fucking awesome jam paired with nerdiest/ raddest vintage computer montage
"Bach For Bachelors" Carlos Futura
April 26, 2008
April 22, 2008
Jason Anderson!
Hey guys! Public service announcement!
I saw Jason Anderson again tonight (this makes...three times?) and let me tell you- just as great every time.
If you get the chance, go do it!
I saw Jason Anderson again tonight (this makes...three times?) and let me tell you- just as great every time.
If you get the chance, go do it!
April 19, 2008
April 18, 2008
hi my name is seth, i dont make alot of money, im a nice guy so i dont expect alot of honey
hi, i backhandedly snuck my way into this shredtastic blog by way of my little brother doran. blame him. but i will prove to be an invaluable asset, i swear! im wrapping up my 9 month stay in tokyo, with only like 18 more days to go... its pretty awesome out here, and im kinda sad to have to temporarily go back to live in my parents house and live in my little brothers room... man thats depressing... you live outside for 7 years and its not even our old room, just his. oh well... no need to stay down! lets get stoked!
heres something i made earlier this semester for a class... i still cant believe i got away with it... but getting stoked is my number one priority these days, so i could talk it up pretty enthusiastically... basically it all started out when i was hecka stoked on this one saturday.. well let me back up, i was in a kinda winter funk, feeling really isolated and depressed in japan, even though i go to an american university and have friends and stuff... but anyways... drinking super heavily... missing seattle and my seattle crew (midtown top ranking!) and my family in irvine, and my dog and all that... so this particular saturday, i get up... its freaking gorgeous outside (uncharacteristic of tokyo in my experience) which, you know is going to stoke you out anyways, but thats not all... i wake up to a gorgeous day and i wanna go take photos... i set out for weekly brunch (oh man, 2 consecutive brunch mentions by the walots... jeez) and mid-brunch my tomodachi (thats friend to all you english speakers) calls me and is like "dude, lets go out and cruise around and take photos!" and my spirit just gets shot upwards to the clouds... i...am...totally...stoked!!!!! so i jump on the subway and get my camera... and im just so pumped, i forget what i was listening to, but im like walkdancing down the street, huge goofy grin and all, through the train station... and if youve ever walked around tokyo... or maybe any large metropolis... japanese people on the train, when they arent hecka drunk (if you are a salaryman, its probably pretty often), are really solemn and have melancholy expressions... and im getting all these stares from all these people... anyways it was a good day... but then on monday my friend, erm ともだち, is retelling his anecdote about smiling in the train station... and i was like HECK YES!! GET STOKED!! so then while not paying attention in japanese class i doodled my proudest creation... POSI KAT! so then i also coincidentally had an art project due soon, so i made the first (and currently only) posi kat... and so here it is:
yeah, so stay stoked. i also just finished a zine called awkwardly dashing #1. you can download it from this link.
ill leave you all with these 2 incredible videos, that blow my mind... i wanna be that kid in the red sweater freaking out! i hope these kids all know how incredibly blessed they were to be on the set of sesame street that day... incredible performace, and too darn funky!! oh yeah everyone needs to go out and get the pigeon john lp pigeon john and the summertime pool party, super rad, super posi party rap. if anyone has a spare early 70's stevie wonder horn section with additional trombone around, please let them follow me around.. or a mariachi band
ok. im out
get stoked/stay posi/get stoked!
heres something i made earlier this semester for a class... i still cant believe i got away with it... but getting stoked is my number one priority these days, so i could talk it up pretty enthusiastically... basically it all started out when i was hecka stoked on this one saturday.. well let me back up, i was in a kinda winter funk, feeling really isolated and depressed in japan, even though i go to an american university and have friends and stuff... but anyways... drinking super heavily... missing seattle and my seattle crew (midtown top ranking!) and my family in irvine, and my dog and all that... so this particular saturday, i get up... its freaking gorgeous outside (uncharacteristic of tokyo in my experience) which, you know is going to stoke you out anyways, but thats not all... i wake up to a gorgeous day and i wanna go take photos... i set out for weekly brunch (oh man, 2 consecutive brunch mentions by the walots... jeez) and mid-brunch my tomodachi (thats friend to all you english speakers) calls me and is like "dude, lets go out and cruise around and take photos!" and my spirit just gets shot upwards to the clouds... i...am...totally...stoked!!!!! so i jump on the subway and get my camera... and im just so pumped, i forget what i was listening to, but im like walkdancing down the street, huge goofy grin and all, through the train station... and if youve ever walked around tokyo... or maybe any large metropolis... japanese people on the train, when they arent hecka drunk (if you are a salaryman, its probably pretty often), are really solemn and have melancholy expressions... and im getting all these stares from all these people... anyways it was a good day... but then on monday my friend, erm ともだち, is retelling his anecdote about smiling in the train station... and i was like HECK YES!! GET STOKED!! so then while not paying attention in japanese class i doodled my proudest creation... POSI KAT! so then i also coincidentally had an art project due soon, so i made the first (and currently only) posi kat... and so here it is:
yeah, so stay stoked. i also just finished a zine called awkwardly dashing #1. you can download it from this link.
ill leave you all with these 2 incredible videos, that blow my mind... i wanna be that kid in the red sweater freaking out! i hope these kids all know how incredibly blessed they were to be on the set of sesame street that day... incredible performace, and too darn funky!! oh yeah everyone needs to go out and get the pigeon john lp pigeon john and the summertime pool party, super rad, super posi party rap. if anyone has a spare early 70's stevie wonder horn section with additional trombone around, please let them follow me around.. or a mariachi band
ok. im out
get stoked/stay posi/get stoked!
Honestly, I probably know like three of the whole mess of people who read/post here (or will in time, wishful thinkin'). But still, let me tell you a secret about myself.
Last year, I took this urban studies class. I convinced myself that this was my calling. I planned on taking these architecture art history classes and pictured myself finding these internships, but alas, it was not to be. However, I spend a lot of time still reading Dwell magazine and their website. Dwell makes me dream of getting a real soul-crushing job someday, maybe even going to law school or something, entirely so I can spend my weekends with my cute artist wife and our three year old son installing recycled tin onto the rooftop of our small but beautiful second home in some hip gentrified neighborhood somewhere. We will line the walls of the bedroom with mahogany that we found in a dumpster and discuss the benefits of cork versus bamboo flooring over brunch and the Sunday New York Times. Don't even get me started on the backyard. Indeed, I am the sole inspiration for Stuff White People Like. Adrian is totally 3000 miles away, cursing the fact that he even invited me to post on his blog, you guys. I think I just gentrified the internet.
But yeah, so Dwell magazine (and ReadyMade magazine).
Look at this barn. Look at those freakin' windows. 48 windows. That's so pretty. I will shank anyone who denies the artistic power of architecture and design. Here's the article that goes with it.
So earlier this afternoon, I went to an artist talk. Denzil Hurley (who actually taught here at Hampshire College back in the day) totally gleams the cube. This image doesn't do it justice like his slides did.
Most of these artist talks piss me off. I don't have the patience to sit and listen to some douchebag ramble on about how he changed the face of modern art and caused natural disasters with the flick of the paintbrush. I respond really well to the people who come and show us their work humbly, who work over long periods of time and make natural progressions and make beautiful things on their own terms. Look at that house and look at that painting and I hope you are inspired like I am.
The other great artist lecture I saw this semester: Robin Mandel. His website is really accessible and fun and he does these cool things with light and movement. Ironically, his most static work is also my favorite, I think:
Last year, I took this urban studies class. I convinced myself that this was my calling. I planned on taking these architecture art history classes and pictured myself finding these internships, but alas, it was not to be. However, I spend a lot of time still reading Dwell magazine and their website. Dwell makes me dream of getting a real soul-crushing job someday, maybe even going to law school or something, entirely so I can spend my weekends with my cute artist wife and our three year old son installing recycled tin onto the rooftop of our small but beautiful second home in some hip gentrified neighborhood somewhere. We will line the walls of the bedroom with mahogany that we found in a dumpster and discuss the benefits of cork versus bamboo flooring over brunch and the Sunday New York Times. Don't even get me started on the backyard. Indeed, I am the sole inspiration for Stuff White People Like. Adrian is totally 3000 miles away, cursing the fact that he even invited me to post on his blog, you guys. I think I just gentrified the internet.
But yeah, so Dwell magazine (and ReadyMade magazine).
Look at this barn. Look at those freakin' windows. 48 windows. That's so pretty. I will shank anyone who denies the artistic power of architecture and design. Here's the article that goes with it.
So earlier this afternoon, I went to an artist talk. Denzil Hurley (who actually taught here at Hampshire College back in the day) totally gleams the cube. This image doesn't do it justice like his slides did.
Most of these artist talks piss me off. I don't have the patience to sit and listen to some douchebag ramble on about how he changed the face of modern art and caused natural disasters with the flick of the paintbrush. I respond really well to the people who come and show us their work humbly, who work over long periods of time and make natural progressions and make beautiful things on their own terms. Look at that house and look at that painting and I hope you are inspired like I am.
The other great artist lecture I saw this semester: Robin Mandel. His website is really accessible and fun and he does these cool things with light and movement. Ironically, his most static work is also my favorite, I think:
So I think I kind of forgot that I planned to post here! Better late than never. Hope that California weather is nice, we've had some quality porch weather out in Western Mass this week. 80 degrees tomorrow! Take that, 74 in Irvine (small victories)!
I thought I'd share with you guys some of my friends' blogs. They vary in purpose.
http://junktrunkonabunk.blogspot.com/
This is my friend Ellen's new blog. She just started finding little oddities she found cute, funny, or cool and doing research about them.
http://thegoldenbearsofficialblog.blogspot.com/
That's the official blog of the Golden Bear. He lives next door to me. We work at Admissions together, too. He and his friends have professional wrestling alter-egos. They have a feud going with some other writers. Sometimes they get drunk and fight and I watch. They all have fun blogs (linked to on the side of TGB's blog). I'd recommend looking at a couple of them for a more well-rounded experience. THE GOLDEN BEAR...(thegoldenbear)!
http://shredcitizen.com
My brother's still in Japan (for another couple weeks). He just went to a penis festival.
I thought I'd share with you guys some of my friends' blogs. They vary in purpose.
http://junktrunkonabunk.blogspot.com/
This is my friend Ellen's new blog. She just started finding little oddities she found cute, funny, or cool and doing research about them.
http://thegoldenbearsofficialblog.blogspot.com/
That's the official blog of the Golden Bear. He lives next door to me. We work at Admissions together, too. He and his friends have professional wrestling alter-egos. They have a feud going with some other writers. Sometimes they get drunk and fight and I watch. They all have fun blogs (linked to on the side of TGB's blog). I'd recommend looking at a couple of them for a more well-rounded experience. THE GOLDEN BEAR...(thegoldenbear)!
http://shredcitizen.com
My brother's still in Japan (for another couple weeks). He just went to a penis festival.
April 17, 2008
Rad Nerds
a sweet video of some rad nerds
video description says "arabesque oriental electronica with Smadj and Mehdi Haddab on electric & acoustic oud and laptop with the cover version "The Chase" from Midnight Express score
(live 2003 at Bern Jazz Festival, Switzerland)"
video description says "arabesque oriental electronica with Smadj and Mehdi Haddab on electric & acoustic oud and laptop with the cover version "The Chase" from Midnight Express score
(live 2003 at Bern Jazz Festival, Switzerland)"
April 14, 2008
Softlightes- Microwave Song
Softlightes- Microwave
Directed by: Youtube
As Found on: Soflightes Myspace Bulletein, KMOYES.com
There's a bunch of decent music video's on:
http://www.kmoyes.com/
for bands such as: cut copy, presets, sia, architecture in helsinki, etc.
AMA!
Directed by: Youtube
As Found on: Soflightes Myspace Bulletein, KMOYES.com
There's a bunch of decent music video's on:
http://www.kmoyes.com/
for bands such as: cut copy, presets, sia, architecture in helsinki, etc.
AMA!
April 8, 2008
Water, water everywhere
Following Adrian's green footsteps, I just wanted to share with you my write-up to pitch an article about bottled water during my internship with GOOD Magazine over the summer. It's long because I got really into researching facts...but hey, skip read it!
How do you like your water? Fruity, salty, earthy, silky, or gritty? For something that is a universal solvent, we have attached high standards to how we want our water to taste. But surprisingly, taste is not the reason why we choose our bottled water brand favorites. Only 7% of consumers purchase bottled water for its flavor; 35% claim that they buy bottled water because they worry about the health safety of their tap water.
And yet the National Resources Defense Council conducted a 4-year study on bottled water industry that ended with three particularly astonishing results:
1) EPA's regulations on municipal tap water are more stringent than FDA’s regulations on sold water bottles,
2) ¼ of the 1000 bottled water tested were contaminated at levels violating strict enforceable state limits (for purposes of this test, California's state limits were used)
3) ¼ of the bottles in the market are sourced at the same place where we get our tap water
So essentially when we buy bottled water an Aquafina (PepsiCo owned) or a Dasani (Coca-Cola owned) in the supermarket, we're really just paying for packaged tap water.
And on top of it all, we tend to forget (or deliberately ignore) the environmental damage those seemingly friendly and recyclable plastic bottles create. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets—at $15 billion —for bottles that use approximately 20 million barrels of oil per year in manufacturing. The amount of oil used to distribute the $15 billion worth of water bottles is equivalent to the gas 37,800 18-wheelers would use up.
And of the 14 billion water bottles that were sold in the United States in 2002, 90% were thrown in the trash, even though most of them were made of recyclable PET plastic.
Here’s a case study worth remembering: a Fiji Water bottle that holds 1 liter requires 5 liters of water in its manufacturing process (this includes power plant cooling water). Other wastes include 81g of fossil fuels, 720g of water, and 153g of GHGs (greenhouse gases) per bottle delivered to the US from Fiji. But all of this damage is worth it when considering that the cost to produce and deliver a bottle of imported water is only $0.22, leaving $1.28 profit per Fiji water bottle for the manufacturer and the retail store. Unfortunately, most people who quench their thirst with exotic water from Fiji don't realize that half of Fiji’s population don't even have access to safe drinking water. Neither does 1/6 of the world’s population, and yet we keep buying more and more fancy bottled water from obscure places rather than packaging your tap water in the morning.
Sure, buying bottled water may improve the downsloping economy, but not by much. In Charles Fishman’s words: “Bottled water is not a sin. But it is a choice.” And if you choose to be good, please start using canisters for water. You save money while saving the world's oil and air. Killing two birds with one stone has never been this easy.
Sources:
1. American Water Works Association Research Foundation, Consumer Attitude Survey on Water Quality Issues, p. 19 (1993)
2. Fishman, Charles. “Message in a Bottle” Fast Company Magazine, July 2007, issue 117, p. 110
3. Harper’s Magazine July 2007
Water bottles in United States from Patricia Franklin, "Letter from the Executive Director," Container and Package Recyling Update (CRI, Arlington, VA), summer/fall 20003, p. 2;
4. Kalyan Moitra, "Recycle Onus on PET Producers, Says PCB," Economic Times of India , 27 June 2003; Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide, at www.bottlebill.org.
5. Pablo Pundit http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/askpablo-exotic-bottled-water-002401.php
6. WHO Factsheet 2004
How do you like your water? Fruity, salty, earthy, silky, or gritty? For something that is a universal solvent, we have attached high standards to how we want our water to taste. But surprisingly, taste is not the reason why we choose our bottled water brand favorites. Only 7% of consumers purchase bottled water for its flavor; 35% claim that they buy bottled water because they worry about the health safety of their tap water.
And yet the National Resources Defense Council conducted a 4-year study on bottled water industry that ended with three particularly astonishing results:
1) EPA's regulations on municipal tap water are more stringent than FDA’s regulations on sold water bottles,
2) ¼ of the 1000 bottled water tested were contaminated at levels violating strict enforceable state limits (for purposes of this test, California's state limits were used)
3) ¼ of the bottles in the market are sourced at the same place where we get our tap water
So essentially when we buy bottled water an Aquafina (PepsiCo owned) or a Dasani (Coca-Cola owned) in the supermarket, we're really just paying for packaged tap water.
And on top of it all, we tend to forget (or deliberately ignore) the environmental damage those seemingly friendly and recyclable plastic bottles create. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets—at $15 billion —for bottles that use approximately 20 million barrels of oil per year in manufacturing. The amount of oil used to distribute the $15 billion worth of water bottles is equivalent to the gas 37,800 18-wheelers would use up.
And of the 14 billion water bottles that were sold in the United States in 2002, 90% were thrown in the trash, even though most of them were made of recyclable PET plastic.
Here’s a case study worth remembering: a Fiji Water bottle that holds 1 liter requires 5 liters of water in its manufacturing process (this includes power plant cooling water). Other wastes include 81g of fossil fuels, 720g of water, and 153g of GHGs (greenhouse gases) per bottle delivered to the US from Fiji. But all of this damage is worth it when considering that the cost to produce and deliver a bottle of imported water is only $0.22, leaving $1.28 profit per Fiji water bottle for the manufacturer and the retail store. Unfortunately, most people who quench their thirst with exotic water from Fiji don't realize that half of Fiji’s population don't even have access to safe drinking water. Neither does 1/6 of the world’s population, and yet we keep buying more and more fancy bottled water from obscure places rather than packaging your tap water in the morning.
Sure, buying bottled water may improve the downsloping economy, but not by much. In Charles Fishman’s words: “Bottled water is not a sin. But it is a choice.” And if you choose to be good, please start using canisters for water. You save money while saving the world's oil and air. Killing two birds with one stone has never been this easy.
Sources:
1. American Water Works Association Research Foundation, Consumer Attitude Survey on Water Quality Issues, p. 19 (1993)
2. Fishman, Charles. “Message in a Bottle” Fast Company Magazine, July 2007, issue 117, p. 110
3. Harper’s Magazine July 2007
Water bottles in United States from Patricia Franklin, "Letter from the Executive Director," Container and Package Recyling Update (CRI, Arlington, VA), summer/fall 20003, p. 2;
4. Kalyan Moitra, "Recycle Onus on PET Producers, Says PCB," Economic Times of India , 27 June 2003; Container Recycling Institute, Bottle Bill Resource Guide, at www.bottlebill.org.
5. Pablo Pundit http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/askpablo-exotic-bottled-water-002401.php
6. WHO Factsheet 2004
Quick 'Green Tips.'
Below is a quick list of things that might be applicable, easy to do without attacthing solar panels onto our heads...
It was found in the Weekend America(National Public Radio) website in their ongoing coverage of 'Sustainability'!
...
1. Buy Organic and Local- When possible buy organic or fair trade. This will ensure that the food was grown in an eco-friendly way, and if it's locally grown, it didn't have to travel that far. This also goes for going for coffee and eating out. Coffee and foods in restaurants often have a large carbon footprint because of the distances they had to travel to get to the restaurant and how they were produced. Try eating at restaurants that service locally produced or seasonal foods. Lisa promises that the food will taste great and you will enjoy your meal knowing that you are being nice to the environment.
2. Pay Attention to Packaging- When you go out shopping, try to go to stores or co-ops that keep packaging to a minimum. For example, you may chose to buy the loose tomatoes than the tomatoes that are boxed or in the crates with plastic wrap over them. Also, try and take reusable bags to the grocery store. Even though the plastic bags you receive are better than paper, they are still not that great. A cloth tote bag would be better.
3. Ditch Bottled Water- Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint because of its packaging and the fact that it is bottled in one place and shipped all over. Try buying a reusable water bottle or canteen for your water. Also, a lot of restaurants have made the move from offering bottled water to using in-house filtration systems and where the water quality is good enough serving tap water. Although most folks recycle their plastic water bottles, the footprint is still pretty significant because of the shipping.
4. Upgrade Your Home- Check around the house and make sure that all of your windows close properly and that the attic in your home is properly insulated. This can control how much heating and cooling you will need to do and might save you some money. Also, if you keep your heating and cooling systems properly maintained and try not to use disposable filters when possible. One easy thing you can do is change your light bulbs. Most of the light bulbs we use are incandescent. Try switching to compact florescent lighting. They have made a lot of advances in florescent lighting, and it's not as bad as we think. Compact florescent light bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than our normal light bulbs and last much longer. It will be an investment in the beginning, but should pay for itself in the way of lower energy costs.
5. Go Native- When landscaping around your home or business, try and buy local plants. They will probably grow better in that particular environment, and they had to travel a shorter distance to get to where you are. Also, use organic soil when planting: it was made in an eco-friendly way and uses less resources. And remember, green plants are a good way to offset carbon, so plant something--it helps.
6. Window Shop- If you have to buy, try window shopping or browsing first. This will ensure that you are only buying things that you really need or really want and not just impulse buying. Remember, everything has a footprint, so if we are conscious consumers, we can reduce our footprint and the overall footprint of our nation.
7. Take a Direct Flight- If you have to travel by airplane, try and take a direct flight when possible. You will reduce your impact if you only have to take one flight as opposed to hopping on a couple of those jumbo jets to reach your destination.
8. Switch it to Vacation Mode- Most water heaters have a setting you can switch to when you are going to be away from home traveling for an extended period of time. Switching the water heater to the vacation or away mode will still keep the water warm, but will not use the energy it takes to keep a tank full of piping hot water. You will enjoy that trip more knowing you are using less energy and saving money while you are away.
9. Unplug It!- Unplug appliances that you don't use frequently. Most electronics have a standby mode that sucks energy even when not in use. Things like cell phone chargers and laptops should be unplugged when you are not using them. You will save energy and money with this simple step.
10. Keep Your Car- These days the temptation to buy a hybrid or electric vehicle is great. However, if you are driving an older model car that is in good condition, you may be better off sticking with that. Even hybrids have a footprint, so before you go spend money on a new car, with its own footprint, consider driving the car you own for a little while longer. Also, try incorporating other more eco-friendly modes of transportation when possible.
11. Chuck Your Microwave- Okay, maybe that is a bit drastic. But this speaks more to those convenient frozen dinners we rely on from time to time. Keeping frozen foods is actually more energy intensive because it actually costs more to freeze foods, ship them frozen, feature them frozen in the grocery store and then keep them frozen in our homes. So, while the modern convenience of the microwave and the microwave meal is more enticing, it is a little bit more resource intensive. When you can, you should cook fresh foods in bulk and then eat them throughout the week. You will use less frozen foods and eat out a bit less too.
12. Use Cold Water- No, not in the shower, but maybe in the washer. Try washing things that don't need to be cleaned in hot water in cold. It takes a lot of energy to heat hot water to wash with; multiply that by the number of loads, and that's a lot of energy. Most of the major detergent makers make cold water soap so you get the same cleaning power you would with regular soap. Try washing those mixed loads in cold water and save money while you do.
13. Have the Family Over- Lisa says that family gatherings are a good way to spend some quality time with the ones you love with very little carbon impact. "Carbon freebies," as she calls them, are things that we can do that do not really add to our impact and they are usually enjoyable.
14. Block Out Time for Errands- Most us try and run errands in between work and other commitments. Lisa suggests that we try and bundle errands together so that we take care of everything in the same area of town all at once. Going back and forth to the same part of town on different days to run errands uses more gas than if you planned out your errand trips and did everything in the same area all at once. And if you really want to make it a "carbon freebie," try carpooling and running errands with a buddy.
15. Remember to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle- It seems basic but in a capitalistic society like ours, sometimes we lose sight of just how much we buy. Try buying less and reusing things when you can. Your pockets won't be as light and you will be doing your part to save the Earth--oh, you know what I mean.
AMA!
It was found in the Weekend America(National Public Radio) website in their ongoing coverage of 'Sustainability'!
...
1. Buy Organic and Local- When possible buy organic or fair trade. This will ensure that the food was grown in an eco-friendly way, and if it's locally grown, it didn't have to travel that far. This also goes for going for coffee and eating out. Coffee and foods in restaurants often have a large carbon footprint because of the distances they had to travel to get to the restaurant and how they were produced. Try eating at restaurants that service locally produced or seasonal foods. Lisa promises that the food will taste great and you will enjoy your meal knowing that you are being nice to the environment.
2. Pay Attention to Packaging- When you go out shopping, try to go to stores or co-ops that keep packaging to a minimum. For example, you may chose to buy the loose tomatoes than the tomatoes that are boxed or in the crates with plastic wrap over them. Also, try and take reusable bags to the grocery store. Even though the plastic bags you receive are better than paper, they are still not that great. A cloth tote bag would be better.
3. Ditch Bottled Water- Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint because of its packaging and the fact that it is bottled in one place and shipped all over. Try buying a reusable water bottle or canteen for your water. Also, a lot of restaurants have made the move from offering bottled water to using in-house filtration systems and where the water quality is good enough serving tap water. Although most folks recycle their plastic water bottles, the footprint is still pretty significant because of the shipping.
4. Upgrade Your Home- Check around the house and make sure that all of your windows close properly and that the attic in your home is properly insulated. This can control how much heating and cooling you will need to do and might save you some money. Also, if you keep your heating and cooling systems properly maintained and try not to use disposable filters when possible. One easy thing you can do is change your light bulbs. Most of the light bulbs we use are incandescent. Try switching to compact florescent lighting. They have made a lot of advances in florescent lighting, and it's not as bad as we think. Compact florescent light bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than our normal light bulbs and last much longer. It will be an investment in the beginning, but should pay for itself in the way of lower energy costs.
5. Go Native- When landscaping around your home or business, try and buy local plants. They will probably grow better in that particular environment, and they had to travel a shorter distance to get to where you are. Also, use organic soil when planting: it was made in an eco-friendly way and uses less resources. And remember, green plants are a good way to offset carbon, so plant something--it helps.
6. Window Shop- If you have to buy, try window shopping or browsing first. This will ensure that you are only buying things that you really need or really want and not just impulse buying. Remember, everything has a footprint, so if we are conscious consumers, we can reduce our footprint and the overall footprint of our nation.
7. Take a Direct Flight- If you have to travel by airplane, try and take a direct flight when possible. You will reduce your impact if you only have to take one flight as opposed to hopping on a couple of those jumbo jets to reach your destination.
8. Switch it to Vacation Mode- Most water heaters have a setting you can switch to when you are going to be away from home traveling for an extended period of time. Switching the water heater to the vacation or away mode will still keep the water warm, but will not use the energy it takes to keep a tank full of piping hot water. You will enjoy that trip more knowing you are using less energy and saving money while you are away.
9. Unplug It!- Unplug appliances that you don't use frequently. Most electronics have a standby mode that sucks energy even when not in use. Things like cell phone chargers and laptops should be unplugged when you are not using them. You will save energy and money with this simple step.
10. Keep Your Car- These days the temptation to buy a hybrid or electric vehicle is great. However, if you are driving an older model car that is in good condition, you may be better off sticking with that. Even hybrids have a footprint, so before you go spend money on a new car, with its own footprint, consider driving the car you own for a little while longer. Also, try incorporating other more eco-friendly modes of transportation when possible.
11. Chuck Your Microwave- Okay, maybe that is a bit drastic. But this speaks more to those convenient frozen dinners we rely on from time to time. Keeping frozen foods is actually more energy intensive because it actually costs more to freeze foods, ship them frozen, feature them frozen in the grocery store and then keep them frozen in our homes. So, while the modern convenience of the microwave and the microwave meal is more enticing, it is a little bit more resource intensive. When you can, you should cook fresh foods in bulk and then eat them throughout the week. You will use less frozen foods and eat out a bit less too.
12. Use Cold Water- No, not in the shower, but maybe in the washer. Try washing things that don't need to be cleaned in hot water in cold. It takes a lot of energy to heat hot water to wash with; multiply that by the number of loads, and that's a lot of energy. Most of the major detergent makers make cold water soap so you get the same cleaning power you would with regular soap. Try washing those mixed loads in cold water and save money while you do.
13. Have the Family Over- Lisa says that family gatherings are a good way to spend some quality time with the ones you love with very little carbon impact. "Carbon freebies," as she calls them, are things that we can do that do not really add to our impact and they are usually enjoyable.
14. Block Out Time for Errands- Most us try and run errands in between work and other commitments. Lisa suggests that we try and bundle errands together so that we take care of everything in the same area of town all at once. Going back and forth to the same part of town on different days to run errands uses more gas than if you planned out your errand trips and did everything in the same area all at once. And if you really want to make it a "carbon freebie," try carpooling and running errands with a buddy.
15. Remember to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle- It seems basic but in a capitalistic society like ours, sometimes we lose sight of just how much we buy. Try buying less and reusing things when you can. Your pockets won't be as light and you will be doing your part to save the Earth--oh, you know what I mean.
AMA!
April 7, 2008
¡Oy, Sos SUCIO!
I've recently started researching Buenos Aires Cumbia for a research paper, after months of interest on the subject.
This DJ's set really stood out among of a lot of talented musicians, djs and acts that can be found on the marvelous...
WWW.WHATSUPBUENOSAIRES.COM
So with no further ado, Sucio's Mix (2008.01.11)
(Just click the link* and dl the set, please!)
[URL=http://www.zshare.net/audio/1019021964b34089/]total 2008-01-11.mp3 - 45.77MB[/URL]
¡AMA!
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
*For future reference, Zshare is great way to upload music without creating an account.
This DJ's set really stood out among of a lot of talented musicians, djs and acts that can be found on the marvelous...
WWW.WHATSUPBUENOSAIRES.COM
So with no further ado, Sucio's Mix (2008.01.11)
(Just click the link* and dl the set, please!)
[URL=http://www.zshare.net/audio/1019021964b34089/]total 2008-01-11.mp3 - 45.77MB[/URL]
¡AMA!
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
*For future reference, Zshare is great way to upload music without creating an account.
April 6, 2008
Comedic Gods!
Who's down to go!?!!
Sat 4/19
8:00 PM
Sarah Silverman, Foreign Born, Tim and Eric, Thomas Lennon (Reno 911), Patton Oswalt
Troubadour (South Toward Home Benefit) All Ages $25
As found on http://losangeles.ohmyrockness.com/ShowList.cfm...
AMA!
Sat 4/19
8:00 PM
Sarah Silverman, Foreign Born, Tim and Eric, Thomas Lennon (Reno 911), Patton Oswalt
Troubadour (South Toward Home Benefit) All Ages $25
As found on http://losangeles.ohmyrockness.com/ShowList.cfm...
AMA!
April 5, 2008
April 4, 2008
Yahoo. com Top Searches at 11:53/4.4.08
Yahoo Top Searches - Updated Hourly
1 Jamie Lynn Spears
2 Pregnant Man
3 New Kids On The Block
4 Naomi Campbell
5 American Idol
6 Wayne Frosty Freeze Frost
7 Battlestar Galactica
8 Obama
9 Jerry Seinfeld
10 Iran
I hate the U.S. or is it the internet?
How can anybody find Jerry Seinfeld interesting STILL!?!!
AMA!
1 Jamie Lynn Spears
2 Pregnant Man
3 New Kids On The Block
4 Naomi Campbell
5 American Idol
6 Wayne Frosty Freeze Frost
7 Battlestar Galactica
8 Obama
9 Jerry Seinfeld
10 Iran
I hate the U.S. or is it the internet?
How can anybody find Jerry Seinfeld interesting STILL!?!!
AMA!
April 1, 2008
It's one of those tv clips....
It's one of those t.v clips that stays in your mind, popping up to the surface from time to time.....
After originally seeing the clip at my friend's Jumpei house in first grade, who had a good collection of japanese power ranger vhs. I can't believe I actually got to see this again!
AMA!
After originally seeing the clip at my friend's Jumpei house in first grade, who had a good collection of japanese power ranger vhs. I can't believe I actually got to see this again!
AMA!
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