Reebok Cool Globe Returns to Reebok Headquarters!

Doesn't it look great?  

Let's give thanks for our beautiful planet on Thanksgiving! - Liam

Corporate Environmental Volunteerism

Corporate Environmental Volunteerism

“Never doubt that small group of individuals can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  Margaret Mead’s famous quote rings true in Nancy Bank’s “Community Care” globe.  So many of us would like to volunteer and give back to the communities in which we live, but with work and family demands, finding the time can be difficult.  One solution is corporate volunteerism.  By encouraging their employees to get involved in community service, companies build a reputation for direct involvement in their communities and reap substantial benefits.  Encourage your office to volunteer for the environment!  Clean up a local park or beach: repair urban landscapes by planting trees; set up recycling programs in your community.  Corporate Environmental Volunteerism….good for the company, good for employees, good for the community and good for our planet!

Artist: Nancy Bank, “Community Care”

P.S.  My mom works at Reebok and they do exactly this - she and her colleagues volunteer through Reebok - and it works!  GIve it a try! - Liam

Change Your Lightbulbs Cool Globe

Change Your Lightbulbs

Change the world one light bulb at a time! Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use about 1⁄4 the energy of incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer. They come in various sizes and fit in standard sockets. Soft white fluorescents give off warm light similar to traditional bulbs. If every American household switched one light bulb to a CFL, it would save enough power to light 2.5 million homes for an entire year. If each family replaced five incandescent bulbs in frequently used rooms, it would be like taking eight million cars off the road. Use lights wisely. Turn them off when you leave a room, and install dimmers, timers, and sensors to reduce unneeded lighting. When replacing fixtures, select energy efficient models. Best of all, use less electricity by taking advantage of natural sunlight. When you change a bulb, will you make it a change for the better?

Artist: Derric Clemmons, "Cool Rays”

P.S. Small changes in the lightbulbs used in many houses can produce positive change in the environment comparable to taking 8 million cars off the road!  Now if that doesn't make you feel like your small changes can make a difference, I don't know what will! - Liam

Landfill Gas Energy Globe

Landfill Gas Energy

Can we turn garbage into gold? An enormous amount of garbage ends up in landfills, where it decomposes, producing harmful gas. Landfill gas is about 50% methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. Currently, landfills are the largest human-generated source of methane emissions in the United States.  Ironically, methane gas is also a reliable and renewable fuel source. Roughly 70%–90% of methane emitted from landfills can be captured and burned to produce electricity, preventing the release of this greenhouse gas. The Landfill Methane Outreach Program encourages the use of technologies to harness landfill gas for energy. Since the program began in 1994, methane reductions from landfills have been equivalent to the emissions of 15 million vehicles each year. Around 540 landfills turn their gas into energy—an estimated 600 more could do the same. Did you know that garbage can be a valuable source of energy?

Artist: Joi Leo-Wagenberg, "Mighty Methane”

P.S.  This is really an incredible concept.  Who wouldn't support this?  -Liam

Build a Rain Garden

Build a Rain Garden

When it rains, it pours! The pollutants carried by storm water seriously undermine the health of our oceans and the safe use of our beaches. As storm water rushes to the sea, it skips important ecological steps like slowing down, cooling and filtering by sinking into the earth. The best way to keep apace with this problem is to take steps to decrease water run-off from our personal property. Each of us can reduce the amount of rainwater that runs headlong off of buildings collecting nasty pollutants such as fertilizer and petroleum products as well as pet waste and trash. Rain gardens easily transform yards into giant sponges with local plants and can allow 30 percent of storm water run-off to soak into the ground and be cooled and filtered naturally. We can route rain through downspouts to a rain barrel to store for irrigation or through pipes that feed onto a 4”–8” deep, 100–300 square foot space with local plants that promote soil absorption. This is inexpensive to achieve and will immediately benefit homeowners, our local beaches and oceans. 

Artist: Lauri Burrier, “Build a Rain Garden” 

P.S.  I am going to see if we can do this at our house?  It makes so much sense.  What about you?  - Liam

Rebuild Green Cities

Rebuild Green Cities

Crisis can present opportunity. After the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Sandy, the rebuilding of New Orleans, other Gulf Coast cities and the East Coast offers a chance to get it right. Where climate change  may have contributed to destructive storms, a movement is now underway to reshape these cities into showcases for clean, green living. Global Green USA has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and others to build several model green schools and 10,000 environmentally-friendly affordable homes featuring solar power, energy efficient appliances, recycled materials, and other green components. With a third of all carbon dioxide emitted by the construction and maintenance of buildings, this response to disaster can bring about long-term environmental benefits.

Can you work for a greener tomorrow in your hometown?

Artist: Karen Perl, ”Coastal Cities: Towards a New Paradigm"

P.S.  We have some friends who have built green homes and the technology available today is really amazing.  Even if you green just a few aspects of your home, it can make a big difference in terms of helping to prevent climate change. -Liam