http://newlygreens.com Walking Green for a Sustainable Garden State Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:30:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 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/blog/begen-record-article-about-gregs-tcp-presentation/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/begen-record-article-about-gregs-tcp-presentation/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:12:15 +0000 mattisong http://newlygreens.com/?p=3162 http://newlygreens.com/blog/begen-record-article-about-gregs-tcp-presentation/feed/ 0 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/carol-hoernlein-hydraulic-fracturing/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/carol-hoernlein-hydraulic-fracturing/#comments Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:23:28 +0000 cmatti http://newlygreens.com/?p=3130 Happy New Year and welcome to another episode of NewlyGreens!  Today we’re talking about yet another interesting topic…   Ever heard about Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking??  Probably not, but chances are it’s taking place not far from your home, and chances are also, that the more you learn, [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/carol-hoernlein-hydraulic-fracturing/feed/ 0 Carol Hoernlein,Delaware River Basin Commission,Delaware Water Basin,EPA,Frack Act,fracking,Gas,Gasland,hydraulic fracturing,methane,Natural Gas,nj Happy New Year and welcome to another episode of NewlyGreens!  Today we’re talking about yet another interesting topic...   Ever heard about Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking??  Probably not, but chances are it’s taking place not far from your h... Happy New Year and welcome to another episode of NewlyGreens!  Today we’re talking about yet another interesting topic...   Ever heard about Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking??  Probably not, but chances are it’s taking place not far from your home, and chances are also, that the more you learn, the more uncomfortable it will make you feel. To find out more, we spoke with Ms. Carol Hoernlein, a licensed Civil Engineer specializing in the safety of water resources.   Carol has an extraordinary list of accomplishments in the area of environmental safety, and she is here to talk with us today about her latest environmental concern, which is the practice of  "Hydraulic Fracturing".    Enjoy the interview and check out the notes below for more information and links to additional resources. Hydraulic Fracturing 101 Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) is the process of shattering rock formations to get to the natural gas stored within. As natural gas becomes scarce and more difficult to get to, this new kind of technology has emerged to meet the need. HF is a newer form of drilling created to get to a source of natural gas not previously accessed. Although found throughout the country, the large shale formations that hold the gas are predominantly in the area of Pennsylvania and New York state. The process of HF requires millions of gallons of fresh water, which is then mixed with a “fracking fluid” and forced into the shale formations.  The force of the liquid shatters the shale formations, releasing the natural gas. The gas that is released is not completely confined and has found it’s way into residential drinking water supplies, in some cases, setting faucets on fire. The chemical-laden fracking fluid then seeps it’s way back up to the surface as what is called “produced water”.   There are reports of livestock dying after being exposed to the fracking fluid in the form of this produced water. Some people living near large shale formations have benefited financially, while others have completely lost their clean water supplies. In 2005 a task force created what is called the Halliburton Loophole. This loophole rendered the fracking fluid exempt from the Clean Water Drinking Act.  As a result, the EPA is currently helpless to step in. However, there is an act moving through Congress now that is called the Frac Act.  FRAC Act - twin bills in the Senate (S 1215) and House (HR 2766) that remove the exemption to the Safe Drinking Water Act for fracking and call for the disclosure and monitoring of the chemicals used in the process. Since the taping of this interview, Halliburton has released some information regarding its fracking fluid formulas. Making the fracking fluid non-toxic would eliminate only some of the water safety concerns, but the issue of using (or wasting) millions of gallons of fresh water, and the concerns of natural gas being released into air and water certainly remain an issue. Links and Resources: GaslandTheMovie.com RiverKeeper.org CBS 60 Minutes Carol Hoernlein - More Information: Carol was a trustee on the Hudson River Waterfront Commission charged with creating the riverfront walkway along the Hudson in NJ and co-wrote and narrated a documentary about the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. Carol also worked for the Palisades Interstate Park Commission as a civil Engineer and narrated the video documentary about the New Deal construction of the Palisades Interstate Park called “A New Deal for the Palisades.” She served as Councilwoman in Tenafly, NJ from 2007 – 2009 where she served as a member of the Planning Board.  Last year she was awarded a special honor by the NJ Joint Legislature for her accomplishments in public service. Before she was a civil engineer working to protect our rivers and groundwater, Carol worked in the food industry as a food process development engineer. Kaizen Productions LLC clean 25:55 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 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 [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/newlygreens-3-our-house-the-hummer-prt-1/feed/ 3 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 ... [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/katie-scheidt-candlelight-vigil-dec-11th/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/katie-scheidt-candlelight-vigil-dec-11th/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:15:11 +0000 mattisong http://newlygreens.com/?p=1994 Our guest today is volunteer for The Climate Project and lifelong resident of NJ. She is working to arrange a vigil this Friday Dec 11 to draw attention to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen  that began this past Monday. Also, candlelight vigils are being planned on Dec. [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/katie-scheidt-candlelight-vigil-dec-11th/feed/ 0 350.org,Asbury Park,Candlelight Vigil,Copenhagen,Katie Scheidt,nj,tcktcktck.org,TCP Our guest today is volunteer for The Climate Project and lifelong resident of NJ. She is working to arrange a vigil this Friday Dec 11 to draw attention to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen  that began this past Monday. Also, Our guest today is volunteer for The Climate Project and lifelong resident of NJ. She is working to arrange a vigil this Friday Dec 11 to draw attention to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen  that began this past Monday. Also, candlelight vigils are being planned on Dec. 11 and 12 with the help of 350.org for solidarity re: Copenhagen.  You can get more information at 350.org I encourage you all to plan a vigil or if you can, attend the one I'm organizing in Asbury Park on Friday, December 11th from 6-7 PM on the Boardwalk at 5th and Ocean Avenues.  Below is the message I'm sending out if you want to share it with anyone or use part of it for your own action. Another Vigil  is planned in our area at Bloomfield Post Office December 12th The Essex Greens will be holding a vigil from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 12th, in front of the main Bloomfield Post Office at the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Montgomery St. December 11th and 12th are worldwide days of action taking place during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. 192 nations are meeting there from Dec. 7-Dec. 18 to try to come to an agreement on a new treaty to take stronger action to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are dangerously heating up the atmosphere. Thousands of actions around the world will be happening on December  11th and 12th, coordinated by several international networks. More information can be found at Tick Tick Tick _____________________________________________ Katie's letter to Friends, Neighbors, and Family, People and places I love are in danger. There is a threat looming, climate change, and there are places all around the world that are already experiencing the effects. But we have an opportunity! It is time for the United States to take a leadership role in Copenhagen at the UN negotiations this December. I hope that the country with the most responsibility, and with the most capability to lead the world, will reverse direction and be a leader, rather than an obstacle, to international action on climate change. We need clean and secure energy for our future. Please join me to gather peacefully in a candlelight vigil on the Boardwalk at 5th and Ocean Avenues in Asbury Park from 6-7 PM on Friday, December 11th. Together we will express our concern of the threat of climate change. Bring candles, LED lights or flashlights, menorahs, or whatever you can find, to show your support.  Please forward this to whomever you think may be interested in attending.  You can get more information at Facebook These vigils are part of a weekend of climate action organized with 350.org and TckTckTck.org -- a moment for people all over the world to gather at iconic locations in their communities, and light candles of hope to stand in solidarity with the citizens of the nations whose very survival is threatened by the climate crisis. Thousands of these actions are planned worldwide. We will support the call for commitments by the developed world to cut emissions enough to reduce the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. Come participate on the evening of December 11th or organize your own vigil. Tell us what is concerning you about climate change. Play music, read poetry, read letters to politicians! The speech made by President Mohammed Nasheed of the Maldives at the Climate Vulnerable Forum will be read aloud. Spread the word to your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family to come be a part of this vigil. If you can, walk or bike to the Asbury Boardwalk, and take action to send a message to our leadership and the rest of the world. We can solve the climate crisis, and we need to do it now. Thank you! Kaizen Productions LLC clean 2:29 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/bradley-campbell-purgen-one_part-1/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/bradley-campbell-purgen-one_part-1/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:35 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1792 Interview – Brad Campbell :: Purgen One_Part 1 ***UPDATE*** On Tuesday Oct 20th, the town council of Linden voted 4-7 against granting the land use request to SCS Energy.  Round 1 goes to the environmentalists. This morning we have part 3 in our series on Coal energy and [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/bradley-campbell-purgen-one_part-1/feed/ 2 Bradley Campbell,CCS,Coal,Linden,nj,Purgen One,SCS Energy Interview - Brad Campbell :: Purgen One_Part 1 ***UPDATE*** On Tuesday Oct 20th, the town council of Linden voted 4-7 against granting the land use request to SCS Energy.  Round 1 goes to the environmentalists. Interview - Brad Campbell :: Purgen One_Part 1 ***UPDATE*** On Tuesday Oct 20th, the town council of Linden voted 4-7 against granting the land use request to SCS Energy.  Round 1 goes to the environmentalists. This morning we have part 3 in our series on Coal energy and the battle over Purgen One, the prototype Carbon Capture and Sequestration plant proposed for the township of Linden, in Union County NJ. In past episodes we heard from the environmental opposition, this week we hear from the Lead Council to the developer SCS Energy. Pre Interview Set Up To give the listeners some insight, Union County, besides being among the most densely populated areas in the nation, is home to much Industry, Pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Petroleum refineries. The headquarters of companies like Merck, Lucent, Schering Plough, and Wakefern Food are there, as is the largest petroleum storage facility on the East Coast. Liberty International Airport, and Elizabeth Seaport the largest container cargo port on the East Coast are located in Union County as well. Speaking with us today is Mr. Bradley Campbell, he is currently the chief spokesman for SCS Energy, a Massachusetts based company that is proposing to build a 750MW coal plant in Linden, NJ.  This is not your grandpa’s coal plant.  By that I mean the plant’s design calls for the newest technology under development in order to clean up what is generally thought of as the dirtiest of our conventional fossil fuel energy sources - coal.  Welcome to Newlygreens on the Morning Blend on WP88.7 fm Mr. Campbell. C: To get us started can you tell us some of the significant ways the Purgen plant differs from a conventional coal plant? G:  COAL IS STILL DIRTY BEFORE IS GETS TO THE FRONT DOOR This plant is cutting edge, it is designed to manage the toxic byproducts of burning coal more effectively, both air pollution and solid waste, and in that sense it is a certainly a cleaner coal plant. But Purgen will still get it’s coal the old fashioned way; specifically mining and shipping operations by barge and rail will be performed in the same ways that have caused both health and environmental concerns for decades.  How do you respond to that? Will any of the coal used at Purgen come from Mountaintop removal Mines? __________________________________________________ C:  ENERGY NEEDED TO SEQUESTER CO2 – A HIDDEN COST Out of the 750MW this plant can produce, a full third of that, 250MW, of that energy will be expended capturing, compressing, and pumping the CO2?  Another statistic I’ve heard is that for every four CCS-equipped power plants, we will need a fifth power plant just to run the pumps.  If a sustainable energy portfolio is our ultimate aim, as I think you agree it should be, is this really a sustainable approach to take?  Doesn’t this technology in fact suggest we would have to consume more coal more rapidly? MR. CAMPBELL said that our estimate of the plant using 1/3rd of it’s generation to power sequestration operations was an exaggeration.  He then told us that the 750MW plant will use 250MW on site.  We would like to point out that this is  IN FACT THE 1/3rd we had estimated not AN exaggeration AS HE INDICATED. The point we were trying to uncover here is that this plant, as efficient as it may be, burns more coal in order to deal with it’s coal-based pollution. This means pulling more coal out of the ground, creating more solid waste containing mercury, cadmium and sulfur as well as, more CO2 emissions, all so we can bury the CO2 emissions created. As environmental groups and scientists call for us to move away from coal as a fuel source this plant is a boon to the coal industry in that it would call for us to burn more coal more rapidly.  A sustainable creedo is to do more with less, this seems a way to do more with more at best. ___________________________________________________ G:  ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Kaizen Productions LLC clean 18:13 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/peter-montague-coal-energy-part-2-purgen-one/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/peter-montague-coal-energy-part-2-purgen-one/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:50:31 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1739 In the second installment of our interview with Peter Montague of the Environmental Research Foundation, we discuss the particulars of the first proposed Carbon Capture and Sequestration plant for the East Coast, Purgen One. There is lots of information on our site about this project but Peter breaks [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/peter-montague-coal-energy-part-2-purgen-one/feed/ 0 Atlantic Ocean,carbon,CCS,Clean,Coal,coast,dumping,IGCC,Linden,Liquid,nj,Peter Montague In the second installment of our interview with Peter Montague of the Environmental Research Foundation, we discuss the particulars of the first proposed Carbon Capture and Sequestration plant for the East Coast, Purgen One. In the second installment of our interview with Peter Montague of the Environmental Research Foundation, we discuss the particulars of the first proposed Carbon Capture and Sequestration plant for the East Coast, Purgen One. There is lots of information on our site about this project but Peter breaks it down so it makes sense. Be sure to check out the site mentioned in the interview for breaking news and calls for public action. Kaizen Productions LLC clean 23:22 http://newlygreens.com/events/green-sprouts-oct-15th-community-swap/ http://newlygreens.com/events/green-sprouts-oct-15th-community-swap/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:38:44 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1742 This week, a local town planning board meeting on coal and gearing up for 350.org Oct 24th day of action.]]> http://newlygreens.com/events/green-sprouts-oct-15th-community-swap/feed/ 0 350.org,Linden,nj,Oct 24th This week, a local town planning board meeting on coal and gearing up for 350.org Oct 24th day of action. This week, a local town planning board meeting on coal and gearing up for 350.org Oct 24th day of action. Kaizen Productions LLC clean 6:58 http://newlygreens.com/blog/nj_energy_progress/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/nj_energy_progress/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:32:16 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/?p=1712 http://newlygreens.com/blog/nj_energy_progress/feed/ 0 http://newlygreens.com/blog/some-green-thoughts/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/some-green-thoughts/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:37:23 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/podcast-supplemental/some-green-thoughts/ http://newlygreens.com/blog/some-green-thoughts/feed/ 0 http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-4-csa/ http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-4-csa/#comments Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:18:29 +0000 Greg http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-4-csa/ Extreme Green Segment: Organic Farming and CSA Host Transformation: Connie & Greg join a CSA! “O” Goods: Composting 101 Special Guest: Elisa Margarita Show #4 Air Date: October 2007 Show Summary: the Newly Greens hits [...]]]> http://newlygreens.com/podcasts/episode-4-csa/feed/ 0 agriculture,browns,certified,community,compost,csa,elisa,farm,farming,fresh,Green,greens [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) Extreme Green Segment: Organic Farming and CSA Host Transformation: Connie & Greg join a CSA! “O” Goods: Composting 101 Special Guest: Elisa Margarita Show #4 Air Date: October 2007 Show Summary: [part 1 of 4] (2008 Telly Award Winner) Extreme Green Segment: Organic Farming and CSA Host Transformation: Connie & Greg join a CSA! “O” Goods: Composting 101 Special Guest: Elisa Margarita Show #4 Air Date: October 2007 Show Summary: the Newly Greens hits the farm! The average meal travels 1,500 miles to your plate and they are usually laced with pesticides when they get there. Join Connie and Greg as they investigate “greener” options in the form of organically and locally grown food. They also dig into composting with Certified Master Composter, Elisa Margarita. Extreme Green – Organic Food and CSA’s Greg and Connie join Leanord Pollara of Upper Meadows Farm in Montague NJ to explore the workings of an organic farm. The organic market has consistently grown 20% a year since the 1990’s. There are five main drawbacks to today’s traditional food culture: 1) Pesticides - Approximately 400 different pesticides used, designed to kill anything that might harm the crops. 2) Additives - Things like MSG are neuro-stimulants associated with neurological disorders like migraines, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. 3) GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms (foods) are everywhere and they do not need to be labeled. Almost all corn and soy in the US are GMO. Although the USDA has given the ok for GMO’s, many people feel that this genetic tinkering could have unknown long term effects. There is some speculation that the sharp rise in peanut allergies in children could be the result of genetically modified crops. 4) Hormones – Hormones are used to accelerate growth in meat and poultry. There are suspected links to developmental problems in young humans, early puberty, obesity and diabetes 5) Antibiotics – Antibiotics are used widely in industrialized farming. These antibiotics remain in the meat we eat and give rise to more resistant bacteria and potentially more serious illnesses. The Dirty Dozen Check out the list of foods dubbed The “Dirty Dozen”. This is a list of fruits and vegetables that you should always buy organic, whenever possible, because their conventionally grown counterparts tend to be laden with pesticides. “They cost about 50 percent more — but are well worth the money”. This site also gives you tips for better conventional choices if you can’t afford or find the organic versions. You can also check out The Organic Trade Association for more information on organics and GMO’s. Organics and Kids Connie also recently attended a seminar with Dr. Alan Greene, author of Raising Baby Green. He has a top 10 list of foods that should be eaten in the organic form, especially for children who tend to eat a lot of these foods. They are as follows: Milk Potato Peanut Butter Baby Food Ketchup Cotton (cottonseed oil is contained in many foods and/or fed to animals we eat) Apples Beef Soy Corn Wine (Bonus, for the adults only!) CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Participating in a CSA is a good choice for many reasons. One of them is the idea of eating foods that are grown locally. According to the World Watch Institute, a typical meal in a mid-western U.S. state travels an average of 2577 kilometers. Researchers estimate that this food requires up to 17 times the petroleum and generates up to 17 times the transport-related carbon emissions than the same meal made from locally-grown ingredients. Food transportation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The growth in the distance food travels has also corresponded with an increase in food packaging, as food products are designed for longer journeys and shelf lives. In addition, there is a large amount of food waste, which unfortunately is not always composted. Source: ZeroWaste. Where can I find a CSA or Farmers Market in my area? localharvest.org Where can I find organic non-GMO seeds for my garden? According to Len of Upper Meadows Farms, Kaizen Productions LLC clean