Home Building Blog - Eco-Friendly and Green
Breaking our energy dependence
May 31st, 2006 by Ryan JohnstonRobert Redford is an award-winning actor, director, producer and founder of the Sundance Institute and Film Festival. Redford also is a businessman and philanthropist and has long supported various environmental causes. Mr.Redford authored an op-ed piece for CNN about kicking the oil habit.
Something is happening all across the country. People are coming together and demanding new answers. A grassroots movement is gathering today to promote solutions, like renewable fuels, clean electricity, more efficient cars, and green buildings that use less energy — all of which are exciting alternatives that rebuild our communities even as they cut pollution and create good jobs. And, when people come together to invest themselves in building a better future, we are not only helping to solve our energy crisis, but we are taking back our democracy itself.
Cities like Seattle are joining with others around the world and taking on goals for green development, while states like Colorado are passing bond initiatives for transit and new requirements for clean energy.
Recently, a dynamic new campaign launched to seize and grow these opportunities and break our energy dependence. It’s called KickTheOilHabit.org, and it has the backing of a diverse coalition of organizations. Its first action was to challenge oil companies to double the number of renewable fuel pumps at their stations within the year and pledge to offer E85 ethanol fuel at half of all gas stations within the decade.
Technorati Tags: kicktheoilhabit.org, Green Development, Pollution, Renewable Energy, Oil Companies
Al Gore is born again
May 31st, 2006 by Ryan JohnstonBorn again is a special report by The Guardian Unlimited about Al Gore. Mr. Gore is currently touring the world giving a lecture about global warming and the environment. A documentary has just been released about his lecture and the film is already winning awards and setting records.
From activism to energy-efficiency: Al Gore’s top tips for saving the planet
1. Insist that politicians in all parties make this planetary emergency their top priority; this is crucial
2. Think about conservation and efficiency in the way you use resources in your own life, eg:
drive less (every mile not driven saves one pound of CO2)
fly less
recycle more
keep your tyres properly inflated
use less hot water
use a clothesline instead of a tumble-dryer
insulate your home
avoid products with a lot of packaging
turn down the thermostat by 2C
plant a tree (one tree absorbs one tonne of CO2 over its lifetime)
turn off electronic devices when they are not in use
3. Be a conscious consumer with regard to everything you buy, both in the marketplace and in the investments you make, eg:
switch to green power
buy locally grown food, and organic where possible
buy fresh food over frozen
buy less meat
offset your impact on the planet’s resources by investing in renewable energy projects For more information go to climatecrisis.net.
Technorati Tags: Energy Savings, Al Gore, Eco Foot Print, Sustainability, Conservation