UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa

Posted on November 27, 2011 by quest

The streets of Duran are buzzing as delegates from nearly 200 countries gather to cop17 icc banner 533 20111 300x112 UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa meet in Durban, South Africa from 28 November 2011 to 9 December 2011 at COP 17, for major talks on climate change and other related issues. Advocate Leslie Sedibe, CEO of Proudly South African said.”Many countries, rich and poor, are also taking steps to curb gas emissions as part of a global fight against climate change. These range from carbon trading schemes, policies that support renewable energy investment, to tougher energy efficiency and car fuel standards and carbon intensity targets. COP 17 holds the future of our nations on their shoulders and would lay the foundation for Proudly South African businesses to tackle the issue of Environmental Responsibility within South Africa going forward.”

Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres-Press Briefing

“Environmental Responsibility is one of Proudly South African’s guiding member principles for promoting “adherence to environmental standards through energy efficiency, management of carbon emissions, waste management, effluent management, water safety, recycling, reduce and re-use in South Africa, along with the principles of job creation, fair labour practises and a support for local procurement,”says Sedibe. “We all need to change the way we live and how we conduct business on a daily basis. We need to ensure that jobs that are created are sustainable and not detrimental to the environment around the globe and in South Africa. If not displayed the seriousness of the climate change and global warming problem in its entirety, we know that scientists have warned that it is impossible to find the solution that requires a 360degree turnaround. COP 17 is fundamental to every person, business and country.”

But all who attend the COP 17 event do not support it. Senator James Inhofe recently met with Representatives of CFACT and invited CFACT to co-sponsor a press conference at COP17, tentatively scheduled for Monday, December 5th. Senator Inhofe has for years questioned the direction of U.S. and world global warming policy in the Senate. CFACT’s delegation to Durban will also feature Lord Christopher Monckton, Dr. Kelvin Kemm, Dr. Leon Louwe, CFACT Executive Director Craig Rucker and staff.

Solar Energy Turned To Ice

Hollywood Spotlights Green Sustainability

Posted on November 23, 2011 by quest

Kermit the Frog is slowly having to take his words back,”It ain’t easy to be green” More and more Hollywood production companies are taking front in measures to reduce costs and toxic wastes on big productions. The film and television industry traditionally consumes vast amounts of energy and unsustainable resources with productions around the world. With seed funding and support provided by Disney, Fox, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros., the Green Production Guide was created by the Producers Guild of America Foundation and PGAGreen.org with the aim of breaking that tradition by helping film and television professionals find the resources and partners necessary to make use of sustainable practices their productions.

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Peabody Award Winner and Co Founder of Green for All, Majora Carterreported on Mike Fantasia a Hollywood production and location manager in her series The Promised Land. Mike has been on the forefront of “greening up” big movie productions. In fact Hollywood now has the equivalent of a sustainability manager to cut wastes on the set. Solvie Karlstrom who writes for NRDC’s Smarter Living recently published,”The Planet Was Not Harmed During the Making of This Film“, covered the activities of Yazmin Watkins. Yazmin is the environmental steward at the shoot, she’s the person responsible for reducing the amount of waste produced on set and cutting down on the energy, water, and other natural resources that go into production — not an easy task on a project with a reported $40 million budget that involves months of shooting and thousands of cast and crew members.

On the renewable energy front; This year’s 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards used a 50-kilowatt solar panel system from Solarworld to power the official live pre-show “Countdown To the Emmys,” We know some big stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Robert Redford, Don Cheatle and Daryl Hannah have been advocates for green living for some time, but now Hollywood movie producers are making movies that are even greener…and being green is getting easier than it used to be.

Green Investing

Solar Energy Turned To Ice

Posted on November 22, 2011 by quest

When I first read this I thought…what? It turns out the Ice House of New Jersey, the Tri-State area’s largest ice arena, has flipped the switch on an 843 kilowatt (kW) solar system. That’s almost reaching one megawatts of power. And yet even at that level the system designed and installed by Mercury Solar Systems Mays Landing office is expected to meet only 22 percent of Ice House’s annual electricity needs. The facility has consistently drawn the attention of Gold Medal Winning Olympic Skaters to NHL Professionals. In 2002, Ice House sent 9 skaters to the Olympics including gold medalists Sarah Hughes, Elena Bereznaia and Anton Sikharulidze. Tara Lipinski, Oksana Baiul, and Sasha Cohen also utilize Ice House as their local training facility.

Over 3,660 solar panels will produce enough energy to power 265 average size residential homes every year. This is equivalent to recycling over 16 million cans of soda, planting 60,000 trees and taking 110 cars off the road every year. “This system has drastically reduced our reliance on fossil fuels and will provide a cleaner environment for the thousands of kids that utilize our facility every year,” commented Robert Bakos, Operations Manager at Ice House. “We are in the process of installing a solar information station in our facility to help educate the kids about the benefits of solar energy.”

Jared Haines, President of Mercury Solar Systems said, “”We commend Ice House for taking this step toward a greener future. Solar energy systems continue to produce significant savings and a solid return on investment for local businesses in New Jersey and we believe this will continue to drive the market forward.” Mercury Solar Systems is one of the leading solar integrators on the East Coast recognized for two consecutive years as one of Inc. 500′s fastest growing energy companies. The Company designs and installs solar panels and solar energy systems for commercial and residential customers and to date has installed nearly 2,000 solar systems in excess of 30MW of energy.

Global Warming Alert

Intersolar China Heading For Beijing

Posted on November 19, 2011 by quest

Intersolar which started in Germany is now making a sweep around the globe. Next stop…Beijing! For the first time, the international solar industry is assembling at Beijing’s China National Convention Center for Intersolar China, where the event makes its inauguration to the upcoming solar market in Eastern Asia. The exhibition’s extensive accompanying program not only gives visitors and exhibitors an overview of the latest product innovations, but also provides the perfect opportunity to network with the international solar industry and forge new contacts in new markets. The Intersolar China Conference, taking place from December 6–8 at the InterContinental Hotel in Beijing, invites industry professionals to join with experts in discussing the latest market trends and pioneering technologies – over 500 experts are expected in total.

Intersolar China is a continuation of the successful Intersolar exhibition series, the world’s leading exhibition series for the solar industry. This will be the fourth event, joining Intersolar Europe in Munich, Intersolar North America in San Francisco and Intersolar India in Mumbai. It showcases all areas of solar power generation as well as the entire supply chain – from production through distribution to project development – including raw materials, production technologies, solar cells, photovoltaic modules, systems technology and components.

While the global face off between China and US solar manufacturers has yet to resolved, China still remains the world largest producer of solar panels and its economy is showing no signs of slowing. In addition to the latest developments in international solar markets, conference attendees also focus their attention on technological advances. The spotlight is equally being shone on the topic of sustainability in PV production. Together with the PV Cycle initiative, the voluntary take-back and recycling program of the photovoltaic industry, the conference addresses the recycling of end-of-life solar modules.

Carl Pope steps down as leader of Sierra Club

Lakers Players Shoot For Green Solar Energy

IKEA Charging Up EV’s In Southern California

Posted on November 11, 2011 by quest

IKEA-USA a leading home furnishings retailer, today officially plugged-in four Blink Pedestal electric vehicle charging stations at its Carson, California store as part of its partnership with ECOtality, Inc., a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. This initiative represents the second such project for IKEA in the United States. Installation also is planned at seven other IKEA stores in the Western U.S. To charge an EV at IKEA Carson, drivers pull into a designated parking spot, swipe their Blink InCard (RFID card), plug the charger into the EV, and then shop and eat at their leisure in the IKEA store while the vehicle is charging.

Maike Buhmann, IKEA Carson store manager said, “We are thrilled at how these electric-vehicle charging stations further the sustainability of IKEA Carson, and now are available to the public.” “We appreciate the support of ECOtality and Southern California Edison – our partners in helping facilitate and promote the use of EVs in Southern California.”ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project, a public-private partnership funded in part by a federal stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to provide the necessary infrastructure to support the deployment of EVs. Globally, IKEA evaluates all locations regularly for energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution. The company is the process of installing solar panels atop more than half of its U.S. locations. In addition their sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material (paper, wood, plastic, etc.); incorporating environmental measures into the construction of buildings in terms of energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, skylights in warehouse areas, and water conserving restrooms; and operationally, phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs and facilitating recycling of customers’ compact fluorescent bulbs.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 330 IKEA stores in 40 countries, including 38 in the U.S. IKEA incorporates sustainable efforts into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment.

The Challenging World Solar Challenge Race

Chevy Volt Tested After Fire

New Yorkers Have Affordable Solar Energy Options

Posted on November 2, 2011 by quest

Mercury Solar Systems, one of the leading solar integrators on the East Coast, today announced that the Company has been selected by SunRun to bring affordable home solar to New Yorkers. The companies have enabled hundreds of homeowners in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to go solar for a fraction of the normal cost.”The number one concern for homeowners today is controlling their electricity cost as it continues to rise on average 6 percent every year,” commented David Sugrue, Director of Residential Sales at Mercury Solar Systems. “SunRun offers the optimal solution as they enable homeowners to lock in their electricity rate with minimal upfront investment. In today’s economic climate, SunRun has proven to be the best choice for homeowners looking to save money.”

As a solar energy service provider, SunRun owns and maintains solar systems on homeowners’ roofs and works with Mercury Solar Systems on the installation. Homeowners avoid the high upfront costs and pay a low monthly rate for clean power, fixing their energy costs to save thousands of dollars over time on their energy bills. “In today’s economy homeowners need to put their finances first, and we’ve found a way to make solar something that’s good for homeowners’ wallets and the planet,” said SunRun President and Co-founder Lynn Jurich. “We’re excited to bring this offering to New York and to work with trusted partners like Mercury Solar Systems to make solar more affordable throughout the state.”

“I’ve been thinking about putting solar on my house for awhile and SunRun was the deciding factor. The lease option means I save a lot on upfront out-of-pocket costs plus I don’t have to worry about maintaining and insuring the system. I’m excited to begin working with Mercury Solar Systems on the installation,” said Matt Browne, a Westchester homeowner and one of Mercury Solar Systems and SunRun’s first New York customers.

Green Community News & Views

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