Greener Disposable Tableware

I try to limit my use of disposables as much as possible. Reusing something is, after all, the greenest option. But it’s not always practical. If I throw a kid’s birthday party with 20 guests, I need to clean up quickly and get on to the next activity. At the same time, I hate buying bags of plastic plates, knowing that they won’t biodegrade any time soon. In fact, they’ll probably still be around for thousands of years. On top of it all, they’re made from oil, a nonrenewable resource that requires intensive processing. Some plastic plates can technically be recycled, but most recycling facilities will ultimately reject and trash plastics that are greasy or oily. That makes for some pretty dim prospects for recycling plates that have come in contact with any food. All and all, while it’s really convenient, disposable tableware is basically an eco-nightmare all around.

So, I was intrigued when I found some “eco-friendly” alternatives to disposable plastics. But at the same time, I was skeptical. Could something that’s disposable ever really be eco-friendly? After digging deep into this question, I think the answer is a clear yes. In fact, I feel so good about these products that Green Irene is now offering a line of disposable tableware.

So what is this magic material? In a word, sugar – the source of many wonderful things. Green Irene’s plates, bowls, and cups are made from bagasse, a byproduct created during sugarcane processing. Before it was used for tableware, bagasse was burned as waste. Turning this waste product into something useful is much greener than cutting down forests to make paper plates. These products can be torn up and put in your indoor or outdoor composter. They can also be sent to a municipal compost facility, or recycled along with your paper products. Green Irene’s bagasse items can handle hot and cold foods, and they’re even safe for microwave use.

For more information about Green Irene’s disposable tableware, check out Ask Green Irene entry #1204. If you are not a member (which you are when you get a  Green Home Makeover or Green Office Makeover), your local eco-consultant can help you select and order Green Irene’s recommended eco-friendly plates, bowls, cups and utensils.

Rosamaria Caballero
The Original Green Irene Eco-Consultant
rosamaria.caballero@greenirene.com

Discreet rooftop wind turbines for homes

RidgeBlade is a wind-power system that can be fitted to buildings with minimum visual impact and maximum energy conversion potential. This micro-generation system employs discreetly housed cylindrical turbines positioned horizontally along the apex of a sloping roof. The slope of the roof naturally channels wind into the turbine chamber, meaning RidgeBlade can “produce electricity under low or variable wind conditions.” This high efficiency means that the system could pay for itself within a few years.

Designed by a former Rolls Royce turbine engineer under the wing of UK-based The Power Collective.

Website: www.thepowercollective.com

To be clear this is just in concept stage now, but it is moving ahead and can bring some wind power to dense urban areas which will not work for wind turbines.  Goes to show that once people start thinking about how to innovate around this crisis, good ideas start to emerge.  I can see local Green Irene Eco-Consultants helping homeowners with all of these innovations as they arise, since no one needs to become an expert in wind power just because they want to use renewable energy for their home.

October is Walk to School Month

October is Walk to School month, and some schools are organizing official “walk to school days” for their community. The event’s website talks about the goals for the project:

International Walk to School is more than just getting together with children and going for a walk to school as a special event. This is certainly important, but the event’s greater aim is to bring forth permanent change in communities across the globe. Below are just a few of its goals:

• Encourage physical activity by teaching children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking.
• Raise awareness of how walkable a community is and where improvements can be made.
• Raise concern for the environment.
• Reduce crime and take back neighborhoods for people on foot.
• Reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools.
• Share valuable time with local community leaders, parents, and children.

Check out the event website for more details at www.iwalktoschool.org. Is your school participating? Let us know in the comments below!

Solar panels shaped like tiles to remove one more hurdle

Green Irene likes anything that makes it easy for people to say yes to green choices. There no doubt is a group of people who would consider solar panels but just dont want to go for the panel look.

So does converting to solar energy mean covering a roof in unsightly solar panels? Not necessarily: check out the Solé tile, a roof tile designed to sustainably convert sunlight into electricity without compromising aesthetics. When installed, the system can offset a large proportion of a homeowner’s energy costs—not to mention cleaning their carbon conscience.

The Solé tiles, made from a high-performance polymer often used in car bumpers, are lightweight, unbreakable and recyclable. Flexible solar technology is embedded inside each tile, allowing them to function independently of each other. Meanwhile, the performance of the system as a whole is monitored remotely by their producer (SRS Energy) and US Tile. The dark blue tiles are currently designed to be compatible with the clay roof tiles manufactured by US Tile. SRS Energy hopes to have the tiles available nationwide in 2010.

What’s so attractive about systems like this is that it makes it easy for consumers to make a green choice, without having to settle for a product they find unappealing. The continuing increase in green product choices can help to remove the disincentives from sustainable technology.

Has the appearance of a product ever kept you from making a green change? Let us know your story in the comments below!

Bike Sharing Programs Pick Up Speed

It’s hard not to gush about bicycle sharing programs. Biking is a great choice for the environment. The carbon emissions from riding a bike are zero. Bike riding also reduces traffic congestion, allowing cars to make trips faster. But carrying locks and worrying about where to store your bike can be a real hassle. These sharing programs eliminate the fuss, making it easy for you to commute by bike. They’ve been very successful in cities like Montreal and Washington, DC, and the trend seems to be continuing. The City of Boston recently announced a new program that, when completed, will be the largest in the United States.

According to the proposal, set to begin next summer,  the city will place between 1,000 and 3,000 bikes at stations 300 or 400 yards apart, located at major points around the city. Like other programs, there will be a small fee for use: around $2.50 for a daily pass or $40 for the year. This makes bike sharing often much more affordable than commuting by car or even public transportation. Boston will also be investing in more bike lanes. There’s reason to believe the program could have a major impact on commuting habits. Less than 1 percent of Bostonians currently commute by bike. In Lyon, France, which has a bike-sharing program and is similar in size to Boston, 13 percent commute by bike.

As if you need more reasons to get on board with bike sharing, according to the International Bicycle Fund, cyclists who begin commuting by bike lose an average of 13 pounds in the first year. And there’s safety in numbers. Numbers from New York City suggest that as the number of cyclists increases, the number of accidents goes down. Injuries and fatalities have fallen by around 50% since 1998, even as daily ridership more than doubled from 80,000 to 180,000. As more people ride, drivers become more aware of bikers and the city has a greater incentive to build more bike lanes to accommodate new riders.

It’s a win-win situation for the environment and your health.

How To Reduce Children’s Carbon Footprint

Be Kind to the Earth: A Little Kid’s Guide to Reducing your Carbon Footprint, written by Eco-Consultant Kelly McGovern Lu, is filled with fun and simple ways young children can learn about green living and helping make their world a better place. Young readers can enjoy this beautifully illustrated book and begin instituting small steps in their lives that can have a big impact on the future of the environment. Here is an example of some of the tips found in the book:

“Carol remembers to bring a reusable bag when she helps with the shopping!”

“Jason turns off the water while he brushes his teeth!”

“Sophia plants a tree in her backyard!”

The best place to order the book is www.authorhouse.com, as it’s listed a bit cheaper there than at Amazon and other online retailers.

This book is a great example of the incredible work Green Irene Eco-Consultants are doing. It shows the strength and character of the national Green Irene network, which is composed of amazing people ready to green homes and offices right away!

You can contact Kelly at kelly.addisoon@greenirene.com or 802-475-2118.

Kelly McGovern Lu, Authorized Green Irene Eco-Consultant

http://www.greenirene.com/1108

Kelly.Addison@greenirene.com

802-475-2118

Do You Know Your Family’s Carbon Footprint?

Global warming is one of the most pressing problems we face today. The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing the planet to warm quickly. This is having serious effects here and around the world, including stronger storms, hotter summers, more frequent drought and flooding, and even the loss of species.

Each of us contributes to increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in various ways. Each time we consume electricity, food, and other goods and services, we contribute to global warming because of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with most daily activities. The amount we contribute annually is known as our carbon footprint.

Your local Green Irene Eco-Consultant can show you how to determine how much your family contributes to global warming. The Carbon Footprint Calculator allows you to determine your carbon footprint from all the activities in which you engage in your daily life. The calculator will basically add up all the carbon contributions associated with your consumption and living patterns to determine how much carbon dioxide you emit every year and how this compares to the global average and averages across other countries.

With this Calculator, the Eco-Consultant can show you how much your family contributes so that you can make changes to your lifestyle to reduce your contribution to global warming. You will find that most of the changes you can make will actually not affect your lifestyle and will perhaps even save you money. Ask your local Green Irene Eco-Consultant to find out more about your carbon footprint and what you can do about it. Also, after you take the steps we recommend and you’re still determined to be a carbon-neutral family, we have green carbon offsets for your family’s auto and air travel.

Rosamaria Caballero Stafford
Co-Founder and the Original Green Irene