Where is my local fish?
Posted on March 13, 2009
So I went to Henry’s Market to buy food. This place is supposed to favor local producers, and they seem to be doing a good job in the produce department. I however wanted to buy some fish…quite a different story there: Salmon from Chile, Trout from Chile, Tilapia from China, Red Tuna from Indonesia, White fillets from Mexico… Is there no local fish left in the our ocean (I live 3 miles away from the Pacific Ocean)? Some of these were farm grown, like the Chilean fish, can’t we have local farms in the US ? Big let down there from Henry’s Farmers Market…
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Earth Day? Did you say?
Posted on April 24, 2008
So it was Earth Day yesterday. And what was it all about? I noticed because the Google logo on their main page changed into a green oasis with a little waterfall. Cute. But so what happened on Earth Day?
You can read loads of editorials online about efforts to save the planet, doomsday scenarios and of course large consumer marketing of so called green products for all kinds of uses. I am glad to see the amount of ink used for this purpose, I am very skeptical about our ability to really change anything anytime soon.
For example, I live in South California, I am bombarded with information about how live greener. I have followed many “green tips” such as changing my light bulbs to compact fluorescent ones (I live in a permanent gloom now at home), I minimize water use as much as I can, I have a lighter foot on the gas now, I drink tap water only, I make sure as much as my possible my groceries are locally grown and I hang out my washing to dry. So are we good now? Is the planet saved? or should I plant a few more trees in the back yard?
The basic issue is that all these little “green tips” do help, on the long run, we’ll adapt, but they are no where close to achieve anything really big. What is really needed is a total redesign of our lifestyle. As a friend of mine says: “We are in for a drastic change of lifestyle here!”. Think about it, I’d like to walk to the store, but who has a store anywhere close to them in South California? There are miles and miles of highways. New houses a built everyday with no local stores within walking distance. All stores are set up as major malls for which you need a car to go to, same for the local new schools. There are very few buses, trains or trams. I’ve tried biking, but its suicidal here. The bike lanes are protected by a painted strip of paint on the side of 50 mph roads! Is that safe? Would you send your kids to school on a bike on these roads? No. And sadly this is not only specific to South California, its all over the US and elsewhere, there just seems to be no planning at all for sustainable development.
So next earth day is in 363 days, as the count down clock announces on earth day’s web site. But what are we counting down to? Another year of hanging my socks out to dry?
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Recycle Mobile Phones
Posted on April 4, 2008
At the CTIA Wireless 2008 show this week in Las Vegas, amongst new gadgets and 4G hype, some companies such as ReCellular are offering recycling services for mobile phones. With worldwide mobile phone sales at above 1 billion units a year, devices are being produced in very high volumes. And how long have you had your cell phone for? Most users get a new phone every 12 to 18 months. Either they broke the previous one or felt the urge to buy the latest gadget like an iPhone. So imagine the volume of “old” phones were are producing. In the US market alone (over 150 million new phones sold each year), the EPA estimates that less than 20% are recycled.
Interestingly, most of these old phones are stored in homes, but an increasing number is starting to hit the landfills. Although mobile phones are increasingly produced with more friendly components to the environment, like all electronic equipment, they contain quite polluting and corrosive elements. Depending on the vintage of your old phone (and its charger), it either can be refurbished and resold, or its raw materials can be harvested and resold for re-use.
These companies have come up with innovative recycling proposal to entice individuals and companies to send there old phones to them. Some of these include donation programs for the charity of your choice. The San Diego Zoo and other American zoos have set up a program with Eco-Cell to support african gorillas.
Whatever the cause you choose to support, your old phone still has value and can be re-used. The EPA has started a program in 2008 to encourage cell phone recycling and estimates that recycling just a million cell phones reduces greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 1,368 cars off the road for a year. The EPA also lists recommended places to deposit your old phone. Read about it here.
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Earth Hour
Posted on March 29, 2008
Earth Hour is on March 29th 2008 at 8pm (your local time). Switch off all you lights for 1 hour. Check details here.
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Read on the web…
Posted on March 25, 2008
Indonesia holds the “highest deforestation” title in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records, destroying an estimated 300 soccer fields of forest every hour.
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Hello from Topyko Earth
Posted on March 24, 2008
Welcome to Topyko Earth ! We will discuss planet earth, ecology, sustainability and everyday life changes.
Topyko Earth.
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