Oklahoma Tornadoes

Triple E's last post back in the beginning of May, Enter the Sandman, described what it was like to experience a tornado watch, and tornado warning.  The intent of that article was to provide a perspective on the effects of severe 'short-term' rainfall on a sustained drought, with the tornado commentary being related but not a centerpiece.  Then on the tragic day of May 20th, 2013, Moore, Oklahoma was hit by a devastating tornado just a few miles north of Triple E headquarters.  The hailstorm and tornado warnings of May 19th didn't make the news, but Triple E and every other Sooner in the Oklahoma City area was dodging hail up to the size of baseballs.

Hail (photo above) collected in Norman, OK on May 19th, 2013.  Former residential development (photo below) in Western Moore, OK taken on May 25th, 2013.

After the May 20th tornado many questions were directed to scientists from the midcontinent.  Are there geologic, hydrologic anomalies that could be related to strength of tornadoes in this part of the country, and could they be used to somehow engineer the landscape with a 'preventative' measure.  Interesting questions to consider, but while avoiding hail, taking shelter multiple times, and watching downpours in May, June and July...Triple E began to wonder two things:

Why is Triple E not on Twitter? If ever there was a time that it made sense to Tweet - it was in late May.  It would have been much easier for Triple E to message people around the world about the dynamic situation.

Did Triple E's statement 'We would need a two- to three-year period of higher-than-average precipitation to balance out the previous two to three dry years' hold water?

Triple E Agent Assignment:

Update the drought status after an historic tornado season...

So, what's the scoop?

Enter the Sandman - Drought Continues

It has been a wet year thus far in the mid-continent where Triple E is headquartered, but what does that mean on the heels of a 3-year drought?  Not what you may have heard in the throes of a recent severe storm event!

If you are not from the tornado belt of the United States this might be unfamiliar to you, so let me set the stage...a few weeks ago Triple E was watching the local weather channel because a cold front was colliding with a warm front to produce a line of nasty thunderstorms.  In the early evening hours 6 inches of rain fell in Lawton, OK over the course of about 4 hours and tornadoes touched down.

On these special nights Triple E is reminded of Metallica's lyrics for Enter the Sandman,  'Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight.'  That is what you must do: keep one eye on the local weather channel and be prepared to run to the tornado shelter at any moment.  Somewhere in between catching a few zzzs and being serenaded by the tornado siren, Triple E heard the weatherman declare that this storm was a 'drought buster.'  Wait, WHAT?

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Investigate the drought status and clarify any misconceptions about the health of our long-term water budget...

What is the real story?

Benefits of Recycling

As we pass the annual observation of Earth Day (Apr 22, 2013) Triple E wants to discuss some personal choices that will help to - as the Amazon banner expresses - Make Every Day Earth Day!  It might seem so cliché to write about recycling for an Environmental Landmark Day, but it so fits Triple E's agenda of energy, environment, and economics.  Recycling is a daily and personal choice that makes a big difference: save energy, reduce environmental waste, and create economic opportunity in your community.

San Francisco leads the US in recycling by diverting 80% of waste from landfills to recycling and compost centers, and has a goal of reaching zero waste by 2020.  Recycling and composting is not only good for our environment, it is also good for our economy, said San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee.  According to US EPA studies, recycling creates 10 times more jobs than simply sending refuse to the landfill.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Rediscover benefits of reduce, reuse, and recycle...

What does our recycling effort do for the energy, environment, and economic picture?

Postal Service Saturday Delivery

Maybe you heard?  In February, the US Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General announced a plan to end Saturday delivery of first-class mail starting in August.  Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahue justified this plan because it would result in an annual savings of 2 billion dollars without requiring employee layoffs.  The USPS would also stay committed to maintaining parcel delivery on Saturdays.

In it's 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP) the USPS calls itself a 'self-supporting agency that funds its operations from revenue generated by sales of products and services.'  This checks out since the annual revenue was about $70 billion, and the USPS received ~$100 million per year  (0.14% of annual budget) in the form of a 'reimbursement from Congress.'  You can see the declining numbers (e.g., revenue, mail volume, and career employees), increasing number (e.g., delivery points), and billions of dollars lost between 2007 and 2011 in the chart below (source: USPS 2012 SSPP). 

Faced with these figures, Triple E is surprised to hear that tradition and preservation of an 'American Icon' have taken precedence over common sense and good economics.  The Latest:  A short-term budget recently approved by Congress and the POTUS includes language requiring six days of delivery; therefore, the USPS has withdrawn plans to end Saturday delivery.  There is another component of the argument for ending Saturday delivery - Environmental Benefits - let's take a look.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Discuss fuel consumption trends by USPS transportation fleet and potential benefits of ending Saturday first-class mail delivery...

Is USPS on track to meet sustainability performance metrics?

10 Most Toxic Pesticides Found In Water

There are numerous pesticides used by industry and on the home-front as lawn care products, home treatments, or insect repellants.  Triple E examined 30 of the most commonly used pesticides with several questions in mind, two of which were:  (1) Which pesticides occur in the freshwater environment?  (2) Which commonly used pesticides are the greatest human health concerns?  By 'occurrence' - Triple E means that these compounds are now found in waters that would never naturally have detectable concentrations - they are synthetic (i.e., man-made) after all.

As discussed in a previous article (Put Kybosh on Pesticides), the acceptable daily intake (ADI) might be useful as a basis for showing which compounds pose the greatest threat.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Rank the top 10 most toxic pesticides, among a group of 30 commonly used, based on their acceptable daily intake...

Which pesticides are on the 10 least wanted list?

Put the Kybosh on Pesticides

A vast number of synthetic organic compounds have been produced for use as pesticides in the agricultural industry.  Pesticides include but are not limited to the sub-categories of herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide.  A pesticide is designed to kill a pest, obviously, and you can see from the root name of the sub-category which type of living organism is targeted.  The trouble is, most pesticides are non-selective.  In other words, many innocent bystanders (non-targeted 'pests') are also harmed in ways that cannot be anticipated (see DDT case history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT).  Pesticides are developed and approved for use long before the unintended consequences are realized.
Great controversies, such as the Proposed Ban in Europe and Bee Colony Collapse Disorder in the US, are brewing today over the use of neonicotinoids (sub-category of insecticide).  Concerns run far and wide, and they should, so let's look at some of the pesticide occurrence research.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Present classes of pesticides and delve into the classes that generally target insects...

What are the basics, according to research on Environmental Pollution?

No Preservatives BHT, BHA, TBHQ

Have you checked the ingredients for packaged foods in your pantry?  It seems that nearly all of them include a preservative.  Preserving the freshness of your food doesn't sound like a bad thing, but the synthetic organic chemicals (such as BHT, BHA, or TBHQ) used as preservatives are often shown to be harmful to your body.  When adequate toxicological studies have been completed an acceptable daily intake (ADI) is established for a food additive.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Discuss common food preservatives, and do some simple calculations to understand if a common dietary item puts your health at risk...

It is incredibly hard to eat a preservative free diet, but should you consider it?

Earth Hour 2013

What were you doing on March 23, 2013 between 8:30pm and 9:30pm local time?  Participating in Earth Hour 2013?  An event that encourages households and businesses to turn-off non-essential lights for one hour.  The goal is to recognize the need to take action on climate change.  Did you miss it?  If so, we are not checking our calendars or clocks.  Pick an hour, preferably a nighttime hour when you are normally using artificial lighting, and turn them off!

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Inspire readers to participate in Earth Hour 2013 and other upcoming environmental stewardship events...

Who in the world is participating in Earth Hour?

Ethanol or No Ethanol

Debate over biofuels has always been more about politics and economics than technology.  Consider for example, drought conditions in 2012 that brought attention to ethanol as a component of transportation fuel.  In this case, there was a call for Congress to suspend biofuel production 'goals' that were originally mandated to reduce US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  So, suspend our GHG emission goals in favor of lower food costs?

It gets very complicated very quickly, so rather than get mired in macro-economics that are beyond Triple E's understanding, let's examine the scientific and quasi-political components of the debate.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Present the pros and cons for using ethanol as a fuel additive or as a primary fuel...

What do you put first, personal economic gain/savings, environmental benefits, or the state of the union?

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the ENERGY STAR program in 1992 and has since partnered with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to promote energy efficiency.  The ENERGY STAR label is used on products that meet the energy efficiency standards of the program and may be found on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics and more.  Home-builders can also design and build homes to EPA standards, earning the ENERGY STAR label after inspection and certification.

One of the easiest ways to reduce household energy consumption is to replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Examine the return on investment for energy efficient light bulbs, and run test by monitoring single family home electricity consumption...

Is there a noticeable impact to electricity consumption after making these changes?

Water Management

After studying water issues for almost two decades, it is difficult to decide where to begin with the discussion of water.  Water is a major factor in energy, environment, and economic issues affecting all parts of the world.  Recent readings in Water: A Natural History by Alice Outwater have brought new insights to Triple E.  Outwater carefully describes how fur trading, the logging industry and agriculture evolved from the time North America was settled until the beginning of the new millennium.  Natural resource management or lack thereof substantially influenced water availability and water quality in the US.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Convey thoughts on history, natural resource management and water shortage in the US...

How does water relate to the rest of the natural world and how do we affect the trends in water availability or quality?

Smart Hours in Your State

Energy consumption (i.e., electricity use) per household varies substantially in the US, with the south-central and southeastern states consuming more electrical energy per month.

Average monthly electricity consumption (kWh per household), Source: EIA

Before proceeding on this topic any further it is useful to clarify a few terms.  Power can be expressed in units of kiloWatts (kW).  Most electrically powered devices will draw a relatively constant amount of power when being operated, such as a 60 watt (W) light bulb.  Energy can be expressed in units of kilowatt-hours (kWh) or as a 'rate' of power use.  For example, a 60 W light bulb operated continuously for 24-hours will consume 60 W x 24 hr = 1440 Wh or 1.44 kWh.  Only covering that as a pre-apology for any misuse of the terms by Triple E, units of measure are more important to keep track of than the terms.  For more explanation on electricity, go to How Stuff Works, here we will focus on the practical facts.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Chew on electricity consumption data, and identify options for greening up...

Why is there such variability in kWh per household? and what are the costs to the consumer?

Energy Independence?

The short-answer here is: the US is decreasing it's dependence on foreign oil.  The phrase 'Energy Independence' can be traced back to Richard Nixon, at a time when the US was relatively independent.  Today, the global economy and the 'American Energy Portfolio' is quite different than it was in the 1960s so the phrase implies something much different.  It has been used  to inspire patriotism, American ingenuity, or maybe just to conjur up fear in the hearts of voting members of the American public.  What is energy independence anyway?

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Examine history of oil consumption, production, and imports to the US...

What trends do we see in US energy consumption?

Brownfields Abound

Brownfields are former industrial, commercial, or other properties that are abandoned, idle or under used, and redevelopment is complicated by some form of environmental contamination. Such as the California water board site depicted in this photograph from the San Francisco Bay Area, CA (Source: www.waterboards.ca.gov). Re-use and redevelopment of a Brownfield site involves multiple steps that may include 1) Determine eligibility for state Brownfield program, 2) Receive state’s approval of site characterization work plan, 3) Complete site characterization including delineation of contamination, 4) Submit Brownfields clean-up proposal for public comment, 5) Gain approval for cleanup program, and 6) Complete remedial action.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Refer to sources of funds for revitalizing Brownfields and EPA guidance on risk-based cleanup...

What federal and state agencies regulate Brownfield and land revitalization?

Bioremediation and Phytoremediation

There are countless pieces of land that have been contaminated by agricultural, commercial, industrial, or other activities. After a site-specific characterization, remediation technologies may be used to clean-up surface soil, water, or subsurface media. Fortunately, natural or “bio” processes are often used and enhanced to aid in the clean-up.

Plants commonly used for phytoremediation (Source: ARS.USDA.gov photo gallery)

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Describe basics of bio- and phyto- remediation...

How is this 'emerging' technology or approach being used?

Stacking Up Green Funds

Every category of investment has under-performed over the last several years, so it is difficult to be excited about retirement planning.  Maybe a fresh approach is needed to keep it interesting and to get the portfolio going in a better direction.

Several years ago, Triple E adjusted retirement investments to include a greater proportion of funds featuring environmentally responsible organizations (aka Green Funds).  This was, in a sense, an alignment between heart and portfolio.  Because many Green Funds now have a 10-yr plus track record, it is time to revisit and compare them.

General strategies employed by Triple E when planning retirement investments: (1) start contributing to 401K, IRA, or SEP as soon as possible, (2) view retirement investment as a marathon not a sprint, (3) invest based on 5-yr to 10-yr past performance, (4) accept risk/volatility inversely proportional to age at time of investment, (5) consider no-load funds over funds with a load or service fees,  and (6) increase % of pre-tax income contributed each time you get a pay raise from employer. 

After a tour of many unnamed blogs and online articles, it was disappointing to see that performances were rarely reported.  Upon examination of the so-called 'Top Green Funds,' many were losing value faster than a typical index fund.  This is not to say that good ones aren't out there (see below), but rather a criticism of those writing articles without showing any data. 

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Locate promising Green Funds, summarize holdings and long-term performance...

Are there any salient Green Funds to consider?

Favorite Smart Phone App

When Ben Franklin said, "A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned," he probably was talking about the price difference for a dozen eggs from Merchant A versus Merchant B. However, the principle applies in any century and in any culture. Who doesn't like to save a dollar or Euro whenever possible?

Triple E was probably one of the last individuals to get a mobile phone. In fact, Triple E only became a cell phone user because the first was a 'paid-in-advance' gift. Come to think of it, the first Smart Phone was also a gift. Triple E didn't come around quickly, but after figuring out that the Smart Phone could be used to save money a new mission was created.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Implement app(s) on Smart Phone to save more than monthly service fee...

Which app is the most promising and straightforward for saving?

Smart Hours - Household Energy Use

Canada and the United States use far more energy per capita than most other regions of the world. China's energy use per capita is increasing dramatically, so the world's most populous country will be having an even greater impact on the world's resources and economy.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has studied the vastly different energy use and habits in various US states and regions. For example, EIA found that 70 percent of households in California versus 47 percent of households in Pennsylvania used energy-efficient light bulbs. Our rate of energy consumption is not sustainable, even energy providers know this so they are promoting renewable sources (such as wind power) and energy conservation programs.

Energy/electricity use by single-family homes, like that shown below, are not close to efficient.  Triple E is headquartered in Oklahoma and was consulted by the homeowner to reduce energy consumption and utility costs.  Customers served by a publicly traded energy company OG&E, such as these homeowners, are perfectly suited for Triple E to intervene.  

Electricity Use in December 2011

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Knock down baseline and overall energy consumption to efficient levels...

How does Triple E attack this problem?

Triple Bottom Line

Many organizations are striving to measure their performance using three dimensions: social, environmental, and financial or the so-called 'Triple Bottom Line'.  Financial performance is easily measured, and our ability to measure environmental performance has increased in recent years with such concepts as the 'Ecological Footprint' or carbon footprint.  Social performance seems to be the biggest unknown and will continue to be the most challenging to measure.  However, sustainability initiatives at any level are part of a social responsibility.  Each one of us needs to do our part, but where do we begin? and how do we get there?

As the inaugural post for Triple E Agent, let's establish where we are going with this.

Triple E Agent Assignment:
Relay information to readers in pursuit of Triple Bottom Line...

Relay in Progress,
Triple E.