Raid on bottle deposits.

I originally read about this in Eve Pearlman's blog in theIslandofalameda blog. Made me a little sad that this was happening, however budget cuts seem to be so commonplace that nothing is sacred.  It seems Sacramento has raided the nickels and dimes we paid for the bottle deposits leaving many recycling centers to close.  Many of them employed at risk youths.
Recycling centers close, eliminating green jobs.

Everywhere I go bags seem to show.

Everywhere I go I seem to be assaulted with bags.  While we need bags to hold things it has been an interesting process trying not to take every bag that is offered to me.  Last night my family was shopping at a local department store and we declined the bag at checkout.  Sure there were a few things to carry but we didn't have to go very far.  I would like to think since my son was with us perhaps he will also be inclined to think about if he really needs a bag everytime he is offered one.  Hopefully the old adage "Leading by example" will work with as he progresses into his shopping years.  Many people now have reusable shopping bags.  I keep mine next to the front door so I remember to take them with me when I leave the house.  As far as the debate on whether paper is "greener", or better for the environment than plastic, it seems plastic is actually a little bit better.  A plastic bag takes 594 BTU's to make and a paper bag takes 2511 BTU's.  Then of course there is the plastic which is actually oil.  Of course it takes energy to make a reusable bag but it can be... reused, again and again, saving energy, landfill (8 billion pounds of plastic bags enter the waste stream every year.) and perhaps some of your conscience.  I have a space in my kitchen where I have a large bag full of bags that will last me for my throw away bag needs for a long time to come.  Hey sometimes you forget and need a bag at the store.  It happens, but maybe we start buying more reusable bags and need a whole lot less of those bags being handed out so freely.  Because in actuality they cost us.  It's just a matter of changing your mind.

Read more about the actual cost of plastic bags.

Battery recycling

I have had an old laptop battery sitting around for awhile that I have been meaning to find an appropriate place to recycle.  The new battery came with a prepaid box through DHL to send the old battery back however DHL no longer delivers in the US. On Newer Tech's website they do list some resources for battery recycling and if you can't find a place locally if you fill out a form they will send you a prepaid shipping label.  I checked out some of the resources and this call2recycle.com had the best list of local resources for drop offs.  Unfortunately after I went to Southshore (I will never say Towne Centre) Office Max they no longer were on the program.  However they did take my old inkjet cartridges.  Radio Shack did take my laptop and 2 old AA batteries however that left me with the 2 alkaline's I also wanted to get rid of. Now they had to ride back to my house with me for another search for a place to take them.  Kudo's to Newer Tech for updating their technology to be more green and making it as easy as possible to recycle old laptop batteries and publishing some resources.  It should probably be obvious however I am sure many people just toss their old batteries in the trash.  According to the Duracell website alkaline batteries can be disposed of with normal household waste.  Their website says to "contact your local government for disposal practices in my area" Thumbs down to Duracell for not listing any resources.  I think I will just wrap them in a plastic six pack holder and go throw them in the bay.  Hopefully a Dolphin will come along and take them out to sea so I don't have to think about them anymore. (The previous sentence constitutes Philip's extremely dry and sarcastic sense of humor) For now I will not throw my alkaline batteries in the trash and continue to look for a more suitable place to dispose of them.  Kitchen drawer your 2 friends are back.  Rechargable batteries are getting better all the time.  It costs a little more upfront to buy these types of batteries but they are re-usable and more easily recyclable.  We all use alot of batteries in our lives out of necessity.  Think about buying rechargeable batteries next time you need a new set.

Do you know your walkscore?

What could be greener than walking.  An interesting new neighborhood and home value has been gaining popularity recently.  It's called a walk score.  Several real estate websites have begun to put this value next to home listings.  I was told about this by some buyers I have been representing, they always knew the walkscore of the homes they viewed.  This is not a new measurement of a neighborhoods value however I believe it is becoming more important because people would rather be close to shopping, dining and entertainment they can walk to.  Or ride a bike.  It gives them options other than always having to drive their car.  I think people always thought about this but it was one of the intangibles that was considered during a home purchase.  People want to be close but not too close to these services.  A great example is that I walked to the Peet's coffee shop from my home in the east end to write this blog.  It's interesting that tools have now become available to put some numerical value to walkability.  Exactly how does this score translate into dollars is an interesting calculation. Another website that is currently only functioning in Philadelphia says that each additional point on a walk score according to them is worth between $700 and $3,000 dollars.  Curious what your walk score is? go to walkscore.com and plug in your address.

Climate Action event Oct 24th

On October 24th CASA and BikeAlameda will be participating in An International Day of Climate Action with an event on the plaza in front of City Hall.  Attached is a flyer with more information.

On this day of action events will be held worldwide to highlight the need for urgent action by ALL nations to combat climate change and to raise a loud voice letting world leaders know that when they gather in Copenhagen, Denmark in December it is imperative that they take bold steps to set the world on a safer, saner, and more responsible path.  Learn more at 350.org.

The motivating number behind this call to action is 350.  This number - 350 ppm - is what top climate scientists agree is the upper safe limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Currently the level of carbon dioxide is at 385 ppm and rising.  It is critical that for world leaders to embrace 350 ppm as a goal and then take the bold steps necessary to change our world and get on the path back to 350.

Here in Alameda we will be gathering in front of City Hall to educate ourselves more about the importance of 350ppm as the target for CO2 levels and to learn more about ways we can act locally to reduce carbon emissions.  Our focus will be on reducing transportation related carbon emissions.

Activities will include:
How far is 350 seconds? - Use our interactive map of Alameda to find out how far you can get on a bike or on foot in Alameda in 350 seconds (just shy of 6 minutes).  You might be surprised at how many of your trips in town you can complete without getting in the car!
Do I really need my car? - Come learn how to use the 511.org Public Transit Trip Planner Tool.  It's easier than you think to get where you need to go using public transit!  Come and let us show you how.
Can I get there by bike? - Experienced Alameda cyclists will be on hand to help you map safe routes around town.  BONUS POINTS if you ride your bike to the event
Say Cheese!! - At 11AM we will be taking a group picture to document our participation in the International Day of Climate Action and share it with the world.  We will form the numbers 3-5-0 to show our awareness and our communities commitment to action.  Join us at 11AM and bring a smile!
But wait, there's more..... We will have information on hand about 350.org, information on a 5-step Fossil Fuel Addiction Recovery Program, bike maps of Alameda, and more.  CASA and BikeAlameda champion Tom Christoffer will be providing live music, and BikeAlameda will be happy to sell you a cool new bike helmet.
Please join us on the 24th if you can.  In addition, you are our best advertising so please forward this message to anyone you think might like to come out to City Hall.  We also encourage you to post the flyer at your school, church, or place of work to help us spread the messsage.

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you on the 24th,

Big investor in green technology

Billionaire philanthropist George Soros to invest 1 billion dollars into green technology.
As more people invest and support green technology and fuels the quicker we are able to move from  carbon based fuel systems.
READ ARTICLE

Global Warming Checklist

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD GLOBAL WARMING CHECKLIST
Courtesy of Joyce Mercado.

ReStore ReUse

Habitat for Humanity east bay has a store in Oakland where you can purchase used building materials. Many of these materials would be headed for landfill.  If you are planning a remodel or home renovation project it is worth checking out what they have in stock.  If you have things that could be recycled into other projects it is a great place to make a donation.
They will even come pick up the material from your home.


In addition to recycling building material Habitat has begun to look at environmental and energy efficiency in the homes they have been building. They have adding solar panels to some projects and recently received a LEED Gold certification for there project on Edes Ave in Oakland.


Habitat for Humanity helps low income families afford housing through getting the homeowners involved in their own sweat equity.  They also have volunteer days where you can go and work on a project.  I participated in the build last year at Buena Vista Commons in Alameda.  As someone involved with housing and interested in seeing people be able to afford to own their own home I think it's a great organization to support.


Check out their website.

Biking Yosemite

Last week my family and I visited Yosemite. Despite the rockslides, wildfires and my son being sick that week we had a pretty good time. One of the things that made it fun was that we brought our bikes and pretty much rode to everything we wanted to do. Not only did it provide a pretty nice car free experience in the Valley it also made it easier for us to get out and do activities I know wouldn't have been as enjoyable for him not feeling well. The great part about it was it provided us a casual easy going way to get around that did not involve driving or taking the shuttle bus that runs inside Yosemite Valley. Bikes rock!

Event tuesday 8/18/09

Tour D' Alameda AKA Brokers Tour

Did tuesdays brokers tour on my bike again.
12.5 miles on my bike. Probably saved a gallon of
gas and burned a few calories. I downloaded the Allsport GPS app for my iphone. This will map your route and then upload the info to the web.

Green Cleaning an Alameda business

We recently purchased a cleaning from Green Cleaning at the Otis School auction.

Lorna is a local Alameda business owner and parent who now specializes in green home and carpet cleaning.  With the amount of chemicals in cleaning products and our homes in general

this service is a great addition to having a green healthy home.  One of the first things I noticed after her crew was done (besides the great cleaning job) was the smell.  Or lack of any smell.

There was no overpowering scent of anything.  The house just smelled clean. Lorna showed up on time with her crew gave them the rundown on what they were going to do and we were very satisfied with the job.  I would have to say the most amazing part was the carpets.  With an older dog  a rabbit and about 8 years of accumulated dirt our carpets desperately needed a cleaning.  The machine they use at first glance doesn't look like much, but the technique actually makes sense and does a better job of actually removing the dirt with very little water than any other technique I know of.  With no harsh chemicals just some kind of cleaning solution that according to the FDA is fit for consumption (how green is that) it kind of bounces and blots the dirt out onto a towel which they keep replacing.  The result is very clean carpets that were hardly wet and smelled clean, did I say I loved the smell.  I highly recommend them next time you need a house or carpet cleaning. 

Check out their website. Click here.

More Green cleaning

My wife recently purchased Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator.  We have an old dog that has a hard time controlling some bodily functions and seem to be needing to spot clean the carpet more and more.  We have tried many other products including Simple Green and nothing including products specifically for carpets worked as well as this.  Also does the best job of eliminating the odors left behind.  The label says it has Live Enzyme Cultures & Lime Peel Extract.  Whatever it has it works!

Available at Alameda Natural Grocery.

Kick the Water Habit

Summer is here and so increased water usage. Coming off of several drought years it's important to start not only monitoring and reducing water use but planning on how become more water efficient. Sunset magazine recently had a very good article on how to kick the water habit in 12 easy steps. Read the article click here

Green cleaning the good bad and dirty

One of the ironies about cleaning products we use in our home is that many of the cleaning products use harsh chemical so even though our homes appear clean our own health can suffer. People who have chemical sensitivity know what I mean.

Want to read more about how our cleaning products can be harmful check out this article.
How to green cleaning
Another take on this at LiveScience.com

Make your own green cleaning products at home.
Click to get the recipes

The market has responded and there are now several brands offering envrionmentally sensitive yet effective products.
Seventh Generation
Method
Better Life
Simple Green
Even good old Trader Joe's has their own brand

Bike to Work day

Well Earth day has come and gone but bike to work day is May 14th.
As someone who rides regularly it is nice to have a day to remind people about biking to work.
Biking is not only healthy but you get a different perspective on your commute.
If you are interested in biking and the future of bicycle advocacy in Alameda check out the
bikealameda website

Cycling the start of it all

Well this is sort of how it all started for me.
I love cycling, I used to do Triathlons and then raced mountain bikes for a few years.
Not professionally.
Having a big minivan is great for trips, kids, camping but not so great for the short drive I need to make to my office several times a week.
I decided to start riding my bike for work as much as I can. I have some bags I can put my laptop in and take it to my office (Bayside Real Estate). Tuesdays is brokers tour for us agents in Alameda, so whenever possible I ride my bike for that as well. I also try and do as many errands and shopping trips on my bike as possible.
I figured that after 3 months I probably saved in gas what the bike bags cost me. Not to mention it is more pleasant to see my community from the seat of a bike than my car. A little less auto emissions on the Island as well.

See you on the road.

Go Green again

I started this project with a idea of providing stories, resources and commentary on how we can all go greener. I figured the best way is to start with myself and see where I can personally use less resources, produce less waste and reduce that ever present carbon footprint.
I look forward to producing the blogs to come.

REbooting gogreenalameda

Dear friends of gogreenalameda.com I am rebooting my website and will begin to post new content soon.

Thanks

Philip