President Elect Obama: Commited To The Environment
As the world anxiously awaits the new administration in Washington, President-Elect Obama’s commitment to the environment, climate change and a green economy grows deeper. His recent speech clarifies his dedication to making this a priority in his first term as President.
My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process. President-elect Barack Obama, November 18, 2008
This week in an address at the Bi-Partisan Governors Global Climate Summit held in Los Angeles, CA, he also said the following:
I promise you this: When I am president, any governor who’s willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that’s willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington. And any nation that’s willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America.
Yes We Can!
President-Elect Obama is calling for a national cap-and-trade system with annual targets to set our country on course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by the year 2020. By continuing on course, America would reduce emissions by an additional 80% by 2050.
These changes will take much hard work and commitment from all Americans, but getting through the red tape in Washington is the first major milestone. Are you interested in showing your support for Green Energy? Sign the Environmental Defense Fund’s 2009 Green Energy Petition.
What do you think about Obama’s commitment to the environment? Is it enough or should his goals be even more aggressive? Do you think it is realistic?
Biomass combined heat and power plant
Earlier this year, Congress extended the production tax credits for renewable power sources like solar, wind and biomass. Locally, in my Central Oregon region, several new biomass plants may remain viable as a result of the election of Obama as the 44th President of the United States. These include the Warm Springs Biomass plant, and a similar plant proposed by Silvan Power in Prineville, Oregon.
Obama’s green agenda is clear. He campaigned on promises to create 5 million “green jobs.” In order to make these jobs and renewable energy a reality, the production tax credits may be extended for 5 years (although they were extended under the $700 billion bailout plan, they are currently set to expire one year from now).
Obama says:
“This program will provide incentives to farmers and other local producers of renewable energy to boost rural renewable energy production.”
That all sounds great, doesn’t it? But what do you know about biomass? Here is a quick Biomass 101:
Biomass heat and energy can be created by new biomass plants from the breakdown of wood products and other organic materials. For example, when the Forest Service thins tree stands to cut down on fire fuels, the woody debris can be sent to new biomass plantsto be turned into biomass fuel and/or heat. Simiarly, waste from wood mills can also be used in this manner.
The University of Idaho has been heating its Moscow campus for 2 decades by burning waste from local mills. We should see more schools and universities follow in its footsteps under the federal Fuels for Schools program which provides subsidies to schools that install biomass boilers. A school in Montana that implemented the program saved over $90,000 in heating oil costs in the past year!
Europe is leading North America (for now!) when it comes to new biomass plants, however. Check out this video:
Here on the other side of the pond, of several new biomass plants under consideration in Oregon, the Warm Springs project is proposed to be a $50 million, 20-megawatt power plant that will provide steam heat and electricity to a lumber mill next door. A remaining 15.8 megawatts generated will provide power over the grid for 12,000 homes. Tax credits will help make the project viable.
Living in an area heavily covered with forests that need constant, consistent management, I would much rather see the wood debris sent to new biomass plants than burned! I am excited to watch the development of new, green technology and witness less wasteful depletion of natural energy resources. Obama’s green agenda will - I believe - lead us out of the recession and create many new green collar jobs. At the same time, we can breathe a little easier as our reliance on fossil fuels will ease through the use of biomass fuel and heat. Don’t you agree?
1. A path missed in Mississippi.
We have so many choices on the road of life. We can take the high road, the low road, the road to excess, the road to progress, freedom’s road, new roads and the roads you could drive blindfolded. There are uphill climbs and slippery slopes and of course the road you never saw coming.
When we check the rear view mirror we can see with clarity what we missed and where we choose the less desirable path out of ignorance, confusion or selfishness. Sometimes I think I missed a million miles of road I should’ve seen.
Road trips are like rites of passage. You venture out on the open road not really knowing what you will see, find or be forced to deal with on your way to where you think you want to go.
2. A little red barn in the Kentucky countryside.
The excitement is in the journey itself.
I still love a good road trip. Unfortunately, I drive way too fast, looking straight ahead at the road in front of me. I often miss the good stuff that is simply a quick turn to the left or right. I am always in a hurry it seems, to see something I imagine to be better. It usually isn’t.
The following is a list of incredible sights I missed because I was moving too fast to catch a glimpse.
Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. - Ferris Bueller
3. Alabama: Crimson and Clover
4. Mountains of North Carolina
5. A missed sight in Sedona, AZ
6. A Louisiana Swamp
7. A gentle watefall in upstate New York
8. Fresh snow and light in Vermont
9. La Jolla, California
10. Sunset at Bass Harbor, Maine
11. A Country Road In Virginia
Over the years, I’ve learned to slow down (just a little) because it has been clear that the quiet, unexpected moments often hold the most treasured visions -whether it is a sunset over a peaceful harbor or my daughter skipping home from school.
I am learning to savor the moments and take the long way, the quiet path a little more often.
Please tread just a little lighter on our beloved planet today. Do something, no matter how small, to help preserve it’s beauty for future generations to enjoy all the many things we were too busy to see and appreciate.
Slow down, gaze in your rear view mirror. What have you missed?
Can we apply solar power technologies learned from plants?
If you have a working knowledge of solar power technology, you probably know a bit about photovoltaic (PV) cells. These silicon-based cells have been criticized as too expensive and not environmentally friendly to produce.
Next, solar power researchers developed dye solar cells, which operate in a fashion described as “artificial photosynthesis.” In other words, it generates energy much as a plant does when sunlight strikes a leaf.
Dye solar cells (DSC) work using an electrolyte, a layer of titanium, and ruthenium dye inserted between panes of glass. When sunlight strikes the dye, it excites electrons which are then absorbed by the titanium to become an electric current. Among several claimed advantages of DSC cells over PV cells, it costs less to produce dye solar cells. Dye solar cells are also said to be more efficient than PV cells in low-light conditions. In addition, building construction can more readily incorporate dye solar cells than the installation of PV panels.
Recently, researchers at the Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT) discovered a new solar power technology that mimics photosynthesis, allowing energy created during the day to be stored for use during times the sun is not shining! How can this be done, you say? MIT researchers explain in a way that only scientists can make sound so simple:
“the sun’s energy [can] to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later, the oxygen and hydrogen may be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power your house or your electric car, day or night.”
Sounds great, right? But how does this new solar power technology really work? The researchers use compound made from cobalt and phosphate. When the sun is out, electricity from solar panels is fed to the compound in water, causing the water to split into hydrogen and oxygen. The elements then create a chemical fuel that can be recombined to create energy later.
The discovery breaks “the connection between energy and fossil fuels because my energy is coming from water,” explains Dr. Nocera, “unleashing the solar energy, not in real time, but when you want to.”
Now, admittedly, Dr. Nocera could sound more excited about the new solar power technology breakthrough! But let us provide the fireworks for this amazing discovery. Anything that reduces the cost of solar power and also allows the efficient storage of excess energy is worth celebrating!
This is exciting stuff!
Dr. Nocera’s work is part of the MIT Energy Initiative, which is aiming to transform the global energy system to meet future needs in a responsible, environmentally-sensitive manner. Funding was also provided to MIT’s Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to see large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years.
With Dr. Nocera’s discovery, we can now expect that solar power will be a viable option for consumers who previously worried about the cost and practicality of using energy from sunlight overnight. Nocera’ team is sharing their new solar power technology research with the entire scentific community (as well as the press, as you can see!) The hope is that within 8-10 years, solar power can be used large-scale and at a cost at or below coal or natural gas-powered electricity.
“Tree” cheers for the MIT research team!!
Reusable canvas shopping bags will soon be required
As the mom of 4 (hungry) kids, trips to the grocery store have often resulted in a cart filled to the brim and then, I cringe when the store clerk starts filling numerous plastic grocery bags so I can haul the purchases home. Oh sure, sometimes the cashier will ask me, “Paper or plastic, ma’am?” but I know that neither alternative is environmentally friendly. Paper bags require - well, paper to make them. And that means trees are getting cut down for the simple convenience of one-time use. On the other hand, plastic grocery bags are made of petroleum. While they are lighter and cost less to transport than paper bags, they are much less often recycled. Instead, I see them floating through parking lots and snagged in brush along highways. Worse, plastic grocery bags harm and kill thousands of animals each year when a percentage of the 300 billion plastic bags produced annually end up in our waterways and forests.
I am now the proud owner of 10 canvas shopping bags. I unload them at home and then walk them straight back to the trunk of my car where they await our next trip to the store. Each bag holds the equivalent of at least 3 plastic grocery bags. I have never used all 10 in a single shopping trip!
What is wrong with this picture?
Before long, you may not have a choice between paper or plastic as a consumer. City after city, as well as some countries are banning plastic grocery bags. For example, the City of Los Angeles will be plastic shopping bag-free by July 2010. If you do not bring your own canvas shopping bag, you will have to pay a 25-cent fee for each paper bag issued to you. Plastic grocery bags are already outlawed in San Francisco. Maui County in Hawaii will ban the bags in 2011. Similar banning or taxing measures have been considered and/or adopted in Seattle, Fairfax, and Madison, among other places.
Go abroad to China, and you won’t find any plastic grocery bags there either. China enacted a ban this year. You also won’t find plastic bags in Rwanda, Eritrea, or South Africa. Ireland, Australia and a number of countries in Africa are also weighing whether to ban plastic grocery bags.
What do you think? Should government be making our choice for us? If not, are we responsible enough to seriously recycle all the plastic grocery bags we use to stop endangering animals and urban blight? Is it time to say “enough” and get rid of them all together?
After watching this video, “Ivana recycle” too! But seriously…. next time you go grocery shopping, consider picking up a few canvas bags for your trip. Leave the plastic grocery bags behind, even if you don’t HAVE to. Not only will you have a cleaner conscience, but you’ll be helping a greener Earth.
Nim's Island: A perfect choice for your first Green Family Movie Night!
My girls are more than enthusiastic when it comes to caring for our planet. They actively recycle, (my oldest watches over everyone to be sure they are doing what they should) and they get excited when they spot solar panels on traffic signs or charging the small info stations at the local zoo.
The movie Nim’s Island brought similar excitement home to our family room. We purchased the DVD for the promise of funny animals and adventure and discovered it to be a perfect film for a green family movie night!
Never hosted a green family movie night? Neither had I until this movie came along! Family nights are important for so many reasons. Basing your family night activities around caring for the planet adds a whole new layer to the fun and has many possibilities regardless of your children’s age.
My daughter screamed at the TV when she spotted wind turbines and solar panels in the movie Nim’s Island. Yeah, we get just a little excited over these things at out our house, but the movie brought up a lot of questions for my young daughter. We were amazed when 11-year-old Nim repaired their solar panels after a storm and how Nim’s dad used a wind turbine on his boat to power up his laptop! It’s a great way for kids to see solar power and wind energy in use and all around great entertainment!
The movie just might inspire a few green conversations or explore renewable energy concepts in depth with your kids.
Staring Jodi Foster, Gerard Butler and Abigail Breslin. Here’s the trailer from Nim’s Island:
What else can you watch on Green Family Movie Night? Well, movies like Nim’s Island are not crowding the shelves at Blockbuster. We watch some wildlife movies and documentaries on Animal Planet or Discovery (make sure they are non-violent if your children are young) or play a green game, read a book that teaches children to treasure nature and their relationship to it. Work on a renewable energy project together. Green Family Movie Night can also be simply “Green Family Night!”
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Please share them in the comments section so we can all appreciate and enjoy!
The Sustainability Company
The first in the Peachy Green series of “Green Reads,” we recommend “The Sustainability Company: How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance,” by Christopher Laszlo. Published in 2003 by Island Press, this book examines how “going green” may help your company’s profitability, as well as the environment. The Sustainability Company explains that those businesses that are the most responsive to social and environmental issues will enjoy the greatest success. As a former executive of the Proctor and Gamble Company states,
“What Mr. Laszlo calls ‘planetary ethics,’ or the integration of economic, environmental, social and high ethical objectives into long-term business strategy, is the new price of entry for corporate survival. Those who ‘get’ this and do it best will enjoy increasing shareholder value. I believe this book carries a critical message for today’s corporate executives.” - Deborah D. Anderson, former Vice President, Environmental - Quality Worldwide
The Sustainability Company not only includes a number of specific case studies in which companies profited from acting morally and in an environmentally-conscious manner, it tells you how to do it! CEOs and managers can take practical advice from the book’s eight key disciplines that will increase sustainable value. In this regard, The Sustainability Company is unlike any other “green business book” you’ll find.
Why place a high value on “going green,” when we are suffering the effects of so little green cash-flow these days? Because you cannot afford not to! You can gain unprecedented loyalty among employees when you employ sustainable, socially-responsible practices. Then, turn around and leverage it to your advantage vis-a-vis your competitors. Advertise your good works, create a foundation to continue your green practices and set a great example for the rest of the world! The Sustainability Company also encourages corporations to stay a step ahead of governmental regulations. How much better does it sound to consumers when you can say that you employed new waste reduction measures or cut greenhouse emissionsin excess of what is required by law? Personally, I think its Peachy Green advice!
Sustainability is a Root Contributor to Corporate Success
The book’s author, Christopher Laszlo, spent nearly a decade as a senior executive at Lafarge S.A., a leader in building materials, before co-founding the consulting firm of Sustainable Value Partners. Today, you can obtain Mr. Laszlo’s practical advice, combined with his education (he earned a Ph.D. in Economics and Management Science, after attending Swarthmore, Columbia, and the University of Paris), in The Sustainability Company. You may also want to check out a related publication, “Sustainable Value: How the World’s Leading Companies are Doing Well by Doing Good.”
Both books are available at Amazon.com, and in many major bookstores. You may also order by calling 1.800.828.1302.
If you like what you read in Mr. Laszlo’s books, you may also enjoy publications by Sustainable Value Partners, including this article titled “Why Pursue Sustainability During an Economic Downturn?”
In the words of Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Power House: Kids Renewable Energy Project
The holidays are quickly approaching and if you are like me you probably want to throw at least one educational toy or project under the tree this year.
Luckily there are some amazing choices out there that will actually interest your children and not leave them wishing they had unwrapped something different.
The Power House is an award winning, comprehensive renewable energy project that you can enjoy right beside your children. Together you can venture into the world of sustainable energy and explore countless projects and experiments.
Now, I can’t take credit for discovering this beautiful model solar and wind powered home. My mother-in-law found it in a shop in NY over a year ago and stashed it away. It’s one of those things - if you see it now you may not see it again! My kids will be getting this green gift for Christmas this year and I can’t wait. I just wish it was big enough for me to move into.
The Power House has more than 70 different projects and experiments to keep you and your child busy exploring renewable energy and going green from a scientific perspective. Aside from building a solar and wind powered model home it also includes:
- Constructing a solar oven
- Establishing a real working green house
- Build an electric car
- Build a desalinartion system
- Create a solar powered water heater
- Install mini-solar panels on the model home
- Experiment harnessing the energy of the sun, wind, electrochemical and plant energy
- Build a sail car and learn how wings and sails transform energy
The Power House by Thames and Kosmos
These are just a few of the best projects included in this kit! You will be busy until Valentine’s Day at least! And when it comes time for your school’s annual science fair you will not be at a loss for project ideas. The kit is designed for kids 12 and up, but I think this could be done with younger children with the help of mom or dad.
The Power House Experiment Manual isn’t just a boring instruction manual with step by step instructions.
Work along with the Islanders to use renewable energy.
All of the projects and experiments are based on a story of island dwellers who are learning to live sustainably using only the resources provided on their little island. You and your child read their journal entries and then build models and experiment along with the islanders.
This story based method will show your child just how practical and realistic renewable energy can be for maintaining a healthy green lifestyle.
The Power House is one of many great projects created by Thames and Kosmos. It is priced around $150, but I did see it for slightly less at this science projects and educational toy site. Like the energy of the sun, the Power House is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Whale Wars: How to harass whalers.
How do you harass a whaler? How do you convince them, while at sea, to turn around and head for home? Can they really be harassed into submission? Or is the whaling industry profitable enough to cause them to become violent towards those who oppose them?
Whale Wars addresses this question head on. The latest reality show from Animal Planet follows the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in it’s non-violent attempts to harass controversial Japanese whalers to the point of turning their ships around. The Sea Shepard may be non-violent, but the whalers they are trying to stop cannot claim the same. Watch a clip. The show airs on Friday’s at 9:00 PM and is sure to captivate you with it’s real life adventure and a crew risking their lives to protect the lives of innocent whales.
The question remains, how do you harass a whaler?
The Japanese whalers are obviously not happy with the show. They are doing everything they can to discredit the claims, which is difficult when there is clear footage of their illegal activities being aired internationally.
In response, Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd has this to say:
Our clients however are the great whales and our objective is to defend them from slaughter by Japanese eco-terrorists who are spilling tons of hot blood into the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary…Just what is it about the word “sanctuary” that the Japanese government does not understand? These endangered whales are being targeted in a legally established international sanctuary for whales.
What’s your take on this? I love that Animal Planet is using this show to raise awareness about this important topic. Will you watch Whale Wars?
The White House Lawn
In an effort to encourage President-Elect Obama (and his staff) to plant an edible garden on the White House lawn, Kitchen Gardeners International has launched a campaign called Eat The View.
The following video features KGI Founder Roger Doiron in front of his own white house digging a garden with a request to the President-elect.
Set to This Land Is Your Land, this delightful video explains why this would be a wonderful move for our hopeful new White House administration and our country.
This Lawn Is Your Lawn
What do you think? Would an edible landscape on the White House Lawn inspire you to start a garden of your own?
Looks like a lot of work to me! I think it would feed the local wildlife in my yard quite well though!