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The Top 10 Energy Star Cities in America
Tweet Share on Facebook March 3, 2009 Comment (16)The EPA today recognized the top 10 cities in America for Energy Star buildings. According to the EPA, the number of Energy Star-qualified buildings across the U.S. is up by more than 130 percent from 2007. An Energy Star building uses 35 percent less energy and emits 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than an average building of comparable size. Energy Star ratings are not LEED certification, but they often go hand in hand, and the rating is a prerequisite for certain types of LEED.
California has the top spots on the list, with Los Angeles taking a commanding lead of 262 Energy Star buildings, conserving the equivalent emissions of 35,800 households. New York, Boston and Austin barely miss the top 10. For such an eco-conscious city, Portland, Ore. boasts only 45 Energy Star buildings, while Madison, Wis. rounds out the top 25 with 33 Energy Star buildings.
Below are the top 10, and after the jump, the full list.
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Audio: Do Hard Times Make Us Eat Healthier and Greener?
Tweet Share on Facebook March 2, 2009 CommentI recently spoke with WTOP radio in Washington, D.C. about a recent report that the recession may be making our diets healthier, and by extension, greener. To save money, Americans are buying less alcohol, sweets and meat - all of which can have a large carbon footprint. We're buying more milk, eggs and veggies (though we're not choosing pricy organic foods). At the same time, Americans are foregoing sit-down restaurant meals in favor of fast food, which means more trips through the McDonald's drive-through - which is bad for both our waistlines and our planet. You can listen to the interview here:
Are We Eating Better in These Lean Times?
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On Dr. Seuss' Birthday, Remember the Lorax
Tweet Share on Facebook March 2, 2009 Comment (180)Google changed its nameplate this morning to honor Theodore Geisel, or Dr. Seuss, who would have been 105 today. The search engine's name is spelled out by some of his most beloved characters, but one of his best is not among them. The tale of the Lorax was Seuss' environmental fable published in 1971. In it, he speaks out against the destruction of the environment through the Lorax, a sage figure who speaks for the trees, only to watch his habitat destroyed by an unsustainable business. After the plants are killed and the animals leave the barren wasteland behind, the polluting Once-ler realizes the terrible mistake he's made, and urges a young boy to plant the last-ever Truffula seed to restore the beauty of the land.
(And to give this a news peg, we recently learned that our consumption of soft toilet paper, instead of paper from recycled fiber, may be a worse environmental sin than driving a Hummer. Truffula trees?)
Just for fun, here's a clip of the beginning of the TV special based on the book.
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