Celeb Jet-Setters, Not Exactly Walking the Eco-Walk

To preface, I do not believe in “all or nothing”. I understand that there is a balance somewhere in between dedicated environmentalists and blatant eco-ignorance. Every little bit helps, right?! So, while I normally think “hypocrite” is too strong of a descriptor for most people, I have to nod to Private Jets Magazine’s recent article noting “9 hypocrite environmentalist celebrities”. Wow.

Interesting that a publication whose jet-setting readership and advertising patrons likely includes some of the celeb clients the article calls out, but hey! Take a look at the environmental negligence allegations against some of the most “dedicated” and out-spoken eco-friendly (or so we thought) celebs:

• The Truth is Very Inconvenient for Al: Al Gore was the poster child for global warming, right?! Wrong. “Gore’s 20 room, 8 bathroom mansion consumes more electricity in a month than the average American household consumes in an entire year.  His natural gas bill averages over $1,000 a month for his mansion and guest house.  Add in the private jet charters to accept various awards and attend debuts of his documentaries and Mr. Gore may have to denounce himself soon for his impact on the environment – right after he gets that patent for the little thing he invented called ‘the internet’.”
• Madonna: In addition to the gas-guzzling automobiles in her garage(s), the carbon dioxide produced from the travel of her private flights on her latest “Confessions” tour exceeded 440 tons (compared with the average CO2 emitted by an individual of 10 tons per year).
• Travolta’s Jet Obsession: The licensed pilot owns five private planes.  During one of his intercontinental trips, Mr. Travolta landed his plane to refuel in Ireland and it was revealed that he was the only person onboard the 150 person capacity jet. 
• David and Victoria Beckham: With over fifteen cars between them, their international jet-setting tallies over 18 tons of CO2 per year. 
• Tom Cruise: Private jets = family taxis

I understand that there are places to go and people to see, but there must be a way to off-set some of these excessive behaviors and means of travelling. Maybe John should become a commercial pilot in his down-time, or Al reevaluate his home to employ an energy-efficient automation system and products? These allegations and emissions calculations are staggering

Here at GLSL, we do not believe in sacrificing your entire lifestyle, but slight behavior modifications (in these cases) might not be too much to ask. There is a vast land of happy medium that these “environmentally-friendly” celebs need to explore.

Posted by: Katie

Rhode Island Locavore Holiday Weekend

The Rhode Island state flag. I'm all for hope.

My wife and I had a friend from our hometown of Philly to visit at our current home of Wakefield, Rhode Island, this Fourth of July weekend. Excited to show her around, we decided to have a full-fledged Rhode Island locavore experience.

In our previous existence, we were strong supporters of small urban businesses. As relatively new residents of the Ocean State, we are now always on the hunt for cool things to support in our new, albeit much more rural, community and region. Our one regret is that we have to drive so many places here, as opposed to walking or taking public transit, which is so convenient in Philly.

So with that caveat, we embarked in our car for some adventure and to patronize our state’s businesses, which, with a 12.1 percent state unemployment rate and climbing, can really use the support.

Our strawberry haul!

On Friday, we headed up to Schartner Farms in Exeter, where I had my first-ever strawberry-picking experience! It was really incredible to pick food out of the ground that we would eat later that night and throughout the weekend. The three of us left with a five-pound basket of absolutely delicious strawberries, for which we paid about $11. Strawberry season is almost over, and blueberry season is almost here, so we’ll definitely be heading back soon for more berry goodness.

On Saturday, we crossed the Jamestown Verrazzano and Claiborne Pell bridges, taking in some stunning scenery as always, and headed to Aquidneck Island to visit Newport Vineyards in Middletown. We tasted five wines each and got a tour of the winery for only $9 per person! The tour was informative; we learned a lot about how the wine was made, from the vine to the barrel to the bottle, and we also learned some interesting facts about the local climatological conditions that make this region such a great place to grow tasty wines. Of course, I had to take home a couple of bottles. I was partial to the Blaufrankish and Rochambeau. My wife also couldn’t resist the Rhody Coyote Hard Apple Cider. This paragraph from the winery’s web site says it all:

Newport Vineyards was originally planted in 1977 on a hill overlooking Rhode Island Sound with the goal of producing fine wines and as a way of preserving beautiful agricultural land from rapid development. Aquidneck Island is blessed with one of the most desirable farming areas in the country, if not the world. This extraordinary micro-climate is created by a combination of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream to the south and the moderating effects of Narragansett Bay. These conditions provide a long, cool growing season ideal for developing complex flavors in wine.

Champlin's is not kidding when it says its seafood is right off the boat!

On Sunday, we headed due south to Galilee for a visit to one of our favorite feeding spots, Champlin’s, where we devoured fish and chips, oysters and smelts. All of it was fresh off of the commercial fishing trawlers that dock right near the restaurant!

To drink at Champlin’s, I enjoyed a couple of refreshing Narragansett beers. The original Narragansett Brewing Company was founded in 1888 in Cranston, where it eventually became New England’s largest brewery, employing many thousands over the decades. However, the original brewery closed in 1981, at a time when regional brewers were rapidly going out of business in the face of intense competition from the monolithic national brewers Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors. Since those dark days, regional and craft brewing has thankfully come back into vogue, and in 2005, a local team of investors acquired the brand in the hopes of restoring it to its former glory. Currently, the brewery is headquartered in Providence but contract brews its beers in New York and Connecticut. The company’s goal, however, is to open a brand-new brewery in Rhode Island, and it is lobbying the state to accomplish just that. We’ll support them any way we can.

In our view, there’s nothing more patriotic we could have done this weekend than support local businesses. We hope you’ve been doing the same, and if not, maybe it can be the theme of your next holiday weekend!

Posted by Joe Paone

The Five Worst “Green Innovations”

Whether a company or visionary is embarking upon a green venture for eco-practical or profitable gain, there have been countless grandiose ideas proposed, that for different reasons, never made it past the drawing board.

Below are what I consider the five worst “green Innovations” ever proposed gathered from an article on www.webecoist.com titled, “FAIL: 20 Infamous ‘Green Innovations’ That Aren’t.” The article includes some compelling visual aids to accompany these less than stellar ideas.

 Human Powered Floating Gyms: Viewed as a way to harness the energy created by humans in motion, floating gyms would be, “…a great way to transport yourself downriver as long as you don’t mind working out in an encased shell with a dozen other sweaty bodies.” While it could be an interesting novelty, someone the safety aspect and the fact that you can take a run along the waterfront or through a public park for NO money make this a bad idea.

Block the Sun, Blow Up Volcanoes and Other Manly Stuff: “Geo-engineering was once consider loony bin science. No more. Of particular interests to scientists right now is the potential cooling that could result if they engineered a massive volcanic explosion. When Mt. Pinatubo exploded in 1991, millions of tons of sulfur dioxide helped create a cooling effect. Unfortunately, scientists still know too little about the exact mechanisms of global warming, and intentionally creating massive weather systems or environmental catastrophes could cause more harm than good. This is talking about tinkering with a watch when people don’t know the time. It’s not off the table, but geo-engineering has a long way to go before being viable.”

Hairy Plants:  “A researcher named Christopher Doughty of the University of California at Irvine noticed that plants in hot, arid regions are hairy – and this unique characteristic enables the plants to reflect harmful near-infrared light and drive more efficient photosynthesis. The proposed solution: a hairier, furrier landscape, coming to a backyard near you. Unfortunately, disturbing natural ecosystems by introducing alien plant species is a poor idea. And while plants could be genetically engineered to be as furry as their desert counterparts, the practicality of this green solution is questionable at best. Extra reflection could mean less water evaporation, which would actually heat the planet further.”

Beaming Electricity from Space: “Send satellites into space, where they unfurl 1.5 mile-long solar arrays and send limitless clean energy to earth. Japan is already investing heavily in this technology. One problem: the beam could theoretically miss the receiver and fry, say, a neighborhood. Researchers are working on a solution to this potential disaster, but so far no luck.”

Harnessing Tornado: “Since tornados frequently exceed 100 mph, generating 10 mega-watt hours of power, scientists are hard at work developing machines that could somehow intake and harness this power. One scientist says he knows how to trap a tornado and keep the twister going indefinitely…The commercial machine is slated for debut in about five years, but the dangers of such a device are serious. A tornado might grow out of control, destroying the machine and creating widespread devastation.”

Despite the outlandish nature of some ideas, when brainstorming green solutions, humans must be willing to consider all options before deciding on the feasibility. 20 years ago, people thought nothing of tossing their Styrofoam food containers out the car window but a minimum $500 fine changed that in a hurry. While hairy plants and blowing up volcanoes may not be the answer, a multi-pronged approach will certainly be necessary. 

Posted by: Nick

Solutions For Recycling Your Televisions As You “Transition” To A New HDTV

A lot of fuss has been made about the DTV transition from analog television to an all-digital system. Transition dates have been postponed amidst political debate. Coupons for converter boxes famously ran out to screams by some of foul play. Even the most enthusiast supporters of the conversion admit the logistics of the program have been difficult and in many ways could leave older Americans without their window to the world, even if that window is a standard definition one brought to them via a rabbit ear antenna attached to a 30 year old television.

There are a lot of reasons for consumers from the Greatest Generation to Generation Y to invest in a new TV assuming they are using an old, standard definition television. The volume of channels offered to consumers on even basic “digital” cable is many times greater than what you can get over the air. The government is going to sell the terrestrial airways and raise much needed money for the bandwidth. Digital cable or satellite television offers HDTV which looks many times better than standard definition. Even if you have cataracts and wear Coke-bottle glasses, you will be able to see the difference between 480i SD and 1080i/720p high definition.

One of the best reasons to buy a new television today is the fact that old CRT televisions are not very “green.” Before some of you go Rush Limbaugh on me with some liberal conspiracy to sell everyone a new television, please note that older televisions have up to eight pounds of lead in them not to mention other nasty compounds and toxins. While most old TVs go on the trash heap and ultimately into landfills – the effect of these hazardous materials down the road are not very good for the planet that we all share. New LCD and plasma HDTVs use up to 30 percent less power than even first and second generation flat HDTVs. They use even less power than traditional CTR sets.

While not every American can pop for a beaming new HDTV with nearly 10 percent unemployment and housing values down in many parts of the country upwards of 40 percent, it is safe to say that we all someday will have to buy a new HDTV. My question to you is: will you take the extra time to find a recycling program near you that might take a little more work on your part but helps put millions upon millions of these old, poisonous televisions where they belong and their toxins out of our environment and into storage?

Best Buy has aggressive trade-in programs for old televisions at locations all over the country. Local municipalities have also offered trade-in or drop-off programs for phones, computer monitors, TVs and other consumer electronic devices – but they aren’t everyday events. The best national program we have found is from Waste Management. They have regional drop-offs where you can dispose of your television in a responsible way. While you might have to do some heavy lifting to get your old 42 inch Sony XBR into the back of the old hybrid SUV – it’s worth the effort. Your new LCD, the latest plasmas and especially the ultra-thin LED HDTVs are way less power-hungry and are made from better materials.

Find Waste Management’s list of sites here

Posted by Jerry Del Colliano, publisher of Home Theater Review

Unorthodox “Being Green” Technique #1 – Grow a Beard

Not everyone has the time and dedication to climb a redwood tree and squat until those trying to chop it down agree to negotiate. Nope, many of us are just regular folks looking for easy but effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint or use less non-biodegradable products in our everyday life. Following this vein, I will occasionally be offering unorthodox ways anyone with a functioning brain and conscience can help our planet.

While the suggestion for this week is “Grow a beard,” many people, for professional, religious or other reasons simply can’t entertain this option. In deciding what is best one must consider all the options:

Disposable Complete Razor – Worst option, energy and chemicals are used to manufacture and they are practically impossible to recycle. When they end up in landfills or being incinerated, noxious air pollution is released

Disposable Blades – Not quite as bad, but you’re still chucking plastic and metal in the trash, not to mention spending a small fortune on the razor heads.

Electric Razor – Better still but now you’re dealing with electricity consumption (albeit minimal) and the drawback of a potentially rough shave.

Straight Razor – Now you’re talking, just like Grandpa used to get from the barber and the closest shave you can get. The biggest drawback is that you need experience wielding one of these instruments or you might end up looking like Tony Montana. Once you’ve mastered the steady hand, all you need is a sharpening tool and some lather and your face will be smoother than Sade drinking Johnnie Walker Blue in a satin robe .

Grow a Beard – No razor needed for shaving, no lather needed for the lubrication, no water required for the pre-wash and post-rinse, no toilet paper for the inevitable nicks, no wasted glass for the Preferred Stock scented after-shave balm and the added satisfaction of knowing the hair on your face is more than just a manifestation of laziness or a means of concealing your identity.

(Writer’s Note: Growing a beard is also a good way to deal with the recession, as long as you’re already employed)

Posted by: Nick