Binghamton NY Going LEED

Binghamton joins nationwide trend to make buildings more environmentally friendly
By George Spohr
Press & Sun-Bulletin

LEED. Green design. Sustainable buildings.

They're industry buzzwords, but they're also changing the way buildings in Binghamton are engineered and designed. And with global warming regularly making headlines, a lot is riding on that shift.

John Knudson, senior principal at Bearsch Compeau Knudson Architects & Engineers in Binghamton, recalls telling his staff, "Guys, we have a role in this. We can make a difference in our little world here."

That philosophy is gaining momentum here and across the nation. At BCK, for example, management set a goal of having four professionals receive the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation. It has 12. In 2002, there were 2,443 LEED accredited professionals nationally. Now there are 39,636.

What's the appeal?

Philippe Dordai, an expert on sustainable design at RMJM Hillier of New Jersey, one of the nation's largest architectural firms, said he's seen a "snowball effect" borne of a heightened awareness of environmental issues -- and an ability for businesses to save money by incorporating green principles into their buildings.

"I don't think it's unique to Binghamton," Dordai said. "Depending on who the client is, there's certainly always an element of it being the right thing to do, but probably more so, there's an element of economic sense here. I think the green building movement, and especially LEED, has been smart about positioning itself as a way of saving money.

"I think that, to be really blunt, the money-saving side is the greater motivator, and, along with it, you get some brownie points in terms of being a better citizen," he said.

For some clients, being a better citizen is the selling point, said Chris Kopec, BCK's director of sustainable design.

"People are really starting to realize the impact that these buildings that we design have on the environment," he said. "We, as architects and engineers, really are just seeing the opportunity there that something needs to be done, and we're in a great position, just by our profession, to make a significant change."

Kopec said his research shows that buildings account for:

* 40 percent of the nation's energy usage.

* 30 percent of the nation's raw materials.

* 15 percent of the nation's water usage.

BCK is on track to deliver Greater Binghamton's first LEED certified building with the Jennie F. Snapp Middle School in Endicott. And in Ithaca, several buildings have been LEED certified. Certified buildings maximize energy efficiency and are designed to be as environmentally sound as possible.

"For the building industry, becoming an accredited professional encourages and promotes a higher understanding of LEED and supports (our) mission of transforming the built environment," said Ashley Katz, a U.S. Green Building Council spokeswoman.

Kopec said green designed projects are often more cost-effective than traditionally designed projects. Even projects that don't meet LEED standards can be built to higher environmental standards.

"There are some minor administrative additional costs with the LEED certification itself, but just in the sustainable design portion of it? It really depends," he said. "You can take this to an extreme and it could cost additional money, but the way we approach it is we have a set budget on these projects. ... Ultimately, when done successfully, this can save the owner costs on their municipal waste, as well as the electrical cost itself."

In Binghamton, many projects are "adaptive reuse" ventures -- projects that, unlike new construction, involve using an existing building and adapting it to new uses. That lends itself well to environmentally sound projects, sometimes more so than new buildings, Dordai said.

"The most sustainable thing you can do is reuse an old building," he said. "In fact, there are a number of credits in LEED that reward you for placing buildings in higher-density areas. One of the great advantages of building in an urban-renewal area is all of the infrastructure is already there. You just tap into them.

"Most cities, like Trenton (N.J.) or Binghamton, probably have a wealth of infrastructure that really isn't being used," he added. "Those cities grew and then they shrank. From a sustainability point of view, it's tremendously advantageous to work in denser communities. To build in a place where people can take mass transit to work. To build in a place where people can even walk to work."

Knudson said all of his firm's projects are built with green design in mind -- even those that won't qualify for LEED certification.

"While LEED is what we're following right now, and what we're going after in the Union-Endicott project, the importance of the strategies and practices in sustainable design are carried through in all our projects," he said.

Trash Talk

http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070930/070930trash.html

Garbage in, less garbage out
Americans could be trashing their wasteful ways: In 2005, we generated less garbage and recycled more waste. That was the first time the government has ever recorded a drop in the amount of trash produced.

The nation made 245.7 million tons of garbage in 2005, about 1.6 million tons less than in 2004, says the Environmental Protection Agency. That works out to about 4.5 pounds per person per day.

Nearly one-third of trash was recycled in 2005, the last year of available government statistics. The EPA has set a goal for the nation to recycle 35% of its trash by 2008. That would be a big change from 1980, when only 10% of trash was recycled.

"People want to do the right thing, but they're confused about what it is," says Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition, whose group has launched a comprehensive education campaign to teach people what to recycle and where to do it.

One of the newest targets for recycling: electronic waste, the fastest growing portion of the nation's trash. In 2005, about 1.5 million to 1.9 million tons of used and unwanted electronics were discarded, mainly in landfills; only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled.

Recycling helps prevent greenhouse gas emissions and saves energy, and the government says our 2005 efforts saved the energy equivalent of 11 billion gallons of gasoline.

-- Rochelle Sharpe

Get Involved:
Universities and Colleges: Recycle Mania
Communities - Nike Reuse A Shoe
Current Drop-Off Locations to Recycle Athletic Shoe
For individuals interested in recycling small quantities of worn-out athletic shoes, please visit Nike's website to find a drop-off location near you.
If there is not a collection partner in your area, you can mail shoes at your own expense back to: Nike Recycling Centerc/o Reuse-A-Shoe26755 SW 95th Ave.Wilsonville, OR 97070

Individuals and Communities - America Recycles Day
America Recycles Day (ARD) is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. Since its inception in 1997, the ARD campaign has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work, and to buy products made with recycled materials.
Year after year, residents in every state of the nation participated in America Recycles Day events. On November 15th each year, millions of people become better informed about the importance of recycling at home and work and buying recycled products as a result of the national America Recycles Day campaign.
In addition to the President of the United States declaring November 15th America Recycles Day, many state and local governments issued proclamations and resolutions in support of the national recycling day.

Yellow Legged Frog Extinction

http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/r.muscosa.html
Threatened in the Sierra Nevada, where it is absent from a significant part of its historic range. Endangered in Southern California, where it is absent from 99 percent of its historic range. No frogs have been seen in the San Bernardino mountains or on Mt. Palomar since the 1970's. The fires of 2003 appear to have destroyed the remaining populations and they are now considered extinct in the San Bernardino mountains. Only a few creeks have been found with frogs in the San Gabriel and San Jacinto mountains. The decline has been attributed to many factors, including bullfrogs, trout, airborne pollution, cattle grazing, ozone depletion, mining pollution, off road vehicle disturbance, public dumping, chytrid fungus, fires, and excessive flooding. For more information on the decline of this frog click here.

http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070930/070930science.html
Why we should care if the mountain yellow-legged frog becomes extinct
Why should we care if a frog becomes extinct?

"Like losing a rivet on an airplane, the extinction of a species weakens the interconnected web of the ecosystem," says Reid Harris of Virginia's James Madison University. "Eventually, the plane can lose enough rivets so the plane falls apart and drops out of the sky. Figuratively, the same thing happens when enough species become extinct and the ecosystem collapses."

Frogs are a link in the food chain for mammals, birds and fish. Their loss can reduce the numbers of other species and, in turn, lead to their extinction. Not to mention the effect on humans: Animals and plants provide substances used in important medical drugs. Frogs, specifically, devour insect pests that devastate food crops.

The species that Harris and Vance Vredenburg of San Francisco State University are trying to save is California's mountain yellow-legged frog. "Unless things start turning around for this frog, it is headed for extinction," Vredenburg says. "Just five years ago, it was possible to see the mountain yellow-legged frog populations with thousands of adults and tens of thousands of tadpoles. Today, that is nearly impossible to find."

A deadly fungus is killing off the frog. The good news: Harris discovered a skin bacteria found on red-backed salamanders abundant in Virginia that may kill the fungus.

-- John K. Borchardt

http://cres.sandiegozoo.org/projects/rb_frog_yellow.html
Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Recovery Program
In April 2005, representatives from California Department of Fish & Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) met with staff from the San Diego Zoo's Herpetological Department and CRES. The goal was to develop a captive breeding and translocation plan for the only remaining frogs known from the San Bernardino Mountains, as part of an integrated program of captive propagation, headstarting, and release that will ensure the long-term viability of the species in the wild.

The original goal of the program was to attempt captive-breeding of three adult pairs at CRES in large aquaria equipped with specialized filtration and chiller units to provide the frogs with a normal range of winter temperatures. Seven adult frogs were transferred to CRES, but all died due to pre-existing infection. After meetings with the government agencies listed above, it was decided that CRES provided optimal care and the best environment and expertise to manage this species and would be primarily responsible for captive propagation of the species. Removal of individuals in the wild would be at the discretion of USGS and USFWS biologists, but would include both tadpoles and adult frogs.

In August 2006, 75 tadpoles were emergency-salvaged from a drying streambed and transferred to the care of CRES. Some of these will be released back to the wild when conditions are deemed appropriate, while others will remain to establish a captive breeding program once they reach reproductive age. We plan to headstart tadpoles until two years of age, just after metamorphosis and after reaching a less vulnerable stage in the life cycle, then release them back to the wild. The project will end when USFWS determines that captive propagation is no longer useful for recovery efforts, an outcome we expect to be more than 10 years in the future.

Drywall As Soil Amendment

I've suspected this was possible for many different reasons. I've heard of old drywall being used since the gypsum doesn't change soil pH while adding needed calcium to the soil. I've also suspected that even if drywall were no longer made of true gypsum and did change pH, it wouldn't be a bad thing here in the wonderful North East US - where acid rain leaches calcium out of our soil faster than the rain falls.

So - I keep looking for proof. I found it!

While I'm not an advocate of man-made fertilizer, this article clearly shows that drywall can indeed be used in soil amendment. Not only does gypsum have calcium, it also has magnesium - something many areas lack an quantity - producing pale leaves with dark green veins. The calcium itself helps plants survive moisture swings as well as produce strong root systems.

If you have a building project, save the old drywall, save the scraps, and use it in your yard.
I have been expirementing with the best way to pulverize the drywall easily. If you ever look at a house that has burned, you don't see drywall remaining. It crumbles. I wasn't sure if that was from the fire or the water.

It's the fire. Even in a very cool fire of a few pieces of kindling, it becomes incredibly brittle and crumbles easily. So - I am going to start burning our scraps in our woodburning stove this winter. Mixed with the potassium (potash) in the ashes, it will be an incredible mineral supplement to our lawn, for no additional carbon load.

I haven't tried driving over it yet, but would guess this would yield rlatively good results, albeit with an additional carbon load of the auto doing the work.

Excerpts:
BACKGROUND. In 2001, WasteCap Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization based in Milwaukee that provides waste reduction and recycling assistance for businesses, provided waste management services during the construction of Alliant Energy Corporation's worldwide corporate headquarters in Madison, Wis. Part of the project involved finding a recycling market for its drywall scrap. WasteCap opted for land application of the drywall to agricultural fields. Gypsum drywall compares favorably with agricultural gypsum in its chemical composition, according to a study by R.F. Korcak at the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

WasteCap Wisconsin conducted research into the uses of scrap drywall. It was greatly aided in this effort by a drywall recycling bibliography compiled by John Reindl, the Dane County, Wis., Recycling Coordinator. This research revealed that gypsum was a vital ingredient in many manufactured fertilizers and that a fertilizer manufacturing plant operated by Royster-Clark, a large national producer and distributor of agricultural chemicals, was located in Madison, Wis.

The Royster-Clark plant produces 50,000 to 70,000 tons of fertilizer products annually, at times purchasing 5,000 tons of agricultural gypsum yearly as an ingredient in those products. It is estimated that 3,000 to 5,000 tons of waste drywall are generated each year in Dane County, the county in which Madison is located.

COLLECTION. Royster-Clark needed a minimum of 20 tons of gypsum to conduct proper manufacturing tests, but it preferred to receive 50 tons. This amount would allow the company to test different products and processes and to give it a better idea of how to best use the material.

WasteCap identified two sources for scrap drywall. Between February and June of 2003, First Choice Drywall collected 62 tons of scrap drywall from the Overture Center for the Arts construction site by J. H. Findorff & Son and from Don Simon Homes (now Veridian Homes) construction sites. Pellitteri Waste Systems donated dumpsters for storage of the scrap drywall.

STORAGE. The best available option was storing and processing the material at the Royster-Clark plant. It had many advantages. It was large--more than 17 acres--and closer to the central city than the landfill, reducing hauling distances. It had a paved area where the material could be stockpiled and was fenced so that tampering wouldn't be an issue. The plant was also adjacent to the manufacturing site, eliminating transportation costs after processing. It even had a truck scale adjacent to the site so the incoming material could be weighed.

GRINDING AND SCREENING. Kevin Peterson of Construction Waste Solutions (CWS) of Minneapolis, Minn., approached WasteCap Wisconsin to offer grinding and screening services for the project. The company was developing a new horizontal grinding machine with a sealed hopper to mitigate dust when grinding drywall. WasteCap Wisconsin wanted to do whatever it could to avoid dust issues in the project, so we agreed to use the new CWS machine.

We were able to deliver about 40 tons of finished product to the Royster-Clark plant. Two weeks later, Royster-Clark successfully used the gypsum in the manufacture of Sulfa-Cal fertilizer.

LESSONS LEARNED. For fertilizer manufacturing, the paper must be removed during the screening of the ground drywall. This is necessary because the manufacturer screens its product to clean it before it is packaged. Paper fibers left in the gypsum can clog the product screens.

Portable equipment is probably not suitable for use in a permanent drywall processing operation. For highest efficiency, grinding and screening operations must occur in one continuous flow, and each machine must be adjusted to maximize production.

A significant pan of the value to the manufacturer of gypsum from scrap drywall is that it is much drier than the mined agricultural gypsum it buys, which is so moist it often clumps up and sticks to the sides of feeder bins, making it difficult to maintain an even production flow in the plant.

In April 2004, Royster-Clark conducted another manufacturing test using 100 tons of ground, screened drywall gypsum. Royster-Clark has also expressed an interest in establishing a permanent scrap drywall processing facility. If all goes well, a business plan will be produced and work on a permanent facility could begin in 2005.

Bibliography for "Nourishing a market: a WasteCap Wisconsin project recycles gypsum drywall into fertilizer"
Ralph McCall "Nourishing a market: a WasteCap Wisconsin project recycles gypsum drywall into fertilizer". Construction & Demolition Recycling. May-June 2004. FindArticles.com. 24 Sep. 2007. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0QMH/is_3_6/ai_n6048615

Technical Aspect of Gypsum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsum

LED Solar Lighting Project

This is from a friend of mine down in KY. He loves to tinker, is incredibly creative and enjoys sharing his project ideas.
This is just one of many that will be posted. He is a huge advocate of reusing - and in very creative ways.

Well I got the latest project done. I bought a 10x10 gazebo to give some shade in the back yard. It was a little dark inside up top. So the idea came to make a chandelier.
Then the idea got better. Make it solar powered.
So I found a chandelier on ebay and got some landscape lights w/ a separate solar panel.
Some rewiring later and it's up and working. It does what I wanted it too, and now it doesn't cost me anything else to run it.
This had 2 LEDs per light. It doesn't light up the inside, but gives a glow that keeps the peak from being a dark hole.

At least 10 Uses For Egg Cartons

From Reader's Digest - RD.com

Use for storing and organizing
With a dozen handy compartments, egg cartons are a natural for storing and organizing small items. Here are some ideas to get you going. You're sure to come up with more of your own.
Instead of emptying the coins in your pocket into a jar for later sorting, cut off a four-section piece of an egg carton and leave it on your dresser. Sort your quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies as you pull them out of your pockets. (Dump pennies in a larger container, such as a jar, or put them in a piggy bank.)

Organize buttons, safety pins, threads, bobbins, and fasteners on your sewing table.

Organize washers, tacks, small nuts and bolts, and screws on your workbench. Or use to keep disassembled parts in sequence.

Keep small Christmas ornaments from being crushed in handy, stackable egg cartons.

Start a fire
Fill a cardboard egg carton with briquettes (and a bit of leftover candle wax if it's handy), place in your barbecue grill, and light. Egg cartons can also be filled with tinder, such as small bits of wood and paper, and used as a fire starter in a fireplace or a woodstove.

Start seedlings
An egg carton can become the perfect nursery for your seeds. Use a cardboard egg carton, not a polystyrene one. Fill each cell in the carton with soil and plant a few seeds in each one. Once the seeds have sprouted, divide the carton into individual cells and plant, cardboard cells and all.

Make ice
Making a bunch of ice for a picnic or party? Use the bottom halves of clean polystyrene egg cartons as auxiliary ice trays.

Reinforce a trash bag
Yuck! You pull the plastic trash bag out of the kitchen trash container and gunk drips out. Next time, put an opened empty egg carton at the bottom of the trash bag to prevent tears and punctures.

Create shippable homemade goodies
Here's a great way to brighten the day of a soldier, student, or any faraway friend or loved one. Cover an egg carton with bright wrapping paper. Line the individual cells with candy wrappers or shredded coconut. Nestle homemade treats inside each. Include the carton in your next care package or birthday gift, and rest assured the treats will arrive intact.

Golf ball caddy
An egg carton in your golf bag is a great way to keep golf balls clean and ready for teeing off.

From ThisOldHouse.com
Fire the grill. Melt candle scraps in a double boiler, then fill each cup halfway with sawdust. Carefully ladle the wax over the sawdust, and let it cool. Each cup can now serve as a fire starter—just light the edge.

Manage a farm. Torn up, egg cartons are a great food source in worm farms. If the soil mix is too moist, add dry carton pieces. Too dry? Dunk them in water first.

From RoseAcre.com
Statistics shows that the average American family of four uses just 1.5 lbs of foam egg cartons a year. You can ship 2 lbs from anywhere in the U.S. for under 4.00 via the U.S. Postal Service. Ship your CLEAN foam egg cartons to:
DOLCO PACKAGING
2110 Patterson Street
Decatur, IN 46733
Of course you don't have to store them all year ... mail them anytime and the box and cartons will be recycled. Post-consumer polystyrene is used to produce new egg cartons, school lunch trays, insulation board, desk accessories, etc.(Polystyrene Foam Egg Cartons are classified as a #6 Recyclable).

Also - if you have local farms, ask if they'd want to reuse them directly.

Top 15 Green Lists

Top 15 Green

Actors

Buildings

Cars

Chefs

Cities

Colleges/Universities

Fashion Finds

Fashion Designers

Movies - Green Themes

Musicians and a few Concerts

Politicians (none are running for US President)
From my home state - runner up Eliot Spitzer:
Eliot SpitzerSince taking office as New York's governor in January, Spitzer got right to work greening the place up. He's started with a complete retrofitting of the 39-room governor's mansion, overhauling everything from the light bulbs to the lawn mowers, and has his sights set on more state buildings for the next round of greening. Prior to his election, he spent eight years crusading for environmental protection as New York's attorney general, suing the Bush administration numerous times over failure to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions, mercury pollution from power plants, pesticide use in public housing, and efficiency standards for appliances.

Sports Figures

15 Top Environmental Religious Leaders

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
"Crime against the natural world is a sin," says Bartholomew I, leader of more than 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. "The Green Patriarch" has thrown his weight behind various international environmental causes, and urges leaders of other faiths to raise environmental awareness among their believers. The winner of both the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Sophie Prize for leadership in environmental protection and sustainable development, Bartholomew I takes his "fisher of men" duty seriously: In 2003, he brought together 200 scientists, political leaders, and journalists on a cruise ship in the Baltic Sea to discuss marine preservation and the hazards of overfishing. "To protect the oceans is to do God's work," he says. "To harm them, even if we are ignorant of the harm we cause, is to diminish His divine creation."

The Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet has been talking up environmental protection since he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. He has said that he considers environmental issues to be among the key challenges facing humanity today -- and as an exile whose homeland is under occupation, he's a man who knows challenges. The U.K. Environment Agency named him one of the top 100 green campaigners of all time last year. This year, the Dalai Lama is offsetting emissions generated by his world tour, and at many of the stops he's stressing the importance of kindness to the planet. He has been outspoken about protecting forests and wildlife and controlling the spread of nuclear power. He calls a clean environment a basic human right, and declares, "It is therefore part of our responsibility towards others to ensure that the world we pass on is as healthy, if not healthier, than we found it."

Rev. Sally Bingham
Sally Bingham -- an Episcopal priest and the environmental minister at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, Calif. -- brings light to congregations in more ways than one. Via the Interfaith Power & Light campaign, she's been a leader in encouraging religious groups to purchase green power and conserve energy by, among other things, replacing old-style light bulbs with compact fluorescents. The Regeneration Project, which she heads, recently united leaders from Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faith groups to ask the U.S. Congress and the White House to act on global warming. Bingham previously served on the board of Environmental Defense and San Francisco's Commission on the Environment, and has earned many accolades for her work, including the Green Power Leadership Pilot Award and the 2002 Energy Globe Award.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams
Use organic bread and wine for Holy Communion. Sell fairly traded products at church events. Carpool. Recycle. All of these were among the recommendations of Rowan Williams, senior clergyman of the Church of England, in "Sharing God's Planet," his 2005 report to the General Synod meeting. Williams says Christians have a moral duty to practice "sustainable consumption" and "celebrate and care for every part of God's creation." He launched a church-wide national environmental campaign, and, most recently, endorsed a booklet encouraging Christians to play their part in protecting the environment: "How Many Lightbulbs Does it Take to Change a Christian?"

Richard Cizik
As vice president of governmental affairs for the U.S. National Association of Evangelicals, Richard Cizik uses his significant political sway to raise awareness about climate change and other environmental maladies. Evangelicals should "return to being people known for our love and care of the earth and our fellow human beings," says Cizik, who travels the U.S. spreading the doctrine of "creation care," a Bible-based understanding of why Christians have a duty to be environmental stewards. He's faced criticism from other evangelicals for stealing attention away from homosexuality and abortion, but Cizik remains steadfast in his earth evangelizing. "There are still plenty who wonder, does advocating this agenda mean we have to become liberal weirdos?" he says. "And I say to them, certainly not. It's in the scripture. Read the Bible."

For the rest of the list

Arctic Sea Ice Melts, Shipping Lane Opens

LONDON (Reuters) - The Arctic's Northwest Passage has opened up fully because of melting sea ice, clearing a long-sought but historically impassable route between Europe and Asia, the European Space Agency said.

Sea ice has shrunk in the Arctic to its lowest level since satellite measurements began 30 years ago, ESA said, showing images of the now "fully navigable" route between the Atlantic and the Pacific.

A shipping route through the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic has been touted as a possible cheaper option to the Panama Canal for many shippers.

"We have seen the ice-covered area drop to just around 3 million square km," said Leif Toudal Pedersen of the Danish National Space Centre, describing the drop in the Arctic sea ice as "extreme".

The figure was about 1 million sq km less than previous lows in 2005 and 2006, Pedersen added.

The Northeast Passage through the Russian Arctic remained partially blocked, but in the light of the latest developments it may well open sooner than expected, Pedersen said.

Polar regions are very sensitive to climate change, ESA said, noting that some scientists have predicted the Arctic would be ice free as early as 2040.

Almost all experts say global warming, stoked by human use of fossil fuels, is happening about twice as fast in the Arctic as elsewhere on the planet. Once exposed, dark ground or sea soak up far more heat than ice and snow.

September and March generally mark the annual minimum and maximum extent respectively of Arctic sea ice.

The ESA announcement on its Web site came amid a scramble for sovereignty rights in the Arctic.

Russia, which recently planted its national flag on the seabed beneath the ice of the North Pole, has been staking its claim to a large chunk of the resource-rich Arctic region.

Countries such as Russia are hoping for new shipping routes or to find oil and gas.

Canada has also been pressing its Arctic sovereignty claim and has announced plans for a deep-water port at Nanisivik near the eastern entrance of the Northwest Passage, which will allow it to refuel its military patrol ships.

Also:
BREMERHAVEN, Germany, September 14, 2007 (ENS) - Large areas of Arctic sea ice are only one meter thick this year, about 50 percent thinner than they were in the year 2001, according to measurements taken by 50 scientists on board the research ship Polarstern. The international team is conducting research on sea ice in the central Arctic Basin.

Reusing Graywater

I'll be making a far more complete post in the very near future. But for now, here are the links I'll be pulling my information from for the post.

http://www.greywaterguerrillas.com/docs/wetland.pdf
Great for the DIY'rs - their book is $20, but 90% of the info seems to be online.

http://www.csep.co.uk/downloads/information_sheet_water_recycling.pdf
Very indepth on the how and why of rainwater collection.

http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/RainwaterGuide3.html
Basic information on rainwater collection.

2 books
The New Create an Oasis with Greywater: Choosing, Building, and Using Greywater Systems, Includes Branched Drains. (Paperback) by Art Ludwig (Author)

Builder's Greywater Guide: Installation of Greywater Systems in New Construction & Remodeling; A Supplement to the Book "Create an Oasis With Greywater" (Paperback) by Art Ludwig (Author)

Uses For Styrofoam

I can't say "At Least 10" because I'm having a killer of a time finding uses other than original for the stuff! How bad is that?!

From ThriftyFun.com

I save and re-use the styrofoam meat trays for holding a lot of my homemade candy, cookies and goodies, as gifts. Also great for Bake Sales.I wash the trays in hot water, to which it have added a SMALL amount of Clorox and dish soap.Rinse thoroughly and let air dry for a day. Store in large plastic bag securely closed, until needed for use. Re-rinse and dry before use.I wrap the tray entirely with aluminum foil. Arrange the homemade goodies on them. Wrap the entire package with plastic wrap.Cut a pretty picture from greeting card, scotch tape it to top, add a bow and gift tag.Makes a very pretty, sturdy, free tray for your home made gifts.By Gladys Hill

Post By seeyude (Guest Post) (10/31/2004)
I wash the (meat) trays and use them for drying flower seeds, as saucers for small potted plants ( and large), as trays, and for drying herbs.

Post By jeangnme46 (Guest Post) (11/02/2004)
I have a friend that paints alot. She uses the meat trays as her palette.

Post by LizCar (08/23/2005)
I stapled foam trays to the inside of our dog's house one winter. It was sooo warm! He was full-grown, so he didn't chew on them. BTW, then I stapled overlapping denim squares to the inside of the doorway, and heavy plastic to the outside to keep out rain and snow. He loved it!

Post By chris21 (Guest Post) (07/18/2006)
Here are a few links. A lot of places will recycle styrofoam peanuts but it is more difficult to find somewhere that will recycle the large pieces. I would check with the disposal company or county waste division about what to do with the styrofoam and if there is anywhere that takes it for recycling. You don't mention where the company is located so I can't really help more.http://www.oregonlink.com/recycle/plastic_peanuts.html
http://www.plasticsusa.com/cgi-bin/forums/gen/945.html
http://greenyes.grrn.org/2004/02/msg00035.html

From Readers Digest - rd.com

Keep nail polish nice
When applying nail polish, a foam pellet or a small chunk cut from a block of foam packaging placed between each finger or toe will help spread them apart and keep the polish unblemished until it can dry.

Make your own shipping pellets
You'd like to use foam to ship some fragile things, but all you've got is sheets or blocks of foam, not pellets. No problem. Just break up what you have into pieces small enough to fit in a blender and pulse it on and off to shred the foam into perfect packing material.

Hold treats for freezing and serving
To prepare a quantity of snow cones or ice-cream cones in advance, cut a foam block to size so it will fit flat in your freezer. Cut holes just large enough and close enough to hold cones so they won't touch, fall over, or poke through the bottom. Fill the cones and slip them into the waiting holes. Then pop the whole thing into the freezer ready for serving at a moment's notice.

Make a buoyant tray for the pool
Styrofoam is nearly unsinkable. Use the scraps from a construction project to make a drink holder or tray that will float in your pool:
To make a soda-can holder, cut two pieces to the size you want the finished holder to be, then cut holes the same size as a soda can in one piece. Glue the piece with holes on top of the other piece, using a glue gun with hot-melt glue.

To make a tray with a rim, just glue small strips of foam that are at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) high around the edge of a larger tray-size section of the material.

Make a kickboard
A sharp kitchen knife is all you need to cut a scrap of Styrofoam insulation into a kickboard for your swimming pool.

Help shrubs withstand winter
Sometimes shrubs need a little help to survive winter's ravages. Leftover sheets of extruded tongue-and-groove Styrofoam insulation are perfect for the job. They're rigid, waterproof, and block wind and road salt. Here are two ways to use the material:
To give moderate protection, cut two Styrofoam sheets and lash them together to form a pup tent over the plant. To hold the pieces in place, drive bamboo garden stakes through the bottom of each piece into the ground.

For something more substantial, fit pieces together to box in the plants on four sides. Put a stake inside each corner and join the pieces with duct or packing tape.
Plants in containers that overwinter outdoors are more likely to survive with Styrofoam protection too.

Recycling - Shipping it to recycler...
Expanded Polystyrene Shape Molded Packaging
Expanded polystyrene can be mailed via U.S. Postal Service or other carrier to:
Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers1298 Cronson Boulevard, Suite 201Crofton, MD 21114 USA
Shipping fees typically range from $1.50-$9.00 depending on the size of the package.
Make sure the expanded polystyrene is clean and free of any plastic film, loose parts or glued-on cardboard.
To increase the amount of expanded polystyrene in each shipping container, it can be broken or cut into smaller pieces so that more foam can fit in individual boxes.
Alliance of Foam Packaging does not accept extruded polystyrene foam including meat trays, cups, egg cartons or other disposable foodservice items for recycling.
Expanded polystyrene can be identified by the number 6 plastic resin identification code. Many types of foam plastic are not clearly marked; if you have questions please contact Alliance of Foam Packaging at (410) 451-8340.

Recycling Centers

For NY:
NEW YORK
K&B Plastics, Inc., Blodgett Mills 607-756-7732
Gianco Environmental Services, Brentwood 631-952-9900
Thermal Foams, Inc., Buffalo 716-874-6474
JCS Distribution, Central Valley 845-928-8338
Shelter Enterprises, Cohoes 518-237-4100
River Trading International, NYC 212-385-9203
NY Waste Recovery, Plattsburgh 802-860-4922
Enstar Corp., Troy 518-279-4311
Armstrong Brands, Inc., West Seneca 716-677-2900
ICS Plastics, Inc. Williamsville 716-631-0037

Using Orange Peels to deconstruct Polystyrene

Gardening and Community Gardening

I researched and wrote up a series of pages for my hurricane relief efforts. They're great for here as well.

Starting A Community Garden
A church in my community started a garden
One of my goals was to have churches in the Gulf Coast communities hardest hit to begin community gardens. They are still the center of their members' lives, are gernally easily travelled to, have the space and would create a wonderful outlet for stress AND give fresh veggies center stage - something that has been missing for almost 2 years. Unfortunately, there is just no one onsite who has the time to dedicate to such a special mission. If you know of anyone, please contact me at KatrinaCoalition @ aol.com (spaced to avoid spam)

Container Gardening

Simpler Pest Control

Looking Like A Pro

I am hoping to go into greater detail in the near future regarding composting. I will be adding links to go along with my suggestions, but if you know of any true quality sites that delve into this subject, let me know.

At Least 10 Uses For Cardboard Tubes

According to Co-op America, Americans use over 26 billion rolls of toilet paper each year.

From Readers Digest - rd.com

Extend vacuum cleaner reach
Can't reach that cobweb on the ceiling with your regular vacuum cleaner attachment? Try using a long, empty wrapping paper tube to extend the reach. You can even crush the end of the paper tube to create a crevice tool. Use duct tape to make the connection airtight.

Make a sheath
Flatten a paper towel tube, duct tape one end shut, and you have a perfect sheath for a picnic/camp knife. Use toilet paper rolls for smaller cutlery. (works if you have to ship them too)

Keep electrical cords tangle-free
Keep computer and appliance cords tangle-free. Fanfold the cord and pass it through a toilet paper tube before plugging in. You can also use the tubes to store extension cords when they're not in use. Paper towel tubes will also work. Just cut them in half before using them to hold the cords. (this works!)

Make a fly and pest strip
Get rid of pesky flies and mosquitoes with a homemade pest strip. Just cover an empty paper towel or toilet paper roll with transparent tape, sticky side out, and hang where needed.

Use as kindling and logs
Turn toilet paper and paper towel tubes into kindling and logs for your fireplace. For fire starter, use scissors to cut the cardboard into 1/8-inch (3-millimeter) strips. Keep the strips in a bin near the fireplace so they'll be handy to use next time you make a fire. To make logs, tape over one end of the tube and pack shredded newspaper inside. Then tape the other end. The tighter you pack the newspaper, the longer your log will burn. (going to try this - will let you know...)

Make boot trees
To keep the tops of long, flexible boots from flopping over and developing ugly creases in the closet, insert cardboard mailing tubes into them to help them hold their shape.

Make a plant guard
It's easy to accidentally scar the trunk of a young tree when you are whacking weeds around it. To avoid doing this, cut a cardboard mailing tube in half lengthwise and tie the two halves around the trunk while you work around the tree. Then slip it off and use it on another tree.

Protect important documents
Before storing diplomas, marriage certificates, and other important documents in your cedar chest, roll them tightly and insert them in paper towel tubes. This prevents creases and keeps the documents clean and dry. (this works, have much stored this way)

Start seedlings
Don't go to the garden supply store to buy biodegradable starting pots for seedlings. Just use the cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper. Use scissors to cut each toilet paper tube into two pots, or each paper towel tube into four. Fill a tray with the cut cylinders packed against each other so they won't tip when you water the seedlings. This will also prevent them from drying out too quickly. Now fill each pot with seed-starting mix, gently pack it down, and sow your seeds. When you plant the seedlings, make sure to break down the side of the roll and make sure all the cardboard is completely buried. (This works, but consider nuking them first to get rid of molds and such that can screw up planting. I found out the hard way.)

Store knitting needles
To keep your knitting needles from bending and breaking, try this: Use a long cardboard tube from kitchen foil or plastic wrap. Cover one end with cellophane tape. Pinch the other end closed and secure it tightly with tape. Slide the needles in through the tape on the taped end. The tape will hold them in place for secure, organized storage.

Store fabric scraps
Roll up leftover fabric scraps tightly and insert them inside a card-board tube from your bathroom or kitchen. For easy identification, tape or staple a sample of the fabric to the outside of the tube. (we have a few too many scraps to make this pragmatic. We use 50qt containers.)

Store string
Nothing is more useless and frustrating than tangled string. To keep your string ready to use, cut a notch into each end of a toilet paper tube. Secure one end of the string in one notch, wrap the string tightly around the tube, and then secure the other end in the other notch.

Keep linens crease-free
Wrap tablecloths and napkins around cardboard tubes after laundering to avoid the creases they would get if they were folded. Use long tubes for tablecloths and paper towel or toilet paper tubes for napkins. To guard against stains, cover the tubes with plastic wrap first.

Keep pants crease-free
You go to your closet for that good pair of pants you haven't worn in a while, only to find an ugly crease at the fold site from the hanger rack. It won't happen again if you cut a paper towel tube lengthwise, fold it in half horizontally, and place it over the rack before you hang up your pants. Before hanging pants, tape the sides of the cardboard together at the bottom to keep it from slipping. (going to try, will let you know...)

Keep Christmas lights tidy
Spending more time untangling your Christmas lights than it takes to put them up? Make yuletide prep easier by wrapping your lights around a cardboard tube. Secure them with masking tape. Put small strands of lights or garlands inside cardboard tubes, and seal the ends of the tubes with masking tape. (We do this and it WORKS)

Protect fluorescent lights
Keep fluorescent light tubes from breaking before you use them. They will fit neatly into long cardboard tubes sealed with tape at one end.

Make a kazoo
Got a bunch of bored kids driving you crazy on a rainy day? Cut three small holes in the middle of a paper towel tube. Then cover one end of the tube with wax paper secured with a strong rubber band. Now hum into the other end, while using your fingers to plug one, two, or all three holes to vary the pitch. Make one for each kid. They may still drive you crazy, but they'll have a ball doing it!

Instant megaphone
Don't shout yourself hoarse when you're calling outside for a child or pet to come home right now. Give your vocal cords a rest by using a wide cardboard tube as a megaphone to amplify your voice.

Make a hamster toy
Place a couple of paper towel or toilet paper tubes in the hamster (or gerbil) cage. The little critters will love running and walking through them, and they like chewing on the cardboard too. When the tubes start looking ragged, just replace them with fresh ones.


Preserve kids' artwork
You want to save some of your kids' precious artwork for posterity (or you don't want it to clutter up the house). Simply roll up the artwork and place it inside a paper towel tube. Label the outside with the child's name and date. The tubes are easy to store, and you can safely preserve the work of your budding young artists. Use this method to hold and store your documents, such as certificates and licenses, too.

Build a toy log cabin
Notch the ends of several long tubes with a craft knife and then help the kids build log cabins, fences, or huts with them. Use different-sized tubes for added versatility. For added realism, have the kids paint or color the tubes before construction begins.

Make English crackers
Keep the spirit of holiday firecrackers but cut out the dangers associated with burning explosives. Use toilet paper tubes to make English crackers, which "explode" into tiny gifts. For each cracker, tie a string about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long around a small gift such as candy, a balloon, or a figurine. After tying, the string should have about 6 inches (15 centimeters) to spare. Place the gift into the tube so the string dangles out one end. Cover the tube with bright-colored crepe paper or tissue and twist the ends. When you pull the string, out pops the gift.

From AssociatedContent.com

Store Wax Candle Tapers
I used to store wax candle tapers in a drawer too. Except, bouncing around in a drawer often left them broken, chipped, and soiled. Instead, wrap your wax candle tapers in tissue paper. Then slide them into a recycled toilet paper or a paper towel cardboard tube. Now your tapers will be protected in between uses

Paintbrush Holder
The problem with just storing paintbrushes in a drawer is that their brush ends tend to become flared, and the bristles become bent out of shape. They can also get soiled. Place your small paintbrushes inside recycled toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tubes, and your problem is solved!

Homemade Bird Feeder
Personally, I love to watch wild birds. I keep a few feeders, plus some bird baths, in my yard for them. I used to buy suet blocks in the winter time so the birds can get the fat they need to help stay warm. Instead of providing suet blocks, why not feed the birds by using cardboard tubes you have recycled? The kids can help you do this too!
Make sure the tubes are clean and have no toilet paper left on them. Poke a hole in one end and tie a long string to it. Then, cover the outside of the tube with peanut butter. Roll the peanut butter in bird seed, and you're ready to hang your homemade bird feeder outside for your feathered friends! (marginal success with this. They'd rather have it FULL than just coated.)

Make A Homemade Pencil Holder
This is a good project for your kids as well. Homemade Pencil Holders make great gifts for Mother's Day or Father's Day. All they need is three toilet paper cardboard tubes and some paint to start with. Have them paint the outside of the tubes. Allow the paint to dry, then set the tubes upright together in a triangular shape. Glue the tubes together, and allow the glue to dry. Then, glue the tubes to a piece of cardboard.
Finally, your kids can finish decorating their homemade pencil holders with colored markers, glitter, ribbons, stickers, crayons, et cetera.

Make Homemade Funnels
You can recycle cardboard tubes from rolls of toilet paper and paper towels by using them as funnels around the house. Of course, since they are made of cardboard, you can't put wet things in the funnel. Dry things such as bird seed, sand, flour, sugar, et cetera, work well.
To make your homemade funnel, simply cut two slits opposite each other in one end of the cardboard tube. To use the funnel, push the slitted end together until it fits into the container you want to pour something into. Then, insert the funnel and pour the item.

Store Pantyhose
Since pantyhose and mesh knee highs are made of a delicate nylon material, they tend to snag and tear easily. To protect you pantyhose or knee highs while they're stored in your drawer, recycle cardboard tubes for the job!