Calculate Carbon Footprint + Buy Offsets to GREEN THE MAN!!!

[gyre]

I would actually recommend using electric radiant heat panels.
Aimed properly you can reduce energy by as much as 90%.
Really helps with leaky houses.
Quartz works too.

I would eventually like to build superinsulated.
A side benefit is the much cheaper heating and cooling equipment needed.

There is gas radiant equipment but it is not as efficient, especially due to venting.
And contrary to adverts, they all need to be vented.

The payback on attic venting is very fast and extends roof life as well.

[Archantael]

I wonder if any of these internal combusion engine redesign efforts will become reality? There's some cool concepts being floated here:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/concept ... index.html

[madmatt]

Trees only sequester carbon when they grow. Once a forest is mature not much more sequestering of carbon takes place, and when the tree burns, or falls and rots it is released again.

True, but trees are about a lot more than sequestering carbon. Tree planting (particularly in an urban setting) as a environmental action helps by reducing the amount of polluted runoff that flows into storm drains to the sea.

They also cool the surface temperature, and directly cool homes with their shade, reducing cooling costs.

I was also under the impression that plants do more with carbon than just "store" it (sequestering), but that they take in CO2 and emit oxygen. Don't know if that is different than the amount of carbon they sequester by amassing it in their mass.

[MikeVDS]

I've always wondered if anyone has information that shows how much CO2 a plant taken in from life to death. Would be interesting to compare different plants along with other data.

[unjonharley]

Ofton wounder about lawn mowers..What with 75 million house hold in the U S..Fat asses gotta have that noise or there aint no power..

[unjonharley]

Yesterday I bought a Zappy (persoal transport) and a monthly bus ticket..Our city buses are switching to natrual gas..Figure I save $40 now..And watching gas prices going up..Sides the thing is a bunch of fun, to shoot around in big box stores..I have an alterable tag on it.. No one can cahalleng me..

[The CO]

Unjohn, you talking about the ZapCars? From down on 12th street? What'd it run you? I've been thinking it would be perfect for around town stuff...

[unjonharley]

Unjohn, you talking about the ZapCars? From down on 12th street? What'd it run you? I've been thinking it would be perfect for around town stuff...

\/
The one I have is a three wheeled stand up model @ 800..Others are: sit down or one's with more power..


They have great trikes @ 900.. Or bikes @ 1K..


The cars and picks up run 15K..

A new model: three wheel one person, 75mph with a 200 mile range..It's a hot looking car..Big on the futuristic disign..

They also have one that looks like a hummer SUV.. It only go's 35mph and must stay on streets so posted or below

[thisisthatwhichis]

I've often wondered what the importance of carbon emissions is to life on the planet.
In a selfish way, it may be important to our species, and the recent atmospheric make-up of the planet, but it's actually helpful to other species, along with methane.
At one time, there was so little toxic oxygen, that many species thrived. Poison oxygen gases polluted the planet, and it wasn't until life adapted to utilize the oxygen that it is now more important than other atmospheric gases.... to some species.

Throughout history, each dominate species has had an impact on the environment of the planet. More importantly, the planet itself and solar impacts have defined the atmosphere in greater ways The life forces each contributed to their own form of pollution. Only evolution made it possible for new species to adjust.

One thing to remember, everything we have, everything created, manufactured, the keyboard I am typing on..... Came from the Earth.... And will one day return to it's atomic form....... on the Earth.


Don't get me wrong, I very much try to do what I can to reduce human impact on the environment, but don't see any benefit from sending money to someone that thinks they can really control any changes to the atmosphere.

[robbidobbs]

What do I do to offset my trip to BM?
I've been a vegetarian since 1996.
I smoke politically correct cigarettes.
I work 7 miles from my home and drive a compact toyota car.
My top heating bill this winter was $50.
The most recent new article of clothing was a bra, and this was last year.
I nearly exclusively buy used clothing.
My computer is over 10 years old and doing fine.
I currently am burning 2 lightbulbs, a computer and a refrigerator. No TV, no music, no heater, no flashy wall hangings.

This more than offsets me driving sunup to sundown as a primary function of my job at brc.

There are ways to just change the way you do things in your own life, giving money to a fund for this sounds like bs to me.
And wind power osterizes migrating birds.
Ratites are better for you than beef, and have a tiny fraction of the infrastructure impact, and you get a higher ratio of useable meat per animal. Why aren't we eating rea's and imu's? Marketing that's why.

Would you be comfortable reducing your meat consumption to 10% of what it is currently? Indefinitely?

And what kind of restaurant is at every fucking turnoff? A hamburger joint. They are the WORST offenders of being ecologically damaging. Cripes, macdonalds has decimated southern mexico to feed us. And they have an expected daily waste allotment. DAILY.
Now multiply that by the billions and billions served all over.
swoosh
That's the sound of topsoil being spilled into the oceans.

How many times have you purchased clothing new this year?
Wouldn't thrift stores be more conscientious?
Instead the folks in the back of thriftstores, in the sorting tables, literally
BALE the unwanted clothing and ship it to 3rd world countries, usually to make rag rugs for us dirty americans. And we're giving petroleum based clothing to those countries so poor they'll take anything. Yep, polyester in Africa. Makes sense don't it?
Just stop making stoopid clothing, build clothing to last, like out of hemp, and wear it until it's no longer functional as clothing.
How many shoes do you really fucking NEED?

Oh, you don't have a job where you can wear anything that is truly practical, versatile and comfortable?
Why not?
What is WRONG with this culture that we have to buy a gawddamn suit/dress/bathing suit every fucking year?
Or shopping is a national pastime?
Or feeling put out for not having enough money to buy shit we don't need?

The Ferryman will be paid.

[LeChatNoir]

I’ve been trying to learn about countering the emissions of my trip to BM. I’ve looked into carbon offsets and am still undecided about them. I can see how they could benefit a methane recovery group I’ve been working with, but so could contributing money to that organization directly.

I’m also thinking of investing that money in solar panels to run my and Karine’s computers and the sat. modem. I’m still interested in carbon offsets and finding a reputable company, but I’m starting to like the solar panels more.


Thanks for this thread, madmatt.

[gyre]

Unless you want the solar for backup, save your money.
You could spend it reducing the heat load on your house.
This is the most return for most people.
There is a lot you can do for vehicles too.
Trimming out air drag helps.
You can also fine tune the advance on the engine.
Big payoff there.

There is one place solar works.
Using it to ventilate your car or truck when it is parked, unless you always have a garage anyway.
It can be done without a battery too.

I can help you figure out how to vent your house better if you're interested.
The goal is an attic that reaches outside temperature almost immediately.
Most houses take till 11 pm to cool in the summer.
This is the biggest waste most people have in energy use.

[unjonharley]

There is such a thing a passive solor fan/heat movers..Don't cost much and make the sun work for you..No electric..I will have one on the van for BM..The hotter it get, the more the air mover works..


Over the past year I have cost my electric by 40%..This will cover the cost of my electric tramsportaton..The future gas saving will off set the drive to BM

Last year I cooled my house without AC..My bed room air must be clean for my health..I discovered the air cleaner works on it's side..Makes the perfect sleep fan..Cleaned the dirt under the house and vented the cool air from there..Used a cheap charcoal fltered fan..

Next will be light tubes in the dark areas of the house..This will mean a year around saving on lights..

[madmatt]

...Over the past year I have cost my electric by 40%...
Next will be light tubes in the dark areas of the house..This will mean a year around saving on lights..

I have replaced all lightbulbs in the house with energy saving flourescents. I also started unplugging all recharging thingies (phone, camera, etc), and unplugging PC and TV. We always use the shortest possible dishwasher cycle, without any drying function. Haven't noticed much difference in our bill though.

Oh well, even just the light bulbs saves resources by not buying as many because they last so damn long.

I drive a honda civic hybrid to work every day - the emissions are very very low, but honestly, the gas mileage in stop n go traffic is like 33 mpg, not that impressive.

When we redecorated our house, we put in bamboo flooring instead of hardwood or laminate, guess that's good. And all of our cleaning supplies are non toxic (orange oil spray, simple green, bio degradable dishwasher soap, etc.)

One day, I would very much like to get one of those kickass, luxurious old school mercedes diesels converted to a grease car by Lovecraft in Hollywood. Also would support a great local small biz. That will probably have to wait until gas gets to $5 a gallon though, or until we have our own garage to deal with the grease.

[unjonharley]

The lagest saver I have found is a clock on the water heater..

For the instance-on stuff,,TV sterio,dics vcr..All went on a power strip with a cut off clock..There are 7 (low voltage) thing on that one stripe Am going to get a remote switch for the bed room TV and stuff.. The movie dics player takes 7 watt just sitting there..The phone by the bed dose not take any juice..The entrance, hallway and junk/work room all have movment detectors..Cut a sky light in the entrance way..This summer I want to put a dormer on the work room..Just large enough for a window..It will make a great studio

[gyre]

TVs need a charge on the tube.
I would leave that plugged in.
But it's a choice.
I shut my computer all the way off but it is bothered by being unplugged.
Try the daylight cfls from walmart.
About $3.

[sean_y_lex]

I received this from a regional list... is it all true? no generators and no RVs allowed in the theme camps in 2007?


***

Subject: [regionals-list] Greening the Man

In 2007, we will calculate the amount of climate changing gases that are
released into the air by the construction and the burning of the Man and its
pedestal. This is called a carbon footprint. Then, we'll sponsor projects in
the outside world that will efface this imprint. Such actions might include
the planting of trees or the development of non-polluting energy resources.
Having played with fire, we'll take care to cleanse its atmospheric
playground.

We are taking some radical measures to ensure that Black Rock City will be
the largest "Green" community in the world. These steps will all be covered
soon in more detail but this is the outline.

1. A Vehicle free Playa.
No gas powered vehicles will be parked within the perimeter of Black Rock
City. We will have an adjacent parking area approximately a quarter of a
mile away. Cars and trucks will be able to unload at camp but then must
park in the lot. Those choosing to come in RVs will have a separate RV lot
to park in. We will also be operating a number of bio-diesel fueled buses to
bring you and your equipment from the parking area to your camps. Art Cars
will not be affected by this.

2. People are the Power.
Another step we are taking is a power grid for all of Burningman. We will
not be allowing generators this year unless they run on bio-diesel or a
solar source. We will be providing a solar power grid for Burningman
assisted by a "power plant" run by the power of Burningman attendees. We
will have bicycles and "hamster wheels" that YOU will use to power all of
Burningman. We are still working out how access to the grid will be
provided and details will be given soon.

3. "Burning Potties"
We have reached a deal with Incinolet http://incinolet.com/ to use their new
waste system that uses a powerful heater and blower to reduce your human
waste into ash. We will provide participants with plenty of ash bags. By
starting with these simple steps we will continue to ensure that Burningman
is a proving ground for a better society.

[MikeVDS]

Fortunately they are taking these steps. Hey, if we don't take the first steps you expect someone else to?

[sputnik]

I really don't see how that first one does anything at all about 'greening' the event. The others seem equally ridiculous. The fact that this was posted on April 1 makes me suspicious to say the least.

[MikeVDS]

The fact that this was posted on April 1 makes me suspicious to say the least.

I thought it was an obvious joke.

[sputnik]

Me too, but someone I know posted it around without thinking it through I guess.

[robotland]

Sheesh. NEXT you'll be saying that the planet Mars WON'T be closer to the playa than it's been in a thousand years...

[Json]

i feel that the contributing of something to reduce your carbon footprint is just something you should do for yourself... why would you want a mr clean world... green world

[Saki]

[quote="madmatt"][color=green][b]Calculate Carbon Footprint + Buy Offsets to GREEN THE MAN!!![/b]

This year, there is much more discourse than in previous years about "walking the environmental walk."

The theme is Green the Man, and BM for years has been a model of Leave No Trace ethos. But this year's theme makes it even more important to make Burning Man itself a more environmentally friendly event, in addition to being a loud call to protect the environment.

That has spawned lots of discussions like, how do I build a huge, cheap, disposal camp or village with a huge generator running 24/7, or camp for a week in a pollution spewing-RV with a chemical toilet, without [b]shitting[/b] on Mother Nature!?!?

I therefore propose to my own camp (Mystikal Mysfits) and to all participants at Burning Man 2007, to estimate your carbon footprint just for attending Burning Man, and purchase carbon offsets to reduce our contribution to global warming!


[b]My rough estimate using Carbonfund.org:[/b]

For 1 RV going 1,300 miles round trip to Black Rock City, at about 12 miles per gallon, and using a 4 Kw generator for 3 hours per day, for 8 days (96 Kw/hrs.), the carbon calculator estimates a carbon footprint of 1 ton, or 1 ton of CO2 emitted into the environment.

To offset that to a “zero carbonâ€

[madmatt]

No, carpooling in an economy car with a tent in the trunk and leaving your generator at home is a start. Keep your $14.

I already kept it! I kinda gave up on the whole buying carbon offsets thing after doing more reading about it. I feel that it's more realistic (for me) to not think of "offsetting" a single week per year with some single action, but by trying to reduce my pollution overall, throughout the year. So BM is a large pollution spew. I can live with it. We planted the trees anyway. We didn't use glowsticks anyway. I brought back all our camps dead batteries to give to household hazardous waste disposal, instead of going in the trash, then the landfill.

BTW - the trees we planted were also given as gifts on the playa, and people really loved it.

[Saki]

I like it.

[babeuf]

Stargeezer.........same problem with pocket gophers here in New Mexico. When I'm on my game and paying attention I get some stucco net wire and line my planting hole with that, then some compost, the tree, water, fill in some more and wrap the wire up to the trunk. Sometimes also up the trunk when the rabbits are in their full bloom as they have been these last few years. Bought about 6 acres 30 years ago and now have probably 200 trees on it. Easy are the Russian olive which grow well, can be moved easily when they sprout, and are good bird food and fix nitrogen. Also the locust trees. Have kept it Chinese elm free...disgusting trees but if you are desperate and seriously laid back they will cover your land with just some water. Nasty diseases and ugly to me. However the smart money is of course, fruit trees, which the gophers relish. Was just looking at Louisiana nutria recipes. They'd probably work well for gophers too. ;) Was just down in Peru working for my curandera friend, Cristina. In exchange for planting trees on her very steep hillsides on her 800 acres of grazed and logged over Amazonas land she teaches her traditional medicine ways. Unlimited opportunities down there for reducing your carbon foot plop. Wondering how many trees I needed to plant just for the flight there however as my PC demons attack. ;(