Eighty-four percent of participants in the study conducted by New York University School of Law agreed that greenhouse gas emissions pose a significant risk to U.S. and global economies.

Eighty percent of economists favored the auctioning of emissions allowances, while 9 percent believed the government should distribute them freely. Photo: Flickr/NightRPStar

Tony Lupo, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Missouri, said he was surprised by the study. “I didn’t realize that all of these economists are basing their opinions on human-induced climate change.”

With varying opinions on the economic costs of current climate change legislation, some assume economists would be opposed to climate change policy. However, the findings of the study prove that most economists believe the benefits of limiting carbon emissions will greatly outweigh the costs.

Ninety-two percent of respondents preferred market-based methods such as a carbon tax or cap-and-trade setup, with near unanimous agreement (97.9 percent) that “placing a price” on carbon will encourage innovation and energy-efficiency in the country.

Lupo is skeptical if the proposed climate change legislation will really be as beneficial as the responses to this study suggest.

“To spur advances in alternatives, we should provide incentives for companies in the form of tax breaks and grants rather than rationing or taxing. Limiting the amount of energy may spur innovation, but it is going to cost consumers in the long run,” he said.

But no matter the method, 94.3 percent of the economists believe the U.S. should agree to an international climate treaty with the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said it should be done regardless of the actions of other countries.

Current climate change legislation will begin by distributing allowances and then slowly moving toward an auction system.

The proposed Eagle Mountain Landfill would draw trains from Los Angeles County with an estimated 20,000 tons of waste each day for 117 years. The total capacity of the proposed landfill, an abandoned iron ore mine, is approximately 708 million tons.

According to NPCS, the landfill would pose many environmental consequences, including harm to Bighorn sheep and endangered desert tortoises, contaminated groundwater, poor air quality, and other visual, noise and night lighting impacts in the park. Photo: Flickr/sebastien.b

For two decades, Ontario-based Kaiser Ventures Inc. has been fighting to develop the 4,654 acres surrounded on three sides by the park and located one-and-a-half miles from Joshua Tree.

Mark Cipra, the California desert program manager with the National Parks Conservation Society (NPCS), called the ruling “a landmark victory for Joshua Tree National Park’s bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and the 1.3 million people who come here every year to enjoy our beloved national park.”

Kaiser Ventures acquired the land during a swap with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1997. MSNBC reports that two jojoba farmers sued to stop a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) deal necessary for the development 20 years ago.

The NPCS later joined the case. This panel upheld a lower court’s ruling that the BLM’s appraisal of the land was not accurate because it did not take the future use of the land as a lucrative landfill into consideration.

Kaiser Ventures and the BLM now have the option of appealing the decision to the full appeals court.

But the season isn’t all turkey, stuffing and pie. According to RecycleWorks, from Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25 percent.

So, start off your holiday season on the green foot by making a few small, eco-friendly changes this Turkey Day. It’s easy to get the entire family involved, have fun and decrease the burden on your wallet as well.

This year, opt for local and organic foods for your broccoli-squash casserole or pumpkin pie. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

1. Shopping for Food

Before you rush to eat yourself into a Tryptophan-induced coma, take a minute to think about where your food comes from.

When shopping for your Thanksgiving meal, keep two words in mind: organic and local. These keywords will guarantee a fresher, more nutritious meal.

If you buy local, not only can you enjoy fresh food, but you will also support your local economy. Check for farmers’ markets, family farms, community-supported agriculture programs and U-Pick options in your area for the freshest produce, eggs, dairy and grass-fed meat. Also, consider buying organic wines to be more eco-conscious without sacrificing quality or taste.

Also, don’t forget the vegetarians at your table. The Vegetarian Resource Group estimates that 3 percent of Americans, between 6 million and 8 million adults, are vegetarians. For example, the Organic Consumers Association developed a healthy vegetarian Thanksgiving menu which includes stuffed acorn squash with corn bread dressing and chestnut gravy.

If you’re going to have a large crowd, buy food in bulk to reduce packaging waste and save money. And of course, bring your own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store.

2. Crowd Control

At least 28 billion pounds of edible food is wasted each year – more than 100 pounds per person. One of the best ways to reduce your waste this Thanksgiving is to plan ahead for the meal and practicing portion control.

Use Less Stuff created a handy list of approximate per person food and drink portions:

• Turkey- 1 pound
• Stuffing- ¼ pound
• Sweet potato casserole- ¼ pound
• Green beans- ¼ pound
• Cranberry relish- 3 tablespoons
• Pumpkin pie- 1/8 of a 9 inch pie

After the meal, evaluate how many people were present and how much of each dish was consumed. By keeping track each year, you can make a more efficient, less wasteful Thanksgiving meal in the future.

3. Do Something Fun!

Instead of firmly planting yourself in front of the TV for the day, consider getting some fresh air or playing a board game. Take advantage of the time together with friends and family while decreasing your energy usage.

Try bundling up and playing some football outside instead of watching it. Split the whole family into teams and get everyone involved. Make sure the winners get to go through the pie line first!

4. Traveling Tips

According to Use Less Stuff, if each family reduced holiday gasoline consumption by 1 gallon (about 20 miles), we would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million tons. Invite nearby friends and family and neighbors to your house for Thanksgiving dinner and encourage them to do the same.

If you must go over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving, turn down the thermostat and turn off the lights to save energy while you’re gone.

Now you finally have a use for that china! Try to avoid disposable dinnerware to cut down on waste. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

5. Setting the Table

There are many options when it comes to table setting, all dependent upon how many guests will be present at your Thanksgiving celebration. If it is going to be a small gathering, get out your nice china for the occasion. Cloth napkins are also a plus.

If you’re expecting a big crowd, organize it like a potluck and ask your guests to bring dishes and silverware for themselves. If disposable place settings are your only choice, opt for biodegradable and compostable utensils, napkins and plates, such as those from Biodegradable Store.com.

The average dishwasher uses between 7 and 15 gallons of water per cycle. After the meal, be sure to fill the dishwasher to capacity before running it to save water and energy.

6. Crafty Decorations (Yes, You Can Do It!)

Add a little extra elegance to your table with homemade decorations. Most materials can be found in your craft cupboard or backyard. Have the kids chip in with a pre-Thanksgiving craft day. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Acorn napkin ties
• Dried leaf place cards
• Corn or leaf print place mats
• Pinecone turkeys
• Painted gourds
• Festive fall arrangements of pumpkins or corn cobs
• Make your own cornucopia

If there is a tablecloth or other decorative item you’ve been eying, make sure it’s a purchase you’ll be happy to reuse in the future. Some decorations can even become new family traditions.

7. Lose the Leftovers

Once the party is over, it’s time to decide what to do with all that leftover food. Don’t forget to donate your leftovers to a food bank or nearby homeless shelter. And remember to compost your food scraps.

If you decided to buy your Thanksgiving supplies in bulk, the containers from your various products are perfect for storing large quantities of leftovers. Make sure your guests leave with a portion of extra food to take home. After all, one of the best Thanksgiving traditions is noshing on leftover turkey sandwiches and mashed potatoes for lunch the following weekend.

8. Recycling Isn’t a Chore

Last, but not least, get back to the basics and recycle. Encourage your guests to pitch in and clearly mark recycling bins. Recycling all packaging, as well as any beverage containers, will significantly reduce the number of times you have to take the trash out, as well as the amount of garbage you send to the landfill.

Starting this month, accessories sold at retail stores and online will be in packaged with 20 and 40 percent less material. The packaging shell is now made from PET, a plastic that’s easier to recycle than its predecessor, PVC.

Soy and vegetable inks have replaced petroleum-based ink, and the paperboard is Forest Stewardship Council certified,

Sprint's new packaging is made with 20 to 40 percent less materials. Photo: Sprint

Additionally, biodegradable air pillows will be used for shipping accessories.

The move is expected to save 647 tons of waste annually and reduce accessory packaging costs by 35 percent, resulting in approximately $2.1 million in annualized savings for Sprint.

Sprint recently came in at No. 15 on Newsweek’s environmental ranking of America’s 500 largest corporations. The company is expanding its initiatives and focus to reduce their carbon footprint. One example is their commitment to reduce paper usage by 30 percent in the next five years.

“Being more sustainable is smart business. We pride ourselves on being the leader in the wireless industry,” said Alex Hahn, communications manager of environment and sustainability for Sprint.

Hahn said the response to the company’s eco-friendly products has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Not only are we focusing on greening our internal operations, but we are helping our customers live more eco-friendly lifestyles,” he said.

The main goals of the bill are greater energy independence for America and a cap on pollution. Within the text is a target emissions level reduction of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. Officially called the “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” the bill totals 959 pages.

If passed, the Climate Bill would set the first-ever U.S. greenhouse gas limits. Photo: Flickr/melancholic optimist

Six committees will weigh in on the proposed legislation before a full Senate vote. Senators say it will not likely reach the Senate floor by the end of the year.

However, the Copenhagen talks are set to begin Dec. 7, and many believe U.S. leadership will be critical in forging an international climate change agreement.

“Copenhagen is very important symbolically,” Sen. Arlen Specter told The New York Times.  “And Copenhagen would have been more impressed had we moved further. But Copenhagen will be impressed at least that we have the resoluteness to move ahead now.”

While most members of the U.S. Climate Action Network applauded the committee and Senator Boxer for their efforts in passing the bill, others have spoken out, pleading with senators to not weaken the bill in the effort of gaining bipartisan support.

The Union of Concerned Scientists believe the bill falls short on the end of funding renewable energy. “While the limit on carbon emissions would help move the nation toward clean energy, direct funding for renewables is critical to accelerate the transformation,” the group released in a statement.

Friends of the Earth also sees missing elements in the legislation. “While the bill reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today is in some ways better than the bill that passed the House in June [...],” Friends of Earth President Erich Pica said in a statement, “it remains a woefully disproportionate response to the tremendous economic, security and public health threats posed by global warming.”

Comprehensive climate and energy legislation is one of President Obama’s main goals. “My administration is deeply committed to passing a bill that creates new American jobs and the clean energy incentives that foster innovation,” the President said in November.

Students will now be able to donate their used wireless phones in an effort to cut down on e-waste in N.Y. landfills. But if the program proves a success, it could go national.

The program’s benefits reach far beyond its environmental impact. UHopeLine is designed to increase awareness of domestic violence and provide aid to survivors.

If possible, the cell phones are refurbished and given to survivors along with service. Old or broken phones are dismantled and profits are donated to domestic violence advocacy organizations.

The first UHopeLine program began at Rutgers University one year ago and collected 600 mobile phones in its first six months. If all goes well, UHopeLine should expand nationwide next year. Photo: Flickr/williamhartz

“That’s the great part,” said David Samberg, spokesperson for Verizon Wireless New York Metro Region. “Not only are you recycling the phones, you’re also doing something positive for your community.”

The bins are placed in common areas throughout the campuses, displaying information including domestic violence hot lines. Wireless phones from all carriers are accepted. The schools are responsible for collecting the phones, but Verizon Wireless covers the cost of the bins and postage.

The program is an extension of HopeLine, a project that has collected more than 6.5 million phones at Verizon Wireless stores nationwide since its inception in 2001. Through that, $7 million in grants have been given to domestic violence organizations and 80,000 phones have been given to victims with 240 million total minutes of usage.

Samberg sees the process as an interlinked chain of participation. “The more bins we get out there and the more places we put these bins, the more phones we collect. The more phones we collect, the more we have out of the waste stream and into the hands of people who need them,” he said.

According to the EPA, an estimated 150 million mobile phones are taken out of service each year. Recycling 1 million cell phones saves enough energy to power more than 185 U.S. households with electricity for a year.

The Blacksmith Institute, an international nonprofit focused on solving pollution problems in the developing world, released the “World’s Worst Polluted Places” report, which addresses both the environmental and health benefits of pollution cleanup.

The report says that according to some estimates, the health of more than 1 billion people around the globe is compromised by exposure to air, water and soil pollution. Also, exposure to pollution causes 40 percent of deaths annually.

Smog clouds Cairo's skyline. According to the report, remediation, education, legislation and innovation are the keys to solving the wide range of international pollution issues. Photo: Flickr/ninahale

Listed in the report are possible solutions to polluted areas, including new techniques to reduce mercury poisoning from artisanal gold mining in Indonesia; public policies controlling vehicle emissions which cause respiratory illnesses in India; the medical, psychological and educational interventions in Chernobyl-affected areas of Eastern Europe; and sewage cleanup in China to restore the quality of drinking water.

“This year, instead of our annual listing of the world’s worst polluted places or pollution problems, we are focusing on the positive,” says Richard Fuller, president and founder of the Blacksmith Institute.

“The takeaway here is that eliminating pollution is difficult but not impossible. The report shows that pollution can be tackled successfully. We just need the right resources and commitment.”

The report also highlighted two international projects as models of how the international community can work together to successfully solve these types of problems.

But despite these successes, pollution cleanup is still not a priority in developing countries. The report concludes that nations should see these accomplishments as proof that dedicating funding into remediation programs can have a big impact.

On the national level, the EPA recently released its report of the most polluted areas in the U.S. The number of affected areas decreased from 57 in 2007 to 31 in 2008.

The Blacksmith Institute worked with Green Cross Switzerland to compile the top 10 pollution locations and problems detailed in the report.

Composting is catching on as “going green” becomes the norm, and worm composting is a great first step before you commit to a large compost pile.  But you may wonder wonder, why compost in the first place? Well, we’re glad you asked…

Composting is one of the most satisfying types of recycling based on the fact that, unlike that plastic bottles you send to the recycling plant, you can watch this recycling process every step of the way. In addition, the waste reduction impact can be huge.

In fact, the U.S. EPA estimates that each American throws away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily. The combination of this  food waste, along with yard trimmings, makes up 24 percent of our nation’s municipal solid waste stream.

Vermicomposting is simple to setup and minimal maintenance is required. Not only is it a great option for your trash bin, but it’s also a perfect way to fertilize your household and garden plants!

Only a few things are needed to make good worm compost: a bin, bedding, worms and worm food. Photo: Flickr/Mely-o

Sound intimidating? We thought the same thing, so we decided to “break it down” and tackle it one step at time.

What is vermicomposting?

“Vermicomposting” is using worms to decompose your organic waste. “Vermicompost” is a mixture of decomposing food, bedding and castings (worm manure). Plain and simple, when worms eat organic waste, it is excreted in the form of nutrient-rich fertilizer.

Vermicomposting is different from other compost systems because it can be done inside, requires less maintenance and space and produces more fertile soil amendments.

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What are the benefits of vermicomposting?

Just to name a few:

• Recycling kitchen food waste – Waste disposal costs are reduced and you send less to the landfill, plain and simple.
• Producing soil amendments or fertilizer – Vermicompost is much more fertile than products of other composting methods.
• Education in your backyard – Watching nature do its thing can be entertaining and fascinating – regardless of your age.

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Where can I vermicompost?

One of the greatest benefits of vermicomposting is its versatility. You can set up your bin indoors or outdoors, as long as it remains at a temperature between 40 and 80 degrees. Try to avoid overheating or freezing by keeping the bin out of direct sunlight and indoors during cold months. Some good places are kitchens, garages, patios and laundry rooms.

Establishing worm compost bins in workplaces and schools is a growing trend. Start one by setting up the bin and encouraging your co-workers or students to contribute their food waste.

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A variety of bins can be used for your composting system. The best materials are wood and plastic. Photo: Flickr/amymyou

How can I get started?

Just like any recipe, the key is in the ingredients. Lucky for us this recipe is pretty simple. Your base is your bin, mix in some worms, add a splash of bedding and stir in your organic waste…viola!

Bin

You can either buy or build your worm farm. Ready-made plastic bins are available at many retailers and garden centers.

If you want to make one on your own, the best materials for vermicompost bins are wood or plastic storage boxes. Bins made of polystyrene may leach toxins into the compost. If you want to have organic vermicompost, avoid these kinds of bins.

Bins need to be between 8 and 16 inches, based on the fact that worms are surface feeders. Also, the size will vary depending on the number of people contributing waste to it. The recommend size is 2 square feet of surface area per person, or 1 square foot of surface area per pound of food waste per week.

The two main requirements for the bin are ventilation and coverage. A few small holes in the top and bottom of the bin should provide enough air. A lid is necessary to keep fruit flies and other insects and rodents from joining the worms at the compost party.

Worms

The optimum compost worm is a red worm, or red wiggler. These worms reproduce quickly and can eat more than their own weight in food each day. Note that these are not the same as the earthworms you see on the sidewalk after a rainstorm.

It is best to use 2 pounds of worms, or about 2,000 worms, for each pound of daily garbage. The average family of four generates about 7 pounds of compostable waste each week.

Many online retailers sell red worms and will deliver them to your door. Other good places to find them include:

• Fishing bait shops
• Garden centers
• Compost and manure piles (if you’re really adventurous)

Bedding

Just like humans, worms require a bed. The differences are, they prefer their bed to be moist and they eat it, rather than sleep on it. Bedding must be put down before the worms go in the bin. The most common bedding material is damp newspaper strips, but the following will also work:

• White paper
• Cardboard (with no wax coating)
• Non-glossy magazines
• Straw
• Coir (coconut husk fiber)
• Brown leaves

Contents

Once your bin is setup, it’s time to start feeding your worms. The worm-to-food ratio should be 2-to-1. Bury food at least 3 inches into the bedding, changing locations each time. But before burying it, remember that worms do not have teeth. It is much easier for them to eat if the food is blended or frozen and then thawed to be smaller and softer.

The following items can be put in the bin:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Eggshells
• Grains
• Coffee grounds
• Tea bags
• Grass clippings and other yard waste

It is not recommended to compost meats, dairy products, oily foods and bones because of problems with odors and pests. Worms also do not like onion skins or citrus, so these may be used, but should be kept to a minimum.

Many people wonder if they can compost their pet waste in a worm bin. While it should not be composted in the same bin as your food scraps, a separate vermicompost bin for animal waste would work well. Castings from this bin should not be used in food gardens, but flower gardens and perennial beds will flourish.

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What should I do if…?

If everything is balanced, your bin will be self-sustaining until you are ready to use the compost. However, if problems listed below arise, various actions may need to be taken.

My bin smells!

If working properly, a vermicompost bin will not smell, so a smelly bin can mean one of many things:

• Too much moisture
• Too little oxygen
• Too much waste

To fix these problems, try stirring the contents of your bin, adding more fresh bedding or reducing the addition of foods with high moisture content.

My worms are trying to escape!

This may signify that your worms are unhappy. There may not be enough food or moisture. But don’t fret, you need not have nightmares of worms crawling around your house. Simply put a light over the bin and maintain the conditions of the bin well. Your worms should be more than happy to stay and feast on your waste.

There are pests!

Pests are usually attracted to the smell of meat and dairy, so make sure you are not putting any of those products in your bin. Bugs are also drawn to moisture, but if fresh bedding is added to soak up any extra moisture, they will be turned off. Keep the lid closed to ward off any other pests.

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How can I collect my vermicompost?

Your newly collected compost can be used by spreading a thick layer around the base of outdoor plants. It will act as a fertilizer, seeping into the soil when watered. Mixing vermicompost with topsoil, vermiculite or perlite and coir in equal parts will make excellent potting soil.

Here’s how to collect it:

1. Move the contents of your bin to one side, filling the other with fresh bedding. Place new food scraps in the new side until the worms have migrated to the other side. Harvest your vermicompost after about a month.

2. Spread a tarp or sheet of plastic in the sun or under a bright light. Dump the contents of your worm bin into the center and separate into smaller piles. Worms are afraid of light, so they will burrow to the center of the piles, and you can remove the rings of worm compost from around them. Then simply put the pile of worms back in the bin with fresh bedding and more food.

3. Remove between one-third and one-half of your bin, including the worms, and simply place it in your garden soil. Add fresh bedding to your bin and continue composting food.

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Levi Strauss & Co., Goodwill and students at the University of Memphis have taken on the charge of reducing that number with two separate projects.

A partnership between Levi Strauss & Co. and Goodwill is attempting to divert more clothing from landfills by promoting donation of unwanted clothing, as well as encouraging sustainable washing practices. The program, called “A Care Tag for Our Planet,” will replace the care tags on all Levi’s clothing beginning in January 2010 with tags that read, “Machine wash cold, line dry when possible and donate to Goodwill.”

Levi Strauss & Co. has been dedicated to environmental issues for more than two decades. By studying the life cycle of one pair of Levi’s jeans they found that their biggest environmental impact was consumer care. Photo: Flickr/jmb1977

According to the TerraPass Footprint, between 85 and 90 percent of the energy used by a washing machine goes to power the water heater. A switch of all U.S. washers to cold water would mean a savings of about 30 million tons of CO2 per year.

“As a company built on values, we have long worked to promote sustainability in how we make our products and run our operations,” John Anderson, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., told Ad Age. “This initiative uses our global voice to empower hundreds of millions of consumers around the world to join us by providing simple and actionable ways to help care for our planet,” he said.

But Goodwill and Levi Strauss & Co. are not the only ones taking action to keep clothing out of landfills. Students at the University of Memphis are partnering with Habitat for Humanity to collect old jeans to be used as insulation for homes. The project is called “Cotton: From Blue to Green.” A collection drive is aiming to recycle between 500 and 1,000 pairs of jeans. The used cotton will then be recycled into insulation for a new home.

Brad Robb, vice president of communications for the Cotton Board told My Eyewitness News.com that recycled cotton is environmentally friendly. “Not only is it just as good as regular insulation, you don’t have to use gloves. It’s not itchy, so that’s a plus,” he said.

Both of these projects are attempting to change the way Americans view clothing. Instead of being a disposable good, the programs prove that nearly all items can be reused or recycled and made into a usable, new product.

A new partnership with RecycleBank, as well as the expansion of Houston’s green-cart, single-stream recycling program, encourages residents to recycle.

If the RecycleBank program is deemed a success after the six-month rollout period, it will be expanded to other areas in the city. Photo: Flickr/telwink

“Houston has set many goals in becoming a greener, more sustainable city. Partnering with RecycleBank will both increase recycling and reduce the amount of material going to the landfill,” said Houston Solid Waste Management Director Harry Hayes.

Beginning Nov. 9 for 22,000 residents, RecycleBank, a program which already serves one million customers in 21 states, will provide incentives such as coupons, gift cards and discounts that participants can earn, depending upon the amount recycled by each household in Houston

Texas Instruments is responsible for the technology assisting RecycleBank with data collection.

Each green recycling cart is outfitted with an identification tag. Technology on the recycling truck reads the ID tags, records how much each household recycles by weight and transmits that information to RecycleBank. Each recycler has an account, which is credited with points based on the amount recycled.

Participants may then redeem their points with the more than 1,500 local and national businesses partnering with RecycleBank.

In March of this year, Houston made the switch from a dual-stream to a single-stream recycling program, meaning that all materials (paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, glass, tin, etc.) are collected in one bin.

Ten thousand homes began the program, and within six months, those homes had surpassed the city’s combined average. Participation in those neighborhoods has since grown from 24 percent to 55 percent.

“We expect to see a further increase, now that households will be rewarded for recycling,” Hayes said. “This program is good for both the environment and the local economy. RecycleBank Points translate into savings for residents during these tough economic times. Families may earn up to $450 worth in reward value each year through their household recycling.”

In addition the RecycleBank program, $3 million in federal stimulus money will be used to expand the single-stream recycling system to another 50,000 Houston households.