Green Living Q & A

The Expert answers:

List of companies that do and companies that don’t test on animals:
http://caringconsumer.com/resources_companies.asp

http://www.peta.org/actioncenter/testing.asp

The Expert answers:

There are a ton of really great companies.
Here is an online directory
http://www.ecomall.com/biz/baby.htm
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/natural_baby_products.htm

Here are a few of my favs:
http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/
http://www.ecobaby.com/
http://www.littleforest.com/
http://www.littlesproutsdiapers.com/
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/
http://www.burtsbees.com

Hope that helps! Check www.mothering.com for some great resources and information!

The Expert answers:

Again a complex question, which we can not really do justice to. It would really help people who answer if you broke this down.

I will answer your first question. What are eco-friendly products?

Answer: There are none in reality. Everything has a cost. Not just financial but to all the other systems around us. The best way to be eco-friendly is to do absolutely nothing. Now this clearly is not possible if you want to stay alive.

So the next question is how can I use less of everything?
This is a choice we make.

The answer to your question is: Limit your own consumption of everything.

I will look out for your other questions resulting from this one.

The Expert answers:

I don’t know about marching, but I certainly hope the hydro-electric car will drive over the fossil fuel ones………by being cheaper, more efficient, more popular and more versatile.

Right now, there are a few complications, but I can see this happening.

The Expert answers:

Here is an article that discusses major incentives for renewable energy:
http://www.solarflairlighting.com/concerned-about-rising-energy-costs/

It discusses programs available (for now at least, until the Republicans push that money back to the big oil companies) through the federal government, as well as DSIRE, a website that outlines what tax incentives, rebates, etc. Are available state by state.

The Expert answers:

I think its an error, or at least a misconception, to say that healthcare, food and housing in the UK are no longer an issue. There is still clearly a lot that needs to be done in these areas. However, I would agree that other issues (particularly environmental – climate change, e.t.c) need to be tackled with greater priority and urgency than they have been previously, given our current knowledge and understanding.

The Expert answers:

You needn’t be so concerned about these things.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs REDUCE mercury pollution.

Fossil fuels contain mercury. Using incandescent bulbs causes more mercury to be emitted from power plants. More than is in a CFL.

It’s better if you dispose of old CFLs properly so that even the tiny amount of mercury is not released. But, no matter how they’re disposed of, CFLs reduce mercury pollution.

Http://www.cityofberkeley.info/sustainable/Powerplay%20articles/16Powerplay.Mercury.CFL.html

Serious environmentalists don’t claim global warming causes tsunamis. They also support the use of nuclear power to reduce global warming.

They support solutions that can be used on a wide scale, in particular these:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,481085,00.html

Yes, there are a few extreme environmentalists. Just as there are a few extreme conservatives who claim global warming is not caused by us, in spite of the overwhelming data. They’re not the majority, in either case.

Here’s what the majority of environmentalists (and the vast majority of scientists) believe about global warming. Solid peer reviewed data.

Http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf

By the way, I can’t believe anyone is still recommending the “swindle” movie, which has been thoroughly refuted.

It is simply a political statement which distorts science.

“The science might be bunkum, the research discredited. But all that counts for Channel 4 is generating controversy.”

http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2032572,00.html

Gore’s movie may be a little over dramatic, but it has the basic science right. This movie does not.

Channel 4 itself undercuts the movie in a funny way. If you go to their website on the movie you find links to real global warming information. They also say “Confused now? Ask the Expert.” The link for questions goes to a respected mainstream scientist who supports (mostly) human responsibility for global warming.

No one with any knowledge about global warming believes it. It’s one of those extreme and wrong things you’re worried about.

The Expert answers:

Maybe you should start one and get rich?……The problem is they often become a racist forum.

The Expert answers:

Offer Bono lots of money. He’ll appear. Yeah, he pretends like he cares for the world and it’s problems, but he’s just using that to sell more records. He sucks.

The Expert answers:

So why don’t we all slow down with the breeding.

The Expert answers:

Water is the sustinence of life. In ancient civilizations cultures would develop the land around the waterways in order to live. It helped them with their agriculture, livestock, and everyday living. When the waters would dry out the cultures would have to move to find more water. As long as the source of water never dried up the development would be prosperous.

The Expert answers:

Those are subjective questions, and “correct” answers are whatever your teacher told you, or whatever is written in your textbook. A different person or a different textbook will give you a different (and hence “incorrect”) answer.

The Expert answers:

Try this site to know more about sustainable development.

Http://www.globacorp.com

I hope it will help you..

Regard,
Austin

The Expert answers:

Green Peace is a organisation which really helps for environmental issues. My friend is a member there.

You can contact them for more details:

www.greenpeace.org/india/involved

The Expert answers:

Just one moment sayeth Jesus in Horsetripe 4-27, I shall consult the talking snake. Ah! Sayeth the talking snake, man is responsible for his own mess for it is written “however shall thy maketh thine bed, so shall ye lie in it.

The Expert answers:

I went to the NY State Fair when Bill and Hillary were visiting while he was president and guess what that hypocrite was riding in? A gas guzzling 8 cylinder Ford Explorer. Some alternative energy.

The Expert answers:

For each rig that is built it employs 500 to get it erected and another 30 to 60 people to keep it running.
If we were to build 50 that would be 25,000 to get them up and 1500 to 3000 permanent jobs.
The money that it would be is in the 100 billions and yes we should do all the things to help get this country off of foreign oil.
Hydro,wind, solar, and nuclear.

The Expert answers:

You may try other weaker energy drinks. Actually I recommend ones that contain minerals, vitamins and amino acids. They rehydrate your body very well, give a lot energy but won’t make you a monster. I tried many drinks like gatorade and poweraid, but those don’t work well with me. I’ve heard of this new product Ziigzag I think, I’m not sure if they’re still giving out free samples..But it tastes great, gives you lots of energy and hydrates you, no monster I promise:).. Try it if you want.
Http://tinyurl.com/lud3fb

The Expert answers:

What Senator Obama has said is” we can’t drill ourselves out of this problem”. If most people would do a little research they would find this whole energy mess started in 1973 with the Oil Embargo. So after 35 years there is no plan on solving our dependency on foreign oil. The problem has many sides, deregulation, most of the energy sector being ran by companies that are for profit (nothing wrong with profit). The idea of putting our energy needs into the hands of private industry was to create competition which in turn would drive down prices. Next time you are driving look at the prices of gas in your area, for the most part they are the same. Anyone that has studied business knows that it is impossible for every company to have the same cost is bring a product to market. Although companies will routinely agree to set prices at a certein point, this way they all make money and one doesn’t undercut the other. Just imagine if tomorrow morning BP started selling it’s gas for $1.50 per gallon, they would undercut their competion everyone would go their to buy gas. As you see though they all keep their prices the same.

The Expert answers:

Yes

The Expert answers:

I have no idea how much electricity it would take. I wonder, though, if it would be better to focus on the demand side of this question. How much electricity could the world save by emphasizing population control, rather than reproduction?

The Expert answers:

You’ve given me a freakin headache!
The possibilities abound!

The Expert answers:

I’m not against renewable energy at all.
I do believe though that man made global warming is a hoax and a lot of scare tactics are used to get us to give into the idea that we have to let the government tax the life blood out of us in order to save the planet when the planet does not need saving.
Just look at the warming period of the middle ages. Grapes were grown in places in the north where it was impossible before the climate turned cooler again. Vikings were farming Greenland. Monks and historians recorded that the mountains of northern Turkey had the snow caps melted off of them because it was so warm for so many years.
Now we have been getting cooler since 1998 and do I sound like a denier because I question those that want to bring about all these changes in how we live and do things?
I think renewable energy can be a great thing. I do believe that our climate has cycled from warm to cold and back and we really have little to no control of it if we are honest.

The Expert answers:

They sell the cars people want………

The Expert answers:

They already do both, so it doesn’t matter. The different phrases are significant to different people, and while they don’t rxactly have the same meaning, can be used to the same effect as appropriate. In the US, climate change is still controversial, so politicians can get done what needs to be done, especially with regard to working with other countries, but since they couch it in security terms, avoid fire from the anti-ACG crowd.

The Expert answers:

Absolutly! I think thats an awesome idea! You could match any color needed to for decorating, and it would be just as durable as alot of furniture already out there. It probably wouldn’t be any more time comsuming to produce than wooden furniture, and I’m pretty sure it would be cheaper. Good Idea and Good Luck!

The Expert answers:

I know a lot of parents don’t feel that the sliding rails on cribs are really safe, so what if instead of the rail sliding down the top piece (like a foot or two) kind of folded down and then locked into place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crib that did that so it might be a rather unique feature.

The Expert answers:

I would paint the walls a neutral tan color. White can get really boring, and tan goes with everything so you can always change the decorations later.

I’ve had small rooms and one thing I did was I put my bed horizontally against my wall and added pillows and made it look like a couch. It looked cooler and opened up the floor giving the illusion of a bigger room.

As far as color of furniture, just pick a color you love!

I love decoration rooms and I would be happy to help you further! Feel free to email!!

The Expert answers:

I would suggest some lovely bright yellows and deep blues to make the purple really zing. Go to IKEA.com and check out their lighting and pillows and duvet covers. IKEA is very well priced and affordable while being good quality and imaginative. Your room sounds lovely, enjoy!

The Expert answers:

Http://teensthemes.com/tie-dye-hippie-theme-bedrooms.html
http://store.delias.com/browse.do;jsessionid=EE1FCBE9ACC0C9A8FA3A46BEC2F35C06.worker6?categoryID=2147&sidenavTrack=roomwares.peace
http://www.pbteen.com/shop/girls-bedding/girls-organic-bedding/?cm_type=lnav

The Expert answers:

The main emission from modern cars is carbon dioxide. This is the gas that Al Gwhore blames for global warming. If he would actually READ those science books of his, he’d see that plants breath in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Maybe he should tear down his $9,000,000 mansion and plant a few trees.

The Expert answers:

Or maybe they just want a piece of the pie…you know?

The Expert answers:

Forest ranger

The Expert answers:

We need to take the politics out of environmental issues and look at the science. Look at the hype about “global warming”. If your research comes up with any answer other than the “approved” global warming exists answer your funding is cut and you are run out of every university.

The underreported scandal about the famous “hockey stick” graph is an example. The scientific model of future temperatures gives the same results regardless of the variables entered. Its like a calculator that gives the answer ”
4″ no matter what numbers you put in.

The rush to do anything leads us to do terrible things. We replace gasoline with ethanol, even though it provides less power per gallon, produces more CO2 than gas, and leads us to produce massive amounts of corn (a soil depleter) rather than responsible crop rotation.

We replace incandesent bulbs with CFLs, even though the amount of mercury vapor in them can be toxic if it breaks (the EPA has a 9-step process for cleanup if you break one, including throwing out any cloth materials).

We have to put the science back into this subject and not use it as a way to push a liberal agenda.

The Expert answers:

“how can these so called sports be justified?”

Most automobile innovations came from the racetrack.

For example:

Pneumatic tires.
Pneumatic shocks.
Suspension technology.
Alternate fuel technology.
Fire prevention.
Passenger restraint.
Radial tire design.
Aerodynamic design.
Fuel injection.
Ignition technology.
Lubrication technology.
Tool development and technology.

And lots more.

More fuel is consumed by the spectators driving to the event than is consumed by the race-cars.

About the same amount of fuel is used putting on an NFL game. Are those games “justified”?

This “so called” sport renders competition that demands excellence. As a result, the cars we drive are safe and reliable and efficient. I bet the guy who works on your car is a race fan. HE finds it interesting even if you don’t. The reason he finds it interesting is because the skill of auto mechanics is risen to a high art from which we all benefit.

There are competition races involving solar, electric, as well as other alternate fuels. Is this “justified”? Will this spark innovation?

The Expert answers:

Yaay we are! (sings; rule britannia, brittania rules the waves!)

we have a working tidal stream turbine
http://www.marineturbines.com/

working wave generator farms;
http://www.pelamiswave.com/

two off shore wave power research facilities for new prototypes, one in devon and one in scotland.

Come on usa! Do keep up!

Actually, in terms of per capita generation, the danes, closely followed by the swedes.

Edit;
tde, i’m not sure you can count nuclear as ‘alternative’ lol!

The Expert answers:

Yes. Because the companies which supply us with energy have a lot of us employed. This makes for a difficult process. Plus there are myriads of companies which are in the chain to supply energy. It is hard to shift that many people instantly. It is being done slowly now. When the alternate ideas are spread more,more people who are in the current energy supply companies change over and they make money. There will be a snowball effect and everyone will jump in. I seen this take place in our economy beginning in 1959. I started working at a company that made lawnmower ,snow blower gas engines. When I started we built 800 engines a day ,10 years later later we were building 12,000 engines a day. To run almost anything power. The engine started in the machine shop where it was machined to specs,in 60 minutes it had gas in the engine running in the test bed. In 1 hour it was packed and in the truck. Now most of this is made in China,etc We now produce the major supply of solar panels in the world and ship 80 % out to the world.We need more engineers, Smart people who refuse to give up producing alternate energy ! We must Sell more to other countries. We can do it when we have the right people ready!

The Expert answers:

From what little I know, they’re a powerful type of battery. Pretty much any chemical reaction that can be done in a sealed container can be used as a battery. It’s a matter of how much energy can be made in a small amount of space.

The Expert answers:

Hurdles in using solar power:
1. It’s affected by time(day/night), climatic conditions and geographic location.
2. Initial Investments are high.
3. All technological developments are made by keeping the conventional energy sources in mind. Thus, solar energy cannot be integrated easily with these technologies involving additional cost.

Cons of nuclear energy:
1. Disposal of radioactive waste material is not easy.
2. Working with radioactive substance is hazardous and can cause genetic mutations in humans if they come in contact with such a substance.
3. Controlled reactors are required for generating energy so that the fission chain reaction does not go out of proportion.
4. Radioactive material is rare and available only in a few places of the world.

The Expert answers:

This is what he proposes, from his website:

“Require 25 Percent of Renewable Electricity by 2025: Obama will establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. Is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025.

Clean Technologies Deployment Venture Capital Fund: Obama will create a Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund to fill a critical gap in U.S. Technology development. Obama will invest $10 billion per year into this fund for five years. The fund will partner with existing investment funds and our National Laboratories to ensure that promising technologies move beyond the lab and are commercialized in the U.S

Deploy Cellulosic Ethanol: Obama will invest federal resources, including tax incentives, cash prizes and government contracts into developing the most promising technologies with the goal of getting the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol into the system by 2013.

Double Energy Research and Development Funding: Obama will double science and research funding for clean energy projects including those that make use of our biomass, solar and wind resources.

Convert our Manufacturing Centers into Clean Technology Leaders: Obama will establish a federal investment program to help manufacturing centers modernize and Americans learn the new skills they need to produce green products.

Increase Renewable Fuel Standard: Obama will require 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be included in the fuel supply by 2022 and will increase that to at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol by 2030.

Establish a Grant Program for Early Adopters: Obama will create a competitive grant program to award those states and localities that take the first steps to implement new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency.

Reduce Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2050
Cap and Trade: Obama supports implementation of a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Obama’s cap-and-trade system will require all pollution credits to be auctioned. A 100 percent auction ensures that all polluters pay for every ton of emissions they release, rather than giving these emission rights away to coal and oil companies. Some of the revenue generated by auctioning allowances will be used to support the development of clean energy, to invest in energy efficiency improvements, and to address transition costs, including helping American workers affected by this economic transition.

Expand Locally-Owned Biofuel Refineries: Less than 10 percent of new ethanol production today is from farmer-owned refineries. New ethanol refineries help jumpstart rural economies. Obama will create a number of incentives for local communities to invest in their biofuels refineries.

Renewable Fuels: Obama has worked on numerous efforts in the Senate to increase access to and use of renewable fuels. Obama passed legislation with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps. The tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of switching one or more traditional petroleum pumps to E85, which is an 85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline blend. Obama also sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.”

Planning and proposing is one thing, but to actually do it is another. Let’s hope Obama can actually implement and execute what he wants to do if, and only if, he becomes President.

The Expert answers:

Its called a Wind Tech. It is supposed to be a fast growing occupation with good compensation like a $75,000 a year salary and a company truck.

The Expert answers:

Hi Dear,
Fossil fuel products dominate Australian energy consumption and this will remain the situation for the foreseeable future. Australia’s dependence on fossil fuels is heightened by the fact that electricity is largely produced in coal-fired power stations; approximately 84% of electricity for Australian homes and industry comes from coal and 12% from renewables, mainly hydroelectricity.

The Expert answers:

Mary J,

Thank you for your question.

See link

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits

The Expert answers:

Pretty much the same as the EU’s as far as I can tell:
“steal $250 billion of your money, spend it on crap, destroy the landscape, raise taxes and deprive your children of an economic future.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100079237/aussie-sceptics-destroy-eu-carbon-commissioner/

“our Government wants to see us spend £100billion on building 10,000 more turbines, plus another £40billion on connecting them all up to the grid.

According to the electricity industry, we will then need to spend another £100billion on those conventional power stations to provide back-up — all of which adds up to £240billion by 2020, or just over £1,000 a year for every household in the land.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100078040/the-real-cost-of-global-warming/

Windfarms aren’t all their hyped-up to be
http://www.rogerhelmer.com/windfarms_video.asp
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100080019/wind-farms-kill-whales-blubber-on-the-green-movements-hands/

We need to forget them, and instead use Thorium based Nuclear reactors (Which are ALOT safer than the ones currently in use):

About

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8393984/Safe-nuclear-does-exist-and-China-is-leading-the-way-with-thorium.html

And then ultimately Nuclear fusion (if Scientists can get this damn thing to work properly):
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100727142415.htm

The Expert answers:

If you own a degree – or any extra qualification – then you’ll already be ahead of the crowd when it comes to hunting for vocations. My mate has a degree and he wasn’t certain what direction to go with it, but he unearthed some good instruction on the site in the resource box below which guided him to decide that he wanted to be a lab assistant. There is lots of guidance on the site regarding extra vocations.

The Expert answers:

Check out the White Apricot Site.
Http://www.whiteapricot.com/

There you will find a ton of great info, recommendations, and deals on eco friendly fashion and beauty.

The Expert answers:

Try urban outfitters. They have brands that are eco friendly.

The Expert answers:

Actually, on both eco-friendly and affordable, absolutely any thrift store is where you ought to be headed. Reuse of what are almost always perfectly good clothes, at prices as little as 10% of new, zero direct impact on the earth (sure, there is indirect impact, they have to have electricity to run those stores nowadays).

After that, any amount of local is best…though hard to find in a lot of countries. But if you can find anything made by the likes of the Amish or other societies that reject much modern technologies, you will find they have grown their own fiber, produced their own fabrics, and sewn the clothes in ways that are very earth friendly.

If you insist on being “fashionable,” well…I could do a whole soapbox about how un-earth-friendly that is, but I’ll leave that to your own judgement. There are some companies out there that do good work with fair trade textiles, and also tend to prefer more earth friendly products…alas, I do not know any company names, so I can’t direct you.

The Expert answers:

You can find eco-friendly clothes (and much more) almost anywhere now (depends where you live, and you just have to find the right places to look). If you can’t find crazy, super eco-friendly clothes, at least buy organic/vegan clothing. I’ll tell you right now, it’ll cost more than your average t shirt or jeans. But if you really want to make that change then go for it. You can also try looking for hemp clothing. Look for things that are printed with soy-based ink. Just little things like that are eco-friendly. It’ll be easier to find things online because there might not anything nearby for you to go to and shop there. Also, if you don’t want to go all-out or waste too much, it is also good to buy things that are made in the same country you are from. It might be hard to find something from your own country but there can be a few things. The reason this is eco-friendly is because people and resources from other countries were not exploited to make your clothing. And plus, it is less transportation (meaning less gas/oil). Majority (actually, ALL) of eco-friendly clothes that I have seen out there are still cute and trendy. So you don’t have to worry about not being able to dress your age. Good luck!

The Expert answers:

I’m not opposed to eco friendly clothes but i don’t actively seek them.. :o)