Hybrid Garbage Truck

New York City is currently testing one of the first Hybrid Garbage Trucks. They've got a 120-kilowatt electric motor supplementing a 6-cylinder diesel engine. Garbage men testing out the truck commented that it stopped and idled much like a regular garbage truck and was capable of crushing and storing up to 13 tons of trash, but the hybrid accelerated with less effort. The electric motor cannot drive the truck by itself — its job is to lower the demand on the diesel engine, which improves fuel economy.


click image for full article
New York City paid about $500,000 for the Mack hybrid, more than twice the $225,000 that a diesel-only model costs. Government grants covered the difference. Fun fact: FedEx has 325 hybrid trucks.

The Age of Stupid

click image to view trailer

Great Water Video

This video helps to explain why I am so passionate about the world water crisis.

Dishwasher vs. Hand Washing

During this Thanksgiving holiday, I witnessed the dish washing behaviors of some of my family and friends. I noticed that both my father and mother-in-law pre-washed dishes before placing them in the dishwashing machine. Seeing this behavior made me wonder a few things:

1. Does pre-washing dishes really help?
2. Which one is better- Dishwasher or Hand Washing?


1. According to a New York Times article on the subject, pre-washing dishes is a "triple-bad" because it makes your dishwasher work less efficiently, and if you pre-wash with hot water you’re pumping precious water and electricity down the drain. Mike Edwards, a senior dishwasher design engineer at BSH Home Appliances in North Carolina explains, “Dishwasher detergent aggressively goes after food, and if you don’t have food soil in the unit, it attacks the glasses, and they get cloudy,” This process is known as etching and can cause permanent damage to eating utensils. So don't pre-wash your dishes!

2. For the answer to my second question, I went to the internet to find the facts! Treehugger.com featured an article about the subject, and according to a scientific study conducted at the University of Bonn in Germany dishwashers use only half the energy, one-sixth of the water, and less soap compared to hand washing. Yup, even the most sparing and careful washers could not beat the modern dishwasher. The study also rated the cleanliness achieved, again in favor of the washing machine.

Objectified

click image to watch trailer
This movie talks about the new concern for designers to take sustainability into consideration when they are producing a new product. They have to ask themselves, How long should this product last? How much waste is this product going to produce? How can I design this product to make the best use of the world's resources?

Air Quality

Did you know that Jerry Abramson is proposing a city wide No Idling Zone over Louisville in an effort to cut Louisville's CO2 emissions? Yup Yup! Click the image to read more about it.

Vehicle idling is one of the biggest problems among today's drivers. What people often don't realize about idling is that it wastes money and natural resources, it can damage our vehicles, affect the environment, and harm our health. Did you know that a car burns gas more efficiently driven than parked? This is because cars are designed to be driven, not parked and running. Studies show that thirty seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it. If you are stopped for more than 30 seconds- except in traffic- turn off your engine.

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth

A benefit event for KFTC (Kencuckians for the Commonwealth) will be held on Dec. 6th at 21C Museum. Tickets are only $25 pre-ordered. Speakers include Wendell Berry, Erik Reece, and Rebecca Howell will talk about their contributions to the book Plundering Appalachia followed by Daniel Martin Moore and Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket. Music by Yim Yames from Your Morning Jacket and Daniel Martin Moore from Sub Pop.

click image to purchase tickets

Dr. Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall was on Jon Stewart a couple nights ago. And along with promoting her new book, she talked a bit about her organization called Roots & Shoots. This program is guided by the belief that when young people are informed and empowered, they realize that what they do truly makes a difference, and can indeed change the world.


click on the image to watch a great video

Winter Markets

Buying from a local farmers market is the easiest way to ensure that your dollars are being spent on quality goods. But a lot of farmers markets end in October, so how are people supposed to get fresh, healthy produce in the cooler months? Here are a few of Louisville's options:

Bardstown Road Farmers Market
1722 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
Description: Farm fresh eggs, vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, baked goods, honey, cheese, potted plants, and a variety of meats. The 2008 hours are Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.; Thursdays 4:00 - 6:30. The Saturday market opens on April 5th and runs through December 22. Held in the Bardstown Road Presbyterian Church parking lot.

Ninth Street Farmers Market
912 W Chestnut Street
Louisville, KY
Description: Fruit and vegetables, smoked meat (beef, pork, goat, lamb, poultry), homemade ice cream and fresh salads. Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., through Dec. 24. YMCA parking lot, corner of Ninth and Chestnut streets (formerly Quinn Chapel Church). (502) 561-6370.

Food Inc. 2

If you enjoyed Food Inc., you'll love Fresh, the movie! See, Food Inc. was America's wake up call and Fresh is the enthusiastic call to action. Next week I'll meet with UofL environmental club aka GRASS, and hopefully we'll be able to schedule a Louisville screening. Check out the trailer by clicking on the image below.

Pallets

In high school I began using my plastic CD cases as paint pallets. I kept them because I loved accidental forms the colors created. Here are my favorite (looking up from the bottom).


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Untitled 4

What forms do you see in these pictures?

San Jose bans Styrofoam

(click image for full article)
San Jose is currently taking action to become a Styrofoam-free city! Yay!
Styrofoam is difficult to recycle because there are not many facilities that have the proper equipment. And if there is food residue like cooking oil in the container, then you cannot recycle it.
"I have enjoyed the luxury of not having to buy containers," said Lauren Kates, owner of Aunt Lali's Mobile Cafe, which sells ice cream, espresso and other delicacies at events like the Jazz Festival and Tapestry Arts Festival. While she hopes the cost of the new containers won't put a big dent in her finances, she said she supports the city's effort to protect the environment. "If it's a few cents more, it's a few cents more," said Kates. "I want to help the planet." Great attitude!

Festival of Faiths

The Center for Interfaith Relations held their 14th Annual Festival of Faiths from Nov 4-13th. This years theme was Sacred Water: Sustaining Life and was held at the Henry Clay Building in downtown Louisville. This amazing sculpture was exhibited during the festival.


"The Agony of Gaia (Mother Earth)" by Jeff Chapman-Crane (no facebook)


her tears form the river


detail


detail of foot

Day of the Dead

Here are some images from the Day of the Dead exhibit at 21C.


detail


the flock of monarchs

Leticia Bajuyo

Sculpture artist Leticia Bajuyo currently has an exhibit at the Cressman center in downtown Louisville. Here are some images from that show.


hulla-hoops


artist statement


detail


detail

(click to view trailer)
GRASS hosted a FREE film screening and discussion of "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and local air quality issues. The film began at 7pm, Tuesday Nov. 10th and was followed by a discussion with Matt Stull from the Louisville Air Pollution Control District. Representatives from KAIRE and Rubbertown Emergency Action (REACT) were also on hand to discuss air pollution and community action.

This exciting film explores how the auto industry and oil companies worked to kill the electric car from being produced in the 1990s. The film also looks at sustainability and renewable energy and the role that they play in the future of the auto industry.

The End of a Bottled Water Era

The Australian town of Bundanoon, 150 km south west of Sydney, has decided of its own volition to neither sell, nor giveaway, bottled still water, within the town precinct.

A meeting of about 20 businesses initially agreed to the initiative. This was followed by community meeting in early July 2009, where the packed town hall of 356 residents voted overwhelmingly to support the initiative. It is believed, once bottled water alternatives are in place, the initiative will make Bundanoon Australia's First Bottled Water Free Town. (And possibly the world's
first.)

ArtChicago09

I saw this installation at ArtChicago09. Exacto knife and toilet papers rolls. Very nice!

Single Stream

So UofL does have a recycling system... kinda. On UofL's Belknap campus you can find two bright green dumpsters that look like this, but who has been commissioned to transport the bags of recyclables within the university buildings to the dumpster?

Right now we do have have a universal recycling system on campus, but we do have bright green dumpsters. I know that UofL's sustainability council has been sending out recycling proposals since past summer. It seems like they could have figured this out already.

No Impact Man

(click to view trailer)