Think Like A Man Thinking Green

Posted on April 22, 2012 by quest

As an industry leader in environmental innovation, Sony Pictures has long experimented with energy-efficient light sources and technologies for use in its productions. But for the Screen Gems feature Think Like a Man, Sony Pictures took its efforts a step further and reached an industry first by using 100 percent energy-efficient (LED) lighting sources on the production.

“Sony Pictures is committed to making great content with a smaller and smaller energy footprint, and Think Like A Man is a great example of Screen Gems’ continuing tradition of actively reducing the impact and waste of a major feature film production,” says Gary Martin, President, Production Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Conventional lighting for a motion picture requires a significant amount of energy to run and generates a lot of heat on set. This, in turn, must be cooled using air conditioning, requiring additional control equipment. Compared to a conventional incandescent bulb, however, LED lighting can generate over four times the amount of light with the same amount of energy and is also able to maneuver into tighter spaces and be transported more efficiently.

Think Like A Man

“Although not perfect, energy-efficient lighting is making great strides. We were excited to incorporate this industry-first in lighting into our production, and look forward to continuing to work with manufacturers to test and improve the technology,” says Mason McConnell, Executive Director, Set Lighting, Sony Pictures Entertainment. In addition to many other efforts, Think Like a Man further greened the filming by shooting the production in locations near the Sony Pictures studio lot, cutting both transportation requirements as well as the need to construct sets. It also used many environmentally-friendly products and processes in the daily administration of the production. The movie is based on Steve Harvey’s book “Like A Lady Think Like Man.”

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.

Fela Kuti

One Day On Earth Video

FREE PUBLIC SCREENINGS On April 22, the film will screen for free in more than 160 countries.

Dickson Despommier on Vertical Farming

Kendall Jackson Winery Has A Taste For Solar Power

Posted on April 10, 2012 by quest

U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson and local business leaders convened today at Kendall-Jackson’s Wine Center to celebrate the company’s commitment to sustainability and unveil the solar cogeneration system, now supplying solar hot water and electricity to power the winery’s extensive tank and bottle washing operations.“Our founder Jess Jackson was a trailblazer who made sustainability a core part of Kendall- Jackson’s DNA largely through innovation,” said Kendall-Jackson’s Vice President of Sustainability Robert Boller. “We’re thrilled to take this leadership position with Cogenra by installing the largest rooftop solar electricity and hot water rooftop system to date and two upcoming installations at our other production sites. It’s a win for the environment and our bottom line.”

Cogenra partnered with local installer SunWater Solar to construct the array on the roof of Kendall-Jackson’s Kittyhawk winery. The solar cogeneration system provides up to 60 percent of the building’s hot water needs, with the electricity powering lighting and cooling. In addition to this initial solar cogeneration project, Kendall-Jackson will install Cogenra arrays at their Vinwood estate in Sonoma County and an additional winery in Monterey County. Expanding on Kendall-Jackson’s existing energy and water conservation projects, the 96-module, 241kW hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermal array is expected to save approximately $30,000 in annual energy costs.

“The wine industry, and especially Kendall-Jackson, have been leaders in the sustainability movement,” said Gilad Almogy, CEO of Cogenra Solar. “Solar cogeneration is quickly becoming one of the industry’s most effective tools to maximize the impact of solar energy production to meet both electricity and hot water needs. We commend Kendall-Jackson for their sustainability leadership and look forward to deploying future projects.”“This partnership between two great California companies is proof that business can boost the bottom line while helping the environment,” said U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson. “Innovative new energy technologies, like Cogenra’s, and smart, progressive businesses, like Kendall-Jackson, will drive job creation in the years ahead.”

Don Cheadle Attending Sustainable Meeting In New York City

California Reaches Milestone of 10,000 Green Homes

Amy Smart Honors Claremont As A “Green City”

Posted on April 3, 2012 by quest

Actress Amy Smart, a leader in young Hollywood environmental circles, presented the award to Mayor Sam Pedroza and members of the City Council at a recent State of the City luncheon. “Claremont, we salute you as a city that both talks and walks a green, sustainable lifestyle! You are an invaluable role model for other cities,” Ms. Smart said in her congratulatory remarks. Joining her in the presentation were representatives from California Green Communities’ founding partners — the Environmental Media Association (EMA), Southern California Edison (SCE) and Green Seal. “Claremont is showcasing what a city can do to improve its residents’ quality of life,” Ms. Smart said. “California Green Communities fosters and recognizes innovative ways for participating cities to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, while building vibrant, sustainable communities. The economic and health benefits for each city are enormous. Claremont is a leader among southern California cities who are modeling sustainable practices for others.”

“Our City takes its commitment to sustainability seriously,” remarked Mayor Pedroza. “It is a priority for the City Council and it is a consideration in every project and program we provide. Achieving the Silver level status validates the tremendous work this community has done.”To reach the Silver level, Claremont committed considerable resources to a broad variety of sustainability-related projects and programs. Efforts included: making energy efficiency and water conservation improvements to city facilities, converting its fleet to cleaner fuels, encouraging bicycling and walking through education and new construction, and encouraging water wise landscaping and local gardening efforts.

To participate in the California Green Communities program, cities develop unique action plans to identify environmentally sound practices and projects they will adopt and implement involving energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, renewable and alternative fuels, efficient transportation and so forth. At various completion points, they reach Silver, Gold and Platinum status in the program. City action plans can be viewed at www.CaGreenCom.org. One of the City’s more innovative programs is a homeowner assistance program designed to encourage home energy retrofits. Nicknamed CHERP (Claremont Home Energy Retrofit Project), the program helps homeowners upgrade older homes with energy-saving measures such as insulation, HVAC optimization, lighting upgrades and even solar panels. In conjunction with the program, the City is retrofitting many of its own facilities and recently installed solar panels at its City Yard. In addition to Claremont, the cities of Monrovia, Riverside and Santa Clarita have reached California Green Community Silver status. Other cities participating in the program – Culver City, Los Angeles, Redlands, San Gabriel, Santa Monica, Simi Valley and Ventura – are making progress in the program as well. More cities in Southern California are expected to join the program in 2012.

Flat Earth Society In The Dark On Solar Energy

Even The Water Commutes To LA

Posted on March 28, 2012 by quest

Robert Redford a longtime pioneer in the environmental movement joins his son Jamie Redford to narrate Watershed, a new documentary produced by Jamie Redford who resides in Northern California. The film focuses attention on the human demands being placed on the 250 mile Colorado River. Watershed was recently featured at the D.C. Environmental Film Festival.

Watershed

Advancements in Solar Energy Efficiency

Sometimes breakthroughs in technology are inch by inch. Think of the early days of the personal computer industry when new simply meant faster processors and more disk space. Such is the case with solar panels today. SunPower Corp, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems today announced that its third generation SunPower Maxeon solar cell is now in commercial production. This world-record efficiency solar cell delivers sunlight to electricity conversion efficiency of up to 24 percent.

$artist Sven Geier fractal art work breakthrough 300x225 Even The Water Commutes To LA$ “We’re pleased to move our world-record breaking efficiency solar cell from the lab into commercial production,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “With the new Maxeon solar cells, offering efficiencies of up to 24 percent, SunPower continues to lead the industry in technology innovation, delivering to its customers the highest efficiency, most reliable solar panels for guaranteed performance.”The new Maxeon solar cells are currently being integrated into select SunPower solar panels that deliver efficiencies exceeding 20 percent. These panels contain up to 128 solar cells per panel and will be availability in limited quantities in 2012.

The new cell has low reverse-bias breakdown voltage to deliver better performance in shady and dusty conditions, and better temperature coefficient for increased energy harvest in hot environments. The new Maxeon solar cell offers improved aesthetics with a consistent, homogenous, sleek black look.