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Bottled Water Equals Tap Water?

Bottled Water Equals Tap Water?

Americans spent $22 billion dollars on 9 billion gallons of bottled water in 2007, reports Web MD.  That’s 29 gallons per person.

That’s not too frugal, but I’m embarassed to say that I’m one of them.

I love Poland Springs carbonated water.   But in my research for this post, I found out some startling information about all carbonated water: that, because it’s carbonated, the FDA deems it a soft drink. And because it’s a soft drink, it’s subject to less stringent testing.

Life gets complicated, even with bottled water.

The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) did a study comparing the testing done on bottled versus tap water.

The results are disturbing. You can look at them in a table at the link below:

Key Differences Between EPA Tap Water and FDA Bottled Water Testing Rules

What the table says:

  • Municipal water is required to be tested for E.Coli, other bacteria, and toxic chemicals regularly.
  • Bottled water has to be tested only sparodically, if at all.
  • Soft drinks don’t have to be tested for anything.

Here’s other pros and cons I came up with.

Pros

  • Some bottled water distributors might argue that because of their water source, it doesn’t need to be tested as much as municipal water. Could be.
  • Convenience.
  • Most water distributors do more than the mandated microbiological testing to ensure that none of their customers become ill.
  • There’s a phone number on the label that can be called to obtain detailed information on where the water comes from, and how it is purified and tested.

Cons-

  • 25% of all bottled water starts as municipal water, says the NRDC.  Products such as Aquafina are made by filtering municipal water through complex reverse osmosis filtration systems (RO).    Activated carbon filters may be used before the RO system to remove organic impurities that can affect taste, and also the life of the RO filters. Why is this a con?  RO treatment is already used extensively at municipal water plants.  So the procedure is redundant.
  • For tap water- using a home filter, such as a Brita filter, should remove any further taste affecting contaminants added to the water while traveling through pipes to your home.  So for pennies of day, you have the exact same water.
  • Toxicity tests run on tap water screen out hundreds of carcinogens, and other compounds which effect development of children both before and after birth.
  • Cost. Why buy something you can get from your tap?
  • The bottles! It takes 140 yrs for most plastics to break down.  We’re being buried in plastic. 90% of all plastic bottles never make their way to the recycle bin.  The bottles can also have toxic leachables.

What choices do you make regarding bottled water?

As for me-

  • I’ll probably never give up my carbonated water.
  • I’m going with the Brita filtered tap water where I can, otherwise.
  • When I do buy bottled water, I’m choosing filtered over non-filtered.
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Lisa | May 05, 2009 | Comments 11
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Smart Meters Can Save You Money

Smart Meters Can Save You Money

Smart meters monitor specific electricity usage in your home - and report that usage to you on your computer.

Supporters of this innovative technology say that consumers can reduce electricity usage by as much as 20% simply by monitoring where their energy is going - without feeling any ill-effects.

Each of us could do our part to reduce strain on the national grid and reduce global warming.  All while saving money on our electric bills.

Do you think a smart meter would help you reduce your energy consumption?  President Obama thinks so.  He’s targeting enough stimulus money to install 40 million smart meters in homes across America.

This money is part of an aging national electric grid improvement package needed to stop the ensuing onslaught of power outages that will occur in the next few years if nothing is done.

If you’re interested in obtaining a smart meter, check with your local electric company.

Could you sustain reduced usage for long periods of time?

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Lisa | Apr 28, 2009 | Comments 3
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Does Your Lawn Really Need to Look Like Astroturf?

Does Your Lawn Really Need to Look Like Astroturf?

(this is a re-post from April, 2008)

My grandfather was named the neighborhood “lawn manicurist.” I don’t think he particularly enjoyed the title. It was a little,um, feminine, for him.

And I don’t think the neighbors particularly enjoyed his lawn. It wasn’t the lawn itself - even though it rivaled Fenway Park’s turf - if he did say so himself. It was the unbridled collection of lawn treatment chemicals he had stockpiled in his shed. I still think my cousin, Henry, is a little off since, at five years old, he tumbled head first into the bin of Scott’s Turf Builder with Bug Control.

“Over a billion pounds of pesticides are sold in the United States annually.” Most inevitably end up in “non-target destinations, such as species, air water, bottom sediments, and food.” They’re one of the major causes of water and soil pollution.

The EPA regularly monitors these chemical levels in our drinking water. Foods such as fish and meats are not monitored, but research studies confirm the presence of varying levels of toxic pesticides in many species.

At the end of this article, I’ve added a list of typical pesticides, and their health effects. The list is taken from a study done at Cornell University for the EPA.

What you can do:

Take a closer look at the fertilizers and pesticides you’re using in your yard. There’s many organic available organic products now that work comparably to more toxic ones. Increasing demand for these products will make them more prevalent, and ultimately bring prices down.

Read. Knowledge is your best defense. There’s a wealth of information on the web, not all of it accurate. Be sure to check your resources. Here a few I’m enjoying this spring:

Pressure any local golf courses in your area to go green. Golf courses account for 30% of all the pesticides sold in this country.

Have any resources or thoughts on the topic you’d like to tell us about?

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Lisa | Apr 20, 2009 | Comments 4
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Heirloom Seeds - Ever Taste a Tomato Grown for Flavor Instead of Transport?

Heirloom Seeds - Ever Taste a Tomato Grown for Flavor Instead of Transport?

(This is a slightly modified re-post from April, 2008)

In between discussions of high blood pressure, and the upcoming dreaded first colonoscopy, those of us of the “I owned an 8-track once” generation, will sometimes sit around reminiscing about the good old days. One sunny spring afternoon recently, amidst the usual memories of the firsts- first communion, first part time job, first kiss…- one of my friends looked up at the sky, big puffy white clouds rolling by, and said “Remember the tomatoes?”

We sucked on our frozen margaritas and fell silent.

Ahhh, yes, the tomatoes of summer from the local farm stand, or if you were even luckier , your own family garden, where you would pick one off the vine, and later sit on your back steps with your father, a tomato in one hand and the salt shaker in the other, and take a bite out of what had to be positively the best tomato in the world- or so your father said.

Now, tomatoes just don’t taste like they used to. I couldn’t even grow a good tasting tomato last summer. I diligently fertilized and watered three plants. The tomatoes sure looked great. But they tasted like grocery store tomatoes in February- bred for longevity, transport and the flavor of cardboard.

I bought my seedlings at the local nursery. Not this year. I’ll be buying heirloom tomato plants through the mail. Bred to test like a tomato, not the package they come in.

The largest provider of tomato seeds- and all seeds -to the commercial agricultural farmers these days is Monsanto Agrochemical. The seeds are genetically engineered(GE) to meet commercial grower’s needs for a sturdy, pest and drought resistant tomato. Notice flavor is not a Monsanto criteria.

There’s something inherently unnatural about one of the largest toxic chemicals manufacturers in the world now also being the world’s major seed - and therefore food- supplier.

And Monsanto is so big, they have been systematically buying up their smaller competition, now totally controlling the seed market.

Luckily, there are alternatives. A growing number of traditionalists are starting organizations around the world such as The Seed Saver’s Exchange. Their purpose is to protect heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables for future generations.

Thank goodness.

I wonder if some day Monsanto will decide to genetically engineer the flavor back into the tomato?

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Lisa | Apr 18, 2009 | Comments 5
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It’s EPA Fix a Leak Week.

It’s EPA Fix a Leak Week.

According to the EPA, the average home loses 11,000 gallons per year - 1 trillion gallons total.  That’s 1 cubic mile of water.

Here’s some more interesting info from the EPA:

The Facts on Leaks:

  • Leaks can account for, on average, 11,000 gallons of water wasted in the home every year, which is enough to fill a backyard swimming pool.
  • The amount of water leaked from U.S. homes could exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year. That’s equivalent to the annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined.
  • Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
  • Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. All are easily correctable.
  • Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.
  • Keep your home leak-free by repairing dripping faucets, toilet valves, and showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts don’t require a major investment and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers.
  • The vast majority of leaks can be eliminated after retrofitting a household with new WaterSense labeled fixtures and other high-efficiency appliances.

Leak Detection:

  • A good method to check for leaks is to examine your winter water usage. It’s likely that a family of four has a serious leak problem if its winter water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month.
  • Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
  • One way to find out if you have a toilet leak is to place a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color shows up in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Make sure to flush immediately after this experiment to avoid staining the tank.

Faucets and Showerheads:

  • A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A home with WaterSense labeled toilets could use that water to flush for six months!
  • Leaky faucets can be reduced by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them if necessary. If you are replacing a faucet, look for the WaterSense label.
  • A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. That’s enough water to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher.
  • Most leaky showerheads can be fixed by ensuring a tight connection using pipe tape and a wrench.

Toilets:

  • If your toilet is running constantly, you could be wasting 200 gallons of water or more every day.
  • If your toilet is leaking, the cause is most often an old, faulty toilet flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays, or minerals build up on it. It’s usually best to replace the whole rubber flapper—a relatively easy, inexpensive do-it-yourself project that pays for itself in no time.
  • If you do need to replace the entire toilet, look for a WaterSense labeled model. If a family of four replaces its older, inefficient toilets with new WaterSense labeled ones, it could save more than 16,000 gallons per year. Retrofitting the house could save the family approximately $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the lifetime of the toilets.

Outdoors:

  • An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing.
  • An irrigation system with pressure set at 60 pounds per square inch that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
  • To ensure that your in-ground irrigation system is not leaking water, consult with a WaterSense irrigation partner who has passed a certification program focused on water efficiency; look for a WaterSense irrigation partner.
  • Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.

About EPA’s WaterSense Program

WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its mission is to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. Currently, there are more than 250 WaterSense labeled toilets, 700 labeled faucets and faucet accessories, and more than 600 certified irrigation partners. WaterSense labeled products must achieve independent, third-party testing and certification to prove they meet EPA’s rigorous criteria for efficiency and performance.

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Lisa | Mar 17, 2009 | Comments 5
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Google’s Powermeter Would Provide Instant Energy Consumption Data

Google’s Powermeter Would Provide Instant Energy Consumption Data

What if you could monitor your home energy information from your computer screen?

You would have instant feedback about how much energy and money you were saving every time you shut off a light or converted another lamp over to CFLs.

With instant feedback, homeowners could easily optimize their power usage and reduce consumption.

Google believes in this theory so much that they’re investing thousands of dollars  in a product that will allow you to do just that.

Called the Google Powermeter, it would plug into a “Smart Grid” Network and relay specific power usage information to your computer.

Watch this short video to learn more.

Do you think knowing your electricity usage real-time would motivate you to use less of it?  I think I would definitely use less, especially at the beginning.  Once I’d optimized my usage, I don’t think I’d look at it all that much again, though.  It might be better to be able to rent the Powermeter than actually purchase it.

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Lisa | Mar 05, 2009 | Comments 2
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Would You Want a Windmill in Your Backyard?

Would You Want a Windmill in Your Backyard?

Out in the suburbs, if there’s a windmill in your area, you know it.

You’re looking at 300 ft of mammoth steel towering over any other structure for miles.

It’s not something you’d miss.

A local businessman recently constructed one in my home town of  Newburyport.**

He had to battle the town for months to get the building permit.  Fearing unwanted noise and night light, those with homes near the building site challenged the construction.  Many other town residents - not wanting a windmill mucking up their New England skyline - further supported their efforts.

I followed the whole battle through front page articles in the local newspaper (this is BIG news in town!)  Finally, last October, the permit to build the windmill was issued, and a skyscraper of a crane appeared where the windmill would soon stand.

wmill6Giant  chunks of steel and an ominous three pronged propeller were trucked in.

What followed was truly amazing to watch.  Over a period of about 2 months, the skyline was transformed from “quaint coastal” to “quaint coastal plus modern day albatross.”

Don Quixote would have turned around and went home.

The  local newspaper has been flooded with letters - the windmill has brought out strong opinions in both directions.

And now, just as things are quieting down, this evening’s paper tells me there are more windmills on the way.

The windmill, like an amoeba, is about to multiply.  And skylines here in Newburyport, and across the country, are about to change.

How do you feel about it?  Would you want a windmill in your back yard?

** Massachusetts, USA

photos courtesy of Dano (above) and The Daily News

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Lisa | Mar 04, 2009 | Comments 1
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Federal Cash for Clunkers Update: On Hold

Federal Cash for Clunkers Update: On Hold

In July, I posted an article on a potential federal economic stimulus program called Cash for Clunkers.

Already being run by a number of states, the program boasts two benefits - 1) get the old gas guzzling polluter cars off the roads, and 2) pump cash into consumer pockets that is spent on newer, more environmentally friendly vehicles.

To ensure the money is spent on another car, the proposed federal program offers “vouchers” rather than cash towards the next car purchase.  And the Senate changed the name from Cash for Clunkers to Voluntary Retirement of Fuel-Inefficient Vehicles.  Under this plan,

“consumers who voluntarily turn in cars or trucks that get less than 18 miles a gallon would receive vouchers worth up to $4,500 to help them buy more economical replacements.” (New York Times quote)

To date, the Federal Program’s on hold.  And the reasons they use for not implementing it seem pretty bogus to me.

Here are the purported reasons:

  1. It’s unclear how successful the state run programs have been.
  2. Many cars turned in had been sitting in people’s yards anyway.  So even though the economy was getting a potential boost with the cash back, the polluting car was already off the road.
  3. No records were kept in any of the states on what people actually did with the received cash.
  4. Many people that did buy new cars didn’t buy American cars.
  5. Antique car groups were outraged with the program.

In my opinion, it’s a great program. There’s no question that the feds want to 1)  get money back into people’s pockets, and 2)  decrease pollution.  This plan does this.

So why is it on hold?

My opinion’s that the government wants people to buy American cars, and the plan’s on hold because those nose-diving US car manufacturers have yet to provide a variety of dependable gas guzzling vehicle alternatives to their current antiquated product line.

When - and if - these manufacturers get their act together, and the American public is willing to take a chance on them again, I bet the plan gets passed.

What do you think?

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Lisa | Feb 22, 2009 | Comments 8
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Hybrid Car Sales Plummet Along With Oil Prices

Hybrid Car Sales Plummet Along With Oil Prices

The Wall  Street Journal reports that hybrid car sales “dropped like a rock” in November.  Sales were down 50%.

Not surprisingly, gas prices were down 58% from their record high $4.11 per gallon high in July, with predictions that the current $1.70 price could fall to as low as $1.00.

As oil prices go, so goes our commitment to a greener lifestyle.

I’m as guilty as the next person.  Not with cars, mind you.  I’ve always chosen the greenest, most frugal route in that department - but  mostly because I could care less about what I drive.  My sole goal is to spend as little as possible for transportation.  Period.

But, on the other hand,  now that I know my heating bill’s not going to sink me, my house has been warm and toasty.  And I plan on keeping it that way as long as I can.

Personal sacrifice for global issues is not always easy.  In the short term, it’s still a little hard to imagine that if I freeze my tootsies off this winter, it’s actually going to somehow help the world. It’s like dieting.  Sometimes I just can’t connect the strawberry cheesecake to my increased pants size.

Maybe high oil prices aren’t so bad after all.  If each of us pays a premium price for the luxury of high oil consumption, we might take it a little more seriously.

oil-vs-alt

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Lisa | Dec 11, 2008 | Comments 0
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America Recycles Day November 15th, 2008

America Recycles Day November 15th, 2008

I am amazed to hear that Americans recycle their garbage at a national average rate of 33.4%.

Not bad.

In the recent release of a 2007 EPA report on Municipal Solid Waste Characterization, it turns out that Americans:

  • recycled and composted 85 million tons of the 254 million tons of total municipal solid waste produced in 2007.
  • produced 4.6 pounds of trash per person per day, of which 1.5 pounds was recycled or composted.
  • held the course from 2006, when 82 million tons of 251 million tons of trash was recycled (33%.)

Says a spokesman from the EPA:

“Americans save energy, conserve natural resources, and help reduce climate change every time they reduce, reuse, or recycle. Recycling 85 billion tons of municipal solid waste in 2007 saved the energy equivalent of more than 10.7 billion gallons of gasoline and prevented the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 35 million passenger vehicles.”

There’s also economic benefits to recycling. There’s 50,000 recycling and reuse establishments across the country - employing 1 million people.  It’s a 200 billion dollar industry, with an annual payroll topping $37 billion.

This November 15th, 35 states will hold America Recycles Day events.  Government, non-profits and industry will all promote recycling.

For more information on the 2007 Municipal Solid Waste Report: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htm

For more information on America Recycles Day and where you can calculate your own personal recycling impact:  http://www.nrc-recycle.org/americarecycles.aspx

You can also contact Latisha Petteway, (202) 564-4355 / petteway.latisha@epa.gov

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Lisa | Nov 12, 2008 | Comments 0
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EPA Releases Positive Findings on Mercury Alternatives

EPA Releases Positive Findings on Mercury Alternatives

Alternatives to elemental mercury performed well in a variety of products, reports the USEPA.

From a November 6th, 2008 EPA News Release:

“The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that switches, relays, button cell batteries, non-fever thermometers, and measuring devices, such as thermostats, don’t have to contain mercury.”

Unfortunately, no alternative has yet to be found that could replace the mercury in fluorescent light bulbs.

Evaluations performed by the EPA concluded that a variety of “effective economical mercury-free alternatives are available” that, if used as substitutes for mercury in many products, would help to reduce its levels in our environment.

Elemental Mercury is found in the environment as a natural substance, safe in its insoluble form.  When it’s transformed into soluble substances such as methyl mercury or mucuric chloride that it becomes hazardous.  Also, If elemental mercury is vaporized into the air, when breathed it can also be toxic to humans.  Mercury in water is taken in by fish and accumulates in their fatty tissue, where it is then consumed by humans.

Mercury is used in the manufacture of industrial chemicals or for electrical and electronic products.  It is the disposal of these products into landfills and their subsequent incineration that causes the formation of methyl mercury.

The rising levels of elemental mercury in the environment poses a health concern.

For more info:

On the mercury assessment: http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/hpvis/index.html
On the mercury database: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/database.htm

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Lisa | Nov 09, 2008 | Comments 0
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For ExxonMobil and Shell: Oil is King. Long Live Oil.

For ExxonMobil and Shell: Oil is King. Long Live Oil.

GM posts a 15.5 billion dollar loss, while ExxonMobil, and Shell clean up.

I’m not surprised. All promulgate the same position: Oil is King.

Only for GM, oil loyalty spells disaster. Not thinking about fuel efficient and alternative energy vehicles will sink them. In Darwinian terms: another dinosaur gone extinct.

ExxonMobil and Shell, as much as they’re flying high now, will be facing the same extinction in ten years, when alternative energies start to take off. Why aren’t these companies jumping in and developing alternative energies now? Which members of the board are running away with the profits, with no thought of the future?

Other oil profiteers are not so short-sighted.

The United Arab Emirates, richest oil producers in the world, are footing the bill for the first zero emissions city at Abu Dhabi.

T. Boon Pickens, CEO of BP, and Texas oil billionaire,is the first oil mogul to speak up, supporting wind power development.
From legendary oilman and billionaire T. Boone Pickens:
August 1st, 2008

“America is in a hole and it’s getting deeper every day. We import 70% of our oil at a cost of $700 billion a year - four times the annual cost of the Iraq war.”

“I’ve been an oil man all my life, but this is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of. But if we create a new renewable energy network, we can break our addiction to foreign oil.”

And from Green Chip Stocks:

“The “Oracle of Oil” [Pickens] has unleashed a $58 million public relations blitz focused on persuading Americans to reduce their dependence on foreign oil by turning increasingly to natural gas and wind.

Called The Pickens Plan, the project calls for an estimated $1 trillion government investment… to displace electricity currently produced with natural gas with clean wind power.

Meantime, he’s pouring billions of his own money into each of those profitable sectors. In fact, he’s spending $12 billion on what could prove to be the world’s biggest wind farm–in Texas.

Another of his ventures, Clean Energy Fuels, is the foremost company in one of the world’s fastest-rising industries: building and operating natural gas fueling stations for vehicles.”

If Exxon were using the extra money to foot the bill for alternative technology research, instead of pushing to drill up the gulf coast of Florida, I might have a smidgeon of sympathy for them.

They’ll always be someone out there that’s going to take the money and run, without concern for others. ExxonMobil and Shell are run by a bunch of short sighted selfish, profit mongers. They’ll be long gone with their billions, and we’ll be left to pick up the damage.

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Lisa | Aug 01, 2008 | Comments 2
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Cash for Clunkers - A Great Idea

Cash for Clunkers - A Great Idea

Alan Blinder of the New York Times is proposing a new eco-friendly stimulus package called Cash for Clunkers. He describes it as “the best stimulus idea you’ve never heard of.”

I agree. The plan in a nutshell:

“Cash for Clunkers is a generic name for a variety of programs under which the government buys up some of the oldest, most polluting vehicles and scraps them. If done successfully, it holds the promise of performing a remarkable public policy trifecta — stimulating the economy, improving the environment and reducing income inequality all at the same time.”

He goes on to describe the benefits in more detail. Here’s a summary-

A Cleaner Environment -

  • 75% of air pollution due to vehicles comes from cars 13 years or older.
  • This is because even larger newer vehicles have better emissions controls.
  • 25% of all vehicles on the road are 13 years or older. This calculates out to over 75 million cars and light trucks.
  • Cars would be put into recycling, or perhaps equipped with emissions control equipment and resold.

More Equal Income Distribution -

  • Those owning older vehicles are generally in lower income brackets ( no surprise).
  • These owners would be offered above average prices, putting cash in their pockets to buy a newer car.
  • Keeping a cap on income for thoseparticipating in the program would further ensure money going into the right people’s pockets.

An Effective Economic Stimulus -

  • More effective than a standard tax rebate in that the money is targeted to lower income.
  • Rather than just giving out tax rebates, this would be a great way to give Americans more buying power,while also improving the environment.
  • Consumers would be buying newer cars, helping out the car industry.
  • The cost of the program is estimated at $20 billion, $148 billion dollars less than the recent stimulus package in February.

This type of program is being successfully run in a number of states, including California and Texas, and many Canadian provinces.

Cars for Clunkers is a winner in my book. Even though I’m nervous about the government national debt, this program makes sense to me.

As Blinder suggests, I’ll be emailing my congressman. If you would like to do that as well, here’s an easy way to do it: Find Your Local Congressmen.

What do you think of this idea?

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Lisa | Jul 27, 2008 | Comments 8
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Are We Heading Towards a Four Day Work Week?

Are We Heading Towards a Four Day Work Week?

I’ve been working four ten hour days on and off for over ten years now. As a biotechnical product support specialist living in the Boston area, I work for a team that supplies customer phone support for North America. Working the four long days helps my manager more easily schedule west coast phone coverage until the end of the California work day.

My company is still open the fifth day.

Recently, as a cost savings measure, many states and private businesses are looking into the impact of implementing a four day work week where they would be closed that fifth day.

Next month, 17,000 of Utah’s 24,000 government employees will make the switch. They’ll work four ten hour days, with Friday off.

This change will save the state of Utah thousands of dollars in energy costs, and reduce commuting costs for its employees by 20%.

Other smaller locales have already made the shift. Marion County in Florida, expects to save $250,000 in energy costs this year alone. And a number of cities in Arizona, California, and Nevada are test-driving the idea.

The energy benefits for America in switching to four days are huge.

  • 10-40 percent reduction in nationwide energy use.
  • Less dependence on foreign oil.
  • a smaller environmental footprint.

What are all the Pros and Cons?

Pros:

From a personal standpoint-

  • while time can get a little tight for me on those four days, having the extra day off during the week more than compensates for it.
  • it saves me money in commuting expenses, eating lunch out, and all the little expenses that I incur from going to work.
  • I have a week day off to get errands done, freeing up the weekend for more pleasant pursuits.
  • Grocery stores and beaches are much less crowded on Fridays than they are on weekends.
  • I reduce my environmental footprint.

Company benefits-

  • they get phone coverage for their west coast customers.
  • where possible, I schedule my doctor’s appointments, and other week day personal business, on my day off.
  • reduced environmental footprint if they can close completely the fifth day (my company currently can not.)

Cons-

Personal-

  • the long days can be wearing.
  • if you have children, day care could be more difficult to arrange.
  • pets could suffer from being left alone for longer periods of time.

Company-

  • not available to customers.
  • since all business may not implement the program, it could put them at a disadvantage by not being available that fifth day.

Do you work a four day work week now?

Would you like to?

How do you feel about the entire industrial world shifting to four days?

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Lisa | Jul 07, 2008 | Comments 11
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Global Warming: Fact or Fiction = Democrat or Republican

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction = Democrat or Republican

Forget that scientific research totally supports it, and the rest of the world is trying to find ways to combat it: In the United States, global warming is debatable.

We’ve thrown science out the window, and especially at government levels, it’s become purely a political issue. The “fact” vote is avidly democrat supported, while the “fiction” vote is avidly republican supported.

My opinion - this is another case of the current, oil controlled republican administration keeping its head in the sand while they line their pockets with still more cash.

Here are some recent news stories from both sides. What’s your opinion?

 

Is global warming fact or fiction?


Fact

Global Conference on Global Warming.July 6-10, 2008 in Istanbul, TurkeyNorth Pole Could Be Ice-Free This Summer, Scientists Say. CNN -June 27,2008Global Warming Sends Plants Uphill. CNN -June 26,2008The Photographic Documentation of Global Warming. Ongoing at World View of Global Warming

 

-OR-

Fiction

The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change. Sponsored by the Heartland Institute- March 2008
The Heartland Institute is a politically conservative, free market-oriented public policy think tank started in 1984.

Global Warming Evidence Piles Up. American Conservative Daily -June 10th, 2008

Forget Global Warming: Welcome to the New Ice Age. National Post -Feb 25,2008

Predictions for 2008, a 100% Chance for Alarm. NY Times -Jan 1,2008


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