Politicians Helping U.S. Lose Global Renewable Energy War

Posted on October 24, 2011 by quest

“America needs to learn from the example for future growth and long-term sustainability being set by China, and build the infrastructure and invest in the education and development of talent in growth industries, such as renewable energy and electronics, to achieve long-term growth and the continuation of the whole American experience,” according to Dr. Stephen Leeb, a recognized authority on finance, investing and economic trends. Leeb spoke with Peter Clayton, producer/host of TotalPicture Radio, a popular career and leadership development podcast.

Realizing the tremendous career and growth opportunities in “green” industries and technology, Clayton regularly features experts in the field on his program. However, the picture Dr. Leeb paints in his interview is troubling. China is gaining ground as a superpower and attaining competitive advantage over other developed countries, especially the United States, by using its profits to globally invest in and control mineral commodities such as coal, oil, zinc, silver, and gold. In his latest book Red Alert: How China’s Growing Prosperity Threatens the American Way of Life, Leeb argues that access to rare earth resources will determine the standard of living for future generations.

Leeb discusses how “U.S. officials and politicians engage in short-term myopic planning, endless legal maneuvering, scandals, and wartime investing that are crippling America’s economic viability.” Contrast this with China’s government, led by politicians with backgrounds in hard sciences. “China is spending enormous amounts of money planning for, and analyzing, the long-term consequences of global warming,” Leeb asserts. “The Chinese, I don’t think, hate Americans, by no means, but the Chinese are all for China. They would like to come off as the heroes in the environmental revolution.” “There’s a war going on

PBS Wins Environmental Wildlife Film Festival

Model Angela Lindvall Gets Eco Friendly Jewelry Line

Posted on October 23, 2011 by quest

“Green” is the new black…especially when it comes to the Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection. Created entirely of recycled silver, this exquisite new line by model and environmentalist Angela Lindvall and award-winning sustainable jewelry company John Hardy, launched on QVC Tuesday, October 18.

The Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection unites Lindvall’s romantic sensibility and natural attraction for authentic beauty with John Hardy’s bold designs inspired by nature. Each piece from this unique collaboration features stunning sterling silver designs with oxidation, natural and Diamonique simulated gemstones and 14K gold accents for a look that is truly breathtaking.”Each piece in the Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection is truly a work of art,” said Doug Howe, executive vice president of merchandising, planning and sales for QVC. “With its stunning designs and impeccable attention to detail, this exciting new line is sure to become an instant favorite among shoppers. We are pleased to add this iconic brand to our existing portfolio of jewelry designers.”

Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection will include statement items that range from over sized cocktail rings and bangle bracelets to elegant everyday pieces, including stud earrings and station necklaces. Prices will range from approximately $79.00 to $500.00.

“Angela has been working with us for the past two years. She has been so passionate about sharing our core values that when she expressed her interest in starting her own line, it was obvious to me that we would work together and produce her creation,” says John Hardy CEO Damien Dernoncourt.

Going Green Going Mainstream

Dig Into Urban Farming

New Taxies Turn NYC Yellow Cabs Green

Posted on October 23, 2011 by quest

The Vehicle Production Group LLC today announced the approval of VPG’s MV-1 motor vehicle by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission for use as a New York City taxicab. The MV-1 is the first and only factory-built and assembled vehicle that meets or exceeds the vehicle guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Community advocates, taxi owners and VPG representatives made a joint presentation yesterday to the TLC prior to its unanimous approval of the MV-1 to operate in the city as a taxicab. This is the first time since the fabled “Checker Cab” that a purpose-built vehicle has been approved for operation. The approval allows the owners of the more than 13,000 taxis currently operating in the city to begin replacing their vehicles with the fully accessible MV-1, allowing them to not only provide a better quality of comfort and safety to customers but make it possible for New York residents and visitors with disabilities to more easily get around the city.

Joanna D. Underwood, president of New York City-based Energy Vision, a national environmental organization that promotes sustainable transportation said, “A fleet of MV-1′s will reduce the city’s dependence on foreign oil by five million gallons a year and will reap fuel cost savings of $5 million. “This is a great day for accessible transportation for the disabled,” said VPG Chairman Fred Drasner. “We have spent five years developing what we believe will be the best vehicle ever put into taxi service for all New Yorkers – especially those with disabilities. I am confident that the MV-1 will soon be regarded with the fondness reserved for the iconic Checker Cab of the bygone era in New York City.”

The MV-1 is built from the ground up to address the needs of over 14 million Americans who must use wheelchairs, crutches, canes, walkers or other mobility devices. Routine activities such as traveling in a vehicle present a significant obstacle in their daily lives. Proudly assembled in the USA, the MV-1 is not a converted van or other aftermarket product. The MV-1 is also the only ADA compliant vehicle with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) engineered and assembled Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuel system option. Since the system is factory installed, the MV-1 with the CNG option meets all government safety and crash test requirements and maintains the same durability, reliability and quality as the gasoline-powered vehicle. Fleet operators and consumers can reduce expenses by utilizing the less expensive CNG fuel.

Elon Musk Donates Solar Power Project In Japan

Solar Contributes To Zero Net Energy At UC Davis

Posted on October 22, 2011 by quest

Setting a national precedent in sustainable design, UC Davis West Village opened its doors Saturday as the largest planned zero net energy community in the country. Located on the UC Davis campus, this visionary development is designed to generate as much energy each year as it consumes. “UC Davis West Village illustrates our commitment to cutting-edge research in sustainability and the value and impact of public-private partnerships,” said UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi. “The success of these partnerships demonstrates what can be achieved when innovations in design, science and engineering come together for the public good.”

Hundreds of residents, neighbors and supporters attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house celebrating completion of major elements of UC Davis West Village’s $300 million first phase: 315 apartments, 42,500 square feet of commercial space, a recreation center and village square. When completed, the ambitious 130-acre development will be home to about 3,000 people in 662 apartments and 343 single-family houses.  Zero net energy has never been attempted on the scale of UC Davis West Village. If the community achieves its energy goals, it will set a national precedent in sustainable design.

“UC Davis West Village is a visionary model for integrating pioneering sustainable principles with high-quality living environments, creating an eco-friendly lifestyle for students, faculty and staff,” said Nolan Zail, Carmel Partners Senior Vice President of Development. “We believe the success of this innovative public-private partnership and demonstrated zero net energy living community will inspire other public and private institutions to build similar sustainable communities.” UC Davis West Village will also be home to:

Mayor Michael Nutter on The Greening of Philly

On Sierra Club Radio

Revolutionary New Fish Friendly Hydropower

Posted on October 22, 2011 by quest

A revolutionary new turbine technology for hydropower plants is one step closer to its first commercial deployment. The Alden Fish-Friendly Turbine could change the game for hydropower generation in the United States, and it is likely to have significant export potential.

Scientists and engineers at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Alden Laboratories, and their partners have designed a new turbine that reduces fish passage injury and mortality, while effectively maintainingpower production. EPRI recently released the full technical report of prototype testing. Building on over a decade of support from the Energy Department, EPRI and its project partners were recently selected to deploy and test the Alden fish-friendly hydropower turbine over the next three years. EPRI plans to deploy the 10 megawatt Alden Turbine at the Brookfield Renewable Power School Street Project in Cohoes, New York, bringing project’s generation capacity to 48 megawatts.

Hydropower already provides nearly 7 percent of the nation’s electricity, and it holds tremendous potential for expansion. Yet that promise comes with the unique challenge of developing water as a renewable energy resource in a way that minimizes disruption to sensitive ecosystems and mitigates impacts to fish and other aquatic wildlife. Some hydropower projects have created issues for migratory fish, such as blocked passages and turbine-induced mortality. Spilling water or installing bypass technologies can allow fish to pass through unharmed, but they also compromise a significant amount of power production—to the tune of 8,500 MWh per year and at a cost upwards of $700,000 per project. To better address

Online Solar Opportunities

Nasa Set To Launch Climate Change Observing Satellite

Posted on October 22, 2011 by quest

NASA is planning an Oct. 27 launch of the first Earth-observing satellite to measure both global climate changes and key weather variables. The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) is the first mission designed to collect critical data to improve weather forecasts in the short-term and increase our understanding of long-term climate change. NPP continues observations of Earth from space that NASA has pioneered for more than 40 years.
NPP’s five science instruments, including four new state-of-the-art sensors, will provide scientists with data to extend more than 30 key long-term datasets. These records, which range from the ozone layer and land cover to atmospheric temperatures and ice cover, are critical for global change science. “NPP’s observations of a wide range of interconnected Earth properties and processes will give us the big picture of how our planet changes,” said Jim Gleason, NPP project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “That will help us improve our computer models that predict future environmental conditions. Better predictions will let us make better decisions, whether it is as simple as taking an umbrella to work today or as complex as responding to a changing climate.”

“The timing of the NPP launch could hardly be more appropriate,” said Louis W. Uccellini, director of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction in Camp Springs, Md. “With the many billion dollar weather disasters in 2011, NPP data is critical for accurate weather forecasts into the future.”A Delta II rocket will carry NPP into an orbit 512 miles above Earth’s surface. Roughly the size of a mini-van, the spacecraft will orbit Earth’s poles about 14 times a day. It will transmit data once each orbit to a ground station in Svalbard, Norway, and to direct broadcast receivers around the world. NPP is set to launch from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Oct. 27. The launch window extends from 5:48 a.m. to 5:57 a.m. EDT