Image by joka2000 (via Flickr)

Well it’s that time of year again…it’s New Year’s Eve! The end of one year and the beginning of a new (hopefully even better) year. On this last day of the year, I wanted to provide you with some transportation ideas in case you are planning on ringing in the New Year away from home. Therefore, here are some ideas that could help you have both a great evening and get home safely at the end of the night:

1) AAA Auto Club is again offering their “Tipsy Tow” service in Southern California.  I’m sure they are offering similar services across the U.S. so if you want to take advantage of this service, please inquire with your local auto club.  The So Cal service begins at 6pm today and goes until 11:59pm on Friday, Jan 1st 2010.  They will tow your car home, as long as you live within 7 miles of your pickup location. Just call 1-800-400-4AAA and say “I need a tipsy tow” and they will come get you.  Note: There are restrictions to this service, so know before you go.

2) Some cities have cab service that is just a text away.  For example, GoFastCab offers service in San Diego CA, Los Angeles CA, San Jose/Silicon Valley CA, Orange County CA, Chicago IL, Phoenix and Tuscon AZ, Nashville TN and Charlotte NC.  You just text them with your complete pick-up address and within seconds you receive a text confirmation letting you know a local cab in on the way.  Seriously, how simple is that?! Just remember to put their number in your phone so you can text when you need to be picked up.

3) Many forms of public transportation have extended hours on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day so that you can enjoy the convenience of public transportation and not have to hassle with the holiday traffic on the freeways and roads.  The BART in San Francisco is extending their normal service until 3am.  The MTA in Los Angeles is offering 24-hour service, with Metro buses and trains running every 20 min from 9pm tonight until 5am tomorrow - New Year’s Day. Additionally, service will be free between 9pm New Year’s Eve and 2am New Year’s Day.  So be smart and check your local public transportation for their New Year’s Eve schedule.

4) Hire a designated driver service. It’s a little different than taking a cab or public transportation in that you actually drive to the party in your own car, then your “designated driver” comes and picks you up when you are ready to go home and drives you home in your own car. One creative company, YdriveLA, actually has their drivers arrive on folding scooters. The driver then puts the folding scooter in the trunk of your car and drives you home.

5) Last but not least is one of the simplest ideas of all, designate a friend or member of your group as the designated driver. I’m usually the designated driver when I go out with friends or family and I actually don’t mind at all. I have a good time, my friends have a good time and we can all get home safely.

So, plan your transportation needs ahead of time, don’t forget to make your New Year’s resolutions and have a safe, happy New Year’s Eve – see you in the new year!

Image by woodleywonderworks

When it comes to preserving the environment, what is the first thing you think of?  Recycling? Using solar panels? Water Conservation? Fuel Economy? Planting a tree? Cutting CO2 levels? Using “green” products instead of chemicals? Growing your own fresh herbs and vegetables?  How about making furniture and bedding?

To be honest, making furniture and bedding wasn’t one of my first thoughts either.  But, enter Hickory Springs and Preserve®, the world’s first bio-based foam for the furniture and bedding industry.  Preserve is made using a soy-based compound designed to cut down on the usual chemicals used in making foam.  It’s a healthier alternative to conventional furniture, as it is better for you and for the environment.  Another added benefit of their bio-based foam product is Hickory Springs estimates they conserve about 18,000 barrels of oil per year or enough energy to power over 1000 homes.

Not new to the industry, Hickory Springs has been in business for about 65 years and has been at the front of the ”green” movement in the furniture industry.  They were the one of the first to cut out CPCs and methylene chloride as auxiliary blowing agents and also one of the first to remove PBDE fire retardants as a result of health concerns about 5 years ago. 

That’s not all though….most of their furniture is made using many environmentally-friendly products including their Preserve® foam, scrap based steel makes at least 50% of their sinuous wire and upholstery coils, 100% recycled yarn is used on their furniture webbing, recycled materials are used for all fibers and sleeper/motion mechanisms in the furniture are made from 70-80% scrap steel.  

  Hickory Springs latest venture in preserving the environment really puts them in the limelight…it’s their EarthCare Challenge.  The EarthCare Challenge is a nationwide challenge that almost anyone (over 21) can enter.  All you have to do is submit a video showing why you are the most eco-oblivious or eco-chic contestant.  Videos will then be judged and six finalists will compete in a 45-day Green Makeover.  The contestants’ progress and actions will be tracked via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and EarthCareInside.   The grand prize winner is awarded an earth-friendly home furnishings makeover valued at $5,000! 

So, whether you are a seasoned environmentalist or someone who thinks “going green” means cashing in their bottles and cans, Hickory Springs new contest may just be right for you.  Send in your video, get your friends to send in theirs.  Who knows, we may just be cheering you on as one of the six finalists.  Remember….preserving the environment is for both the eco-oblivious and the eco-chic.

Image by wolfsavard 

For many years the only way we read magazines, books or newspapers were in their print format.  But like many companies over the last year or so, publishers have recently been feeling the affects of the economy.  People just aren’t buying and/or subscribing to their favorite newspapers or magazines like they used to. Why? Some say it’s to save money, others just don’t want newspapers or magazines lying around and others feel since they can get their information online why bother getting in print? 

To emphasis the situation further, even the New York Times Metro Desk recently cancelled all their newspaper/magazine subscriptions.  They stated, “If reporters want to check out the competition in the Post or the News, they can buy their own copies.” 

Do newspapers and magazines realize that going digital is the way to go?  I mean, less for the landfill is always better for the environment, right?  Many have already turned to the internet for purely economic reasons.  They can run their own websites where they provide subscribers, readers and visitors with up-to-date information, news, entertainment, articles, blogs, etc.  Some also provide links to their recently printed newspaper and/or magazine. 

What about moving to digital for green reasons though?  And what about those who just don’t have the resources to go digital or would rather just maintain their print version.  Well, they’d be smart to check out Zinio.

Zinio is currently the largest online newsstand in the world with over 50,000 digital magazines and books and e-stores in 15 languages.  Their focus is not just a green focus (print less, waste less) but a interactive focus as well.  They want to connect magazines and books with readers, subscribers and fans so we not only get to read our favorite magazine and/or book but we can interact with it as well.  We can do searches for specific articles, share our favorite quote with a friend, post it on a social media site or even save parts of articles we are interested in.  I know that would be something that would come in handy to almost any researcher, blogger or writer.

Then if publishers are looking for marketing services to help their bottom line, Zinio offers those as well.  Their marketing services can help publishers contact and get new customers from around the world.  Basically they offer the ability to increase circulation and ad revenues without increasing distribution costs.

As for people like you and I, Zinio offers easy access to a wide variety of magazines or allows us to get one specific issue (just like you would get at the newsstand), they offer a great resource for doing term paper or even blog research and an easy way to read new books, etc.  But what do you think?  Would you rather get your magazines and books online or just continue to get them in print?  Is going digital really the way to make the printing industry “green”?

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 OakleyOriginals

Many people these days are looking at making changes in their lives to become more sustainable, including growing their own herbs and vegetables.  The problem is not everyone has a big backyard or property with good soil to plant the garden of their dreams.  Additionally, not everyone has the “green thumb” commonly associated with being able to maintain a successful garden.  I know personally mine’s a little off-green and I haven’t always had the best luck with gardens.  So, what can you do?

Well, nowadays whether you have a green thumb, or even have a yard, has no bearing on being able to successfully grow your own herbs and vegetables from the comfort of home.  The EarthBox has taken all the guesswork out of growing your own vegetables and herbs and brought it all down to just following instructions.  You can grow anything from Basil,  Eggplants and Spinach to Artichokes, Broccoli and Melons.

Used by restaurants and homeowners alike, EarthBox has become an innovative solution to the problem of how to grow your own fresh vegetables and herbs.  For example, the Blue on Blue restaurant in Beverly Hills, CA has their own rooftop garden.  Rather than going out to find a local grower or head down the market to get “fresh” herbs and vegetables for their specialty dishes, they just walk over to their own EarthBoxes and pick what they need.  Now that’s what fresh is really all about.

And it’s not just about being green, it’s good business.  Why pay for vegetables and herbs from someplace where you don’t know what pesticides were used, how they were grown, if they are organic or if you’ll have to settle for a cheap substitute, etc?  Having your own EarthBoxes means you know exactly what you’ll have, what you want to have and you’ll be in control over how they are grown – talk about great quality control.  Besides, what customer doesn’t like the taste of freshly grown/picked herbs and vegetables?

There are many great benefits of the EarthBox including it has a virtually maintenance-free system that controls the soil condition, eliminates the guesswork of the inexperienced gardener and often more than doubles the production of a similar-sized conventional garden.  It also use less fertilizer, less water and less effort.   So if you’ve always wanted the smell (and taste) of freshly grown herbs and vegetables right at home, I suggest checking out EarthBox.  If you’d prefer a more do-it-yourself garden, then I suggest checking out “Building a Self Watering Container Out of Recycled Materials” written by my friend @CanarsieBK.

If you don’t think your green thumb is up for either of those, but you still want to enjoy some fresh picked herbs and vegetables, there are many places you can go to enjoy foods right off the farm.  Tanaka Farms in Irvine, CA has a great agriculture program where non-farmers can purchase shares in the farm’s bounty and then will receive boxes of fresh in-season produce in return.  If you prefer, you can also go to the farm, pet the farm animals and pick your own vegetables right out of the ground…even pick your own pumpkin, right off the vine!  Another popular fresh food activity is “Outstanding in the Field”, where local growers, chefs and winemakers join together to present you with a one-of-a-kind eating experience where your meal is served right in the fields themselves.  But remember, whichever way you decide to go, fresh herbs and vegetables are waiting for you.

Image from PathtoFreedom.com 

When it comes to sustainable-living, not many people can say they are living a sustainable life, much less a green one.  Don’t get me wrong, many people have parts of their life where they are trying to be green or trying to act more responsible when it comes to the environment, but aside from maybe using biodiesels, driving a hybrid, recycling or trying to conserve water, how much are we really doing?

Well the DerVaes family in Pasadena, CA decided they wanted to do more.  Over the past 20+ years, they have transformed their early 1900′s Craftsman bungalow home and run-down yard into a whole new level of urban living.  Determined to live a self-sufficient, low-impact life right in the middle of a big Southern California city, the Dervaes set out along their “Path to Freedom”.

Here are just some of their accomplishments on their Urban Homestead:

To start off, they try to do four days every week without using their car.  That’s four days where they walk, ride their bikes or take public transportation.  The other days when they do drive, they use their own homemade biodiesel.  Since they average less than 4000 miles a year on their car, every month or so they just brew up a 30-gallon batch of biodiesel made from used vegetable oil provided by one of their restaurant clients.  (NOTE: For those of you who don’t have vehicle that runs on diesel or don’t have a hybrid/electric vehicle, using a reliable fuel additive is another good alternative to help reduce emissions and increase fuel economy.) 

They have organic vege-fed ducks and chickens which provide eggs and goats which are used for milk.  None of the animals are grown for meat purposes, but the manure from those animals (and their rabbits) is another re-usable product and great for gardens and future growth.   

They have about 4350 sq ft of gardens where year-round they grow fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and even edible flowers.  Any excess the family doesn’t use is usually sold to local restaurants and caterers, however individuals can also get on the mailing list to be notified when excess produce is available.  They grow over 350 varieties of edible and useful plants (seasonal, of course) totaling about 6,000 lbs per year.

They have cut their energy use in half with 2/3rds of their energy coming from their 12 solar panels.  They also follow key energy saving tips such as using rechargable batteries, line-drying their clothes, using energy-efficient appliances, using olive oil lamps and homemade candles.  They use people-power to run many of their small applicances including a hand-powered toaster, bike-blender and radio.  They even have a solar powered oven.  They have no A/C and no central heating, but have solar attic fans and a wood-burning stove which uses up their scrap wood.

They have dramatically cut down on their water-waste, even with the large volume of produce they grow throughout the year.  They have incorporated low flush toilets and solar outdoor showers into the household.  They also do hand watering, mulching, re-use laundry water, etc.

I, for one, am very impressed not only with their dedication but with their accomplishments.  They aren’t living on a 12-acre farm somewhere, instead they have turned their city home into a profitable and viable way of sustainable living.  Incorporating everything from biodiesel to water waste, the DerVaes family has set the pace for urban homesteaders everywhere!

Biodiesel Home Brewing Guide photo from Peddlerswagon.com. Garden photo from DerVaesGardens.com.

Photo from California Coastal Commission website

Calling all beach lovers, surfers, vacation goers, families and really anyone and everyone who cares for the environment…Saturday, Sept 19th is the 25th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day!  It’s a great opportunity for people to come together from all over CA and do something to make our beaches clean and green again.

Since the program’s conception, over 800,000 Californians have contributed to removing more than 13 million pounds of debris from California coasts.  Just in 2008 alone, over 1.6 million pounds of trash and recyclables were cleaned up from California coastlines and lakes.

Now while that is a great accomplishment, the fact that there is that much trash polluting our beaches and lakes is not a good thing.  It’s not good for the environment and doesn’t reflect well on people’s awareness and ability to take care of the environment and clean it up.

When I was a kid growing up near the coast in Southern California, I used to spend many a weekend with my family at the beach.  It was always a great place to relax, play in the sand or enjoy the Pacific Ocean.  Personally I spent most of my time in the water….there was always something wonderful about being able to swim in the ocean.   

One of the things that made it so nice was that it was clean.  The sand was relatively clean (the occasional cigarette butt or can left lying around) and the water was pretty much free of trash – just water, sand, rocks and sometimes seaweed.  A key for us was my mom taught us to always clean up after ourselves.  We always picked up our stuff and tried to leave the beach clean for the next people.  Trash cans were never very far away, so it wasn’t a hard thing to do.  Others obviously practiced the same simple rules as well.

But in going to those same beaches over the years, I have noticed an increase in trash/pollution, both on the beach and in the water itself.  For some reason people aren’t caring for the beach like they used to do.  It’s a sad sight to see and one that needs to have attention brought to it.  That is why I wanted to raise awareness on Coastal Cleanup Day.

What about those of you who don’t live in California, but want to contribute to Coastal Cleanup….well, you’re in luck….Saturday, Sept 19th is also International Coastal Cleanup Day!  It is the perfect opportunity for anyone who lives near, visits or wants to visit the coast to help keep it clean. 

And remember, when you are enjoying the beauty of the beach and ocean please keep these simple steps in mind….a) clean up after yourself, b) use re-usable containers for food & drinks so you don’t have a lot of trash, c) if you see trash, pick it up and throw it away.  The beach is a great place for all of us to enjoy….let’s keep it that way!

I hope many of you will take a few hours out of your weekend and go down to the coast to help make our beaches a little more clean and green!  I’d love to hear your stories or see your pictures of your Coastal Cleanup Day adventures – I’ll post mine!   

Image by biofriendly 

Even with the large volume of hybrids and electric vehicles being driven around the U.S. every day, there are still millions and millions of  hydrocarbon-based gasoline and diesel vehicles adding to our poor air quality.  For example, these types of vehicles are reportedly responsible for about 60% of the air pollution in most major cities.

What causes these vehicles to create harmful emissions and polluting exhaust?  It’s all in the combustion.  The incomplete combustion of these fuels can cause the hydrocarbons to react with nitrogen oxides (often produced from high temperatures and oxygen in excess of the amount needed to burn the fuel).  Then when the resultant gases hit the sunlight, they form ground-level ozone aka smog.

Now the volume of hydrocarbon-based fuels being used along with the efficiency, or inefficiency, of the cars’ engines will determine the amount of ground-level ozone/smog being produced.   If you have ever been in a congested city you know how heavy the air can seem.  That’s mostly ozone.  Ozone is a very potent irritant and can not only cause eye or throat irritations, but potentially serious lung damage or respiratory trouble.

So what can be done?  Everyone could go and trade their existing vehicles in for electric or hybrid vehicles, but that’s probably not a very workable solution.  Besides where would all the old vehicles go?  We already know they are having trouble disposing of the “Cash for Clunkers” vehicles. 

A simple solution is to improve the combustion of hydrocarbon-based gasoline and diesel fuels.   How do you do that?  Well, a few factors are key: First you should ensure you keep your engine clean and tune up your car regularly.  Built-up and unburned fuel can clog your engine and hinder future combustion.  Second you should use a proven fuel additive that will help un-bundle the hydrocarbon molecules, allowing oxygen easier access and thus producing a more complete burn.

I know this isn’t the end-all solution, but steps like this are something each person and/or company can do in order to ensure the vehicle(s) they are driving burn the hydrocarbons more completely.  Doing so will lower the volume of harmful emissions being produced and clean up the air we breathe.         

Image from Freiker.org 

Now that most schools are back in session (or will be next week), parents are having to deal with dropping their kids off at school before they head to work.  Not only does this add more time to your morning routine, but you end up using more gasoline and often add frustration to the start of your day, etc.  The solution?  Have your kid become a Freiker!

What’s a Freiker? Freiker stands for FREquent bIKER.  Basically it is a kid who instead of being driven to school, they take their bike or even walk.  The Freiker Program was started about 5 years ago by a dad, who after unsuccessfully trying to convince his kids to ride their bikes to school (less than a mile from their home), decided to offer them small prizes if they would take their bikes.  The kids enjoyed it so much, he figured it would be a great thing for other kids to do and the program has been growing ever since. 

In Feb 2009, Freiker reached a milestone by having over 100,000 ”kid-powered rides” logged.  They calculated that out to be over 150,000 miles, over 3.5 million calories burned, nearly 8,000 gallons of gasoline saved and 150,000 tons of CO2 prevented.  As of today, there have been over 138,000 rides logged. 

One of the cool things about this program is that whole schools can get involved.  A school installs a ”Freikometer”, which is a solar-powered, internet-enabled RFID reader.  This allows kids’ rides to school to be automatically tracked and reported.  Each trip a kid makes is tallied and at the end of the year, they are rewarded with a party and prizes for their rides.

Here are some of the great features of the Freiker Program:

• Biking or riding to school gets kids exercising.  Rather than sitting in the car or riding the bus, they get exercise by riding or walking to/from school.
• Helps make kids more independent when they don’t NEED to rely on their parents or the bus to get to school.
• If you are a parent, you know how many cars sit and idle outside of school to drop off or pick up kids.  If more kids ride/bike to school this means less congestion and better air quality around the school.
• Since the RFID tags are placed on the kids’ helmet and rides aren’t tracked unless they have their helmet, this promotes safety and helmet use.
• It’s a great activity not only kids, but their parents and the school can support and get involved in. 

And don’t forget, October 7th is International Walk to School Day in the U.S.  Therefore, now is a great time to get your kid started on walking/biking to school as part of the Freiker program.  Talk to your kid’s school about getting involved.

You do your part by car-pooling, riding your bike to work, using a proven fuel additive, taking public transportation, etc. so please get your kids involved too.  The Freiker program sets a great example as it gets kids exercise through biking or walking to school, it’s environmentally-friendly, saves gasoline, lowers emissions and it’s fun! 

Image by Kevin Tiqui 

Brave firefighters are continuing to work hard protecting lives and homes from the fires that rage through many parts of Southern California.  And while they are doing an amazing job, the volume and intensity of the fires alone makes us wonder what immediate and long-term impact these fires will have on the environment?

So, let’s take a look:

Loss of CO2 collecting trees -  These fires have burnt through a large volume of trees.  The Station Fire alone has scorched over 120,000 acres around and through the Angeles National Forest.  Since older trees offset far greater amounts of CO2 than newer trees, the loss of those trees will definitely affect the local environment. 

Did you know the average person produces about 26 tonnes of CO2 per year and it takes six 25-yr old pine trees to absorb 1 tonne of CO2 in that same time period? 

Smoke – Anyone who has ever been in or around a fire, knows the air quality can get pretty bad.  The smoke and soot in the air can irritate your eyes and get into your lungs making it harder to breathe.  In some cases this can cause temporary or permanent lung damage.  Smoke and/or soot can also cause damage to buildings and cars, not only requiring them to be cleaned inside and out, but in some cases requiring major repairs.   

Damage – Due to the efforts of firefighters, there have been relatively few  structures lost (compared to the scope of the fire).  However, those structures/homes that are lost will have to be cleared and rebuilt.  In many cases, measures will also have to be taken to protect the structures (and even other structures that weren’t damaged) from potential flooding or mudslides in the coming months. 

Erosion – With fire clearing the hills of any major vegetation, these areas become more susceptible to flooding and further erosion damage.  Did you know that depending on where you live, it could take anywhere between 5 and 100 years for a tree to reach its full size?  If heavy rains come in before plants and trees can grow and take root, then many of the homes below the damaged hillsides will have to deal with the threat of flooding and mudslides.  This also delays the re-growth in these areas.  

Re-growth – The entirety of the Angeles National Forest covers over 650,000 acres, most of which is covered with dense chaparral which then moves up to pine and fir-covering slopes as you reach the higher elevations.  Since apparently a large amount of the burn areas haven’t burned in upwards of 50 years, re-growth in these areas will take time. 

Animals – There have already been numerous reports over the last few years of animals, such as bears, coyotes, mountain lions, etc coming down into populated areas looking for food.  With fires destroying major sections of the forest, where are these animals going to go for shelter, food, warmth? 

During environmental disasters like this you may wonder, what can I do?  In speaking with the Forest Service, there is something each and every one of us can do.  Go to the California Wildfire ReLeaf page at AmericanForests.com and make a donation.  Your donation will help get trees replanted in the Angeles National Forest.  Just a little bit can go a long way, so spread the word…there is something you can do.