Chemists at UCLA have created a "gene" that might capture CO2 and help control CO2 emissions.

"UCLA chemists report creating a synthetic "gene" that could capture ... carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming, rising sea levels and the increased acidity of oceans."

" ... taken organic and inorganic units and combined them into a synthetic crystal which codes information in a DNA-like manner ... no means as sophisticated as DNA, but it is certainly new in chemistry and materials science."

" ... could lead to cleaner energy, including technology that factories and cars can use to capture carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere."

" ... invented a class of materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), sometimes described as crystal sponges ... openings on the nanoscale ... which ... can store gases that are usually difficult to store and transport. ..."

Via:  UCLA  LINK

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BloomEnergy has announced a novel fuel cell and unlike typical fuel cells if does not require precious metal catalysts. Fuel cells are typcially "cleaner" than other power sources.

" ..  an innovative new fuel cell technology ... derived from a common sand-like powder ... technology is able to produce clean, reliable, affordable power,... practically anywhere,... from a wide range of renewable or traditional fuels."

" ... Energy Servers™ are among the most efficient energy generators on the planet; providing for significantly reduced electricity costs and dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions ... "

" ... Originally called Ion America, Bloom Energy, was founded with the mission to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone on earth."

" ... After two years of successful field trials in Tennessee, California, and Alaska, to validate the technology, the first commercial (100kW) products were shipped to Google in July 2008."

" ... Bloom's Energy Servers have helped our customers generate millions of kWhs of electricity and eliminate millions of pounds of CO₂ from the environment."

Via:  BloomEnergy LINK

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David de Rothschild has built a boat from recycled plastic bottles and plans to sail it from San Francisco in the US to Sydney, Australia. 

 Yes he is from the famous Rothschild family. 

The boat and crew will travel in a green manner (composting toilets and vertical green garden fertilized by composted poop) Power for on board electronics comes from solar cells and wind turbines.  The boat uses glue made from cashew nuts.

Follow the journey and check out the web site for lots of geen info.

Via:  Plastiki  LINK

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San Francisco is known for embracing many things green.  The city recently developed and released an iPhone app for recycling information.

"San Franciscans already lead the nation in recycling – in May [2009] we announced a 72% diversion rate of all materials going to the landfill ... pledged to recycle 75% of the materials that would otherwise go to the landfill by 2010 and zero waste by 2020."

" ... find out where to recycle or properly dispose of materials using ... location-based mobile application. Instead of dumping old electronics or furniture on the sidewalk, the EcoFinder iPhone app tells you where these materials should go, based on your location."

Via:  CleanTechnica  LINK

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Via:  SmartPlanet  LINK

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 "San Francisco based, Climate Earth has developed new software technology that measures and analyzes the carbon impact inside the supply chain, from the production of a carton of orange juice to the construction of a giant skyscrape ...

Via: SmartPlanet  LINK

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... "75,000-seat stadium will be the first LEED-certified building in the NFL and will capture the luxury and drama of the world’s entertainment capital. The project will be completed for the 2011 season. " ...

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... "Among states, California is expected to maintain first place, and New Jersey is likely to come in second, with Florida making a strong showing for the first time. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "This is an investment in our clean energy future that will create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, said Secretary Chu. It will help build a customer base and begin laying the foundation for American leadership in the growing electric vehicles industry. This is part of a sustained effort to develop and commercialize technologies that will be broadly deployed throughout the American auto industry. Tesla’s planned Model S will consume no gasoline and will not produce any tailpipe emissions. " ...

Continue reading "Tesla Electric Vehicle Clean Energy Future" »

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... "The WalMart at 4210 East Highland Ave. is one of three locations recently retrofitted with solar panels. ... The system generates about 900,000 kilowatts per year, or about 30 percent of the stores total energy usage ... " ...

Continue reading "Walmart Solar Rooftops" »

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... "California should cover every available rooftop with photovoltaic solar panels, especially commercial buildings. The panels can be installed quickly, unlike large solar power plants ... " ...

Continue reading "Saturation Solar Scenario for California Rooftops" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The proposed Manzana Wind Project, with a power capacity of up to 246 megawatts, would be the first wind project owned by PG&E. It follows a proposal by the utility in February, 2009 to develop and own 250 MW of solar photovoltaic power. The Manzana project would be located on about 7,000 acres in the Tehachapi region of Eastern Kern County, a site with favorable wind resources. If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, the project could begin producing power by December 2011. " ...

Continue reading "California Wind Power" »

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... "The 21 megawatt (MW) Blythe Solar Project will be NRG’s first solar generation facility in operation when it comes online later this year. The site was acquired from First Solar, Inc., a leader in advanced and efficient thin film solar technology focused on manufacturing solar panels and developing solar projects for utilities and generators to operate. Located in Riverside County in southeastern California, approximately 200 miles east of Los Angeles, the solar PV field will provide electricity to Southern California Edison (SCE) under a 20-year power purchase agreement. At peak capacity, the site will be able to meet the needs of almost 17,000 homes. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On November 12, 2009 Dow and Caltech " ... announced ... a multi-year research collaboration ... in solar energy ... aimed at aligning Dow’s capabilities in CIGS based materials with Caltech’s research in next generati aterials."

" ... research ... will initially focus on direct band gap materials that incorporate elements that are less expensive and more commonly available than those used in today’s thin film PV semiconductors.  ..."

"Photovoltaics provide carbon free electricity, however the cost and aesthetics of current PV systems has limited its adoption ... Dow recently announced its first building integrated photovoltaic product, the Dow^TM POWERHOUSE^TM Solar Shingle ..."

Via:  The Dow Chemical Company LINK

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... "UCLA will not only administer the collaborative, but will also create a technical advisory committee to work with the writers of the action plan. The committee will also provide some of the support science, such as fire hazard models, details on how urbanization impacts water runoff, and - the centerpiece - a localized climate model for the region. " ...

Continue reading "Scenario Planning Climate Change Impacts" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

San Francisco now accepts compostable materials as part of its waste stream pick up ... there are now 3 bins:

black = trash
blue = recyclables
green = compostables

" ... designed to make recycling easier, reduce waste, and control litter. ... green cart is for all compostable items, such as food scraps and yard trimmings. ... allows San Francisco to ... achieve the state-mandated 50% recycling goal."

Acceptable for composting are food scraps, yard waste, paper and cardboard and select otehr items.  For a complete list see San Francisco COMPOSTABLES".  They accepts more than you would expect ... lots more!

Do you compost?  Why not?

I do (myself in my back yard) and it quickly turns into nice mulch ... 

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 Continuing the very green theme at SFO Airport ... you can also rent green cars ... and offers an incentive in the form of a rental discount for renting HYBRIDS.

" ...  offers the nation’s first Green Rental Car program that rewards customers for renting “green” alternative-fueled vehicles. ... rent hybrid cars ... such as the Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid or Toyota PRIUS will receive a $15 discount at the counter."

" ... estimated that more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year will be eliminated through the implementation of this program."

" ... 10 percent of the rental car fleet ... is comprised of high-mileage cars—such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Focus—in addition to alternative-fuel cars. ... SFO hopes to increase the total number of these cars to greater than 15 percent."

Via:  San Francisco Int'l Airport  LINK

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Data centers use lots of energy ... from electricity to power the servers to electricity to power the AC units to keep things cool ...

Some are looking allowing the temperature to be set a little higher ... a recent 5 year pilot with Toyota and IBM was able to reduce consumption by 10% by looking at inefficiencies in the system. 

Read on for more ...

" ... by visualizing where hot spots and cooling inefficiencies existed and moving to address them, Toyota Motor Sales USA has been able to reduce the electricity demand ..."

"During a five-year pilot program ... Toyota was actually able to switch off two computer room air-conditioners even while maintaining a cooler ambient air temperature and reducing hot spots throughout its facility, ... relied on software from IBM Research called IMB Measurement and Management Technologies ... uses thermal readings from floor to ceiling ... and creates a three-dimensional chart that can be used to find power and cooling inefficiencies ..."

" ... assessment by Southern California Edison verified that these actions have helped reduce energy demand in the data center by more than 10 percent. ..."

Via:  ZDNet LINK

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San Francisco International (SFO) is committed to being green.  They have efforts underway to reduce their environmental impact by reducing noise, reducing global warming and preserving natural resources like air and water.

" ...  recognize the importance that environmental sustainability plays in helping achieve this goal ... committed to drastically reducing its environmental impact over the next decade.  ... working to reduce contributions to global warming, improve air and water quality, reduce noise impacts, and preserve natural resources."

SFO now offers the Climate Passport program; a way to help travelers reduce their travel carbon footprint by purchasing offsets.  

Here is how it works ... " ... drop by a kiosk that will calculate the carbon impact of your travel ... buy offsets from the kiosk manager, 3Degrees, ... Some of the money will also go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund ... offsets purchased ... are verified by the Climate Action Registry."

Check out the interactive carbon calculator ...

On Sunday Oct 18, the cost for a carbon offset for a round trip flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco and back would cost $22.82 and off set 3,727 lbs of CO2.

Posted by Green Dude at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Army will partner with the private sector to construct a 500 megawatt solar thermal plant at Fort Irwin, Calif, in the Mojave Desert, that will provide renewable power on the grid and provide the sprawling Army post with added energy security against disruption of power supply. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Continue reading "Solar Decathlon Team California Refract House Leads with Architecture and Communications" »

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... "Solar City, a Silicon Valley neighbor of Tesla, has installed a whole corridor full of charging stations between the Bay Area and LA. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The California Energy Commission proposes to make changes to the Appliance Efficiency Standards contained in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 20, Sections 1601 through 1608. The proposed energy efficiency standards would cover new televisions offered for sale in California beginning in 2011 and 2013. The standards would improve the energy efficiency of televisions without affecting the quality of the television. " ...

Continue reading "California Drives Television Energy Efficiency Forward" »

Posted by Green Tech at 01:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Sustainable Waves, a company that provides solar-powered sound and staging, was in charge of the Eco Lands section located at the Panhandle Stage in Speedway Meadow. " ...

Continue reading "Solar Powers Concert Sound and Stage" »

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Berkeley, California is into solar and wants to help residents and businesses make the move to solar.   To help they offer two tools ...

> One tool is a solar portal that allows property owners to look at their roof and determine both the solar potential and the cost. 

>A second tool provides financing paid by by taxes

" ... Solar Mapping ... estimate the solar potential of their rooftops and view existing solar installations. ... get an estimated size of a photovoltaic (PV) system that would fit ... obtain detailed information on tax rebates and choose from a listing of available installers ... map reflects elements such as rooftop structures, the slant of the roof, shading ... and ... azimuth of the sun for PV panel placement."

" ... Berkeley FIRST program, a solar finance program ... provides property owners an opportunity to borrow money ... and repay the financing through property tax bills."

 Via:  MatterNetwork LINK

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... "PG&E awarded the SOLON Corporation a contract to produce photovoltaic modules and build a 2 MW power plant, which is planned to be completed in December 2009, in a multi-stage bidding process involving several top North American solar companies. The power plant is a pilot project for PG&E aimed at enabling the utility to develop more photovoltaic power plants in the future. As part of its solar energy initiative, PG&E plans to use photovoltaic power to deliver more than 1,000 gigawatt hours of electricity each year by 2015. " ...

Continue reading "Solon Solar Power Plant in California" »

Posted by Green Tech at 09:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fat Spaniel Technologies provides real time monitoring of your solar PV system.  Read their case studies of Jay Leno's car garage and SF International Airport.  

Track your actual generation / performance and see ... "... display total power generated by ... day, week, month, or year ... local irradiance, cell temperature, and ambient temperature ... avoided greenhouse gases (CO2, NOx and Sox) over the lifetime ..."

It can be used to proactively guide behavior changes ... " Generate Energy Savings Via Behavior Modification ..." ... Educate ... by publishing real-time and historical data ... Cut electricity usage up to 10% by changing habits of building occupants ..."

 " ... Fat Spaniel provides ... an industrial-grade, Software-as-a-Service renewable energy plant management system that enables plant operators to: ... Manage renewable energy plants in real-time ... Communicate and interact with mobile personnel ... Generate revenue utilizing back-end services for regulatory agency reporting, renewable energy certificate (REC) registration, and environmental reporting"

Via: Fat Spaniel Technologies LINK
 

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... "During the fall of 2008, SCE completed the first of what eventually will be about 150 sites making up this program, a 600,000-square-foot Fontana, Calif. distribution warehouse roof. The rooftop now holds 33,700 advanced thin-film solar panels with a generating capacity of 2.4 megawatts of direct current power, known as DC power – the largest single rooftop solar photovoltaic array in California. SCE already has begun construction of its second installation atop a 458,000-square-foot industrial building in Chino, Calif. First Solar of Tempe, Ariz. was the winning bidder to supply panels for these first two installations. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

e-waste has been in  the news a lot --- there are enormous quantities of electronics buried in landfills ... and more to  follow as the US switches to all digital TV this week ... and the expected replacements of TVs follows ... and the junking of old TVs.

e-Recycling of California offers a better solution ... and unlike some of the horror stories you read of e-waste being handled unsafely .. they take the proper steps.

" ... turnkey electronic waste recycling capabilities throughout California from transportation, container options, logistics, administration, and labor."

" ... GUARANTEES THE SAFE DISMANTLEMENT OF ALL ELECTRONIC WASTE IN CALIFORNIA, NO WHOLE UNITS WILL BE SHIPPED OVERSEAS OR OUT-OF-STATE, DOES NOT USE OR PROMOTE THE USE OF PRISON LABOR , ... ACHIEVE AN OVER 90% DIVERSION RATE FROM OUR PROCESSING CAPABILITIES EXCEEDING THEIR AB939 DIVERSION OBLIGATIONS ..."

Via:  e-Recycling  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The first of these solar power plants, sized at 110 MW and located in Ivanpah, Calif., is contracted to begin operation in 2012. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. All seven projects are expected to produce 3,666 gigawatt-hours of power each year, equal to the annual consumption of about 530,000 average homes. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 06:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

San Francisco has developed a mapping system that can show, by ZIP CODE, greenhouse gases and track it to the source ...  I follows the time honored management maxim  - you cannot manage what you cannot measure ... so they are using this to reduce overall GHG emissions ...

" ... Urban EcoMap. ... tracks ... carbon emissions by zip code, and even breaks down the information to the source of the greenhouse gases: transportation, energy use or waste. .. goal ... to reveal San Francisco residents' bad habits and lower the City's emissions back to 20% below their 1990 levels (as per the Kyoto Protocol). ... a great case study for local action providing a global impact. "

Via:  WholeTravel blog  LINK

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eBay has many green aspects to its business model ... including the basic eBay design - helping people sell unneeded / unused stuff ...

They are also greening their campus by making the most of available sunlight, using a smart irrigation system, recycling / using recycled materials, using SOLAR and designing for and achieving LEED ...  ... 

" ... newest building, in San Jose, California, was designed and built to the  ... (LEED) Gold standard."

" ... automatic dimming system detects the amount of natural light ... and adjusts the electric light accordingly, resulting in an estimated 39% energy savings.... Recycled materials are used throughout, including 95% recycled structural steel, 38% recycled carpet tiles and 100% recycled workstation fabric. ... smart irrigation system ...  monitors weather conditions, including forecasts, dewpoint and relative humidity levels to determine the optimal and most efficient irrigation pattern."

" ... a 650 kW solar installation at our San Jose North location ...  3,248 panels cover more than a football field of roof space and will take up to 18% of our energy demand at that campus off the grid completely."

Via:  ebay  Link

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... "And just last week I visited the Electric Vehicle Technical Center in Pomona, California, which is testing batteries to power a new generation of plug-in hybrids that will help end our dependence on foreign oil. I have to say, Susan, the battery I saw was bigger than that one that's on the desk -- (laughter) -- but that may be the direction we're moving. So innovators like you are creating the jobs that will foster our recovery –- and creating the technologies that will power our long-term prosperity. " ...

Continue reading "Electric Vehicle Battery Testing" »

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Microgrids may offer part of the answer to an aging Power Grid.  A microcgrid is ..." ... A localized grid powered by a cluster of on-site generators, backup batteries, an array of solar panels or other sources of energy. ... can operate in parallel with the larger grid or independent of it. ... If the high-voltage grid we all rely on fails, the clusters of buildings or residences powered by a microgrid could keep operating normally until power is restored on the failed grid.""

" ... much of the work on microgrids today lies in the research side, real-life applications are beginning to spread. Clean Edge says Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) has two stores running on microgrids, one in Colorado and the other in Texas, ... Sacramento, Calif., Municipal Utility District, ...  announced in November that it plans to install a demonstration microgrid with a 310-kilowatt load at its headquarters. Another microgrid backup power system will be installed at the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, Calif., linking to the 1.2-megawatt solar photovoltaic system and a one-megawatt fuel cell already at the jail.

Via:  FORBES  Link

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Continue reading "More About Fox 24 Going Carbon Neutral - Behind the Scenes" »

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The Fox TV Show "24" " ... becomes the first carbon neutral television production."

" ... Nearly a year after announcing its aim to reduce its carbon footprint and inspire its viewers to do the same, "24," ... has far exceeded its carbon-reduction goals and will be the first television production ever to achieve carbon neutrality.  ... reduced the carbon emissions associated with its production by a staggering 43%, and ... has purchased high-quality carbon offsets to address its remaining unavoidable emissions. "

24 Going Green PSA - Kiefer Sutherland
Via:  Fox  Link

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"All fabrics used for the GreenSmart Bottles 2 Bags are derived from certified 100% post-consumer recycled PET water and soda bottles."

" ... committed to converting all items the Company  makes to green material composition. ... any company can make a few products green, we will commit to making them all green—and we'll tell people what that greenness is product for product and what positive result there is."

     

Via:  act2greensmart  Link

Continue reading "Green Smart - Bottles 2 Bags" »

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... "The first of these solar power plants, sized at 100 megawatts and located in Ivanpah, Calif., could be operating in early 2013 and is expected to produce 286,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity per year. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. The full 1,300 megawatts of projects will produce 3.7 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy and avoid more than two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually – the equivalent of removing more than 335,000 cars from the road. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Contessa's plant in Los Angeles, California was designed to minimize it's environmental impact ...

Read on for more >>>

" ... Contessa’s Green Cuisine plant  ... reduces its energy use and CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emissions by more than 65% daily ... the first environmentally responsible, LEED... is carbon neutral ...  uses recycled and recyclable materials in its packaging, and recycles paper, materials and equipment in its operations and offices."

Posted by Green Dude at 05:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

< Via: ZDNet Link

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Here is an idea that is slightly out of the ordinary ... and a bit "unique".  A Beverly Hills surgeon is suspected of using the lipoosuctioned fat from patients to make biofuel to power his car.  Since being investigated the practice has closed ..

Read on for more ...

" ... Beverly Hills doctor Craig Alan Bittner turned the fat he removed from patients into biodiesel that fueled his Ford SUV and his girlfriend's Lincoln Navigator ... Fat--whether animal or vegetable--contains triglycerides that can be extracted and turned into diesel. ... Bittner's lipodiesel Web site is no longer online."

" ... it's definitely illegal in California to use human medical waste to power vehicles, and Bittner is being investigated by the state's public health department."

Via:  Forbes.Com  LINK

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See what BNSF is doing to develop a Greener inter modal freight port ... 

"BNSF’s SCIG, will be a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, near-dock intermodal facility that will have 90 percent less emissions than traditional intermodal yards. ... eliminate millions of truck miles annually from the 710 and other local freeways, reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality, but it will bring hundreds of new, and good paying jobs to the local community.

 Check out this You Tube Video Link

Via:  BNSF Link

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... "At full output, Kimberlina will be able to generate 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 3,500 homes in central California. The Kimberlina plant is the first solar plant in the country to utilize Ausra's next generation technology, and it is the first solar thermal power plant of any type built in California in nearly 20 years. " ...

Continue reading "California Solar Thermal Generates Five Megawatts" »

Posted by Green Tech at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The BMW / MINI is a hot little car and pretty fuel efficient ... designed with lots of energy saving features like lightweight recyclable aluminum and some plastic parts coded for recycling.

The next step might be the electric / plug in MINI.  Read on for more >>

" ... readying an invasion fleet of 500 electric MINIs to launch on the shores of California, New York and New Jersey....will be used by a mixture of corporations and “private individuals”."

" ... electric MINIs are powered by a motor (with 220nM of torque) and by a lithium ion battery ... takes up the place where the rear two seats usually live in the MINI hatchback ... electric motor drives the front wheels and the top speed is just 95mph, ... the MINI E will do 0-62mph in 8.5sec."

" ... plugged into the domestic supply to recharge and all owners will be given a wall-mounted box that will recharge the MINI E in around 2.5 hours....a range of over 100 miles."

Via:  Mirror.CO.UK  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Applied Materials  ... announced completion of two SunPower solar power systems totaling 2.1 megawatts at Applied Materials' corporate facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif. ...the largest solar power deployment at a corporate facility in the United States."

" ... includes a 950 kilowatt SunPower PowerGuard(R) installation 
and a 1.2 megawatt SunPower(R) Tracker installation atop an 
elevated parking canopy. ... follows the sun as it moves across the
 sky, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over 
conventional fixed-tilt systems. Both systems use  SunPower solar
 panels, ...  SunPower uses Applied Materials' Baccini technology in
 its solar cell manufacturing process.

" ... reports that its solar installation has generated 1,413 megawatt hours of power. ... system is 
expected to replace more than 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, ... equivalent to 
the annual carbon emissions from approximately 450 passenger cars."

Via:  PRNewsWire  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The San Diego Solar Homes Tour is quite possibly the longest running and most popular tour in California. Celebrating our ninth year of the tour, over 40 homes throughout San Diego County are participating. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Spence Brown was one of the winners in Keen's STAND contest.  His Zero Waste Moving company is described below ..

"Rent-a-Green Box.com is the first, comprehensive zero-waste pack and move solution in America. ... Spencer Brown, a ... eco-entrepreneur is converting trash ... into a suite of sustainable, cradle to cradle, packing and moving products. ... three durable, rentable and reusable moving boxes called Recopacks [ recycled ecological packing solution]. ...
For every 100 Recopacks rented, we remove over 500 pounds of hard to recycle plastic trash from our landfills, prevent over 350 pounds of packing and moving waste entering our landfills, reduce our fuel consumption by 50 gallons, eliminate over 2,500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from entering our atmosphere and save three trees ..."

Via:  Keen  Link

Continue reading "Zero Waste Moving Company" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tesla Motors announced plans to build its second car model, the Moedl S (no doubt for Sedan)  in California.  Their first model, a two seat roadster, made headlines for amazing performance from an all electric car.

" ... Tesla ... plans to  build a $250 million facility to manufacture a zero-emission luxury sedan in the heart of Silicon Valley. ... The factory – expected to achieve gold certification from U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ..."

"Model S is Tesla’s zero-emission, five-passenger luxury sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. ... expected to ... get about 240 miles per charge with exceptional performance. The first sedans will likely roll off the assembly line in late 2010."

Via:  Tesla Motors  Link

Continue reading "Tesla Motors to build All Electric Sports Sedan" »

Posted by Green Dude at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "When complete, UC San Diego’s system will consist of 5,790 Kyocera KD205 solar modules that will be mounted on the Price Center, the Gilman parking structure and other buildings across the 1,200-acre campus. This system will contribute to the 29 million kilowatt hours per year of green energy that UC San Diego expects its overall efforts to produce, which is enough electricity to power more than 4,500 homes. UC San Diego’s program will offset approximately 10,500 tons of carbon emissions, which is the equivalent of removing 1,500 cars from the road every year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Dude at 06:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "OptiSolar’s Topaz Solar Farm : The 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm project» would utilize relatively low-cost, thin-film PV panels designed and manufactured by OptiSolar in Hayward and Sacramento. Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, the project would deliver an average of 1,100,000 megawatt-hours annually of renewable electricity. The project is expected to begin power delivery in 2011 and be fully operational by 2013. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is an idea very similar to what trucks use at truck stops while overnighting.  Rather than use the diesel engine for power (heat or a/c, etc) they use a smaller auxiliary power source or plug in for their power needs.

The Ports of Los Angeles now have the same type of system available ... called Alternative Maritime Power™".

" ... AMP™ ... focuses on reducing emissions from container vessels docked at the Port of Los Angeles. ...  AMP-equipped ships “plug in” to shore side electrical power  ...."

" ... The Port of Los Angeles is the first Port in the world to use AMP technology for in-service container ships."

" ... currently in discussions with several cruise lines to expand the use of AMP ..."

Continue reading "Port of Los Angeles Pollution Reduction Program - Ships Plug In for Powerower -- AMP." »

Posted by Green Dude at 06:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) is designed to keep polluting sulfur oxides and particulates out of the general LA ports area.  To make this a reality the ports are offering the best incentive there is - money - ... Read on for more ...

" ... an incentive program aimed at accelerating the use of cleaner-burning fuel by ocean vessel operators when transiting within 40
nautical miles of the San Pedro Bay and while at berth in either port. ... sulfur oxides (SOx),  ... will be cut by as much as 11 percent and particulate matter (PM) by 9 percent ..."

" ... earmarked nearly $20 million to pay vessel operators to use cleaner-burning, lowsulfur fuel  ... the ports will pay the difference
between the price of bunker fuel and more costly low-sulfur fuel – ..."
to the important state regulations on low-sulfur fuels that will start next year."

Via:  PortofLosAngeles  Link

Continue reading "Los Angeles Ports Promote Low Sulphur Fuel Use" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom believes tapping into tidal and wave power is a swell idea. But how feasible and realistic is this new renewable-energy technology? CNET News.com's Kara Tsuboi sits down with the mayor to find out." Via: ZDNet Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Solio offers a line of solar chargers for smaller electronics like cell phones, GPS, cameras, etc.  The California based company has some cool looking designs that offer solar charging or the aability to plug into the wall and when charged act as a battery (replaceable).

 "Solio features a fan-blade design that allows it to achieve maximum solar area when in use.  Just spread out the blades, expose them to direct sunlight either out of doors or affixed to a window, and get ready to take your power on the road."

Via:  Solio   Link

Continue reading "Solar Powered Charger Phones and other Small Electronics" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Want to help reduce waste and get recognition for it?  California's WRAP program rewards businesses with the right to use the WRAP logo on products and advertising. 

Read on for more info: 

" ... Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) ... administered by the California Integrated Waste Management Board. ... an opportunity for California businesses to gain public recognition for their outstanding waste reduction efforts and lets the community know your business takes waste reduction seriously. ... also provides businesses with examples of successful waste reduction techniques, which they may adopt as their own."

" ... businesses ... with California facilities are encouraged to apply for an annual WRAP award. ... Award winners receive authorization to use the WRAP winner logo with their products, advertising, and business websites to publicize waste reduction efforts."

Via: WRAP - California Integrated Waste Mgt Board Link

Continue reading "California's Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP)" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

California based Bio Solar has a different slant on making solar cells ... rather than focusing on improving the efficiency they focus on reducing the cost and using non petroleum based materials.

Read on for more ... >>> 

" ...developed a breakthrough technology to produce bio-based materials from renewable plant sources that will reduce the cost per watt of solar cells. ... is the first company to introduce a new dimension of cost reduction by replacing petroleum-based plastic solar cell components with durable bio-based components."

"... BioSolar materials can be used directly in conventional manufacturing systems, such as injection molding and thin-film roll-to-roll, to create superstrate layer, substrate layer, backsheet as well as module and panel components."

" ... using crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon or other solar technologies, BioSolar can help reduce the cost per watt through the use of its lower cost bio-based materials."

"By removing petroleum from solar cells, BioSolar makes solar energy a true green source of energy."

Via:  Bio Solar   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 06:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "California's solar energy market grew more than 57 percent last year, and is expected to grow at an even higher rate in 2008. With its acquisition of a geographically desirable company, PermaCity is positioning itself to better serve the Southern California market. PermaCity Solar, Inc. is a leading system developer and integrator of state-or-the-art photovoltaic systems specializing in high-quality, long life performance." ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fortune's "Brainstorm Green" is an invitation only event on April 21 - 22, 2008  in Pasadena, California. 

Set to occur during Earth Day, 2008 (April 22) the event brings " ... environmentally-minded business leaders and the green movement's brightest thinkers ..." together for "... for FORTUNE's first-ever Brainstorm: GREEN Conference."

" ... will be an unprecedented gathering of business and environmental leaders, as executives, academics, politicians and NGOs join to discuss the impact of the green movement and explore the opportunities and challenges facing FORTUNE 500 companies, entrepreneurs, government, and the financial world."

Continue reading "Fortune Brainstorm Green - April 21-22, 2008" »

Posted by Green Dude at 06:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 05:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Yes! Solar Solutions has taken an innovative retail approach to making PV solar energy more accessible to homeowners and businesses. As the Company continues to roll out its franchise plan, it will seek to centrally locate additional retail franchise operations within communities where economic factors, like higher energy costs, make solar power alternatives attractive. Like the Roseville, California store, future Yes! energy outlets will be designed to educate consumers and businesses on the economic and environmental benefits of solar power and provide solutions that will help them reduce their electricity costs. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 
Hybrids.

They get better mileage.  They are good for the environment.

Now they can even save you some money on Tolls!

Some toll authorities are extending discounts to cars that get a certain MPG and meet a certain emissions threshold.  Currently only 3 or so cars qualify. 

NY State grants a special GREEN EZ-Pass plan and EZ-Pass to vehicles that meet their criteria of ..." at least 45 miles to the gallon and meet specific emissions standards ..."  The discount is 10% on NY Thruway Roads.

NOTE:  Not all E-ZPass Agencies are offering Toll Discounts to Hybrids ... But I would not be surprised if other follow NY's Lead.

Continue reading "E-ZPass Discounts for Hybrid Cars" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Under the ordinance, privately built projects over 50,000 square feet -- of which there are roughly 200 constructed annually -- must meet a standard of sustainability by incorporating a checklist of green practices into their building plans. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Airplane recycling is just like any other recycling ... sort of.  Of course planes are bigger than household recyclables but older airplanes have a lot of steel and aluminum - materials that are easy to recycle.

Via:  ZDNet.com  Link

Continue reading "Airplane Recycling" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Fisker shows its Karma at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show today, Feb 14th, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan.

Fisker is a private GREEN AMERICAN sports car company.

"...its first production car, the Fisker Karma, ... first of its kind four-door plug-in hybrid ... a starting price of $80,000. ... deliveries ... will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 ... "

" ... features cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology, ... Q DRIVE, developed by Quantum Technologies ... consists of a small gasoline engine that turns the generator, which charges the lithium ion battery pack, powering the electric motor and turning the rear wheels. .. allows consumers to drive the car emission free for up to 50 miles ..."

"It's conceivable that if consumers follow this daily routine, they will only need to fuel the car but once a year. ..."

Via:  PRNewswire  Link 

Continue reading "Luxury Plug in Hybrid from Fisker" »

Posted by Green Dude at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Combining these two approaches appears to yield better solar cell materials than either one alone does, according to Jin Zhang, professor of chemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Zhang led a team of researchers from California, Mexico, and China that created a thin film doped with nitrogen and sensitized with quantum dots. When tested, the new nanocomposite material performed better than predicted - as if the functioning of the whole material was greater than the sum of its two individual components. The resulting hybrid material offered a combination of advantages. Nitrogen doping allowed the material to absorb a broad range of light energy, including energy from the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The quantum dots also enhanced visible light absorption and boosted the photocurrent and power conversion of the material. When compared with materials that were just doped with nitrogen or just embedded with cadmium selenide quantum dots, the nanocomposite showed higher performance ... " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "GE Energy Financial Services is acquiring a majority equity interest in the five solar photovoltaic projects, which SunPower will design and build, operate and maintain. GE Energy Financial Services will finance and own the systems under the SunPower Access power purchase agreement program, which allows customers to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits of solar power with no upfront capital costs. The solar electricity will be competitively priced against retail rates, providing customers a long-term hedge against rising peak power prices. Construction of the projects is scheduled to begin in February and be completed by the end of the year. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The nations first solar-powered billboard is prominently located at 1000 Brannan Street in San Francisco, visible from the Highway 101 9th Street exit. It is outfitted with 20 solar modules that can provide up to 3.4 kilowatts of renewable solar energy to the PG&E grid. The power generated by the system exceeds the power used at night to illuminate the billboards lights. In addition to installing solar, PG&E replaced the billboards halophane light fixtures with energy-efficient LED lights. " ...

Continue reading "Saving Energy One Billboard at a Time" »

Posted by Green Tech at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Al Gore has joined the Silocn Valley venture capital firs Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.  He joins "... as a partner focused on alternative energy investments.

 Furthering his green bent Gore indicated that "...100 percent of his salary as a partner at Kleiner Perkins will be donated directly to the Alliance for Climate Protection ..."

Via:  Rueters   Link

Continue reading "Al Gore Joins KPC&B to Focus on Alternative Energy" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The plant, to be located in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., is expected to begin generating power in 2010. Ausra has filed its Application for Certification for this plant with the California Energy Commission, which must grant approval before construction begins. The plant will burn no fuel, use minimal water, and have no air or water emissions. At 177 megawatts of capacity, the project will use only one square mile (640 acres) of land due to the exceptional area efficiency of Ausra's collector technology. Ausra's new Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) solar technology utilizes the heat from the sun's rays to create steam. Solar collectors boil water at high temperatures to power steam turbine generators, in much the same way as traditional fossil-fuel power plants, but without use of fuels or emissions. " ...

Via Ausra: Solar Thermal Power

Posted by Green Tech at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) creates the Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007 which provides incentives to attain the goal of installing 200,000 solar water heating systems in the state by 2017. " ...

 

 

Continue reading "California Energy Efficiency Legislation Enables Solar Water Heating" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "U.S. Green Building Council-Monterey Bay will meet Thursday, Oct. 4 from 6-8 p.m. at Moss Landing Marine Labs, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing. Topic: SOLAR TECHNOLOGY Speakers: Roger DeNault, president of Solar Technologies, Santa Cruz, and a representative from PG&E on solar incentives ... " ...

Via Santa Cruz Sentinel: Business Calendar

Posted by Green Tech at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BP is committed to alternative power solutions.  In addition to manufacturng Solar panels they have partnered with several groups to make it easier to buy (with Home Depo).

>>>  Read on for more.

In 2005, "... expanded state-of-the-art facility in Frederick, Md. to more than double our production of solar panels. ... contains all of the elements of solar product manufacturing processes. These are vertically integrated to ensure the overall quality of the finished products. ... In fact, BP already is one of the world's largest producers of solar panels." 

See photo at right.

"Residential customers in southern California can visit one of many of The Home Depot® centers and purchase a complete home solar system via the BP Solar Home Solution program. ... [also] available in New Jersey, California and New York."

Posted by Green Dude at 04:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yahoo picked 10 Cities that "in no particular order -- ...  putting residents first. That means they're obsessed with clean air and clean water, renewable energy, reliable city buses, trams, streetcars and subways, a growing number of parks and greenbelts, farmer's markets and, very important, opportunities for community involvement."

"Portland, Oregon - ... More than 30 years ago, ... tore down a six-lane expressway to make room for a waterfront park. ... set an urban growth boundary to protect 25 million acres of forest and farmland, started a solid-waste program that recycles more than half of the city's trash and erected more than 50 public buildings that meet tough standards set by the United States Green Building Council. ..."

"Austin, Texas - Home to the first Whole Foods Market ... 205 parks, 14 nature preserves, and 25 greenbelts. ... plans to meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2020. ... a recycling center that dates back to 1970, a dozen outdoor farmer's markets, city buses that offer free rides on 'high ozone' days and an innovative "pay-as-you-throw" trash collection program that rewards residents for being less wasteful ..."

"Boulder, Colorado - ... city planners started preserving parkland in 1898. ... more than 90 percent of residents recycle, where new water meters are not allowed above certain elevation, thus protecting ridgelines and peaks, and where, when recent federal tax cuts gutted city budgets, residents voted themselves a third sales-tax hike to raise $51 million to buy and protect even more open land."

"Burlington, Vermont - ... More than one-third of all energy used in the city comes from renewable resources, ... laws don't allow the use of pesticides on public parks, land or waterways. ... residents formed an extensive network of citizen-based groups that take on everything from environmental programs to clean up toxic sites to watchdog groups to monitor pollution in Lake Champlain. ..."

"New York, New York - ... More than 80 percent of NYC residents use public transportation,... New Yorkers burn gasoline at the rate the U.S. did in the 1920s. ... ... Per capita, New Yorkers use fewer resources and put less pressure on their surroundings than any other city of its size. ..."S

"Santa Monica, California - ... Three of every four of the city's public works vehicles run on alternative fuel, ... among the largest such fleets in the country. All public buildings use renewable energy. ... the city has cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 10 percent, ...  an urban runoff facility catches 3.5 million gallons of water each week that would otherwise flow into the bay. ..."

"Chicago, Illinois - ... has 42 green-certified building projects, with more to come. ... city's nine museums and the Art Institute ... converted to run partially on solar power. ... one-third of all residents use public transportation to get to work. ...energy goals, likely to be met, is buying 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources this year. ... give tax incentives to homeowners who invest in Chicago's many historic  homes and retrofit them with energy efficient heating and cooling systems, as well as water-saving plumbing. ..."

Via:  Yahoo.com  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Dublin store will generate about 7,500 megawatt hours of electricity per year. That is enough to supply about 20 percent of the store's average power usage ... " ...

Via ContraCostaTimes: Dublin Safeway

View Larger Map

Posted by Green Tech at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The first development is at Sonata at Dublin Ranch, a 67-home community, equipped with a roof integrated solar electric system from PowerLight, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation as a standard feature. The solar energy systems in the Sonata and Centre Pointe homes can generate considerable savings on annual utility bills in addition to the current, one-time $2,000 federal tax credit. According to PG&E, homeowners will actually produce renewable power to help supply their own needs while protecting the environment. Any surplus power appears as a credit on the homeowner’s utility bill and reverts back to the PG&E power grid. PG&E then subtracts the energy supplied back to the utility from the consumer’s monthly bill. Unlike solar panels of the past, which were elevated above the roof, the SunPower SunTile solar electric system integrates seamlessly into each home’s roofline. Rather than offering upgrades at an additional cost, Lennar researches what customers want in a new home and includes those items as standard features. " ...

67 Solar-Powered Homes in Dublin and 87 Solar-Powered Homes in Concord

Posted by Green Tech at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Green companies want to be "green" throughout their supply chain ... including their ISP.

>>> Read on to lean more and see the profile of one Green ISP ....

"AISO.Net is a ... green web hosting company. We have made a strong commitment to help fight pollution and preserving our natural resources. Solar panels run our data center and office, not energy credits."

"Solar tubes bring in natural light ... during the day. AMD Opteron powered servers use sixty percent less energy and generate fifty percent less heat. These are just some of the ways AISO.Net is becoming the world's most responsible green web hosting company."

"... data center is environmentally friendly in design. It is completely steel framed with no wood at all except for the door frames on the interior of the building. Our walls are over 12 inches thick and filled with insulation that has recycled content. We built our data center, network and servers from the start to use the lowest amount of energy possible using the latest green design techniques, no other hosting company can do what we do without starting from scratch. We use solar tubes to bring in natural sunlight which eliminates the use for conventional lighting during the day. Our cooling systems are water cooled which reduces the amount of electricity because of the unique setup."

" We are in the process of designing a green roof for our data center. The green roof is a layer of dirt 3 to 4 inches thick with drought resistant plants. The new green roof will reduce our cooling and heating requirements by over 50%."

 Via:  AISO.com  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hate junk mail?  Hate the impact / waste it generates?
>>> Now you can do something about it as well as do something good for the planet.

Enter GreenDimes.  "For a one-time $15 fee, the GreenDimes Junk Mail Reduction Kit (Free Me!) reduces your home’s junk mail by up to 90% and includes:"

- "Online Do-Not-Mail-Me List to stop catalog and non-profit mailings"
- "Monthly list confirmation with the DMA"
- "Personalized postcards to sign, stamp and send, removing you from mail sent to ‘Resident’ or ‘Occupant’"
- "Ten trees planted with one of our non-profit tree-planting partners"
-  "$5 back for every friend you refer that purchases a kit"

Besides the obvious - what is the impact of all this wasted paper?  Here are some BIG numbers ....

- "Every Sunday, 500,000 trees are used to produce the 88% of newspapers that are never recycled."

- "Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees."

- "Americans use 85,000,000 tons of paper each year.  About 680 pounds per person."

"For each 500 phone books recycled, we save 7,000 gallons of water; 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space; 17 to 31 trees; and 4,100 kilowatts of electricity, enough power to serve an average home for 6 months."

GreenDimes tree planting partners include:

"American Forests - ... the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizens’ conservation organization. ... has planted 25 million native trees in more than 500 projects. ..."

"Sustainable Harvest International addresses the tropical deforestation crisis in Central America by providing ... sustainable alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture. Since 1997, ... has planted more than 1.9 million trees  ... "

"Trees for the Future has helped thousands of communities in Central America, Africa and Asia improve their livelihoods and their environment by planting nearly 50 million trees. Since 1988, ... has planted over 50 million trees throughout the world ... ."

Via:  Greendimes.com    Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The hydrogen fuel cell installed on the Fujitsu Sunnyvale campus is the UTC Power PureCell Model 200 system, featuring ultra-low emissions. It meets the most stringent air emissions standards as set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB 07). Although it utilizes natural gas, it produces 35 percent less CO2 per megawatt-hour than the average fossil fuel-based power plant, and approximately 4,000 lbs per year less NOx, the equivalent of taking more than 100 average passenger cars off the road. The system has a low sound profile at 60 decibels at 30 feet, and emits no ozone-depleting fluorocarbons. Fujitsu America will also be contributing to water conservation. When compared to conventional power plants, a UTC Power PureCell Model 200 system will save at least 800,000 gallons of water per year. Over the 15-year life of the fuel cell system, Fujitsu will leave 12 million gallons of water untouched. " ...

Via FUJITSU United States: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power

Posted by Green Tech at 07:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Remember the Lo-Carb diet?  Something along the lines that reducing or giving up
carbs was good for either your health or your waist or maybe both?

Well here is a similar idea - the Low-Car diet - the idea that partially giving up cars may be good for your wallet and the environment ... (no sure about the effect on
your health or waist ...)

Flexcar is rolling out the Low-Car Diet.

>>>Read on for more info. 

[August 2007]  "Over the next few months, folks from across the country will be giving up their personal cars for 30 days, as they participate in the Flexcar Low-Car Diet."

" ... participants pledge to walk or use public transit, bicycles, Flexcar, and/or other modes of transportation to get around town. ... to ... that not owning a car, or downsizing by a car, is more than possible in metropolitan cities that enjoy numerous transportation options."

"Right now, Porlanders are in their third week ... read their stories and learn more about the Portland Low-Car Diet at www.portlanlowcardiet.com. Atlantans will be kicking off their challenge today, and participants in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and San Francisco aren't far behind."

Via:  Flexcar   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Named CalRENEW-1, the facility will provide up to 5 megawatts of clean, reliable peak solar energy to PG&E customers throughout northern and central California when it is completed in 2009. Located near PG&E's Mendota substation in Fresno County, CalRENEW-1 will cover approximately 40 acres and will serve as a peak solar facility, providing reliable zero-emission energy when it is most needed - at the hottest times of the day during the hottest months. CalRENEW-1 will utilize a variety of exciting photovoltaic technologies. It will be designed, built and operated by Cleantech America's enterprise partner, the California Construction Authority (CCA), a California Joint Powers Authority which has 6 megawatts of photovoltaic solar in operation and another 2 MW in development ... " ...

Via Cleantech America: California's Largest Solar Facility

Posted by Green Tech at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Paper or Plastic?
How many times have you heard that one?
What is the best choice?

"The plastic bag's stranglehold ... just received its first blow. ... a first for the nation if fully passed, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors today [March 27, 2007] voted 10-1 to prohibit petroleum-based checkout bags in large markets and pharmacies."

"... would usher in the use of eco-friendly alternatives; biodegradable plastic or recycled paper bags ..."

Here are some facts about the ubiquitious plastic bag ...

"... only introduced to our shopping culture 25 years ago ... Between 500 billion-1 trillion are used each year worldwide. ... they are not biodegradable, only photodegradable.  ... they break down into smaller and smaller pieces of the same material -- but only if exposed to sunlight. Animals choke on them, sea life becomes entangled ..." 

"... burden of not only the environmental impact, but also the disposal of plastic bags. San Francisco alone spends $8.5 million a year on disposal. ... new alternatives, made from corn by-products, have markets in San Fran nervous over costs, durability, and quality. ... On the flip side, corn farmers have another potential windfall in their sights. San Francisco may only be the beginning of a massive national sweep. If more corn-based bags are needed, what will this do to the price of food? Agriculture experts are already concerned over ethanol's effect on production in the U.S.

What can you do ... you ask???
>>> Bring your own bag from last time or better yet ... buy and use a permanent shoppong bag.  Many stores offer these for sale.

Via:  Sustainableisgood.com  Link  and   Via:  GreenOptions.com   Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is another option to owning a car that you really do not need to use every day. 

"Flexcar ... [has] ... low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles ... conveniently parked near homes and workplaces.  Members use them when they need them, paying just a simple hourly rate ... It’s far less expensive than owning and operating a car, and much more convenient than renting. ..."

Flexcar locations .... Link 

"Since 2000, more than 30,000 individuals and more than 400 businesses have become members. Study after study has shown ..."

• "More than 80% report riding public transit as much or more than they did before joining"
• "About 60% report selling and existing car or avoiding buying another car"
• "The majority report driving fewer miles per year"

"Applying this data ... it is easy to see ... the impact of the Flexcar program is.

• "Reduced Congestion: ... Flexcar has effectively taken more than 10,000 vehicles off the roads."
• "More Open Space: Assuming that there are on average three parking spots needed per car (home, work, shopping area), ... Flexcar has removed the need for 30,000 parking spots. With each spot requiring three and a half tons of concrete, the need for 105,000 tons of concrete has been removed."
• "Less Pollution: Assuming each car taken off the road averages 25 mpg, and the owner drove 12,000 miles per year (US average), Flexcar has removed 96 million pounds, or 144,000 tons of carbon from the air."

Posted by Green Dude at 06:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

San Francisco is one innovative and leading edge city. 

Did you know that "... In April, the city banned plastic shopping bags, ... bottled water in some restaurants, and ... Styrofoam takeout containers."?

More interestingly .... "... plans are now under way to turn ... waste vegetable oil produced by the city's 2600 restaurants into biodiesel. The goal: offsetting 20% of the diesel fuel used by city buses."

"Under a $1.3 million dollar program, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) will turn a very large and problematic waste product into a renewable fuel:"

"Fats, oils and grease have been a significant problem for San Francisco’s sewers, ... When not disposed of properly, ... causes odors, attracts rats and leads to backups in The City’s sewer system, ...""

"... any restaurant with a deep fryer produces a steady stream of waste vegetable oil (WVO). ... [which] is generally stored and picked up by chemical companies,  ... In some parts of the country the oil is just thrown away."

"But it's relatively easy to turn WVO into a fuel,  ... SFPUC official Lewis Harrison stated that at least 1 million gallons of biodiesel could be produced ... which is "more than enough" to run the city's entire bus fleet on B20. Since WVO is a waste stream, offsetting petro-diesel usage with WVO biodiesel is particularly advantageous: the use of 1 million gallons of WVO-biodiesel would offset 19,600,000 lbs (9800 tons) of carbon dioxide emissions each year. It also has significant economic and public health benefits: municipal biodiesel production should beat the $4/gallon price of fuel in San Francisco, and B20 biodiesel blends cut diesel soot emissions by 20-40%.

SFPUC officials are hoping to have the city buses running on B20 by the end of 2007.

Via:  GreenOptions.com   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 06:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I remember the days when I traveled to Toronto (late 1990s)  and the hotel had message cards in the bathroom telling you to put your towel in the shower if you wanted a new one ... to help save water and energy from washing a towel that might have only been used once ...  

Things have changed ...  The Hotel Triton's 7th Floor is ECO friendly.  Read on for more

"The days of sacrificing style and comfort to be environmentally conscious are long gone. Hotel Triton is a pioneer ... started with Hotel Triton's one of a kind Eco-Floor™ launched in conjunction with Earth Day in the 1990s. In 2003, the hotel spread its eco-practices to all floors and fostered alliances with organizations such as Trust for Public Land, Green Fusion, Collage Foundation and Happy Planet. ... integrated practices such as a sophisticated waste recycling program, biodegradable cleaning products, recycled paper, and organic coffee. Hotel Triton's environmental efforts became the inspiration and blueprint for Kimpton Hotel's eco-program in 2005, which is now being implemented at all Kimpton Hotels nationwide."

Here are "Just a few of the ways we're eco-friendly at the Hotel Triton:"

• "Our linen and towel re-use program reduces laundry detergent and water use by 25%."
• "All rooms on our 7th Floor Eco Floor have water saving devices, water filtration systems, and air filtration/purifiers."
• "Our extensive recycling program helps the hotel recycle 60% of our waste. Guest recycling receptacles have been placed in all guestrooms so that guests also can recycle."
• All cleaning agents and chemicals used to clean guestrooms have been replaced by non-toxic, environmentally safe products. This has assisted us in the elimination of bleach and ammonia based products.
• "Landfill Use Reduction. All usable hotel items are donated to local non-profit organizations (furniture, mattresses, artwork, equipment, a/c units, refrigerators, linens and towels, lost-and-found items, wall coverings, etc.)."

Via:  Triton Hotel  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Tech at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Steve Glenn (founder of PeopleLink Inc.) has built the first LEED Platinum certified residential house in the US.  It offers many unique features - though the house was not inexpensive. 

"... house is the prototype for LivingHomes.  ... sells prefabricated houses with this design by architect Ray Kappe, for about $250 per square foot (not including land, site development, or transportation).  ...  green features add about 20% to the base cost of the home and generate about $1,500 in savings per year.  (disclaimer: these are all estimates, but if you take these figures seriously, there is no breakeven on a 30 year mortgage...but this calculation comes with a load of assumptions.)"

Among the features and approx costs:

• "Recycled Water System:  $20,000
  

• Ventilation (whole house ceiling fan from Tamarack Technologies):  $1,200
• Fireplace (EcoSmart fireplace from Fire Co. is flue-less):  $?
• Hot Water (radiant heating system by Apricus Solar):  $33,000
• Living Roof (garden & deer grass roof by Great Outdoors Landscaping):  $8,000
• Electricity (Scott Corp. photovoltaic panels for up to 80% of house needs):  $12,000 (after $13,000 in state rebates & federal tax credits). 
• Lighting (bright bars of light diodes from American Permalight):  $95 per bar
• Windows (double-pane glass from Pilkington Group & sliding doors from Fleetwood Windows and Doors):  $33,000 for entire house.

  

To see a slide show follow the Link to a BusinessWeek site. 

To see a video of the the home being build follow the Link to www.livinghomes.us

Via:  BusinessWeek   Sept. 11, 2006   Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Paramount Farms, ... tomorrow (May 23, 2007) will start up a $7.5 million 1.1-megawatt solar farm spread across eight acres.  ... the largest solar farm on an agricultural site in the United States .... Over the next year, ... will generate about 15 percent of the electricity used by the ... nut processing plant."

"The panels will be amorphous silicon, not the photovoltaic panels popular on house roofs and also many other solar power farms in the United States.

Posted by Green Dude at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "SCE's new Biomass Standard Contract opens the door for these projects, and provides a faster, simpler way for biomass projects under 20 MW to sell their power to utility customers. SCE is offering three new biomass contract options for projects with less than 1 MW of generating capacity, 1 MW to 5 MW, and greater than 5 MW to 20 MW. Contract terms of 10, 15, or 20 years will be accepted. The utility plans to accept up to 250 MW of new biomass capacity through the new program. " ...

Via Southern California Edison: New Type of Renewable Energy Contract to Expand Biomass Generation

Posted by Green Tech at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The folks who make simple shoes are concerned about the environment and global warming. 

They reduce their environmental footprint by the way they manufacture their shoes: "... we're changing the way we make shoes by using sustainable materials like recycled car tires, crepe rubber, and organic cotton."

They will also "donating 5 bucks to StopGlobalWarming.org for each pair of Toepeeka flip-flops  we sell to our retailers.  Learn how you can help to: go to stopglobalwarming.com"

Via:  simpleshoes.com\stopglobalwarming   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Task Force follows the successful introduction of new priority permitting for private development projects that meet a minimum gold standard under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process. " ...

Via San Francisco Mayor's Office: Green Building Task Force

Posted by Green Tech at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All natural shoes.  Sounds good.

What goes into an all natural shoe and why is it so good for the planet?
>>>  Read on and find out!

" ... About a gazillion pairs later... give or take a few... weve managed to learn a few things. ... And none more important than this: HOW we make our shoes is just as important as WHY we make them. ... finding more sustainable ways of doing business so we can make a gazillion more."

" ... we're committed to making our product 100% sustainable.  Finding materials and processes that make our products sustainable is a method we call Green Toe."

In addition to using the materials in the graphic to the right ... they also ...

Via:  Simple Shoes   Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Google is well known for its innovation in Search Engines and web tools. It is also well known for the many employee perks ... 

What most people do not know is that they are helping to reduce road congestion and traffic by providing bus service to many of the employees in southern California.

In fact - Google operates a LARGE bus fleets.  Some details:

" ... ferries about 1,200 employees to and from Google daily — nearly one-fourth of its local work force — aboard 32 shuttle buses ... Bicycles are allowed on exterior racks, and dogs on forward seats, or on their owners’ laps if the buses run full."

"The shuttles, which carry up to 37 passengers each ... 132 trips every day to some 40 pickup and drop-off locations in more than a dozen cities, crisscrossing six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area and logging some 4,400 miles. They pick up workers as far away as Concord, 54 miles northeast of the Googleplex ... system’s routes cover in excess of 230 miles of freeways, more than twice the extent of the region’s BART commuter train system, which has 104 miles of tracks."

Via:  Google.Com     Link     and    The New York Times March 10, 2007     Link

Posted by Green Dude at 07:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 
Whole Foods Market has committed to using Solar Power at stores in their Southern Pacific, Northern California and North Atlantic Regions. 

"... Brentwood is using solar energy as 24 percent of its power source ... will produce 62,370 kilowatt hours, approximately equal to 20 residential homes, result in more than 140,000 lbs per year of CO2 emissions avoided, the equivalent of removing 10 cars from the roadways, and reduce the equivalent of more than 58 tons of coal being burned."

"In March 2002 Whole Foods Market Berkeley became the first major food retailer to introduce solar energy as a primary lighting power source ... while increasing building thermal insulation and extending the life of the roof." 

"The combination of solar power and efficient lighting, along with a Duro-Last Energy Star® roof system with a solar reflectance of more than 86%, will reduce both peak and base load electricity demand. The net effect will be reduced load on the local electric substation, especially during peak summer hours."

"Our Edgewater, New Jersey store ... installing solar panels made by BP Solar on our facility's roof.  ... will meet more than 20 percent of Edgewater store's needs. The new ... system will produce and save more than 2.2 million kWhs over 20 years resulting in more than 1,650 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions avoided, the equivalent of removing 440 cars from the roadways, and reduce the impact on our country's power grids.

Via:  WholeFoodsMarket.com    Link

Posted by Green Dude at 07:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "So, it's time for the auto industry to improve vehicle technologies and reduce tailpipe emissions. The bottom line is this: emissions from the use of motor vehicles are roughly one-third of our nation's greenhouse gas problem. So, it's critical that we reduce carbon dioxide emissions from this sector. Mandating automakers to reduce tailpipe emissions and requiring fuel providers to increase the supply of low-carbon fuels would cut carbon dioxide emissions from the use of motor vehicles by as much as 22 percent below projected levels by 2030. " ...

Via Senator Feinstein: Measure to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Use of Motor Vehicles

Posted by Green Tech at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nice video of solar photovoltaics in use at Shafer Vineyard in Napa ...

Posted by Green Tech at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We all know to recycle.  It's good for the environment:  it reduces waste, recycled goods use less energy than good created from raw materials. 

But what kinds of things are available to buy?
>>> How about clothing and apparel?

My newest belt is made from recycled tires.  It was made by Hempy's of California and so far holds my pants up quite fine.  No news on the mpg though ...

"HEMPY’S is an American manufacturer and worldwide distributor of clothing and accessories made from sustainable materials including hemp, organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled synthetics. We work primarily with small, family owned sewing contractors in our local San Diego region. HEMPY’S eco-friendly products are 'Made in the U.S.A.' and create jobs for American workers and help stimulate the domestic economy. For over 11 years we have remained committed to product quality, business integrity and customer service."

Via:  Hempy's    Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Oakland, California and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have published preliminary results of its pilot of fuel-cell-powered transit buses.  ...

Three fuel-cell transit buses were piloted at AC Transit starting in March 2006.  The fuel cell buses, by Van Hool, use ISE Corp's hybrid-electric propulsion systems, UTC Power's PureMotion fuel cell system, and ZEBRA sodium/nickel chloride batteries. The fuel cell buses were compared to six diesel buses, to establish a comparative baseline  for performance.  The fuel cell buses performed rather well, considering they are prototypes.  The pilot generated a number of learning's that will enable continuous improvements.  Over the course of the pilot, the fuel cell buses covered over 27,000 miles and operated for more than 2,300 total fuel cell system hours.

Preparing for the Pilot ...   First, AC Transit needed to design a station to provide hydrogen fuel for the buses.  AC Transit and Chevron Technology Ventures partnered to build the hydrogen energy station and retrofit an existing transit facility to support fuel-cell bus maintenance.  The energy station can produce 150 kg of hydrogen per day and store up to 370 kg of hydrogen. 

The Pilot Demonstrated These Observations ...   During the pilot, the fuel cell buses' average fuel economy was 5.50 miles per kg of hydrogen which is markedly better than the 4 miles per gallon performance of the diesel buses, used in the comparison.  Operating and maintenance costs show that the cost per mile for diesel buses is much better than fuel cell power ($0.58 vs $1.45 respectively).  This gap should narrow as the operation of fuel cell buses is optimized.  The fuel cell technology demonstrated lower parts costs and moderately higher labor hours.  Again, this is respectable performance for fuel-cell prototypes and maintenance staff early in the learning curve.

A number of technical issues were identified and remedied ...  ZEBRA batteries did not perform well and control algorithms need enhancement.  ISE Corp. is working on this.   Air conditioning is driven by electrical motors which had high failure rates.  In-pilot upgrades seem to have resolved this problem.   The UTC Power PureMotionTM 120 Fuel Cell Power System showed performance problems as high-current density.

Coming Next ...   The AC Transit pilot is continuing and another evaluation report is planned for end of 2007, which will extend the performance data bases for fuel cell transit buses.

Read the full pilot report: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) Fuel Cell Transit Buses: Preliminary Evaluation Results (in PDF format) ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

General Electric Energy Financial Services recently announced investments in Wind Farms in CA, IL, NM and PA.

"... announced today (19-Feb--07) that it has committed to invest in a 410-megawatt wind farm portfolio, among its single largest wind investments."  Details by State and MegaWatt  are below.

Wind Farm Details (State, MW Rated, Utility Served and Turbine):

"Aragonne Mesa (90 megawatts) in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. Built with Mitsubishi 1000A turbines, Arizona Public Services is the project’s off-taker."

"Allegheny Ridge I and II, (80 and 70 megawatts respectively), in Pennsylvania’s Cambria and Blair counties. FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has contracted to purchase the output of the two wind farms, which use Gamesa G87 turbines."

"GSG (80 megawatts), in Illinois’ Lee and LaSalle counties. Using Gamesa G87 turbines, the output will be sold at market prices."

"Mendota Hills (52 megawatts), in Lee County, Illinois. The wind farm uses Gamesa G52 turbines and will sell output at market prices."

"Buena Vista (38 megawatts), in the Altamont Pass area of Northern California. The output is contracted to PG&E Corporation and uses Mitsubishi 1000A turbines."

"All the wind farms have either been completed or will be completed by the end of April, except Allegheny Ridge II, expected to be finished by December."

Via: huliq.com    Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Alvarado installation has 6,128 photovoltaic solar panels located atop the concrete roofs of all three water storage reservoirs, a total area covering approximately 4.33 acres. Each panel measures 4.5x3.5-feet. The solar power system, with the capacity to produce 1.602 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, will have a measurable environmental impact and will reduce annual carbon emissions equal to 219 cars driving 12,500 miles annually. As part of a planned 5 megawatt solar system deployment, the Alvarado solar array marks another step forward in providing clean, renewable energy for San Diego, which has been recognized as the nation's #1 Green Power Partnership city by the Environmental Protection Agency since 2006. The City and SunEdison are investigating an additional 4 megawatts of solar projects at other San Diego sites including the Otay Water Treatment Facility and the Black Mountain Reservoir. " ...

Via City of San Diego: City of San Diego Unveils 1-Megawatt Solar System at City's Alvarado Water Treatment Plant

Posted by Green Tech at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So, you want a Natural Gas powered car, and you found one.  Honda sells the Civic GX at select dealers in NY and California. 

Now about the lack of fueling stations for the average consumer ... There are approximately 16 in the NYC metro area and 200 in California.  Not enough for comfort?  Hmmm.  What to do?

Honda's sells the Phill - a home fueling system that turns a home natural gas into the required "gas" for the Civic GX.  The Phill can be mounted in a garage and pressurizes the low pressure natural gas found at home to the require 3500 - 3600 psi needed for fueling.  Though slower than a "gas station" it allows flexibility for those far from a Natural Gas station.

The Phill is safe and easy to use .... see pictures in this post above and below. 

Via:  Honda     Link     and     EVWorld     Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 06:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

American Honda Motor Company may be the first automaker to offer a car line - the civic - in standard gasoline, Hybrid and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) 

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized the natural-gas Civic GX as the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle on Earth. Plus, the California Air Resources Board gave the GX an AT-PZEV emissions rating, which means it's still the "Cleanest on Earth."

 "Civic GX owners can purchase their own home-refueling appliance called Phill, which installs easily to a home gas line. With Phill, GX owners fill up when they come home, instead of having to go to a gas station."

The gasoline and Hybrid version are offered pretty much nation-wide.  The CNG version is only available at select dealers in California and New York.

Posted by Green Dude at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We all hear that we should recycle.  It reduces the amount of trash sent to landfills and that means lower garbage costs.  It means less garbage to possibly pollute and land and air.  So it seems obvious to recycle. 

Did you know that recycling ... :

1. "It’s EASY. ...use a rag to wipe spills rather than a disposable towel or a cloth bag that can be constantly reused to shop for groceries."
   
2. "Saves money. You can also make money by turning in your bottles and cans."
3. "Creates jobs. Recycling is big business in California. ... accounting for approximately $85,000 jobs and producing $10 billion in products and services per year."
4. "Saves energy. ... Recycling also frequently saves energy because it can take less energy to clean or convert materials. For example, less energy is required to produce a gallon of re-refined oil than creating new oil."
5. "Saves natural resources. Reducing, reusing, and recycling materials help prevents the need to cut down new materials such as trees or digging into new mines. Also, it saves natural resources by not creating new landfills to hold new waste. Reducing, reusing, and recycling materials eliminates the need to build the equivalent of one new large landfill each year in California."

Posted by Green Dude at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 
California is the land of highways and cars. 

Roads are everywhere and part of having road means road repairs and that means waste.  

So, The State California has taken a stand and has a "Green Roads" program to reduce waste and recycle where possible ... resulting in less initial cost and less disposal cost.  Some of the highlights:

• "Rubberized Asphalt Concrete - (RAC) is a road material made with recycled tires."
• "Recycled Aggregate - comes from crushing old concrete and asphalt for base in road projects."
• "Tire Derived Aggregate - (TDA) is made up of shredded tires."

"Our State has long been an innovative leader in the environmental arena ... protecting natural resources and diverting unnecessary waste from landfills. We have also recognized significant cost savings ... by using recycled-content and environmentally friendly materials."

Via:  State of California Web - Green Roads   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 08:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Recycling is one way to reduce waste sent to landfills but sometimes governmental "push" is needed.  Many cities (two ex: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Radnor, Pennsylvania) require recycling of certain waste streams.

In California - the state has put in place a program to help pay for recycling by having retailers collect a fee.


"California has enacted landmark legislation to establish a funding system for the collection and recycling of certain electronic wastes."  "Starting January 1, 2005, retailers collect the Electronic Waste Recycling Fee on covered electronic devices from consumers. Retailers remit these fees to the Board of Equalization (BOE)."

Plan goals are:

• "Reduction in hazardous substances used in certain electronic products sold in California."
• "Collection of an electronic waste recycling fee at the point of sale of certain products."
• "Distribution of  recovery and recycling payments ... covering the cost of electronic waste collection and recycling."
• "Directive to recommend environmentally preferred purchasing criteria for state agency purchases of certain electronic equipment."

An example of the fees:

Posted by Green Dude at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

AISO.Net is not just a "GREEN" web hosting and data center company in the traditional sense.  In addition to generating 100% of their energy needs from their own solar panels they are building a "GREEN ROOF" for their data center.

The "GREEN ROOF" "is a layer of dirt 3 to 4 inches thick with drought resistant plants.  The new green roof will reduce our cooling and heating requirements by over 50%.  When finished, AISO will be the first and only public data center in North American with a green roof.  Along with our green roof we will be replacing all of our Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs with LED lighting.  This will reduce electricity usage and they contain no mercury.  Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs contain mercury which becomes a concern at landfills and trash incinerators where the mercury from many bulbs can escape and contribute to air and water pollution.  We are also in the process of LEED certifying our data center and office with the U.S. Green Building Council."
 

Via:   AISO.Net    Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

AISO.Net is a solar powered Web Hosting facility.  Some of the benefits of being green are identified on their web site include: 

"According to BP Solar...

Our 120 solar panel system will eliminate the production of
- 19,890 lbs of Carbon Dioxide (CO2/GHG) per year
- 5.9 lbs of Nitrous Oxide (NOX/smog) per year
- 0.45 lbs of Sulfur Dioxide (SO4/acid rain) per year
This is the equivalent of planting 3.5 acres of trees per year "

"AISO's data center and main office is powered by 120 solar panels which generate our electricity. AISO receives calls from customers asking if AISO really runs entirely on solar power. We have proof, a real-time Web camera trained on our solar panels that flank our 2,000-square-foot data center. "Anybody can buy ecocredits," says Phil Nail, Director of Technology for AISO, referring to companies that buy alternative energy credits in exchange for the amount of electricity they consume. "We're out to make a difference."
 

Via:   AISO.Net    Link

Posted by Green Dude at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "another instance of California being a trend-setter for the rest of the nation, Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), the Chair of the Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Committee, announced that he is introducing legislation - the How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb Act - to ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs in California by the year 2012. " ...

Via Assemblymember LLoyd E. Levine: Levine Legislation to Make California First State in the Nation to Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs ...

Posted by Green Tech at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)