Daily Loaf

According to recent research published in the British medical journal The Lancet Wednesday (November 25), cutting greenhouse pollutants could not only save the planet from drastic climate change but could also greatly affect our health in a positive way. The studies linking climate change and health show that reducing carbon dioxide emissions from our atmosphere could greatly reduce preventable deaths from heart and lung diseases.

The studies performed looked at confronting climate change in four areas: electricity generation, household energy use, transportation, and food and agriculture. Each study looks at both high- and low-income nations and the health implications of reducing greenhouse gases from fossil fuels. Major amounts of carbon emissions are due to both transportation and from the burning of solid fuel in the household stoves of poorer countries (that burn dung, charcoal, wood and other polluting fuels) to cook and heat their homes. Carbon emissions cause air pollution because it increases ground-level ozone, thus accumulating fine particulate matter that could lead to lung disease.
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The Age of Stupid is an eco docu-drama directed by Franny Armstrong (Mc Libel, Drowned Out) and will be shown as a “first of it’s kind” worldwide live event- simulcast live from a solar tent in New York to only 440 movie theaters in the nation, in conjunction with UN Climate Week.

The film stars Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects) as a global archivist in the future who is wondering why the heck people didn’t get the clue about global climate change and stop it when we still had a chance. It also interweaves six dramatic stories of people from around the globe facing different ecological crises and features present day news clips that are featured in this future media archive.

See the trailer after the jump:
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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Fixing sprawl and redesigning suburbia- Grant Rimbey CNU explores a possible strategy towards improving existing sprawl. Fixing the sprawl that we have, along with sprawl demolition and recycling, are strategies that could be employed in the future as a new green industry.

Nation’s largest solar facility to be in DeSoto County by next year- Florida Power and Light is currently building the nation’s largest photovoltaic plant in DeSoto County, a $173.5 million, 25 megawatt solar generating facility.

Fresh: New Thinking About What We’re Eating screening – What’s wrong with the mega-industrial food industry- Struggling small farms, problems with food safety rules and the mega-industrial food industry, and a film about all of the above.
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The town of Arcadia in DeSoto County is currently building the nation’s largest photovoltaic plant.

According to Florida Power & Light (FPL) the $173.5 million, 25 megawatt solar generating facility should be operating by the second quarter of 2010.

In February, FPL broke ground on its DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center: Florida’s first commercial solar energy facility.  The facility is projected to produce an average of 42,000 MWh of electricity annually.  This enough to meet the needs of over 3,000 homes or over 7,000 people; nearly 20% of DeSoto County.
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“Dream Momma, Last weekend I had a dream (nightmare) that I was trying to outrun a sinkhole with the family in the car. We made it to a shopping mall and ran inside just in time to see the parking lot and everything that lay beyond it swallowed up. It freaked me out and the only thing Julie could say was “What did you eat last night?”

Dear Dreamer, I have to assume you are married with kids and that Julie is your wife. On that assumption I believe this dream is about your belief and your marriage. You and your family are in a car (the marital journey) trying to outrun a sinkhole (big problem-separation-divorce-global crisis). In a nano second you are saved but the world outside is swallowed up.

Hmmm, swallowed up. What comes to mind when you think of the world being swallowed up? Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Living with the land: Florida’s first Earthship (video) – Eric Stewart gives a firsthand look at Florida’s first Earthship in Manatee County, and gets his hands dirty while helping out.

Not getting a million-dollar bonus this year? Think local stimulus- Scott Milinder shows us a real stimulus package that will work for us: we all commit to “Buying Local First.” According to recent economic studies, shifting your buying habits to locally owned businesses creates more circulation of money, more economic activity and more jobs in the local economy.

Eco-friendly summertime fashion accessories- Are you searching for a unique and beautiful purse to enhance your summer wardrobe? Then why not consider one of these recycled handbags that are made from recycled items that help to promote a cleaner and healthier world, reports Jen Meier.
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I just participated in a panel discussion on offshore drilling of our Florida beaches, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce. Also joining me were Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch, Senator Nelson’s staff Shahra Anderson, and the Ocean Conservancy’s TJ Marshall, as well as two other panelists acting essentially as lobbyists for the oil industry from the Southern Strategies Group – the firm that came close last spring to getting our state legislature to okay oil drilling within three miles of our beaches.

Over and over, their message came across: “Trust us. The oil companies would never do anything to harm your beaches. Honest, we can drill and you’ll never see a spill, nary a drop nor a tar ball. Never mind that Texas beaches, naturally as nice as Florida’s, have almost zero tourism revenue because of the muck and tar balls that ruin a nice walk on the beach there. If we had anything to do with that, we’re sorry, but that would never happen here. We’re much more careful now. Trust us.”

Two problems with this argument:
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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Steps to becoming greener: Reducing your waste, reusing and recycling: Joshua Poll gives some useful tips for ways to start reducing, reusing, and recycling things you thought you could just throw away.

Genetically engineering cows that will produce less methane, reducing greenhouse gases: Geneticists in Canada are trying to engineer a cow that produces less methane, resulting in less greenhouse gases, reports Brian Roberts.
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This post is partially a retraction and a correction. I have reported previously on how cow farts are filling up the atmosphere with greenhouse gas emissions in the form of methane. Apparently, its not the gas from the tail end of the cow that’s the problem. Its the belching. My bad.

Either way, it sounds like a premise for a bad episode of Captain Planet and a chain of visual images that eventually ruins lunch.
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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Reconstructing a historic bat tower in Temple Terrace and how to build your own bat roost- Grant Rimbey investigates efforts in Temple Terrace to reconstruct an historic tower for bats, discusses a large community bat roost he designed for the Florida Bat Conservancy, and tells how you can purchase (or build) your own bat roost for your yard.

Summer Solstice: A brief history- Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, occurs this Sunday- June 21st. Here are a few facts you might not have known about it, from Linda Taylor.

Organics: How to eat well without breaking your budget- With the increase of demand over organic food in the last ten years you would think that a wide range of these products would be easily accessible. Here’s some some advice from Kelly Rothwell on purchasing healthy, organic food in this region without breaking your budget.
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Recently, I received an email from a local filmmaker, Arlen Slobodow of Public Media Productions, asking me to take a look at a 17-minute video he just completed on public health and the environmental consequences of air pollution in the Tampa Bay area.  Because I am such a supporter of local independent media production, things that inspire action for the public good, and combating big polluters, I thought I’d share it.  Also, be sure to check out my interview with the film’s writer/director/producer, Arlen Slobodow, in my next post.

Video after the jump
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What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Stretching your diet and exercise comfort zone: moving through a plateau: contributor Kelly Rothwell lists a few ways to work through your diet and exercise plateaus.

Greenpeace comes to Tampa with bad news about Florida’s emissions: Joshua Michael Poll takes a look Greenpeace’s report that Florida is one of the biggest emissions producers in the world.
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Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war.  I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in this story is climate change.

A new report by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) says that global warming already kills about 300,000 people a year.  If that projection is not startling enough– or if you have more of an economic mind, and are not much swayed by stacks of human figures—the report also says that climate change costs around $125 billion in economic losses annually.
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You might be interested to know that Greenpeace has come to town and has just opened an office in Temple Terrace. They held their first press conference last Wednesday, the 27th, at the Florida Aquarium. Greenpeace, known for their environmental campaigning and non-violent action, dropped a bomb on Florida.

Matthew De Vlieger, the Florida Field Organizer at Greenpeace, declared Wednesday that “Florida emitted more global warming pollution per capita from 1960-2005 than 164 countries, including Denmark, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom!” Read the rest of this entry »

So it’s come to this?  “Global warming” is out and “climate change” is in?  We are no longer looking for a “silver bullet”, but rather seek “silver buckshot”?

Based on a recent article in the NYTimes, linguistic battles are shaping as PR firms and lobbyists look to shape the language of debate over climate-change legislation working its way through the halls of Congress.  Though, navigating this new lexicon may help to improve the image of this most important social, environmental, and geo-political issue.  Perhaps when renamed, “global warming” will climb from its last-place position of twenty important voter concerns (based on a recent Pew Research poll). Read the rest of this entry »

I’m on an Earth Day guilt trip. Why does all the celebrating have to be outside? Oh, right, we’re celebrating nature, so it’s either itchy eyes and a pounding head or the questioning from my friends, “Say Lisa, little Ms. Green, we didn’t see you over the weekend at that Earth fest.” Hold on! Earth day isn’t until Wednesday, there’s still time for redemption! Teensygreen, a great website for green moms and dads- is where I learned of my plan for salvation,  Mr. Mouse and your nature film buddies, I owe you.

Disneynature’s Earth is being released on you guessed it, Earth Day, April 22nd. You know that mouse, he’s a PR hot shot. The best part (I’m looking at this as a double win) is relieving Earth Day guilt and doing my part to stimulate the economy, and Disney will plant a tree for every ticket sold opening week- bonus points!  Read the rest of this entry »

Museum of Fine Arts and Sunscreen Film Festival team up to bring locals a new “Movies at the Museum” screening series. The first kicks off tonight; the featured selection is The Blues Brothers starring Dan Akroyd and John Belushi (pictured). The screening begins at 7 p.m., but guests are encouraged to arrive early and browse MFA’a permanent collection galleries from 6 to 7 p.m. $10, the Marly Room at MFA.

Tonight’s “Side Door Jazz” event at Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg features pianist Kym Purling and his quartet for an evening of jazz vocals and piano, “Love Songs: Sweet ‘n Swingin’.” 7:30 p.m., $20.

A panel discussion on the human element of global warming, “Feel the Heat: Climate Change, Vulnerability and Environmental Justice,” is held tonight at St. Petersburg’s Studio at 620. 6-7 p.m. reception, 7-9 p.m. discussion, free admission.

A new traveling exhibit in celebration of New Orleans’ new Insectarium, a bug museum, stops at Museum of Science and Industry for a four-day event. MOSI visitors can see and touch an array of bugs, compete in cockroach races and cricket spitting contests, and even taste insect treats by “bug chef” David George Gordon, author of The How to Eat a Bug Cookbook. Nov. 20-23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day, $20.95 adults/$18.95 seniors/$16.95 children ages 2-12.

St. Pete College’s resident dance company, CoMotion Dance Theatre, stages its fall concert, which includes modern dance choreographed by college faculty and locally-based guest artists. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., Nov. 20-22, SPC Music Center, Clearwater, free admission.