Clean Air, Inside and Out: Innovative Labs

May 8th, 2012


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As spring turns to summer in North America, many of us are putting on our “taxi driver” caps and ferrying our kids between lacrosse, soccer, playgrounds and parks and other outdoor events and activities. Some of us however, have kids like my son Elliot who seems to be “allergic” to spring, a time of year when his seasonal allergies kick in big time, and every day becomes a battle between letting him spend time outdoors with his friends and playing sports versus suffering the consequences of bad allergies triggered by pollen and spring time allergens.

Indoor air quality becomes a top priority as we try to find a reprieve from the hostile environment outside. The following post was sent to us by Aneliese Ramsay, Client  Marketing Specialist, with Ino-Labs.com whose company has developed a new technology to create cleaner indoor air and to remove “volatile organic compounds” or VOCs such as bacteria and viruses from the air. Join us as Analeise explains how this new technology works.

Improving Indoor Air Quality: Guest Post, Aneliese Ramsay

According to a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Individuals spend 90% of their time indoors where the levels of pollutants may be 2 to 5 times, and occasionally 100 times higher than outdoor air. Harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetone, ethanol and aldehydes can produce symptoms such as burning eyes, sore throats, skin irritation and long term exposure can also lead to cancer. In addition, according to the Center for Disease Control, as climate scientists show us the increasing linkages between climate change and extreme weather events, mold and bacteria become a more common concern in homes and buildings that are inundated with floods and storm weather events. Realizing the need for cleaner indoor air, Innovative Labs developed a new technology to remove VOCs such as bacteria and viruses from indoor air.

Aneliese tells us that, Innovative Labs was started for the express purpose of solving environmental challenges that affect global well-being; focusing on a problem and then engineering a solution. Innovative Labs team of engineers and scientists developed a unique photo catalytic oxidation (PCO) air purification system that has been designed to address the concerns of formaldehyde, ozone and VOC pollution. Innovative Labs took on a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) challenge to scientists, to develop air purification technology for trailers supplied by FEMA which were housing many of the displaced citizens of the 2005 New Orleans hurricane disaster. It turned out that these trailers were exposing occupants to high levels of formaldehyde and other VOCs’ off-gassing from the composite wood and other materials used in trailer construction. With the linkages between climate change and extreme weather becoming more evident and playing out more often, there could be an increase in trailer use in communities impacted by severe weather events so solving these indoor air quality problems are of increasing importance.

According to Innovative Labs, the technology behind their air purification system, the Sonoma Breeze, is unique in the industry. Air is continuously drawn into the air purifier, where a strong UV light activates a long-lasting titanium dioxide photo catalytic reactor core, breaking down and destroying airborne biological contaminants, odors, pollutants and dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The result is pure air free from formaldehyde, bacteria and viruses. The benefit of Innovative Labs technology is that does not emit ozone, and can remove 90% formaldehyde on a single pass, giving consumers a way to mitigate exposure and promote a healthy lifestyle.

For more information on innovative labs visit ino-labs.com. While ClimateMama hasn’t tried out this new technology yet, we are interested in finding out if you have and what you think. Also, do let us know if you have any other tips you want to share for keeping the indoor air your children breath clean and clear!

On our quest to keeping our outside air clean if you haven’t done so already, consider signing on to the Moms Clean Air Force petition to defend clean air and fight mercury emissions and other toxins emitted by power plants!

Yours,

Climate Mama

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Connecting the Dots + Climate Change + People = HOPE

May 5th, 2012


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Climate Impact Day has unfolded around the world, and to me it has been an incredibly humbling, humanizing and reconnecting experience. The idea that one picture can “speak a thousand words” is so very true. Looking at the Connect the Dots website, seeing people, all over the world, stand up and say: “Look how climate change is impacting my home, my town, my park and my family,” is overwhelming.

Margaret Mead’s words: “Never doubt that a small group of determined individuals can change the world, in fact that is the only thing that ever has,” take on new meaning for me, and gives me hope.

I am hopeful that together, we can open peoples eyes, minds and hearts, and that real people with real concerns will be heard and seen. That together we CAN and WILL stand up to the money, politics and special interests that are trying to keep us addicted to fossil fuels; the burning and mining of which are changing our climate in ways which are neither compatible nor sustainable for the future of the human race.

On my “Connect the Dots” journey I met so many wonderful, incredible and inspiring individuals. We talked, laughed and shared stories of family, life and love of our planet, as we hiked together to the proposed site of a natural gas pipeline. This proposed pipeline could carry “fracked gas” from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, through New Jersey to where – we aren’t sure. These pipeline companies will only say they have “markets” for this gas, which may in fact be overseas. The inability to clearly state where this gas will go, defeats the idea the gas companies are trying to “sell us” through TV, radio and internet ads, that this gas, is somehow “patriotic,” and will provide energy security; something we are expected to accept, regardless of the huge environmental costs it will extract on our own country, our own people and on people around the world. I am hopeful that through our raised voices and shared concerns, the real costs of fossil fuels will be realized and that renewable energy sources will become the obvious and chosen path for energy security in the USA, a path that is already becoming a super highway in other parts of the world.

Check out some of the amazing photos on the Connect the Dots website.

I feel HOPEFUL and POWERFUL, what about you?

Yours,

Climate Mama

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Climate Impacts Day: Connecting the Dots on Climate Change and Extreme Weather

May 1st, 2012


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What are you doing on May 5th, 2012? Did you know that this day has been designated as “Climate Impacts Day” and that all around the world, individuals will be “Connecting the Dots” between climate change and extreme weather.”

Climate change is happening now; we are witnessing it around the world. In March 2012, over 15,000 temperature records were broken in the United States alone. A recent Yale University poll in the U.S. found that Americans’ concern about climate change was increasing with more extreme weather and warmer temperatures. According to the research, 82 percent of Americans report that they personally experienced one or more types of extreme weather or a natural disaster in the past year. “Most people in the country are looking at everything that’s happened; it just seems to be one disaster after another after another,” Anthony A. Leiserowitz of Yale University, one of the researchers who commissioned the new poll, told the New York Times. “People are starting to connect the dots.”

Many organizations including the Climate Reality Project - which I am proud to work with – are coming together to ask us to make the connections between extreme weather events and climate change. We need to “get angry, ” to demonstrate, to call out for action. Scientists are telling us that there is a direct connection between our use of fossil fuels, and the increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. This carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, acts like a blanket around our earth, trapping solar radiation and causing our climate to change.

“We just celebrated Earth Day. May 5 is more like Broken Earth Day, a worldwide witness to the destruction global warming is already causing,” said Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, the global climate campaign that is coordinating the events. “People everywhere are saying the same thing: our tragedy is not some isolated trauma, it’s part of a pattern.”

On May 5th my family and I will be joining friends, new and old, and heading out for a morning hike to visit the proposed site of a natural gas pipeline that would carry gas derived through hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) through a State Park. We will hold a “teach in” on fracking with others on the hike. We will also discuss the fact that this park land was put into the public trust, and yet the State of NJ is considering “diverting” the land to be used to convey a gas pipeline. As well, in it’s wisdom, the State will lease this public land to the pipeline company for pennies on the dollar. The state may do this, without even waiting for the results of an environmental impacts study, one the EPA and NJ DEP say we need. Not only is this wrong for all the obvious reasons, but it also serves to keep us addicted to fossil fuels, rather than taking bold steps to move us to renewable energy sources. An interesting fact is that the pipeline company, which will use this line to carry gas from Pennsylvania, won’t even say if the gas will be used in New Jersey. Governor Christie’s energy master plan calls for an increase in natural gas use in NJ and therefore, more pipelines to bring it here!!

NJ is one of many states that are “drinking the Kool-Aid” and buying the media hype that “natural” gas, is some how “natural” and cleaner then other fossil fuels. In fact, new studies are showing us that current methods of extracting this gas from shale (fracking) are anything BUT safe! Fracking is causing earthquakes, poisoning aquifers and has a greater carbon footprint than even coal (a fact the coal companies are now trying to exploit!) Nothing “natural” here. Following the hike we will join together with a gathering of local tribes from the Ramapough/Lunappe nations and other supportive individuals from a wide range of communities for a rally to stand up for the protection of native traditions, for the protection of water from fracking and for the healing of our earth. I think my kids are in for an incredible learning experience!

Will you be “connecting the dots” on May 5th? Let us know your plans, and if you don’t have any yet, go to the Connecting the Dots website and join an action taking place in a community near you! We need to be in this fight together, for us and for our children. This post is written in solidarity with the Green Moms Carnival that is being hosted this month by Diane from Big Green Purse. Check out Climate Change Affects our Health, our Homes, Our Families and Our Future, and see how other Green Moms are “Connecting the Dots.”

Yours,

Climate Mama

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Earth Day Musings: In the Year 2062

April 21st, 2012


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Where will we be 50 years from today, what will we be doing? Will we be celebrating and savoring the brave souls of our immediate ancestors – and those still among us – the “Paul Reveres” who rang the alarm bells in 2012 when our Planet began showing us in clear and painful ways the destructive and deadly precipice we had set her careening towards. Will we have taken the necessary yet challenging steps to drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions? Will we have adopted an international climate accord, where ALL countries agreed to do “whatever it takes” to put our planet back in a balanced state, where carbon dioxide will be reset to the magic number of 350 parts per million and a healing path is the road now traveled.

Will we be living in cities that thrive and grow through the use of “renewable energy” – including the sun, wind and waves? Will we have all figured out how to consume sustainably using only what we need, replacing and renewing all our resources, and ensuring that amble natural resources like water and clean air will remain abundant and pure for future generations and all creatures who inhabit the earth….

Will we have internalized and codified the challenge posed to us by Jean Rostand, the French writer and biologist, and Rachel Carson when they told us: “The obligation to endure gives us the right to know.” Will we have taken the “blinders” off, demanded the truth, and faced full on the lethal dangers we had created for the human species, accepting and recognizing our moral and ethical responsibilities to ensure the endurance of our species. Will we have stood up to those who told us we needed to “back down” on environmental regulations for the sake of the economy…when in fact the economy and the environment are inseparably linked?

In 2062 will we be living in homes that generate their own energy, feeding back any unused energy into the grid? Will we be commuting on high speed rails and using public transportation that reach all “outlying communities” allowing us to reduce our dependence and need for individuals cars. And as for automobiles, will they all be “electric” vehicles that we can charge everywhere, which get their energy from power stations and power plants that harness renewable energy, in a sustainable way…

Or, will we NOT have headed the warnings and harbingers of impending doom? In 2052 will we be living in a land of extreme weather events, with walls that “protect us” from climate refugees who clamor to get in and partake of their “fair share” of our scarce resources. Will the “Hunger Games” scenario, come true?

Will we have sucked our planet dry of all fossil fuels, as the unconventional energy extraction methods of fracking, tar sands mining and deep sea drilling will have left our earth ‘empty.” Will our oceans, already showing stress in 2012, have become so alkaline that all coral has died, and algae and jellyfish have become the dominate “living” organisms roaming our seas? Will sea level rise has invaded our coasts, rolling over Florida, burying the Jersey Shore, and wiping out the rolling dunes of Long Island, the mansions that dotted Amagansett and South Hampton, the outer banks of the Caroline coast, and the white sands of Oregon, Washington State and California? Will we have ignored the warning signs our planet was giving us way back on Earth Day 2012? In April of that year, North America was just beginning to deal with the water shortages caused by the “winter that never came” and the brush fires that were creeping and spreading up and down the east coast, touching every state from Florida to the Canadian border.

What future scenario do you want for you children? Join us as we contemplate this question and the beauty of our planet earth this Earth Day. Participate in a public demonstration, fair or event. Come together with thousands in Washington DC at the iMatter March on April 22nd, or the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate on April 24th. Make a family Earth Day resolution..and help us figure out how we will get to the positive Earth Day celebrations, 50 years from now in 2062.

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5 Family Friendly Earth Day Activities

April 18th, 2012


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Earth Day “trending”….! Earth Day inspires and brings out different feelings, emotions and actions in each of us. We wanted to share with you some of our favorite Climate Mamas and Papas suggestions for Earth Day “to dos.” You may want to adopt some of these ideas and put them on your list of favorite family activities – for Earth Day or any day. All us Climate Mamas and Papas know that every day is and should be Earth Day!

1. Get your “glee on” out in Nature – Get outside, sing a song, do a dance, have a picnic, BBQ, go camping, walk on the beach or take a hike. Whatever gets you there, gather your family and spend some time outdoors. Talk to you kids, introduce them to nature better yet, let them introduce nature to you! Remind yourself and the kids in your life of the treasures nature has given us, and why we need to fight so very hard to protect them.

2. Memory Lane Walk Down the Red Carpet “Favorite Earth Day Movies”– Watch, enjoy, lose yourself in the moment and learn something too. Movies for everyone: The Lorax, Chimpanzee, Avatar, Planet Earth, Wall-E and March of the Penguins. Documentary movies for older kids and adults: Queen of the Sun-What are the Bees Telling Us? Tapped, Gasland, Bag It, An Inconvenient Truth, Revenge of the Electric Car, Moby Duck – Learn something important., and have fun at the same time!

3. Spring Cleaning and Letting the Sun Shine In – Open the windows wide and get the kids to help you clean them. You’d be surprised to see what a difference a little water and vinegar, or even just a crumbled piece of newspaper can do to “shine up” and “clean up” your windows! Pack up winter clothes, in particular those that don’t fit anymore and give them to a local charity. Got other items you don’t need but someone else might use, consider selling them on Green eBay or giving them away at Craig’s list, or Free Cycle! Get your kids to help you change the air filters in your air conditioner (maximum energy efficiency). Also, make sure there are no leaky faucets in or outside your house. Change your light bulbs to energy efficient CFLs or LEDs, and consider putting your outside lights on timers. Saving energy not only reduces power plant pollution but it can also save you money too.

4. Get “Down and Dirty” – plant a tree, or better yet plan a garden with the kids in your life. Vegetable, herb, or flower – the garden can be as big or small as you have room for…Herbs grow great on window sills, and corn, pumpkins and beans are fun and easy to cultivate and very cool to watch grow! Plant some milkweed and help the Monarchs find their way to Mexico. Have you heard of a rain garden? This is a “trending topic” all on it’s own and a great way to plan for and mitigate storm water run off that some of us are having to get used to as heavy rain events are becoming a more frequent occurrence of our changing climate. Consider getting a rain barrel too!

5. Stand up to Climate Change – Show your kids you care about their future. Climate Impact Day is May 5, 2012. Protest, educate, document and volunteer along with thousands of people around the world to support the communities on the front lines of the climate crisis. Grab the kids in you life, right now and sign up and commit to a family “Act of Green,” show your kids that they are one of a billion people ready, willing and able to make the commitment to a “greener” world! Find out what and who are caring for the Earth in your own community. Check out your town’s website, and attend an Earth Day Fair or event near you, get involved! If you live in the NYC metro area, check out our Featured Partner, Earth Day New York.

And finally, encourage others to make every day earth day….

Got any other great tips? Let us know!

P.S. We recently featured Chuck McCutcheon, author of “What Are Global Warming and Climate Change? Answers for Young Readers,” on ClimateMama. Chuck is giving away one copy of his book in honor of Earth Day!

To enter for a chance to win, all you have to do is visit and “like” his Facebook Page. Then email Chuck at cmacdc1@gmail.com with your address!

TIP UPDATES:
1. 5 Ways to GET OUT of Your Comfort Zone for Earth Day via Green Momster
2. Earth Day Science via Kitchen Pantry Scientist

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Posted in Earth Day is Every Day, Holidays, Lifestyle & Fun, Nature, Take a Stand: Action & Advocacy | 7 Comments »

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Welcome to Climate Mama

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You are a mother, a father, a grandparent, an uncle, an aunt, a teacher or a child at heart. When you hear the Native American saying, “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”, it makes you stop for a moment and think. You love nature, travel, adventure and believing in a world that is special and unique. Climate change and global warming are words that alarm you, that often seem too big to get your arms around. You care about what’s happening to the world and notice small changes in your own life that seem to point in the direction of a threatened environment. But you wonder if these changes are real, and if they are you can’t imagine what you can do to help change what is happening.

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Climate Mamas and Papas

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Climate Change so often seems too big to get our hands around. We wonder where we can start and how we can actually make a difference. Each one of us has a different path that we will follow. Some of us cut a wider swath than others, but each of us has a role to play. We would like to introduce you to some amazing individuals, Climate Mamas and Papas who are making a difference, who are, through their daily lives, affecting the lives of all of us. They inspire us, empower us, and challenge us to reach for the stars, to strive to do the best we can to help change the crash course we are currently on with our environment. Lets meet some of these amazing people and find out what inspires them. Meet our featured Climate Mama, Janae Shields, today!

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Featured Partner & Campaigns

Earth Day New York promotes environmental awareness and solutions, all year long, through partnerships with schools, community organizations, businesses, and government entities; educating public and private policymakers through conferences and publications; and involving the general public in annual Earth Day events.

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