George Washington Carver Goes Solar

Posted on December 13, 2010 by quest

George Washington Carver Elementary School of Lexington Park, Maryland begins breaking ground today on the installation of a large scale solar electric system supporting Maryland’s St. Mary’s County Public School system (SMCPS). Once completed, the elementary school’s system is expected to generate approximately 677,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in its first year of operations, representing 80 percent of the school’s energy needs. The amount of clean energy the system will produce in its first year is equivalent to taking 105.5 cars off the road each year. St. Mary’s County Public School system (SMCPS) received a grant from Maryland Energy Administration specifically designed for the development of solar electric projects on public buildings in Maryland. The array will be installed by Standard Solar a full-service development, installation of solar electric systems for commercial, government and residential customers, and its joint venture financial partner Perpetual Energy Systems.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) recently completed construction on a Gold LEED elementary school where every aspect of the building is a teaching tool and is relevant to the curriculum including photovoltaic panels, a wind turbine, two 15,000 gallon cisterns for the harvesting of rainwater, and attention to the environmental sensitive sites in which the school has been carefully placed to preserve endangered species. Additionally, SMCPS has a green school mobile classroom that travels to each school to support the curriculum, and has a mascot, Wattson, who works with students to promote energy conservation and recycling efforts and educates students on the importance of natural resources.

George Washington Carver Elementary School serves approximately 551 students from the age of 3 to Fifth Grade. G.W. Carver is designated as a Title I school. This distinction is based on the percentage of Free and Reduced Meals (73%) received by students. As a result, G.W. Carver is the beneficiary of both state and federal money to help supplement the county funded budget.

SOLAR CHRISTMAS TREES

GROWING URBAN FARMING

Cities Confront Climate Change in Cancun

Posted on December 12, 2010 by quest

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, “COP 16 marked a defining moment for local governments’ critical role in addressing the devastating impact of climate change,” said Executive Director Martin Chavez.”The ICLEI USA Delegation combined forces with over 150 mayors worldwide to ensure that the next global climate deal empowers local governments and to show that local government voluntary actions can be measured and verified. Local governments are change agents for climate action, from planning to implementation, leading by example and stimulating demand for renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as driving private sector investment that spurs clean technology and innovation. While modest agreements were achieved this year in Mexico, there is no doubt that local governments continue to lead the way on climate action.” ICLEI was founded in 1990 as the ‘International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives‘. The Council was established when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, at the United Nations in New York.

After two weeks of sometimes tense and difficult negotiations, nations set aside their differences and joined forces to develop a shared global approach to addressing the threat of climate change. This is a remarkable achievement and an encouraging turn of events that resulted in considerable progress to advance climate action. All of the delegation members, international NGOs, business NGOs and Local Government representatives that worked tirelessly and contributed to achieving a final positive outcome are worthy of tremendous admiration and praise.

“Although everyone would have hoped for a much stronger climate agreement that would be legally binding and sets clear targets and reductions; the world’s most powerful economies came together in a last-minute effort to honor the pledges set forth in Copenhagen, while agreeing to create an important funding mechanism to help developing nations address the climate change crisis,” said Mayor Patrick Hays of North Little Rock, AR. “ICLEI USA applauds the world community for recognizing, for the first time, the crucial roles of local governments in fighting climate change – as local governments are now recognized by delegate nations as “government stakeholders.” ICLEI welcomes this recognition, and simultaneously calls on the international community to follow the lead of local governments who have been on the front lines of climate change for the past 20 years,” added Mayor Hays.

GO ORGANIC

Costa Rica an environmental bridge to the future

Posted on December 4, 2010 by quest

In recent weeks news has been flowing out of Costa Rica concerning a variety of environmental issues. For example, on November 9th the country’s legislative assembly voted unanimously to ban all new open pit metal mining projects in the country. There has been a major crack down on illegal shark finning as the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) and the Costa Rican Fisheries Institute closed private docks in Puntarenas on December 1st to foreign fishing vessels. And Randall Arauz, a key Costa Rican environmentalist, won Sweden’s prestigious Göteborg Award for 2010 for sustainable development.“We needed to lead by exampled explained Hacienda Matapalo’s Executive Vice President Brian Albury. Hacienda Matapalo, is a gated community on the country’s South Pacific Coast, remains committed to ensuring the ecological impact it will have will be minimal. “Our goal from day one was to support sustainable development that guarantees that the South and Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica remain pristine and free from any man-made harm.” said Albury. Hacienda Matapalo tasked key members of its development team with the sole purpose of implementing and maintaining extensive environmental stewardship before, during and after construction.

“It was and IS our goal to utilize the latest ‘green’ technology wherever possible without jeopardizing our commitment to deliver the highest standards to our homeowners. We believe that a balance and harmony with nature and our immediate environment will make Hacienda Matapalo a truly unique place to live.” As the property ramps up to resume its infrastructure construction with key strategic partner Su Casa Desarrollos de Vivienda S.A., the leading company of the Tu Hogar S.A. Real Estate Group, the management team at Hacienda Matapalo has made every effort to illustrate their ongoing commitment to the planet from sponsoring sea turtle protection programs to leading beach cleanup efforts to helping to replant the all important Costa Rica rainforests.

“One of the factors that has helped drive our efforts from the beginning to be a ‘green,’ low-impact development, is that our development is surrounded by a natural, lush rainforest,” said Albury, adding, “not to mention a 125-plus acre dedicated nature preserve and 90 acre nature conservancy parcel.” The environmentally-conscious development will include an equestrian center, nature trails for hiking and horseback riding and even announced it will add a 500-plus foot treetop suspension bridge to its development that will stretch across a ravine along the property’s nature preserve.

COSTA RICA CHILL

CLUB MED

Announces new Green Globe Certification

On Your 40th Anniversary Thank You EPA

Posted on December 2, 2010 by quest

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins , Green For All - Forty years ago today, the Environmental Protection Agency was created. It’s fitting that the anniversary falls just one week after Thanksgiving, because every American from every state should be grateful for the Agency’s work.

Consider that by 1990, the EPA’s actions had prevented 205,000 premature American deaths, 189,000 cardiovascular hospitalizations and 18 million child respiratory illnesses. The EPA has reduced 60% of dangerous air pollutants in the air we breathe. They have transformed 67% of contaminated Superfund Brownfield sites nationwide into livable neighborhoods and active business centers. In the four decades of its existence, millions of lives have been impacted by the EPA.

Including my own. As I relayed in my introductory post here, I grew up in a community where “affordability” was a code word for low income and high pollution. The industries responsible for earning the region the dubious distinction as the worst place to live in the Bay area weren’t likely to prioritize public health – nor was a local government desperate to keep any and all employers. That’s where the EPA comes in

GO MOBILE

Solar and eco friendly marine technology benefit environment

Posted on December 2, 2010 by quest

San Francisco based Hornblower Cruises & Events has signed off on a multi-million dollar project with Statue Cruises for Derecktor Shipyards in Bridgeport, CT to complete the world’s first Hybrid Ferry using Hydrogen fuel by April 2011. Hornblower Cruises & Events is the concessioner authorized by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior to serve the public at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

The New York Hornblower Hybrid follows the 2008 launch of the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid, the United States’ first hybrid ferry. San Francisco-based Hornblower Cruises & Events created both vessels. The new 1,400-horsepower Hornblower Hybrid will run on a combination of energy generated by clean Tier 2 diesel engines, hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels and wind turbines. Power will come from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. In addition, solar panels and wind turbines will help power the vessel. Efficient Tier 2 diesel engines kick in to cover additional energy needs.

Terry MacRae, CEO of Statue Cruises and Hornblower Cruises & Events said “We expect this pioneering project to inspire continued industry innovations. By combining hydrogen, solar and wind power, Hornblower will minimize its environmental impact as we transport guests to popular national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Our goal is to reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible, with a goal in the future to eliminate them entirely during a cruising day. “We expect this pioneering project to inspire continued industry innovations. The technology on the Hornblower Hybrid is now scalable for other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs. Some may say we are at the turning point in modernizing marine technology and Hornblower plans to be leading the way.”

GREEN VIDEOS

Moon Palace charged by Solar for UN climate meeting

Posted on November 30, 2010 by quest

Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun, Mexico today announced the completion and operation of a solar power project. The 130 kWp pilot project is capable of generating 220 MWh of electricity per year and reducing 110 tons of CO2 emissions annually. Moon Palace Hotel is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This global event has attracted about 20,000 participants from nations around the world. It runs through December 10, 2010, with the objective of discussing future commitments to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

The photovoltaic project team for the Moon Palace Hotel was led by Enel Green Power, one of the leading renewable energy operators worldwide, with support also from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and SEMARNAT, the Mexican Environment Ministry. “Being selected as the solar power provider of choice for this high-level and important global conference location is a testament to the quality and unique characteristics of UNI-SOLAR(TM) modules,” said Mark Morelli, President and CEO of United Solar’s parent company, Energy Conversion Devices. “We believe that solar power will continue to play an important role in addressing global climate change.”