I’ve seen this comparison to buying pardons a few times already, and initially it struck me as a bitterness against people who have the means to pay for reduced emissions (from the New York Times):
“ ‘The worst of the carbon-offset programs resemble the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences back before the Reformation,’ said Denis Hayes, the president of the Bullitt Foundation, an environmental grant-making group. ‘Instead of reducing their carbon footprints, people take private jets and stretch limos, and then think they can buy an indulgence to forgive their sins.’ ”
On second thought, I still think that. Despite the questionable tactics used by some carbon offset companies and the wide range of prices being charged for emissions, this is a good thing. Let’s be realistic – there is only so much people will do to reduce their carbon emissions (see John Mayer’s blog post on being “Light Green”) so instead of condemning people for what they don’t do, let’s applaud any effort that’s made.
OK, not sure if these are cathode light bulbs, incandescent, or LEDs, but this video showing the power of the BlendTec blender is strange and compulsively watchable. The 70’s music, the straight laced demonstrator, the fact the he acts like it is normal to put a lot of different things that are not food in a blender – very odd.
Yes, pulverizing 8 lights bulbs in a blender saves space, as he claims, although makes for some challenging bedtime reading IF THERE ARE NO LIGHT BULBS LEFT. Instead of destroying the standard light bulbs (I am assuming they are incandescents, on second thought, since they are cheaper to blend), put some cathode light bulbs in your bedroom and let the twisted teenagers continue experimenting.
For more bizarre blending, check out willitblend.com. I found the one where he blends two of the twelve dancing princesses that he bought his grandchildren for Christmas especially disturbing. Maybe a better question is, “Should it blend?”
Thanks to Jack Black for the heads-up on this one.
Treehugger has a comprehensive guide for making meals greener, but the accompanying picture makes me want to put whatever is there straight into my garden composters. What’s the deal with the non-St.Patrick’s day green food?
All kidding aside, this article is a good starting point for making meals that are ecologically sound. And yes, getting garden composters made the top 10 tips – kind of like CFLs’ country cousin.
Is it me, or this MSNBC article not saying very much when it comes to consumer behavior and green products? The message seems to be, “Green can’t stand on its own as a selling point – unless it does – and oh yeah – the product can’t be terrible.”
I introduce into evidence the following statements:
“In other words, eco-friendliness may make consumers feel good — as long as it comes with other attributes, such as superior performance, cost effectiveness or health benefits, says Stafford, who has done extensive research on the topic.”
“Still, some marketing experts say there is merit to marketing products for their environmental attributes, especially since going green has become such a hot trend.”
“Still, Boyko said consumers aren’t likely to sacrifice quality or other attributes in the name of eco-friendliness.”
Michael R. Bloomberg wants to clear the air (from the article):“Mr. Bloomberg said that his administration was committed to removing ‘disease-causing soot’ from the city’s air by planting trees, using cleaner fuels and imposing fees, similar to those used in parts of London and Singapore, on drivers entering Midtown and downtown Manhattan.He mentioned, as he did in his Earth Day speech on Sunday, that in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Harlem, children are hospitalized for asthma, which is aggravated by dirty air, at nearly four times the national average.”This approach, in my opinion, is much more compelling than trying to fight pollution because of a distant doomsday. We all like immediate gratification and results. If the number of children hospitalized for asthma goes down in the next year or two, I think people would be more inclined to join Bloomberg’s efforts.
Kind of funny that Sheryl Crow promoted her idea of “only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required” with Seinfeld creator Larry David’s wife Laurie, in light of Elaine’s planitive plea, “Can you spare a square?” I guess if these ladies had been in the next stall they would have said “no.”
Faithful readers know how I feel about the public entering into the private domain, previously exemplified by how much energy Al Gore uses in his home, but bathroom behavior is a whole new level. Let’s keep some energy efforts to ourselves.
With the public backlash, it’s hard to tell what coverage is real and what is a spoof. Did Sheryl Crow really design a “dining sleeve?”:
“The sleeve is detachable and can be replaced with another ‘dining sleeve’ after the diner has used it to wipe his or her mouth.” (BBC coverage here).
I’m pretty sure that anyone who limits himself to one square per bathroom visit and uses a dining sleeve is not strong enough to be my man – matter of taste I guess.
Our theme of green generating green is still running strong. This post on “25 Gadgets That Actually Save Money” features rechargeable batteries, solar calculators, efficient shower heads, and everyone’s favorite, CFLs. Not all the items here save money because of reduced energy use (for example the coin sorter, not a standard item in your local drug store, saves you money by performing a service you get charged for at the bank), but it’s nice to see that even if one is not convinced that global warming is an inevitable trajectory or that people can do anything to mitigate its effects, you can still benefit financially from energy efficient products.
As a side note: The author here talks about rechargeable batteries being perfect for parents of children who have lots of toys. True, I am sure, but in today’s gagdet heavy society, I’ll bet there are tons of applications for rechargeable batteries that have nothing to do with PlayStations.
Love it! Two brothers have committed to only communicating by podcast for a year. Check out this video on the latest eco-news as delivered from one brother to another.
You don’t always have to choose between looking good and being good to the earth (all of you wearing hemp know what I am talking about). When it comes to designing your home, you can incorporate a skylight without cringing. Enjoy the affects of a cool looking window which warms your home using solar energy. Feel righteous about being eco-friendly and use the extra light to count your newfound money, which is not going towards your energy bill. According to Solar Washington, a skylight will also increase the resale value of your home.
Another advantage of a skylight is that it is minor change that can bring big results, a small step rather than a huge project. The Efficient Windows site also has information about which skylights will get you tax credits. Happy renovating.
Earth Day has come and gone – did you feel it?
Get any free light bulbs from Wal-Mart?
Did you do anything different on April 22nd or subsequent to that Sunday as a result?
Read about how these eco-socialites marked the day to make a difference “one pointy-toed step at a time” (and try not to drool at the descriptions of their apartments and clothes).
How would you have orchestrated the day (or would you have skipped it entirely)?
