Well, as the quarter is ending, so is this blog. I thought it would be nice to kind of wrap up my thoughts in one final blog post. So here it goes!
At the beginning of the quarter, I was what I like to call "ecologically illiterate", I barely recycled and if I did, it was probably wrong. I was using plastic water bottles everyday, not carpooling or riding the bus, and a bunch of other harmful actions that I didn't even think about.
Through just one quarter, my entire thinking about sustainability has changed. It isn't something that only liberal "hippies" should be concerned with. It is something that affects EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET. If we don't do something to change our unsustainable practices now, there may not be a later for generations to come.
With all that preaching, I will end on this thought: if we as citizens of this planet can unify and practice sustainability on a micro level, it will all add up to a huge difference on a macro level. So please, be kind to the earth and leave it in good shape for the next generation.
That's all for this blog, thanks for reading!
Nick
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Saving the World One Wipe at a Time
Yesterday, my sustainability group presented our life cycle analysis of luxury toilet paper. We explored the detrimental effects of toilet paper to our environment. To help spread the word, I've created a brief summary of our findings:
27,000 trees are cut down EVERY DAY in order to make toilet paper. These companies are using virgin wood fibers, when in all reality they could easily be using recycled inputs, saving those 27,000 trees daily.
Here were our Study Objectives:
-Determine the environmental impact of luxury toilet paper
-Assess whether recycled or virgin fibers are less environmentally harmful
-Develop Specific Recommendations for Kimberly Clark
The current LCA showed that just ONE roll of toilet paper had an Okala impact factor of 60.
We had these recommendations to lessen toilet paper's impact:
By following these recommendations, we were able to reduce that number by 2/3rds to just under 20.
So as you can see, toilet paper is currently not very environmentally friendly, but if the big brands are willing to make these changes, we can drastically reduce this necessary item's impact.
27,000 trees are cut down EVERY DAY in order to make toilet paper. These companies are using virgin wood fibers, when in all reality they could easily be using recycled inputs, saving those 27,000 trees daily.
Here were our Study Objectives:
-Determine the environmental impact of luxury toilet paper
-Assess whether recycled or virgin fibers are less environmentally harmful
-Develop Specific Recommendations for Kimberly Clark
The current LCA showed that just ONE roll of toilet paper had an Okala impact factor of 60.
We had these recommendations to lessen toilet paper's impact:
-Switch from virgin wood fibers to 100% recycled fibers
-Use single ply, rather than double ply
-Use low density recycled polyethylene, rather than low density virgin polyethylene for packaging
-Remove the cardboard roll completely
-Remove the entire chemical bleaching process (Removing Chlorine)
-Use less harmful agents such as peroxide, oxygen and hydrosulfide
By following these recommendations, we were able to reduce that number by 2/3rds to just under 20.
So as you can see, toilet paper is currently not very environmentally friendly, but if the big brands are willing to make these changes, we can drastically reduce this necessary item's impact.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A Social Media Agency that Focuses on "Green"
Recently, I came across a digital/social media agency who is focused solely on marketing green products. I found this extremely relevant and useful. It would be a great opportunity for those of us who are interested in saving the earth while still being a marketer! Check it out:
Sustainable Marketing Solutions
As you can see, these are some of the things that the company does to be sustainable internally, so that they can help their clients also achieve their green goals:
Sustainable Marketing Solutions
As you can see, these are some of the things that the company does to be sustainable internally, so that they can help their clients also achieve their green goals:
A Company With Sustainable Values
As more sustainable businesses focus on the Triple Bottom Line – People, Planet, & Profit – they understand the importance of aligning their vision with a socially and environmentally responsible provider. When you work with Sustainable Marketing Solutions, you can rest assured that we follow a sustainable business model:
*Our website is hosted with Green Energy.
*We run paperless offices with the help of online services such as EchoSign and Freshbooks. Most of our marketing collateral is shared online. When we print, we use 100% recycled, post consumer paper.
*Little or no commute. Most client meetings and communications are conducted via email, phone or chat.
*A percentage of all profits are donated to our favorite environmental causes: The Arbor Day Foundation, EarthJustice, and League of Conservation Voters
Global Efforts for Sustainability
The following article is about the sustainability efforts that are happening right now! On March 22nd, water consumption is in the spotlight for World Water Day, and on March 26th, citizens of the globe are urged to turn off their lights for one hour:
Globe goes energy and water conscious in March
14 March 2011
People around the globe will be keeping sustainability and energy saving in their minds this month as March marks two important events: Earth Hour and World Water Day.
Both occasions aim to raise awareness of climate change and the importance of energy efficiency.
On March 22nd, World Water Day highlights the importance of access to clean water and calls for the need for more sustainable water management and water consumption.
The Energy Saving Trust recommends ways to reduce water use in the home by using a water efficient shower head, swapping baths for showers, making sure dishwasher and washing machine loads are full and fixing dripping taps.
And on March 26th, Earth Hour will see homes and businesses around the world turn off their lights at 20:30 local time for one hour.
Organised by WWF, the event saw 128 countries take part last year, with landmarks including Big Ben taking part.
However, this year, the organisers are calling on the public to "go beyond the hour" and think about becoming more energy efficient in other ways than turning off the lights.
If everyone were to participate, the amount of water and electricity saved would be phenomenal! I know I will be participating!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Final Ecological Footprint
Hello All!
This is my update on my ecological footprint reduction experiment. About two and a half months ago, I took the ecological footprint quiz and it said it would take 5.7 planet earths to sustain my lifestyle. Since then, I have been very observant of all of my sustainability practices, and through a lot of work and retraining myself, I have reduced the number to 4.2 planet earths. That is 1.5 planets in only two and a half months! I have initiated recycling in my house, reduced my meat intake, began carpooling/riding the bus, greatly reduced my energy consumption and quit using plastic water bottles. I am very proud of my progress and am glad to have taken this course to change my bad environmental habits around. Here are my new ecological footprint results:
Well, that's all for now! Thanks for reading!
Nick
This is my update on my ecological footprint reduction experiment. About two and a half months ago, I took the ecological footprint quiz and it said it would take 5.7 planet earths to sustain my lifestyle. Since then, I have been very observant of all of my sustainability practices, and through a lot of work and retraining myself, I have reduced the number to 4.2 planet earths. That is 1.5 planets in only two and a half months! I have initiated recycling in my house, reduced my meat intake, began carpooling/riding the bus, greatly reduced my energy consumption and quit using plastic water bottles. I am very proud of my progress and am glad to have taken this course to change my bad environmental habits around. Here are my new ecological footprint results:
Well, that's all for now! Thanks for reading!
Nick
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sustainability Update
Hello there!
It's about halfway through the winter quarter, and I think it is time to reflect on my sustainability efforts. So without further adieu, here it is:
Recycling:
I have made a conscious effort to sort my recycle properly, and make sure I recycle everything that can be recycled. I have two bins set up in my room, one for recycle and one for garbage. When I take out my recycle, I then sort it out and put it into our SCC bins. So everything on the recycling front is going well!
Reusable Water Bottles:
After realizing how bad plastic water bottles are for the environment, I invested in a reusable water bottle that I liked very much. Then I lost it. So I reinvested in another. This one somehow also disappeared. As they say, "the third time's the charm", and so it is. I am on my third reusable water bottle this quarter, and this time I am not going to let it get away! Even though it required a $50 investment in hydration capital (water bottles), this effort has eliminated my plastic bottle waste, and will therefore be considered a success!
Reduced Fuel Consumption:
Because I work in Seattle on the weekends and go to school in Bellingham on the weekdays, driving has become a necessity. With that in mind, I couldn't eliminate my fuel consumption, but I have become much smarter about how and when I use fuel. I have begun making lists of errands and consolidated my trips as much as possible. This has saved quite a bit in terms of gasoline usage. Also, I now attempt to carpool as much as possible. I try to bring at least one person with me when I make the jaunt up and down I-5. Reducing fuel consumption has been achieved!
Turning off Lights/Electronics:
This has been a difficult thing to do, seeing as I live in a house with 3 other guys. Often I will find lights on in a room or a TV on when no one has been in the house for hours. This needs to stop. I have had many conversations with my roommates about turning these things off when not in use, and they are slowly beginning to show improvements. It's not on purpose, it is simply forgetting to turn them off. As for myself, I have been very diligent on turning unused electronics off. It will save on my energy bill and the environment. That's what I call a win-win!
Overall, I am surprised as to how much of an impact these simple actions can have. I feel better about my ecological footprint, it hasn't been very difficult and I am saving money in the process. Now that's what I call a win-win-win! That's all for now, stay tuned for more exciting sustainability efforts!
Cheers,
Nick
It's about halfway through the winter quarter, and I think it is time to reflect on my sustainability efforts. So without further adieu, here it is:
Recycling:
I have made a conscious effort to sort my recycle properly, and make sure I recycle everything that can be recycled. I have two bins set up in my room, one for recycle and one for garbage. When I take out my recycle, I then sort it out and put it into our SCC bins. So everything on the recycling front is going well!
Reusable Water Bottles:
After realizing how bad plastic water bottles are for the environment, I invested in a reusable water bottle that I liked very much. Then I lost it. So I reinvested in another. This one somehow also disappeared. As they say, "the third time's the charm", and so it is. I am on my third reusable water bottle this quarter, and this time I am not going to let it get away! Even though it required a $50 investment in hydration capital (water bottles), this effort has eliminated my plastic bottle waste, and will therefore be considered a success!
Reduced Fuel Consumption:
Because I work in Seattle on the weekends and go to school in Bellingham on the weekdays, driving has become a necessity. With that in mind, I couldn't eliminate my fuel consumption, but I have become much smarter about how and when I use fuel. I have begun making lists of errands and consolidated my trips as much as possible. This has saved quite a bit in terms of gasoline usage. Also, I now attempt to carpool as much as possible. I try to bring at least one person with me when I make the jaunt up and down I-5. Reducing fuel consumption has been achieved!
Turning off Lights/Electronics:
This has been a difficult thing to do, seeing as I live in a house with 3 other guys. Often I will find lights on in a room or a TV on when no one has been in the house for hours. This needs to stop. I have had many conversations with my roommates about turning these things off when not in use, and they are slowly beginning to show improvements. It's not on purpose, it is simply forgetting to turn them off. As for myself, I have been very diligent on turning unused electronics off. It will save on my energy bill and the environment. That's what I call a win-win!
Overall, I am surprised as to how much of an impact these simple actions can have. I feel better about my ecological footprint, it hasn't been very difficult and I am saving money in the process. Now that's what I call a win-win-win! That's all for now, stay tuned for more exciting sustainability efforts!
Cheers,
Nick
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Honda FCX-Clarity, The Hydrogen Car of the Future?
Hello there my Green Friends!
Today, I was watching old re-runs of the BBC television show, Top Gear, when they stumbled upon the most important vehicle of the past 100 years: a hydrogen powered electric car.
They call this car the Honda FCX-Clarity.
To be as concise as possible, I have stolen "how it works" from the FCX-Clarity website:
"The fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen to make electricity. The electricity then powers the electric motor, which in turn propels the vehicle. Water is the only byproduct the FCX Clarity FCEV leaves behind."
This means that you no longer have to plug your car into the wall and wait 16 hours just so you can go 200 miles, your car generates energy via hydrogen as you drive. The only thing you have to do is fill up with hydrogen rather than gas as we are accustomed.
You use this car just as you would use any other. When your tank is empty (after about 270 miles), go to your local Shell Station and fill up with compressed Hydrogen--which is eco-conscious because it just happens to be the world's most abundant resource. It takes about as long as filling up a tank of gas and also costs about the same. Unfortunately, at this time, this vehicle is only available in California as they are testing the system out before a widespread global release.
Jay Leno thinks that the FCX and others of its kind will be the saving grace for petroleum fueled cars. He suggests that people should use the FCX on a day to day basis and only use our "fun" cars as necessary. Which is a nice sentiment, but not everyone in the world has the money for a brand new Hydrogen powered electric Honda and a Lamborghini for the weekends. Many people in the world are happy just to have a car, rather than think about spending the $600 per month lease for a hydrogen powered car.
Obviously there are issues that need to be solved, as with any other innovation, but I would say that Honda has a head start in an industry that will potentially change the automotive market as we know it. There will be a transition period to go from gas to hydrogen, but in my opinion a necessary transition because of oil's finite life. When the price goes down, I will definitely consider trading in my Accord for and FCX-Clarity.
Signing Off,
Nick Richards
Today, I was watching old re-runs of the BBC television show, Top Gear, when they stumbled upon the most important vehicle of the past 100 years: a hydrogen powered electric car.
They call this car the Honda FCX-Clarity.
To be as concise as possible, I have stolen "how it works" from the FCX-Clarity website:
"The fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen to make electricity. The electricity then powers the electric motor, which in turn propels the vehicle. Water is the only byproduct the FCX Clarity FCEV leaves behind."
This means that you no longer have to plug your car into the wall and wait 16 hours just so you can go 200 miles, your car generates energy via hydrogen as you drive. The only thing you have to do is fill up with hydrogen rather than gas as we are accustomed.
You use this car just as you would use any other. When your tank is empty (after about 270 miles), go to your local Shell Station and fill up with compressed Hydrogen--which is eco-conscious because it just happens to be the world's most abundant resource. It takes about as long as filling up a tank of gas and also costs about the same. Unfortunately, at this time, this vehicle is only available in California as they are testing the system out before a widespread global release.
Jay Leno thinks that the FCX and others of its kind will be the saving grace for petroleum fueled cars. He suggests that people should use the FCX on a day to day basis and only use our "fun" cars as necessary. Which is a nice sentiment, but not everyone in the world has the money for a brand new Hydrogen powered electric Honda and a Lamborghini for the weekends. Many people in the world are happy just to have a car, rather than think about spending the $600 per month lease for a hydrogen powered car.
Obviously there are issues that need to be solved, as with any other innovation, but I would say that Honda has a head start in an industry that will potentially change the automotive market as we know it. There will be a transition period to go from gas to hydrogen, but in my opinion a necessary transition because of oil's finite life. When the price goes down, I will definitely consider trading in my Accord for and FCX-Clarity.
Signing Off,
Nick Richards
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