Brummet's Conscious Blog

Recommended Resources Its time for another set of resources that we feel are so wonderful that we just have to share with you.  Today, we'll celebrate these 3 organizations that focus on sustainable energy:  Ontario Sustainable Energy Association has members across the green technology realm (developers, distributors, installation and maintenance) and offers support, resources, consultation, networking, educational events and more. https://Ontario.sea.org - Solar Nova Scotia envisions the transition to 100% sustainable, renewable energy and aims to develop a vibrant industry for conservation, efficiency and renewable energy.  http://SolarNS.ca - BC Sustainable Energy Association is run entirely by volunteers who are passionate about sustainable production, distribution and consumption of sustainable energy in BC (Canada). Find educational programs, guides of policy advocacy, public outreach projects, energy planning and more. https://www.bcsea....

  How to Integrate Green Technology Into Your Everyday Life Today's article was written and submitted by: Chelsea McCary - an eco-friendly consumer that is constantly looking for new ways to green her lifestyle. Follow her on twitter http://twitter.com/chelseamccary The conversation about how technology has changed the global way of life seems to have just begun. Constantly evolving technology and pressing environmental concerns are two of the biggest identifiers of the second decade of the 21st century, but many people don't think about all the many ways that technology and going green go hand in hand. It's easy to think that embracing more and more gadgets will increase your carbon footprint, but in reality, the opposite is true. According to U.S. News and World Report, the qualities that inspire a person to go green and the qualities that inspire people to use new technology are often the same - especially people who invest in concepts as much as produ...

-- Quote of the Day --  “One man scorned and covered with scars  still strove with his last ounce of courage  to reach the unreachable stars;  and the world will be better for this.”  ~ Miquel de Cervantes -- Positive News --  Have you heard of the Hydroinfra technologies yet? This new technology neutralizes common pollutants on site, helping to clean the earth.  Most of us are already aware that pollution comes in the form of Carbon Dioxide, methane, sulphur dioxide, nitro oxide, particulate matter (often called dust, soot, fly ash), mercury from coal plants, and toxic heavy metals.   These pollutants cause increased global warming, poor air quality, smog and all kinds of health issues for any living being = be they animals, plants or human beings. This new technology utilizes HydroNano Gas that is said to neutralize pollution emissions on contact and increase ...

-- Quote of the Day --   “The quality of what is on the paper is more important then what kind of paper you choose. …A good cover letter complements the resume offering information on why you are a good fit for that company. …They can address things in the resume such as a gap in employment, volunteering, etc. …Using QR codes allows - takes them to different links that offer a blog that is relevant to their career, their linked in profile, or online portfolio – they are the way of the future, and you stand out …shows that you are up-to-date with the current trends. ” ~ Melanie Denny Today’s quote originates from the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio episode that aired back on Nov 29… titled: Professional Resumes   (*Click on the title to access the full discussion) -- Green Technology --  A lot of new jobs are being created in what is now dubbed the Green Co...

-- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- Best of Conscious Discussions series offers highlights from some of the best discussions we've had in the past. Today is our 23rd episode in this series - Featuring 2 experts on Green and Sustainable Technology … you won't want to miss this broadcast!   John Barrie edits Sustainable Design Update and is also a contributing writer for EcoGeek - one of the top 10 ecologically themed websites. John is an experienced architect; he conducts workshops on energy efficient design, architectural design, indoor air quality, facilities management and new building technologies. His life purpose in helping the world’s impoverished people has led him to dedicate his time to a group called Appropriate Technology Collaborative . Green2Gold (an international non-profit organization) founder, Alan Tratner , discusses the organization & the important work it accomplishes. Alan is a well-spoken, talented and passionate man; ...

-- Quote of the Day -- "There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts as well as our successes." ~ George Adams -- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- Today at 10-11 AM we are putting on a live Positive Eco-News segment out for you via the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show. The topic will focus on Zero Waste and Green Technology . Drop in the chat room if you join us live, or access the archive at your convenience via this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions/2011/06/26/positive-eco-news Find Dave and Lillian Brummet , excerpts from their books, information ...

-- Eco Sky Roof -- Source: www.japanfs.org The Seven Ryoju Estate Group Companies, including Ryoju Estate Co. of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group, recently announced that they have developed a rooftop unit called the "Eco Sky Roof," which combines photovoltaic generation and solar heat recovery, in cooperation with OM Solar Co., and will start selling it from the middle of October 2009. The product combines a tandem solar panel and solar system, which secures an air-flow path between the solar panel and the roof surface. Using the flow air, it recovers heat from the solar panel side, generating electricity and hot air. By recovering the heat, it can then be used for household heating and hot water supply. The rise of temperature at the back of the solar panel is limited, and generating efficiency is likely to be reduced very little. Considering that the use of solar heat at the installation space for the solar energy generation unit, which has an output of three kilowatts, t...

-- Recommended Resource -- http://www.solarbotanic.com - SolarBotanic’s work focuses on artificial trees that make use of renewable energy from the sun and wind, they are an efficient, clean and environmentally sound means of collecting solar radiation and wind energy. SolarBotanic Nanoleaves are able to pick up any light, from the visible spectrum to the invisible spectrum, Infrared light, while producing millions and millions of Pico watts day in day out. -- Polystyrene Recycling -- Of course the best way to reduce or consumption of polystyrene (commonly referred to as "styrofoam" and "packaging peanuts") is to avoid the use of it all together. There are many packaging alternatives that are light and affordable for shipping needs, we can choose to use reusable or compostable disposable cutlery, plates and drink cups, we can bring our own container from home when visiting restaurants - rather than asking for their "to-go" container you can use your own....

-- Quote of the Day -- "The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command." ~ Sam McGee of 'Lord of the Rings' by J.R. Tolken -- Positive Eco-News -- From Japan for Sustainability Newsletter: www.japansf.org Japan's Toshiba Corporation announced on December 3, 2008, that it will accelerate the development of its carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) technology by building a pilot plant at Sigma Power Ariake Co. Ltd.'s Mikawa Power Plant, in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture. CCS is a technology that separates and captures CO2 emitted by thermal power plants and many other industrial sites, and then stores it underground. Construction is scheduled to start in the spring of 2009, and a demonstration test using real flue gas is expected to begin in August. -- Conscious Discussions -- Today featured guest: Joan Scott – Topic: " World of Writng with Joa...

-- Quote of the Day -- I chose the quote below due to last week's blog posts on conscious eco-travel and stay-cation alternatives: “…And you don’t have to be a trained teacher by any means… you just need to speak the language. …Whatever you are good at they may branch out to include that, but typically there is very little training involved [in volunteer adventure travel]. …Most of these organizations know how important safety is – in many cases they provide insurance for you. …They are going to lean over backwards to make sure that everything is prepared; you are in their hands. Now it is different if you do your own solo volunteer adventure. I would check the travel safety warnings online, follow heath precautions – you know take the necessary shots, take malaria medication with me, etc. …I tend to go to developing countries where the value of a dollar goes a lot farther. I find them more interesting also. …I am not into buying souvenirs, but I do try to bring back some memory-pr...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…If a person has a couple of hours and they would like to give back a little to your community, look in the yellow pages and you can find food banks… the local library is always looking for someone to help; women’s centers… …any organization would be absolutely thrilled and grateful to receive monetary support, but if somebody did want to donate their time, any organization in your area… or if you have some type of personal connection with a particular organization. The other day I drove by a food bank and saw a line of people out front and thought, maybe I’ll drop in and see if they need some help.” ~ Carol Denbow 09/04/08 So often when we think of how we, as an individual, could possibly have an impact in the world we forget that small, daily actions are the key. I chose this quote of the day to encourage our readers to think small - think of something you can do today that only takes a few minutes of your time that will improve your community in some way. Thi...

-- Eco Resources -- www.takebackthelight.ca - the first comprehensive fluorescent lamp recycling program in Ontario - Canada. Working with sellers and consumers they hope to recycle the 30 million fluorescent lights disposed of annually from the industrial, commercial and institutional sector. Ontario resident consumption of fluorescent lighting accounts for 312kgs of mercury annually, polluting our air, water and soil. 98% of the materials in each lamp is recycled including glass, aluminum, mercury and phosphorus. www.calltorecycle.org - Recycling used rechargeable batteries and cell phones. -- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- Today on Conscious Discussions talk radio show, I have put together a special episode where I'll be sharing positive eco-news. Join me live at 10 AM (pacific) or catch the archive by clicking on the hyper-linked show title here in today's blog post or look to the right of the screen for the link that will also take you to the site. Just click on PLA...

-- Quote of the Day -- “ …I looked into smaller publishers and I went to a site called Predators and Editors …where I found all the ones that publish mysteries …and I got positive responses from 3 of them. …I learned a lot, especially in the editing process – you know especially what mistakes to avoid. …I always think that e-books are just wonderful because they bypass all the carbon footprint – you know, they just go from computer to computer without any waste involved. …Print-on-demand, I feel, really eliminates a whole lot of waste when you look at the traditional model of printing … where they have an original print run 10,000 copies and if the books don’t sell, which a lot of them don’t then 6000 get sent back to the warehouse where they try to sell them through books-a-million and then half-price and eventually they end up in the landfill – and each time there is a truck to drive them there, so the waste and the pollution is huge… Where as Print-on-demand - everyone who wants a ...

-- Innovative Green Technology -- An article by Trey Granger at earth911.com site shared interesting recycling endeavors by the city of San Diego. Apparently they are offering free surfboard recycling to keep obsolete surf-boards out of landfills. The city will sort the surf-boards and any that are reusable are donated to various Los Angeles nonprofit organizations - while broken boards will be ground up and used in mixing concrete. According to the article: “ Over 750,000 surfboards are produced each year. Because modern surfboards are made of polystyrene (which you may know as #6 plastic), finding recycling options can be a challenge. ” Now of course there may be concerns with this new innovation such as the possibility of contaminating the concrete, a relatively benign material. Leaching pollutants into the air or water table could be another concern. However, I found this innovative approach to a growing landfill problem quite interesting and it is possible that these concerns hav...