 Eco-Gadgets & Innovations
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Induction Cooking
One of the easiest things you can do to save energy around the house is to choose appliances, electronics and lighting that have earned the ENERGY STAR rating. But when it comes to cooking, you won't find anything with the ENERGY STAR. Ovens and traditional gas and electric cooktops are extremely inefficient, and no one's been able to figure out how to change that. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the percentage of energy that actually reaches the food being cooked is:- Gas oven: 7%
- Electric oven: 13%
- Gas cooktop: 40%
- Electric cooktop: 74%
But there's another, more energy-efficient way to cook: induction. An induction cooktop produces a high-frequency electromagnetic field that  creates a circulating electric current in the cooking vessel, which generates heat. Because there's no heat lost from the stove itself, the typical efficiency of induction cooktops is 84% (U.S. DOE).
Induction cooktops have been used around the world for some time now,
but recently prices have come down as technology has improved, and now
there are several products on the market for residential use.
Other advantages:
- Fast: water boils in 1-2 minutes
- Safe: stays cool to the touch
- Easy to clean: food doesn't cook on
One little caveat: with the current technology, induction cooktops only work with ferrous metals, so pots and pans made from aluminum,
copper, pyrex and the like will not heat up on an induction cooker. As long as the base of your cookware is made of a ferrous metal, such as cast iron or steel, you're good to go.
For LOTS more information, including help with selecting and buying an induction cooktop, visit theinductionsite.com.
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World Wide GREEN Web
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www.e-stewards.org
Did you catch the recent 60 Minutes piece on electronic waste being shipped to China? If not, here's the gist: much of the e-waste (TVs, cellphones, etc.) that conscientious consumers are recycling, expect ing it to be disassembled and recycled here in the states, is ending up overseas. It's being shipped to poor countries, where the heavy metals and other chemicals inside are polluting the air and water and exposing people to high levels of all kinds of toxic chemicals, including dioxin. If you haven't seen it, watch it here: www.e-stewards.org.
So what's the eco-conscious consumer to do with his or her old printer, computer, TV and all the rest? After watching the 60 Minutes piece, you may feel like just throwing it in the trash. But thanks to a small group of forward-thinking companies and foundations, there is now a program here in the U.S. that certifies companies as socially and environmentally responsible e-waste recyclers. Called e-Stewards, these companies have qualified for the Electronic Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship, which holds participating e-recyclers to a set of high standards including a ban on export, land dumping, incineration, and use of prison labor for toxic components.
In the near future, the current pledge program, which involves a 'desk and paper audit' qualification process, will become a 3rd party accredited e-Stewards certification program, the first of its kind anywhere. The e-Stewards program is administered by the Basel Action Network, (www.ban.org) and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition (www.computertakeback.com).
For more information, including a list of e-Steward recyclers across the country, visit www.e-stewards.org.
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L.A. Confidential
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Events and other stuff for Angelinos:
"Irreplaceable LA" event:
Climate Change and its Impacts on Local Communities, Water & Wildlife
Listen to experts from The Endangered Habitats League, Heal the Bay and the Center for Biological Diversity discuss climate change impacts to Southern California, and visit the stunning Irreplaceable Wildlife photography exhibit.
Date: Friday, February 13
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Location: The G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA
Cost: FREE (refreshments provided)
For more info, visit www.theg2gallery.com.
Upcoming TeachingGreen Workshop:
Detoxifying Your Planet, Your Home, Yourself
Protect your health and the health of others by keeping toxics out of your life and the environment.
Date: Wednesday, February 18
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Location: Whole Foods Market, 2655 PCH, Torrance 90505
Cost: Suggested donation $5
For more info, visit www.teachinggreen.org.
FREE High-Efficiency Toilet Exchange
For: Residents of Lomita, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Unincorporated Areas of Torrance and Harbor Gateway who are Cal Water Service customers
Get up to two high-efficiency toilets (1.2 gpf) for your single-family home, condo or apartment, in exchange for two old toilets with a flush volume greater than 1.6 gpf. Toilets are available to the first 500 applicants only, so register early.
Date: Saturday,March 14
Time: 8:00 - 1:00pm
Location: West Basin Municipal Water District
For more information and to register, visit www.swe-inc.com or call 1-866-931-3494.
LA Green Drinks
Relax, have a drink, make new friends, network and share ideas with others interested in environmental issues.
LA Green Drinks - West Side: 1st Thursday of the month
LA Green Drinks - South Bay: 2nd Thursday
LA Green Drinks - West Hollywood/Silver Lake: 3rd Thursday
LA Green Drinks - Downtown: 4th Wednesday
LA Green Drinks - Valley: 4th Thursday
For times and locations, visit: lagreendrinks.blogspot.com.
Visit the Madrona Marsh in Torrance
The Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrance is the last remaining vernal  marsh in Los Angeles County. It is fed entirely by stormwater runoff. The Marsh is reminiscent of the natural state of much of the South Bay area and the once extensive natural systems that existed along the coastal plain and coastal terraces of Southern California. The preserve is located on land that has been in oil production since 1924. This is why it was never developed as commercial or residential uses.
The marsh is open to the public Tuesday thru Sunday. After walking the marsh, check out the Nature Center just across the street. The facility is an educational and interpretive center for the Madrona Marsh Preserve's natural resources and places the Preserve within its regional context.
Location: 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, CA 90503
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 - 5:00pm, excluding holidays
Cost: Free
For more information, visit www.friendsofmadronamarsh.com.
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Worth Your Time
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A Crude Awakening
2006, Available on DVD and iTunes
Produced and directed by award-winning filmmakers Basil Gelpk e and Ray McCormack, this documentary examines modern civilization's addiction to oil, and the impending chaos that's coming when the resource is depleted unless we act quickly to develop alternatives. Through interviews with the world's top experts, the film makes the compelling case that our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely re-imagined and overhauled.
"The most important documentary this year."
- Austin Chronicle
For more info visit www.oilcrashmovie.com.
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Good News!
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Rules in Place to Curb U.S. Overfishing NEW ORLEANS, January 28, 2009 - Ocean conservationists are hailing  former President Bush for passing tough rules to end the overfishing of 40 struggling marine species before he left the White House. The rules were issued on Jan. 15 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees U.S. oceans policy. Passage of the rules garnered little attention as President Barack Obama prepared to take power. Under the new rules, the nation's eight regional fishery management councils will be forced to draw up measures to end overfishing... Click here for full article.
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Support TeachingGreen
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Three ways you can help:
1. Bring us your people
Actually, we'll come to you.
In addition to public workshops, we also give presentations for groups, schools, and businesses. Are you a member of a community group, alumni group, Mom's group, church group, or any other kind of group? Have a business you're trying to green and want to get your employees on board?
If so, we would love to come and give a presentation or two for your group! We give presentations on specific issues, such as transportation, food and household toxics, and we also offer a general overview of sustainable living.
Visit www.teachinggreen.org to learn more and to request a presentation.
2. Volunteer or intern with TeachingGreen
We are seeking interns and volunteers to help further our mission of helping people reduce the environmental impact of their personal and professional lives. We need help with curriculum development, fund raising and outreach. Your involvement will help us to grow the organization so that we can reach more people with the message of sustainability.
For more information, contact Kathleen Jacecko at 310-372-7484 or [email protected].
3. Donate and become a member of TeachingGreen
We are a 501(c)3 organization, so all donations are fully tax-deductible. Your support helps us spread the message of sustainability via workshops, presentations, our wesite and this newsletter. We currenlty operate only in Los Angeles, but even if you don't live here, remember that when we act locally, we help the global environment as well as the local environment.
To make a tax-deductible donation to TeachingGreen, click here.
We hope you find
this newsletter helpful and informative, and should you have any
suggestions, questions or general comments, we'd love to hear from you.
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