Do you pee in the shower? You are saving the planet!

Peeing in the shower, some of us do it, some of us think it is gross. I am going to show you why peeing in the shower could help save the planet, and hope you learn to see some situations in life for more than face value. There are so many things that all of us can do to help mitigate the effects of climate change. There is a lot of great suggestions regarding how each individual can pitch in to reduce our impact on the planet:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/gsteps.asp

http://ncse.com/climate/climate-change-101/what-can-we-do

For some it can seem daunting; many of us are overwhelmed by the vast amount of information out there, and all the perceived steps required of us in order to make a difference. When presented with the effort required in order to minimize the effects of climate change, one can feel burdened and afraid that they are not able to drastically change their lifestyle. But let me remind you of the power of aggregate effort. If we all make at least a little effort, the additive effect will be great. Consider a penny, it doesn’t seem like much money; if every United States citizen added a penny to a pot of money, that would be equivalent to over three million dollars! So I hope you realize that a little effort can make a big difference. There are numerous ways to help mitigate the effects of climate change without having to completely change your lifestyle:

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/StopGlobalWarming.php

http://life.gaiam.com/article/climate-change-25-things-you-can-do

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/simple-ways-stop-global-warming-78815.html

One simple way to minimize your impact on the climate and save money and time, all from the comfort of your home is to change the way you use water. Increased water usage means higher water bills, heating bills, carbon emissions associated with warming and transporting the water, and a worsened drought that many areas are currently experiencing. There are copious actions that will reduce water usage; the one that I hope gets you interested is peeing in the shower.

The next time someone berates you for peeing in the shower like George Costanza, you can refute his or her claims with your own - you are saving the planet. In 2014 the University of the UK started a campaign, urging the students to urinate while they shower. They determined that if a household urinated in the shower rather than flushing the toilet one extra time a day, they would save 1,157 gallons of water a year. If you were worried about hygiene, the university released with the campaign a list of literature that suggest there is no hygiene issue pertaining to urinating in the shower. Not only will you help save the planet, you will help your wallet with les water usage. So the next time you shower, remember the peeing can help prevent the plight of the planet.

In addition the above suggestion, there are many other small ways to reduce water usage and save money - including but not limited to:

-Reduce the amount of time you are in the shower

-Turn off the shower as you wash up and turn it back on to rinse off

-Get low flow showerheads and toilets

-Use rainwater-collecting containers for watering gardens

-Don’t leave the water running while washing dishes

-Use yard landscaping that requires less water

-Use your washing machine on the cold setting

Fracking and Climate Change

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as ‘fracking’, is a drilling technique used to obtain oil and natural gas from deep in the ground. Patented in 1949 by Halliburton, the practice has expanded and advanced through today, with many companies taking part in this technique. The companies drill deep holes into the earth and cases it with steel and cement, then they pump a mixture of sand, water and chemicals into the well at high pressures, fracturing the rock, allowing natural gasses to flow out of the rock, through the tunnel to the surface where it is treated and removed. Generally, the wells ‘dry up’ within a few years, then they are plugged and the companies move on to other areas. Since 9/11 and conflicts with many countries with high rates of oil production and export, fracking has seen a boom in the U.S., in the last five years alone the U.S. has a daily increase of 3.7 million barrels of oil, dropping the import of oil by 44%. In 2012, the U.S. became the #1 producer of natural gas, removing Russia from the top spot. Obviously, this has been good for the economy of the U.S. but has it been good for our environment?

Environmental Impact:

With fracking, the use of natural gases have become much more abundant than the use of oil and coal. Natural gases output carbon dioxide at less than half the rate of oil and coal, which should be a good thing for the atmosphere. But, what studies are finding is that because the natural gases are more abundant suddenly (because of the prevalence of fracking), and cheaper than coal and oil imported from the Middle East, the rates of consumption have gone up, thus increasing the lowered rates of carbon output. Another problem with fracking is the release of natural gases into the atmosphere while drilling. Methane is the gas that could have the most alarming consequences, being 72 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, trapping heat in the atmosphere. Besides affecting the atmosphere, fracking has had negative effects on our nation’s human water supply, variously from leaks into communities’ ground water supplies and drinking wells to the high volume of water needed to use for the process itself. There have also been a number of earthquakes directly related to fracking practices. Another extremely unfortunate side effect of fracking is that it has taken the focus and funding away from actual clean energy resources that would not be harmful to the environment, such as solar and wind energy. With the funding going mostly towards fracking, solar and wind power research and technology funding has suffered greatly, unable to make strides towards clean energy. How can we shift funding back towards clean energy that is safer for personal health and safer for environmental health to slow down climate change?

Watch this Documentary:

Check out these links: 

http://www.livescience.com/39406-fracking-wasterwater-injection-caused-ohio-earthquakes.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=most-popular&li_campaign=related-test

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2014/10/american-power-fracking-boom-2014101121933879758.html

http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/fracking-makes-climate-change-worse-not-better-141015.htm

http://grist.org/climate-energy/edf-defends-its-controversial-study-of-methane-leaks-from-fracking-wells/

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/05062015/fracking-has-contaminated-drinking-water-epa-now-concludes

President Obama's Clean Power Plant Plan

 

President Obama has recently made some headlines in the news by introducing a controversial environmental and energy plan.  The plan is basically an executive order to force coal fired power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.  This is the biggest stance the president has taken to fight climate change.  These said power plants account for about 40 percent of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions.  They are also one of the largest suppliers of powering electricity in the United States.  The plan estimates that will, prevent 3,600 premature deaths, prevent 1,700 non-fatal heart attacks, prevent 90,000 asthma attack on children and prevent 300,000 missed workdays and schooldays.  In addition it will also save the average american family nearly 85 dollars a year on their energy bills, save enough energy to power 30 million homes and save consumers 155 billion dollars from the years 2020-2030.  It will also boost the American economy by creating tens of thousands of jobs, continuing to lower the costs of renewable energy and leads to 30 percent more renewable energy generation.  These are all estimates of what life will be like in the year 2030.  

Now, there are negatives with this plan, such as immediately it will be very costly to put in place.  The proposal would also force the energy industry to deal wit the cost of decommissioning or retrofitting existing, functional power delivery systems and replacing them.  This is a very costly affair.  In addition, the Chamber of Commerce states that the plan places unrealistic demands on states, which results in more burden on individuals and businesses.  The chamber believes that the level of CO2 emissions reductions is unachievable for the power plants.  

However, even though this plan is far from perfect, it is a step in the right direction in terms of fighting climate change.  The leaders of our country need to realize that climate change is a serious problem that needs to be address sooner rather than later.  There is extreme weather happening due to the high levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.  The united Sates alone lost 65 billion dollars on super storm Sandy and 2.3 billion dollars on Hurricane Isaac.  President Obama realizes that climate change is a serious issue and is stepping in the right direction to combat it with this plan.  

For more information here are some links:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change

http://www2.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2014/06/02/Pros-and-Cons-Obama-s-New-Carbon-Rule

                                                                       

Going Green can Save You Money!

 

There are several ways to do your part when it comes to reducing climate change, some are easy, some are hard, and some save you money! The savings come when you do your yearly taxes, and can be federal or state tax credits. It won’t always be cheap up front, but when looking at the costs in the long term, it can definitely be more wallet, and environmentally friendly. For example, upgrading your home appliances from a regular appliance to a eco-friendly energy saver appliance can save you money. The appliance may be more upfront, but when you see your monthly energy bill, you’ll be glad you upgraded. Not to mention the added credit when you do your taxes for the year. There are also tax credits for upgrading large appliances such as water heaters, and energy sources (wind and solar). Did you know that you can also qualify for tax credits if you own a certain type of car, or convert your car? Just something to keep in mind when you go to purchase a new vehicle. These are only a few of the suggestions people can take to save money on the federal tax level. However, you might qualify for more based on where you live as well. Be sure to keep all your receipts when you do, as you might need them when you fill out your taxes. 

Check out http://www.irs.gov/Credits-&-Deductions/Individuals for more information on federal tax credits and http://www.dsireusa.org/ is a great website to use when looking up state tax credits for where you live. So the next time you go shopping for home improvements or for a new car, make sure you check out these websites first. You could be in for a better treat than you thought!

Climate Change: Some of the Challenges and Solution Approaches

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to attend a presentation delivered by Dr. William Jaeger who is the author of several books along with articles about natural resource and environmental issues. Jaeger's research encompasses energy, land and water use, taxation, sustainable development.  Many people tend to believe that environmental issues are simple problems that can be easily identified, evaluated, and solved with a simple policy or approach.  It is important for us to understand that evaluating the risks and costs of environmental degradation is a very complex task.   Because of the inherent complexity, scientists continue to develop innovative ways to help alleviate the crisis of climate change and over the years they have devised different methods that can be applied to different circumstances.

According to Dr. Jaeger, it becomes difficult to ascertain with accuracy the extent of the possible adverse consequences of pollution and the associated costs.  He stressed that finding solutions to environmental problems is a complex task because it involves dreary collective bargaining, the issue of efficiency, the question of equity, the challenge of measuring costs, the issue of intangibility.

Dr. Jaeger discussed a few of the tools available to alleviate environmental problems which includes regulation standards, public works, and market based approaches.  He also noted that the tools available are debatable approaches as each produces variable results.  One of the tools used by environmental scientists to evaluate costs and benefits is computer simulation programs.  However, Jaeger recognizes that evaluating costs using computer simulation software has its own drawbacks because the program can produce environmental degradation probabilities with a too wide margin of error.  Another tool, according to Dr. Jagger, is the public works approach but it can create situations in which individuals charged with the management of public natural resources tend to seek benefits for themselves, certainly neglecting their ethical and public responsibility.  He also noted that the regulation standards approach produces mixed results.

Despite the impediments that exist to reach accord about environmental goals, Dr. Jaeger enumerated some of the methods we can employ to overcome the obstacles of organization.  He argues in favor of using international trade penalties on environmental negligent countries, and the need to use litigation against firms or individuals causing damage to the environment.  He argues that the revenue obtained from trade penalties can be used to subsidy poor countries to take actions that protect the environment.  In the view of Dr. Jaeger, market based approaches are the least costly and more efficient than other policy methods because the market has the capacity to adjust to government regulations.  Moreover, he argues that the market has the capacity to innovate and produce environmentally friendly goods such as fuel efficient cars, hybrids cars, and other products.  We can all do our part to protect the environment by taking basic approaches such as using energy efficient products and purchasing Eco-friendly merchandises.

If you would like to learn more about challenges of assessing climate challenge and the approaches used to alleviate the crisis, click the links below:

http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/weitzman/files/damagesfunctionglobalwarming.pdf

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/223489619_Is_sustainability_optimal_Examining_the_differences_between_economists_and_environmentalists

Simple, Easy Actions To Help Combat Climate Change

In world today climate change is often an overwhelming topic of conversation.  There is just so much to be done and so many problems and issues that you may not even feel like even thinking about solutions to fighting climate change.  Luckily there are some easy, simple, everyday activities that everyone can do to fight this important fight.  Even though this steps may not feel like much just remember that if everyone does a little, that can add up to a lot.
10 ideas on actions to take:
1) Get a free energy audit.  The company Cape Light Compact offers this free service to tell you whether your house is losing heat in certain areas of your home and how to fix these issues.
2) Be careful with your car A/C.  Did you know that your gas consumption increases by 20 percent while your A/C is running? Save gas, money AND the environment by purely rolling down your car windows and enjoying the breeze.
3) Avoid speeding in your vehicle.  The EPA estimates that you can improve your gas mileage by 15 percent by staying at 55 mph on the freeway, rather than the normal 65.
4) Get out and walk more.  Instead of driving down to the corner market that is only a block away, take a nice walk! Not only is it good for you and you'll feel better, mother nature will feel a whole lot better too.
5) Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth.  This may be a tiny water savings, but if millions of us all do it, it adds up to a great deal of water.
6) When you take a vacation during the summer, just turn the A/C off! The same principle goes for winter time with the heater.  Rather, just close blinds and keep doors closed to regulate temperature properly.
7) Double check to make sure no pipes are leaking.  Not only will you save money and the environment but the water pressure will work much better too!
8)  Wash your clothes in cold water.  Consumers Union and Coop America did a study which shows that clothes get the same amount of clean whether washed in cold, warm or hot water.  You can reduce your carbon emissions 600 pounds a year by switching to cold water for every load.
9) Shorten your showers.  This one may seem hard but just think about all the extra time you'll have in morning if you take shorter showers!
10) Set your refrigerator for 37-40 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees.

Note that these are just a handful of simple actions to take to combat climate change.  There are many, many more ideas out there.
For more ideas click on the links below

Simple Steps to Combating Climate Change:
https://www.retailpackaging.com/blog/2013/02/27-ways-to-prevent-climate-change-a-guide-for-independent-retailers/

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/10-easy-ways-you-can-help-to-stop-climate-change-starting-today--ekE2mOTIBx

http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips/?singlepage=1

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/

By: Garrett Sanders

What LED Really Stands For: Lessening Environmental Destruction

Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are one way we can help slow down climate change, while improving our quality of life and saving money. The Alliance to Save Energy released a study that claims lighting comprises 22% of the total electricity use in the United States, and that eliminating incandescent bulbs would save $18 billion dollars each year! Incandescent bulbs are currently being phased out of use in the United States. One of the things that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 did was that it increased efficiency standards for incandescent bulbs, causing many low-efficiency bulbs to be banned from being manufactured. Though this bill created higher standards for bulb manufacturers, many people still use incandescent bulbs or have switched to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). The most energy-efficient and cost-effective light bulbs available are LEDs. When I initially purchased LED bulbs, I was put off by the higher cost relative to other light bulbs. Reading more about LED bulbs, I learned that the slightly higher initial investment would actually save me a lot of money, and help the environment.

LED bulbs are more energy efficient than other light bulb types. They use 80%-90% less electricity than traditional lighting. The long life and durability of LED bulbs furthers the savings and reduces the hassle of constantly changing light bulbs. The average LED bulb has a life of 100,000 operational hours, in other words, if you left an LED bulb on for 24 hours a day, it would last for over 11 years! While they may seem expensive at first, LED bulbs, save money in the long run. There are many programs around the United States that give households some free LED bulbs, so check with your local electric company to see if there are any programs available in your area.

In addition to the money and lower energy consumption you get with LED bulbs, they are physically less harmful to the environment than other energy efficient bulbs such as CFLs. LEDs contain no toxic substances such as the mercury present in CFLs. The long life of LED bulbs will lower the amount of light bulbs you have to replace and recycle.

Other benefits of LED bulbs include brightening immediately, better light dispersal, higher quality light with lower electricity, a lower operating temperature, and reliable quality that is not temperature-dependent. LED bulbs also do not emit UV radiation like CFLs and other bulbs, which damage skin cells and greatly affects those with conditions such as lupus. I hope you see that LEDs are good for your wallet, health and the environment, and you consider looking into the benefits of them more through the following:

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/led-lighting

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/led-light-bulb2.htm

https://www.energystar.gov/products/certified-products/detail/light-bulbs

Finally an electric car that isn't lame

The Corvette GXE will probably look something like this, only bigger. Kid not included.

Despite all the benefits of electric cars, there is still a pretty sizable stigma against them, especially from car aficionados who like their cars powerful. Electric cars are historically weak, slow, ugly, and all around kind of dorky. Electric cars have names like the Leaf or Volt, which certainly isn't helping their case with car people. Tesla has done a good deal to dissuade some of those preconceptions, but they didn't manage to come up with a name that isn't incredibly lame. Genovation Cars is trying to change this by developing an all-electric Corvette prototype. Dubbed the GXE, the prototype is based on the 2006 Chevy Corvette z06, but instead of its 7.0-liter V8 engine it will have an array of inverters, batteries, and electric motors with the goal of generating 700 horsepower for the car. That promises to deliver a 0-60 mph time of about 3 seconds with the car having a top speed of over 200 miles per hour. These specs would put even the Tesla Model S P85D to shame. The goal is for the Corvette GXE to able to travel for 150 miles on a single charge. The prototype will be debuted at the Electric Vehicle Technology Expo this September in Michigan.

This car would certainly give drivers one less excuse to not drive an electric car. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks a Corvette is lame, so you could finally drive electric in style once this car hits the market. It's about time companies started making stuff that is not only environmentally friendly, but also cool. You no longer have to be a smelly, Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugger in order to help the environment. So, why not?

For more details, including the official press release: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/07/14/genovation-cars-electric-corvette-prototype-official/#slide-141683

If you haven't done so already, please take our climate change survey: http://goo.gl/fw6oby

Follow @ecopol_project

The greenest way to charge your mobile devices

The Siva Cycle Atom easily mounts to your bike to generate power

There are many little ways you can cut down your daily energy usage. One way is the Siva Cycle Atom, a device that can charge your mobile devices while you pedal. It uses the same concept as other bike-based generating systems that use pedal power for lights, but Siva Cycle went one better with the Atom, with the ability to charge anything you can plug into a USB port. The weather-resistent device mounts easily to the rear wheel of any bike. You just need to go at lease 5 mph in order to start producing power. Any leftover juice generated is stored in the 1,650-mAh battery pack for whenever you stop or ride slowly.

The Siva Cycle Atom was originally conceived as a way to bring power to unreliable electrical infrastructures in developing countries around the world.

The device does add 10% to your pedaling effort, but that shouldn't be noticeable to most riders. In order to fully charge the Atom battery you will need to pedal at an average speed of 13 mph for 100 minutes.

With this product (for $129) you can turn an eco-friendly form of transportation into an eco-friendly way to power your mobile devices.

http://sivacycle.com/products/the-atom

Don't forget to take our term survey: https://t.co/pVfu2NoNxu

Follow @ecopol_project

Tax on Polluters Isn't Changing Outlook on Coal

Should polluters pay for the carbon emissions that they put into the air? The answer seems obvious, but big industries continue to fight against government regulations, insisting that the costs to them will be passed on to consumers. Recently Australia joined government agencies like the European Union, certain U.S. states and New Zealand in an effort to tax big polluters. The response from the executive director of the Australian Coal Association was to give figures on the taxes implications of the economic side effects. Ralph Hillman outlined to reporters that the tax is expected to result in the closure of 18 minutes in Queensland and New South Wales states, cost 4,700 jobs and lead to $22 billion in lost revenue. Indeed, these proposals make even the consumers wary of rising costs but the government is responding with a $1.3 billion assistance package to keep jobs within the industry secure. Further the government has promised tax cuts and payments to most Australians, saying that two-thirds of all households will receive enough assistance to cover the entire financial impact of the tax.

 What these taxes are on industry are, aside from the economics, is the governmental push toward cleaner energy. Rather than developing new innovations, opponents to any governmental tax appeal to the consumer by touting that they are fighting for them. But taking into account the environmental impacts of coal, are they really? Australia is one of the worst greenhouse gas polluters in the world due to their extensive reliance on coal for power. In addition to coal providing 85 percent of their electricity production, they export nearly 75 percent of their coal mined. The new Australian tax has not shied companies away from what may be the largest takeover bid in Australian history for a coal company. U.S. coal company Peabody Energy Corp and steelmaker ArcelorMIttal’s joint bid for Queensland State’s Macarthur Coal Ltd. is an indication that lucrative coal production in Australia is, unfortunately, not waning.


Peter Browning

EPA Under Attack by King Coal

As we strive to move toward sustainability and limit green house gas we would like to think the nation is behind the movement. 

In 1972 the Clean Water Act was a direct response to industries lack of regulation and rampant pollution into the nation’s waterways. At the time two-thirds of the country’s lakes, rivers and coastal waters had become unsafe for fishing or swimming. Fast forward to today where a bipartisan effort is moving through the U.S. House of Representatives to restrict the power of EPA rules covering mountaintop mining, waterways and wetlands. It should surprise no one that Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia) is pushing this bill along with 35 other co-sponsors. West Virginia has long been touted as an area where mining is king. The bill will give power back to the state by allowing them to create their own water quality standards and undermine a land mark bill in the Clean Water Act. The legislation is geared toward coal mining, where EPA permits the process of surface mining through the CWA. Even if the bill passes through the House, it is not expected to make it through the Senate. The issue of loose regulation does raise concerns as allegations are surfacing that the Massey Energy Co. and the Mine Safety and Health Administration did not report safety issues that led to the explosion and killing of 29 coal miners in West Virginia last year. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/idUS101062184020110629

Energy explained easily

Want to better understand the way energy is used in this country? Take a look at the Department of Energy’s new website, “Energy Explained” at http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/

The website goes over in detail many interesting energy-related topics, from the basic question “What is Energy?” to the more complex explanations of how biomass works and how much of it is used in the U.S.

“Energy touches us in many ways every day, from the electricity that lights our homes to the fuel we use in our cars,” said EIA Administrator Richard Newell in a press release.  “Energy Explained uses plain language and clear graphics to help explain a sometimes complex, but vital subject.”

One of the more interesting tables, directly related to our goal of the term, is this chart of energy consumption in the U.S.:

Especially when compared to the chart of energy produced in the U.S.:

The difference between how much crude oil we produce vs. how crude oil we consume kind of says it all, doesn’t it?

It’s interesting that this website is a new government program launched jus less than two months ago. Energy policy has been an important factor in American life for a very, very long time. Clear explanation of our energy policy and it’s various effects are much-needed in the current political climate, when energy policy and its related environmental policy are so often in the public debate.

-Ed Johnson

EarthTrends: Fossil Fuel Consumption

Energy is required for growth and development. We need energy to fulfill our most basic needs- from producing food to generating heat, energy is required on a daily basis. However, fossil fuels make up 80 percent of the world’s energy consumption, and this is problematic at best. Fossil fuels are unsustainable. They are “formed from the decay of plants and animals over millions of years, [and] our planet has a finite number of deposits.” (EarthTrends) In October of 2006, EarthTrends estimated that at the current consumption rates, about 155 years of coal, 65 years f natural gas, and 40 years of oil were left.

We also have to worry about the effects these fossil fuels are having on our environment. The “emission of carbon dioxide and other ‘greenhouse’ gases from the combustion of these fuels is rapidly warming the planet, altering our climate system, and jeopardizing the well-being of both people and ecosystems. Fossil fuel combustion currently accounts for 61 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.” (EarthTrends)

Despite these disturbing facts, EarthTrends believes that we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Most importantly, we need to “develop fossil fuel energy alternatives, increase energy efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.” (EarthTrends) Various fossil fuel alternatives, such as solar power, hydropower, and biofuels are currently capable of providing sustainable energy. Also, EarthTrends emphasizes the importance of individual actions. Simple things, such as replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps or using public transport, help to use much less energy. Even turning off lights and electronics in your homes and offices reduces the amount of energy you consume.

EarthTrends stresses the importance of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. On a larger scale, it asks countries to consider using alternative forms of energy and to increase energy efficiency by using technology and market mechanisms. It also offers us hope, and reminds each of us that there are simple things we can do to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

All information provided by EarthTrends. To view the article, visit: http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/100

Post by Alexandra West

Works Cited: EarthTrends. October 2006 Monthly Update: Fossil Fuel Consumption and its Implications. The World Resources Institute, 3 Nov. 2006. Web. 12 Oct. 2009.