Two days until the wedding!
Although it's been super stressful the last few days or so, I am SO excited to be in one place with everyone in the whole world that I love (minus a couple who can't make it). I am so ready and happy to be Mrs. C.
We've been in Connecticut since late last night/early this morning, and we'll be back from our honeymoon on August 9th! ♥
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
How you (yes, YOU) can help!
From epa.gov:
When we were younger and our teachers and family members taught us about the importance of recycling and such to save the Ozone and prevent Global Warming, most of us didn't listen.
As humans, a lot of us are driven in our lives mainly by selfishness, as horrible as that sounds and as much as we don't want to believe it. We're worried about our own protection and well-being, but pretend that we care about the world and people around us by just being kind.
But there's more we can do to slow Global Warming. We aren't necessarily going to prevent it, because it's thought to be a natural cycle the Earth goes through over time, and has before. But, maybe we can see it as a challenge no group of living existence has ever overcome? If there was a way to prevent or slow another extinction like the dinosaurs or delaying natural disasters caused by Global Warming melting ice caps, wouldn't you want to do everything you could... even if it doesn't mean it will happen in YOUR lifetime (which it could), think about your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren... maybe someone who's inherited your name, your eye shape, your hair? Think about it. Here's how SIMPLE it is to help...
At Home
1. Change 5 lights.
Change a light, and you can help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products.
When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.
3. Heat and cool smartly.
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
4. Seal and insulate your home.
Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A home energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Use green power.
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power. Buying green power is easy, it offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested, there are a number of steps you can take to create a greener home, including installing solar panels and researching incentives for renewable energy in your state.
6. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
7. Be green in your yard.
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumed no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do not use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings. Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. See EPA's GreenScapes program for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce our household's greenhouse gas emissions.
8. Use water efficiently.
Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Look for products with EPA's WaterSense lable; these products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. See EPA's WaterSense site for more water saving tips.
9. Spread the word.
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
On The Road
1. Buy smart.
Before buying a new or used vehicle (or even before renting a vehicle), check out EPA's Green Vehicle Guide and the jointly-run EPA/DOE Fuel Economy Guide. These resources provide information about the emissions and fuel economy performance of different vehicles. The Green Vehicle Guide provides detailed information on emissions (including Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas scores for each model) and the Fuel Economy Guide focuses on fuel efficiency (including side-by-side fuel economy comparisons and a customized fuel cost calculator). These Web sites are designed to help you choose the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. There are a wide range of cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles available on the market today that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Drive smart.
Many factors affect the fuel economy of your car. To improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, go easy on the brakes and gas pedal, avoid hard accelerations, reduce time spent idling and unload unnecessary items in your trunk to reduce weight. If you have a removable roof rack and you are not using it, take it off to improve your fuel economy by as much as 5 percent. Use overdrive and cruise control on your car if you have those features. For more tips to improve your gas mileage, visit the Fuel Economy Guide.
3. Tune your ride.
A well-maintained car is more fuel-efficient, produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions, is more reliable, and is safer! Keep your car well tuned, follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, and use the recommended grade of motor oil. Also check and replace your vehicle's air filter regularly. For more details, including potential savings from these actions, visit the Fuel Economy Guide Web site.
4. Check your tires.
Check your tire pressure regularly. Under-inflation increases tire wear, reduces your fuel economy by up to 3 percent and leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions and releases of air pollutants. If you don't know the correct tire pressure for your vehicle, you can find it listed on the door to the glove compartment or on the driver's-side door pillar. More details on the Fuel Economy Guide Web site.
5. Give your car a break.
Use public transportation, carpool or walk or bike whenever possible to avoid using your car. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds per year. Whenever possible, combine activities and errands into one trip. For daily commuting, consider options like telecommuting (working from home via phone or over the Internet) that can reduce the stress of commuting, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save you money.
6. Use Renewable Fuels.
Both E85 and biodiesel are renewable fuels that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from your vehicle. E85 is a fuel blend containing 85% ethanol that can be used in certain vehicles called Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). FFVs can be fueled with E85 or with traditional gasoline. There are approximately 6 million FFVs on the road today. To find out if you own one of them, check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker or consult your owner's manual. If you own a diesel vehicle, consider fillin up with a biodiesel blend such as B5, a fuel blend containing 5% biodiesel. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from agricultural resources such as vegetable oils. The Department of Energy's Alternative Fueling Station Locator can help you locate both E85 and biodiesel fuel stations in your area.
At Work
1. Manage office equipment energy use better.
Office equipment and electronics use energy even when idle or on stand-by. To save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at work, always activate the power management features on your computer and monitor, unplug laptop power cords when not in use and turn off equipment and lights at the end of the day. Consider using a power strip that can be turned off when you're done using our computers, printers, wireless routers and other electronics.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products for the office.
When buying new products for your office at work or at home, get the features and performance you want and help reduce greenhouse gases and emissions of air pollutants. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified office equipment, such as computers, copiers, and printers, in addition to more than 50 product categories, including lighting, heating and cooling equipment and commercial appliances.
3. Ask your office building manager if your office building has earned the ENERGY STAR.
ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings provide safe, healthy, and productive environments that use about 35 percent less energy than average buildings. Their efficient use of energy also reduces the total operational cost of the building.
4. Use less energy for your commute.
Switch to public transportation, carpooling, biking, telecommuting and other innovative ways to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your way to and from work. Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you do drive, find out the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA's and DOE's fuel economy Web site, and make more environmentally-informed choices when purchasing your next vehicle by using EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your office helps conserve energy, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. You can reduce, reuse and recycle at the office by using two-sided printing and copying; buying supplies made with recycled content; and recycling used printer cartridges. For your old electronics, investigate leasing programs to ensure reuse and recycling or donate used equipment to schools or other organizations.
At School
1. Bring science to life.
Explore the Climate Change Kids Site and watch Climate Animations that bring to life the science and impacts of climate change. The site also provides games that help students, their parents and their teachers learn about both the science of climate change and what actions they can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2. High school students check your school's climate impact.
High school students can investigate the link between everyday actions at their high school, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Using EPA's Climate CHange Emission Calculator Kit (Climate CHECK) (WinZip of Excel spreadsheet, 3.4 MB) students can learn about climate change, estimate their school's greenhouse gas emissions and conceptualize ways to mitigate their school's climate impact. Students gain detailed understandings of climate-change drivers, impacts, and science; produce an emission inventory and action plan; and can even submit the results of their emission inventory to their school district. You can also use Portfolio Manager to compare the energy use of your school with other schools nationwide, and earn the ENERGY STAR for your school if it qualifies as a top performer.
3. Get involved at your college or university.
College students can play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at their colleges or universities by reducing their emissions from energy they use in dorm rooms. Students can also work with school administrators to: increase energy efficiency on campus, reduce their school's greenhouse gas emissions by using green power, create a campus climate action plan Exit EPA Disclaimer, or develop an inventory Exit EPA Disclaimer of their school's greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Teach students about climate change and ecosystems.
Use the Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands: A Toolkit for Teachers and Interpreters to learn about the science of climate change and its potential effects on our nation's wildlife and their habitats.
5. Engage middle school students in estimating emissions.
Enhance critical thinking skills by introducing the Global Warming Wheel Card Classroom Activity Kit (PDF, 1 pp., 86 KB, About PDF) to middle school students. A hand-held wheel card and other resources help students estimate household greenhouse gas emissions in order to encourage students to think about ways to reduce their personal, family, school and community contributions to climate change. If you are an informal educator, simply use the Global Warming Wheel Card as a part of your field activities.
6. Learn from other educators.
Investigate what other schools and organizations are doing to educate their audiences on climate change by clicking on Educators' Links, a searchable database offering links to resources such as lesson plans, videos, books and toolkits.
7. Save money and the environment.
The least efficient schools use three times more energy than the best energy performers. By partnering with the highly successful ENERGY STAR for K-12 program and using Portfolio Manager to track and rate the energy performance of your portfolio of school buildings, school districts can serve as environmental leaders in their community, become energy efficient, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money!
8. Estimate your emissions and take the challenge.
School Administrators can also work to reduce their school's greenhouse gas emissions by developing an inventory Exit EPA Disclaimer of their school's emissions or by taking the 2006 College and University Green Power Challenge.
9. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycle school or classroom paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. Reducing, reusing and recycling at school and in the classroom helps conserve energy, reduce pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing and disposal. You can reduce, reuse and recycle at school or in the classroom by using two-sided printing and copying; buying supplies made with recycled content; and recycling used printer cartridges. For your old electronics, investigate leasing programs to ensure reuse and recycling or donate used equipment to schools or other organizations.
When we were younger and our teachers and family members taught us about the importance of recycling and such to save the Ozone and prevent Global Warming, most of us didn't listen.
As humans, a lot of us are driven in our lives mainly by selfishness, as horrible as that sounds and as much as we don't want to believe it. We're worried about our own protection and well-being, but pretend that we care about the world and people around us by just being kind.
But there's more we can do to slow Global Warming. We aren't necessarily going to prevent it, because it's thought to be a natural cycle the Earth goes through over time, and has before. But, maybe we can see it as a challenge no group of living existence has ever overcome? If there was a way to prevent or slow another extinction like the dinosaurs or delaying natural disasters caused by Global Warming melting ice caps, wouldn't you want to do everything you could... even if it doesn't mean it will happen in YOUR lifetime (which it could), think about your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren... maybe someone who's inherited your name, your eye shape, your hair? Think about it. Here's how SIMPLE it is to help...
At Home
1. Change 5 lights.
Change a light, and you can help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products.
When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.
3. Heat and cool smartly.
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
4. Seal and insulate your home.
Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A home energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Use green power.
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power. Buying green power is easy, it offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested, there are a number of steps you can take to create a greener home, including installing solar panels and researching incentives for renewable energy in your state.
6. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
7. Be green in your yard.
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumed no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do not use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings. Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. See EPA's GreenScapes program for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce our household's greenhouse gas emissions.
8. Use water efficiently.
Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Look for products with EPA's WaterSense lable; these products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. See EPA's WaterSense site for more water saving tips.
9. Spread the word.
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
On The Road
1. Buy smart.
Before buying a new or used vehicle (or even before renting a vehicle), check out EPA's Green Vehicle Guide and the jointly-run EPA/DOE Fuel Economy Guide. These resources provide information about the emissions and fuel economy performance of different vehicles. The Green Vehicle Guide provides detailed information on emissions (including Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas scores for each model) and the Fuel Economy Guide focuses on fuel efficiency (including side-by-side fuel economy comparisons and a customized fuel cost calculator). These Web sites are designed to help you choose the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. There are a wide range of cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles available on the market today that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Drive smart.
Many factors affect the fuel economy of your car. To improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, go easy on the brakes and gas pedal, avoid hard accelerations, reduce time spent idling and unload unnecessary items in your trunk to reduce weight. If you have a removable roof rack and you are not using it, take it off to improve your fuel economy by as much as 5 percent. Use overdrive and cruise control on your car if you have those features. For more tips to improve your gas mileage, visit the Fuel Economy Guide.
3. Tune your ride.
A well-maintained car is more fuel-efficient, produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions, is more reliable, and is safer! Keep your car well tuned, follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, and use the recommended grade of motor oil. Also check and replace your vehicle's air filter regularly. For more details, including potential savings from these actions, visit the Fuel Economy Guide Web site.
4. Check your tires.
Check your tire pressure regularly. Under-inflation increases tire wear, reduces your fuel economy by up to 3 percent and leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions and releases of air pollutants. If you don't know the correct tire pressure for your vehicle, you can find it listed on the door to the glove compartment or on the driver's-side door pillar. More details on the Fuel Economy Guide Web site.
5. Give your car a break.
Use public transportation, carpool or walk or bike whenever possible to avoid using your car. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds per year. Whenever possible, combine activities and errands into one trip. For daily commuting, consider options like telecommuting (working from home via phone or over the Internet) that can reduce the stress of commuting, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save you money.
6. Use Renewable Fuels.
Both E85 and biodiesel are renewable fuels that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from your vehicle. E85 is a fuel blend containing 85% ethanol that can be used in certain vehicles called Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). FFVs can be fueled with E85 or with traditional gasoline. There are approximately 6 million FFVs on the road today. To find out if you own one of them, check the inside of your car's fuel filler door for an identification sticker or consult your owner's manual. If you own a diesel vehicle, consider fillin up with a biodiesel blend such as B5, a fuel blend containing 5% biodiesel. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from agricultural resources such as vegetable oils. The Department of Energy's Alternative Fueling Station Locator can help you locate both E85 and biodiesel fuel stations in your area.
At Work
1. Manage office equipment energy use better.
Office equipment and electronics use energy even when idle or on stand-by. To save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at work, always activate the power management features on your computer and monitor, unplug laptop power cords when not in use and turn off equipment and lights at the end of the day. Consider using a power strip that can be turned off when you're done using our computers, printers, wireless routers and other electronics.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products for the office.
When buying new products for your office at work or at home, get the features and performance you want and help reduce greenhouse gases and emissions of air pollutants. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified office equipment, such as computers, copiers, and printers, in addition to more than 50 product categories, including lighting, heating and cooling equipment and commercial appliances.
3. Ask your office building manager if your office building has earned the ENERGY STAR.
ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings provide safe, healthy, and productive environments that use about 35 percent less energy than average buildings. Their efficient use of energy also reduces the total operational cost of the building.
4. Use less energy for your commute.
Switch to public transportation, carpooling, biking, telecommuting and other innovative ways to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your way to and from work. Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you do drive, find out the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA's and DOE's fuel economy Web site, and make more environmentally-informed choices when purchasing your next vehicle by using EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your office helps conserve energy, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. You can reduce, reuse and recycle at the office by using two-sided printing and copying; buying supplies made with recycled content; and recycling used printer cartridges. For your old electronics, investigate leasing programs to ensure reuse and recycling or donate used equipment to schools or other organizations.
At School
1. Bring science to life.
Explore the Climate Change Kids Site and watch Climate Animations that bring to life the science and impacts of climate change. The site also provides games that help students, their parents and their teachers learn about both the science of climate change and what actions they can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2. High school students check your school's climate impact.
High school students can investigate the link between everyday actions at their high school, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Using EPA's Climate CHange Emission Calculator Kit (Climate CHECK) (WinZip of Excel spreadsheet, 3.4 MB) students can learn about climate change, estimate their school's greenhouse gas emissions and conceptualize ways to mitigate their school's climate impact. Students gain detailed understandings of climate-change drivers, impacts, and science; produce an emission inventory and action plan; and can even submit the results of their emission inventory to their school district. You can also use Portfolio Manager to compare the energy use of your school with other schools nationwide, and earn the ENERGY STAR for your school if it qualifies as a top performer.
3. Get involved at your college or university.
College students can play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at their colleges or universities by reducing their emissions from energy they use in dorm rooms. Students can also work with school administrators to: increase energy efficiency on campus, reduce their school's greenhouse gas emissions by using green power, create a campus climate action plan Exit EPA Disclaimer, or develop an inventory Exit EPA Disclaimer of their school's greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Teach students about climate change and ecosystems.
Use the Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands: A Toolkit for Teachers and Interpreters to learn about the science of climate change and its potential effects on our nation's wildlife and their habitats.
5. Engage middle school students in estimating emissions.
Enhance critical thinking skills by introducing the Global Warming Wheel Card Classroom Activity Kit (PDF, 1 pp., 86 KB, About PDF) to middle school students. A hand-held wheel card and other resources help students estimate household greenhouse gas emissions in order to encourage students to think about ways to reduce their personal, family, school and community contributions to climate change. If you are an informal educator, simply use the Global Warming Wheel Card as a part of your field activities.
6. Learn from other educators.
Investigate what other schools and organizations are doing to educate their audiences on climate change by clicking on Educators' Links, a searchable database offering links to resources such as lesson plans, videos, books and toolkits.
7. Save money and the environment.
The least efficient schools use three times more energy than the best energy performers. By partnering with the highly successful ENERGY STAR for K-12 program and using Portfolio Manager to track and rate the energy performance of your portfolio of school buildings, school districts can serve as environmental leaders in their community, become energy efficient, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money!
8. Estimate your emissions and take the challenge.
School Administrators can also work to reduce their school's greenhouse gas emissions by developing an inventory Exit EPA Disclaimer of their school's emissions or by taking the 2006 College and University Green Power Challenge.
9. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycle school or classroom paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. Reducing, reusing and recycling at school and in the classroom helps conserve energy, reduce pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing and disposal. You can reduce, reuse and recycle at school or in the classroom by using two-sided printing and copying; buying supplies made with recycled content; and recycling used printer cartridges. For your old electronics, investigate leasing programs to ensure reuse and recycling or donate used equipment to schools or other organizations.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Paranoia
I saw something about the "December 21, 2012" hype on the History channel the other day, and after it freaked me out a little, I talked to Kaley and Roddy and my mom who all basically laughed it off and made me feel better, and then I did some research and wanted to share this with anyone else who may be nervous about it.
Just to add... my mom helped me understand... there's a lot of paranoia and worry with people like I used to be who have a hard time dealing with the unknown. If there's something going on or possibly going on that they can't control, they want to try to figure it out and believe something literally so that it gives them something to rely on, whether it's good, bad, scary or comforting... at least it's something they 'know' as a fact. The truth is, no one really knows. We just have to live every day and hope and live life to the best we can.
From Upington.biz:
But for all the hype, there is little evidence the ancient Maya ever intended for the end of their calendar to be read as a potent for disaster.
"These prophecies of doom really don't have any basis in what we know about the Maya," said Stephen Houston, a professor of anthropology at Brown University and a specialist of Maya hieroglyphic writing. "The Maya descriptions barely talk about this event."
Instead, Houston said, the Maya saw their "long count" - the longest of their cyclical calendars - coming to an end in 2012 but also beginning anew on that date, without disastrous consequences.
"Really, it's a conversion of people's anxieties about our times and finding some remote mythological precedent or prediction of it," Houston said about the origins of the current 2012 myths. "People like to believe that ancient wisdom is somehow predicting this time of upheaval."
John Hall, a professor of sociology at the University of California Davis who is writing a book on the history of apocalyptic ideas, agreed. He said movements predicting the end of the world often reflect a much larger nervousness about the state of our society.
"Terrorism, 9/11, ecological disasters, floods and earthquakes," Hall said, "[There is] a sense that modern civilization has had its run. Those kinds of anxieties are much more widely shared than simply among people who believe in the exact date."
To Lehmann though, those very events are warnings of what's to come.
"We had Hurricane Katrina, the recent cyclone in Myanmar," Lehmann said. "We've got major flooding in Iowa. We're always going to have natural disasters. But they are picking up quite frequently now."
Lehmann said he eventually hoped to move away from Cape Girardeau, built on the banks of the Mississippi River, to the higher plains of southwest Mississippi to keep safe from the floods sure to follow the earthquakes of 2012.
Geryl and his Belgian and Dutch followers have similar intentions, though their plan will take them much farther from home. They are looking to buy a plot of land high up in African mountains, where they'll be able to withstand the monstrous tidal waves and wait out the cloud of volcanic dust that they said would block out the sun.
Geryl said the group has recently zeroed in on a location, but won't reveal his find for fear of tipping off rival survival groups in the United States and Canada. On that land, Geryl's group, whose core membership consists of 16 people but whose wait list supposedly lists hundreds, will build concrete dwellings or outfit caves for survival.
After the cloud clears, Geryl said, they will attempt to create a new, better civilization.
"A guiding principle will be to keep the world population as small as possible so as not to get into the same problems we face now," Geryl said, adding that the group is currently looking for sponsors and hopes to move to Africa in 2011. "There is too little oil, too little grain in the world now. Those are the kinds of problems we want to avoid."
One of the group's members, Jan, a 57-year-old carpenter from Amsterdam whose name has been changed because he doesn't want to be identified in the press, recently drove five hours to attend one of Geryl's meetings in Antwerp.
"I thought, if there's a chance that we can start a new civilization, I want to contribute," Jan told ABC News. "Because whether I make it or not, and there's only a small chance I will, that is important."
Jan, who has never been married and has no children, said he has lost friends over 2012.
"All the people I've ever told about this have declared me crazy," he said. "It makes people feel uncomfortable. Now I just keep it to myself."
Geryl said he found comfort in sharing his knowledge with others. Since "discovering" what the future holds, he has written three books on 2012 and maintains a Web site on the subject. http://www.howtosurvive2012.com/
When asked what would happen if December 2012 were to come and go without the earthquakes and tsunamis of his predictions, Geryl fell silent.
"I don't really contemplate that possibility," he said. "[My predictions] are so spectacular, they can't possibly be wrong."
Just to add... my mom helped me understand... there's a lot of paranoia and worry with people like I used to be who have a hard time dealing with the unknown. If there's something going on or possibly going on that they can't control, they want to try to figure it out and believe something literally so that it gives them something to rely on, whether it's good, bad, scary or comforting... at least it's something they 'know' as a fact. The truth is, no one really knows. We just have to live every day and hope and live life to the best we can.
From Upington.biz:
But for all the hype, there is little evidence the ancient Maya ever intended for the end of their calendar to be read as a potent for disaster.
"These prophecies of doom really don't have any basis in what we know about the Maya," said Stephen Houston, a professor of anthropology at Brown University and a specialist of Maya hieroglyphic writing. "The Maya descriptions barely talk about this event."
Instead, Houston said, the Maya saw their "long count" - the longest of their cyclical calendars - coming to an end in 2012 but also beginning anew on that date, without disastrous consequences.
"Really, it's a conversion of people's anxieties about our times and finding some remote mythological precedent or prediction of it," Houston said about the origins of the current 2012 myths. "People like to believe that ancient wisdom is somehow predicting this time of upheaval."
John Hall, a professor of sociology at the University of California Davis who is writing a book on the history of apocalyptic ideas, agreed. He said movements predicting the end of the world often reflect a much larger nervousness about the state of our society.
"Terrorism, 9/11, ecological disasters, floods and earthquakes," Hall said, "[There is] a sense that modern civilization has had its run. Those kinds of anxieties are much more widely shared than simply among people who believe in the exact date."
To Lehmann though, those very events are warnings of what's to come.
"We had Hurricane Katrina, the recent cyclone in Myanmar," Lehmann said. "We've got major flooding in Iowa. We're always going to have natural disasters. But they are picking up quite frequently now."
Lehmann said he eventually hoped to move away from Cape Girardeau, built on the banks of the Mississippi River, to the higher plains of southwest Mississippi to keep safe from the floods sure to follow the earthquakes of 2012.
Geryl and his Belgian and Dutch followers have similar intentions, though their plan will take them much farther from home. They are looking to buy a plot of land high up in African mountains, where they'll be able to withstand the monstrous tidal waves and wait out the cloud of volcanic dust that they said would block out the sun.
Geryl said the group has recently zeroed in on a location, but won't reveal his find for fear of tipping off rival survival groups in the United States and Canada. On that land, Geryl's group, whose core membership consists of 16 people but whose wait list supposedly lists hundreds, will build concrete dwellings or outfit caves for survival.
After the cloud clears, Geryl said, they will attempt to create a new, better civilization.
"A guiding principle will be to keep the world population as small as possible so as not to get into the same problems we face now," Geryl said, adding that the group is currently looking for sponsors and hopes to move to Africa in 2011. "There is too little oil, too little grain in the world now. Those are the kinds of problems we want to avoid."
One of the group's members, Jan, a 57-year-old carpenter from Amsterdam whose name has been changed because he doesn't want to be identified in the press, recently drove five hours to attend one of Geryl's meetings in Antwerp.
"I thought, if there's a chance that we can start a new civilization, I want to contribute," Jan told ABC News. "Because whether I make it or not, and there's only a small chance I will, that is important."
Jan, who has never been married and has no children, said he has lost friends over 2012.
"All the people I've ever told about this have declared me crazy," he said. "It makes people feel uncomfortable. Now I just keep it to myself."
Geryl said he found comfort in sharing his knowledge with others. Since "discovering" what the future holds, he has written three books on 2012 and maintains a Web site on the subject. http://www.howtosurvive2012.com/
When asked what would happen if December 2012 were to come and go without the earthquakes and tsunamis of his predictions, Geryl fell silent.
"I don't really contemplate that possibility," he said. "[My predictions] are so spectacular, they can't possibly be wrong."
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
If the phone doesn't ring...it's me
I decided not to do the name thing. I think I'll probably just drop the P and keep my middle and first names as they are now, and take Roddy's last name, C. I love his family, don't get me wrong, it's just weird thinking about becoming a C because of certain things from the past, as some of you know about.
But at the same time, I like that C is Italian, it's Rod's heritage, and the rest of the C family shouldn't be punished for one person, you know? I guess I'm also sad about losing P... maybe I'll make it one of my kid's middle names.
There's a lot to tell! I picked my wedding dress and it's just recently been altered and all set to go! I tried it on for the last time today, and it looks beautiful! It's so perfect in every way. My mom has offered me her veil that she wore on her wedding day, and I am so honored. I decided to make ALL of my bridesmaids my maids of honor, they are all amazing, I love them. I guess I can't call them all maids, though, huh? Half of them are married...!
I had the GREATEST bridal shower and an equally awesome bachelorette party. My shower was put on by my two godmothers, Renee and Mary. There were 25+ ladies there and it was so much fun. I must have opened a hundred gifts... I wish Roddy could've been there to help! But Heidi, Lucy and Trina helped me out. Sharon came and she was great with everyone, acted like she fit right in even though I knew she was a little nervous and didn't know anyone.
The girls and I had a blast that whole weekend. We missed having Steph and Kaley there, but understood why they couldn't make it. I drove Trina and Heidi around to show them the town and houses we've been looking at to move to, went swimming in my parents' pool and went across the CT River on the Chester Ferry to Gillette's Castle. They loved it and kept talking about how much they wanted to move to Chester. It's so beautiful in the summertime.
My Gran was in the hospital recently because she was feeling horrible and ended up having to have her galbladder removed. That was scary for a few days. She's still recovering, but is almost back to normal! (: I can't wait to see her in the next few days while we're up north again. We've been going to CT SO MUCH lately... we're leaving tonight when Roddy gets out of work at 11:30 and getting there at the butt-crack of dawn right before one of his appointments.
He's going to be a police officer at the __ PD, assuming he passes the polygraph test and psychological evaluation he has this week... which I have no doubts about. I have a job acceptance from P with [insurance company] in [town], so I'll have about a 5 minute commute every day to work.
Two weeks ago I passed my Life & Health and Property & Casualty insurance licensing pre-examinations; now all I have to do is complete a Criminal History Record Report through the Virginia State Police and then send in my application for my two licenses! I'm so excited. It feels almost as good as getting an actual degree... which will be my next goal. I plan to keep writing at the same time - I actually found a story I started in CT while I was there for the shower and plan to complete it and try to get it published.
I still want to work with kids, despite my interest in insurance right now. I think it all comes down to business and children. I have a dream to open my own childcare program, or maybe even an adoption/foster care agency someday. That could really be perfect for me.
On Thursday we're meeting with our realtor and looking at 6 more houses (we've already looked at 4) and then will be putting an offer in on one hopefully! We're very excited and somewhat stressed, as is expected.
All of my bridesmaids have gotten their dresses fitted except Kaley and Steph, but Steph goes today and Kaley goes tomorrow. So, we're on a roll! Everyone has pretty much RSVP'ed.
Now on to my bachelorette party this past weekend. It was so. much. fun! Steph planned most of it. She brought over a whole bunch of decorations and games. We all wore these kickass masks with words on them like, "Tease," "Flirt," "Sexy," "Single," "Wild," etc. The only two who couldn't make it were Ashley (she couldn't get a babysitter) and Heidi (horrible toothache lately that's given her terrible headaches). And Trina, who couldn't make it down from Jersey. Lucy flew in from Boston and she, Steph, Kaley and I had a great time. We played games, went to Applebees, sat at the bar and had appetizers and drinks, then went to the oceanfront and the strip to Peabody's, where Lucy made me do my first shot of tequila. It was brutal. I had two drags of Kaley's cigarette - just so I could say I'd done it since I never have - but definitely won't be making it a regular habit.
Kaley and I were both buzzing, and she was hilarious. After a while I really missed Roddy and kept saying I wanted to go see him. They all oohed and ahhed and we went back to the house for awhile. Then Ray, and Roddy and I drove Kaley home.
Lucy and I spent every day at the beach and Rod took the day off on Sunday so he could spend time with Lucy before she left. He and I both got sunburns; Lucy got pretty pink, too. She left on Sunday night. I finally took down my "Last Fling Before the Ring" poster from our front door. Ha. (:
Our wedding photographer (also a family friend) is going to be taking our (very late) engagement pictures on Thursday night at Hammonasset, so expect some good ones soon!
As for right now, I still have to do laundry and make the bed and pick up some things and shove some water bottles in a cooler and take the dogs out. Then off on our eight-hour car ride!
But at the same time, I like that C is Italian, it's Rod's heritage, and the rest of the C family shouldn't be punished for one person, you know? I guess I'm also sad about losing P... maybe I'll make it one of my kid's middle names.
There's a lot to tell! I picked my wedding dress and it's just recently been altered and all set to go! I tried it on for the last time today, and it looks beautiful! It's so perfect in every way. My mom has offered me her veil that she wore on her wedding day, and I am so honored. I decided to make ALL of my bridesmaids my maids of honor, they are all amazing, I love them. I guess I can't call them all maids, though, huh? Half of them are married...!
I had the GREATEST bridal shower and an equally awesome bachelorette party. My shower was put on by my two godmothers, Renee and Mary. There were 25+ ladies there and it was so much fun. I must have opened a hundred gifts... I wish Roddy could've been there to help! But Heidi, Lucy and Trina helped me out. Sharon came and she was great with everyone, acted like she fit right in even though I knew she was a little nervous and didn't know anyone.
The girls and I had a blast that whole weekend. We missed having Steph and Kaley there, but understood why they couldn't make it. I drove Trina and Heidi around to show them the town and houses we've been looking at to move to, went swimming in my parents' pool and went across the CT River on the Chester Ferry to Gillette's Castle. They loved it and kept talking about how much they wanted to move to Chester. It's so beautiful in the summertime.
My Gran was in the hospital recently because she was feeling horrible and ended up having to have her galbladder removed. That was scary for a few days. She's still recovering, but is almost back to normal! (: I can't wait to see her in the next few days while we're up north again. We've been going to CT SO MUCH lately... we're leaving tonight when Roddy gets out of work at 11:30 and getting there at the butt-crack of dawn right before one of his appointments.
He's going to be a police officer at the __ PD, assuming he passes the polygraph test and psychological evaluation he has this week... which I have no doubts about. I have a job acceptance from P with [insurance company] in [town], so I'll have about a 5 minute commute every day to work.
Two weeks ago I passed my Life & Health and Property & Casualty insurance licensing pre-examinations; now all I have to do is complete a Criminal History Record Report through the Virginia State Police and then send in my application for my two licenses! I'm so excited. It feels almost as good as getting an actual degree... which will be my next goal. I plan to keep writing at the same time - I actually found a story I started in CT while I was there for the shower and plan to complete it and try to get it published.
I still want to work with kids, despite my interest in insurance right now. I think it all comes down to business and children. I have a dream to open my own childcare program, or maybe even an adoption/foster care agency someday. That could really be perfect for me.
On Thursday we're meeting with our realtor and looking at 6 more houses (we've already looked at 4) and then will be putting an offer in on one hopefully! We're very excited and somewhat stressed, as is expected.
All of my bridesmaids have gotten their dresses fitted except Kaley and Steph, but Steph goes today and Kaley goes tomorrow. So, we're on a roll! Everyone has pretty much RSVP'ed.
Now on to my bachelorette party this past weekend. It was so. much. fun! Steph planned most of it. She brought over a whole bunch of decorations and games. We all wore these kickass masks with words on them like, "Tease," "Flirt," "Sexy," "Single," "Wild," etc. The only two who couldn't make it were Ashley (she couldn't get a babysitter) and Heidi (horrible toothache lately that's given her terrible headaches). And Trina, who couldn't make it down from Jersey. Lucy flew in from Boston and she, Steph, Kaley and I had a great time. We played games, went to Applebees, sat at the bar and had appetizers and drinks, then went to the oceanfront and the strip to Peabody's, where Lucy made me do my first shot of tequila. It was brutal. I had two drags of Kaley's cigarette - just so I could say I'd done it since I never have - but definitely won't be making it a regular habit.
Kaley and I were both buzzing, and she was hilarious. After a while I really missed Roddy and kept saying I wanted to go see him. They all oohed and ahhed and we went back to the house for awhile. Then Ray, and Roddy and I drove Kaley home.
Lucy and I spent every day at the beach and Rod took the day off on Sunday so he could spend time with Lucy before she left. He and I both got sunburns; Lucy got pretty pink, too. She left on Sunday night. I finally took down my "Last Fling Before the Ring" poster from our front door. Ha. (:
Our wedding photographer (also a family friend) is going to be taking our (very late) engagement pictures on Thursday night at Hammonasset, so expect some good ones soon!
As for right now, I still have to do laundry and make the bed and pick up some things and shove some water bottles in a cooler and take the dogs out. Then off on our eight-hour car ride!
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