CT Green Scene

The Spring Cleaning Arsenal

by Brittany Shutts

Household cleaning products are often more dangerous than the microbial adversaries they were designed to kill. Indoor air pollution can reach levels between two and one hundred times the level of the pollution outdoors. A study from New Scientist in 1999 shows that mothers in households that regularly used aerosol sprays and air fresheners had 25% more headaches and experienced a 19% higher incidence of depression. The infants in the study suffered from 30% more ear infections and 22% higher rates of diarrhea.

With that in mind, finding the right products to clean your home may seem a daunting task. We discussed this topic in a previous article on this site. Increasingly, there are products on the market that offer a more natural and non-toxic way to clean.

The labels on cleaning products aren’t required by law to disclose more than the active ingredients, and the word “natural” can be misleading. Seventh Generation is one company that has nothing to hide. They have a policy of disclosing the ingredients on the label of their products. For many other products, the Material Safety Data Sheets are a valuable reference for comparing ingredients. Click here to access the database.

Chemical-free cleaning doesn’t have to be complicated, though. The simplest means to clean your home are probably already in your kitchen. They are safe for you, for children, for pets, and the environment. Some of the basics include white vinegar, baking soda, and liquid soap or detergent. By using these simple components, you can ensure that you know exactly what is on the tip of your sponge without expending your energy scouring labels instead of kitchen sinks.

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.

Holistic House: The Latest Sustainable Blog

By Eileen Weber

Trudy Dujardin was green long before the color described more than just your front lawn. She built her design business in 1982. By 1987, she saw the need for an environmentally friendly approach. She now refers to her designs as “eco-elegance.”

Dujardin, President and Founder of Dujardin Design Associates with offices in Westport and Nantucket, has been quoted as saying that a healthy home is the ultimate luxury. But when asked why she feels that way, she was almost a little stumped. She has been living and breathing the green industry for so long that, for her, it would be one “big goof” to have a home that wasn’t healthy.

“Why would you want anything toxic near your family?” she countered. “A home can be beautiful and it can be healthy. How luxurious is it if you’re smelling off-gasses?”

A Green Guide to Thanksgiving

by Chitra Esther Chelladurai

The holiday season seems to go by pretty quickly preparing for one after another. With all the planning, cooking, and cleaning, the last thing you want to think about is how to save mother earth in the process of it, right? With Thanksgiving coming up this is the perfect time to reflect and reassess your holiday preparations!

For most families, tradition sets the precedent for future Thanksgiving meals and a simple phone call, email, text, or even a hand-letter invitation on recycled paper can easily confirm the details. Whatever mode of communication you choose, it’s will be a much better way of making sure if any of your guests have special food needs. For example, if they are vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, or even have food allergies. Simple questions like these asked at least two weeks ahead of time can save you a world of last-minute headaches.

Kitchen Confidential

by Eileen Weber

I hear the aching crack as the wood slats are torn from their sockets, like the gaping maw of a pulled tooth. As the remnants hit the inside of the metal dumpster, there is a deep thud sounding much like a low moan from the weight of it. The waste piles up, day after day. I feel an inner cringe…

That’s just a little taste of what it’s like to have your kitchen renovated. While I’m pleased with the final result, I’m wondering if the end justifies the means. Every day, more junk got thrown into that dumpster than I would like to admit. The final resting place would, of course, be a landfill. And there it will sit. And sit. And sit.

I take some comfort in the fact that I had my fir flooring salvaged. (Joe DeRisi from Hamden’s Urbanminers helped me out. I had written an article about him previously on this site and I knew he did what he called “deconstruction.”) I also used Green Demolitions to remove the old cabinetry and appliances. The donation will be a tax write-off.

Kimberly-Clark goes tubeless

Who doesn't enjoy a good roll of toilet paper? Kimberly-Clark's Scott Naturals hopes you will enjoy their new tubeless rolls. In what some are calling a much-delayed foray into the eco-friendly market, the company is launching this as a means to reduce waste. They will be testing the tubeless rolls here in the Northeast in chain stores like WalMart. See the excerpt below.

Roll with it: Scott's tube-free toilet paper
by Matt Hickman
Thu, Oct 28 2010 at 9:46 AM EST

"USA Today is reporting that on Monday at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across the Northeast, Kimberly-Clark will introduce tube-free loo rolls through the Scott Naturals brand.

The "tube-less technology” behind the toilet paper is, not surprisingly, hush-hush. While the holes in the rolls may not be as round as we're accustomed to, they will fit over standard spindles and every last square of toilet paper will be useable. And to be clear, the toilet paper will not boast recycled content. But hey, it’s a start.

If the product performs well during the test run at Walmart and Sam’s Club, Kimberly-Clark may unleash tube-less toilet paper on a national — or even global scale — and extend the technology to paper towels."

To read more, click here.

Image courtesy of Kimberly-Clark.

Lighthouse to Benefit from Massive Liquidation of Obsidium Antiques

This Friday October 29th through Sunday, October 31st  from 9 a.m – 5 p.m. each day, Beacon Preservation, Inc. (BPI) is hosting a  charity fundraiser to support Green Light Academy and The Penfield Lighthouse. Obsidium Antiques is liquidating their entire inventory of antiques in one, massive, three-day tag sale. Proceeds from the tag sale will benefit Beacon’s educational programs and the sustainable restoration of its Penfield Reef Lighthouse.

In a previous article on this site, we discussed the benefits the Green Light Academy in conjunction with Beacon Preservation has on the high school aged kids who help them preserve the area's lighthouses. 

Sale hours are Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
    Find us at: 157 Main Street, Ansonia, Connecticut 06401
    (Warehouse entrance between Senior Center & Wachovia Drive-Up)
    Friday, October 29th (20% tag price)
    Saturday, October 30th (25% off)
    Sunday, October 31st (30% off)
    Monday, November 1st (pick up day and make an offer!)
    CASH, PAYPAL, & CREDIT CARDS via ONLINE DONATION

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

 

Save Some Green This Season

by Chitra Esther Chelladurai

Fall is in the air and all the vibrant colors of the season are slowly setting in. With all the preparations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, everyone will be hustling and bustling! One thing you should keep in mind for the fall is to do a home inspection and winterization check for your home.

Environmentally friendly home winterization methods are becoming increasingly popular. According to The Daily Green, making a quick home checkup this fall will save you a roomful of money, not mention make your home safer and more environmentally sound.

Cohabitation in the New Haven Area

by Eileen Weber

I grew up in Easton on three acres of land with apple, pear and peach trees in the far field. It was an idyllic setting that my parents adored. There was one teensy-weensy problem with it, as far as I was concerned: Where were all the freaking neighbors?!?

I seethed with jealousy at my friends who had close-knit neighborhoods. They could just flop in any direction and there were kids to play with as far as the eye could see. While I had to arrange with my parents to drive me 15 to 20 minutes away for a play date, my friends could trick-or-treat within yards of their homes. I had the old guy in the far field across the street that, not surprisingly, wasn’t very fond of children.

Wouldn’t it be great to have the best of both worlds: An affordable home in a community setting? That’s exactly how the members of Green Haven Cohousing Community feel. For the last few years, they have been working toward building a sustainable existence in the New Haven area. They have hired sustainable business consultants, architects, and permaculture experts. They are planning for 33 single-family units that they hope will include a community garden and the ability to raise animals.

Originally, the group of cohousing members looked in downtown New Haven to make the community more accessible to the city center. But they couldn’t find a tract of land big enough to support their needs. Now, they’re looking at seven acres in Milford.

The Gulf Oil Spill vs. Home Energy Retrofits

from our sponsor Green Star Energy  Solutions

Did we even need to drill the Deepwater Horizon oil well to begin with? Actually, no. There are over 100 million homes in the U.S. Most of them use energy inefficiently because they’re not well insulated or sealed. in fact, the energy contained in the biggest oil spill in U.S. history is equal to the energy that just 75,000 homes waste in a single year.

Seventy-five thousand homes represent less than 0.1 percent of all single-family homes in the U.S. or the number of homes in a single mid-sized U.S. city, like Providence, R.I., or Chattanooga, Tenn. So basically, doing energy retrofits to make those homes efficient would save the equivalent of the entire Gulf Oil Spill every year.

It's everyone's guess how much it’ll end up costing to clean up the disaster created by the Gulf Oil Spill. And when a final number is calculated, years from now, there’s no way that it’ll take into account the true extent of the environmental damage that the oil spill has created. But even in the preliminary estimates made before the oil has finished flowing, the cost is expected to exceed $40 billion.

How much does completing 75,000 home energy retrofits cost - less than $1 billion. And those retrofits – using low-tech and low-cost techniques like better insulation, air sealing, replacing furnaces with more efficient versions – are permanent. And those 75,000 retrofits save energy year after year. Every year that goes by, those 75,000 homes will save the equivalent energy of the entire Gulf Oil Spill.

Emergency House Call

by Eileen Weber

What would you do if you knew a house built in the 18th century was going to be dismantled, its parts and pieces thrown away? If you're anything like Joe DeRisi, founder and owner of Urbanminers in Hamden, you’d come to the rescue.

DeRisi and his crew spend their time “deconstructing” houses to dismantle and resell salvaged items. With the mantra, “It’s still good,” DeRisi has a booming business keeping perfectly good materials from ending up in a landfill.

Last Thursday, he got a call from Steve Bielitz, owner of Glastonbury Restoration, a company that restores historic and landmark buildings. Bielitz told him that a pre-Revolutionary War house in Fairfield County was scheduled to be demolished because of ensuing development. Bielitz said he wanted to break it down to its main historic components and, hopefully, move it to a new site.

There is one problem with that hope: There is no place to move it to. It needs a buyer, and fast. With only a matter of weeks to work in, the house needs to be demolished and off site by mid-May.

A Kilowatt Hour Saved is a Kilowatt Hour Earned. The CT Home Energy Solutions Program

by Andrew Graceffa



As you may have heard these days, energy efficiency is in. President Obama has stressed the sexiness of efficient buildings and billions have been dedicated through various programs to help homeowners and businesses save energy (and of course dollars) through efficiency upgrades. Some programs may even have catchy names such as Cash for Caulkers. But when it comes down to it, many people are still left scratching their heads wondering where to go or what it all means to them. Many are unaware of how to take advantage of the various programs and what is involved when you decide to pick up that phone. As a proponent of energy efficiency, and an owner of a relatively inefficient home, I recently decided to walk the talk and give one of the many programs a shot. I received an audit, not from the IRS but from Connecticut Home Energy Solutions for a home energy audit. 



A quick little background: The term "negawatt", coined in 1989 by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, refers to a unit of saved energy. "Producing" negawatts (and their sister in fossil fuels, negatherms) is the intention of a home energy audit. Everybody benefits: The homeowner reduces costs; the utilities and regional community add power "capacity"; The grid stabilizes and reduces the need for an additional plant or distribution capacity. It's a win-win.



The Connecticut Home Energy Solutions (CT HES) is sponsored by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, a partnership formed by the State's major utility companies and funded by a small surcharge on each customers electric and natural gas bills. The CT HES is a subsidized energy audit, approximately $750 in value, made available to qualified homeowners for a modest fee of $75. In a Fairfield Minuteman article dated February 17th regarding Rep. Kim Fawcett recieving an energy audit, I decided to give the provider, Green Star Insulation of Brookfield, CT, a call. They quickly got back to me and after asking a few questions about my house (age, type, size, heating & cooling types, etc), they scheduled my appointment. And with a special little nugget: Fairfield, CT, using Recovery Act funds, was subsidizing the full $75 cost!



Carpet Tile: Not Just Something To Walk On

by Simone Pipek

Carpet tiles are a good alternative for the savvy shopper. They are inexpensive and, if you spill red wine on your little beige beauty, all you have to do is exchange this one tile. The downside is that the glue that is being used to hold the layers of the tiles together is commonly made of PVC or other unrecyclable chemicals.

According to an article in Green Chemistry, a British publication focusing on cutting-edge research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies, that currently leaves about 154 MILLION pounds per year of used tile to clog our landfills in Europe alone. This number can be doubled or tripled for the US.

But help is on the way. The Green Chemistry Center of Excellence in Great Britain, which is part of the University of York, conducted a study to get to the bottom of the problem. The powerful adhesives used to bind the layers of carpet tiles are so strong they can’t be separated. But the researchers, supported by the British division of InterfaceFlor, a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of carpet tiles, developed a new starch-based adhesive that is just as strong as established products. But, it still allows the layers to be separated and recycled for roofing materials or backing layers for new tiles, for example. Also, its resistance towards fire and extreme heat accounts as a huge success.

Tool Belt Recession

by Eileen Weber

A plumber was called to a neurosurgeon’s house to fix a leaky faucet. After a few minutes, the plumber finished and gave the neurosurgeon the bill. The total was $150.

A little hot under the collar, the neurosurgeon exclaimed, 'I don't even get this much as an hourly rate!"

The plumber replied, "I didn't either when I was a surgeon. That's why I became a plumber."

Cute. But not necessarily accurate. Plumbers, electricians, and builders alike have all been hit hard with the recession. And, it looks like it may take a while before that changes.

According to a recent press release from the Center for American Progress, Connecticut’s construction industry has been reeling since December, 2008. While reports that the economy is starting to percolate, there are many who aren’t feeling any financial impact. With the national unemployment rate peaking at 10%, the unemployment rate for construction, both commercial and residential, is more than double.

The statistics are alarming: The unemployment rate for experienced workers in construction was 24.7 percent in January 2010; Total construction payroll employment has dropped by 2.1 million jobs since 2006, with residential construction down by 1.3 million, or 38%; For 2009, 12.4 percent of all unemployed workers were previously employed in the construction industry; There have been 134,000 jobs lost (10%) in construction-related retail, such as building supply stores and lumber yards, since December 2007, with 186,000 lost (14%) since July 2006.

A Meeting of Sustainble Minds at The Art of Sustainable Architecture

by Michelina Docimo

In the film, A Beautiful Mind, the character of Nobel Prize winning mathematician and economist John Forbes Nash Jr. says, “In competitive behavior, someone always loses.” So true on all fronts of survival of the fittest whether the conversation matter is Democrat versus Republican, Yankees versus Mets, man versus nature, form versus function. Who wins? 

Our ordinary lives can sometimes feel like a struggle weighing the pros and cons – we ask ourselves, who do we believe?  What should I buy?  How much should I save? Where should I live? How will this make my life better? Everyday, we make choices in a fast changing world. Keeping up with the challenges of the economy, health, war, and global warming can feel like a race against time. Sacred Heart University’s Gallery of Contemporary Art current exhibition, The Art of Sustainable Architecture, addresses how we can come to a meeting ground by thinking collaboratively rather than competitively.

Green Energy Options in the Home

by Courtney Dumais

Courtney is a junior at Fairfield University. She is currently enrolled in the Environmental Studies program with an emphasis on ecology, environmental justice, ethics, and policies as well as sustainable development. She is our newest intern at CTGS.

With these long, cold winter days, heating your home becomes a high priority. It also comes with a high economic and environmental price tag. The U.S Department of Energy estimates that heating and cooling systems in the United States emit about 150 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. According to The Center for Resource Conservation, Americans use twice as much energy as necessary to heat their homes. And this heat, which escapes through cracks and leaks, costs about $450 per year.
In the United States, heating alone accounts for approximately 40% of energy bills. In Connecticut, that percentage is even higher. More than half of the average energy bill is spent on home heating. Add high gas and oil prices to that, and your wallet is a whole lot lighter.

To help the average homeowner during these chilly months, I’ve compiled a few simple, effective measures to help reduce the impact this winter. Some of them are obvious, such as unplugging unused electronics. But other less evident solutions can make a noticeable difference as well.

Flea Markets: A Green Bargain

by Simone Pipek

Simone Pipek is a native of Cologne, Germany. She has worked with numerous German women’s magazines, including the German edition of Elle magazine. At the tender age of 29 she made the move to New York where she has been living for the past 10 years. She has worked on a number of writing projects since then in both German and English. She also writes on a regular basis as a New York correspondent for the German blog, Die Frohe Botschafterin. She grew up with a green consciousness. Caring for the environment is not only a trend for her, but a lifestyle. In her opinion, knowledge is power. So being educated is key to protect the earth. She is very happy about all the new bike paths the city has to offer.
 

If you are a little like me, and I hope you are, you love bargain hunting. These days, we all have to stretch the dollar. But shopping at big department stores is usually not the answer. Their merchandise, often manufactured without a hint of fair trade, carries a hefty carbon footprint and a veneer of toxic paint.

Better--and much more fun--alternatives are flea markets, antique stores, and last but not least, Craigslist.com. For me, it’s the thrill of the chase for the ultimate piece of wall hanging, the dresser that just needs a little love, or the floor lamp that only requires a new shade to come to life again. Priceless. Or, at the very least, easy on the budget.

There’s something else that makes it all worthwhile. Discovering that very special item, I am automatically being told a story. Those pieces lived a life before they met me, and in my fantasy I can draw pictures of the former life and think of many different tales this night table or vase might be able to narrate. I just have to listen closely when I touch and smell it for the first time.

And the best part is, I am buying something that has already been built. I’m not responsible for diminishing any further resources by my purchase. While it might be second hand, it’s new to me. The literal translation for used, or second hand, furniture in German is “Zweite Hand.” And that expression hits the mark.

But Baby, its Cold Outside

by Jessica Levinson

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

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

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

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

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

How Safe is Your Well Water?

by Jessica Levinson

Jessica Levinson is an environmental engineer from Nyack, New York. She has her undergraduate degree in biology and her master’s degree in environmental engineering. Jess is the past recording secretary for the Long Island Water Environmental Association and past Co-Chair of the Rockland Chapter of Clearwater. She has experience working on wastewater projects and has done research with the Department of Energy.

Did you know that approximately 15% of Connecticut is on private well water? According to the web site for the Connecticut Department of Public Heath, those 400,000 wells serve over half a million residents in this state. This may not seem like a lot. But for this suburban girl, it was more than I imagined.

I knew nothing of well water, applicable regulations, and the tedious work required to keep those wells free of bacteria.  That all changed when my husband and I started looking at real estate that had wells instead of municipal water supply. While I was busy looking at the “cute” (i.e. small) kitchen with a bathroom the sickening shade of Pepto Bismol, I overlooked the listing sheet with the small words “private well” where I should have seen “municipal”. I realized I had better get educated on private wells. 

As a matter of fact, most of the houses we looked at had existing wells. However, those that have wells on their property are not immune to the construction of a new well. The aquifer, fresh ground water deep below the surface, is not necessarily an unending reserve of water. Depending on the amount of water held in the aquifer and how many homes are dependent on that aquifer, it can dry up and another well will need to be drilled. If a well is not in place, a licensed contractor can be very helpful with planning out where to install one, along with the Connecticut Department of Public Heath. 

Since wells and their formation are not regulated by any federal agency but are instead governed by local laws and permits, it is important to check with your local town or city agency before undertaking the creation or maintenance of a well. In addition, each homeowner is responsible for having their wells tested against contamination. This is unlike municipal water systems where the town or city performs laboratory tests on the drinking water on a routine basis. Each state maintains different standards depending on contamination sources for that area. For instance, the Connecticut Department of Public Heath has set forth ‘Action Levels’ of certain contaminants (manganese, radon, uranium, naturally occurring arsenic, etc.) and bacteria that are native to that environment and can reach the aquifer. 

Counting Carbon

by Eileen Weber


Thinking of building a new house or renovating your old one? Got a new office building that’s going up soon? Wondering how all this will affect the environment? Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has developed an online carbon calculator called Green Footstep to help homeowners and businesses determine their carbon footprint.

It’s certainly nothing new. There are a number of online carbon calculators. Even Microsoft got into the act earlier this year by launching their Environmental Sustainability Dashboard, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software package. Its goal is to help companies track their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, something that most ERP systems don’t do.

"ERP systems are really good at giving you the financial numbers, but where they fall short is with the environment or social issues," said Jennifer Pollard, a senior Microsoft product manager, as quoted in a February 9th article in The Seattle Times.

But what makes RMI’s system special is that it not only calculates the construction footprint of the project but the operational footprint of the building’s lifetime once that project is finished.

The Dandelion: Unlikely Gastronomy from the Suburban Jungle

by: James Simpkins

As a former chef I suspect I have fielded the question “What’s your favorite food?” more than most people, and by and large the answer is always peanut butter. It really is my favorite food and has been since I can remember. This past week I re-discovered an item that may have never been the answer to that question for anyone: dandelion greens. This much-eschewed weed and its flower (Taraxacum officinale) that you, o’ dauntless suburbanite yard-tender, have spent uncountable hours trying to get rid of, is an edible and nutritious-not to mention plentiful- food source. I can personally attest to its abundance after taking a tour of my yard this past weekend--the things are everywhere. I can also tell you that even I, o' dedicated food-guy, did not think of them as food. That is until now--but with a disclaimer that I will share later. Part of the chicory family, the soft, soothing murmur of its name is even overlooked; in old French, it was le dent-de-lion, or “the tooth of the lion”. With such a great name, something must have been lost in translation: How did this ancient yellow flower become a New World nuisance?  

Looking into the history of this lawn-loitering green I kept finding Old World style recipes: Chopped, boiled, then sautéed in olive oil; blanched, then chopped and mixed with olive oil; chopped then mixed with other greens for a salad with olive oil dressing. See a pattern? However, it turns out all the chopping and olive oil is not without merit.

One Man’s Trash ...

I saw this in today's New York Times and couldn't resist posting it. This is a perfect example of green building: Recycling materials from excess waste and repurposing it to make something different, interesting, and in this case, off-beat. I especially liked the picture frames on the ceiling (see below).

September 3, 2009
By KATE MURPHY
HUNTSVILLE, Tex.

Among the traditional brick and clapboard structures that line the streets of this sleepy East Texas town, 70 miles north of Houston, a few houses stand out: their roofs are made of license plates, and their windows of crystal platters.

They are the creations of Dan Phillips, 64, who has had an astonishingly varied life, working as an intelligence officer in the Army, a college dance instructor, an antiques dealer and a syndicated cryptogram puzzle maker. About 12 years ago, Mr. Phillips began his latest career: building low-income housing out of trash.

In 1997 Mr. Phillips mortgaged his house to start his construction company, Phoenix Commotion. “Look at kids playing with blocks,” he said. “I think it’s in everyone’s DNA to want to be a builder.” Moreover, he said, he was disturbed by the irony of landfills choked with building materials and yet a lack of affordable housing.

To him, almost anything discarded and durable is potential building material. Standing in one of his houses and pointing to a colorful, zigzag-patterned ceiling he made out of thousands of picture frame corners, Mr. Phillips said, “A frame shop was getting rid of old samples, and I was there waiting.”

Ready or NOT!

by Heather Burns-DeMelo

I'll be the first to admit that I'm extreme when it comes to what I feed my kids. Whole food, organic, local, vegetarian, no sugar, non-GMO...the whole nine yards. Grandparents and friends have long since given up trying to convince me that I work too hard at keeping my 5 and 4 year old children in a "bubble," but in less than a week, I'll be forced to let them venture off to (gulp) public school and POP, the bubble will go.

Thanks to the film, Two Angry Moms, its group site and the example of other moms who have forged ahead to become advocates of healthy school food, I know I'm in good company. But the truth is, I'm scared.

While I know nothing will improve unless a squeaky wheel garners attention, creates a plan and rolls up her sleeves to encourage action, I'm not shy to admit that I want someone else to do it. After all, why would any mother in her right mind want to be the fall guy or risk having her child labeled as the kid with the vegetarian, tree hugging mom who complains all the time?

Love.

So here I go, jumping head first into school food advocacy, with the same "can't turn back now" attitude I summon when cliff diving.

Organic Lawn Care

by Eileen Weber

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

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

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

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

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

Reduce, Reuse, Renovate

by Eileen Weber

Less than a year ago, Fairfield residents Kraig and Suzanne Schulz finished renovating their home. They built it using insulated concrete forms (ICFs). They chose environmentally friendly products and energy-saving appliances. They installed compact fluorescent lightbulbs and energy-efficient windows. But all of that came with a pretty steep price tag and not without a few problems along the way.

According to a New York Times article dated March 5th, Petz Scholtus, a Belgian woman living in Spain, renovated her 18th century apartment to be “environmentally responsible on a shoestring.” However, being green on a budget is sometimes easier said than done.

Scholtus wrote a blog about her adventures trying to be eco-conscious while not squeezing her piggy bank at the same time. She reused plastic jugs as the outer shell for floor lamps. Her living room is decorated with beanbag chairs made from automotive textiles, magazine racks fashioned from antique drawers fitted with castors, and low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint on her walls. She also transported her belongings from the old apartment to the new one by bicycle. (Don’t try this at home, kids.)

Scholtus is not alone. In this country, blogs abound with nightmare renovations as well as stories of happily-ever-after eco-friendliness.

Moving The Green Way

by Eileen Weber

I hate moving. No, wait. I loathe moving. I haven’t done it often and there is good reason for that. De-cluttering my life to pack up for a new place is as joyless as getting audited by the IRS. Perhaps if I had fewer possessions, I could put the contents of my life in one box gleefully heading off into the sunset on a Vespa singing a melisma rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough." But Vespa or no Vespa, the day everything I own fits into one box is the day I become a voluptuous blonde. But I digress…

For many who lead a green life to begin with, moving can pose its problems. How can you move in an environmentally friendly way? The average move consists of approximately 20 small boxes, 20 medium boxes, and 5 large boxes. That doesn’t include kitchen items or your wardrobe. And what happens to all those boxes? Whether you like it or not, they can sometimes end up in a landfill instead of the recycling center.

Home Green Home

by Eileen Weber

It’s cool to be green. I admit that’s probably stating the obvious. But for people who want to be green with their own homes, it sometimes gets a little tricky to find the right products.

That’s where The Center for Green Building comes in. Located on Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, the storefront sells everything from cotton insulation to no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint to all natural, toxin-free floor varnishes and cleaning supplies.

Run by Erin Buckley and Jonathan Tuminski, the couple started the organization out of their carpentry business. After they had their son, Buckley said, “I started doing research on all the toxins in the materials my husband was using.” The ingredients were pretty scary. That was the catalyst for promoting all natural, organic products.

But it wasn’t that easy to start off. “There wasn’t anything in Connecticut,” said Buckley. “Most of the stuff available was out West.” She also said, now that the store has been established, they have a number of contractors who come from New York, the Hartford area and Rhode Island. “We’re one of the only places in the area. There’s nothing out there.”

If You Build It Green, They Will Come…

by Eileen Weber

Did you know 18% of overall indoor water use and 37% of just the hot water use comes from household showers? Did you know that while the US is home to only 4.5% of the global population, it is responsible for over 15% of the world’s consumption of wood? Did you know that unhealthy air is found in 30% of new and renovated buildings?

These were just some fun facts from GreenBuilding.com, an organization based in Boulder, CO. They are the kind of statistics that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Green Building Council, and others focused on the benefits of green building want the average homeowner to know.

Building the new and renovating the old has taken a turn in the last several years. Homeowners, architects, and contractors alike are seeing the greater benefit of being more eco-conscious with their homes.

Barry Katz, an architect and builder in Westport, has been extremely vocal about the benefits of green building. He has written articles, given lectures, and even submitted entries to this web site about the endless possibilities of a “clean, green” future with the Obama administration.

But there are some homeowners who may balk at the initial cost of building green. To that, Katz says, “It doesn’t cost more, it costs less.” He said that before you build, you’re paying your mortgage, electricity and water bills. Before construction, those bills are higher. After construction, the initial costs essentially end up paying for themselves. “From the moment you move in to your [newly built] house,” he said, “your overall operating costs will be lower.”

X-Actly What I Wanted

by Elizabeth G. Howard

I had really just one thing on my Christmas list this year that I REALLY wanted, and this is it: a wall-mountable pencil sharpener.

I don't have to tell most of you who are over the age of 30 what the nostalgia factor of this item is. You can instantly remember the scent of pencil shavings and hear in your memory the familiar grinding noise, the one you made as you cranked away at the wall-mounted sharpener in your third-grade classroom.

At my school, it was the one place in the whole school you could go without asking permission. Mrs. Bacchus (yes, that was her real name... amazing the awareness of names you achieve when you are grown up. My first-grade teacher was Mrs. Lemming) would eyeball you as you got up, so you'd have to give body signals to ensure she knew just where you were headed-- and not, apparently, to escape out the door to pull the fire alarm. 

The Forest for the Trees

But for me, it was more than the nostalgia. I love to write anything anywhere, not just virtually. And as I progressed through My Office Life, I noticed that pens were all disposable, as were even the pencils, in their clicky-plastic casing. The only time you ever came across a real PENCIL, made of wood, was at trade shows, where they were given as quirky gifts that were merely there to carry around a logo. To use them, you had to cram their heads into sad, whirring electronic sharpeners that inevitably lived on that one secretary's desk that you didn't much like to talk to anyway.

What We Are Made Of

So it was these two things that pushed me to edge of desire this season of receiving. Colin was renovating a room and needed a pencil to mark the boards he was cutting. I discovered we had just one busted out pencil in our house. The eraser was gone, and its lead was warn to the nub, unusable without a sharpener. Colin had to use a pen to mark the boards, a pure travesty in my mind.

My Dad always has had a wall-mounted pencil sharpener in his shop and he used it as frequently as his children did as they worked on their math homework. He reminded us that we all make mistakes, and we have the tools to fix them.

So now I have my Boston X-Acto Wall/Table-Mountable Pencil Sharpener KS, Model 1041. It is made in China and I can see that it isn't as sturdy as the ones I used a a kid. But I was happy to receive it shipped in a box with almost all paper packaging. The simplicity of my sharpener reminds me of my own strengths, of the energy I have to give to things, and all the extra crap we don't need.

I think it makes me more human, and I like that.

Thanks, It’s Just What I Wanted!

by Eileen Weber

One Christmas, my sister-in-law gave my husband a nose flute. Yes, a nose flute. It is exactly what it sounds like and it sits untouched in his sock drawer for obvious reasons.

There is a little piece of me that dreads Christmas. Inevitably, and I say this with only a touch of guilt, I get a gift that is just…well, less than thoughtful. And somehow, my husband’s nose flute comes to mind.

What is thoughtful is the “green” gift. Below, thanks to TheDailyGreen.com, you will find a a partial list of last-minute gifts that don’t tweak your environmental guilt button. These are just some of the gift items you can pick up before you croon “O Tannenbaum” with your Uncle Murray after he’s had the last of the hot crab dip.

1. Giving Handmade Gifts
You can make or bake. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s from the heart. After all, isn’t it the thought that counts in gift-giving?

2. Green Knickers. Yup. Underpants. Who doesn’t need a clean pair of underpants on Christmas?

3. Recycled wine glasses. These little beauties are available at Target.

So when Aunt Martha has had a few too many and knocks one over, you can tell yourself at least they were cheap.

4. Renewable Bamboo Cutting Boards It’s a cutting board. It’s bamboo. It’s a renewable material. What’s not to like?!

5. Sprig’s Discover Rig For the little “green” tyke in your life, a truck that is made of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. Available at Toys R Us.

6. Recycled Watering Cans You know, you just can’t prepare enough for the next season. While we’re barely into winter, let’s start thinking of spring!

7. “Upcycled” Gifts Using old materials and making them new, discarded cassette tapes are made into a wallet. Who knew there’d be a great use for the Best of ABBA?

8. Staple-free Stapler A bit like having the ice-free ice tray, isn’t it? However, this little gadget punches the paper in and folds it over so there’s no need for a metal staple to keep your papers together. Sweet office equipment.

9.Foldable Bike from Dahon Speed P8 It’s a bike. It folds up. It’s a green way to travel. What more can you say?

10. Dedicate a tree at TreePeople.com What could be greener than giving a tree? Give a big tree. Give a small tree. Heck, dedicate a hedge if you like. Either way, it’s better for the planet.

Whatever your choice this holiday season, it’s never too late to get a thoughtful gift and it’s never too late to think about the environment while you’re doing it.

Nose flute photo courtesy The Nash Company.

 

What's In Season CT?

by Megan DiPerri

Had any cherries or strawberries lately? Bet they don't taste half as good as they did over the summer.  Chances are you didn't grab a bad bunch at the grocery store; they're just not in season.  Knowing which fruits and vegetables are in season will reduce future disappointment and actually start saving you some money.  Best of all, seasonal produce is much more nutritional because it requires less chemicals, pesticides to produce.  They also offer one more way to support the local economy.  Who knew buying in season would taste that good!

The Connecticuit Department of Agriculture has this fantastic guide that takes all the guess work out of knowing what to buy and most importantly, when.  Next up?  Apples, cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, greens, pears, potatoes, herbs, carrots...the list goes on.  Just because we live in New England doesn't mean we're short on variety! Local farmers markets and pick your own facilities also take the guess work out of buying seasonal produce.  Ok, I agree, most of us aren't going to go pick our own fruits and vegetables once the snow comes, but that's where knowing what to buy from your local grocer comes in handy.

Spending extended time somewhere else?  The USDA offers an extensive list of local farmers markets and Field to Plate has plenty of links to help you find out what's in season and when across the entire country.  How great is that?

What Is Smart Growth and Why Should You Care?

By now, you probably get the idea that our planet's resources are finite, but many people are beginning to catch on to the fact that our need to design, plan and build communities that are "smart" and conserve our limited natural resources, while creating a strong sense of community is imperative.  On the financial side of the coin, developers, architects, builders and real estate agents are seeing great investment potential in smart growth, even in a slowed up economy.

So what is Smart Growth?

Smart growth as defined by experts at CT Smart Growth:

Mixed land use: "Our post World War II land use decisions have separated and compartmentalized the various aspects our lives.  We live in one place, work in another, and venture to still another place for shopping and entertainment.  This separation has created a car-centric society and taken away from the vitality of the traditional town center or Main Street. Smart growth supports the integration of mixed land uses into communities as a critical component of achieving better places to live. By putting uses in close proximity to one another, alternatives to driving, such as walking or biking, once again become viable."

Compact Building Design: "Compact building design suggests that communities be designed in a way which permits more open space to preserved, and that buildings can be constructed which make more efficient use of land and resources. By encouraging buildings to grow vertically rather than horizontally, and by incorporating structured rather than surface parking, for example, communities can reduce the footprint of new construction, and preserve more greenspace."

Housing Opportunities: "Providing quality housing for people of all income levels is an integral component in any smart growth strategy. Housing is a critical part of the way communities grow, as it is constitutes a significant share of new construction and development. More importantly, however, is also a key factor in determining households' access to transportation, commuting patterns, access to services and education, and consumption of energy and other natural resources."

Walkable Communities: "As the personal and societal benefits of pedestrian friendly communities are realized - benefits which include lower transportation costs, greater social interaction, improved personal and environmental health, and expanded consumer choice -- many are calling upon the public and private sector to facilitate the development of walkable places."

Other elements include: Strong Sense of Place, Preserve Open Spaces, Infill Development, Wide array of Transportation Choices, Fair and Predictable Development Decisions, and Community Collaboration. To find out more about the other 6 elements of smart growth, as well as valuable resources, visit CT Smart Growth. Also, check out this incredible Smart Growth project slated for Georgetown.

 

 

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!

Natural Pesticides that Work

EarthTalkTM
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What green-friendly lawn and garden pesticides are available today? I’m particularly interested in options that won’t harm my cats.     -- Nancy Blanchard, via e-mail

Pesticides have greatly boosted agricultural yields over the last half century, so it is no wonder, given the commercial availability of many of these synthetic chemicals, that American homeowners apply 100 million pounds of the stuff each year to make their own gardens grow bigger and faster, too.

But the downside of using such chemicals is that they can poison people and pets as well as backyard wildlife: “Common insecticide ingredients such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine and dicamba have been shown to harm mouse embryos at times equivalent to the first week after conception in humans,” says Erica Glasener of The Green Guide. Due to such revelations, home gardeners are fast discovering the benefits of avoiding chemicals in favor of natural, less toxic alternatives.

But before thinking about applying pesticides, gardeners can design (or re-design) their gardens to make the most of native plants that have evolved over eons to thrive in local conditions without synthetic aid or lots of water. Choosing native plants appropriate to your elevation, soil type, drainage and sun exposure will naturally repel many common pests and also reduce the propagation of invasive exotic species.

Similarly, embedding your plants in healthy soil replete with beneficial insects and worms can also help reduce the need for pesticides. Laura Moran of Mainstreet.com suggests that home gardeners compost their vegetable food waste—which is chock full of nutrients that plants love—and mix it into existing soil to give the garden a healthy boost. “Aside from stimulating healthy root development,” she writes, “the addition of rich compost also improves soil texture, aeration and water retention.” It also provides a nice home, she says, for the beneficial bugs that are destroyed along with the bad ones by chemical pesticides.

If pesticides are necessary, there are a handful of organic varieties available. Bacillus thuringiensis (“Bt”) is a naturally occurring bacterium that is lethal to most leaf-eating caterpillars on trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables. According to gardening writer Jeff Ball, it is harmless to all other insects, animals and humans. It comes in a powder form for use as a dust, or, when diluted with water, as a spray. Organic chemists have formulated varieties of Bt to kill mosquitoes or potato beetles as well.

Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags

On What to with A Handful of Dog Poo

by Elizabeth Howard

After we got finished discussing wine, films, Sex and the City, Myanmar and the general state of the weather at our cozy Southport luncheon, we finally got around to chatting about poo.

It started innocently enough, with a conversation about weaning ourselves off of plastic grocery bags. 

It evolved from the full-fledged bags to finding a replacement for the produce bags, which I had recently found a solution for.

"But then, you know," Carol asked, "what do you do about picking up the dog poop?" Carol is nothing if not practical. And she has a Black Lab.

Not to worry: when we aren't slathering butter on a cob, or pumping it into our gas tank, corn apparently has another brilliant use: biodegradable dog poop bags!

NOTE: The instructions on this product say you can toss the pet waste in the compost heap. DON'T!! Pet feces should not be mixed with normal garden compost that may come in contact with food. For a better alternative, check out Sharon Slack's Pet Waste Composter.

A Hybrid GRILL?

By Sherwood Martinelli

Everyone and their brother wants to be GREEN, and companies are willing to spend big bucks to Green Wash their environmental sins away. Question is, when is GREEN not green, and do we need a Green Police?

Attempting to cash in on the Green HYBRID craze sweeping the nation we have Kalamazo Gourmet trying to sell us...drum roll please...the Hybrid Grill! It will burn gas, wood, charcoal OR ALL THREE for the GREEN Gourmet cook in your household! Ignoring the pollution and sustainability issue in building this BEHEMOTH grill, you have to love their thinking. Seems relying on JUST WOOD and CHARCOAL could put a huge strain on our forests, thus the Hybrid Grill. Spread your pollution around by using a little bit from all three Fuel Groups!

Of course, that Green Thinking starts to smell like swamp gas when you read their sales pitch that you can use the gas for EVEN HEAT, while at the same time burning wood for the FLAVOR! Solar Grills, you have my attention, but trying to convince the American consumer that a grill that burns gas, charcoal and wood should be considered the new Green Hybrid Grill is bogus! This grill ranks right up there with Arnold's GREEN HUMMER!

Recycling is Too Much Fun!

by Patricia Gilbanks

OMG—these slay me. These are featured on a new crafting magazine and blog put out by Connecticut's own Taunton Press. They are made from bottle caps and felt. I used to save bottle caps for counting games for my son Noah when he was little but now he is counting girlfriends — but no worries! I have a new little obsession. Good for those times when I need to lighten up and have to wait at the doctor's office or some such. For the instructions go to http://www.craftstylish.com/item/945/how-to-make-pretty-pincushions. They were created by Jen Segrest; the photo is by Scott Phillips. I would use dryer lint for the fill. (Don't laugh: my sister Jacque uses it for pillow fill.)

Don't Use Your Dryer on National Hanging Out Day

By Alex and Jordan of Little People, Big Changes

Did you know that the electricity your dryer uses takes up about 6% of your electricity bill and that there are 88 million dryers in the world! 

In fact, the average American uses more energy running a clothes dryer than the average African uses all year round for their energy needs.  We can all save a lot of electricity by using the wind and the sun to dry our clothes instead of a machine.

April 19th is “National Hanging Out” Day! Show your support by hanging an item of clothing from a pole in front of your house or simply hang your laundry out to dry on a line to show that you are willing to change little things in order to help reduce carbon emissions.  Our planet needs you! If you absolutely must use your dryers, there are still things you can do to help.  Lower your temperature settings and for your washer, use warm water instead of hot when possible.  Make sure your washer or dryer is full before running it.  Clean your dryer filter after every use.

We hope to see you in your long johns on April 19th! Your friends, Alex and Jordan

Markets Galore

By Chris Gallagher

Spring is nearly here, and it's time to get the garden ready.  Composting is key and here is a great resource from our fine state government.  For the stuff you can't grow on your own we are lucky enough to have a plethora of local farmers here in Connecticut and some great farmer's markets to choose from.

Fiddleheads in New London has a market every Saturday now, with another every Wednesday starting on March 26.  CitySeed in New Haven has kept their market open monthly throughout the winter and come May it's back to a weekly event.  On May 22 Billings Forge Farmer's Market will start up in Hartford and you will be able to find amazing produce and other local vendors on both Mondays and Thursdays. Fairfield Market is held every Saturday rain or shine, and often draws a few hundred people. Another cool market is the Oak Street Market in New Britain. It's urban and fun and has some of the best greens around. To locate the organic farmers markets near you, click here.

Of course the best thing about a market is the food: amazing greens, organic eggs, still-dirty potatoes and seafood dripping with salt water, all of which I want to rush home and devour.  There's more to it, though.  I love that it is such a neighborhoody event.  It is a great place to have random, interesting conversations, make new friends, learn a few things about what I'm eating, stroll the streets of my town, breathe the fresh air and reconnect with the community.

The dinner we craft in the evening is just the bonus.  We already feel great after a market day.

Sleep Better with IKEA

Last year, Sweden-based IKEA launched an initiative called “Bag the Plastic  Bag.” 

The  goal was to reduce the more than 100 billion plastic  bags used annually in the United States. Beginning March 15, 2007,  they began charging customers 5 cents for every plastic bag; they  also reduced the price of their durable, reusable IKEA blue bag from  99 cents to 59 cents. 

And, to make it a win-win for everyone, all proceeds from the plastic bag sales are donated to American Forests, the  nation’s oldest non-profit citizens’ conservation organization.   IKEA North America has partnered with American Forests through the  Global ReLeaf Tree Planting program and over ten years, has planted 
more than 500,000 Global ReLeaf trees in environmental restoration  projects.

So how much  money has been raised by selling the plastic bags, by what percentage were they able to reduce the number of plastic bags used, and what are their plans for the next phase of the “Bag the Plastic Bag” program?  (The  goal was a 50% reduction in bag usage, but it’s projected that that they surpassed expectations.) Stay tuned or read on for reasons why banning plastic bags is vital.

Green Weddings on the Rise

From organic caterers to gowns purchased from consignment shops and email to replace wasteful rsvp cards, brides to be are choosing to make their magical day one that has conscious, meaning and a message.

Event planner Kia Martinson-Wenzel, owner of Connecticut-based ESTOccasions 
got her first request for a green wedding last summer. "The couple wanted to get married in a state park and when we started planning, one thing led to another. The bride asked if her flowers could be gathered from the park, if the invitations could be printed on recycled paper, and she asked for recommendations of consignment shops that had a nice selection of previously owned gowns," Martinson-Wenzel says. 

In fact, a good majority of gowns on the racks of consignment shops have never been worn. Wildflower seeds embedded in recycled paper, donations to environmental organizations and brides maids dresses that can be worn after the special day promise to be lasting trends as consumers become more conscious of the impact their purchase choices have on the planet.

With spring around the corner, you'll enjoy expert tips, advise and resources for greening your events and parties from Kia Martinson-Wenzel. Check our "Parties and Special Events" category for more useful information on greening your special occasion.

 

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.”

The Case for LEDs--Are They Ready?

The Holland Tunnel plans to retrofit their lamps with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which use 90 percent LESS electricity than CFLs, but DO THEY WORK?

Let's hope so.

"December 13, 2007 -- AP -- The Holland Tunnel has gone green. Crews overnight replaced fluorescent lights with light-emitting diode units. The LEDs distribute light more efficiently, require less energy and last 15 years, compared to 1.4 years for fluorescent. More than 1,700 LED fixtures replaced some 4,000 fluorescent ones in the tunnel. Port Authority officials say they'll save $340,000 each year in energy and maintenance costs. The George Washington Bridge's "necklace" of 156 mercury vapor fixtures are to be replaced with LEDs in January."

Some argue that they technology exists, but it is not yet available in Connecticut due to those with financial interests in keeping our current energy supply in tact keeping the lid screwed down tight on the technology.

Others claim that LEDs are in fact available, but they don't work.

The point here is that no matter how the cookie crumbles, we need LED technology if we're going to satisfy our energy needs with clean and renewable sources like solar, wind and small hydro. If not, we risk the nuclear power industry using carbon emissions from fossil fuels as an excuse to open up lots of plants that threaten our survival on Earth.

Linen and Towels - The Perfect Green Solution

Or... Use What You've Got

by Elizabeth Howard

In offering green tips, I work generally on the principle that other people, like me, are imperfect and not immune to temptation.

As for me, I have a problem with the lure of lush bath towels and crisp new sheets.

By way of confession, at right I have posted a photo of my linen closet. Note that it is perfectly well stocked (though not perfectly folded) with towels, hand towels and face cloths. The sheets--indicating various stages of taste, husband's bachelorhood, duvet shades and mattress sizes-- are nonetheless, intact and well-stocked.

So, what's the tip? For most of us, by now it should be obvious, though I will be the first to admit, actually living this tip isn't easy.

It's worth repeating though, and I will because REUSE is my favorite R: Use what you've got!

Die, Old Habit!

Stopping ourselves from making purchases, for the sake adorning or updating our homes (or ourselves, not to mention those bothersome children and pets, OY!) isn't easy. I mean to tell you, it is downright a pain in the donkey.

So here's something to puzzle yourself with when you are, like me, wandering around Crackville (aka Target), goggling at the pretty-pretty, matchy-matchy blue margarita glasses and serving platters.

"How many towels does it take to screw in a compact fluorescent light bulb?"

Existential? Sure. But then, it's all a personal matter of how you face the crisis: just push your Target trolley through it.

Freecycle Connecticut

by Elizabeth Howard

Recently my husband and I acquired a Connecticut-sized house and suddenly it occured to me that I needed stuff. Not just the decorative, make-it-your-own stuff, but basic, don't-want-to-look-like-a-squatter stuff: a rake, a lawn mower, bookshelves, lamps. Where we lived before, we had much less space, and no grass.

So there I was, wandering in Home Depot, depressed. I couldn't bring myself to buy that plastic rake and that shiny shovel. I mean, there is something wrong about buying a clean hoe. You just know the next day you'll turn the corner and spot "10 for $10" sign on a pile of rusty, dirty, perfectly good garden tools at a tag sale.

Letting the weeds grow and the garden fester, I researched. Craigslist was good. But Freecycle one upped it.

So what exactly is Freecycle?

The Freecycle Network is a web of individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and nonprofit movement of people who are giving away and getting stuff for free in their own towns. Currently, there are about 4100 local groups and almost 4 million members in the world. Groups are moderated by local volunteers. In the U.S. these groups are run through Yahoo Groups. Membership is free.

How do I join?

In Connecticut there are currently 34 Freecycle groups, including groups for New Haven, Stamford/Greenwich, Litchfield area, Torrington, Bridgeport area, Hartford, Shelton/Oxford area and many others. The Freecycle website makes it simple to find the groups nearest you, and you are welcome to join more than one. However, some groups may ask for a zip code to verify the area you live in. This is to limit the groups to the local areas and to prevent spammers on the web groups.

Parents and School Librarians Take Note!

Thanks to this post on Treehugger.com, we've discovered that our wish for kids books that deal with issues of sustainability has come true.

"There’s a couple of new books out for kids that have just been released by the Eden Project, gotten some great reviews, and may be a terrific addition to a school library or home collection. After all, what better than a classroom or bedtime story with a positive message about protecting the environment?

The first is George Saves the World by Lunchtime, by Jo Readman and Ley Honor Roberts which features a boy named George, his sister, dog, and grandfather. The message to kids being that yes, you can help save the world through simple everyday actions such as repairing items that are broken and recycling regularly as his grandfather teaches him throughout the book.

The second book being The World Came To My Place Today. It’s been written by the same pair of authors with the same set of characters, but discusses where everyday household items actually come from. And with most kids today probably suspecting all good things come from stores while completely missing the connection with the environment that actually provides them, I suspect that helping kids understand their personal impact on the environment is tops on the list of teachers and parents everywhere. Happy Reading!"

The second book being The World Came To My Place Today. It’s been written by the same pair of authors with the same set of characters, but discusses where everyday household items actually come from. And with most kids today probably suspecting all good things come from stores while completely missing the connection with the environment that actually provides them, I suspect that helping kids understand their personal impact on the environment is tops on the list of teachers and parents everywhere. Happy Reading!"

Energy Star Homes on the Rise

Energy Star homes are built for maximum energy efficiency and includes things like installing insulating windows and doors, using super-insulation in walls and roofs, installing Energy Star appliances, and sealing ductwork, windows and other potential leaky areas. Luckily, there are rebates and financial incentives for building Energy Star in Connecticut. Perhaps that's why they're catching on. Want to save money, help the environment and build or remodel Energy Star?

Connecticut rated among the top 15 states for new Energy Star homes, and nearly 200,000 new homes nationwide earned the Energy Star in 2006, bringing the total number of Energy Star qualified homes across the nation to almost 750,000, according to the EPA. To date, these homes have locked in annual savings of more than $180 million for homeowners by saving over 1 billion kWh of electricity and 100 million therms of natural gas.

Energy Star homes are least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code, and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes. Build more efficiently--it just makes sense.

Source: environementalleader.com

Reduce the Negative Effects of Stormwater

If you haven't already, you should read our post about how stormwater runoff affects our water supply. Thankfully, there are several simple ways to reduce the effects of stormwater in your yard and neighborhood as suggested by EPA and written up in the Spring 2007 issue of The Habitat, the official newsletter of the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions, Inc.

Keep litter, pet wastes, leaves and debris our of street gutters and storm drains, which lead directly to lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands.

Use organic fertilizers and herbicides. There are lots of great options out there.**

Storms Bring Sprawl Pollution to Rivers

By Eric Hammerling

The pejorative term “sprawl" conjures up an image of cookie-cutter subdivisions marching inexorably over gentle hills that were once farms or forests. Many of us bemoan the changes that sprawl has wrought on our neighborhoods and towns — more paved areas, more traffic, more look-alike strip malls. We rarely speak of what may be the most harmful aspect of sprawl, and that is how it affects our water supply.

What is happening isn’t hard to explain. Sprawling development is accompanied by an explosion of paved areas, which scientists call “impervious surfaces.” When rain falls or snow melts, the water runs off these impervious surfaces into storm drains and is conveyed directly into the nearest river, stream, or lake. Stormwater, as this runoff is known, carries along whatever is in its path. That too often includes pet wastes; road sand and salt; oil, gas, heavy metals and other car-related pollutants; pesticides; and fertilizers and sediment from poorly controlled construction sites. These pollutants, especially when combined with low water and warm temperatures, can spell serious trouble for the river or lake and the fish and the wildlife who depend upon it.