E-NEWS

Save the Planet

Know Thy E-Waste Recycler November 15, 2008 Reporting by Roddy Scheer Green groups are working to make sure old computers don’t end up in landfills, or polluting third world countries. Environmentalists and electronics recyclers joined forces last week to announce the launch of the e-Stewards Initiative, the first independently audited and accredited certification program for North American e-waste recyclers. In order to be certified under the program, electronics recyclers will have to demonstrate that they do not dump so-called “e-waste” (electronic waste, such as old televisions, computers and appliances) in landfills or incinerators. The standards also prohibit certified companies from using prison labor or releasing private data and personal information without prior authorization.   “Unfortunately today, most companies calling themselves electronics recyclers are scammers,” says Sarah Westervelt, e-Stewards project coordinator at Seattle’s Basel Action Network (BAN), one of the nonprofits behind the new initiative. “They simply load up containers of old computers and ship them off to China or Africa,” she said, adding that by choosing an e-Steward recycler, consumers and businesses can rest assured that their discarded electronics will be safely and responsibly managed. “The genuinely responsible recyclers in North America face unfair competition from thousands of unethical, so-called ‘waste recyclers’ that would more accurately be called ‘waste shippers,’” says John S. Shegerian, CEO of Electronic Recyclers Inc., one of 32 e-waste recyclers to sign on as founders of the new certification program. “Our planet’s glut of e-waste is no longer a problem we can sweep under the rug—consumers and businesses who want to play a role in the solution need to know which organizations recycle e-waste responsibly and appropriately.” SOURCE: Basel Action Network

The Green Space Equalizer November 15, 2008 Reporting by Roddy Scheer Living near green space may have significant impact on our health and longevity, regardless of wealth. A new study from a team of UK researchers shows that access to green space is an important factor in reducing health inequities between the haves and have-nots. The study, published in the prestigious peer-reviewed British medical journal The Lancet, found that the so-called “health gap” between the richest and poorest people across the UK was about half as large in areas with lots of parks, forestland and open space than in the least “green” areas.   To arrive at their surprising conclusions, researchers examined health records from some 41 million people in five different regions of England. They also looked at death records for 366,348 UK residents to determine the association between access to green space, income, and mortality between 2001 and 2005. “The size of the difference in the health gap is surprising and represented a much bigger effect than I had been expecting,” said Richard Mitchell of the University of Glasgow, the study’s lead author. “The implications…are clear: environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities.” Source: Washington Post

COMMENTARY: The Greenie Wars When Green Groups Clash, It Leaves an Environmental Impact By Joanne Isaac Animal rights activists push the idea that animals come first. © www.peta2.com The word “greenie” is universally recognized. A quick whiz around the web reveals a variety of definitions, my current favorite being “noun slang term for an environmentalist. Often used to deride such people, eg: ‘That bloody tree-hugging greenie poofter.’”   But in reality, many groups and individuals which fall under this umbrella term have vastly different agendas. Groups commonly termed “greenies” include animal rights supporters, conservation groups and animal welfare advocates, as well as environmentalists. But how exactly do these groups differ in terms of their priorities and goals, and how on earth could they ever come into conflict? Animal Rights or Animal Wrongs? For animal rights advocates, the main priority is the rights of individual sentient animals and supporters are essentially in opposition to sacrificing any animal to advance the greater good. All animals, be they endangered or an introduced pest, are given equal rights and consideration. Confusing animal rights and animal welfare is a common mistake, but their main objectives are actually very different. Animal welfare supporters concede that human use of animals is permitted, but campaign for regulations that minimize pain, suffering and loss of life. The belief that human use of animals is warranted often brings welfarists into conflict with animal rights groups, who argue that animal welfare is inherently biased against animal rights as it recognizes animals as property, with no intrinsic value, only the value that we choose to bestow upon them. Despite this divergence of goals, Ashley Fruno, a spokesperson for the largest animal rights organization in the world—People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), says that PETA's goals encompass both animal rights and welfare by aiming to “stop animal suffering by working to improve the living and dying conditions of the billions of animals who suffer at the hands of uncaring industries.” Conservationists are thinking about protecting the land first. © www.teehuggerapparel.com Conservation Conundrum In contrast, the primary aim of conservation groups is to maintain biodiversity, with the focus being on species, populations and ecosystems. Conservationists generally recognize the integral links between wildlife and their habitat and allow that sometimes human intervention may be necessary to prevent loss of biodiversity. Again, this view can result in conflict between conservationists and animal rights groups, and sometimes welfarists too. The most common clashes occur over plans to eradicate non-native species in order to prevent native species declining or becoming extinct. More extreme animal rights supporters consider the killing of any individual animal in order to conserve a native species to be ‘environmental fascism’. Feral Future Such a clash has been brewing recently over the future of feral cats on remote San Nicolas Island, one of the California Channel Islands which is owned by the U.S. Navy. The cats predate native sea birds and also compete with the endangered island fox Urocyon littoralis and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to trap and shoot cats to eradicate them entirely. However, this proposal has incurred the wrath of both animal rights and welfare groups, who have suggested non-lethal alternatives such as neutering or relocation. The USFWS rejects these proposals, arguing ‘Navy policy prohibits trap-neuter-release on its land and these cats are wild animals and not suitable as pets.’ Such conflicts can have serious implications for conservation efforts and endangered species. In the late 1990’s, the National Wildlife Institute announced plans to eradicate the introduced American grey squirrel from Italy. The grey squirrel excludes the native red squirrel through competition and has been blamed for the decline of the red squirrel elsewhere in Europe. The plan was opposed by animal rights groups who took the National Wildlife Institute to court, causing a suspension of the project for 3 years. The National Wildlife Institute was finally acquitted, but during the suspension the grey squirrel significantly expanded its range and the eradication was no longer feasible—putting the red squirrel population at risk across its range. Dr. Gad Perry from Texas Tech University, who has researched these conflicts, says “Some of the disagreements have been very destructive. Battles between animal rights and conservation groups have led to much energy being wasted on outcomes that are partially desirable at best, from either perspective. Animal rights people may object to killing invasive species, but have no interest in grey squirrels taking over Europe.” The Call for Compromise In a letter to the journal Conservation Biology this year, Dr. Michael Hutchins, Executive Director of The Wildlife Society, said that “animal rights and conservation are incompatible at the most fundamental level.” Dr. Perry is more optimistic. “Both groups can easily agree that prevention of species introductions is far more desirable than trying to deal with an invasive population,” he says. “While some people will never agree to the killing of non-natives, I would encourage moderate folks to start talking to one another, seeking ways to achieve mutual goals.” He adds “Animal rights people bring a lot of energy and passion. Biologists bring the expertise and scientific credibility. Hopefully, together we can make a real change in how things unfold.” Ashley Fruno, from PETA, has a similar view. “I think the key to having better communication with any given group is to focus on the things we have in common and realize that even though we may not always agree on all points, we can still work together on those we do agree on.” CONTACT San Nicolas cat eradication; PETA; The Wildlife Society DR. JOANNE ISAAC is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, at James Cook University in Australia.

Made in Maui Sampling Farm-Fresh Island Delights By Lora Shinn Fresh Maui fruits © Lora Shinn Most travelers to Maui take roads west, away from the airport in Kahului and toward sun, sea and sand, where high-rise hotels meet crowded boardwalks.But bearing east, the 42-mile road to Hana pulls drivers through 600 hairpin turns, down into verdant valleys and up toward vine-embroidered cliffs. Rainstorms pressure-wash the twittering, fruit-scented forest and add to dozens of thundering waterfalls. Lobster-like blooms hang from heliconia next to roadside stands, laden with mangos and macadamia nuts.   As agritourism and “locavore” movements boom, Eastern Maui offers multiple temptations. In Hana, Chuck and Lilly Boerner host tours of their 70-acre organic, off-the-grid ONO Farms, set in the Kipahulu Valley, where over 120 inches of rain fall per year into thick jungle. Travelers from around the world sample farm-grown coffee and a catalog of exotic fruits including abiu, chocolate sapote, lychee, soursop and tamarind. After taste-testing fruits, groups are guided through the farm’s productive wilderness, sampling low-hanging starfruit along the way. “It’s not like any farm they’ve seen before,” Lilly Boerner says. “It’s not a thousand acres of apples, but a forest of diverse fruit trees.” The Boerners aren’t greenie-come-latelies. They’ve used solar energy, composting and self-sufficient organic farming methods for over 35 years. “The only thing we get from the county is our telephone service,” Boerner says. Further along the road, travelers can replenish at LauLima Farm’s roadside shack. Visitors hop on a yellow blender-powering bike and pedal their way to a fruit smoothie of farm-harvested ingredients like sugarcane and mangos. Locals and visitors sit and chat at long picnic tables, and children play underneath a cluster of tall bamboo. There’s no guided tour, but curious newcomers can see clutches of papayas on eight-foot-tall trees, red-berried coffee shrubs and banana bunches right outside the café’s back door. A papaya tree © Lora Shinn “More people want to know where their food comes from,” says Charlene Ka’uhane of the Maui County Farm Bureau (MCFB). “We’re at a turning point,” she says, regarding the renewed interest in locally grown foods. Home to around 800 farms, 55% of Maui’s land is used for agricultural purposes. The state of Hawaii imports 80-90% of its food, according to MCFB, but grows around 50% of its own fruit and vegetables. And agricultural workers are paid around $11.95 an hour, which can raise the locally grown prices over mass-imported fruits and veggies. But West Maui restaurants like Hula Grill, Pineapple Grill and Feast of Lele have helped to turn the Pacific tide by sourcing local produce first, even if it means paying a little more. Louis Coulombe and Stephan Bel-Robert, business partners and owners of oceanfront Pacific’O and I’O restaurants in Lahaina, Hawaii, took fresh, island-grown food a step further. They created the 81/2-acre organic O’O Farm, now open to the public. O’O is located in Kula, on Mt. Haleakala’s misty slopes, so farm staff encourage visitors to bring sweatshirts—it can be downright chilly in the mornings. Steaming apple cider and homemade pastries are brought out by the farm’s resident chef. Then the tour begins, as visitors help harvest herbs, salad greens, root vegetables and stone fruits not typically grown on Hawaii. The farm’s chef creates a feast of the hand-harvested vegetables and fruit, served with fish and tofu. Diners eat al fresco, seated at a 20-foot-long pine table under a tin roof, as the farm manager strums a few songs on his guitar. “The farm-to-table menus reflect what we have available,” says Angel Green of O’O Farm. “Our chefs have fun creating specials based on the seasons, while we grow produce to supply the menu. They inspire each other.” One example? At I’O restaurant, diners can feast on Pukalani Salad—mixed farm greens with shaved red Kula onion, fresh feta crumbles, Olowalu tomato, candied peanuts and passionfruit-tarragon dressing. But Maui farms aren’t just providing tours and tastes for the traveler; they are also reinvigorating a made-on-Maui ethic. Small mom-and-pop stores and outdoor markets increasingly carry Hawaiian-grown produce. “A wise family always has crops growing in the backyard,” says Lilly Boerner. LORA SHINN is a Seattle-based freelance writer.

Sustainable Clubbing Around the U.S., Dance Clubs Are Making Green Moves By Kimberly Telker The average dance club uses 150,000 watts of electricity. And while we can’t place the blame for global warming on the shoulders of their sweaty, dancing masses, these clubs could be doing more—reducing bottle and cup waste, conserving energy used for lights and sound and putting all that people power to good use. Clubs across America are responding to the call and stepping up their environmental commitment—some with technological innovations to rival the DJ’s complex beat-mixing.   Beta Nightclub in Denver © Beta Nightclub Temple Nightclub in San Francisco, California, opened in 2004 and boasts an 89% diversion rate of landfill waste. The nightclub, which is housed in a 100-year-old building, uses corn-based, biodegradable cups to combat generated waste. “We’re also thinking about giving a discount on drinks, maybe $1 or so, for reusing the same cup,” says Mike Zuckerman, Temple’s director of sustainability. To conserve water resources, Temple uses a rainwater collection system for toilet plumbing. The club also boasts a vertical garden that landscapes the exterior of the club. This provides thermal and noise insulation, as well as counteracting carbon dioxide emissions. But it’s the soon-to-be-installed energy-generating dance floor that’s getting all the attention. Through piezoelectric technology, crystals in the dance floor will be activated and generate electricity when stepped on. “This is just one small part of our commitment to the environment,” Zuckerman says. “We want to be stewards in the community.” The Butterfly Social Club in Chicago uses kinetic energy from a bike in the front of the venue to generate some of its energy. Employees pedal the bicycle, thus powering the DJ booth and the drink machines. The sound system from the DJ booth has speakers made from recycled wood that resemble tree trunks. The bar, deemed the “eco-friendliest” by the Chicago Tribune, was built of recycled waste products like clay and straw. The club’s 30-something owner Mike Klemen told the Associated Press that the key to sustainability “is not to recycle more, but to use less.” All drinks and mixers are organic, and the venue’s website boasts that organic alcohol does not contain the impurities (like nitrates in wine) that are the real culprits behind hangovers. In Denver, Colorado, the 16,000-square-foot Beta Nightclub is in the process of instituting a widespread recycling program to counteract its waste, separating glass, plastic, aluminum and paper products. Spokesperson Catherine Nguyen says, “We use tons of Red Bull cans and vodka bottles here, so it’s really silly not to recycle.” The club recently opened its 5,000-square-foot outdoor patio, complete with tall hedges, comfortable cabanas and green grass. Like Temple Nightclub, its goal is to offset carbon dioxide emissions, as well as provide a botanical experience within a secluded lounge area. San Francisco's Temple Nightclub © Temple Nightclub Thanks to Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth, New York now offers its own sustainable night club. Jon B., renowned owner of New York’s GuestHouse and Home, had a private screening of the film in his apartment, and felt moved to act. Greenhouse mixes eco-friendly features with upscale ambience. Slated to open in November, the club was constructed with recycled eco-resin materials, and uses a rainwater collection system for toilets. Furnishings come from recycled products, and the club features all-LED lighting. Greenhouse spokesperson Adam Starkman says that the new venue “cost quite a bit more than our other clubs to make,” but that “Prices for Greenhouse will be the same as any regular New York club.” The management debated whether or not to implement an energy-generating dance floor into the venue, but because of the makeup of a Manhattan nightspot, it may not contribute to Jon B.’s environmental mission. “Typical New York nightclubs are banquet-style—serve alcohol, have patron tables and play music,” Starkman says. “They don’t really have a dance floor. People just kind of dance where they can.” Because a human-powered dance floor would have to be installed throughout the entire venue, nightclub officials didn’t find it practical. Still, the club has received significant corporate attention, generating buzz from the Hollywood fashion circuit to Mercedes Benz and the United Nations. “We’re really proud of this idea,” Starkman says. American venues are following the example of Sustainable Dance Club in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The company was the first to devise the energy-generating dance floor. The technology is not identical to the piezoelectricity used to craft the floor at Temple; rather, Sustainable’s floor uses energy-generating coils beneath the surface of the floor that, when stepped on, send electricity to the lights and sound system of the club. Vera Verkooijen, the consulting firm’s director of communications, points out that the energy generated from the dance floor will not power a nightclub on its own. “Every tile of the dance floor produces five to 10 watts [of energy] per person,” she says, “de-pending on someone’s weight and the intensity of dancing.” This voltage, Verkooijen says, is not high enough to accommodate the en-ergy needs of a traditional dance venue. But it’s pretty cool nonetheless.