Lights Out for Sydney

It's getting easier to find new ideas and actions for the environment. Today a small news item on Yahoo! Homepage caught my eye.

It appears that Sydney (Australia) city officials decided to power down a non-essential lights in the city for one hour. They entitled it Earth Hour. The people made an event out of it, children counting down, others dining by candlelight.

Sydney has been rated one of the worst carbon emitting cities in the world due to its reliance on coal burning power stations. The government decided that holding an event and actually engaging their constituents that they would begin to take actions themselves, turning off unused electronics and lights, conserving energy. If all goes well, they can reduce the carbon emissions of the city by 5%, and any reduction is better than none.

Year One: Run and Done.

I wrote a quick post this afternoon, while I was still rocking an endorphin high fueled by a great sense of achievement as I reached a goal I set for myself 365 days ago, running every single day.

In the past year I have run a total of 1044 miles (2.86 miles daily average) in temperatures ranging from 0 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and from 4:30am to 11:00pm. In that time I have run in paradise and in hail storms, blizzards and pouring rain. Recently I ran with a 101 degree fever (please don't tell my wife).

I also got married, found out I was going to be a dad, started a new job, and I still ran. I had bad days, where I went out angry only to feel worse because I couldn't enjoy myself. I realized that I needed the runs to calm my nerves, expend excess energy (still love alliteration), and celebrate to myself. I needed them to feel crazy and alive.

Throughout, I have had the support of my fantastic wife, who even though my running seemed like an obsession, still supported my eccentricity. Those days where she advised against it, she still let me go and was there when I got back with a smile and a cold glass of water.

I want to thank the individuals who joined me throughout the year and hope to run with all of them again. First and foremost, my wife, Zuzu and my brother, Rory. I also want to thank Scott, Tom, Tim, Carolyn, Steve, and Jeff for their company.

Tomorrow won't be any different, I will lace up my most important accessory, my New Balance's. Just about every day I wore a pair. I started with my 1023 and until I hit 200, rotated them with my all-time favorites, 751s. Eventually they had to be retired and I have shared the miles with a pair of Zips (8053?) And while I am happy to continue, I am sad to think that eventually my 1023s will have to be relegated to yard work.

I have never urged anyone to join me daily, for each his own. But I have hoped that more individuals will run. We can start the new Revolution!

0 days, x runs... Year Two begins...

Nervous Tension

Well, tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, I will have run 365 days in a row. The Irishman in me is nervous, as if Murphy's Law will come into play. The basic tenet: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

But, I have made it this far, I think one more day will be okay. In fact, the Murphy's mentioned above is Sod's Law, Murphy's Law is Sod in action.

I can't dwell any longer, but why not make tomorrow your first day... join me on the roads.

1 day, 1 run...

Green Buildings... No, Really Green

Starting off with a tangent, The more I read Business 2.0, the happier I am. It is nice to see that green ideas are becoming a viable and valuable business practice. Each issue is filled with more articles about eco-friendly initiatives.

The one that really caught my eye was within the Future Vision section and entitled "Greening the Concrete Jungle." Several major cities in the United States have begun to maximize their surface space, covering the roofs with hardy plants, such as sedum and prairie grass.

And because of their efforts, heat and air conditioning costs are lower, rain runoff is reduced, and more oxygen is produced. There are another benefits, but from a business standpoint, the greatest comes from a 10% decrease in energy costs. The practice has been more widely adopted in Europe, but is taking root (pun?) in the States. Chicago has 2.5 million square feet of downtown roof space. And square footage is growing at 125% annually.

As the human population grows and consumes more natural resources, we have had to become more resourceful in our endeavors to preserve our way of life and the air we breathe. In that effort, the article talks about a Canadian company, G-Sky, who has begun to offer green walls for those who want to further maximize their space. Each square foot cost $1oo (not sure if that's Canadian or not) and puts less stress on the structure than it's roof counterpart. The founder of the Toronto-based industry association, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Steven Peck puts it perspective, "For every roof out there, there are four walls."

The article presents an interesting example, If a 10-story Los Angeles building were to cover its entire facade and roof in green plants. Its annual electric bill would decrease its annual electric bill by $80,000 dollars and increase the amount of carbon extracted from the air from 0 to 40 tons. Depending on the footprint of the building, the intitial cost would be over $144,000 (200'x200' footprint). This would mean it would take a couple years to recoup from the initial cost. However, the goal of green roofs and walls is long term and in my mind, well worth the cost now to allow for a healthier tomorrow.

Definitely worth further reading, check out G-Sky's website for further details on the benefits of green roofs.

2 days, 2 runs...

The New Blog on the Block: My Tazby

After much "cajoling" on my part, I finally convinced my wife to start a blog of her own. I couldn't understand how a news junkie (I use the term with the greatest affection) and The Nest lover could not want to join the new internet as she spends more time on the RSS highway.

And as my post from last week declared: We will be parents. I thought this was the perfect premise for a blog. She entitles it her "Diary of a Growing Belly." I am flattered by her kind words. But I know that she has been exceptional during our journey and has guided me gently despite her needs and cravings.

I am clearly biased, but for any readers out there who are in a similar situation, expecting a child, check it out. Maybe she'll let me contribute!

Mytazby

3 days, 3 runs...

Discovery Channel's Planet Earth

Currently watching an amazing show on the Discovery Channel: Planet Earth. The 11-part series is a breathtaking documentary which spans the globe capturing video of wildlife and the environment.

I am amazed at the scenes being narrated by Sigourney Weaver. In the first hour, as we stare at a herd of caribou migrating, her voice smoothly describes the arduous journey. The herd numbers in the thousands and looks as if created in CGI. But, there before you lies the truth.

Take the time to watch. Right now, my attention is drawn to the television, but visit the site as well. The visuals have left me speechless!

4 days, 4 runs...

BIG NEWS: Baby's First Book: The Lorax

The Free Scribbles family is about to add one more member...

...My wife and I are expecting our first child.

We told our families Sunday night at a nice dinner and presented them each with a children's book and a sonogram picture. We tried to choose a symbolic book that we hope they can share with our soon to be bundle of joy.

But while we were at the book store I wanted to pick up a book for myself. And so to meld my interest in green initiatives and my love of Dr. Suess, an author and artist who made such an impression on my life, I chose the Lorax.

His story so long ago captured the importance of protecting the environment and realizing that greed will not make one happy.

And while I knew the story well from the movie, I had never actually read the book. So after our meal, I sat down and read it aloud, hoping that my child will begin to know me and the value of sustainability. The Lorax' last word rings in the ear. "Unless"...

We all can take creed in the simplest form, aware that our actions can make great strides.

And with all that said, my own little scribble is well on the way!

9 days, 9 runs...

The Long Strange Trip: My Bad Travels

Finally back from Texas... and I can't say that it was the best trip. There were some fun points in the middle, but the ends were pretty bad. I still haven't gotten my luggage yet.

I was flying from my familiar (and comfortable) Northeast into the heart of the south, Texas. I had always wanted to go there, would have preferred if my wife had joined me, but not like this.

My "adventure" started on Monday, where upon my arrival in Houston, my connecting flight to Corpus Christi was cancelled. To avoid the uncertainty of standby, my work associate and I opted to drive the 4 hours south. I got to see more of Texas than I expected. Corpus' weather was nice, warm, sunny, a little humid and I had a running partner throughout the week.

I even broke my no fast food rule and gorged on Whataburger after a Reckless Kelly show on my last night. We all knew that Friday's weather in Boston could cause a problem for us. I prayed that I would luck out and get home.

And it didn't seem too bad. My flight from CC to Houston was delayed an hour, but I would still make my connection. They boarded us quickly to try and beat the weather...

Needless to say that didn't quite work out. The turbulence at points closer to home was scary, I have never had a plane shake like that. And as we began our descent into Logan the passengers were overjoyed. We could see the land, could see the runway, and then suddenly we were gaining altitude. WHAT!?!

The captain gets on the PA and announces that there was a plane at the end of the runway which would prevent us from landing. All this took place at 6:28pm. Logan closed at 6:30pm.

However, the tower was going to try and clear the runway and let us try again in 30 minutes, but there was no guaruntee. We didn't have the fuel for that, so we were going to divert to Burlington, VT to refuel and try again. 20 miles from the airport, once again the captain's voice fills the plane. We are being diverted to Montreal.

Upon arrival on Canadian soil, we are not allowed to disembark due to regulations which state that passengers on a domestic flight can only get off the plane on US soil. Therefore we waited, and waited, until once again the captain's voice is heard. His voice would become a depressing notice of unfulfilled expectations and hopes. We would be heading to Cleveland, a Contintental Airline hub, where we would have to spend the night.

At the gate we were greeted by an announcement that we would be on a 10:30am flight to Boston on Saturday and that they had reserved a block of rooms 40 minutes away, which we would have to pay for ourselves. The reason: our inconvenience was caused by the weather and Continental was not liable. God bless CYA, right?

4 other travellers and myself banded together and reserved rooms closer. My agency will be getting the bill. As I laid down in my bed for the night, i anxiously waited for morning to come. I missed Boston, I missed my normal life, and even though I pack running clothes in my carry-on, I was not prepared for 23 degrees and snow. Get me home I need my daily run!

Logan was a nightmare, we landed and I just needed this "adventure" to end. the luggage carousel spun and spun, my bag never appeared. I'm still waiting...

Lesson learned, travelling is hell, and I should have left earlier.

11 days, 11 runs...

The Streak hits 350

I realized that I hadn't tallied up how many runs left I had until I hit the year mark, and as I did, I realized that today is my 350th day of consecutive running.

The milestone came upon me without me even knowing it. To celebrate the occassion, I will give my top five tips to dressing for the run.

1. Clean socks are softer and make your feet feel much better.
   
2. Running shoes only last so long, treat them and your feet right.
3. Dress for halfway through the run. You will be cold at first, but that's better than sweating through a sweatsuit, it will only get heavier and freeze. (If the temperature gets there)
4. On a hot day, a sweatband is a great addition to the arm, clear the eyes out.
5. Don't go naked.

I may be a streaker, but I haven't streaked!

Get out there and start running, the weather in the North is getting there. I am currently in Texas, so it feels pretty nice here.

15 days, 15 runs...

Plastic: The Need to be Sustainable

I have been very busy this past week preparing for a conference (work-related) and have not had the time or opportunity to post. But once again, a plane ride has provided me with some salvation.

This salvation is minor, when I start to think about the fact that I have to sit still in a cramped space, even if I do get an aisle seat and patiently bide my time until landing. Not to mention the fact that this particular trip involved a flight cancellation and a four hour drive to make the conference, but that's not the point.

Working in advertising has its benefits, one being the surplus of magazines that seem to be shipped to our offices. Once all the subscriptions are sorted out to go to the right recipients, the remainder get thrown into a bin, free to whomever gets there first. In that trove, I have found many a great read. One such gem is Plenty magazine, a publication about sustainability.

In the April/May 2007 issue, several articles caught my eye. One, entitled "Plastic Oh-No" caught my eye because I saw it as a good follow-up to two of my previous posts about the state of plastics and the environmental/health concerns posed by chemical leeching in the materials we use every day.

The article raises concerns about the chemical additive known as phthalates found in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Phthalates are plasticizers, an additive which makes plastic more pliable. Some products in which phthalates can be found are shower curtains, flooring, and in some cases, children's teethers and pacifiers. In fact, many hygiene products also include phthalates to improve the polish and durability.

While the value offered by this additive are readily seen, the detriment to continued exposure is not as readily found. Studies published in 2002 and 2003 suggested that minute levels with linked to DNA damage in human sperm. A 2005 study by Harvard Medical School, two Harvard Hospitals, and the Centers for Disease Control found that high levels of phthalates were found in infants treated in ICU with equipment containing phthalates. Another 2005 study conducted by University of Rochester researchers showed that average daily exposure in utero by infant boys resulted in reproductive irregularities. (When they grow up, they are going to want expensive and fast sports cars)

Phthalates commonly enter the body through either inhalation or absorption. Factors such as heat, agitation, and age affect the speed of escape. New car smell is a result of phthalate leeching as the plastic is heated by the sunlight. This is called outgassing. The levels of phthalates that you are exposed to from this or applying nail polish may be small and not cause ill effects. But researchers have yet to determine how much is too much, or when exposure really does cause problems.

This outgassing is similar to the leeching that I wrote about in my post on Nalgene bottles, in which a minor temperature and cleaner combination can greatly affect the danger of using said plastic. As stated earlier, a variety of factors, including heat, can be a factor in the amount of phthalates outgassed from a PVC product. I am not certain, but a baby's mouth should be at least 98.6 degrees, which is pretty hot if you ask me.

There is an organization that has been around since 1973 which wishes to educate the public about the benefits of phthalates as commercial product. My perspective is that innovation and advancement in the field is a necessity and like our reliance on fossil fuels, we need to think of the next thing and hopefully it will be less detrimental to the environment and the people. But to allow you to make your own decisions on the matter, please visit the Phthalates Ester Council web site for more information.

I look forward to getting home, it's easier to find time to post.

15 days, 15 runs...

The Green Isle is Super Green!

As mentioned last night, I wanted to highlight my favorite showcase from ecomagination. As a person proud of his Irish heritage, I admit my favorite is the Arklow wind power plant.

I take even further pride, despite the fact that I, nor my family, had nothing to do with the project, because my grandfather hails from Arklow. Beyond my own affinity for the area and the island, I am a firm believer in wind energy, for its cleanliness and renewable nature.

Unlike the United States, where wind power faces great opposition from the general public and the utility companies, Europe is making significant strides in alternate clean energy. The Irish Sea of the coast of Arklow was chosen for several reasons, first and foremost, it had high wind levels. In fact, after four years of monitoring, it was determined to be one of the windiest locales in Europe. The shallow waters also offered a strong foundation for construction and reduced the impact on the surrounding environment.

The project was co-developed by GE and Airtricity, a European wind energy company. They operate a number of facilities throughout the British Isles. The Arklow Bank operates seven 3.6MW turbines, the largest commercial wind engines.

Since 2004, Seven massive turbines each weighs 320 tons and stands over 30 stories tall. The diameter of the rotors spans 340 feet, greater than the length of a football field. Since their inception, the massive turbines have operated 94% of the time, with the only forced outage due to a ship's anchor straying and severing an underwater cable, and powered 16,0000 homes annually (according to Airtricity.)

While not all the data is in, such as the total impact on the environment, the Arklow project seems to be successful, profitable, and thriving. And the exciting fact, this is only Phase 1.

Imagine what these innovative Irishmen can do for Phase 2!!

24 days, 24 runs...

Big Business Acting Big Green?

Most have seen the ads by now... the ones that lead to ecomagination.com at the end.

But what is ecomagination? It is in fact the brainchild of the General Electric Co. and their commitment to the environment through innovation and financial investment. As the company itself says:

"Ecomagination puts into practice GE’s belief that financial and environmental performance can work together to drive company growth, while taking on some of the world’s biggest challenges. Learn about the GE commitment to products and services that are as economically advantageous as they are ecologically sound."

As I have said in numerous other posts, we live in exciting and opportune times as we see all the technology we crave merge with the desire to preserve our world. When a company with the clout and wallet of GE steps up to the sustainability plate, others will lineup behind them.

The site is very clean looking with bright colors and pleasing images. Check out their visions, news, the products, and the showcases... I will be featuring my favorite in it's own post, but urge you to watch the others as they tout a number of GE's innovations around the world.

keep green.

25 days, 25 runs...

A Streaker Recognized

On the cover of this month's Runner's World Magazine (April 2007) is the number 14,071. The press time number of days that Mark Covert has run consecutively.

Mark holds the record for the longest consecutive daily running streak as noted by the U.S. Running Streak Association. He overtook the old record on July 30th, when he ran for his 13,885 days.

It's nice to see a streaker, especially the leader of the pack, getting national coverage. His dedication is an inspiration to many runners, even those without the same daily goals. Mr. Covert has run after hemorrhoid surgery, and a broken foot. He has also run on the days when his parents passed on and his children entered the world.

I suggest reading his story in full, pick up an issue.

26 days, 26 runs...

Apologies to Influenza

To my loyal readers (hopefully, I've earned a few at this point), I apologize for the apparent lack of activity lately. I was suffering from the flu this week and as much as my mind wanted to blog, my body won the argument. And I slept most of the time.

And while they weren't the most fun (or smart) runs, my streak has survived my illness. I haven't gone out yet today... but will be shortly. Now that my energy has returned, I hope to finish a post I began working on early in the week. Stay tuned for this evening.

27 days, 27 runs...