World Clocks

Really cool site that shows time, but also things like # of babies born, # of oil pumped each second, CO2 emissions, nuclear waste, etc.

Earth Clocks

Really, Really Green (July 2008)

Reprinted from the July 2008 Edition of Neighbors Newspaper

Summer is finally here, complete with barbecues, beaches, and, ...well…bugs. But, are you worried that you can’t hold a raging party this summer with all of those disposable products, without also harming the planet? Fear not, you can still have an awesome bash on the Fourth and keep it green. Just in time for summer, here are a few tips to lighten your load as you light up the BBQ pits and cool down by the pool.
Greening Up for Summer

- “Healthy” Sunscreen. 89% of the sunscreens out there do not do what they are intended to do and most contain highly toxic materials. Most sunscreens only protect against UVB rays, the ones that burn, and not UVA, the damaging ones that cause cancer. This summer, try sunscreens with zinc (zinc oxide). They may leave your skin a little white, but you’ll avoid some of the unintended ingredients.

- BBQ’s Are The Pits – Well, not really, but those charcoal briquettes can be a downer when they emit more than 105 times the carbon monoxide of a propane bbq, as well as many volatile organic compounds. Make the switch to propane and even consider using a solar oven to do baking rather than your traditional oven. Hey, it can even cook a baked potato.

- Biodegradable Plates – Plastic accounts for over 90% of debris floating in the oceans. This summer, if you don’t have enough washable plates for your party, choose plates, cups and silverware made from soy, or wheat, for example that are easily compostable and biodegradable. You can find these at Whole Foods, Henrys or other markets. These typically break down in 3-6 weeks, keep items out of the landfill and make great soil for your garden.

- Compost Bins For Everyone – Not sure what to do with all of the food scraps from your summer BBQs or all of the produce leftover from the farmers market? Why not make a compost pile to turn that food into useable soil? Even apartments can compost on their balcony or use a countertop composter. There are many options today, making composting easy and virtually work free. Your local gardening supply center can tell you how to make one or have a few for sale.

- Drop the DEET – While bugs are annoying to say the least, it’s not cool to douse your family and pets in cancer-causing poisons just to eliminate a few bugs. Instead try alternatives like planting rosemary, a garlic barrier or even a Mosquito Magnet. Some of those tiki-torches also come with mosquito deterrent materials.

- Get Outdoors – Turning your AC unit up just a few degrees can save you quite a bit of money this summer. Consider planting trees around your house to shade and cool the building, as well as opening windows and using fans to circulate the air. Run your errands during the hottest part of the day, to give your AC unit a break as well.

- Cut That Grass By Hand, sort of – While lawns aren’t a great idea for southern California, for those of who can’t kick the lawn habit, try a push-lawnmower (reel mower) or an electric lawnmower to “cut down” on pollution and noise.

- Support Bees – A recent documentary ‘Silence of the Bees’ reports that we are losing bee populations globally, and this major loss in pollinators could mean serious collapse of our food systems. At this rate, we will lose all bees globally by 2035. That is serious and that is soon. Plant flowers that bloom year-round, and check with your local garden center for specific “bee-friendly” florals.

CO2 emissions on the rise

CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS ACCELERATING RAPIDLY
Frances C. Moore

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the burning of fossil fuels stood at a record 8.38 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in 2006, 20 percent above the level in 2000. Emissions grew 3.1 percent a year between 2000 and 2006, more than twice the rate of growth during the 1990s. Carbon dioxide emissions have been growing steadily for 200 years, since fossil fuel burning began on a large scale at the start of the Industrial Revolution. But the growth in emissions is now accelerating despite unambiguous evidence that carbon dioxide is warming the planet and disrupting ecosystems around the globe.

For entire text see Earth Policy Institute.

For data see data.

Train to Coachella

Wanted to get this out as fast as possible...

For those of you lucky enough to go to Coachella this year, and you know who you are, consider taking the Coachella train out there instead of using your own gas. Granted, you have to have the 3 day pass and plan to stay all weekend becuase the train leaves thursday and returns Monday. We can bet there will be some shenanagins going down on that train ride. What happens on the Coachella train, stays on the Coachella train? maybe.

For more information and tickets, find them online at: Coachella Amtrak Ride.

For the rest of you not on the west coast, Coachella is a huge 3-day music festival in the desert. Kind of on the order of SXSW or Bonnaroo or Woodstock. Except this is in the desert where temps easily climb past 100 and theres realy no place to stay. So dehydrated hippies in the desert sleeping in tents and causing chaos and getting down. Really big acts show up each year, including this year's surprise guest: PRINCE!

Park Your Car

If you're not already doing it, consider choosing one day a week where you simply don't drive anywhere. Sad but true, most of us can't walk to work, so we need our car for our commute. If that is the case, then choose saturday or sunday where you leave that car in the garage. Walk, bike, carpool, whatever, just no direct driving. This will help slow down your life too as you learn to use the resources in your neighborhood and take time to just "be."

For the more ambitious out there in the audience, take one day a week where you choose to bike or use public transportation or even walk to work. This will save on gas, parking, tolls, wear/tear on your car and also your sanity. It might take a bit longer to get to work, but you might have less stress as you can just sit back, read a book and leave the worry of driving to someone else.

Another Carbon Calculator

There are many carbon calculators out there, from basic to complex. The Carbon Account has come up with their own version of the carbon calculator that lets you change your consumption and monitor your patterns over time.

They also have an application on Facebook for those of you technically savvy folks. Or those you who think Facebook is better than Myspace. Yeah, i said. What are you gonna do about it?

Find them online at:The Carbon Account.

For their facebook application, check out: Carbon Account on Facebook.

*Manic Organic is in no way endorsing the carbon calculator. Just passing this tip along, do with it what you will.

An Alternative to AAA

You probably have a AAA (American Automobile Association membership, right? Who wouldn't when its pretty cheap and you get 24 hour car for anything that happens to your car. Especially for those of you here in southern California, where public transportation doesn't exist in our vocabulary, chances are you're going to run into car trouble at some point.

But did you know that AAA lobbies against fuel emission and gas mileage standards? Bummer. But did you also know that there is an alternative to AAA? Yay!

The Better World Auto Club offers all or more of hte same benefits of AAA and also gives money to protect the environment. The prices are pretty cheap and they'll even insure your bike if you just get around with pedal-power and need help in the event of a flat or accident. Check them out online at: Better World Club.

Carpooling Made Easy

Californians love their cars. But that doesnt mean that they can't learn new tricks. Icarpool.com allows area residents to get together and use those car-pool lanes when heading in to the city for business or pleasure. Try adding a link to icarpool.com for your next evite or group event and see if you too can teach an old sea-dog a new trick.