Growth of organic farmland since the year 2000 Development of organically managed land by world regions since 2000 Data: www.organic-world.net Deutsch: Entwicklung der Öko-Anbaufläche nach Weltregionen seit 2000 Daten: www.organic-world.net (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Population growth is a huge strain on the environment. Reducing family size is vital to saving the Earth, no matter how much the notion upsets some folks. Feeding the world‘s 7,013,987,392 people is a challenge and often cited as to why organic food is not as green as consumers believe.  In my opinion, this is just a myth.

Yes, we can feed the world organically!

Marc Gunther writes for GreenBiz.com:

New scientific research points to a key drawback of organic agriculture, unfortunately: It is typically less efficient and productive than conventional growing methods. That’s a problem for fans of organic because the world has a limited supply of farmland, a billion or so undernourished people, a growing population, an expanding middle class and therefore a vast appetite for affordable and nourishing food.

If, in fact, organic methods are less productive, scaling up the production of organic food at will require more land, contribute to deforestation and cost more than growing our food using conventional methods. That suggests that organic methods alone can’t feed the world in a sustainable way.

Clearly, organic farming is a more environmentally friendly “method”, as Gunther points out, reducing pollution and health risks to workers from dangerous agro-chemicals; however, when “outcomes” are examined, the smaller yields of organic farms is cited as cause for concern.

I find such concerns hogwash.  Given our current system of waste (both conventionally and organically) and consumption of meat, these lower yields of organic food production would not be a concern.  According to a 2004 study by the University of Arizona (UA), between 40 to 50 percent of food grown is wasted and never reaches consumers.  Furthermore, we waste even more food after it has left the farm.  The New York Times reports:

You’d never know it if you saw what was ending up in your landfill. As it turns out, Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American.

US Meat Consumption (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

And what about meat?

According to the UN, meat production is responsible for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.  The UK’s Food Climate Research Network cites lower estimates holding food production for livestock accountable for 10 to 15 percent of emissions.  Whatever the statistic, the impact of global meat production is significant, and meat consumption is up in the United States.  Biofuels Digest reports:

70 percent of US corn and soy production is devoted to feed, not food, and not fuel…According to the FAO and the USDA , US meat consumption has increased 137 pounds per person since the 1950s, with a resulting increase in grain usage of 375 pounds per person (the grain fed to cattle and poultry). Cheese consumption has increased faster than milk’s decline, and Americans consume 179 extra pounds of milk, which uses up another 63 pounds of grain.  In short, dietary change in the US has resulted in an additional 438 pounds of grains per capita, or 8 bushels of corn.

These statistics on food waste and meat consumption only reflect 313,562,376 of the world’s population, but other developed countries probably have similar statistics compared the US.

If we ate less meat and reduced the tremendous amount of food that is wasted currently, I do believe we could feed the world organically.  That is the sort of outcome I would like to hear discussed when talking about organic versus conventional farming.

Organic vs. Conventional: Can We Feed the World? is a post from: Eco Child's Play

More on Fox spinning the wind turbine (and Bullies).

From Treehugger: Wind Farms Cause Global Warming, Fox News Says
From Care2: Bully: The Movie and the Movement

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: A Bunch of Hot Air is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Obama’s Daughters Sasha and Malia “More aware than I was of conserving our natural resources and thinking about the planet” is a post from: Eco Child's Play

My two favorite companies to snark on for their lame green efforts are Mattel (Barbie) and Disney.  The latest efforts from Disney are occurring abroad.  I can’t even comprehend Disneyland Paris.  Tacky American culture in the City of Light.  Arrgh!

Euro Disney plans to use an innovative idea for heating parts of the park.  Capturing the heat given off by computers, Dalkia, a French energy company, will utilize this wasted heat for 6,500,000 square foot of indoor space.  Treehugger reports:

The data centers producing the heat are in the Val d’Europe business park, largely owned by Disney, near the Disneyland Paris park itself. Dalkia estimates that the plan, set to start early next year, will save 5,400 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year.

Dalkia isn’t the first to come up with the idea of recovering computer heat and putting it to use- Microsoft researchers proposed it earlier this year. But the French company is putting its money where its mouth is, a major step forward in the fight for clean energy.

This is a great idea that will hopefully be emulated elsewhere.  I still won’t be visiting Disneyland Paris, innovative heat ideas or not.

Image credit:   Some rights reserved by Sean MacEntee

Euro Disney to Heat Paris Park By Capturing Computer Heat is a post from: Eco Child's Play

The current financial climate has made people more aware of their monthly expenditures, and saving money has become a way of life. Although finding alternative, green energy solutions is kind to your pocket, they are also kinder to the environment. There are several different methods of energy saving techniques that will help both the planet and your pocket. The green energy will decrease both your monthly energy bills and your overall carbon footprint.

Saving energy to save money
There are several different ideas that can help you to reduce your energy bills without a huge outlay. People are often concerned about the price they will need to pay to go green, and for many they simply do not have large amounts of money to spare. Therefore, they will be looking for cheaper alternatives to help them save energy and money.

What you can do for free or very little expense
Unplugging appliances when not in use, and checking seals on doors and windows, are very simply things that people often forget. You can lose huge amounts of energy through your doors and windows every year. Replacing light bulbs to energy efficiently styles and turning your thermostat down a few degrees will all save you money. Washing your clothes in cooler water and hanging them to dry rather than using dryers will also save you vast amounts of money over time.

Carpooling can save time, effort and energy
There are millions of vehicles on the road every day, and many of these do not need to be, everyone uses their cars far too much and for journeys that could be completed on foot. However, if you do have to use your car to commute to work, or get the children to school carpooling is excellent. Not only will you help to reduce the carbon footprint, but also save yourself money on car expenses. Everything that you spend on your car will be reduced, making your bank balance better and the environment cleaner.

Shopping, cooking and eating
Foods can now be bought from all over the world no matter where you are, and although this has helped to increase people’s appreciation for other cuisines, it has increased the carbon footprint. You should try to ensure that you eat locally grown produce, and foods that are in season. Shopping once a week is also very important to save money on the gas to get to the stores and you will buy less. Cooking at home will also save you money and ensure that you know exactly where your food originated.

Natural cleaning and beauty products
People spend huge amounts of money every year on cleaning products that not only cost a fortune but also damage the environment. Natural products are far cheaper and better for the environment, and you will be amazed how many household items you can use. You can use products that are kinder to both you and the environment, ensuring that you and your house remain looking great. Natural products will save you money and ensure that everything you apply to your body will not harm you.

Growing your own food
With the current financial situation that people have found themselves in more people are looking to grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs. Although this may seem daunting, if you start on a small scale you will soon discover how easy it is. Many vegetables and herbs can be grown in pots and containers, ensuring that there is no excuse not to grow your own foods. The simplest foods that can be grown are tomatoes, potatoes and herbs. All of which will save you a great deal of money on your weekly grocery bill.

Solar energy to save money
Solar panels have grown in popularity over the last few years, as people began to understand them more. In the past people believed that solar cells would only work in hot climates; however, this is untrue, and in fact, they will charge anywhere there is daylight. You will need to outlay an initial expense; however, once they are in place they will begin to save you money. If you are fortunate enough to produce a large amount of energy, you can sell it back to the energy company. The solar panels are very easy to install and take little maintenance.

Home Wind power to cut your bills
Wind power is something that is often only seen on a huge scale either out at sea, or on the top of large mountains. These wind farms are excellent and can help to power a huge number of homes; however, they may not be situated near you. If you live in an area which you feel would benefit from a wind turbine, you may want to consider these as alternative energy sources. The turbine will need to be placed on a tall tower to allow the most wind to be captured. Rural areas will benefit from this style of energy source the most, and they can be used to power a number of different items.

Water powered generators are the next best thing
If you live in the city, water powered generators will not be something that you have ever considered, however, for people in rural areas they are an option. You will need to be in the ideal location with a fast flowing stream nearby to take advantage of this amazing natural resource. The stream will need to have a turbine fitted in the ideal place to produce the most energy. Although this is not one of the most popular options for homeowners, large companies are beginning to use the sea to produce green energy.

There are a huge number of different things, which you can do, to save money with green energy that will not cost you a fortune. No matter what your budget is, or where you live in the world you can help to decrease the world’s carbon footprint. If everyone just did a little, there would be a huge improvement in the environment.

About: M.H is writing for Alternative Energy Geek.com, an informative source where you will learn what types of renewable energy sources are available and how you can utilize them in a smart way.

Image:   Some rights reserved by Richard Drdul

How to Save Money with Green Energy is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Un-Analytics: How Google Went Solar

by Dan Auld

September 8, 2011

Google loves talking about world before analytics — when web owners knew almost nothing about their sites.

Nothing useful, anyway.

That all changed when a new technology came along that allowed web owners to monitor their sites as much as they wanted. Any time they wanted.

Web sites suddenly became a business proposition, not just an enthusiasm for a few hobbyists.

Flash forward from the introduction of Google Analytics up to 2007, when Google got into the solar business and opened a 1.65 megawatt photovoltaic power array. The largest commercial system in the world at the time.

Just like web sites before Analytics, Google would soon learn how little it actually knew about its solar array.

After its panels were up for 15 months, Google cleaned them and documented its efforts in a report called “Getting the most energy out of Google’s solar panels.

On several sections of its array, solar energy output doubled after the cleaning. Eight months later, energy output went up 37 percent after another cleaning. But here comes the money graph:

 It would be difficult to detect manufacturer defects or accidental damage by data analysis alone, unless the damage impacts >~20% of the solar panels in that building.

Example: There have been few occasions when some of the solar panels … were damaged by delivery trucks accidentally hitting the support beams that hold up the solar panels.

Since these accidents did not damage a sizable portion of the solar panels, the damage went undetected for a while.

Losing 50 percent of your power is real money, even for Google.

“Just like the web prior to Analytics, Google had to admit it really did not know what was happening in its array — because it had no way to monitor when good panels went bad,” said Mark Yarbrourgh, a city councilman in Perris, California who pioneered the use of solar in public buildings. “But neither does anyone else. Arrays malfunction and no one knows because they do not use monitors at the panel level.”

Undetected, solar panels go bad in all sorts of ways. Panels degrade anywhere from .5% to 9.5% a year, depending on the manufacturer, says Sandia Laboratories in a study for the Department of Energy.

How will you know what your panels will do? Warranty Week Magazine says you won’t. Not really:

“And yes, it really is guesswork.”

Dirt plays even more havoc. If not dirt, a bird dropping, or a baseball, or a golfball, or a rock, or a squirrel chewing a wire, or a Texas oak thick with pollen, or heat on the roof, or poor soldering. Or a shadow — all worse than you think, says the National Renewable Energy Laboratories:

“ The reduction in power from shading half of one cell is equivalent to removing a cell active area 36 times the shadow’s actual size.”

“One bird, one truck of dirt, one flowering tree can destroy your solar production, and you would not know for a long time,” Yarbrough said. “Welcome to the Christmas Tree Effect: Hurt the panel a little, hurt production a lot. It is amazing how many people put up solar for great reasons, but really do not watch their systems. As a result, a lot of people lose a lot of money because many, many systems are not producing the power its owners were promised. And few know.”

Maybe because knowing it is not that useful.

“If your solar array produces a megawatt of power, that means it is composed of 3000 to 5000 panels,” said Ray Burgess, CEO of Solar Power Technologies. “If some panels go bad, you need panel level monitoring to o find the bad panels. But most systems monitor power at the system level, but as Google found out, that is that useful for detecting catastrophic failure, but not much else.”

Thus the need for small wireless monitors throughout the array.

“Now that we have cost effective monitors from a company in Austin, that is going to change the world, just like Google Analytics.”

Leading the solar monitor business is Burgess and Solar Power Technologies of Austin, Texas. The company is introducing monitors and other devices to give solar array owners unprecedented control over their panels. If you have 3500 panels and a few start breaking, you better have something better than “guesswork” to optimize your array.

“As we travel the country talking to panel owners about their systems, we are constantly amazed at how many systems that are producing power far below their capacity, and some not producing power at all. Monitors on the panels can change that and let you know what is really happening with your system. And where it is happening. Saving system owners thousands of dollars a month.”

Just like Google Analytics.

Un-Analytics: How Google Went Solar is a post from: Eco Child's Play

1. Elements Naturals 100% Natural and Compostable Baby Wipes

Even though I don’t have babies in cloth diapers anymore, I still use baby wipes for the car. They are great for cleaning up sticky hands and outdoor bathroom necessities on the road.

At one time, I toyed with the idea of making my own baby wipes, but as a new mom, I honestly didn’t have the time.  I didn’t find baby wipes a baby essential, as I used just a wet wash cloth to wipe those little buns at home; however, when out and about, I did use wipes.

Elements Naturals baby wipes are 100% natural and compostable.  They are made in the USA, and use Ingeo, “the World’s first man-made fiber from 100% natural renewable resources”.   I don’t know that much about Ingeo, and I suppose using wipes that are made from simple cotton would be better.  It must take more energy to make Ingeo than process cotton, but I don’t know.  They do use a lot of pesticides growing cotton.

Developed out of mother’s guilt and the reddest butt you’ve ever seen, our wipes have been helping parents transform the world since 2009. Proudly Made in the USA, they are the first to be made from bio-based materials and ingredients listed on the approved personal care ingredients lists of EcoCert and the Natural Products Association.

Watch them disappear and become part of the earth (i.e. compost**; “wet” ones only please) or dispose of them in your neighborhood waste receptacle and feel good about the small change you’re making to decrease your baby’s toxic load and the environments’!

I don’t think I would actually put these in the compost I use for the garden, but I do have a separate compost I use for flower beds I compost egg cartons in after they are no longer reusable.

Would I buy this product?  Yes.  I think $5 is affordable.

2. Bean-B-Clean™ Cradle Cap Brush

Both of my children suffered from cradle cap, and as an adult, I actually have the same condition called seborrhea dermatitis.  I read in the baby books to use olive oil and a soft hairbrush to gently scrub away the scales.  I did this at first, but then felt it only made the cradle cap come back worse. Instead, I would simply apply olive oil and leave it alone.

My children’s cradle cap only seemed to bother other people, and I was constantly given advice on how to treat it.  It eventually goes away as your child ages, or it may come back in their thirties like it did me .

Bean-B-Clean is a brush designed specifically for removing cradle cap. It is very soft. I tried it on my own scalp.

Smaldore Associates, LLC, was formed as a wholesale company in early 2009, as the result of the birth of our first grandchild who developed cradle cap. After extensive and unsuccessful searches in stores and on the internet, we researched, repurposed, tweaked and tested an existing product as our first mission and brought the now named Bean-B-Clean™ to the thousands of infants facing the same crisis.

We are a “mom and pop” company, rather, a “grandmom and grandpop” company whose goals are to provide needed, functional products at affordable prices. We are also committed to and passionate about our product(s) being made in the USA – we want to do our part in keeping the jobs here, in order to bolster our economy.

I don’t think cradle cap or crap as I sometimes call it is a “crisis”.

Would I buy this product?  No.  It is made of synthetic bristles and plastic.  A natural soft bristle hairbrush does the same thing and is more earth-friendly.

3. Tanner’s Tasty Paste

Have you ever read the ingredients on your child’s toothpaste? Many “natural” brands contain sodium lauryl sulfates, and many commercial brands contain saccharin, as well as artificial colors and flavors. No matter where you stand on the fluoride issue, these other ingredients are a cause for concern.

Tanner’s Tasty Paste is a gluten-free natural toothpaste developed by a dentist.  It also contains xylitol, which has been shown to prevent tooth decay.

By working with children everyday, Dr. Holden has learned which flavors children respond to best when using toothpastes and prophy pastes. This understanding of children’s favorite flavors has lead to the development of the Tanner’s Tasty Paste line of toothpastes for children. If children enjoy the flavors of their toothpastes, it is likely they’ll brush better and more often. And, if they brush better and more often, they’ll have fewer cavities!

The flavors are not what you would traditionally think of for toothpaste, and it is true that minty adult toothpaste is too strong for children’s sensitive taste buds.  Tasty Paste comes in the following flavors:

• Banana Bling
• Cha Cha Chocolate
• Baby Bling

Would I buy these products?  No.  Sucralose is listed as an ingredient.  I don’t understand how this product is advertised as “naturally delicious” when it uses an artificial sweetener.

4. Captain Planet and Planeteers [dvd]
In the style of the Super Friends, Captain Planet and his Planeteers features the voices of famous actors and actresses like Whoopi Goldberg, Sting, and Meg Ryan.  Rereleased after twenty years, Gaia guides the Planeteers from around the world on missions to protect the planet.  

We are building a global movement to create a sustainable world.  20 years ago “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” inspired a generation of people around the world to respect our planet.  Today, that generation has grown up, and Planeteers are in every region, every country, and every industry in the world…

Captain Planet is a metaphor for the incredible power we have when we work together.  Tens of millions of us remember the show and share the values it teaches.  Join us in personally taking responsibility for creating a sustainable world that works for all people.

I am a too old to have seen Captain Planet as a child, and honestly, I had never heard of it before receiving the DVDs.

Would I buy these DVDs? I might rent it for my children, but I am not one to purchase DVDs. They are a storage issue, especially when they are only viewed a couple of times. We just don’t watch that many movies, and you never know when purchasing if your children will like it.  My son was glued to Captain Planet, my daughter called it “stupid”, and it made me feel nostalgic for the Super Friends.

5. SecureLine Retractable Clothesline

If you are like me, you are constantly doing laundry!  Hanging laundry to dry is the most eco-friendly option, but I shamefully admit I often put the clothes in the dryer for ease.  I do use my laundry line for drying garlic and onions from the garden more than for its intended purpose.  It’s definitely something I am working on.

A retractable clothesline is a nice option if you have a small yard.  Having to pull out or retract a line would just be one more thing for me to do, but I do see that for indoor winter time drying, a retractable line is the way to go.  Drying racks annoy me and are often slow to dry clothes compared to a line.

Would I buy this product?  Maybe.  Will it hold the weight of 100 onions?

Disclosure:  The products described above were sent to us as free samples.  Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given.  No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews.  The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

5 “Green” Products: Elements Naturals, Bean-B-Clean™, Tanner’s Tasty Paste, Captain Planet, SecureLine Retractable Clothesline is a post from: Eco Child's Play

I hope you all take full advantage of the health benefits of dandelions in order to prolong your life and be around when wind power finally surpasses coal power.
For today, I hope a little “summer snow” falls peacefully on you and yours.

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Summer Snow is a post from: Eco Child's Play

The irony of air conditioning in a warming world couldn’t be more poignant. As the thermometer climbs across the globe, under a thickening blanket of CO2 emissions, the first reaction is to flip on the air con. That sucks greedily on the mains, requiring more energy, producing more CO2 emissions, and so leading to warmer global temperatures – a long-lead but inexorable vicious circle. And in the US, the average home uses some 16% of its energy powering air con, according to the EIA.

So if you have your eyes cast warily on where carbon emissions are taking the planet, finding a solution for the air con paradox is a important. We want to keep cool at the height of summer, but we want the planet to stop warming too. As with many technology fixes, however, air con isn’t as irreplaceable as we sometimes think. There are solutions to keeping cool, as the mercury rises, that don’t have to see your level of discomfort rise too. And they’ve been around as long as humans have lived in warm climes.

Good design is inevitably the best way to ensuring that your home handles heat well. Thick solid walls, reduced window size, especially on south facing walls, and roofs that can be used for sleeping on –  these are all approaches known about for millenia. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the luxury of rebuilding our houses. But strategies for keeping cool can be found for even the most unpromising of abodes.

A cool house starts in the garden. If you can break up the incoming sunlight with solidly rooted trees, flowering shrubs and climbers, you’ll find much less heat penetrates through to you house. Vines growing up the southern front of your house can make a huge difference, covering up exposed walls – which would otherwise carry heat through to the inside of the house.

Homes also become uncomfortably hot because of the greenhouse effect – the one before it became  commonly used in discussions on global warming. Sunlight comes streaming in through windows, with all of its bounty of thermal energy – but then it’s trapped, and can’t get out. So your home immediately starts to heat up. And if there isn’t a breeze to remove the heat being stored, it builds, and floats upstairs – making your bedrooms unbearably hot at night-time.

You can knock that effect on its head pretty easily, by careful window and breeze management, taking advantage of the natural cycles of heat and cool during the day. The first thing you need to do each morning is to close and shutter windows, and to draw the blinds. That stops the sunlight getting in. You might want to leave curtains on north-facing windows partially open, so some light filters into the house.

Then, as dusk approaches, un-shutter the windows, and throw everything wide open. Now you want to encourage the breezes to move in, especially upstairs. A cool night-scented air will almost certainly be much better for your sleep than the artificial chill of air con. Once you’ve got that basic cycle flowing each day, there are other things you can do to stop the heat building in your home.

Electrical devices are definite no-no; TVs, computers, ovens – all of these will build up the heat budget under your roof, so try to have as many of these turned off during the day as possible. There’s no need to be slumped indoors in front of digital entertainment. Don’t forget, cooking al fresco is one of the joys of a hot summer.

Finally don’t neglect adjusting your own personal comfort zone. There’s a lot you can do to keep yourself cool, just by sensibly managing what you do when it’s hot. Having a ceiling fan going, when you’re in the room, will keep the air moving. But don’t have the fans in all of your  rooms on – remember they produce their own heat from electrical motors, and also consume power.

There are many sensible tips that can make a big difference through the day. Things like staying out of the sun, not being too active when the heat is at its height, and making imaginative use of cool water sprays. And if things are really getting too hot to handle, a cool shower is bound to do the trick, reducing your core body temperature,  and leaving you feeling refreshed.

None of this is rocket science – and relearning these tricks will hopefully put you in the cool when it comes to a warming planet.

This is a guest post by Ally who owns a website focusing on selling high quality adjustable dumbbells

Photo:   Some rights reserved by Phillie Casablanca

Keeping cool without seeing red – green ways to chill this summer is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Relevant info

From Nobel Peace Laureates: “Renewable energy sources are one of the powerful keys to a peaceful future.”
From NOVA: A Clean Energy Future?
From Sourcewatch: Health Effects of Coal
From Greenpeace: Anti Coal Activism

Follow the rest of the Hank D and the Bee series at JoeMohrToons.com. For cartoon updates and other green goings-on, follow Joe on Twitter @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Solar+Wind=____ is a post from: Eco Child's Play