NABLOPOMO

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The Ultimate Recycling

While this may not appeal to everyone, I think it may be the ultimate way to recycle. A company called LifeGem will create a diamond from the carbon captured during the cremation of human remains. Carbon released during cremation is heated to produce graphite which is sent to a lab where it is synthesized into a diamond, or diamonds. A colorless diamond would cost between $3,400 and $7,000.

Although, I didn't bring this up at the family Thanksgiving gathering, this appeals to me more than being a reef ball or being blasted into space orbit.

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SUBWAY GOES GREEN

The first "Subway Eco-Store" will open in Florida. Working with the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the store will seek a LEED rating at some level, and features more efficient HVAC systems, LED interior and exterior signage and recycled-content building materials and furnishings.

Subway plans to compare performance data between this store and its other franchises and says it plans to open additional Eco-Subways.

As much as I like an occasional Subway sandwich, I keep hoping they will expand their vegetarian choices beyond iceberg lettuce. The newest addition of spinach leaves is a start, but wouldn't it be great if they offerred all organic veggies? Perhaps they could take the lead from a Florida frahchise company based in Ft. Lauderdale, Pizza Fusion, which promotes itself as "the leader in the organic restaurant sector and green business practice." They were listed in Grist Magazine as one of 15 green business founders. Maybe next time I'm in Broward County, I'll check them out.

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More Alternative Fuel State Vehicles for Florida

Just as I'm enjoying the fact that the State is developing a bid criteria for the upcoming year's State Rental Car Contract that will incorporate factors for the best possible energy efficiency and environmental performance, and just when (if I reserve early enough) I can rent a Prius from Avis for only approximately $4.00 per day more (a little more than the cost of one gallon of gas these days), one of my co-workers comes up to me and asks about hybrids.

"Don't they take a different kind of gas? We shouldn't be renting these kind of cars until we can find out what kind of fuel to put in them."

Yes, it's true, green readers, we still have a very lot of educatin' to do. . .

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114,000 Opportunities to go Green

What has 114,000, more than $1 Billion in annual commodity purchases and uses over 16 Million square feet of office space?

This is the potential for effect of the state government of Florida in impacting climate change and "leading by example," a phrase used recently by Governor Crist in announcing his commitment to energy savings at many levels within State government.

The Executive Orders, signed by Gov. Crist, initiate plans that are beginning to come on line that will reduce greenhouse gases, increase energy efficiency, pursue more renewable and alternative energy sources and ensure that all state agencies "lead by example."

For example, new state buildings will be built to meet LEED construction standards, aiming for the platinum level of (highest possible) certification. There are three buildings planned for the Department of Revenue that are in the design phase that will meet this standard. New features will include not only an individually adjustable air distribution system, but one of my very favorite solutions for Florida, permeable parking lots that will allow groundwater to run through to the ground, rather than washing water and pollutants on top of the pavement into the storm drains.

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A Fuel-Cell Car Under My Tree?

Is carbon -neutral hydrogen in the near future? And if so, can I have a fuel-cell car for Christmas?

A recent USA Today article discussed how, through Project Driveway, policiticans, policy makers, celebrities and other high-profile people will receive one of 100 fuel-cell vehicles, the Equinox by GM, to drive around in Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, DC (where there are hydrogen fueling stations). These drivers are to provide feedback about the vehicles.

Honda is also designing a hydrogen fuel-cell car that will also be distributed to about 100 consumers, but may cost up to $500 per month to lease.(!)

Water hydrolysis, a standard method for producing hydrogen, using petroleum products as the energy source is only 50 to 70 percent efficient. Since it requires energy to produce hydrogen and a lot of that energy is wasted, the production and distribution of hydrogen is not really considered a renewable source.

To offset energy costs at the refueling stations, I propose that we use hand-cranks at the pumps, working much like a hand-crank radio, or an old-fashioned hand-pump water well. Burn calories, fill your tank--

However, carbon neutral hydrogen may become a practical reality, removing one barrier from a network of hydrogen refueling stations across the US, even in places like Tallahassee.

Environmental engineering researchers at Penn State are working on microbial fuel cells to convert cellulose and other biodegradable organic materials directly into hydrogen, rather than producing ethanol. Their microbial electrolysis cell process could generate energy to fuel the hydrogen production, while still creating 144% more available energy than the electricity used to produce it.

They use acetic acid (vinegar) to convert cellulose and other biodegradable organic materials directly into hydrogen. The scientists propose that the first practical application of this project could be to mix the hydrogen with natural gas to fuel vehicles, since we already have vehicles running on natural gas.

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Time to Watch Florida's Renewable Portfolio

After the holidays, it's time to keep an eye out for the public hearing and conversations at the Public Service Commission, as they develop rules for a Renewable Portfolio Standard (as well as net metering and interconnection rules, which will likely be adopted by February 2008).

Of many important things to remember is that there are interests in Florida who are pushing aggressively to include coal and nuclear in the definition of renewable. (see previous post) If our sunshine state is to be a leader in renewable energy, we need to support the Governor's proposal without polluting additions.

More information on Florida's initiative from Vote Solar is here.

http://www.votesolar.org/state-initiatives/florida.html

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Tour City's First LEED Certified Building

I'm not sure "solid waste" and BBQ fit well together, but the unveiling of the City's first LEED certified City building are bringing them together. Small group tours of the new City of Tallahassee Solid Waste Services Building will be conducted by the building designers, the general contractor, and the building owners, all giving their own perspective on the LEED certification and the green building process.

City of Tallahassee Tour of City Solid Waste Services Building (and BBQ) 2727 Municipal Way. Tallahassee
Thursday, November 29, 6:00pm

Sponsored by the USGBC Florida Capital Region Chapter.

RSVP 850.297.0440, tickets are $10 per person (non USGBC members) or free if you just want to go on the tour If you wish to attend the tour only, please R.S.V.P. to floridacapital@chapters.usgbc.org.

An overview of the project and LEED certification process will be presented by Eve Williams, USGBC-FCRC Membership Chair.

Tour Guides:
Rolando Gutierrez, AIA, LEED AP, Architect's Perspective, a LEED Accredited Professional and a Construction Manager for this project. His personal efforts were spent on design, cost evaluation, and control, specifications writing, quality control, and guardianship of numerous LEED points in addition to observation and evaluation of the building materials and installation during the construction process, and as coordinator and first point of contact for the design team.

David Crow, LEED AP, Contractor's Perspective, responsible for researching construction materials and their components, manufacturing locations and processes. He was also responsible for all the LEED submittals during construction. He trained sub-contractors, helping them to understand their role in the LEED process and submitted all the documentation required from the contractor, for the LEED templates.

Anja DeLoach, Owner's Perspective, represented the customer, Solid Waste Services, on the green building project team and helped coordinate the reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris, was instrumental in creating and adopting a green cleaning policy for Solid Waste Services and soliciting a green janitorial service, was active in the selection process of Greenguard Certified furniture, and will be coordinating the education component of the LEED certification required activities.

Eve C. Williams, AIA, LEED AP, Project Manager's Perspective,served as project manager for the Solid Waste Services building, and was instrumental in the LEED Certification process. Eve is active in many sustainable groups and is a founding member and current Membership Chair of the USGBC Florida Capital Region Chapter.

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SOLAR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

I successfully escaped "Black Friday" shopping (yea!) without visiting any mall or major big box retailer. One exception was my foray into our local home improvement store in search of a piece of wood needed for minor furniture repair.

While there, I checked out the new assortment of LED Christmas lights, which expend significantly less energy to illuminate your front porch and/or annoy your next door neighbors. I have been unable to find any solar lights, yet, except for the standard yard decoration variety.

Thanks to Michael Bluejay, he's provided complete explanations for those so inclined about how to rewire your LED lights from AC to DC current, which then run on batteries. Evidently, this all started when Michael wired LED lights to his bike. I think he should wire his bike to generate the energy to run the lights from the rotation of his wheels, but so far, he hasn't gone there.

Phil at green options has taken the trouble to track installation of LED Christmas tree lights, estimating that the 2000 bulbs will cost about $40 a year to run eight hours a day for a year about 90% less than the watts burned by incandescent lights.

I did find some "solar" lights at Target on-line, lights that run off rechargeable batteries that are charged by a tiny solar panel, the same technology as the lawn lights.

Perhaps, I should have limited my search to "non-electric" Christmas lights, rather than solar lights. There are a wide variety of LED lights in luminaries that are battery-powered.

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Thanksgiving Past

Today, I'm thankful for many things, including my former Thanksgivings, some more successful than others. Here's an excerpt from several years ago to share with you, back before everything else. . .enjoy---

Thursday, November 28, 2002 thanksgiving log
or future reminder of why we should go to someone else's house for dinner. . .

7:15am take "fresh" turkey out of refrig. and continue to defrost-- they lied.
7:16am take phone off the hook to eliminate calls from relatives with cheery voices this early in the morning.
7:18am overflow espresso machine by filling it with water twice.
8:00am eat pecans off danish leftover from Tuesday
8:02am take allergy medicine to calm rash and coughing attack
8:30am start rice, make more espresso, turn off reunion stories on the Today show. Read in yesterday's newspaper that the first Thanksgiving was really in St. Augustine on September 8, 1565, when 800 Spanish settlers celebrated a mass of thanksgiving and invited the native Seloy tribe who occupied the site.They dined on a stew made from salted pork and garbanzo beans, laced with garlic seasoning, hard sea biscuits and red wine, of course, to be perfectly technical, Ponce de Leon gave thanksgiving for his safe voyage and landing in Florida in 1513, before the slaughter of the indigenous people began.

not us at Thanksgiving dinner

9:13am send away annoying neighborhood kid knocking on my door--shouldn't he be at his Grandma's already?
10:30am Flour everywhere, it's snowing! too bad I have to clean it up. 10:35am One of two stuffings done, turkey in the oven--late--is it too early to open the wine?
12:43pm second stuffing made. the boys have decided to take the marshmallows left over from the sweet potato casserole, stick them on a dinner fork and roast them over the candle.
2:00pm getting close, juggling multiple dishes, mashed potatoes whipped into a creamy frenzy
2:15pm mantra: don't burn the rolls, don't burn the rolls
2:25pm rolls come out of oven golden brown, yes! last two dishes into the oven, sweet potato casserole topped with the traditional marshmallows and third stuffing
2:35pm take out stuffing, turn on broiler to crisp topping on casserole to a perfect golden
2:37pm listen to Whiners (the non-onion-eating reason there are three different stuffings: we wanted oysters in OUR stuffing, you only put it in the one with onions, we wanted oysters, whine. Whine? I decide to pour glass number two
2:41pm open oven to charred marshmallow topping, smoke billows out, well, at least I didn't burn the rolls, I scrape off burned, sticky mess 3:05pm dinner is served!
3:07pm thankful for family and friends and the opportunity to cook abundant food

posted by cara- its certainly time |

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Thankful for Foods Without Pesticides

Now that we have the ability to purchase foods grown without pesticides in much greater variety and quantity, we still monitor what growers in Florida may be proposing to spray on their fields. Farmworkers in Florida continue to advocate removal of the most dangerous sprays such as methyl bromide that was sprayed on our tomatoes and strawberries to kill weeds and insects before planting.

Now comes a newer pesticide ( a fumigant) manufactured by the Japanese-based company, Arysta Life Science Corporation, since about 2002, under the brand name, MIDAS, that has been approved in several states, (including Ohio, Tennessee and Missouri) despite safety concerns raised by the farmworkers and others. MIDAS contains the active ingredient methyl iodide, which is believed to be a cancer-causing, mutating agent. (In a letter to the EPA in late September, more than 50 scientists urged the agency not to register the product, citing concerns about “cancer hazards,” and “thyroid toxicity, permanent neurological damage and fetal losses in experimental animals” exposed to the chemical.)

Arysta submitted an application for approval of its use in Florida in October. According to an article in Naples News quoting the Florida Department of Agriculture, its use is being considered, weighing its affect on "ground water (it's water soluble), the environment and human health. Following Florida's process for review, the product would be presented to the Pesticide Registration Evaluation Committee next month. Members of this Committee include scientists from the Florida Departments of Agriculture, Health and Environmental Protections. There may be public hearings.

Of note is that although the original methyl bromide was to be phased out complete not later than January 1, 2005, 50 large growers, claiming hardship, requested and received exemptions to this date from the EPA for a period of up to three years.

If you're considering one fruit to eat completely pesticide-free, strawberries might be the place to start. The Florida Strawberry Grower's Association** in Plant City has given its OK to use of MIDAS in their fields, saying it's better than methyl bromide.

**Full Disclosure---- Associate members of the Association include:

Arysta Lifesciences North America Corporation BASF Corporation Bayer Cropscience Chemical Containers Chemical Dynamics Chemtura Corporation Crop Protection Services of Florida Diamond R Fertilizer Douglass Fertilizer & Chemical, Inc. Dow Agrosciences

and more. The full list is available on the Strawberrry Grower's Association website.

The Naples News quoted Strawberry Association's Executive Director, Shawn Crocker's comment on MIDAS: "They've tested it to death."

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Make A Prius All Electric

The innovation of students at the University of Central Florida has converted a standard Toyota Prius hybrid into an all electric vehicle. Orlando's University Center for Energy and Sustainability converted a 2007 Prius to a plug-in hybrid. The car runs its factory electric motor on 20 rechargeable 12-volt batteries. Touch-screen monitors on the car's console track energy flow and battery levels.

This Prius still has its gasoline engine. It will run on its battery powered electric motor until the car reaches 35 mph, which is the posted speed limit on campus. Then, it switches to gasoline.

The team estimates that it spent about $5,000 for parts to convert the car, compared to about $15,000 for conversion do-it-yourself kits found online.
Although there are other plug-in hybrids in the US, this hybrid-hybrid might be the first one in Florida. Folks who attended FSU's Sustainability Conference in the Fall, got a chance to see this vehicle first hand.

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Carbon Netural Games

Carbonrally is a new diversion that might be fun to play with friends or neighbors during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday or use as a conversation starter when the football conversation languishes in minutiae that no one but your older brother and father-in-law either understand or care. We can't be serious all the time, can we?

There's a challenge that's easy--the current one is to inflate car tire pressure to the correct proper inflation, a good idea for everyone driving to and from grandmother's house, anyway. Savings estimated to be 29 pounds of carbon a month. Other activities include using no new grocery bags for a month, giving up bottled water, changing out incandescent light bulbs, or reducing automobile use. Things you, my dear readers are already doing.

But, it looks like a good way to start a conversation with others who may not be aware how easy it is to make a difference. Membership is small right now, around 400, so a couple of you with large teams could sweep.

Make me sustainable is a similar website with more emphasis on social networking than the team competition aspect. Think Facebook for the environment.

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Free Energy Star Clothes Dryer

The conversation on NPR recently was about homeowner and condo associations, as well as municipalities that have restrictions on hanging your laundry on a clothes line to dry. I know apartments in south Florida, where you can be fined for hanging a towel on the railing of your deck.

Consuming an estimated six percent of the nation's total electricity, there are no clothes dryers with an Energy Star rating. It seems we all need the "right to dry."

Many years ago, I remember listening to former Florida Representative Alzo Reddick, rant about the fact that no one had the right to tell his grandmother she couldn't hang her clothes in her back yard. Florida is only one of two states (the other is Hawaii) that has a state statute that prohibits restrictions against drying clothes outdoors (it also addresses solar collectors). However, it does contain a specific exception to the above mentioned railings--sorry folks, you still can't hang your stuff on "patio railings of condos or apartments," not even in Florida.

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Solar Power - Sometimes New Is Old

Late in September, when President Clinton came to Florida for photo-ops with our Governor Crist, it was a great day for good-looking, grey-haired politicians and a greater day for Florida's solar investment.

AP photo

Florida Power and Light had just announced the construction of a Florida power plant which will have an initial capacity of ten megawatts sometime in 2011. This will provide electricity for an estimated 184,000 south Florida homes. (Florida Power and Light is reported to have a 25,000 megawatt peak.)

Yes, this will reduce nearly 11 million tons of carbon dioxide over the next twenty or so years and yes, it's good that Florida Power and Light has committed to this construction.

But, the important thing, whether it's gasoline or electricity, whether it's Chevron or Florida Power and Light, is that big corporations retain the same business model whether it's oil from the ground or energy from the sun. Them: producers. Us: paying consumers.

Otherwise, everything in their universe goes out of whack. If we recycle french fry grease or nurture pond scum to fuel our vehicles or if we charge our batteries and heat our bath water from our rooftop solar array, then who will pay Chevron's CEO David J O'Reilly's $8.80M compensation package? (clarification, according to Forbes.com only $1.55M is actually salary.) Or who will pay Florida Power and Light's President, Armando Olivera's 2006 salary of $551,221 with a total compensation of over $3.1M?

The point is not CEO's salary, but the enormous, self-preservation efforts taken by corporations to maintain the status quo. This ensures that we continue to pay at the pump and receive an electric bill no matter what the generating source. A few environmental folks are struggling to reconfigure the status quo, but I feel that we consumers will continue supporting the existing business model in their absence of convenient choices to do anything else.

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8 Ways to have a No-Cost Green Thanksgiving

I've been looking at creative, meaningful ways to "green" our upcoming Thanksgiving and have seen lots of conversations on the web. We've decided to stock up on all the local veggies we can find and have pre-ordered our organic, grain-fed turkey from well within our 100 Mile Diet limit, but what else? I really didn't find much innovative, so here's my additional contribution to, not only Thanksgiving Day, but to "Black Friday" which I'll spend at home with my family instead of fighting to buy more consumer products at 6:00 AM.

1. I am not purchasing a "Thanksgiving-themed," recyclable centerpiece from a local chain crafts store. Nor am I buying a $95 organic arrangement for the table.
   
2. I am not purchasing a new table runner made from grass (or any other type of table runner for that matter).
3. I am not purchasing "eco-friendly" plates, but am using the sustainable, washable plates that I've had for more years than I've had teenagers. Nor am I buying bamboo platters.
   
4. I am not purchasing bamboo place mats. I already have some and no one every uses them.
5. I am not purchasing stemware made from recycled glass. I've been recycling the same stemware for the same number of years as in item #3.
6. I am not purchasing eco-friendly fiber napkin rings. Our cloth napkins fold nicely into rectangles. Nor am I buying hemp napkins for the same reason.
7. I am not purchasing soy candles. I don't burn the ones I have now.
8. I saved over $340 by not purchasing stuff I already have, which I will now recycle into my budget--it's a sustainability issue.
   

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Climate Change Recognized in Florida Except for One

Wednesday's third and final "Conversation on Climate Change," a Cabinet level workshop, talked about the realities of financial risks as well as opportunities related to climate change for Florida's citizens. Florida's Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink has demonstrated fresh, new leadership in a number of areas including consumer protections and promoting Florida's Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that had languished for several years under the previous administration.

Sink's commitment to climate change has most recently been demonstrated by her Washington Post editorial, written with Montona's State Auditor John Morrison, which approached the topic from a standpoint big developers and the insurance industry can relate to--money. The high cost of insurance and the real threat of more natural disasters caused or exacerbated by global warming has gained Sink even more respected listeners.

Co-sponsored by Cabinet Officers, Alex Sink and Charles Bronson, Commissioner of Agriculture, one lone cabinet member was reported in the Tallahassee Democrat as "skeptical" about the climate change debate: Attorney General Bill McCollum.

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Everybody Ought to Know Six Green Facts About Florida

• Florida is among the top 30 emitters of greenhouses gases in the world
• Florida's emissions are growing faster than the national average
• Florida ranks third after Texas and California as the states consuming the most energy
  
• Florida ranked 29th among the nation's states in its energy efficiency policies and programs in 2006 calculated based on energy-efficiency programs, building codes and other efforts. (North Dakota ranks last.)
• Almost three of four Floridians think state lawmakers should take immediate steps to combat global warming
• Florida is the first state in the US to require climate risk disclosure (CFO Alex Sink).
  

Sources: Center for Climate Strategies,George Gonzalez of the University of Miami, author of The Politics of Air Pollution, American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy (ACEEE), St. Petersburg Times News Poll.

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Green Builders

Tallahasseeee's first green subdivision is Southern Oaks. Built by Mike Rogers, 100% of the homes have been built to green building standards. Each home costs 2 - 5% more than a comparable home. Located two miles east of Capital Circle on Mahan Drive, there are nine homes sites, each on at least 1/2 acre.

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Green Communities

The good folks at the Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) have been working hard on a collaboration with the Florida Green Building Coalition and Enterprise Community Partners to form Green Communities

The Community Loan Fund in an intermediary lender in Orlando. Its focus now includes making affordable housing "green." Their philosophy is that lower cost housing and energy efficiency should not be mutually exclusive. The Florida Green Communities has resources that assist developers who are committed to building green, affordable housing. They provide grants, technical assistance and flexible low-cost financing (which includes below-market rate loans for land acquisition, pre-development and construction). They can also participate as a partner in Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects in Florida by providing competitively priced equity.

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Energy Efficient Mortgages

My friend, Marta, and her husband want to buy a home in Tallahassee. They've been renting since they got married and recently moved from an apartment to a single family home. "We're waiting until the housing market bottoms out, then we're buying," she told me. How will you know when that is?

"When the prices start going back up, that's the time to buy. We're going to get a EEM, too, then install some solar."

Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM) are loan programs that allow homeowners to make energy efficient modifications and add their cost to the mortgage at the time of purchase or refinancing. Basically any energy efficient upgrade, heating and cooling systems, duct sealing and repair, insulation, energy efficient windows, increased insulation, Energy Star appliances, would qualify.

Not so long ago, these energy efficient mortgages were marketed, not for their benefit to the environment while lowering utility costs, but so that the homebuyer could qualify for a larger loan, by calculating a lower housing cost through reduced utility bills. Now, with all the sub-prime mortgages crashing, buying more house than one needs has proven to be a risky strategy for some.

Homes must be rated for energy efficiency with a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Prepared by a trained Energy Rater, the reports rate a number of factors on a scale of 1 to 100. In addition to the energy improvements, the local climate and utility rates are calculated. The score is calculated as the house is originally, then recommends cost-effective energy upgrades, estimates their cost, their annual savings and the life of the upgrades. After the upgrades are installed, a new Rating Score is calculated, along with the estimated annual total energy costs for the exisiting home before and after upgrades.

The higher the score, the greater efficiency. Cost-effective upgrades are those that will save more money through energy savings than they cost to install. Older homes can qualify for upgrades, as well as newer homes and new construction.

Loans are available through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), up to 5% of the property value (up to $8,000), with 203k loans through FHA for rehab loans up to $5,000. The Veterans Affairs Energy Efficient Mortgage is available to qualified military personnel with a little different amounts of financial incentives.

More information is available at the US Department of Energy,the Alliance to Save Energy, US Department of Housing and Urban Development,
and the US Department of Veteran's Affairs.
See also My Energy Loan.

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Time to Rethink Biodiesel?

While it's fun to read about modifications to vehicles to use biodiesel, (see previous post) are we creating a larger environmental devastation than using fossil fuel?

A Change In the Wind reported on another reason to eliminate palm oil from our diet is the projection that 14.6 billion tons of carbon (equivalent to an entire year of global Co2 emissions) will be released from the development of palm oil for major food corporations such as Nestle, Cargill and Kraft. Indonesia has become the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide ranked after US (yes, the United States) then China.

Further, Alternative Energy Blog reported increasing evidence shows that palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia are destroying huge chunks of the rainforest in Southeast Asia through draining and burning peatland, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In Europe, palm oil is heavily subsidized and being used for biofuel, according to Wetlands International. The Netherlands announced at the end of October that it is excluding palm oil from its "green energy" subsidy support.

Biofuel Watch, an environment group in Britain, now says that "biofuels should not automatically be classed as renewable energy." There is a pretty scary NASA satellite image map of carbon monoxide emitted from over 70,000 fires across South America in September due to burning of rain forests to clear more land for planting crops for fuel. Over 250 organizations have called on the European Union to abandon targets for biofuel use in Europe. Students at University of Cali9fornia at Berkley have drafted an international petition that states oposition to the proposed $500 million dollar deal between the University and BP to promote biofuels.

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Biodiesel Hummer?

My teenage son, a new driver, comments often on my driving habits. Despite the fact that I drive a Toyota, he says my driving style would be more appropriate for someone driving--say a Hummer. "Mom, once they invent a Hummer that runs on water, I'm going to buy you one."

A fuel-efficient Hummer has already been invented, according to Clive Thompson's article in this month's Fast Company magazine on Jonathan Goodwin's motor mods on a variety of cars including Hummers, a Jeep Wagoneer for Arnold Schwarzenegger and a 1960 Lincoln Continental for Neil Young. His goal for the Lincoln is 100 miles to the gallon (for fans, I'm giving you the link to Rust Radio, playing Neil Young all weekend, every weekend.)

Goodwin, who converted a '65 Chevrolet Impala to biodiesel on MTV's Pimp My Ride, refers to the Hummer as a gas guzzling vehicle that zooms from "zero to 60 in two days." He converted the Hummer to go from zero to 60 in five seconds and get 60 miles a gallon.

More importantly, I think, is his vision of immediate solutions to automobile dependence on petroleum: diesel engines that can run on biodiesel or conventional diesel, then hybrid diesels instead of gasoline, then dual-fueled cars that run on ethanol or hydrogen or biodiesel.

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Energy Self-Sufficient Housing - The Zero House

I've been in misnamed "Tampa Bay" three times recently, and yesterday afternoon drove over to St. Petersburg Beach through "Paradise Island" with many Mcmansions built on dredged sand, perched precariously overlooking shallow seawalls, anxiously awaiting a hurricane force wind the likes of which have not been seen in this area in decades.

In the hotel the night before, I had watched a commercial for ugly pre-fab homes, now called modular housing and pondered Dwell Magazine's recent modular home competition. Housing with simple, elegant beauty. Modular could be less expensive than stick built housing and could more more energy efficient--even energy self-sufficient.

Here's one architect's concept, called "Zero House" - a 650 square foot pre-fab house that needs no utility or waste connections. It generates its own electrical power, collects and stores rainwater and processes all waste.

The two bedroom, one bath space (with an additional outdoor shower) is heated and cooled, comes on two flatbed trailers and can be erected in less than a day. Conceived by architect Scott Specht, of Specht Harpman, the estimated cost is $350,000.

Despite its Photoshop background, the house's self-sufficient quotient would clash immediately with municipal building codes requiring utility and sewer hook-ups, etc. However, it was designed to be used in remote or ecologically sensitive locations, steep slopes or even in standing water, since the building's foundation touches the ground at only four places. It has a tubular steel frame that is supposed to withstand winds of up to 140 mph. Its exterior is maintenance-free, has photovoltaic panels, solar hot water panels and can "hibernate" to conserve power.

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Urban Forest Strategy to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

An urban reforestation program to combat global warming in Tallahassee will be announced this Friday by Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell. Plants and Design Garden Interiors, Inc. (located on West Tennessee Street) and service learning students from Florida State University will launch this project, designed to increase awareness about the causes of global warming, in cooperation with the City of Tallahassee and Leon County.

Using native trees, will assist in ensuring the stability of the plantings. Urban reforesting programs in other cities have reported successful outcomes the include improving the visual appeal of the landscape, reducing water run-off, cooling the atmosphere, as well as improving overall air quality including absorbing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfuric oxide and other nasty particulate pollutants created by our automobiles and trucks.

Native large trees include, of course, the Live Oak, the Loblolly Bay, Saw Cabbage Palm and Florida Royal Palm, the Sweet Bay and Southern Magnolia. Information on the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) lists trees by size and where these trees grow naturally in Florida.

While we're leisurely planting a tree or two, let's remember that the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that Co2 emissions will rise by 57% by 2030. And that amount could be higher if China and India continue to increase automobiles on the roads and use of coal.

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Eco Rental Cars

BIO-DIESEL
Rent your eco-fiendly car next time you're in Maui, but not in Tallahassee, at least not yet.

Maui Car rentals offers the Bio Beetle, which runs entirely on biodiesel fuel. Plus, it's so cute!
Available at the Maui Airport (Kahului) and at LAX (Los Angeles). Rental cars available include the VW Beetle, Golf, Jetta, and Passat. In Maui, the Jeep is also available. Interestingly, they also offer a line of rental cars for people with chemical sensitivities.
From time to time, they also offer cars for sale that run on bio-diesel.

EV Rental Cars was the first rental company in the continental US with its entire fleet made of hybrids. They offer the Honda Civic, Toyota Prius and Toyota Highlander hybrids in Los Angeles and other California cities, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

In London? Your can rent a Prius for the same price as other vehicles at the Green Tomato Cars and get the private car-for-hire company to plant a tree on your behalf, as well. Too bad the US dollar exchange rate is so bad right now!

You can also rent an electric vehicle, at Future Vehicles in the UK, an option not found right now at the major US car rental companies. This Maranello4 car may be even cuter than the bio-Beetle!

Or, this Elettrica runs on lithium batteries and gets the drivers a free park in many parts of London.

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Green Economy for Tallahassee

The Tallahassee Democrat's editorial on Sunday spoke about encouraging a green economy. A commitment to the environment and a commitment to supporting green businesses begins with simple steps. Two that come to mind that could be instituted immediately have to do with solar power and our utility companies.

First, Talquin Electric Cooperative could adopt net metering.
Second, the City of Tallahassee could provide an alternative for businesses who install and generate power from solar so that they were not metered with a second peak demand meter when the business was not pulling power from the original meter.

Additionally: Realistic solutions to public transportation that are not based upon the same 1950's model, permeable surfaces for every commercial parking lot, recycling containers in every apartment complex in the City.

We can talk about "green corridors" while the Gaines Street area is a perfect place to create a pedestrian friendly environment for businesses that could all be green, including a food market.

Yet, it's going to take an awfully big green corridor to offset the devastation of the recent clear-cut debacle along Mahan Drive, east out to I-10 to create another shopping center (a Wal-Mart AND a Costco?) to which we all must drive because there is no walkable environment with the City's core.

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Green Rental Cars

After filling up a gas guzzling Chevrolet rental car the other day, I thought again how we were impacting our carbon footprint and how we could do a lot better by using hybrid rental vehicles. Ever since New York City mayor Bloomberg announced his five-year plan to phase in an all hybrid taxi fleet, I thought about impacts of cars in Florida. Previously, I posted here about the current state of Florida's fleet of vehicles.

Left, Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News; right, Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Avis, the company which currently holds the State of Florida contract for rental vehicles for its employees and subcontractors, announced this summer that it was adding 500 Nissan Altima Hybrids to its US fleet so that its customers could choose between the compact Toyota Prius and the full-size Nissan hybrid. Unfortunately, at this time, the Nissan Hybrids will only be available in California, Portland, Seattle and Washington, DC. The Prius rental is available in a number of large cities,(Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Philadelphia) but none in Florida. Advance reservations are required to specifically secure a hybrid by make and model, if available. While Avis boasts that more than 50 percent of vehicles in its fleet get EPA highways mileage of 28 miles or more, and they offer flex fuel cars using E-85 ethanol, it also offers its "cool car" collection including the Hummer H3.

Enterprise Rental is promoting its 50 million tree pledge: to plant 50 million trees, one million a year over the next 50 years. Their web site announces that the company has more "fuel efficient" cars on the road than any other rental car company, with 47% of its fleet averaging 28 mpg and 28% with cars averaging 32 mpg or better. Enterprise (which owns National and Alamo car rental companies) also offers Flex Fuel (E-85) vehicles, but no word on hybrids.

Just release the end of October is the Enterprise new "carbon offset" program which provides an option to its customers to pay $1.25 at the time of car rental to fund certified offset projects through TerraPass. (Customers need to "opt-in" at the time of a reservation is made at a "participating location.") Beginning in January 2008, Enterprise will match customer contributions dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $1 million.

The Hertz Company seems to have dedicated the most thought toward, not only offering fuel efficient vehicles, but also laying out the company's environment initiatives which includes donating $1 Million to the National Park Foundation and $250,000 to New York City environmental initiatives, Hertz also announced an investment in 3,400 reservable hybrid vehicles by 2008, with 100 of those hybrids added to its Manhattan rental fleet. Called the "Green Collection," it is adding the Toyota Prius as well maintaining 64% of its rental fleet with vehicles getting 28 mpg or better and 42.4% getting 34 mpg or better. [the companies do read each other's websites, right?]

Hertz also talks on its website about using recycled water in its car washes, recycling used oil and other car fluids, vapor recovery controls to reduce emissions given off during fueling, using "Zero-Toxic" cleaner, reselling or recycling its electronic equipment with a zero landfill policy, using Energy Star compliant office equipment and recycling paper in its corporate offices. Although other rental car companies may be doing some of this, Hertz seems to be the one which invested the thought and time to outline these and other initiatives at the corporate level, recognizing that there were other ways to "green" the company, not focusing solely on the rental vehicles.

Budget Rent A Car was a no show on its website for information related to an environmental platform and/or hybrid vehicles. If one really searches the web site, there is information that Budget offers Toyota Prius and the Nissan Altima Hybrid at "select locations." Note: Budget is owned by the same parent company as Avis (Avis Budget Group).

NEXT:
Eco rentals

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Energy and Climate Change Report - Tallahassee

The Phase One report of the Action Team on November 1st.

The report includes recommendations regarding Florida’s energy policy and incorporating greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies into Florida’s energy future.

Executive Order 07-128 established the Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change and charged the 21-member appointed group with creating and evaluating comprehensive actions to achieve reduction targets for greenhouse gas reductions specified in Executive Order 07-127.

This report identified 35 initial findings and 30 initial recommendations to better track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including energy efficiency and conservation targets in three sectors - power generation, transportation and state and local governments.

The report could be the basis for a far-reaching strategy for preserving Florida’s environment, economy and quality of life.

Phase Two of the action plan will focus on mitigating impacts to society, public health, the economy and the environment created by greenhouse gas emissions from new growth.
The action team will explore carbon capture and storage technologies and will coordinate a long-term public policy focused on reducing greenhouse gases in areas of economic development, university-based research and technology development, energy, environmental protection, natural resource and growth management and transportation.

On July 13, 2007, Governor Charlie Crist signed a groundbreaking set of Executive Orders during the Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. The three Executive Orders represent the Governor’s commitment to addressing global climate change, a promise to reduce Florida’s greenhouse gases, increase our energy efficiency and pursue more renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind technologies, as well as alternative energy, such as ethanol and hydrogen.

See previous post regarding the mounting attack on the Governor's Executive Order 07-127.

For more information about the action team or to view the Phase One report, visit the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The final report is due by October 1, 2008.

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Alternative Transportation

Taken on Central Avenue, downtown St. Petersburg, FL last week.

Also in St Pete: Shirts of Bamboo
and Green Mama

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Green Month

I didn't do a very good job on the first day of the month of November as the green eco blogger. I flew on a plane and drove over 379 miles, thus impacting the carbon footprint such that I should probably sit on my front porch for the rest of the week and not consume anything.

Speaking of driving, we'll be looking at rental cars and who's attempting to be green.

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