A Green Goodbye...

Well I can’t say that my blog has changed lives, or that it has fully solved the problem regarding global warming…but I can say that it has spread the word of greener living.

If not to many, at least it has raised my personal awareness. And not for the rest of the semester, or the rest of the year, but for the rest of my life.

When my class came up with the idea for a greener living online magazine, I was devastated. I thought it would be impossible to find a connection between sports and the environment, but I found numerous.

Then, I thought it would be impossible to write about a greener lifestyle for an entire semester, but now that the time is winding down, I find it impossible to stop finding new story ideas.
Green has swept the nation, and I’m proud to say we had a part in it. With every blog I wrote, information was spread, and knowledge was gained.

My trip home for Thanksgiving was proof that it’s hard to escape the green revolution, even when your trying to vacation.

I carpooled the 500 mile trip home, instead of driving by myself which I always prefer.
When shopping for a gift for my god puppy on the road, a recycled doggy sweater couldn’t be passed up.

And finally, instead of watching the traditional three movies after thanksgiving dinner, we decided to teach the kids present for the holiday, the benefit of finding something non-electrical to do for fun instead. We played ping pong and miniature golf outside until sunset, and then played card games inside only using our fire as light.

It’s kind of a stretch, but that was the point of my blog. To change the small things in your life. Big changes to save the planet are too overwhelming to try and endure. So it’s the small things you can do that will add up to something someday.

Thanks to everyone and anyone that ever read my blog. I’m sure I got more out of it than anyone else, but that’s what made it all worth it.





To continue your greener living habits, here are some of my favorite web sites:
Tree Hugger
Green Guide
Living Green

Dashing through the snow, on an eco-friendly board...

The holiday season is approaching, and that means one thing to those born and raised next to an ocean. The surf is up!

Despite the fridged water temperatures, and the pitch black early mornings, the waves in the winter months are incomparable to any other months.

So with great waves, and the holidays about to approach, there is almost no better time to start talking about the eco-friendly surfboard revolution.

Companies have jumped on the greener life band wagon and started producing natural-material boards.

Ocean Green EcoFoil is a surfboard company that makes all of their boards out of sustainable forested wood. It also uses hemp instead of fiberglass laminates.

According to the Ocean Green website, the Bangor University in Wales has proven that the hemp being used in boards is creating a stronger composite, weight for weight than the usual fiberglass equivalent.

The EcoFoil boards look the same as other boards in regards to width and height, however their color and design-free exterior screams environmentally friendly.

Now if our feeling left out, because you couldn’t surf if your life depended on it, and throwing a couple hundred dollars into a new board just isn’t your style…but you don’t want to be left out of the winter surfing fun, I have just the idea for you.

Build a skim board. With winter break off from school, you’ll have a little more time on your hands to become a skim board creator, builder, and designer.

My brother has been building skim boards for years, and the results are nothing less than greatness.

He starts by finding large, old pieces of wood that have been thrown into dumpsters by corporations or small companies.

He cuts, shapes, sands, paints and glosses the boards to perfection and in no time they are ready to be taken down to the beach and thrown hard against the shoreline sand.

It’s cheap, fun and it’s a unique way to recycle old wood into a new toy. Plus, when everyone heads down for an early morning ride, you won’t be left behind.

For more information, check out these sites:
Surfer's Path
The Green Guide

Green candidates didn't win, but are still moving forward...

With the elections over and done with, the green party still wants to move forward in the green movement despite their losses. Dave Ewoldt, the campaign manager for Dave Croteau speaks on the next steps.






To learn more about the former candidates, and ways to get involved in Arizona, visit:

Dave Croteau

Beryl Baker

Sustainable Tucson

Arizona Association for Environmental Education

Community Gardens of Tucson

NBC introduces Green Week

This week NBC introduces it's very first Green Week with a focus on energy independence.

Besides working for a NBC affilate station for over two years, the aspect of “Green Week” that has affected me most so far was the coverage of the Cowboys/Eagles game today.

If you didn’t happen to catch NBC football night in America, the stage was set, the anchors were prepped and ready, and the game was about to begin, however, one thing was missing: There were no lights on. There were two shadows and the voice of Bob Costas that said,

“Were turning off all the lights that are used in this studio…and
we’ll keep them off for the rest of the night, including during the
half time and post game shows. Aren‘t there enough dim bulbs on
this program already? Haha.”

That is just the beginning. The Nightly News will focus on energy independence all this week and is asking the public, “Is it possible for the U.S. to meet it’s own energy needs without dependence on foreign resources?”



The Nightly News line-up of stories is as follows:

Monday: “Wind Power”
Wind provides about 1% of America’s electricity, but experts say it could provide up to 20% by 2030.
Tuesday: “Wave Power”
Scientists say that ocean energy has the potential to meet 10% of current U.S. electricity needs
Wednesday: “Grass is Greener”
Grass ethanol could provide 20% of the nation’s fuel and 9% of it’s electricity by 2030
Thursday: “Nuclear Renaissance”
America currently gets 20% of our energy from nuclear reactors.
Friday: “Energy Efficiency”
“Energy Star” electronics use 30% less energy and can save homeowners nearly $400 a year

If the news isn’t really your style, NBC has you covered. Most of their entertainment based shows will also be including a greener script. For example, on Days of Our Lives, Sam and Lucas tie the knot with a Green Wedding

To get started at home, check out

Simple Green Living Tips

Don't forget to pack your greener lifestyle...

Ecotourism can be considered as a form of tourism that primarily appeals to ecologically and socially conscious travelers, as well as to nature seekers.

It is keeping in mind environmental and cultural factors while traveling, in addition to promoting recycling, energy efficiency, and water conservation.

Mark Fredrickson is a professor at the University of Arizona and is currently teaching a class on Ecotourism:



For more information on ways to get involved locally in Arizona:

La Ruta de Sonora Ecotourism Association

Internationally:

The International Ecotourism Society

The Nature Conservancy

Ideas for greener living sprout up at Native Seeds...

Julie Evans is the Director of Marketing and Operations at Native Seeds/SEARCH(Southwestern Endangered Aridland Resources Clearing House) located on 526 N. Fourth Avenue.

She gives us some insight on simplier ways to greener living:



To learn more about Native Seeds:

Native Seeds

To find local Tucson Farmer's Markets:

Civano Farmer's and Artisans Market

Famer's Market at UA

Rincon Valley Farmer's Market

From junk drawer...to junk no more.

Everytime I upgrade my cell phone, I throw my old one in a drawer, walk away and ponder what everyone else does with their old and useless cell phone.

Finally, I decided it was time to find out. I found that organizations such as the Phoenix Zoo and Petsmart have created cell phone donation campaigns to benefit various charities.



Here are some links to help clear out your junk drawer, and donate your old phone to the charity of your choice:

Phoenix Zoo

Special Olympics of Arizona

PetSmart Charities

One small capful for mankind...

Laundry detergent companies nationwide have recently altered their packaging in order to try and conserve nature's resources.

Companies like All and Tide claim that the detergent in the new packaging is twice as concentrated than the original.

The idea is to save plastic, which means less waste in landfills and less diesel gas used to transport the product, but the same cleaning power.


To view easy tips for living greener, visit:
All detergent

To see a breakdown of the new tide packaging:
Tide

To find various companies that are manufactoring smaller "ultra" bottles:
Other Companies

ReNew for me...ReNew for you.

Memorex electronics has partnered up with the National Arbor Day Foundation to create a new line of products to promote and encourage environmentally responsible electronics.

Memorex's Renew electronics include: Electronic music recorders, alarm clocks, Mp3 speakers and much more.

To learn more about Joining the Arbor Foundation:
The National Arbor Day Foundation

To learn more about the ReNew line of products:
Memorex ReNew

Advice from a Greener life advocate...

Cotton Burlingame works for Green Fleets, a Tucson company that specializes in alternative fuel conversions, maintenance, and dispensing. Burlingame has a passion for greener living and hopes to see students become more active in the fight for a more environmentally friendly way of life.

Burlingame said that as college students, in our lifetime, we are going to dramatically see and feel the effects of global warming.

In his eyes, it is easy for students to become more aware of their natural environment in order to preserve it. “Just do a little something. Take something on, no matter how little or big. Pay attention,” Burlingame said.

Burlingame’s advice for beginners to start saving some money and some of the environments natural resources:

Turn lights off during the day
Open windows to utilize natural lighting
Be more involved with recycling
Get people on campus more involved
Urge local government and schools to start separating trash
Start Carpooling
Get a bike or an electric car
Be aware of what’s going on
Pass on your knowledge
Teach by example
Read more about conservation
Watch educational television on greener living

“Conservation doesn’t cost a dime, it actually saves you money. And that’s something that everyone can do,” Burlingame said.

A News Room headed in the right direction...

The Olympic Rings are turning Green

332 Days to go! The countdown has finally begun for the opening day of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. 16 days of passion filled competition …where every participant fights to make a name for themselves and their country. If waiting over three hundred days is too much anticipation for one person to handle, you can always get a head start by checking out http://beijing2008.com/ right now.

None of the much anticipated Games could take place if the development of The Olympic Movement had never occurred. The Olympic Movement is best known for its organization of the winter and summer Olympic Games. But the international organization strives to expand traditional Olympic values throughout the world.

Since the early 1990’s, The Olympic Movement has become more involved in taking care of mother Earth and trying to develop more “green games”. The fact that athletes and sports are the most pertinent concepts to the Olympic Games is never forgotten, but members of the Movement realize that greater acknowledgement of the environment is definitely runner up.

With the constant threat of global warming, there is more focus on different strategies that can take place during the Games that will minimize negative impacts that might occur through sport. Several institutions including; the Olympic Solidarity, Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games and National Olympic Committees organize events and activities to bring attention to issues affecting the environment. Activities and discussions usually take place on the UN World Environment Day that is held every year on June 5.

I could not get in contact with any representatives from the Olympic Movement, or the Sport and Environment Commission to ask about the negative impacts that they are trying to avoid, but I came up with a few ideas to suggest.

In my opinion, the two major concerns resulting from massive sporting events are: 1. Waste production and 2. Pollution production. I could minimize consumer and athletic waste by half with one perfect solution. Free water refills. When a die hard Olympic fan buys a bottle of water, they can have as many free refills as they would like, as long as they bring back their original water bottle. And the same goes for the athletes competing. There would be a slight decline in the overall profit, but it would hardly be noticed when compared to the cost of tickets, merchandise, and food.

My second idea is free parking for fans that carpool. It will reduce the amount of pollution, and make traveling easier for everyone since there would be noticeably less traffic. Public transportation might already be a must in a city like Beijing, but once the Olympics return to Los Angeles, carpooling is something that must be enforced.

My simplistic ideas are those of just one person, but it seems I’m behind the rest of the institutions that have been planning a healthier unity between sport and environmental friendliness for many years now. These Earth respecting institutions are committed to making a difference by providing new knowledge on environmental issues, “by sharing experiences and expertise from different sectors of society, encourage cooperation in, and further development of, environmental policies in relation to sport.” http://www.olympic.org/

For addition information on the relationship between living green and sports, check out the Manual on Sport and Environment written by the International Olympic Committee.
Manual on Sport and the Environment

NBA players fast break into local communitites

A fight broke out on the Detroit Pistons basketball court with under a minute left in the game on November 19, 2004. Players from the Pistons, and the Pacers were involved in a fight requiring officials to intervene. At this time, a fan in the stands threw a cup filled with liquid at Ron Artest hitting him. Within seconds, the event turned into one of the worst brawls ever seen in NBA history. Fans and players alike were fighting like beasts on the court while the media televised every minute of it. This was the new image of athletes in the National Basketball Association. NBA commissioner David Stern had to do something to save the reputation of the all-American athlete. In October of 2005 Mr. Stern introduced NBA Cares program to the public.

NBA Cares is a charitable organization that reaches out to local communities, making a difference in the lives of children and adults world wide. The new organization committed to raise $100 million dollars, volunteer one million hours and build one hundred youth sites within the first five years of its existence.

So my question is this: What is NBA Cares doing for greener living? Can professional athletes teach the youth of America the importance of taking care of their planet? Why is it that out of 34 sponsored organizations teaming up with the NBA, not one of them is related to environmentally sound living? NBA Cares works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, health-related causes, and family development, but no programs that encourage a greener lifestyle. I think what the players of the NBA are doing is wonderful. It is changing lives daily, and setting an encouraging example for the youth who look up to them. However, where are the future ball players going to play ball? Or read and live healthy lives if it is no longer healthy to live on Earth? This is what I want to explore through my blog as an ongoing project for the semester

I researched all 30 NBA teams, and the charities to which they donate their time. From Shaq teaming up with the American Red Cross in a community swim safety campaign, to Elton Brand reading to local LA elementary schools, to Amare Stoudemire visiting a Phoenix children’s hospital, no player is encouraging eating organic foods or using energy conscious light bulbs. The only shred of environmental awareness I could find involved an event that occurred about five years ago when Steve Nash still played for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2002, Community centers in South Dallas competed to collect the greatest amount of recyclable goods during a set amount of time. The winner received a grant from Nike, and was publicly recognized during halftime at a home game.

What happened to this great idea? Why hasn’t this ever been repeated? The Dallas Mavericks planned to have a Recycling Theme Night five years ago and it never happened. The event was planned by a Tara O’Keefe, an Environment and Development Planner for the North Central Texas Council of Governments. I wrote Mrs. O’Keefe an email asking her what happened to the themed night, and questioning whether more recycling events were planned in the future with the Mavs. I have not received a response yet, but I am going to be persistent with my request. Having competitions between schools, and fans for the most recyclable goods is a step in the right direction and an idea that needs to be moved forward.

During this last week, I have tried to contact organizers for NBA Cares to find out what it would take to get a greener lifestyle organization on the list of partners to team up with NBA teams nation-wide. I have not received answers yet. I think the NBA is headed in the right direction so far, and may need suggestions on how to incorporate the green movement into their list of social responsibilities.

The Blitz into Green

In the vast world of competitive athletics, every second counts. Each move determines the next, in a strategic battle for the big “W”. Survival of the fittest. Over the course of this semester I want to look at the world of sports, not through the eyes of a fan or appreciator, but as a supporter of the green movement. As one human race living on one single planet, we represent a team. A team that must practice and work together in order to win the game against global warming. In this competition the fittest who survive win ecological consciousness which in time will preserve our planet’s natural resources for future generations to come.

There are numerous ways that people are living green today to secure a brighter and healthier future for themselves. Families are setting up recycling for plastics and aluminum in their houses. Carpooling has become more popular because of the rising cost of gas. And one of the easiest ways to start living greener is to switch to energy saving light bulbs in the home. It is a more cost effective way to live because it lowers the cost of electric bills while contributing to the conservation of our natural resources.

However, my focus is not going to be on individuals in the community, and how they live a greener life. I am interested in how professional sporting structures, collegiate organizations, and athletes themselves are striving to practice a greener lifestyle, or run a more ecologically sound business. Websites like the Global Sports Alliance (http://www.gsa.or.jp/en/index.html) have already developed this interest, and are committed to joining together as sport enthusiasts to promote awareness in the real world in order to create a sustainable society.

I would like to follow the lead of the GSA and investigate how the sports world could collide with the ecological world and produce positive results. I plan to report on the ways sports are advancing into a more ecologically consciousness way of life and business.

The Longest Yard is the Greener one.