The Green Skeptic | 
08 31st, 2008| 
Mmmm he got some good stuff.
Aug
31
Joey had never been to the St. Jacobs farmers market before and since we are trying to buy more local food items we decided to buy all of our fruits and vegetables there. It is only open Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays so Joey went during the week to pick up our goodies.
Mmmm he got some good stuff.
Mmmm he got some good stuff.
Aug
31
"An Open Letter to God, from Michael Moore
Sunday, August 31st, 2008
Dear God,
The other night, the Rev. James Dobson's ministry asked all believers to pray for a storm on Thursday night so that the Obama acceptance speech outdoors in Denver would have to be cancelled.
I see that You have answered Rev. Dobson's prayers -- except the storm You have sent to earth is not over Denver, but on its way to New Orleans! In fact, You have scheduled it to hit Louisiana at exactly the moment that George W. Bush is to deliver his speech at the Republican National Convention.
Now, heavenly Father, we all know You have a great sense of humor and impeccable timing. To send a hurricane on the third anniversary of the Katrina disaster AND right at the beginning of the Republican Convention was, at first blush, a stroke of divine irony. I don't blame You, I know You're angry that the Republicans tried to blame YOU for Katrina by calling it an "Act of God" -- when the truth was that the hurricane itself caused few casualties in New Orleans. Over a thousand people died because of the mistakes and neglect caused by humans, not You.
Some of us tried to help after Katrina hit, while Bush ate cake with McCain and twiddled his thumbs. I closed my office in New York and sent my entire staff down to New Orleans to help. I asked people on my website to contribute to the relief effort I organized -- and I ended up sending over two million dollars in donations, food, water, and supplies (collected from thousands of fans) to New Orleans while Bush's FEMA ice trucks were still driving around Maine three weeks later.
But this past Thursday night, the Washington Post reported that the Republicans had begun making plans to possibly postpone the convention. The AP had reported that there were no shelters set up in New Orleans for this storm, and that the levee repairs have not been adequate. In other words, as the great Ronald Reagan would say, "There you go again!"
So the last thing John McCain and the Republicans needed was to have a split-screen on TVs across America: one side with Bush and McCain partying in St. Paul, and on the other side of the screen, live footage of their Republican administration screwing up once again while New Orleans drowns.
So, yes, You have scared the Jesus, Mary and Joseph out of them, and more than a few million of your followers tip their hats to You.
But now it appears that You haven't been having just a little fun with Bush & Co. It appears that Hurricane Gustav is truly heading to New Orleans and the Gulf coast. We hear You, O Lord, loud and clear, just as we did when Rev. Falwell said You made 9/11 happen because of all those gays and abortions. We beseech You, O Merciful One, not to punish us again as Pat Robertson said You did by giving us Katrina because of America's "wholesale slaughter of unborn children." His sentiments were echoed by other Republicans in 2005.
So this is my plea to you: Don't do this to Louisiana again. The Republicans got your message. They are scrambling and doing the best they can to get planes, trains and buses to New Orleans so that everyone can get out. They haven't sent the entire Louisiana National Guard to Iraq this time -- they are already patrolling the city streets. And, in a nod to I don't know what, Bush's head of FEMA has named a man to help manage the federal government's response. His name is W. Michael Moore. I kid you not, heavenly Father. They have sent a man with both my name AND W's to help save the Gulf Coast.
So please God, let the storm die out at sea. It's done enough damage already. If you do this one favor for me, I promise not to invoke your name again. I'll leave that to the followers of Rev. Dobson and to those gathering this week in St. Paul.
Your faithful servant and former seminarian,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
P.S. To all of God's fellow children who are reading this, the city New Orleans has not yet recovered from Katrina. Please click here for a list of things you can do to help our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast. And, if you do live along the Gulf Coast, please take all necessary safety precautions immediately."
A side note from PassionateGreen -
Check out this awesome deal on Mike's new book:
Social Bookmarking
Sunday, August 31st, 2008
Dear God,
The other night, the Rev. James Dobson's ministry asked all believers to pray for a storm on Thursday night so that the Obama acceptance speech outdoors in Denver would have to be cancelled.
I see that You have answered Rev. Dobson's prayers -- except the storm You have sent to earth is not over Denver, but on its way to New Orleans! In fact, You have scheduled it to hit Louisiana at exactly the moment that George W. Bush is to deliver his speech at the Republican National Convention.
Now, heavenly Father, we all know You have a great sense of humor and impeccable timing. To send a hurricane on the third anniversary of the Katrina disaster AND right at the beginning of the Republican Convention was, at first blush, a stroke of divine irony. I don't blame You, I know You're angry that the Republicans tried to blame YOU for Katrina by calling it an "Act of God" -- when the truth was that the hurricane itself caused few casualties in New Orleans. Over a thousand people died because of the mistakes and neglect caused by humans, not You.
Some of us tried to help after Katrina hit, while Bush ate cake with McCain and twiddled his thumbs. I closed my office in New York and sent my entire staff down to New Orleans to help. I asked people on my website to contribute to the relief effort I organized -- and I ended up sending over two million dollars in donations, food, water, and supplies (collected from thousands of fans) to New Orleans while Bush's FEMA ice trucks were still driving around Maine three weeks later.
But this past Thursday night, the Washington Post reported that the Republicans had begun making plans to possibly postpone the convention. The AP had reported that there were no shelters set up in New Orleans for this storm, and that the levee repairs have not been adequate. In other words, as the great Ronald Reagan would say, "There you go again!"
So the last thing John McCain and the Republicans needed was to have a split-screen on TVs across America: one side with Bush and McCain partying in St. Paul, and on the other side of the screen, live footage of their Republican administration screwing up once again while New Orleans drowns.
So, yes, You have scared the Jesus, Mary and Joseph out of them, and more than a few million of your followers tip their hats to You.
But now it appears that You haven't been having just a little fun with Bush & Co. It appears that Hurricane Gustav is truly heading to New Orleans and the Gulf coast. We hear You, O Lord, loud and clear, just as we did when Rev. Falwell said You made 9/11 happen because of all those gays and abortions. We beseech You, O Merciful One, not to punish us again as Pat Robertson said You did by giving us Katrina because of America's "wholesale slaughter of unborn children." His sentiments were echoed by other Republicans in 2005.
So this is my plea to you: Don't do this to Louisiana again. The Republicans got your message. They are scrambling and doing the best they can to get planes, trains and buses to New Orleans so that everyone can get out. They haven't sent the entire Louisiana National Guard to Iraq this time -- they are already patrolling the city streets. And, in a nod to I don't know what, Bush's head of FEMA has named a man to help manage the federal government's response. His name is W. Michael Moore. I kid you not, heavenly Father. They have sent a man with both my name AND W's to help save the Gulf Coast.
So please God, let the storm die out at sea. It's done enough damage already. If you do this one favor for me, I promise not to invoke your name again. I'll leave that to the followers of Rev. Dobson and to those gathering this week in St. Paul.
Your faithful servant and former seminarian,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
P.S. To all of God's fellow children who are reading this, the city New Orleans has not yet recovered from Katrina. Please click here for a list of things you can do to help our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast. And, if you do live along the Gulf Coast, please take all necessary safety precautions immediately."
A side note from PassionateGreen -
Check out this awesome deal on Mike's new book:
Social Bookmarking
Aug
31
US voters want solar and wind energy, but that doesn't mean they are against drilling for more oil, according to a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll released this week.
According to a WSJ article by Stephen Power on Thursday, "72% of respondents said developing alternative energy sources could 'accomplish a great deal.'
"When the question was asked another way, 61% of respondents chose 'developing alternative energy sources' as the step that should receive the most emphasis from policy makers."
And yet, "twenty-five percent responded that 'exploring and drilling for oil' in the U.S. should get the most emphasis, and 12% picked 'having Americans conserve and use less oil.'
"When asked whether expanding areas for drilling for oil off coastal states was a step in the right direction, 63% said it was, with 44% saying it would accomplish 'a great deal.' Only 27% said that allowing more drilling off coastal states was a step in 'the wrong direction.'
"Asked about building more nuclear plants, 53% said it was a step in the right direction. Thirty-one percent said it was a step 'in the wrong direction.'"
Congress will come back to Washington in a few weeks and head into a debate about continuing alternative-energy tax credits and lifting the 27-year drilling ban off US coasts.
The poll suggests a need for a balanced approach. Hope Congress is listening.
For more on the poll: http://tinyurl.com/5cf6go
(Composed on BlackBerry; links to come; updated 8/30)
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According to a WSJ article by Stephen Power on Thursday, "72% of respondents said developing alternative energy sources could 'accomplish a great deal.'
"When the question was asked another way, 61% of respondents chose 'developing alternative energy sources' as the step that should receive the most emphasis from policy makers."
And yet, "twenty-five percent responded that 'exploring and drilling for oil' in the U.S. should get the most emphasis, and 12% picked 'having Americans conserve and use less oil.'
"When asked whether expanding areas for drilling for oil off coastal states was a step in the right direction, 63% said it was, with 44% saying it would accomplish 'a great deal.' Only 27% said that allowing more drilling off coastal states was a step in 'the wrong direction.'
"Asked about building more nuclear plants, 53% said it was a step in the right direction. Thirty-one percent said it was a step 'in the wrong direction.'"
Congress will come back to Washington in a few weeks and head into a debate about continuing alternative-energy tax credits and lifting the 27-year drilling ban off US coasts.
The poll suggests a need for a balanced approach. Hope Congress is listening.
For more on the poll: http://tinyurl.com/5cf6go
(Composed on BlackBerry; links to come; updated 8/30)
Aug
31
You may want to read this book by starting with Part II. Either that or make sure all the knives are locked away so you won't slit your wrists during Part I.
Lester Brown has his facts straight and uses them liberally, but reading about how dire is the current situation on the Earth leaves you feeling hopeless.
Increasing shortages of water, rising CO2 levels, food security, health, education, and natural systems under stress. What can we possibly do to change this for the better?
Luckily, Brown pivots after the first 127 pages and devotes the rest of the book to solutions.
"There are many things we do not know about the future," Brown writes. "But one thing we do know is that business as usual will not continue for much longer...Will the change come because we move quickly to restructure the economy or because we fail to act and civilization begins to unravel?"
That is the critical question of this book. Can we move fast enough and for the right reasons?
Brown, the founder of Worldwatch and the Earth Policy Institute, has been promoting a sustainable future for over 30 years.
He includes recommendations for eradicating poverty, stabilizing population (through education and contraception), restoring natural systems, feeding the projected 8 billion we are likely to see in this century, and shifting to greater energy efficiency and alternatives.
And he budgets out the necessary costs, estimating Plan B will take an additional annual expenditure of $190M, "roughly one third of the current U.S. Military budget or one sixth of the global military budget."
Brown concludes: "The choice is ours -- yours and mine. We can stay with business as usual and preside over an economy that continues to destroy its natural support systems until it destroys itself, or we can adopt Plan B and be the generation that changes direction, moving the world onto a path of sustained progress."
What choice do we have?
(Blogging by BlackBerry; links to come later.)
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Aug
30
I know what you are thinking. Yes we are crazy. I read in another blog about someone doing this and was impressed by what they accomplished during the week. When I asked Joey if he would be interested and he said yes my mind immediatly went to "OMG I will miss 3 Big Brother episodes". I am sure that the world will not implode by us understaking this eco-challenge.
This is more than just an eco-challenge. Not only will we be conserving less power by not having the TV on but we will also be reconnecting as a couple, enjoying our neighbourhood and finishing up projects around the house.
We do have some ground rules that we have set.
1. We can watch 2 movies throughout the week - must be together.
2. We can still use the internet to get information on the news, sports etc but not to watch TV.
We will be TV free starting today (Saturday August 30th) until the end of the day next Friday September 5th.
Anyone else want to join us in this challenge?
This is more than just an eco-challenge. Not only will we be conserving less power by not having the TV on but we will also be reconnecting as a couple, enjoying our neighbourhood and finishing up projects around the house.
We do have some ground rules that we have set.
1. We can watch 2 movies throughout the week - must be together.
2. We can still use the internet to get information on the news, sports etc but not to watch TV.
We will be TV free starting today (Saturday August 30th) until the end of the day next Friday September 5th.
Anyone else want to join us in this challenge?
Aug
30
submit_url = 'http://www.forcedgreen.com/2008/08/go-college-kids/';A group of students at Cornell University in Syracuse, New York have
designed a car that will go 100 mpg. Cornell’s AXP team...
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Aug
30
As you can see from the chart, 50% of the survey takers are 25-34. I ... [visit site to read more]
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Aug
30
After in-depth research on the top five ("each of five parties shares a degree of national attention by attaining the mathematical possibility of its nominee becoming president" - Wikipedia) candidates, I have placed them in order from most environmentally friendly to least:
1. Cynthia McKinney
2. Barack Obama
3. John McCain
4. Tie - Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin
And so, it all comes down to whether you are one of those people who believes that a vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote, or someone who believes that it is only by voting for third party candidates that America will ever release itself from the shackles of Two Major Parties.
1. Cynthia McKinney
2. Barack Obama
3. John McCain
4. Tie - Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin
And so, it all comes down to whether you are one of those people who believes that a vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote, or someone who believes that it is only by voting for third party candidates that America will ever release itself from the shackles of Two Major Parties.
Aug
29
Our weekly Eco-Challenge was to assess all of our standby power users in our house. It is a real eye opener for sure. What was interesting is that we would assess one area of the house and document what was using standby power then a few days later the item plugged in (and left plugged in) would change to something else. Looks like we need to change the way we go about things around here.
What did we find....well here is the list (we did not include major items that need to remain plugged in like the fridge)
- Powerbar in the family room (TV, Playstation, cable box)
- The "Charging Zone" (cellphone/BlackBerry chargers, battery charger)
- Toaster
- Hairdryer
- Straightner
- Clippers
- Floor lamp in family room
- Battery charger for tools in garage
- TV's in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Alarm clock in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Powerbars in Office (monitor, CPU, printer, router, modem, phone, paper shredder
- Vacuum
- Table lamps in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Cable box in master bedroom
- Laptop
My co-worker is going to lend us his nifty tool that will take a reading on each item and will calculate how much power it is using (including how much it costs us). Hold me, I am scared to find out!
What the heck are we going to do about all of this? Some things are easier to address than others. Some will require a change in habit where as others are just common sense. I mean who keeps their vacuum plugged in for days (coughcoughweekscoughcough)?
For the family room TV zone we will make sure everything but the cable box is plugged into the powerbar and then we will turn the powerbar off at night. We won't be plugging the cable box in because it has a clock on it and it reboots all the channels when the power removed then turned back on.
Things that will remain plugged in - the lights throughout the house.
Things that will be unplugged after use - everything used in the "Charging Zone", toaster, vacuum, clippers, straighter, hair dryer, laptop, tool battery charger. We will be creating a fine jar so if we don't unplug these items after they are done charging we will have to pay a fine. The money will go towards buying a new powerbar for our office.
Things we need to think more about - the TV's in the bedrooms and the office.
Things I would like to smash with a sledge hammer - the alarm clocks. Does anyone remember the Seinfeld episode with Kenny Rogers Chicken? That is what our alarm clocks are like...only blue light and green light.
What did we find....well here is the list (we did not include major items that need to remain plugged in like the fridge)
- Powerbar in the family room (TV, Playstation, cable box)
- The "Charging Zone" (cellphone/BlackBerry chargers, battery charger)
- Toaster
- Hairdryer
- Straightner
- Clippers
- Floor lamp in family room
- Battery charger for tools in garage
- TV's in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Alarm clock in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Powerbars in Office (monitor, CPU, printer, router, modem, phone, paper shredder
- Vacuum
- Table lamps in master bedroom and spare bedroom
- Cable box in master bedroom
- Laptop
My co-worker is going to lend us his nifty tool that will take a reading on each item and will calculate how much power it is using (including how much it costs us). Hold me, I am scared to find out!
What the heck are we going to do about all of this? Some things are easier to address than others. Some will require a change in habit where as others are just common sense. I mean who keeps their vacuum plugged in for days (coughcoughweekscoughcough)?
For the family room TV zone we will make sure everything but the cable box is plugged into the powerbar and then we will turn the powerbar off at night. We won't be plugging the cable box in because it has a clock on it and it reboots all the channels when the power removed then turned back on.
Things that will remain plugged in - the lights throughout the house.
Things that will be unplugged after use - everything used in the "Charging Zone", toaster, vacuum, clippers, straighter, hair dryer, laptop, tool battery charger. We will be creating a fine jar so if we don't unplug these items after they are done charging we will have to pay a fine. The money will go towards buying a new powerbar for our office.
Things we need to think more about - the TV's in the bedrooms and the office.
Things I would like to smash with a sledge hammer - the alarm clocks. Does anyone remember the Seinfeld episode with Kenny Rogers Chicken? That is what our alarm clocks are like...only blue light and green light.
Aug
29
August 29th's Tip
Air Conditioning/Heating: You all know about turning the temperature up or down (depending on the season) about two degrees to save energy. What about when you go out? Do you really need to keep your house at 74F in the summer or 68F in the winter or whatever temperature you have it at when you're home? When you leave for work or go on ... [visit site to read more]© Focus Organic for 2008. |
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Aug
29
submit_url = 'http://www.forcedgreen.com/2008/08/help-us-help-you/';Dear Readers,
Forced Green has grown tremendously over the last several months and none of that
growth would have been possible...
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Aug
29
As nominee for the Constitution Party, Chuck Baldwin has a few good ideas to bring to the table. However, none of them are about the environment: "There is enough gas and oil under the soil of Alaska (not to mention the Dakotas and the Gulf of Mexico) to meet the energy needs of the United States for the next 150-200 years. We must begin drilling for the domestic oil that we know exists; we must build more refineries and nuclear power plants."
I do appreciate his quote, "Americans have more to fear from D.C. than Baghdad or Tehran." Good one! Ironic, though, since Baldwin himself is a big, scary, Earth-destroying monster.
I'm not sure how the Constitution Party is different from the Libertarian party ... they are both about going back to America's origin as described in the Constitution. Chuck Baldwin should just call himself what he is, a Right Wing Libertarian.
ontheissues.org
libertymaven.com
chuckbaldwinlive.com
I do appreciate his quote, "Americans have more to fear from D.C. than Baghdad or Tehran." Good one! Ironic, though, since Baldwin himself is a big, scary, Earth-destroying monster.I'm not sure how the Constitution Party is different from the Libertarian party ... they are both about going back to America's origin as described in the Constitution. Chuck Baldwin should just call himself what he is, a Right Wing Libertarian.
ontheissues.org
libertymaven.com
chuckbaldwinlive.com
Aug
28
The Green Microgym will be powered, at ... [visit site to read more]
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Aug
28
I'm all for Libertarianism. But Bob Barr is a freak and I have no clue as to how he ever got nominated by that party in the first place. He has
actually stated, “Global warming is a myth.” If he and I ever met I'm sure he would categorize me as one of those "environmental wackos." In other words, Barr can "suck it." I hope he chokes on all of the "pretend" smog.
ontheissues.org
independentpoliticalreport.com
grist.org
bobbarr2008.com
whereistand.com
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actually stated, “Global warming is a myth.” If he and I ever met I'm sure he would categorize me as one of those "environmental wackos." In other words, Barr can "suck it." I hope he chokes on all of the "pretend" smog.ontheissues.org
independentpoliticalreport.com
grist.org
bobbarr2008.com
whereistand.com
Social Bookmarking
Aug
27
Two things I know for sure about environmentastic! readers:
- You are interested in living a more “green” lifestyle, each for your own reasons.
- You are tech savvy enough to subscribe to, read, or even write your own blog.
Knowing these two things makes it easy to suggest the next Simple Way to improve your environmental footprint:
Use paperless billing for your monthly expenses wherever possible
Take a look at your bills the next time they come in, or go to the website for the companies whose bills you receive each month. Somewhere on the invoice, in the envelope (with all the wasteful flyers and inserts), or on the website, there will most likely be instructions on how to sign up for “paperless billing.”
Pay attention to how much paper you receive with each bill as they come in. Multiply that amount of paper by the number of bills you receive, then multiply THAT by 12 months per year. Now think about what you actually do with all that paper. Me? I throw it away (recycle it, actually, but it’s still a waste).
So you can see how much of a difference signing up for paperless billing can make! Sign up today!
Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley
Do you use paperless billing already? Why or why not? What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments!
Aug
27
Finally, the contest I have been telling you all about is here! I love this one because the concept behind the products is so neat. The Act2 GreenSmart bags are made from 100% certified post-consumer PET bottles. Yep, they're made from plastic bottles! According to cleanair.org, Americans alone throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Multiply that times 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we have 21.9 billion plastic bottles in our landfills in one year. <a ... [visit site to read more]
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Aug
27
The New York Times has a good piece this morning examining the major obstacle in switching to wind power: the outmoded electricity grid.
What's needed is an electricity transmission superhighway, says one Federal Energy Commission rep.
Read the full article:
http://tinyurl.com/5rjzkl
What's needed is an electricity transmission superhighway, says one Federal Energy Commission rep.
Read the full article:
http://tinyurl.com/5rjzkl
Aug
27
Relax and enjoy a few minutes of our beautiful planet with me !
Blue Planet…(nature)…
Aug
27
"Leave the oil in the soil, " she says. McKinney seems to have the most comprehensive environmental policy of all the major runners. The problem is, mainstream voters who typically only look to Democrats or Republicans will think her ideas are radical, like Ron Paul or something. Anyone familiar with the problems we are having using our natural resources and the potential for disaster will understand that radical is what we need right now when it comes to the environment. But somehow I can't see my grandmother getting on her bandwagon. America isn't ready for Cynthia McKinney; I fervently wish it was! (As far as global warming is concerned. Her abortion policies are a little bit scary to me.)
A quote from McKinney that we can all agree on: "The situation is now quite clear. The United States can no longer hide its truculence under the mask of weather fluctuations or unclear science. Islands are disappearing; indigenous ways of life are threatened; indeed the world as we know it is at risk if the US continues to do nothing. Therefore, a drastic cut in emissions is necessary. This can be accomplished by using the tax code to incentivize behavior. From retrofitting buildings, demanding new standards for all new construction, utilizing existing technologies and developing new ones, to subsidizing infrastructure rehabilitation, not only can the US reverse its deadly inaction, but it can become a world-class leader. The US could declare itself carbon and nuclear free. It has not. The urgency of the situation has been made clear by many popular articles and films. The next step is to create the political will to change course."
More information at:
ontheissues.org
grist.org
environment.about.com
youtube.com
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Aug
27
submit_url = 'http://www.forcedgreen.com/2008/08/organic-light-emitting-diodes-oleds/';Research and development in the area of OLED’s has been fast and furious
in the past few years. Numerous...
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