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No Impact Man movie trailer

2009-09-29T09:06:00.003-07:00

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No Impact Man talks about making an impact

2009-09-29T09:06:00.001-07:00

No, Impact, Man

No Impact Man talks about making an impact 3

Posted 4:00 PM on 27 Sep 2009
by Jonathan Hiskes

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First, Colin Beavan donned a superhero nickname and gave up electricity, fossil fuels, un-local food, and buying stuff. He blogged, he wrote a book, he let filmmakers follow his family around (his wife and daughter were roped in too). The New Yorker criticized the stunt, er, experiment. Grist weighed in. Beavin responded to, um, the New Yorker. Whatever, that’s cool.

The dialogue continues—here’s an edited transcript of our recent conversation.

Grist: The movie leaves viewers wondering, how are you living now that the No Impact experiment is finished?

Beavan: We’ve tried to keep the things that actually make sense in our life, because so many of the resources we use end up hurting our quality of life. For example, it made sense for us to save $1,200 a year by not having an air conditioner, so we gave it away. On those five or six really hot summer nights, Michelle, Isabella, and I go down to Washington Square Park and play in the fountain and talk to our neighbors, instead of huddling inside with the air conditioner.

We kept our bicycles, but we also each have a rickshaw so we can take Isabella [TK-year-old daughter] around. And it makes sense to eat food that isn’t processed and full of chemicals, so we continue to eat locally as much as we can and shop at the farmer’s market.

And you’re traveling now?

Oh geez. I haven’t flown for personal reasons yet but I will be flying to talk about the book. The publishers have very kindly offered to make substantial donations to developing world renewable energy projects. The one in particular that we’re supporting at the moment is SELF (Solar Electric Light Fund). They bring solar panels into sub-Saharan villages, which isn’t about having reading lights, it’s about running the medical refrigerators. So it becomes important in the fight against AIDS.

You’ve taken flack for focusing on lifestyle choices—where you get your food, shutting off the electricity in your apartment, and what-not. Was it inevitable that people would get hooked on the personal stunt and not on the message in the book of civic engagement?

It’s not inevitable at all. I think there are two main arguments on individual lifestyle change. One is that we have to change our way of life no matter how much technology we get, no matter what regulation we get, because we have to get to 350 [parts per million of carbon dioxide] and because Americans generate five times the carbon emissions per capita as the Chinese. Our consumption-based economy, I would argue, doesn’t work for the planet. It doesn’t work for the people either.

Second, there are gigantic groups of Americans that we can’t meet directly through environmental politics. They’re just not going to call their congressperson and tell them to support the climate bill. But they do understand that there’s a problem and they are willing to begin to change their lives. If we’re going to get the legislation we need and then keep it next time there’s a Republican administration, then we have to go beyond just using our political power to leverage the rest of the country into doing what we want. We have to change the culture. And you can’t change the values of the culture through legislation.

Let me repeat that: I don’t believe in individual action over collective action. I believe in both. It’s what I call engaged citizenship, a combination of both living your values in your own life and also living those values in your community life, volunteering for nonprofits and putting pressure on your political representatives.

There’s a pervasive idea that we can start with lists of ‘10 easy things you can do’ and they will serve as a stepping stone to get people involved in more intensive work.The idea that people will start with their light bulbs and move up to calling Congress members and organizing. But Americans have been offered lists of easy green things for years, decades even, and they’re still not politically engaged on climate change. Do you have any faith in this strategy? Or does it teach people to think of themselves as consumers and not citizens?

I completely do not believe in the 10 easy green things. The problem is when people stop at using canvas bags or changing their light bulbs. I believe in robust lifestyle change instead. For people who aren’t yet involved, who aren’t already in the choir, I find that the two big ways to start are with local food and bicycling. Once you get people to make those changes, then you can start getting them involved in politics. If you get somebody to cycle here in New York because it’s fun and healthy, they’re more likely to get involved with Transportation Alternatives and to push for changes in the cityscape.

But that sounds like the green tips thing again. It sounds like starting with the small things, and they’re going to bring people into local transportation planning. I’m just not sure that happens with enough people.

I’m not arguing that it happens with everybody. I’m saying that this is a way of doing things that reaches a certain population. And at this stage, the last thing we should do is sit back until we find the one thing that works. We need to all of us put our shoulders at the doors of change and push and not worry about criticizing each other as much as supporting each other in all the various methods. Somebody will have a breakthrough, and we all need to be cheering each other on.

We have to find an on-ramp into environmental politics, because it’s just not growing fast enough. The more attempts at on-ramps that we can think of the better.

That’s a nice way of putting it. I like that. It does seem like a lot of the reviews of your book mention that either/or mentality, as if the focus on lifestyle takes away from the civic stuff.

No impact family: Michelle, Isabella, and Colin.Photo courtesy Oscilloscope Laboratories

I didn’t realize it when I started the project, but part of the reason is this: collective action is at the root of liberal ideology and individual action is at the root of conservative ideology. To straddle individual and collective action feels like, whichever side you’re on, you’re betraying your political heritage. To suggest that we should do both is strangely radical. It’s almost like you need a whole new political party.

I mentioned in reviewing the film that your project is getting much more attention than traditional environmental health groups like Sustainable South Bronx. What do you make of that?

Let’s talk about 350.org. What 350’s doing on Oct. 24 [the International Day of Climate Action] is in some ways a spectacle, right? Somebody dives under the ocean and unrolls a “350” sign by a coral reef. The spectacle itself is not important. What is important is that the number of spectacles happening around the world will gain enough attention for people to begin to think about this policy number 350. It’s unfortunate, but so much of our media is entertainment-based. We have to create spectacles in order to get the attention that we need.

The truth of the matter is that it’s awful that No Impact Man got more attention than Sustainable South Bronx. The South Bronx has one of the highest asthma rates in the country, and it’s caused by trucks passing through the neighborhood carrying our trash to garbage transfer stations. It’s insane! Let’s take this back to individual action. It’s important that people understand this and say, “I’m throwing out so much stuff that kids are getting asthma? Maybe the way I live and the way that my culture lives is not so great.”

So what’s next for you?

I’m concentrating now on starting a nonprofit called No Impact Project. It’s a portal, in the web sense of the word and the larger sense of the word, where people can get involved and ask themselves whether they might be able to find ways of living more environmentally, in ways that also make their lives better.

One of the centerpieces of the project is a one-week experience where you get led through a bunch of different environmental adaptations while being asked all the time, “Is this making your life more or less good?” Our three main partners are 1Sky, Food and Water Watch, and Alliance for Biking and Walking. The idea is we attract people to the idea of lifestyle change and then take that energy and loan it to the existing environmental nonprofits, who can feed them into the legislative process.

Let’s end with a very important question: What’s the deal with the Will Smith rumors? Is he going to make a feature version of No Impact Man?

Sony has optioned it on behalf of Todd Black, who did Seven Pounds and Pursuit of Happiness, both of which were Will Smith films. I have no idea what talent they’re hoping to attach to the film. But I do know they’re planning for it to come out in 2012.

Is this the kind of thing where they buy lots of these rights just in case, or are they really going to make it?

I mean, rumor in the street is that they’re really going to make it. They’re not in production yet, so we can’t know until they’re in production. But what I’m told is that they are going to make it.

Find out when No Impact Man, the documentary, is showing near you, and watch the trailer:

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Jonathan Hiskes is a Grist staff writer. He reports, tweets, eats, asks questions, self-promotes, looks out windows, and wonders if it could be like this.

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Ken Johnson Posted 10:47 pm
27 Sep 2009

I would be interested in Colin's perspective on a question that I raised in response to his Sept 3 story: Would there be "a place for individual and community-based action" to curb global warming if an economy-wide cap-and-trade system is enacted?
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lbiel Posted 12:47 am
28 Sep 2009

â€œNo Impact Man talks about making an impact,â€ is an article about a man, â€œColin Beavin,â€ who gave up his ordinary everyday life and the things in it in order to become more environmentally friendly. He and his family gave up electricity, fossil fuels, un-local food, and buying stuff. Just by giving up these simple things this one man made an impact. This can be compared to the young girl in Daniel Quinnâ€™s piece, â€œA Path of Hope for the Future,â€ who took it upon herself to teach her parents, â€œIshmael.â€ This is the exact type of thing Quinn talked about. All someone needs to do is make a small change and this will allow for others to see and follow and allow an idea to â€œsweep the world like wildfire,â€ as Quinn put it.
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solarkismet Posted 4:10 pm
28 Sep 2009

I agree on the cap and trade question. Once a cap is put in place, any reduction I make either isn't monetized (because I'm too small and there aren't methods for capturing small personal changes without significant transaction costs) or if it can be monetized, perhaps I'm actually making the price of reductions lower because I'm adding to the reduction supply. The cap is the cap - more wind turbines, less driving or whatever, doesn't necessarily reduce it faster.
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A letter to Vern Buchanan

2009-09-29T09:03:00.001-07:00

After receiving a campaign letter from my Vern Buchanan this morning, I decided to let my congressional representative know how I felt about his asking me for money while deriding half of the population. His letter follows mine.

Dear Mr. Buchanan,

Please cease and desist from making the assumption that just because someone is signed up for your newsletter they must automatically be a financial supporter. You are my representative. I am not your cash cow. While I truly appreciate your polls to find out what your constituents think, I do take offense in your using this list as your rallying call to a battle you were not hired to fight.

Regarding the first point of your most recent email, it is of no concern to me that your campaign is "attacked" by the Left. You were not hired to campaign. You were hired to serve your country and your constituents, many of whom are the so-called liberals you are herding into your list of enemies. Though I seek to do you no harm, my conscience and ideology would probably place me among their ranks.

We are not your enemies, Mr. Buchanan. We are your employers and we are your constituents. We would truly appreciate it if you would endeavor to put your country before your party during the next year of your service. Many of our policies are in dire need of radical change. Please at least devote a fraction of your day to opening your mind to the possibility that our country, all of us, might benefit from some improvements in our policies.

Regarding your second point, I completely understand your need to marginalize the population to serve the two party system, but please try not to misrepresent those you have chosen to embattle. It is bad enough that we have Rush Limbaugh and Fox New out there distorting facts, we do not need it from you as well. From you, we cherish honesty and integrity.

Democrats, liberals, and the Left want a balanced budget too. President Obama has fewer special advisors than President Bush had. Let them do their jobs so you can focus on yours. In lieu of more and more scientists, even conservative ones, acknowledging that human activity is having an impact on our global environment, putting a cap on such activity to TRADE for a cleaner planet is not something that should be stopped, but addressed wisely and judiciously. And you and I both know that our health care system needs reform so that the citizens of the wealthiest nation on the planet do not go bankrupt from illness.

Understand that I am registered as an independent, unaffiliated voter. I do not represent the Democratic party and am not a part of any special interest group. I am simply one of the many Americans who, though he may disagree with many of your policy choices, will continue to pray for you to serve with wisdom, compassion, and honor.

Sincerely

Steven R. McAllister

September 28, 2009

Thank you!

I wanted to send along an email to everyone and publicly thank the 176 supporters that made an online donation last week and over the weekend. You have helped my campaign move closer to our end of September fundraising goal.

Today I am hoping that this last appeal for donations will help put us over the finish line. I am asking 67 of my supporters to make a donation in whatever amount you can afford today.

Why is donating to my campaign today important?

First, my campaign needs to have the financial wherewithal to defend itself from attacks from the Left. Special interests and the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in Washington, DC have targeted me since I entered Congress. Their goal is to expand their majority and control over the Congress to help pass their radical agenda.

My second point is that these very same groups oppose the views you and I hold dear: lower taxes, balanced budgets, defunding ACORN, making President Obama’s czars accountable, stopping “Cap and TAX” and protecting our health care system from a government takeover. And because I have been consistently representing these views in the Congress, these groups are determined to settle the score.

This is my last email to you before our end of September campaign financial report is due. I am hopeful 67 of my supporters reading this email will make a donation before the midnight Wednesday deadline.

As I have said before, the amount isn’t as important as being able to count on your support. I want to be able to show these outside groups, national and Florida Democrats that my campaign has broad support. Please consider making a donation today.

On Thursday, October 1^st you have my promise to get back to the issues. You can count on me to use email, my campaign website and video to keep you informed.

As always, I appreciate your taking a moment to read this email.

Sincerely,

Vern

Conscious Capitalism | Modern Hippie Mag

2009-09-24T14:26:00.001-07:00

Conscious Capitalism

Written by Steve McAllister

courtesy dleafy

Not too long ago, the European Union pledged to enforce trade restrictions on countries that don’t comply with their efforts to reduce their greenhouse gasses and help to prevent climate change and global warming. I think many of us hoped that America would have been the leader in this endeavor and taken the first step toward environmental sustainability. However, our mentality as a nation too often prizes our “freedom” to impose limitations. Especially given the fact that many of America’s most prosperous corporate entities will suffer if we seek to protect the environment, it is safe to say that our government will not lead us in this endeavor of global advocacy. So it is up to the individuals, the people upon which this country is based, to step up to the plate and be the change we wish to see in our country and our world.

Instead of waiting for government to mandate that large corporations need to make the changes that will reduce pollution and implement sustainable practices, it is up to us to seek out and educate one another on actionable changes that people can make today which will effect our collective global footprint. One of those changes is the business we engage in and the products we use.

Believe it or not, global corporations are not at fault for our current situation. They are entities which we created to do our bidding and are not the cause of our ecological woes. They are merely one of the avenues through which it has been delivered. We created businesses and we created their policies. Whether the policies are good or bad, they are a construct of mankind’s human imagination. If they are causing a blight on the future of this planet and polluting the environment, it is our oversight in planning that has caused the devastation, not the business itself.

A business is something we create, and aside from its lack of visual aesthetic beauty, it is a work of art. From the service delivery paradigm to the material production model, businesses are truly fascinating machines that create jobs, wealth, supply, and security. However, they also often create the by-products of servanthood, poverty, need, and pollution. Just as a beautiful painting can elicit hope and delight, it can also elicit longing and despair. However, it is not the painting that is to blame for the emotions it elicits, and it is not the business that is to blame for the part it plays in the human condition. But in each situation, it is the people who are involved who must take responsibility for the action of the creation. Just as art needs both the artist and the witness to be appreciated, each business consists not only of the supplier, but of the consumer as well. And that is where we need to consciously accept our roles.

At this stage in the game, we must look again at the machines that we have created in our gallery of capitalism. We must consider the by-products of the businesses we are using and the products we are consuming. We must weigh the differences between what we truly need and the sacrifices which are being made for us to attain it. It is time for us to be conscious consumers.

Over the last few decades our government, which was once hailed as an entity “Of the People, By the People, and For the People,” has become largely reclaimed as an entity “Of the Corporation, By the Corporation, and For the Corporation.” We are firmly grounded in the concept of Capitalism and the Free Market so this transfer of power should be of no great surprise. Nevertheless, though an added integer may have been added into the mix, the American people can once again take control of our government. If the government is to be run by corporations, then we must make our votes heard at the cash register.

Given the climate of competition in our society, for almost every product or service that we use, there is an alternative. Additionally, with the rapid growth of green initiatives, we are seeing a great rise in businesses that are providing sustainable alternatives. By changing our buying practices to include more local businesses and eco-conscious businesses, we can make our voices heard as to which way we think our government and our economy should operate.

We are at in an extremely fortuitous situation where information is readily attained should we only have the impetus to look for it. We at Modern Hippie Mag want to help you make the right choices in your voting purchases by reporting on businesses that operate with an eco-conscious and Fair Trade bottom line. If the European Union can enforce trade restrictions on countries that don’t comply with their efforts to reduce their greenhouse gasses and help to prevent climate change and global warming, then the American people can do the same.

Tags: Climate change, Environment, fair trade, Free Market, Global warming
Posted 24 Sep 2009 by Steve McAllister in Money Matters, Stuff

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Harvesting Rainwater for Household Use | Modern Hippie Mag

2009-09-24T06:52:00.001-07:00

Harvesting Rainwater for Household Use

EarthTalk^®
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk How can I make good use of the rainwater that runs down my roof and into my gutters? – Brian Smith, Nashua, NH

courtesy RainXchange

For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer system. But if you’re motivated to save a little water and re-distribute it on your lawns or plants—or even use it for laundry, dishes or other interior needs—collecting rainwater from your gutters’ downspouts is a no-brainer.

If it’s allowed in your state, that is. Utah and parts of Washington State have antiquated but nonetheless tough laws banning anyone but owners of water rights from collecting rainwater flowing off privately owned rooftops. Such laws are rarely enforced, however, and one in Colorado was recently overturned.

According to John C. Davis, writing in E – The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of runoff, one can harvest enough to supply all the water needs of a family of four for about two weeks. Of course, most of us would only use rainwater to irrigate our lawn or garden, and there should be plenty to go around for doing that in all but the most drought stricken areas.

Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with softeners that actually inhibit plant growth. And, reports Davis, the lack of minerals in rainwater actually makes it more effective than tap water for shampooing or doing dishes. Using rainwater for plumbing uses can also extend the life of pipes and water heaters, since the salts added to tap water facilitate corrosion. Homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for interior needs.

Beyond the benefits to individual homeowners, rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding and pollution runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lessens reliance on public water supplies, alleviating some of the burden on utilities. Given these benefits, some states, including even drought-prone Texas, subsidize residential rainwater collection systems.

Many varieties of rain barrel systems, starting at just $100, are available for home installation. A typical set-up is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. “The barrel is typically fitted with a spigot at its base to fill a watering can or attach a soaker hose (which bleeds out water all along its length, providing effortless drip irrigation), and a filter or screen at its top to prevent a buildup of leaves and other debris,” writes Davis. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a single 100 gallon rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of utility-provided water during the high demand summer months.

Handy homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one pre-made is a lot easier. Most nurseries and garden centers offer a range of choices (as well as advice), but websites such as Aquabarrel, Clean Air Gardening and Rainxchange make it easy to order a system online.

CONTACTS: Aquabarrel, www.aquabarrel.com, Clean Air Gardening, www.cleanairgardening.com; Rainxchange, www.rainxchange.com.

SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk^®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk^® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.

Tags: E/The Environmental Magazine, Environment, Irrigation, Rainwater harvesting, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources
Posted 23 Sep 2009 by EarthTalk in Environment

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The Good Fight: Greening Greensburg, Part 5

2009-09-23T07:38:00.001-07:00

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The Good Fight: Greening Greensburg, Part 4

2009-09-23T07:34:00.001-07:00

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The Good Fight: Greening Greensburg, Part 3

2009-09-23T07:30:00.001-07:00

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The Good Fight: Greening Greensburg, Part 2

2009-09-23T07:27:00.001-07:00

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The Good Fight: Greening Greensburg, Part 1

2009-09-23T07:24:00.001-07:00

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The Environmental Impact of Cell Phones

2009-09-23T07:02:00.001-07:00

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Will Ferrell and company stand up for the real health care victims

2009-09-22T16:23:00.001-07:00

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ONE | Ask G20 to go to Africa

2009-09-22T15:09:00.001-07:00

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Obama’s climate speech to the U.N.

2009-09-22T15:01:00.001-07:00

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Obama gives his first real climate speech—really | Grist

2009-09-22T14:59:00.001-07:00

Hooray for buzz kills

Obama gives his first real climate speech—really 1

Posted 11:45 AM on 22 Sep 2009
by Jonathan Hiskes

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Was the U.N. Climate Summit held in a marble bathroom?Photo: U.N./Marco Castro It was no barnburner of a speech, but President Obama’s address at the U.N. Climate Summit Tuesday morning amounted to the boldest climate change speech of his presidency. That’s because it was essentially the only climate change speech of his presidency.

Until now, President Obama’s message about energy has been all clean-tech innovation, green jobs, and economic growth, with just passing mentions of climate change. Candidate Obama, to be clear, had plenty to say about climate (example: his interview with Grist in July 2007). On Tuesday he finally returned to the topic.

“No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change,” he said in the address to world leaders. “Rising sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. More frequent drought and crop failures breed hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive. On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees. The security and stability of each nation and all peoples—our prosperity, our health, our safety—are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out.”

By comparison, Obama’s Earth Day speech in April was all about the economic potential of clean energy:

We can hand over the jobs of the 21st century to our competitors, or we can confront what countries in Europe and Asia have already recognized as both a challenge and an opportunity: The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy.

Now Obama may have just been telling leaders at the U.N. what they wanted to hear, making the right gestures without committing to much. As my editor points out, the only hard number in the speech was G20—Obama didn’t pressure Congress to commit to specific emissions cuts. And he hasn’t yet given a climate-focused speech like this directly to Americans. But he still spoke about the underlying reason for an energy revolution, and that’s significant.

In green circles, there are endless discussions about what messages play best—the green jobs stuff, the think-of-our-children appeals, the moral reminders that the Third World poor will bear the brunt of our pollution’s impact. There is room for all of them, of course, but conventional wisdom is that jobs and prosperity talking points are much safer than the buzz-kills about suffering. Tuesday’s speech was a tentative departure from that script.

Full text of the speech.

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Jonathan Hiskes is a Grist staff writer. He reports, tweets, eats, asks questions, self-promotes, looks out windows, and wonders if it could be like this.

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wesrolley Posted 1:58 pm
22 Sep 2009

It is about what I expect from Obama, a good speech but no effective action. If they expect Sen. Boxer to carry the day with an effective climate change program, they are sure to be disappointed.
It is clear that all they are going to do is to try and make coal look clean because there is no political will to take on King Coal, or the AFL-CIO whose current President led the UMWA.
I will listen more when Obama is able to lead his party into doing the right thing.
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Did You Know These Things About the Internet?

2009-09-22T12:14:00.001-07:00

Order of Magnitude - Sungha Jung

2009-09-21T05:00:00.001-07:00

This solar kiosk could be your 'gas' station one day - ReflectionOf.Me

2009-09-19T12:35:00.001-07:00

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Bozen, Denmark's E-Move Charging Station is the work of that country's entrepreneur, Valentin Runggaldier, and — while those renders make it look like a flight of fancy — it's actually real and going through a test.

The idea is to provide a place for electric vehicles to charge up (in this case, eight of them), giving commuters another option than the outlet at home. It also benefits from the fact that it wouldn't require a lot of infrastructure to be installed, as a city-wide smart grid would.

Creative Toilet Paper Designs

2009-09-19T12:34:00.001-07:00

Is anyone praying for the President?

2009-09-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

I have recently been listening to the audio-book for Imagine: What America Could Be in the 21^st Century. It is a collection of essays written by some of the most prominent inspirational speakers in America today edited by Marianne Williamson.

One of the segments that really stood out to me and made me stop and think was from an essay called “Our Collective Soul” by Caroline Myss. Ms. Myss speaks to how powerful our words are and the devastating impact they can have on our collective consciousness if our tongues are not held in check.

On one particular occasion, she tells the story of when she was with a group of people in the late nineties discussing the controversy surrounding President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. A few of the people had quite a few negative things to say about him, but one man remained silent.

When she asked the man his thoughts on the subject, the man replied, “I have no right to an opinion because I didn’t pray for him. I owe him an apology. He doesn’t owe me one.”

What an enlightened view of personal responsibility in a democracy that purports such a connection with God. I have heard much criticism lately about people pledging to be “servants” for President Obama. And I have heard many otherwise religious people tearing him apart with vicious words. I wonder how many are actually taking the time and energy to pray for him and having faith in God that He will give him wise counsel.

I, for one, owe President Bush an apology. I hope to never make the same consolation to our current President.

CONSCIOUS LIVING TV

2009-09-18T01:36:00.001-07:00

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Susan Boyle on America's Got Talent

2009-09-17T18:31:00.001-07:00

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Create something new in the world

2009-09-17T18:02:00.001-07:00

Make something new and the world wins.

By Leo Babauta

Blogging and writing shouldn’t be just about talking about what you did today, or rambling about things in general — at least, not in my mind, not if it’s done well.

It should be about creating something new, giving birth to something of beauty, of inspiration, of joy, of wonder, of laughter, of wisdom.

Or at least, that’s what we should strive for, and in failing, we will have learned something and perhaps others will learn in our attempt as well.

I’d like to share with you, as an example, a couple of things I’ve created in the last two weeks:

A new blog on minimalism called mnmlist.com

A new ebook on the same topic: The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life

Minimalism is something I’m passionate about, and I love reading things about minimalism — unfortunately, there isn’t much out there on the topic. So I decided to create it myself.

In a couple days, I created mnmlist.com, buying the domain, setting up Wordpress, creating my own mininmalist Wordpress theme (which is available free), and writing a bunch of posts. I launched the site on Twitter and then Zen Habits, and within a few days had a thousand subscribers.

In the meantime, I wrote an ebook and then designed it myself, trying to keep the design pretty sparse. It took me a couple of weeks, as I was also writing Zen Habits and posts for mnmlist.com. I released the ebook a couple days ago, and it’s been downloaded many times.

None of this is to brag, but to share my story of bringing something new into the world. It was an exhilarating process, this creating, and one that consumed and excited me so that I couldn’t wait to get to work in the morning.

And when I shared it, people were enthusiastic. They were looking for this — it’s something they needed in their lives, and I’d made something that helped. That’s an amazing feeling.

Creating something new, something that people are looking for and will find useful, beautiful, inspiring … this is something that can fill your life with purpose, with joy, with passion. You don’t need to find motivation to write or create if you’re this excited.

As my story above shows, it doesn’t have to be difficult to create something new — you can do it in a day or two, or a week, if you keep things simple. And it doesn’t have to be a brand-new invention, something people have never seen before. It can just be an addition to what’s already out there, your take on things, something people want, something you’d like to see. What would you love to read? What do you need in your life? Create that!

Create something new, and the world wins. And so do you.

via writetodone.com

Change the world by finding connections and common ground

2009-09-17T10:43:00.001-07:00

I’d really like the world to change. In my lifetime, I would really like to see so many things happen that are currently stalemated by intolerance, bigotry, and ignorance. But I know that any change I’d like to see has to start with me. So I’d like to start by finding common ground and sharing it with others.

I think that essentially we must find the wisdom to respect one another and the differences that we have if we will ever be able to find our similarities. We each have different paths, different purposes, different traditions, and we are all at different stages of consciousness. Once we can accept that fact about one another, realizing that not everyone has to agree with us on everything in order for us to connect on anything, we will start to find harmony in our existence.

You cannot say to the Mona Lisa and Whistler’s Grandmother, “You are both paintings. You are both of women. You should really look the same. Change your colors. Change your images.” They cannot do that. They are the way they are for a reason. They

Image via Wikipedia

are from different artists. They have different purposes. They elicit different emotions and find people at different stages of consciousness.

So it is with each of us. We cannot expect anyone to align directly with us if they have been painted by another artist. Each of us is from different cultures, different countries, different religions, different households, and different skin. None of us have the same path. Even biological twins have different personalities. It is a beautiful thing that we are all so different and combine to make such an eclectic portrait of humanity.

It is exciting to see the acceptance of diversity grow in this country and around the world. It is exciting to finally see us reaching the level of emotional and social maturity where we can respect the outlooks of another even though they are completely contrary to our own.

Each of us embrace different cultural idioms. Each of us identify with different societal norms. Each of us have our own favorite films for entirely different reasons. Each of us, even those of us who sit side by side on the same pew, have a different understanding of God. Once we realize that, respecting the fact that everyone has his own precious perspective, we will be more efficient in finding common ground. For although we will always have our differences we will also always have our similarities. And though our differences should be appreciated, it is our similarities which bring us connection.

Our differences are only connections which do not exist. Think about that. The things that we spend so much energy on, arguing, bickering, fighting, warring, conniving, and hating don’t even exist. What would happen to the world if we were to put that much energy into the connections that do exist? What astounding triumphs could we reach If we would realize one another’s goals as our own, allow the differences to be there, and simply strive toward the goal we know would bring us joy?

What a wonderful way to change the world.

via intent.com

Easy Ways to Recycling Non-Everyday Items

2009-09-17T10:42:00.001-07:00

I recently did an interview for the Huffington Post where the reporter asked me what to do with non-everyday items. Sure, we all know to recycle paper, plastic, aluminum cans, etc. But what about things that you have to replace once-in-a-while like light bulbs, computers, mattresses, toner cartridges and even sneakers?

Like most people, I am quite busy and hate a big hassle. So I try to make recycling quite simple and convenient. And the good news here is that most of the time, its absolutely FREE! Many large chains like Wal-Mart, Staples, Home Depot and others have started recycling programs. Green Scout Report put together a quick cheat sheet with no hassle solutions the next time these non-everyday items start to pile up:

CELL PHONES:

- Wal-Mart: Simply print out FREE shipping label (click here) and mail it back to them.
- Apple will recycle your old iPod and cell phones for free. Visit Apple to find out how.
- Call2Recycle is a terrific organization and it is the only free rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program in the North America.It is one of the widest networks that can help you find a drop off location closest to where you live.

LIGHT BULBS:

1. IKEA offers free in-store CFL recycling; find a location near you.
2. ACE Hardware just upgraded its program to include stores across the U.S.; find one near you.
3. True Value Hardware accepts CFLs for recycling at many (but not quite all) of their locations; use their website's handy store finder
4. LampRecycle.org has an extensive list of the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers (ALMR), a national organization whose member companies network with each other so that lamps from anywhere in the country can be collected and recycled.
5. Lightbulbrecycling.com can help if all else fails; they'll send you a handy, postage-paid plastic pail which will accommodate about 30 CFLs; once you fill it up, just call Fed-Ex for a pickup.

TV SETS:

Many municipalities have banned TVs from landfills so you can’t simply throw them out. Your old set may contain up to eight pounds of lead, a poison that can cause nervous system damage. So consider these options provided by major TV brands so that your old TV set does not leach lead into the environment:

- 200+ locations managed by Waste Management, a disposal and recycling firm.
- Drop off at no cost to you! Will accept other brands for a small fee
- With a new Sony purchased direct, they will remove an old set - Sony offers an online locator service to help find drop off sites. Visit Sony.

- Similar partnership with Waste Management to offer the program as Sony
- Covers LG, Zenith and Goldstar brands of TVs, monitors and other electronics.
- LG and Waste Management offer a spreadsheet of available sites. Visit LG.

- Formed their own company to manage electronic waste collection and disposal.
- Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Consumers can drop off TVs and other electronics from the three companies at no cost at sites across the country, which often accept other brands for a fee.
- Find a location at the consortium's Website called MRMRecycling.com.

- 150+ locations nationwide now accept Samsung TVs and other electronics for free. - Also accepts the Durabrand and Ilo TVs sold by Wal-Mart for free.
- Find the nearest drop-off location at the Samsung's Website.

RUNNING SHOES

Visit www.recycledrunners.com, the first online recycling and donation directory that helps people find local and international shoe recycling programs.

BIKES:

Most bikes can be refurbished for another user. So before you throw it out, think twice and donate. To donate a bike visit:

- Bikes For The World, a not-for-profit organization that collect unwanted bicycles and deliver it to community development programs assisting the poor in developing countries or in the Washington DC metropolitan area.
- Recycle your old bikes at the appropriately named Re-Cycle by visiting the Re-Cycle website

MATTRESSES:

Most companies that you buy mattresses from will take them back. Make sure you negotiate the sale with the company agreeing to recycle your old one. With the average mattress consisting of 23 cubic foot assembly of steel, wood, cotton and polyurethane, don’t be surprised if these are hard to recycle. But here are a few outlets:

- Nine Live Mattress Recycling, Pomlico, S.C.
- Conigliaro Industries, Farmington, MA
- DR3, Oakland, CA
- For locations near you, visit Earth911.org.

COMPUTERS:

Apple and Dell both take their computers back if you make a purchase from them. Yep, that's a very young Steve Jobs above.

TechSoup, the technology resource for non-profits has compiled a comprehensive body of information to promote computer recycling and reuse. This site provides resources for those who would like to donate hardware, those who would like to acquire recycled hardware, and refurbishers.

TONER CARTRIDGES

Staples: Simply drop them off at your local Staples. I use their services all the time. You can also check out the programs under my General Technology Products section (below).

BATTERIES:

Photo courtesy of GoGreenLifestlye

Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) RBRC can help you recycle portable rechargeable batteries commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. Search for collection sites by zip code.

Call2Recycle is a terrific organization and it is the only free rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program in the North America.It is one of the widest networks that can help you find a drop off location closest to where you live.

GENERAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS:
Includes: Mouse, Monitors, Fax Machines, MP3's, Calculators and anything you have questions on:

Office Depot Tech Recycling Service – offers tech recycling boxes between $5-$15 that you can fill up and bring to a location near you. Click here for a list of acceptable items.

Best Buy’s “Greener Together” Program is also a convenient option. To learn more, click here.

STILL NOT SURE? FOR GENERAL QUESTIONS:
And lastly, if you have general questions or want to learn more, the following resources are fantastic and you can find everything under the sun. Find a local program near you:

Earth 911: Earth 911 has taken environmental hotlines, web sites and other information sources nationwide, and consolidated them into one website. You will find community-specific information on eCycling and environmental issues.

My Green Electronics: provided by the Consumer Electronics Association, this site is a resource for consumers wishing to purchase green products and/or searching for local opportunities to recycle or donate used electronics.

Electronic Industries Alliance's Consumer Education Initiative: helps you find reuse, recycling and donation programs for electronics products in your state.

TechSoup: has compiled a comprehensive information to promote computer recycling and reuse

Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC):can help you recycle portable rechargeable batteries

Hope this helps your recycling efforts! Keep up the good work! I’d love to hear about any ideas that have worked for you! Leave us a comment!

via intent.com

Written by Justine Suh

Wheego joins the ranks of electric car startups | Grist

2009-09-17T09:45:00.001-07:00

Wheego is an Atlanta-based startup that plans to enter the electric car market with its Whip.Photo: Todd WoodyA traffic jam is developing on the electric highway.

A decade after General Motors killed the electric car, big automakers and startups are revving up to put battery-powered vehicles on the road over the next couple of years. One of the latest entrants is Wheego, an Atlanta company that is about to launch the Whip—a tiny low-speed “neighborhood electric vehicle” that will be upgraded in 2010 to a full-speed, highway-ready car.

Wheego chief executive Mike McQuary brought a Whip to San Francisco last week, and I took the car for a spin around the city. (More on that in a bit.)

You see quite a few neighborhood electrics across the Bay in Berkeley where I live. Their top speed is around 25 miles per hour and many look like glorified golf carts or cast-offs from an East Bloc auto factory, circa 1984. And at the risk of stereotyping, most seem to be driven by the proverbial little old leftist lady in tennis shoes who glides down the hill for the weekly nuclear disarmament rally outside the Cal campus (circa 1984).

The Wheego Whip, on the other hand, looks like a “real” car (PDF brochure). Somewhat similar in appearance to the Smart fortwo or Think City EV, it’s a two-seater microcar sporting all the mod cons—power windows, Bluetooth stereo, iPod/iPhone jack, air conditioning.

Like Coda Automotive’s forthcoming electric sedan, the Whip’s body and chassis are Chinese made—another sign that China is emerging as a player in the nascent electric car industry—while the battery comes from Canada and the motor from Wisconsin (U-S-A! U-S-A!). The Whip will be assembled in California in the Los Angeles exurb of Ontario. Other electric startups are following a similar business plan, making the old Detroit automotive model increasingly look as viable as a Hummer.

McQuary, former president of Internet service provider Mindspring, hopes the little old ladies in tennis shoes will trade their electric buggies for a Whip, but he also has his eye on a different demographic—young and green city dwellers. In other words, you, dear Grist reader.

“Initially, the market’s got to be people who are environmentally conscious,” says McQuary. “I think there is a market for a low-speed vehicle. Clearly, as a city car and I think there’s a lot of beach communities where it’s real practical.”

Then there’s what McQuary calls a “hidden market”: Teenage drivers.

“You got your high school driver, you don’t want him on the highway, you don’t want him doing 55 miles per hour, you don’t want two knuckleheads in the back seat playing peek-a-boo with him,” says McQuary. “You want them to be able to get to school, get to their friends, get to practice and get home. And the insurance rates on a low speed vehicle are much lower than on a full speed car.”

The cost of buying Biff or Amber a Whip, though, is likely to induce whiplash in mom and dad. The low-speed version—it tops out at 25 mph or 35 mph, depending on the state it’s sold in—will set you back about $19,000 before state and federal tax rebates, thanks to its most expensive component, the battery.

The lead-acid battery has a 40-mile range, and the Whip can only legally driven on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or lower. (Which means in a city like San Francisco, connected to the outside world by the Bay and Golden Gate bridges, I wouldn’t be able to drive the Whip home to Berkeley.)

The interior of the Whip ... a little plasticky…Photo: Todd WoodySo, how does a Wheego go? McQuary drove up in a pre-production white Whip near the ballpark on the San Francisco waterfront. The fit-and-finish was a bit rough and plasticky, something I also noticed in the pre-production version of the Chinese-built Coda.

Over the past two years, I’ve driven or ridden in several electric cars, from the road rocket that is the Tesla Roadster to the Think City and Coda. Like those cars, the Whip accelerates quickly off the mark as power is transferred instantaneously to the wheels. But I didn’t get that whiplash thrill I did when I punched the accelerator of the similarly sized Think City. McQuary says that’s because the car’s software limits acceleration to avoid spinning the wheels and peeling away from a standing stop (sorry Biff).

As we zipped around downtown San Francisco the Whip held its own, easily maneuvering through traffic and making tight U-turns. It was, of course, a cinch to park. There’s enough space behind the seats to hold several bags of groceries.

The full-speed, 100-mile-range version of the Whip will be powered by a lithium iron phosphate battery and is now undergoing federal crash testing. It will retail for about $29,000—$21,500 after the federal tax credit—when it goes on sale, now scheduled for June 2010. At that price, it will be competing with Nissan’s Leaf, a polished and futuristic-looking sedan that seats five and is set to hit the market next year.

McQuary says owners of the low-speed Whip will be able to upgrade to the full-throttle version by paying the price difference between the two cars and a small depreciation fee on their trade-in.

He expects to sell 20 times as many full-speed Whips. “We’d like to be a big niche player,” says McQuary. “We don’t have ambitions to overtake one of the majors. But I think if we make a great car and offer really unexpected great service we’ll do fine.”

He offered an analogy from his days at Mindspring and later at Earthlink, where he served as president following a merger between the two ISPs. “Our competitors when we started out were AT&T, AOL, Microsoft and all the Bell companies—huge conglomerates with lots of money. But the thing they could never offer was a personal level of service. And that’s really where I think we’ll make our mark.”

Of course, Earthlink, one of the dominant service providers of the early Internet era, was eventually sidelined by bigger players. It’s still early days for the electric car industry, and it’s anyone’s guess how things will shake out, but the fact that tech veterans like McQuary are jumping into the business suggests that we have a wild ride ahead of us.

—

Video: An interview with Wheego’s Mike McQuary.

Video: Talking With Tami interviews McQuary and goes for a ride.

via grist.org

Are You Happy?

2009-09-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

Change the world by finding connections and common ground

2009-09-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

I’d really like the world to change. In my lifetime, I would really like to see so many things happen that are currently stalemated by intolerance, bigotry, and ignorance. But I know that any change I’d like to see has to start with me. So I’d like to start by finding common ground and sharing it with others.

I think that essentially we must find the wisdom to respect one another and the differences that we have if we will ever be able to find our similarities. We each have different paths, different purposes, different traditions, and we are all at different stages of consciousness. Once we can accept that fact about one another, realizing that not everyone has to agree with us on everything in order for us to connect on anything, we will start to find harmony in our existence.

You cannot say to the Mona Lisa and Whistler’s Grandmother, “You are both paintings. You are both of women. You should really look the same. Change your colors. Change your images.” They cannot do that. They are the way they are for a reason. They are from different artists. They have different purposes. They elicit different emotions and find people at different stages of consciousness.

So it is with each of us. We cannot expect anyone to align directly with us if they have been painted by another artist. Each of us is from different cultures, different countries, different religions, different households, and different skin. None of us have the same path. Even biological twins have different personalities. It is a beautiful thing that we are all so different and combine to make such an eclectic portrait of humanity.

It is exciting to see the acceptance of diversity grow in this country and around the world. It is exciting to finally see us reaching the level of emotional and social maturity where we can respect the outlooks of another even though they are completely contrary to our own.

Each of us embrace different cultural idioms. Each of us identify with different societal norms. Each of us have our own favorite films for entirely different reasons. Each of us, even those of us who sit side by side on the same pew, have a different understanding of God. Once we realize that, respecting the fact that everyone has his own precious perspective, we will be more efficient in finding common ground. For although we will always have our differences we will also always have our similarities. And though our differences should be appreciated, it is our similarities which bring us connection.

Our differences are only connections which do not exist. Think about that. The things that we spend so much energy on, arguing, bickering, fighting, warring, conniving, and hating don’t even exist. What would happen to the world if we were to put that much energy into the connections that do exist? What astounding triumphs could we reach If we would realize one another’s goals as our own, allow the differences to be there, and simply strive toward the goal we know would bring us joy?

What a wonderful way to change the world.

Steve

How to convert your Honda Accord to run on trash - Go Green

2009-09-16T10:46:00.001-07:00

Blogs » Environment and Society » Transportation

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How to convert your Honda Accord to run on trash

Posted on September 11, 2009
by Instructables - Premier Partner SustainLane Premier Content Partners are part of a growing network of publishers bringing you the very best green content from across the web.
To read more articles by this Premier Partner, follow the link at the end of this post.

We may not yet have a flux capacitor for time travel, but we do already have the equivalent of "Mr. Fusion", which if cleverly applied, will enable you to run your car on everyday "trash"-- today. This "magical" device is called a gasifier. And what it does is called gasification.

Gasification is the use of heat to tranform solid biomass, or other carbonaceous solids, into a synthetic "natural gas like" flammable fuel. Through gasification, we can convert nearly any solid dry organic matter into a clean burning, carbon neutral, gaseous fuel. Whether starting with wood chips or walnut shells, construction debris or agricultural waste, the end product is a flexible gaseous fuel you can burn in your internal combustion engine, cooking stove, furnace or flamethrower. Or in this case, your DeLorean. Well ok, how about a Honda Accord . . .
Sound impossible?
Did you know that over one million vehicles in Europe ran onboard gasifiers during WWII to make fuel from wood and charcoal, as gasoline and diesel were rationed or otherwise unavailable? Long before there was biodiesel and ethanol, we actually succeeded in a large-scale, alternative fuels redeployment-- and one which curiously used only cellulosic biomass, not the oil and sugar based biofuel sources which famously compete with food.
This redeployment was made possible by the gasification of waste biomass, using simple gasifiers about as complex as a traditional wood stove. These small-scale gasifiers are easily reproduced (and improved) today by DIY enthusiasts using simple hammer and wrench technology.
The goal of this project is to show you how to do it - using tools you can find at Sears!
Step 1: The Goal: Honda + Gasifier
We developed the open source Gasifier Experimenter's Kit as a flexible-fuel biomass processor to produce a gaseous fuel (syngas). The syngas produced by our GEK can be used to power generators, heaters and motors (nearly anything that could be run on propane), so we decided to build a concept car powered by our GEK unit.
How does that work?
In a normal car, liquid gasoline is injected into the cylinders while air is sucked in to burn it. The GEK produces a syngas fuel not a liquid - similar to natural gas. So we can't just dump it into the gas tank and run the engine as usual.
What we'll do is to disable the Honda's gasoline fuel injectors and route our syngas in through the engine's air intake. We'll install a somewhat modified version of our standard GEK unit into the trunk area, with a fuel tube going up to the Honda engine in front.
The only modification to the Honda engine is that we disable the fuel injectors, and tee the air intake to allow pulling in our syngas along with the air. In fact, the Honda engine still can be run on gasoline when we are finished - all that's needed is to flip a switch to re-enable the fuel injectors.
Easier said than done! Read on to see how to do it . . . maybe . . .
Step 2: Tools and Parts
The vehicle was built at the ALL Power Labs shop. We've got a lot of fun tools, but you could build this project with just power tools you'd find at Sears. I'll note what your alternatives are below.
Tools we used:
Power tools - we used all of 'em! drill, grinder, reciprocating saw, flashlight, belt sander, circular saw, etc.
Socket set, wrench set, vice grips, etc.
MIG welder, plasma cutter (hand and CNC). All you really need is MIG and a cutting torch, the rest of it was us just getting fancy. You could also use a reciprocating saw with metal cutting blade instead of a cutting torch, although that would take a bit longer.
Bench chop saw with metal cutting blade is helpful but not required
Sheet metal cutters, benders, rollers. This is because we fabricated entirely from sheet steel. To avoid the bending and rolling the easy thing is to start with a recycled metal tank as described in step 5.
Car jack. We've got the fancy garage type lifter, but any car jack will do.
Shop vac to clean up spilled fuel messes, and clean out reactor
For the electronics - soldering tools, wire strippers, crimper
Parts:
The complete GEK Gasifier is designed so that it can be constructed from the lowest cost and most commonly available parts. It is nearly all common sheet steel and plumbing parts. The Honda conversion also does not use any expensive or hard to find components - total raw material and parts cost for this project is probably about $1000 if you build everything yourself.
You need to supply a working vehicle. We used a 1987 Honda Accord, but most cars should be ok
Our GEK Gasifier kit. We supply CAD files so you can fabricate totally from scratch, or you can purchase parts kits from us at various stages of assembly. Fabrication and/or assembly of the GEK using our plans or kits is detailed in our Instructables Series.
Miscellaneous plumbing pipes, tubes and ball valves
Sheet steel and a few square steel rods
Miscellaneous nuts and bolts
Reactor Control Unit (parts kit available soon from ALL Power Labs)
I'm sure I forgot something :)

Step 3: Safety
There are a lot of potential dangers with this project.
We recommend you always have a responsible adult present when building your Trash Powered Honda.
Cars are big! Heavy! And have lots of moving parts that can squash or grind you up!
Gasifiers produce gases which are very good for engines, but very bad for humans. Thus please remember the following whenever you run a gasifer.
Warning: A gasifier is a dangerous thermo-chemical device. Like most useful tools, it will do damage if used incorrectly. A gasifier purposely generates carbon monoxide and other dangerous volatile organic gases as an interim step before complete combustion of the gas in a flare or engine. Acute exposure to carbon monoxide can be harmful or fatal. It is colorless, odorless, and will quickly colonize your hemoglobin, leaving no sites left for oxygen to land. Exposure to other VOCs is similarly problematic. In short, it is somewhat like smoking cigarettes, just exponentially worse. In fact, a cigarette is an updraft gasifier, a close cousin to what you are building in steel with the GEK
So don't be an idiot. Don't smoke. And certainly don't smoke the equivalent of 100 cigarettes simultaneously by breathing in any leaking gas from your GEK. Always use a gasifier outdoors, and with extensive ventilation. Always stay out of the smoke and/or produced gas before it is combusted. Know that this is NOT typical campfire smoke. Do NOT treat it as if it were. The carbon monoxide concentrations in gasifier gas are higher than in other "smokes". You can get in trouble quickly, usually before you realize it. SO STAY OUT OF GASIFIER GAS AT ALL TIMES.
Always have a fast reacting carbon monoxide meter in the area where you are working. Ideally, hang one on a tether around your neck. Carbon monoxide meters are available at more hardware stores in the smoke detector section.
And remember that with just one extra oxygen, CO becomes CO2. It is a very easy oxidation pathway, thus why syngas burns so cleanly.
Anyone have a Prius we can challenge at the smog shop?
Step 4: History, Theory and Overview
The GEK gasifier design is based on a nozzle and constriction (Imbert type) downdraft reactor. This was the typical gasifier reactor type of WWII, and still the usual starting point for generating low tar wood gas to power internal combustion engines. The GEK design combines all common Imbert type variations into a single configurable reactor, with easy adjustability of all critical dimensions. Gasifier geeks will swoon to know that it supports:
variable combustion / reduction zone size and shape (tube, bell, inverted V, hourglass)
variable air nozzle position and size
air preheating (or lack there of)
active tar recycling into incoming air
variable air injection architecture (air from top, bottom, or side annular ring)
"monorator" type condensing hopper
rotary grates/stirrer additions
The GEK Imbert reactor standard sizing and configuration is known to produce clean syngas when operated by a knowledgeable enthusiast. This default configuration will run 5-20hp engines. We've expanded the internal sizes for the Honda Accord project so it can support the 70HP or so Honda engine.
The graphics below show the usual components for a full gasification system: Gasifier, cyclone, filter, radiator, fan, burner. The GEK improves on the 60 year old standard a bit, which we will explore in more detail in the Fabricating the GEK Instrucable

Step 5: Different ways to make the GEK
The GEK building scenario let's you decide the relative amount of "effort vs cost" you want to invest towards your finished unit. The basic vessel dimensions are based on common scrap tanks found in North America, so you can choose to build it for minimum money with the dimensions, instructions and CAD files provided here. The local junkyard will give you all the greasy obtainium scrap tanks you need. Or you can build the GEK from clean and purpose cut sheetmetal, also using the CAD files provided here.
For the obtainium route, you will need scrap tanks of 10", 12" and 14.75" diameters. 10" is typical for hand held air transfer tanks and some truck pony tanks. 12" is typical for 5 and 10 gal propane tanks. 14.75" is typical for a 100lb/25gal propane tank. (Warning: There's a surprising amount dimensional variation on "standardized tanks" between different tank manufacturers. This can complicate the fit of flanges and end plates to the scrap tanks.)
The more elegant way to build the GEK is from purposed cut and rolled sheetmetal. Sheet metal is still very inexpensive, and you will have better dimensional control than via the obtainium route.
You can cut the sheetmetal to make the vessel tubes, flanges and end plates, using a gas torch or plasma cutter. Potentially even a sawzall, but ugh! Ideally, the tool for the task is CNC plasma cutter, which can run off the CAD files provided here. Many "manufacturing on demand" providers offer cnc plasma cutting services, so you could order in perfectly cut sheet metal to get you started, and not spend all your enthusiasm fighting the prep work. ALL Power Labs can also provide readymade sheet metal and plumbing kits. See here for more information about readymade kits.
Hopefully one of the above scenarios will find a good match with your abilities, time and money available. Whichever route you choose to build the GEK, the final unit is the same, and thus experiments and customizations are easily sharable across the GEK user community.

Step 6: Fabricating the basic GEK
The standard GEK gasifier system consists of the following seven components. For the Honda GEK we made a few slight changes to the standard GEK design which are noted below (and detailed in later steps here).
Gas making:
1. Gas cowling and ash grate (for honda - cowling built into box, grate has motor mount)
2. Downdraft reactor (for honda: larger reduction bell)
3. Fuel hopper (for honda: shaped to fit behind rear window)
Particulate clean-up:
4. Cyclone (no change)
5. Packed bed filter (no change)
Gas combustion:
6. Centrifugal vac/blower (no change)
7. Swirl burner (no change)
We will be building each of these components separately in a "slight detour Instructable" dedicated to the welding project. After we're finished, we'll return right here to consider the final assembly and preparation for the first test run.
CAD drawings for all the sheet metal parts and assembled vessels are below, as well as on the download page of the main GEK site at: http://www.allpowerlabs.org/gasification/gek/downloads.html
And now, get you MIG welders ready, its time to fabricate your GEK . . .

Step 7: Assembling the GEK and preparing for fire
With basic GEK welding complete, now we can assemble and prepare for fire. No Honda is required for this. When you are finished assembling your basic (or modified) GEK, it will look like one of these.
Well, you might have to apply a bit of paint first. You are welcome to paint your GEK in any manner you like. Though we do suggest you use high temp paint commonly found at any auto store. The 500F paint is fine. You do not need the 1200F paint
Once your paint is dry, there are seven components we'll be assembling, just like there were seven components we just welded together:
- Gas Cowling
- Downdraft Reactor Insert
- Cyclone
- Pack Bed Filter
- Axial Fan
- Swirl Burner
- Fuel Hopper
For the standard GEK: the gas cowling, reactor and hopper bolt together into a single vertical assembly. The cyclone, packed bed filter and blower similarly bolt together into a single vertical assembly. These two assemblies attach together via the gas outlet flange to the cyclone. A soft hose attaches the blower to the swirl burner. And then, fire!
The details of how to accomplish this require another "slight Instructable detour", though we promise not to send you through the ringers of previous. You're now through the hard part. It's all downhill coasting from here to 88MPH.
Click here for the GEK final assembly and first firing preparation instructable.

Step 8: Proof of concept testing: first fire
With the GEK now together, we hooked it up to a prototype of our electronic Reactor Control Unit (described later) and ran the output to a 2kw 4-stroke generator. This was to simulate more or less what we were planning for the Honda. Somewhat surprisingly, it worked!

Here's the separate Instructible for how to start and run a GEK design gasifierstart and run a GEK design gasifier.

Step 9: Prep the Honda Trunk Mount
The trunk of the Honda seemed like a good spot to put the GEK!
1) Cut out the trunk floor along the inside of the frame struts
2) Remove the trunk hatch
3) Fabricate 2 heavy duty mounting pins. The mount system allows rotating the mounted GEK for access, then pinning in place during driving.
4) Weld / bolt the mounting pins to the frame struts

Step 10: Fabricate a frame for the gasifier
When we started out, we were going to get a bit fancy and have a hopper alongside the GEK to hold the fuel. This would be great because the GEK heat would help dry the fuel in the hopper, and the form factor would be more compact. Unfortunately - the alongside hopper requires an auger to move the fuel up and over into the GEK reactor, and this auger proved to be a difficult piece of engineering. So you'll see parts of the hopper with auger bits in them, but ultimately we have not yet gotten the auger fully functioning, and it is not needed with a much simpler over-head hopper.
The hopper box frame is sized to hold the GEK, and to fit into the trunk opening in the honda.

Step 11: Install the cyclone
We started with the standard GEK cyclone, and fitted it into the hopper/box as well.
In the photos here we also dropped the box into the car. Actually to be more accurate, we dropped the car onto the box using a car jack, the box just sat in place.

Step 12: Install the grate, jigglerator, and dump ports
- At the bottom of the GEK cowling is the standard GEK ash grate for holding up the fuel in the gas producing reduction zone, and allowing ash to filter out the catch basin. In a standard GEK the grate has an external bar for turning by hand.
- We connected the grate drive shaft to a windshield wiper motor mounted to the bottom of the box, so that it can be turned automatically. We call it the JIGGLERATOR. although we do love its name, testing of the vehicle showed that at least in city driving, the car bumps around enough by itself to unclog any fuel jams.
- Also on the bottom are dump ports for ash and water condensate from the output syngas.

Step 13: Air Intake With Butterfly Valve
The syngas and air are both going into the Honda engine via the original air intake. That means the Honda engine can no longer control its own fuel/air mix. We built a new air intake with a butterfly valve so that we can control the fuel to air mix ratio.
The fuel to air mix needs adjustment while the car is driving, so we added a servo control which can be operated from the driver seat.
- The new airtake starts with a length of 2" diameter PVC pipe.
- The butterfly valve is a fender washer that matched the ID of the pipe.
- The fender washer is screwed to a 1/4" diameter aluminum rod
- The aluminum rod goes through 2 holes drilled across the pipe
- The servo turns the rod to open and close the valve.

Step 14: Syngas Piping from gasifier in back to engine in front
- Chop off the end of the air intake tube from the Honda
- Add a coupler and tee
- The syngas is routed to the back of the car - using flexible tubes in front and in the rear, underneath the car we made a rectangular steel tube for strength. See photo notes.
- Our custom servo controlled butterfly valve is installed as the new air intake. The valve lets us control the fuel to air mix now that both are going into the original air intake.

Step 15: Solid Fuel Auger - Not Used In Current Design
Originally we wanted to have the hopper alongside the GEK reactor to hold the biomass fuel. It had the advantage of a more compact form factor, plus the GEK heat could help dry the fuel to allow using wetter fuels. But, it requires a way to transport the solid biomass fuel up and over to load the GEK reactor
We built several solid fuel augers, but soon discovered that it is a difficult engineering problem when you want to run an auger up from horizontal, or in our case, about 45 degrees. We currently run the vehicle with the typical top-mounted gravity-fed GEK hopper, which is simple and reliable. We hope to get the auger working eventually but for now you can refer to our prototypes and hopefully learn something about all the ways that auger can not work.
We built and tested 2 different auger designs. Generally, they would work for certain fuel size and shape, but when the particulars changed, they would either jam or fail to move/lift the fuel. The GEK reactor will run on a wide range of solid biomass as long as it is chipped or chopped into chunky bits from about 3/8" to 1.5". All diagnoal designs we tested were much more fuel sensitive than the gasifier itself.
Here's a video of one of them running:

Step 16: GEK Reactor Modifications and Instrumentation
We made a few changes to the basic GEK reactor design:
- Increased the size of the reduction bell, this increases power output compared to the standard GEK design, which was needed to produce syngas fast enough for the Honda engine
- Added instrumentation - 4 thermocouples and 2 pressure sensors. These aren't really needed for operation, but we built this as a research design so we like to know what is going on inside.
See the photos for how we routed the thermocouples into the GEK so that they are durable and don't interfere with operation.

Step 17: Reactor Control Unit (RCU) - aka "THE BRAIN 2"
Any modern car has an Electronic Control Unit, or ECU, which monitors and controls the engine function and keeps everything working. It is often called the Brain of the car. One of the Honda ECU's main functions is to properly inject gasoline into the engine, and monitor the fuel/air mix. Since we are doing some Serious Monkeying Around with both of those pathways in order to replace the gasoline with our Gasifier produced syngas, we built our own Reactor Control Unit (RCU) - also known as THE BRAIN 2.
The RCU taps into the Honda ECU to bypass its control of the fuel injectors and fuel/air mix. It also has several other functions:
- Sense if the fuel mix is lean or rich. We use the existing oxygen sensor from the Honda and access it where it connects to the Honda ECU (Honda's stock ECU is their brain for running the car).
- Control our new fuel/air mix butterfly valve. We drive a servo from a dial mounted on the dash. We also have a switch on the dash that can toggle between Manual fuel/air mix control, and Automatic fuel/air mix control. In Auto mode our RCU uses a closed-loop feedback to automatically adjust the air/fuel mix, just like the Honda ECU does when running on gasoline.
- A control for the grate jigglerator motor (fuel unclogging system)
- A sensing and control loop for steam injection into the gasifier, when there is adequate heat. The GEK in the this Honda has a variety of heat recycling systems which result in a surplus of heat in the gasifier, heat which can be usefully consumed via more steam over the glowing char in the reactor, and thus a more hydrogen rich gas output.
- A solid fuel level sensor and auger motor control. Not used in the current non-auger design.
- A USB connection to a laptop, we send all the sensor data to the laptop to display it. The Co-pilot can check the readings on all the instrumentation - thermocouples, pressure sensors, oxygen sensor, and all the motors can be activated manually by the copilot.
- A switch to disable or enable the electronic fuel injection. we again tapped into the Honda ECU for this.
Our Reactor Control Unit is built with a SiLabs 8051 devkit with a custom expansion board plugged to it. There are 12 thermocouple jacks, 4 pressure sensors, 4 30-amp H-bridges for motor drive, a USB connection for a data display laptop, etc....
Step 18: Cockpit
The air/fuel mix knob and manual/auto switch are just next to the wheel for the driver.
The Copilot can watch all the sensors via the laptop display, and make changes to any of the motors or the air/fuel mix as well.
The laptop also logs the readings so we can see what worked and what didn't.
Step 19: Final GEK reassembly for Honda
- Install reactor into cowling (standard GEK method with sealing tape)
- Add perlite between GEK inner and outer cowlings (standard)
- Bolt on the gas filtration unit (standard)
- Bolt hopper on top of reactor. We made a thinner hopper than the standard one so so it fits behind the rear window.

Step 20: Blow-off and output syngas valves
When starting up the GEK reactor its convenient to be able to get it going without having the Honda engine running. We put a tee on the GEK syngas output so we can send it either to the engine or to cyclone burner flare-off. Once the reactor is up to temperature and running well, we can shut off the cyclone and start the car on syngas.
Step 21: Load Solid Fuel and Ignition!
Hey man, can i borrow your shoes? No? Well, how about some wood chips? Or those peanut shells you are throwing everywhere?

Step 22: Ready!

Step 23: GO! 88MPH here we come . . .
Here's a video of us driving the finished Honda Accord around West Oakland. No shots were fired. Fire was kept only in the gasifier. And everyone made it home with smiles on their faces.
Step 24: Assembly with auger - Not used in current design
We tested the auger-based design once, here are the fully assembled photos.
These include an optional system to eject the co-pilot out the sunroof, through a feed tube and into the hopper.

Step 25: More Information
Summary
This instructable explains how to retrofit a Honda Accord (or nearly any car) with our Open Source Gasifier Experimenter's Kit (GEK) to power it. In this project we cover modifications to the standard GEK Gasifier that are needed, details specific to its installation into the Honda, and modifications to the Honda itself. All standard GEK Gasifier construction and operation details are covered in the sub-projects below.
Check the Building the GEK Instructable to learn how to fabricate the standard GEK gasifier vessels.
Check the Assembling the GEK Instructable to learn how to assemble the GEK vessels into a working GEK Gasifier
Check the Running the GEK Instructable to learn how to start and operate the GEK to produce syngas.
For more info and extra pictures about this project, see the main GEK site at: http://www.allpowerlabs.org/gasification/gek/index.html
For general information on how gasification works, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasification
To learn about ALL Power Labs, the group that created the Trash Powered Honda and the Open Source Gasifier Experimenter's Kit, check our website: ALL Power Labs
Inspired? Check out our No Petroleum Allowed Road Rally, the Escape From Berkeley.
Posted to Instructables by jimmason
Instructables is a web-based documentation platform where passionate people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others.

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That is wild!

Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash & Detailing Products

2009-09-16T10:41:00.001-07:00

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How cool is that? I wonder if it works?

Make Your Intent Manifest | Modern Hippie Mag

2009-09-16T10:06:00.001-07:00

Make Your Intent Manifest

Written by Steve McAllister

Daily we meet challenges as we strive to live out our purposes. As we maneuver through these challenges it’s nice to have someone to cheer us on and encourage us. It is with this objective that Mallika Chopra has launched www.Intent.com. The daughter of Dr. Deepak Chopra, Mallika states that her principle intent is to connect with others by sharing and listening to their stories and wisdom. That is precisely what this website does.

Mallika Chopra

Filled with articles and blogs on Healthy Living, the Planet, Spirit, Success, and Relationships, the site also offers free memberships whereby users can post their intentions and receive support, encouragement, and advice on how to achieve their goals. The site also features podcasts and the ability for users to post blogs detailing their intentions or just to extol others. Users can also customize their profiles with a photo, bio, and email updates on who is supporting them and who they are supporting. Still in the Beta stage, the site works better with some browsers than others, but if we’re going to progress in our intentions, we might want to start by updating our browsers anyway.

Labeled as “My Path to Wellness,” Intent.com offers those of us seeking for higher consciousness, better relationships, and greater success the opportunity to connect with people who share similar intentions and realize that we’re not alone in our journeys. Like other social networking sites, users are encouraged to make friends and keep up to date with how their intentions are being made manifest. Watching others achieve their goals is a surefire way to be encouraged in our own.

In a day and age where so many of us are looking more deeply at our purposes and setting new goals for ourselves as we move out of a recession and closer to a new decade, it is such a thrill to find a site devoted to relationship building and encouragement. Regardless of what background you come from or in what direction you are moving, you are sure to find someone in the same boat who is willing to help you maneuver through the rapids and share in the thrill of a journey well traveled.

You might also like:

Rest for the Weary

Meditation 101

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Tags: Deepak Chopra, Healthy Living, Mallika Chopra, Online Communities, www.Intent.com
Posted 15 Sep 2009 by Steve McAllister in Wellness

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Unbelievable hand Paintings by Guido Daniele

2009-09-16T09:49:00.001-07:00

The Italian artist Guido Daniele developed one of the most impressive ways to express his art, using human hands and turning them into something else with a touch of paint. When skill meets creativity, we get an unbelievable result. In this case, the result in your hands. Check it out!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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The results are the same,which one do you prefer alcohol or yoga:) - Thanks to ReflectionOf.Me

2009-09-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

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A Car Company Made a Profit, and It's Tesla!

2009-09-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

Blogs » Environment and Society » Transportation

Comment on this Article

A Car Company Made a Profit, and It's Tesla!

Posted on August 10, 2009
by Sean F.

Two major American auto companies are now essentially owned by the government. All large foreign makers are posting huge losses across the board. All is doom and gloom in the auto world. Wait, I say, wait.

Two major American auto companies are now essentially owned by the government. All large foreign makers are posting huge losses across the board. All is doom and gloom in the auto world. Wait, I say, wait. One wunderkind car company is turning a profit and the most exciting thing about this American company is that the vehicles it is selling are electric. Yes, it is none one other than Tesla Motors, makers of the Tesla Roadster and soon to be Tesla Sedan.
According to data filed with the SEC, the company made a profit of approximately $1 million on revenue of $20 million for the month of July. This is due to strong sales of the Tesla Roadster Sport, a battery deal with Daimler and improved efficiency at its Menlo Park Assembly Plant (a manufacturing miracle in California).
Great news for this green start-up, who was the proud recipient of $465 millions in government loans. The sky is the limit for Tesla Motors.
Originally posted KeenforGreen.com.

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9/16/2009 8:57 am
Tina Jesson says:

Great news - and an attractive car. Price point is a little high for the average user, but hey what a looker - 200 miles on a single charge.
Anyone know of any other car models that look this good and are green?
Tina Jesson
President
Green Fest Expos
Green Fest Indy 2010 - March 26-28th
Call 317 641 1919 for more info

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Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Wind Farms

2009-09-15T00:59:00.001-07:00

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Earth Days Trailer

2009-09-14T21:20:00.001-07:00

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Patrick Swayze dies of cancer at 57

2009-09-14T21:11:00.001-07:00

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RIP Patrick

My Name Is I AM | Living Life Abundantly

2009-09-14T01:04:00.001-07:00

I was regretting the past,
and fearing the future.

Suddenly my Lord was speaking:
“My name is I Am”.

He paused.
I waited.
He continued,

“When you live in the past,
with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WAS.

When you live in the future,
with its problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WILL BE.

When you live in this moment
it is not hard. I am here.
My name is I AM.”

~ Helen Mallicoat ~

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How to Deal with Fox News

2009-09-13T22:09:00.001-07:00

Is that what the Fox news say about Obama? How funny... They sound just like my (everyone's?) paranoic ego. There's no end to what that kind of voice can invent to make its case of doom...

My 12 year old told me her thoughts about Obama a few days ago. She is a European girl, and she said that she doesn't know him well enough to be able to discern in detail, but energy-wise, he is someone who suddenly made everything that was wrong- right again. She smiled with all her heart thinking of him, and I understood her, because I feel the same. What this man says and does makes complete sense to me, and obviously to many others who are no longer easy to manipulate into the absurdity of paranoia. I saw some interviews with him where it is clear that he too can smile at the horror stories some corners of the human mind keep repeating.

Maybe you are right that even the extremely afraid ones need a party of their own, to protect their right to be afraid of everyone else :) But to me, the ideal would be more than one party, focusing constructively on real, important issues, from different, intelligent points of view. That would create an atmosphere of healthy creative dialogue, based on the respect and common ground of being one nation and one planet.

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JewelEye Piercing - Bling For Your Cornea - The Beading Gem's Journal

2009-09-13T01:15:00.001-07:00

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Why in the world would anyone willingly do this?

Boneshow #56 - Amy Ray(Indigo Girls) - Johnny Rotten Tale - Matt Corbin's MySpace Blog |

2009-09-12T20:59:00.001-07:00

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The Secret

2009-09-12T19:14:00.001-07:00

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Christine Alexander - First Ever Stand up Performance

2009-09-12T15:24:00.001-07:00

Christine Alexander, ladies and gentlemen. Sarasota's pride and joy.

Why We Need Government-Run Universal Socialized Health Insurance

2009-09-12T01:17:00.001-07:00

Bill Maher Interviews Bill Moyers: The conscience of a nation Pt 3

2009-09-11T17:02:00.001-07:00

Bill Maher Interviews Bill Moyers: The conscience of a nation Pt 2

2009-09-11T17:01:00.003-07:00

Bill Maher Interviews Bill Moyers: The conscience of a nation Pt 1

2009-09-11T17:01:00.001-07:00

Social Media Revolution

2009-09-11T14:41:00.001-07:00

A Plea for a New Generation of Republican Leadership - Brian McLaren - God’s Politics Blog

2009-09-10T12:37:00.001-07:00

I believe our nation works best with robust and civic dialogue and civil debate. For mature societal conversations to take place, at least two mature parties are required, and looking back over this summer, a second party is hard to find.

The Obama administration needs a worthy loyal opposition, just as any group in power does, and the president himself often says so. But people who shout “Hitler, Nazi, socialist” don’t constitute a worthy loyal opposition. Nor do the birthers (who don’t stray too far from the fictional portrait of the afterbirthers described satirically here). Nor do the nostalgics, who seem to keep waking up in the 1980s year after year, quoting Ronald Reagan.

[Regarding the nostaligics, one can't help but recall God's words to Joshua (Joshua 1:2): "Moses my servant is dead." Many Republicans, it seems, are like Joshua and need to be told it's time to move on and discover their own voice, to think their own thoughts, to face today's challenges, to start leading constructively and not just repeating old slogans -- always revering the memory of their late-20th-century Moses, of course, but moving on to face today's problems just as their oft-sung hero sought to face those of his day.]

It seemed hard for the situation to deteriorate below gun-toting protestors at town hall meetings and Hitler-mustached posters, but we managed to hit a new even-lower low in recent days in the refusal of some parents and school districts to allow schoolchildren to listen to the presidential back-to-school address. Journalist-author Thomas Friedman had it right on “Meet the Press” Sunday, as did Education Secretary Ame Duncan on “Face the Nation”: that reaction is just plain “stupid” and “silly.” How many Republican leaders will stand with them?

Where does this bizarre behavior come from? True, there’s a strain of extremism that runs through American politics on the left and right, and the Internet, late-night radio, and cable TV help keep it alive. But there’s more to this, I think. I’m convinced that there is some degree of white fear and resentment behind at least some of this reaction: fear and resentment of an African-American president, mingled with xenophobia regarding brown-skinned immigrants, undergirded by fear of a future where there is no more racial majority status for white people. There is also, I suspect, a good amount of modernist fear of postmodernity mixed in. And where Christianity becomes a tribal religion rather than a reconciling faith — the exclusive and combative religion of rural non-coastal folks, for example, or Southern folks, or socially conservative folks, or folks who hold a certain economic ideology — there is probably some old-fashioned religious supremacy at play too: the “Our God is better than your god, so we should be in power” syndrome.

I keep wondering — don’t more Republicans themselves see the danger of an increasingly reactionary Republican party becoming in the 21st century what anti-civil-rights/pro-segregationists and McCarthyites were in the 20th, or what the pro-slavery/anti-abolition movements were in the 19th — conserving an unjust status quo that deserved to be left behind? Out of love for their party and the good things it could potentially stand for in 2012 and beyond, don’t they want to step forward now and be counted?

Even if all President Obama stands for were as dastardly as the shouters, birthers, and nostalgics insinuate, can’t some perceptive Republicans see the need to do what President Obama did to win the election — to inspire with some hope, rather than constantly pulling the levers of fear? Fear is indeed a powerful short-term motivator (and fundraiser), as is revenge, but it uses an inflating currency (and where do you go after flashing the Hitler/Nazi/fascist credit card?). An unregulated fear-based politics will eventually crash just as an unregulated bubble-based economy will, but like a crashing economy, it can cause a huge amount of damage on its way down.

That’s why it’s so depressing to see the paucity of Republican leadership providing a mature alternative to all this. That’s why, with so much at stake — from environmental policy to health-care reform to immigration reform to economic reform to foreign policy reform to campaign finance reform, even those of us who are firm supporters of President Obama wish his administration had a more robust conversation partner and a wiser, more constructive loyal opposition.

Thankfully, George Will has started speaking up with some fresh things to say, countering the long reign of neoconservative foreign policy in the Republican Party. Perhaps people like Will and Peggy Noonan represent the rise of a constructive conversation partner in the civic conversation. But they’re writers; where are the politicians? If there are some perceptive Republicans out there who see from the inside what the rest of us see from the outside, I hope they’ll start speaking up like George Will and Peggy Noonan — and soon. Because if the best leaders the Republicans can offer the nation and the world in the next decade are the likes of … well, I won’t mention names … then everyone will be worse off for it — Republicans, Democrats, everyone. I believe, hope, and pray that Republicans can do better for their party, for America as a whole, and for the world.

Brian McLaren (brianmclaren.net) is a speaker and author, most recently of Everything Must Change and Finding Our Way Again.

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Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's I Pledge Video

2009-09-10T11:17:00.001-07:00

This video is getting a lot of flack because of the two times people say that they pledge to be a servant to our president. I think it is such a shame that they are missing out on the greater message of serving one's fellow man. In a four minute and eighteen second video, hundreds of other pledges are made to help the elderly, the destitute, the hungry, the enslaved, the abused, and the overlooked, but all of those are chastised because these people finally have a president they can believe in.

I pledge to see the good in everything and share my vision of the wonderful world God has created with all of those who are blinded to it by fear, hatred, and prejudice.

Greenwala - What's Your Story?

2009-09-09T21:18:00.001-07:00

Eco-conscious Jaszy's Jewelry

www.jaszysjewelry.com - Jaszy's Jewelry specializes in creating fashion-forward jewelry using ethically sourced gemstones, recycled metals, Fair Trade Tagua and freshwater pearls. Our mission is to adorn and educate others to make fashion-responsible choices and to partner with and support agencies that protect and give back to our planet. Jaszy designs with conscience. All Jaszy's vendors must submit to detailed questions about their business practices and each must work within the strict confines of Fair Trade standards. Jaszy hook clasps and earring components are meticulously hand-formed, in addition we use Fair Trade 14k & 24k vermeil components made by Hill Tribe artisans. Merchandise tags and gift boxes are made from 100% recycled paper and/or non-wood plant fiber paper and packing material is made in-house from shredded newspapers and magazines.

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www.jaszysjewelry.com - Jaszy\'s Jewelry specializes in creating fashion-forward jewelry using ethically sourced gemstones, recycled metals, Fair Trade Tagua and freshwater pearls. Our mission is to adorn and educate others to make fashion-responsible choices and to partner with and support agencies that protect and give back to our planet. Jaszy designs with conscience. All Jaszy\'s vendors must submit to detailed questions about their business practices and each must work within the strict confines of Fair Trade standards. Jaszy hook clasps and earring components are meticulously hand-formed, in addition we use Fair Trade 14k & 24k vermeil components made by Hill Tribe artisans. Merchandise tags and gift boxes are made from 100% recycled paper and/or non-wood plant fiber paper and packing material is made in-house from shredded newspapers and magazines.", category: "contest", author: 'greenwala' }, {button:true} ); a.button.background=''; $(a.button).removeClassName('stico_default');

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Posted by Linda Lucille - September 08, 2009 03:47 AM

Just checked out your website and I think you have a really beautiful collection of jewelry =) You are a welcome addition to Greenwala! Do you make all of the pieces yourself? How did you get into the fair trade jewelry business?

Posted by Jaszy McAllister - September 08, 2009 04:56 PM

Thanks so much Linda!! I do make everything myself, I enjoy playing with the little pieces!
Surprisingly enough I have been using Fair Trade vermeil findings in my jewelry designs since I began back in 2003, I just didn't know they were Fair Trade at the time. Making a conscious decision to use ethical gemstones and other Fair Trade elements came to me as I decided to make more "green" friendly choices in my personal life, seemed only natural to do it in business as well.
Thanks again, I appreciate you taking a look at my jewelry!

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President Obama's Speech to Congress

2009-09-09T21:08:00.001-07:00

<div><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;">Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy</p></div>

Ellen DeGeneres joins 'Idol' as fourth judge--The Live Feed

2009-09-09T20:58:00.001-07:00

« White House chides Fox for not airing Obama (video) | Main

September 09, 2009

Ellen DeGeneres joins 'Idol' as fourth judge

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has joined "American Idol" as the show's fourth judge, replacing Paula Abdul.
DeGeneres will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi on the show's upcoming ninth season.
“I’m thrilled to be the new judge on 'American Idol,'” DeGeneres said in a statement. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”

DeGeneres will join the judges’ panel after the auditions, which will include guest judges Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain.
“I could not be more excited to have Ellen join the 'American Idol' family,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel. I can’t wait for this next season to begin.”
"She is truly one of America’s funniest people and a fantastic performer who understands what it’s like to stand up in front of audiences and entertain them every day," said Fox president of alternative Mike Darnell. "We feel that her vast entertainment experience – combined with her quick wit and passion for music – will add a fresh new energy to the show.”
The news also means former judge Paula Abdul has officially been replaced following weeks of speculation about whether she would return to the show.
Thoughts: Signing DeGeneres is a good get for Fox ... and an odd choice for "Idol." Being an "Idol" judge means taking quite seriously a show that is, in some respects, overstuffed and absurd. It's tough to predict how DeGeneres' humor will mesh with that. Will she be a breath of fresh air and provide refreshing wit along with some of Abdul-style heart? Or will she inevitable feel like an outsider who's commenting on a silly reality show while its playing out? Plus some fans are bound to cry foul -- what does Ellen know about judging vocal talent? More to come tomorrow...

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Sep 9, 2009 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (View) |

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Name 3 hours ago
This can't be real.

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emoqix 3 hours ago
this is pretty awesome.
love Ellen and American Idol.
what a great combo!

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Name 3 hours ago
Nothing against Ellen but seriously...what musical background does she really have compared to the other judges. American Idol used to be a show for "undiscovered" musical talent and now has turned into a popularity contest. No, thanks. I'll find something else to watch.

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RonaldMcDouchebag 3 hours ago
this is horrible news, I think Idol will sink this season if they dont somehow bring back Paula, Ellen has no musical background whatsoever, other than being a fan of Idol.

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Paul 2 hours ago
The Australian version "Australian Idol" is dying in the ratings here as it has run it's race. I think that other country's versions will eventually suffer the same fate. I believe "Australian Idol" will be axed after this current season. I'll be honest, I am NOT a big fan of talent shows at all, as they are based more on ratings by degrading less "talented" performers, than for the talent it's self. Many years ago, this particular band would enter talent contests & the highest place they ever won was 3rd, that band was called THE BEATLES;! I rest my case!

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HeyJude0624 2 hours ago
Ellen Degeneres as a judge is about the worst news possible for American Idol. I intensely dislike her and can't imagine what someone with absolutely no musical talent or background will add to the judging. If I were a contentant, I would be insulted by her presence. She will turn the show into a farce. She'll probably try to be funny every time she opens her mouth, and Idol will end up being about her as opposed to the contestants. This is HORRIBLE news, and I won't be surprised if it leads to the demise of American Idol. HORRIBLE decision by the powers that be to add her to the mix. HORRIBLE!!!

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Name 2 hours ago
doesn't ellen already have a show?

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Name 1 hour ago
I don't know about this. I'm actually uneasy about it.

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AnnR 1 hour ago
No thanks. Without Paula the show is sunk. Ellen does not interest me in the least.

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IdolFan48493 0 minutes ago
I like Ellen but I agree she knows nothing about music,now I'm REALLY unsure if I wanna watch Idol next yr :( I miss Paula!

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Ellen DeGeneres joins 'Idol' as fourth judge

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has joined "American Idol" as the show's fourth judge, replacing Paula Abdul.
DeGeneres will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi on the show's upcoming ninth season.
“I’m thrilled to be the new judge on 'American Idol,'” DeGeneres said in a statement. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”
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Didn't see that one coming.

The Alternative Consumer

2009-09-09T17:21:00.001-07:00

Solar Roadways gets DOT grant

by rd @ 3:30 pm post a comment »

Will our future highways be paved with solar gold? Solar Roadways, a small Idaho start-up, just got a $100,000 grant to produce a prototype for its Solar Road Panel, a system of solar panels that could one-day turn roadways and parking lots into energy generating power sources. The panels could contain embedded lighting systems for lines and signage, sensors to warn of animals or objects in the road, heaters to melt snow and ice and enough potential energy production to make a major contribution to the power grid. Great idea. We’ll see…

tag it | digg it | reddit | http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/09/09/solar-roadways-gets-dot-grant/">email this | trackback | link to this post

via alternativeconsumer.com

The McAllister Code is available in ebook today

2009-09-09T16:11:00.001-07:00

via themcallistercode.com

In August of 2005, Steve McAllister received an email containing a press release which stated that his book, The McAllister Code, had been picked up for publication by Pelican Bay Books.

Apparently, the book was about aliens who got stranded in Sarasota during a hurricane and liked the place so much that they decided to stay and create it into marketing mecca. Unfortunately, Steve hadn’t ever heard of the book much less written it. Furthermore, Pelican Bay Books or Gulf Gate Public Relations, the company responsible for the press release, didn’t exist either.

Though he attempted to dismiss the email as a hoax, Steve couldn’t get past the fact that it was a rather intriguing idea. After reaching dead ends trying to contact the supposed public relations firm by phone and email, he followed the given address of the firm to find that it was the home to a rehabilitation counseling center. Realizing that his own addictions had sabotaged his own aspirations numerous times, the author knew that it was more than just coincidence.

While the idea swirled around in his head during the following years, Steve worked as a Psychiatric Technician in a local behavioral center and researched the tenets of marketing as well as the evolution of consciousness. Steve realized that marketing wasn’t just letting others know about one’s business in order to increase profitability, but also growing as a person to increase one’s service to the community.

Utilizing the tenets of over a dozen different ideologies including Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the Buddhist Eightfold Path to Righteousness, David Hawkins’ Stages of Consciousness, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits, the Four Elements, the Bible, and more, Steve developed an outline that would serve as the Code by which he would write the book that had been mysteriously attributed to him.

Order your copy at the introductory rate of 50% off the regular price of $3.99. The entire adventure for only $1.99!

Go to http://www.themcallistercode.com/books/the-mcallister-code/# to get your copy now!

Worldchanging: Bright Green: Radical Collaboration

2009-09-09T15:57:00.001-07:00

There are more than 55,000 environmental nonprofit organizations registered in the U.S. today, and many more green businesses, all competing for the support of responsible consumers. At a recent event in San Francisco, a trio of green business owners suggested that this type of traditional competition may not be the most effective way to make large-scale change. They instead proposed a new model: radical collaboration.

The phrase ‘radical collaboration’ has been used to describe a variety of phenomena, from participation in Wikipedia and similar ventures to cross-disciplinary cooperation in academics. In business, it means creating alliances between a group of former competitors to solve problems together. The concept has been used by corporations: for example, when IBM was losing money on semiconductor chips in 2003, it made the decision to open its research to a network of competitors, and began a new, successful method of innovation that has now been expanded to other departments. Now some argue that the same type of innovation should be applied to the sustainability movement.

Two of the presenters in San Francisco, GenGreen and 3rdWhale are in the business of mobile green business directories. "They were our biggest competitor," 3rdWhale CEO Boyd Cohen says of GenGreen. 3rdWhale was an expert in mobile technology, while GenGreen had a large, successful database -- and both were scrambling to build iPhone apps and more. Ultimately, after meeting at a LOHAS conference earlier this year, the two rivals decided to work together and leverage their complementary strengths. They have also since partnered with Creative Citizen, an online community listing solutions for sustainable living. The three partners were so pleased with the results, they are now recommending similar collaborations for other business owners.

"Every single one of us has been working as hard as we can," says Creative Citizen CEO Scott Badenoch of the green movement. But he points out that the problem is more urgent than ever, and argues that the movement needs to work smarter, rather than harder. For him, the answer is radical collaboration and something he calls "sharesourcing"-- sharing the core competencies of one business with another, so that each ends up with more resources.

There are many more examples of radical collaboration as a trend. In May, we wrote about a collaborative project called Green Xchange, which allows companies like Nike and Best Buy to share sustainability research to speed innovation. Another innovative business, The Hub promotes collaboration by offering a space for people working on the world's challenges to come together and share ideas, resources, experience, and connections. The Hub has about twenty locations around the world, including a new U.S. space in Berkeley's Brower Center.

Sustainable development expert Hunter Lovins lists Walmart's new sustainability policies -- and the effect they'll have across manufacturing, as another example of radical collaboration. She argues that collaboration is necessary.

"If we don't act, and act immediately," Lovins says, "we will lose the opportunity to avoid runaway climate change. Whatever individual successes we might have... we are not getting the job done. If you look at historic transitions, they take too long, given the amount of time we have."

In traditional economic theory, competition is an important driver of innovation. But it can also cause duplication of efforts -- 3rdWhale was spending serious resources trying to re-create GenGreen's database, for example, before they decided to partner. And it's possible that reinventing the wheel will take more time than we have.

Adele Peters holds a Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden.

Image credit: thegoldguys.blogspot.com/ Creative Commons license

via worldchanging.com

Enabling wind, sun to be our main power supplies | Grist

2009-09-09T14:14:00.001-07:00

Quest for Storage -- "Holy Grail" of New Energy Economy -- Nears Goal

Enabling wind, sun to be our main power supplies 5

Posted 11:23 PM on 31 Aug 2009
by Craig Severance

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As the world meets this December to set plans to halt global warming, it is expected America and other industrial nations will commit to a daunting task: reduce CO2 emissions 80% by 2050. In just 40 years, a complete revolution in how we use and supply our power must happen, or the world will face catastrophic effects of runaway climate changes.

As a new power plant typically lasts 40-50 years, many scientists are now arguing we must simply stop building new power systems that use significant amounts of fossil fuels. They argue we must move to a high reliance on the wind and the sun for our electricity.

Abundant Power. The U.S. has enormous wind resources, capable of generating over 20% of U.S. electricity from wind by 2030 (PDF), according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The sunlight falling on our deserts, parking lots, and rooftops has even more power—enough to supply 69% of U.S. electricity by 2050 according to published studies.

Other renewable power sources—such as geothermal energy, municipal waste-to-energy, and biomass—will also play a role, but they pale in size compared to the gargantuan resources of wind and sunlight.

How We Use Energy vs. How Nature Provides. Though nature provides all the energy we may need, there is a problem. We demand power literally “at the flick of a switch”, not just when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.

This basic fact about how we use power versus how nature supplies clean energy has caused many to discount the idea that wind or solar power can ever supply more than a small fraction of our electricity. Critics of renewable electricity call it “intermittent” and “unreliable”. They say we can’t “catch the wind”, nor can we command the sun to always shine.

These critics see two possible choices for the future. We can develop more stable supplies of renewable energy by coupling wind and solar projects with storage. Failing that, they argue we should give up on renewables as a primary source of electricity, and instead build more nuclear power.

The flaw in the nuclear path, beyond its tremendous cost, long lead times, and imported fuel, is that nuclear is not actually “dispatchable” power. Nuclear plants are designed to run all the time at fairly steady output—meaning nuclear power cannot provide the “peaking power” now provided by gas turbines. Thus, a nuclear path would still rely heavily on fossil fuel power plants to “ramp up” on a daily basis to provide the power needed during these daily swings.

A truly dispatchable system providing over 80% reductions in carbon emissions, therefore, must rely on some form of energy storage. The energy storage can allow us to fully utilize wind and sunlight as our main power sources—supplying both “base load” power and dispatchable daily peaking power with energy from these inexhaustible supplies.

Energy Storage and Today’s Grid. Despite critics, wind farms and solar photovoltaics are already feeding zero-fuel-cost power into today’s electric grid with little or no energy storage. At current levels, the fluctuations in wind and solar output are backed up by the same “load-following” and “peaker” natural gas power plants that already must handle wild fluctuations in customers’ demands for electricity. Indeed, the DOE’s “20% Wind by 2030” scenario modeled how wind could supply this very significant portion of U.S. electricity needs even with no storage of the wind power.

As long as natural gas remains cheap and acceptable to use, many argue that developing ways to store wind or solar energy may be a case of “a solution in search of a problem”. They note natural gas peaking plants are cheap to build and don’t need to operate much more than they already do, to provide firming power to renewables.

“Different sectors like to associate with wind power,’ the NY Times quoted Robert E. Gramlich, policy director at the American Wind Energy Association. “But we don’t want to give anyone the impression that storage is needed to integrate wind. Even growing 20-fold, storage isn’t needed.”

A Better Way. Though wind and solar can be integrated without storage for a long time to come, energy storage proponents argue that coupling wind or solar power with utility scale energy storage is a “Better Way”. If stored wind or solar energy instead of natural gas plants can be used to generate power when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining, less natural gas will be burned to provide dispatchable power.

Though storage will cost money, burning less natural gas will save money on fuel costs. Also, there are now times when excess wind farm kWh’s have been sold onto the grid at extremely low prices or even given away, because they occurred in the middle of the night when there was very low demand for power. Storing that wind energy, for sale of kWh’s the next day when prices are higher, would generate more revenue. While less dramatic, solar power production can also be shifted to higher-demand periods, from solar noon to late afternoon/early evening when utilities typically experience maximum summer peak demands.

The most important motivator, however, to find a “Better Way” is the need to achieve phenomenal reductions in CO2 emissions. While it may take until 2030 to reach a 20% contribution to the grid, what then? Going beyond this level will require dispatchable renewable power. Twenty years is within the lifetime of any new power plant built today, so storage proponents argue we should already be building to achieve minimum levels of fossil fuel use.

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). A proven technology, ready to use now, for economical storage of massive amounts of renewable power is to compress air at very high pressures, and store this compressed air in large underground caverns, depleted wells, or aquifers. When the wind turbines and solar plants reduce output, and power is needed, the compressed air is released and run through turbines to generate power:

Source: Scientific American

Because the caverns or aquifers are so large, hundreds of hours of output can be stored, providing the ability to cover very long “doldrum” wind periods or stretches of cloudy days. Most CAES turbines can also run in natural gas-only mode in the extreme event the cavern becomes fully depleted. A reliable, fully dispatchable electricity generation system is provided.

CAES has a well established track record at scale. A 280 MW plant in Hunthorf, Germany has run since 1978, and a 110 MW plant at McIntosh, Alabama has been in continuous operation since 1991.

CAES systems use gas turbines almost identical to normal natural gas peaking turbines. However, they only use about 1/3 the natural gas, because 2/3 of the natural gas energy in a regular turbine is used to compress air before it enters the turbines, and this compressed air would now be supplied by the stored air. Natural gas would still be needed to heat the air before it enters the turbines.

CO2 Reductions. While not a 100% carbon free power system, a wind or solar coupled CAES power plant system can achieve >80% reductions in fossil fuel use. A baseload CAES/wind system (designed to provide at least 85% Capacity Factor power to the grid) would typically provide half of its total power directly from the wind farm to the grid, without cycling through the CAES plant. The other half of kWh’s supplied to the grid would come from stored energy in the CAES, at about 1/3 normal fossil fuel use. Total fossil fuel use per delivered kWh would thus drop to roughly 1/6 of a normal fossil fuel plant, an over 80% reduction in CO2 output.

A carbon-free electric system is also possible, with CAES plants fitted with thermal storage. The thermal storage would store heat from compressing the air, for later use to heat the air going to the turbines. Known as “adiabatic” CAES plants, the stored thermal energy replaces the need for natural gas, causing the entire system to run on renewable power alone. Because thermal storage is costly, it is not expected CAES plants installed in the next decade will include it. However, a regular CAES plant can later be retrofitted with thermal storage, when it becomes more economical or society demands zero-carbon power.

Geological Formations Suitable for CAES. A nationwide network of CAES plants could use the same types of geological formations, and depleted gas wells, as are currently used to store most of the nation’s natural gas supplies. Wide areas of the U.S.—most notably the wind-rich central states—have these formations and depleted wells:

Source: Coha and Louks (1991)

Cost of Renewable/CAES Power Systems. Because the caverns, aquifers, and wells are already there, CAES offers very economical energy storage.

Estimates for CAES plants range from $750/kW of generating capacity up to about $1,200/kW, with the difference being primarily the number of hours of energy storage. A wind farm/CAES system (taken as a whole) capable of providing baseload capacity factors of 85% could be built for around $5,900/kW of equivalent baseload capacity, including the wind farm itself and the CAES facility. While this is far more than a natural gas plant, it is comparable to a new coal fired power plant and at least 1/3 less costly than the same capacity if added through nuclear power.

Unlike a nuclear or coal plant, the CAES plant would be fully dispatchable power, able to increase and decrease its output along with fluctuating customer demand. This flexibility is a major advantage for usefulness to the electric grid.

Total costs/kWh from this system would also be competitive. Estimates indicate that if the wind farm is built with the 30% Federal Tax Credit (still available through 2012), a total wind/CAES system could deliver baseload power to the grid at about 10.5 cents/kWh. This cost would rise to about 13.0 cents/kWh without the wind Tax Credit. (Effectively, the Tax Credit if used wisely could pay for the CAES plant to convert an intermittent wind farm into firm, dispatchable power.)

Though more expensive than kWh’s from a new baseload natural gas power plant (which would probably be about 9 cents/kWh), a wind/CAES system would be well protected from future fuel cost increases. Also, at 10.5-13.0 cents/kWh, the baseload wind/CAES system would only be about half the cost/kWh from a new nuclear power plant.

Pump Water Up and Let it Fall Back Down. Pumped hydro-electric storage is just that simple—when you want to store energy, use electricity to pump water to a high level. Then, whenever power is needed, let the water fall through hydroelectric turbines to generate power. You don’t get all your electricity back (about 22% is lost), but you get it when you need it. This enables you to accept power from renewable sources when not needed, and store it for use later.

Pumped hydro storage is the largest utility energy storage method in the world, with 20,800 MW already in use in the U.S. However, its use has slowed because of limited sites for hydroelectric power dams.

Enter Riverbank Power Corporation, with its simple idea: combine two well-established technologies into one. First, use standard deep mining techniques to create a large cavern 2,000 feet deep, under a body of water such as a river or abandoned quarry. Then, install 4 gigantic 250 MW hydroelectric turbines at the bottom of shafts, for a massive 1,000 MW power supply available on demand. When power is needed, let water fall down the shafts and generate power. When renewable power is available, pump the water back up.

Source: Riverbank Power

Riverbank Power is now actively exploring 15 sites in the U.S. and Canada, for selection of its first five 1,000 MW pumped hydro (Aquabank^TM) facilities. Wiscasset, ME is high on the list, where Riverbank has already performed successful bore hole tests of the underlying rock. The Wiscasset site is very symbolic, as it is the home of the former Maine Yankee nuclear power plant, decommissioned more than a decade ago. A boon to Riverbank Power is the site is still set up to connect directly to the transmission grid.

Costs. Because Riverbank Power has to dig out its own cavern, its cost to construct is significantly higher than a CAES plant—estimated at $2 Billion for the 1,000 MW facilities, or roughly $2,000/kW. Also, instead of dozens or hundreds of hours of storage, Riverbank plants are designed to run for 6 continuous hours before the water would need to be pumped back up. The timetable is good for hour-to-hour or minute-to-minute fluctuations but not long stretches with no wind or sun.

Riverbank is confident of its business plan, and is not asking for taxpayer or utility dollars. Its turbines use no fossil fuels, and the facility should last 100 years. The company plans to buy power at cheap prices, and sell power when it is needed more, at a higher price.

If it does that for 100 years, the Company feels it should pay for the initial $2 Billion investment many times over, while creating jobs and giving green energy developers a solid market for their power.

Batteries to Store Power When and Where Needed. While both CAES and pumped hydro storage plants hold the promise of very large scale economical storage, they both require special siting. CAES requires an available underground cavern, well, or aquifer, while pumped hydro requires a water resource. Batteries, however, can go virtually anywhere, and take almost no lead time compared to the larger projects.

Xtreme Power is a company out there today, already selling product, by identifying customers who have needs and who are willing to pay for solutions. The company has a systems approach employing modular battery packs that can be scaled to provide Mwh of power storage, together with power electronics control systems.

Xtreme Power can shift 4 hours of power to a later time, for roughly 5-10 cents/kWh. In many electricity markets, the difference in value between different times of the day can more than pay for this cost.

The company has some large scale systems going in before the end of this year, and plans to deliver at least 75 - 100 Mwh of power storage in 2010, with more that can be delivered. Most of its customers are large solar and wind developers, who are eager for a solution and ready to pay for it now.

NGK Insulators

Sodium Sulfur (NaS) Batteries. Another battery solution which is also already commercially available is sodium sulfur. Xcel Energy has a 1 MW NaS battery installation underway from NGK Insulators to store up to 7.2 Mwh (in other words, over 7 hours of power), of wind energy for use when most needed. The system will be adjacent to an 11-MW wind farm owned by Minwind Energy LLC, in Luverne, Minnesota.

Let’s Not Store These Ideas For Later. When renewable energy was still a long way off, the solution to energy storage seemed to be the unattainable “Holy Grail”. It was always to be found, yet never found.

Now, however, the answers are actually here, and they are simpler and plainer than we expected, Store air. Pump water. Use advanced batteries. Like Indiana Jones in his Last Crusade, we need to know when the true Grail is right in front of us.

As Michael Breen from Xtreme Power told me, “Let’s stop jabbering about it ... We just need more demonstration units so the industry can talk about this more intelligently.”

This is now happening. Is the Holy Grail finally found?

Comments

Craig Severance is a practicing CPA who has written and been involved on energy issues for over 30 years. He is author of "Business Risks and Costs of New Nuclear Power" (PDF) and writes at Energy Economy Online.

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amazingdrx Posted 1:51 am
01 Sep 2009

Excellent article! The focus on cost and capacity factor is really on the mark. Adding solar furnace molten salt storage and/or geothermal heating to the CAES system might eliminate most of the natural gas use. Then maybe waste stream biogas could make up most of the extra power needed.
Especially if the waste stream biogas were first used to generate electric power in a solid oxide fuel cell. The 800 degree waste heat from the 50% efficient fuel cell would then be used to heat the CAES compressed air before it enters the turbine generator.
Then of course when natural gas was needed it would also be used in the fuel cell turbine system, at many times the efficiency of the turbine system alone. Add in an HVDC national power distribution system, smart grid technology, and backup battery storage in homes and buildings, that also stores electric power from building mounted solar, and it all fits together.
And it would be much more reliable than a central generating power grid, the kind we have now that shuts down in storms, sometimes for weeks. Each home, neighborhood, local area, and region would be independent. But connected through the smart grid so power could go from where there was a surplus to where it is needed.
Could you maybe write an article on superconducting magnetic energy storage? Wisconsin Public service here in northern wisconsin has been using it on a small scale for decades. The superconduction technology used in high energy physics research provides all the necessary data to scale this technology up to local and national grid size.
Let's get the government funding flowing to do this yesterday! But employ CAES with solar furnace and compression heat storage coupled with biogas/natural gas fueled solid oxide fuel cell powerplants backing up wind/solar through a smart grid.
A good plan, the SMES R&D goes on, it can be added later on, making solar our main energy source. A 600kv HVDC power backbone acting as a kind of national battery, with large scale SMES plants along the supergrid located regionally, to make independent loops. Finally, perfect reliability without any combustion.

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BB1978 Posted 9:07 am
01 Sep 2009

I dream of the day when all my electricity needs can be met with renewables. I have always wondered why power companies don't put solar and wind solutions with battery storage in commercial buildings and residential homes. If everyone generated power and had the capacity to store it, wouldn't it go a long way to reduce our energy needs? (Yes, you could put these home in apartment buildings as well) I own a modest home under 1500 square feet, a solar/wind system with battery storage would be enough to power all my needs. I would love to put this in my home, but I can't afford it. If I had an electric car, then I could charge my car on this clean energy, and boom my carbon out put goes down dramatically. The solutions are available TODAY, we just need to have affordable choices to implement them. Frankly, a simpler system that allows everyone to generate their own power and store it would take away the need for a huge increase in new power lines and massive systems. We would still need to add large scale power systems, just not as many.

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amazingdrx Posted 11:44 am
01 Sep 2009

Yep, distributed generation & distributed storage.
This is how conservation fits in. What are the really big building electrical loads? Heating and cooling. If heating is done with solar then stored and cooling is done with ground loop fluid circulation those loads almost dissapear. And by using heat storage the sun can do water/home heating directly.
Home heat storage for the big loads and backup battery storage at home for emergencies and demand/supply offset timing. Plugin cars can also be used to offset solar supply and demand.
Gar, I think CAES with solar furnace thermal salt storage is more efficient. Maybe a secondary refrigerant powered turbine generator could still capture waste heat from the CAES solar thermal system? that would maybe boost total efficiency and cut cost per kwh of 85% capacity factor electric power. then fill the other 15% with biogas/natural gas in a solid oxide fuel cell, with the waste heat powering the CAES turbine.

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Gar Lipow Posted 11:21 am
01 Sep 2009

Three points on this:
You omitted one important storage technology - thermal storage for concentrating solar thermal electricity. Solar thermal electricity is more expensive than wind (though less expensive the solar cells) but can be stabilized by storing heat to run turbines to generate electricity on demand rather than storing electricity. And heat can be stored very efficiently so that we can back 95% to 99% of what was put into storage. Solar thermal plus thermal storage can end up being comparable in cost to wind plus electrical storage. The power generation cost is higher, but the power storage cost is lower.
Secondly, the fossil fuel use by CAES is more significant than portrayed here. It is true that CAES saves a lot compared to single cycle turbines. But it reduces natural gas use only about 10% compared to the best combined cycle generators. This is not quite a fair comparison because if we are talking about shaping and load following rather than base, then the best combined cycle turbines take too long to come on line (about 45 minutes with new models specifically designed to be brought on-line quickly). Still CAES should probably be our last choice when it comes to energy storage - unless some of the new technology comes on line that stores the heat of compression and thus recovers about 65% of power input without need for natural gas. That is definitely vaporware (heh) at the moment - nobody has built one.
That brings me to the third point. All the storage methods we can deploy a large scale today are expensive. So we should use every means at our disposal to minimize the need for storage.
1) Deploy both sun and wind, and connect renewables from diverse sources by long distance transmission to improve reliability.
2) Use geothermal and hydroelectric (two highly dispatchable forms of renewable energy that can supply small mounts of high quality electricity to shape solar and wind).
3) Use between three and sixteen hours of storage combined with this shaping to make the solar wind grid reliable.

4) for times we need more than this combined sun/wind/hydro/geothermal/storage can provide use natural gas backup - maybe in the form of CAES, probably just in the form highly efficient combined cycle turbines. Given the other means we have of providing reliablity, the natural gas will provide 5% of our grid at most, and possibily as little as 1 or 2% of all kilowatt-hours. Absent a breakthrough in storage technology, providing 16 hours or less of storage and then using natural gas to fill in will provive lower cost electricity at a best cost. (Note that the cheapest way of lowering emissions is efficiency improvement, but we are not going to lower demand to zero, so whatever electricty we continue to consume should be as emission free as possible. )

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solar greg Posted 12:52 pm
01 Sep 2009

I was wondering when someone would come up with the concept of hydro power with the use of wells. I would try to make the underground storage as deep as possible to reduce the amount of water needed. This way you could think about building a resevoir at ground level even in the desert without losing it. Then use solar thermal to power heat engines (Deluge) or other to pump all day and store heat for a steady 24 hour energy output with heat engines coupled directly to electric generators. The Hydro would take care of peaks.

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2009 Evolved Blog Awards

2009-09-09T14:09:00.001-07:00

2009 EBA’s

I’m very pleased to present the awards for the very best in Evolved Blogging for 2009.

An Evolved Blog is a blog that contributes to the collective vision of a sustainable, fashionable, and ethical lifestyle. Each of the 50 blogs on this list are an example of how citizen journalism and independent writers have transformed our ability to define society. Each blog fits the following criteria:

About lifestyle topics from a sustainable viewpoint.

Contain well-written, quality content.

Bloggers’ personalities are clearly expressed in their writings.

Are kept regularly updated.

I hope you’ll make each of these blogs a regular read to stay updated on the Green rEvolution taking place everyday online—and off.

Alternative Consumer

Who They Are: A formidable group of bloggers offering a broad range of unique, upbeat perspectives — eco news, green product reviews and useful info for busy folks looking to cultivate a greener, healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Why I Read: I love finding alternative ways to shop and Alternative Consumer consistently delights me with innovative products that I have never heard of or seen before.

Big Green Purse

Who They Are: Award-winning blog based on the bestselling book of the same name by Diane MacEachern –it features eco-lifestyle tips, shopping suggestions and promotes grassroots activism through their One in a Million campaign.

Why I Read: I believe in Diane’s vision for consumer activism 100%.

Crafting a Green World

Who They Are: Featuring everything from eco-patterns, supplies, and creators to book reviews and event/sale notices, Crafting a Green World is an excellent resource for organic, natural, and recycled crafty projects, products, media, and businesses.

Why I Read: I love crafts (even though I have little talent for them) and always find some inspiration on this blog.

DC Goodwill Fashion Blog

Who They Are: Fashionista combs through the Goodwill stores of Washington D.C. and blogs her finds (and sells some of her pieces!) For anyone who has a love of thrift shopping, this blog is pure joy.

Why I Read: The only thing better than Goodwill shopping is comparing finds with your best girlfriends (or mom or sister). This blog captures that entire feeling.

Debutante Clothing

Who They Are: A fashion blog about vintage finds, mixing vintage with modern, and runway looks that can be achieved using vintage clothing. This blogger also has an online store featuring a carefully edited collection of the most relevant and wearable vintage clothing found anywhere.

Why I Read: It is a celebration of vintage as true high fashion.

Ecco*Eco

Who They Are: Written by Abigail Doan– writer, editor, and environmental artist residing in NYC, Sofia, and rural Italy. Ecco*Eco celebrates fashion as it was intended: as artistic expression.

Why I Read: Not only is Abigail a brilliant artist with a keen eye for modern ecofashion–but she’s also a fellow twin mom!

Eco Chick

Who They Are: A group of eco lifestyle experts led by author Starre Vartan (The Eco Chick’s Guide to Life), writing on all aspect of green living for the modern woman.

Why I Read: I look up to Starre for her writing and her personal style.

Eco Fashion World

Who They Are: Comprehensive online magazine dedicated to sustainable fashion; started by four people with diverse individual background– all dedicated to embracing personal style and empowered by the possibilities of change.

Why I Read: It’s a true online fashion magazine that delivers news and information about ecofashion that you can’t find anywhere else.

Eco Salon

Who They Are: Talented writing team dedicated to answering the question, “Who do you go green without sacrificing style?” Eco Salon features sections on Fashion, Décor, Wellness, News and Lifestyle topics.

Why I Read: It’s a ‘one stop shop’ for a wide range of topics on green living.

Eco Stiletto

Who They Are: EcoStiletto.com was created by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, a writer, producer and marketing consultant who focuses on sustainable fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting. She has been featured in print and television speaking authoritatively about green living and brings the same enthusiasm and passion to her blog.

Why I Read: Sarnoff’s experience in the world of green living makes her a real authority.

ecofabulous

Who They Are: ecofabulous is your trusted friend, personal shopper, and inside source for living the well lived ‘eco’ life. The team of editors and designers research and write about the best eco-products on the market using a strict set of criteria, and work together to produce fabulous off-line experiences – whether it’s a “green” event or an interior design project.

Why I Read: Sophisticated views in an unpretentious format.

Ecorazzi

Who They Are: Founded by Michael d’Estries of Ithaca, New York and Rebecca Carter; Ecorazzi exists to help celebrities further their good messages – and to offer the general public a way to follow their favorite celebs and perhaps learn something at the same time. The blog covers environmental, humanitarian, animal rights, and vegetarian issues as they relate to those in the spotlight.

Why I Read: Celebrity Gossip + Environmental Activism = No Duh.

Elephant Journal

Who They Are: ElephantJournal.com is a guide to ‘the mindful life’: yoga, organics, sustainability, genuine spirituality, conscious consumerism, fair fashion, the contemplative arts…anything that helps you to live a good life that also happens to be good for others, and our planet.

Why I Read: A beautiful combination of environmental awareness and personal spirituality–all without being self-righteous and arrogant.

Ethical Style

Who They Are: EthicalStyle.com educates readers about the current issues in and how to create a closet that matches your personalized fashion sense as well as your conscience.

Why I Read: Flat out one of the most consistently well-written fashion blogs (green or otherwise). Every time I visit I learn something new.

Feelgood Style

Who They Are: Feelgood Style is a collaborative blog about sharing inspiration and dreaming with joy about that future. It covers fashion, beauty, lifestyle, health and travel topics.

Why I Read: While they cover many topics, they are one of my favorite “Go To” blogs for news on the green beauty industry.

Fig + Sage

Who They Are: Fig+Sage is a collaboration of two sisters who are real-life working women trying their best to stay informed and make good decisions with the knowledge, resources and funds available to them. They share a passion for the more natural things in life and have dedicated their site to pure, natural, organic products and eco-friendly finds.

Why I Read: I love their whole philosophy on green living…plus, the name “Fig + Sage” just sounds luxurious and makes me smile.

Glamology

Who They Are: Glamology.com is a green girl’s guide to natural and eco-friendly makeup, skin care, esthetics, fashion, and nutrition. Authored by Charmaine Leah, an esthetician and self-described “glamologist” who specializes in natural skin care and healthy beauty. The site features a video blog of how-to’s, product reviews, tips, and trends, as well as user message boards.

Why I Read: She walks the talk by embodying green glamour–and she’s got great tweets!

Green + Chic

Who They Are: Green and Chic blog was started as an extension of the retail organic bath and body store at Green and Chic and morphed into a journal of the personal journey into green living by site owner Carla Rose.

Why I Read: Carla honestly reviews a huge range of personal and household products. Plus, she’s really nice.

Green as a Thistle

Who They Are: Vanessa is a Toronto-based journalist at the National Post and the author of Sleeping Naked is Green. Her blog Green as a Thistle documents her efforts to go green one day at a time over an entire year.

Why I Read: It’s a pleasure to read about environmentalism from a qualified journalist. The quality of the writing on this blog is excellent.

Green Girls Global

Who They Are: An international blog about people from various different places with various different experiences, skills and interests talking about how they and people where they live are trying to live a more sustainable life. The gentlemen shouldn’t feel left out because there is a Green Guys Global which was launched in November 2007 to celebrate Green Girls Global’s first birthday.

Why I Read: Vicky is one of the first ‘green people’ I ever met online–and her blog is both fun and professional.

Green Grechen

Who They Are: A green fashion blog brought to you by Grechen of Grechen’s Closet, grechenscodes.com, and free!grechen as a place to talk about eco-fashion and anything else “green” that comes to mind. It is an essential stop for anyone who shops online!

Why I Read: I value her dedication to bringing her readers the best coverage of online shopping deals and green fashion finds. I also admire her entrepreneurship.

Green Is Sexy

Who They Are: Green Is Sexy came about when three friends realized that exchanging quips & tips on ways to make an impact on the environment was becoming daily conversation. Why sexy? Because being informed is sexy. Being responsible is sexy. Being eco-friendly is sexy. Making a difference is sexy. Green is sexy.

Why I Read: I love the simplicity of this blog. It’s a perfect online quick stop.

Green L.A. Girl

Who They Are: The personal blog of an ecoratti writer and activist featuring all the eco-happenings in the L.A. area since 2005.

Why I Read: Since I live in Austin, Texas I can vicariously live the glamorous life of the Green L.A. Girl by keeping up with this blog.

Green Lashes and Fashion

Who They Are: A showcase for the best organic and natural beauty, ethical fashion and lifestyle products available to women; all the fashion on my site is meticulously researched and includes info on where the clothing is made and the materials used.

Why I Read: She’s consistently got some of the best vintage finds I have ever seen online–ever.

Haute Nature

Who They Are: Haute*Nature is your Haute Eco Source with an eye on sustainable, stylish design. She’s been blogging the height of green style since 2006. Gorgeousness abounds!

Why I Read: The sheer volume of green living information on this blog makes it worth digging through the archives in addition to regularly reading new posts.

Heidi & Seek

Who They Are: Hayley is a 22-year-old Aussie mom and owner of ethical clothing label called Heidi and Seek. He blog is stylish and crafty at the same time (yes, it is possible!); and her enthusiasm is inspiring.

Why I Read: I admire Hayley for everything she does–and the grace with which she does it.

Hip Honest

Who They Are: The word ‘Hiphonest’ and the blog of the same name was created by Annouk Post in 2003. Searching for fashionable, honestly produced labels in the shops of New York City, Amsterdam, London and Paris made her realize that this kind of fashion, this new lifestyle that she was looking for, needed a word.

Why I Read: I love that they have taken the initiative to redefine what modern style is.

Indie Fixx

Who They Are: Jen Wallace is writes Indie Fixx, a celebration of the creativity, tenacity, and general spunky goodness that is the indie design movement. The blog features a galleria and shopping guides for those of us who shop online.

Why I Read: I. Love. Indie. Style!

Inhabitat

Who They Are: Inhabitat is devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. The blog has expanded to include coverage fashion and other lifestyle topics.

Why I Read: Sophisticated reporting on all aspects of modern style.

Jolly Green Girl

Who They Are: Founded by freelance writer and adventurer Susie Kim, Jolly Green Girl was launched in 2007 to bring stylish and light green living to the forefront. The blog is informative and intimate enough to make you want to curl up with a cup of tea and your laptop and dig in.

Why I Read: Susie’s blog makes me wish I was her BFF.

Modern Hippie Mag

Who They Are: Founded by eco-jewelry designer Jaszy McAllister, Modern Hippie Magazine is a community of like minds who share a love for all things eco-friendly, including news, fashion, tips, recipes and wellness.

Why I Read: Jaszy and her team are putting the “hip” in hippie bya bringing cool, modern vibe to to crunchy living.

Nature Mom’s Blog

Who They Are: Written by Ohio-based journalist and freelance writer, Nature Mom’s Blog is not a “mommy blog.” It is a lifestyle blog with valuable information about natural and green living as it relates to raising a family.

Why I Read: I have kids, but I don’t like mommy blogs. Nature Mom’s Blog is perfect for me.

No Impact Man

Who They Are: A blog by Colin Beavan about individual responsibility for addressing our environmental crisis, and finding a healthier, happier way of life for ourselves and our families. Beaven and his family will be the subject of an upcoming documentary also entitled No Impact Man.

Why I Read: Colin writes beautifully–sometimes tenderly– about his experiences in green living and his family life.

Organic Beauty View

Who They Are: OBV delivers a daily scoop on the latest trends, stylish brands, cool products and savvy intel from the modern side of organic & natural beauty.

Why I Read: Excellent source for up-and-coming beauty products before they hit the mainstream.

Planet Pink n’ Green

Who They Are: A global online community and lifestyle magazine dedicated to reporting on those who are engaging in new ideas, and contributing to a better, more thoughtful world.

Why I Read: Her blog and her writing voice is warm and inviting–and she’s always got worthwhile content.

Sew Green

Who They Are: Even if you’re not a seamstress yourself, an appreciation for the art is fundamental to anyone who loves fashion. Sew Green is written by a group of talented ladies who share their adventures in sustainable sewing.

Why I Read: I have Seamstress Envy.

The Accidental EcoManiac

Who They Are: A professional writer who found herself living green and uses her blog to document her transformation into an “ecomaniac.”

Why I Read: It is great to read an environmental blogger that readily admits to not being perfect.

The Crunchy Chicken

Who They Are: Deanna Duke is an irreverent, funky chick(en) who writes about all things green. She is an avid reader and book review—and an advocate eating locally, sustainable farming and for getting rid of toilet paper.

Why I Read: She’s smart and funny. And did I mention irreverent?

The Eco Diva

Who They Are: Elena Lipson is a freelance eco-lifestyle writer and consultant who blogs about her passions: green style and beauty. She writes product reviews and has lots of excellent giveaways.

Why I Read: Elena is driven to bring quality to her blog posts and product reviews.

The GIN Lady

Who They Are: The GIN Lady is an upbeat, fun and cosy online glossy under the influence of Green, Independent & Natural lifestyle brands. Regularly updated, the magazine covers: Beauty & Style; Family Life; Food & Drink; Home Turf; Out & About and Sex & Wellbeing.

Why I Read: Because it’s based in the UK, I discover new labels, designers and events that I’ve never heard of before on each visit.

The Good Human

Who They Are: The Good Human aims to be a destination that encourages people to be better humans through working to clean up the environment, being active in political issues and being more aware of one’s life and surroundings.

Why I Read: You may not always agree with David’s views, but you gotta respect his passion for improving himself and the world.

The Green Girls

Who They Are: The Green Girls is a collection of blogs, articles, videos & photos that help inspire an Eco conscious lifestyle. Founded by Apple Levy, there are several ‘green gurus’ that contribute to the fun.

Why I Read: The Green Girls is a perfect representation of West Coast Glam combined with a green initiative.

In The Loop

Who They Are: In The Loop is the web’s most dynamic source for eco fashion news and reviews, brought to you by Greenloop, one of the biggest online ecoshops. The blog covers who’s who in sustainable style as well as the latest and greatest materials in the eco fashion industry, reporting on ethical fashion trends, give style tips, and interview the hottest eco designers.

Why I Read: They are consistently on the leading edge in ecofashion news.

The Organic Beauty Expert

Who They Are: Andrea Kane is one of the most prolific beauty writers online. She started out in the beauty field in 2003 when she launched a handmade hair and body care line. Since then, she has created signature scents from essential oils, consulted with aspiring beauty lines and taught classes and workshops on greening your beauty routine. Before becoming a green beauty expert, Kane spent 10 years in journalism and broadcasting.

Why I Read: Andrea is 100% honest in her reviews (sometimes too honest!) You can trust what she says.

The Thrifty Chicks

Who They Are: Thrift Store Gurus dedicated to developing a robust repurposing market, led by the lovely and talented “Shopping GoLightly.” The Thrifty Chicks not only chronicle their thrift store victories but they are also leading the movement to have National Thrift Store Month officially recognized.

Why I Read: I’ve been an avid thrift store shopper for years; and I am in love with Shopping GoLightly and her adorable family.

The Worsted Witch

Who They Are: Jasmin Chua is a science and environmental writer, a copy editor, and a fair-trade advocate, with a bachelor’s degree in animal biology and a master of science in biomedical journalism, to boot. Her blog is about her indecorous passions for knitting, sustainability, gothic horror, and illustration, bestiaries, haunted houses, teapots, vintage doodads, fairy-tale scholarship, Shirley Jackson, steampunk, fortean phenomena, Victoriana, third-wave feminism, French Style, Tom Stoppard’s, Arcadia, zombies, King Ludwig II, and argyle (preferably knee-high) socks.

Why I Read: She’s snarky, hip, and fun to read.

Treehugger

Who They Are: TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. Partial to a modern aesthetic, their staff of 10 and 50+ writers strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.

Why I Read: One of the original Green Fashion blogs. A genuine trendsetter.

Twilight Earth

Who They Are: This blog empowers consumers with the knowledge to make informed decisions in reference to their daily lives and purchasing dollars by creating an environment of shared news, knowledge and discussion.

Why I Read: I read and follow them on Twitter for daily updates on breaking green news.

Victoria Klein

Who They Are: Victoria (used to be Everman) Klein is a former fashion model currently working as a eco-consultant, freelance writer and photographer. She’s the original Green “It” Girl and an amazingly generous personality. Her blog covers all things green—from fashion and home décor to health and wellness topics.

Why I Read: I *heart* Victoria Klein!

White Apricot

Who They Are: A website and online newsletter that is your “go to” place for the latest trends, news and information on eco fashion, organic skin care and natural cosmetics, as well as other cool eco and socially conscious products and services to incorporate into your lifestyle.

Why I Read: Everything is great…but their “Seriously?” category is a regular treat.

Do you have a suggestion for an Evolved Blog to be included in next year’s awards? Drop me a line: the_q (at) inbox (dot) com

via evolvedfashion.com

Push is on to strengthen climate bill | Grist

2009-09-09T13:57:00.001-07:00

A coalition of more than 300 organizations including faith, human rights, social justice and environmental groups will deliver letters to the local offices of U.S. senators this week calling on them to strengthen climate legislation narrowly passed by the House of Representatives in June.

The effort is part of a broader grassroots initiative that aims to demonstrate support for bold leadership in the fight to solve the climate crisis.
“We’re organizing on the ground, in communities around/throughout the country, to mobilize the everyday people who will feel climate impacts, and to defeat the entrenched, polluting special interests in Washington and pass a truly strong bill in the Senate,” says JW Randolph of Appalachian Voices, an environmental advocacy group headquartered in Boone, N.C.
Other groups involved in the initiative include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, the United Church of Christ Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility, and the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment.
The push to strengthen the legislation comes as a recent ABC-Washington Post poll found that the majority of Americans—57%—supports the changes to U.S. energy policy being put forth by Congress and the Obama administration. Another 29% oppose the proposed changes, while 14% have no opinion.
In the letter to senators [PDF], the signatories express “profound concern” about the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as the Waxman-Markey bill, which they criticize for containing massive giveaways to polluters and for failing to ensure the fastest possible transition to clean energy. The letter calls on lawmakers to ensure that the Senate version would:
* Reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to 350 parts per million, a level that scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change. ACES is based on a target concentration of 450 ppm.
* Maintain existing Clean Air Act protections against greenhouse gas pollution. ACES strips the Environmental Protection Agency of the authority to regulate such pollution.
* Minimize the use of offsets and other loopholes. ACES creates a system that would allow polluters to increase carbon emissions at one locale if they invest in projects that offset those emissions elsewhere.
* Eliminate polluter giveaways. For example, ACES currently offers generous subsidies to the coal industry in the form of funding for so-called “clean coal” research.
The effort to strengthen the climate legislation comes as polluting interests are stepping up their efforts to fight the existing bill, occasionally using tactics designed to appear grassroots but that are in fact part of a corporate-funded public-relations campaign.
For example, when a group called Energy Citizens announced earlier this month that it would be holding a series of rallies to oppose the climate legislation, the Wall Street Journal exposed the organization as an alliance funded by the American Petroleum Institute.
Also opposing the existing legislation is a new group called the Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security, or FACES of Coal, which claims to be an “alliance of people from all walks of life.” But bloggers revealed recently that the group’s website is hosted by K Street PR firm the Adfero Group—and that the people pictured on its website purporting to show average Americans who support the coal industry are in fact stock photos.
Adfero’s clients also include Koch Industries, the largest privately owned U.S. oil company whose principals are major funders of efforts to deny the reality of global warming, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is also leading efforts to fight greenhouse gas regulation.

President Obama wants to have the climate legislation passed into law before December, when he and other world leaders will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark to craft a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol. An International Day of Climate Action is planned for Oct. 24 to draw attention to the 350 ppm goal.

(This story originally appeared at Facing South.)

via grist.org

Another Way

2009-09-09T13:52:00.001-07:00

Home > Resources > Another Way

Another Way

Many people who have seen The Story of Stuff have asked what they can do to address the problems identified in the film.

Each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. As Annie says in the film, “the good thing about such an all pervasive problem is that there are so many points of intervention.” That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems we’re addressing just isn’t simple. But everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make. Here are some ideas:

10 Little and Big Things You Can Do

Power down! A great deal of the resources we use and the waste we create is in the energy we consume. Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!

Waste less. Per capita waste production in the U.S. just keeps growing. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one!

Talk to everyone about these issues. At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.

Make Your Voice Heard. Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and especially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Letters to the editor are a great way to help newspaper readers make connections they might not make without your help. Also local papers are often willing to print book and film reviews, interviews and articles by community members. Let’s get the issues we care about in the news.

DeTox your body, DeTox your home, and DeTox the Economy. Many of today’s consumer products – from children’s pajamas to lipstick – contain toxic chemical additives that simply aren’t necessary. Research online (for example, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) before you buy to be sure you’re not inadvertently introducing toxics into your home and body. Then tell your friends about toxics in consumer products. Together, ask the businesses why they’re using toxic chemicals without any warning labels. And ask your elected officials why they are permitting this practice. The European Union has adopted strong policies that require toxics to be removed from many products. So, while our electronic gadgets and cosmetics have toxics in them, people in Europe can buy the same things toxics-free. Let’s demand the same thing here. Getting the toxics out of production at the source is the best way to ensure they don’t get into any home and body.

Unplug (the TV and internet) and Plug In (the community). The average person in the U.S. watches T.V. over 4 hours a day. Four hours per day filled with messages about stuff we should buy. That is four hours a day that could be spent with family, friends and in our community. On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.

Park your car and walk…and when necessary MARCH! Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, conversion of agricultural and wildlands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising awareness about issues, mobilizing people, and sending messages to decision makers.

Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That's a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs, and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.

Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials. Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!

Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less. Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.

via storyofstuff.com

25 Things to do With Used Corks (Including Making Money With Them) - Go Green - SustainLane

2009-09-09T13:33:00.001-07:00

Sure, you can toss it in the recycling bin along with the bottle, but what if they could be reused ingeniously? Following are a few ways you can recycle your corks so they can be put to good use.
History of the Cork Tree
Yes, there really is such a thing as a cork tree. Known as the Cork Oak Tree, the bark is used for the production of corks. When properly harvested, taking the bark does not kill the tree (it regenerates in several years), which makes cork a renewable sustainable resource. The bark is harvested without machinery, and in Portugal (where over half the world’s cork oak trees reside), the cork oak tree is prohibited from being cut down.
Cork advocates will tout other environmental benefits of cork, including new technologies for the use – and reuse – of cork.
What are corks recycled into?
Used corks can be recycled and transformed into a variety of objects including:
Flooring tiles
Building insulation
Automotive gaskets
Craft materials
Soil conditioner
Sports equipment
Where can I take my corks for recycling?
Yemm & Hart Ltd is one of the better known cork recyclers; accepting donations of cork by mail to make adhesive cork tiles for flooring or other household applications. And, if you can collect and send at least 10 pounds of pure cork, they’ll even pay you for it! What a great way to make a few extra dollars…the Wise Bread way.
Korks 4 Kids is another program that recycles corks into flooring and construction materials. All of their profits go to charity, and as a charity themselves, your cost of shipping the corks is tax deductible.
Terracycle, a company that recycles any number of items including yoghurt cups and energy bar wrappers, also has a cork program. If you collect 200 or more corks, they’ll pay for your shipping costs too. This is a great company to become involved with, because in some cases depending on what you are collecting, they’ll make a donation on your behalf (example: 2 cents per item) to a non-profit organization of your choice.
And for other places around the country to drop off your corks for recycling, check out ReCork America for a list.
How can I reuse corks myself at home?
The number of ways you can reuse corks at home is limited only by your imagination. Here are some suggestions:
IN THE KITCHEN
Pour Spouts: If you have a bottle of oil or vinegar that pours overzealously, then slice a small wedge lengthwise out of a cork and jam it in the bottle neck. Now you can control your pouring!
Cleaning Knives: High-carbon knives clean up best with a dash of cleanser and a cork instead of an abrasive cleaning pad.
Knife Holder: Glue a number of corks together, side by side. Make slits in the top, and put your cork creation into your knife drawer. Store the knives blade-down in the cork slits and they will stay sharp much longer.
Mulling Spice Bags: This is a great gift with a homey touch. The cork tops it off nicely.
AROUND THE HOUSE
Baseboard: This is ingenious, inexpensive, and interesting to look at. It’s a touch labor-intensive though, and depending on the size of your room, you’ll need to drink a lot of wine (or at least have a lot of friends who drink wine) to get this project off the ground.
Floor Savers: Slice the cork into small disks and attach to the bottom of furniture, chairs, and other items that could scratch the floor. (This technique is also good on cupboard doors to prevent them from slamming).
Pin Holder: An extra cork strategically placed near your bulletin board can be a refuge for wayward pins and tacks.
Cork (bead) Curtain: String corks together end to end (and many times over) to create your own bead curtain to be hung in a doorway.
Cat toy: Drill a hole into a champagne cork and stuff it with catnip. Attach a string to the cork and taunt your cat with it!
Business Card/ Place Card Holder: This has an elegant touch at dinner parties and is an ingenious way to present a business card in an office setting.
Razor Blade Holder: If you find yourself fiddling with a razor blade for a home repair project, try making a slice into the top or side of a cork and jamming the razor blade into it. Now you have something to hold on to while you are using the blade.
Corkboard: This is a common way of reusing corks, and it looks good too.
Cork Trivet: Another common and practical way to reuse those corks.
…with a few words of wisdom for constructing the proper-sized frames for both the above items.
OUTSIDE
Fishing Bobber: Insert a piece of dowling to secure your fishing line (bobber style), then get to it. Your cork will tell you if the fishies are close.
Garden Mulch: Grind your corks up in a food processor and add to your garden bed. The cork will retain moisture and mulch your garden effectively.
CRAFTS
Stamps: This is a great one to do with the kids: carve stars, moons, letters, and other shapes into your cork top. Dab with ink, and have fun.
Christmas Decorations: With a needle and fishing line, you can string a bunch together end to end, separated perhaps by dried cranberries or other colorful additions.
Wine Cork Man: This little guy is pretty cute.
Wine Cork Angel: Great for the holiday season.
Cork Trolls: Make a whole family of these critters!
Cork wreath: I initially thought this would be tacky, but was pleasantly surprised.
Cork heart decoration: Ditto here! This is a popular design and easy to make too.
For more information on corks, the cork industry, and cork recycling, check out ReCork America.
Posted to Wise Bread by Nora Dunn
Additional photo credits: Eating Well Anywhere, Bright and Bold, Recycle Raccoon's Easy Going Green
Lynn Truong is the Managing Editor of WiseBread.com, a popular personal finance and frugal living blog. She believes that being green doesn't mean breaking the bank.

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