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How to Recycle
Rechargeable Batteries. September 1998. Journal of Environmental Health.
61(2):31. (Journal article)
Because rechargeable batteries do eventually die, and
they are quite harmful to the earth, the “Charge up to Recycle Program!”
was created. National retail stores participate, making it easier to
recycle these toxic tools. Participating retailers include:
- ACE Hardware,
- Ameritech,
- Batteries Plus,
- BellSouth Cellular,
- Black & Decker,
- Car Phone Store,
- Circuit City,
- NHD Hardware,
- RadioShack,
- Sears,
- Target, and
- Wal-Mart.
To find out more about this program, check out the
above referenced article or go to the “Charge Up to Recycle!” website,
www.rbc.com.
Energy comes in many forms; it takes energy to execute
certain tasks or produce common objects. When we dispose of these
objects, more energy is required to process them; fuel is expended to
transport garbage and move bulldozers at the landfill. One way for us
all to leave a smaller ecological footprint is to use less material,
thereby consuming less, to reuse as much as possible, and finally to
recycle whenever possible, hence the phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle”.
This article describes fun projects for the whole family, making art by
using everyday materials that would otherwise be thrown away; this is
the “reuse and recycle” part of the mantra. Suggestions here include:
collages, paper mache sculptures, sock puppets, painted glass bottle
vases, bottle trees and/or pathways, and many more. This is a fun,
practical idea for energy conservation that, with a little imagination,
could be applied to almost anything that would otherwise be discarded.
In an article that has the potential to make us think
outside the box, Newswise media envisions a future in which electric car
owners will sell power back to the electric grid. The future of
automobiles appears to be tied to the electric drive train (at least
partially in the case of hybrids) and like any stored commodity, the
juice in our cars could be offloaded during peak hours for a profit.
According to this article, there is no technological barrier to the
transmission of energy from car to grid.
If you’ve never heard of Newswise, visit their website
and browse around. They offer a comprehensive, online communications and
information management tool that decreases potential stress of
information overload by compiling a database of knowledge-based
scientific, medical, liberal arts, and business research news.
A Guide to Wood
Heating: What to Look for when Warming with Wood. BackHome Magazine
Staff. 2002. BackHome Magazine. 61:28-31. (Magazine article)
Wood burning inside the urban boundary isn’t the most
sustainable option, but if you’re going to participate in burning wood
why not do it a little more responsibly. BackHome Magazine discusses the
merits of catalytic versus “clean burn” stoves in addition to listing
common wood burning options. Since the 1980s EPA has mandated clean
burning technology in all new wood burning stoves and in stoves equipped
with this efficiency, where smoke is channeled through a ceramic
honeycomb coated with a metal catalyst. At high temperatures, the
catalyst removes exhaust gases before they pass out the flue.
A stove’s thermal output is measured in BTUs, and
typically ranges between 18,000 and 80,000 BTUs. Though wood burning
stoves have been in existence for years, improvements to the tune of
30-40% have only come recently. This article and the BackHome magazine,
in general, deliver useful do-it-yourself information on sustainable and
self-reliant living.
Yes It Is Rocket
Science: How to Make Energy Efficient Wood Burning Stoves. Roth, J.
2006. Permaculture: Solutions for Sustainable Living. 47:39-42.
(Magazine article)
While this article relates more to the problem of wood
fuel needs in impoverished, resource-depleted communities, it becomes
relevant to us here in Portland with the widespread popularity of
outdoor grilling. Clean burning “rocket stoves,” as they are called,
generally are similar to wood burning stoves but burn significantly
cleaner than other commonly used stoves. J. Roth provides us with
step-by-step instructions on making a “rocket stove” with everyday
materials. The basic concept and design center around mixing oxygen more
efficiently with burning wood. Not only does this reduce smoke generated
but it consumes 1/3 less wood for comparable heat gain. The Aprovecho
Resource Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon is primarily responsible for
perfecting the rocket stove.
Though written with England in mind, most of the
popular, consumer-oriented green energy options described here apply
equally to Portland. Characterizing the practice of naming “Green
Electricity” as ineffective, the author explains how buying into green
energy simply means that the local energy company agrees to produce a
quantified amount of green energy, which then goes into the regional
electrical power grid. He argues that CO2 emissions saved by green
energy efforts is a niggling amount, and points out that the percentage
of green energy being used nationally has not increased since the
formation of green companies in the early 90s. His emphasis then is on
conservation, rather than the practice of buying green. We have not
verified the author’s statistics, but with emphasis on personal
responsibility for conservation, this is an important article to
consider reading. Here’s where knowing the difference between marketing
green and buying green comes in handy.
Can Plant-Based
Plastics Clean Up the E-Waste Stream? Streeter, A. 2006. Sustainable
Industries Journal 37:11-13. (Journal article)
Plastics used to make our computers, discs, monitors
and other electronic wastes constitute 5% of the waste stream. New
technology is now available to transform these plastics we use and
discard on a daily basis into more environmentally friendly plant-based
plastics. Many American companies are moving in this direction, led by
Fujitsu, Sharp, and NEC. Because of legislation in Europe that has
already been passed, as recent as the summer of 2006, it may become
difficult for US based companies that don’t switch over to sell products
overseas. This will force other American companies to adjust to market
demand. As informed consumers, the signal to purchase items that reflect
our values is stronger than ever. The shouts of sustainable
decision-making do not go unheard. Transformed company protocols reflect
truer cost scenarios as the consumer’s value is anything but business as
usual. This article addresses our power as consumers to make sustainable
decisions, and it shows the effectiveness of market transformation—good
information to keep in mind if you want to empower the green markets.
The City of Portland’s
Green Building Resource: Promoting Green Building as the Standard of
Development. 2008.
www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?c=41481
The City of Portland’s Green Building Program, which
can be reviewed online at this site, features user-friendly articles
promoting practical green building options and ideas — even the City of
Portland’s Green Building Policy! Visit this site for a rich trove of
articles and ideas on not only sustainable practices geared toward
Portland, but for details on where to go for other sources of
information or for the products touted on the website.
An example of the kind of information available at this site is “The
Green Home Remodeling Guide,” which provides ways to implement
sustainable practices when you remodel your home. There are tips on:
- Saving energy and water
- Using renewable energy
- Protecting rainwater and streams from pollution
- Recycling and reusing construction materials
- Selecting low-impact materials
- Reducing indoor pollutants, including mold and
toxic chemicals
- Durability and long life
- Reducing maintenance
The city’s website even tells you where you can
purchase their Guide — very helpful!
How Green Are You?
Davis, J. June, 2006. Portland Monthly. pp. 65-70. (Magazine article)
Want to reduce CO2 emissions or 500 pounds of
greenhouse gases to be more precise? Try something as simple as
switching out your old 100-watt incandescent bulb with 32-watt compact
fluorescent bulbs. Interested in reducing energy costs? Consider using
solar hot water, or schedule a home energy review with your local
utility to make alterations to your energy use. This article boasts 25
easy ways to reduce your footprint on the environment, saving money and
at the same time maintaining biodiversity. Also mentioned are tips
valuable for the health benefits to your family of avoiding herbicides,
using low VOC paints, and choosing a green daycare center.
This article attacks the other half of the energy
issue: where fossil fuels come from and the environmental impact of
extracting them. Williams writes passionately about witnessing the
destruction of a pristine desert in Utah through fossil fuel exploration
and extraction. With first hand experience, he casts a shadow on the
popular notion that natural gas is a clean fuel. It may burn clean but
the prospecting and extraction of the gas is destructive to the
environment and human health.
Wood is Good.
Campbell, T. 2006. Eco-Structure 4:64-65. (Magazine article)
Responsible forestry begins in the backyard. Campbell
teaches us about certified wood products and certifiers such as the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and their contributions to the
sustainable harvesting of wood. The FSC stamp signifies that the lumber
you purchase has been monitored and harvested to ensure that its
production, while serving as a vital resource, was managed to prevent
destroying the forest ecosystems and habitats from where it was taken.
The article also addresses the difficulty of finding FSC certified wood
and a referral system to help builders. FSC labeled products can now be
found in many local hardware and do-it-yourself centers. This article
gives a good introduction to certified wood products, and to sustainable
harvesting practices. It also provides sources for more information from
creditable sources, such as Forest Products Solutions, a local promoter
of sustainable wood harvesting. The article will give you a nice outline
of what to look for, and also a good look at the issues surrounding
certified wood.
G Rated: Orpinela
Guest House. Portland Office of Sustainable Development. May 10, 2006.
www.portlandonline.com, then
search for Orpinela
The Orpinela guest house, located in Portland, is one
example of many on this website that highlights the practical aspects of
green building. The page is linked to others that give a detailed
description of all aspects of building, construction, and design.
Inspired by the owners’ desire to have ideal indoor
air quality for their hyper-allergenic son, energy efficient features,
and to fit into the natural landscape, this is a story of how to
implement an eco-roof and meet the chemical sensitivity needs of the
occupant. The story is a good read.
Other links at this site include the Douglas Meadows
housing project, which is a large three and four bedroom apartment
complex, and the Rivas-Scott Home that features a solar water heater
that supplies water for the radiant floor heating and low emission
materials and a photovoltaic system to reduce energy consumption. In
addition, Safecoat and Aglia brand paints were used indoor to reduce
poor air quality inside the house. Many green references are listed on
their reference page.
Bright Greens, Straw
Dogs, and The New Generation. Steffen, A. October 4, 2007, 5:45 pm.
WorldChanging: Change Your Thinking.
www.worldchanging.com
In a great academic debate on rising energy use,
Steffen points out the dilemma of reducing energy use in a country such
as ours, when it is the primary cause of global warming, but it is also
a primary cause of rising prosperity, longer life spans, better medical
treatment, and greater personal and political freedom. Guaranteed to
make you think and to think outside the box.
Eco-Shuttle, currently powered by 100% biodiesel from
recycled vegetable oil (readily available and non-pollutable) is a
limousine/passenger van/shuttle service in Portland with an upgrading
fleet that adapts to environmental needs, i.e., diesel-electric hybrids,
solar panels, and eventually hydrogen fuel cells. Their fleet offers
roominess with bucket seats, comfort seats with headrests and adjustable
cup holders for drinks and alcohol, and adequate storage space for gear,
suitcases, and pets. Currently they run wine tours, pub crawls, airport
trips and a luxury vanpool service for commuters however, they cater to
any transportation request (such as grocery shopping trips for more than
one neighbor, bachelorette parties etc.). They offer free Wi-Fi in the
van, snacks for commuters, and mixers for party-goers.
Pricing is $55-$65/hour for the entertainment shuttle
but is subject to change depending on the nature of the service. We
asked about the cost of shopping trips and it depends on distance to the
store, but they are willing to work with you. The airport shuttle is $35
for one person, $45 for two-five people and $65 for five-nine within
Portland. Prices may increase for people who live outside the metro
area. Their shuttle is available 24/7; all they ask is that you book
ahead. Call 503-548.4480. | |
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