Green Television Sneak Previews:

TLC has two new upcoming television shows for it's July schedule. They both deal with being eco-friendly. They aired the sneak previews on May 04. They are called Wa$ted and Greenovate.

Wa$ted deals with showing how you can be more eco-friendly by living more of a green lifestyle. The preview showed a couple (the green team masters I like to call them) going to New York to visit a couple (two men with a dog) who lived in an apartment. They brought along with them the men's garbage (complete with dog poop) for the entire year. This was to show them how much waste they were actually throwing out that could be recycled. They then told them the amount of their carbon footprint which was well over what they should be for the little apartment in which they were living in. The apartments had recycling bins already in place on the rooftop however the guys just weren't taking advantage of them. Plus they were wasting a lot of excess food which could be composted with a worm farm for their plants in the apartment. They also kept the television and lights on during the daytime for the dog while they were at work all day. The television and lights (during daytime hours), for the dog, was costing them around $500 per year extra. That's wasted money and resources. They also used a lot of cabs, no public transportation at all. They drycleaned many of their clothes also. The "green team" showed them how to become more efficient by composting the excess food in place of trashing it, using the recycle bins, turning off the television and lights when not at home, recycling the hangers from the drycleaners (by returning them for reuse instead of trashing them). They also helped them get an energy efficient heater, and folding bicycles. They asked them not to use the cabs and to switch to a drycleaner that was eco-friendly. They challenged them to better their carbon footprint by telling them they would give them the amount of a year's savings, of what they had accomplished, when they returned. The green team comes back in three weeks and find that they now have a second dog. They have reduced their garbage immensely, have gotten their neighbors into recycling along with them, they are turning off the television and lights when at work, they are even composting with the excess food and worms too. However, one of the guys has still used the cab a few times (but cut back immensely) and they still use a dry cleaner that isn't eco-friendly. However, they are recycling the hangers and actually drycleaning less clothes than before since they are washing more laundry now. They reduced their carbon footprint by thirty-nine percent and got $3,000. I found the show had great ideas and am looking forward to more episodes in July. I definately give this show my rating of a 10.

The next previewed show is called Greenovate. I think the title says it all. It's a renovation show with green appeal. The renovator turns an older 1930's home into an updated Green home. He uses low energy with low flow plumbing throughout the home. I was really impressed with the waterless heater. I think I'll check into that to replace our hot water heater with in the future. The renovator also added an addition unto the house making it larger. He used a metal roof for the entire house stating it allowed air flow to pass through thus keeping the home from getting too hot in the summer months. I learned something there since I always thought metal roofs would make a home feel warmer. See what you can learn when you watch television. The house was a great renovation except I wasn't too thrilled with the exterior paint color. Hey, if the man wants an eggplant colored house than that's his choice. I really enjoyed the show and am looking forward to more episodes in July as well with this show. Afterall, I am a home owner and always looking for new ideas and ways to improve my home's efficiency and be more green in the process when I can. Therefore, I give this show my rating of a 8.

Global Warming Affects Our Health:

Global Warming is more than just weather it also affects our health in various ways. With the shifts in temperatures brought about we see more droughts and floods, thus we will see a rise in more people having health problems.

Severe heat waves normally means some deaths occur every year. With the severe heat also comes the release of toxic greenhouse gases, pollution, and infectious diseases. The ozone's happen faster at higher temperatures and the emissions of pollutants, like CO2, that force the ozone to go up even more. Therefore, as Global Warming rises the number of deaths rise also.

Higher temperatures is a breeding ground for malaria and mosquito borne illnesses. It is reported that approximately anywhere from 7,000 deaths per year are from Malaria. Another mosquito borne illness that's been on the rise these past few years has been the West Nile Virus. It is expected to continue to feed off the Global Warming's effects of the rising temperature. As the mosquito continues to move into areas, once too cold for them, they have new breeding grounds and opportunities to expand. As the summers are exceedingly hot the mosquitoes will then be able to transmit this sometimes fatal disease.

Smog is another element when added with extreme temperature to our ozone layer that is causing severe health problems that have lead to deaths in the past. It tends to damage our lung tissue, causing respiratory and often heart-related illness and deaths. This includes asthma in many of our nations children. Smog related deaths are projected to increase by 4.5 by the year 2050.

It is reported that there are at least 160,000 deaths per year related to Global Warming. Thus, the CDC has began preparation, for diseases as a result from Global Warming, as one of it's top priorities. We can only slow day Global Warming's progression by reducing the deadly CO2 that is being emitted into the atmosphere. Being Environmentally friendly and doing your part by going Green will help. You are not just saving the planet for future generations but possibly giving yourself and your loved ones a healthier one as well.


healthrisks
ecosystems

Poem: To Go Green

To Go Green
by pamel
written 02/08/08

What does it really mean
To go Green?
Eco-friendly ways
Supposing our planet saves
New found, less damaging
If we do the salvaging.

Bio-green cleansers
You'll find on store counters
New-fangled emission gadgets
Maybe soon, electric-powered Vettes?
Our world is in deep trouble
To save it, it depends on us all.