The Solar Decathlon

October 9, 2007 by Leave a Comment

I’ve always dreamed of my children being in academic decathlons, but, this decathlon – a solar decathlon – it sounds very cool! And the pictures further prove the coolness! There are twenty different teams from universities around the world trying to build the most energy-efficient solar homes.

The competition is a week long and happens on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and the dates for this year’s event are October 12-20. The teams transport their houses to the site, and rebuild them there, making a solar village. The public is allowed to take tours through the houses, except on Wednesday, October 17th, when they are closed to the public for competition purposes.

The company, BP, is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and sponsoring the Solar Decathlon. They are running the blog, BP Solar Decathlon, on which there will be ‘as-they-build’ reports posted throughout the event! That will be so neat to follow along with!

So far, Colorado is the undefeated champ – with two wins under their belts – in 2002 and 2005.

The homes have to not only be fully functional, but, also attractive! So we’re not just talking about a bunch of shacks thrown together. I would love to be able to go there and see them! And they have other exhibits for spectators, as well. They have one that provides tips for saving energy for homeowners.

I’ll try to remember to update you on what is going on with the competition, and I’ll put a link or two in the sidebar, so we can all easily visit there!

Filed Under: Education, environmental

Local businesses and their affect on the environment

July 28, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Local businesses can have a horrible affect on the environment and its citizens nearby. It has been proven again and again that some of the age-old practices of typical businesses are just not good for the environment or the people around them. There was a business not too far from my house that was actually completely shut down and all of the residents were given funds to move out of the area. Mark will not let me buy produce when people are selling it on the side of the road, because he is afraid that it came from too close to that area.

There is a company that supplies EHS Compliance Software to businesses. They are utilizing the best of technology to help companies keep on top of their environmental footprints. They have a long list of clients that they have helped towards this mission.

The EHS metrics software brings together environmental health and safety professionals with information technology. In one area of their expertise, over 100 wells can be monitored and assessed for environmental damage in less than an hour!

Their staff works with their clients from the top to the bottom for the EHS software implementation. They work with the senior level company staff on strategy and planning, but, are also very present in the day to day happenings of the business, actually acting as extensions of their client’s staff.

The company was founded in 1998, and I think they are providing a wonderful service to all of the citizens who live near potential bio-hazard businesses! I bet they could have saved the town and the people near me that were so deeply affected by environmental waste. This is one company that I would really love to see expand and grow!

Filed Under: environmental

Little River Canyon – environmentally friendly

July 18, 2007 by Leave a Comment

I finally downloaded my camera software to this new machine. Well, really – new hard drive, but, it sure feels like a new machine to me! Winking 6 And so, anyway, I would like to share some things with you now about our journey to Little River Canyon, in the far northeast of Alabama.

One of the first things that I noticed when we got there, was the newfangled trash cans! Oh my, but, they were cool! Check them out:

Now, look closer at them! There is literally no access to them for any creatures other than humans!

You have to stick your hand in that little sticky-up part (yep, that’s a technical term) and push in a button inside there and then lift the lid up to the right. It’s actually kind of a tricky operation at first, when you’re getting used to it – I actually almost pinched my fingers pretty badly once!

And then – guess what? They recycle! Or provide canisters for you to, actually! In every spot that there is a trash can, there is one of these recycling sorters! How cool is that? And I mean, these are everywhere – we traveled the whole 20-30 mile scenic road that runs alongside the canyon, stopping at almost every scenic overlook, and there they were! I wonder what kind of dork that makes me? Scenic overlooks and I’m excited to see trash cans? Hmm….

And then they had these crazy things on the ground outside the bathrooms at the swimming area. Sammie and I wondered what they were. I said, “Could they possibly be some type of storm shelters?” They do look like doors!

But nope, nothing could be further from the truth! They are so not storm shelters! It is a way of cleaning the ‘water’ that comes from the bathrooms so that the river is protected. I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called and I’ve been looking and looking on the website and can’t find it. It is some word that you usually hear about gardening, though. I might try to remember to call them up tomorrow and ask them. I was a little confused, anyway, if that meant, ‘extra’ cleaning – or if that was the whole enchilada. So I shall dig around some more and report back to you on this one!

Filed Under: Alabama, environmental

Lady Bird Johnson dies in Austin, TX

July 11, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Perhaps our country’s first outspoken environmentalist, Lady Bird Johnson dies at age 94 peacefully at home in Texas. She died at home of natural causes and she was surrounded by family and friends.

She was best known as a determined environmentalist who wanted America’s highways cleaned up. She even had a bill nicknamed after her. It was the Highway Beautification Bill of 1965 and it was known as ‘The Lady Bird Bill’.

Setting the stage for environmentalists to come, she opened up and began discussions about taking care of our environment like no one who came before her. That is my kind of chic!

I wish her spirit rest and her family well.

You can read all about it here:
Lady Bird Johnson Dies at 94

Filed Under: environmental, News

Will you take me to Hawaii?

May 21, 2007 by Leave a Comment

I absolutely love looking at Hawaiian vacation packages. I would so love to go there! I am absolutely fascinated by the geography there! And a scene like this is a big reason that I want to go there:
Isn’t that just incredible? I’m not sure where exactly that picture was taken, but, I think a good place for me to stay would be the North Shore of Oahu. It sounds like it is very relaxing, and very non-touristy and ‘non-resort-y’. I am so not into that. I am into meditating, and enjoying the awesome nature that we have been gifted with. Which is one of the reasons Hawaii is tops on my list to visit! There is no better place for ecotourism, or travel that not only helps out the region to which you’ve travelled, but, also educates you about the area environmentally. I’m so weird like that, that my favorite places are either giant, bustling cities (that unfortunately, polute the heck out of Mother Earth) and total and complete nature trips. I suppose it is the Gemini in me – you know how twins can fight! And although truly meditating does not require certain surroundings, don’t you think a scene like this would certainly help? It takes my breath away just looking at the picture!
Along the same lines of not liking touristy areas, I think a villa would be much nicer to stay in than a hotel. I do like hotels, but, if I’m in Hawaii, I think I would much rather like the privacy of single-family accommodations. I think a lot of people are leaning more towards that type of travel these days. And I hear that Kuaiu is a nature-lovers playground, so couple that with a private villa, and I would just be in Heaven!!

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

And wouldn’t it just be so amazing to see one of these precious sea turtles in their natural environment? There is just something so spiritual and wise about sea turtles. Is it because they live so long, or is it because they’ve been around for so long? I don’t know – maybe it’s a little of both!

I have one friend online that lives in Hawaii, and I’ve got another online friend who just went to Hawaii for two weeks. And the interesting thing about it is, when I hear them talk about it, I’m not racked with jealousy. Well, not totally. I mostly just soak it up like a sponge – I want to hear every detail that they can possibly tell me! It’s funny because, when I hear people talk about other places that I want to visit (like those big, bustling cities) I am so very jealous. But with Hawaii, it’s different. Like I have some deep connection with the place. How much you want to bet a whole LOT of people feel that way? Winking 2
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Filed Under: animals, environmental, travel

Silk Soy Milk Green Caps

May 10, 2007 by Leave a Comment

If you drink Silk Soy Milk, and you notice your carton has a pretty green cap – don’t throw away the carton until you visit the Silk Soy Milk website, and click on the green cap on the home page, and then enter your UPC code into the appropriate box.

Silk says:

“For every code entered, Silk will increase our overall green power contribution by 30kWt hours – enough to power an average home for a day. Plus, your beloved abode could win a green makeover in the Sweepstakes.”

And did you know that your refrigerator is one of the two biggest energy hogs in your house? I am surprised by that! I guess it is ‘running all the time’! Like that old prank call we used to make! LOL! Head over to the Silk website to learn what the other one is!

And don’t forget to save your carton and enter your UPC code! I know I will be! It’s cool, because I think when they first started this, you needed the little thing inside the cap that you throw away when you open it. And my brother had bought me a carton and he was the one to open it, and I was all mad at him for throwing it away! Duh – Micky, you could see that it was green! Hahaha! I’m so silly! Well, anyway – no more fussiness – all you need is the UPC code!

Filed Under: environmental

Yellow snow in Alabama

March 30, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Yellow snow?! Ewwww! Ok, so it’s not exactly snow, but, that is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of trying to describe what’s floating around in our air and blanketing our cars right now!
It’s pollen! Massive, massive amounts of pollen!Coughing It’s allergy central around here! It’s unbelievable!

I have never seen anything like this in my life! And since we are new to Alabama, I don’t know if this is typical, or some new weather issue. Things have been a little strange around the earth here lately!

And my brother back home in Texas said that the allergies are worse than ever this year, but, he said this long before the yellow snow arrived, so I don’t know if they are getting it, too – or not.

I am telling you, it is crazy!! Mark is washing the car every day! And even for his Type A, let’s-keep-everything-clean-all-the-time personality – that’s bad! He’s never washed a vehicle on a daily basis before!

I was driving around town the other day and I saw one car, that apparently hadn’t been driven in a couple of days, and it was completely COVERED in yellow!

My dog actually slipped on the porch, because the yellow powder was so thick!

This is weird, ya’ll! I want to know if ya’ll are experiencing any of the ‘yellow powder phenomenon’, and if you are, is it typical?

Sound off – please!!

Filed Under: Alabama, environmental, Health

How much of an environmentalist are you?

March 28, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Would you be willing to have a composting toilet? That’s right – I said … composting toilet.

The company I have been researching today is called Envirolet. I just happened to stumble across this today while I was reading blogs – it was a Google ad. And the more I read, the more interested that I become.

Initially, it sounds uber disgusting, but, once you read up on it, you will see that it really isn’t bad at all. And this is totally not a new thing – the earliest composting toilets actually date back to the 1800’s! There were ‘Earth Commode’s’ in the 1860’s and the ‘Earth Closet’ in the 1880’s. So this is not some freaky, new wave thing!

A few years ago, I began composting in the back yard for my garden. We’re talking old food and such, people! LOL! My husband hated it! My sweet, old lady, next door neighbor, who was a Queen Gardener – was teaching me! Since Mark didn’t like it, Mrs. Brown was letting me help and contribute and make use of her pile – which just happened to be right on the other side of our fence. It occasionally smelled, and it was almost always covered in a giant cloud of gnats.

So I began researching and shopping around for compost bins. Mark was still not convinced – he just can’t stand the thought of it. LOL “Just go buy some fertilizer and peat moss at the store!”

He just doesn’t get the whole earth to earth point of it all. So I would love to see his reaction to these toilets! HA! No way, no how!

Well, at least my mother-in-law still has one horse – we get all the compost we need from that big boy! When we muck out the stall, we just dump all the refuse in one, long, snaking line on the far side of the pasture. She says that once planting time comes, neighbors come right and left for a pile of it! Priceless manure! Gotta love it!

Filed Under: environmental