Fresh AIRE

Thinking + Drinking + Sustainability = GREEN DRINKS

If you haven't heard of Green Drinks before, it is an informal networking event for people of all kinds with a personal and/or professional interest in local sustainability. The drinks aren't green but the people are! 

It's a low-key, accessible way to:

• find out what positive things are happening in Arlington
• share what you know and do
• learn what you can do to green your own lifestyle at work, home, or play
• connect with like-minded people
• or even find a job/an employee  

The spirit of Green Drinks is that anyone can come, and this makes for interesting interactions. 

Green Drinks is NOT directly associated with the Green Party or any other political, corporate or government groups in any way (although they are more than welcome to come…and we will).

There are lots of benefits to green drinks; they are hard to quantify, but when you have seen people come and make new links and learn and argue and set up new schemes and get new jobs etc, it is a good feeling.  

Don't miss the first meeting for our local chapter of Green Drinks!  Visit their Facebook page, become a Fan, and mark your calendars for the inaugural meeting! 

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=298277643025 

DC Environmental Film Fest Starts Next Week!

Don't miss out on this incredible event!  This is the 18th year of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, and the biggest.  155 films will be shown in various locations around DC this month, starting on Tuesday, March 9th.  The 2010 Festival explores the vital connections between food and the environment (an area of focus for Arlington too!).  What we eat is essential to our health and wellbeing; how food is produced and transported to our tables affects the condition of our planet. There are films for everyone, adults, kids, and families.  Search the film schedule online. 

CANN - Children & Nature Network Launch!

Become a Facebook FAN of ours to stay updated on all the 'green' news, updates, action, and tips in Arlington.  Click here to visit our page and become a FAN today: LINK

“Even though we live in an urban place, there is nature all around us,” Board Chairman Jay Fisette said. “This is a terrific idea: It’s the parents, the kids, non-profits, the community and government coming together.”

On February 24th, a growing number of students, parents, teachers, elected officials and nonprofits  teamed up to connect children with nature.   No matter if you grew up in a suburb, on a farm, or in a big city, you probably spent a lot of time playing outside, getting covered in dirt, and coming home with a big ol' grin on your face.

The Children and Nature Network is trying to bring kids back to basics.  In our world today, for better or worse, kids are plugged in constantly. Turning down the thermostat on the technologically overheated aspect of youth has real benefits.

But why is it important to connect kids with nature?

If you are thinking about having kids or already have kids, but haven't read Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, you should make time.  This book details the plethora of reasons nature is important to the development of children and learning.

Much has changed over the past few decades that have caused a major disconnect with the natural world. To name a few - computers, the internet, text messaging, iPods, DVD players in vehicles, email, gaming machines such as PlayStation, cell phones, digital cameras, yadda yadda yadda.

Did you ever think about all of the prepackaged games and entertainment for kids and how it removes the need for kids to construct games from their own mind, create forts, enjoy deep imaginative play, and explore?

I won’t hit on all the details, but some of the BIG issues linked to increased technology use and lack of nature in American youth include obesity, depression, attention deficit disorder, decreased creativity, and diminished critical thinking skills.  There are far more reasons than just the increased technology levels in our kids lives, but you will have to read the book to learn more.

 

Here are 3 simple things you can do to learn more and get involved:

1.  Join the CANN network and pledge your support:  http://www.arlingtonenvironment.org/cann.php

2.  Read this article from the Sun Gazette to learn more about CANN:  http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2010/02/25/arlington/news/nw232.txt

3.  Read this book, which you can obtain from your local Arlington Library in eBook MP3 format or hard copy:  http://www.acornweb.org/

 

Here are more photos from the CANN kickoff event:

 

 

"Power Plant in a Box" Makes Debut

You know the adage if it’s too good to be true, it probably is?  Well, by tomorrow night one company may very well be on its way to proving that hypothesis wrong.  Humor us as we explore the hype versus practicality of the latest technology purported to help save the planet. 

Out of Silicon Valley comes Bloom Energy’s Bloom Box, which made its initial debut via Fortune.com and 60 Minutes over the weekend.  This box, they say, would be like a power plant in your own backyard (except small, relatively inexpensive, and without any sound or smell). 

Walmart, ebay, Google, Staples, and more have been testing the technology on a commercial scale.  Plus, the Bloom Box press event tomorrow will include individuals such as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, not to mention John Doerr (the guy that put his backing behind Google, Amazon and other highly-successful ventures, and who has invested heavily in Bloom Energy).

 

The box uses fuel-cell technology (which, it’s worth mentioning, is not a new technology).  Fuel cells work like a chemical battery, combining solutions to create a chemical reaction that delivers electricity.  Traditionally (or as traditional as fuel cells get), materials like platinum and hydrogen were used to generate power from a fuel cell.  However, these materials tend to be on the pricey side. 

 

Bloom Energy applies fuel cell technology using less expensive materials – ceramic wafers, ink, and readily-available natural gas.  So, what’s inside these mystery boxes?  Each Bloom Box is made up of 64 of these wafers, which are painted on one side with green ink and one side with black.  The wafers are stacked and compartmentalized by metal plates, and all is packaged in a tidy 6-inch square box.  For more of an explanation on this technology click here.

 

We could direct you to Bloom Energy’s website for more details but the technology and essentially everything related to the Bloom Box has been kept highly secretive thus far.  Bloom Energy debuts its Bloom Box tomorrow at a press event at the ebay offices in San Jose, so for now you can watch their nice video and hopefully explore more of their website soon.

 

We are anxious to hear what you think of this technology!  Lots of new products come out with much fanfare, so what about the Bloom Box makes it different (or not)?  Are you excited about the prospect?

Global Warming is Inproperly Named

As all of you in the Washington Metro area know, we have had some epic snow over the past few months.  Since we've had the hottest decade on record and the world is getting warmer, one might think that these epic snowstorms would be a thing of the past, right?  

Well, the term "global warming" doesn't properly name this phenomenon that we are dealing with.  Personally, I think it should be called "global weirdness".  Some places around the globe are warmer, others are colder, some dryer, some waterlogged.  The impact doesn't occur evenly throughout the world.

To read a few other viewpoints, take a look at this Time magazine article that suggests more snow IS the result of supercharged storm clouds from warming, or this MSNBC video.

Do you have an opinion on the matter?  

If so leave us a comment below!

 

Digging Out…Greenly

Well, here we are…awaiting another major snow storm.  We’d be remiss if we didn’t bring up the fact that even snow removal can have a harmful impact on the environment.

As a homeowner, there’s not much more to be concerned about at times like these other than an icy driveway, walkway and sidewalk.  If we’re going to talk about being green while dealing with snow removal, then we need to acknowledge that snow blowers are not the greenest option.  Gas-guzzling snow blowers are out.  Shoveling is in.  Of course the strenuous exercise of shoveling is not for everyone so consider an electric snow blower or be sure to ask your snow removal service about the products they use.   There are also newer ergonomic shovels out these days, such as the wovel, which purports to eliminate the back-breaking muscle-spasm pain associated with old fashioned shoveling.

Your quest to conquer Old Man Winter does not stop there.  What if you don’t get all the snow removed from these surfaces before it freezes?  Your first instinct may be to turn to salt (even though you may also be muttering about the need for a car wash after riding through it!).  But, salt can contribute to water pollution and can harm soil, plants and trees.  In moderation, sand or even wood chips or kitty litter are suggested as more eco-friendly options.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers a few suggestions for environmentally friendly de-icers here.

By the way fellow shovelers….as you dress to head out, remember there are green options in what you wear too!  Consider fleece, gloves, hats, jackets, long-underwear and more in recycled material options and natural, organic materials.

P.S. After the recent snowfalls and predictions for this weekend, now consider the Dec 22 blog about the ability to control the weather. 

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny…….Houses?

There has been much talk this month about homes and I don’t just mean foreclosures and sales data.  The International Home Builders Show was held this week in Las Vegas where Better Homes and Gardens Magazine released the findings of their “Next Home Survey” (click here to read an article on the survey by MarketWatch).

The survey found that 36% of consumers in 2009 (up from 32%) plan for their next home to be somewhat or much smaller than their current home and almost half of the survey respondents said they would be looking for greener materials in their next home. What about you? Which green features would be on your “must-have” list?

Many of us living in Arlington already live in smaller residences – apartments or condos.  And those who don’t likely did at some point – even if it was just in a college dorm.  The small space not only makes one creatively seek storage options but I know first-hand how it can also make you reconsider buying an item to begin with.  After all, where would I put it?  There’s not much choice when you have 500 sq ft to play with.  So how do we go from a couple hundred square feet to a couple thousand square feet? And is it really necessary or is it simply to get more storage space to fit more stuff we go out and buy?

As the MarketWatch article states, the average size of homes started in the third quarter of 2008 was 2,438 square feet, down from 2,629 square feet in the second quarter.  Being a dweller of a multi-family complex myself, this sounds like a mansion to me. How big is your home?  Or, better yet, how small would you go?  Check out some of the world’s tiniest homes and then let us know!

 

How a Piece of Paper Might Help Solve Our Battery Needs

How could paper be turned into a battery?  That’s a question for scientists at Stanford University who announced in early December their success at turning ordinary paper into a lightweight battery.  According to a recent Reuters article, the technology could be commercially available in a short time. 

Paper as a battery?  But it’s so thin and flimsy! Ah, in fact these batteries may be more powerful (ten times more) than lithium-ion batteries.  The scientists are using the same aspect that makes ink adhere to paper. 

Without heavy batteries everyday electronics like cell phones and cameras and even hybrid vehicles could perform better and held reduce our pocket/pocketbook loads!  It’s neat to think that one of the most talked about products in the world of environmental consciousness (paper) could help us solve some of our energy demands.  The January 8 blog below discussed new technologies at the recent Consumer Electronics Show.  So what do you think? Will this technology be a hit or a flop?