Green Living Tips, Trends and News:
12/23/08: 
A Sign of the Times!
12/08/08: An environmentally friendly faux ice surface for winter sports? Cleveland, Ohio was in the news this weekend for opening an outdoor ice skating rink at Wade Oval. The skating surface is a silicone-based polymer that looks like ice. The pluses: 1. No expensive energy consuming equipment to freeze water for a rink that can be enjoyed for months in a city where the temperature will be above freezing many days. 2. No chances of anyone falling through the 'ice' on warm days. 3. No zamboni needed to keep the 'ice' in tip-top shape. 4. The surface will be stored from the end of February through next December, so the ground below the rink will only have the impenetrable surface on it during times when the ground would have been partially frozen anyway. 5. The surface is reported to last for ten years. 6. Great way to encourage outdoor, physical activities! The minuses: 1. Some skaters reported that the 'ice' is slower than real ice. 2. Twice weekly maintenance coatings of silicone spray are required, no report if that is an aerosol spray? 3. Energy to produce the rink was not reported. Six to three, the pluses seem to outweight the minuses!
12/05/08: Testing for LEED v2.2 has been extended! The USGBC announced that they will continue to test for LEED-NC and CI until at least the end of February 2009 before introducing LEED 2009. You still have time to sign up and attend classes that will help you through the exam process! Go to Daybreak Resources "Current Program" tab.
12/04/08: Thursday Picture Day:
Pennsylvania joined the ranks of non-smoking states in November! Yea, PA! Here's to a smoke-free USA - get on board and ride the train to healthier living!
12/03/08: Wednesday Word Day: Light Pollution: Light that enters the night sky unnecessarily. Light than transgresses onto a neighboring property. Interior lights that shine through clear or translucent surfaces, glazing, etc. to the outdoors.
12/02/08: Here is an interesting article on Reducing Waste in the food-processing industry. Go to cleveland.com/world
12/01/08: Do you know how long your trash can last on this earth? Here is a little sampling of the life expectancy for some of our trash. Aluminum can: 500 years; plastic bag: 10-20 years; glass bottle: 1,000 years; styrofoam: indefinitely and nylon fabric: 30-40 years.
11/28/08: Looking for some on-line LCA? Try www.life-cycle.org/LCA_soft.htm, www.leibrecht.org/, www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/pubs/600r01101/600r01101.htm, www.cfsd.org.uk, www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/p2/dfe-archive.cfm or www.leonardo-energy.org/ecodesign
11/27/08: Thursday Picture Page: 
Maybe our great-great-grand parents had the right idea afterall!
11/26/08: Wednesday Word Day: Chain-of-Custody: A document to track a wood product from the forest to a vendor. It is used to verify compliance with FSC guidelines.
11/25/08: Waste News named King County, WA Solid Waste Division the country's greenest government operation for its innovative waste water reduction programs and cutting-edge facilities! Yea, King County!
11/24/08: Why buy organic? Organic cotton for clothing does not use pesticides. Pesticides run off with rain and enter storm water. Local acquifers can be contaminated.
11/23/08: Did you know that President Bush signed the Green Jobs Act in December 2007? The Act was put into place to train workers for green collar jobs. It authorized $125 million for workforce training programs in services such as weatherization, solar panels, and wind turbine installation and maintenance to name a few. The Act became a resource for veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth, and families in extreme poverty tp gain employment.
11/22/08: Thursday Picture Page: Do these signs look familiar? 
Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States which collected several materials at the curb. By 2005, almost 9,000 curbside programs had sprouted up across the nation. As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials.
11/12/08: Wednesday Word Day:Hydrofluorocarbons: Used in refrigeration equipment. They use less ozone depleting potential (ODP) than CFCs and HCFCs, but they have increased global warming potential (GWP).
11/11/08: Did you know that sheetrock has been value engineered to be lighter, but just as strong as before? Lighter weight sheetrock travels to the job site for less cost and less fuel energy. Sheetrock is organic. It can be recycled on a job site and used agriculturally.
11/10/08: Smart building contain building automation systems (BAS) that monitor and regulate tasks such as heating, air conditioning, lighting, environmental variables, security and appliances. Increasing ventilation can have negative effexts on heatinng. Conversely, having operative windows can reduce air conditioning needs. Have a professional study the synergy of your building systems and determine what will lower operational costs and provide a smaller carbon footprint.
11/07/08: Thinking of attending a work related conference? Are you going to Boston for Green Build 2008? The average conference delegate produces about 61 pounds of solid waste during a three-day conference. That is five times more waste than in the same period at home. Information courtesy of Green Meeting Industry Council.
11/06/08: Thursday Picture Page:
What did you do today to save the earth?
11/5/08: Wednesday Word Day: Native/Adapted Plants - Indigenous to a locality or cultivars of native plants, not considered invasive species or noxious weeds.
11/4/08: How many of us have a delayed start feature on our dishwashers, but never use them? This is an energy saving tool. Set your dishwasher to start after peak energy use hours. The dishes will be just as clean in the morning and your electric bill will be less.
11/3/08: The membership of USGBC is getting ready to vote to accept the new LEED v3.0 or LEED 2009. Changes from LEED v2.2 include going from 69 potential credits to 110 potential credits. Wording has been reworked to reflect changes in sustainability technology and to allow a heavier 'weight' to areas with a higher return of environmental impact. Watch here for other news!
10/30/08: Wednesday Word Day: Bagasse is a byproduct of sugarcane, sorghum and agave. It is the plant material left over from production of sugar, sorgham and tequila. Burning bagasse produces sufficient heat energy to supply all the needs of a typical sugar mill, with energy to spare. It is a cogeneration product. Not only is it used as a fuel source at the mill, but electricity generated can be sold on the cosumer electricity grid. The CO2 emissions from burning are equal to the amount of CO2 that the sugarcane plant absorbed from the atmosphere during its growing phase, that makes the process of cogeneration greenhouse gas-neutral.
10/29/08: It is almost Halloween! Whether you celebrate the gremlin and goblin type of Halloween with your children, hold to a more traditional All Hallow's Eve or just like to have a few pumpkins on the porch to signify fall consider how you can recycle that yellow/gold vegetable. Baking the pumpkins seeds for a tasty snack is one way. Making pies out of uncut pumpkins is another. Use an extra cup of sugar if you purchased regular pumpkins rather than the sweeter pie pumpkins.
10/28/08: Let's reverse the trend! in 1960 we created 2.5 pounds of waste everyday, home and work combined. In 2008 we are creating 4.5 pounds of waste everyday. Can we get back to 1960 waste levels?
10/27/08: The USGBC LEED v2.2 will be replaced at the end of the year. If you are taking the LEED AP Exam before then, consider an Exam Review class. Check with your local Green Building Council Chapter or go to www.usgbc.org
10/24/08: Do you know the term Fugitive Dust? Have you ever seen a construction worker sawing through a concrete slab? That is one example. When this type of work is done in an enclosed area, the dust becomes a hazard.
10/23/08: Craigs List and Free Cycle are two great websites to browse through before heading out to the mega mall or big box. By purchasing a used item, you take it out of the waste stream and save yourself money.
10/22/08: Packaging materials contribute to the cost of products, their weight in shipping and eventually end up in landfills. Whenever possible, purchase products in larger quantities. You will reduce the amount of paper and plastic in landfills and maybe save yourself a trip to the store!
10/21/08: Did you know that mattresses can be recycled? Before you haul the old one out to the curb, do some investigative work. Call City Hall and see if there is a program in your community.
10/20/08: Underfloor heating systems have been around for decades. The good news is that they have become less expensive, easier to install and more reliable. Consider your mate's cold feet when they get into bed. Think of how heat rises. Our heads are always warmer than our feet. If we walked on warm floors and the gentle radiant heat rose from our floors, we would feel warmer all over. We could turn our thermostats down and save energy.
10/17/08: Have you provided bicycle parking spaces, but employees are still not motivated? Consider bringing in a local bicycle repair person for maintenance and safety checks. The caveat is that your employees must ride their bikes to work to have the service available to them at no cost. Healthier employees are better workers!
10/16/08: Pre Consumer Recycled Products include, but are not limited to: Cotton insulation made from recycled denim scraps, mulching products if they are comprised of scraps from the lumber or timber businesses, and broken glass from the glass manufacturer that is recycled into ceramic tile or other pre consumer products.
10/15/08: Talking about paperwork, have you considered PCW paper. PCW stands for post consumer waste paper. Read the labels and make sure you are getting the real thing, not just a greenwash product!
10/15/08: Let's laugh!
10/14/08: Consider minimizing paperwork at the office by presenting agendas on a power point presentation. When the meeting is over, email notes to everyone.
10/13/08: Would you like the lead the green movement in your office? Purchase personalized ceramic mugs and a water cooler. This approach will minimize the number of plastic waterbottles, plastic, styrofoam and paper cups you purchase. Save money and lead by example.
10/10/08: Electric cars, for several reasons. Fewer moving parts make electric cars more sustainable, they will last years longer than cars with gears, fan blades and reciprocating engine cylinders. Electric cars are pollution free. As long as we can provide an electric grid to handle the requirements, we will be free from foreign dependence on power for cars.
10/09/08: Do you know about soy candles? Soy candles are made from a renewable resource, soybeans! They do not emit carcinogens and they burn cleaner than paraffin-based candles. You may be able to find local sources for soy candles, helping farmers profit and consuming regional materials in one fell swoop!
10/08/08: Is there a room in your house, apartment, office building, medical facility, etc. that is used infrequently? Reduce energy consumption by closing vents to the room and closing the door to the room. Air conditioning is saved in the summer and heating costs will be lower in the winter.
10/07/08: Word Day: Light Shelves. What are they? They are highly reflective architectural components of a building. They can be installed interior or exterior along the upper portions of windows. They drive light deep into a space. They reduce energy costs by 'daylighting' space and they can be retrofitted to a building.
10/06/08: Is your TV/DVD player/cable box hooked up to a surge protector? If so, turn the whole kit and kaboodle off at night. With one flip of a switch you can save energy.
10/04/08: Building Owners: Are you growing and thinking of expanding your present location? Consider expanding the eco-friendly way. Arrange for some of your employees to work from home on alternating days. The benefits are many. For instance, two employees can share the same office and parking space, thus the physical expansion of your building is not necessary. HVAC and refrigeration costs stay the same even though the number of your staff has increased. Bring in an AP consultant to show you more ways to save.
10/03/08: Why waste the leftover coffee in the pot? Put ice in a glass, pour in half coffee and low-fat or skim milk. A 'cool' way to enjoy an afternoon lift, grab some calcium and reduce waste all in one!
10/02/08: Albedo. The definition is 'light reflecting.' This can refer to cool roof applications that reduce the amount of heat absorbed into a building and thus reduce the burden on air conditioning systems. A low-slope roof requires an SRI (Solar Reflectance Index) of 78. The higher the roof slope, the lower the SRI number.
9/30/08: Let's talk trash! in 1934 the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited dumping municipal waste into the ocean. In 1937 Fresno, California established the nation's first "sanitary" landfill, a dump where soil and ash were laid over garbage to contain fumes and odor. In 1974 University City, Missouri established the nation's first curbside bin pickup program for recycling newspapers. In 2008 the hit movie Wall-E showed us a compassionate robot trash compactor who endeared himself to us for his efforts to clean up a toxic earth. Courtesy of AARP, September 2008.
9/29/08: It is fall in many areas across the United States and we are starting to think about winter coming. Be prepared this year. Discuss the thermostat settings with your family and office workers. If everyone is willing to keep the thermostat lower by 2 degrees F, you will save 2% of CO2 Emissions over previous winters. You'll save on your fuel bill too!
9/27/08: Here's something building maintenance staff and homeowners overlook when scouting for ways to save energy: "Seal your heating and cooling ducts. Sealing and insulating ducts that move air to and from a forced-air furnace or heat pump can improve the system's efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Warmed air can be lost before reading the register if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces." Reprinted from COSE Update, Plugged In."
9/23/08: Take extra weight out of your vehicles. Store the golf clubs in your garage until you are ready to hit the links again. Clean out that cluttered trunk! Put your books on the bookshelves. Every ounce of unnecessary baggage you carry around with you is eating up energy! Hmmmm. That sounds rather philosophical doesn't it?!!
9/22/08: Here's and easy way to reduce carbon emissions, use on-line forms to eliminate most of your unwanted mail. Save up to .4% of COâ‚‚emissions. Check out these sites: Proquo.com and Greendimes.com
9/19/08: Want better gas mileage? Fill up in the morning before the underground tanks are affected by heat. Never fill up just after a gas station's tanks have been refilled. Sediment is churned up and it takes time for it to resettle.
9/18/08: Getting rid of leftover paint and stains? Call your City Offices. Many are now taking leftover materials, and redistributing them to people who want to frugally fix up their homes. If not, they can redirect you to the correct disposal.
9/17/08: Energy savings lightbults save energy! This is an easy one. I was just at my local home improvement store and they had a display of different energy saving lightbulbs. This makes it easy to decide if you want a cool tone or warm tone bulb. They are making it easy for us to switch. Take a pack home with you. When a bulb burns out, replace it with an energy saver!
9/16/08: When possible, pull your car onto your lawn to wash it. The water from the hose will sink into the ground rather than be carried to a storm sewer.
9/15/08: Not sure what to do with used toner cartridges, office paper, or a broken fax machine? Search earth911.org by zip code for companies that can dispose of the waste in a safe and responsible manner. Michael Dungan, APISync, apisync.net
9/12/08: Thinking of building a home? If you have a say in where the home will be situated on the lot, pick the worst spot on the site. That leaves the best greenspace areas for adaptable or native plants to grow and thrive. Courtesy of R. Michael Mithune.
9/10/08: Done working in the garden? Bring a bucket into the house with you and catch all of the running tap water and dirt from cleaning your hands in the bucket. Water your indoor plants or take the bucket back outside and water a thirsty plant!
9/05/08: Why are residential builders going Green? Fewer Callbacks: High returns on investments in energy efficiency upgrades: Positioning for competitive advantage and product differentiation: Higher customer satisfaction. With a depressed RE market, any advantage is a good advantage!