You are currently browsing the archive for the green category.
The new school year is fast approaching (now already here for most).
This year we have a handful of selections for green choices for back to school.
Remember that one of the most eco-friendly things to do is to reuse whatever items you already have – such as backpacks & binders from last year – that are still in good condition.
For eco-friendly products – Check this list before you shop for your school supplies.
Read the rest of this entry »
If you own a website, you should be aware that the energy consumed by the data centers where web servers reside is consequential. *
Fortunately, there are a handful of hosting companies that have made significant efforts to go “green”.
We recently came across a new (to us) eco-friendly, solar-powered web host named GlowHost.
Read the rest of this entry »
For anyone in need of web hosting and seeking an environmentally friendly solution…
We have a coupon code available for $25 off any hosting package with ThinkHost.
(See below for coupon code)
Read the rest of this entry »
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a $76 billion Farm Bill at the end of July. In the bill’s current form less than 1% of the $76 billion in farm subsidies would go to organic farmers.
(To see the previous post on this bill visit this permalink. – Interested in who is getting all that money? We recommend you visit the Farm Subsidy Database.)
The Environmental Working Group’s Action Fund has created a petition asking Congress to include fair funding for organics in the Farm Bill. They aim to “level the playing field for organic farmers and expand access to safe, healthy organic food”. They’re seeking 30,000 signatures by July 15th, and, on July 17th, will deliver the petition to Congress to let them know that we want them to vote for organics.
This is important legislation and will have a large impact on organic farming. (Farm bills generally last 5 years.) It is especially significant to those farmers who are currently in the process of or considering transitioning to organic methods.
Please sign the petition! You can also help by spreading the word and inviting friends and family to sign as well. If so inclined, writing, e-mailing, or otherwise contacting your Congressman couldn’t hurt either!
buzz about the Farm Bill
Environmental Defense’s blog updates on the Farm Bill debates
This Tuesday (June 19, 2007) Google announced that it awarded $1 million in grants and will be inviting applicants to apply for $10 million in funds to help develop plug-in type hybrid vehicles that get at least 70-100mpg. The grants are part of the RechargeIT Initiative being run by Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org.
The project aims to impact climate change (one of Google.org’s three primary goals) by aiding the development of hybrid vehicles which would reduce our dependency on oil, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and probably ultimately reduce consumers’ costs.
Google is seeking to accelerate not only the adoption of hybrid cars, but also the development and deployment of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, which would help to stabilize the power grid. Basically, as such cars begin to use renewable sources of energy for power generation (such as solar energy), they will be able to sell back to power companies any excess electricity they produce, thus making the grid cleaner. Google is already implementing a solar program for its fleet of hybrids and planning to use it as a demonstration of the efficiency of such technology. Read more…
Two-thirds of global emissions come from energy consumption, therefore addressing the climate crisis requires radical changes in energy production. In the future, through V2G technology, fossil fuel consumption by vehicles and power plants may be significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Such technology may solve the “problem” of, or significantly reduce the costs involved in, converting power plants to greener technologies. Read more…
Google will make a formal request for proposals (RFP) on their website later this summer for the $10 million worth of awards “for investment opportunities in companies and projects accelerating the commercialization of alternative transportation that reduces vehicle fossil fuel use and climate emissions”.
To see a list of recipients of the $1 million dollars in grants, go to http://www.google.org/recharge/partners.html.
The president of Ecuador, Rafeal Correa, declared yesterday (June 22, 2007) that the Galápagos are at high risk and should be considered a national conservation priority. He claims that the islands are suffering an environmental crisis and is seeking restrictions on tourism. He has also asked that the habitat be added to UNESCO’s Endangered List – a request which will be considered at a week-long meeting of the UN agency’s World Heritage Committee being held in New Zealand beginning this Saturday.
The Galápagos lie in the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles west of Ecuador at the confluence of several ocean currents and are comprised of some 19 islands. The isolation of these striking volcanic isles has produced one of the highest concentrations of endemic species in the world, and the archipelago is considered “a natural museum of geological, ecological and evolutionary processes”. The seismic and volcanic activities that formed the islands are still going on today.
The habitat’s unusual animals, including the land iguana and giant tortoises, helped to inspire Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (He visited the islands in 1835 on the HMS Beagle.) 30% of the marine life in the surrounding seas are endemic, as are roughly 1/3 of the island’s vascular land plants, all of the reptiles with the exception of two species of marine turtle, and almost half of its bird species. Among its unique species is the marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus – the only sea-going iguana in the world.
As a place of “outstanding universal value”, the Galápagos Islands were added to UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of Protected Areas and World Heritage Sites in 1978 and designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1984.
This extraordinary archipelago of unrivaled beauty is an “almost pristine” treasure trove of biodiversity, but is being threatened today by large-scale tourism and unsustainable fishing practices by mainland fishermen whose activities are financed by foreign companies. Visitation by tourists has increased three-fold in the past 15 years with an annual growth rate of about 14% for the tourism economy. The consequences of this growth include threats to endemic species by introduction of non-native invasive species, pollution, over-harvesting, and greater pressure on valuable marine resources. Partially as a result of these changes, 24% of the endemic plant species and 50% of the vertebrate species are considered endangered.
Click here for an image of the Galápagos Penguins on Bartolomé Island.
The islands are subject to the 1998 Special Law for Galápagos but have been neglected by previous management, and the rapid economic growth of the islands, coupled with increased immigration, has taxed the capacity of the Galápagos’ management authorities. The president’s solutions will focus on the proper implementation of this special law and will include strengthening Galápagos management authorities, ensuring the development of sustainable businesses, strengthening the work of the Galápagos National Park Service and CDF (Charles Darwin Foundation) to manage endangered species and control invasives, and educational reform.
The declaration of the Ecuadorian president addresses concerns that have been held for many years regarding the future of this fragile ecosystem.
For more detailed information on the Galápagos, visit UNEP’s (United Nations Environment Programme) World Conservation Monitoring Centre page at http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/galapago.html
or the Charles Darwin Foundation at http://www.darwinfoundation.org
Twitter / BlueGreenMarble
Recent Comments