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15th October 2009
It’s Difficult to Be Green as a New Mom
When I started this website/blog, it was to focus on environmental awareness and global warming/climate change. I’ve since travelled to Antarctica so I could see climate change first-hand. I journeyed with others who were interested in climate change, along with some who just wanted another feather in their cap for having seen all the continents before they died. I was shocked by what I observed in Antarctica.
I came back and went to see Al Gore a year ago, while pregnant, on climate change initiatives. I’ve blogged about many things that were green. I gasped as I observed coffee-goers at Starbucks and Panera throw out plastic cups. I learned about electric and hybrid cars. I’ve participated in some green events. I had passion for the environment and how to effect change in our future. And then I had a baby, heh heh.
So, wonder how much green I have in my life with a baby?
Today (it’s almost over, but this was the first chance I had to blog tonight) was Blog Action Day - Climate Change
To be entirely green with a newborn, I’d nurse all the time instead of twice a day, recycle and wash those super poopy diapers, never use plastic, and if I dared to use plastic, I’d recycle every single time, and of course, I’d try to re-use those glass bottles for something. But the fact is, within a few weeks of total exhaustion beyond belief that only mothers can understand, you begin to slip as a green mom. I never envisioned this would be my cupboard.
My cupboard of baby food, no longer the green extremistMore will be posted to this but to meet the deadline of 11:59 p.m. 11/15/09 Blog Action Day, I’m publishing a half-complete blog.
My cupboard wouldn’t be filled with this type of ingredient at all - tiny single-use plastic containers that are the epitome of wastefulness and consumerism. But the fact is, as a working mom, business owner, I barely have time to do a load of laundry, much less get all the cleaning done in the kitchen. I steamed spinach tonight for Melina. By the time it was ready, Melina was done with her chicken and applesauce and about ready to catapult out of her high-chair. I have the baby food mill that my dear friend Alicia got for us. I’ve used it lovingly about ten times, if that, in nearly a year. It’s simply easier and faster to buy those horrible plastic containers.
The first few months I stacked up the plastic recycling until it was overflowing so many places I’d trip over a bag waiting to go to the recycle facility down the road. I admit, I stopped recycling entirely for a few months after Melina was born, despite the mass quantities of plastic consumption. But I just couldn’t do it all as a new mom.
Now, I’m back to recycling and have been for a while. I admit, I still occasionally fudge. But, I do try to be green. If I could affect change on a grander level, I’d just get Starbucks and Panera to recycle on site, in every store they have throughout the United States.
In the meantime, this is my recycling, and I’m determined to take it in tomorrow, or maybe Saturday, or maybe I’ll get that done Sunday. I’m tired, are you?
My Whole Foods bag of recycling - and way too many plastic containers29th August 2008
T. Boone Pickens - An Inspiration at 80 Years Old
I want to meet T. Boone Pickens - in fact, I want to work with this man. As a pregnant woman nearing seven months pregnancy, as a blogger, as an environmental advocate, as a search marketing expert, as an entrepreneur who is interested in wind power, and solar energy and alternative fuel solutions, I want to meet him. But as an entrepreneur even moreso, I want to know what I can do to get more involved in developing wind power solutions. While I certainly have a lot on my plate with being a business owner, and having a child in the next three months - if I could choose my next accomplishment in life, it would be to start a wind power generation project, or to be involved in a partnership with such initiatives.
So how does T. Boone Pickens fit into this interest? You’ve probably seen his energy ads. You might have even Googled this guy, wondering who the heck he is. And, you might have seen him grace a few magazine covers. You might have checked out his website, www.pickensplan.com, per the ads, or even ‘friended’ him on Facebook. The more I read about this person, the more I’m impressed. He is 80 years old, and driven by the desire to impact significant change not just in his own life, but in business, international economics and in the environment. Not to mention, he knows how to make a few million or billion dollars for that matter.
As a 40-year old woman having her first child, wondering about the future for herself and child, it’s inspiring to know that there are people in life that never quit trying to change the world - even at the age of 80! Learn more by visiting the sites above.
I have to get some sleep - and take care of baby girl Melina right now - but I continue to learn more about wind power, development and Pickens - thanks for the inspiration.
1st January 2008
Antarctica Penguins: Favorite Moments on the Antarctica Cruise
My Absolute Favorite Thing to Do in Antarctica : Watch the Antarctica Penguins!
I am still organizing Antarctica photos, preparing videos and uploading them to YouTube, however the coolest thing to do in Antarctica for me was to watch the penguins. They are beyond cute, a little stinky I might add, but once you get over the guano smell - you can’t help but love these little guys!
Gentoo Penguin in Cuverville Island, AntarcticaWe saw gentoo penguins & chinstrap penguins. I’ve posted some pics here of gentoos, but there are pics of both on Flickr if you click the link to the left here.
Postcard Perfect PenguinsI missed the Adelies, sadly, whom have experienced a steep decline in population due to global warming and climate change. Over a 70% decline in Adelie penguins is believed to be due to egg mortality as a result of Adelies nesting on sea ice. Warmer temperatures, ie global warming, creates more snow, believe it or not. If enough snow falls, Adelies are often buried in the snow while they nest - and as a result are forced to abandon their eggs in order to survive themselves.
I’ve created a Flickr photo set of the Antarctica Penguins. You can jump to the Antarctica Penguin Slideshow on Flickr. View Options, or Click on the “i” to view titles and descriptions if you want. I just wish I could figure out how to add some music….
YouTube Video of Gentoo Penguin Rookery in Cuverville Island, Antarctica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3bNQsmSmuITo learn more about why you should care about Antarctica and climate change - I’ve compiled some more research I’ve collected for those who have more questions.
16th November 2007
Carbon Offsetting : Antarctica Cruise, Airfare
Carbon Offsetting: Antarctica Cruise
The purpose of the Antarctica cruise is to observe environmental and climate changes firsthand. I’ve heard about, read and seen pictures of the icecaps melting, penguins dying, and ice shelfs dissolving. If an entire ecosystem thrives on the ice, what happens when the ice is gone? Does our curiosity to travel there and visualize the changes make things worse?I say it depends on how you get there, and what you do to impact climate change awareness? Isn’t that an offset in itself? Perhaps not. I am pulling together some research on this topic and will continue to add data as I collect it. Carbon offsets are often referred to when discussing air travel. Airplane jet travel creates those white “trails” in the atmosphere and contributes to additional gas emissions. Some people like to pay their carbon offsetting tax by contributing money to organizations that offer to plant trees. However, it appears based on some recent surface research that this is somewhat criticized. I need to read about this more before I pontificate further on the reforestation concept.
As I mentioned in my carbon offsetting post this week, my air travel should create nearly 5 tons of carbon dioxide, which will get released into the atmosphere. Five tons seems like a lot - what does five tons look like? I wonder how accurate those emission calculators are.
The cruise line, Abercrombie & Kent, has a medium sized ship for this trip, which should lower the emissions I would imagine, however, cruises in general are notorious for contributing to water pollution and much more. However, our ship while some may be tourists, has many research scientists, naturalists, ornithologists and lecturers aboard, one of whom is taking a digital camera to Palmer Research Station.
I plan to blog, and videoblog the passage, landing, and much more to tell colleagues, businesses and press what’s occurring from the non-scientist’s perspective, the non-press perspective. And, I plan to post to YouTube and our site.
13th November 2007
Antarctica Cruise : What’s My Carbon Footprint Calculation? 1 reply
How much carbon dioxide (CO2) gets released into the air as a result of my trip to Antarctica?
According to the site shown below, my air travel from ORD to Ushuaia, AR releases over five tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Now offsetting is cheap - perhaps too cheap - almost makes you wonder. According to the source listed here, my offset costs just under $80 for 5 tones of CO2. What really happens to the money? Does it impact anything?
I’m going to discuss carbon offsetting in the coming days and weeks, and where to go to calculate your carbon footprint, and how much the cruise itself contributes. Does our cruise offset, or is this whole topic a bunch of penguin poo?
11th November 2007
Antarctica Cruise Facts : December 2007
Have You Ever Been to Antarctica?
I’d like to hear from you about your experience - please post comments belowIt’s less than a month before I depart for Antarctica and I am so incredibly excited. The numbers of interested, fascinated, and in awe colleagues are growing. “It’s the trip of a lifetime” is the most common remark, followed by “awfully expensive, isn’t it?, and how do you get there?”
On cost, it’s not cheap getting to Antarctica but for those of us who had parents or friends who went to Alaska, this doesn’t seem that much more expensive. I’ve heard of people spending nearly $10k for an Alaskan cruise and excursions, and as much as $50k to go on safari in Africa, so if you’re wondering how much it costs to get to Antarctica, read on:
Abercrombie & Kent’s Antarctica Cruise - single occupancy rates - $7500 by the time you pay for the B cabin, which is second to A cabins, including port charges and insurance. This does not include mandatory evacuation insurance, or airfare and hotel back and forth to Argentina. Double occupancy could be as much as $15k by the time you add in port charges and insurance.
I was able to use 100,000 frequent flyer miles to fly to Argentina, so it’s only costing around $300 for airfare. If I had booked with Abercrombie & Kent (A&K)’s adventure cruise, it would have cost around $600 or so for the airfare. I’m not sure if the Hyatt hotel before we depart from Argentina is included or not. I’ll have to check on that and come back to that one.
Some are asking how do I get to Antarctica? I fly from Chicago to Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
From Buenos Aires, I’ll have one day to rest and catch my breath. Then I fly very, very early from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina, from where the Abercrombie & Kent Antarctica cruise will depart (see map below). I’ve learned about the infamous Drake Passage which is the next part of the voyage, and perhaps harder than being in Antarctica itself, depending on which part of Drake you get. I will continue to post more on this throughout the coming days.
9th November 2007
Is Antarctica on the Horizon? A Mobile Global Warming, Climate Change Observatory
If I’m lucky enough to get the ticket, I may be on an Antarctica trip to observe climate change and global warming in a few weeks.
Details to be posted soon. And, I got the ticket…..
15th October 2007
Blog Action Day: Topic “Solar Power”
Today is Blog Action Day: My Topic is “Solar Power”
I’ve been blogging about the environment since February of 2007. Today is Blog Action Day. We’re to post about the environment. It’s not difficult to talk about the environment or the climate change that’s taking place. What always interests me is when asked if they think it’s “global warming”, typically I do not hear a “yes”. It’s a reluctance to accept this particular term. “I think the seasons are changing”. Well, that’s climate change, and just admit it - it’s global warming.
When we experience 90 degree weather in Columbus, Ohio for an entire week, one has to wonder or to begin believing in global warming.
17th June 2007
Venice in 2030
Did you know that Venice could be underwater and uninhabitable by 2030?
I’m listening to the ocean waves crash outside my hotel room in Laguna Beach. It’s cool here at night, even in mid-June. The sound of the oceans waves is amazing - deafening if you’re distracted by work and thoughts of other things besides works, sleep encouraging if you’re putting your thoughts behind you.
This place has become my haven from work, and yet I’m bringing my work to Laguna. I just completed my first Search N Spa event, where I teach search marketing to retailers for four straight days. It’s intense but offers up time for retail business owners and high level execs to spend time with their family, and the opportunity to walk the town. Laguna Beach is known for its art galleries. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Areas that are surrounded by water are so fragile in today’s world of global warming.
I’m watching Discovery Channel and they’re talking about Venice, Italy, and its water bound city. Water levels are rising 1/40 of an inch per year. A woman interviewed said they are getting flooded in Venice with the tides at night. It’s quiet, scary, and the water simply, quietly floods the house.
More on this topic:
What are you doing? Are you making changes in your everyday life? Are you walking more? Recycling? Consuming Less?
22nd May 2007
USAToday “Global Carbon Levels Spiraling”
An article in today’s USAToday, on the front page, talks about global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions are over three times the rate of that in the 1990s. [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]. As we’ve discussed, carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas contributor to global warming. Carbon intensity has increased since 2000 in China, and possibly stalled elsewhere if I understand this correctly? Each time I hear about global warming, those that debate the contribution and change we can effect, discuss the impact that China has on global warming.
Regardless, when looking at the table produced by US Department of Energy, North America still produces the second highest amounts of carbon dioxide emissions in millions of metric tons (6,886.88) versus Asia, Australia at 9,604.81 as of 2004.
16th May 2007
Global Warming Presentation in Worthington
Five Frequent Reasons for Global Warming Inaction - How to defeat the excuses against not acting now on Global Warming.
Presentation in Worthington by Dr. Robinson, who is educated on Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth process.
1) Who Me? - climate is always changing
Looking at human industrial activity - population explosion - should hit 9.1 billion by 2050. It took from beginning to 1927 to reach 2 billion persons. It took less than 50 years for population to double. It’ll take even less than 25 years for the next doubling to take place. Also science and technology will amplify our resources. Ancient ways of doing things are no longer the way of doing things - think when you use a snowblower instead of snow shovel. The troposphere is 6 miles thick, where planes fly. Real acceleration in global warming after 1970. It is a natural phenomenon. A slide of Lonnie Thompson, ice cores. Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru, 1977 slide shown. Never exceeded 250 Carbon Dioxide parts per million, in 650,000 years of study complete. Today, we’re at 280 C02 parts per million. For the first time, we can prove that humans are in fact contributing to the increase in CO2. We know that greenhouse gases warms the Earth.2) I’ll be dead before it matters
There is a 1.3 degree temperature increase. Bare minimum is 2 degrees. The worst case scenario is 11 degrees. January was 1.5 degrees warmer than 20th century global average. He also talked about the Vermont sugar maples - which i’ve blogged about before. Article in NYT in 3/2/07. Sky Islands of southern Arizona unraveling - a local resident said that she used to have four seasons - now they only have two. She’s lived there for 25 years. NASA GISS projects that by 2085, summer time average daily highs will be 10 degrees warmer. They’re also projecting average daytime highs over 100 degrees in the South. Boulder Glacial Park and other glacial parks worldwide - within 30 years - will be gone. Alot of the world depends on the glacial ice packs to provide steady flow of water. In South America, entire cities depend on the glaciers for their water source. MIT Study in 2005, July, said the intensity of storms in the Atlantic have increased substantially. Number of major flood events increased, as do droughts. The number of frost days have decreased substantially in Switzerland.3) We can fix it later
North Pole - earth uses this to cool itself. The Sea-Ice Extent - is diminishing dramatically - as ice melts, the darker water absorbs more of the heat, and accelerates the heating of the Earth at an increasing rate. In the North, within the Permafrost, there is enough C02 in the tundra - if it melts - there will be a large amount of methane released into the air. This has already begun in Alaska and Russia. In the South, the Larsen Ice Shelf broke up in 2002. It had been there for approximately 12,000 years. In three months, it broke up. As water based ice breaks up, land based ice has the potential to melt and fall into the water, thus increasing water levels. The West Antarctic ice sheet is a grave concern. If it broke off, sea levels would go up 20 feet. Greenland - pools of melt water are forming - just like the Larsen Ice shelf in 2002. Glacial earthquakes are doubling in Greenland. Don’t count on being able to fix it - these are irreversible events taking place.4) It won’t touch me in Ohio, i’m not on the coast - think the Florida picture animation on Inconvenient Truth. There could be a major soil moisture reduction in Ohio from June to August. In 2003 there is a heat wave in Europe. 35,000 dead. Most died in France in Italy, 15,000 and 20,000 respectively. We were all impacted by Katrina. Darfur - the root of the problem is a longterm drought - Lake Chad - disrupting age old social patterns.
5) It’ll cost too much - what about the Chinese - if they don’t do anything?
Estimated that if we spent $14 billion spent to prevent Katrina. Estimated total damage cost of $200 billion because of the effects of Katrina. The Stern Review, a British report, on the economics of climate change - spend 1% of GNP now on mitigation - we will able to avoid serious economic impact later ($300B) - likely to experience 5-20% decrease. The only time that happened was in WWII. Alternatively, the Chairman and CEO of GE believes that green is green and can be profitable. Just last year Toyota became top producer 39.1 percent - as opposed to 38.1 percent decline for Ford. In the last 20 years, Germany has led in 50% world’s production - generated their own energy and developed solar technology industry as export. Efficiency works in California - appliance and building standard modifications - established rules whereby their utilities make money by encouraging and realizing efficiencies. Alternatively, there is no incentive at AEP to reduce energy consumption - hmmmmmm, perhaps an opportunity with my colleagues at AEP. There is wind capacity of 330 GW in the Atlantic. Current regional total energy consumption is 185 GW. Installation of 166,720 turbines. It has been determined that 66,000 MW of land-based potential wind energy. There has to be multiple methods of impacting - to stabilize - electricity and use efficiency; other end-use efficiency - passenger vehicle, transport efficiency, renewables. The most expensive thing we can do is nothing.Upcoming Events:
Solar 2007 - Cleveland, OH - July 7, 12, 2007 - www.solar2007.orgQuestions:
What are other countries doing? E.U. and California are legislative entity models to review.
What about nuclear energy? Renewable, decentralized sources would be the opposite of nuclear. If you currently sell surplus energy back to an energy provider like AEP, you only get 40% of retail price. Gore has proposed a smart energy grid, and an open marketplace for many to sell back to whomever wants to buy it at market price.
Questions about population - should we not have as many children - i’ve seen studies on this - i need to look this up. I’ve seen studies on the Muslim vs Christian societies and that the latter have very few children in a decreasing rate and the former are having larger numbers of children.
One comment about the lack of people under 35 in the room. Our children will be more affected by this than we will be. Most of the people in the room - largely women, some men, and mostly older.
18th April 2007
Effects of Global Warming
What are the effects of global warming?
Why does Wikipedia have to show up for everything? Why does their content have to be so good-looking? Can’t I get something else in the top five search results for “effects of global warming?”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_global_warming
I’m preparing this work-in-progress article on all the effects of global warming. Environmental, economic, social, tourist, etc.
Sources for effects of global warming:
http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/
http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/facts_and_figures/temp_ghg_trends/co2_and_temp.cfm
http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/environmental_impacts/
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/18/news/climate.php
Interesting 2001 Time article:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/18/news/climate.phpEconomic Impact in Japan:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20070408TDY03005.htmThreats to Ecosystems Worldwide
15th April 2007
Effects of Global Warming Or Not: Colder Weather Now?
Will Mother Earth Make Up Her Mind?
by Laura ThiemeIt’s cold and gray here in Columbus, Ohio today. I returned from the SES New York 2007 conference on Saturday, as opposed to Friday night as previously scheduled. I am glad to be home. However, I would like warmer weather as I’m missing out on some valuable golf time. According to the news last night, it’s 20 degrees colder than average right now.
I had some time on the plane to catch up on magazine reading. Vanity Fair has its second annual green issue, which was a great read. I was surprised to learn about some environmentalist leaders, and some products I did not know much about.
For example, those of you who know I tested positive for eating poppy seed bread back in 1996 on a company drug test, might enjoy knowing that Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, formerly of Seinfeld (remember when she tested positive in that ‘96 episode for eating poppy seed muffins?) and now of Old Christine on TV, is an environmentalist activist. She raised millions for Natural Resources Defense Council, Waterkeeper Alliance, and Trust for Public Land. On Old Christine, her character drives a hybrid, as she also does in real life.
Lonnie Thompson of Ohio State University was also mentioned. He is a glaciologist at OSU. I’ve linked to his CNN profile.
I was interested in Barry Sternlight, of Starwood Capital Group (think Starwood Preferred Guest hotel program), who is helping to create luxurious, eco-friendly hotels with the brand “1″. The first “1″ will open next year in Seattle, and will follow in New York, Washington, LA, Paris, Ft. Lauderdale, and Scottsdale. “1″ comes from the mission to preserve the planet is job number one.
If you shop Target, you know this brand: Method - it’s in the cleaning aisle. If you shop Whole Foods, you know this product line: Seventh Generation. It’s also in the cleaning line and includes recycled paper products. I always wondered about the name. Seventh Generation comes from the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy - “…we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”
Robert Redford, who has always been a favorite of mine, and whom I’ve seen speak at Ohio State University at a lecture, was also featured. He was just 24 years old when he invested $500 in two acres of land in Utah. He now owns 5,000 acres, which hosts the infamous Sundance Festival. Redford speaks out on sustainable, clean and renewable forms of energy. You can now see “The Green” on the Sundance Channel, which is dedicated to environmental and green-themed documentaries .
Simran Sethi, who produces news stories for TreeHugger, hosted Ethical Markets, a PBS special on sustainable business practices. She is co-hosting “The Green” on the Sundance Channel. Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey turned to Sethi for advice on eco-friendly living.
25th March 2007
Warm Weather Where You Are?
Warmer Weather Than Usual This Time of Year?
by Laura ThiemeIt’s March. Yep, not July, March, in case you were wondering why the pools aren’t open. It’s going to be 80 degrees tomorrow in Columbus, Ohio. Today was in the high 70’s. That’s typically Florida weather this time of year, or warmer. About a month ago, per the blog posts below, robins were dying because the ground had been frozen for over a month. Now the robins have long forgotten their cherry post. They’re off mating, or chasing each other around the neighborhood. Indeed, a sign of spring. I have to laugh because yesterday I came out of the office after training two interns, and noted three black crows in the trees. I thought, “Great!” “Black crows”. I always thought crows were a sign of death, at least the movies depicts that, right? Anyway, then I saw a black crow standing on top of the other, and thought, “OOOOH, so that’s how….” LOL. So, more like a sign of procreation, not death.
Sorry, I digressed. Anyway, so how ’bout this warm weather we’re having? I have a problem when it’s this warm, knowing we had 32 degree weather a short while ago, and two weeks ago we had wild temperature fluctuations. According to www.wunderground.com the average March temperature for Columbus, Ohio is 45 degrees. The high record of 80 degrees was set back in 1907. The record low was set in 2001, at 13 degrees. If you look at this report for the month of March, you see that we’re about 20 degrees over the average on a daily basis, in the past couple of weeks.
So is warmer weather at this time of year a further sign of global warming, or just fluctuation in the temperature? According to the New York Times, warmer winter weather is affecting Vermont’s infamous maple sugar production schedule, making it harder to figure out when to tap the trees for its maple sap. 2.8 degrees warmer according to researchers in the Northeast United States, which is affecting the sugaring season, making it come earlier and last a shorter period of time.
If you wonder why this matters, let’s isolate the maple trees in Vermont as one effect of global warming and how that can affect the economy. Vermont is well known for its maple syrup, but this also drives tourism. If people do not schedule their trips to Vermont, because the maple syrup season is earlier or shorter, or if maple trees do not thrive in the warmer weather over many years, this can affect so many industries and companies related to tourism-driven local economy.
In fact, one of the largest maple sugar producers in Vermont, Arthur Berndt, is part of a class-action lawsuit (www.climatelawsuit.org) against the Import Export Bank and others. See the environmental lawsuit PDF by clicking on this link. Very interesting read.
