News Release

Cooking oils and grease to be picked up at no cost, recycled into bio-fuel during two-month pilot

Click here for more info.

Population Growth and Suburban Sprawl

We all know that the Triangle, and Cary in particular, are undergoing huge growth. In a 2007 article by CNN, Cary was noted to be the 8th fastest growing city in the country. But what kind of effects does this uncontrolled population growth and over-development have on our local environment, our health, and our general well-being?

As a matter of fact, unchecked growth is causing a number of extremely serious problems, not just in the Triangle, but in many cities around the country. Not only is it detrimental to wildlife and to natural areas, but it exacerbates many other issues such as traffic, pollution, and high taxes. Click here to read what the Sierra Club has to say about suburban sprawl; look through the overview, and explore the other articles about the facts, transportation, the latest research, how population relates to sprawl, and even what you can do to help control it and ameliorate its negative effects.

Cary's New "Grass Grab" Incentive

Click here to read about Cary's new water conservation initiative.

North Carolina Green Building Technology Database

Click here to go to the NC Green Building Technology Database. Read about local schools and others that have taken steps toward sustainability with the design of their buildings, waste management programs, pollution control systems, etc. Some of the places listed include: Exploris, RDU, and the NCSU Solar House.

Recommended Items

The Forest neighbors can use this blog to post recommendations (or critiques) about eco-related products and items such as organic food, environmental books, natural cosmetics, water-saving products, etc. Eco-friendly products can sometimes be more expensive than their more harmful counterparts, so bargain hunting often pays off. But with gas prices as high as they are, finding the best deal in town sometimes isn't worth it. We can help each other out by posting great deals here. Feel free to discuss anything you've tried and liked or didn't like, and don't forget to mention where you found it!

March Tips

Neighbors can use this part of the blog to share tips and ideas about ways to become more environmentally friendly. These can be their own ideas or things they've seen or read. These tips are just ways to make small changes to our everyday lives, which can add up to have quite an impact.

The following are from 1001 Little Ways to Save Our Planet, by Esme Floyd; also see "Ten Ways to Reduce Your Impact" under Environmental Links as another example of the sort of tips to post here.

194. Change Your Bulbs

If every household in the USA replaced its next burned-out light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, it would save the same amount of carbon dioxide as taking 1.2 million cars off the road for an entire year. Fluorescent bulbs last six to ten times longer than standard incandescent versions and use 75% less energy because they use less heat than standard bulbs.

264. Turn it Off

Many people keep the shower running even when they’re not actually underneath the water— often for as long as half their showering time. Instead of directing the water against the wall or stepping back, turn it off altogether while you wash or shampoo [or shave] and then turn the water back on to rinse.

354. Keep it Cool

Never put hot food or drinks into the fridge to cool as it will raise the internal fridge temperature and will use a lot of energy to bring it to the right temperature. Let it cool to room temperature naturally before putting it in the fridge.

540. Shut Down

Encourage your colleagues to shut down their computers when they’re not in use unless they’ve got a low-energy sleep option. This should be done before lunchtime breaks and in particular before going home at the end of the day.

706. Choose Your Chocolate

There are so many organic products to choose from nowadays that it’s often hard to know where to start and stop. The cocoa plant is one of the most heavily sprayed in the world, so keep chocolate on your organic list. Many good organic brands use cocoa sourced in Central and South America. Make sure, however, that the manufacturer certifies that all of the cocoa they purchase is produced without the use of forced labor.

856. Go Smooth

Buy a more aerodynamic car to save fuel. Boxy cars that are high off the ground and square in shape are less aerodynamic than smooth, rounder silhouettes.