Going Green

Recently we have been doing a lot of environmental studies.  Some are influenced by our friends, and others by shows we have watched on the tv.  We are currently looking at ways we can be more green and are considering starting a blog about habitat destruction for native species in Northern Va.  This is a subject near and dear to Audrey’s heart!

Keep a look out for our ideas on going green!

Step 1:  We went to Giant and got our reusable bags.  I have to say, they are great!  The groceries sit in them nicely, and they lay properly in our trunk.  NICE!  We also get a 3 cent discount per bag, each time we use them!*  The challenge?  Remembering to bring them in with us!  That is Audrey’s job— to make sure they get back in the car— and are brought in the store with us! 

* we got 5 cents a bag at Whole Foods!

In Cloverbuds we learned about wind, and as an added bonus we found out a lot of information about wind farms.  It just happened, that in conjunction with our Cloverbud study the Geography group was learning about Ireland, and in Ireland there are lots of wind farms.  In fact, Ireland and England are the primary sites for these eco-friendly forms of gathering energy.  We have been to some of these wind farms in Austria.  They are amazing.  The soft quiet swoosh of the blades is an amazing sound!  So much better than the buzz from an big old electric turbine!  And, it is good for the earth!  For more info, and kid fun check out these sites:

http://greenzone.airtricity.com/home/index.aspx

And, GE’s Eco Imagination page where you can watch a movie about these wind turbines.
Text Box: These are actual pictures from the wind farm in Austria we happened across. You can see the proximity to the power lines in the background. These things are huge, and the sound stunning. Below, you can get an idea of how high they are, by the scope of Audrey’s head to the top of the turbine. Like most things in Austria, the tips are coloured like the Austrian flag. Text Box: Recently we have been having this discussion in our group about global warming. I am not overly educated on the science of the situation, but find these two websites (of opposing beliefs) to be an interesting place to start. Treehuggers unite! Or, junk the bunk at Junk Science. Text Box: Home Text Box: Home

Self Contained Ecosystem?

An Australian marine biologist lived underwater for two weeks in an airtight box to prove a point on sustainability.

Lloyd Godson, 29, survived by growing algae to produce oxygen and to eat and by riding a stationary bicycle to generate electricity.

His home measured 11.7 cubic yards placed on the bottom of a lake on the border of Victoria and New South Wales.

It's been a really, really fun project, Godson told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

He said apart from some concern over rising blood pressure toward the end of his experiment he had no problems.

Godson said he spent a lot of his time underwater responding to e-mail from around the world and plans to work on a similar habitat program with a U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist in 2009.