The Blurb

How YOU Can Go Green

Contrary to popular belief, going green isn't hard, and isn't expensive.  In fact, going green can save lots of money on electricity and heating bills.  It can also help relieve a guilty conscience.

Tips on shopping:

• Buy in bulk.  Not only will you save money, you will pollute less when you throw the packaging away.
• Look for the recycling symbol on product's packaging.  That means that either it is recyclable, or made of recycled materials.
• Some stores offer recycling programs for plastic bags, and this is a great way to help the environment.  In fact, NC is pushing for plastic bags to be illegal, at least in their coastal region.

Tips on saving energy at home:

• Configure your laptop and desktop to the most energy efficient mode.
• Use a cold rinse cycle on your washer.
• Turn the TV off when you aren't using it.
• Unplug charging devices when they aren't in use.  These devices, even when not in use, use minimal amounts of power 24/7.
• Instead of watching TV, playing video games, or chatting online, go outside or pick up a good book.  The best way to save electricity is not to use it at all.
• Open up the blinds, and turn off the lights.  Not only will this save electricity, it will brighten your room with a softer, more natural light.
• Set a delay timer on your wireless modem.  Not only will this save electricity, it protects your computer at night.

• Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to turn your computer off every chance you get.  Turning your computer off still drains about 2.8 watts, and sleep mode on a Mac drains just 4 watts.  This is hardly any energy saving, and wears down your hard drive because of the high speeds at start-up.  Therefore, it is better to just make sure your computer goes into sleep mode.

Tips for helping the environment at home:

• Recycle all that you can.  It may sound obvious, but it is surprising how much people still throw away.
• Save scrap paper.  Any old one-sided printed paper makes great scrap paper on the back.
• Plant a garden.  Plants rid the air of green house gasses, and if you have a houseplant, it acts as an air purifier.  Gardens can either look great, or give you fresh produce, which saves you money when you go to the grocery store.
• Keep your neighborhood clean, and free of trash.

Other Tips:

• Be creative.  There are tons of good ways to help the environment.  A google search on "helping the environment" returns almost 77 million hits.
• Spread the word.  Encourage your neighbors, friends, and coworkers to help to.  If one person can do this much, how much can 100, 1,000, or even more do?  If every viewer that has ever been to the blurb were able to turn 1 60 watt light bulb off for 2 hours a day, over the courseof 1 year, Blurbers would save a combined nearly 300,000 dollars based on the national average.  In Hawaii, the state with the highest electricity rate per kilowatt hour, Blurbers would save a total of nearly $700,000, just by turning off a light bulb for 2 hours a day.  As you can see, there is strength in numbers.

Signed,

The Blurb's Senior Assistant Editor In Chief

So what do you think?  Share your stories of helping the environment, and your ideas by commenting here at The Blurb.

Obama's Energy and Environment Plans

Obama campaigned aggressively last year on the Environmental and Energy crises, and these have typically been strongholds for democrats.  A Gallup poll illustrating this is below:

I have also created a Voicethread on Obama's environment plans.  Please comment.

(As you can see, Bam Bam has learned a few tricks from back when Melvin The Chicken Hunter and I were frequent posters, and taught them to me)

Remember to comment here on The Blurb!

Signed,

The Blurb's Senior Assistant Editor In Chief

Green Energy

One aspect of being green is replacing our fossil fuel energy sources with renewable ones.  Our new president, Barack Obama, has promised to do this soon (click here for a shorter version).  I also wrote a letter to President Obama expressing concerns about this.  Here is one quote:

"You, of all people undoubtedly know that green energy can create millions of jobs, and reduce government spending in the long term, but I am concerned that you support "clean" coal technology.

There is no good reason to support "clean" coal technology over any renewable sources.  "Clean" coal is still dirtier than renewable sources, less efficient, can be implemented in the same amount of time, can be implemented for a similar amount of money, and most importantly will run out someday.  We know that if "clean" coal is used, we will be right back to where we are today in fifty years, just down however many billions of dollars required to build coal plants.

However, if renewable sources are used and created, we will have access to energy that never runs out, hence "renewable."  Also, many renewable sources don't pollute at all, except for building the wind turbines, solar arrays, or tide generators.  Renewable sources will create the same number of jobs that "clean" coal will create, but jobs will not disappear when the coal runs out.  This will also gain us favor with European countries that have implemented carbon caps."

I also recently recieved a comment from Mike H, asking about nuclear energy, another renewable source, but not as good as wind, tide, and solar.  Nuclear energy is a great source of energy, but when the uranium rods run out, they leave behind toxic nuclear waste.  Wind, tide, and solar energy leave behind nothing, will create new jobs indefinitely, and help America to rise above the economic crisis.

All opposition to renewable energy is due to the fact that it is totaly new, and will take a while to build.  This is true, but we must keep in mind that it will take an equally long time (about 10 years) to create oil drills in Alaska.  According to a Gallup poll, 77% of Americans surveyed thought that America should increase energy production from alternative sources.  Another Gallup poll says that 24% more Americans say we should concentrate on protecting the environment than increasing energy sources, a big concern with drilling in Alaska.

It is clear that we need renewable sources of energy, not just to stop global warming, but also to maintain America's energy independence so we don't rely on other countries for fuel.

Signed,

The Blurb's Senior Assistant Editor in Chief

What do you think?  Should America expand its alternate energy sources?  Post your thoughts and comments here on The Blurb!

The Blurb Goes Green

You may have seen the recent color change for the Blurb.  This color change symbolizes our next project--raising awareness of the environmental problem and updating readers on steps taken worldwide to help this problem.  And what better day to kick it off than Earth Day?

We at the Blurb feel that Earth Day should be everyday, and encourage you to do the same.  This is also a chance to encourage all of your friends to be green!  Encourage them to check out the Blurb every day, and learn of the real environmental situation of America and the world.  In honor of Earth Day, I have written a poem:

Nature

 

The trees whispering,

The rain giggling,

And the birds gossiping and calling like unruly teens.

This is the lullaby of nature,

Ingrained through centuries to bring comfort,

To bring security,

And to bring calm.

Nature brings peace.

 

 

However, every year that we don't make a concious effort to preserve nature, more and more is destroyed, and we will eventually lose it.  On this Earth Day, and every day, make a concious effort to be green, and save the planet.

Signed,

The Blurb's Senior Assistant Editor in Chief