Composting.

Composting involves mixing yard and household organic waste in a pile or bin and providing conditions that encourage decomposition. The decomposition process is fueled by millions of microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi) that take up residence inside your compost pile, continuously devouring and recycling it to produce a rich organic fertilizer and valuable soil amendment.

What to use:

Organic waste is the best raw material to make compost from. This can come from your garden, your kitchen (visit Starbucks' page on Grounds for Your Garden) and even your home at large.

According to the United States EPA, yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 23 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. That's a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead!

Ingredients that can make good compost include:

Materials to Compost
Browns = High Carbon	Greens = High Nitrogen
Ashes, wood Bark Cardboard, shredded Corn stalks Fruit waste Leaves Newspaper, shredded Peanut shells Peat moss Pine needles Sawdust Stems and twigs, shredded Straw Vegetable stalks	Alfalfa Algae Clover Coffee grounds Food waste Garden waste Grass clippings Hay Hedge clippings Hops, used Manures Seaweed Vegetable scraps Weeds*
*Avoid weeds that have gone to seed, as seeds may survive all but the hottest compost piles.

When is it done:

Compost is finished when it's a dark, rich color, crumbles easily, and you can't pick out any of the original ingredients. It should have a sweet, earthy smell.

Composting Tips:

1. Grass clippings add necessary nitrogen to a compost pile, but be sure to mix with the "brown" materials that add carbon. Both are necessary for quick decomposition and rich compost. Piles made up of just grass will compact, slow down and start to stink.

2. Do not compost fats, pet droppings, or animal products. They will attract pests to the pile and can spread disease.

3. Newspaper or plain white paper from the computer is excellent for composting - just remember to shred it first to speed up the process.

4. Got compost? When finished it should look, feel and smell like rich, dark soil. You should not be able to recognize any of the items you put in there.

5. Worms love coffee grounds!

6. If adding ashes to your compost bin, do so sparingly. They are alkaline and affect the pH of the pile. In contrast, acidic materials include pine needles and oak leaves.

7. Plants that have been treated with pesticides and/or herbicides (weeds and lawn clippings) should be avoided.

8. The microbes responsible for breaking down your compost pile need a balanced diet of nitrogen and carbon. Nitrogen comes from green materials such as food scraps, manure, and grass clippings. Carbon comes from brown materials such as dead leaves, hay, wood chips and shredded newspaper. A ratio that contains equal portions by weight (not volume) of both works best.

9. Algae and seaweed make excellent additions to your compost pile. Be sure to rinse off any salts before using.

10. Finished compost is usually less than half the volume of the materials you started with, but it's much denser.

11. Keep your compost pile in a black plastic bin and in direct sunlight to continue the composting process through the winter. Hay bales can be used to further insulate the pile.

12. Wooden pallets make excellent compost bins. Start with one pallet on the ground. Drive two metal stakes into each side. Slide additional pallets over each support and you have a bin ready for compost.

13. Straw is an excellent source of carbon for your compost pile. However, it may contain weed seeds, so make sure the pile is "cooking" properly.

14. Compost decomposes fastest between 120 and 160 degrees F. Decomposition will occur at lower temperatures, but it takes much longer.

15. The perfect size for a compost pile is one that is at least 3' x 3' x 3'. It's not only a manageable size to turn, but it's ideal for retaining heat while still allowing air flow.

16. For faster composting keep your pile or compost bin in direct sun.

17. Don't throw away your kitchen waste in the winter - try an indoor composter.

18. Compost piles should remain damp but not too wet. As you build your compost pile, make sure that each layer is moist as it is added. The surface should also remain damp (think of a wrung out sponge), especially during the summer months.

19. Does your compost pile smell? It's probably due to a large number of anaerobic microbes, which are working hard to break down your compost, but creating a smelly situation in the process. To cut down on the anaerobic process, aerate your pile regularly, creating air spaces and limiting the anaerobic microbes while stimulating the less stinky aerobic microbes.

20. Help start a new compost pile with aged manure, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, blood meal, or compost starter. They are rich in nitrogen and help jump-start the microbes responsible for breaking down organic matter into compost.

21. Anything that was living at one time is great for compost bins. Think of leaves, vegetables, and grass clippings.

22. Compost piles can either be layered - thin layers of alternating greens and browns, or they can all be thrown in together and mixed well. Either way works!

23. Soak finished compost in water to "brew" compost "tea," a nutrient-rich liquid that can be used for foliar feeding or for watering plants in your garden, backyard, or houseplants.

24. Apply finished compost to your garden about 2-4 weeks before you plant, giving the compost time to integrate and stabilize within the soil. Click here for a guide to vegetable gardening.

25. For faster results, use a compost turner every two weeks to aerate your pile.

What you will need to get started:

Ensure composting success with a home compost bin and waste.  You can add worms to help the process.

http://www.composting101.com/

Pros:

• If you're a gardener, compost is highly useful stuff. You can use it to enrich your soil for both indoor and outdoor plants, including vegetables and fruits. Compost also makes good mulch to protect the areas around trees and shrubs. If you don't use your compost for gardening, it still has environmental benefits. Composting keeps organic matter out of the landfills, and composting instead of burning your yard trimmings means less pollution in the atmosphere.

• Cold composting is the simplest way to compost --- simply make a pile in your yard and let it decompose on its own. This can take over a year, during which time your compost is not usable. There are several methods of hot composting, which involve keeping the pile damp and turning it frequently. Hot compost can be finished in a few weeks, but it requires weekly or, usually, daily work. Vermicomposting, or composting with worms, requires little work and takes about three months to finish.

cCons:

• SPACE_-Compost can take from several months to over a year to decompose. During that time, you need space to store it. If you've got a big yard, this won't be a problem --- just designate an area or place a bin somewhere removed from your house, in a spot you won't need to use. Many people live in apartments and don't have room for an outdoor compost pile. Apartment dwellers who want to compost will have to bring their operation indoors, which means making room for a potentially stinky bin inside your home. Indoor composting generally requires worms to speed up the process and to keep odors at bay.
• Odors and Health A healthy compost pile is relatively odor-free. However, if the compost is too wet, it can smell bad. For indoor composters and beginners, this can be a serious problem. Luckily, it can be addressed by adding more dry material, such as leaves and paper. To ensure that your compost is relatively safe for humans and to keep out pathogens commonly associated with meat, it's important to never add meat or animal products to your compost. If your compost pile is not protected or actively managed, it can attract pests such as flies and rodents. Pests may introduce undesirable germs and they should be kept away by covering your compost pile or bin.  http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/

• Compost Piles Stink

  While logic suggests that a pile of decomposing food and yard waste should smell terrible, properly made compost smells like soil. Foul odors can arise if your materials mat together, you add the wrong types of foods, or if the pile has too little oxygen, caused by poor drainage or insufficient aeration
• Compost Attracts Animals

  The most effective way to deter rodents and other pests from raiding your compost bin is to avoid adding foods that animals seek out; these include meats, dairy, oils or fried foods, as well as sweets. Bury the foods you do add, or turn the pile to cover new materials. If animals remain a problem despite these measures, avoid adding food scraps altogether; compost made from only yard waste still benefits your plants.

  Composting is Complicated

  Many gardening books and compost enthusiasts offer extensive advice on creating the perfect compost by paying careful attention to the ratios of added ingredients. Be sure your compost pile contains both dry, carbon-rich brown materials, such as dead leaves, cardboard scraps; and moist nitrogen-rich green materials, such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps and coffee grounds (see References 3). These materials, with water and oxygen, will decompose into a rich and nourishing soil amendment.

  Composting Costs Money

  When done correctly, composting actually saves you money, because it reduces or eliminates the need to buy fertilizers. You can make a monetary investment in a compost bin, which you can buy prefab or make yourself. Some gardeners choose to skip the bin and simply start a free-form compost pile instead. You can spend a little or a lot to create a space for your compost; ongoing maintenance costs nothing but a little of your time. Similarly, additives such as activators, fertilizer or lime, aren't necessary, either. Mix in a little soil or finished compost if you want to, but don't waste money on other additions.

How to start a small bin:

Starting a small compost bin for household use reduces the amount of waste your family sends to the landfill each week. Although a compost pile is the easiest method of composting, using a compost bin will prevent rodents and other scavengers from digging in your compost in search of food. Choose a bin that's large enough to accommodate your family's food waste and yard clippings and has a sturdy lid to keep out pests.

Step 1: Pick a dry, shady location for your compost bin. If you have a home garden, put the bin near it to reduce the distance you will have to transport the finished compost.

Step 2: Place brown composting materials, such as dead leaves, twigs and branches, into your composting bin. Chop up larger pieces, such as branches, into smaller bits with a shovel or machete so they will decompose quickly.

Step 3: Add green composting materials, such as vegetable scraps, lawn waste and other wet items, to your compost bin. Mix the materials with a pitchfork.

Step 4: Add water as necessary to make the mixture slightly damp, then mix once more. Continue this process, slowly building the depth of your compost as you have more waste to add. Do this until you have at least 10 inches of compost in the bottom of your bin.

Step 5: Bury vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds or other wet items with a strong odor under 10 inches of compost. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends this depth to prevent odors. Moisten the compost with water as necessary to ensure that the mixture is slightly damp.

Step 6:

Mix the compost every two weeks with a pitchfork. This process should add additional air pockets to the mix, reducing odor and accelerating decomposition.    http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/start-small-compost-bin

Environmentally Friendly Product Sourcing

Now a days the options on green products has grown.  These products are less expensive and cover a broader area then ever before.

AIRTIGHT SYSTEMS
Air tightness is the key feature of any energy efficient building. It reduces wasted heat and allows the buildings atmosphere to be controlled with mechanical ventilation heat recovery units creating a healthier environment.

BIOMASS BOILERS
Bio fuel Boilers for burning wood pellets and wood logs, are easy to install, simplistic in operation and maintenance. They offer a cheaper fuel resource in comparison to gas and oil and are becoming popular in newly built homes, factories, office blocks and schools, or as replacements for existing less environmentally and efficient boilers. The timber fuel is carbon neutral, as the amount of CO2 emitted is less than that consumed by the process of growing the fuel.  

ECO BUILDING MATERIALS
We supply a range of general green building products for your eco build.
Aluflash
Aluflash is a flexible, environmentally friendly alternative to lead as a weathering flashing material for buildings. It is aluminium based and available in two unique surface finishes depending on the application.
Panelvent
Panelvent is a 9.2mm thick external sheathing board, specifically developed to combine high racking strength and water resistance, whilst retaining high vapour permeability.
Paneline
Paneline is a 6.4mm thick internal sheathing board, developed to meet the requirements of EVT structures. It combines natural manufacturing processes with a relatively high resistance to vapour transmission for optimum performance in an EVT structure

HEAT PUMPS SUPPLIED AND INSTALLED

Reduce heating bills by up to 75% with heat a heat pump instalation. They can heat your home and hotwater.
Air Source, Ground Source, Geothermal, supplied and installed via our network of affiliated MCS accredited installers.
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Grant compliant.

NATURAL INSULATION
Select the correct product for your application in the table below and click the product at the bottom of the page for more information and to purchase online. Some applications may need more than one product for further advice please get in touch. We also recommend the Intello Plus membranes are used with these insulations to provide a breathable structure and vapour control (for more details see the Airtight System section).

RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS. 
Water is an increasingly scarce resource and we are using 50% of our clean water to flush toilets, wash clothes, cars and to water gardens. Rainwater harvesting simply collects rainwater and substitutes it for mains water in non-potable applications.

SOLAR WATER HEATING & SOLAR ELECTRIC
Introduction to Solar Hot Water (Thermal) and Solar Electric Panels
Solar Hot Water Panels
Solar water heating (known as solar thermal) captures heat from the sun and uses it to heat up water for use in the home. Panels on your roof absorb heat from the sun, the water in the panels heats up and this hot water is pumped through a coil in your cylinder which transfers the heat to the water in the cylinder.
Solar Electric Panels
Solar Electric panels (Photovolataics) systems use cells, made up of layers of semi-conducting material which convert solar radiation into electricity. When sun light shines on the panels an electric field is created and useful electrical energy flows. An inverter converts the direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC – or mains equivalent) electricity that can be used by your home appliances. Grid connected systems can sell electricity they don’t use to the grid, and import it from the grid when there is not enough sunlight. www.thegreenbuilding.co.uk


Most of these products can help the homeowner gain incentives, grants and tax writeoffs. 

There are all kinds of green cleaning products that not only help the environment but they have also been proven to help improve your over all health. 

There are also Eco-friendly furnishings, post consumer waste paper products also. 

Alternative Fuel Sources.



We hear about alternative fuel every day but which ones are best for us both economically and environmentally?  

Types of Alternative fuels:

Biodiesel is derived from oils, whether vegetable oils, animals fats or even used cooking oils. Vegetable oils are sourced from any of a number of plants, the most common being soybeans, but also canola, peanuts, sunflowers--event cottonseed. Biodiesel can be thought of as being especially green when it s made from waste cooking oil, a process that turns a useful leftover substance into a value-added product. Producing biodiesel leaves no waste product afterward. Whatever is leftover can be incorporated into the next batch or sold as a by-product for channels such as animal feed additives.

Biofuels are derived from biomass: ethanol and biodiesel. These are fuels that able to be grown and produced from plants, and since they can be regrown year after year, are also called renewable fuels.

Blends are mixtures of traditional and alternative fuels in varying percentages. Blends can be thought of as transitional fuels. The lowest percentage blends are being marketed and introduced to work with current technologies while paving the way for future integration. For example, B5 and B20 (biodiesel) can be pumped directly into the tank of any diesel car or truck. Ethanol is also blended (about 10 percent) into much of the gasoline dispensed in the United States, especially in metropolitan areas, to reduce emissions.

Electricity is considered an alternative fuel since it is used to charge the batteries that power the motors in electric vehicles. Electric cars can also be powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of batteries.

Ethanol is possibly one of the most well-known renewable fuels and certainly the most widely used by consumers.  Corn is the primary feedstock for ethanol production with about 20 percent of the nation’s corn supply going into ethanol.

Hydrogen is a basic element—remember the periodic table? The most abundant element on earth, it’s an elemental gas that is extracted from other compounds, not manufactured in the traditional sense like other fuels.
Most commercial hydrogen is refined from petroleum (natural gas), but can also be made by passing electricity through water (electrolysis). Although it is possible to burn it in an engine, sophisticated fuel management systems are required and just a few developers are devoting time in this area. Fuel cells that chemically alter hydrogen—not burn it—still tend to be the most efficient devices to create power from hydrogen.

Methanol (methyl alcohol) is an alternative fuel made from woody plant fiber, coal or natural gas; it is used primarily as a supplement to gasoline. It can be harvested from the methane gas in landfills in addition to fermented waste products such as sewage and manure.

Natural gas can be used as a motor fuel as either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Cars and light trucks may be ordered from manufacturers to operate on natural gas, and can also be set up as bi-fuel vehicles: to operate on either gasoline or natural gas. A real plus—if natural gas is available where you live, a filling station can be outfitted right in your garage for convenient at home refueling.

Propane is also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and is a by-product of natural gas and crude oil refining. With an infrastructure of pipelines plus processing storage facilities, propane is way ahead of the learning curve regarding efficient distribution—especially since it’s so easy to pull up at thousands of filling stations in United States.  http://alternativefuels.about.com

Which one is the best? 

Electric vehicles are wonderfully efficient at stopping and starting, but are horrible at prolonged constant speed. Electricity is usually made by the burning of fossil fuels in this country, and electric production would have to be greatly expanded if were were to convert to electric vehicles or super hybrids.

Ethanol (E85) is horribly inefficient and actually destroys an engine running on it. It gets about 1/2 the fuel economy as gasoline when used in the same vehicle which nullifies any benefits it might have had. It also takes oil to make ethanol, with the most efficient productions only getting a 6% profit margin.

Biodiesel is the only one of the alternative fuels that is actually better for the vehicle. It gets better fuel economy, lower emissions and also manages to lubricate a diesel almost as well as the old high sulfur diesel fuels. However, a diesel engine cannot be started on pure biodiesel, it is nearly impossible to use in cold weather and it gels far easier than standard ultra low sulfur diesel.

Hydrogen is a wonderful idea, but nothing more. It takes far too much effort to manufacture in great amounts and it also requires oil to produce. It is also very hard on engine components~ water destroys most metals!

Gasoline electric hybrids are the worst in a long line of bad ideas. They're not much better on fuel than your average small economy car. For the price and problems they experience, its not worth while.

 

 

Land Trusts. What the heck are they???

LAND TRUSTS.

There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:  a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements.  Webster Dictionary

So what does that mean? 

A trust agreement is a document that spells out the rules that you want followed for property held in trust for your beneficiaries. Common objectives for trusts are to reduce the estate tax liability, to protect property in your estate, and to avoid probate.

Think of a trust as a special place in which ordinary property from your estate goes in and, as the result of some type of transformation that occurs, takes on a sort of new identity and often is bestowed with super powers: immunity from estate taxes, resistance to probate, and so on.

How a Land Trust Works :

Land trusts:

• Purchase land
• Acquire land through donations
• Secure conservation easements on land and monitor the terms of these easements
• Work in partnership with private and governmental conservation agencies

Land trusts vary greatly in size. Over half are completely volunteer, others have only a director or one or more part-time staff members, a few have a large staff, prominent board of directors and a large membership. Annual budgets range from under $10,000 to over $1 million. 32% operate with budgets of $100,000 or more. 84% of all land trusts accept land donations. 75% accept conservation easements. In both instances donors can receive significant tax benefits based on the value of the donated land or easement.
63% of land trusts buy land for conservation. 70% of the funds for purchases come from contributions from members and individual donors in the community. Other finds come from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Land trusts also borrow money from banks, foundations, and individuals to buy land. Loans are repaid either through fund raising, sales to conservation buyers or, in the case of advance acquisitions for local, state or federal conservation agencies, when public funds are available and the property is repurchased by the government. Although independent, land trusts frequently work with each other, with national conservation organizations, and with government agencies on important projects. www.possibility.com/LandTrus

 

Suppose that you want to set up a trust. Just like with a cooking recipe or building something in your garage workshop, you need to make sure you have everything you need before you start. To cook up a trust, you need these seven basic ingredients:

• Person setting up the trust. The person is commonly known as the trustor, though you may sometimes see the terms settlor or grantor.
• Objective of the trust. You use different types of trusts to achieve a variety of specific estate-planning objectives. You can use some trusts for a single estate-planning objective, while others help you achieve more than one goal.
• Specific kind of trust. Trusts come in many different varieties. Regardless, when you’re setting up a trust, you need to decide what type of trust you want and make sure that you follow all the rules for that particular type of trust to make sure that it’s proper and legal, and carries out your intentions.
• Property. After you place property into a trust, that property is formally known as trust property.
• Beneficiary. Just like with other aspects of your estate plan (your will, for example), a trust’s beneficiary (or, if more than one, beneficiaries) benefits from the trust in some way, usually because the person or institution will eventually receive some or all of the property that was placed into trust.
• Trustee. The person in charge of the trust is known as the trustee. The trustee needs to understand the rules for the type of trust he or she is managing to make sure everything in the trust stays in working order.
• Rules. Finally, some of the rules that must be followed are inherently part of the type of trust used, while other rules depend on what is specified in the trust agreement. You will find still more rules in state and federal law

  What Is a Trust?By N. Brian Caverly, Esq. and Jordan S. Simon

Types of Texas Land Trusts:

Watershed Land Trust: The Watershed Land Trust (WLT) Is a nonprofit charitable organization which was formed to hold land in fee simple and/or conservation easements in perpetuity. Most Land Trust's mission is to hold vast areas of land typically in large sections. With the ability and expertise to work with any Mitigation Bank or In Lieu Fee arrangement, the WLT is unique in that its mission and focus is to preserve watersheds, waterways, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and adjacent (riparian) corridors and green space primarily for the benefit of water quality, ecosystems, and Open Space. Such a Conservation Purpose could be for preservation of fish, wildlife, or plant habitats or ecosystems.

The World Land Trust

The mission of the World Land Trust is:

• To protect and sustainably manage natural ecosystems of the world. To conserve their biodiversity, with emphasis on threatened habitats and endangered species
• Campaigning and lobbying governments to protect our dwindling wildlife heritage is important, and many other organisations do this very effectively, but the World Land Trust was set up to take direct action and has developed the expertise to work effectively with overseas project partners to protect wildlife habitats through land purchase

http://www.worldlandtrust.org/

The mission of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust is to preserve the unique natural heritage of the Guadalupe watershed for future generations, by protecting open landscapes, working farms and ranches, and wildlife habitat through conservation easements, education, and outreach that connects people to the water and the land.
Amazingly, in Texas where land is so plentiful, we are losing this open land more rapidly than any other state.
The Guadalupe River is one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the United States, stretching from the springs and canyons of the Texas Hill Country to the marine environment of the Gulf Coast wetlands and San Antonio Bay


The Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust organization that was developed to conserve land in the Guadalupe River Watershed for its natural, recreational, scenic, historic and productive value. It was founded in 2001 by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, a conservation and reclamation district created in 1933 by the Texas Legislature. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA) has also partnered with the Trust. The voluntary board of directors consists of citizens who share a love of the Guadalupe River - one of the most pristine rivers in Texas. http://www.gbrtrust.org/

High Density Development.

High Density Development

High density development has become fashionable through urban renewal.  Many countries have been buliding up for centuries.  The belief is that it not only takes up less space but it is also less obtrusive on the immediate environment.  The latest trend has seen more of this development with a mix of retail.  The ideal premise behing these building is to meet the needs of its tenants within a walking distance. 

New Urbanism utilizes high density development towards a more sustainable environment.



NEW URBANISM promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components as conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the form of complete communities. These contain housing, work places, shops, entertainment, schools, parks, and civic facilities essential to the daily lives of the residents, all within easy walking distance of each other. New Urbanism promotes the increased use of trains and light rail, instead of more highways and roads. Urban living is rapidly becoming the new hip and modern way to live for people of all ages. Currently, there are over 4,000 New Urbanist projects planned or under construction in the United States alone, half of which are in historic urban centers. http://www.newurbanism.org/

High Density construction allows a balance with nature.  It allows us to be less intrusive on our environment.  High Density development reclaims old buildings and revitalizes them.  They create a sense of community.  They limit our dependence on fossil fuel by decreasing the need for cars. 

 

Some of the happiest places on earth are built on high density living.  The emphasis is taking off of material commidities and placed more on community and clean living. 

 

"The answer you get is not only how they feel right now, but also how they feel about their entire life," explained Dan Buettner, who has studied happiness and longevity around the world through his Blue Zones project Buettner said that if you mine all the databases of universities and research centers, you'll find that the happiest place on earth is ? Denmark. Cold, dreary, unspectacular Denmark.

 

 

The Danes are on to something!

 

Some opponents to high density believe that it can increase crime and can lead to overcrowding and noise pollution.  I believe it creates a sense of community lessoning crime.  If built right noise pollution and overcrowding are easily overcome.

 

Some are afraid of the costs but if a building is built with sustainability in mind the higher real estate costs can be off set by decreased utitlity and car costs. 

 

We as a society need to demand more smart building and living from our city governments. 

 

 

Carbon Footprints. What's yours?

What is a Carbon footprint?

The term first showed up back in 1999.  I realized when starting this blog that some people may not know what a carbon footprint is.  We need to share information and educate those that have not been exposed to the harsh realities of our perishing environment. 

car·bon foot·print 

nouncarbon footprints, plural The amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to the the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person, group, etc How do you determine your Carbon footprint:

try this online quiz: www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

 

Average household:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do we reduce our Carbon Footprint???

 

Reduce your footprint

There are many simple ways to reduce the footprint you leave on the planet. Learn how to reduce your footprint in each consumption category-carbon, food, housing, and goods and services-but don't stop there. Amplify your impact by encouraging others to follow your lead. Engage your friends and community with local and global movements for social change, or start your own movement!

Reduce your Carbon Footprint

Use cleaner transport

• Walk, bike, or take public transit whenever possible.
• Avoid allowing your car to idle. If you'll be waiting for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine (except in traffic). And don't take the drive-through-park the car and walk inside instead.
• Have your vehicle serviced regularly to keep the emission control systems operating at peak efficiency. Check your car's air filter monthly, and keep the tires adequately inflated to maximize gas mileage.
• Avoid short airplane trips-take a bus or train instead.

Add energy-saving features to your home

• Install compact fluorescent bulbs in all your home light fixtures-but remember, compact fluorescents contain mercury, so look for low-mercury models and be sure to dispose of old bulbs safely through your local hazardous waste program.
• Weatherproof your home. Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated, and consider double-pane windows. Eliminate drafts with caulking, weather strips, and storm windows and doors.
• Insulate your water heater. Even better, switch to a tankless water heater, so your water will be heated only as you use it.
• Choose energy efficient appliances.

Adopt energy-saving habits

• Keep thermostat relatively low in winter and ease up on the air conditioning in summer. Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended to keep the A/C operating at peak efficiency.
• Unplug your electronics when not in use. To make it easier, use a power strip. Even when turned off, items like your television, computer, and cellphone charger still sip power.
• Dry your clothes outside whenever possible.
• Make minimal use of power equipment when landscaping.
• Defrost your refrigerator and freezer regularly.
• Choose green electricity. Many utilities give you the option to purchase electricity generated by wind and solar power for a small rate surcharge.
• Purchase carbon offsets to make up for the energy use you can't eliminate.

 Reduce your Food Footprint

• Eat more local, organic, in-season foods.
• Plant a garden-it doesn't get more local than that.
• Shop at your local farmer's market or natural foods store. Look for local, in-season foods that haven't traveled long distances to reach you.
• Choose foods with less packaging to reduce waste.
• Eat lower on the food chain-going meatless for just one meal a week can make a difference. Globally, it has been estimated that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption.

Reduce your Housing Footprint

Choose sustainable building materials, furnishings, and cleaning products.

• Explore green design features for your building, like passive solar heating, a rainwater catchment or grey water recycling system, and recycled materials.
• Choose efficient appliances, including low flow shower heads, faucets, and toilets.
• Choose furnishings that are second-hand, recycled, or sustainably produced.
• Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden and yard.
• Use biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products.

 Adopt water-saving habits

• Take shorter, less frequent showers-this not only saves water, but the energy necessary to heat it.
• Don't use the garbage disposal. Compost instead.
• Run the dishwasher and the laundry machine only when full.
• Wash cars rarely, or better yet, take them to a carwash. Commercial carwashes use less water per wash than home washers, and they are also required to drain used water into the sewage system, rather than storm drains, which protects aquatic life.
• Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck, walkways, or driveway.
• Regularly look for and fix leaks.

Reduce your Goods and Services Footprint

• Buy less! Replace items only when you really need to.
• Recycle all your paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Don't forget electronics!
• Compost food waste for the garden. Garbage that is not contaminated with degradable (biological) waste can be more easily recycled and sorted, and doesn't produce methane gases (a significant greenhouse gas contributor) when stored in a landfill.
• Buy recycled products, particularly those labeled "post-consumer waste."

http://myfootprint.org/en/

Please take the quiz.  Sometimes knowing is half the battle. 

Local Food vs. Organic Food

There is a small farm four blocks down from my house.  No I don't live out in the country, I live in Arlington, Texas.  Every season this farm has a different crop that the public can pick themselves for a small fee.  They also sells fresh farm eggs as well.  This produce is some of the best and freshest produce I have ever eaten in all my years on this great earth.  The other great thing about this produce is that it isn't trucked in from 400 miles away and transported via fossile fuel.  I am not only getting the best produce possible but I am also supporting my local community and helping cure our dependency on fossile fuels. 

"Nearly a quarter of American shoppers now buy organic products once a week, up from 17% in 2000. But for food purists, "local" is the new "organic," the new ideal that promises healthier bodies and a healthier planet." "If you send it halfway around the world before it is eaten, an organic food still may be 'good' for the consumer, but is it 'good' for the food system?" (Nabhan 2002)

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1595245,00.html#ixzz1ZUdSSumt

I think the question comes down to the greater good for the greater amount.  Not only does buying local support our local community it also helps depleate the amount of fossil fuel used.  Most local growers choose to not use pesticides or they use a limited amount. 

Farmers, such as Glenn Cook of Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, Dick Chase of Arrowhead Farm in Newburyport and Matthew Kozazcki of Tendercrop Farm in Newbury say their locally grown fruits and vegetables are far less likely to contain those kinds of chemicals.

Even organic farmers use pesticides. 

"Organic farms that are being touted for not containing the organophosphates measured in the most recent study use pesticides, too, he said, but they're just not the kinds of pesticides that are thought to be the most dangerous."

Hendricks Lynne. (2002,November),Local farmers limit spraying of pesticides. Time Magazine.

In the end organic is just as tainted by pesticides.  When you buy local you support your economy, improve health and make an impact on global warming.

I challenge you to buy local.