard: 80%
Neighbor's Yard:100%
Foraging While Hiking: 100%(assuming you eat no poisonous food)

Used Clothing: Sustainable, Eco-friendly, and Socially-Conscious

2008-09-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

So I was looking for Socially-conscious and Sustainable clothing and I came up with this site: http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/index.aspx. It's a Vegan clothing boutique in L.A. The clothes are really amazing. One T-shirt(made of Organic cotton) had a Hummer on it and said "Bummer". I am however skeptical. I would not be surprised if all of it was made in China. Plus, the most eco-conscious thing to do is to buy very FEW clothes [USED] from LOCAL thrift-stores. I already have more clothes than I know what to do with. Why would I buy anymore clothes than I already have? Sustainable clothing is clothing that you already own, and will keep for many years. Hipster "Eco-chic" clothes spread consciousness for the environmental movement but also distaste from the general public who come to see it as a trendy option for wealthy individuals. The "Eco-chic" movement promotes the same Consumerism that we disdain. It's easy to get sucked into these things isn't it? Well, as much as I like this website, I will be patronizing the Amvets(American Veteran's Thrift Store) on Elmwood(towards Valu Hardware) and skipping the "Eco-chic" clothes.

Response to Richard's 4 Reasons Recession Is Bad for the Environment

2008-09-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/4_reasons_recession_bad_environment.php

Richard is not entirely fair when he says that recession is bad for the environment. His first point is that companies will reduce their investments into research and development and green programs. That is not entirely true. Although we are in the midst of a recession, Toyota is developing a more efficient hybrid-an electric/gas plug-in that should receive 125 miles per gallon. Toyota is pursuing this goal because the company realizes that such a product has the possibility of selling well in the marketplace, and there is an opportunity for greater profitability by producing the most innovative vehicles. See [http://www.tytlabs.co.jp/english/tech/ena.html] Furthermore, not all environmental initiatives by companies cut into profits-some actually create profits. Consider this: if the cost of oil rises enough, the cost of producing plastic will be higher. Therefore, it will be more expensive to use plastic packaging than recycled cardboard in packaging at some point in time. If recycled cardboard was cheaper than plastic, it would save companies money on their bottom-line. A company would then be more profitable when pursuing the "right" thing!

Richard's 2nd point is that in the midst of a recession, people will buy less expensive products, which are worse for the environment. This is true in the case of Chinese products which are sold cheaply and hurt the environment greatly but isn't true in the sense that environmentally conscious food, transportation, and clothing can be the MOST inexpensive choices. A pound of tofu is $2 while a pound of beef is $5.75(http://shop.netgrocer.com/shop.aspx?&sid=24028222&sid_guid=17b5ea75-d995-4db5-8bdc-cefba06a5660&strid=2D462&sc=wwwNG_D1A024EE&ns=1) Men's pants from Walmart run $9.86+, which is not produced to socially or environmentally conscious standards:child-labor is involved. I have purchased much more environmentally conscious clothing from other sources for much less than that: from Craigslist, Freecycle, Goodwill, Amvets(American Veterans). I purchased a Burberry blazer in very fine condition for $7 at an Amvets and a gorgeous Harris Tweed jacket for $9 at a Goodwill. Those are 1000% nicer than what you get from a Target or a Walmart and since they are used, I do not feel that I am serving to perpetrate child-labor uses. They are very fine clothing items and they cost me very little money. Furthermore, the fossil-fuels involved in their production have now been distributed among multiple individuals. Also, my bicyle from my father's garage that I use to commute daily cost me $0. An environmentally degrading automobile would cost me much more. True environmentalism is actually the most cost-effective lifestyle!

In addition, the best policy for the environment is to buy less or buy nothing at all. That is why Vegan ice-cream, an expensive "eco-chic" kind of thing, is such an idiotic idea-if you don't want to consume regular ice-cream, why not just skip ice-cream altogether? It uses fossil fuel to produce, and if your a Vegan why do need ice-cream? The environmental movement needs to be about frugality, not hipster "eco-products." If an individual was to live a truly environmentally friendly lifestyle, he could live on $15,000 per year, assuming he lived in a small city, didn't own a car, rode a bike and fixed it himself, lived in an apartment with a room-mate, bought only used clothes, turned down the heat in the winter and wore thick wool sweaters, ate out only once per week for no more than $10(hopefully at an organic food cooperative), and pursued other simple measures.

Richard's 3rd point is that in a sore economy loans are going to be harder to get so "green start-ups are going to be harder to get." Maybe the idea of loans for businesses is foolish. Isn't it possible for entrepreneurs to save wages from their current jobs and invest them into their businesses at a later time, all without reliance on banks or external lenders? It is a fallacy that a business needs a lot of upfront capital. And a lot of times businesses could function with less capital. A local venture in my area sells ice-cream bars with a bicycle with a cooler-attached to it. That's about $100 worth of capital for the bike and cooler, and a couple hundred dollars worth of ice-cream. Each bar is sold for $2 or $3. That venture is extremely green(goods sold on a bike) and profitable. That venture is successful without 1000s of dollars of capital!

His fourth point is that voters want the government to do something about the environmental crisis. Here's an idea. How about we abandon the idea that the government can do anything effectively regarding this movement? Wasn't our country was founded on the principle of personal initiative? We have forgotten that personal initiative is an effective means of solving problems. Too-little recycling occurred in our local-business district. As a counter-measure, local business owners installed recycle boxes in front of their shops and had local artists decorate the exteriors of these recycle boxes. More recycling is taking place in that area than ever before! Furthermore, local business owners have installed bike-racks in front of their shops (we still could use more). Their actions of personal initiative have been extremely effective in encouraging recycling and supporting clean-transport(bikes)! None of these measures required any government intervention, or a large amount of capital. They only required some insight, some brains, a small amount of capital, and a bit of elbow grease.

Horrified: My Neighbors Barely Recycle?

2008-09-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

Today when I was putting out my recyclables-one bin of paper and one bin of plastics I walked down my street. There are 16 houses on my side of the street. Only two houses in sixteen-I checked at 5pm-so 2/16 houses on my side of the street had put out recyclables. I'll have to check later. But if this is an accurate count, 1/8 of all houses recycling is not an acceptable amount!

Help Your Parents Recycle

2008-09-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Goal: "Green Your Parents"

Step #1: Help Your Parents Recycle

I am trying to persuade my father to recycle the many documents from his office. Currently, the majority of his papers end up in the trash, and his confidential documents don't get shredded. I created two bins for his office. The first is labeled "Recycle, as is." for magazines, newspapers, invitations, letters, etc. The second is labeled "Confidential, shred, then recycle." Consequently, I stuck a label on his trash-can "Germ ridden, trash only." Hopefully, everything but his dirty Kleenex will now be recycled, saving 1/2 of a large black bag of trash each week, about 15lbs of paper.

Most Eco-Friendly Colleges and Endowments

2008-09-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

I leafed through the sustainability reports for over 200 colleges.

Carleton College(A-)
State Minnesota, Blue

Dartmouth College(A-)
State: New Hampshire,Blue

Harvard University(A-)
State: Massachusetts,Blue

U. California (B+)
State: California,Blue

U. Michigan (B+)
State: Michigan,Blue

U. Wisconsin(B+)
State: Wisconsin,Blue

Stanford (B+)
State: California, Blue

Oberlin College (B+)
State: Ohio, RED

Brown University(B+)
State: Rhode Island,Blue

Columbia University(B+)
State: New York,Blue

Dickinson College(B+)
State: Pennsylvania,Blue

M.I.T.(B+)
State: Massachusetts,Blue

Duke University(B+)
State:North Carolina,RED

Amherst(B)
State: Massachusetts,Blue

Clark University(B)
State: Massachusetts,Blue

Cornell University(B)
State: New York, Blue

Grinell College(B)
State: Iowa, RED

Macalester College(B)
State Minnesota, Blue

Michigan State(B)
State: Michigan, Blue

Northeastern(B)
State: Massachusetts, Blue

Penn. State(B)
State: Pennsylvania, Blue

Ponoma College(B)
State: California, Blue

University of Minnesota(B)
State: Minnesota, Blue

U. Pennsylvania(B)
State: Pennsylvania, Blue

Vassar College(B)
State: New York, Blue

Of the 25 greenest, most eco-friendly colleges, only 2 were from Red-States: Duke University and Grinnell College. 23/25 of the most eco-friendly colleges were from Blue States. The numerical equivalent is that 92% most eco-friendly colleges were located in Blue states while 8% of most eco-friendly colleges were located in Red States.

The Unfortunate Economic Behavior of Contemporary Society Vs. The Merits of Bicycling

2008-09-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

Now, you must know, I am not delusional. I know that Americans will never give up their cars. I know that Americans will never cease to be major consumers in the world market place. I also realize that with China's lack of Environmental standards, the world may be decimated ecologically, over the next century. I do not, however, believe that an ecological doomsday is in our near future. The environment will be gradually degraded by our irresponsible lifestyles. We must however, try to live rightly in the midst of a wicked world(I must acknowledge that the cynics are probably sticking their fingers down their throats right about now...) We must ride bicycles and walk to work, at a great inconvenience to ourselves because it is the right course of action. It will however, save us monetarily. Driving is an expensive habit. If we can kick it, or curb it, there will be thousands more dollars in our pockets. Consequently, bicycling can save time. The high school I attended was approximately one and a half miles from my house. When I drove to school, through the city, the trip took about fifteen minutes. When I biked to school, the trip took about 5 minutes. So, within city driving conditions, bicycling can take 1/3 as long as driving. Furthermore, bicycling is incredible fun. One feels youthful exultation when riding a bike mid-morning down a bustling city street, a soft wisp of breeze coming against one's face, and the sun-shining brightly. Romanticism aside, bicycling is fine exercise in the morning, and a better way in which to wake up than the travails of caffeine. Bicycling gets your blood flowing, so when you do finally arrive at work, you are incredibly awake, and ready for action! Bicycling makes me feel like a Super-hero!(Again the cynics are about ready to hurl) Bicycling then is the most moral, financially-sound, efficient, feel-good, and physiologically positive way to get to work.

Sincere Christians won't drive cars

2008-09-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Jesus said "Love thy neighbor as thyself." A rudimentary analysis of his statement suggests that every individual should strive to treat those in their surrounding area as kindly and as respectfully as is possible. Now, I believe "neighbors" can refer to the individuals that live next door to you, that live across the street from you, that attend your school, that participate in your workplace, that live in your city, your country, and in the world. Christ's commandment then, is meant to be applied universally. So, how can this be applied in the "real" world? Well, we can begin by treating our friends, our family members, colleagues, and higher-ups more respectfully. Next, we can modify our lifestyle choices to coincide with what creates "the greatest amount of good." So, how does the automobile fit into all of this? Well, automobiles create air-pollution. This is a proven fact, unlike "global warming" or the other fallacies "liberals" are rumored to have perpetrated. The cities of Los Angeles, Fresno, CA, Bakersfield,CA, Pittsburgh, PA, and Springfield, OR have terrible air quality because of their high concentrations of cars(courtesy of http://lungaction.org/reports/sota05_cities.html) Consequently, individuals in such said cities have some of the worst cases of asthma in the country. That, in my consideration, is an extremely unfortunate predicament. Now, "whatever is of God, is good." But air-pollution is bad, so it is not of God. Therefore, Christians should not be driving cars because the air pollution that is created is not in their neighbor's best interest, nor is it of God.

Transportation Infrastructure in the United States Summary

2008-09-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

The transportation infrastructure in the United States is pathetic. We are a car-centric nation that has neglected sound city-planning: over 50% of individuals in the United States live in suburbs, many miles outside of the city proper, which they commute to via private automobiles. We have also neglected to implement efficient, effective mass transportation in many of our major cities (NYC, Boston, Portland, and a handful of cities are the exception). Furthermore, we have overlooked the possibility of fuel efficient motor scooters such as Vespas and bicycles as a regular form of transport, as well as the possibility of walking regularly. The unfortunate result,however, is that many people are confined to cars to pursue their daily work, errands, and social life.