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

Largest US Solar Factory Being Built In Colorado

Posted on October 16, 2011 by quest

GE has announced plans to build its new solar panel factory in Aurora, Colorado. When completed, the advanced manufacturing facility will create 355 jobs in Colorado and will be larger than any existing solar panel factory in the country today. GE anticipates the new factory will first start up earlier than expected with the first panels coming off the line in 2012 with commercial availability in 2013. “This is great news for Colorado and further proof that our state is emerging as a center of innovation. GE’s move to Aurora takes advantage of Colorado’s clean energy resources and a collaborative business environment that is committed to helping the company succeed,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. “We look forward to supporting GE as it fosters its technical innovation and research capabilities in Colorado.”

GE will locate the factory in an existing building in Aurora, just east of Denver. This location, which also is in proximity to GE’s existing solar center of excellence, enables an accelerated start-up schedule with production equipment installation beginning in January 2012. At capacity, the new factory will produce enough panels per year to power 80,000 homes and will be larger than 11 football fields. When complete, the new solar factory will highlight a $600 million investment in GE’s solar business. “I am so proud GE is building the largest solar panel factory in the nation right here in the 7th Congressional District of Colorado. This plant will create over 350 jobs and reinforces Colorado’s leading role in renewable energy. This solar technology was originally developed at NREL and further highlights how this world-class lab continues to partner with the private sector to create long-term jobs and bolster our nation’s energy security. Making things here in Colorado and America ensures we will make it in America,” stated U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter.

“Working with our Colorado-based solar team, we were able to achieve record efficiencies in our solar panels in record time,” said Victor Abate, vice president of GE’s Renewable Energy business. “The Colorado location will allow us to deliver our technology roadmap faster and commercialize industry-leading panel efficiencies sooner. We also look forward to continuing to build our relationships with Colorado’s local, state and federal officials who have been extremely helpful as we moved through the site selection process.” “This is terrific news for Aurora, for Colorado and for solar, and it shows the tremendous potential renewable energy holds to create jobs and power our economy,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Udall.

Lady Gaga at Clinton Climate Gig

Bioplastics Producer Expands Green Investment

Environmental Media Awards Honor Justin Timberlake

Posted on October 15, 2011 by quest

Toyota and Lexus are once again celebrating the entertainment industry’s environmental efforts as the presenting sponsors of the Environmental Media Awards today Saturday, Oct. 15 at 6:00 PM. In its 21st year, the annual event honors film and television productions that communicate environmental messages in the most creative and influential ways. This year’s honorees are actor and musician Justin Timberlake (In Time Movie), communications executive Marc Nathanson, Southern California Edison, and the Producer’s Guild of America’s environmental initiative – PGA Green. The nominees include films such as Yogi Bear, Disneynature African Cats and The Other Guys, and TV programs such as The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Biggest Loser and Futurama. This year marks Lexus and Toyota‘s 11th year as the presenting sponsors. The ceremony will be held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA.

“More than a decade ago, Toyota and Lexus joined forces with the Environmental Media Association to help communicate the benefits of hybrid technology. It’s inspiring to see how EMA links the power of celebrity and the influence of entertainment to environmental awareness,” said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president and secretary of Toyota Motor North America. “We congratulate the nominees and special honorees, and we thank you for continuing to convey environmental messages and actions in creative and influential ways.”

The Environmental Media Association doesn’t just recognize sustainable productions throughout the entertainment industry, but keeps productions environmentally responsible as well. Some of things the EMA does to green up the event include; using dinnerware that is compostable, use of local, seasonal, organic food and the event is completely water bottle free. The 21st Annual Environmental Media Awards, honoring film and television personalities, productions, musicians and musical tours that convey environmental messages in the most creative and influential ways, will be our most eco-friendly show to date. You can watch the Environmental Media Awards Saturday, October 15 6pm PT LIVE at www.Facebook.com/EMAOnline.

Justin Timberlake’s eco friendly gulf course

IN TIME

California Colleges Flow With Renewable Energy

Posted on October 6, 2011 by quest

The University of Southern California announced today that a partnership led by Caltech, UCLA and USC have been selected to receive a $360,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a national business plan competition for young cleantech entrepreneurs. The winning proposal is one of six awarded regionally as part of a three-year, $2 million program, funded by the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to develop competitions that inspire students to come up with innovative business plans involving clean-energy technology. Called First Look West (FLoW), the partnership will also include Chapman University, the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, energy company OnGreen, Inc, and student leaders from campus groups, such as eClubs, Net Impact, Engineers for a Sustainable World and NOBE, the National Organization of Business and Engineering. FLoW builds on First Look LA, a program organized by Caltech, USC, and UCLA that showcases research and innovation to investors and has been successfully nurturing academic entrepreneurship in Southern California for five years.

The regional contests will be completed by May 1, 2012. Regional winners, selected by a panel of judges, will each receive $100,000 from the DOE and a chance to compete for a National Grand Prize in the final competition held at the DOE in Washington, D.C. in early summer 2012. The competition is part of Startup America, the Obama Administration’s campaign to inspire and promote entrepreneurship. The purpose of this national initiative is to provide student participants with the skills needed to start new businesses, and transform promising energy technologies into innovative energy products that will create jobs, boost American competitiveness, and strengthen the economy.

“Creating new industries in clean-energy technology is a necessity for Los Angeles and an opportunity that cannot be missed,” said Dean Yannis C. Yortsos of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. “In today’s global economy, which is based more than ever before on the creation of intellectual property, the Los Angeles area needs the entrepreneurship ethos and the intellectual capital and dynamism offered by our three partner institutions. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is very excited about engaging young engineers and entrepreneurs in this field and looks forward to the development of a flourishing innovation ecosystem in the area.”

20,000 Rally To Occupy Wall Street

The Language of Solar – Solar Dictionary

Solar Panels Go Hollywood Primetime at 63rd Emmys

Posted on September 14, 2011 by quest

A 50-kilowatt system goes prime time during the official live pre-show “Countdown To the Emmys,” airing Sunday, Sept. 18 (7:00-8) on FOX, where the hottest names in American television will strut beneath the solar awning outside the Nokia Theatre at the L.A. Live entertainment center in downtown Los Angeles. Jane Lynch will host the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Reliably drawing 12-13 million viewers, the awards show acts as a celebration of popular culture. In that light, this year’s show will present solar power as an energy option available to regular homeowners around the country and even the world. A canopy composed of 225 high-performance solar panels from SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for more than 35 years, will grace the red carpet at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, giving solar energy its first starring role in U.S. entertainment culture.

The Emmys 1965

FOX, presenter of this year’s Emmys, selected SolarWorld’s solar panels to help power the television industry showcase that increasingly has featured green elements in FOX’s campaign “Green it. Mean it.” The many sustainable enhancements of the awards event will include carpet manufactured from recycled materials, energy-efficient lighting, and locally sourced and organically grown food. FOX believes this year’s red carpet pre-show will be the most visible eco-friendly event of its kind.

After the show, the solar panels will go on to star in a sequel role: SolarWorld and Fox will donate them to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “eliminating substandard housing by making simple, sustainable and affordable housing a matter of conscience and action.” The panels will serve 10-20 households while enabling Habitat for Humanity to provide better energy efficiency to hard-working, low-income partner families and individuals throughout greater Los Angeles.”The Emmys spotlight the tastes, trends and technologies which viewers nationwide are tuning into in their lives,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas. “This year’s show will mark the historical moment when solar power made its debut in American popular culture.”

Solar Technology Lifts Energy Options In Rural Kenya

Solar Modules Fuel For Electric Bikes in Germany

Posted on September 12, 2011 by quest

Kyocera Corporation today announced that it has supplied its high-performance solar modules for a carport roofing installation in southern Germany which provides power for a charging station for electric cars and bikes. The system was designed and installed by BLU”e” Solar Group GmbH. Electric-powered automobiles and bicycles are becoming increasingly popular in Germany as they provide a convenient and eco-friendly method of transportation. As a result, there is a growing need for charging stations to meet increased use. Furthermore, this solar-powered charging station is not only environmentally friendly but also economical; currently, charging at this location is free of charge to the public. The energy used to ‘fill the tanks’ comes from 248 high-efficiency 215-watt Kyocera solar modules which produce an output of 53.32kW.

Kyocera modules provide excellent performance and high reliability which is demonstrated by the fact they are the first in the world to have passed the Long-Term Sequential Test performed by TUV Rheinland Japan Ltd. “We have selected Kyocera solar modules because we are impressed with the company’s product quality,” stated Werner Steinbrunner, managing director of the BLU”e” Solar Group GmbH.

This solar-powered charging station is just the latest in a long line of projects that Kyocera has been involved in that bring innovative alternative energy solutions to the market. For example, Kyocera solar modules also produce power while providing shade for cars at the Solar Grove in San Diego, California. In Japan, Kyocera introduced the Solar Cycle Station for charging electric bicycles; as well as the Eco-Shell co-developed with Sekisui Jushi Corporation — a multi-purpose solar-powered shelter for use in public places where shelters provide cover against the sun and rain such as bus & taxi stops, benches and walkway coverings.