Well has been a few days since I lasted posted on the blog. It has been a busy month for EcoSherpa both professionally and personally. On Saturday Bentley was married and the wedding was amazing. Everything went off without a hitch and Renee looked beautiful. Bentley, you looked not too shabby yourself. At the moment, Bentley is away enjoying his honeymoon and will be returning a week from now. The two of them spent a ton of hours planning their wedding and deserve a nice quiet time together.
I was surfing the Internet this morning and came across the “Eat Well Guide” website.
The Eat Well Guide is a free, online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns and hotels, and online outlets in the US and Canada. Consumers simply enter their zip or postal code to find local products that were raised sustainably, including no antibiotics, no added hormones, pasture-raised, grass-fed and organic. Scores of new listings are being added on a continual basis.
The Eat Well Guide is more than just a search engine. The creators have collaborated with numerous organizations on a local and national level to connect consumers with groups that promote sustainable food and farming.
I simply typed in my postal code and within seconds I found farmers, stores and restaurants in my area. I am curious to test some of the products that I have found. I think I will do some online shopping and report back on my findings.
Give the website a look and look for suppliers in your area.
SD
Written by steve on August 30th, 2006 with no comments.
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This morning I was surfing the web when I came across the David Suzuki Foundation website. The website is a great source of current and relevant environmental information. One of the more interesting pieces of information I found was the, State of the Catch , Sustainable Seafood Guide. Being that I am avid cook and a fan of certain types of seafood, I decided to have a look through the guide.The guide is designed to help food professionals make informed seafood purchasing decisions. This guide is not only for chefs and commercial fish buyers but also concerned consumers. The goal of the guide is to promote ocean-friendly fish and shellfish, while avoiding seafood species that are threatened, endangered or poorly managed.
The Top Five Most Sustainable Species are:
Green Sea Urchin
Giant Pacific Octopus
Red Sea Urchin
Pink and Spiny Scallops
Clams
The Top Five Least Sustainable Species are:
Lingcod (by trawl)
Rock Sole
Petrale Sole
Rockfish
Northern/Pinto Abalone
The design and layout of the guide is fantastic. A lot of thought and effort went into producing the guide and I am quite impressed. The guide lists, (for each species): the diagnosis, recommendation and concerns. It also provides background information on the state of the fishery. If you are a chef, seafood buyer or like me (a concerned consumer), you should read this guide. I know that the next time I am at my favourite seafood restaurant, I will be making an ocean-friendly choice for my dinner.
S.
Written by steve on August 23rd, 2006 with no comments.
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Found an interesting home gadget in the most recent edition of the Springwise online newsletter. Its called the Ecopod, and is essentially a mini in-house recycling plant.
The system houses multiple drop slots and holding units for various recycleable goods, and a compactor for crushing beverage containers (unit can hold up to 50 crushed containers). Simply drop your container/newspaper etc in the appropriate slot, press the foot pedal to crush (if necessary) and away you go!
Sounds pretty cool to me!
The Ecopod is expected to launch just in time for the 2006 holiday season. Stay tuned for more updates on this nifty eco-friendly product!
B.
For more info, here is the link to the original article:Ecopod - Household Recycling Plant
Written by Bentley on August 22nd, 2006 with no comments.
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I came across this website, who killed the electric car? recently and it caught my attention. The website is well-designed, informative and very thought provoking! Whatever happened to the GM EV1 electric car? According to the website’s presskit, inspired by GM’s electric vehicle prototype, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) created the Zero Emissions Mandate (ZEV) to combat auto pollution. in 1990 California passed the ZEV, requiring 2% of new vehicles sold in California to be emission-free by 1998, 10% by 2003.
In response to ZEV, GM launched their revolutionary car EV1. The EV1 required no gas, no oil changes, no mufflers and rare brake maintenance. A routine maintenance checkup for the car consisted of topping up the washer fluid and rotating the tires. I am sitting here thinking to myself, where is this car? how can I buy one? and most importantly, WHY DID IT DISSAPEAR?
According to the automakers, the lack of consumer demand created the demise of the EV1 and other models like it. Why would consumers not embrace a car that would cost less to drive, require minimal maintenance and be better for the environment? Something is not adding up! Upon further reading of the press kit, the disappearance of the electric car was a result of many factors and suspects; consumers, oil companies, car companies, the United States Government, California Air Resources Board, Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology.
Excerpt taken from the website:
“GM, Ford, Honda, Chrysler, Nissan, and Toyota all developed electric vehicle programs in response to California’s zero emission mandate—and most ended up crushing at least part of their EV fleets.
Electric cars are a threat to the profitability of the conventional gas-powered auto industry. GM said that it spent more than $1 billion to market and develop the EV1. Not only would a successful electric car program cannibalize sales of conventional cars, but the electric car costs the auto industry in other ways: lacking an engine, it saves the driver the cost of replacement parts, motor oil, filters, and spark plugs. The EV1’s regenerative braking system, in which the car’s electronic controls handled much of the work of slowing down the car, spared the car’s mechanical brake system from wear. Brake parts and repair is a billion-plus dollar industry alone. The EV1’s efficiency was a winner for consumers but a loser for the auto industry.”
It is clear to see why the auto industry quickly moved away from their electric vehicle programs. In the long term it would cost them billions of dollars in revenue. Parts, repairs and service revenue would not be contributing to their bottom line. They would also experience a decline in traditional auto sales as many consumers (I personally think the demand would be quite high) would switch to an electric model.
I feel sick to my stomach now that I have read more information about the EV1 and other models that were created in the 90’s. I can’t believe we sit by and allow the lobbyists, oil companies and BIG business determine our future on this planet. We need to embrace better technologies and cleaner fuel alternatives and stop being passive consumers. I highly recommend that you visit the whokilledtheelectriccar.com website and better yet watch the movie. I know that I will be going to watch it as soon as it comes to a theatre near me.
If you would like to learn more about the electric car and the EV1, please visit, Save the EV1s!
If you want to join the campaign to save electric cars, please visit, DontCrush.com
Another great site to visit is, the Smithsonian website, America on the Move
One last website to visit, www.ev1.org.
Written by steve on August 21st, 2006 with 1 comment.
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It has been a few weeks since I last posted on the blog. I have been busy with our main website, ecosherpa.com, and our directory, ecosherpa.com/directory. As a newly created company, our list of daily tasks are endless and we are working hard building the website, blog and directly as quickly and effectively as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this construction period. As Bentley mentioned in a previous post, he is getting married this coming Saturday and we are both getting ready and prepped for the big celebration. It will be a fantastic event and one that I am proud to be a part of. Bentley and I have been friends for the last 18 years and we have had a lot of great times together. I think Saturday will go down as the greatest event so far, as I will get to watch my closest friend marry the girl of his dreams, Renee.
We thank all of our visitors to the site for being patient with us during our construction phase. We hope to have the website, blog and directory fully functioning in September. In the meantime, check back often to view our daily blog posts (Well maybe not Saturday, we will be celebrating too much).
Steve (aka Sherpa 1)
Written by steve on August 21st, 2006 with no comments.
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A short article in a recent issue of New Scientist (Vol.191/No.2563) may put a smile on the faces of more than a few environmentalist beer drinkers out there.
Researchers at Kobe Pharmaceutical University in Japan have shown that beer bran (a by-product of the brewing process) can be used to clean polluted water.
Activated carbon, an often-used pollution filter material, is expensive and requires a great deal of energy to make (involves heating coal to 900 degrees Celsius).
In contrast, beer bran (readily available wherever beer is brewed), is as much as 100 times cheaper. It certainly never hurts when the environmentally-responsible choice is also a lot cheaper!!
In terms of efficency, beer bran has been found to adsorb benzene and trichloroethylene (two ubiquitous environmental pollutants) at an efficiency of 76.2 and 92.5%, respectively. With similar efficiencies across wide a pH range, beer bran’s future as a pollution fighter certainly looks promising!
I always knew my love of fine ales would some day prove to serve a higher purpose!
Cheers to that!
B.
Written by Bentley on August 20th, 2006 with no comments.
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Sorry things here on the blog have been so quiet as of late! We’ve been doing quite a bit behind the scenes here at EcoSherpa, in preparation for our September ‘official’ launch. Add to that the fact that I’m getting married next weekend (and Sherpa numero uno is my Best Man), and its not so surprising I’ve been struggling to find time for Sherpa blogging.
Anyway, thinking so much about the upcoming wedding causes me to be hyper-aware of all things wedding-related. One business in particular that has crossed my path and caught my attention is Green Karat, an online ‘ecologically responsible’ jewelry store.
So what are they all about? Well, in their own words:
“Our greater goal at greenKarat is to end destructive gold and diamond mining. We do not, however, strive to force that change through radical activism. While activist organizations play a critically important role in educating and motivating consumers, we believe that widespread and permanent change will ultimately occur through the voice of consumer buying decisions.
Our mission is to provide an ecologically and socially responsible jewelry alternative to those who seek change. We want to help you, in some small way, become part of the permanent solution. Together we can make a difference.”
Its always great to see businesses with this kind of mentality!
If you are in the market for some jewelry, be sure to check them out.
B.
Written by Bentley on August 20th, 2006 with no comments.
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I must admit, some interesting visions came to mind when I first heard the phrase ‘bamboo shirts’. I imagined something resemling a cross between slat blinds and ancient Japanese armour!
Needless to say I was quite surprised when I visited Shirts of Bamboo and found very normal looking clothing.
According to the site, bamboo clothing is actually softer than the softest cotton, having a texture similar to silk or cashmere. Not exactly what you might expect given the appearance of the plant itself!
So why bamboo?
This large member of the grass family has been listed by The Guiness Book of World Records as the fastest growing plant in the world (some species growing as much as 3 feet in a single day) - apparently 1/3 faster than the fastest growing tree. Plants can reach maturity in about 3 years, thus making it quite sustainable. It is also biodegradeable, so feel free to toss your old bamboo clothes in the compost bin when you are finished with them!
Some of its other benefits as a fiber include breathability, quick drying, and antibacterial qualities (referred to as “bamboo kuhn”).
Shirts of Bamboo offers a selection of shirts (surprise surprise!), towels, sheets, pants, yarn and more. Be sure to check them out!
Written by Bentley on August 15th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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If EVER there was a green business to utterly inspire me, Terracycle Inc. would definitely be it!
Aside from having a fascination with ‘Eco-Capitalism’ in general, I’m extremely passionate about vermicomposting (composting with worms).
Terracycle was founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, two young students at Princeton (at the time). According to Szaky, the original inspiration for the project stems back to a visit with a friend - a friend who just happened to have an active worm composting bin.
Seeing the worms at work, and the incredibly healthy plants fed with worm compost, the two students knew they were onto something.
Initially, the only venture capital Terracycle was able to secure was the prize money won in various entrepreneurial contests. The fact that they won seven such contests in a row is a clear indication that their vision was on target, yet they were still unable to secure enough money to really take their enterprise to the next level.
Interestingly enough, in May 2003 they won the $1 million Carrot Capital Business Plan Contest - yet turned down the prize money when it became clear they’d be required to stray from their original vision.
It seems that this was the turning point for the company. With very little money left, the entrepreneurs planned a late night raid of Princeton recycling bins in order to collect bottles needed to hold their liquid fertilizer. The idea stuck, and they’ve continued to use recycled soda bottles to this day. In fact they make the claim that their product is made 100% from waste.
Their first major financial breakthrough came about in 2004, when Home Depot began selling the brand on their website. Since that time, the Terracycle line of products has been picked up by a number of large store chains.
Some interesting tidbits:
- product made from soaking worm compost in water (the liquid “tea” is then bottled)
- certified organic
- Terracycle pays schools 5 cents per bottle, to help promote recycling and raise funds
- Shipping boxes are misprinted ‘waste’ boxes from other companies
- Spray nozzles are ‘extras’ from other companies
- All bottles are recycled drink bottles
Be sure to watch the Terracycle Video, and stay tuned for more updates on this cool company!
Written by Bentley on August 10th, 2006 with no comments.
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(NewsUSA) - According to a recent report for the Energy Information Administration, natural gas users can expect to pay an average of $350 more this winter compared with last year, an increase of 48 percent. And those who heat with oil will pay an estimated $378, or 32 percent, more.
As a solution, the Alliance to Save Energy suggests energy efficiency, and the simplest place for consumers to start saving is at home.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that if each person increases the energy-efficiency in major appliances by 10 percent to 30 percent, it will release the demand for electricity by the equivalent of 25 large power plants.
Saving energy also saves money. By using energy-efficient products, the average household can save up to $400 per year on utility bills.
Here are some ways to save energy at home:
* Weatherize your home. The gaps around the windows and doors in an average American house are the equivalent of a 3-by-3 foot hole in the wall. Caulk and weatherstrip to seal off these air leaks. This can save as much as 40 percent on your home’s heating and cooling costs.
Stop air from escaping under doors with “sweeps” or “shoes” attached to the bottom. Use window putty to seal gaps around loose window panes.
Also, install foam gaskets behind all the light switches and electrical outlet covers. They help seal the holes created when the outlets and light switches are built into homes. Use child safety plugs to keep the cold air from coming in through the sockets.
* Get a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats that have earned the Energy Star label help you save money and keep your home comfortable by automatically adjusting your temperature settings while you are asleep or away, saving you about $100 per year.
* Consider zoning. In a typical two-story home, the upstairs can be up to 10 degrees warmer than the downstairs. One solution to help regulate uneven temperatures is a temperature control system that divides the house into separate zones, like those offered by Aprilaire.
These systems use multiple thermostats and dampers in the heating and cooling duct work that control temperature in separate areas to deliver conditioned air only to the part of the house that needs it. The result is greater comfort and convenience, as well as energy savings of up to 30 percent. For more information, visit www.aprilaire.com.
* Install a ceiling fan in the largest room of your house. This will allow you to lower the setting on your air conditioner by 3 to 6 degrees, which will save up to 25 percent of energy costs of home cooling.
In addition, you can save over $125 annually by replacing three old-style light bulbs with modern fluorescent twisters; setting your heat at 68 degrees in the winter and your air conditioner at 78 degrees in summer; and unplugging three appliances - or switching off a power strip full of plugs - when not in use.
Written by steve on August 10th, 2006 with no comments.
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