Norway embraces Osmotic Power

Osmotic Power is when electricity is produced by utilizing pressure built up in salt water. The pressure build up happens when salt water, comes in contact with fresh water. By virtue of a higher salt content, salt water exert pressure on fresh water to move towards salt water, fresh water does so by diluting the salt water. A membrane in between the salt water and fresh water, blocks the two from directly mixing. Then, when more fresh water moves towards the salt water chamber, the pressure builds up due to the high volume of pressure in the salt water chamber. That is when the pressure is utilized through letting high pressure water on to the turbine, which in turn rotates generators.

The Norway based company Statkraft, has been doing research for 10 years on this process, to make it commercially viable. According to researchers, the global potential of Osmotic power is expected to be around 1700 Twh per annum, which is equivalent to half the European Unions electricity production. Since there are so many fresh water rivers flowing into oceans, Osmosis power is rated higher, and a viable industrial development option.

GREEN TIP:

Here is a link to where you can check your carbon footprint FREE

SunnyBag Solar Shoulder Bag

Stefan Ponsold, has created this SunnyBag, and the company is based in Australia with the same name. These bags are made from cowskin leather, and are either dark brown or black. They are designed as a shoulder bag for laptops, files and paperwork. The bag has a 3 Watt solar panel with a 1600 mAh LI-Ion battery pack. On over cast days, this internal battery can be charged.

It has a range of adaptors to charge your portable gadgets like iPhone, iPod and various kinds of mobile phones. The approximate weight of this bag is 3 lbs, and the prices start at $199. Euro (including tax).

GREEN TIP:

Next time you travel, stay at an eco friendly hotel. At Eco Friendly Hotels, they list bed and breakfasts, hotels, inns, motels, and resorts, and all the eco friendly actions they take.

Recycled Mother Boards...Going Green

Recently, at San Francisco's Green Festival, they had some really neat ideas to recycle "Mother Boards" Here are a few pictures from the event.

I really like this journal, with the unique "Mother Board" cover on it. It would probably make a unique gift for anyone that is a webdesigner, or someone that is a eco warrior.

These coasters would fit into any decore, and be a real conversation starter too.

This clock is rather unique, and will definitely appeal to the eco green people on your Christmas List. This clock will set you back $30, and all of the products can be found at Motherboard Gifts

Motherboard Gifts, started in 1991, and creates many gifts ranging from picture frames to key fobs and everything inbetween. As the company states, "These products capture the intrinsic beauty of technology while providing an environmentally friendly alternative to the circuit boards being disposed of in landfills. Each product may vary by color and pattern making every item unique - virtually one of a kind." Yes, they are unique, and I am sure there are many people that would enjoy a one of a kind gift like this.

iPetal solar charger

This is a new solar charger that opens up into the shape of a flower, with all the petals opened into a circle. Once it is complete open, it gathers the light and gets ready to charge your electronic gadgets. It folds up and turns into a stand for your iPhone. Very nice. Hopefully it will hit the market in 2010...fingers crossed.

Go Green, and Save water while washing your hands.

As the Flu is running through the general population, there are many young children that need to learn to wash their hands more often. With this bright and cheery Mons Lavabo, which is a short listed entry in Designboom's Green Life Contest, is this small version of the washroom sink. It has been designed by Teng Chuan Tey and Romualdo Faura Bernabe from Spain, and this kid sized sink is catering to teaching children good hand washing habits. It is made from biodegradable and recyclable crushed almond husks...which keeps with our green theme. It has a motion sensor which turns on/off the water to prevent waste.

Go Green and run to power your MP3 Player.

Do you like to listen to your MP3 Player, while your going for your daily jog? Many people claim it really helps to keep them going, and the right music puts that extra umph into your workout. Now, you can wear Dancepants Kinetic Music Player, which converts kinetic energy from running, hopping, jumping, and moving around, into electricity to power an iPod or other music player. According to the Dancepants designers, the product is 100% interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own.

Even the Birds are Going Green

Just when I thought I had seen or heard of everything, along comes a solar bird house. Strange as this may sound, it does make the birds life somewhat easier.

Take a look at the picture, and you can see the perch on the house, where the birds can sit, actually lights up. The solar panel on the roof of the bird house, generates enough power to light that perch, which is great for the birds, when they get hungry. You see, that light attracts bugs and insects, so the birds only need to stick their head out side the house and they can eat their food, or feed their babies.

Oooms is the maker of this bird house, and it retails for around 70 euros.

Go Green Philadelphia - Tallest Leed Certified Building in USA

Philadelpia now has the tallest LEED Certified building in the USA. The Comcast Center has been awarded the title, after earning a Gold Certification for LEED-CS (Core and Shell). This 58 story building is covered in high performance glass and sunscreens, features louvers in the atria to help optimize daylight inside the building, and many other great green design features to help reduce energy consumption.

Right now, the high performance windows block 60% of the heat from the sun, and let in 70% of the sites available daylight, which helps reduce energy consumption from lighting and cooling - both of which use huge portions of the skyscraper's energy demands. The high efficiency water fixtures help the building use upto 40% less water than a typical office building, and the shade in the plaza outside reduces the project's urban heat-island effect by 70%.

Kia - new ideas for green vehicles

Kia wants you to dream big on their website by designing your own custom (solar) car for a chance to win $1,000 US. Kia has partnered with Antenna Magazine to create the Soul Xpressions which is an exhibit that displays Kia Souls designed by icons in the world of music, technology and fashion. You could for example, expresss your individuality by designing a car using recycled products, like wood, metal, and many other materials.

If you are interested, then just visit Antenna Magazine website, download the image of the car and start designing your own Kia.

Go Green with the Fair Trade Gift Guide

The Fair Trade Gift Guide is here, and it is full of possibilities for the season. This 32 page gift guide has an array of stylish eco conscious, fair trade gift ideas, with everything ranging from kids toys, to hand made gifts of chocolate, and even Chondonnay and Vodka. The kids will love some of these great puzzles and wooden toys, that bring every adult back to their own childhood.

Take a look at this great guide, and vote with your own dollars for fairly treated and paid artisans, field workers, and farmers to be fairly paid, as they do so much to help mother earth.

For Not Going Green- The Angry Mermaid Award goes to...?

The Angry Mermaid Award goes to? Yes, that is correct, there is now an award to be presented to the company that is doing the most to sabotage effective action on climate change. Some of the TOP nominees include:

SHELL for it's promotion of carbon capture while investing in environmentally destructive oil extraction from the Canadian Tar Sands.

SASOL due to it's lobbying for carbon capture and storage to compensate for the conversion of coal into petrol.

MONSANTO for presenting Genetically Modified crops as another climate change solution

AMERICAN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY for spending millions lobbying against climate legislation.

EUROPEAN CHEMICAL lobby for attempting to undermine EU attempts to cut carbon emissions.

AMERICAN COALITION FOR CLEAN COAL ELECTRICITY for promoting "CLEAN COAL" and funding a letter writing campaign in an attempt to weaken the US climate bill.

According to Paul de Clerk at Friends of the Earth International, "All the candidates have lobbied to protect their own profits and prevent effective action to tackle climate change. This influence by major polluters and lobbyists needs to be exposed. Climate Change can not be tackled, while doing business as usual, and that is what these companies and lobbying groups want to do."

PUBLIC VOTING for the "ANGRY MERMAID AWARD" starts TODAY. Visit Angry Mermaid and cast your vote.

Be GREENER, and use whole trees

According to the Forest Products Laboraty, whole unmilled trees can support upto 50% more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree. These trees are often considered scrap by lumber companies, as they come from thinning the forest, so that the other trees can get bigger, as well as trees that are blown down by wind, or a storm, and even some diseased trees can be used. By using these scrap trees, that are usually grown locally, you are using a sustainable resource and promoting a healthy forest, and local green jobs for your community.

Don't confuse these homes with a log house, as they are completely different. The "Whole Tree" building, uses trees that are locally grown, small in diameter (10 inches or less) and larger tree trees that are downed by wind and disease, and usually from the clients own land. There is no milling, transportation or bulk curling, which helps save the environment. Obviously, this would not work for a city, but if you live in a small community or own land with your own forest, then this could be a good alternative for you.

Go Green - M & M's Factory goes green with Solar Garden

On November 10, the Mars factory hit the switch to go green 2MW photovoltaic system. The solar garden is located on 18 acres or property that was a vacant lot before. Now, it produces 1/5 of the factories electricity needs, which translates into 1 out of every 5 M & M's is produced courtesy of the sun. There are 28,000 solar panels, which makes it one of the largest solar systems in NJ, operated by a food manufacturer. The Mars Chocolate PV system is owned by PSEG Solar Source, and it will be repaid through a 30% federal tax credit - the sale of electricity to Mars and the sale of solar renewable energy credits to other power generation companies. By switching to solar power, they expect that the emissions will be reduced by the equivalent of removing 190 cars of the road annually.

Go Green and Breath Clean Air with ANDREA Air Filter

ANDREA air filter, which was invented by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur with Harvard professor David Edward, has finally become available for purchase. This is one very unique and needed product. It transforms household plants into air cleaners, which effectively rid indoor air of toxins and pllutants to purify any room in the house.

ANDREA air filter is 40 times more efficient than HEPA or activated carbon filters. and it requires no filter changes, as it naturally purifies air by drawing it into the filter with a shisper quiet fan to propel it through the leaves and root system of a plant, then out through water and soil filtration and back into the room environment.

The plant's natural metabolic activity performs a biochemical transformation of waste which eleminates pollution. Any house plant can be used in the ANDREA Air Filter to absorb and metabolize noxious chemicals, bu the best performing carieties include Spath or Peace Lily, Red edged dragon tree, Spider plant and Aloe Vera. ANDREA Air Filter retails for $199.99 US.

Renewable Energy Experiment Kit

WOW there is now a new toy that children can learn more about how renewable energy works. This mad scientist looking device teaches kids about different types of renewable enrgy sources, and how effective each type of energy source is, as well as energy storage, and how to effectively reduce energy consumption at home. The kicker is, that it runs on batteries. One would think, that the makers Hammacher Schlemer, would continue along the lines of saving energy and use the energy made from playing with this unique toy, and use it to power the toy.

This Renewable Energy Experiement Kit, features a wind turbine, solar cell, electrolytic cells, and a hand operated dynamo generate electricity that is stored in a rechargeable battery and then is distributed through the integrated circuit board to power a motor, LED's and buzzer using wiring terminated with alligator clips.

The built in voltmeter shows the kids just how effective their energy sources are at collecting electricity. There is no more than 3 volts total. The kit's source book explains different methods for reducing energy costs at home while providing a primer about the world's enrgy sources. It retails for $49.95 US.

Go Green & Fix things instead of Replacing them

In my parents and grand parents days, things always got fixed, before they were replaced. It was in later years that society just disposed of things whether they were broken or not.

I have learned to do many things myself, including touching up a nick with a paint job, mending a blouce and sewing on a button. It is gives you a feeling of accomplishment, and your helping to save our environment.

I have found a great place to have my shoes and purse fixed and he is very reasonable too - $10 to fix a zipper in a handbag. I appreciate how much effort goes into making things run more efficiently, and treat my stuff with more respect. Many people say that if it is going to cost you more than 50% of the original cost of an item to fix it, then just replace it. I tend to take things apart and see how it works...sometimes a friend has an idea how to fix it, sometimes you do have to replace it. Here is another great link to show you how to recycle things.

I know of a person that has found several uses for duct tape, and has helped keep her car running, when she could not afford to have it fixed until pay day. This same person discovered how to barter and makes a great meal in exchange for having the vehicle worked on.

Next time you need to go shopping for an item, check to see if the original item is fixable first...do your part and help save our landfills and environment.

Going Green - Solar Powered Blanket

Going Green in Africa, is done by using a solar powered blanket. Health Care in Africa is improving, as the people in Africa are encouraged to use a Solar Powered Blanket. The blanket is hooked up to a cell phone to help charge it. In this manner, the African people can text and recieve text messages, in regards to health information for people inflicted with HIV and Tuberculosis. This go green blanket is called the "Portable Light iTEACH Blanket".

iTEACH and the Portable Light Project have collaborated to develop a comprehensive home treatment program, which is helping save lives. The local women in sewing clubs, integrated flexible solar kits into a locally produced African cloth, fastening it to an emergency blanket, making a detachable solar textile lanter.

In the day the patient uses the blanket to stay warm, while exposed to the outdoors. The sunlight then charges the unit in three hours, which creates 6 watt hours of energy stored in a rechargeable battery. During the night, Portable Light powers a cell phone and provides about 10 hours of light to facilitate the night time home care treatment. Then, the next day the solar blanket is recharged by the patient, which is helping to power the patients own treatment, as well as providing energy and light for family members. It is definitely a real Go Green Blanket.

If you wish to help with microfinancing, for this exciting Go Green Project then please visit:

http://www.netsquared.org/projects/iteach-portable-light-treatment-blanket-south-africa

Scap School Buses Reused into Bus Shelter

In Atlanta, Georgia, Christopher Fennell has created this brilliant yellow bus shelter, from old school buses. He selected school buses from 1962, 1972, and 1977, then carefully took the pieces required to to make this unique bus shelter. He got the seats from an old city line bus, and welded the pieces all together. It certainly is a creative solution.

2010 Olympic Medals made from E-waste

Yes, that is correct, the 2010 Olympic games that are going to be held in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, are going to reuse electronic waste to make the Bronz, Silver, and Gold Medals. This means that the Olympic Medals are going to be made from sustainable materials. The artist/designer is Corrine Hunt and industrial designer Orner Arbel, have collaborated on the design of the medals, which incidentally are the heaviest in Olympic history.

These Olympic Medals, have a unique wave design to them, which is suppose to resemble the gorgeous landscape of Vancouver, B.C. The absolutely beautiful laser etched art on the medals features an "Orca" for the (Olympic) and a "Raven" for the (Paralympics). The Canadian Mint will produce each medal. I am willing to bet that the athletes will really treasure these uniquely designed medals, made from circuit board scrap.

This is something new...the "Savior Bud" designed by Seol Ah Sun and Kim Hyo Jin. It is a portable device that can easily attach to tree leaves and slowly collects water. After about 4 hours, a full cup of water is ready for drinking. Just turn the handle, and the water drips down into a cup for consumption. It does not include a filter, so depending on where you use, you may need to filter the water.

The Savior Bud, is made from a silicone rubber body, which ensures it stays resistant to heat, cold and corrosion. It has many applications for use in countries like Africa, where the water supply is low, but also polluted and not fit to drink.

The process goes like this:

1. Find a broadleaf tree with lots of leaves.


2. Opening the Savior Bud like a giant clamp, surround a few leaves, and release. The Savior Bud should contain the leaves like you see in the picture, sort of like a greehouse.


3. In about four hours, the leaves will have produced about one cup of water. Turning the bottom of the bud like a faucet will release the water to be put into a glass for drinking.

There is no price listed, but word is, it will be inexpensive. It would make a great gift for those of us that enjoy camping.

Very Sleek & Sexy iPhone charger by Regen

Take a look at this, very stylish, and very useful. Regen ReNu has designed a solar panel charger that is eye appealing, and fits in with your decore. The solar panel can charge several electronic gadgets including your iPod & phone. What is new though, is that it will alert the user to how much electricity they have generated, and how much is currently stored in the battery, so that you know when you need to move the solar panel into the window to recharge.

Unfortunately, this great charger will not be available until 2010, just missing the Christmas season. It is expected to sell for around $199. US plus any additional accessories you may want.

Suzuki's first Fuel Cell Scooter

If I lived in a warmer climate, this would be the perfect way to get around. Unfortunately, I live in Canada, and our harsh winters make this scooter obsolete.

For those of you, that do live in a warm climate, then you will be happy to know that the light, air-cooled hydrogen tank holds 70MPa, which is great for getting around. It can go 300 miles on one "fueling" , so depending on where you travel, it could last quite a while. The cities that get this scooter, will be the ones that have hydrogen fueling stations - California.

There is no word about the colors that will be available, but it is virtually silent and has no emissions. It looks just like every other scooter out there, so it will definately blend in.

Water Geeks New Filter Water Bottle

WaterGeeks has a new water bottle that filters the water as you drink it. Very Cool!!

http://www.thewatergeeks.com/Water-Bottles-More-p-1-c-3.html These bottles are made from stainless steel, so there is no need to worry about BPA leaching into your water, and then your body. They are specifically designed to filter out lead, chlorine, and heavy metals, odors, and other potential contaminates from TAP WATER. That is the catch, you can NOT use these in the woods when your camping, and decide to get your water from a near by stream.

They come in a couple of curvy designs with 60 different color combinations - something for every discerning taste. They retail for about $11. US and would make a great gift for just about everyone on your gift list.

Green Life Competition Winner

The Green Life Competition Winner is a "ROCKING CHAIR".

The rocking chair that won, uses the kinetic energy produced by rocking back and forth, to produce power for the attached OLED lamp. During the day it stores the power, and at night your can sit, rock and read a book...very cool!

According to Rochus Jacob, the designer, he was looking for opportunities to generate energy through activities we naturally do. I hope this inspires others to look at everyday objects and see how it can be improved upon. If you are looking to compete, then check out the website listed and see what category would best suit your design.

Green Life http://www.designboom.com/contest/winner.php?contest_pk=28 has all the results listed on their website.

Optibike OB1 (E-Bike)

The Optibike OB1, is the luxury model of bikes, and it has the price tag to go with it, retailing at $13,995.00 US. Only 24 of these bikes were made in 2009, and it will be interesting if they make more of them in 2010.

This bike features include a wireless PDA that displays the bike's performance, a lithium-ion battery with 850W of power for over two hours of continuous speed, and it is made from an ultra light carbon fiber. If that is not enough, it also features a gunslinger custom paint, which includes 23 ct gold-leaf designs to match the 23 ct gold-plated motorized bottom brackett (MBB).

MBB is a free geat system that enables the rider to pedal as much or as little as they wish. Visit http://www.optibike.com/ for more information.

VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer

I know several of you are wondering what a toothbrush sanitizer has to do with going green, but it really does. Any time you can prevent disease from spreading, you are helping the environment...thus it is green.

This is a really neat little toothbrush sanitizer, so please go to their website http://violight.com/. It claims to even work on H1N1, and they have the scientific proof to back it up.

A study* performed on the VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer by Dr. Philip Tierno, Jr., PhD, Director Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Associate Professor, Departments of Microbiology and Pathology, New York University Medical Center, found that the VIOlight eliminated up to 99.9% of bacteria tested on toothbrushes.

Another study* by Bureau Veritas, a global independent testing laboratory, also found that the VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer eliminated up to 99.9% of germs tested on toothbrushes.

The Violight countertop sanitizer works with all electric toothbrushes, including Sonicare, Oral-B, and other brands. You can insert just the heads, or the entire electric brush and handle. The unit also works with battery operated brushes like SpinBrush and other popular models...so it is perfect for EVERYONE.

The Violight Countertop sanitizer has a special UV bulb that needs to be replaced every 12-18 months depending on how often you use your Violight. This ensures the maximum level of germ-eliminating power.

All of our other Violight products, including iZap and the new Zapi, use a LIFETIME bulb! These bulbs are similar to long-lasting fluorescent lights, which is why they last so long, especially since your sanitizer is only used for several minutes each day.

Christmas is coming, and this is a really great gift for anyone on your list, especially anyone with a compromised immune system, or anyone that is worried about H1N1. Order early, so you get the model and color you want.

"Fun Theory" project for Stairs.

Well this is a little different, but it definitely belongs here. In Odenplan station in Stockholm, Volkwagen did this Fun Theory Project, to see if they could get more people taking the stairs.

They installed pianio keys on the stairs, and tuned them up, then started filming. What they discovered was when you make something fun to do, then more people want to do it. They increased people taking the stairs by 66%, which is pretty impressive. They don't just walk up the stairs, they dance, jump, hop, and enjoy themselves. Taking the stairs is better for the environment, as it does not use electricity to move between floors, thus it saves on pollution.

The amount of electricity used to generate the pianio stairs is minimal. They also noticed that even the elderly and frail people, wanted to join in on the fun and take the musical stairs. Enjoying yourself and life, makes people happy, and getting some good exercise can improve your health, thus prolonging life.

I wish Volkswagen would come here and do this in Calgary. Perhaps all those C-Train stations could be transformed into a thing of beauty, and music to our ears with a project like this. If you want to watch the video click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw&feature=player_embedded

Check out the fun theory website for other projects http://www.thefuntheory.com/

Ireland Bans Genetically Modified Crops

In the country of Ireland, genetically modified crops has been banned. It is a bold step, and I know they are erring on the side of caution, but I think they should be applauded, and I wish Canada would follow. Although some people claim the GM food is safe for humans, I just don't buy into it. Prince Charles, has said that it is the "Biggest Environmental Disaster of All Time".

A voluntary GM-Free label can now be placed on all animal products, such as eggs, fish, poultry, meat and dairy products, that are raised GM-free. Ireland joins Japan and Egypt as one of a few but growing number of GM-Free countries. Ireland is positioning itself, to deliver the safest, and most credible GM-free food in Europe, and also the world, which is a really smart move. I can see North America knocking on Irelands door, asking for GM-FREE produce in the near future.

NatureMill XE Series of Automatic Composters

Nature Mill has gone back to the classroom, and redesigned their brand new automatic composter. I saw Nature Mills automatic composters back in 2005, but what they have come up with is really great.

They now have a two in one composter, tables scraps and animal waste. For all of us that have a pet, this is great, as it means we don't need two composters. They are a great size, and fit comfortable under a sink with their great new sleak design and colors. The machine can comfortable handle 100 pounds of food scraps per month, then you just toss the nutrient rich compost back into the garden.

The Natures Mill composter has to be plugged in, but it uses a minimal 5 kWh of energy, which can be lowered even more in its energy saver mode. Althought Nature Mill does make composting easier, it still needs to 1 cup of sawdust pellets for every five cups of food waste, as well as baking soda, but in my opinion this sure beats the heck out the old method using worms.

Litterless Lunches - good examples

I know many people shutter at the idea of litterless lunches, so I thought I would give you some great examples.



FIESTA includes: 1 cup of bean salad, 1/2 cup melon wedges, handful of whole grain tortilla chips with 2 Tb spoons of salsa, and 8 cubes of reduced fat cheddar cheese.



HOLE NEW PB&J includes: Peanut butter and jelly on a whole wheat mini bagel, 2/3 cup of cherry tomatoes with 2 Tb spoons of low fat Caesar dressing, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks and 4 mini oatmeal cookies.



PIZZA PARTY includes: 1 slice of left over cold veggie pizza cut into squares, 3/4 cup cucumber moons with 2 Tb spoons hummus, 1/2 cup purple grapes, and 1/2 cup of popcorn.



POWER PITA includes: 2 mini whole wheat pita pockets with grilled chicken strips and veggies, 3/4 cup low fat vanilla yogurt with sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar snap peas, and 8 animal crackers.



These are just a few examples of litterless lunches, there are many more variations, just let your imagination take over.



The important thing is to make it LITTERLESS.

It is WASTE REDUCTION WEEK

Welcome to Waste Reduction Week. What are you doing to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle? Let me know in the comments section of this article.

Did you know that approximately 20% of the food we buy, ends up in the garbage?

By starting a backyard composter, and feeding it your table scraps and food waste, you can reduce your garbage by 33%. The compost is great for your soil, and it might encourage you to start a garden and to grow your own food.

Invest in a rain barrel, and use it for your garden and outdoor needs. This really cuts down on your water bill too.

Other things you can do to reduce waste, is buy a stainless steel water bottle, instead of buying plastic bottles of water. Invest in a good water filtration system, and use it by keeping a jug of water in the fridge, instead of running the water tap until it is cold.

Buy your food in bulk, instead of small quantities, as this cuts down on packaging.

Reuse, your glass jars to save left over food for another meal.

Mend and fix any clothing, books, toys and furniture, as it is always better to reuse then to replace, and it is a lot less expensive too.

Donate all your magazines & books to nursing homes, hospitals, and even doctor's offices.

Donate your old clothing scraps, yarn, buttons, wall paper ends, paper towel & toile paper rolls, egg cartons, apple baskets, and yogurt containers to daycare centers or kinder garten classes, so they can use them for crafts.

Donate old clothing to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, the Mustard Seed or the women's shelter. Many families can really use this type of help, as it can make the difference in keeping their children warm and able to attend school.

Donate your old eye glasses to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, or even Operation Eyesight. They are refurbished and then distributed to the needy.

Donate your computer and some other electronic equipment to schools, churches, and the Mustard Seed. It is all refurbished and used to train people in need.

Visit http://www.freecycle.org/ and see what you can give away or find for nothing.

To learn more about Waste Reduction Week, go to http://www.wrwcanada.com/

River Cafe's Organic Cuisine in Calgary

If you live in Calgary, then chances are, that you have heard of the River Cafe which is located on Prince's Island Park. The River Cafe is one of those special places to eat, and getting there is half the fun. It is absolutely beautiful just about any time of year, no matter how you get there... Most of us will bike along the river in the summer months and stop in for a lite lunch, and in the winter we will go for a walk on the island and stop to warm up. I have seen families making snow men in the park, and they stop in for hot chocolate and a snack. I love to cosy up to the fire place and enjoy a glass of wine. Just about all of the cuisine is organic and locally grown. The owner of the restaurant lives just outside the city, and grows alot of the vegetables herself. The staff are very knowlegeable, friendly, and know exactly what you need to warm up in the winter. If you live in Calgary, or are planning to be here in the near future, then you really should stop by the River Cafe, and try out the cuisine.

Hopworksfiets Bike Bar is a great Pedal-Powered Party

There are so many new bikes coming out that are sleeker and lighter then the older ones, but this one is new to me. This Hopworksfiets Bike, is built by Metrofiets based in Portland. It certainly puts a new spin on biking to work...you can actually start delivering pizza with it, or like this person, have a portable party to go.

The main cargo area of this unique bike, contains the large metal bucket, which can hold two full sized kegs & 25 lbs of ice. Once the beer travels through 50 feet of cooling coil, the beer is delivered to your glass, perfectly chilled. What party would be complete, without a stack of pizza, which all fits comfortably in the rear rack, with the front of the bike having a counter of its own, where all your guests can gather around, and enjoy the sound system, which is cleverly hidden in the back panel around the tire.

Pharox 60 LED Bulbs expected to last for 25 years

Take a look at this light bulb by Lemnis Lighting, the Pharox 60 LED Dimmable Lightbulb. It uses just 6 Watts and has the equivalent light of a traditional 60 Watt incandescent bulb. It fits a standard sized household light fixture, and it is made of recyclable material, and is the most energy efficient light of comparable light quality on todays market. It is the most environmentally safe option on the market as well, as it contains NO lead, mercury, or wolfram, unlike its competitors the compact fluorescent light bulbs.

When you compare the Pharox 60 LED lightbulb, which is expected to last 35,000 hours to the incandescent bulb, which lasts an average of 1,000 hours, there really is no comparison. The only sticker, is the price tag of $35.95, and hopefully that will come down, once mass productions kick in.

Spotting Toxic Waste from Space

Sonia Silvestri works with an Italian construction firm, she does research on the use of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar). Recently, Sonia's work has produced an accuracy rate of 50%, with 17 of 34 spots identified as potential dump sites coming up with contaminated toxic waste.

Illegally dumping toxic waste is a very big problem, as it contaminates the ground water, and ultimately affects the survival of the human race. Tracking down culprits, and making it harder to ger away with illegal dumping will be a big help to prevent it from happening now and in the future.

TEAM ALBERTA is in 9th Place

As many of you already know, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is taking place in Washington, D.C. - Just started October 9th, 2009. Our home team, Team Alberta is in 9th place. I am so proud of them. This team is formed by students from SAIT, Mount Royal University, Alberta College of Art, and the University of Calgary.

The homes technology boasts a centrally controlled system, electrical production from a 7.6 crystalline silicon photovoltaic PV system, mounted on two tilted rooftop structures seperated by a rooftop terrace. R-44 insulation from structural insulated panels, which is important for our Canadian winters. Heating and cooling by a solar assisted, ground-source heat pump with both air-side and water-side economizers.

The Classic rustic Western Canadian construction has many features, such as an exterior that integrates local wood, stone, and other materials. A programmable logic controller and numerous inside and outside sensors. Separate public and private halves with activity areas in each LED (light-emitting-diode) lighting designed to provide interesting visual effects and accent artwork designed into the home. It also has a vaulted-ceiling living room and kitchen area, a stone-clad core area for the bathroom and mechanical systems, a bedroom and home office space, a rooftop deck, a keyway dividing the bedroom/home office from the more public areas of the house, and even a yoga space.

Team Alberta has worked very hard on this home, and my hat goes off to them.

Shipping Container Kitchen

I thought I had seen everything, until this came along. If you work in a warehouse, this may be your new kitchen or office space. Take a look, it is rather neat. Shipping containers that have out lived their usefulness, are being reused as kitchens and offices. You can have glass doors put on them, and they will help keep the heat inside, which makes them energy efficient, and save money. It sure makes a dreary warehouse, a bit more hip and comfortable. It costs about $3,000 to configure and furnish these shipping containers.

Biomega's Boston Folding Bike

Biomega's Boston Folding Bike - Very Impressive. As many of us can attest to, the problems with bikes, is they are stolen or at least parts of them are stolen. With the Biomega's bike, it folds in way that makes it easy to take with you, which is a definite deter to thieves, and is still slick and portable.

Nissan Leaf EV

WOW, there are 22,000 people in North America that have contacted Nissan since the unveiling of their Nissan Leaf EV. In early 2010, Nissan will start taking reservations for their Leaf EV - it sure does look great. I actually drive a Nissan Sentra, and I get great gas milage, which was a real selling feature for me. The Leaf EV will get about 100 miles per charge, which is good if you don't drive more then that in a day. I am willing to bet if Nissan got that up to 500 miles per charge, these cars would fly off the lots.

Copper Sinks - great at killing bacteria

Heare is a really beautiful copper sink, and it is great at killing 99% of the bacteria within two hours. Copper is also used for countertops, evetroughs, and lining rain barrels for the same reasons.

This sink is hand hammered, and made from 100% recycled copper by Native Trails. With the winter season coming, so are the bugs, and a sink link this would help tremendously in cutting down on those bugs. Please note, you can not just leave the dishes in the sink, and hope the copper does the job...LOL. You must actually wash the dishes in hot water and use soap.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City, is looking at using copper in different applications throughout the hospital, because copper kills 99% of bacteria within two hours. I am sure there will be more hospitals looking at doing the same thing.

Manitoba Hydro Place - So Impressive

Wow, I am so impressed with this design. Take a look at Manitoba Hydro Place, designed by Kuwabara Payne Mckenna Blumberg Architects, with Architect of Record Smith Carter Architects. I am so impressed, this is one beautifully designed building, and very GREEN.

If you have ever been to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in the winter, then you know how cold it gets there, and how long the winter can be. Heating gets to be pretty expensive too, and this building has been designed with great GREEN features, to help keep the costs down. Manitoba Hydro Place, relies mostly on "passive free energy" (sun heat). Take a look at the 377 Foot tall "Solar Chimney". It is very efficient at drawing air out of the building during the shoulder seasons, and in the summer it uses the stack effect. Then, in the winter, fans draw the exhaust air down, and use it to preheat all the incoming cold air, and warm the parking garage.

Depending on the season, there is even a 24 metre tall waterfall in each of the atria, which humidifies or dehumidifies the incoming air. In colder temperatures, recovered heat from the exhaust air, and passive solar radiant energy are used to warm the fresh air, which is then drawn through the raised floors, and into the office spaces through under floor fan units.

Humans, computers, appliances and other sources of heat cause the air to rise, it is then drawn north and exhausted by the solar chimney. In the shoulder seasons, the building relys entirely on ourdoor fresh air, using automatic and manually operated windows.

This building uses a closed loop geoexchange system with 280 boreholes 400 feet deep; which cools or heats water which is piped through the thermal mass of the concrete floors, heating/cooling the space in the building. The podium rooftop has deep soil intensive green roofs and accessible terraces, which creates a lush landscape outdoors for employees to enjoy.

Go Green & Check your Furnace

Winter is coming, and with it we all bundle up to stay warm. It is time to get that furnace checked, before the coldest day of the year arrives, so you know that when you need it, the furnace will be keeping you warm. Direct Energy, will come out to your house, and give your furnace the once over, and make sure their are no carbon monoxide leaks, which could kill your family. You may also decide to go green, and get an Energy Efficient Audit, to find out where exactly your home is leaking heat, and how to fix it.

Did you know that most homes, if you add up all the heat leaks, they would amount to the size of a basket ball - WOW! You can go green, by turning down your programable thermostat, just a few degrees while you are at work, and when you go to bed, you could save between 5-10% on your heat bill. You may need to put new Sweeps on your doors, and recaulk your windows. Your furnace filter should be replaced every 90 days, or cleaned every 90 days, depending on what type of filter you have.

Dig out a few extra blankets to put on your bed, and keep one handy when watching TV. Change your socks to warmer ones to wear around the home, as damp ones will only make you cold. Eat dinner by eco green candle light a few times per week, and all of these things will help keep your energy bill in line. Also, do your laundry late at night or off the peak periods, and do line drying instead of using the dryer, will all contributes to going green and keeping your bills low.

Time to Harvest your Vegetable Gardens

I know it is hard to believe, with all the beautiful weather we have been experiencing, that it is the last of September, and time to start tending to that yard work before winter hits us.

It is HARVEST TIME, and this time my carrots did not grow as big as I had hoped, so I will be pickling them, as they are the perfect size to pickle and enjoy at Thanks Giving. My zucchini on the other hand, is huge, and really delicious, so it will be cooked up on the BBQ with many other vegetables, and I may even bake a cake with it. The onions, well they are great, very delicious, and again will be cooked up on the BBQ with other vegetables. I should tell you, that I take the green tops off the onions and chop it up, and then freeze it to be used in omlettes. Everything that can be used is used or composted. I planted onions around all my vegetables this year, as they are great at keeping the rabbits away, and so now I have a lot of onions to eat. My tomato's have never tasted better, they are so sweet, and that is because they are home grown and vine ripened. I just love fresh tomatos in a salad or a sandwich.

It is also time to get those trees in your yard watered, so they can make it over the winter. Once the leaves have fallen off the trees, you can mulch them into your compost bin or into your garden. Don't forget to turn off those outside water tapes and drain them, so they don't freeze, and remember to drain the watering hose too, so it does not freeze. Well I am doing all my yard work, I tend to check out the windows and doors, to see if they need to be re-caulked, so I am not losing any heat this winter.

Collecting Wages from Unethical Companies

There are so many unethical companies, refusing to pay their employees wages, after they lay them off, I thought I would make this suggestion. Yes, I know it is a recession, but that does not give these companies the right to not pay you what is owed. Your bills don't go away, just because these unethical companies won't pay up. Being Green, means showing respect to everyone, and everything on Gods planet. We all must be good stewards of planet earth, and paying our bills on time is part of this picture.

The first thing I suggest you do, is to document everything. Dates, times and what happened, along with any witnesses to the events. I would also suggest that you contact the labour board for your city, province, or state. If you work a government job, then contact your union representative, as they will have more pull then you do on your own. If you work for a charity, then contact the Chairman of the Board, and let them know what is happening. If you are being discriminated against, document it, and then contact Human Rights.

If, you are still unable to collect wages that are owed to you, then the next step is to collect all your pay stubs, and photocopy your last pay check, provided it is a check. Write down your story, explain how much money is still owing to you, and why you feel it is still owing to you. If the unethical company has taken too much money off your pay check for taxes, and any other discreprencies.

Then phone REVENUE CANADA, or the IRS if your American, and ask to speak to an agent. Get an appointment to come in and talk to them, and take all your documentations with you. When you get there, be sure to be on time, and use your manners.

The agent will go through everything with you, if they agree with you, they will tell you to deposit your last pay check in your bank account, if it has not already been deposited. They will also tell you, that when you file your income tax for this year, you will be given a credit for the amount of money, that Revenue Canada feels you are owed.

Then they will FREEZE the unethical companies bank account(s), this usually takes about a week. They take that long, because they are waiting for your pay check to clear, before the funds are frozen. After this happens, the unethical company will be notified that they will be audited. In some cases, the company is forced into bankruptcy. This is nothing to worry about, as these companies, charities, or any other business should not be in business, when they do not know how to treat people with respect. The more unethical companies that are put out of business, because of poor business practices, the less likely good, honest working people are to end up working for them, and that is good business.

One last thing, don't bother telling the company what you are prepared to do, as in most cases, they will not believe you. Besides, the element of surprise is best, as they will not know what hit them, and you will be able to get some satisfaction knowing another person will not fall prey to them.

Moving on, the next job that you take, ask lots of questions, and pay attention to how your gut feels. If you are unable to sleep, and feel uneasy about that job that you just interviewed for, then perhaps you need to ask more questions, or maybe that job is not for you. Check with the better business bureau, and see what their track record is. Also, google the company, and see if there are any complaints about them. In other words, really do your homework, and see if they are the company you want to work for, or if they are just a "washroom break" to the next job?

Ultimately, you want to work for a company that pays fairly, treats all their staff well, offers benefits that include medical, dental, holidays, where you feel comfortable to work, and where you feel like you really belong, as you spend a lot of time there everyday. When you find that great position, hang on to it, and treat the company with the same respect that you recieve. I even offer silent blessings to everyone I work with, as it really changes the atmosphere at work, and I am happier being there.

Many Blessings & Success to your next great job.

LEED Certified Commercial Buildings More Popular

Canada is experiencing a surge of interest in LEED certified commercial buildings. In Toronto, will undergo renovations that will help apply for LEED status, and thus it will eventually help get those commercial buildings rented out again.

According to Avison Young, most tenants are looking to reduce costs, and the focus is on retro fitting older buildings to make them more energy efficient. Vacancy's in green buildings don't stay vacant long, as the tenant is happy to be saving money, and the owner is happy to be making money again.

There is a partnership between B.C. Hydro, the Ministry of Energy and BOMA to make 17,000 commercial buildings more energy efficient. The B.C. Government wants to see a reduction by 1/3 greenhouse gasses by 2020. Presently, commercial buildings make up about 5% of B.C.'s emissions, and the goal is to reduce energy demand by 9% per square meter of commercial space.