Green Design » Resource – Community

Community Supported Forests

Sarah Kuck — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:44:33 +0000

To receive a big box of fresh fruits and veggies, herbs and mushrooms straight from local farmers, many city-dwellers sign up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). By skipping the grocery store and buying direct from the farmer, subscribers' annual fees help small scale agriculturalists gain the support they need to survive in a Big Ag world. The system has proven to be hugely popular, and now other landowners are coming up with new varieties of community support.

Last week, while visiting family in Wisconsin, I heard that forest owners Roald Gundersen and Amelia Baxter of Hamburg, Wisc., have started what they call a Community Supported Forest. Although a few landowners offer Community Supported Forestry as a way people can obtain sustainably grown and harvested wood, Baxter and Gundersen told the La Crosse Tribune that they haven't heard of any other effort than theirs that offers as many resources to subscribers. The two told Tribune reporter Chris Hubbuch:

"For a $550 annual contribution, members get (unlimited and selective) access to the 140-acre valley about 12 miles south of La Crosse. They can camp, hunt and garden on the land. They can forage for mushrooms, garlic mustard and wild ginger. They can get firewood, sustainably milled lumber, landscaping stone or fresh spring water.

In addition, members can attend workshops on beer making, beekeeping, natural building and other topics."

Four of the 20 available spots have been filled since the two announced their plan about a couple of months ago.

This idea has a "back to the land" feel to it, and I can see many locavore enthusiasts being attracted to it. And in addition to helping people have access to local woodlands, I like Community Supported Forests because it's a model that stems from another. It makes me wonder, what else will be community supported in the future?

Image credit: Whole Trees Architecture

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 11:44 AM)

Off the Mat, Into the World: Linking Personal Development with Social Change

Britt Bravo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:50:01 +0000

My attention grant goes to Off the Mat Into the World.

Off the Mat, Into the World™ (OTM) is a program that aims to inspire and guide you to find and define your purpose and become active in your local or global community in an effective, sustainable and joyful way. OTM is an educational, experiential and motivational process for those interested in conscious activism and service. We combine yoga asanas, meditation in-depth self-exploration which culminates in the formation of a group project that is real and in service to the community.

Although I've never completed one of their programs, I think their emphasis on the connection between social change and personal development is crucial.

How many social changemakers do you know who are doing incredible work out in the world, but don't take care of their own bodies, minds and spirits? Who give time, energy and love to the issues they want to change, but not to themselves, or their friends and family?

On the other hand, there are lots of people who are completely focused on their own well-being and pursuit of personal wellness and happiness, but who are unaware of the positive impact they could have on their communities, and the happiness and well-being that comes from being of service.

Programs like Off the Mat, Into the World that balance inner work and outer work are so important, and I think they are the next important evolution of the social change movement.

In my April interview with Seane Corn, one of Off the Mat Into the World's co-founders, she described it best when she said,

We want to support anyone who is interested in engagement, but we want to help them do it in a way that is healthy for them, creates community, and creates longevity, so that everyone wins, and no one gets burnt out or sick. That is not what service should be about. It should be about joy, on every level.

This piece is part of Worldchanging's Attention Philanthropy campaign. All week long, the Worldchanging Network will be delivering "attention grants" to worthy projects, individuals, resources and more. You can learn more about these gifts of notice and find other entries by clicking here.

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(Posted by Britt Bravo in Resource - Community at 9:50 AM)

Off the Mat, Into the World: Linking Personal Development with Social Change

Britt Bravo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:50:01 +0000

My attention grant goes to Off the Mat Into the World.

Off the Mat, Into the World™ (OTM) is a program that aims to inspire and guide you to find and define your purpose and become active in your local or global community in an effective, sustainable and joyful way. OTM is an educational, experiential and motivational process for those interested in conscious activism and service. We combine yoga asanas, meditation in-depth self-exploration which culminates in the formation of a group project that is real and in service to the community.

Although I've never completed one of their programs, I think their emphasis on the connection between social change and personal development is crucial.

Programs like Off the Mat, Into the World that balance inner work and outer work are so important, and I think they are the next important evolution of the social change movement.

In my April interview with Seane Corn, one of Off the Mat Into the World's co-founders, she described it best when she said,

We want to support anyone who is interested in engagement, but we want to help them do it in a way that is healthy for them, creates community, and creates longevity, so that everyone wins, and no one gets burnt out or sick. That is not what service should be about. It should be about joy, on every level.

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(Posted by Britt Bravo in Resource - Community at 9:50 AM)

Video Fun: Mighty Green Musical Efforts, Plus Bonus Spike Jonze

Adam Stein — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:23:29 +0000

Some folks have written a song about home energy efficiency to the tune of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes. It takes a little while to get started — my favorite bit is at the 2:30 mark — but it’s hard not to like a song that incorporates Kill-A-Watt energy monitors, caulking guns, and negawatts. Well, hard if you’re me:

David Roberts says it’s the greatest thing he’s ever seen, but for my money, it’s not even the greatest green-themed Youtube song video. That honor goes to this rap about how to use the bike racks on the public buses in Louisville, Kentucky:

The rap was written and performed by TARC bus system employees, and those dancers in the background (the “TARCettes”) are actual bus drivers. Use of the bike racks spiked after the video was released.

And, finally, just because, here’s the trailer for the Where The Wild Things Are adaptation by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers:

I pray, pray, pray they don’t screw this up, and I’m now beginning to understand the nervous anticipation felt by Watchmen fans before that movie was released. The important difference between the book versions of Watchmen and WTWTA, of course, is that WTWTA is actually good. (Zing!)

Adam Stein is a co-founder of TerraPass. He writes on issues related to carbon, climate change, policy, and conservation.

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(Posted by Adam Stein in Resource - Community at 11:23 AM)

Video Fun: Mighty Green Musical Efforts, Plus Bonus Spike Jonze

Adam Stein — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:23:29 +0000

And, finally, just because, here’s the trailer for the Where The Wild Things Are adaptation by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers:

Adam Stein is a co-founder of TerraPass. He writes on issues related to carbon, climate change, policy, and conservation.

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(Posted by Adam Stein in Resource - Community at 11:23 AM)

Get Schooled in Livable Streets

WorldChanging Team — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:52:35 +0000

by Rebecca Jacobs

Students at PS 87 record car speeds.

Last September, The Open Planning Project officially launched Livable Streets Education (LSE) to inspire students, teachers, and families to make the changes they want to see on their streets and in their neighborhoods. LSE's learning units explore a range of topics, including the urban environment, traffic calming, biking and walking, public transit, and safe routes to schools. The pilot program is already up and running in four schools. The response has been very positive -- young people are incredibly interested in improving the environment and their city. This spring the program will be expanding to 10 New York City schools, working with over 500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

LSE director Kim Wiley-Schwartz shows a pupil how to track car speeds.

The Livable Streets Education website is now up and running. Come visit to learn more about residency programs. For these in-school sessions, LSE members go out with students and take a look around their school, then come up with ways to improve it for pedestrians, cyclists, commuters, and most importantly, kids. They connect these ideas to math, science, social studies, literacy, and art, providing a rich learning experience.

If you’re interested in bringing Livable Streets Education to your child’s school (or the school in which you work), the program is currently available for fall 2009 residencies in New York. The program is entirely funded at no cost to schools. LSE also partners with cultural institutions for special educational programming. Look for LSE at the New York Transit Museum, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and Celebrate Brooklyn.

To stay connected with educators and parents interested in Livable Streets Education, join on the Livable Streets Community site.

If you live outside New York City, not to worry. LSE is currently working with teachers to develop lesson plans that can be taught in classrooms across the country. Keep an eye on the website for the first three learning units, coming soon.

This piece originally appeared on Streetsblog.

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(Posted by WorldChanging Team in Resource - Community at 2:52 PM)

Common Security Clubs: Finding Support in Hard Economic Times

WorldChanging Team — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:01:46 +0000

Part study circle, part mutual aid association and part social action group, Social Security Clubs are popping up in communities where people are looking for ways to support each other and take action. In a recent post for OnTheCommons, Chuck Collins discusses this new concept:

By Chuck Collins

The common security club model was born out of work done in the last few years by people struggling with overwhelming indebtedness. Participants spend some time discussing the root causes of the economic crisis, drawing on readings and materials provided by the network. But they mostly focus on what they can do together to increase their economic security and press for policy changes.

“What becomes clear to participants is we are facing some major economic and ecological changes,” said Andree Zaleska from the Boston office of Institute for Policy Studies, who is coordinating clubs in the Northeast. “We are not going back to some golden age of economic growth based on empire, unfettered capitalism, and cheap energy—nor do we want to! We have to prepare ourselves and our communities for transformation.”

As theologian Walter Brueggemann writes we need to shift from “autonomy to covenantal existence, from anxiety to divine abundance, and from acquisitive greed to neighborly generosity.” Common security club participants are experimenting with ways to make the practical, political, and spiritual changes this entails.

The three main functions of the clubs are:

1) Learn and reflect
Through popular education tools, videos, Bible study, and shared readings, participants increase their understanding of the larger economic forces on our lives. Why is the economy in distress? How did these changes happen? What are the historical factors? How does this connect to the global economy? What are the ecological factors contributing to the changes? What is our vision for a healthy, sustainable economy? What are the sources of real security in my life?

2) Mutual aid and local action
Through stories, examples, Web-based resources, a workbook, and mutual support, participants reflect on what makes them secure. What can we do together to increase our economic security at the local level? What would it mean to respond to my economic challenges in community? How can I reduce my economic vulnerability in conjunction with others? How can I get out of debt? How can I help my neighbor facing foreclosure or economic insecurity? Can I downscale and reduce my consumption and ecological footprint and save money?

3) Social action
The economic crisis is in part the result of an unengaged citizenry and government. What can we do together to build an economy based on building healthy communities rather than shoring up the casino economy? What public policies would make our communities more secure? Through discussion and education, participants might find ways to engage in a larger program of change around the financial system, economic development, tax policy, and other elements of our shared economic life.

Clubs can be autonomous or affiliated with an existing institution, secular or religious. The ideal size is 10 to 20 adults who make a commitment to an initial five meetings with a facilitator. Clubs then decide whether to continue meeting and self-manage. Starter sessions have been developed and include “The Roots of the Economic Crisis,” “Personal Re sponses to Economic and Ecological Change,” “Things We Can Do Together,” and “Actions to Transform the Economy.”

Among the things “we can do together,” the clubs examine stories and examples of various economic and mutual aid activities. These have included teaming up to help each other weatherize their homes, helping each other rework their personal budgets and reduce debt, and forming food-buying clubs. Faith-based groups weave together reflection, prayer, and action.

“We can’t be a bank for each other,” said club participant Paul Monroe of Boston. “But there are so many things we can do to support one another and increase our economic security.”

One group, convened by a group of Haitian women in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, decided to push back against their credit card companies. “Everyone was paying really high fees,” observed Charlotte Desire, who coordinated the group. “One of our best moments was when everyone in our group called their credit card company and threatened to cut up their cards unless fees were waived and interest rates were cut.” Almost everyone in the group was able to save hundreds of dollars in interest payments and fees.

Gerald Taylor, a veteran congregation-based organizer in Charlotte, North Carolina, has led discussions with several groups about what a healthy and democratic debt system would require. “All our religious traditions have prohibitions on usury for a reason,” said Taylor. “So what would a fair and transparent credit system look like?”

“We are piloting about a dozen common security clubs in different places and with very different groups,” said Zaleska, describing the efforts in her region. “We’re testing out several different curricula. Some clubs are pressing members of Congress to reform the casino economy, stop foreclosures, and pass an economic stimulus package.”

Whatever shape or focus members choose to take, common security clubs are pushing against the social isolation that may accompany a recession or depression. “I see the hurt and anxiety in my congregation—and how people privatize their pain,” says Cecilia Kingman. “This is a chance for us to be real with each other.”

These clubs are also one of many building blocks that can move us toward a “solidarity economy” that affirms our true interconnection with one another. Coming together is a way to remind ourselves of the abundance we have, the wealth of our relationships and networks, and the mutuality of our economic security.

Chuck Collins is an On the Commons Fellow and senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good (www.extremeinequality.org). He is co-author with Mary Wright of The Moral Measure of the Economy (Orbis, 2007).

This is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in Sojourners magazine, February 2009. For information on how to start or join a common security club, see: http://forumorganizing.org/

Image credit: Barack Obama, Creative Commons License

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(Posted by WorldChanging Team in Resource - Community at 2:01 PM)

Watch This Video: Mapping Our Way with OpenStreetMap

Sarah Kuck — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:58:34 +0000

As a species, we humans always been prone to transiency. Our ancestors traversed across the globe in search of new resources, adventure or beauty. And although the motivation for each journey was not always altruistic, each expedition added to our collective migratory map and connected us to the world in new and different ways.

Mapping our migratory patterns has never been an easier or more inclusive process. Even our minute migrations throughout our cities are now being recorded and studied. Using webtools such as OpenStreetMap, thousands of individuals are collaboratively mapping the entire world. OSM was create to provide free geographic data, such as street maps, to anyone who wants them. In 2008, more than 20,000 people edited the wiki-style map, adding the ways they know of for moving from place to place with the help of GPS devices, digital cameras and voice recorders.

This video shows a year's worth of edits made to the OSM wiki. "The animation displays a white flash each time a way is entered or updated. Some edits are a result of a physical local survey by a contributor with a GPS unit and taking notes, other edits are done remotely using aerial photography or out-of-copyright maps, and some are bulk imports of official data," according to the video's creators at itoworld.com.

OSM 2008: A Year of Edits from ItoWorld on Vimeo.

Maps allow us to step back and evaluate our reality in ways that we might not have been able to originally see. Tools like OpenStreetMap are helping us see how connected we truly are -- and perhaps how easily we could use this connectivity to mobilize and create the just and prosperous future we imagine.

Do you feel that maps can help us see how these changes are happening more clearly? Have you witnessed any new examples of how we are using our linkages to make change?

Image credit: Wikipedia

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 12:58 PM)

Watch This Video: The Importance of The Commons

Sarah Kuck — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:01:56 +0000

This short video does a great job of reminding us how vitally important our commons are, and why Creative Commons is such a valuable solution:

In this innovative animation, filmmaker Laura Hanna, writer Gavin Browning and video artists/animators Dana Schechter and Molly Schwartz examine the concept of "The Commons" as a means to achieve a society of justice and equality.

More on the commons from our archives:

The Commons Moment is Now

Creative Commons and "Read-Write" Culture

Lawrence Lessig and the Creative Commons Developing Nations License

Creative Commons and "Copyleft"

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 4:01 PM)

Volunteerism and the Internet

Sarah Kuck — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:14:39 +0000

Our willingness to work on behalf of others is on the rise. One of the reasons for this noticeable boost in volunteerism is that the Internet is making it easier for organizations and volunteers to connect. Social networking and volunteer placement sites are helping to create a more symbiotic atmosphere within the volunteer world -- organizations are better able to attract and call for much needed help and volunteers can more easily find projects they want to dedicate their time to.

Volunteers now have a better chance of finding exactly what kind of organizations are out there for them to work with based on both their passions and their time budget. According to IndependentSector.org's “Give 5” campaign, which encourages people to volunteer five hours per week and donate five percent of their income to charitable causes:

• Approximately 109 million American adults volunteer annually: that's 56 percent of all adults.
• Adult volunteers contribute an average of 3.5 hours per week - totaling 19.9 billion hours with an estimated dollar value of $225.9 billion.
• 59 percent of teenagers volunteer an average of 3.5 hours per week: that's 13.3 million volunteers totaling 2.4 billion hours at a total value of $7.7 billion.
• 70 percent of American households make a contribution to one or more charitable organizations. The average gift of contributing households is 2.1 percent of income.

Using the Internet, organizations can access a wider variety of potential volunteers, and rally them at the click of a button, while volunteers can find the opportunities that inspire them to take action on their own time.

Nonprofits are now harnessing the power of social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace to spread their messages and attract broader ranges of potential volunteers (ones they might not have ever guessed would be interested). According to this US TODAY article:

More than 22,000 non-profit groups have signed up to rally supporters on the teen-and-young-adult site MySpace since it began in 2004, says Jeff Berman, the site’s executive vice president for marketing. He says more young people are engaged in activism online and their creativity in using the Internet to do good works is “off the charts.”

Groups also have sprung up on Facebook, another social- networking site used by millions of students, to urge youth to fight global warming, help Hurricane Katrina victims, seek world peace or protest events such as charges brought against six black teens for beating a white classmate in Jena, La.

Site users can urge their online friends to join organizations and causes, and in return, the organizations can update members with information or rally their supporters.

For example, when Amnesty International needed its supporters to petition the Turkish government to free Kurdish activist Sehmuz Temel, they used the Internet to contact more than 5,000 volunteers. Within 48 hours, the Turkish government received more than 2,000 e-mails calling for Temel’s release. Soon after, Temel was released.

If you would like to volunteer, but need help finding the perfect organization to dedicate your valuable time to, there are a plethora of sites popping up to help match you with the most rewarding volunteer opportunity for you.

Here are a handful of online volunteer opportunity directory sites that I think are doing a fairly good job of helping organizations find great volunteers and vice versa:

Idealist.org
Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.

As of today, there were more than 12,000 volunteer opportunities posted on the site. You can also find or post job listings, internships, events and more.

SERVEnet.org
Launched in 1996, servenet.org is a website that mobilizes and empowers the volunteer service community to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing local communities. Since its inception, servenet.org has enabled millions of youth volunteers to connect with local nonprofits to make a difference in communities throughout America. In 2000, as a part of Global Youth Service Day, Servenet.org expanded into a global resource for the 3.5 million young people, in 155 countries around the world that participate in Global and National Youth Service Day.

Search by region, event, or category to find the right event for you. Using Servenet.org I found more than 180 Seattle-based events to volunteer for within the next month. You can also use Servenet to find grants, jobs and service related news and resources.

VoulunteerMatch
VolunteerMatch is a leader in the nonprofit world dedicated to helping everyone find a great place to volunteer. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Our popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 50,000 nonprofit organizations.

Enter your zip code, your area of interest and how far you’re willing to travel and VolunteerMatch will create an automated list of all the volunteer opportunities in your area that fit your criteria. Currently, VolunteerMatch searchable database includes more than 50,000 listings from organizations located all across the globe.

For more Internet volunteering and volunteering resources, visit Serviceleader.org or volunteertoday.com.

Image credit: Flickr/*elizabeth, CC License.

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 12:14 PM)

Students Across the U.S. Plan for Summer of Solutions

Sarah Kuck — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:30:26 +0000

Building more sustainable cities is going to take a lot of work. Living a one-planet lifestyle, in a one-planet city implies that we’ve halted our outpouring of climate changing emissions and we are using our share of resources efficiently. This level of planning and organization will require us to imagine new programs and projects that will create the sustainable infrastructure of the future.

Young activists are already proving that they're hungry for jobs in these fields. Case in point: the Summer of Solutions, a two-month program created and run by a group of students at Macalester College, in St. Paul, Minn. Instead of leaving the Twin Cities, the students used their summer break to envision the city they wanted to live and work in. By the end of the summer they had created local partnerships, networks and projects dealing with issues such as energy efficiency, local food production and renewable energy.

One of the most successful projects that the students got off the ground last summer was called Cooperative Energy Futures. This energy efficiency project connected local contractors with neighborhood groups to insulate a large number of houses under one contract. Together, the homeowners bought all the necessary items in bulk, and then signed a group contract with an energy efficiency expert. Focusing on one neighborhood meant the contractor could serve more homes while reducing transportation costs, and it also ensured the contractor a consistent source of revenue. The volunteers at Cooperative Energy Futures conducted the research and development and assisted in helping the different groups find each other. The cooperative hopes to continue the project this summer, hopefully extending their services to low-income communities.

Many green economy jobs -- such as the ones a business like the Cooperative Energy Futures could provide -- don’t quite exist yet. But that’s not stopping these students from training for them now.

“We need to create the opportunities from the ground level, where there isn’t necessarily capacity to do it, Macalester student Timothy Den Herder-Thomas said. “To fix the problems, we need to figure out a way to build a society that works…Yet no one knows what that looks like.”

This summer, the program will continue and expand to include 13 more cities across the United States. Funded by local, regional and national grants, the students will begin working on projects that will help them develop their cities into places where local opportunities, climate and energy solutions, and social justice abound.

Den Herder-Thomas said that he hopes that the program will produce self-sustaining initiatives that could eventually offer career opportunities for those involved. In addition, he hopes that the Summer of Solutions 2009 can help to build a model for citizens and community groups who wish to do this type of work in their own communities.

Currently, the geographically separated organizers are using open source collaboration via Google groups and free conference call services to build models for the local programs to work from.

In Summer 2009, Solutions Summits will be taking place in the following cities: Ann Arbor, MI, Austin, TX, Burlington, VT, Chapel Hill, NC, Chicago, IL, Eugene, OR, Grinnell, IA, Omaha, NE, Portland, OR, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, St. Louis, MO, Twin Cities, MN, Worcester, MA. The team is encouraging any student who wants to help with planning, recruiting and fundraising to apply as soon as possible.

What’s Worldchanging about the the Summer of Solutions is that groups of people are gathering together to envision the city they want to live in. Perhaps one of the most interesting parts about the event is its organizers' long-term goals: to lay the groundwork today for the city and jobs of the future. These people know the need for these jobs exists, and the tools are out there to create them. We look forward to seeing where their motivation takes them.

Image credit: Flickr/CarbonSilver, CC License. Minneapolis Sunrise

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 2:30 PM)

Resource: P&P

Julia Levitt — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:49:06 +0000

Image by Shannon Wheeler
Image source: P&P

Our friends at Ecotrust in Portland, Ore. recently developed an online magazine titled People & Place (known simply as P&P). The overall theme behind P&P is "ideas that connect us," and the content addresses that on various levels – both by writing about interconnected systems and philosophies, but also by connecting readers via weblinks to other organizations whose work relates to the ideas discussed on the site, and by encouraging discussion between readers in comment threads (much like we do here on Worldchanging). As Ecotrust's Howard Silverman describes the site's mission:

Ecology as politics. Economics as ethics. In a rapidly changing world, narrow categories no longer suffice. On P&P, the relationships among people and between people and place serve as the twin foci around which everything else connects.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't love the site's retro-modern design, which leans heavily on show-stealing caricature illustrations by irreverent cartoonist Shannon Wheeler. But the valuable resource here is P&P's musing, thought provoking content. I also like the way that the main stories are supported with links to associated media, and other short features like "Our Compass," which points to organizations that can be resources on the current featured topic.

The site is organized much like a conventional magazine, with content aggregated into regular "volumes" and "issues" that remain constant for several weeks at a time and, I'm assuming, will be updated all at once. But you'll also find some tidbits that turnover more quickly via their more bloggish feature "On The Wire," which presents very short and concise info posts on items in the news.

Ecotrust has been putting important ideas into the public sphere since 1991, and we're happy to see this new platform for discussion toward a more connected, self-aware society.

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(Posted by Julia Levitt in Resource - Community at 12:49 PM)

ShakeOut: Californians Get Down for Emergency Preparedness

Sarah Kuck — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:33:55 +0000

Yesterday, approximately 5 million southern Californians living near the San Andreas Fault participated in an emergency preparedness drill called The Great Southern California ShakeOut. For these ready residents, an earthquake isn't a matter of if but when.

The ShakeOut scenario was based on a 7.8-magnitude earthquake along the San Andreas Fault, which experts say could cause nearly 2,000 deaths and $200 billion in damage.

Along with their sponsors, ShakeOut.org made some great PSAs to help encourage people to participate in the big day.

Some were eerie:

Some were informative:

And some were just hilarious:

In the 21st century, it seems as if the next natural disaster is continually just around the corner. Be it an earthquake, hurricane, flood or tornado, knowing what to do in case of a disaster is more than just wise, it's essential.

Image credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 2:33 PM)

Resource: ThetaNoon, the Solar Energy Calculator

Sarah Kuck — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:42:06 +0000

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is now at its most northern point in the sky and it’s officially summer. As the rays beam down from our closest star, thousands of people are choosing to harness this free source of renewable energy to power their appliances and lights, and heat their homes and water.

ThetaNoon is an online community of such solar-power using people. One of their latest tools for members is a solar energy calculator, which measures how much solar energy you use and carbon dioxide you don't emit based on what type of solar equipment you have and on your location.

They use the location information to calculate your Theta, or plane angle from the sun to your house, and employ ‘complex algorithms and real time weather data’ to create an estimate of your solar energy usage. From this calculation, ThetaNoon creates a score of statistics and charts to show you your energy savings in kilowatts per hour.

Solar Energy Usage Data From The Past 24 Hours by ThetaNoon members:

When you're done "oohing" and "ahhing" over your energy saving abilities, you can share your stats with the world by creating a widget for your personal or business website.

If you or your business uses solar power and you'd like to join the ThetaNoon community, visit their new Beta site here.

Tools like this one could be a great way to increase the popularity of solar power; perhaps knowing how much energy you are creating from the sun will motivate you to invest further in solar energy or encourage those around you to do so, too.

Plus the idea of a calculator that uses your personal Theta from the sun is just cool to think about. Know of any other fascinating eco-energy tools we should check out? Let us know.

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 3:42 PM)

Resource: ThetaNoon, the Solar Energy Calculator

Sarah Kuck — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:42:06 +0000

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is now at its most northern point in the sky and it’s officially summer. As the rays beam down from our closest star, thousands of people are choosing to harness this free source of renewable energy to power their appliances and lights, and heat their homes and water.

ThetaNoon is an online community of such solar-power using people. One of their latest tools for members is a solar energy calculator, which measures how much solar energy you use and carbon dioxide you don't emit based on what type of solar equipment you have and on your location.

They use the location information to calculate your Theta, or plane angle from the sun to your house, and employ ‘complex algorithms and real time weather data’ to create an estimate of your solar energy usage. From this calculation, ThetaNoon creates a score of statistics and charts to show you your energy savings in kilowatts per hour.

Solar Energy Usage Data From The Past 24 Hours by ThetaNoon members:

When you're done "oohing" and "ahhing" over your energy saving abilities, you can share your stats with the world by creating a widget for your personal or business website.

If you or your business uses solar power and you'd like to join the ThetaNoon community, visit their new Beta site here.

Tools like this one could be a great way to increase the popularity of solar power; perhaps knowing how much energy you are creating from the sun will motivate you to invest further in solar energy or encourage those around you to do so, too.

Plus the idea of a calculator that uses your personal Theta from the sun is just cool to think about. Know of any other fascinating eco-energy tools we should check out? Let us know.

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(Posted by Sarah Kuck in Resource - Community at 3:42 PM)

U.S. Postal Service Begins E-Waste Recycling

Ben Block — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:33:10 +0000

In an effort to improve electronics recycling in the United States, the U.S. Postal Service is developing a free national collection program for small electronic items.

The program, now in a pilot stage, provides courtesy envelopes with pre-paid postage for patrons to deposit their unwanted digital cameras, printer cartridges, MP3 players, cell phones, and PDAs. International recycling company Clover Technologies Group processes the devices in its U.S. and Mexican facilities and then refurbishes and resells them if possible.

Now limited to select cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, the program may expand nationwide in the fall, and it eventually may accept a wider range of devices. "It doesn't cost us anything because [Clover] is paying for postage on the envelope," said Joanne Veto, a post office spokesperson. "For us, it's a really smart thing to do."

The program would be a de facto national electronic recycling program, the first for the United States. As the only industrialized nation not to ratify the 1989 Basel Convention, which requires its signatories to notify developing nations of incoming hazardous waste shipments, many environmentalists have criticized the country for its lack of action to reduce the international spread of electronic garbage, known as e-waste.

Americans discard at least 2 million tons of household electronics each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Less than 20 percent of that e-waste is recycled, although state-led initiatives are beginning to improve this recycling rate. Once recycled, however, e-waste is frequently sold to brokers who ship it to the developing world, where it is often dismantled with little regard for worker safety, then burned in the open air or dumped into bodies of water.

The postal service program made it a priority to avoid sending e-waste to developing countries. "Are all these shipped to non-approved third world countries? No. Not at all. That was a big concern of the contract," said Eric Martin, Clover's vice president of sales.

The postal service hired environmental consulting firm MBDC, which is led by "cradle-to-cradle" visionary William McDonough, to oversee Clover's procedures. As part of an audit of the company's environmental and occupational operations, MBDC made a pre-arranged visit to a Clover facility in Mexico where electronics are tested and dismantled. "Lots of people are very concerned about [e-waste], as we are. Everything we saw exceeds traditional global practices for responsible recycling," said Steve Bolton, an MBDC senior consultant. "Worker exposure was not an issue."

If a product is not recycled, it is shipped internationally to smelters that strip the item of its plastics and metals. The remaining waste - in some facilities as little as half of 1 percent of the total collected waste (by weight) - is burned as fuel. But even the best industry practices are incapable of removing all e-waste toxins. A typical cell phone, for example, contains hazardous lead, beryllium, chromium, arsenic, and flame retardants.

While a national program that refurbishes electronics is necessary, Sarah Westervelt, e-waste coordinator with the Basel Action Network, a hazardous waste watchdog group, said she remains critical of a program that encourages guiltless consumption of more electronics. "Consumers need to pay for hazardous waste to be managed," Westervelt said. "Free programs...allow the U.S. to continue externalizing the impacts on human health and the environment by not solving the problem upstream where it has to be solved."

But MBDC's Bolton said that if more electronics are recycled and returned to manufacturers, less electronics would need to be produced. "Ideally what we are trying to do is change design," he said.

While the United States is among the leaders of e-waste production, it is not alone. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the world produces 50 million tons of e-waste each year. But while the United States has encouraged manufacturers to reduce hazardous waste in their products on a voluntary basis, the European Union has made such reductions mandatory.

Worldwatch Institute staff writer Ben Block can be reached at bblock@worldwatch.org.

Photo credit: Basel Action Network 2006

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(Posted by Ben Block in Resource - Community at 1:33 PM)