Boulderganic.com

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

Terri Bennett

Planning a getaway? Now is a good time to lock in the dates and destination for any travel plans this year. But planning a vacation is not the time to forget how to lessen your impact on our planet. Deciding where to go, where to stay, how to get there, and what to bring all provide opportunities to make smarter choices.

PICK THE PERFECT PLACE: Whether you decide to visit an environmentally sustainable winery in Napa Valley or check into a green certified ski lodge in Utah — the choices for eco-friendly destinations are endless. You can seek out spots that appeal to you and your family on websites like EcoTrotters.com. Or, tour companies like Intrepid Travel specifically coordinate eco-friendly excursions across the country. Don’t forget the ultimate eco-destinations in America — our National Parks! There is one in nearly every state and are home to awe-inspiring views, free roaming wildlife, and endless things for the nature lover to do. Plus, they won’t bust your budget!

STAY SMART: It’s all the rage these days to go green and many hotels are either being built with the Earth in mind or are making retrofits which will conserve energy and water. Some hotel restaurants even feature all-organic menus. To find exactly what you’re looking for, check out IStayGreen.org and EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com. AAA also features green, eco-icons in their guidebooks that highlight hotels which are making eco-friendly strides.

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN: It isn’t just where you go and where you stay; it’s also important how you get there. But, who really has the time to sift through mounds of research to figure out if flying, driving, or traveling by train is better for the planet? TripFootprint.com does the hard part for you. Enter in where you’re headed, with how many people, and it’ll scientifically determine which way will generate the smallest amount of pollution. Another option for those who may not have the most fuel-efficient ride is to park it and rent a hybrid. It cuts down on the wear and tear of your own car and you’ll be creating fewer emissions on your trip.

A BETTER BAG: The best choice for luggage is to use the bags and suitcases you already have. But, if you need some new pieces there are plenty of eco-friendly options that are just a click away! Websites such as Luggage.com have wide selections of eco-friendly luggage made by Patagonia, Eco-Traveler, Mountainsmith and more. Many are made with recycled materials or renewable resources and they are available in every price range.

There are many decisions to be made when planning your next vacation. Do Your Part to make your getaways good for you and our planet.

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(Terri Bennett is an Earth scientist, syndicated columnist and mom; www.DoYourPart.com.)

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(c) 2010, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).

Visit The Charlotte Observer on the World Wide Web at http://www.charlotteobserver.com/

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Colorado News Connection

Eric Mack

DENVER – Coloradans are like most Americans in that they have been smoking less over the last 15 years, which has resulted in longer life expectancy and improved quality of life. But a study recently published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” warns that those benefits could be wiped out by the growing obesity rate. Smoking rates are down 20 percent but obesity rates are up 48 percent – offsetting health gains made by reducing tobacco use.

Chuck Reed with the American Cancer Society says few people are aware of the link between being overweight and getting cancer.

“In this recent survey, one scary thing we found is that 50 percent of the people don’t know there is a direct correlation between obesity and cancer.”

Quitting smoking is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, but Reed tells people who have resolved to be healthy not to stop there.

“If you are going to quit smoking, which we encourage you to do, take it one step further and also maintain a healthy body weight. That way, you’re making positive lifestyle choices, and you can live longer and enjoy your life more.”

Reed says research shows that if all U.S. adults became nonsmokers of normal weight by 2020, their life expectancy would shoot up an average of 3.76 years.

Tips on healthy eating and new ways to incorporate healthy foods into daily meals are available at www.cancer.org.

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LOS ANGELES — Major upgrades to the transmission infrastructure and a sizable chunk of cash from private investors and the government are necessary for the Midwest and East Coast to move to 20 percent wind power by 2024, according to a new study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The federal lab, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, released its Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study after more than two years of analyzing the economic, operational and technical implications of different scenarios. The research focused on shifting 20 percent of the electrical load from the Eastern Interconnection, one of the country’s two major power grids, using land-based wind from the Midwest, offshore wind from the East and a variety of other combinations.

Although reaching the goal and even stretching to 30 percent is technically feasible, the process will be less expensive and more reliable if the source wind is drawn from a large geographic area and if transmission lines are updated and expanded, according to the report.

To make the power accessible, billions of dollars would have to be funneled into tens of thousands of miles of power lines land and sea towers.

And without a price on carbon, greenhouse gas emissions will drop just 5 percent from the 1.9 billion metric tons of 2008, compared with the 33 percent plunge in emissions associated with a $100-per-ton price tag.

The study was initiated in 2008, back when the country’s total installed capacity of wind generation had just surpassed 25 gigawatts and was preparing for another 4.5 gigawatts in the first half of 2009. The report was prepared by Knoxville, Tenn.-based EnerNex Corp.

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(c) 2010, Los Angeles Times.

Visit the Los Angeles Times on the Internet at http://www.latimes.com/

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The Boulder Green Building Guild (BGBG), a building trade organization focused on advancing the craft of sustainable building in Boulder County, has announced the 2009 Awards for the local green building community. The 500-plus-member organization awards local leaders who have shown exemplary performance in the field.
Each year BGBG members nominate green building professionals for the Leadership Initiative and Pioneer awards. The Board of Director’s diligently selects the Pioneer Award based upon contributions that individuals or organization has made in the green building community. BGBG members nominate and vote for the winner of the Leadership Award, given to a BGBG member who has shown exceptional and noteworthy commitment to advancing the craft of green building and has led or encouraged others to do the same.

Receiving this year’s awards are:

The Leadership Initiative Award will be presented to Jim Logan, principal of Jim Logan Architects. Jim has shown exceptional commitment to raising the bar on sustainability, and green building in particular. He has been designing model green buildings in our community for over 10 years, including net zero homes, Cohousing communities, and commercial buildings. In addition, Jim’s detailed analysis on how, and what, it will take to reach our green house gas emission goals in the residential sector continues to be invaluable to the local green building movement as we develop strategies to reduce green house gas emissions
“Jim is an innovator and has been at the front of the green building movement for decades. Jim helped both the City and County create aggressive and achievable green building programs that place our community as a leader in the nation”, says Elizabeth Vasatka, Environmental Coordinator for the City of Boulder.
The Pioneer Award will be presented to Boulder County for the ClimateSmart Loan Program.  This cutting edge and innovative program was championed by Boulder County and approved by voters in November 2008. This program  allows the county to offer low-interest loans to property owners who want to make energy-efficiency upgrades or add renewable energy to their homes or businesses. The ClimateSmart Loan Program has helped more than 600 residential property owners to add insulation, install renewable energy or make other energy-smart upgrades to their homes. These improvements have helped Boulder County residents reduce their monthly energy bills while helping the County meet local goals for lessening its environmental impact while lowering its carbon footprint. This year the community can look forward to low interest loans to make energy efficiency improvements to the commercial sector as well.
The ClimateSmart Loan program places Boulder County at the forefront of a new national movement to identify ways local jurisdictions can finance energy efficiency and it has since become a model for governments developing energy efficiency initiatives in Colorado and across the nation.
“In addition to helping every one save energy and keep money in their pockets, this program has been a bright light during dark economic times for many of our local contractors and suppliers. I know many of our members have directly benefited from this program and at the same time we are keeping dollars circulating in our community – and that benefits us all,” said Julie Herman, Executive Director of the Boulder Green Building Guild. “BGBG will be an advocate for ensuring that voters continue to support this program during the next election,” added Herman.
The awards will be presented to these green leaders at the BGBG Annual Member Meeting on Thursday, January 28 at 5:30pm at the Rembrandt Yard in downtown Boulder.  This is a member-only meeting.

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Justin Perkins, founder of Boulder’s Olomomo Nut Company and contributor of Care2.com, is helping gather funds for his friend’s AIDS orphanage that collapsed from the earthquake in Haiti last week. Justin is raising money to help send his friend Luke Montgomery down to Haiti with supplies to help children at his orphanage.

“Please consider donating $50 or whatever you can muster,” said Justin. ” This is going to help a couple of brave, big-hearted guys help hundreds of orphans without other options.  Your collective dollars will add up to a tangible impact.”

Help out Justin’s friend by visiting the orphanage’s website at www.wecanbuildanorphanage.com. Or, if you are here in Boulder, contact Justin at justin@olomomo.com. Follow Luke’s blog on his trip to Haiti at www.wecanbuildanorphanageblog.com.

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