Connecticut Green Living

As a native Californian, I was proud when I saw WalletHub’s latest press release, but as a longtime New Englander felt far less satisfied. In 2021, the greenest city in the Union is San Diego, CA according to WalletHub data, which takes into account transportation, the environment, energy sources and lifestyle and policy. Other West Coast states also fared well - Portland, OR at number three; Irvine, CA at four and Fremont, CA at six. Not surprisingly, Honolulu enjoys ranking fifth of 100 cities studied for the survey. In order to determine the greenest cities in the U.S., WalletHub compared the ten dozen most populated. They then evaluated those dimensions using 28 metrics. However, decisions had to be made and some issues and practices had to be excluded. WalletHub states that "although recycling is vital to the sustainability efforts of each city, the types and sizes of recycling facilities vary widely by city. We therefore were unable to include - due to the lack of co...

Pantagonia is one of the natural world’s most resplendent treasures, teeming with life on the one hand, mourning its wildlife and glacial losses on the other. Its massive size - 402,700 square miles, shared by Argentina on the east and Chile on the west coast - means it is hard to pin down. The tragic climate change-enduced ramifications on its glaciers in the west will break your heart; the Andean cat’s brilliant hunting techniques in the steppe region of the east stir other emotions, like fear and lust. The new BBC Earth film-cum-documentary explodes with Episode 5, “Pantagonia: The Ends of the Earth” August 21, following an episode on the Galapagos (see here for a list of all episodes). If you think you know anything about this part of the world, you are wrong. The photographers, camerawomen and men spent a year traipsing around impossible-to-reach fjords and desert steppes, searching for flamingo babes or tiny monkeys. They risked their lives and were constantly exhausted, but...

Like other coronaviruses, SARS CoV-2 evolves and threatens to become endemic. Even the “common cold” is debilitating at times but - at least pre-masking - most of us had learned to live with it. Renowned virologist Dr. William Hazeltine in his book “Variants! The Shape-Shifting Challenge of COVID-19” teaches that obstacles to freeing ourselves of Covid begin with the virus itself. The more opportunity it has to mutate, the wilier it can become. He published this at the beginning of this year before the Delta variant proved the veracity of that prognostication. Although the “living e-book” concept doesn't quite work in paperback form, it is important reading. And unless you are a virologist or immunologist you too may struggle with terms like “ deletion ” - but skip past what you do not understand. Hazeltine has a prestigious background as a professor at Harvard and in AIDS research, and knows whereof he speaks. In the back he includes several articles he wrote for Scientific Ameri...

North Carolina State University researchers say they have created insecticide-free, mosquito-resistant clothing using textile materials. In a press release issued last week, North Carolina said this was proven in experiments with live mosquitoes after developing materials from a computational model of their own design. Researchers modeled for the behavior of Aedes aegypti , the mosquito that carries viruses that cause human diseases like Dengue fever, yellow fever and Zeka, prompting the experiments detailed in the journal Insects . In encounters with the pesky insects, they prevented 100 percent of bites when a volunteer wore their special clothing - a base layer undergarment and a combat shirt initially designed for the military - in a cage with 200 live, disease-free mosquitoes. Researchers think their computational model could be used more widely to develop clothing to reduce transmission of disease. "The fabric is proven to work - that's the great thing we discovered,...

If you haven't gotten the memo, our ocean - and yes, it is one ocean - is being choked with plastic. As the inimitable Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue - which provides marine-protected areas around the globe - reminds us, our very life here on Earth depends upon this ocean. The plastic, such as in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Gyre, contributes to altering the ocean's chemistry by absorbing C02. This causes what is called acidification, and this inhibits the ability of marine life to consume necessary nutrients, while eating away at calcium carbonate in their shells. This is Plastic Free July, a movement to draw awareness to the danger of plastic - not only for we humans but for our animal friends and most importantly the planet and our future Earth. Businesses, non-profits and individuals seem to be stepping up this year in a way I cannot remember in previous years. It's not just the storied young who care, either. Earle is in her eighties, for example. Ther...

Earth Class Mail converts mail into digital files. That's the soundbite. But I wanted to delve a little deeper, to figure out if the notion of ridding the world of junk mail could come to fruition. After all, the San Antonio, TX-based outfit boasts that "thousands" of companies have tapped its services, with over 16 million piees of mail and $1.8 billion (with a B) in checks processed by them. Their vice-president of finance, Chisom Iwu, was kind enough to answer a few of my e-mailed questions. Following are Iwu's e-mailed answers to my questions: 1. You advertise that: Thousands of companies have trusted you with over 16 million pieces of mail and $1.8 billion in checks. Please explain how your business works. Earth Class Mail provides a way for people and businesses to access their mail without ever having to make a trip to a mailbox or touch an envelope. Customers select an address from more than 80 “virtual addresses” that Earth Class Mail provides. They submit ...

Five million plastic straws are thrown away in the U.S. every day, according to GoSili, a brand promoting reusable silicone drinkware in its "Ocean Collection". Moreover, they cite that 100 bilion disposable cups go into landfills annually; the average person consumes 1,769 particles of plastic every week just from drinking water (ugh!); and by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish. This Earth Day, April 22, let’s make a commitment to helping the planet. And the plastic in the ocean is a smashing start. I have written before about reusable straws , which I wholeheartedly endorse. Straws are helpful for many of us who have dental issues and don't want juice or soda to stain our teeth. Sometimes they help older people with more sensitive digestive systems or young children drink their milk - so I am not anti-straw. This brand is sustainable and fun - I received artsy blue and seagreen “Arctic” and “Indian” Ocean 20-oz reusable cups. One perc...

In an hour-long call with the National Press Club today, Dr. Anothony Fauci covered seven tenets of the current pandemic and how we can work towards a healthier future: epidemiology, virology, transmission, diagnostics, clinical course, therapeutics and vaccines. Dr. Fauci has been director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984; he is a scientist and chief medical adviser to President Biden,and has served multiple previous Administrations including former President Trump’s. He also said because he is fully vaccinated he would not be afraid to fly now, but only if he had to. He does not recommend anyone fly strictly for pleasure now as we have plateaued at 60,000 cases a day, and with the numbers having inched up he greatly fears a fourth wave is imminent. In conversation with National Press Club President Lisa Matthews, Fauci reiterated that the Covid-19 pandemic is the worst epidemic since the 1918 flu, which he cited as claiming 50- to 100 mi...

When I lived in London , a young woman threw a party where everyone brought clothing to swap. It made me think about my buying habits: did I really need that new pair of shoes or trowsers (as they are called over there)? While repurposing our clothes is the best choice, the next best is buying items made of recycled or upcycled materials. Enter Fenrici Eco -Chic Joggers (cum-yoga pants) for women. These high-waisted “joggers” are made with a 50% recycled polyester blend. They are super soft, too, and their tie means they won't fall off once you reach your goal weight from all that jogging! Ahem. They also boast spacious pockets, a nice surprise on a cold winter day. Nifty spot to stash your phone or keys - or in my case, hands. They are available for purchase at Fenrici or Amazon . Five percent of every sale goes to Global Genes, an organization fighting rare and genetic diseases. Note, you can also find some cool reusable and K-N95 face masks on Fenrici. They come in grey and bl...

These are difficult times. We who are fortunate enough to have our health owe it to others to reduce viral transmission. That means allieviating unnecessary risk. So in that vein, I have taught myself a thing or two in “lockdown”: 1. I have twice cut my own hair. Yesterday’s cut was even more dramatic than the last. This time I cut about five inches off to make a bob. I did it with two quick, basic cuts, one on each side at an angle, then trimmed the stragglers. Sure, I haven't seen it from the back. It may be completely crooked, but honestly, does it matter? My GP was not impressed that I thought I was mitigating Covid risk, but did say during our telemed sesh that I was looking good. 2. Embarrassing to admit, but I didn't know what Bluetooth really did or what a VPN was. I now (basically) know, even though I haven't figured out why Netflix doesn't want me to have my (Norton) VPN on while watching and I can never seem to turn it off completely. 3. Zoom with a virtual...

If it weren't for the pandemic, I was planning to mail some of these samples to a young Black friend in Pennsylvania. I didn't have postage, though, and would have had to go to the post office. She said not to bother, "your health is more important." I then had the opportunity to examine why I wanted to compare the looks of lipsticks on our different skin tones - I am a subtle olive and she a deep mocha. I recalled when, as a little girl, she was dragged all over New York visiting Sephoras with me. I would travel in from Connecticut for the occasion, apparently feeling that as her former tutor I also had an obligation to introduce her to make-up. That decade of my life is what made me smile when this press release appeared. Philadelphia's Deidra Smith is a Black entrepreneur whose recently launched MDee Beauty is sizzling. Not only has she been promoting other Black and female entrepreneurs since 2009, but she has multiple businesses herself. With a variety of ...

Goody-- the Quit Sugar Summit kicks off today, with scientific, health and lifestyle experts leading the virtual lessons in how to detox. Singer Judy Collins will be one those featured, promoting her book, “Cravings, How I Conquered Food“. Other speakers include but are not limited to Gary Taubes, a New York Times bestselling author; Dr. Nicole Avena, a neuroscientist; Ben Azadi, the founder of Keto Kamp; Shun Foreman, who works with communities of color to enlighten them on sugar addiction; and Dr. James Goolnik, a dentist and the author of “Kick Sugar”. The sixth annual summit, presented virtually this year, explores the ramifications of consuming sugar and its effects on the human body. The organizers tout that, “We also have coaches, trainers, nutritionists and chefs to help folks quit the habit if they so desire.“ Side note: America is ripe with processed foods and fast food joints. It is no accident that I shed over 10 pounds while living 15 months in London, where I initial...