Energy
My Sweet 16 Bicycle
Isn’t she a beauty. My parents gave me this bike on my sixteenth birthday. It was by far, the best bike I had ever owned. I realized immediately that I would have to enter some races and go on some long distance rides. It would be a shame not to. It is a Schwinn Superior with Campy parts – 12 speeds – super light – I love it. I declared then that I would never get rid of this bike. It would be a family heirloom.
This past summer a friend gave my old bike a new purpose. I needed a good commuter bike so we put on new pedals, handle bars and a seat. I have been riding an old 3 speed to work – from Arlington to the Back Bay. On the old bike, it would take me 1.25 hours to get to work. This past Friday I made it to work in 45 minutes. So 23 years after receiving this bike, I’m back on it and loving life.
Quality = Longevity
My own backyard oracle
MARGERIE - My backyard compost bin, not to be confused with a big black silo.
I can remember watching Fraggle Rock when I was a kid. I loved Margerie the trash heap oracle. My mom had a compost pile in the back yard that we lovingly named Margerie, after the wise advisor. When I left for college in 1987 Margerie was but a fond memory. I lived in the greater Washington DC area, and we did not have a compost pile. I did not realize then how hip my mom was – quite ahead of the curve. It was not until 1996, when I attended graduate school in Switzerland that I encountered another compost. I lived in an 8 story apartment building in Basel and there was a compost area in the back garden that all residents could share.
I was amazed at how little trash my roommate and I accumulated. We were keenly aware of this because the Swiss collect their trash collection taxes from the sales of their state trash bags. So, in order to get your trash picked up at your doorstep, you must purchase trash bags with the official state seal. These are more costly than plain trash bags – which encourages you to produce less waste. BRILLIANT!
We only bought the small trash bags, which are about half the size of a typical American kitchen trash bag. We put out one of these small bags a month. All of our fruit and veggie scraps would go to the compost and all of our bottles, cans and paper would be recycled. I am not sure if there was less packaging in Europe, or if I was just too broke to buy items that have packaging. My purchases mainly consisted of food, beverage and train tickets.
Now that I am living in the Boston area and trying to live as sustainable as possible, I have installed a compost bin in my backyard. For those of you that do not have yard space, there are some great indoor compost options to explore, like these from Nature Mill.
And check out this info supplied by Nature Mill:
The Biodegradable Irony
Food and paper decompose by themselves in nature. They are, however, the two largest components in landfills, accounting for nearly 50% of all municipal solid waste. There is more food and paper in landfills than diapers, styrofoam, and tires — combined. According to the US EPA, food waste is the #1 least recycled material.Landfills are layered deep and saturated with water. No oxygen can penetrate. As a result, even “biodegradable” waste will remain embalmed for centuries to come. Landfills produce methane, a harmful greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide (according to the US EPA), and leach toxic chemicals into our air and drinking water.
Check your local city hall to see if they sell compost bins – or visit Boston Building Materials Coop, located at 100 Terrace Street in Roxbury (near Roxbury Community College). If you don’t have a car or can’t travel to Roxbury, a great on-line store to visit is The Alternative Energy Store. Have fun greening your home!
What a bright Idea
The general public now knows that Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) are more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. This is old news. CFL’s provide more light with less power, less coal is burned and this means less CO2 is going up into the atmosphere.But D2E has not devoted a blog entry to these little money savers, so here it is. And to the left is a close up of a CFL in Lorelei’s apartment. Below you can see a full photo of the über cool lamp that she found on the sidewalk in Cambridge, with the side table that was also found on the Cambridge sidewalks. This lamp has to be circa 1960. Free-cycled furniture and CFL’s, how can you go wrong?
Aside from helping the environment we should note that you can also save money. Although some name brand CFL’s are somewhat more costly ranging from $7-$20, in the long run they save you money while helping the environment. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
There are those skeptics however, that argue that CFL’s are just as bad for the environment because they contain Mercury and become hazardous waste once they have served their purpose. (We like skeptics, by the way. Skeptics help us get to the truth.) The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), suggests that CFLs of 25 watts or less, the equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb — contains no more than 5 milligrams of mercury, the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen. Even though the amount is minimal it is vital that these bulbs be disposed of properly.
You can find a location where you can drop off these CFL’s here.
If a CFL breaks do not use a vacuum to clean up the mess, and
- Ventilate the room by closing all interior doors and opening all exterior doors or windows to the outside.
- Remove all materials you can by wearing disposable gloves and scooping up the glass and powder with a stiff paper or cardboard. You can then pick up smaller fragments using duct tape. Grab a damp paper towel clean the surface once then clean it again this time adding a dish soap, dry it all up and dispose of the paper towel.
- You can pick up a mercury-absorbent container linings for broken CFL’s, if and when they are available.
Not all CFL’s are the same, they come in many different shapes and sizes and are used for rooms around the house. With the popularity of CFL’s and the growing consciousness of the environment there are even newer light bulbs coming out like electron-stimulated luminescene (ESL), so check out your options. If you don’t believe in the benefits of using CFL make your own test. I have, so far I haven’t found the need to replace any light bulbs I bought the ones I have in March.
This post is courtesey of our wonderful summer intern, Nathalie. We miss her!
BIG Belly
Last week I grabbed a pizza and headed for Copley Square to enjoy my lunch in front of the park. When I finished my delicious Uppercrust I headed for a trash receptacle and encountered Big Belly!
Big Belly is as friendly as he sounds, being the first Solar Powered Trash Compactor that does exactly that, compresses the garbage thrown into it’s belly making room for five times more trash than traditional trash receptacles.
The best part about Big Belly is that he is powered by solar panels when compacting all the trash and he reduces the number of collection trips needed to pick up all trash. This cost effective friendly belly cuts fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80%.
Next time you see Big Belly be sure to feed him trash that his belly can compress!
Planet Tran
Last week I traveled to Colorado Springs. It was my first time traveling alone and had an early flight. I wanted to make sure I would reach the airport on time and have everything under control. My past experiences with cabs haven’t been the greatest. Once my cab arrived late and nearly made me lose my flight. On another occasion my cab showed up in an SUV and had another passenger inside. Since this was my first time traveling alone I didn’t want to anything to go wrong, I wanted to go with a vehicle that was reliable and eco-friendly (if there was such a thing) and there was…it’s called Planet Tran!
Planet Tran uses Toyota Prius Gas Electric Hybrid vehicles as taxis. These cars rely on battery power when running at low speed or when the car is stopped for up to 15 minutes. Planet Tran’s mission is to start a livery service based exclusively on the Hybrid electric gas Toyota Prius. With Oil prices on the rise these vehicles are the way to go. Planet Tran’s vision is “an urban transportation infrastructure that utilizes the most efficient transportation technology available.” If a cab drives on average 50.00 miles a year a driver could save $3.850 in gasoline costs per year by switing to a hybrid vehicle.
These fuel efficient cars look slick and are eco-friendly. The driver (Matt) was punctual to the minute, he was standing outside the car, greeted me, carried my luggage to the trunk, opened the door for me and was very courteous the entire drive to the airport. Apparently Planet Tran is known for having drivers that are pleasant and knowledgeable. Best of all their rates are reasonable considering the cost of the car. A Ford Crown Victoria costs $7,000-$10,000 while a Prius ranges between $21,500-$26,000.
A trip from Harvard Square to Logan Airport cost me $40, which is $5-$10 more than a regular cab that consumes more gas and carbon emissions. Think about this next time you need a ride to the airport.
Sustainably Yours
Nathalie Zegarra
No appletini, thanks, but pass the organic wine!
I met people from all over the city doing great things; from the Charles River Conservancy to EarthWatch to our neighbor, the Lenox, to young students looking to meet professionals already in the sustainable business sector. Since our whole mission at D2E is to promote businesses that are abiding by the triple bottom line* while educating consumers about how to live sustainably in our urban/suburban environment, this was a great place to talk to people about interesting programming options. We always want to hear about the challenges and victories of individuals living in greater Boston. How do you commute? What recycling challenges are you facing? What is the best way for an apartment dweller to compost? We want to know. Send your ideas to info@d2eboston.com.
* Triple bottom line: Financial, social, and environmental effects of a firm’s policies and actions that determine its viability as a sustainable organization.
Some green drinks from our exhibitors:
French Rabbit is changing the way wine is made and packaged.
Tetra-Prisma containers are state-of-the-art packaging that will revolutionize the wine industry. 100% recyclable, Tetra-Prisma containers reduce packaging by 90% in comparison to typical glass wine bottles. They may not look as romantic, but they work great for Shakespeare on the Common.
Kunde Wine Estates are looking at every aspect of their business.
.JPG)
For example, cover crops are employed to reduce energy usage, water conservation, control erosion, increase soil fertility, and create habitats for beneficial insects. Vegetation management and the placement of nesting boxes for owls and other raptors throughout the vineyards support a natural, pest free environment. These approaches to winegrowing create a naturally healthy environment which results in well-balanced vines and wines.
So if you like a glass of wine with your meal, consider your sustainable options!
Are the oil prices affecting you?
On my way to work this morning I stopped at a local gas station to put some air in my front bike tire (see photo above). I had to take a photo since the garage had a little moped in it instead of a car – sign of the times.
While there I got into a conversation with the station owner about the price of oil/gas. He had an interesting tip for those of us that heat our houses with oil: you can hook up your hot water heater with electricity so that you don’t have to use any oil until the cold months come.
Obviously this is not a solution – but every little bit helps these days. Since I do not drive much, the price of gas does not make a big impact on my daily life. But my apartment is heated with oil and I felt the price increase this past spring when I had to re-fill the tank – OUCH! And like everyone else, I have felt the ripple effects with the increase in food costs and my vendors’ fees.
Below are some excerpts from today’s Globe article by Erin Ailworth.
The increase will have an especially dramatic impact on the nearly 1 million households that are heated with oil, which now sells for about $4.70 a gallon, up from $2.59 a year ago, according to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.
Heating costs are expected to keep rising, the report says. The state’s average household oil bill next year could top $3,000, according to the report by the UMass Donahue Institute, a university think tank. All told, consumers can expect to spend $4.45 billion for gas and oil heat in 2009 – a $469 million increase from 2008.
….
“Maybe the people who are very, very wealthy won’t bat an eyelash. But for the regular people who are working from paycheck to paycheck and week to week, and don’t have anything in the bank account, this is devastating,” said Joseph P. Kennedy II, chairman of Citizens Energy Corp., a Boston-based nonprofit. Kennedy’s company provides discounted oil to low-income residents and senior citizens. To help reduce bills, he said, the state should create an energy bank to finance energy-efficient home improvements.
An energy bank – that is an interesting idea. I also like the carbon taxes. We have a lot of work to do – time to get busy!
As always, if you have any interesting programming ideas, please let us know. We are booking speakers and workshops for the April Down:2:Earth event.
Local Events Worth Noting
1) Leave your car at home and reap the benefits with Go Green Streets
2) Join your community to help weatherize a neighbor’s house
(yours could be next)
3) Jump on the bus and visit the Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival
4) Expose your kid to gardening at the Growing Center Playgroup
5) Put on your best bamboo shirt and attend the Boston Vegitarian Society Dinner
1) GO GREEN STREETS
Leave your car at home on August 29! WEAR GREEN and COMMUTE GREEN (walk, bike, bus, carpool)! Check out our website for this month’s raffle items (including a $15 gift certificate at Harvest Coop) and discounts at other local businesses for those who participate! www.GoGreenStreets.org for more info or to sign up your company or school!
2) WEATHERIZATION BARN-RAISING
At the home of Steve Miller and Sally Benbasset
Sunday, August 10 3:00–6:00pm
92-96 Henry Street, Cambridge
If the federal government won’t cut carbon, let’s do it ourselves!
- Help to weatherize a neighbor’s home (a skill you can take back to your own home), while you party with neighbors.
- Learn how to install pipe insulation, a programmable thermostat and more.
- Meet the brand-new CEO of Cambridge Energy Alliance in his first public appearance. Ask him about the direction of the Energy Alliance while drinking lime rickeys!
- Enjoy live music and pizza.
A group of Cambridge-area residents has come together to form an Energy Co-op. Our goal is to work together to make our neighborhoods more energy efficient. We are also exploring possibilities for district energy systems in which neighbors share renewable local energy.
We’re looking for the next home to weatherize. You supply the materials and pizza. We do the work. Come talk to us about it.
For more information contact Steve Morr-Wineman at swineman@gis.net.
3) RED FIRE FARM TOMATO FESTIVAL
TOMATO FESTIVAL – Red Fire Farm has been putting on a tomato tasting for eight years now, and it’s grown into a huge event on the farm with three live bands, four chefs, crafters, local producers with samples, food vendors, 75 tomato varieties to taste and lots more going on. A highly recommended time to visit the farm!
Saturday, August 23rd, 12-5pm
Barn Contradance (with some of the members of Wild Asparagus, I hear!) 7:30-10:30pm
Check out the Tomato Festival page of the website for more details.
4) GROWING CENTER PLAYGROUP
Every Friday through August 29 (except July 4); 10 am-noon
Play! Play! Play!…at our drop-in playgroup. For children age 0-5 years of age and their caretakers. For more information, contact Aileen Bellwood at 617-623-0097 or growingcenter@aol.com
5) BOSTON VEGETARIAN SOCIETY DINNER
Join the Boston Vegetarian Society at Veggie Planet for a delicious four-course vegan dinner among friends new and old.
MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2008
Veggie Planet, 47 Palmer Street in Club Passim
Harvard Square, Cambridge
6:40 PM – Arrive, check-in, socialize
7:00 PM – Chef Amy Swanson introduces the menu
7:10 PM – Dinner begins
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
Please email Info@BostonVeg.org and give name(s).
“Plethora of Zucchini” MENU – using the freshest locally grown ingredients available.
- Salad of Zucchini and Yellow Squash Ribbons with a Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
- Chilled Zucchini Soup topped with Fried Basil Leaves
- Entrée of Baked Stuffed Zucchini with a White Bean, Local Bread and Herb Filling accompanied by a Farm Fresh Tomato Ragu
- Dessert of Chocolate Zucchini Cake and a Special Non-Zucchini Surprise
No animal ingredients
$25 includes tax and beverage. Service is extra. Pay on site after the meal. Cash or check (made out to Veggie Planet) only; No credit cards.
Meet others in BVS – never hesitate to arrive alone to a BVS dinner!
Love all the great things happening in our area!
MIT Shares Solar Research
We love reading about innovations in alternative energy – and it was especially heartening to read in this article that Daniel Nocera from MIT was able to check his ego at the door and publish his findings early. This way he is sharing his research with the greater science community and others can apply it to their own studies. He’s basically bringing us closer to a society that is not dependent on fossil fuels.
Go Daniel!
“MIT researchers say they have discovered a way to use solar energy cheaply even after the sun goes down, which could make it a mainstream source of power within the next decade. ….
Nocera and the MIT research group said they opted to publish their findings to allow the science community to work on the technology.”The challenges confronting the world in energy are too big to let anybody’s single ego or money get in the way,” Nocera said. “And we’re talking about some really challenging problems.”"
So nice to end the work week on a positive note!
July Ridematching
Mass Rides is promoting “July Ridematching” they are doing so, by offering a Lobster and Steak dinner on Boston’s Schooner Liberty Ship. You must sign up before August 1st to be entered into the draw, so hurry. Their ridematching program will take care of your commute, all you have to do is go online and sign up on their ridematching application, give then the origin and destination of your trip and through their database Mass Rides will match you up with someone that has a similar route to yours.
Just imagine the privileges of this program, you save parking and gas money and do the environment a favor by doing so. There is a cost to the program but some expenses can qualify you commuter tax benefits.
Imagine if everyone would carpool, there would probably be less traffic, you personally would save money and get to meet a lot of people in the process. I understand that we live in a society in which prefer to have their personal space, but how bad can twenty minutes in a car be? Everyone should carpool at least once, do it today and you’ll see it’s not as bad as you think.
Sustainably yours
Nathalie Zegarra
Recent Posts
D2Eets on Twitter
- Sorry for last tweet! Wrong account! For haiti updates follow @andreadatkinson
- On the plane to port au prince. From what it looks like more than half full of volunteers #haiti
- Thank you all for a FABULOUS event! Keep following us for more info on #green living in #Boston and beyond and keep going green!
- RT @realfoodmedia: New post: down:2:earth, Boston’s Sustainable Living Expo http://bit.ly/cHjm6V
