Tweet for the bees

Umbra Fisk, Grist.org — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:18:43 PST

Dearest readers,

OK, so bees might not be your primary concern these days, what with health care and jobs and foreclosures to worry about. But we depend on our buzzing buddies more than you might think: for one thing, they play a key role in producing a third of the food we eat.

So here’s an easy way to show your love for the bees this week: tweet!

Through a campaign called Help the Honey Bees (#HelpHoneyBees), Haagen-Dazs is raising funds and awareness. As part of the campaign, from now through November 11, the company will donate $1 per tweet with the proper hashtag, up to 500 per day.

The money will support honeybee research at UC Davis. Of course, they could just cough up the $3,500 and be done with it ... but that wouldn’t be viral and all that good stuff!

Show the world you’re as viral as colony collapse disorder ... tweet for the bees today.

And check out my bee hugs video, below. It’s one of my favorites. Spread the honey love!

BEE HUGS! @ Yahoo! Video

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Five easy ways to save some green this holiday season

Jeff Yeager — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:34:00 PST

Given that Christmas has become a $400 billion annual spending spree here in the U.S., sometimes I think Scrooge had a point during his "bah humbug" period. Certainly a little spending moderation can't hurt this holiday season, and it might even put us back in touch with the true spirit and ideals of the season.

Here's how to enjoy the holidays and avoid a financial hangover come New Years Day:

1. Agree on a sensible gift exchange plan with family and friends:
Don't be shy about broaching the subject of having a scaled-back gift exchange with family and friends. Many times, others will thank you for having the courage to bring it up.

Consider setting a spending limit -- and sticking to it -- and adopting a "secret Santa" plan, whereby each person in the family draws a name and buys a gift only for that person rather than for everyone in the family.

Or consider an alternative gift exchange plan, like only giving homemade items, re-gifted items, gifts of your time, or just exchanging cards instead of gifts. Remember, it's the thought that counts.

2. Make entertaining more about special people and activities than about expensive food and drink:
Celebrating with family and friends need not leave your bank account as empty as Santa's workshop after the holidays are over. Put the focus of holiday entertaining back where it belongs -- on enjoying good times with good people.

Make meal events a potluck or progressive dinner, so that everyone can share their favorite recipes (and some of the cost). Host a brunch rather than a dinner party; brunch-foods like egg dishes, breads, and salads tend to cost less than dinner fare.

And deemphasize food and drink by planning fun group activities, like an old fashioned caroling party or playing games instead of having a traditional -- and costly -- cocktail party.

3. Decorate with creativity, not credit cards:
It's easy to overspend when it comes to decking the halls, but simple elegance usually trumps glitzy glamor when decorating for the holidays. Take an inventory of decorations you have on hand before you shop for more; it's easy to forget about items you have in storage or bought last year at after-Christmas sales.

Incorporate inexpensive greenery and other natural materials as much as possible, including those you might collect from your own yard or swap with neighbors. If you buy a real Christmas tree, buy the largest one you can find for the price and cut off unneeded lower branches to use in wreaths and garland.

Or consider buying a truly "live" tree -- one with the root ball still intact -- and plant it in your yard after the holidays; according to the U.S. Department of Energy, as few as three strategically planted trees in your yard can significantly reduce household heating and cooling expenses.

4. Take stock of what you already have before you hit the stores:
Every year billions of dollars worth of gift cards go unused, either expiring or losing value; start your holiday shopping by digging out any gift cards, rebates, and gift certificates you have tucked away in a drawer and use them before they expire to buy gifts for those on your shopping list.

Also, "re-gifting" an item you already own is officially in this holiday season, provided that you truly believe the recipient will appreciate it and it's in good shape. Remember: It's only re-gifting if you believe it's re-gifting (or, in the case of intimate apparel, if you've worn it more than one night).

5. Take time out for those in need:
Volunteering your time as a family to help those in need this holiday season is not only the right thing to do, but I'll bet you an eggnog that it will inspire you to spend less, too. Helping those who are truly needy gives most of us a new appreciation for the blessings we already have.

Check out the following websites for volunteer opportunities in your area: VolunteerMatch, Idealist, BeTheChange, 211, Give, and CreateTheGood.

And here's a gift that just about everyone can afford to give this holiday season.

Jeff Yeager is the author of the book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com.

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Bare bears baffle zookeepers with baldness

Stephanie Rogers, Mother Nature Network — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:03:15 PST

Photo: The Daily Mail

It’s a startling sight: a female bear, bald all over her body except for a crown of hair on her head and a few tufts on her chest. Poor Dolores must be feeling naked after losing her fur coat – an ordeal made all the more un-bear-able as thousands of people crowd a German zoo to get a peek at her.

Dolores isn’t the only furless bear at this Liepzig zoo – all three females have mysteriously lost their coats, while the males remain unaffected.

Experts say the hair loss could be caused by a genetic defect. They are in treatment right now, but it goes through different phases of intensity, according to Leipzig Zoo spokesperson Melanie Ginzel who told German news source The Local. She says that experts are investigating the problem.

At this time of year, as winter closes in, these South American Andean bears would normally be growing a thick coat to keep them warm. But according to Ginzel, the bald bears won’t suffer through the cold despite their wrinkly vulnerability.

“The bears are allowed to move where they please, and have a warm interior enclosure they can go to any time.”

Stephanie Rogers is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where this post originally appeared.

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Is there BPA in your canned food?

Lori Bongiorno — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:22:08 PST

(Photo: Getty Images)

When some consumers learned that polycarbonate plastic water bottles might leach bisphenol-A (BPA), a controversial chemical that interferes with the female hormone estrogen, they chose to buy bottles that do not contain the controversial chemical. BPA has been linked to a long list of health concerns including early onset of puberty, neurotoxicity, and some cancers.

Just as consumers have gotten comfortable with their new water bottles, they are faced with another potentially confusing decision. What to do about recent reports that show varying levels of BPA in canned foods.

Consumers Union tested 19-name brand canned soups, tuna, vegetables, and other foods as well as noncanned versions. They found that almost all of the foods they tested from manufacturers such as Campbell's, Chef Boyardee, Del Monte, Nestle, Progresso, and others contained some BPA. The highest levels were found in canned green beans and soup.

How much BPA is unsafe? It depends on whom you ask. Industry groups say the levels of BPA found in food are completely safe. Consumers Union and other groups say that the levels are high enough to cause concern given recent animal and human studies. The FDA is in the process of reevaluating BPA because a number of groups have criticized them for relying on outdated industry studies, says Sarah Janssen at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In the Consumers Union tests, BPA levels varied widely depending on the product so there is no way for consumers to know how much they are ingesting. Buying canned organic brands or choosing canned products that are labeled BPA-free is no guarantee. Consumers Union found that canned organic foods didn't always have lower BPA levels than nonorganic brands and the chemical was present in some canned products that were labeled BPA-free.

So what can you do? While we wait for the federal agencies to catch up with the current science it makes sense to limit your exposure to BPA, says Janssen.

Here are some suggestions:

Choose fresh fruit and vegetables whenever you can.
When you have to buy packaged, choose frozen over canned.
Pick juice boxes over canned juice.
Choose soups in boxes over cans.
Buy powdered formula and mix it yourself instead of buying ready-made formula in cans.
Cut back on soda and other carbonated beverages. Drink beer from glass bottles instead cans.
Try to avoid microwaving foods in plastic containers when you can. Glass containers are a safer alternative.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

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Fuel-efficient cars for the rest of us

Editors of E / The Environmental Magazine — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:50:00 PST

(Photo: Toyota)

EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Celebrities and billionaires are shelling out big bucks for cutting edge green-friendly cars like the Tesla Roadster. But what are the rest of us -- who live in the budget-constrained real world -- to do about buying a new car that does right by the environment? -- M.G., Stroudsburg, PA

With so many new energy efficient cars in showrooms today, there's never been a better time to go green with your next car purchase. A few years ago the Toyota Prius was the go-to model for those with an environmental conscience and up to $30,000 to pay for the privilege of getting 35-40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 45-55 on the highway. But today there is such a wide selection of fuel efficient and low-emissions vehicles that even those on a budget can afford to go green.

To wit, Honda's new Insight is the first hybrid gasoline-electric car available new for less than $20,000 (starting at $19,800). With fuel efficiency ratings of 40 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 43 on the highway, the Insight surely won't cost much to operate either.

There are plenty of other hybrids to choose from today, too, though most cost at least a few thousand dollars more than equivalent non-hybrid models. Toyota's Prius, which is only available as a hybrid, still leads the pack as the world's top selling and most fuel efficient hybrid. Its cost has dropped some, now starting at $22,400, and the "3rd generation" Prius 10 now claims an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined city/highway rating of 50 mpg. This most recent edition even features a whimsical solar panel on the roof to power a ventilation system that keeps the interior of the car cool even on scorching hot days. Hybrid versions of Honda's Civic ($23,800), Nissan's Altima ($26,780), Ford's Fusion ($27,625) and Escape SUV ($31,500), Mercury's Milan ($31,590) and Mariner SUV ($29,995), Toyota's Camry ($26,150) and Highlander SUV ($34,700) are also in showrooms in dealerships across the U.S.

Many smaller cars with regular gasoline engines also get great mileage with low emissions for even less money. Some examples include the Corolla ($15,350), Matrix ($16,550) and Yaris ($12,355) from Toyota, Honda's Fit ($14,900), the Mazda 3 ($16,045), Chevy's Aveo ($11,965) and Cobalt ($14,990), Hyundai's Accent ($9,970) and Elantra ($14,145), Pontiac's G3 ($14,335), the Kia Rio ($11,495), the MINI Cooper ($19,500), Ford's Focus ($15,995), and the Smart Car ForTwo ($11,990).

Diesel fuel is now cleaner than ever, and a few automakers are going down that road. Volkswagen's Jetta TDI ($22,660), Audi's A3 TDI ($29,950) and BMW's 335d ($43,900) are three examples of high performance vehicles with solid green credentials regarding fuel efficiency and emissions. An added bonus is that such cars can run on carbon-neutral biodiesel as well as petroleum-based diesel fuel.

Consumers just starting their search for a new ride should check out GreenCar.com, which provides detailed information on the many greener vehicles available today as well as those on the horizon. Also, the federal government's Website FuelEconomy.gov provides detailed mileage and emissions information on dozens of new cars every year, and provides users with an easy and free way to compare different vehicles along the lines of environmental impact.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via e-mail. Read past columns here.

Check out the recent book Earthtalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions about the Environment

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Insulation: Save money and gain heat

Loretta White — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:25:57 PST

Insulation is the one of the best ways to save money on heating and air conditioning. Considering a third of a home’s annual costs are spent on heating, it’s worth spending a little on insulation to keep that heat inside.

In this series, I will focus on an array of cost saving solutions for effectively insulating your home. By following these tips, you’ll be able prevent heat loss and conserve energy without breaking the bank. You can even receive a 30% tax credit in certain areas.

Where to start

Test your airflow: On a windy day, hold a lit candle or incense stick to these areas:

Dropped ceiling
Recessed light
Attic entrance
Sill plates
Water and furnace flues
All ducts
Door frames
Chimney flashing
Window frames
Electrical outlets and switches
Plumbing and utility access
Any location where there is a possible air path to the outside

If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leakage. Areas that leak air into and out of your home can potentially cost you a lot of money. This probably is an indication of gaps and areas where air leaks into and out of your house. It also may be a moisture issue, so it’s always worthwhile to check out.

Types of insulation

Once you have determined where you need to insulate, you have to decide what to insulate with. I recommend using natural insulation products wherever you can. This will decrease your energy costs while protecting your health and home. Typically natural products have a 10% higher “R-value,” and the material will last the lifespan of the building, whereas typical insulation will deteriorate faster than the structure.

Interior environments can be densely polluted with toxic chemicals and adding natural products reduces the harmful VOCs. Wool insulation actually removes many toxic gases like formaldehyde from indoor air, while man-made insulation products emit those gases. Natural products can also be installed without protective gear, as it is safe to handle and nontoxic to both the installer and occupant for years to come.

The U.S. Dept of Energy has a cost-to-savings calculator. This tool can help you determine what to invest in and why.

Following is a list of insulation options:

Natural insulation -- These are internationally code-approved methods and are available in many formats.

a. Plant or bio-based

i. Soybean oil-based
ii. Vegetable based: More comfortable, efficient, and healthier than traditional products.

b. Natural fiber

i. Cotton
ii. Cattails
iii. Cellulose fiber
iv. Perlite
v. Vermiculite
vi. Wool: Wool absorbs, retains, and releases moisture without effecting thermal properties, or the performance. It is healthy and breathable, and it helps relieve mold issues in damp-climate, like here in the Northeast.
vii. Natural caulk

Radiant barrier -- This is an acoustical product as well as a sound barrier increaser.

a. Natural radiant barrier
b. Traditional radiant barrier

Loose fill insulation

a. Natural loose fill insulation
b. Dryer lint can be saved to close openings
c. Jeans: Old, shredded jeans and clothing is used to make loose insulation commercially too.

Ridged foam insulation or foam board -- 2.5 times as effective, but more expensive.

a. Natural versions: perlite, vermiculite
b. Styrofoam

Blown-in insulation

a. Natural vegetable based
b. Traditional

Rolls and batts

a. Traditional
b. Wool thermal batts

Natural rolled insulation blankets

Foam-spray-expanding -- My favorite, easy to use and can spend ½ hour using-no mess or cleanup like other methods.

Don’t forget other heat-loss reducing actions such as Weather Stripping, Caulking, Plastic Wrap, and Door Snakes which are easy to make and inexpensive to buy. They do a great job of reducing air flow and can be moved from door-to-door easily.

Installation

The idea of “the more insulation used, the better” isn’t always true. Air flow is needed to reduce moisture build up that causes mold and other problems. Take advantage of free online courses or go to a local home improvement store for training (or a refresher) when doing any major insulation work.

Types of natural insulation

Black mountain sheep wool
Bio-based blown-in insulation
Many natural insulation products
Foil -- natural foil board insulation
Natural radiant barrier
Natural rolled insulation
Natural loose fill insulation
Old, shredded jeans

Click here to find an Energy Star location in your area. Please tell me what you think and add your stories and tips.

About the author: Loretta White is a highly respected member of the global manufacturing industry and brings over 20 years experience in consulting. Loretta lectures on: Sales, Business Development and Green Business practices and is a published author on sustainability techniques.

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How to save money by slowing down

Lori Bongiorno — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:58:45 PST

(Photo: Getty Images)

We're heading into a super busy time of year for most people. As to do lists get longer and calendars fill up it's hard to resist the temptation to race around. Slowing down may be counterintuitive, but it's good for your sanity, your wallet, and the planet.

Want to give it a try? Here are some ways to get started.

Drive the speed limit

You'll save gas, which translates into money, without having to sacrifice all that much time. Consider this scenario. If you slow down from 70 mph to 60 mph, you can reduce your fuel consumption by 20 percent. How much time will you waste? A whopping four minutes (for a 30-minute commute).

Eat slow food

The slow food movement is all about eating food that's good for people and the planet. Think of it as the antithesis of fast food. No time to make meals at home? Make a big batch of food on the weekends that you can eat during the week. The obvious place you'll save money is on take-out food, but eating healthy food is a great way to cut back on visits to the doctor and prescription medicines.

Plan ahead

Shop for holiday and birthday gifts in advance to avoid last minute pressure, which often results in spending more money than you intended. You'll also save on overnight shipping charges. Sending a package by plane emits eight times more carbon dioxide than sending by truck. Planning ahead also allows you to craft DIY gifts if you're so inclined.

Ban impulse buys

Think twice before you buy something you don't need. Resist impulse purchases by literally leaving the credit cards at home, or if you shop online, freeze the credit car in a block of ice. That'll slow down shopping! Some less radical ideas include keeping a list of what you need and telling yourself that you'll go back and buy something you covet if you're still thinking about it 48 hours later. Here are some tips for avoiding impulse buying at the grocery store.

De-stress

Try yoga, meditation, and other stress-reduction techniques for better health, and you'll reduce chances of disease, doctor visits, and expensive prescriptions. Stress management is one of the three main components in the Cleveland Clinic's Lifestyle 180 program, which seeks to give people the tools for maintaining good health.

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Is a peanut a nut?

Lori Bongiorno — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:16:35 PST

(Photo: Getty Images)

Nope. Peanuts are technically legumes, which makes them much more closely related to lentils, peas, and beans than to hazelnuts, and other true nuts.

The reason peanuts suffer from an identity crisis is because they are used in the same ways nuts are in our diets even though they are not nuts in the pure botanical sense. They also have characterisitics of both legumes and nuts.

What's the difference between the two groups? Legumes have edible seeds enclosed in (and often attached to) a pod that splits along both sides. Picture a pea pod.

Nuts, on the other hand, are essentially the seed and fruit together. Nuts usually only have one seed (on rare occassions two) and don't open on their own.

Peanuts are legumes because they have a pod and are grown underground instead of on bushes and trees (as nuts are), according to a spokesperson from The Peanut Institute.

In fact, you may be surprised to learn that many of the foods we consider nuts aren't technically nuts. Brazil nuts and pine nuts are considered seeds. Almonds are the seeds of drupes (fleshy fruits with a hard pit that encloses the seed). Pistachios, cashews, and coconuts are also not true nuts.

For everyday use it's probably easiest to just go with the broad culinary definition of a nut (a large seed that comes from a shell) and leave it that!

Major oil companies investments in biofuels

Ted Nelson — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:34:48 PST

The status quo isn’t a problem for big oil companies, who seem to be constantly breaking their own record profits. However, these corporations know that they must also look to the future and sustain their competitive edge.

The competitive landscape of the future is not clear for the oil industry, with financial, political, and environmental considerations coming into play.

The technologies and processes behind various renewable energy sources are improving, and may eventually lead to a renewable product that is cost competitive with oil.

Even if no renewable source is strictly cost competitive, the overall cost to society may be deemed lower because of the carbon pollution associated with oil. This will lead, and is already leading to political pressure and regulations. And it’s not just the price of renewables coming down that oil companies have to worry about, but also the price of oil going up as global energy demand rises.

Oil companies have been aware of these forces for some time now, and have been investing in a range of renewables.

Recently, major oil companies seem to be sharpening their focus and concentrating on commercially viable biofuels. This pragmatic approach may spring from a recessionary mindset, but also speaks to the evolution of biofuels to the point where there are commercially viable alternatives on the near horizon.

The specific competencies and competitive advantages that have made oil companies successful are easily transferable to biofuels. These companies are good at producing, distributing, and marketing transportation fuels, which is what the biofuel industry requires.

Below is a list of recent investments in biofuels by oil majors, from an October 19th article in the Wall Street Journal. While these investments are significant and seem to represent a trend in the industry, WSJ author Guy Chazan also points out that they represent only a small fraction of these companies investment budgets.

Any feelings of hypocrisy and greenwashing are understandable, but to accomplish all of its most ambitious goals the green movement needs big business’ muscle behind it.

BP

Investments of around $1 billion in ethanol-expansion efforts in Brazil.
Grant to the Energy Biosciences Institute of California, Berkeley, and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Partnership with DuPont to construct a biobutanol demonstration plant in the U.K. next to an ethanol plant.
Joint Venture with Verenium, a maker of cellulosic ethanol.

Chevron

Joint venture with Weyerhaeuser to make fuel from biomass such as switchgrass.
Grants to Georgia Institute of Technology and University of California at Davis for biofuels research.

Exxon Mobil

Invested $600 million in an algae-to-fuel start-up, Synthetic Genomics.

Petrobras

Planning to invest $2.8 billion in biofuels over the next five years.

Shell

Working with Canada’s Iogen to produce fuel from wheat straw, and with Choden Industries of Germany to make fuel from wood residue.
Invested in Codexis, which is developing enzymes that rapidly turn plants into fuel.
Partnership with Virent Energy Systems, a company planning to produce biogasoline using technology that can process various kinds of feedstock.

Total

Invested in Gevo, a biofuels company that makes renewable fuels from agricultural waste.

Giant jellyfish sinks 10-ton Japanese ship

Stephanie Rogers, Mother Nature Network — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:47:43 PST

Photo: National Geographic

Centuries ago, sailors feared the Kraken – legendary sea monsters so large, they were capable of bringing down ships. Now, modern Japanese fishermen have a new tale to tell of such gargantuan sea creatures – even if it wasn’t powerful tentacles that caused their ship to capsize.

The 10-ton Diasan Shinsho-maru went down in the waters off Japan while trying to haul a net containing dozens of gigantic gelatinous Nomura’s jellyfish, which can reach up to 6 feet 7 inches in diameter and weigh up to 440 pounds.

The load of jellyfish was so heavy, it caused the fishing trawler to sink, throwing the three-man crew into the sea despite clear skies and calm waters. Another trawler rescued the flailing crew.

The Sea of Japan is packed with these oversized creatures, which clog up and damage fishermen’s nets, rendering the fish caught alongside them inedible with their toxic stings. They even get sucked into pumps at nuclear power plants along the shore along with sea water used to cool the reactors.

Scientists believe that some of the factors contributing to the ballooning Nomura’s jellyfish population may include warming sea waters and overfishing of other species.

Stephanie Rogers is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where this post originally appeared.

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