This Organic Food Thing

Posted on July 17, 2011 by quest

The town of Hardwick, Vt., has been celebrated as the scene of a local food revival. In recent years, lots of small farms have started up nearby. Tom Stearns, president of a local organic seed company called High Mowing Seeds, says there are more organic farms per capita within 10 miles of Hardwick than anywhere else in the world. There’s also a thriving local grocery co-op; a busy farmer’s market; even a classy restaurant — Claire’s — where almost anything you eat grew or grazed on land nearby.

But it was Ben Hewitt, as much as anyone, who really put Hardwick and its local food scene on the map. He’s a writer and a back-to-the-land activist himself. He lives on 40 acres near Cabot, down the road from Hardwick, with his wife, their two home-schooled children, and an assortment of pigs, cows and a very friendly dog named Daisy.

Hewitt saw what was happening in Hardwick, and it struck him as unusual, even odd. “Here’s this town: Unemployment rate 40 percent higher than the Vermont state average; median income 25 percent lower; and then there was this thing happening around so-called sustainable ag and local food!” Hewitt says. So Hewitt wrote a book about Hardwick: The Town That Food Saved. Source: NPR By Dan Charles - Listen Here

BMW Launches i Series Electric Cars

US To Become The World’s Largest Solar Market

Posted on June 17, 2011 by quest

The U.S. solar energy industry continued to be one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy in Q1 2011 according to the U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Q1 2011 released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research. In total, cumulative grid-connected solar electric installations have reached more than 2.85 gigawatts (GW), enough to power nearly 600,000 U.S. homes. In the first quarter of 2011, the United States installed 252 megawatts (MW) of grid-connected photovoltaics (PV) or 66 percent year-over-year growth over Q1 2010 installations. Two major factors drove this growth: falling solar energy equipment costs and a rush to take advantage of the Section 1603 Treasury program that was expected to expire in 2010 (the program was eventually extended through the end of 2011). All three PV market sectors (residential, commercial and utility) continued to grow, with commercial installations showing the strongest gains.

“On the whole, the U.S. is currently the PV industry’s most attractive and stable growth market,” said Shayle Kann, Managing Director of Solar at GTM Research. “This is reflected in our report’s quarterly market data and in the comments from global suppliers, distributors, and developers, all of whom see the U.S. positioned to nearly double its global market share in 2011 and support a greater diversity of installation types than has been previously seen in any leading demand center.” Geographically, the market was concentrated in a few key states. In Q1 2010, the top seven states comprised 82 percent of total installations, but that figure grew to 88 percent in Q1 2011, implying that established, leading markets gained an even larger share. The pace of installations grew more than 50 percent in 11 of the 21 states analyzed in the report.

Price declines were also an important factor in the Q1 2011 solar expansion, as technology costs fell and the industry matured further, capitalizing on greater economies of scale and streamlined project development and installation. Domestic PV module production in Q1 2011 amounted to 348 MW, a 31 percent increase over Q1 2010. “With analysts predicting the U.S. to become the world’s largest solar market within the next few years, manufacturers are increasingly looking to the U.S. to site their facilities,” said Tom Kimbis, SEIA Vice-President of Strategy and External Affairs. “They are finding significant value in manufacturing close to their expected source of demand. This strong demand continues to make solar one of the fastest growing industries in the United States and a source of thousands of good jobs from manufacturing and installation to engineering and sales.”

GO ORGANIC

Eco Friendly Sustainable Clothes You Grow

Posted on May 22, 2011 by quest

The concept for BioCouture originated during the research for Suzanne Leeʼs book ʻFashioning The Future: tomorrowʼs wardrobe.’ A serendipitous conversation in 2003 with Dr. David Hepworth, a biologist and materials scientist, presented a new vision of future fashion – one that emerges fully-formed from a vat of liquid.

Rather than exploit plants or petrochemicals to provide the raw material for fabric BioCouture is  investigating the use of microbes to grow a textile biomaterial. Certain bacteria will spin  microfibrils of pure cellulose during fermentation which form a dense layer that can be harvested and dried. It can then either be used wet or molded onto a 3D form, like a dress shape, or dry it flat and then cut and sewed into a garment. From there it can readily be dyed and printed on the material and since it requires far less dye than other fibres it has a huge environmental advantage.

With so many environmental concerns related to the production, consumption and disposal of fashion textiles BioCouture is pioneering a new eco-friendly and sustainable alternative. The future scale up of this material would also seek to use waste streams, for example from the food or drinks industry, to fuel the microbial-cellulose production.

What Suzanne started as a fashion project has now evolved into a bio materials project. They are only just  beginning to imagine what other uses there might be for this material. Right now these clothes  are experimental prototypes and not commercially available, and, as the material is still in development. See: Susanne Lee on growing clothes

NEW YORK ECO FASHION WEEK

Solar Power to Brew Coffee in Virginia

Posted on December 30, 2010 by quest

The Dominion Foundation, has awarded a $30,000 grant to Virginia Highlands Community College for the development of “Wolf Grounds,” an on-campus, student-run coffee shop. The non-profit business will involve 100 percent organically grown and recyclable products, local suppliers, Energy Star appliances, and both solar hot-water heating and solar photovoltaic technologies. The coffee shop project will serve as a student learning tool. “Dominion’s grant will allow our students to experience first-hand the process of opening and operating a business within the security of college supervision,” said Virginia Highlands President Ron Proffitt. “This is an outstanding opportunity for our students, and we are grateful to Dominion for their support of the college, our students and this project.”

Besides providing experience to business students in running a self-sustaining business, the project also will provide a hands-on learning opportunity to students in solar energy system design, equipment installation, and system maintenance and repair. “Dominion is excited about supporting this hands-on learning project and particularly because of its emphasis on energy conservation, efficiency and alternative energy generation,” said Preston Sloane, station director for the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center. The power station is being built in nearby Wise County, about 30 miles from the campus, by Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion Resources.

The coffee shop, which is scheduled to open in April, will be managed by the campus organization Students in Free Enterprise. Roughly half the students involved in the project’s development will continue their involvement in the shop’s operation. For example, information technology students will continue to maintain the shop’s Web page and produce brochures, marketing students will promote the business and accounting students will manage the books. Dominion is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,600 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates the nation’s largest natural gas storage system and serves retail energy customers in 13 states. The Dominion Foundation is its’ philanthropic arm.

GO ORGANIC

USDA Seeding Organic Producers

Posted on December 21, 2010 by quest

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced USDA will provide funding to help organic producers and those transitioning to organic production implement resource conservation practices on their agricultural operations. “Increasing consumer demand for organically grown foods is providing new opportunities for small and mid-size farmers to prosper and stay competitive in today’s economy,” Merrigan said. “The 2008 Farm Bill calls for this assistance, and we want to help these farmers protect the natural resources on their land and create conditions that help foster organic production.”
Fiscal year (FY) 2011 marks the third year of USDA’s Organic Initiative, and up to $50 million is available this year for producers to plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns in ways that are consistent with organic production. For example, organic producers may use the funding to plant cover crops, establish integrated pest management plans, or implement nutrient management systems consistent with organic certification standards.

Eligible producers include those certified through USDA’s National Organic Program, those transitioning to certified organic production, and those who meet organic standards but are exempt from certification because their gross annual organic sales are less than $5,000. In FY 2010, NRCS obligated nearly $24 million through the Organic Initiative to help producers implement conservation practices.

ORGANIC FARMING

GREEN CAREERS

Bob Marley Eco Friendly Products ready for holidays

Posted on November 23, 2010 by quest

The Billabong X Bob Marley Collection; a collaboration with Marley & Co. will be available November 25th, in time for the holidays in better surf and specialty stores. Billabong develops earth-friendly, innovative products that adhere to the Marley family’s core values: Equality, authenticity, and sustainability. Or as Bob might put it: “Make way for the positive day.”Working with the Marley family to interpret their vision of their father on to our garments has been inspiring,” notes Billabong Design Director Rob McCarty. “Cedella and Ziggy have provided great insight to make this collaboration a success.”

The Billabong X Bob Marley collection is made using premium recycled and organic materials, supporting environmentally safe products. This means less pollution, with superior quality, function and performance. The collection will be marketed in store, online and print. Consisting of boardshorts, tee shirts, tank tops, and selected accessories, the line reflects the energy, passion and fun that infused Marley’s life.

Billabong produces active lifestyle clothing, accessories and related products designed and distributed to a worldwide customer base of board riders. Marley & Co. is a lifestyle branding company offering unique partnerships with leading manufacturers and retailers worldwide to create branded products in categories such as footwear, apparel, consumer electronics, personal care, home and outdoor, food and beverage and action sports.