Great Eco Websites

If environmental sites aren't already a part of your daily or weekly web rounds, here's a short list of the best sites to try:
www.thegreenguide.com <--Published by National Geographic
www.treehugger.com
www.grist.org
www.thedailygreen.com
www.care2.com/greenliving
www.greenlivingtips.com
www.teensygreen.com <--for folks with kids
http://greenoptions.com
www.lime.com

Green Quote

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."--Anthropologist Margaret Mead

More easy ways to be green =)

Aimie:

Bag Nation:
Sturdy, reusable totes for groceries are a must, but so is a versatile, take-every where bag for errands and impulse buys on the way home that folds up to a couple inches square and can live in your purse, glove compartment, or coat pocket. Practice saying, "I've got my own bag, thanks."

www.reusablebags.com--a great selection of lightweight but sturdy nylon totes.

www.chicobag.com--offers the bags as fundraising items for schools, sports teams, and other not-for-profit groups.

On Tap:
Drinking tap water is so much better for the planet that buying bottled. Start with a visit to www.ewg.org/tapwater to see how your state's water rates and learn about possible contaminants, then buy a filtration system accordingly. If your water gets good marks, and your biggest concern is the omnipresent chlorine (added to keep the water from picking up contaminants), try filling a pitcher and letting it sit, uncovered, on the counter overnight. The chlorine will evaporate--and later, when you stash it in the fridge, a (covered) pitcher of water saves energy by helping to regulate the temperature.

Leave no Trace:
When you use the ATM, decline a receipt. Keep track of your bank balance online instead. Every bit of paper saved (along with the chemicals used to bleach it) makes a difference, especially when you think of how many receipts you could rack up over time.

For all you coffee drinkers

Resolve to never drink coffe out of a paper or plastic cup again. Already have a reusable coffee mug? Buy 2 more. That way you'll always have one on hand, and clean, for transporting coffee you make at home or buy on the way to work.

what it climate change?

Climate change is the rising temperatures, shorter winters, ponds drying, animals changing life cycles, unhealthy air and much more!





that is a small reason of what climate change is. Here is a longer video about what it is as well.






a simple way to reduce climate change that leads to global warming.





i thought this was a cute and very smart way to gather ideas on global warming!

Greenness Making the News

Going green in the housing market gains popularity according to CNN:
CNN Article

Companies are finding the going green is paying off:
Companies go green

-Sara

Science of climate change

The keeling curve is the longest running plot of atmospheric CO2.  



climate change science

Reality can be complicated. Here is some counter-point:

Additional info for a balanced perspective:

C02 does NOT cause temperature increase
excerpt paraphrase: "temperature increase precedes C02 increase; you never hear people argue that lung cancer causes smoking"

Newest ice core data

-Ariel-

energy use

Stephanie:



Mile Per Gallon! and simple appliances!
how to get more for just simple tune ups
the better gas millage you get or the less driving you do the less carbon emissions you are releasing into the air!

a fun site called willyoujoinus.com has some great ways to conserve and a friendly slide click chart!
heres the link:

http://www.willyoujoinus.com/takeaction/mpgoptimizer/




another great tool on the website is the energy generator!
this at first confusing picture wheel are all dependant on each other. so if i choose to not blow dry my hair (which i have been doing! its great for your hair and makes it shinier, less damage!) for 2 days i will save enough energy to watch 8 DVDs, or enough energy to microwave 48 bags of popcorn, or enough energy to light 59hours of reading.
then the next box allows you to see the energy you save it 100-100,000 people join you!
its a great tool. it definately motivated me to keep not using my blow dryer. there is also things like keeping your car properly tuned, biking to work, lowering your heater, and so on!

http://www.willyoujoinus.com/takeAction/energyGenerator/



however the site is run by Chevron. they do site sources on each page, but i do have an issue with a major oil company also telling you what is the proper way to save gas... it not quite trust worthy.

carbon footprint

Stephanie
Lets talk about energy usage!

carbon footprints: is the carbon emitted when driving, heating/cooling our homes, running appliances, etc...
this carbon is trapped in the atmosphere and continues the cycle of global warming.

some sites i found to calculate your carbonfoot print are:

carboncounter.org
this site gives a good overview and shows your carbon out put compared to the nations average
http://www.carboncounter.org/offset-your-emissions/personal-calculator.aspx


carbonfund.org
http://www.carbonfund.org/carbon-calculators.xml#calc

• both sites also have an option to purchase carbon offsets. These offsets fund different projects that are meant to "cancel out" the carbon emitted. Each website that offers this promotes different projects. Be sure to research the projects before you donate, if you decide to.
• Instead of donating these are some simple ways around your house hold to get involved and reduce your carbon footprint
  

20 simple ways to conserve
from climatefriendly.com

1. Buy renewable energy. Make the switch to save around 30% of your household greenhouse gas emissions a year.
2. Drive less. Cars contribute to a high percentage of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. Before getting into your car, think about walking, riding your bike or taking public transport instead. It's better for your health and the planet.
3. Turn off lights and switch your bulbs. Turning off the lights when you leave a room or office and switching to compact fluorescent bulbs can make a big difference to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And it saves you money in energy costs.
4. Insulate your home and body. Look for ways to keep warm in winter without heating. Insulate ceilings, walls and your hot water heater, and wear a coat instead of turning up the heat.
5. Open the window, turn off the air conditioning. Air-conditioning is a great contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In summer, open your window, use a fan instead of air-conditioning, and always turn off air-conditioning when not at home.
6. Switch off standby. As much as 10% of your home's emissions may be from appliances like computers, televisions and other home entertainment devices left on standby. Try to always turn off appliances at the source.
7. Conserve water. Use less water when possible. Install a rainwater tank or even a grey water system that channels water from showers and baths to toilet and garden systems.
8. Fly less. Take international trips sparingly and make the most of local destinations. Do business remotely via conferencing units or online conferencing applications. This will mean fewer flights, less travel time and savings of up to 10 tonnes of emissions per international trip. If you need to fly, consider offsetting your flight emissions.
9. Use alternatives to electricity. Switching to solar hot water or gas heating can save as much as 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
10. Buy efficiency. When buying high energy-using equipment or appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers, try to choose the item with the best energy rating.
11. Dry washing outside. One t-shirt can send 4 kg of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during its lifetime, mostly due to washing and drying. Whenever possible, use the power of the sun or a clothes horse instead of the dryer.
12. Choose a hybrid, biodiesel or fuel-efficient car. When buying your next car, make the move to a greener vehicle. It can save up to 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
13. Work from home. Even one day a month working from home can make a difference by reducing transport emissions. Ask your boss if you can work from home occasionally and skip the commute.
14. Pay bills online. Paying your bills online saves paper, transport energy and time.
15. Own just one refrigerator. Old, inefficient second refrigerators and freezers are huge energy users and often have other environmental issues such as leaking chemicals that damage the ozone layer. If you don't really need it, look into local buy-back schemes or dispose of old refrigerators and freezers properly to ensure ozone-depleting chemicals are not released into the atmosphere.
16. Eat lower on the food chain. Producing meat uses a lot of energy and water and often requires pesticides and other chemicals. In fact, producing meat generates about 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Eating less meat is good for you and the environment.
17. Buy local. Buy food and other products that are grown and produced locally to reduce emissions from transportation and to support your local community.
18. Green your event. If you are holding a conference, family reunion or wedding, do what you can to reduce the environmental impact by buying locally, choosing energy-efficient and environmentally aware venues, and offsetting remaining emissions.
19. Buy recycled and 'vintage'. Buying used or recycled goods avoids the energy used and emissions released in making a new product. Always try to recycle your waste and unwanted goods.
20. Check your tires. Inflating your car's tyres to their proper level means the car runs more efficiently, uses less energy and produces fewer harmful emissions

First Post

Welcome everyone to our forum about Climate and the Earth. Look around as you please. Feel free to browse links and leave comments =)