With the strain on household income continually increasing and energy cost on the rise it is easy to feel helpless.  Obviously that gets us nowhere so what can we actually do? Until a few days ago I had no clue until a segment came on NPR that enlightened me. There is a group of elected officials we all need to know about! The Corporation Commission. It is a panel of 5 individuals who do everything from set the price rates for your electricity, natural gas, phone, private water companies as well as inspect railroad tracks and license security brokers.  There is an upcoming election so if you care about the cost of energy and our sources of energy you should pay attention to who is running for the three open seats on the Corporation Commission.

What’s at stake? The Renewable Energy Act: the current regulations in place that require 15% of our electricity come from renewable resources by 2025.  There are a lot of people vying for your vote on both sides of this issue so here is a bit of information to help you make your decision and get the ball rolling for your own research into the candidates. The primary election is Tuesday, Sept. 2nd.

Fowlkes (Republican): Against Renewable Energy Act: would replace it with incentives for utilities to use renewable energy and focus on competition between providers

Hobbs (Republican): Against Renewable Energy Act: supports allowing utilities to spread their investment over a longer period of time

Swapp (Republican): Against Renewable Energy Act: favors a free-market approach and focus on competition over regulation

Wong (Republican): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: “the long term impact of solar and renewable will be constant while fuels like natural gas and others will continue to spike up”

Allen (Republican): Against Renewable Energy Act: says the technology to make this change does not exist and worries these regulations will have too great a cost on low income people and seniors

McClure (Republican): Undecided on the Renewable Energy Act: would not try to repeal or expand it “never second guess the future”

Robson (Republican): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: (I was asked to change this and clarify that Robson and Stump hold the same views, I must have misunderstood what they said so please listen to their interviews on the NPR stories at the bottom of this post to discern for yourself where they stand, thanks and I apologize for the confusion.) considers it to be a goal and if it can be met it should stay in place. It should be reviewed on an annual basis and what challenges it brings about.

Stump (Republican): Against Renewable Energy Act: (see above) should be a goal not a regulation so market conditions and technology dictate the success of the goal

George (Democrat): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: advocates solar for long term but in the mean time suggests stressing efficiency for individuals – installing smart meters, etc

Kennedy (Democrat): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: focuses on the importance of solar power but wants to make sure seniors and low income people will benefit rather than have added costs

Newman (Democrat): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: wants to “bring clean energy to the table” and implement the renewable energy act to represent consumers and be fair to the utility companies

Kelty (Democrat): Uphold Renewable Energy Act: sees the primary role of the Corp. Comm. as protecting the consumers, “we cannot afford the cost of inaction”

Click on the candidate names above to be taken to their websites.

Click here to listen to the NPR breakdown of the Democratic Candidates

Click here to listen to the NPR breakdown of the Republican Candidates

Click here to view the Arizona Republic Candidate Q & A (not all candidates included)

Click here to read “Candidates’ Expenses Questioned” from the AZ Republic

We’re excited to go to the Green Summit next weekend and check out all the educational sessions and green innovations expo. This is looking to be a huge event and it sounds like we’ll be flooded with sustainability information. We’ll try to soak it up and blog about all we can though! Everyone should attend and see for yourself first hand, general admission is $20 and $15 for students. Hope to see you there.

Here is their official press release:

GREENSUMMIT COMES TO PHOENIX
SEPTEMBER 5-6, 2008

One of the Year’s Top Green Events & Most Affordable Green Conferences
Comes to the Phoenix Convention Center

GreenSummit (www.greensummit.net) is the place to find innovative solutions for a more sustainable world. Leaders in business, government, academia, and the general public will come together to catalyze change for the Southwest and beyond.

PHOENIX, AZ, Tuesday, August 12, 2008 – The 2008 GreenSummit will take place at the Phoenix Convention Center on September 5-6, 2008. Arizona State University and its Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona Public Service (APS), over 100 exhibitors and 100 educational sessions, 10,000+ business and consumer attendees, and international delegates from Europe led by the US Department of Commerce will make GreenSummit one of the premier sustainability events in the country.

The 100+ sessions in the Advancing Sustainability Conference will include a multitude of experts covering topics which will empower attendees to understand how sustainability impacts their careers, their personal lives, and the world around them.

The Green Innovations Expo will feature companies across a broad spectrum of business and consumer industries including – Green Building, Renewable Energy, Business Products and Services, Home and Lifestyle, Transportation, and more!

Attendees will include designers, architects, developers, engineers, government officials, clean tech entrepreneurs, business owners, marketing and brand managers, and the general public, all of which will be attending to become more educated about this timely and vitally important topic.

In addition, “eco-tours” of LEED certified and other green Valley facilities will be given, and on September 3 at a special “Signature Event,” all 18 Valley cities and communities will be coming together for the first time to discuss how sustainability is inherently linked to the future success of the region. This inaugural gathering brings together key decision-makers who will be attending a unique sustainability-focused event hosted by the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Arizona Association of Economic Development, and the United States Green Building Council. Government and business leaders from across the region will be learning about how sustainability is inherently linked to the future success and livability of our communities. An invitation by one of the hosts is needed to attend this event.

The 2008 GreenSummit is the most affordable large-scale sustainability conference and expo on the West Coast, with General Admission starting at only $15.00 and the full Conference Package with access to over 100 sessions for only $100.00 when registered before August 15th.

This is the second GreenSummit event organized by Chris Samila, a Global Studies Major at ASU. In organizing the 2007 GreenSummit on ASU’s campus, his goal was simply to bring awareness of sustainability and green products and services to both his campus and the community. What started out as a “grassroots” event ended up playing host to approximately 4,000 attendees and 55 exhibitors.

“Around the globe massive changes are occurring. The need to become more in balance with our natural environment has catalyzed the growth of an exciting array of new innovations and opportunities,” said Samila. “The term ‘green’ has come to represent a common blueprint for citizens, businesses, and governments for how we can move towards a more sustainable future. The GreenSummit is designed to greatly accelerate this movement and provide a unique platform for leading organizations to showcase the best products, services, and ideas that will make our society more efficient, lighter on the environment, and ultimately healthier for both ourselves and future generations to come.”

For more information or to register for the GreenSummit, visit www.greensummit.net.

Image by "motionblur" on flickr "The sandwich spread from DrupalCamp Toronto 2008."

I had been wanting to post about the waste that is associated with going back to school each Fall.  Millions of kids go buy new clothes, new supplies, etc. contributing to tons of waste in the form of the goods being replaced and in the manufacturing those new goods (whether goods be a plastic binder or a poly-blend t-shirt).  While we would all be better off if we bought fewer things new and shopped at thrift stores, traded with friends and family, or simply held onto our things longer, one area where change is needed (and fairly easy) when it comes to heading back to school is changing the practices at lunch time.  After you get through with your sporks, your paper and plastic bags, and all of your single serving disposable containers you’ve made a pretty significant contribution to the landfill.. according to Carbonrally.com that works out to 65 pounds of garbage per child per school year!

Even if you are not heading back to school and you are just continuing your daily work schedule you’ve got to eat lunch, right? If you don’t have money to eat out every day you probably bring your own lunch. Even if you do eat out every day these tips from Carbonrally for packing your lunch in a more sustainable way will save you money and plenty of unnecessary waste.

• The first thing you need is a good, reusable lunch bag. You’re looking for a bag that is large enough to hold your typical daily lunch, plus it needs to be durable enough to last at least a couple of years. Your new bag doesn’t need to be hard-sided; you’ll be packing the squishable food in sturdy containers that go inside the bag.
• Next you need sturdy, washable containers to replace the plastic bags or aluminum foil you’ve been using for sandwiches and other foods. These containers will also be useful for when you buy foods in bulk and dish out single-servings instead of taking pre-packaged snacks. Remember that it’s better to reuse containers you already have than to buy new ones; that way you aren’t responsible for the energy and carbon dioxide associated with the manufacture of the new container. So, before you buy any new containers, look around your kitchen to see if you already have any containers you can use. You may already have traditional containers. You might also start saving other containers, such as ones used for baby food or deli meats or margarine or cream cheese tubs.
• If you find that you do need to buy new containers, you have choices. If you don’t want to buy traditional Rubbermaid or Tupperware containers, you can always opt for simpler, cheaper alternatives like GladWare containers or Rubbermaid TakeAlongs. When buying plastic containers, look for products that say on the label that they are BPA-free. (Bisphenol A or BPA is a plastics additive that has been in use since the 1930s. Recently, BPAs have been in the news as a possible serious health risk. If the scientists and government safety organizations can’t agree on it, it seems smart to just avoid it.)
• Once you have the washable containers, you need to get the food to put in them. Buy large bags of chips and then pack smaller portions in your washable containers. Buy large tubs of yogurt and spoon a single serving into one of your washable containers instead of taking individual, pre-packed yogurts. Loose granola in a container replaces a pre-packaged granola bar.
• After the food comes the drink. Don’t pack juice boxes. Those antiseptic drink box containers (containing either juice or milk) are almost impossible to recycle. Many communities don’t even try. And as a Rallyer, you already know that the single-use plastic bottles of water are a bad idea. So it’s time to find a refillable drink bottle that will fit in your lunch bag. Check your cupboards. Again, it’s always better to use something you already own rather than buy something new. If you do need to buy a new refillable drink bottle, either look for refillable plastic bottles certified to be BPA-free (the CamelBak Better Bottle or newer products from Nalgene) or look for a stainless steel or aluminum bottle. Rinse it with water each night and then wash it on the weekend.
• Don’t forget utensils! You want to replace the disposable plastic forks and spoons with reusable, washable utensils like the ones you use at home. Take ones from home if you can spare them. If not, buy enough cheap stainless steel utensils (yard sale!) to get you and your family through a few days worth of lunches.
• Finally, pack a cloth napkin with your lunch instead of a paper napkin. Bring it home and wash it with your laundry. Not only will you cut down on your lunch waste, but think of the festive elegance you’ll be adding to your lunch table.
• Small businesses often have kitchens with dish washers. If you and your colleagues all bring in extra mugs, plates, and metal utensils from home for the office lunchroom, none of you will have to bring any from home each day! And remember, if you have plates at the office, you don’t have to take paper plates and plastic utensils from the restaurant when you bring in that pizza and salad for lunch.
• Many colleges, school systems, and individual schools are having success with waste-free lunch programs. Visit Waste Free Lunches to get ideas about how you can launch a program in your school or community.

Ready to make a change? Click here to take the challenge on Carbonrally.com and while you’re at it, join the Arizona Team.

Our own Tracy Perkins was on a segment of Good Morning Arizona this past Friday! She was doing a soap making demo and promoting her eco-friendly, vegan bath and body products company Strawberry Hedgehog.

Friday morning we packed up all her soap making gear and headed down to 3TV’s studio. Once we arrived we had to wait a few mintues for a commercial break so that they could sneak us in the studio to setup. It was weird setting up all her stuff while the anchors were chatting and reporting the news just a few feet away. I was afraid we’d drop something big and interrupt them while they were on the air. We also couldn’t figure out how to get the stove on and none of the anchor’s or producers knew either! Luckily we finally found someone that knew how it worked and we got the stove on and the soap started. Everyone there was extremely friendly and made our trip down there fun. Dan Davis was great and made Tracy feel very comfortable on the air. Believe it or not they just wing the segment, no scripts or really any planning on how it will go. Sounds stressful to me but they seem to like it.

Tracy did great on her first TV appearance! Follow this link to her get her version of the story on her blog over at blog.strawberryhedgehog.com. Check out the video and below to see her in action, and be sure to visit StrawberryHedgehog.com for all your eco-friendly, cruelty free bath and body needs.

A million thanks to Jessie from Jessiebell Designs for making the awesome hand dyed and screened, 100% organic cotton apron that Tracy wore on air. It turned out amazing!

Photo by: Majiscup

Corn plastic or PLA (polylactic acid) cups, utensils, and packaging have been popping up everywhere and I have been curious how they stack up against conventional plastic. It seems obvious that plastic made from corn would be more eco-friendly right? I did a little research and compiled a list of PLAs green pros and cons.

Pros:

• Manufactured from corn starch, a renewable resource.
• Biodegradable, breaks down into mostly carbon dioxide and water.
• Compostable, 6-12 months in a home composter (Many people are reporting that they will not compost in a home composter), 1-6 months in a commercial composter. Longer for heat resistant utensils. Once composted it is indistinguishable from the other compost.
• Does not emit toxic fumes if incinerated.
• Does not leech chemicals into food or soil.
• Freezer safe.
• Can handle hot items up to 120F (200F for utensils).
• Looks, feels, handles just like plastic.
• Is inexpensive.

Cons:

• Is not recyclable, must be kept separate from plastic.
• Few commercial composting facilities (113 in U.S.), only 1/4 of which accept residential materials.
• Commercial Composters use Microbes to break down organic material. Large amounts of PLA in a composter would cause problems because it breaks down into lactic acid which is wetter and more acidic. They can break this down but it requires more oxygen for the microbes to consume. Commercial Facilities would have trouble providing enough oxygen for large amounts of PLA to breakdown. Anaerobic digesters would not have the same problem.
• It is estimated that in a landfill PLA will take anywhere from 100 to a 1000 years to biodegrade.
• Typically made from genetically modified corn and usually not organic.
• Diverting corn away from the world’s food supply.

To me the cons don’t seem too bad considering plastic can’t be composted, takes longer to decompose in a landfill (starts decomposing after around 700 years), and can leech chemicals into food and the soil. Overall I think PLA is a pretty good substitute for disposable plastic cups, utensils, and packaging.  What do you think? Any more pros and cons?

edit: Lots of good comments made and a few saying that perhaps these are not as eco-friendly as their manufactures want you think. See comments for details..

For more in depth information check out these links:

• Corn Plastic to the Rescue
• Information on bioplastics