Rooftop Solar Plant
March 31, 2008
Posted by CindyC in : Communities , 3 comments
If everything goes to plan, southern California will have enough solar energy to power 162,000 homes, all generated by two square miles of solar panels installed on commercial rooftops. Southern California Edison is launching its $875 million initiative to install 250 megawatts of solar panels on warehouse rooftops leased from building owners in Riverside and San Bernardino County.
This project exceeds total solar cell production in 2006 and is the first attempt for a major utility to use “distributed energy”. Instead constructing a centralized power station to transmit energy into the grid, the project will connect the solar cells directly to the neighborhood circuits. This plan avoids the need to invest in muti-billion dollar transmission systems in remote areas but rather create the opportunity to bring power directly to areas with growing demand.
I don’t know about you but I prefer the sight of solar panels to ugly, boxy warehouse rooftops any day.
CindyC at Organicpicks
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Pictures speak a thousand of my words
March 27, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Opinions & Thoughts , 4 comments
Today, I just want to post some pictures that sort of thread a few things together for me.
According to National Geographic, new satellite images reveal what scientists call the “runaway” collapse of an enormous ice shelf in Antarctica as the result of global warming. The chunk of coastal ice was some 160 square miles (415 square kilometers) in area—about seven times the size of Manhattan.
The latest report on changes in the world’s glaciers, which we cover in the newspaper today, is Mass Balance Bulletin Number 9. The take-home message for many parts of the world — from Asia to the European Alps to the Andes — appeared to be, “Farewell to ice.”
I think the dollar number (in millions) on solar investment is not exactly accurate, but it is correct in magnitude. We have long passed the Iraq war cost on this graph. According to the latest estimate, the Iraq war has cost us more than $500 billion.
CindyW
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Earth Hour - March 29th
March 26, 2008
Posted by CindyC in : Communities , 2 comments
On October 20, 2007, Lights Out SF supporters turned off their lights for one hour to raise awareness for conservation and climate change. Supporters handed out donated CFLs and even convinced the city to darken the bridges and TransAmerica building.
If you missed that opportunity, you will have the chance again this month to show your support for conservation. Lights Out SF is supporting Earth Hour (and World Wildlife Foundation) to turn off the lights on March 29th from 8 to 9pm.
Earth Hour started in Sydney last year and has gone global in 2008. Other large cities around the world like Chicago, DC, Toronto, Melbourne and Bangkok will also participate in the effort. So take the pledge, tell a friend and turn off your lights this Saturday night for our planet.
CindyC at Organicpicks
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Home Made Breakfast
March 25, 2008
Posted by CindyC in : Green Journal , 5 comments
Earlier in the month, there was a lot of talk about the sharp rise in cost of food, after a decade of stable prices for staples. Not that this should be news for anyone who’s been paying attention to their food bill. But with bread at $4 a loaf and (non-organic) chicken breasts around the same price, my friends (who are still in grad school) told me that the McDonald’s value meal options are looking better and cheaper all the time.
I guess it comes down to priorities. Although I didn’t officially take the Trim the Fat Challenge, like our friend Beany or Green Bean, I cut down on restaurant dining, rarely buy fancy clothes and stopped buying huge lots of toys for my daughter. Instead, I spend more on quality (not convenient or packaged) food for my family. Most of my produce from the farmer’s market, which is THE place for fresh, reasonably priced produce but I still rely on grocery stores for my cereals, meats and dairy. However, after paying almost $6 for a box of cereal (a must have in my house), I decided to try making my own. My mom gave me this great recipe for granola (adapted to include less sugar and coconuts from an old Sunset recipe). It’s easy, tastes great and ended up costing 30% less than the store-bought one. My husband says it’s more flavorful and stays crunchier than the store brand. I guess I’m going to start making my own granola. Maybe I’ll make some extra for my friends and save them from the fast food trap.
Oat Granola with Plenty of Nuts
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8 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups regular wheat germ
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 oz shredded coconut
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
Stir together oats, sugar, wheat germ, coconut, walnuts and almonds. Heat oil, honey and vanilla in a small pan. Stir until it bubbles and thoroughly mix the liquid with the dry ingredients. Grease 2 large baking pans (about 10×15 inches) and divide the mixture and spread it evenly on the pans.
Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees or until the coconut is lightly browned - stir 2 or 3 times during baking. Remove from heat and stir several more times while cooling. Wait until it completely cools and store in airtight container. This recipe should make about 16 cups.
CindyC at Organicpicks
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Fly a kite
March 24, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Green Journal , 4 comments
So we finally decided not to go to Tahoe, not only because my eco-nut inner dialog, but mainly because my 5 year old had a spectacular wipe out from her bike, causing quite a bit of bruises and scratches. She was not ready to tumble on the slope yet.
It was a beautiful weekend, sunny, high in the 60’s. We decided to unplug for the weekend - no TV, no computer – and enjoy the beginning of spring. Aside from our usual walk in the park, play in the playground, and chase each other around, we decided to do something new – fly a kite.
Somewhere in our garage were two unused and untested kites – one given as a birthday present from a friend and the other one hand-made by my dad during his last visit. When I was a kid, every spring my dad would make a kite from used gift tissue paper, bamboo sticks and colorful threads (pretty flimsy but still operable), completed with a TP cardboard core to reel in the kite line. We would go out on the first windy day of the spring and fly the kite until it dove to its demise. During my dad’s visit a few months ago, I mentioned my kite experience. He was so touched that his homemade kites were one of the most beautiful things I remembered about my childhood. So of course he had to make another one for his grandchildren.
Off we went on our bikes to a park on the bay where adequate breeze could make kite flying an easy and enjoyable event. The store bought kite was easily sent up to the sky and highly maneuverable by my 5 year old.
In comparison, my dad’s homemade kite was clumsy and fragile. But we were all cheering for it to rise up and ride the breeze like in my memory. A few picnicers nearby asked if we made the kite – yes, it was THAT obvious. But they too joined in cheering for the not so elegant kite.
After learning its weight distribution and its asymmetry, we managed to find the balance and send it in the air. With all its imperfections, our homemade kite stumbled and tumbled in the air, and only occasionally glided smoothly, just like in my memory. Eventually it could not handle a sudden and strong gust and crashed to its demise. Not discouraged, the kids said that grandpa definitely had to make another one for next year.
On the way home, we all decided it was the best way to spend an Easter Sunday, unplugged but utterly entertained.
I am thinking, every child needs to fly a kite.
CindyW
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Eco-nut thought of the day?
March 21, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Opinions & Thoughts , 11 comments
A couple of weeks ago, our family went up to Tahoe for a short getaway, during which my 5 year old took a ski lesson. Much to my surprise, she really enjoyed it and was quite good at mastering the basic skills. This got my husband all excited and immediately saw the vision of them skiing the Haute Route in the Swiss Alps together someday (if there is any snow left). “We need to go to Tahoe this weekend, so she can take another class and get better,” he announced.
I, on the other hand, am digging my feet. Laziness is one reason – all the packing, unpacking, extra laundry. But I do have an eco-nutty thought that is nagging me. We try to eat local, compost, minimize trash, reduce consumption. But it seems hypocritical that we are not willing to make sacrifices in other areas, mostly about traveling.
A round trip to Tahoe is 530 miles, about 10 weeks of my normal driving coverage. That would erase some of the local food advantage, even in a Prius. I get that skiing is really fun, I do. But it is a privilege, not a right. If I sit here lamenting about my sister-in-law making multiple Chevy Suburban trips to the Starbuck three blocks away, does it not make me an eco-fraud by driving 530 miles for the arguably similar frivolous pursuit?
To go even further, I have tremendous amount of wanderlust and it hasn’t abated since the arrival of my children. I don’t care about having a big house or fancy stuff, but I do like to travel internationally once a year to “see the world”. However when it comes down to resource squandering, flying 10,000 miles is probably equivalent to cranking up my heat and down my air conditioner (we actually don’t have AC) for a whole year. Perhaps I am just cherry picking the convenient green actions that do not actually impact my enjoyment in life?
When I related the thoughts to my husband, he stared at me as if I had gone mad. Perhaps I have. “Are you ready to only operate within a 5-mile radius of our house from now on?” he finally asked. No, my immediate answer was a definite no. I hummed and haed about various less energy-intensive traveling options, like biking, sailing or riding public transportation. But at the end I could not rationalize my way out of it without acknowledging that I might be an eco-hypocrite.
So what is one to do? Should I tell myself that I just need to do my best without worrying about the big picture? Should I reach some sort of compromise like having one long trip instead a few short trips? Unfortunately there is no perfect answer, not yet. It may come down to case by case analysis.
In the case of this weekend, we are staying put, and yes, partly because I am too lazy to pack and unpack.
CindyW
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A Nice Spring Present
March 20, 2008
Posted by CindyC in : For Kids , 1 comment so far
Rather than buying something for Grandma’s birthday, my husband and 5 year-old made her a present.
All you need is an egg carton, paint, pipe cleaners, glue and something to arrange the flowers in. Dad had to cut the carton (too hard for safety scissors) and the glue gun but my daughter did the rest: painting, twisting the pipe cleaner for the flower base and arranging the flowers in a bucket or pot (with a floral frog). It was a fun project to do, especially since she was stuck at home with the flu and cost us next to nothing.
What inspired Dad and daughter to make something? How about this cool viper made from recycled keyboard pieces!
Source: artinvest72
I know these pieces are worlds apart in skill and materials but you got to start somewhere.
CindyC at Organicpicks
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Related Posts:
Light Bulb Crafts
Recycled Art Project
Copyright 2007 Organicpicks
Not So Clean Products
March 19, 2008
Posted by CindyC in : Opinions & Thoughts , 4 comments
After I loaded my dishwasher with dirty dishes, I read my daily news; among the news items were study results that found carcinogenic chemicals in some of the most popular brands in natural and organic personal care products.
Based on the study conducted by the OTA (Organic Trade Association), of the 100 products tested, over half contained 1,4 Dioxane – which is “a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer”. What shocked me the most are the offenders on the list: Seventh Generation, Ecover, Planet, Giovanni - all considered leaders in natural products. However, a brand like Clorox Green Works, which I consider as “green washed” was free of dioxane.
These days, you can’t walk down the household or personal care isle without seeing the ALL NATURAL, ECO-FRIENDLY and ORGANIC claims. Part of the problem is that several years back, the FDA ruled that personal care products do not fall under their supervision. Since then, countless unsubstantiated claims have graced product packaging. Hey, if there’s no oversight and no punishment, why wouldn’t companies want to take a free ride on the “green” money train?
I’ve used many of these products in my home. I try to read labels carefully and avoid products with lots of unpronounceable ingredients or items containing laureth, PEG or polyethylene. However, I can’t avoid things that are not on the labels. The OTA suggests using only items are USDA certified organic but that list is limited. I have made some of my own cleaners but not all – unless someone knows how to make dishwasher liquid. I know these results focused on one chemical and there’s always a trade-off in everything we buy. But I feel betrayed by these manufacturers that I trusted and have recommended to others. I guess I will have to raise my due diligence level and hope the OTA’s law suit threat will get these manufacturers to clean up their act. Sigh…
You can find the full product list within the press release.
CindyC at Organicpicks
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Garden update - hostile takeover
March 18, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Green Journal , 5 comments
A couple of weeks ago, this brown thumb decided to break ground for an edible garden. A lot of back breaking digging later (with the help from the family), we have an almost plantable strip. Naturally I am quite excited about adding in compost and getting the planting part going.
But the project had a hostile takeover in the past week. Let’s just say when I was recovering from my flu, my husband decided to take matters into his own hands and virtually claimed the project as his own. When I went out to survey our backyard this weekend, I found bags of compost laying close to the planting ground. There was a sack of greenish sawdust looking stuff and a bag of whitish coarse powder. And a couple of new tools of course.
Opening my How to Plant Vegetables book, I found detailed notes and calculation on how far the seedlings should be. And there was even a schedule for raising seedlings!
Somebody has been eating my porridge, sitting in my chair and sleeping in my bed (so to speak). And it ain’t Goldie Locks! The project thief is my husband; it has his geeky engineering handprints all over it.
Apparently he started reading MY book last week and totally got into the bio-intensive growing approach. Enamored with the idea of cultivating our own food, he is throwing himself into the project like it is one of his satellite designs. We must double dig today before planting, he announced. Double what? And who made you my boss? And what the heck are those suspicious looking powder? “Alfalfa meal and granite dust,” he said with authority (surely just learned from MY book), “they help loosen and enrich our clay-heavy soil. It is depleted of Potash, remember?” Whatever, I walked away grumbling.
Then he asked me about the seedling timing and spacing and more additions into the soil. “You read the book,” I challenged him. Clearly not appreciating any ambiguity in life, he went to talk to the knowledgeable folks at Common Ground. They promptly told him that gardening wasn’t exactly like building a satellite. A little or a lot of trial and error would be a good thing, if not absolutely required. Thank you, Common Ground…
Then it was time for doubling digging – mixing compost with the first foot of loosened dirt (done two weeks ago), digging into one more foot into the dirt, mixing more compost and raking back to flat for planting. Our soil is more or less all clay, it was hard work to just loosen 1 foot of dirt a couple of weeks ago. One more foot down is doubly challenging. An hour later, my arm, hands and back began to hurt. Still smarting from MY project being hijacked, I sat down and watched my husband stubbornly dig a few inches at a time without much stop. Slowly but surely he was making reasonable progress.
It was then I realized that it did not matter whether it was my project or our project. I want to have an edible garden and we are making strides toward having one, no matter who leads the project. Come to think of it, I should be quite happy with his enthusiasm. Otherwise I would have to endeavor at most of this double digging.
We now have 11 strawberry plants in the ground. Many more seedlings to nurse and plant in the next few weeks.
Let’s see how many we can manage not to kill.
CindyW
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Much ado about nuts
March 17, 2008
Posted by CindyW in : Opinions & Thoughts , 7 comments
There was a bit of nut talk last week. Arduous illuminated for us what actions would label us eco and what actions would have mental clinics wait for us with straight jackets. I swear I have never drunk-dialed the Governor and sung “You Oughta Know,” into his voice mail. Sensing most people are not aware and/or are too distracted to give a hoot, Green Bean found solace amongst the blogsphere eco-nuts.
I totally get it.
My ever so nice and helpful sister-in-law drives her Chevy Suburban everywhere – I mean everywhere, including the Starbucks 3 blocks away from her house – and her family of five owns 3 of those monsters (don’t ask me why); my less than classy nouveau riche brother-in-law’s family overhauls their home so often that we are not able to absorb their castaways fast enough (3-year old double convection oven no longer having the right color for the new kitchen paint, 2-year old leather sofa not matching the brand new rug, etc., etc.); A friend down in Houston often cranks down the AC to “winter temperature” so he can light up his fireplace for atmosphere (makes you wonder who the real nuts are)…
I get a headache just to think about it.
But I have seen hope, really, not through wishful-colored lens. A teacher at my daughter’s school goes through trash from 11 classrooms everyday to pick out recyclables. He then hand-carries them to the recycling bin out in the packing lot. I asked if he was tired of doing it by himself all the time while it wasn’t even tangentially his responsibility. He smiled and replied, “a little. But I gotta.” He does it with such cheerfulness that it is positively infectious.
A couple a few houses down from us are in their late 70’s. I don’t know them well until my dog somehow snuck into their backyard one day. Embarrassed, I called her from their drive way. Instead they invited me in and sat me down with a cup of tea and a cookie. White sheets and colorful towels lined their backyard. Al was turning their compost as I walked in and promptly “complained” about how he was too old for this. When I marveled at their natural drying method, Audrey simply said, “my dear, the sun is the best, just the best.”
A couple of weeks ago, my kids and I walked to our neighborhood park. On the way, we saw a woman mowing her lawn with a small manual mower while reading a book. A bit geeky, yeah. But with the beautiful afternoon sun, spring warmth, a noiseless mower, why not a book. She said hello and went back to her book (and mowing).
They are not eco-nuts. They are everyday people who give a damn. Who knows, perhaps they do these thing because they truly enjoy them.
Yesterday a good friend came to visit. She was someone I would label as a thoughtless shopper – “oh, this is so cute, I gotta have it; oh that is so adorable, my son would love it.” Before she realizes, she will have bought a houseful of junk. Never in my life would I expect this from her, “Cindy, I am done buying bottled water. I feel really guilty about all the plastic bottles.” Here was a woman who lived on bottled water. “Really?” I was not convinced. “Yep. I had a discussion with my husband. He thought I was nuts. But I have put my foot down. He’ll just have to get used to it.” Though not buying bottled water would not earn her the eco-nut label in the blogsphere, I was still so glad. Baby steps, baby steps.
That’s how it got me where I am. Three years ago, I bought crap from Target on the weekly basis, rarely set foot in the farmer’s market, drove everywhere, and could not conceive composting anything (“only hippies do that” was my thought).
Three years later, I am well on my way to becoming a full-blown eco-nut. As much as I get depressed, disgusted, and dejected with the people who don’t seem to care, I am seeing eco-nuts in the making everywhere.
Happy Monday.
CindyW
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