http://newlygreens.com Walking Green for a Sustainable Garden State Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:41:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://newlygreens.com/feed/ Stories of green living from the early adopters walking the walk. Produced in NJ just outside New York City the show gives an East Coast flavor to implementing more balanced choices. Hosts Greg and Connie, "newlygreens" and not so newlywed, try take the stories to heart and and bring practical change into their own lives. It may not be about being the ideal, but it is definitely about finding inspiration and working toward something better. Kaizen Productions LLC clean Kaizen Productions LLC info@newlygreens.com info@newlygreens.com (Kaizen Productions LLC) 2010 Kaizen Productions LLC Eco Friendly Tales of Going Green from the Northeast sustainable, environmental, earth, nature, solar, wind, recycle, organic, green, eco, eco-friendly http://newlygreens.com/_content/_images/powered_by_podpress_small.jpg http://newlygreens.com http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/newlygreens-3-our-house-the-hummer-prt-1/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/newlygreens-3-our-house-the-hummer-prt-1/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:41:43 +0000 mattisong http://newlygreens.com/?p=2579 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/newlygreens-3-our-house-the-hummer-prt-1/feed/ 1 audit,Blower Door,BPU,DIY,Ed Schwartz,efficiency,Energy,Gray Russell,Green Living Solutions,Home Energy Diagnostics,Home Improvement,Home Performance with Energy Star [part 1 of 4] The Home Energy Audit - After about 5 years of picking the low-hanging fruit, (the easy weekend projects, the CFL replacements, the digital thermostats, the window caulking and so on) we've come to the realization that in order for us to... [part 1 of 4] The Home Energy Audit After about 5 years of picking the low-hanging fruit, (the easy weekend projects, the CFL replacements, the digital thermostats, the window caulking and so on) we've come to the realization that in order for us to make further efficiency improvements we are going to need to graduate to some big time projects that require professional assistance. The good news for us is that NJ has a program to help homeowners, like us, make improvements in insulation and heating equipment called Home Performance with Energy Star. The next few episodes of Newlygreens are going to detail our experience with the program and the showcase the results we achieve (or fail to achieve) The process starts with a Home Energy/ Safety Audit and that's what we will be sharing in part 1 starting at our friend Zorina's. Guests in the episode: Ed Schwartz - Green Living Solutions Gray Russell - Green Living Solutions Tom Testa - Home Energy Diagnostics Zorina - A long-time family friend Kaizen Productions LLC clean http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-march-25-2010/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-march-25-2010/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:00:01 +0000 RisaP http://newlygreens.com/?p=2189 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-march-25-2010/feed/ 0 Canada,Democrats,Energy,Gallup Polls,Global Warming,Green,Greenland,Greenpeace,Independents,National Bike Summit,Norway,Orangutan - This week's headlines: - Gallup Polls Show More Americans Don't Believe in Global Warming - National Bike Summit Takes DC - Greenpeace Gorillas Nestle! - Bad News Polar Bears - To Buy Green Products or To Steal Them? This week's headlines: Gallup Polls Show More Americans Don't Believe in Global Warming National Bike Summit Takes DC Greenpeace Gorillas Nestle! Bad News Polar Bears To Buy Green Products or To Steal Them? The Details: Gallup Polls Show More Americans Don't Believe in Global Warming Two new polls released by Gallup this week show that not only are Americans growing less concerned about the environment, but a record number of them believe Global Warming is exaggerated. An astonishing 41% of Americans believe this. Gallup's website claims, "This represents the highest level of public skepticism about mainstream reporting on global warming seen in more than a decade of Gallup polling on the subject." So where is this doubt coming from? According to Gallup, Republicans are in first place. A whopping 66% of Republicans believe Global Warming is exaggerated. Independents are not far behind, with 44% of them doubting the impact. Only 20% of Democrats believe Global Warming to be exaggerated. A second poll by Gallup asked Americans to rate their amount of concern with 8 environmental issues including global warming, loss of tropical rain forests, and various types of water and air pollution. Not surprisingly, the pollution or contamination of drinking water ranked as the highest concern. But what concern came in dead last? Global Warming. Only 28% of Americans surveyed say they "worry a great deal" about Global Warming. National Bike Summit Takes DC Last week we reported that Google had added a bike path feature to Google Maps. There's one group of folks who are particularly tickled about that - the League of American Bicyclists. Their 10th annual National Bike Summit was held from March 9 to 12 in Washington D.C. this year, with over 700 cycling advocates participating.The goal was to jumpstart national bike advocacy and raise awareness of bicycling as an alternative to driving. In a surprise appearance at the conclusion of the event, United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood made an appearance, ending the summit with a pledge to make cycling concerns a priority. Greenpeace Gorillas Nestle! Treehugger reports: In a victory for the advocacy group Greenpeace, their European members have managed to persuade Nestle to drop Indonesian palm oil producer Sinar Mas Group because of their "continued expansion into rain forests and "critical orangutan habitat." Their campaign focuses on Kit Kat. While it's just one of the plethora of chocolate bars Americans enjoy, it happens to be the most popular chocolate bar in Europe. Palm oil plantations are being expanded everywhere, killing off the habitats for many animals including orangutans. So Greenpeace posted a disturbing ad on YouTube depicting a man chomping down on an orange fur-covered Kit Kat, oozing blood and creating the sound of snapping bones. It barely got any views before Nestle had it pulled from the site. Outraged, Greenpeace posted the ad to Vimeo and made a big stink about how Nestle was trying to silence them via social media outlets like Twitter. We'll never know how much exposure the ad might have seen if it had just stayed up on YouTube. But the response once people knew the ad had been taken down by Nestle (AKA The Man), caused the chocolate company to issue the following statement a scant few hours later: "We share the deep concern about the serious environmental threat to rain forests and peat fields in South East Asia caused by the planting of palm oil plantations." Nestlé has also committed to using only Certified Sustainable Palm Oil by 2015. Check out the Greenpeace ad. Bad News Polar Bears The Huffington Post reports that a proposed ban on polar bear trade failed to pass at the UN's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on March 18. The proposal was made by the United States and was rejected by Canada, Norway and Greenland among others. The U.S. Kaizen Productions LLC clean 10:18 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-oct-15th-2009/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-oct-15th-2009/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:14 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1727 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/reusable-news-oct-15th-2009/feed/ 0 Aluminum,Chamber of Comerce,Energy,Energy Audit,EPA,Extinction,Meatless Mondays,recycling,UCS Today's Stories: U.S. Can Curb Global Warming and Lower Energy Costs With the right policies in place, the United States could dramatically cut the heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming and, at the same time, Today's Stories: U.S. Can Curb Global Warming and Lower Energy Costs With the right policies in place, the United States could dramatically cut the heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming and, at the same time, lower energy costs in every region of the country, according to the findings of a two-year, peer-reviewed study by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). "We can protect the environment and Americans' pocketbooks by adopting the right policies," said UCS President Kevin Knobloch. "Our analysis shows we have the technology and the know-how to do this. What we now need is the political will." UCS found that implementing a cap on emissions with a suite of energy and transportation policies would trigger investments in efficiency improvements, renewable energy technologies, clean vehicles, better transportation choices, and low-carbon technologies and fuels. A copy of the report can be found here: "Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy" Twenty-nine species in more than 20 states may need federal protections to avoid extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency said Tuesday that 20 plants, six snails, two insects and a fish may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act but in-depth studies are needed first. Among the 29 that federal officials said may need protection are the Yellowstone sand verbena, which only lives on the sandy beaches of Yellowstone Lake, several species of milkvetch in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, and a Midwestern mollusk called the Frigid Ambersnail. Diane Katzenberger, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman in Denver, said each of the species will now get a detailed review, including identification of its range, distribution and threats. Federal officials will then decide whether each needs to be protected as a threatened or endangered species. The Fish and Wildlife Service said several of the 29 species being considered for protection could be affected by climate change, including the meltwater lednian stonefly that's only been found in Montana's Glacier National Park. The loss of glaciers in the park by 2030 as predicted by some scientists could jeopardize the fly's habitat, the agency said. Aluminum Can Recycling Nears 55 Percent Earth 911 The Aluminum Association, Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) released recycling figures for 2008 showing that 54.2 percent of aluminum cans were recycled in 2008, making it once again the most commonly recycled beverage container. The only curbside recyclable with a higher recycling rate is steel, which is buoyed by strong numbers for car and construction material recycling, to put it over 65 percent. Both these metals can be recycled continuously and can be turned back into metal containers and other metal products. The energy saved by recycling a single aluminum can can power the average TV for 4 hours. It takes 95 percent less energy to manufacture a new can using recycled aluminum. ___ 80,000 Students Can't Be Wrong! Our General Manager at WP 88.7fm has been doing this thing recently where he forgoes eating animals on Monday, dubbing it Meatless Mondays. Apparently he's a trendsetter because according to Treehugger.com, students of the Baltimore City Public School System, all 80,000 of them, will be the first to participate in the Meatless Monday Program. Tony Geraci, chairman of BCPS wants to lead the country in reconnecting our next generation with food cultivation and food preparation. The Baltimore City Public School System has even been working with local farmers to bring in local, fresh produce. Cutting down on meat is not only healthy, but it reduces your ecological footprint as well. In recognition of BCPS' efforts, the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future presented the school system with its 2009 Award for Visionary Leadership in Local Food Procurement and Food Education. Kaizen Productions LLC clean 12:13 http://newlygreens.com/blog/acesa-summary/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/acesa-summary/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:55:13 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1657 http://newlygreens.com/blog/acesa-summary/feed/ 0 http://newlygreens.com/blog/national-day-of-lobbying-congressman-pascrell/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/national-day-of-lobbying-congressman-pascrell/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:34:44 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1385 http://newlygreens.com/blog/national-day-of-lobbying-congressman-pascrell/feed/ 2 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-2-basf-near-zero-home/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-2-basf-near-zero-home/#comments Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:49:53 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-2-basf-near-zero-home/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-2-basf-near-zero-home/feed/ 0 animal,audit,BASF,buildings,carbon,cleaning,cost,dogs,efficiency,Energy,essential,Green [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) BASF Near Zero Energy Home Natural Cleaning Products and Repellents Insect Repellent Challenge Results Show #2 - Air Date: June 2007 Extreme Green Segment: The BASF Near Zero Energy Home, Paterson, [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) BASF Near Zero Energy Home Natural Cleaning Products and Repellents Insect Repellent Challenge Results Show #2 - Air Date: June 2007 Extreme Green Segment: The BASF Near Zero Energy Home, Paterson, NJ Interview: Jack Armstrong, BASF Director, Building & Construction Markets This episode of the Newly Greens focuses on green building with a close look at the BASF Corporation and their Near Zero Energy Home in Paterson NJ. We speak to Jack Armstrong, BASF’s Director of Building and Construction Markets. Check this show out for great information and inspiration if you are thinking about building a sustainable home. Or just to discover its great story and hear about the Paterson family who will get this house upon completion as a donation from BASF. To get started on building your sustainable home, or simply to get more information, follow the links below. betterhomebetterplanet.com eere.energy.gov usgbc.org pathnet.org Greg and I used this website to begin formulating our own strategy for making our existing home more efficient. Look for updates on our progress coming soon… energystar.gov “O” Goods Segment: Natural cleaning and insect repellent Special Guest: Margaret (Mags) Lucas. The “O” Goods segments strive to illustrate that for every choice we make, or product we buy, there is usually an alternative available that is healthier for people and the environment. Whether it is organic, less toxic, or provides fair trade for people around the world, these healthier alternatives are the choices we seek! This segment of “O” Goods put the spotlight on more natural versions of cleaning products and insect repellent. We feel it is important to get heavy chemicals out of our home, and ultimately the environment. So we did some research and began experimenting with alternatives. Below are the recipes for some we liked and featured on the show. There are lots of great ideas out there and the Internet is a good resource. But there are also a lot of great products available in stores today. Our friend Mags happens to loves the Method line of products. Experiment to see what you like the best! And keep us posted. We’d love to know!! We found the following sites useful and formulated our recipes from a combination of these sites and from the book, “The Humble Art of Zen-Cleaning” by Michael de Jong. eartheasy.com stretcher.com lowchensaustralia.com Please also check out the results of our flea repellent challenge by clicking on the “Our Transition” tab! *Remember to always keep cleaning and repellent mixtures away from kids and animals. They are more natural versions, but are still not meant to be ingested! Cleaning Recipes Our Kitchen Cleaner 1/2 gallon water 1/2 cup vinegar 1/4 cup baking soda 5 or 6 drops of tea tree essential oil (adds a disinfectant quality) 5 or 6 drops of lemon essential oil (adds a nice scent) Pour into a spray bottle, shake and use! Our Bathroom Cleaner 1/2 gallon water 1/2 cup vinegar 2 teaspoons borax (adds a bleaching and disinfectant quality) 5 or 6 drops of orange essential oil (adds a nice scent) Pour into a spray bottle, shake and use! Our Window and Glass Cleaner 1 part water 1 part vinegar (smell disappears as soon as it dries) Pour into a spray bottle, shake and use! A Word on Bleach Note: baking soda and real lemon juice are good for scrubbing as an alternative to bleach. Research also indicates that bleach, in moderation, is not a bad thing where you must sterilize. Most people just over use it. It is harmful to the good bacteria in our sewers and can aggravate asthma by degrading indoor air quality. Cutting boards or flooded basements are a good example where you might consider using bleach. Bleach is generally unnecessary in bathrooms but its use there is widely promoted through advertising. Tea Tree oil is an alternative mold remediator. Repellent Recipes Our Flea and Mosquito Repellent Kaizen Productions LLC clean http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-1-prout-solar/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-1-prout-solar/#comments Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:40:31 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-1-prout-solar/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-1-prout-solar/feed/ 0 Bamboo,Clean,Clothing,Cotton,Energy,Fashion,Foods,Green,Hemp,Jersey,Models,New [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) Solar Panels and the NJCEP Organic Clothing Show #1 Air Date: December 2006 Extreme Green Segment: Solar Panels and the NJCEP Interview with: Bob Prout of Prout Funeral Home in Verona NJ This episode of the N... [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) Solar Panels and the NJCEP Organic Clothing Show #1 Air Date: December 2006 Extreme Green Segment: Solar Panels and the NJCEP Interview with: Bob Prout of Prout Funeral Home in Verona NJ This episode of the Newly Greens focuses on solar energy and the path to obtaining it in the state of New Jersey. We speak to Bob Prout of Prout Funeral Home in Verona NJ who has gone solar in a big way. Not only is his business solar powered, it is also a classroom. Check out his solar control room and learn all about it in this episode. Or book a tour! He is a great resource for learning more about this incredible form of clean energy. And don’t forget the spectacular rebates and incentives that NJ offers on all forms of renewable energy. (GO NJ!) To get you started, check out this link to the NJ Clean Energy Program. njcleanenergy.com/ “O” Goods Segment: Organic Clothing Special Guest: Carol Peterson This segment of the Newly Greens’s “O” Goods puts the spotlight on organic clothing. We searched high and low for some cool (and reasonably priced) organic duds and we found them in some unusual places and made from some unusual fibers. Our friend Carol joined us and we had fun checking them out and trying them on. Here are some links and information if you’re interested in any particular item you saw on the show. Whole Foods Market Some Whole Foods now carry a pretty large variety of organic clothing and jewelry. Some of the brands we featured were from Whole Foods: Of the Earth World of Good Indigenous Designs The Internet Searching the Internet is also a great way to find organic clothing these days. Some of the brands we featured were found on these sites: Bamboosa Earth Creations (hemp) Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is also stepping up to the sustainable plate these days. They are carrying organic clothing for men and woman. These items were not featured on the “O” duds segment this time around because we found them after the fact. But maybe next time… No Boundaries and a few others: walmart.com Kaizen Productions LLC clean