Chesapeake Bay Making a Clean Comeback
Pennsylvania has made cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay a priority and the efforts are paying off. ENN recently reported that the nutrient and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay has been significantly reduced over the past three years.
Collective efforts have focused on reducing point and non-point source pollution from wastewater treatment facilities, residential and commercial development and farm activities.
The Chesapeake Executive Council coordinates the work of restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. The council is the governing body for restoration efforts undertaken by Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the District of Columbia, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chesapeake Bay Commission.
Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of the cleanup: “Just as we collectively benefit from having this natural wonder in our backyards, we also collectively share the responsibility for ensuring its long-term health,” said Pennsylvania Governor Rendell of the bay and its 64,000 square mile watershed. “We’re doing our part in Pennsylvania by working to reduce run-off and pollution from wastewater facilities, urban areas and agricultural lands.”
Highlights of Pennsylvania’s efforts (from ENN):
- 2006, the state had reduced nitrogen loadings to the bay by 25.8 million pounds and phosphorus loadings by 1.72 million pounds. Additionally, sediment pollution had been cut by nearly 420,000 pounds.
- Municipal wastewater treatment plants are now operating under mandatory nutrient limits in order to meet federal Clean Water Act requirements, and any new residential and commercial developments projects in Pennsylvania are required to eliminate or offset all nutrient and phosphorous discharges completely.
- The state’s Nutrient Trading Program allows communities and farms below baseline limits to sell pollution reduction credits to other municipal systems, providing a cost-effective approach to compliance.
- In 2005, Governor Rendell’s Agricultural Communities and Rural Environment initiative, or ACRE, was adopted, providing significant improvement to Pennsylvania’s farm management regulations.
More:
- Progress declared in Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts
- Bay Pollutants: Where do they come from?
- USGS: Chesapeake Bay Measuring Pollution Reduction
- The Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem at Maryland Department of Natural Resources
- Chesapeake Bay Commission
Top 10 Success Stories from The Nature Conservancy 2007
The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive, worldwide. In 2007, the question isn’t so much what did TNC do but what didn’t they do because their efforts to protect the environment were everywhere in 2007 - from Africa to the Pacific Ocean to the Canadian Rockies. Here’s the top success stories from TNC this past year…
Costa Rica: A Landmark Debt-for-Nature Swap
In October, the Conservancy brokered the largest debt-for-nature swap in history — a deal that will secure long-term, science-based conservation for Costa Rica’s tropical forests.Canada: Spirit of the Great Bear Rainforest
The Conservancy and partners completed financing in February to help protect more than 21 million acres of the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest remaining stretch of temperate rainforest on Earth.New York: Saving the Heart of the Adirondacks
The Conservancy purchased more than 161,000 acres of prime forest in New York State’s Adirondack Park in June, saving critical ecosystems from development and fragmentation.Climate Change: Making the Link to Deforestation
How can the world address deforestation — the largest overlooked contributor to climate change? In December, the Conservancy pledged $5 million to a World Bank effort that gives developing countries incentives to maintain their tropical forests.China: Its First National Park
The Conservancy helped China achieve a conservation landmark this summer: the establishment of that country’s first national park, which will also serve as a model for a new Chinese national park system.Africa: New Program Takes Off
The Nature Conservancy in Africa made great strides in 2007 toward creating a new national park in Namibia, conserving the great Zambezi River and protecting the lush tropical forests of East Africa’s Rift Valley.California: Santa Cruz Island Success
Nearly 30 years of restoration efforts led by the Conservancy on Santa Cruz Island are finally paying off — with the return of oak seedlings, rare endemic plants, island foxes and bald eagles, who are successfully hatching young for the first time in a half-century.Papua New Guinea: Protecting Marine Life and Human Needs
The Conservancy designed a marine protected area in Kimbe Bay that is one of the first in the world to incorporate both human needs and principles of coral reef resilience to withstand impacts from climate change.Grasslands: Conservancy Moves Into Argentina and Mongolia
As part of a goal to conserve at least 10 percent of temperate grasslands worldwide, the Conservancy began to lay the foundation for grassland conservation in Argentina and Mongolia.Tennessee: A Big Deal to Connect the Cumberlands
The Nature Conservancy and the state of Tennessee have completed the largest conservation transaction in the state since the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the 1930s — protection of nearly 130,000 acres of majestic hardwood forests, mountains and streams on the Cumberland Plateau.
Wow! Thanks to everyone at The Nature Conservancy and all those who supported their work for making these success stories possible this year!
Via TNC
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays Everyone! Wherever you are in this beautiful world!
This image is from one of my all-time favorite non-profits Survival International, the movement for tribal peoples. The plight of tribal peoples may seem remote but it is intricately intertwined with the health of the planet. Survival does amazing work around the globe to protect indigenous people and the land that sustains them. It is work that benefits us all and helps protect the environment.
The picture above is one of Survival’s holiday card collection. Purchasing these beautiful photograph cards helps support cultural survival, and there are more gorgeous designs available as well as jewelry, calenders and t-shirts. You can also learn how to walk your talk and get involved to raise awareness and money for Survival International.
Learn more at Survival International and enjoy the holidays!
Around b5, The Best in Green 2007
I love being a part of the b5media network. There are so many great blogs and bloggers. This past year was no exception so as the year starts to wind down here are some of my favorites from around b5media in 2007…
Jennifer at Tree Hugging Family is always churning out the best green-living ideas but I particularly like Two Great Resources for Healthy, Green Kids because it points the way to two great places to find the info you need on clean air and safe drinking water for you and your family’s health, and both have kid-friendly activities online to boot!
Pretty by Nature is the definitive stop to find all the dream green indulging beauty products you ever imagined. Every post is fresh but here’s an extra special treat Listmania Part Deux - her top ten favorite green beauty websites.
As a green building advocate with a special place in my heart for New Orleans, I can’t get enough of Brad Pitt’s efforts to bring N’awlins back in sustainable style. So whenever I wonder what’s happening on that front I check over at PittWatch where Brad Pitt’s advocacy efforts are followed daily. Oh, did I mention there’s lots of pictures?
Unplugged Living is great year round but I especially like 10 Solar Tips Part I and 10 Solar Tips Part II. So many great pointers here on how to get the most out of solar energy!
Simply Thrifty blew me away with 50 Holiday Things you can make yourself. I love the ideas and the spirit of putting creativity into the season to make it more special, instead of just tossing money at mass produced stuff. Handmade is always so much better all around!
The roving vegetarian Jul over at Veggie Chic makes eating healthy around the globe entertaining and informative. And asks the tough questions like is organic more nutritious? This blog is a veggie foodie paradise.
These are just some of the great blogs and posts, there are many more to be discovered so be sure to explore the blogroll and check out all b5 has to offer!
World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report Available Online
If you are wondering where to get a good overview of the state of the environment in one place the World Wildlife Fund has it all in the Living Planet Report. The 2006 summary is online and its a great place to find updates on the world’s ecosystems.
From WWF - “The Report describes the changing state of global biodiversity and the pressure on the biosphere arising from human consumption of natural resources.”
The WWF uses two indicators to compile the yearly summary:
- the Living Planet Index, which reflects the health of the planet’s ecosystems; and
- the Ecological Footprint, which shows the extent of human demand on these ecosystems.
These trends are tracked over several decades and the WWF offers three scenarios that offer a glimpse to the future of the planet’s ecosystems. Most importantly, there are scenarios which allow us to see how our choices might affect the environment over time.
There’s a great link here to how you can help the environment in your daily life with tips for home, shopping, gardening, travel and more. You can also sign up for email updates and join the WWF to support their worldwide conservation efforts. Visit Inhabitat to see how you can Adopt an Animal from WWF and Get a Cute Plush Toy.
The report is available in PDF at WWF Living Planet Report.
What a year for the environment!
As 2007 winds down here’s a look at some of the stories that made their way to Daily Tomorrow this past year…
We Have a Global Consensus, And You Can Help Make a Difference: The United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change in Bali ended on a surprising note as the US stepped up and agreed to the global consensus today. 187 countries meeting in Bali agreed to launch negotiations towards an international climate change deal and finish negotiations by 2009. This will allow a new deal to be enforced by 2013, the end of the first phase of the Kyoto protocol. Four UNFCCC meetings, starting in March or April, are anticipated for next year to implement the “Bali roadmap”. What part will you play?
Genetic Barcodes: A Key to Conservation?: There is a fascinating initiative on genetic testing that may prove a valuable tool in conservation efforts worldwide. The Consortium for the Barcode of Life is identifying DNA barcodes - “a very short genetic sequence from a standard part of the genome the way a supermarket scanner distinguishes products using the black stripes of the Universal Product Code.”
Five Things You Can Do Today to Help the Environment: Each of us can make a difference everyday. Here’s five super easy ways to help the environment.
The Return of the California Condor: Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of those involved with a captive-breeding program, the condor has once again become a free soaring bird over the canyons of the Southwestern US.
The Info You Need on Endocrine Disruptors: Different sources tell different stories on the safety of certain chemicals that are linked to reproductive or endocrine disorders. Some say they’re safe in small doses while others say no way in any amount. Where can you as a consumer turn for information on endocrine disruptors to help you make the right decisions?
The Tallest, Fattest, Largest and Oldest Trees on the Planet: The forests, particularly the Amazon, are the lungs of the planet. They are ever changing with storms, fires, gaps and succession - some caused by humans and others a part of natural processes. Within the world’s diverse flora there are a few members of the tree family that stand out.
Green Building 101: What is LEED?: You might have seen the acronym LEED used in reference to some of the world’s greenest buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a program of guidelines and standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The program is widely accepted as a benchmark for high-performance buildings, buildings that excel in energy-efficiency, resource conservation, sustainable materials and healthy indoor environmental quality.
Healthy People, Healthy Planet: At Work: Taking a look at the connection between healthy people and a healthy planet in your work environment - the place we spend most of our waking hours because a greener workplace is better for both you and the planet.
At Large in an Ocean of Plastic: In 1997, a veteran sailor named Charles Moore was making his way home from the Los Angeles-to-Hawaii Transpacific Yacht Race. Curiosity drew him to a new route across the Pacific and into what is now known as the “Eastern Garbage Patch” - a swirling mass of plastic and debris that is the result of consumption and pollution.
Six Reason Why I Love Surfrider Foundation: From ripping it up in the surf to protecting turtles to a long list of successful initiatives to protect the oceans, Surfrider rocks… and I’m still in love.
Kid-Friendly Fridays: WWF Fun & Games
The World Wildlife Fund works hard to protect the living planet, but there’s lots of time for fun and games. On their website is a special section just for kids where you can send a wildlife postcard to a friend or play an interactive wildlife game to learn about endangered species, wild places, learn ways you can help protect the earth and have a lot of fun while doing it.
Like the Tiger Quiz where you can explore the world of this majestic creature and then test your knowledge online. Or follow the Rhinos of the Terai Arc in Nepal and help get them home by answering questions correctly. There’s lots of fun and games to do and lots of great wildlife to get to know!
Check it out online at WWF Fun & Wildlife Games
Kid-Friendly Fridays: Urban Bird Studies
There is a great citizen science project from Cornell Lab of Ornithology called Urban Bird Studies where students of all ages can help scientists answer questions about birds in cities. Data are collected by citizen scientists across North America and in many other countries. Scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology use the data to answer scientific questions about urban birds. Anyone can participate and its easy and fun!
You can help scientists learn about birds by being a field observer. Watch what birds do, pick a type of bird that you want to study and then observe and count the birds you see. The data you collect is used to understand how birds live in cities.
You will learn about the different types of birds that share the city with you, like grackles, starlings or maybe even red-tailed hawks! You can also learn about the different types of pigeons, crows, doves and gulls. And, with all bird studies, you can share pictures, videos and notes with people all over the world through the Urban Bird Studies website.
It’s a great resource to learn all about birds and have some fun while helping scientists learn and protect them. Visit the Urban Bird Studies website for more.
"Clean" Means Chemical Exposure for Nurses
You know how I love to harp on you about greening your cleaning? Well there’s more research building on the topic of hazardous chemical exposure from cleaning products. The San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that group warns that nurses face health risks from chemical exposure.
From the SFG, “The very chemicals used to keep hospitals squeaky clean and to treat patients could be harmful to nurses who are exposed to them in their daily duties, according to a study released Tuesday by an Oakland environmental group.”
The researchers involved are from the Environmental Working Group and Health Care Without Harm. The problems are related to too few regulations to limit chemical exposure and too little knowledge about the extent of toxins in the work environment.
The chemical exposure is from a wide range of materials from anesthesia to shampoo and soap. While many of these are part of specialized work, other more generic products and chemicals can be eliminated from the environment to decrease overall chemical exposure on the job.
The health effects (from SFG)
- Nurses who were regularly exposed to chemicals reported higher incidences of cancer, asthma and miscarriages than their peers with limited exposure.
- Nurses who were regularly exposed to chemicals while pregnant had children with higher incidences of birth defects than the children of nurses with limited exposure.
Around San Fran…(from SFG)
Several Bay Area hospitals are limiting the amount of vinyl materials they use in everything from floors and walls to medical devices because chemicals used to make vinyl have been tied to cancer and birth defects.
At Stanford University Medical Center and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, newly hired nurses are given a physical that includes looking at the chemicals in their bodies. They are then offered free annual physicals to monitor their exposure to chemicals as well as other physical ailments.
And, my fellow green building enthusiasts, green building plays a huge role in this issue. Around the country, hospitals are getting greener for better energy-efficiency, to be more environmentally friendly and to reduce toxins from the work place. Check out The Top 10 Greenest Hospitals in the U.S. at the Green Guide. Also Green Hospital Program Launched at California Green Solutions and PVC Elimination Prominent in Hospitals at Healthy Building News and one more, A Breath of Fresh Air — Green Hospital Environments on the Rise at ED&C Magazine.
Genetic Barcodes: A Key to Conservation?
There is a fascinating initiative on genetic testing that may prove a valuable tool in conservation efforts worldwide. The Consortium for the Barcode of Life is identifying DNA barcodes - “a very short genetic sequence from a standard part of the genome the way a supermarket scanner distinguishes products using the black stripes of the Universal Product Code.”
The research may help protect illegal trade of natural resources, like food and timber, or help scientists better identify the routes migrating species. Already the DNA barcodes of over 31,000 species of plants and animals have been identified.
The scientists, who include members from organizations from around the globe like the U.S. Smithsonian Institute, National Museums of Kenya, Universidad de los Andes and, my alma mater, University of Connecticut, hope to identify 500,000 species in the near future and build up a reference library of species.
The tests themselves are quick and inexpensive, can be done in a few hours for about $2. When a barcode is identified the information can be used to determine if illegal trading has occurred, like with timber.
(from ENN) “Once a tree has been cut up into boards it’s very hard to identify …. without the branches, roots and bark it’s very hard to identify,” David Schindel of the U.S. Smithsonian Institution who is executive secretary of the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, told Reuters. “Barcoding can help.” “This has not gone to a court of law yet but in the next year or two I think we will see more and more cases where barcoding has provided the smoking pistol,” he said.
Pretty cool stuff I think, you can learn more at Consortium for the Barcode of Life.
Via ENN
Website Wink: Eco Child's Play
Have you discovered Eco Child’s Play yet? This is a great site for green parents who want to provide healthy, non-toxic homes. It started as a resource for natural toy information but has expanded beautifully over the past year or so to a wide range of environmental parenting topics.
The site has several regular writers headed by founder Jennifer Lance who is a teacher, artist and yoga instructor. There’s still a strong focus on green kids, recent posts offer a lot of insight into the lead in toys issue, but there’s lots of great green ideas for the whole family so I recommend you go check it out!
Find it online at Eco Child’s Play.
We Have a Global Consensus, and you can help make a difference!
The United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change in Bali ended on a surprising note as the US stepped up and agreed to the global consensus today. 187 countries meeting in Bali agreed to launch negotiations towards an international climate change deal and finish negotiations by 2009. This will allow a new deal to be enforced by 2013, the end of the first phase of the Kyoto protocol. Four UNFCCC meetings, starting in March or April, are anticipated for next year to implement the “Bali roadmap”.
On the negotiation agenda are:
- actions for adapting to the negative consequences of climate change
- ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- ways to widely deploy climate-friendly technologies
- financing both adaptation and mitigation measures
Another point on the agenda is REDD - “reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries” - which encourages participants to address the driving factors of deforestation.
You can easily be a part of the REDD solution by buying fair trade. Fair trade helps protect forests by providing a livelihood to indigenous communities that does not rely on unsustainable foresting. It really does make a difference both to people and the environment.
Another way you can support REDD is to buy certified wood products with labeling from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Organizations like the FSC help protect forests and encourage socially, environmentally and economically viable forest management by certifying a wood product’s origins through a “chain-of-custody”.
Since 1990, FSC has certified over 90 million hectares (over 22 million acres) of forest landscape in more than 82 countries. A large and prolific network of manufacturers and retailers means FSC certified wood is widely available. The products are of comparable quality to non-certified products and can be used without limitation in application. Find out how certified wood helps the environment at Natural Resources Defense Council.
More news on the Bali roadmap:
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
- UN Climate Change Conference in Bali at the Telegraph
- Drama at the end of Bali at One Climate
Smithsonian's Ocean EcoCenter is Online!
I indulge shamelessly in only one print publication: Smithsonian. It’s my favorite magazine and I look forward to every issue. You have to give me a little green leeway on this for not going paperless because I live 30 minutes from the closest English library and they don’t have Smithsonian anyway! It’s my eco-vice.
Anyhoo, Smithsonian, publishers of my favorite mag, have a fantastic feature on The Oceans at their website EcoCenter. There are lots of great articles on all things ocean and marine related. And interactive features like Beautiful Strangers, which offers a glimpse of some of the strangest, most lovely and most elusive sea creatures. Like the Pink Amazonian River Dolphin, Narwhals and many others.
Currently, there is a wonderful article on The Amazing Albatrosses, one of many marine birds which mate for life and spend their time alternately between scanning the oceans for food and sharing chick rearing duties.
But the Albatross can go for years without touching land and their journeys are amazing.
In addition to the article at Smithsonian, I also recommend Eye of the Albatross
The Smithsonian EcoCenter Oceans also has info on fishing, aquaculture, shipping, nutrient pollution and climate change. It is a great resource if you’re interested in learning more about the oceans past, present and future.
Kid-Friendly Fridays: Hooray for Manatees!
The New York Times recently reported that manatees have retained endangered status in Florida. The ruling means that these gentle giants, which have been on the state’s endangered list since 1979, will remain under protected status. It is a win for those working to help keep these creatures protected and, of course, for the manatees.
So in recognition of the recent manatee news here’s a little about these national treasures with kid-friendly links that anyone can use.
Manatees are large, plant-eating marine mammals who include among their closest living relatives the elephant and the aardvark!
Manatee Facts (from Nat’l Geo):
- Manatees can be as long as 13 feet
- They can weigh up to 1300 lbs
- Manatees can swim up to 15 MPH
- But usually swim around 3-5 MPH
- They are mammals and breathe air
- Manatees can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes
- The West Indian Manatee, the one in Florida, can live up to 60-70 years
A survey by biologists in 2007 recorded just 2,800 manatees in Florida waters, but that is an increase of almost double since 1991.
The increase in population of the Florida manatee is the result of diligent efforts to protect these quiet creatures.
Over thirty years ago in 1971, Jacques Cousteau filmed the documentary “The Forgotten Mermaids” to help educate the public about the plight of the Florida manatee and the threats to their survival, mostly humans and motorboats.
While manatees spend warmer months at sea, they move inland into shallow, warmer waters from October to March. In Florida in winter, manatees are found in large concentration at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1983. The Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership, a group of local and national organizations, helps rescue sick or injured Florida manatees, nurture them back to health and return them to the wild.
Learn more:
- Save the Manatee Club
- Manatees.net
- Manatees and Dugongs at UNEP
- Manatees at National Geographic Kids
- Manatee Timeline at Florida Fish and Wildlife
- Manatee Sirenia Project USGS
If you live or are planning to visit Florida in January, it’s Manatee Awareness Month at Manatee Springs State Park! Lots of events all about manatees and the efforts to protect them.
Five Things You Can Do Today to Help the Environment
1. Turn off a light: I live within sight of one of Germany’s newest and largest coal-fired electricity plants. Everyday, I look out of my window and am reminded why conserving electricity is important. Despite the Kyoto Protocol and despite Germany’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions there is a demand for electricity that is being met by coal and other polluting sources. The best thing you can do today to help change this reality is to reduce consumption of electricity. Turn off lights, electronics and other devices when not in use and check out TreeHugger’s How to Green Your Electricity for more useful tips.
2. Cut the shower short: Water is a precious, finite resource and conserving water does more than make sure there’s enough to go around. Reducing water consumption also reduces energy use, reduces water pollution, saves you money and takes a load of water treatment facilities. Think about your water usage and try some creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Harvesting rainwater for gardens is a great way to start, like with this Rain Catcher Water Barrel
3. Plant a native species: It takes a lot of time, energy, water and fertilizer to keep non-native landscaping alive. Native species are the better choice. They require less upkeep, less water and stay healthier without chemicals. Native species also attract native wildlife and encourage natural biodiversity. Help your yard be part of the natural ecosystem by choosing plants suited to the region you live in. Just be sure to pick from nurseries or local seed swaps, not the wild. Check out eNature’s Native Gardening and Invasive Species Plant Guide to find out what grows in your neck of the woods.
4. Use reusable: If you cross the Pacific at a certain latitude you will find yourself at large in an ocean of plastic - a massive, swirling mess from short-lived plastic products like grocery bags. These bags take massive amounts of energy and oil to produce, are used once or twice and then become a hazard to the environment. Reusable bags are easy and make sense! There are endless choices to fit your needs for groceries or day to day shopping like the stylish Inhabitat Eco-tote Bag or these cool totes from EcoBags
5. Give: This time of year is all about the spirit of giving and you can channel that into small environmental endeavors that make a big difference. It can be time or money but your support will help keep alive the charity of your choice. Like maybe The Nature Conservancy where you can Adopt an Acre or Rescue A Reef. Or maybe the World Wildlife Fund where you can adopt an animal and get a cute plush toy. How about getting your company on board for 1% For the Planet. Or make give every time you use your credit card, cell phone or call long distance with Working Assets - they even offer an “environment” only option. Thinking about traveling with purpose, check out Volunteer travel opportunities at Responsible Travel. The choices are endless and your support can make a difference!
The Return of the California Condor
I recently got an early Christmas present which has me spellbound. My sister gave me Condors in Canyon Country
Sophie Osborn was the Field Manager for the Peregrine Fund’s California Condor Restoration Project in Arizona. She has worked with more than a dozen bird species around the world, including condors, peregrine falcons, Hawaiian crows, eagles in Peru, parrots in Guatemala and ducks in Argentina. She is pretty amazing and so is this book.
What others are saying (from Amazon):
Every so often a book comes along that makes you feel good and offers a glimmer of hope for the environment. This is such a book.
For anyone interested in wildlife, birds, and stories of survival….this is the perfect book. It’s an amazing blend of facts about the natural history of the California Condor and the personal accounts of a biologist who dedicated several years of her life ensuring that the condors were successfully reintroduced to their historical range in the Grand Canyon. The photos are spectacular and the writing is absolutely beautiful.
The story itself is captivating, a majestic species on the brink of extinction - in the early 1980s, scientists documented only twenty-two condors in the wild.
Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of those involved with a captive-breeding program, the condor has once again become a free soaring bird over the canyons of the Southwestern US.
Condors in Canyon Country
The California Condor is back, it’s population returning in incremental numbers, but the future of the species is still uncertain and humans have a determining role. This book and the resources below are great places to learn about these majestic creatures who were almost lost forever, and what we can do to protect them.
b5media Just Keeps Getting Greener!
Hi Daily Tomorrow peeps! Sorry about the short break this week but I’m back, and with lots of good news. First, the break. What a week, month, my goodness! I’ve been super busy with just about everything - consulting on a house that hopefully will be able to use a geo-exchange system (hooray!) and getting some new projects off the ground over at Inhabitat. I’m also recovering from a nasty cold and jetlag (not so green, I’m aware, yes, but into every green life a little offset must fall). So there, you are almost caught up.
Part of the pause has a lot to do with Daily Tomorrow and b5media. We’ve been getting greener all the time and there’s lot o’ green to go around. We’ve got Unplugged Living who’s been helping readers “freeload of Mother Nature” for quite some time now. The latest at UL: Brooke Burke and Her Environment-Friendly Baby Products - wow, she looks amazing!
There’s also Simply Thrifty who’s making it go round twice in style with reads like How to Compost. And one of my all-time favorite blogs, Veggie Chic, where a lighter ecological footprint is healthy and delicious with posts like 5 tips for having a happy vegetarian holiday season. Yum!
And, of course, the mom of the happiest green kid you’ve ever seen, Jennifer over at Tree Hugging Family is making green groovy on a daily basis. Check out 25 Reasons to Get Outside During Winter, I particularly like reason #7.
So what about us here at Daily Tomorrow? We are still green of course but in the coming weeks you’ll start to notice a little different perspective. You’ll still find Kid-Friendly Fridays (because kids and science are just more fun!), Website Winks and lots of other regular features. Some features will fade away but other new exciting ones will take their place.
Re-focusing? Why yes! And it has a little to do with an email I got from a green guide with this subject:
help count birds! Plus, easy roast chicken, and more…
Actually, the thoughts were percolating in my mind before this email but the subject kinda nailed it for me. I’d been on the fence about this particular guide, it’s good but kinda fluffy IMHO. And that, my dear readers, is what I don’t want Daily Tomorrow to be! So I’m weeding out the fluff, gettin’ lean for the New Year and getting back to the roots here: Science.
So if you dig exploring science, the natural world and are interested in the state of the environment (ie would rather hear about the bird count than the easy roast chicken) you’re in the right place and I hope you stick around!
Green Building 101: Healthy, Environmentally Sound Materials
Last time in GB101 I talked a little bit about Indoor Environmental Quality - implementing design ideas to enhance natural daylighting, ventilation, thermal comfort and reduce toxins for healthier, more productive and energy-efficient indoor spaces. A large part of IAQ is determined by material choices.
The materials we use in construction have an impact on the environment during harvesting, manufacturing and transportation. They also have an impact on health, many lasting long after construction is complete. Often, the best choice for the environment is also the best choice for people.
Materials in green building cover a wide spectrum of environmental concerns, including labor practices, conservation, resource management and so on. Ideally we can choose materials that are local, durable and produced according to sustainable principles, like made of high-recycled content or FSC-certified wood (check out Key Questions at Healthy Building PDF). And reduce waste of those materials with diligence about sizing, ordering and returning unused products to a functional purpose.
Although material selection has a broad application, here at Daily Tomorrow we’ll concentrate on the health issues associated with building materials. For instance, many building products contain formaldehyde, a carcinogen. (see Clearing The Air on Formaldehyde) Other materials, like paints, finishes and adhesives can emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds), a wide variety of chemicals that have both long and short term health effects.
Healthy Home Institute has a great article on Choosing Healthy Building Materials - a succinct read covering everything from floor to ceiling. Pollution in People has a similar resource in Less-Toxic Home Repair & Construction Materials. For info and product information on paints and finishes, check out the Green Home Guide’s Green Paints & Coatings Know-How section. Green Home Guide also covers other materials, like flooring and countertops.
For more (from the Blogroll):
- Healthy Home Institute
- Green Home Guide
- USGBC Green Home Guide
- Green Seal
- Inhabitat Green Building 101: Materials & Resources Part I and Part II
Looking for something else? or have a question about green building and health? or got a great tip for our readers? Let me know - shoot me an email or leave a comment.
Website Wink: Ask an Organic Mom
I am going to be an auntie again, yay! I already have four wonderful nieces and nephews, two of each, so the arrival of another bundle of sunshine is just icing on the cake.
While I’m not a mom, I know that there’s a lot more to raising kids these days. Our generation has so much more collective knowledge (although our Moms had some killer intuition on a lot of topics, the science just hadn’t yet caught up!) that sometimes it’s difficult to sort through and find reliable sources for up-to-date information on raising the healthiest, happiest kids.
That’s why The Daily Green has Ask An Organic Mom, with Deidre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu who are co-authors of The Complete Organic Pregnancy
You can find some great articles here in the archives with tips on organic living, healthy toys, toxin-free cleaning and much more from these organic moms. And, of course, ask away and organic moms Deidre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu will answer.
Green Quotes: Phillippe Cousteau Jr.
“It’s not just about seeing whales or trying to save fish and birds. It’s about saving us.” - Phillippe Cousteau Jr.
With a last name synonymous with ocean conservation, Phillippe Cousteau Jr. is carrying on the spirit of both his father and grandfather as a champion for our rivers and oceans.
Thirty five years after his father brought the plight of Florida manatees to the eyes of the world through the documentary “The Forgotten Mermaids”, Phillippe Cousteau Jr. has returned to Blue Spring State Park to remind us these gentle giants still need protection.
In 2006, the young Cousteau teamed up with Steve Irwin to film the Animal Planet documentary Ocean’s Deadliest. The expedition proved to be Irwin’s last after a highly publicized stingray injury that claimed his life.
Cousteau, who is Animal Planet’s Chief Ocean Correspondent, has also carried on Irwin’s legacy finishing the documentary and presenting the world with the amazing, breathtaking wonders of life beneath the surface of the world’s oceans.
He is also the president of EarthEcho International, a non-profit environmental education and conservation organization which produces documentary projects like Living on Earth. He is a tireless advocate for the environment writing, producing and narrating documentaries, articles and lecturing around the globe.
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Phillipe Cousteau Sr./Manatee Photo: WaltStearns.com