A Word of Warming

Recycling more in San Francisco

2008-05-09T16:14:00.001-07:00

Recycling... finally.

2008-05-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

The mayor of San Francisco wants to make the recycling of cans, bottles, paper, yard waste and food scraps mandatory instead of voluntary, on the pain of having garbage pickups suspended.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/us/07garbage.html?ex=1367899200&en=b860ac189b2d9e3a&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Reusable shopping bags

2008-04-15T14:56:00.001-07:00

Reusable shopping bags
Originally uploaded by Luca Penati.

Is this for real? Do companies start to understand reusing bags is the way to go? Let me know your thoughts.

We can solve the climate crisis

2008-04-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.wecansolveit.org/

2008-03-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Climate change is an urgent issue that requires immediate solutions. That's why I've joined with Al Gore and others across the country and around the world who want to halt global warming.

We're on the verge of being over one million strong and I'm asking you to join us. Please click here today to become part of the solutions to global warming.

If leaders in business and government are going to make stopping climate change a priority, we need to send a loud message that we want action now. That's why I'm asking you to get involved today

Together, we can stop global warming.

Don't Miss Earth Hour!

2008-03-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour is coming up on March 29th at 8pm. Check out this link below to learn more.

Turn Off, Tune Out, Unplug

2008-03-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Many appliances use electricity even when they are turned off. In fact, 25% of the energy a television uses is consumed when it is not even powered on. The only way to be sure your appliance is not using power is to unplug it, or to plug it into a power strip, which you can then switch off. (Power strips do consume a small amount of energy, but far less than the appliances when plugged in directly.)

Here's what you can save by simply unplugging or utilizing a power strip:

Desktop Computer
up to 42 pounds CO2/year

Microwave Oven
up to 72 pounds CO2/year

Television
up to 258 pounds CO2/year

DVD Player
up to 143 pounds CO2/year

Power Tool
up to 39 pounds CO2/year

That's about 550 pounds of CO2 pollution you could save every year by unplugging just these few appliances and electronics in your home.

We can cut greenhouse emissions at minimal cost

2007-12-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

Read this BusinessWeek article on a recent McKinsey study.

The results are surprising. The report concludes that the U.S. can cut its greenhouse emissions in half from projected levels in 2030 at minimal cost. None of the steps would cost more than $50 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. Plus, 40% of the reductions would actually save money. That puts the overall cost at just a few dollars per ton of carbon dioxide—or in the tens of billions of dollars overall.

Ecospot: Grand Prize Winner: Sky

2007-12-08T21:54:00.001-08:00

It worked!

2007-12-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

Rember my previous post? Well, it worked. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-8 to report a landmark global warming bill -- America's Climate Security Act -- to the Senate floor.

On Wednesday, the committee added a low carbon fuel standard, which would cut America's dependence on carbon-based fuels and help expand the market for renewable fuels and vehicles.

Another little, but important step.

Let's take action

2007-12-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Congress will soon vote on an energy bill that could cut America's oil dependence, make a down payment on reducing global warming pollution and usher in a cleaner energy future. But powerful auto industry lobbyists are attempting to derail this crucial legislation. Help counter the auto lobbyists and deliver a clean energy future by urging your members of Congress to obey the people, not the polluters.
Go to http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/Energy_Bill_Global_Warming

Choose your ecospot!

2007-11-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

The Alliance for Climate Protection challenged people from around the world to make provocative ecospots. Hundreds upon hundreds of ecospots were submitted. George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Orlando Bloom, Rihanna and the rest of the judges picked the semifinalists based on which were the most inspiring and relevant to climate change.

Now it's our turn to choose among the semifinalists' entries.

We can vote at:

http://current.com/ecospot

The top four ecospots as chosen by you, the community, will be featured in the Alliance's national campaign, broadcast internationally on Current TV and showcased on MySpace's Impact Channel. It's a great opportunity to choose an ad crucial to the Alliance's effort to change the way people think about global warming.

Solar energy? "Cool"!

2007-10-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

When will we be able to put solar panels on our roofs? When would it become economically viable? I have started to see many changes in this area (see recent article on the San Jose Mercury News) and I wonder if my house in a couple of years will be energy self-efficient. Can you imagine? The ability to create your own energy from the sun?

I believe that in two years from today having our own energy will be “cool”, like owning a Prius was a couple of years ago.

Bloggers unite

2007-09-15T23:02:00.003-07:00

On October 15th, bloggers will come together to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind.

In 2007 the issue is - you guessed it - the environment. Each participant blogger will post about the environment in their own individual way, relating to their own topic. The objective is to get everyone talking.

The search is on for bloggers of all nationalities and backgrounds.

To participate:

Publish on October 15th a post on your blog which relates to an issue of your choice pertaining to the environment.

Posts do not need to have any specific agenda, they simply need to relate to the larger issue in whatever way suits you and your readership.

You can also participate in Blog Action Day by posting a banner on your site or by donating your day’s blog earnings to an environmental charity of your choice.

Register your blog at

http://blogactionday.org/commit

Brrrrrrrr....

2007-08-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

From a news wire

Naked volunteers pose for U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick on the ice-cold Swiss glacier of Aletsch near the mountain resort of Bettmeralp. Nearly 600 volunteers stripped before the camera on a melting Swiss glacier high in the Alps on Saturday as part of a publicity campaign to expose the impact of climate change.

Recycling bin in a hotel? What a concept!

2007-08-20T21:56:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by Luca Penati.

I was shocked when I recently saw a recycling bin at the Ambrose Hotel in Los Angeles. What a concept! So simple yet so rare to see.

Why not all the hotels are going to do this? Why NGOs are not pushing hem to commit doing it?

If anyone knows of a petition or other ways to reach the hospitality community. Let me know!

Step 4: Switch lightbulb manufactures

2007-08-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Greenpeace is in high level talks with some of the world's largest lightbulb companies - asking them to stop making energy wasting lightbulbs by 2010 instead of 2015. The more customers they also hear from, the more they'll listen. Click here to sign a petition.

"The 11th Hour"

2007-08-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

Join me in Greenpeace's 7-step climate campaign

2007-08-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

Last week I joined this 7-step climate change campaign with Greenpeace. See my post. We are starting with light bulbs, but it's about energy efficiency generally. You should join:

Click here to sign up

Greenpeace proposes an "Energy Revolution" to save the world from catastrophic climate change. Half of it is about saving the power we use. And this campaign is about people like us helping to outlaw products that waste energy. Every week, for seven weeks, Greenpeace sends out an email with instructions how to campaign effectively for energy efficiency.

Every ton of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere, every coal burning power plant built and every energy wasting lightbulb installed makes it harder for us to stop climate change. Each one is one more thing we'll need to undo. Better to do it right the first time.

Let's start an energy revolution!

I hope you'll join me today: Click here to sign up.

A book and a Web site to be greener in SF

2007-08-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

Check out this book: Greenopia: The Urban Dweller's Guide to Green Living. It's 13 dollars and lists 800 retailers (from dry cleaners to furniture stores). The two cities it covers are San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Or you can search for an eco-friendly bakery or dry cleaner (and much more) on the their Web site.

Please note there is also a version of our LA friends.

Energy saving [r]evolution - first step of 7

2007-07-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Tap vs. Bottled

2007-07-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

There is a very interesting article in the last issue of Fast Company. In the United States more and more people are drinking bottled water - even when tap water in this country is safe, and free. In 2006 we spent 15 billion dollars in bottled water. More than in iPods or movie tickets!

From the Fast Company article "In 1976, the average American drank 1.6 gallons of bottled water a year, according to Beverage Marketing Corp. Last year, we each drank 28.3 gallons of bottled water--18 half-liter bottles a month. We drink more bottled water than milk, or coffee, or beer. Only carbonated soft drinks are more popular than bottled water, at 52.9 gallons annually."

I don't want to speculate on the reason behind this increase. It might be a good thing. Can you imagine if we drank soft drinks instead of water? Could obesity be at a higher rate that it is now?

But it might be a bad thing. Imagine the impact we could have on the waste this generates, if instead we drank tap water, with a good filter to improve the taste (try faucet-mounted filters such as the Pur Horizontal FM9400, GE SmartWater GFXMO3C (Home Depot) or Brita Disposable CKFF-100.)

If we could switch from bottled water to tap water, even at a 50% consumption rate, we would pitch into landfills 19 billion less water bottles a year, and we would save 7.5 billion dollars. Wouldn't it be worth it?

Another good reason to stop drinking coffee

2007-07-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Last November, when I stopped drinking coffee and switched to tea, I thought I was doing my body and my wallet good. My body because I've since discovered I feel much better. My wallet, because you can save around $2,000 a year if you don't buy a $2.35 "non fat latte" every day. Or at least you can spend the money differently.

What I didn't know is that I was doing something good for the environment. In fact, I just read that purchasing one cup of coffee every day in a disposable container contributes about 23 pounds of waste per year! It's crazy.

So if you really cannot live without your "latte", please bring your coffee mug with you. In most places they'll give you a discount. Better yet, order it "for here" and read the paper.

Drip irrigation

2007-05-31T18:16:00.001-07:00

It's been more than a month since I last posted something on my blog. That's not good. I do have some good tips, though.

Let's start with the first one. Two words: Drip irrigation. If you have a backyard with a sprinkler system it's time to consider to switch it to a drip one. You will save gallons and gallons of water: up to 60%.

I think water conservancy and water management are one of the biggest issue we are facing. We're going to be making this switch in the next month or so.

In Organic Vino Veritas

2007-04-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

Interesting article in today's NYT about "green" wine. Not just better for the Earth, but a better, tastier wine too. Have you ever tried one? If so, please write about it!

In honor of Earth Day

2007-04-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth day, we would like to share what we are doing to help preserve resources. We (Luca and Dushka) are posting the same blog entry so feel free to comment on either one.

We still have so much to do. We'd love to hear from you - what you're doing, or what you think we should be doing that you don't see below.

Recycling/reusing
If we're not putting something to good use, we make sure someone does. We mail our shoes to Soles4Souls, give our clothes to those in need, and Luca sends our CDs to Lala. If we've already read a book we pass it on.

We recycle paper, plastic, batteries and glass.

For the past several months, we only use cloth napkins, not paper.

Every time we get a catalog, Dushka emails the company and asks them to stop. This requires constant maintenance.

We are members of GreenDimes, who help get you off mailing lists. (We just did this two days ago.)

Cleaning and cleaning products
We use biodegradable, Earth friendly detergent for our clothes and for our dishes. We use half the amount of product indicated in the package.

We don't use any harsh cleaning products (we use Mrs. Meyer's or Caldrea.)

We almost never go to the dry cleaner (unless it's a suit and there is no choice.) About two years ago, Dushka saw the pile of wire hangers and plastic bags and vowed to wash and iron Luca’s shirts herself. She also washes at home anything that doesn’t say “Dry Clean Only”. When we do go to the dry cleaners, we return the wire hangers.

At our house
We have a programmable thermostat that keeps our house at 65° F degrees in the evenings and in the mornings and 62° F for the rest of the day and during the night. If we're chilly, we wear a sweater.

We don't own air conditioning - it's not necessary where we live.

Toilet paper and tissue is made from 100% recycled material.

We've replaced some of our light bulbs, but not all. Working on it (some shapes are difficult to find.).

We change our furnace filter every three months. (This is another new one - who knew a house had furnace filters?)

Our TV is nine years old and we've decided not to buy a new one until this one completely breaks down. It's actually working great. (Plus, it was the first big ticket item we got together.) Recently, our Tivo wasn't working. Our first impulse was to buy a new one. Luca instead bought a new hard disk and fixed it. (Added bonus: pride and gloating rights.)

We unplug anything that’s not in use. Did you know that if the toaster or the cell phone recharger is plugged in, even if it’s off, it’s still using 40% of the energy it needs when it’s on? We just learned that this Friday so now we go around unplugging things (except Tivo, of course.)

The energy that we do use, we’re offsetting through Renewable Choice.

Water
This is a big concern, particularly after seeing the news about a possible drought. We need to do more to conserve it, so if you have any tips, do send them along.

We only turn on the sprinkler system when it hasn't rained for more than a week. (More often if it's really hot, which seldom happens.) Most of the plants in our yard are drought resistant.

We only use water-saving shower heads. You can’t really tell the difference.

We try to make our showers shorter. Greenpeace suggests choosing a short song and singing it. When the song’s over, so should the shower. At our house, there is definite room for improvement (both on the length of the shower and the singing.)

We also want to put a bucket in our shower to collect the water that comes down before it gets hot - we could use it to flush the toilet or water our plants.

We have a Britta filter so we never buy bottled water (this is one of the most recent things we've done and the water taste great.)

We only run the dishwasher or washing machine when it's full.

Not buying what we're not using
We think twice before buying something. Do we really, really want/need this?

We're thinking that this December we won't send Holiday Cards. It's so much paper, ink, distribution costs.

We've recently canceled a few magazine subscriptions we can see online, and reduced our Netflix from three movies to one. It was getting to be too much of an effort to keep up anyway.

We turn down shopping bags. We use our own canvas bags, which we keep in the trunk of our car. Luca is near fanatic about this.

Food
We're not vegetarian, but eat very little red meat (less than once a month.) This is more of an effort for Luca, who's more of a carnivore

We buy organic and local whenever possible. (We’ve been eating a lot of strawberries lately.)

Travel and commute
We drive to work together 99% of the time. However, since we have to use a car to go to work, we decided to buy carbon offsets with TerraPass.

We plant trees when we travel by plane, for business or leisure.

OK. That covers it. Your turn - tell us what you do.

Go Oprah!

2007-04-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

Today The Oprah Show was about "Going Green." Oprah asked viewers to make just one of the changes suggested in her program. I think this is such a great thing. Having Oprah on our side, helping all of us spread the word about how we can change the world with simple, baby steps is really fantastic. I started this blog a couple of months ago because I wanted to learn about Global Warming and, through the process, write about my learnings. I wanted to find good ways to have an impact on reducing my/our carbon footprint. I was not the only one. I see people everywhere on the Net that have discussions about it, web sites full of informations and tips, Time magazine and Vanity Fair dedicating issues and their covers to the problem, and a cover and even better, to the solutions that we, as citizens of the Earth, can apply. Now Oprah. With the media behind this, I feel a sense of hope.

100 million more trees... and counting

2007-04-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

Go to the DirectMail.com site to remove yourself from junkmail lists. Or subscribe to GreenDimes.

If everyone reduced junk mail, 100 million trees would be spared a year. For even more tips go to this great little site (Ideal Bite) and register for their weekly tip.

Also, if you have magazine subscriptions you're not using (or could be sharing) think of the paper and distributions costs you could not be incurring on.

You can also go to www.thegreenoffice.comfor recycled office products that have a similar price and selection than big office supply chains.

Biodegradable washing powders

2007-04-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

Switch to washing powders that are biodegradable and plant based (such as Ecover.) They clean without the bleach and phosphates that threaten river and marine life. Plus, they don't leave a chemical residue on your dishes.

No more read meat

2007-04-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

Skip red meat: it can take seven or more pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef, and livestock consumes 70% of America's grain. If you only give it up once a week, you would save 840 gallons of fresh water it takes to produce just one serving.

And you will end up living longer... not a bad deal.

San Francisco with no more plastic bags?

2007-03-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I posted on my blog an important petition to curb plastic bag overconsumption in San Francisco. Well, apparently it worked!

From the San Francisco Chronicle.

S.F. FIRST CITY TO BAN PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
Supermarkets and chain pharmacies will have to use recyclable or compostable sacks
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Paper or plastic? Not anymore in San Francisco.

The city's Board of Supervisors approved groundbreaking legislation Tuesday to outlaw plastic checkout bags at large supermarkets in about six months and large chain pharmacies in about a year.

The ordinance, sponsored by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, is the first such law in any city in the United States and has been drawing global scrutiny this week.

"I am astounded and surprised by the worldwide attention," Mirkarimi said. "Hopefully, other cities and other states will follow suit."

Fifty years ago, plastic bags -- starting first with the sandwich bag -- were seen in the United States as a more sanitary and environmentally friendly alternative to the deforesting paper bag. Now an estimated 180 million plastic bags are distributed to shoppers each year in San Francisco. Made of filmy plastic, they are hard to recycle and easily blow into trees and waterways, where they are blamed for killing marine life. They also occupy much-needed landfill space.

Two years ago, San Francisco officials considered imposing a 17-cent tax on petroleum-based plastic bags before reaching a deal with the California Grocers Association. The agreement called for large supermarkets to reduce by 10 million the number of bags given to shoppers in 2006. The grocers association said it cut back by 7.6 million, but city officials called that figure unreliable and unverifiable because of poor data supplied by markets.

The dispute led to a renewed interest in outlawing the standard plastic bag, which Mirkarimi said Tuesday was a "relic of the past." Under the legislation, which passed 10-1 in the first of two votes, large markets and pharmacies will have the option of using compostable bags made of corn starch or bags made of recyclable paper. San Francisco will join a number of countries, such as Ireland, that already have outlawed plastic bags or have levied a tax on them. Final passage of the legislation is expected at the board's next scheduled meeting, and the mayor is expected to sign it.

The grocers association has warned that the new law will lead to higher prices for San Francisco shoppers.
"We're disappointed that the Board of Supervisors is going down this path," said Kristin Power, the association's vice president for government relations. "It will frustrate recycling efforts and will increase both consumer and retailer costs. There's also a real concern about the availability and quality of compostable bags."

Power said most of the group's members operating in San Francisco are likely to switch to paper bags "simply because of the affordability and availability issues."
Mirkarimi's legislation is one in a string of environmentally sensitive measures -- such as outlawing Styrofoam food containers and encouraging clean-fuel construction vehicles at city job sites -- adopted by the city in recent months.

"It's really exciting," Jared Blumenfeld, director of the city's Department of the Environment, said after the vote on Tuesday. "We're thrilled. It's been a long time in the making."
Blumenfeld said it takes 430,000 gallons of oil to manufacture 100 million bags. Compostable bags can be recycled in the city's green garbage bins and will make it more convenient for residents to recycle food scraps, he said.

Recycling of paper bags also is far more active today than it was when the plastic bag was first introduced to U.S. consumers.
The lone dissenting voice in the board chamber on Tuesday was Supervisor Ed Jew, who noted that 95,000 small businesses in San Francisco will continue to use plastic bags. Jew, who in his third month in office has taken to critiquing his colleagues for being too quick to burden residents and businesses with new mandates, complained that Mirkarimi's legislation has taken too much of the board's time.
"We need to move on to address the larger issues in San Francisco," Jew said shortly before he voted against the ordinance.
Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, who introduced amendments this month that will subject pharmacy chains to the legislation, said many large businesses in San Francisco already participate in recycling programs.
"The target of this legislation is the bags themselves and improving the environment," she said.

Plastic bags by the numbers
180 million
Roughly the number of plastic shopping bags distributed in San Francisco each year.
2 to 3 cents
Amount each bag costs markets, compared with anywhere from 5 to 10 cents for a biodegradable bag.
4 trillion to 5 trillion
Number of nondegradable plastic bags used worldwide annually.
430,000 gallons
Amount of oil needed to produce 100 million nondegradable plastic bags.

Source: S.F. Department of the Environment; Worldwatch Institute

519,414

2007-03-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

This is the number of people that had signed Al Gore's message to Congress demanding immediate action to solve the climate crisis.

Here the video highlights of the hearing.

You can also watch Al Gore's opening statement.

Email from Al Gore -- PLEASE ACT!

2007-03-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Al couldn't resist emailing me, after seeing the email from my wife. This is what he sent me... please make sure to send the card!

------

Dear Luca,
We are now within striking distance of collecting over 500,000 messages to deliver to Congress and have less than 48 hours to get it done in time for the hearings.
Ask any friend who wants to end the climate crisis to sign our message to Congress now by visiting:
http://algore.com/cards.html

When I emailed you last Friday, 294,374 people had signed our message to Congress demanding immediate action to solve the climate crisis. In that email, I asked you to help meet the goal of delivering 350,000 messages when I testify at Congressional hearings on Wednesday.

Your response was amazing. By Saturday morning - because of you - we exceeded our goal! In fact, as I write this email, our total has risen to 405,758. Thank you!

What that means is that we are now within striking distance of collecting over 500,000 messages - and have less than 48 hours to get it done in time for the Congressional hearings.

Now is the time to reach out to as many people as possible. Ask any friend who wants to end the climate crisis to sign our message to Congress now by visiting:

http://www.algore.com/cards.html

By the way, maybe this goes without saying, but please reach out to Republican and Independent, as well as Democratic friends. One of our goals must be to make this issue one that transcends partisanship. While many of the solutions to the climate crisis will be found within the political system, there should be bipartisan and transpartisan agreement on the basic nature of the crisis and the sense of urgency that is appropriate for us to solve it.

That point was brought home to me again last week when I visited London and met with the leaders of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. In the UK, both major political parties are completely committed to taking real action to solve the climate crisis. They openly acknowledge this is an unprecedented moral issue and are competing vigorously to see who can propose the most creative and effective solutions to solve this crisis.

Here at home, our objective must be to create a similar sense of urgency in both political parties. That is why your activism leading up to these hearings is so important. We are so close to our new goal of 500,000 messages to Congress. You can help put us over the top.

So please reach out to everyone you know and ask them to sign our message to Congress today - or at least within the next 48 hours by visiting:

http://www.algore.com/cards.html

Thank you,

Al Gore

Using frequent flyer miles to buy carbon offsets?

2007-03-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I had this idea. It might not be a new one. Wouldn't it be great if airline companies could offer you the possibility to buy carbon offsets with your frequent flyer miles?

I think it's important to encourage companies to become Carbon Neutral and to give their customers options to become carbon neutral themselves. Below a letter that I sent to United Airlines- feel free to use it as a template to send to other airlines, tour operators or companies, as appropriate.

------

To whom it may concern,

As a concerned frequent traveler, I wonder if United is doing anything to become Carbon Neutral - and to help travelers become Carbon Neutral as well.

One of the most important steps you can take is offer people who travel with United an option to "neutralize" the pollution they are incurring on.

I have just learned about a company called TerraPass (you buy "points" and your money funds renewable energy projects such as wind farms. These projects result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas pollution. And these reductions counterbalance your own emissions.)

Perhaps United can make it possible for travelers to purchase TerraPass with their miles?

I do not work or in any way represent TerraPass. I just feel that the world I have seen through traveling with your airline deserves our concern and action.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

xxx xxx

Email from my wife

2007-03-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

I am posting an email I just got from my wife.

----

Dear Mr. Global Warming:

Read this:

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200611/tenways.asp

If you really want to get serious about the planet, how about we go vegan??

This is a dare.

Love,

DZ

Important petition...on plastic bags, again

2007-03-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

I have just read and signed the petition: "Help San Francisco Curb Plastic Bag Overconsumption"

Help support San Francisco’s efforts curb plastic bag overconsumption by signing this petition. It only takes about 30 seconds and will really help advance the cause. Please follow this link:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/707071023

This plan calls for a use-based fee where the consumer is charged at the checkout for each plastic (and paper) shopping bag they take. Since the consumer is charged directly, the mindless, wasteful overconsumption we are all familiar with is quickly and effectively reduced. It's modeled after Ireland's successful PlasTax which has curbed plastic bag use in Ireland by 90%. Ireland's plan went smoothly, with people using reusable shopping bags and consuming one billion fewer plastic shopping bags per year.

On plastic bags... again

2007-03-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

Just read the following:

According to the EPA, Americans discarded more than 4.4 million tons of polyethylene bags in 2005, and only about 5 percent of those were recycled. Plastic bags waste resources, release toxins when burned, and contribute to global warming due to the energy required to make them. Bags littering the oceans also annually kill countless marine animals that mistake them for food.

This is madness! Simple action: let's eliminate the use of plastic bags and let's use only cloth bags instead.

For more info click here

Paper or Plastic bags?

2007-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

I know you think the right answer is paper, but it's not that easy, as explained in today's San Jose Mercury article. However, in my opinion these are some solutions:

Ideal solution: buy reusable bags (even better if they are made of recycled materials), keep them in the trunk of your car, so you won't forget them. The fact you paid for them will motivate you to use them.
If you must, take paper bags, but only if you use them several times and you put them into the paper recycle bin to dispose of them. Paper bags, even if biodegradable, often end up in landfills, where they do not break down.
If you really forgot your reusable bags, and you don't recycle paper get plastic bags. But after you use them, don't throw them away. Bring them back to the supermarket where you got them so they can be recycled. If they don't offer a program like that, write a letter to complain.

Baby steps are the only thing that change the world.

Photo by antimonyazazello

No more fear of flying

2007-02-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

I am such a rookie when it comes to Global Warming. Remember, I decided to write a blog about this subject and about what we can do to limit its impact on our lives because I wanted to force myself to learn more about it (and pass it on.)

This is how I learned about TerraPass. It's a perfect example of how we can do something about global warming, instead of waiting for governments and companies to solve the problem for us.

The first step we can take to fight global warming is to reduce our carbon footprint through conservation. No doubt about it. That means driving less, turning down the thermostat (at our house the temperature never goes above 65, and only when we are there), and buy locally produced goods. Among other things. But what if you HAVE to fly? What if you HAVE to take your car to go to work?

TerraPass helps you to reduce your carbon footprint all the way down to zero. How? The TerraPass website explain it. "When you buy a TerraPass, your money funds renewable energy projects such as wind farms. These projects result in verified reductions in greenhouse gas pollution. And these reductions counterbalance your own emissions."

And there are some great tools on the web site to calculate our own carbon emission from driving, flying or just staying home.

For example, let's say I need to go to New York for business. A round trip San Francisco - New York is 5,156 miles long. As one passenger, I will contribute on the emission of 2,010 lbs of CO2 in the atmosphere. In order to carbon balance my flight, TerraPass suggest I buy a TerraPass Puddle Jumper, that balances out 2,500 lbs of carbon dioxide – about 6,000 miles of flying. It's costs $9.99. I think we cannot fly anywhere anymore without considering its impact.

I will never fly again without counter balancing the emissions I'm responsible for. Are you with me?

Photo by dipdewdog

The Oscar Award Ceremony: are we in for a surprise?

2007-02-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight the Oscar Award Ceremony could have a huge impact on the future of our planet if Al Gore wins with his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". It would make a huge impact not only in the US, but globally. There are other documentaries worth the award, but not this time around. This is Al Gore's time and we should all hope that the Academy understands that.

I've heard the following rumor: That Al Gore will win and announce his candidacy to President in his acceptance speech - with more than a billion people watching, he'll say his mission is to save the world.

Baja California in danger

2007-02-24T22:38:00.001-08:00

Ensenada Blanca
Originally uploaded by Luca Penati.

Baja California is a beautiful place. It's ecosystem is fragile, and in danger due to developers that plan to build more and more, eventually transforming the rest of Baja into Los Cabos. What they did to Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta is going to happen to Baja California.

What is happening to Ensenada Blanda (in the picture), a village of 45 people on the side of the Sea of Cortez that overlooks beautiful Danzante Island is outrageous. A developer is looking to build a huge resort in this pristine, small paradise. They bribed the local government and, against the will of the local people, they are planning to create a small Acapulco only for Americans, leaving Mexicans out of the land and livelihood they know. Today it's still a pristine bay with a few houses and a beautiful eco-lodge (http://www.danzante.com/), perfectly integrated with the environment and the people, where only locals can work.

We need to stop this. Or at least help to stop it. If you have any idea how, please let me know. This is not only to preserve a beautiful place, it's also to preserve the will of a village that is happy with their current way of life.

A gift for the ones we love

2007-02-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

My first real post of this new blog is about a great gift idea. I know... The timing is odd. I am late. I missed the holidays and Valentine's day. But I still think this is a great gift for people of all ages.

It's the Wind Power Card. Check it out at www.renewablechoice.com.

If you want to make a gift to Earth, just pay $15 a month and you will really help. Your purchase will avoid 12,000 Pounds of CO2 pollution, which would have the same impact as driving 13,600 fewer miles in your car or planting 117 trees.

And if you do it now, there is something in it for you. Whole Foods will send you a $50 card. What's not to like about spending $50 at Whole Foods?

Why write another blog about Global Warming?

2007-02-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

Why write another blog about Global Warming? That's the question I have been asking myself for the past few days. The answer is simple: My wife told me that if you complain about something you are obligated to do something about it.
I've been complaining enough about the status of our planet. Now it's time do to something. I want to learn and I want to share what I learn with as many people as possible. I want to use this blog as a tool to remind myself that this problem is serious and we cannot forget, even once the hype is over and done with.