February 2009

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HOW GREEN IS OBAMA? What’s in the Stimulus Plan for Greening the Economy? Who wins, who loses, who pays?

February 27, 2009 in Go Green, Save Energy, Save Resources, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

After the banks, the mortgage lenders and the auto industry grab their share of the $845 billion stimulus package, you might be wondering what’s left for saving our environment and making the world a safer, greener place for us all.

Good news: there’s some green in the stimulus plan for greening today ($150 billion) – and even more ambitious plans for raising revenues to spend on greening down the road ($646 billion). Here’s a rundown, so you can see through the political fog: Who wins, who loses – and the big question – who pays?

ENERGY: The Big Picture

THE BUCKS: $150 billion in the plan, plus $646 billion to be raised over 10 years – NOT a handout from the stimulus package

THE PLAN: Heard about the cap-and-trade plan? Here’s what it means: Obama’s energy plan hinges on a call for legislation to put a cap on carbon emissions and require companies to pay for permits to pollute (emit greenhouse gases) and trade those allowances. That money – a projected $646 billion over the next decade — would go toward finding clean energy technologies and another $65 billion a year to pay for middle-class tax credits. Those tax credits (Obama’s “Make Pay Work” plan) would be worth as much as $800 a year to low-and-middle-income workers, according to the Washington Post.

ENERGY DEPARTMENT

THE BUCKS: $33.9 in 2009, down to 26.3 billion in 2010 (up from $24.1 billion in 2008)

THE PLAN: The increased spending – plus another $38.7 billion in the stimulus package — will cover new money for weatherization programs, modernization of the electric grid and renewable energy projects.

THE EPA (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY)

THE BUCKS: $10 billion — a 34% budget increase.

THE PLAN: The increased spending goes to clean water projects, research, a Great Lakes restoration program as well as expanded efforts to improve regulation and enforcement of pollution standards. There’s also an extra $19 million to establish a national carbon control plan. (More on the EPA from the New York Times.)

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT

THE BUCKS: $12 billion

THE PLAN: Raise $31 billion money over the next decade with fees on oil and gas companies (for example, for drilling on federal land) to be spent on conservation plans including park maintenance, endangered species protection.

GREEN JOBS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

THE BUCKS: Totals not tallied yet – but projections are to double the production of renewable energy in three years, via tax breaks and loan guarantees for the industry, according to CNN/Money.com, and thereby create more green jobs.

THE PLAN: Here’s a sampling of some specific programs, from a summary on the House Appropriations Committee Web site:

Energy Efficiency Housing Retrofits: $2.5 billion for energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and furnaces.

Reliable, Efficient Electricity Grid: $11 billion

Renewable Energy Loan Guarantees: $8 billion for loans for renewable energy power generation and transmission projects.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research: $2 billion to universities, companies, and national laboratories.

Advanced Battery Loans and Grants: $2 billion for manufacturers of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems

Home Weatherization: $6.2 billion to help low-income families reduce their energy costs.

Smart Appliances: $300 million to provide consumers with rebates for buying energy efficient Energy Star products to replace old appliances.

GSA Federal Fleet: $600 million to replace older vehicles

Electric Transportation: $200 million for a new grant program to encourage electric vehicle technologies.

Cleaning Fossil Energy: $2.4 billion for carbon capture and sequestration technology demonstration projects to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from industrial facilities and fossil fuel power plants.

Alternative Buses and Trucks: $400 million to help state and local governments purchase efficient alternative fuel vehicles

Diesel Emissions Reduction: $300 million to state and local governments — includes technologies to retrofit emission exhaust systems on school buses, replace engines and vehicles, and establish anti-idling programs.

Photo credit:  EarthFirst.com

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Win Your School a Hybrid School Bus – Worth $200,000 – Plus a $5,000 Scholarship for Yourself

February 24, 2009 in Eco-Travel, Free Stuff, Go Green, Save Energy, Saving Money by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Want to be the hero at your local school? You can win a hybrid, energy-efficient school bus for your school – worth $200,000 – plus a scholarship for yourself or your favorite little scholar. All you have to do (if you are 13 or older) is write an essay under 500 words about how committed your elementary or high school is to going green. Talk about what your school has done, how it teaches the kids to think green and whatever it is doing to make the planet greener.

Teachers—here’s your lesson plan for a week. Get your students to come up with ideas for greening up the school, launch the project, and get everybody in the school to write an essay about it. That’ll increase your chances of winning your school a green bus. Value of the bus: $200,000. Value of the lesson to your kids: Priceless.

This amazing green contest is sponsored by IC Bus, LLC, in Warrenville, IL, which produces hybrid buses and says that every school bus keeps 36 cars off the road – imagine the pollution prevented.

Warm up your imagination – think green — click here and start writing to win: Deadline for essay submissions: April 30, 2009.

Photo credit: www.cleanairsys.com

Catholic Church Adds Environmental Pollution to the 7 Deadly Sins — What Do You Think?

February 19, 2009 in Go Green by susan | 1 comment

By Susan Seliger

I began reading a science article on Envy by Natalie Angier in the New York Times (always a wonderful experience) which, of course, brought to mind the 7 Deadly Sins – and I picked up a pen to see if I could actually name all seven.

Now I am not Catholic, so this is not what I was raised on. (In fact I am not really religious at all – as a Jew I am really only Jew—ish— so in my family the leading mortal sin was leaving food on your plate followed quickly by not buying on sale.)

Yo—in case you are easily distracted like me and tempted to stop reading to see if you can name them – I will save you the trouble — there’s a cheat sheet below. (Hint, cheating is not one of them.)

Back to the point:

So of course, to check my sin-list, I went to my crib sheet on life — Google and Wikipedia. And there I found this most interesting morsel about the Catholic Church adding ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION to the list of the new, modern deadly sins.

“On March 9, 2008 the Vatican newspaper published an interview with Bishop Gianfranco Girotti (head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican body which oversees confessions and plenary indulgences), in which he listed seven modern social sins.[5][6] These “social sins” include environmental pollution, genetic manipulation, obscene wealth, infliction of poverty, drug trafficking, morally debatable experiments, and violation of the fundamental rights of human nature.”

I don’t know about the rest of that modern list of social sins (genetic manipulation?), but environmental pollution does seem to be right up there with the old standbys (listed below — the virtues, as always, get second billing, in parentheses):

Lust, (chastity)

Gluttony (temperance)

Greed (charity)

Sloth (diligence)

Wrath (patience)

Envy (kindness)

Pride (humility)



Are you wondering what happened to murder and adultery — why didn’t they make the list?  Is it because the mortal sins are defined as feelings or emotions that define your character, rather than individual actions?  Still, even if that’s the case, certain actions, like murder and adultery, strike me as pretty strong indicators of character, or lack thereof. The same goes for environmental pollution — it’s an action that only someone with a clear lack of character and integrity would commit.

I’m glad the list was expanded. It gives a little more punch to the command to “Clean up your act” doesn’t it? Your life – and your mortal soul – could depend on it.  I’d like to believe that.

Photo credit: Tendring District Council in the UK


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Summer Rayne Oakes: The Invisible Green Girl’s Highly-Visible Guide to Sustainable Fashion

February 17, 2009 in Eco Celebrities, Eco-Fashion, Go Green, Green Products by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Summer got tired of hearing you can’t be green and stylish at the same time. This model for eco-friendly fashion labels and the host of Discovery Planet’s Green-Jobs show, has written the book on how to do it – from cool purses made out of recycled tires to clothes, makeup, jewelry – all as sustainable as they are fashionable. Oakes doesn’t preach – she says her aim is to be “invisibly green.”

So check out the Invisible Green Activist’s visible results in this video about her excellent new book: Style, Naturally: The savvy shopping guide to sustainable fashion and beauty.

If you have no more room in your closet for any new clothes – no matter how eco-chic – check out Summer’s advice on what to do with your old clothes.

RESOURCES:

For more on Summer, see her web site.

Photo credit: Photos from Summer’s web site.

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Hey, Lover – Show Your Valentine You Care with Organic Gifts

February 10, 2009 in Go Green, Green Products, Organic Food, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Haven’t gotten your sweetie something for Valentine’s Day yet? I’m not saying it’s easy to find gifts that are loving, sexy, decadent – not outrageously priced — and still kind to the planet.

But just because it’s a hard combo doesn’t let you off the hook. This is one holiday where it’s more than the thought that counts.

There’s still time — for sweet stuff your favorite is sure to love – and love you for giving. And always, there’s the gift of the gods, chocolate.

1. CHOCOLATES: Fudge, truffles and caramels – all completely vegan and luscious, from Allison’s Gourmet.  Shaman Chocolates offers chocolates that will please the taste buds and ease your conscience – the bars are organic, free trade and 100% of the profits go to the Huichol Indians – which Sherman says is the last Indigenous Tribe in North American to maintain their pre-Columbian tradition. As if chocolate couldn’t get better — Navitas Naturals takes organic cacao nibs – the legendary Food of the Gods – and blends it with raw organic cacao paste (liquor) and organic sugar cane juice.

2. BODY, BATH AND CHOCOLATES: Pomegranate & Chocolate Love Kit – This love-kit, packaged in a pink bag, contains three bath and body products sweetly fragranced with organic pink guava essence and Fair Trade 70% cacao dark chocolate hearts. From Shea Terra Organics.

3. SWEET SMELLS AND MORE: Heart-shaped, cinnamon (yes, that and vanilla are sexy scents) candles – and a host of modestly priced organic love gifts from Pristine Planet.

4. DIRTY YET SOMEHOW CLEAN: Want to get a little edgy? Try these soaps with personalized or naughty messages, like, “Damn, I wish I was this soap.” Each soap is said to be hand-made: from Soapcard.

5. SUSTAINABLY-GROWN ROSES – AND CHOCOLATE FREE: Organic bouquet, which provides sustainably-grown flowers from its partner farms, has a special – a FREE box of organic truffles with every Valentine bouquet — all organic.

6. DIY LOVE POTION — SHAKE IT UP: Make your own Organic Mint chocolate shake with this organic recipe, offered by Navitas Naturals:

Mint Chocolate Chip Shake (by Jill Morgyn)

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Navitas Naturals Cashews

2 TBSP  Navitas Naturals Sweet Cacao Nibs

1 TBSP  Navitas Naturals Hemp Powder

3 Cups Water or 2 Thia Young Coconuts of water with flesh

1 TBSP Organic Soy Lecithin

3 Pitted Medjool Dates

2 Drops Mint Oil

1TBSP Coconut Butter

1 Tsp Flax Oil

1 Tsp. Superfood Green powder (powdered grasses)

1TBSP Green tea (matcha) powder (optional)

1 Dash Sea Salt

Add ice to preference

Directions:

Blend on high speed until frothy and serve.

7. Check out this video for more ideas: Tired of reading? Well, iVillage has more great eco-friendly Valentine ideas.

Photo credit: See more great photos from Osvaldo_Zoom on Flickr

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Be a Green Hero: Win $10,000 for Your Green Community Project

February 5, 2009 in Free Stuff, Go Green, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Do you have a project you’ve been itching to expand in your community to make your neighborhood a little greener? Now is the time.

All you need to do is take some photos of your neighborhood green project in action – and describe how getting a grant would enable you to make the project grow and blossom.

It’s called The Green Works™ Green Heroes Grant Program (sponsored by Clorox Green Works) and you could be one of five Green Heroes who’ll each receive a $10,000 grant. Your photo and description of your future plans to grow your project will be judged by a panel of Eco-Experts, including representatives from the Sierra Club, ecofabulous.com and Josh Dorfman, the Lazy Environmentalist. Ten finalists will be chosen – and the five winners will be chosen by the public.

So enter now and green your community! Deadline: 2/28/09.


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Which Peanut Products Pose a Salmonella Risk? 500 People Sick, 8 Dead, 125 Products Recalled

February 3, 2009 in Health Hazards, Organic Food, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

Peanut butter and peanuts – they’re one of the best, cheapest, most nutritious sources of protein in the American diet. But are they safe?

If you’ve been reading the headlines about the recent salmonella alert for peanut products, you’ve heard the stats: over 500 people have become ill; 8 are dead; more than 125 peanut products have been recalled. The Food and Drug Administration has launched the largest food recall in recent history — and is now pursuing a criminal investigation.

But if you’ve been too scared to read past the headlines, you may be asking yourself what’s really dangerous and what isn’t? Do I have to throw out my jars of peanut butter? What can my family and I eat — and what should we steer clear of?

Here’s what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy. Take heart — if you’ve been sticking to organic peanut products, you are probably safe.

WHICH PEANUT PRODUCTS ARE SAFE

Your small jars of peanut butter should be safe — the source of the original salmonella contamination, according to state and federal officials, is peanut butter and peanut paste products made by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its processing plant in Blakely, Georgia.

PCA’s peanut butter is sold only in bulk to institutions – in containers from 35 to 1,700 pounds .

WHAT’S NOT SAFE

BUT – and this is the big but – PCA sold it’s tainted peanut paste and peanut butter to over 100 firms who use it in products including

  • candy
  • cereal
  • crackers
  • cookies and
  • ice cream.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has called for over 125 products to be recalled. In addition, several well-known companies have voluntarily issued a hold or recall on some of its products – including Kellogg’s, General Mills, Kroger Co., PetSMart, and Clif Bar & Co.

NutriSystem Inc., also announced a voluntary recall of its peanut butter granola bars because the product contains peanut butter supplied by the Peanut Corporation of America.

WHAT ARE SALMONELLA SYMPTOMS?

Look for fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after ingestion of tainted foods. The illness can last 4 to 7 days.

Remember, most people can recover without treatment and without life-threatening problems. However, infants, elderly people and those with impaired immune systems can develop a severe infection that can spread throughout the body and even result in death.

If in doubt, consult a doctor. Prompt treatment with antibiotics is required to treat the illness.

CHECK PRODUCTS HERE

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