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New Mexico is setting an environmental example while putting a new twist on the nation’s Christmas tree this holiday season.

In the past, Christmas trees displayed at the U.S. Capitol have all been cut. But this year, New Mexico carefully removed a 60-foot spruce tree for transport to Washington, D.C. — complete with a 50-ton root ball. It will be the Capitol’s first living Christmas tree.

Each year, a different national forest is given the privilege of providing a Christmas tree for the nation’s capital. The honor this year went to New Mexico’s Carson National Forest.

After the holidays, this tree won’t be shredded for composting or hauled to a landfill like most Christmas trees. It will be putting down roots in its new home on the East Coast.

“We’re trying to encourage individuals and communities to switch from cut Christmas trees to living trees,” said Jim Freeman, New Mexico’s Urban Forestry Coordinator. “In New Mexico alone, 250,000 Christmas trees are cut every year, and many of them end up in landfills.”

To create a statewide event, most communities in New Mexico will decorate living Christmas trees this year and transplant them after the holidays, Freeman said. With the help of an Albuquerque radio station, all of these communities will coordinate their lighting ceremonies with the lighting of the national Christmas tree in Washington, D.C. New Mexico also hopes many of its residents will add momentum to the program by using living trees at home.

By following a few simple precautions, anyone can successfully use and then transplant a living Christmas tree. The tree should not be brought inside and left for a long period of time, Freeman said, because it will break its dormancy and could possibly freeze when taken back outside for planting.

“It’s best to keep the tree outside or in the garage for as long as possible, and then bring it in and decorate it right before Christmas,” he said.

Ideally, the tree should be planted as soon as possible after the holidays. If the ground is frozen, keep the tree in the cold and occasionally water its root ball until the ground thaws, Freeman said. But make sure the roots don’t freeze by adding a layer of burlap cloth or surrounding the root ball with wood chips.

However, if a living Christmas tree doesn’t appeal to you, be sure to find out if your cut tree can be mulched through a community program instead of being hauled to a landfill.

Tip/Stat — The United States has only seven percent of the world’s forests, but about 23 percent of the world’s industrial wood is harvested in this country.

Technorati Tags: Christmas trees, living trees, green holiday tips, green Christmas, forestry

Where did Henry Ford go wrong? When he first designed the Model T, he wanted it to run on an agriculture-based fuel — ethanol. But it wasn’t long before those plans were switched to use a petroleum-based fuel — gasoline.

As anyone who drives a gasoline-powered vehicle knows, the rest is history. Americans have since accepted the economic and environmental consequences.

Had Ford’s plan to use ethanol been realized, America might have looked very different today. However, ethanol still has many benefits and its not to late for America to take advantage of them, said Mark Dunn, director of the Northwest Ethanol Fuel Association.

“Ethanol is fermented and distilled from agricultural products like corn, wheat, barley and potatoes,” he said. “This makes it a renewable resource — unlike fossil fuels.”

By combining gasoline with 10 percent ethanol, the new mix will actually gain a higher octane rating and burn more efficiently, Dunn said. Equally important, however, vehicles burning this fuel called “gasahol” will emit about 25 percent less carbon monoxide.

Since roughly 60 percent of all carbon monoxide pollution is created by vehicles, these reductions can be significant. Several U.S. cities already have started “gasahol” programs and have noticed the benefits of ethanol in dealing with air pollution problems.

Ethanol has other environmental advantages, as well. Some production methods can use agricultural waste like potato skins. Sending these wastes to an ethanol manufacturer can keep them from contributing to America’s solid waste problem.

Ethanol also has some impressive economic advantages. In Bend, Ore., the Oregon Ethanol Co. is building a small refinery that will employ more than 40 people.

“From our workforce, even more jobs will be created,” said Terry Lynch, president of the company. “For every job we create, another seven will be created indirectly.”

A study by the Illinois Corn Growers Association revealed that for every 100 million bushels of corn used for the production of ethanol, 2,250 new rural jobs would be created. Additionally, the ethanol industry could put 50 million idle farming acres back into production.

Last year alone, 34 states sold more than eight billion gallons of ethanol, which was blended into only eight percent of the gasoline burned in the United States.

Perhaps it’s time to put Henry Ford’s original plans back on track.

Tip/Stat — For more information on ethanol or other alternative fuels, call the Renewable Fuels Association at 1 (800) 543-3802.

Technorati Tags: fuel efficiency, ethanol, ethanol industry, environmental consequences, renewable fuels, renewable energy, gasahol, carbon monoxide pollution

It’s possible to save money while saving the environment — that’s the message the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promoting through its innovative Green Lights program.

By encouraging U.S. corporations to install state-of-the-art lighting in their facilities, the EPA is promoting both energy efficiency and pollution prevention. Companies that join the program will profit by lowering their energy bills and improving lighting quality. As a byproduct, these companies also will help reduce the air pollution caused in the generation of electricity.

Lighting consumes nearly 25 percent of the electricity used each year in the United States. And commercial and industrial lighting represents 80 to 90 percent of that electrical demand.

By installing “green lighting,” companies can reduce the electrical power required for their lighting systems by 50 to 75 percent, said Maria Tikoff, manager of the Green Lights program for the California EPA. This in turn reduces the amount of pollution produced at power plants.

“One of the misunderstandings we need to overcome is that energy efficiency means a sacrifice of some sort,” Tikoff said. “When it comes to lighting, that’s just not the case. In most instances, the quality of lighting is improved.”

Since the voluntary Green Lights program started last January, more than 125 corporations and five state governments have joined the effort. This means more than one billion square feet of building space has already been dedicated to energy efficient lighting, she said.

Under the program, participants sign an agreement committing their organization to survey all of its facilities and install new lighting systems that maximize energy savings and do not compromise lighting quality.

To simplify the process, the EPA has a computer program to help participants quickly survey their lighting systems. The program assesses various options and can even make final recommendations. The EPA also offers product information and can help organizations find grants or low-interest loans for the new lighting.

California was the first state government to join the Green Lights program. The state estimates that by installing “green lighting” in its buildings, taxpayers eventually will save $255 million in annual energy costs, Tikoff said.

Along with the monetary savings, the new lights also will keep more than two billion pounds of carbon dioxide, two million pounds of sulfur dioxide and six million pounds of nitrogen oxide out of California’s air.

Not a bad gain for changing a few light bulbs.

Tip/Stat — One compact fluorescent light bulb can last as long as 13 incandescent bulbs, while saving about $57 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Technorati Tags: saving the environment, environmental protection, pollution prevention, energy efficiency, green lighting, green lighting systems

Business must play a key role in improving the environment in the future. But is the corporate world up to the task?

The Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) is working hard to make sure the answer is “yes.” Formed in 1990, GEMI now has 21 corporate members focused on improving the business world’s environmental performance.

“The public is demanding that corporations improve their environmental practices,” says Andrew Mastrandonas, a project manager with GEMI. “Our hope is that business — by taking control of its environmental destiny — can spur change from within and create a forum for sharing solutions among industries worldwide.”

Already some big names have joined: IBM, AT&T, Boeing, Duke Power, Eastman Kodak, General Electric and Procter & Gamble. And GEMI is confident its list of member companies will continue to grow, Mastrandonas says.

The nonprofit organization is geared to help businesses improve their environmental management practices by sharing information and successful programs on the subject.

“The biggest polluter has historically been business, but companies are now getting together and starting to reduce that problem,” explains Mastrandonas. “By sharing information and the latest technologies, this effort is going to foster environmental excellence.”

GEMI does not hold fund raising activities — it is funded through member fees of $25,000 a year. The organization also does not take stands on public policy, he said, and is not an advocacy group.

Through research, workshops, conferences and discussion groups, GEMI is developing a large body of knowledge on environmental management practices. One of the issues being emphasized involves total quality management (TQM).

TQM aims at continuous improvement, Mastrandonas said, with an end point never being reached. Under this thinking, companies work to continually improve their environmental quality.

“First, companies have to figure out what they need to do to improve their performance,” he explained. “Then they need to track it and eventually communicate their results to employees, investors, environmentalists and other important groups.”

Because many of its member companies have operations scattered around the globe, GEMI plans to establish an international network and expand world thinking about sound environmental management.

“GEMI can provide a way for companies to tackle their own problems,” Mastrandonas said. “Through effective management, companies can take responsibility for their own actions and improve their environmental performance.”

Tip/Stat — For every ton of paper recycled by business, 7,000 gallons of water are saved during production.

Technorati Tags: environmental groups, environmental management, environmental business, environmental workshops

By getting thousands of residents excited about using their green thumbs, Newark, N.J., is turning its vacant lots into prosperous, blooming gardens.

Because the city’s urban gardening program is coupled with a leaf composting project, it helps reduce landfill costs while beautifying plots of land that were once eyesores, said Frank Sudol, manager of the city’s Division of Engineering.

“We had an ongoing problem with maintaining these vacant lots because of illegal dumping,” he said. “Through the program, we’ve stopped the dumping, cut maintenance costs and put the lots to productive use.”

Nearly 4,000 once-vacant lots are now being used. Resident adopt the lots, Sudol said, then plant gardens and maintain them as a community project.

The leaf composting project is essential to the success of the community gardens because New Jersey’s rocky soil makes growing gardens difficult. Each fall, the city asks residents to rake their leaves to the curb. Bagging the leaves is discouraged to save residents money and the city disposal costs of the plastic, he said.

Once the leaves arrive at Newark’s composting site, they are screened, watered and composted in long windrows. Eventually, the finished product is hauled back into the urban area where it helps gardens bloom on the vacant lots.

“Rather than just hauling all that material to the landfill, we use it internally to enrich the soil and improve the value of our neighborhoods,” Sudol said.

As an added benefit, more and more residents are now composting on their own and hauling the material to their community gardens, he said.

An annual dinner is held each fall as part of the urban gardening program to honor the efforts of Newark’s community gardeners. A bus tour is conducted to visit the now-prosperous vacant lots before the event, and a panel of judges chooses winners in various categories.

Slides of the winning gardens are shown at the dinner as schools and neighborhoods celebrate their efforts, while making plans for another growing season.

“We’re talking about a significant amount of acreage being gardened that would otherwise sit unused,” Sudol said. “The program has helped raise community spirit and involvement.”

Tip/Stat — An estimated $750,000 worth of produce is grown on Newark’s vacant lots each year, through its urban gardening project.

Technorati Tags: composting, gardening, landfills, community gardeners, leaf composting project, urban gardening

The telephone always has had the potential to be a powerful environmental tool. Like many things, it’s up to the user to realize all of the possible benefits.

Just one phone call can save plenty of time, energy and pollution when the alternative is jumping in the car. And with little effort, the telephone can be used to mobilize and inform people. But these options have been at our fingertips for years.

However, the environmental power of the telephone is starting to emerge in some new and different ways. Cellular One, a Seattle-based mobile phone company, has created several new regional programs aimed at helping the environment.

In southern Florida, Cellular One customers can use their car phones to access an Environmental Destruction Hotline. All calls are toll-free and are routed directly to the Florida Department of Environmental Regulations.

“We started this program in September 1990, in an effort to get the community more involved with environmental protection,” said Cellular One’s Jacqueline Stewart. “Our callers can either report hazardous situations or get advice on topics such as oil disposal.”

In November 1990, Cellular One started a different program in Colorado, called Air Line. Under this program, the company’s customers are encouraged to use their car phones to report vehicles that are emitting excessive amounts of smoke.

The toll-free telephone calls are routed directly to a local pollution prevention agency, Clean Air for Colorado, where the offending vehicle’s license plate and car model are recorded. The office also makes note of the date and location of the incident.

After the vehicle is reported, the Colorado Department of Health sends a letter to the vehicle’s owner, warning that a citation may be issued if the problem is not corrected.

“The Air Line handled more than 500 calls between November and March last winter,” said Dick Abels, with Cellular One in Colorado. “And these are Colorado’s worst air pollution months because of cold-air inversions.”

Cellular telephones do have great potential in terms of environmental protection. They’re adding eyes and ears to the movement, and they’re saving precious response time.

(Tip/Stat) Use your telephone to find out more about possible radon contamination in your home. Call the Radon Hotline at 1 (800) SOS-RADON.

Technorati Tags: environmental protection, environmental tools, helping the environment, energy, pollution, waste reduction, cell phones, pollution prevention

Anyone in pursuit of job security should take a look at the oil spill cleanup business. With about 10,000 spills on America’s waterways every year — or one spill every 53 minutes — there’s plenty of work. And if you count chemical spills, the numbers triple.

Dr. Roy Hann, Jr. has been leading the fight against these disasters for more than twenty years. Applying his hands-on experience with tanker, pipeline and facility spills, Hann started the world’s first oil spill cleanup school at Texas A&M University in 1974. He also has directed oil spill courses for the United Nations, Brazil, Chile and India.

“The job market for our graduates is booming,” he said. “Since the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, our enrollment has doubled. We’ve even got a backlog of students trying to get into the program.”

Like most problems, it’s easier to prevent a spill than clean one up, Hann said. Prevention saves both time and money in the long run, as well as the environment.

“Most companies know what ought to be done,” he said, “but don’t actually do it.”

That’s why he stresses a system called the “prevention cycle” — a thought process that starts with ship and facility design and considers all aspects of the business, including construction, maintenance and training.

Since Texas A&M’s campus at College Station is landlocked, only research work is done at that site. The actual school is conducted through an extension program on the Texas coast at Galveston.

Many of the school’s graduates find jobs in the oil industry or government, working on both prevention and cleanup issues. Hann’s graduates earn either a Master’s or Doctor’s degree in civil engineering, with an emphasis on environmental engineering.

“In many cases, they’re going to companies we never would have expected,” Hann said. “McDonald’s, banks…..it’s almost unlimited.”

Currently the school is limited to 40 or 50 new students each year. Expanding the program is being considered, Hann said, but will depend on funding and grants.

Still, Texas A&M’s popular program remains one of the few oil spill clean-up schools in the world.

(Tip/Stat) The world’s worst oil spill occurred off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago on July 1, 1979, and was nearly ten times worse than the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.

Technorati Tags: oil spill, oil spills, oil spill cleanup business, chemical spills, oil industry, environmental issues, environmental schools

Turning the fruits of a recycling program into tangible results has proven hugely successful for the Chicago Park District and the city’s residents.

Chicago’s 563 parks are now being covered in garbage. But it is in the form benches, playground barriers and other items composed completely of plastic donated by residents in the city’s Plastic On Parks (POP) program.

At the start of the two-year-old project, 400 pounds of plastic was being collected each week, said Fred White, director of recycling for the park district. Now, more than 40,000 pounds of plastic are brought to the city’s 260 recreation centers every week.

“When you contribute to a project and can see what your efforts are creating, it’s a lot easier to get excited about it,” White said. “They know their plastic bottles are becoming useful items.”

Under the program, residents bring their empty plastic milk, water and pop containers to their local city recreation center. Because of the volume, the park district has dedicated a truck solely to collecting the bottles, and must stop at some of the centers every day.

The bottles are then sorted and bailed before being shipped to Hammers Plastic Recycling in Iowa Falls, Iowa. This company creates plastic lumber out of the plastic and returns it to Chicago.

“Our contract says the company must return the plastic we give them,” White said. “This is why people do it — they can see what is being done with the plastic.”

A majority of the plastic wood received so far has been used to refurbish some of the city’s 630 playgrounds. A 12-inch-high perimeter wall is built around each playground using the lumber, and the inner area then filled with a soft material like wood chips or sand, he said. The unique lumber also has been used to build park benches and floating docks.

“Our carpenters have no problem with the plastic,” he said. “It cuts like wood, saws like wood and nails like wood.”

But the plastic lumber doesn’t deteriorate like wood, and children don’t have to worry about splinters. Also, the plastic is graffiti resistant because it is non-porous and can easily be cleaned, White added.

“We’ve collected more than 2 million pounds of plastic since we started,” he said. “If we’ve diverted that much material from landfills, then we’ve helped lengthen the lives of those landfills and benefited everyone here.”

The park district has received many inquiries from other cities regarding the POP program, White said, and has offered lend whatever assistance it can to help establish similar recycling programs in other communities.

(Tip/Stat) Approximately 350,000 plastic bottles are used to refurbish one playground
under Chicago’s POP program.

Technorati Tags: recycling programs, recycling, landfills, plastic, green stories, environmental heroes, green communities

Earth News Media is a pioneer in the field of environmental news and information. The company was founded in 1991 as an international news service. Its efforts have led to a syndicated environmental news column being published around the world.

Incorporating such diverse items as coffee filters, old tires and plastic left over from the production of disposable diapers, an Oregon company has created a walking shoe made entirely of recycled materials.

Julie Lewis, founder of DejaShoes, says the shoe meets all the technical qualifications of a good walking shoe, including a beveled heel, arch support and padding in the tongue and collar for comfort.

While researching an article for a local recycling group, Lewis learned of a woman who wove plastic bags into braided throw rugs. That concept got her thinking about using a similar weave as the upper portion of a revolutionary new shoe — a recycled shoe.

However, Lewis said when she contacted several textile mills in the South about using recycled plastic, they told her to forget it. Undaunted, she looked up one of the founders of Nike athletic shoes in the Portland phone book and called him at home.

Nike’s Bill Bowerman agreed to meet and discuss the idea with her, she said. Soon, help was on the way. He had Lewis call one of the Nike’s fabric distributors, who then contacted the textile mills. This time, the mills got excited about the idea.

Lewis proceeded to research which recycled materials could be used for each component of her shoe. DejaShoe’s fabric uses trim waste from the manufacture of hospital gowns and disposable diapers — material that would eventually end up filling landfills. The inner soles are made from recycled coffee filters and paper bags.

Cushioning in the shoe’s arch, collar and tongue consists of recycled foam rubber. The soles, which don’t mark up floors, come from reclaimed tire rubber and last much longer than other types of soling material, she said. The eyelets, as well, are made from scrap metals.

Even the box the shoes are packaged in follows the theme. Made from recycled material, the box reverses — revealing pictures of endangered animals — so it can be reused as a gift box or storage container.

“I’m helping to set an example for industry by showing them that with a little creativity, they can reuse some of their waste materials and lessen their impact on the environment,” Lewis said. “And I’m also proving that consumers want them to do this and are interested in these kinds of products.”

The first run of DejaShoes has come off the production line, and a second run is being prepared. Lewis has enlisted the help of several ex-executives of the Avia shoe company as her business continues to grow. Nordstroms, a retail store chain based in the Northwest, wants to start a men’s line of DejaShoes, she added.

For more information or to order a pair of DejaShoes, write to P.O. Box 830, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. Or call (503) 636-1887.

(Tip/Stat) The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, running through Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, attracts more than 10 million hikers each year.

Technorati Tags: recycling, recycled shoe, green business, green ideas, save planet earth

Earth News Media is a nationally syndicated environmental news service profiling the positive environmental efforts of individuals, organizations and corporations around the world.

The first ever “tree clause” in a book contract allows environmentally minded authors to symbolically replace the trees used in the printing of their works.

Harper & Row in San Francisco developed the clause at the request of Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead music group, for his book, Drumming at the Edge of Magic. To research the book — a history of ancient musical and rhythmic customs — Hart traveled extensively and became concerned about the environment — rain forests in particular.

Hart approached Harper’s, asking if the publisher would be willing to plant as many trees as were felled to produce the paper for his book. Harper’s not only agreed, but also offered to double the number of trees.

The first printing of 50,000 copies of the book represented 45 tons of paper. Quick calculations revealed that 765 trees would meet their demise. With additional printings of the book, the number of trees planted is now well over 2,000.

Harper’s does not actually plant the trees, but donates the funds to the Rainforest Action Network, which has tree-planting programs in place in the rain forests of Central and South America.

“Although the paper used for book production obviously does not come from rain forest trees, we see this action as a powerful symbol of the responsibility we all share for replenishing resources for the sake of future generations,” said Clayton Carlson, senior vice president and publisher at Harper’s in San Francisco.

Since the publishing of Hart’s book last year, Harper’s has made an optional “tree clause” available to all authors entering into book contracts. The provision states the company will plant one tree in the rain forest for every tree the author agrees to fund, based on the number of trees used in the production of the book.

More than a dozen authors already have taken the publisher up on the offer. Hart’s next book, Planet Drum, due out this fall, also will take advantage of the new clause.

Carlson, calling the effort more of an earnest attempt to make a statement than an economic investment, said he hopes this author/publisher concept will catch on in the industry.

(Tip/Stat) Approximately one acre of healthy, fast-growing forest can absorb 1.4 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

Technorati Tags: book production, rainforest action, tree-planting programs, save the trees, eco-friendly business, green business, green writing

Earth Corps, a new YMCA program expanding across the nation, is allowing high school students the opportunity to take charge and promote environmental issues and actions.

Created in Seattle, Wash., the original program quickly grew from 270 participating students to more than 1,500 students from 43 different schools. Earth Corps programs are now under way in Ohio, New York, Colorado and Oregon.

“It’s a leadership program based on environmental education and action,” said Nan Little, director of Earth Corps and founder of the first group in Seattle. “It’s fascinating to see young people take leadership roles in tackling environmental issues.”

The program operates on two levels — major community projects are coordinated through local YMCAs while other efforts are conducted in individual schools by smaller groups of Earth Corps students.

On Earth Day, the Seattle Earth Corps planted 15,000 trees, Little said. The group also has undertaken a stenciling project to warn people against dumping fish-killing wastes down storm drains. Messages stating, “Dump no waste; drains to stream,” have been spray painted near more than 1,000 storm drain grates.

The program has been officially adopted by YMCA U.S.A. and is being publicized through its network, Little said. Earth Corps groups also have been started in Hong Kong and Singapore, and still more are being considered in other Asian and South American countries.

Earth Corps involves groups of teachers and students working together, coordinated by the YMCA, and supported by businesses, government, colleges and universities. The program can be molded to the students’ own desires and goals. It is geared to develop leadership skills, encourage students to examine all sides of environmental issues and advance education through action.

“Earth Corps has done many things for our YMCA,” said Jennifer Parker, executive director of the Metrocenter YMCA in Seattle. “It has revitalized our outreach to high school youths and has brought us into new partnerships with community leaders, corporations and government agencies.”

International studies and exchanges also are encouraged in Earth Corps. A Seattle group hosted a weekend conference and retreat with students from Thailand, Japan, India and Canada. Another group of 16 students recently took a trip to Asia to meet with foreign students, Little said, where they were instrumental in establishing the Singapore and Hong Kong groups.

“We have moved quickly from a concept on paper to a vital, exciting program,” she said. “We’re expecting big things in the future.”

For more information write: Earth Corps, Program Information,
909 4th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104. Or call (206) 382-5013.

(Tip/Stat) Planting trees along a south wall provides shade for cooling in the summer and admits sun in the winter when solar heat gain may help.

Technorati Tags: environmental issues, environmental actions, Earth Day, YMCA, Earth Corps, eco-education, environmental education, green communities

If you keep the environment in mind while shopping, your efforts are making a difference.

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) recently tracked several environmental issues on behalf of the supermarket industry and found that consumers are changing their purchasing habits to help the environment. These findings should help change the way the industry does business.

The institute, a nonprofit research and education association based in Washington, D.C., has conducted similar surveys for the past 20 years. Its member companies operate nearly 20,000 retail food stores in the United States — from large multi-store chains to smaller independent supermarkets.

According to the survey:

– 30 percent of the surveyed shoppers said they already have refused to buy a product because of environmental concerns. And about one in seven shoppers has gone as far as joining an organized boycott against a particular product or store.

– Roughly 60 percent of the shoppers said they would be more likely to buy a product if the label said that the package was made from recycled materials.

– More than half of the shoppers probably or definitely would change supermarkets if a new store opened nearby that promoted environmentally safe products and practices.

The institute has distributed the results of this survey to retailers and manufacturers across the country in a report called, Trends — Consumer Attitudes and the Supermarket, 1991. Although FMI does not recommend changes based on the report, the industry does take notice.

“Supermarkets rely heavily on this information,” said Karen Brown, FMI’s vice president of communications. “It helps them understand their market, which is, of course, very customer-driven.”

This insight into the environmental concerns of customers will help supermarkets develop new programs and promotions, Brown said. In some cases, retailers will even develop new “house” brands based on these emerging shopping trends, she added.

The survey also revealed that nearly 50 percent of those surveyed have refused to buy products manufactured by companies whose policies they disagree with. Additionally, 74 percent said they recycle aluminum and 64 percent recycle newspapers. Just under half said they recycle glass and plastic.

As this study demonstrates, individuals can make a difference in the marketplace. If you haven’t been an environmental shopper, keep these statistics in mind the next time you head to the grocery store.

(Tip/Stat) Whenever possible, buy products wrapped in little or no excessive packaging.

[tags]earth news, packaging, environmental issues, green business, environmental concerns, shopping,

Wetlands are to nature what kidneys are to the human body.

By using these natural kidneys as filters, a South Carolina county is processing wastewater in an energy efficient manner while leaving the wetlands unharmed.

In Horry County — South Carolina’s fastest growing county with Myrtle Beach as its hub — a sewage disposal system is dumping 450,000 gallons of wastewater a day into wetlands. And the natural settings are thriving.

“Fifty percent of the county is wetlands, so it became a natural alternative to consider,” said Larry Schwartz, an environmental planner with the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority, which handles wastewater treatment for the county. “We’re just using the natural filtering ability of the land to renovate wastewater.”

The wastewater is being distributed evenly across one Carolina Bay, an example of the egg-shaped natural depressions unique to coastal regions of the Southeast. These bays, usually filled with peat and shrubs, act as buffers between the uplands and the region’s fragile black-water rivers — so named because they are dark-colored, slow-moving and hold small amounts of dissolved oxygen.

Currently, only one bay is receiving wastewater. But eventually four bays may be used to treat up to 2.5 million gallons a day as the county grows over the next 20 years, Schwartz said.

A series of boardwalks crisscrosses the bay to support distribution pipes carrying the wastewater. Two-inch holes every 15 to 20 feet allow the water to splash on rocks and disperse evenly across the bay.

The wastewater has been treated to secondary levels before it enters the bay, Schwartz said, meaning 85 percent of all organics and wastes have been removed. To finish cleaning the water using man-made treatment systems, large amounts of energy are required.

“But in this case we’re using energy from the sun,” he said. “That’s the beauty of it — the system is cost-effective and energy-efficient.”

A dozen government agencies at both state and national levels are involved in the project. Two biologists work full time testing the water quality and studying the natural habitat, Schwartz said.

“Our goal is to maintain the value of the natural communities in the bays and manage them so they remain the same — and in the process achieve advanced wastewater treatment,” he said.

The project has generated plenty of interest from other states, including some that hope to construct their own wetlands for similar purposes, said Schwartz, who averages at least one tour a week of the county’s wastewater system.

“It’s a major new way to do things,” he said. “With wetlands, if they are selected and managed properly, there is no reason not to use them.”

(Tip/Stat) Carolina Bays are the only place Venus Fly Traps — the infamous carnivorous plant — can be found in the United States.

Technorati Tags: wetlands, South Carolina, wastewater, wastewater treatment, energy, going green, environmental issues

Can you make it to the recycling center before using your last unit of oxygen? Do you know what percentage of the world’s energy the United States uses?

A new board game that combines environmental trivia with actual planet-saving activities has hit the store shelves. While playing Earth Alert, participants can learn about recycling, rainforests, conservation, pollution, and the ozone layer. And they can also have fun.

Creators Michael Schiller and Michael Stusser say they developed the game to raise consciousness about the Earth and illustrate ways in which individuals can make a difference.

“Along with fun, we offer solutions,” Stusser said. “The game has an active component which gets players to participate in environmental activities.”

At the beginning of a game, Earth Alert players are given six oxygen units. The goal is to advance to three different recycle centers by answering trivia questions, guessing correct definitions (with false ones being created by opposing players) or deciphering roles that are acted out verbally by other participants. Wrong answers cost one oxygen unit.

For example, here is one trivia question: True or false? Each year the United States generates enough garbage to fill a convoy of trash trucks that would reach all the way to the moon. The answer is false — the convoy would only reach halfway.

The active part of the game occurs at the recycle centers. Cards chosen at the centers require action, such as finding a light in the house that doesn’t need to be on, writing a note to a senator or checking for leaking faucets. These activities are rewarded with another unit of oxygen.

“When people finish playing, we want their homes to be more beneficial to the environment,” Stusser said. “And if they want more oxygen, they have to do something. Ultimately, to make a difference, individuals are going to have to change their own behavior.”

To promote even more action, many of the game cards list phone numbers and addresses so players have the chance to follow up on certain environmental topics.

All items included in Earth Alert are made from recycled materials. The game itself is sealed with small adhesive paper tabs, rather than shrink-wrapped in plastic.

Five percent of the game’s profits go to environmental groups, Stusser said — one percent each to the Rainforest Action Network, the Trust for Public Land, the Earth Island Institute, Greenpeace and Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs).

Earth Alert is now available at stores in 40 states, or through the mail-order catalogs of Greenpeace or the Real Goods Trading Co. For more information, call (206) 324-2362, or write Earth Alert, P.O. Box 20790, Seattle, WA 98102.

(Tip/Stat) The United States consumes 33 percent of all the energy used in the world, more than any other country.

Technorati Tags: earth alert, environmental trivia, planet-saving activities, recycling, rainforests, conservation, pollution, ozone layer, green games

Plenty of products these days claim to be environmentally friendly, recyclable or biodegradable. And the list of buzzwords for environmental marketing claims continues to grow.

But how many of these claims stretch the truth just to sell more product? By creating a set of regulations, Hubert Humphrey III says he hopes to stop what he calls green-collar crime.

Humphrey, Minnesota’s attorney general, has become a national leader in this quest for consistency and accuracy in the use of environmental claims. He currently heads a task force to address the situation with 10 other state attorneys general.

On behalf of all states, this task force prepared Green Report II, a 50-page list of recommendations on green marketing. The report has been submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for consideration and distributed to the corporate world, as well.

“Green Report II goes a long way toward establishing guidelines for marketers,” Humphrey said. “Many companies are trying to do the right thing, but we need to keep the green revolution on the right course by establishing standards and enforcing them at both state and national levels.”

The FTC held hearings on the subject in July. And Humphrey has testified before a Senate subcommittee regarding a bill that calls for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get involved in green marketing.

“Both the FTC and the EPA have roles to play,” Humphrey said. “The FTC should monitor the day-to-day activities to prevent green-collar fraud, while the EPA has the expertise to define long-term standards. We have a unique situation where consumer protection is merging with environmental protection.”

But the consumer has a role to play as well, he added.

“As we walk down the supermarket aisles, our choices are affecting the environment,” Humphrey said. “And those choices need to be driven by more than just price and quality. That’s why I want to see more accurate information presented to the public.”

However, government control isn’t the consumer’s only hope to achieve more accurate and consistent product claims. Humphrey said he is optimistic about the industry’s own self-regulation efforts. Certification programs like Green Seal and Green Cross, which designate products that are beneficial to the environment, also will help the effort, he noted.

“Certification programs can be very valuable in developing an atmosphere of trust,” he said. “These programs should require producers to maximize efforts, where the FTC and EPA will establish minimum standards.”

If Humphrey achieves his goals, the old warning “buyer beware” no longer will be a consumer’s only source of protection from false environmental claims.

(Tip/Stat) Shoppers make an average 2.3 trips to the grocery store every week. Eliminating one of those trips would save time and energy.

Technorati Tags: green business, consumer protection, environmental protection, environmental marketing claims, environmental marketing, green marketing, environmental fraud

It’s no secret — America’s disposable society has created a landfill crisis. Landfills around the country are approaching capacity, and new sites are difficult to approve.

Portland, Ore., however, is on the right track with an innovative solution. The city has created the nation’s largest composting facility for municipal solid waste.

In April 1991, a unique public/private partnership was struck between the Metropolitan Service District (METRO), a regional waste-management agency serving the metropolitan Portland area, and Riedel Environmental Technologies, an international environmental services company. METRO handles the actual composting process, while Riedel markets the finished product.

Several communities around the country have started composting programs for yard debris and sewage sludge, but only a handful process everyday household garbage.

“It’s the first municipal solid waste composting program of this size,” said Bob Martin, METRO’s director of solid waste. “We can handle 185,000 tons of garbage per year.”

The system currently can handle about 15 percent of Portland’s trash output. Future expansion is dependent on Riedel’s ability to find more customers for the compost, he said.

That, however, shouldn’t be a problem. Riedel already has sold more than three years worth of compost in advance, Martin said. And these sales occurred under contract terms stating the firm is not allowed to compete with METRO’s other compost products — yard waste and sewage sludge — within a 35-mile radius of the city.

One of the keys to marketing the compost is its quality. If it contains too many impurities — inorganic materials such as glass, plastic and heavy metals — it has limited applications.

“That’s why we’re doing a lot of the separation at the front of the system — before we try to compost the organic content of the waste stream,” Martin said.

A system of conveyors moves the trash through the facility. Employees then sort out the inorganic matter, leaving the remaining material to be dropped into a huge composting vat.

Even though municipal composting is a promising alternative to more landfills, households and businesses still need to reduce their demands on municipal garbage systems, Martin said.

“The key for most municipalities is to pass the real cost of disposal on to the people,” he said. “It costs $68 per ton to drop waste at our facility. At that price, a lot of commercial establishments will find better things to do with certain kinds of materials than just throw them away. Once you’ve done that, you’ve created a large incentive for people to recycle and avoid creating waste in the first place.”

(Tip/Stat) The Portland composting facility has created 65 new jobs.

Technorati Tags: recycling, landfills, environmental issues, composting, waste reduction

The question of cutting down or preserving old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest has been a controversial issue for years. Now a specific tree in the forest — previously thought of as economically useless — is adding fuel to the already heated debate.

Bark and needles from the Pacific yew tree contain the drug taxol, which has achieved remarkable results in fighting advanced cases of ovarian and breast cancer. These cancers are responsible for more than 50,000 U.S. deaths each year.

Unfortunately, the yew tree grows sparsely in the forest. And an estimated six 100-year-old trees are needed to treat one patient for a year because very small concentrations of taxol are found in the yew.

However, ESCAgenetics Corp. recently announced it has successfully produced taxol in the laboratory through tissue culture technology. In this process, cells from the roots, needles and stems of the yew tree are isolated and multiplied using a fermentation process that stimulates the cells to produce large quantities of taxol.

“After nine months of effort, we derived the technology to produce taxol — and we’re now improving on it,” said Walter Goldstein, vice president of research and development at ESCAgenetics. “The company has a history of producing many products through similar processes.”

When the San Carlos, Calif.-based firm heard about taxol, Goldstein said he attended a meeting on the subject in Washington, D.C., then started a development program with a group of top-notch scientists. A series of breakthroughs followed.

And best of all, the scientists knew that very little plant material would be needed in the process.

“Because the supply of the drug is so scarce, we wanted to demonstrate that we could accomplish this without affecting the yew,” Goldstein said. “We don’t have to go back to the forest — that’s the beauty of tissue culture technology.”

The company plans to begin commercial production of taxol within two years. At that point, the Federal Drug Administration will need to review the situation, he said.

But even with a lengthy timetable and plenty of work in front of him, Goldstein is still excited.

“In terms of common good, we have a tremendous opportunity to help both cancer patients and the environment,” he said. “We hope we can be helpful on both counts.”

(Tip/Stat) The National Cancer Institute estimates that 750,000 pounds of bark from the Pacific yew is needed this year to produce enough taxol for its needs.

Technorati Tags: taxol, yew tree, save the trees, earth news, earth news media, environmental news

A revolutionary watering system that can save up to 60 percent in water costs for park systems and golf courses continues to grow in popularity — just as awareness of water use continues to grow in the American mind.

By using computers to determine just how much water different sections of land need, the system can quickly save millions of gallons of water. And when rains come, no labor is needed to manually turn off the sprinklers.

Although computerized watering systems have been around for several years, interest in them has just recently grown, said John Williams, product manager for Toro’s Irrigation Division. The company now has systems in every state, and their value is being noticed around the world.

“We have seen savings in water bills of up to 60 percent,” he said. “Typical savings are in the range of 35 to 40 percent, which is still significant.”

Toro’s Network 8000 was the first automated system to use agronomic principles in determining watering needs, he said. Similar products by other manufacturers are now on the market, as well.

By monitoring the environment, the Network 8000 can pinpoint water needs. Its computer calculates an evapo-transpiration value (E.T.) based on information it receives from a weather station. This E.T. value takes into account evaporation from the soil and the amount of moisture given off, or transpired, by plants.

Several different factors are figured into this E.T. value every day, Williams said, including humidity, wind speed, temperature and solar radiation. Additionally, the soil type, compaction and slope of the land for each sprinkler grouping are added in before the computer determines final watering needs. Rainfall is automatically added to the calculation.

The city of Denver, Colo., is the largest municipality currently using Toro’s Network 8000, said Dorothy Borland, senior water conservation analyst. And the savings in one year alone has been impressive.

The city placed nine of its parks on the system last summer. Compared to a base period from the three previous summers, the new system saved about 30 percent on water usage, she said, or a whopping 30 million gallons of water.

This spring alone, by shutting down the system during a rainy 17-day stretch, the city saved another 19 million gallons. Before the new system was installed, park superintendents had to decide whether to expend the eight hours of manpower needed to turn off all the sprinkler systems manually, she said. And a day or two later, without more rain, the process would have to be repeated.

Now, a flick of a switch accomplishes the same thing.

“From a public relations standpoint, it’s been great,” Borland said of the new system. “People just hate to see sprinklers going during a rain storm.”

Nine more city parks went on the system this summer, she said, bringing a total of 4,000 acres onto the Network 8000. And three of the city’s golf courses now use the system. Eventually, plans are to have the entire park system computerized.

Watering parks and golf courses may seem a simple process, but when technological advances are added, the dynamics grow. And when combined with water-saving practices at home, that means a lot more water for everyone in the future.

(Tip/Stat) Water your lawn during the mornings or evenings to reduce evaporation loss.

Technorati Tags: earth news, water saving practices, environmental awareness, earth news media, environmental blog, eco-news, irrigation, global warming

Earth News Media is a pioneer in the field of environmental news and information. The company was founded in 1991 as an international news service. Its efforts have led to a syndicated environmental news column being published around the world.

Salmon meat is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. And now a natural by-product of the fish is becoming a big hit. Anyone need a fishskin wallet?

By taking salmon skins ordinarily dumped on the ocean floor and turning them into striking leather products, an Alaska company is both helping the environment and turning a profit.

Although the art of tanning fishskins has been practiced by the state’s natives for centuries, a handful of Alaskan entrepreneurs have revived and refined the ancient process. It’s fashion gone environmental.

The Juneau-based Alaskins Leather Co. expects to use more than 700,000 fishskins in its products in 1991. That’s more than 150,000 pounds of the previously unwanted material.

Fishskins cause disposal problems for the fishing and canning industry. Typically, the skins are mulched and dumped onto the ocean floor, said Jerry Garner, president of Alaskins.

Unfortunately, the skins are 50 percent pure protein, composed mostly of scales. This protein does not break down, he said, and ends up on the ocean floor, smothering whatever it lands upon.

“We are allowing for complete utilization of the species,” Garner said. “And we’re proud of that.”

An added benefit for Alaskins is its clean tanning process. Because most of the chemicals used in the tanning are absorbed into the fish skin and only small amounts are used, Garner said their tanning by-products are no more toxic than normal household cleaners.

Four partners started the company in 1987 by tinkering with a tanning process using plastic trash cans and wooden paddles. After 18 months of effort, they created a viable commercial-scale tanning process for fishskins.

They produced samples and discovered they would sell at a local trade convention. The first official batch of products sold out at a Juneau craft show during Christmas, 1987.

By the end of 1988, Alaskins products were in more than 100 Alaska stores, including every J.C. Penney outlet in the state. Sales have doubled every year, Garner said, and 1991 figures are projected to top $900,000.

While the products are only scattered across the lower 48 states, he said the company is contacting national retail chains and looking into export opportunities. Alaskins now produces 26 different items from three fish species — salmon, halibut and sea bass.

Products include wallets, checkbook covers, boots, jewelry and business-card holders. Former President Gerald Ford uses a set of salmon-skin golf club covers, given to him last year by the governor of Alaska. And Alaskins fish leather was used for costumes in Columbia Pictures’ Return to the Blue Lagoon.

Garner couldn’t be happier about his firm’s jump into the green side of the fashion world.

“We’ve had very good success with the product,” he said. “The acceptance for it has been tremendous.”

(Tip/Stat) Reduce your junk mail by writing: Mail Preference Service, Direct Mail Marketing Association, P.O. Box 3861, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-3861. Or call (212) 689-4977.

Technorati Tags: fishskins, eco-fashion, Alaska, earth news, earth news media, environmental fashion eco-friendly fashion, green business, green ideas

Learning about ways to help the environment is one thing. Turning that knowledge into action is another thing altogether.

David Gershon understands this and has developed a plan to move people on to this next step by turning their awareness into action.

Gershon’s Global Action Plan for the Earth (GAP) involves a six-month program to bring households into environmental balance. The plan also entails forming eco-teams among groups of 10 or 12 neighbors, friends or family members to work together in completing the program.

“Earth Day woke everyone up,” said Gershon. “But questions arose — ‘Where do I start and does what I do make a difference?’– so I built this program aimed at those questions.”

Gershon has written a workbook outlining various ways households can make a difference. The book is broken into six different sections, each describing a month’s worth of tasks to help the environment.

During the first month, an eco-team looks at reducing their garbage. Month two, homewoners consider water efficiency and delve into changing both plumbing fixtures and water-wasting habits. Other topics include boosting home energy efficiency, improving transportation practices, being an environmental consumer and, during the sixth and final month, empowering others.

During a pilot program, 500 U.S. households went through the program, Gershon said. Another 500 are in the middle of the GAP workbook now, and currently programs are being developed in Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the Soviet Union and Great Britain.

The final piece in GAP’s overall program involves feedback. Results from the actions of all eco-teams will be collected and compiled. To that end, Cray Research, a Minneapolis-based computer company, is building an environmental-feedback data system for GAP.

“With the feedback, we can know that our actions are actually helping,” Gershon said. “And that exposure will empower further action by demonstrating that progress toward global goals is possible — and that it is happening.”

Cray Research also has ordered 5,000 GAP workbooks for its employees. The company is the first major corporation to commit itself to the GAP program, Gershon said.

“Cray Research’s leadership in this area provides an exciting opportunity for us to again set standards for other corporations to follow,” said Rick Magyar, an engineering writer with the firm.

In another effort to spread the word about GAP, Whole Foods Markets, a natural foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas, has purchased 10,000 workbooks to distribute through its stores. Still more possibilities for distribution are in the works, Gershon added.

“The program is designed as a tool to move the wheel,” he said. “We want to make it available to all environmentally oriented groups. I see it expanding exponentially over the years.”

GAP is a non-profit organization, funded through grants, donations and sales of its workbooks. For more information, write the Global Action Plan, 57A Krumville Road, Olivebridge, NY, 12491. Or call (914) 657-8081.

(Tip/Stat) Recycled aluminum requires about 90 percent less energy to produce than when using virgin materials.

Technorati Tags: earth news, home energy, energy efficiency, environmental actions, earth news media, earth day, global action plans, eco-friendly, greenhouses, eco-team

Transforming useless, black rooftops into prosperous, green gardens — that is the goal of Dr. Paul Mankiewicz.

As director of the Gaia Institute, an environmental research group in New York City, he has designed a unique greenhouse which solves the complexities of gardening on rooftops and will provide fresh produce for thousands of residents below.

By using a lightweight soil, a simple steel-frame structure wrapped in plastic, and a unique planting and harvesting system, this new greenhouse could add a new facet to agriculture. And that has the biologist excited.

“If we have a system that can purify the air and lower the amount of traffic needed to ship produce — and have that system in cities where pollution problems are serious — that is certainly a big improvement for society,” he said. “And by having a new center of economic activity right in the cities, it makes for a much greater increase in wealth for those urban areas.”

After seven years of research and development, Mankiewicz has applied for a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to build a prototype greenhouse on a building owned by the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City’s fifth most popular tourist attraction.

Tied to the grant is New York City’s Recycling Division, which will help supply the ton of solid waste the greenhouse will use every day. Food scraps and other waste material will be composted in large bins, Mankiewicz said, then slurried up to the roof where the material will be used in both the soil and the nutrient system.

The greenhouse’s soil is the unique feature that makes the system work. Most soils are too heavy to use on rooftops, he said, and building additional reinforcement is too expensive.

However, he has created a super lightweight soil by using both synthetic and organic materials, including recycled styrofoam. The styrofoam works as filler — the purpose sand and clay serve in most soils.

Feeding the crops involves a series of underground tubes linked to a controller, which delivers precise amounts of water, nutrients, microbes, carbon dioxide and oxygen to maximize plant growth.

Covering the plants will be a lightweight steel frame covered with a thin glazing of plastic. By his calculations, Mankiewicz said the amount of petroleum needed to produce all the plastic used in the greenhouse would get a truckload of produce only 300 miles down the road from California.

For planting and harvesting, a space-saving gantry system will span the garden and roll over the top of the growing space. Workers will be able to work from above, he said, eliminating the need for aisles and increasing crop yields by 30 to 90 percent.

On a larger scale, Mankiewicz envisions rooftop greenhouses eventually adorning the tops of shopping malls. With tens of thousands of square feet available, a shopping mall greenhouse could supply all the produce for an entire community. And by increasing the profits of both store and mall owners, he said the technology could leap ahead, becoming a new green layer of the urban environment.

(Tip/Stat ) Composting can reduce solid waste by more than 15 percent.

Technorati Tags: rooftop greenhouses, environmental protection, pollution, recycling, green houses, environmental issues, earth news, earth news media

American children today face many problems that could cripple them for life. Drugs, education and the environment — just to name a few.

But in these times of limited finances, where will our society put its priorities? Unfortunately, the government’s solutions are not always prompt or effective. And while the problems worsen, the remedies become more and more costly.

Parents, however, can take charge of the situation. By giving their children an environmental education, parents can mold a pro-active force to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Teaching your children to be environmentally sensitive can accomplish several things:

–It can instill in them a sense of wonder and honor for the environment, something that will benefit them the rest of their lives. The sooner children get an environmental education the better.

– It means quality time together. Whether you are planning activities or actually studying, the process can bring your family closer together.

– It’s a perfect way to improve your child’s learning skills. By trying different teaching methods and motivators, such as hands-on experiments, reading assignments or contests, you’ll discover which are most effective. Who knows, your teaching skills may improve their performance at school.

– When your children are ready, put them in charge of the household ecology program. It can help teach them responsibility, and maybe even give you a break.

Along those same lines, starting a “family eco fund” through conservation and recycling efforts around the house will directly involve your children in environmental issues. You can teach them the rewards of an environmentally aware lifestyle with this special savings account for their college education or future needs.

Encourage the family to add to the fund with recycling revenue and conservation savings. For example, if the utility bill averages $100 per month, challenge the family to reduce it. Every time the bill is less than the old average, put the savings into the “eco fund.”

For more information on starting your family’s environmental education program, you can write to:

Kids for Saving Earth
P.O. Box 47247
Plymouth, MN 55447-0247

National Recycling Coalition
1101 30th St.
Washington, D.C. 20007
(202) 625-6406

Creative Printing and Publishing
712 N. Highway 17-92
Longwood, FL 32750
1 (800) 780-4447

Once you get started, your kids will probably come up with plenty of new ideas. And the whole process may end up continuing your environmental education as well.

(Tip/Stat) Carbon dioxide was discovered in 1755.

Technorati Tags: earth news, earth news media, eco-education, environmental education, ecology, environmental education, kids for saving earth, recycling, conservation, family eco fund