CT Green Scene

Solar: Costly or Cost Effective

by Jessica Levinson

This year we witnessed a whole new market for solar energy. Newspapers, radio, and catalogues alike showed gadgets galore. And the number one gadget this year? The solar charger. In every shape and size. They’ll charge your phone, your radios and your appliance. They’ll attach to your backpacks and even your cell phone covers. For those lucky enough to bathe in sun, there were solar ”fans” for windowsills. Every conceivable means to trap the sun’s rays were in some form of a device.

Now, I am not living under a rock. But, I was incredibly excited by this solar outbreak. That is, until I saw the price tag. I had been hoping for solar panels on my home. Unfortunately, the current cost of converting my home to solar exceeded my budget. With some of the little solar accessories, I thought I had found a way to get some sun as well as a little bang for my buck. Turns out, these little chargers can be expensive as well. (Solar backpacks can run over $100—and that’s for the ones with only a few panels). Solar is expensive no matter how you dice it. But why?

Eco-Crackpots and New Year’s Resolutions

by Eileen Weber

If being green is your cause, I applaud you. Whether it’s eating local, organic foods or composting for your garden or reducing your carbon footprint, it’s a solid plan that helps the environment. But while every movement needs its champions, there are some that take their interest to a level of fanaticism.

That’s when a good cause loses its steam with the rest of the general public. You, the sweat-pant-wearing, bon-bon-eating, armchair quarterback of life. Blossoming interest is lost once the passion for something—in this case, the environment—comes across as craziness. It’s just another good message gone bad.

Case in point: A friend of mine sent me a Facebook link to the Organic Consumers Association. In it, a woman called for an organic New Year’s Resolution. She is planning on taking her commitment of an organic lifestyle to the next level. She wants to eat more responsibly and hopes you will, too. Certainly a noble cause and I wasn’t alone in thinking that. A number of people responded positively to the organic challenge.

But for me, that challenge was more than a little bit tainted when one person responded by grand-standing. Where one woman tried to start a grassroots movement and offered others to join her, this crackpot wandered aimlessly from topic to topic: Everything from “It’s all the government’s fault” to a nation-wide increase in pill-popping to the evils of pesticides. Frankly, it was a bizarre and rambling romp through narcissicism.

Commentary: Copenhagen

by Michael A. Cuomo

First steps can be frustrating. The climate accord reached early last Saturday morning in Copenhagen is a first step toward achieving a comprehensive, enforceable agreement among members of the United Nations. But while the accord furthers the dialogue of influential players such as China, India, Brazil, the EU and the U.S., it fails to come through with specific targets for the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. Instead, it contains a vague promise to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

Feelings were mixed about the end results of the summit. Gordon Brown described the negotiations as "frustrating” and the Obama administration hailed the meeting as an “important breakthrough.” Most notable among the accord’s successes: A commitment by wealthier countries to provide an annual fund of $100 billion by 2020 to countries who do not have the financial resources to develop their industries. With little to no financial backing, these countries must simultaneously follow ever stricter environmental regulations. 

Balancing the needs of developing versus developed nations has been a sticking point at previous climate summits. Developing nations have been hesitant to sign an agreement that may cripple their economic advancement. Industrialized nations, on the other hand, have been disdainful of granting more achievable emissions restrictions to their less developed neighbors.

Green Gifts

by Jessica Levinson

If your life is anything like mine, the month of December is an endless stream of holiday parties. A lot of the my friends are so busy between Thanksgiving and the holidays that we save our social gatherings until the beginning of the New Year (which has the added bonus of starving off those winter blues for another few weeks).

While I love a good party, I am always searching for something new and note worthy to bring to the host or hostess. If you are tired of all the old standards and want a bit more of an environmentally friendly gift, then read on! This isn’t to say your homemade cookies should be forgotten or that beautiful rum soaked fruit cake should be tossed, but these are just some suggestions on ways to compliment those homemade treats.

My first rule is to look for a host gift that they can either use immediately or for themselves later on after the last guest has gone home.  This eliminates taking your host or hostesses time to arrange or fuss with while guests are mingling. Fresh flowers not in a vase or goodies that need to be plated or heated are a bit of a nuisance for someone who wants to enjoy their party.  I always think food is a wonderful addition since it is one less dish your host needs to prepare. (To be courteous, ask what you can bring before hand. There are plenty of hosts out there who think your pigs in a blanket a bad match with the Beluga caviar!)
 
If food is on your mind too, why not give them food served on a nice platter? Green Bow Gifts in Branford, CT has some wonderful dip dishes and cheese platters made from recycled wine, liquor, and olive oil bottles. The bottles are melted flat, but retain the curves of the bottle. Some are melted with a bowl for dips, others flat like a board. Add some of your fresh made tapenade and crackers and you are ready to hit the party! Or try a selection of local cheeses. If you arrange the tray before hand, your host can just place it out on the hors d'oeuvres table.

Pop Goes The Green Bubbly

by Eileen Weber

‘Tis the season to be jolly with a glass of bubbly to celebrate the holidays. So why not make that a glass of organic bubbly?

Not surprisingly, there are a number of European wineries that farm sustainably and only grow organic grapes. You can get some fine selections of Prosecco and Asti Spumante from Italy and champagne from France and parts of Spain as well as some sections of England. But let’s just stick to our home turf, shall we?

California has produced some outstanding wines, sparkling wines among them. And for some vineyards, a sparkling wine made from organic grapes is that much better.

Two California vineyards stand out: Domaine Carneros and Korbel. In September, Korbel announced the launch of its latest Brut Champagne made with organic grapes.

“As more consumers are looking for foods and beverages produced organically, we felt there was an opportunity for Korbel to offer a unique product where there currently isn’t something widely available,” said Gary Heck, owner and president of Korbel Champagne Cellars, in a company press release dated September 15th. “We found that organic practices yield fruit with new and exciting flavors for us to work with. It has been an exciting new development for Korbel.”

As Close to the Cow Without Milking It Yourself

by Eileen Weber

For those with a bovine sense of humor, here’s a cow joke for you: Why did the cow jump over the moon? The farmer had cold hands.

If you’re a dairy farmer, you’ve probably heard that one before. And there are enough dairy farmers in this state to get a chuckle out of it. In Connecticut, there is a $2 billion agriculture industry with dairy farmers a good percentage of it.

Some of those dairy farmers decided to go into business together. The Farmer’s Cow, based in Lebanon, has been spreading the word about the value of supporting your local dairy farmer.

Four years ago, six family-owned farms joined together to provide milk for parts of New York and Massachusetts and most of Connecticut. Between them, they milk 2,300 cows on nearly 7,000 acres of land. They’ve been so successful with milk they decided to try other products. They have half and half, eggs, and cider. In November, they launched their newest product: Heavy cream. With the holidays upon us, it’s just in the nick of time.

Some, however, have already sampled the heavy cream as a holiday treat. The Unquowa School in Fairfield got the jump on The Farmer’s Cow early on.

“Unquowa has been with us since Day One,” said Robin Chesmer, Managing Director at The Farmer’s Cow. “They buy our milk because they liked our concept.” Last month, the school made a Thanksgiving meal made in part by The Farmer’s Cow product.

But heavy cream is only one stop on their way to a world of lactose domination. The company is looking to include farm-fresh ice cream as part of their upcoming product line. With an April launch, they are planning for six flavors. Besides the usual kinds like chocolate and vanilla, they’re thinking a little outside the box with chocolate mint chip and cookies and cream.

But Baby, its Cold Outside

by Jessica Levinson

We may finally be seeing hints of winter! I saw my first snow flurry last week and although it melted pretty much before it hit the ground, I think we may be in for some more flakes real soon. The first thing I utter is, “Oh, how beautiful!” followed quickly by, “Wow its cold!”

As winter approaches, heating your house can be costly and an environmental headache for conservationists. There are several ways in which one can make their house green and warmer. In fact, the two seem to go hand-in-hand when done properly.

A fairly new concept in house design combines a third incentive, a healthy home. Passivhaus, Passive House in English, creates a better living environment and can cut energy consumption up to 80%! In Europe, mainly Germany, Austria and Switzerland, they have been using Passive House to build supermarkets, schools, offices and residential areas. This idea has been slowly moving across the pond to the U.S. with businesses and individuals wanting the great benefits that Passive House provides.

The concept of Passive House was first developed as a result of a conversation between two university professors in May, 1988. Professor Bo Adamson of Sweden’s Lund University and Dr. Wolfgang Feist of Germany’s The Institute for Housing and the Environment are the creators who worked to make green homes with healthy air environments.

In 1990 they designed and built the first Passive House row homes in Darmstadt, Germany. Founding the ‘Passivhaus Institut’ in 1996, they have continued to study and design dwellings that are on the cutting edge of environmental friendliness and wellbeing. Their original hope was to design homes with engineers and architects alike that would use ultra low energy for heating and cooling.

Audubon Greenwich Happenings

Audubon Greenwich's Green Homes Series:

High Efficiency Residential HVAC Systems

Tuesday, December 15

7:00-9:00 pm


Audubon Greenwich

613 Riversville Road

Greenwich, CT 06831
203-869-5272


A Forum on Environmental Priorities for Connecticut's General Assembly
Wednesday, December 16
8:00-9:30 AM
Greenwich Town Hall
Cone Room, 2nd floor
101 Field Point Road

For more information on these events, click below.

Ski Green

by Eileen Weber

Feel like schussing down the mountains of soft powder with the wind in your hair this winter? You’re not alone. Every skier on the planet waits with bated breath to hit the slopes. But there’s one thing many don’t realize: What an energy hog ski resorts are.

From the snow machines, to the ski lift, to the amount of lighting required, ski areas use an exorbitant amount of energy. But some facilities are taking it upon themselves to do something about it.

Realizing that it’s a little incongruous to promote the great outdoors only to slowly ruin it with energy-hogging practices, turning to renewable energy sources sounds like a fine idea. There are several in Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California that have already done so. But unless you’re planning on increasing your carbon footprint by taking a trip out there some time soon, it might be best to take a look at what we have locally in New England

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.”

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.