Plug-in charging stations in the northeast

According to an article in the Hartford Courant, Northeast Utilities is looking for government funding to install a network of plug-in hybrid charging stations in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Connecticut-based NU announced plans on Tuesday to install 575 stations over the next two years. Approximately half of the funding for the plan will come from a nearly $700,000 grant from the US Department of Energy that will be decided in June.

Their plan is similar to the "green highway" plan in Oregon and California where charging stations, as well as biodiesel, ethanol and other forms of alternative energy will be available along the I-5 corridor.

The NU plan has been embraced by local officials as a necessary catalyst to drive change in electric automotives. They hope that consumers will gain confidence by seeing the system in place.

Green upgrades for Empire State Building

A $20 million project to upgrade the Empire State Building was announced today. An article in Forbes reports that the upgrades will result in $4.4 million of annual savings due to increased efficiencies.

The upgrades will also reduce carbon emissions by 105,000 tons over the next 15 years (roughly equivalent to taking 17,500 cars off the road). New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg hopes that this will help move the city towards their goal to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030.

The cost of the project is being supported by the Clinton Foundation. Bill Clinton said that the project would serve as an example to the world that established buildings can be made greener to great affect.

Specific plans include replacing each of the building's 6,500 windows with insulated glass that will prevent heat transfer in both hot and cold weather. There are also plans to install more insulation around radiators and upgrade water cooling systems, ventilation, heating and lights.

Recycle your cell phone

The upcoming week is National Cell Phone Recycling Week, according to the EPA. Their goal is to raise awareness about cell phone recycling and prevent about 90 million unwanted cell phones from entering landfills every year, according to this article.

They are cooperating with cellular manufacturers and retailers to get information out to the public. Most of these companies have programs to recycle your old phone and information is readily available from those companies.

Cell phones contain a number of materials--copper, precious metals and plastics--that have a high carbon footprint to produce. Using materials from recycled cellphones has the potential to reduce the energy used in production by enough to power 18,500 homes for a year.

UK retailer tests new packaging return policy

British based Tesco, the worlds fourth largest retail outlet is testing out a new recycling system at select stores in the UK.

An article in The Guardian reports that the retail giant is asking customers to discard unwanted and bulky packaging near the tills. They will use this to find out what packaging consumers are prepared to do without.

The store aims to divert 95% of its waste stream away from landfills--largely through reduced and recyclable materials--by the end of the year. They are currently at 87%. Tesco uses the least packaging measured against a group of similar retail outlets.

The pilot project will also ensure that materials are recycled properly. Head of energy, waste and recyling Alasdair James said, "We know our customers expect us to help them recycle easily and we have also committed ourselves to cutting our own waste."

Environmentally safer concrete

According to an article in the New York Times, a new bridge on I-35 outside of Minneapolis is built using a concrete blend that is friendly to the environment.

The bridge was built to replace a bridge that collapsed in 2007. The engineers were focused on finding a more durable concrete to prevent a future collapse. Their solution was to use multiple blends of concrete that were specialized for each component of the bridge.

Most of the concrete blends used in the project were made without Portland cement, the traditional bonding material with a high carbon footprint. Instead, Kevin MacDonald of Cemstone Products Company developed a way to use industrial waste products--fly ash and blast furnace slag--as the bond material.

Using these recycled materials reduces the carbon footprint of the bridge because their carbon output was already accounted for when they were originally produced. Portland cement also releases about one ton of CO2 for each ton of concrete.

MacDonald is just one of many researchers working on reducing the carbon footprint of concrete.

Harvesting manure for biofuel

According to an article in Environmental News Network, the world's largest biomass power plant is located in the Netherlands. It runs on chicken manure and provides power for 90,000 homes.

The power plant has a 36.5 MW capacity and generates approximately 270 million kWh of electricity annually. It uses the carbon dioxide and methane gasses produced by the manure to produce power.


Not only does this method of power production spare the carbon cost of traditional power sources (coal, oil, etc), but it prevents the methane and CO2 in the manure from escaping into the atmosphere.

The power plant will use about 440,000 tons of chicken manure per year, which is about one third of the total yearly amount produced in the Netherlands.

San Francisco boosts green economy

San Francisco is currently enrolled in two programs that have proved effective at stimulating a green economy, according to an article in CleanTechnica.

One program is geared around energy efficiency for commercial and multi-family residential properties. Known as SF Energy Watch, the program provides technical assistance and financial incentives. SF Energy Watch will pay for up to half of upgrade costs towards energy efficiencies.

The other program, Go Solar SF, provides incentives to install solar panels. Using a variety of federal, state and local incentives, residents can reduce the cost of a solar installation by about 50%.

Residents and businesses using Go Solar SF are responsible for 2MW of solar production, about one quarter of the total solar production in the city. They also provide about 150 jobs in the city.

Good news is growing trend

According to an article in Newsweek, good news is becoming more popular as we are increasingly inundated with bad news.

Daniel Stone writes that he wanted an alternative to all of the bad news he read, but as a journalist, withdrawing was not an option. He found the website of Ode, a monthly magazine targeting "Intelligent Optimists," as his go-to source for good news, but there are many other outlets, including Seattle radio station KJR-FM , the Good News Network, and this blog, Daily Hope.

The good news is, good news is more than just a cure for the bad news blues. According to studies, good news can have a positive effect on mental health, as well as blood pressure and sleep patterns.

Update: White House Vegetable Garden

According to a release by Slow Food USA, Michelle Obama has broken ground on the new vegetable garden at the White House.

She worked with a group of 26 area fifth graders on Saturday, March 21 (the first day of spring) to remove sod from the area they are planting.

Alternative hyrdo power source

Thursday's edition of The Columbian in Vancouver contained an article about an experimental form of hydro power. University of Michigan researcher Michael Bernitsas has developed a system to take advantage of the vortices naturally created by currents.

A vortex is an eddy or a whirlpool created by water (or air) flowing past an object. In rivers, vortices have traditionally been a challenge for engineers because of the pressure and vibrations they create in underwater structures. Bernitsas has worked for years to control these vibrations, but recently began work to harness them.

He designed a system of cylinders that are placed perpendicular to the river's current. The current causes the cylinders to move up and down which can be used to generate electricity.

Bernitsas hopes that his system will provide a greener alternative to hydroelectric dams. Unlike the turbines in dams, the cylinders do not contain blades and should reduce the level of risk to fish that traditional hydroelectric power has posed. The system is also designed to work with currents as slow as one knot, while dams require a speed closer to 5 knots to work. According to Bernitsas, most rivers in the world are flowing at speeds of 2 to 3 knots.

The system has yet to be field tested, but Bernitsas has several experiments lined up to determine its long-term viability. If it proves successful, Bernitsas' work has been considered as a possible option for use with the Columbia River Crossing Project in the Portland/Vancouver metro area.

Organic garden at the White House

One week ago, our blog was about Roger Doiron's campaign to establish an organic vegetable garden in the White House grounds. His work with Eat the View, along with other groups, including White House Organic Farm Project and others, has paid off.

Michelle Obama announced her intention to establish an organic vegetable garden at the White House. Though details are not confirmed yet, speculators predict that the garden will be planted on the South Lawn near the fountain. The residence staff is also expected to be responsible for the upkeep of the garden, rather than the National Park Service staffers that are generally responsible for the White House Grounds.

Once built, the Obama's garden will be the first at the White House since the Roosevelt's Victory Garden, built during World War II.

Activists hope that the White House garden will set an example to the nation about growing and eating healthy food. Obama seemed to confirm this when she said she "want[s] the White House to be a place of education and awareness."

Earth Hour

March 28 is approaching quickly. Next Saturday, the organization Earth Hour is asking people to turn their lights off for one hour to "vote for the Earth." Leaving the lights on, on the other hand, is a vote for global warming.

Earth Hour was started in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million people turned their lights off for one hour. By 2008 it was a global phenomenon and major landmarks including the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Colosseum participated in the event. Over 50 million participated that year.

This year, Earth Hour has a goal of 1 billion votes for the Earth. Those interested can find out more information, including how to spread the word at their website.

Oregon beer company embraces solar power

Lucky Labrador Brewing Company, based in Portland, OR has been using solar energy for the past year to heat water used in the brewing process, according to an article in Scientific American.

The brewers use solar heated water in the first stage of the brewing process. During this stage, malted barley and other grains are steeped at temperatures around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The heated water extracts sugars from the grains which are fermented by yeast later in the process.

Unfortunately, 100% of the entire brewing process cannot be powered by the sun, because one stage requires boiling water. The solar installation at the Lucky Labrador brewery can only heat water to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, 32 degrees short of the boiling point.

The solar installation cost $70,000 up front, though the brewery recovered all but $6,000 of that investment through various tax credits and opportunity grants. They also saved $3,000 on energy costs in the first year of operation, at which rate the installation will be paid for by early 2010.

The installation consists of sixteen 4' X 10' solar panels on the roof of the brewery. Lucky Labrador Brewing Company operates three pubs in Portland.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Clean water, cheap

University of North Carolina scientists have developed a water filtration system that is cheap and relatively easy to manufacture.

The system is based on traditional methods of filtering water through sand, which is effective to a certain degree. However, using sand or crushed rock only leaves the water at risk for certain contaminations.

UNC researchers utilize a short section of PBC filled with sand and small amounts of ferric chloride and a pH buffer. It filters water 30 to 50 times faster than more conventional (and expensive) methods. It is also easy to manufacture and requires little training to use.

The filter works because the added chemicals force contaminants to stick to the sand, leaving clean water free to run through.

Renewable energy on the rise

According to Finnish scientist Professor Peter Lund, 40% of the world's energy will come from renewable sources by 2050. He made this projection at the Copenhagen Climate Congress.

He estimates that 25% of our power will be from wind and the other 15% from solar, based on current market projections. According to Lund, renewable energy technology will have to gain dominance in the energy markets by 2030 to meet this goal.

White House lawn may soon become edible

According to an article in the Telegraph over 85,000 people have signed a petition encouraging the Obama's to start an organic vegetable garden on the White House grounds.

The petition is led by Roger Doiron, the founder and director of Kitchen Gardeners International. Doiron is working to localize food systems and his non-profit spans 100 countries with 10,000 members. He has also written articles appearing in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune and the Washington Post.

Doiron intends the garden to be a large project, big enough to fulfill the vegetable needs for the entire White House, with any surplus going to local food pantries. There is a history of raising food in the White House grounds, though the last vegetable garden was Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden during World War II.

The petition is available to sign online at www.eattheview.org. It will be delivered with a package of heirloom seeds, ready for planting.

Full text of petition below:

We, the undersigned, are petitioning President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a large organic food garden or Victory Garden on the First Lawn with the produce going to the White House kitchen and local food pantries. The White House is "America's House" and should serve as a model at a time of economic and environmental crisis. In planting this garden, the Obamas would not be breaking with tradition, but returning to it (the White House has had food gardens before) and leading by personal example on global challenges such as economic security, food security, climate change, healthcare policy and energy independence.

Update: LED streetlights in Anchorage

Anchorage has added itself to the list of cities that are switching over to LED streetlights. New York City and Los Angeles currently have plans to make the change. An earlier blog post provides full details.

The City of Anchorage is replacing one fourth of its streetlights with LED bulbs. The 16,000 new streetlights should save the city about $360,000 per year, with an initial outlay of $2.2 million.

Anchorage is participating in a program known as the LED City program, which is also working with Raleigh, North Carolina; Toronto, Ontario; Tianjin, China; and Torraca, Italy.

Public transport up, vehicle miles down in US

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recently announced that ridership of public transportation in 2008 was at its highest level in 52 years.

Americans took 10.7 billion trips via public transportation this year. This number represents a four percent increase over 2007. The increase can be traced to the high gas prices over the summer, as well as the worsening economic conditions in the fall and winter.

Increased public transportation ridership has led to a diminished number of cars on the road. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased 3.6% in 2008, which represents a huge savings in greenhouse gas emissions.

Public transportation ridership is up 38% since 1995, which vastly outpaces the population growth in the same period (14%).

Switching to public transportation can save up to $8,000 per year, according to APTA, which is a substantial number in any time, but especially in this recessionary period.

Blue energy?

We have all heard of hydroelectric power and its accompanying benefits and challenges. Though it is a zero-waste source of energy, the environmental-and often social, geographical, etc-impacts of damming a river are considered too high by many to consider it a sustainable source of energy. Tidal power, likewise, has potential environmental impacts that keep some from embracing it.

There is a third way to extract energy from water that has not received as much attention. Currently at use in the Netherlands and Norway, osmotic power uses the conflicting powers of salt water and fresh water to produce electricity. The two types of water are brought into contact by passing through anion and cation exchange membranes, which generates chemical potential energy, which is than converted into voltage.



Until recently, the technology has been prohibitively expensive to install but a recent development has made it cheaper. The membranes can now be made with polyethylene plastics, the same material used for most grocery bags.

Like other forms of hydro power, there are zero emission associated with the process, though there is an initial carbon debt due to manufacture and installation of the equipment. The only waste produced by the osmotic process is brackish water, which could have an impact on the area water systems.

Inventions improve access to water for world's poorest

The Hippo Water Roller was developed to ease the difficulty of transferring water long distances in Africa. In many parts of rural Africa, villagers have to walk up to five miles--more in the dry season--to access water.

The traditional method for water transport has been to balance a large container on the head, which can cause spinal problems. It is also difficult and time-consuming, and generally villagers can only transport about five gallons at a time.

The water roller works much like a lawn mower, but instead pushing around a blade and motor, villagers are able to push a 24-gallon barrel of water. The design makes the effective weight of the barrel 22 pounds, which is relatively easy to push.

The water roller frees up time for children to attend school and for women to attend to other domestic tasks, as well as income-earning tasks. 24 gallons of water is enough to meet daily needs for five people. The Hippo Water Roller Project also provides education about clean water practices and drip agriculture.

Another invention, known as the Solvatten (Swedish for "sun water"), uses solar energy to purify water. It has a ten liter capacity and takes several hours to reach a safe temperature. The device has been tested on water containing E.coli at high concentrations and has successfully purified it. It also contains a physical filter to rid the water of larger impurities.

A test program of the Solvatten is being run in Nepal this year, with cooperation from UNESCO and ENPHO.

Endangered Species Act restored

In his last days in the White House, former President Bush repealed a law that requires developers to seek a threat assessment from the Department of Fish & Wildlife before undertaking development. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the level of risk to endangered species in the area.

Bush's change defied 35 years of precedent, but he claimed that the rule was a hindrance to the economy because it slowed the rate of development. However, it put the fate of some species in the hands of those not qualified to make the right decision.

Obama restored the original act today. He said, "Throughout our history, there's been a tension between those who've sought to conserve our natural resources for the benefit of future generations, and those who have sought to profit from these resources. This is a false choice. With smart, sustainable policies, we can grow our economy today and preserve the environment."

The decision has been lauded by environmentalists and some congressmen. This decision marks the first major step in Obama's goal to let policy be guided by science, rather than partisan politics or ideology.

The future of the electric car (Pt. 3)

It was announced Monday that London mayor Boris Johnson is looking towards adopting "hire an electric car" idea from France.

London is already planning to implement a similar idea--but with bicycles--in 2010, which is also inspired by a French program, Vélib. Both programs work much like Zipcar; there are bicycles or electric cars available at set places around the city and users pay a fee to drive them around. They could be returned to any station.

Johnson has created a task-force called the London Electric Vehicle Partnership to encourage automakers to develop more efficient electric cars. They are also studying the charging infrastructure in the city and beginning tests.

In France, the program is set to begin at the end of 2009 with 700 pick-up points throughout Paris.

The future of the electric car (Pt. 2)

Another organization is working towards the goal of electric cars as well. Repower America is an organization promoting the goals originally conceived by Al Gore in a July 2008 speech.

Like Project Get Ready, Repower America recognizes the difficult first steps to making electric cars a viable option. However, rather than work on consumer confidence, Repower America is directly tackling the infrastructure necessary for plug-in electric cars.

The basic goal of Repower America is to convert to 100% renewable energy in America in 10 years. One of the main tenets of this goal is to completely revamp and modernize the electrical grid, which would include adding access for plug-in electric cars. Revamping the grid is necessary to take full advantage of renewable energy sources, as many operate with peak and low hours (solar, wind, etc) and require energy storage and transfer capabilities not currently possible.

As advocates from Repower America work to make their goal happen, systems will be designed to conduct the necessary transfers and storage of energy, which will impact how electric car owners receive and pay for the energy they use.

The future of the electric car (Pt. 1)

Worldchanging recently published a story regarding Project Get Ready, an advocacy organization for the electric car. Project Get Ready is an initiative by the Rocky Mountain Institute, a self-describe "think and do" tank run by L. Hunter and Amory Lovins.

Project Get Ready was designed to tackle the biggest problem facing the electric car: consumer confidence. Because of the significant changes in infrastructure necessary to make electric cars a viable option, consumers are hesitant to buy into the system, unsure of their investment risk. Project Get Ready is working with individual cities to create a structure that will increase confidence:

To create such an ecosystem, incentives need to be put in ranging from financial incentives, to “luxuries” (like parking spots), advertising, job training, education, service, and more.

The initiative is currently working with three cities, Portland, OR; Indianapolis, IN; and Raleigh, NC, but they would like to increase that number to 20 to help meet their goal of making 2% of cars in the US electric by 2015.

More information about the specific goals of Project Get Ready and how to get involved is available here.

Energy efficiency in stimulus bill

The New York Times recently reported about the flood of energy efficiency money included in the stimulus bill passed by Congress in February.
According to the article, over $20 billion is included in the bill, including spending to improve energy efficiency in government buildings, in the homes of the poor, and to fund energy efficiency research. Advocates have said that there is more money set aside in this bill than in any other in history. The largest chunk of money is set aside for grants to state and local governments to improve their buildings and facilities.

This bill provides an opportunity to make lasting changes to government buildings, including weatherizing windows and entrances, modernizing wiring and researching long-term solutions to energy drains, such as too-large skylight in a Knoxville, TN office.

It is crucial to find a balance between near-term spending and long-term impact. State and local governments will be encouraged to file for and spend grants quickly, but many cities and states have not prepared with appropriate building and energy audits. To solve this problem, the grant opportunities should provide time and funding for the governments to complete audits. This will ensure the maximum potential is gained through the stimulus money.

Flower

Software designers, thatgamecompany (TGC), have released a downloadable PlayStation 3 game known as Flower, which was featured today on Slate.

The mission of TGC "is to make commercial video games that communicate different emotional experiences the current video game market is not offering." In addition to Flower, they have a game known as flOw and one called Cloud

Flower is set in a gray world. The player starts inside a gray room where a single yellow flower is the only color. The player can use the motion sensitive controller to control gusts of wind and the soar of a single petal. As the petal moves through the environment, color follows and more petals gather.

Flower breaks the traditional video game format: there are no points, time limits or deaths. There are levels, in the form of simple challenges, but the point of this video game is not to achieve and finish, but to communicate an emotion.

TGC describes it as a "video game version of a poem" and Slate writer Chris Suellentrop says "it is the only game I've played that made me feel relaxed, peaceful, and happy."

French solar industry taking off

An article published by Reuters describes a current upswing in the French solar industry.

The European Union is offering incentives to encourage the installation of solar arrays. France is taking a particular interest in the possibilities of solar energy and hopes to compete with Germany as a world leader. A growing group of French farmers is enrolling in the plan and installing solar arrays on their farms.

Jean-Luc Westphal is the owner of one of the largest integrated photovoltaic systems ever built. An integrated system is distinguished because they are built into existing structures, rather than added on. Westphal constructed five large sheds roofed with 36,000 square meters of solar panels.

The installation has a capacity of 4.5 megawatts, which is approximately enough energy to power 4,000 homes. His enormous investment (€20 million) is backed by a long-term "feed-in" plan with the French government. Westphal hopes to generate about €2 million euro per year on electricity sales.

In America, discussion of renewable energy often focuses on the issue of responsibility: who should be the leader? Government or private industry? Currently, private industry is taking the lead, but the French example may help change that. By setting specific goals for increasing the solar capacity of the nation, as well as offering incentives to install solar panels, the French government has already doubled their capacity since 2006. This is a case in which a strong position by the government has increased confidence levels in the people (and the banks that are investing in private solar arrays). As the US congress moves to tackle energy they should take a good look at France.

Reduce Food Waste

The average American wastes about 25% of the food that they buy. In the UK, food waste numbers are up to one-third. The good news is, much of this food waste can be reduced through fairly simple measures.

The short version: buy less food, serve smaller portions and plan ahead. If all else fails, compost.

The long version can be found through numerous websites with tips and techniques to reduce food waste. Here are a few:

The Daily Green
Love Food, Hate Waste
US News
Green Right Now
My Zero Waste

LED streetlights in LA and NYC

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former President Bill Clinton recently announced a program to replace 140,000 street lights in Los Angeles with LED bulbs. The plan is funded in part by the Clinton Climate Initiative. They are also receiving funding for the $57 million project through a $14 million rebate from Department of Water and Power.

The project is estimated to save $48 million and 197,000 tons of carbon emissions over a seven year period. This is the equivalent to pulling 6,000 cars off the road, according to Clinton.

Clinton also claimed that if every major city undertook a similar project, enough power would be saved to shut down 2 1/2 coal-fired power plants.

New York City has announced a similar plan. They are testing new LED light poles in a small area of the city. If testing proves successful by fall 2009, they may replace all of the city's streetlights (300,000 in total) with LEDs.

Senate to look at global warming

Harry Reid announced last night that the Senate will be looking at energy and climate change this year. He expects that they will begin talks on the energy bill in the next several weeks and hopes that they will take on climate change this summer.

The energy bill is headed by Jeff Bingaman (D. New Mexico), the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. If passed, utilities will be required to source 4% of their energy from renewable sources by 2011. That number will increase to 20% over the next decade.

There are not currently many details about how the Senate plans to take on climate change, but we hope they will take a comprehensive look at the situation and discuss ways to reduce not only carbon emissions, but methane and other chemical emissions as well. Specifically, we would like to see attention paid to user emissions (automobiles, aerosols, etc.), power plant emissions, methane emissions from dairy and meat production, and the energy cost of new building.

Growing food is fashionable again in Britain

According to an article in the Telegraph, vegetable gardens have risen drastically in popularity. A survey of over 1,000 people found that 26% are growing their own fruits and vegetables. Many of these people are doing so to save money, but there is an environmental motivation at work.

During the 1970s, a television sitcom called The Good Life made gardening in backyards and allotments fashionable, but its popularity waned. Gardening was generally viewed as a hobby for older people with a lot of time on their hands.

Now, under the encouragement of Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, gardening is becoming normal, and many of the new gardeners are young. The article does not discuss the yield of these individual gardens, nor the effect it has had (if any yet) on produce sales in groceries. However, the implications of a quarter of the population taking agriculture into their own hands are enormous.

- Largely organic agriculture; cuts chemical waste from system

- Reduces carbon emissions two ways: reduced demands for transport of produce; increased production of oxygen through photosynthesis

- Potential health benefits: people are more likely to eat the vegetables they grow

- Increased awareness of global food and environmental issues

Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy is a British artist who uses found natural objects to create temporary sculptures. He photographs his work as well, to create a permanent record. His art, some of which can be seen at his website, defies the boundary between the organic and the contrived. That is, we recognize his sculptures as works of art, but the natural media gives his works an almost accidental quality. The photographs of his work seem to capture a private moment in nature, in which art has formed itself. In Rivers and Tides, he says, "I don't think the earth needs me at all, but I do need it."




His philosophy as an artist is to capture the process of the natural world. He writes "I have become aware of raw nature is in a state of change and how that change is the key to understanding. I want my art to be sensitive and alert to changes..."

Sustainable companies win in current economic climate

A new study published by A.T. Kearney, Inc. shows that companies who are committed to sustainable practices are performing well and are often the leaders in their industry. According to an article about the report, this is true in 16 of 18 industries surveyed. The sustainable companies, determined by the Sustainability Index and the Goldman Sachs Sustain Focus list, earn an average of 15% more than their same-industry competitors.

The study also suggested that companies with a sustainable focus tend to have a better focus when it comes to long term planning, as well as "strong corporate governance" and risk management. In other words, it may be that strong companies tend to embrace sustainability as a practice, rather than sustainable companies tend to perform well financially.

Regardless of the order of cause and effect, the fact that companies focused on sustainability are performing better than their peers is great news. Fiscal responsibility has long been a part of sustainable movement--it really is cheaper to use CFLs in place of standard light bulbs--but it has always been spoken of as an aside, or a fringe benefit.

This news may help people see that the term sustainability is not synonymous with environmentalism. Rather, sustainability confers a long-term plan. It is managing resources--finances included--such that they will still be available for use five, ten, twenty and one hundred years down the road. Viewing sustainability as an effective form of risk management or long-term planning may help business leaders who were struggling with the language of sustainability make the transition.

Kindness in Florida

CNN published an article today about Chene Thompson, the wife of a Florida state representative, and Henrietta Hughes, a homeless woman who Thompson agreed to help. Hughes spoke up at a town hall meeting with President Obama on Tuesday. She said that she was living out of a car with her son and needed help. President Obama promised that his staff would work on it, but Thompson stepped forward from the crowd to offer Hughes a place to stay.

This example speaks to being in the right place at the right time. If Hughes had not been able to attend the town hall meeting, her request would not have been heard. Likewise, if Thompson had not been at the meeting, she would not have been able to offer her help. However, the fact that there was a right place and time for this in the current economic climate speaks to the ability of humans to transcend proscribed behaviors and connect, simply, as humans.

Phone Books

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a program to reduce and recycle phone books. It offers suggestions to reduce the numbers of phone books that you receive from various vendors and gives recycling suggestions.

They also provide a link to the Phone Book Project, an initiative by the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI). The PSI worked with various phone book companies, recyclers and local governments to develop a voluntary pledge for phone book distributors, that includes:

- Opt-out (subscribers can request NOT to get the phone book).
- Environmental production components (e.g., use of recycled content, soy inks, etc.).
- Recycling best practices.

According to Oregon DEQ, only 20% of phone books are recycled on a national scale. By making this information regarding phone book recycling and opt-out policy more public, the amount of phone book waste can be greatly reduced.



Phone Book Project
Oregon DEQ - Phonebooks

TEDTalks - Michael Pollan

The TEDTalk by Michael Pollan, recently published online brings forth a provocative message of hope about commercial organic agriculture. In the video, Pollan discusses a "plant's-eye view" of agriculture. He calls it a literary conceit, by which he means an extended metaphor that is used to elaborate on a given idea. Viewing agriculture from the view of a plant is not so much a way to achieve empathy with vegetable material, but a way to increase our human understanding of the symbiotic relationship we have with plant life.

There is one idea in the video that is particularly interesting. He speaks about Polyphase Farm, located in Virgina. The farm uses a system called permaculture, in which all the species in the farm perform ecological duties for one another. He outlines the system and the yield: 40,000 lbs of beef, 30,000 lbs of pork, 25,000 dozen eggs, 20,000 broiler chickens, 1,000 turkeys and 1,000 rabbits all from 100 acres of land. "You hear, can organic feed the world?" Pollan says. "Well, look how much food you can produce on 100 acres if you..give each species what it wants."

Pollan continues with his speech to look at how this system benefits the grass on the farm, how the process benefits the growth cycle of the grass and the revitalization of soil. His idea is that on this farm, both humans and nature win. This is outside of the realm of traditional agriculture--even organic, in which there is a balance between humans and nature, in which one always has the upper hand. He says "This is a way to reanimate the world," and if he is correct, than the traditional systems of agriculture may begin to break down. In their place will be this new system, in which agriculture sustains itself and humans serve, not as master or bystanders, but partners with nature.

Altruism in the corporate sector

Today's blog will focus on two recent examples of corporate social responsibility. One focuses on issues of sustainability, the other on hunger and the current economic crisis. Both are calculated efforts to increase brand profile with the potential ROI of an increased customer base.

The first example is Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a craft brewery based in Chico, CA. Sierra Nevada has already achieved some fame for their 1.3 megawatt solar installation, one of the largest private installations in the country. They have recently announced a plan to convert discarded yeast into ethanol. An article published yesterday at gas2.0 describes the effort.

Sierra Nevada is partnering with E-Fuel Corp in this project which is slated to start in the second quarter and be in full production by the third. The Efuel 100 MicroFueler will be used to convert the "1.6 million gallons of beer yeast waste annually."

As a brewery already known for its sustainable efforts, this announcement strengthens the profile of Sierra Nevada's established brand. This could potentially bring them new customers, as "green" press reports on the story and consumer curiosity is piqued. The plan has a more direct ROI, however, of decreasing fuel costs for the company fleet of vehicles. There is also a potential to distribute fuel to their employees or sell it to the general public.

The second example is of California Tortilla, a fast casual Mexican restaurant headquartered in Rockville, MD. The chain of 36 restaurants announced a "Burrito Bailout Plan" yesterday, which can be read about at QSR Magazine. From February 9th to the 27th, anyone who can present the chain with unemployment papers dating back to November 2008 will receive a gift certificate for a free burrito. The chain has also recently donated 400 pounds of rice and beans to several non-profit kitchens.

The potential ROI for California Tortilla is, again, an increased customer base. In addition to the publicity and press attention they will receive from their announcements, California Tortilla is handing out free burritos to anyone who has lost a job in the past three and a half months. This group almost certainly includes those who have never eaten at California Tortilla, and the chance for a free burrito may bring them in the door. The free burrito plan, along with their donations to non-profit kitchens also work to establish a brand identity, in which California Tortilla makes sure people are fed.

Strandbeests and simplicity

Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist creating kinetic sculptures powered only by the wind. He envisions herds of these strandbeests roaming the beaches with little or no help from man. This video, sponsored by BMW and TEDTalks, reveals some of his processes and the simple thinking behind such seemingly complicated constructs.



At one point in the video, Jansen discusses his reinvention of the wheel. "In fact, this is better than a wheel, because when you try to drive with your bicycle on the beach, you will notice it is very hard to do. The feet just step over the sand; the wheel has to touch everything in between."

Not to dive too deeply into the metaphorical potential of that statement, but Jansen's sculptures represent a world in which the solution is simpler than the problem at hand.

Algae Biofuel

An article published yesterday by bionomicfuel.com discusses recent research developments at Rutgers University and other institutions. Dr. Paul Falkowski has conducted studies in this area for years. Recently, he has been working to make the production of algae biofuel more efficient and cost effective.

"Scientiest Confirm Algae Is the Most Effective Alternative Energy Source." http://www.bionomicfuel.com/scientists-confirm-algae-is-the-most-effective-alternative-energy-source/

Perhaps the most exciting implication of these developments is the idea that algae can be grown almost anywhere. The effectiveness of many energy sources-renewable or otherwise-is complicated by the cost of transportation. With algae, however, municipalities can produce their own algaculture fields to provide energy to the local community. This eliminates the cost of transportation, as the energy can easily be dispersed through the local power grid.

There is the additional benefit that communities would be responsible for their own energy production. This would likely lead to greater consciousness of energy consumption and reduce overall usage.