standforless: C'mon TeamUSA.... RT @TreeHugger: China Beat US in Offshore Wind, Europe Still Trounces Everyone Else in Solar Power http://bit.ly/aI7byB Tue, Sep 7th @ 10:29am

  • Drive down pollution! You can also eliminate one pound of greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating just one mile of driving.

  • Californians bought 21.9 billion drinks in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers last year. More than 16.2 billion of those were recycled, saving natural resources and extending the life of our landfills.

  • The U.S. transportation sector as a whole is responsible for almost 9% of the world's total CO2 emissions. That stinks.
  • Cut your monthly energy bills by as much as 30% by replacing the old equipment in your home with state-of-the-art Energy Star appliances.
  • CRV stands for California Refund Value. It equals 5¢ for each beverage container less than 24 ounces and 10¢ for each container 24 ounces or greater.
  • Report "smoking" vehicles. Call 1-800-28-SMOKE to report vehicles with excessive tailpipe emissions.
  • Shade provided by trees can reduce your air conditioning bill at home by 10-15%. Cool.
  • Save paper...save resources. Change your printer settings to 2-sided printing to reduce the amount of paper you consume at the office.
  • Close the loop! Visit greengiftguide.com and discover a wide range of household, recreational and beauty products made from recycled materials.
  • Unplug your cell phone charger and other household electronics from the wall when you're not using them. Even when they are turned off, they use phantom power.
  • Use cold water when you can. Water heating accounts for about 13% of home energy costs.
  • Carpools and vanpools can use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and HOV by-pass on ramp meters, which allows you to get to work faster.
  • Help eliminate the use of disposable plates, cups and utensils. Bring re-usable dishware to work.
Apr
24

Visiting that local fruit and vegetable stand is standing for less

istock_6026954small

Did you know eating local fresh food helps fight global warming?

Johnny Cash sang “I’ve been everywhere, man. I’ve been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert’s bare, man. I’ve breathed the mountain air, man. Of travel, I’ve had my share, man. I’ve been everywhere.”

For sure, he wasn’t singing about the food we eat each and every day. But he could’ve been. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture tells us that the average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1,500 miles to get there.

That certainly exceeds the daily allowance of carbon dioxide.

Hence the argument that eating locally helps fight global warming. And here in San Diego, the options to do so are bountiful. Do a Google search of San Diego Farmers Markets and you’ll discover there may not be a day of the week that you cannot find real, live farmers selling fresh, locally grown food somewhere in San Diego County. This tasty sampling was found on sandiego.about.com.

TUESDAY

Chula Vista - Otay Ranch Town Center: 4 to 8 p.m. 619-656-9100
Coronado: 2:30 to 6 p.m., corner of First and B Streets (Old Ferry Landing). 760-741-3763.
Escondido: 2:30 to 6 p.m.(Summer: 4 to 7 p.m.), Grand Avenue between Broadway and Kalmia Street. 760-745-8877.
UCSD/La Jolla: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (September thru June), UCSD Certified Farmers Market at the Price Center near the bookstore near Lyman Lane and Library Walk. 858-534-4248.

WEDNESDAY

Carlsbad: 2 to 5 p.m., Roosevelt Street between Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive. 760-434-2553
Ocean Beach: 4 to 7 p.m. (Summer: 4 to 8 p.m.) 4900 block of Newport Avenue. 619-279-0032.
Temecula: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Promenade Mall across from Edwards Temecula Stadium 15 Theatres. 760-728-7343.

THURSDAY

Oceanside: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pier View Way at Coast Highway. 619-440-5027.
Oceanside:4 to 8 p.m.Tremont and Pier View Way. 760-754-4512
Chula Vista: 3 to 7 p.m. Third Avenue at Center Street. 619-422-1982.
North Park: 3 p.m. to Sunset, CVS Pharmacy parking lot at University and 32nd Street. 619-237-1632.
Horton Square/Downtown: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., March to mid-October, 225 Broadway. 760-741-3763.
Tierrasanta: 3 to 7 p.m. De Portola Middle School at 11010 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Santo Road. 858-272-7054

FRIDAY
La Mesa Village: 3 to 6 p.m., Allison Street, east of Spring Street (at La Mesa Village). 619-440-5027.
Rancho Bernardo: 9 a.m. to Noon, Bernardo Winery parking lot at 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte. 760-723-2469.
Borrego Springs: 7 a.m. to noon (Nov thru May) Christmas Circle Community Park at Christmas Circle and Palm Canyon Dr. 760-767-5555.

SATURDAY

Pacific Beach: 8 a.m. to Noon, Mission Boulevard between Reed Avenue and Pacific Beach Boulevard (at Promenade Mall). 760-741-3763.
Vista: 7:45 to 11 a.m., corner of Eucalyptus and Escondido Avenues (City Hall parking lot). 760-945-7425 .
Poway: 8 to 11:30 a.m., corner of Midland Road and Temple Street (in Old Poway Park). 619-440-5027.
Del Mar: 1 to 4 p.m., corner of El Camino Del Mar and 10th Street (City Hall parking lot). 760-727-1471.
Scripps Ranch: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ellen Browning Elementary School at 10380 Spring Canyon Rd. 858-586-7933.
Temecula: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Old Town Temecula at 6th and Front Street. 760-728-7343.
Carlsbad: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Roosevelt Sreet between Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Village Dr. 760-434-2553 .

SUNDAY

Hillcrest: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., corner of Normal and Cleveland Streets (DMV parking lot). 619-237-1632.
Solana Beach: 2 to 5 p.m., 410 to 444 South Cedros Ave at Rosa Street.
La Jolla: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Girard Avenue at Genter Street (La Jolla Elementary School). 858-405-6086.
Downtown Third Avenue Market and Asian Bazaar: 9 to 1 400 block of Third Avenue between Island Ave and J Street. 619-279-0032.
Leucadia/Encinitas: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Paul Ecke Elementary at Union Street and Vulcan Street. 858-272-7054.

After you visit these wonderful markets, you’ll no doubt go home with plenty of good, healthy food to eat. Do so knowing that you not only helped the environment, but you also helped keep the local economy healthy. Yes, eating locally also has a financial impact. That’s because when you account for transportation, processing, packaging, refrigeration and marketing, it’s estimated that farmers receive only 20 cents of each food dollar spent. But when local farmers sell to local customers, they get a buck for every food buck spent. That’s certainly something to chew on.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Air quality, Energy, Food | 1 Comment »

Apr
20

It’s a day that belongs to the earth. And to Gaylord Anton Nelson.

This year, Earth Day seems just a little more important. For whatever reason, there are a lot more people paying attention to all matters earthly. It could be the warming climate. Who knows, it could just be the political climate.

Either way, let’s make the most of it. Do it for the earth. Do it for Senator Gaylord Anton Nelson.

If it wasn’t for this graduate of San Jose State University and U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, we may not be recognizing Earth Day at all. An environmental activist who traveled with John F. Kennedy’s Conservation Tour in 1963, Senator Nelson believed the environment belonged on the national agenda. And on April 22, 1970, university students, environmental groups and residents from cost to coast participated in what was described as “a grassroots demonstration on the environment.” In all, it was estimated that 20 million people took part.

It was the world’s growing population that sparked Nelson’s desire for such a movement. In his words: “The bigger the population gets, the more serious the problems become.” For Nelson, it was to be a day of discussion and learning; a “teach-in” that sparked a higher level of concern and consciousness.

Thirty-nine years later, Earth Day is a global event. In fact, it is said to be the one event celebrated simultaneously by people of all nationalities. Clearly, Senator Nelson was on to something.

He left office in 1981. After three terms in the U.S. Senate, he went on to serve the environment in many other capacities, including as a counselor for The Wilderness Society. He died in 2005. Today, there is a state park in Wisconsin that bears his name, as well as the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

But probably the biggest tribute that can be paid to him is what we all do for the Earth. Starting on the day he founded.

Posted in Air quality, Energy, Recycling and waste management, Water | No Comments »

Apr
14

Three years into yet another drought and California is facing some tough realities.

Three years into yet another drought and California is facing some tough realities. State and city leaders are looking at the possibility mandatory rationing. Many farmers are looking at the probability of further crop loss. Firefighters are responding to a record number of wildfires.

In his recent statement on Climate Action Team Report, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “California’s drought has already had devastating effects on our people, our communities, our economy, our agriculture, and our environment. “

There are plenty of arguments and plenty of solutions on the table. And you don’t have to spend too much time digging around on the Internet to know that there are debates and ideas coming from every corner of the state. Drought is an environmental problem. Drought is an economic problem. Drought is an agricultural problem. Drought is a political problem. And for every sector affected by current and looming conditions, there seems to be a different answer.

Alas, there is one thing upon which most everyone does seem to agree: conservation is the most immediate action we can all take. In fact, you can start today.

Yes, it’s simple. And goodness knows it’s certainly not as interesting to talk about at a cocktail party as something like desalination. But conservation does the job. And the water you save adds up very quickly.

  • Take a 5-minute shower instead of an 8-minute drenching and you’ll save 20-30 gallons.
  • Wait until that washing machine is full to turn it on and you’ll save up to 50 gallons a load.
  • Replace your old washing machine and dishwashers with Energy Star appliances and you’ll use up to 50% less water.
  • Fix a faucet that leaks one drop per second, and you’ll save roughly 2,400 gallons a year.
  • Still running the water when you brush your teeth? Turn it off and you’ll save as much as 3 gallons a day.
  • Water your yard before dawn and you’ll cut down water use by as much as 25 gallons a day.

Here’s the cool part. Take these and other actions every day and you’ll do more than save water. Water usage accounts for almost one-fifth of California’s electricity use. So the more we do to reduce water usage, the more we do to save energy. Amazingly, it’s all very easy and practical to do. These are not monumental lifestyle changes. But if we don’t do them, we will be faced with a monumental problem.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Water | 2 Comments »

Apr
11

We’re all leaving our mark on this place. Which is why it’s time we all took a stand.

You have appliances that use electricity even when they’re turned off. You’re putting 20 pounds of carbon in the air for every gallon of gas you drive to work. And that plastic bottle you tossed in the trash last week? It’ll still be sitting in a landfill when you’re long gone.

The worst part is, you’re not the only one. We’re all leaving our mark on this place. Which is why it’s time we all took a stand.

With Stand For Less, the newly launched conservation movement, San Diego is summoning its population into action and setting an example for the entire nation. Stand For Less is calling on everyone to use less water and less energy. It’s showing us the importance of recycling anything and everything we can. And it’s asking us – if not screaming at us – to get out of our cars when we can and find other ways to get where we need to go.

And it’s not like we have a choice. Our ever-so-comfortable, give-me-more lifestyles have wreaked havoc on our lovely city. Our air is not healthy to breathe. Our water supplies are drying up. Our energy consumption is driving up demand and spewing carbon into the air. And our landfills are filling up.

Now the question is, what can each of us do? Fortunately, there is plenty – and much of it is easy. To reduce the amount of carbon we emit into the air each and every day, we can carpool, use public transportation or simply stay at home and telecommute. To save water, we can start by fixing those leaky faucets and toilets. But it might be good if we took shorter showers and quit watering our yards every day, too. To reduce our energy usage, we can unplug appliances when they’re not in use, wash our clothes in cold water and turn off lights when they’re not being used. And about those landfills: let’s use those recycling bins we see everywhere and start purchasing products made from recycled materials.

Of course, those are just the first steps. There are plenty of other ways we can Stand For Less. To read about them and to put them into action, go to standforless.com. You won’t be able to do everything you read about, but you will see that you can be a part of the solution – immediately.

And immediately is good. Because there isn’t a moment to spare. If we don’t Stand For Less, there won’t be much more for us to enjoy.

Posted in Energy, STAND FOR LESS, Water | 3 Comments »

Apr
9

San Diego Launches STAND FOR LESS. And not a moment too late.

Kicking off the STAND FOR LESS event

Bridgett Luther, Director of the California Department of Conservation kicking off the STAND FOR LESS event

“We have the policy, now we need the people.” Those were the words of Bridgett Luther, Director of the California Department Conservation, as she kicked off Stand For Less, San Diego’s comprehensive and pioneering sustainability movement.

Hundreds gathered as Luther was joined by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, actor and activist Ed Begley, Jr., and partners from both the public and private sector. And it was clear that this was not some green-washed event lacking true purpose. Throughout the morning’s activities there was a real feeling of urgency backed by meaningful action.
With Stand For Less, San Diego is setting an example for all of California – as well as the nation. Utilities, corporations and state agencies are coming together in an effort to use less water, consumer less energy, drive less miles and create less trash by recycling.

For Mayor Sanders, it was an opportunity to emphasize the city’s need to be mindful of its water consumption. He reminded the crowd that San Diego is in fact a desert and wasteful consumption is only going to threaten the lifestyle we all enjoy.
For the city’s and the state’s water concerns, the launch could not have come at a more poignant time. Just the day before, the conservation group American Rivers put California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River System at the top of it’s annual endangered rivers list. On americanrivers.org, the group stated “Climate change, population growth, water supply demands, and endangered species listings have brought this outmoded water and flood management system to the brink.”

Clearly San Diego is doing the right thing at the right time. But as Director Luther pointed out, it’s going to take people to succeed — people who are willing to change the way they go about their daily lives.
On April 8, San Diego began to Stand For Less. If we’re lucky, the entire nation will stand right with it.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in STAND FOR LESS | 5 Comments »

Apr
7

Hey, San Diego! Get ready for less.

We’ve all gotten very comfortable with more. More appliances using more energy. More miles driven to more places. More water sprayed over more grass. More trash filling up more and more landfills.

When the sun comes up on Wednesday, April 8, those days of unsustainable excess will begin to end. That’s the day San Diego Forward is launching a social movement campaign that is going to bring San Diego residents together in an effort to live AND ENJOY a more sustainable, sensible lifestyle.

How we use water and energy, how we dispose of our waste and how we treat the air we breathe will all change. And let’s face it – it has to! If we want San Diego to continue to be the place we love, we are going to have to get comfortable with using less. Or to put it more accurately, we need to get used to using only what we need. Excess and recklessness are not sustainable.

So get ready, San Diego. And get excited. This is a new day for our city. It’s time for all of us to Stand For Less. And enjoy life more!

Want to be there when Stand For Less launches us into a new day? Be there:
April 8 @ 10:30 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade Park, Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA, 92101, USA

Posted in STAND FOR LESS | 4 Comments »