A field monitor checks a gas meter for leaks. (Photo: Department of Energy)

From Green Right Now Reports

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced today that the first installment of $123 million in federal Recovery funds for weatherization will begin to be released Nov. 2, part of $253 million that the state will use for this purpose.

The Governor said the funding represents an unprecedented level of investment that will help to create new, “green” jobs, save money for struggling families, and stimulate local economic activity as weatherization agencies buy required material, vehicles and equipment.

“The weatherization program stimulates the economy in several ways,” Gov. Rendell said in a statement. “It saves money on energy bills for people who need it the most, and keeps those dollars circulating in local communities because families will be able to spend more on food, clothing and other necessities. It also will create new jobs in the growing ‘green’ economic development sector.”

Pennsylvania’s allocation of $253 million for weatherization from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is the fourth largest in the nation; only New York, Texas and Ohio received more. The money will be paid over three years.

Ohio technicians prepare to seal a roof prior to re-insulating an attic containing vermiculite. (Photo: Department of Energy)

In Ohio, the $266.8 million Recovery grant from the Weatherization Program is allowing the state to boost the energy efficiency of more than 32,000 homes. Adding insulation, sealing leaks and modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment will reduce energy costs for Ohio homeowners by an average of 24 percent. In general, the Weatherization Program allows for an investment of up to $6,500 per home in energy efficiency upgrades and is available to homeowners making approximately $44,000 a year for a family of four. The Department of has recognized Ohio as a leader in the weatherization program with 951 homes completed in July 2009.

Ohio allocated funds from the grant to local community agencies and other public and not-for-profit organizations. In addition, 54 independent contractors were hired to supplement existing contractors. It is estimated that by completion of the project at the end of March, 2012, 590 new positions will be created and 487 jobs retained.

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has awarded $288 million in federal stimulus funding to 66 cities, counties, and eligible nonprofit organizations across the state to weatherize the homes of an estimated 40,000 low income Texans. Overall, the state received $326.9 in weatherization funds, the balance of which TDHCA will award in 2010.

The Recovery Act provided approximately $314 million more in funds than what Texas typically administers each year for weatherization activities. By comparison, the state annually weatherizes approximately 3,700 homes using current funding levels of approximately $13 million.

A version of this story appeared in the Albany Times-Union [1] on Oct. 8, 2009.

A preliminary report [2] from a consultant hired by New York City warns that “nearly every activity” associated with natural gas drilling could potentially harm the city’s drinking water supply and that while the risk can be reduced with strict regulations, “the likelihood of water quality impairment…. cannot be eliminated [2].”

That assessment contrasts sharply with the picture presented by an environmental review released by state officials last week [3]. Aside from clauses that ban some waste pits and promise additional consideration for drilling within 1,000 feet of the city’s reservoirs and water infrastructure in upstate New York, the environmental review does little to respond to New York City’s long-standing concerns [4] that the watershed deserves special environmental consideration and instead paves the way for drilling to proceed throughout the watershed.

The issue appears to be emerging as a point of controversy in New York City’s mayoral election.

City comptroller and mayoral candidate William Thompson criticized the state’s environmental review in a news release and said Mayor Bloomberg should be more outspoken. “I am also concerned that the City and the Water Board have been extremely lax in responding to this threat,” he said.

Marc LaVorgna, a spokesman for Bloomberg’s office, said the mayor will withhold judgment until he sees the final version of the report the city commissioned from Hazen and Sawyer, a New York City-based environmental engineering firm. The full report isn’t expected to be delivered until December, after the public comment period for the state environmental review has ended.

LaVorgna emphasized that the Bloomberg administration has invested heavily in the city’s water system and would not rule out a protracted fight to protect it.

“This is not a fringe issue for this administration,” LaVorgna said. “This is a mayor that adamantly orders tap water every night he dines out.”

In one of his few statements on the subject, Bloomberg, who has generally supported the idea of energy development, told WNYC radio Thursday [5] that “if this has the danger of polluting, we will fight it.”

The clashing reports seem poised to reignite long standing tensions between upstate New York and New York City, which depends almost entirely on water delivered from rural, upstate areas.

“The stakes are very high based on the conclusions of this report,” Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said in an interview with ProPublica. The report, he said, “suggests that city elected officials have a role to play here and a responsibility to step up and say, ‘What does frack drilling mean to New York City residents?’”

Last week Stringer announced he was launching a Kill the Drill campaign.

New York is one of four major cities in the United States with a special permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allowing its drinking water to go unfiltered. That pristine water comes from a network of upstate reservoirs and rivers spread across 1,600 square miles in five upstate counties. Those reservoirs – which all lie west of the Hudson River – supply 90 percent of the drinking water for 9 million downstate residents, nearly half the state’s population. If the EPA were to rescind the city’s special permit, New York City would have to build a treatment facility that could cost between $10 billion and $30 billion, according to various estimates.

Hazen and Sawyer’s early findings [2] were summarized at a city meeting last week and posted on the city’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Web site Tuesday evening, after repeated requests for the document by ProPublica over the past several days.

The report [2], and an accompanying summary Powerpoint presentation, lays out several areas of concern. The consultants found that drilling “introduces hazardous chemicals into the watershed” and that “the well bore, which acts as a conduit between geologic formations, can allow previously isolated contaminants to flow into shallow groundwater or surface water.”

The research also warned of “enormous volumes” of wastewater and said there are no treatment plants in the region designed to treat these wastes. It said the disturbance from hydraulic fracturing could cause seismic shifts or otherwise damage the tunnels or aqueducts that bring the water to the city. Hydraulic fracturing shoots millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals underground with such force that it breaks rock and releases pockets of gas.

So far, New York City’s top officials have preferred a behind-the-scenes approach as the public debate over the state’s natural gas drilling policy unfurls in Albany. City DEP officials have protested to the DEC in private letters, but have said little publicly.

In a letter obtained by ProPublica in July 2008, then New York City DEP commissioner Emily Lloyd asked the DEC commissioner [6] to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and to consider a partial ban on drilling near the reservoirs that supply New York City’s water. Shortly afterward, and following an investigation by ProPublica, Gov. David Paterson ordered the environmental review [7] that was released Sept. 30. Called the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, it supplements gas and oil drilling rules established in 1992 [8]. New York City officials have since sent several additional letters to the state DEC voicing their ongoing concerns.

A spokesman for the state DEC did not return repeated calls for comment.

The state supplemental draft report discloses many of the drilling chemicals, as Lloyd had requested, and it also strengthens several other environmental protections. But it did not recommend a full or partial ban on drilling in the watershed.

The supplementary impact statement is now subject to a 60-day public comment period, after which final guidelines will be issued. But Stringer and others are pressing the state for a 30-day extension, which would allow the findings from the Hazen and Sawyer report to be included.

Read the “Rapid Impact Assessment Report [2]” by consulting firm Hazen and Sawyer.

Read our full coverage of natural gas drilling [9].

ProPublica reporters Joaquin Sapien and Saprina Shankman contributed to this story.

Bonnie Plants, which recently removed more than $1 million in tomato plants from retail nurseries in the Northeast, reported in a statement this week that the move was preventative and aimed at curtailing the spread of Late Blight.

The recall should not be taken as an indication that its plants were responsible for the blight that is threatening tomatoes and potatoes in the region, the company said.

The first reports of tomato blight in the Northeast came in late June, yet even two weeks later on July 7 government inspectors had not detected any blight among plants being cultivated by any of Bonnie’s 61 growers, Bonnie reported.

However, on that same day, five Bonnie tomato plants in a New Berlin NY greenhouse tested positive for the disease, eventually triggering Bonnie to recall tomato seedlings from stores in several states. Bonnie also took steps to spare that facility any further spread, according to the company news release.

The timing of the recall — coming just as the public was becoming aware of the blight — made it appear that Bonnie plants were somehow to blame. But, the well-known garden supplier maintains that its infected plants were more likely the victims of the blight, which had already been found in commercial fields.

Even though Bonnie could not be “justifiably targeted as the source for the recent Northeastern occurrence of Late Blight” it has “proactively, aggressively and responsibly” continued to monitor greenhouses, the release emphasized.

The recall of Bonnie plants has been reported in numerous news reports because the blight is so much worse this year than typically. It threatens the food supply of tomatoes, the livelihood of commercial growers and the success of home gardens, which are becoming more popular.

Dennis Thomas, general manager of Alabama-based Bonnie notes in the news release that Late Blight arises when the weather is cool and wet and there are host plants (tomatoes, potatoes and petunias) available.

Late Blight jumps from plants easily. Experts advise home growers to bag and dispose of any plants showing signs of Late Blight to rid the garden of the contagion.

For more information, see our story, Tomato plants going South up North, which includes links to websites that can help tomato cultivators identify blight and other diseases.

“Just the thought of tomato blight sends fear into the heart of every farmer.”

Those are the words of organic farmer Charlie Reid, who operates two small farms in southeastern New Hampshire. “We’ve been lucky this year … so far,” says Reid. “Lots of farmers have had to pull (dig up and destroy) their entire tomato crops. But with all this rain and so little sun my luck could change (for the worse) overnight.”

Blight is a highly contagious fungus that hits both tomatoes and potatoes. The Potato Famine in Ireland in the late 19^th century was caused by blight. And now blight is killing both tomato and potato crops in New England and in some mid-Atlantic states. It’s not yet an epidemic, but cause for concern for both farmers and consumers, as well as home garden growers who unwittingly used infected seedlings.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s “Agriview” has this alert for farmers:

“It (blight) appears on potato or tomato leaves as pale green, water-soaked spots, often beginning at leaf tips or edges. The circular or irregular leaf lesions are often surrounded by a pale yellowish-green border that merges with healthy tissue. Lesions enlarge rapidly and turn dark brown to purplish-black. During periods of high humidity and leaf wetness, a cottony, white mold growth is usually visible on lower leaf surfaces at the edges of lesions.”

There are two culprits in this year’s late blight: too much rain and consumer nurseries selling starter plants, which unwittingly spread the ailment.

Tomatoes Need Sun To Shake Blight

Rainfall has varied across the country at seemingly excessive rates: for example, too little in Texas and too much in the Northeast. While early blight in lesser amounts  is normal each year, this season’s heavy rains have soaked many farms and there hasn’t been enough sun to dry the fields.

Add wind to the rain and the situation worsens: Late blight spores are carried by wind from one plant to another. And while one plant might be infected and the one next to it untouched, eventually the entire crop in a field or backyard garden will be affected and die.

Although nothing can save your tomatoes once they become blight-infected there are a wide variety of preemptive organic and natural ways to prepare your crop. Go to Garden Web to start your search.

Organic farmers and organic home gardeners can also find natural and organic compounds at most feed and hardware stores.  Conventional farmers try to prevent blight by spraying with herbicides, fungicides and pesticides but even they don’t guaranteed success.

A second blight culprit this summer was the mass marketing of tomato plants sold at big-box stores like Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Home Depot. An unknown number of plants were distributed by these stores via Bonnie Plants, a wholesale gardening company in Alabama that buys many of its plants from growers in other parts of the country.

Bonnie Plants has recalled seedlings that remained on store shelves but it was too late for others that had been bought and planted earlier.

Bonnie’s General Manager Dennis Thomas told the New York Times that only five of the recalled plants had blight. “This pathogen did not come from our plants,” he said. “This is something that has been around forever.”

Bonnie explains on its website that this year’s blight was worse than in previous years because of cool, wet conditions and refers home growers to the Texas A & M horticulture website, Aggie Horticulture, and its section on tomato problems. The notes on late blight help gardeners identify diseased plants; other tomato diseases are covered in the tomato guide at well.

An article in Growing Produce by a Cornell professor of plant website about this issue reports its discovery in commercial fields in Long Island in June, followed by reports on plants in retail stores.
The article notes that the problem could spread, depending on the weather: “All tomato and potato crops are at high risk of developing late blight this season, especially if the rainy weather continues. All growers should assume their crops eventually will be affected and thus should be on a weekly schedule to both thoroughly inspect their potato and tomato plantings…,” writes Margaret Tuttle McGrath.

Home Growers Should Dispose of Affected Plants

“We are urging home gardeners, especially those who may have recently planted tomato seedlings from a big box store, to check for this disease,” said Jim Dwyer, University of Maine Potato Specialist. “Because the tomato fruits will be ruined by this fungus and the threat of late blight spreading to potatoes, home gardeners that find late blight on their plants should pull, bag and throw out these plants. They should not put them on the compost pile.”

According to Jon Turmel, Vermont State Plant Regulator, “The stores across the state have been more than helpful at removing plants from their shelves.”

This summer in New Hampshire field tomatoes are selling for around $2.45 a pound but continued rain there and in Maine and Vermont hold the key to late blight and New England’s tomato crop. In the Hudson Valley agricultural region of New York late blight has been described as “explosive” and “never seen … on such a widespread basis.”

Late blight has not been common in New England but when it does occur it is very destructive. In Colchester, Vt., Laurie Mazza is still selling her greenhouse tomatoes for $2.99 a pound. “We’re a week or so away from our field tomatoes and while they look good now, especially the cherry tomatoes, something could happen.”

(Photos of healthy tomatoes and plants by Green Right Now.com; late blight tomato, photo credit: Texas A&M University)

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Somewhere in between the sleep-away camps, beach excursions and baseball games of summer, kids and parents alike generally see the appeal of the sand-free floors and refrigerated air of a good museum. Institutions across the country know this is a great time to squeeze some education into kid-friendly, entertaining exhibitions; here’s a list of some of the best nature-oriented attractions for vacationers who’ve felt a bit too much heat this month.

Once, people pounded clothes with rocks to get them cleaned. Now we’ve come full circle, with dry cleaning  headed back to those Earthy roots.

Many people are familiar with the use of hazardous chemicals in modern dry-cleaning solution. The primary cleaning solvent used in most dry-cleaners is perchloroethylene or “perc”. The Environmental Protection Agency classified this petroleum chemical as a Toxic Air Contaminant and a probable human carcinogen and many environmentalists believe that the residue on your clothes can’t be a healthything.

Now there is a better alternative and believe it or not, it is made essentially from liquefied sand.

GreenEarth Cleaning developed this non-toxic and non-hazardous liquid silicone dry cleaning solvent, which is safe for you and the environment. It is made of three natural elements: sand, water, and carbon dioxide. Liquid silicone is used in many products you use everyday such as lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.

This technology also is better for your clothes, according to GreenEarth. It will not cause fabrics to fade or shrink, allowing your garments to last longer. “Perc and other hydrocarbons are aggressive as they interact with the fabrics, dyes, and trims of today’s fashions. The GreenEarth silicone system is gentle due to the low surface tension of the silicone fluid and its characteristics of remaining inert rather than interacting with the fibers and trims,” said Tim Maxwell, President of GreenEarth Cleaning.

There are approximately 1,500 GreenEarth Cleaning machines being used by dry cleaners today, from single store businesses to large dry cleaning chains. Nextcleaners is a chain of dry cleaners in New York and New Jersey that has been using the new liquid silicone solvent.

“We believe GreenEarth solvent is presently the most practical eco-friendly solution without compromising the dry cleaning service quality in the marketplace. It’s is also the most widely used eco-friendly solution and the only one presently approved by the State of California,” said Kam Saifi, President and CEO of Nextcleaners. In addition to the use of GreenEarth Cleaning, they are making additional strides to benefit the environment, such as the use of bicycle transportation for delivery and pick up.

Thanks to efforts made by GreenEarth and its affiliates, the dry cleaning industry is beginning to change its ways.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Odwalla is continuing its successful plant-a-tree program by donating $100,000 worth of trees to be planted in state parks in California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, Texas, Maryland, Michigan and Virginia.

Visitors to www.parkvisitor.com/odwalla can choose their preferred state to receive a tree — no contribution or registration is required. The trees will be used to support important reforestation and planting initiatives across the country.

Since debuting in 2008, the Odwalla Plant a Tree program has provided more than 60,000 trees to state parks across the country. Trees donated through the 2008 program were planted through volunteer and other events at local parks.

The Odwalla Plant a Tree program runs from May 27, 2009 through December 31, 2009. The species of trees donated will vary by region and will be planted in fall 2009 and early 2010.

Photo: City of Chicago

Chicago added the most square feet of green roofs in 2008

The City of Chicago added the most square feet of green roofs in 2008 of any North American city, followed closely by Washington, D.C. and New York City, according to an industry association.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the green roof industry association, also announced a 2008 U.S. growth rate of more than 35 percent over 2007, representing more than 3.1 million square feet installed in 2008. The data came from the association’s Fourth Annual Industry Survey of corporate members that completed green roof projects in 2008.

The City of Chicago has numerous policies in place to support green roofs and urban greening. New York State passed a tax abatement measure in 2008 that will provide up to $100,000 per green roof to improve stormwater management and reduce the urban heat island.

Top Ten Metropolitan Areas – Green Roof Square Footage Installed, 2008

1. Chicago, Il. — 534,507
2. Washington, D.C. — 501,042
3. New York, N.Y. — 358,986
4. Vancouver, B.C. — 320,000
5. Philadelphia, Pa. — 196,820
6. Baltimore, Md. — 150,032
7. Montreal, QC. — 75,700
8. Grand Rapids, Mich. — 74,784
9. Princeton, N.J. — 56,250
10. Newtown Square, Pa. — 48,130

“The green roof industry continues to grow rapidly in response to the pressing need for cleaner air, better stormwater management, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing more usable green spaces in our communities,” Steven W. Peck, founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, said in a statement.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities will hold its 7th Annual International Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference, Awards and Trade Show in Atlanta from June 3 – 5. The Conference brings together more than 1,000 green roof and wall design professionals, manufacturers, researchers and policy makers from across North America and around the world.

Related stories:

• UT Studies Green Roofs: A Cool Growing Idea
• Chicago’s ‘Smart Home’ inspires green lifestyle
• The New Chicago School: Green Building

New York Gov. David Paterson has issued an executive order restricting the use of bottled water at state facilities and promoting executive agency sustainability.

The order, issued May 5th, will phase out the use of state funds to purchase single-serve bottles of water. Eventually, the state will purchase cooler-sized bottles of water and state agencies will provide tap water fountains and dispensers. The order gives government agencies 180 days to develop and begin implementation of a plan to eliminate the use of single-serve bottled waters.

“Bottled water is wasteful and requires large amounts of energy to bottle and transport,” Paterson said in a statement. According to the Container Recycling Institute, more than 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators every day.  The New York Department of Environmental Conservation, reports that manufacturing plastic bottles releases 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

“Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars to ensure that we have clean drinking water supplies,” Paterson said. “If we are going to make such significant investments, we should reap the benefits and use that water.” According to the NY DEC, tax payers spend $2 billion a year for their tap water.

New York is joining Virginia and Illinois who have also reduced government funding of single use bottled water.

(Photo courtesy of GovernorPaterson2010.com)

Copyright C 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

What we do:

We are the owners of an artisanal organic coffee roasting company.

How it helps:

We source 100% organic, ethically traded coffees from small scale farmers who practice responsible land stewardship and fair trade. Shade grown organic coffee farming discourages rainforest destruction, protects the watershed and the eco system and the farmer. Shade Grown organic coffee tastes better and retains more of the healthful benefits of coffee. (Neumann pictured at right.)

How we got here:

We have been involved in coffee since the 1980s and started Florida’s first and only Organic Fair Trade coffee roasting company, Sweetwater Coffee. We sold Sweetwater last year after it became too large for us to maintain our vision of offering only the finest small batch roasted organic coffees, and have refocused as a retail direct roaster.  We recently launched our web store and will be opening our retail store and coffee bar in May.

Where we’re going:

The superior quality of organic coffee makes this business a win-win for everyone in the supply chain. Today’s educated, eco-conscious coffee lover demands delicious, ethically traded, sustainably farmed coffee –the future is bright for organic coffee and for our small business. We have no current plans for major expansion, and are focused on a sustainable direct trade business model that provides a quality coffee and hands-on service to our community.

How we’re doing:

As green entrepreneurs it is our commitment to and passion for our craft and our product that drives us. Retail is a new area for us (our previous company was wholesale only), and we look forward to sharing our passion and enthusiasm for our product directly with our end customers for the first time.

Advice:

Follow your passion and never compromise your vision.

See more profiles at MY GREEN JOB

See Recent Green Jobs Listings

The Empire State Building is getting a $500 million energy efficiency retrofit that is expected to reduce the iconic skyscraper’s energy consumption by up to 38 percent.

The project, already underway, is intended to become a model for analyzing and retrofitting existing structures for environmental sustainability. The makeover is a collaboration among a group of world-class environmental consulting, non-profit, design and construction partners, including Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls Inc. and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Building systems work is slated to be completed by the end of 2010, with final completion of tenant spaces by the end of 2013. Work that is scheduled to be completed within 18 months will result in more than 50 percent of the projected energy savings.

With an estimated project cost of $20 million, additional savings and redirection of expenditures originally planned in the building’s upgrade program, and additional alternative spending in tenant installations, the Empire State Building is projected to save $4.4 million in annual energy costs, reduce its energy consumption by close to 40%, repay its net extra cost in about three years, and cut its overall carbon output.

At the project’s conclusion, the Empire State Building is expected to gain GOLD certification for the government’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings.

Partners in the project are eager to create a replicable model for similar projects around the world by proving the viability of energy efficiency retrofit projects. Their goal is to dramatically increase building energy efficiency and reduce overall carbon output with “sensible payback periods and enhanced profitability.”

“Commercial and residential buildings account for the majority of the total carbon footprint of cities around the world – over 70 percent in New York City,” Anthony E. Malkin of building owner, Empire State Building Company, said in a statement. “Most new buildings are built with the environment in mind, but the real key to substantial progress is reducing existing building energy consumption and carbon footprint.”

The project partners created a repeatable process to analyze the Empire State Building and establish a full understanding of its energy use, as well as its functional efficiencies and deficiencies.  In reviewing more than 60 optional activities, the team identified eight economically viable projects, applicable to building-wide renovations, electrical and ventilation system upgrades and tenant space overhauls that would provide a significant return on investment, both environmentally and financially.

The eight projects were:

1. Window Light Retrofit: Refurbishment of approximately 6,500 thermopane glass windows, using existing glass and sashes to create triple-glazed insulated panels with new components that dramatically reduce both summer heat load and winter heat loss.

2. Radiator Insulation Retrofit: Added insulation behind radiators to reduce heat loss and more efficiently heat the building perimeter.

3. Tenant Lighting, Daylighting and Plug Upgrades: Introduction of improved lighting designs, daylighting controls, and plug load occupancy sensors in common areas and tenant spaces to reduce electricity costs and cooling loads.

4. Air Handler Replacements: Replacement of air handling units with variable frequency drive fans to allow increased energy efficiency in operation while improving comfort for individual tenants.

5. Chiller Plant Retrofit: Reuse of existing chiller shells while removing and replacing “guts” to improve chiller efficiency and controllability, including the introduction of variable frequency drives.

6. Whole-Building Control System Upgrade: Upgrade of existing building control system to optimize HVAC operation as well as provide more detailed sub-metering information.

7. Ventilation Control Upgrade: Introduction of demand control ventilation in occupied spaces to improve air quality and reduce energy required to condition outside air.

8. Tenant Energy Management Systems: Introduction of individualized, web-based power usage systems for each tenant to allow more efficient management of power usage.

Related links:

• Clinton Climate Initiative
• Johnson Controls Inc.
• Jones Lang LaSalle
• Empire State Building

Learning not to waste – whether it’s food, electricity or water – is not only good in these economic times, but even more important, it’s beneficial for the environment.

The Nalgene Least Wasteful City Study, released this week, ranks the country’s 25 largest metropolitan areas on wasteful behavior. San Francisco led the group with the least wasteful habits, while Atlanta ranked at the bottom.

The survey of 3,750 people, commissioned by Nalgene (the maker of reusable water bottles), looked at 23 waste-focused habits of city dwellers ranging from recycling and use of public transportation to shutting off lights and eating leftovers. The results were weighted, says Eric Hansen, senior business manager of Nalgene-Outdoor. “We gave more credit to behaviors that had an immediate and significant impact on the planet, such as reduced driving and recycling trash.”

One conclusion of the study is that the easier and more convenient an action, the more frequently it’s practiced. Convenience trumped prudence, the report says. Shutting off lights was easier to do than hanging clothes on a clothesline.

“This study highlights habits that our society has adopted out of convenience, but on a whole can have a huge impact on the sustainability of the planet,” says Hansen.

The survey also notes that despite the economy, saving money is not the main reason urbanites are changing their wasteful ways. More than half of those surveyed said it is their responsibility to ensure the health of the planet for future generations. “Being frugal and helping the planet, these behaviors tend to go hand in hand,” says Hansen.

The top five least wasteful cities were San Francisco; New York City; Portland, Or.; Seattle and Los Angeles. The five most wasteful major cities were Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Houston and St. Louis.

The good news, according to the study, is that urban Americans are increasingly taking everyday steps to cut waste. The top five areas where most people comply: saving leftover food to eat again; shutting off lights when not in the room; turning off water when brushing teeth; using energy efficient light bulbs; and recycling glass, metal, plastics on regular basis.

The areas where people are less likely to be concerned with wasteful ways: avoiding drying clothes in a dryer, using a rain barrel, composting, taking public transportation and not driving a car for trips that are less than two miles from home.

These latter five areas are what the top cities had in common. For instance, San Francisco residents were not only good about turning off water, but also excelled at not using their car for short trips. The cities that did not score well, were not energy efficient with even the simple things such as recycling. In Atlanta, residents threw out more than two bags of trash each week and didn’t use as many energy efficient light bulbs.

The study, which was compiled over two months by the independent research firm Greenfield Online, also had several recommendations for folks – urban or not – on reducing waste:

• Small changes such as reusable containers and water bottles (not surprising, since that is what Nalgene manufactures) or walking instead of driving.
• Compost yard trimmings and food leftovers. The EPA estimates that 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream is made up of yard trimming and food leftovers. Composting avoids filling the landfills and is environmentally beneficial.
• Rain barrels. Even in the city, rain barrels can be installed in a building. They save money on water that can be used to water the yard.
• Bikes. Help the environment and get some exercise by skipping the car.
• Public transportation. Even if using public transportation a few times a week, this has an impact on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• Buy used or Freecycle. Thrift stores, libraries, used book stores are all good ways not to waste and to support local businesses. And if there’s a Freecycle group in your zipcode, that’s another good way to avoid waste.

Related story:

• See the full list of America’s least wasteful cities

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media