A recent article by Popsci.com brings up a new, alternative energy idea that hasn't been discussed in the same ways as solar, wind and hydrogen.  That is power harvested by humans.  Now, before "soylent green is people" runs through your head, I mean kinetic energy.

Human beings create new energy in large amounts, mostly stored in our body fat, but also in our muscles.  That energy is used and burned in our movements, which is called kinetic energy.  By harvesting kinetic energy from simple actions like walking or running, you could be recharging more than just your body.

Human energy won't get you off the grid, but it will help to make a small difference.  Green Microgym, in Portland, Oregon, has created a stationary bike that will harvest the energy you put out during your workout.  Riding the stationary bike turns a generator, which then helps to power the building.  As the machines are fine-tuned, the amount of energy produced and stored in the generator could increase.

There's also dance floors in the Netherlands that use the same kinetic energy.  The company, called the Sustainable Dance Club, utilizes the piezoelectric effect, where certain materials create an electrical current when they are bent or compressed.  As the people in the club dance on the floor, it is compressed by half an inch, and makes contact with the piezoelectric material that is underneath.  In the future, this floor could power more than the LED lights in the club, and eventually power the whole club itself.

There's an ongoing debate around my household about the adage "less is more."  My husband argues that in that case, even less is even more.  While at the time I think he was applying the argument to minimalist modern art, it has come around full circle to me today when I saw a cartoon on chainsawsuit.com, by Kris Straub.

[Image courtesy of chainsawsuit.com]

While at first I just thought this image was funny, and forwarded it on to my husband.  After I hit send, though, I realized that while hilarious, the meaning behind it is true.  Less is more, and even less is even more.  What I mean by that is less waste more healing, and even less waste would be even more healing.

Here at Green Groove, we've mentioned before that reducing your waste is good for sustainable living.  When you purchase less that would make waste you can  keep the carbon footprint for your household down, since there is less packaging and shipping related CO2 coming in.  Recycling is a great way to combat massive landfill waste, but that only goes so far.  Composting is also a good step towards creating less useless waste, but again it only goes so far.  The key really is less is more.

Things you want to avoid are items packaged in a plastic with no recycling number and Styrofoam.  Don't buy individually wrapped things when you could buy that same item in bulk and individually package it yourself.  Be mindful every time you purchase something, and think about where it could end up when you are done with it.

This applies to all purchases, not just groceries.  If you're going to buy a new pair of shoes, think about what you're going to do with your old ones.  Think about what you'll do with it when the new ones wears out.  Is there a place you can recycle old shoes in your town?  Is there somewhere that you can donate them?  Knowing these things ahead of time is very helpful.

While it may seem like an already hard task like shopping for your household just got harder, it really hasn't.  Every purchase you make you're already mindful of a set of needs your family has, like allergies, taste preferences, and cost.  You're just adding one more thing to think about, and in the long-run, thinking about our planet when you're shopping is just as important as thinking about your family.

Today Former Vice President Al Gore goes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to testify how we need to get back to global environmental leadership to help combat catastrophic climate change.  One of the first things that needs to be done is to have the government supportive and involved in green technologies.

While Gore is a very vocal advocate for greener legislation and government supported programs, he still needs your help.  That is why the people at Repower America are asking for people to send a letter to congress in support of an economic recovery package that focuses on creating more jobs, and creating green energy sources.

Repower America's goal is to have 100% clean electricity by 2019.  It seems like a large and far off goal, but in actuality it is completely attainable.  We just need governmental support.  By sending your letter to congress through Repower America, you can show that the demand for clean energy is there.

If you're not comfortable signing your name to a letter, go to the website anyway and watch Gore's plea to the people.  Forward the link on to your family members and friends.  There's a lot you can do to help promote a greener America from behind the scenes.

On January 8th we talked about how you can green your cup of coffee even when it isn't St. Patty's... now we're here with another traditional green beverage from that holiday that you can enjoy green every day, as in environmentally friendly.  That beverage is beer.

Beer is a beverage were we often consume more than one at a time, and that can lead to a a large amount of waste and CO2 emissions.  Not only the water used to brew beer, but the packaging and shipping costs, as well as refrigeration costs of the store where you purchase it.  Then, there's the cardboard packaging and glass bottles, or aluminum cans and plastic rings.

One of the first tips in making your beer drinking more green is to buy locally, or at least as close to local as possible.  Most grocery stores and Co-Ops carry local brews, and these will minimize the amount of CO2 from shipping from a brewery across the country.

Also, be aware of organic beers.  Organic beers are made with hops that are sustainable and can be a harvest with a quick turn-around.  They also have less water waste.

Next, be sure to recycle what waste you make.  Regardless of if it is glass or cans, you can take those to the local recycling facility.  Sometimes you can even make a little money, depending on the state you live in!  Those cardboard pack holders can also be recycled.

If you do your drinking at a bar instead of at home, you can still do some things to make it more sustainable.  Buying local still applies.  Order things that are on tap, instead of in bottles or cans, unless you know for sure that your pub recycles them.  Ask your waitress or bartender to use the same glass for your refills instead of giving you a new one.  This will safe on water used to wash the glasses later on.

The main thing here is to think responsibly.  Not only do we mean responsibly as in not drinking and driving, and staying safe, but we also mean responsibly keeping the Earth safe.  Recycling the 6 bottles from your beer will leave you with a better feeling the next day, but we can't say the same for the hangover.

The Oscars are coming up this February (the 22nd to be precise), and for some circles it's a big reason to plan a viewing party.  A viewing party, if you're unfamiliar, is like a regular party but it is based around watching a particular event.  In this case, the Oscars.  With less than a month till the shindig gets underway, we're posting a few ways that you can keep your Oscar party green, which will get you a thanks from the Academy, and Mother Earth.

First off, a big hit at Oscar parties is having everyone invited pick who they think will win for particular categories.  Instead of printing out a ballot for everyone attending, print out one master sheet.  Have each person participating initial next to their choices, and then the person in charge of the sheet keeps track of the real winners as the evening goes on.  This will also make it easier to tally everything up at the end of the night.  Printable ballots can be found on the Oscar website.

Another thing is to make snacks and appetizers at home, instead of ordering out for pizza.  Not only will you save money, but you'll keep the carbon offset of the party lower.  Buy locally grown vegetables, and organic rice and seaweed and make sushi, or make your own mini pizzas with organic toppings on home-made challah bread.  You can make them more personal, and with an Oscar twist.  How about a Benjamin Button-Mushroom Pizza, or a Kung-Fu Panda Roll?   Also, make sure that your party supplies are sustainable, too.  Don't get plastic plates that you just throw away.  Look for paper places that can be recycled or composted.

If you have a group of friends coming from one area of town, request that they car pool to your party.  Not only will there be less cars on the road, but it will make it easier to pick a designated driver if you'll be serving alcohol.

Keep an eye out here for more green Oscar party planning tips as it gets closer to the event.  We have no "Doubt" that you'll find them easy to follow, and enjoyable too.

The recent outbreak of salmonella found in peanut butter has caused many people to question how safe their foods are.  The answer is not one that's easy to find, but there is a solution.  Some food items, such as peanut butter, can be made at home.  This not only gives you a piece of mind that the food you're eating is safe, that you saved money by making it at home, and that you also made a green decision.  Processed foods, like peanut butter, come with a high carbon footprint, between making and packaging the peanut butter, and then shipping it to the store. 

I am not a big peanut butter fan myself, being allergic, but I know that there are a lot of people out there, like the creator of this site, who love peanut butter.  So, for those of you out there that love peanut butter and are afraid to buy some because of this salmonella scare, but don't have a recipe on-hand to make it from scratch, I'm here to save the day.

Here is a simple recipe for home-made peanut butter from the Food Network, courtesy of Alton Brown.  I would buy the peanuts locally, if you're afraid of getting peanuts that have salmonella in them before the peanut butter is even made.  Most of the grocery stores will have signs up saying that the peanuts they have are indeed safe.  If there is no sign, ask someone, but if that doesn't yield an answer, don't buy them.  Your health isn't worth risking in an attempt to be green and making something home-made.

Ingredients

• 15 ounces shelled and skinned AB's roasted peanuts, recipe follows

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey

• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Directions

Place the peanuts, salt and honey into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to process while slowly drizzling in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Roasted Peanuts:

• 2 pounds in-shell raw peanuts*

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt

*Cooks note: If eating peanuts roasted right out of the shell, use Virginia or Valencia peanuts. If utilizing roasted peanuts to make peanut butter, use Spanish peanuts as they have a higher oil content.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse the peanuts under cool water to remove excess dirt. Pat dry and place in a large bowl and toss with the peanut oil and salt until well coated.

Place on 2 half sheet pans, making sure to spread them out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Once you remove the peanuts from the oven, let them cool slightly before eating. They will continue to "cook" and become crunchy as they cool.

If using peanuts to make peanut butter, remove shells and discard. Remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands held over a salad spinner, allowing the peanuts and skins to fall into the bowl. Once the skin has been loosened from all of the peanuts close the salad spinner and spin until all of the skin has been separated from the peanuts.

Yield: Approximately 2 pounds roasted peanuts in shell.

(Original Food Network Article)

The Scientific American just posted an article detailing the 9 ways that NASA can tackle the climate change problem.  The agency has years of research, data and unique skills that can help the fight against catastrophic climate change, including information on weather patterns.  Scientific American claims that it could be easy to overlook NASA when looking at government agencies to help combat global warming, and argues why it should be considered.  Here, in brief, are the 9 reasons why NASA can help the climate crisis.

1. Develop an integrated, global plan for energy and the environment.
   This plan would take into account all of the information NASA has on climate change throughout the world, and with the help of international partners and agencies, create a system that will show the rates that renewable resources would be required and used, what new information is required, and what new technologies need to be implemented.

2. Open NASA facilities to "green tech" companies.
   Green technology companies and non-profits would be able to use NASA facilities and information to gain further knowledge on climate change, and use the facilities to test theories and improve green products.

3. Create an energy/environment data center.
   This entails compiling NASA's relevant data together in one place, either online or a data center.  There is so much information that NASA currently has, and some of it is hard to find or inaccessible.

4. Utilize small, inexpensive spacecraft to collect climate data.
   The use of smaller, lighter satellites will cut cost, and provide the same amount of data.

5. Invest in "green" aviation.
   Part of NASA is "aviation," and they could help develop technologies that would enable green aviation, like creating and developing aircraft that would use less fuel, or be carbon neutral.

6. Use of UAVs for regional climate modeling.
   NASA UAVs could be used to fill information gaps between aircraft observations and satellite data, which would create a system that provides regional, high-resolution collection of climate data.

7. Greater U.S. Government collaboration.
   NASA could work closer with other U.S. organizations that are working in on climate change, as well as international agencies.  For example, NASA and DoE employees cannot enter each other's facilities without special permissions.  Allow these agencies to work together, without hassles, and more research and advances can be acieved.

8. Create an Earth Systems Directorate.
   If NASA elevated its Earth Science Division to a directorate then it would be equal to space exploration and science within the agency itself.  It would then bring together all the agencies inside of NASA and upping capabilities to study climate change.

9. Increasing public participation in green programs.
   Since it's been proven that humans do play a role in climate change, what better way to combat it than to give humans the chance to fix it.  If there were government approved green programs available, most people would participate, and if there were government incentives, then even more people would be involved.

Click here for the original Scientific American article.

For many people, the reality of global warming and catastrophic climate change has never been questionable.  Scientifically, the Earth does warm and cool itself in a cycle, and yes, human beings emit a lot of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses that can cause a pre-mature warming of the Earth.  There are many skeptics out there that claim that global warming is a source of "liberal propaganda," or that it can't be proven.   Others say that it is something that cannot be proven either way, and that we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.  Those positions are starting to become the minority, with more and more scientists and studies coming forward to say that catastrophic climate change is real, dangerous, and we are partially to blame.

A Green Groove Unite blog post from January 7th links out to an article from the UK that shows that humans are the cause of polar warming.   That came as a blow to the faction claiming that the changes in temperature around the Earth aren’t human caused, but part of a natural cycle.  A new survey, reported from CNN, is the final nail in the “Global Warming Is A Farce” coffin, stating that global warming is indeed real, and again, we have to take some of the blame.

3,146 scientists were surveyed about their opinions, and their answers claim that not only is global warming very real, but humans have had a definite impact on the Earth and it’s rise in temperature.  The study, done by the University of Illinois, consisted of a survey with 9 questions, sent out to scientists listed in the American Geological Institute’s Directory of Geoscience Departments.

The study wasn’t unanimous in stating one way or another, but there was an overwhelming majority to some questions.  One question asked “Have mean global temperatures risen compared to pre-1800 levels?” with another asking “Has human activity been a significant factor in changing mean global temperatures?”  The response to the first question had a 90% agreement rate, and the second had a 82% agreement rate (CNN article).

We’ve stated this before, and in many different ways.  Regardless of if the scientists agree that there is such a thing as global warming, there are obvious changes happening on our planet.  Glaciers are melting, animals and insects are disappearing, and the weather is acting abnormally.  You don’t need someone to say that global warming is real to want to change and live more sustainably.  If you make the goal now to live more green, and a week from now it’s proven without a doubt that we are the cause of global warming, you can feel affirmed in your decision.  If a week from now it’s proven that global warming is fake, you can still feel good about wanting to reduce your planetary impact and not ruin our Earth.  I have a feeling, though, that the first option is the one we’re most likely facing.