Making the Connections to Stop Global Warming
In America, the average citizen uses 11,400 watts of power continuously. In the rest of the world, the average person burns just 2,255. This disparity has huge consequences for global warming.

Every decision we make has an impact, although we may not realize how large that impact is. This article addresses both the larger and the individual implications of our actions and goes on to also address what we can do about it. More …

Take Me Out to the (Green) Ballgame
The first green ballpark in the US will be the one where the “Nationals” play, appropriately enough. The stadium, which received an LEED from the US Green Building Council will open on March 29th for a night game.

Erected on a brownfield - formerly contaminated land - the stadium has several energy-saving features such as water-conserving plumbing and air-chillers instead of water-chillers for concession stands. The ballpark’s owners hope that the green elements of the stadium will inspire sports fans to make similar changes to help the environment in their homes and businesses. More…

And Yet Another Reason to Carpool
Air inside cars contains PDBE’s from fire-retardant finishes applied to cushions, car seats, even navigation systems, researchers have found. Newer cars contained more of the substances, which can have a detrimental effect on health.

Cleaning your car’s interior may help decrease these substances, because they may be concentrated in the dust that most of us can see on our car’s dashboard and door panels. More …

Green Buildings Are Not White Elephants
A common perception is that green buildings are harder to sell and sell for less than conventional buildings - if you can even find a buyer at all. Not true according to CoStar which evaluated 1,300 LEED and Energy Star Compliant buildings.

Not only do the buildings sell, they sell for much, much more per square foot than conventional buildings. The study’s author is convinced that conventional buildings will be obsolete, while green buildings will be so popular that buyers will have to compete for them. More …

Sanford Florida Will Soon Be Sludge-Powered
Sewage treatment isn’t a subject that most people would associate with renewable energy. But in Sanford, it’s soon going to be a big topic as the town’s solid waste is turned into fuel for equipment that now uses natural gas. Cost savings will be 9 million over the next 5 years, according to the developers.

This technology is already being used in Europe and, if Sanford’s project is successful, may eventually provide a cheaper more environmentally responsible way to clean up after ourselves all over the US. More …

Southern California Edison (SCE) announced it’s lauch of what will the the largest solar installation in the USA.  The project will install 250 Megawatts of solar panels using 65 million sq. ft. of roof space on the companies buildings.  The project should provide power to over 162,000 homes and will cost about $875 million over 5 years.  The project requires approval by the state utility regulator, which appears to be a formality. 

“The scale of this project is unprecedented,” said Mike Peevey, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president. “It clearly illustrates once again Edison’s leadership position in the development of new renewable technology.”

The projects will be focused on San Bernardino and Riverside counties and will add capacity at the rate of 1 Megawatt a week.  The SCE spokesperson pointed out that this new capacity will located and connected to local power stations. Generating power nearer to the customer not only reduce losses from transmission but reduces the strain on SCE’s entire network.

The Bands Play On With Solar Power
Powering a big outdoor music festival takes a lot of power. Using biodiesel generators cut down on the energy drain, but the noise almost drowned out the music. Enter Firefly, a non-profit company that has come up with a better way to keep the music playing: Solar Power.

Of course, solar is only good while the sun is shining, which can be a problem in the UK where Firefly is located. Britain has its share of gray days, but the Orion Solar Generator can handle it with backup batteries, which will also let audiences dance all night. More …

The Biggest Green Building in the World Isn’t A New One
It’s big enough to have its own zip code and is 78 years old. Unlike the new, energy-efficient towers on the Chicago skyline, the Merchandise Mart was built in the days when energy was cheap and no one worried about how much cold or hot air leaked in through the window frames. Now though, after over three years of retrofitting everything from the windows to the motors that power the elevators, the building has been retrofitted until it’s green enough for the Guinness Book of World Records! More …

Ice Shelf Breakup Is Sign Of Accelerated Global Warming
Scientists were shocked by news that the Wilkins Ice Shelf is literally hanging by a thin strip of ice. Although it had been expected that the event would occur, best estimates were that it would happen decades from now. There is a consensus amongst scientists that this is a clear indication that global warming is occurring much faster than even the alarmists predicted.

Obviously, winning the battle to stop global warming is even more critical now and every effort must be made to fight it. While the scientists monitor the Antarctic Ice Shelf, everyone must increase their efforts to slow the melting. More …

Wind Power Is Built Into This Innovative Atrium Building
The same team who built the Pearl River Tower, where the face of the building funnelled wind into two large turbines, will be building the Clean Technology Tower. In this new design, the wind will be directed from the four corners of the building into smaller turbines at each corner.

In addition, the space will be cooled by the negative pressure of the turbines and has solar cells on its roof to help power the offices, retail space, hotel and spa that the building will contain. Construction is slated to start soon in Chicago. More …

Soot Is Carbon Too
Particulate matter in the form of soot from burning solid fuel has a greater impact than was thought on global warming. Reducing it would have a big effect on health as well as the environment. Particulates are small enough to lodge in lungs and cause respiratory disease, as well as block sunlight from reaching the earth and prevent greenhouse gas from escaping the earth’s atmosphere.

On the brighter side, scientists believe that reducing soot would quickly have a positive impact on global warming. More …

10 Million Dollar Prize for Green Supercar
The X Prize Foundation is offering a prize of $10 million for a car that gets 100 miles to the gallon. The catch is that the car has to be commercially viable, not a concept car. Surprisingly, no major car companies are among the 60 teams that have signed up for the challenge.

Tesla Motors is probably the best known of the contenders who also include university and even high school teams. The prize will be awarded in 2009. The X Prize Foundation is the group that awarded the $10 million dollar prize for the first private group to fly into space. More…

Food Industry Execs Latest to Criticize Ethanol Production
At a meeting in Chicago recently, top food industry executives complained that rising costs of corn are causing hardship for livestock producers and bakers. Record prices for grain, however, are making grain producers very happy.

The meetings attendees made it plain that they feel that lawmakers need to reconsider subsidies for ethanol production or even consider capping production, before it starts to have an impact on consumers in the form of higher food prices for everything from breakfast cereal to meat. More…

Using Nature’s Way to Create More Efficient, Cheaper Solar Cells
Photosynthesis is nature’s process for turning the sun’s energy into energy that can be used by plants, bacteria and other organisms that contain cholophyll. Researchers used this technology to create the a type of solar cell, which uses dye-sensitive cells made of substances other than silicon, such as titanium dioxide.

If solar cells can be produced without silicon, they can be made more cheaply and can be made into flexible panels or - with more innovation - even painted onto panels. More…

Does the Mercury in Compact Floursecent Bulbs Outweigh Their Energy Efficiency?
If you break a Compact Flourescent Bulb, the EPA has an 11 step cleanup procedure you should follow to protect yourself from the mercury contained inside each bulb. It’s only a tiny bit and getting smaller as the bulbs are improved, but it can still contaminate air, water and furnishings if it’s not disposed of properly.

So should we be using these bulbs at all in our homes and businesses? Does the average person even realize that the bulbs contain mercury that needs to be handled correctly for safety’s sake? More…

US Postal Service Will Help Recycle For Free
The USPS has teamed with Clover Technologies to offer free postage for consumers who want to recycle small electronic items like ink cartridges, mp3 players, PDAs and more. The service will have a trial run in several major cities and will expand nationally if it’s a success.
The USPS already has a lightbulb recycling service in place and has instituted many internal programs to help the environment.  More…

Subaru To Test EV in NY This Summer
In conjunction with the New York Power Authority, Subaru plans to test its R1e Electric Vehicle this summer. Along with the announcement at the New York Auto Show later in March, Subaru will provide two test vehicles to display throughout the show.

Subaru uses a quick charge lithium ion battery that allows charging of partially charged batteries, unlike the older lithium ion battery. This means that the car’s batteries can be recharged up to 80% in as little as 15 minutes. Subaru Will Evaluate The R1e EV in the US This Summer.

Wind Power Should Be Used For Computers, Expert Says
Professor Andy Hopper thinks that wind and solar power should be used to power computers from remote locations where servers could be powered without using the national grid. Hopper’s ideas also include locating the servers close to wind farms that are “going full tilt” as he puts it. In his view, this would do a lot toward separating the power intensive computers from household power needs. Computers Should Be Powered By Wind

Electronics Recycling Is Getting Closer, But Slowly
The Product Stewardship Council is just one of the parties interested in the future of electronic waste recycling. The framework for a bill to regulate electronic recycling is making the rounds of manufacturers, environmentalists, the EPA, national and state legislators, with requests for comments.
So far, the PSC has weighed in with its view that electronic recycling won’t be effective unless there is a mandate from the government. Electronics Recycling Bill Grinding Its Way Toward Consensus.

Hybrid and Electric Cars Could Negatively Impact Water Supplies Without Switch to Renewable Fuels
A new study proposes that hybrid and electric cars’ power demands could threaten water supplies in drought-prone areas, if fossil fuels are used to create that power. While the headline seems daunting at first glance, to some environmentalists this only means that new, renewable sources of power generation will be needed in future to meet the demands of new green technology. Thirsty Hybrid And Electric Cars Could Triple Demands On Scarce Water Resources.

Sun Baked Oven an Alternative to Grills
Even in Canada in the winter, Stephen Kerr’s Sun Baked Oven solar cooker will work to grill your burger or warm up a cup of coffee. As a matter of fact, because of its parabolic structure, the unit actually works better in the winter.

Kerr admits that you’ll still need a backup source for cooking on cloudy days or after the sun goes down, but the Sun Baked Oven is still a good way to get away from cooking all of your meals with carbon-based technology. Here’s an Interview With the Solar Cooking Chef.

Over the last few months i’ve read a great number of articles on global warming, carbon offsets and carbon trading.  One of the most unbelieveable facts that i’ve found, is the marketing efforts of the Flat Earth Society, AKA Right Wing America to deny that global warming is occuring.  Well if not for the long history of this groups opposition to any scientific fact that doesn’t meet Right Wing dogma, this campaign would be shocking.  Today, the only thing shocking is the number of so called “educated” Americans who base their scientific opinions on what they are told by Rush Limbaugh, a man who says “nature has an infinite ability to cleanse itself”, and other equally stupid statements on the environment.

The Anti-Science crowd takes pride in denying facts such as: global temperatures are rising, carbon dioxide levels are rising, the seas are rising and for most of the last 40 years denying that smoking causes cancer.  Yes these IQ monsters spent years denying a link between cigarettes and cancer with the pithy, yet stupid comment: “it’s only statistical evidence”. When most have clearly never studied statistics, let alone understands the science.

Yes these are the same people who 500 years ago begged Columbus to stay home lest he fall off the edge of the planet.  The people who killed others for saying the Earth revolves around the sun.  The ones who decided that swans were created from barnacles on ships and that hauled John Scopes into court for teaching evolution.  Yes these are folks who feel their religious beliefs trump science and the rest of us need to yield to their beliefs.  These so called religious people can’t believe that their god would create a universe based on the laws of physics and create life that evolves and adapts over long periods of time.  I guess their god doesn’t have the rational thinking needed to creat such wonders?  Maybe they’re just narrow thinkers, followers of uninformed leaders.

When it comes to global warming, it’s certainly reasonable to debate how much man has contributed to this problem and what can be done to fight it, but to deny the fact that it exists and is getting worse is to uninformed or dishonest.  Will all those who disbelieve, please swap land with those living near or below sea level?  Now that’s a solution to global warming — LOL.

Domestic Carbon Offsets To Be Introduced By Britain’s Government
Hotel chains, banks, supermarkets and other energy-intensive businesses will have to buy carbon credits under a mandatory plan being introduced by the British government. Along with $61 million dollars in low-interest loans for energy-efficiency projects for small businesses, the carbon credit plan is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by four million tons by 2020.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) is designed to show that the government is serious about cutting CO2 emissions and also includes all central government departments and local authorities in its efforts. Planet Ark has more on this at UK To Introduce Domestic Carbon Emissions Trading.

Green Jobs Are a Bright Spot in Midst of US Bad Economic News
Installing wind turbines, assembling solar panels, making homes and businesses more energy efficient - it’s all good. And it’s all contributing to a growing green economy which is flourishing, in contrast to the rest of the American economy which is stagnant or worse.

At a recent conference hosted by The Sierra Club and the Steelworkers Union in Pittsburgh, PA, “900 people from business, government, the nonprofit sector, academia and trade unions met to discuss ways of increasing jobs in the environmental sector” as reported in “Green” Energy Demand Means More Jobs from Reuters.

Recycling Electric Car Batteries
A common misconception is that electric car batteries - known as Electrical Storage Systems or ESS - contain toxic substances and therefore can’t be recycled. At least in the case of Tesla’s ESS, the truth is very different. The ESS units are assembled in Japan, a country with very strict environmental standards for manufacturing. Even better, they contain no lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBBs or PBDEs.

Kurt Kelty from Tesla Motors addressed the recycling issue and more in Tesla Motor’s blog with “Mythbusters Part 3: Recycling Our Non-Toxic Battery Packs.

Scotland to Create World’s First Wave Farm
With sausage-shaped buouys and the help of General Electric, Scotland hopes to be producing enough electricity to power a city the size of Seattle within a few years. Although the project is still in the planning stage, there is already great interest in this ambitious plan to harness the power of waves.

If successful, it will no doubt lead the way to more wave farms off the coasts of many countries where the ocean’s constant movement can be used to power generators in the same way that the sun and wind can be used. Read more at Wave Farm Destined for Scottish Waters at Green Tech Gazette.

Windy City Cools Off With Overheard Gardens
Anyone who has been on top of a black, shingled or tar-papered roof in the summer knows that they’re unbearably hot. As a matter of fact, one Chicago rooftop measured a stifling 152 degrees in the summer. However, the rooftop next to it on Chicago City Hall measured 74 degrees - the same as the air temperature.

The difference between the roofs was that the one over City Hall has a garden planted on it. Over the past seven years, the rooftop garden project has been quietly bringing a green revolution to the Windy City. Based on its success, it won’t be long before cities across the country are planting rooftop gardens to cool their buildings and the city air. Read about how, In Chicago, a secret garden cools a concrete jungle at AFP.

Gulf Dead Zone Would Get Bigger With Corn-Based Ethanol Production
Local fisheries and the crawfish and shrimp industries would suffer if more corn is grown to fuel ethanol production in the United States. The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone, where crustaceans and fish fail to survive, already covers 7,700 square miles.

In order to shrink the Dead Zone, nitrogen levels will have to decrease, which is exactly the opposite of what will happen if corn production is increased. The already struggling fishing industry would be devastated, scientists say in Corn-Based Ethanol Could Worsen “dead zone”.

Army’s Trash Will Produce Electricity in Iraq
One of the most dangerous missions for US convoys in Iraq, is when they go to fetch diesel fuel for generators. To reduce the number of trips, two biorefineries will soon be using trash to power the generators. The refineries are 90% efficient and could also be set up near hospitals to provide temporary power in emergencies.

Purdue University worked with the Department of Defense to develop the refineries, which may someday be used for non-military applications. Read Army to Turn Trash Into Power in Iraq.

Futurists Predict That Solar Will Lead Renewable Energy Race Two Decades From Now
The man who predicted the fall of the Soviet Union and the explosive growth of the Internet, is convinced that solar power will be meeting 100 percent of our energy needs in twenty years.Ray Kurzweil, an inventor and author, was part of a panel convened by the National Association of Engineers.

While solar and wind power are now supplying only one percent of our needs, Kurzweil says that the use of solar energy is doubling every two years, which means that it will be multiplied by 1,000 in twenty years, thus fulfilling all of our energy needs. The panel also addressed other challenges of the 21st century which you can read about at Solar Power to Rule in Twenty Years Futurists Say.

Greener Concrete is Needed to Cut CO2 Emissions
Although manufacturing concrete is a relatively efficient process compared to other building materials, its manufacture and transportation accounts for five to ten percent of global CO2 emissions. A big part of the problem is that there’s just so much of it. About 2.4 billion tons in 2006.

Some concrete makers are experimenting with using organic materials in place of the cement that is the main pollutant in concrete. One manufacturer has even come up with concrete that removes pollution. Read Industry Scrambles to Find Greener Concrete to learn more about how the industry is addressing the environmental challenges of this ubiquitous material.

How To Save the Earth on a Budget
One of the most common complaints about environmentalism, is that it’s expensive. Organic food, recycling bins and eco-chic clothes can really add up. And what about all those donations to save the polar bears?

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to go green. There are several things you can do at little or no cost to help the planet and its inhabitants. Here are Six Cheapskate Ways To Help the Earth at Gimundo.

I’m proud to announce a new venture, A Little Green Book, llc. a book publishing company.  A Little Green Book is planned as a series of pocket size paperbacks on a variety of green topics.  Our first two books, authored by Pink Hat and myself are available now at Lulu.com.  We are currently printing our first edition, which will be more widely available by mid April.  A Little Green Book is committed to bring green bloggers to print and the mainstream book business.

My book, is A Little Green Book of Environmental Quotes and Comments, presents about 120 famous quotes on nature and the environment, with comments from me.  This is not a scholarly work, but more of a conscienceness raising tool; a way for people to think about the environment using the quotes and comments to fuel discussion.  I hope those who buy it will enjoy it.

Pink Hat’s book is A Little Green Book of Organic Gardening Tips, which puts together about 125 tips for gardening with a … greener thumb?  This book presents a different tip on everypage, on topics ranging from planting location, feeding and maintaining your plants.  As the spring attempts to make it’s presence felt, grab a copy of this gardening book and let us know what you think.

 Please join us in celebrating our move into publishing and thanks for your ongoing support.

Riverstar Can Power a Home or a Village
Hydro-power is clean, abundunt and a good alternative to fossil fuels, except for the dam problem. Damming rivers to produce hydroelectric power can be harmful to the river’s ecology, fish and mammals. But what if hydroelectric power could be produced without dams?

What if one small, generator - light enough to be handled by one average-sized human being - could power a riverside home or a remote African village located on a river or stream? Bourne Energy’s Riverstar does just that. As long as the river runs, the Riverstar will continue to generate clean, dependable energy without upsetting the ecological balance or placing construction on the river bottom. Gizmag has more at Bourne Energy’s Riverstar: a fresh approach to hydropower.

Blowing in the Wind: Leaves that produce solar and wind power
Teresita and Samuel Cochran are a brother and sister who have teamed up to produce an innovative technology. Their “leaves”, attached to buildings like so much high-tech ivy, use both wind power and solar power to produce electricity.

Their company SMIT (Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology) was formed when both Cochrans were working on their theses and decided to help each other with their projects. The leaves are solar panels made from a thin film with “stems” that generate piezoelectric energy from the motion of the wind. The project is featured at The Museum of Modern Art through May. Teresita was interviewed for a Limelight Feature at Ecolect.

Greenpeace Says Electronics Are Getting Greener, But Not Green Enough
In spite of Apple’s new green laptop, The MacBook Air and Nokia’s Evolve phone, there were no electronic products that scored more than 5 points out of 10 on their scale for green technology. Greenpeace asked 14 companies to submit their greenest products and then tested them for “substitution of toxic substances, energy efficiency and recyclability.”

How did they do and which are the greenest laptops, PDA’s and phones? Find out at Electronics greener, but long way to go: Greenpeace.

Wind Map Will Help Consumers and Developers
3Tier, a mapping company, will soon release a map that will help consumers decide whether windpower is a viable option where they live. The information will be free and available on the Net. Wind speed and direction is very important in siting windpower projects, for both homes and businesses. While it’s possible to pay project engineers to determine if your site has sufficient wind energy to power a wind turbine, it makes more sense to do the preliminary research yourself. The Seattle Times article “Helping Developers Map Out Renewable Energy Source has more.

Dizzy the Dog Fetches Recyclables
Dizzy, a mixed breed dog from Cornwall, England, is the environment’s best friend. He patrols the beach near his house, fetching bottles and cans and bringing them home to his owner’s recycling bin. His only real fault is that he tends to get carried away and fetch cans while guests are still using them at barbeques, so his owners have to insist that their friends use glasses to drink from. Then again, glass is much better than disposable plastic cups, so maybe Dizzy knows what he’s doing. Read about Dizzy the Eco-Dog at Gimundo.