"It's not the plug: electricity consumption accounts for just one-fifth of a computer's lifetime energy toll," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "The rest comes largely from the tremendous amounts of fuel -- usually coal -- burned to power its manufacture."
So instead of tossing your old computer into the trash where it will only go to waste taking up space in the landfill, try Essential Skill #23:
Send your PC packing.
If you want a new computer donate your old one to a friend or a non-profit, or try selling it online at Amazon or Ebay. If your PC is broken, try recycling it through manufacturers like Apple, Dell, HP and Sony, among others. Or take it to your local Staples store where they'll recycle it for you. If all else fails, contact your local hazardous waste department for e-recycling drives or drop-offs.
Whatever you do, please do not throw your PC into the trash, as it may contain toxic substances dangerous for landfills.
Ideally, you should try upgrading the computer you already have by adding more memory or a faster processor.
"If one million people reused or upgraded their computers, we would save 265,000 tons of fossil fuels," adds de Rothschild. Unfortuantely though, "4 billion pounds of electronic waste go to landfills each year. Only about 10% of computers are recycled."
For links to e-recycling programs in your area, check out E-Cycling Central at http://www.eiae.org/.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Essential Skill #22: Audit Your Garbage
Four pounds. That's how much trash the average American generates in just one day. Find out how your trash stacks up with Essential Skill #22 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Audit your garbage.
Author David de Rothschild suggests dumping one day's worth of trash -- recyclable items included -- onto a big tarp for sorting and weighing.
"Everything in your trash can has a carbon cost," he writes, "but the messy details are usually out of sight. You need to see it all together, in the plain light of day, to grasp your excess."
In fact, Americans generate 245.7 million tons of trash each year. What's worse is that we throw away 25% of our food, or 96 billion pounds a year!
But if "dumpster diving" into your trash can isn't for you, at the very least weigh a trash bag with one day's worth of garbage in it. Do the same with a trash bag filled with the same day's recycling. Estimate the weight of how much food went down the disposal.
Then add it all up.
Multiply the weight of one day's trash generation by 365, then add in an estimated weight of all that "special occasion" trash generation during the holidays. Then, multiply that number by 30 to take into account all the "trash behind the trash" created by the industries that your consumption supports, as they generate 7.6 billion tons of annual waste.
"Plan for the future by reviewing each item in your trash," writes de Rothschild. "Was it needed in the first place? Did you use it before you threw it out? Remember that recycled goods take less energy to finish into final products. Think about what you can do to improve your recycling and consumption rates, and to it!"
Audit your garbage.
Author David de Rothschild suggests dumping one day's worth of trash -- recyclable items included -- onto a big tarp for sorting and weighing.
"Everything in your trash can has a carbon cost," he writes, "but the messy details are usually out of sight. You need to see it all together, in the plain light of day, to grasp your excess."
In fact, Americans generate 245.7 million tons of trash each year. What's worse is that we throw away 25% of our food, or 96 billion pounds a year!
But if "dumpster diving" into your trash can isn't for you, at the very least weigh a trash bag with one day's worth of garbage in it. Do the same with a trash bag filled with the same day's recycling. Estimate the weight of how much food went down the disposal.
Then add it all up.
Multiply the weight of one day's trash generation by 365, then add in an estimated weight of all that "special occasion" trash generation during the holidays. Then, multiply that number by 30 to take into account all the "trash behind the trash" created by the industries that your consumption supports, as they generate 7.6 billion tons of annual waste.
"Plan for the future by reviewing each item in your trash," writes de Rothschild. "Was it needed in the first place? Did you use it before you threw it out? Remember that recycled goods take less energy to finish into final products. Think about what you can do to improve your recycling and consumption rates, and to it!"
Monday, December 10, 2007
Essential Skill #21: Work at Home
It takes a lot less energy making the trip on foot to your home office than to drive the average 25-minute commute to work outside the house. Yet, only 1 in 10 of us make the most of this opportunity to not only save on CO2 emissions, but also to save on time and money.
It's Essential Skill #21 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: Work at home.
As author David de Rothschild points out, "2 weeks would be saved each year if you eliminated your daily 40-minute commute." More importantly, "If one million people worked at home full-time, we'd eliminate 3 millions tons of CO2 a year."
Though 9 in 10 of us still drive to work every day, the number of people who choose to work from home is growing every year -- by 7.5% in the US alone.
If the nature of your job allows, ask your employer about telecommuting. Find a new work-at-home position. Or start your own home-based business. There are countless resources out there to help you get started, such as 2Work-At-Home and Home Based Working Moms.
It's Essential Skill #21 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: Work at home.
As author David de Rothschild points out, "2 weeks would be saved each year if you eliminated your daily 40-minute commute." More importantly, "If one million people worked at home full-time, we'd eliminate 3 millions tons of CO2 a year."
Though 9 in 10 of us still drive to work every day, the number of people who choose to work from home is growing every year -- by 7.5% in the US alone.
If the nature of your job allows, ask your employer about telecommuting. Find a new work-at-home position. Or start your own home-based business. There are countless resources out there to help you get started, such as 2Work-At-Home and Home Based Working Moms.
"Steer clear of the TV, chores, phone calls to friends, and other distractions," warns de Rothschild. "You're setting a brave example here, not catching up on E!"
Monday, December 3, 2007
Essential Skill #20: Put on a Sweater
This year may tie with 2006 as the sixth warmest one on record, but there's still a chill in the air. As it gets colder during the winter months, instead of turning up the heat, try Essential Skill #20 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Put on a sweater. (Just please, make it sheep-friendly.)
"By donning a sweater indoors," writes author David de Rothschild, "and lowering your thermostat 2 degrees Fahrenheit, you can save up to 4% on your energy bill and prevent 500 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere over the course of one year."
And layering your clothes doesn't have to be reserved for romps in the snow. As de Rothschild notes, "We lose 90% of our body heat through our skin, mostly through our heads." Put on two or three shirts under that sweater. Wear two pairs of socks. Put on a beanie hat with a light jacket hoodie.
Why waste electricity heating your home when you can create and capture body heat of your own?
For details on saving energy with thermostat regulation, check out this link to DoItYourself.com.
Put on a sweater. (Just please, make it sheep-friendly.)
"By donning a sweater indoors," writes author David de Rothschild, "and lowering your thermostat 2 degrees Fahrenheit, you can save up to 4% on your energy bill and prevent 500 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere over the course of one year."
And layering your clothes doesn't have to be reserved for romps in the snow. As de Rothschild notes, "We lose 90% of our body heat through our skin, mostly through our heads." Put on two or three shirts under that sweater. Wear two pairs of socks. Put on a beanie hat with a light jacket hoodie.
Why waste electricity heating your home when you can create and capture body heat of your own?
For details on saving energy with thermostat regulation, check out this link to DoItYourself.com.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Essential Skill #19: Advertise Your Trash
"Every retail item you purchase has already cost energy -- and produced CO2 -- to grow, mine, manufacture, alter, or build, and then transport," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook.
"This energy is unrecoverable -- i.e., wasted totally -- unless the stuff is reused as is (for maximum return on energy investment), reused as something else (called 'new life reuse'), or recycled (for a lower return)."
Recycle your stuff with essential skill #19:
Advertise your trash.
Though you could go the old-fashioned route and advertise in the paper, why not go with the paper-less (and mostly free) advertising options online. From furniture to clothes to those oddball items that don't seem to fit into any category at all, chances are, someone in cyberspace wants what you don't.
De Rothschild suggests the following online advertising venues:
"This energy is unrecoverable -- i.e., wasted totally -- unless the stuff is reused as is (for maximum return on energy investment), reused as something else (called 'new life reuse'), or recycled (for a lower return)."
Recycle your stuff with essential skill #19:
Advertise your trash.
Though you could go the old-fashioned route and advertise in the paper, why not go with the paper-less (and mostly free) advertising options online. From furniture to clothes to those oddball items that don't seem to fit into any category at all, chances are, someone in cyberspace wants what you don't.
De Rothschild suggests the following online advertising venues:
Of course, while you're there turning your trash into someone else's treasure, dig around for some gold of your own. As de Rothschild notes, "You may never need to waste a day at the mall again."
For other recycling options, check out this link to NewDream.org.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Essential Skill #18: Say No to Styrofoam
“We are almost as addicted to Styrofoam as we are to oil,” writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. “The U.S. makes some three million tons of it each year, the majority of which goes into the landfill.”
Styrofoam is made out of fossil fuels, and takes thousands of years to decompose. It’s used in everything from disposable cups and plates to packaging materials to insulation.
Thus, Essential Skill #18: Say No to Styrofoam.
Though de Rothschild suggests making your own packing peanuts out of real popcorn, a more practical solution is the packing peanuts made of corn starch. They look and feel similar to Styrofoam, but immerse them in water, and they dissolve.
“25 billion Styrofoam cups are thrown away by Americans each year,” adds de Rothschild. So if you must use a disposable cup, always choose paper over Styrofoam.
Another one of de Rothschild’s suggestions is choosing products with as limited packaging as possible. “Unpack your product right there in the store,” he says, “and hand all that pesky packaging to the manager. This sends a message to retailers to downsize their waste.”
Fortunately, there is an infrastructure in place for you to recycle any Styrofoam you may already have. Check to see if there’s a program in your area at EpsPackaging.org/info.
Styrofoam is made out of fossil fuels, and takes thousands of years to decompose. It’s used in everything from disposable cups and plates to packaging materials to insulation.
Thus, Essential Skill #18: Say No to Styrofoam.
Though de Rothschild suggests making your own packing peanuts out of real popcorn, a more practical solution is the packing peanuts made of corn starch. They look and feel similar to Styrofoam, but immerse them in water, and they dissolve.
“25 billion Styrofoam cups are thrown away by Americans each year,” adds de Rothschild. So if you must use a disposable cup, always choose paper over Styrofoam.
Another one of de Rothschild’s suggestions is choosing products with as limited packaging as possible. “Unpack your product right there in the store,” he says, “and hand all that pesky packaging to the manager. This sends a message to retailers to downsize their waste.”
Fortunately, there is an infrastructure in place for you to recycle any Styrofoam you may already have. Check to see if there’s a program in your area at EpsPackaging.org/info.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Essential Skill #17: Talk to Your Kids
If the subject of global warming seems overwhelming to you sometimes, imagine what it's like for children. It's nearly impossible to go a single day without hearing about it on television or in conversation. Sometimes it's new evidence of the dire impact of global warming. Other times it's arguments for why global warming is a hoax.
In The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, author David de Rothschild says there's just one way to avoid confusion and fear. It's Essential Skill #17:
Talk to your kids.
Instead of letting the media educate your kids on global warming, take the lead and educate them yourself -- just the basics though, with as limited information as they need (based on their age) to understand what's going on, but always with the bigger picture in mind.
Specifically, De Rothschild suggests that you:
In The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, author David de Rothschild says there's just one way to avoid confusion and fear. It's Essential Skill #17:
Talk to your kids.
Instead of letting the media educate your kids on global warming, take the lead and educate them yourself -- just the basics though, with as limited information as they need (based on their age) to understand what's going on, but always with the bigger picture in mind.
Specifically, De Rothschild suggests that you:
- Filter the information that comes into the home
- Put the news in context (i.e., the earth isn't going to burn up tomorrow)
- Encourage children to verbalize their fears
- Be moderate, not obsessive
- Be positive
- Find ways children can help
- Get active (i.e., encourage activities that let kids be kids, without worry or fear)
You can also direct children to environmental websites just for them where they can learn more and take action to help. One of our favorites is the webiste for our Live Earth Leader of the Week, Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute. You can also browse through this comprehensive list of environmental websites for youth.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Essential Skill #16: Pick Your Power
Your utility company may offer "green power," including more than 600 companies in the U.S., as well as many in Canada, Australia and Europe. If yours is one of them, there's just two things you have to do to get it: 1) ask for it, and 2) pay a little extra. It's Essential Skill #16 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Pick your power.
Before you call your utility company to ask about alternative energies, familiarize yourself with the technologies that may be available:
Pick your power.
Before you call your utility company to ask about alternative energies, familiarize yourself with the technologies that may be available:
- Solar energy, or "photovoltaic" energy, uses solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity
- Solar thermal energy uses mirrors to turn the heat of the sun into electricity
- Wind energy uses wind mills to convert wind power into electricity (we could power the whole planet with just 20% of available wind power)
- Geothermal energy sends water underground to heat it from the earth's internal temperature, and back up to the surface to convert it into electricity
- Hydroelectric energy uses water to spin turbines that create electricity
- Biomass energy converts the gas from waste and landfills to into electricity
- Coal with sequestration captures carbon dioxide and stores it undeground
- Natural gas powers generators thate create electricity (though a fossil fuel, natural gas produces half the carbon emissions of a coal-fired power plant)
"Your PlayStation doesn't care whether it's juiced by Wyoming coal or a solar panel on the outskirts of Vegas," writes author David de Rothschild. "But you are a beautiful, discerning, and independent-minded energy consumer, and you deserve to connect with a power partner that brings out the best in you."
For more information, check out EnergyGuide.com.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Essential Skill #15: Do the Worm
We all have food waste, and most of us have plants. Now it’s time to connect the dots with Essential Skill #15 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Do the worm.
It’s called vermicomposting – the process of worms consuming your fruit and vegetable waste and leaving behind a rich fertilizer for your plants.
"If one million people vermicomposted for a year," writes author David de Rothschild, "82,000 tons of food waste could be turned into fertilizer." So you’re not only cutting down on your contribution to the landfills, but you’re also contributing to the health of your plants.
De Rothschild outlines a five-step process for "doing the worm" at home:
1) Make a worm bin. You can use an 8- to 12-inch deep wood or plastic box, preferably with a hinged lid and definitely with drainage holes in the bottom. As for the size, it depends on how much vegetable waste you create each week – for every pound, you need one-square-foot of surface area.
2) Add bedding. You can shred up newspaper or buy bedding made from coconut fiber.
3) Add worms. You may already have some in your backyard, but you’ll probably need a lot more than you can find on your own – one pound of worms for every square foot of surface area. Find them online or anywhere you can buy them locally.
4) Add garbage. From potato peelings to eggshells to coffee grounds, worms will eat it all – cooked or raw. (What you do NOT want to compost are meat, bones, fat or dairy products.) As for frequency of feeding, anywhere between once a day and once a week is fine. Just bury it in the bedding and the worms will take care of the rest.
5) Harvest your humus. You can take out your vermicast (also known as worm humus or worm manure) every three to six months and feed it too your vegetable garden or houseplants.
For more information about vermicomposting, go to CompostGuide.com.
Do the worm.
It’s called vermicomposting – the process of worms consuming your fruit and vegetable waste and leaving behind a rich fertilizer for your plants.
"If one million people vermicomposted for a year," writes author David de Rothschild, "82,000 tons of food waste could be turned into fertilizer." So you’re not only cutting down on your contribution to the landfills, but you’re also contributing to the health of your plants.
De Rothschild outlines a five-step process for "doing the worm" at home:
1) Make a worm bin. You can use an 8- to 12-inch deep wood or plastic box, preferably with a hinged lid and definitely with drainage holes in the bottom. As for the size, it depends on how much vegetable waste you create each week – for every pound, you need one-square-foot of surface area.
2) Add bedding. You can shred up newspaper or buy bedding made from coconut fiber.
3) Add worms. You may already have some in your backyard, but you’ll probably need a lot more than you can find on your own – one pound of worms for every square foot of surface area. Find them online or anywhere you can buy them locally.
4) Add garbage. From potato peelings to eggshells to coffee grounds, worms will eat it all – cooked or raw. (What you do NOT want to compost are meat, bones, fat or dairy products.) As for frequency of feeding, anywhere between once a day and once a week is fine. Just bury it in the bedding and the worms will take care of the rest.
5) Harvest your humus. You can take out your vermicast (also known as worm humus or worm manure) every three to six months and feed it too your vegetable garden or houseplants.
For more information about vermicomposting, go to CompostGuide.com.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Essential Skill #14: Green Your Home
"The average home in the U.S. creates twice the CO2 of a car over the course of a year," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. That's why Essential Skill #14 is so critical:
Green your home.
"A superefficient house can cut your bills -- and emissions -- by 66%," de Rothschild adds, and here are the areas in which he suggests we have the most potential for savings:
Green your home.
"A superefficient house can cut your bills -- and emissions -- by 66%," de Rothschild adds, and here are the areas in which he suggests we have the most potential for savings:
- Thermostat - Save 4% on bills and emissions for every 2 degrees that you lower your thermostat in the winter months
- Windows - Save 20-30% on energy use with doubled-paned windows that have "low-e" coating and weather-proof seals
- Insulation - Resist heat flow with insulation that has high "R-value" options, like blown-in cellulose, recycled denim or foams like Icynene
- Yard - Save 10-15% on heating and cooling with trees strategically planted to shade your home from the hot sun and to protect it from cold winds
- Appliances - Buy electronics, refrigerators, washers and air-conditioners with the Energy Star label
- Water heater - Save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year with a blanket insulation kit for your water heater
- Bathroom - Install a composting toilet
- Floors - Replace carpet with eco-friendly flooring, like natural linoleum, cork or bamboo
- Laundry - Air-dry your clothes just six months out of the year and you'll cut your carbon emissions by 700 pounds
For more information about greening your home, check out the U.S. Green Building Council.
Monday, October 15, 2007
7 Ways To Make a Difference
This is Blog Action Day, and we're among more than 16,000 bloggers committed to posting about the environment within the same 24-hour period, with a total estimated reach of 12 million readers!
Though we spend every week here in this blog focused on the greening of our lives through The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, not often enough do we review the 7-point pledge that inspired this project -- the pledge introduced to us by Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore during the Live Earth Concerts on 7-7-07.
So on a day when millions of us are writing and reading about the environment, let's review the Live Earth Pledge of creating a sustainable world:
I pledge ...
1) To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth
2) To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral"
3) To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2
4) To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation
5) To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal
6) To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests
7) To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
Though we spend every week here in this blog focused on the greening of our lives through The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, not often enough do we review the 7-point pledge that inspired this project -- the pledge introduced to us by Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore during the Live Earth Concerts on 7-7-07.
So on a day when millions of us are writing and reading about the environment, let's review the Live Earth Pledge of creating a sustainable world:
I pledge ...
1) To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth
2) To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral"
3) To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2
4) To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation
5) To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal
6) To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests
7) To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Essential Skill #13: Get Hitched
Every day is a special day when you make a green decision, but even more so when you choose the fun and easy eco-options for the biggest day of your life. It's Essential Skill #13 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:
Get Hitched.
"If one million couples halved the CO2 cost of their weddings," writes author David de Rothschild, "we'd eliminate 7.25 million tons of the stuff."
To green your wedding, de Rothschild suggests you:
Get Hitched.
"If one million couples halved the CO2 cost of their weddings," writes author David de Rothschild, "we'd eliminate 7.25 million tons of the stuff."
To green your wedding, de Rothschild suggests you:
- Have your wedding in the location that's closest to most of your guests
- Choose vintage wedding rings or recycled gold weddings rings
- Ask guests to RSVP by email or phone instead of reply cards in the mail
- Get your flowers from a local grower
- Have guests throw wildflower seeds instead of rice
We have a few suggestions of our own:
- Email your wedding invitations
- Wear eco-friendly wedding attire
- Register with eco-friendly stores
- Serve organic food from local farms
- Give your wedding party and guests eco-friendly gifts and favors
For links to a long list of eco-friendly wedding suppliers, go to EthicalWeddings.com.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Essential Skill #12: Throw a Party
"Sometimes the best way to raise consciousness is by raising a glass," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. "And what deserves a toast more than our venerable old planet?"
Essential Skill #12: Throw a Party!
Among the three "parties" de Rothschild suggests are two that you may have attended in recent weeks -- Clean Up the World Day during the third weekend of September and World Carfree Day on September 22. The other is Earth Day on April 22. It started in 1970 as "the birth of environmentalism in America," and is now celebrated by hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
You don't have to wait until Earth Day, though, to throw your next party for the earth.
For instance, this November 3rd Americans will be "partying" all over the country for "Step It Up 2: Who's a Leader?" The goal -- to demand real leadership on global warming. You can Start an Action of your own or Join an Action that's already organized in your community.
Just be sure to Invite Your Leaders to attend.
"On November 3 we'll find out who the real leaders are," say Step It Up organizers. "You're showing your leadership by organizing and joining actions in your community. Let's flood politicians with invitations to come to Step It Up actions and be leaders on global warming."
As of this writing, Step It Up participants have sent 2,610 invitations to 522 members of Congress and all 17 presidential candidates. So far, only 5 have said yes, none of whom are running for president. The more invitations they get, the more pressure they'll feel to attend, so Invite Your Leaders to Step It Up today.
To learn more about "Step It Up 2: Who's a Leader?" visit StepItUp2007.org.
Essential Skill #12: Throw a Party!
Among the three "parties" de Rothschild suggests are two that you may have attended in recent weeks -- Clean Up the World Day during the third weekend of September and World Carfree Day on September 22. The other is Earth Day on April 22. It started in 1970 as "the birth of environmentalism in America," and is now celebrated by hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
You don't have to wait until Earth Day, though, to throw your next party for the earth.
For instance, this November 3rd Americans will be "partying" all over the country for "Step It Up 2: Who's a Leader?" The goal -- to demand real leadership on global warming. You can Start an Action of your own or Join an Action that's already organized in your community.
Just be sure to Invite Your Leaders to attend.
"On November 3 we'll find out who the real leaders are," say Step It Up organizers. "You're showing your leadership by organizing and joining actions in your community. Let's flood politicians with invitations to come to Step It Up actions and be leaders on global warming."
As of this writing, Step It Up participants have sent 2,610 invitations to 522 members of Congress and all 17 presidential candidates. So far, only 5 have said yes, none of whom are running for president. The more invitations they get, the more pressure they'll feel to attend, so Invite Your Leaders to Step It Up today.
To learn more about "Step It Up 2: Who's a Leader?" visit StepItUp2007.org.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Essential Skill #11: Bank Online
Every year, we chop down over 400,000 trees just so we can have our phone bills mailed to our homes! Add in our electric bills and credit card bills, and that number must be well into the millions. But our mail damages more than our forests -- it damages our atmosphere.
"The cost in fuel and CO2 for one bill is tiny," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "but it adds up." So consider Essential Skill #11:
Bank online.
The United States alone could cut 2.1 million tons of emissions per year if everyone received and paid their bills through the Internet. As de Rothschild suggests, "Look at your bills this month. More than likely, every single one has a paragraph begging you to pay your bill online."
Online banking saves companies money on paper, printing and postage. You save money on checks and stamps. Why not just give in to technological-temptation and save the Earth too?
For more information about banking online, go to ElectronicPayments.org.
"The cost in fuel and CO2 for one bill is tiny," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "but it adds up." So consider Essential Skill #11:
Bank online.
The United States alone could cut 2.1 million tons of emissions per year if everyone received and paid their bills through the Internet. As de Rothschild suggests, "Look at your bills this month. More than likely, every single one has a paragraph begging you to pay your bill online."
Online banking saves companies money on paper, printing and postage. You save money on checks and stamps. Why not just give in to technological-temptation and save the Earth too?
For more information about banking online, go to ElectronicPayments.org.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Essential Skill #10: Kill Your Phantoms
It's frightening to think of the phantoms haunting your house. They could be anywhere, sucking wasteful, emissions-producing electricity into appliances that aren't even being used. So Essential Skill #10 in the Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook could not come a day too soon:
Kill your phantoms.
"When they're not on, they're still using electricity," author David de Rothschild writes of our household appliances. "It's known as phantom electricity.... The phantom electrical load in the industrialized countries alone accounts for 75 million tons of CO2 emitted and billions of dollars wasted per year."
Do all you can to rid your home of costly, energy-sucking phantom electricity by:
Kill your phantoms.
"When they're not on, they're still using electricity," author David de Rothschild writes of our household appliances. "It's known as phantom electricity.... The phantom electrical load in the industrialized countries alone accounts for 75 million tons of CO2 emitted and billions of dollars wasted per year."
Do all you can to rid your home of costly, energy-sucking phantom electricity by:
- Plugging your electronics into power strips. With one flip of the switch, you can turn off your TV, VCR, Tivo and stereo ... or your computer, monitor, printer and fax.
- Unplugging your cell phone charger when not in use, as they use a shocking 95% more energy than necessary to actually charge your phone!
- Buying Energy Star appliances, through which phantoms can only suck half the energy of non-Energy Star appliances.
"If one million households halved their phantom power load," adds de Rothschild, "we'd eliminate 150,000 tons of CO2 per year."
Monday, September 17, 2007
Essential Skill #9: Imagine
"One approach to seeing the future is through scenarios," writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "carefully crafted 'what if?' stories that let us imagine several different outcomes." It's our Essential Skill #9:
Imagine.
That's what more than 100 experts did for the U.N.'s Millennium Ecosystem Assessment -- not simply envisioning ideal situations, but recognizing the real possibilities (ideal or not) based on what we know and where it looks like we're going. Some of the scenarios include:
Imagine.
That's what more than 100 experts did for the U.N.'s Millennium Ecosystem Assessment -- not simply envisioning ideal situations, but recognizing the real possibilities (ideal or not) based on what we know and where it looks like we're going. Some of the scenarios include:
- Global Orchestration, a future in which we have the means to deal with environmental issues, but do so only in a reactionary capacity (i.e., when we're backed into a corner).
- Order From Strength, a future in which environmental issues takes a backseat to national security issues, creating a situation these experts say would be "unsustainable and ultimately disastrous."
- Adapting Mosaic, a future in which local communities respond most quickly and successfully to environmental challenges (as seen recently in the leadership of U.S. states moving to adopt stricter vehicle emissions regulations than the federal government).
- TechnoGarden, a future in which environmental technology envelopes the entire planet, "a globally connected world relying strongly on technology and on highly managed and often-engineered ecosystems."
It's this imagination that de Rothschild asks all of us to adopt -- the habit of looking at all the "What if's" we see for the world and our own local commuinities. "The goal of scenario planning is not to correctly predict the future," he writes, "but to exercise the imagination so that you're ready when reality strikes."
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Essential Skill #8: Buy Carbon Offsets
Four weeks ago, we covered Essential Skill #4: Calculate Your Carbon, from the Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. Well, now it's time to consider "nuetralizing" some or all of those CO2 emissions with Essential Skill #8:
Buy carbon offsets.
Here's how it works - for every ton of carbon dioxide you pump into the atmosphere, you invest a specified dollar amount into clean energy projects you believe in, such as:
Buy carbon offsets.
Here's how it works - for every ton of carbon dioxide you pump into the atmosphere, you invest a specified dollar amount into clean energy projects you believe in, such as:
- Wind farms
- Solar plants
- Biomass facilities
- Methane capture
- Energy-efficient housing
- Education programs
- Lobbying initiatives
- Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
- Reforestation (i.e., planting new trees)
There's just one catch - deciding which of the seemingly countless carbon offset companies to invest in. Handbook author David de Rothschild has some suggestions:
"A key issue is whether offsets demonstrate "additionality." That is, would a particular clean-energy project or emissions-reducing intiative have occurred without your financial contribution? If so, it's really not an offset."
Unless you have hours on end to spend researching all of your carbon offsetting options, it seems to us the wisest choice to go with one (or all) of the three that de Rothschild recommends in the book - NativeEnergy.com, CarbonNeutral.com or CarbonFund.org (where your investment is tax-deductible).
Just remember de Rothschild's "Bottom line" ...
"... carbon offsets should be used to compensate for that last little bit of greenhouse-gas emissions you can't eliminate any other way. They're a supplement to the effort, not a substitute."
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Essential Skill #7: Fly Right
There's a new way to fly -- as little as possible. "Trains, buses and even cars are gentler on the atmosphere," explains author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook's Essential Skill #7:
Fly right.
Yes, commercial jets are big emitters of carbon dioxide, but that's not all. "Contrails -- those pretty, white-vapor ribbons in the sky," writes de Rothschild, "trap heat in the atmsophere as efficiently as CO2 does and may also encourage the formation of heat-trapping, high-altitude cirrus clouds."
Trip Tips
Fly right.
Yes, commercial jets are big emitters of carbon dioxide, but that's not all. "Contrails -- those pretty, white-vapor ribbons in the sky," writes de Rothschild, "trap heat in the atmsophere as efficiently as CO2 does and may also encourage the formation of heat-trapping, high-altitude cirrus clouds."
Trip Tips
- Take a non-stop flight. As much as one quarter of the fuel used during short flights is used at takeoff.
- If your destination is less than 600 miles, consider driving, or taking the bus or train. (Most fuel-efficient flight length: 2,700 miles.)
- Try to book one of the more fuel-efficient jets -- the Airbus A340, Airbus A380, or Boeing B787.
- Buy carbon credits to offset the emissions from your trip.
To calculate the carbon emissions for your next trip -- by plane, car, train or bus -- go NativeEnergy.com/travel. There you can find out how much CO2 your trip will emit and the cost of carbon credits to offset the trip. Best of all, you're given an opportunity to purchase these carbon credits through Native Energy, which invests your dollars into new, renewable energy projects. There you'll also find a video presenting a short, simple explanation for how carbon offsetting works.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Essential Skill #6: Green Your Ride
Though driving a hybrid is the best way to cut down on your vehicle's carbon footprint, there's many other important things you can do for better fuel-efficiency ... no matter what you drive. Author David de Rothschild explains in Essential Skill #6 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Green Your Ride.
Green Your Ride.
You'll save on gas (and carbon emissions) by:
1) Turning off your car instead of letting it idle for just 10 seconds or more -- a good thing to remember when you're waiting on the teller at the bank, your lunch at the drive-through or your friend at the convenience store. (Weather permitting of course. Let's not bake in a hot car, or freeze in a cold one, just to save some gas.)
2) Rolling up windows when you're going highway speeds -- there's less resistance, making it easier for your car to move and save you gas.
3) Checking tire pressure every month -- that's how quick your tires lose one pound of pressure per square inch. Keep them properly inflated, and your tires will not only roll just right, but also last longer.
4) Giving your car a tune-up -- it can increase fuel-efficiency 15-50%!
5) Driving slow and smooth -- you use 33% more fuel if your idea of driving is gunning the gas and slamming on your brakes.
6) Increase the aerodynamics of your vehicle by removing roof racks
And if you are planning to take the next step by purchasing something new that's more fuel-efficient, remember that weight and aerodynamics are key -- that means light vs. heavy ... low vs. tall ... and round edged vs. "boxy" ones.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Essential Skill #5: Sub-Size It
Just 5% of the world’s population lives in the United States, yet of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, we pump nearly 25% of it into the atmosphere! One reason – our "super-size it" mentality. Yet as you may know from personal experience in countries outside of America, the "bigger-is-better" concept has spread across the globe.
But you don’t have to live in a mansion, drive a Hummer or have a plasma TV in every room to benefit from the lesson of Essential Skill #5 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:
Sub-Size It.
Your House
"From 1970 to 2004, the average new home in the U.S. grew more than 50%" writes author David de Rothschild "even as the average number of people in each household shrunk by 17%." In fact, houses that are 4,000-square-feet or bigger use 40% more energy than houses between 1,500 and 2,000-square-feet.
Your Vehicle
The heavier it is, the more gas it takes getting from A to B. For instance, the Hummer H2 weighs 6,400 pounds, getting between 11 and 14 miles per gallon. On the greener hand, a Smart Car ForTwo weighs just 1,606 pounds, getting more than 58 miles per gallon.
Your Television
Big screen plasma TV’s use twice the energy of LCD’s (and even more than the CRT’s we grew up with).
Of course, none of this means that you have to live in one-bedroom home, drive a car that only seats two or set up your parents’ old black-and-white in the living room. It means only that when you shop (for anything), you take along your sub-size-it mentality.
"Cars and televisions last 10 to 15 years," writes de Rothschild. "Houses can last 100 years or more. The decisions we make now can affect greenhouse-gas pollution for decades."
But you don’t have to live in a mansion, drive a Hummer or have a plasma TV in every room to benefit from the lesson of Essential Skill #5 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:
Sub-Size It.
Your House
"From 1970 to 2004, the average new home in the U.S. grew more than 50%" writes author David de Rothschild "even as the average number of people in each household shrunk by 17%." In fact, houses that are 4,000-square-feet or bigger use 40% more energy than houses between 1,500 and 2,000-square-feet.
Your Vehicle
The heavier it is, the more gas it takes getting from A to B. For instance, the Hummer H2 weighs 6,400 pounds, getting between 11 and 14 miles per gallon. On the greener hand, a Smart Car ForTwo weighs just 1,606 pounds, getting more than 58 miles per gallon.
Your Television
Big screen plasma TV’s use twice the energy of LCD’s (and even more than the CRT’s we grew up with).
Of course, none of this means that you have to live in one-bedroom home, drive a car that only seats two or set up your parents’ old black-and-white in the living room. It means only that when you shop (for anything), you take along your sub-size-it mentality.
"Cars and televisions last 10 to 15 years," writes de Rothschild. "Houses can last 100 years or more. The decisions we make now can affect greenhouse-gas pollution for decades."
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Essential Skill #4: Calculate Your Carbon
How big is your carbon footprint? In other words, how much global warming-causing carbon dioxide is your lifestyle pumping into the air? That’s the focus of Essential Skill #4 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Calculate your carbon.
As author David de Rothschild points out in the book, there are hundreds of carbon calculators online for you to choose from. We’ve tried a few in recent months, some simpler to use and more comprehensive than others. Our personal favorite is the Nature Conservancy’s Online Carbon Calculator, which assesses your emissions in four main areas:
Calculate your carbon.
As author David de Rothschild points out in the book, there are hundreds of carbon calculators online for you to choose from. We’ve tried a few in recent months, some simpler to use and more comprehensive than others. Our personal favorite is the Nature Conservancy’s Online Carbon Calculator, which assesses your emissions in four main areas:
- Home energy
- Driving and flying
- Food and diet
- Recycling and waste
Your carbon footprint is calculated based on your answers to simple questions in each of these areas. For instance, the "hardest" question asks how many miles you drive each year, month or week. You’ll of course want to account for your trips to and from work, shopping, etc. But also remember to include any long road trips you make out of town throughout the year.
This carbon calculator also takes into account where you live, the number of people in your household and the type of home in which you live.
Best of all, the Nature Conservancy shows how the size of your carbon footprint compares to your region and to the rest of the world. For instance, our carbon footprint is 41 tons of CO2 each year. That’s lower than the US average of 53 tons, but much higher than the world average of just 11.
Click this link to calculate your footprint through the Nature Conservancy’s Online Carbon Calculator.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Essential Skill #3: Replace a Lightbulb
Anyone who's been following the Live Earth Movement (or had any exposure to the avalanche of the greening of consumerism in recent months) is probably already an expert in Essential Skill #3 in the Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Replace a lightbulb.
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs not only last longer than incandescents, but also use 75% less energy. That translates into a savings of $30-50 per bulb throughout its lifetime. Just be sure the CFL's you buy are Energy-Star approved. And instead of tossing those incandescents into the trash, hold onto them in case of emergencies.
If you want to see how we're changing the world "one bulb at a time," go to One Billion Bulbs. Their goal is to keep track of every lightbulb changed all over world. (They even have a map that lets you see how many have been changed in your state and/or country.) Of course, the key is us letting them know. So act now, and tell One Billion Bulbs how many you've replaced. Best of all, they'll calculate your savings for you - in dollars and in CO2.
For instance, we've replaced 7 60-watt incandescents with 7 13-watt CFL's. Every year, that's a savings of $48.90 and 686.89 pounds of CO2! (Numbers that will probably double once we finish replacing ALL our bulbs this week. )
We hope you'll do the same.
Replace a lightbulb.
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs not only last longer than incandescents, but also use 75% less energy. That translates into a savings of $30-50 per bulb throughout its lifetime. Just be sure the CFL's you buy are Energy-Star approved. And instead of tossing those incandescents into the trash, hold onto them in case of emergencies.
If you want to see how we're changing the world "one bulb at a time," go to One Billion Bulbs. Their goal is to keep track of every lightbulb changed all over world. (They even have a map that lets you see how many have been changed in your state and/or country.) Of course, the key is us letting them know. So act now, and tell One Billion Bulbs how many you've replaced. Best of all, they'll calculate your savings for you - in dollars and in CO2.
For instance, we've replaced 7 60-watt incandescents with 7 13-watt CFL's. Every year, that's a savings of $48.90 and 686.89 pounds of CO2! (Numbers that will probably double once we finish replacing ALL our bulbs this week. )
We hope you'll do the same.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Essential Skill #2: Change Slowly
Our office is also our home. So the green changes we’ll be making in the weeks and months ahead will range from pens made from car parts to dishes made from recycled windows and sliding glass doors.
Most importantly, we suspect there are hundreds more small changes like these we can make in the greening of our home/work life. Yet, as much as we’d love to make all these changes at once, it’s simply too overwhelming – mentally, physically and financially. That’s why we’re comforted by Essential Skill #2 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Change slowly.
“Most attempts at change fail,” writes author David de Rothschild, “not for lack of will, but for lack of planning and pragmatism.” His suggestion – concentrate on one goal at a time. Our suggestion – make a list of everything you ultimately want to accomplish in the greening of your life, then choose your first change from these items and act accordingly.
In making our own list this week, we’ll be going from room to room, making note of every product, service or habit that needs to be greener – from biodegradable laundry soap to eco-friendly pest control. At the end of the week, we’ll share our list in the Comments section of this post, and we invite you to do the same.
Most importantly, we suspect there are hundreds more small changes like these we can make in the greening of our home/work life. Yet, as much as we’d love to make all these changes at once, it’s simply too overwhelming – mentally, physically and financially. That’s why we’re comforted by Essential Skill #2 in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook:
Change slowly.
“Most attempts at change fail,” writes author David de Rothschild, “not for lack of will, but for lack of planning and pragmatism.” His suggestion – concentrate on one goal at a time. Our suggestion – make a list of everything you ultimately want to accomplish in the greening of your life, then choose your first change from these items and act accordingly.
In making our own list this week, we’ll be going from room to room, making note of every product, service or habit that needs to be greener – from biodegradable laundry soap to eco-friendly pest control. At the end of the week, we’ll share our list in the Comments section of this post, and we invite you to do the same.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Essential Skill #1: Commit
If we’re going to live the Live Earth Pledge, the first step is commitment. And who better to lead us in this journey than adventure ecologist and author of The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, David de Rothschild. Instead of committing himself to the life of luxury that this British heir to a large banking fortune could pursue, de Rothschild is committed to something that all the money in the world cannot buy – a healthy planet.
David de Rothschild is the founder of Adventure Ecology, an organization that promotes environmental action through a combination of education, arts and adventurous expeditions to parts of the world most affected by global warming.
"It was during a polar adventure that I truly began to grasp the scale and complexity of climate change," writes de Rothschild in his introduction to the Survival Handbook. "Standing in the midst of the Arctic, surrounded by 14 million square kilometers of frozen ocean, I felt like nothing more than a speck of dust on the endless horizon of Earth’s most raw, majestic, and environmentally significant ecosystem."
"That expedition, to cross the Arctic Ocean, was halted when warm temperatures made the ice too vulnerable. And it suddenly became clear that thinking of protecting our planet was no longer enough; what we have to think about is our ability to survive on this planet. We need to have the necessary skills in order to so."
So this week marks the beginning of our virtual expedition through de Rothschild’s "77 essential skills to stop climate change – or live through it."
As the leader of this expedition, de Rothschild’s Essential Skill #1 is "Commit," including his directive to "CHILL" – an acronym that will serve as something like our map in this virtual ecological adventure:
Commit this book to memory
Hunt down and destroy your excessive CO2 habits, one by one
Inspire others to do the same
Lobby your leaders to make big changes
Laugh a little – saving the planet is going to be tough, but it doesn’t have to be boring
We may only need five minutes to commit this acronym to memory, but we’ve got all week to fully comprehend what it means. Let’s use these 7 days to observe our habits, making mental note of all the areas in which we can strengthen our commitment to surviving (and stopping) climate change.
Then, on Saturday (or anytime throughout the week), let's share our thoughts in the Comments section of this post.
David de Rothschild is the founder of Adventure Ecology, an organization that promotes environmental action through a combination of education, arts and adventurous expeditions to parts of the world most affected by global warming.
"It was during a polar adventure that I truly began to grasp the scale and complexity of climate change," writes de Rothschild in his introduction to the Survival Handbook. "Standing in the midst of the Arctic, surrounded by 14 million square kilometers of frozen ocean, I felt like nothing more than a speck of dust on the endless horizon of Earth’s most raw, majestic, and environmentally significant ecosystem."
"That expedition, to cross the Arctic Ocean, was halted when warm temperatures made the ice too vulnerable. And it suddenly became clear that thinking of protecting our planet was no longer enough; what we have to think about is our ability to survive on this planet. We need to have the necessary skills in order to so."
So this week marks the beginning of our virtual expedition through de Rothschild’s "77 essential skills to stop climate change – or live through it."
As the leader of this expedition, de Rothschild’s Essential Skill #1 is "Commit," including his directive to "CHILL" – an acronym that will serve as something like our map in this virtual ecological adventure:
Commit this book to memory
Hunt down and destroy your excessive CO2 habits, one by one
Inspire others to do the same
Lobby your leaders to make big changes
Laugh a little – saving the planet is going to be tough, but it doesn’t have to be boring
We may only need five minutes to commit this acronym to memory, but we’ve got all week to fully comprehend what it means. Let’s use these 7 days to observe our habits, making mental note of all the areas in which we can strengthen our commitment to surviving (and stopping) climate change.
Then, on Saturday (or anytime throughout the week), let's share our thoughts in the Comments section of this post.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Living the Live Earth Pledge
On Sunday, July 22, we'll post the first eco-friendly tip in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. All week, we'll green our lives accordingly, share our experiences, and ask you to do the same.
There are 77 essential skills in the book, so this Live Earth project will last for 77 weeks. And everything we learn and do will be in accordance with living the Live Earth 7-Point Pledge below.
Please read (and live) the Live Earth Pledge below and, if you haven't yet, be sure to sign it here: http://liveearthpledge.org/msn.php.
Live Earth 7-Point Pledge
1) To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth
2) To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral"
3) To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2
4) To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation
5) To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal
6) To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests
7) To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
There are 77 essential skills in the book, so this Live Earth project will last for 77 weeks. And everything we learn and do will be in accordance with living the Live Earth 7-Point Pledge below.
Please read (and live) the Live Earth Pledge below and, if you haven't yet, be sure to sign it here: http://liveearthpledge.org/msn.php.
Live Earth 7-Point Pledge
1) To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth
2) To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral"
3) To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2
4) To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation
5) To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal
6) To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests
7) To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
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