Green Living Workshop update week 48 2008

Sustainable Works Green Living Workshops,

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Mondays 7-8:30pm
The Green Life

Week 2 ENERGY 11/17
Week 3 WASTE 11/24
Week 4 CHEMICALS 12/1


Homework:
read CHEMICALS
3 WASTE Solutions


WASTE

How a Landfill Works. Description from the website How Stuff Works

Chapter 3 Waste Not, from the book Natural Capitalism.
Excerpt outlining all the resources that go into manufacturing a can of soda. p. 49-50

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. (from www.storyofstuff.com)

Free Cycle Los Angeles

Craig's List LA Free Stuff

StuffYaDontWant.com

Neighborrow

Composters.com Great web resource for picking out what kind of Composter works for you.

SmartGardening.com LA County online resource-follow links for a Composting workshop near you!

DIY Worm Bin Instructions

CA Integrated Waste Management Board Recycled products directory


Junk Mail Prevention sites

Catalog Choice - it'll get you on no-send lists and stops catalog spam.

DMA Choice - lets you choose which Credit Offers, Catalogs, Magazine Offers and Other Mail Offers to receive.

DirectMail.com - free, quick way to get your name off commercial mailing lists.

OptOutPrescreen.com - opt out of pre-approved credit card and insurance offers online or by phone: 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

EcoLogical Mail Coalition - helps businesses stop mail addressed to former employees.

Native Forest Network's Guide - five easy steps to stop junk mail.

Green Dimes online service ending junk mail

41 Pounds online service ending junk mail

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.


Solar Power (PhotoVoltaic) PV for the home
www.newresourcebank.com
assists renewable energy loans

www.heliopower.com
PV with no upfront costs and higher KiloWatt cost

www.sunrunhome.com
PV with small upfront investment and lower KiloWatt cost

www.solarcity.com
PV company which in addition to selling the PAnels now also sells the service the Panels provide, called a Solar Lease program-

With the SolarLease, you pay as you go, instead of all at once. Monthly lease payments combined with the lower electric bill is usually lower than what you are currently paying the utility company. So you can save money every month!

Not only that, but this savings can grow over time as utility rates continue to increase. That's because utility rates have historically increased over 5% every year. With a SolarLease, you can lock in lower electricity rates for the term of your lease.



















Carbon Offsets

Carbon Neutral Digest
www.carbonneutraldigest.com
website tracking latest news regarding carbon offsetting

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

Controversy over Additionality
LA Times hands it to Native Energy
from Carbon Neutral Digest