Alexandria's Drinking Water

“If you live in this region then your body is 60% Potomac River water.”  I was shocked to hear this statement from an E.P.A. representative.  I was sitting through a learning session at the GreenGov Symposium in October when he made this claim.  Quiet gasps and “ewws” came from the audience.  I wrote the quote down in my notebook to investigate it further, surely, an Alexandria/Fairfax County resident doesn’t drink water that originated from the Potomac--Fairfax County was ranked eighth in the U.S. in the Big City Water Ratings! But wait, where else would we be getting our water?!

After just a few Google searches, it was confirmed.  Fairfax County gets its drinking water from two sources, the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir.  If you’ve lived in this region for a few years then you’ve probably heard that Potomac River is polluted and there are three-eyed fish swimming around in there. If you aren’t familiar with the Potomac River you can learn more about it on this web site. So how can it be that Fairfax County’s water is so clean if it’s coming from the Potomac?  Well, it turns out that the water testing conducted to award Fairfax County with the eighth cleanest water in the country, only tested for the presences of certain harmful chemicals.  Fairfax County is not hiding the fact that an incomplete testing was conducted--the county posts the testing results on their web site. And the harmful contaminants found in the Potomac are sort of new to the water testing world, and the side effects of human ingestion these of contaminants is still being studied and is a controversial topic in the U.S. 

So what are these harmful contaminants that I keep referring to?  Toxic waste coming from sewage treatment plants and other wastewater facilities.

And what is so bad about these?  They are endocrine disruptors.  The E.P.A states that

“…there is strong evidence that chemical exposure has been associated with adverse developmental and reproductive effects on fish and wildlife in particular locations. The relationship of human diseases of the endocrine system and exposure to environmental contaminants, however, is poorly understood and scientifically controversial (Kavlock et al., 1996, EPA, 1997).”  (my bolding). http://www.epa.gov/endo/pubs/edspoverview/whatare.htm

In fact, there have been a considerable amount of fish found in the Potomac to be “intersex”.  Please check out this short video provided by the Potomac Conservancy. Male fish are developing eggs…

This is a scary revelation.  So what can you do to reduce the amount of contaminants that get in our waterways?  The Potomac Conservancy suggests eight ways you can help:

1. NEVER flush unneeded or expired medications down a toilet or drain, especially if you use a septic system.

2. Keep it contained: Unused personal care products are best disposed of by landfilling if left in the original container. If medications must be thrown away, leave them in their original container to reduce seepage at the landfill.

3. Remove identifying information, or package medications in an obscure container such as an empty margarine tub or non-transparent bag, and place it in the trash.

4. Go natural: Consider using products with biodegradable ingredients which are less likely to harm the environment. Choose products containing ingredients more prone to biodegrading like vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda.

5. Avoid unnecessary ingredients such as fragrances, or those labeled “antimicrobial” in personal care products.

6. Locate a take-back program: Ask pharmacies in your community if they take back unneeded or expired medications. Inquire about community take-back programs at local government sites and online. If none exist, implement your own using resources such as Teleosis Institute’s Green Pharmacy Program (www.teleosis.org/gpp-program.php ), or the SMARxT Disposal public awareness campaign (www.smarxtdisposal.net) to help you get started.

7. Alter medications before placing them in the trash. Opinions on altering medications vary — some believe the medications should simply be made unpalatable or undesirable to prevent accidental ingestion, while others believe they should be made completely unusable. Add kitty litter to liquid medications, glue or a small amount of water to pills, a small amount of disinfectant to any medication, or salt, flour or a powdered spice like mustard or turmeric to liquid medications.

8. Use personal care products sparingly, completely, and according to label recommendations.

9. Recycle responsibly: See if your state runs a program to provide low-income patients with leftover pharmaceuticals. Rules and regulations vary according to state so reference the laws in your area with the help of organizations such as the National Conference of State Legislatures (www.ncsl.org).

10. Call your local government and ask what they can do to help. Suggest a community campaign to integrate some of the above methods into your own neighborhood.

If you’re interested in learning the history behind U.S. water regulations current news surrounding these issues, the NY Times has an ongoing series on their web site.

Next week’s blog post will be about the world’s water supply and simple ways we can help to conserve it.

The Chemicals We Buy in Our Everyday Products

About nine months ago at work, I was chatting it up with my co-worker, Dina in her office.  We were talking about our plans for the weekend when my manager Laurie walked in.  She joined the conversation, and as Dina began putting on hand lotion, Laurie asked what kind of lotion she was using and if it was organic and paraben-free. “Paraben-free? What are parabens?” I asked. Laurie quickly explained that parabens are in a lot of products and can causes problems in the reproductive system.  She said that she has avoided them for years, but now that she was done having children, she cheats sometimes and uses products containing parabens.  I left Dina’s office flustered. I had been unknowingly putting my ability to reproduce at risk.  I had been going through life buying any old product that was inexpensive and did the job.  When I got back to my desk, I immediately searched on-line to learn more about parabens.  Treehugger.com had an easy-to-understand definition (below) and I noticed there are even more ingredients that contain harmful chemicals found in the everyday products I use.

“Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, or butylparaben), the most common class of preservatives used in underarm deodorants and cosmetics, provoke controversy because they are thought to mimic the hormone estrogen, which some studies show plays a role in the development of breast cancer and urogenital abnormalities.” www.planetgreen.com via http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/beyond-parabens.php.

While I understood that scholars don’t review the information on Treehugger and Planet Green, I generally accepted what I read and believed my co-workers. That was enough for me to seek out paraben-free products. 

The products I've purchased of the last nine months.
Many of them still half full.

Over the next few months, I focused on finding affordable paraben-free personal care products.  I remembered seeing other ingredients to avoid on the Treehugger site, but I didn’t want to spend the time researching those.  There were so many conflicting opinions on-line that I decided to only focus on parabens.  So, since spring, I’ve bought five different shampoos and conditioners and three different kinds of lotion.  The lotions really weren’t a problem. I found affordable paraben-free products that performed well.  The shampoos and conditioners, on the other hand, were not so easy.  The first four products I tried left my hair dry and brittle and my wallet $50 lighter.  I finally splurged at Whole Foods and bought Aubrey Organics shampoo and conditioner for a total of $22.  It’s been at least a month now and I’m very pleased with the product.  I’m living guilt-free and my hair looks as good as it ever has.

I’ve also been looking for an effective deodorant that doesn’t contain parabens or aluminum.  After weeks of getting poor results from a number of brands:

Old Spice for men

Tom’s

Herbal Clear

a friend recommended The Body Shop’s Deo-Dry.  It was about $7 and has proved to be worth every penny, or at least I thought (more on this later). 

I rarely wear make-up, so I haven’t bothered to research those products.  The only other product I use is Dove unscented bar soap.  I’m not willing to give it up just yet— this is the only soap I’ve found that doesn’t dry out my skin.  Up until about a week ago I never even looked at the ingredients.

I’ve been fairly satisfied with the products I’m currently using and feeling guilt-free. So guilt-free that I thought it was time to research the other ingredients that contain dangerous chemicals I read about months ago.  After going through many articles on this topic with drastic variations in opinion, I was skeptical about which sources to trust. I eventually found an article published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that was cited on NPR.  According to the article, below is a list of the products and ingredients to avoid:

• Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA and BHA acids.

• Hair relaxers, perms and dyes, especially dyes with ammonia, peroxide, PPD (phenylenediamine diaminobenzene), all dark permanent hair dyes. Hair relaxers contain estrogen from placenta and can lead to early puberty and breast cancer.

• Liquid hand soaps with triclosan.

• Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde.

• Skin lighteners with hydroquinone or mercury.

• Nano-technology -- Much touted, not regulated, no knowledge of long-term effects as products penetrate deeply into skin, even into organs.

• Lipstick -- An estimated 61 percent of lipsticks on the market contain lead, for which there are no safe levels.

• Parabens -- Used as a preservative, known to be toxic and can cause skin reactions, affect hormones and have been found in breast cancer tumors.

• Synthetic fragrances -- Among the most dangerous ingredients. A leading cause of cosmetic-related allergy and irritation, watery eyes, nausea, mood changes, depression, irritability, anger, memory lapse and more.

• DEAs (Diethanolamine) -- A wetting agent in shampoo that creates a rich lather and gives lotions a creamy consistency. Not harmful alone but can react with other chemicals to form a potent carcinogen called NDEA, linked to stomach, liver, esophagus and bladder cancer.

• Sodium Laurel or Laureth Sulphate -- a detergent used in shampoo to create foam, often described as "comes from coconut." Causes rashes and hair loss.

• PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) -- Potentially carcinogenic petroleum product used in cleansers to dissolve oil. Can also reduce skin's moisture factor and increase the appearance of aging.

• Phenoxyethanol -- An aromatic ether alcohol used as a preservative in cosmetics, ointments, toiletries and wipes. The manufacturer says "harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. May cause reproductive defects. Severe eye and skin irritant."

• Propylene Glycol -- A petroleum derivative used to maintain moisture in products, it can penetrate the skin to weaken protein and cell structure. Can also remove barnacles from boats. Can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities.

• PABA -- Used in sunscreens, can cause photo-allergic reactions including acne and painful, pus-filled blisters. Banned in many countries.

• Phthalates -- Found in PVC plastic such as shower caps and curtains, fragrances and some nail polish. Linked to birth defects, especially in male infants.

Source: Environmental Working Group

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10201/1073854-114.stm?cmpid=fashion.xml

This is a very complex topic that raises so many varying opinions. There are many chemicals that make up a single ingredient. How much of the chemicals affect human health? How much of these chemicals can build up in one’s body and be passed on to their children? There weren’t any clear-cut answers.  In a nutshell, the U.S. has very minimal regulations on cosmetics.  Experts contend that there just isn’t enough evidence showing these chemicals having negative effects on humans.  Conversely, the European Union has placed strict regulations on dangerous chemicals and feel the evidence found in many studies is enough.  Also, California and Washington have begun regulating certain harmful chemicals.  I struggled to decide which were reliable sources and which were not and to discern who had the best argument. I’ve only briefly touched on this topic. For more details, I’d recommend reading the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article as a starting point.

For many reasons, I have decided to side with the EU, California, and Washington. For one, I trust my manager’s judgment.  She has been employed in the “green” industry for over 15 years and has a Masters of Environmental Policy from Duke University.  Secondly, I read Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring, which addresses the dangerous chemicals in the air, water, soil, animals and our own bodies.  These chemicals originated from the lack of good government regulations and carelessness.  I’ve grown to distrust the government’s level of regulatory scrutiny over pollution and chemicals, which includes how the government regulates the chemicals in the products we use. 

Just this week, I used a tool to help me determine which products to avoid.  The Environmental Working Group created an online database of products, companies, and chemicals. Each chemical and product is rated with a “hazard level,” ranging from 1 to 10.  The database also provides and explanation of the varying levels and the effects of the chemicals and products. I gave the tool a whirl and found that ALL of my cosmetic products have some harmful chemicals in them.  My $7 deodorant has one the worst hazard ratings out of all of them.  My guilt level has risen a bit, which means it’s off to find less harmful products!  When deciding which products to buy, I think it’s important to be reasonable about how much money to spend, how high of a rating is acceptable to you, and what are the potential effects on your body. 

Next week, I’ll blog about the Potomac River water we use each day.

Lifestyle Update: Goods & Services II

Continuing from last week’s blog, this week I’m writing about improving my spending habits and disposable habits, specifically, the money I spend on dry cleaning services. Since I already use biodegradable detergent and dryer sheets and dry about 50-75% of my clothes on a drying rack, I was able to move forward and focus on how I clean my “dry clean only” clothes.  Prior to this blog, I never really knew what happened when I took my clothes to the dryer cleaner, all I knew is that my clothes came back clean, ironed, and a little stiff and scratchy. 

After doing only a few minutes of on-line research, I found that the typical solution used for dry cleaning is toxic, and not something I want to pay to have the clothes rolled around in,  and I don’t want to support a practice that is clearly harmful to the environment.  So, switching from a typical dry cleaner that uses the solution perchloroethylene (perc) to clean my clothes was an easy decision.  Basically, perc in liquid form is composed of chlorocarbon, which is an effective solvent or organic materials, however, perc is a common pollutant found in our water,

“it has been classified by the EPA as a toxic air contaminant, a hazardous, likely carcinogenic substance and one of the top four contaminants found in drinking water. It can enter your body when you inhale its vapors or touch it. Perc can irritate your skin, eyes, nose or throat, and affects your brain much like alcohol does (e.g. dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of balance or coordination, etc.). California has recently banned the use of perc; other states have proposed similar legislation.”http://www.greenearthcleaning.com/flash_earth.aspx

A well accepted alternative to using perc is what’s called “wet cleaning,”which, ironically, is dry cleaning with a water-based solution. Clothes are immersed in a machine that carefully controls the solution to break down stains. There are some downsides to wet cleaning, like it uses a considerable amount of water and it can shrink clothing.  Another alternative is to use liquid carbon dioxide, which is considerably less harmful than perc.  I couldn’t find any downsides to liquid CO2. Unfortunately, both these alternatives require equipment that is very costly for the regular dry cleaning business.

I found a third alternative, petroleum-based silicon, to wash clothes. And, lucky for me, Presto Valet, which is on my way to work and uses silicone. So off I went Thursday morning before work, to drop off one turtleneck, two pairs of pants, and a dress. Inside Presto, other than the giant sign hanging above the transaction counter that reiterated the green cleaning claims on the website, it seemed like a typical cleaner.

Presto’s website claims that it uses methods that are safe for its employees, customers, as well as the environment. It also states that the business is a certified Green Earth Cleaning company, which essentially means that the dry cleaner uses a modified silicone cleaning agent that is a non-toxic, biodegradable solvent that poses no health risks, they pay an annual fee to the organization, and use their patented equipment and cleaning solvents.

I was disappointed to find out that Green Earth doesn’t require their certified dry cleaners to use recycled hangers, biodegradable plastic bags, or energy efficient machinery. Currently, there aren’t any federal, Virginia, or local government standards for green dry cleaning.  If there were more standards and more incentives for dry cleaners to go “green” it would result in higher standards for certification companies like Green Earth and would encourage others to incorporate green practices.   While searching on-line, I found some “green washing” or rather “not-so-green washing” happening at dry cleaners claiming to be environmentally friendly.  When in fact, they only use slightly less toxic solvents to remove stains, which can mislead a customer into spending considerably more money while thinking they’re doing the right thing.  Even though Presto doesn’t go above and beyond Green Earth’s standards, I still felt relieved knowing I chose non-toxic over toxic.

It was a Tuesday morning when I went back to Presto to pick up my garments. I was the only customer at the small shop on Quaker Lane.  A tall, neatly dressed lady working the register took my ticket and retrieved my clothes.  She shouted to her her friend in the back of the store about whose turn it was to pick up their morning coffee. She told me my bill was $42, shouted some more about how it was too cold to walk to the coffee shop, and then apologized for giving me the wrong price, it was actually $35.  At that point, I was relieved it was $35!  But as I got into my car reality set in and I realized I paid more than double my usual dry cleaning costs. It was a quite a shock, especially that early in the morning before MY first cup of coffee. If I were someone who uses dry cleaning on a regular basis, that kind of money would put a big dent in the bank account. I would be hesitant to choose the green cleaner over the conventional one. Luckily, I usually dry clean my clothes no more than once a month. If the frequency of my visits to the dry cleaners is my justification to spend big bucks at a green cleaner, then I will continue to splurge at Presto.  What’s more, my clothes turned out great and I didn’t feel guilty about contributing to pollution.

Presto

A simpler and more effective approach to lessen my environmental impact is not to switch from the conventional to the green dry cleaner, but to reduce or even eliminate my trips to the dry cleaners. I can choose to buy clothes that don’t require dry cleaning. Instead of spending $8.75 per item at Presto, I can spend $2.00 to wash and dry a load of laundry in my apartment complex. I can choose the kinds of clothes I buy. Instead of buying the delicate fabrics that require professional care, I can choose to wear durable textiles that can be cleaned at home for very little cost. I’ve also found that clothes that require dry cleaning are usually the ones that are more expensive. I would be spending less on garments that require less maintenance. Granted, it’s not realistic to eliminate the dry cleaners from my life altogether, but if I can reduce the frequency in which I use them, then I’m that much ahead of the game.

In two weeks, I’ll write about chemicals in the everyday products we use and their health impacts.

Lifestyle Update: Goods & Services I

Shopping at Diva

One chilly Sunday afternoon, following two hours of Hoover Ball and a quick bite at an Irish pub, my boyfriend and I went to the Diva thrift store in Old Town.  We were greeted with a friendly “hello” and a proposition to sell us warm jackets.  Diva was converted from an old town house and it seemed the woman behind the counter could be living upstairs.  The smell of stagnant perfume that usually accompanies worn garments filled the air.  The clothes were neatly organized on racks against the walls and costume jewelry was displayed in the center of the room. We took a look around and proceeded down the hallway and found two more rooms filled with clothes.  I soon realized it was slim pickins for my taste.  There were great deals, like Liz Claiborne dress pants for only $20 and Ralph Lauren sweaters for only $30—my mother would love to shop here!  We left the Diva empty handed but I felt good about giving it a shot. 

Not quite what I was looking for... 

Shopping at thrift stores is one habit I’m trying to acquire in order to reduce my ecological footprint.  Goods and services was my second worst category, which means my spending and waste disposal habits need improvement.  The ecological footprint calculator basically told me:  

• My buying habits are poor—buy used. 
• My eating habits require too many resources—eat less meat and more fresh vegetables AND cook at home more often. 
• My dry cleaner is polluting the earth with chemicals—use a “green” dry cleaner 
• I’m throwing away too much waste—use a food composter. 

So what did I change?  It came down to the amount of time I could dedicate to making these changes.  Between working long hours at my day job and spending my weekends doing homework, I didn't have a lot of time to research how I could improve on these four poor habits.  So, over the last three weeks, I shopped at thrift stores for my clothing, I tested out a green dry cleaner, and I researched food composting options.  I’m moving in the summer to a townhouse, so I decided to hold off on a small composter that could sit on my balcony.  I’ll instead wait until I have a yard to buy a bigger one.  I’ll also have more time to tend to it this summer because I won’t have classes.

I visited three local thrift stores, Diva Designer Consignment & Other Delights, Current Boutique, and Prevention of Blindness Thrift Shop.  Of the three stores, Current Boutique had the most clothing that I liked, but overall Current was more expensive.  The Prevention of Blindness shop had more house ware items than clothes and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for clothes.  So what did I buy?  A $25 gray cashmere sweater from Current Boutique. I have to admit, my experience was a little disappointing.  I searched through these stores and only found one item of clothing.  I’ll continue to shop at Current Boutique but not the others. 


Next week, I'll blog about alternatives to dry cleaning and my experience with one local "green" dry cleaner.

What's all the hype about?

Date: Christmas 2007

Location: Northwestern Pennsylvania

Michelle: “I almost bought everyone in the family carbon offsets for Christmas!”

Uncle Jim:  “Aahh, Michelle, are you ‘going green?’” “It’s all hype, it’s just another way to make money. Don’t buy into it.” 

Michelle:  “Umm…the sea levels are rising! We’re all going to be under water soon!”

Uncle Jim: “It’s just the natural cycle of the Earth.”

Cousin Justin: “Duh, Michelle, don’t you know the Earth has cycles, why do you think the dinosaurs went extinct?”

Michelle: “Well, I didn’t buy the offsets. It would have been expensive buying for eight families…”



From left to right, Kyle Petty, Me, Uncle Jim, Justin.
In 1991, Uncle Jim took us to get
Kyle Petty's autograph!
p.s. I no longer support NASCAR.



 How do you react to people who don’t support your  lifestyle?  Was I wrong to not argue back?  The conversation was all quite jovial, but in the end we disagreed, and each holiday some type of green argument arises.  I continue to check up on Justin to find out if the engineering program he is enrolled in at Penn State is incorporating sustainability into his courses, and in return he taunts me about going green.

 In a recent essay, “What the Earth Knows” written by Robert Laughlin, the co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics, Laughlin claims that small things people are doing to reduce their carbon use and energy consumption are hardly making an impact on the earth and the planet will continue on long after humans are gone.  He takes the stance that Earth doesn’t care about our hybrid cars or turning off our computer monitors or wearing more layers of clothes instead of turning up the heat. He states,

“These actions simply spread the pain over a few centuries, the bat of an eyelash as far as the earth is concerned, and leave the end result exactly the same:  all the fossil fuel that used to be in the ground is now in the air, and none is left to burn.” 

 He is saying that all of the government regulations, laws, mandates, etc. that countries around the world are implementing are futile.  So is my Uncle Jim right, then?  Is it truly all hype and a way to make money off of people’s love for the earth? In other words, is it all just an elaborate and well-orchestrated scheme to fleece hundreds of hard-earned dollars annually from my bank account?



Laughlin supports his argument by debunking the IPCC climate studies and squashing the green movement.  Here are some of his reasons:

·  The studies are subjective.

·  The studies have had trouble showing global warming occurring in the present-day.

·  A problem greater than decreasing greenhouse gases is “human population pressure.”

·  Scientists are providing a lot of data but people are having trouble understanding the data. A problem he states is common for climatology in general. 

·  Finally, he provides two and a half pages on geological time, “Climate change…is a matter of geologic time, something the earth routinely does on its own without asking anyone’s permission or explaining itself.”



Projected global surface warming published by the IPCC.

I get his argument and I believe it.  More articles like his are necessary to get the truth out to the public.  The IPCC studies are both respected and questioned by many. For the most part, I believe global warming is occurring, but can also see the earth in the big scheme of things. The carbon footprint calculator I used a few weeks ago now seems to me to be irrelevant.  But the ecological footprint, a tool that is not a know-all, end-all, yet does goes beyond just carbon; looks at the overall affects of human’s actions from water to goods and services.  And that’s were my beliefs are really held…beyond carbon—living on a healthy planet.

Even though the earth has natural cycles where climate changes, species go extinct, etc, it doesn’t mean that people should create an unhealthy environment for the inhabitants. IS IT all just an elaborate and well-orchestrated scheme to fleece hundreds of hard-earned dollars annually from my bank account?  Maybe not directly, but industries have benefited from the climate change propaganda. I myself have blurred the lines between sustainability and climate change.  Having respect for life is the drive behind my beliefs and moral stance on being more sustainable.  I don’t want to preach about my beliefs, but I feel as though it should be mentioned in my blog since they are the basis of my decisions to try to be more sustainable. I respect other people’s beliefs, including my Uncle Jim’s (snicker) and I think it’s learning about our differences that actually pushes us to search for what works for each of us.

Three simple things I believe:

1. I grew up on the land some (I’m one-eighth Seneca) of my ancestors inhabited.  They gave thanks to people (society), earth mother, waters, fish, plants, food plants, medicine herbs, animals, birds, four winds, thunder, sun, grandmother moon, stars, enlightened teachers, and creator. Living in harmony with each other and giving thanks were important to their culture.  A famous quote my mom used to share with me growing up, “…chiefs consider the impact of their decisions on the seventh generation yet to come.” I want my nieces and nephews to be able to have kids who are healthy and can drink the water, eat the food, and breathe the air without fear of ingesting harmful chemicals.
  
2. For the first 11 years of my life, I attended a Christian church, and I was taught that everything on earth is a blessing and to treat it with respect, e.g., don’t put nails in trees—something my parents had to tell me repeatedly while building forts in the woods near my house.  I see how ancestors' culture and beliefs conflict with my Christian upbringing, but I'm a Christian who has found some common ground with the Senecas—respect and consideration for others. 

   

   Sled riding with friends and a blow-up whale
   can be enjoyed at any age. 
   Just don't eat the acid rain snow!

   
   
3.  I spent my childhood playing in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania.  Nature was what I had access to and what I loved.  Each spring my dad would take me and my two brothers hiking in the forest. We would drink water straight from the streams.  We'd cross country ski down empty trails in the winter, enveloped in the soft quiet snow.  In the summers my friends and I would lay in the fields for hours looking at the stars and talking about life. It's hard to imagine what the Alleghany will look like twenty years from now.  The natural gas industry has already started to pollute the land and water. I love the outdoors and would hate to see beauty of The Allegheny destroyed by industry. Furthermore, I don't want pollution to affect my general health.While this is what I believe, I am a typical American, but am striving to be better.  I take really long showers and can occasionally be found on the golf course (a huge water consumer and pesticide user).  I think Laughlin has a tremendous argument, and that people have BOUGHT into “going green” but it’s more than just that; it’s about having respect and compassion for life on earth. 

For more specific information on chemicals and pollutants, please see the page “Chemicals and Pollutants” at the bottom of the blog (updates to come November 8, 2010).

Have Bike, Will Travel

“Hochkk! Hochkk!”  That was the sound coming from the middle-aged man sitting behind me as I rode the bus into work Tuesday morning.  Earlier that morning, while sitting down to two scrambled eggs and an orange juice I had decided to abandon my car and catch the DASH bus headed to Old Town.  I had determined that the most logical way to reduce my carbon and ecological footprints was to use alternative forms of transportation to get around town. And so I found myself sharing oxygen with a total stranger who seemed to have come down with an early case of the autumn flu.  With each “hochkk” I held back a flinch to try to appear unaffected. Across from me, a man in a suit played on his iphone so I too decide to distract myself and pull out my not-so-smart Verizon phone and log on to Facebook. “Hochkk! Hochkk!” Two more miles ‘til King Street Metro.

 
The bus riding experiment reinforced my initial thought that it’s a more time-consuming method of commuting and takes planning and commitment.  The time it took to travel from my front door to my work cubicle was approximately 35 minutes compared to the 15 to 20 minutes in the car.   Waiting for the bus was no big deal, riding the bus proved to be an interesting ordeal in itself, and once I got off the bus at King Street Metro there was another 12 -15 minutes left to my commute.  Walking seven blocks to my office in 60-degree temperature was a fresh start to the day even though I had to re-apply my aluminum-free deodorant as soon as I arrived there.  In the evening, I caught the bus home and could feel a bit of soreness in my legs--a feeling I’ve missed since classes started in August. 

 

That's me biking in a grass skirt.

On Wednesday, I drove my car to work give myself a day to relax before Thursday’s bike commute.  I had all the proper gear, padded shorts, shirt with reflective stripes, water bottle, helmet, spare tube, multi-tool, and my beloved 2004 Specialized Hardrock mountain bike with clipless pedals.   I’ve spent many hours biking up and down hills in various trails around Northern Virginia, but rarely take my baby blue out on the streets.  It was a wonderful feeling getting back on the bike Thursday morning. My adrenalin and endorphins immediately started flowing, and with a smile plastered on my face, I headed down Seminary Road.   I left earlier than usual that morning, to avoid traffic and to ensure a timely arrival to work.  As cars passed me on my left I paid close attention to the cars turning onto Seminary from side roads.  I made it to King Street without a hitch, coasted down the hill past the metro station, and pedaled my way through traffic for seven blocks until I reached the office.  That was the fun part of the commute, the next few minutes were spent preparing for the day ahead. Without a shower facility at my convenience, I washed up in the ladies room with a washrag and soap from home.  I threw on my clothes ignoring the wrinkles and started the workday. 

Besides the feeling of dried sweat all over my body for the remainder of the day, the ride in was a success!  I had more energy than usual and I looked forward to the ride home.  Leaving the office at 5:00 p.m. in a car has its challenges—on a bike there are additional obstacles.  I took secondary, less congested streets from the office to the top King Street.  And then re-traced my trip onto Seminary to home.  Overall the commute to work and back wasn’t that bad, I had to pay close attention to what the cars were doing around me and look out for myself because I knew they weren’t looking out for me.  A bike lane would have been helpful to give cars enough room to get around me.  I always feel badly when I slow cars down or make them feel like they have to swerve in the other lane to get past me.  Alexandria does have some bike lanes on secondary roads, but none on the quickest route to my office.

Folding Cart

My next journey was to take the Metro bus to Trader Joe's to pick up groceries.  It was Friday around 6:00 p.m. and the last thing I felt like doing was dragging out my newly purchased grocery-getter and hopping on the bus.  This was the only day of the week I could get groceries so I really had no choice, happy hour would have to wait until I got home.  The ride to the store was uneventful and took about 20 minutes.  I walked from the stop to the store and began filling up my cart.  It was crowded that day but surprisingly I didn’t get any odd looks at my cart. The bus had a ramp for my cart and me to ride on.  I pushed my cart to the handicapped area hoping to keep my seat for the whole ride.  The starts and stops of the bus did jerk the cart around a bit.  All and all it was a good trip, that took about double the time it would have taken in my car 60 minutes versus 30 minutes.  I would do it again, the walking was minimal and the bus wasn’t crowded going those directions at that time of the day.

These alternative forms of transportation proved to be not all that bad.  Proper planning and willingness to deal with strangers in my personal space is a must.  I can imagine the bike ride won’t always be the smooth, my deodorant won’t cut it some days, and the buses will occasionally breakdown, but if I can get into the habit of using these alternatives and accept these inconveniences, I will have a significant impact on my carbon and ecological footprints.

Here are links I found helpful last week:

• Alexandria Trail Map
• Fairfax County Trail Map 
• Alexandria Bike Shops (for regular maintenance and those unexpected malfunctions)
• Big Wheel Bikes
• Spokes Etc.
• Bicycle Pro Shop
• Bike and Roll
• King Street Trolley
• Walk Score (how walkable is your neighborhood?)
• EnvironCab (will only pick up in Arlington)

Next week's lifestyle change:  Goods & Services

I Need to Get Out of My Car

Back in 2005, I accepted a position at an architecture firm in Alexandria and commuted 20 miles each way from Fairfax in my Honda Civic.   I would try different routes to avoid congestions, to no avail, and immediately became aware of the drive-alone commuters beside me as I was making my way across town.  I was disgusted by the wasteful mean in which we were all trying to get to work.  Surely there had to be a better way!  I looked into carpooling, but was discouraged by the possibility of being trapped in a car with a creepy guy. I considered metroing, but it wasn’t conveniently situated near my home. Finally, I thought about moving closer to work.  This seemed the most obvious solution because it would cut down on my mileage and time in the car.

Two years into my job, I was able to afford living in close proximity to work. I’ve decreased my mileage by about 10,000 miles per year.  But as I realized through calculating my carbon and ecological footprints a few weeks ago, my transportation habits are my biggest contributions to climate change.  So, I took a closer look at where I drive in a typical year and the alternatives to driving.

• Visit family 3,952 miles per year
• Alternative:  Train ride = 21 hours/trip vs. 6 hours in car

King Street is the closest Metro stop to my apartment

• Commute to School 2,160 miles per year 
• Alternative: 1 hour 15 minutes on bus + I would need a ride from bus stop to home

• Commute to Work 2,600 miles per year
• Alternative: 20 minutes on bus + 10 minute walk
• Alternative: 30 minute bike without shower

Dash Bus--I can take this from home to work

• Travel to Entertainment (in DC metro area) 336 miles per year
• Alternative:  A bus would add 20 – 30 minutes each way
• Alternative:  Hybrid taxi – might cost more money (cab fare vs.  gas and parking fees)

• Shopping trips 960 miles per year
• Alternative:  No reasonable public transport to Leesburg, VA.

• Trips to Beach 512 miles per year
• Alternative:  No pubic transportation
• Alternative:  Carpool

King Street Trolley

• Work Meetings 312 miles per year
• Alternative:  Bus ride takes an hour vs. driving would take 40 minutes. 

• Grocery Shopping 520 miles per year
• Alternative:  Bus ride 20 minutes + walking + pushing a cart

In some instances it’s not reasonable to mass transit, such as driving to visit family and going to the beach.  There is a convenience factor that I will discuss further in my next blog.

In addition to taking a look at my car driving habits, I’ve considered the following:

Riding a motorcycle

-Motorcycles get better mileage because they are smaller and lighter.

This could be a lot of fun!

-Less emissions (this depends on the model and year) 

http://www.helium.com/items/821448-guide-to-motorcycle-fuel-consumption-gas-mileage

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69346E20101004

Checking the air pressure and adding air to my tires

Regular car maintenance

-Oil changes

-Replace air filter

-Check air in tires

-Conservative driving 

My next step is to try alternatives to typical driving habits.  Next week, I’ll write about my experiences using mass transit and biking to work.