Gas Guzzling Gaffe solutions?

Well first off I want to say that I'm no expert. Just an average gal who cares, like I said before. But I'm learning, opening and grasping lots of new ideas. Then sharing with you all this great stuff I learnt and liked. So hope you don't mind this blog being a sharing rather than a teaching.

That said, seems I'm suppose to continue with the transport subject again. 'Cause all this week I've surfed and heard about more and more. So I stand corrected. Looks like there are lots of great minds worldwide thinking on this subject.

Here's one great change making incentive... "Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize (PAXP), is a $10 million contest that wants to eliminate our oil addiction and stop global warming." Jay Leno did the opening to the event announcement that Progressive Insurance is the name sponsor of Automotive X PRIZE. Jay also took delivery of the the 1st production model Tesla Roadster July 2008 and he talks about it at Jay's garage.

Watched Neil Young interviewed by Charlie Rose on Thursday 7-17. Seems Neil is working with Jonathan Goodwin, owner of H-Line conversions to turn his hotrod 1959 Lincoln Continental into a 100mpg green machine and more. And he plans to enter it in the PAXP. 'Live to ride, ride my green machine!' Neil's dream is ridin' green.

Heard a talk by Al Gore on Thursday 7-17 that was so motivating. About changing the way electricity is made with solar, wind, water, etc. instead of coal or fossil fuel. Gave us a goal of 10 years to make the change. Changes the scope, potential and feasibility of electric cars and their long term environmental impact. Timely... you're blazing the trail Al... go, go, go!

Went to APS' website, our local electric company. They offer Green Choice Rates, electricity made from wind, water and solar power. Maybe your electric company offers green rates too?

On 7-23 came across articles about a Minnesota dairy farmer who is using methane from his cows to power his car, farm and 70 homes in the area. And a California dairy farmer too. Dang! Phoot phoouel of the phoouture is a reality!

So here's more cool green innovative transport ideas.

A few more electric cars...

Phoenix Motorcars, Inc. - electric SUV & SUT

Phoenix Motorcars, Inc, Ontario, CA is releasing 2 new all electric vehicles a truck and an SUV. 100% electric. 0-60 mph in less than 10 seconds. Top Speed 95mph. Range 130 miles. Charge time with on-Board Charger 5 to 6 hours. With off-Board High-Power Charger under 10 min. to 95% SOC. Base price: $45,000. Release date mid 2008. Later in 2008 will have extended-range battery option for 250 miles.

Aptera Motors - Super-MPG Electric Typ-1e

Aptera Motors, Carlsbad, CA initially sales of the Typ-1e will be limited to California residents only. 100% electric vehicle, 120 mile range. Top speed 85 mph. 0-60 in under 10 seconds. 3 wheels, 2 seats. Base price: $30,000 or less. Hybrid also available 600 mile range. Read more about it at Popular Mechanics.

Here's a webpage that lists 30 electric cars available now.

And folks across the globe are getting on board too. Here's one example: US-Based Company Helps Denmark and Israel Get Behind the Wheel of Electric Cars the idea is called Project Better Place introduction expected 2010.

Air powered car???

Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM) - Air Car concept

First air powered car will be produced in the U.S. by Zero Pollution Motors New Paltz, NY. ZMP is the U.S. licensee for MDI France who developed the Air Car. The CityCat (model shown) hybrid can travel 1,000 miles on a fill up. Top speed 96 mph. Zero to low C02 emissions. Seats six. Base price $17,800. Introduction to U.S. expected in late 2009 or early 2010.  Read more about it at Popular Mechanics.

Engineair Pty Ltd, - rotary air engine

Angelo Di Pietro is the designer of a unique rotary piston engine that is powered by compressed air, called the Engineair. His company Engineair Pty Ltd is located in Brooklyn, Australia. He says it emits zero pollution, uses no petrol or batteries, takes minutes to recharge and has many applications like powering a car, boat, motor cycle and more.

Here's a video about air powered cars talks about Air Car by MDI and Di Pietro's unique engineair.

Water as a fuel continued???

HHO a new clean fuel alternative?

Water (H₂O) turned into HHO gas through low voltage, something scientists once thought impossible is safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly according to Denny Klein owner of Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc. Clearwater, Florida. Aquygen™ HTA's name for HHO is a combustible gas made through their Aquygen generator. The internet is buzzing everywhere with talk of HHO, other inventors and applications like Hydrogen on Demand as a fuel for vehicles. Amazing concept!

So many cool and interesting new technologies. So much energy. So much happening. It's just plain excitin'. Goin' green and savin' the planet. Yahoo!

Gas Guzzling Gaffe

Gas just keeps going up and up. It's crazy! What can we do? Grin and bear it? Eat less food to fill the tank? Not bloody likely. Won't go hungry to feed that monster. Go to town less. Cut trips to once a month. Do everythin' at once. A Band-Aid is all. Sure it'll cut costs some. And cut pollution a little. But it's short term. My little car already gets about 40mpg. Gotta find a better way to this Gas Guzzling Gaffe!

All of it got me thinkin'. I've heard folks say, 'That's a scary thought... she's been thinkin' again, ah oh!' Well, pppffffttt and raspberries to ya. Anyway we got a crisis as I see it. Ya'd think the great minds of the world who can split atoms, create starwars, go to the moon and back... for cripes sakes... could come up with an efficient, clean runnin' engin'. That doesn't use fossil fuels in any part of the process.

Just read 'bout hydrogen fuel cells. Sure sounds good. Till ya find out that fossil fuels are used to make hydrogen, mostly. So we use fossil fuels (which we're trying to moving away from) to make another potentially skyhigh fuel which runs clean. Got pollution in the makin' and maybe a higher cost to boot. Don't see a fix there. But fuel cells can run on any fuel even methane. There's an idea! Refine and bottle cattle phoots. Recycle and reduce pollution too. Imagine the commercials for a new phootmobile. MG's new FART - Fast Affordable Reliable Transportation. Runs on Phoots, the clean burning, recycled phoouel of the phoouture.

Sure it's funny but most methane is obtained from fossil fuel not cattle. So don't think that's a solution. Sigh! If there's pollutin' anywhere in the process it won't work. Can't use it to power anythin'. Or if there's a limited amount and it's not renewable or adds pollution. Can't use it. Like oil, coal, natural gas. What if it takes land to produce that could grow food to help feed the hungry around the world. Is that a solution? It's a quandary. We gotta think of all consequences.... long term.

But what about right now? Been doin' some surfing on transport. Found some interesting stuff. Short term... better fuel economy is a start. Small gasoline or hybrids for better gas mileage. But GAWD why isn't the mpg higher. Here's the top two fuel savers...

smart  

smart, a member of Mercedes-Benz Cars is produced in France. smart ForTwo, 3-cylinder, 1-liter gasoline powered engine is currently rated as the highest mileage car in the US. It is classified as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV). Ratings: top speed 90mph, 33-40 mpg city, 41-45 mpg highway. Base Price: $12,235. A 100% electric smart is currently being tested in the UK.

Toyota Motors Hybrid

Toyota Prius (hybrid-electric) is currently rated as the highest mileage gasoline/electric hybrid. It is classified as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (ATPZEV). Ratings: 48 mpg highway, 45 mpg city. Base Price: $21,500.

Just heard that Toyota is having trouble keeping up with demand for their hybrid. Well that good, but it still pollutes and uses fossil fuel so how about a more eco-friendly solution?

Maybe electric? There are some in the works. Here are two...

Tesla Motors Electric car

Now in production in USA at Tesla motors a 100% electric sports car. Fast 0-60 in 3.9 seconds,  Zero emissions, 220 miles per charge, 2-3.5 hour charge. Base price: $109,000. There is a waiting list for this car.

Just read in the July 21 issue of Newsweek that Elon Musk cofounder of Tesla Motors said "Our second product is a sedan that is about half the price and will be produced in late 2010. We think we could either directly or in partnership with a major auto company actually get to a car that is under $30,000 in four years."

Th!nk Global Electric Car - a green machine

Now in production in Norway and coming to the US. The Th!nk City is a 100% electric vehicle, designed for city driving. Zero emissions, 95% recyclable, made of recycled materials. It can travel up to 110 miles in city driving, top speed 65mph. Th!nk City will be sold in Europe in late 2008 and in US 2009. US price expected to be sub $25,000.

If we go all electric it's good. But how is that electricity produced at the plant? Does it burn fossil fuel or coal? Even atomic power plants have serious long term pollution issues. If all transportation is plug in (electric) it means higher electric demand. Many power plants can't keep up with demand now. With brown or black outs happenin' on real hot or cold days... all over. What happens if we add transportation to the mix? Seems this mode of electric power transportation is only a short term solution at best... with lots of limitations.

Unless perhaps the electricity to power the vehicle is self generated somehow. Through solar or water or something other. Here is a water powered concept car with interesting potential...

Genepax Co, Ltd.  Water Energy System (WES) concept vehicle.

Genpax a Japanese firm has developed a system that extracts electricity from water, Zero emissions. The H2O Power concept car (WES in Reva, shown) runs on water. Genepax hopes to partner with an automaker to produce WES powered vehicles. If interested here is a website on how it works.

Pie in the sky or the next motorized carriage???

How about a magnetic motor? Two Australian Inventors have developed a generator which they claim will run for years on it's own power and make 5 times the energy it uses.  Can even power a car they say with zero pollution. The video is amazing and interesting. Such potential.

There are a lot of ideas for free energy or zero point energy machines on the Living Web. Are they true? Don't know, but sure are interesting and have great potential.

The sky's the limit... it's only limited now by what we can imagine. Let's do great things, ask lots of questions and make this happen for the betterment of ourselves, our children and the planet!!!

Cattle Cutting Cheese Catastrophe

Cattle cutting cheese? What's up with that? Most living creatures phoot. Why is that newsworthy? Just heard that cattle phooting is the second largest contributor to global warming.  Higher then transportation. It's inconceivable!

Massive numbers of 'em stockpiled. Force fed corn or soy. Hard to digest. Stomachs made for grass, so there's massive upset. Creating voluminous gas. Now this isn't just any phoot. It's methane. It's flammable. More toxic then CO2. And being released in incredible quantities. Ever driven by a stockyard? It's a smelly mess for miles.

The average American eats half a pound of meat a day. Twice as much as USDA recommends. So meat producers pack 'em in even more. 10,000,000,000 animals a year to feed our need. Which means more and more stinkin' phoots pollutin' the air. It's a Cattle Cutting Cheese Catastrophe.

But there's more...

Mark Bittman a food critic, discusses the current state of our food. Too much meat, too few plants and too much fast food is putting our lives and the planet at risk. Watch this entertaining and enlightening video to find out how. It's funny, fascinating and firey.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

TED: Ideas worth spreading: http://www.ted.com/

July 2, 2008 - BBC reports that higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, cereals and less red meat, plus more olive oil are a healthier diet. More...

Outrageous Organic Ostracism

I'm in this clique of 'health nuts' now. Put there by friends and family. How nice of them! Say I'm a ravin', 'save the planet', 'organic vegetable eatin', liberal. Not at all who everyone thought I WAS! Humph! Never thought I'd see THAT day. The neat little slot I'm filed in contains others with the same 'strange thinking'. Not who I am of course. I care some. About myself. About my health. About my impact on 'everyone' and 'everything'. And visa versa too. So I'm chastised for it. I'm an outcast livin' in Outrageous Organic Ostracism hell.

And the other side is even stranger. I'm 'rich & famous' 'cause I eat organic. Put you in this slot 'cause everyone who eats organic must be wealthy'. Right? This is an exclusive club only some can afford... 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'. A bloody marketing ploy. Was having a conversation with a couple of guys the other day. One said, "Having a pre-lunch carbo load of organic fruit loops." Another replied, "First of all, there are organic Fruit Loops? And second, they have carbs? The mind boggles." They first guy replied, "Whole foods sells organic fruit loops. Sure, they're $30 a box, but so good." I retorted, "Our local health food store has 'em for $5 bucks a box. You be getting ripped off son."  Healthier food doesn't have too cost a lot. Geez. He actually got mad and stomped off. I'm baffled. Must have blown his image or somethin'. Outrageous Organic Ostracism.

I'm just an average kinda gal, don't come near to rich. But gawd, the thought of livin', breathin' and eatin' 24/7/365 in a cesspool of toxic chemicals and pollution hit me like a ton of bricks. Gotta do something. So I'm livin' this organic, more conscious lifestyle, now. Right? And thinkin' I've got to deprive myself. Organic means healthy food. So have to stay away from of all the things I love. Like chocolate chip cookies. Ooohhh, I just love chocolate chip cookies... darn!!!

My roommate's birthday was coming up and I asked her what she wanted. She said, "Chocolate chip, pecan cookies. My favorite. I'd love that." I replied, "We're organic, can't make chocolate chip cookies." She said, "Yes you can. Organic doesn't mean health food it means naturally grown without added chemicals, pesticides and herbicides. You just use organic ingredients." Wow, I hadn't considered that. That's Right! Like my grandmother.

Made a big batch of organic chocolate chip pecan cookies. Same recipe I always used only organic ingredients, plus ground flax.  Organic is every bit as decadent and delicious. In fact I'd have to say they tasted even better.

Told a high school friend about the organic birthday cookies. He said, "Ah, organic dessert? Boy, I don't know. If you are going to eat dessert, 'ya gotta eat real stuff." I replied, "Organic, the new buzzword. Organic just means back to basics. The way my Gran Gran did things in her garden with manure, compost, worms... al Natural." I handed him a cookie. He took a bite, groaned and said, "Geez these are good. Gimme another!"

Birthday cookies gone. Everyone is pounding fists, stamping feet, shouting, "More, more, more. Make some more!!!" Need crowd control.

Here's my riotous recipe for your tasting pleasure:

Chocolate chip, pecan cookies

1 cup organic unbleached flour
1/3 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup organic ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup organic unsalted butter (1 stick softened)
1/2 cup organic unbleached cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar pure vanilla extract
1 large organic egg
1 cup Fair Trade chocolate chips
1/2 cup local pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl sift together dry ingredients. In mixer, cream butter with white, brown sugar and vanilla. Add egg. when thoroughly mixed add chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 375 F, 9 - 11 minutes. Cool slightly. Dig in!!!

I'm happy. My stomach is happy... cookies! Yea! The earth is happy too. Another people/planet friendly solution.

If your grocery or health food market doesn't carry any of the ingredients request them. Ours will special order and stock it if enough folks ask. A source for Fair Trade chocolate online is New American Dream

Santa is Seriously Soggy

Was surfing the web looking at other folks pages. Following links. Came upon Al at TED.com. Gore that is. Watched his new video. Looks like he's been talking to more of them scientists about that climate crisis.

It's worse then we thought. Santa's losin' his home! Oh it's not foreclosure or anything like that. Seems the ground is melting right out from under him. The North Pole is melting!!! Can you imagine! In 5 years Santa home will sink under water. Never to return. Oh there'll still be skim ice over winter. But the real deep hard stuff will be gone.

Emergency!!! We gotta' save Santa! And what about the reindeer? Where will they live? And all the elves? That means no more toys for Christmas. What about the children? They'll be no more presents. This is a crisis I tell you!!! A real CRISIS!

But Al says there's something we can do. 'Take action' he says, "Don't just change light bulbs. Change consciousness. Become active. Talk, write, communicate. Be proactive." Ok, Al  I'm proactivatin'.

Holding air mic, singin' (to the song 'Grandma got run over by a reindeer' by Elmo & Patsy)...

Santa won't be commin' with his reindeer
Landin' on your house on Christmas Eve
'Cause Santa lost his house when North Pole melted
Now he and Mrs. Clause live on the street.

Save Santa's home. Proactivate. Help stop the melt!

Al Gore's new thinking on the climate crisis.

TED: Ideas worth spreading http://www.ted.com/

Permafrost Threatened by Rapid Retreat of Arctic Sea Ice, NCAR/NSIDC Study Finds

Newsweek reported in the July 7-14, 2008 issue Global Warming Is a Cause of This Year’s Extreme Weather

Enormous Edacious Electric Eater

My electric bills are enormous. Every month it seems they get bigger and bigger. No matter what I do my habitat keeps edaciously eating energy. It's an Enormous Edacious Electric Eater. Sucking down more and more and even more. The electric conditioner of the air is eating all my earnings. Gobbling $$$$ bills like there's no tomorrow. And that cold food box seems to never stop it's gluttonous gobbling. I hear their voices day and night, whirling, whispering and whining their ravenous 'feeed meeeee'. Like giant stomachs growling their desire for more fuel. Then rudely making belching noises... ssscccuuueeww bbbuuuurrrpp... and turning themselves off. For now.

My artist friend refuses to feed the monster. He's opted to sit in 105 degree hot. Shake and bake. Rather then fork out the extra cash for cooling. So he sweats or freezes in blissful misery. He told me the other day, "It's so hellaciously hot my oil pastels melted and ran together. Now I've got an oil shadowbox by G_d. Think I'll frame it for posterity to remember this hell. Oy vey! " Clicking my tongue I replied, "Stop your kvetching! Turn on the cooler so YOU don't melt." Sheesh!

The next door neighbors on the other hand have the air cranked up so high you instantly turn into a giant popcicle upon entering. Told them so and they replied, 'Naw, you're a Creamcicle... cold and tart on the outside with a sweet creamy center." Gawd, now I'm blushing. Hate it when I blush.

My habitat is in between freezer and oven. Comfortable. But have an enormous electric bill. Got to ease it. Hiss a sigh, rubbing my mouth and neck in utter frustration. My roommate is watching this drama unfold from the sofa. "What's got you so flustered" she says. I reply, "I've got an Enormous Edacious Electric Eating apartment. My bills are so high, my wallet's going dry." She says, "There are lot's of things we might be able to do. Let's think about it for a while."

We got our heads together, wrote down our ideas. Then looked online to see what others were suggesting. Here's our finalized list things with a √ we opted to do:

Air conditioning / heating

Thermostat. Temperature.

• √In Summer turn off the thermostat and open the windows at night and use ceiling fans. If night temps fall into the 60s, will cool the house down. Close the widows at dawn to retain. House may stay comfortable until early afternoon without air conditioning. In Winter turn down heat to 55 degrees at night. During day set at 65 degrees and wear a sweater. Use space heater if needed as supplement.
• 10 degrees (cooler or warmer) at night or whenever no one is home. 8 hours per day can save 10% on electric bill.
• Install new thermostat Allows automatic adjustment.  8 hours per day can save 10% on electric bill.

Air-conditioning/heating unit.

• √Regularly maintain air-conditioning/heating unit have system checked and maintained yearly. Our landlord does yearly maintenance of all heating/cooling units.

Filters.

• √Replace filters regularly check heating/cooling system filters monthly and clean or replace if necessary. Our landlord provides filters and asks us to change them monthly.

Shades/blinds/curtains

• √Close shades (blinds or curtains). if it's cold or hot closing shades insulates the windows and can reduce costs. We have double cellular translucent shades and vertical blinds that we close during the afternoon or whenever we are gone.
• Upgrade Shades to special shades or curtains with R value saves even more.

Ceiling Fans

• √Ceiling fans will balance the temperature in a room and help it feel cooler. Our landlord provides ceiling fans in living room and bedroom and we utilize them.

Plant trees.

• √Plant Trees can cut heating/cooling bills up to $250 annually by shading and insulating the house. We asked if we could plant a few shade trees. They were yearlings so will take a while to mature into full shade trees. One fast growing tree we planted was a mulberry. We get to enjoy the fruit too.

Weatherize

• √Leaks find and fix around windows and doors. Find with smoke or candle flame, when flickers there is a leak. Caulk or install weather stripping. Can save up to 30 percent annually on utility bills. We caulked around all the outside doors and windows, installed weather stripping and door sweeps.
• Replace windows with more energy efficient ones if possible.
• Leaks in HVAC ducts. Sealing and insulating ducts may save 10% annually.
• √Close chimney flues. Our apartment has a wood burning fireplace. So we opted to always keep flue closed when it's not in use.

Insulation

• Inspect insulation levels. 12 inches of insulation in the attic can save 20% on energy costs.
• Solar attic fan removes hot air from attic. May save around $100 during the summer season.
• √White roof reflects heat, black absorbs heat.  Our landlord recently coated the roof with a white sealant to waterproof and reflect some of the heat.

Lighting

Light bulbs.

• √Compact fluorescent bulbs (called CFLs) use 75% less electricity and last about 10 times longer then incandescent bulbs. Replacing four 100-watt bulbs with  23-watt CFLs (equivalents) will save up to $200 in three years. We replaced all of our bulbs throughout the apartment with corresponding wattage CFLs. Sometimes the out put wasn't as great, but it was satisfactory.
• √20-watt desk lamp. light desk instead of room. One 20 watt bulb (vs. one 60 watt) will save $5 every 500 hours. We already had and used a desk lamp and opted to keep it off as much as possible.
• √Turn off lights when not needed or when leave a room.

Home Electronics

VCRs/DVD players. TVs. Stereos. Telephones.

• √Unplug home electronics. Home electronics continue to use electricity even when turned off. In fact anything with a clock, remote control or an on/off light drains power.  Idle TVs alone cost around $5 annually. Easy solution: Plug electronics into a power strip and use as on/off switch. We bought 3 surge protector strips with on/off buttons. Plugged electronics into them and turn the strips off when not in use.

Television

• Invest in LCD TV Want to replace your TV with a large screen? Consider LCD TV, uses half the power of plasma TV.
• Turn off and unplug the Television if no one is actively watching it.
• √Watch less or no Television Since there really wasn't anything we wanted to watch and we spent most of our time watching reruns or flipping through channels, we canceled the cable TV. Still use the TV set to watch movies that we own or rent. Gave us a bunch more time to read, talk and spend time with family and friends.

Computers

• Laptop computers. use 85% less power so can save up to $140 annually. 
• √Set PC to automatically 'standby'. after 10 minutes being idle. All programs and work is still on the desktop ready to utilize again when mouse moved or key depressed. We have 2 computers and they 'standby' in 10 minutes and turn off if not in use 1 hour.
• Flat panel computer monitor. uses 1/3 less electricity then CRT monitors. We're half way there. One computer has a flat panel. The other has the older style monitor.

Appliances

Energy Efficient Appliances

• Energy Star appliances are energy efficient so use less power. All of our appliances are Energy Star rated. But all are older models so most likely we could do better. Maybe when our landlord replaces them.

Refrigerator

• √Refrigerator temperature. set to 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit. 5 degrees lower costs around $5 annually.  Defrosting freezer saves a few $ more.  Open doors less often. Freezer temperature. set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. We bought a thermometer and monitored settings until they were optimum.
• √Clean condenser coils. dusting coils helps refrigerator run efficiently.
• Replace old appliances. older model refrigerators and freezers can cost more then $100 annually. Energy Star refrigerators use about same power as a light bulb.

Stove / Oven

• √Small kitchen appliances. Instead of range/oven using microwave, toaster oven and/or slow cooker can save up to 75% in power costs. Plus kitchen stays cooler too.
• √Electric teapot or microwave for quick boiling water.

Washer/Dryer

• √Wash clothes in cold water, dry full loads. Clean dryer lint filter after each load, stop dryer just as clothes are dry. Line dry when/if possible.

Hot water

Hot Water Tank

• √Water temperature. Set to 120 degrees. We checked the temperature and turned it down from 125 to 120 degrees.

Shower heads and faucet aerators

• √Water-saving shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce electricity costs for a family of 4 by $250 annually. Our landlord already provided water-saving (restricting) showerheads and faucet aerators.

Showering

• √Shower instead of bathe. Taking a shower instead of a bath uses less water and energy. Except when one of us want the luxury of a bath with bubbles, candles, wine and full relaxation.

Dishes

• √Washing by hand. When washing dishes by hand use a basin filled with hot soapy water. Rinse with cold water. We don't have a dishwasher in our apartment.
• Dishwasher. Wash full loads. Let dishes air dry.

We did all of the things we could do and began to see savings almost immediately. The electricity bill was almost cut in half. I'm dazed and amazed. Show my roommate the electric bill.

We jump, slap palms in a high five, start dancing and singing (to the song 'Jump for Your Love' by the Pointer Sisters)...

I'll take you down, I'll take you down
Where no one's ever gone before
And if you want more, if you want more
More, more, more
Jump feel my touch
Jump in and you'll go down
Jump I turn you down and my wallet feels alright
Jump, jump feel my touch

We reduced our carbon footprint again. I'm happier. My wallet is happier and the earth is happier too. Whoo Hoo!!!

A couple of links:
http://hes.lbl.gov/
http://www.10money.com/electric.htm

Ichy Scratchy Sneezies

I've never been the sickly type. But for the last couple of years I've had Itchy Scratchy Sneezies. Once in a while I'm covered in bumps. My skin itches, eyes are itchy, red and watery, nose runny and I'm sneezing. I'm just generally miserable.

My artist friend came by for a visit, saw the state I was in and said, "Allergies." I reply, "Me! Can't be. Must be stress. Hives! Need antihistamine." My friend said, "I've got allergies and take Zyrtec and/or Benadryle. Just happen to have some you can try." "What are they?" I asked. "Powerful antihistamines" he replied. Tried one, then the other. Dried me out. Didn't touch the Itchy Scratchy Sneezies. And I felt weird too. The next door neighbor dropped by, he recommended Quercetin, a natural supplement. I thought "Natural smatural! If super Zyrtec or Benadryle had no effect... that sure won't work." He handed me a bottle and said, "A friend of mine had itchy eyes, it helped him. Give it a try."

Quercetin helped. Drastically. Told him so and thanked him profusely. Now a bottle lives on the kitchen counter. Temporary relief!

My gardener friend called said she's upset about something called terminator seeds, GMO's and cross pollination. What ever that is? Said she's concerned that crops downwind will damage her seeds forever. Yea Right! Like something downwind can do anything to your seed. Bunch of hooey. Grunted acknowledgement at her. She then started talking about GMO's, and never being able to trust seed producers again. I sighed. Get out the violins, let's have a pity party! Like seed producers would do that. Right! Bunch o' crap, that's what it is! Said she knew GM corn and soy beans were in the products we consume and she'd never knowingly buy them. Why not, geez!

Enter a new organic, veggie, earth friendly room mate sometime soon after that conversation. One morning I made breakfast for us. Opened a can of grapefruit sections. Scrambled some eggs and buttered some rye toast. When it's served up my roommate looks at the grapefruit, pushes it across the table and says, "You want mine?" I ask her, "Why? You don't like grapefruit?" She replies, "I do but that contains corn syrup. I don't eat that." I say, "Oh?" Here comes some cockamamie story. She says, "Corn syrup is made mostly from genetically modified corn (GMO). It's bad for us and the environment." How could food be bad for us or the environment?

I've heard that somewhere. Oh yea my gardener friend. So I Google it... GM or GMOs. First webpage said 75% of genetically modified (GM) crops worldwide are engineered to tolerate glyphosate, with Monsanto's Roundup brand holding the biggest market share. Went to monsanto.com read 8.25 million farmers – 90 percent of whom farm in developing countries – choose to plant biotech crops. Farmers have decreased pesticide applications by 172,000 metric tons. GM crops benefit the environment and conserve natural habitat for wildlife. Kept reading. It is glyphosate’s ability to translocate to the growing root and shoot tissues - where it shuts down growth - that makes it useful for killing not only annual weeds, but perennial weeds as well. Ability to translocate means it is a systemic so it goes everywhere throughout the plant. Ok. Continued reading. The Roundup Ready® seeds contain in-plant tolerance to Roundup® agricultural herbicides, allowing growers to spray Roundup agricultural herbicides to kill the weeds without harming the crop. Roundup Ready varieties provide unsurpassed weed control, proven crop safety and maximum yield potential. Many Roundup Ready products are stacked with other traits such as Bollgard and YieldGard to add insect protection. Good right? It means spraying less pesticides and herbicides. Which is good for the environment. Continued reading. Consumer benefits are advantages such as increased protein, healthier oils or carbohydrate enhancements. Product Stewardship Safety: The legal, ethical and moral obligations to ensure our products and technologies are safe and environmentally responsible. That's great. Healthier food that's better for us. Products that are safe. A company that is environmentally responsible. Sounds almost too good to be true.

Searched deeper. Another website. The study – carried out over the past three years at the University of Kansas in the US grain belt – has found that GM soya produces about 10 per cent less food than its conventional equivalent. If that's true it would lessen the available crop yields not increase them. Hunger would worsen. Hum! I continue to read. Last week the biggest study of its kind ever conducted – the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development – concluded that GM was not the answer to world hunger. Humm.

Another page says a team of scientists led by Gilles-Eric Séralini have produced a peer-reviewed scientific paper stating that their statistical analysis shows significant levels of liver and kidney damage in some rats fed with MON863.... MON863 is a GM crop. Another page says In the recent case of the GM forage maize, Chardon LL, the herbicide used was glufosinate, a neurotoxin and a teratogen (ie it damages embryos). What is particularly worrying is that there seems to be a 10 per cent reconversion rate of the degraded herbicide back to the original toxic form in the gut. Hum that means it gets more toxic after it enters the body. Not good.

Continued deeper In fact, while Roundup and similar products were originally used against weeds, 'they have become a food product, since they are used on GMOs, which can absorb them without dying,' maintains the biochemist Gilles-Eric Séralini. A member of the French Commission on Biomolecular Genetics (CBG). A herbicidal food product? Kept reading From the Centre for Agriculture and Environment. "Residues of the commonly-used herbicide glyphosate have been found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Residues can be detected long after glyphosate treatments have been made. Lettuce, carrots and barley planted a year after glyphosate treatment contained residue at harvest" Yuck! That's a disgusting thought.

Searched further. "The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods" With input from more than 30 scientists over two years, presents 65 health risks of GM foods and why current safety assessments are not competent to protect us from most of them. Whoa. Why are they still grown? Read another page. The potential of genetically engineered foods to cause allergic reactions in humans is a big reason for opposition to such crops. Lights start flashing, things begin clicking... OMG. I'm having major allergic reactions which I've never had before could it be the GMOs I didn't even know I was eating? And another website exclaimed. GMO’s are present in approximately 70% of processed foods and have been consumed widely in the U.S. since 1996 (GEO-PIE, 2002). The list of products containing GM foods were staggering.

Frustrated, I start singing, "I can't get no... satisfaction. And I've got a... food reaction."

My roommate asks me why I'm sitting at my desk singing about no satisfaction. Told her what I discovered in my online search. Said, "I'm helpless. It's hopeless. The foods I eat are full of GMOs from ketchup and cookies to soup and even spaghetti sauce. There's nothing left to eat. What will I dooooo. May be allergic to GMs. I'm gonna die in itchy-scratchy agony. I just know it. Oh whoa is me!"

She said, "Stop silly. You can go all organic. You're halfway there already." I say "Organic is so expensive I can't afford to eat it. Bwahah!" She hands me a kleenex saying, "Here dry your eyes, stop crying. It's not hopeless, just a change in lifestyle. You can buy locally grown produce. And organic products don't cost THAT much more. Besides if eating organic food stops your itchies it'd be cheaper than a visit to the doctor or hospital." Dried my eyes, sniffed. Better than a poke in the eye. Ah huh! Replied, "Logical Ms. Spock." She counters, "Nowhere am I so desperately needed as among a planet-full of illogical humans." We smile at each other and break into laughter.

EPIPHANY 1 - Quercetin = less itchy-scratchy sneezies
EPIPHANY 2 - Organic products = no itchy-scratchy sneezies

I'm happy, my body is happy, the planet is happier too. Makes sense. Back to basics the way it used to be. Still get itchy-scratchy sneezies once in a while 'cause I can't stop myself from an occasional sinful meal out.

Strummin' an air guitar singing...

Oh yeah, just call me Mrs. Organic
Just as healthy as I can be
But sometimes I'm a junk food junkie
Good lord have pity on me