02.03.12 - Meatless Mondays Blog
Hello Readers, happy Friday! You may or may not have noticed, but our Green Tip O’ the Week for this week was about going meatless one day out of each week, which is a great way to help slow our complete and utter destruction of the planet. Okay, so that is a pretty dramatic statement, but the truth hurts, huh?!
Anyways, I have to admit that I have been a lifelong consumer of meats and cheeses (along with plenty of veggies!). At the same time, I freaking love the heck out of animals of all kinds, especially dogs, sharks, dolphins, llamas and the occasional spider.
I have a hard time reconciling my love for meat with my love for animals, but meat is so delicious! On the other hand, it isn’t terribly good for you, or the environment. In South American rainforests alone, grazing land for meat-destined animals ends up clear-cutting a football field’s worth of rain forest land each minute of each day (Smithsonian Institution, “Smithsonian Researchers Show Amazonian Deforestation Accelerating,” Science Daily Online, 15 Jan. 2002).
I could spend the next 10 blogs describing the awful environmental impact of the meat industry, but I think people already know about that, or at least you folks reading this know about it. So instead, I will end this week’s blog with a call to action; join me in going meatless at least one day a week. I’ve decided Mondays are a good day because I love alliteration, and “Meatless Monday” just rolls right off the tongue. But to be honest, I ate meat on the same Monday I declared a personal “Meatless Monday”, but that’s because I had to meet some friends for a birthday at Portland City Grill and their happy hour menu favors the meat-oriented folks. So I ended up making this Tuesday my meatless day—my point is to be flexible with it to fit your schedule.
Just one day makes a huge difference and according to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off U.S. roads. – Mark
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/community-tips/meat-industry-eat-lower-food-chain_
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p://www.emagazine.com/archive/142
01.27.12 - State of the Union
Hello Blog Readers! I’m not sure if any of you had a chance to watch the State of the Union, but I did, and here some environment-related takeaways that I noted: First off, Obama has doubled down on green energy, in spite of pressure from his opponents:
“I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.” (http://huff.to/yfZC9B)
Secondly, Obama is still invested in off-shore oil drilling as well as fracking for natural gas. One thing that interested me about Obama’s reference to fracking is that he wants to know what specific chemicals are being used before we get too involved with tapping into our massive natural gas deposits. The issue with fracking is that it adds strange things to the water table (http://bit.ly/cOzSR6). Sometimes, people who live near areas where fracking takes place suffer strange illnesses generally thought to have derived from their drinking water, and in some cases they’ve been able to ignite the “water” coming from their kitchen faucet. I hope Obama sees to it that the gas fracking industry guarantees safety from pollution of our water tables as well as looking into the cause and effect of fracking in addition to the recent swell in the number of earthquakes occurring in areas near where fracking is taking place. This is something that should be strictly regulated by the EPA and not the “industry experts”, who always seem to weigh in on the side of the industry (http://bit.ly/hTo93v). As for Obama’s stance on drilling for oil, it’s really is just a reflection of the status quo.
I think it was important that Obama indirectly referenced the controversial Solyndra issue. If people are able to successfully scare the administration away politically, from investing federal money into alternative energies, we will find ourselves in last place in the alternative energy economy, and we’ll still be reliant on the old, heavy polluting fossil fuels we’ve been burdened with for years. Our competitors in places like China are able to make bold investments in alternative energy because they face zero opposition in regards to doing what they know is right for their economy (http://bit.ly/yobk8W), even if they are still slow in coming around to the moral issue of taking care of the planet for future generations. -Mark
01.20.12 - Good News Blog 1/20/12
Happy Friday, Blog Readers!
It’s time for another good news blog! First off, we’re happy to see that the Keystone XL Pipeline was rejected—at least for now. If you’re not familiar, large deposits of tar sands in Alberta, Canada are being utilized for oil extraction with the intention of shipping to refineries in Texas via a pipeline that stretches across a delicate Midwestern aquifer.
If the pipeline had been approved, the increase in U.S. emissions would only be a fraction of 1%, in spite of the fact that tar sands oil produces 5 to 15% more emissions than oil extracted through traditional drilling methods (http://wapo.st/A8BjAT). One of the main reasons for scrapping the pipeline lies in the protection of the Ogallala Aquifer. If the pipeline were to leak, there is a good chance there would be chemicals seeping into an aquifer that is heavily depended upon for drinking and agricultural purposes.
Additionally, pipelines, sturdy though they may be, are prone to explosions and ruptures. Just recently near my alma mater-Ohio University in Athens, Ohio (go Bobcats!)- a gas pipeline exploded. Fortunately only one person was injured, but it could have been deadly (http://bit.ly/rtYeqh). The other primary reason to oppose the pipeline is that we need to start shifting away from the use of fossil fuels rather than finding clever ways to extract oil and prolong our use of such energy sources.
Aaaand! The other good news is our buddies over at Bamboo Sushi, with whom we have worked many times in the past, have been recognized as the most sustainable restaurant by Food Republic (http://bit.ly/ADHJB3). Also, as Cassandra Profita points out in her blog from Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Ecotrope (http://bit.ly/xYVMkw); they don’t use Bluefin tuna because it isn’t sustainable.
Nice work Bamboo Sushi, nice work! -Mark
01.06.12 - Midwest Blog, Part 2
Hello Blog Readers,
Welcome to Part 2 of the Midwest blog! The first leg of the trip I was looking at Chicago, now we’re moving on to the second part, rural NW Ohio! I must admit, I cannot make any similar comparisons between the nightlife in Chicago and the nightlife of Van Wert, OH, where I spent the other part of my time in the Midwest.
First off, a little history about Van Wert: Van Wert is a small community about 35 miles east of Ft. Wayne Indiana. The local economy is built around the auto manufacturing, farming, and insurance industries; which, except for the insurance industry—have been tanking the last few decades. Van Wert is not known to be home to progressive stewards of the environment, that being said, they have experienced a local jobs boom from an unexpected place: Green energy!
Wind turbines have been popping up all around rural Van Wert. 
The amount of labor required for the project, along with the amount of money being injected into the local economy has created a mini-boom in spite of the climate change deniers and global warming skeptics in the area. The construction of wind turbines is creating many construction jobs. 
The company responsible for the $700 million dollar alternative energy investment is none other than our friends over at Iberdrola Renewables, a company ecoShuttle has worked with over the past few years. Hopefully this influx of renewable energy and investment will change the minds of folks in rural Ohio and encourage them to help put a stop to strip-mining
and fracking . 
On a sad note, however, there has been a total lack of regulation in NW Ohio that has resulted in the utter decay of Lake St. Mary’s, the lake my family grew up swimming and water skiing in. 
What was once a bustling lake with boats and happy swimmers everywhere is now a cesspool of algae with a rapidly declining fish population. The Lake was originally a reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal, but when the canal had lost its usefulness, the lake was repurposed for recreation—and it was a blast! That is until unregulated chemical run-off from farms, and unregulated waste from hog farms infiltrated the lake from underground. It is now a health-hazard to be anywhere near the lake. 
For folks who grew up playing in or near the lake, and for folks whose incomes were based on the lake, this has been an unmitigated disaster. Hopefully people will take another look at EPA regulations and the difference it can make in our lives. -Mark
12.29.11 - Blog Post–from Chicago!
Hello Blog Readers! I’m back from my trip to the mid-west and I have some interesting things to report:
First off, Chicago is a lot of fun! The nightlife is exciting and vibrant. While hanging out at a local VFW hall, I was introduced to a super cool guy who had worked as Robert Deniro’s double on some films, and featured prominently in some awesome indie rock music videos from Chicago band Univore. One particular video, seen at the end of this sentence, is a tribute to one of my favorite things: Electric cars!
(From left to right: My buddy Nate, Univore, Marco Casale, and me, Mark)
Also, and unfortunately, I have discovered Chicago’s reputation as a green city may be a bit exaggerated—though it is making strides to live up to its billing.
Chicago has been a leader in implementing green energy since about 2006, plus they have a plethora of green rooftops. At the same time, however, there is some major nastiness they are trying desperately to correct. For starters, the Chicago River absorbs the untreated waste of millions of people every day (I told you it was nasty!). Chicago, as of right now is the only city in the country that doesn’t treat their waste. In 1900, the flow of the Chicago River was actually reversed so that the waste wouldn’t accumulate in Lake Michigan and turn it into a cesspool; they would just let all the folks downstream deal with the nasty water flow–the Chicago is a tributary of the Mississippi River!
Chicago River
Another thing I noticed is Chicago is not very recycling friendly. I couldn’t believe some of the things I saw going into the garbage. For many residents of Chicago, recycling is an extraordinarily expensive chore, and in many places it is not even an option. Chicago has had some seriously futile recycling ideas for the past decade. But like the river, there is good news! Basing a new plan on what other cities have done, Chicago is privatizing parts of the recycling program to make the cost more competitive, and to allow it to cover the entire city with costs comparable with what folks pay around the rest of the country. It turns out that recycling can be good business in addition to being good for the environment.
Next week’s blog will be the second leg of my trip to rural NW Ohio, so stay tuned for that! Have a safe and happy New Year and I’ll catch up with you in 2012!
-Mark
PS- Here’s another funny video from Univore to get you in the New Year’s type of mood, it’s called Champagne Taste:
12.15.11 - Holiday Season Good News
Happy Holidays Blog Readers!
Here is some Holiday Season good news:
The EPA is preparing to release new mercury and air toxins standards, and it appears as though the industry is prepared to meet them. Team work, yay!
Facebook is ditching coal energy in favor of renewable energy. “Like!”
ecoShuttle has adopted a highway! We will be tending a stretch of I205 from NE Sandy Blvd. to the Glen Jackson Bridge. But just because you know we’ll be out there cleaning it up, doesn’t mean you should start chucking your garbage out the window on your way to Vancouver.
The Portland Blazers have just acquired baller Jamal Crawford who is super jazzed to be in Portland. Welcome to Portland, Jamal, can’t wait to see you tear it up on the court!
Also, ecoShuttle has procured a new vehicle, it should be here soon and I will post a picture when it is set to go!
Lastly, I will be posting and blogging from Chicago next week, looking at some of their green initiatives, as well as having myself a good time, so check our Facebook and Twitter pages periodically for updates.
Have a great weekend!
-Mark
12.08.11 - Holiday Waste Management
Happy Holidays Blog Readers!
Thank you, Fiona, for taking over the blog last week, another stellar outing! While Fiona’s blog centered on sustainable holiday tree choices, I’m going to look at reducing holiday season waste.
First off, why is there always so much waste? I think it’s generally the packaging that produces the most waste, so try giving gifts like a certificate to cook someone a meal in their home, or perhaps more non-material gifts like a certificate to a movie, or a concert? Did you know that Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd) is bringing the Wall to Portland’s Rose Garden this Spring? Plenty of people wouldn’t mind getting tickets to that as a gift, I assure you!
If you absolutely must give a wrapped gift, there are sustainable ways to pull this off. Perhaps you could wrap gifts in a fabric, and then finish it off it with a nice (and reusable) drawstring bag—that’s a whole lot classier than some chintzy paper gift wrap. Another thing about said chintzy wrapping paper; sure it’s easy, but the dyes used on this type of paper deem it unrecyclable, or at best, barely recyclable–and the dyes pollute our rivers! Do we really need to be polluting rivers? Remember back in the day when the Cuyahoga River got so polluted that it caught fire? 
Perhaps for wrapping smaller items you could use old calendar photos, or maybe outdated maps, or even a bandana!
Finally, and this is an easy one, don’t forget to recycle all that cardboard!
Hope you have a good one!
-Mark
12.01.11 - Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum…
A little over three years ago, my hubby and I bought our first house. That year, we celebrated Halloween with a huge blowout party that went WAY later than planned (we had to go hide in the attic and blast Amy Grant songs to get people to leave), we hosted a glorious Thanksgiving for friends, and excitedly went shopping for the biggest Christmas tree we could find as soon as we slept off the food coma. We found the “perfect tree” at a local charity and took it home. It reached our ceiling. Too much tree!
Throughout that whole holiday, I felt guilty that we had contributed to chopping down such a beautiful tree. It looked nice in our living room, but I could tell it would have been happier in the forest with birds and woodland creatures, rather than my excessively rambunctious kitten who thought every ornament was a new toy for him to destroy.
I started to wonder how many trees get thrown away each year, how much damage we’re doing to the environment just so we can adorn our houses with holiday cheer? Now obviously, a real tree is better for the planet than a fake plastic one which is made of PVC and chock full of lead and other nasties. After-all, a real tree eventually biodegrades and is technically “carbon-neutral”. Some cities are providing recycling for the plastic ones these days, and you can re-use them, and they don’t shed needles on the floor like real ones do, but they are made out of fossil fuels. Plus, they’re mostly made overseas and require lots more fossil fuel just to get themselves into my living room. Clearly, the real tree here trumps the fake ones, but I can’t help but think there’s a better way…
If you opt for a living pine tree, one that’s native to our area, it’s recommended to only keep it inside for a week so it doesn’t think it’s spring time and start it’s growth spurt (this can kill it when you try and plant it outdoors). You also have to find a place to plant it, which can be hard for apartment dwellers or those of us who’ve already filled their yards with as many fruiting trees and garden beds as they can (I fall into the latter category). So what’s an earth-conscious gal to do??
Enter the Norfolk Island Pine. Two years ago, on our way to go pick out another poor tree, my hubby and I stopped at Safeway. Behold, something that looked just like a little tree, perfect for our little family. It was a little small that first year, but we keep it outside in the summer and it’s grown taller than me (and I’m 5 foot 2 and three quarters!). It keeps the indoor air clean all winter and it looks awesome outside all summer. My cat has a harder time climbing it than the first tree he experienced due to more spikey bits on the trunk. Plus it has three “tops” to it, so I can really adorn that thing with lots of gaudy home-made decorations (we make a new one each year~it’s our little family tradition). The tree is only limited in height by the pot you plant it in and it kind of feels a little tropical too. You can get them at most nurseries and home stores, so their easy to find. I’m sure there are some caveats, like it’s not a native plant, but neither is my plumeria plant that I brought back from Hawaii. I truly feel this is the best option for us and we’ll never go back to chopped or fake.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Have you found a sustainable option for your holiday tree?
11.23.11 - Gobble Gobble!
Gobble Gobble, Blog Readers!
As you may or may not know, the official alma mater of ecoShuttle is Ohio University! Jesse and Fiona Yun, two of the three owners are grads of OU, and I am as well! We are super excited that our OU Bobcats football team has recently won the MAC East athletic conference. Congratulations Bobcats! Oddly enough, the other owner of ecoShuttle, William Sampson, is a proud graduate of Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois recently won the MAC West and are set to play OU for the MAC Championship. It’s on, Will!
OU is more than just a competitive football team; they’re also competitive in their use of sustainable energy: OU has 5 solar arrays in all parts of the campus, one of which sits atop Chubb Hall, the admissions building, and it cranks out 330 watts- enough to power nearly everything in the building. All of the waste grease from the university dining halls ends up being recycled into biodiesel and is then sold to local farmers to fuel their tractors—this also saves the school money on disposal costs. Additionally, OU maintains an off-campus residence house called EcoHouse, which is completely self-sustaining, check it out here. Go Bobcats!
Happy Thanksgiving!
-Mark
11.16.11 - Thanksgiving Weekend Wine Tasting
Happy Fall Season blog readers!
I don’t know about you, but I’m already excited about tearing into a massive Thanksgiving Day feast! But lo and behold, there is much more to Thanksgiving Day than just eating and watching football (at least for some of us). If you are trying to change things up this coming Thanksgiving Day weekend, there is a cornucopia of wine tasting action going down with our Carbon Neutral Challenge winery buddies in Willamette Valley Wine Country, and we would love to take you down there! (If you forget or don’t know what the Carbon Neutral Challenge is all about, see this blog entry)
Here’s what sounds good to me; having a clean, sustainable ecoShuttle pull up to my house to whisk me and my friends to wine country. The bus pulls up, Jason, the friendly driver greets us and we board the bus. In tow I have a cooler of assorted local craft beers, as well as some Thanksgiving Day leftovers for snacks. We are ready to go!
We’re on the way to Sokol Blosser, and I’m drinking a Ninkasi Sleigh’r seasonal ale and eating a turkey sandwich, this is tough to beat. When we get to Sokol Blosser we taste their delicious flight—including the newly released ’09 Pinot Noir. We have a good time with their free photo booth, and conversing with other wine enthusiasts. Then Jason welcomes us back to the bus and we’re on to Stoller Vineyards!
We arrive at Stoller so quickly that I hardly have a chance to finish my complimentary water. At Stoller we enjoy stellar views from inside the first Gold LEED certified winery in the U.S. There is live music, appetizers, and the tasting fees include a logo glass, nice! Back to the bus, “hi Jason!”, and we’re off to Willamette Valley Vineyards Wine Center in McMinnville. Olé!
Jason drops us off in downtown McMinnville right at the door of the Wine Center, glad I don’t have to worry about parking! The weekend special includes a comparative tasting, and the wines are terrific. While we’re enjoying the wines, Stephanie, our friendly wine ambassador teaches us how to swirl the wine around like the pros, and to think, I’d been doing it wrong for years. We jump back on the bus waiting for us right outside, and we’re back in Portland by 6:15, what a great time! We thank Jason and say “adios”. What a great way to cap off Thanksgiving weekend!
For more about what’s going on Thanksgiving Weekend, see the following video, and have a great week!
-Mark