How do trees help keep us cool?

 They can reduce your air conditioning use and costs. 

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HB 3884 has potentially disastrous environmental consequences

I just learned about a bill that is scheduled for hearing before the IL House Public Utilities Committee on 2/28/12 - this Tuesday.

Help protect our trees! Illinois House Bill 3884 (Utility Damage Prevention Act) says that trees/vegetation planted within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor could be removed. If this bill passes, many of our beautiful mature trees could be in jeopardy.

The presumed goal of this bill - preventing power outages due to tree damage - makes sense.  However, this is a heavy-handed way of going about it, which could have many disastrous consequences for our environment.

The bill, as proposed, could authorize the removal of most existing trees in many of our back yards, potentially many thousands of mature trees.  Removal of these trees would reduce the ability of our ecosystem to absorb heavy rains, increasing flooding; increase the urban heat island effect; destroy habitat for many wildlife species; remove shade from many yards and houses; greatly increase summer air conditioning costs; and result in a significant increase in air pollution from power plants created by the additional demand for electricity.   

It is possible to maintain trees in such a way as to minimize risk to utility lines and poles.  Our trees should not be condemned when there are workable alternatives.

Please contact your State Representative to ask for these amendments to the bill:
1. a specific definition of "20 feet" regarding the proximity of planted vegetation to utility poles or overhead conductors;
2. a requirement for utilities to consider specific impacts before removing trees;
3. a requirement that utilities give any affected property owners 30 days written notice of any potential tree removal, with contact information to work out a compromise plan; and
4. a requirement that utilities should pay for replacement trees.

Urge representatives to amend HB 3884 or oppose it if it is not changed.

Here's more info on the bill as proposed:

Synopsis As Introduced: Creates the Overhead Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to plant restricted vegetation within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located within the State. Provides that any restricted vegetation planted, whether by a person or by natural means, within 20 feet of an electric utility pole or overhead electrical conductor located within the State shall be subject to removal. Provides that any person who sells restricted vegetation within this State shall affix a label to each piece of restricted vegetation identifying it as restricted vegetation. Permits the Illinois Commerce Commission to adopt rules concerning the removal of restricted vegetation. Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with an electric utility while performing vegetation management and removal activities. Also creates provisions concerning findings, definitions, and Commission enforcement. Effective immediately. 

Short Description: UTILITY DAMAGE PREVENT ACT
House Sponsors: Rep. Jack D. Franks
Hearings: Public Utilities Committee Hearing Feb 28 2012 3:30PM Capitol Building Room 114 Springfield, IL
Last Action Date: Chamber Action 1/24/2012 House Assigned to Public Utilities Committee
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance: New Act

Please contact your State Representative TODAY!

solutions to our energy crisis

Someone sent me a link to this video clip - a testament to one legislator's inability to get his head out of his a$$, think outside the box, [or your metaphor here]. Contrary to what this jerk is spouting, riding a bicycle IS one viable solution to our energy crisis. And spending $1M per year on promoting bicycles as sustainable transportation is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions that are spent on highways and parking lots every year.

When I hear so many politicians talking about ways to generate more energy (almost always from non-renewable sources), I keep scratching my head wondering why our nation of energy hogs can't understand that the supply of non-renewable energy sources if NOT infinite and start to think about using LESS energy - turning off a few lights, using a drying rack or clothesline instead of a dryer, driving a smaller car or *GASP* not driving less or not at all, using bikes and public transportation instead.

If you're considering trying your commute by bicycle, there's an Intro to Bicycle Commuting workshop tomorrow afternoon (1:00 p.m.) at Northeastern Illinois University, University Commons (or inside the Student Union if it rains). This is on the Northwest side of Chicago along Bryn Mawr, between Kimball and Pulaski - sponsored by the Green Cycle Group and the NEIU College of Cycling.

BTW, if you feel inspired to write a letter to the jerk in the video telling him what you think about sustainable energy policies and bicycles, here's a link to his web site.

going green on a large scale

One of Boston's largest property owners is going green, partially due to pressure from tenants. They are seeking green certification for all of their office buildings. I would love to see similar news here, from a company like Friedman Properties, which owns half of River North. A green parking garage is an oxymoron. Here in Chicago, I would love to see a real estate behemoth like Jones Lang LaSalle to commit to going green on a large scale. Now THAT would mean something.

CFLs, energy and mercury

I got an e-mail from a friend with a link to this video, featuring Rep. Ted Poe of Texas. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief at how determined this guy is to be clueless about the big energy picture. He trots out any possible fact on the CFL issue, ignoring the fact that using one CFL for its lifetime generates far less mercury (from the generation of the energy to power the bulb) than the bulb contains and that opportunities for dropping and breaking one are fairly rare, because the bulbs last so long. He sticks his head in the sand about America's "abundant natural resources," insisting that more be done to make use of them. Wake up, moron! Those resources aren't so abundant anymore. Of course, he's from Texas and he doesn't want to admit that the freewheeling days of the oil boom are nearly over for his state.

I'm aware of the EPA clean-up protocol for broken CFLs. However, they are fairly sturdy, much harder to break than a conventional light bulb. I've been using them for years and have never broken one.

What's your $0.02 on this?

green goes mainstream

We've made some progress in making green practices more mainstream. However, when I see so many teens and twenty-somethings tossing everything into the the trash, even when recycling bins are right next to the trash, I know we've got a long way to go. This New York Times article gives some insight into how green might come to Main Street in a bigger way.

On a related note, Sprawl-Mart has changed direction somewhat, an interesting twist. Could this have a trickle-down effect on how corporations think about energy and waste? Or is Wal-Mart using this as a PR shield against those who criticize them for killing Main St. USA and emphasizing cheapness at the expense of MANY other hidden costs.

A recent New Yorker article details efforts by other corporations to reduce their carbon footprints. Lots of food for thought...

one if by land...

Energy efficient lighting comes to a Boston landmark.

more on biofuels

Here's a new Slate article continuing an idea from a previous post.

oil quiz

I found this link on another local blog. It contains some interesting and relevant facts. It's worth checking out.

Green choices - shopping and how we get there

[part 3 in a series]

Taking reusable tote bags to the store (any store, not just the grocery store) instead of taking home lots of plastic shopping bags also reduces oil consumption. Plastic bags are not accepted in most recycling programs. Too many of them end up as shredded garbage festooning trees and shrubs. The only practical way that many of us can recycle them is by giving them a second use as small household garbage bags or for scooping up after dogs. A reusable tote bag is fairly inexpensive. Many stores sell them for less than $10. They can be washed occasionally and used for many years. My oldest is about 15 years old and still going strong. Over that time, that one tote bag has taken the place of hundreds of plastic bags. I have several tote bags, so I have enough to handle most shopping trips.

Buying products with less packaging also reduces energy consumption. A product encased in a lot of plastic uses more oil than one in simple cardboard packaging. The plastic may or may not be recyclable.

We can choose to shop closer to home when possible, going on foot, by bike or by public transit (CTA, Metra, Pace) instead of driving. For heavier loads, I use a trailer with my bike.



If we don’t need to use a car on a daily basis, I-Go and Zipcar now have many locations in Chicago and nearby suburbs. These car share programs make cars available in increments of ½ hour, making them much more affordable than traditional full-day car rentals. I’ve used I-Go for several months now. In an average month, I get a car 3-4 times for a few hours at a time, at an average cost of $15-20 per trip. No parking tickets for a car that sits on the street most of the time. No additional maintenance costs. No worries about having to move the car for street cleaning.

Until all wards in the city have curbside recycling, the addition of local recycling centers makes real recycling (as opposed to the ridiculous blue bag program) more feasible for a higher percentage of city residents. Most of these locations have large dumpsters accepting plastics marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, aluminum cans and foil, tin cans, glass bottles, newsprint and magazines, phone books, white paper, and cardboard. If one recycles as much of these items as possible, one can reduce the amount that goes into the trash can by 50% or more.

The net impact of these little choices (and many others) can make a big difference in one's personal and household energy consumption.

Green choices - what we buy

Little choices can make a big difference in terms of environmental issues. If we choose to use disposable plastic or foam cups or plates, they may or may not be recyclable, as many recycling programs only accept #1 and #2 plastics. That assumes that one chooses to recycle at all. Even if we do recycle, it does not negate the fact that oil is a key ingredient in manufacturing this plastic. More oil is required to transport the crude oil from its point of origin to a refinery, then a distilled portion of that crude from refinery to plastic factory.

Buying drinking water in serving-size or 1-gallon plastic bottles raises the same issues. Using a filter system and tap water from your sink (unless you have really horrible water) is a greener choice, as it uses only a small fraction of the plastic (and oil for transportation) required by buying bottled water on a regular basis.

Buying products with less packaging also reduces energy consumption. A product encased in a lot of plastic uses more oil than one in simple cardboard packaging. The plastic may or may not be recyclable.

More tomorrow....