Sustainability Made Simple Series: Part 1
Posted by Michelle Moquin on October 5th, 2009
I mentioned last week that Doug and I went to the California Academy of Sciences. (CAS) Well…I’m still thinking about all that I saw and learned. I thought I would do a little series on Sustainability Made Simple: Everyday choices we can make to protect the planet’s future. But really, they are everyday choices that protect the planet so that we, as humans, and animals and all living life, have a future. The planet will most likely survive no matter what we do to it. But the question is: “Will we?” I think we all know the answer to that one.
So…how do we make sustainability simple? Thank to CAS, they made it simple, and I’m going to share it with you. First a little background about CAS and their mission:
Since 1853, The California Academy of Sciences has been devoted to increasing knowledge about the extraordinary diversity of life on this planet. Their mission is an unwavering dedication to environmental awareness and action. Through their exhibits, programs, and ongoing research, CAS is committed to educating the public about the many challenges that we face today in terms of our planet’s environment.
So back to answering the question of how we make sustainability simple. CAS defines sustainability as: “Meeting current human needs without endangering our descendants. There is a broad scientific consensus that our current environmental demands are unsustainable, causing climate change, degradation of natural habitats, loss of species, and shortages of essential resources.”
In order to take action we need to become informed about how we can reduce our impact on the earth, by making smart choices about the everyday things that we do that affect our planet.
In each of the series, CAS is going to help you make sustainable changes in your life easily and simply. In each of the series there are several categories and each has three steps, progressing from the simplest to the most complex. Sustainability can start with a single change: Try one out. Once you see how easy it is, hopefully you’ll be motivated to try others.
Part 1 of this series is about Getting Around: We all need to get around, but the damage being caused by vehicle emissions is serious. The following changes will reduce your global warming emissions, and can help keep you fit at the same time.
Choosing your mode:
- Walk or ride your bike for short trips. (Doug and I rode bikes to the grocery store the other day. It took a bit longer but it felt great to pedal in the sun knowing that we were doing something good for the planet and for ourselves.)
- Commute using public transportation or by carpooling.
- Consider purchasing a hybrid, or a fuel-efficient compact car.
Driving Habits:
- Conserve gas by driving the speed limit.
- Turn off your engine rather than idling when you are still for more than a few minutes. ( I remember reading an article where a mother encouraged all parents to turn off their engines while waiting to pick up their children from school. It is amazing just how many emissions are let loose from 20 or 30 idling cars waiting for 15 minutes to pick up their kids.)
- Open your windows when going slowly; close your windows and switch on the A/C when on the freeway.
Vehicle Maintenance:
- Keep your tires inflated to their proper pressure. It will increase your gas mileage.
- Check and replace your air filters regularly. It will reduce harmful emissions.
- Get regular tune-ups. It is beneficial for both mileage and emission reduction
Heading Out Of Town:
- Reduce the number of business trips you take. Use teleconferencing whenever possible.
- Take the train or bus instead of flying or driving. If you have to fly, fly direct when possible.
- Purchase verified carbon offsets. Carbon offsets fund environmental projects that reduce global warming emissions, including wind farms or solar energy installations.
That’s it for Part 1 of the series. What do ya think? Doable yes? Now… go out and do what you can. Thanks :)
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Sophie, Al, Anna, and the rest: Sorry about the photo yesterday. It is fixed now.
Sophie: I just met a few people last night who were on their way to Australia. I have been to Indonesia many times but never made it to Australia. Would love to – thanks for the invite.
Northan: My pleasure. Thanks for the kind words. I never for a moment think that what I say doesn’t bring up some controversy, nor that I am everyone’s pin-up girl. :) That’s just life. I wish you and the boys safety in Iraq.
Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it”.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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October 5th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Hi Mischa!
Good tips, if we r all exercising the walk to the store is happening. I used to ride my bike and wear a backpack to shop the wet market in Sg, miss that…
I was going to go over and add things to the ZL program today but just received a distress call from a pal, he’s on his way over, he ‘totally F-d up’ with his woman. This ought to be interesting – hope I can help.
Back later or tomorrow…Zen Lill (on iPhone sorry for typos)
October 5th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Wonderful Article Michelle
It is good you have a worldwide readership. The world could take a good cue from this one. I have another article on sugar that I would like to share with your readers.
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Have you ever tried adding up all the sugar (carbohydrate) you consume in one day? Give it a shot — keep a small pad handy and each time you eat something, write down the amount of sugar in it.
At the end of the day, add it up. Unless you’re already following my diet advice, you’ll probably be shocked by that number.
The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar each day. That’s close to 100 grams of this junk.
It’s so bad that now that, after years of essentially ignoring the role of sugar in our overall poor health, the American Heart Association is finally advising us to cut back.
I hate to break it to them, but they’re a little late to this party.
For years, all the evidence has pointed to carbohydrates as the main cause of our health crisis, especially diabetes and heart disease, and sugar is the worst offender of the lot.
That’s just basic biology. If you go back and read the old medical textbooks, you’d see that the human body is supposed to have 6 grams of sugar in the entire bloodstream. That’s it.
These textbooks have been replaced, not because the information is outdated but because doctors are now trained to match symptoms to meds. Basic biology is becoming a lost science.
But the AHA has been influenced by something other than science. The organization has been collecting money for years from food manufacturers eager to slap the AHA seal on their products — many of which are packed with sugar.
The AHA was only interested in fat and cholesterol content. Well, that and whether the check cleared. Frosted Flakes and Pop-Tarts have each carried the AHA’s seal of approval, which should tell you everything you need to know about the credibility of that seal.
These sugar-packed foods have done far more damage to Americans than eggs, steaks and all the other healthy, fatty foods that have been on the association’s list of taboos.
So let’s consider for a moment those 6 grams of sugar that are supposed to be coursing through your blood right now. Those old textbooks will tell you that if it falls to 3 grams, you’ll pass out. If it rises above 9 grams, you’ve got yourself a case of diabetes.
Now consider how much sugar we eat and drink every day. A can of soda usually has 42 grams alone. Too many people drink two, three, four or more of those every day — and that’s just the beginning of their sugar intake. Is it any wonder, then, that diabetes is our new health epidemic?
But here’s something that’s truly disturbing. While the geniuses at the American Heart Association are finally ready to admit that all that sugar is making us fat and sick, the junk food industry says we don’t have enough of it.
Now they’re begging the Agriculture Department to give them access to a cheaper and more plentiful sugar supply. They’re even suggesting that we may be about to run out.
If you believe that, I have a jackalope running around behind the clinic that I’d like to show you.
The simple fact of the matter is that sugar is ruining the health of more Americans more quickly and more completely than anything else. It’s at the heart of what I call the low- fat, high carb Torture Chamber Diet.
If you just want to eat well, lose weight and be healthy, then the best of advice of all is also the simplest: Enjoy a diet rich in fresh, fatty meats and delicious organic vegetables.
Just don’t wash it down with a soda.
Be Well,
William B. Ferril, M.D.
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The girls have had very little sugar in their diets. I am trying to keep it that way.
Ruth
October 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Tired of dire news and Guam. How about this?
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The Kings rock Guam
BY DUSTIN D. DALENO • VIBE REPORTER • OCTOBER 5, 2009
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Pop rock group We the Kings amazed thousands of fans who filled the Yigo Amusement Park Sept. 26 for the Rock in the Park concert.
Fans were blown away by the double performances of two nationally known acts, including the amazing Christofer Drew Ingle, the solo guitar, ukulele and singing talent more popularly known as NeverShoutNever.
Teens, mostly high school students from public, private and the military base schools packed the Yigo park even as rain poured on and off.
NeverShoutNever poured himself with a bottle of water while performing as the fans were drenched.
“Just to be fair, I’m gonna get wet, too,” NeverShoutNever says.
The crowed went crazy with screams and cheers.
“It was freakin’ awesome, it was wild and crazy,” says Jeremiah Cepeda, a seventh-grader at Agueda Johnston Middle School, smiling after the concert.
After standing for almost six hours, getting soaked in the rain, not to mention paying a week’s worth of allowance to get through the concert door; many fans felt it was worth it.
Joseph Babauta, a freshman at George Washington High School says, “I thought that was the best concert I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“It was freakin’ bad…,” says Dominic Ungacta, a freshman at Notre Dame.
Local band Freedom Fries performed before the bigger names, but did not disappoint with its unique ensemble that included a trumpet, trombone, and a shirtless drummer.
NeverShoutNever
Shortly after a moving performance by NeverShoutNever’s tour buddy, Carter Hulsey, NeverShoutNever took the stage and the crowd let out a deafening cheer.
By then, the crowd had already tripled in size and was still growing.
Ingle let the audience decide what they wanted to hear. The audience sang and clapped along to all the widely popular songs like “Happy,” “Your Biggest Fan,” and “Trouble.” The 18-year-old artists’ songs were inspired by girls he knew, liked or dated.
Adoring fans screamed, “I love you!” and threw several gifts and clothes on stage including a red pair of shorts, candy and lip gloss. Ingle ate the lip gloss.
He also put the red short on top of his jeans — and fans screamed again.
We The Kings
We the Kings exploded onto the stage led by Travis Clark, the band’s lead vocal. They rocked the park with their biggest hits like “Secret Valentine,” “All Again for You,” “This Is Our Town” and “Skyway Avenue.” The speakers were blasting the crowd as they rocked their hands in the air, waved lighters, and jumped to the rhythm like a big, crazy party.
Later in the concert, Clark led the crowd to do a giant, picture perfect wave that started in the back and ended at the stage. Even after they finished, the audience wanted more. Everyone cheered: “encore, encore, encore!” and “We the Kings, We the Kings!”
The kings soon returned to play their last song, “Check Yes Juliet.”
The crowd sang along, and at the end of the performance, the band threw drumsticks, and other souvenirs.
The kings — pleased with the crowd — promised to return.
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Hafa adai
Anna