The Energy Wasted By 75,000 Homes In A Year Equals the Gulf Oil Spill
With all of the media covering the oil spill (which it should rightfully due) there has been a piece of legislation that has been lost in the calamity of the Gulf Oil Spill. The Home Star legislation passed last month by the House but pending Senate approval, will spur the retrofit of 3.3 million homes, enough to save the energy floating in the Gulf 44 times over, at roughly 1/40 the cost of mopping it up. As we speak the Senate is languishing for... Read More
Sanyo Reveals World’s Most Efficient Solar Module HIT-N23, Is this Seattle’s Solutions to Solar Power?
Solar power in the Northwest is still in debate when it comes down efficiency in our rainy city. However today electronics giant Sanyo announced the development of what they are claiming is the world’s most efficient solar module. Called the HIT-N230, the new module has an impressive energy conversion efficiency of 20.7% which is unprecedented in the market. This could be a major win for the solar industry in Seattle if these solar panels... Read More
Sociomental Bonds: Why We Keep Online Communities Alive
As technologically derived rituals provide order for an individual, they also provide a sense of comfort and stability. We can come to believe that such connections and communities of the mind will last for a reasonably long time. We come to depend on them to be there and, in a more latent sense, to provide order and structure to our lives. Offering reassurance in their familiarity, rituals are evoked and replicated and we feel safer and more comfortable... Read More
Green Holiday Tips
Make Your Own Wrapping Paper Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section ofa newspaper, or children’s artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football... Read More
The Three Waves of Environmentalism
The First Wave: Conservation Starting in the 19th century, environmentalists worked to identify, protect and extend those parts of our land that needed to be kept intact for future generations and for our current civic health. They worked mainly with governments, and via NGOs such as the Nature Conservancy, to establish the parks, refuges and preserves we treasure today. Over time the vision of this first wave has expanded from saving single sites... Read More
6 Ways To Go Green In Snowaboarding
Buy a Green Board Invest in a snowboard made from green materials. The Burton Eco Nico is a good example. Visit Eco-Friendly Resorts There are ski resorts that take measures to be green. Skiing and snowboarding are often done at the same places. Here’s a list of the best and worst ski areas. Travel Well Avoiding plane travel, riding in a carpool, training or busing are all eco-friendly ways of getting to your favorite slopes. Recycle... Read More
Plastic Containers Buying Guide
What To Look For: Plastics are classified by their “resin identification code”—a number from #1 to #7 that represents a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you’ll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle. Here’s a quick breakdown of plastic resin types: #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) Examples: Disposable soft drink... Read More
Top Green Workout Tips
Stay homeThere’s a reason Jane Fonda made a fortune from those exercise videos: working out athome is easy and convenient. Plenty ofroutines—like weight training, yoga, or Pilates—require nothing more than a mat and some room to lunge or squat, so it’s possible to put together a cardio and strength training combination that you can do while watching Friends before dinner. Get outsideMore intense cardio-like running, biking, or... Read More
Efficiency VS. Effectiveness
The Prius Effect is one of the most celebrated situations where information directly effects the actions of individuals. Prius owners can be highly effective in conserving energy since they have real-time data at their fingertips allowing them to change their actions to make the car perform at optimal levels. The green community has been screaming for this option for their households, the ability to monitor and receive real-time data for the consumption... Read More
