photo by Cameron Davidson, professional photographer, of this solar car owned by The Granary Restaurant in Orange Park near Jacksonville.Sunday, December 30
Extreme Solar Car
photo by Cameron Davidson, professional photographer, of this solar car owned by The Granary Restaurant in Orange Park near Jacksonville.
Saturday, December 29
CONSERVATION - AT ITS SIMPLEST
There is a website exclusively devoted to one of my main word processing pet peeves: Change the Margins points out how simply changing the Word default settings from 1.25 inches to .75 can save enough trees to fill the state of Rhode Island. [who does the math on these things??]
Sometmes life really is that simple.
Sometmes life really is that simple.
Solar Now, Not Later
"there is no iPod of solar"
I love this quote from Good Clean Tech's article on practical solar and 12 things you should know about home solar. I think a lot of us are guilty of this mind set, that if we just wait "a little longer" there will be a newer, cooler, smaller, more efficient, less costly type of solar panels for our houses and businesses. As the article points out, today's products will have a typical life of 25 years and the sooner we go solar, the sooner we'll start reducing our utility bill 
and carbon footprint. And, yes, in 25 years, the technology will have changed more dramatically than we can imagine.
Although most of the points are pretty much common sense (solar panels should be facing south and it's shade, not clouds that are the enemy of solar), it's a good read for starters.
For more detail, take a look at the recently updated Some Observations on Photovoltaic Cells by Oliver Seely
and carbon footprint. And, yes, in 25 years, the technology will have changed more dramatically than we can imagine.Although most of the points are pretty much common sense (solar panels should be facing south and it's shade, not clouds that are the enemy of solar), it's a good read for starters.
For more detail, take a look at the recently updated Some Observations on Photovoltaic Cells by Oliver Seely
Wednesday, December 26
Friday, December 21
Leon County's Air Worse Than National Average?
Scorecard, the pollution information site rates air and water quality and has a tool that can compare different communities.
Leon County rates well in low rates of toxic releases into the environment; toxic release into the water; toxic release to land and fairly well in toxic release from farm animals. However, our County rates poorly in cancer risk from outdoor air. Duval County is worst in this category of those compared.
Compare this and other factors such as lead hazards at the scorecard site.
Leon County rates well in low rates of toxic releases into the environment; toxic release into the water; toxic release to land and fairly well in toxic release from farm animals. However, our County rates poorly in cancer risk from outdoor air. Duval County is worst in this category of those compared.
Compare this and other factors such as lead hazards at the scorecard site.
Wednesday, December 19
Nanosolar
A friend of mine, who used to live in Tallahassee, has been following the progress of the Nanosolar company and eagerly E-mailed me today to let me know they had finally launched their product.
Nonosolar is located in California and produces the first thin-film solar cell within a commercial panel. They call it "the world's lowest-cost solar panel," selling for as little as 99 cents per watt. More on their blog,
including information about the second panel which is for sale on eBay and a rather strange photoshopped picture of the company's CEO, Martin Roscheisen.
Nonosolar is located in California and produces the first thin-film solar cell within a commercial panel. They call it "the world's lowest-cost solar panel," selling for as little as 99 cents per watt. More on their blog,
including information about the second panel which is for sale on eBay and a rather strange photoshopped picture of the company's CEO, Martin Roscheisen.
Energy Bill is Signed by the President, Now Go Back to Sleep
The energy bill has been signed into law by the President. It increases automobile fuel economy to 35 mpg by 2020 and increases biofuel production to 360 billion gallons by 2022. Stricter energy efficiency requirements for household appliances and government buildings are included along with phasing our incandescent light bulbs in ten years.
Given where this bill could have taken the US, there's little to get excited about except for the fact that the bill wasn't vetoed and there is always next year.
Given where this bill could have taken the US, there's little to get excited about except for the fact that the bill wasn't vetoed and there is always next year.
Katie Couric Catches Up to Green Tallahassee
Tonight on the CBS Evening News, Katie Couric ended with comments on the biodeisel speedboat that we first covered in this Green Tallahassee blog back in September 2006!
Green Light: Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way!
One of the best quotes from the UN's Conference on Climate Change in Bali came following the unprecedented boos and hisses from the meetings audience directed at the US delegation. Kevin Conrad, Papua, New Guinea's representative is quoted as saying:
Read more at Global Developments Views from the Center: Bali: Disaster Loomed and Everyone Blinked.
If for some reason you are not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of use. Please, get out of the way.
Read more at Global Developments Views from the Center: Bali: Disaster Loomed and Everyone Blinked.
Tuesday, December 18
What Moms Already Knew - Green Schools Improve Learning
There are 55 LEED certified "green" schools in the US and, according to E-School News, more school systems nationwide are beginning to realize the benefits of going green. Although, Leon County Schools have undertaken recycling efforts, there is not much else planned in the near future.
The National Green School Caucus was formed by Rep. Hooley, Oregon, Rep. McCaul, Texas and Rep. Matheson of Utah to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools. Currently no Florida members of the US House of Representatives are members of the Caucus.
Currently 24 projects in (mostly south) Florida are certified or registered to be considered for LEED certification (under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green rating. None are in Tallahassee.
Schools are beginning to see a return on their initial investments through reductions in monthly energy costs. Another important side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive and comfortable learning environments. Examples include things that we Moms already know: daylight improves performance, good indoor air quality improves health, acoustics increases learning potential, mold prevention decreases asthma incidence and comfortable indoor temperatures increase student's overall satisfaction.
The LEED certification for schools, also considers joint-use agreements that allow other groups to use the facility and also has stricter requirements for features such as minimum acoustic standards.
Features of green schools include windows and skylights that admit daylight, materials that are chosen using life-cycle analysis, rather than making purchase price the leading criteria in a bid.
One of the benefits to green building is to match the environment with the type of energy efficient design. For example, the school district in Erie, Illinois, with flat terrain and strong winds is utilizing a wind turbine and a tubular wind tower to provide energy to three schools. The turbine is projected to decrease the schools' consumption of purchased electrical energy by 87%.
Another example is in Montgomery County Maryland which recently passed a requirement that all newly constructed public buildings obtain LEED certification. One elementary school in this county recently received a gold level of LEED certification using geothermal heating and cooling. Other green characteristics of the school include dual-flush toilets, with bathroom stall dividers made from recycled plastic.
One San Francisco School built a green playground to extend the classroom into the outdoors.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association points out that although initial costs might be more expensive, green schools are less expensive to run and last longer.
For more information on green schools, go to Build Green Schools.
The National Green School Caucus was formed by Rep. Hooley, Oregon, Rep. McCaul, Texas and Rep. Matheson of Utah to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools. Currently no Florida members of the US House of Representatives are members of the Caucus.
Currently 24 projects in (mostly south) Florida are certified or registered to be considered for LEED certification (under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green rating. None are in Tallahassee.
Schools are beginning to see a return on their initial investments through reductions in monthly energy costs. Another important side benefit has been a boost in student achievement resulting from more healthy, productive and comfortable learning environments. Examples include things that we Moms already know: daylight improves performance, good indoor air quality improves health, acoustics increases learning potential, mold prevention decreases asthma incidence and comfortable indoor temperatures increase student's overall satisfaction.
The LEED certification for schools, also considers joint-use agreements that allow other groups to use the facility and also has stricter requirements for features such as minimum acoustic standards.
Features of green schools include windows and skylights that admit daylight, materials that are chosen using life-cycle analysis, rather than making purchase price the leading criteria in a bid.
One of the benefits to green building is to match the environment with the type of energy efficient design. For example, the school district in Erie, Illinois, with flat terrain and strong winds is utilizing a wind turbine and a tubular wind tower to provide energy to three schools. The turbine is projected to decrease the schools' consumption of purchased electrical energy by 87%.
Another example is in Montgomery County Maryland which recently passed a requirement that all newly constructed public buildings obtain LEED certification. One elementary school in this county recently received a gold level of LEED certification using geothermal heating and cooling. Other green characteristics of the school include dual-flush toilets, with bathroom stall dividers made from recycled plastic.
One San Francisco School built a green playground to extend the classroom into the outdoors.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association points out that although initial costs might be more expensive, green schools are less expensive to run and last longer.
For more information on green schools, go to Build Green Schools.
Saturday, December 15
If Green is the new Black, what does that make soot?
Modern media, TV, blogs and National Public Radio have been cleverly quoting celebrities and media "watchers" saying that "green is the new black."
Speaking of black and the Crystal River Nuke Plant, I was driving the Prius rental car back to Tallahassee yesterday (Tampa to Tallahassee round trip 51.3 mpg--turning off the cruise control increased miles per gallon by almost 7 mpg). There is a large RV park directly across the entrance to the Nuclear Power Plan on US Highway 19 (bumper sticker: Pray for Me, I drive on US 19). Why would anyone want to vacation or winter across from a nuke plant?
I realize, in listening to the Capital Report on the car radio, that I needn't be too smug about reducing my carbon footprint. I'm still burning fossil fuel and spewing tiny particles of soot into the air and creating black carbon. More commonly called "soot," it's what we think of being created by coal burning furnaces and large factories, however, black carbon is also created the the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel, wood and biomass.
Before I leave the Prius mpg completely, I was amused to read this post on the Australian MG owners' forum about his VY Acclaim (Commodore) sedan meeting a Prius owner at a local gas station outside of Melbourne.
Speaking of black and the Crystal River Nuke Plant, I was driving the Prius rental car back to Tallahassee yesterday (Tampa to Tallahassee round trip 51.3 mpg--turning off the cruise control increased miles per gallon by almost 7 mpg). There is a large RV park directly across the entrance to the Nuclear Power Plan on US Highway 19 (bumper sticker: Pray for Me, I drive on US 19). Why would anyone want to vacation or winter across from a nuke plant?
I realize, in listening to the Capital Report on the car radio, that I needn't be too smug about reducing my carbon footprint. I'm still burning fossil fuel and spewing tiny particles of soot into the air and creating black carbon. More commonly called "soot," it's what we think of being created by coal burning furnaces and large factories, however, black carbon is also created the the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel, wood and biomass.
Before I leave the Prius mpg completely, I was amused to read this post on the Australian MG owners' forum about his VY Acclaim (Commodore) sedan meeting a Prius owner at a local gas station outside of Melbourne.
Friday, December 7
Green Gift for My Readers and for the Environment
While perusing some web sites for holiday gifts for the family outside Tallahassee, I pondered a gift for readers of Green Tallahassee. Below is a beautiful site where re-gifting is not only acceptable, but encouraged.
Care and Click combines beautiful design with its commitment to eliminate global warning. Each day, different photographers post a high-quality wallpaper for your computer as a free download from the web page. The images remind us of the incredible, fragile beauty of our planet.
For each download, corporate partners are donating 10 Euro-cents toward reforestation. For every 10 downloads, a tree is planted. Plus, as you know, the Euro is worth more than the US dollar. Although the site is not in English, there's just enough English words to find the "download" button. is.there
Enjoy!
Care and Click combines beautiful design with its commitment to eliminate global warning. Each day, different photographers post a high-quality wallpaper for your computer as a free download from the web page. The images remind us of the incredible, fragile beauty of our planet.
For each download, corporate partners are donating 10 Euro-cents toward reforestation. For every 10 downloads, a tree is planted. Plus, as you know, the Euro is worth more than the US dollar. Although the site is not in English, there's just enough English words to find the "download" button. is.there
Enjoy!
Monday, December 3
Coal Plants, Carbon Emissions and the Silver Bullet
Usually when the family gathers for holidays such as Thanksgiving, there's plenty of political debate and this year was no exception. One of the comments made this year was about coal plants, Tallahassee and the inevitability of new construction of coal plants.
Here's a great website regarding the 151 coal plants planned for development in the US and how green efforts undertaken by some very large corporations, states, universities and US citizens are dwarfed by the reality of the Co2 emitted by a coal plant.
For example, the Campus Climate Challenge calls for all college campuses in the US to reduce their Co2 emissions to zero. If every college campus met this challenge, the carbon emissions from four medium-sized coal-fired power plants each year would negate this entire effort.
See Architecture 2030 for why elimination of new coal plants may be the "silver bullet" and for more on rising sea levels, research and more.
Here's a great website regarding the 151 coal plants planned for development in the US and how green efforts undertaken by some very large corporations, states, universities and US citizens are dwarfed by the reality of the Co2 emitted by a coal plant.
For example, the Campus Climate Challenge calls for all college campuses in the US to reduce their Co2 emissions to zero. If every college campus met this challenge, the carbon emissions from four medium-sized coal-fired power plants each year would negate this entire effort.
See Architecture 2030 for why elimination of new coal plants may be the "silver bullet" and for more on rising sea levels, research and more.
Sunday, December 2
Green Cleaning for Your Institution
An Introductory Workshop
An Introductory Workshop
December 12th : 9:00am - 4:30pm
Sustainable Big Bend Green Living Center, Tallahassee, FL
Sustainable Big Bend Green Living Center, Tallahassee, FL
The Florida Alliance for Healthy Indoor Environments (FAHIE) has organized a day long crash course in institutional green cleaning programs. (Click here to register).
This workshop will feature presentations and discussions on:
- How to set up a green cleaning program.
- How to know which cleaners are green or healthier.
- Ways to choose effective and cost effective green cleaning products.
- Finding and using green disinfectants.
- Cleaning effectively to protect children and staff from asthma triggers and infectious disease.
- Identifying good contracting requirements for green cleaning.
- Monitoring and maintaining a green cleaning program.
Come with your questions or just to learn how green cleaning programs might work for you. Participants will have an opportunity to connect, share experiences and opportunities, and develop relationships that will support green initiatives.
Several national experts will join us to share their experiences, including:
Tolle Graham from the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and Safety will share how to improve worker health and safety through green operation and maintenance policies and practices.
Allan Wakefield, a facilities director who has developed and run the green cleaning program for a school district for over ten years, will share how to switching to green cleaners and tips for working with janitorial staff to make the program a success.
David Holley from The Ashkin Group, to discuss key elements to consider when seeking bids on green cleaning products and services, as well as collaborative purchasing agreements.
Invited: Anyone involved in with the custodial/maintenance programs or who would like to bring more information back to their school, agency or government office (ie. facilities managers, health professionals, parents, environmental advocates, institutional purchasers, from government, schools, universities, etc.).
Space is limited, so please register early.
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 7, 2007 Registration fee of $15 ($20 on-site) includes coffee and lunch.
Saturday, December 1
Reef Balls Another Alternative
My previous post on recycled carbon sparked questions about what is a reef ball?
I first read about them in Wired magazine article about alternatives for cremation remains. There are organizations such as Eternal Reefs, Inc.
that incorporate human remains into the natural marine environment to support coral and microorganism development. This is an ecologically sound way to help rebuild our dying reefs and to create habitats for
marine life. A loved one can be incorporated into a reef or a family can purchase a large artificial reef to house the entire family.
More importantly, the reef balls are part of a program is working through the Reef Ball Foundation to restore and protect natural coral and other reef systems, partially through the development of artificial reefs. The cremation remains business came later and is not the reason the Reef Balls were originally designed. Currently, there are artificial reefs off 56 countries.
I first read about them in Wired magazine article about alternatives for cremation remains. There are organizations such as Eternal Reefs, Inc.
that incorporate human remains into the natural marine environment to support coral and microorganism development. This is an ecologically sound way to help rebuild our dying reefs and to create habitats for
marine life. A loved one can be incorporated into a reef or a family can purchase a large artificial reef to house the entire family.More importantly, the reef balls are part of a program is working through the Reef Ball Foundation to restore and protect natural coral and other reef systems, partially through the development of artificial reefs. The cremation remains business came later and is not the reason the Reef Balls were originally designed. Currently, there are artificial reefs off 56 countries.
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