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AlleyBaggett
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:07 am    Post subject: ENVIRONMENT Reply with quote

Here's some information about our environment.

This story was posted by the NRDC, National Resources Defense Council. Here's the link to their site and to the story:

http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greenjobs.asp

Issues: Green Enterprise
Green Jobs for a Better Future

Investing in clean energy can help heal the environment and boost the American economy

The American economy is in trouble. Unemployment is on the rise, and gas prices are soaring. The health of our planet is also threatened. It's at risk from global warming and our addiction to oil.

There's one good way to tackle all these problems: invest in the clean energy solutions that create green jobs.

What's a green job? One that helps develop and support clean, new technologies that harness renewable energy and move America beyond oil. To accomplish that, the nation will need workers from all facets of the economy. Building wind turbines will mean more jobs for steelworkers; construction workers will be needed to install solar panels. Truck drivers, carpenters, electricians and inspectors will all be central to the effort.

Shifting the nation's focus from fossil fuels to clean energy will create millions of new jobs and help protect the environment by curbing global warming pollution.
Benefits of Green Jobs

Green jobs will provide an immediate boost to the nation’s bottom line because many of the occupations needed for the new economy are already familiar to workers. Trained welders, plumbers and engineers can use their skills to develop renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and green buildings. Green jobs incorporate workers from every socioeconomic background and will help lift many out of poverty. And these new jobs will replace many that have moved overseas or been lost in the economic downturn.

Green jobs are local jobs -- they exist in every community and can't be outsourced. They're good for the environment because they focus on clean, renewable sources of energy, which will help curb global warming and America's dependence on foreign oil.
Here's how green jobs will help put America on the right path:

* Jobs in the green economy include installing solar panels, retrofitting buildings, creating wind farms, improving mass transit systems and refining waste oil into biodiesel.


* In 2006, renewable energy and energy efficient technologies generated 8.5 million new jobs, nearly $970 billion in revenue, and more than $100 billion in industry profits.


* An investment of $100 billion dollars in clean energy would create two million green jobs nationwide over two years.


* The $100 billion investment would create four times the number of jobs -- and triple the number of jobs paying at least $16 per hour -- as the same investment in the oil industry.

By investing in energy efficiency and sustainability, we can solve America's energy crisis, the climate crisis and the economic crisis at the same time.
Green Jobs Now
VAN JONES AND THE GREEN ECONOMY
Van Jones and the Green Economy

NRDC and its partners are working to promote green jobs by informing people about the opportunities available in the new economy. Van Jones, founder and president of Green for All, an NRDC partner, is at the forefront of the green economy movement and works with people to prepare them for these new careers.

Jones, an activist and political advisor, envisions a green job corps that helps fight poverty and pollution at the same time. His new book, The Green Collar Economy, provides a blueprint for how we can invent and invest our way to a healthy new economy and a better environment for everyone.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's an interesting read:

Obama's Top Priority: Spark a New Energy Economy
by WattHead
Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 02:31:25 PM PST

Barack Obama's top priority if elected president is to launch an Apollo-style national project to build a new, clean energy economy. That's what he told Time magazine reporter Joe Klein last week.

With America's economy rocked by a one-two-punch of spiking energy prices this summer and the credit crisis this fall, our nation needs a president with a clear sense of how to free our nation from dependency on oil and a plan to get America back to work. And with climate change continuing unchecked, we need a president that will take the lead in building a post-carbon energy system. A national project to build a new, clean energy economy is the right answer to these interlinking challenges, and Obama knows it.

* WattHead's diary :: ::
*

From Time:

[Obama] has a clearer handle on the big picture, on how various policy components fit together, and a strong sense of what his top priority would be. He wants to launch an "Apollo project" to build a new alternative-energy economy. His rationale for doing so includes some hard truths about the current economic mess: "The engine of economic growth for the past 20 years is not going to be there for the next 20. That was consumer spending. Basically, we turbocharged this economy based on cheap credit." But the days of easy credit are over, Obama said, "because there is too much deleveraging taking place, too much debt." A new economic turbocharger is going to have to be found, and "there is no better potential driver that pervades all aspects of our economy than a new energy economy ... That's going to be my No. 1 priority when I get into office."

As Klein points out, this is a big step for Obama, who has been reluctant to state his top priorities in the past. And Obama couldn't have made a smarter pick.

Alongside efforts to heal our sick, train and educate a new generation of highly-skilled workers, and create whole new technologies and industries that can put America back to work, we need to develop the clean, affordable and abundant new energy sources that will power our nation's economy for the century ahead.

It is time to launch a series of strategic investments that support our nation's innovators and entrepreneurs as they create and deploy new clean energy technologies; build a smarter and more efficient new electrical grid; help retool Detroit to produce the most advanced, efficient cars on the road; and spark new industries that put Americans to work installing solar panels and wind turbines, building new high speed rail lines and efficient public transit systems, and retrofitting our homes and businesses to save both energy and money.

In so doing, we will free our nation from the volatility of oil shocks and our dependency on depleting and dangerous fossil fuels. We will transform our nation from the leading global polluter to the leader in solutions to our global climate crisis. And we will spark an engine of economic growth powerful enough to launch America into prosperous times and create new pathways into the middle class for millions more Americans.

On November 5th, it will be time for Barack Obama take up the task he has set for himself and inspire our nation to launch a new national project to build the clean energy economy we need. I for one cannot wait for that day.
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

watched president-elect Obama's first news conference the other day. It appears he's going to try and get another stimulus package passed to get people working. He wants to bail out the auto industry by retooling the production line to produce more energy efficient cars. Let's hope they make it mandatory that they big 3 start producing "green" cars instead of these 8mpg crap that's out there now.

If it weren't for the recession, they should just let them go bankrupt. Bring out the Chevy Volt already, you retarded asses.Angry
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know..... I am SOOOOOO ready for the VOLT! I am seriously considering it!!
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's an interesting story....

The link is: http://www.wecansolveit.org/content/solution/clean_energy_economy/

Here's the story:

Clean Energy Economy

Thousands of new companies, millions of new jobs, and billions in revenue generated by solutions to the climate crisis -- this is the clean energy economy we can adopt with today's technologies, resources, know-how, and leadership from our elected officials. Although our reliance on fossil fuels has created global warming, we now have the opportunity and obligation to begin a transformation towards a robust clean energy economy -- one that is supported by highly efficient industries, fueled by clean, renewable resources (like wind, solar and geothermal energy), and based on modern infrastructure and smart transportation planning.

A clean energy economy is a win for American jobs. A recent report showed that investment in a clean and efficient economy would "lead to over 3 million new green-collar jobs, stimulate $1.4 trillion in new GDP, add billions in personal income and retail sales, produce $284 billion in net energy savings, all while generating sufficient returns to the U.S. treasury to pay for itself over ten years."

Studies by leading research institutions have shown that if we invest in clean energy over fossil fuels, we will create more American jobs. A report released by the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club, for example, found that thanks to the growth of wind energy, approximately 5,200 manufacturing jobs could be created in Iowa alone over the next decade. Additional studies have found that thousands more jobs could be created in other states that have suffered industry job losses and that welcome the opportunity to train workers for the new energy economy.

Even without strong U.S. leadership, clean energy is catching on around the world. Global investment in renewable energy climbed 25% in 2006 (from $80 billion to $100 billion). Three clean-energy industries—biofuels, wind, and solar photovoltaics—each surpassed $20 billion in revenue in 2007. Just last year, clean energy received $2.7 billion in US venture capital investment.

But, in order to fully transition to a clean energy economy, we need our elected officials to take action. Absent policies from government, the private sector may continue to invest in old-fashioned, polluting technologies. More than 70 coal plants without technology to capture carbon pollution are now being considered. If these projects go ahead, this will be billions of dollars invested in technology that is outdated and not “clean coal.” We need effective policies that unleash American ingenuity and innovation to propel growing clean energy industries forward.

America is up for the challenge. In the past two decades, the United States took the lead in the high-tech revolution, exporting trillions of dollars worth of products around the world and employing millions of American workers. We can do it again, this time with clean energy technologies, from solar panels to hybrid vehicles.

Each of us can play a role in bringing about this much-needed transition. Tell your business and elected leaders that the next generation deserves to grow up in a world powered by clean energy. Tell your mayor that you want city planning that encourages more efficient new buildings and sidewalks and bike paths that make it easy to walk or ride a bike. Tell your state and national officials to invest in energy grids that can deliver renewable energy to everyone. Tell your utility company that instead of old-style coal power you want to buy solar, wind, or geothermal energy. And tell your elected officials that you want national policies that encourage investors to make long-term commitments to clean energy.

This is the opportunity of our generation— to lead the transformation to an economy that is robust without causing environmental harm.

ENJOY....
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:18 pm    Post subject: My part Reply with quote

Well, here's how this old fart is doing his part - back in 2005 I worked for about 8 months on a projects building an ethanol plant in Iowa. It has since been "upgraded" to produce ethanol not from corn (as most do) but from cellulosic fibre (grass and stuff).

There is another ethanol plant just a couple miles up the road from my little town out here in SD that has recently added the ability to produce its own electricty and steam for the corn processing by burning constrcution waste (pallets, scrap lumber and so on) and is in the process of adding a pipeline from the local landfill to make use of the methane gas that is produced by the decay of the materials in the garbage in the same way. The place will eventually be totally self-sufficient, not using any electricty OR natural gas to produce ethanol. Strictly a waste product powered facility.

There was an ad in today's local paper for an opening they have there as a lab assistant and I'm applying tomorrow. I figure it's only two miles - I can ride my bike (in summer - too danged cold in winters around here). It's interesting stuff to be involved in all right.
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's awesome Rufus!

I read about a farm in Wisconsin who was capturing all the methane from their cows (poop) and using that to make electricity at a small nearby power plant. None of the methane gas was being released into the air and it was being used for something useful. That's awesome!! There is so much amazing technology out there.......here in the US......but unfortunately it isn't being used for the masses. Unfortunately our government isn't expanding on any of it YET.

I've always been into helping our environment but what really changed things for me and kicked things into high gear was when I was coming back from my Vegas trip this past summer. I was able to REALLY see the brown color above the horizon with the blue sky above that......ever so perfectly. It was a HUGE shocker!! I had never seen it look SO bad!! It certainly is the worst it's ever been!! Seeing it and realizing it.....now makes me completely sick to my stomach over it. WHY? Because all of us Southern Californian people live right in the middle of the toxic soup air. I always monitor the air at www.airnow.gov I've learned a lot in just a few short months and I've become SO incredibly passionate that I'm working on creating an environmental group for the purpose to teach, raise awareness and help make positive environmental changes within our government.

The other sad part is when the pollution from cities travel over onto other small towns around the cities.....who did not create the pollution. Those people probably moved to those smaller towns because they didn't want to be caught up in the smog....but now...it's so bad that it's lingering into their communities as well.

I just hope.....that other people reading this will do their part...and teach people that they know.....I hope that they will do their own research and I hope that they will decide to help create bigger change within their own lives and within our own government. it's all VERY possible! Barrack Obama has shown us that anything is possible and that we are able to achieve a positive change.

Very Happy
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is up with So. Cal and fires. Just watching the news, Santa Barbara is getting BBQued. They say its going to be very warm thru the weekend. Is this global warming? Shouldn't it be cooler weather this time of year?
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MT...I have no idea. Fires are bad for us.....because it releases particles into our air which can eat up our lungs and cause irreversible damage. It's also bad because it kills so many trees which of course as we all know....help to clean our air.

It SUCKS!
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mt wrote:
What is up with So. Cal and fires. Just watching the news, Santa Barbara is getting BBQued. They say its going to be very warm thru the weekend. Is this global warming? Shouldn't it be cooler weather this time of year?


For the most part SoCal fires result from the same natural causes that have been starting them for millenia. They are often more extensive and problemeatic now-a-days though because (ironically) they HAVE been controlled by human intervention, which prevents the regular natural burn-off cycles that would otherwise reduce the amount of brush available for fuel. So, they get bigger, and more widespread now than would if they would just naturally burn off some every year.

Another part of it is similar to the increasdes in encounters with Mountain Lions that have been occurring. It's not so much because there are more mountain lions, as it is that more people are moving into lion country. Likewise with the devastation of the fires. It's not so much that the fires are so many more, or more frequent, it's that more people are moving into areas that are subject to frequent burning - + (see above).

Also, the climate of Socal is not changed significantly enough from pre-columbian days to have really had that much effect on these fires. Yes, it does usually start to get cooler in Novenber/December, but there is always some variability to that, due to fluctuations (like el Nino/la Nina) in ocean currents off-shore. Rememger, global warming is hardly noticeable on a year to year basis - or even over a 50 year period. It is a longer-range phenomena and even at that only amounts to an average temnperature change of 1 or 2 degrees. That said, a 1 or 2 degree change - every day of the year, can make for huge effects.
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man, the ink is not even dry yet, and another newsbreak informing us that Sylmar is in flames. Shocked

Rufus, I agree with you that it's mostly due to us encroaching and trying to control nature's will. I think we need to start building vertical cities instead of continuing to expand into more open land.

Doesn't make it any less sad though to watch people's homes flaming up. Crying
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mt wrote:
Man, the ink is not even dry yet, and another newsbreak informing us that Sylmar is in flames. Shocked

Rufus, I agree with you that it's mostly due to us encroaching and trying to control nature's will. I think we need to start building vertical cities instead of continuing to expand into more open land.

Doesn't make it any less sad though to watch people's homes flaming up. Crying


I agree. That's part of the reason I decided to get involved in my local government and got the mayor to appoint me to our local Planning and Zoning Commission. Even though I live in an extremely rural area of the country, I am pushing hard through revisions of the Zoning ordinances and through a series of OpEd pieces in the local paper to promote the concepts of "New Urbanism". New Urbanism is a approach that is gaining momentum across the country that puts an emphasis in designing new cities, and redeveloping older ones more along the lines of Pedistrian, Mass Transit and Bicycles as the focus. It is an approach that takes the focus OFF the automobile centric suburban sprawl of the mid to late 20th century.

The counties in the metro area we are a part of has put a permanent moratorium on "rural residential" development. Rural residential developments are those little clusters of houses that are detached from the centrral core of the city and have services separate to the urban ones. They typically are a group 10-30 of houses built along a single street, or loop out in the country side. They are simply no longer allowed. It used to be popular thinking among city officials in the US that "Any development is good development" (adds to the local tax base). Now, with 50 + years of experience, they are beginning to realize that these sorts of sprawling scattered communities have serious drawbacks.

1. While they may contribute more to the tax base than ag land, they don't contribute in proportion to the increased demand and use for services they entail.
2. People living in these corts of communities (as well as the traditional "suburbs" tend to become detached from the larger community as a whole, and become socially isolated.

I was just ata Plannign Conference where it was pointed out that for every 1,000 houses, 10,000 "trips" a day are generated somewhere for some service. In a suburban setting more than 90% of these "trips" are by automobile, and 40% of those are for 2 miles or less.

New Urbaism embraces, instead of sprawling suburban residential developments around a single central "core, or strip", developments in which zones are scattered, mixing residential, commercial and other uses so that NOTHING is more than a 10-15 minute walk from oines home. The goal is to reduce automobile "trips" by 50%.

Just as sad as watching these people's homes burning down, will be watching them be rebuilt, in exactly the same locations, with exactly the same methods and in exactly the same relation to the locations of their jobs, schools, and stores. (IMO).
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:00 am    Post subject: Battery storage Reply with quote

Here's a stroy from my local paper about a trial of technology for storing wind and solar (and I suppose it could be used for tidal as well) power in large long-lived batterries. If this works, it could solve a LOT of iassues with alt energy sources.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008811180326

Wind batteries get prairie test
80-ton energy storers 'act like independent power plants'

LUVERNE, Minn. - Farmers in Case International combines worked to get their corn out of the fields as snow fell Monday, harvesting within 20 feet of the first wind-to-battery storage test in the United States.

The 80-ton sodium-sulfur battery - 20 50-megawatt units which combined are the size of two semi trailers stacked - was refined in Japan. Xcel Energy has teamed with MinWind Energy to test the units at MinWind's 11.5-megawatt wind farm west of Luverne.

When the wind blows, the batteries charge. When it doesn't, the batteries can supply 1 megawatt of electricity to the grid, or enough to power 500 homes for seven hours.

"They actually act like an independent power plant," said John Bryan, Xcel's program manager for utility innovations in Denver. "The things you can do with this, it's really unlimited."

The batteries could help utilities avoid building new and expensive miles of transmission lines, substations and power plants. The sodium-sulfur battery, or NaS, is considered relatively compact, long-lasting and extremely efficient.

"We're thinking that these are 15-year assets," Bryan said. "I would like to think they're more like 30-year assets. There's virtually no maintenance. Paint the steel (cover) and pull the leaves from the vents."

A NaS battery works because of an electrochemical reaction between molten liquid sulfur and molten liquid sodium. The material is separated by a durable, ceramic material that acts as a bridge between the electrodes and allows the sodium and sulfur ions to react.

"We've seen that we can power the Midwest with renewable energy," said Dave Sparby, president and chief executive officer of Northern States Power Co., an Exel Energy company. "It could be wind or solar. The batteries allow us to do this - and we are determined and very eager to make this work."

Ford Motor Co. pioneered the NaS battery in the early 1960s to power its first electric car. The Japanese adapted the technology for use in the power grid.

Since the early 1990s, the Japanese have installed enough of the batteries to power about 155,000 homes, according to the Electricity Storage Association. The batteries being tested near Luverne will power homes in Minneapolis and Sioux Falls.

"It gives us the ability to use the batteries as a shock absorber to the system," said Frank Novachek, director of corporate planning for Xcel. "We'll have the ability to use wind energy when the wind isn't blowing."

The units cost the partners $4.5 million. That's one drawback to the emerging technology - the battery costs $2,500 per kilowatt, or 10 percent of a new coal-fired plant. The project received a $1 million grant from the Minnesota Renewable Development fund.

"The more that get installed, the price will come down," Bryan said.

The University of Minnesota and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will analyze the data during the next three years.

"It's important to get this information out to the Midwest," said Mark Willers, chief executive officer of MinWind Energy. "This is the future, we own it. The money from this project stays in Minnesota."
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

AB, maybe you can take your camera and check out the Chevy Volt at the LA Auto show tomorrow. Report to us what you think and see if you can convince them to bring it on b4 2011.


http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-40247-113.html
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out this video. It's a sad SAD thing that is happening....but not for paper use....it's happening for energy use.

http://palmoilandtheenvironment.blogspot.com/2007/02/deforestation-and-palm-oil-documentary.html

This is ALSO happening in Canada. Kimberly Clark is clear cutting an ancient forest that is not protected....in order to produce their many brands including: Kleenex, Scott, Viva, Cottonelle and Globally: Kleenex, Cottonelle, Cottonelle Puppy, Andrex, Scottbrand, Hakle and Scottex. Go here to read more about this problem:

http://kleercut.net/en/theissues

When you are there...be sure to click around to get even more info and see the devastating pictures for yourself.

Thank you for reading and please pass this info to your friends and family.

Much Love!
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another big problem that many people tend to forget about is WASTE or TRASH. For 1 whole day you should put all of your trash into 1 can to see just how much 1 day's worth looks like. It's a big problem here in the States and there isn't a lot of talk about it yet. There's a lot of pollution that landfills create and 40% of trash is paper which could be recycled. I've been recently on a consume less kick which includes creating as little amount of trash as possible. You can do this by:

*Using bar soap instead of purchasing hand soap in the bottle.
*Use reusable lunch kits (cloth napkin, stainless steel containers/thermos and flatware)
*Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
*Use ceramic plates instead of paper plates
*Use reusable bamboo plates and flatware instead of paper ones for parties.
*Use rechargeable batteries instead of the regular ones that you throw away when they die out.
*Buy the largest size of anything which creates less packaging.
*Ban personal sized drinks (cans & bottles), purchase the largest size instead and fill up a reusable to go cup
*Ban personal wrapped goodies (bars/sweets and etc), purchase fruit instead because you can most of the time eat the wrapping of a fruit and when you can't...try grinding your orange peel in the disposal for a great smell in the kitchen. Fruit is after all an organic material because it's grown from the Earth.
*Never use styrofoam because it NEVER decomposes/goes away.
*Use drinking water from your tap that has a filter on it for all your H2o instead of bottled water of any kind.
*Bring your own plastic vegtable reusable bags and your own cloth reusable grocery bags to the grocery store. It's better to not use the paper or plastic bags from the store each time you go rather than using them and recycling them because there was also a great deal of energy/pollution that was wasted/created when these items were brought to the store for new customers to use.
*Make an agreement with a neighbor that you will give them anything you don't need or want anymore and ask that they do the same for you. That way, you won't have to throw away anything that could be of use for someone else.
*Reuse old clothes that no one wants into rags to clean with.

By doing these things, it will keep you healthier, put a little more money into your pocket and you'll help save our planet.

I read somewhere the other day that if you purchase any kind of bottled water (personal bottles or 5 gallon delivered bottled) then you are supporting the privatization of our precious water. Water is a gift to us from our planet and is not merchandise. Go here to read the story about what happened in Bolivia.
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/VANOVEDR/
Aside from the main reason why It's not good to purchase bottled water, other reasons are:
*Chemicals from plastic bottles leech out in to the water
*It takes 3 liters of water to produce a 1 liter bottle of water
*Bottling water produced more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide in 1 year
*Producing the bottles for American consumption required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil, not including the energy for transportation in 1 year
*According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Americans bought a total of 31.2 billion liters of water in 2006, sold in bottles ranging from the 8-ounce aquapods popular in school lunches to the multi-gallon bottles found in family refrigerators and office water coolers. Most of this water was sold in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, requiring nearly 900,000 tons of the plastic. PET is produced from fossil fuels – typically natural gas and petroleum.
*More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water at the factory, move it by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the user, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recover, recycle, or throw away the empty bottles. The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy embedded in our use of bottled water can be as high as the equivalent of filling a plastic bottle one quarter full with oil.

Because of this new found information and realization I've had....I'm NOW....banning ALL bottled water.

I really do hope I've inspired you so much....that you too make NEW healthy choices in your life.

Thank you for reading and much love to us all.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, this clip isn't really about the environment.....it's about violence and peace which actually does connect with our environment today.

So please view it and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Vll-t0H6A

This video is about our environment, so please watch and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60hYX8ssBm4

Marshall McLuhan was once quoted, "There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth, only crew"

This is from a newsletter I received from GREENPEACE. It reads:

ENERGY REVOLUTION

For most of his reign, President Bush let us eat cake and told us not to worry about global warming - because it didn't exist. He cut taxes for oil giants, cut scientific data from his administration's reports, and sat idly on his throne as global warming melted the polar ice caps and the Greenland glaciers. He barely lifted a finger as Hurricane Katrina slammed into the city of New Orleans, and the people suffered. And he ignored the will of the American people to address global warming.

And all the while, the impacts of global warming have grown more severe and the time to stop the threat has grown short. We have less than 10 years to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

There are critical points in history where people come together and create change. This is one of those moments. If a community organizer can change the world, so can you. It's time to start a revolution.

Our country was founded by those who rose up against oppression and came together as one nation. This time, the new American revolution begins with YOU. There's no side to take, and no bystanders - we must all stand together and stand up. Rise up against the tide of global warming. This is the greatest fight of our lives, and the very Planet depends on it.

Thank you for reading.
ALLEY
p.s. Please inspire others to follow in your positive footsteps in which you impact our Earth.... TAG YOU'RE IT!
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is another wonderful video clip to view or hear more like. It's mostly an audio clip. Please view it and PLEASE comment on my recent posts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heku9oTLysg

I would like to know what you think.

Thanks.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw the documetary, Earth-The Sequel. It was great! It really gave me hope for a healthier future.

Also...if you would REALLY like to install solar power to your home but can't afford the high prices.....then why not rent one for MUCH MUCH less? Go here to get details:

http://renu.citizenre.com/index.php
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I watched it last nite. I'm really excited about the liquid silicon tech that was reported on. Imagine being able to paint your roof with this material and get solar power to power the home. I hope a breakthru happens to enable mass production of this stuff.

I'm glad they're starting ti realize that diverting corn to biofuel is not the way to go. Diverting food production to solf energy problems replaces one problem with another. The idea of planting large crops to produce fuel can lead to other issues like deforestation and diverts needed resources like water. Making 80% more efficient diesel fron sugar canes sounds like another example of this.

I was excited by the solar, wind, and wave technology and hope it leads to something. I hope that these ideas based on naturally occuring events like sunlight, waves and tides, and wind succeed in a big way. I'm not too thrilled about having to plant fields of crops to produce raw material for ernergy conversion. But as long as it's a temporary solution to help reach our goal, it should be given the chance.

I hope our government truly pushes our country forward on this issue. We truly should be forcing businesses and homeowners alike to convert to clean energy. This is one issue that should be left to choice.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sheesh...again. "should NOT be left to choice." Wassat
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Watched "Journey to Planet Earth" this weekend. Kinda sobering. Wish people didn't have to worry about starving so they could focus on saving the planet.

Peru's mountain glaciers will be gone in 2 years, they say. It just goes downhill from there for their people. Sad part is most of them don't know about global warming.

And then there's Bangladesh. Where will they go if the water level rises.
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know...
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like an interesting Nova episode on PBS tonite @8pm PST. The melting ice sheets in North America. I'm guessing it's gonna be bad.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The sad part is, I don't see how people can (or should I say will) change enough to have an impact. There are great people out there who do everything they can to help the environment, but the world isn't full of them. Everything revolves around the $ and the %. The human race almost seems to not be native to this lovely planet or we wouldn't have such an impact on it with our lifestyles of greed. EVERYTHING else on this planet lives in harmony with it. People are the only species who live in the contrary. We destroy everything we touch with the greed in our veins. Society has trained us to value the $ to a point where nothing else matters.

I think the "choices" of change need to be made into more than a choice. More government action needs to be taken to force people to be more aware of the environment. If it's left in the hands of the greedy people, we're all done. The human race WILL kill itself trying to follow the already established rules of society.

If you're driving down the road of America, won't you follow that road if you're already on it? Most people won't drive off the road and make their own path, the fact is, they can't afford it.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Sorry for the primitive post, I'm a little behind on this.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poecilotheria_27 wrote:
The sad part is, I don't see how people can (or should I say will) change enough to have an impact. There are great people out there who do everything they can to help the environment, but the world isn't full of them. Everything revolves around the $ and the %. The human race almost seems to not be native to this lovely planet or we wouldn't have such an impact on it with our lifestyles of greed. EVERYTHING else on this planet lives in harmony with it. People are the only species who live in the contrary. We destroy everything we touch with the greed in our veins. Society has trained us to value the $ to a point where nothing else matters.

I think the "choices" of change need to be made into more than a choice. More government action needs to be taken to force people to be more aware of the environment. If it's left in the hands of the greedy people, we're all done. The human race WILL kill itself trying to follow the already established rules of society.

If you're driving down the road of America, won't you follow that road if you're already on it? Most people won't drive off the road and make their own path, the fact is, they can't afford it.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Sorry for the primitive post, I'm a little behind on this.


Reminds me of the story of the scorpion and the turtle crossing the river. Scorpion stings the turtle halfway thru the crossing. Even though we know that we are committing suicide by polluting the planet, we continue to do so. Sometimes, I think it's in our nature to destroy ourselves. Rolling Eyes
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree. Like said in the Matrix, we're a virus on this planet.

Every living thing on this planet lives in harmony with one another. Accept for us. Not only do we not live in harmony, but we destroy everything we have anything to do with. All living things on this planet kill for a reason, not like us. Of course we do kill for a reason some of the time, but we also kill for no reason at all. At least, no good reason. No other life form on this planet even knows how to lie. No other species knows greed. They all know only one thing, survival. Everything they know is based off of this one thing. Our level of greed out weighs our sense of survival.

For being the smartest living things on the planet, we're also the dumbest. We're the most primitive. We're the youngest species (I think).

Heres a theory, I honestly don't believe we're 100% native to this earth. You've all heard of the UFOs and all the sightings of little gray humanoid beings abducting people. What if we're an experiment? Lets say that another life form has come and cross bred themselves with our primates. Something like us would be the product of a gorilla or chimp and one of the hairless subjects of alien reported sightings. We would be smart with technology, but not smart to the well being of the planet in which we live, but can not call our home. Instinct has been tainted with a foreign element, the virus, the birth of the human life.

I know my views aren't very optimistic, but I'm just calling it how I see it. All living things don't even have to try to live on this planet, we're having a hard time. This is truly a sad tragedy to the ones who can call this planet home, the real victims, everything else but us.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poecilotheria_27 wrote:
I agree. Like said in the Matrix, we're a virus on this planet.

Every living thing on this planet lives in harmony with one another. Accept for us. Not only do we not live in harmony, but we destroy everything we have anything to do with. All living things on this planet kill for a reason, not like us. Of course we do kill for a reason some of the time, but we also kill for no reason at all. At least, no good reason. No other life form on this planet even knows how to lie. No other species knows greed. They all know only one thing, survival. Everything they know is based off of this one thing. Our level of greed out weighs our sense of survival.

For being the smartest living things on the planet, we're also the dumbest. We're the most primitive. We're the youngest species (I think).

Heres a theory, I honestly don't believe we're 100% native to this earth. You've all heard of the UFOs and all the sightings of little gray humanoid beings abducting people. What if we're an experiment? Lets say that another life form has come and cross bred themselves with our primates. Something like us would be the product of a gorilla or chimp and one of the hairless subjects of alien reported sightings. We would be smart with technology, but not smart to the well being of the planet in which we live, but can not call our home. Instinct has been tainted with a foreign element, the virus, the birth of the human life.

I know my views aren't very optimistic, but I'm just calling it how I see it. All living things don't even have to try to live on this planet, we're having a hard time. This is truly a sad tragedy to the ones who can call this planet home, the real victims, everything else but us.


I beg to differ. We are NOT foreign to the planet. We are part and parcel to it. If some part of us came from "space" that part is embedded in the entire rest of the planet - which also came from that same space/stardust. Eevery bit of what is currently configured as the earth came FROM somewhere. The earth is an accumulation. For example, the earth continues to accumulate approx 9 million lbs. of space dust every day. We are made of it in the same way - of the same stuff. Everything we are is from the planet. We are creatures of (created by this place. We bahave much like any other organizm of this planet. If we are a virus, then that is what the earth has made us as. We too can be recycled as waste - by the planet. The planet can likewise create an antidote to us.

This is the nature of evolution. It is NOT a process based on favoritism, or morality. It is a match game.

Our understanding of our place, and the consequences of our actions depends on their being a feedback loop. It is like any other learning situation. Our morality is really based on determining what is best for US (as a whole species) and altering our behavior to fit that. The way to change how humanity as a whole intereacts with the rest of the planet or environment is NOT by creating and framing a view of humanity that characterizes it as a separate or foreign object. It will come from promoting a view that accepts the integrity and interrelatedness of humanity with the rest environment. I.E., that we ARE part of the environment. Human behavior will change toward the positive when that behavior has a negative effect on humanity. You will not change human behavior by juxtaposing humanity and the environment. Only by showing humanity how its behavior is self- detrimental will we be changed.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW! What I have to say is this...

I believe ALL people...can change...I believe lifestyles....can change. I also believe it is NOT the peoples fault for how things are today. I believe it's corporate greed that is to blame. I believe the people have not been told the truth by the media, past presidents and etc....therefor the people don't know better. Most people don't realize how bad it really is and for the ones that do....don't know that they actually can do something about it. I think people have blinded for so long by the media. The media and corporations is what has made and molds our lifestyle....and we've allowed them to....but again....because most of us...have not known that there is a better way.

I believe things are getting better and I believe they will get better because there are MORE and MORE people talking about this "GREEN" movement and what that means. This talk is hitting schools, stores, city programs and everywhere. A year ago...you did not see this much excitement and talk about the GREEN movement....now you are seeing it MORE and MORE! The more and more people talk about it, the more and more people will be curious, educated and aware.

I believe that we are a part of our planet... Times are changing. Yes, they have gotten SO bad BUT this is another part in changing history....that we ARE learning about those right/better choices. Yes some people don't give a shit. That's true and I think those people SUCK but I also believe that as soon as this GREEN movement really GROWS...then it's going to force that change in our lifestyle and those people that did not give a shit will want to be a part of this new "trendy" lifestyle. You can call it trendy....and it can be trendy....for all I care...as long as it is truly GREEN. You see alot of people don't know that you can actually get cute organic clothes for cheap (on sale) or for the same price of regular clothes. A lot of people don't know that they can make their own cleaning products for REALLY cheap... A lot of people don't realize that you can actually rent a solar panel system on your house if you can't afford to own it.....for less than the cost of regular grid power.

WE will not get where we want to be....IF we do not share whatever knowledge we do have about environmentally friendly options with the rest of the world. It's all about our government stepping up and saying YES...people of America need to do this or that. People of America there is a problem and this is HOW we can solve it BUT it's also up to us regular Americans to do the research ourselves, organize groups/protests/rallies, send on line letters to congress and ANYTIME you buy anything.....ALWAYS make sure...you make the best choice in the product you are buying. Don't just buy it because it was the cheapest....closest thing to you. If you purchase your Mother's Day gift or any other gift early.....then you can go on line...search under organic Mother's Day gifts and buy something truly good for your Mom or whomever. It would be good up against her skin and good for our planet (keeps pesticides out of our water system). Seriously....if you have to buy toilet paper ANYWAY.....you might as well...find which brands are the best choice (80%-100% recycled). I recently discovered a brand Bright Green, that is made with 80% post consumer content and is made with 100% recycled paper. I can get this tissue...6 per package for cheap/good price! My point is that these better choice products do exist...that are also friendly on your pocket. In order to find this specific product I did have to do my research on the Net though. It was all worth it in the end because I feel good knowing that I now can afford recycled tissue.

For Americans....It's about the products!!! We have to inform people about the products. Guys....let's get on the Internet, start your own blogs, sites....ask your little brother to design ECO banners and place them everywhere on the Net...and let's link people's sites/forums/blogs/books/articles and let's wake up EVERYONE from wandering about for SOOOOOOO long with their eyes shut. The past 7 years they had Bush telling them....."Go shopping."

I believe, I have faith and I KNOW that we WILL win this fight!
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"I beg to differ. We are NOT foreign to the planet. We are part and parcel to it. If some part of us came from "space" that part is embedded in the entire rest of the planet - which also came from that same space/stardust. Eevery bit of what is currently configured as the earth came FROM somewhere. The earth is an accumulation. For example, the earth continues to accumulate approx 9 million TONS of space dust every day. We are made of it in the same way - of the same stuff. Everything we are is from the planet. We are creatures of (created by this place. We bahave much like any other organizm of this planet. If we are a virus, then that is what the earth has made us as. We too can be recycled as waste - by the planet. The planet can likewise create an antidote to us.

This is the nature of evolution. It is NOT a process based on favoritism, or morality. It is a match game.

Our understanding of our place, and the consequences of our actions depends on their being a feedback loop. It is like any other learning situation. Our morality is really based on determining what is best for US (as a whole species) and altering our behavior to fit that. The way to change how humanity as a whole intereacts with the rest of the planet or environment is NOT by creating and framing a view of humanity that characterizes it as a separate or foreign object. It will come from promoting a view that accepts the integrity and interrelatedness of humanity with the rest environment. I.E., that we ARE part of the environment. Human behavior will change toward the positive when that behavior has a negative effect on humanity. You will not change human behavior by juxtaposing humanity and the environment. Only by showing humanity how its behavior is self- detrimental will we be changed."






I think you miss my point. I'm not trying to change anything around to benefit us as a species, or change the outcome of who we are or should be. Maybe I posted this in the wrong place.

But, I'd like to see some feedback on how we are in fact like the other living species of this planet, or how you know for sure that we are native to this earth.

Evolution in this case, seems to be moving backwards. Things as they evolve grow to adapt more to the environment and alter to the ever changing chain of life. We don't fit this profile. In fact, quite the contrary.

ALL living things on this planet have a natural harmony with it's environment from it's birth. It lives in harmony with no effort and no consequences to the environment.

You stated about the way to change humanity, my point is that a native species doesn't need to be changed in the first place. It evolves with time with the same harmony it had from the beginning. Never being a global threat to ALL living things.

Although human behavior greatly needs to be changed and I agree that we're at a critical stage of recognition, my initial post wasn't an attempt to change humanity. It was simply an observation and one of many open minded possibilities. I would like to see some fact behind any theory. After all, theory is all either one of us have posted.


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