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Great Options for Healthy, Cost-Effective, Winter Driving

Bioneers in Alaska Conference

A Resolution for Healthy Air

Bioneers 2008: Revolution from the Heart of Nature

Eco-Tips - Going Green: You Can Make the Difference!

Great Options for Healthy, Cost-Effective, Winter Driving
by Beth Verrelli

Alaska is unique. We all know that, but how many of us really understand it? It is often thought that Alaska is free of big city concerns like traffic congestion and air pollution. But is that necessarily true? As we head into the cold winter months, it is useful to reflect on what makes living and driving in Anchorage so different than, say, Phoenix or New York, and how our individual actions play a role in keeping our environment and health in tip top shape. 

When we think of winter driving in Alaska , what usually comes to mind is cold temperatures and slick, ice-covered roads. What a lot of new comers and even some long-time locals don’t realize is that the cold weather also affects how efficiently our cars start and run, and the types and amounts of pollutants that are generated by driving.

To help combat air pollution during cold winter months, a number of local organizations offer programs and initiatives to help Anchorage and Valley residents make wise use of their automobiles, along with fun and helpful alternatives for those who choose to leave their vehicles at home.

The first thing to always keep in mind when driving during winter months is to begin with a warm engine. Remember: a cold start-up yields maximum engine wear and minimum fuel efficiency. This fact alone may encourage us to clean out our garages so our car can stay warm and cozy overnight and when not in use during the winter months. 
If you aren’t one of those fortunate folks who has a garage, the next best thing is to bring some warmth to your vehicle by having an engine block heater installed. Take advantage of it by plugging in whenever outdoor temperatures are lower then 20 degrees overnight. 

According to statistics from the Municipality of Anchorage, Department of Health and Human Services, plugging in for two to three hours before your morning commute to warm your engine costs a mere 10 to 25 cents! Of greater concern to most of us is the health affects of starting with a warm engine. Did you know that plugging-in or keeping your car in a warm garage during cold nights helps reduce carbon emissions from cold starts by 60%? It also reduces emissions of other pollutants such as hydrocarbons and fine particles. In addition, by avoiding cold starts, you improve your automobiles performance, decrease repair costs (from wear and tear), and reduce fuel consumption. 

For those folks that suffer from asthma and other respiratory ailments, these reductions in emissions are helpful. A study recently completed by Dr. Mary Ellen Gordian titled “Traffic as Risk Factor for Childhood Asthma in Alaska” revealed that children between the ages of five and seven living close to high traffic intersections were more likely to suffer from asthma than those living elsewhere. Since winter weather conditions such as temperature inversions and cold starts tend to exacerbate air pollution problems, we can have an impact on our children’s health by choosing to plug-in or using alternative transportation.

For those Anchorage residents who don’t have an engine block heater, the Municipality of Anchorage has a low-cost program that installs engine block heaters in most car makes and models. (The program starts in September or October each year.) To further sweeten the deal, an extension cord and timer is also provided. This program is available on a first come, first serve basis and costs about $25. Given that this package would normally cost several hundred dollars, this is a great deal! In addition, for those Anchorage residents who already have an engine block heater, free timers for plugging-in are provider through Green Star, a local nonprofit that encourages waste reduction, energy conservation, and pollution prevention.

To really help Anchorage ’s air quality and encourage folks to not even start their vehicles, Green Star decided to target commuters by working with employers through a pilot project entitled Buck or Two for AQ (Air Quality). By encouraging employers to provide financial incentives and make use of federal tax-free incentives available for transit and van pool passes, Green Star hopes to show employees there are more fun and less costly ways to get to and from work. To expand the Buck or Two program, Green Star is seeking local businesses of any size that are interested in providing some additional benefits to their employees. 

Encouraging commuters to ride the bus or team up through car or vanpools is one of the most effective methods of reducing traffic congestion, and improving air quality in Anchorage . Surprisingly, studies show that when commuters leave their cars at home it not only benefits the employees, but employers and the community as a whole. Unfortunately, commuters often think it’s an all or nothing deal. Not so! If every one of us chose alternative transportation even once per week, we could immediately eliminate 1/5 of the vehicles on the road. Benefits for riding the bus or car pooling include:

  Reduced absenteeism and tardiness

It’s always more fun to share a drive with another person. People Mover makes this option easy by providing a free, confidential, on-line matching service for local commuters. (It can be accessed by going to http://ridematch.muni.org.) The program is good for riders from the Valley, Girdwood or the Anchorage Bowl. People Mover also operates a commuter vanpool for the Anchorage Bowl and the Valley. The vanpool is very popular, with the Valley program providing 21 vans serving 273 people—thus reducing traffic by 252 automobiles daily! In addition, by going to www.matsutransit.com, Valley folks can find out more about the door-to-door bus service provided in the Valley by MASCOT. 

To find out more about People Mover’s Share-A-Ride services for car pool matching, van pools and tax incentives, please call 562-7665 or visit www.peoplemover.org. To find out more about the Engine Block Heater Installation program, free timers, or Green Star’s “Buck or Two for AQ” project (whether you are an employee or employer), please call 278-7827, visit www.greenstarinc.org, or email info@greenstarinc.org

 

Beth Verrelli is a Program Director with Green Star and is currently working on air quality initiatives for Anchorage . Green Star is a local non-profit that encourages pollution prevention within the business community.

Bioneers 2008: Revolution from the Heart of Nature

by Vesta Elliott

 

After a weekend of education, interaction, and organic dining from our local farms, I left Bioneers 2007 hopeful for the future. I was saturated with love for my fellow Bioneers and drenched in compassion for other countries. I was also saddened at what atrocities our over-consumption and greed is causing, and what we are doing to our home. Our entire biosphere is being desecrated at an unprecedented pace due to our unmindful way of living.

Solutions to our world’s problems are present, however. The Bioneers focus is on social strategies to help us by restoring community, justice and democracy. Bioneers is thriving with visionary innovators who are working to heal nature and community. The Bioneers conferences are stories of how we can make a difference. (See www.Bioneers.org.)

Many Bioneers were presented in Leonardo DeCaprio’s 11^th Hour documentary. Citizens everywhere--as well as leaders from business, government and civil society--are now recognizing the urgent need for us to change our way of living with the earth and with each other. Educators call it “global ecological enlightenment”.

In 2007 we were honored with the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. Listening to each speak healing prayers in their native tongues for peace and Mother Earth made my eyes swell with tears. I was elated to see native Alaskans at the conference.

The conference opened with a satellite presentation from PAX Scientific. Speakers presented examples of how we can create prosperity without degrading the biosphere. For example, many efficient products have been created through biomimickery. Biomimickery is the study of how nature can help us create earth-friendly products that are less energy consumptive and more efficient.

In short, we must pursue and support responsible business practices. We vote every time we spend money. We must move closer to home with our spending and support our community. Our government continues to push local farmers to the brink of extinction while corporate farming from the Lower 48 continues to push out community-led action towards keeping our Valley farms intact. Food security in Alaska is crucial. We have 2 to 3 days of food available if catastrophic events were to occur. Please support our Farmers’ Markets!

The Alaskan PFD is invested into some of the most corrupt corporations in America. Did you know, for example, that a large portion of the fund in 2007 was invested in Monsanto’s global biopollution? (See www.seedsofdeception.com.) We must push our legislators to begin investing responsibly. 

I was speechless as statistics began unfolding in various talks. Overfishing and trawl fishing is killing our oceans and sea-life. Coral is dredged and destruction of ocean predators (such as shark for cartilage and fins) causes serious ecological imbalances. 90% of what is caught in shrimp nets is now “throw away” sea-life. (For more, see www.shrimpsuck.org. 

We are suffocating our planet with our so-called convenience. In 2002, there were 10 pounds plastic to every 1 pound zooplankton in the South Pacific. Only #1 and #2 plastic bottles are recyclable in Alaska. However, recycled plastic is not in demand because virgin plastic is cheaper; thus, there are many hybrid plastics. We need to ‘pre-cycle’ by thinking twice before purchasing over-packaged merchandise and items that cannot be recycled. Remember, the carcinogen chemicals in plastic not only seep into our foods and products, but also seep into our land and poison our waterways.

Plastic is an oil byproduct. While there are clean, renewable energy technologies that are available, the money backing the oil corporations is huge. Nothing will change without a fight towards clean energy. Big Oil has had no international laws keeping them from disregarding all life as they pollute and destroy. (For more, see www.earthrightsinternational.org.)

Our planet depends on living ecosystems to survive. The processing of fuel is causing our air and water to be irreversibly polluted. Not only Alaska’s Wildlife Refuge and Alaska’s oceans are now at stake, but also the ancient rain forests that supply 20% of the earth’s oxygen.

The light at the end of this tunnel is that we are becoming educated. How can we do anything if we don’t know about it? This is why it is important to support public TV, public radio and public Internet. Corporate media is paid to keep these stories silent.

The Bioneers are leading the way towards a wiser future. The answers are found through those of us who are taking a stand and fighting back for our future. The true question is, “Am I willing to simplify my life for the life of others?”

Please join us this year at the UAA Fine Arts Center October 17-19. (See www.sustainak.org.) It’s a fun weekend of hope and joy! It’s impossible to not be inspired!

Vesta Elliott is  is an educator of non-toxic beauty and the owner of Organic Hair Design. Contact: 562-2888 in Anchorage; 299-3771 in Homer; or www.organichairdesign.com from anywhere.

Eco Tips:
Going Green: You Can Make a Difference!

by Jackie Kosednar

We'd all love to reduce our environmental impact. Sometimes we slack off, telling ourselves that one person doesn’t really make a difference. However, there are some very simple things you can do to make a huge difference over time. And not only that--but you will be a role model to friends and family, teaching them by example how to be environmentally conscious.

Making small changes and gradually working up to bigger changes always works best. Habits take time to develop.  As a test, try these few eco-friendly ideas that cost only a few dollars each, or just a little of your time, and offer immediate health benefits. You can begin by reducing indoor pollutants as well as planetary pollutants. This will also have long term, positive effects on the planet and future generations.

Forget the Fake Smells

Avoid air fresheners and commercial perfumes. Not only do they cause allergic reactions in people, especially children, but perfumes also pollute the air. Breathing these scents over time can cause long-term health hazards to yourself and others. Do we all really need to perfume ourselves so much at the expense of other people’s health and the health of the earth? 

To absorb (not simply cover up) smells at home, hide a box of baking soda in every room. This is also a great way to keep your refrigerator free of odors. Forget using chemical cleansers or air fresheners. Beware especially of the ones that plug in or use oils. They are all synthetic.

The Dangers of Plastic

Stop buying water in plastic bottles. We all want clean water, but plastic bottles leach chemicals into the water they contain and don’t recycle well. For an investment that will save you money over time look into a reverse-osmosis water purifier for under the sink. There are also other inexpensive water purifiers that will purify tap water.    

Next, get rid of plastic storage containers and plastic water bottles. Switch to glass or stainless steel storage containers instead. Plastic is made from petroleum, a nonrenewable, limited resource. Most plastic also contains toxic chemicals that leach into your food and water. Glass is made from sand, soda, ash, and limestone--all of which can be recycled continuously into more glass.  Don’t buy plastic hot cups either. Heat makes the plastic leach chemicals into your coffee faster than cold. Be especially careful of plastics used in children’s dishes and baby bottles for the same reason.

Speaking of plastics, nonstick coatings on pans are fluoropolymers, manufactured with the use of PFOA or perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical shown to cause developmental problems in lab animals. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has concluded that routine cooking with such pans does not expose consumers to PFOA itself, the agency also has noted that PFOA lingers in the environment and, at low levels, in the blood of the general population. So, what to do? Cook in stainless steel or glass.

Another way to reduce plastic in your life is to switch to a natural-fiber cloth shower curtain, made from organic cotton or hemp. These are washable, breathable, and free of chemicals. Plastic shower curtains contain polyvinyl chloride, more commonly known as PVC or vinyl, another petroleum-derived synthetic. PVC stays in the environment and is suspected of contributing to a host of illnesses, ranging from cancer to birth defects.

Avoid  paper and plastic bags. Don’t join the debate on whether petroleum (plastic) or wood (paper) is easier to recycle. Instead choose to reuse durable canvas or string bags every time you shop. Paper uses up valuable trees that we cannot afford to lose.  If you forget your bags and end up coming home with plastic, recycle them at your local market, take them to the library or thrift stores where they can be reused and then recycled. When you travel pick up new and unusual canvas bags. They make great souvenirs and encourage everyone to recycle!

Recycled Paper Products

Don’t buy conventional toilet paper. Instead, switch to recycled.  According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than 400,000 trees would be saved annually if every household in the country replaced just one roll of virgin-fiber toilet paper with one made from 100 percent recycled paper. That’s a lot of trees.

In addition, use paper towels and napkins sparingly, even those made from recycled paper. Cotton dish towels and cloth napkins work just as well and can be washed hundreds of times and then decomposed. 

For more info on recycling see http://www.alparalaska.com/tips.html or type ‘recycle’ into your Internet browser.