CT Green Scene

Things are looking up for Biofuel

Good news for biofuel. Despite the anemic economy and the "weak-as-a-kitten" recovery, more drivers worldwide have switched to using it, particularly ethanol-based fuel. Because of soaring oil prices, cars are being filled up with the cheaper and more efficient fuel in the U.S. and Brazil as well as other countries. See this story from Worldwatch via ENN:

Biofuels Make a Comeback Despite Tough Economy
From: Worldwatch, Worldwatch Institute, More from this Affiliate
Published August 30, 2011 12:16 PM

"Global production of biofuels increased 17 percent in 2010 to reach an all-time high of 105 billion liters, up from 90 billion liters in 2009. High oil prices, a global economic rebound, and new laws and mandates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, and the United States, among other countries, are all factors behind the surge in production, according to research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute’s Climate and Energy Program for the website Vital Signs Online. The United States and Brazil remain the two largest producers of ethanol. In 2010, the United States generated 49 billion liters, or 57 percent of global output, and Brazil produced 28 billion liters, or 33 percent of the total. Corn is the primary feedstock for U.S. ethanol, and sugarcane is the dominant source of ethanol in Brazil."

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of Costa Rica News.

OPERATION TRASHDOWN: It All Adds Up!

by Ilene Moyher

Back-to-school time brings about new schedules, new clothes, and new school supplies. Why not incorporate a few new habits that will certainly help our children’s futures? We all need to be more environmentally-responsible when getting ready for school. But being ‘green’ can take on many forms.  Here we’ll focus on reducing what ends up in landfills and at the bottom of our oceans by creating less trash (see here for just one story on where discarded “stuff” ends up: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch).

1. Lunches: Pack ‘no waste’ lunches by buying food and beverages in bulk and putting them in reusable containers. This will also save you money on wraps and individually-packaged items. Encourage your child’s school to move toward reusable (not disposable) trays, dishes, napkins, and utensils. 
2. School Supplies: First, check your inventory at home and reuse or recycle what you can. For new items, there are many durable, refillable, and eco-friendly options for notebooks, paper, pens & pencils, art supplies, and more. (See a previous article on this site about Naked Binders.)
3. Encourage Kids to Take Care of Things and Reuse Them: Ideas include using scrap paper, limiting printing or print on both sides of a page, and adopting any other habits based on concern for resources and the Earth. By living a less disposable lifestyle, you’ll save money, too! 
4. Consider the Packaging: Try to buy based on the amount of packaging, whether it’s made from recycled content, and whether it’s recyclable.  “Waste from packaging accounts for more than 30 percent of all the waste generated each year. Use school supplies wrapped with minimal packaging; use compact or concentrated products; or buy products that come in bulk sizes. Save packaging, colored paper, egg cartons and other items for arts and crafts projects.” (from EPA’s Tips for a Waste-Less School Year)

It all adds up! Just imagine all the garbage that can be eliminated from reducing use of juice boxes and sandwich wrapping alone!

Connecticut Folk Festival and Green Expo

“One Planet, Many Choices”: Edgerton Park is the place to be September 9-11 for music and green ideas

CT Folk is pleased to present the 2011 Connecticut Folk Festival and Green Expo. The weekend event kicks off on Friday September 9th, with the Grassy Hill Song Circle, a unique evening of collaborative entertainment. Four of the hottest musicians on the Indie/Americana scene will play solo work and then accompany each other in a jam-session atmosphere: Mai Bloomfield, Anthony daCosta, Brian Dolzani and Rachael Sage. The Neighborhood Music School’s DoSo Band opens the night and the Master of Ceremonies again this year is the hilarious Vance Gilbert! The Grassy Hill Song Circle will also be held in the magical atmosphere of Edgerton Park, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday afternoon, Edgerton Park will be the site of CT Folk’s sixth annual Green Expo, a free afternoon event (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) featuring 75 exhibitors, demonstrations and activities to promote living a sustainable life, as well as a free family concert with Nerissa and Katryna Nields.

Newest thing in yoga?

Do you live a green lifestyle and enjoy yoga? Then try this on for size: Anti-gravity Yoga. No need for a down dog on the cold, hard floor when you can levitate. See this video clip below from Reuters.

 

 

Surf’s up for Stand Up Paddle Boarding

By Christina Cioci

Stand Up Paddling, or S.U.P., has been around for many years. Recently, it has gained popularity as a fun sport for more reasons than one. It can be done on any large body of water including rivers, lakes, or shallow areas with a depth of at least a foot, making this growing sport an accessible activity to people in most areas of the world! It’s not only relaxing and fun, it is also a great work out. S.U.P allows the paddler to see different depths of the water, marine life on all sides of them and to enjoy the scenery and nature around.  Not just for celebrities or vacationers in exotic places, it is now offered here in Connecticut. (See our list of local places below.) Getting close to nature and not using fossil fuels while you're at it. What could be greener than that?

Stand up paddling originated in the Hawaiian Islands. SUPglobal explains in the history of this sport that “Stand up paddle surfing is derived from its Polynesian roots.” The Hawaiian translation is Ku Hoe He'e Nalu, which means to stand, to paddle, or to surf a wave. In 1960, the beach boys of Waikiki would stand on their boards and paddle out in the ocean to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. They found this was a good way to catch all the moments on camera and a safer way to protect the film. From this came the other common name for SUP: beach boy paddling.

Coconuts for Health, Part Two: Coconut Oil

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

Coconut oil has recently gained a lot of attention. It is said to help with cholesterol levels, obesity and metabolism, for example. It is being touted as the best oil on earth, either incorporated into your cooking or taken as a dietary supplement.  So why is something that’s been used in Asia for thousands of years only becoming popular in the US now?

Coconut oil got its bad reputation because some studies were done on partially hydrogenated coconut oil causing high cholesterol, which is not the same thing as the virgin coconut oil that’s being celebrated, and discussed, today.  Though virgin coconut oil has the saturated fats lauric, caprylic and capric acids, saturated fats are needed in the body for proper cell membrane function.

Live Green Festival in September

Come Join us September 17th - 18th in Norwalk! 

Celebrate and learn to ‘Live Green’ at our two day fun filled festival for all ages!

Enjoy great food, live music, eco-friendly shopping, environmental speakers and exhibits!

See and experience businesses that are showcasing their new technology to positively impact our lives and environment. Come away with tips and ideas that will save you money!

Let’s all Live Green Connecticut!

September 17, 2011
10:00am – 4:00pm

September 18, 2011
11:00am – 4:00pm 

Wastewater Wetlands: Not an Oxymoron

From hiking trails along railway tracks to nature preserves outside waste water treatments plants, a number of areas across the country are finding value in the land and recycling it in an unexpected way. Alligators glide through slick waters with reckless abandon outside Wakodahatchee Wetlands preserve in Florida. The High Line, a recycled railway on Manhattan's West Side, is rife with wildflowers and functions as a raised park. See the excerpt below from this morning's New York Times:

Emerald Cities
By DIANE ACKERMAN
Published: August 15, 2011

“Wastewater Treatment Plant” may not sound like a scenic destination. But some ecologically minded towns have been designing a new breed of wildlife preserve, one that gives recycling a lively twist. Instead of dumping treated water, they return it to nature as the essence of an ecosystem that offers food and habitat to animals. Migrating and native birds find a niche, entangled communities of plants and insects take up residence and a hodgepodge of wild animals bustles in...

A similar panorama greets visitors behind fashionable waste treatment plants around the country. What an admirable trend. Our planet’s web of life is so fragile that one can’t afford to be a snob about reclaimed land or mind why a business goes green...

Mining the wilderness for new formulae, while leaving it intact, they’ve discovered that a standing forest is more valuable than a leveled one.

To read more, click here.

Images courtesy of the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department.

Raw Foods for Better Health

by Christina Cioci

Glen Colello and Lisa Storch are co-owners of the café Catch a Healthy Habit in Fairfield. With a name like that, their customers know they are walking into a special place. Health conditions like obesity and heart disease, which can stem from processed foods, are running rampant in this country. It is a breath of fresh air to know that two people are trying to stop it. By educating the community on healthy food habits, Glen and Lisa are important members of the community for more reasons than one.

Every five years the USDA (United State Department of Agriculture) puts out a new guideline in which Americans should follow for optimum health, specifically nutrition. The usual time frame was interrupted due to the alarming rate of diseases linked to diet. Raw food in a diet is crucial for a healthier life. “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” embraced the value of plant-based diets. Vegetarian–style eating has been linked to improved health. “Lower risk of obesity, lower cardio vascular diseases and lower total mortality are a few of the big risks slashed when a person is a vegetarian”. Vegetarians are also connected with proof of generally lower BMI (Body Mass Index).

School Supplies: A Recipe for Disaster?

In only a few weeks, the kids will be back to school in full swing. So every August the push is on to load up with school supplies. But what the Center for Health, Environment & Justice would like you to remember is that a huge percentage of school supplies contain one of the most toxic substances to human health: polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. Anything and everything from backpacks to lunchboxes can contain the material. See the excerpt below from Environmental News Network:

Toxic School Supplies pose Threat to Children's Health
Center for Health, Environment & Justice, press release dated August 8, 2011

A new 2011 study found PVC is the most widely used hazardous plastic in the world.  Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, lead and dioxin, that are released by the PVC lifecycle. These chemicals are linked to chronic diseases on the rise in children including learning and developmental disabilities, asthma, obesity and cancer.

“Parents have a right to know about toxic chemicals in children’s products,” said Mike Schade, PVC Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ).  “Unfortunately, many school supplies are made out of PVC or vinyl plastic, the most toxic plastic for our health and the environment.  This plastic can contain a toxic stew of phthalates, lead, cadmium, and organotins-it’s a recipe for disaster.  Thankfully parents can now find safer and affordable products for their children with our 2011 Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies.”

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) contains dangerous chemical additives such as phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to a child’s health. Over 90% of all phthalates are used to soften PVC products.  While phthalates have been banned in toys, they are still used in children’s school supplies and other PVC products. PVC is also a major source of dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to science.  Dioxin has been targeted for international phase-out by a treaty signed by over 170 nations across the world.

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of Examiner.com.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers?

That may be the case in Kivalina, AK. Have you heard about the bizarre orange goo--looking not unlike the inner contents of a macaroni and cheese packet--coating their shores? Discovered last week, tests have shown that the ooze is a film of microscopic eggs that even long-time residents cannot recall ever seeing before. When the icky stuff dried, it became airborne and coated at least one roof and floated in rain barrels. The town is still unsure if this will affect their drinking water. See the excerpt below:

Orange goo near remote Alaska village ID'd as eggs
By RACHEL D'ORO - Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Scientists have identified an orange-colored gunk that appeared along the shore of a remote Alaska village as millions of microscopic eggs filled with fatty droplets.

But the mystery is not quite solved. Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday they don't know for sure what species the eggs are, although they believe they are some kind of crustacean eggs or embryos. They also don't know if the eggs are toxic, and that worries many of the 374 residents of Kivalina, an Inupiat Eskimo community located at the tip of an 8-mile (12-kilometer) barrier reef on Alaska's northwest coast...

Scientists also don't know why the unidentified eggs suddenly emerged on the shores of Kivalina last week. Villagers say they've never seen such a phenomenon before...

To read more of the article, click here.

Image courtesy of the Associated Press.

Do You Love Trash?

If you think Americans are wasteful, you don't know the half of it. Here's the trailer for I Love Trash, a documentary about two friends who get what they need for three months by dumpster diving (courtesy of YouTube).

 

 

Good for Your Health, part one: Coconut Water

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

One of the hottest items being sold in the health food industry today is coconut water. It is becoming more noticed and thus questions are arising: why exactly is it so popular?

Coconut water is the product of a young coconut.  It is not the same thing as coconut milk. Coconut milk is from the coconut’s matured pulp whereas coconut water is separate from the young pulp and is 94% water.

Much of the touted benefits of coconut water are traditional as there has not been a lot of research done on it, but there are several facts that have been researched. Coconut water has been shown to be effective intravenously during emergency situations to increase hydration; in an animal study, it was shown to decrease the negative effects of a myocardial infarction (heart attack).  In another study, it lowered blood pressure from unhealthy levels.

Climate Summer

by Eileen Weber

A little over a week ago, five college-aged bikers whisked through New Haven. Why, you ask? They’ve been on a more than 900-mile journey as a statement of solidarity against the burning of fossil fuels, of course.

In a day and age in which the tangible signs of environmental damage—from climate change to air pollution and everything in between—the danger of fossil fuels is all too real. And these students are trying to make that point on two wheels instead of four with an exhaust pipe.

Some of the riders are from the Northeast region; some are from as far away as Singapore. But like any self-respecting environmentalist, they are all united on the concept that we must change the way we live in order to preserve our planet for future generations.

“Instead of being dependent on fossil fuels, we should be dependent on each other and rely on renewable resources,” said team member Tara Escudero in a recent press release.

Fair Trade Bracelets "Made With Love"

Got a yen for recycled rubber? Look no further than Made With Love. Their recycled rubber bracelets, as well as other accessories, are made by craftswomen in Africa, Brazil, and Haiti. The women are paid fairly for their work and the profits are donated to charities that support women and children in all three countries.

The initiative was kick-started in 2007 by Mary Jane Marcasiano, a designer whose own work has been highlighted in such lines as Cole Haan and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her Made With Love organization works through the non-profit Cygnet Foundation that supports programs that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and provide day care and education and training programs.

Coldplay's Chris Martin caught the recycled rubber bracelet bug when he wore them from 2008 to 2010 on his Viva La Vida Tour. He also had kiosks set up during the tour to sell the products. All the proceeds directly supported Made With Love.

The recycled rubber bracelets retail for a set of 18 at $28. They come in an array of different colors. You can purchase them on their web site or at these Connecticut retailers:

Capri, Fairfield
Suzie Creamcheese, Westport
Whyevernot, Mystic
Wish List, Greenwich

late summer and early fall at audubon greenwich

Audubon Greenwich ~ Nature Programs & Events:

FARM-TO-TABLE “PARTY IN THE BARN”

*** DATE CHANGED ~ NOW IN SEPTEMBER ~ SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS ***

A unique fundraising event showcasing local farms and seasonal harvests. Enjoy exquisite wines paired with small plates of farm-fresh goodness from organic and biodynamic farms. Evening will include wine education and an auction. Advance tickets required and limited. For tickets, contact Jeff at 203-869-5272  x239.

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Friday, August 5

Night Hike: In Search of Local Bats
7:30-9:00 pm

Join us for an indoor discussion about bats and the devastating white-nose syndrome (WNS) disease destroying thousands of these important members of the ecosystem. Learn what scientists are doing to find a cure and then hike outside to look and listen for local bats in the sanctuary. Ages 5 & up. RSVP required to Ted at 203-869-5272  x230.

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Saturday, August 6
Family Woodland and River Hike
3:00-4:30 pm

Hit the trails with an Audubon naturalist for a fun exploration of shady woodlands in mid-summer. All ages. Space limited. RSVP to Store at 203-869-5272  x221.

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Sunday, August 7
Nature Photography for All
10:00-11:30 am

Hike with Jeff Cordulack in search of great nature photos at Audubon Greenwich. The focus will be on flowers, insects and scenic photos. Ideal for learning basic composition and close-up (macro) photo techniques. All ages. $5/person. RSVP required to Jeff at 203-869-5272  x239.

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