tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86874405188392369292024-03-07T23:00:12.537-05:00feel green goodThoughts, ideas and tactics on how we can be more environmentally friendly in our daily lives by reducing waste, recycling, using environmentally responsible products and renewable energy. By Saverio ManzoSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-11490206051336332852015-09-25T15:41:00.001-04:002015-09-25T15:41:29.170-04:00Volkswagen "not so clean after all" - One of the biggest Green Hits seen"Not only will you get much better mileage consumption with our cars, saving you gas money and less gas used is better for the environment, <b><i>but our diesel gas engines burn cleaner than all other car engines</i></b>".<br />
<br />
- a typical Volkswagen salesman "pitch" to a car buyer.<br />
<br />
Dats VolksVagon.<br />
<br />
Selling large numbers of “Clean Diesels” was central to VW’s scheme for cracking the American market, a weak spot, which in turn was a vital part of the plan to overtake Toyota of Japan as the world’s largest carmaker. The grand strategy that Mr Winterkorn had overseen now lies in ruins.<br />
<br />
<br />
Yet the biggest effects of the scandal will be felt across the Atlantic. VW’s skulduggery raises the question of whether other carmakers have been up to similar tricks, either to meet Europe’s laxer standards on NOx emissions or its comparable ones on fuel economy—and hence on emissions of carbon dioxide. BMW and Mercedes, VW’s two main German peers, rushed to insist that they had not. However, in Europe, emissions-testing is a farce. The carmakers commission their own tests, and regulators let them indulge in all sorts of shenanigans, such as removing wing mirrors during testing, and taping up the cracks around doors and windows, to reduce drag and thus make the cars burn less fuel. Regulators also tolerate software a bit like VW’s, that spots when a car is being tested and switches the engine into “economy” mode. This is why the fuel efficiency European motorists achieve on the road is around 40% short of carmakers’ promises.<br />
<br />
<br />
At least America’s regulators, unlike Europe’s, sometimes stage their own tests to verify the manufacturers’ findings. But it is time this whole system was swept away and replaced, everywhere, with fully independent testing of cars in realistic driving conditions. Now, with outrage at VW’s behaviour at its height, is the moment to act. That would mean overcoming the objections of carmakers. But it also requires European regulators to change their attitudes to diesel, which accounts for half of cars sold on the continent. Diesel vehicles can be very economical on fuel (and thus emit relatively little carbon dioxide) but often at the cost of increased NOx emissions. That trade-off has been decided in diesel’s favour by Europe’s lousy testing regime and more lenient NOx-emissions standards.<br />
<br />
See no diesel<br />
<br />
Even if other makers of diesel vehicles have not resorted to the same level of deception as VW, the scandal could mean that these cars struggle to meet standards applied rigorously to both types of emission. Some fear that this may be the “death of diesel”. So be it. There is still scope to improve the venerable petrol engine; and to switch to cleaner cars that run on methane, hydrogen and electricity, or are hybrids. A multi-billion-dollar race is already under way between these various technologies, with makers often betting on several of them as the way to meet emissions targets. If VW’s behaviour hastens diesel’s death, it may lead at last, after so many false starts, to the beginning of the electric-car age.<br />
<br />
From the print edition: Leaders<br />
<br />
full article: www.economist.com/news/leaders/21666226-volkswagens-falsification-pollution-tests-opens-door-very-different-car<br />
<br />
saverio manzo<br />
<br />Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-35225203249666986872012-06-26T18:49:00.004-04:002012-06-26T18:49:57.390-04:00Going Green is Expensive - Myth or Not?<br />
<h2 class="location">
Why you should care about going green, even if you don’t care about the planet<br />
<div class="reference">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</h2>
<div class="main_left">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Some executives believe the myth that going green is expensive—and I
don’t blame them. When Conservative MP John Baird was Environment
Minister, he told a 2007 Canadian Senate hearing that meeting our Kyoto
goals would manufacture a recession. I ran into John in Toronto shortly
thereafter and asked if he’d seen the just-released McKinsey &
Company study showing that 40 per cent of the CO2 we have to cut in
North America to meet our Kyoto goals would be highly profitable, and if
society invested those profits in the next lowest-cost solutions, we’d
get all the way to achieving the Kyoto targets at no cost to society. </span><br />
<br />
He hadn’t seen the study and wasn’t interested when I offered to send it to him. <br />
<br />
There are a couple of important points in this story. First, the study
wasn’t from an environmental group; this was one of the preeminent
management consulting firms worldwide, the kind of people you’d expect
Conservatives to trust. And second, McKinsey was alerting business
leaders to the fact that going green is highly profitable. <br />
<br />
Sustainability is profitable because it cuts costs, raises revenue and mitigates risks. And I can prove it. <br />
<br />
Carpet maker Interface has been on an aggressive sustainability journey
for the last 15 years, driving US$450 million to the bottom line in cost
savings, equal to 28 per cent of the company’s cumulative operating
profit over the period, and helping it double profitability. <br />
<br />
General Electric’s Ecomagination initiative, launched in 2005, has seen
GE grow revenues from green products and services by US$85 billion over
the period. And GE’s green revenues are growing at twice the rate of the
rest of the company, so the initiative is great for the top line, not
just the bottom line. <br />
<br />
And finally, going green mitigates risk. When oil rose to US$147 a
barrel, General Motors, once the most mighty and powerful U.S. company,
went bankrupt as consumers turned away from buying fuel-inefficient
cars. Is your business and value chain prepared for oil to spike to
US$225 a barrel, as predicted by Jeff Rubin, former chief economist of
CIBC World Markets? <br />
<br />
Energy and fuel efficiency are not only a strategy for mitigating risk
against rising energy prices, they’re also a critical strategy for
attracting and retaining the best and brightest employees. In North
America, we are about to experience the largest number of retirements
ever, as baby boomers head for the golf course. Younger employees are
more idealistic, so if your company, organization or industry is not
aggressively pursuing sustainability, then recruitment and retention
will prove to be both costly and challenging. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #c00000;">Radical fuel efficiency</span></strong> <br />
<br />
But wait, there’s more. <br />
<br />
The financial benefit of going green is far beyond what most people
realize. The fuel efficiency of the average North American mid-size <a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-ontario/insurance-quotes-ontario.php" target="_blank">car Ontario</a> is 21 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.
Shell sponsors the annual fuel efficiency Eco-Marathon competition, and
the current record is 12,665 miles on a single gallon. As a caveat, what
teams submit to the competition really aren’t cars, they are
ultra-light, aerodynamically designed vehicles. Nonetheless, the
competition highlights just how little innovation on fuel efficiency
there has been among North American car companies. In this competition,
even mass-produced cars have been modified to achieve almost 400 miles
on a single gallon. <br />
<br />
But it’s not just our transportation system that’s grossly inefficient:
so is the way we produce electricity in North America. Co-generation is a
simple technology that would triple the efficiency of our electric
grid. Two thirds of the energy from burning coal, gas or uranium to
generate electricity in North America is wasted as heat that’s vented
from the process. By contrast, Denmark is the global leader in
co-generation—also known as combined heat and power (CHP), which makes
use of “waste” heat to heat buildings and even whole cities. The Danish
also use very high temperature storage to store heat when energy isn’t
needed. <br />
<br />
And there are practical and proven existing technologies we could use to
dramatically cut energy use. Take, for instance, lighting. The majority
of North Americans still use a 100-year-old technology: Thomas Edison’s
incandescent light bulb. This is a grossly inefficient device: 80 per
cent of the electricity it burns generates heat, not light. In fact,
incandescent light bulbs are misnamed; they should be called heat bulbs.
And lighting accounts for 24 per cent of the electricity consumed in
North America, and 18 per cent worldwide. <br />
<br />
Shifting from incandescent lighting to LEDs (light emitting diodes) cuts
electricity use by 80 per cent. According to the US Department of
Energy, the adoption of LEDs will save Americans the equivalent of 334
million barrels of oil a year. We are at the start of a lighting
revolution: the price-performance ratio of LED lights is currently
improving 200-fold every decade, so by 2020 it will be the dominant form
of lighting in Western developed nations. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #c00000;">Sears Canada</span></strong> <br />
<br />
And the revolution is already underway. Sears Canada has just completed a
US$4.5 million LED lighting retrofit that has a 13-month payback. Sears
replaced 130,000 incandescent 60-watt spotlights with 15-watt LEDs in
170 stores across Canada. The change is saving Sears more than 20
million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, making it the
largest-ever LED lighting retrofit in Canada. <br />
<br />
Because LEDs last for 50,000 hours compared to 4,000 hours for
incandescent lights, there’s a significant labour saving in not having
to replace burnt out bulbs: $800,000 a year, a 94 per cent reduction in
maintenance costs over the lifetime of the bulbs. But these savings were
not even included in the payback calculations, as no maintenance staff
is going to be laid off because of the changeover. Instead, their time
will be redeployed to other work. <br />
<br />
The impact of energy efficiency on profitability is significant. Sears
Canada reported a loss for its most recent fiscal year, but if the
company was operating on three per cent net profits—as Walmart
does—saving US$4.5 million in a year due to energy efficiency would be
equal to generating US$150 million of additional top-line sales. In a
challenging market, energy efficiency is a powerful profit driver. <br />
<br />
With a payback of 13 months, shouldn’t every company be aggressively pursuing energy efficiency retrofits? <br />
<br />
And Sears’ payback accelerates as electricity rates rise. And rise they
will: Ontario’s electricity prices are predicted to rise 30 per cent
from 2010 to 2015. Therefore, investing in energy efficiency pays
financial returns that will increase over time. <br />
<br />
Sustainability offers companies fantastic financial returns by cutting
costs, raising revenue and mitigating risk. And members of corporate
boards who are not ensuring their companies are doing so are failing in
their fiscal duty. </div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<span style="background-color: white;">Compliments</span>: <span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;">Jim Harris, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;">June 21, 2012</span></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
Saverio Manzo</div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/index.php" target="_blank">Ontario car insurance</a> regulator, The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO),
regulates over 30 car insurance providers that provide Ontario car insurance
quotes to consumers, all of which are in good standing. Recent legislative
changes are attempting to prevent ongoing fraud and reduce car insurance costs. </span></b></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>
<div class="main_left">
<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Ontario Provincial Police sergeant Dave Woodford
notes that Canada, and in particular Ontario, has some of the strictest
distracted driving laws and other regions in North America are looking to the
province when modelling their own programs. Distracted driving has become one
of the top four factors in collisions resulting in fatalities or serious
injuries. Where many regions focus only on text use, Ontario’s driving laws
cover texting and cellphones, plus factor in other acts of carelessness not
related to technology like applying makeup or fumbling with coffee. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></div>
<div class="main_left">
<br /></div>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-20591269825750592152011-12-23T10:33:00.000-05:002011-12-23T10:33:31.965-05:00Simple, Helpful and Useful Winter Conservation Tips<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some simple, helpful and useful winter conservation tips: <o:p></o:p></span></div><ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Install a programmable thermostat:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> When properly set, a thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10 per cent. Set your thermostat to 20°C when you're at home and 18°C when sleeping or away.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Protect against drafts:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Install weatherstrip around doors, fireplace dampers, attic hatches and air conditioners. Reducing drafts can save up to 30 per cent a year on heating costs.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flip your furnace filter:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Change your furnace filter monthly. It's also a good idea to have your furnace serviced by a professional every year to ensure it is running at maximum efficiency.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Go off-peak: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Take advantage of lower energy prices during off-peak hours. Run your dishwasher, washer and dryer early in the morning, in the evening or on weekends when electricity rates are lowest.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unplug it:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Be sure to unplug electronic items not in use. Devices like computers, TVs, and cell phone chargers continue to consume small amounts of electricity unless they are unplugged. Try plugging these items into a power bar with a switch or timer, so you can easily turn them off when they are not needed.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lock in the heat:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Block heat from entering unused areas of your house, like a storage room or crawlspace, by closing doors. Keep closet doors shut too.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opt for efficient lighting:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> When it's time to replace a light bulb, choose energy-efficiency compact florescent lights (CFLs, LEDs), rather than incandescent lights. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let the sun shine in:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> During the day, keep your curtains open to draw in sunlight. Solar energy can help naturally warm your home. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clean your fridge coils:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Be sure to regularly brush or vacuum your refrigerator coils to make them more energy-efficient.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ditch the drip:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Make an effort to quickly repair leaky faucets. Even a small drip can waste litres of water per month and add to your water heating costs.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><br />
<br />
-----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #626262; font-family: 'lucida grande', arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Unlike other <a href="http://insurancehouse.ca/">Ontario car insurance</a> brokers, we at </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: 'lucida grande', arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">InsuranceHouse</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #626262; font-family: 'lucida grande', arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> believe that <a href="http://insurancehouse.ca/">cheap Ontario car insurance</a> doesn't have to be at the sacrifice of great coverage. And unlike most car insurance carriers, we just give you what you want - or need in coverage. No more, no frills if you choose not to have any. </span>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-146687346156753012011-11-14T13:01:00.000-05:002011-11-14T13:01:36.287-05:00Getting Sustainable in German and How They Lead the World<div id="content-header"><h1 class="title"><br />
</h1></div><div class="col1" id="content-area"><div class="col2" id="content-col2"> <img alt="" class="imagefield imagefield-field_image" height="245" src="http://www.greenlivingonline.com/sites/default/files/article/freinburg_article.jpg?1320961014" width="310" /> <div class="block block-block region-odd odd region-count-1 count-7" id="block-block-17"><div class="block-inner"> <div class="content"> <br />
<div align="center" style="border-top: 1px solid #cccccc;" width="300px"><div id="beacon_f878b106ff" style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><img alt="" height="0" src="http://d4.rallyadadserver.com/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=13&campaignid=11&zoneid=3&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greenlivingonline.com%2Farticle%2Fgetting-sustainable-germany%3Futm_source%3DMadMimi%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_content%3DWhat+Does+It+Take___+%26utm_campaign%3DWhat+Does+It+Take___+%26utm_term%3Dmore++_C2_BB&referer=http%3A%2F%2F36ohk6dgmcd1n.yom.mail.yahoo.net%2Fom%2Fapi%2F1.0%2Fopenmail.app.invoke%2F36ohk6dgmcd1n%2F8%2F1.0.35%2Fca%2Fen-CA%2Fview.html&cb=f878b106ff" style="height: 0px; width: 0px;" width="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="node node-type-article" id="node-4719"><div class="node-inner"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-onpage-dek"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Check out the living breathing sustainable city of Freiburg... </span></b></div><div class="field-item odd"><br />
</div></div></div>When it comes to sustainable cities, Germany is fast becoming the country to take a look at. Frankfort scores particularly well in terms of transportation and renewable energy. Berlin is good in air quality, CO2 emissions and water use. Bremen ranks high in buildings and environmental management. These are the impressive findings shared by a study done by the <a href="http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/helmuthziegler/26663/german-cities-greener-europes-average" target="_blank">Sustainable Cities Collective</a>. <br />
<br />
The city that is creating the biggest impact in the area of sustainability however, is Freiburg. Freiburg has, through sincere commitment, become the epitome of a living, breathing sustainable city. Their deep respect for both cultural and architectural roots, coupled with innovative and unconventional planning decisions makes them worth taking an even closer look at. A truly impressive model of sustainability for us all. <br />
<br />
Freiburg is a 900 year old city of under 250,000 people, perched in the wine growing region of southwest Germany. Freiburg’s energy policy has three pillars: energy conservation, the use of new technologies such as combined heat and power, and the use of renewable energy sources like solar to meet new demand, instead of fossil fuels. Their goal is to realize an ecologically-oriented energy supply. They have an even deeper goal: to create sustainable regional development for the area as a whole. <br />
<br />
Curious why Freiburg? It’s interesting that back in the 1970’s plans to build a nuclear energy plant just 30 km from Freiburg led to a major protest with civil disobedience. The result was a defeat of this plan in 1975. The people had spoken. A reminder that the power is with the people. This event raised the environmental awareness of Freiburg’s citizens and soon the city developed a reputation as Germany’s “ecological capital”. What happened next, adds to the city’s already rich history. Soon the city was attracting a wide network of environmental organizations, businesses and research institutes. The city was well on its way to realizing its goal. <br />
<br />
Take a look, at <a href="http://www.grist.org/slideshow/2011-07-29-freiburg-a-model-city-in-germany" target="_blank">Freiburg</a>, Germany. An inspiring example of what is possible with a commitment to maintaining the beauty of our past, married to the need to work towards a sustainable future. Kudos to all the people of Freiburg who continue to live this possibility and show us all it is indeed within our grasp. </div></div></div></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
saverio manzo<br />
<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-ontario/insurance-quotes-ontario.php">Ontario car insurance</a><br />
<cite class="tagline">SAVE on <a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-ontario/insurance-quotes-ontario.php">cheap car insurance</a> ontario</cite><br />
<cite class="tagline"><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/index.html">Financial Planning advice</a> is important.</cite><br />
<cite class="tagline"><a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">SMall Business help</a> here</cite><br />
<cite class="tagline"><a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-rate-ontario/car-insurance-quotes.php">car insurance quotes</a></cite><br />
<cite class="tagline"><a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-ontario/insurance-quotes-ontario.php">car insurance Ontario </a> </cite><br />
<cite class="tagline"><a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-toronto/insurance-quotes-toronto.php">Toronto car insurance</a> </cite><br />
<a href="http://feelgreengood.com/index.html"><cite class="tagline"></cite></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2120115560231053017&postID=8615896138546952024">Feel Green Good </a><br />
<br />
<b><b><a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/news/tips_page.php?tips_id=55"><b>Ontario Car insurance for High Risk Drivers </b>— 09/16/11</a></b></b><br />
<div style="line-height: 15px;"><b><b>Whether you are currently shopping around for Ontario car insurance, your policy is about to expire, something in your record has changed, you’re looking to save money on your current policy or you have been refused car insurance coverage, a policy is out there for you. Here’s how to get your coverage with the best car insurance quote in Ontario<br />
<a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/news/tips_page.php?tips_id=55" style="color: #ff6600;">> Read more</a></b></b></div>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-24912571996493182502011-08-01T10:32:00.000-04:002011-08-01T10:32:43.154-04:00Cradle to Cradle: what if we think about the entire life cycle of...<div class="field field-type-text field-field-onpage-dek"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <b>How thinking about a product’s entire life cycle is changing the way new products are designed </b></div></div></div><div class="field field-type-text field-field-byline"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"><br />
</div></div></div>When a new pair of shoes, a desk chair, or even an envelope are designed, often the creators try to imagine every conceivable use and situation it might encounter in its life. But, what about afterwards? What happens once you've worn out the shoes, broken the chair and ripped open the envelope?<br />
<br />
<strong>Vision for the future</strong><br />
That's where "cradle to cradle" or <a href="http://www.c2ccertified.com/" target="_blank">C2C design</a> comes in. The concept evolved in the 1990s after architect <a href="http://www.mcdonough.com/" target="_blank">William McDonough </a>and German chemist <a href="http://www.braungart.com/index_engl.html" target="_blank">Michael Braungart</a> looked at the difference between how humans and nature create things. <br />
They duo quickly realized nature creates no waste. In fact, one of the tag lines from their research is "Waste Equals Food."<br />
<br />
<strong>Learning from nature</strong><br />
"What we do is take a leaf out of nature's book," said Ken Alston, CEO of <a href="http://www.mbdc.com/" target="_blank">McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry </a>(MBDC), a consultancy firm created to provide businesses with C2C expertise. "We look at processes in nature that are predominately cyclical. So, when leaves fall off a tree, worms and bugs recycle those leaves back into nutrients that are used by the tree to create more leaves."<br />
<br />
<strong>Ultimate Recycling</strong><br />
Every product needs the right environment to be recycled. For instance, composters will turn biological food scraps into healthy soil. But, put a car in your composting and it will take forever to break down into something useful for plants and animals.<br />
Looking at this problem lead McDonough and Braungart to realize that are two nutrient cycles: the biological cycle and the technical cycle. The problems occur when the crossover happens. Take plastics as long as it stays in the technical cycle they can be used very effectively, but they make lousy biological nutrients.<br />
<br />
<strong>Unfit candidates </strong><br />
"Most people only think of recycling as good, but it's only good if it is designed for that," said Alston. "If you recycle something you shouldn't have used in the first place, now you are poisoning the system a second time."<br />
Alston describes how many products were recalled in the past few years because of unsafe levels of lead. Lead should never have been used in the first place in those materials.<br />
<br />
<strong>Choosing the right material</strong><br />
Using the right materials ensures that the recycled material is of the same quality as the original product. C2C design does not believe in "downcycling", where a product is recycled into something less worthy. That means shoes don't get turned into tarmac, they get turned back into shoes.<br />
<br />
<strong>C2C Certification</strong><br />
A huge component of MBDC's work is helping companies choose safe materials and design products with the end of its life and rebirth in mind.<br />
For example, think of a desk chair. Many desk chairs are designed very well to sustain the kind of abuse an officer worker inflicts on them. However, when the chair is discarded they are almost impossible to be broken down into parts that can be recycled.<br />
<br />
MBDC has worked with several chair manufacturers to design chairs that not only stand up to the rigors of an office but can also be taken apart in a few minutes with simple household tools for recycling.<br />
Companies building sustainable and recyclable products with the help of MBDC are given a ranking and certification. There is a wide variety of products available at that can be viewed on the <a href="http://www.c2ccertified.com/" target="_blank">MBDC's certification website</a>, everything from diaper liners to carpets, and whiteboards to U.S. Postal Service envelopes.<br />
<br />
<strong>End of life cycle restructuring</strong><br />
But, while many companies begin to seriously re-imagine their products to be more sustainable, Alston notes that there is one crucial part missing in the cycle: the return mechanism.<br />
"We have an incredible distribution loop. We can get a product around the world to our city and to our homes, but where's the reverse side of that? What do we do with packaging or washing machines to be recycled and turned into new products? We need to start looking at the infrastructure as well as the product."<br />
<br />
<strong>Read the book</strong><br />
For more sustainable design for the future, check out McDonough and Braungart's book <a href="http://www.mcdonough.com/cradle_to_cradle.htm" target="_blank">Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things</a>. And, if you notice the book looks a little funny that's because it is isn't made of paper. Instead it is made of plastic resins that make the book more durable and waterproof and can be perfectly recycled in the technical nutrient cycle.<br />
<br />
Written by: Graeme Stemp-Morlock<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
Posted by: <a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/index.html">saverio manzo</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/Consulting_Service_Business.html">Business consulting </a>in Ontario <br />
<br />
<a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/index.html">Financial well-being advice</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thinkinsure.ca/car-auto-insurance/car-insurance-ontario/insurance-quotes-ontario.php">Cheap car insurance quotes and advice in Ontario</a>. Save now on car insurance Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-84422581144941055242011-05-06T10:35:00.000-04:002011-05-06T10:35:28.007-04:00Waste Nothing! Try this...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I once read about a couple that decided to go one entire year without producing trash! As much as possible, they reduced their waste, reused containers and recycled packaging, composted, donated unused items and clothing and and borrowed or made by hand what they needed. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At the end of the year, their entire garbage collection for disposal - recyclable packaging, dull razor blades, etc. - fit within an average sized shoebox!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The feat was without question impressive. Though it didn't inspire me to imitate their example, it did heighten my awareness. I learned to appreciate leftover fragments and waste as little as possible to this day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Saverio Manzo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Source: Julia DiSalvo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js"></script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span></a>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-25486866393666302832011-04-14T20:39:00.000-04:002011-04-14T20:39:12.220-04:00Very cool Eco-speedy cars!<div>Did you think that speed would come with electric?</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.trendhunter.com/cool-hunting/category/Environmental-Trends/P48/">http://www.trendhunter.com/cool-hunting/category/Environmental-Trends/P48/</a>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-62325983538297809652011-04-14T19:58:00.000-04:002011-04-14T19:58:03.387-04:00Enormous Oceanic Turbines<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">VESTAS MASSIVE POWER ROTORS</span><br />
<div class="KonaBody" id="body">Offshore wind turbines with blades as long as nine London City buses are being planned for installation in the North Sea. The Vestas massive power rotors will have a diameter of more than 538 feet, which is slightly less than the length of two American football fields. The tough turbine design will not only stand up to the harsh conditions of the North Sea, but the lengthy blades will also be more efficient at harvesting wind power than their smaller counterparts. By harvesting wind energy more efficiently, the cost of energy production is reduced.<br />
Prototypes fit with Vestas’ massive power rotors are set to be deployed in the North Sea during the latter part of 2012. If all goes as expected, mass production will be underway by 2015, helping Vestas to further embed itself in the offshore wind production frontier.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vestas.com//">http://www.vestas.com//</a><br />
<br />
</div><br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-35862096348989859232011-04-02T12:53:00.000-04:002011-04-02T12:53:47.639-04:00Reduce your carbon footprint<strong>Today's environmental tip: Reduce your carbon footprint!</strong> <br />
Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year. Save up errands and shopping trips so you need to drive fewer times. If you commute to work, ask if you can work from home at least some days, and you'll reduce air pollution and traffic congestion - and save money.<br />
<br />
<br />
More information: <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html">http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html</a><br />
<br />
Podcast: <a href="http://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts">http://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js"></script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span></a><br />
<br />
.Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-38592805586082938882011-01-27T10:09:00.000-05:002011-01-27T10:09:04.052-05:00Incentivizing Energy Efficiency across the Our EconomyThree major sectors of our economy—industrial, residential, and commercial—are ripe for tremendous energy savings. McKinsey & Company estimates1 that by 2020, capturing the economy’s full efficiency potential will save $442 billion in energy costs and 300 megatons of CO2e in the industrial sector; $395 billion and 360 megatons of CO2e in the residential sector; and $290 billion and 360 megatons of CO2e in the commercial sector. The total possible savings in energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions are staggering: more than $1.1 trillion and 1,020 megatons of CO2e by the end of this decade.<br />
<br />
Moreover, efforts at capturing energy efficiency potential could ripple extensively across the rest of the economy. McKinsey estimates that a $290 billion investment in labor-intensive efficiency measures could create between 500,000 and 750,000 jobs over the next decade. The Center for American Progress makes a similar estimation,2 suggesting that retrofitting just 40% of all commercial and residential buildings in the United States would produce 625,000 jobs over the next decade and $500 billion in investment to upgrade 50 million office buildings and homes. And these statistics do not include new jobs and markets created by the development of next-generation energy-efficient technologies and industries.<br />
<br />
Such figures are impressive, but they come with a cost. An estimated $113 billion in upfront investment is needed for the industrial sector to realize its total energy efficiency potential: $229 billion for residential and $125 billion for commercial.3 Such upfront costs erect significant present-day barriers to greater energy efficiency, even if they eventually lead to sizable returns on investment. Many industrial, residential, and commercial consumers don’t have enough free capital to invest in efficiency upgrades, aren’t aware that such upgrades are possible and can generate significant savings, or are hesitant to assume the potentially high transaction costs in implementing energy efficiency measures—particularly in the industrial sector, where upgrades may cause interruptions in production. <br />
<br />
Overcoming these barriers is one of the great challenges facing each sector, but consumers need not confront them alone. Federal policymakers have at their disposal a wide range of options that can act as powerful drivers of energy efficiency. Even if, as is likely, the economy’s full efficiency potential is never captured, jumpstarting the transition to a more energy-efficient society will require a concerted national effort. Strategic government action is often the crucial spark for economic innovation: from the creation of the transcontinental railroads and interstate highways, to the Apollo Space Program and the Internet, government action has been an essential driver of change. The growing effort to transform the way we generate and use energy—one with the potential to reshape our economic and social landscape—is a challenge on par with sending a man to the moon. Energy efficiency, often regarded as “the lowest-hanging fruit” (or “fruit on the ground,” as Energy Secretary Chu likes to say), is an ideal place to begin. Government must assume a leadership role.<br />
<br />
To that end, we analyzed a variety of steps the federal government can take to promote greater energy efficiency, and identified policies we think fulfill three key purposes: (1) mitigating the upfront costs each sector must bear to realize energy efficiency savings and curb greenhouse gas emissions, (2) incentivizing the research and development of new energy-efficient technologies, and (3) educating end-use energy consumers on the virtues of greater efficiency. These policies are just a sampling of a broader set of options, but are considered particularly worthy of attention. The ultimate tool for driving greater efficiency—a price on carbon—is not included because its chance of enactment is, at least for the foreseeable future, almost nonexistent. While no argument is made about an ideal policy mix, some combination of ideas from the three major categories (Direct Financing; Tax Incentives; Codes, Standards, and Mandates) can amount to a fairly comprehensive approach.<br />
<br />
Direct Financing<br />
<br />
• Establish a dedicated Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) energy-efficiency grant program to drive innovation among companies developing next-generation energy-saving technology and equipment (including smart grid technology). ARPA-E’s funding also should be increased dramatically from its current level of $300 million. The vast, multitrillion dollar scale of the energy industry means ARPA-E needs higher funding levels if its initiatives are to have any impact on energy innovation.4 <br />
<br />
• Enact the HOME STAR Program included in legislation currently pending before Congress (S. 3663, the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Company Accountability Act). The HOME STAR initiative establishes a $6 billion rebate program to drive residential investment in energy-efficient appliances, building mechanical systems and insulation, and whole-home energy efficiency retrofits.<br />
<br />
• Establish an Industrial Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Program (or similar refundable financing mechanism) with maximum financial incentives going to upgrades of industrial processes (e.g., blast furnaces in iron and steel manufacturing) and support systems (e.g., steam systems, motors, building infrastructure, energy management tools).5 Such upgrades are relatively rare because of the large upfront cost involved in installing new technologies and equipment, the perceived risks of early adoption, and concerns over interrupted production. Direct financial incentives may help address these issues.<br />
<br />
• Establish a dedicated Department of Energy (DOE) or Environemtal Protection Agency (EPA) grant program for the installation of combined heat and power (CHP) capacity, from large-scale power facilities to smaller on-site units, such as those in commercial buildings, factories, or apartment complexes. CHP technologies that are especially efficient and low-emission, like microturbines, would receive funding priority. It is estimated that an increase in total CHP power from 85 GW in 2008 to 135 GW in 2020 can cut facility-level energy costs by $77 billion and greenhouse gas emissions by 100 megatons of CO2e.6<br />
<br />
• Create a Clean Energy Deployment Administration (CEDA)7that can finance innovative efficiency projects—in addition to various other energy projects—and provide sustained streams of capital investment for residential, commercial, and industrial energy efficiency retrofits.8 Such a “Green Bank” would be one of the major driving forces of a deeper federal investment agenda in clean energy and energy efficiency.<br />
<br />
Tax Incentives<br />
<br />
• Create a tax credit for utilities, municipal power companies, and electric co-ops that provide support services and incentives to residential, commercial, and industrial customers who install energy-saving technologies and adopt energy-efficient measures. Utilities are in a powerful position to educate customers on the benefits of energy efficiency, and can potentially drive behavioral change and cement energy efficiency as a social norm.<br />
<br />
• Revamp the existing Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction (26 USCS 179D, as amended by the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008) so it is made permanent, increases the level of financial incentives for efficiency upgrades, expands the scope of qualifying energy-efficient improvements (to include energy management tools, among other improvements) and adheres to the most stringent efficiency standards.<br />
<br />
• Renew, expand (to $5 billion at a minimum) and make refundable the 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (26 USCS § 48C). 48C encompasses manufacturing facilities that produce energy-saving equipment and technologies.<br />
<br />
Codes, Standards, and Mandates<br />
<br />
• Phase in, over the course of several years, more stringent energy-efficient building codes for new and existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Residences as well as commercial and industrial buildings can be modeled on standards set by organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC); International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); or American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Stricter codes will drive property owners and developers to purchase and utilize energy-saving technologies and engage in concerted retrofitting efforts, spurring demand for such technologies and services across the economy.9<br />
<br />
• Expand the ENERGY STAR voluntary standards and labeling programs to include more residential, commercial, and industrial subsectors, appliances, and systems. The ENERGY STAR labeling program has had some success as a means of educating end-use energy consumers on the virtues of efficiency, but its scope could be broadened considerably. Only 2% of existing homes, for example, have had an energy assessment performed to determine possible energy savings, although ENERGY STAR did capture 17% of new construction in 2008 and an estimated 25% in 2009.10<br />
<br />
• Establish a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that requires utilities to obtain an increasing percentage of their base quantity of electricity from renewable energy and energy efficiency.11 A majority of states now boast an RES that includes energy efficiency measures. Alternatively, the federal government could create an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS) that sets energy reduction targets—broken down by economic sector, industry, and utilities—to be met within a certain timeframe.<br />
<br />
Written <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">By <b><a href="http://www.mintz.com/careers.php?CareerID=91" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Tyler C. Stone</span></a></b></span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span></a>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-14990513713673593152011-01-19T16:16:00.002-05:002011-01-19T16:18:56.004-05:00The easiest way to give to charity?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Came across this new service which I think is marvellous and hope many take advantage of... check it out...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>sign up your (credit) card </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>round up your purchases </strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>donate the change to charity </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SwipeGood rounds up all of your credit card purchases to the nearest dollar and allows you to donate the difference to the charity of your choice. It's the easiest way to give to charity!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SwipeGood is all about making change simple and effortless so more people can be part of it. Together we can solve big problems with small actions. Together we will make a big difference in the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="https://swipegood.com/">Click here to begin or learn more.....</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Top 5 Questions</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is SwipeGood charging the change every time I spend money?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No. We aggregate your round up amounts for 30 days and then charge your card once a month to save credit card fees and maximize the money that goes to charity. On average people are rounding up around $20 per month. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will my transactions be shared with my family and friends?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Absolutely not. Your transactions are only visible to you for review once you've logged into your SwipeGood.com account. We use the data to round up your transactions and charge your card to send the money to charity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do I know my information will be secure?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We use site-wide bank-level encryption and store your credit card information in a PCI-DSS compliant manner. We take security seriously. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can I switch the charity that I want to support?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes. You can switch your charity any time you want. We are adding new charities every week and give you 100% flexibility on who will benefit from your roundups. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can I set a monthly limit for my round ups?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes you can! Once you've signed up you can specify a donation limit to make sure you can easily afford the good you do on SwipeGood. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>FAQs</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How does SwipeGood make money?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SwipeGood takes 5% of each monthly donation which is well below the 15-20% that charities are paying for direct marketing and other ways of fundraising today. Taking a small percentage helps cover our costs and deliver the best product to you and to the charities. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is SwipeGood a non-profit?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, we're a for-profit business. Our goal is to make giving to charity as easy and as impactful as possible. By structuring ourselves as a for-profit business, we believe we can make a much larger impact on the world and help non-profit organizations become more efficient in their fundraising efforts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How many credit cards can I enroll?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this time, only one credit card can be enrolled into our round up program.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will my credit card information be saved?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, we use Authorize.net to securely store your credit card information for billing purposes. We take security very seriously and ensure that we are PCI-DSS Compliant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can I choose the charities my money goes to?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes you can! Just click on the "Charities" link on the top right menu and select the one that you want to support. You can switch at any time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will I be able to see my monthly transactions and round up amounts?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Absolutely! We send out monthly emails summarizing your transactions and round ups for that month. You can also see all your detailed transactional information on the SwipeGood Dashboard after you login.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How does SwipeGood get my credit card transactions?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We get your transactional information in the way companies like Mint.com aggregate purchase information -- through connections with your bank's website. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When is my donation processed each month?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We start your donation cycle the day you sign up. So, for instance, if you signed up on the 15th of the month you'll be giving each month on that date. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can I pause my monthly donation?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes! On the SwipeGood dashboard, you're able to pause or re-activate your monthly donations. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How does SwipeGood send the money to charities?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of each month we send your donations directly to each charity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do I update my credit card information?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the SwipeGood dashboard, you're able to update/change your billing information including email, address, and credit card number. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why do you need my credit card billing information (address, etc)?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part of our security process is to ensure your cardholder information is correct. We hate identity theft and want to make sure our users are protected in any way possible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why do you need my credit card number and my online banking information?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your credit card number is used to make your monthly donation. We charge your card at the end of your donation cycle. Your online banking credentials are used to gather the transactional data from your bank. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span></a>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-24649250485356009242011-01-07T19:52:00.000-05:002011-01-07T19:52:59.767-05:00Capture and store that energyEnergy: you can’t destroy it, but you can certainly waste it. That’s what most motorized vehicles do, including trains. Usually, the energy generated when you stop a moving vehicle is dissipated as heat, and is lost to the atmosphere. <br />
<br />
With GE’s ecomagination we’ve discovered that you can capture and store that energy, then reuse it – that’s how our hybrid systems work. <a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/01/ge-on-dynamic-braking/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBigPicture+%28The+Big+Picture%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail">Watch the video</a> to see a simple illustration of the physics behind dynamic braking. <br />
<br />
Keep in mind an object’s force is measured in Newtons, using the equation “force = mass * acceleration.”<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span> saverio manzo <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.everyoneweb.com/saveriomanzo/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.jimdo.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.yolasite.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.webs.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saverio-manzo.weebly.com/</span></a> <a href="http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://saveriomanzo.terapad.com</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.shareowners.org/profile/SaverioManzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.linkedin.com/pub/saverio-manzo/b/995/63</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://twitter.com/saveriomanzo</span></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.facebook.com/people/Saverio-Manzo/854720596?ref=search</span></a>Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-34338447160433274842010-12-10T17:00:00.000-05:002010-12-10T17:00:14.891-05:00How Big Is Your Water Footprint?How much water does the average American use in a day? 1,981 gallons, according to the water use calculator on the National Geographic website. Luckily, the calculator provides us with ways to cut that use. But first, some facts about water use in the U.S.:<br />
<br />
<br />
• Only five percent of the water we use runs through hoses, taps, and toilets. The rest comes from the food we eat, products we buy, and energy and services we depend on.<br />
<br />
• On average, 10 gallons of water a day are lost to leaks.<br />
<br />
• Flushing the toilet can add up to 20 gallons a day.<br />
<br />
• Using a dishwasher is actually more water efficient than hand washing.<br />
<br />
• The average pool takes 22,000 gallons to fill.<br />
<br />
• A gallon of gasoline takes nearly 13 gallons of water to produce.<br />
<br />
So, how can we reduce the amount of water we use on a daily basis? Start by completing the footprint calculator (it’s actually kind of fun, the duck is cute!), then try some of the following:<br />
<br />
• Recycling a pound of paper saves 3.5 gallons of water.<br />
<br />
• Cut down on car washing, or go to a commercial car wash where the water is recycled.<br />
<br />
• Become a vegan, not eating meat or dairy, and consume 600 gallons less.<br />
<br />
• Let your lawn go brown, or plant native/drought resistant species.<br />
<br />
• Take a shower instead of a bath. Use a low-flow showerhead and save 15 gallons during a 10 minute shower.<br />
<br />
• Repair leaky faucets and toilets.<br />
<br />
• (This one isn’t going to be popular) Don’t flush the toilet every time you go to the bathroom.<br />
<br />
I remember clearly a few years ago, during a drought in the Northwest, when the top news story in my area was a brown lawn contest and how we shouldn’t be flushing every time we go. Implement just a few of these tips, and you can help save one of our most precious resources, plus cut your water and sewer bill.<br />
<br />
August 26, 2010 in Green Design <br />
<br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.brainyquote.com/link/quotebr.js"></script><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">About me: I give Economic, Social and Global trend briefings from some of the world's brightest minds at my blog </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://saveriomanzo.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also provide true and tested </span><a href="http://financialconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">financial planning </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and </span><a href="http://wealthconcepts.ca/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">wealth advice</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Most recently, over the past few years, I have become </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">socially conscious </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and have been attempting to practise ways in which I can live my life more </span><a href="http://feelgreengood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">environmentally friendly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Along with some truly exceptional friends, we provide <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">consulting</a> and <a href="http://www.biz-advisor.ca/">business development</a> for small-medium sized businesses. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">In addition, I truly believe in being </span><a href="http://zealousaltruism.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">philanthropic</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, giving and doing unto other as we would have them do unto us. Some of my fondest resources are from </span><a href="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.gluskinsheff.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Rosenberg </span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what Warren Buffett of </span><a href="http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Berkshire Hathaway</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is up to behind the scenes, as an example.</span><br />
<br />
Saverio Manzo<br />
.Saverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-2342139955708957652010-06-25T15:08:00.000-04:002010-06-25T15:08:40.054-04:00Eight Actions for the Gulf and BeyondI am extremely grateful to all of you who have decided to be a part of Collective Creativity at LinkedIn, and for all your generous and valuable contributions so far.<br />
<br />
There is a Cree proverb that says, "Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money." The toxic oil spewing into the Gulf is so heartbreaking and massive that the warning of this proverb as it relates to the spill cannot possibly be missed by any one of us. This catastrophe is bringing each of us to our own personal crossroads about environmental stewardship.<br />
<br />
Let's all heed the foretelling of the Cree and become part of the solution. Show that we are aware that organisms and the environment are one process, trees are our lungs, rivers and waters and oceans are our circulation, the earth recycles as our physical body, and the atmosphere is our breath. Let us show in action that we know we are one ecosystem. Let us not let the Earth become uninhabitable.<br />
<br />
Many of us, overwhelmed by bad news on the ecological front for more than a decade, may almost by default find ourselves going down the road that allows shutting down and tuning out, passively letting bad go to worse. But let's change now to a way that leads to personal fulfillment and empowerment. Let's go down the road of action, following the invigorating, energizing, call to action that this current catastrophe has inspired.<br />
Most of us have a little of both scenarios going on in ourselves. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the grief and complexity. This is why I invite you to continue to contribute to Collective Creativity, our LinkedIn group, to work together to create more proactive solutions and innovations to prevent problems like the Gulf from happening again.<br />
<br />
The following eight steps are things that we can all do to become involved, compiled from feedback from my questions posted here at Collective Creativity on LinkedIn. Please continue your valuable contributions to this conversation and add your own!<br />
<br />
1. Give direct financial aid through reliable agencies such as the United Way.<br />
<br />
2. Support organizations such as Ocean Conservation Society, The Nature Conservancy, and others that are engaged in healing our ecosystem. Follow their recommendations for ways to help.<br />
<br />
3. Volunteer and help organizations recruit others for habitat restoration activities and more. For example, gather hair from salons, groomers, llamas, sheep fleece farmers, feather donors, and others, for making oil-soaking boom via mattersoftrust.org.<br />
<br />
4. Engage in global conversation and harness collective creativity with social networks such as our Collective Creativity group at LinkedIn.<br />
5. Make conscious choices that are "green." For example, go through your cleaning supplies and stop using anything that has a Signal Word label with anything stronger than "Caution."<br />
<br />
6. Support investments in technologies that are looking at sustainably and reversal of global warming such as Fuelcor Global<br />
<br />
7. Educate yourself on very successful approaches to restoring the ecosystem such as of Allan Savory, who is the winner of 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge<br />
<br />
8. Support spiritual education that teaches people, especially the youth, the relationship between all life. Much of all that has happened to damage the world is a result of a dualistic approach in science where we created a distinction between biological organisms and the environment.<br />
<br />
A new global movement of planetary healing needs both a short-term approach addressing the urgent need to act swiftly, but at the same time, a long term approach with action steps people can take in their everyday life. Healing this planet will be empowering for all of us. Planetary wellness needs to become a global movement, yet it begins with you and me, and the time to act is now.<br />
Deepak Chopra<br />
<br />
www.saveriomanzo.comSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-65343743924899199532010-05-05T09:53:00.002-04:002010-05-05T10:00:10.643-04:00Pesticides, Cell Towers and the decline of the Bee populationThe economic effect of a declining bee population is enormous. At best the price of food will skyrocket and there will be famine across the globe. At worst the entire human race is at risk of extinction. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees were gone the human race will be done in four years. The devastation to bee colony populations may be a result of cell phone towers emitting frequencies that disorient the bees. Dead bees are said to be found all around cell phone towers. This is serious stuff folks and it is not being widely reported<br /><br /><strong>Fears for crops as shock figures from America show scale of bee catastrophe</strong><br />By Lou Scatigna<br /><br />Fears for crops as shock figures from America show scale of bee catastrophe<br />The world may be on the brink of biological disaster after news that a third of US bee colonies did not survive the winter<br /><br />Disturbing evidence that honeybees are in terminal decline has emerged from the United States where, for the fourth year in a row, more than a third of colonies have failed to survive the winter.<br /><br />The decline of the country’s estimated 2.4 million beehives began in 2006, when a phenomenon dubbed colony collapse disorder (CCD) led to the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of colonies. Since then more than three million colonies in the US and billions of honeybees worldwide have died and scientists are no nearer to knowing what is causing the catastrophic fall in numbers.<br /><br />The number of managed honeybee colonies in the US fell by 33.8% last winter, according to the annual survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America and the US government’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS).<br /><br />The collapse in the global honeybee population is a major threat to crops. It is estimated that a third of everything we eat depends upon honeybee pollination, which means that bees contribute some £26bn to the global economy.<br /><br />Potential causes range from parasites, such as the bloodsucking varroa mite, to viral and bacterial infections, pesticides and poor nutrition stemming from intensive farming methods. The disappearance of so many colonies has also been dubbed “Mary Celeste syndrome” due to the absence of dead bees in many of the empty hives.<br /><br />US scientists have found 121 different pesticides in samples of bees, wax and pollen, lending credence to the notion that pesticides are a key problem. “We believe that some subtle interactions between nutrition, pesticide exposure and other stressors are converging to kill colonies,” said Jeffery Pettis, of the ARS’s bee research laboratory.<br /><br />A global review of honeybee deaths by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported last week that there was no one single cause, <strong>but pointed the finger at the “irresponsible use” of pesticides that may damage bee health and make them more susceptible to diseases. </strong>Bernard Vallat, the OIE’s director-general, warned: “Bees contribute to global food security, and their extinction would represent a terrible biological disaster.”<br /><br />Dave Hackenberg of Hackenberg Apiaries, the Pennsylvania-based commercial beekeeper who first raised the alarm about CCD, said that last year had been the worst yet for bee losses, with 62% of his 2,600 hives dying between May 2009 and April 2010. “It’s getting worse,” he said. “The AIA survey doesn’t give you the full picture because it is only measuring losses through the winter. In the summer the bees are exposed to lots of pesticides. Farmers mix them together and no one has any idea what the effects might be.”<br /><br />Pettis agreed that losses in some commercial operations are running at 50% or greater. “Continued losses of this magnitude are not economically sustainable for commercial beekeepers,” he said, adding that a solution may be years away. “Look at Aids, they have billions in research dollars and a causative agent and still no cure. Research takes time and beehives are complex organisms.”<br /><br />In the UK it is still too early to judge how Britain’s estimated 250,000 honeybee colonies have fared during the long winter. Tim Lovett, president of the British Beekeepers’ Association, said: “Anecdotally, it is hugely variable. There are reports of some beekeepers losing almost a third of their hives and others losing none.” Results from a survey of the association’s 15,000 members are expected this month.<br /><br />John Chapple, chairman of the London Beekeepers’ Association, put losses among his 150 members at between a fifth and a quarter. Eight of his 36 hives across the capital did not survive. “There are still a lot of mysterious disappearances,” he said. “We are no nearer to knowing what is causing them.”<br /><br />Bee farmers in Scotland have reported losses on the American scale for the past three years. Andrew Scarlett, a Perthshire-based bee farmer and honey packer, lost 80% of his 1,200 hives this winter. But he attributed the massive decline to a virulent bacterial infection that quickly spread because of a lack of bee inspectors, coupled with sustained poor weather that prevented honeybees from building up sufficient pollen and nectar stores.<br /><br /><strong>WHY BEES MATTER</strong><br />Flowering plants require insects for pollination. The most effective is the honeybee, which pollinates 90 commercial crops worldwide. As well as most fruits and vegetables – including apples, oranges, strawberries, onions and carrots – they pollinate nuts, sunflowers and oil-seed rape. Coffee, soya beans, clovers – like alfafa, which is used for cattle feed – and even cotton are all dependent on honeybee pollination to increase yields.<br /><br /><br />Saverio Manzo<br />www.saveriomanzo.comSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-87854829559918050122010-05-03T22:47:00.002-04:002010-05-03T23:05:17.632-04:00Eco-friendly, ethical and green ways to shop for food<strong>Tips for more sustainable, eco friendly, ethical and green ways to shop for food rather than using supermarkets</strong><br /><br />In an ideal world, we would be totally self sufficient within a community set up. The next best thing would be to buy everything we could not grow or rear ourselves locally, seasonally, organic and therefore, fair trade. This would be a more sustainable way of life, more ethical, eco friendly and the perfect green option!<br /><br />Unfortunately, this utopian vision does not exist for most of us and many of us rely on supermarkets to bridge the gap.<br /><br />There are small, positive steps we can all take to shift the balance from supermarket shopping to more sustainable and ethical choices.<br /><br />We still use supermarkets. Let’s face it, self sufficient changes don’t happen over night and old habits die hard, but we have probably quartered the amount we used to buy from them. We’ve recently switched to home delivery which has made a huge difference to the way I shop (and spend money). In addition one can join a food Co-Op, support local shops and use an organic farm shop. The aim is to gradually increase the amount of vegetables we grow ourselves and more importantly, learn how to preserve them better.<br /><br />In reducing supermarket shopping, I have found that I spend less money. The convenience side of finding everything under one roof has been easily overcome when I’ve recognized the benefits.<br /><br />How many of us come out of a supermarket with far more than we intended? Clever marketing encourages us to buy more than we need or want. Three for Two offers tempt us and more often than not we do not use everything and it gets thrown away.<br /><br />Many “super”markets make you walk past books, cds, clothes and electrical goods before you even get to the vegetable aisle!<br /><br />Changing shopping habits can feel very daunting but there are an increasing number of eco friendly and more ethical alternatives.<br /><br /><strong>Local, independent shops.</strong><br />Shopping in local grocery shops, butchers and bakers helps to keep your money in the local economy. Small retailers know they rely on your for their livelihood so you will feel more valued as a customer. Independent stores are often surprisingly willing to try new lines if you ask them and will often support local growers with a seasonal range of products. In some local village stores, around 80% of the fresh fruit and vegetables comes from nearby farms. At the local butcher, all lines are traceable; they know each farmer personally and packaging is kept to a minimum.<br /><br /><strong>Box schemes</strong><br />Sign up for a local fruit and vegetable box scheme where you will benefit from fresh, quality, seasonal and local produce delivered to your door. One great side effect of this is that you get to try new things. There is a while world of foods that you’ve probably never experimented with. Using a box scheme pushes you to be creative and explore new tastes. There are more and more schemes arriving almost daily on the net – look for a future post for some great options once I have had a chance to review them.<br /><br /><strong>Food Co-op</strong><br />Set up or join a Collective buying co-op. You will be able to buy bulk quantities of whole foods at around 25% less than health food shop prices. Ethical policies are usually top priority with food co-ops, so you can be sure you are making sustainable choices.<br /><br /><strong>Farmer’s market</strong><br />You can find some great things are farmer’s markets such as local, seasonal vegetables and fruit, organic lines, bread and preserves. They truly still a great option!<br /><br /><strong>Grow your own!</strong><br />The first step to self sufficiency! Even the most brown thumbed of us can manage a few crops. Herbs can be grown indoors in the kitchen windowsill, tomatoes can be planted in hanging baskets and sprouted seeds can be grown indoors. If you fancy having a go at growing your own but don’t have the space, look to rent an allotment through your local authority. This is a great way to meet people from your area and share tips.<br /><br />As more and more people are interested in green living and embrace a sustainable lifestyle, our buying choices will influence the market. Prices for ethical, fair trade and organic produce will gradually decrease if we keep up the demand.<br /><br />Source: lil'greenblog<br /><br />Saverio Manzo<br />www.saveriomanzo.comSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-65466652052005642782010-04-30T08:53:00.002-04:002010-04-30T08:56:21.072-04:00Get Energy from Your Shoe!A fun new technology that harvests power from a small generator embedded in the sole of your shoe has been developed by Dr. Ville Kaajakari at Louisiana Tech University (LTU).<br /><br />The technology cannot power your house (yet), but it can be used for a range of useful purposes.<br /><br />“This technology could benefit, for example, hikers that need emergency location devices or beacons,” said Kaajakari. “For more general use, you can use it to power portable devices without wasteful batteries.”<br /><br />Kaajakari’s breakthrough technology uses a low-cost polymer transducer with metalized surfaces for electrical contact. Conventionally, ceramic transducers would be used, but given that they might not be comfortable or durable in the sole of your shoe, Kaajakari went with this soft and robust alternative that matches the properties of regular shoe fillings. Rather than putting a heel shock absorber in, this is put in and will supposedly create the same user experience (in other words, you wouldn’t notice the difference).<br /><br />“Kaajakari’s innovative technology, developed at Louisiana Tech’s Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM), is based on new voltage regulation circuits that efficiently convert a piezoelectric charge into usable voltage for charging batteries or for directly powering electronics,” LTU reports.<br /><br />Currently, the technology could not generate enough power to power very energy-intensive equipment, but eventually, in addition to being able to power sensors, GPS units or portable devices that don’t require a large amount of energy, Kaajakari hopes the technology will be able to create enough energy to power or charge common portable devices like cell phones.<br /><br />If you keep up with clean tech news like this, you’ve probably seen this sort of “piezoelectric energy generation” thing before. So, why aren’t such technologies on the market yet? Well, piezoelectric energy generation doesn’t seem to be worth what it takes to make it happen in many cases. Dr. Kaajakari’s breakthrough technology is being featured in MEMS Investor Journal, a national online industry publication that informs investment professionals about latest developments in the micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) industry, so perhaps some investors will see it and help it to move into a more prolific place.<br /><br />Written by Zachary Shahan <br />Published on April 29th, 2010Posted in Clean Energy, Consumer Technology<br /><br />Saverio Manzo<br />saveriomanzo.comSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-36651964995088671062010-04-28T10:00:00.001-04:002010-04-28T10:05:48.934-04:00Considering Renewable Energy for your Home?According to the Energy Savings, one third of people would pay more for a home that had been fitted with a renewable energy source such as wind, solar or geothermal power.<br /><br />Half also want to know if their home is suitable for renewable energy, so the interest in sustainable forms of energy is definitely increasing.<br /><br />But the research also reveals that around half of respondents are put off investing in renewable energy such as solar panels and wind turbines, because of the upfront cost of installing them.<br /><br />That’s understandable; installing a solar water heating system, costs between $4,000 and $6,000, while a solar electricity system costs between $12,000 and $18,000.These can save you around $100 and $500 per year respectively, so payback is a long time. <br /><br />However, recently the technological advancements of silica-based solar panels are being produced for less and less each year. Its just a matter of time when the installation costs of a solar-powered home-based system become cost-effective. <br /><br />I guess for the moment, you don’t invest in a renewable energy system as a financial move; you do it because you want self sufficiency or you feel it is the right thing to do.<br /><br />There are a few upsides to implementing renewable technology for your home; one is that there is now the option of selling back any excess electricity you produce to the grid for cash. In addition, the Energy Savings has a range of grants for converting to most renewable energy, and, don’t forget: the resale value of your home will be higher!<br /><br />It’s worth checking out Government provincial and federal rebates and grants to see if you’re eligible for financial help with installing renewable energies. If the cost is still too much for you, then keep an eye on our Blog – we’ll be sharing tons of tips on going green on a budget. We plan to have heaps of ideas for more eco friendly living which are frugal too! <br /><br />Saverio Manzo<br />saveriomanzo.comSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687440518839236929.post-92087588407889884472010-04-26T16:04:00.002-04:002010-04-26T16:27:21.243-04:00Just how "green" are you?<strong>How eco-friendly are you? </strong><br /><br />As I start this wonderful Blog I thought it would be good to know just how green, eco-friendly I am. So I found this test by National Geographic that asks a few simple questions, such as:<br /><br />- some questions about your opinions about the environment<br />- some questions about food you may or may not consume<br />- some questions about your household and how you live within your home <br />- some questions about transportation and how you get around<br /><br />Pretty fascinating results for me personally - see just how you fair and what you can to to improve your score. <br /><br /><em>Cut and paste the following link to your browser: </em><br /><br />http://www.nationalgeographic.com/greendex/calculator.html<br /><br />Saverio ManzoSaverio Manzo bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13340379232831747256noreply@blogger.com0