Question: Why don't we start to make companies sell hybrid cars or car pool? SEE ANSWER > In our science class were building cities for the future of 2050. But where to start? SEE ANSWER > How can we make a green house? And how can we support your green house? SEE ANSWER > What can we do about all the poisonous plastic particles building up in the ocean? SEE ANSWER > I would like to know the path that I should take to get a job as a car designer. SEE ANSWER > I am doing a project at school and I want to know how to make a better planet and how can I stop all the trash from getting on the floor.SEE ANSWER > We have to build a city in our science class. We have to put 5 things in there. What's the best thing to put that is also good for the environment? It's for the future 2050.SEE ANSWER > What can I do to fight climate change? SEE ANSWER > What can kids/students do to fight climate change?SEE ANSWER > What can parents do with their kids to fight climate change?SEE ANSWER > What is a “green” school?SEE ANSWER > How can I green my school? SEE ANSWER > What can my classroom/school do for Earth Day?SEE ANSWER > What can my classroom/school do to fight climate change?SEE ANSWER > I am a teacher, where are some resources to teach about this subject?SEE ANSWER > Why don’t we have national standards for environmental education like we do for math and science?SEE ANSWER > How do we fundraise for change, especially in a sustainable manner?SEE ANSWER > What major changes do we need to make as earthlings to really slow down or stop global warming? SEE ANSWER > What are the most exciting things going on right now with green building technology?  SEE ANSWER > What will the future look like for a small town in Arkansas called Dumas? SEE ANSWER > What is CI doing to promote conservation of less charismatic species such as amphibians and reptiles?SEE ANSWER >

To: Steve Wozniak, Co-founder, Apple Computer Inc.

Why don't we start to make companies sell hybrid cars or car pool? Gas might be lower if we use less gas. The gas company would say we can lower prices because they are not making money. Are these good ideas?

Answer:

The way I see things, individuals have problems taking actions for the common good.

It is here that government should step in to restrain actions for the benefit of the people.

The Prius is about the only hybrid car that is good enough to say it truly saves. It may not save very much in terms of total resources but possibly in terms of pollution.

Here's a big problem. You not only have to look for green ways to use energy, but you have to take into account the non-greenness of producing that energy too.

Without extremely difficult analysis, which may not apply in the next case you examine, the best estimate for the energy to produce something is its cost. The lower the cost, the less energy that was used in its lifetime. In the case of a car, the energy used to create the car, from digging ores to make metal parts, etc., can be estimated as the cost of the car. Add to that the cost of gasoline over time and you come out with something where the Prius is in the same ballpark as other cars of similar size and speed.

So some green aspect are easy to see but the net is not.

Now let's assume that a lot of the energy used to manufacture the car is in a state where the energy is very green. Perhaps it's mostly electric power from hydroelectric power plants. Or wind farms. Then this energy uses the amount of natural resources represented in the cost of the energy but it comes without pollution, at least not particles in the air.

In the case of a hybrid car you might be able to analyze the pollution cost related to the energy to make that car at one main assembly plant. You could use some sort of 'average' number for other things, like the cost of the metals.

It's a rush to judgment to say that hybrids really are that much cleaner. I do believe that they are. I have engineering documents (one enclosed) that show incredible engineering to limit pollution from the engine. But it's not the sum, not the net story, that type of pollution.

Another aspect is that the smaller a car you drive, the less you pollute, by any measure. Tiny cars like the Honda Insight might even get the mileage of a Prius but they don't do the same job. They don't carry up to 5 passengers and lots of luggage and large things like several Segways. They don't accelerate well either.

Look at the tiny Segway. It gets the equivalent of hundreds of miles per gallon due to its small size. I use mine all the time into town to shop or dine or entertain. But I can't carry much on these trips, maybe a backpack or slightly more. It's like a bicycle. Look how pollution free that is. The trouble is, you're not comparing apples to apples.

We need to find the products that have human intelligence applied by great engineers to really get more for less.

By the way, the city of San Jose used to let hybrids park for free on the street and in city lots. But now they only let the three least polluting hybrids (Prius, Civic, Insight) park free. This is based on pollution figures. SULEV is Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (the Honda ones) and PZEV is Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (Prius). It took San Jose a second try to realize (they were probably told) that not all hybrids are necessarily lower polluting.

Also, Stacey (and Jose), think about an electric car. The electric car seems to be pollution free. But it's probably expensive (Tesla over $100,000) and that translates to a lot of pollution making it. Ignoring that, per mile it might be more polluting than a gas car. How? You get your electricity out of the wall. If it comes from coal burning plants, they are the worst emitters of CO2. A full analysis as to whether an electric car is more or less polluting than a gas car in very difficult, and varies according to where your electricity originates.

Consider this. If it takes more energy to create a solar cell (photovoltaic cell) than that cell produces back in its life, then it's a loser.

So before we force things on people, be careful. It's much better to try to mandate slightly greater fuel economy, but that means changing values to not want as much performance. It's harder to approach people who drive and have their values set. The best approach is probably to try and get good values into our youth. Books (fictional stories with heroes that make less do more) and movies and science fairs and the like are keys to this. But we are often overcoming the sports mentality of "more is better."

Back to the starting point, if we mandate things like hybrids, some of us feel that we have good principles. So we feel good even if we are technically wrong. We can always say that these 'good' values will only be reached if we start emphasizing them in some way, productive or not.

Wish I had better comments,
Woz (I love my Prius)

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To: Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
From: Lidiana, Cesar Chavez/ Aztlan Academy, Grade 9

In our science class were building cities for the future of 2050. But where to start? We have to put 5 things in our city and it has to be everything good, friendly and safe for the environment. We want to do something with movement but have no idea how?

Answer:
Look at these areas of any building:

• Siting (how it is oriented to the sun and wind)
• Water Efficiency
• Energy Use
• Materials Use
• Indoor Air Quality

And think about how you can improve these things in your building. How can you save energy? How can you reduce the amount of water a building uses? How can we use materials in a way that doesn't destroy the planet?

Asking questions is a great place to start.

If I only had five things to choose:

1. non-toxic paints
2. lots of fresh air and natural light
3. recycled finishes and materials
4. solar panels on the roof
5. low flush toilets and low flow sinks

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To: Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
From: Reyna and Kristen

Question: How can we make a green house? And how can we support your green house?

Answer:
A green house is one that looks at how to improve how it uses materials, energy and water. Look at your own home. How are you using, and maybe even WASTING, those things?

That is the best place to start.

I also suggest you take a look at:
http://www.greenhomeguide.com
as a great free website.

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To: Dr. Emily Pidgeon, Pidgeon - Water
From: Cynthia Everson

Question: What can we do about all the poisonous plastic particles building up in the ocean?

Answer:
Dear Cynthia,

Thanks for your question and especially for highlighting an important issue we often don't think about because we on land may not see all the plastic in the ocean.

Although the first plastics were invented over a century ago, they have only been in widespread use by the general public since World War II. Plastics are popular because they are cheap, flexible and durable. It is the durable nature of plastic which causes the problem in the ocean: plastics slowly break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Millions of tiny pieces of plastic have even been found mixing with sand on beaches.

Plastics, even tiny pieces, can be poisonous to animals that eat them because they can soak up a lot of toxic chemicals. But the main problem is that sea animals -turtles, birds, mammals- can be killed from eating plastic bags which look like jellyfish, plastic bottle tops which look like eggs, and so on.

The way to reduce plastics in the ocean is to reduce plastic use. Plastics get into the ocean directly from the beach, but also by washing into the ocean from streams and rivers. A bottle someone throws from their car onto the street can wash into a storm drain when it rains, then into a local river and eventually end up in the ocean. Plastics also end up in the ocean when recreational boaters, fishermen and even some cruise ships dump their trash directly into the sea or when garbage washes off boats by accident.

There are many alternatives for regular plastic bags and bottles. For example, there are some new types of plastic being made from natural ingredients like corn that are biodegradable (break down quickly and naturally in the environment) and aren't toxic for people or animals.

Some countries have introduced a tax on plastic bags that has been very successful encouraging people to bring their own reusable cloth bags. Cloth bags with conservation messages or art can even help spread the word about your concern for our oceans - and they have the added advantage of not breaking and scattering oranges everywhere just as you're crossing the street!

Here are a few things you can do:

1. Make an effort to use less plastic - take your own bags to the store, reduce or avoid plastic products like drink bottles.
2. Ask the companies who produce bottles to consider biodegradable plastic or glass for their products.
3. Ask the stores you shop at to use biodegradable bags, to sell cloth bags cheaply, and/or to charge for the plastic/paper bags they give away.
4. Don't litter!
5. Organize or participate in a clean-up event of a local stream or beach. If you live near a beach, you can participate in International Coastal Clean-up Day.

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To: Vicki Vlachakis, Transportation
From: Ganesan, Bombay University

Hi. I am an aspiring car designer and have been learning car designing on my own. I would like to know the path that I should take to get a job as a car designer. Also, I'd like to send some of my sketches to you for your assessment. It would be of great help if I could get some advice from a seasoned designer like you.

Answer:
Hi Ganesan,

Transportation Design is a great field to be in right now because of the focus on clean energy and all the paths that are being explored. There are a few design schools that offer transportation design as a major.

The most established colleges are Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and Center of Creative Studies in Detroit Michigan. The usual path one takes in order to get a job in the car industry is by attending one of these schools.

The way I started out was by taking night classes at Art Center College of Design and developing my portfolio over the course of a couple of semesters. This is a really effective way to both understand what it takes to come up with concepts for vehicle and also how to communicate those concepts through sketches. You can also get a feel for whether you even enjoy designing cars by taking just one class.

I will contact you directly if you would like to send me your work and get some feedback.

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To: Vicki Vlachakis, Transportation
From: Elisa, Ceser Chavez School, Grade 6

I am doing a project at school and I want to know how to make a better planet and how can I stop all the trash from getting on the floor.

Answer:
That's a good question. The best way to stop the build-up of trash is to first realize that we are all responsible for it and that we should be good stewards of our plant since it's the only one we have. We can do this with simple things like separating our trash into biodegradable trash, which simply means that it will decompose naturally and not have negative impact, and recyclable trash like glass, metal, paper, and plastic. We can also do our best at supporting a green lifestyle, which means that we try to reuse things like our grocery bags so that we don't end up with more trash than necessary.

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To: Jennifer McCullough, Global Ecology
From: Lidiana, Cesar Chavez School, Grade 9

We have to build a city in our science class. We have to put 5 things in there. What's the best thing to put that is also good for the environment? It's for the future 2050.

Answer:
Dear Lidiana,

Your project sounds like a good idea. I think that one of the most important elements in a city can be trees. Trees help shade the street and buildings, cooling things down on a hot day. They can help to catch some of the dust cars and other city traffic can kick up, helping to clean the air. Some trees have flowers or fruits to add color to the scenery. People can eat apples and cherries from trees, too. They can use the wood when the tree is old and gets replaced with a younger tree. And birds sometimes find good homes in them, adding natural music to our streets as well.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What can I do to fight climate change?

Answer:
According to the U.S. EPA, “climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer).” Driven by emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, the Earth’s climate has been getting steadily warmer over the past years, especially since the Industrial Revolution. 

You can help slow the effects of climate change by reducing your ecological footprint, the measure of your consumption of natural resources, including carbon emissions. When possible, walk or ride a bike instead of driving your car. Reduce your energy consumption, including electricity, heating and air conditioning, and water. Recycle your plastics and papers and switch to reusable products instead of disposable ones. Overall, be mindful of how you use Earth’s limited resources.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What can kids/students do to fight climate change?

Answer:
Kids can fight climate change just like anyone else, and it may even be easier for them to adjust their lifestyle. Encourage kids to turn off the lights when they leave their rooms and to take quick showers to conserve water. Bicycling is great because it’s fun and healthy while avoiding fossil fuel consuming vehicles. A few other ideas are: buy organic food, use nontoxic art supplies (Art & Creative Materials Institute), and pack a waste-free lunch.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What can parents do with their kids to fight climate change?

Answer:
Parents and their children can fight climate change by encouraging healthy and sustainable choices in their homes. Set limits on the amount of time kids watch TV or spend on the computer and encourage electronic-free family time, such as going outside! Ride bikes with your kids to their school and other close destinations. Parents can discuss with their children the importance of energy conservation and ways they can help, like turning off the lights and not letting the water run. Teaching kids early on to practice sustainable methods such as taking reusable bags to the grocery store instills environmentally friendly habits that they carry for the rest of their lives.  For a full list of suggestions, check out this tip sheet.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What is a “green” school?

Answer:
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, a green school is a “school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money.” Green schools emit few greenhouse gases and can significantly reduce energy costs for the building. Studies have found that green schools have much higher attendance rates and better student health than traditional schools. A few ways to green a school include switching to energy efficient light bulbs, planting a school garden, using daylight instead of electric bulbs, and reducing school bus and vehicle idling on school grounds.  For a detailed list, contact me at miller@earthday.net.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

How can I green my school?

Answer:
There is no single answer to this question—almost every aspect of a school can be improved and made environmentally friendly. Schools can reduce energy costs by using energy efficient light bulbs or simply by using natural daylight. They can also use renewable energy such as solar or wind power. Healthy cleaning supplies improve student and staff health, as does removing chemical pesticides and using more environmentally friendly brands. Planting trees and bushes around the grounds or on the school roof increases the amount of carbon absorbed and provides shade to cool the buildings. Buses and other vehicles idling on school grounds cause buildup of fuel emissions in the air and potentially inside the school buildings, so make your parking lot an idle-free zone. For more ideas on how to green your school, visit this online lesson plan.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What can my classroom/school do for Earth Day?

Answer:
Earth Day is celebrated internationally on April 22. On Earth Day, your school can plant trees and native plants on the grounds or start a school garden that can grow vegetables for your cafeteria. You can hold an Earth fair outside with games and activities that are fun, educational, and environmentally friendly. Be sure to advertise your Earth Day events well in advance. You don’t even have to wait until April 22—teach environmental education lessons in the classrooms before Earth Day, and hold a competition to see which classroom can collect the most recyclables. Announce the winners at the Earth Day events and give them an eco-friendly prize. For more Earth Day activities and ideas, visit our Earth Day website at http://www.earthday.net.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

What can my classroom/school do to fight climate change?

Answer:
Just like your home, school buildings use a lot of energy to power electricity, water, and heating and cooling systems. One can make posters (like Envision 2050!) to hang around the school encouraging students to turn off lights, computers and other electronics when not in use.  Assign an “energy monitor” for each classroom who makes sure that electronics are switched off at the end of the day. Your school can also support sustainable agriculture by purchasing local food for the cafeteria or planting your own garden on school grounds. Have the school bus parking lot a “no idling zone” to prevent wasteful fuel emissions (more info here). Schools have many opportunities to release greenhouse gases, but they also have many opportunities to reduce or eliminate these emissions as well.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

I am a teacher, where are some resources to teach about this subject?

Answer:
Many environmental organizations offer lesson plans on environmental education topics ranging from climate change and energy to life science and biodiversity. Each year, the National Environmental Education Foundation sponsors National Environmental Education Week (Earth Day Network is a national partner). This is a week of environmental education both inside and outside the classroom. For more information about EE Week, visit their website. Earth Day also provides a large number of environmental lesson plans and ideas, online here.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

Why don’t we have national standards for environmental education like we do for math and science?

Answer:
When the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was implemented in 2001, it set federal education standards for the first time in American history. Unfortunately, these standards only include math, English, traditional science subjects, and civics. Less traditional subjects such as some social sciences, physical and health education, fine arts, foreign languages and environmental education have no “official” federal standards and are often reduced or cut out of school curricula to make room for standardized test instruction. In 2007, an amendment was proposed that would include integration of environmental education and teacher training into NCLB. Congress isn’t done yet with the 2007 reauthorization of NCLB containing this amendment, so to learn how you can help, visit the No Child Left Inside Campaign’s website here.

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network

How do we fundraise for change, especially in a sustainable manner?

Answer:
Although school greening projects pay off in the long run, they are initially expensive. Schools on tight budgets may need financial help through fundraising. Traditional fundraising by selling wrapping paper or magazines often contributes to several environmental problems. These products use a lot of paper and usually aren’t recycled. Selling candy bars and other junk food not only encourages unhealthy diets, but in many cases supports unsustainable farming practices where the food is produced.

When you fundraise, choose sustainable alternatives. You can sell fair trade items such as coffee or chocolate and ensure that part of the revenue will go directly to the farmers and producers. You can also hold a book drive to collect used books from students and families. Reselling these books brings in direct profit for your cause and encourages reading among students. When fundraising, be sure to consider the environmental and economic impacts of the products you sell.  For more ideas, check out this list of suggestions.  

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To: Sean Miller, Earth Day Network
From: Gregory Bryan 

What major changes do we need to make as earthlings to really slow down or stop global warming? 

Answer:
We "earthlings" have already put quite a lot of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In fact, humans have been emitting widespread pollution since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s. At this point, cutting carbon emissions tomorrow to zero would not stop the process of global warming.

But there is hope! If each person works to reduce their individual carbon footprint, the measure of their own environmental impact, we can slow climate change. We should make sustainable and environmentally conscious choices regarding everything from what we eat, how we travel, what we buy, and where we buy it from. Simple changes such as riding a bike to school or work and using daylight to light a room (instead of electricity) can truly add up. Also, scientists such as NASA's James Hansen believe we can level off the warming and avoid much of the "extreme" possibilities of climate change. Therefore, We all need to work together to preserve our planet and its resources by fighting global warming any way we can.

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To: Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
From: Cary North 

What are the most exciting things going on right now with green building technology?  

Answer:
Cary
This is a wondrous time to be alive. I have compiled a short list of the things I am most excited about:

1. Contour Crafting
Robots building homes the way they build cars

2. Biocomposite Materials
Plastics made from corn, not oil:
http://www.natureworksllc.com/corporate/nw_pack_home.asp
Part of a Cradle to Cradle concept.

3. Agricultural Waste Streams into Materials
Cabinets, doors and panels made of wheat, straw and seed shells:
www.environbiocomposites.com
www.citilogs.com
www.dow-bioproducts.com
www.kireiusa.com
www.meadowoodindustries.com
www.biobased.net

4. Prefab Construction Methods
Prefab is hot right now, and most of these companies are also green. Each has gotten individual press, but nothing on all of them as a trend.
http://www.fabprefab.com/
http://www.cleverhomes.net
http://www.glidehouse.com
http://www.livinghomes.us

5. Building Integrated Photovoltaics
http://www.elero-linear.de/

6. Photovoltaic Solar Concentrators
http://www.energyinnovations.com/sunflower250.html
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.07/solar.html
http://www.stirlingenergy.com

7. Active System Buildings:
internet controlled weather stations set sprinklers, window shades and fresh air intake
http://hydropoint.com/

8. Schools are using Relocatable Classroom buildings.
I just find this a strange trend. It seems that schools can't even afford real buildings anymore.

9. Landfill Mining:
Turns out that a ton of dead computers has more gold in it than 17 tons of ore. As a result, "landfill mining" may start becoming a common practice. I can imagine it being practical for other things besides gold too.
You can see why the future holds some incredible possibilities.

Eric Corey Freed
Principal, organicARCHITECT
Author, "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies"  

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To: Conrad Savy, Conservation International
From: Matthew Miller, Dumas Jr. High - grade: 8th

What will the future look like for a small town in Arkansas called Dumas?

Answer:
Dear Matthew, 
I’ve never been to Dumas, Arkansas so I don’t know exactly what kinds of environmental problems you might be facing there. However I do know that the future of most places where people live depend on what those communities decide they want. What kind of community do you have now and what do you want it to be? Can people walk, bike or take public transport to shop, go to school or work? Does your community protect open space and habitat for native plants and animals? Do people take care of streams and lakes? Do people care about the health of their environment and are they willing to take responsibility for it? 

You can be a part of the future of your town. Start by finding out more about your ecological address. To get to know your ecological address, look at a maps or satellite images (Google Earth is a great place to start) of your town and figure out where the natural habitats like forests, grasslands or streams are. Then get outside and see them! Take a walk through the places you live and the surrounding natural areas. What cool things live there? What problems exist? Here are just a few questions to get you started on the environmental side of things: 

• What species share your backyard or the parks near your home? Are any threatened? Are any endemic (found only there and nowhere else)? Why? What is being done to protect them?
• What’s the state of your watershed (When water runs down your street and into a storm drain, where does it end up? Where does your drinking water come from? How clean are the streams and lakes near your town?)
• Where does your energy come from? How much energy do you use at home or at school?

 Get together with your family, friends, or teachers to find out more about the creatures and plants that make up your environment (get a field guide). If there are problems in the environment where you live, choose one you can help solve. Talk with environmental experts from local government or citizen groups to learn more. Then make a plan and starting creating the future you want for Dumas. 

Good luck. 
Conrad 

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To: Conrad Savy, Conservation International
From: Kelsey Poole, American University - Sophomore 

What is CI doing to promote conservation of less charismatic species such as amphibians and reptiles?

Answer:
Dear Kelsey, 
Thanks for your question. CI thinks that all species are important, not just the fuzzy ones. “Charismatic” is subjective of course – a lot of us at CI happen to really like weirder creatures like the Lake Titicaca frog because of its weird looks and amazing habits! Or the newly discovered giant elephant shrew which is a cousin to elephants, aardvarks and manatees. There are a whole bunch of creatures and plants out there that contribute to the earth’s biodiversity and which need our help. 

Here are a few of the ways we protect species: 

1. Through the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science and our partnerships with research institutions around the world, CI works to learn more about threatened species – where they live, how they are doing, what threats they face. One key resource we use is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – a giant database that is collects this information on all the species of the world. So far they have information on all the world’s amphibians. We are working with partners to get information on all the world’s mammals (over 5,400 species) and to understand the status of nearly 20,000 marine species from corals to sea grasses to sharks. We use this data to choose where we will focus our attention and resources first and to convince others to join us. One of our partnership initiatives is called the Alliance for Zero Extinction, which maps the places on Earth that need to be protected immediately in order to keep the most highly threatened species on the Red List, many found in only one or two sites on the entire planet, from going extinct. Most of the 595 AZE species we currently work on are animals and plants no one has ever heard of from places very few have ever been.
    
2. The major reason species (cute and otherwise) are in trouble is habitat loss – over 80% of species are in trouble because they have lost the places they live. CI works with governments, communities and businesses to create and manage protected areas that help whole communities of species survive in the wild where they belong. We also work with landowners to protect habitat on farms, ranches and other privately owned land.
    
3. We use the power of communications to draw attention to the plight of threatened species, help people learn and develop positive attitudes towards ALL life on Earth. That means everything from toads to tigers. While it’s true that many campaigns use charismatic species that people naturally love, we’ve found that you can generate interest and excitement about the weird ones as well. We recently launched a Leap Year campaign on the plight of amphibians and have done other local campaigns on species such as the Armadillo lizard and the Clanwilliam Ceder tree in South Africa (my home country).
    
4. Many species, such as turtles and pangolins from Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains are threatened due to wildlife trade. CI’s Wildlife Trade Program works to curb both demand and supply of threatened wildlife through research, campaigns, local community agreements and enforcement.

Cheers,
 Conrad

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