CT Green Scene

If Traffic Is The Problem, Is Bike-Sharing The Answer?

by Eileen Weber

Could a bike-sharing program be in the works for the Hartford area? If you’re John Zito from The Green Vibration, then the answer may be yes. Zito and his wife, among other green business ventures, are hoping to start a bike-sharing program in the city’s center. There’s one teeny-weeny problem: there aren’t enough bike racks.

“This has been a little more of an investment than we thought,” said Zito of the program. With only a handful of bikes all in varying levels of repair, “We’re on a shoe-string budget.”

While Zito has an idea and a dream, there are few other details that need to be worked out before his program gets up and running. For one, he will need the full support of the City of Hartford.

According to Tim Ericson, Co-Founder of CityRyde, a bike sharing consultant firm in Philadelphia, Zito’s task will be a lot easier said than done. “Things like this can move quickly if you have the full support of the city,” he said. “It’s possible to have it up and running in six months. But more likely, it takes at least a year.”

But that hasn’t stopped other cities around the country from starting their own programs. Washington, D.C. and Seattle are two cities in particular whose programs are thriving. “I’ve used the ones in Seattle,” said Brian LaVoie, Manager of the Streets and Traffic for the City of West Hartford. “I think bike-sharing is great. If I could bike to work, I would. But, I live about 25 miles away.”

Network Green Business in Westport!

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 6 to 8 pm.

Where: The Westport Country Playhouse

Who: Anyone interested in Sustainability

What: HYDROGEN EQUINOX for test driving, organic wine, organic and locally sourced food, green business exhibitors, the Westport Chamber and complementary tickets to Around the World in Eighty Days, (from 8 to 9:30) courtesy of The Westport Country Playhouse.

Cost: $15 in advance; $20 at the door. Purchase advanced tickets HERE

Photo by Bruce Feldman

Speaking of Green Lecture Series

Biodiesel Energy
April 30th
6-8pm
Presented by Charlie Beebe

Charlie is the Distribution Manager of Greenleaf Biofuels. He will speak about his company and the benefits of using clean, green biodiesel. Charlie will be able to answer questions about the growing demand for this alternate energy product.

The Center for Green Building presents their Spring 2009 Speaking of Green series that will cover the many faces of the evolving environmental movement. Every Thursday evening, from 6pm-8pm, they will host a workshop, seminar, discussion or movie screening that will be accompanied by an industry professional guest speaker. The lectures are free and open to the public.

Please call or check out the events page at www.centerforgreenbuilding.com or call 203.382.0774

Is This a Recession or An Opportunity?

by Eileen Weber

There’s great controversy these days about the economy. Is this a recession? Are we on the cusp of another depression? Or are things about to bounce back?

Whether we like it or not, the state of the economy has a direct impact on the environment. When consumers have money to burn, they don’t think about being eco-conscious. But when money is tight, however, suddenly reduce-reuse-recycle sounds like a novel concept.

Last Thursday evening, Robert Costanza, the Gund Professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont and director of the University's Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, gave a lecture at the Aloysius P. Kelley Center at Fairfield University. His main point was illustrating global recession as an opportunity to create a sustainable and desirable future. There are many environmental and economic benefits that healthy ecosystems can provide our society.

“This is an opportunity to reassess where we are,” said Costanza. “This is not just about the immediate past or the immediate future. We need to take a much longer look at civilization for sustainability. We need to understand the past better in order to make things more sustainable in the future.”

Costanza quoted Charles Darwin, the 19th century English naturalist best known for his theories on natural selection, when he said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Man?

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

Every once in a while, I read about something so profound that it works its way into my consciousness to the point that I go around telling everyone for years. The Story of Stuff was one, and the work of Cambridge University Professor David MacKay's is another. 

David spent some time measuring the output of typical items in his flat...the toaster, the light bulbs, a phone charger...and made some startling discoveries:

All the energy saved in switching off your phone charger for one day is used up in one second of car-driving.  The energy saved in switching off the charger for one year is equal to the energy in a single hot bath.

To provide one quarter of our current energy consumption by growing energy crops would require 75% of Britain to be covered with biomass plantations. To provide 4% of our current energy consumption from wave power would require 500 km of Atlantic coastline to be completely filled with wave farms.

If you fly to Cape Town and back once per year, the energy you use in that trip is nearly as big as the energy used by driving an average car 50 km per day, every day, all year.

Driving an average car 50 km per day uses 40 kWh per day. Covering 10% of the country with wind farms would yield 20 kWh per day per person on average.
How Many Light Bulbs? from Cambridge Ideas from Cambridge University on Vimeo.



For more information – go to David MacKay’s website: www.withouthotair.com

Organic Lawn Care

by Eileen Weber

Spring is in the air and homeowners everywhere are watching their lawns turn from muddy brown to lush green. Every year, garden centers are overrun with a rush of consumers picking up grass seed, fertilizer and weed killers. But for many, grabbing the first pesticide off the shelf is not their idea of a healthy lawn.

For Jay Feldman, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Beyond Pesticides, and Chip Osborne, President of Osborne Organics, organic lawn care is the best method to obtain the sometimes elusive American dream: A velvet carpet of green grass.

Last night, the two men spoke at a free lecture open to the public at Southport Congregational Church. The lecture, “Going Green In Your Own Backyard”, was sponsored by the Fairfield and Sasqua Garden clubs. It focused on how to manage your lawn or garden organically and the impact pesticide use has on our environment.

Feldman spoke vehemently against the use of pesticides. He showed a 1950s advertisement with the tag line “DDT Is Good For Me.” He even quoted the notable biologist Rachel Carson when she said, “Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life?”

“You can’t go anywhere without people talking about being green,” he said. “But how do we incorporate that into our lives? It is time to shatter the myth that we need to use pesticides.”

Proposed Regulations for High Performance Building Construction Standards for State-Funded Buildings

by Christopher Novak, Halloran & Sage LLP

The Office of Policy and Management (“OPM”) has unveiled a set of proposed regulations for high performance building construction standards for state-funded buildings  (the “Proposed Regulations”).  The Proposed Regulations are an effort by OPM to implement the statutory “green” building requirements found in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16a-38k, which became effective January 1, 2009.  The standards require construction funded by the State to meet or exceed certain energy and environmental criteria based on LEED Silver standards or qualify for two Green Globes using the Green Globe USA design program, and exceed the ASHRAE 90.1 (2004) standard by no less than 20%.  After approval by the Connecticut General Assembly Regulation Review Committee, the Proposed Regulations will become final.  The Regulations Review Committee is scheduled to meet to consider the Proposed Regulations on May 26 in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building.      

    The Proposed regulations apply to the following types of projects (“Covered Projects”):

    (1)    Any new construction of a State facility that is projected to cost five million dollars, or more, and for which all budgeted project bond funds are allocated by the State Bond Commission on or after January 1, 2008;

    (2)    Any renovation of a State facility that is projected to cost two million dollars or more, of which two million dollars or more is State funding, approved and funded on or after January 1, 2008;

    (3)    Any new construction of a facility that is projected to cost five million dollars, or more, of which two million dollars or more is State funding, and is authorized by the General Assembly pursuant to chapter 173  on or after January 1, 2009; and

    (4)    Any renovation of a public school facility as defined in subdivision (18) of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-282 that is projected to cost two million dollars or more, of which two million dollars or more is State funding, and is authorized by the General Assembly pursuant to chapter 173 on or after January 1, 2009.

Fairfield University’s “Gimme 5” program to rid #5 Plastics from University’s waste stream

Meg McCaffrey Fairfield University

Fairfield, Conn., April 22, 2009 – Fairfield University is on the leading edge of recycling Number 5 plastics. The University’s Earth House and Student Environmental Association launched today the “Gimme 5” program to take Number 5 plastics out of the campus waste stream. Number 5 plastics are rarely recycled, and products packaged with #5 plastics are commonplace, such as hummus, margarine and take-out food containers, as well as yogurt-like cups.

Alexandra Gross, a resident of Earth House, where four seniors have been living an eco-friendly and sustainable life as part of the University’s “Living and Learning” initiative, said the program is a student-driven project. “Fairfield is one of the first universities in the country to have this program, so it's an exciting opportunity.”

Four “Gimme 5” collection bins have been placed in the Barone Campus Center for the campus community to recycle their clean Number 5 plastics. Two other bins are located next to the Earth House in the Apartments and in Loyola Hall. The recycled items will be sent to Preserve, a company that turns recyclables into stylish toothbrushes, razors, cutting boards and other everyday items. When Number 5 plastics are deemed past their use, they are also “upcycled” into plastic wood for use in playgrounds, park benches and deck construction.

The thirteen-year-old company was founded by people who saw that the plastic recycling market presented an opportunity to reuse the earth’s resources; plastics are made from oil and natural gas—making up roughly 9% of the world’s petroleum usage.                 

Happy Earth Day from CT GreenScene!

EARTH: Via our dear friends at Boston GreenScene--The Pale Blue Dot from Michael Marantz on Vimeo.

The Archenemy: Plastic

by Eileen Weber

I have three kids, two dogs, and whole lot of chaos at my house. My mornings start with getting the kids up, throwing in a load of laundry, making breakfast, feeding the kids, dropping them off at school, and cleaning up the mess when I get home. With any luck, I end my day with enough sanity to germinate for another tomorrow.

While I try to be eco-conscious as much as possible, I think I still throw out too much plastic. Our town only accepts some of the plastics, not all. They take #1 and #2 bottles, but none of the other plastics that litter my countertop. So that means the rest is going into the garbage. It makes me wince every time.

I could lull myself into complacency and tell myself that at least I’m doing something for the environment. Perhaps ignorance really is bliss. But sometimes, it takes a little wake-up call to remind us of what throwing out plastic really means.

I had bookmarked a page from Earth911.com a few months ago researching an article on plastic bottles. I just came across it again today. Here are a few sobering statistics:

• In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.
• Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon, and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.
• According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.
• It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.
• Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.
• In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.
• Plastic bottles can take up to 1000 years before they begin to decompose once buried.
• If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week, they would save 24 million bottles from being landfilled. One month on the same plan would save 112 million bottles, and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

So the next time I recycle, I will remember why the effort is worth it.

DAVID WOLFE - LIVE IN WESTPORT @ Westport Country Playhouse

Food certainly is our medicine--and raw food is the only way that all nutrients stay intact for digestion. It also goes without saying: raw food has a lower environmental impact because it takes less energy to prepare...a little elbow grease, and you're all set!

Join David Wolfe, the world’s top authority on raw and superfood nutrition, at The Westport County Playhouse for a special evening that explores all of the latest nutritional breakthroughs. This lecture will guide you through the process of making the best raw food and superfood choices that will impact your life immediately. Be one of the first to hear details from his brand new book, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future. Sample raw and superfood snacks and elixirs.

Where: The Westport Country Playhouse, Westport
When: Monday, April 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Cost: $25 with pre-registration; $35 at the door
Registration: Jeanette Schaefer, 303-990-2220; or email info@rawflora.com

Yale’s Sustainable Choices

by Eileen Weber

Ever wonder what your T-shirt is made of or how far it traveled? Have you considered how much water your washing machine uses? Did you know that using a gas mower for one hour pollutes the air as much as driving a car for 20 miles?

We have all heard the green mantra: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. But the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History wants you to “Rethink” as well. In their Sustainable Choices temporary exhibit, they illustrate all the simple, little things we can do every day to make a difference in how we affect the environment.

"This is a very practical exhibit that tells you how you as a family can change what you do in your daily life to live more sustainably," said Jane Pickering, the museum’s deputy director in a press release from the university’s Office of Public Affairs dated April 1st. "The big-picture discussions and ongoing research are very important, but this exhibit brings it down to individual action."

The exhibit, which opened on March 28th and runs until August 23rd, is geared toward younger school-age children. The kids can have hands-on interaction riding a bike, sorting recyclables, or switching lights on and off.

Food Safety Gone Wrong?

by Eileen Weber

Salmonella. E. coli. Listeria. These are just a few of the scary names that pop up with food borne illnesses. It’s been found in our spinach. It covers our tomatoes. Even peanut butter is not immune.

"We have a crisis in food safety in this country," said Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro in an interview with the Hartford Courant on April 8th. "We've watched nine people die of salmonella poisoning from peanut butter. ... This bill is an attempt to address that issue in a very reasoned and thoughtful [way]."

DeLauro has good reason to be alarmed by the illness rate. According to an April 9th article in The New York Times, the Food Safety Modernization Act, or H.R. 875, is addressing these illnesses in the food that we eat. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) listed 16 in 100,000 people were diagnosed with food-related illnesses. That’s roughly 48,000 people. Only three years earlier, that number was 14 in 100,000 or about 42,000 people.

And that’s only the ones that were diagnosed. It takes someone being sick enough to be hospitalized and the illness to be properly diagnosed. For truly accurate statistics, it gets a little tricky.

It’s because of this kind of information that DeLauro is putting her agenda forward to regulate the food industry. The goal here is to break the Food and Drug Administration into two separate bodies. It will require food companies to meet standards for contaminants in the food they sell. It will also offer a system of certifying safe imports. There will be stricter food inspections, mandatory recalls, and civil penalties for policy violations.

While regulating our food sounds like a noble cause, there are many people who think the bill is not such a good idea. Blogs abound with vehement outrage against the bill. There has been plenty of fodder on YouTube. Shouts of “This is just big government trying to shut down the little guy!” and “It will be the death of all things good, right and organic in this world!”

The Earth Day Rush--and a Personal Wish

As happy as I am to see the "green" wave swell beyond what I could have imagined, I'm equally disappointed by the mad rush to throw together "Earth Day" events because it's THE thing to do. Department stores, shopping malls, furniture outlets and companies who go against Mother Nature all year long--have targeted April 25th as the day to wash away their eco-sins and start anew.

It's as if a light bulb goes off in a late March staff meeting when someone realizes Earth Day is in April and one valiant soul takes it upon him or herself to lead the effort.

If I can be so bold as to make a wish: I hope that Earth Day 2009 brings with it a complete understanding of the depth of our planet's ailments and how they relate to our physical well being, the renewed determination necessary to deeply change our habits, and an unwavering commitment to put Planet first.

When we consider all that our Planet bestows upon us every day--namely, LIFE SUPPORT--the least we can do is to make decisions based on what was disturbed or killed or made extinct to bring it to bear, as well as what will fester and leech in the water, the air and the soil when we no longer need it.

And if that's too big, too deep or too inconvenient, perhaps the most honorable way to say 'thank you' to Mother Earth is to stay home and sit on the porch.

Green Chocolate: Organic, Fair Trade, and Yummy

by Analiese Paik, Fairfield Green Food Guide

I read about Kallari single source USDA organic chocolate made by a cooperative of 850 indigenous Kichwa farmers in the Ecuadoran Amazon a few months ago in the New York Times and have been waiting rather impatiently for it to show up at Whole Foods. Yes, you read that right, the farmers actually make this chocolate rather than sell the cacao beans to a middleman to be made into chocolate. And they are "the only farmers' cooperative in the world that harvests, markets and enjoys all profits from its own line of organic chocolate" according to The Kallari Story printed inside the box. We can all thank Stephen McDonnell, the founder and chief executive of the Applegate Farms organic food company, for establishing and funding the manufacturing facility.

Well I finally got my hands on a bar this week - just in time for Earth Day. This beautifully packaged "green" chocolate gives eco-conscious consumers so many compelling reasons to feel good about buying it:  it's USDA organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified and 100% of the proceeds go back to the farmers so they can lead a good life and preserve the Napo region, home to "some of the most species-rich forests in the world", according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Center for Green Building Presents: Speaking of Green

The Center for Green Building is proud to present their
Spring 2009 Speaking of Green Series
that will cover the many faces of the evolving environmental movement.

Every Thursday evening, from 6pm-8pm, they will be hosting a free workshop, seminar, discussion or movie screening that will be accompanied by an industry professional guest speaker. All are welcome!

The next Speaking of Green topic will be:
April 16th, 6-8pm
Health
Presented by Dr. Gary S. Gruber

Dr. Gruber is a licensed Naturopathic Physician with a practice in New Canaan , CT. He earned his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. He will return to the Center for Green Building to speak on behalf of helping parents support health and sport nutrition for their children and adolescents.

Some future issues of focus will be:
Green Heat, Biodiesel, Environmental Stewardship, Nutrition and much more.

Please call the showroom at (203) 382-0774 or e-mail at info@centerforgreenbuilding.com. Check out events page on their website for updates.

Hopping Down the Green Bunny Trail

by Eileen Weber

This morning at some ungodly hour, my three daughters burst into our bedroom with lots of chatter and more energy than anyone should legally possess. The Easter Bunny had arrived. They were sure of it.

Flopping down the stairs in my flannel jammies, fuzzy slippers, and a sleep mask perched above my weary eyebrows, I followed my progeny into the living room where the infamous rabbit had left baskets of goodies.

Upon opening said baskets, it occurred to me the amount of waste and plastic involved. The Easter Bunny needs to hop on the eco-friendly bandwagon. The baskets were covered in plastic wrapping. There was enough excess cardboard and tape inside you could gift-wrap a Lexus with it. There was only slightly less garbage than Christmas, for Pete’s sake.

There are plenty of people who agree with that statement. “Easter is yet another plastic crap-filled holiday,” said Lisa Sharp on April 1st in her Retro Housewife Goes Green blog. “Plastic baskets, plastic eggs, plastic grass, candy wrapped in plastic, the list goes on and on.”

Global Whaling

by Eileen Weber

New York’s harbor got super-sized on Thursday. A humpback whale was spotted yesterday by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, not too far from Coney Island. The coast guard kept watch to make sure the 30-foot animal was safely out of water traffic.

A sighting like this isn’t exactly new. On March 2nd, Pilot whales were found on the shores of Tasmania. On March 18th, a Humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Hong Kong. On March 23rd, more than 60 Pilot whales and Bottlenose dolphins washed up on the shores of Hamelin Bay in Western Australia.

With each passing year, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, part of a group of mammals called cetaceans, beach themselves and no one quite knows why. According to a Science Daily article dated May 23, 2007, global warming may be the culprit. The warming waters around the polar regions are decreasing the ice cover. Their food supply, mainly krill, decreases or gets shifted to a different area. Simply following the food supply, the whales end up closer to shore and sometimes on shore.

“Whales, dolphins and porpoises have some capacity to adapt to their changing environment,” said Mark Simmonds of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society in a May 22, 2007 Live Science article. “But the climate is now changing at such a fast pace that it is unclear to what extent whales and dolphins will be able to adjust, and we believe many populations to be very vulnerable to predicted changes.”

Hospitals: Setting a Green Standard

by Eileen Weber

A trip to the hospital is not exactly on everyone’s To Do list. With harsh chemicals and bad air quality, hospitals are sometimes the unhealthiest places to be. From limiting their toxic waste to reducing their energy and water usage, the surgical scrubs aren’t the only things that are green, however.

Hospitals are recycling light bulbs and batteries. They are using green cleaning products. Even choosing to switch from cotton mop heads to microfiber saves thousands of gallons of water every year. They are even incorporating nature as part of the healing process with rooftop gardens and balconies open for fresh air. Studies have shown that patients who have some connection to nature have lower stress levels and recover more quickly.

But it doesn’t stop there. Practicing a healthy green business is great. But it’s even better in a green building.

According to an article dated March 27th in The Boston Globe, more hospitals are seeing the long-term benefit of renovating in an environmentally friendly way. They have included everything from LED lighting to high efficiency glass to low VOC paints and adhesives to roof top solar panels.

Green Mortgages: The Who, What, Where, When and Why

By Jennifer Gonzalez, with contributions from Sue Greeno and Joanne Johansen

Jenn Gonzalez is an EcoBroker Certified® Realtor who has been working with buyers and sellers and investing in Connecticut real estate for over nine years. Sue Greeno and Joanne Johansen are mortgage lenders with expertise in Green Mortgages.

Although first introduced by the U.S. Government in the early 1980’s, Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs), and Energy Improvement Mortgages (EIMs) are finding a new popularity among home owners and home buyers alike.  These “Green Mortgages” can be highly beneficial to both buyers and sellers, but can also seem more confusing than they actually are. Here are the basics that every real estate consumer should know about EEMs and EIMs before they buy or sell their next home:

Who is right for an EEM/EIM? 
1)    Any home buyer who wants to purchase a new energy efficient home AND wants to qualify for more “home” should consider an EEM.
2)    Any existing home buyer who wants to qualify for increased financing to make energy improvements when purchasing should consider an EIM.
3)    Any existing home owner who wants to enjoy utility cost savings, make energy efficient improvements and needs to finance these improvements should consider an EIM.

What Exactly is an EEM/EIM? 
These “green mortgages” are specifically geared towards consumers who are highly conscious of their environment and the effect of energy usage on that environment and their surrounding community. The EEM credits a home’s energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. These mortgages reward consumers with:

1)    Allowing borrowers to afford an energy efficient new home. The increased affordability is due to estimated energy savings.
2)    Less upfront cost to buyer for same level of home value.
3)    Allowing home owners to finance cost-effective energy improvements and energy savings that will positively impact the environment
4)    An improved standard of living
5)    An increased resale value due to efficiency rating
6)    Less pollution in the community

Where/How Do I Apply for an EEM or EIM? 
An EcoBroker can refer you to a Mortgage Lender who specializes in Green Mortgages and will help you with the EEM/EIM process. If you are pursuing a home-improvement EIM, ask your lender specifically about financing your improvement(s) via an Energy Improvement Mortgage.  If your lender does not have an EIM program, again, contact your nearest EcoBroker. Your EcoBroker can schedule any necessary inspections and immediately refer you to the nearest mortgage lender who is knowledgeable about Energy Efficient Mortgages, to get you started.

Connecticut’s Farmland and Open Space: Going, Going, Gone? Not on Your Watch!

by Pat Gilbanks

Conservation groups and land trusts rely on tax incentives to entice landowners to preserve open space, rather than selling it off to the highest bidder. The law that provides tax incentives for land conservation is up for renewal and with your help, could become a permanent part of the tax code this year.

The Conservation Easement Incentive Act allows modest-income landowners to receive significant tax deductions for donating conservation easements that permanently protect important natural or historic resources on their lands.

When landowners donate a conservation easement, they maintain ownership and management of their land and can pass the land on to their heirs, while foregoing their rights to develop the land in the future. The new bill will allow farmers and other landowners to deduct a larger share of their income over a longer period of time—and thus help more families be able to afford to conserve their land. The enhanced tax incentive allows working family ranchers and farmers to deduct up to 100% of their income for as many as 16 years in order to deduct the full value of their gift.

The Conservation Easement Incentive Act will make this valuable conservation tool permanent. An amazing 93 members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill. Talk about a powerful message when it hits the floor! The enhanced tax deduction for conservation easement donations has helped land trusts conserve 535,000 more acres in 2006 and 2007 than in the previous two years. In California they saw a 50% increase in the number of conservation easement land donations when these tax benefits were enhanced on a temporary basis in 2006, according to Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA).

Now Congress is considering making the law permanent in order to help protect millions of acres of farmland and open spaces. And this is where you come in…

In Connecticut the following members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors:

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT/2nd)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT/3rd)
Rep. John Larson (D-CT/1st)
Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT/5th)

If your representative is on the list call and say thank you! The number for the Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121.

If not, your Representative can still sign on as a cosponsor.  Call your representative’s office and  ask for the staff member who handles tax issues and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 1831. Tell them to contact Travis Robey in Rep. Mike Thompson's office or Wyatt Stewart in Rep. Eric Cantor's office. They will need every House cosponsor they can get!

Thanks to the Land Trust Alliance for the contact info above. Don’t know who your representative is?

To use the House of Representative’s database you will need your zip+4. Find it here.
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

Contact your reps:
House of Representatives Contact Info Finder:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Ask that they consider co-sponsoring the bill and tell them you support the bill and want it passed when it hits the floor.

Now check to see if land trust active in your neck of the woods! Spring is a great time to volunteer for your local land trust. These are small nonprofits doing great work for Connecticut and the environment. Many need assistance right now with seasonal clean-ups and fundraising.

Check this list from the CT DEP with links to the websites of active land trusts in Connecticut:
http://www.ct.gov/Dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2706&q=323832&depNav_GID=1641

Do New Bulbs Save Energy if They Don’t Work?

Published by The New York Times
March 28, 2009
By LEORA BROYDO VESTEL

SAN FRANCISCO — It sounds like such a simple thing to do: buy some new light bulbs, screw them in, save the planet.

But a lot of people these days are finding the new compact fluorescent bulbs anything but simple. Consumers who are trying them say they sometimes fail to work, or wear out early. At best, people discover that using the bulbs requires learning a long list of dos and don’ts.

Take the case of Karen Zuercher and her husband, in San Francisco. Inspired by watching the movie “An Inconvenient Truth,” they decided to swap out nearly every incandescent bulb in their home for energy-saving compact fluorescents. Instead of having a satisfying green moment, however, they wound up coping with a mess.

“Here’s my sad collection of bulbs that didn’t work,” Ms. Zuercher said the other day as she pulled a cardboard box containing defunct bulbs from her laundry shelf.

One of the 16 Feit Electric bulbs the Zuerchers bought at Costco did not work at all, they said, and three others died within hours. The bulbs were supposed to burn for 10,000 hours, meaning they should have lasted for years in normal use. “It’s irritating,” Ms. Zuercher said.

Irritation seems to be rising as more consumers try compact fluorescent bulbs, which now occupy 11 percent of the nation’s eligible sockets, with 330 million bulbs sold every year. Consumers are posting vociferous complaints on the Internet after trying the bulbs and finding them lacking.

Study: Americans buy green to save environment

Published by Yale Daily News
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
By Amy Ramirez
Contributing Reporter

Despite the current economic crisis, its seems Americans are willing to spend green to go green.

A study conducted by Yale and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change and Communication published last week found that Americans are taking an extremely proactive stance on global warming prevention — that they are willing, for instance, to boycott companies that do not sell green products, pay more for green products and pressure the government to pass green legislation.

The study, conducted by Anthony Leiserowtiz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change, and Edward Maibach and Connie Roser-Renouf of George Mason, was a pilot study for a long-term study aiming to build a panel comprised of the participants of the study and their children. The team will follow the 2,164 American adults surveyed to determine whether and how their beliefs on climate change and green behaviors change over time.

Roser-Renouf said the study’s results were fairly counterintuitive.

“One thing that was extremely surprising from the results was the high proportion of people who are already engaging in consumer activism,” she said. “They are choosing green products and are spending their money at companies that they feel are trying to do something to reduce the climate change.”