We need your trash. Examples include plastic caps of all sizes (from bottles and jugs, down to lip balm and mini-juices), plastic berry baskets, buttons, gasket scraps, flexible plastic tubing, corks, textiles, etc.
These will be used in dozens of ways to help teachers educate our kids in the Virginia Standards of Learning, at the first training event, “We’re Popping Our Lids Off!” November 14th, in honor of America Recycles Day.
Bring materials to Green Alternatives (801 Boush St. in Norfolk) and the Ernie Morgan Center (3500-A Granby St. in front of the Virginia Zoo).
Contact Holly Carson @ (757) 441-1347 or holly.carson@norfolk.gov for more info.
MIT Chasing Down Phantom Traffic Jams
MIT mathematicians have developed a model that aims to explain phantom traffic jams - those backups which occur for no apparent reason - in the hope engineers could design build better roads to minimize the odds of them happening.
Very cool, smart guys. Can you please come to Norfolk (VA) and study the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel?
In a story that Adweek ran earlier this week, shoppers indicated that while green sentiments are important, those sentiments do not carry through to their wallets.
What does this mean to green-product advertisers? Are we not doing a good job of conveying the benefits of green products? Or are the green products just not available to those looking for them?
NEW YORK - Shoppers are thinking green, but not always buying that way, according to a new study released by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Deloitte.
The study found that while 54 percent of shoppers indicated that environmental sustainability is a factor in their purchasing decisions, they actually bought green products on just 22 percent of their shopping trips. The survey is the basis of the GMA-Deloitte report released today titled “Finding the Green in Today’s Shoppers: Sustainability Trends and New Shopper Insights” and was based on interviews with over 6,400 shoppers.
The study found that an interest in buying green extended across all age, income and education levels, with 95 percent of respondents open to considering sustainable products, and 67 percent of shoppers actively looking for them when buying. Yet only 47 percent actually found green products and just 22 percent actually purchased them.
Bringing back this popular event again, Keep Norfolk Beautiful will be hosting an eCycling event during their celebrations on May 3rd from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. This event is open to all Hampton Roads residents. Contact Susan Ash at the Ernie Morgan Center for more details.
A list of items that will be accepted are as follows:
Compressed Gas Cylinders (propane, refrigerant, etc.)
Air Conditioners containing Freon
Asbestos
Smoke Detectors
Businesses needing a certificate of destruction or recycling, and/or has a quantity of electronic items that is more than what would fit in a F-150 pickup bed, please contact Synergy Recycling right away at hrrecycling@synergyrecycling.com or (757) 339-4010.
Norfolk residents are also invited to bring their documents to the Saturday event for shredding! This service is offered for free by Cintas, who will shred the documents on-site. All shredded material will be recycled.
Shredding services available Saturday only at the WHRO Studios drop-off site.
Plug Into Electronics Recycling! Saturday, April 18th, 8am to 4pm
WHRO Studios (49th St. & Hampton Blvd.)
Join us Tuesday, April 14th to Friday, April 17th, 10am to 4pm
Acceptable electronics recycling items include:
Cables & wiring
Computers & parts
Copiers
DVD players
Electrical equipment
Fax machines
Hair dryers/curling irons
Microwaves
Monitors
Phones
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAS)
Printers
Radios
Stereos
Switches
Tape/CD players
Toasters
TVs
Video equipment
Video game players
Other electronics may be accepted, call KNB at 757-441-1347 to confirm.
Less than 10 electronic units/systems will be accepted free of charge. Organizations with more than 10 electronic units/systems to recycle should contact the collection company, Recycling & Disposal Solutions, at 393-4737, or email hrrecycling@synergyrecycling.com to make arrangements. A fee will be charged.
Free for Norfolk residents. Proof of residency required.
If we could turn the population of the earth into a small community of 100 people, keeping the same proportions we have today, it would look something like this.
Can small-to-medium size businesses really afford to go green? In keeping with this week’s theme on my blog, I decided to ask a few questions of the SMB owners again.
Can you afford to go green?
We all want to. We all agree going green is the hip thing to do and on most fronts the right thing to do. But can you afford it? Here are some ideas to think about.
New energy efficient computers - tough to tackle on SMB budgets. Try to budget for them prior to your next buying cycle.
New energy efficient monitors - easier to tackle than new computers, plan ahead.
Recycle paper products - easily done but more costs from the city for waste collection. Check with your local recycling service vendors.
Paperless office - means additional software purchases and employee training costs (while losing productivity initially) but more than likely a good investment.
Reusable coffee filters - most offices have a constant brew of coffee going. Be smart with the filters.
Give up paper towels - use cloth towels that can be washed.
Think before you print - do you really need to print that document?
Ride a bike to work - leave the gas guzzler at home one day per week.
Telecommute - of the job functions that can allow, telecommute from home one day per week.
Buy laptops instead of desktops - laptops use less energy than desktops. But be smart with who you give them to. Developers normally can’t work with a less powerful machine.
Going green takes dedication and more importantly to an SMB it takes a monetary investment and committment. Yes, it’s worth it to our environment and our earth needs our support. But make sure your budgets can afford the dollars necessary to make the initiatives happen.
In April 2004 we completed construction of London’s first wind park at Ford Motor Company’s Dagenham site.
The two 85m high wind turbines, with a combined capacity of 3.6MW, will generate over 6.7million kWh of clean electricity every year, provide all the electricity needed to power Ford’s new Dagenham Clean Engine Facility. This is equivalent to enough electricity to power over 2,000 homes (nearly 7 million units per annum). This will mean that all Ford’s diesel engines assembled at the plant will have been produced using wind power.
Mayor of London’s approval -
In August 2003 the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, gave his approval for this project, endorsing planning approval granted by Havering and Barking & Dagenham Councils’ Planning Committees. Mr Livingstone said:
“This scheme will make an important contribution towards making London a more sustainable world city and will help us to achieve some of the key targets in my Energy Strategy. I hope it will encourage other large organisations to consider developing similar schemes on their premises.”
Located only 16km (10 miles) from the City of London, the development will create a major new Thames-side landmark for the capital and will make a key contribution to the renewable energy targets outlined in the Mayor’s draft energy strategy - preventing the emission of up to 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
Discovery Communications announced the acquisition of the green blog TreeHugger.com. The site will become part of Planet Green, which includes the first 24/7 eco-lifestyle TV network launching in 50 million homes in early 2008.
TreeHugger.com. has 1.4 million unique monthly visitors and has served over 50 million pages. It also has an archive of 13,500 posts.
Financial details were not disclosed though sources of PaidContent is placing it at $15 million.
On Friday, May 4th, my Kiwanis Club is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Eco-Fiesta. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. All proceeds go to the Friends of Norfolk’s Environment to help keep Norfolk beautiful! The ticket price includes all you can eat Moe’s burritos and chips and two beers / wine per person. The event starts at 5:00 pm at the Ernie Morgan Center, which is right outside of the Norfolk Zoo in Lafayette Park.
Prior to the Eco-Fiesta at 5:00, there is a kayak ride on the Lafayette River. If you are interested in a great excuse to miss work on a Friday afternoon, call me and I’ll get you the information on paddling on the Lafayette River. There are several courses to choose from and you do not have to have your own kayak.
I hope that you will all consider joining me for this great event. Last year it was big fun - kids are welcome and have different ticket prices so let me know if you need that information.
To purchase your tickets, email or call me and I’ll hold them for you.
That’s right, the world’s first tidal powered moon clock is the proposal. Aluna measures approximately 40 meters wide and five stories high. Its superstructure is supported by steel and is clad with translucent curved glass. The Aluna project is proposing a dual-hemisphere project anchored in Australia and the United Kingdom. More info can be found at the Aluna web site.
We need your trash. Examples include plastic caps of all sizes (from bottles and jugs, down to lip balm and mini-juices), plastic berry baskets, buttons, gasket scraps, flexible plastic tubing, corks, textiles, etc.
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