To accompany my post from about a week ago concerning carbon offsets and Terrapass, I found this handy-dandy website that rates offset providers, Offset Consumer. It talks about different providers, carbon calculators, reasons to offset, etc, etc. According to OC, NativeEnergy is the best US offset provider...but Terrapass isn't on there, so I don't know what to think about that (I'll do more research and get back to you...it's late).
Happy perusing. Night.
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Carbon Offsets: A Globetrotter's Best Friend
Hello my thousands (and by 1000s, I mean 4) adoring fans,
I've been traveling a LOT recently. A trip to Denver/Boulder for the 4th of July, a trip to Ohio for work (which was AWESOME, btw. We were electrofishing as a part of stream community surveys), and now I'm headed to Vegas for a friend's bachlorette party. Given the fact that I'm already dishing out all kinds of $ for these trips, it's sometimes hard to also think about the added cost of buying carbon offsets for my trips...However, Terrapass is making it just a little easier for all of us to get that much closer to carbon-neutral traveling. They have an air travel option in which you by one year's worth of flight carbon offsets. In this package, $50 buys offsets for 4 short, 3 medium and 2 long-haul flights, and luggage tag is included (so that you can show off your commitment to reducing global warming, obvs).
Given the thousands of dollars that you'll spend on the 9 flights accounted for by your air travel package, $50 really isn't much when it comes down to it. Air travel is an individual's single largest contributor to their carbon footprint, so do the right thing and take steps to make yours that much smaller.
I've been traveling a LOT recently. A trip to Denver/Boulder for the 4th of July, a trip to Ohio for work (which was AWESOME, btw. We were electrofishing as a part of stream community surveys), and now I'm headed to Vegas for a friend's bachlorette party. Given the fact that I'm already dishing out all kinds of $ for these trips, it's sometimes hard to also think about the added cost of buying carbon offsets for my trips...However, Terrapass is making it just a little easier for all of us to get that much closer to carbon-neutral traveling. They have an air travel option in which you by one year's worth of flight carbon offsets. In this package, $50 buys offsets for 4 short, 3 medium and 2 long-haul flights, and luggage tag is included (so that you can show off your commitment to reducing global warming, obvs).
Given the thousands of dollars that you'll spend on the 9 flights accounted for by your air travel package, $50 really isn't much when it comes down to it. Air travel is an individual's single largest contributor to their carbon footprint, so do the right thing and take steps to make yours that much smaller.
Monday, April 6, 2009
San Francisco wins!
Yet again, I'm proud to be a San Franciscan. Why? Well, because the US News and World Report had the following to say about a study that came out last week (as well as a few other recent studies):
In news that surprised absolutely no one San Francisco was declared America's Least Wasteful City in a study sponsored by reusable water bottle maker Nalgene. Indeed, five of the top 10 cities on the list are on the West Coast, mirroring trends in nearly every city-ranking green study that's come out recently. Witness:
- America's Most Walkable City: San Fransicso, joined in the top 10 by Seattle, Long Beach, Calif., Portland, Ore.
- America's 50 Greenest Cities: Portland, Ore., joined by #2 San Francisco, #4 Oakland, Calif. #5 Eugene, Ore., #7 Berkeley, Calif., and #8 Seattle.
- SustainLane's Greenest Cities: mirrors the list above, except Seattle is moved up to third place, Oakland is ninth, and Eugene and Berkeley are knocked out of the top 10.
- America's Greenest Economic Cities puts Sacramento, Calif, in first place, followed by all of the usual suspects.
- America's Top 10 Energy Star Cities put Los Angeles , and San Francisco in first and second place, respectively.
You get the idea. (Find the full list of least wasteful cities here.)
Southern cities consistently rank towards the bottom of these lists, due to lack of public transportation, inadequate recycling, and energy usage, among other factors. What do you think: could Houston, Orlando or Birmingham, Ala. ever be as green as San Francisco? Or are these cities just too fundamentally different?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Guilty as Charged...
I put air in my tires this past weekend, and I am very embarrassed to say that they were terribly low. Who knows how many gallons of gas I wasted? I definitely learned my lesson that going multiple months without checking tire pressure is pretty much equivalent to dumping gallons of gas (and many dolla billz) out on the sidewalk. AND what's even worse is that, with all the hype about Obama's "tire pressure" comment, I knew that I needed to check my tires, but still didn't do it. Inexcusable. So YBGers, please don't follow my example and check the air in you tires at LEAST once a month, ok? Promise? Ok.
Monday, February 23, 2009
No car = no car payment
There has been a lot of speculation on whether the economic downturn would help or hurt the green revolution. Though this article about stocks of unsold cars piling up around the world doesn't even mention the environment, I can't help but think about the carbon footprint of the production of all the vehicles sitting in those lots...it's seems so wasteful and unfortunate. Maybe as the demand for cars continues to drop, we can make changes during the downturn to ensure that the demand remains depressed (bad for the economy in the short run but better in the long run for both the economy and the environment)...like buying used cars, carpooling more, vowing to take public transit, sharing a single car between your roommates/family, using a car sharing program, etc.I know not having a car seems like a huge change, but think about ALL the money you'll save on car payments, insurance, gas, and repairs, while also taking a huge step towards living more sustainably. We're talking about thousands of dollars per year and thousands of lbs of carbon dioxide...not having a car (or sharing a car) is most definitely a way to be young, not-as-broke, and green.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
Being on a Umbra kick, I thought I'd pass these tidbits onto my own readers. This is simply a little list of everyday things you can do to reduce your footprint...
Should I use paper or plastic bags at the grocery store?
Should I wash my dishes by hand or use the dishwasher?
If you and your dishwasher are efficient, avoid the sink (and use biodegradable soap!).
Is it better to leave [lights, cars, computers] on when I'm not using them, or turn them off and restart them?
My old [car, refrigerator, washing machine] isn't energy efficient. Is it worse to keep using it, or to toss it and buy a new one?
Is it better to buy organic food from far away, or non-organic food grown locally?
I want to follow your recommendation and buy compact fluorescent lightbulbs, but I've discovered they contain mercury. What should I do?
Which plastics are OK?
We don't like plastic, in general. But just make sure you avoid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics.
What's the one thing I can do to help the environment?
There's no one answer, but try to limit your consumption and keep the big picture in mind.
Should I use paper or plastic bags at the grocery store?
Should I dry my hands with paper towels or the electric blow dryer?
Use the dryer if you can't drip dry (I like to use the bottom of my jeans. Who cares if your pant leg is a tad damp?).
Should I wash my dishes by hand or use the dishwasher?
If you and your dishwasher are efficient, avoid the sink (and use biodegradable soap!).
Is it better to leave [lights, cars, computers] on when I'm not using them, or turn them off and restart them?
Restart! Whether you're driving, defeating darkness, or doing work, it takes more energy to keep your power-suckers running than it does to turn them off and on.
My old [car, refrigerator, washing machine] isn't energy efficient. Is it worse to keep using it, or to toss it and buy a new one?
In general, it's better to upgrade (whether washing machine, fridge, dishwasher, or car) -- but make sure your old machine is reused or recycled if possible (and PLEASE don't do anything like this).
Is it better to buy organic food from far away, or non-organic food grown locally?
Ideally, buy food that is both organic and local -- but if you have to choose, local is the way to go (farmers' markets rock).
I want to follow your recommendation and buy compact fluorescent lightbulbs, but I've discovered they contain mercury. What should I do?
Buy them anyway -- the small amount of mercury (less than in a watch battery) can be handled by a hazardous-waste facility. Just be sure to dispose of the used bulbs correctly.
Which plastics are OK?
We don't like plastic, in general. But just make sure you avoid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics.
Which is better: Diesel? Biodiesel? Straight vegetable oil? Hybrid?
They're all bad. Stop driving! But while you work toward that goal, here are thoughts on some of your quandaries: diesel vs. regular gasoline; converting to biodiesel; converting to veggie oil; biodiesel vs. veggie oil; and hybrids vs. veggie oil.
There's no one answer, but try to limit your consumption and keep the big picture in mind.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Eco-friendly ski resorts?
Hi readers, I've been MIA all weekend because of a rad trip I took to Tahoe. Not taking advantage of the incredible snow just wasn't an option, and after spending 3 days shredding (ha), I'm thoroughly worn out and ready to start blogging again.
On my way home, I was thinking about eco-friendly ski resorts and their actual level of "greenness." I remembered an article I'd read in Outside magazine last year, and so I dug it up to refresh my memory. As we all would have guessed, as much as they're trying to do in the industry, greening ski resorts "is putting lipstick on a pig. Name another sport with as much impact on public lands—clear-cut runs, heavy machinery, millions of schussers in the wilderness in winter. And for every ton of carbon saved by an energy-conscious Aspen or Vail or Telluride, you could point to another planeload of jet fuel burned to get there and another new forest of fudge shoppes and condos in what used to be elk habitat. 'There are a lot of things they're doing well, but you cannot deny the long-term and permanent impacts of the industry,' says Myke Bybee, a public-lands specialist at the Sierra Club."
And Myke (really? With a 'y?') is right. But at the same time, few industries get such a large number of people outside and enjoying that same wilderness, appreciating the powder runs through the pines or the views of the mountains from the lifts. If people don't get out and enjoy these beautiful places, they won't miss them when they're gone. So despite skiing's indisputable environmental impact, the sport can't be all bad. Let's continue to encourage resorts to reduce their carbon footprint and avoid urban sprawl, bringing about the necessary changes to make sport as sustainable as possible. Like Auden Schendler says in the Outside article "In a sustainable world, you're probably not going to fly or ski all that much. But in the interim…" let's enjoy the wilderness responsibly.
On my way home, I was thinking about eco-friendly ski resorts and their actual level of "greenness." I remembered an article I'd read in Outside magazine last year, and so I dug it up to refresh my memory. As we all would have guessed, as much as they're trying to do in the industry, greening ski resorts "is putting lipstick on a pig. Name another sport with as much impact on public lands—clear-cut runs, heavy machinery, millions of schussers in the wilderness in winter. And for every ton of carbon saved by an energy-conscious Aspen or Vail or Telluride, you could point to another planeload of jet fuel burned to get there and another new forest of fudge shoppes and condos in what used to be elk habitat. 'There are a lot of things they're doing well, but you cannot deny the long-term and permanent impacts of the industry,' says Myke Bybee, a public-lands specialist at the Sierra Club."
And Myke (really? With a 'y?') is right. But at the same time, few industries get such a large number of people outside and enjoying that same wilderness, appreciating the powder runs through the pines or the views of the mountains from the lifts. If people don't get out and enjoy these beautiful places, they won't miss them when they're gone. So despite skiing's indisputable environmental impact, the sport can't be all bad. Let's continue to encourage resorts to reduce their carbon footprint and avoid urban sprawl, bringing about the necessary changes to make sport as sustainable as possible. Like Auden Schendler says in the Outside article "In a sustainable world, you're probably not going to fly or ski all that much. But in the interim…" let's enjoy the wilderness responsibly.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Bus Adventures: Part 1
Public transit is a fickle creature. We all know that it's better for the environment and saves us money on gas (and/or on car payments), but sometimes the trials of the crowds/delays/etc make you want to pull your gas-chugging hummer out of the garage and drive 3 blocks to the grocery store (I kiiiiiid, I kiiiiiiid...but you get the idea. And no, I will never set foot in a Hummer again. Hate them). However, once you look past the minor, and often funny, inconveniences that the bus provides, public transit really is a great thing.
This morning was no exception. I merrily skipped out my front door just in time to see a loaded express bus go flying past my stop because, it being 8:05 am, we are smack dab in the middle of morning rush hour. Well, not being one to take rejection sitting down, I threw my computer and gym bag over my shoulder, and started powerwalking to a bus stop a bit earlier down the bus line...this was when the eccentricities of the SF bus really started to manifest themselves.
1) After hiking 4 blocks with two large bags over my shoulders (luckily I wore my cowboy boots today. I would not have tried this is heels), I saw another express bus coming and thought "YES!" only to watch it fly by just as the previous one did. At this point (1o min behind schedule), I started thinking "WTF? I've hiked a half a mile in work clothes carry at least 40 lbs (my laptop is from 1982). What does a girl have to do to catch a bus?"
2) I walked one more block and saw another express coming. Luckily, this one was pretty much tailing the last bus, so it was not too full..and guess what?!?! I got on and GOT A SEAT!!! Getting a seat during rush hour is kind of like winnin
g the lottery...but without the taxes.
C) Side note: another aspect of bus-riding baffles me...the heat/stuffiness of the bus vs. the cold of outside. If I board the bus in outside gear (sweater and jacket), I am sweating withing 4.2 seconds. Like, socially unacceptably sweating...but I look around and everyone in wool coats seems to be cool, happy, and sweat-free. What am I doing wrong here?!? Teach me your secret, large suit-wearing man!
4) My whole morning was significantly improved by getting a seat because it gave me a place (i.e. my lap) to put my two large bags. I mean, what do you do if you have to carry your laptop, workout bag, tupperware, AND purse to work everyday (like me). Fancy, dressed-up, corporate chicks do NOT like my dirty running shoes in their face. Dale + bus seat = happier commuters.
So the moral of this story is this: I got to work on-time and car-free, feeling good about the gas I've saved AND the fact that I don't have to deal with a car/pay for parking downtown. Additionally, I can take Muni to watch the Duke/UNC game tonight, and I don't have to worry about driving home after celebrating Duke's crushing win. The bus really is a great thing, and if it wasn't a bit of an adventure to ride, I wouldn't have had anything to blog about this morning. Win/win situation for all.
This morning was no exception. I merrily skipped out my front door just in time to see a loaded express bus go flying past my stop because, it being 8:05 am, we are smack dab in the middle of morning rush hour. Well, not being one to take rejection sitting down, I threw my computer and gym bag over my shoulder, and started powerwalking to a bus stop a bit earlier down the bus line...this was when the eccentricities of the SF bus really started to manifest themselves.
1) After hiking 4 blocks with two large bags over my shoulders (luckily I wore my cowboy boots today. I would not have tried this is heels), I saw another express bus coming and thought "YES!" only to watch it fly by just as the previous one did. At this point (1o min behind schedule), I started thinking "WTF? I've hiked a half a mile in work clothes carry at least 40 lbs (my laptop is from 1982). What does a girl have to do to catch a bus?"
2) I walked one more block and saw another express coming. Luckily, this one was pretty much tailing the last bus, so it was not too full..and guess what?!?! I got on and GOT A SEAT!!! Getting a seat during rush hour is kind of like winnin
g the lottery...but without the taxes.C) Side note: another aspect of bus-riding baffles me...the heat/stuffiness of the bus vs. the cold of outside. If I board the bus in outside gear (sweater and jacket), I am sweating withing 4.2 seconds. Like, socially unacceptably sweating...but I look around and everyone in wool coats seems to be cool, happy, and sweat-free. What am I doing wrong here?!? Teach me your secret, large suit-wearing man!
4) My whole morning was significantly improved by getting a seat because it gave me a place (i.e. my lap) to put my two large bags. I mean, what do you do if you have to carry your laptop, workout bag, tupperware, AND purse to work everyday (like me). Fancy, dressed-up, corporate chicks do NOT like my dirty running shoes in their face. Dale + bus seat = happier commuters.
So the moral of this story is this: I got to work on-time and car-free, feeling good about the gas I've saved AND the fact that I don't have to deal with a car/pay for parking downtown. Additionally, I can take Muni to watch the Duke/UNC game tonight, and I don't have to worry about driving home after celebrating Duke's crushing win. The bus really is a great thing, and if it wasn't a bit of an adventure to ride, I wouldn't have had anything to blog about this morning. Win/win situation for all.
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