Saturday, January 21
Friday, January 20
DISCUSSIONS OF PEAK OIL
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| photo by David Room |
Set aside a definitive chunck of time to peruse the archives.
Monday, January 9
RECYCLING TRASH INTO A--FOREST
Bottles, typewriters, surfboards and buffalo skulks are among the items gathered and assembled into unique structures by a California man featured in the video below:
SOLAR CHARGERS FOR ALL OUR ELECTRONICS?
Friday, December 23
NANO-SIZE SOLAR CELL?
This may not be the answer to extremely low cost solar, but every innovation moves us a step closer. (See video below).
Read more at Notre Dame news.
Notre Dame researchers have created a semiconductive paste, called “Sun-Believable,” which can turn surfaces its applied to into solar cells. The new material coats nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide with either cadmium sulfide or cadmium selenide, and then suspends them in a water-alcohol mixture to create a paste.
The paste can then be applied to a transparent conducting material, which creates electricity when exposed to light. The solar cell paint is cheap to produce, but it currently has a serious drawback: low efficiency. Silicon solar cells typically have 10-15% efficiency, while the material created by Kamat and his team has a 1% efficiency at best.
Read more at Notre Dame news.
Tuesday, December 20
The 21st Century Nomad blog by sociologist Nicki Lisa Cole entitled Fair Trade is Dead. Long Live the Farmer Cooperative, summarizes dramatic changes in the way we think of products with the 'fair trade' label.
Fair Trade USA (FTUSA) has changed the rules dramatically. While they will continue to market the small-scale farmer and the cooperative as the face of the brand, the base of it will be transnational corporations and large-scale plantations. So much for the little guy.
A recent New York Times article takes an in depth look at how this issue will play out in local Starbucks, Wal-Mart and food markets carrying products labled 'fair trade.'
Sunday, December 18
FLORIDA'S OFFICE OF ENERGY PROPOSES RESTORING TAX CREDITS
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says his department will finish a draft energy bill before the end of the year according to this report from an online line news article in the Current.
Putnam said in the 2012 session he wants to remove regulatory barriers related to renewable energy and that he wants to restore tax credits originally in s. 212.08, F.S., that expired in 2010.
Currently, Florida has no written energy policy. Over the summer, Senate President Mike Haridopolos joined the Governor in calling for a new state energy policy that would open the door to oil and gas drilling off Florida's coast, new nuclear power and increased investment in renewable energy.
Currently, Florida has no written energy policy. Over the summer, Senate President Mike Haridopolos joined the Governor in calling for a new state energy policy that would open the door to oil and gas drilling off Florida's coast, new nuclear power and increased investment in renewable energy.
Friday, December 16
CYCLING SAVVY CLASSES
Please visit http://cyclingsavvy.org/
Saturday, December 3
Monday, November 14
GET GREEN BEFORE THE HOLIDAY RUSH!
Disclosure: I have a box of StyrofoamTM peanuts in my garage waiting for some day to take them out to the recycling center on Apalahcee Parkway. (the same place where one can take all those non-working computer parts and peripherals--NOTE: working or semi-working computers, monitors, printers, etc. can be refurbished at the Goodwill Store 2800 West Tennessee Street).
Bring Items to Reuse or Recycle
BOOKS
GLASSES
SHOES!!!!!
PLASTIC BAGS
ALUMINUM CANS
STYROFOAMTM
There is a 5K Trash Dash that starts at 8:30 AM, the one mile Recycling Run starts at 8:00 AM. Race registration begins at 7:00 AM. T-shirts for race participants are made from recycled plastic bottles.
WHERE:
Leon County Solid Waste Facility
7550 Apalachee Parkway
Activities from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Open House
5K Trash Dash
1 Mile Recycling Run
Compost Bin/Rain Barrel sale
Free Paper Shredding
Recycling Activities
Vendor Displays
Live Music
Tours
TALLAHASSEE'S SOLAR AIRPORT
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| floridamemory.com |
Airport officials say the $155,000 system can reduce overall energy expenses by about $5,000 to $7,000 per year. The 176 solar photovoltaic panels are expected to save the airport 45,000-kilowatt hours of power and offset 36 tons of carbon emissions.
Saturday, November 12
City of Tallahassee Sustainability Target Areas
The plan is available at: Tallahassee Sustainability Action Agenda
Tallahassee residents can go to the comment page.
Sunday, November 6
CLASSES ON BEEKEEPING
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
through Monday, January 30, 2012
Leon County Extension Center
615 Paul Russell Road
Tallahassee
A series of classes is for beginners and novices. Learn the tips and tricks for successful beekeeping. Detail at Green Calendar.
through Monday, January 30, 2012
Leon County Extension Center
615 Paul Russell Road
Tallahassee
A series of classes is for beginners and novices. Learn the tips and tricks for successful beekeeping. Detail at Green Calendar.
SOLAR FOR OCCUPY TORONTO
 | Hack a small solar device to charge your phone or, if you're really ambitious, power your laptop over at Voltaic | |
| ZUMA Press |
Wednesday, October 26
BEYOND DISPOSABLE
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| The Butterfly, the Beetle, and the Bee. | Made from found objects, by Jami Joelle Nielsen |
Meals and refreshments were served using biodegradable cutlery and plates, no meat could go into the compost, some things could only go into trash. Despite our best efforts, some rolls got into the recycling instead of compost and paper napkins caused a dilemma--clean and recycled or used and trash? Many people brought their own thermal coffee mugs from home, with not a bottle of water in sight anywhere.
Discussions around reduce, reuse and recycle were everywhere those two days. One question was: What if nothing were disposable? What if we, as consumers, questioned whether anything should be acquired that did not have some kind of life beyond its original purpose? Most us have learned the statistic that each American generates four and a half pounds of waste per day, (Story of Stuff) but what does that really mean in terms of making purchasing decisions? Is it enough to recycle most of the stuff and throw the rest into the landfill?
[Leon County outsources its landfill to Jackson County, so Leon residents can now add additional transportation to the cost of throwing something away.]
Check out the Beyond Disposable article here and There is no such thing as garbage—only wasted resources.
Monday, October 17
FABRIC GAS STATION A PROTEST
from mother nature network
Sunday, October 16
NATIONAL PLUG IN DAY
Have you hugged your electric car today?
National Plug In Day, taking place today, Sunday, Oct. 16, is a nationwide observance drawing global attention to the environmental, economic and other benefits of plug-in electric vehicles through simultaneous events staged in at least twenty major cities nationwide, including one in Kissimmee, FL.
Learn more at Plug In America where you can find the plug in vehicle tracker to learn what's new and upcoming in the world of electric vehicles.
National Plug In Day, taking place today, Sunday, Oct. 16, is a nationwide observance drawing global attention to the environmental, economic and other benefits of plug-in electric vehicles through simultaneous events staged in at least twenty major cities nationwide, including one in Kissimmee, FL.
Learn more at Plug In America where you can find the plug in vehicle tracker to learn what's new and upcoming in the world of electric vehicles.
Friday, October 14
SUSTAINABLE YOU CONFERENCE - ARE YOU REGISTERED?
SUSTAINABLE YOU CONFERENCE
The City of Tallahassee, Leon County and the Collins Center's Sustainable Florida program are partnering to host the Sustainable YOU conference, October 24-25 in Tallahassee.
REGISTER HERE:
https://collinscenter.site-ym.com/?page=0SustainableFLHome
The City of Tallahassee, Leon County and the Collins Center's Sustainable Florida program are partnering to host the Sustainable YOU conference, October 24-25 in Tallahassee.
Featured Speaker: Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx
This is the sixth annual Sustainable Florida conference and promises to be a great opportunity to learn about cutting edge sustainability practices and policy:
- Sustainability professionals - from business, government, non-profits and beyond.
- Policy makers - for state, regional, and local government policy makers, elected officials and managers along with non-government organizations, non-profit advocates and associations
- Higher Education - a special track for the participants of the Educational Alliance for a Sustainable Florida (EASF) and others interested in advancing the sustainability agenda in universities and colleges.
- Grassroots 101 - For the individual consumer looking to reduce expenses, live more sustainability and exploring steps that they can take in their own lives.
REGISTER HERE:
https://collinscenter.site-ym.com/?page=0SustainableFLHome
Sunday, October 9
WHY THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT IS A GREEN ISSUE
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| Image by timparkinson |
Use this as a metaphor for what is happening at every level of our economy and no one will have to wonder any longer about an 'objective' for the national Occupy movement. Substitute the word local park with clean energy, environmental protection, conservation, access to clean water, clean air, etc.
In New York, for example, Nestle’s Juicy Juice contributed $350,000 to build playgrounds in seven state parks. In California, Coca-Cola and Stater Bros. Markets have raised about $1.9 million to support reforestation and other state park preservation efforts. Most of these efforts come with recognition—on a playground sign, on a park pass—of the corporation’s contribution.
When a California firm called Government Solutions Group brokered a $7.5 million deal since 2004, chief executive Shari Boyer told Governing that this is not philanthropy but business: “These are partnerships. The corporation has to get something out of it.”
Asked how Coke products intersect with California’s state park mission, company spokesman Bob Phillips said Coca-Cola’s support of park restoration is part of its “live positively” platform, in which “sustainability is part of everything we do, particularly in this time of cost cutting and downsizing.” Phillips rejected the idea that Coca-Cola products were not in sync with parks’ health and environmental missions, noting instead that state parks “provide opportunities to be physically active.”
For information on Occupy Tallahassee, visit their FB page: http://www.facebook.com/occupytally
Sunday, September 25
Wednesday, September 21
Monday, September 12
Sunday, August 21
KEYSTONE XL AND THE BABY BOOMERS
The last time author* and activist Ellie Whitney returned to Tallahassee, she talked about her experiences with Bill McKibben and the 350.org. She said that McKibben predicted the baby boom generation would lead the 'in the streets' actions against climate change and the inaction of the US government and policy leaders in adopting significant changes to our fossil fuel addiction.
The current protests over the construction of Keystone XL, a pipeline that would carry oil from the tar sands of northern Alberta down to the Gulf of Mexico, is being lead by this very group. In an guest editorial in The Washington Post, McKibben says that more than a thousand people have signed up to be arrested over two weeks beginning August 20th and calls it the biggest display of civil disobedience in the environmental movement in decades and one of the largest nonviolent direct actions since the World Trade Organization demonstrations in Seattle back before September 11th. He points out that the among the first 500 to sign up, most were 'born in the Truman administration, followed closely by FDR babies and Eisenhower kids.'
In addition, other protesters are gathering this week and next, including an interfaith rally against the pipeline scheduled for August 29th with a sit-in style action at the White House fence.
*Ellie Whitney co-authored Priceless Florida: Natural Ecosystems and Native Species, a book that was recently added to Green Tallahassee's reading table. Purchase through your independent bookseller here.
The current protests over the construction of Keystone XL, a pipeline that would carry oil from the tar sands of northern Alberta down to the Gulf of Mexico, is being lead by this very group. In an guest editorial in The Washington Post, McKibben says that more than a thousand people have signed up to be arrested over two weeks beginning August 20th and calls it the biggest display of civil disobedience in the environmental movement in decades and one of the largest nonviolent direct actions since the World Trade Organization demonstrations in Seattle back before September 11th. He points out that the among the first 500 to sign up, most were 'born in the Truman administration, followed closely by FDR babies and Eisenhower kids.'
In addition, other protesters are gathering this week and next, including an interfaith rally against the pipeline scheduled for August 29th with a sit-in style action at the White House fence.
*Ellie Whitney co-authored Priceless Florida: Natural Ecosystems and Native Species, a book that was recently added to Green Tallahassee's reading table. Purchase through your independent bookseller here.
Thursday, August 11
SOLAR UMBRELLAS COULD POWER YOUR LAPTOP WHILE SIPPING A LATTE
In places that are already using things like outdoor umbrellas, this thin film application makes perfect sense. How about Starbucks and other places that provide free WiFi outfitting their umbrellas with outdoor charging stations powered by solar? A company in Orlando, Sky Shades may be on to something.
Wednesday, August 10
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| photo by coolearth.com |
This company will join Innovation Park's other new tenants, SolarSink, a company that plans to develop of a heat sink system that captures and recycles heat energy, as a part of a solar power generation system and the much promoted manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells, Bing Energy, Inc.
