Green Living Workshop update week 21 2008

Sustainable Works Green Living Workshops,

There are 4 workshops currently running.
Scroll down to find your Workshop topic.


1.
Mondays 6-7:30pm
John Muir/SMASH
Library
2526 6th St.

Week 2 ENERGY 5/19
skipping Memorial Day
Next Week WASTE 6/2

2.
Wednesdays 7-8:30pm
715 Navy St.
Residence

Week 2 ENERGY 5/21
Next Week WASTE 5/28

Homework:
read WASTE
3 ENERGY Solutions

ENERGY

Lighting

How Fluorescent Lights Work (same principle as CFLs)
CFLs Responsible for Less Mercury than Incandescent Light Bulbs Ironically, CFLs present an opportunity to prevent mercury from entering our air, where it most affects our health. The highest source of mercury in our air comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, the most common fuel used in the U.S. to produce electricity. A CFL uses 75% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer. A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time.

Entire EPA Fact Sheet on CFLs and Mercury

CFL Calculator

How LEDs Light Emitting Diodes Work

www.EternaLEDs.com
Local LED retailer

Global Warming

An Inconvenient Truth

HeatisOnline.org
Excellent web resource for tracking the real information about Global Warming. Written by Ross Gelbspan, author of the two ground breaking books on Global Warming we mentioned, The Heat is On and Boiling Point.

Smoke, Mirrors and Hot Air
The Union of Concerned Scientists article on the connection between the "Global Warming skeptics", their funding by Exxon Mobile, and the skeptics history of performing the same disception for the Tobacco industry.

Misinformation regarding Global Warming provided by Exxon


Energy Efficiency

Community Energy Partnership
free Home Energy Efficiency Tune-Up
worth up to $200

Smart Strip

Kill a Watt
Kill a Watt review


Renewable Energy

How to sign up for LADWP Green Power

SolarSantaMonica.com
The City of Santa Monica's excellent new resource for those looking to add Solar Power.


Carbon Offsets

Carbon Offset price comparisons
link to the ever growing and changing list of organizations to offset your CO2 based on price

Carbon Offset Recommendations from Tufts University

Carbon Offset Consumer Handout from Tufts University

Below are few suggestions help you select an offsetter:
Atmosfair
Carbonfund.org
Climate Friendly
My Climate
Native Energy


3.
Tuesdays 7-8:30pm
Unitarian Church of Santa Monica
Forbes hall
18th and Arizona

and

4.
Wednesdays 7-8:30pm
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Week 5 TRANSPORTATION & TRAVEL 4/20, 4/21
LAST Week 6 SHOPPING & FOOD 4/27, 4/28

Homework:
read SHOPPING & FOOD
3 TRANSPORTATION & TRAVEL Solutions
LIFE STYLE SURVEYS!!! (The After SW Columns)

TRANSPORTATION & TRAVEL

Walk Score
Calculate everything that's within reasonable walking distance of your home with this web based mapping tool.

Bike Metro the site that helps you select routes for easy urban biking.

BIKEroWAVE.org
non profit bike workshop that helps you learn to repair your own bike

Sustainable Transport Club
Local grassroots organization helping to keep the public informed about all of the various transportation issues in our area.

SocalCommute.org
Commuters network

ZipCar
Car sharing program that can save you money if you don't need a car every day.

Better World Club the environmental alternative to the Car Domination strategy of AAA.

Plug In America Non Profit organization of activists that saved the Electric Vehicles and lists all of the automakers phone numbers so you can demand a environmentally superior plug in electric vehicle. Scroll down to the "What Can I Do?" section.

CalCars.org
Group that retro fitted an existing Prius into a Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

www.sherryboschert.com
Author of Plug In Hybrids, includes the most comprehensive analysis of Well to Wheels emissions Alternative Fuel comparisons