May 2012 ~ GREEN TALLAHASSEE

Tuesday, May 29

GOOD MORNING TALLAHASSEE!

8:05 AM GT No comments

photo by Green Tallahassee

SEED BOMBING - THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT?

10:44 AM GT No comments

Pam Bowling of Backyard Farms and known as "Farmer Pam" has long been known to frequently give away little brown paper bags containing 'seed bombs,' little balls of dirt, a little compost and seeds also known as 'seed grenades.' With a smile, she encourages you to 'bomb away' wherever you think a place needs a little help with flowers or edible plants.

It's doubtful that we need an electronic intervention for this simple, low-tech way to spread vegetation, but LA is far from Tallahassee. There, a group known as Greenaid has launched this website where you can purchase seedbombs by the pound that are packaged in recycled cardboard paper towel tubes and--wooden slingshots.

You can log where your seed bomb was deployed or find optimal locations for deployment on the website map (the map interface is a little wonky).

Plus, they have vending machines that look like gum ball machines to dispense individual seed bombs. And they have an iPhone app Greenaid iOS app) that allows you to view locate Greenaid machines near you and find the best place to throw seedbombs.

Or you could just ask Farmer Pam.

FRENCH FRIES FUELING YOUR FLIGHT?

10:44 AM GT No comments

photo by Qantas

Looks like Qantas Airlines is the first airline hoping to meet the aviation industry's goal to go carbon neutral by 2020.

Qantas recently sent out its first commercial flight using biofuel (cooking oil). Qantas is also working with firms on creating alternative fuels from algae and household waste.

SHADING PARKING LOTS WITH SOLAR

11:35 AM GT 1 comment

photo by Envision Solar

Whenever I had business at a State office building, I would drive around looking for shaded parking spaces, which were invariably hard to find. All that asphalt. All that open space to the sky above all those cars.

Wouldn't solar paneled 'carports' be logical? Government buildings, WalMart, etc. how about it?

The White House recently recognized Zam Energy as a "Champions of Change" for renewable energy for its design of "solar trees" -- canopy-like arrays of solar panels on 9-foot columns that can swivel, twist and collect the sun’s energy. Those solar trees, in turn, would help supply electricity for buildings and provide charging stations for electric vehicles.

The company's founder, Erin Geegan, said that when she looks at a parking lot, she envisions a place to generate electricity and help protect the environment -- while saving money by reducing electricity costs.

Zam Energy, Geegan’s year-old Boulder, Colorado-based company, aims to help building owners turn their parking lots into renewable energy power plants. See more on this project here.