Archive for May, 2008

APEX, N.C. — The Town of Apex is reaching out to help residents “Go Green.”

Apex Conservation Days will be held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Hall.  Over 40 green vendors will be on hand, showing people how they can easily make conservation part of their daily routine.

Jessica Bolin with the Apex Public Works Department said besides the booths, the town is also welcoming speakers and hosting workshops that go into depth about environmental issues.

“The town has always been concerned about resources and conserving resources.  What a better way to do that than to have this event, encouraging citizens to come out to learn what they can do in their daily lives and incorporate in their homes to conserve these resources and make them last longer,” Bolin said.

The speakers will begin at 10 a.m. and the workshops at 1 p.m.  If you would like to see a schedule of events click here.

Did you know? The majority of energy used while washing clothes goes to heating up the water. Try washing your clothes in cold water.

Not only will you cut back on energy, but you’ll also lose the risk of your clothes shrinking!

Love to read or watch movies?

A great way to go green is to borrow books and movies from libraries or from friends and family. This is an easy way to save money and cuts back on the ink and paper that is used to print books.

Set up a book or movie exchange among your circle of friends and share what you love or dislike about the different movies and books.

Are you already participating in a book exchange or movie exchange program? How is that working out? Or, are you thinking about starting one up? Talk about it here.

A bra that turns into a reusable shopping bag, a bra with metal chopsticks are part of a green-themed lingerie line by a company in Tokyo. Triumph International Japan unveiled its latest addition to the line, a solar powered bra. Read more about this eco-friendly undergarment by clicking here.

Greenmybrain.com has a 75-question quiz you can take to test your knowledge about the environment and going green. To take the quiz, click here.

Story by: The Associated Press 

LONDON — Paul McCartney’s luxury hybrid must have seemed like a good idea to the environmental advocate.

But he’s getting slammed by trackers of environmental footprints for his delivery option.

McCartney’s $158,000 Lexus was flown from Japan to England, instead of being shipped by boat.

A leading environmentalist says the cargo flight is the same as driving the car around the world 300 times, and that the hybrid technology may not be the best use for a high-performance car.

Lexus gave McCartney the car. It sponsored McCartney’s 2005 tour of the United States.

A spokesman for McCartney says the car has been delivered. It’s unclear if McCartney knew the delivery method.

BY Laura Barron, NBC17
RALEIGH, N.C. — As growth continues in the Triangle, energy efficiency is becoming a public and private concern.

A bill has been introduced in the North Carolina Senate that would authorize the Town of Cary to give developers incentives to build energy-efficient homes and offices.

Custom home builder Rex Bost, who has been building “green” for 10 years, said he thinks the legislation would benefit developers and could go further to help builders. Overall, he said he thinks the legislation would get a positive response.

“We need to conserve because of all the growth we’re facing,” Bost said. “I think it’s much needed and I think it’ll continue the momentum that’s already started.” (more…)

CARY, N.C. - While housing prices continue to tank nationwide and new construction numbers stall, one segment is actually starting to turn up.
 
“Green building” projects are starting to get more attention, and builders are taking notice.
 
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, structures account for two-thirds of the country’s energy consumption, and almost a third of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, raw materials and waste.
 
Because of that, the idea of energy efficient homes that leave less of an environmental footprint is starting to take off. (more…)

Durham Bulls fans attending a game can now eat great ballpark food without guilt. Well…almost. The City of Durham signed a new agreement with Waste Industries to provide recycle bins throughout the stadium so fans can recycle cardboard, aluminum, plastic, and glass bottles. So although you may not save your waist size, you can at least be rest assured that you’re saving the earth.