The following video has been contributed by the folks over at Greentime. These are two local residents, Rhett Aultman & Amy Hale that have undertaken learning to live more sustainably. At the same time, they are sharing these experiences on their video blog. We’re going to republish their weekly videos here on greenerMIAMI for a bit. Let us know what you think!

Here’s Episode 12: Renewable Energy Credits and Carbon Offsets. If you’d like to watch their previous episodes, make sure to visit their website, Greentime.

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This column has been contributed by Hazel Bell, a Miami native who is greening her life. If you would like to become a contributor to greenerMIAMI, please contact us.

“…The natural evolution of life is balance. The only imbalance on the planet is us. We are not supposed to have a dominion. If we have anything, we have a responsibility.” Morgan Freeman

Everyone knows that technology and growth of the human population has made our planet smaller. The aspects of our lives that have the most impact on the Earth are our fuel use; from drilling and processing to the final use, and our waste of everything we touch: plastic bags and packaging materials, furniture, cleaning products, food products, clothing, old cars, old computers, cell phones…anything broken or we no longer have a use for. Our flat landscape in South Florida is no longer completely flat because of the garbage we have created. The landfills are not going to go away. As the population grows, they will only increase. Our growth is exponential. I was born in Miami and remember days of dirt roads and wooden bridges…and a lot less traffic and people.

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Post contributed by Nicole Knauer, Assistant Coordinator for MARS.

Do you have a passion for the ocean and its inhabitants? Marine Animal Rescue Society (MARS) is looking for volunteers like you! MARS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals through rescue, rehabilitation, research and education. We rescue dolphins and whales in distress from Palm Beach to Florida City and assist in the rescue of injured manatees all over southern Florida.

Have you ever wanted to be so near a dolphin you can hear and feel its echolocation? You may just get a chance. Our volunteers are from all walks of life and not only participate in public outreach events to spread word about conservation, but are fundamental to our ability to successfully rescue and rehabilitate dolphins and whales.

Our rescue and rehab volunteers participate in every aspect of the animals’ care – feeding, medical procedures, holding a weak animal up so it is able to breathe, monitoring behavior. Volunteers are important in the basic running of a rehab site – scheduling volunteer shifts, preparing fish, water quality control. Our volunteers are also very environmentally conscious and participate in beach clean-ups and table at public events to educate about pollution, safe boating practices, marine mammal viewing guidelines, and what to do if you see a marine mammal in distress.

To become a rescue and rehab volunteer, you need to attend a Basic Rescue and Rehabilitation Training. We have an upcoming training – March 3! Come and have a fin-tastic time with us!

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Post contributed by architect Luis Bentancor. Below is an excerpt of an article he wrote called Deforestation & Architecture. This section is actually the final section of the article, discussing how architecture and deforestation are related, and what can be done to improve the situation. Para leerlo en español, visita Todo Arquitectura.

Architecture

If at first sight architecture does not seem to be related with what was exposed, in reality it is, and in a serious way.

In the industrialized countries from North America, Scandinavia and in many Pacific countries, wood is the most common material for the constructions of homes.  And wood is always used in diverse and varied ways in all the stages of the construction process in the world.

According to the World Watch Institute based in Washington, 25% of the wood extracted from the forests is used for construction purposes.  Because it is clear that architecture plays an important role in the demand for wood, it has its share of responsibility in the deforestation process. 

Architecture, therefore, can contribute in a significant way to the diminution and prevention of this process.

How can architecture help fight the problem of deforestation and its consequences? It can in many ways in all the stages of the architectural process; from design to construction and until the end of the building’s life.  Certain measures can be taken in this regard, some of them are:

• Specifying certified wood. 
• During the construction process a plan can be elaborated to separate all the resulting debris, among them wood, so they can be then taken to recycling plants. 
• It is possible to construct new buildings taking advantage of certain elements from old buildings.  Structural elements, floors, windows and others wood elements that are still in good condition in abandoned buildings can be re-adapted in new projects, and can generally be acquired at a very low cost.
• In remodeling projects trying to save and use the largest amount possible of existing wood elements from the building.
• When a demolition is carried out, it is important to save the elements, which can be reused in other projects.  This measure, together with the other three mentioned, decrease the demand of new wood. 
• When new buildings or urbanizations are designed, adapt the design to the existing trees and include them in the new project, instead of cutting them and totally clean the terrain.
• Wood can be substituted for other alternative materials that are found in the region.  For example, in many countries where there is a lot of bamboo, this material is an important construction material, and if we take in account that pine trees take 40 years to produce one cubic meter of wood and bamboo after 5 years can be a usable material, it is obvious that the use of this last material is a much more sustainable option. 

Applying these measures, architecture contributes to the diminution of deforestation.

Saving the world from deforestation and its terrible consequences is not achieved by applying a few isolated measures, but with the combination of those small isolated measures that each inhabitant of the planet can carry out on a daily basis and in his/her professional activity.  Architecture professionals have the ability and the responsibility to contribute in the attainment of this objective.

*Primary forests are those that have existed untouched by humans and/or other sorts of disturbances during periods of time larger than the normal life period of their mature trees. 

To read the remainder of this article, which actually precedes this section, please click the link below.

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Post contributed by local commercial realtor and green building enthusiast Bryan Wasmer Dempsey, ESQ.

The City of Miami addressed the pressing issues of climate change, resource depletion and energy security last Friday, December 8th with the “Mayor’s Green Building Forum” at the downtown campus of Miami-Dade Community College. The event heralded Mayor Manny Diaz’s first public foray into the green building movement as he voiced the City’s intent to become one of the greenest cities in the country.  Mayor Diaz really seemed to grasp the urgency of developing "green".  He, and a couple of the other speakers, dropped small hints that green building elements will soon begin to be incorporated in the City of Miami planning and design programs. 

The Mayor was followed by the keynote speaker, Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council.  Mr. Fedrizzi gave an impressive presentation, chalk-full of statistics on the health, environmental and economic benefits of green building. William Holly, whose Green Miami building just broke ground the other day was a guest speaker as well. Also in attendance, local non-profit Dream in Green.

The standing room only crowd of interested parties included; engineers, architects, developers, non-profits, commercial real estate professionals, and local media. The desire for further illumination into Miami’s possible future green building practices and prerequisites was evident by the number of questions addressed to the Mayor and panel ranging from incentives to standards to administration.

My personal opinion of the forum was that, although it was long overdue for Miami, it was a good start with what felt like a lot of enthusiasm on behalf of the Mayor and the attendees.  The Mayor made several bold statements, including his desire to make Miami one of the leaders in green building.  The green momentum was palpable.  Let’s hope that it continues and that the City of Miami carries through.

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This post is part of a special blogging day in Miami. As part of Miami Cross-Blogination, DayngrGirl of Dayngrous Discourse wrote a post for greenerMIAMI. And, in an odd draw of the names, we will be blogging over at Dayngrous Discourse today. It’s a fun day in the Miami blogosphere! Visit the following link for a full list of today’s Cross-Blogination participants.

No, I’m not talking about the latest headline on one of those tabloids. I’m talking about getting your baby or baby-to-be on the greenScene here at greenerMiami. Babies may be small but they are big consumers so why not try going green or eco-friendly for the environment and for your baby. Here are some tips to get you on your way to having and keeping your beautiful bundle of joy green.

Nursery

Let’s start with the nursery. The most important aspect of green design for a newborn’s environment is to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals as much you possibly can. A non-toxic nursery is especially important because newborns spend most of their life in the nursery about 16 to 17 hours a day.

Painting should be done at least a month before the baby is due, and it can be cured by using a room space heater. If you are pregnant, don’t paint the room yourself. Have someone else do it like your husband, family, friend, or hired hand and be sure to paint with one of the new water-based low-volatile organic compound paints.

Your baby will spend many hours sleeping, and at times will need the room to be dark and peaceful during the day. Consider wooden shutters (with a non-toxic paint or finish) or aluminum mini-blinds that will allow you to adjust the light as needed. Steer clear of PVC blinds and be sure to provide good ventilation and fresh air.

Keep your baby’s crib as pure as possible in every way. Choose real wood, natural finishes, and untreated pure cotton and wool, preferably organically grown.

Most toys sold in major toy stores are made from plastics and or PVC. Plastic is a major contributor to indoor air pollution and PVC products may contain phthalates, lead and cadmium. There are many natural cloth and wood toys available on the internet.

Once you have a non-toxic nursery, keep it safe by using only natural and non-toxic cleaning products like Seventh Generation, grapefruit seed extract and essential oils which are readily available on the internet or products like Method available at Target and Office Depot.

Baby Food

It doesn’t get any more organic than breastfeeding. The AAP recommends that babies should be fed just breast milk for the first six months of life and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months. So if you can, breastfeed your baby. Even the smallest amount is good for your baby. La Leche League has wonderful resources and information as do most hospitals.

Once your baby is ready to move on to foods you can try organic cereals like Earth’s Best or organic baby food and juices. Gerber has a nice line and these are available at stores like Publix and Winn Dixie.

Of course, you can always make your baby’s food yourself using organically grown fruits and veggies bought locally and there are some great resources out there for recipes.

Baby Booty

Who can resist all the great goodies out there for baby (and mama too)? You know you are going to buy tons of stuff so be sure to go green for baby’s announcements, clothes, diapers, accessories, toys, furniture and everything else you can think of. Here are a few good places to start locally:

Arlington

Baby Drawers

Dilly Doo

Friendly Cottons

Kids Bean

Spunky Sprout

Totally Organic

Then check out some I found online:

3rLiving

All Things Green

Ducduc

Earth Mama, Angel Baby

Lilipad Studio

Little Merry Fellow

Sage Baby

TaraLuna

Terressentials

Even if you can’t go green for everything, try swapping out some typical buys for greener more environmentally friendly ones. Even a few small changes can make a difference. Remember, every little bit counts.

Resources: Green Home Guide, Healthy Building, Great Green Baby

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Post contributed by Tere of Coral Gables and A Mom, A Blog, and a Life in Between.

Ever considered making your own personal and household care products yourself? It’s really a lot easier than many would imagine. And more importantly, it’s good for the environment, yourself and your home.

All right, short of a fun craft-like project, you may be asking yourself why you’d go through such expense and trouble. I guess that if you’re interested in using products that are better for your health and the environment, then this is the way to go.

The great thing about essential oils is that they are natural products that have been used for thousands of years for a wide variety of purposes: to beautify, to treat illnesses, and to clean and purify homes.

As we continue on this topic, I’ll give more detail about why natural products are important, some recipes for personal and household use, and resources to get you started on your journey through essential oils and natural remedies.

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Post contributed by Cathy Gilbert.

Fun was had by all on Saturday’s eco-friendly CRITICAL MASS Bike Ride!

Seventy-five folks on wheels: all ages, sizes, and dress codes. The weather was perfectly cloudy, not too hot, not a drop. First stop, the Grove Farmer’s Market. Those who continued on the second leg went on to Matheson Hammock for a swim.

Don’t miss the next one!! Tentatively planned for Sept. 9. Keep your eye out for it on the Green Party notices list, Indy Media’s calendar, or here on greenerMIAMI.

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Post contributed by Maria de los Angeles Lemus, a freelance writer and designer who also blogs under the pen name Manola Blablablanik.

Everyone knows that fancy cars and glass-walled condos are just but a few of Miami-Dade’s little luxuries, but did you know sand was a precious commodity? Yes, sand. In a recent article posted on Florida Sportsman’s website, I learned that Miami is basically shopping for that stuff under our feet, trying to whisk it away from other Florida beaches.

"Deepwater dredging is difficult and expensive, and the environmental impacts aren’t well understood. And according to Dade County officials, they have but one easily accessible ‘borrow area’ left in emergency reserve, which they say contains relatively low-quality material. The pressure to dredge very close to coral reefs in Broward suggests that those municipalities have nearly exhausted offshore ‘borrow areas.’"

The debate on the efficacy of beach nourishment is considerable and beyond the scope of this introduction to the article. But one thing is certain: beach nourishment is common public works in many coastal areas around the world, as erosion occurs naturally, even without the encroachment of human habitat.

Benefits of beach nourishment include storm surge protection and additional habitat for flora and fauna that depend on shorelines for food. Humans also enjoy the recreational advantages of simply having more sand in between the water and the parking lot, which fuels the tourism industry. Beach nourishment, like so many things South Beach, is the environment’s equivalent of plastic surgery. Without beach nourishment, bikini-clad damsels and their six-pack princes would have to endure such annoyances as high tide.

It’s all good, until you notice two remarkable disadvantages, which are painfully obvious: beach nourishment doesn’t last forever and sand is not an easy renewable resource.

This is a case of human hubris meets environmental reality. A naturally occurring condition and the scarcity of sand only underscores yet another oversight from developers and local officials who keep signing permits by the dozen to build yet more condos for transient residents on our already overcrowded island. Let’s face it: it’s not for the birds, it’s for the selling power of dream vacations and high-priced condos.

"Borrowing sand" away from an ecologically sensitive yet relatively stable area like Port St. Lucie’s shoal isn’t borrowing — it’s stealing. Let’s hope our scientists, engineers and local officials put on their thinking caps to arrive at a better solution for all creatures great and small. In the environment, as in life, everything is connected.

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