Get Your Reusable Water Bottle and Utensils! The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has Spoken!

Haven't heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch yet? Besides the chemicals that that likely affect human health, like phalates and bisphenol-A, and the use of finite and polluting fossil fuels, the plastics that are so important and ubiquitous in our society are toxic to our oceans as well. Surfline.com has a good article on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and a Good Morning America segment too.

Refuse to drink bottled water and don't use disposable utensils! Get a reusable bottle, we like Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottles (for kids too!)and SIGG bottles, or some plastic bottles - 'if it is a #2 HDPE , or a #4 LDPE, or a #5 PP, your bottle is fine". (You can even make your own SIGG bottle at cafepress.com for cheap or grab The S.E.E.P.'s "Consume Like You Give a Damn" series bottle!

As for the sporks, grab a mismatched set of utensils, a camping mess kit, or there are some bamboo utensil travel kits at gowesty.com. Throw them wrapped up in a cloth napkin in your backpack, purse, laptop bag, or man-purse and do your best to stop using disposables!

The S.E.E.P. Welcomes it's Newest Addition!

We've been chronicling some of our efforts toward an eco-friendly nursery over at http://www.orionslaughter.com and now we can switch to logging our efforts at raising a sustainable baby! Orion was born on 7/10/09 at 2:53pm, weighing 7 lbs, 11 oz, and 21 inches long. Laura and he are doing great and I'll be posting on our adventures with cloth diapers soon! Sorry for the lack of updates lately, we've been working hard preparing our home for Orion's arrival and now we're getting used to an entirely new life with our wonderful new family.

An Excellent View on GM's Demise, by Michael Moore

Although Michael Moore makes excellent and valid points in his documentaries, you have to take them with a grain of salt as he's decidedly biased in his views. This forwarded letter, however, rang so true with many of my views on the environment and what we can do with this opportunity as we try to bail out GM. I don't necessarily agree with the bailout in the first place, but if that's what were doing, we might as well make it as productive as possible for the American workforce and the American people. Definitely worth a read, even for the anti-Moore crowd.

Goodbye, GM by Michael Moore

June 1, 2009

I write this on the morning of the end of the once-mighty General Motors. By high noon, the President of the United States will have made it official: General Motors, as we know it, has been totaled.

As I sit here in GM's birthplace, Flint, Michigan, I am surrounded by friends and family who are filled with anxiety about what will happen to them and to the town. Forty percent of the homes and businesses in the city have been abandoned. Imagine what it would be like if you lived in a city where almost every other house is empty. What would be your state of mind?

It is with sad irony that the company which invented "planned obsolescence" -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years. GM stubbornly fought environmental and safety regulations. Its executives arrogantly ignored the "inferior" Japanese and German cars, cars which would become the gold standard for automobile buyers. And it was hell-bent on punishing its unionized workforce, lopping off thousands of workers for no good reason other than to "improve" the short-term bottom line of the corporation. Beginning in the 1980s, when GM was posting record profits, it moved countless jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, thus destroying the lives of tens of thousands of hard-working Americans. The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars? History will record this blunder in the same way it now writes about the French building the Maginot Line or how the Romans cluelessly poisoned their own water system with lethal lead in its pipes.

So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors. The company's body not yet cold, and I find myself filled with -- dare I say it -- joy. It is not the joy of revenge against a corporation that ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with. Nor do I, obviously, claim any joy in knowing that 21,000 more GM workers will be told that they, too, are without a job.

But you and I and the rest of America now own a car company! I know, I know -- who on earth wants to run a car company? Who among us wants $50 billion of our tax dollars thrown down the rat hole of still trying to save GM? Let's be clear about this: The only way to save GM is to kill GM. Saving our precious industrial infrastructure, though, is another matter and must be a top priority. If we allow the shutting down and tearing down of our auto plants, we will sorely wish we still had them when we realize that those factories could have built the alternative energy systems we now desperately need. And when we realize that the best way to transport ourselves is on light rail and bullet trains and cleaner buses, how will we do this if we've allowed our industrial capacity and its skilled workforce to disappear?

Thus, as GM is "reorganized" by the federal government and the bankruptcy court, here is the plan I am asking President Obama to implement for the good of the workers, the GM communities, and the nation as a whole. Twenty years ago when I made "Roger & Me," I tried to warn people about what was ahead for General Motors. Had the power structure and the punditocracy listened, maybe much of this could have been avoided. Based on my track record, I request an honest and sincere consideration of the following suggestions:

1. Just as President Roosevelt did after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices. Within months in Flint in 1942, GM halted all car production and immediately used the assembly lines to build planes, tanks and machine guns. The conversion took no time at all. Everyone pitched in. The fascists were defeated. We are now in a different kind of war -- a war that we have conducted against the ecosystem and has been conducted by our very own corporate leaders. This current war has two fronts. One is headquartered in Detroit. The products built in the factories of GM, Ford and Chrysler are some of the greatest weapons of mass destruction responsible for global warming and the melting of our polar icecaps. The things we call "cars" may have been fun to drive, but they are like a million daggers into the heart of Mother Nature. To continue to build them would only lead to the ruin of our species and much of the planet. The other front in this war is being waged by the oil companies against you and me. They are committed to fleecing us whenever they can, and they have been reckless stewards of the finite amount of oil that is located under the surface of the earth. They know they are sucking it bone dry. And like the lumber tycoons of the early 20th century who didn't give a damn about future generations as they tore down every forest they could get their hands on, these oil barons are not telling the public what they know to be true -- that there are only a few more decades of useable oil on this planet. And as the end days of oil approach us, get ready for some very desperate people willing to kill and be killed just to get their hands on a gallon can of gasoline. President Obama, now that he has taken control of GM, needs to convert the factories to new and needed uses immediately.

2. Don't put another $30 billion into the coffers of GM to build cars. Instead, use that money to keep the current workforce -- and most of those who have been laid off -- employed so that they can build the new modes of 21st century transportation. Let them start the conversion work now.

3. Announce that we will have bullet trains criss-crossing this country in the next five years. Japan is celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first bullet train this year. Now they have dozens of them. Average speed: 165 mph. Average time a train is late: under 30 seconds. They have had these high speed trains for nearly five decades -- and we don't even have one! The fact that the technology already exists for us to go from New York to L.A. in 17 hours by train, and that we haven't used it, is criminal. Let's hire the unemployed to build the new high speed lines all over the country. Chicago to Detroit in less than two hours. Miami to DC in under 7 hours. Denver to Dallas in five and a half. This can be done and done now.

4. Initiate a program to put light rail mass transit lines in all our large and medium-sized cities. Build those trains in the GM factories. And hire local people everywhere to install and run this system.

5. For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.

6. For the time being, have some factories build hybrid or all-electric cars (and batteries). It will take a few years for people to get used to the new ways to transport ourselves, so if we're going to have automobiles, let's have kinder, gentler ones. We can be building these next month (do not believe anyone who tells you it will take years to retool the factories -- that simply isn't true).

7. Transform some of the empty GM factories to facilities that build windmills, solar panels and other means of alternate forms of energy. We need tens of millions of solar panels right now. And there is an eager and skilled workforce who can build them.

8. Provide tax incentives for those who travel by hybrid car or bus or train. Also, credits for those who convert their home to alternative energy.

9. To help pay for this, impose a two-dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.

Well, that's a start. Please, please, please don't save GM so that a smaller version of it will simply do nothing more than build Chevys or Cadillacs. This is not a long-term solution. Don't throw bad money into a company whose tailpipe is malfunctioning, causing a strange odor to fill the car.

100 years ago this year, the founders of General Motors convinced the world to give up their horses and saddles and buggy whips to try a new form of transportation. Now it is time for us to say goodbye to the internal combustion engine. It seemed to serve us well for so long. We enjoyed the car hops at the A&W. We made out in the front -- and the back -- seat. We watched movies on large outdoor screens, went to the races at NASCAR tracks across the country, and saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time through the window down Hwy. 1. And now it's over. It's a new day and a new century. The President -- and the UAW -- must seize this moment and create a big batch of lemonade from this very sour and sad lemon.

Yesterday, the last surviving person from the Titanic disaster passed away. She escaped certain death that night and went on to live another 97 years.

So can we survive our own Titanic in all the Flint Michigans of this country. 60% of GM is ours. I think we can do a better job.

Yours,

Michael Moore

MMFlint@aol.com MichaelMoore.com

Autism is Not Caused by Vaccines: A Response to Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey's Article.

Autism has become a major issue for modern parents, affecting 1 in 150 children, and can be linked to a number of exposures, including vaccines, according to a piece written last year by actress Jenny McCarthy and actor Jim Carrey and published in the New York Times (McCarthy, Carrey, 2008). Unfortunately, although some legitimate sources are cited, including statistics from the CDC, McCarthy's article uses mostly supposition and anecdotal evidence to support her arguments that vaccines "play a major role" in the development of autism. McCarthy and Carrey have apparrently had success in reversing many of their son's autism symptoms through "starting a gluten-free, casein-free diet, vitmain supplementation, detox of metals, and anti-fungals for yeast overgrowth that plagued his intestines" (McCarthy, Carrey, 2008). While they do make an excellent point that physicians that they have seen after this improvement have not investigated the factors in his recovery, an action that could potentially lead to more understanding of the disease, the improvements could be due to any one of their interventions, behavioral or cognitive therapy, or a combination of factors.

Although it is true that Autism rates have risen in recent years and is a major health problem, it is imperative to use information derived from reliable sources before rushing to stop vaccinations, an intervention that saves countless lives. The Wakefield paper published in 1998 that began the popular notion that autism is caused by vaccines was only a case series, where 12 children who were observed to have developed intestinal problems within a month of the MMR vaccine, and 8 of whom were also diagnosed with autism at that time ("A Look at What Causes", 2008). While there may be a correlation, this does not denote causation, and along with the small sample size and type of study, this paper should not be used to base any conclusions on, only the possibilty of future research. Other studies are currently looking at biochemical contributors for autism that may lead back to an environmental cause (Deth, Muratore, Benzecry, Power-Charnitsky, & Waly, 2008; Van Den Hazel, Zuurbier, Babisch, Bartonova, Bistrup, Bolte, et al., 2006), and the CHARGE Study is an ongoing large-scale case-control study investigating a wide array of possible environmental and genetic factors into the development of autism and hopes to uncover some statistically significant causational factors (Hertz-Picciotto, I., Croen, L., Hansen, R., Jones, C., Van De Water, J., & Pessah, I., 2006).

There is much epidemiologic work to be done in the search for causes of the autism epidemic. Although it is good to have these types of issues brought to the attention of the public through media, much of the media information and hype is innaccurate. In this case, because of celebrity status and media attention, McCarthy and Carrey write a heartfelt and well-intentioned piece that is presented by lay-people without the epidemiologic background to properly interpret and synthesize the current data on autism and it's contributors. This lack of scientific rigor and support in many popular media outlets unfortunately is not uncommon and spreads innacurate and potentially harmful information.

References:

Deth, R., Muratore, C., Benzecry, J., Power-Charnitsky, V., & Waly, M. (2008). How environmental and genetic factors combine to cause autism: A redox/methylation hypothesis [Abstract]. NeuroToxicology, 29(1), 190-201. Retrieved May 10, 2009 from the EBSCO Database.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center. (2008) A Look at What Causes, and What Doesn't Cause, Autism. Retrieved on May 9, 2009 from: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=84662#other_studies .

Hertz-Picciotto, I., Croen, L., Hansen, R., Jones, C., Van De Water, J., & Pessah, I. (2006). The CHARGE Study: An Epidemiologic Investigation of Genetic and Environmental Factors Contributing to Autism. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(7), 1119-1125. Retrieved May 10, 2009

McCarthy, J., Carrey, J. (2008, April 4). Jenny McCarthy: My son's recovery from autism. CNN.com. Retrieved on May 8, 2009 from: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment/ .

Van Den Hazel, P., Zuurbier, M., Babisch, W., Bartonova, A., Bistrup, M., Bolte, G., et al. (2006). Today's epidemics in children: Possible relations to environmental pollution and suggested preventive measures. Acta Paediatrica, 95, 18-25. Retrieved May 10, 2009 from the EBSCO database.

Cap and Trade: What is It?

Hank Green over at ecogeek.com has posted a nearly auction-style, fast primer on the Cap and Trade system proposed by the Obama administration. This is a must see, as this legislation stands to be one of the most important pieces in starting our emissions decline. He does a good job flitting though the major point of contention - the assertion by many conservatives that it's just another tax. Although it can be construed as such, it's more of a pollution cap with monetary incentives for companies, a system that should be much more flexible, functional, and fair to both businesses and American citizens than a straight "carbon tax".

26 Week Ultrasound Art and Treehugger.com’s Going Green Guide

For the latest installment of Orion’s ultrasound art, on Orion's sustainable baby blog, I chose to completely rip off Andy Warhol’s techniques, right down to the colors! This is a pretty good 2D close-up view of his face and everything is going well so far.

In our continuing quest to have a “green baby” and with Earth Day coming up and all, I figured we could check out one of my favorite green blogs, treehugger.com, and their “Going Green Guide”. Many people aren’t sure where to start once their eco-consciousness has been raised, and the guide is a great place to start without being too overwhelming. It’s divided into many categories, so whatever subject you want to start working on, from dinner parties, to home energy, gift guides, personal care products, and of course, having babies, there is an incredible amount of information there. Right now we’re researching reusable diaper options, so stay tuned and have a great Earth Day!

24 Week Ultrasound and Ecofriendly Baby Chair Review: Crate and Barrel’s Bayside Swivel Glider

I was happy to see Orion striking a “Thinker” pose when we were playing with the ultrasound last week. Laura is feeling well, still exercising with swimming, spin class, and hiking with Marley. We’re both busy with work and school, but the nursery is almost done, and we’re trying to figure out our “chair” situation. It seems that getting the proper rocker/glider/combo/baby calmer is a big deal and we’ve been trying to find the most comfortable-yet-eco-friendly option.

After much internet research, we found Crate and Barrel’s Bayside Swivel Glider, a slipcovered glider benchmade in the USA from “certified sustainable” hardwood with soy-based polyfoam seats and 100% recycled and post-consumer backing. We tested one out in the San Jose store, and I must say that it is a VERY comfortable chair with a soft feel, low armrests good for breastfeeding (and I’ll mention again the removable/replaceable slipcover - nice for baby messes). The only drawback was the lack of head support, which was easily fixed with a well-placed throw pillow. With quite a few attractive fabric options, this one would fit our needs well, along with the matching ottoman, and actually was both domestically produced and pretty ecofriendly! For this well-made furniture with these premium options, unfortunately you’ll pay a premium price, $1398 for chair and glider. This is in comparison to $649 for a wood glider made in Canada at our local baby store, Johnson’s or $209 or more for a BabiesRUs glider made who-knows-where of unknown materials. Interestingly, Laura’s Dad is bringing her Great-Grandfather’s 75 year old rocking chair, so we may not even need a glider, but it’s been fun doing the research! The best part about the hand-me-down rocker is that it’s a family heirloom and carries special memories, with now 4 generations of the family being rocked to sleep in it, not to mention that it’s the ultimate in recycling!

If we do end up needing one, I think we’ll end up going big and getting the Crate and Barrel chair - it’s by far the most comfortable, is well built, attractive, can end up being a regular piece of furniture instead of just a “baby chair”, is made in the U.S., and is pretty darn ecofriendly (I'd like some organic cotton or hemp slipcover options, though). Either that or get a used crapola one on craigslist for super cheap! I think what we’ve learned from this is to not get caught up in the “baby hype”, many things that people say you need you can find used, get through your family and friends, or you may not even need it at all.

Volatile Organic Compounds, Why They're Bad, Why They're In Your House, and Why FEMA Wasn't Really at Fault for the Trailer Formaldehyde Debacle.

In the course of my classes for my Master's of Public Health, I've been doing quite a bit on environmental health. I'm sorry I've been a bit slack on the posts, but it's because of school so besides a baby blog, I'm going to start posting excerpts from some of my papers and discussions. The bonus is that I'll be adding citations for references and data support for the discussion. This is from a paper on environmental causes of health problems and exposure to chemicals, the section on volatile organic compounds, or VOCs:

"This problem effects us all in varying levels, but can disproportionally effect those living in areas with concentrated levels of certain chemicals, those that regularly utilize potentially hazardous products, and especially those in developing nations where many modern potentially hazardous substances and products are produced or disposed of. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are also at greater risk for developing disease from lower levels of exposure (Freedman, et al, 2001). Shifts in exposure can occur quickly as well, as in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where thousands of people were displaced from their homes and many were provided trailers to live in by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It was found later that these trailers, made from standard off-the-shelf building materials, were off-gassing enough volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde to cause significant health problems in many of those living in them (Final Report on Formaldehyde, 2008). Although it was dismissed by some, offering that these types of trailers were not meant to live in for prolonged periods, these very same materials such as pressboard, melamine, paints and sealants, are used in regular home construction as well and can affect any homeowner given the proper concentrations and conditions." (Slaughter, Environmental, 2009)

Next is a brief definition of VOCs and some human health effects:

The selected toxicologic agent for discussion is Toluene, described on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry website as "among the most abundantly produced chemicals in the United States." (Toluene: Medical Management, 2007). Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon molecule that is a type of volatile organic compound (VOC). It is found abundantly throughout our society, in gasoline, glues, inks, dyes, lacquers, paints, pesticides, cleaners, and other household and industrial products (Olson, 1999). Although exposures and overdoses are seen in industrial accidents, it is also commonly abused through "huffing" or "sniffing" the fumes to produce dizzyness and euphoria. It can produce human toxicity through inhalation, ingestion, skin or mucous membrane exposure, is passed through uterine circulation to a fetus, and is also passed in breast milk (Toluene: Medical Management, 2007). Toluene causes a significant amount of toxicity, often from acute exposures, although chronic exposures occur as well, with effects including skin irritation, corneal abrasions, tremors, ataxia (unsteady gait), nausea, headache, and even renal failure and death in high enough doses. Also, because of it's physical properties like other VOCs, toluene can cause asphyxiation from concentrated inhalation as well as chemical pneumonitis and respiratory failure from aspiration (Olson, 1999). " (Slaughter, Online discussion, 2009)

So really, even though FEMA made some mistakes, people getting sick from the formaldehyde levels in the trailers wasn't their fault. The trailers were actually the fault of the EPA and other regulatory bodies that should have been keeping VOCs out of our building materials in the first place, and a building materials industry that doesn't always take adequate precautions to protect their consumers. Bottom line - have an idea of what you're consuming and what's in it.

There are over 85,000 chemicals used in the U.S. in industry and consumer goods, of which we have full toxicologic data for about 7%. That's a lot we don't know. Even though we don't know all of the effects of many of the chemicals we are being exposed to, there is good scientific evidence that some of the more toxic ones and some of the commonly used chemicals cause significant human health problems, even cancer. Exposures are incredibly variable and many of the severe health effects are often accidental or one-time exposures, occupational, or from long-term, chronic exposures, so most people will probably be just fine. However, we'll see a few thousand people die or get ill from pesticide exposure here, a few hundred thousand cancers from smoking and other carcinogen exposures there, some kids losing 30 or 40 IQ points from lead exposure in homes and toys, male frogs turning into females or having extra legs, little stuff, not really a big deal, right? OR, we could change the way we regulate chemicals to use the precautionary principle and properly test chemicals for human health risks before allowing them to be sold to consumers. Pretty easy way to save lives and an incredible amount of healthcare spending, really.

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2007). Toluene: Medical Management Guidelines. Retrieved on March 12, 2009 from: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg56.html

Freedman, D., Stewart, P., Kleinerman, R., Wacholder, S., Hatch, E., Tarone, R., Robison, L., Linet, M. (2001). Household Solvent Exposures and Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. American Journal of Public Health. 91:4

Centers for Disease Control (2008). Final Report on Formaldehyde Levels in FEMA-Supplied Travel Trailers, Park Models, and Mobile Homes. Retrieved on December 28, 2008 from: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/

Olgar, S., Oktem, F., Dindar, A., Kilbas, A., Turkoglu, U., Cetin, H., et al. (2008). Volatile solvent abuse caused glomerulopathy and tubulopathy in street children. Human and Experimental Toxicology. 27:477-483. Retrieved on March 12, 2009 from: EBSCO Database, Walden Library.

Olson, K. (Ed.). (1999). Poisoning and Drug Overdose. Stamford: Appleton and Lange.

Slaughter, C. (2009). Online Discussion. PUBH 6105 Environmental Health Class. Walden University

Slaughter, C. (2009). Environmental Causes of Illness. Final Paper. Course 6115: Social, Behavioral and Cultural Factors in Public Health. Walden University

If You're Not In The "If It's Yellow Let it Mellow" Crowd: $150 Toilet Retrofit Will Save You Thousands of Gallons of Water!

In the bathroom in our bedroom, Laura and I generally stick to the "If it's yellow let is mellow, if it's brown flush is down" mantra. Instead of flushing the toilet, say 12-15 times a day, we only flush 4 or 5. At 1.6 gallons per flush, just doing this on one toilet saves us over 5000 gallons per year of water. We tend to flush the downstairs toilet regularly, as we don't want to gross out our guests, plus for some reason that bathroom has an uncanny amplification of smells (tmi, I know). Many people are uncomfortable with not flushing every time, especially in more public restrooms, and we've started to see some businesses install dual-flush toilets such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Now there is a solution for the home! Rather than replacing your entire toilet, Brondell is releasing the "Perfect Flush" retrofit that can be installed on nearly any standard home toilet and can save about 50% of the water you would normally use if you're an "everytime flusher." At $150, it's also affordable and looks to be fairly easy to install yourself. Although we should be seriously rethinking our water use in general, (ie: how much sense does it make to contaminate millions of gallons of water from showers, kitchens, washing machines, sinks, etc, with a few hundred gallons of blackwater?) this is an easy and affordable first step until you can get your composting toilets and greywater systems in place!

via Gizmodo.

The Tables are Turned: Fox News and Rush Limbaugh are now "Un-American" and "Traitorous" for Not Supporting Our President!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Fox News Fear Imbalance

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Incredibly, but not so surprisingly, the right-winged pundits such O'Reilly and Limbaugh,and the rest of Fox News, have completely flipped their attitudes about supporting the American presidency. It was not so long ago that these very same people ranted and raved about how "Un-American" it was to criticize the war in Iraq or any of the other poorly informed/thought-out decisions of our last President. Now, when it's not "their boy" in the White House, they've opted to take the Un-American route of unabashedly fear-mongering, undermining, and other douchebaggery while covering President Obama's first few days in office, rather than being constructive and contributing reasonable and intelligent discourse to the sorely needed changes in our government.

This Friday, January 15, is national call-in day to promote a single-payer healthcare system. Here is the official page with information on HR676 and

This Friday, January 15, is national call-in day to promote a single-payer healthcare system. Here is the official page with information on HR676 and how to contact your congressperson. Also, you can call (202) 225-3121 and ask to be connected to the office of your Representative or your Senators (you can also look up their direct numbers using your zip code here)

Being in the healthcare community, I find it hard to believe that so many people don't support this concept. One of the big arguments is whether healthcare is a right or a privilege and when you work in the medical field, it is obvious that it should be a right, just like having a firefighter to put out your burning house, or a police officer to rescue you from an assailant, everyone should have basic medical care. We often hear the term "socialized" attached to single-payer healthcare as a fear tactic because of the negative stigma still associated with the term socialism. Single-payer, however, is not government run healthcare, it is private healthcare with government paying the bills instead of insurance companies. Essentially nothing will change with how you interact with your physician or clinic, but rather than insurance companies artificially driving up costs and making profits on people's health, denying legitimate claims, and costing an extra 15% or more in administrative costs, medicare and medicaid will cover everyone! Costs overall will decrease, and the out of pocket expense to the individual will be lower than the current system. If we can combine this with a massive expansion in public health education and services, along with major tort reform to revamp medical liability, we might just be able to improve our status from spending more money per capita than any other country, yet ranking number 37 in the world in quality of health care. Shameful.

Please call in on Friday and make your voice heard!

EcoGeek Compares CFL Incandescent and LED Lightbulbs

EcoGeek just posted this is a great and quick comparison of the light output and quality from incandescents vs. CFLs vs. LEDs, as well as discussion of efficiency.

Although we did the conversion to CFLs a few years ago, we're on the second phase and slowly coverting to LED bulbs as the CFLs burn out. The technology has already come a long way in the last 2 years and LED bulb prices are starting to come down. At this point, if you haven't changed out your incandescent bulbs, you might as well skip the CFLs and go straight to the LEDs! With 1/4-1/3 of the power use and 10,000-50,000 hour lifespans, LEDs are certainly the way to go.

via treehugger.com, ecogeek.com

John Stewart and John Olliver Say What We All Are Thinking About Terrorists of Any Type.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mumbai Tragedy

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

This is a brilliant exchange between John Olliver and John Stewart on 12/1/09's The Daily Show. Simply brilliant - an incredibly accurate discussion of terrorists of any kind.

Vote: No Bailout For The Auto Industry. Unless. . .

Ok, so first we've thrown hundreds of billions of dollars haphazardly at banks, much of which they've already hoarded, squandered, and rearranged, rather than taking a few weeks for our government to carefully draft an educated and well-thought out plan to mediate the value to loan ratio problem, devalue existing loans to help foreclosing homeowners restructure debt, and tightly regulate the use of said taxpayer dollars to avoid the current system of lining the pockets of the greedy lenders and traders who were gambling away everyone's debt and 401k money.

Now we're talking about bailing out three companies, who no matter how "Downhome American" and "Heartlandy" they are, have spent the last half century manipulating the American public through engineered obsolescence and ruthless marketing campaigns to sell the biggest and least efficient vehicles, partnered with oil companies to actively fight emissions standards and efficiency requirements, have purposefully withheld technology that would improve mileage and save fuel, have killed California's zero-emission legislation through legal actions, failed to have any concern whatsoever for the growing climate change and peak oil crises, and have allowed their own greed and obliviousness, purposeful or not, to lead to their own downfall.

The ONLY way we should give any money to the U.S. Auto industry is if they are required to use these funds to completely revamp their lines to include only vehicles that are electric, are compatible with modern biofuels, or use some other type of renewable and low or no emissions fuel. They must also begin large initiatives to convert existing vehicles to run on one of these fuels. The beauty is, that this is in reality a fairly easy proposal: Most modern gasoline engines can be easily modified to run E85 or natural gas, every diesel can run on 100% biodiesel (it's just not covered by warranty) and can easily be modified to run on vegetable oil. Pretty much any vehicle chassis can be easily converted to run on electricity, using standard golf cart batteries to go more than 40 miles to a charge at highway speeds, more than enough for the vast majority of daily drivers. With minimal training and barely adequate electrical skills, I've even been thinking about building one in my garage. The "Big Three" have much smarter people than I with much more mechanical knowledge,and they have much, much. . . MUCH bigger garages.

For that matter, I can think of quite a few things we can do as well with that 813 billion (in tax breaks and funds) Congress has already authorized to bail out Wall Street. How about we pay our craftsmen and builders to learn about energy efficient and eco-friendly building techniques? Why don't we start a national solar loan program that gives anyone who wishes a low interest loan to get solar water heating and photovoltaic panels? Why don't we reteach and train those losing their jobs how to grow food, how to farm energy, how to retrofit homes for efficiency, and other skills? Why don't we help towns and cities rebuild their energy infrastructures to make clean power, ethanol, and biodiesel from waste streams and utilize resources efficiently?

We need to use this money wisely in a well-designed renewable energy "New Deal" for our country to build a sustainable infrastructure for a future of economic prosperity, food security, and clean energy.


reference: bbc news article

Obama Understands Our Environmental Problem: "We can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house."

Newsweek picked up this off-the-record comment by Senator Obama prior to the debates:

"I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me … answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."

The beauty of this unscripted, honest response to climate change is that it demonstrates that Barack Obama isn't just about the superficial, pop-media responses to the crisis, he has a deeper understanding of the work we have in front of us. He realizes that this isn't something that a few token efforts will solve, it will require sweeping changes in how we live, how we utilize energy and our resources, and massive changes in our fuel and energy infrastructure. He knows that it's not about the effing light bulbs.

via treehugger.com

Finally, a Time for Change

We've done it! Elected a man whom we hope has the integrity, the intelligence, and the vision that he's shown us in this election race. If you haven't watched his acceptance speech yet, it is truly inspiring and makes me, for the first time in years, proud to be an American, with hope that we can once again live up to the ideals that we were founded upon - freedom and justice (and sustainability) for all.

Californians Need To Vote No on Proposition 8 To Protect Civil Liberties and Freedom.

I had thought that we lived in a free society, where we are all entitled by the constitution to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" in a country founded upon the separation of church and state and the promise of freedom of religion, or lack thereof. As I was making a trip to the hardware store 2 days ago, I saw two young men in front of the entrance to the strip mall with signs saying "Save Marriage : Vote Yes on Prop 8" (a proposition to outlaw same-sex marriages for you non-Californians out there). Well, in the usual S.E.E.P. fashion, I felt the need to have a discussion with one of them to try figure out why someone would want to stomp on someone else's civil liberties like that. I asked, "Why are you campaigning for the suppression of freedom? I don't understand why anyone would do such a thing."

In the 20 minute conversation that ensued, his main defense was that gay marraige undermines the institution of marraige and that "we believe" that it's not right. I said, "There you go - when you say, "we believe," you mean that it's your opinion and your personal and religious beliefs that you are trying to impose on other people." You are certainly entitled to your opinion, that's the wonderful thing about our country - for the most part you have freedom to do and say what you like as long as you're not hurting anyone else. But just because you don't personally approve of what someone else is doing, that does not give you the right to take away their rights. If you want to teach your children hate, intolerance, and bigotry within the confines of your own home, so be it. That's your right, but it's not a decision that should even be brought up for a vote! It doesn't matter that your bible says that being gay is a sin - you might need to remember that not everyone believes in the same religious text that you do. It doesn't matter that it makes you feel uncomfortable (possibly because of your latent homosexual urges?), people have the right to have relationships with whomever they please and they should have the rights that any other couple have.

On the ridiculous argument of "undermining the institution of marriage" - please people. If you really think that two homosexual people getting married takes away from the meaning of the concept, then you clearly have no idea what marriage is and what it means. It is a word. A word describing an incredible bond between two people that is impossible to put into words. A connection for which you would do anything for the other person, sacrifice everything for their happiness, and go to the ends of the earth to be with them. It's the bond that I proudly share with my heterosexual partner Laura, and it's a bond that homosexual partners share as well.

I find it incredulous that the same right-wing, bible-wielding Republicans that proudly fly the American flag and claim to value so highly the freedom that we share, feel such a need to take freedoms and liberties away from other people (I apologize to all of the bible-wielding Republicans who understand the place of government, value civil liberties, and will be voting against Prop 8). You can't pick and choose what freedoms you grant - you are either free or you are not. End of story. Stop mixing your personal hangups and religious "morality" (don't get me started on the hypocrisy of religion and morality throughout history) and come to terms with the fact that the United States of America is (was?) the greatest country in the world because it was founded on freedom and justice for all. And that true freedom is what we should all continue to fight for, regardless of our race, creed, religion, color, or sexual orientation.

The Mini-E: Finally We're (Almost) Seeing A Consumer Electric Car!

The BMW group has announced that it will have 500 Mini E's ready to deploy in California by the end of 2008! This electric version of the cuddly yet sporty Mini will house a 150kw (204 hp) motor powered by Li-ion batteries that will go 0-62 in 8.5 seconds, rock an electronically limited top speed of 95 mph, go an estimated 150 miles to a charge, and will be repowered in 2.5 hours by a garage charger. These vehicles unfortunately will only "initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey", but it's a start and I'm optimistically hoping that they'll see great success and get to the consumer sometime in 2009-10.

We've known about climate change for decades, yet hardly any action has been taken until recently. We've seen fuel prices rise and the threat of peak oil has loomed closer and closer, threatening a global energy and economic meltdown at any time. Since the EV-1, subject of the film "Who Killed The Electric Car", we have yet to see a consumer-oriented, highway-capable electric vehicle come out of any of the major auto manufacturers. Sure, we've seen prototypes, concepts, and a flurry of promised vehicles from startups, and don't forget the DIY movement, where an enterprising wannabe engineer can spend a few hundred hours and $10K or more on an EV hobby kit, but where have the electric cars been for the rest of us? We want to go to the car lot, test drive a few, and slap down less than $25k for a nice, solid, reliable electric car with all of the bells and whistles. The technology is there - the only stumbling block has been battery technology, which is advancing at a blinding speed. Why hasn't the industry gotten together to make a standard interchangeable battery pack that can be swapped out with better technology in 5-10 years when it's ready? I'll take a car with a 100 mile range now with the prospect of a 300 mile range in a few years when batteries are better!

via Gas 2.0

Insulate Yourself Against Recession With Renewable Energy and Urban Farming

Like it or not, we're in at least a recession and possibly heading for a depression. The federal government can bail out banks and throw money into the system without having any real inkling as to whether it will actually work or not, but there's no denying that we will all be affected. Some will lose jobs, some will take a hit on retirement, some will lose their homes, and some might even have to sell their second yacht. Regardless of where you stand, as we approach peak oil, energy, food, and transportation will continue to become more costly, and as finances become tighter, we will all have to take a good look at how we use our money and our resources.

How can you protect yourself against this downturn? Become as self-sufficient as possible. With the renewed and expanded tax credits, and more payment plans available, residential solar installations are now within reach of many Americans. Solar hot water and solar ovens to cook your food will decrease your gas or electric bill. Plant a garden for cheap, fresh vegetables and herbs and some free exercise instead of a gym membership. Compost your kitchen waste for free fertilizer for your plants and garden. Look into a commuter bike or an electric bike or scooter for fast, nearly free local transportation. Find out what public transportation is available to you and take the bus or the train to work, or find other commuters to carpool with. Perform an energy audit of your home and replace incandescents with CFL bulbs or even better, energy-sipping LEDs. Turn off unused lights and electronics with power strips to combat phantom power loads. If you're upgrading or changing appliances, make sure that your new ones are Energy Star certified, particularly your computer, refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer. Reinsulate your home and seal doors and windows against drafts. Plant fruit trees and berry bushes around your property for year after year of seasonal food that can be canned for use later or given away as inexpensive but creative and sustainable gifts. There are hundreds of other small changes that you can make that are not only rewarding and will decrease your impact on the planet, but will save significant amounts of money for you and your family as food and energy prices rise. This is not only a conscientious thing to do, it's fiscally responsible!

ABC Refuses to Air Repower America Commerical - They've Already Been Bought By Big Oil.

In a blatant maneuver to stay in the good graces of oil companies and keep their ad revenue, ABC has refused to air this commercial from the Alliance for Climate Protection at wecansolveit.org. Lets see. . . we can support a message funded by the public for the public good in a time of crisis, or we can pander to the oil companies, supporting private corporatism and greed from those partially responsible for the mess we're in.

Sounds like a boycott to me! I'll stick to CNN, BBC, and NBC (sorry FOX, I only watch to laugh at your ridiculously obvious bias).

Sarah Palin is a Self-Proclaimed "Energy Expert" Because There's Oil in Alaska, Just Like She's a Foreign Policy Expert Because Russia is Next Door.

I hate to keep harping on Governor Palin, but unfortunately she deserves it. It is imperative that the middle America that she somehow appeals to understands how utterly inappropriate she is as a Vice Presidential Candidate, making the otherwise reasonable McCain ticket a no-deal (I'd still vote for Obama, but McCain isn't a bad guy). In the vice-presidential debate, Palin called herself an "energy expert", which, it seems, is a moniker earned in a similar manner to her supposed foreign policy prowess. By her reckoning, she is close to Russia, making her a foreign policy expert, and there's oil in Alaska, making her an energy expert.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, none of our candidates fully understand the dire nature of our global energy crisis. It's not just climate change that we should be worried about - it's peak oil. Just like the economy taking a downward spiral in a "perfect storm" of deregulation, risky mortgages, bad decisions on consumer's behalves, industry greed, and bipartisan legislative ineptitude, climate change and peak oil are intimately intertwined and we are heading straight into the eye of yet another perfect storm. By nearly all estimates, peak oil, or the time when we cannot pump anymore oil from the earth in a day, is either happening now or will happen within the next 5-20 years. What this means practically is that as daily oil extraction levels off and starts to decline, as long as demand continues to rise, we will see an astronomical spike in oil costs and worldwide shortages. Let me repeat - if we continue to use oil as we do today, within the next few years to few decades, we are guaranteed to see huge oil shortages and massive price increases. This is not supposition, it is supported by oil industry insiders, geologists, and energy experts alike and if we do not shift to alternative forms of energy quickly, starting right now, civilization as we know it, fueled by oil, will grind to a halt. Not only that, but once the oil is gone, if we haven't prepared ourselves, we'll likely fall back on the other, dirtier fossil fuel that is still plentiful - coal. This, in turn, will accelerate the already unstoppable threat of climate change.

The fact is, that offshore drilling and drilling in ANWR will give us a few measly percent of our annual oil use. The rest must still be bought from unstable Middle Eastern dictatorships, some of whom continue to funnel oil money into the hands of the very terrrorists that we are trying to defeat. We can pour money into drilling for more of a dying paradigm and building multi-billion dollar nuclear plants, neither of which will yield any power for a decade. Or, we can focus our efforts and resources on researching and building a renewable energy infrastructure for our entire country, which will protect us from the global economic collapse that will occur as peak oil hits. We will be actively fighting climate change, we will generate domestic jobs, we will wean ourselves off of foreign oil, and we can reclaim our role as a leader and innovator in the world.

Not one of our presidential or vice presidential candidates has even mentioned peak oil, and we've barely heard a peep about the environment or climate change. None of these people are energy experts, especially not Governor Palin, who continues to spew her "Drill, baby, drill" mantra. She will not bring you lower gas prices, nobody will. If you calculate the true cost of a gallon of gas, including extraction, refining, transport, and environmental impact, it should be around $12/gallon. For the better part of a century, we have enjoyed cheap gas subsidized by government tax breaks, political power plays, and even war, and now that we're starting to see fuel prices rise towards what a true and fair market price would be, Americans have cried in outrage rather than taken action to become part of the solution.

At least Senator Obama and Senator McCain recognize the importance of climate change and renewable energy, at least they have an inkling of the true crisis at hand. Governor Palin is still in denial about climate change and is proposing to waste more of the taxpayers dollars on what will become a nearly obselete energy source within our lifetimes. Sorry, but this "Joe Six-Pack" needs a leader who has the intelligence and foresight to set aside their preconcieved notions, objectively evaluate the evidence and take steps to lead us into a prosperous and sustainable future, and Sarah Palin is not that leader.

Sarah Palin Report: Pro-corporation With No Regard for the Environment, Nepetism, Half-truths, Bullying, and Bush-like Secretism.

Looking at our presidential candidates over the past few weeks, along with their new running mates, has caused a flurry of media attention, especially with the introduction of formerly unknown Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin. While I admit up front that I am an Obama supporter, I feel a certain due diligence is in order to review what our possibilities could be and see what we could have in store if McCain and Palin are elected.

The media has been frankly ridiculous, hanging on every comment with the right-wingers uncharacteristically pulling the sexism card at every opportunity and playing up the "downhome" quality of Palin's background, going so far as calling her husband "The First Dude" almost exclusively. The less biased mainstream media has been pretty harsh as well, playing the usual game of digging up every possible piece of dirt that they can find. The truth is, we need to look at Palin's qualifications and her political record thus far. Although there has been media attention focused on her past record, but much of this has been drowned out by the starry-eyed wonder with which many conservatives and women voters are looking at Palin.

The NYTimes article entitled "Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes," is a chilling tale of secrecy, nepotism, and Bush-esque politics, describing how Palin and her staffers have used alternative communications methods outside of government email systems to be less trackable, avoid being subpoenaed, and reduce accountability. It describes how Palin has hired many friends, most without proper qualifications, to various state political positions - my favorite example is Palin's high school classmate hired to head the Alaska Department of Agriculture who listed a "childhood love of cows" as a qualification for the job. This article, along with the now-infamous blog of Alaskan conservative Sherry Whitstein, details the strong-arming and bullying that Palin, her family, and her supporters have used to manipulate opponents in her seemingly desperate quest for political power. There are tales of phone calls from Palin's staff, her husband and other family members with yelling, cursing, and threats, to reporters, interviewers, and opponents, basically trying to bully those who speak out against her actions or policies. This tactic comes up over and over with their camp, from the librarian who she tried to get fired for not banning books, to the "Troopergate" scandal, it seems that Palin thinks it fine to use her political power inappropriately as a means to her own ends, be they "moral", personal, or political.

Meanwhile, it seems that during Palin's reign in Wasillia, Alaska, she reversed much of the work that was being done by the previous Mayor to limit commercial growth and reduce the pollution of the town's lakes. Under Palin, big-box retailers were given what sounds to be free reign, building complexes next to the lake and allowing toxic parking lot runoff to drain into an already polluted lake system. Add the pro-drilling stance, the disbelief in human-caused climate change, a bear pelt over her interview couch, and a wonderful photo of her entire family ensconced in fur, demonstrates clearly that Palin is no friend to the environment and will choose a money-making opportunity with corporate deals regardless of any potential environmental impacts.

Deepak Chopra, M.D., the renowned mind-body physician has written an article entitled "Obama and the Palin Effect" about the psychological phenomenon that makes Palin so appealing to so many, then discusses in plain terms what she stands for:

• "Small town values — a nostaligic return to simpler times disguises a denial of America’s global role, a return to petty, small-minded parochialism.
• Ignorance of world affairs — a repudiation of the need to repair America’s image abroad.
• Family values — a code for walling out anybody who makes a claim for social justice. Such strangers, being outside the family, don’t need to be needed.
• Rigid stands on guns and abortion — a scornful repudiation that these issues can be negotiated with those who disagree.
• Patriotism — the usual fallback in a failed war.
• ”Reform” — an italicized term, since in addition to cleaning out corruption and excessive spending, one also throws out anyone who doesn’t fit your ideology."

There is, unfortunately, much more to say, but The S.E.E.P.'s official position on Palin is that although she is attractive to a large section of our conservative citizens, much of her appeal is on the surface and there are some very concerning issues in how she has conducted her politics in Alaska and this is not the type of people we want leading our country, as Vice-President, or for the remote possibility of President. Her environmental record is abysmal and we can only hope that conservative Americans do not misinterpret her being "outdoorsy" and a hunter with being remotely concerned with the environment. We need more integrity and openness, we need someone who will work for the will of the people, not someone who plans to push their own personal agenda, especially if they feel that the ends justify the questionable means.

via NYTimes

Fossil Fuel Free Concert Series: Ben Harper and Jack Johnson Shows in Santa Barbara

Last month Laura and I were fortunate enough to make it to see two of our favorite artists, Ben Harper at the Santa Barbara Bowl on August 22nd, and Jack Johnson at UC Santa Barbara on August 27th. Each of these trips are about a 220 mile round trip and to save money and relieve our eco-guilt, we of course drove our biodiesel vehicles in another installment of Fossil Fuel Free roadtrips. For the Ben Harper show it was just me and Laura, so we took the 2003 Jetta TDI wagon which gets 37+ miles/gallon on our homemade biodiesel. The show was fantastic, Santa Barbara Bowl is a fantastic venue, and watching Harper rock out on his slide guitar will drop your jaw in amazement as he melts your face off with his ridiculous musical talent.

For the Jack Johnson show, we carpooled with some friends and took the Vegfalia for some straight used vegetable oil transport. The Jack show was fantastic as always and as a bonus, he has the "All At Once" initiative in full swing. His mellow musical stylings always get the crowd swaying and bouncing to the beat, listening to his honest and heartfelt lyrics. The show was a bit festival-like, with the All-At-Once tent and a circle of tents housing various environmental groups as well. Impressively, the entire concert tour is striving to be carbon neutral, through biodiesel-powered tourbuses and generators and CO2 offsets. Also, there were water stations to refill your reusable bottles, discouraging bottled water, there were recycling bins next to every trash can, the concert T-shirts were organic cotton, and if you collected enough stamps from refilling your bottle, carpooling, and visiting the environmental non-profits there, you were entered to win a JJ skateboard or to get up on stage with Jack. Also, any donations to the non-profits were matched by the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation. Basically Jack Johnson is demonstrating by example that large events and tours can have minimal environmental impact and he it seems that he is successfully converting fans to be more mindful of their consumption.

Go Jack!

I'm Voting Republican

This is a wonderfully sarcastic look at some of the Republican party's stances on issues in the upcoming election from synthetic human studios.

Obama's Acceptance Speech at the DNC: Inspiring and Right on Target.

This speech is a must-watch for Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and even non-voters - it will probably get you to vote for Obama. Senator Obama describes specific policy changes that he plans to address social security, healthcare, trade deficits, unemployment, renewable energy, foreign policy and more. This is certainly anything but the "empty rhetoric" that the conservatives have been describing of Obama's speeches. It is powerful, honest, and inspires hope.

Continuing Right-Wing Shortsightedness on Oil: Drilling Won't Bring Down Gas Prices!

In the continuing media campaign to get Americans to want to drill offshore and in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, Hannity and Gingrich are shown here once again making fun of conservation techniques and attempting to discredit the real solution: DECREASE OIL CONSUMPTION AND TRANSITION TO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES. It's really that simple. The "drill, drill, drill" philosophy might get us a little more oil in the relative short term (3-5 years before we start seeing any actual oil), but by staying with our current infrastructure, demand will continue to rise, and the future result will be the same - rising oil prices and the continued "addiction to oil".

The alternative is to change how we use oil now by conserving, and continue to develop battery and alternative fuel technology so that in the next 1-5 years your next new car will be electric or fueled with cellulosic ethanol or algae-based biodiesel instead of oil. In the same time it would take to see anything from drilling new wells, we'll be well on our way to kicking fossil fuels to the curb.

What kills me is the continued lack of professionalism and blatant skew put on this type of reporting from Fox News and many conservatives. They scoff at inflating your tires, where in fact, keeping your tires at proper pressure can improve mileage by as much as 3.3%, which is not bad for such an easy solution. Combine that with people using public transportation, riding bikes for local trips, carpooling, and other basic, money-saving conservation strategies, and a solid plan for renewable technology implementation, and we simply won't need to drill.

We can only hope that our future and current leaders have the foresight and wisdom to guide us there rather than staying with the reactionary, short-sighted status quo.

video via treehugger.com

Take a Stand! World Boycott on New Fossil Fuel Powered Cars!

I'm publishing this on a public blog so that if I mysteriously disappear after making this proposal, you'll know to investigate the major auto manufacturers and oil companies, but here's the reasoning behind the boycott:

Say you need another car: Your child is turning 16, your old clunker is on it's last legs, you're just plain tired of your old car and want a new one, whatever the reason. You could buy a new car, nice and shiny, with that sweet smell of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) wafting from the upholstery, the latest and greatest gadgetry, a fresh coat of wax from the dealer. You'll be paying $20-30K or more for the vehicle, then immediately lose 30% of the value just by driving off of the lot, and then proceed to pay $100 to fill the tank up every week. Sound good? Not really.

You could buy that car, but why would you buy a new car right now that crudely burns a dying and outdated 20th century fuel? Why not wait and buy a 21st century car - one fueled by electricity or hydrogen, one that burns waste vegetable oil or cellulosic ethanol made from agricultural by-products and recycled paper? Everybody knows that gas isn't going to get significantly cheaper anytime soon, it will actually likely rise slowly for the next few years, then once we are irrefutably in the midst of peak oil and the world starts significantly restricting carbon emissions and taxes energy use, fossil fuel prices will skyrocket, making it impossible to cheaply travel and waste power like we had in the past. The products we buy and the energy we use to heat and power our homes will all be more expensive because they will be more precious. They will carry the true cost of extracting the resources, the human skill and labor, the overall impact on the environment, and the cost of recycling it at the end of their lives. This extra expense is not unfair, and once we understand the true costs of using the world's resources, moderate our consumption, and decrease our footprint, we will probably actually save money in the long run. Buy making responsible, educated, and forward-thinking purchases now, you will be readying yourself for the coming change in energy infrastructure. You'll be leaving the status-quo behind, and making intelligent plans for providing you and your family affordable and available transportation and power options in the future as energy prices rise. You're insulating yourself from volatile changes in prices in gasoline, natural gas, electricity, and even food.

What I'm saying is, if you need another car, let the manufacturers know that you don't want to run your car on fossil fuels, it's bad for the environment, expensive, causes global political unrest and contributes to terrorism, and the technology is available right now to move the same distance at the same speeds without burning any gas, causing any emissions, or contributing to climate change. Make them give you another option, change their practices, divorce themselves from the corporate oil giants. If you need another car right now: go buy a cool used car, fix up a classic roadster, put yourself on the waiting list for a an Aptera, a Tesla Roadster, a Chevy Volt, or a Prius Plug-in Hybrid - you'll have a next-generation car within the next 1-3 years depending on your choice, not really all that long! Plus, you'll have killer eco-street cred. Better yet, make your car stretch - use the money you saved to buy some great commuter bikes, an xtracycle, or an electric scooter or motorcycle. If you want a project, build your own electric car or motorcycle. There are so many options besides buying a new fossil-fuel powered car, it's really just ridiculous to do it right now.

Our entire energy infrastructure is set to change over the next decade, why would you waste your hard-earned money buying in to a dying paradigm? The age of cheap oil is over. Regardless of drilling offshore or in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, irregarding the horribly polluting tar sands projects in Canada, and outside of political deals and wars meant to keep oil flowing to us, fossil fuel demand is increasing and supply is dwindling. Hard core oil exploration and exploitation will be more expensive, less productive, and more environmentally hazardous than ever before. At our current rate of increasing oil consumption, the government-subsidized "resource depletion projects" will at best only postpone the impending energy crisis for a short time if at all. If we're lucky, they might at best keep fossil fuel prices relatively stable as we actively transition off of them in favor or renewable resources.

It's time to invest in the future and stop fueling the climate crisis and start making smart choices for your family's future and vow never to buy another new fossil-fuel powered vehicle. Buy electric, buy used, get a bike instead, become a public transportation expert, stop contributing to the problem and consume like you give a damn.

MRSA: The Basics For The Layperson

My grandmother ended up with an MRSA toe infection and to give my parents a good understanding of what to worry about and, more importantly, what not to worry about, I wrote this "mini-article" and thought it would be useful for those of you worrying about this up and coming infection.

MRSA, or Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus, has unfortunately become the norm of skin infections. For the past few years In the ER we've been treating almost all of our skin infections empirically for MRSA, since in that time we've seen it increasing in frequency, so that more than 50% of our skin infections are now due to it. It's become endemic and there's not much you can do to prevent it these days. Don't get too worried yet, though, it usually doesn't make you too sick as long as it's treated, and often times people will have just an isolated infection.

Interestingly, despite our increasingly germophobic culture, using UV-irradiated toothbrushes, largely unnecessary hand sanitizer gels, and the ubiquitous antibacterial soap, we are unfortunately beginning to generate a place for these products, with ever-increasing virulence of viruses and bacteria and a continuing rise in resistance against traditional antibiotics.
These hypersanitation products have not been traditionally necessary, since the human immune system, along with skin anatomy and a commensualistic relationship with "friendly" bacteria, have been enough to fight off the majority of invasive skin infections fairly well. Bacteria, however, are resourceful. They are highly adaptable to environmental pressure, and since they multiply at logarithmic rates, doubling a colony size in as little as 10 minutes time, the opportunity for mutation and the induction of "resistance genes" and other advantageous traits is significant.

The rampant use of antibiotics for agriculture has likely been one of the biggest evolutionary pressures for modern bacteria, with MRSA being cultured in higher rates in factory farm workers than in the general population and resistant E. coli strains being found in various human food products. This has been an interesting biologic process that has significantly increased human disease and has been due in large part to politics and economics rather than common sense and forward thinking. Michael Pollan's book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma", details the whole sordid tale - basically, in the early part of the century, as farmers got better at growing things, due to cheap fuel oil, advances in machinery, petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides, and other improvements in technology, crop yields increased, generating a huge grain surplus in the 1930's, driving the price of grain to almost nothing. With all that extra corn, we figured out that we could use the surplus super-cheap grain to feed cattle, the cattle grow quickly and chubbily (the marbling us Americans all like), but at the cost of their health. A ruminant's stomach has evolved to eat grass, not corn, so feeding cows grain causes liver infections, bloat, and sometimes death in 30% or more of grain-fed cattle if not treated with antibiotics. This is one of the main reasons I'm trying to decrease red meat intake and when I do eat it, stick to grass-fed beef (besides the 10-fold increase in resource use to produce meat over vegetables, and the cruel factory farming techniques used in the industry today). The point is, because of the grain use, we're using inordinate and otherwise unnecessary quantities of antibiotics to treat whole herds of cows, and we're seeing an increase in microbial resistance and thereby an increase in human disease as a result.

I've come to think of antibiotic resistance as an unending race of technology vs. nature. We will never eradicate disease, and the very act of fighting it pressures it towards resistance. Fighting it too hard leads to more resistance, but not fighting it enough increases human morbidity and mortality. I suppose the answer is informed but cautious prudence in the use of antibiotics.

So what do you do about it? Aside from any political action or dietary change, what happens if you or a loved one gets MRSA? If you end up colonized with MRSA, all it means is that the normal Staph bacteria on your skin are now a bit tougher and more opportunistic, so it becomes easier to get skin infections, infected hair follicles, boils, abscesses, and other tasty low-level infections. Sometimes it can progress to worse problems, but if lesions are drained early, the proper antibiotics are given when needed (Bactrim, a sulfa drug, or a combination of clindamycin and rifampin is best right now where we are, but resistance profiles vary significantly depending on where you live). The biggest mistake I see practitioners make is to give antibiotics instead of draining an abscess. Once you get the pus out (I know, it's pretty nasty, but welcome to my world), it usually starts to improve fairly quickly and often actually doesn't need antibiotics at all. So, if you start to get big zits or boils, you actually need to try to "pop" them and allow them to drain. Sometime heating pads or moist heat will help draw a developing abscess to the surface of the skin where it can drain. When we have to incise them, we actually leave a packing in for a few days so that it can start to heal from the inside out, otherwise they seal themselves up and continue to fester. Once you start seeing recurrent MRSA in the household, it's probably a good idea to have everyone use intranasal Bactoban ointment in the nose, three times a day, for 5 days - this is because a common place for MRSA colonization is the nose. I would probably give the bathrooms a good once-over with some disinfectant, chlorhexidine kills MRSA and we use it in the hospital, but I'll have to check to see if it's available to the general public.

After all that, the message is: don't worry too much, just keep an eye out and take care of infections when they come along.

image from giantmicrobes.com

White House Strongarms EPA Into Lying About Climate Change . . . Again

NY Times article here

It seems that once again, the Bush Administration has taken to distorting facts and even outright lying in order to further their agenda. In 2007, the Supreme Court made a ruling requiring the EPA to determine whether greenhouse gases were a danger to human health or the environment. In December of 2007, after gathering data and consensus opinion, the EPA had prepared a report concluding "that greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be controlled" and that it would be cost effective to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as well as tough fleet mileage requirements, producing an estimated 500 billion to 2 trillion dollars in economic benefits over the next 32 years. The report says basically what the entire rest of the world has embraced and started taking action about: climate change is happening, it is due to man's actions on our planet and the burning of fossil fuels, and unless we act quickly to control it, we will see significant global economic, health, and environmental implications. Sounds pretty on target, right?

Interestingly, this report was sent via email to the White House in December as requested by the Supreme Court. The Bush Administration, however, in an act of childish negligence, has buried it's head in the sand and has flatly refused to open the email. Because of this and other pressure from the administration, the EPA has "been forced" to water down the report so that it only "reviews the legal and economic issues presented by declaring greenhouse gases a pollutant, " rather than actually addressing the issue. This whole kerfuffle is being reviewed by Henry Waxman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as well as by Representative Edward J. Markey of The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, and the Bush Administration has already once again evoked "executive privilege" to avoid handing over incriminating documents on the matter.

All I can say is, WTF? Why can't the EPA simply hand over the original report to the Supreme Court and let the Judicial Branch get involved. Or better yet, release it to the public so that we can all see the true reports that our tax dollars pay for rather than a document full of irrelevant discussion and half-truths? I think that Mr. Johnson of the EPA needs to stand up and do what the American people have hired him to do: protect them from environmental hazards with integrity and honor, not bowing down to criminal political pressure. Send out the Global Warming report to the Supreme Court, every Senator and Representative, and the New York Times. I'll take a copy as well.

What's worse, it that this report doesn't even have any revolutionary information in it, the U.N.'s Panel on Climate Change has pages and pages of documentation on the subject and whether or not global warming is real is no longer up for discussion. What is up for discussion is what we will do about it and if we will be a leader, or act like we're 5 years old and hold our hands over our ears, kicking and screaming, because we don't want to be told to clean up our mess. This type of attitude by our government simply slows down the necessary changes to deal with climate change and further discredits our country in the eyes of the global community.

Here is a link to the EPA director, Stephen Johnson's email address and phone number, let's all drop him a line to let him know that these types of shenanigans will not be tolerated.

via: NYT

treehugger

The Story of Stuff: An Excellent Short Movie For Kids And Adults Alike

I had heard about Annie Leonard's "The Story of Stuff" a while ago, and recently finally watched it. Only 20 minutes and 40 seconds long, it delivers a clear, easily followed path of, for lack of a better word, stuff. From the resource use and depletion, to the manufacturing process and toxic chemical use, to the political manipulation by corporate entities, to the disposal (or lack thereof) of "stuff", this story is a must see for everyone. Simplistic enough for a child to understand but sophisticated enough and stylish enough to keep an adult's attention, it is clearly designed to spread it's message to the masses. The Story of Stuff should be standard curriculum in every home and school, reminding us that what we buy had to come from somewhere, has to go somewhere when we're done, and every action carries some sort of consequence. Whether we choose to acknowledge these consequences and how we act on this knowledge is up to us and our own consciences.

Increase Your Public Transit Use With Google Maps!

Google has done it again with a new feature added to Google Maps Mobile - public transit directions and schedules. We have the NYC subway and the Boston T system wireds, but If you're like me and don't live in an area with a lot of public transportation, using transit systems, especially buses, when you're visiting other places can be daunting - unfamiliar stations, unknown schedules, figuring out destinations when you're not sure where you're going in the first place. Unfortunately it ends up being easier sometimes to drive and use a map or a GPS.

Google has now solved that problem with the new release of Google Maps Mobile, where a second tab has been added under "directions", allowing you to choose between "driving" and "transit" options. You can enter your location and your destination and get step by step walking instructions to the bus stop or transit station, schedules for departure, directions to your final destination, and even search ahead for the latest return trip! This should work on iPhones, Windows Mobile, Palm, as well as a good number of regular mobile phones. As a bonus, if you have a "location aware" phone with GPS, you'll be able to use your current location to start and follow your little blue dot as you go towards your destination.

This is really exciting as it opens up the possibility of using public transportation to an incredible number of people that wouldn't otherwise, so whenever you can, leave your car behind and get on the bus/train/bike!

via Lifehacker

News Flash: Gas Prices Will Continue to Rise! Stop Whining and Start Acting!

We're all tired of hearing everyone complain about gas prices. Besides the everyday complainers, we have truckers protesting, middle class families in suburbia going broke driving to work, and now McCain and Hillary are pushing a summertime "gas tax holiday". Although it is unfortunate that so many people are being effected by the rising prices of fuel, the reality is that our days of cheap, government-subsidized cabon-based fuels are at an end. To put it in perspective, Germany just hit $8/gallon as the already expensive fuel prices throughout Europe continue to increase.
Peter Schwartz, PhD., a local Cal Poly Professor of sustainability calculated that the true cost of a gallon of gas, when you factor in extraction, refining, the environmental impacts, transport, associated human and health impacts, and every other estimatable cost, is around $12/gallon. As we approach this true cost, people will be forced to reconsider how they are utilizing energy resources.

Because we have manipulated the market for so long and fought wars for "energy security", the U.S. has enjoyed falsely lowered fuel prices for half a century. This cheap gas market allowed the expansion of suburbia, the cheap transport of goods and services, the rise of the unparalleled American car culture, a booming vacation and travel market, and an incredible number of other unsustainable luxurious activities. It has also allowed us to waste an incredible amount of energy and resources because they have been so cheap. We have built grandiose, inefficient stick houses with poor insulation, installed energy-sucking appliances, and we drive down the street in our image-conscious, 12mpg SUVs, all choices based on what many people call the "free market", but what is in reality a subsidized, racketeered, bastardized version of capitalism. The oil subsidies unto themselves are incredible, with an estimated $17.8 billion in tax subsidies and between $38 billion and $114.6 billion in government program subsidies, according to an article on treehugger.com.

Many conservative economists, would like us to "stay the course", saying that this "free market" will direct where our money goes, ie: as consumer demand for renewable energy, efficient and electric cars, and sustainable business increases, we will see more of these products available. Although they are correct in basic theory, their entire paradigm of capitalism has been so twisted by political deals, unfair trade agreements, the aforementioned fuel subsidies, and a lack of accountability for the impacts of industrial production, that the basic tenets of the conceptual free market no longer apply. If not for these modifying factors falsely lowering the prices of certain goods and services, opening access to unsustainable development, as well as the effect of psychologically based marketing to sell us wasteful, often toxic products and foods, we would have likely been well on the way to being sustainable 30 years ago with the first energy crisis. If we had been paying European energy prices as we should have been, we would be living efficiently in closer communities, with less waste, public transportation, and more local food production, the very direction that we need to move in immediately if we are to decrease the looming effects of our self-induced climate change.

I recently saw a few minutes of Glenn Beck on a near-sighted, unthoughtful rant on why we should start drilling in Alaska to get us more cheap oil. This is the same lunacy that brings us the gas tax holiday and the "economic stimulus package", maneuvers that don't even prolong the inevitable, they don't even actually help anyone, except that they make some of the more oblivious public feel like something is being done. For us to actually make any progress, each individual must first take responsibility for their energy use and carbon footprint: If you haven't dumped your SUV yet, do it! Change your lightbulbs, install solar, bike more, compost, start your garden, stop buying things from China and overseas, buy local, organic foods, consume like you give a damn!

We also need to pass sweeping changes in legislation, here are a few examples:

1. Immediate moratorium on new coal-fired or nuclear power plants with required emissions-reducing equipment on all existing plants.

2. Home and industrial efficiency requirements to meet LEED certification on ALL new construction and a program to require and assist in efficiency retrofitting on existing homes and industrial buildings.

3. Increased support for renewable energy research and infrastructure with

4. Standardization in electric vehicle battery and/or charging units to allow for swappable battery packs and the deployment of universal charging stations.

5. Better subsidies for residential solar and electric/plug-in hybrid vehicles with significantly increased fees/taxes on non-industrial/non-farming vehicles getting less than 25mpg (this should quickly increase to 30+mpg)

6. Integrated waste management systems with greywater recycling, green waste reutilization for biomass digestion and composting, extensive recycling programs, and increased tariffs for waste and refuse.

With significant conservation initiatives and continued development of existing renewable energy technologies, we can negate the need for new coal power plants, we can avoid drilling in the arctic, and we can decrease some of the effects of climate change. I doubt that any of our current legislators have the courage to make many of these changes, so it is up to us, the citizens, to first do our part, then support our leaders in taking the steps needed to protect our society, our people, and our environment.