綠洲 (Lui Zhou) Means Oasis

Thinking Simplicity is a Part of the Fun

2008-05-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

I am impressed with the designers.

Slow and Courteous Driving Return to the Road

2008-05-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I witnessed in shock a dramatic change in motorist behavior that I thought could never happen - motorists slowed down..... and are courteous.

The economists were right on to predict a major behavioral shift when gas breach $4 per gallon (they said it happened at $2.50, $3.00 and so on). Gas prices in my neighborhood officially broke through that level 4 days prior on Wed May 21st, and just like magic, the world around here instantly slowed.

I have been seeing fewer cars on the road for a while, but yet to observe much of a change in driving behaviors for the road warriors- until now. I am usually the only motorist, and usually the last of the pack, who will roll slowly into a red-light stop. Often eager drivers will pass by me, to my befuddlement, and accelerate into the stop 100 feet ahead. But now, many motorists are matching me step by step, and at times, unimaginably, are even slower.

On the highway I trailed behind a van that cruised at a whopping 40 mile per hour on the slow lane, and what is even more surprising was that there were more cars cruising behind me.

It dawned on me that WE ALL KNEW ALL ALONG. We knew that driving fast and hard wastes gas, and surely we know SUVs are not helping. We just didn't care until now the gas prices are punishing anyone not caring. It was not the case that we didn't know, as I had thought all these times.

So we probably knew all along our role in carbon emissions, and we knew all along our role in environmental destruction.

While no one likes high prices, I whole heartedly believe high prices of living will be the best incentives for consumers to cut down on wastes. In some strange ways, I actually hope the prices get a little higher.

Sweden and its prospering economy

2008-05-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

To be Continued

EPA continues its feet-dragging on tighetening smog standard

2008-05-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

The EPA dragged its feet again, stonewalling efforts of many states, including California, for better emission standard. The EPA chief Stephen Johnson denies the influence of White House once again, as usual.

The agency has a dilemma? - to protect the environment, or to do so only when it is convenient for the economy?

You would think that "Environmental Protection Agency" is a dedicated branch to the ... protection of environment? And so it continues to drag its feet on emission control, especially favoring the pace of the auto-industry. You would think that they should be an agency for the environment?

Interestingly, Johnson rose to the top of the rank in March, 2005 when Bush named him the new EPA chief. For years environmentalists and the Oversight Committee have noticed a pattern of political meddling, which EPA denies repeatedly.

This is perfect example of short-sighted politics and economics at its best, in which few special interest groups and easily-influenced politicians determines the issue on the table based on lobbying and campaign contributions and tax revenues.

Iceland and its Quest for 100% Renewables

2008-05-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

Picture: Svartsengi Geothermal Plant with swimming in the Blue Lagoon from the International Geothermal Association.

Today Iceland is reaping the rewards from its renewable energy development, turning around one of previously poorest European economies to one of most prosperous.

The island of nearly 300,000 are producing nearly 100% of its electricity through geothermal and hydro power, and billions in saving has clearly benefited its economy. Although it still has one of the highest greenhouse gas emission per capita because of its fishing and heavy industry, the nation has made tremendous progress since the oil crises of the 70's and remains one of few nations that stayed the course towards renewable infrastructure. It remains on course to phase out fossil fuel in two decades.

More than just a model of success in renewable infrastructure or an example of the economic benefits in going green, what Iceland has really shown me is a hint of possibility that someone somewhere can survive the devastating energy crisis.

Check Wikipedia's Geothermal power in Iceland.

20 5% Solutions

2008-05-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

A colleague and I engaged in an animated, passion-filled hour-long conversation hovering from what is wrong with politics today to whether or not our grandchildren may be the ones facing the real consequences of environmental disasters. When the topic turned to energy and peak oil, he reminded me that "we do not need one super solution, we can have twenty solutions each of which contributes 5% of the total solution."

So let's list some of the technology we already have or in development:

1. Wind
2. Solar
3. Geothermal
4. Ocean waves
5. Hydro power
6. Biomass fuel
7. Recycled fuel
8. Hydrogen fuel
9. Natural gas
10. Nuclear? Coal and oil?

The prospects seem full of potential, and so what it holding back the policy makers?

Again I am reminded to return to the reality of short-sighted economics and politics. I understand all too well how we tend to sit back and let things get worse until disasters are staring us in the face.

Polar Bears being "protected", now what?

2008-05-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

US Department of the Interior announced decision to protect polar bears under the Endangered Species Act.

It says:

Additionally, the Department will continue to:

* monitor polar bear populations and trends,
* study polar bear feeding ecology,
* work cooperatively with the Alaska Nanuuq Commission and the North Slope Borough for co-management of the polar bears in Alaska,
* provide technical assistance to the participants of the 1988 North Slope Borough Inuvialuit Game Council Agreement for the conservation of polar bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea region and monitor the effects of oil and gas operations in the Beaufort Sea region.

So it seems to me is that we will continue to "monitor" and "study" the thawing of Arctic ice and the dying of polar bears.

Polar bears stand no chance against us human beings.

The Rapidity of our Destructive Power

2008-05-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

Scientists estimate that the Universe is 14-billion years-old, the Solar System is 4.5 billion years-old, and dinosaurs walked on Earth for 200 million years many hundred of millions ago in the Jurassic era.

The age of human beings, on the other hand, is but a fleeting moment in the grand geological scale, lasting just a mere hundred-thousand of years. The modern industrial age is even more fleeting at a century-old, amounts to a single blink in the eyes of the dinosaurs.

In this short time of one-century, 20 billionth of the age of the Earth, we have already managed a blazing trail of mess. Dinosaurs were able to roam for 200 million years - maybe our greatest enemy is our own sense of superiority and arrogance.

One thing we are certainly superior of, is that, we are capable of destroying this world with greater efficiency and speed that no other specie has ever come close in matching.

The Unusually Cold May

2008-05-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Mr. Weather turns unexpectedly cold in the middle of May.

Ants invaded offices this morning. Perhaps it was just too cold outside.

Again I started to wonder.... it is still not so bad?

Oil....... Is Not Expensive Enough

2008-05-11T05:50:00.001-07:00

Are we the US motorists being fair about the supposedly high gas prices?

Per gallon, it costs $6.50 in Hong Kong, $7 in Europe, $5.50 in Japan, and $5 in Canada.

What about that little $1.59 cup of coffee we love so much at Starbucks, or the $1.50 16-oz water bottle that we snatch up without much thoughts? They are all more expensive than gas. When I look at beer, wine, sodas, juices and the equivalent of Doritos chips in weight, I see that they are all more costly than gas, and yet I see no shortage of shoppers loading up a cart-full of them.

I am also willing to wager that no less than 90% of us consumers spend far more on trinkets, snacks and so many other utterly useless and wasteful accessories.

My dear consumer friends should understand the "special privilege," not God-send as limitless and free, of being able to buy gas and roam in "freedom" - and it is just too much to want all cakes and eat it too.

Don't bother lying later that "we didn't know"

2008-05-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Polar bears the poster child of global warming may be working its magic in influencing the public. Over her concerns for their habitat and survival, my wife became interested in the environmental issues and asked me many questions about the climate change and the Arctic.

I was inspired to write this "prophecy of doom" post, dated Saturday, May 10th, 2008.

Basically I said I doubt that enough will be done until disasters strike us human kind in a rude awakening. The shock is most likely to come when least expected, as we continue to remain complacent with great false sense of security. Yet, Nature has already shot off many surprising early warning signs and rendered many scientific projections to be about as useful as coin-flips.

The politicians, the oil coalition, and the SUV-loving nay-sayers will love nothing more to simply maintain status-quo, and will certainly resort to the the expected denial and should-shrugging later on. Yet it is also that some of the most vocal green activists, Al Gore included, remain still as a part of the total contribution to the continuing environmental damage. After all, we continue to drive, shop and own a houseful of appliances and electronics, and still hop on that plane to take self-proclaimed needed getaway vacation, charged to the courtesy of American Express.

I feel that, deep inside, we all know what we are doing and what the consequence may be. But I expect most to say the same "it wasn't our fault" later.

That is how we are.

My slimmest hope relies on us having adequate technology to salvage the situation when world disasters strike in full force.

I Expect Further Wild Life Decimation To Come

2008-05-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

While the world fusses over economy, recession, inflation, food criss, aftermath of Nargis in Burma, continuing Iraq conflicts, US presidency, and just about all issues relating only to us human beings....

.... the WILD LIFE CONTINUES TO SLIP AWAY a little more right underneath our nose relatively unnoticed....

As it is typical for every specie to operate its own selfish genes to perfect its own song and dance of self-preservation, the human specie are seemingly unconcerned with the endangerment of all other species until it the comfort level is challenged.

I am beginning to wonder how close we are to that point of no return.

There seems to be a flaw in the Grand Design.

California Chinook Salmon also face Catastrophic Decline

2008-05-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

In 2007, another mystery in the decline of wild life population unfolded in Central Valley - Chinook salmon essentially went missing from spawning upstream. In a dramatic move on April 10th, 2008, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council voted to ban all fishing of Chinook salmon for the year's season.

The "Silence of the Salmon" in addition to the bees confirms easily what I thought as obvious - the entire eco-system is under great assault, and we human beings are still in darkness over the degree of damage already caused.

Ecologists have been warning us for years.

I am certain more "Silencing" is to come.

Source: California Dept of Fish and Game

Arctic Ice Thawing in Record-Retreat

2008-05-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Climate scientists are seeing strong evidence of the Big Thaw coming this summer, most likely to break the record low of 2007.

This photo shows two coast guards leading two researchers hauling a buoy, to be deployed in the open ocean. Scientists has estimated a realistic chance that the North Pole melts out this year. The thawing of the Arctic can further re-enforce the Earth warming trend as dark water are exposed and less ice are available as reflector.

See NSIDC (National Snow and Ice Data Center) for updates.

Burma (Myanmar) devastated by Hurrican Nargis

2008-05-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Nature displays its awesome destructive power once again, this time sweeping through Burma. The death toll is currently estimated at 100,000 and likely to rise. The higher occurrence of powerful hurricanes in recent years is making it more difficult to attribute to just normal weather statistical alone.

This picture is taken by NASA's Terra Satellite.

I wonder if we will see more killer hurricanes this summer.

Chevy Tahoo Green My Foot!

2008-05-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Still a big ol' clunk guzzling gas. The next thing I know they are going to tell me some Green Hummer of the Year, improving gas guzzling from 12 mpg to 16 mpg.

Puhleeze......

FOR AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO WITNESS THIS BEHAVIOR, WE HAVE NO CHANCE.

.

Look No Further Than The Man In The Mirror

2008-05-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

As I was walking to work today, I noticed that, as I have been noticing for a while now, that there are lot less cars on the road. The regular unleaded at Shell gas station I walked pass by has inched up another 15 cents from previous week to $3.81 a gallon.

We the consumers bare no less than one-third of overall responsibility in effectuating the needed green change, but so far the most effective mean has been the high price hurting the wallet.

It is not just the Businesses and the Government. It is just all of us.

Reduce - Remove "Discretionary" and "Accessories" from Your Life

2008-05-06T08:22:00.001-07:00

This seemingly obvious point is probably the most difficult to achieve in this materialistic age.

- Do you really need that Blackberry or iPhone? And a cool casing, belt-pack, bluetooth and all the add ons to go with that too?

- Do you really need all these souvenirs, mugs, magnets, postcards, hats and t-shirts?

- Do you really need new gloves, or that more fashionable pair of pants?

- Do you really need cable TV, or premium internet service?

- Do you really need to buy more chocolate or OREO cookies and pack on one extra pound to carry around?

- And yes... do you (actually I) need one more cup of coffee and one more book?

Why talk green if we cannot even moderate these things that got us into to this environmental mess in the first place?

Toyota Prius is still not the answer for gas whiners

2008-05-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

We consumers are whining about surging gas prices again. I find it both comical and yet a bit sad that many consumers are flocking to smaller, slightly more fuel-efficient cars thinking 40 mpg can save the day. Surely I expected nothing less than the typical "buy your way out" behavior plus the blatant refusal to make a change in lifestyle.

The fact is that current alternatives are neither greener nor more economical. Trading in an SUV presents a great loss in value and a poor use of "money" in the first place, and the act of a quick swap creates one more car being manufactured, more materials used up, and more emissions from the production process.

My decision is to simply minimize using my car and to extend its life for as long as possible while letting the technology develop into something more mature and greenable. Maybe Toyota Prius will achieve 100 mpg soon, or maybe a conversion technology will become available to improve the mileage of current models. Either way, my "change in lifestyle" is the surest way to go greener and to deal with the inflating cost of living.

THE 3 VALUES OF GOING GREEN

2008-05-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

The personal green transformation has barely just begun, yet my thoughts have already raced far ahead of my actions. But that is a good thing. I have re-examined some of my personal values in greater depth and came to a better appreciation of those basic ones that should have been more obvious before.

These values are listed in the order of increasing importance.

1. Learn the value of MONEY

I often watch in amazement how some spend and waste money as if it is no object; I also read in total bewilderment if they are the same cash-strapped consumers who are the subjects of endless media reports.

Without lashing out on the "house of cards" economic that optimally fattens the wallets and bodies of this consumer generation, I will simply state that I belong to the school of thought that the true sustainable economy is a GREEN ECONOMY. I hold a strong yet perfectly sensible belief that one day the INFLATION GENIE will come out in a vengeance to punish us all for having abused the resources and the environment.

We have never been more prosperous, but that is achieved literally by our increasing digging into the Earth; when one day we can no longer sustain this model of economic growth we will also realize "money" is a limited resource.

We should not waste it away, and it will become very valuable one day as a possible way for us to salvage the Earth.

2. Learn the value of LIFE and OURSELF

Going green necessarily requires a very honest and thorough assessment of our values and vanity, and the process forces us to realign ourself to the central principles.

As modern consumers we have been influenced to associate our happiness and success by the things we own. Yet there is a whole lot to be rediscovered by staying home, taking a nice walk to work and staying closer to the very simple things in life that our great great parents have enjoyed. Granted our materialistic quality of life is undoubtedly superior, but I believe our minds and spirits actually have regressed.

Recently, I have found myself to be calmer and my mind to be more clear. I have far less clutter in my life to distract me nor do I think much of any cool discretionary items. I have become more focused, more productive, and ... yes.... happier.

3. Learn the value of the PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Most importantly, Going Green is about caring beyond ourself for all that are and will be a part of the same world, whether. I find it unnecessary to engage in endless philosophical debates or to pursue abstract thesis in understanding the very obvious truth that THIS PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT GIVES ALL OF US A PLACE FOR OUR PHYSICAL EXISTENCE regardless of our tendency to engage in the relentless pursuit spirituality or happiness.

McCain and Clinton's dumb gas tax idea misses the point - Cheap oil is a thing of the past

2008-05-02T19:46:00.001-07:00

John McCain and Hillary Clinton continue to pander the voters on the pretense that gas tax suspension will alleviate surging price at the gas pump. However, economists are in general consensus of this being a "bad idea out of failed learning in Economic 101." Barrack Obama just scored some points in my book for being the sole holdout of this "dumb idea."

Politics or economics aside, I would much prefer the candidates to address it for the ENERGY CRISIS ISSUE that it really is or will be. I see the supply-demand of oil as an escalating problem that not even the complete conversion to Toyota Prius by the entire world can resolve. No amount of money and more money can change the certainty of oil running to its eventual end for as long as we still live our life to guzzle gas.

The only way I see, is for us the consumers to unlearn our dependence, and get a little help along the way from governments and businesses in starting a global green infrastructure.

Reduce - Check out "No Impact Man"

2008-05-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

I came across a very interesting "No Impact Man" , whose site was featured by Time Magazine as one of the 15 best green websites.

His opinions and voice resonate with my own, and in addition he has been doing the serious green a bit longer. His life is the perfect example of how anyone can go green for real, even in the middle of a hustling and bustling New York City, with the right attitude and enough determination.

Admittingly all of us are still quite a distance away from achieving the No-Impact Utopia; but what I especially like, is that "REDUCE" is very clearly understood by many as the most important first step.

Reduce - $28 Electric and $102 gasoline

2008-04-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

In taking small incremental steps toward a more eco-friendly life style, our very FIRST STEP in the personal "reduce" campaign is to minimize energy consumption. After several months of paying attentions to details, we have been progressively reducing our electric bill to finally break below $30 for 2 months now.

I would like to go below $25 eventually.

And we paid just a smidgen over $100 at the gas pump in April. What makes this cut back even more satisfying is that we did it in face of the recent surge in gas price. What I really would like is to break below $50, and even to go car-less.

Incidentally, the office secretary expressed how worried she is over the $450+ per month fuel cost which seems to escalate to no end.

Cheers... to my decision to live close to work.

More Than Carbon Emission and Global Warming - A Warning Sign from the Environment.

2008-04-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am still feeling the bone-chill from "The Silence of the Bees" last night.

I was thinking, something in nature isn't replaceable with technology, but that our false sense of security and complacency are making us behaving as if the opposite is true. The program showcased an instance of that ignorance.

Very likely even before global warming becomes the real challenge we would have already witnessed something else major.

Something in the air and the water just isn't right. CASE AND POINT: with sick, infected and chemically poisoned bees, the honey produced is found with pollutants.

And it bothers me that this must be a general condition affecting all animals, fish and crops, and that also means everything we eat and breath.

I wonder about the fate of "organic farming."

"Silence of the Bees"

2008-04-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Bees are disappearing...

This evening while watching the PBS rebroadcast of NATURE episode "Silence of the Bees," I felt a deepest chill down my spine.

During the winter of 2006, the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) strike literally overnight and over one-third of bee hives in the US were abandoned. Scientists scrambled to unravel the mystery but were not able to pinpoint to a single cause despite finding numerous disturbing clues. They thought the AIDS-like epidemic was the result of a perfect storm scenario where bees finally succumbed to an Australian virus following a long-term effect from malnutrition, pesticide toxins and other environmental factors. The bee population, as well as other pollinators like butterflies, has been on an alarming declining trend for years.

The massive disappearing of the bees has dire consequences on farming, food supplies, and world ecology as a whole. I learned just how essential these little buzzing insects have been besides pollinating flowers and producing honey - they are also the pollinator agents responsible for one-third of crops and fruits we consume, such as berries, pears, etc.

One farmer exclaimed "I am scared to death."

It propelled me to think further... Maybe, we have been doing just a bit too much to the environment more than we know, and it seems we do not come remotely close to realize just how much irreversible damage we may have already caused.

Enjoy some google videos - Weekend of April 26th, 2008

2008-04-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Some opinions, news, political snippets, and funnies.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Reduce - The World is Inflating into Reality

2008-04-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

I read somewhere a statement made by a financier in a matter-of-fact tone that consumers will cut back only when wallet starts hurting.

This may not be what passionate green minds want to hear, but it is the stone cold truth.

As much as it is a virtue to think beyond self and to care for the environment, pricing is the ultimate bottom line that dictates consumer behaviors. With a booming middle class around the world to join this heated over-consumption race, in particular billions more from China and India, it is little wonder that we are witnessing food shortage, accelerated environmental destruction and even more wars.

We have been asking too much out of this plant, and I think.....

THE INFLATION GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE.

Reduce - A Brotherly Lesson

2008-04-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

I asked my Brother to give me some feedback on my blogs, but a little to my surprise he said he didn't know what much to say.

He and his wife already live a very simple life. His in-laws, as of the previous generation who survived extreme hardship through numerous wars, are as frugal and simple can be.

These values, he said, are obvious.

Indeed, our parents and my in-laws, as well as all elderlies we know of, carry with them these very basic values.

In stark contrast the current consumer generation has difficulty embracing the same. The current economic model and the consumerism values, touted as a great triumph of the free market and human freedom, are seemingly misguided fundamentally.

Reduce - "It's the GREEN ECONOMY, Stupid"

2008-04-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Bill was at least half-right.

This week alone I witnessed no less than 10 popular magazines addressing similar issues on human population, food crises , the environment and the climate. The voice of green movement is becoming irrepressibly louder.

While the endless bombardment of information may be difficult to sort through, recognizing the very basic issues at stake is the important first step in finding our own direction. I spent a part of my "Shopping Saturday" among magazines in Borders or Barnes & Noble to educate myself, and I have come to understand issues beyond carbon emissions.

My intuition tells me that ... A GREEN ECONOMY is, necessarily, shaping up to supersede FREE ECONOMY.

It is all too obvious that our Earth has only so much to give.

Reduce - You Gotta Drive Slow, and Less

2008-04-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

I wish that people can just drive slower, and best not at all when not needed.

Friends, keep in mind the basic physics that kinetic energy is "one-half mass velocity squared". When you cruise at 80 mph instead of 60 mph, the 33% faster speed requires you to use 100% more energy. The real world calculation is of course far more complex, but it is a definitive conclusion that you are paying far more for your wasteful speeding habit.

By not waste money and gas, in the process you are saving some lives from accidents and giving a little more back to the environment.

PERHAPS THE RISING GAS PRICE IS A POSITIVE DRIVING FORCE IN ASKING THE CONSUMERS TO DO BETTER IN CONSERVATION.

Reduce - Take Pride

2008-04-17T12:24:00.001-07:00

TAKE PRIDE IN LIVING THE SIMPLE LIFE. And it is the best way to "go green" regardless of the endless deceptive "greenwashing" ads.

The more you reduce and the simpler you live, the less you have to worry about what real eco-friendly items to buy.

Owning a hybrid SUV, an extravagant green-couch, or excess hemp-made T-shirts all misses the point... and miss the point big. "Buy Green" should only be applied as the legitimate consumer movement towards food and the basic items needed to sustain life. Others should be taken as "discretionary" as they truly are.

The strong pride I take in trying to living a simpler life is what drives me to keep doing more of what I am doing against the endless temptations to buy and to waste.

Reduce - Bring Your Own Lunch

2008-04-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

One thing that marriage brought into my life is how much more enjoyable dinner and lunch have become. As a single I didn't care much for eating out not only because of the expenses but also because of the plastic and paper waste that ate away at my guilty conscience as I shove them down the waste bin.

Nowadays I bring my fork and lunch box to work. I waste not a single item.

That may not sound like much, but in one year I decrease my trash output by no less than 10 bins worth of waste.

I am merely returning to the basics that I should have been practicing all along.

Reduce - Drive and Shop Smart, and Enjoy With Your Spouse

2008-04-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Have a smart shopping plan is essential to REDUCE repetitive driving and wasteful shopping. On our "Shopping Saturday," we aim to be gas-efficient and time-saving, to shop smart and to enjoy a nice Saturday out.

We follow a route, in order, almost without detour:

- First we visit the post office or the bank if needed.

- We head on to Borders or Barnes & Noble to relax among books and magazines. My particular favorite is The Economist magazine.

- We may opt to enjoy a cozy lunch at a local venue. Exploring lesser-known, ethnic and economical restaurants and eateries is a part of our worldly joy and as our simple reward.

- We visit Staples, Best Buy, Walmart, etc. to get any needed items.

- We run through the grocery stores in one stretch: Giant, Safeway, Trader Joe's, Mom's My Organic Market, Shoppers Food Warehouse.

- In Giant or Shoppers we will get our favorite latest releases from Red Box dvd rental. We have enjoyed great movies such as "No Country for Old Men" and "Kite Runner" for a measly $1 per night on Saturday evenings.

- We return home to enjoy a nice dinner made with fresh ingredients, and then our chosen DVD of the week :)

- As we shop together, we are just so much more efficient and selective about the items we are buying. It really adds to the saving, not to mention the nice time we are spending together.

All the chores and shopping are done in less than a full day, and our weekdays are simply left open to just work and relax in the evening.

Another way we enjoy our Saturdays is to explore different local neighborhoods on different weekends, with slight modifications given what is available, whether a local festival or farmers' market might take place. We will always make an effort to incorporate all into a smart, efficient, productive multi-purpose plan, to enjoy on a nice Saturday.

I LOOK FOWARD TO THAT DAY WHEN I DO NOT HAVE TO OWN A CAR AT ALL.

Reduce - Walk to Work

2008-04-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Although vast distances in the US makes conservation efforts particularly challenging, we can still make good choices for the sake of the environment. I believe that commuting constitutes most of the gasoline guzzling activities, and this is where I made a conscious choice to live close to work to dramatically REDUCE my carbon footprint.

- I can walk to work within 20 minutes, and get a exercise as well.

- I REDUCE gasoline consumption and carbon emission, and save as much as $100 per month.

- One less car on the road helps to REDUCE traffics, which in turn helps to REDUCE more carbon emissions, and so on.

- Close distance to work results in cheaper car insurance, longer car lifetime, etc, which are more beneficial and economical in the long run.

- We eliminate the need for a second car, thus further helping the environment, traffics and our savings.

- Living close to work has been good for my soul. I sleep a bit longer and return home earlier, I do not get frustrated by traffic, and I do not worry about accidents, car breaking down, or getting speeding tickets.

- We still cannot avoid driving at times, but we schedule and consolidate our driving trips wisely and efficiently.

Reduce - Reduce, Reduce and Reduce some more...

2008-04-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

As a college student constantly on the move I had learned the virtue of being a minimalist. But books and coffee were still two vices that I had to learn to contain when I had decided to truly "REDUCE". It took lots of determination to mentally let go but slowly I sold or gave away my books, and cut down my coffee consumption to one half-decaf cup in the morning. A rather surprising side benefit is the substantial saving which I am saving up for something else useful.

Nowadays I utilize libraries, browse in bookstores or borrow from friends, and I have not bought a new book in the past 5 years. As for coffee I have stopped splurging at Starbucks, and brew my own in the morning if at all. I am learning to find alternative ways to enjoy without having to waste so much, and finding these ways is a part of the fun.

Once I handled my vices, reducing other items becomes much easier.

I measure my "REDUCE" success by the amount of excess I have accumulated over time. As simple of a life as I live, I can still end up with some excess over time, like DVDs and clothings, for which I find ways to reuse, give away, or recycle, and most importantly, continue to learn to not have them in the first place.

What keeps me on this narrow path is the understanding that "waste" leads to the "destruction of environment".

Reduce - Buy Right and Cook Light

2008-04-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

My wife and I enjoy our dinner as the most elemental part of life - going green, eating right and enjoying the art of cooking all come together in this few hours of daily ritual which we take time to appreciate.

- We buy fresh and preferably organic vegetables and fruits from local stores like Safeway, Giants, Trader Joe's and Mom's Organics.

- We limit the amount of meat, milk and eggs we buy as our way to reduce our indirect demands on livestocks, feeds and agricultural activities.

- We include a certain amount of poultry (chicken) in our diet in place of red meat as another way to reduce the environmental impact.

- We hardly eat fast food, junk food or canned food because of the bad nutritional value and the industrial processes, transports and packagings that are destructive to natural resources and the environment.

- We are even forgoing packaged organic cereals or granola bars, and have begun to buy bulk to start making our own cereals and bars.

- We cook lightly, and we discipline ourselves not to over eat.

Don't Need to Recycle What You Don't Waste

2008-04-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

"REDUCE" is the singularly most important way to start saving the environment. "Reuse" and "Recycle" are only as good to the extend that you minimize waste in the first place. My wife and I have recently begun to pay attention to all aspects of our lives to REDUCE as much as we can:

- We live close to work, minimize driving, and consolidate shoppings in "shopping Saturdays" which we also enjoy as our time together.

- We live simple and minimize possessions. We do not have cable TV nor any luxury-based service.

- We do not own any high-power electronics or machines. We use energy-efficient light bulbs and we unplug electronics when not in use. We do not use A/C or central heating, and we hang cloths to dry naturally.

- We do not buy junk food, or much packaged and processed food. We cook daily, lightly and we do not over eat also as an incentive to stay slim and fit.

- Yes, we also reuse and recycle.

I estimate our saving to be minimally $500 per month by this green-based cost cutting; but what is more important is that we leave behind smaller carbon foot print.

We aim to do more, by continuing to REDUCE.

The Start of a Green Day - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2008-04-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

"Why should I care?" - a question posted at the Visitor Center at the NASA Goddard Flight Space Center.

Today, I plunged into this surreal yet far-reaching world of the blogsphere to begin my personal site devoted exclusively green awareness. On this personal journey of green transformation, I hope to carry a few fellow green minds along, and to always keep in mind:

"Green 3 R's: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE"

Just as our ancestors had done to live in harmony with the challenging but natural world.