Carbon Footprints, Human Footprints, Leaving Your Footprint

“The footprints you leave behind will influence others. There is no person who at some time, somewhere, somehow, does not lead another"~Author Unknown

Wherever we go we leave them....footprints, that is. In the sand, in the snow, in the newly vacuumed rug, in the mud, in the yard, in life. We...leave...footprints.

It is up to us how big they are...if they are our shoe-size, or if they (environmentally-speaking) super-size our normal size.

Today at GTG we're going to analyze our shoe size with a little help from a friend.

Special thanks this week to Guest Blogger Krista Peterson for sharing her commitment for the environment and volunteering to share a little bit with our GTG readers about "Reducing our Home's Carbon Footprint." As a person who is very passionate about the health of our environment and of others in our community, Krista is the perfect person to put in her GTG "2 cents' worth." She give's some practical, every day ideas as to help our energy efficiency by doing little things everyday to help make our footprints as small as humanly possible!!

Thank Krista for your blog article, and your commitment to the environment, encouraging us all to put our best foot forward!!

Reducing Your Home’s Carbon Footprint with Energy Efficiency ~ by Krista Peterson

Ideally, we would all be able to get our electricity from renewable sources like solar panels or wind farms. Although they may not be an option for everyone right now, there are many ways to make your home more energy efficient today.

Insulation

Heating is generally the third major cause of energy consumption in the household. Adding insulation has been estimated to cut the energy bill from heating in half. The heat-resistance of insulation is measured in R-value, and the Thermal Insulation Association of South Africa recommends different R-values for seven different climactic zones. If you have insulation at home, it would be wise to check in your ceiling and attic to make sure that it is sufficient for your area. If you are insulating your home for the first time, loft insulation or a geyser blanket are two great choices.

A word of caution: though the use of asbestos waned in South Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, the material was not actually banned until 2008, so asbestos-containing insulation can still be found in many homes built before this time. Inhaling loose asbestos fibers has been shown to cause a variety of diseases including mesothelioma, a fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. Mesothelioma life expectancy is tragically low, so you must take caution with any materials you suspect contain asbestos. If they are in good condition, they will not release the dangerous fibers, and should thus be left alone. If they are damaged or if you are performing renovations, contact a licensed abatement team to remove and dispose of them. There are a number of alternate organic types of insulation such as cellulose fiber which uses recycled paper.

Hot Water

Electricity is not needed to heat just the air, but also the water in a home. There is some debate as to whether or not turning your geyser on and off during the course of the day is more efficient, but one indisputable way to use less electricity is to simply use less hot water. Wash your hands, fruits and vegetables, and clothes in cold water whenever possible, and try to take shorter showers. Do not run the dishwasher unless it is full, and if washing the dishes by hand, plug the sink to conserve hot water in the basin.

Efficient Appliances

While we should all have the most energy efficient appliances available, there is no need to rush out and buy all new equipment – throwing out working appliances is rarely smart, and only serves to contribute to wastefulness. However, as your old appliances wear out or break, do a little research and buy efficient replacements. In recent times, appliance companies have started to make energy efficiency and protecting natural resources a priority. Most products are accompanied with an energy efficiency rating, look to use products with A or B ratings for the most sustainability. Perhaps the simplest way to start this habit is to replace burnt out light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, which not only use less electricity, but also last six to eight times longer.

Saving energy will not only help the earth; it will lower your monthly bills. It is good for your health, too – less energy use means less coal burned and fewer air pollutants. Until we can all switch to entirely renewable sources of power, making small changes around the home can have a big impact.

Grassy footprint image from http://www.gogreenplus.org.

"Simple tips" image from http://terra-no.com/go-green/carbon-calculator/.

Getting Your Priorities Straight

It's probably no surprise to anyone that my idea of a fun date is probably different from just about everyone else's.  This, of course, goes without saying on the mere fact alone that I write an eco-blog for kicks. 

Well, about 2 weeks ago, I got to go on a great date with my husband during his work day.  As a logistical manager for a global telecommunications company, Mr. D. deals with a lot of vendors in the shipping industry.  Just a hop, skip, and a jump from his office, is one such vendor:  Priority Worldwide Services (http://www.priorityworldwide.com/).  They invited Mr. D. to come take a peek at their Hanover, Maryland facility, which just so happens to be a LEED certified platinum building [which, in layman's speak, is "Eco-Green" to the Nth degree, certified by the US Green Building Council].

When asked if I wanted to tag along, I said, "You betcha!"

 

PWS's foyer with 1920s &
1930s repurposed stadium seating.



It was love from the instant we entered Priority Worldwide Services' (PWS) foyer.  The waiting  room foyer has a collection of repurposed stadium seating from 1920s & 1930s stadiums [namely from the Detroit Tigers and the Montreal Forum].  In doing this, PWS has kept potential landfill-fodder from filling those landfills!  As with every other eco-element in the PWS building, nearby there is an informative sign detailing the rhyme and reason as to why it was chosen and how it aligns with their vision of environmentalism and sustainability.  An educator's dream!

This is just the first hint that Priority Worldwide Services certainly does have their priorities straight!

Every room--from conference room, to break room (where they have a weekly yoga class--how cool is that), to bathroom, to warehouse--had elements of environmental action and education.  So much to the point, that I'm giddy with excitement to bring my Eagle Cove School 3rd graders their for a field trip to see what a business with sustainable practices looks like.  For a glance at our future field trip finds:

• 99% of the furniture in-house came from a reused source or has been salvaged.
• The wall paint has Zero VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds--by using this kind of paint and sealants, there's no off-gassing or "post-paint smells"--meaning a non-toxic, healthier environmnet).
• Bamboo flooring (a renewable material) brightens the break room.  The majority of the flooring in the facility is stained concrete (again, zero VOC). There are carpet-square tiles in some areas, which will make for easy spot-replacement when needed (rather than full-flooring replacement, which reduces waste). Also, several office rugs were made from recycled soda bottles and tape measures.
• 80% of the ceiling tiles are recycled, while 96% of the drywall comes from recycled content.
• Countertops and desktops are made from compacted seed, paperstone (recycled office paper) or bamboo, depending on where they are placed and how they are used.
• Motion-sensored lights fill the building.
• Some of the desk supports were fashioned out of airplane elements.
• 500+ solar panels are on top of PWS's facility, which supplies about 95% of their in-house power; the remaining  5% of their energy is from 100% Green E certified sources (aka, wind and solar).
• 

  

  Electric forklifts which create
  a cleaner work place.

  A "white roof" is in place to help reflect sunlight off of the building, which also helps to cool it more than a traditional dark-colored roof.
• When replacements are needed in the warehouse, PWS is bringing in electric forklifts versus propane ones.  This not only is more energy efficient, but cleaner as they produce no silt.
• When "disposables" are needed in the break room, potato-based and corn-based cups and utensils are the chosen ones...although reuseable alternatives are always their preference.
• Their shipping trucks are on a 3-year rotation to ensure the lowest emission vehicles possible as they bring new ones in.  (At this point, hybrids still are not the best economic option).
• Their cleaning crews utilize environmentally-friendly methods.
• Even their vending machines have motion sensors.  (Who knew that the typical soda machine was a major energy-waster!!)

I seriously think I could go on and on!! 
[I didn't even mention the bathrooms!]
  

The PWS conference room table--
yes, it's an airplane wing!

Two of the very coolest of all finds were in two of the most opposite places.  One was in the conference room.  What once was a C-130 airplane wing is now a glass-topped conference table!  As a company that moves items from one place in the world to another, how perfect is this?!



The second extraordinarily neat thing was in the warehouse.  One corner was used to house a "polar bear"-shaped rock wall.  Symbolically perfect, the rock wall encapsulates the importance of environmentalism. The polar bear standing on the lone ice cap is the iconic image of climate change/global warming, rendering its message: "This is what we will face if we don't hurry up and solve our global, environmental problem." 



Best part of the warehouse:
the polar bear shaped rock wall!

What I also like about the rock wall is that it takes the idea of the outdoors and brings it into the workplace. As we become a country of more and more computer-based, sedentary people, here is an on-the-job invitation to take a break and use it wisely.  Activate those muscles.  Get moving.  Sometimes the best brain-break is one where you shake it all up, then come back to see things more clearly.  If climbing a bear of a rock doesn't do it, I don't know what will!



Yes, Priority Worldwide Services definitely has their priorities straight...and hopefully will stand out as a striking example to other companies that yes, it is possible to be a vital, vibrant, successful, SUSTAINABLE, and globally active business.

To get a true picture of PWS's dedication to sustainability, check out their "green guide" that highlights their 5 facets of environmental dedication [Site Sustainability, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, & Indoor Environmental Quality]:  http://www.priorityworldwide.com/about_pws/environment_corporate.aspx.

Special thanks to Marc Tohir and Miguel Patino and the many others at Priority Worldwide Services who let me tag along and see all the sustainable sites!

Images of Priority Worldwide Services from my May 23rd, 2011 visit to their Hanover, Maryland facility.

Logo from http://www.trademarkia.com/pws-priority-worldwide-services-78775754.html.

June 8th: World Oceans Day

From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPf1DZm8pl8

World Ocean Day = June 8th, annually.

Oceans do a ton for us. They...

Regulate our climate;

Lift our breath with the oxygen they generage;
Delight us with dinner;

Offer medical opportunities for us;

Clean our drinking water.

Everyone depends on our oceans!
All of us should work to help, clean, & protect them.
Nemo & other aquatic creatures need us to care!


Dive in & take part in an beach clean up!
All sorts of other great ideas for WOD here:
       http://worldoceansday.org/?page_id=29
Your actions to help our oceans make a world of difference!

For more information about World Ocean Day, go to http://worldoceansday.org/?page_id=122

Treasure Hunting: Geocache-Style

If you've ever been curious about geocaching, here's a go-to article, complete with a go-to spot!  "X marks the spot," that is! 

Check out this great article detailing the ins and outs of geocaching by Heather Boughey, reprinted here from The Bay Weekly.  Along the way, you'll learn a little bit about Captain John Smith & the Geotrail that honors him! You also can find some pretty cool geography, history, and environmental facts about the Chesapeake Bay as you are hot on the trail! 

Find the article reprinted here below, or click this link: Treasure Hunting | Bay Weekly, or go to http://bayweekly.com/articles/good-living/article/treasure-hunting.

Treasure Hunting

by Heather Boughey, 6/2/11, The Bay Weekly

X marks the spot on the Captain John Smith Trail.

After finding a geocache & logging names

into its log book, Mackenzie Boughey

puts it back in its hiding spot.



Once upon a time, seeking treasure meant following the dubious guidance of a hand-drawn map through grave dangers. Scurvy, mutiny, greed and confusion — not to mention blood-thirsty competitors and territory-conscious wild animals — were perils treasure hunters faced in seeking the spot on the map marked by X.

The Global Positioning System changed all that.

 

Modern treasure hunters have more in common with Captain Kirk than Captain Sparrow. Where you are — and how you get from there to here — is calculated in seconds by two-dozen satellites orbiting overhead. All you need to plot the path to discovery is a GPS. You’re probably packing one in your smartphone.

It’s so easy a child can do it.

The Boughey family proved that.

Back in 1607, Captain John Smith boldly navigated where no white man had gone before. Four centuries later, eight-year-old Mackenzie Boughey — known as Grumpy since birth by Bay Weekly followers of grandfather Bill Burton — led us in the captain’s wake to preview the Captain John Smith Geotrail, opening to one and all on June 4, 2011.

Modern Day Treasure Hunting

The Captain John Smith Geotrail joins 1.3 million caches hidden around the globe over the last decade in a worldwide treasure hunt enabled by the Internet and the minaturation of GPS.

This geotrail follows Captain John Smith’s 1607 to 1609 exploration of the Chesapeake and its tributaries. It stretches over 40 sites throughout Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. Laid by the National Parks Service, it lies within the greater Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, covering 3,000 miles over land and water in Maryland, D.C., Virginia and Delaware. Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, Maryland Geocaching Society and Chesapeake Conservancy co-sponsor the Smith Geotrail.

Geocaches come in small as well as large, and anybody can lay one. You hide caches imaginatively — on land, in caves, along shorelines or even under water — and log their location on the Internet. The caches can range from a few ounces to pots of treasure.

To find the prizes, treasure hunters follow hand-held GPS receivers (or GPS-enabled smartphones) to geocache coordinates that are the modern version of a treasure map. Get your map by registering an account on a geocaching website and searching your target area for hidden caches. Membership is free.

Eight-year-old Mackenzie learns how to use a GPS from four-year-old Logan Delawder.

The largest of the geocaching websites, www.geocaching.com, shows over 1,000 caches in each of the Annapolis-area zip codes.

The website details the size and difficulty of the geocache and the terrain you’ll cross. Along with GPS coordinates for your target area, you get clues and a description. Some geocaches, like the Smith Geotrail, are multi-staged, with clues you find in each cache leading you to the next one.

Once you find a target cache, program the coordinates into your GPS and get going. The GPS guides you towards the cache. At the spot, you start hunting. Geocaches can be hidden, partially buried, even attached by magnets.

Some geocaches hold prizes. If you take one, it’s geocaching etiquette to replace it with an interesting item to reward the next finder.

Each geocache also holds a logbook. Sign and date it, with comments if you like. Many geocachers log their finds on the website, where they can see and compare their progress with the successes of other geocachers.

On the Smith Geotrail

We Bougheys get around

[see http://bayweekly.com/articles/good-living/article/park-quest-took-my-family-back-nature]. But we’re new to both the sport of geocaching and the John Smith Geotrail. Susan Kelly, husband Mark and four-year-old grandson Logan Delawder — experienced geocachers who go by the tag Calvertcachers — broke us in.

As the Smith Trail geocaches were still being hidden, we practiced on the Star Spangled Banner Trail, the first geotrail in our region to be connected to a National Park trail. The Smith trail is the second.

At Darnall’s Chance in Upper Marlboro, Logan trained Mackenzie, showing her his GPS unit and geocaching backpack, packed with a magnet and trinkets for refilling discovered caches.
Then we hit the trail. A plaque describing the history of Darnall’s Chance gave us a key to the coordinates to the hidden cache — but only after we correctly answered four questions. We loaded the coordinates, and Mackenzie and Logan led us along the path they mapped into the woods.

There we looked under branches and behind trees to find an 11-by-six-inch plastic box. The kids pounced on it. Inside they found headphones, a flashlight, markers and small toys. Each chose an item — headphones for Logan and a camouflage wristband for Mackenzie — and Mackenzie helped Logan write his geocaching name, Lil’ Crab, into the logbook to mark their discovery.

In keeping with tradition, they added a fresh box of crayons to the box, resealed it and hid it again.

Four more caches were hidden within walking distance. The next one didn’t involve a puzzle; we simply loaded coordinates from the website and headed off.

With the children again leading the way, Susan and Mark described finding over 2,000 caches in seven years.

“It’s a great way to discover new things in areas you thought you already knew,” Susan explained. “One of our first geocaches was within two miles of our house. We found a small pond we never knew existed.”

Caches are now part of their vacations. On a recent trip to Maine, Susan was determined to see a moose. So in researching geocaches, she sought ones that promised moose nearby. They found the geocaches, but Susan didn’t find her moose.

Our second geocache was a bit trickier. When the GPS unit indicated we’d reached the spot, no geocache was in sight. After searching both the water’s edge and forest area, the children determined there was none to be found. Susan hinted that they might try searching very close to the ground. With squeals of delight, both children spotted the geocache at the same time, hidden securely under the base of the dock walkway.

Once again, the children took a small treasure from the box, signed their names in the logbook, added a new prize and returned the cache where they found it.

“Now I know how excited and really happy Captain John Smith must have felt when he finally found something he was looking for,” Mackenzie exclaimed.

“This geotrail is a great way to propel people to care and protect our Chesapeake,” said Cindy Chance of the National Park Service. “We have a lot to learn from the past, especially stewardship and how they took care of the Bay, even back in the 17th century.”

Be the FTF

On June 4, National Trails Day, the Captain John Smith Geotrail officially opens. The coordinates for the 40 geocaches on the trail will be published via www.geocaching.com around 11:30am that day.

Join the hunt by downloading a passport, and track your progress at

On the Captain John Smith Geotrail, one geocache in each of the three states rewards FTF with a replica ceramic smart-buoy, a miniature of the six smart-buoys along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

When you near a real smart-buoy, call 1-877-BUOYBAY to hear a description of this point on the Chesapeake in 1608, during Smith’s exploration.

At the official trail opening, 10am to noon June 4 at Accokeek Foundation in Piscataway Park, you can learn to geocache and practice on geocaches hidden for the celebration, some just for kids. One lucky hunter will win a Magellan hand-held GPS.

See You at the Launch

The Boughey family will be following in the wake of Captain John Smith. We set up an account to log our first two caches, and we’ve figured out how to use the GPS app on our smartphone. See you at the launch June 4.

Follow the geocache online at www.smithtrail.net.

"Geocaching" button image from http://www.thegeocachesite.info/.

All pictures from the original online version of Heather Boughey's Bay Weekly article:  http://bayweekly.com/articles/good-living/article/treasure-hunting.

www.smithtrail.net. For each cache, you record a secret word on your passport and upload a photo of the cache. The first 400 geocachers to complete 15 caches on the trail win a collectable, trackable geocoin.
First-to-find, commonly known as FTF, is a badge of honor among geocachers. Often FTF gets a reward. 

Tippy Canoe & 3rd Grade Oysters Too!

When you teach at a Maryland "green" school, and it's the end of the year and you go camping over Memorial Day weekend...you get backlogged with "not enough time" and too many things to write about...especially if you're writing an environmental blog!!

More than a week ago now, our Eagle Cove School 3rd graders went on a great field trip.  Traditionally, it's an AWESOME trip, where the Chesapeake Bay Foundation comes to our school dock, picks up our 3rd graders (and our oyster spat) via boat, and we head down the Magothy River with kids questing as to where the oysters should go based on certain parameters.  It rocks and is THE best trip ever (see http://greenteamgazette.blogspot.com/2010/03/world-is-our-oyster.html).

This year, based on circumstances and scheduling beyond our control, that didn't happen.  But, we were not about to let that happen.  We have canoes...shall travel!  We can get to the oyster sanctuary, no problemo...with the little help of some paddles and oars, and 3rd grade willpower!!

So being a fan of the Letterman "Top 10" countdown, I thought this might be the way to share our experience:

Top 10 things you learn while embarking on a Magothy River, Maryland canoe trip with ten 3rd graders, 2 adults, 2 adult-seated kayaks, 3 kid-seated canoes, 12 life jackets, and 5 buckets of oyster spat we've been raising all year with the intention to return to the "oyster bar" in the middle of the Magothy:

#10.  Oyster filter the river.  By raising oyster spat all year with the plan to return them to a designated oyster sanctuary, we are ultimately helping to clean the Chesapeake Bay!!

#9. "Canoeing is harder than it looks, but loads of fun!" as quoted by the 3rd graders.

#8.  Ospreys feeding their wee ones on their nest atop a nearby nesting pole (and closer to your oyster drop) are pretty darn cool!

#7.  It was a different trip than our "regular," but an equally neat and sweet trip when you go by canoe versus go by chartered Chesapeake Bay Foundation boat.

#6.  All that being said...don't rock your boat, bay-be!!

#5.  Canoe transport in a short-bed truck is wayyyyy stressful for the adults, and it's nowhere near being on the kids' radar screens!

#4.  There's a big difference in one's ability to row a canoe in a sheltered cove (especially if you are in 3rd grade) than there is out on an open river where the wind and waves can rock you 'till tomorrow and double the intensity of the task at hand.

#3. Teamwork (especially with partners of 3 and 4 kids) is a key to canoeing and propelling your vessel forward in the right direction!!

#2.  A trip like this rates as "the best field trip ever" for 9 year olds!

and #1:

Never, and I mean never EVER, underestimate the strength of a group of 9 year olds eager to be part of the .canoe crew."  This is especially true when they are pushing their aqua-transport into the back of a short-bed truck to take it out into the world....you might, just might, hear the sound of broken glass!

Pics from my (yes dry!) camera!!

Memorial Day Camping Part 4: Park Quest 2011 Inauguration & Camping Conclusion

Part 1:  Decompression

Part 2:  Introspection

Part 3:  Transportation

Part 4:  Park Quest Inauguration ~ Camping Conclusion

Maryland Park Quest 2011 is under way!

For this girl and her family (aka "Team Green Gators"), Western Maryland's New Germany State Park was not only the perfect spot to camp, but also a perfect entry spot to this year's Park Quest (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/parkquest/). 

Straight from the intro of New Germany's "Thinking Outside, the (Letter) Box", it reads:

"This quest allows teams to explore the natural features of New Germany Park.  It also allows questers to discover historic aspects created by the Civilian Conservation Corp...Letterboxing is a hobby that combines problem solving with outdoor adventure."

So trekking across the park, we followed the rhyming couplet clues, and successfully found all 8 letterboxes and stamped our sheet.  We also recorded our own "we were here" in the notepad.

We also had an opportunity this Memorial Day weekend to do our 2nd quest ("Get your Bearings at Herrington") at Herrington Manor State Park.  This one, we learned to get comfy with our compass as we counted & paced from one question to the next. 

For some of the 1000 Marylanders who are participating in Park Quest this year, some are already much further knee-deep in questing than we are (one team has even wrapped up all 24 quests in just a mere 3 weeks of it being open)--at least as indicated on the Leader board and also the letterboxing notebook commentary.  For us, we're just at the cusp... the entrance... the starting block.  And that's okay!  Our game plan is for it to definitely take a bulk of the summer, by way of several weekends worth of day trips to tackle with a leisurely approach.  (For reminders as to how our team fared last year, go to http://greenteamgazette.blogspot.com/search/label/Park%20Quest)

For more Park Quest, check out this girl's camp-mate Candus Thompson (aka Baltimore Sun's "Outdoor Girl"):  http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/blog/.  She is currently (as of Wednesday, June 2nd) on her 2nd annual "Park Quest 24-7" where she treks high and low to hit all 24 of Maryland State Park's Park Quests in a mere 7 days.  She's blogging as she goes, and as of the end of day 2, she's already got 8 quests and 8 parks under her belt.  It's a pretty progressive itinerary!!  Quest on, Candy!!  We'll be watching and rooting for you, as you go!

Park Quest #1 & 2 are done,

As is our camping trip--what fun!

Let's give some great cheer,

To Park Quest & the great outdoors this year!

Memorial Day Camping Part 3: Transportation

Part 1:  Decompression
Part 2:  Introspection
Part 3:  Transportation

In the weekend of movie references, this time I'm struck by the memory of the John Hughes movie in 1987 starring Steve Martin and John Candy entitled "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."  In it, the two main characters transport themselves from Point A to point B by way of a myriad of methods.

During our weekend o'camping, our Memorial Day version could be entitled:  "Hiking, Zip-lining, and Kayaking."  I must say, these are 3 great ways to see Western Maryland!

Even the youngest in our group of 13 (the five year old) was able to zip on the Chipmunk Challenge Tour at Deep Creek's Wisp Resort.  As for the adults, we opted for the more grown-up version:  The Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour with its 5 zips ranging from 180 to 400 feet. The mountain-side looks pretty amazing if you take the time to look around while consulting your inner tree-leaper!

Kayaking on the lake at New Germany State park is another great way to stretch your muscles, whether your are age 5, 95, or anywhere in between.  The water was pretty calm, and very doable at any age...expecially if you are using a kayak especially designed for kids, being narrower and easier to paddle for the youngsters.  Upper body workout--check!

As for the lower body workout, hiking in the mountains gives you a lot of opportunity to work all sides of your leg muscles (calves, thighs, and gluteous maximus included!)  Especially when you are trying to get in meg-mileage.  My 4 day weekend pedometer looked a little like this (where 2,000 steps is roughly 1 mile):  8,179 steps... 19,070 steps...  21,004 steps... 11,008 steps

Oh yeah, and I forgot about the Mountain Coaster, and even the swimming/wading in the state park's streams and lake!

I think all our muscles...not to mention our confidence from tackling our physical victories...are feeling a bit stretched after this weekend in the great outdoors!

Movie poster from http://personalitycafe.com/generation-y-forum/19743-your-most-favorite-movie-all-time-8.html

Outdoor adventure & Pedometer Pics:  via me!