My Trip to China
If you hadn’t noticed, I was gone the entire month of July on a trip to China. I traveled with my wife to visit her relatives as well as do some sight-seeing while there. Before leaving, I made it a priority to see the ways China is doing their part to protect our environment as well as the current state of their environment.
After arriving on the long flight, her family drove us into Nanjing, the city we would be staying at the entire time. The one thing I noticed along the way were a few signs advertising solar panels. Not a bad start. I saw homes and I noticed what appeared to be solar water heaters on top of their homes. Wow, many of the homes and apartment buildings had them on their roofs. But then I noticed a problem…
What I initially thought as fogginess, I soon realized that haze was completely covering the entire city. In my head I was thinking that it would probably go away or would only be spotty. I soon came to realize that haze was a frequent problem and didn’t go away. Not only in Nanjing, but in China’s other major cities, Beijing and Shanghai.
Once entering the city, there were farmers all over the place selling their produce to local residents. I also noticed a large number of people driving bicycles and scooters (I later found out that many were electric). With the large number of people in the city, there were still tons of people driving cars there, though almost all were cars and not SUVs or trucks.
Once we arrive at my wife’s relatives homes, I noticed some good things again. Everybody in the city owned small apartments, nowhere near the size of the homes we own here in America. In their home, they owned only one air conditioning and it was a room unit. When it got to hot, we would just go into that particular room to cool down from the AC. Much more efficient than our central heating/air conditioning here in America.
We were also fed extremely well by my wife’s family. Each meal would consist of a variety of dishes shared by the entire family. The majority of the dishes were vegetables, but there were a few lean meat dishes.
The days were often extremely hot there. One of the things I hated seeing that is also present in America is the use of plastic bottles. There were some people who carried around tea in reusable bottles, but one-time use plastic bottles were heavily used. I was happy to see that when we went to many grocery stores, plastic bags cost money. Many people brought reusable bags instead of paying the extra cost.
We took two trips to the major cities in China, Beijing and Shanghai. One of those trips we used a tour group, the other we went on our own. I don’t visit DC or New York often enough, but I don’t remember seeing so many tour groups in either of those cities. I’m not sure whether a tour group is more environmentally friendly, but many people used them in China.
Overall, I think the people in China are doing many of the same things Americans are doing to help the environment.
Throughout the remaining of this week and into next week, I will be writing more in-depth articles about some things that China is doing to be more environmentally friendly as well as some of the environmental issues they are facing.
Meal Planning Done For You: E-Mealz
The easiest meal-planning helper has arrived! We have all heard that meal planning can save you money, help make organic food more affordable, and even help you develop healthier eating habits (and kick the food waste habit…which is a growing problem). The reality is that too often we are moving so quickly in our culture of “busy-ness” that meal planning feels like an idea only suitable for a 1950s housewife. Since Home Economics has left the school curriculum, we are not as food savvy as we once were as a culture, and therefore meal planning and learning how to use leftovers feels a bit ominous to most of us.
Meet your meal planning lifeline: E-mealz.
What is E-Mealz?
Have you ever had the feeling that your grocery shopping and meal-planning could use a little hand holding? I mean nothing serious, just a little extra support like a shoulder to lean on? Well add meal planning with E-Mealz to your list if this sounds a little too familiar. Simply enter in your grocery store and any dietary restrictions, diets regimes, or desires. They provide you with a weekly shopping list and menu with recipes. Viola! Meal planning done and on to the good stuff, shopping. The grocery list is organized by sections of the store in a one-page chart. There is even a little section for you to add other groceries you may need and it includes the total cost with the goal being a $75 average. Each item has a corresponding meal number, so if you don’t like spinach (sorry Popeye!) then you can eliminate that meal or side dish easily.
What’s it to me?
No need to wander around the grocery store helplessly trying to find Tartar Sauce! It can also help you with new dietary restrictions, understanding how to eat healthy, and keep you on track for any diets you may be trying out. It can also help you save money by decreasing your impulse buys of “I will use this for something…” and the planning list is available 24/7, unlike Grandma. Of course there are a few cons. First, it costs a whopping $5 per month, which makes it a great holiday or Birthday gift! If you stick to the plan, you may actually find that you are saving money upfront through meal planning and indirectly through eating balanced meals helping you focus at work, and worry less about meal planning. The other con is if you do not shop at Big Box stores for your groceries, there may not be a grocery chart for you and prices may differ at the store.
So, what’s for dinner tonight? A balanced meal on a budget? If you want a meal planning companion, E-mealz is an easy option for the busy Moms and Dads out there, as well as for those new to cooking and meal planning.
Cheers to sustainable living, keeping our food waste down, and getting in touch with the efficient 1950s housewife within all of us!
And for those of us shopping at co-ops and the like, we can still get meal plans, but the budgeting may be different – just a heads up.
Photo Credit: E-Mealz
Renting Electric Cars: 2011 Here we Come!
Traveling can be a sustainable living enthusiast’s worst nightmare. With air travel being an astronomical contributor to global emissions, and train travel often a few Federal funding dollars away, its important to try to make on the ground travel as low-impact as possible. Starting in 2011 you can do just that with Enterprise’s Rent A Car! They will be offering the Nissan Leaf Electric vehicles to their customers. With well over 5,000 locations scattered through out the U.S. one of these vehicles may just be in range.
Their initial investment of 500 vehicles is an excellent indicator of a few major trends. First, customers want more fuel-efficient, cost-saving, and environmentally-friendly forms of transit. Second, it demonstrates an increasing commitment toward electric vehicles from transportation industries. An important step after issues highlighted in the movie “Who Killed the Electric Car?” shed light on the auto industries extensive efforts to silence the technology not so long ago. Lastly, it signifies hope. Hope that as a society we are driving in the right direction toward lower greenhouse gas emissions and impact.
Where can I rent an EV?
EVs, or electric vehicles, will be available via Enterprise where the cities currently are or are in the process of becoming equipped to charge and handle the specialized vehicles. This includes Phoeniz & Tuscon, AZ, Knoxville & Nashville, TN, San Diego & Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. Enterprise is planning on playing a key part in the deployment of EVs and their growth outside of their rental chain through charging stations. They are already equipped with hybrid rentals, so they are tacking on one more service to these stations come Fall.
Me Not Work EV…
Have no fear, Enterprise is on it. Their employees will be undergoing extensive training to help EV new comers get comfortable driving the vehicles before pushing the pedal to the metal next winter. With the ability to travel 100 miles until needing re-charging, most rental car users shouldn’t need a new energy supply. And if you aren’t ready for the world of electrics quite yet, you can ask the office about hybrids (they have been stockpiling those as well…very sneaky).
How Dedicated is Enterprise to Alternative Transit?
Shockingly enough…a lot! At least a lot more than you may have originally assumed. They have a separate research institute looking into biofuels that began in 2007, they have developed a WeCar car-sharing technology for more localized rentals, and now with their changing fleets to include more sustainable living options they are looking good. What’s better though is that they are making internal commitments as well including reducing energy, recycling used motor oil and filters, planting trees, and even some design change implementations that are projected to cut their yearly CO2 emissions by 6.5 million pounds…that’s a whole lotta reduction.
So starting next winter, keep your eye out for the opportunity to test drive an EV through Enterprise Rent-a-Car! Of course a hybrid could suffice in the mean time. Also, keep your eye out for other rental car agencies that follow suit, hopefully Enterprise is a leader in what will become a new trend for the rental car industry.
Win an Eco-Tourism Trip for Two!
How does soaking up rays in Costa Rica (the eco way of course) with a special someone sound? Well then read up on Neenah Paper’s work in the sustainability field, sign up to win the contest, take the quiz and wait on baited breathe for them to announce your name!
Environment Paper made by Neenah Paper offers a wide variety of FSC-certified and eco-friendly paper options manufactured using 100% renewable energy. The paper industry used to be known as one of the dirtiest industries in business due to the toxins and leeching that was commonplace. So this commitment to sustainable paper both from a sourcing and a manufacturing perspective is refreshing.
Sign up to win here!
Top Renewable Energy Users Rankings are In!
The EPA’s Green Power Partnership just released the rankings of the top purchasers of renewable energy, and your city just may be one of them! The charts show how much energy is used and what percentage of that energy is renewables along with which renewables and their sources.
Purchasing green power can come by three ways according to the EPA:
- RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates)
- On-Site Generation
- Utility Green Power Products
So check out who is ‘in the know’ when it comes to renewable energy, it just may surprise you!
Here is a sneak preview of some of the obvious and not so obvious leaders:
- Intel Corporation
- Kohl’s Department Stores
- Whole Foods Market
- U.S. Airforce
- Statue of Liberty
- University of Pennsylvania
- Harvard
- Texas A&M University System
- Houston & Dallas, TX
- DC
- Chicago
Check out the rankings on the EPA’s Green Power Partnership’s website.
Photo Credit: Eco Electrons
Climate Change & the EPA Sittin’ In a Tree
Climate change was officially recognized by scientists in the 1970s, around the same time we started learning about ozone depletion and other harmful toxins. All of the toxins we discovered during that time have been banned, except for the majority of greenhouse gases. Why? Greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans (often referred to as anthropogenic sources) are very much tied to our lifestyles. Since the dawn of the industrial age, the expanse of plastics, and the study of synthetics we have been emitting exponentially higher rates of greenhouse gases.
Common Sense Abides
Let’s take a common sense approach and set international scientific consensus aside. First, as the World evolved it became more habitable for our specific species to survive. Second, over the last 100 years or so, we have developed machines and societies that have dug up this ’stuff’ that was buried during this un-habitable times. Third, we now have exposed it to our current atmosphere as well as burned most of it, making it more mobile (because it is in a gaseous form). So based on this simple reduction of Earth Science, can we really say that we, humans, have no impact on the environment?
To Impact or Not to Impact
In fact, we should have an impact on the environment, we live here! Unfortunately, our current lifestyle is so extreme to our natural or at least the more natural form of evolution’s lifestyle for species, that it has put us at odds with the environment in many ways. Pays to Live Green is a great resource to understand different things that make up our daily routine that can be modified to make our impact a positive impact.
The Climate Change Connection
So how does this relate to climate change? Climate change is tied directly to our lifestyles, not a few consumer products. The CFC debate (mainly freon that was found in refrigerators) led to a ban in most countries (not all, so be careful) and then we were done with that chemical. Since anthropogenic climate change is tied to our lifestyle, not just a consumer choice, it gets more complicated (not to mention our jobs, industries, and sources of income in most cases).
The Climate Change Denial
But who wants to admit that we need to make some changes? A wise man once said:
It’s not that we mind change, it’s that we mind being changed.
Those who mind recognizing the change have put our global society at a very high risk. One company spent 2 billion dollars over the course of 3 years to deny climate change through the start up of ‘independent’ think tanks and even a false non-profit. They were fined, which for their profit margin was more of a slip on the wrist, and went back to denying climate change openly.
Most recently, the EPA has acted on climate change by identifying it as something that threatens our health (I guess you can’t file something that threatens our very well-being). A large contingency filed complaints stating that their decision was based on bad information. A few days ago the EPA said enough, and rejected their claims.
So why all the stink? Because this threat to human health provides the EPA and other regulatory bodies to act on climate change when our legislative bodies failed to do so this year in the US. This authority means that business as usual is at risk…but perhaps the EPA thinks that this risk is far less than the one we are taking by failing to act on climate change in the first place.
Will businesses that have embraced sustainability on the ground level survive? When it comes to regulation, the answer is yes and not only that, they will thrive and become the new leaders of our age. The landscape is quickly shifting from the status quos of yesteryear to the age of innovation that guides us into tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the nay-sayers and the dreamers collide to create our respective future.
Cheers to reducing each of our own emissions while we ponder the future.
Photo Credit: Twilight Earth
Plugless Power’s EV Solution
What’s one of the main catches of electric vehicles? Charging up. It’s one of the major barriers to people buying electric cars. What if I forget to charge my car? What if I run out of charge and am stuck somewhere?
Well the solution to one of those questions is on the horizon. A Company called Evatran is focused on what they have termed “Plugless Power“. They have developed a sensor system for EV users to install in their garage. Instead of remembering to plug in your car at night, just park it over this power station. Without any cords or hook-ups, the car gets charged and you can rest easy.
This invention has incredible potential and a few drawbacks.
First, the bad news
It isn’t as efficient as plugging in your EV (well, less than 10% efficiency is lost). For the dark green eco-enthusiasts out there, that means it uses more energy than it needs to to charge the car. Since the majority of our energy mix comes from non-renewable sources like fossil fuels or nuclear power, this isn’t great news. But as the company points out, this provides a solid reminder that emissions and energy use isn’t a one-sided transportation problem.
Now, the good news
If this technology takes off, it will be an incredible tool to implement in cities, parking garages, and metered parking. As EVs gain more traction, these types of solutions are becoming increasingly critical for its global survival and spread. They also help us get over the inconvenience of plugging in the car (although some may argue we are already conditioned to filling up our gas tanks…so what’s the big difference?).
Is EVs future as gloomy as its past?
No, but it is ominous. When the EVs of this century (yes the first cars were electric) came out they were celebrated as a huge leap in the transportation sector. Inventors competed to have the most efficient vehicle, and hope was abundant. Then something sad happened. The patent was purchased by an automobile company and they decided to silence the debate. The information was now private and would not be acted upon. There was a brief glip where EVs tried to take off in California, but through the oil and auto industries interests and some interesting legislation, they flopped. (Watch Who Killed the Electric Car for a somewhat comical review of the happenings)
Now, as we have grown more aware of climate change and the intricate ties our environmental health has to our societal health, EVs are making a comeback. But it isn’t without its own hurdles. First, since climate change and the hazardous compounds that burning fossil fuels emit have been common knowledge for a decent amount of time, the competitive landscape has changed. There is now competition over “what technology” will win the race. Will it be the EV? Or will we take hydrogen technology to the max. Perhaps we will give ethanol another go. This conundrum is one of the reasons many automakers have failed to invest in new technologies (although not the only reason). What if they build out the machinery for hydrogen vehicles only to find that no one will support hydrogen fueling stations?
The electric car isn’t a particularly new idea, nor is it foreign. Unfortunately, with so many years under our car-driving belt devoted to gasoline vehicles its hard for us to imagine any shifts in this marketplace. Due to rising gas prices, increased environmental awareness, and government incentives, hybrids were able to succeed. But the water is still lukewarm for EVs and their competitors.
One thing we do know, is that this product will revolutionize the attractiveness of EVs as a long-term solution. To learn more about this invention visit Plugless Power.
Photo Credit: Plugless Power
