How Many Congressmen Does It Take To Change A Light Bulb?

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Compact Florescent Lamp

Quite a few, apparently, because congress has battled incessantly over the "constitutionality" of implementing the nationwide industry shift to energy-saving Compact Florescent Lamps (CFLs). The change is finally scheduled to come about this January, barring a last-minute attempt to derail the measure.

The facts are clear and extremely important in this energy and carbon challenged era: If every household in the US would switch to CFL or LED usage, it would be the equivalent of taking one million cars off our roadways. There are a multitude of reasons for the change such as this.

Likewise, the EPA ran a great post this week on their Greenversations blog, which highlighted the efforts of one astute woman who understands the significance and is taking matters into her own hands (literally) by making sure that her home lighting is thoroughly energy smart. Even her daughter is in the know about home energy conservation.

So let's see - a bright-minded child versus a House full of bickering congressmen. I'll go with the kid's advice any day.  Read More

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Being The Change, From The Ground Floor Up.
  

Yikes web design's eco efficient new digs.

Fishtown people can be nosy neighbors. Maybe it's because we're watchful folk who look out for each other. Or perhaps it's that we have an insatiable and profound curiosity for the world around us that leads us to snoop a bit.

Whichever the case, when YIKES, a sustainable web design business and certified B corporation, hung out their sign on Girard Avenue, I felt that curiosity rise - especially after hearing that Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter had attended the grand opening of their eco-fabulous new office.

What is sustainable web design? What is a B corporation? And why does the mayor like them so much? YIKES co-founder Tracy Levesque sat down recently with us to answer these questions and more. Her dreams and goals tell of a wonderful story well on its way to coming true.   Read More

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Winter Gardening?

 

Although it seems light years from spring, there are things to do to on a cold winter day to get your garden set for green season. The Philadelphia Orchard Project will host a workshop on January 28 to teach "correct pruning for maximum health and production of your fruit trees and berry bushes," according a description listed on their site.

Thoughts of spring.

The organization strives to help build green-spaces throughout the city and provide advocacy for "a healthy, sustainable, and just food system in Philadelphia." Some recent accomplishments include an edible landscape at Philadelphia's Ogden Gardens, a home for young adults with autism who participate in care of the landscape, and 25 events last spring alone that included five new orchard plantings and eight expansions.  

Commenting on the project's efforts, Orchard Director Phil Forsyth eloquently stated in a recent Philadelphia Magazine interview, "kids are more likely to eat something they pulled off a tree themselves than something you just hand to them."

Mr. Forsyth will be the instructor for the workshop, and says to dress warmly. "A good portion of the class will be held outdoors in Grumblethorpe’s gardens." For more information visit www.phillyorchards.org.

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Recycle Your Way To A Greener Block.

Need some good facts and reasons to help encourage your neighbors to recycle? Here are a few quick ones:

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Philadelphia neighborhood.

1. Recycling saves money. It costs less to recycle a ton of material than to put it in a landfill. This means reduced disposal cost for you. Also, many neighborhoods allow you to earn points based on the number of people recycling there. Philadelphia currently has such a program in place through its Street and Sanitation Department. You can find more on this and other helpful green tips it at Sustainable 19125.

2. Recycling saves energy. Recycling one aluminum can save enough energy to run a TV for three hours. A glass bottle will light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours. Every ton of paper could heat and cool a home for 6 months.

3. Don't recycle? It could cost you. Recycling is the law in several cities. If you don't recycle, you could face fines. Check your local ordinances for specifics. But we don't want to scare anybody into recycling. There are plenty of incentives and other reasons to encourage you to reduce, recycle, and reuse, and help make a healthier, happier planet.

Actions you can take: Recycle all paper, plastic and glass. Recycle electronics, light bulbs and batteries. Compost food waste, yard waste, and holiday trees... Speaking of holidays, have yourself a wonderful one. We'll catch up again in the new year.

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Images by D.A. DeMers, unless otherwise noted. Free to use via CC license 3.0. Visit our main blog, Designer in Exile, for insightful feature posts and interviews with leaders and innovators in the art, design, and sustainability world.

 

Related articles

• Making Healthy Homes (designer-in-exile.blogspot.com)
• Innovation Week 2011: Five Creative Ways to Deal with the Switch to Green Lighting (curbed.com)
• Have You Switched to CFL? (smarthome.com)
• GOP's Dim Bulb Obsession Threatens Government Shutdown (thinkprogress.org)
• LifeBulb: an LED that can match a 60W incandescent? | Hanna Gersmann (guardian.co.uk)