See 2009's top ten posts here.
Thursday, December 31
WHAT IS MORE GREEN THAN A TREE?
The County is giving away a tree to Leon County residents who live outside the city limits during its 2010 Adopt-a-Tree program.Between January and March 2010, Public Works will plant a Rusty Blackhaw anywhere between your house and any publicly or privately maintained road when you agree to water the tree three times a week for one year. A Rusty Blackhaw is a small, native tree that has a showy display of white flowers in the spring.
Tree applications are available on the Leon County website until January 31st. Click on 2010 Adopt-A-Tree Program under “Spotlights” or or from the Leon County Department of Public Works office at 2280 Miccosukee Road. More details are on the website or contact Leon County's Public Information Officer Jon D. Brown at 850.606.5300.
Tuesday, December 29
GREEN DRINKS WEDNESDAY!
Join Green Drinks on Wednesday, December 30th from 5:45 until at
Waterworks, 1133 Thomasville Road.
Waterworks, 1133 Thomasville Road.
Saturday, December 26
POST CHRISTMAS TESLA PRESENT?
Colorado is offering a $42,083 state tax rebate on the 2009 Roadster until December 31st.
If you don't want to move to Colorado, there is also the Federal tax credit for $7,500.
Details here.
If you don't want to move to Colorado, there is also the Federal tax credit for $7,500.
Details here.
Sunday, December 20
A CFL THAT LOOKS 'NORMAL'
General Electric recently announced that they are developing a light bulb that looks like an incandescent, but is actually a compact florescent.
Its exclusive new design — protected under more than a dozen U.S. patent applications — is practically identical to a standard incandescent light bulb. The GE Energy Smart CFL bulb features a spiral CFL inside the glass bulb and the electronics housed in the neck of the bulb. GE says the new bulb is Energy Star qualified.
The bulb is also intended to fit into some places where a current CFL will not. Not always pleased with the yellow glow of most CFL's, we did attempt the 'daylight' bulb that projects a clear, white light. The light was so intense, that in some places it's just too much and we traded back to the original CFL.
Saturday, December 19
GREENING YOUR GIFT WRAPPING
Better than recycling and optimal for keeping unnecessary waste out of our landfill, we explore 36 green gift wrapping ideas over at WiseBread.
Friday, December 18
IS RECYCLING THE ANSWER TO OUR HOLIDAY WASTE?
Beth over at Fake Plastic Fish says the answer is "no." She says a lot of what we recycle ends up in the landfill anyway. Read her blog post here.
Thursday, December 17
GREEN FUELED VEHICLES NEED A FEW PLUGS ALONG THE WAY
We hear: it's 'infrastructure' that's the impediment to alternatively fueled vehicles. Without a place to plug in, there's not much point in producing electric or electric hybrids in any quantity. Recently, Mayors of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland announced plans to make the Bay Area the "Plug-In Capital of the U.S."
The first charging stations went up in San Jose. Cooperating car sharing companies now combine two kinds of displacement: petroleum with electricity AND individual car ownership with shared vehicles. Oh those radical Californians!
Beginning over a year ago in St Paul, MN, Hourcar was the first to combine car sharing with energy efficient vehicles. As a part of its energy efficient fleet, this company utilizes Toyota Prius PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle) that has batteries which can be recharged by connecting a plug to an external electric power source used in conjunction with the traditional gas engine.
Carshare in California uses got a Prius conversion using resources for PHEV including the 3-Prong Power company of Berkeley, and Hymotion.
Coulomb Technologies installed three stations (one for each carshare
service and one for the city's PHEVs, but no general public spots yet). Coulomb launched its new “Fleet Management Portal” including
interactive charts that summarizes gasoline and greenhouse gases saved. While the driver is away from her vehicle, a text message can alert drivers when cars need charging' when its charging is complete or when charging is interrupted.
The City of Tallahassee's entry into recharging stations began and ended in the late 1990's when the Florida Energy Office existed, it selected a unique design of electric vehicle charging using solar energy developed at University of South Florida's College of Engineering back in 1991.
The recharging station was completed in 1996 and installed at the Public Service Commission's parking lot in Southwood in the spring of 1997. The idea was to demonstrate the possibilities of integrating electric vehicle technology with the use of a photovoltaic charging station. When power generated by the solar units is not being used, the power feeds back into the electric grid. At that time, the station could power vehicles to go an average of 180 miles per day.
Finally, twelve years later, ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations the exclusive Southeast authorized channel for ChargePoint™Networked Charging Stations also from Coulomb Technologies, announced in September they hope to expand the EV charging network throughout Florida. Two companies in Tallahassee will promote the sale and installation of the ChargePoint network to businesses, community colleges and universities, electric utilities and government agencies.
In the meantime, check out some EV's of the Tallahassee Area Electric Vehicle Association's vehicles that are searching for a plug
away from home.
Tuesday, December 8
GREEN YOUR NON-PROFIT
To be released soon, Nonprofit Guide to Going Green. More information on the Reading Table. Support your local and independent bookstores!
Monday, December 7
WHILE FLORIDA DITHERS, CALIFORNIA APPROVES SOLAR IN SPACE
While Florida's Public Service Commission attempts to regroup its commissioners and seems to have no cohesive vision for renewable energy and many in our Florida legislature want to drill baby drill, California's PSC just approved a utility contract for the nation's first space-based solar power plant.
According to a New York Times article, a 200-megawatt orbiting solar farm would convert solar energy collected in space into radio frequency waves, which would be beamed to a ground station near Fresno, Calif. The radio waves would then be transformed back into electricity and fed into the power grid.
The patented process involves a floating Mylar mirror that would collect sunlight and concentrate it onto a smaller mirror that would then focus the sun's rays onto photovoltaic modules.
This, of course, opens up all kinds of conversations about who owns the rights to sunshine and the fact that the concept would cost much more than land-based solar collectors. It would, conceivably, address the inefficiencies of present-day collectors. It seems that all the technology has yet to be worked out, but the president of the California Public Utilities Commission was quoted as saying that “it’s hard to argue with the audacity of the project.”
According to a New York Times article, a 200-megawatt orbiting solar farm would convert solar energy collected in space into radio frequency waves, which would be beamed to a ground station near Fresno, Calif. The radio waves would then be transformed back into electricity and fed into the power grid.
The patented process involves a floating Mylar mirror that would collect sunlight and concentrate it onto a smaller mirror that would then focus the sun's rays onto photovoltaic modules.
This, of course, opens up all kinds of conversations about who owns the rights to sunshine and the fact that the concept would cost much more than land-based solar collectors. It would, conceivably, address the inefficiencies of present-day collectors. It seems that all the technology has yet to be worked out, but the president of the California Public Utilities Commission was quoted as saying that “it’s hard to argue with the audacity of the project.”
Sunday, December 6
GREENING THE GROCERY - MORE THAN CANVAS BAGS
Shopping the dairy aisle in the local Publix supermarket shouldn't require an overcoat and I shared this fact with the manager. Since the aisle has open shelving, refrigerating not only the contents of the cases, but the shoppers walking by, I move as fast as I can, grabbing a tub of organic yogurt, then, I'm outta there! Not conducive to selling more product through browsing.
Publix has several stores going through the LEED certification process and has a growing list of energy-saving projects, including how to use solar power in more facilities. Four locations now have photovoltaic systems, including GreenWise stores in Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton, Miami Lakes and the company headquarters in Lakeland. However, it seems that basic energy efficiency would go a long way to reducing their energy expenses and demonstrating their commitment to its consumers.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, there are 60 U.S. stores with LEED certification, including a Whole Foods Market in Sarasota.
Publix has several stores going through the LEED certification process and has a growing list of energy-saving projects, including how to use solar power in more facilities. Four locations now have photovoltaic systems, including GreenWise stores in Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton, Miami Lakes and the company headquarters in Lakeland. However, it seems that basic energy efficiency would go a long way to reducing their energy expenses and demonstrating their commitment to its consumers.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, there are 60 U.S. stores with LEED certification, including a Whole Foods Market in Sarasota.
Saturday, December 5
FLORIDA'S FOOTBALL GOES GREEN TODAY--NO, NOT TIM TEBOW
Today, the City of Tampa is hosting the "other" football game--the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game with Clemson and Georgia Tech.
Tampa Electric (TECO) announced that the entire stadium will be powered by renewable solar and biomass energy. The company estimates that powering the ACC game with renewable energy will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100,000 pounds, the equivalent of taking 75 cars off the road for a month.
In 2008, the Florida Public Service Commission approved a one-time renewable energy purchase plan for utility customers that allows an organization such as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission to purchase renewable energy for their event on a one-time basis.
Currently TECO generates electricity to its customers through its natural gas and coal powered plants.
Tampa Electric (TECO) announced that the entire stadium will be powered by renewable solar and biomass energy. The company estimates that powering the ACC game with renewable energy will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100,000 pounds, the equivalent of taking 75 cars off the road for a month.
In 2008, the Florida Public Service Commission approved a one-time renewable energy purchase plan for utility customers that allows an organization such as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission to purchase renewable energy for their event on a one-time basis.
Currently TECO generates electricity to its customers through its natural gas and coal powered plants.
