Arthur Boorman was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, until he decided not to be.
This video will really inspire you; spoiler alert – you may even need to shed a little tear. Its amazing attestation to what you can do if you just set your mind to it. This will help you to really enjoy your weekend!
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‘Like’ us on Facebook and then leave your suggestion on our wall. The winning suggestion will win $100 smackaroos! Good luck.
by Sam Marquit
Water consumption needs to be reduced in all areas of the country. As a Long Island resident, I know firsthand how expensive the water bill can be. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to determine which sources used the most water in my home, and I was actually quite surprised by the results.
The Washer
My family doesn’t waste laundry loads or wash clothes unnecessarily. I was surprised to learn that our washer was, in fact, one of our major water consumers (they average more than 20% of domestic water usage). The culprit here was an outdated machine and a small leak we never noticed. Our washer is in the basement, and I guess we never realized that there was a problem.
We upgraded our machine to a high-efficiency washer, and now it uses considerably less each month. It’s an eco-friendly model that also uses 50% less electricity. To further reduce our carbon footprint, we wait as long as possible to fill the washer instead of doing many small loads.
Shower Usage
I always thought that as a family, we didn’t consume as much shower water as other family units. I was dead wrong. My teenagers use the shower for an hour at a time. My wife also uses quite a bit of water when she showers and gets ready for work. Our gallon usage was at least double that of the average family, and it’s not something we realized. Chances are, your household is using too much water in the shower too.
To cut back I turned down the water heater thermostat. When the shower gets colder quickly, people are less likely to spend time in there. Additionally, everyone in the household must spend only 15 minutes in the shower with the water running. I installed multiple switches so the water can be turned off while shaving, lathering and doing other things. This saves us thousands of gallons per month.
Using low-flow shower heads can cut water usage in half.
The Hot Tub
When I bought my home from Long Island Real Estate, I was thrilled to learn that the house came with a hot tub. What I wasn’t expecting was that they use quite a bit of water. Since it can be used all year I found myself lounging in it more often than I should have been. The warm water was so nice on cold winter days, but it did require regular cleaning.
To make my hot tub usage more environmentally friendly, I hooked up a better filtration system. This allows me to reuse the water for longer periods of time, and it also lowered my water bill.
Lowering Your Carbon Footprint
I lowered my carbon footprint by following a few simple steps. It didn’t take that much effort, and the outcome made me feel better about my choices. It was also nice to see a smaller water bill with less water being consumed each month.
This is a guest blog by Sam Marquit who is an entrepreneur, home improvement specialist, and part time blogger. Feel free to visit Sam’s blog, and don’t forget to connect with him @fmarquitv. Want to guest blog yourself? Sure! We’d love that. Contact us today.
The environmental impact of death
By Nikki Fotheringham
You cycle to work recycle and upcycle. You live as green a life as you can, but have you ever considered a green death? In the US alone, the two and half million people who die every year contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and ground toxicity. But there is a more natural way to go.
36% of Americans who died in 2010 were cremated. Propane or natural gas make this process possible, but carbon dioxide gas is released. Burial is even harsher on the environment. Every year 827, 060 gallons of embalming fluid are buried in cemeteries in the US. Embalming fluid consists mostly of formaldehyde. More than 30-million board feet of hardwood is utilized in the making of coffins and then buried. Every year, enough steel is buried with the coffins it adorns to build another Golden Gate Bridge. Not to mention the copper and broonze or the carbon footprint of manufacturing and transporting said coffins.
Cemeteries themselves require the clearing of natural habitats and the application of herbicides and pesticides to maintain the grounds. Garden and ground maintenance also releases greenhouse gases as most landscaping equipment still runs off gas.
More and more people are opting for a death that is sustainable and environmentally responsible. Depending on the area in which you live, there are now concessions for people who want these kinds of burials. Here bodies are wrapped in natural fiber shrouds or placed in biodegradable wicker or wood caskets. No embalming fluid or other chemicals are used on the body. The burial site is usually on private property (notice of the burial place must be given when the property is sold) in a natural habitat. When you are laid to rest naturally, your body is able to return to the earth.
Check out the Natural Burial Association in Canada, the UK or the US.
An interesting concept I had never considered before. What do you think?
Plant your own forest
Global warming; it can really ruin your day.
By Nikki Fotheringham
Does it seem that one person can’t make a difference? Then you haven’t met Jadav “Molai” Payeng. About 30 years ago, when he was still a teen, Payeng began planting seeds on a little sand bar near his home. Payeng wanted to plant the sandbar with trees and create a forest reserve for the wildlife that lived there. 30 Years later he has single-handedly planted a 1360 acre forest.
It all started in 1979 when a flood washed snakes up onto his sandbar. When the hot sun rose, the snakes died in the heat. “The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms. It was carnage. I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there,” said Payeng. The forest department suggested bamboo instead as the sandbar would not support trees. Payeng planted the entire sandbar with bamboo and his life’s goal became clear.
Payeng moved from the sandbar to a nearby deforested stretch of land and decided to create the forest he had always dreamed of. But first, he had to improve the soil quality: “I then decided to grow proper trees. I collected and planted them. I also transported red ants from my village, and was stung many times. Red ants change the soil’s properties. That was an experience,” said Payeng.
Now the area where Payeng’s forest grows is a wildlife preserve where local ecosystems flourish thanks to one man’s perseverance. “After 12 years, we’ve seen vultures. Migratory birds, too, have started flocking here. Deer and cattle have attracted predators,” claims Payeng.
The local environmental organizations could not be happier: “We’re amazed at Payeng,” says Assistant Conservator of Forests, Gunin Saikia. “He has been at it for 30 years. Had he been in any other country, he would have been made a hero.” Payeng’s efforts are finally getting the recognition they deserve; serving as an inspiration to countless others.
You can also plant a forest in your lifetime. Instead of getting cut Christmas trees, get a live one that you can plant in the spring. You can give trees as gifts through the Arbor Foundation or buy a tree for new parents to plant. You can donate to Arbor Foundation programs or get your kids to plant trees with the Love Trees program. If you planted one or two trees every year, just imagine how big your forest would get in your lifetime.
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Photo courtesy of Eco Village International
There is no planet B!
By Nikki Fotheringham
In my opinion, every day should be Earth Day, but I’ll take it. This year, make Earth Day resolutions that can become part of your lifestyle. Earth Day resolutions are far less demanding than those promises you make on New Year’s (I’m going to have the body of a god that isn’t Buddha, I’m going to drink less, good-bye chocolate, it’s been fun but…..) and require very little effort. Here are some things you can start with:
Recycle: Yes, we know you do, but who among us hasn’t been too lazy to rinse out their yoghurt container? It’s so much easier to toss it in the trash, but remember that every little bit helps. When it comes to your recycling, try to do more.
Clean green: Detergents are SO BAD for the environment. Use biodegradable ones or substitute lemon and baking soda for just about every cleaning situation. Get recipes here.
It’s your bag, baby: Still using plastic? 12 Million barrels of oil annually go into making plastic bags for the US alone. Put some reusable bags into your car or hang them on your front door handle if, like me, you are always forgetting to take them shopping with you. Make sure that you recycle that pile of plastic bags under the sink!
Give up the bottle: Bottled water isn’t necessarily better for you than your local water supply. Still, its understandable that you may not want to use tap water. In that case, choose a water filter that you can use instead of buying bottled water. Aside from creating masses of garbage, the plastic that bottled water is made from can be harmful to your health. If you are in a bind and MUST use bottled water, turn the bottle over and purchase only numbers 1, 2, 4 or 5 as 3, 6 and 7 could pose a health threat.
Hang it up: Use a clothes line instead of the dryer. It’s better for your clothes and your utilities bills. Want to be even nicer to your clothes? Turn your machine to a cold wash cycle and use biodegradable detergents. They are much gentler on fabrics. Tough stains? Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub it on the stain prior to washing.
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By Nikki Fotheringham
When local developers cut down neighborhood trees that were over 100 years old (despite residents efforts to save them), we decided to dispense a justice that was as swift as it was fierce. We trust that future developments in our area will think twice before disturbing the arboreal bliss of our area.
Not all vitamins are created equal
Once upon a time, people used to cure common diseases with nutrition. Why? Many of the illnesses of old were simple vitamin deficiencies. One needs only look at the history of scurvy to see that it’s filled with examples of trained physcians not willing to see, or understand, that simple nutrition can be a cure. In those days, doctors didn’t know as much as we do now. Just imagine what they will say about our generation in 2070.
Today, everywhere we turn, we see new cases of cancer. Heart disease is another important participant in significantly reducing life expectancy. In response, there is a plethora of literature on how to prevent, or cure, these now-common ailments. How does one make sense of this nutrition information overload? Firstly, I think it’s important to get back to basics.
Unfortunatly, modern medicine itself does not encourage doctors to provide patients with nutritional remedies. This leaves us with few options. Homeopathy is an improving wing of modern medicine, but for those of us without access to knowledgeable experts, the health food store is our only option.
When it comes to organic produce, you may not always get what you’re paying for. The nutritional benefits of plants are affected by more than conditions of growing, harvesting, transporting, and storing. The most important part of a plant is the soil that it’s grown in. Large farms, including organic farms, may not be able to ensure that the soil has enough nutrients. Healthy soil grows plants that provide fruit and vegetables that are crammed with nutrients. Therefore, in order to make sure you’re getting what you need from your food you should be buying, whenever possible, from a locally certified organic farmer. This way you can enquire about their farming practices.
Secondly, the peanut butter and jam of the health store world: Supplements. I take supplements. I know that it’s impossible for me to get the iron I need (as I have a deficiency) from the food I eat. I also know that, while I do eat organic (whenever I can) and local (whenever I can pick it), I cannot get all the nutrition my body needs to operate at it’s full potential. In addition, with my lifestyle and budget, eating healthy ALL the time is impossible. This is where the supplements come in.
When I started doing research about supplements I was shocked. In Canada, the supplement industry is about as controlled as a kindergarten student. It can behave when watched by an adult, but when not supervised it tends to flail. Vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines, probiotics, and other products such as amino acids and essential fatty acids are regulated under the Natural Health Products (NHP) which came into effect in January 2004.
The NHP does good job of laying out what the supplement industry needs to do in order to operate in Canada. Supplement manufacturers must adhere to the strong Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which maintain that all workers in manufacturing plants must undergo appropriate training. Essentially this means that the government watches over the conditions under which the supplements are prepared, but does not cover the issue of supplement quality.
If you go to assessment sites like consumerlab.com, you would see that this lack of control can lead to several problems, some which may include:
• too little active ingredient, or too much
• wrong ingredient altogher
• contamination
• rancidity (especially with fish oils)
• insufficient or misleading information.
Also, when looking at the numerous kinds of supplements and vitamins it is very hard to understand exactly what the source of that vitamin or mineral is. Many supplements are made solely from synthetic sources, rather than natural plant sources. In Canada, if a health supplement has 5% natural ingredients, it can be labeled as a natural product. This leads to a strain of products that are often void of phytonutrients (naturally occuring vitamins and minerals).
Before going to a health food store its important to do some research. There are sources of amazing supplements out there, the trick is finding them. I found a supplement from sustainable organic farms with great farming and manufacturing practices. I did not buy them from a shelf in a health food store, but I do still shop there. No one’s perfect, but at least we can help each other to be more aware.
If you would like more information, or would like to know more about supplements please feel free to email me: serinampenner@gmail.com
Air travel can slash greenhouse gas emissions by 60% with new biofuel planes
By Nikki Fotheringham
Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. A flight to London emits the same amount of carbon that driving a small car for three months would. Burning large volumes of fuel is of grave concern to the airlines too. Rising fuel costs and carbon taxes are rendering economic air travel more difficult for airlines to offer. Now Quantas Air has found an answer to beat rising fuel costs and combat carbon emissions; used cooking oil from fast food restaurants.
The first commercial biofuel flight of an airbus A330 left Sydney bound for Adelaide on Friday the 13th. The airbus utilized a 50/50 mixture of jet fuel and recycled cooking oil. The flight was the first of many that Quantas hopes will reduce the costly price tag of jet fuel as well as carbon emissions taxes leveled by Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
The flight was fully booked as passengers showed support for the move to biofuels. The maiden biofuel flight is part of a joint Shell/Quantas study on the viability of biofuels in the aviation industry. And, although it represents a monumental breakthrough, biofuel planes are still a long way off.
Carbon emissions for each passenger for each kilometer traveled
• Domestic (short distances of less than 463 km or 288 mi): 257 g/km CO2
• Domestic (long distance, greater than 463 km or 288 mi): 177 g/km CO2
• Long distance flights: 113 g/km CO2 or 114 g/km
You can calculate the carbon footprint left by your air travel using a carbon calculator. You will be surprised at how much you contribute every time you jet off to a vacation. (Feel free to use this as an excuse to miss Aunt Mabel’s 9th wedding).
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Ten best environmental blogs in town
By Nikki Fotheringham
We know you love us, but we like to spread the love around a little. There are so many amazing green blogs these days that have inspirational ideas on how to live green, the latest news on renewable energy, cutting-edge technological advances in green building techniques and the skinny on global warming and climate change. Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint, cut your utilities bill or get a new recipe for lunch, these great sites are well worth a visit!
1. Treehugger: The perfect paramour for the ecologically minded, Treehugger has great articles on everything from transportation to technology.
2. Inhabitat: One of my favorite sites, InHabitat’s sophisticated approach is centered on design. Excellent at delivering cutting-edge interpretations of architecture, fashion, products and design for you and your home, they also take a look at energy, transportation and art.
3. Mother Nature Network: This fantastic site often appears on the CNN website as the go-to page for a plethora of interesting pages that center around the home and family. Check out their health, lifestyle and your home pages for tips and the latest news on all things green.
4. Environmental Graffiti: Great site with engaging articles that focus on the natural world and the technology that is helping to preserve it. For the outdoorsy types they have nature, travel, outdoor and people. Although the nature lover is their target audience, they also feature more technical articles.
5. Daily Green: This cheerful little blog focuses on the home and lifestyle of the environmentally conscious. They are especially strong on tips that will help you to live a greener life. Reduce your utility bills with their green home tips, get recipes and advice on improving your eating habits with their new green cuisine page and get the latest on the effects of climate change with their weird weather watch.
6. Environment360: A fantastic site for news on the impacts of climate change, renewable energy, budding green technologies, fossil fuels, mining and other environmental issues. The site is incredibly interesting and informative and makes for great reading.
7. Amvic: This site is an excellent resource for homeowners, architects and green designers who wish to stay up-to-date with the latest in green building technologies. Important news items and updates on the latest developments help homeowners make informed choices about designing and retrofitting.
8. CleantechBlog: A great site for the more technically minded, it covers biofuels, carbon, smart grid, renewables, solar and transport among others.
9. Solarline: This blog site is focused on solar power. It’s a really comprehensive look at the advantages and disadvantages of solar power as an energy source, at the viability of feed-in-tariff projects and new developments in the field.
10. Grist: This sprightly little blog certainly is a beacon in the mist. It deals with topics in a fun-to-read way and pretty cutting edge. View their climate & energy, food, cities, living, biz and technology pages for the latest buzz.
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Nikki Fotheringham has been a writer for over fifteen years.
She was born and raised in South Africa and began life as a reporter for various local newspapers, most notably the Mercury. She has spent the last seven years traveling the world and chronicling her adventures for a variety of magazines and blogs on a freelance basis.