Sunday, March 29, 2009
Earth Hour around the world (via the BBC)
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Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Guest Blog: A Green Girl's Best Friend?
Guest blogger Flaxen Curls takes over for today. I'm still working on the thesis but thought this was an interesting idea...
We've all heard about the human rights issues surrounding conflict diamonds, and we know that their price is inflated by the De Beers company that hoardes them so tightly. Canadian diamonds are being touted as the magic conflict-free solution, but what about their environmental impact? Diamond mining is still a very destructive process - lakes and rivers are drained and destroyed, animal habitats are lost, the mines are fuelled with millions of litres of diesel each year, roads and airstrips and power plants are built, and in the end you're still left with a big empty pit.
Synthetic stones are a great alternative because they bypass the mines altogether. A few companies have managed to create real, compositionally authentic diamonds with energy supplied almost entirely by the force of gravity! Unfortunately, these lab created diamonds will set you back just as much as a mined one, so you're not going to save any money with this option. Cubic Zirconia is another common diamond simulant but it's cheap and not meant to last.
A much more enticing option that I've recently stumbled upon is moissanite. Moissanite is a naturally occurring stone but you won't find it in the Earth's crust - it was first discovered in a meteor in Arizona. Only recently has one company been able to perfect its production in a lab. Don't think of it as a diamond replacement (even though it is almost as strong, with more fire and brilliance, and available in near-colourless varieties) - think of it as a diamond alternative. One that doesn't leave a trail of destruction behind it and costs one tenth the price!
We've all heard about the human rights issues surrounding conflict diamonds, and we know that their price is inflated by the De Beers company that hoardes them so tightly. Canadian diamonds are being touted as the magic conflict-free solution, but what about their environmental impact? Diamond mining is still a very destructive process - lakes and rivers are drained and destroyed, animal habitats are lost, the mines are fuelled with millions of litres of diesel each year, roads and airstrips and power plants are built, and in the end you're still left with a big empty pit.
Synthetic stones are a great alternative because they bypass the mines altogether. A few companies have managed to create real, compositionally authentic diamonds with energy supplied almost entirely by the force of gravity! Unfortunately, these lab created diamonds will set you back just as much as a mined one, so you're not going to save any money with this option. Cubic Zirconia is another common diamond simulant but it's cheap and not meant to last.
A much more enticing option that I've recently stumbled upon is moissanite. Moissanite is a naturally occurring stone but you won't find it in the Earth's crust - it was first discovered in a meteor in Arizona. Only recently has one company been able to perfect its production in a lab. Don't think of it as a diamond replacement (even though it is almost as strong, with more fire and brilliance, and available in near-colourless varieties) - think of it as a diamond alternative. One that doesn't leave a trail of destruction behind it and costs one tenth the price!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wanna be a guest blogger?
My thesis is due in a little over two weeks... that means there will be little to no time for my friends here at Lower Footprint, let alone much else, in the next 15 days or so.
Anyone interested in writing a few guest posts? Share what you do to be green with the world, or at least the modest and dedicated viewers on this humble site.
Drop me a note and we'll get your ideas on the blog!
In the meantime, have a happy St. Patrick's Day! The Greenest day of the year!
Anyone interested in writing a few guest posts? Share what you do to be green with the world, or at least the modest and dedicated viewers on this humble site.
Drop me a note and we'll get your ideas on the blog!
In the meantime, have a happy St. Patrick's Day! The Greenest day of the year!
Monday, March 9, 2009
LFP Monday Video - Garbage!
This is on my list of movies to see very soon. Please comment below if you've had a chance to see it!
Here's an interview with the director.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
CFL-Timer Update
So my little experiment in the tv room was for not... the timer-cfl combination resulted in one burnt out cfl. Probably too much juice when the timer kicked in or something.
A handy reminder then:
A handy reminder then:
- Not all CFLs will work with timers or dimmers. Look for a bulb specifically designed for this purpose.
- Disposal of CFLs requires special attention. I now have to start a box in the garage until my next trip to the recycling centre. That one little drop of mercury shouldn't end up in the regular garbage.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Time to Do My Taxes
Actually, I'm still working on the thesis this week, so the taxes will have to wait for a little while. I did pick up my tax software package tonight and while I did feel bad about using any packaging (I should have downloaded it!), I was very happy to recognize the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo on the side of the box.This is the first time I've seen the logo out in the real world since I first learned about it in Ecoholic.
Way to go QuickTax!
Monday, March 2, 2009
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