Welcome to CT GreenScene--your place for sharing "green" ideas, information, news, business, and events in Connecticut. Please join us by submitting the issues that are important to you, and of course feel free to browse the categories to the right for a wide range of content that grows EVERY DAY.
by Eileen Weber
You know, you just can’t make this stuff up. A water purifier that turns any liquid, including your own urine, into potable drinking water has been gaining attention. Headlines like the one on treehugger.com, “Pee Filter Runs on Poo”, have been hamming it up.
But to Dean Kamen, inventor of not only this contraption but the Segway Personal Transporter in 2001, this is serious business. And, he has been talking about it to anyone who will listen. From a comic foray on The Colbert Report to a more sober audience at the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this year, Kamen has been working hard to promote his water purifier. Dubbed the “Slingshot”, it distills and condenses liquid waste into pure drinking water.
Originally unveiled in 1993 by his company, DEKA Research & Development Corporation, it has been slowly gaining momentum. He said many people die every year in poverty-stricken countries from not having a clean water source, many of them children. “Chronic human disease,” he said, “often results from bad water.”
by Tracey Finch
Then read the Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon (Orchard Books/Scholastic $15.99 and worth every penny). Oh yeah, and don't forget that this is supposed to be a children's book. But the book should be required reading for all kids 8-100.
This colorful and nicely designed book is a must read for children and yes, even adults who could use an easy-to-read primer on today's environmental problems. If we want to educate ourselves and our children, this book covers the science of global warming, the effect on our weather, the impact on plant and animal life and the many steps we can all take to help reverse global warming.
When asked about her favorite green products, author Cambria Gordon said, "My favorite green products are bio-bags . They are completely bio-degradable and great for lining trash cans in the house. I also can't live without my SIGG stainless steel water bottle. Mine says "Simply ECO Logical."
Continue reading "Want to Understand Your Carbon Footprint?" »
Have you registered to vote? The deadline for Connecticut of October 21st is quickly approaching.
Watch this captivating video with a star-studded cast and follow the link to register. You can literally complete your registration in the time it takes to listen to this awesome message. (Contains some adult language). NO EXCUSES!
People in the towns of Milford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Middletown, Montville and Norwalk are breathing easier thanks to a grassroots group, the Toxics Action Center, who stood up and demanded cleaner air when they found out that 97 percent of Connecticut residents were breathing "seriously unhealthy air".
According to an article in the Stratford Star, loop holes in the Clean Air Act allowed thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide to spew into the air. Today, the five plants have decreased their emissions between 72 and 99 percent.
There have been several reports about colleges and universities that have gone green. From sustainable projects to eco-design to organic gardening, environmentalism continues to grow on campuses across the country.
Connecticut College in New London has been a leader in environmental awareness since they first offered a human ecology major in 1969. “The whole campus embodies the commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Amy Cabaniss, Campus Environmental Coordinator.
Today, they have an on-campus composting process, a student initiated light bulb exchange program to switch out energy inefficient bulbs, and students can pay an extra $25 per year to support renewable energy at the school.
The college will also engage in an energy audit at the end of this month as a means to further reduce energy waste. Among other things, the audit will assess their overall energy use, water demand, recycling habits and transportation practices. “We think we’re green but how green are we?” said Cabaniss. “This is one way for us to find out.”
I felt a bit like a little kid before Christmas this week, as I conjured up the idea that a Tesla Roadster would be fun to have at a special event we're having at Windermere on the Lake on November 20th (yes, mark your calendars).
The 100 percent electric sports car goes 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds and over 200 miles on a single charge-which comes from a 220 v plugin.
A two-seater and priced at $100,000, it's well beyond my means, but some people in this area may be able to do the planet a favor and trade in their HUMMMER for one.
Well, I wasn't able to get a Roadster for the event...we're getting TWO...one for display and one to test drive around the Windermere Eco-Village grounds!
So how did I do it? Using social media, networking and groupsites. People from around the U.S. wrote back and gave me connections that I followed until I got an inside connection to Telsa Corporate.
It's amazing how connected we all really are, and what you can turn up if you only ask!
by Eileen Weber
Looking for something to do with the kids this weekend? Here’s something fun: the OneThing™ Conservation Expo at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
Touted as the “World’s Fair of Energy Conservation”, The OneThing™ Expo is part of Governor Jodi Rell’s initiative for positive change in energy conservation. Within the OneThing™ Expo will be the OneThing-Palooza!, a 24,000 foot space of interactive, hands-on activities for kids.
The Stepping Stones Museum for Children of Norwalk collaborated with the Connecticut Science Center to premiere their first traveling exhibit, Conservation Quest. It will be featured in the OneThing-Palooza! area.
“This is a first in a series of energy-themed exhibits we’re planning,” said Robin Wexler, the Manager of Marketing and Communications at Stepping Stones. “This will be an opportunity for children to explore healthy living.”
Continue reading "OneThing™ Conservation Expo Coming To Hartford" »
by Eileen Weber
The high cost of fuel and the strained economy have made homeowners look for better options this coming winter. Many consumers are turning to solar power.
We’ve all seen the occasional home with solar panels on the rooftop. These days, the solar panels available create energy in a clean and efficient way. The semiconductor materials in the panels convert the sunlight directly into electricity, significantly reducing the amount that the average home uses.
According to Jonathan Craig, Director of the Talcott Mountain Science Center, his organization has been using solar power for the last few years. The panels generate electricity for the two buildings in which they were installed.
Many of the Science Center’s buildings were constructed in the ’60s. As a result, they wanted to upgrade their efficiency to reflect modern technology. Today, businesses and residences alike are looking to be more energy-conscious. “Conservation is the biggest step you can make,” said Craig, “to impact energy use.”
Craig also said they have seen the benefit of the solar panels in their electric bill. “We’ve saved about 10% to 15% on our annual electric bill,” he said.
by Eileen Weber
Do you have more energy after you work out? You might if you were a member of The Green Microgym in Portland, Ore. Thanks to owner Adam Boesel, these members generate electricity—up to 350 kilowatts—every time they hop on the equipment. Imagine making enough electricity to power your refrigerator for the better part of a year just by burning those extra calories.
Treadmills. Stationary Bikes. Elliptical trainers. Everything you need for a great workout—and it’s a way to keep the environment clean. Boesel had solar panels installed to generate electricity. Whatever electricity remains unused goes back to the main power grid.
“I’ve worked in big gyms and small gyms,” Boesel said, “but I’ve chosen to differentiate myself by being green.” Because Portland is an eco-friendly area, residents are thrilled with the concept. Originally started in Hong Kong, the use of solar panels to power a facility’s electricity is a renewable energy system that is gaining momentum.
by Megan DiPerri
Restaurants everywhere seem to be turning over a new leaf; a green leaf. I'm not just talking about the salad specials either. The term "green certified" is becoming ever popular among restaurant owners and dishing up a healthy, locally grown, organic menu is only the tip of this iceberg. Reducing energy, increasing recycling and composting, eliminating the use of polystyrene foam products, implementing green construction and green energy practices; restaurants are looking to become green inside and out.
When, according to Pacific Gas & Electric, 80% of the $10 billion dollars that the commercial food service sector spends annually for its energy use is lost in inefficient food cooking, holding and storage, it's no wonder restaurants are trending green.
So, how are these restaurants achieving this "green certificate"? Organizatoins such as the Green Restaurant Association, a non-profit national environmental organization based out of Boston, MA, are educating restaurants on a number of environmental practices to become more sustainable. Their motto: "where doing good for the environment is also good for your bottom line". The GRA provides research, consulting, education, marketing, community organizing and offers an 11-step guidline program to certify restaurants as "green".
Continue reading "Environmentally Responsible Restaurants" »
by Eileen Weber
School is in full swing and that means so are all the school buses. They’re big. They’re bulky. They belch exhaust. So, what’s an environmentally-conscious parent to do?
In a press release from the EPA, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) was awarded close to $500,000 for their Clean School Bus project. This initiative specifically targets school buses and the exhaust these buses create. Each year since its inception in 2006, money has been allotted for school districts across the state to retro-fit or to replace their buses as needed to lower diesel emissions.
Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of the EPA’s New England Office, was quoted as saying, “Fleet by fleet, we are helping to provide cleaner air for our children.”
That's great, but what could be better? Electric buses that emit NO fumes, particulate, or carbon! Zfleet is a Connecticut-based company that's developing electric bus technology.
Not surprisingly, exhaust fumes have been cited as a major irritant for asthmatics. In fact, even those who do not have the disease have exhibited asthmatic symptoms from long-term exposure to the fumes. And unfortunately, children are the biggest victims—especially in urban areas where exhaust fumes are at their worst. Major cities like Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford see the worst cases from inner-city kids.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the asthma rate in the U.S. has risen over the past 15 years. They estimate that more than 15 million people suffer from it today. Some of the highest asthma rates in the nation are in the Northeast.
CT DEP plans to use that portion of the grant funded by the EPA to equip school buses with technology meant to better control pollution. The funds will also be used as an incentive for schools that have not already made strides to improve their bus system.
Every little bit counts. Perhaps with a little time and some added patience, there just may be cleaner air for our children yet.
by Heather Burns-DeMelo
Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, and being an eco-preneur presents a whole other set of challenges.
While it's invigorating to do what you believe in, rewarding to be an innovator, and gratifying to contribute to positive change, entrepreneurs in the green space need courage, commitment and patience to make it.
Here are some who have inspired me over the past year:
1) Jay Whelan, CEO The Green Revolution. Jay took a break from the fast paced world of Wall Street to focus on his family and developed, funded and launched the first of its kind: an energy converter that fits onto exercise equipment (spinning cycles) to harness its energy and feed it to the grid. Now that's out-of-the-box innovation for ya.
2) Gil Friend, CEO Natural Logic. Simply one of the most brilliant minds on sustainability I've met. Thirty plus years of experience developing metrics to measure footprints and amazingly creative, articulate and charming to boot.
3) John Collins, PhD, CEO VeruTEK Technologies. John and his partner developed a plant-based surfactant that oxidizes oil, coal tar, and other soil and water nightmarish pollutants. No need to move buildings to clean up the soil either: you can pump it under buildings. Congratulations on recently winning an award from the Connecticut Technology Council!
4) Lisa Landone. Works at a small post office in Stamford, CT and organized a conference on greening the postal industry that was so successful, the national organization took notice and made change.
5) Mark Robbins, President, Windermere on the Lake. Built the first LEED certified and habitat managed community. Mark's vision and commitment to be a steward of the land caused him to go above and beyond what was expected, or had been done before within this type of land development. In fact, the water that goes out of the community leaves cleaner than when it arrived.
6) Christopher Kent, CEO Windstreet Energy Inc. Chris is a true social entrepreneur and uses his business to create positive change for people and planet. For example, he staffs his call center with people who are looking for jobs after being incarcerated, and has hundreds of success stories of men and women who have built new lives and are building our new, green economy.
7) Doug Moss, Publisher of E Magazine. Doug has dedicated nearly 20 years to The Earth Action Network, and its print publication, E Magazine. The content is some of the best around, and even the most seasoned environmentalist can reference E and find something cutting edge.
8) Kathryn Blume, Playwright and touring actor of The Boycott Play, her one-woman show about a first lady who convinces the women of the U.S. to go on sex strike to combat global warming. Kathryn is a visionary and one-of-a-kind activist.
9) Herster Barres, PhD Founder of Reforest the Tropics. RTT started off as a program of the UN and for the last few decades, Dr. Barres has worked to research the fastest growing trees that sequester the largest amounts of carbon. But perhaps what's most remarkable is the business model that he's been able to develop to make tree farming a win-win for locals, who used to use their land for raising beef cattle.
10) James Roby, President, CT NOFA, Owner of Roby's Organics in Berlin, CT, and master of the best damn organic garlic ever grown. Rain or shine, farmers are out there getting down and dirty and working hard to bring food from their farm (seed) to our (comfy) table. Organic farmers protect the integrity of our soils, water and food. Visit an organic farmers market today and support our local farmers.
Thanks to all of you for inspiring me and filling me with hope that we just might be OK after all!
Read more posts on motherhood and the environment on Eco-Mamas.com
My last post, before the haze of a holiday weekend set in, focused on the reauthorization of The Child Nutrition Act in 2009. I asked readers to comment on the USDA's public comment website to make their voices heard. We want fresh fruits and vegetables! We want increased funding! We want standards for "snack line" foods! And, then I got to thinking. I asked all of you to comment, I commented, but then I stopped there.
Today, energized by a sunny holiday weekend spent with my children, I realized I could do more. Did you comment? Do you want to take it a step further? To quote someone very politically relevant - YES, I CAN! Today I wrote a letter to every member of the school board as well as my children's school principals and some powerful PTA women that I know that can really get the job done. It was so simple and so quick. Visit your school's website, scout out the email addresses and type a quick letter. No time to write the letter? Here - take mine! Just don't tell the kids how quick and easy plagiarism can be!
Dear Members of the Board,
My name
is (your name here), a mother of x, y, z attending the (ABC)
Consolidated Schools. I am writing you today to request your attention
to an important matter:
The Child Nutrition Act - a major
piece of federal legislation that helps determine school food policy
and resources – will begin reauthorization in 2009. Amazingly, this act
has been unchanged since the 1960's and besides being outdated, it
doesn't address many issues facing students today, such as: obesity,
diabetes, cholesterol levels, allergies, working parent households,
religous beliefs and many other factors not present in the 1960's. In
addition, the current act doesn't contain any standards for so-called
"snack-line" foods such as brand name items, fast food chain
selections, sodas and marketing gimmicks.
The good news is the
USDA and the government are accepting the public's comments on the
reauthorization of this act, but the comment period ends very soon -
October 15, 2008. I understand this email is reaching you during the
busiest time, right at the beginning of a new school year. However, I
am only asking for a moment of your time to pass the word along to your
fellow colleagues, the schools and their PTAs and the food service
department.
For those who are limited on time, simply visit the website I provided below and enter your comments. The website address:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064805f47dd
A
basic set of comments are as follows (please feel free to cut and paste
these comments into the comments section if you wish!):
Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Neil Young have teamed up with Whole Foods Market and Horizon Organic to present Farm Aid 2008, a concert to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. The organization has raised more than $30 million since 1985 in its quest to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.
To purchase tickets, visit the Live Nation Web site. To learn more, visit the Farm Aid Web site.
By now, you probably get the idea that our planet's resources are finite, but many people are beginning to catch on to the fact that our need to design, plan and build communities that are "smart" and conserve our limited natural resources, while creating a strong sense of community is imperative. On the financial side of the coin, developers, architects, builders and real estate agents are seeing great investment potential in smart growth, even in a slowed up economy.
So what is Smart Growth?
Smart growth as defined by experts at CT Smart Growth:
Mixed land use: "Our post World War II land use decisions have separated and compartmentalized the various aspects our lives. We live in one place, work in another, and venture to still another place for shopping and entertainment. This separation has created a car-centric society and taken away from the vitality of the traditional town center or Main Street. Smart growth supports the integration of mixed land uses into communities as a critical component of achieving better places to live. By putting uses in close proximity to one another, alternatives to driving, such as walking or biking, once again become viable."
Compact Building Design: "Compact building design suggests that communities be designed in a way which permits more open space to preserved, and that buildings can be constructed which make more efficient use of land and resources. By encouraging buildings to grow vertically rather than horizontally, and by incorporating structured rather than surface parking, for example, communities can reduce the footprint of new construction, and preserve more greenspace."
Housing Opportunities: "Providing quality housing for people of all income levels is an integral component in any smart growth strategy. Housing is a critical part of the way communities grow, as it is constitutes a significant share of new construction and development. More importantly, however, is also a key factor in determining households' access to transportation, commuting patterns, access to services and education, and consumption of energy and other natural resources."
Walkable Communities: "As the personal and societal benefits of pedestrian friendly communities are realized - benefits which include lower transportation costs, greater social interaction, improved personal and environmental health, and expanded consumer choice -- many are calling upon the public and private sector to facilitate the development of walkable places."
Other elements include: Strong Sense of Place, Preserve Open Spaces, Infill Development, Wide array of Transportation Choices, Fair and Predictable Development Decisions, and Community Collaboration. To find out more about the other 6 elements of smart growth, as well as valuable resources, visit CT Smart Growth. Also, check out this incredible Smart Growth project slated for Georgetown.
by commonweal Via CT Smart Growth
Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 09:56:26 AM EDT
With state legislative elections coming up, you can find out where the candidates stand on smart growth issues. 1000 Friends of CT will be holding a series of legislative candidate forums over the next several weeks to help us find out where the candidates stand on such issues as property taxes, land use, regional cooperation, and strategic investment. Here are the dates and locations:
Branford: September 27, 11AM. Canoe Brook Senior Center, 11 Cherry Hill Rd
Farmington Valley: October 1, 6:30PM. Canton Community Center, 40 Dyer Ave.
Mansfield/Windham: October 6, 6:30PM. City Hall, 979 Main St, Willimantic.
New Britain: October 14th, location and time to be announced.
Stamford/Greenwich: October 18, 2pm. Unitarian Universalist Society, 20 Forest St in Stamford.
Milford: October 24, 7PM. St. Gabriel's School Gym, 1 Tudor Rd.
More forums will be announced soon so keep checking the 1000 Friends of CT website.
Food waste composted into nutrient rich soil
By News Channel 8's Chris Velardi
Posted September 18, 2008
4:55 PM
Northford (WTNH) -- One company is collecting food waste and composting it into a nutrient rich soil to sell it to farmers around the state.
It's time for the weekly pick-up at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford. A truck is coming for a specific type of trash -- the 'food waste' from Choate's cafeteria.
"We measured it for a couple of meals and we said, okay, one meal was 170 pounds of food," Katrina Linthorst Homan, of Choate Rosemary Hall, said. "And what does that mean if it's all year long?"
It means the school throws out about a ton of food a week.
"For a lifetime, it's been trash," Andy Bozzuto, of Global Environmental Services, said. "But, to be quite honest with you, we could look at it as commodities in the mix -- that's all."
It is a commodity to Andy Bozzuto who's been in the trash business for 45 years.
His company -- Global Environmental Services -- picks up the food waste from schools like Choate, Yale University, and others. And, it takes it to a plant in New Milford where it's 'composted' -- turning the trash into a type of treasure.
It's becomes a nutrient-rich soil favored by organic farmers.
"Because of the food waste, that's composted and the process that they take to do it, it becomes high in nutrients," Bozzuto said.
So how does a guy who's been a lifelong trash hauler know so much about nutrient-rich soil? Why does he care so much? Well, it turns out that Bozzuto, and his brothers, also have a family farm.
Bozzuto says it's a better way of looking at trash -- recycling coming full-circle.
"We're pulling this food waste out of the waste stream. We're composting it into a product that's needed for the organic farming side of it," Bozzuto said. And, being a little more green in the process.
The New Milford company that composts the food waste is currently the only facility that is licensed to do that in Connecticut.
Connecticut Clean Energy Fund – LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE SOLAR STRATEGY STUDY
August 21, 2008
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) is seeking proposals from experienced consultants and/or organizations with in-depth knowledge of the solar energy industry, including measurement and evaluation models and strategic means by which to develop a Long-Term Sustainable Solar Strategy.
Proposals are due by 3:00 p.m. on September 25, 2008. If you have questions regarding this RFP, please send an e-mail to info@ctcleanenergy.com. All questions, and subsequent responses, will be posted on the CCEF’s Web site at www.ctcleanenergy.com.
