Archive for 2008

Green Your Holiday Gift Giving

December 20th, 2008

Its the holiday season again and many of you are wondering how to give gifts to your loved ones that show your appreciation of them while staying true to your ecological convictions. And with the economy being as challenging as it currently is, chances are that you probably have much less money to go around this year. The good news is that you dont have to spend a lot of money to give an absolutely wonderful gift. After all, the best gifts dont have to be expensive to show how much you love the recipient. A well-thought out personal gift can mean so much more to someone than a high-ticket item. It may be clich but it really is the thought that counts. You can demonstrate your love and admiration best by showing that you care enough to give a gift that truly reflects their interests and personality. And, you can be green while doing it.

Cardboard box with wrapped packages (XL)So, what exactly is a green gift? It is a gift that is created, transported, wrapped and given with minimal environmental impact. You can even green it up a little more by purchasing from environmentally conscious companies and organizations. Tickets to a concert, ballet, opera, football game, museum, or many other options make a fantastic green gift. And it can take as little as an envelope to wrap. Homemade gifts are another great option and very personal. My grandma, Rosella, sends me cookies from Washington State from time to time and there is no gift that I enjoy more. With every bite I think of how they were made with love and affection for me. Gift certificates can actually be very thoughtful gifts too if they are chosen well. For instance, a gift certificate for yoga classes for a friend that has wanted to try it out would be a great gift and motivation at the same time.

Donations can also make a surprisingly heartfelt green gift. More people than you might realize truly appreciate a gift given to a charitable organization that reflects their own beliefs and passions. Last year, I gave gifts to Heifer International in the names of many of my friends and family members. These gifts of chicks and ducks, llamas, goats, and sheep are provided to help needy children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. They provide beautiful, unique gift cards for you to give to announce the donation, and I was sometimes surprised at the sheer delight people exhibited when they opened their gift and realized that they had, in effect, given a flock of geese to a family in the Philippines for instance.

The list below offers a few suggestions of green gifts for the holidays. Use it as inspiration to spark ideas of your own. There is no science to green gift giving: the two main factors in the equation are environmental awareness and thoughtfulness.

And remember, when wrapping gifts always use recycled wrapping paper or other reusable items; get creative! I always use grocery bags and raffia or twine when I wrap gifts, and I frequently receive comments on how beautiful the packages are. Sometimes simplicity can be the most elegant.

Have a wonderful, festive, green holiday season.

Some Green Holiday Gift Ideas

  • Charitable donation to a favorite charity
  • Used books, beautiful collectible editions
  • Framed personal photo
  • Homemade baked goods and jellies
  • Handmade items such as a Knitted Scarf
  • Basket filled with organic fruits, coffees, teas, nuts
  • Gift certificate (thoughtfully chosen of course) to a favorite boutique, restaurant, yoga studio
  • Tickets to a concert, opera, ballet, sports event
  • Clothing made from organic cotton or recycled materials

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Eat Organic: For Health, Wellness & The Environment

November 20th, 2008

Thanksgiving brings to mind family, friends, togetherness, partnership, sustenance. It is a time when we gather together to give thanks and, of course, to get a good binge on. It is also a fantastic time to think about the food that you put on your table: where did it come from, how did it get there and how good is it for you?

The simplest definition of organic is fruits and vegetables that are produced without the aid of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. By choosing to eat organic, locally-produced produced foods you and your family can personally benefit in many ways.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for eating organic is flavor. If you have ever tasted a tomato that was grown organically and picked fresh, you know what I am talking about. It seems like the tomatoes in the grocery store have lost that tangy burst when you bite into one. But a tomato that was grown as Mother Nature intended will take you back to the taste that you remember as a child. And many supermarkets are adding and expanding their selection of organic produce every day.

Besides taste, eating organic is good for your health. Conventional, non-organic produce is most often grown by using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals can leach onto the food. And who wants to pollute their body with unnecessary chemicals?

farmers-marketwebA great way to find quality organic food is to visit your local farmers market. Most communities now have farmers markets. There is a great one right here at the campus of College of San Mateo every Wednesday and Saturday from 9:00AM to 1:00PM, and I like to make it an event whenever I have a chance to go. I can often be found on my lunch break on Wednesdays, with my canvas bag in tow of course, strolling through the many booths, smelling and sampling the variety of luscious, freshly-picked veggies and fruits. Also, farmers markets vendors sell much more than fruits and vegetables. Bread, nuts, spices, flowers, and even some prepared foods are among the many offerings. You can even enjoy a delicious meal while you shop.

A good tip when visiting your farmers market is to talk with the vendors and ask about their farms. While many of these vendors have signs showing that they are certified organic, some smaller, struggling farms find it cost-prohibitive to gain their certified status. They may use sustainable, organic practices even if they cannot technically label their produce organic. But if you ask them about their farming practices, they are generally more than happy to talk with you about them.

Adding to the personal benefits of buying organic and locally produced foods, a decision that benefits the health and well-being of yourself and your family, you will have a tremendously positive impact on the environment for the greater good. Produce that is grown and harvested sustainably keeps dangerous chemicals out of our bodies, as well as out of our soil, water and air. Also, by purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables, you are helping to lessen the carbon emissions given off to transport the produce to market when compared with those trucked in to your grocery store from all corners of the globe. Not to mention the fact that you are helping to financially support your local, struggling farmers as well as promoting your local economy.

So in preparation for your Thanksgiving meal this year, take a field trip to the farmers market in your community. I promise that you will find the experience to be absolutely delightful. And your family and guests will rave about the fresh, nutritious, delicious meal that you set before them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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My Escape to a Hybrid

September 22nd, 2008

As the film An Inconvenient Truth was the birth of my eco-evolution, watching Who Killed the Electric Car? was the beginning of my eco-adolescence. I had just recently purchased a new Ford Ranger that I absolutely adored. I clearly remember the sunny, warm day that I had bought my new truck less than a year earlier, driving over an hour and a half to find the exact model and color that I had chosen. Unfortunately, this truck that I loved so much was only getting about 15 miles per gallon. After seeing the two above documentaries within months of each other, I was suddenly feeling guilt ridden with each and every mile that slipped away beneath me. I knew that I had to take personal responsibility for my own impact on the environment and had to make a change. So for the second time in a year, I set out to buy another new, yet much more fuel-efficient car.

When purchasing a new car and keeping global climate change in mind, there is really only one major factor to keep in mind: gas mileage. It’s really that simple. There are of course many other environmental factors to consider such as pollution and smog producing emissions, as well as the raw materials and production processes used by the automobile manufacturer, but when considering your ongoing global warming footprint, carbon emissions are the enemy. And that translates directly to the amount of miles you get for each gallon of gas.

My Escape

I agonized over the choices for several weeks before I decided on a Ford Escape Hybrid. I strongly considered both the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid, both of which achieve better mileage than the Escape, however, when I added the needs of myself and my family into the equation, I realized that a larger vehicle was necessary. And my action improving from 15 to 30 mpg was definitely something that I felt very proud of.

There are some hybrids available today that offer no significant increase in mileage. Some hybrids actually only improve mpg by a few miles when compared to their non-hybrid counterparts. Not all vehicles with “hybrid” emblazoned on their body are necessarily the best choice. There are many other vehicles that can achieve much better fuel efficiency than some of these. A great resource for comparing fuel efficiency of all vehicles can be found at:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Driving habits can also have a significant affect on the number of times that you have to stop at the pump. Whether you drive a regular car or a hybrid, the way that you drive it will affect its efficiency. I found that I was not getting the mileage that I had hoped for, so I tried an experiment. I started driving more slowly, actually driving the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas. Also, I began using cruise control and staying to the right of faster moving traffic. Cruise control helps to mitigate rapid acceleration and braking which burns more fuel than when keeping a constant speed. And I began to check that my tires were properly inflated. With very little effort I was able to increase fuel efficiency by 2 miles per gallon more, a 7 % increase: And this just from altering a few bad habits!

Even by lessening my global warming impact from driving by 100%, there were still emissions to be dealt with. I chose to purchase carbon offsets fromTerraPass. By estimating the total number of miles I drive in a year and entering my vehicle information at terrpass.com, I was able calculate my Escape’s annual carbon emissions and purchase carbon offsets for less than fifty dollars. TerraPass then invests my fifty dollars into carbon-reducing projects such as renewable energy and reforestation, therefore offsetting another measurable amount of carbon emissions.

What changes can you make today to curb your own carbon emissions? It can be as simple as slowing down. Remember, any change for the better is change for the environment that we all share. You too can be part of the solution.

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Al Gore’s Generational Challenge

August 1st, 2008

On July 17, 2008 Al Gore issued A Generational Challenge to Repower America: “Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.” This challenge, by far the most aggressive environmental call to action in history, is in his words, “achievable, affordable and transformative.”

Al Gore

Gore has been working vigorously to confront the threat of global warming for over 30 years. I credit my personal eco-awakening to Al Gore and the day that I saw An Inconvenient Truth, the documentary about global warming, based on a powerpoint presentation that he has been giving across the globe for many years. After seeing the film, I felt shell-shocked, afraid and disheartened: my early “post-Truth” period. But the overall theme that stayed with me in the weeks that followed was that we can change the course that we are on and that we already possess the technology that is required. It is just a matter of convincing the world that it is necessary to change the way we all live. And Al Gore is leading the charge.

I believe that our nation is up to his challenge. Renewable energy sources and the technology to harness the energy produced exist today in surplus. By producing electricity with solar, wind and geothermal power, we can begin to curb our dangerous global warming emissions and free ourselves from our dependence on unsustainable fossil fuels. And Americans, while sometimes slow to embrace change, have decided that it is indeed time for major change.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Gore speak in person at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco in April 2007. As I waited anxiously in my seat, the audience was directed to write out any questions for him and turn them in within the first half hour of the presentation, and that he would answer as many as time allowed. I decided at the last minute to ask something that had been on my mind. I scrambled to write out my question in the darkness of the auditorium and passed it down the row to the usher. And then, at the end of the evening, my question, the third of three, was posed to the former Vice President:

“What are your views on carbon offsets purchased directly by consumers?”

A carbon offset is a monetary contribution to an organization that helps fund carbon-reducing projects such as renewable energy and reforestation, therefore offsetting another measurable amount of carbon emissions. I had recently purchased a Road TerraPass to offset my own vehicle’s emissions, and while I believed that I was doing the right thing, I had read about protests that had been staged at carbon offset organizations worldwide; that purchasing offsets was ‘nothing more than relief of the guilt associated with living a polluting lifestyle.’ I had even passed a few picketers on the way into the Masonic, shouting the same viewpoint. I knew this wasn’t the case for me. I had just recently traded in my gas guzzling pickup truck for a Ford Escape Hybrid and had wanted to do even more. I longed for validation that my decision to offset was sound.

Gore’s answer, simplified, was that carbon offsets are important in the short term. While not a long-term solution, they would begin to flow investment dollars into renewable energy projects, to show that renewable energy production was viable and would eventually help to lead the major energy players in the market in the same direction. His answer led to a disruptive outburst from some protesters in the audience, for which I felt a twinge of guilt. But Gore handled it with dignity and class.

So how can we each contribute to the success of this monumental challenge? As consumers, we can purchase carbon offsets and donate to organizations that promote renewable energy production while at the same time curbing our individual energy consumption. As U.S. citizens, we can communicate with our elected officials and let them know where we stand on increasingly important environmental issues. And as human beings, we can share what we know and learn with our families and friends.

Al Gore’s challenge may seem daunting now, but when we stand together, we can accomplish anything.

Watch and read the full speech

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Go Back to School Green

July 31st, 2008

It’s just about time to send the kids back to school again. And what a great opportunity to make some decisions that will help keep the earth healthy for their future, all while teaching them how to do the same.

Get your books

I remember myself as a child being overly zealous and excited when it came time for new school clothes and supplies. When we would get home from our big annual excursion, I would spend hours stacking and organizing all of the new pencils, pens, notebooks and all my other treasures. I would spread out my new clothes and spend hours deciding on the perfect outfit for the first day. The mere memory even now brings a smile to my face.

Your kids may share a similar experience with me. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if part of this memory for them includes learning about earth-friendly, sustainable practices and how they are helping to make a difference in the health of our planet? There are many ways to go green while shopping for back to school items.

Purchasing the right school supplies are some of the easiest ways to make some environmentally friendly decisions. Many products made from recycled paper and plastics, as well as biodegradable materials, are now readily available at most office supply and retail stores. Buying a reusable PVC-free lunchbox or bag is another excellent choice over using disposable brown paper bags everyday. (I still remember my Snoopy lunch pail from the first grade with enduring fondness.)

Supplies

While it can be a little more of a challenge to find organic cotton and other sustainable fabric clothing options, more and more retailers are beginning to offer green options. Conventionally grown cotton is responsible for 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world’s pesticides, dangerous carcinogens that seep into our groundwater and pollute natural wildlife habitats. By choosing to purchase clothing made from organic cotton, wool, hemp, bamboo, silk or ramie you are also choosing to keep dangerous chemicals from polluting our world.

When purchasing a new computer, consider a laptop over a desktop. A laptop uses from two to five times less energy than a standard desktop computer, takes up much less space and the amount of materials used in production are also significantly less.

So spend some time with your children planning and shopping for their supplies and clothes this year. Take the opportunity to educate them on how to be good stewards of our planet. Instill being green as part of their own decision making process as future consumers themselves. And be sure to tell them that you are doing it to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for them.

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Summer Vacation: How Green Can It Be?

July 30th, 2008

With family reunions, summer vacations and warmer weather on the horizon you may be planning a trip or a weekend getaway in the very near future. But what should you do when considering global warming concerns or the high price of gas? There are many green alternatives to the traditional vacation.

Think globally, vacation locally. We are extremely fortunate to live in an area that is seen as an extremely desirable vacation destination by millions of people worldwide. Perhaps this summer is your opportunity to rediscover the sights and delights of San Francisco and the Bay Area. I mean, c’mon, when was the last time YOU rode a cable car for absolutely no reason whatsoever?

The Open Road

Ecotourism is another great green option for a family vacation. For a trip to be classified as an ecotour, it must meet three criteria: it must help sustain the environment, the economy and the culture of the place visited. Ecotravel has grown in popularity over the past few years and many travel agents now offer green travel packages. There is a huge variety of destinations that meet the goals of ecotourism.

 

Visit these websites for more info on ecotourism:


Ecotourism at Conservation International

The International Ecotourism Society

The Nature Conservancy


You could also consider other ground transportation options, such as by train or bus. Buy a ticket and share the fuel costs collectively with your fellow passengers. It could save you a significant amount of cash, especially with gas prices nearing five dollars a gallon in the Bay Area. And, you can kick back and listen to music or watch a flick on your iPod, read a book or catch up on your napping. To paraphrase one major transportation provider, leave the driving to them!

If these alternatives are not an attractive option for you and your plans, travel by automobile may well be in your future. By taking a few proactive steps and following some simple driving guidelines, you can increase the fuel efficiency of your vehicle substantially. And the higher the cost of a gallon of gas, the more impact these actions will have on your financial savings. See the list below for some fuel saving tips.

 

green-car-symbolf-orweb-Change your vehicles air filter. Changing a dirty air filter can increase your fuel efficiency by up to ten percent.

-Be sure that your tires are properly inflated. Be keeping them at the correct pressure, you can increase your mpg by up to 3 percent.

-Get a tune up. If it has been awhile since your vehicle has been attended to, there can be many things that once corrected could significantly increase your fuel efficiency.

-Use cruise control. Aggressive driving (rapid acceleration and braking) can cost you up to one-third and for every 5 mph over 60 mph.

-Drive the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

-Don’t sit and be idle. When sitting still with your engine running, you are getting zero (O) miles to the gallon. An idling engine can use up to 3/8 gallon of gas in thirty minutes.

-Pack lightly. Every extra one hundred pounds of cargo will cost you 1 mpg.

-On hot days use your vehicle’s air conditioner on the highway to cool off. This one may surprise you! While using the air conditioner can reduce your fuel efficiency by up to ten percent, when traveling over 40 miles per hour the drag caused by open windows will actually lower fuel efficiency even more. However, when driving at lower speeds, feel free to open up the windows and enjoy the fresh air!

-If you are renting a car, rent a hybrid. The daily rate may be slightly more expensive, but the fuel savings will more than make up the difference.

-Go to the car wash. Don’t wash your car by hand at home in the driveway. Most professional car washes use more than 60% less water and recapture some for reuse. Also, the water that is not reused is treated to be more environmentally friendly when it does go down the drain.

-Purchase carbon offsets to balance out your vehicles global warming emissions. When you purchase these offsets from organizations (such as TerraPass.com) your money is invested in clean energy projects that “offset” your carbon emissions by producing green, sustainable energy that replaces other non-sustainable energy sources.

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Mantra

July 29th, 2008

simplify-stones-on-beachfor-web

 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle……


Ahhhhhh, the mantra of the eco-savvy. Say it with me now. But what does it mean? It is so much more than a catchy slogan found on hemp t-shirts. This is known as the waste hierarchy, listed in the order of environmental importance. Americans account for about 5% of the world’s population and consume almost 25% of the world’s energy. This is an astounding fact. How can so few impact so many? By beginning to change our personal consumption habits, we will start the increasingly important act of reducing waste. By following the hierarchy, we each begin to become more and more aware of our own environmental impact.

Here is a very simplistic breakdown, listed in order of the level of environmental benefit:

  • REDUCE. Buy less, use less, waste less.
  • REUSE. Use what you already have.
  • RECYCLE. Repurpose or remanufacture waste and give it a new life.

Today why not make a personal commitment to change at least one wasteful habit (we all have them!) Try taking your own mug to your favorite coffee shop and forego the paper cup. Are you itching to redecorate? Try rearranging the furniture that you already have, maybe even move items from one room to another, for a fresh look. And if you must buy a something, try thrift or antique stores. You’ll probably end up with a beautiful, unique piece, often for much cheaper. And it just can’t be stressed enough: ALWAYS, ALWAYS RECYCLE! Think before you toss something in the trash. Most recyclable waste ends up in trash cans.

There are so many ways to make earth-friendly decisions in your life. Be creative! And remember, you can always fall back on the basics for inspiration: Reduce, reuse, recycle.


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CFLs: A Bright Enough Idea?

June 1st, 2008

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have rightfully become the little darling of energy savings, one easy way to begin to curb carbon emissions thus helping in the battle against global warming. By changing your household bulbs to CFLs you will definitely save on your energy bills. Lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average homes electric bill and CFL’s use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescents. Also, the average CFL bulb will last nine times longer. So what’s the catch, you say?

istock_000003725156mediumMost people are unaware of the dangers of improperly disposing of these bulbs once they finally do burn out. It is absolutely imperative that old CFLs are properly disposed of and recycled.

An average CFL contains about 5 milligrams of mercury sealed within the glass tubing (about enough to cover the tip of a ballpoint pen.) While this is an extremely small amount, it must be kept out of the landfill and disposed of responsibly. And, for some perspective, the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere by smokestacks at our power plants is exponentially higher. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that U.S. electric utilities released 48 tons of mercury in 1999, the latest year for which data is available. This comprises about 40 percent of manmade mercury emissions in the U.S., 10 percent of total North American emissions, and just 1 percent of total global mercury emissions. So the power required to keep your incandescent bulbs burning will be emitting more mercury than the CFL’s that would replace them contain.

It could be that a more adequate lighting solution is just around the bend. Many companies are currently working on improving the technology of bulbs that use light-emitting diodes (LEDs.) While they are available today, contain no mercury and can last ten times longer that CFLs and 133 times longer than incandescents , they can be very expensive ($50-100+ per bulb) and many people complain that the light given off is not bright enough. But with future scientific and industrial improvements, quality may be raised and costs brought down.  Will LEDs be our next “little darling?”

I absolutely do believe that today, changing your household bulbs from incandescents to CFLs is the best choice and the right thing to do, provided that your bulbs are disposed of properly when they need to be replaced. For more information and resources on CFL’s, visit the Energy Star FAQ sheet here.

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Happy Earth Day!

April 22nd, 2008

Make a green change in your life and celebrate our planet today!

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Welcome to “Go Green With James”

April 1st, 2008

There are so many different environmental issues facing us today: global climate chang, air and water pollution, water shortages, overpopulation, depletion of natural resources… the list is seemingly endless.   At times, it can seem daunting and overwhelming.  The good news is that by altering habits and making some slight changes in the way we live, we can all easily contribute towards the solutions that are so necessary.

 As the Bay Area’s Education Station, KCSM feels it is important to be a resource that you can turn to for information and learning in all areas.  To further extend our mission into the area of ecology and preservation seems only natural. The intent of these green pages is to provide education and subject matter that can help us all to know best how to help our environment. 

gogreenmeditate

James Mason Ball is the Business Operations Manager for KCSM TV and FM. Here he will marry his conviction of environmental stewardship with his passion for the written word, and will be sharing his own personal experience of learning how to live sustainably while navigating an ever challenging course as he goes about his daily life. Go Green With James is his attempt to not only document his endeavors at learning how to tread as lightly as possible on our planet, but to share what he learns along the way with you, so that you too can better know how to live a green life.

This blog is a labor of love for James.

Both James and KCSM are fully committed to improving our community and our world through education and action. We will be bringing to you new and interesting environmental topics and content in these pages, so check back regularly for more tips on how to live more sustainably. Together, we can really make a difference. 

 

SOME EASY CHANGES TO GET YOU STARTED:

 ♦ALWAYS RECYCLE!  Not only does recycling keep waste out of our already overflowing landfills and helps to conserve our natural resources, it also takes less energy to collect and reconstitute recyclable material than it does to mine and produce new raw materials.

♦Change your bulbs. One of the easiest and least expensive changes that you can make is changing your household light bulbs from traditional incandescent to CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights.) CFLs are four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescents.   And, less energy used equals lower power bills!

♦Wait to do laundry until you have a full load, and then wash using the cold water cycle. A washer takes between 30 to 60 gallons of water per load.  You will save energy and water, and even more money.

♦Install low-flush toilets or place a plastic bottle filled with stones in your existing toilet tank. Both will reduce the volume of water stored in the tank and used per flush, but will still be adequate for flushing.

♦Keep your vehicle tuned up, check that your tires are properly inflated and replace your air filter.  These minor changes can improve your gas mileage by up to 4%, 10% and 3% respectively.

♦Shop for fruits and vegetables at your local farmers market.  By supporting your local growers, you can have a positive impact in many ways.  You are keeping your dollars within your own community to help the local economy.  Many fruits and vegetables at farmers markets are grown sustainably and/or organically, keeping pesticides and other chemicals out of the soil, air and water supply.  The energy used to transport your produce is much lower than produce shipped across the world.  And the best part is the taste:  absolutely amazing!  Most fruits and vegetables available at a farmers market are picked fresh, many times just hours before you purchase it.  Also, it’s a great way to interact with your friends and neighbors.

♦Purchase carbon offsets from organizations that invest in clean energy projects. Did you know that PG&E customers can zero out the carbon emissions that their power and natural gas usage creates for just a few more dollars added to your bill each month?  Visit PG&E’s ClimateSmart program for more info.

 

I welcome your feedback, questions and comments. Email me at green@kcsm.net

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