Your Car's Global Warming Performance - It's on the sticker!

Of course, here at NWA our vehicles have been running on 100% virgin soy bean biofuel. It produces 75% less emissions than gasoline and zero sulfur dioxide (acid rain). If you must drive a gasoline powered, at least you will know...

In a measure previously taken only in California that provides a model for the entire nation, Connecticut will now require cars sold in the state to display a window label disclosing how much global warming gas (primarily carbon dioxide, or CO2) they emit. It’s a measure we may see echoed soon in other states that follow California emission laws, including Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. (for complete story, click on headline)

What's Happening to Honey Bees?

Honey bees pollinate more than 90 cultivated crops, including avocadoes, cucumbers, watermelons, citrus fruit and, notably, almonds; California’s almond industry alone needs about half the country’s 2.5 million commercial hives for pollination every year. Honey bees are responsible for more than $20 billion in annual pollination value and one-third of the food we eat, from vegetables to oils to meat from animals that graze on pollinated forage.

“We’re losing between 40 and 60 percent of our bee population annually in this country,” says Gordon Wardell, an entomologist based in Tucson. “The bee industry is right on the edge.” (for complete story, click on headline)

California Establishes Major Marine Reserve Network

by Roddy Scheer
The California Fish and Game Commission announced last week that it was creating the nation’s second largest network of marine reserves off that state’s central coast in order to protect and help restore depleted fisheries there. The new network encompasses 29 marine protected areas from Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz. Commercial and most sport fishing will be banned in an area covering about 200 square miles of coastal waters.

"Today's milestone makes California a national leader in oceans management and is proof of what can be done when all those involved--the fishing industry, environmentalists and others--work together," Calfornia governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said. (for complete story, click on headline)

UK scientists warn of 'more disaster' for a warming world

Rising temperatures will increase the risk of forest fires, droughts and flooding over the next two centuries, UK climate scientists have warned.

Even if harmful emissions were cut now, many parts of the world would face a greater risk of natural disasters, a team from Bristol University said.

The projections are based on data from more than 50 climate models looking at the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (click on the headline for complete story)

To make an appointment for a Seasonal Review (before Fire Season) call everGREEN landscape architects (Santa Barbara, CA) @ 805-684-1718.

Biodiesel Grows in Popularity

Users are committed to less emmisions and healing the environment.
everGREEN is a petroleum-free firm with all employees using 100% biodiesel. Could the mainstream be catching on?

As new fuel efficient diesel passenger vehicles begin entering the scene, such as DaimlerChrysler’s diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee, more consumers will seek out biodiesel at the pump. J.D. Power says the diesel share of U.S. light-vehicle sales is expected to increase from 3.2 percent in 2005 to more than 10 percent by the middle of the next decade.

Biodiesel is made from renewable resources such as soybean oil and other natural fats and vegetable oils. Soybean farmers founded the U.S. biodiesel industry through a program called the soybean checkoff.

Biodiesel is available at more than 800 retail pumps in the U.S. It offers environmental and engine benefits. It significantly cuts emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and virtually all sulfur. Biodiesel blends increase lubricity, adding to engine life by preventing premature wear and tear. With biodiesel’s high flash point and non-toxicity, it is extremely safe to use and handle. It also has the highest energy balance of any fuel according to a Department of Energy Life Cycle analysis. For every unit of energy put into producing biodiesel, 3.2 units are gained.

Greenland's Melting Ice Sheet May Speed Rise in Sea Level

The Washington Post reports, "Two new scientific studies measuring Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet and the pace of Antarctic snowfall suggest that the sea level may be rising faster than researchers previously assumed." (click on Headline for entire story)

Pacific Coast Dead Zones Linked to Global Warming (Aug 3rd, 2006)

In the latest bad news related to human-induced climate change, scientists last week reported bottom fish and crabs washing up dead on Oregon beaches are the latest victims of global warming, which is reportedly causing oxygen-deprived "dead zones" along a 70-mile stretch of Oregon's Pacific coast. Marine ecologists attribute these dead zones to increasingly explosive blooms of tiny plants called phytoplankton that die and sink to the ocean floor, where they are then eaten by bacteria that consume the oxygen in the water column. The recurring phytoplankton blooms, which scientists first noticed off the coast of Oregon in 2002, are caused by increasingly strong north winds--a symptom of climate change--that result in massive cyclical upwellings of sea water.

Indonesia's Rainforests on the Chopping Block

In the wake of peace accords signed last year, the remote and wildlife-rich rainforests of Indonesia are being felled faster than ever as former rebels trade their guns for chainsawsIn

Environmentalists who have been monitoring the situation in Indonesia report that about 9,000 square miles of tropical rainforest throughout the islands are lost each year to illegal logging. According to projections from the nonprofit WWF-Indonesia, which has been working to stem the tide of Indonesian deforestation, all lowland trees on the neighboring islands of Sumatra and Borneo will be gone by 2010 at the current rate of deforestation. (FOR MORE CLICK ON THE HEADLINE)

Chemical Consequences

(Click on Headline for the full story) Anthropologist Elizabeth Guillette found a community of farmers in the Yaqui Valley of Mexico that was divided by geography and culture when commercial farming came to town in the 1950s. Farmers living in the lower lands of the valley adopted modern techniques, including the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, while their counterparts living on the mountainside continued farming in the manner that had sustained their community for generations, without commercial chemicals. Guillette, through the University of Florida, has been studying families from both communities since 1967.

Guillette found that children of farmers who use multiple synthetic chemicals produced less-detailed and less-accurate drawings than those raised by indigenous farmers who use natural, sustainable agricultural practices.

...The children from the mountainside community, who had not been exposed to regular chemical use, created images that were much more advanced than their counterparts, with limbs, features and expressions clearly representative of people. The same test a few years later yielded a similar disparity in drawing ability.

At everGREEN landscape architects, we implement Integrated Pest Management. It means fewer pesticide applications. Integrated Pest Management or IPM is an approach to pest control that utilizes regular monitoring to determine if and when treatments are needed and employs physical, mechanical, cultural, biological and educational tactics to keep pest numbers low enough to prevent intolerable damage or annoyance. Least-toxic chemical controls are used as a last resort. Call for a consultation 805-684-1718.

Paper houses

According to the EPA, we Americans throw away enough paper each year to build a 48' high wall surrounding the country. That's taller and longer the Great Wall of China.

In Plenty magazine (Dec2005 /Jan 2006, p.88), Joshua M. Bernstein reports that paper makes a great ingredient in building materials. "Papercrete" follows a simple recipe: add water, clay, cement or clay to a pile of old newspaper or phone books and stir until porridge smooth; pour into molds; and let air dry. The resulting blocks are lightweight, fire-resistant, and Superman strong. The idea isn't new. It's been around since the 1920's, but back then paper was cost a lot more than today. To date, approximately 50 papercrete structures have been built, mostly in the Southwest , where hot, dry weather prevails.

Papercrete's drawback: it absorbs water. But with a stucco coat on a raised foundation, papercrete is a likely building alternative.

Buiness puts its money where its heart is

You don't have to schedule a meeting with the CEO to make positive changes in your workplace. Start by looking at your own work and asking yourself if you could make it more socially responsible. Environmental initiatives, like starting up a recycling program, can be a good place to begin. Besides being the right thing to do, they usually save money -- a fact that is likely to be well received by your boss. The Aussie website ecooffice.socialchange.net.au will help you start brainstorming about other ways to make an impact. Green@work magazine (www.greenatworkmag.com) offers articles and tips with a can-do attitude about corporate social responsibility. The organization Business for Social Responsibility (www.bsr.org) offers consulting and other resources to companies embracing progressive values. Another route to social change in the workplace is unionization: not for the timid, as the cards are stacked in favor of your boss. You can find a comprehensive guide to the organizing process at www.iww.org. Finally, entrepreneurs are leading the way to greener, more responsible workplaces. If it's time to start your own business, check out In Business magazine (www.jgpress.com), which offers resources and articles for socially minded entrepreneurs, and consider joining the Social Venture Network (www.svn.org), a membership group of socially responsible businesses.

Off the Grid

If our ancestors could see us now. Housing costs on the rise. Fossil fuels running out. Privatized water supplies. Crops threatened by drought. Utility bills skyrocketing. Life a blur of coping and keeping up. Rampant denial that anything is wrong.

Small Stuff Adds Up

1. You don't need a Prius to make an earth-friendly impact. In fact, research out of the University of Chicago shows that you can do more for the planet by going vegan. Twenty-eight percent of the typical U.S. diet comes from animal sources, reports the New Scientist (Dec. 17, 2005), and this omnivorous diet "generates the equivalent of nearly 1.5 tons more carbon dioxide per person per year than a vegan diet with the same number of calories." The difference between driving your dad's old Buick and a new hybrid is just over one ton. If you aren't ready to go vegan, the researchers suggest eating fewer processed animal products and choosing poultry over red meat.

2. If changing your diet isn't in the cards, consider changing the temperature-at work. The Japanese government's "Cool Biz" campaign prodded firms such as the Oji Group to loosen the dress code and ease off the air conditioning. Last summer, the company kept the thermostat three degrees higher than usual at its company headquarters, going from 79 to 82 degrees. With this minor shift, reports Natural Life (March/April 2006), the company reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 97 tons. The program was so successful that last winter, they reversed the trend and set heaters at 68 degrees-nine degrees cooler than the year before.

A Cleaner Coat

Environmentally friendly paints are catching on-but shop with caution.

When you step into a hardware store these days, you're likely to see new lines of paint specially labeled to lure green consumers concerned about exposure to volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. It's a smart marketing move, since VOCs are a particularly nasty class of airborne gases released when standard wall coatings dry. Unfortunately, the labels "low VOC" and "no VOC" can be misleading.

Do-it-yourselfers need to be aware of a few things: Finding a truly green, clean paint will require a bit of research. It will cost more money. And when it comes to paint labeling and claims, neither the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nor most big paint makers are always looking out for the health of consumers or the planet. By understanding a few basic facts, though, prospective painters looking for that perfect hue can make better choices.

An easy first step is to use latex paints, which are usually lower in VOCs than oil-based paints. Many consumers have already made the move to latex for the convenience of soap-and-water cleanup.

Then get to know your VOCs. For starters, the EPA's definition of "low" is based not on an indoor health standard but on an outdoor environmental standard. Consequently, low-VOC paint labels aren't promising toxin-free air as the paint dries, even though the accompanying marketing campaign (and the friendly store clerk) may imply otherwise. The standard simply ensures that the paint has less than 250 grams of VOCs per liter if it's latex, and less than 380 grams per liter if it's oil-based-levels far higher than recommended by many environmental and health experts. To find a paint's professed VOC content, look at the label or ask for the accompanying material safety data sheet.

Worse, because of EPA rules that lack both precision and teeth, even paint that is labeled "no VOC" may contain VOCs, since paint makers often disclose only the required "nonexempt" VOCs that form smog. Many paints also contain undisclosed preservatives called biocides-literally, "life killers"-that pose hazards for chemically sensitive people and undeveloped fetuses. Finally, adding standard pigments to the paint base to mix and match colors will add more VOCs-typically, the deeper the hue, the higher the VOCs. So even if you start with a low-VOC base, it might be high by the time it comes off the paint shaker.

While current labeling rules leave much to be desired, the EPA is unlikely to address the issue anytime soon. The budget-strapped agency lost its funding for low-VOC research about a decade ago, according to EPA scientist John Chang, who directed the research and whose findings finally were published by the agency in 2001. "Certain paints marketed as 'low VOC' may still emit significant quantities of air pollutants," he concluded.
Although federal oversight lags, green groups offer some guidance. The nonprofit environmental organization Green Seal has a broader definition of VOCs and its own idea of "low": 50 grams per liter for paints with a flat, or matte, finish, and 150 grams per liter for other paints. But again, that's an environmental standard, not a health standard.

Los Angeles-based environmental consultant Mary Cordaro is encouraged to see the introduction of many low- and no-VOC paints and finishes, but she's concerned that some labels offer consumers false comfort. She suggests that anyone who is uncertain about a paint's VOC content treat it as a toxic substance. Ventilate the room by opening windows and using fans to exchange air-"suck and blow." And have pregnant women stay out of the room for two weeks.

The best paints are those made from natural materials, Cordaro says. Her favorites are Keim, Aglaia, and BioShield. But she also cites AFM, ChemSafe, and Best Paint as good choices for those seeking a truly low- or no-VOC paint. Some of these paints must be ordered and shipped because they aren't widely available in stores, and they all cost more than conventional paints-sometimes quite a bit more.

Because most paints made by mainstream manufacturers are petroleum-based synthetics, consumers should be aware that they have negative environmental consequences regardless of the VOC content, Cordaro says. Especially now that they are being "marketed to people in a way that completely veils the fact that the raw materials are coming from a place that we don't want them to come from," she says.

Because we use so much paint, in so many different ways, Cordaro is concerned that focusing solely on lower VOC content may soothe our environmental conscience but actually further our reliance on products that are not made from natural, renewable resources.

Cordaro has high standards, to be sure, but she's also realistic enough to know that the cost and time required to get a better paint can be prohibitive for many people.

It's a step in the right direction, Cordaro says, if people recognize that the paint they're using is petroleum-based and they're choosing to support the petroleum industry. "Maybe it will plant a seed in one's brain: When I have a little more time, maybe just for the bedroom I'll buy a plant-based finish even though it costs more. Maybe there's a small room I can start with to promote the companies that are using products made from renewable resources."

The Houses Bamboo Built

After the Colombian earthquake of 1999, architect Simón Vélez quickly built a temporary cathedral in Pereira that offered grounding to a community that had just lost its place of worship, in a country that had lost more than a thousand citizens. The bamboo church seemed to grow from the earth itself. And the material, with its light weight, strength, and flexibility, carried an added assurance: Bamboo structures, typically associated with the poor, had fared far better in the quake than concrete structures like the church Vélez replaced. According to Darrel DeBoer, a California architect who has closely studied Vélez's work, when the cathedral was destroyed a few years later to make way for a concrete one, it couldn't be knocked down; it had to be blown up.

Bamboo has emerged in recent years as a kind of wundermaterial. The hearty grass has the same tensile strength-to-weight ratio as steel and is stronger than concrete, without all the weight. It grows much faster than trees, allowing harvests in about four to six years, and doesn't need to be replanted. Bamboo even helps in the fight against climate change: The plant is highly efficient at sucking carbon from the atmosphere.

An estimated 1 billion people worldwide live in homes that incorporate bamboo, and though it's been gaining a foothold in North America as a trendy, "green" alternative for flooring, bamboo has yet to be adopted as a structural building material. DeBoer hopes that innovations by Vélez, featured in Américas (Feb. 2006), and his close friend and collaborator, Marcelo Villegas, will change that. The two have strengthened joints by bolting and filling them with concrete and used a nontoxic treatment to keep bugs from lunching on the poles. The results of their work are on grand display in Colombia, especially among the society's upper echelons, and in 2000 Vélez made an international splash at the World Expo in Hanover, Germany, where he built the sprawling ZERI Pavilion.

Back in the United States, where myriad codes and market forces can slow the adoption of new materials, builders have been reticent to experiment with bamboo. As one of them told DeBoer, "I don't do new." Plus, according to Environmental Building News (March 2006), some kinks must still be worked out before bamboo merits a full-fledged "sustainable" stamp of approval. Most bamboo used here is shipped from China, burning fossil fuels; pollution from pesticides and fertilizers can be a problem, as can toxic preservatives; and scientists are concerned that some forests-typically more biologically diverse than bamboo groves-are being cleared or invaded to plant the more profitable bamboo crops.

Nevertheless, DeBoer and others say the bamboo gospel is worth spreading, for the material's sustainability, structural capacity, and-perhaps most importantly for designers-beauty. "You have a carved, ornamented, interesting, character-filled, finished piece without having to do anything," DeBoer tells Utne. "You've already started with something you want to end up with."

McMansion Lite

Supersized homes have supersized footprints, and some U.S. counties aren't waiting to be trampled by the environmental consequences. In Marin County, California, according to a recent MSN.com report, new homes must meet the energy budget standards set for a 3,500-square-foot abode, which means builders can only go as big as they can be efficient. In Pitkin County, Colorado, there's a green building checklist with point values assigned to various efficiency measures; the bigger the house, the more points required for a permit. The environmental incentive is steep: Over its expected life span, a 10,000-square-foot McMansion puts 5.4 million pounds more carbon dioxide into the air than the average U.S. home at 2,400 square feet, according to Adbusters (March/April 2006).