Data Centers and Green Movement

According to APC magazine a Schneider Electric Publication data center professionals will be spending 2010 trying to make the centers more energy efficient and reduce consumption of watts...power and cooling are critical for efficient data centers. The energy consumption is high while cooling is demanded due to heat generated from the electronics. As I type these words I am aware of the heat emitted from my laptop and it is so minuet compared to a corporate data center.

Optimization versus building and expanding is one significant variable to consider. Power companies spend millions building power grids. The demand on existing grids is taking a toll while the demand is growing. Reduction is critical or a minimum of status quo.

Green Christmas

This Christmas brings a special joy to me for many reasons. I know longer desire material things. I give far more than I receive (except in daily love from those around me called husband, children, family, friends) and I so appreciate all those wonderful people and treasures in my life.

This year I pray many people can step back from the world of materialism and enjoy some true meaning of this holiday. Away from the gadgets of electronics, away from the prepared foods with sodium galore, away from the per-packaged nonsenses of nothing to the real things for life...family, friends, people we know, people we love, people we touch in our lives...people next door.

Reach out and touch someone. Share the love, share yourself. God Bless!

Wrting and Compiling Take Time

This book has been the most fun of any project I can recall and the light is shining at the end of the tunnel. The printer has promised a January run including proofs and then I can start to sell books and work on other projects. Six months in the making and I promise I'll be back to giving yummy recipes and information on living green.

I want to make an apple cinnamon bread recipe and will try that later today so if it works I will share. Cinnamon also I found out is good for losing weight...not sure I can muster that with all the butter I eat on toast.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas or Happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish friends.

The tradition of Thanksgiving

As I prepared our holiday feast and it is a feast, I searched in my mind the possible waste from a 13 lb bird, granted a few pounds are bone, for only two adults to enjoy family traditions. I must admit Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year. We have broken traditions a few times on Christmas but Thanksgiving is homemade rolls, cranberry salad, green beans, candied sweet potatoes, scalloped corn, gravy, dressing, turkey, of course, mashed potatoes, relish dish of pickles and dessert which this year was apple dumplings. My hubby finally admitted he doesn't care for pumpkin pie that much, although he does love a pumpkin roll cake I make with creamed cheese and orange zest, etc.

In creative mode to use all the turkey from Thursdays meal I came up with soups including turkey vegetable, a salad with green grapes and celery, mashed potatoes with turkey and dressing, turkey dumplings, turkey and noodles, oh maybe that will use it up. So tomorrow's dinner just may be that first suggestion of turkey soup with veggies. A good way to savor soup with healthy veggies. Best of luck to anyone wanting to accomplish the same lack of waste.

Winter months and more running of car engines

Walking for exercise up hills and around the neighborhood lake always brings a sadness to me during winter months and in the heat of summer. Why people drive to a place to stare out of car windows is beyond me. The sadness is the ignorance tied to running engines and contamination of air for no reason. One man I approached about thought that because he had bought a hybrid, it was OK to run the engine while his wife walked the dog. Does she not drive or can not drive so in delivering her to walk the dog it is ok for him to sit in the car, engine running to read the paper in the same comfort of home, heating or AC. While the lake is a small man made lake even a fast walker it takes 7 to 10 minutes times that by 7 days, times 365 and that is a lot of waste gas and more pollution in the environment.

Blinders are not good. We see blinders everywhere. Grocery stores, Costco, Sams Club, Home Depot everywhere people stand gawking at products with big carts blocking the aisle...I walked into Publix today and three managers were blocking the main aisle when customers first walk into the store. Blinders...Americans are so good at blinders, wasting resources, wasting money, wasting the environment, not their problem, oh yea, think about not having clean air for your great grandchildren to breath.

Have we gone too far?

I work in the technology field but I am beginning to wonder if we have gone too far.
Not only do computers have all kinds of poison materials inside them so does many electrical objects. God gave me a brain and yes, we all do stupid things but my brain works very well. I use it daily during work, during prayer, during relationship making and maintaining, during worship, during hygiene, during cooking. My brain works.

Now the way this all relates to technology and electronics is this; I want to use my brain, I do NOT need for a piece of electronics to do my thinking. First of all I respect geeks, we need them, but I do need them assuming I do not want to use my own brain whether running a computer or the washing machine.

Again the correlation is this; my machine will not allow me to adjust the cycle once the cycle is started. This happens to be a GE appliance. Now that is nothing against GE. It is against the way we are wasting natural resources because someone somewhere decided everything needs a brain (electronic brain). Electronic brains are not as smart as someone who has been doing laundry a very long time. Well I have news here. Just as I do not need a robot to cook for me I do not need a dumb appliance to make my decisions. American companies have gone too far over my boundaries. I love this country and feel blessed to have been borne here but this is ridiculous. I had to waste a entire tub of water this morning to get one load of laundry clean because my washer was thinking for me. That does not make me a happy camper on the washing machine side of life. Fewer computers in fewer consumer goods please!

Blessings of Fall

During a professional photo shoot today we choose to be outside. The photographer was great and in 40 minutes we must have done 50 photos. The trees this fall have been absolutely gorgeous with deep crimson, brillant orange, golden yellows. When I stand in the mist of nature the awe I feel is breathtakingly wonder. God gave us a beautiful place to live. We should do everything to protect nature and preserve for future generations. Interviewing a CEO in the wood industry, he said after using the water and land we use, we need to give back to the community as much as possible.

Enjoy this beautiful time of year, nothing can be more beautiful then the colors of fall.

Reuseable bags

Awareness is a interesting phenomenon. When people find out plastic bags are bad for the environment they come up with myraid excuses about forgeting reusable bags, recycling the plastics ones, etc. I have began a mind game with myself. If I forget the bags in the truck of the car I push the cart aside and go back to the car to retrieve the bags. Then I get in line at the register. It's a way to eliminate so many bags being used. Once in a while I still forget when stopping by Home Depot or some other store. If we have the receipt why have a bag if the item is small or any thing we can carry to the car without the bag?

With 381B yes, that's BILLION made each year why can't we outlaw them like a friend said Colorado reportedly has done? Makes sense to me. Save the oil, save the animals, save the people save the earth.

Hotels are trying but please it will take us all

After checking into a hotel recently I found a card saying to save water, bleach, soap on the environment just hang the card on the door before 2:00 am if you do not need a linen change. I did that immediately. The next morning the card was shoved under my door. The thoughts were great, they know I'm covered and we'll save a minuet bit together. Well much to my chagrin that afternoon upon returning to my room everything was nice and neat with all fresh linens.

Ok, once again, where is the communication break down? This is a process, system and communication breakdown. Why not have a dumb system (low cost) that allows the customer to input a feed into the system. Save all the paper & printing and promotion for e-devices. Allow the system to feed into the smart system once every four hours and housekeeping would save on output of human hours, save on costs, save environmental pollution.

Everyone wins.

harping again about packaging engineers

I am so tired of the world of plastic...this stuff does not go away people. Everything is plastic containers, plastic bottles, plastic makeup, shampoo, conditioner, soft containers...just look around in your cabinets, your drawers, house or office. Plastic tool boxes, plastic sewing boxes, plastic cases, suitcases, sewing cases, not to mention ccomputers, games and thirty dozen other electronic all encased in plastic. Even paper clips are plastic and yes they break.

Metal paperclips live for years, never break and yes can even rust. Can we please reduce this dependency on plastic the uses oil and toxic chemicals. Please come up with another way to package especially for food and other ingredients that are absorbed by the body including lips, lips are skin too so chemical engineers careful about the red dye or anything in the lipstick tube that may be toxic.

Packaging Engineers are NOT GREEN

Recently my niece gave me a pet egg for shaving feet. While opening the egg which was the size of two regular large eggs I used scissors and ripped and ripped and ripped plastic packaging. When are corporations going to stop using plastic that can not be recycled? I understand wanting to protect against theft but good grief could we not find a better solution. American's are such consumers and go into any product store for electronics, cosmetics, tools even food and it is absurd the amount of plastic. It is everywhere. Now knowing chemicals are bad and plastic is made from chemicals and petroleum is there not a solution for recycled containers?

National Geographics for Green Living

Since National Geographics does such a fantastic job of Green information I decided to start writing recipes intertwined with GREEN plus the movie about Julie and Julia motivated me to write about food, again plus I want to update the recipe book we published in 2008...for those that love Blue cheese...

4 oz. of Blue cheese, crumble
2/3 can of black olives, chopped
enough mayonnaise to allow spreading consistency, about 1 tablespoon

Spread into two heads of endive for appetizer

Ok, after Julie and Julia

Is food GREEN? Not really but it isn't un-GREEN with all scraps, composting, etc.

So while the movie was rolling and I saw what she was making knowing I had fresh tomatoes in the kitchen it was a must...ok many you'll have to wait until summer unless you live south and still have tomatoes...

Brown an inch thick slices of bread in butter
Slice or chop tomatoes layer on top
Chop onion and pepper, small amount of both
Chopped fresh basil, sprinkle on top of vegetables
Pour a 1/2 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar & 1/2 tablespoon oil in squeeze bottle (the type the ketchup comes in at the fast food place) ok, I'm dating myself
top with shredded Monterrey jack cheese

I use five slices, 1 tomato, 1 green onion and 1 inch of pepper (any color), amount of cheese, personal choice...for the 2 of us...love cooking, stay posted...love food, stay posted...I'm a professional that has been cooking for a very long time!

The Book, CEO Speaks, Sage Advice During Turbulent Times

This book has been a blessing, indeed. Over 40 CEO's, one refusal, no cancelations and only a few rescheduled appointments needed. By November I'll be done with the book then November and December will work like crazy to compile, edit, re-edit, record for e-book and make it all happen.

Covering 1/3 of the states, wish time afforded more however 40 was the goal originally. These CEO's are what America is built on, people, inventive, entrepreneurial spirit, individualizm, fresh ideas, making life and passions florish as always. Thanks to those who care about people. It is growth, it will survive, we will survive, we are America.

Is a life Green? Probably not when we hear statistics.

Today on the internet an article about 6000 people losing their life because of bad or careless driving. I see it in our neighborhood all the time. Neighborhood, mind you, no lines on the road! Yet I know to stay close to the right curb on my side of the street. Twice in the past few days I hit the (paved gutter) to avoid being taken out or sideswiped, left side careened into, etc. What are they thinking? Obviously nothing. Well head's up idiot, I do not want to lose my life, damage my car, destroy property belonging to someone else while trying to avoid you hitting me while you use three fourth of the road.

Who is giving the driving test these days and who is on the road driving without a brain? Cell phones should be outlawed when driving. State responsibility. States want control of everything else, make your opinion known to the law enforcement, legislative branch, whatever it takes. No lobbyist allowed!

This is GREEN thoughts

Earlier today I blogged about people ignoring all others around them while shopping and driving...it's synonmus the laws of the road, stay in your lane, stay right of the real or imaginary line, pay attention, don't talk on the cell, and you are still human. Now the GREEN thought and yes, it is the same...Sunday afternoon may be relaxing you for but not for me...and driving 10 miles under the speed limit takes less gas, given. But if you make me stop at the light because of your reduced speed, how many fumes are being added to the air we all breath?

Not sure how GREEN this is today, just a thought

OK, I admit it, I'm a type A, a mover, an action person, a jerk or rude by some but grocery carts were not made to lean on. The bar is to push with your hands and not the thrust of a body moving forward. And yes there are tons of bad drivers out there but the rules of the road are applicable to shopping too. Right lane not the center of the aisle and not letting you in line when you have two items and I have fifty. I may be rude but I do have manners. Please move over. Just because you want to go slow and meander about does not mean I have the same time to waste. I'm on a mission so get out of my way, please. Whether on the road or in the aisle, move it. Yes, I could have been military because moving it is what life is all about. No I'm not critequing you or your needs, just move to the side of the road. Looking a packages of food is not nearly as important as eating...but that's another subject.

I can be patient with elderly and babies. If you are full grown and nonchalantly strolling please be considerate of those of us that run through life like a speed boat. We can't help ourselves either because there too many things we need to accomplish in a day's time. If you don't have the basics, buy a book on manners, yes, they are published.

Oh those skies and flu too!

After a default tire change on an airplane Friday morning Sept 4th we sat after boarding another hour and well almost 2 hours passed take off time. Our seat companion a college student was tired and talking about the flu on campus. Well, Saturday night hubby starts coughing, so three days later, with two days appointments canceled, he has the flu.

The Green Idea is common sense stuff...it is not Green to have to buy OTC's or over the counter medications to combat illness. Traveling is a bitter sweet pill to swallow during this time of year. My hope is we didn't leave our host, hostess and grandson with a virus!

Busy with book and little time for any other writing

It has been an awesome project with only a third done. About 23 interviews on the calendar so far and the goal is 40 give or take a few. Anyway I need to get this one down for sure. I was not aware of the term wrap rage until today although I have blogged about packaging engineers and PVC. I was reading something on the home page where responsible manufactures are attempting to lessen the use of hard plastics and wrap rage. I understand the need to package for visual effects, for reduced stealing/shop lifting but not at the expense of the environment. If PVC is in the landfills it will take 100 if not 1000's of years to eliminate the plastic.
Social responsibility is to start now. The old saying "pretty is as pretty does" starts with the responsibility to reduce and eliminate PVC NOW.

Media and Nonsense

Interviewing a CEO from Australia today he shared a story about "the lady of the house was going to the hair saloon for her hair appointment. There was a headline on the paper in the saloon that said "Financial Crisis" so she said to herself if we're in a financial crisis maybe I should cancel my appointment, so she cancelled her appointment. She called her husband and said if we're in a financial crisis maybe we should cancel the home we were going to build. So her husband cancelled the home contract, and the home developer cancelled the home builder, and the developer called the architect, the architect called in another architect and said, we can not continue to employ you. The architect went home and said, I'm sorry but I've lost my job". The architect building the home was the person fired from the firm...you get the picture...it's all about the media. Maybe it's just a cycle of garbage.

Garbage on the streets

Changing the daily walk I detoured this morning. Walking in the immediate neighborhood I am amazed at the garbage on the street. The list includes, no I am not joking...the usual bottles, cans including coke, sprite, rootbeer, beer, vita water, juice and various sport drink containers. Cigeratte butts, discarded cigeratte packages, pens, paper of every kind including entire fast food containers, bag, styrofoam, paper cups, etc. One will also see money, bottle caps, prophlatics, used of course, hair accessories of many kinds, hats, jackets, industrial cloths, medical shoe covers and the list goes on and on. Sounds like we live in a dump or at best a slum. Far from it, the houses range from low 200's to 550's and that's a guess. I'm not a real estate appraiser.

Picking up every piece of discarded nonsense would be a full days activities. Of course we could just teach children the value to not littering which is a novel idea I'm sure.

Packaging Products

It seems to keep the stealing reduced, companies have packaging engineers design huge plastics for encasing the product. Nothing is more encased then technology products. We can't even open most of the boxes, encasement's, shrink wrap, bottled water, no there is none in this house, but you get the picture. Someone needs to develop, someone much smarter then I, a way to eliminate thief while eliminating the plastic and ridiculous boxes, adult proof plastic encasement's and make it easier to break through the packaging to use whatever we purchase. I don't agree with stealing but this is out of proportion for honest people!

Fast Fixes and Simple Solutions

This small paperback has been referred to in our home dozens of times since buying a copy. My husband was harassing me tonight for throwing moth balls into the attic in the middle of summer because I killed a silver fish on a chair after dinner. The mothballs work in the attic. I haven't seen a silver fish for months. I recall Mother saying they eat everything of nature fabric. Not all the suggestions from the book work as reported but the odds are good when they do...anyone with suggestions on fire ant stopper? We have an abundance not to mention snakes, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, which are not a problem, in this beautiful city. Oh, criteria for fire ants there is a stipulation...gotta be GREEN! Not sure how GREEN mothballs are either!

Green, Ethics and Materialism

While reading today I came across a quote "In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich" - Henry Ward Beecher. Instead when we think of materialism the way people spend money, horde stuff, more materialism in paratheses, eat out constantly, which is far from green I wonder where our values and ethics take us in life. The more we take up, use up is less for others, except of course corporate profit. I'm always assumed when someone tells me about how great a restaurant is and I would try it out and end up thinking "what does that person usually eat" because it would be a disappointment versus a joy to consume the meal ordered. Granted I have a long life of cooking and cooking from scratch 99.9% of the time. Anyway I'm digressing, just think about the fundamentals of life and what is really important when you're tempted to spend, spend, spend.

Ethics and August 5th Blog

The problem with my blog yesterday was that we all impact one another. It is not about the individual or the individual family. I was on a call recently and the speaker said "a child born today, by 17 years of age, will see serious shortages of water and food in this country. We still, with all the corporate debacle in a lack of ethical behavior, intentional or circumstantial, are responsible to all of us for their lack of accountability and responsible behavior. When individuals or corporations or institutions are responsible for 6 million American workers being laid off somethings amiss in the value arena. Maybe these people were raised under rocks or maybe their examples were parental greed, abuse, selfish behavior and just should not have had children at all, I'm not sure. We are accountable to one another and for this earth. It is not a closed system. When we begin to believe we do not have to be accountable or responsible, we're in serious trouble.

Ethics and The Environment

We are getting smarter and people are paying attention to sustainable measures. The few who choose to ignore will only hurt themselves, their children, as well as their health. Taking care of nature in all forms improves the being, as evidenced in diet, exercise, less stress, discipline, etc. What we breath in the air, what we apply to the skin and what we drink and eat helps our health. The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Applying toxics is damaging to us. Manufacturers of cosmetics, lotions, makeup, soap, sun screen, insect repellant do not always make safe products. That's where the rub, not to use a pun, comes in with ethics. Marketing campaigns are not about anything but making people want the product or belief they need the product. Know what you are applying to your skin and your childrens skin.
These products will be absorbed by the skin.

For the birds

Thinking about the birds and what they are currently confuse, plastic and food. As birds consumer more plastic they start dying. Yep, we've killing widelife and eventually we will kill ourselves if we continue this user mentality, buy, buy, buy, plastic, plastic, plastic and no smart recycling. Responsible action is needed in shopping, consumption, disposal, recycling, of all products and items in homes, office, social environments including coffee shops.

Electronics can be poison to the environment, please recycle, please understand the seven toxic chemicals in the electronic boards and the relationship of improper disposal and ground water.

This matters today and tomorrow.

Interesting facts from a key note speaker

This speaker was from a city in the state and came up with a really neat sign. The sign had a picture of a tall, trim policeman pointing his finger at the audience and the message was:

Want to Litter?
Fine!
Your ticket will be
$406

This proved to be effective way to get public attention with a local judge supporting the idea. A city department employee was responsible for the idea and the sign. Each morning he would place the sign in a different spot prior to going to work. Creative use of space too while capturing citizens attention!

More Annie Litter and Green Information

In the city I live inthe mayor has started a program for making fuel out of wood chips. We are blessed to have an abundance of wood from trees when storms roll in and they do roll in fequently. Four hours from the coast and even the hurricanes wreak havic with the trees, tree branches and pine debris this far up the state. The south has many large pines of several species populating our forests Due to the relative shadow root system, pines come down as well as many disciduous trees.

During a key note today Ed Bagley spoke of cleaner air then in the mid seventies, less smog in LA, CA where he lives. He spoke of wood chips making fuel, the plastic wash in the oceans, overfishing, species being overfished to extinction, basic cleaning with water, vinegar and soda, the danger of ground water being poluted with toxins/chemical, the honeybee demise and so much more. Together we can make a difference. Start now, start with your fight to save our children, our babies.

Annie Litter Conference and Passion, Caring, Nature, People.

Attending my first conference with this group today I was so impressed how many cities, big and small are interested in GREEN efforts. The majority of the audience was municipalities wanting to learn about GREEN efforts. Our city's mayor was the key note speaker followed many others, short clips of video including President Bush in Hoover, Alabama. There are people who care! There are people who make a difference, one act, one talk, one child, one school, one city, one person at a time.

Protection is important, no it is critical. The world is not our's to exploit, it is to be savored, one phase at a time. As I have said before, God created a beautiful earth, we've done everything we can to screw it up. People, can't live with them, can't live without them...sure would be nice trying every once in a while.

Yahoo Finance

Waste electricity. Of the total energy used to run home electronics, 40% is consumed when the appliances are turned off. Appliances with a clock or that operate by remote are typical culprits. The obvious way to pull the plug on your energy vampires is to do just that -- pull the plug. Or buy a device to do it for you, such as a Smart Power Strip ($31 to $44 at www.smarthomeusa.com), which will stop drawing electricity when the gadgets are turned off and pay for itself within a few months.

It's time to get real with waste!

Traveling today and looking at nature, trees, people driving!

Today while driving to another state the beauty of the trees, grass, terrain, to see the rolling hills is so wonderful. This is my home state, Ohio, and it will always be home although I live and have for many years in another region of the country. Surprise with these mild temperatures in the seventies. God made a beautiful earth, we all need to preserve it as much as possible.

We've all heard about Tom's shoes being donated to children. One quarter of the world has never wore shoes and 300M are children. One does not know what one has never experienced. American's can donate "used" items, including worn shoes to those in need. Let's gift when removing, reducing, cleaning out...please this stuff does not belong in the trash or landfill.

Energy, Environment & Technology

Vendors greenwashing the facts about energy consumption will be found out soon enough. Attempting LEED building, building sustainable resources for employees and customers is difficult enough when the demand for energy is rising vs. being lowered.
Saving energy in one areana is great but we need to try harder. As I'm said before, we can make a difference, together. Awareness of electronics gussling energy is one way to start. Research with reputable sources prior to buying any thing related to technology. CEO's, CFO's and COO's need to insure staff is competent and knowledgable they know how to find out use = energy = LEED = time = electronics = money. The values can go both ways and inside out. Place the priorty and know the facts for your organization.

Knpw the facts before you can make intelligent choices

Ran into a friend today at the grocery, I look down and see bottled water in her grocery cart...I can not imagine how intelligent people can ignore the facts. I shared the number of bottled water bottles that are made in this country alone 31.2 billion, 381 billion plastic bags...demand drive consumer behavior. STOP buying the stuff. We live in a city known for the quality of the water! What's with that? Plastics are not good, they can not be saved from the water ways, the ocean, the soil, nor are the chemical good. They may not be bad but they can not be good. Please we can make a difference, together. We all need to do our part. I forgot my bags today. I left the cart, walked to the far corners of the parking lot to retrieve my use again bags and walked back inside to the cart to complete shopping.
American are just being stupid with all this materialism. Yes, we're spoiled beyond belief.

Dynamics of Earth

When man decided he was the master of the universe, stuff happened. The industrial revolution brought many changes to the world. Faster, better, and still on the next adventure in each discipline of science. Convenience has made us a bunch of spoiled people. We go to the gym to workout because we don't work anymore. Yes, construction and yes factory workers but that's a relatively small number of people compared to those behind the computer. Computers are used in most of those disciplines too. We can not continue this usury attitude. Convenience, time, plastic, fast food, easy food, bathroom products galore, home cleaning products, and that's the top of the iceberg. All manufacturing, electronic demands for gadgetry, big screen TV, vehicles, chemicals, plastics have made a disaster for water, soil and air. So much damage must be stopped or demise is likely. When I talk with audiences, I say, once the animals are gone, humans are next. Yes, I know we're now in the information stage and have been for a number of years. And we all feel the deluge of information too!

Mother Earth & Sustainability

The reason I have not changed the pictures on the blog site is simple. Nature is a wonder, the only true wonder in the world. Nature is full of surprises and delight and yes, danger too. When you look at an ant can you not just imagine a miniature world? Watching chip monks in the back yard and observing the way they scamper about
what are they finding to eat with all that energy to burn? Whether you believe in God or not, He made a perfect place for us to live and we've done everything to mess it up totally. Please respect the beauty, take time to marvel at the sites, enjoy the smells of rain, the feel of the drops, well, you get the picture. Life was given and enjoying our surroundings is so important.

Paper Towels and Paper Napkins Out of Kitchen

Yesterday a friend was quite surprised when I announced I had stopped using paper in the kitchen. Her immediate response was what do you use? "Cloth" I replied and continued the conversation with how many linen, cotton napkins were in the house. There must be five or six colors with eight for most sets. Draining bacon or sausage after frying/browning I now use white terry cloths to soak up the excess grease when on occasion we eat this for breakfast or in preparing casserole or other dish. My thoughts are we're washing anyway so just add those when doing white or colored loads of laundry. Water and lots of it is used when manufacturing these papers. Our world isn't about convenience anymore, it's about reducing our waste.

Information and Caring

In one of the first books John Maxwell wrote I read the statement "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". Where this originated I'm not sure but it rings true in life. When you care about the Mother Earth and allow your passion to show, throw out a few statistics about plastic, the chemicals in plastics and follow that with the chemicals in computers people start to get the picture. Passion is a good thing. Chemicals are not good for people. Plastics can have dangerous chemicals inside the components that make plastic not a good choice.
Be aware, read label, if it is plastic it is not biogradeable. It may be recyclable, look for the triangle and understand what the numbers in the triangle mean. Do the research!

Time and Freedom so Important on This July 4th Day

So often I think about our troops. Those in the past are as important as those we have today. This may not be a green message but I can not help but say a special prayer for those that keep us from terror, free still with all the goofy and some not so goofy rules, laws, restrictions. I think of the misery of fighting in horribly hot climates. Of wearing full military apparell while carrying 30 or 40 pound guns. These brave men and women are battle weary and their bodies tough from discipline, not enough rest, homesick for families and friends. They have themselves and their comrades, that's it. We love you all and pray for your safe return, daily.

Consumer bare responsibility too.

Yesterday I wrote about corporations responsibility. Every buyer is responsible too.
Before buying in the materialistic world of spend, spend, spend, think before you buy. Just a few questions to ask yourself.

Do I really need this item?
Where will this be in five years, replace or recycle or both?
If I save this money today and put off the spend, will I be hurt?
What benefit do I derive from this purchase?
Will it make my life better?
Is this for shear convenience or pleasure?
Who does benefit from this purchase?

Price is not the issue here. Questioning what one person in a seminar I attended this spring said we are suffering from stuffication. Yes, I would say so. The example Mike used was the number 1 hotest sale 2008? Self Storage, need I say more.
There are those without food, do we really need to waste more because we have more?

Please Engage the Brain

Talking with one of my nieces today, she has a young friend with a 6 year old son, his mommy is dying of pancreatic cancer. It was her turn today to take the child into her home so the young wife and mother could have time with her husband. This is the stuff that brings tears to my eyes and heart...our discussion continued, we both think the increase in this horrible disease is environmental. Believe what you want, we need help from corporate greed, pollution in all forms, as well as social responibility. STOP, ENOUGH already. We need corporate AMERICA to stop killing the human race, sea and animal life. Killing our forest. Killing wildlife. We need to stop the greed, human and corporate. Stop hiding behind the money thrown at non-proifts and PR. Start throwing the money to non-profit and do the research on the non-profit and throw money at research to STOP pollution, especially your own.

Today, quick run for milk. Cows belch and flatulation more CO2 then any other industry, yep, this farm girl loves her milk, 59 years later, still love milk. Want cows, yep. Chick filet will love this...eat more chiken! Stop pollution, come on science, work harder, I'll contribute!

Analog TV's

This morning, garbage day, I saw an old TV on the curb. Unfortunately, by the time I finished my 2 plus mile walk I forgot to drive by and pick it up. TV's and electronic equipment have 7 deadly chemicals. Don't be forgetful like me, educate those around you by sharing about recycling. I'm usually pretty good about this, picking up plastic bottles, soda cans, plastic anything really. Even brought home a bamboo tree for hubby to cut and use as exercise material. He has a personal training friend that uses paper plates!! These guys are remarkable with coming up with ways to help clients achieve success. We can all do the same with educating
others and helping the earth.

Empty Cars with Motors Running

Those poo-pooing the CO2 crisis are wrong. Yes, it is summer and yes, we all sweat, especially when we're dressed in business clothes. Again today at a grocery store someone had the SUV engine running with the AC on while inside the store. That is not a very intelligent choice for wasting gas, creating unnecessary CO2 or social responsibility. I am not fond of sweating either whether between meetings or errands. It happens, it's summer, get used to it and stop making goofy decisions.

Technology, energy and GREEN (with a little HR)

Data Centers are using the same amount of energy as the airline industry. www.greengrid.com
has tools for computing information. Spend the time doing the research you will save you tons of money over the years or your company money. Getting onto the good list at work and oh yes they do exist, is easy, just do the research and save money for the big guy. If you are the big guy, assign the homework to an employee to do the research. Then do something nice for the researcher after the company figures out what to do and what to buy, specially doing the rip or replacement of techno.

Green News for Businesses

Going to www.thegreengrid.com will help companies compare technology equipment and energy consumption. Found this out from a webinar today with a technology manufacturer of servers and other electronic equipment. Any opportunity to cut down on a corporations energy bill, reduce consumption and save money is wise.

GREEN but just a note on bleach, soap,

Every time we wash food bath, wash clothes, wash linens, clean homes, clean the driveway, use a pressure cleaner we contaminate with soap, bleach, cleani

More Green Information about Home, Sweet Home.

Reading an article from www.TheGreenGuide.com a National Geographic publication regarding beds and linens my thoughts wondered to all the people I know with sleep issues.
A lack of sleep can drain our energy, cause slow thinking and slower reactions when driving, just to name a few. I'm not from the medical community but I know my own issues as well as hubby's issues when tired. This topic in the magazine focused on GREEN bedding and beds. A few places I want to be non-toxic as possible are the bedrooms, the bathrooms, and the kitchen at a minimum as well as the entire house. To cut costs a few manufacturers (if any) are using ways to cut, paste, glue for making furniture. Finding out that some beds are made of metal, without glue and resins is a good option. Linens can be a source of chemical exposure meaning while we sleep we're breathing in volatile organic chemicals or VOC's. No, I do not want to throw out the sleigh bed but put a kentia palm, Janet Craig or Peace Lilly in the corner of the room. Just remember to protect the flooring by allowing space under the plant by placing the pot into a larger pot with a spacer for protection while allowing spill free watering.

Please see Stone Rings Blogspot for Energy Suggestions

Green for Life, Home, Business

Not everyone has the luxury of building a new building, new home, or having a GREEN environment via construction. Why not add plants, reduce carpet and fabric by using other types of material. Hardwood, isn't really hardwood anymore but look alike are beautiful. Tiled kitchensand stone counter tops can make clean up easy. Checking out any old building that has been restored as a volatile organic chemicals from the air for any environment, commercial or private home. Reducing consumption of paper products helps makes us green too. If you must have paper products consider ones that can be recycled or used for more then one task. We started using linen napkins and not buying paper towels in the fall 2008. Now I still have a bunch for entertaining such as drink or appetizer size, birthday party remains, etc., and the same for paper plates but do not miss the expense of constantly replacing those items. Being GREEN may take some creativity but it is a wise choice.

Green for Life, Home, Business

Hotels, plastic, paper, linens

Hubby had three days of training to attend in Atlanta this weekend. I needed some time away to catch up, be creative and be alone and went with him to work during the day. Accomplishing goals was wonderful, however, observing the waste that goes on the training and hospitality industries was appalling. Our hotel had a sign in the room advocating leaving the towels on the rack after using only once to save water. I agreed with the message and we did exactly that. But not only did I observe a half dozen other negative practices when environmental issues are at stake but the hotel where he was training was worse. Being a personal trainer, the industry needs to consider the amount of plastic used by endorsing bottled water and having training in a resort type hotel that makes bottle water accessible via vendors, via services, via vending machines. Why can we not come up with an intelligent way to re-use not just the towels to save water but to safely recycling a world of plastic. If you care about the earth just look at the garbage wash in the Pacific. Thanks training and hospitality industries for making it worse! Can we not design a reusable product that holds liquid without toxic chemicals for personal fitness and hospitality too especially for people that value their life, body and the ability to help both?

Green Issues with Health Consequences

Reading a earth related magazine back in March, I came across some notes I'd made based on the article. According to the author and where ever the research came from it has some interesting implications:

bright city lights reduce melatonin in the body
melatonin is a hormone secreted at night which helps the sleep cycle
unnecessary lighting waste 1.5 billion a year (did they mean dollars?)
unnecessary lighting emits 12 million tons of carbon dioxide

There were other interesting facts noted also. Need to do more research on these. Make sure the source was viable. Interesting thought process. Then who does the deciding about necessary lighting?

Engage the Brain before the Drain (on energy)

Yesterday I was listening to a webinar with regards to an organization in Canada. Their mission is to educate children (and adults) on smart environmental choices. I'm not sure what the source was for the statistics but I find these frighting:

A child born today by the age of 9 will see 1.3 million kilo's of forest disappear.
By age of 17 will see water and food scarcities.
By age of 35 will see 25% of current animal life be extinct.

These are not my statistics but can we please be smarter about the contamination of the earth, reduction of CO2, reducing wood demands, reducing water consumption, stop chemical proliferation just to name a few. If we do not get smarter we will kill mankind.

Green Driving?

Last evening driving to Atlanta for the first time in about ten years, it struck me that about a fourth of society even knows what Green/Environmental issues are about.
While on interstate 20 our average speed was about 72 to 75 mph other cars were passing us like we were sitting still. Once we hit Atlanta turning onto 285 north with signs clearly posted at 55 & 60 mph again cars were whizzing by us. One driver entered onto 285 and immediately went from the entrance ramp to the far left lane.
The problem is not just the reckless, thoughtless and oblivious to rules driving habits, there is no attempt to be aware, speed uses more fuel. Until drivers are penalized for careless driving and ignoring the law, we can not possibly save fuel.
A small car scares me beyond belief even with a fuel efficient vehicle, I want to go smaller. Can anyone imagine the impact of a semi tractor trailer with a SMART car or even a huge SUV? The state patrol and police have budgets cut and could not be every where. Where does social responsibility come into play, I know it is all very rhetorical.

Green Data? It is possible

Instead of buying servers, small companies can use virtual servers instead of using real estate space for storage and use. Saving on energy costs, equipment, maintenance, real estate, etc. Saving money is as simple as knowing who knows how.
Vendors do not tell you ways to save money other then what is preached from corporate, it's called brainwashed sales people.

Beautiful Earth

As I was contemplating about what to write today I was watching the running pictures at the top right of the Green Chatter Blog. Any one that appreciates the beauty of nature, the wonder of how it works together, must truly believe we can not continue with a course of abusing our natural resources, depleting the earth of oil and fores, while poluting the waters. Mankind seems to be in a dare with God. I'm not a scientist and I never studied geology, archelogy, or space exploration but you have to admit it is all very amazing. When I give Green Talks. I openly tell people this too. That does not mean I live with my head in the sand. As a child I watched and observed the way my parents respected the earth and it's creatures. Mother & Daddy were recycling long before recyle was a the word with household recognition. Respect for the earth is simple, respect for the air we breathe is difficult unless you have a disease that limits the air intake...think about that for awhile if you think insatible is sustainable because it is not. Think about the 31.2 billion water bottles made every year.

Good Grief!

When will we learn? Today, sadly, a friend was making fun of me assuming I was an Al Gore fan, a tree hugger, a liberal, an idiot and no I am not saying liberals are idiots. So many conservatives think liberals are ideological idiots.

Call me what you like, my skin is thick. The world has an issue. Ask a Duke Energy or Alabama Power, any power company in your area how much it costs to build another power grid, then tell me about liberals and idiots or conservatives and idiots, which ever way you want to go.

Just because I care about the earth, mankind, animals and not just the ones we call domestic. I care about nature, all of nature including all the different parts of nature, land, water, ocean, air, animals, people, cultures, creatures from all domains.

Please you educated conservatives, learn something about what you call global warming before you call me an idiot. Please this is not about my ego, it is about you breathing or maybe for grand children breathing, let alone eating! As someone recently quoted and paraphasing here, "its' difficult to care about finding new resources on a empty stomach".

Green Chatter and Stone Rings Blogger

For excellent green information for business see Stone Rings for quality info on IT resources.

National Geographics Friday June 5th

Watching last night and listening to the moderator, I wanted to cry, cry out about the damage of mankind on this earth. Everything we know and love is threatened. Fish, animals, birds, plants, whales, penguins, all coral reefs, water, air, everything is at risk including humans. Abuse of the earth can not continue. At one point early in the program the statement was made "No one can conquer the world on an empty stomach". Man's creativity at manufacturing petrochemicals and all products to make plants grow is killing the soil and therefore man.

Public Awareness for Corporations

Saving energy and saving on power bill is easy for some but not corporate America. The more demand the costlier. Awareness is so important. Recently learning some percentages related to information technology projects blew me away.

Percentages from a credible source: 30% of project fail
50% cost twice as budgeted
68% no comparisons are done
74% are not tracked
80% are not qualified

The truth about one segment of business is costing corporations billions every year. Shareholders should be outraged. CEO's are being held accountable for profit while unaware of CIO staff failures. CFO's would be outraged too. Again, credible source did the numbers.

Data Centers & Energy

Looking for ways to save your company money with the Data Center, adding PODS, room layout, design tools, spread the load, supplemental cooling, reduce energy consumption, reduce cable costs, reduce budget, save money, reduce hot spots.

Cars, Engines, Fuel, Time, Money

Running into a small business recently I was again aghast to find a police car, no policeman but the engine running anyway. I'm sure police get hot and spend a great deal of time driving. Even in the most efficient fuel source this is not acceptable behavior and is not a good role model for the youth. A few days ago, same exact scenario but this time it was a shopper. Instead to turning off the vehicle the car was running, doors locked and no driver in sight. Where do these ignorant people come from? Are they running around without any exposure to media? Can anyone read, see or be exposed to nature and not want to protect it from us? God gave us a brain and it's our responsibility to use it for the good of all.

Sharing Resources, The Power of Numbers

One of the local university's has a leadership series with the business community invited to share ideas, speakers, panel discussions and best practices. A smart idea for sharing and community relations while supporting an excellent institution for educating. This morning the panel was primarily discussing sustainability in our community, Birmingham, Alabama. What struck me was the intelligence, the discipline, the willingness to share solid ideas, regarding every segment of social and business culture. Call it Green, call it environmental, call it social awareness, call it what you may the community leaders in that group had it right.
Let's share resources, the pie is big enough for everyone. I'm paraphrasing their words: intellectual property such as peoples minds, keeping our young talent in our community, principles of leadership by sharing best practices, intelligent strategies for consolidation of resources instead of political nonsense. Eliminate the bountries of race, religion, getting in the real game of sustainability, caring about community and acting through conviction. The earth is not owned by us, it belongs for everyone including the future. The earth is not a trite topic to be ignored or abused. Neither should people and their values for sustainability. Sharing together, bringing power to people to care about the earth. One last statement: Term limits for all political figures. Trite and jaded come to mind here for those the become insensitive. The world is not limited to a community, we are all here to share, together, not separately. Birmingham is absolutely beautiful, let's get our image changed to reflect our beauty instead of our shame.

Energy & Telephony

For today's green information check out Stone Rings...I can make your office, your building and budget be lean, mean, Green. I can help you be Lean, Mean & Green...I've got people! I've got network. I've got talent. I've got experts. I've got ethics. I've got a network with ethics. I've got knowledge. I've got smarts and smart people. We have experience, years!! of experience.

Morning Walk

This Memorial Day began with walking around the neighborhood lake. Parking and taking a swig of water we first walked behind the parked cars facing the lake. Noticing one car, windows rolled up, driver reading the newspaper with the motor running. "Protect the Environment", this threw me for a loop! Odd that the gentleman in the car does not know enough to actually care about the environment or he would not be running the car engine while reading. Sometimes there is a fine line between intelligence and total stupidity. Not an uncommon site for drivers to pull up and sit in their vehicle while running the engine especially in the summer months. Sometimes drivers will do the reverse in winter months. My question is why? Is the car more comfortable than a home? If the windows are up and a person is reading how can they enjoy a relaxing environment? And this little lake draws dozens of people each day of the week; runners, walkers, dog walkers,and baby scrollers galore even duck feeders. If we care enough to celebrate or pray or be grateful to all those who serve and served our country in war does if not seem realistic to care about the water, air, plants, animals, other people and quality of live for all creatures big and small?

Energy again

Saving on energy is so important and realizing that data centers use as much energy as the airlines industry is quite sombering. Now is the time to cut costs by knowing that data centers are getting bigger and growth will only continue as will energy use. As Social Media demand continues energy wiil become more and more valuable. Stay up with updates on social media and new technical applications.

Living Now for Future Generations

The miracle of life and the miracle of learning combined with the miracle of nature and human beings what a wonderful place we live in and on, EARTH. Creation is a wonderful gift, we need to protect, respect, enjoy, embrace while being respectful for all creatures no matter how small or big. We live a blessed life, yes, even in a down time. Let's think about what can help us grow, prosper, learn, help, create, be in the moment and beyond.

Cleaning Tips

Recently reading about the chemicals in our water system I realized there may be some ways to help clean up our water by putting less chemicals in there through home drainage. All the chemicals in paint, household cleaners, washing raw meat, dish detergent, bath soaps, body wash, shampoo, all goes into our drains. Using vinegar, yes, the same vinegar that goes in the salad dressing may help cut back on chemicals in the water system.

Taking a closer look at natural resources and materialism.

Bringing ethics back into the lime light of business. How did we get so selfish with our materialism? We need to treat people with respect; for the individual and for their business. Less consumption will help the environment by eliminating other un-necessary waste and material usage while contributing to Green Earth via less garbage, less resources. So often people to not realize the connection between raw materials, the way products are made and the use of water, metal, plastics (toxins). Awareness is critical to turn this materialism around for future generations to have the basics we take for granted.

Still going to meetings with bottled water?

The hospitality industry is full of ways not to serve the client. Plastic bottles, paper products, styrofoam containers, you name it, it's out there. When are we going to say enough is enough. Convenience is a wonderful experience but when are we going to stop by saying No to waste, everything disposable and be responsible citizens with a conscious for earth and future generations?

See Stone Rings for Green Savings

Opps, I intended the Green Chatter and Stone Rings to be different today. Oh well, I can be a master at mistakes and it's still all about technology. Stay tuned, tomorrow true stories start.

Energy Use Discussion

Check out the Stone Rings blog for some thought provoking energy information.

Media Scores

A word of caution with some Green information. If it sounds too good to be true it may be not 100% accurate. Someone claiming their product is Green, if it falls into the category of stuff, it may be Green but do you need it. Recently during a seminar put on by the regional Chamber in our area, Mike Anderson with CSS out of Tampa, used the word Stuffication. Can I relate to that word. During those years in corporate Amercia I was caught up in the buy, buy, buy. When I started consulting and speaking I looked in my closets, yes, plural, and asking myself What Were You Thinking. Amercian love their stuff. Count me out. Think about buying and whether the money is worth more in your savings/checking account versus the product. Simple rule: Do I need it? How will I use it? What impact does it have on quality of life? If the product is not Green you have been scammed. If your need is not strong and you buy, you've scammed yourself.

Thwarted by Media

While looking at the Sunday paper today I was applauded to read a reference to Google Earth making

Garbage on the Road

Leaving for the daily stroll this Easter Sunday afternoon I was distracted leaving the driveway, a beer can discarded in the yard. Coming down the hill upon returning found a soda can on the opposite side of the street. One aluminum can recycled creates enough energy to light a lightbulb 4 hours. Teaching children at a young age the value
of not littering, taking care of animals & people at the same time, includes caring for the environment. God created a perfect earth. Why do we think our impact is not impacting nature negatively?

Designing New Buildings

Seeking strategic planners in all phases of construction is crucial. What one industry profession can know it all? When construction is planned all players need to be given consideration during the planning sessions. This type of decision will assist in good use of space, saving add ons and move budget ($$). So often cable trays conflict with AC & heat ducts. Electrical outlets are not adequate to power PC's and other equipment needing power. Floor plans do not leave space of telecom distribution frames and the list goes on and on.

Real Green vs. Green Washing

There is a time to draw the line in the sand. Companies, organizations, associations want the image that goes with the environmental push to GREEN right? So unless someone in the organization is willing to put the money (budgeting) and actions (research, planning, drawing up a plan, departmental implementation, moving forward with corporate dollars invested) the bandaide approach is simply that, a bandaide.
Every little bit helps whether recycling, building/refurbishing to greener products, etc. but just changing out the carpet is not a green effort. This takes time,effort, manpower and money for proper execution. Then flaunt the GREEN for the image. In the meantime; encourage employees to think GREEN with their actions.

Extinction

Frequently during GREEN talks to companies, organizations or civic groups I mention the Golden Toad is now extinct. Not sure what toads play in our environment, I am not a scientist, just care about all those creatures that no longer exist. Wondering how many more are going to be extinct in not my lifetime so much as my childrens and grandchildrens life time. Stopping pollutions is everyones responsibility. Caring about future generations is critical and we all need to make the effort, now.

Flurry Creatures

Animal lover? So am I but I prefer the natural settings plus if humans are going to have animals there is a ton of time to devote to these little (or big) pets. I do not have that kind of time. Pets are like little children, they want and need love, but don't we all. Well, it's time to realize our impact on the animals that are not in our homes or yards. So many are in danger now like the polar bears and pengins. We need to be aware of something besides ourselves. God created the perfect world, we're messing it up too. Everytime I see someone sitting in their car with the engine running I want to scream. If you have that much money to waste while polluting our environment why don't you go feed a homeless person.

Blogs and a Little Green

This has nothing to do with Green but a lot to do with blogs or for that matter publishing anything from an email, books, blog, text, letter (via snail mail) whatever, it is in print. Online, offline, it truly matters to spell check, edit, review the words. Walk away for awhile, come back and re-read what was written, it's your good name. After writing two books, ok one was co-authored, I would think about learning theory, oh no, I still mess up so forgive me if you see a typo, grammatical error, misspelling, I'm human. I've read some blogs that are not even readable. No, forgiving myself here though I know better then to write poorly. As frustrating as it is this is fun stuff, blogging.

And about the Green Chatter, replacing something in your office or home? Buy Green by researching the manufacturer, material, etc. Fabric? Buy Hemp. Pillows, check it out for comfort and material, both are important. Office furniture? Who makes it and what is it composed of in material? This matter; it's your health in many cases. Think about that one!!

When discarding any electronic equipment keep it earth friendly. Knowing there are 7 toxic chemicals in chips, plastic, LCD screens, etc., please do not trash these devices. Finding a recycle source may be easier then you think. Ask retailers if they take products for recycling. Finding responsible community resources for answers on recycling information is growing rapidly. Be aware of "earth friendly" product too. Many are hopping on this band wagon with "Green Products" that are about as Green as plastic ingredient bisphenol.

It's your money, ask questions, learn to protect yourself and your family!

Every day something else jumps out at me about these environmental issues and I'm talking about the ones in our homes and offices. The newest concern is something called Bromine orBrominated Flame Retardants (BFR) which are in polymers added to computers, TV's, cable, form furniture, etc. According to PC World BFR can impact immune & hormone systems in humans.

If we are becoming addicited to electronics, how is BFR impacting our daily exposure and ulimately our life, the chance to re-produce, disease or general health problems. If something as simple and complex as stress can impact health, what do toxins do?

An article in Life Science magazine April 2009 explains how critical honeybees are to re-pollination of flowers & food, especially apples, blueberries, broccoli and almonds. In 2007 60% of the domestic honeybees died. What we non-scientific people may not understand is human want of weed free yards is part of the problem. Wild bees and bats can not fill the gap left by the dead domestic bees. Removing all wild weeds also removes sources of nurtition and re-pollination of important fruits and vegetables. Little does the general population understand the interaction between nature and humans. Let's keep a few weed patches at least along the roadways.

LEED

I agree with leadership in energy, environment and design for architects and construction companies new buildings but it help environmental efforts if the electronics are using energy off the charts. CFO's, COO's and any accounting firm/personnel need to check the consumption prior to buying any e-products. Ask for manufacturer's technical reference guide and look at the energy page (s). Find out the break even point on usage now and usage for new products.

Saving on corporate dollars for overhead is important.

Benzene

What is Benzene? Benzene is a organic chemical found in many manufacturered products including furniture, carpet even pharmaceuticals.
Simple and inexpensive ways to eliminate Benzene is to buy plants, especially Peace Lilly, Janet Craig or Kentia Palm and the environment around you
will be clean.

Cans, cans, cans the are everywhere and recycling one can is equal to four hours of energy or electricity saved for lighting a light bulb.

Now if we can just figure out how to recycle all that plastic! Even the toilet seat is plastic as well as too too much in the kitchen.

DO NOT LITTER

It has been against the law for many years. Why do we still find cans, bottles, papers, an assortment of plastic lying on the streets of cities, neighborhoods and no the farm land is not a dumping ground. Being an example starts with parenthood. Teaching children about littering when they are wee ones may prevent high school age or college age not to pitch those coke cans, beer cans, vita drink bottles out the window. I even find money change on the street.

Protecting the earth includes protecting drainage off streets from items not easily disposed of by water. Oceans have become a dumping ground. STOP litters anywhere. We need to protect not destory.

Littering anywhere is hurtful to mankind. It is time to put the "ME" generation and thought process away. It's us that needs to work together, NOW.