tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162722987289737372011-07-07T15:55:57.607-07:00"We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children" - Native American ProverbDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.comBlogger1481100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-75147737844590023242009-09-14T09:55:00.001-07:002009-09-14T09:56:23.382-07:00

Thanks for stopping. Feel free to browse around but most of the info on this blog has been moved to 365 Days of Trash. That blog is active and continually updated. Enjoy. Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-81721394506350806752008-12-21T13:33:00.000-08:002008-12-21T13:39:25.367-08:00

Sorry if this is a little frank, and out of character for this blog in it's nastiness, but there comes a time when you just have to wonder why we support systems that don't work. I know the bailout may be necessary for the economy, but if we are going to give these companies all of this money, why not demand they make the cars we need.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-23193088322117253922008-12-19T12:01:00.001-08:002008-12-19T12:01:43.405-08:00

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-41435875767529157472008-12-11T21:10:00.000-08:002008-12-11T21:11:30.729-08:00

I don't even know what to say about this.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-79148238401950279092008-12-11T20:58:00.000-08:002008-12-11T21:08:28.147-08:00

According to this article in the UK Telegraph they can.  A new system that can be installed in water moving as slowly as 1 mile and hour.  This makes the ability to generate power off of waves/currents much more viable.  Here's a link to some more info on the subject as well.  If this works like they say, it could be a pretty impressive breakthrough.  There's energy everywhere, we just need to

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-34151767499268339822008-10-05T23:11:00.000-07:002008-10-05T23:18:48.573-07:00

I was able to go to the Alt Car the week before last and am finally getting to some of the video I shot. I may edit things a bit better down the line when i had time but I figured it was better to get it out there sooner than later. I'll be adding videos as they finish so check back every few days.  By the way, if you live near Austin, they are having an expo in a few weeks.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-1577785722518320272008-08-19T03:37:00.000-07:002008-08-19T03:39:36.936-07:00

Shockingly it looks like an American car company may be heading towards the finish line first on the Plug In Hybrid Front. Chevy has announced that they will have production ready prototypes of the Chevy Volt within 10 days.Wow.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-6588204800041380012008-08-14T17:35:00.000-07:002008-08-14T17:41:01.550-07:00

The op-ed piece below is on a topic I have been following for a little bit now. I try to stay apolitical as much as I can on these blogs, but I also think that with a big US election coming up, the facts are important to know. John McCain has been talking about wind and solar a bit recently, yet he still missed an extremely important vote the other day involving tax credits that would have made

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-30972314663198233682008-07-30T06:18:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:13.751-08:00

Check out this really great review of the all electric Zero X which hit's a top speed of 57 MPH in 4 seconds. Yet another instance of why pure electric is better.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-3581854227914220152008-07-30T06:12:00.000-07:002008-07-30T06:14:26.012-07:00

McDonalds in Manila is teaming up with the police department to help power their vehicles off of used cooking oil. Can fast food really save us?Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-34927509497230799162008-07-30T05:59:00.000-07:002008-07-30T06:08:01.121-07:00

Check out this very cool article by Joseph Romm from Salon.com. He lays out very simply and with great examples how the US can cut energy use simply through efficiency and halting energy leaks in the grid. Sighting California as an example, he writes "In the past three decades, electricity consumption per capita grew 60 percent in the rest of the nation, while it stayed flat in high-tech,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-77229233757119089632008-07-21T15:54:00.000-07:002008-07-21T15:57:10.036-07:00

Forget the politics, forget what you think about him, forget what you've heard and listen to the speech that Al Gore gave last week on a challenge to go completely renewable within 10 years. It's a spcae shot for sure, but one that we sorely need and he lays out the need well.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-67631859031426502632008-07-07T16:31:00.000-07:002008-07-07T16:33:57.821-07:00

This is something I've been aware of for some time now.  Biodiesel that comes from algae, specifically vertically grown algae like what they are talking about here.  There are still a lot of questions to be answered, but I've always suspected that this is the right direction for a lot of our energy needs to be headed.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-38065708738034982382008-06-30T08:36:00.000-07:002008-06-30T08:38:45.728-07:00

Awesome video about The Willows School in NJ, a school designed around being sustainable. Talk about teaching your kids right!Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-63296559372540257532008-06-30T08:28:00.000-07:002008-06-30T08:33:52.917-07:00

Yes, the beginning of the trailer is a bit scary, but the movie has some good stuff to offer and a message of hope for the futre if we all act now. Check out the full version here.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-71385222401056056692008-06-30T07:45:00.001-07:002008-06-30T07:46:44.662-07:00

An interesting little article from Seattle on the choices in hand drying. Just goes to show you how complicated some of these things can be.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-48433760896309278082008-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:002008-07-01T17:09:44.974-07:00

Want a gas/electric plug in hybrid or full EV but are tired of waiting for it? Here are a number of stories about how close they may be. Sadly you'll notice that most fo the companies going electric are not American.  Seems the US auto industry is yet again, poised to miss the boat.Tesla to sell White Star, a 4 door EV sedan, by 2011Mercedes plans A-class EV for 2010VW to offer 2 hybrids, one

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-59151945821981287692008-06-18T14:30:00.001-07:002008-06-18T14:30:59.718-07:00

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-59883694124779648402008-06-06T17:52:00.001-07:002008-06-06T17:53:19.674-07:00

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-10458354327146950942008-06-06T17:41:00.000-07:002008-06-06T17:45:08.128-07:00

From Democracy NowFour Nations Attempt to Become Carbon NeutralWorld Environment Day is being marked around the world today. It comes as four countries are competing to become the first nation to go entirely carbon neutral. Iceland, Norway, Costa Rica and New Zealand are all attempting to reduce their net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero. Jeanette Fitzsimons of the Green Party in New Zealand

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-21700330557814604382008-05-29T13:36:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.117-08:00

 Click on Image To Make It Larger

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-29440217506184893792008-05-28T15:01:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.228-08:00

Here's a cool little story about a high school kid who just won a bunch of awards for isolating the microorganisms that break down plastic bags. The hope is that if done on a large scale, this can help clean up some of the mess that is out there.While I think this kind of research is a double edged sword, we need to stop using plastic bags, not give people a reason to think it's all going to be

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-62173155104249869862008-05-19T18:08:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.436-08:00

A lot of people have contacted me about worm composting, including most recently, Rex who works for the company that makes The Worm Factory, the composter that I use. He liked the videos that I put up on youtube and we got to talking and before you know it, he offered to have folks who come from the blog here get either 10% off on a bin or an extra tray when they order. How cool is that? I

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-75832617724268081462008-05-19T11:00:00.000-07:002008-05-19T11:16:14.420-07:00

Got this in my inbox the other day. I've always know that slowing down saves gas but I like thier factual representation of it.Live SustainablyDaveMemorial Day Weekend is coming and -- in spite of gas prices -- more Americans than ever are planning to getaway by car. But that doesn't have to cost as much as you think.There are lots of ways to save gas (checked your tires lately?) but the easiest

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-82809024651764520392008-05-19T09:08:00.000-07:002008-05-19T09:14:21.241-07:00

I guess this is really for anyone out there who still wonders whether we are running out of oil. Saudi Arabia has now rejected Bush's request to amp up oil production 3 times (well on the levels that he has requested anyway) and now it looks like the US is going to help the Saudis build a nuclear power program.So riddle me this Batman, if oil prices are through the roof, and there is enough of it

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-68251671442346576652008-05-15T10:45:00.001-07:002008-05-15T10:47:02.831-07:00

This is an email that my good friend Chris sent out a few weeks back. Chris is an amazing guy who truly works to make the world a better place and I really admire all he does (but have no idea how he does as much as he does). Of course it resonates a bit more specifically if you live near him in Minnesota but the concepts are universal.Live SustainablyDaveTwo thoughts on simple steps for saving

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-87671124127726171862008-05-14T12:44:00.001-07:002008-05-14T12:44:39.486-07:00

This is an interesting articles about the Seven (New) Garbage Wonders of the World. As you may recall, a bit back they voted to decide on the new seven wonders of the world, a sort of best of the best if you will. This article lists the 7 worst of the worst, from The North Pacific Gyre to the Electronic Waste Dumps in Guyiu China, they are testament to the problems of a disposable society and

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-46466053247440159612008-05-14T12:09:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.763-08:00

This is a really great campaign that Beth over at Fake Plastic Fish spearheaded. Clorox, who now owns Brita North America, does not accept filters back for recycling and re-use while their European counterparts have been doing this since 1992.  It makes no sense and in an environment where people should be heading towards filtered water and away from bottled, we need to keep the pressure on

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-32165458011242326542008-05-13T10:15:00.000-07:002008-05-13T15:10:30.871-07:00

A great article from The Atlantic about the wasted energy in the business sector and how the technology to recapture it is not only old, but tried and true."A 2005 report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that U.S. industry could profitably recycle enough waste energy—including steam, furnace gases, heat, and pressure—to reduce the country’s fossil-fuel use (and greenhouse-gas

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-891927770498396622008-05-12T19:49:00.000-07:002008-05-12T19:56:35.768-07:00

Here's a pretty cool little story that my friend Marc sent me. It was on NPR's Day to Day a month or so back and really speaks to what i think makes this country great.  A bakery in Northampton Ma, tired of volatile wheat prices and the problems that lawns create (think water shortage and fossil fuel use, not to mention pollution) asked some of the local townsfolk to tear up a ten by ten patch

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-8432723707644622272008-05-07T09:13:00.000-07:002008-05-07T09:15:20.411-07:00

If anyone would like a cd-rom of papers presented at EVS 23 this year, please drop me a line. I have the cd and don't need it anymore. Might be of interest to someone else.Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-22199688004002631402008-05-06T21:16:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.812-08:00

Ok, so I've pretty much cut out all plastic bags from my life by having a bunch of cloth bags around, using my backpack, and juggling things out of the store like an idiot when I've forgotten to bring them. Having said that, produce has always been a tough one. While most things I can go without (do you really need to put apples into a flimsy plastic bag) there are some things that are tougher

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-9207376851444546052008-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:002008-05-05T19:46:42.545-07:00

Pretty cool. Rockport Missouri is now officially the first (and only) wind powered city in the US. Maybe the rest of the country will take note.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-48043065484797975452008-05-04T19:55:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:14.882-08:00

This is way overdue for a lot of reasons, but lets' just say I've got a lot on my plate and I tend to bite off more than I can chew and leave it at that. We are all familiar with the little green recycling symbol on the left that appears on so many products these days, but how many of us actually understand what the codes that go with them mean? HDPE, PETE, LDPE? I sure didn't and so I decided

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-72270834517344427572008-05-04T19:54:00.001-07:002008-05-04T19:54:46.078-07:00

I went to work the other day and my buddy Duane comes over with a present for me, this totally cool Orikaso foldable bowl for my backpack. It's extremely cool, easy to clean, easy to carry, has a lifetime guarantee, is "unbreakable"(although i find that to be a challenge more than a claim), inexpensive, and is recyclable and comes in recycled packaging. On top of all that, the package says it's

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-47407550191728512802008-05-04T19:51:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:53:37.977-07:00

Check it out here.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-48368412695034928112008-05-04T19:48:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:49:19.837-07:00

This seems like a pretty good no brainer and while it doesn't specifically deal with the waste issue per se, it's a good reminder of how lucky most of us are to have enough to eat, and that there are those all around us who don't.On Saturday May 10th the post office is asking that you leave a bag of non-perishable canned goods out at your door. The postal employees will pick up the bags and in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-47079754124440907572008-05-04T19:47:00.001-07:002008-05-04T19:49:46.200-07:00

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-2797728203614643462008-05-04T19:45:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:50:11.385-07:00

This a a really great video piece on VBS called Garbage Island. It follows Charles Moore across the Pacific Gyre and is worth watching the whole thing. You can see the rest of the episodes here.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-38482623637072659382008-05-04T19:44:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:50:34.331-07:00

Greendimes has announced that they will pay the next 5 million people who sign up $1 each to stop their junk mail for a year.Now how can you beat that?What are you waiting for?Live SustainablyDave5/4/08 UpdateAfter hearing some feedback, I wanted to post an update. While Greendimes is giving everyone who signs up $1 right now, it is for the manual removal sign up, ie, they walk you through what

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-1864187044990245912008-05-01T20:18:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.126-08:00

Hymotion/A123 has announced that it is now taking orders to convert 2004-2008 Prius' to plug in hybrid technology.  The conversion adds a battery pack where the spare tire sits, costs about $10k and has a three year warranty.  The battery will charge off of house power in under 5 hours and will make the Prius able to achieve 100 mpg over a 30-40 mile range.  Also of note is that the cars have met

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-90885032382901837942008-04-23T21:23:00.000-07:002008-04-23T21:26:35.823-07:00

In case anyone out there has any leads, Plug In America is looking to fill it's executive Director position. See below for more info.Live SustainablyDaveDear members of the EV community,Plug In America is excited to announce that we are seeking a full-time executive director to help manage our phenomenal growth. This is an exceptional opportunity for a qualified plug-in advocate to work with

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-74882680680864678452008-04-16T19:20:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.281-08:00

I have to admit that i'm actually quite embarrassed that i haven't posted about William McDonough before now.  His book Cradle to Cradle is pretty much THE sustainability bible as far as how things should be designed in the future. It's an amazing read and he's truly a visionary in the field.For a quick taste, check out this talk he gave in 2005 for TED.  It's only about 20 minutes and make sure

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-46302568117136164472008-04-16T18:57:00.001-07:002008-04-16T18:58:38.774-07:00

Probably not what you were expecting it to be. Check out this wild Monty Pythonesque site for all sorts of info on L.E.D.s and CFLs. If the music gets a little much you can turn it off in the lower right hand corner.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-60896443731811844372008-04-14T22:48:00.000-07:002008-04-16T15:43:52.188-07:00

My buddy Augie sent this site to me a while ago and i'm finally getting around to posting it.  It's called How Can I Recycle This, but it's really a guide to finding uses for all sorts of things as opposed to recycling or trashing them.  Have too many After 8 Dinner Mint Boxes lying around? Fear not, apparently they make great filing cabinets for seeds.And what to do with all those pesky plaster

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-73411178216276760822008-04-14T22:37:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.482-08:00

This is pretty cool if you ask me.  The picture you are looking at is the Bahrain World Trade Center in....Bahrain. It's the first modern building to incorporate wind mills in the structure of the building. The turbines, which will operate 50% of the time, will generate approximately 15% of the buildings energy.  While this is only a small percentage of the energy the building will use, I like

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-20630007860868061252008-04-14T22:27:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.652-08:00

For anyone who lives in Southern California or who will be in town the week after next, this is a must attend. Very cool event that will get you quickly up to date on the latest and greatest in "green" building opportunities. If you're planning a project this is a great way to see what's out there and if not, it's just a great way to start thinking about things.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-50504414369729997272008-03-31T20:34:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.786-08:00

Generally speaking the greatest waste to come out of any house is in the form of paper and the largest contributor to that number is junk mail.Junk mail is generally a pain as most of us don't want it, and a huge amount of it doesn't even get recycled. In addition, think of the resources, fossil fuel, and time that are wasted as a result. A lot of people look at what I've been up to and after

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-47192444732001672692008-03-30T23:05:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:15.933-08:00

This is kind of a cool thing that my friend Joanne sent to me. Apparently the post office is starting a pilot program in 10 cities including DC, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Chicago where they will accept inkjet cartridges, PDA's, IPOD's, Digital Cameras, Blackberries, and MP3 players. They will have self addressed postage paid envelopes by the window and you can take as many as you want.  The

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-10824816624366693972008-03-30T22:56:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:16.027-08:00

Check out the latest from Aptera.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-84564479385023891622008-03-30T22:22:00.001-07:002008-11-13T02:14:16.275-08:00

Cleaning out the old emails and I came across this gem from Rep. Henry Waxman about evidence asserting the White House knowingly censored scientists on Global Warming info.  It may be old news, but still just as relevant.Gambling in Casablanca?  Shocking.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-85595608490881746572008-03-29T22:15:00.001-07:002008-03-29T22:16:03.736-07:00

From A Friend.We want dead gadget stories!We would love to receive stories showing clearly how products simply can’t be fixed or upgraded, because of clear choices made by the product designers.Please send your stories to Stories@deadgadgets.com and include the following information:•Make and model•Year they bought it. Is it under warranty?•Why it’s dead. (Doesn’t turn on, won’t reboot, can’t

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-91046940116558948132008-03-29T21:27:00.000-07:002008-03-29T21:31:36.017-07:00

So tonight was Earth Day and I totally dropped the ball.  I knew about it, had it in my mind to post about, and somehow totally missed posting about it. Hopefully folks picked up on it on there own.  Basically at 8 PM local time they asked folks to turn off all unnecessary power for an hour to show what an effect this can have on CO2. The first one a year ago was highly successful and they were

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-11818389837528832562008-03-28T11:25:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:16.529-08:00

Looking for a cool gift for that someone special in your life? Darwin Design is a company started by my friend/photograpaher/journalist Otto Pohl. They have a really great business model that includes social and enviro causes and have these great shirts that sell the message about global warming and the mess we're in. And if you order before April 1, you get $10 off. Also, mention my name and

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-63444479987758526152008-03-28T11:04:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:16.644-08:00

Here's a very cool story from the WSJ about how effective windpower in Denmark is and how it looks like they actually NEED electric vehicles to keep the system working well.  Talk about a win win situation. Live Sustainably Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-64972148330211880502008-03-27T20:02:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:16.896-08:00

For those of you who have seen Who Killed The Electric Car you already know that the EV1 was made because of the California Zero Emission Mandate tht called for each car maker to make a certain number of electric cars. The car companies sued the state of California and had the mandate repealed, and the cars were destroyed. Well, believe it or not, it's happening all over again. CARB (California

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-27548239205545949482008-03-25T22:56:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.133-08:00

Here's a heartwarming story from CNN today about a 220 square mile ice sheet in Antartica that is about to break off.  Whaddya think?  Time we started changing things a bit?Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-86212026676483782042008-03-25T21:52:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.238-08:00

This is Subaru's R1e, a two seater EV that they are presently testing in North America, Asia, and Europe. It has about a 50 mile range, top speed of 65 mph and can recharge 85% in...get this....15 minutes! Amazing. Check it out here and then scroll down and tell them your thoughts.Live Sustainably (and drive a small ev)Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-58385232895591974832008-03-25T21:33:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.429-08:00

Looks like electric cars are getting closer and closer. Mitsubishi has announced plans to test it's new EV in the states this fall.Presently max speed is 80 and range is about 80 miles between recharges which will take about 10 hours on 110v house power. And while this will most likely improve over time, this is more than enough for almost all second cars, and for most first cars to boot.And if

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-34698380145517688292008-03-25T21:28:00.000-07:002008-03-25T21:31:28.339-07:00

....when energy companies are touting their abilities to supply electricity for your cars. Very cool.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-32480519785269351322008-03-25T21:16:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.612-08:00

Here's a cool website I came across recently. The Eat Well Guide is an online resource where you type in your zip code and they come up with a list of different companies in your area that serve healthy organic foods. A quick type of my zip came up with 1 Baker, 1 Farmer, 49 Stores, 1 Co-Op, 21 Restaurants, and 1 Organization all within 20 miles of me. And they even have ratings like a water

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-51103278440939589402008-03-25T20:55:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.748-08:00

Packing peanuts. If you are anything like me you hate these things, but somewhere deep in the recess of a closet, you have a large bag of them waiting to be sent off to some unknown destination. Come on, you know who you are.Well fear not, friendly peanut hater. While they may keep coming at ya whether you like it or not, there are now options. For starters, stop buying so much stuff online (

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-80946377130222816632008-03-25T20:36:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:17.902-08:00

What an absolutely fantastic idea this is. Ripon College in Wisconsin is offering incoming freshman free Trek bicycles if they pledge to not drive to campus for the first year. The school is giving away 200 bikes, helmets and locks in exchange for a no car promise.How cool is this. Everyone wins (except of course for the poor kid who has to bicycle to school in a blizzard, but I digress). The

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-30416731047781370252008-03-15T22:05:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:18.064-08:00

My buddy Duane sent this to me. Thought it was kind of cool. Enjoy.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-22583664129083899852008-03-10T09:44:00.000-07:002008-11-13T02:14:19.034-08:00

My buddy Duane in England is a biodiesel homebrewer, something which i know very little about. I asked him to write something up and he sent along this little biodiesel homebrewing primer. It's by no means a tutorial, but a really good overview on what it takes to brew your own fuel and what the pros and cons are. Live Sustainably Dave I bought a FuelMeister 40gallon machine from Biodiesel

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-33568239338368580442008-03-06T13:21:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:19.277-08:00

Seems to me that if Bush has jumped on the bandwagon, we must really be in trouble.Welcome to the Party!Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-12236507613873991352008-03-03T23:37:00.000-08:002008-03-03T23:38:34.650-08:00

The sample you are looking at was taken off the surface of the ocean 1500 miles from land by my friends Marcus and Anna. Studying the Gyre for the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, they surmised that it is 25 million square miles and comprised of approx. 3.5 million tons of plastic debris. While this may not seem like much, consider this, it's a little over a cup of water and it's got all of

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-68645403565649761912008-02-29T14:25:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:19.791-08:00

I was flying up north yesterday and started to read SkyMall, that shopping magazine they have on planes that takes advantage of the fact that you are trapped with nothing to do. I was perusing the pages laughing at products that I'm certain no one actually needs, and most likely most don't even want, when i cam across this little gem. Here's the blurb from the mag. "Poop Freeze is an easy,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-37058129211578495282008-02-29T09:44:00.001-08:002008-02-29T09:44:53.430-08:00

There's a great post i just read on the Be The Change Blog about an experience she had with a grocery store. She brings here own bags and when she got home, noticed that they ahd plastic bagged a small item that she wasn't aware of. So she wrote a nice note to the store manager (nice is the key here) and they ended up talking to her and then telling their employees to make sure to ask folks with

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-28491485588391500252008-02-26T10:05:00.000-08:002008-02-26T10:06:47.114-08:00

A blog reader sent me the following link and post to an online petition to ban plastic bags in grocery stores all across the country. I think making our voices heard on this subject is important, and this, along with sending it to your representatives in Washington, is a good way to do it. Here's the link to the petition, and below is a letter from them explaining why a ban is important. Dave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-10799739017905581432008-02-24T17:27:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:21.330-08:00

No doubt as I type this post, people all over the US and perhaps all over the world as well, are sitting down to watch the Oscars, the night when Hollywood comes out to salute itself and let everyone else in on how the stars act, what they wear, and who they think will and should win. Don't get me wrong, I love the Oscars, and while I don't generally watch them, it's fun to see which actors/

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-45588600484663460572008-02-24T15:55:00.000-08:002008-02-24T16:02:18.112-08:00

Here's a cool little video about recycling cell phones from the site Secret Life.Again, I can't help but think that part of the answer is to offer a significant return on investment if you were to turn your old cell phone in when buying a new one, but of course, convincing folks they don't need a new one in the first place would do that one better. Anyway, worth the four minutes it takes to check

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-24194020153034039412008-02-21T21:56:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:21.456-08:00

"For a solid two hours, we fished as fast as we could, pulling up floats, toothbrushes, plastic and glass bottles, a golf ball, a billiard ball, an unused glue stick for a hot glue gun, and several rope boluses filled with crabs and tiny striped fish - But most appalling was the plastic confetti. An endless stream of delicate, white snowflakes, like plastic powder coating the ocean’s surface.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-22347939828773405432008-02-21T10:42:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:21.622-08:00

Tesla Motors has just announced that they have successfully raised $45 million in financing. The money will be used for further development of the 4 door all electric sedan that they are presently calling White Star. The vehicle, which should be here in 2010, will be in the pirce range and styling of an upper tier Lexus type sedan and will most likely get 200+ miles to a charge. Live Sustainably

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-22728685234339196552008-02-20T19:59:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:21.754-08:00

This morning was a rainy day in LA and as a result, I decided to wash the car. Now at first, washing the car in the rain may seem a bit strange, but in reality it makes perfect sense. You don't need to wet down the car, and you don't need to worry about the soap drying, so you can take your time and really clean it. The whole operation used a small bucket of water for rinsing the rag, and about a

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-55029072301701678222008-02-19T20:44:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:21.895-08:00

I picked these up for my kids today for their lunches. We've been using plastic ones and they were getting pretty old (we've set them aside for outside squirting fun now). They are all aluminum, don't smell, have no taste, and are leakproof. They are made by a company called Sigg in Switzerland and I know several folks who use them (they make large sizes too). Here's the kicker though - they were

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-67516035923968650822008-02-19T20:36:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:22.150-08:00

I ordered some tapes online for my video camera and look at what they came in. 10 tapes (they are on the right there) and 14 other pieces of stuff. Incredible. I'll give you that the plastic air bags are better than the styro-foam peanuts which end up blowing all over the place, but come on. This could have been packed in a box half it's size and used much less packaging. No wonder we're in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-11781757048354537132008-02-18T23:35:00.000-08:002008-02-18T23:37:23.277-08:00

Christian's Told To Give Up Carbon For LentLive SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-43749696370506810232008-02-18T23:19:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:22.319-08:00

Pretty cool little article about Virgin Atlantic's first test flight on biofuels. Apparently they will run one engine on 20% algae derived biofuel. This is a pretty major step forward. Branson, the owner of VA has pledged to have his entire fleet running on biofuels by (I believe) 2020. It's a pretty steep promise but he seems to be serious about it and it's getting it out there which is good.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-62069448522426633072008-02-18T20:22:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.140-08:00

This one has been on the back burner for a while and I'm finally getting around to it. It seems like a pretty simple one, but old habits die hard sometimes, so here goes. Plastic Bags Blow!There I said it. It's really amazing how prevalent these things have become in our society. Around the world we go through about 1 million of these little lovelies every minute (that's right, every minute)

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-82773186341250368282008-02-17T22:27:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.389-08:00

Whole Foods announced in January that they are giving up plastic for good.  As of Earth Day they will no longer offer plastic bags at all but will still offer paper for the time being. They are also presently selling these cool looking free standing bags that are made from 80% recycled plastic bottles, cost just .99 and will be replaced for free should they ever break. They're pretty hearty

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-86941397308175887572008-02-17T22:19:00.000-08:002008-02-17T22:24:09.761-08:00

In a startling bit of honesty, Shells CEO Jeroen van der Veer wrote an inter company memo in which he states that Peak Oil is a mere 7 years away. It's an amazing read, not because it is so startling in what is says, but because it's coming from a source who should know what he's talking about and who has nothing to gain by saying this, and everything to lose. And yet, there are still those who

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-14189167251570066602008-02-14T10:21:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.515-08:00

No not flying cars just yet, but the Midi air car is a vehicle that runs on compressed air. Now of course the energy used to compress the air to begin with must be considered, but when I spoke with the owner of the company about 6 months back for an article I wrote about it, he mentioned that his eventual hope was that they would sell solar charging stations making it an extremely clean vehicle.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-25136955156683627102008-02-14T09:20:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.680-08:00

I was just listening to the radio in the shower and heard a statistic that today, Valentines Day, $17 billion will be spent on flowers, cards, chocolates and little tiny stuffed bears. The piece went on to talk about the chocolate market, which gets cocoa beans from places in Africa like the Ivory Coast, where the majority of the workers are underaged minors. Kind of amazing to think that a

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-38107231367815121562008-02-12T22:36:00.001-08:002008-02-12T22:37:21.543-08:00

I had heard of this before, but didn't know much about it until last week. The Compact is a group of citizens that originated in San Fran about a year and a half ago, who pledged to buy nothing new for a year except food and items related to personal hygiene and safety - brake fluid, underwear (is that safety or hygiene?), toilet paper, etc.I think this is a really fantastic idea and it seems to

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-58980393440015039462008-02-06T22:40:00.000-08:002008-02-06T22:45:19.154-08:00

For those of you who want to learn a bit more about vermicomposting, better known as worm composting.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-49545611318784207732008-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.823-08:00

My friend Duane just sent me an email that made me smile. It seems that his wife Rebecca was working at their kids school book fair, I'm assuming at the area where you purchase the books."She noticed everyone asking for bags to carry their (usually) single book back to their SUV so they could drive the 2 blocks home and then leave the book in the car until later. This annoyed said wife, who

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-60455303573628926192008-02-04T18:07:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:23.927-08:00

This is an email I sent to friend who had asked about the concept of green cars and expressed concerns about batteries in electric vehicles. Based on his response, I thought others might find it of interest.Live SustainablyDaveFor starters, let's get one thing straight, anything that calls itself a "green" car (other than the Gremlin of course) is an absolute fabrication. The very nature of an

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-63203303954769077582008-02-04T05:48:00.000-08:002008-02-04T05:55:42.423-08:00

Brief no doubt, but this gives you a little bit of an overview of where the candidates stand and what's important to them. You can also click the links to hear them talk about their views. Rhetoric of course, but when that's all you've got, at least it's something. For those of you in voting States in the US good luck on Super Tuesday.CNN ArticleGlobalization 101Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-50382544131972028812008-02-03T19:34:00.000-08:002008-02-03T20:21:12.675-08:00

As i mentioned a while back, my friend Anna and Marcus are on a trip through the Pacific Gyre, a twice the size of Texas patch of plastic debris that is floating in the Pacific Ocean. Due to illnesses and everything else, I've been behind, so here are the first posts they have put up. I highly recommend following their voyage. The above video was made by the foundation they are working for and

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-26577841347917718822008-01-30T06:39:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:24.118-08:00

The Aptera is the car of the future that I have been watching with interest for quite some time. At under $30,000 it seemed too good to be true, and many thought that to be the case. Thankfully, as you'll see in this video from Popular Mechanics, it seems like the future may be coming sooner than we think.Ok, so this may not be every one's idea of the perfect car. It's a side by side 2 seater,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-41250834282804501012008-01-29T19:49:00.001-08:002008-01-29T19:50:18.970-08:00

Due to traveling, visits from the inlaws, and now the flu (which i am just barely recovering from) I apologize for being so absent as of late. Hopefully in a few days I'll be back up to speed.ThanksLive SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-79664214867278914492008-01-29T19:38:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:24.288-08:00

For those of you who live in California, check this posting out from the Union of Concerned Scientists about AB 493. It's a fairly simple concept that i think really may have some legs. The bill would create rebates up to $2500 for cars that emit less global warming gasses and the money would come from a surcharge on new vehicles that emit excess global warming gasses. Studies show that such a

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-51148668528815895142008-01-27T15:10:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:24.400-08:00

Holy connect the dots batman. I just came across this great site where you can type in your zip code and it will give you detailed info about where your local power is coming from and if it is involved in mountaintop stripping, a massively destructive coal extracting method that turns mountains into mole hills. We pay extra for green power so I need to run this by my power company to see what's

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-22276128681855006312008-01-22T21:47:00.001-08:002008-11-13T02:14:24.609-08:00

NYC just passed a plastic bag recycling law that will require stores to have highly visible plastic bag recycling bins in their stores and print a recycling message on the bags themselves.While I applaud the city for recognizing the problems, I gotta say this is a pretty disappointing response to the problem. By simply asking companies to encourage recycling, they are really accomplishing next to

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-61487391475448541952008-01-22T21:44:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:14:24.711-08:00

While I was away last week, I dropped my trusty Ibook off to the mac store as the monitor had been having some problems. I put a letter in with it explaining what i was up to re;garbage, and asked if they would send me that parts they were going to have to discard. The good news is my mac is back and I have a new monitor (gotta love Applecare) but unfortunately I cam up snake eyes on the parts

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-87827474195221721802008-01-22T21:34:00.000-08:002008-01-22T21:42:16.580-08:00

Hey gang,Sorry for the prolonged silence. I'm actually back and fear that i must fess up a bit. I was actually out of town with my wife on a first ever, planned 6 months back, vacation without our kids. After the unexpected success of this and the 365 days of trash blog (not like they are anything more than a blip on the web scale, but for me, the fact that Duane and 2 others check in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-75834647836355177972008-01-12T18:03:00.000-08:002008-01-12T18:04:46.715-08:00

Due to a professional commitment, I fear that I may not have much (if any) time to post in the coming week. That said, I'll be back up with a frenzy by next weekend at the latest.Live SustainablyDave

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-15940248192140462542008-01-12T18:02:00.000-08:002008-01-12T18:03:30.848-08:00

A great opportunity to learn sustainable living practices if you live in or near Santa Monica, Ca.DaveThe first 2 Sustainable Works Green Living Workshops of 2008 start next week-Wednesday nights 7-8:30pmstarting January 16thSanta Monica Public Library601 Santa Monica Blvd.Thursday nights 7-8:30pmstarting January 17thREI402 Santa Monica Blvd.Classes are filling fast this week- so please let me

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516272298728973737.post-23577041837540227192008-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:002008-01-11T14:29:20.907-08:00

Check out this story from NPR I heard on the radio today. Naples has had no garbage collection since the end of December, less than one month, and they are in serious trouble. While there seem to be politics behind the reasons for why the garbage isn't being picked up, just imagine what would happen in your town if the trucks stopped coming. Seems to me that if there was less packaging, less

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07273853131778107163noreply@blogger.com1