Get Moving on our Energy Journey (Girl Scouts)

Our Junior Girl Scouts are going to "Get Moving" on their energy journey this winter. As a leader I admit it's sometimes been tough transitioning the journey leader guides into something manageable, enjoyable and not like school.

This week, we formally kicked it off with a talk on "people" energy and energy balance - calories in and calories out.

It's About Balance

We found a great starting point on Energy Balance 101 lesson plans from Discovery Education. The girls learned about calories and energy, then discussed how to figure out how much exercise it would take to balance out extra treats.

Because I'm very sensitive about weight issues, we also talked about ways our body uses energy without formally "exercising" - everything from watching TV (breathing, heart beating, etc.) to walking between classes to even sleeping, noting that some actions use more energy than others.

The girls learned about label reading too, and calculated how much energy they were going to take in with their Thanksgiving-themed snack (Pumpkin Pie in a Cup). I'll note that the recipe in the lesson plan did not go over well, as it seems it wasn't sweetened enough for the girls' tastes. I'd adapt it this way:

Pumpkin Pie in a Cup
Mix in a cup:
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (note: a can serves about 3 girls)
2 tablespoons marshmallow creme (or more, to taste)
2 tablespoons whipped topping or whipped cream
cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice

Serve with graham crackers.

Balancing Out Our Snacks

After the girls snacked, we "balanced" the energy and playfully learned about stress management by playing our family's Yoga 4 Kids Board Game. Lots of giggles happened while the girls tried to learn yoga poses, and several girls made comments at the end of the meeting about how relaxed they were,

We also launched a steps contest. Each girl got an inexpensive pedometer and were asked to track their steps daily until the next meeting. The winner would get a prize. I have to chuckle that they all started working on their steps immediately, and one mom shared on Facebook her daughter was making laps around the house!

Badge match-up: Get Moving! Energy Journey, Staying Healthy steps 1, 2, 3, Simple Meals step 5.

How do you teach your kids about fitness, nutrition and energy? Share your ideas or questions below!

Looking for more Girl Scout ideas? Visit my new scout leader resource site, Use Resources Wisely. 

Writer wrap-up for the weekend

The great thing about going green is that people are talking about it and sharing ideas on how they can make their lifestyles more environmentally friendly. Whether it's frequenting a farmers market or growing their own food, practicing conservation or just elimination of things, change is heating up this July.

Here are just a sampling of what's online this week:

Our organic CSA shares updates on how our wacky weather is impacting crops (produce is bolting left and right) and provides several recipes to try, including:

• New Potato Salad
• Roasted New Potato Salad with Tomatoes and Green Beans
• Baked Zucchini Gratin
• Zucchini Crisp
• Cabbage Potato Koora
• Vegetable Kabobs

Organic Needle muses about her "carncinogic joy in a can," Diet Coke, and how she struggles to kick the habit. Yes, someday, I may possibly blog about the same.

Fake Plastic Fish writes about the struggles of switching to a low-carbon diet.

'Burban Mom explains about how we can switch to renewable energy sources - and what to do if that's not an option in your area.

Soil got you down? May Dreams Gardens talks about how you can help improve it and stress less about the clay, rocks, etc., that's between you and something actually growing.

5 Minutes for Going Green is a relatively new site focusing on quick tips for, what else, growing green. It launched this week, but right now only has a few quick tips, such as conserving gas and water. It'll be interesting to see how this site progresses.

Oh, and if you haven't already, heat up your summer with a little luau. And be environmentally friendly by winning previously loved luau decorations to get you started!

[ Edited January 28, 2009 to remove the name of the Indianapolis-based CSA, which claims one of its customers does not speak truthfully about her experiences. Link removed Jan. 30, 2009. Want a CSA for 2009? Find CSA programs in Indianapolis or Bloomington, Indiana, by visiting this posting, or visit localharvest.org to find one near you! ]

We're green, and they're listening

Going green isn't just a fleeting trend.

Though I've lamented trendy books and television shows glossing over the notion of being environmentally responsible, I truly believe that most of us do want to make a positive difference in our environment.

And studies are finally starting to back us up.

The latest is from DoubleClick, which measures online buyers. According to its study, 60% of online consumers said it "was 'extremely' or 'very' important that companies exercise sensitivity toward the environment."

According to emarketer.com:

"Today's environmental concerns are more complex, far-reaching and interconnected than those of the past," says Paul Verna, senior analyst at eMarketer and author of the new report, Green Online: Growing Awareness. "And the Internet provides a powerful forum for corporations, marketers, policymakers and average citizens to engage in active conversations about how to approach the issues."

"Last year was the tipping point for green marketing as a whole," Jessica Hogue, research director of Nielsen Online, tells eMarketer. "Every type of company is now getting into the mix."

... Retailers (Wal-Mart and Home Depot), technology companies (Apple and HP) and packaged-goods manufacturers (Unilever and Procter & Gamble) are experimenting with environmental programs and road-testing them on the Web.

"Consumers who are on the receiving end of corporate green marketing efforts
are using blogs and discussion forums to dissect and discuss marketers' claims," says Mr. Verna.

And I hope most companies are actively listening to their consumers as they continue to go green. Because consumers are watching.

Are you the environmental conscience?

Becky wrote last Friday that a doctor at her practice is the environmental conscience for the group.

One of the docs at our office brought a small trashcan with holes cut into the
lid for recyclables. She takes this home with her weekly to her personal
recycling bins.

Are you your organization's green version of Jimmeny Cricket? The little (or loud) voice saying you office should do more? What has worked or not worked at your work?

What's your office's environmental impact?

The joke around my office is that I keep things out of the landfill. It's not because of my oft-used blue paper recycling can; it's because of the stacks of documentation and project files I'm cursed with.

Even with a "Web" job, which one would assume is paperless, there are significant paper trails that do develop. System documentation. Printouts of approvals from "problem" clients. Publications that you struggle to keep up with. Memos. Hard copies from proofing from when I can't stand staring at the screen any longer. And more.

The reality is, in a lawsuit-crazy society, and particularly in the industry I work in, we have a major paper trail. And I'm stuck in it, particularly when projects can drag on for months or even years. Even though most of my "trail" is electronic, housed on my personal folder on our file server, there's still a lot of waste.

Paper can't just be recycled; it must be shredded due to privacy regulations. Who knows where it goes. The papers that are "safe" and don't have to be filed (i.e. drafts that I've edited) or shredded come home for a second life as a Sesame Street or Pigglywinks coloring page before they move on for recycling.

For a company that prides itself on community stewardship, recycling has not yet become a serious part of the equation. There are no boxes for can or plastic bottle recycling at the cafeterias or vending machines. Our can container's contents have on occasion found their way to the garbage bin. Our newspapers and magazines, left in the break room, find their way to the trash can. I sheepishly pack any empty plastic bottles into my lunch bag to take them home. And my coworkers were floored when I suggested that I'd take the cardboard boxes to get recycled rather than pitch them in our most recent storage room cleanup.

Thankfully, my employer is working on developing a recycling program, and I can't wait to see the rollout. But it's an interesting contrast when I read today's post on Crunchy Chicken's blog. At her employer, they go so far as to have a worm composting system and, now, food waste compost pick-up at work. Each kitchen will get its own compost container along with posted rules about what items are acceptable for composting. And a Massachusetts public library utilizes rain collection barrels.

What does it mean for us?

Maybe nothing. It may well be that those of us who are committed to small changes keep making those small changes and accept that as enough. (I for one, know worm composting would never happen when we have to worry about the state health department.)

Or, it may be that those of us wanting to reduce our carbon footprints demand more from our employers.

According to the UK's Labour Outlook, published last summer:

• Seventy per cent of organisations say that they could do more to encourage
  employees to reduce their travel.
• Ninety-one per cent of organisations encourage recycling, while 83% promote
  the case for reducing energy consumption.
• Employees actively use the recycling facilities while at work at around
  two-thirds of organisations. This compares to 59% of organisations who say that
  their employees are energy-conscious.
• Thirty-nine per cent of organisations believe that an environment policy is
  an important recruitment and retention tool for younger workers.

In the States, other surveys are finding that employees are demanding a more environmentally friendly workplace. According to the Christian Science Monitor (as cited by the Vancouver Green Business Journal):

In a new survey by Randstad and Harris Interactive, 87 percent of employees say
it is at least “somewhat important” that their employers offer “green-friendly”
programs at work.

...Whatever approach companies take, three factors motivate them, says Madeline Turnock, vice president of Hill & Knowlton, a public-relations consultancy in Portland, Ore. The first involves altruism; employers know their efforts are good for the environment. Second, they realize that going green makes good business sense. Energy-efficient practices lower costs. Third, they find that green policies help them recruit and retain talent. “People want to work for companies that have strong values and care about sustainability,” Ms. Turnock says.

What can you do today?

So maybe your workplace isn't the greenest, and perhaps it will take a committee or more to move that mountain. That doesn't mean all hope is lost. Take a look at the little behaviors that can reduce your organization's environmental impact.

For starters:

• Turn off your monitor or computer when you are out for extended periods of time. I am very guilty of neglecting to turn off the monitor myself, but it uses energy even if it's not projecting anything.
• Likewise, turn off your office lights when you leave.
• When possible, recycle your newspapers, printer paper, soda containers and anything else, even if it means taking it yourself to the recycler. (Maybe it's worth turning in mileage for that?)
• Skip the plastic silverware and paper plates in the breakroom and bring your own reusable ones.
• Likewise, carry your own coffee cup and spoon to avoid styrofoam cups and stir sticks.
• Make sure you're signed up for direct deposit.
• Sign up for a carpool or look into public transportation to work.
• Look into conference calls or video conferencing rather than adding to travel expenses.

Are there other ideas you've seen or tried in the workplace?

Turn off your $@%# car

Gasoline prices are jumping 30 cents today to $4.21 a gallon, and people are jumping too.

My co-worker came in with the news - she's signed up for a text message update on gas prices - and, being currently in a single-income household, I went to go fill up my tank.

I did find a station relatively close to my office that was still under $4 a gallon. The problem is that everyone else seized the same opportunity to get out of the office. Lines were starting to snake around the building, and cars scooted back and forth as people jockeyed for the "next" pump.

Here's the irony: In racing to get a relatively cheaper gas price, you're wasting gas money.
Turn off your $@%# car! Idling engines waste more gas than turning them off and back on again. If that's not reason enough, you release less fumes into the air - particularly important in the summer months, when we struggle with Ozone Action Days in our city. And, it's always worse on the air quality to fill your gas tanks up in mid-day, when temperatures are higher.

So here's my plea: Exhibit a little patience today, or any day you see the gas prices rise. Turn off your engine and wait a minute. And hold off on using drive-throughs and other gasoline wasters. A little common sense can make a big difference.

Raising Baby Green: 10 great tips for non-parents, too

Dr. Alan Greene's book, Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care, is a great resource guide, but it's definitely geared for the mom-to-be.

I did find many great green tips for non-parents, though. Here are 10 new things I learned from Greene's book:

1. There are alternatives to plastic toss-away silverware. You can actually buy "SpudWare" - forks, spoons and knives that feel like plastic but are made from potato starch and soy oil. Not sure whether they taste potato-ey.
2. When buying cling wrap, you should look for products made with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) which is safer than PVC (polyvinyl chloride, the #3 plastic.) According to the book, some of the brands that are LDPE-based are Glad Cling Wrap, Saran with Cling Plus, Saran Premium Wrap and Diamant Food Wrap.
3. To control your fridge's energy use, make sure there is space around every side, including the back. Vacuum coils on the back of your fridge biannually.
4. Insulating your water heater can reduce its energy use by up to 9 percent.
5. If you have clothing stains, try to soak the fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar.
6. Take care of your car. Keep your tires inflated correctly and change the air filter regularly. The author estimated those two tips could save more than $1,000 a year in gas money - and that was before the recent price increases!
7. Park your car in the shade. "It lowers the temperature of gas tanks by four to seven degrees, which curbs emissions, the author writes.
8. Using vinegar when doing laundry helps get soap out of the cloth, minimizes possible irritants and reduces static cling. The author suggests using a quarter cup of white vinegar in the wash water.
9. Looking at a remodel, or just a new look in your house? You can consider more earth-friendly options as salvaged or recycled materials; natural, milk-based or zero- or low-VOC paints; or wood, bamboo or natural cork flooring.
10. Since it's summer, it's worth mentioning that soapy water or citrus essential oil and water can kill ants quickly.

Read on for tips for parents.

Fill 'er up and fund mass transit

On NPR today I caught the end of a story discussing fuel prices and the growing demand for mass transit. In several cities there are active discussions of whether to raise gas or other taxes to fund mass transit, whether it's trolley, light rail, bus systems or other methods of transportation.

In Indianapolis, we're faced with crappy public transportation. We have a bus system that can't get people to hospitals or many jobs. No carpool lanes. Few bike lanes. People are as glued to their cars as they are their Steak 'n Shake. Perhaps a gas tax, in this instance, could pay off in spurring development of mass transit.

It's an idea that's finally being explored here. The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority is holding a series of public meetings later this month to discuss the concept of what they call a "mass transit starter system."

What do you think? Is it worth a few extra dollars each time you fill up for the long-term gain of better mass transit?

So proud to be from Indianapolis

Smokestacks cover the front of today's Indianapolis Star, which reports that Indianapolis is #2 in the nation in terms of carbon footprint per capita.

In fact, of the major metropolitan areas in the nation, the top five in the Brookings Institution study are in the triumverate of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. (How does your city look? Read the report.)

Why is Indy so bad?

• Industrialization
• Being the "crossroads of the nation," we have a tremendous amount of semis passing through our city
• Lack of public transportation: busing is limited, there are few carpool lanes or bike trails, and lightrails are light years away
• No renewable electricity standard
• Our dependence on coal for electric heat, combined with the long winters

What scares me most is not that my city is one of the worst offenders. It's the comments by others reading this article, who believe that man-made climate change is a joke, that global warming is a scam, that liberals are to blame for this nonsense or that this is all an excuse for us to pay more for everything. It's a sad commentary on my community. (Read the comments that follow the Indy Star article if you're truly curious.)

10 simple ways to go green without losing green

Today’s growing awareness of “going green” or more environmentally aware often brings the cynics out. It’s too difficult to recycle. The organic products cost too much. I can’t make ___ lifestyle change.

Just as you don’t stick to your diet perfectly each day, it’s OK to slip a little and make small changes as you go. Finding the steps that fit your lifestyle can make a significant difference over time, and it certainly is better than not doing a thing at all.

You can go greener without spending significantly more money out of pocket. By making simple lifestyle changes, you can make a difference.

Here are 10 simple things you can do to go greener without losing all of your green:

1. Invest in local producers. You’ll find many deals at your local farmer’s market, and the quality will be better than what you’ll find at your grocer. Buy in season and freeze (or can, if you’re adventurous) the rest for the winter.
2. Shop smart. As with any “regular” thing you buy, watch coupons and sales to get the best deal. You can get great deals on organic products.
3. Consider natural cleaning. And I don’t mean buying Clorox Naturals or any other branded product. Many household items, including baking soda, vinegar, even toothpaste, can do double-duty as a cleaning product.
4. Watch your energy output. Unplug the cell phone charger when you’re done. Unplug appliances you don’t use often. By just being plugged into your outlet, they are utilizing energy. If you don’t believe me, feel how warm your charger or other plugged-in item is.
5. Be mindful of your CFLs. You pay more upfront for these energy-efficient bulbs, but to maximize their lives you need to leave them on for at least 15 minutes at a time.
6. Turn the car off. Idling is a complete waste of gasoline. Avoid the drive-through; turn off the car and go inside on your errands.
7. Find a good home for things you no longer use. Many non-profit organizations will gladly accept clothing and furniture in good condition, craft materials, leftover homebuilding supplies and more. Even electronics such as your abandoned cell phone and computer can be recycled or repurposed for a person in need. mygreenelectronics.org
8. Watch your water usage. Shorten your shower; fix the drip in your faucet. The savings will quickly add up.
9. Let your grass grow. Grass ideally should be cut no shorter than 3 inches tall. Shorter, and the root system is not as developed and you end up using more water. And, you may have the benefit of mowing less.
10. BYOB. Bring your own bag when shopping. You can buy inexpensive reusable bags at many area stores, or simply tote your own tote bag.

Prices at the pump do make a difference.

I stand corrected.

Last week, I lamented the seeming lack of real change on the part of American consumers. If the preserving our environment for future generations wasn't enough of an impetus to make a change, surely gas prices would be, one would think. Turns out, it's true.

This morning's news discussed how gasoline usage in March experienced the sharpest decline ever recorded: 4.3 percent compared to March 2007. And that was when gas was several dimes cheaper.

My weekend guests commented about how traffic seemed lighter this year, even with one planning to cope with traditionally heavy traffic headed for the Ozarks and the Indianapolis 500.

And this morning, I realized I would have to work two hours to make up for the half-tank of gas I'd just put in.

So consumption habits are changing. I stand corrected.

If you're looking for other ideas on limiting your gas use, check out these sites to get started:

• iReporters change lifestyles to dodge hefty gas bills
• The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Gasoline Consumption (Read related comments on Digg)
• How can I reduce gas consumption?
• Top 5 Ways You’re Needlessly Adding Weight to Your Car
• Top 4 Ways You’re Wasting Gas When You Think You’re Saving It
• iReport: Pain at the pump

$4 gas, and what have we learned?

Gas yesterday hit the big 4-0-0 in Indianapolis

Techincally, it's $3.999 (is that little 9/10 of a cent to make you not feel so bad?). Who knew I would ever live to see $4 gas.

The sad thing is, other than being broker and everyone I know whining more, little outward changes seem to be happening. Yes, some stores' sales are down, like Target and Lowe's, but little widespread change in our habits is occuring yet. The highways are still cluttered, but the grocery stores are empty on the way home from work, when people could instead be piggy-backing their errands onto their daily commutes. People are still planning road trips for Memorial Day weekend, and the farmer's market, which features locally produced goods, truly wasn't that busy last weekend.

So the question is, if we're scrimping to make ends meet as the media tends to report, where are we making the changes? And are we honestly doing it in real ways that make a difference? What have we learned? And what real changes will you make?

Environmentalism is easy when you're unemployed

Environmentalism is easy when you're unemployed. I'm convinced of that.

We are on day 3 of being a one-income household with two-income expenses. We've done the math, and it's not pretty.

Focusing on the positive, there are some good things about being broke. It can have a positive impact on my contribution toward the environment. Such as:

• Less gasoline being used, as we have one less commute (though it was short) and unemployment and job applications are virtually all done online anymore.
• By limiting (and eventually eliminating - a cranky, cold-turkey, caffeine-addicted person is not what this family needs right now!) my Diet Coke consumption, I'm reducing the energy needed to recycle aluminum.
• No eating out or plastic soda cups from Speeedway means less unrecyclable waste.
• By vastly curtailing my grocery spending and making everything from scratch (as opposed to a box), we will likely be eating better in the long run. Beans, rice and pasta do less harm to the environment than the animals who have to eat the grains first. (Plus, I might lose those last few baby pounds.)
• Fans are staying on; the A/C is staying off, lowering my electric bill.
• I'll dust off my baby food recipe book and my vegetarian grilling cookbook that has for years collected dust and use the produce from the CSA that I thankfully bought from earlier this spring to expose my family to new tastes and a healthier lifestyle.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to be able to afford all of my bills next month, but at least there's a small (OK very small) silver lining to all of this.

Killing the planet, one Diet Coke at a time

I love my Diet Coke. I admit my addiction fully, though I’ve cut back in recent years to the equivalent of four cans each day (well within the safe caffeine limits for pregnancy, in case you’re curious).

Yesterday, though, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo in our office. Each of us sat around a table with a can of soda, which we dutifully poured over a disposable plastic cup of ice (No. 6 notwithstanding).

It got me thinking: Are we killing our planet, one Diet Coke at a time?

While I religiously recycle at home, even allowing a bag to build up in my car rather than toss in a trash can, we only offer can recycling in our office, and no plastic or aluminum can recycling at our main campuses for the company I work.

So, what is worse: Pop in plastic or cans? The reality is both use a tremendous amount of resources.

According to Earth 911 and the Pacific Institute:

• Gossing your plastic bottle wastes approximately .00034 barrels of oil each time. “Producing the bottles for American consumption (in 2006) required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil, not including the energy for transportation,” writes the Pacific Institute Web site.
• Tossing your can “wastes enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours. Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can’s volume of gasoline,” writes Earth 911.

While I’ve yet to find direct comparisons of energy resources used, the fact is clear: By not recycling plastic bottles or cans, we’re contributed to the high energy prices we’re complaining about.

According to earth911:

Last year 54 billion cans were recycled saving energy equivalent to 15 million
barrels of crude oil - America’s entire gas consumption for one day.

Right now, Americans recycle less than one-fourth of the bottles they use. Just think: If we recycled every soda and water bottle, we could conserve the equivalent of our nation’s entire gas consumption for four days.

Think about that the next time you reach for your 3:00 caffeine fix.

Love that landscaping!

The spring weather in Indiana is just warm enough where it teases us for just a few days, only to shock us back into 30 and 40-degree weather.

But the sunny weekend we just had brought many of our new neighbors out to finally put in their long put-off landscaping.

Personally, while I'm not a green thumb, I love the look of landscaping. Bushes, trees, perennials...and particularly, anything that can be just "left."

What I didn't realize is that landscaping not only looks great, but it can make a difference in your energy bills as well. I'd heard that the appropriately placed tree can reduce your summer cooling costs. But shrubs and even vines can pay off too.

According to the Department of Energy:

Planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house creates dead air spaces that insulate your home in both winter and summer. Plant so there will be at least 1 foot (30 centimeters) of space between full-grown plants and your home's wall.

During winter, dense, low-lying trees and shrubbery on the north and northeast sides of your home can help protect your home against wind chill.

Evergreen bushes and trees planted on the north side of your home can protect your home from the winter chill and block the snow from building against your house.

In addition to more distant windbreaks, planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next
to your house creates dead air spaces that insulate your home in both winter and
summer. Plant so there will be at least 1 foot (30 centimeters) of space between
full-grown plants and your home's wall.

And for those concerned about initial costs, your payoff can come back in as little as eight years. For doing little more than making your yard look great!

Learn more at the U.S. Department of Energy's Guide to Energy-Efficient Landscape Design.