Earth Day is here! Celebrated every April 22nd since 1970. The greenest day on the calendar will be observed by this post showing the merits and shortcomings of the trendy stainless steel water bottle. According to the paragon of journalism The New York Times, the shiny drinking cylinder takes its toll on the ecology of the planet during the manufacturing process, 300 grams of the non-leaching metal releases 14 times more greenhouse gas emissions than the petroleum based polyethylene water bottle, plus its a toxic environment for the workers producing the lustrous alloy. But wait, all is not lost for those of you on an enlightened sustainable path. By frequently using your metallic, quaffing canister (over 500 times) the environmental sins needed to manufacture the rust resistant heavy metal will be forgiven. Although the greenest method of water distribution for the masses is the humble water fountain, water cooler or “scuttlebutt” as the U.S. Navy prefers to call it. My favorite sidekick H2O hauler is the Klean Kanteen, headquartered in land locked Chino, California. The responsibly made sipper is BPA free, (Bisphenol A, developed as a synthetic estrogen in the 1930’s, low doses could cause cancer, immune system dysfunction, and other ailments to be avoided if at all possible.) It is also chic enough to be worn as a fashion statement for its clean lines and trendy color swatches. Let’s ring in Earth Day by shelving the plastic and sucking up to steel.

Climate change has also been a regular visitor to our national parks with the intention to stay for a while. The mixed bag of travelers brought on by the global warming bus includes a garden variety of invasive species called the Red Brome. This weed-like scrub thrives in the higher temps nourished by the increase CO2 in the atmosphere and is spreading much like the wildfires it feeds throughout the high desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. The Yucca Brevifolia, also known as the Joshua Tree, from which the park gets it’s name, could very well vanish over the next 100 years, according to Professor Kirsten Erin Ironside from Northern Arizona University and Dr. Ken Cole of the U.S. Geological Survey. Climate models from both experts show an alarming increase in temperatures affecting the long term health of the living iconic landmark. According to Michael Cipra of the National Parks Conservation Association, (NPCA), if the lanky tree goes by the wayside, so will all the animals which use it as a “living hotel.” Another national park which will see great changes made by humanities exhaust will be Glacier National Park, in less than 20 years all the glaciers will become small enough to be made into margaritas. Reducing the emissions which contribute to hotter summers sure seems the way to go, that’s if your interested in renewing your national park’s annual pass.

Twister, wall cloud, cyclone, call it what you want, on May 4th 2007 one of the highest recorded winds ever produced from a tornado struck the small town of Greensburg, Kansas. The storm was nearly off the scale, a class EF-5 tornado, called by the National Severe Storms Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The hurricane like winds well over 210 mph, leveled 95% of the town structures and took the lives of eleven people. That was about two years ago, now the town is living up to its name. The rebirth of the farming community has taken a green approach of sustainability with a renewable sense of energy production and conservation. From platinum LEED’s , (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), certified public buildings, a futuristic Arts Center with solar panels, wind turbines and a green glass facade to city hybrid fleet vehicles, Greensburg is setting an example of green collar mindfulness Al Gore would be jealous of. A steady parade of journalists, The Discovery Channel, bloggers of all shapes and forms and also your environmentally concerned tourists flood Greensburg to see what the earth friendly buzz is about. The call for an unconventional energy path is getting louder with every rebuilt home using bamboo flooring to solar panels. The newly under-construction city hall is making use of sustainable technologies in tandem with the application of recycled materials for rebuilding the public recreation areas fallen victim to the killer tornado. We all need to give Greensburg two very high green thumbs-up for showing us all an alternative path to follow.

Motoring madness has met its match. The United States has long since been considered a ‘petroleum playground’ with urban moms cruising down the road in an empty Chevy Suburban with a carrying capacity of a small village in Africa. According to the The Seattle Times, the governors of  California, Oregon and Washington are lobbying to create a “green freeway” along the western coast of the U.S. spanning 1,382 miles. This heavily used blacktop is to be serviced by alternative fueled stations. These green pit stops would have pumps providing ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, and even hydrogen pumps to service cars like the Honda FCX Clarity, a newly introduced hydrogen fuel cell motoring marvel,  getting a whopping 74 mpg, (according to the Honda Motor Company), when compared to 20 mpg for the Chevy Suburban fossil fuel burner. The stations would also carry swappable batteries and charging stations for those buzzing about in electrical cars. When will this futuristic renewable Route 66 begin? Washington state will be first at the starting line, with Oregon and California drafting closely behind this coming summer.

Here’s a toast to the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and to one of the greatest civil leaders of all time, Abraham Lincoln. The British adventurer/biologist who brought us the controversial On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, inspired by his travels on the HMS Beagle throughout South America, especially The Galapagos Islands. “Mysteries of Mysteries” a quote coined by Mr. Darwin in awe of the bio diversity of the islands, as he swept through the archipelago 174 years ago and gave his weary sea legs a brief break from his long journey from England. Nowhere in the world can the 168 plants unique to the islands be found on the planet. Unfortunately 60 percent of those are close to extinction, not to mention many of the iconic animal species, like Darwin’s Galapagos Mouse which became extinct in 1996. Currently two of the most formidable environmental obstacles for the island chain are ecotourism, (173,000 visitors in 2008, according to the Galapagos Conservancy), and invasive species brought over from settlers looking for work from the mainland of Ecuador. Darwin once wrote it was difficult to pitch a tent due to the scurrying land iguanas competing for space. Now between the black rats and other feral mammals hitching a ride from a steady stream of shipping, there’s plenty of room to even build a golf course. Scientists at the Charles Darwin Research Station at Santa Cruz Island, are working tirelessly to limit the damage wrought on by humanities incomprehension and avarice. By preserving Darwin’s great find of Galapagos we may very well save our own origins.

Unplugged and far off the grid, the residents of Slab City, aka Slabbers, make their home on the far eastern side of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley of California. The former World War II military base, (Camp Dunlap), is home to over 500 residents, (according to the Slab City Newsletter), mainly during the winter. An eclectic mix of tenants from snowbirds squatting in their $200.000 RV’s to footloose, tent packing, hitch hikers make this 141 feet below sea level desert their home. The nearby Chocolate Mountains echo the blasts of USMC aircraft pulverizing the surrounding hills with an assortment of munitions during practice runs for the distant landscapes of the Middle East. The unfazed Slabbers have grown accustom to the almost daily thunder under clear skies. With no rent due and zero utility bills to worry about, solar panels, solar ovens and other off-grid methods are used to ease the wild west environ. The other side of the coin, no trash or waste disposal services available for Slab City residents, they have to resorted to burning, dumping or hauling. A long term air quality and ecological challenge, even for the crusty, off-grid nomads and long term Slabbers.