5 Easy Green Lifestyle Tips for Spring

Image courtesy of Lets Go Ride A Bike

1. Forget driving, taking cabs, or even taking the T - bikes rule this time of year, and for good reason, they are a low carbon, quick way to get around the city.

2. No heat or air conditioning. Open up those windows and breath the fresh spring air!

3. Unplug your workout. Now that the weather is nice, there is no need to go to the gym and use energy-intensive machines. Instead, try jogging outside or taking a class.

4. In season, local foods. Strawberry season is right around the corner, so look for locally grown options. 

5. Air dry your laundry. This is one of the best ways to reduce energy use and save money. Plus, you'll be surprised how fast your clothing dries on a sunny day. 

Simple Tips for Better Heat Circulation

source image courtesy of Savor Home

Cold temps are headed back to Boston, so here are a few ways to increase heat flow in your home without turning up the thermostat:

1. Locate your heaters in each room and move away any furniture or clutter that could be blocking it. Pull all couches and other furniture out at least a foot. 

2. Turn on ceiling fans for about 5 minutes every few hours in order to recirculate heat. 

3. Weatherize all windows with clear coating to prevent heat from escaping. 

4. If you have a working fireplace or wood burning stove, use it!

5. Leave your oven door open for a few minutes after you finish cooking meals. (WARNING: make sure your oven is off!)

6. Leave bathroom door open when showering. 

7. Turn your thermostat down 4-5 degrees each night or when leaving your home for an extended period of time. 

For more ideas, check out these 26 tips for home heating. 

Daily Earthspiration

courtesy of Verily Magazine

What to watch on Netflix this weekend

This 2011 documentary, available for streaming on Netflix, takes an inspirational look into the brief, but landmark, presidency of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives. The Maldives are the lowest lying country in the world, and may very well disappear as a result of climate change. Nasheed heads to the U.N. and to Copenhagen to face adversaries like China and India in the hopes that they can come to an agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Island President is informative, witty, and motivating - two thumbs up!

New Perspectives: Keeping Warm with Multi Fuel Stoves

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Winter is in full force, and means we are constantly looking for ways to keep warm when we are at home. Unfortunately, this means that this time of year can be damaging to the environment. Energy bills are likely to take a steep rise as you try to keep warm, but you should know that there are decent alternatives that will allow you to stay warm and reduce damage to the environment. There is nothing quite like relaxing in front of the fire on a cold winter night, and there is one type of stove that you can have in your home which will look fantastic, keep you warm, be kind to the environment and be very efficient too. With so many benefits that this stove type brings it is no surprise that people everywhere are suddenly looking to invest, and you should too because they are a terrific heat source.

Multi fuel stoves are the new heating alternative, and they can allow you to save an enormous amount on your heating bill over time. As the name suggests, these stoves can burn a variety of fuels, including environmentally friendly, renewable fuel. These stoves can save you money whilst saving the environment if you look to use fuels such as dried wheat, corn and compressed wood chips, and you can even use all three of these together if you wish. So you can clearly see the benefits that this type of stove brings, and on top of this they can look fantastic and really add some character to any home as well.

Multi fuel stoves can be installed into existing fireplaces, or as a free standing unit if you wish, and the inset stoves look particularly good when they are inset into a chimney breast. When you shop at stove specialists, like Glowing Embers, you will get the best range at these places, and this will include contemporary stoves, traditional stoves, inset stoves, enamelled stoves and lots more. This means you should be able to find the perfect one to fit with your home, and you will love how much money it saves, how great it looks and the fact that it is eco friendly as well, and this makes it the ultimate way to stay warm when you are at home this winter.

Author: Volsom Limited

New Perspectives: Green Industry & Climate Change Preparedness in the UK

source image courtesy of Science Daily

Most businesses are focused on maximizing profits because this is, of course, how they are able to survive and expand. However, an increasing number of companies also demonstrate an interest in minimizing their negative impact on the environment. Companies also working develop products that are well-adapted to handling the adverse consequences of extreme weather caused  by climate change.

Eco-Friendly Welfare Units

The British producer of construction equipment JCB has signed a deal with a designer of site welfare units that will see eco-friendly units manufactured for the construction industry. This is a new market for JCB and shows that the business is unafraid to branch out into areas that have not previously been part of their remit. The brand new welfare units include a canteen for six to ten people, hot water on tap, microwave facilities, a toilet and anti-vandal security doors. It is light enough to be towed by most commercial vehicles and can become either a static or a mobile unit due to the hydraulic undercarriage. 

The JCB Eco Welfare Units emit 80% less C02 in comparison with similar products on the market and save £150 per week on fuel costs. They are powered largely by solar panels and supported by a 12V backup generator in a bespoke design. Construction employees can now relax onsite in a secure and comfortable space at a reduced cost of operation.

Weather

Last week, storms in the UK had a devastating impact on the coastline and on transport across the country. According to the Met Office, the Atlantic storm causes winds of between 60mph and 80mph in Scotland and northern England. Some areas reported wind speeds of up to 140mph which lead to 100,000 properties being subject to power cuts.  The highest tidal surge in 60 years hit the east coast, with homes in Norfolk and East Anglia reportedly falling into the sea. When natural disasters occur or storms become unusually violent, the appropriate industry equipment is required to prevent serious damage occurring and to clear streets in the aftermath.

The 3CX Backhoe

The industry-leading backhoe loader is the ideal tool for removing debris that cluttered roads after the storm. It functions as both a digger and a bulldozer, making it a versatile multi-purpose tool.

Flood Barriers

Pre-cast concrete defence walls are absolutely necessary when there is a risk of flooding, particularly in coastal areas. These protectors are currently being used throughout the UK and JP Concrete offers four different types of barrier for extreme weather situations. Pressed concrete panels combine concrete panels and steel frames, they have watertight joints and can be constructed to fit a range of height and length specifications. This option is durable and cost-effective. L-shape retaining walls can be cast into concrete floor slabs for a smooth base finish on flood defence walls. For temporary structures or extra protection that can be erected as and when it is needed, freestanding retaining walls or concrete lego blocks that don’t need any foundation work can offer a practical solution. 

Author: Scot JCB 

Reducing Emissions Caused by Car Idling

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When the weather is bad, it is tempting to leave your car running while running into Dunkin Donuts, or waiting at a bus stop, but emissions from idling can really add up. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, idling cars and trucks in New York City each year produce 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Yikes! Help improve Boston's air quality by abiding by the following:

1. Turn off your engine if you're car is stopped for longer than 1 minute. 

2. Keep emergency weather gear in your car - a jacket, gloves, and umbrella could come in handy and keep you warm and dry without turning the car back on for heat. 

3. Park in a garage. If possible, park indoors to avoid the need for "warming up" the car. 

4. Take public transit instead. 

How to Save the Oceans

Last Thursday, the New England Aquarium hosted the 11th lecture in its free fall series: Meet Your Local Garbage Patch. During the lecture, attendees were introduced to the Rozalia Project, an organization that works on implementing solutions for clean oceans. Trash in our oceans is of increasing concern as we discover more about the toxics that can leech from plastics and other man-made materials. After digesting  Rachel Miller's inspiring lecture, I present to you, 6 tips to save the ocean:

1. Stop smoking. In addition to the health concerns, cigarette butts take about 7 years to biodegrade in the ocean, and are one of the most common trash items found by the Rozalia Project on sea floors.

2. Use a refillable waterbottle. Water might be good for you, but plastic bottles take a lot longer to biodegrade than cigarettes - about 450 years! Avoid plastic bottles!

3. Watch out for urban trash cans. When they overflow, the trash can get swept up in rain water, down our storm drains and into the harbor. Wait until you see a non-overflowing trashcan to dispose of your trash - or better yet, alert area officials that the recepticle is in need of emptying.

4. Switch your facewash. Plastic beads from cosmetic exfoliants are of increasing concern to our oceans because of the incredible difficulty required to clean them. Use a facewash with naturally derived beads - or even better, switch to bar soap.

5. Picnic consciously. Unsurprisingly, most of the trash that the Rozalia Project finds in the harbors is food related - plastic cups, beer cans, food wrappers, etc. All are evidence that we love spending time at the beach and on the water, so make sure when you do these things that you dispose of all your trash appropriately.

6. Get educated. Learn about threats to the ocean and get involved with the solutions by following the Rozalia Project and other ocean-themed organizations.

Recap: Sea Ice, Climate and Observational Mathematics

Last night was an incredible installment of the New England Aquarium Fall Lecture Series, during which climate scientist, John Wettlaufer, explained the complexities of studying fluctuations in arctic ice.  Here are my top 6 takeaways from the event:

1. Earth and climate science is based largely on observation and modeling rather than experimentation.

2. A layer of ice about 2.5 meters thick stays frozen all year round, and this ice is very important for regulating the planet's climate. 

3. Albedo is the term used to describe the reflectivity of ice. 

4. Ice is important to the earth not only because of sea levels, but because of albedo for reflecting the sun's radiation. 

5. Correctly modeling climate is difficult because there are so many different variables. 

6. When creating models to predict the future using all of these variables it is important to remember that: Things need to be simple enough that they can be analyzed thoroughly, but complex enough that the results approach reality.

Pencil it in: Free Lecture at the Aquarium TONIGHT

Register here.

Hope to see you tonight!

Stay Safe in the Storm!

image courtesy of theweek.com

Was Hurricane Sandy Caused by Climate Change?

I'm inclined to think so, but lets see what the experts think:

Huffington Post - It's Global Warming, Stupid

Politico - Gore says Sandy is a Global Warming Warning

O'Reilly Factor - Gore's Claims that Sandy was Caused by Climate Change are Stunningly Ignorant

CNN - Climate Change is Real

NY Times - Scientists Unsure if Climate Change is to Blame for Hurricane Sandy

The New Yorker - Watching Sandy, Ignoring Climate Change

Wall Street Journal - Was Sandy the 'Fat Tail' of Climate Change?

image courtesy of LAtimes.com

Green Hurricane Prep

Sandy is about to hit hard, so its time to do some last minute preparations in as eco a way as possible.

image courtesy of livescience.com

1. Skip bottles of water. Fill up your brita, a pitcher, and fill a pot of water on the stove. No need to buy jugs of water at the store, its  a waste of plastic and gas.

2. Small leaks? Don't use paper towels. Use washable rags made from old bath towels or thick clothes.

3. Make extra ice. Before your power goes out, stock up on ice so you can keep your perishable food cold for a while after you lose power.

4. Use soy or beeswax candles. Candles made from paraffin pollute your indoor air and are made from petroleum derived materials.

5. If you're replacing batteries in your flashlights, make sure to dispose of old batteries properly - do not simply throw them in the trash! Look up on your town hall website how to dispose of batteries in your neighborhood.