"Most people work 40-plus hours a week at jobs they don't like to buy things they don't need"
NYT 6/24/07
Stop buying things made in China and also things with plastic packaging. Tell stores you do not want those plastic bags and bring your own.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
Rules of the road from the Vatican
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/20451.php?index=20451&po_date=19.06.2007&lang=it
----------
Drivers’ “Ten Commandments”
61. In any case, with the request for motorists to exercise virtue, we have drawn up a special “decalogue” for them, in analogy with the Lord’s Ten Commandments. These are stated here below, as indications, considering that they may also be formulated differently.
I.
You shall not kill.
II.
The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
III.
Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
IV.
Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
V.
Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
VI.
Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII.
Support the families of accident victims.
VIII.
Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX.
On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X.
Feel responsible towards others.
----------
Drivers’ “Ten Commandments”
61. In any case, with the request for motorists to exercise virtue, we have drawn up a special “decalogue” for them, in analogy with the Lord’s Ten Commandments. These are stated here below, as indications, considering that they may also be formulated differently.
I.
You shall not kill.
II.
The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
III.
Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
IV.
Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
V.
Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
VI.
Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII.
Support the families of accident victims.
VIII.
Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX.
On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X.
Feel responsible towards others.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
A Target we don't need
Target Corp would like to build a new "Super Target" store on the southwest corner of Normandale Blvd and Old Shakopee Rd. The proposed "hypermart" would include a full-fledged grocery store in addition to all of the other stuff that you'd find at a regular Target. According the the Institute of Traffic Engineers' "Trip Generation Manual" a big-box retail store of this size (168,000 sq ft) would be expected to generate over 9,000 additional car trips per day from across a very wide market area.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Bloomington Sustainability Ideas
From: Terry R. Houle
June 17, 2007
To: Concerned Bloomington Citizenry
RE: Sustainability in Bloomington
Following are some brainstorming ideas for Bloomington, MN to become a more sustainable and caring community. Some ideas may already of been started, or implemented to some degree. These can possibly be improved upon or more widely publicized so the citizenry is aware of them.
This list is derived from input of various caring voters. It will be added to and re-distributed.
∑ Using solar panels
∑
∑ Buying hybrid vehicles,
∑
∑ Discontinuing irrigation,
∑
∑ Fertilizers and pesticides,
∑
∑ Installing green roofs,
∑
∑ Utilizing pervious parking lots in our parks,
∑
∑ Buying better street sweepers that pick up the "fine particles" to prevent phosphorous-rich silt from getting in our lakes,
∑
∑ Educating residents about rain gardens and establishing a test site in our parks.
∑ Since Gov. Pawlenty is all over global warming issue with a committee and legislation, possibly the city can just adopt state's initiatives and use those as guidelines for CO2 reduction?
∑ The city website on Environment is very lacking
Create one on sustainability as kind of one stop shopping and let people know ideas and what the city is doing
∑ Don’t believe Sustainability Metrics have been added to city web site.
-City should set example-Goal is 80% reduction by 2050.
∑ Create a permanent subcommittee on sustainability
∑ Make it tactical goals that need implementation NOW and not 2030.
∑ Consider trolley lines that can be established more quickly than a light rail.
∑ More buses across town to get you to a transit hub or transfer point.
∑ Expanded use of BE Line, or equivalent.
∑ Park and Ride lots like the one along 494 in front of Best Buy Headquarters.
∑ Work with the voters vs. developers.
∑ No more buildings approved until the transportation infrastructure is in place first.
∑ Sustentative bikeways that are not just for recreation.
∑ Use govdelivery.com like other cities (Mpls/Shoreview…) to push info to people rather than having a pull approach.
Reference
Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group
http://www.mnclimatechange.us/index.cfm
Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group
Teleconferences and Documents
http://www.mnclimatechange.us/Transportation_Land_Use.cfm
June 17, 2007
To: Concerned Bloomington Citizenry
RE: Sustainability in Bloomington
Following are some brainstorming ideas for Bloomington, MN to become a more sustainable and caring community. Some ideas may already of been started, or implemented to some degree. These can possibly be improved upon or more widely publicized so the citizenry is aware of them.
This list is derived from input of various caring voters. It will be added to and re-distributed.
∑ Using solar panels
∑
∑ Buying hybrid vehicles,
∑
∑ Discontinuing irrigation,
∑
∑ Fertilizers and pesticides,
∑
∑ Installing green roofs,
∑
∑ Utilizing pervious parking lots in our parks,
∑
∑ Buying better street sweepers that pick up the "fine particles" to prevent phosphorous-rich silt from getting in our lakes,
∑
∑ Educating residents about rain gardens and establishing a test site in our parks.
∑ Since Gov. Pawlenty is all over global warming issue with a committee and legislation, possibly the city can just adopt state's initiatives and use those as guidelines for CO2 reduction?
∑ The city website on Environment is very lacking
Create one on sustainability as kind of one stop shopping and let people know ideas and what the city is doing
∑ Don’t believe Sustainability Metrics have been added to city web site.
-City should set example-Goal is 80% reduction by 2050.
∑ Create a permanent subcommittee on sustainability
∑ Make it tactical goals that need implementation NOW and not 2030.
∑ Consider trolley lines that can be established more quickly than a light rail.
∑ More buses across town to get you to a transit hub or transfer point.
∑ Expanded use of BE Line, or equivalent.
∑ Park and Ride lots like the one along 494 in front of Best Buy Headquarters.
∑ Work with the voters vs. developers.
∑ No more buildings approved until the transportation infrastructure is in place first.
∑ Sustentative bikeways that are not just for recreation.
∑ Use govdelivery.com like other cities (Mpls/Shoreview…) to push info to people rather than having a pull approach.
Reference
Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group
http://www.mnclimatechange.us/index.cfm
Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group
Teleconferences and Documents
http://www.mnclimatechange.us/Transportation_Land_Use.cfm
Traffic in Twin Cities
As I drove around the South and West metro on my Friday off on 15 June 2007 the traffic was unbelievable. Congestion all over and some times only moved at 20mph on these "Freeways". This is during the day when there should not be issues. I look at the lines of vehicles and think all the CO2 we are putting into our air.
The problem is there has not been the foresight to build a transportation system for mass transit.
As I get back to Bloomington I think of all the new buildings going up that are not even occupied. City fathers and mothers just think about the dollars and don't care what they will leave for future generations except a bunch of buildings. They think in 2030 the transportation system will be ok. Very very sad.
Some of the buidlings.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Air Pollution Health Advisory
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an Air
Pollution Health Advisory because of high ozone levels for the Twin
Cities metro area and communities northward of the Twin Cities including
St. Cloud and Brainerd for today June 13 and Thursday June 14.
High pressure located over Minnesota will lead to warm temperatures,
sunny skies and enhanced ozone formation today and tomorrow. In
addition, light southerly winds will bring moisture and pollutants to
the region, increasing fine particle production. These conditions will
result in high-end Moderate (95 AQI) to potentially low-end Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups levels (100 AQI) on both days.
Ozone levels usually build in the morning and peak in the late afternoon
and early evening. Advisories are issued when the AQI levels reach or
are forecasted to reach the 90s, which is near the threshold that is
unhealthy for sensitive groups with respiratory, cardiovascular and
heart conditions, as well as senior citizens, children and physically
active adults.
Sensitive groups should avoid vigorous or prolonged exercise especially
in the afternoon and early evening when ozone levels will be the
highest. Others, including athletes and other healthy adults should
consider reducing or postponing heavy exertion (play shorter games, walk
instead of run, rotate players more frequently, etc.). Moving indoors to
an air conditioned environment will reduce ozone exposure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION DURING THIS ALERT:
* reduce driving when possible and don't idle your vehicle engine
(vehicle exhaust contributes to ozone formation)
* postpone use of lawnmowers and other small gas or diesel engines
* postpone use of paints or solvents which promote ozone formation
* postpone recreational fires
To learn more or to check hourly updates of the AQI, visit:
http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/
Pollution Health Advisory because of high ozone levels for the Twin
Cities metro area and communities northward of the Twin Cities including
St. Cloud and Brainerd for today June 13 and Thursday June 14.
High pressure located over Minnesota will lead to warm temperatures,
sunny skies and enhanced ozone formation today and tomorrow. In
addition, light southerly winds will bring moisture and pollutants to
the region, increasing fine particle production. These conditions will
result in high-end Moderate (95 AQI) to potentially low-end Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups levels (100 AQI) on both days.
Ozone levels usually build in the morning and peak in the late afternoon
and early evening. Advisories are issued when the AQI levels reach or
are forecasted to reach the 90s, which is near the threshold that is
unhealthy for sensitive groups with respiratory, cardiovascular and
heart conditions, as well as senior citizens, children and physically
active adults.
Sensitive groups should avoid vigorous or prolonged exercise especially
in the afternoon and early evening when ozone levels will be the
highest. Others, including athletes and other healthy adults should
consider reducing or postponing heavy exertion (play shorter games, walk
instead of run, rotate players more frequently, etc.). Moving indoors to
an air conditioned environment will reduce ozone exposure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION DURING THIS ALERT:
* reduce driving when possible and don't idle your vehicle engine
(vehicle exhaust contributes to ozone formation)
* postpone use of lawnmowers and other small gas or diesel engines
* postpone use of paints or solvents which promote ozone formation
* postpone recreational fires
To learn more or to check hourly updates of the AQI, visit:
http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/
Sunday, June 10, 2007
8200 Lake Normandale Tower
The Bloomington City Council voted on June 4, 2007 to approve the new 8200 Lake Normandale Tower final development plan. I think it was like 1/4 million square feet. In my personal opinion our city council is being led again by developers rather than serve their constituency. This just will create more vehicles and traffic. Each one of those pollution machines (vehicles) will put more carbon dioxide in our air.
They succumbed to money and developers as usual. Thank to Councilmember Elkins being the only “NO” vote. They just don’t seem to get it, in my opinion, yet and I guess that is why we have elections.
Mayor Winstad has indicated that by building they were being good “stewards”. This is the way the city is headed with urban centers and they had to figure out transportation issues. The Mayor and I have different definitions of what being a good “steward" is.
They succumbed to money and developers as usual. Thank to Councilmember Elkins being the only “NO” vote. They just don’t seem to get it, in my opinion, yet and I guess that is why we have elections.
Mayor Winstad has indicated that by building they were being good “stewards”. This is the way the city is headed with urban centers and they had to figure out transportation issues. The Mayor and I have different definitions of what being a good “steward" is.
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