CT Green Scene

Losing Battle Against Monsanto?

by Eileen Weber

Last week, the USDA “deregulated” genetically engineered alfalfa, which means its use is unrestricted. The organization also called for “coexistence” between biotech companies, organic farmers, and non-organic farmers not growing genetically altered crops.

Gary Hirschberg, President and CEO of Stonyfield Farms, had a lot to say in a recent blog entry. He refuted the Organic Consumers Association's claim that Stonyfield Farms, along with Whole Foods and Organic Valley, “sold out” to biotech giant Monsanto and gave up the fight against genetically modified crops (GMOs).

“Not once did Stonyfield consider buying what Monsanto was selling – nor will we ever,” he said. “We have never wavered from our position in defending organic and opposing GE crops.”

Not only does the deregulation of engineered crops pose a threat to the environment, Hirschfeld said it limits the choices farmers and consumers have to make. Organic farming, on the other hand, has proven itself to be a much healthier choice for human consumption as well as biodiversity.

Snowmageddon!

Connecticut residents have spent the better part of today digging out from--well, a dump of snow. And there's more to come next week. Many residents are wondering where to put all of it because they're running out of space.

There has been record snow fall in this country, including areas that usually never see any. Europe has had record low temperatures. So what happened to global warming? Where's Al Gore when you need him?

Anyone following climate change with any consistency can tell you the warming trends are consistent with the kind of snowstorms we've been seeing lately. In fact, based on an article in The New York Times earlier this week, the Arctic is actually seeing warmer temperatures than normal. The cold air trough is dipping low into the U.S. while warmer air is blowing toward the north. As one northern Canadian resident claimed in reference to the lower 48, "That's where all our snow is going."

See the excerpt below.

Cold Jumps Arctic ‘Fence,’ Stoking Winter’s Fury
By JUSTIN GILLIS
Published: January 24, 2011

"For two winters running, an Arctic chill has descended on Europe, burying that continent in snow and ice. Last year in the United States, historic blizzards afflicted the mid-Atlantic region. This winter the Deep South has endured unusual snowstorms and severe cold, and a frigid Northeast is bracing for what could shape into another major snowstorm this week.

Yet while people in Atlanta learn to shovel snow, the weather 2,000 miles to the north has been freakishly warm the past two winters. Throughout northeastern Canada and Greenland, temperatures in December ran as much as 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. Bays and lakes have been slow to freeze; ice fishing, hunting and trade routes have been disrupted…

The deeper issue is whether this pattern is linked to the rapid changes that global warming is causing in the Arctic, particularly the drastic loss of sea ice. At least two prominent climate scientists have offered theories suggesting that it is. But others are doubtful, saying the recent events are unexceptional, or that more evidence over a longer period would be needed to establish a link.

Since satellites began tracking it in 1979, the ice on the Arctic Ocean’s surface in the bellwether month of September has declined by more than 30 percent. It is the most striking change in the terrain of the planet in recent decades, and a major question is whether it is starting to have an effect on broad weather patterns."

Click here to read more of the article. 

Greening your superbowl party

Dude, grab your favorite football jersey and park yourself in front of the tube for a face-off with the Steelers and the Packers. Planning on having some friends join you, too? Here are some tips to help you make your party eco-friendly. Thanks to Sustainability Ninja, eHow.com, and Earth911.com, we've got a nice little list to keep you green and clean this February 6th.

• Use cloth napkins and resuable dishes and glassware.
• Recycle your bottles and cans or think about getting a keg and have extra glasses on hand.
• Serve local and organic foods. You can make some kick-ass vegetarian chili without destroying your carbon footprint.
• Send e-vites, e-mail, or text for invitation. It doesn't hurt to pick up the phone once in a while either.
• Skip the decorations. They're only going to end up in the trash anyway, so why bother? Try candles or Chinese lanterns. Choose from what you already have on hand to make your space more festive.
• Don't order take-out and give any leftovers to a local food bank.

Whatever your plans are for Super Bowl LXV, there are a number of ways to have fun and still maintain a green lifestyle. Have any other tips we didn't mention here? Leave a comment and let our other readers know!

Image courtesy of NFL.com via Associated Press.

GVI: Where are they now?

by Eileen Weber

Last May, I wrote an article about the Westport Green Village Initiative (GVI) that was making headway by spreading their sustainable word to other towns like Ridgefield and Fairfield. With grassroots movements in community gardens, recycling, energy and water conservation and a very green message, their hope was to grow an idea from the ground up one town at a time.

That concept started with one Westport businessman, Dan Levinson. He has been the catalyst for the GVIs in the area. Claire Carlson in Ridgefield shared his vision and she has taken that town by storm. With a film series and lectures at the town library and the Aldrich Museum as well as organic gardens in the school system, she has single-handedly started a green movement in that section of Fairfield County.

The hope was that Fairfield would follow in Ridgefield’s footsteps. But unfortunately, it never did. A town that has organic gardens in almost every school in the district couldn’t seem to get it together to create their own GVI system. When Levinson questioned this, he was told the politics in the town were too stiff. He was left with the strong impression that he should look elsewhere.

Audubon Highlights CO2 Effects On Ocean Food Web

Imagine a world without fish. It’s a frightening premise, and it’s happening right now.

To increase awareness about a very real and disturbing phenomenon called 'ocean acidification', The Menunkatuck Audubon Society, a local chapter and Audubon Connecticut, the state office of the National Audubon Society, will host a free public film screening of the highly-acclaimed film, A Sea Change. Chock full of scientific information, this is the first documentary about ocean acidification.

Holistic House Up and Running

Visit Trudy Dujardin's new blog, Holistic House. They discuss anything and everything about sustainable design. For a more in depth look, check out our recent article about Dujardin and her company. See an excerpt below.

With Every Breath You Take
Posted By Trudy Dujardin, ASID, Leed AP on January 10, 2011

"There is a priceless gift you can give to yourself, and to your family: the gift of health. Most of us try to eat nutritiously, and exercise to keep our minds and bodies strong. We may take vitamins and supplements, meditate, or know the importance of sleep at night. There is, however, another element to consider. The environment we live in either supports us or stresses us. We’ve long thought of the environment as something “out there”— acid rain, air pollution, a diminishing ozone layer. As important, though, is our indoor environment, and the quality of the air we breathe in our homes.

I have been privileged to work as an interior designer for many years, in some of the most beautiful spaces on earth. Nantucket, in particular, has long been my home and one of my favorite places to design elegant interiors. The crisp ocean air blows cobwebs away from mind and body; homes there reflect the invigorating effects of sand, salt air and sea. The natural next step is to ensure that the air in our houses remains as pure as the breezes that first blew in, even when the windows are closed. That’s why creating homes that are both warmly inviting and supportive of health has been my design passion since 1987.

What causes indoor air pollution? The list is longer than you might imagine, and includes chemicals like formaldehyde and polyurethane, emitted from both furniture and wood used for cabinets, stairs, banisters and trimwork. Fabrics and stuffing from upholstered furniture can be a source of noxious indoor fumes; mattresses and bedding can be laden with chemicals intended to keep us safe (for instance, flame retardants) and yet be dangerous to our fragile immune systems. Paints and finishes emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds), a term for chemicals that emit harmful gases."

Click here to read more.

Organic Wine's Bad Rep?

We've discussed organic wines on this site before (click here for Part 1 and Part 2). Our initial picks were far from fabulous. The second crop was certainly better and showed some promise. Since then, organic wine has been making friends and influencing people, so to speak, along the way.

But they still have a long way to go to catch up to the rest of the wine industry. Many labels that produce organic wine are small growers. The larger labels that have organic wine either have a small section of their farm devoted to it or simply don't advertise the fact that they are organic. It seems the organic label will often scare consumers off.

In an article originally published in the L.A. Times on January 6th, there are some wine growers who are urging the government to allow sulfites--often the source of heated debate when it comes to organic wine--in the winemaking process. They feel that larger producers would then have an incentive to go green. See the excerpt below.

Why isn't more wine 'organic'?
By W. Blake Gray, Special to the Los Angeles Times
January 6, 2011

Currently for a wine to be labeled " USDA Organic" — a coveted seal of approval for most foods — it must have no added sulfites. However, most winemakers feel that sulfites are crucial in winemaking — they discourage spoilage and preserve fresh fruit flavors. Unlike most organic products, wine may sit for years before being opened. Furthermore, most wines contain some level of sulfites anyway since they are a naturally occurring byproduct of fermentation.



As a result, even though organic food is one of the fastest-growing categories in the supermarket, "organic wine" is an afterthought. No large producers make it. Other types of eco-friendly wine have stepped in to fill the breach, including biodynamic, sustainable and "natural wine," which may have weak or even no official standards. Wine drinkers looking for a healthful, green product face confusing choices, and wineries can claim they're eco-friendly without anyone really checking.



Because of that, some leading environmentalists in the wine industry — including Paul Dolan of Mendocino Wine Co., a pioneer in organic grape farming — are asking the government to allow sulfites to be added to wines labeled organic. Dolan thinks that change would encourage more grape growers to be certified organic, meaning the use of fewer herbicides and pesticides in vineyards.

Click here to read more.

Image courtesy of Parducci.com

How Clean Is Your Bottled Water?

We've had articles on this site before about bottled water. But this one from Yahoo News featuring statistics provided by the Environmental Working Group takes a graded look at which brands offer the best thirst quencher when you're on the run. From Whole Foods to Nestle to Poland Spring, EWG analyzed 173 different labels to see if the water you purchase is really all it's cracked up to be. See the excerpt below.

Worst bottled water brands
Lori Bongiorno – Wed Jan 5, 3:00 pm ET

"How much do you know about the bottled water you drink? Not nearly enough, according to a new report released today from Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Bottled water companies try hard to hide information you might find troubling," says Jane Houlihan, senior vice president of research for the Washington D.C.-based research and advocacy group.

EWG analyzed the labels of 173 unique bottled water products and company websites to determine if companies disclose information on where water comes from, how or if their water is treated, and whether the results of purity testing are revealed. The nonprofit also looked at how effective (and advanced) any water treatment methods are. Researchers followed up by calling dozens of bottled water companies to find out which ones willingly tell consumers what's in their bottles...

Only three brands earned the highest possible marks for disclosing information and using the most advanced treatment methods available -- Gerber Pure Purified Water, Nestle Pure Life Purified Water, and Penta Ultra-Purified Water.

On the other end of the spectrum, these six brands got the worst marks in the EWG report because they don't provide consumers with the three basic facts about water on product labels or their company website -- Whole Foods Italian Still Mineral Water, Vintage Natural Spring Water, Sahara Premium Drinking Water, O Water Sport Electrolyte Enhanced Purified Drinking Water, Market Basket Natural Spring Water, and Cumby's Spring Water..."

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of Yahoo News via Getty Images.

Workshops at the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm

NVCC Offers Green Courses for Homeowners - FREE

Humans weren't meant to hibernate: do something fun and productive this winter and take a green course for homeowners at Naugatuck Valley Community College, sponosred by Union Savings Bank.

From solar thermal to green building to sustainable landscaping to weatherization and ruuse solutions that will save you money--a multitude of interesting, inspiring and informative courses run from January to April. To register, call 203-575-8029 or email Ann Travers ATravers@nvcc.commnet.edu.

Solar Thermal for Homeowners your geothermal system

CRN 2747 • Danbury Center, 2 Sat., 1/8 & 1/15,

9 am - 12 pm, Rm: CL3

Instructor: Peter Governale

Is solar thermal energy a viable option for your home? Join us to learn basic solar energy principles, what it takes to install solar assisted hot water system, principal operating dynamics. Bring your own energy bills to calculate the cost effectiveness and return on investment for your home.

Geothermal for Homeowners

CRN 2748 • Danbury Center, 2 Sat., 1/22 & 1/29,

9 am - 12 pm, Rm: CL3, Instructor: Peter Governale

Why do nations such as Germany and Sweden have 97% of all new buildings space conditioned by geothermal? And why does the Iowa Board of Education mandate geothermal for its schools? Did you know that in 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency proclaimed “Geothermal heating and cooling is the most cost effective space conditioning system there is?” Join us to learn the fundamental principles of how geothermal energy works: practical applications for homes, businesses and schools; return on investment, cost effectiveness and life cycle fundamentals of installation procedures; technical principals of geothermal; what to look for in a contractor; available tax credits and state rebates; how making your home more energy efficient plays a role in designing your geothermal system.

Solar PV for Homeowners

CRN 2749 • Danbury Center, Thu., 2/10, 7 – 9 pm,

Rm: CL1, Instructor: Thomas Thompson

Learn about the many benefits and cost savings of implementing a solar photovoltaic system in your home. This course will provide information about Connecticut’s financial incentive programs for homeowners and the environmental impacts of PV installations.

New Year’s Resolution: Use Less Energy

by Anne Maertens

If your New Year’s resolution is to shrink your carbon footprint or if you just want to save money on your utility bills, you may be able to significantly reduce your energy use and get money for doing it.

The federal government has extended the energy efficiency tax credit, commonly known as 25C, through 2011, but there have been a few changes. The credit now equals 10 percent of your efficiency upgrade costs up to $500, and some efficiency upgrades have credit caps. For example, the maximum credit for ENERGY STAR windows is now $200.

In addition to the federal tax credit, there are a bunch of incentives from the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund that you can use to help achieve your energy saving goals. For example, ductless heat pumps are eligible for a rebate of up to $1,000, and efficient hot water heaters are eligible for a $300 rebate.

The Fund also provides several financing solutions including zero-interest loans ranging from $7,000 to $20,000 and 2.99 percent interest loans ranging from $2,500 to $6,999. To find out if you qualify for the loan, you’ll need an energy assessment of your home.

If you’d like to know what an energy auditor might recommend for your home, check out EnergySavvy’s free online energy assessment, which will give you a list of recommendations on how to make your home more efficient. EnergySavvy also provides a list of the energy efficiency incentives available in Connecticut.

Still digging out from last week's blizzard? According to an article originally published in Time online, that huge dump of snow may be one more link in the climate change chain. The past decade has been one of the warmest recorded so far. And, it appears that the warming trend in the Arctic may, in fact, be to blame for wilder winter weather. See the excerpt below.

The Northeast Snowstorms: One More Sign of Climate Change
By BRYAN WALSH–Mon Jan 3, 3:05 am ET

"It's become as much a winter tradition as eggnog at Christmas and champagne on New Year's Eve - the first major snowstorm of the year bringing out the climate-change skeptics. And the bona fide blizzard that has frozen much of the Northeast just a few days after winter officially began definitely qualifies as major. But while piles of snow blocking your driveway hardly conjure images of a dangerously warming world, it doesn't mean that climate change is a myth. The World Meteorological Organization recently reported that 2010 is almost certainly going to be one of the three warmest years on record, while 2001 to 2010 is already the hottest decade in recorded history. Indeed, according to some scientists, all of these events may actually be connected.

One theory is that a warmer Arctic may actually lead to colder and snowier winters in the northern mid-latitudes. Even as countries like Britain - suffering through the coldest December on record - deal with low temperatures and unusual snow, the Arctic has kept on warming, with Greenland and Arctic Canada experiencing the hottest year on record. Temperatures in that region have been 5.4°F to 7.2°F (3°C to 4°C) above normal in 2010. As a result, the Arctic sea-ice cover has continued to shrink; this September, the minimum summer sea-ice extent was more than 770,000 sq. mi. (2 million sq km) below the long-term average, and the third-smallest on record. Snow may be piling up in midtown Manhattan, but the Arctic is continuing its long-term meltdown."

Click here to read more.

Image courtesy of Time.com.