Go Green without Spending Alot of Green

Hop on your bike and pedal on over to your public library.  Read more.

Keepin’ it Green

The Green Giant

Ditching the Four Wheeler

For the first time today I had the opportunity to experience what life would be like if I could cut the ties that bind me to an automobile. And. It. Was. Wonderful! Boston’s subways (colloquially referred to as “The T”) may not be the quietest, most sanitary way to travel, but they provide transportation to over 1 million people a day.

Not only will I be saying hello to a slimmer carbon budget, but goodbye to car insurance, gas, and parking charges! I can’t wait!

Green on!

Steven

Go Sox!

The Green Monster and Wally aren’t the only green things about Fenway Park. Check out this video.

Keepin’ it Green.

The Green Giant

Sustain Like A Champion Today

In January 2008, the University of Notre Dame established the Office of Sustainability.

Check out their website at:  http://green.nd.edu/office

The Green Giant was recently on campus and took a few pictures of some environmental improvements on campus.  Check back soon for those.

Keeping it green and Go Irish!

The Green Giant

Solar City, USA

Check out this article in Time about a little ranch in our neck of the woods.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1890308,00.html?iid=tsmodule#

Keepin’ it Green!

The Green Giant

Lighting up the City that Never Sleeps

This is not the first time that I’ve seen this written somewhere. It appears that The Big Apple may soon be called The Big Green Apple. City officials will soon be testing LED (light-emitting diode) streetlamps for use in the city. If successful, they will eventually replace all 300,000 of the city’s nocturnal beacons with these energy-efficient workhorses.

If it’s good enough for the “city that never sleeps” then it might not be long before our own little snooze-ville sees a change.

Check out the link for more info.

Green on!

Steven

Tis the season….to be energy efficient

Want to decorate like Clark W. Griswold but don’t want to pay his electric bill? 

 

 

 

 

 

Use LED lights.  Check out this article.

http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/annarbor/index.ssf/2008/11/led_christmas_lights_offer_the.html

Merry Green Christmas to all!!

The Green Giant

HyperMiling

Have you ever tried hypermiling?  Me neither……until today.

Hypermiling is a skillful way of driving that helps to increase your gas mileage.  CNN aired a story on hypermiling last night.  I gave it a try morning and it works!! 

Check out the site for ways to improve your gas mileage and you could be hypermiling too!

www.hypermiling.com

Keepin’ it Green.

The Green Giant

Ideas…

I’ve got plenty of them, but generally very little time to execute them. So I’d like to hear from you. Here are some ideas from my unfocused mind for series that I would like to apply to this blog. I also have some random thoughts for the day.

Whenever I head to the gym or the tennis court, I always have my trusty water bottle to keep me properly hydrated.  Recently, my water bottle and I parted ways because it is not the little helper I thought it was.    

 

The media has been reporting on the safety of plastic bottles, particularly those containing Bisphenol-A (BPA).  The FDA is still researching BPA in plastics, but the Canadian government has classified BPA as a hormone disruptor.  Some studies have shown that BPA can lead to the development of breast and prostate cancer, miscarriage, or birth defects. 

 

Major retailers Wal-Mart and Toys R Us announced plans to sell only BPA-free baby bottles, teething rings, etc.

 

If you look on the bottom of the plastic container you will see the familiar recycle symbol of 3 arrows in the shape of a triangle.  There is a number inside each symbol.  That is the recycling code.  Below is a decoding for you:

 

1.    PET or PETE – Questionable – depending on the quality, repeated use may cause the leaching of DEHA, a know human carcinogen. Light gauge containers such as store bought pop bottles should be a one time use only. Heavier gauge containers show no evidence of leaching chemicals.

2.    HDPE – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals.

3.    PVC or V – Bad – Strong evidence to show the leaching of DEHA, a known human carcinogen.

4.    LDPE – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

5.    PP – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

6.    PS – Bad – suspected to possibly leach harmful carcinogens

7.    Assorted but usually polycarbonate – Bad – may contain leaching BPA.

8.    PET or PETE – Questionable – depending on the quality, repeated use may cause the leaching of DEHA, a know human carcinogen. Light gauge containers such as store bought pop bottles should be a one time use only. Heavier gauge containers show no evidence of leaching chemicals.

9.    HDPE – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals.

10.PVC or V – Bad – Strong evidence to show the leaching of DEHA, a known human carcinogen.

11.LDPE – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

12.PP – OK – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

13.PS – Bad – suspected to possibly leach harmful carcinogens

14.Assorted but usually polycarbonate – Bad – may contain leaching BPA.

 

Also, plastics are used in a massive amount of disposable products, which has increased the amount of trash that is disposed.  Plastic does not biodegrade quickly and remains in the environment for a very long time.

 

Let’s kick the plastic habit and move on to other alternatives.  Check out these sites!

www.mysigg.com

www.kleankanteen.com

www.reusablebags.com

 

 

Keepin it green!

The Green Giant