One Planet to Love & Protect

That’s my Six Words for the Planet today, in honor of it being Earth Day! Even though everyday is Earth Day to me, I still get pretty darn excited this designated day.

Celebrating my 5th year of becoming more environmentally conscious and sharing the message with others, is a really big deal to me. It really was a tipping point, when I watched Oprah’s Earth Day program in 2007 and learned about green cleaning products, reusable grocery bags, energy reducing electrical strips and more.

My 5-year old, reusable grocery bags from Ecobags, are still be used on a daily basis. Other than needing an occasional washing, they are fully intact! Since, the average person uses 350 to 500 plastic bags a year, that’s one heck of a lot of plastic that we’ve kept out of the landfills!

We also recycle at my house, even though our local community doesn’t provide any curbside recycling options….YET! My husband has set aside an area in our garage, where we have our little home-made bins or reused containers, to separate cardboard, newspapers, plastic, tin, aluminum, etc. It requires an occasional trip to the local recycling center, but it REALLY is painless

Our family has also reduced our electrical energy consumption with Smart Saver Strips and compact florescent lighting (CFL). There is a lot of controversy over CFL’s and I believe that LED will eventually be safer and have more benefits.

Buying locally grown food is another way to help our Mother Earth. With such purchases, CO2 emissions are greatly reduced due to less transportation costs, etc.

The list is endless and not necessarily too expensive or inconvenient, to create eco-friendly habits that will be good for our planet. For more ideas, you can go to Earth911’s website, for some excellent ideas and information.

Remember, we only have One Planet to Love & Protect (for now) ~ Happy Earth Day !!

Shane and I are kindred spirits. We’re just regular gals that have an enormous passion for all things ‘green‘. Additionally, Shane is a VERY gracious and selfless person, who is making a huge difference for the future of our planet.

You must head over to the Environmental Booty site immediately and sign up for the Earth Day Giveaway. But also, PLEASE take the time to look over each of the Giveaways featured and learn more about eco-friendly products that are available to everyone.

Some of the items included in the giveaway are:

Signed Copy of Celebrate Green by Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell

The founder of the non-profit initiative Green Halloween®, works with her daughter. Their passion is to help others create and re-invent traditions for their families, that are more environmentally conscious. Check out their website at Celebrate Green to see all of the amazing ways that you can make your giving become more earth-friendly!

Check out these AMAZING items in the Giveaway from Shop to be Green! Additionally, when you go to Shop to be Green’s website, you won’t be able to pull yourself away from the variety of products on the site. They’ve got furniture, decor, fashion accessories, and much more. This is one of those websites you should be going to first, when making online purchases.

Junk mail – YUCK ! Besides it just being plain annoying, it’s such a waste of natural resources.

I signed up about 3 years ago at 41 pounds.org, to reduce the amount of junk mail that I received. Operating a home-based business and having my mailing address out there, increased the incoming,  junk mail significantly. After getting all set up with 41pounds.org, I eventually saw a huge reduction.

More important than it helps reduce any personal inconveniences, is the fact that it helps the planet! As mentioned on 41pounds.org’s website, reducing junk mail will:

• Keep trees in the forest. More than 100 million trees are destroyed each year to produce junk mail. 42% of timber harvested nationwide becomes pulpwood for paper.
• Reduce global warming. The world’s temperate forests absorb 2 billion tons of carbon annually. Creating and shipping junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 9 million cars.
• Save water. About 28 billion gallons of water are wasted to produce and recycle junk each year.
• Save time. You waste about 70 hours a year dealing with junk mail.

Lastly, the icing on the cake, is that 41pounds.org, donates more than 1/3 of the fee that I pay them to the environmental or community organization of my choice. It’s a Win-Win-Win!

Don’t forget to also check out all the great green shopping at Environmental Booty too. Shane has a significant list of  businesses, that provide a huge variety of products and they also really care about the planet.

Keeping it Green!

It was in April of 2007, that I felt compelled to watch Oprah’s Earth Day show. Little did I know, that it would be pivotal point in my life and that of my family.

What changed, was my perception of the sustainability of this planet, related to my actions or inaction. Quickly, I began to learn that there were numerous activities that I conducted in my life, that could be having a negative impact on the future of the planet.

I began on a crash course of seeking out information about the environment; climate change, sustainability, environmental stewardship, natural foods and supplements, to name a few. It started out being somewhat overwhelming, and naturally, it still can be, but I knew that I must become informed and engaged in making some personal changes.

So here I am, 5 years later!

And, in those last 5 years, I have learned a lot and tried to make some significant changes in my family’s impact on the planet and environment. Needless to say, I am certainly NO expert, and still have so much more to learn and do.

But, I do feel that I have made some type of difference and have tried to share what I’ve learned with others along the way. And, because of what I had learned, I have been absent from my blog for a few months.

The reason being is that I have been fighting the good fight in my home state of Idaho, against hydraulic fracturing (fracking). I can’t say that ‘we’ have been very successful thus far, but I do know that it is a battle that is not over and deserves continued education for the community, our elected officials and even the gas and oil industry.

So, onward I march into my next 5 years of discovery, awareness and education for myself and anyone else who would like to make a difference.

Blessings to everyone!

As I sat there and watched the only one real ‘expert’/spokesperson in the sessions that is truly committed to providing protections for our environment battle, it really was a ‘David & Goliath’ scenario. A very knowledgeable, environmental advocate, Justin Hayes from Idaho Conservation League has had some assistance in these sessions from informed citizens and even a representative from an affected municipality, but overall, it’s just been Mr Hayes fighting ‘Goliath’.

In the latest session on July 21st, the issue of bonding was debated quite heatedly, specifically because of Justin Hayes’ attempts to task the Department of Lands with providing adequate bonding requirements on the natural gas well drilling companies. The Department of Lands had sought out bonding statistics from some other western states that allow fracking, to assist them determining bond amounts.

Essentially, the Department of Lands is leaning towards “blanket bonds” for the natural gas wells, rather than individual bonds for each one. This of course, is the preferred method by the Oil & Gas Industry, because it is the most inexpensive. Then, the Department of Lands likes it, because it will also mean less paperwork, than bonding each individual well.

Justin Hayes (Idaho Conservation League) pointed out to the group that he felt they were making a poor choice by even offering blanket bonds, as that creates a situation where it is possible that taxpayers would be stuck footing the bill if a company abandoned their wells. He argued that every well should be covered by an individual bond.

The ‘gas folks’ really didn’t like that recommendation and the discussion became heated. The gas companies basically said they obviously would not support an individual bond on each well and Eric Wilson from the Idaho Department of Lands decided to just move on from that discussion.

One quick note regarding the bonding amounts. Mr. Wilson commented that these amounts were to cover the cost of plugging and abandoning a well – including reclaiming the surface. He said it is impossible to ‘restore’ the surface area, and that the rules for reclaiming would state something to the affect that 70% of the area’s ground cover must be similar to the surrounding area (apparently this is the standard for mining practices in the state).

Despite the somewhat negative information displayed in this post, I still feel that there are many issues that the communities and their governing agencies can do, to provide proactive protections for the environment. I urge anyone who has been affected by any natural gas drilling activities in any community, to please share with me what actions you have found to make the most impact in this area.

I also know that David did truly slay Goliath, therefore, I have hope.

The bobble contains a built-in filter, that filters contaminants out of  tap water. The actual plastic bottle is made from FDA approved recycled PET that is free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC & is 100% recyclable.

Each bobble filter is intended to filter at least 300 bottles, about 40 gallons or 150 liters. The company estimates that each filter should last approximately two months.

The bobble is going to solve a HUGE personal dilemma that I currently have, pertaining to drinking water away from home. Because at home, I have the option to use a built in reverse-osmosis system at my sink and/or filter the water with my Shaklee Get Clean® Water Dispenser.

I am always leaving the house with a full stainless steel, reusable bottle full of filtered water, but after I’ve drank it all, that’s where the problem starts. Knowing that I don’t like to drink unfiltered tap water due to taste and potential chemical content, I sometimes must concede to buying a bottle of water from a local store, to get me through my day.

Once I purchase that single-use plastic bottle filled with water, I’ve defeated the purpose of bringing pre-filtered water in my own bottle to start with. Then, I’m just adding to my energy carbon footprint, which is a bad thing.

The folks over at Ethical Ocean have a great infographic of the Energy Footprint of Bottled Water. The graphic shows how much energy is used, just for the creation of  one plastic water bottle. It is estimated that bottled water uses 1400 times more energy than tap water.

Where do you get your bobble from? Well, it’s available from their company website and there are also several retailers carrying the bobble. I’ll be purchasing mine this week, so I’ll be able to carry it with me as a back up for routine activity, as well as when traveling.

Be sure to check out the bobble website and also watch the below video about this fantastic environmentally friendly product. I symbolically raise my ‘booble’ to toast this environmentally conscious company. Kudos to bobble’s!

Despite the fact, that the proposed plant processes the fluid and gas byproducts from a fracking operation, the audience was immediately instructed that the issue before the P & Z Commission was only related to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a dehydration plant and had nothing to do with fracking. The audience was sternly warned that they would not be allowed to make any mention or bring into discussion, anything about fracking.

There were well over 40 oral testimonies given in opposition to the CUP  and numerous written ones submitted, that were not read during the meeting. Approximately 10 vendors or their employees of Bridge Energy, spoke in favor of the conditional use permit.

The greatest voice of opposition was from the rural community members that will be surrounding the proposed plant. They are rightfully concerned about what the dehydration/compression plant will do to their property values, air quality, infrastructure, water quality and quality of life.

Several testimonies referred to the Applicable Standards for Issuance of a Conditional Use Permit in Payette County Zoning Code 8-9-3.  Several conditions were cited, but the one that prevailed the loudest was #A3. It reads:

Will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained to be harmonious and appropriate in appearance with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity and that such use will not change the essential character of the same area.

After a grueling 5-hour hearing, where everyone who wanted to, was given the opportunity to be heard, the Planning & Zoning Committee closed the hearing. They then began their meeting to discuss the concerns & issues that they had and that were raised by others in attendance.

In the first half of their discussion, the Commission appeared to be very concerned over expressed environmental concerns, as well as the “harmonious and appropriate appearance” that the plant would have on the rural New Plymouth community. But, somewhere along the way, once weariness and fatigue set in, their focus appeared to narrow considerably.

Eventually, the Commission was only focusing on what would make the Dehydration/Compression plant fit more aesthetically (harmoniously), into the landscape on SW 2nd Ave, between Butte Rd & Custer Ave. They did realize that this plant would be sitting directly in the backyards of some farms, dairies and private residential homes.

So, with that, they determined to place the burden on the County Engineer to put together some ‘Conditions’  to go along with the approval of the CUP. Primarily, the Conditions were related to landscaping, lighting, and noise.

No where in the anticipated list of Conditions, were environmental issues addressed. Issues such as: air quality, water quality, emergency response preparedness or potential traffic and road maintenance.

So, as of now, the Planning & Zoning Commission has tabled the CUP application and will revisit it at their August meeting. At that time, the County Engineer’s Conditions will be presented and the Commission will vote to either approve or deny the Conditional Use Permit.

Sadly, by the end of an almost 6-hour marathon meeting, the relevant issues of environmental safety for the community and the planet did not get addressed. Those issues are ones that are currently devastating many people’s lives in several states, after the natural oil and gas industry has come in and conducted their intrusive fracking operations.

The desired outcome of those in attendance were hoping that the Conditional Use Permit would be turned down for the SW 2nd Avenue location. But, at this time, it still looms over the minds of those who value their quality of life in their neighborhood and the planet.

For more information about the process of fracking, the following video shows a tidbit from the Sundance Movie Award winning documentary, Gasland:

The Idaho Energy Collaborative is presenting a  Living Energy Festival on Sunday, July 10th at the Shangri-la Tea Room and Cafe Lawn from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

This free event is offering an energy festival, workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and live music. And, if you visit every booth before 3:00 pm, there will be raffle prizes to win!

Some of the businesses and organizations that you can expect to see:
Green Works Idaho, Snake River Alliance, Idaho Conservation League, Renewable Energy NW, Sustainable Community Connections, Treasure Valley Food Coalition, Think Boise First, Think Nampa First, Modus Architecture, Site Based Energy, EV Idaho, U.S. Green Building Council Idaho Chapter, Idaho Rivers United, AltEnergy, Western Energy, 5D LLC, and more!

Bridge Resources Corporation of Canada has been drilling natural gas wells in the area and must also build a Compression Station to pipe the drilled gas and residual fluids to. The compression station will be unmanned, and its only activity will be commercial tanker traffic, taking the extracted 80,000 plus gallons of oil and liquid waste to undisclosed locations.

Besides the truck and other industrial activity traffic and stresses, people living near Compressor Stations could develop a life-threatening condition from the constant low-level noise called ‘vibro-acoustic disease’. Some of the resulting symptoms of that can be depression, increased irritability and aggressiveness, a tendency for isolation, and decreased cognitive skills.

Despite it being an unmanned facility, thus creating no local jobs, it will have emissions that have been shown to increase the chance of deaths from respiratory and  cardiovascular diseases, as well as increasing the rate of premature births and low birth weights.

Disposal of oil and liquid waste, as well as noise and air emissions, are currently unregulated and have not been addressed by the local governing agencies. The property values in other communities where natural gas well drilling and compression stations are in use, have experienced property value reductions of up to 60%.

Who will benefit from this Compressor Station? Not the homeowners who live in the affected area, some for 50 plus years. The environment and the wildlife won’t benefit either. We need to be using clean alternative energy sources, but natural gas isn’t clean energy. There are numerous proven renewable energy options in this day and age. It’s a matter of people being educated on the detriments and values of each, and then the decision is really a no-brainer.

Payette County citizens will have an opportunity to voice these and other concerns at the Planning & Zoning Meeting on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 7:00 at the Payette County Courthouse.

The below video shows the effects of a Compression Station.