Cloud Over Apple Not So Green Says Greenpeace

Posted on April 17, 2012 by quest

The current explosion in cloud computing offered by major IT companies is driving significant new demand for dirty energy like coal and nuclear power, according to a new report from International.The report, “Greenpeace How Clean is Your Cloud?” shows a growing split within the tech industry between companies that are taking steps to power their clouds with clean energy, like Google, Yahoo and Facebook, and companies like Apple, Amazon and Microsoft who lag behind by choosing to build their growing fleets of data centers to be powered by coal and nuclear energy. The report evaluates 14 IT companies and their electricity supply chains of over 80 data centers based on key elements needed to build a clean cloud.

“When people around the world share their music or photos on the cloud, they want to know that the cloud is powered by clean, safe energy,” said Gary Cook, Greenpeace International Senior Policy Analyst. “Yet highly innovative and profitable companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are building data centers powered by coal and acting like their customers won’t know or won’t care. They’re wrong.”As more people around the world use the cloud to store and share photos, videos, and documents, IT companies have to build more data centers –buildings so large they are often visible from space – that house thousands of computers and consume tremendous amounts of electricity. Some data centers use as much electricity as 80,000 U.S. homes. The report research found that if the cloud were a country its electricity demand would currently rank 5th in the world, and is expected to triple by 2020.

Companies like Google, Yahoo and Facebook are beginning to lead the sector down a clean energy pathway through innovations in energy efficiency, prioritizing renewable energy access when siting their data centers, and demanding better energy options from utilities and government decision-makers. Both Google and Yahoo are increasingly powering their facilities with renewable energy even as they continue to expand. Greenpeace International is calling on all IT companies with cloud services to: Invest in or directly purchase renewable energy; Be more transparent about their energy usage and carbon footprint, demand that governments and electric utilities increase the amount of renewable electricity available on the grid, and build data centers in areas where clean energy will power the facility.

Green Revolution – Solar Power – Video

Solar Power Has Ripple Effect On Job Creation

Posted on April 17, 2012 by quest

Four of the founding manufacturers of the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) purchased more than a combined $400 million in goods and services from other manufacturers and employers in 46 states in 2011, according to a CASM survey. This flow of business highlights just one dimension of solar manufacturing’s multiplier effect in supporting jobs and spurring activity across the U.S. economy, according to CASM. The coalition of about 190 U.S. employers of more than 16,000 American workers contends the nation cannot afford to lose its own industry, particularly in light of advanced manufacturing’s power to generate high-paying and stable jobs and beneficial ripple effects, including research and innovation. Instead, CASM seeks trade-law enforcement to restore legal international competition and domestic manufacturing growth.

CASM is backing an anti-subsidy and anti-dumping trade case against the Chinese industry. In March, the U.S. government issued a preliminary ruling that at least 10 categories of Chinese government programs illegally subsidize Chinese producers of solar cells and panels. China’s export drive has caused a dozen U.S. solar manufacturers to shut down, declare bankruptcy or lay off employees in all U.S. regions since 2010, CASM alleges, even though the National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded Chinese producers face a cost disadvantage in producing and delivering solar into the U.S. market.

The survey tally excludes many economic inputs, such as interest and tax payments as well as payroll for employees, ranging from Ph.D. researchers to production workers. CASM leader SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for more than 35 years, employs more than 1,100 workers in Oregon and California. Average annual compensation for permanent, full-time SolarWorld employees exceeds the national average of $45,230 provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the survey did not account for downstream support that employees of the four solar manufacturers and their vendors paid out to still other businesses – for day-care firms, supermarkets, and car and TV dealers – in their own lives, not to mention the personal interest and taxes they paid and the property they purchased.

One Day On Earth To Screen Worldwide On Earth Day

Solar Panels “Photosynthesis” Art In Milan Exhibit

Posted on April 16, 2012 by quest

Developers of solar technology are turning to nature to better understand how plants use the sunlight to store and use energy. The concept of solar trees is showing up all over the world. In Italy. Panasonic will showcase its total solutions for creating, storing, saving and managing energy at the Milano Salone del Mobile 2012 exhibition, which will be held in Milan this April. At this year’s exhibition, Panasonic will present an energy cycle, comparing it to an ecological cycle that begins with photosynthesis, starting with energy creation (through solar panels), and continuing to energy storage (through storage batteries) and energy saving (through LED and organic LED lights), with each stage of the cycle being controlled by an energy management system. The installation, which is the first outdoor exhibit for Panasonic, was designed by noted young architect Akihisa Hirata, whose organic vision of a living, breathing architecture reflects the open yet interdependent symbiotic cycles in nature.

“Based on the dynamic of photosynthesis, I envisioned the leaves, fruit and flowers of a tree linking the entire corridor space in a cyclical network of creating, storing and saving energy. A new image of human endeavor open to the limitless energy of the sun, to the energy channels we have built and to the cycles of the biosphere. I wanted to shape a new interpretation of nature at this historic juncture,” said Akihisa Hirata.

In response to the common goal of “shifting to sustainability,” Panasonic is working to make our lives more pleasant and reduce our impact on the environment. The 2012 installation “Photosynthesis” exemplifies this dual ecology approach in a controlled-cycle energy management “tree” with solar panel “leaves”, energy-storing battery “fruit” and energy-saving LED/OLED “flowers”. It’s a new experience and a new world of possibilities for these greening times.This installation takes place at INTERNI LEGACY, University of Milan.

Solar Energy And The Eyes of Dragonflies

Posted on April 16, 2012 by quest

An unknown inventor, Jong-Eun Lee from Korea, obtained an extraordinary patent on an unusual solar energy system from the government in a surprisingly short time. It is very unusual because the Korean government, which is famous for its thoroughness to examine patent applications, processed this particular case very rapidly.”It is a simple structure but my invention is very convincing,” says Jong-Eun Lee confidently. He got the idea from the eyes of dragonflies. Almost all the existing solar energy systems in the world use panels, which take up a lot of space and expense, whereas Jong-Eun Lee’s system uses only relatively small ball-type lenses that will collect sun light easily from every angle, virtually 360 degrees.

It takes a fairly small space and its durability is extremely long due to its simple structure. The inventor is strongly confident that it will inevitably change the existing concept of solar energy and he hopes that it will replace the nuclear power plant, which is treated more as a necessary evil.

It was no wonder that the first launch of this invention to EXCO 2012, Daegu, Korea, quickly captivated the visitors of Lee’s booth. In fact, his booth was filled with so many people that no one could pass by without asking questions on how it could be possible. His explanation was rather straightforward. “We human beings have chased the sun from the very primitive age until now because we have been trained to think that way, but the sun has been always there waiting to provide us with infinite energy.”And it is a fact that we unconsciously perceived that there was infinite resource in it when we played house with a magnifying glass to burn objects and the problem was that we could not go just one step further because of our limited imaginative power,” says the inventor. “My patent will speak for itself and the Korean government, which examined and granted me this patent, will prove it,” added Lee.

Sunset Idea Open House

Virgin Gets Its Green On In San Francisco

Posted on April 14, 2012 by quest

Virgin America, the only California-based airline, is partnering for the fifth consecutive year with the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) for its 15th Annual Earth Day to support vital environmental restoration and clean-up projects across the state. Virgin America teammates (along with employees from presenting sponsor Pacific Gas and Electric Company) were pitching in today at San Francisco’s Candlestick Point State Recreation Area where they were planting native trees, installing new redwood garden boxes and landscaping to help restore and preserve the park. Virgin America teammates in other cities across the country are also participating in local environmental clean-up events throughout Earth month. In addition to Virgin America’s efforts on the ground, the airline was the first domestic airline to offer guests the ability to offset their carbon in-flight by using the Red seatback touch-screen entertainment system to make a donation to CSPF or to offset the carbon emissions of their flight via the nonprofit Carbonfund.org.

“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with the CSPF for the fifth year in a row, in order to support their efforts to protect and restore our state’s natural resources — especially those in underserved communities like Candlestick Point,” said David Cush, President and CEO of Virgin America. Candlestick Point State Recreation Area is the state’s first “urban” park and includes a community garden, open wildlife areas and other public spaces that support a better way of life in the underserved Bay Area neighborhood. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Virgin America – an airline that has long supported environmental work and our efforts on behalf of state parks,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, President of California State Parks Foundation. “Not only are Virgin teammates helping us on the ground by volunteering in state parks, Virgin also helps us from 35,000 feet by providing an in-flight donation option on its entertainment platform.

Virgin America’s efforts will also stretch across the nation with clean-up and restoration projects. “Our region has long been known as a model for the nation and the world in terms of championing sustainable best practices,” said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.” San Francisco which was named the “Greenest City in North America” will also be hosting a FREE Eco-Event for Everyone! Celebrating Earth Day in San Francisco, Sunday, April 22nd, in the event features two-stages of Music and Speakers, plus Workshops, Organic Chef Demos, Eco-Fashion Shows, Holistic Health, and Clean-Energy Zones, a Permaculture Village, Interactive Art, a Huge Kids Zone and much more. The festivities run 10am to 6pm at the Civic Center Plaza in Downtown San Francisco. Sponsored by SF Parks Alliance, Nissan.

Green Icon Van Jones Speaks To Rebuild The Dream

One Day On Earth To Screen Worldwide On Earth Day

Posted on April 13, 2012 by quest

A new feature-length documentary film — the first to include footage filmed in every country on earth captured all on the same day, and created with the help of the United Nations and an international community of filmmakers –is to debut on Earth Day, April 22, 2012 at screenings in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Four years in the making, “One Day on Earth” is a video time capsule of one day – 10 October 2010. More than 19,000 filmmakers, both professional and novice, contributed 3,000 hours of footage. The project, headed by Founder/Director Kyle Ruddick and Co-founder/Executive Producer Brandon Litman, donated video cameras to more than 95 UN country offices, which resulted in unusually intimate access to remote places including Papua New Guinea and South Sudan.

Featuring music by Paul Simon, Fela Kuti, Sigur Ros, and others, the film captures a dazzling array of human experiences, from the birth of a newborn in Mongolia to a clock collector in Rio De Janeiro’s favelas. The film fluidly shows how crises confronting the world – from water shortage to poverty – connects us all, and offers rarely seen images from life in North Korea, Iran, and Kosovo.

ODOE has utilized Tugg, a web-platform that enables individuals to choose the films that play in their local theaters. The film has been financed by sources including significant support from the Ford Foundation‘s JustFilms initiative.