Okay, loyal GH readers know I'm still bent about the whole "Seattle Bag Tax". Not the banning of bags, the fact that it puts so much new revenue into city coffers. So you can image how this from Green LA Girl, caught my attention. Not only for the free reusable bag you can get from the City of Santa Monica (with their logo on it) for attending their "Sustainable City Report Card Event" but the idea of having such an event and even more importantly what it is!
First off, you gotta love a city whose goal is to have 100% of it's citizens live within a quarter mile of a park (those crazy Californians)! But really, this appears to be a fantastic example of GOOD government in action!
Citizens and officials alike share a working website where everyone gets to see "concrete goals and targets for tracking Santa Monica's current progress" using a single point website that exists to provide a "blueprint ensuring that our city meets its current environmental, economic and social needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same". AND allows residents a chance to provide feedback "
Talk about transparency! This one stop website covers a variety of areas including resource conservation, transportation, community events and even "human dignity" (homelessness) for which the city gives itself an "A" for effort, but a "b-" grade. It also features a section on sustainability trends (like a SWOT analysis) as well as "successes" and report card section.
The best part of all is the simplicity and interactivity of it all.
Mayor Nickels, you want to give me a free bag and tax me?
I'd feel a whole lot better if I got a website like this out of the deal.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Green Halloween - A Shiny Rock For The Kids
I was down at Salmon Days this last weekend and ran into a booth staffed by Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell- Liipson, the mother daughter team behind Green Halloween.
Billed in their literature as "A eek-o-friendly revolution", Green Halloween asks you to "Join our community effort to create child and Earth friendly Halloween Traditions". Their literature goes on to say , "Green Halloween is a non-profit grassroots community movement to create healthier and more earth-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween."
What proponents suggest is to "think outside the candy box" and subsitute traditional candy with healthier options. Here are some of the ones they list "honey sticks, fruit leather, polished rocks, stickers, soy crayons, organic or fair trade candy, feathers". They also suggest re-using or recycling costumes, and being concerned about what the costume is made of (is it from all natural fabrics, etc.).
Okay, I do think they have something with the "less sugar" thing, apparently (again according to their literature) "the average American eats 25 lbs of candy per year and apparently Seattleites purchase 68% more candy than expected for our city size". And I have no argument with the earth friendly costume suggestions, and in recycling them, my friends and I have been doing that for years.
But that being said, the candy part of this feels a little like the decision the Walt Disney Corporation made a couple of years back where they decided to ban all "non-healthy" food options at their theme parks(background on that story here). That decision was met with signficant opposition, enough to where they modified it to increase healthy choices, rather than an all out "ban". The argument from the public that disagreed was essentially "is the one day I take my family to Disneyland really the opportunity to enforce a healthy lifestyle on them?". My opinion then - and now - is that the time to create healthy habits is not one day, but everyday.
So what do YOU think? You okay with being the house that gives out SHINY ROCKS to the Trick or Treaters instead of candy this year? (didn't Charlie Brown get a rock one year in the Halloween show, I don't recall him being very happy about it) How about sticks of honey or "fair trade" candy? Is this a good idea, or "green political correctness" run amuck?
Oh, and P.S. Mom and Daughter do have an economic angle, they would like you to buy their book "Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.
Check out this video and make up your own mind. Christmas and Easter would appear to be next.
Billed in their literature as "A eek-o-friendly revolution", Green Halloween asks you to "Join our community effort to create child and Earth friendly Halloween Traditions". Their literature goes on to say , "Green Halloween is a non-profit grassroots community movement to create healthier and more earth-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween."
What proponents suggest is to "think outside the candy box" and subsitute traditional candy with healthier options. Here are some of the ones they list "honey sticks, fruit leather, polished rocks, stickers, soy crayons, organic or fair trade candy, feathers". They also suggest re-using or recycling costumes, and being concerned about what the costume is made of (is it from all natural fabrics, etc.).
Okay, I do think they have something with the "less sugar" thing, apparently (again according to their literature) "the average American eats 25 lbs of candy per year and apparently Seattleites purchase 68% more candy than expected for our city size". And I have no argument with the earth friendly costume suggestions, and in recycling them, my friends and I have been doing that for years.
But that being said, the candy part of this feels a little like the decision the Walt Disney Corporation made a couple of years back where they decided to ban all "non-healthy" food options at their theme parks(background on that story here). That decision was met with signficant opposition, enough to where they modified it to increase healthy choices, rather than an all out "ban". The argument from the public that disagreed was essentially "is the one day I take my family to Disneyland really the opportunity to enforce a healthy lifestyle on them?". My opinion then - and now - is that the time to create healthy habits is not one day, but everyday.
So what do YOU think? You okay with being the house that gives out SHINY ROCKS to the Trick or Treaters instead of candy this year? (didn't Charlie Brown get a rock one year in the Halloween show, I don't recall him being very happy about it) How about sticks of honey or "fair trade" candy? Is this a good idea, or "green political correctness" run amuck?
Oh, and P.S. Mom and Daughter do have an economic angle, they would like you to buy their book "Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.
Check out this video and make up your own mind. Christmas and Easter would appear to be next.
New Washington State Law intended to make used computer recycling easier could actually have opposite effect.
Here's an great example of something with good intentions backfiring.
Beginning January 1 of 2009, televisions, monitors, computers, and laptops are required to be recycled in the State of Washington at no cost to the consumer.
The intended benefit is to reduce the environmental impact from improper disposal of the hazardous materials in the electronics, and encouraging consumers to do the right thing by making recycling convenient and free.
However, according to several computer reuse organizations, an unintended consequency of the new law will actually make it more difficult for computers to be refurbished and reused.
This is due to a section of the new law that states that organizations can only reuse "fully functional" computers that they collect. Desktop computers and laptops that require only basic fixes such as a new hard drive must go to a recycler for shredding. The requirement that 'fully functional' computers can be collected will greatly reduce the number of computers digital access organizations are able to donate to communities in need, many of which need only a minor fix to get working again.
Charles Brennick, director and founder of InterConnection, comments, "The law will take thousands of serviceable machines out of the donation stream. Our program won't survive if we are unable to refurbish computers with only minor hardware issues."
The law will also reduce the number of computers for-profit reuse and repair businesses will have available for resale. They will only be able to reuse fully functional computers, while those with minor hardware issues must be recycled. It's estimated that this could reduce the number of computers available for resale in the State of Washington by up to fifty percent.
Computer reuse organizations seek to make two important changes to the law. There should be no restriction on the type of equipment a collector can glean for reuse. Also, companies and individuals should be given incentives for bringing their materials to reuse organizations. This will not only promote reuse – the most green form of recycling – but it will also reduce recycling costs for the manufacturers, and thus point-of-purchase costs for consumers as well.
Beginning January 1 of 2009, televisions, monitors, computers, and laptops are required to be recycled in the State of Washington at no cost to the consumer.
The intended benefit is to reduce the environmental impact from improper disposal of the hazardous materials in the electronics, and encouraging consumers to do the right thing by making recycling convenient and free.
However, according to several computer reuse organizations, an unintended consequency of the new law will actually make it more difficult for computers to be refurbished and reused.
This is due to a section of the new law that states that organizations can only reuse "fully functional" computers that they collect. Desktop computers and laptops that require only basic fixes such as a new hard drive must go to a recycler for shredding. The requirement that 'fully functional' computers can be collected will greatly reduce the number of computers digital access organizations are able to donate to communities in need, many of which need only a minor fix to get working again.
Charles Brennick, director and founder of InterConnection, comments, "The law will take thousands of serviceable machines out of the donation stream. Our program won't survive if we are unable to refurbish computers with only minor hardware issues."
The law will also reduce the number of computers for-profit reuse and repair businesses will have available for resale. They will only be able to reuse fully functional computers, while those with minor hardware issues must be recycled. It's estimated that this could reduce the number of computers available for resale in the State of Washington by up to fifty percent.
Computer reuse organizations seek to make two important changes to the law. There should be no restriction on the type of equipment a collector can glean for reuse. Also, companies and individuals should be given incentives for bringing their materials to reuse organizations. This will not only promote reuse – the most green form of recycling – but it will also reduce recycling costs for the manufacturers, and thus point-of-purchase costs for consumers as well.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Everett Home Show Goes Green!
I think I like what the Everett Home Show is doing. They're taking "Green" beyond the traditional home show boundary of "building green" (using recycled materials or building more energy efficiently) and making it about SUSTAINABLE LIVING in variety of other areas. Opening the category allows more businesses to offer more "green" solutions and the added variety undoubtly makes for a more interesting show for consumers, too.
Here's some of what their press release touts: "Green Vehicles" including the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Malibu Hybrid from show vendor Everett Chevrolet. I single this one out because I think Chevy has some of the best "Green Cars" on the market and doesn't get the credit for it they deserve (buy American AND go green?). So if you still think a car has to come from Japan or be a sub-compact to really be a hybrid, these vehicles will change your mind in a hurry. As an example, the Tahoe Hybrid boasts up to 50% improvement in city fuel economy over the non-hybrid and claims better gas mileage than the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and even the LEXUS HYBRID (LS 600hL)! In fact, the Green Car Journal was so impressed they named it their 2008 Green Car of the Year®.
Another "out of home" Home Show specialist is Zsofia Pasztor who will be speaking there. She's an internationally certified arborist, certified horticulturist, landscape designer, installation & management specialist who boasts degrees in landscape construction. She'll be talking about the relationships between people & the environment and creating gardens that are both sustainable as well as beautiful & functional.
And then there's one of my personal favorite topics, solar energy. Solar energy is currently being used effectively throughout our rainy region to efficiently heat homes, heat water, and make electricity. Speaker Chris Herman will present on the three general types of Solar Energy systems for your home, including, costs, aesthetics, performance, and available incentives. Snohomish PUD and my friends at PSE will also be there with tips and tricks to save energy.
Green community meetings, business groups, "green fairs", etc. have gone from being "fringe" to "mainstream" and this is a fantastic trend. But the only way it will continue is if "we the green people" show up for this kind of stuff to show the businesses involved that being green is both economically and socially responsible.
Here's some of what their press release touts: "Green Vehicles" including the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Malibu Hybrid from show vendor Everett Chevrolet. I single this one out because I think Chevy has some of the best "Green Cars" on the market and doesn't get the credit for it they deserve (buy American AND go green?). So if you still think a car has to come from Japan or be a sub-compact to really be a hybrid, these vehicles will change your mind in a hurry. As an example, the Tahoe Hybrid boasts up to 50% improvement in city fuel economy over the non-hybrid and claims better gas mileage than the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and even the LEXUS HYBRID (LS 600hL)! In fact, the Green Car Journal was so impressed they named it their 2008 Green Car of the Year®.
Another "out of home" Home Show specialist is Zsofia Pasztor who will be speaking there. She's an internationally certified arborist, certified horticulturist, landscape designer, installation & management specialist who boasts degrees in landscape construction. She'll be talking about the relationships between people & the environment and creating gardens that are both sustainable as well as beautiful & functional.
And then there's one of my personal favorite topics, solar energy. Solar energy is currently being used effectively throughout our rainy region to efficiently heat homes, heat water, and make electricity. Speaker Chris Herman will present on the three general types of Solar Energy systems for your home, including, costs, aesthetics, performance, and available incentives. Snohomish PUD and my friends at PSE will also be there with tips and tricks to save energy.
Green community meetings, business groups, "green fairs", etc. have gone from being "fringe" to "mainstream" and this is a fantastic trend. But the only way it will continue is if "we the green people" show up for this kind of stuff to show the businesses involved that being green is both economically and socially responsible.
Sustainable Communities All Over Puget Sound (SCALLOPS)
I found this while poking around on the web. What intrigues me about it is the localness of these groups - they appear very grassroots and work to provide specific sustainable solutions to their local areas. Right now, they look at be in about 60+ local communities.
According to their website, 'The mission of SCALLOPS is to network, support, and advance sustainability initiatives in towns and neighborhoods all over Puget Sound. Through outreach, education, and community-building opportunities, we facilitate the cross-pollination of best practices, inspire and support new groups, troubleshoot challenges, and mobilize action on behalf of regional sustainability."
They appear to have regular monthly meetings so I'm going to go check one out. But on the surface, it sounds like a pretty good idea. Especially if they can get local businesses and governments involved.
According to their website, 'The mission of SCALLOPS is to network, support, and advance sustainability initiatives in towns and neighborhoods all over Puget Sound. Through outreach, education, and community-building opportunities, we facilitate the cross-pollination of best practices, inspire and support new groups, troubleshoot challenges, and mobilize action on behalf of regional sustainability."
They appear to have regular monthly meetings so I'm going to go check one out. But on the surface, it sounds like a pretty good idea. Especially if they can get local businesses and governments involved.
WSU to offer state's first college level renewable energy course.
Regular Green Human readers know what a huge fan I am of renewable energy, particularly wind and water.
Andy Wappler from PSE caught onto my blog awhile back and just sent me this. The impact is important, not only for this one class, but the idea that this is now a recognized area of study will only lead to more courses and ultimately degrees on this - which means more smart young people dedicated to solving the problems!
"Engineering students at Washington State University (WSU) will soon study cutting-edge technologies for harnessing the power of the wind, sun, biomass, fuel cells and more thanks to a $150,000 gift provided by Puget Sound Energy. The class, to be part of WSU's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will be the first college-level engineering course in Washington dedicated to renewable energy systems.The renewable energy class will debut in the fall of 2009, with PSE providing an initial $50,000 gift in 2008 to assist with course development efforts, and the remaining balance of $100,000 over the next five years. The gift from PSE will go towards laboratory supplies and equipment, as well as student travel expenses for class tours of renewable energy facilities such as PSE's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility near Dayton.
The coursework, currently in development, geared for senior-level majors in Engineering, Electrical Engineering and the sciences, will range from studies in the design and construction of wind turbines, solar photovoltaic arrays, biomass generation and hydrogen fuel cells, to the public policy and ecological impact of conventional and alternative sources of energy. "
Relating back to my last post of "Who's Greener, Rossi or Gregoire" I challenge EITHER candidate to work with other Colleges and Universities in the State to implement more of these kinds of programs. Seems like the perfect thing for a Governor to get involved in. I bet PSE would help.
Meantime, what do you think about this type of program, and what should be included if it were to be expanded?
continue reading
Andy Wappler from PSE caught onto my blog awhile back and just sent me this. The impact is important, not only for this one class, but the idea that this is now a recognized area of study will only lead to more courses and ultimately degrees on this - which means more smart young people dedicated to solving the problems!
"Engineering students at Washington State University (WSU) will soon study cutting-edge technologies for harnessing the power of the wind, sun, biomass, fuel cells and more thanks to a $150,000 gift provided by Puget Sound Energy. The class, to be part of WSU's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will be the first college-level engineering course in Washington dedicated to renewable energy systems.The renewable energy class will debut in the fall of 2009, with PSE providing an initial $50,000 gift in 2008 to assist with course development efforts, and the remaining balance of $100,000 over the next five years. The gift from PSE will go towards laboratory supplies and equipment, as well as student travel expenses for class tours of renewable energy facilities such as PSE's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility near Dayton.
The coursework, currently in development, geared for senior-level majors in Engineering, Electrical Engineering and the sciences, will range from studies in the design and construction of wind turbines, solar photovoltaic arrays, biomass generation and hydrogen fuel cells, to the public policy and ecological impact of conventional and alternative sources of energy. "
Relating back to my last post of "Who's Greener, Rossi or Gregoire" I challenge EITHER candidate to work with other Colleges and Universities in the State to implement more of these kinds of programs. Seems like the perfect thing for a Governor to get involved in. I bet PSE would help.
Meantime, what do you think about this type of program, and what should be included if it were to be expanded?
continue reading
More on the Bag ban
As those of you who read my posts already know, I started out as a huge SUPPORTER of the plastic bag ban. As I have done more research on it, I have started to QUESTION not the GOAL (reduction of the bags) but the METHOD by which it is being accomplished.
For more background, jump to this post on my Green Human website, where you can learn that the bag tax is going to generate $8 to $10 million in revenue, and was promised to keep solid waste rates 5% lower. But literally days after it was approved by the city council, the City of Seattle put in a request for solid waste rates to go up a whopping 46%. That's when I started wondering just what was going on. There are lots of economic models to lessen plastic bag use (remember when you were a kid you got .05 for every pop bottle you returned to the store) and this is starting to look less and less like an incentive and more and more like a tax. When questioned, the City Councils position seems to revert back to "hey, if you bring a bag you won't pay the fee" which is a little like saying "if you don't buy gas for your car, you won't pay a gas tax". Duh.
This last Monday, Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess posted on his website that we should know in the next day or two whether the citizen initiative to repeal the green fee will qualify for the ballot. He also provided a good background article and a blog site with comments.
Thanks to Tim for keeping this in public view. I found the comments to be of particular interest. But decide for yourself. Then let the Cicy Council know what you think!
For more background, jump to this post on my Green Human website, where you can learn that the bag tax is going to generate $8 to $10 million in revenue, and was promised to keep solid waste rates 5% lower. But literally days after it was approved by the city council, the City of Seattle put in a request for solid waste rates to go up a whopping 46%. That's when I started wondering just what was going on. There are lots of economic models to lessen plastic bag use (remember when you were a kid you got .05 for every pop bottle you returned to the store) and this is starting to look less and less like an incentive and more and more like a tax. When questioned, the City Councils position seems to revert back to "hey, if you bring a bag you won't pay the fee" which is a little like saying "if you don't buy gas for your car, you won't pay a gas tax". Duh.
This last Monday, Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess posted on his website that we should know in the next day or two whether the citizen initiative to repeal the green fee will qualify for the ballot. He also provided a good background article and a blog site with comments.
Thanks to Tim for keeping this in public view. I found the comments to be of particular interest. But decide for yourself. Then let the Cicy Council know what you think!
More on the Bag ban
As those of you who read my posts already know, I started out as a huge SUPPORTER of the plastic bag ban. As I have done more research on it, I have started to QUESTION not the GOAL (reduction of the bags) but the METHOD by which it is being accomplished.
For more background, jump to this post on my Green Human website, where you can learn that the bag tax is going to generate $8 to $10 million in revenue, and was promised to keep solid waste rates 5% lower. But literally days after it was approved by the city council, the City of Seattle put in a request for solid waste rates to go up a whopping 46%. That's when I started wondering just what was going on. There are lots of economic models to lessen plastic bag use (remember when you were a kid you got .05 for every pop bottle you returned to the store) and this is starting to look less and less like an incentive and more and more like a tax. When questioned, the City Councils position seems to revert back to "hey, if you bring a bag you won't pay the fee" which is a little like saying "if you don't buy gas for your car, you won't pay a gas tax". Duh.
This last Monday, Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess posted on his website that we should know in the next day or two whether the citizen initiative to repeal the green fee will qualify for the ballot. He also provided a good background article and a blog site with comments.
Thanks to Tim for keeping this in public view. I found the comments to be of particular interest. But decide for yourself. Then let the Cicy Council know what you think!
For more background, jump to this post on my Green Human website, where you can learn that the bag tax is going to generate $8 to $10 million in revenue, and was promised to keep solid waste rates 5% lower. But literally days after it was approved by the city council, the City of Seattle put in a request for solid waste rates to go up a whopping 46%. That's when I started wondering just what was going on. There are lots of economic models to lessen plastic bag use (remember when you were a kid you got .05 for every pop bottle you returned to the store) and this is starting to look less and less like an incentive and more and more like a tax. When questioned, the City Councils position seems to revert back to "hey, if you bring a bag you won't pay the fee" which is a little like saying "if you don't buy gas for your car, you won't pay a gas tax". Duh.
This last Monday, Seattle City Council Member Tim Burgess posted on his website that we should know in the next day or two whether the citizen initiative to repeal the green fee will qualify for the ballot. He also provided a good background article and a blog site with comments.
Thanks to Tim for keeping this in public view. I found the comments to be of particular interest. But decide for yourself. Then let the Cicy Council know what you think!
Who's Greener Rossi or Gregoire?
It has been really great watching McCain and Obama both claiming to be green, and outlining their environmental policies. But what about here at home? Republicans are usually considered more "business friendly" and traditionally that has meant less green, but that metric is changing and Rossi is presenting himself as an "agent of change" so where does he stand relative to Gregoire?
First - a summary of Gregoire's position from her official website.
1. Governor Gregoire created the Puget Sound Partnership, bringing together environmentalists, local government, sportsmen, tribal and business leaders to restore and preserve the health of Puget Sound. She won passage of a $52 million investment package to address the Sound's most critical short-term needs.
2. Governor Gregoire ended the 25-year stalemate over Columbia River water management, taking significant steps towards adopting new water storage management programs while improving the river's ecosystem.
3. Governor Gregoire, after collaborative efforts were rejected, joined Oregon, New Mexico, and California in a lawsuit to force the Bush administration to honor the Roadless Rule that Washingtonians from all walks of life have repeatedly and overwhelming supported.
4. Governor Gregoire has taken steps to improve state parks and make them more accessible to recreational users. She abolished parking fees at state parks, and provided more funding to keep the parks system clean and fully functioning.
5. Governor Gregoire signed the Clean Car Bill and joined seven other states enacting the strong emission standards for automobiles, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that pollute our air and cause global warming. Washington also became the first state in the nation to adopt mandatory green building standards for all new public buildings.
6. In 2005, Governor Gregoire signed into law solar energy incentives for consumers and manufacturers that are the most progressive in this country. Subsequently, with Governor Gregoire's help, Renewable Energy Corporation is expanding its solar grade silicon manufacturing in Moses Lake. Governor Gregoire approved siting the Wild Horse Wind Farm near Ellensburg.
7. Governor Gregoire promoted private investment in the biofuels industry by winning passage of legislation that provides financial assistance for the infrastructure necessary to support a clean fuel industry.
8. She will fight attempts to take our low-cost hydropower system away from us and is working with utilities and their customers to ensure those benefits are available for decades to come.
Compared with Gregoire's style, Rossi said his environmental policies would be based on incentives, rather than mandates. Here's what we know about Rossi courtesy of his official website.
1. Converting state government vehicles to hybrid, plug-in electric, and alternative-fuel cars by 2015.
2. Eliminating sales tax on purchases of hybrid, electric, and alternative-fuel vehicles for the next 10 years.
3. Dedicating $200 million to eliminate salmon blockages from 1,676 culverts on DOT projects statewide.
4. Implementing massive congestion relief projects that he says will eliminate millions of tons of carbon emissions produced by cars stuck in traffic.
So that's (at least some of) what the candidates say. What say us, the people? Is this an issue that's important and if so, what do we want the candidates to know?
First - a summary of Gregoire's position from her official website.
1. Governor Gregoire created the Puget Sound Partnership, bringing together environmentalists, local government, sportsmen, tribal and business leaders to restore and preserve the health of Puget Sound. She won passage of a $52 million investment package to address the Sound's most critical short-term needs.
2. Governor Gregoire ended the 25-year stalemate over Columbia River water management, taking significant steps towards adopting new water storage management programs while improving the river's ecosystem.
3. Governor Gregoire, after collaborative efforts were rejected, joined Oregon, New Mexico, and California in a lawsuit to force the Bush administration to honor the Roadless Rule that Washingtonians from all walks of life have repeatedly and overwhelming supported.
4. Governor Gregoire has taken steps to improve state parks and make them more accessible to recreational users. She abolished parking fees at state parks, and provided more funding to keep the parks system clean and fully functioning.
5. Governor Gregoire signed the Clean Car Bill and joined seven other states enacting the strong emission standards for automobiles, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that pollute our air and cause global warming. Washington also became the first state in the nation to adopt mandatory green building standards for all new public buildings.
6. In 2005, Governor Gregoire signed into law solar energy incentives for consumers and manufacturers that are the most progressive in this country. Subsequently, with Governor Gregoire's help, Renewable Energy Corporation is expanding its solar grade silicon manufacturing in Moses Lake. Governor Gregoire approved siting the Wild Horse Wind Farm near Ellensburg.
7. Governor Gregoire promoted private investment in the biofuels industry by winning passage of legislation that provides financial assistance for the infrastructure necessary to support a clean fuel industry.
8. She will fight attempts to take our low-cost hydropower system away from us and is working with utilities and their customers to ensure those benefits are available for decades to come.
Compared with Gregoire's style, Rossi said his environmental policies would be based on incentives, rather than mandates. Here's what we know about Rossi courtesy of his official website.
1. Converting state government vehicles to hybrid, plug-in electric, and alternative-fuel cars by 2015.
2. Eliminating sales tax on purchases of hybrid, electric, and alternative-fuel vehicles for the next 10 years.
3. Dedicating $200 million to eliminate salmon blockages from 1,676 culverts on DOT projects statewide.
4. Implementing massive congestion relief projects that he says will eliminate millions of tons of carbon emissions produced by cars stuck in traffic.
So that's (at least some of) what the candidates say. What say us, the people? Is this an issue that's important and if so, what do we want the candidates to know?
Green Sin
I admit it. I slid back. I took my son rafting to the Tieton River this past weekend. To save gas, I decided to take the family (read my wifes) sedan and successfully but with considerable effort, crammed three tents, two backpacks, a bunch of food, a stove, fuel and a partridge in a pair tree (just kidding about the pear tree) into the trunk and five people in the car. We had a great time (the river was awesome) but when we got back home the car with pretty dirty (the hint being when my 12 year old wrote "wash me" on the trunk as he was getting out the stuff he had to help bring in). Okay, I wanted to be a good husband and so I decided to wash the car. I've tried the car wash, but last time there were scratches that looked like they came from there so decided against that. I did put a nozzle on the hose, but of course with my son helping there was lots of water wasted. And the obligitory water fight didn't help either.
I worked myself extra hard at the gym this morning and won't have dessert for the next couple of nights.
Forgive me.
I worked myself extra hard at the gym this morning and won't have dessert for the next couple of nights.
Forgive me.
Everett Home Show Oct 3-5 looking for "Green" speakers.
It must be trade show week! Today, I received a press release from the Everett Home Show - they are doing something pretty cool - a special "green" section at their upcoming October Home Show (love it!). They are looking for interested individuals or organizations to serve as "green" experts or speakers at their show. There is no cost to be a speaker and if you want a booth, they'll offer you one at a big discount if you're a speaker. Since this site is all about ways to go green, it seemed appropriate to give them a shout out. Email me greenhuman@comcast.net and I'll hook you up if you want details.
Pink meets Green at the Seattle Fall Wedding Expo
This last weekend, I had occasion to find myself wandering the Fall Wedding Expo at the Qwest Events Center
I remembered seeing an article awhile back about "green weddings", so I decided to query some of the vendors with my favorite question "what are doing to be more green"? I also asked them- "What questions are you being asked by your customers (brides to be) about becoming more green?"and "what are the cost implications for you to become more green?"
I figured I'd start at the core of ceremony, the wedding dress, so my first stop was with Kim Bashor from "Something Blue", a wedding gown providor. Kim told me "in regards to dresses, brides are definitely asking about the green component, specifically about what a gown is made from with interest in the recycled or eco-friendly component of the fabric. The other question she said she's hearing is where it's being made - with China being a specific focal point."
Next stop, Micheal Sundsmo, manager of the Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma. They do on premise wedding receptions as well as other events. Sundsmo told me that while an increasing number of customers are asking how to do things more eco-friendly, his firm has made an independent business decision to "go green" on several levels, permanently - whether the customer asks or not! One is the complete elimination of plastic - flatware (knives and forks), cups and plates – either replacing them with corn based cups (we explored this a while back) or providing real silverware and reusing it.
Ed Redman from Grand Events Rentals, confirmed the total elimination of plastic from the events his company caters. He position is that it's not only better for the environment, it also cut their waste disposal volume and costs. But he didn't stop there. To save fuel and costs he now pays much closer attention to scheduling his deliveries to maximize efficiency. He also encourages his employees to carpool to events and even provides car wash coupons to them so the vehicles arrive spic and span without wasting water. He's actively looking for more ways to be green, including buying electric or bio fuel vehicles for his fleet. He even recycles his shrink wrap! Cool!
I was especially curious to see what gains, if any, were being made on the honeymoon front, knowing the traditional honeymoon is portrayed as a time of decadence. Krisy Reopelle of Jobean Travel indicated that she fields lots more question about the eco-friendliness of honeymoon destinations and more couples are looking at more eco-friendly locations. Linda Martindell, from Totem Travel confirmed this. Her company books Sandals all-inclusive resorts, and was quick to note that all 12 Sandals have been awarded the "Green Globe Certification" , that recognizes ecological responsiveness from recycling to conserving. (a) All resort employees participate in workshops and seminars put on by the environmental committees, government organizations and non-government environmental organizations, (b) staff are trained to be aware of water use in gardens, pool and public areas as well as restaurants, kitchens and guestrooms including the use of timers for pools and outdoor lighting of paths and walkways, each guest room has posted a notice saying that towels on the floor will be changed but towels hung up will be left for another use to decrease the amount of energy as well as the detergents to wash them. Resort staff is also trained in waste disposal practices such as recycling of office paper and packages.
I guess what impressed me the most was not only the enthusiasm and committment the vendors conveyed about "going green", but also the PERMANENT nature of the changes they were each making in their respective industries.
According to their website, The Wedding Expo will also be at the Tacoma Dome and Lynnwood Convention Center later this month if you want to check it out for yourself.
I remembered seeing an article awhile back about "green weddings", so I decided to query some of the vendors with my favorite question "what are doing to be more green"? I also asked them- "What questions are you being asked by your customers (brides to be) about becoming more green?"and "what are the cost implications for you to become more green?"
I figured I'd start at the core of ceremony, the wedding dress, so my first stop was with Kim Bashor from "Something Blue", a wedding gown providor. Kim told me "in regards to dresses, brides are definitely asking about the green component, specifically about what a gown is made from with interest in the recycled or eco-friendly component of the fabric. The other question she said she's hearing is where it's being made - with China being a specific focal point."
Next stop, Micheal Sundsmo, manager of the Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma. They do on premise wedding receptions as well as other events. Sundsmo told me that while an increasing number of customers are asking how to do things more eco-friendly, his firm has made an independent business decision to "go green" on several levels, permanently - whether the customer asks or not! One is the complete elimination of plastic - flatware (knives and forks), cups and plates – either replacing them with corn based cups (we explored this a while back) or providing real silverware and reusing it.
Ed Redman from Grand Events Rentals, confirmed the total elimination of plastic from the events his company caters. He position is that it's not only better for the environment, it also cut their waste disposal volume and costs. But he didn't stop there. To save fuel and costs he now pays much closer attention to scheduling his deliveries to maximize efficiency. He also encourages his employees to carpool to events and even provides car wash coupons to them so the vehicles arrive spic and span without wasting water. He's actively looking for more ways to be green, including buying electric or bio fuel vehicles for his fleet. He even recycles his shrink wrap! Cool!
I was especially curious to see what gains, if any, were being made on the honeymoon front, knowing the traditional honeymoon is portrayed as a time of decadence. Krisy Reopelle of Jobean Travel indicated that she fields lots more question about the eco-friendliness of honeymoon destinations and more couples are looking at more eco-friendly locations. Linda Martindell, from Totem Travel confirmed this. Her company books Sandals all-inclusive resorts, and was quick to note that all 12 Sandals have been awarded the "Green Globe Certification" , that recognizes ecological responsiveness from recycling to conserving. (a) All resort employees participate in workshops and seminars put on by the environmental committees, government organizations and non-government environmental organizations, (b) staff are trained to be aware of water use in gardens, pool and public areas as well as restaurants, kitchens and guestrooms including the use of timers for pools and outdoor lighting of paths and walkways, each guest room has posted a notice saying that towels on the floor will be changed but towels hung up will be left for another use to decrease the amount of energy as well as the detergents to wash them. Resort staff is also trained in waste disposal practices such as recycling of office paper and packages.
I guess what impressed me the most was not only the enthusiasm and committment the vendors conveyed about "going green", but also the PERMANENT nature of the changes they were each making in their respective industries.
According to their website, The Wedding Expo will also be at the Tacoma Dome and Lynnwood Convention Center later this month if you want to check it out for yourself.
Green Prison- Could Prisoners Clean Up Landfills?
My friend John Polnik surfaced this idea during a long car ride we took together the other day. I don't pretend to know if it's workable, but it's intriguing.
"Remember when you realized as a kid that you could collect old aluminum Coors light cans and trade them in for cold hard Star Wars toy buying cash? We learned that clearly there is a market for recyclable material.
Well how about all those landfills across our beautiful country? They're just towering monuments of waste leaching toxins into the ground water and turning the ground into a shade of green we'd rather not see. They need to be cleaned up, right?
On average, what percentage of the material in any given American landfill is recyclable? Under the millions of tons of disposable Huggies, how many pounds of copper wire from old eight track stereos and glass Coca Cola bottles thrown away during the Reagan administration are there to be mined? Well, I'm too lazy to do a googlenet search on the interweb machine to find out, but I'd be willing to bet that it's a lot.
However, it's not enough to make it economically viable for a private entity to hire workers to sift through that mess. I mean, could you imagine the labor cost alone? How much would someone have to pay you to wallow knee deep in old Kleenexes and rotting Chinese take-out? The value of all the collected recyclable material wouldn't be enough to pay any workers (documented or otherwise) to do it.
Where could you possibly find a labor force in America that would be willing to do such an unpleasant but necessary job at a cost that wouldn't break us all?
I did do a world wide Yahoo machine search and found that there are more than two million people currently incarcerated in American prisons, and it's costing us all a lot of tax payer green to keep them there.
Now, don't get carried away. I'm not going to suggest that prisoners be forced as slaves to do this job, but how about the idea of a Green Prison? You set up a temporary facility at a landfill, secure the site, and get people to work mining the "good" dirt. The value of that mined material is then sold and used to pay for everything the Green Prison needs. When all the recyclable material has been removed, and the area is cleaned up in the process, the Green Prison packs up and moves to the next landfill.
It could be like popular work farm prisons that allow low risk detainees to earn a small wage so that when they're released, they actually have some means to support themselves until they can get on their feet. The only difference with the Green Prison is that prisoners aren't competing with private farmers and businesses that have to pay market wages to their employees. A Green Prison competes with no one, takes no jobs away from anyone, costs taxpayers nothing, and cleans up the planet.
The practice of prisoners working for the good of society is already widely accepted. Think about the courageous stump jumpers that help fight terrible forest fires or the prisoners that help during disasters to lay sandbags in floods? Well is there a bigger disaster than the mess we've made with overfilling landfills? The idea of Green Prisons represents an opportunity for prisoners to redeem themselves, and for us as a society to really do something about the waste we produce."
"Remember when you realized as a kid that you could collect old aluminum Coors light cans and trade them in for cold hard Star Wars toy buying cash? We learned that clearly there is a market for recyclable material.
Well how about all those landfills across our beautiful country? They're just towering monuments of waste leaching toxins into the ground water and turning the ground into a shade of green we'd rather not see. They need to be cleaned up, right?
On average, what percentage of the material in any given American landfill is recyclable? Under the millions of tons of disposable Huggies, how many pounds of copper wire from old eight track stereos and glass Coca Cola bottles thrown away during the Reagan administration are there to be mined? Well, I'm too lazy to do a googlenet search on the interweb machine to find out, but I'd be willing to bet that it's a lot.
However, it's not enough to make it economically viable for a private entity to hire workers to sift through that mess. I mean, could you imagine the labor cost alone? How much would someone have to pay you to wallow knee deep in old Kleenexes and rotting Chinese take-out? The value of all the collected recyclable material wouldn't be enough to pay any workers (documented or otherwise) to do it.
Where could you possibly find a labor force in America that would be willing to do such an unpleasant but necessary job at a cost that wouldn't break us all?
I did do a world wide Yahoo machine search and found that there are more than two million people currently incarcerated in American prisons, and it's costing us all a lot of tax payer green to keep them there.
Now, don't get carried away. I'm not going to suggest that prisoners be forced as slaves to do this job, but how about the idea of a Green Prison? You set up a temporary facility at a landfill, secure the site, and get people to work mining the "good" dirt. The value of that mined material is then sold and used to pay for everything the Green Prison needs. When all the recyclable material has been removed, and the area is cleaned up in the process, the Green Prison packs up and moves to the next landfill.
It could be like popular work farm prisons that allow low risk detainees to earn a small wage so that when they're released, they actually have some means to support themselves until they can get on their feet. The only difference with the Green Prison is that prisoners aren't competing with private farmers and businesses that have to pay market wages to their employees. A Green Prison competes with no one, takes no jobs away from anyone, costs taxpayers nothing, and cleans up the planet.
The practice of prisoners working for the good of society is already widely accepted. Think about the courageous stump jumpers that help fight terrible forest fires or the prisoners that help during disasters to lay sandbags in floods? Well is there a bigger disaster than the mess we've made with overfilling landfills? The idea of Green Prisons represents an opportunity for prisoners to redeem themselves, and for us as a society to really do something about the waste we produce."
Update on Wind Power in Washington State
Took my son to College in Eastern Washington this weekend and drove by the Wind Turbines near Vantage. That got me wondering as to what's happening with this form of energy (regular readers know I'm already a huge fan of wind and water power).
Wild Horse Wind Farm is a 229-megawatt wind farm built by Puget Sound Energy The towers are 221 feet tall, and the diameter of each rotor is 264 feet, larger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. The turbines can begin producing electricity with wind speeds as low as 9 mph and reach full production at 31 mph. They shut down at sustained wind speeds of 56 mph.
Now PSE is proposing to add approximately 25 wind turbines to its Wild Horse operations in eastern Kittitas County, which currently has 127 turbines. The expansion would add a 1,400-acre parcel of land immediately to the north of the existing 9,150-acre site. If approved these are planned to be active in 2010.
In addition to the wind turbines, the Wild Horse site also includes a 500-kilowatt solar project, the Pacific Northwest's largest solar energy producer. Wild Horse, together with PSE's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility near Dayton in southeast Washington, produces enough electricity, on average, to serve approximately 100,000 households.
PSE is committed to having renewable energy, such as wind power, make up a significant component of its supply portfolio. The utility's target is to have at least five percent of its customers' total electricity supplied from renewable resources by 2010.
I read somewhere else that the economics of the payback period on a project like this is relatively short, like under 5 years. So, assuming the landscape doesn't bother you (I think they look cool) why aren't we doing more of this?
Updated 9/11/08: If you want to go visit, here's the link to the visitors center. Enjoy.
Wild Horse Wind Farm is a 229-megawatt wind farm built by Puget Sound Energy The towers are 221 feet tall, and the diameter of each rotor is 264 feet, larger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. The turbines can begin producing electricity with wind speeds as low as 9 mph and reach full production at 31 mph. They shut down at sustained wind speeds of 56 mph.
Now PSE is proposing to add approximately 25 wind turbines to its Wild Horse operations in eastern Kittitas County, which currently has 127 turbines. The expansion would add a 1,400-acre parcel of land immediately to the north of the existing 9,150-acre site. If approved these are planned to be active in 2010.
In addition to the wind turbines, the Wild Horse site also includes a 500-kilowatt solar project, the Pacific Northwest's largest solar energy producer. Wild Horse, together with PSE's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility near Dayton in southeast Washington, produces enough electricity, on average, to serve approximately 100,000 households.
PSE is committed to having renewable energy, such as wind power, make up a significant component of its supply portfolio. The utility's target is to have at least five percent of its customers' total electricity supplied from renewable resources by 2010.
I read somewhere else that the economics of the payback period on a project like this is relatively short, like under 5 years. So, assuming the landscape doesn't bother you (I think they look cool) why aren't we doing more of this?
Updated 9/11/08: If you want to go visit, here's the link to the visitors center. Enjoy.
What are you doing to be more green?
A recent survey asked Puget Sound Area Residents if they would be willing to "make changes in your daily routine to help improve the environment". Of the 500 respondents, 77% answered yes (16% answered no and 8% said not sure).
Of those 383 who indicated they WOULD be willing to change their routine, the survey asked "Which ONE change to your daily routine would you most likely make in order to help the environment?"
Here's the answers. (Margin of Sampling Error = ± 5.1%). "
20% Recycling
26% Efficient Sources Of Energy
28% Using Less Energy
7% Changes To Your Home
4% Conserving Water
8% Driving Less
2% Environmental Activities
3% Other
1% Doing Nothing
2% Not Sure
So, what about YOU? What's the ONE CHANGE you'd be willing to make? And are you already doing something that the rest of us should know about? (oh and P.S. When I've asked this question before, it seems like there is always someone compelled to answer "shower with a friend". To that individual, I humbly direct you to this Puget Sound Energy promotion on now - "a FREE water efficient showerhead and bathroom faucet aerator to qualifying single family households. Their literature claims it uses 20% less energy and water. Call them at 888-404-8773 or here.")
Okay, now that that one's out of way, what about the rest of us?
Of those 383 who indicated they WOULD be willing to change their routine, the survey asked "Which ONE change to your daily routine would you most likely make in order to help the environment?"
Here's the answers. (Margin of Sampling Error = ± 5.1%). "
20% Recycling
26% Efficient Sources Of Energy
28% Using Less Energy
7% Changes To Your Home
4% Conserving Water
8% Driving Less
2% Environmental Activities
3% Other
1% Doing Nothing
2% Not Sure
So, what about YOU? What's the ONE CHANGE you'd be willing to make? And are you already doing something that the rest of us should know about? (oh and P.S. When I've asked this question before, it seems like there is always someone compelled to answer "shower with a friend". To that individual, I humbly direct you to this Puget Sound Energy promotion on now - "a FREE water efficient showerhead and bathroom faucet aerator to qualifying single family households. Their literature claims it uses 20% less energy and water. Call them at 888-404-8773 or here.")
Okay, now that that one's out of way, what about the rest of us?
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