GoGreen! 2015 Earth Day EXTRA

GO GREEN!
EPA News You Can Use - April 2015 EARTH DAY EXTRA
http://www.epa.gov/gogreen

GoGreen EXTRA.  We're sending this special Earth Day GoGreen to subscribers of other EPA email alerts. If you don't already receive the monthly GoGreen consumer newsletter, you can subscribe at http://www.epa.gov/gogreen

Please share this email with others who might be interested in taking action.

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Earth Day is April 22.

We're excited to share many opportunities with you to celebrate and engage. Check out the Earth Day site for tips you can use, blog posts, new videos, events near you, and more.
http://www2.epa.gov/earthday
Take Action. Get tips. Share your thoughts. #EarthDayEveryDay

• Earth Day Twitter chat (April 22). Follow EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Twitter as she hosts a Twitter chat on Earth Day. Chat is planned for 3:30 pm ET on April 22.
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/GinaEPA
   
• Take action to help protect the environment.  There's a lot we can do every day to help protect the environment and the climate, while keeping our families healthy and saving money. Share your thoughts on how you help protect the environment, Earthy Day and Every Day.
  http://blog.epa.gov/epaconnect/2015/04/EarthDayEveryDay
   
• Watch Earth Day videos. Check out the videos for Earth Day. Share with us what you think is worth protecting. #EarthDayEveryDay
  http://www2.epa.gov/earthday/earth-day-videos
   
• Find events near you. Check out the Earth Day website for events and things you can do to participate in and celebrate Earth Day!
  http://www2.epa.gov/earthday/earth-day-events
   
• Join us on Facebook and Twitter. Share your Earth Day experiences, or use hashtag #earthday on Twitter.
  http://www.facebook.com/epa
  http://twitter.com/search?q=%23earthday

¿Habla español? Aprenda más acerca del Da del Planeta Tierra y de lo que usted puede hacer para ayudar a proteger el medio ambiente. Escuche los podcasts ambientales. Inscrbase para recibir un consejo por correo electrnico en abril.
http://www.epa.gov/espanol/diadelplanetatierra/

ALSO

Safe Sun Exposure. If you're outdoors on Earth Day (or any day), it's easy to avoid sun overexposure. Use a sunblock of SPF 30 or higher. Remember, the sun in April is as strong as the sun in August, even if the air feels cool. Get your sun safety tips.
http://www2.epa.gov/sunwise/action-steps-sun-safety

Environmental Education Week (April 19-25).  EE Week is the nation's largest celebration of environmental learning and stewardship among K-12 students.  Find out more and how to get involved.
http://www2.epa.gov/education

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Fort Lauderdale Ranked Among "America's Greenest Cities!"

 

City of Fort Lauderdale named among "America's Greenest Cities"  City Celebrates Earth Day 2015 with the Designation of 11th "Greenest City"   Fort Lauderdale - Among the nation's 150 largest cities, the City of Fort Lauderdale ranks as the 11th "Greenest City in the U.S." according to a national study released today.   The study, released by Nerdwallet.com, lauded the City for earning high rankings based on the analysis of four key environmental factors: 1) Housing density 2) Environmental quality 3) Transportation 4) Energy sources   Fort Lauderdale scored the highest marks for the percentage of occupied buildings with 10 or more residences.  The City also scored strongly for good air quality, transportation options and the percentage of residential buildings with solar energy.   "This national ranking is a reflection of our strong commitment to sustainability," said Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler.  "Through our community-wide Vision, Strategic Plan, and Sustainability Action Plan, we are strengthening resiliency, addressing climate change, and developing long-term adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect and preserve our outstanding quality of life.  As we participate in a variety of Earth Day activities tomorrow, we will be proud to share this new 'Greenest City' designation with all of our neighbors who have worked in partnership with us to help attain this well-deserved and welcomed recognition."   The complete report is available online at: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/americas-greenest-cities-2015/ ###

 

City of Fort Lauderdale | 100 N. Andrews Ave. | Fort Lauderdale | FL | 33301

 

For Earth Day: 22 Shades of Green

Sheri Koones Apr 21st 2015 5:08PM

Updated Apr 21st 2015 5:18PM

 

Courtesy of Mandibule

The Positive Energy ECOXIA House in Yerres, France, is a certified Passivhaus, built for sustainability and efficiency.

 

There are many options available for those who want to build a "green" house. The number of sustainable and energy-efficient options used in the construction is dependent on budget, taste and the level of desire to be independent of the grid and utilize sustainable practices.

Here is a checklist of things to consider when building or remodeling a home to be sustainable and energy efficient:

1. Insulation
First and foremost, use excellent insulation. Be sure there is adequate insulation, whether it is spray foam, cellulose, fiberglass, etc. The foundation, attic and exterior walls must all be properly insulated.

2. Air Sealing
Be sure to check for air infiltration. This can be done with a blower door test that will show where outside air is coming into the house. A tightly sealed home requires less heating and cooling.

3. Windows
Buy the best windows you can with your budget. Today there are many options in design, frame material, color and efficiency of windows. There are double and triple-pane windows, as well as gas-filled ones. Even frames can be insulated. Also, when designing a home, it is wise to have more windows on the south side of the house to take advantage of solar gain. Having fewer windows on the north side of the house prevents solar loss in those areas.

4. Appliances
Use ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. They consume far less energy than non-rated ones. That saves energy and dollars throughout the life of the appliance.

5. Non-toxic Materials
Make sure all stains, finishes, paints and adhesives are no-VOC or low-VOC. These toxins can continue to seep into the air and can cause illness and discomfort.

6. FSC-certified Wood
Using wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council helps provide healthy forests for future generations.

7. Passive Solar Orientation
Orient the house for optimal solar gain, if possible. This limits the need for artificial lighting and saves money on electricity, while also reducing energy costs.

8. Footprint
Limit the hallways in the house. Space should be used efficiently so there are fewer square feet to heat and cool. When a house is well designed, less space can still provide all the areas and functions desired.

9. Multi-functional Rooms
For example, a guest bedroom can easily work as an office or playroom when friends or family are not visiting.

Courtesy of Jim Tetro

The 4D House built by Team Massachusetts for the Solar Decathlon has a partition wall that can be closed for privacy in the bedroom or opened to increase the entertaining area.

 

10. Flexible Rooms
Walls can sometimes be moved to open up space for entertaining, as seen in a house built by students at the University of Massachusetts for the Solar Decathlon, a competition staged by the U.S. Department of Energy.

11. Ventilation
To maintain a healthy indoor environment, a tightly built house requires adequate ventilation.  Heat recovery ventilators and energy recovery ventilators are systems that continuously exchange the stale inside air with fresh outside air, while retaining the warmth or coolness already created in the house.

12. Low-flow Faucets and Showerheads and Dual-flush Toilets
Both of these substantially reduce the water being used in the house.

13. Recycled, Reused, and Reclaimed Materials
This limits our depletion of natural resources as well as the amount of material that goes into landfills. There are many types of recycled, reused and reclaimed materials -- including countertops made with recycled glass, reclaimed flooring and antique furnishings.

14. Lighting
LED and CFL lighting uses less energy than incandescent bulbs and the bulbs last much longer. The cost of these efficient bulbs is going down, and the variety of bulbs available has expanded.

15. Large Overhangs
Large overhangs around the house block the sun's heat in the summer months when the sun is high in the sky. In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky (in the northern hemisphere), overhangs allow the sun to come in through the windows and help heat the house.

16. An Efficient Water Heater
Traditional water heaters maintain a tank full of warm water and are continuously using energy. Tankless water heaters heat water on demand.

17. Native Plant Landscaping
Using plants indigenous to the area limits the need for irrigation and fertilization.

18. Permeable Paving
Using paving materials that are permeable, such as gravel, allows rainwater and melted snow to return to the water table.

19. Solar Hot Water Panels
The cost of solar panels is coming down and there are subsidies available to reduce the cost further. Hot water panels can be used to heat the household's water or be used as part of a radiant heating system.

20. Photovoltaic Panels
PV panels can be used to reduce or eliminate the electric load. While connected to the grid, they can provide electricity when it is needed and receive electricity when the sun is not out. Extra electricity can also be returned to the grid to reduce electric costs.

21. Thermal Mass
Stone and other high-mass materials can be used to absorb energy when the sun beats down on them. That heat (or coolness) can later be released when it is needed. Some houses have stone around the periphery of the room where the sun is most likely to hit.

22. Heating System
A heating and cooling system that limits the energy consumed should be used. Heat pumps are becoming more popular in this country and quite popular around the world. They can be used successfully when the house is built with a very energy-efficient envelope.

 

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2015/04/21/earth-day-22-shades-green-/

 

 

 

 

 

Honor Earth Day in a Simple Way

This will be the first of many Earth Day articles.  I hope everyone has a great Earth Day! --Gene

 

 

Today is Earth Day, a time for us all to honor and give back to nature.     Gene—today is Earth Day, a time for us all to honor and give back to nature. To celebrate this special day, thousands of supporters like you are standing up for forests. Join them and make a statement today by participating in our #hugatree awareness campaign! We also invite you to discover a deeper appreciation our world's forests. Check out just a few reasons why they matter:     Eight out of 10 land-dwelling species live in forests. A square kilometer of forest may be home to more than 1,000 species.     Forests provide a vast array of resources to many of us, including food, wood, medicine, fresh water, and the air we breathe.     Trees soak up and store carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. Tropical forests alone hold seven times the carbon dioxide emitted each year by human activities.   But threats to forests are growing. Expanding agriculture and illegal and unsustainable logging are responsible for most of the deforestation and degradation of the world's forests. The threats are so severe that we are losing forests at a rate equivalent to 48 football fields per minute. WWF is working to address the threats to forests. For Earth Day, help us spread awareness about our forests and the threats they face by participating in #hugatree for Earth Day. Thousands of people around the world are showing their support for trees, will you?   It's easy to #hugatree. Sometime today: Find a tree. Hug it out. Snap a pic and post it. Together we can raise awareness about the importance of Earth's forests.        Post your #hugatree photo today and we may feature it here >   Want to do even more for trees this Earth Day? Donate to help WWF protect and restore the world's forests. When you contribute $55 or more, you can choose to receive this t-shirt made from organic bamboo and cotton that lets you proudly show off your love for trees.   SUPPORT FORESTS FOR EARTH DAY  › Your contribution will help us protect some of the planet's last intact rain forests, reforest regions that need it, encourage responsible forest management, and work on many other projects that conserve forests around the world.   Love the Earth. Love our forests. #hugatree.

Copyright © 2015 World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th Street NW, Washington, DC 20037-1193

 

Earth Day Inspiration

Okay, it’s a little past Earth Day but this 4^th grader should inspire us to do more every day!

 

By Bonnie Bellow

 

 

Each year around Earth Day we are reminded to take stock of the incredible natural resources the planet provides and think about what we are doing to protect them for future generations. Last week, EPA staff heard from a determined young man who represents the future – a fourth-grader from Douglaston, New York who writes his own environmental blog, “Put UR foot into the Earth.” http://i-pure.tumblr.com/

Currently, Eliot is engaged in a project to educate consumers about the importance of recycling their used batteries and increase battery recycling. He has done his research and explains that batteries contain metals and chemicals that can contaminate soil and water if they are not disposed of properly. But battery recycling may be easier to promote than actually do. Eliot had been taking his spent batteries to a store near his home that had a recycling bin. When the store closed after Hurricane Sandy, his mother had to drive him to another store to recycle his batteries. He immediately recognized the contradiction in having to burn fuel in order to recycle. “It felt like a waste of time and energy,” Eliot said. “It was not good for the environment.” Another kid might have given up, but not Eliot. He wrote letters to President Obama, the EPA and the New York City Comptroller asking them to increase the number of battery recycling stations.

Eliot did not seem the slightest bit intimidated in presenting his battery recycling project to a group of scientists, engineers, attorneys and other environmental professionals at the EPA. He fielded their tough questions like a seasoned environmentalist. He is continuing his campaign for a state law that would mandate battery recycling and notes that some companies, such as Toys R Us and Duane Reade, now collect used batteries.

It will take the collective energy and imagination of future generations to tackle the environmental challenges before us. But Eliot’s dedication and determination gives us hope.

About the Author: Bonnie Bellow has been the Region 2 Director of Public Affairs since 1995, responsible for intergovernmental, media and international relations; community engagement; environmental education; Freedom of Information Act requests; social media and public information. She previously served as Public Affairs Director at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, ran her own media production business and worked as a radio reporter. Bonnie received her Bachelor of Science degree at Northwestern University in Chicago, but is a born and bred New Yorker who lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

 

 

 

Fort Lauderdale Cares Day and Arbor Day/Earth Day Events

 

Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events in the  City of Fort Lauderdale   Fort Lauderdale Cares Day - April 26th                             City of Fort Lauderdale 100 N. Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 www.fortlauderdale.gov

 

Fort Lauderdale's Arbor Day/Earth Day Program - April 26th, 2014

 

This year on Saturday, April 26^th at Snyder Park,  we are celebrating 35 years as a Tree City, USA .  We are planning on planting 35 trees to honor this achievement.  Please come and help if you can!  The program starts at 9 a.m. and will be finished by noon.  Volunteers receive a free tree!  Please register at Hands On Broward.  

 

 

 

April is Earth Month - here's some tip to Green Your Routine!

Change Five Lights

 

Did you know that the average home has approximately 30 light fixtures and spends about 12% of its electricity bill on lighting?
Replace your five most frequently used light fixtures or light bulbs with Energy Star qualified products, and you will prevent carbon pollution while saving $75  a year on energy bills.
Lighting itself accounts for more of the energy you use than your laundry equipment, refrigerator, and dishwasher combined. A single light bulb that has earned the Energy Star can save between $40 and $135 in electricity costs over its lifetime. And that same single light bulb that has earned the Energy Star prevents, on average, between 570 and 1,825 pounds of carbon pollution over its lifetime.
A household equipped with Energy Star certified products can reduce carbon pollution by over 100,000 pounds and save about $9,300 on utility bills over the life of these products

 

More tips: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/actonclimate/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Earth Day from Johnny Galecki

The Big Bang Theory star's advice for eco-friendly living.

Many watched Johnny Galecki grow up on TV’s Roseanne. Now 37, Galecki stars as nerdy physicist Leonard Hofstadter in CBS’ hit comedy The Big Bang Theory. Like his character, Galecki is passionate about the environment. In honor of Earth Day, April 22, here’s his advice for eco-friendly living.

“I am pretty obsessive about recycling because it is one of the easiest things you can do. It truly is,” he says. “I just got a tankless water heater this year. It wasn’t cheap initially, but it will pay me back. And one benefit is you never run out of hot water.”

“Start out doing what you can. I think that is the most important thing. It’s much easier to change behavioral patterns than we tend to believe.”

From USA WEEKEND   

Earth Day Funny

I know, I didn’t do a Friday Funny last week so here’s something to make up for it.  Happy Earth Day!

Subscribe Read Past Strips MUTTS Musings © 2013 Patrick Mc Donnell muttscomics.com

Happy Earth Day!

The first Earth Day was in 1970 but was an idea started in Senator Gaylord Nelson’s mind years before.  He looked around and saw the degradation of the environment and the seemingly lack of concern.  In 1962, Senator Nelson was able to persuade President Kennedy to go on a national conservation tour.  While it didn’t give the environment the spotlight he had hoped, the idea of Earth Day was started. 

To those too young to remember the 1950s and 60s, lots of bad things were happening to the environment.  Untreated industrial waste was being poured into our rivers and lakes resulting in rivers catching on fire, massive fish kills, and rivers and lakes so polluted that humans couldn’t enjoy them.  Our air was being filled with all types of toxins from factories and automobiles.  Smog was almost a daily occurrence in many of our large cities. 

As a result of Earth Day and the activism it started, the Clean Air Act got regulatory “teeth” and the Clean Water Act was passed.  Yes, nowadays there’s a cry for less regulations but do we really want to go back to flammable rivers and smog-filled air?    (Gene)

It's Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! Over one billion people in 192 countries are participating from London to Sao Paolo, Seoul to Babylon City, New Delhi to New York, Rome to Cairo; people everywhere are taking action in their communities and helping depict The Face of Climate Change.

How can you get involved? Attend an Earth Day event in your community, start doing something to lower your carbon footprint, and take a photo of yourself being part of the solution and upload it to The Face of Climate Change Wall.

http://www.earthday.org/

The City of Fort Lauderdale's Earth Day and Arbor Day Events

GET INVOLVED!

In celebration of Earth Day, the City of Fort Lauderdale, in partnership with Kids Ecology Corps, HandsOn Broward, and Keep Broward Beautiful, invites you to participate in a series of free activities during the month of April that promote the values of sustainability, community, and fun! Students who participate will receive community service credit.

Activities

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Electronics Recycling
Whole Foods Market
2000 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Free disposal for Broward County residents.

Removing Exotic Plants and Replanting Native Plants
Snyder Park
3299 SW 4th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
9 a.m. to noon
Special parking passes will be provided on the premises
Help remove exotic plants to make way for native ones. Participation in this activity is limited to 30 people and registration is required. To register for this activity, please visit HandsOn Broward. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.  (Registration is full on this event! Thank you for the support!)
Earth Day Tree Giveaway
Snyder Park
3299 SW 4th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
In the spirit of Earth Day, the City of Fort Lauderdale invites residents to pick up a free tree to plant at home! Only residents of the City of are eligible to receive a free tree, and proof of residency (i.e., driver’s license, utility bill, electric bill, etc.) will be required at the time of pickup. Limit one (1) tree per household.
Plant species include:

• Bald Cypress
• Bulnesia
• Coconuts*
• Dwarf Mangos*
• Live Oak
• Silver Buttonwood
• White Geiger

*limited number available

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Dune Restoration and Sea Oat Planting
Central Beach
Oceanside of A1A, in the vicinity of NE 9th Street, across from Primanti Brothers
8:00 a.m. to noon (Sign-in starts at 7:30 a.m.)
A limited number of special parking passes will be emailed to registered volunteers.
Plant sea oats on the beach to preserve and protect the City’s shoreline from natural disasters and create a nesting area for sea turtles too! Registration for this activity is required and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 50 participants to register for the sea oat planting will receive a free t-shirt at the event. Register online now! For more information, please call (954) 828-4750.
Keep Broward Beautiful Beach Cleanup
Fort Lauderdale Beach Park
1100 Seabreeze Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
8 a.m. to noon (Sign-in starts at 7:30 a.m.)
Help keep Fort Lauderdale’s beach beautiful, safe, and litter free. Registration for this activity is required and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please bring a completed Volunteer Application to participate.
For more information go to: RENOURISH FORT LAUDERDALE

Arbor Day
Also, Fort Lauderdale will have its annual Arbor Day program at Colee Hammock Park (1500 Brickell Drive) on Friday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m.  The program includes the Happyland Day School, Fort Lauderdale Garden Club and local Arborist L. Thomas Chancey.  The City of Fort Lauderdale is celebrating its 34^th year as a Tree City, USA!