At first glance, the educational benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups aren’t obvious. Look a bit closer, however, and you’ll notice an interesting feature not found in similar products.

There are a myriad of features associated with this toy including:

* Numbers: Other stacking cups may have numbers on them, but the really fun thing about these cups is that they are “volumetrically correct.”

This simply means that when you fill cup 1 and cup 2, the contents of these cups will fit into cup 3.

Consequently, you’re able to help your child with number recognition, counting, and beginning math concepts.

Stacking Cups: an Eco-friendly & Educational Toy

These environmentally friendly cups are also great for:

* Sorting: Use the cups to help kids sort items of the same color, shape or size.

* Color Recognition: Toys today tend to come in four basic colors: red, yellow, green and blue. These lavender, teal, and lime colored Stacking Cups give you an opportunity to playfully help your child expand his or her knowledge of colors.

* Eye-Hand Coordination:  Nesting the cups together from largest to smallest or stacking them to form a tall tower develops eye-hand coordination as well as problem solving skills.

* Recycling: Like all Green Toys products, these cups are made of 100% recycled milk jugs.

Beyond the other features, these cups make it easy to help kids understand a word they might be familiar with, but may not really understand such as the word “recycling”.

Telling kids that these toys are made from “those milk jugs we recycle” helps them grasp the concept in a  way they actually relate too.

The benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups go beyond these important educational aspects.

For example, kids as young as six months can safely play with these cups because they are non-toxic. Little ones can happily gum the cups and their folks don’t have to worry that they’re ingesting harmful substances because all Green Toys products are free of BPAs, phthalates, and PVCs.

I love that these stackers are made in the USA and are produced responsibly. Even better, one of my favorite things about Green Toys Stacking Cups is that they are an open-ended toy, allowing for flexible use and plenty of imagination. This toy is multipurpose meaning, the cups can be used in the bath or during water play, in the sandbox, or in the playroom. Since these cups are safe for the dishwasher, they are easily sanitized whenever needed.

But What About the Cost?

For some, the cost of the Stacking Cups is a little steep. Since babies, toddlers, and preschoolers seem to enjoy them equally well, you can expect to get a lot of use out of these cups. And, if they ever wear out, you can simply place them in the recycle bin rather than in the garbage where they inevitably end up in the landfill.

One thing to note about Green Toys products is that the open-box packaging design may cause a product to arrive with a bit of dirt or dust on the cups. Simply place the cups in the dishwasher for a cleaning before passing them onto your little one.

Regardless of this little inconvenience, the benefits of Green Toys Stacking Cups out weight some minor flaws. Even the packaging is made of recycled and recyclable materials and it’s printed with an Eco-friendly ink to boot!

Once finished, he invited the neighborhood over for a cookout. That gave him a chance to show off his handyman skills. He was telling all of us about how easy it was to install the solar panels. Given the step by step instructions that came as part of the kit, even his son could have done the job without much help.

You still may be wondering what a diy solar panel kit is. It is a kit with all the components you will need to use solar energy and create electricity to power appliances or lights in your house.

With enough solar panels, it is possible to power everything in your house that uses electric power. With one big exception, however, you will be doing it for a fraction of the cost of electricity. Once you recoup your investment you will be generating electricity for free.

As an example, let’s say you spend 2400 dollars each year on electricity to power your home. It will take around 3-5 years to see the savings but after that you will have some extra money to use somewhere else.

You will need to check for your area, but most states have incentives or rebates that will help you with the cost of the solar panels. If you qualify, you will receive your investment back sooner and really get the benefits of solar power for your home.

The sooner you get started with this project the quicker you can enjoy the benefits of free electricity. You will need to do some research first to estimate the materials you will need for construction of the panels. A great place to start is your local hardware store. If you have one of the national chain stores available, they may even sponsor some classes to help you get started even faster.

Take on the challenge, be the hero in your neighborhood, and go solar. There is plenty of information available for the DIY individual. Additionally, the prices are getting more and more affordable for solar panel kits. Just think, once the system is installed you won’t have to worry about your power bill rising. Plus you will be doing your part in making the earth a cleaner place to live simply by getting the benefits of solar power.

There are several different ways to use ocean waves to generate electricity but the process always involves combining natural (or artificial) waves with wave power devices to activate the electrical system.

Ocean Wave Power Generation Systems

Some of the techniques include placing generators on or below the ocean’s surface, using floating tubes to pump ocean water into a generator, or using fake wind, pools and air chambers to direct moving air into a turbine which activates a generator. An example of using wave generated wind-flow to drive the turbines is demonstrated in the following video:

Wave power has the potential to produce large amounts of electricity, but there are currently very few wave farms in the world. Wave power still appears to be in an experimental phase: the technology is proven to work, but the logistics of financing and setting up large-scale wave farms along major coastlines is not high up on the agenda for most nations, at least not yet. Additionally, there are difficulties with the actual conversion of wave energy into electricity. Although the potential for energy is there, harnessing wave power and putting it to use is not as simple as it is with wind and solar power. It’s also a challenge to design wave power devices that can withstand the constant crashing of the waves without getting damaged.

Wave power is only truly effective in coastal areas with enough wind to generate frequent, high-energy waves, such as parts of Scotland, Australia, Africa, Canada, and the United States. However, none of these locations currently have any wave farms large enough to generate a significant amount of electricity.

One of the more recent wave farms is the Aguçadoura Wave Farm, which opened in Portugal in 2008, but not to great success. After two months of operation, the wave farm came to a halt due to technical issues with the machinery and because of a lack of financing, the farm has yet to re-open.

There have been discussions about funding wave farms in Scotland (one of the earliest wave generators was built in Scotland decades ago) and Cornwall, England, but aside from these possible locations, there are still no other prospective commercial wave farms in the world. Currently, the wave farms that do exist are small, and are mostly used for desalination and pumping water.

Other Ocean-related Energy Systems

Similar to wave power is a system called “tidal power.” People sometimes confuse the two, and although they both use the movement of water to generate energy, they are not the same thing. Waves are caused by wind blowing across the water’s surface.

The tide, however, has nothing to do with the wind; it’s caused by the gravitational forces of the moon. As the moon rotates, the tide rises and falls because of the gravitational pulls. Although it’s easier to make predictions about the tide than the waves, the use of tidal power is still very minimal, mostly due to high expense and a lack of optimal places to implement it. The first tidal power station emerged in France in the 1960’s, and since then a handful of other tidal energy sites have sprung up in North America, Europe, and Asia. Tidal power mostly relies on the use of tidal barrages, dames, and turbines to generate energy.

Ocean Power: A Developing Resource

The main criticisms of wave power fall under the problems of finance and difficulty in effectively harnessing potential wave energy. Some people also complain how the wave energy devices are eyesores on what would otherwise be beautiful coastal areas. Additionally, these devices could potentially affect marine life or cause a bothersome amount of noise.

The evolving technology surrounding the wave power industry will likely continue to make improvements to address these concerns, and although it currently falls short of competing with wind and solar power, it’s possible that wave power will become more regularly used as technologies improve, the cost goes down and efficiency goes up.

The Benefits of Solar Energy

Photovoltaic solar panels are assembled special silicon or germanium coated cells, which convert sunlight into usable electricity. These panels can be grouped together in a solar panel array and installed around homes and businesses and are usually situated on the roof of a building.

Solar power heat concentrators, on the other hand, do not utilize photochemical panels, but work more like a magnifying glass just on a larger scale. The sunlight is reflected through mirrors and lenses and concentrated into a beam of solar-charged heat. This solar heat is beamed towards a specific target, such as a steam generator for a power plant where the heat produces electrical energy.

Sunlight-driven solar energy is being put to many different uses including:

1) increased agricultural productivity;
2) natural and hybrid solar lighting;
3) water distillation and desalinization;
4) solar-powered food cookers;
5) electric-powered vehicles and gadgets, and
6) heating water.

A Limited Use Energy Resource

Despite all the potential benefits of solar energy in many areas of our personal and industrial lives, solar power still provides less than 1% of all electricity here in the United States. California is by far the state at the forefront of solar energy usage and innovation. Though solar systems are slightly more common in Europe and China, they still represent a minor source of energy compared to the energy produced using fossil fuels.

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

There are two main drawbacks to using solar power; mainly the relatively high cost as well as being an inconvenience to many. Since the electricity is generated via sunlight, solar panels (and the use of heat concentrators) are only effective during the day while the sun is out. This is inconvenient when homes or business need to use electricity at night to power their air-conditioning and heating systems; electrical appliances, or lights. In addition, if you compare solar systems to other sources of renewable energy, solar power tends to be one of the more expensive options often costing more to produce than wind or wave generated power.

Fortunately, costs have been gradually declining plus new technological advancements are constantly being made, making solar energy an attractive option when considering the future of renewable energy. This is particularly true in areas receiving 300 plus days of sunshine like the southwestern U.S.

Despite its apparent drawbacks, solar power is undeniably important in terms of utilizing a renewable resource in order to provide the electrical power we all need. The inconvenience of being out of electricity at night can be diminished with the installation of alternative energy systems (wind power or buy-back from the grid) when the Sun sets or on cloudy days.

Over time the cost issue will likely continue to diminish as the price of traditional energy sources rise and technical advancements lead to more efficient systems. Rest assured, fossil fuels will not last forever, and as we continue to deplete that resource, their prices will rise even faster. As long as people still want to enjoy the comforts of a modern lifestyle, transitioning to renewable energy sources is more than necessary and with all the benefits of solar energy it will be part of the solution.

Between the years 2004 and 2005, sales for hybrid cares increased by more than an astonishing 141 percent. Hybrid cars use gasoline and an engine, but also have an electric motor to provide extra power, significantly reducing the overall amount of gas consumption while improving mileage. With the success of hybrid cars, most major automotive companies have begun to jump on the bandwagon and contribute their own hybrid models and unique designs. However, although hybrid cars are a good step in the right direction, they are not the complete solution to the cost and environmental problems, because they still emit pollutants and and require the regular purchase of fuel.

Electric cars, although not widely used yet, have an answer for each of these problems. They use no gasoline and have absolutely no emissions. Their system is simple: an electric motor (instead of an engine) is connected to a controller, which is connected to a series of rechargeable batteries. These batteries do the work that gasoline would have done, and can be recharged with the same electricity that powers a home. Because they have no engine, electric cars are almost silent when they run, helping in a small way to reduce noise pollution. Having an electric car also means that there is also need to go to gas stations, pay for gas, or deal with engine repairs and the other usual problems that are common with regular cars. Electric cars don’t have these components, so there is never a need to repair them.

But do these Eco-friendly cars have the same basic comforts and functions that a consumer would look for in a regular car? Fortunately, the answer is yes. In general, electric cars look and are handled just like regular cars, although a few of the new designs are streamlined for a more modern look. Either way, they are just as easy to drive as a regular car. The breaks function through a vacuum pump, and the gas gauge is replaced with a volt meter that displays the level of battery charge (full, half, empty, etc.) They also come installed with both air conditioning and a small electric water heater to warm the car in cold weather.

Since electric cars run purely on a charged battery, one of the main concerns consumers have is the idea of losing power while driving, or running out of power early in the day with no time to recharge. Most drivers only travel cover a distance of 30-40 miles in an average day, which is approximately the distance that the car battery will allow, making electric cars perfect for day-to-day use, but not optimal for road trips. Although early electric cars could only last 40-60 miles before needing to be charged again, there are new advancements that allow for a much longer battery charge, and thus, more uninterrupted driving time. The Tesla Roadster, for example, operates with a powerful network of rechargeable lithium ion batteries. These are the same batteries found in a laptop but on a much larger scale. This allows the car to drive for up to 250 miles on a single charge. (The average electric car with a non-lithium battery system charges up to about 100 miles worth of driving time.) While standard electric cars require up to 12 hours for a full charge, the Roadster can be charged in 9 hours, or even in just 3.5 hours if the consumer installs a recharging station in their garage with a 220-volt, 70-amp outlet. Standard electric car batteries last for three to four years, but because the Roadster has revolutionized their system, Roadster batteries last up to seven years before needing to be replaced.

Although the benefits of using electric cars are many, there are still a few concerns that prevent them from becoming even more mainstream. One is that although the cars themselves have no emissions, the electricity needed to charge up the car usually comes from household electricity, which usually comes from power plants that burn fossil fuels, causing pollution. Fortunately, the “fuel,” or source of energy to recharge the car can come from any source, including cleaner energy sources like biomass, wind or solar power.

Another concern is the cost of purchasing these Eco-friendly cars. Prices are still high when compared to regular cars, and most people aren’t willing to spend extra money to have an electric car, even if they’re concerned about the environment. However, more affordable options are becoming readily available, such as the Nissan LEAF. It costs about $32,000, but federal tax rebates bring the price down by thousands of dollars, for as low as $20,000-$25,000. Although electric cars themselves are more expensive, they have less maintenance costs. In fact, the Tesla Roadster works out to about $5 per 250 miles, a fraction of the gas cost that would be needed to cover the same distance in a regular car. Overall yearly operating expenses are estimated at $2,000 for an electric car, and $6,000 for a regular car, proving that electric cars can be just as economical as they are environmentally friendly.

Those farms of extremely large wind turbines can provide enough electricity to power a many homes and businesses, ranging in numbers from a few hundred to tens of thousands. Some of the largest commercial-sized turbines have rotor areas stretching some 390 feet across.  Very impressive!

But what if you are a home or small business owner? Is it possible to get a scaled-down version that will provide enough power for your own site?

And the simple answer … absolutely yes! As it turns out, there are quite a few domestic wind turbines on the market today! This is a great thing since it can help deal with rising oil prices and other fuel expenditures…

Pros and Cons of Wind Energy for the Home Owner

Modern technology is now providing a number of viable options for smaller domestic wind turbines suitable for a household or even small business. Fortunately you do not need one of those huge wind farm-sized turbines to fulfill for your household or small business needs.

Home-sized domestic wind turbines use blade rotor dimensions typically ranging between 8 and 25 feet in diameter. Depending on the unit you select as well as the nature of the wind field and average wind speeds, you might generate a few hundred watts to as much as 6 kilowatts of electricity.

One of the really cool side benefits of operating your own turbine; it can prevent as much as 9 pounds of carbon from being emitted by the generation from coal-fired plants to fulfill your electric needs. And of course that means lower amounts of greenhouse gases invading our atmosphere, which is already becoming more stressed as the years roll on…

Some Techy-type Stuff!

As mentioned above, one factor you need to investigate is the average wind speed and overall nature of the wind field on your lot. The domestic wind turbine you use needs wind speeds of approximately 10 miles an hour to start efficiently generating electric power.

A few of the newer, more advanced turbine models being manufactured today can actually begin generating electricity at wind velocities as low as 5 mph. These models are perfect for home or small business where winds are light and variable.

If interested, here are a few links to info on domestic wind turbines and wind power you might find helpful:

National Geographic: Wind Power Profile

USDOE: Wind Turbine Video

USDOE: Small Wind Electric Systems Guide (2010)

Most wind turbines today are engineered to last about 20 years or so, but like all mechanical devices will need some maintenance over the operational lifetime of the unit. Since these turbines use moving components to generate electric power, they will have to be replaced periodically as friction wears then down via consistent rotation of the turbine blades.

Are you a DIY type of person and want to build your own turbine?

There are dozens free plans to follow as well as a number of inexpensive kits for domestic wind turbines with all the parts you will need on the market today. Just be sure to check the validity of the vendor and be sure you are dealing with a reputable one before investing any money to start your own home turbine project!

s well as a number of inexpensive kits for domestic wind turbines with all the parts you will needon the market today. Just be sure to check the validity of the vendor and be sure you are dealing with a reputable one before investing any money to start your own home turbine project!

By making an informed decision to focus more on using green energy solutions as opposed to conventional fuel resources, we can lower both our carbon emissions as well as other environmental pollutants. Over the last few years, one solution to advance our move to more green energy solutions is occurring through the increased use of electricity generated from utilities operating wind farms.

Advantages of Using Renewable Energy: Wind Power

Generating electricity using wind turbines is a growing technology becoming more readily available both for the large scale utility wind farms as well as through the growing use of domestic wind turbines for the homeowner. In both cases, construction of the wind turbines has minimal environmental pollution and significantly reduces pollution we release to the environment.

Like anything else in life, pros and cons of wind energy exist and are sometimes misunderstood. It should be obvious that there are distinct benefits to harnessing an ever-present natural process like the wind to generate electricity since it is both free and blows frequently in many regions of the World.

In many areas of the mid-western United States, wind farm projects have been increasing in both number and scope since the turn of century. Rockport, Missouri is touted as being America’s first “wind powered” town and it became reliant on its four turbine wind farm a few years back as more and more wind farm projects arise in northern Missouri. In addition to the larger scale wind energy projects, a growing homes using domestic wind turbines to help offset their energy demand from the commercial power grid.

Beyond the incentive of rising oil prices, advances in wind turbine technology such as greater generation efficiency, minimizing ambient noise levels, lowering impact to flying animals and increasing overall visual aesthetics have greatly  in the deployment and acceptance of wind farm projects. Though cost used to be one of the main deterrents of wind power projects, advancements on the technological side combined with governmental incentive programs is another factor helping grow wind power expansion.

On the “Con” side of the wind power assessment, the main issue pertains to other natural conditions; those times when the wind doesn’t blow or when wind speeds are so high, they exceed the operational parameters for the turbines.

Fortunately all large-scale and most domestic wind turbine projects are not constructed completely “off-grid” but are still linked to the regional electric grid. This enables the owner of the wind turbine or turbines to provide electricity to the grid when too much is generated and re-purchase it from the grid when turbine generation is inadequate to fulfill needs.

If you stop and consider the different pros and cons of wind energy, along with our need for new green energy solutions, we believe it is definitely time to make as much as electricity as possible where and when the wind blows…

it’s the perfect time to experience something new with your new partner, and for spending quality time together in your first days together.

Even so, there are several paths you can take through doing a little green honeymoon planning to help minimize its environmental impact without compromising your dream honeymoon.

Consider Staying Closer to Home

Limiting or avoiding travel altogether is simply the best way to avoid any environmental impact and lower carbon footprint after your wedding. There may be a wealth of undiscovered locations that are just around the corner and traveling by train is the perfect Eco-friendly travel method to see them. It is understandable, however, if you dot not want to give up a trip abroad. So if this is the case then simply follow some of the green honeymoon planning suggestions provided below.

Support Eco-Tourism When Planning Your Trip

You might have heard of “Eco-tourism” before, and the “ecotourist” label is now used to represent those who want to travel but in a way that causes as little impact on the environment as possible.

Truth be told, Eco-tourism is the fastest growing market in the tourism industry according to the World Tourism Organization. This is good for you because many hotels and resorts are now incorporating Eco-friendly practices into their normal business operations.

More Ways to Enhance Your Green Honeymoon Planning Process

Green honeymoon planning must take into account a number of factors;  probably even more than you think. There are numerous things to consider in addition to how to get there, including:

* Is the area your planning to honeymoon considered Earth friendly?
* What types of dining facilities are there in the area?
* Do the dining businesses use locally grown food thereby reducing your impact?
* Are the lodging facilities considered Eco-accommodations?
* How you are going to get around once you are there?
* Where you’re going to shop (hint: shop local and look for Eco-friendly products),
* Does the travel agent you’re using specialize in Eco-trips?
* Consider other little things (not having your sheets washed every day) that can make a big difference,
* Whether you’re going to do any local volunteer work when you’re there (try WWOOFing – working on organic farms – and other schemes that benefit the local area).

How to Book Your Green Honeymoon

When you book your green honeymoon, you can make things a lot easier by using an Eco-conscious travel agent who understands what your motivations are. They can help you book a package that will help minimize your trip’s impact on the environment.

However, you always need to remember that many businesses claim to be green simply as a marketing tactic, so it’s up to you to do your research to ensure that they really do live up to their promises.

You Should Consider Carbon Offsets During Planning

You’ll find that many organizations are offering a way to offset your carbon emissions by making donations that will help to give back to the environment. However, it’s important to realize that this is a last resort, and many critics claim that offsetting your carbon can never completely make up for the emissions you will create as part of your travel.

In fact, it has been shown that some companies may overstate the benefits of offsets, which is another method of green-washing. Certain projects, such as renewable energy projects, could be worth more than others, so choose your cause carefully – and remember to avoid generating excess carbon as much as possible.

Although this article only touches on the basics of green honeymoon planning, I hope it’s given you different things to consider to lower your environmental impact during your honeymoon. Trying to live green doesn’t have to mean a honeymoon that’s any less enjoyable. Completely the opposite really since you’ll be able to enjoy yourself more knowing you’re doing what you can to minimize emissions and boost the economy in the area where you are honeymooning.

1) during initial planning and

2) when finally designing your Eco-dream home.

Remember, the design of your home determines two areas of Earth-friendly living: how much impact you’ll have on the environment and how comfortable your Eco-friendly living space will be in the long run.

With more people taking action about preserving the planet, it’s now easier than ever to find green designers, sustainable design resources, and Eco-friendly building materials you can use for your home. Study everything and plan thoroughly before you jump to the building process.

Even after the construction part of your home building project is complete, you can further enhance your green footprint by using Eco-friendly products throughout your new abode.

Pre-construction Green Building Considerations …

Before building a green home, one of the things you need to look into is your family’s habits. Do you remember to turn the lights off when you leave a room? Do you forget to unplug the appliances such as computers that are not in use? Do you recycle, reuse and reduce your weekly garbage?

You might be wondering what your habits have to do with your new Eco-friendly home.

Bottom-line; it has everything to do with it!

An Earth friendly residence can only be beneficial if the residents themselves are just as Eco-conscious and taking the proper steps to live a green lifestyle.

Before you start the plan or design processes, sit down with your family and agree to adopt more Eco-friendly habits. Practice them daily and strive to be accountable to each other.

Next when you’re ready to begin the design process, consider meeting with green building organizations and sustainable-design experts to guide you throughout the planning and construction process.

Environmental Site Factors

Among the crucial factors in your green building plan is the actual site of your future home. Look for a strategic location that is near places or establishments you and your family frequent such as the grocery, the school or the office.

Make sure that your location is accessible by public transportation. Consider how safe the streets are, in case you choose to walk or to travel using bicycles which are far more Eco-friendly products than automobiles.

Having all these transport options available can help you save more energy because you won’t have to use your own car every time you need to commute.

When conceptualizing the design, the structure’s physical position on the site is also an important consideration. Work with your designer to come up with the best angle to optimize exposure sunlight to warm your home during the winter and cool it during the summer plus provide natural illumination. Since you’ll be consuming less energy, you’ll also save on heating and lighting costs.

You can even study your house’s direction and design the windows so that natural breeze can circulate inside the rooms. Aside from saving on cooling costs, this also helps improve the air quality inside your new green home.

While it’s nice to live in a spacious home, consider building one that’s just the right size and with ample space to accommodate your family comfortably. Having a smaller home means you’ll need fewer resources to construct it, and you’ll spend less money to maintain it as well.

Plus remember that in the future the number of people living in the home is likely to decrease as children grow and move out on their own.

You can allot some space for a yard where you can have a composting bin and a garden to plant your own herbs or vegetables. You can also install a water recycling system that gathers rain water from your home’s rain drainage system. This can be used to irrigate your small plot or even to help supply water for sanitary purposes.

Building an Eco-friendly home doesn’t mean you have to live in a mound of earth or a house made of sticks, although you certainly can if it works for you and your family.

With a thorough plan, a conscientious design plus making use of Eco-friendly products where you can, it’s possible to create an green home that satisfies your need comfort, beauty as well as a healthy living space.

The following video talks about some of those materials and the basics on how to use them …

My purpose wasn’t to knock those solutions to the green cleaning problem but rather to make people aware that nothing is completely green or Eco-friendly. It was merely to inform and open the discussion about alternative solutions. As with anything in life, it is a personal decision; I just tried to provide additional info to assist with the use of those items.

I also raised the question asking if cleaners derived from vegetation-based sources were really green cleaning products and gave several reasons why I believe so (extending use of natural products, sustainable, safe, often concentrated saving on transportation, packaging and money, etc.).

In the next video, Oprah introduces one product line based on vegetation-based cleaners meeting the criteria mentioned above …

So the next time you go shopping for green cleaning products, consider all the facts and make the decision that works best for you and your family …

Nice work Lee  … Thanks!

Sources of these VOCs have been traced back to household cleaning products, home maintenance chemicals (solvents, thinners, etc.) and even the paints and finishes used on our walls.

Though some household cleaning product companies have developed no VOC alternatives over the last few decades, only recently have the paint companies followed that early lead.

Even still, it appears that some of the companies now advertising non-VOC paints, are still producing paints with other volatile compounds that also raise health concerns.

Watch the following documentary video from BGTV to learn more about the ins and outs of eco-friendly paints!

Isn’t amazing how quickly things can change.  Just one short year ago, fuel prices were soaring and the emphasis on alternative energy was in the stratosphere along with them.

This summer it’s a completely different story.

Though thoughts of alternative energy systems haven’t completely diminished, it has definitely started to drift off to the sidelines.

Why?

First of all … The Economy ….

When people are suddenly being pressured with increasing costs, lay-offs or threats of lay-offs, stagnating salaries and so forth, it is difficult to be as enthusiastic about a topic like alternative energy.  Add in the fact that financing for alternative energy programs ran into the same funding issues as everything else, many projects were pushed to the back burner for the moment.

Then couple the fall in oil prices (> $120/barrel in ’08 to <$70/barrel in ’09) and lower prices at the pump thus easing the financial burden on summer travelers and it is easy to see why most people are starting to slip into complacency about our energy situation.

Now I am not saying we have completely forgotten about our energy situation but there are definitely more pressing things on our minds at the moment.  The one thing we can not afford to do is become completely complacent with foreign oil since the root of the problem (our dependence on it contributes to the financial burden on our economy) is still very much alive.

I became even more concerned today when I came across a news story posted on the Associated Press (AP) website about a significant oil discovery off the coast of Brazil.

The AP reported oil exploration companies had found a field believed to contain up to 8 billion barrels of oil in a region where the total recoverable oil estimates range up to 100 billion barrels.

Those are awfully big numbers aren’t they!

Perhaps or maybe they are just a little deceptive ….

First of all, the 100 billion barrel figure is the high-end estimate and there could be substantially less recoverable oil present given the location (deep water and difficult drilling conditions).  Secondly, let’s consider the quantity of oil present with the current daily global use of oil (85,897,000 barrels/day).

100,000,000,000 barrels/85,897,000 barrels/day = 1,164 DAYS

1,164 days/365 days/year = ~3.2 YEARS

Although the numbers may appear impressive (and in some respects they are), the high-end estimates only adds a few years into the global oil reserve.  If it turns out recoverable oil is more towards the low end of the range (50 billion barrels) it would only add 1.6 years into the global oil reserves.  Oh and one other thing, Brazil is a foreign country and therefore that is foreign oil as well!

Just remember, even though the economic burden imposed by petro-fuel costs have been somewhat alleviated from the recent past and there are claims by many people associated with the petroleum industry of huge finds to keep us going, the numbers just don’t add up!

Support viable alternative energy projects when ever you have the chance!

These same green cleaning products were formerly used in Dick Cheney’s Vice President Residence!

Are these the first bipartisan green cleaning products?  Can there really be that kind of compromise in Washington D.C. ?

Actually, I use them and am an Independent …. I guess that means they are multi-partisan!

There is little doubt, Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee was truly a green lifestyle visionary as indicated by his life’s work and the following quote:

“Listen to the voice of nature and feel the joy of living” – Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee.

As mentioned in a news interview on a St. Louis, MO TV station of current CEO, Roger Barnett, the Shaklee Corporation introduced one of the green cleaning product lines anchored by Basic H® in 1960. (Sidenote: Rachel Carson’s – Silent Spring credited with launching the current environmental movements wasn’t even published until 1962).

Ever since they were introduced, Shaklee Corporation has continually worked to refine their green cleaning products line always striving to maintain the balance between our safety and the environment.  Shaklee’s current line of green cleaning products, Get Clean®, comprises a complete system of Earth-friendly home cleaners.

Some of the reasons why I chose Shaklee green cleaning products over 25 years ago include:

• The Get Clean® products are safe for people and the Planet;
• Tough on dirt outperforming or matching the cleaning strength of >20 national brands;
• Products like Shaklee Basic H2® (second generation of Basic H®) are ultra-concentrated reducing waste, shipping costs and not only being green but saving green ($) as well;
  • The Get Clean® starter kit can save families over $3400, eliminate > 100 pounds of packaging waste and >240 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

It is great to see even the “Big Boys” of D.C. can get beyond the politics of the day and agree on something even if it is just a line of green cleaning products that is good for all of us and the environment!

For more information about Shaklee green cleaning products and the Get Clean® line, leave a comment below!

]]> http://naturesgreenremedy.com/bipartisan-green-cleaning-products/feed/ 1 http://naturesgreenremedy.com/white-house-gets-the-lead-out/ http://naturesgreenremedy.com/white-house-gets-the-lead-out/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:08:53 +0000 Jim Hickey http://naturesgreenremedy.com/?p=344 No, not by getting rid of some of the old political cronies that permeate Washington but by simple organic gardening practices in the new White House vegetable garden!

Given the fact that I had posted a previous article on lead in urban gardens, it seemed fitting to create this as a follow-up.

I believe Washington D.C. is considered an urban environment

The White House Goes Green!

In case you missed it, First Lady Michelle Obama (with the help of staff and local students) broke ground and planted an organic fruit and vegetable garden on the White House lawn earlier this year.  The “fruits” (or should I say vegetables) of their labor started to be harvested and June with the intent to provide fresh, organically-grown produce for the First Family, White House staffers and even some State dinners!

See the video below for an up close look at the White House gardening venture:

Amongst all the initial hoopla associated with the planting of the garden was a report of “elevated” levels of lead in the soil of the garden plot.  According to a story in today’s New York Times, the initial level of lead reported was 93 p.p.m. which is less than 25% of the hazard level established by the U.S. E.P.A. (though countries like the Netherlands set hazard levels as low as 40 p.p.m.).

Through the actions taken to enhance the productivity of the garden plot, lead levels were decreased to as low as 14 p.p.m. Concentrations like these are typically found in areas where there has been little human activity and is indicative of natural levels of lead in the environment.

So what actions were taken exactly?

A few simple organic gardening steps were implemented to enhance the ground’s fertility and also reduce the availability of lead to the plants including:

• Addition of lime;
• Addition of green sand;
• Addition of crab meal;
• Addition of organic compost supplied by the National Park Service; and
• Adjusting the soil pH to between 6.5 and 7.

It should be noted, when developing compost to use in produce gardens be sure to avoid using organic material obtained along roadways or in high traffic areas since this material often has higher levels of lead.

So the next time your near D.C. and pass the organic produce section of a local market, think about the steps taken at the White House to produce contaminant-free and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies.  On the other hand, if the produce was grown on another urban garden, hopefully they used similar practices to “keep the lead out”.

Many of the coconut-based cleaning agents used in major brands are reported to be relatively safe and easily biodegradable as was the case with the materials evaluated earlier (baking soda, vinegar, etc.).  Therefore this evaluation considers the nature of the source of the cleaning agents and some of the steps involved as the product evolves from the coconut tree until it gets into the consumers’ hands.

First of all, the source is from a living plant supplying the raw ingredients on a periodic basis; a definite renewable source!  The plant also uses atmospheric CO₂ as it continues to live and produce the fruit and oil and therefore is an ongoing absorber of an additional environmental concern playing a role in removing greenhouse gases.

Additionally, most coconut-based cleaning agents are derived from raw coconut oil as it is being refined and the cleaning agents are constructive byproducts of the refining process.

Once the cleaning agents are produced, they are then delivered to various companies to formulate their specific “green cleaning product”.

Some companies opt to formulate their product at a “ready to use” concentration as matter of convenience while others deliver a highly concentrated formulation where the end user mixes the final use solutions in spray bottles or for other uses.

Though each vendor is still using an environmentally friendly agent, in my mind, there are distinct advantages to using the highly concentrated alternative:

• The only ingredient the consumer adds to the highly concentrated coconut-derived cleaning product is water therefore saving the cost of shipping a relatively large quantity of water;
• Less packaging is required since the highly concentrated cleaner is used to make the “ready-to-use” solutions many times over;
• Far less fuel is used to ship the highly concentrated cleaner (also saving on the cost of shipping as well); and
• Re-use of cleaner and mix bottles over and over again minimizes the amount of plastic waste to be sent out for disposal or recycling.

Granted the “ready-to-use” formulation is more convenient and some would consider less “sloppy”, I still believe a little effort to mix the final cleaning solutions may well be worth the effort considering what is being saved.

(Of course this could be the latent chemist starting to rear its nerdy head as well!)

Now that I have given you my viewpoint about vegetation or coconut-based green cleaning products, please let me know yours by commenting below ….

The real question is … are baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar truly green or Earth friendly when used as cleaning products?

There is little doubt these common household staples are relatively safe and when used in the condition (diluted to a few percent in the case of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar) and flushed down the drain they pose little harm to the environment (or water treatment facility).

This is the basis most people claiming these are viable as green cleaning products use to formulate the conclusion they are indeed green or Earth friendly.

So it must be true then … baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar can be used as green cleaning products right?

But … where do these common household products come from (besides Good Golly Miss Jolly World )?

Definitely an interesting question ….. Let’s take a look at each product:

• Baking Soda – historically baking soda was produced via a synthetic industrial chemical method called the Solvay process, a switch to the use of a natural resource, the mineral trona, occurred during the 1980s. Here in the U.S. most of the trona deposits were formed from evaporation of large inland lakes ~ 50 million years ago in western Colorado and Wyoming.  The trona deposits are now mined from several hundred feet below ground surface them brought to the surface to be processed to extract both sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda wash).  This does raise another question …. I wonder how many truly green or environmentally friendly mines there are in the World?  Hmmmmmm …..

• Hydrogen Peroxide – though hydrogen peroxide exists in many organisms, virtually all hydrogen peroxide is produced from another synthetic industrial chemical process (Autoxidation) involving organic chemicals such as anthraquinone, a hydrocarbon-based carrier solvent, natural gas and a metallic catalyst (nickel or palladium).  The organic chemicals involved are typically derived from petrochemical feed stocks.  As I look over the process and chemicals involved I have to wonder where the “green” part comes into play …..

• Vinegar (acetic acid) – Much of the food grade vinegar we have around the house is assumed to be derived from the fermentation of ethanol derived from vegetation.  When the label states “apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, etc. that may almost be a safe assumption, especially if you read the “ingredients label” and it clearly states vegetation as primary ingredients.  If you use biologically derived vinegar to make your own household cleaning solution you are likely being truly green.  However, if you by a commercial product labeled as containing vinegar it is likely the source was from synthetic sources of ethanol (including petroleum) since only 10% of all acetic acid produced comes directly from biologic sources (vegetation) and mass production of the synthetic form is much cheaper to produce.

So in the final analysis how does each of these highly touted “green cleaning products” stand up to the scrutiny?

1. Baking soda-derived from processing of a mined Earth resource – NOT GREEN!
2. Hydrogen Peroxide – derived from industrial chemical synthesis – NOT GREEN!
3. Vinegar – if derived from a clearly labeled plant source – LIKELY GREEN!
   1. if an ingredient in commercial “green” cleaner – NOT LIKELY GREEN!

Let me know how you feel about baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar as green cleaning products by commenting below!

Perpetuating the green living philosophy by finding new ways to enhance our interactions with the natural environment leaving a postive legacy in our wake.

This ideal is best communicated in a quote by Albert Pine (19th Century English author):

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

So the next time you take action on any green lifestyle initiative, remember, not only are you helping others and the environment, you are also creating a piece of your legacy as well …

The message provides great insight regarding what appears to be confusing information concerning the use of supplements and things you should consider when coming across new information.

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“To Supplement or Not to Supplement by Dr. Stephen Chaney, Ph.D. (Bochemistry)”

I came across an article a few weeks ago showing that supplementation with 800 mg of folic acid reduced hearing loss in a group of older men and women.

Some of you may recall hearing about a study several months ago suggesting that intakes of 400 mg of folic acid (the recommended Daily Value) or more was associated with a slight increase in the risk of colon cancer. In fact, some experts were recommending that if you were over 50 you should take a multivitamin only every other day.

About a month after that there were a couple of studies showing that in adults over 50 supplementation with 600 to 800 mg of folic acid significantly decreased the risk of dementia.

Are you confused yet?

The problem is that many people don’t understand the difference between “relative risk” and “absolute risk”. Perhaps the best way to help you understand the difference is to give you an example.

I read another paper the other day arguing that colonoscopies were a waste of medical resources. You might say: “That’s absurd. Colonoscopies have been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 60%. Why wouldn’t you want to recommend that everyone over 50 get a colonoscopy on a regular basis?”

Yes, but that’s a relative reduction in risk. Your absolute risk of developing colon cancer over your lifetime is only around 6%. If you reduce that by 60% you have achieved only a 2.4% absolute reduction in the risk of developing colon cancer.

Now that you understand the difference between relative and absolute risk I should tell you that the Framingham study has shown that your lifetime risk of developing dementia is around 20%. Similarly, your lifetime risk of developing severe hearing loss is around 33%. (That might be an underestimate, however, because those statistics predated rock bands and iPods).

When you look the same data from the viewpoint of absolute risk it helps you sort out all that conflicting information.

When you look at absolute risk the benefits of folic acid supplementation far outweigh the potential risks for most people.

Of course, if you have a family history of one of these diseases that dramatically changes the equation.

In my case, I have a family history of colon cancer, so I will continue to endure the colonoscopies at the recommended intervals (At least until a better diagnostic procedure comes along).

However, I also use a holistic supplementation program, and I think that the benefits of folic acid as part of that program far outweigh any risks.

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I guess this post  examining supplementation issues is definitely defined as a green remedy of nature   ….

]]> http://naturesgreenremedy.com/green-living-lifestyle-and-health-to-supplement-or-not-to-supplement-dr-stephen-chaney/feed/ 1 http://naturesgreenremedy.com/factory-farms-genetically-altered-food-and-potential-health-concerns/ http://naturesgreenremedy.com/factory-farms-genetically-altered-food-and-potential-health-concerns/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:00:39 +0000 Jim Hickey http://naturesgreenremedy.com/?p=283 I recently visited a colleague’s blog site and read a post triggered by Michael Jackson’s untimely death due to cardiac arrest.  The post addressed the issues associated with people, their lifestyles, health background and heart disease.

One of the key points made by the author focused on the relationship between lifestyle and poor health choices as being a major factor leading to heart disease.  Part of the poor choices relates to the types and quantities of food we eat and the manner in which it can impact our health.

Fast Food = Bad and Regular Food = Good, right?

Though no one questions the potential health threat associated with eating processed foods, especially fast foods; what about the fruits, veggies, poultry and meat produced on factory farms or derived from genetically modified or altered organisms?

Organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have already started to assess these problems due to higher risk of allergic reactions and lower nutritional values with food from these sources.  It will be interesting hear about the findings of these organizations.

In the meantime, two questions arose as I pondered the nature of these food sources and their potential health impacts:

• If man deliberately alters the genetic code to create a new organism for a given purpose (higher yield, more resistant, flavor, etc.), can this new organism really be considered natural?  Part of the reason this question instantly popped in my mind pertains to my background in geology.  The most basic type of Earth material is a mineral which by definition must be natural thus created via the Earth’s natural processes.  If we create a pseudo-mineral in the lab, it is not considered a true mineral.  From my perspective, if we genetically alter an organism for a specific purpose, we have effectively done the same thing and therefore that organism (or food) should not be considered natural!
• How long will it be before a new type of food processing facility pops up with a catchy marketing slogan like you see below!

Soylent Green Anyone?

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What is Soylent Green?

Now there is some … “food for thought”