Day 9

So I have been trying to get a little more exercise, get back into shape, and all that jazz. I was talking with a friend of mine who helps out coaching some high school teams around the valley. With beginning athletes he always challenges them to the 100 Day Challenge. And he challenged me. Before even thinking about it, I said, "Sure, okay."

Well, I just completed Day 9. For 100 Days I have to get some type of exercise on my feet. (Running, Elliptical, and I'll probably throw some x-country skiing when there's more snow.) I can't skip any days, or the challenge is over. So today was Day 9 and I'm doing really well. The nice thing about the challenge is that the amount of time doesn't matter. It could be 15 minutes or 4 hours. Every day can't be 15 minutes, but there will be those days where time just doesn't allow for more than that. And if you do a crazy 3 hour work out the day before, it doesn't carry over. The point of the challenge is to teach you that some exercise is always better than none, and that you can always fit in a work out, no matter how busy you are. More often than not, once you get started you will keep on going.

Anyway, the day I complete my 100 Day challenge is February the 22. Awesome! Completely doable and I am very excited to be in better shape so I can crank harder on my bike and pull harder on the rocks up in the mountains next spring and I can't even wait. Anyone else want to join me?

Hooray!

A surprise video message from President-elect Barrack Obama was delivered to the Bi-Partisan Governor's Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles earlier this week. He shared his thoughts about the challenges ahead facing climate change and his plans as president of the changes he is going to make in the face of climate change and the environment when he takes his place in the oval office. His full remarks are:

"Let me begin by thanking the bipartisan group of U.S. governors who convened this meeting.

Few challenges facing America -- and the world -- are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear. Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We've seen record drought, spreading famine and storms that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season.

Climate change and our dependence on foreign oil, if left unaddressed, will continue to weaken our economy and threaten our national security.

I know many of you are working to confront this challenge. In particular, I want to commend Governor Sebelius, Governor Doyle, Governor Crist, Governor Blagojevich and your host, Governor Schwarzenegger -- all of you have shown true leadership in the fight to combat global warming. And we've also seen a number of businesses doing their part by investing in clean energy technologies.

But too often, Washington has failed to show the same kind of leadership. That will change when I take office. My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process.

That will start with a federal cap and trade system. We will establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them an additional 80 percent by 2050.

Further, we will invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private sector efforts to build a clean energy future. We will invest in solar power, wind power and next-generation biofuels. We will tap nuclear power, while making sure it's safe. And we will develop clean coal technologies.

This investment will not only help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, making the United States more secure. And it will not only help us bring about a clean energy future, saving our planet. It will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis by generating 5 million new green jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced.

But the truth is, the United States cannot meet this challenge alone. Solving this problem will require all of us working together. I understand that your meeting is being attended by government officials from over a dozen countries, including the U.K., Canada and Mexico,
Brazil and Chile, Poland and Australia, India and Indonesia. And I look forward to working with all nations to meet this challenge in the coming years.

Let me also say a special word to the delegates from around the world who will gather at Poland next month: Your work is vital to the planet. While I won't be president at the time of your meeting and while the United States has only one president at a time, I've asked members of Congress who are attending the conference as observers to report back to me on what they learn there.

And once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations, and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change.

Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response. The stakes are too high. The consequences, too serious.

Stopping climate change won't be easy. It won't happen overnight. But I promise you this: When I am president, any governor who's willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that's willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington. And any nation that's willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America. Thank you."
---Barack Obama

I must say, it sure it a breath of fresh air to be hearing this type of language coming from the White House...or at least what will be coming in January. Cheers!

Photo Credit

Save Some H2O

A great way to start saving some water is by installing low-flow toilets in your home. However, sometimes this is not always feasible, or maybe even the best option. In terms of consumption, both the water that is used and the materials that make the toilet must be taken into consideration. If it's not broken...don't fix it, right? I think it is wise to operate on the assumption that it is much better for the environment to simply consume less, rather than going out and buying products that you don't need just because they are "green" or "environmentally friendly."

So, if you're toilet is working just fine, or maybe you live in an apartment and are renting, but you would like to save a little H2O here is a great alternative: Take a one liter plastic bottle and fill it up with water (so it doesn't float) and place it in the tank of your toilet. The space that the bottle takes up in the tank offsets the amount of water that flows through your toilet every time you flush it. Depending on the toilet, you could experiment with different sizes of containers, too. Like using a plastic half-gallon milk jug, for instance.

I have heard that some people use bricks to put in their toilet tanks. I would advise against this, however, as bricks can become corroded over time. As pieces flake off they can get into the toilet's system and affect it negatively.

Wanna take this one step further? Find out if there are low-flow toilets installed at your work. If not, suggest this easy-fix. Your employer may save a little on the water bill, and everyone will benefit from this simple way to conserve water.

Save some Green by Being Green

Speaking of winterizing your home the other day, here are some tips I found to help keep the warm air in and the cold air out. By making sure that your home is more energy efficient, you can save some money on your gas bill and reduce your ecological impact. Here are some great ways to do this:

1. Find the leaks. Places such as windows, doors and piping entering the building are hot spots for leaks. Seal leaks around doors and windows with weather stripping or caulk, and check around piping and other entries into the building for other leaks to seal.

2. Update your windows! If you can, invest in a new set of insulating windows. If you have older
windows, a good way to insulate them during the colder months is to cover them with clear plastic sheets (inexpensive kits can be found at most hardware stores) or even blankets.

3. Get in the zone. Are there some areas of your home that are not used as much during specific times of the day? If you have multiple thermostats in your house, turn the heat down when you leave an area, or when you leave for work in the morning. Or even better, install setback thermostats. These are thermostats that contain a timer. You can set your heat to turn down when you go to work or are snug in your bed at night.

4. Check if your insulation is adequate. Attics that are not properly insulated are responsible for a large amount of energy loss. Check it out: if you can see your ceiling joists, you need more insulation in your attic.

5. Inspect your heating system. Have your heating system inspected. This should also include vacuuming your vents/ducts and replacing the furnace filter if needed.

6. Walk around. Check the foundation of your house and your roof (use binoculars) for cracks and gaps.

7. Keep it hot. Insulate your hot water heater by wrapping a blanket around it. Also, you can wrap your water pipes in foam pipe covers.

8. Keep it clean. If you have a chimney, have it swept annually and inspected for leaks. Make sure that damper or wood stove doors seal tightly and are closed (except when you have a fire!).

But don't forget that while you are keeping all of the warm air in and the cold air out, it is important to keep the air inside your homes clean and free of harmful particles and toxins. For some tips on how to do that, check out yesterday's post by clicking here.

Keeping Fresh Air During Winter

The snow has already flown here in Salt Lake City. Though I missed out on the winter wonderland while I was on vacation in New Hampshire experiencing some chilly weather of my own, it's still time that we all start thinking about and making those preparations to start winterizing our homes. While keeping all of the cold air out by sealing up our houses, we are also keeping keeping air in and not allowing for much fresh air to come in. This can lead to a very unhealthy environment. Here are some great tips of how to keep the air in your home a little fresher and freer of unhealthy indoor particles that I found on Seventh Generation's blog.

• Open a window every once in a while and let in a good dose of fresh air. While it's not the most energy-efficient action, it means a big difference for indoor air quality.
• Consider getting some houseplants, which excel at removing airborne chemicals. Particularly effective varieties include Boston fern, areca palm, lady palm, bamboo palm, rubber plant, English Ivy, ficus, and peace lily.
• Place large mats at all your entrances to remove particles and other pollutants tracked indoors on shoes. Clean and vacuum these mats frequently so they don't become a source of trouble themselves. And encourage guests to remove their shoes when entering your house. A basket of slippers kept by the door can ensure that everyone's feet stay cozy.
• Conventional cleaners create a barrage of chemical fumes and invisible aerosol particles when used, all of which can be easily inhaled. So if you haven't already, stock up on cleaning products made from natural and non-toxic ingredients and use them instead.
• Use a chlorine-free dishwasher detergent. Dishwashers vent about six liters of air into your home per minute during certain cycles, and the very hot water they use can turn as much as 100% of a detergent's chlorine into a vapor that's released as they work.
• Use warm rather than hot water when you clean so that whatever you're removing from household floors and surfaces doesn't volatize into the air your family is breathing.
• During warmer months, don't use mildewcides or fungicides, poisons it will be hard to rinse out of your home during winter. Instead, eradicate mold and mildew with a solution of two tablespoons of tea tree oil in two cups of water. Spray on the affected area, let sit for half an hour, and then wipe clean.
• If air seems stale or malodorous and it's just too cold to open a window, resist the temptation to use commercial air fresheners, deodorizers, and other similar products. Instead make your own by adding 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil to a spray bottle filled with two cups of water.
• If you've stored clothing or other items in mothballs, give them a thorough airing out followed by laundering to remove toxic paradichlorobenzene residues. In the future, use natural cedar to protect your vulnerable textiles instead. By the same token, let dry cleaned items air out in the garage before you bring them inside. They, too, can emit unhealthy fumes.
• Although winter's many idle hours may seem like a good time to do some annual maintenance cleaning, resist the temptation until spring. Without open windows and an ability to clean things outdoors, you'll just be stirring back into the air a lot of the dirt and contaminants you're trying to banish.

Photo: Mallory Platt

Sunrise

No matter which candidate you voted for...

Today is the beginning of a new tomorrow.

Photo Credit

It's A Big Day!

So no matter what else you do today...

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Get out there and VOTE!

Paper or Plastic?

For some time now I have been learning about different sustainable choices that we can make in our everyday lives. Some are easier than others, but mostly I have found that sustainable choices often begin with simply taking a little time to think about your choices and plan a little bit ahead. Sustainability is a journey where there are always more challenges ahead, new options to choose from. As I make one life change, I am on to another and often forget that even though I may have made a certain choice years ago, not everyone is on the same page. The most poignant of examples is the question of paper or plastic. Which one is better, which one should you choose?

The answer is neither. Though paper bags can be and are recycled more than plastic bags, millions of trees must be cut down every year to produce them. The majority of paper bags are not recycled (only 10-15% of paper bags are recycled.) Plastic bags are made from oil and oil drilling has many negative environmental effects from habitat destruction to the release of pollutants. Litter is also a problem as millions and millions of plastic bags float around the earth and often end up in the ocean, where marine life often swallow them up, mistaking them for prey, and choke to death. Both paper and plastic bags must be transported from their respective factories to the stores that distribute them to carry groceries and other consumer products. And both options require tons and tons of resources to produce them in the first place. How do you avoid this grocery store dilemma?

Bring your own bags to the grocery store! Do you have any old canvas bags sitting around the house? Stick them you trunk and bring them with you to the store. Or if you ride your bike or walk to the store, fold 'em up and put them in the bottom of your regular bag or backpack so that you will always have them with you for that "Oh yeah, I need to stop by the grocery store" quick trip. If you don't have any bags around to use, you can easily make your own. Try and use materials that you already have around the house, rather than going out and purchasing new materials. An old pair of jeans works nicely, or you can even make a sturdy bag out of plastic bags that you may have saved over the years.

The hardest part about this plan is remembering to bring your bags into the grocery store with you. One way is to strategically place a sticker or note somewhere in your car or home where you will see it to help remind you. Or, at many of the grocery stores in my neighborhood the grocers have put signs up in the front windows reminding you to bring your bags in. If your grocer doesn't already do this, ask to speak with the manager and ask them if they wouldn't mind doing something like that as well. Chances are they will thank you for the idea.

For more information about the debate about paper, plastic, or bringing your own bags, for the photo credit, and for some hard facts about all this, please click here. Another great idea is to make reusable bags for gifts for friends and family. Last May I made two of these puppies for my mom on Mother's Day:

Photo Credit

My mom loves her bags and has been using them religiously ever since. This is an inexpensive and great made-with-care way to start making some sustainable choices!

2nd bird photo credit.

Environmental Literature

Every person who has studied or has interest in environmental science has undoubtedly read several books on the matter. I have compiled a list of environmental literature that I have read over the years. Each has contributed to and affected me in forming my own opinions about environmental issues that confront us everyday. Here are some of my favorites:

• Getting to Scale, by Jill Bamburg
• A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
• Desert Solitaire by Ed Abbey
• Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken
• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
• Bargaining for Eden by Stephen Trimble
• The Health of the Country by Conevery Bolton Valencius
• Wilderness and the American Mind by Roderick Frazier Nash
• Changes in the Land by William Cronon
• Locust by Jeffery A. Lockwood
• An Unnatural Metropolis by Craig E. Colten
• Plan B 2.0, by Lester Brown

I will be adding to this list periodically as I finish more books that fit into this category. I have started a column about what I have been currently reading to keep my blog a little more current with what I am doing in my life. As I finish more books that fit into the Environmental Literature category, I will be updating them here. Have you read any of these books before? What are your thoughts about them? Do you have any recommendations for other pieces I might explore?