Lafayette Environmental Blog

Let's Go Biking!

2010-08-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest, as Nick commented on my last post, people throughout the US have difficulty going places without climbing in their cars and driving. It doesn't have to be that way! Let's make a difference this semester. Some other Purdue students and I will be biking to Bloomington and back over October Break. Interested in joining us? Leave a comment about how to contact you and I'll let you know the plan! It is not going to be an organized group aside from cycling company who "happen to be going the same direction". Everyone will be on your own for travel expenses, pre-trip training, and entertainment while in Bloomington. However, the more the merrier! Get training now and be ready for a ride across Indiana!

On the mediation and prevention of environmental issues

2010-07-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have found myself more than a little frustrated over the last several months at the approach used by many environmental protectors. I have the utmost respect for them, don't get me wrong but many times I feel that our education system is not teaching how to protect the environment, but more how to mediate environmental issues that have already taken hold. Meanwhile issues that are yet to arise due to a lack of prevention (anyone thinking about the Gulf right now?) What happened to thinking outside the box? To get the creative juices flowing, what are your thoughts on how the environment should be protected? In Lafayette? Nationally? Globally? Should environmental problems be mediated or prevented? If one or the other (since it seems that there are issues multitasking), why? Is mediation or prevention currently used in your environmental protection communities? Should mediation or prevention be higher on your priority list?

Earth Hour is Saturday

2010-03-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Less than 24 hours after Purdue turns the lights off on Duke's basketball team, useless lights around the world will go out for an hour. This is Earth Hour.

More on Earth Hour:

Green drinks-February 2

2010-02-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

This month's Green Drinks is coming up on Tuesday evening February 2 at Puccini's at 6:30 pm:

Green Drinks in Lafayette:

Energy development in China

2010-01-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

Here is an article about developing new green energy in China:

Green Drinks-Tuesday January 5

2010-01-03T19:17:00.000-08:00

Green Drinks is meeting on Tuesday January 5, at Puccini's on the Levee in West Lafayette.

Green Drinks:

Copenhagen epilogue

2009-12-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

Climate change and hardiness zones

2009-12-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

Here is another indicator of our changing climate:

Link to hardiness zones between 1990-2006:

2009-12-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

Hello Lafayette from Copenhagen! As many of you know, Christine and I are in Copenhagen, Denmark. We had great aspirations of attending the Copenhagen Climate Conference which I'm sure you've heard all about on the news. We're trying to keep a blog going, however we (along with about 20000 other people) have been kept out of the conference due to the facilities being under-capacity. With sporadic internet access, we're trying to keep the blog updated. Check it out! Also, you can follow our twitter tweets here.

In other news, the city is absolutely gorgeous. We're staying out of trouble and following the conference as best we can from the outside. Don't take the ridiculous headlines that protests are getting brutal too seriously. They are, but in my opinion the protesters are asking for trouble. The NGOs should let the politicians and scientists do their job and try to follow what's going on without making the process more difficult for everyone. Honestly, getting in the way isn't going to give us a better treaty.

CLEAR Act

2009-12-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

Here is some basic information about the CLEAR Act:

Link to CLEAR Act

Giant iceberg off Antarctica

2009-12-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

This huge piece of ice has broken off the Antarctic continent and is moving north.

Here is a link:

What is cap and trade all about?

2009-12-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

Many of you may have heard of cap and trade as a way to reduce heat-trapping gases and slow down climate change. It's one of the issues that are on the table at Copenhagen, and it's also being discussed in the U.S. senate right now.

So what exactly is cap and trade? Well, an entertaining cartoon called "The Story of Cap and Trade" has been making the rounds in emails and blogs that does a fairly good job of laying out the basics of what a cap and trade bill could look like, but it's definitely far from the full story. David Doniger from the Natural Resources Defense Council has gone into a lot of the details that the cartoon left out and commented on both Paul Krugman 's (who won the Nobel Prize in economics and is a columnist at the New York Times) and Jim Hansen's (who is a top climate change scientist at NASA) thoughts on cap and trade. I highly recommend going through these articles and others that are written by experts in the field.

Feel free to add your own thoughts or links to articles on climate change legislation, too!

Copenhagen Climate Meeting

2009-12-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today's the first day of a two-week long meeting on climate change that brings together leaders from around the world. President Obama announced that he will be attending the meeting, and if you're interested in getting more information, check out the conference's official website.

Open thread December

2009-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

This space is for posting whatever you think needs to be read regarding our environment. Go to the comments section here and post a topic for discussion.

Lafayette Environmental ?????

2009-12-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

Lafayette Environmental Blog readers,

I am so glad that Nick Harby had the idea for this blog. I had been pondering it myself. I think we need a place where environmentally minded people in the Lafayette area can share ideas that are unique to this area. Ideas that relate to other areas in Indiana or the world are welcome, too.

As you can see in the sidebar, I linked my own blog, Citizen Green, to this blog. If you write a green blog and want it linked, just send me an email. Or, if you read some green blogs that would interest the rest of us, send those to me, too.

I changed the look a little. The photo is of this summer's Riverfest on the Wabash. Surely someone out there has a better of the Wabash. We could also rotate local photos. I hesitate to use one from Google because of copyright issues. If you have constructive criticisms, send them to me. I think that we do not need the word “Blog” in the title since this is a blog, but I could not come up with a creative word to substitute -- Lafayette Environmental ????? Any ideas? Send them to lcander120@gmail.com.

Linda Anderson

Vote to Send a Citizen to Copenhagen

2009-12-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

United Nations Conference on Global Warming is Dec.7-Dec. 18 in Copenhagen, Denmark. 10,000 to 15,000 officials from nearly 200 countries will come together to come up with some solutions for global warming.

A website called Hopenhagen.com has been set up for all world citizens to voice their environmental concerns and hopes. Go to the Hopenhagen website and sign your name to the UN Climate petition. All of us world citizens need to let the world leaders know that we expect great things to happen at this conference.

Hopenhagen.com is sending a citizen journalist to Copenhagen for the climate conference as the Hopenhagen Ambassador. This citizen will represent the citizens of the world who are expecting world leaders to come to an agreement. The Hopenhagen Ambassador will write about events and issues in the Huffpost so that we can all keep up with the conference.

This is the important part. How does one become the citizen journalist for Hopenhagen? There is a contest where you can vote for the journalist of your choice. I am in a group of green bloggers called Green Moms Carnival and we have a nominee that we want you to vote for. Her name is Diane MacEachern, best selling author of Big Green Purse. View her video and vote for her IN THE NEXT 2 DAYS. Right now she is #2 and we feel with an email push, she can win. These are the steps to vote for Diane:

1) Please visit this link.

2) You will need to login to the Huffington Post web site or register if you are not already a member. You can also login using your Twitter or Facebook account.

3) Please rate Diane's entry with 10 stars.

As you will see, Diane also needs blogger endorsers. If you feel moved to write a post in support of Diane on your blog, please email the link to submissions+copenhagen@huffingtonpost.com, saying "Here is the link from xxxx blog endorsing Diane MacEachern for the citizen ambassador to Copenhagen", along with the link to your post.

FACEBOOK? If you have a Facebook page or fan page, it would be great if you could mention the contest and provide the link so your friends and fans can vote as well.

TWITTER? If you're on twitter, we'd appreciate it if you tweet about the contest using #votehope and @huffpostgreen.

Voting ends in just two short days, on December 4, so Diane needs as much support from you, your friends and your readers right now as possible. Please help us send this deserving green mom to Copenhagen (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/19/hopenhagen-ambassador-con_n_363672.html?slidenumber=QCjRGmul2Ak%3D) by voting now and spreading the word!

China at the Copenhagen Conference

2009-12-02T05:26:00.000-08:00

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the Climate Change Conference at Copenhagen.

China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.

China announced a national target reducing carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2020:

Xie Zhenhua will be at Copenhagen as China's special representative on climate change:

Another statement by Xie Zhenhua:

Operation Free, Verterans for American Energy

2009-12-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

Boiler Green Inititive are pairing with Purdue Student Veteran Organization to host a tour of Veterans on a program called Operation Free, Veterans for American Energy. They will be here to promote use of alternative energies in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and explain how reducing oil use is good for national security, troops' security, and climate change.
Boiler Green Initiative will be printing flyers, posting flyers, and making small double sided cards to give ideas on how to reduce personal dependence on oil.

The Event Information:
Operation Free, Veterans for American Energy
Wednesday December 2nd
Stewart 214 A&B
3:30-4:30pm
3:15-3:30 and/or 4:20-4:30 meet and greet on the lawn to get information to students.

Green Drinks--December 1 Tuesday

2009-11-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Green Drinks is meeting tomorrow at Spurlock's in Lafayette. Anyone is welcome to come.

Networking-Conversation-Education

Spurlock's Restaurant
721 Main St -- Lafayette

*PLEASE NOTE: This month's meeting will take place at Spurlock's due to scheduling conflicts. In January, Green Drinks will once again begin meeting at Puccini's.

TUESDAY, December 1
6:30 pm Social Gathering
7:00 pm Guest Speaker

GUEST SPEAKER: Jon Guenin, Energy Efficiency Specialist, Purdue TAP

Jon will explain some of the available energy efficient technology, as well as the importance of energy audits to identify the most economical ways of minimizing your energy consumption. If you want to find easy, low-cost ways to reduce your energy usage, bring your questions, your appetite -- and of course, YOURSELF -- to the December Green Drinks, and discover all of the ways that you can save money and reduce your carbon footprint this winter.

Copenhagen diagnosis

2009-11-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a recent report on what is known about climate change

Link to the Copenhagen diagnosis:

A decarbonized global society is proposed:

"If global warming is to be limited to a maximum of 2^oC above pre-industrial values, global emissions need to peak between 2015 and 2020 and then decline rapidly. To stabilize climate, a decarbonized global society – with near-zero emissions of CO₂ and other long-lived greenhouse gases – need to be reached well within this century."

That means at the least a complete stop to the use of fossil fuels.

Practically Green

2009-11-23T05:39:00.000-08:00

Practically Green by Micaela Preston is a handy new guide to living green. It’s not very big but is full of a lot of useful information. Each page is beautifully designed so that there are lots of separated areas that capture your attention. Micaela has divided the book into six chapters that cover most aspects of our everyday lives. She explains terms, labels, current issues in a very understandable manner. Each chapter has helpful charts that summarize information. Eco-Alerts and Health Alerts are examples of sections that separate and highlight current concerns such as the problems with non-stick cookware. Eco-Spotlights bring our attention to new products and issues plus websites to find more information. Each chapter has a Do It Green section with instructions for recipes and projects that are eco-friendly. I’m going to try making the bag from an old tie.

In the “Eating” chapter, Micaela does a great job of explaining sometimes confusing terms like local, organic, certified human, etc. There are more terms than I imagined and she explains the differences and similarities between them. I found the sustainable seafood guide especially helpful.

The “Living” chapter has a discussion about products and materials that we live with everyday. The plastics guide summarizes the seven categories of plastic, which to avoid and which are safer. She includes instructions for eight green make it yourself projects like homemade play dough and cloth napkins.

Micaela explains in “Cleaning” how to clean the home with green products. She recommends some easy to find safe cleaning products and she tells which ingredients to avoid. In the Do It Green section she tells how to make your own cleaning products the inexpensive simple way.

Just as the house needs safe cleaning and care products, so do you. In the “Caring” chapter Micaela describes how to simplify and improve the hygiene products we use. She explains which ingredients to avoid and recommends safe alternatives. Moms will find the section on alternatives to disposable diapers helpful.

The “Wearing” section is about eco-fashions and earthy friendly fabrics. The Eco-Spotlights in this section suggest good websites to find eco-friendly fashions.

The “Conserving” chapter is about how to be a green consumer and how to get your recycling habits organized. The chart on “Where Can I Recycle That?” is especially valuable.

Micaela calls her book “Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making”. If you are already into living green, it would be a great reference to have on hand. If you have recently decided to live greener, this book tells you how to do it all. It would be a great gift for the holidays. I think it would fit nicely in a Christmas sock!

Great Barrier Reef

2009-11-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Rising sea temperatures pose a threat to Australia's Great Barrier Reef:

Great Barrier Reef 'will die' unless carbon emissions slashed

Link to Great Barrier Reef:

Link to coral bleaching:

Keeling curve

2009-11-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Fundamental to the understanding of the carbon dioxide levels driving climate change is the story of the Keeling curve:

Wikipedia on Keeling curve:

Keeling curves:

Climate change can worsen public health

2009-11-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

A recent Harvard study found that climate change can increase cases of malaria, lyme disease, respiratory illness, and kidney stones. Higher average temperatures tend to favor mosquitoes and ticks, which are major vectors for malaria and lyme disease, respectively. Heat also increases the formation of photochemical smog, which can increase the risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Most importantly, here's something that directly affects Hoosiers:

"Climate change is making Indiana warmer, raising the risk of kidney stones because of low urine volume linked to heat exposure, according to a study cited by the Harvard center. By 2050 southern Indiana will fall into the high-risk zone for kidney stones and by 2100, the entire state will."

All industrialized countries, except the U.S., already have plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It's time for the U.S., which has the largest per capita emissions in the world, to take action so please write to Senators Bayh and Lugar about the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. For more info about the act, check out the Union of Concerned Scientists' website. They have an excellent summary and some good talking points too.

Bicycle pedestrian committee

2009-11-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested there is another public meeting tonight of the WL Bicycle and Pedestrian committee

West Lafayette Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee

Improving West Lafayette for Bicyclists and Pedestrians

AGENDA for 6:00 PM Tuesday, November 17, 2009 Meeting

West Lafayette Public Library

Elm or Walnut Room.

News of developments since the last meeting:

Status of various ongoing infrastructure development projects

North Salisbury Phase II Completed

Sycamore

Cumberland

Projects under study and/or awaiting funding: Wabash Heritage trail extension, US231, Purdue Ring

Road Phases 1 and 2, Happy Hollow Road, Soldiers Home Road, Yeager Rd, Klondike Rd/Lindberg.

Update on Bike Ped Plan and Thoroughfare Plan at the Area Plan Commission – Transportation planning

Others news – by participants present

Open forum for problems and ideas for new actions

Project status reports, planning and brainstorming

• Web site being constructed for WLBPC – www.westlafayettebikeped.org.

• Presentation projects:

General presentation - Status report

Bicycle Commuting - Status report

• CLEAN City Challenge (IDEM) Project

• Bike share monitoring project

• Bike to Work 2010

• Incentives for Bicycle commuters

Green Roof

2009-11-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

There is a nice article on the Citizen Green blog about the new green roof on Schleman Hall.

Here is a link

There is a second green roof on Purdue's campus, it is the Undergraduate Library, much of it is below ground level.

Newport Prairie at risk

2009-11-17T05:15:00.000-08:00

The Newport Prairie in Vermillion County is at risk for elimination to become soybean fields or an industrial park. Here

is a letter explaining the situation:

From: Phillip Cox <philwcox@gmail.com>
Subject: SAVE THE LARGEST CONTIGUOUS BLACK SOIL PRAIRIE IN INDIANA TODAY

Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 4:22 PM

The Newport Chemical Depot Reuse Authority is still accepting comments for
the Reuse of the 7,000 acre US Army Newport Chemical Depot in Vermillion
County.

There is a 336 acre tallgrass prairie (with approximately 40 species of
forbs & grasses) that is according to the Division of Nature Preserves, "by far
the largest contiguous black soil prairie in Indiana". Wild pheasants and bobcat
(documented last Sunday), quail, Virginia rail, great egrets, grassland bird
species, turkeys, waterfowl thrive in the mosaic of prairie and adjacent
wetlands on the southwest corner of the Depot. The biodiversity here is
incredible.

Currently the DRAFT Reuse Plan makes no provisions for preserving the prairie,
instead it leaves open the possibility of using it for "other agricultural
production" (pg. 87 of the Draft Plan) or for "business and technology". There
are already 3,375 acres designated for "business and technology" and 1,250
acres designated for "agricultural and forestry" in the DRAFT Reuse Plan. Currently there is already 3,000 acres of corn/soybeans on the Depot.

You can help, send your comments in to comments@necdra.com right now while there is still time!!! Comments are currently being accepted until the Public Hearing. Don't
think that someone else will comment for you. Comments can be short or long.

The Public Hearing is at 6:30 on Thursday November 19 at the Clinton Municipal
Building, 259 Vine St. Clinton, Indiana. Everyone is invited.

If you have any questions you may contact me at philwcox@gmail.com or
765/548-4007 or see www.necdra.com .

Thanks,

Phil Cox
INPAWS member and
President
Wabash Valley Audubon Society

For a photo of the Newport Chemical Depot Prairie go to
www.wabashvalleyaudubon.org

West Lafayette GoGreener meeting

2009-11-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

The city sponsored GoGreener group is at a public meeting tonight at West Lafayette City Hall at 7:15 pm.

How fast can we get to Chicago, New York, and beyond? What's the green trade off?
Mass Transit is the focus of of WL Go Greener's November public meeting. Thom Davis, president of the Indiana High Speed Rail Association, Joe Krause, Amtrak and CityBus representative, Andy Tuholski from Repower America and a representative from Purdue Airport will each make short presentations and answer questions. Tuesday, November 17 at 7:15 pm, WL City Hall.

Hope to see you there!

Here is a link:

So... what about recycling?

2009-11-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

I don't know about all of you, but I've been seriously wondering about recycling and the environmentally friendliness of the processes. I'm currently looking up more info of which I'll share later. Here's an article to get you started thinking about the issue.

How might it apply to us as Greater Lafayette citizens?

Knowing more about recycling, what are your thoughts on whether or not recycling should be done?

Kerry Boxer Bill

2009-11-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Both our Indiana Senators Lugar and Bayh are "fence sitters" on the Kerry-Boxer bill (a bill for Cap-and-Trade). Read more about the bill here! Then call your Senators and let them know you support the bill!

Senator Lugar: (202) 224-4814
Senator Bayh: (202) 224-5623

Copenhagen conference

2009-11-11T18:58:00.001-08:00

The UN conference on climate change is in Copenhagen on Dec. 7-18 this year. They are going to be working on a framework for climate change mitigation. Here are some links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference_2009

http://en.cop15.dk/

Free stuff that could have been thrown out

2009-11-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

Don't throw hazardous household waste in the trash, take it to the Wildcat Creek Solid Waste District office. You can get good stuff there for free, go here first before you buy it at the store. This is the best kind of recycling.

here is a link to the story:

Take the bus

2009-11-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

A good way to get around in Lafayette is to use the CityBus public bus system. Here is a link to CityBus:

The trolley between downtown Lafayette and Purdue campus is always free:

Here is a link to the trolley: