We've all heard about solar PV panels, but that's not the be-all and end-all of technologies which could make buildings more efficient and less harmful to their environments. May I ask what else have folks got up their sleeves?

Dimensions of environmental friendliness

All good technical discussions start with a host of term definitions and context statements, so I'll attempt to start this one off on strong footing! I figure that anything which checks one or more of these checkboxes (reasoning included) works, but please feel free to colour outside of the lines -- this is just a kicking off point. Note that anti-ticking a checkbox is fine; everything has trade-offs, and sometimes paired solutions can negate each others' downsides. Magnitude is always a factor, too, since this field is rarely black and white.

(no need to bring receipts, mind; I'm sure we can keep this light hearted so as to avoid digging into comparative EPD critiques :3)

• Low embodied carbon (the kgCO2e emitted per a cradle-to-grave analysis (EPD, often) of a product),
• Low operational resource consumption (anything which works as well as an inefficient equivalent, but uses less energy/consumables -- LED vs. incandescent bulbs, heat pumps vs. nat gas furnaces, insulation vs. no insulation, etc.),
  • Includes water conservation, too!
• Durability over design life (per the Canadian Wood Council (they're ... a little biased), the median service life of buildings is <90 years, so adjust amortization periods accordingly),
  • Includes things like wildlife-urban interface-safe materials, as well as clay bricks and whatnot.
• Sustainability (if we can't do it for more than a century, let alone a few decades, it's probably not worth the sunk costs),
• Low environmental toxicity (no point trying to save the environment if it's all a toxic swamp afterwards),
• Supportive of local ecology (built environments tend to be biodiversity deserts -- cobblestone boulevards, brick walk ups, and tin roofs are hostile everything but pigeons and rats. Think native planting, green retaining walls, planted pavers, etc.).

(full disclosure: I'm probably going to borrow several of these at some point, so this is a half-discussion, half-I'm-outsourcing-my-research post 😅 hopefully that's acceptable ...)

This was something I was surprised to learn on a recent trip to the zoo. While the palm oil industry is absolutely wrecking a lot of our rainforests, and, most notedly, orangutans, boycotting all palm oil is actually worse for the environment because palm oil is the most land-efficient vegetable oil crop. It supplies 40% of global vegetable oil but only uses 6% of the land dedicated to oil production.

It's also extremely versatile because "it is semi-solid at room temperature so can keep spreads spreadable; it is resistant to oxidation so can give products a longer shelf-life; it’s stable at high temperatures so helps to give fried products a crispy and crunchy texture; and it’s also odourless and colourless so doesn’t alter the look or smell of food products."

The issue is who produces it and how, so it's only certain products that should be boycotted.

I'm sure the solution isn't as simple as "download this app," but the zoo I went to recommended using the PalmOil Scan app (produced under the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and led by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Chester Zoo, Auckland Zoo, Zoos SA and Mandai Wildlife Group). It's essentially only available in the Anglosphere (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States), but it tells you if the entire company meets their standards (but not individual products so users don't just boycott all palm oil).

We acknowledge that all companies that receive a rating are in different places on their journey to use 100% certified sustainable palm oil. We want to recognise those companies that are doing well and encourage those companies that need improvement. We hope that by creating this rating system we will accomplish this task and assist consumers with making the most educated shopping choices in regards to sustainable palm oil.

Companies are scored on a point structure and can earn a rating of Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, or No Commitment.

I'm sure a lot of Tilderianeses are conscious of this, so I wanted to share the information (and presumably get more info from someone who knows more).

So last night at around 11pm, my partner and I ended up with an European goldfinch - most likely a fledgling - sitting on our balcony, backed into a corner and in a total state of shock. My theory is that it couldn't fly properly, and hit the floor hard enough to cause a serious concussion, then tried to stay as safe as it could while it recovered.

We had zero idea how to handle the situation, and it was too late to call anyone, so we heeded the internet's advice and set up a safe shelter for it - a shoebox with some holes punched into it and a towel laid down, which we took inside and placed in a dim, quiet place, in hopes the bird was just lightly concussed and would be able to sleep it off.

That wasn't the case - in the morning we found the bird awake, huddled in the corner of the box, puffed up and unresponsive. I took the box outside next to a tree where some sparrows usually love to sit, and lifted the lid. After a few minutes it started looking around, but would not move from the corner of the box at all. I waited for 10 more minutes to see if it would try anything, and saw that it had no plans of leaving the box, so I covered it back up and took it back inside.

Plan B was to seek professional help immediately, and that's what I tried to do.

However, it turns out the Romanian government has no resources to rescue and treat injured wildlife. Unless it's large-scale animal abuse or environmental damage, there is no one to call.

So I turned to the NGOs and volunteer groups. I reached out to all the resources available in my area, hoping someone would have the time, capacity and desire to take the poor bird in and give it the help it desperately needed.

One doctor was unfortunately out of the country, and his clinic didn't have capacity to help, especially in his absence. A second doctor never returned my call or responded to my message.

I reached out to the emergency number of a wildlife rehabilitation center, and heard nothing for hours. I called a different center, and got a response, but their only contact in my area was the doctor that is currently out of the country; their center was 3 hours away by train, too stressful for both me and the bird. I called a veterinary clinic, and got a quote for ~25 euro, for a consultation with a spot at 2pm.

I then finally got an answer from the first rehab center, who asked me to try to take the bird outside again. However, at 1:30pm I checked the box, trying to follow the instructions I was given, and I was met with a bird that unfortunately passed away.

It really sucks - I tried to help this poor critter but there just aren't sufficient resources; wildlife is the least of the government's priorities, and NGOs by their nature are never sufficiently staffed nor have the funds and capacity to sustain the demand. Especially with the heatwaves hitting Europe, I'm sure my bird wasn't the only one having accidents this week.

Nobody is at fault here - it just was the wrong timing for everyone involved - but I can't help but feel guilty anyway.

I don't even know what the point of this post is besides to complain, and I guess to grieve a tiny soul that deserved more. Maybe we should all take a moment and appreciate the birds chirping outside. They're beautiful, and we should protect them as much as we can.

Rest in peace, little bird.

I feel like seeing dead birds was very rare before but it feels quite common this year. Maybe I'm just driving more in a different area this year and the rate was surprisingly low last year, but I really feel like I'm constantly seeing dead birds over the last few weeks.

I would like to learn more about environmental technology to protect Earth. Right now I am using Google Search, which is mostly bad results and not very educational, or nature documentaries, or too complicated for me. Can you please provide me with list of good YouTube channels to watch videos and websites to read about?

I am interested in greenhouse gas emission, electric car, solar panel and battery. I like animal but I do not want to read about their habitat. To learn about animal, I will watch documentary.