CT Green Scene

Fukushima Update

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

Almost 3 months after the earthquake and tsunami that caused devastating damage in Japan, it seems that, in the US, it’s not a major concern anymore. That certainly should not be the case.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the situation at the plant is still serious. Radioactive contamination is still occurring both by being released into the air and with the outflow of water from the four damaged reactors.

According to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, Japan has now double the initial estimate of radioactive fallout and the government is evacuating to areas farther afield. The levels of radiation are nearing those reached in Chernobyl, the world’s largest nuclear disaster before this one. Chernobyl was thought to be more toxic because fires were involved, easily spreading the radioactive materials into the surrounding areas through the air. But the Fukushima disaster is now at severity level 7--the same level as Chernobyl.

Practical Green Remodeling, by CT Author Barry Katz

Long time Connecticut resident, (and occasional CT Green Scene contributor) Barry Katz, has just published an informative new book: PRACTICAL GREEN REMODELING: Down-to-Earth Solutions for Everyday Homes.

Published by Taunton Press, the book offers a compelling argument for remodeling green, guiding readers through process with over 200 color photographs of green remodeling projects from across the country.

What sets this book apart from the many how-to books on the subject is the author's emphasis on the "what to" and the "why to" of going green at home.

Asked what inspired him to write this book, Katz said, "I wanted not only to show readers what is possible, and often easy, to achieve in terms of creating energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and healthy living environments, but to provide a clear explanation of the complex and interconnected issues that make going green such a compelling choice for a growing number of people around the world."

Excerpts from the book can be found on the author's blog, The Future is Green. You can also follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FutureGreen

 

Bike your heart out

With the Tour de France well underway, a new study shows there are more benefits than detriments to urban cycling. True, cyclists breathe in more air pollutants and you run a much greater risk of dying in a traffic accident. But the health benefits of cardio-vascular exercise on a regular basis helps you live longer. Not to mention the fact that biking around town is better for the planet.

See an excerpt below from the news story reported in HealthDay via Yahoo News:

City Cycling Seems to Have More Upsides Than Down
Sun Jul 4, 11:47 pm ET

"The study found that cycling even for a short period of time in traffic can lead to significant exposure to components of car exhaust, such as tiny particles and soot, that may contribute to respiratory and heart problems. Because cyclists tend to breathe about twice as deeply as car drivers, they inhale larger amounts of air pollutants.

The researchers also calculated the risk of dying in a traffic accident as about four times greater per half-mile traveled for cyclists than for car drivers.But they determined that the health benefits for cyclists in The Netherlands were at least nine times greater than the hazards. By switching from driving to cycling, people would, on average, live three to 14 months longer because of increased physical activity. The risks they would face would be potentially losing 0.8 to 40 days of life because of increased exposure to air pollution and an average of five to nine days from a fatal traffic accident."

Click here to read more.

Image courtesy of Examiner.com.

The Greener Coast

by Courtney Dumais

Hello from San Francisco!  I arrived here in the Bay area a week ago and have been greatly surprised and impressed with the city’s eco-friendliness. San Francisco seems one step ahead of the green curve, encouraging conservation and passing laws to ensure the future sustainability of the city.

Immediately I noticed the crisp, clean air and, at a closer glance, saw electric buses, hybrid cars and compost bins. That’s right, compost bins. In addition to the trash and recycling bins, San Francisco residents also place a green compost bin at the end of their driveways.

These bins are only one of the city’s many initiatives to reduce its’ carbon footprint and become more sustainable. The San Francisco Department of the Environment and Commission on the Environment work together to develop programs and suggest policies to reduce wastes, toxic material and emissions as well as to improve air and water quality and to increase efficiency in transportation and energy use.

The Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, effective in October 2009, requires residents to separate trash, recyclables and compostables into respective bins. This ordinance is part of the city’s goal of diverting 75% of waste from landfills by 2010 and achieving zero waste by 2020.

Electric Bus

by Eileen Weber

Getting from Point A to Point B may be a little greener these days for some schools and universities. Hybrid buses are being used for transportation here in Connecticut and as far away as Wyoming.

According to IC Bus, an Illinois-based subsidiary of Navistar, Inc., the largest manufacturer of school buses in the country, the average school bus uses over 1,700 gallons of fuel annually. The average hybrid, however, uses less than half that at 600 gallons. The hybrid buses also reduce emissions up to 40%.

Here are some other amazing statistics IC Bus would like you to know: The daily fuel cost of transporting a child to school by private vehicle costs $3.68 while the same child taking the bus only costs 73 cents; One school bus has the capacity to take 36 cars off the road, with a total of 17.3 million cars every year; If 10% more children rode the bus, another 300 million gallons of fuel would be saved annually.

These quick, little facts may not pop into your head when you see a big yellow bus belching exhaust in front of you at the stoplight. But many school officials are seeing buses as a way to be greener and cleaner.

Julia Bond: Don't Sacrifice a Mountain for Your Electricity

Coal generates a whopping fifty-five percent of the electricity we use in the United States, and blasting the tops off mountains is the cheapest, fastest way to get it. Right now, the EPA is reviewing 79 new mountaintop removal coal mining permits, and 470 mountains have already been decapitated. If you don't want another mountain destroyed for the sake of your electricity, join renowned environmentalist Julia Bonds, profiled in National Geographic and Newsweek, for

Burning the Future: Dirty Coal From Cradle to Grave on Thursday, October 15th, 7:00 PM, at The Loomis Chaffee School Gilchrist Auditorium, Clark Center4 Batchelder Rd., Windsor, CT 06095. For more information call, 860-255-7663.

 

Cleaner Air? Plant A Tree

by Eileen Weber

A few weeks ago, we had a large maple tree taken down in our backyard. It was diseased and leaned a bit too precariously toward my neighbor’s roof line. Without it, our lawn, which is about the size of a snow shoe, does look a little bigger. And certainly, we have more sun. But I must admit, I miss it. I also have a twinge of guilt about removing a tree.

It’s a well-known fact that trees help keep our air clean. They absorb carbon dioxide and contaminants in the air. They emit clean oxygen for us to breathe. They shade us and keep us cool.

These strong points are not lost on many environmental groups who wish to plant more trees worldwide. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) launched their Billion Tree Campaign in which they hope to plant seven billion trees by the end of this year. They are well on their way so far with over four billion already planted.

According to a press release from the UNEP, groups around the world have committed themselves to planting more trees. The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture planted 687 million trees last year. In Turkey, government and non-governmental organizations as well as a number of civilians planted over 300 million trees in 2008.

Just this month, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reported that Pakistan set a world record by planting 541,176 young mangroves tree. They beat out neighboring India in a friendly competition to reforesting some sadly neglected areas.

Even in work-torn Iraq, there is a government group committed to planting new trees and fresh landscaping to guard against wind storms and desertification. According to a report from the Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network on July 22nd, the Water Resources Ministry has confirmed the plantings in approximately 500 acres of land in the regions of Babel, Najaf, Kut, Amarah, Anbar and Al-Azim. The plantings are meant to provide “efficient methods to reduce the impact of natural factors and raise of temperature” as well as preserving moisture in the soil.

Chemical Cocktail

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

The cleaning products we use in our homes contain pesticides, neurotoxins and other poisons that are giving us cancer, respiratory illness, ADHD and more. Pets and children are particularly sensitive, as their systems are still developing. And after they're finished wreaking havoc on us in our homes, they make their way to our water supply. Did you know that you can't just throw away your laundry detergent because it's considered HAZARDOUS WASTE?!

This news segment had my mouth gaping open.

Recession byproduct - a cut in emissions

But low level may hurt cap and trade program
The Boston Globe
March 11, 2009
By Beth Daley, Staff Writer

New figures being released today show the recession helped drive down global warming emissions from Northeast power plants last year to their lowest levels in at least nine years.

Northeast power plant emissions dropped about 9 percent last year from 2007, according to preliminary projections by Point Carbon, a consulting and research firm. The Norway-based company attributed the drop to the economic slowdown, combined with the fact that power plants are burning cleaner natural gas.

The drop in emissions may be good for the environment, but was not seen as reason for celebration. "What does this say about the state of the economy?" said Robert Rio, senior vice president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts "We could get 100 percent below the cap if we shut every business and moved them out of state."

The reduction in emissions came with another drawback: It has the unintended effect of delaying a longer-term and potentially more important effort to reduce greenhouse gases over the next decade.

Casinos Up In Smoke

by Eileen Weber

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced on February 9th that the two state casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, should be smoke-free by October 2011. This comes as good news for fans of fresh air. To casino owners, however, it is a death knell to their revenue base in a bad economy.

Gambling and smoking often go hand in hand. Casino owners fear that gamblers will go to another casino that doesn’t have a smoking ban, even if it means driving a longer distance. As a result, revenue is down and jobs are cut.

But there is little concern for the casinos’ cash base when personal well-being is in the spotlight. In a press release, Blumenthal made the statement that there is a common goal for a “complete ban on smoking because casinos shouldn't be gambling with public health.” He continued by saying, “The casinos are dealing workers and visitors a losing hand on cancer and tobacco addiction."

The ban will take affect later this year in a three-step phase that will end in the fall of 2011. "The casinos must be smoke-free,” said Blumenthal. “The ban must be total, even if the battle is tough. Short-term fixes and gimmicks like ventilation systems and segregated smoking areas simply prolong the problem.”

Conversations on Climate Change

by Eileen Weber

As part of Fairfield University’s Climate Change Week, a panel of political experts converged at the Barone Campus Center Thursday night. The main topic focused on greenhouse gas emissions and what Connecticut is doing to try to reduce it. The panelists represented the local, state, and national viewpoints on the subject.

Carbon emission is the main greenhouse gas that is affecting the environment. “Global politicians agree that climate change is a problem, but nobody can quite agree on how to go about it or how to gauge it,” said Professor Downie, Director of the Program on the Environment at Fairfield University who moderated the lecture.

To those who scoff at global warming, “The science is indisputable at this point,” said panelist Danielle Rosengarten, Counsel and Legal Assistant to Senator Joseph Lieberman.

She went on to say that Washington’s change in administration was a huge gain for climate change. But to panelist Robert Wall, of Energy Marketing Initiatives at the Rocky Hill-based Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), climate change is still the “800 pound gorilla” in the room.

A little more than six months ago, the global warming bill for this state was passed. Its ambitious goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% in 2020 and a whopping 80% by 2050. But with mass transit still under-utilized including a Waterbury-Hartford train line still in the planning stages, transportation, and its ensuing carbon emissions, is still an issue.

Wants vs. Needs: What's the Diff?

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

About once a year I have to work hard to fight off a hankrin' (yes, I lived in Ohio for 10 years) to make a  large purchase. One year it was a new house in the country, last year it was a new Mac and this year, a spankin new Prius.

Much to my dismay, I'm incredibly crafty when it comes to excuses as to why I NEED something, but like Sheryl Crow once said, "the trick is wanting what you have, not having what you want."

Now that I'm discovering the difference between necessity and desire and facing my somewhat tenuous financial circumstances, I must confess that my recent penchant for a hybrid is not being solely fueled by a desire to cut my personal carbon emissions. In fact, as the Editors of E Magazine point out, buying a new fuel-efficient car isn't always the greenest choice.

Field Test a MINI-E

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

I can't think of a better way to usher in the New Year than to be one of the 500 lucky ducks who will test drive a MINI-E for the next 365 days. And trust me, if I had a garage, OR $850 extra bucks a month OR more cash to upgrade my electric system, I'd do it in a heart beat.

So, those of you living in the NY/NJ metro area who meet the criteria, go for it. And don't forget where you read about it--hopefully it's worth you taking me for a spin!

Buyout Will Let Automakers off the (clean air) Hook!

Thanks to our friends at PACE for keeping us informed...

One of the most important issues concerning climate change is connected to the $34 billion bailout of the auto industry. You would think that giving them that much money should carry some conditions BUT one of most crucial ones is missing and that is to mandate the auto companies drop their lawsuits against three states of the thirteen (which includes Connecticut) who have passed a law (called "the Paveley Law") to adopt standards that would greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks.

So what can little ol' you DO? Thanks to the Law Offices of Matthew Pawa, it's as simple as filling in the blanks...

*NO PAVLEY-NO BAILOUT*!

Dear Congressman BLANK:

Thank you for telling the heads of General Motors, Chrysler and Ford last week that their lawsuits against state greenhouse gas laws are a "serious obstacle" to providing taxpayer loans to their companies. It is
now time to follow through on this statement. As a constituent, I am writing to demand that you */only /*vote "yes" on a Detroit bailout */IF/*the legislation includes a provision making clear that the federal
fuel economy law does not preempt the states' greenhouse gas laws.

I am outraged that Detroit may receive taxpayer money while continuing to push lawsuits against the states. These lawsuits seek to use the federal fuel economy law to strike down state greenhouse gas laws. Sixteen states have adopted or are in the process of adopting the "Pavley regulations," which would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. Half the nation's population lives in these sixteen states. The Pavley law is a vital step in the fight to reduce the U.S. contribution to global warming. And since GM, Chrysler and Ford have now said repeatedly that rescuing their businesses requires that they significantly improve fuel economy, then under the logic of their own lawsuits in which they argue that fuel economy improvements are the same thing as reductions in greenhouse gases, the Pavley law is good for Detroit and its workers, too.

As your constituent, I am fully expecting you to stand up and fight on global warming. While there are many good reasons to avoid the collapse of a major company at this moment of economic peril, it is unfathomable to me how Congress could fail to grasp this moment by requiring a simple act of good corporate citizenship as a condition of any bailout, i.e., no lawsuits against the states. I am expecting you to vote "NO" on any Detroit bailout that fails to protect our planet by stamping out the GM-Chrysler lawsuits against the states. Any "YES" vote MUST include a "Save Pavley" provision.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Keep reading for who to contact in your area...

Beware of Nukes!

PACE is a GREAT organization to get involved in Connecticut and a wonderful resource, should you have questions and/or want to organize an effort in your neighborhood!

Hats Off to Connecticut's Grassroots

People in the towns of Milford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Middletown, Montville and Norwalk are breathing easier thanks to a grassroots group, the Toxics Action Center, who stood up and demanded cleaner air when they found out that 97 percent of Connecticut residents were breathing "seriously unhealthy air".

According to an article in the Stratford Star, loop holes in the Clean Air Act allowed thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide to spew into the air. Today, the five plants have decreased their emissions between 72 and 99 percent.

 

Social Media at Its Finest

I felt a bit like a little kid before Christmas this week, as I conjured up the idea that a Tesla Roadster would be fun to have at a special event we're having at Windermere on the Lake on November 20th (yes, mark your calendars).

The 100 percent electric sports car goes 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds and over 200 miles on a single charge-which comes from a 220 v plugin.

A two-seater and priced at $100,000, it's well beyond my means, but some people in this area may be able to do the planet a favor and trade in their HUMMMER for one.

Well, I wasn't able to get a Roadster for the event...we're getting TWO...one for display and one to test drive around the Windermere Eco-Village grounds!

So how did I do it? Using social media, networking and groupsites. People from around the U.S. wrote back and gave me connections that I followed until I got an inside connection to Telsa Corporate.

It's amazing how connected we all really are, and what you can turn up if you only ask!

Connecticut's Clean School Bus Project Gets More Money

by Eileen Weber

School is in full swing and that means so are all the school buses. They’re big. They’re bulky. They belch exhaust. So, what’s an environmentally-conscious parent to do?

In a press release from the EPA, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) was awarded close to $500,000 for their Clean School Bus project. This initiative specifically targets school buses and the exhaust these buses create. Each year since its inception in 2006, money has been allotted for school districts across the state to retro-fit or to replace their buses as needed to lower diesel emissions.

Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of the EPA’s New England Office, was quoted as saying, “Fleet by fleet, we are helping to provide cleaner air for our children.”

That's great, but what could be better? Electric buses that emit NO fumes, particulate, or carbon! Zfleet is a Connecticut-based company that's developing electric bus technology.

Not surprisingly, exhaust fumes have been cited as a major irritant for asthmatics. In fact, even those who do not have the disease have exhibited asthmatic symptoms from long-term exposure to the fumes. And unfortunately, children are the biggest victims—especially in urban areas where exhaust fumes are at their worst. Major cities like Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford see the worst cases from inner-city kids.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the asthma rate in the U.S. has risen over the past 15 years. They estimate that more than 15 million people suffer from it today. Some of the highest asthma rates in the nation are in the Northeast.

CT DEP plans to use that portion of the grant funded by the EPA to equip school buses with technology meant to better control pollution. The funds will also be used as an incentive for schools that have not already made strides to improve their bus system.

Every little bit counts. Perhaps with a little time and some added patience, there just may be cleaner air for our children yet. 

No Emission Lawn Mower--Powered by the Sun

Right out of some high society sci-fi movie, this solar-powered lawn mower, made by Husqvarna, is a home owners' dream! No carbon emissions to feel guilty about, and it's powered by the sun and automatic--so you can sit back and relax as this gadget does the work for you.

That's a good thing, too, since this article from the Associated Press found that: "The air in hundreds (345 to be exact) of U.S. counties is simply too dirty to breathe, the government said Wednesday, ordering a multibillion-dollar expansion of efforts to clean up smog in cities and towns nationwide."

So where can you get one of these magic lawn buddies? Butler Power in CT can help!

Fake Trees that Generate Energy?

Trees are experts at converting the sun into energy, and the people at Solar Botanic Energy Systems have come up with a way to create artificial trees in order to harness the power of the sun and wind. With the use of nanotechnology, the twenty different species of trees that Solar Botanic Energy creates will create energy much the same way that regular trees do. Due to the combination of photovoltaic and thermovoltaic in the nanoleaves, they are able to convert light and heat into energy. Almost all of the light from the sun will be absorbed, except for the green light, and the leaves will also absorb the infrared wave, or radiation, even hours after the sun has set.

To fully integrate all the aspects of a tree, Solar Botanic Energy has also infused the twigs and branches with nano piezo-electric elements. These elements detect the stresses on the twigs and branches whenever the leaves flap in the wind or rain. Every time they flap, the nano piezo-electric elements will produce thousands of picowatts of energy. The stronger the wind, the more energy the tree can produce.

Solar Botanic Energy has decided to start plant their first palm tree in the Middle East. This palm tree should produce 5000 kilowatts hours per year. The company has already begun offering these trees to the government. The lifespan of these trees are about 30 years. Not only does it offer cheaper electricity alternatives, it also offers the same benefits as regular trees from shade to windbreaking and cooling. Solar Botanic Energy offers low installation costs and there is also governmental grants available for the planting of the trees.

Learn more at the Solar Botanic Energy System site.

350: The Magic Number

Ticking Off the Ice Cream Truck Man

I was at the park today with my kids when a diesel ice cream truck pulled in. The man, in his fifties, kept the fifteen year old truck spewing smoke as he passed out frozen treats packed with artificial colors and flavors and enough preservatives to outlive the kids who ate them.

I stood by silently, my  young ones knowing better than to ask, since for the past four years their mommy claims not to have any money, or rambles on about how unhealthy that ice cream is, convincing them to go to the New Morning to pick up some organic, lactose-free, all natural, frozen desserts.

Then it hit me: this must have been what the first proponents of banning second hand smoke must have felt like. Unsure, insecure, timid. I marched up to the truck and asked if he'd be staying long. "Nope."
"Good, I replied, because we can smell your truck all the way across the park."  "If you're so worried about it, why didn't you walk instead of drive here?" he spat back.

Tonight, I'll dream of electric powered ice cream trucks that sell organic, healthy frozen treats on sultry summer days.

Momentum Builds for Bike-Friendly Union Station

Via Design New Haven

The New Haven Register reports today that the city has received a $10,000 grant to improve bicycle access at Union Station, and also has submitted a federal funding request for $145,000 for on-street dedicated and shared bike lanes connecting Union Station to Downtown New Haven and neighborhoods to the south and north of the city, which themselves have bike routes planned to connect with other sections of New Haven. The funding requests and grants also contain provisions for improved bike storage (with something like the photo at left, from a small Swedish train station, as the eventual goal in terms of encouraging use). More specifics on a proposed route can be found in the article:

"The bike lane, signage and striping would take place along Orange and Humphrey streets, Whitney Avenue, Temple, George, Church and Crown streets and Union, Howard and Columbus avenues with $15,900 for bike racks and covered parking at the rail station."

Improved bicycle routes and parking at Union Station would not only provide improved efficiency for commuters, but would also potentially have a major impact on the city's economic development, public health and traffic safety, as bicycle lanes also tend to calm traffic, promote walkability, raise real estate values, increase bicycling use, help citizens save millions of dollars per year in commuting costs, and promote local retail districts. They could also have an impact on suburban areas, by making the land near train stations on Metro North, Shoreline East and the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line more valuable.

Of course, to be truly effective and enable the majority of city residents to feel comfortable commuting via bicycle, designated bike routes must also be combined with traffic calming treatments that reduce vehicle speeds and create safer intersections. As the number of cyclists in Downtown New Haven continues to grow, transit ridership increases, and the potential citywide economic benefits of improved traffic safety are more widely understood, the political will for implementing these types of strategies -- which have been in use for decades in many other cities and countries -- will hopefully increase.

WTNH-8 also ran a video news segment on this story, with great images of overflowing bike racks at the train station and footage of Elm City Cycling's recent "Bike to Work Day/BTW Breakfast." Also see separate WTNH news coverage here. The $10,000 grant application was made possible based on the city's recent application to LAB for designation as a bicycle-friendly community. Click here for a thread summarizing previous DNH coverage of bicycle access on trains and at Union Station.

83 Trees Cut Down to Make Better View for Billboard

Via The Green Vibration

Action is needed to protect trees in our very own state! We need to stop companies like LAMAR not only littering our landscapes but destroying our trees to achieve their goals. Send letters of support to Blumenthal and please visit www.scenic.org to send a letter to Jodi Rell stating your support of her bill to ban new billboard contracts in CT, including digital billboards.

Article Written By
BY ROBYN ADAMS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WATERBURY-- Nancy Voghel grew up on a "little piece of heaven," but she said Friday that the land near her childhood home has been destroyed.

Last year, Lamar Advertising of Hartford got a permit from the state Department of Transportation to trim and remove undesirable growth on state land off Sidney Street to increase the visibility of one of its billboards.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal filed a lawsuit against the billboard company and Long Hill Tree and Lawn Care Services of East Hartford for cutting down 83 trees that included birch, maple, oak and white pine that were between 85 and 200 years old. Long Hill Tree was hired by Lamar to do the work.

Hal Kilshaw, vice president of governmental relations for Lamar, headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., said the attorney general got it wrong.

"We got permission from the landowner and a permit from the state. We hired Long Hill and met with the state's landscape person, who was on site and agreed to everything that was cut," Kilshaw said in a telephone interview.

Many of the trees that were planted on the land in question were planted by Margaret Casey's grandfather.

"In less than one day, less than an hour, Lamar Advertising came in and changed our lifestyle," said Casey, of 56 Sidney St. "The noise -- we cannot open the windows anymore. We cannot hear the television because of the noise. It is unbearable."

The trees provided a buffer to highway traffic and noise, and soaked up water that spilled down the hilly terrain.

"Last year, I had five feet of water in my basement," said Jerod Voghel, 30, who is Karen Voghel's son. He bought the house that his mother grew up in four years ago; she now lives in Wolcott.

With the open swath of land in the background, Blumenthal and Rep. Selim Noujaim, R-75th District, talked to residents about the lawsuit.

Blumenthal said Lamar "clearly and disgracefully broke the law" by cutting 83 trees that provided a buffer to I-84. The state is suing for unspecified monetary damages to replace the trees.

Cycling Activity vs. National Gas Prices

Thanks to Design New Haven  and Mark Abraham for this post!

Looks like the number of posts per day on the ElmCityCycling listserv, a forum for making New Haven more accommodating to bicyclists and pedestrians, is highly correlated with the national price of unleaded gasoline (click on chart to enlarge). Who would have thought?

With gasoline predicted to hit $6-10 per gallon as soon as a few months from now, the number of nonmotorized trips to work in New Haven is only likely to continue to increase. As a relatively flat and compact city, Downtown New Haven is already perfect for bicycling and walking, as evidenced by the fact that the city has one of the highest percentages of bicycle commuters in the United States (1.8%, versus 1.2% in Boston, 0.9% in Providence, 0.6% in New York City, 0.4% in Hartford, 0.1% in Bridgeport and 0.0% in Waterbury, according to the Census Bureau's 2006 ACS). During rush hour, there are already occasional bicycle "traffic jams" on the popular Orange Street bicycle lane. New Haven was also recently named one of the 20 most walkable cities in the United States.

However, improvements to the city's bicycle-friendliness are needed before the average area resident will choose to ride to work, or even use his or her bicycle for short trips (e.g., a 4-block run to the corner store). Considering that bicycles are already widely-owned (and very inexpensive), the most frequently given reasons why Connecticut residents don't bicycle more often - infrastructure and safety - are fairly easy to solve. According to numerous studies, infrastructure such as bicycle parking, bike-friendly street design, multi-use greenways like the Farmington Canal Trail and accessibility at train stations raise land values by an amount much greater than the investment put into them (in part because they tend to calm traffic). Reckless and high-speed driving and driver education can be addressed through community-wide efforts and traffic enforcement, and through measures such as anti-dooring ordinances like those found in Chicago.

Healthy Air Initiative: Own Your Air

To protect the public from the “invisible menace” of ozone poisoning this summer, the American Lung Association of New England (ALANE) is calling for more stringent air quality standards. Today, the organization announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines released earlier this spring will not adequately safeguard public health.

Last year, New England recorded 54 days of high ozone levels according to EPA standards. If the recommended tighter standards had been in place, a staggering 98 days would have qualified as unhealthy.

“The public is not being protected adequately by current air standards,” said Jeff Seyler, CEO of ALANE, “The EPA went against its own scientists in setting standards. Current measures fall short of what is necessary to ensure public safety.”

The ALANE recommends that people limit outdoor activity during unhealthy days. Reducing strenuous exercise, or exercising in the early morning or evening, can reduce exposure to ozone. People can sign up for unhealthy air alerts at www.OwnYourAir.org.

WAHOO! New Train Line Coming to Fairfield County!

But will it work? Will people give up their cars? What do you think?

Via Danbury NewsTimes

THUMBS UP to the progress being made in establishing a commuter bus route between New Fairfield and the Southeast, N.Y., train station. The Connecticut Department of Transportation and the New York Department of Transportation have agreed to share the $300,000 annual subsidy needed to operate the service. It will be operated by Housatonic Area Regional Transit. The goal is to get the buses on the road in October, but first a parking lot for commuters must be developed in New Fairfield. The commuters who buy tickets to use this service will save parking and fuel costs. By funding it, both states will ease traffic congestion on their roads.

Look Out, Here We Come

"Congress may be in recess, but the climate change movement is in full gear," said Gillian Caldwell, Campaign Director for 1Sky. "As a nation, we've never shied away from a challenge, and climate change is one of the greatest challenges we've ever faced. But it's also a tremendous opportunity for us to benefit from a sustainable economy and ensure our national security by embracing energy independence."

At each district office, supporters are presenting their Congressperson with copies of the 1Sky policy platform, which calls for the U.S to: (1) Conserve 20% of our energy by 2015, creating 5 million new green jobs focused on climate solutions and energy efficiency ; (2) reduce global warming pollution at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 80% below 1990 levels by 2050; and (3) impose a moratorium on new coal plants and end fossil fuel dependence through strong standards and incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Chemicals in Scented Candles

EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: I just read an article that said air fresheners contain chemicals that can cause health problems when inhaled. Are scented candles any better?

        -- Leanne Chacksfield, Cincinnati, OH

Like most air fresheners, many scented candles contain and release phthalates, potentially harmful chemicals that have been linked to the disruption of hormonal systems and other health problems in people exposed to them. Burning candles can also emit small amounts of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and naphthalene, organic chemicals that are also potentially harmful and that can leave nasty black soot deposits on floors and other surfaces.

According to Pamela Lundquist of the nonprofit Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC), this black soot deposit “is primarily made up of elemental carbon, but may also contain phthalates and volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene, which can cause cancer and neurological damage.”

Electric Cars? Cooler than You Think!

Imagine turning the key in the ignition and not hearing a sound? Or zipping around town on errands and not emitting ANY carbon! That's what it's like when driving an electric vehicle (EV). GEM (Global Electric Motorcars) are available for sale here in Connecticut for around $8,000 and they plug right into an outlet. If you're signed up for Clean Energy Options, you'll feel great about using this to run around doing errands.

The feel of the interior is similar to a VW beetle, with large windows, a sun roof and lots of light. The gas and break pedals are the same as any other car, but the noise--or lack of--is what I found most amazing.

The GEM I drove tops out at 25 mph, but is a perfect alternative to my other cars when doing errands or traveling short distances. The only hang up...while GEMS are street legal in all 50 states, you can't register them in Connecticut. Go figure. The one I drove was owned by EV proponent, John Papa. His property in New York state allows him to register his vehicle there. "It's great as a second vehicle to use instead of a SUV. The guys at the gas station love it when I drive by," Papa says.

Let's hope the guys who own the automobile industry feel the same way.

Come test drive one for yourself at the March 12th Fairfield County GreenDrinks event at iPark in Norwalk!

Coffee to Go?

Committed to reducing their carbon footprint, bicyclists meet at JoJo’s Coffee Shop at 22 Pratt St. in Hartford on the last Friday between January and March before pedaling to work. And with the bike racks on the front of Hartford buses, they can hop a bus if the chill gets to be too much.

Commissioner Gina McCarthy says, “What could be crazier than a New Englander riding their bike to work in the cold, winter months? Not much. For an exhilarating, healthy adventure, join other bicyclists who share your enthusiasm, and have a great time meeting for coffee after your ride. I’ll meet up with you again in the spring.” 

The Capitol Region Ice-Bike to Work program is sponsored by Hartford-based law firm Murtha Cullina LLP, and encourages commuters to leave their cars at home and cycle to work to help to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Commuters save money on fuel and enjoy health benefits.

I say HAT'S OFF to those committed, just like this guy I saw pedaling around my neighborhood last summer.

Contact:
The Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

An Act Concerning Clean Cars?

Starting in 2009, every new car sold in Connecticut will feature a sticker on the window that lets consumers know how much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a particular car releases into the atmosphere.

According to the article in The Town Times, "Under the new law, a label must be affixed to vehicles detailing the vehicle's greenhouse gas score, its score as compared to others of the same make and year, and the average score for vehicles within the same class. This will begin October 1, 2007.

The Environmental Protection Agency rates cars on a scale of zero to 10, where a score of 10 represents the lowest amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted. The score is determined by the vehicle's estimated fuel economy and its fuel type." By 2009, no cars will be able to be sold without the sticker.

To fund the program, Connecticut is adding $5 to the price of every new car registration. While it's a step in the right direction to educate the masses that may not make a connection between the car they drive and the air we breathe (admittedly, I was among them not long ago), I would rather see the five bucks put into bringing the electric car back.

Kids Campaign: If You're Stopped for More Than 10 Seconds...

Alex Scaperotta and Jordan Reichgut noticed that many people in the school pick up lines idle their cars.  They learned through research that unnecessary idling wastes gasoline and releases CO² into the atmosphere, which accelerates global warming.  They thought that a good place to start would be to get parents of Cider Mill School students to commit to not idling their car in the pick up line or anywhere else. Their message is simple:  IF YOU IDLE YOUR CAR FOR TEN SECONDS OR MORE, YOU ARE USING MORE GAS THAN TURNING YOUR CAR OFF AND ON.  In addition, they learned that idling is unnecessary to “warm up” your car (the best way to warm it up is to drive it) and idling is in fact harmful to engines – causing more gasoline residue to build up in the engines, exhaust system rusting, and more.

Paul Newman's Got Mojo

Last week I sat minding my own business at an outside table at my favorite cafe, enjoying a perfectly brewed cup of shade-grown, organic coffee, when a delivery truck pulled up and the driver jumped out and left his truck spewing diesel particulants into the air and my coffee.

Later that afternoon, I visited Paul Newman's Westport restaurant, The Dressing Room, and I was giddy to see a sign posted near the delivery entrance that read, "Turn Engines Off. No Idling. No Exceptions."

Trust me, I do my best to keep CTGreenScene posts as objective as possible, because after all, this sort of needless polluting may not bother everyone the way it does me. But I'll bet even the most tolerant sort may think twice after learning that the EPA's a national idling program showed that:

Annually, over 1 billion gallons of diesel fuel is consumed from idling; and 11 million tons of carbon dioxide, 200,000 tons of oxides of nitrogen, and 5,000 tons of particulate matter is emitted.

Bike Racks on CT Buses

Today, Governor Rell announced the installation of bicycle racks on 100 buses serving the Greater Hartford area.  The project was undertaken by the Federal Transit Administration, Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), CTTRANSIT, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance (CCBA) and Capital Region Council of Governments.

"Last year, the bike racks on buses in New Haven and Stamford were used more than 27,000 times, and use is up again in 2007," Governor Rell said.  "Clearly, people are enjoying the convenience that the racks offer.  Adding racks to buses in the greater Hartford area will continue our progress in getting single occupant vehicles off the roads.

Connecticut Small Business Assistance Program

Small businesses in Connecticut may turn to this program for help in meeting state and U.S. federal air pollution control regulations. The program includes an ombudsman component that represents the small business community, and a technical assistance division, which is designed to help small businesses meet the requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act. The program sponsors seminars and conferences, develops fact sheets on new regulations, and offers a technical assistance hotline. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees are eligible for assistance. Source: GreenBiz.com

Biodiesel in our Backyard!

One of the best things about this blog has been all of the inspirational people, organizations, and businesses who have reached out and contacted us to let us know what they're up to. One such serendipitous phone call led us to a wondrous discovery.

You may or may not know about our fascination with Biodiesel, but even if you haven't been following CTGreenScene, the title of this post probably gives you a hint. Certain we'd have to wait while the plant near Hartford is being constructed to get a taste of the ecofriendly fuel, a little birdie in the Connecticut transportation industry told us about BioPur, born out of a local goat farmers garage and now producing 400,000 gallons of pure Biodiesel every year. Thankfully, they've been so successful they plan to double production in the next year.

Anyone out there want to take on getting the school buses in Connecticut to switch over?

Norwich Area Global Warming Action Group

The Norwich Area Global Warming Action Group (NAGWA) is a group of local citizens that is educating themselves and the Norwich-area community about global warming and ways which we can all do our small, or large, part to reduce the causes of global warming. After our summer break, NAGWAG will resume meeting at 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month at Park Church in Norwich (across from NFA). The next meeting will be held Sept. 25 -- all are invited. And it seems that these folks have a penchant for car racing--hybrid style that is. Earlier this summer they sponsored the area's first hybrid car race, and the winner got over 75 miles to the gallon.

Kudos for Clean Energy

Each green dot on the map to the left represents a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund community--nearly 75 percent of communities in the state. Thanks to all of you out there who have helped spread the word and convince your towns to bring clean energy to Connecticut. From Lise Dondy and her work as President of the Connecitcut Clean Energy Fund to father, middle school teacher, and Portland Connecicut resident Andy Bauer--the citizens of Connecticut are making a difference!

Lise Dondy says, "In addition to community-based initiatives designed to create awareness and demand for clean energy, 244 clean energy systems - including fuel cell, solar photovoltaic, biomass and advanced hydro systems - have been installed or are under way. These will provide the energy equivalent of electricity for 70,000 homes. These clean energy systems include: 36 commercial installations (27 solar, 6 fuel cell, 3 biomass), 8 demonstration projects and 200 residential solar photovoltaic systems, 100 of which are installed and 100 which are in process.

Source: Connecticut Innovations

Truly Green Transportation

I was driving home from the store the other day and saw a man riding his bike with a tee-shirt that read " ONE LESS CAR". It reminded me that hybrids have nothing on this nearly two-hundred-year-old mode of transportation.

But thanks to an organization called the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance (CCBA),the Greater Hartford area is starting to see more people commuting into the city by bikes and leaving their cars at home. The program, called “Bike to Work,” continues to grow and the organization is looking to take it to the next level by promoting construction of bike lanes, greenways and bicycle friendly roads. The CCBA plans different activities each month, such as a breakfast in downtown Hartford, for bicycle commuters to socialize and share their ideas. In addition, the organization offers “Bike Buddies” that can answer questions about how to make a bike commute-ready, routes to take, and how to safely ride in traffic. “Bike Buddies” can even accompany commuters on a ride. The idea is to educate people that riding a bike to work is healthy and that it can be safe. Source: TreeHugger

Connecitut College Is Exploring Wind

Last spring Connecticut College committed to purchasing green power. After seven months of buying green power for 50% of its total usage, the campus is now considering the next logical step--producing green energy. The college has begun a two-phase process that could bring wind power to this small Connecticut liberal arts school.

"In Phase 1, which began Sept. 18, GEC will determine the amount of wind available on campus and indicate what size of turbine, if any, is practical. Phase 2 will examine the regulatory, economic, engineering, environmental and aesthetic issues associated with such a project." Source: Connecitcut College

A Green Wedding Gift

Many young couples are concerned about climate change.  Davie and Tiffany Foley, a newly wedded couple received an unusual wedding gift from their relatives--this forest in Costa Rica designed to balance their carbon emissions for the next 25 years.

CO2 is responsible for climate change and global warming. The average annual per capita CO2 emission of each U.S. citizen was 23.5 metric tonnes in 2004, up 18% since 1990.  A couple who does not take measures to reduce their emissions is thus responsible for 47 tonnes each year.

In addition to buying hybrid cars, installing solar panels, switching over to clean energy, and reducing our use of electricity, another option for managing CO2 emissions is to sponsor a carbon-offset forest.  Working with farmers to reforest pastures in 25-year contracts, programs like Reforest the Tropics manage new forests to produce wood for farmer income and to sequester CO2 on behalf of U.S. emitters.

Don't Forget There's Someone In There

The exposure of pregnant women to air pollution can increase their risk of having low-birth-weight infants, according to a Yale study.

Researchers at the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) and School of Medicine found that the higher the level of exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), the greater the risk of having lower-weight infants.

The researchers investigated the exposure of pregnant women for 358,504 births from 1999 to 2002 in 15 Connecticut and Massachusetts counties.

Read on if you like, but before you get too depressed...do OneThing and feel good about taking a step toward a solution.

Measure Your Footprint

According to the Connecticut Climate Change website, "Your carbon footprint is a representation of the effect you, or your organization, have on the climate in terms of the total amount of greenhouse gases you produce (measured in units of carbon dioxide). Many of your actions generate carbon emissions, which contribute to accelerating global warming and climate change. By measuring your carbon footprint through such tools as the Safe Climate Carbon Calculator, you can get a better sense of what your individual impact is and which parts of your lifestyle deserve the greatest attention. Armed with such information you can more readily take effective action to shrink your carbon footprint, thereby minimizing your personal impact on the climate."

Climate Change in Connecticut

Visit the CT Climate Action Change Steering Commitee's website whose mission is to deal with climate change in Connecticut by decreasing statewide carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2010 and going 10 percent lower than that by 2020. You can also read the state's 2005 Climate Action Plan that outlines 55 actions to fight global warming.

BioDiesel in Connecticut

Lots of people have been inquiring about buying biodiesel in Connecticut, and boy am I glad I'm not the only one looking for it! The Connecticut Waste Oil List, formerly the Connecticut Biodiesel Co-op, offers information for the adventurous Do-It-Yourselfer who wants to make their own.

For those willing and able to pay more for convenience, Greenleaf Biofuels in Guilford, Connecticut, will deliver 55 gallon drums for $3.49 per gallon. Greenleaf also sells personal filling stations priced between $275 (manual) - $675 (complete with an electric pump). For more options, visit the National Biodiesel Board, which lists the contact information for over a dozen biodiesel distributors around the state; and please share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences making, purchasing or using biodiesel.

Balancing Your School's CO2 Emissions

By Dr. Herster Barres

Reforest The Tropics, Inc. (RTT) is a CT-based non-profit organization that works with schools to teach students about climate change.  The approach to learning involves teaching students the somewhat grim realities of climate change, but offers practical steps that students can take to feel a part of the solution.

There are four basic ways to deal with global warming: energy efficiency, energy conservation, new sources of clean energy, and sequestration of CO2--which is accomplished by trees that hold units of CO2 until they are cut down or die.  Working in the area of sequestration, Reforest the Tropics has developed a working model of the long-term sequestration of US CO2 emissions in sustainable tree-farm forests located in Costa Rica, where year-round temperatures are best for growing healthy trees.

As a part of the program, all participating schools receive science or math instruction with RTT staff or a local environmental group to achieve the following:

1)  Learn how to calculate the CO2 emissions of your school and home in order to track our success in reducing these emissions.  Student can do an in-class exercise each year to up-date their school's inventory.

2)  Sponsor a forest on a farm in Costa Rica, a forest dedicated to offsetting 25 or more tonnes of CO2 each year in a long-term contract with the farmer.  You can track the growth and sequestration in this forest through data and pictures taken by the RTT forester in Costa Rica and sent to your school's
e-mail address.

For more information, visit reforestthetropics.org or contact hbarres@aol.com in Mystic, CT.

Large Scale Bio-diesel Production in CT

I recently stopped by to fill my car up at Global off of exit 8 on 84W and thought I'd see what would happen if I asked the cashier when we could expect bio-diesel. She looked at me like I had three heads, and then a guy behind me said, "I don't think we have any of that stuff here in Connecticut."

Maybe I'll stop by the White House next week and ask when we can expect World Peace.

From the Hartford Courant July 20, 2007

By Lynn Doan

SUFFIELD - A bio-diesel company is looking to build the state's first large-scale bio-diesel production facility on an 18-acre plot at the end of Firestone Drive.

Representatives from CT Biodiesel, a Hartford-based renewable fuel company, came before the board of selectmen Wednesday with plans for a 25,000-square-foot building, in which soybean and canola oil would be transformed into 50 million gallons of bio-diesel a year. Bio-diesel is currently produced in Connecticut on a much smaller scale, with UConn's Biofuels Consortium producing 50 gallons a week out of restaurant waste oil for the university's vehicles.

Love That New Car Smell?

So we all know about the pollutants that spew from our exhaust pipes, but what about the adhesives, plastics, rubbers, and other materials that make up our vehicle interior and off-gass into the air we breathe? And if you're like me and hit the recycle button on the highway to avoid diesel fumes--eek!

Off-gassing is the release of volatile or hazardous chemicals from a material or product into the air. The process can take place over months or even years, and given that the interior of a car is a small and enclosed, toxic interiors are of particular concern. Some of the chemicals that are present in our cars are lead, bromine, and PVC and Phthalates, which are endocrine inhibitors. These same materials are used for infant, toddler and booster seats.

The Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, MI has a useful website, www.healthycar.org, that rates most recent models of cars and car seats according to their level of toxicity.

Carbon Neutral and Guilt-Free

By Heather Burns-DeMelo

A few weeks ago I read an article in the Danbury News Times about a man named Dr. Herster Barres whose program, Reforest the Tropics, partners with farmers in Costa Rica to plant and manage trees in order to offset personal and corporate CO2 emissions.

While working for the United Nations and as Director of the applied research program, Reforest the Tropics, Dr. Barres has studied the fastest growing and best carbon-gulping tree species in order to sequestor 25 tons of CO2 per year, per 2.5 acres. To date, 54 New England emitters have sponsored 263 acres of new forests in Costa Rica.

Carbon offsets are a hot topic these days, especially with corporations frantically trying to "green" their image. Credit companies like GE are offering card holders the opportunity to purchase carbon offsets, but as this Yahoo! article points out, the carbon offset market isn't regulated, so there's no way to be certain if your carbon is truly being offset. That is, of course, unless you purchase your credits from Reforest the Tropics, where a real person answers your questions, addresses your concerns, and they work hard to keep each sponsor in touch with their forests.