Green Living | Green living tips and advice

Is there a news letter to subscribe to that informs about solar credits, rebates, incentives ETC.?

Wondering if there is a news letter or subscription that keeps people abreast of current credits, incentives, rebates etc. for Solar and renewable energy products and installations nationally and/or State specific?

What are some of the things you do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle?

Many years ago, Kate and I developed a Stewardship Model for Tom’s of Maine in order to codify all of the natural, sustainable practices we were already following—such as only using natural ingredients and never testing on animals. The Stewardship Model sets out very specific standards for natural, sustainable, and responsible practices, and guides all of us every day in our decision making.

Kate and I also feel that a commitment to sustainability should be incorporated into all areas of the company—not just the product formulations. Let me share just two examples: our packaging designer, Jack, purchases only post-consumer-waste recycled and recyclable materials and soy-based inks; and my Director of Product Supply, Mark, had some great ideas about using renewable energy sources, so in 2006, we began purchasing wind energy credits to offset 100% of our factory’s electricity needs.

What is your opinion on the presidential debate between Obama and McCain?

Obama wants to tax big oil companies, find safer ways to store nuclear waste and generate nuclear power, help auto manufactures create hybrid cars and give tax credits to those who purchase hybrids. John McCain will not tax big oil companies, believes nuclear energy is already safe and that we should build 45 more nuclear reactors in the U.S. He is willing to give $300 million to auto manufactures to create different types of hybrid cars, and will give tax credits toward renewable energy, and wants to sit down with other political leaders to set limits on carbon emissions by corporations. WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Renewable energy. Why isn’t our government doing more to subsidize and encourage industry growth?

Set aside your biases about global warming for a second. America’s energy consumption is outgrowing it’s ability to produce said energy. Every summer, power grids around the country have experienced brown-outs and shutdowns to keep the energy grids running. This is only expected to increase as the population and dependence on coal based electricty increases.
The technology exists to lower fossil fuel consumption and augment it with renewable resources. Why not spend less money providing subsidies and tax breaks to oil and coal, and instead work to subsidize renewable energy into the market. For instance, invest in private companies to develop and sell solar technologies to businesses at a reduced rate. Or, give a tax credit to homeowners for investing in solar roofs or windmills on their property. Renewable energy may never replace traditional fuels, but there is a definite need to grow this industry and it seems like the government doesn’t care.

Can anyone translate this legal jargon for me?

trying to understand the rules for renewable energy credits in Utah. thanks
Large Commercial & Industrial Customers
Customers with demand charges that generate excess generation will be given a choice between valuing excess generation at an avoided-cost-based rate or at an alternative rate by dividing Rocky Mountain Power’s Utah revenue per schedule by the schedule’s corresponding kilowatt-hour usage data from the previous year’s FERC Form No. 1.

– Credit Details

Is sustainable food healthy?

please give reasoning

does sustinable food have to be healthy food? give examples

What kind of job can you get with a sustainble food and agriculture major?

I’m majoring in sustainable food and agriculture.. or sustainable food and bioenergy systems..what kind of jobs can you get with this major?

How do we design and plant sustainable environments for fish food so we don’t have to buy it?

Anyone know of a cool website with daily updates on culture, music, food, travel, sustainable living, Yoga?

Maybe also fitness, garden, permaculture, holistic health, organic products, books, animals, photography, adventure and even social or environmental issues. I’d like to make my internet browsing experience a little more earthy and not so based on news. Thanks

Will vertical farming provide a sustainable and independent food alternatives ? ?

Vertically growing crops today to provide safe/secure and local fresh foods for both rural and urban settings, in developed and developing countries.
Caroline Keddy, http://blog.valcent.net, www.valcent.net

What are some fashion forward, eco friendly clothing brands?

What is a good store that sells organic/eco-friendly clothing in Toronto?

Do you know of any eco-friendly clothing brand?

I am looking for a brand that sells products made of materials such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester, jute, etc. Shoe brands would also be great!

PS- preferably brands whose products are made in the USA, CA, EU, anything not made in a sweatshop. Thanks!

Eco-friendly clothing company with love/inspiring messages?

I know of Blend Apparel which is my favorite and there is Live to Love but they are not eco friendly. Do you know of any others?

Where is there Eco Friendly clothing stores on Long Island or New York City?

What are possible positions (jobs) in solar energy?

I want to work in something that has to do with alternative energy sources such as solar energy hydroelectricity etc. To what type of program i would need to applay and what are the requirements?

What types of jobs are created and lost from the use of geothermal energy?

What types of jobs are created and lost from the use of geothermal energy as an alternative energy source?

What college major would be best for a future career in developing alternative energy sources?

Which major would be best for a job in cleantech companies or any other alternative energy businesses. I would guess some sort of engineering but I don’t specifically know which type of engineering. Thanks.

If i want to do something with developing alternative energy what job can i do? also what should i major in?

If pursuing alternative energy (solar, wind, etc) have a lot of benefits, why do some people still oppose it?

Wouldn’t it create more jobs and be better for the environment, and also reduce dependency on foreign oil?

What are some reasons why some people are against alternative energy?

can someone summarize this arcticle?

K i am not trying to give an excuse but my dad just pasted away from pacriatic cancer and my teacher wants this summary in so if someone can summarize this article to the best of there abiiltiesi really appreciate it

Long known for its coal-burning power plants and oil refineries, New Jersey is about to take a major step toward clean energy with offshore wind turbines that would generate enough electricity to power half of the houses in North Jersey.

A pilot project to install dozens of turbines off the coast is scheduled to be approved next week and will act as a cornerstone in Governor Corzine’s push for renewable energy.

Five companies have submitted proposals for a $19 million Board of Public Utilities grant that state officials say will boost the project. Plans range from 74 towering wind turbines a few miles off the coast of Atlantic City to 225 smaller ones off Seaside Park.

The 350 megawatts generated in this first wave will not make a huge dent in the amount of coal, natural gas or nuclear energy used to generate the almost 20,000 megawatts needed in New Jersey. But advocates hope this wind farm will lead to more.

“We need a new way to generate power, and offshore wind is essential to our future energy demands,” said Jeanne Fox, the BPU president.

The decision, expected on Oct. 3, could make New Jersey the first state to have an offshore wind farm, although Delaware officials approved a plan this summer.

Land-based wind turbines have been providing electricity everywhere from Atlantic City to West Texas in recent years. But even though the wind is strongest at sea, offshore wind farms have never been built in the U.S., largely because of the enormous construction costs, environmental concerns, and community objections that a 250-foot turbine would mar picturesque seaside views.

That is changing after the success of offshore wind farms in Europe that have shown minimal environmental impact. Some are built far enough off the coast that they are barely seen.

1,000 megawatts

Corzine wants more than just a pilot program. The proposed state Energy Master Plan calls for 1,000 megawatts to be generated by offshore wind. That may be increased to 3,000 when the plan is adopted this fall.

Environmentalists have long supported wind power, but they do have concerns. Some believe the construction will disrupt life on the ocean floor. There is fear that the 100- to 150-foot blades will chop up birds.

Another concern is how much this will eventually affect a consumer’s electric bill.

Constructing offshore turbines is expensive. One applicant, Garden State Offshore Energy, said it would cost about $1.1 billion to build its planned 96 turbines 16 to 21 miles off the coast of Atlantic City. In the long run, however, it may be less expensive than fossil fuels since wind is free and there is no need for expensive air filtering equipment like those required at coal plants.

“Whether wind will be more costly than other forms, we don’t know,” said Stefanie Brand, director of the state Division of Rate Counsel, which advocates on behalf of consumers. “Constructing a new generation of power sources is expensive. We want them to be as economical as they can be.”

Electricity from the turbines will flow from underwater cables to power stations onshore, where it will enter the power grid. If the turbines are built off Atlantic City, much of the power generated will be drawn into South Jersey. But more turbines would mean wind energy would eventually make it to North Jersey. Onshore wind farms located in sparsely populated areas in the U.S. have had trouble getting their power into the grid; that is not a problem in densely populated New Jersey.

Regulators and the applicants believe the BPU’s $19 million grant will fast track the project with permits needed from the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Minerals Management Service, which would lease portions of the ocean floor to builders.

“It’s very much a head start,” Fox said. “The permitting agencies should be more sensitive about moving this forward.”

Several plans are similar, but each applicant says they are the best for different reasons.

* Garden State Offshore Energy, a partnership of PSEG and Winergy Power LLC, said their technology allows them to build wind turbines farther offshore than their competitors. They also tout a plan to use wind turbines to store compressed air in tanks that could be used to generate electricity when there is no wind.

* Bluewater Wind, a Hoboken company, said its selection this summer to build Delaware’s first wind farm would allow it to develop in New Jersey at a lower cost.

* Fishermen’s Energy of New Jersey, a consortium of fishing companies in Cape May, said it would be the best steward of the oceans since its members know the Jersey coast better than anyone.

* Environmental Technologies of New York said its smaller vertical axis turbines will

79% of Obama’s stimulus money went overseas. Wasn’t this supposed to create American jobs? Dems?

Examples, you ask for….

*** “The largest grant made under the program so far, a $178 million payment on Dec. 29, went to Babcock & Brown, a bankrupt Australian company that built a Texas wind farm using turbines made by a Japanese company.”

*** “American and Chinese companies announced a deal to build a $1.5 billion wind farm in Texas, using imported Chinese turbines. Company officials said they planned to collect $450 million in stimulus grants for the project. The deal would create dozens of jobs in the U.S. and thousands in China.”

…keep in mind…. We had to borrow much of this stimulus money FROM CHINA. Now were are using the money we borrowed to pay for THEIR goods?!

And isn’t this yet ANOTHER example of how Obama can make an idea sound brilliant…then allow the application of the process to be a complete debacle? ….meanwhile the American taxpayer continues to suffer.

http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/wind-energy-funds-going-overseas/story/renewable–energy-money-still-going-abroad/
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/business/energy-environment/30wind.html?_r=2&sq=cielo&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=3&adxnnlx=1269442885-0hmRwBe38Zmqu9uIKpsiQA
LOL @ Sadcat: It’s no wonder you just don’t get it… ….sad indeed.
@ 1 eye dog: I’m hearing ya! I live in Cincinnati, so I know all too well what you’re talking about.

But the whole concept of giving our tax dollars to companies over seas to stimulate OUR economy is a fallacy. A complete misnomer. And it’s fooled the blind left once again.

WSW 2/19/09 HeLp AsAp HeLp AsAp?

CHICAGO — A landmark Energy Department project to bury carbon dioxide produced by humans has begun as workers sunk a huge drill bit into Illinois ground this week, signaling continued support for a climate change mitigation strategy that has fallen out of favor in many circles.

The start of drilling marks the launch a geological sequestration project that will deposit a million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the ground by 2012.

While that’s nothing compared to the several billion tons of CO2 that humans emit yearly, it’s the geology of the site that makes the development exciting. The CO2 will be piped into a geological formation that underlies parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky that could eventually hold more than 100 billion tons of CO2.

“This is going to be a large-scale injection of 1 million metric tons, one of the largest injections to date in the U.S.” project manager Robert Finley said here at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting Sunday.

While the Department of Energy and private industry have been pushing to create cheaper renewable energy and investigating increased nuclear-power options to reduce carbon emissions, carbon capture and sequestration remains an attractive idea. It would allow regions of the country like the southeast, which don’t have Texas or California-level wind or solar resources, to continue burning coal without contributing to climate change.

To do that, many technological issues will need to be solved. Last year, the Bush administration canceled the DOE’s most expensive carbon capture and sequestration project, FutureGen, and some utility executives have questioned whether storing CO2 will actually make sense. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that as much as 30 percent of the energy created by a coal plant would have to be spent on just pulling the CO2 out of its flue gas.

But new materials for more selectively capturing CO2 from gas mixes continue to be created in labs like Omar Yaghi’s at UCLA and at Georgia Tech under Chris Jones. Those innovations could make the capture part of “carbon capture and sequestration” easier than it currently is. Add in a carbon tax of some form and fossil-fuel power plant operators would have the incentive to start capturing a lot of carbon dioxide. Then, they’ll just need somewhere to put it.

The DOE thinks the United States has more than enough underground closet space.

Mt_simon_slide “What we found in the U.S. with the research that we’ve done over the last 10 years is that there is a significant potential to store CO2 … in these very large reservoirs that are underground,” said John Litynski, who works in the fossil-fuel-centered National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Sequestration Division.

But most current sequestration projects use the carbon dioxide to squeeze more oil and gas out of depleted fields. Those fields probably won’t cut it for much larger amounts of CO2. For that, we’ll have to turn to huge reservoirs deeper underground. That’s why the Illinois demonstration project is so important. It will test a formation called the Mt. Simon sandstone, allowing scientists to track in near real-time what happens when they start putting large amounts of compressed carbon dioxide 6,500 feet below the surface.

“We have numbers for what we think the capacity is in the U.S., but the only way to prove that is to actually drill a well,” said Litynski.

Drilling a 6,500-foot well doesn’t come cheap — the Illinois Basin project has an $84 million price tag. It’s a collaboration between the DOE and industrial partners including Archer Daniels Midland, which is providing the land for the test site and will serve up CO2 from its ethanol fermenters. A group of scientists centered at the Illinois State Geological Survey known as the Midwest Geological Carbon Sequestration Consortium are leading the research.

They’ll collect enormous amounts of data about how the CO2 plume moves through the pores in the sandstone. The Mt. Simon formation is particularly attractive because of a series of fortuitous events that have placed three layers of impermeable rock — known as “cap rock” — between the sandstone and the surface. Finley thinks that makes the project a very good bet to succeed in keeping CO2 buried away for what amounts to forever in human timescales.

But the audience at the AAAS meeting who watched the researchers present their sequestration evidence weren’t wholly convinced. They gave the presenters a rougher time than one normally sees at this meeting, where most questions are softballs. One audience member noted that the Mt. Simon project was sequestering 10,000 times less CO2 than we’d have to put into the ground each year to offset human emissions.

It’s the expense and time needed to scale up the tech that leads renewable energy advocates to complain that money used to make coal cleaner should instead be spent scaling up wind power or installing

Do any economists disagree that California’s economy will benefit from a carbon cap and trade system?

In 2006, California passed AB 32 which among other effects will soon lead to the creation of a carbon cap and trade system within the state. Some Texas oil companies have funded a proposition on this year’s ballot to delay implementation of the cap and trade system until the state’s unemployment rate remains below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters – a level rarely met even in strong economic conditions.

118 Ph.D. economists who live or work in California or who have expertise related to California issues or climate and energy issues have signed a letter in support of AB 32, against Proposition 23.

“Delaying action now and waiting for the future before initiating accelerated action to reduce global warming gases will be more costly than initiating action now. Acting now is more likely to limit further environmental degradation, lower the cost of mitigation, and spur innovation in renewable energy and conservation technologies. Furthermore, policies that reduce global warming pollution are likely to provide immediate benefits to the health and welfare of residents by reducing local pollutants.

For these reasons we urge continued support for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These policies can improve our energy security, create new business opportunities and more jobs,
and provide incentives for innovation.”
http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/2010-CA-Economists-LTR.pdf

So I’m wondering, do you know of any economists who oppose California’s proposed carbon cap and trade system?
Since so many people seem to be misunderstanding the question, allow me to clarify. I’m not asking for your personal opinions, I’m asking if any economists disagree that a cap and trade system will be good for California’s economy.

Giving me your personal opinion, unless you’re an economist, does not answer the question.
Ottawa, almost every sentence in the quote I provided talks about ‘costs’ or something similar. I suggest you edit your response to actually attempt to answer the question.
jim, yes! Economists and climate scientists are all stupid! That’s got to be the answer – well done!
deano – please name one economist who has said cap and trade will cost thousands of jobs and thousands of dollars in higher energy bills. Hint – Glenn Beck is not an economist.

Has the Chamber of Commerce finally disproven the myth that free market advocates are shills for big business?

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/TimothyCarney/New-Chamber-index-shows-conservatives-arent-corporate-pawns-42379362.html

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., had the most conservative voting record in 2008 according to the American Conservative Union (ACU), and was a “taxpayer hero” according to the National Taxpayer’s Union (NTU), but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says his 2008 record was less pro-business than Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.
Similarly, Texas libertarian GOPer Rep. Ron Paul—the most steadfast congressional opponent of regulation, taxation, and any sort of government intervention in business—scored lower than 90% of Democrats last year on the Chamber’s scorecard.
Liberal Democrats often accuse conservative Republicans of being pawns for Big Business, but the 2008 scorecard for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—the largest lobbying organization in the country and the official Washington voice of business—provides convincing evidence to the contrary. In fact, the policy agenda of big business can be very different from that of limited-government conservatives and libertarians.
Four Republican senators failed to earn the Chamber’s “Spirit of Enterprise Award” (earned for scoring 70% or above): DeMint, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Jon Kyl of Arizona, and Jeff Sessions of Alabama.
These are among the most fiscally conservative, pro-limited government members of the upper chamber—which is precisely their error, in the eyes of the Chamber. The heroes of the small government cause are the goats of the big business cause.
DeMint, for instance, picked up the highest score last year from NTU, and Kyl and Inhofe were close behind—all three winning NTU’s “Taxpayer Friend” awards.
Similarly, DeMint picked up the only perfect Senate score from ACU, while Kyl and Inhofe tied for second with 96%.
With which votes did these GOP lawmakers earn Chamber scorn? Kyl, Inhofe, DeMint, and Sessions were four of the eight senators to vote Nay July 31 on the “College Opportunity and Affordability Act,” creating $34 million in new subsidies for colleges, probably driving up tuition at taxpayers’ expense rather than making college more affordable.
These four also voted against the Chamber’s position by opposing President George W. Bush’s February 2008 stimulus bill that sent checks to taxpayers. The “rebates” were one-time tax credits that excluded higher-income earners but included some people with no income tax liability.
Conservatives instead proposed long-term, broad-based tax cuts—for example, making permanent the 2001 tax cuts set to expire in 2011—as opposed to one-time stunts turning the IRS into a welfare agency.
And, of course, DeMint, Inhofe, and Sessions upset the Chamber by voting against the massive $700 billion Wall Street bailout—which has since grown into a Detroit bailout, and a tool which the Obama administration is using to tell banks and carmakers how to run their businesses.
The Great Wall Street Bailout will prove someday to be the crucial victory for government control over the economy, and for voting Nay on a rushed vote to pass this unprecedented measure, some conservative lawmakers were scorned by the business lobby.
Sessions, Inhofe, and Kyl also voted last April against a package of tax deductions for “renewable energy”—effectively corporate welfare for unprofitable technologies.
On the House side, it’s a similar picture. The Republican with the lowest Chamber score was Paul. Even Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, who wants to regulate everything except Fannie Mae, scored 14 points higher than Paul on the Chamber’s scorecard.
Eleven House Republicans failed to win the Chamber’s award—a mixture of libertarian/conservative members like Paul and liberal members like then-Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD.
All but Gilchrest in this group of “business unfriendly” Republicans earned a black mark from the Chamber for voting against the Wall Street bailout twice. And conservative Republicans Paul, Ted Poe of Texas, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Jack Kingston of Georgia, Paul Broun of Georgia, and Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin voted against the college aid bill, while seven of the 11 voted against Bush’s stimulus.
In June, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill drafted by the Chamber in coordination with advocates for the disabled that expanded the definition of “disability.” At the time, the conservative Heritage Foundation wrote, “the House bill is supported by some business lobbies (representing mostly larger corporations), it is small businesses that are likely to suffer disproportionately.”
Two other House votes that pit conservatives against the Chamber: An authorization bill for NASA, outspending the Bush administration’s funding request by 15%,, and a bill to beef up copyright enforcement and create a copyright czar.
Advocates of bigger government like to assail their opponents as pawns of big business. The Chamber’s shunning of DeMint and Paul will hopefully help put that lie to rest.

How to clean the grout & bathroom tiles?

There’s black mold on the grout, and brushing with soap doesnt clean them. Any eco friendly tips for cleaning them?

Thanks!

how does manekineo remove 30 year old glue utilized to stick wood parquet tiles over terrazzo floor?

first took up rugs. rug was nail and glue down over terrazzo, glue came off easily of of terrazzo floors.

parquet tile is 30 years old. have removed and hyper-laboriously scraped, scraped, scraped with acetone, alchohol, nail polish remover, kitchen cleaners to no avail. do not like chemicals nor dust. do not wish to rent machine and grind and sand off of floor, which is delicate.

terrazo is a lovely finish from a vintage 1956 home. two rooms are perfect, others need to be reclaimed, prefereable in a eco friendly manner.

all is well
manekineo

Bamboo to line indoor shower?

I’m trying to make my home more eco friendly and remodel on a budget. I have clumping bamboo growing in my yard so have an unlimited supply and I heard somewhere that bamboo is naturally water proof. Can I split the poles and use them to line my shower instead of tile? I know I would have to use some kind of caulking in between them and I was also thinking of filling them with newspaper insulation too.

Chemicals that go down our plug holes every day.?

I remember reading some where that washing up liquids are a big problem, and a lot of time is spent breaking down this product whilst treating our sewage. When you add to this all the other products like bleaches etc, do you worry about what the state of our water will be in another hundred years.

Do you use any of the eco friendly product on the market, or do you have a green version of your own. Like lemons for cleaning and sanitising sinks, tiles and baths.
I agree, they do charge to much for anything green or organic. Sad thing is, it’s a viscous circle, prices wont come down until people start to buy the product. Truth of the matter is water IS the most precious thing we have, and yet every year tonnes of chemicals are thrown into. Chemicals to clean chemicals. We are already noticing the affect with fish deformities, they are the first warning sign. Yet we still continue.

I’m not a total green freak, and I promise I’m not preaching. There are still things I use that I haven’t come up with an alternative for, but If I can come up with an alternative for a chemical product, then I much prefer to use that. A bottle of lemon juice cost half the price of bathroom cleaners, and does a better job at cleaning. With the add advantage of a pleasant smell. The acidity cuts through the dirt and grim and also sanitises.

Another thing I was interested in was if anyone had there own, chemical free alternatives. Always handy to no a few more! 😉

What kind of cleaning products will work the best?

My boyfriend and I are moving in together and I had a few questions about out new apartment. It isn’t disgusting, but it could do with a good cleaning before we move in. I would like to wash the ENTIRE apartment, ceiling to floor! I really like the eco friendly cleaning products like the green works line by clorox. I don’t like the strong odors and the severity of them hurt my eyes and my boyfriends sinuses. Here’s a list of things that I would like to do, if anyone could give me back a list of good products that will work, I would really appreciate it.

washing the ceilings and walls
shampoo carpet
polish wood floors
scrub down:
inside of refrigerator
kitchen counters
outside of appliances
inside of cabinets
dishwasher
shower tile (with slight stains)

Thank you in advance, and yes, my boyfriend will be helping me.

Conservatives only, please #3?

Do you think liberals are qualified to discuss the environment when they’re wrong on just about every environmental issue?

–Global warming has not proven correct in hindsight (the globe is currently in a cooling cycle)
–Battery powered cars cause damage to the environment when batteries are disposed of
–Fluorescent and mercury filled bulbs are more harmful to the aquifers when disposed of, and mercury bulbs are now linked to a rise in health issues in China where the bulbs are manufactured
–Carbon dioxide has been declared toxic to human life, making living, breathing human beings the earth’s primary polluters of the world, no word yet on other vertebrates who also exhale the stuff
–New environmental restrictions being enforced by the UN have been found to prohibit developing nations from building entire industries, forcing their populations to remain in deep poverty with per capita incomes below $5,000 USD
–At the same time, liberals NEVER protest industrial development in the world’s three top polluting countries: Russia, India and China because it goes against their “blame America first” mentality

Do we have too much focus on Environmental Issues and not enough focus on Population growth?

We have all heard the attempts to limit the co2 pollution and I think the only reason that we are on target for these reductions being mostly due to the downturn w.w economic situation.

Life expectancy is on the increase, medical technologies are improving and medical techniques allow babies who would not have survived in the past to live. The big bet in the scientific community is when will the first person live to be 150 years old. They think it quite possible this person is alive now! All these will increase the population size enormously.

By 2050 the population is expected to reach a conservative 9 billion!

China attempted to curb population growth by limiting the amount of babies a couple can have. This backfired when they neglected to take into account artificial insemination methods. The last I heard China is in the process of building 20 new cities!

I cannot help the thought that sooner or most likely later, World powers would have to intervene.

Any thoughts on this?

Many thanks

AGT

is there any terrorism in Venezuela,Russia or china?

im doing a Model United Nations Project and my country is Cuba, if anyone has any useful info on any global/environmental issues, ethnic conflicts,weapons/terrorism, or human rights abuses in any of Cuba’s ally countries or enemy counries. (Venezuela, china, russia vs. U.S, Great Britain, Japan) that would be great! thanks!

Is China’s environmental problems really making the world dirty?

Do you know anything about the Chinese Chug? Lots of things are being made in China and their factories are contributing to global warming. Does China have laws about this or not?

Also do u know anything about the huge unemployment rate? and their water problems? And all the health issues.

Websites where i can research these topics would be fantastic!
PLEASE RESPOND WITH REASONABLE ANSWERS! geez

What has China or India done to change or reverse there environmental problems?

With the enviromental issues and the threat of global warming what has two of the biggest most polluted countries done in an effort to reverse the damage? Does anyone know?

what are some good websites for sustainable living?

particually on Water management, energy management and Waste Management.

any website (or help) would be great!

thanks.

Las Vegas and sustainable living?

I just recently moved to Las Vegas and have been wondering whether anyone has had any experience with sustainable living, i.e. trying to grow their own foods in deadly heat, trying to find farmers market, etc? Are there any groups here in Vegas promoting sustainable lifestyle? I would be grateful for any information.

Thanks,

PS: I moved from California where farmers markets abounded and it was much easier to eat locally.

I am very interested in simple/sustainable living and the environment. How do I become an organic farmer?

Looking for great resources on sustainable living (voluntary poverty)?

Meaning living on just the bare minimum (growing your own food, candles instead of electricity, etc.). Trying to do some research! Ten points to the most thorough and helpful answer. Thanks!

Is it posible to make a sustainable living, where money is no longer needed?

Do you agree with game wardens being trained to fight crime in wilderness and along border?

Is this a good thing?
Will this help an understaffed, over worked border patrol when others working the border get trained to fight the crime at the borders?
________________________________________________________

Game wardens entering new territory
51 cadets graduate in largest class ever, trained to fight crime in wilderness and along border.
By Danny Yadron

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Libby Balusek graduated from Texas A&M University in 2007 with a degree in wildlife conservation science.

On Tuesday, after seven months of training, the 24-year-old became a Texas game warden, a job that will take her to Cameron County, where she will help keep an eye out for illegal immigration and drug trafficking, as well as the usual plethora of environmental crimes associated with the position.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department graduated 51 game warden cadets Tuesday, the largest class ever. Part of the reason for that is the state needs more boots on the ground to keep up with Gov. Rick Perry’s effort to increase border security, Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Lydia Saldaña said.

It’s not the department’s main job, but cadets get enough training in law enforcement to deal with border issues, or at least to hold a suspect until an officer from another agency arrives, said Col. Peter Flores, director of the game warden program.

“We’re not in the immigration business. … We’re not in the narcotics business,” Flores said. “We operate in areas no one else does.”

Wardens, traditionally tasked with looking out for illegal hunting, fishing or other environmental crimes, are often in charge of huge tracts of Texas wilderness, as well as the state’s Gulf Coast.

As Perry continues to lobby Washington for a greater military presence on the U.S.-Mexico border, game wardens have become sort of all-purpose law enforcement agents, detaining boats with illegal nets that happen to have drugs on board, or arresting ranch trespassers who happen to lack U.S. identification, Flores said.

There are 15 full-time game wardens posted on the border, and the state Legislature commissioned another 15 this session, Saldaña said. That’s in addition to about 100 wardens that the state sent to the area last week as part of a multiagency border patrol surge, Flores said. Texas has about 500 game wardens.

Since late 2007, the state has used hundreds of game wardens to help patrol the border area as part of Operation Border Star, a Perry spokeswoman said. As members point out, the position has always been about multitasking, but Tuesday’s ceremony demonstrated how the title “game warden” is now something of a cross between Eagle Scout and state trooper.

“We get into more stuff now than we can keep up with,” said Capt. Fred Churchill, head of a six-county district, including Travis County. “They gotta train for a lot.”

The governor acknowledged the job’s demands Tuesday, as he inducted the newly minted game wardens with a short speech and a handshake.

“You take a calculated but necessary risk for the rest of us,” Perry said. “We need you now more than ever.”

Drew Spencer, 31, who is headed to Starr County, said the looming task doesn’t phase him. “I’m going to resort to my training,” said Spencer, who used to work as a game warden in New Mexico. “This is truly the best job in the world.”

Career Decision help! Im graduating and want to work with the environment.?

Ok, so here it goes. I have a bs in business management and will graduate next year with a general mba from texas a & m. With all my years spent avoiding actually making a decision on what to do when I grow up :), I finally have to make a choice. One thing I am very interested in is the environment and fighting our dependance on foreign oil. From recently finishing an enlistment with the army guard and two deployments to both afghanistan and Iraq I feel that the solution to peace is not from picking up a weapon but to work to fix the root causes of these problems which I beleive is mainly from oil. What career can I go into where I can push these issues? The field Im interested in is energy, and bringing about less oil dependance with already proven resources such as electricity, like electric cars and etc. I know im simplifying it, but It is pretty clear to me that if we did not need as much oil, we wouldnt be at war and could bring about new industries and increase strengthIn our own country through new cleaner and more environmental sound industries essentially killing two birds with one stone. I know that this post is rather long, but I have thought long about these issues and theres no other way I can simply put them down without being kind of long winded. What would be some paths that I could take to go about working on these kinds of issues?

democratic national committee?

DRAFTING AL GORE ???

In the past Al Gore as a candidate has frustrated me. I thought that he paid too much attention to pollsters and conflicting advisors, and failed to heed his own convictions. He knew that the environment is the most important long-term concern that this nation faces (pollution, global warming, energy resources, topsoil erosion, etc.), but he was afraid that the American people would not listen, or that he would be tarred as an out-of-touch policy wonk.

Now things have changed. The nation seems to be spontaneously greening. The big oil companies tout their green energy programs; evangelical Christians are going green; architects win prizes for their green building designs; large companies spontaneously are capping carbon emissions; environmental organizations are finding new clout (witness their influence in the recent $45 billion buyout of the energy giant TXU in Texas); people are buying hybrid cars; trying to reduce waste, recycle, and compost. We have a long way to go as a nation, but it is becoming obvious that the people (the electorate) are way ahead of the politicians. A critical mass may be coalescing. A sea change in public thinking may be on the horizon.

Major cultural changes don’t happen until the time is ripe. That is why I believe that it may be time to draft Al Gore for the Democratic 2008 Presidential race. I don’t believe he will aggressively seek the nomination and confront Hillary. But his recent Oscar for “An Inconvenient Truth” has undoubtedly stoked the old fires of political ambition. Gore is smart and articulate, deeply comprehends foreign and domestic policy issues, and will be a shrewder campaigner than before. And he does have a dry sense of humor. Hillary remains a polarizing figure. Obama is young and inexperienced. Gore is unquestionably the best-qualified individual on the scene today to lead our country out of the current morass.

What sane person would today want the daunting job of U.S. President?
Gore is indeed sane, and if he can be persuaded to run, our country will be very fortunate. Let’s try to see that he is drafted. Please join me in discussing him with progressive influential friends, forwarding this e-mail, or whatever you can do to get the ball rolling. We owe it to our country – to our children and grandchildren, — and to our planet, which is our only home.

Neal Chandler, March 2007

Why Isn’t BP Under Criminal Investigation?

That’s the question several former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials have been asking in the aftermath of the catastrophic explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig last month that killed 11 employees and ruptured a newly drilled well 5,000 feet below the surface and has spewed tens of millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf if Mexico, which now stands as the largest spill in US history.
Like previous BP-related disasters in Alaska and Texas, evidence has emerged that appears to show BP knowingly cut corners on maintenance and safety on Deepwater Horizon’s operations, which, according to blogger bmaz, who writes about legal issues at Emptywheel, could amount to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, because people were killed, BP and company officials could also face prosecution for negligent and reckless homicide.
Scott West, the former special agent-in-charge at the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, who spent more than a year probing allegations that BP committed crimes in connection with a massive oil spill on Alaska’s North Slope in 2006, said the company’s prior felony and misdemeanor convictions should have immediately “raised red flags” and resulted in a federal criminal investigation.
http://www.alternet.org/story/147045/why_isn%27t_bp_under_criminal_investigation?page=1

EnvironMENTALists predictions ALWAYS end up being FALSE so why should we buy this “Global Warming” CRAP?

There is a noticeable pattern in the evolution of environmental scares. A scientist starts things off by discovering a potential threat. Then, the media picks it up, and oversimplifies and exaggerates the situation. Next, the environmentalists polarize the issue—one either agrees with the prediction of coming doom, or one must be in the pocket of uncaring big business. Soon, the bureaucrats get into the act, setting up regulations to avert the coming disaster. The skeptics then jump in, claiming that the scare is exaggerated. Finally, the official consensus is that the magnitude of the disaster has greatly shrunk.

Let’s just look at the predictions from 1970 “EnvironMENTALists shall we?

• “…civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind,” biologist George Wald, Harvard University, April 19, 1970.

• By 1995, “…somewhere between 75 and 85 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.” Sen. Gaylord Nelson, quoting Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, Look magazine, April 1970.

• Because of increased dust, cloud cover and water vapor “…the planet will cool, the water vapor will fall and freeze, and a new Ice Age will be born,” Newsweek magazine, January 26, 1970.

• The world will be “…eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age,” Kenneth Watt, speaking at Swarthmore University, April 19, 1970.

• “We are in an environmental crisis which threatens the survival of this nation, and of the world as a suitable place of human habitation,” biologist Barry Commoner, University of Washington, writing in the journal Environment, April 1970.

• “Man must stop pollution and conserve his resources, not merely to enhance existence but to save the race from the intolerable deteriorations and possible extinction,” The New York Times editorial, April 20, 1970.

• “By 1985, air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half…” Life magazine, January 1970.

• “Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make,” Paul Ehrlich, interview in Mademoiselle magazine, April 1970.

• “…air pollution…is certainly going to take hundreds of thousands of lives in the next few years alone,” Paul Ehrlich, interview in Mademoiselle magazine, April 1970.

• Ehrlich also predicted that in 1973, 200,000 Americans would die from air pollution, and that by 1980 the life expectancy of Americans would be 42 years.

• “It is already too late to avoid mass starvation,” Earth Day organizer Denis Hayes, The Living Wilderness, Spring 1970.

• “By the year 2000…the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America and Australia, will be in famine,” Peter Gunter, North Texas State University, The Living Wilderness, Spring 1970.

By 1985…air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight
reaching the earth by one half” – Life magazine, January 1970

Then there are some more recent predictions:

In 1984, the United Nations claimed that 21 million hectares of land were succumbing to desertification every year. Actually, since then, there has been no net advance in deserts worldwide.

Starting in 1973, the Worldwatch Institute has repeatedly predicted that the food needs of a growing world population would exceed agricultural production, but this has never occurred. In spite of a doubling of the population since 1961, food production per head has risen by 20%.

Global 2000, a report to the U.S. president written in 1980 claimed that food prices would rise between 35% and 115% by 2000. In reality, the world food commodity index has fallen by 50%.

In 1972, the Club of Rome published a highly influential report called Limits of Growth, which said that total global oil reserves amounted to only 550 billion barrels, and could be used up by about 1990. However, from 1970 to 1990, 600 billion barrels were withdrawn, and estimated reserves by 1990 were 900 billion barrels.

In the early 1980s, it was reported that half of Germany’s trees were dying from acid rain, and, in 1986, the United Nations claimed that 23% of all trees in Europe were damaged. But, by the end of the 1980s, the biomass stock of European forests had actually risen, and forests were thriving.

Forests in America were also said to be under threat from acid rain. Yet, a ten-year study concluded that there was no evidence of general or unusual forest decline in either the U.S. or Canada.
Chosen: Yup…I am only pointing out that part of the word “Environmentalist” is “MENTAL” and there are plenty of folks like yourself that put the “MENTAL” in “enviroMENTAList.”
LOL Darwin…you also put the “MENTAL” in envorMENTAList!
Darwin…you are actually trying to justify predictions made in 1970…that’s so cute…now twll me the one about Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster!
Justm399: Please re-read the predictions and tell me how with predictions that dire what we did to prevent them? Any minor steps that were taken couldn’t have possibly stopped the level of disaster that was predicted. It’s kind of like someone tells me you are bleeding to death and I give them a Scooby Doo bandaid to give to you…but as it turns out you weren’t actually bleeding to death it was a pin prick and suddenly the Scooby Doo bandaid saved your life….see where I am going?

What do Bush and the House Republicans have against Alternative Energy?

House shifts $16 billion toward renewable energy!
Republicans called it a “no-energy bill” because it lacks new drilling incentives, and they derided the new emphasis on renewables as “green pork.” The White House threatened to veto the bill on concerns that it could boost energy prices.

Didn’t Bush say that the USA is addicted to oil and needs to find alternate energy sources? Or was he just refering to ethanol?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070805/pl_nm/usa_energy_house_dc_3

Have we missed an easy alternative energy source?

With the seemingly endless parade of celebrities both new and old roaming the news and airwaves today could there be a method of grinding them into some sort of burnable mass and producing electricity or gas from them?

Is it legal to copy and paste material/content from a news site on personal website as long as I cite it?

I’m making a website about Alternative Energies and I need some news content to put on my website. Would I need to ask permission from news sites such as CNN to post their news on my web site or should I just site it providing a link that would route viewers to the original site on CNN.
Thank you very much for your time and help, I really appreciate it!

What do you think of the federal government overriding states authority concerning energy?

The following was taken from a news article:

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he will soon introduce legislation that gives federal regulators authority to override states on electric grid placement decisions as part of a package of energy proposals the Senate is expected to take up in the coming weeks.”

In other words basically telling the states instead of placing a necessary power grid, they need to use “alternative energy” instead. A lot of this alternative energy is underdeveloped and more costly.

The West has allowed the Arabs to hold us to ransom over oil. Now Brown gives them alternative energy as well

Having allowed the Arabs – OPEC – to hold the West to ransom over oil and gas prices. Brown sees the only sensible option is to allow them to invest in and therefore take some control, if not all control, of our alternative energy sources ie nuclear and renewable.

Why cant the UK invest our own money in securing our own energy supplies?

We have allowed foreign companies to take over our utility providers and charge us more than their own countries.

do you agree that the UK needs to become energy independant to secure our future?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080622/tpl-uk-jeddah-oil-britain-02bfc7e.html