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Seeing is Believing? Earth Networks to Add Greenhouse Gas Measurements to Weather Monitors

2011-01-12T17:32:14Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

What if you could see a could of global warming pollution lurking over your home state, the same way you see a low pressure system headed your way on the evening news? Certainly the immediate impacts of greenhouse gas pollution and giant snowstorms are completely different-- it's like comparing apples and coconuts-- but when it comes to the relationship between being able to "see" something and therefore believing that it exists, even though "it" is really far away and totally intangible, there are parallels to be made.

Here's my example: when we see an illustration of a low pressure system or a storm formation headed our way on an evening news weather map, even though we cannot see the clouds or the winds or the low pressure, we believe that the coming storm exists. Though we know no weather predictions are certain, because we've seen "it", we accept that there may be a storm, and we take action: we stock up on road salts, prepare the city snow plows, and hunker down in preparation for the coming storm. We do all of this because technology has provided us a way to illustrate the intangible, and we have learned to connect what we see, with its probable outcome in reality: lots of snow/ rain/ hail etc.

So... What if the any one of us-- scientist or school teacher-- could turn on the climate channel and "see" greenhouse gases? Would it change the way we think about air pollution and global warming? Would it make it more real to us because we can see the concentrations in our state going up every day/week/month/year? Would we then feel more urgency in preparing for the projected global consequences-- global warming? Would we feel more agency in addressing the problem now (because unlike the weather, we can control how much we pollute)?

The reason I ask is because I read a Climatewire article today, carried by Scientific American, detailing how Earth Networks-- which owns the popular WeatherBug website and desktop weather widget -- is partnering with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to launch the world's largest greenhouse gas monitoring network, installing sensors to measure the levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the air at 100 sites over the next 5 years-- half in the United States, a quarter in Europe and the remainder sprinkled around the globe. When instituted the new network could allow for independent monitoring of not only national, but also regional, greenhouse gas contributions.

The image that went along with the Climatewire article on Scientific American's website showed a familiar weather forecasting map-- with green around the edges and red shading where severe storms are to be expected-- and my initial reaction was "oh, I wonder why no one ever thought of that before? It would be so much easier to talk about rising greenhouse gas pollution levels, where they come from, what the potential consequences are, and how we can cut back, if people could actually SEE them."

Of course, there is no actual indication in the article that Earth Networks has any intention of mapping the climate data they collect in such a commercially consumable way, but the point is that they could-- and I can't help but wonder what that would mean for how we all understand pollution and global warming.

More details about the project can be found here.

4 Jumbo Shrimp vs. 56-- What Seafood Consumption Really Looks Like in the Gulf

2010-12-08T16:43:12Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

When I was a little girl, my diet pretty much consisted of two things: quartered tomatoes with ranch dressing and fwimp cocktail (also known as shrimp cocktail by those who can pronounce their s's). I loved both dishes dearly, and still do to this day.

In all likelihood my love of shrimp came from my dad-- a doctor with a penchant for cooking and dinner parties. As a kid, often my job at was to circulate the hors d'oeuvres at parties, usually Cajun style shrimp with a spicy aioli, straight up boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce, or both-- though admittedly I was often dishonorably discharged from my duties due to serving myself more than the guests... but I digress...

As I've mentioned in previous postings, my dad now lives in the panhandle of Florida on the Gulf Coast and-- according to his own measure-- eats "ten times the seafood I ate when I lived in Pittsburgh."

My dad and I don't often talk about his seafood consumption habits, but when he called me at work earlier this week I was writing the press release for NRDC's Gulf Coast seafood consumption survey, and I was telling him about the study, why we did it, and how much seafood FDA thought he and his neighbors were eating.

Let's just say that when I told him that FDA was using national data to estimate seafood consumption in his neck of the woods, and assumes that Gulf residents eat about 4 jumbo shrimp a week, he responded "that's ridiculous. When your step-mother Mandy lived in Missouri the closest she ever came to seafood was frozen fish sticks. Now she eats fish almost every day." Admittedly, he didn't know enough about the survey for that to be a fair comparison, but it makes his point: people in the Gulf love their seafood more than the rest of us.

The results of NRDC's seafood consumption survey revealed significant discrepancies between Administration and locals’ reported consumption rates, in particular, with regard to shrimp consumption: on the low-end FDA’s estimates were 3.6 times too low, and on the high-end, actual consumption exceeded FDA estimates by more than 12-fold (apparently, I am not alone in my fondness for the critters).

Unfortunately, these discrepancies are additionally concerning because (1) shrimp are expected to accumulate higher concentrations of PAHs compared to fish, since invertebrates are less able to efficiently excrete these chemicals than are vertebrate fish; and (2) the FDA testing protocols include the fewest samples for shrimp, and may underestimate contamination further by shelling and removing the head before testing, whereas many Gulf Coast recipes involve cooking shrimp in the shells and eating them whole.

Because I find it easiest to understand the difference between FDA's data and what's actually happening on the ground when I translate "grams per day" to "jumbo shrimp per week"-- I figured I'd translate our data for you here into those same terms, in the hope that you can understand better too:

FDA estimate: folks eat on average 4 jumbo shrimp/week.

Our survey showed, approximately:

Median consumption (entire survey): 17 jumbo shrimp/ week

Median consumption for rural coastal communities in Louisiana: 19 jumbo shrimp/week

Median consumption for Vietnamese-American communities in LA & MS: 22 jumbo shrimp/week

High-end consumers (90th percentile): 56 jumbo shrimp/week

What does this all mean?

It means that the long term health of the people in our survey isn't being adequately protected by FDA's seafood safety standards. And, based in anecdotal evidence, I strongly suspect those standards aren't adequately protecting the health of my dad or my step-mom either.

UPDATE:If you're interested, activist/news site Change.org wrote a piece on the seafood survey results, and created a petition so you can tell FDA what you think, here.

Coast Watch Volunteer Program Launched for Mississippi Coast

2010-06-11T14:20:41Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

We don't usually do this (okay, to be honest, we never do this), but I thought it might be appropriate to repost a press release verbatim from a Gulf Coast group on volunteer opportunities for the Mississippi coast.

I'll post info on other volunteer ops for other states as I come upon them.

Also — if you'd like to donate, 100% of money donated to NRDC's Gulf Coast Recovery Fund will go to the Gulf Coast Fund and other local non-profit groups. More on that here.

Coast Watch Volunteer Program Launched for Mississippi Coast

Biloxi, Miss – The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service today announced the launch of Coast Watch, a volunteer initiative focusing on surveying beaches and coastal habitats that may be impacted by the BP oil spill. Coast Watch volunteers survey, record, and report shoreline observations along approximately 46 miles of beach in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties.

“Coast Watch is the first line of defense for coastal communities facing possible oil impact,” said Brandi McNeil, MCVS Deputy Director. “Volunteers in the Coast Watch program play an extremely important role in the oil spill response because they are the most familiar with the beaches and wildlife in their community.”

Individuals who live along coastal communities can watch for oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches by becoming a Coast Watch volunteer. Coast Watch volunteers are community members who know the daily wildlife and plants that exist on their local beach. The “Coast Watchers” will assist state agencies, BP, and their partnering organizations in identifying beaches that need attention.

Coast Watchers will work within the coastal communities where they live and commit to do the following:

Report injured or oiled animals

Report oiled shoreline

Report a change in Air Quality

Coast Watchers are not permitted to enter off-limit areas to obtain observations and must not make contact with oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches due the health concerns associated with contact.

Citizens wanting to become a Coast Watcher need to register online at www.volunteermississippi.org. Training will be offered on an ongoing basis and be provided to all individuals participating in volunteer activities.

“MCVS is offering a valuable service to the coastal communities and an avenue for the many volunteers who want to participate in response efforts,” said Marti Powers, BP spokesperson. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with MCVS to provide this assistance to Mississippi.”

To date, over 4,000 volunteers from 46 states, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Canada, and Australia have registered to help in response to the BP oil spill. Hundreds of volunteers from Mississippi’s lower three counties have given almost 1,000 hours of service, and cleaned and surveyed over 37 miles of beach and coastal habitats.

The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service engages and supports Mississippians of all ages and backgrounds in service to their communities. As your state office of volunteerism, the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service administers AmeriCorps programs, supports a network of Volunteer Centers, and coordinates other initiatives fostering community engagement and building volunteer capacity throughout the state. Contact MCVS at 888.353.1793 or www.mcvs.org.

For questions, call 866-519-MEMA (6362), or visit us online at www.msema.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook using the keyword MSEMA.

BP: PR FAIL

2010-05-31T14:40:08Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Wikipedia defines public relations (or PR) as "the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will serve both the organization and the public interest." It's not just about talking the talk, it's about walking the walk.

Clearly, BP is currently failing on the PR front.

Companies involved in the fossil fuels industry already have difficulties predicting the long term consequences of their actions (air pollution, global warming etc etc)... They work in the dirty fuels business... part of their very survival involves having a sort of loose relationship with reality.

And while it appears that there is little more damage BP could do given the company's responsibility for the worst oil disaster in American history, BP's continued attempts to re-write reality while the whole world is watching highlights that the company not only had an unrealistic impression of their godlike ability to draw oil from 18,000 ft below the seabed without any risk of oil spill (and therefore no need for investing in pesky oil spill clean-up technologies, or plans) but also continues to fail to understand that unless an action serves the public, it does not serve the organization, no matter how you spin it.

There have been many PR failures since this disaster started, but the one that really gets under my skin is BP's blatant disregard for worker health.

BP spokesman Darren Beaudo claims that "folks working those [oil clean-up] crews are not expected or trained to work in circumstances that would require respirators. If they were in that sort of situation they would be removed immediately," but if that was the case, then why have workers been hospitalized?

I'm no scientist, but I imagine that standing over a giant oil slick in 80 degree weather is probably going to expose you to some nasty fumes. While we might not know yet if it's essential for workers to wear respirators, we definitely don't know that it's safe for them to be out on the water without them. (See National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report citing an estimate that about 40 percent of crude oil evaporates after it is spilled).

According to NRDC environmental justice attorney Al Huang, the hospitalizations clearly indicate that "the health impacts from working long hours in oil-contaminated areas were so bad they needed emergency treatment... [and] there are probably many more workers out there who have experienced symptoms, but not sought treatment."

Yet one month into this disaster, rather than respond to the real problems on the ground and prevent further injury to the people of beleaguered Gulf Coast communities, BP continues to pretend that-- just like an oil spill of this magnitude could never happen-- there also could not possibly be a worker health concern (see Beaudo quote above).

BP has missed every opportunity to prevent this mess, cutting corners on blow out preventer tests, weaseling itself out of environmental impact statements, and even rushing through the sealing of the well-- and we've all witnessed the consequences.

Sure- tests, monitoring, health clinics, hazmat training, proper protective gear and respirators cost money-- but frankly we know where cutting corners gets us.

It's time for BP to pursue the precautionary principle: to over-prepare the people on the water for the challenges they will face.

It's good for the people, and it's good PR.

For more on the health effects of oil spills past, see this post from my colleague Dr. Gina Solomon.

Recent BP headlines:

AP: Underwater Oil Plumes Disputed by BP CEO Tony Hayward

WSJ: BP provided low-quality video of the leak site that hindered efforts to make an estimate

BP CEO: Gulf Coast Oil Spill Is Relatively 'Tiny' Compared To 'Very Big Ocean'

Oil Spill: The Plain Numbers

2010-05-28T15:30:15Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Yesterday the government "spill rate team" announced preliminary estimates of the rate at which oil has been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico for the last month.

Of course, as with most things associated with the spill, the numbers were kind of confusing (daily rate in barrels vs. daily rate in gallons vs. total magnitude of spill etc). To clear this up, I pulled numbers from Kate Sheppard's recent Mother Jones blog post on the topic and cross referenced it with numbers from CNN News Wire.

Here are the basics:

IN BARRELS

Full range of government estimates of the rate of spillage ran from 11,000 barrels/day to 25,000 barrels/day.

BUT the government clarified that the most likely estimate is that the spill rate has been between 12,000 barrels/day to 19,000 barrels/day.

IN GALLONS (1 barrel=42 US gallons; spill total assuming 37 days):

11,000 Barrels (lowest of the low)= 462,000 gal/day * 37 days

= 17Million gallons LOWEST POSSIBLE spill total

12,000 Barrels (lowest likely spill rate)= 504,000 gal/day * 37 days

= 18.6Million gallons LOWEST LIKELY spill total

19,000 Barrels (highest likely spill rate)= 798,000 gal/day *37 days

=29.5Million gallons HIGHEST LIKELY spill total

25,000 Barrels (highest of the estimates)= 1.05 Mil gal/day * 37 days

= 38.85Million gallons HIGHEST ESTIMATED spill total

For your reference: Exxon Valdez spilled 11 Million gallons of oil.

If you want to compare... the largest spills in human history (according to EnviroWonk) can be found here. Notably #10 was 40 Million gallons of oil spilled off Nova Scotia in 1988... Sadly, we may be approaching that number if the largest estimates for rate of spill are correct...

Note From My Dad, on the Gulf

2010-04-30T21:09:52Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

My dad moved to the panhandle of Florida (Fort Walton Beach/ Destin to be exact, 50miles east of Pensacola) when I was finishing up high school. He used to lure me down to visit on spring breaks and during the summer with promises of quality time together, lots of sun, and of course, leisurely days on the beach.

So, while my day job makes it rather easy for me to become obsessed with the river of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from the sunken BP oil rig, I am also worried about how its spread will affect families in Lousiana and possibly my own.

I wrote to my dad this morning asking-- if things did get bad down by him-- if he would take photos, "iReport" back, tell the stories of his neighbors, his friends etc. both because I was interested, and I thought that some OnEarth Greenlight readers might be interested too.

As a matter of context, I should note that my dad is not a scientist, or a biologist. He just lives on the Gulf. He was raised in an Air Force family and is, by many measures, a conservative. A doctor by trade, he loves to cook, loves to go fishing, and thinks that if he takes me out on a boat every time I visit someday I will start to love fishing too (usually I just get sea sick). We don't always agree, but here's what he had to say about the spill:

Check out this is the NOAA site- pretty good info -

Re blogging: I might blog, should we become directly involved (which means oil in or near Destin). Unfortunately, I feel this is likely.

This spill is immense and we are totally at the whim of currents and winds. Any South wind pushes oil directly to the beaches and marshes.

This spill will have a devastating effect on the coastal economy- our Florida economy is directly dependent on tourism which affects all walks of life here- hotels, restaurants, fishing charters, hospitals - and yes, even gas stations. This occurs in an era where many of the fisheries have had reduced seasons, limits or closed completely...

The long reaching effects of the contamination of the Louisiana marshes is incalculable: this area is a very important ecosystem for developing fish, shrimp and other sea creatures which later move to the Gulf of Mexico- providing for the seafood and fishing industry.

Sugar white beaches of Destin hold a universal appeal- but not so appealing should they become blacked. Any positive outcome? Maybe people will think a little harder about how high we live on the energy curve and what these "safe" offshore drilling risks really are.

Dad

I think that about summs it up.

Turns out, green is the new big

2010-01-05T16:53:41Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Are the days of "my building is taller than your building" coming to an end?

Taipei 101 has proudly been the tallest building in the world for the last five years, but instead of quietly slipping into the background after losing that title yesterday to Burj Dubai, Taipei 101 announced that it will achieve something that is even better than tallness: it will go green.

By 2011 Taipei 101 (501 meters tall vs. Burj Dubai's 800 meters) plans to earn LEED certification-- making it the tallest green building in the world.

Let the competition begin...

Famous Actor Struck Down by... Really Really High Mercury Content

2008-12-18T22:00:21Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Earlier today Chicago Breaking News, the Huffington Post (and several others I am sure) reported that actor Jeremy Piven will be headed home from Broadway for a while-- due to "extreme mercury toxicity."

Now, not even Piven's doctors (and he has a couple) know why his mercury count was "the highest [they'd] ever seen" but other journalists at other outlets have noted that Piven was an avid sushi eater, meaning often he had two meals of sushi a day.

Which reminds me of my last job.

Shortly after I was hired my former employeer learned that he too had "extremely elevated mercury levels"... of mysterious origin...

There are plenty of ways to expose yourself to mercury, thermometers, CFL lightbulbs, and batteries are just a few. But the doctor of my former employer believed that most likely my boss' mercury issue was linked to the copious amounts of sushi-grade tuna he was eating each week. Which dovetails well with revelations from the New York Times just one year ago that they found illegally high mercury levels in 5 out of 20 samples of sushi tuna they purchased in NYC.

During the months following my employer's mercury discovery I spent a lot of time researching data on mercury in seafood and even had two samples of canned salmon from off the coast of British Columbia privately tested by a chemical lab for its mercury content at the behest of my employer. I don't remember the exact numbers, and I know that mercury levels in individual fish may vary, but the samples I had tested had a mercury content 3x higher than EPA estimates for the same species. The levels were not poisonous, but they were concerning.

To protect public health, FDA is legally allowed to remove fish from the market that contains more than 1ppm (part per million) of mercury. You would expect that the FDA would protect us by enforcing that... but notably several fish samples purchased by the New York Times surpassed that limit, and many fish species on EPA's website approach that limit. (You can find EPA's estimates regarding the mercury content in fish derived from data from 1990-2004 here).

Which may explain the befuddlement of Gina Solomon earlier this week when she learned of a bizarre draft document produced by Bush administration FDA "that ignores the science showing the harmful effects of prenatal exposures to mercury, and concludes that eating fish with relatively high levels of mercury can be beneficial"

Again, I'm no scientist. Or doctor. But this information about mercury just doesn't sit well with me, or the personal experience of people I've worked with. And since I'm not a scientist my best bet is to listen to Gina, who is both a scientist and a medical doctor. And to read things. And then to decide what is best for me.

Today, it is not a giant slice of tuna...

If you want to learn more about mercury in seafood, how much you may be eating each meal and what fish contain the lowest levels of mercury, check out NRDC's "mercury in seafood" website and wallet guides at http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/index.asp

More information can also be found on the Chicago Tribune website. They did a "local fish" test similar to the one done by the New York Times with similar results.

EcoGeek’s Girlfriend-- What a Woman Wants

2008-09-19T19:18:31Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Today, EcoGeek reported in their blog post “EcoGeeks get all the girls” that “It turns out girls dig guys who dig environmental technology.”

Where are they getting their information? From Big Three automaker GM.

Fancy that.

As it happens, GM did a study this year as part of their Challenge X competition (“a yearly competition among college students to make GM vehicles more efficient”)- the results were probably pretty shocking to GM Exec Bob Lutz, who just a few days ago suggested to Steven Colbert that aside from cheaper fuel (i.e. < $1 per gallon) the new Chevy Volt electric car would help Steven attract a particularly elusive type of woman: the hippie chick.

Well, read this Mr Lutz: eco-cars don’t just attract hippies anymore.

According to GM’s own research eco-friendlier cars attract nearly 88% of women overall. In fact

“Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.”

As an environmentalist non-hippie chick, and a former psych major, it makes sense to me.

Women are shown in studies to be attracted to intelligence and (to put it simply) stability— two things that are generally held by people "who dig environmental technology.”

I think 88 percent of women have come to face facts: we’re pulling resources from the ground about as fast as we’re pumping carbon into the air --- oil is running out fast, prices are skyrocketing faster, and natural gas and other fossil fuels aren’t going to take us far before they run out too.

Oh yea, and dollar for dollar investment in green energy will create more jobs than investing said money in.. say.. oil.

Something’s gotta give.

So a person who understands that the best blue and true solutions are…well… green…is probably going to be the one that girls like myself will flock to.

Efficiency and sustainability make sense. Maybe we don’t have all the infrastructure we need yet, but the infrastructure for that blackberry you’re clinging to wasn’t around a decade ago either.

We live in a world of limited resources; we have to figure out ways to cut back on what we use without cutting back on our quality of life.
We subsist in large part on fossil fuels, which are limited resources; we have to figure out how to use unlimited resources.

So if a girl wants a smart companion, a stable companion-- someone who gets it and is planning for the future-- who is she going to chase?

The choice is clear, Mr. Lutz – most girls are going to chase that person driving the small, efficient, eco- friendly car.

I think speak on behalf of 88% of my fellow ladies when I say, please, keep those efficient eco-friendlier cars coming.

BYO Spork

2008-07-23T19:17:16Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Lately, as a good greenie, I’ve been obsessed with the BYO phenomenon. I bring my own bag, everywhere. I fantasize about bringing my own takeout container regularly. And everytime I see a disposable fork, spoon, or chopstick thrown onto a table I silently chastise myself and make a mental note: I need to buy a portable set of reusable silverware—or at the very least steal an old set from my mom’s house, pronto.

So today, it was not without a shrill inner cry of joy that I stumbled upon an outdoor stainless steel cutlery set made by a popular reusable water bottle producer.

It’s like the swiss army knife of treehuggers—never use a plastic fork again!

So tonight, afterwork, I’m going to indulge and buy that spork set and carry it with pride. That’s good news for my mom’s silver set, and my local takeout restaurant.

Next up: reusable chopsticks with a chic silk pouch.

Where the Water's at: 6 Ways to Save

2008-07-07T20:46:32Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Today, states and cities across the US are increasingly confronted with the looming threat of water shortages. Last summer Georgia, Florida and Mississippi repeatedly faced ominous images of receding waterlines at local lakes and reservoirs. This year, summer has barely started and already states like Nevada and Utah are dealing with droughts, while California has already initiated state-wide water conservation measures.

Some scientists are saying that in the near future (read: 2040-2060) much of the American West will be experiencing less rainfall, smaller snowpacks, and overall, less water. So the question quickly becomes: How can your family reduce your water waste without cutting back on your quality of life?

Well, apparently (according to the experts at NRDC) you can do a lot.

THE SMALL STUFF

[1] Shower Savers

Shockingly, showers account for up to 32 percent of home water use. So what to do? Shower smarter.

If you have small kids, start saving water today by turning bath time into play time: wash the kids together and save time, money, and a couple tubfulls of water.

Or, if you want to reduce water use while keeping your favorite showerhead, try purchasing a flow control valve and installing it between the arm and the head. It won’t reduce water as much as a low-flow showerhead, but it’s a step in the right direction.

For the best water savings buy a low-flow version of what you have now. Just by installing a WaterSense label showerhead families can cut their shower time water use in half. In fact, families of four could save enough water each year to fill a 30ft x15ft x6ft swimming pool!

[2] Things that flow: Faucets

While you’re at the hardware store, pitch in a few bucks for a faucet aerator. Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap.

If you don't feel like buying something new you can also just reach under your sink and use the flow control valve to reduce the water flow to your faucet. Fiddle around until you find the flow that’s satisfying but more modest than the usual torrential pour.

And of course there are the simple savings, such as turning the faucet off while soaping your face, shaving, or brushing your teeth. Rinse. Then repeat.

[3] Toilet Tips

Like showers, toilets are water hogs. In fact, about 40 percent of the water used in the home gets flushed down the toilet each day. What to do? With standard toilets you really have only two choices:

Choice 1: take a plastic milk jar, fill it with water, stones, etc. Place the weighted jug in the toilet tank to displace water and reduce the about of liquid used in each flush.

Choice 2: upgrade your porcelain throne to a dual flush or low flow toilet and reduce the water washed down the drain by 2 to 3.5 gallons, per flush.

[4] Use the Dishwasher, Not the Sponge.

What other place is your water is secretly being wasted? Look to your kitchen sink. An open faucet lets about 5 gallons of water flow every 2 minutes. Instead of soaping up by hand, run the dishwasher only when it’s full and save between 10 and 20 gallons of water a day.

Alternately, if you love doing dishes, try washing them by hand in a sink or dishpan containing water, rather than running the tap continuously as you scrub.

[5] If It’s Leaking, It’s Broken

Water from leaky faucets accumulates just as quickly as snowflakes or raindrops. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day [that’s enough clean water to hydrate a family of four for 8.9 days [based on 0.56 gal/day/person]. Worse yet, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons every day.

Fix leaks and drips as soon as possible to avoid high water bills and save the water lost for something more pleasurable. Even with things like fixing outdoor garden faucets it’s easy to find DIY instructions online.

[6] About All Those Plants… Fertilize less, mow taller and water smarter.

Planning on doing new landscaping? Try Succulents or native plants, some can go over a week without watering.

As for managing what you already have…

- leave the mower clippings on the lawn to slow down evaporation.
- don’t fertilize, like your kid, the faster it grows the more it eats.
- allow your grass to grow a bit taller and you’ll reduce water loss by providing more ground shade for roots and promoting soil water retention.
- and buy a rain barrel to catch rain runoff so you can water your plants with waste rather than the stuff coming our of your faucet

When watering your plants, water early [before 6am] or late [after midnight] and don’t water every day [skipping days will encourage deeper roots and drought resistance].

If you’re not a morning person or a night owl, invest in an irrigation timer to maximize your zzz’s while minimizing your water waste.

IN SHORT

The water you use matters. A family of four could save enough drinking water to sustain themselves for 26 years, just by replacing their conventional showerheads with low-flow showerheads for one year.

For more solutions see what your local community is doing to cut back on water waste, get involved, or when you only have a little time, browse websites with watersaving tips.

[When in doubt, do the math yourself: ~20,000 gallons water are saved per year by families of four that switch to low-flow WaterSense label showerheads from conventional ones. 1 healthy person drinks approx 0.52 gallons per day. A family of four drinks 2.08 gallons per day… so 20,000 gallons could last them 9,615 days OR 26 years]

The Daily Green’s Stingy Dad Guide to Father's Day- Nice.

2008-05-30T22:43:18Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

This morning, as I was compiling a daily report of NRDC’s media hits, I came across the aforementioned feature on The Daily Green. I smiled. I laughed. I thought of my father. The piece entitled: “The Stingy Dad Guide to Father’s Day; Dad Was Right (and Green) When He Told You To…” contains numerous Father’s Day gift tips that far surpass what I had come up with so far (.. ahem… nothing…) and runs the gamut from well-justified-gifts-of-nothing, to beer, car tune ups, and other things dads like.

The article begins:

Remember all those little nuggets of wisdom Dad doled out over the years? ("Turn off the lights!" "Stop driving like a maniac!" "Go outside and play!" etc., etc., etc.)

Ah, the advice you hated to hear... Have you noticed that these are the same sage tips recommended by the architects of the new green movement? Gasoline at $4 a gallon and a world turned upside down by global warming have made Dad's attention to every watt of energy seem smart, even (gasp!) trendy.
Impress Dad this year by saving all that energy you might otherwise spend driving to the mall. Dads are notoriously hard to shop for, and notoriously stingy. This Father's Day, celebrate Dad's wisdom by recognizing just how green he really is (even if he doesn't know it).
So skip the gift and tell Dad he was right. Tell him he's always been right. Tell him he keeps getting more right all the time. (Just do it. Father's Day is only one day a year.)

I like the way they think.

I’m tempted to add a few things to their tips: i.e. Don’t stop with organic beer, throw some love to the locals and give dad organic beer from your home town---and then follow the suds with stats on the fuel and money wasted on importing foods from fancy-schmancy places (like France, Fiji, and…Canadia?). But instead, I think I’ll embrace the truth: it’s probably time for this tip-writing-blogger to bow to The Daily Green and give props.

Oh yea, and props to my Dad too: Dad, you were right, eating all my brussel sprouts (from the garden), growing our own vegetables, and walking to my friend’s houses instead of getting a car ride is better. Thanks dad. You’re the best.

Mother’s Day Gifts for the Mindful Buyer

2008-05-05T14:16:28Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Now I’m not a mom yet, and my mom lives on the west coast (leaving me pretty much off the hook when it comes to Mother’s Day) but that’s not to say that I don’t have plenty of ideas about what I would want if I was a mom, or better yet, what I can still do for my mom from 2,851 miles away.

To begin with if your mom lives in far away like mine, you should definitely utilize the internet. The warehouse-to-door nature of online purchases makes the long distance mother-daughter-relationship a bit less… distant… Internet orders also come with added perks, like ground shipping (which saves cash, carbon and creates a little bit of that “hrmm I wonder what’s in the box?” excitement for the receiver of gift).

Anyway, the point is, in celebration of the coming holiday (and as a reminder to myself that Mother’s Day is May 11th) I came up with a handful of sustainable gift ideas. Please enjoy:

What to do if your mom lives far away:

1. Three words: Organic cotton sheets

Most moms work hard, and sleep is probably one of their most valuable indulgences. And for many, her bedroom is her sanctuary—it is a restful peaceful place. Any gift that you could give her to make it more comfortable, more restful and above all more healthy, is worth it.

If you decide to go the “organic sanctuary” route, you can find standard organic cotton linens online at prices similar to standard sheets, and considering the pesticides you’d be saving [one pound of herbicides pesticides and fungicides for every three pounds of processed cotton] they’re more than worthwhile.

Or if you’re willing to splurge, go for a high thread-count set (400+ is luxury). They’ll cost a good deal more, but they’re durable, softer with each use, and are so nice she’ll still be using them come Mother’s Day 2010.

2. Flowers

In many large cities there are a good number of farmers markets and at least one or two organic florists. Buying flowers locally helps avoid the carbon footprint of shipping the buds from the far ends of Ecuador in a refrigerated truck, and buying organic helps avoid growing conditions that possibly involve the nerve gas sarin. But unfortunately after decades of care, for many of us sending mom a card with 20 bucks and a message saying “go buy yourself some nice local flowers” doesn’t exactly cut it.

Instead doing a little online research helps a lot. Look into the price differences, and then make the choice that’s right for you: buy organic flowers online from a warehouse and have them shipped to her doorstep or call one of her local organic florists and have them hand delivered. (If I find a third option I’ll be sure to let you know).

What to do if you’re still under the age of 12:

1. Pancakes!

If there is one thing that moms love, it’s when their kids cook for them. This could mean taking her out to a local organic restaurant, or it could mean making a sustainable breakfast in bed.

If you go for the latter, foods that are in season can be found on NRDC’s Food Miles minisite, and we can suggest a few recipes that include rhubarb, asparagus, wild leeks, spinach and other in season food too.

2. Make her something

For example: Silk or organic cotton eye pillows are great for time to relax. They’re also easily handmade/ homemade with some soft recycled cloth or organic yardage filled with organic flax seeds and dried lavender. You can find instructions online, just google it.

3. Give her a night off

For an overworked mom, sometimes some time off is the best Mother’s Day present of all. A home drawn bubble bath or organic salt soak is a good way to start, particularly if you top it off with some bees wax candles.

If she likes home pedicures, treat her health with a “phthalate-free” version of her favorite hue of nail polish. And don’t shy away from incorporating the family (and photo opportunities) into the evening—there are plenty of organic face mask recipes online that can be made from common kitchen ingredients. Look one up and then try it out—at the very least it will keep the kids busy while mom gets some rest, and in a best case scenario the application photos will take a prominent place in the family photo album.

What to do if you’re a husband:

Buy a book on foot massage and some organic oils. Then read it and use them. Low emissions. Low cost. And above all, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.... think of it in terms of the proverb “if you teach a man to fish”... only replace fish with "rub his wife's feet"

Organic vs. Local vs. Your Sanity…

2008-04-27T16:48:06Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

Yesterday I was confronted with a question facing many shoppers today: should I buy the organic granny smith apple or should I buy the locally grown apple?

Only to be honest the organic apple (Washington State) was “more local” than the conventional apple (Chile), and they both cost the same. The only thing that created an illusion of dilemma was that the Chilean apple was shiny, picture perfect and *looked healthier* while the organic apple that was slightly bruised and contained random shades of rose. Both apples came from places I’ve never visited. Neither was a good option. And my stomach was demanding food. Now.

I reasoned that I’d be mostly paying for the plane ticket and chemically-enhanced body image of Chilean apple, while the Wash State apple was priced as such due to its quality; value; organic-ness. And as I brushed aside the thought “don’t they grow conventional apples some place closer than Chile?” I grabbed the organic apple and happily placed it in my cart, thinking that maybe I just got a good deal (organic for the price of conventional—at least for certain foods organic is the way to go, right?)

I was wrong. The apple was sub par.

Later as I consulted the inflated prices on my receipt I realized I had just paid $1.55 for a disappointing (albeit organic) apple. And, even if I bought the other apple I would have still paid the same. The conclusion was clear: the wise choice is to buy a $0.75 (possibly organic) apple from the farmer’s market passed on the way to health foods store.

Apparently I am not alone in that conclusion. Recently CNNMoney.com discussed a food trends survey that revealed that many “organic shoppers” are abandoning the costly habit in the face of rising food prices. But they are not turning back to grocery stores (or conventional Chilean apples)—they are, instead, b-lining for the cost-value benefits of locally-grown foods at farmer’s markets.

The clear moral of the story is that if one wants to save one’s sanity and/or wallet it’s time to start observing which fruits and veggies are in season locally, and time to start making friends with one’s local bearded apple/carrot/flower/vegetable grower.

Their produce tastes better anyway.

Resources:

IN SEASON NEAR YOU (and written by us)

http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles

FIND A FARMER

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

EAT YOUR LAWN (a tale of sorts)

http://www.chow.com/stories/10995

WIKIHOW: Save Money at Farmer's Markets

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money-at-a-Farmers%27-Market

Cake for Breakfast

2008-04-08T22:17:11Z

Courtney Hamilton, NRDC Alum, New York, NY

During the winter I had this brilliant idea: sign up for a weekly delivery from an organic foods co-op of sorts and never have to walk through the snow with groceries ever again.

The idea was great. Only there were two hitches: 1) over the course of the entire winter there were maybe two major snowfalls in Manhattan and 2) they always delivered carrots (I hate carrots).

But salvation was not far off: I love eating carrot cake for breakfast.

I am not a baker—I’m lazy with measuring things, and like to taste as I go along—so it was not without mishaps that I developed the recipe that follows.

This specific recipe is made to be flexible and “seasoned to taste” (in fact in my apartment, most of the raw batter is consumed well before the liners hit the muffin tray), it is delicious, moist, and above all, healthy enough to eat in the morning, while sweet enough to taste… guilty.

According to NRDC's Food Miles website most of the ingredients in this recipe (carrots, carrots, more carrots) are in season year round in California and even in North Dakota are available in a nearby state 9 months out of the year. In short, this recipe is useful year round, and particularly appropriate for celebrating the last two weeks of carrot season on the East Coast (which FYI ends mid-april for hot-house carrots).

(and for those of you that don’t believe me that this is actually an acceptable form of breakfast, I beg you to check out the nutritional content as estimated by an online calculator and compare it to say… the nutritional information of a bowl of cereal or a bagel)

[Recipe]

Makes about 24 muffins (they go quick)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oat bran

1 cup sugar**

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp your choice of spices (I usually use a mixture of cinnamon/ clove, or pumpkin pie spice)

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbs ground flax seed whisked with 9tbs water **

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

4 cups grated carrots

1 ½ cup dark raisins

1 ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out two non-stick muffin pans, and if you want, line with cupcake liners.

Mix together the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl (the dry ingredients), then slowly mix in the oil, flax mixture, apple sauce and carrots (the wet ingredients) until you achieve an even consistency. Taste. Adjust spicing/ sweetness/ ratios as necessary. Add raisins and walnuts, as many or as little as you want. Taste.

Scoop batter into muffin trays, filling each muffin well until it is ¾ full. At home this recipe makes about 24 muffins. Leave the remaining muffin wells empty.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted in the center comes back mostly clean, and/or when centers spring back when gently pressed.

Let cool for 5 min on a wire tray (if you have one). Can be stored at room temperature on your countertop, covered in aluminum foil.

Serving suggestions:

Serve plain, with butter, cream cheese, with your favorite yogurt, or paired with a second muffin.

NOTES/ TIPS

** Organicness

All ingredients can be found organic for not much extra $$. The only thing that’s not consistently organic in my recipe is the flour and the oil.

** Sugar

The measurement above is inexact. I usually start at a half cup and then just add more as needed. Depending on the sweetness of your applesauce/ carrots/ palate you may need less than a full cup.

**For those that want to go super local

If you live anywhere outside of Hawaii, Florida or Louisiana, sugar is probably not a locally produced product. In this recipe the use of apple sauce reduces the need for sugar, and I always use organic… but if you still feel guilty or feel that you can do better, try switching the sugar out for the appropriate amounts of Maple syrup, or if you live near Mexico, Agave.

**Ground Flax

First of all, grinding your own flax seeds in a food processor until they look like a coarse flour before mixing with the water produces a moister muffin. Pre-ground flax meal makes fluffier dryer muffins. And as a third alternative you can replace each tbs of ground flax with an egg, but frankly the muffins don’t taste any better, and adding egg reduces the ecological benefits of avoiding refrigerated animal products.

** Apple Sauce/ Oil Ratio

You can mix and match the quantities, so long as it adds up to 1 cup you’re good. (the ratio here is my favorite)

** Eat the Batter

Taste it before you pop it into the oven, if you like the flavors great, but if not add a little more of whatever’s needed. Or just eat raw. It tastes good!

RESOURCES:

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles

http://www.chowhound.com/ (can help you find local organic restaurants and connect with local foodies)