Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com/media/feed_logo.gif Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Tip of the Day: Get your co-workers to recycle aluminum canshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/06/tip-of-the-day-get-your-co-workers-to-recycle-aluminum-cans/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/06/tip-of-the-day-get-your-co-workers-to-recycle-aluminum-cans/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/06/tip-of-the-day-get-your-co-workers-to-recycle-aluminum-cans/#commentsFiled under:

If your workplace isn't exactly excited by your eco-friendly attitude, start small.

Continue reading Tip of the Day: Get your co-workers to recycle aluminum cans

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]]>recyclingtip-of-the-daySarah Werthan ButtenwieserTue, 06 Nov 2007 06:00:00 ESTTip of the day: Daylighting your house can save money, bring in the sunhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/05/tip-of-the-day-daylighting-your-house-can-save-money-bring-in/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/05/tip-of-the-day-daylighting-your-house-can-save-money-bring-in/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/05/tip-of-the-day-daylighting-your-house-can-save-money-bring-in/#commentsFiled under: ,

Want to light your house without flipping a switch?

Continue reading Tip of the day: Daylighting your house can save money, bring in the sun

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]]>alternative energyAlternativeEnergydaylightingtip-of-the-daywindowsSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 05 Nov 2007 06:00:00 ESTLight eases depression?http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/light-eases-depression/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/light-eases-depression/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/light-eases-depression/#commentsFiled under:

For many, those winter blues are a serious concern, as most of the symptoms -- lethargy, overeating, melancholy and oversleeping, for instance -- are similar to those commonly associated with depression .

Some believe this problem -- more formally called Seasonal Affect Disorder -- is caused by lack of high quality bright light. While getting from a gloomy climate to a brighter one -- beach or ski slope -- could be curative, not everyone can afford to do so.

Some suggest a special, high quality light (not simply a plant light but one created specifically for lifting the blues). And this should also be taken into consideration when constructing a new home. A builder I know who specializes in energy efficient housing says that SAD is one reason siting houses to the south for maximum light makes good sense (beyond simple energy efficiency).

An alternative medicine organization called PeaceHealth adds a simple piece of advice (that certainly keeps my spirits intact during the long winter): spend time outdoors. Yes, you have to bundle up, and getting out is harder because of the cold, but the benefits of fresh air just can't be underestimated.

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]]>seasonal affect disorderSeasonalAffectDisorderSarah Werthan ButtenwieserThu, 01 Nov 2007 15:15:00 ESTA little rain barrel tutorialhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/a-little-rain-barrel-tutorial/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/a-little-rain-barrel-tutorial/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/11/01/a-little-rain-barrel-tutorial/#commentsFiled under:

Rain barrels have been around for centuries -- which, when you think about it, totally makes sense. During the wet months, store something that becomes precious during the dry months.

I have to admit, I hadn't -- until relatively recently -- given the idea much thought. In fact, the only reason I was interested in them at all is because I knew they were green. And green is good. However, I wasn't entirely sure what people were supposed to do with them.

But now I get it. Rain barrels harvest water, and thus put less strain on the municipal water system. It's common sense -- not rocket science.

Continue reading A little rain barrel tutorial

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]]>conversationhomerain barrelRainBarrelSarah Werthan ButtenwieserThu, 01 Nov 2007 13:02:00 ESTHave you heard of Nature's Classroom?http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/30/have-you-heard-of-natures-classroom/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/30/have-you-heard-of-natures-classroom/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/30/have-you-heard-of-natures-classroom/#commentsFiled under:

With fourteen sites in New England and a few associate sites elsewhere (like Alabama for example) Nature's Classroom is a well respected environmental education program that shows students some new ways to learn. Participatory, hands-on, in the field and outdoors learning occurs over the five day course. Students stay overnight, Monday to Friday, so they have activities day and night, share meals, and generally enjoy the camp-like adventures that can aid in a group's bonding.

Academics are brought into the field -- a math class might construct a geodesic dome or find their way through the woods with a map and compass. A social studies class might play Native American games or design and build a miniature community. Humanities classes might compose woodland music or enhance their senses with a blindfolded walk in the woods.

Over half a million students can attest that Nature's Classroom provides a memorable week of school!

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]]>conservationeducationkidsnatureschoolSarah Werthan ButtenwieserTue, 30 Oct 2007 09:03:00 ESTOil hits record high Mondayhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/oil-hits-record-high-monday/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/oil-hits-record-high-monday/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/oil-hits-record-high-monday/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to an AP story (via AOL Money), oil reached $93 a barrel today before sliding back down.

Factoring into the sky-high price: news that Petroleos Mexicanos or Pemex planned to shut down as much as 600,000 barrels of crude production per day. Add to that political tensions in the Mideast, throw in a weak U.S. dollar, heap some uncertain weather (like Hurricane Noel, for instance), and you've got a pretty unstable situation, analysts say.

This rise in oil futures -- which have gained $8 barrel (or about 9 percent) -- were spurred by the U.S. Department of Energy's report of a sharp drop in the country's crude stocks. According to the article, "Analysts note the price of oil is closing in on the inflation-adjusted highs hit in early 1980. Depending on the adjustment, a then $38 barrel of oil would be worth $96 to $101 or more today."

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]]>energymoneyoiloil pricesOilPricesSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 18:02:00 ESTPumpkin steaks: Going beyond the Jack O'Lanternhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/pumpkin-steaks-going-beyond-the-jack-olantern/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/pumpkin-steaks-going-beyond-the-jack-olantern/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/pumpkin-steaks-going-beyond-the-jack-olantern/#commentsFiled under:

We all know that pumpkins can become pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, or perhaps pumpkin soup, but what else? I'm not a big pumpkin chef, myself. Still, this recipe for pumpkin steaks caught my eye, especially as pumpkins are pretty much omnipresent during this week leading up to Halloween. My 9 year-old saw the recipe, too, and he wants to give it a go.

Before ever getting to pumpkin steaks, we do, of course, have Jack O'Lanterns to carve. And we will cook our pumpkin seeds in the oven for Halloween evening nourishment. How do you make tasty seeds? Just drizzle a little olive oil and some salt and bake at 400 degrees until brown. Or use Tamari instead of salt.

As the author of this link suggests, the recipe for pumpkin steaks is a natural for Thanksgiving -- which is right around the corner.

As a side note (not to digress too much), a great picture book about cooking with pumpkins is Pumpkin Soup, by Helen Cooper, is a good seasonal choice.



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]]>cookingfoodhalloweenholidayspumpkinsseasonalSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 15:31:00 ESTBicycling gear for wet weatherhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/bicycling-gear-for-wet-weather/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/bicycling-gear-for-wet-weather/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/bicycling-gear-for-wet-weather/#commentsFiled under: ,

Depending on how committed/able you are to be a bicycle commuter, rain will -- almost inevitably -- fall on you. Of course, in this instance, one of the most pressing questions will be: what to wear?

Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are a few general tips:

-Wear bright colors.
-Make sure to cover up. Cover your ears (try a headband), neck (try a neck gator), and use layers for legs and feet. Cover your hands with gloves.
-Waterproofing yourself is also key. Suggestions for this: rain jacket or poncho, waterproof pants.

Jennifer, a Seattle bike commuter, offers this great advice for necessary biking gear. She also suggests wearing glasses to shield against bugs, dirt and rain, and gives advice on shoes, pedals, tires and panniers.

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]]>bicycle commutingBicycleCommutingbicyclesbikestipstransportationSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 13:25:00 ESTNuclear power: Sustainable? Solution?http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/nuclear-power-sustainable-solution/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/nuclear-power-sustainable-solution/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/nuclear-power-sustainable-solution/#commentsFiled under:

Obviously you can find information that supports either side of an argument.

But the idea that nuclear power is clean, green, safe or sustainable doesn't quite sit right with me.

Granted, we've got it. It's a developed technology, and that's compelling. We've also decreased the risks.

Still, uranium isn't a renewable source. We may have about 30-60 years' worth left. Plus, nuclear power isn't risk free. The stakes, if something does go wrong, are very high -- witness the worry about the off-line nuclear power plant near California wildfires this week. Threats to security also includes the potential for nuclear power to be catapulted into weaponry of the sort no one should possess -- again, witness the fear stirred by imagining it in the "wrong" hands (i.e. Iran). And of course most basic is this: we don't know how to dispose of nuclear waste.

So, is nuclear power a greener solution? Not really.

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]]>alternative energyAlternativeEnergynuclear powerNuclearPowerSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 11:02:00 ESTFort Collins Colorado really recycleshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/fort-collins-colorado-really-recycles/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/fort-collins-colorado-really-recycles/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/fort-collins-colorado-really-recycles/#commentsFiled under:

My random question of the morning is: how many municipalities recycle on the streets?

My query was prompted by new bins on Main Street in my town for bottles and cans -- about which I say, hooray. But thus far I haven't successfully found an good answer via Google search.

What I did discover is if you are into recycling, you'd be very fortunate to live in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Continue reading Fort Collins Colorado really recycles

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]]>fort collinsFortCollinslocalrecyclingSarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 09:32:00 ESTCook large batches one day per monthhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/cook-large-batches-one-day-per-month/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/cook-large-batches-one-day-per-month/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/29/cook-large-batches-one-day-per-month/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ever canned a tomato?

Continue reading Cook large batches one day per month

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]]>tip-of-the-daySarah Werthan ButtenwieserMon, 29 Oct 2007 06:00:00 ESTWhen foliage isn't so brillianthttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/when-foliage-isnt-so-brilliant/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/when-foliage-isnt-so-brilliant/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/when-foliage-isnt-so-brilliant/#commentsFiled under: ,

All you need for great fall foliage is to go to New England, right? Turns out, the answer is yes -- and no. The near-drought conditions we've had this year have rendered the colors less brilliant, and the time frame for leaf peeping a little on the late side in parts of New England -- though still, it is New England, so there's some glorious color to be had.

Global warming does have an impact upon New England's signature autumnal style. This isn't the first dryer than "usual" fall in recent years and it's also becoming a pattern that fall isn't quite as crisp as it once was. Fall is shorter. The colors are tending to come later. We are not guaranteed the brilliance we have traditionally relied upon. Experts say there are many pockets of brilliance, depending upon rainfall -- so these days, knowing where to look is key.

It's amazing how much seemingly small shifts in global temperature can affect changes on the earth. And in the trees.

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]]>climate changeClimateChangefoliageglobal warmingGlobalWarmingtreesSarah Werthan ButtenwieserSun, 28 Oct 2007 15:37:00 ESTTop 10 coolest schoolshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/top-10-coolest-schools/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/top-10-coolest-schools/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/top-10-coolest-schools/#commentsFiled under:

Sierra Club has created a very COOL top 10 list, of the greenest -- and thus coolest -- schools across the country.

Criteria included green buildings, solar panels, CFL bulbs, student activism, dining services' offerings, recycling efforts and more. In the top 10 there's Oberlin College -- with its very cool LEED certified buildings and first ever green commencement last year among other innovations; Warren Wilson College -- with its farm and ethos of sustainability; and Tufts University -- putting solar panels on its newest residence hall. It's inspiring to read about what different campuses are doing.

Students at nearly 600 schools have signed onto the Campus Climate Challenge. Undergrads are definitely leading the way toward a greener future.

The list includes big schools and small schools. Send it on to your favorite high school junior or senior with some encouragement to think of green as a possible school color.

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]]>campuscampusescollegeschooluniversitiesSarah Werthan ButtenwieserSun, 28 Oct 2007 13:32:00 ESTLos Angeles Times wonders about Southern California wildfireshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/los-angeles-times-wonders-about-southern-california-wildfires/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/los-angeles-times-wonders-about-southern-california-wildfires/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/28/los-angeles-times-wonders-about-southern-california-wildfires/#commentsFiled under: ,

Posing a series of almost rhetorical questions, the Los Angeles Times published an editorial that has made its way to many other papers in California and across the country.

There are questions that have to do with the nuts and bolts of disaster: why did some opt to stay at home rather than evacuate? Why do firefighters take such risks on behalf of perfect strangers? But there are also the questions that probably nag residents and onlookers alike: are we venturing too close to wilderness when we choose to site houses in glorious -- and previously unspoiled -- spots?

As the editorial points out, trying to live with this uneasy balance between where we settle and the wilderness, between the potential of natural disasters and the pleasures of daily life is not new to Southern California. But the particulars of that area really do raise larger issues. How do we -- collectively -- decide whether there are places we must leave as is, as nature dictated, simply because not leaving them alone threatens our coming too close to the elements? No individual blame, no individual judgment to that query; rather, it's the type of soul searching that disasters like these compel us to do.

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]]>balanceconservationwildfiresSarah Werthan ButtenwieserSun, 28 Oct 2007 12:10:00 ESTCrafty idea: Make your totehttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/crafty-idea-make-your-tote/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/crafty-idea-make-your-tote/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/crafty-idea-make-your-tote/#commentsFiled under:

One thing I'm not is crafty. I do like a canvas or cloth tote though, for my grocery shopping, carting my son's lunch bag and sweet snugly panda bear (who goes by the name Stillwater) to preschool, and pretty much all else. We're getting pretty good about saying no to paper and plastic giveaways (not perfect, but pretty darn good).

If I were to get a little crafty, could I make my own totes?

Apparently it's easy. Go here for instructions on making canvas bags, and here to make cloth. Kind of like paper or plastic -- only different!

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]]>bagscraft projectCraftProjectcraftsreusable bagsReusableBagsSarah Werthan ButtenwieserSat, 27 Oct 2007 10:51:00 ESTHonoring a tree stewardhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/honoring-a-tree-steward/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/honoring-a-tree-steward/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/27/honoring-a-tree-steward/#commentsFiled under: ,

Living in a relatively small town (30,000 or thereabouts), when a special person dies, the news goes on the front page of the local paper -- as absolutely should be the case with 85 year-old Edward Cotton, whose efforts to save trees in Western Massachusetts are legendary.

Cotton worked for 56 years to preserve trees. He did so because it was his passion, giving countless unpaid hours to the cause and donating money toward saving Dutch Elms in town. Joined in recent years by a group of concerned citizens -- Tree Stewards of Northampton -- he would give tree tours to anyone who asked.

Here's something Cotton wrote in 2004: "We've lost three species of trees in my lifetime: the American chestnut, the American elm, and now we're losing the Canadian hemlock. In my opinion, that's a catastrophic situation. Millions of American elm trees that used to grace our streets are gone now. One year we took 400 diseased elm trees down in Northampton."

Fellow tree stewards in Northampton pledged to make Cotton's legacy of championing trees continue. Maybe the story stretches farther if others are inspired by Cotton in this way: to realize that every town needs a tree steward.

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]]>conservationlocalstewardshiptreesSarah Werthan ButtenwieserSat, 27 Oct 2007 09:02:00 ESTFree range eggs: more humane, more expensive, more popularhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/free-range-eggs-more-humane-more-expensive-more-popular/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/free-range-eggs-more-humane-more-expensive-more-popular/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/free-range-eggs-more-humane-more-expensive-more-popular/#commentsFiled under:

The New York Times notes that free range eggs are increasingly popular with consumers, although not all egg producers are willing to make the switch.

United Egg Producers estimates that 5 percent of U.S. egg production is either cage-free or organic, up from 2 percent three years ago. Free range eggs -- not organic ones -- are the midpoint, price-wise, between caged and organic eggs (note: not all free range eggs are organic, but all organic eggs are free range).

Even Burger King got in on the act, requesting cage-free eggs back in March. The company cited a desire to promote animal welfare as the reason for the move.

While some call this a throwback to chicken farming as it used to be, it's also the wave of the future -- at least for a growing section of the egg market.

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]]>animal rightsAnimalRightseggsfoodorganicSarah Werthan ButtenwieserFri, 26 Oct 2007 16:04:00 ESTVolunteers help stores use fewer bagshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/volunteers-help-stores-use-fewer-bags/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/volunteers-help-stores-use-fewer-bags/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/volunteers-help-stores-use-fewer-bags/#commentsFiled under:

At every store we go to, we're handed so many bags. But how many of them do we actually need? It's a question some folks in my hometown are asking.

Enter Bag Share.

It's a program local artist Leni Fried dreamed up after an effort to reduce the number of disposable bags customers at the Old Creamy Grocery in Cummington, Massachusetts used by offering cloth bags in lieu of paper or plastic ones. And talk about reuse: after the idea to use old seat belts as bag handles surfaced, Sears Automotive agreed to cut out and donate seat belts from cars that were going to be crushed.

Officially starting in November, the cloth bags -- sewn by volunteers -- will be available at 3 local businesses, including Cooper's Corner, another local grocery. Close to 400 have been sewn thus far.

Follow-up reports promised!

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]]>recyclingsolutionsSarah Werthan ButtenwieserFri, 26 Oct 2007 11:02:00 ESTBikes more fun with basketshttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/bikes-more-fun-with-baskets/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/bikes-more-fun-with-baskets/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/26/bikes-more-fun-with-baskets/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Remember when you were a kid and had a basket on your bike? Well, who said you can't go home again? Indulge in a bike basket for your (grown-up) bike.

My friend Molly uses her's for those five-items-or-less trips to the local grocery in Texas (where she's unique simply for riding rather than driving -- go Molly, go!) and she loves how handy the basket is.

You can go groovy -- woven plastic that looks almost like iron lattice, very popular in San Francisco -- or you can go old school with wicker.

Molly says she's getting panniers next.

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]]>basketsbicycle basketsBicycleBasketsbicyclingbikestransportationSarah Werthan ButtenwieserFri, 26 Oct 2007 10:10:00 ESTSchools get healthy, students go greenhttp://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/25/schools-get-healthy-students-go-green/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/25/schools-get-healthy-students-go-green/http://www.greendaily.com/2007/10/25/schools-get-healthy-students-go-green/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Getting healthier food into schools will help to combat childhood obesity -- that much is clear. Good news then, that a government survey, which is conducted every six years, shows that more schools are offering salads and vegetables while fewer permit bake sales. More states and school districts insist that elementary schools schedule recess and that physical education teachers have at least undergraduate training. And schools are doing more to prohibit smoking on school grounds.

Principal of Sepulveda Middle School in Los Angeles County, Patricia Pelletier explains, "If kids are healthy and have healthy lifestyles, they're going to be better students."

They are also going to be greener students: they will be outdoors more -- perhaps walking and biking rather than driving when they get old enough to obtain a license -- they will eat more fruit and vegetables and eschew fast food, and they are less likely to smoke cigarettes (which are huge environmental hazards).

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]]>childrenkidsschoolsSarah Werthan ButtenwieserThu, 25 Oct 2007 16:32:00 EST