Google Earth Gone Green
By Jenna Kirkman
Filed Under Green Living, The Big Picture | 1 Comment
Google Earth lets you zoom through three-dimensional Appalachian mountains, map out your dream vacation in Tahiti, or “fly” to a high-resolution satellite image of your very own home. The newest version comes equipped with close-up street views, 3D buildings, and stargazing abilities, but it is more than just fun and games – Google Earth is becoming one of the most important eco-tools of our time.
Already, Google Earth 4.3 comes with a Global Awareness feature that calls attention to eco-attractions like Fair Trade Certified Farms, Greenpeace Climate Control Areas, and Unicef Water and Sanitation Projects. Other businesses have been teaming up with Google Earth to provide add-on downloads in Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format in order to showcase international issues.
Basically, these KMLs enhance your view and global knowledge by painting a layer of interactive data and information over the Google Earth globe. Popular add-ons include: Disappearing Forests, Green Buildings, and EDGE Endangered Mammals. The Climate Change in Our World application, created by Google and Met Office Hadley Centre, not only shows current temperature stats, but also projects possible warming trends from now until November 2099.
Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has joined Google to create two add-ons that help American businesses, communities, and the general public track the main source of environmental evil – pollution.
In the first add-on, the EPA pinpoints locations from the United States Emissions File, which divides pollution into seven major point-source sectors; Cement Facilities, Chemical Manufacturing, Electric Generating Units (EGU), Natural Gas Pipelines, Oil and Gas Production, Petroleum Refineries, and Pulp and Paper Industries.
On the map, sectors are color-coded and can be clicked to reveal the company’s name, location, and a summary graphing total emissions from six common pollutants; carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. Pretty cool.
Even cooler, though, is the EPA’s second add-on, Air Now, which shows you the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for certain areas of the United States, updated every hour, and forecasts 
tomorrow’s AQI, too. An area’s AQI predicts how the air quality will affect your health, and is based on a color-coded scale from 0 – 500, with 0 (green) being completely safe, and 500 (red) the most hazardous.
The UK Air Quality Archive has a similar Air Pollution add-on, and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has produced a similar emissions application that maps pollution in Canada and Mexico in addition to the US, but a worldwide air pollution and emissions add-on is yet to be found.
Still, Google Earth’s revolutionary display of global data and statistics, and its ability to connect cultures in a creative new way, has made details about air pollution and emissions easily accessible and of interest to everyone.
Individuals who are searching for a vacation destination or a new home will steer clear of heavy pollution. As a result, new real estate and tourist attractions will be built in lower-risk areas. Businesses will move or implement new branches within less polluted communities, which will motivate these regions to sustain their green reputation. And most importantly, these trends will help inspire communities and businesses in heavily polluted areas to lower emissions and clean up their act.
Want to check out Google Earth for yourself?
- Read over the User Guide, and download the free version of Google Earth.
- Browse Google Earth 4.3’s already awesome features located in the bottom left navigation window, or search for downloadable KMLs that spark your interest.
- Visit Google Earth Outreach to find businesses, non-profits, and individuals who want to share a global message, or to seek help in creating your own KML.
Posted on September 26, 2008 |
Top 10 Coolest Ways To Kick Oil On Your Commute
By Jillian Polaski
Filed Under Green Living | 2 Comments
It’s Independence Day, and at eCo Times, we must of course celebrate our emerging independence from oil. The days of the dollar gallon of gas are long gone, and the pain at the pump increases each week. Let’s look at the logical alternatives-if you have a long commute, go electric. If you have a short commute, you can cancel your gym membership and get you workout at the same time as your commute. Check out our top ten coolest ways (for both climate and style) to increase your independence from oil. Happy 4th Of July!
10 Alternative Fuels
Biofuels are an alternative to gasoline that are becoming more readily available every day. Ethanol and biodiesel are examples of fuels that are not only more abundantly available, but also emit less harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gases. In addition, there are tax incentives for those purchasing alternative fuels. The most important thing with these fuels is checking the source. Biodiesel is the best choice when it’s made from locally collected Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO), not razed rainforests in South America. Ethanol is a great choice when it is made from agricultural and municipal waste, not valuable food crops.
9 Hybrid Vehicles
The best hybrids definitely give Big Oil a kick in the Swiss bank account. They run on an engine powered partially by petroleum and partially by electric battery. Many models boast 40+ MPG, like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. One of the most exciting hybrids to hit the road recently is the Aptera 1, a 3-wheeled, 2 passenger vehicle which boasts over 200 mpg! Most states give a tax credit with the purchase of a hybrid vehicle. What’s more economical than getting paid for saving money on gas?
8 Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles require no gas at all. They operate on rechargeable batteries which can be charged right at home and no greenhouse gases are emitted from the tailpipe. If you happen to run your home’s energy on solar, you could have an incredibly small ecological footprint when you drive. Even if you do get energy from coal-fired plants, running your car on electricity is still much more efficient than importing oil from the Middle East. Some great electric vehicles to check out are the smokin’ hot Tesla Roadster as well as the funky NmG and the adorable Xebra by Zap!.
7 Scooters and Mopeds
Many scooters and mopeds these days can be electrically charged right in the comfort of your own garage; some models even charge the battery while you’re driving. And as a bonus, you’ll look really cool riding one… Europeans and Asians are way ahead of the US in their adoption of this super efficient mode of transport, and the matching outfits that go along with them. Fuel for thought: The average car in the United States costs 32 times more to travel the same distance as the eGO Scooter pictured here.
6 Rollerskating
Whether you’re coasting through Venice on purple Puma skates or zipping through Manhattan traffic on your rollerblades, skating is definitely one of the most fun ways to get to work. (Though a change of clothes is definitely going to be necessary.) Blading will get you where you want to go quickly and efficiently and skating will get you there in riotously retro style. You choose.
5 Mass Transit
For every passenger mile traveled, public transportation uses about half the fuel of private transportation. Plus, you never know who you might strike up a conversation with, you could even fall in love. Not something that’s likely to happen in your car by yourself. (Hopefully.) Google maps has a great site that will give you station information, maps, and schedules for your area.
4 Walking
We have legs for a reason, right? Walking is not only fuel efficient (the only energy you’ll be burning are calories), it’s the best way to really the see the community you’re living in. Walking is absolutely the most relaxing way to get around town. Don’t have a walkable community? Get involved with America Walks.
3 Biking
If you live just a little too far from work to walk, bicycling is a great alternative-and your glutes will thank you for it also. Now there are solar powered bikes and even fold-up bikes that you can easily carry around with you. There’s also incredibly fun group rides you can do in your local community, like the internationally-known monthly Critical Mass ride or the annual World Naked Bike Ride
2 Telecommuting
More and more companies are allowing their employees to telecommute part time, if not full time. Thank goodness for that. Besides the perk of being able to work in your pajamas, you’ll save money and energy in gas, as well as all that wasted time getting there and back, and you won’t have to see your boss…well, except on video conferencing. When are the geeks going to realize that not all technological advances are a good idea?
1 Skateboarding
If you don’t like walking, try skateboarding. You’ll bring out your inner child while still getting some exercise and helping out the environment. And, many companies, are now making skateboards available in eco-friendly materials like bamboo and FSC-certified wood. Just think, you can fulfill your early dreams of Gleaming The Cube with Christian Slater…finally.
Posted on July 4, 2008 |
Greenwashing Is A Dirty Business
By Anne O'Loughlin
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | 6 Comments
The term “greenwash” is what you get when you combine the words “green” and “whitewash,” or when a company uses environmental trends to its benefit by lying to or misleading its customers. First coined in the mid-1980’s when hotels started claiming that by reusing towels you could save the environment, greenwashing has hit the mainstream. The practice has grown exponentially in popularity as more and more companies are jumping on the environmental bandwagon and bombarding consumers in every way possible with advertisements of their “green” practices. As a result, greenwashing has become a household phrase and has been making appearances all over the media, from local TV newscasts to the Today Show to the new segment on American Public Media’s Marketplace called The Greenwashing Brigade. It’s even caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission which is attempting to protect challenged consumers by updating its 1995 environmental advertising guidelines. Continue reading Greenwashing Is A Dirty Business…
Posted on June 16, 2008 |
Top 10 Reasons to Ride Your Bike…Everywhere
By Greg Berry
Filed Under Green Living | 4 Comments
First, I must preclude this Top 10 with a note about my cycling experience. I’ve been bike commuting for all of my professional life, and before that all during college, and before that I was an early convert to mountain biking. In short, I’ve spent my whole life on a bike and I think it’s the coolest thing going. Why, you ask? Well…
10. No Traffic
Well, this one kind of depends. I commute on bike paths almost the whole way. I bought my home with this in mind, but not everyone has that as a criteria. Either way, at least you’re not contributing to evil traffic, and hopefully you can avoid it altogether.
9. Enjoy The Outdoors
As a culture, we have gotten so completely disconnected from our natural environment, it’s frightening. On your bike you can hear the birds, breathe the outdoor air. See the clouds and decide for yourself whether or not it’s going to rain. Beyond reconnecting with the outside world, cycling is completely emissions-free!
8. Critical Mass
Calling all rebels and rabblerousers…Biking is political protest. If you didn’t know about Critical Mass before, you do now. It’s happening monthly in cities all over the country. Come join us, it’s a blast.
7. Community
Once you start bike commuting regularly, you’ll notice that you see the same people out there. You’ll meet someone from your neighborhood you didn’t know before. And you’ll develop camaraderie that doesn’t come from watching the same TV show.
6. Relax
We all spend too much time rushing around. There’s reason for me to believe that humans weren’t meant to go so fast all the time, hence jet lag. When you’re only moving as fast as your body can make you go, there’s a better sense of groundedness. Continue reading Top 10 Reasons to Ride Your Bike…Everywhere…
Posted on May 22, 2008 |
The Art Of The Buycott
By Greg Berry
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | 2 Comments
It comes down to awareness.
Many of us know what is happening. We are living out of balance with the natural world. Our culture gives us carte blanche to throw away plastic bottles after drinking water from the other side of the planet. Our TV tells us that we’re never going to find true love unless we choose the right toothpaste. We listen to music protected by lawyers on iPods built in sweatshops while driving SUVs shipped across oceans fueled by diesel that funds dictatorial regimes. It’s not cool, it’s not natural, it’s not fair, and both “the piper” and “the fat lady” are tuning up off-stage.
Had enough? It’s time to do something.
The real power you have, I have, we all have, is in our wallet. The economic puppeteers know it to be true. Like it or not (and I’ll go on record in the ‘not’ column), consumerism is the lifeblood of America. It fuels our entire economy. And the only thing that is going to create lasting, sustainable systemic change starts and ends at the cash register. In the 21st Century, it’s no longer about political protests and angry boycotts, it’s about economic leverage and focused BUYcotts. Why the change? It’s more effective. Plain and simple. Continue reading The Art Of The Buycott…
Posted on May 13, 2008 |
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