Energy
Women Business Owners Lead the Way
How could I resist re-posting an article with this title? I received the below information from Steven Jones-D’Agostino, who is one of the Energy Freedom Fighters and has been a great supporter of D2E. Thanks Steve!
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Women business owners are at the forefront of leading America toward energy conservation and clean energy. In fact, a majority cite moving to clean energy as our most important energy policy goal, according to a similar survey of 455 women business owners also commissioned by WIPP and WCEE.
On both of these measures, women business owners are even more committed to clean energy than the general female population. They strongly believe wind and solar energy should have an important role in addressing our country’s electricity needs. They are also more aware of nuclear energy’s clean-air benefits—that it is not a cause of global warming and releases no air pollution—than women as a whole, and they are more supportive of nuclear energy than the general female population. Other significant findings are:
- 77 percent of female business owners have cut their electricity use at their businesses in the past few years, and 98 percent have done the same at home.
- Nearly 8 in 10 (79 percent) have made their businesses more environmentally friendly.
- 87 percent favor federal tax incentives – including 52 percent who strongly favor them – to encourage companies to become more energy-efficient and use more clean energy.
Survey Methodology
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, the international public-opinion research and consulting firm, conducted a national telephone survey of 801 women 18 years or older, and a national web survey of 455 women business owners. The surveys were conducted between May 4 and 18, 2009. The margin of error for women 18 years and older is plus or minus 3.5 percent. The survey was commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy in collaboration with Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, and was underwritten through an educational grant by Entergy Nuclear.
Resources for Women
Women can learn more about how electricity impacts their world and their planet by downloading a brochure, Women and Clean Power: Electricity Matters, at www.wipp.org.
About WIPP
Women Impacting Public Policy is a non-profit national bipartisan group with more than half-a-million members. WIPP is the collective voice in Washington, DC, for 48 national women and small business organizations. WIPP advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business in the legislative processes of our nation, creating economic opportunities and building bridges and alliances to other small business organizations. WIPP’s policy agenda, the Economic Blueprint, the Women Business Owners’ Platform for Growth, is found on the WIPP Web site. Visit www.wipp.org.
About WCEE
The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment is a non-partisan policy-neutral organization that focuses on women, energy, and the environment. WCEE’s mission is to provide consistently high-quality, non-partisan and policy-neutral forums for dialogue on cutting-edge energy and environmental issues, and to foster the personal and professional growth and leadership abilities of its members. Visit www.wcee.org.
Available to comment on the survey and findings:
- Barbara Kasoff, President, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
- Sharla B. Artz, President, Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE)
For more information or to receive more survey results, please contact:
Kathryn Morris, The Huntington Group, 845-635-9828/914-204-6412, Kathryn.Morris@thehuntgrp.com
Kira Gordon, The Huntington Group 646-243-4920. Kira.Gordon@thehuntgrp.com
Appliances: Energy Saving and Earth Saving
- Washer/Dryer combo for urban living.
Last week I traveled to NYC to attend the LIVE World Summit – Leadership, Innovation & Vision for the Earth. This was a great gathering of people that want to learn more about how they can make the world a better place. Topics covered everything from health issues, to the ocean, to branding and finance.
My friend Evan generously let me crash at his apartment – so of course I had to take a photo of his super cool and energy efficient washer/dryer combo. Also note the bamboo wood used for the cabinetry in his bathroom. What a cool guy! I never thought I would be inspired by a bachelor pad, but between the countertops made from recycled materials and the bamboo floors, this was one cool place to hang out. Remember the coffin in St. Elmo’s Fire? I think an eco-friendly bachelor pad is the chick magnet of now.
Anyway, back to the conference. One of the topics that was new to me was about refrigeration units. A woman from Greenpeace talked about how detrimental refrigerators are to the environment. And after reading more about it, I can’t believe I was not already aware of this. Considering how much I read up on these topics, it just goes to show you that there is always something to learn.
GreenFreeze is Greenpeace’s campaign to transform the refrigeration and cooling industries by eliminating the use of F-gases, the chemicals used to cool refrigerators, homes, cars, and food in stores and vending machines. F-gases are responsible for 17% of the world’s global warming pollution. CFCs such as Freon, which you’ve probably heard of, have been banned. However, the HFCs that were presented as the “environmental alternative” to CFCs by chemical companies have had a similarly grave impact on the environment — which is why we need to eliminate them now.
And though it was upsetting to learn how long it took for the US to accept the new technology, it was heart warming to hear that Ben & Jerry’s, a D2E exhibitor, played an integral role in getting this technology to the US. Apparently, common sense does not always prevail in Washington. Lobbyists for the big manufacturers held up the process, so caring and responsible business owners like Ben & Jerry, and community organizers like Greenpeace had to rally together to make it happen. See a more detailed report from Treehugger (9/30/08):
Greenpeace researchers in Germany first developed the precursor to the climate-friendly freezer in the early 1990s when it became clear that HFCs, which the chemical industry had marketed as a safe alternative to ozone depleting clouroflourocarbons (CFCs), were accelerating global warming.
The technology showed, contrary to industry claims, it was possible to use effective refrigerants that protected the ozone layer and the climate. In fact, the cooling units turned out to be more efficient than those using HFCs.
Greenpeace made the technology available to industry free of charge, and it is now used by leading manufacturers such as Haier, Whirlpool, LG, Bosch, Panasonic and Samsung and can be found in over 300 million refrigerators worldwide.
However, the HFC-free refrigerators weren’t allowed in the United States until this year when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowed Ben & Jerry’s to run a test trial of 2,000 Greenfreeze-equipped freezer units at shops across the country.
I never thought I would feel warm and fuzzy inside while eating ice cream, but this Ben & Jerry’s sure tastes good!
Save money if you can!
I just found some information on how to save tax money in 2009. These types of incentives are great – but I was bummed to realize that both Betty and I have made some home improvements in 2008 that will not qualify. Dang-it! Ted did a big insulation and roofing job this year, and Betty installed new windows. But since the work was done in 2008 we don’t qualify for the savings. When every dollar counts, this one hits hard.
I pulled this information from a blog called The Daily Green. Ted and I need to sit down and plan for 2009 so that we can maximize our efforts. We have many plans for solar, wind and green roofing. But all of these efforts require time and money. (Ted is in construction, so we usually handle our own home improvements.)
The information below is bitter sweet. Glad to see there are incentives, but really bummed that I can’t take advantage of them because I acted too soon.
- $500 for energy efficiency
If you can, wait until Jan. 1 to install new insulation, energy-efficient windows or an energy-efficient furnace, boiler or air conditioner.A tax credit of up to $500 that expired in 2007 has been renewed for 2009. It covers up to 10% of the cost of a range of projects that meet certain specifications. Do $5,000 worth of qualifying work, and you not only get a $500 rebate, but also savings on energy bills for years to come.
Why wait? Of course, the heating season begins before Jan. 1, giving homeowners facing a northern winter reason to invest now — but because Congress had let the tax credit lapse, work done in 2008 doesn’t qualify.
- Windows: $200
- Exterior doors, roofing or insulation: $500
- Most heating, ventilation and air-conditioning improvements: $300
- Furnaces or hot water heaters: $150
Also note these important limits, which cap the amount you can claim for any particular project:
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!
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.
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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!
Sustainable Flooring
Down:2:Earth has compiled a list of what flooring types are eco-friendly and sustainable.
First let me share with you some facts on why flooring isn’t good for the environment:
Traditional flooring negatively impacts the environment because it uses valuable natural resources and harmful chemicals. Its production can use wood and water at an extremely fast pace that often leaves the resources unsustainable. The production can give off dangerous petroleum by-products and the treatments and finishes for the wood can give off many volatile organic compounds that include carcinogens such as formaldehyde.
Some alternatives and why they’re better:
CONCRETE
Many homes have concrete bases underneath their floors. One new eco-friendly flooring trend is to leave the concrete exposed, stain it, seal it, and leave that as the floor. It never needs waxing, is easy to clean and removes the need for carpeting. It can also be energy friendly: during the day, concrete absorbs heat from direct sunlight, conserves it, and releases it through the night. Despite what many may think, concrete does not have to be dull. Check out this design on concrete from Transparent House.
BAMBOO
Bamboo’s vitality makes it a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional flooring. The plant is fully grown within three to five years whereas a hardwood tree can take 40 or 50 years to mature. If the plant is cut correctly and responsibly in a manner that leaves enough of the stalk and roots intact, the plant can regenerate. Also, the plant doesn’t need lots of chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides to grow. An important aspect of Bamboo, however is the that it grows in warm wet climates in Asia which means it has to be transported all the way from Asia which which has a significant ecological foot print. Nothing is perfect, but these are some better options to consider.
CORK
Cork can be a renewable and recycled alternative to traditional flooring. It is either harvested from a tree as bark and the tree re-grows the bark for the next harvest or it is made from the waste from wine cork factories. Cork is an excellent insulator so it conserves heat and has exceptional memory, meaning it retains minimal marks when dented. Air pockets in cork make the product soft to walk on and reduce the wear and tear on the floor since the cushioning prevents shoes from grinding on the flooring. A unique advantage is its noise-canceling, which is great for music studios.
RUBBER FLOORING
It is important to note that there are two types of rubber, one is synthetic made with petroleum, and the other is natural rubber, which is removed from the sap of the rubber plant. These rubber plants are found in sub-tropical climates like Brazil. The rubber is compressed then sold. It is important to know what part of the world the rubber comes from and it’s manufacturing process because some rubber floorings may contain PVC, plasticizers, or halogens. Rubber flooring is ideal for high traffic areas, although not so much for kitchens where grease and water become slippery.
RECLAIMED WOOD
Reclaimed wood is wood that has been taken from existing buildings, which is then refinished and recut. It can come from old barns, factories, warehouses, boxcars, wine barrels, and from the bottom of riverbeds. Reclaimed wood is great for several things that range from making furniture to installing new floors. At the same time reclaimed wood can be regarded as reliable because it has already weathered the elements, so one can be sure of its stability. See this great example.
Good luck with the renovation! Hope this week’s issue of sustainable home was helpful, until next week.
Sustainabily yours
Nathalie Zegarra
B.Y.O.B
Sustainable Tip of the Week- Bring your own bag
If you haven’t heard the facts about the plastic bag issue, it’s worth investigating.
- According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.
- According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion.)
- Plastic bags are made of polyethylene
- Polyethylene is a petroleum product
- Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption
- Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year
- Americans use over 380 billion polyethylene bags per year
- Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year
- A plastic bag can take between 500 to 1000 years to break down in the environment.
- On average, we use each plastic bag for 12 minutes before discarding it. It then can last in the environment for decades.
- Plastic bag litter is lethal in the marine environment, killing at least 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles every year. After an animal is killed by plastic bags, its body decomposes and the plastic is released back into the environment, where it can kill again.
Until now Germany, Australia, China, and Uganda are some of the countries that have banned, or are working towards banning plastic bags. Although the U.S. has not banned plastic bags yet there are several companies taking a responsible approach to the issue.
What can we do? Say goodbye to plastic bags and say hello to stylish cloth bags…
EcoVixen made in the U.S from recyclable cotton. Left. ” You don’t want to return as a bag do you”?… Don’t mess with Karma. Right. I’m not made in China. Made in the United States…and proud of it.
For a proud and responsible Bostonian. A product of Sea Boston USA made from 100% Cotton Canvas.
ECOBAGS EarthTone Cotton String Bag Set. These colorful cotton string bags are great to store away in your purse, great for your produce.
Verde Bags were created by Gina Sample as a stylish statement against plastic grocery bags.
Happy Bags has a wide variety of bags with fun designs on them, some of them are even made from recycled water bottles.
Mini Maxi Shopper. Lorelei has this one and can vouch for how efficient it is. “I keep it in my purse because it can fold up to be a wallet sized pouch, and when I need it come grocery time, it’s there.”
This concludes our sustainable tip of the week. Tune in next week for more!
Sustainably yours
Nathalie Zegarra
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