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Recycle what?!

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

It is always amazing to me that Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the U.S. and yet their “recycling program” recycles so little. I even put it in quotes because it’s more like a “trash diversion program” than it is recycling. Even the little middle-of-nowhere town of 8,600 people I came from (St. Johnsbury, VT) recycles more than Philadelphia. In fact, up until 3 years ago this city only collected recycling every other week and didn’t accept any plastics or cardboard curbside; there were a few places around the city where you could take plastics and cardboard between the hours of 9-11am on the first or third Saturdays of the month - really convenient. You can imagine the average resident did not participate. Around the same time the city started curbside collection of cardboard and plastic (by the way, this means #1 and #2 plastic BOTTLES only) they implemented an “all-in-one” collection program where everything goes in the same bin instead of needing separated. Author’s note: yes this saves space and eliminates hassle but it also eliminates consciousness. I’m still not sure which is better.

Education about recycling is also lacking. Most people are misinformed or simply do not know what is and is not recyclable. Part of the misinformation is that most items are indeed recyclable somewhere, just not in Philadelphia. The reason why certain things are not recyclable in Philadelphia is the city outsources its recycling to Blue Mountain Recycling who takes all the material to their processing plants. The city only pays for certain options, so while Blue Mountain Recycling does process compostables, Philadelphia does not pay them to collect and process compostables.

Here is the list of what Philadelphia recycles (and does not recycle):

Metal: Bi-metal cans (like food cans), aluminum cans (like soda cans), empty aerosol cans, empty paint cans.
NOTE: foil and household or scrap metal like wire hangers, pots, tools, curtain rods, small appliances, furniture faucets or nails are NOT recyclable; these items typically have higher melting points or food debris that disrupt the recycling process of the items listed above.

Glass: Jars and bottles (clear, brown, green)
NOTE: lightbulbs, tempered glass (like entertainment center doors or coffee table tops) and Pyrex are NOT recyclable; these glasses have added chemicals or coatings that contaminate the melting process.

Mixed Paper: Newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, advertising inserts, telephone books, food boxes (like cereal and cracker boxes – remove plastic liner), computer paper, flyers, and soda cartons.
NOTE: any paper that has food or other debris like dirt, grease or detergent on it are NOT recyclable; the added residues contaminate the recycling process and are considered “organics” which are compostable but that the city does not collect.

Plastic Containers: #1 and #2 plastic bottles ONLY (mostly beverage and detergent containers). These containers have narrow necks and wider bottoms. Check the underside of each container for the number 1 or 2. All container lids are recyclable, and best if removed from containers.
NOTE: Styrofoam, plastic bags, #1 and #2 plastic containers (like food containers) that are not bottles, and any other numbered plastics are NOT recyclable.

Cardboard: Empty and flattened.
NOTE: pizza boxes are NOT recyclable because they fall into that “organics” category; clean cardboard only.

When you start looking at how much you throw away, you start wishing more could be recycled. Things Philadelphia does not recycle that are recyclable in a lot of other places include: cartons and aseptic packaging (like milk cartons, juice boxes, and containers for soy milk or soup), aluminum foil, electronics, and ALL #1 and #2 plastics including food containers. Some people think if you just put more in the recycling bin someone will see how much stuff could be recycled and will eventually begin to process those items. That is simply not true and is actually more wasteful than putting those items in the trash. Just because it costs a company to sort out all the waste that ends up in the recycling stream doesn’t mean that it would be more profitable to invest in the necessary equipment and pay more laborers to process the additional items. The fact of the matter is that it takes more energy to transport the non-recyclable items and then sort them out of the recycling stream and back into the trash stream than just putting them into the trash stream to begin with. It’s disheartening, but if you’re passionate about wasting less the reality is you waste more when you put trash into the recycling bin.

My last gripe about recycling in Philadelphia is that businesses are required to hire a private collection company; the city does not collect recycling from businesses. This means that most buildings over 3 stories have their own private trash companies. In a utopia this could mean the property owners would hire companies who collect more recyclables than the municipal program but in reality this means property owners could hire companies that do not collect recycling at all. Yes recycling is THE LAW in Philadelphia, and most policy-makers believe that is an all-encompassing incentive to get people to recycle, but when a law is not enforced many people choose not to follow it. Businesses are required to submit recycling plans to the city, but if they don’t provide every tenant in their building with adequate facilities recycling simply doesn’t happen. I’ve talked with many people who work in high-rise buildings downtown who have said their offices do not recycle. Many property owners use space as an excuse: “We don’t have the space to increase our recycling facilities.” My former job used the same excuse, so I started my own desk-side recycling and once a month drove to work to bring home the paper, glass bottles, and plastic that I had set aside. Other people caught on and began asking me if they could contribute to my mini-recycling program. I was suddenly hauling 2-3 huge trash bags full of recycling back to my house every couple of weeks when my boss approached me and asked if I could look into getting recycling bins for the office and he would look into getting Waste Management to incorporate recycling into our collection program. Within a month of our office-wide recycling program, Waste Management replaced our trash dumpster with one half the size. The recycling dumpster combined with our trash dumpster equaled the previous footprint of just the trash dumpster. The space already exists.

I grew up with a mom who recycled, composted, or re-used EVERYTHING. Very little got put in the “trash.” So this mentality is part of who I am. If a town of 8,600 can do it, a city of 1.4 million can do it. C’mon Philly; everyone wants you to!

Links to more information about recycling in Philadelphia:
Recycling Pays
Philadelphia Streets Department
Philadelphia Recycling Alliance
Secure data and e-waste recycling
Household Hazardous Waste (paint, pesticides, fertilizers, cleaning solvents, rechargeable computer and cell phone batteries, automotive products, etc)

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Support your local CSA or Farmers’ Market

Friday, April 10th, 2009

2009 Spring Flowers_01

Spring is here in Philadelphia, despite those random snow showers happening elsewhere in the country. We’ve got nothin’ but April showers and blue skies in between. The trees are in bloom, there are daffodils and tulips galore, and miraculously I am not suffering from incapacitating allergies for the first time in four years. I attribute this to the lack of stress in my life right now, despite being unemployed and trying to flesh out my first business plan. I am also eating an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, and dabbling in juicing thanks to some inspiration from Raw Epicurean. The change in seasons also means a shift in energies and the body responds to these changes by flushing out accumulated toxins; this is why many people experience colds with changes in the weather. Thanks to modern medicine we have numerous anti-histamines to choose from that keep the body from dispelling mucous to rid itself of toxins. Whether or not you choose to suppress symptoms of the common cold or you decide to deal with it naturally, boosting your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables also helps to flush and replenish the body by removing free radicals and supplying an abundance of vitamins and minerals. My source of fresh fruits and veggies varies, but over the past few years I have been eating an increasingly “seasonal” diet and trying to support the local Clark Park Farmers’ Market (which really takes any need to plan a grocery list out of the equation). This year I also looked into joining a CSA, though I’ve decided to stick to the farmer’s market and add my name to the waiting list at the local food co-op for now.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, where a mutual beneficial relationship exists between a community and a local area farm to support one-another. CSA members commit to purchasing a share which in turn sustains the local farm who raises and harvests the food. In Philadelphia there are numerous CSA options, all for around $35 per week ($700-800 a summer for weekly shares and $300-400 for bi-weekly shares). Your weekly share will generally include an assortment of 4-7 fruits and veggies, a choice of locally produced cheese, eggs or other dairy product, and a locally raised/ produced meat or pasta. You can count on variety like kale, beets, lettuce, spinach, onions, swiss chard, leeks, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, basil, garlic, peas, peaches, apples, berries, squash, corn, watermelon, artisan breads, pasta, tofu, meats, cheeses, yogurt, butter, milk and more. Often times recipes are included with your pick-up or are published online to give you an idea of what to do with some of the less common items you may receive. The main reason I decided to stick with the farmers’ market for now is because I can walk to it from my house, whereas I would have to hop on the subway to get to any of the pick-up places for CSAs, and all the items typically found in a CSA share are available every Saturday year-round at the Clark Park Farmers’ Market. I figure for $35 a week, why not support the closest option?

So why Community Supported Agriculture and Farmers’ Markets? The majority of food at the local supermarket is trucked in from all over the country; fruits from Florida and South America, greens and veggies from California, grains, dairy and meats from the mid-west. All this trucking and outsourced growing consumes huge amounts of energy and resources, from the gasoline burned on the trek across the U.S. and to keep the items cool, to the water required for irrigation that drains the local water table. And then when it gets to the supermarket more water is used to keep the greens looking fresh, and more energy is used to heat, cool, and light everything on display. Locally sourced foods support the local economy, consume less gas to truck into the city, and are significantly fresher than foods that have sat on trucks and then on shelves which means more nutrients delivered to your body. They also serve to deepen the understanding of our interdependence on one-another and the land for our sustenance. For those of you who choose organic foods I challenge you to think about why organic is important. Sure it means pesticide and chemical-free, but the whole practice of organic farming is based on principles of health, ecology, fairness and care and extends beyond our own wellness to that of the environment and the community as well. These principles are hard to sustain when the goods are mass-produced hundreds of miles away from the end-user. There are many organic options available locally and I encourage you to look harder at where the items in your pantry come from and try to choose local options as much as possible.

Whether you are still unsure about this idea of supporting locally sourced food or are ready to take the plunge, I encourage you to do your research and check out the variety of options available to you before making a choice. I have provided links to Philadelphia’s Farmers’ Markets and CSAs at the bottom of this entry. It is also important to consider your cooking and eating habits when trying to decide what option is right for you; do you stock up on produce and then become disinterested halfway through your week’s supply? Do you eat out or order in a few times a week? Are you a finicky eater or afraid to try new things? If you answered “yes” to just one of those questions then going to the farmers’ market will give you the leeway to pick and choose items and quantities you know you’ll use, or if you’re a little more adventurous try a “half-share” CSA option. Happy eating!

Farmers’ Market Resources:

Reading Terminal Market Farmstands

Clark Park Farmer’s Market

Farm To City list of Farmer’s Markets

CSA Resources:

Greensgrow Farms

Red Hill Farm

Scarecrow Hill Community Farm

Somerton Tanks Farm

Farm To City list of CSAs

Please post additional resources I may have missed in the comments section.

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Energy Saving Tips

Monday, December 1st, 2008

It’s finally ‘winter’ in Philadelphia. I think we’ve actually broken a record low this year for having over 4 consecutive days under 40° in November. Coupled with the state of the economy, what better time to start saving money by conserving energy? There are some simple things everyone can do whether you rent or own your home to cut costs and your carbon footprint.

If you rent, what utilities you pay for may factor in to how you think about energy. Each situation is a little different depending on how your landlord has the utilities partitioned, but these are some common examples based on the apartments I’ve lived in. These factors are also applicable to homeowners, though there are some more advanced aspects of owning a home which factor into energy usage and I will list these later. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs and energy-star appliances such as toaster ovens and microwaves can all cut down on your electric bill. Plug your ganged electronics such as TV, DVD, stereo system, computer, etc. into power strips and turn the power strips off when these items are not in use; anything that has a digital clock or little glowing LED light simply indicating that it’s plugged in constantly consumes power even when not in use. There are also two new types of power strips on the market that eliminate the aspect of unplugging by reducing idle current: Wattstopper and Smart Strip. The Wattstopper uses an occupancy sensor to control 6 of the 8 outlets which turn off when not in use, while the Smart Strip has three groups of “smart” outlets that sense whether the device is on/ off and mitigate power flow accordingly (always on, switched depending on whether the device is on/off, and a control that links to the switched outlets). Both are available online, but if you know of a local store that caries these please post it in the comments.

Weatherproofing your doors and windows is a good way to eliminate heat loss. To start, close your glass storm windows if they’re provided. You can also pick up some plastic weatherproofing at your local hardware store and secure it with the provided double-stick adhesive strips around the perimeter of your windows, then shrink-tight with a blow-dryer; this will add an extra layer of draft-stopping and insulation in those older Philadelphia homes. You can also add draft-stoppers under doors; they’re easy to make out of things you probably have around the house, or you can buy them online at Amazon. There are additional ways to weatherproof that are more permanent so I will discuss these in the homeowner section, but these additional tips may be useful if you’re motivated and you have a decent relationship with your landlord and can get reimbursed for repairs.

The temperature setting on your hot water heater is another form of heat loss, or rather energy wasted on heating water beyond a reasonable temperature. Residential hot water temperatures should ideally be 110°- 120°F or ‘medium’ – often times they have been set higher than they need be, consume more energy, and waste additional cold water while you try not to scald yourself. Play around with the temperature if you have access to your water heater and find the temperature that’s right for you. These guidelines may also be useful.

There are also some more tedious energy-savers depending on how much effort you want to expend. Keeping your refrigerator/ freezer full helps maintain a steady temperature through the contents’ mass and therefore uses less energy to sustain a cooler temperature (you can also fill soda bottles/ milk jugs with water to add extra mass). Using a dish pan or a glass/ bowl filled with soapy water to rewet & rinse off your sponge while scrubbing dishes instead of keeping the water running also conserves hot water.

There are also things that may not factor in to what you actually pay for monetarily, but impact the environment. Wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot; I have been testing this over the past year after reading an article that indicated clothes would get just as clean. I use plant-based biodegradable liquid detergent by Seventh Generation that is formulated to work in cold water, as well as their chlorine-free bleach, and I have found that there really doesn’t seem to be a difference between the cleanness of clothes washed in hot versus cold water. A number of companies have cold water detergents, so be sure to look for this on the label. (Note: I’m not a particularly messy person, though I am a bit messy in the kitchen, and I don’t have kids getting mud, grass stains, and whatever else they can find to grind into clothes, so if you’ve tested the cold water method in these situations please tell me about it in the comments section.)

Faucet aerators are yet another great way to save water (including hot water). These have a rated flow imprinted on the side, which should read 2.75gpm (gallons per minute) or lower. If your faucet doesn’t have an aerator installed, check to make sure there are threads just inside the faucet to ensure it will be able to receive an aerator. These can reduce water flow by up to 50%. Additionally, you can look for low-flow shower heads (either aerating or non-aerating) that reduce water flow without reducing pressure. You can also conserve water by collecting cold water wasted while waiting for your hot water to come out of the faucet and save it to water your plants. Calculate your water footprint and learn more ways you could conserve.

Lastly, putting non-recyclables in with recyclables wastes energy because these items eventually have to be sorted out at the recycling plant in order to go back to the landfill.

Homeowners:

Additional ways you can invest more money to save you more in the long run include the following:

As our focus on sustainability increases, this list will continue to expand. Please feel free to add input in the comments section on ways that you save energy that are not listed above.

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Fall projects

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Fall is well under way here in Philadelphia, and it’s that time of year to rake up the leaves, collect seedheads, have a canning party, and bake apple pies.

The best thing to do with leaves is to add them to your compost which needs roughly 3 parts “brown material” (like leaves, straw, twigs, etc.) to every 1 part “green” (kitchen scraps, plant trimmings, etc.) If you’re looking to start composting or have some questions on what materials are compost-able, visit these helpful links from Organic Gardening & Penn State:

Leaves can be added to compost whole and this will work just fine, though shredding the leaves allows them to break down faster and speeds up the composting process. The easiest way to shred leaves is to use a mulching lawnmower (the type with a bag attachment to collect what you mow); rake your leaves into an area in the center of your lawn and go back and forth with the mower. You can then empty the shredded leaves from the mower bag into your compost pile, or into the bags you plan to store the leaves for next summer, when brown material is at a low. If you don’t compost, you can also use shredded leaves for mulching. Or, you could simply let nature do its business and allow the fallen leaves to provide groundcover protection during the winter months where we frequently lack a dependable insulating layer of snow. However, if you really don’t have a use for the leaves and can’t stand the sight of them on the ground all winter - or your neighbors can’t, for that matter - be sure to check your local guidelines for curb-side pick up or leaf collection days. In Philadelphia, leaf collection is from November 10th - December 19th. Set out your leaves in brown paper bags the day before your regular trash collection day. Certain neighborhoods also have mechanical leaf collection days that are scheduled throughout this time in addition to the curb-side collection days. Visit the Streets Department for additional information and dates regarding leaf collection. Philadelphia also has a great yard waste recycling program where you can bring leaves, tree limbs, and other biodegradable yard trimmings from October 11th - December 27th: Click here to view pdf guidelines. The specific dates change annually, but are generally within the same time period.

Today I was out in the yard raking up leaves to use for my compost pile, and decided it would be a great time to collect some of the plants I allowed to dry on the stems to use in a fall “floral” arrangement. My particular bouquet consists of blackeyed susans, astilbe, fountain grass, hydrangea, rosehips, coneflower, azalea leaves and liriope. If you’re like me this time of year you’re coming down off a summer of constant weeding, trimming, cutting back, transplanting, dividing, harvesting, and miscellaneous yard projects and it’s starting to feel a bit bare. So this is a great project to feel re-invigorated, from figuring out what you can use, to actually making the arrangement and making it part of your seasonal decor. Come mid-December I usually make a wreath or bough that can be hung on the front door using various evergreen sprigs, holly, pine cones, ribbon, and some sort of “feature” I come up with on the fly that adds a splash of color. Here is my first fall bouquet:

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Other great projects for this time of year are canning (apples, tomatoes, sauces, etc.) and baking (pies, breads and muffins using seasonal produce like apples, pumpkins and squashes). The satisfaction you gain from slaving over the stove all day and being able to taste the fruits of your labor both right away and 3 months from now in the dead cold of February is absolutely immeasurable! This site by Ball (is there really another company that makes canning jars?) is a great resource for canning and preserving how-to: Complete guide to fresh preserving. Note that when you click on the tutorials there is a link above the tutorial window to download as a pdf; unless you have a laptop on your counter - which if you cook like me would be a complete disaster - the pdf is the way to go. They also have resources for freezing and making spreads among other things under the “How To” tab, as well as recipes and additional preserving guidelines.

If you have any canning tips, favorite recipes, or other fall projects please feel free to share!

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COMMyouNITY

Monday, October 27th, 2008

The individual is an important factor in taking care of the environment. However, we all factor in to the larger community, and often times we are more inspired to nurture, protect and participate when we see others doing the same. We learn from each other and from our surroundings. And there is perhaps nothing more disappointing than when we see someone trashing something that we have just worked so hard to clean up. On the other hand, people are less likely to disrespect/ vandalize/ trash a clean environment and especially one that the whole community visibly takes care of.

When I was about 7 years old, I experienced this directly. It had been an especially dry and I remember making trips to a local spring about 5-10 miles from our house since our well had gone dry. The mouth of the stream fed by the spring was littered with a few plastic grocery bags and items that looked like someone had cleaned out their car: soda bottles, cigarette boxes, tissue, candy wrappers, and beer cans. I still relive the stunning feeling of disbelief that someone would carelessly discard their waste at the very source of natural sustenance. It seemed so strongly against the very basic instinct that all creatures share: don’t shit where you eat (or sleep, for that matter).

On future trips to the spring, more garbage had showed up. Eventually, someone’s kitchen scraps (I remember eggshells) made it to the stream. I don’t remember who suggested it, but my mother and I decided one day to take trash bags along with us on our trip to the spring and clean up the disgusting mess. I think we even separated out the bottles and cans to be recycled. From that time on, as long as we frequented the spring for our water, no more trash showed up. This was such a valuable lesson that has stayed with me ever since: the earth is everybody’s and nobody’s at the same time; if you don’t take care of it, where will you live? What I mean by that is to treat the environment with the same respect and honor with which you treat your own house/ yard/ apartment. And when you see others have trashed it, take the initiative to clean it up - whether it means you pick up a stray flier or cellophane wrapper on the sidewalk, or organize a community “block cleaning day.”

When people see other people engaging in a specific activity, it is human nature that a personal thought process/ recognition develops in response to the observation. Whether the observer’s conclusion happens to be “weirdo” or “that’s a good idea”, the next time they see trash on the sidewalk or actually throw trash on the sidewalk they may recall that time they saw someone cleaning it up. It may take many similar observances before they start thinking about it, or it may not change anything at all, but it has two very positive possibilities: that the community will take care of their environment, and that it may inspire others to do the same.

The relationship of the individual to the community is one of many micro-to-macrocosm relationships that exist. I point this out because when it comes to our own role within the universe, we can find ways to downplay our individual importance/ significance when it works out to be convenient. I’m sure we can all think of a situation where we said “what difference would me doing ‘x’ make?” However, when you start to multiply individual participation across the spectrum of the community/ world, you can only increase the benefits. Unless of course you do nothing and then 1×0 = 0. And who really wants to be a nobody?

You don’t have to go all out and reform your entire lifestyle to have an impact; just being conscious of what your lifestyle is, being comfortable with the choices you do make, and being aware of your surroundings can have a positive effect. And if you see a way that you can honor and give back to the greater community, then all the better.

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The Three R’s

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

We have all heard of the three R’s:

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

Recycling is a no-brainer. At this point it has been made fairly mainstream and requires minimal effort to separate what we throw out, though some municipalities additionally require sorting. For this task I find it easiest to keep smaller, individual paper bags/ trash cans alongside the regular trash can; one for plastic/ glass/ aluminum and the other for paper. When they’re full, they get emptied into the appropriate receptacles outside in the alley. Some people simply set recycling aside to take out at the end of the day. The key is to find what works for your living situation and to try and simplify it. From food containers to beauty supplies, laundry detergent bottles, junk mail and old newspapers/ magazines, product packaging is becoming increasingly recyclable.  The trick is to take inventory of what you use, and try to recycle it all - or at least as much as possible.  And be sure to check with your municipality for a list of what is recyclable; most of this information is easily found online.

Some items you can even “recycle” by re-using within your household, such as glass/ plastic food containers to store leftovers, newspapers as mess-mats for gardening/ craft projects, and scrap paper can be cut into squares and re-used for notes/ grocery lists. Some lotion/ other beauty product containers make good hair accessory holders, or can be used to store homemade bath salts/ teas/ potpourri. That pair of nylons that sprung a run can be cut into rings and used as hair elastics, or strips and used for staking/ tying back plants in the garden. Packaging, wrapping paper and cards can all be re-used and cut up to make new cards/ wrapping paper/ various other arts & crafts projects. Packaging is actually my biggest pet peeve; items are increasingly wrapped in more and more layers of needless waste. Yet this is a perfect example of ‘less is more’ for consumers, manufacturers and the environment; manufacturers save money by using less packaging, it’s less strain on natural resources, and it’s less hassle and waste for everyone else.

As for reducing, this requires a little more effort and is made especially hard by our consumer mentality and notions that “bigger is better.” But there are some simple areas that we can all relate to and address here; the rest is ultimately up to you to determine on a personal basis.

  • Transportation - can you walk/ bike/ take public transit instead of driving?
  • Shopping - can you reduce fuel, packaging and waste? Can you buy it concentrated? Is there a local option? Is the packaging reusable or biodegradable? Is there a manufacturer that invests in sustainable business practices?
  • Energy - turn the lights off when you leave a room, use cold water instead of hot to wash clothes, weatherstop your windows in the winter if you live in a cold climate, use cotton towels in lieu of paper towels to dry hands in the bathroom and kitchen, if you’re a homeowner consider investing in a solar hot water heater, etc.
  • Chemicals - are there natural/ plant-based alternatives? (think detergents, cleaners, soaps, disinfectants, chlorine-free bleach, etc.) Does it contain parabens (cancer-causing preservatives)?

Beginning to think like this doesn’t happen overnight. But if you start off at a smaller scale and select just one or a few items you regularly use and explore how that choice could make the least impact on the environment, you begin to get into the habit of asking these questions. Soon it becomes second nature. And in this economy, it’ll save you money too - even more reason to ponder the options.

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BMW’s Better Half

Monday, October 20th, 2008

The Mini.

The only thing I don’t like about the Minis so far is that they have Chrysler engines (technically a Chrysler-BMW joint venture, but still). Other than that I have no complaints. And thanks to PhillyCarShare I have 2 Mini options at my fingertips within a 5-block radius. Around town the Mini is swift, highly maneuverable, can fit into just about any parking space, and despite it being so low to the ground I don’t have any of the blind spot issues that I frequently experience in other cars (like the Toyota Prius which is HORRIBLE despite its great concept and my love for Toyotas). They are even fun for long distance (I’ve driven up to 100-mile trips, combination of highway and state roads). Even the automatics are fun. Plus, they average around 26-37mpg city/highway. Although I have heard complaints about the trunk space (or lack thereof), I think of it this way: the Mini is a “ME” car, and that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout! I haven’t had this much fun driving since before my brother crashed my old 1991 Saab 900S (with over 250,000 miles on her!).

AND NOW, MORE EXCITING THAN EVER [horns sound]:

Introducing

The Mine-e!

Emissions-free with a 100% electric motor, 500 of these puppies are hitting the streets within the next few months. Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that (for now) reduces the car to a 2-seater, it can travel up to around 150miles before needing to be recharged, which it can do using any standard outlet. However, BMW is also supplying special “wallbox” units to fully restore the car in 2.5hrs.

A leap beyond the now popularized ‘hybrids’, I can’t wait to test drive it! So, while I condemn some of BMW’s advertising strategies, it’s innovation like this that gets me behind their wheels when public transit isn’t an option.

Make your own 3D mini!

MINI Space

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Recycle Your Clothing!

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Metro (allegedly ‘The world’s largest global newspaper) has decided to publish a series ‘on the subject of the environment, the changes to our planet’ and basically what the world is doing to fight climate change (10/14/08). SO, today the paper is tinted green, and the cover feature (at least in Philadelphia’s edition) is “The dresses, dreams and drama: Project Runway.” After sifting through the murder and McCain files, the Palinometer, criminals make headlines, free market woes, and TV’s watch list sections, we finally come to p.12: “green day.” What message is conveyed regarding the priorities of environmental issues when the cover features a half-page photo-montage of Project Runway finalists?

Note: I know there are some of you thinking, “who reads the Metro for reliable coverage of news, anyway?” and I say this to you: I’m handed a free Metro every day on my way to work, and have read it cover to cover by the time I get to work where I get the BBC delivered to my inbox. With the occasional exception of the BBC’s Science / Nature and Health sections and the Metro’s Entertainment section, there is rarely any difference in headlines. The BBC’s articles may be longer, but seldom do they offer more insight than that offered in the Metro.

In my effort to make positive things out of negative thoughts, I realized clothing actually is a factor to consider in minimizing our carbon footprint. Albeit, not in the PR sense. Consider the fibers clothes are made with (apparently polyester is one of the most sustainable fibers), the dyes that are used, washing and drying instructions, where the clothes are made, and what business practices the Label company employs. What happens to old clothes is another part of the picture. I grew up with a mom who I consider to be my “Sustainable Guru” on the homefront, which is an essential part of where our core values are learned including our value of the environment and our own actions toward it. My mom can find a way to re-use just about anything, the least of it all being clothing. She saved what could of our kids clothes for hand-me-downs, and then took the items that were still in good condition after 3-kids-worth of wear down to “Little Red Wagon,” our local second-hand store. The un-salvageable got turned into rags for dusting, my dad’s paint/ stain rags, doll clothes, material for crafts projects, and for cleaning up grease/ oil in the garage. What’s great about second-hand stores is there are many who offer a commission for your items that they sell - and in my book making sweet moolah while minimizing environmental impact gets my nod of approval. For those Philadelphians out there, Green Street Consignment is a win-win situation: they only take items that are still in style so it’s not only great to unload those things that you’ll just never wear again, but they also have some great finds for relatively inexpensive prices (range: $8-$30).

Another part of minimizing our carbon footprint is to take advantage of all the local resources that surround us. For this purpose, perhaps a more appropriate feature in lieu of Project Runway for the front page of the first “Go Green” Metro issue would have been the Swap-O-Rama Rama event that I just found out about. It’s the local, sustainable version of Project Runway, and it’s coming to a place near you. SORR was started by Wendy Tremayne and brings the concept of Reduce - Re-use - Recycle to our wardrobe. This Sunday October 19th, bring a bag of your old clothes to the Old Pine Community Center at 401 Lombard Street (Philadelphia) and get ready for “A recycled do-it-yourself extravaganza.” The basics are: bring a bag of clothes and $20.00, grab a bag of your own clothes, and either take ‘em as is or attend any series of workshops from learning how to make alterations, full modifications (make a dress/ handbag out of jeans), on-site silk-screening, embellish your new digs, sew in a DIY label, etc. Use your creativity, opt to participate in an impromptu fashion show with your new wares, grab a bite to eat, there’s even a DJ.

While clothing isn’t necessarilly designed to be recyclable, test yourself and see how far you can make a single item go - see some ideas below.

Can Polyester Save the World?

Swap-O-Rama-Rama

SORR Philadelphia

Make a quilt out of your favorite old T-shirts

ThreadBanger | the first network for people who make their own fashion

Ideas for recycling clothes (World Environmental Organization)

Do It Yourself Handbags

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Organic is best

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006

Being raised organic, you would think I bring some bias to the table. But to be honest, there is part of me that resists all things organic as one of those things my mom was waaaaay too into as a kid. And to be even more honest, the organic movement wasn’t as big in the 80s and 90s as it is today and there is a much broader variety of organic convenience foods on the market now; I never imagined that I’d ever truly enjoy the taste of an organic cookie for instance … but I have to say that I have changed my mind about that.

There is much criticism about what is allowed to be labeled as “organic” as the USDA has relaxed its guidelines and regulations over the past few years, but there are a few principles I have chosen to stick by in choosing my own organic or “natural” items from foods to cleaners. In order of significance to me:

1. Biodegradable
2. Local
3. Pesticide-free
4. Non-bleached
5. Recycled or post-consumer content
6. Minimal packaging
7. Cheap

Now, it’s hard to know whether or not the fruit I get is actually pesticide-free, but I hope that the “organic” label hasn’t stooped that low and that the local farmers have some sort of spine. I also sometimes slip on the non-bleached items as I haven’t yet found an affordable recycled toilet paper that is soft to my liking, but I buy unbleached flour and sugar for example. And I just know you’re scoffing at “cheap.” I have yet to find cheapness in comparison with CVS or RichFood brands, but for items that I don’t want to settle for I compare the price to other similar products. Whole Foods has a brand called 365 that is fairly cheap compared with other organic labels. And speaking of labels, there is a growing market of branding like “Karena’s Organics” and while the products don’t contain a single organic ingredient they open up a whole new customer base of consumers who think they are buying organic - so read the ingredients if you’re concerned about what you’re getting.

Local is the big one that a lot of people seem to forget about. You could buy an organic product that had to be shipped from California to Pennsylvania - and how much fuel did that use? The fact that the item is organic may be important, but so is the process that got it to the shelf in the first place. Now some things just aren’t made locally. I have yet to see orange trees yielding local consumer crops in Pennsylvania. However, it’s one more thing to consider for some items that may have a local venue.

After reading an article from Common Dreams titled “An Organic Recipe for Development” I am even more convinced that organic is the right thing to do. Not only does it empower consumer choice, not only does it benefit the environment, but it partakes in the circle of life and gives back to the earth what we take from it and destroy. It may also be the closest thing to bridging the world hunger gap that keeps growing despite our production capacity and technological advances.

Highlights from the article:

In a 23-year side-by-side comparison, the carbon levels of organic soils increased 15 to 28 percent while there was little change in the non-organic systems, according to the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trials conducted in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

If just 10,000 medium-sized farms in the U.S. converted to organic production, they would store so much carbon in the soil that it would be equivalent to taking 1,174,400 cars off the road, Rodale reported in 2003.

The problem of global hunger is not about food production — it is about poverty and food distribution, since the world already produces enough food…

Links:
Common Dreams Article
Biodiversity
Pesticides in produce

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teflon releases toxic chemicals

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

Help raise the awareness. For full text, visit this article: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1205-05.htm published today, 12.05.06 by CommonDreams.org

PERFLUOROCHEMICALS (PFOA)

What are they?

A group of man-made chemicals often used in a wide variety of consumer products such as carpets, upholstery, textiles and nonstick cookware. Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, has grabbed the public spotlight recently because it is used in Teflon cookware. Brand names include Teflon, Stainmaster, Gore-Tex. DuPont and other manufacturers agreed to work to phase out its use by 2015. Still, perfluorochemicals are in the blood of virtually all Americans, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. And numerous studies have found that the levels in U.S. residents are the world’s highest. The chemicals’ widespread use in carpets, stain-resistant textiles and cleaners is possibly the major source of human exposure.

What are the possible health effects?

The main concern is that when perfluorochemicals enter the body, they stay there for years. An EPA science advisory panel recommended in February that PFOA is a “likely” human carcinogen. Other studies involving laboratory animals have found that perfluorochemicals damage organ function and sexual development. DuPont officials, however, say there is no evidence that the chemicals harm humans. (Despite the fact that they have recently reduced the level of PFOA in new Teflon products, have agreed to completely phase out the chemical by 2015, and face a $10.25 million lawsuit filed in 2005 by the EPA for failing to report that it had learned as early as 1981 that PFOA could pass from a woman’s blood to her fetus).

SOURCES: Environmental Protection Agency, federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, New York State Department of Health

STUDIES:

A 2001 University of Toronto study published in the British science journal Nature concluded that PFOA is one of several toxic gases emitted when Teflon is heated to 680 degrees, which is easy to do, even if cooking an omelet. And there have been at least 94 documented cases of a flulike illness, polymer fumer fever, among industrial workers exposed to Teflon heated beyond 700 degrees.

CURRENT PROJECT:

Twelve Tarrant County (Texas) residents volunteered to have their blood tested for 83 toxic chemicals, many of which are used in common household and office products.

The Star-Telegram (Texas) worked with Dr. Arnold Schecter, an environmental-sciences professor and public-health physician at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Dallas. Blood samples were drawn at Lone Star Screening in Euless and sent to ERGO laboratories in Hamburg, Germany.

For questions or comments, contact Scott Streater at 817-390-7657 or sstreater@star-telegram.com, or Mark Horvit at 817-390-7087 or mhorvit@star-telegram.com

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