I came across a new method to extract understandable information from incredibly intelligent people by accident. I simply ask them to speak to me the same way they would a small child.
It might sound preposterous out of context, maybe even a little juvenile (pun intended). But with the sustainability fever spreading like wildfire, it has become increasingly difficult to get a straight definition of anything involving sustainability.
Everyone simply assumes that you already know. My view is that to fully understand anything you must start from the beginning. I can hear your minds screaming duh right now, but seriously think about it. The entire environmental movement begins in the middle. I can think of a dozen examples right off the top of my head.
“Sustainable fishing is fishing that uses sustainable methods. Energy efficiency is using energy more efficiently. A green building is a building that applies green science.”
The list goes on and on.
Nobody would deliberately watch a movie an hour into it or read a book starting with page one hundred. So why is it suddenly all right to begin in the middle of the environmentally friendly story? The perfect explanation of environmental jargon is locked away in brilliant minds that forget from time to time that simplicity is always appreciated.
So when in doubt adopt my favorite phrase of the day, “please address me as if I’m five years old sans the baby voice.” And with any luck, you will also get a smile for your effort.
I know I do it. I become insatiable, like a toddler in a candy shop, the second my eyes discern the word free. Yes, I would like a sticker that says we’re the best we sell for less. A pen low on ink you say? Don’t mind if I do. A hot pink reusable plastic bag too small for groceries, you had me at free.
I admit it. I’m a junkie. My closet harbors my dirty little secret. Some people have skeletons. I have a stash of promotional knick-knacks.
When I become entrenched in free mode, I completely ignore unpleasant thoughts like the carbon footprint associated with the item. Let’s face it; the junk will inevitably end up in either a landfill or the recycle plant. And yet, each time I return home with my free prize, I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. Not because I acquired another junky item, but because of the choice I made prior. I knowingly accepted free promotional items that will not be loved, used, or even remembered once I open my front door. What a waste and slight on the environment!
I fell privy to one of the classic blunders. Never trust free. If I’m not paying, then the environment certainly is. The time has come to just say no. Refuse ridiculous items and accept the potential grocery bag, recycled objects, and other environmentally friendly toys. Be selective. I know my fire hazard of a closet will thank me for it as will the world outside my front door.
Nothing motivates Portlanders more than beer and the environment. It takes a genius to come up with an organic beer festival complete with compostable cornstarch mugs and a special discount for public transportation riders. Thank you North American Organic Brewers Festival!
This weekend, June 26 to June 28, at Overlook Park on 1301 North Fremont Street in Portland, Oregon, the organic beer festival kicks off. Friday and Saturday beer tasting is open from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday fun day starts at 12:00 p.m. and lasts until 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Reusable and compostable tasting glasses are $6. Max riders with a validated ticket are rewarded with a $1 discount! If you don’t feel like going public with the Max, you can bring in 3 cans of food and get a $1 discount too. Don’t worry; the canned food is not ingested by the hungry, boozed up volunteers. All food will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank. For more information about the festival visit them on the web at: http://www.naobf.org
Parking will be tricky. The best way to arrive is either walking or the Max. For easy Max directions visit their trip planner: http://trimet.org. Biking is always my favorite option, but in this case, be wary. Bike parking is extremely limited. If you insist on biking, make sure to bring your thinking cap and be creative with your bike lock. For the safest bike route, check out: http://bycycle.org
No matter which way you arrive, make sure that you do. The North American Organic Beer Festival will be the green social event of the season, beer tasting included.
The Problem with Bottled Water: As the weather warms up, our need to rehydrate increases. It’s convenient to grab bottled water at the store when the urge strikes. With a little planning and foresight, you can save money, reduce the materials entering landfills, and break the harmful impact of the bottled water industry. By carrying BPA (BPA’s are plastic additives that are harmful to our health) free reusable water bottles, you can actually save money and reduce the harmful effects of private industry on water systems. In Portland, OR we are so fortunate to have a water supply that is safe and healthy to drink straight from the tap. Depending on your location and water source, purchasing a simple filtration system along with your re-usable water bottle will give you a constant supply of delicious and low impact water. Here are some simple calculations that will show you the monetary benefits of purchasing a reusable water bottle and if needed, a filtration device. Let’s say that you purchase five containers of bottled water per week. Bottled water ranges widely in cost, but let’s take a conservative estimate of $1.50 per bottle. That means that one might spend $7.50 a week, $30 dollars per month and a whopping $360 per year on bottled water. Think about it, $390 versus an approximate one time $20 purchase on a reusable bottle. I recommend SIGG, it is an aluminum bottle that releases no harmful chemicals and is extremely functional not to mention nice to look at. To learn more check out their website www.mysigg.com. Also, to learn about the effects of the bottle water industry on our planet, check out these movies (A World Without Water, Flow www.flowthemovie.com and this website Pacific Institute www.pacinst.org)
AC: Another important way to save energy this summer is by acting efficiently with the use of your air conditioner. There are a couple of very simple things you can do to maximize the cool while minimizing your energy use. First, use fans in conjunction with your AC. This circulates the cooled air and makes your AC more efficient. The second cool tip is to keep your windows covered and closed during the day and open in the evening. This is a fairly obvious tip, by blocking out the warmth during the day, there is less heat to cool and by letting in the cool at night, you can lower the core temperature of your house using no energy. Lastly, by changing the filter in your air conditioner monthly, you can reduce energy use by 5%. If you use all three of these tips you can significantly reduce your footprint.
Picnics and BBQs: Tis’ the season for picnics and barbeques. When planning your fun outdoor outings, think about the materials you are using. When you grill, there are many different types of heat sources that you can use. Charcoal bricks are the most harmful, so choose either propane or electric grills to reduce your emissions. The best choice is to go with the zero emissions option of a solar oven. Also, by cutting the excess fat off your meat you can cut down on the amount of carcinogens released during the cooking process. Now when it comes to dishware there are a couple of options for your picnic or barbeque. The best option is to go to Goodwill and buy a stock of cheap re-usable dishware that you can store away for these types of events. They are more attractive than disposables and reduce waste. Cloth napkins are preferable over paper. If these options don’t suit you, then there are plenty of compostable picnic settings available on the market. You can check some out at www.biodegradablestore.com or check out Whole Foods Market.
Buying food locally: The topic of picnics and barbeques brings me to my next point. Where should I get the food? The best option is to buy from your local farmers market. They have the freshest most delicious produce and meat at very reasonable prices. Not to mention the beneficial aspects of supporting local food systems. Fewer fossil fuels are used, because these foods travel less distance to get to your table. By investing in these local food systems, we are creating local jobs and reducing our carbon footprint. To find the hours and location of a farmer’s market near you, go to www.portlandfarmersmarket.org or if you are not from Portland go to www.farmersmarket.com
Although it’s still a long way away, we’d like to invite you to spend Labor Day weekend with us in Seattle at BUMBERSHOOT! It promises to be a fantastic weekend full of incredible art, music and fun! In case you didn’t know, Bumbershoot is a pretty green event – they provide plenty of opportunities for you to recycle, refill waterbottles, whenever possible, turn their old signage into bags to sell at the following concert and so much more!
In addition to their own actions, for the past few years, NetGreen has partnered with Bumbershoot to calculate and offset the carbon footprint of all of the artists (including their equipment) to and from the concert. In 2008, Bumbershoot purchased over 250 tons of carbon offsets to balance the carbon footprint of the artist travel. At the time of your ticket purchase, you can buy 367 lbs. of carbon offsets to balance your carbon footprint from traveling to and from the concert for just $2.00! If you buy an offset online you’ll also get a really great custom made canvas tote bag for FREE! Help to clean up the atmosphere and get free stuff – how can you beat that??
We’ll be at the concert to answer any questions that you have about greenhouse gases or carbon footprints and to provide you with tips on how to lead a green lifestyle without sacrificing the things you love! Hope to see you there!
