CT Green Scene

Environmentalism v. Fuel consumption: Who will win?

If you go to the pump with any regularity, you've probably noticed the high price of gassing up. But with the recession, there was not only a decrease in gas and oil usage but a rush to find an alternative so as not to rely on foreign sources. Thanks to horizontal drilling and "fracking," North American sources have been tapped into that can make the future look bright--for gas and oil companies, that is.

In a post by The New York Times today, the idea of having plentiful supplies of domestic oil and gas could far outweigh the environmental costs. (Think gas and oil leaking into water supplies à la the documentary Gasland.) As with the economic downturn, there was a sudden push to reserve energy, ride bikes, or even change lightbulbs to CFLs to save some cash. But when jobs start to return as does spending, going green goes right out the door.  

See an excerpt below.

Fuel to Burn: Now What?
By JAD MOUAWAD
Published: April 10, 2012

Cheaper fuel produced domestically could reduce the cost of shipping and manufacturing, trim heating and cooling bills, improve the auto market and provide tens of thousands of new jobs.

It might also pose new environmental challenges, both predictable and unforeseen, by damping enthusiasm for clean forms of energy and derailing efforts to wean the nation from its wasteful energy habits.

But for Americans battered by rising gasoline prices, frustrated by the dependence on foreign oil, skeptical of the benefits or practicality of renewable fuels and afraid of nuclear power, the appeal of plentiful domestic oil and gas could far outweigh the costs.

Just a few years ago, the dominant theme in discussions about energy was of declining production and the fear of running out of oil. Even today, political tensions in the Middle East, particularly in the Persian Gulf, have fanned fears of supply disruptions that are keeping prices high.

But a new boom in energy production in recent years has upended these expectations in record time. High energy prices led to a wave of successful oil and gas exploration in North America, including in fields that were deemed uneconomical only a few years ago. Using techniques like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, oil companies are tapping into deeply buried reserves in shale rocks and in the ocean’s depths. 

To read more, click here. 

Image courtesy of NYTimes.com. 

Connecticut Unique Passive Solar House Tour - Feb 25th

A passive solar, super-insulated house will be open for tours at 1:00 and 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 25 in North Franklin, CT.

Currently under construction, the house has unique low U value French Bieber windows; a four-inch thick polished concrete floor; curved beams supporting two roofs that will be covered with vegetation; and a geothermal heating and cooling system.

Tickets: $15. Ticket information: 860-623-5487. Tour information: 860-693-4813. Sponsored by People’s Action for Clean Energy.

Is Nuclear Energy as Bad as We Think?

by Dr. Amy Wiesner

In light of the devastating earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, and the damage done to the nuclear power plant in the affected area, it seems important to have as many facts as possible regarding the consequences of the nuclear plant’s breakdown.

Nuclear energy was first discovered just before World War II, when scientists experimented with splitting atoms to create large amounts of energy, or fission. Initially in the US, this new technology was solely used in a military capacity, but after the war, continuing experimentation was accomplished via the Atomic Energy Commission to find nonviolent uses of nuclear energy, including using it for electricity. The first nuclear energy plant in the US became operational in 1957 and more plant construction quickly followed.

NVCC Offers Green Courses for Homeowners - FREE

Humans weren't meant to hibernate: do something fun and productive this winter and take a green course for homeowners at Naugatuck Valley Community College, sponosred by Union Savings Bank.

From solar thermal to green building to sustainable landscaping to weatherization and ruuse solutions that will save you money--a multitude of interesting, inspiring and informative courses run from January to April. To register, call 203-575-8029 or email Ann Travers ATravers@nvcc.commnet.edu.

Solar Thermal for Homeowners your geothermal system

CRN 2747 • Danbury Center, 2 Sat., 1/8 & 1/15,

9 am - 12 pm, Rm: CL3

Instructor: Peter Governale

Is solar thermal energy a viable option for your home? Join us to learn basic solar energy principles, what it takes to install solar assisted hot water system, principal operating dynamics. Bring your own energy bills to calculate the cost effectiveness and return on investment for your home.

Geothermal for Homeowners

CRN 2748 • Danbury Center, 2 Sat., 1/22 & 1/29,

9 am - 12 pm, Rm: CL3, Instructor: Peter Governale

Why do nations such as Germany and Sweden have 97% of all new buildings space conditioned by geothermal? And why does the Iowa Board of Education mandate geothermal for its schools? Did you know that in 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency proclaimed “Geothermal heating and cooling is the most cost effective space conditioning system there is?” Join us to learn the fundamental principles of how geothermal energy works: practical applications for homes, businesses and schools; return on investment, cost effectiveness and life cycle fundamentals of installation procedures; technical principals of geothermal; what to look for in a contractor; available tax credits and state rebates; how making your home more energy efficient plays a role in designing your geothermal system.

Solar PV for Homeowners

CRN 2749 • Danbury Center, Thu., 2/10, 7 – 9 pm,

Rm: CL1, Instructor: Thomas Thompson

Learn about the many benefits and cost savings of implementing a solar photovoltaic system in your home. This course will provide information about Connecticut’s financial incentive programs for homeowners and the environmental impacts of PV installations.

New Year’s Resolution: Use Less Energy

by Anne Maertens

If your New Year’s resolution is to shrink your carbon footprint or if you just want to save money on your utility bills, you may be able to significantly reduce your energy use and get money for doing it.

The federal government has extended the energy efficiency tax credit, commonly known as 25C, through 2011, but there have been a few changes. The credit now equals 10 percent of your efficiency upgrade costs up to $500, and some efficiency upgrades have credit caps. For example, the maximum credit for ENERGY STAR windows is now $200.

In addition to the federal tax credit, there are a bunch of incentives from the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund that you can use to help achieve your energy saving goals. For example, ductless heat pumps are eligible for a rebate of up to $1,000, and efficient hot water heaters are eligible for a $300 rebate.

The Fund also provides several financing solutions including zero-interest loans ranging from $7,000 to $20,000 and 2.99 percent interest loans ranging from $2,500 to $6,999. To find out if you qualify for the loan, you’ll need an energy assessment of your home.

If you’d like to know what an energy auditor might recommend for your home, check out EnergySavvy’s free online energy assessment, which will give you a list of recommendations on how to make your home more efficient. EnergySavvy also provides a list of the energy efficiency incentives available in Connecticut.

Peak Oil?

By Chitra Esther Chelladurai

Supply and demand go hand in hand. And, so it is with oil and coal. Long considered the bane of any self-respecting environmentalist’s existence, some experts believe that the days of cheap coal and oil are numbered. Many countries are looking at a cap time of 2020; some estimates are as early as next year.

According to the Environmental News Network, after the peak, production will decline because supplies are being depleted and no new sources are to be found. For peak oil, the rate of production will come to an end when maximum extraction is reached. After that, production is expected to decline. Predictions vary as to when we will reach our peak. But one thing is clear: The peak will come at some point.

The President’s Push for Solar Energy

by Angela Hotaling

Last Tuesday, at the GreenGov Symposium at George Washington University the Obama Administration announced its decision to use solar panels and a solar hot water heater in the White House. This decision has generated a lot of media attention. John M. Broder, of the New York Times Green blog said in his October 5th post that “The announcement is part of a broader administration push to promote renewable energy and reduce emissions of climate altering gases produced by fossil fuels.”

Just a month ago Bill McKibben of 350.org attempted to convince the Obama Administration to reinstall President Carter’s solar panels. Broder mentions that McKibben’s feelings toward the decision are all positive, Broder says, “He is thrilled that the White House has finally seen the light.” It is an interesting choice of words considering the rays of sun that will soon heat parts of the White House Residence.

Solar Roadways?

by Heather Burns

Returning from a trip to Washington, DC to meet with legislators and understand more about the mission of the American Business Council, led me to realize the influence that public policy has - particularly on ushering in and ensuring which innovative ideas rise to the top and take hold. Take this one for example: solar roadways that end our addiction to fossil fuels and pay for themselves. Is it really that simple, or do we need to consider whether our fossil fuel addiction could be replaced by a lithium addiction. Techy experts, please weigh in...

Good News: Americans Are Using Less Energy

by Eileen Weber

On Monday, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California stated in a press release that Americans used less coal and oil-based energy in 2009 than in 2008. Even better, we relied more on renewable energy last year, specifically wind power. This is credited, in part, by the economic downturn. It stands to reason that if you’re having trouble paying your bills, you’ll turn down the heat and turn off the lights.

Stepping away from coal-powered electricity was three-fold: There was a decrease in overall electricity demand, a shift to more natural fuel sources, and wind power usage offset the need for coal-based power. Much like a pendulum swing, an increase in renewable energy use means a decrease in fuel-sourced energy.

Cut your energy bills

This article originally appeared in October 2009 Consumer Reports Magazine.

You can save $1,500 with these 4 strategies

Most homes, including yours, waste energy. That inefficiency is costing you plenty, but it doesn't have to. Even if you've already switched to compact fluorescent bulbs and retired the refrigerator in the basement, there's more you can do. Some of the simplest projects, such as adding insulation and sealing cracks and duct work, can yield the biggest savings. And thanks to new federal tax credits, it will take less time for those projects to pay for themselves.

Yet in a recent nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 2,014 Americans, only 12 percent had added or upgraded their home's insulation in the last three years. Just a paltry 5 percent had insulated their heating and cooling duct work.

Conflicting and confusing claims can make it hard to know where the real savings are. So we've examined the claims across four key categories—heating and cooling, water, recycling, and electricity—and ordered them by potential money and energy savings based on national rates for electricity, gas, and water. We've also mined our survey data to figure out what consumers are doing and where there's room for improvement. The result is a road map for taking your home's energy efficiency to the next level.

Power Source: The Straight Poop

Need an economical way to power your computer? How about some cow crap? According to a May 18th article in The New York Times, dairy farms--and cow manure in particular--are getting the spotlight. Using the waste as a source of energy, large companies are taking a closer look at what rural areas can offer. Really, what's a little biogas between friends?

One Moos and One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google
By ASHLEE VANCE
The New York Times
Published May 18, 2010


"Companies have historically tended to build their large computing centers — often called server farms — in or near large cities and industries. As this practice has continued over the years, it has become difficult for companies building the largest data centers to find enough cheap electricity and real estate to meet their needs.

The rise of higher-speed data transfer networks, however, has given technology companies a chance to move farther from large populations and still be able to get information to them as quickly as they need it. So companies like Google, Yahoo, Amazon.com and Microsoft have been engaged in a mad dash to find spots in the United States that have plenty of electricity and land. As a result, more data centers have been built in states like Washington, Texas, Iowa and Oklahoma. If those locations are near dairy farms, so much the better.

Rather than being an alternative energy convenience, this approach could benefit companies operating in countries like China and India that need to find an economical way to power their computing centers."

To read the full article, click here.

The Winds of Change Close to Home

by Susan Torres

An aspiring grown-up who loves all things concerning the environment, media, sports, current events, traveling, absurdity and general hilarity, Susan is living in and loving New York City. Having graduated from Northeastern University last May with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minoring in political science and history, she is currently proofreading for a translation services company and doing some freelance writing work on the side.

 
If you haven't been to Cape Cod, Massachusetts you really should. Even this jaded New Jerseyan has to admit it's a very pretty strip of beach with clear water that allows you to see your toes. On a good day, you can see for miles in all directions. According to an article dated April 28th in The New York Times, part of what you see will include wind turbines. The article highlights how, after nine years, Cape Cod will become the home of the nation's first offshore wind farm.
   
My home state of New Jersey also got good renewable energy news. A solar farm was recently approved in the town of Hamilton. The power company PSE&G will install 16,000 solar arrays over 16 acres while providing clean, renewable energy. In addition, New Jersey's The Star Ledger reports that the new installation will create 60 local union jobs.

A Kilowatt Hour Saved is a Kilowatt Hour Earned. The CT Home Energy Solutions Program

by Andrew Graceffa



As you may have heard these days, energy efficiency is in. President Obama has stressed the sexiness of efficient buildings and billions have been dedicated through various programs to help homeowners and businesses save energy (and of course dollars) through efficiency upgrades. Some programs may even have catchy names such as Cash for Caulkers. But when it comes down to it, many people are still left scratching their heads wondering where to go or what it all means to them. Many are unaware of how to take advantage of the various programs and what is involved when you decide to pick up that phone. As a proponent of energy efficiency, and an owner of a relatively inefficient home, I recently decided to walk the talk and give one of the many programs a shot. I received an audit, not from the IRS but from Connecticut Home Energy Solutions for a home energy audit. 



A quick little background: The term "negawatt", coined in 1989 by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, refers to a unit of saved energy. "Producing" negawatts (and their sister in fossil fuels, negatherms) is the intention of a home energy audit. Everybody benefits: The homeowner reduces costs; the utilities and regional community add power "capacity"; The grid stabilizes and reduces the need for an additional plant or distribution capacity. It's a win-win.



The Connecticut Home Energy Solutions (CT HES) is sponsored by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, a partnership formed by the State's major utility companies and funded by a small surcharge on each customers electric and natural gas bills. The CT HES is a subsidized energy audit, approximately $750 in value, made available to qualified homeowners for a modest fee of $75. In a Fairfield Minuteman article dated February 17th regarding Rep. Kim Fawcett recieving an energy audit, I decided to give the provider, Green Star Insulation of Brookfield, CT, a call. They quickly got back to me and after asking a few questions about my house (age, type, size, heating & cooling types, etc), they scheduled my appointment. And with a special little nugget: Fairfield, CT, using Recovery Act funds, was subsidizing the full $75 cost!



Electric Bus

by Eileen Weber

Getting from Point A to Point B may be a little greener these days for some schools and universities. Hybrid buses are being used for transportation here in Connecticut and as far away as Wyoming.

According to IC Bus, an Illinois-based subsidiary of Navistar, Inc., the largest manufacturer of school buses in the country, the average school bus uses over 1,700 gallons of fuel annually. The average hybrid, however, uses less than half that at 600 gallons. The hybrid buses also reduce emissions up to 40%.

Here are some other amazing statistics IC Bus would like you to know: The daily fuel cost of transporting a child to school by private vehicle costs $3.68 while the same child taking the bus only costs 73 cents; One school bus has the capacity to take 36 cars off the road, with a total of 17.3 million cars every year; If 10% more children rode the bus, another 300 million gallons of fuel would be saved annually.

These quick, little facts may not pop into your head when you see a big yellow bus belching exhaust in front of you at the stoplight. But many school officials are seeing buses as a way to be greener and cleaner.

Green Energy Options in the Home

by Courtney Dumais

Courtney is a junior at Fairfield University. She is currently enrolled in the Environmental Studies program with an emphasis on ecology, environmental justice, ethics, and policies as well as sustainable development. She is our newest intern at CTGS.

With these long, cold winter days, heating your home becomes a high priority. It also comes with a high economic and environmental price tag. The U.S Department of Energy estimates that heating and cooling systems in the United States emit about 150 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. According to The Center for Resource Conservation, Americans use twice as much energy as necessary to heat their homes. And this heat, which escapes through cracks and leaks, costs about $450 per year.
In the United States, heating alone accounts for approximately 40% of energy bills. In Connecticut, that percentage is even higher. More than half of the average energy bill is spent on home heating. Add high gas and oil prices to that, and your wallet is a whole lot lighter.

To help the average homeowner during these chilly months, I’ve compiled a few simple, effective measures to help reduce the impact this winter. Some of them are obvious, such as unplugging unused electronics. But other less evident solutions can make a noticeable difference as well.

Green Wherever You Go

by Eileen Weber

Last week, my husband and I flew down to Florida with the kids. We were helping my father-in-law move to an assisted living facility. Along the way, I found little pockets of environmental friendliness popping up in unexpected places.

For one, we flew on Continental Airlines out of Newark, NJ. The moment we walked into the terminal, there was no way to miss the colossally huge banner promoting Eco-Skies, the airline’s green initiative. Continental has increased their recycling program, offered a carbon offset program in conjunction with Sustainable Travel International (STI), a non-profit organization that promotes environmental conservation, and they have been working on using biofuel since last year to decrease carbon emissions.

Solar: Costly or Cost Effective

by Jessica Levinson

This year we witnessed a whole new market for solar energy. Newspapers, radio, and catalogues alike showed gadgets galore. And the number one gadget this year? The solar charger. In every shape and size. They’ll charge your phone, your radios and your appliance. They’ll attach to your backpacks and even your cell phone covers. For those lucky enough to bathe in sun, there were solar ”fans” for windowsills. Every conceivable means to trap the sun’s rays were in some form of a device.

Now, I am not living under a rock. But, I was incredibly excited by this solar outbreak. That is, until I saw the price tag. I had been hoping for solar panels on my home. Unfortunately, the current cost of converting my home to solar exceeded my budget. With some of the little solar accessories, I thought I had found a way to get some sun as well as a little bang for my buck. Turns out, these little chargers can be expensive as well. (Solar backpacks can run over $100—and that’s for the ones with only a few panels). Solar is expensive no matter how you dice it. But why?

Pop Goes The Green Bubbly

by Eileen Weber

‘Tis the season to be jolly with a glass of bubbly to celebrate the holidays. So why not make that a glass of organic bubbly?

Not surprisingly, there are a number of European wineries that farm sustainably and only grow organic grapes. You can get some fine selections of Prosecco and Asti Spumante from Italy and champagne from France and parts of Spain as well as some sections of England. But let’s just stick to our home turf, shall we?

California has produced some outstanding wines, sparkling wines among them. And for some vineyards, a sparkling wine made from organic grapes is that much better.

Two California vineyards stand out: Domaine Carneros and Korbel. In September, Korbel announced the launch of its latest Brut Champagne made with organic grapes.

“As more consumers are looking for foods and beverages produced organically, we felt there was an opportunity for Korbel to offer a unique product where there currently isn’t something widely available,” said Gary Heck, owner and president of Korbel Champagne Cellars, in a company press release dated September 15th. “We found that organic practices yield fruit with new and exciting flavors for us to work with. It has been an exciting new development for Korbel.”

Ski Green

by Eileen Weber

Feel like schussing down the mountains of soft powder with the wind in your hair this winter? You’re not alone. Every skier on the planet waits with bated breath to hit the slopes. But there’s one thing many don’t realize: What an energy hog ski resorts are.

From the snow machines, to the ski lift, to the amount of lighting required, ski areas use an exorbitant amount of energy. But some facilities are taking it upon themselves to do something about it.

Realizing that it’s a little incongruous to promote the great outdoors only to slowly ruin it with energy-hogging practices, turning to renewable energy sources sounds like a fine idea. There are several in Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California that have already done so. But unless you’re planning on increasing your carbon footprint by taking a trip out there some time soon, it might be best to take a look at what we have locally in New England

Green Job Growth: What is it? Where is it?

by Anneli C. Olila, Editor-in-Chief of Boston GreenScene / Principal of Olila Documents & Communication Strategies

In my recent discussion of green job hunting myths, I argued against the mystique surrounding the green job industry and the psychological and other barriers this presents to those hoping to transition into a green career.  Responses from readers ranged from disbelief, to hesitant hope, to specific questions regarding qualifications and resources. In this article, I start to provide some data that may be useful to readers in understanding the projected growth of the green job market and where they might fit in.

What Do We Mean by 'the Green Job Market is Growing'?

According to the United States President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), green jobs are everywhere, and the growth of the green job market is anticipated to continue to outstrip the growth of other markets. In its July 2009 report, the CEA cited data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing projected growth in environmentally-related occupations to be 38% more than all other occupations combined by 2016. This is depicted in the following figure, reproduced from page 8 of their report:

To put this into perspective, it is worth noting that the occupations they considered were actually in a fairly limited range.  Specifically, the BLS projections drawn from in the CEA report are based on data for the following occupations only:

Paying Extra for Green Power...

Think an extra $58 a month is worth it for renewable energy? Some people do, but lots of people don't. The New York Times explores how that extra money is actually spent and why some customers are reluctant to support wind an solar energy.

"The solicitations have been flooding people’s mailboxes lately: pay a bit more on your electricity bill for 100 percent clean wind power. Or, the fliers say, buy 'green power certificates' to offset your global warming emissions.

Close to a million electricity customers have signed up for such payments voluntarily, and the amount of electricity sold in this way has nearly tripled since 2005, amid rising concern about climate change and energy security. But the participants are in a distinct minority, with a sign-up rate of only about 2 percent in programs run by utilities.

The low sign-up rate raises a question: If large majorities of Americans favor increased government support for clean energy, as polls suggest, why are so many people reluctant to back such programs when it comes to paying extra themselves?"

To read more from today's The New York Times article, click here.

To read other articles on this site about renewable energy, click here.

Image courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game.

Counting Carbon

by Eileen Weber


Thinking of building a new house or renovating your old one? Got a new office building that’s going up soon? Wondering how all this will affect the environment? Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has developed an online carbon calculator called Green Footstep to help homeowners and businesses determine their carbon footprint.

It’s certainly nothing new. There are a number of online carbon calculators. Even Microsoft got into the act earlier this year by launching their Environmental Sustainability Dashboard, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software package. Its goal is to help companies track their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, something that most ERP systems don’t do.

"ERP systems are really good at giving you the financial numbers, but where they fall short is with the environment or social issues," said Jennifer Pollard, a senior Microsoft product manager, as quoted in a February 9th article in The Seattle Times.

But what makes RMI’s system special is that it not only calculates the construction footprint of the project but the operational footprint of the building’s lifetime once that project is finished.

Tribal Wind

The New York Times has an editorial from yesterday's edition about Cape Wind.

"After eight years of arduous state and federal environmental reviews, the promoters of Cape Wind, a wind energy project off the Massachusetts coast, had every reason to believe that they were home free. Then the Wampanoag tribes asked the Interior Department to declare all of Nantucket Sound, where the 130 wind turbines would be built, a “traditional cultural property” and, they hoped, block construction.

Tribal officials say their culture requires them to greet the sunrise each day and that this ritual requires unobstructed views. Their claim should be rejected by the responsible federal and state officials. Another round of bureaucratic reviews would drag out an approval process that has gone on much too long and give opponents time to find some other way to derail the effort..."

To read more of the story from The New York Times, click here.

To read an earlier article on this site about the not-in-my-backyard attitude about wind turbines including Cape Wind, click here.

Image courtesy of DustNetworks.com

Governor Rell: $4 Million in Stimulus Funds to Help Homeowners ‘Go Solar’ With Hot Water Systems

Businesses Also Eligible for Solar Thermal Grants

Via Debra Caviness

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the state is dedicating $4 million in federal stimulus funds to help homeowners and businesses pay for the installation of solar-powered hot water heating systems, an investment that will lower utility bills and promote the use of alternative fuels.

“I am proud of Connecticut’s leadership in promoting and using greener, cleaner technology,” Governor Rell said. “This incentive will help hundreds of families and businesses make the switch to renewable energy by saving them money on installation costs and ultimately their hot water bills. It would also be a much-needed boost in business for those who sell and install these systems.”

The new Solar Thermal Incentive Program is part of the comprehensive State Energy Plan that has qualified for $38 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The broad-based plan includes programs that:

    * Provide incentives to use alternative energy in homes and businesses;
    * Expand fuel cell initiatives;
    * Make state buildings more energy efficient;
    * Create green collar jobs needed for emerging technologies.

The incentive program will be administered by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), a ratepayer fund that promotes, develops and invests in clean energy resources for the benefit of Connecticut’s electric ratepayers.

CCEF officials say there is enough funding available to support installations of 600 residential solar heating systems and about 120 non-residential systems. The systems can supply up to 80 percent of a customer’s annual hot water needs.

Green Gas

by Eileen Weber

For every car ride, bus trip, or vacation par avion, we expel greenhouse gases from fossil fuels into the air. We are heavily dependent on foreign oil. We still use coal as a source of power. We have irreparably changed our climate as a result.

But according to a Washington Post article dated October 20, 2008, there are some companies that are trying to make a difference. Alternative fuels such as ethanol derived from corn or diesel derived from algae are taking center stage.

But fuels based on crops like corn have their own environmental price tag. The farming process of those “macro-crops” uses fossil fuels to get the job done.

Companies like Florida-based PetroAlgae are working hard to find a sustainable solution to the problem. They produce “micro-crops” of algae that are broken down into a fuel source and a protein base. The product can be used to fire up a 747 or it can be extracted as a protein filler for animal feed. And who knows? Rich in amino acids, you may find these protein isolates in your next strawberry smoothie some day.

The crops are environmentally safe and sustainable. They are grown in raised pools with no toxic run-off. Almost all of the water that is used to irrigate the crops is recycled for the next crop. Nothing goes to waste.

According to the PetroAlgae web site, algae-based fuel is functionally identical to fossil fuels. And since the algae micro-crops consume twice their body weight in CO2, they’re carbon neutral as well.

Climate Change: In The News

by Eileen Weber

There has been great debate over the effects of global warming, how carbon emissions play a role, and even if it really exists at all.

According to this article in today’s Washington Post, the East Coast may see rising sea levels as a result of melting polar ice caps. Climate change experts say “rising seas are one of the most tangible consequences of a changing climate.”

The U.S. and China have been dancing around each other in a global warming game of chicken. According to this article published in The New York Times on June 7, 2009, the “clock is ticking” between the two countries to resolve issues before the summit in Copenhagen later this year.

In this article dated May 29, 2009 from the Los Angeles Times, global warming doesn’t affect everyone the same. There are more oil refineries and power plants in low-income neighborhoods. How cities and towns handle carbon emissions may effect the people who live in those areas.

But there are still some who are disbelievers. Take this article from the Memphis Flyer dated June 2, 2009 in which two signs from Burger King chains between Mississippi and Tennessee claim “Global Warming Is Baloney”. Keep in mind that the signs also indicate the Drive-thru is 24 hours and they accept Visa. Just in case you were wondering.

Photo courtesy of Vanity Fair via Treehugger.com

EPA chief: US should take lead on clean energy

By ANGELA CHARLTON Associated Press Writer

Updated: 05/28/2009 05:02:49 PM EDT

PARIS—The top U.S. environment official says it's time for the United States to shed its energy-wasting image and lead the world race for cleaner power sources instead.

After several years with a relatively low profile under President George W. Bush, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "is back on the job," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told The Associated Press on Thursday during a trip to Paris.

What the EPA does domestically this year will be watched closely overseas. Nations worldwide are working toward a major meeting in Copenhagen in December aimed at producing a new global climate pact. The U.S. position on curbing its own pollution and helping poor countries adapt to global warming is seen as key to any new pact.

Jackson was in Paris for international talks on how rich governments can include global climate concerns in overall development aid.

She dismissed worries that economic downturn was cutting into aid commitments or investment in new energy resources. She said the United States should take the lead on clean energy technology, recession or no.

Is This a Recession or An Opportunity?

by Eileen Weber

There’s great controversy these days about the economy. Is this a recession? Are we on the cusp of another depression? Or are things about to bounce back?

Whether we like it or not, the state of the economy has a direct impact on the environment. When consumers have money to burn, they don’t think about being eco-conscious. But when money is tight, however, suddenly reduce-reuse-recycle sounds like a novel concept.

Last Thursday evening, Robert Costanza, the Gund Professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont and director of the University's Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, gave a lecture at the Aloysius P. Kelley Center at Fairfield University. His main point was illustrating global recession as an opportunity to create a sustainable and desirable future. There are many environmental and economic benefits that healthy ecosystems can provide our society.

“This is an opportunity to reassess where we are,” said Costanza. “This is not just about the immediate past or the immediate future. We need to take a much longer look at civilization for sustainability. We need to understand the past better in order to make things more sustainable in the future.”

Costanza quoted Charles Darwin, the 19th century English naturalist best known for his theories on natural selection, when he said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Yale’s Sustainable Choices

by Eileen Weber

Ever wonder what your T-shirt is made of or how far it traveled? Have you considered how much water your washing machine uses? Did you know that using a gas mower for one hour pollutes the air as much as driving a car for 20 miles?

We have all heard the green mantra: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. But the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History wants you to “Rethink” as well. In their Sustainable Choices temporary exhibit, they illustrate all the simple, little things we can do every day to make a difference in how we affect the environment.

"This is a very practical exhibit that tells you how you as a family can change what you do in your daily life to live more sustainably," said Jane Pickering, the museum’s deputy director in a press release from the university’s Office of Public Affairs dated April 1st. "The big-picture discussions and ongoing research are very important, but this exhibit brings it down to individual action."

The exhibit, which opened on March 28th and runs until August 23rd, is geared toward younger school-age children. The kids can have hands-on interaction riding a bike, sorting recyclables, or switching lights on and off.

Putting the Green Back into the Economy

by Eileen Weber

I certainly don’t have to tell you that the economy is bleak. We hear it every day in the news. More Americans are waiting and hoping for the economic downturn to smile in the other direction.

But the environment is one industry that continues to grow despite what happens on Wall Street. If it’s green, it’s growing. President Barack Obama has even carved out a nice section of his stimulus package to incorporate green jobs. With that kind of support, the trend may only continue.

In a New York Times article dated March 23rd, Heather Burns-DeMelo, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Alliance for Sustainable Enterprise and the Editor for this web site, said we should expect to see an increase in “green collar jobs” with the boost in environmental training and education.

Recession byproduct - a cut in emissions

But low level may hurt cap and trade program
The Boston Globe
March 11, 2009
By Beth Daley, Staff Writer

New figures being released today show the recession helped drive down global warming emissions from Northeast power plants last year to their lowest levels in at least nine years.

Northeast power plant emissions dropped about 9 percent last year from 2007, according to preliminary projections by Point Carbon, a consulting and research firm. The Norway-based company attributed the drop to the economic slowdown, combined with the fact that power plants are burning cleaner natural gas.

The drop in emissions may be good for the environment, but was not seen as reason for celebration. "What does this say about the state of the economy?" said Robert Rio, senior vice president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts "We could get 100 percent below the cap if we shut every business and moved them out of state."

The reduction in emissions came with another drawback: It has the unintended effect of delaying a longer-term and potentially more important effort to reduce greenhouse gases over the next decade.

Blowing in the Wind

by Eileen Weber

Headline: Wind is in; coal is out. Since the news hit that the wind industry provides more jobs than coal mining, a slew of blogs and media web sites are all a-twitter about it.

As Rick Fuentes said in his blog on FreshEnergy.org, “Coal is what, a 300-year-old industry? Ancient. Wind is just getting its ability to buy booze. And to say that the new industry is neck-and-neck with the old one is amazing.”

With a 70% increase in wind jobs since 2007, the industry hit a high of 85,000 at the end of 2008. Coal mining jobs were at 81,000. A relatively new energy source has gained lots of ground in a short of span of time.

According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), coal is the largest source for greenhouse gas emissions and is used to generate about half of the electricity in the U.S. Other sources such as gas, oil, and nuclear power don’t even come close.

Much of the wind industry is rooted in the Midwest and West Coast. Many of the turbines are being placed on Native American reservations where open tracts of land are readily available. The residents on these reservations say this is a way for the tribes to generate much-needed income off a natural resource.

Our first green president?

 

by Barry Katz

In five days we will inaugurate our first African American president. It's momentous. It's historic. And it's about time.

Back in the early days of the primary campaign some black leaders raised the question, is Obama black enough. My only question is this - is he green enough.

I think he just may be. I sure hope so. I have watched with pleasure and relief at the science/climate/energy/environment team he has put in place and each appointment raised my level of optimism. Could Barack Obama really be our first green president?

We are faced with an historic opportunity. At no other time would it have been possible to get Congress to approve the kind of spending that could really jump-start the new clean green economy we so desperately need. Only a financial melt-down of current proportions can shake that kind of money from the tree.

It will take bold action and a lot of very smart decisions to make this work, and I'm waiting with bated breath to see if Obama and his team can pull it off. Back in December I wrote a post for my blog, The Future is Green entitled "What we need now" in which I suggested that this administration should be judged primarily on the extent to which the next four to eight years is devoted to energy and climate policy. In my mind, nothing else matters. Nothing else matters because everything else hinges on this.

I'll be watching.