CT Green Scene

Fairfield Jesuits Go Green

by Eileen Weber

On Tuesday, Fairfield University’s Jesuits proudly displayed their new pad. It is a space that is simultaneously a residence, a community center, and a tribute to the environment.

Designed by New Haven architecture firm Gray Organschi, the building is constructed from metal, wood, glass and concrete. Much of the material is either recycled or sustainable. The design team, married couple Elizabeth Gray and Alan Organschi, worked for several months with the school’s Jesuit staff to create a place that met their needs and reflected modern ideals.

The two-story, 22,000 square foot residence boasts a closed loop geothermal heating and cooling system 400 feet underground, a roof garden that can absorb up to 95% of rainfall, and sustainable bamboo flooring.

But that’s not the coolest part. None of the surrounding trees were disturbed in construction, save one diseased and dying beech tree. Instead of scrapping it, the tree was locally milled and a good portion of it is hanging in the Great Room.

“For something that was considered waste,” said Organschi, “we were able to make it into something useful. The limbs were milled and joined to make a screen and an altar that will be put in place in a couple of weeks.”

There are Drugs in My Water?

by Jessica Levinson

We all know by now to recycle our plastic, glass and paper. To a lesser extent, people recycle paint, batteries and television sets but not many consider the implications of throwing our outdated prescriptions or over the counter medication down the toilet, drain or into the garbage. We may not think twice about throwing our drugs away, but researchers and activists have been getting the word out that it’s just as important to recycle our medications.

These drugs find their way into our wastewater treatment plants, surface water and even our drinking water. Whether we realize it or not, we end up consuming drugs through our water and food supply everyday.

As medications are made more available and personal care products are in greater demand, we are seeing more and more chemical compounds in our waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) and water bodies. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), on their website, claims researchers “found that biosolids contain relatively high concentrations (hundreds of milligrams per kilogram) of the active ingredients commonly found in a variety of household products and drugs.”

Discount Food Outlet: For the cheap-skate in all of us (part I of II)

by James Simpkins

I have lived in Canton now for about three years and in general, this town has a lot to offer the thirty-something new-comer: Proximity to a quasi-international airport, great natural beauty (unless you’re on route 44), and the ability to be in New York or Boston in about two hours. Yes, two of the three things I like most about living here have to do with leaving. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad place.

However, it has always felt as if Canton had something missing; like life will turn hip one day and it will all be better. I have finally located the problem as I see problem has two parts: 1) There is a lack of gourmet anything. 2) The most central retail location for the town is the biggest eyesore in it.

More important than either one of these two problems on their own is the convergence of the two into one black hole of boring; a perfect storm of the pedestrian that sucks everything edible, 50-70% off, and near expiration into one central location: Discount Food Outlet, in Canton. Yes, in the plaza where the McDonald’s is. (sigh)

Greening the Holidays

by Eileen Weber

Now that the holidays are upon us, it’s time to reflect on ways to be green. I know, I know. We do this every year. But it’s always nice to have a refresher course. Even the White House has gone green this year. So if Michele Obama can do it, so can the rest of us.

To some, these recommendations may be new or interesting information. To others, it will seem like common sense. Like suggesting one should bathe frequently and floss often. (There are some people I know who actually need those little pearls of wisdom on personal hygiene.)

Here are some fabulous options if you haven’t thought of them already:

1)    Cut your own tree. Nothing beats a local Christmas tree. We buy one every year at the Jones Family Farm in Shelton on the second Saturday in December. We’ve been doing that for almost the last ten years—ever since I was pregnant with my first child, who was nearly two weeks overdue, and I thought the hike up the hill would induce labor. (It didn’t.) And don’t forget to recycle. A fake tree can’t be recycled and is, frankly, just an environmental nightmare. But a live tree can be repurposed as mulch or even a handy homemade bird feeder. (A little peanut butter and bird seed go along way.) And if you’re lucky enough to live out west, try CarbonSync.com. They are a Canadian company that will “rent” you a potted Douglas Fir Christmas tree (up to 6 feet). They pick it up when the holiday is over and replant it. Et voilà. Christmas accomplished.

How Safe is Your Well Water?

by Jessica Levinson

Jessica Levinson is an environmental engineer from Nyack, New York. She has her undergraduate degree in biology and her master’s degree in environmental engineering. Jess is the past recording secretary for the Long Island Water Environmental Association and past Co-Chair of the Rockland Chapter of Clearwater. She has experience working on wastewater projects and has done research with the Department of Energy.

Did you know that approximately 15% of Connecticut is on private well water? According to the web site for the Connecticut Department of Public Heath, those 400,000 wells serve over half a million residents in this state. This may not seem like a lot. But for this suburban girl, it was more than I imagined.

I knew nothing of well water, applicable regulations, and the tedious work required to keep those wells free of bacteria.  That all changed when my husband and I started looking at real estate that had wells instead of municipal water supply. While I was busy looking at the “cute” (i.e. small) kitchen with a bathroom the sickening shade of Pepto Bismol, I overlooked the listing sheet with the small words “private well” where I should have seen “municipal”. I realized I had better get educated on private wells. 

As a matter of fact, most of the houses we looked at had existing wells. However, those that have wells on their property are not immune to the construction of a new well. The aquifer, fresh ground water deep below the surface, is not necessarily an unending reserve of water. Depending on the amount of water held in the aquifer and how many homes are dependent on that aquifer, it can dry up and another well will need to be drilled. If a well is not in place, a licensed contractor can be very helpful with planning out where to install one, along with the Connecticut Department of Public Heath. 

Since wells and their formation are not regulated by any federal agency but are instead governed by local laws and permits, it is important to check with your local town or city agency before undertaking the creation or maintenance of a well. In addition, each homeowner is responsible for having their wells tested against contamination. This is unlike municipal water systems where the town or city performs laboratory tests on the drinking water on a routine basis. Each state maintains different standards depending on contamination sources for that area. For instance, the Connecticut Department of Public Heath has set forth ‘Action Levels’ of certain contaminants (manganese, radon, uranium, naturally occurring arsenic, etc.) and bacteria that are native to that environment and can reach the aquifer. 

Organic Wines Revisited

by James Simpkins and Eileen Weber

Earlier this year, this site posted two articles about organic wine. Let’s just say the review was less than thrilling. We tried a variety of wines, more than a few from Bonterra Vineyards. This time, we decided to compare what the U.S. had to offer with what was available from across the Pond.

The authors got together with their respective spouses along with a few of Eileen’s neighbors who had provided their fabulous input on the last go around. (Some of you may recall neighbor Sue Potter proclaiming one to be a “coalminer’s idea of a white wine.” That’s classic stuff, right there.)

Three American and three European wines, two whites and four reds, graced the table. All of them hovered in the $20 range. The American wines were Californian, the European wines from France. À la Bottle Shock, this was certainly not the first time the French had to stand up to California.

Keeping Holiday Travel Green

by Maggie Toppin

Maggie Toppin recently relocated to Norwalk from Minneapolis. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Public Relations from the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She worked for a money manager before moving out East with her husband Chris and her dog Henry. Besides being an environmentalist, Maggie is passionate about food. She firmly believes food and the environment are ever so connected. She is in the process of launching her own web site that focuses on the enjoyment of food, wine and travel.

Recently, my husband and I booked our holiday trips back home to Minnesota. It got me thinking about how traveling can have such an impact on the environment. So this past Thanksgiving I set out to make sure that we had a safe and eco-friendly trip back to great state of Minnesota that was both easy and not time consuming.

In getting from point A to point B, the key component of any travel is transportation. Whether you are driving or flying this holiday season, you can reduce your carbon footprint with a few simple steps.

For those who are driving, arrange your travel with the car that gets the best miles per gallon (MPG). If you don’t own a car that gets great MPG, then consider renting a hybrid. This is also a great way to test-drive a hybrid vehicle should you ever consider purchasing one. Helpful hint: Be sure to check your vehicle’s tire pressure before leaving for your trip to increase your MPG. Refer to the vehicle owner’s manual to find out what the preferred tire pressure is for your car.

If you are one of unlucky people who are traveling by air, I have some easy tips to reduce your carbon footprint. A great web site to visit is CarbonFund.org. It is a nonprofit organization that offers guidance in  offsetting your carbon footprint by education, offsets and reductions, and public outreach. On their web site, you can figure out how much CO2 you are emitting when traveling by plane. I used the calculator and discovered that my husband and I will travel 2,064 miles from Connecticut to Minnesota and back resulting in 0.74 tons of CO2 released. To offset our CO2 and to keep our travel green, we donated $7.43 to offset our carbon footprints. That is about the same price for two lattes at Starbucks.

NY Times: The Road to Copenhagen

With the upcoming climate summit scheduled to start on December 7th in Copenhagen, news of more carbon dioxide hitting the atmosphere is no surprise. This story from today's New York Times is no exception. By draining the canals in Indonesia, the country has become one of the biggest offenders when it comes to greenhouse gases.

"Canals — used legally and illegally — extend from surrounding rivers nearly into the peninsula’s impenetrable core. By slowly draining and drying the peat land, they are releasing carbon dioxide, contributing to making Indonesia the world’s third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the United States."

"Forests like the one on the Kampar Peninsula are at the center of a growing battle over the shape of a new climate treaty and efforts to curb the destruction and degradation of forests. Though countries are expected to reach only a broad agreement at next month’s summit meeting in Copenhagen, governments, scientists, businesses and environmentalists are already arguing over what kinds of forests should qualify as carbon reducers and what kinds of projects should be rewarded financially."

To read the entire article, click here.

To read what Boston GreenScene had to say about the upcoming summit, click here.

To read a previous article on CT GreenScene about the benefits of planting trees and how it affects our environment, click here.

Image courtesy of India's Top News.

Climate Change...In the News

The turkey carcass is cold. Leftovers have been picked clean. The holiday season is in full swing. And global warming is still a big threat. With the upcoming summit in Copenhagen this December, there are a number of articles talking about who’s got what plan and who doesn’t.

Take a look at what Yale University Environmental 360 had to say about whether the climate change talks will be successful or not. A panel of experts chimed in with their viewpoints.

As some third world countries would like you to know, the cost of climate change may be more than some can handle. Read what Guyana's Prime Minister Bharrat Jagdeo said Saturday.

And if you’re interested in how climate change will affect your ski season, check out this story from the Associated Press about resorts in Utah.

Raw Sewage Anyone?

by Eileen Weber

When we think of runoff, we look at the agricultural runoff from farm animals and how it pollutes our waterways with manure and chemicals. But what we often forget is the human waste that ends up polluting our water systems.

In today’s New York Times, it was reported from data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that “9,400 of the nation’s 25,000 sewage systems—including those in major cities—have reported violating the law by dumping untreated or partly treated human waste, chemicals and other hazardous materials into rivers and lakes and elsewhere.” Many of the violators were never fined.

Whenever there is a heavy rain, there is the strong possibility that the wastewater treatment plants will overflow. That kind of spillage brings contamination. Recent studies have shown that when sewers overflow many people become sick after swimming in contaminated water.

Green Job Growth: What is it? Where is it?

by Anneli C. Olila, Editor-in-Chief of Boston GreenScene / Principal of Olila Documents & Communication Strategies

In my recent discussion of green job hunting myths, I argued against the mystique surrounding the green job industry and the psychological and other barriers this presents to those hoping to transition into a green career.  Responses from readers ranged from disbelief, to hesitant hope, to specific questions regarding qualifications and resources. In this article, I start to provide some data that may be useful to readers in understanding the projected growth of the green job market and where they might fit in.

What Do We Mean by 'the Green Job Market is Growing'?

According to the United States President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), green jobs are everywhere, and the growth of the green job market is anticipated to continue to outstrip the growth of other markets. In its July 2009 report, the CEA cited data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing projected growth in environmentally-related occupations to be 38% more than all other occupations combined by 2016. This is depicted in the following figure, reproduced from page 8 of their report:

To put this into perspective, it is worth noting that the occupations they considered were actually in a fairly limited range.  Specifically, the BLS projections drawn from in the CEA report are based on data for the following occupations only:

Wipe Out?

by Eileen Weber
 
Yesterday, The Huffington Post had an entry that caught my eye. It focused on the death of tens of thousands of bats this year due to a mysterious fungus. Called “white-nose syndrome”, the disease is wiping them out.
 
Why should we care? Because bats eat the insects that are harmful to us and our crops. Without them, there would be a massive overpopulation of insects.
 
Earlier this year, the same story was reported on National Public Radio. So why is it that no one seems to be paying attention? Is it just because bats aren’t fuzzy and cute? If this were a blight wiping out all domestic kittens, would we be more concerned? There has been little funding for the cause yet it could have catastrophic results if left unattended.

How to Green Your Thanksgiving

by Analiese Paik, Founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide

Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating the harvest and giving thanks with friends and family for the food that sustains and nourishes us. This year I challenge you to choose at least one new way to “green” your Thanksgiving. Think of reducing your “foodprint” as a way of giving thanks to Mother Earth. Bonus Feature: A Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys.

#1 Source locally grown foods and eat with the seasons. When we choose local, we know our “food miles” are low and our food is farm-fresh and delicious. Choosing locally-grown, seasonal foods supports family-owned farms, farm stands and farmers’ markets as well as the independent and specialty grocers that carry their products.  Keeping food dollars local supports the local economy while investing in the future of a local food shed. Additionally, many locally grown foods are not packaged at all since they are sold loose at farm stands and farmers’ markets, thereby cutting down on waste. Apples, pears, New York chestnuts so delicate they can be eaten raw, winter squash, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, turnips, honey, maple syrup and artisan cheeses are available locally because we actually still have some working family farms. Yes we have turkeys in Connecticut! Please consult the Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys below.

#2 Choose organic whenever feasible. Agricultural practices related to growing food are significant contributors to greenhouse gases. “Food miles”, however, are not the main contributors to food chain greenhouse gases, agricultural practices are and animal agriculture is a big percentage of that. Indeed, choosing organic and other sustainably grown and produced foods over conventional is an excellent means to further reduce one’s “foodprint”. Make your holiday meal extra special this season by choosing an organic, free-range or Heritage turkey since it will surely be the most delicious turkey you have ever served. Many farms, specialty grocers, and mail order businesses sell these gourmet turkeys, but please place your order early, expect to pay a price commensurate with the quality you are receiving, and follow the cooking directions specific to your breed for optimal results. Yes we have Heritage, organic and free-range turkeys in Connecticut! Please consult the Guide to Buying Local and Sustainable Turkeys below.

#3 Don’t buy more than you’re going to cook. Stop buying fruits and vegetables in bulk if you frequently find them in your refrigerator or on your counter going bad. We think we’re doing right by our family by saving money from buying in quantity, but throwing out food is just wasteful. To avoid spoiled leftovers, portion and freeze food from your Thanksgiving meal that will not be eaten in the next few days.

Goats: Not Great Gardeners, But the Cheese Is Great

by James Simpkins

This past Sunday on route 2E about ten miles southeast of Hartford, I realized that I spend very little time in that part of the state. This was not exactly a revelation since I spend most of my time in Canton in the opposite corner, but it is rather beautiful out that way. However, I wasn’t just out for the colloquial “Sunday drive” (though I wouldn’t have minded); I was on a mission. For goat cheese. 

While attending a party in Simsbury at a colleague’s house, I met a Latin teacher named Mark. Though he insulted the French language (pronouncing it “badly spoken Latin”), which normally removes people from the Christmas card list, he quickly redeemed himself by sharing some of the goat cheese be had brought. There were four different kinds of fresh chevre on the plate—chive, herbes de Provence, black pepper, and dill—and all were delicious. When I inquired where he acquired such bon fromage, Mark further endeared himself to this gourmand when he said “we made them at our farm.”

The “we” Mark was speaking of includes his husband Paul, the main cheesemonger and their farm—already well-known to more local residents—is called Beltane Farm located in Lebanon, CT. Mark and Paul breed, raise, and milk their flock of Oberhasli and La Mancha goats twice a day to bring lucky Connecticut residents their fresh goat’s milk and cheeses. And from my own experience, the goats appear really happy to be there, too. And why shouldn’t they be?

Connecticut Author Presentation at UConn

Thursday, December 2, 2009

C. Marina Marchese,
Connecticut author of  HONEYBEE: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper
Owner of Red Bee Honey company

Ten years ago Marina Marchese fell in love with bees during a tour of a neighbor’s honeybee hives. She quit her job, acquired her own bees, built hives, harvested honey, and earned her certificate in apitherapy. She then founded Red Bee Honey which sells artisinal honey and honey-related products to shops and restaurants all over the country.  Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper is her account of abandoning the rat race to live blissfully as a beekeeper and honey entrepreneur –plus everything you’d ever want to know about bees.

Presentation, book signing, and honey tasting afterward.

UConn Co-op Bookstore
2075 Hillside Road
Storrs, CT 06269
860.486.5027  

Paying Extra for Green Power...

Think an extra $58 a month is worth it for renewable energy? Some people do, but lots of people don't. The New York Times explores how that extra money is actually spent and why some customers are reluctant to support wind an solar energy.

"The solicitations have been flooding people’s mailboxes lately: pay a bit more on your electricity bill for 100 percent clean wind power. Or, the fliers say, buy 'green power certificates' to offset your global warming emissions.

Close to a million electricity customers have signed up for such payments voluntarily, and the amount of electricity sold in this way has nearly tripled since 2005, amid rising concern about climate change and energy security. But the participants are in a distinct minority, with a sign-up rate of only about 2 percent in programs run by utilities.

The low sign-up rate raises a question: If large majorities of Americans favor increased government support for clean energy, as polls suggest, why are so many people reluctant to back such programs when it comes to paying extra themselves?"

To read more from today's The New York Times article, click here.

To read other articles on this site about renewable energy, click here.

Image courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game.

Talking Turkey

by Eileen Weber

I caught a cooking show that nearly stopped my heart: Paul Prudhomme, famed chef from New Orleans, deep fat-frying a turkey. After injecting butter-laden gravy under the bird’s skin with a cooking needle “to marinate it from the inside”, he dunked the carcass in a vat of boiling oil. I had a small myocardial infarction just watching it.

But why not deep-fry it? Who wants a dry turkey anyway?

That’s why Whole Foods Market in Westport held a turkey tasting event last Friday. With so many options to choose from, here was an opportunity for consumers to find the turkey they liked best. As an added bonus, Analiese Paik, founder of Fairfield Green Food Guide, was there to help customers consider their options.

“It can be really confusing for people,” said Paik. “With so many options, all natural versus organic, people can feel a little overwhelmed by the labelling.”

T Boone Pickens to Join Congressman Larson in East Hartford

Via GreenMarine Productions

Congressman John Larson will host a public forum on the Economy and Energy at Goodwin College in East Hartford on Tuesday, November 24th, from 4 - 5:30 pm in Goodwin College Auditorium.

Larson will be joined by special guest T. Boone Pickens, energy pioneer and creator of the Pickens Plan.

Larson is a co-sponsor of the NAT GAS Act, legislation Mr. Pickens strongly supports, which will make domestic natural gas a more accessible alternative to imported oil while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and urban pollution in vehicles.

Seating is limited. To RSVP or obtain further information about the town hall forum, please call Larson's office at 860-278-8888.

THE TRUTH ABOUT A TABOO SUBJECT: NUCLEAR POWER

People's Action for Clean Energy (PACE) presents a unique clean energy EXPO Saturday, November 21, 2009 Unitarian Society of Hartford 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford (1/10 mile north of intersection of Routes 44 & 189). Enjoy exhibits, the film "Meltdown," in depth discussions and awards.

Admission is free to the public.  Donations are welcome. For more information, call (860) 693-4813 or visit www.pace-cleanenergy.org

New Haven GreenDrinks - We'll Be There!

IT’S NEW HAVEN GREEN DRINKS' TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!

6-8pm, Wed 11/18 at:

Christopher Martins Restaurant & Pub, 860 State Street, New Haven, CT (203-776-8835)