The Green Adventure

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Challenge Update

The challenges are coming along very nicely... The way that all of you are jumping in to make these important changes really gives me hope for our kids' future!

Challenge #1: The Gas Challenge

In August our top recorded team posted just 39.5 gallons for the month! Way to go Team Valtadoros!

Who can top them in September?! You have 2 more weeks to drive less, or is it time to convert to a biodiesel, hybrid, public transportation or walking lifestyle? Keep up the good work!

Challenge #2: The CFL Challenge

Way to go!!! Lots of you have changed to compact flourescent lighting in your home. You're going cold turkey and changing them all, or you're changing them as others burn out. Keep it up! Remember (according to Jason Trout of GreenBusiness.net) "Replacing just one 100-watt bulb with a (just-as-bright) 30-watt compact fluorescent cuts more than 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution. Go for two bulbs and it''s more than a TON!"

Another place that you can log your pledges is at
http://www.theactionblog.com/2006/09/11/lets-swap/
where a non-profit group is hosting a pledge drive to change America's lighting to CFL's.

And, if any of you still have questions about the lighting quality of CFL's for different indoor or outdoor settings, one of our own has become an expert on which CFL's provide the best ligthing to meet your design needs and preferences. I will forward your questions to him.

Challenge #3: The Understanding Challenge

Many of you have been telling me wonderful stories of inspiration after seeing An Inconvenient Truth (still out in selected theaters if you haven't yet seen it) and reading September's issue of Scientific American (still available at local news stands.)

You have been driving less, more efficiently or giving up driving all together. You're eliminating red meat from your diets, shopping at local farmers markets and even starting to grow some of your own back yard veggies! You are becoming aware of the environmental records and goals of your local elected officials, and are planning to vote for environmentally aware candidates this November. You are investigating regional wind and solar power solutions for your neighborhoods and cities. You are putting solar panels on your roofs and heating your pools and showers with solar hot water heaters. You're trading in "energy leaky" appliances from the 80's and 90's for efficient Energy Star appliances. You now understand that when you throw something "away" it doesn't really go away it just pollutes your local land and water supply. So, you are recycling your trash, buying recycled goods and avoiding disposable things and packaging as often as possible. You're fighting for the forests we have left by planting trees and demanding the use of sustainable forestry practices when you buy paper, furniture and building supplies. And, the list grows each day!

Every day I am encouraged by the stories that you send me about all of the things you are doing in your lives to live more sustainably so that we don't rob our children of the healthy, prosperous future that we want to give to them. Keep the stories coming; your stories give me hope and ideas to spread.

Coming soon... Challenge #4

Change is good! Join the adventure!

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