Evolve Network

Beg, Buy or Borrow?

2012-01-27T14:46:00.001-08:00

When Micki Krimmel purchased a $200 travel pack for her trip to Thailand a few years back, she realized she would probably only use it once. She took inventory of all the things she owned and realized the same was true for most of it - she spent a bunch of money to own something she only needed occasionally. She wasn't alone. People across the country are over-laden with stuff they've purchased but rarely use.

So she put together a team and launched NeighborGoods – an organization created to extract the latent value hidden in all our “stuff.” Last year, they launched nationally. NeighborGoods is like Craigslist for borrowing. Members can safely borrow a lawnmower, lend a bicycle, or earn some extra money by renting out their DVD collection. NeighborGoods provides all the tools to share safely and confidently including user ratings, privacy controls, and automated calendars and reminders to ensure the safe return of loaned items. "When we share our stuff, we get so much more for our money, we reduce waste, and we strengthen our local communities," said Krimmel. See for yourself, and be sure to share this link: www.NeighborGoods.net

Ride This Dark Universe

2010-04-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

We all get that the earth revolves on its axis. It rotates around the sun. The stars appear to move, though the earth is moving faster. Some understand that the sun also moves. Some comprehend multiple moving galaxies. But when most people think of universe, they visualize a container in which everything moves. A cosmic milkshake, but one which has already been poured. What they don't see is the milkshake - glass and all - sliding across the counter. Alexander Kashlinsky, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, studied more than 1,000 galaxy clusters to see how radiation from the Big Bang has scattered throughout the universe. What he found is shocking. The entire universe is moving... at a speed of one million miles per hour. This cause of this phenomenon, affectionately termed "the dark flow" has not yet been determined. Does another universe lurk nearby, or are we racing toward a seam in the fabric of space and time? This Earth Day, learn a little more about this container we ride in. But hold on tight. It's moving fast.

Garbage Patch Twins?

2010-04-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Sail the Gulf Stream from Bermuda to the Azores and what do you think you'll find? Miles and iles of plastic pieces suspended near the water's surface stuck in wads of seaweed and ocean debris. You've stumbled onto The Great Pacific Garbage Patch's eastern twin: The North Atlantic Subtropical Convergence Zone. Otherwise known as the Great ATLANTIC Garbage Patch.

Though the dimensions have not yet been determined, the area is known to be vast, centered in the Sargasso Sea, which is bounded by ocean currents. The highest concentrations of plastics are found between 22 and 38 degrees north latitude. Due to the stormier nature of the Eastern Seaboard and Atlantic, the garbage there is thought to be more diverse. Charles Moore, the ocean researcher credited with discovering the Pacific Patch, agrees that with the higher population on the East Coast and more rivers flowing south, comparable amounts of plastic can be expected. "Humanity's plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than our carbon footprint," he said.

Earth Day Every Day

2010-04-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

Throwing away those little plastic bottle caps is so much better than throwing away the whole bottle; there's an almost-gratifying feeling tossing the tiny lid in the garbage knowing the rest will be properly recycled. But thanks to the efforts of Anna Chan (aka The Lemon Lady), NONE of that bottle need be landfill-bound.

Her new campaign, "Earth Day Every Day. Recycle Plastic Caps and Lids," gives new momentum to the push for recycling plastic bottle caps. SF Bay Area residents are particularly fortunate to have several drop-off spots available at nearby Whole Foods and Aveda locations. Aveda accepts any rigid plastic bottle caps that must be removed for recycling as well as other caps with a threaded neck: caps on shampoo, milk and other beverage bottles, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), laundry detergents and some jar lids such as peanut butter. Whole Foods accepts bottle caps and other plastic #5 containers such as yogurt cups, hummus tubs and Brita water filters. They work with the organization Preserve who turns the recycled plastic into toothbrushes and razors.

See the Lemon Lady's site for more on recycling caps in Central and East Contra Costa Counties, or for a link to search recyclers near you.

Smoke My Curtain

2010-02-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

Of all the great hemp products currently available, the shower curtain is worth considering as it is both utilitarian and an improvement over the plain plastic sheet. Known for its durability, hemp is one of the strongest fibers, yet the shower curtain gets softer each time it is washed. It does not require a vinyl liner, and water does not leak through. The cloth dries quickly to inhibit mold growth and is naturally resistant to mildew and bacteria. It can be machine washed. Simply hang the curtain up to dry, and any wrinkles will disappear during showering. Good green doesn’t come cheap, but hemp curtains are highly reusable, plus they keep unnatural plastics out of our landfills and toxic fumes out of your clean space. Prices range from $59 to $89. World of Good: http://worldofgood.ebay.com/Hemp-Shower-Curtain/250332167953/item

Garbage Patch Kids?

2009-12-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Snappy new name for a top-selling candy, right? Yes, and also our all-too-real legacy. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a real place – a giant, floating field of debris about a thousand miles off the coast of California. It is estimated to be up to twice the size of Texas.

Composed mostly of bits and pieces of plastic, researchers believe this enormous trash zone accumulated over many years. It is made of trash that was dumped off boats and ocean-going ships, or that washed into the ocean after accumulating in storm drains and on beaches. It is a zone of mostly smaller bits and pieces of plastic, mixed with some large pieces of plastic and fishing nets. The plastic bits float just under the water’s surface like confetti. PCBs, DDT and other toxins cannot dissolve in water, but get absorbed by plastic. As the toxic plastic slowly degrades and turns into smaller pieces, seabirds mistake it for food and dive down to eat it. Skeletons of birds found in this area are said to have guts filled with plastic. Fish that feed on plankton ingest the tiny toxic bits, and toxins get bio-accumulated up the food chain.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or North Pacific Ocean Gyre is located in the northwest Pacific Ocean, roughly between 135° to 155°W and 35° to 42°N . It is located within the North Pacific Gyre, one of the five major oceanic gyres. It was first documented by Charles Moore, a California-based sea captain and ocean researcher. Moore came upon the patch while returning home from competing in the Transpac sailing race in 1997.

A gyre is a large, clock-wise circulation of currents driven by the wind that causes the garbage to mix together in convergence zones, with movements comparable to a whirlpool. As material is captured, wind-driven surface currents gradually move floating debris toward the center, trapping it in the region. It is said to move as much as a thousand miles north and south in the Pacific seasonally. Currents carry debris from the west coast of North America to the gyre in about five years, and debris from the east coast of Asia in a year or less.

An estimated 80% of the garbage comes from land-based sources, and 20% from ships. A typical 3,000 passenger cruise ship produces over eight tons of solid waste weekly, much of which ends up in the patch.

To learn more about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch try these two sites: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/recycling-design-technology/great-pacific-garbage-patch-research-461109#ixzz0X3CVQWLu

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/11/09/science/11102009_Garbage_index.html

The Pot Half Full

2009-09-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

When placing pots and pans in the sink - especially during cooking - the temptation is nearly always to fill the pot with water, so the food doesn’t harden and make it more difficult to clean. But did you ever notice how often you run the water after you fill up the pot? Nearly always! So save a bit of water by either using your sprayer on the pot sides (if you have one) or just fill the pot half-way, or not at all. Nine times out of 10 you’ll run more than enough water to fill that pot more than once, well before the food has a chance to harden.

Pour Some Soda on Me

2009-07-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Kudos to the Cloroxes of the world for jumping on the eco-bandwagon and introducing new lines of green products. But has anyone noticed that despite supposedly being simpler and safer, they are usually more expensive than their toxic counterparts? So time for a reminder on DIY cleansers. Mix baking soda, water and vinegar for a super-simple cost-saver that cleans just about everything. For more ideas on make-at-home cleaners, get over the name, and visit treehugger.com.

The Meaning of Life

2009-05-15T15:20:00.001-07:00

"The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity."
- Leo Tolstoy

Fantastic Plastic Millenium

2009-01-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

Among mounds of inaugural coverage the past few days comes a memorable comment that the New Millenium, scheduled to begin with the year 2000, will actually begin now, with Obama as our leader and the second Teflon president home, home, home on the ranch. To honor that thought, lets segue to the life of a regular plastic bag - the kind you see flying in the air at the bus stop and in football stadiums - made of polyethylene. Every year, more than 500 billion plastic bags are distributed. Less than 3% are recycled. They can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade, emitting harmful greenhouse gases in the process. One bag. One thousand years. There must be a cloth bag cool enough to carry in the grocery store. Or you could just think of George Bush every time you see a bag of air floating overhead, and vow not to let it happen again.

A New Epoch Upon Us?

2009-01-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

Remember the Pleistocene epoch - the "glacial age" when Earth was repeatedly frozen, scraped, cooled and re-frozen? Epochs, eras, periods - these are terms remembered fondly, but barely, from high school or college. Well, the news is out. We have begun a new epoch. It seems humans have made such an impact on our planet that we have now departed the Holocene epoch and begun the Anthropocene. This was determined by a team from the Geological Society of London after examining transformed patterns of sediment, distruptions to the carbon cycle and wholesale changes to plants and animals. We humans have so changed the landscape that we now need a new name for it. And some say they do not play a part in creating history. We all do. And we all did. Let's make it a good one.

An Historic Day

2008-11-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we made history. I said this to my friends today, my voice betraying me by cracking as I looked them too deep in the eyes. I wanted to share the joy. But last night as I heard the news, I didn't yell with joy - I bit my lip. I thought "I will have to hope again." I felt confused, disbelieving. It was like Peace had won. Peace never wins. I could feel the breathless hope and promise of the moment. Although we can and do move forward as a people and evolve, I feel a separate hope has been set aside, protected, just in case. This is the hope that equals the full potential of mankind. We are capable of so much more. Go out and be leaders my friends. Hope with all your heart for change.

Get Paid... by your neighbors!

2008-09-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here in California, we recycle a lot, but we pay our garbage company to take away the bottles and cans we paid extra for at the grocery store. Why not let your neighbors pay you... by starting a neighborhood recycling program. Go to www.bottlesandcans.com and sign up for the program. They'll send you a bunch of lightweight, easy-to-assemble recycling bins. Give them to your neighbors, collect the contents weekly, then recycle at your nearest pay for metal facility, also listed at www.bottlesandcans.com.

P.S. Evolve Network made an appearance today at the El Sobrante Stroll, offering free neighborhood recycling. Start your own neighborhood recycling program now! Evolve.

All Sheep Line Up Here

2008-08-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Government is an ongoing experiment in the sociology of controlling and predicting the masses. Evolving personalities will not simply read headlines and faithfully follow. Look deeper. There is more to be known.

A good example is the Georgia-Russia conflict. The U.S. mainstream media has been consistently biased in favor of Georgia - the portion of the country that actually desires independence from Russia. South Ossetia, which has remained largely loyal to Russia since being absorbed into Georgia with the split of the Soviet Union, should be allowed self-determination. If California were to break from the U.S. and SoCal wanted back in, you can bet George W. Hipocryte would be battling to get them back too!

Cheapest, Fastest, Easiest

2008-04-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

What is the cheapest, fastest, easiest and most reliable way to reduce energy use and costs at home? Insulate your home and seal those drafty air leaks. Insulation and sealing products are cheap and efficient. Start with the attic where heat rises and insulation is easy to install. Determine how much you need based on your location by visiting www1.eere.energy.gov/consumertips/insulation.html. Save your receipts and itemize to get your money back at tax time.

Store Your Spent Rods Here

2008-04-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Walnut Creek resident Gerard Milano had a fabulous idea in his recent Contra Costa Times commentary. The best location for spent nuclear fuel rods would be in or near federal offices. Security would certainly be high enough to protect such precious cargo. Residual heat loss from the rods could be used to heat the offices of senators, representatives, even the president. The rest of us could be sure that any potential health concerns resulting from the storage of nuclear waste would be thoroughly considered. Best of all, our elected officials would be forced to cough up the courage to live with their own energy solutions. Thank you Gerald.

Evolving at MickeyD's

2008-01-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

At fast food restaurants, most people take a few more napkins than they need, just in case. The extra, un-used napkins usually go in the garbage. Next time, take them with you. Put them in your car or your kitchen. Why not?

Hand Towels at Work

2008-01-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

Workplaces are known to have some of the skimpiest paper hand towels around. Nonetheless, we use them every day, and we usually use more than one towel, or several cranks of the roll type. Now, you don't have to do this everywhere, but at work you know you can always expect the same towels. Do a test to see if you really need two towels, or four cranks (whatever number). You may not really need that much. And you may not remember or feel like saving paper every time. But sometimes you will, and when you do, viola! - you're doing your part - evolving!

The Totally Deductible Christmas

2008-01-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Next Christmas, max out your charitable giving by purchasing only gifts that are sold or made by non-profit organizations. For example, give flame roast coffee beans from FRUA (Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption), artwork from NIAD (National Institute of Art and Disabilities) or a knit scarf from your local house of worship. Your long-distance friends and family will appreciate something from your hometown. Those who live nearby will enjoy a more global reach. There are many, many different products available, but regardless of the gift, everyone who receives it will GET the IDEA... and love it. Just save all your receipts and turn them in at tax time for a Totally Deductible Christmas!

Save A Shirt, Sew A Button

2007-10-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever given a shirt to Goodwill (or worse yet, thrown it away) simply because it was missing a button? I have. Lots of people have. I believe that people would rather the shirt not go to waste, and I believe people will pay a small amount to see that their shirt be re-used. After all, we drive to Goodwill, right?

Save A Shirt, Sew A Button is a non-profit organization that promises to place your shirt on a homeless person or un-employed person seeking work. Send us your shirt, we will sew a button on it, and give it to a homeless or un-employed person, as per your designation. Right now, a regular 8 1/2 x 11 flat envelope costs $1.81 to mail. That is probably less than what it would take to drive just about anywhere. Volunteers are ready to sew donated buttons on your shirt! Homeless and "Ready to Work" groups are waiting for shirts. Post a comment to this entry, or email the Evolve administrator for more details.

Taking the First Step

2007-10-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Taking the first step living more sustainably does not have to mean making a lifestyle change. To evolve, one only has to make one change.

The network of friends at Evolve is not by any means exclusive. Nor perfect. We aren't about dogma or definitions or judgements. We are about inspiring thought -- good healthy progressive positive thought. If you pick up a good idea from this site, our intention has become reality.