Green Daily

According to estimations, more than one million people take part in U.S. road races, triathlons, and marathons each year (not to mention smaller races, community fun-runs, and the like). This is great - it means that tons of people are getting active, meeting new people, and appreciating their environment.

Unfortunately, there's a downside (isn't there always?) All of the plastic bottles and bags, paper cups, food waste, and free swag handed out at these events are dumped into huge trash cans (or littered on the road) at the conclusion of the race. Not to mention people who drive and fly to get to the races - take the Boston Marathon, for example. This year, more than 22,000 runners completed the race, many of whom had to travel great distances to get there.

Luckily, there's a new company, Athletes for a Fit Planet, that is committed to making runners, cyclists, and event organizers aware of their potentially huge environmental impact, and how they can keep it to a minimum. I spoke to Bruce Rayner, the "Chief Green Officer" of the company, about some of the environmental concerns that come up at athletic events, and what can be done to combat this issue.

Eco-conscious hikers and campers live by the motto, "Leave no trace." This means leaving the area you traverse in just as good - if not better - condition as when you first came upon it. It's even the name of a center for "outdoor ethics," a nonprofit that promotes ethical, safe, healthy hiking and camping, and teaches people how to take care of the outdoors.

The organization has some helpful suggestions for how to enjoy your excursions while being mindful of the world around you. These tips may be old hat to experienced hikers and campers, but everyone can use a refresher course when it comes to the environment. Some of the tips that Leave No Trace offers?

• Preserve the past: examine, but don't touch, rocks, plants, and other natural objects. Don't introduce any non-native species, and don't build any structures or dig trenches.
• Good campsites are found, not made. When you get to a campsite, keep it small, and "pack out" (bring with you) ALL trash, litter, and waste (this includes toilet paper and hygiene products). Deposit solid human waste in holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Be safe by storing all food and waste securely.
  
• Avoid loud noises (screaming, yelling), stay on the trails, and be mindful of your fellow hikers and campers.
  
• Never approach or feed wildlife. And if you can't control your own pet, leave them at home.
  

So, I've spent a lot of time trying to eschew the gym for greener workouts, like outdoor fitness clubs or in-home workouts.

But if you absolutely have to (trust me, I know it gets humid outside), go ahead and use the gym, but make sure you're putting your greenest foot forward by toting your gear in style.

Going to yoga class? Choose from a whole host of recycled gear. Carrying a lot of stuff? Heft it in a recycled polyester tote bag. Whatever your sport, you can be sure that there's an eco-alternative. Below, check out some the great finds that put the "chic" into eco-chic.

Love group classes, but hate the gym? Then you'll love outdoor workout clubs. Not only is exercising outdoors the greenest option, but according to a study from California Pacific Orthopedic and Sports Medicine quoted in Fitness Magazine, outdoor exercisers lost an average of 7.43 pounds and 6.17 percent of body fat in eight weeks.

This is due to the constant challenges that the outdoors provides: inclines, declines, rough terrain, and natural obstacles (rain, wind, rocks, etc). Not to mention inhaling fresh air as opposed to recirculated gymnasium air.

Take Ultimate Bootcamp, for instance. This Boston-based company offers 4-week, 4 day-per-week group training; "blast" sessions (one-time, 90 minute sessions); and personal training options - all outdoors. Rain or shine, you're exercising outside, using body weight as resistance as opposed to free weights, and heart-pumping cardio you can do on trails instead of treadmills.

We throw around a lot of vocab on this blog. From shortened words to made-up words to acronyms, green lingo isn't easy to pick up overnight.

Luckily, Live Science put together a glossary of green terms that will help you slog through our increasingly eco-conscious community. (Oh, and don't be embarrassed if you still don't know what "carbon neutral" means. Really: we're here to help).

Some of the standouts (we're going to quiz you later, so study up):

• Cradle to cradle: Describes an essentially waste-free manufacturing process.

• Off-gassing: The evaporation of (usually toxic) chemicals from the surface of a material into the environment.

• Off the grid: Living in a self-sufficient manner, without relying on public utilities such as the municipal water supply, natural gas, or an electrical power grid. (Read about a guy who did just that, and see the photo above as an example).
  

• Phantom power: Also known as "vampire power" or "phantom load"; this term refers to the power used by appliances and electronics even when they're switched off or not in use.

• Upcycled: Refers to waste materials that are recycled into something of greater value.

via [LiveScience]

The effects of climate change aren't just environmental; we also feel them when we exercise outside. And, just like the planet, your body will likely balk at the excess heat and react accordingly: that can mean profuse sweating, dry mouth, burned skin, nausea...

Great, right? But seriously, don't let the threat of physical strife keep you from working out outside. But this time, you don't just have to take my amateur-ish word for it - I asked my friend Lindsey (also a personal trainer in the Philadelphia area, whose company, OutFit, I referenced a few months back in a post on green workouts) to answer some questions about the safest, most effective ways to exercise outside (and what you can do when it's just too darn hot out).

A little background: Lindsey received her B.S. in Kinesiology from Temple University and she's an ACE Certified Personal Trainer who worked in the corporate fitness sphere for several years before starting her own company, which specializes in fitness services outside of a traditional gym setting.

So, without further ado...

How many times have you driven a short distance in the city - say, to a local ice cream shop - only to circle the neighborhood again and again, looking for a parking spot. You quickly realize that you could have easily walked there in the time it took you to find a spot (not to mention, saved a ton of gasoline). In fact, a recent study by the New York Transportation Authority discovered that 28 percent to 45 percent of traffic on many streets in New York City is generated by people circling the blocks, looking for parking spots.

But if a new San Francisco program is successful, this scenario will be a thing of the past. City officials plan to test a wireless sensor network, called "SFpark," that will send information about empty parking spaces to drivers' cell phones, or be displayed on street signs. 6,000 (out of the city's 24,000) metered parking spaces will be used for the trial, and 4x4-inch, battery-operated plastic sensors will be embedded in city streets to track spots as they become available.

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom claims the program is a way to manage congestion and calm traffic patterns, instead of using restrictive tolls, like in London and Singapore (New York has proposed a similar plan).

Overall, the program has several benefits: parking time limits and fees can be adjusted based on the time and day, and the city can monitor the percentage of spots occupied at any given time (for instance, SF might set a goal that only 85% of spots should be occupied).

An opinion article yesterday in the Boston Globe highlighted the success of the two-year old Boston Clean Air Cabs program. Under the program, hybrid cabs reduce air pollutionave almost 70 percent on fuel costs.

And the cool part? Due to rising fuel costs, the cabbies are saving money on gasoline - about $40 per shift on fuel. The reporter notes that if the driver has two shifts a day, six days a week, for 50 weeks a year, they could potentially save about $25,000 per year in fuel costs.

But out of the 1,800 licensed taxis on Boston streets, only about 50 are hybrids (hence the sign I saw last week at Logan Airport that said you must specifically request a green cab - they're not readily available). Why? Simple: most of the fleet is comprised of old Crown Vics from local police departments, for about $7,000 each. Hybrids are tough to find used, and are purchased for about $25,000.

In the meantime, Bostonians will have to look toward legislation that will encourage energy-efficient city programs, and introduce incentives that will make it worthwhile to purchase the hybrids. Boston leads the way in many avenues of environmentalism, including being a leader in single-stream recycling, introducing it in tons of neighborhoods in and around the city.

About 50 protesters recently chained themselves to Australian freight train cars and railways to oppose the use of coal to fuel the railways. As a result, 20,000 tonnes of coal from three different trains were unable to unload their shipment, bringing operation to a halt for about six hours(making the protesters quite smug, and causing the police to enact "special measures" - ie, bring in horses to control the crowd).

Australia heavily relies upon coal for electricity and billions in export revenue, and boasts the world's largest coal terminal in Newcastle. Officials say they will draft guidelines for implementing carbon emissions trading, to address climate change concerns. The pollution caused by increased coal use is harming the nearby Hunter River (and people's lungs), and many citizens say the government is failing to properly restore mined areas.

Can you name the famed seven natural wonders of the world? Most people know the Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, Mount Everest...and as of this week, eight new natural wonders have been added to the list, along with 27 "cultural wonders."

The World Heritage List is named by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and must be "of outstanding value to humanity."

The wonders include such sites as Canada's Joggins Fossil Cliffs, China's Mount Sanqingshan National Park ,and Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. (Check out the full list in the gallery).

Interesting fact: in total, the World Heritage List includes 878 properties that were deemed as having cultural and natural heritage and "outstanding universal value." They include 679 cultural sites, 174 natural ones, and 25 that are considered to possess both characteristics. Next time you go on vacation, make sure to consult the list.

via [LiveScience]

Everyone has a favorite pair of jeans that just won't fit anymore. Whether they're too big, too small, or too holey to wear in public without getting arrested, don't throw them away just yet.

RecycleYourJeans is a UK-based company that will turn those old blues (or pinks, or greens) into a pair of funky Birkenstock-looking sandals for about 45 pounds (about 90 US$). Simply send 'em your duds, and in 7-10 days, you'll receive your new pair of sandals (only up to side 8 in ladies, unfortunately). Other than the recycled denim, all the sandals include are polyurethane soles, metal buckles, and thread.

And if you don't want to part with your precious pants, don't despair: RecycleYourJeans also sells "off the shelf" shoes, made from surplus jeans from High Street, as well as sells hemp sandals.

Sadly, the company only ships to the UK right now, so all of us Yanks will have to wait to own our own jean-tastic recycled sandals.

Puma, known for its fashion-forward kicks and chic sports fashions, has teamed up with Atmos NYC to bring you...shoes that look like endangered species.

Well, kinda: each shoe is designed to loosely resemble (emphasis on "loosely") an endangered animal. The "Polar Pack" line features a faux-harp seal print accented with turquoise shoelaces, while the "Asia Pack" is set to drop this fall and will include the "crested iris" shoe, accented in - what else? - hot pink. Each shoe features the name and habitat of the animal it's supposed to resemble on the reverse tongue and the outsole in both English and Japanese.

There is a tiny bit of legitimacy to the project - for instance, the brands say they gleaned inspiration and ideas from National Geographic photog Mitsuaki Iwago - but the whole thing seems a little far-fetched and misplaced, especially when you consider that parts of the shoes are made from animal products. Um...doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?

And before you ask, no, the proceeds don't go to any endangered species organizations. So, go ahead and buy a shoe with bright yellow feathers if you'd like...but do it 'cause you think it looks neat, not because you think you're at all helping endangered animals, okay?

via [Grist]

Solar energy is one of those concepts that seems like a great idea, but can be a tad complicated to undertake. Solar panels can cost a pretty penny, and you have to make sure you install them properly so the energy from the sun will be properly directed.

But for all of us who aren't so handy - or don't have a ton of money - a new study published in the journal Science could change the way we look at this alternative energy source.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers developed a process in which, when a specific dye is deposited on a plane of glass, it absorbs "visible spectrum" light and directs it to solar cells, which convert the light into electricity. The rest of the light passes through the glass and is collected in a normal solar panel, where it can be converted into electricity.

You might think, great, but why not just use a regular solar panel and forget the dye? Well, the scientists believe it makes the process 20% more efficient than a typical solar energy collection process, and want to work to make it 50% more efficient. Even better? It's inexpensive, and can be made and marketed within three years.


via [Boston Globe]

At the beginning of the summer, my roommate and I pledged to forgo an air conditioner. This is easier said than done, especially in a third-floor apartment with poor air circulation and a humidity index that climbs up above 80%, and a few pets that probably think we're out to kill them. (Don't worry - they get plenty of water and time in front of the fans). Oh - and we both work from home, so we don't have an office to escape to each day.

But we're determined to reduce our carbon footprint (okay, and we're both pretty poor). And even though we essentially never stop sweating - in fact, I think I even sweated in the shower this morning) - I'm pretty proud of us for managing this long without an AC.

Here are some of the ways we've been coping:

• Constantly. Drinking. Water. We both carry around our water bottles everywhere and refill them constantly.
• Keep the lights off as much as possible.
  
• Spend a ton of time out of the house, either on the porch (where it is significantly cooler) or in local coffee shops.
• Try not to use major, heat-producing appliances, especially the oven and stovetop.
  
• Generally keep movement to a minimum (this is a fantastic rationalization for not doing chores).

We probably sound like masochists, and perhaps we are. But I recommend that more people try living without an AC if at all possible. It seriously cuts down on energy use, and it naturally lends itself to a decrease in other resources, too (hot water, gas, and electricity).

When planning a large athletic event - say, a triathlon - sustainability isn't exactly the main focus. Event organizers want to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch, but this doesn't usually include making sure the environment isn't harmed in the process.

But maybe organizers should be considering the environment when planning their events. The races certainly draw enough people, many of whom fly long distances to get there, and who swig water out of paper cups before tossing them on the ground.

Enter: the Council for Responsible Sport. It exists to help organizers remember what is often forgotten: our planet.