As rejuvenation outside begins, those of us concerned with the domestic angle may realize that chirping birds and blooming tulips herald the time of year for freshening up inside. Yes, spring cleaning time is upon us and hopefully we have the energy and determination to tackle it, thanks to longer days and extra sunshine.
Spring cleaning may take on many forms and may include many different tasks for each of us, but we all have one thing in common: to perform our yearly ritual in as ‘green’ a manner as possible. So dispose of the clutter of conventional cleaning techniques, and open the drapes to cleaner, greener tips for spring cleaning.
Use Natural Substances: Harsh chemical cleaners are not only harmful to your health and to the environment, they don’t have anything on natural substances like salt, water, vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Use these various ingredients to remove stains and fight odors.
Speaking of Odors: Chemical air fresheners are said to be a leading environmentally unhealthy ‘home’ product. And they’re unnecessary if you try natural baking soda or essential oils. Why mask or hide bad odors? Want fresh air inside? Open the windows! Let spring breezes circulate and freshen your indoor atmosphere. You can also try planting a few different houseplants that have exceptional air-purifying abilities
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If there was ever any apathy towards the aesthetic beauty of a jeweled sphere teaming with life and hanging effortlessly in the great open space of the universe, NASA’s latest image of our planet will cause us all to pause for reflection. The spectacular view is the most detailed, true-color image ever taken to date.
By using different satellite-based observatories, scientists were able to piece together a seamless view of each and every square kilometer of the planet. Special mention goes to NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS – a single remote sensing device which captured much of the information required for the breathtaking ‘Blue Marble’ series.
At a distance of 700 kilometers above the earth’s surface, flying onboard the Terra satellite, MODIS was able to observe detailed features of terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric aspects of our planet. For land and coastal areas, images were collected from June to September 2001 and composited at intervals of every eight days to compensate for sensor-blocking cloud cover.
For the ocean shots, both shallow water true-color data and global ocean color or chlorophyll data were used.
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In the developing world, over a billion people go without electricity every day. Changing the situation by installing power grids would take an enormous amount of time and money.
In the developed world, energy runs freely into our homes and offices, but the effects of traditional power sources negatively impacts the environment and adds to the problem of climate change.
However, breakthrough technology that was originally developed for use outside both worlds, in outer space, in fact, could change everything.
An innovative solution using advanced fuel cell technology is being offered by a company named Bloom Energy, one of 26 businesses recognized as the 2010 Tech Pioneers by The World Economic Forum for making a positive impact on business and the way people live. Their solution? The Bloom Box.
Originally created as a response to a request by NASA to help make life on Mars sustainable, the Bloom Box could greatly benefit earth’s inhabitants by bringing much needed light and power to the poor, and helping to eliminate dependence on ‘the grid’ in richer nations.
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Hmmm. Who’s the real junkie? The pop, chip and chocolate bar junkfood lover or the vending machine that sells the items?
We all know how handy these beacons of self-indulgence are in staving off the mid-afternoon blues, but recent green sentiment is pointing an accusing finger at vending machines for being energy-junkies.
It’s something that seems to be high on the mind of Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly. He’s considering a bylaw amendment that would require all vending machines in the city to be fitted with energy-saving devices. According to a city staff report, one vending machine alone is indirectly responsible for four tones of CO2 emissions annually.
Kelly claims that the energy-saving devices would greatly reduce the electricity needed to operate the machines, and he’s asking for the help and cooperation of snack food giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Interestingly, PepsiCo began testing ‘green’ vending machines last year in the Washington, D.C. area and has plans to extend their use worldwide over the next few years. Working with Greenpeace Solutions, they’ve tried to promote an environmentally-responsible image by introducing machines that use 15 percent less energy than previous machines and that emit about 12 percent less greenhouse gas, using carbon dioxide to keep drinks cool instead of the usual ozone villains, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
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by Amoy on February 17, 2010 Filed under Farms
It looks like an eco-friendly future can include culinary delights like artisan cheeses. Introducing the first Platinum LEED-certified dairy: Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co., from Prince Edward County, Ontario.
With a rather expensive price tag of $2 million, Fifth Town is using a windmill, solar panels, low-flow faucets, non-toxic paints, and Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood to green the building they use to create award winning handmade goat and sheep cheeses.
But being green pays off. Heat and light sensors help to keep energy costs low, and the windmill alone saves $200 per month on power costs. Normal dairies age cheese with energy-guzzling fridges along with fog machines. Fifth Town employs three naturally cool and humid cement caves. They’ve also engineered a bio-wetland system that allows for the disposal of the by-product whey and which will save money in the long run as opposed to trucking it offsite.
Well-deserved publicity over their sustainability shone a spotlight on the dairy which has been operating since July 2008. CEO and founder Petra Cooper explains: “If I had to buy that media attention, I couldn’t have afforded to.”
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In the context of today’s world, ‘consuming’ and ‘balance’ in the same sentence seems to be an oxymoron.
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