When White Tops was first approached by Chegg® we couldn’t be more ecstatic to have their helping hand and cross communicate our missions, small changes  for a larger change. Chegg has been known to college students as the book rental source, where not only can they rent textbooks in prices way below issued price, you get a nice satisfaction to know that your rental helped the environment.  Chegg plants a tree (and you even get to choose the destination).

Deriving from that satisfaction the company has launched Chegg for Good (http://www.chegg.com/cheggforgood/) and reached out to White Tops to support us in our initiative. To help spread the word on how college students’ projects help make a large difference in the environment, White Tops along with other three student projects were given a moment to shine. Thank you Chegg for this great opportunity and reward us by supporting our initiative.

With Chegg’s service, we hope that all college students take a pause before purchasing a new textbook every time the professor sends over booklist roster.

I saw this video that really summed up my frustration with the world. It’s from The Story of Stuff. The beginning starts off a little slow, but then it elaborates more on the issues with our economy, the dependence on shopping, and global exploitation.

Will buying that make you truly happy? Why do we all feel so tired and depressed?

It’s because we are stuck in a society that makes us think we need to buy new things to make us better and happier when in actuality it doesn’t. We work countless hours to pay for these useless material things and lack time for what is truly valuable like family, friends, or time to relax (and watching tv or being on your computer doesn’t count).

So what can we do about it? Protest at Wall Street? Yeah maybe. They touch on these issues, but I wish with a stronger message. I know it’s hard though cause they are protesting about so many things. It should start with the people. We need to react and they will respond. Just like how the popularity of organics was a bottom-up influence, we need to boycott shopping or something. Everyone should be entitled to determine how they want to live their lives. So how do you want to live yours?

So why is it that I am focusing on the butterfly effect? In this case I want to use it to explain how, with our small actions we could make huge changes.  I have written before (in my now very abandoned blog) that tiny things like using plastic bags every time you go to the supermarket can have huge impacts. The fact that in NYC they use around 830,000 Styrofoam trays in public schools just in a day makes me still cry a little. It’s not just the fact that we use these horrible, polluting things on a regular basis…it’s the fact that we use them once and then throw them away, with their horrible, huge consequences. One of those consequences being garbage island (look it up, it is really scary). And, maybe, it is the fact that we just unconsciously do things all the time.

Where am I going with this? If little termites and tiny jellyfish can be part of a whole, a much bigger whole that makes changes regularly on Earth, then why can’t we? If we do things that can lead to terrible consequences, then why not change our perspective and start doing things with positive outcomes? This is the first blog that I have written here, and I want to start by saying that the white roofs that we are advocating for are one of these initiatives of a local act that can have a global impact. We all want to change the world. Ever since we are little children we have the dream of doing anything that will mean something to the rest of the planet. We now know better and have a choice to make the change happen, be that through recycling everything you initially thought as waste, making your own compost, using a bicycle to get around or just plain painting your rooftop white. These things can have an impact, a positive impact. If you are reading this blog then you know that it is time for a change and that you can make that change happen, so go ahead, get inspired and have a taste of the butterfly effect.

I want to introduce an architectural concept today, called Thermal Bridging. As you know, different materials conduct heat at different rates. This applies to your walls.

Insulation is key to reducing heat transfer, however often old, poorly constructed, or poor material choice could lead to Thermal Bridging problems.

Thermal Image of House

Based off the image and chart (via) you can see that, for example, fiberglass insulation has a low conductivity, while glass windows have much higher conductivity. Places like windows, window edges, steel studs, concrete slabs, joints, holes (for cables or air ducts) etc. tend to be major areas of heat loss.

“Consider steel framing and fiberglass insulation. The thermal conductivity of steel is 1,200 times as great as that of fiberglass insulation.”- Buildinggreen.com

That’s something NYC should really think about when constructing those steel stud high rises!

Building Material Thermal Conductivity Chart

Wall Section Showing Thermal Bridging

See the image (via) for example.. here is section through a wall, specifically showing the joint between the first and second floor. The red indicates the warm indoor temperatures. The left image is showing the (blue) cold temperatures traveling through the more conductive floor material.

If you feel a draft or cold spot on your wall then thermal bridging might be occurring in your building. Sometimes the solution could be as simple as adding a little rubber sealant to the edges of your window, to gutting the walls and insulation for proper retrofitting.  You should seek professional help to solve issues like these.

Being an informed building owner or tenant can help you save money, stay warm, and help the planet. More to come!

Wilting Basil

I had just bought a little basil plant from the Union Square Green Market and after yesterday’s blazing 95 degrees I came home to a wilting plant. With a little water treatment it sprung back to normal the next morning! Here’s how…

Step 1. Check the soil. Is it dry? (Sometimes wilting can be sign of overwatering.) If it’s dry, use a watering can with a small nossel. You’ll have better control of how much water comes out. I recommend adding water by making two circles around the plant, at slower speeds if you have a bigger plant or pot. Don’t worry about under watering.

Step 2. Place a tray or dish under the pot. (Your pot should always have drainage holes on the bottom. If it doesn’t then it’s time to get a new pot.) Fill the tray with water. Your plant will naturally pull up the water it needs through the holes.

Step 3. Wet a piece of paper towel. Take a stick and insert it slowly and carefully into the pot without piercing the plant and roots. Teepee the wet paper towel over the stick. This will keep the leaves from drying out more.

Step 4. Place the plant somewhere away from direct sunlight and wind.

Step 5. Refill the tray with water whenever it’s empty. By the next morning your plant should be back to normal and you can remove the teepee.

I don’t guarantee that this will work all the time, but it worked for me. The results vary depending on how long the plant has been without water. Good luck!

Union Square Greenmarket

The New Beetle

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The Smart Car

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The Nissan Leaf

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The Ford Focus Electric

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The Ford Fiesta

Everyone is catching on to the wholesome food market, even some local fast food and burger joints, like brgr. They are proud to serve grass-fed beef from U.S. Wellness Meats a farm in Monticello.

via

There’s even a little video of the farm.

via

After you get yourself a healthier burger and their New York Times rated “Best Milkshake” make sure to take one of their lovely little pamphlets. It has some beautiful artwork (as shown below) and all you need to know about how grazed pastures benefit the environment and how grass-fed beef is better for your diet.

Wished they’d sell the paintings!

Brgr is only at two Manhattan locations,

287 Seventh Avenue
(Between 26th and 27th St)
New York, NY 10001

1026 Third Avenue
(Between 60th and 61st St)
New York, NY 10065

But sometimes people overlook the obvious gaps in their wall. Such as the seams of windows or the gaps beside air conditioners. According this NYTimes article, poorly fitted air-conditioners cost buildings in New York City $130 million to $180 million a year in extra fuel consumption, which in turn is linked to an extra 375,000 to 525,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The Urban Green Building Council recommends using some polymer foam and duct tape to seal the leaks. I say, take out the air conditioner completely and then cover the hole with insulation and tape. It’s not the easiest getting the foam between the gaps to fit perfectly. It would defeat the purpose if there are now gaps between the foam. I know it’s a pain to remove and install the air conditioner, but you’ll thank me later when your toes are warm in the winter. I removed my air conditioner this winter to discover 3 bird’s nests wedged between the gap! Maybe they’re helping me insulate. You’ll be surprised what you can find!