Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Preserve green space and local history by supporting and enjoying one of West Palm Beach’s treasures: Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens.

Movie Night at the  Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens will be held Saturday February 6. At 7:00 pm, join a screening of “The Last of the Mohicans,” starring Daniel Day Lewis.

ANSG and GOG Members Free
Visitors Donation Suggested
Please bring your own chair, blanket and drinks

All parking at Unity Church located on S. Flagler Drive, just north of the Gardens. Entry at rear Unity Gate; opens at 6:30 pm.

Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens
253 Barcelona Road, WPB, FL 33401
561-832-5328
www.ansg.org

Perhaps the most frustrating part of living an eco-friendly lifestyle is keeping up with the evolution of scientific theory. Just when we’ve put our Hybrid cars in gear and we’ve upgraded to Energy Star appliances, someone goes and exposes a gaggle of nerd-to-nerd e-mails that calls into question the entire concept of Global Warming, and Energy Star ratings turn out to be a load of crap.

Enter the conspiracy theorists who spread their down-with-Gore banter, undoing nearly a decade of work that — regardless of your political party affiliation or scientific accuracy — got the general public thinking green in the first place. After all, how many of us even knew what a Hybrid car was before Mr. Southern Drawl came on the scene?

It’s not that I am not interested in the truth, I just think it does more damage than good to prove Global Warming wrong. I don’t care how much energy Al Gore uses at home as long as his public policies have the power to effect positive change in the environment.

It is now abundantly clear that we have at our fingertips all of the tools we need to solve the climate crisis. The only missing ingredient is collective will. Properly understood, the climate crisis is an unparalleled opportunity to finally and effectively address many persistent causes of suffering and misery that have long been neglected, and to transform the prospects of future generations, giving them a chance to live healthier, more prosperous lives as they continue their pursuit of happiness. Our Choice gathers in one place all of the most effective solutions that are available now and that, together, will solve this crisis. It is meant to depoliticize the issue as much as possible and inspire readers to take action—not only on an individual basis but as participants in the political processes by which every country, and the world as a whole, makes the choice that now confronts us. There is an old African proverb that says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” We have to go far, quickly. We can solve the climate crisis. It will be hard, to be sure, but if we can make the choice to solve it, I have no doubt whatsoever that we can and will succeed. —AL GORE, from the introduction

I feel like I’ve overhauled my entire life in the past six months. I went from “I don’t care” to “I’m obsessed,” and I did it in a slow, step-by-step way that was realistic for someone who reeeeeaaaalllly likes food and wine. I was feeling really good about myself for a few months.

First, I stopped buying cheese to keep in the house. I weaned myself off Diet Coke, substituting green tea and coffee. Then, I weaned myself off caffeine entirely because the green tea and coffee killed my stomach. I stopped drinking alcohol of any kind on the weekdays. I gave up meat.

I had a little too much Champagne on a Saturday and ordered an amazing filet mignon and lobster tails at The Flagler Steakhouse.

I realized you can’t change Rome in a day, and I slowly reintroduced organic meats — mostly fish — back into my diet. I also realized I was celebrating too much on the weekends and tossed the no-weekday-wine rule in favor of balance.

All the while, I rode my bike all over creation, did yoga an average of three times a week, and walked to Palm Beach from my house regularly.

In almost three months, I lost a whopping 5 pounds. 5 pounds! My doctor would love me to lose 20 more! I may not develop a brain tumor from Aspartame or grow a moustache from nasty meat hormones, but I’m still no Skinny Bitch!

I was so disheartened that I went completely AWOL on my diet and exercise for a week or so. And when I didn’t gain any weight eating and drinking whatever I wanted, I was even more frustrated with how hard I had worked for such little return.

But giving up and being fat is not the answer, unfortunately.

So last week I took my first spinning class at 180 Degree Fitness at 6101 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. I’ve never been much of a gym person (hence the need for weight loss), so this was a pretty big step for me. And it wasn’t that bad! The music was loud, and there was a rock-hard blonde yelling at me to KICK IT UP!, but there were no legwarmers, no pervy guys watching through a glass window.

I definitely wasn’t as hard core as the other gals in the class — who all-but-literally danced circles around me as I struggled to just keep peddling the entire hour — but I have potential, and I could see catching the bug. The key now will be to prioritize a 6 p.m. exercise class over whatever social event might be taking place at the same time. We’ll see…

Roy Rogers

At 8 p.m. on Dec. 18 at the Kravis Center’s Rinker Playhouse, slide-guitar virtuoso and two-time Grammy Award winner Roy Rogers will perform with the Delta Rhythm Kings to benefit the Palm Beach Dolphin Project and Taras Oceanographic Foundation. Tickets are $35. Log onto www.kravis.org or call 561-832-7469 for more information.

Like most people under 30, I get a good portion of my news and information from social media outlets like Facebook. The New York Times may not be landing on my front porch every day, but its headlines — and many others — fill my Twitter home page in real time.

Which brings me to the Environmental Defense Fund. I learned about EDF through a Facebook friend who had posted the following plea for help from EDF senior scientist Richard Denison. Given that I had recently read for the first time the little white tag on my Halloween light strands and found that handling these strands exposes me to lead, a known carcinogen, I took a closer look:

Help Strengthen America’s Toxic Chemicals Standards

Of the 82,000 chemicals available for use in the U.S., only about 200 have been required to be tested for safety.

Every American alive today, including newborn babies, has hundreds of chemicals flowing through our blood, some are linked to increases in prostate and breast cancers, diabetes, heart disease, lowered sperm counts, early puberty and other diseases and disorders.

Yet the burden placed on the Environmental Protection Agency under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is so onerous that they have only succeeded in banning one group of chemicals, PCBs, from the marketplace.

It’s time to reform and strengthen TSCA. EDF is a founding member of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign and supports its platform for TSCA reform. Please take action to support legislation to protect our families from dangerous toxic chemicals.

To send a personalized form letter to your representatives and senators via EDF and support reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), click here.

About the Environmental Defense Fund:

Our Work

• Global Warming: “Our top priority is to pass national legislation that caps global warming pollution and creates a flexible emissions trading market. That will open the door to a green technology revolution.” — Steve Cochran, director of our national climate campaign
• Land, Water & Wildlife: “Most endangered species depend on private lands for survival. But many landowners do not welcome endangered species on their property. With the number of extinctions rising, we knew we had to do something about that.” — Eric Holst, Managing Director of the Center for Conservation Incentives
• Oceans: “Protecting critical areas, giving fishermen a financial stake in the future health of fisheries and building new markets for sustainable seafood will bring the resilient oceans back to abundant life.” — Dr. Rod Fujita, marine ecologist
• Health: “Everyone has a right to breathe healthy air, but more than half of all Americans live in areas that don’t meet clean-air standards. We’re working to change that, so that kids and adults can breathe easier.”
  — Vickie Patton, attorney

Our Approach

• Sound Science: Scientists founded Environmental Defense over 40 years ago. Ever since, we’ve relied on science to define our policy goals.
• Corporate Partnerships: Changing America requires engaging America’s corporations. Environmental Defense Fund emphasizes the science while forging unique alliances to produce tangible environmental results.
• Economic Incentives: Market competition has always been the driving force of American innovation. EDF was the first nonprofit to harness the power of markets for environmental progress while reining in their potential to do harm.
• Getting the Law Right: Back in the 1960s when EDF was just starting out, our first major campaign — banning the pesticide DDT to save birds of prey — used the courts in a way no one else had before.

The Whole Foods Market Lifestyle Center in Palm Beach Gardens will offer prana yoga Monday-Thursday for a suggested Karma Yoga donation of $10 to benefit Autism Speaks. Call (561) 691-8550 or log on to the online store calendar for more information.

Monday 12:15: Yoga Break: Ease into the workweek with a 30 minute lunch time practice for all levels with pranayama (breathing exercises), gentle movement, and meditation. Grab a bite for lunch and return to work refreshed and ready for anything.

Tuesday 10:00: Yoga for Moms: It’s your turn Moms. After you drop the kids at school or grandmas or… bring your yoga mat and your friends to nurture yourself so that you can nurture others even more. Stay for lunch and reenergize for the day. A fun mixed level 60 minute yoga practice adaptable for all.

Wednesday 5:30: Vinyasa: Stop by with your mat and your friends after the workday ends and enjoy a practice that develops inner and outer strength and flexibility through flowing sequences. Pick up dinner and go home renewed and refreshed.

Thursday 7:00am: Yoga for YOU: Yes that means you! A 60 minute practice for every BODY. Bring your mat and your friends and enjoy a mixed level practice that is sure to brighten your day.

Nancy Hoar has been teaching movement and fitness in Palm Beach County since 1979. She embraced yoga in 2003 and is grateful to share with others the complete spectrum of inner and outer wellness that yoga has to offer for every BODY. Come out and play to discover how everything that you need to live your best life is right inside of you. It is just a breath away.

Ford Focus BEV coming to North America in 2011

“The Jay Leno Show” has a new guest starting as of Friday, September 18: An all-new battery-electric Ford Focus. The electric car will appear in a segment called “Green Car Challenge.”  Tuned to perform on a racetrack that was specifically designed for “The Jay Leno Show,” the battery-electric Ford Focus will be the car used throughout the first season. Celebrities who accept the challenge will be at the wheel, driving quickly to establish a fast lap time that future guests will try to beat. Actress Drew Barrymore is the first celebrity to accept Leno’s “Green Car Challenge.”

The electric Focus to be driven by celebrity guests on “The Jay Leno Show” (NBC, Monday – Friday, 10 – 11 p.m. ET) is one-of-a-kind vehicle, based on the European five-door production Focus ST, modified into a battery electric vehicle (BEV) as part of Ford’s BEV test fleet. This specific car started life as a European production Focus ST, built in Germany in July.  The car was delivered to Ford in Dearborn, Mich., where engineers went to work, removing the traditional engine and gas tank and installing an entire electric powertrain – all in six weeks. With Recaro racing seats, a roll cage, a five-point racing harness and wearing a unique (and fitting) Electric Orange paint scheme, the battery electric Focus ST is ready for racing.

Thanks in part to the battery placement, the race-ready Ford Focus BEV has a nearly ideal 50/50 weight distribution for improved race track handling.  The front springs and dampers come from the performance-minded Ford Focus RS, a popular, high-performance European production model.  The rear dampers and springs are unique to Leno’s Focus BEV.

The car is specifically tuned to perform on the track built alongside “The Jay Leno Show” studio at NBC.  To help improve performance, Ford created a similar track at their proving ground in Michigan to test the vehicle so it would be ready to handle the tight turns.

Focus BEV coming 2011*

Besides an ability to perform on the track, the Ford Focus BEV boasts the impressive statistics of a conventional battery electric vehicle, with a range of nearly 80 miles on a charge and peak power of 141 horsepower (105 kilowatts).

The Focus BEV foreshadows many of the same systems that Ford will begin selling to consumers in an all-new electric Ford Focus, scheduled to go on sale in North America in 2011.

VEHICLE SPECS:

• Powertrain: permanent magnetic electric motor
• Power: 141 hp / 105 kw
• Torque: 236 lb.-ft. / 320 Nm
• Redline: 7500 rpm
• Batteries: 98, air-cooled, 60 A-h Lithium-ion batteries
• Capacity: 23 kilowatt hours
• Transmission: Single speed gearbox
• Steering: Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion
• Front suspension: Macpherson-type struts
• Rear suspension: Independent short-long arm (SLA), control blade multi-link system
• Brakes:  Front: 12.6 in / 320 mm ventilated discs, Rear: 11.0 in / 280 mm solid disc, Anti-lock system
• Wheelbase: 104 in / 2640 mm
• Overall length: 171.7 in / 4362 mm
• Overall height: 58.9 in / 1497 mm
• Overall width: 72.4 in / 1840 mm
• Curb weight: 3,421 lbs

There are 13 key technologies that set the battery electric Ford Focus apart from a traditional car. You can read about that technology in the diagram below, or click on the image to read the fact sheet on Scribd and see related information.

For more information, log on to www.thefordstory.com/green or www.thejaylenoshow.com.