Image by D L / Creative Commons

Halloween is traditionally known for tricks and treats. However, individuals looking to save energy, during the holiday season or perhaps throughout the entire year, can try some tricks and get some treats of their own. From shining a light on sources of vampire energy, to hunting down ghost power leaks and more, now is the time to uncover all the energy skeletons lurking in your closets.

1) The trick is to use as much natural light as possible to light your home. During the fall and winter months there are fewer hours in the day when the sun is shining. Take advantage of those hours and let the light shine in. The treat lies not only in the money you will save, but natural light is beneficial to your health as well. It helps reduce eyestrain and the headaches which often result.

2) The trick is to hunt out energy vampires and stab them where it hurts. By now, most people are aware of the fact that energy vampires will bleed you dry. The question is how many people are doing something about it? A couple of simple steps and you’ll find you are not only saving money, but you will probably have more time on your hands as well. Remember, being “connected” 24/7 isn’t all people make it out to be.

3) Rather than paying for an energy audit, the trick is to try a do-it-yourself home energy assessment. You may be surprised at the number of ways energy is being wasted. Simply finding and reducing drafts in your home, can potentially save you between 5-30% on your energy costs. Now that’s quite a treat.

4) The trick is to get your appliances working for you, rather than against you. Appliances are some of the worst culprits when it comes to sending your energy bill through the roof. The amount of energy large appliances use is enough to make even a ghost’s face turn white. Opting for energy efficient appliances will, of course, save you money. The treat comes in the energy-efficiency and savings.

5) The trick is to set your thermostat for comfort and to save energy. While it may be awesome to have a Nest Learning Thermostat in your home, until that time, you can set/adjust your own thermostat to suit your needs. Turning down the temp if you are going to be away from home, or when you go to bed at night, could save 1% per degree. That is a definite treat in my book. (Oh, and don’t forget to close doors and vents into rooms that aren’t in use.)

An added trick, for those of you who use home heating oil during the colder months, is to use a little Green Plus® in order to significantly reduce your home heating costs. It’s green, certified safe, effective and inexpensive. Treats all around.

As with most issues, there are many other tricks you can use to save energy and give yourself a little treat. Hopefully you can use at least one, or all, of these particular tricks. I’m sure you’ll see the treats beginning to surface in very short order when you do.

Energy is something each one of us uses every day. From coal-powered energy to renewable energy to the energy our bodies use to get through the day. Energy is an integral part of our lives. So what steps can each of us take if we’re looking to improve our energy?

Image by johnnyalive

Let’s look at 7 eco tips each of us can use to help us get weaned off bad energy, increase our good energy and lower our overall energy consumption.

1 – Fresh Air: On a personal level, breathing in fresh air will help you stay energized. Deep breaths in and out of fresh, natural air will help get oxygen in your system and give you an infusion of energy. Toxins from indoor air pollution can lower your concentration levels and make it harder to get things done. So remember to spend some time in the fresh outdoors and breathe deep!

2 – Sleep well: We all know how exhausted we feel after not getting a good night’s sleep. Sometimes it might seem like you are dragging through the day. Maybe you eat more to try and get extra energy or maybe you end up taking twice the time to get something done.  Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to energy production (and consumption).

Image by biofriendlyblog

3 – Drink more water: Another way to improve your energy is by drinking more water. Since our bodies are made up of mostly water, keeping them hydrated is key. Without water, we feel tired, worn out and lacking the energy we may need to get things done.

Image by Svadilfari

4 – Get unplugged: Not only will you consume less energy by logging off and unplugging your computer, television and other electronic devices (yes, cell phones included), but you will probably have more energy yourself. Have you ever notice how drained you can be after spending the day being a slave to your electronics? The solution is simple, unplug.

5- Unplug your home: Now, I’m not talking about completely taking yourself off the grid (although if you can do it I highly recommend it). I mean going through your home and unplugging all the kitchen appliances, electronics and other items that really don’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Getting rid of those phantom loads can really improve your energy consumption and lower your energy bills.

6 – Opt for natural: Open your windows to get fresh air rather than spending money and energy to cool down (or warm up) your home. During the day, open the shades or blinds and let in natural light rather than wasting energy by turning on the lights in your home.

7 – Put your home on an energy diet: There are so many little (and big) things you can do around your home to help make it more energy-efficient, the key is to do them. A smart tip is to look at putting your home on an energy diet.

As you can see, there are many simple ways to improve your energy, personally and at home. The key is to get rid of bad or unwanted energy and work on ways to produce good energy. Not sure how you measure up? Check out the National Geographic Personal Energy Meter to find out if you are energy smart.

The key is to be aware of your energy, generation and consumption, so that you can then work out ways to personally improve your energy. I hope some of these eco tips can help you do that as well! If you have any other eco tips you use to improve your energy, let me know. I’d love to share them.

Most of the time when someone talks about powering down, they are talking about shutting off their electronic equipment, computers, kitchen appliances, etc. While those are definitely important to saving energy and money, I wanted to cover a few different ideas about how powering down can help you save or gain energy.

Image by Matt McGee

1. Give yourself a break: Before you even talk about powering down everything, why don’t you start by giving yourself a breather and power down. Turn off your computer (after you finish reading this of course) and get outside. Go enjoy the weather, start reading that book you’ve been wanting to read or simply relax in the sun.

Image by Listen Missy!

Whatever you do, just get your mind and attention off work, off any problems you are dealing with and allow yourself to unwind a bit. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much energy you have and how much better you’ll feel after doing that.

2. Inventory: Do an inventory around your home and see how many pieces of equipment you have plugged in. It is probably more than you think. Maybe you forgot to put away that appliance after you used it or maybe you leave your hairdryer plugged in when it isn’t in use. Each of those items drains power and costs you money, even when they aren’t in use.

So besides just shutting down or turning off your appliances and other electrical equipment, make sure they are unplugged.

You can also use a power strip or better yet a “Smart Power Strip” to ensure your equipment is disconnected from your power source.

Image by Matt McGee

3. Pamper Yourself: This one kind of goes along with number one. You’ve been working hard and in order to prevent yourself from completely burning out, you should take some time every day/week to pamper yourself.

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars going to the spa, although I do have to admit I love the spa. There are tons of great ideas for at-home and do-it-yourself spa treatments. Check out these simple tips from the “At-Home Spa Guide“.

Image by Arkansas Shutterbug

By the time you are done I’m sure you’ll feel more relaxed, rejuvenated and ready to tackle your next week of activities.

4. Walk, don’t drive: Whether or not you have a hybrid or electric car isn’t really the point here, the point is whatever kind of car you drive, give it a break. Power down and use your own two feet to get around. You used to do it all the time when you were young, so why not keep it up?

Image by Henry Scott

I mean even if you are using an effective fuel additive to improve your fuel economy and lower emissions, that doesn’t mean you should give your car a break. Even if you have an electric car, that doesn’t mean your car doesn’t need a break. Give it a day off. You’ll save money and probably have more energy as a result.

There are many more ways you could power down, but these are just a few to get you started. What energy smart tips do you find useful when it comes to powering down?

Earlier this year I shared the good news that Richardsville Elementary School was working towards becoming the first net-zero energy public school. As you can imagine, that is quite an undertaking and will be quite an accomplishment when it opens. Well…..as good news would have it, construction is nearing completion and Richardsville Elementary is on target to be open by the end of August!

As principal architect on this project, Kenny Stanfield AIA and LEED® AP (Accredited Professional), described it:

“For our team, the goal of achieving a net zero school was simply the next step – to go from a proven, design operating facility (Plano) that requires only 28 kBtus of energy per square foot annually to a facility that needs 18 kBtus to operate.”

The design for this net zero energy school was even awarded the Green Design Concept Winner 2008 Green Education Design Showcase.

Now, if you are unfamiliar with the term “net zero building”, it basically describes a structure that generates as much (or more) energy than it needs to operate. It does that through renewable energy resources such as wind and solar.  This doesn’t mean it isn’t connected to the electric grid, but it does mean the building itself generates more energy than it consumes.

Besides the fact that it completely generates its own energy, Richardsville Elementary is a relatively “typical” school in that it has classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria, library, etc. Another difference though is that it was designed and built as a tool to educate students on the value of energy conservation, solar, water conservation, recycling and more.

Let’s take a look at some of the features that take Richardsville Elementary up to the next level in educational building standards.

First there is the design layout of the school property:

As you can see, it includes a full array of solar panels on the main building as well as the covered drop-off/pick-up area in the parking lot. Renewable materials were used during construction whenever possible and ICFs (Insulated Concrete Forms) were used as a green construction measure to provide smart insulation. Additionally the building was laid out in a north-south site orientation in order to increase solar output and naturally conserve energy.

As you can tell from this picture of the front entrance, the building has a clerestory spine running down the middle of the building. This was designed to allow for maximum natural daylight and minimal lighting costs. The windows themselves are made from Nanogel® filled sandwich panel glass to provide a nice aesthetic for the building without lowering energy efficiency.

This photo shows the rear of the school building, with the media center on the second floor and a covered outdoor classroom below it. The stair towers to the left and right are encased by windows and decorated by sunshades at each level to minimize heat/glare.

The south facing facade (classrooms) clearly shows the use of daylighting as well as the incorporation of sunshade devices in the design and practicality of the building.

The new gymnasium floor was made mostly from bamboo with the dark hardwood sections salvaged from the old gymnasium. Acoustical wall panels were added to give the room optimum acoustics. You can also see a bit of the clerestory daylighting in place here as well.

With regard to the kitchen area, Energy Star rated equipment was used and combi-ovens were chosen as a healthier option to traditional fryers and skillets. So not only will the cafeteria be energy-efficient, it will be able to provide healthier food choices to the students as well.

In terms of overall construction costs, the building and site itself ran about $12,160,000 with the solar/Photovoltaic costs adding an additional $2,753,124. Bringing the total construction costs to a little under $15 million. As the building is 77,466 sq ft, that breaks down to approximately $193 per sq ft.

One note though, as this is a net zero building, the project was able to get a federal bloc grant through the Kentucky Dept of Energy for 50% of the solar costs.

If you are interested, you can follow some of the final construction via the Warren County Public Schools’ webcam.

A special thank you to Kenny Stanfield from Sherman-Carter-Barnhart for providing me with photos and additional information on this great accomplishment of the first net-zero energy school – Richardsville Elementary in Warren County, Kentucky. For more information on Sherman-Carter-Barnhart’s other green projects, you can check out their website.

Congratulations to all involved! Building the first net zero energy school is definitely a historical moment and hopefully there will be many more schools following suit. I can’t wait to hear more about Richardsville Elementary once school is in session.

Image by Horizon2035

It seems like almost every day a new type of renewable energy resource is popping up. Especially in the wake of an incident such as the recent Gulf Oil Spill, renewable energies like wind, solar and even tidal power are gaining more and more interest.

Now each renewable energy, in its own right, is probably worth researching and tapping into, but let’s take a look at tidal energy for a moment. Tides are the regular rising and falling of surface water levels in oceans, gulfs, bays, harbors, etc.  Tides are actually the result of the gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the Earth as it rotates.

Here’s a video that gives a simple explanation of how tides are caused:

Although it isn’t a “new” energy, one of the main reasons tidal power is being looked at as an effective renewable energy resource is that tides never stop…the water is continuously moving back and forth, thus allowing energy to be generated in a constant and predictable manner.

Currently there are very few locations around the world where tidal power is being generated. The Rance Tidal Power Station was the world’s first tidal power station and in 2006, they celebrated 40 years of actively turning tides into energy. As of right now, they are also the world’s largest.

Nova Scotia Power’s Annapolis Tidal Generating Station is the only North American tidal generating station. It is situated on the Annapolis River where it can take advantage of the highest tides in the world found at the Bay of Fundy.

It is said that, “The force created by these mighty waters is equal to 8000 locomotives or 25 million horses..“. That’s quite a bit of potential tidal power. Check out the power of these tides near the Annapolis Tidal Power Station:

The Jiangxia Tidal Power Station in China is listed as the world’s third largest tidal power station, however South Korea is currently in various stages of construction on numerous tidal power stations that will each generate more than double the energy capacity of any existing tidal power station.

A relatively new form of technology in the tidal energy field is the Open-Centre Turbine from OpenHyrdo. The Open-Centre Turbines are one of the world’s first underwater turbines that are designed to rest on the sea floor.

They don’t require a large dam to support them and they are designed to minimize environment impact. One of their first deployments of the Open-Centre Turbine was in the Bay of Fundy for Nova Scotia Power. You can take a look at these videos to see the turbine en-route to its new home and it being put in place.

It has been reported however that this test turbine is no longer responding to remote sensors and additional test turbines have been delayed until 2011. Despite this fact, Nova Scotia Power still hopes to have an entire tide farm in order to capture the power from the tides in the Bay of Fundy. Maine is also currently researching and looking at tapping into tidal power in the Gulf of Maine.

As far as OpenHydro, they currently have projects in Nova Scotia and Alderney (in the Channel Islands). They were also the first company to install a tidal turbine at the EMEC facility in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, so I look forward to seeing what comes next for them.

When it comes to tidal energy, there is no shortage of resources. As long as the Earth keeps spinning and there is water in the oceans, we will have tides. The question then becomes, can we tap into this resource with minimal environment disruption? What do you think? Is tidal energy a strong renewable resource?

Well, the time has come again….Earth Hour 2010 is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th at 8:30pm. Millions of individuals, businesses, cities and government offices around the globe are gearing up to go dark in order to show their support towards creating a cleaner, greener and safer future.

It’s a simple action really, but with a global “joining of forces” it becomes a massive way for people to show they want to, and are willing to, do something that can make a difference.

Last year nearly 1 billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009. 4100 cities in 88 countries on 7 continents made it clear they wanted to make a difference. Over 80 million Americans and over 300 U.S. cities pledged their commitment by going dark during Earth Hour 2009.

Landmarks including the Empire State Building, the Las Vegas Strip, U.N. Headquaters, the Seattle Space Needle, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Great Pyramids of Giza, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Big Ben in London, Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Sydney Opera House were amongst the many locations worldwide to show their support during Earth Hour 2009.

This year’s Earth Hour is expected to reach even further, with the WWF estimating thousands of cities in at least 115 countries will be active participants in Earth Hour 2010. Over 5.5 million people have already pledged their commitment and if you want to be one of them, pledge your commitment here.

While some may see Earth Hour as merely a symbolic act, others see it as a way to unite and show their desire to make a difference. In all candidness, what do you think of Earth Hour 2010?

As far as my personal view, I think it’s a great way for people to join together to show their support and interest in making this a better world. However, I also feel that many companies, cities and others may be using it as a way to make it appear they are “going green” and are making BIG changes, when that isn’t necessarily the case.

Let me give you an example…the State of California is listed as an “official Earth Hour state” and has pledged to turn off the lights on the State Capitol building during Earth Hour 2010. A number of cities and towns are also pledging their support, Mayors are signing declarations designating March 27th, 2010 at 8:30pm as “Earth Hour”. Over 90 California schools, 41 universities, 94 organizations and 278 businesses have also signed the pledge.

While all this is great news, why does it take a global movement to get these states, cities, governments, companies, schools and individuals to turn off all non-essential lighting? And why are they only willing to do it for one hour? If they were serious about making a change, not to mention saving money, wouldn’t you think they would ALWAYS turn off non-essential lighting?

You and I know that in order to save money and use less electricity we can do simple things like turn off lights when they aren’t in use, unplug unnecessary equipment or put them on power strips to prevent them from sucking energy when they aren’t in use, switch to energy-efficient lighting, etc, etc. Why aren’t companies, cities, governments and countries doing the same thing on a daily basis?

Take the WWF’s Climate Savers program. It’s currently in its 11th year yet only has 21 corporate members. The program is designed to work with corporations to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, yet only 21 corporations (albeit some of the world’s largest corporations) have gotten on board.

But did you know that the WWF estimated that by 2010 those 21 Climate Saver companies would have cut carbon emissions by approximately 14 million tons annually? Just think of what could be done with more companies on board.

For anyone who may be a little skeptical of Earth Hour, the WWF has no illusions about the impact of Earth Hour 2010. In their own “Blueprint for Individuals” they state:

“We know that the amount of energy saved during one hour won’t be enough to save our planet from the potentially devastating impacts of climate change, but that misses the true purpose of Earth Hour. Earth Hour seeks to provide a forum in which people can engage on climate issues and find ways in their own lives to become part of the solution to this global threat.”

So maybe, for that one hour on March 27th at 8:30pm you will plunge into darkness along with the millions and millions of other people around the globe who are attending Earth Hour 2010. After that hour…that’s up to you. You’ll probably want to check out some longer-term energy saving tips though, that might also help ensure your home energy costs don’t get you down.  See you there!

Wind power is becoming an ever-increasingly popular way to collect energy. Just last year the wind power industry grew an impressive 31% despite the economy. It is now estimated to be a $63 billion/year industry, employing around half a million workers worldwide.

However, like solar farms, there is only a limited amount of land that can be used for wind farms before we completely remove the beauty and necessity of Mother Nature in favor of renewable energy. So, what can be done?

Luckily people continue to imagine and design new ways to capitalize on the power of the wind. Let’s take a look at some of the “standard” and not-so-standard ideas for catching the power of the wind:

First we start off with some traditional wind turbines like the kind you find on your way to Palm Springs, CA. These particular turbines are part of one of the three major wind farms that produce approximately 95% of California’s wind generating capacity. The large turbines are designed to take the motion of the wind, turn it into mechanical energy which is then converted into electrical energy.

One major downfall with this type of wind energy is that the average wind farm can require up to 17 acres of land to produce one megawatt of electricity. So wind farm land resources are limited.

This “highway turbine” was thought up by an Arizona State University student. The turbines are designed to pick up wind generated from passing cars. Since the turbines are placed over the freeway, cars passing underneath will be traveling 65-70 mph on average which will allow each turbine to produce approx 9.6 kWh of energy annually. That’s enough to light up a small apartment or help power the street lights on the freeway.

The energy storing wind dam is a “compact” solution to wind turbines. Wind dams are designed so they can be added on to an existing dam or hydro-power station. Attaching it to an existing hydro-power station could also allow it to help boost energy during peak times and store energy during off peak times.

Another one of the great things about wind dams is the turbines are closely stacked together so the whole dam operates as a single turbine essentially. And rather than needing a large piece of land in order to place individual turbines, the wind dam puts multiple turbines all in one compact area.

Here’s a different take on the wind turbine via a sort of “wind sail”. This particular dam was reportedly anchored to the cliffs near Northern Russia’s Lake Ladoga last year. The design is similar to the sail on a sailboat and each sail will be able to generate enough energy to power 35 homes. Efficiency of the wind sail is still being worked on, but it’s a start.

Promoted as the world’s first “high altitude wind turbine”, the Magenn Air Rotor System (or M.A.R.S. for short) is designed to fly high above the rest. It labels itself as being bird- and bat-friendly, low cost and able to tap into more reliable winds due to its high altitude. The turbines are able to be inflated and deployed almost anywhere. They are also made of a material that allows them to quickly be deflated, packed up, moved and re-inflated without the need for towers or heavy equipment. Take a look at this short video to give you an idea of how the air rotor system works:

For those who don’t want to go up with their wind energy collection, they can always go out…out to sea that is. Offshore wind farms are getting more attention these days as companies look for wind catching solutions to solve the “lack of open land” problem.

Cape Wind is one of those companies. They are working on placing America’s first off-shore farm a few miles out in Nantucket Sound, off the Massachusetts shoreline.

Of course, there are also groups that oppose having wind farms off their shoreline. But what’s interesting, is they aren’t necessarily opposing the off-shore wind farms all together, they just believe there are places better suited for them, rather than Nantucket Sound. What do you think?

I like these turbines in particular as they are designed to be aesthetic (not an eye-sore). They also use the wind they are generating to power the street lights they are attached to. It’s similar to the “highway turbine”, but this wind powered light seems to have a broader use and is, in my personal opinion,  a better option.

The Helix Wind Turbine (a vertical axis wind turbine) is a simple idea, especially when you don’t have a lot of room or want a huge spinning turbine on your property. Designed mainly for residential and small commercial properties, the Helix is also a good choice for low wind areas as its design is sculptured to allow maximum access of the blades.

Now, these aren’t all nor even necessarily the best ideas on how to capitalize on wind energy. And, if you’re interested you can check out thewindpower.com (the wind turbines and wind farms database).

But hopefully you get the idea that there are many different ideas out there on how to generate energy through wind power. What about you? Do you have any creative ideas on how to capture the power of wind?

With more people becoming aware of their actual impact on the environment, we have begun to see major strides being taken by individuals, businesses, buildings and even governments to lower their environmental footprint. One of the ways to do that is net-zero energy buildings.

It’s not just about “going green” or getting LEED certification anymore (although I’d recommend both). These days, people want to get their homes and businesses completely off the grid. It’s about generating more energy than you need or use. Just like you need to burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight, same goes for energy conservation. Generate more renewable energy than your building uses and you’ll save money and break the unhealthy bond between you and your utility provider.

One great example of a net-zero energy building is the Boutique Hotel Stadthalle in Vienna, which features these as part of their self-sustaining charm:

• Its solar panel wall can heat up enough hot water for the entire hotel.
• Rainwater is collected on the roof and used to water the roof-top gardens and grounds, as well as being utilized to flush the toilets.
• Electricity is provided by a photovoltaic solar power plant and three wind turbines.
• Drinking water is vitalized by natural stones.

But I digress….what’s really exciting is the fact that the first net-zero energy public school is scheduled to open this year in Warren County, Kentucky.

The Warren County Public School System is no stranger to saving energy though. They received the 2009 Andromeda Star of Energy Efficiency Award for their ongoing commitment to reducing energy in their schools while at the same time educating their students on the benefits of energy efficiency. Their accomplishments included saving more than $4 million in energy savings over the prior 4 years, 28% reduction in energy usage, Energy Star ratings on fourteen buildings and more.

Now, in collaboration with CMTA, (a leader in engineering energy-efficient, green and highly sustainable buildings and schools) and the LEED Accredited Professionals from Sherman Carter Barnhart, Warren County is gearing up to have the first zero energy public school in the United States - Richardsville Elementary School.

Some of the key features in this zero energy public school include: insulated concrete form wall construction, geothermal HVAC with CO2 monitoring, daylighting through light shelves and Solatubes®, compact two-story design with reduced building volume, thin roof-adhered thin film photovoltaic system, energy-efficient lighting, reduced plug loads for computers, reduced energy use in the kitchen, solar water heating, bioswales, etc.

As you can see in this design, the school has been laid out so it can reap the most rewards from renewable energy sources such as the sun and wind. (School images courtesy of Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects)

With the renewable energy sources on site, Richardsville Elementary will produce enough energy every year to cover 100% of its estimated energy usage. Additionally, they expect the new building will reduce energy consumption by 75%.

But remember, this zero energy school isn’t just about the building, it’s about the students too. They want their students learning about how energy works, how to be more energy-efficient and more.

So…laptops are recharged in the “solar hallway” where students can actually see how much energy is being received from the solar panels. The “geothermal hallway” has colored pipes and temperature gauges. In the “water conservation hallway” students can see how much rainwater has been collected and used to flush toilets in the school’s restrooms. The “recycling hallway” shows students how they are doing at recycling around the school. They even have a weather station out on the patio, which they plan to incorporate into math and science studies.

It’s pretty cool when you think about it. I definitely look forward to seeing this net-zero energy public school once construction is completed and its on its way to being completely off the grid! If you are interested, you can follow the construction of the school via the Warren County Public Schools’ website.

Do you have a school near you, maybe your kids’ school, that is taking measures towards being more energy-efficient and working on educating its students on how to so the same? Contact your state school board, maybe there is a net-zero energy school on its way in your area.

Image from GoodPlanet.info

I was reading a blog the other day on Mother Nature Network about the Top 10 Cleantech Countries and it got me thinking, what about some of the top cities?  What cities are considered being the best when it comes to being good for the environment and good for the people in them?   

That’s when I came across a website talking about cities for people.  What is a City for People?…”You would recognise a city for people quickly, because of the number of parks, cycle paths, and excellent public transport. You would not see unnecessary waste, too many cars, or lots of air pollution. You would probably see a move towards renewable energy, a great culture, and a strong economy.”

So, here are five cities for the people (and the environment):

1) Freiburg, Germany - Known for its use of solar, Frieburg prides itself on having over 13,000 of its residents living in sustainable districts.  Whole housing communities have been equipped with solar roofs and all new buildings must comply with the city’s low energy requirements.  Those who own houses equipped with solar panels can feed their surplus power into the public grid and get reimbursed for doing so.  

2) Malmo, Sweden – specifically the Western Harbour in Malmo.  A few years ago Western Harbour was apparently an old abandoned shipyard.  But the city decided it should be rejuvenated and now it is a major waterfront attraction powered by 100% local/renewable energy.  Buses in the area run on biogas (created from the waste of local residents), rainwater animates local water features and more. 

3) Portland, Oregon – Listed on SustainLane’s 2008 US City Rankings as the most sustainable U.S. city in 2008.  A lot of Portland’s sustainable actions are attributed to the forward thinking city planners that have apparently been thinking green for over 30 years now.  The city is known for its public transportation as well as being a bicycle-friendly city.  All of these things are above and beyond Portland’s natural beauty, its love of local growers and the city’s focus on green buildings and renewable energy. 

4) Copenhagen, Denmark – With the upcoming Climate Conference being held in Copenhagen this December, you’d assume the city would be at the top of its game.  Did you know that they hold a world record for consumption of organic products? (51% of food consumption in the city’s public institutions are organic and 23% in the private sector.)  They’ve apparently reduced their CO2 emissions by 25% since 1990, which they credit to their switch to natural gas heating.  They also offer more than 300kms of bike paths and plan to be the world’s leading bicycle city by 2015. 

5) Curitiba, Brazil – Sometimes referred to as the ecological capital of Brazil, Curitiba is well known for its urban planning.  The city reportedly has about 12 acres of parkland for every 1000 people and with 1.5 million people, that’s a lot of parkland.  It should also be noted that many of the parks near rivers and streams also serve as flood buffers between the water and the city.  And in terms of making the environment part of the city, even their Opera House is surrounded by the beauty of nature.   

I know there are many more cities for the environment (and the people), but these are just a few I thought were worth mentioning.  Do you have a city you feel is worth mentioning? 

Image by biofriendly 

When it comes to lowering your carbon footprint and doing something about climate change there are many actions each of us can take.  Now, you may ask yourself, “I’m just one person, what can I really do?”.  As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to be people just like you and me who are going to be the driving force that can really make a difference. 

You can add solar panels to your home, you can add a wind turbine in your yard, you can grow your own vegetables and herbs, you can unplug your appliances/computers when not in use, you can use a fuel additive to lower harmful emissions coming from your vehicle or get a hybrid/electric vehicle, you can use public transportation, bike or walk to your destinations, you can cut down on your meat consumption, you can volunteer and help clean up your local beaches/parks, you can educate your children on water and energy conservation and the list goes on and on.

Of course there are also big steps that companies and governments can take, but without individual people changing their own actions and demanding that change in others, it’s going to be a much longer road.  Here are a few more steps you, as an individual, can take to do something positive about climate change while educating others to do the same:

1) The No Impact Project starts this Sunday (Oct 18th).  The No Impact Project is a basically a one-week carbon cleanse.  Whether you want to create as little impact on the environment as possible or you just want to save some money or you want to see how no impact living would affect your life, this is for you!  It’s a day-by-day project that lays out simple ways for you to impact your own life and habits, your community and the environment.  And remember, this project isn’t designed to preach about all the things we are doing wrong, it’s designed to give each of us tips and suggestions to help live a better life and have less impact on the environment.  Check it out!

2) You can get your child’s school to join the I count for my Earth Campaign. I count for my Earth is a program created to get our children educated and more environmentally aware of the world around them.  It also helps empower them to be able to do something to make a difference.  My daughter always makes sure lights that don’t need to be on, get turned off and reminds us that leaving them on “wastes power”.  Get your child(ren) more environmentally aware and knowing ”I count for my Earth”. 

3)  Last week I wrote about carbon dioxide and International Climate Action Day.  On October 24, 2009 people around the world are being asked to take one day – one moment of their life – to help get the word out….actually, get the number out.  You can organize your own activity or attend an already planned activity in your area, that helps draw attention and awareness to the number 350 and what it means to all of us.

4) You can go to the Seal The Deal! website and sign the petition for a fair climate agreement at the upcoming Climate Change Conference.

5) From December 7th-18th, 2009 world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Conference 2009.  Their goal is to negotiate and come to an agreement on a new climate treaty.  You can do your part by requesting your leader takes the bold actions needed to reduce greenhouse gases.  You can even submit your own video with your views, opinions and questions on climate change.  (The best ones will be aired on December 15th during the COP15 CNN/YouTube TV debate.)

6) And last, but not least, blog about it.  Today is Blog Action Day ’09.  It’s a day uniting bloggers from around the world to write about climate change all on the same day.  Bringing awareness to the issue is the first step.  Hopefully this action will not only bring about more awareness to the issue of climate change, but will result in global discussions and actions.

Hopefully these tips will help you answer the question “What Can I Do About Climate Change?”.  Let me know….I’d love to hear your ideas and find out more about what you are doing about climate change.