I'd like to interrupt my Live Blogging with a quick message...
Because I drink so much Barq's root beer, I signed up for the "Coke Rewards" program. Basically whenever you buy a Coke product you get a special code. You can enter these codes in your account and later redeem them for a variety of things. This morning I got a promotional e-mail with part of the subject line reading "earn double rewards by celebrating Earth Day." Initially I thought, this is great, something about the environment! Then I opened the e-mail and this is what I read: "Earth Day is a great time to celebrate the many wonders of the world—like cool, crisp refreshing water. In honor of Mother Nature, you can earn Double Points with DASANI." DASANI is a bottled water. If you really wanted to celebrate Earth Day, you wouldn't be promoting bottled water, you MORONS!
Current mood: amused and irritated
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Faith Hill "If My Heart Had Wings"
Current drink: water, filtered from the tap!
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Earth Hour
Last night, for one hour, it was Earth Hour. This is a time when on the last Saturday of March from 8:30 to 9:30 people are encouraged to turn off their lights and non-essential appliances. The event began in Australia in 2007 and 2.2 million people participated. Since then the event has grown and gone global. This year about 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries participated. Earth Hour is intended to draw attention to climate change and energy conservation. Seems simple enough, but, naturally, this kind of event is bound to draw a lot of negative reactions. However, I was somewhat surprised to see how passionately negative and angry these reactions were. Many people responded by saying that during Earth Hour they were going to turn ON all of their lights and all of their TVs and appliances. They were going to burn tires in their front yard and drive around the neighborhood in their SUVs. Other people said that it was just the government's way of brainwashing us to believe some kind of hoax. And others said that it is a pointless, useless, and empty gesture that won't solve anything.
I think that it would help to point out that Earth Hour is a largely SYMBOLIC gesture. I think everyone knows that turning off your lights for one hour on one day in the year isn't going to solve the climate crisis. But, like I said, the event is symbolic and it simply calls attention to the situation. It is like wearing red on World AIDS Day. Wearing the color red in and of itself will not solve the AIDS crisis, but it draws attention to the crisis. It is a simple way of making a statement.
Yet, as simple and symbolic as the event was, it was still surprising to see the reactions. But then again, climate change and the environment are just like religion and politics. People are passionate about it and it is polarizing. For the most part I'm a quiet eco-geek. I never preach (except I sort of do in this blog...), but I live by example. However, I have friends who stand at complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to opinions about the environment. I have some friends who say that I'm a fool for believing any of "this garbage" because global warming/climate change is really a hoax. Then, on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I have friends who tell me that I have no right to call myself an environmentalist because I eat meat and wear leather. Unfortunately these are the same friends who tell me that I have a lot of blood on my hands and that I probably deserve to die from heart disease or cancer because I eat meat. Gee, thanks! Fortunately those friends are few among many good ones! Anyway, when you are dealing with people, on either end, who are both extreme and self-righteous, you really don't get anywhere with an argument. I just let them talk and talk until they run out of air. I stay true to my beliefs and do what is right for me and do what I think is right for the rest of the world. That is simply how I live my life in general.
So did I participate in Earth Hour? Yes. What did I do? I drank some wine, lit a lot of candles, and read by candlelight. It was wonderful!
Current mood: rested
Current music: iTunes on shuffle--David Gray "Babylon"
Current drink: it is a little too early for cognac, but that will be my current drink in 30 minutes!
I think that it would help to point out that Earth Hour is a largely SYMBOLIC gesture. I think everyone knows that turning off your lights for one hour on one day in the year isn't going to solve the climate crisis. But, like I said, the event is symbolic and it simply calls attention to the situation. It is like wearing red on World AIDS Day. Wearing the color red in and of itself will not solve the AIDS crisis, but it draws attention to the crisis. It is a simple way of making a statement.
Yet, as simple and symbolic as the event was, it was still surprising to see the reactions. But then again, climate change and the environment are just like religion and politics. People are passionate about it and it is polarizing. For the most part I'm a quiet eco-geek. I never preach (except I sort of do in this blog...), but I live by example. However, I have friends who stand at complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to opinions about the environment. I have some friends who say that I'm a fool for believing any of "this garbage" because global warming/climate change is really a hoax. Then, on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I have friends who tell me that I have no right to call myself an environmentalist because I eat meat and wear leather. Unfortunately these are the same friends who tell me that I have a lot of blood on my hands and that I probably deserve to die from heart disease or cancer because I eat meat. Gee, thanks! Fortunately those friends are few among many good ones! Anyway, when you are dealing with people, on either end, who are both extreme and self-righteous, you really don't get anywhere with an argument. I just let them talk and talk until they run out of air. I stay true to my beliefs and do what is right for me and do what I think is right for the rest of the world. That is simply how I live my life in general.
So did I participate in Earth Hour? Yes. What did I do? I drank some wine, lit a lot of candles, and read by candlelight. It was wonderful!
Current mood: rested
Current music: iTunes on shuffle--David Gray "Babylon"
Current drink: it is a little too early for cognac, but that will be my current drink in 30 minutes!
Monday, March 02, 2009
Bottled Water Update
OK, so in a previous post I ranted about the evils of bottled water. Actually I didn't rant about their evils. I mostly just ranted about how perplexing it was to pay for water, but internally and silently I was thinking about how evil they are. Anyway, this evening I stumbled across an article on Planet Green about Charity: Water. Their fresh, thirst-quenching water costs $20. Basically their price is so high to make you think about the fact that you're actually paying for water, but, before there is an uproar, the money goes to a charity that funds well drilling in Africa so that the people have a safe and clean water supply. When other people around the world don't have clean water supplies, it sort of makes you think about that bottled water, doesn't it?
Some links:
Planet Green
Planet Green's article about Charity: Water
Current mood: tired
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Melissa Etheridge "An Unexpected Rain" (a very sexy song!)
Current drink: Jack Daniel's Whiskey (who drinks water??)
Some links:
Planet Green
Planet Green's article about Charity: Water
Current mood: tired
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Melissa Etheridge "An Unexpected Rain" (a very sexy song!)
Current drink: Jack Daniel's Whiskey (who drinks water??)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Smart City
Here is a nice piece from NBC's Nightly News about Boulder and their new smart grid.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Green and Stuff
So in my new, ongoing effort to share some news and stuff about the environment, here are a few things that I stumbled upon.
Free-Range Jello: There was an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times titled "I'll Have the Free-range Jello" by Charlotte Allen. Cute title, but really pathetic and sad article. The author talks about the "greening of the Capitol." The cafeteria in the Longworth Office Building on the Hill has apparently changed up its menu to provide more eco-friendly fare. This seems to have provided much amusement and fodder for the author of the opinion piece. She indulges in the excessive use of scare quotes around such words as organic, cage-free, fair trade, and sustainable. Scare quotes are generally used for terms that are nonstandard or ironic. Apparently the author takes delight in thinking of these things as ironic, when in fact they are quite real. The Longworth cafeteria seems to offer healthier options for diners when traditionally they served old favorites like meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese. Now, anyone who knows me well knows that I love these foods too. Sometimes a girl wants a good, juicy cheeseburger every now and then. I'm not going to be a hypocrite here. But I would also recognize the benefits of the healthier options of the Longworth cafeteria that are good both for me and the planet. With rising obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, you think that this kind of cafeteria would be a good step in the right direction to solving a lot of connected problems. The author of the piece, though, seems to dismiss it as some kind of trend. After brushing off eco-friendly paper products and utensils, she goes on to make even more light of the recycling stations at the cafeteria. Because, recycling after all is a senseless waste of time. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. This woman is obviously a Republican given her repeated stabs at Democrats, and she closes her article by saying that the Democrats are merely a party of the elite and trendy. Elite? Sweetheart, have you looked at the Republican party lately? Are they not elite? Fortunately I read her article online. Had I received the actual newspaper, I would have to send her to recycling!
Six Degrees: There was a great documentary on the National Geographic Channel tonight called Six Degrees Could Change the World. It discussed the different effects of global warming and climate change and what would happen to the Earth if the average temperature rose by six degrees. It was an excellent show. However, I have some advice for the National Geographic Channel. If you're going to show a documentary about global warming and climate change, you might not want to keep running commercials for the new Hummer.
Current mood: relaxed
Current music: Beth Waters. Beth Waters
Current drink: milk. It does a body good...and it's organic!!
Free-Range Jello: There was an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times titled "I'll Have the Free-range Jello" by Charlotte Allen. Cute title, but really pathetic and sad article. The author talks about the "greening of the Capitol." The cafeteria in the Longworth Office Building on the Hill has apparently changed up its menu to provide more eco-friendly fare. This seems to have provided much amusement and fodder for the author of the opinion piece. She indulges in the excessive use of scare quotes around such words as organic, cage-free, fair trade, and sustainable. Scare quotes are generally used for terms that are nonstandard or ironic. Apparently the author takes delight in thinking of these things as ironic, when in fact they are quite real. The Longworth cafeteria seems to offer healthier options for diners when traditionally they served old favorites like meatloaf, fried chicken, burgers, and mac and cheese. Now, anyone who knows me well knows that I love these foods too. Sometimes a girl wants a good, juicy cheeseburger every now and then. I'm not going to be a hypocrite here. But I would also recognize the benefits of the healthier options of the Longworth cafeteria that are good both for me and the planet. With rising obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, you think that this kind of cafeteria would be a good step in the right direction to solving a lot of connected problems. The author of the piece, though, seems to dismiss it as some kind of trend. After brushing off eco-friendly paper products and utensils, she goes on to make even more light of the recycling stations at the cafeteria. Because, recycling after all is a senseless waste of time. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. This woman is obviously a Republican given her repeated stabs at Democrats, and she closes her article by saying that the Democrats are merely a party of the elite and trendy. Elite? Sweetheart, have you looked at the Republican party lately? Are they not elite? Fortunately I read her article online. Had I received the actual newspaper, I would have to send her to recycling!
Six Degrees: There was a great documentary on the National Geographic Channel tonight called Six Degrees Could Change the World. It discussed the different effects of global warming and climate change and what would happen to the Earth if the average temperature rose by six degrees. It was an excellent show. However, I have some advice for the National Geographic Channel. If you're going to show a documentary about global warming and climate change, you might not want to keep running commercials for the new Hummer.
Current mood: relaxed
Current music: Beth Waters. Beth Waters
Current drink: milk. It does a body good...and it's organic!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
This and That
Work: It's still busy. You might send four books to press in one day, but don't think you can rest. You have three new books that you need to get started. Such is the publishing world.
Snow: I knew that it was going to snow this afternoon. The weather people have been talking about it. But I thought it was going to be a light snow. The snow started to fall right after 4:00, and it wasn't that bad. There were just a few swirling flurries. Before I had a chance to look up a second time, half of our department had already gone home to beat the storm. I stayed at the office until about 5:00 because I still had some things to do. By the time I left the office, there was already a good layer of heavy, wet snow on top of my car. By this time the snow was falling faster. It was really dark and gray and cloudy, and with the snow swirling around so much, visibility wasn't that great. The roads were wet and just starting to get bad. I was waiting at a stoplight about half a block away from my apartment. Our light turned green, and I was about ready to go, but someone completely blew through the intersection. I'm not sure if the other driver couldn't see the light or if he couldn't stop because the roads were too slick. Maybe he was just an idiot who ran a red light. But if I pulled into the intersection just a second sooner, the guy would have broadsided me. Fortunately when the weather is snowy and icy, I'm less likely to slam on the gas like I usually do. (Yes, I know that hitting the accelerator the instant when the light turns green is bad for my car, wastes gas, and hurts the environment. I'm trying to change this, honestly.) Thankfully I made it home in one piece.
Caffeine: With the weather being yucky this evening, I wasn't able to go to the grocery store like I intended. I'm out of root beer (among other things), and since I'm addicted to caffeine, I'm starting to go through withdrawal. Yes, I know caffeine is bad for you, and I'm trying to cut down, really. If you're confused, I drink Barq's Root Beer, and Barq's is the only root beer that has caffeine. So now I'm drinking coffee in lieu of root beer.
Green: I frequently lose myself in the internet on random blogs and other sites. It always surprises me that there are still people out there who are still in denial and don't believe that global warming and this whole climate crisis really exists. Some people out there who truly believe that this is simply some kind of frenzy spun and fanned by liberal wackjobs. (I'm liberal and often wacky.) However, the rest of the world knows that global warming is real and there is plenty of science that proves this. Yet, what is the harm in living a greener life? What's the harm in conserving energy? What's the harm in wasting less and recycling more? What's the harm in shopping for more natural and organic products? It might require some more effort and thought, but, quite frankly, more people in this population need to try thinking a little more.
Snow: I knew that it was going to snow this afternoon. The weather people have been talking about it. But I thought it was going to be a light snow. The snow started to fall right after 4:00, and it wasn't that bad. There were just a few swirling flurries. Before I had a chance to look up a second time, half of our department had already gone home to beat the storm. I stayed at the office until about 5:00 because I still had some things to do. By the time I left the office, there was already a good layer of heavy, wet snow on top of my car. By this time the snow was falling faster. It was really dark and gray and cloudy, and with the snow swirling around so much, visibility wasn't that great. The roads were wet and just starting to get bad. I was waiting at a stoplight about half a block away from my apartment. Our light turned green, and I was about ready to go, but someone completely blew through the intersection. I'm not sure if the other driver couldn't see the light or if he couldn't stop because the roads were too slick. Maybe he was just an idiot who ran a red light. But if I pulled into the intersection just a second sooner, the guy would have broadsided me. Fortunately when the weather is snowy and icy, I'm less likely to slam on the gas like I usually do. (Yes, I know that hitting the accelerator the instant when the light turns green is bad for my car, wastes gas, and hurts the environment. I'm trying to change this, honestly.) Thankfully I made it home in one piece.
Caffeine: With the weather being yucky this evening, I wasn't able to go to the grocery store like I intended. I'm out of root beer (among other things), and since I'm addicted to caffeine, I'm starting to go through withdrawal. Yes, I know caffeine is bad for you, and I'm trying to cut down, really. If you're confused, I drink Barq's Root Beer, and Barq's is the only root beer that has caffeine. So now I'm drinking coffee in lieu of root beer.
Green: I frequently lose myself in the internet on random blogs and other sites. It always surprises me that there are still people out there who are still in denial and don't believe that global warming and this whole climate crisis really exists. Some people out there who truly believe that this is simply some kind of frenzy spun and fanned by liberal wackjobs. (I'm liberal and often wacky.) However, the rest of the world knows that global warming is real and there is plenty of science that proves this. Yet, what is the harm in living a greener life? What's the harm in conserving energy? What's the harm in wasting less and recycling more? What's the harm in shopping for more natural and organic products? It might require some more effort and thought, but, quite frankly, more people in this population need to try thinking a little more.
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