I'm dreaming of a GREEN Christmas...

Holiday tips from the Sierra Club!

Have a green Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving just two days away I wanted to post some tips to make it a little greener! Here they are:
1. Look for organic turkeys, fruits and vegetables, and if you really want to go all out, check out Tofurkeys!
2. Get creative with your plating- think squash soup served in the rinds you hollowed out to make it.
3. Find alternative (re: recycled) centerpieces for your table. Instead of the typical greenhouse-raised and pesticide-filled flowers, take some branches and fallen leaves from your yard and make your own arrangement.
4. As always, recycle and compost everything you can.
Give thanks to Mother Earth this year- she deserves it!

(Yep, that's a Tofurkey temporary tattoo.)

More on Bikes

Jimmy's last post reminded me of way back in August when Emma, Kyle, and I attended GreenFest and Emma rode a similar bike.





This bike was made by a group called Maya Pedal in Guatemala. They turn bikes into machines such as mill/corn degrainers, water pumps, coffee depulpers, and metal sharpeners. At GreenFest, the group had the bike set up as a blender.

Green Hangout!

Who said fast food couldn't be "green"? Daily Harvest Cafe on High Street in Danvers not only offers delicious sandwiches, smoothies and muffins, but is also helping out the green initiative. The use of biodegradable paper items and re-usable materials are just some of the examples of the Daily Harvest Cafe's ways of becoming environmentally friendly.

The Cafe uses local organic food instead of shipping in food from South America. Daily Harvest Cafe offers healthy, fast, and environmentally safe food!

Check it out!

Green Gears

Dave Askins, of Michigan, created a new washer machine; ones that takes no energy or water. He created it around his stationary bike. He pedals to spin the wash and uses rainwater.

"This is a triple-win: Being clean, getting clean and getting exercise." -treehugger.com

Swine Flu- Hitting More than just Humans

In light of the recent events I found some information about the effect the H1N1 virus has on the environment. Turns out it is huge, and hugely adverse.
The Food and Agriculture Organizations says: "Because of human and livestock population growth, changes in livestock production, the emergence of worldwide agro-food networks, wild animal trade, and significant changes in personal mobility, human populations increasingly share a global commons of disease risk, among themselves and with other animal species." Basically, large-scale agriculture is making us more susceptible to pandemics, because of the unsanitary practices used in these places and because we are getting this food from around the world instead of our own backyards.
The moral of the story? As usual, buy local! It's healthier for the environment, and for you.
(Check out this article for more info.)

Falling Leaves

Every year we throw away 24 million tons of leaves and grass that could be composted!

So, this fall, instead of filling trash bag after trash bag with leaves and leaving them on the curb for the trash truck to pick up, start composting or find a place in your town or city that composts!

350 Around The Globe

Sydney, Australia
Mexico City, Mexico
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Cairo, Egypt
Almaty, Kazakhstan
For more inspiring pictures see www.350.org!

350!

Thank you to everyone who rode today! The front circle was filled with bikes! Get excited for the next bike to school which will happen as soon as the snow melts in the spring!

Also, 350 is tomorrow, October 24, 2009! Celebrate by turning off the lights in your house, committing to composting and recycling, eating organic food, or attending one of the 4000 events happening world world wide (there is one at crane's beach!).

Here are a few examples of events happening tomorrow:

In Cambodia, citizens from across the country will gather at the famous Angkor Wat to take a giant 350 action photo.

In Hungary, hundreds of bathers will jump into the public baths in Budapest and do a 350 synchronized swimming performance.

In Nepal, over a thousand young people and monks will march to the Swayambhunath world heritage site temple where they will form a large 350 with traditional lanterns.

In the United States, 350 people will dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller in Seattle -- because if we don't stop global warming, we might as well be undead.

In Panama, indigenous youth will lead a moonlight vigil in Kuna Yala, their vulnerable low-lying islands off the coast of Panama, forming a 350 at sunrise.

SO GET EXCITED, GET INSPIRED, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Props Mtv

MTV SWITCH, an mtv website, is dedicated to new ideas(big OR small) to help the environment! They have different actions, videos, news and a carbon calculator. There is an open blog with everything from celebrity green gossip to green arts and crafts! Definitely check it out!

The Green Song

100 Ways to Save the Environment

If you are ever at a loss for everyday things that you can do to help the environment, check out this website that lists "100 Ways to Save the Environment"!

http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm

Here are some ideas to get you started:
10. Unplug seldom used appliances.
13. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations.
27. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
59. Recycle printer cartridges.
88. Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
97. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.

"Making Waves"

Maldives has committed to cutting CO2 emissions and is encouraging other countries to do the same!

The October 18, 2009 Boston Globe reports, "Maldives's minister of fisheries and agriculture, Ibrahim Didi, signed a declaration yesterday calling on countries to cut down carbon dioxide emissions. The president and ministers held an UNDERWATER cabinet meeting to draw attention to rising sea levels that threaten the Indian Ocean archipelago's existance."

"Green" Tea

So today I noticed that my normal tea bag was missing the string and tag. Although I was first irritated by the idea, I went to the box for some sort of reasoning. Celestial Seasonings teas bags "is the result of [their] commitment to doing what's best for the environment." The natural fiber tea bags without the typical strings, tags, staples, or individual wrappers lets the company save more than 3.5 million pounds of waste.

So the next time you want to have a nice warm cup of tea on a cold fall day, look for Celestial Seasonings. You will be getting a delicious refreshment and be helping the environment.

tck, tck, tck.

The clock is counting down on the time we have remaining in which we will be able to go on being wasteful and unaware of our effect on the climate. That's what the tck tck tck campaign is all about: "tck tck tck is a campaign created for everybody who wants to make a difference and influence the decision-makers to deal with climate change, and to commit to taking real action at Copenhagen 09." In Copenhagen this December there is going to be an international climate conference aimed at making new energy goals before the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, and tck tck tck wants to make this conference a groundbeaking one. They have made a music video featuring a whole bunch of starts, including Fergie and Serena Ryder (one of my personal favorites!) The song is available as a free download (check out the whole website while you're there, its really cool), and when you download you are signing one of the biggest online petitions in history. Here's the video.

THANK YOU BIKERS!

We want to thank everyone who biked to school last Tuesday September 22! It was a huge success for our first Bike-to-School of the year! The bike count was over 50!

Another Bike-to-School is planned for late October. So, fix up all the bike problems you encountered on Tuesday or find a bike to borrow if your excuse was that you did not have one, so you will be ready to BIKE!

Japan's Taking A Stand

Earlier this month, Japan's incoming prime minister vowed to aim for a 25% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2020. Is this an ambitious goal or could Japan actually be making progress? Yukio Hatoyama believes that this is the way of the future: "Japan's change in government will bring a major shift to our climate change policies, through international negotiations for the future of human society, and I want to begin in a way that is said to have made a major contribution."

Whether too ambitious or not, let us hope that more countries will be setting goals like this is the near future.

The True Cost of Water Bottles

Check out this article from National Geographic's website "Green Guide for Everyday Living". This great website has tips for many different ways for becoming eco-friendly. The tips range from vacation spots, to proper deodorants, to the best flat screen television.

This specific article is about the use of plastic water bottles. At Pingree, we all can start by changing our plastic water bottles to more eco-friendly aluminum ones.

Green Meadows Event!

Is anyone up for an Environmental Club outing? A week from Saturday, Green Meadows is having a free event:

"Mercury Brewing Company's Ipswich Ale Festival at Green Meadows Farm

Saturday, October 3rd from 1:00 - 6:00 pm

Music, Great Food and Local Beer! The Orville Giddings Band will play, free popcorn, plus activities for the kids. Ipswich Clambake and Tennessee BBQ will provide food, and for the first time, White Farms will provide Ice Cream."

They are also having another one, 2 weeks from Saturday:

"Green Meadows Farm Annual Harvest Festival

Saturday, Oct. 17th, 11am— 3pm
We’ll have great music from Back Eddy Bluegrass plus excellent food, fresh baked goods and of course, organic produce. Hayrides, pony rides and the Farm's animals will entertain the kids, along with children's activities. Admission is free! "

Go Green With Us

Just a heads up, the theme of this year's Topsfield Fair is "Go Green With Us". Its October 2nd through the 12th. I'm not sure what they are doing specifically yet, but i cannot wait to hear more!

We love movies!

Meet the No Impact Man, Colin Beaven. He and his wife and daughter embarked on a year-long mission with the single and daunting goal of making absolutely NO IMPACT on the environment. He has written a book, he keeps a blog, and a movie has just been released about the no impact year. Check it out:

Reminders!

As school starts up, PLEASE don't forget about all the green things you've been doing all summer! Keep recycling, especially printer paper, which is going to exponentially increase in the next couple of weeks. Remember to use the washable cups in the Commons when you can, and remember to bring your waterbottles to practices (they are available to everyone, so no excuses!) Finally, watch your peers! If you see someone making a poor environmental decision talk to them about it, and make sure they know what they should change.
Environmental Club is going to start up soon, so stay tuned!

Concern.Passion.Action

Tactics of Hope is an organization that is guiding concerned individuals ways to help the world, environment and other people.




To get started, go to tacticsofhope.org

Be Rewarding

Burning one gallon of gas produces roughly how many pounds of carbon dioxide?
How many barrels of oil does the United States consume per day?

What type of power is the fastest-growing energy source in the world?

If you want to know the answers to these questions and many more about environmental and human rights issues check out this website, Be Rewarding.

If you become a member (for free) you earn points every time you get a question right. You then choose which charity you want to give your points to, and that charity receives money!

Educate yourself about pressing issues in our world, give money to your favorite charity, and procrastinate all at the same time!

Washing Machine Magic

"Are you tired of using harmful chemicals in your washer and dryer? Would you like an alternative that’s chemical-free, non-toxic, less expensive and gentle on the Earth… yet leaves your clothes really clean and soft?
Green Wash Balls for the washing machine and Magic Dryer Balls for the clothes dryer may be the answer!"

Reusable • No fragrances or dyes • Softens fabrics • Eco-friendly • Antibacterial • Easy to use • Hypo-allergenic • Non-irritating to skin • No spills • Detergent & chemical free • No plastic packaging

These washer and dryer balls are so easy to use and they are each good for about 1000 washes/dries.

To learn more about how the washer and dryer balls work and to order a set for your home check out this website

"Earth called. It says thanks."

Planning on getting a new cell phone for the new school year? Check out the Samsung Reclaim, the first phone on the market made out of 80% recycled materials. It's wicked cheap, and some of the proceeds go to The Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre program! Best of all, it comes in two colors- green and blue of course!

The Black Hole

At Green Fest, there was a simulation set up called the black hole. As you walked through the "tunnel" it got narrower and narrower. There were bottles, wires, batteries, and paper getting in your way and retorical questions causing you to think.



After you went through the "black hole," there was an open tent with pictures of nature and recycling and signs inspiring you to make a change while there is still time.

I think this would be a neat visual to constuct at Pingree one day where everyone will have to walk through it. Just one more way to get across to people that we need to make changes...and soon.

MassBike

MassBike is a group that, you guessed it, works for the bikers of Massachusetts! They have 5 goals: "working for better laws; improving access and safety for bikers; educating bicyclists and those around them; encouraging commuting by bike; and getting people riding." In the interest of more Pingree bike-to-school days, I was thinking it would be cool to get a representative to come talk about some of these things- at GreenFest they said that they do stuff like find safe routes to school, which is important for some of our farther-traveling classmates. I know Mr. Furnari is talking with Colin Davis about doing an assembly for our first bike-to-school day of the new year, and it would be sweet to get MassBike involved too! Check out their website, and if anyone's interested in joining MassBike they have a student rate of just $15!

"The Promise And Limits of Local Food"

I saw this article in the Opinion section of the Boston Globe. It describes the possiblity of increase of local food. The writer uses his knowledge of New England's history to set a realistic plan for future agriculture. Here is the link to the article and some excerps:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/08/26/the_promise_and_limits_of_local_food/

"Today New England’s population approaches 15 million, while only 7 percent of our land remains in agriculture. To come even close to feeding ourselves we would have to cut down a large part of our recovered forest - not something we want to repeat. But there are still good reasons to move toward more local food production. We need to determine which crops to grow here. What were we growing a century ago, when New England was already an urban, industrial society?"

"We need a targeted expansion in local production of foods that really belong in New England, tied to reforms throughout our global agricultural system - and certainly, some reduction of meat in our diets. This would bless us with healthier food, an attractive landscape, and opportunities for people to become more engaged with how their food is grown. Yes, we can shrink our carbon footprint, too, if we farm with that in mind. But in the end those connections, not some chimera of local self-sufficiency, are the real benefits of local farming."

GREEN FEST 2009

This past Saturday (August 22, 2009) Emma, Kyle, and I attended Green Fest 2009 in Boston! There were booths about everything green from green building, to jewelry, to food, to art and so much more. We have way too much information to share with you all at once, so we will post all the information we learned over the next few weeks.

PEM's Trash Menagerie

Until June 1, 2010, the Peabody Essex Museum will be displaying over 30 "improbable works of art" made from items otherwise destined for the dump. Items range from a super-sized bucket of monkeys display made of corrugated cardboard to an oyster shell made entirely of cigarette butts picked up from the beach to a centipede made of bundt cake pans and bicycle brake levers. There are also environmental facts painted on the walls as the museum tries to raise awareness about green living. I guess one man's trash IS another man's treasure!

More information can be found on the exhibit's website.

With the Swipe of a Card

Next time you sign up for a debit or credit card, you may want to see if you can get a cause attached to it.

Bank of America has introduced an option on debit and credit cards called MyExpression Banking. It allows you to "show your passion" for a chosen organization or cause--and that cause can be environmental! Depending on the terms of the specific organization, for every purchase you make on your card, Bank of America will donate a percentage of your purchase towards your chosen recipient.

Some environmental options offered are:
Arbor Day Foundation
Brighter Planet
Defenders of Wildlife
National Audubon Society
National Wildlife Federation
Sierra Club
World Wildlife Fund

Happy spending!

350, Because the World Needs to Know

Last night on the Colbert Report, Bill McKibben was interviewed. He co-founded this campaign, 350.org .




"Our mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.
Our focus is on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet."


They decided that October 24th would be an "International Day of Climate Action". More than 1000 communities have already pledged to honor this day. Some schools are planting 350 trees, others are hanging banners and raising awareness. I was thinking Pingree could do something in celebration of the day, too! Since we have about 350 students at school, maybe we could encourage bike riding? Any other ideas?

Green Sports

Ever thought about where your sports equipment comes from? Well, now that you have... check out Amazon's Fair Trade Sports catalog online! You can be sure that your soccer balls, frisbees, and sportswear are certified "green" and Fair Trade. In addition, all after-tax profits go to benefit children's charities such as Room to Read and the Boys & Girls Club.
Wishing you an active, green summer~

Better Batteries!

Fuji Battery recently created "Environmentally-Respectful" alkaline batteries. They have no mercury, cadmium or PVC plastics. All of their resources, used in factories, are reused and recycled. They can also be put into normal waste systems.




"Our mission is to provide consumers with the best environmentally respectful solutions to their portable power needs."

Boston GreenFest 2009

GreenFest: August 20-22, City Hall Plaza

"Free, three-day sustainability and cultural extravaganza presented by the Foundation for a Green Future. Learn about sustainability through art, music, discussions and interactive exhibits about eating and growing organic food, improving nutrition and health care, greening our city, building healthy communities, creating green jobs, and engaging in a sustainable, green economy." from Boston.com

more information here

Make the Right (Energy) Choice

National Grid, the power company that proivdes for much of our area, offers an "Energy Choice" program which allows consumers to choose where their energy is coming from. Several of the options are condensed into the "GreenUp" program- a program devoted to renewable sources of energy. Your families can choose from a selection of local providers (with energy coming from a variety of sources including hydro, wind, biomass, and solar) and for a reasonable price can opt to get any portion of your monthly supply from these providers. It is a big commitment, but one that will make a huge impact. Talk to your families, and check out National Grid's website for details.

Energy from Algae!

Exxon Mobil recently partnered with Synthetic Genomics, Inc. They are developing ways to harvest energy from algae as a fuel source for cars. Algae consumes high amounts of CO2, which would help reduce the amounts of greenhouse gases. Algae reproduce quicker and be more efficient to grow than crops like corn or soybeans.

Some algae biofuel facts:

• Bio-oil produced by photosynthetic algae and the resultant biofuel will have molecular structures that are similar to the petroleum and refined products we use today.
• If successful, bio-oils from photosynthetic algae could be used to manufacture a full range of fuels including gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel that meet the same specifications as today’s products
  

“We believe that biofuel produced by algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future if our efforts result in an economically viable, low net carbon emission transportation fuel,” said Emil Jacobs, ExxonMobil’s vice president of research and development.


Exxon and Synthetic Genomics are planning to continue their research and testing for the next 10 to 15 year and expecting to spend over $1 billion.

For more on algae biofuel.

Its a Wrap!

Recently, I've been looking a lot at the Sierra Club's Green Tip Library. This one is my favorite tip. I have even gotten my family to follow this advice.

"Gift-giving is not an especially green activity – fancy paper and shiny bows get thrown out by the bagful, and some papers can’t be recycled. Instead:

• Reuse colorful materials from around the house, such as maps and magazines.
• If you use wrapping paper – or are given it on a gift by someone else – salvage the paper for future gifts and collect the intact bows. You’ll be saving dollars, trees, and landfill space."

Meatless Mondays

Ghent, Belgium is now the first city in the world to encourage vegetarianism... at least one day a week, that is. Their Meat-free Thursday program requires local restaurants to offer at least one vegetarian option every Thursday, and schools and hospitals are on the way to adopting the practice as well. I think its an idea that should and will eventually catch on in the US- already 29 public health schools in the country are orchestrating meatless Mondays, and many other communities and groups are making green action plans that include initiatives for local and organic vegetables.
The evils of a meat-dependent world are endless: livestock farming produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the world's transportation combined (18% of the total vs. 14%); each kilogram of beef produced on Earth required 714 bathtubs of water; people who eat meat regularly are more likely to contract a variety of diseases, not the least of which is obesity; and I haven't even talked about cruelty to animals.
I'd like to suggest the implementation of Meat-free Mondays at Pingree- it will cut food costs for the school, make us a just a little more planet-conscious, and make everyone a bit healthier. Do you agree?

Outside of The Prudential Center on Boylston Street, Bostonians have been amazed by the larger than life daisies. Sponsored by Prius, the flowers are solar powered and allow walkers to sit, charge their cellphone or computer, and wirelessly surf the web right in the middle of Boston! In addition to these solar powered daisies, every Thursday there is a Farmer's Market right outside the Prudential Center. People are going green in the most unexpected places!

"Transition" for our future

I recently read about a sweet new environmental movement that has just taken off in the US after successful cultivation (no pun intended) in the UK. It is called the Transition movement, and it was started by a guy named Tom Hopkins, author of The Transition Handbook. The idea behind Transition is a break from the all too common scare and guilt tactics used by environmental warriors, instead emphasizing a climate (no pun intended) of optimism and togetherness. Community by community, Transition is trying to switch our oil dependence to a sustainable and resilient (a key word in Transition culture) alternative. Tom describes it best here:


Check out the Transition website to learn more about Tom, Totnes (the first and largest transition town), and the movement in general.

Roofs Reduce!

Obama's Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, found a simple solution to global warning: Paint your roofs white. Not only would these reflect light rays but heat rays too, reducing the need of air conditioning in the summertime.

"if you take all the buildings and make their roofs white and if you make the pavement more of a concrete type of color rather than a black type of colour, and you do this uniformly . . . it’s the equivalent of reducing the carbon emissions due to all the cars on the road for 11 years.” -Chu

full article

Going Green in Boston!

Check out this website for great ways that Boston is going green. "Going Green" is a part of the WCVB-TV website and is full of informative tips and illuminating articles that cater to life in and around Boston. Another great thing about the "Going Green" website is that it also informs the reader on ways that he or she can save money! In this economy, we need to save as much green as possible!

Potato Famine Strikes Back

Bummed because of this bizarre summer rain? New England farmers are too. According to these farmers and scientists, our local tomato and potato crops have been infected with the same bacteria, late blight, that caused the the Irish Potato Famine. Because of the low temperatures and constant rain, the bacteria is spreading rapidly. The bacteria only affects tomatoes and potatoes, so other crops are safe. It is not harmful for people and animals. Non-organic farmers are battling the fungus with fungicide, while organic farmers are trying to find other methods to fight it.


"It's just beginning to snowball, I expect by next week most farms will have late blight. Pathologists think tomatoes won't survive the season [if the constant rain continues]." - Jude Boucher, University of Connecticut educator

Article On Fugus in New England
Strategies to Fight Fungus

Yay Bundanoon!

The rural Australian town of Bundanoon, near Sydney, banned the sale of plastic water bottles. The vote was almost unanimous at their town meeting yesterday. They are planning to sell reusable bottles for the same price, to replace the plastic ones.

"We're hoping it will act as a catalyst to people's memories to remember the days when we did not have bottled water...What is 'Evian' spelled backwards? 'Naive.'" -Jon Dee


To join the US's campaign, "Think Outside the Bottle", click here.

Red, White and Blue... and Green?

On the Fourth of July, what's not to love? You've got hot dogs, fireworks, and patriotism galore! This year we challenge you to make your red, white and blue a little greener. Declare your food independence by sourcing ingredients for your holiday meals as locally and sustainably as possible. Buying local foods is good for our local farmers, our economies, our health, and our planet. Best of all, they taste delicious because they’re fresh from the soil.
A nonprofit organization from Maine called “Kitchen Gardeners International”, has launched the Food Independence Day campaign to encourage 50 states, 50 governors, and 50 first families to celebrate July 4th with locally sourced food. This group needs your help to ask your elected officials to eat sustainably this July fourth. To help you can pledge to join in the celebration of “edible independence” by eating healthy and delicious foods grown by your very own local farms, gardens and communities. To learn more click here.
Thanks to Nora for this tip, and HAPPY 4TH!!!

Every Step Counts

Tropical deforestation accounts for 1/5th of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation in the Amazon is fueled by the growing number of cattle ranches. Nike, Timberland, Adidas, Reebok and other brands have cattle ranches to produce leather for their sneakers. When you support the brands, you are supporting deforestation and the rising amount of greenhouse gas.



For more information, and to speak out against deforestation of the rain forests, click here

American Clean Energy and Security Act

Last week, Congress passed a new bill, planning to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. And also:

"To create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy."

More about the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Newburyport Farmer's Market

Need something to do on lazy Sundays this summer? Make it something green, and support local business at the Newburyport Farmer's Market. Local farmers, artisans and businesses have tents where they sell their goods, most of which are organic and/or sustainably made. In addition, bands from the area perform each week and environmentally conscious organizations often set up booths to educate and spread awareness. This week Pingree's very own Transparent Four performed, and the River Valley Charter School's Environmental Action Club had an info table (check out their blog here!) The Market takes place every Sunday of the summer at The Tannery (parking can be found across the street.) See their website for more details.

Here are some pictures from this week's market!

Jack Johnson

Do you know what Jack Johnson is doing for the environment?

Currently, he works with or runs four charities to help endangered species and to educate children about the environment. Here is a site where you can learn more,
http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/474-jack-johnson

Check out Jack Johnson's song, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." He performs this song in both classroom settings to teach children as well as to a huge public audience.



Props to Tomas for sending us this information!

Think About the Trees!

Here's a photo of one of the signs that have been posted along the driveway to discourage idling during the Pingree Camp pick-up line.

"Secretary of Saving the Planet"

Pick up the June 25 Rolling Stone magazine (the one with Adam Lambert on the cover) to read about Steven Chu. Chu is a Nobel Prize in Physics winner and was picked as President Obama's Secretary of Energy back in January.

Here are some of his goals:
1) Smarter Buildings: He believes it is possible to cut energy consumption in buildings by a whopping 80%!

2) Better Biofuels: Chu wants to change our fuel to perennial grasses which packs double the energy content of corn.

3) Thinner Solar: He hopes to cover less than one precent of the Earth's deserts with thinner solar panels. This would supply the world's entire demand for electricity without producing a single ton of CO2.!

4) Living Batteries: As the technology becomes more advanced, batteries are becoming more stable and efficient.

5) Captured Carbon: Using genetically engineered bacteria, Chu hopes to capture CO2 from coal plants.

Ecorazzi.com

We know everyone here loves the earth. Now I'm going to be honest- I'm also a sucker for a gossip website, and I'd be willing to bet that most of you are too.
Meet the best of both worlds: Ecorazzi.com.

Perez Hilton + environmentalism. It's a beautiful thing.

More on Food

In their June 2009 issue, National Geographic had a special report on food called, "The End of Plenty: Special Report: The Global Food Crisis."

The whole article can be found here. If you don't have time to read the really long article, look at the picture gallery which tells the story pretty well.

Fun Facts (or just scary):
The corn used to make a 25-gallon tank of ethanol would feed one person for a year.
35% of the world's grain is used to feed livestock instead of people.
The United States' per capita meat consumption is more than twice as high as China's.

Food Inc.

Here's the trailer for the new Robert Kenner documentary "Food Inc." This "unflattering look inside America's corporate food industry" is in limited release right now, but hopefully will be available at a theater near you!

ClimateFriendly

The organization "Climate Friendly" is working to reduce carbon emissions through individuals, as well as companies. First, they quickly calculate your carbon emissions. Then, they help you find greener choices for travel and at home. The profits made are put towards new Climate Friendly projects for alternative energy. Also, 5% of all profits are donated to WWF. Check it out!

GreatGreenList

The Great Green List is an environmentally focused website dedicated to helping find sustainable options in our everyday lives. It includes links for Party Planning, Home&Garden, Green Jobs, Travel, Clothing, Resources and Energy. "If its green, its here."

Flashback to Earth Day April 2009

To inspire you to start thinking about (and planning for) fun events and a fall bike to school for September and/or October 2009, here are some pictures from April 22, 2009.

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world." -John Muir

Climate Counts!

Climatecounts.org

This amazing site ranks dozens of companies on their sustainability and their plans for improvements and gives them a score from 0-100 based on their efforts. First click on Climate Scores and then go to a sector and a specific company within that sector to see its detailed score. Here's my favorite part- for most companies there is a button at the bottom with a picture of an envelope, and if you click on it you can send an email to the company telling them that you think climate counts!

Also on the home page there is a link to download a printable scorecard- I already did it and now have a list in my wallet of the companies that are greenest (and brownest...).

Go to Climate Counts and take direct action to initiate a change!

Missy Higgins and The Sierra Club

Missy Higgins is a singer/song-writer who is teaming up with the Sierra Club to save the environment! If you pledge to reduce your carbon emissions by 2%, (or a lot more!!!) you get a free download of her song!

Here is the link to make a pledge: http://missypledge.warnerbrosrecords.com/

Props to Jimmy for discovering this opportunity!

Next year

Here are a couple questions from Priya in regards to the Bio curriculum next year:
1. Should we keep the scavenger hunt? Or is there a better/easier/more fun way to show how Pingree recycles?
2. Do we want to add a project in which the students have to research a new green product on their own? (something along the lines of what they do in Earth Science, I believe...)
Leave your comments and ideas!

Green Hangout!

Summer is finally upon us which means more time to spend with family and friends. Instead of going to your usual restaurant or hangout, check out Latitude 43 in Gloucester. Besides the amazing food and live music, Latitude 43 is helping out the environment!
Their tables are made of plyboo, a plywood made out of 100% renewable bamboo! The fireplaces are made of local granite which cut down on CO2 emissions. Latitude 43 uses solar water heaters and even use salvaged materials to decorate the restaurant!

Check out the green section of their website here!

Good Guide

Here is a really neat website that rates all different types of food, cleaning products, personal care products, and toys based on the products health performance, environmental performance, and social performance. The rating takes into account the entire process of making the products, so it seems like a pretty thorough rating. Here is the link: www.goodguide.com

PASS ON THE WORD TO BUY GREEN!

"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy." -John Sawhill

Ride to Sustain

Hey everyone- Jimmy put up a link to this but I thought I'd explain it for those who weren't at the initial meeting.
Colin Davis spoke to us about his Ride to Sustain and the accompanying documentary. He made a really interesting presentation about his work as a corporate sustainability consultant, and gave us some pretty awesome statistics and ideas for our work. Check out the whole trailer, its sick. (I'm going to attempt to put it on this page in order to demonstrate my technological-osity...)

Welcome!

Welcome to the Pingree Sustainability Blog!
Here we will post ideas for being more green, cool videos and pictures, articles about new green technologies and projects, and Environmental Club updates.
Spread the word, and help us make the world a better place!

"Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find." -Time Magazine