Rumah Hijau

Not so inconvenient truth

2008-10-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Great Global Warming Swindle - a Documentary Film by Martin Durkin created furor among scientist. Not just questioned about greenhouse theory but also raising doubt that global warming driven by human activity.

First aired in UK on March 2007, already received 265 complaints about the programme, one of which was a 176-page detailed complaint co-authored by a group of scientists. It was huge controversy span from Europe to Australia. The UK Broadcast regulator delivered the judgment here : http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/obb114/issue114.pdf
The decision not even finish the disagreement, but rather putting into more political than just science.

I don't know if some of you watch this film already or being air in any US television channel, but just be open about another opinion (some of us begin with skepticism).

More info about controversial film just go to :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Global_Warming_Swindle

Google Reader for Sustainable Design Blogs

2008-10-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

I created public view of Blogs reader through Google at this link. Everything from Treehugger to Ecofabulous.

Follow this link

Assigment 3 : Designer's Vision

2008-10-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Both deep and bright green would be inseparable part in design towards sustainability. Rather than put on finger which one that will lead better solution, in degree of creative process, both can be a fundamental based for design.

As McDonough mentioned that we are facing serious problem in design that sustain enough to recycle itself rather than down-cycle it. That’s the key point that designer have to start from different mindset, turned around the concept that waste is useless into how to make material degraded, less pollutant. Waste = Food (or a way around as Braungart’s code).

Designers have to understand the bold figure of core problem, side line the instinct to resolve the problem that already occurred in fist priority. We did not solve the design flaw but we create the truly concept that represent sustainability. Working with nature also the key element to better understanding how element of life (ecology) as we –human be part of it. We looked ourselves being a nature, who able to merge and blend the design into holistic view of biophilia –an idea that seen as another alternative than controversial Gaia Hypothesis by Lovelock).

Bright green mostly been looked as the mass production of green design. In level of those, yes they are. We might move toward the changing the cultures, but then bright design only to make things fashionable. It is fickle and short lives but those episode should be embrace as enlighten of unfriendly natural capitalism. The degree of relief can brought farther and beyond merely fashion.

In a way, I admired Fallingwater –one of Frank Lloyd Wright. Built in 1936-1939 is a sample how utilize environment, working together with contour and natural elements. Even using concrete, but Wright let stone and wood being part of architectural details. In what my perspective, he tried to introduced more earthy architecture (Wright then called it as organic architecture) which is more stressing in harmonic relation between human and environment.

Again Wright’s idea is a basic movement to imply sustainable architecture through design that works along with nature. On Fallingwater, Wright can choose bigger site rather sitting on the river where facing possible slab and cantilever problems. As inspiration, Frank Llyod Wright brought new dimension of design, even though without sacrifice comfort zone as modern human.

Most profoundly, I admired Ben Woodman –from rural Sussex who create Woodman’s Cottage. As Van der Ryn and Cowan’s credo about Five Principles, one of them is Everyone is designer, Ben Woodman truly apply for most of those design principle. He had a land, built from the material gather from woods, using voluntary based worker. He designed himself, vision on what he is going to do, driven to make all the element in house sustainable. Ben aimed to build the house, complete with sun and wind powered electricity, for £25,000.

Both Wright and Woodman just sample of visionary design, looking into how we lives in better environment. Woodman actually show how to make house that sustain itself, producing energy, built from the material surrounding. It was as bold statement that as designer we have to start from the same point. How we make a product better for human being and nature.

Links :
Waste = Food (An inspiring documentary on the Cradle to Cradle design concept).
Film at http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-3058533428492266222

Sussex : The Woodman's Cottage
Episode from Grand Design Channel 4

Ads Greenwashing : Exxon Mobil vs Repower America

2008-10-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Exxon Mobil one of the biggest company to finance groups of lobby and science to deny climate change launched series of new ads. One of them being banned by British Advertising Standards Authority :

"We concluded that the ad misleadingly implied that natural gas was one of the cleanest sources of energy and that liquefied natural gas was environmentally friendly," ASA said in a statement.

But just a second look at another ad called Repower America from WeCanSolvedit (Al Gore'd group). An ABC Network refused to air the ad because it's content was controversial during Presidential Debate. The ad tried to bring the subject of energy crisis to both candidates about non-oil sources energy and questioned the scandal by oil company to block the progress. Hundreds thousand of people sent massage to ABC to reconsider their decision. Please follow this http://www.wecansolveit.org/page/s/ABC

How we can make small change

2008-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

An article from WSJ : A Big Sum of Small Differences about what an average American can make change. Even it's a small it might help reduce emissions from consumer's view.

Picture taken from the article based on the McKinsey Report : Reducing US Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

2008-10-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

On West Coast Green, I met Gerald Long from Deconstruction & Reuse Network, Inc. What his doing is remove materials from house, reuse and recycle to reduce the amount of excessive to landfill. Although it can be categorized as down-value but deconstruction people try to change the view about cost saving. Gerald said that most of people who approach him were architect who like to work closely by deliver some reuse material.

In an article last Sunday at NY Times : This Old Recycle House gave insight view about similar program in Cleveland. Brad Guy, president of Building Materials Reuse Association who also did deconstruction himself try to convinced people the benefit of keep the material in good shape rather than demolish it. The labor cost (it takes longer to knock the house down) compared to the value of the materials versus the time and money sell to Rebuilding Centre -reuse material retail in Oregon.

Facts :

Nearly 30 percent of a deconstruction job’s total labor hours can be spent denailing wood;
America generates a total of 160 million tons of construction and demolition debris every year, 60 percent of which is landfilled.
Maybe as few as 300 homes were fully deconstructed in America last year
The average American house is only 32 years old
Deconstruction reclaimed more than 98 percent of certain structures
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, new construction consumes 60 percent of all materials used in the nation’s economy every year, excluding food and fuel.

Assignment 1 : Sustainable guilty

2008-09-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

The guilty I’ve felt mainly for carbon emission we’ve produced during flight in the past two years. If the carbon footprint measurement put together that’s might be more than 100hours in long haul flight overall. And the worse from that I felt no obligation to replace the carbon that been spilled into our atmosphere with something, say money. On that day, we know the quantities but as inner denial told us that we’ve have to travel with flight. No other choices.

We saw skeptically about Carbon offset run by Airlines (British Airways & Virgin Atlantic). I study their program, and the deeper I know the more I feel been exploited by this ‘guilty’. The money that we paid for carbon emission in barter with trees program in somewhere in South America seemed the only way to compensate our life style.

A study run by Manchester Metropolitan University called Omega showed that most of respondent know about carbon offsetting but only tenth had done anything about it. The reason mainly because people look that climate impact of flight has to be the airlines and the government responsibility. Also lacked of transparency among the carbon offset provider, how to calculate, where the money raised and how it’s been invested.

My concern mainly about controlling the projects which been paid by passenger carbon monies should be having influence into distribution of green environment. Since most of airlines using third party or organization there should be a clear system to maintain such fund. I am probably demand sort of half annual report from overall performance. We -as passenger not just toss out this guilt, but wonder how this scheme can actually work and contribute better world.

Recently I watched BBC program Should I Really Give Up Flying which give me in-depth view about our passion being in the plane. It’s fast, convenient with our life style that moving one place to another in such rocket pace. But I am beginning to think about using other type of transport such as train. I began missed what I called slow travel (yes, that came from slow food movement) done by explorer many years ago. Last year I even launch the program of “Green Travel” at Indobackpacker, a community based in Indonesia by challenge anyone to take train ride from Singapore to London in less than 30 days.

The only activity I have been proud for being sustainable is producing my own food. I am keen vegetable gardener back few years ago while living in Midlands United Kingdom. We have a small plot what it called allotment or community gardening which run by council/city. It’s only cost about £20 for a year membership including access to seeds bank (sort of seeds to distribute to gardener prior launching to the open market).

It’s been great experience for me to understand what mean being “sustainable” . It’s not only green or organic but to get to close to the earth, air, water and plants. But mainly understand how the food chain started from scratch to reach our table. The process related with human as part of the nature itself. The natural resources should be used to the level that can be reproduced naturally.

I am also knew what the impact of imbalance use of lands. I have got plot that being neglected for couple years. It became culprit as full of weeds, spreading across neighborhood. The evil chain makes the whole community garden even worse. When I came along, my neighbors were pleased. Finally someone will fix the cause, they said.
Indeed, I worked hard to clear out the weeds, built greenhouse from second hand, made little pond to create better environment –by introducing natural enemies. I choose not using any pesticide or herbicide. I’ve relay on my muscle. I’ve need exercise anyway.

The plant cycle sometimes ended up in compost heap. As gardener, we saw ourselves as part of this cycle. We actually boost the compost process by using it as toilet. I learned that we, as human can create nature to act slow, faster or even stop. We are having control, but those ability only limited.

Since move to US few months ago, I did not have this opportunity anymore. We’ve living in townhouse with nicely pedicure lawn –but not allowed to maintain ourselves. The side plot have less sun exposure, with clayish soil, make it difficult to plant vegetables. At the moment there are tomatoes and pepper, including few herbs. Although there are not such abundant harvests, but I have good yield.

But it did not stop me at all to keep gardening. I am joining One Brick Volunteer a day for landscaping program in East Palo Alto School. Those area such in state that have no supermarket chain, no shop to sell fresh vegetables. What the school done is to create community garden run by students, locals and parents. They spent one two hours in a week to help maintain whole plot. The school also has a scheme to sell their yield on Sunday along with church community market during summer this year.

I believe I can make a change. Even though that’s only small one.

Can America Go Green?

2008-09-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

These program aired in BBC World Services about a year ago. Laura Trevelyan, the BBC corespondent for UN made three series explore what's going on in America started from the greenest state in USA -California to how bringing environment issues into celebrity level. .You might noticed that she asked only Hillary Clinton about taxing oil company when she was a strongest contender in the next election. In fact we might have to find someone else to enter White House.

Enjoy..

Programme 1: The Addiction to Oil

Download or listen the programme (mp3)

Laura Trevelyan visits the New York Motor Show to report on moves among the big three US car makers to kick the oil habit and 'green' their industry. Author of Lives Per Gallon, Terry Tamminen, who is also green advisor to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bob Semple of The New York Times talk about how vested interests killed off electric cars in California.

Laura considers viable alternative technologies and predicates a mobile but "carbon limited" future.

Other contributors to the programmes include former US Vice President Al Gore, Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Professor of Environmental Law and host of a weekly green radio show Robert F Kennedy Jr and film directors Chris Paine and Robert Greenwald.

Programme 2: Corporate Responsibility

Download or listen the programme (mp3)

Once pilloried as a polluter (and taken to court for dumping waste in the Hudson River), the industry giant General Electric, under the leadership of Jeffrey Immelt, has gone green and sees its future prosperity tied to developing green technologies.

GE is taking the bold and risky stance of publicly recognising global warming and its links to human activity, and is predicting that consumers will soon demand greener products. GE has a strategy it calls "Ecomagination" by which it limits its own emissions, setting examples for the cleaner technology developments it hopes to export across the world.

But is this just "greenwash"?

Programme 3: How Green is Your Valley

Download or listen the programme (mp3)

In the final part of the series, Laura Trevelyan explores the degree to which Americans are speaking out and altering their lifestyles in the face of global warming.

She considers the size of the US's carbon footprint in relation to urban sprawl and the work of the "New Urbanists" to create greener places for Americans to live in. She also looks at the grass-roots activism of California's Sierra Club, which successfully fought the huge polluting Port of Long Beach, south of Los Angeles.

Laura will also be assessing the perceived failure of the media to keep Americans well informed on green issues and looking at the growth of interest in Hollywood among documentary makers and celebrities.

Rickshaw a green transportation

2008-09-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

I took this picture while traveling in Vietnam three years ago. Actually reminded me with my root in Asia, as I am originally from Indonesia. Rickshaw is human power transported, using two sometimes three wheels with a man to operate by foot or paddle just like bicycle.
Indonesians called rickshaw as becak. You will find in anywhere except the capital, Jakarta. In 1980's the governor Ali Sadikin banned becak due the dense of traffic. And also created chaos as most of becak driver did not follow the traffic code. Most of them are uneducated, came from poor family in Java who neglected their paddy field to get better life in the city. Ali Sadikin was the most controversial political figure that time when he stop wave of labor to Jakarta, tried to solve the real problem of it's city -poverty.

Becak is a friendly mode of transportation, no carbon emission whatsoever. Most Indonesians travel in short distances using becak. That's because is cheaper, and if you get better relationship with the driver you'll get better deal. They will ready in front of your house in the morning, take the kids to school then pick them up later. As most of the driver use their muscle to work out, they've only manage for several miles in flat condition. Compared to other types of rickshaw who use driver's foot, becak in the sense more human (?). It's enjoyable if you're strolling around small city. How much for fares? it's all about negotiations.

Wiki word : rickshaw, becak, ali sadikin, jakarta

I've need more planets!

2008-09-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've need nearly 5 more planet earths to provide resources of my lifestyle. I have to admit this is the first encounter of the real statistic fact in sustainable issues. We were moved from UK barely 5 month ago, spending nearly two years jetting around the globe, spilled more emission to the atmosphere. I did count my carbon emission and paid for that, but it wasn't giving me a shocking realization about how many acres to supply my food.

The footprint count based on food, house and mobility -three elements in daily life. The point about food actually how the food resources reach our table and what’s our feast behavior. Do you buy more fresh stuff or just pick the phone to get pizza delivery. Our foodie shop divided equally between big chain market (Safeway and Whole Food) and local market which are in the Farmer Market in Sunnyvale downtown every Saturday and a small shop called Sunnymount Produce. I bought mainly vegetables and dairy product. We always try to having organic but I found meat is so expensive compare to non-organic. It took extra will to buy piece of chicken in Whole Food for $4.34 compare to $2.67 in Safeway. Yes we do loves cooking, so eating-out is the only last alternative. Starting from this point I am still very confident.

Another side from food supply is looking for the waste that we produce. Well, to judge that I produced trash much less than American is a difficult job. I compared with my neighbor, but that seemed not fair because they have two kids and a grandmother. Then I remember passed other people's garbage on the collecting day while I am walking to the park. So yes, my comparison seemed OK.

We are living in the rented property, single house family without kids or pets. The amount energy that we consume I’d thought about average American. But due the PG&E administration mess, until today we are not paying our bill (ok..it’s long story). So I put “I don’t know” for gas and electricity bill. Most of our appliances are brand new. We bought the last appliances stupidly avoided the PG&E Rebate. As British, we were not familiar with mail rebate and discount coupon. I have to learn this marketing gimmick from now.

Our mobility limited. We’ve only have one car which is a SUV (yes..sorry it’s not Prius or anything fancy). My husband goes to work with bicycle or foot. We are using car only to transport stuff when shopping or carrying bicycle on the weekend ride. I’ve put bus and train because sometimes we travel to San Francisco by public transport. Our petrol consumption about 12-15 gallon for 10 days, sometimes more depend on the journey we’ve takes. Our longest travel with SUV so far was driving to LA return which probably cost us 60-65 gallon.

My single fear about carbon footprint is flying. In the last two years, we flew every month sometimes twice in minimum 4-5 hours flight. Jokingly we said about proper around the world. Once we did Singapore-UK-San Frans-Singapore-New Zealand due works and vacation in span of 8 month. Putting these hours into counting really scare me. I even afraid to calculate the emission we’ve produce. I did finally. It was nearly 20 ton carbon dioxide in separated sheet.

As the result came out, I surprised that I’m still need more planets to provide food and other sources. I will use 21.9 acre of productive land equivalent with 25 ton of carbon dioxide mostly on the energy. Not including the number of carbon from flight in the last two years, I assumed. The break down number even devastating. Services (?) came as the main source with about 40%, while mobility next with 25%. Food and shelter (another basic needs) were about the same. It’s 14-15%. I am feeling little bit better that we consume only less than 6% goods. It relieved that we are actually not consumer aficionado.

I chose to pledge for using public transport one day every week for making better world. But I am only reduces 352 million acres of productive land. Hopefully some policy in this country will think about more accesses to bus and train. What I felt when arrived in this country for the first time is how difficult to reach train. To find a closest BART Station I have to walk around the fence and highways. The layout that totally ignored the pedestrian access to station.

I am not proud with this result. I’d thought I try my best to live more sustainable. In fact I am far from that. Not even knowingly that this result will lead expansion to the Mars, but maintain our only planet Earth is a challenge.

Buying Cradle to Cradle Book

2008-09-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

I bought Cradle to Cradle ($18.15) and Ecological Design ($26.95) from Amazon. My mistake that I bought both as brand new, but if you want to get second hand in good condition try out Amazon Market Place. There are hundred copy for sell with price below Amazon. Just be careful about delivery cost. I've got free delivery because I order more than $25 (I know ..I know Amazon just try to lure you buying more stuff).

It was arrived couple days before course start, so I managed read two chapters on the train. I found Cradle to Cradle is daunting. Not because talking something toxic or fishy, but more about our daily facts. I used to discuss about Revolution Industry with my husband Mark (he is Brit who passionate with Engines). The few missing on that book was about the energy craved that lead the Revolution Industry. Before steam engine took off, the first energy resource came from water. As most of European Medieval using mill for grinding flour, smith then cotton that lead the brink of industrialization across the globe.

The Ecological Design book hasn't been open yet. It's bit surprised for me because the book looks modest compare to Cradle to Cradle. The price tag might be wrong but indeed this is simplest design of book cover I ever had. Not because got such a boring cover (I acquired the 10th Anniversary version which even little bit nicer). Well, don't judge the book by it's cover.

Another interest thing I found in Amazon when I put an order was there is List Book of Sustainable Design compiled by Chris Gelow. He had 34 books to look for, but I am not sure to read them all. I might ended up looking in local library here.

Wiki word : watermill, watermill in UK