Commercial Recycling Cool Globe

Commercial Recycling

What a waste! Approximately 35%–45% of discarded waste in the United States is generated by businesses. A good part of this waste stream can be reduced, recycled, and reused. Businesses can conduct waste audits and implement waste reduction and recycling programs. These practices not only save businesses money, but also conserve energy and natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state of Massachusetts offers the WasteWise program, geared towards helping organizations help reduce their waste output. In most cases, recycling services are privately arranged and tailored to the specific needs of your business. Besides the usual paper and plastic, businesses may recycle pallets, textiles, cooking oil, food waste, landscape waste, motor oil, batteries, tires, and hazardous waste. Construction materials frequently recycled include concrete, asphalt, dirt, rock, and metal.

Is waste reduction and recycling part of your business plan?

Artist: Bryan Sperry, "Recycled Evolution"

P.S. Commercial recycling makes so much sense to me.  So why don't you see if you can make a difference at your company? - Liam

The Red Sox are going to the World Series!! Boston's Baseball Globe

Take Simple Steps

The saying “best alone, better together” is fitting for a major league baseball team, and also holds true when it comes to solutions to climate change . Positive steps like switching to CFLs are good, but are even better when combined with other efforts, such as recycling and conserving water. Share a ride on the way to work. Drink your coffee from a re-useable mug. A strong left fielder can’t make the game if his first baseman can’t catch. Consistency is key in this fight against climate change , so keep up the positive actions. With a little effort, we can all be a team in this cause. Stepping up to bat for the environment is a homerun!

Artist: Thom Cicchelli, “A Perfect Game Plan”

Sponsor: Connors Family Office

P.S. I don't know about you but I think that the Red Sox's teamwork in making it  to the World Series has been a thrill to watch!  If we work together like that to fight climate change, we should be unstoppable! -Liam

"Walk Your Chalk" Globe

Walk Your Chalk

How will you “leave your mark” on the planet?  Can you help cool this globe?  How will you be part of the solution? Visitors to the Cool Globes Exhibit Opening Day in Boston were invited to write and draw on this globe with chalk.  Responding to the artist’s thought provoking prompts, participants shared their ideas for living a green life, reducing their carbon footprint, and being part of the solution to climate change.  This created a proactive community chalkboard art project with scores of Bostonians taking action, leaving their mark, declaring their determination to cool this globe, to walk what they chalked.

Artist: Nancy Pochis Bank

P.S.  We had the chance to leave our mark on this globe on the opening day.  It was great to contribute our ideas to this interactive globe! - Liam

Green Roofs Save Energy Globe & The Cool Globes Boston Exhibit Ends Today...

Green Roofs Save Energy

What color is your roof? A green roof is both a roof and a garden. Plants can be grown in containers, emerge from several inches of soil over a waterproof barrier, or make up part of a more elaborate system that includes deeply rooted plants, shrubbery, and trees. Methods exist to allow almost every roof surface to be greened, even sloped or curved roofs. Green roofs are not only attractive, they also add usable green space and reduce heating and cooling needs. Green roofs conserve energy by moderating temperatures on the roof, inside the building, and in surrounding areas.

Be sure to head to the 8^th floor of Boston’s City Hall to check out their green rooftop display!

Artist: Deborah Adams Doering, "The Green Roof Solutions Globe”

P.S.  Even though the Cool Globes Boston exhibit ends today and the globes will be removed tomorrow, you can continue to see the globes here as we continue to feature the globes and their descriptions from the plaques until we have posted about all 46 Boston Cool Globes.  So continue to stay tuned! - Liam

Adjust the Thermostat Globe

Adjust the Thermostat

In the old days, folks warmed up by putting on a sweater or cozying up to a crackling fire. Common sense solutions like these are good choices again in the fight against climate change. Half the energy used in your home runs your heating and cooling systems. You can curb greenhouse gas by simply adjusting your thermostat. Try setting the temperature at 68 or lower in the winter and 78 or higher in the summer. Programmable thermostats let you regulate temperature to conserve energy when you are asleep or away. Don't be afraid to ask restaurant, theater, or office managers to turn down the air conditioning. Commercial buildings consume about one fifth of all energy used in the United States, and up to one third of that is for air conditioning. You shouldn't need a sweater when it's 80 degrees outside!

Where do you set your thermostat?

Artist: Lindsay Obermeyer, "Warm Up Boston: Wear a Sweater"

P.S. This has always been one of my favorite Cool Globes - how cool is the idea of knitting a giant sweater around a giant globe?  And I am a big believer in the idea of putting on an extra layer of clothing rather than turning up the heat if you are cold in the winter.  Do you agree?  - Liam 

Daylighting

A few days ago my family went to Logan airport. We learned about a new way to save energy called daylighting. It is a concept that if you lower the lights inside when it is brighter and raise them when it is darker, then you will save a lot of energy. Another way people use daylight is they put windows in strategic places to have day light be the substitute for energy draining light bulbs. This idea is very smart and would not be too hard for you to do!  At Logan airport, they have lots of windows and skylights and the lights dim automatically when it is bright outside, saving so much energy and money for Massport.  How cool is that?  -Liam