Featured News on Green Homepage
Wave power tipped as 'holy grail' for Australia
AFP, 17 May 2007 - New technology harnessing wave energy could be the "holy grail" for providing electricity and drinking water to Australia's major cities, Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane said Thursday.
The technology, developed with the help of more than 770 million dollars (636 million US) in seed funding from the government, works through fields of submerged buoys tethered to seabed pumps.
The buoys move in harmony with the motion of the passing waves, pumping pressurised seawater to shore to run turbines and pass through a desalination plant.
Get your GREEN DREAM JOB
This is not another generic “How to Write the Resume for Success” or “Sell Yourself” self-help article. I am simply going to let you in on a happenin’ Grassroots networking opportunity that has likely already sprouted up in your neck of the woods. It will have you spreading the GOOD GREEN WORD about the authenticity and the inevitable effectiveness of this unique Social gathering.
ENTER: Greendrinks / VENUE: Your local pub, Yoga Studio, or even Art Museum / SPOTLIGHT: Eco-Activists, Professionals, Students, and “HIP-pies”; such as- Green Building Consultants and Design Firms, Organic Farmers, Owners of Eco-conscious PR firms and Fair Trade Chocolate Companies, Bio-Diesel Retailers and Solar Power Engineers, students of Sustainable Economics and Urban Planning….. Your chance to get face-to-face and celebrate with people who you want to work for –or probably will work with- in the near future!
One Tuesday a Month, 6-ish p.m.: Beer and Wine are free-flowing, smiles light up the room, the food table is loaded w/ local goodies, name tags speak “open door”, and you have one mission….Drink, Eat, Shake hands, and Share your ECO-Passion with other GREENDRINKERS.
Last Tuesday I strolled into Evo, a Surf/ Skate/ Snowboard Retailer and Gallery in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. As one of the hosts of the Seattle Greendrinks that month, Evo opened up its Warehouse-size shop to about 500 Green Industry Players and wanna-be eco-activists—potentially, like yourself. Everyone there wants to connect to others that are just as excited about the Green Revolution! Thus, you’re bound to enter into the inner circles of Eco-Blissdom and fall ‘in love’ with the vibe of the social Eco-scene. Greendrinks has what it takes to keep people coming back for more- and telling their friends who have the same interest in Green about it! So, the party grows and the Dream Green job network explodes with opportunity!
Now go Network and connect with those who share your interest in re-constructing the Conventional business models to reflect this era of Green. Green is the place to be and you want a part of it not JUST because it is thriving, but because, DEEP DOWN, you know the Green Industry is making this world a better place to live for you today and for your kids in the future.—It’s only Natural to wanna be a part of that!
Interest-based Social Networking is the way you captivate the hearts and minds of your future employers, Green Industry mates, friends and neighbors. I have been to GREENDRINKS- SEATTLE four times now and I have witnessed its exponential growth and been a beneficiary of its authenticity. Authenticity is a blend of confidence, truth, influence, leadership, passion and cannot be faked. Greendrinks arose from peoples’ authentic call to others in their community for a revolution in the way we carry out our day to day activities- from the morning cup ‘o joe , to the afternoon business lunch, ending in the last bulb switched off. It all starts with caring and then sharing and this is where the job opportunity appears and my lesson is taught. –Bless, Maggie
Maggie Hoback is the leader and inspiration for the Green Living interest-based online social networking community at Colonies.com. Similar to the Greendrinks social network, yet Green.colonies.com has with a 24hrs a day meeting space, ECO- newsfeeds, membership profiling capacity, photo sharing, and more! Her interest in Green Living took off while pursuing her degree in Agribusiness. With studies focusing on Sustainable Development, Fair Trade, and Organic Agriculture, Maggie found a passion in publicizing the importance of creating a sustainable future for all lives on earth. By creating a Community space for Eco-conscious individuals and organizations to harvest their own and shared knowledge and experiences so that we become more efficient Stewards of the Earth. Join at: www.green.colonies.com , part of the Colonies.com Network. People.Passion.Purpose.
YEA!!! 44% of you that voted (total votes:16) said that You HAVE ALREADY CHANGED TO COMPACT FLOURESCENT LIGHTBULBS!!! Hey ...I'm stoked...it's a great start! This means that 7 people understand that switching out their Incandescent lightbulbs to Compact Flourescent bulbs:
- Use at least 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light, and last up to 10 times longer.
- Save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb’s lifetime
- Generate 70 percent less heat, so they’re safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.
- In addition to other quality requirements, must turn on instantly, produce no sound, and fall within a warm color range or be otherwise labeled as providing cooler color tones.
- Are available in different sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture, for indoors and outdoors.
Information sourced from ENERGY STAR :
BUT WAIT......I was shocked to see that 25% of you did not know WHAT COMPACT FLOURESCENT BULBS are. So here's the downlow on this Highly efficient and Green-'leaning' energy source.:
CFL stands for compact fluorescent lamp, and it is a small fluorescent light bulb that uses at least 2/3 less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and can be screwed into a regular light socket. Don’t let the fact that it is fluorescent turn you off! ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs must pass extensive testing to ensure they produce only the highest quality light. Qualified bulbs labeled “warm white” or “soft white” produce light like typical incandescent light bulbs. CFLs that have a cooler color (similar to bright white incandescent bulbs) are usually labeled “bright white” or “daylight” on the product packaging.
So change out a bulb....It's easy they can be found mostly anywhere from your LOCAL HARDWARE Store and perhaps even a drug store ...if you can't find them at your local ma and pop shop tell them to bring them into their inventory
If you must go elsewhere...try Home Depot, Target, or even Walmart...(yeah..they're even carrying organics now!)
THERE....don't you feel good to know that taking ECO- action can be as simple as CHANGING A LIGHTBULB!
CHEERS!,
Maggie
Green Community Leader
Nearly 1,000 diplomats from around the world are meeting in Bonn Germany this week to draft a new global treaty to control greenhouse gases to replace the Kyoto Protocal which expires in 2012. The conference began on Monday, just days after the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its third major report on global warming. Earlier this year the panel declared that the warming of the earth's climate system in unequivocal and attributable to human activities. On Friday the group of 2,000 scientists said the means and technology to prevent global warming exist but that citizens of the world and governments must quickly take action.
LISTEN TO or READ more from Democracy Now's radio show broadcast:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/09/1513200
Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 450 stations in North America. Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public access, PBS, satellite television (DISH network: Free Speech TV ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); as a "podcast," and on the internet.
While at University, I studied Agribusiness and thus made to complete courses in Crop, Dairy, and Water Sciences -to name a few. During an Organic Agriculture course, as we spoke on growing Corn for Ethanol and using veggie products for blending with Diesel or on it's own as B100 biodiesel, a rancher's son spoke up about the deficiencies matched with the demands put on production of crop-based fuels. He'd lived and worked his family farm since birth and contended that Biofuel crops create carbon dioxide pollution equalled to the carbon emissions of oil use---through crop production and harvest systems!
HHMMM...Well, the lesson I take away from his insights are aligned with my own....only....my perspective is this:
Don't rely on one source for everything...Diversify...Yeah...BioFuel is not THE answer...it's ONE of the solutions...Hydrogen and Solar are options too....we all just need to continue to keep open to new and alternative sciences, technologies, and suggestions!
Buy locally, Think Globally...purchase from your local ma and pop shops and make sure that they practice Social Responsibility.
Read what MSNBC is saying about relying solely on Biofuels:
While saying bioenergy represents an “extraordinary opportunity” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it warned that “rapid growth in liquid biofuel production will make substantial demands on the world’s land and water resources at a time when demand for both food and forest products is also rising rapidly.”
What is Green Power?
The term "green power" generally refers to electricity supplied in whole or in part from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, geothermal, hydropower, and various forms of biomass. Increasingly, electricity customers are being given electricity supply options, either as retail power markets open to competition or when their regulated utilities develop green pricing programs. More than 50% of retail customers in the United States now have an option of purchasing a green power product directly from their electricity supplier. In addition, consumers can support renewable energy development through the purchase of green energy certificates.
Why Buy Green Power?
By choosing to purchase a green power product, you can support increased development of renewable energy sources, which can reduce the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Greater reliance on renewable sources also provides economic benefits and can improve our national energy security.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's web site provides an additional discussion of the benefits of renewable energy.
How Do I Buy Green Power?
If retail electricity competition is allowed in your state, you may be able to purchase a green power product from an alternative electricity supplier. Some states have already implemented electricity competition. Check the Status of State Electric Industry Restructuring Activity ( PDF 2.1 MB) map, prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, to see if your state has passed an electricity competition law.
Even if your state is not implementing electricity market competition, you may still be able to purchase green power through your regulated utility. More than 600 regulated utilities spanning more than 30 states offer "green pricing" programs (see our map of green pricing programs). The term green pricing refers to an optional utility service that allows customers to support a greater level of utility investment in renewable energy by paying a premium on their electric bill to cover any above-market costs of acquiring renewable energy resources.
Finally, whether or not you have access to green power through your utility or a competitive electricity marketer, you can purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs). RECs (also known as green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates) represent the environmental attributes of power generated from renewable electric plants. A variety of organizations offer RECs separate from electricity service, that is, you need not switch from your current electricity supplier in order to purchase these certificates.
To find out what green power options are available in your state, please visit our Can I Buy Green Power in My State? page, where you can click on your state to view available green power products.
For more information on buying green power, see: Guide to Purchasing Green Power ( PDF 1 MB). Download Adobe Reader
Green Power Evaluation and Certification
How can you be sure that your green power purchase will benefit the environment? For more information, see our Consumer Protection page.
Green-e is a voluntary certification and verification program for wholesale, retail, and commercial electricity products, tradable renewable certificates (TRCs) and utility green pricing programs in the U.S. Green-e certifies about 100 retail and wholesale green power marketers across the country.
The Environmental Resources Trust certifies renewable energy certificates (RECs) through its EcoPower certification program. Under EcoPower certification, RECs convey only the renewable energy attributes of renewable electricity and do not convey environmental benefits.
The Power Scorecard is a web-based information tool created by a coalition of environmental groups that lets consumers compare the environmental impacts of green power and conventional power products.
Selected Green Power Customers
Businesses and other non-residential customers such as municipalities and government agencies are increasingly recognizing that green power purchasing can help meet corporate or institutional goals related to environmental improvement and sustainability. Follow the link for a list of selected non-residential green power purchasers. The U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership has additional information on organizations purchasing green power.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO GET STARTED BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL..
"America is shifting to a 'green culture,' with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility, By switching to alternative, renewable power sources, PepsiCo is proving that going green can be the choice of every generation." --said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson
Green power is produced from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. These energy sources are considered cleaner and have a superior environmental profile than conventional sources of electricity. Purchasing RECs helps drive the development of additional renewable energy capacity nationwide.
Read more about Pepsi and their conversion to 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY:
With some $30 trillion to be invested in energy production over the next 30 years, making the right low-carbon investments is one of the keys to fighting climate change. Carbon offsets help put a price on the climate change consequences of these investment decisions, and if properly structured can help move a portion of that $30 trillion investment into clean energy. While a lot of that investment will be in the developing world, some of it will be domestic. Demand for new power continues to rise in the US. It is our hope that carbon offsets can help new domestic energy be as clean as possible.
READ MORE ABOUT RECs
or search through this LIST of Reputable REC suppliers...
...here's a sample:
FOR MORE , VISIT:
post: May 3, 2007, 10:25 am
CALIFORNIA is hosting the republicans at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library....hmmm...should be interesting..."The canidates are well aware that California is going to play a significant role in determining the Republican White House nominee."
The important issues in this debate tonight will and, SHOULD BE, global warming, the environment, energy conservation....these issues are not as important in the other states where the canidates will be competing...so be sure to Check out tonights California Debate if you keen on learning about WHICH of the REPUBLICAN canidates have the ECO-EDGE!
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/
 Europe's dash for biofuels could accelerate the destruction of tropical rainforests, the European Commission admitted on Thursday. The EU's executive arm said that the 27-member bloc's decision to increase tenfold its consumption of vehicle fuel made from crops by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would increase the pressure on virgin land, especially in Asia.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
For Canadian ECO warriors...today is a sad day...David Suzuki, leading Canadian Environmentalist and founder of David Suzuki Foundation has turned down the invitation to run for B.C. Minister...
READ WHY....
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
LIVE GREEN!
If you read magazines, watch TV, surf, cook, shop....breathe......you have heard about being "GREEN".
The pages within Green.Colonies.com are meant to DIG UP the DIRT on issues involving Natural Resource Conservation, Reliable Agriculture systems, Energy Alternatives, Urban Sprawl, and of course the no longer debatable causes of Global Warming.
TRUTH: Your actions affect the earth and its inhabitants with each footprint you lay down on this planet?
TRUTH: Living Green makes your tread lighter- your ecological footprint smaller - thus the resources we depend upon daily may be conserved and made to sustain future generations!
So...if your 'down', 'hip', or 'keen' to be ECO-generous to your nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or your own kids....Take a minute to join the Green Community inside Colonies.com. Make a profile for yourself, your family or your organization, and begin sharing with others about the ECO-actions you are taking.
These pages EXIST to provide us with tools to build a BETTER FUTURE for our lives on this planet.
Summon your inner ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS by reading the "GREEN TIPS of The Day" or try adding your own "Green Footprint Blog post" to INSPIRE and motivate others to join in on the 'Green Revolution'.
You will find out just how POWERFUL Community can be as you come together on a common ground with a similiar passion in you to LIVE BETTER, more WHOLE lives.
....
New York Times Columnist Thomas L. Friedman's The Power of Green article published this week sent chills out to me tippy toes......He writes:
One thing that always struck me about the term “green” was the degree to which, for so many years, it was defined by its opponents — by the people who wanted to disparage it. And they defined it as “liberal,” “tree-hugging,” “sissy,” “girlie-man,” “unpatriotic,” “vaguely French.”
Well, I want to rename “green.” I want to rename it geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic and patriotic. I want to do that because I think that living, working, designing, manufacturing and projecting America in a green way can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century.
WATCH Friedman's Documentary:
"Green: The New Red, White and Blue," a documentary featuring Thomas L. Friedman¹s reporting on green technology, premiers on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, April 21 at 9 p.m. Description below:
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman travels the globe to unravel the tangled web of where we get our energy, and what we can do about the carbon footprint producing and consuming that energy. He visits the front lines of a revolution taking shape.
COME CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AND THE LAUNCHING OF GREEN.COLONIES.COM!
COME EARLY, THE FESTIVITIES AND GIVEAWAYS BEGIN AT 7PM SHARP! WE’LL BE HIGHLY ENTERTAINED AND ENGAGED BY THE LOCAL TALENT…INCLUDING ARTISTS, POETS, DJS AND MORE…NOT TO MENTION THE ENLIGHTENING “OXYMORON” MARTINI HOUR! FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT HILLTRIP.COM!
NEWSWEEK/ APRIL 16, 2007 The idea is to suck carbon out of the ambient air or—even more feasible—out of power plants where it's produced, and store it in the deep ocean or in depleted oil and natural-gas fields.
--Molecules of carbon dioxide stay in the atmosphere as long as 200 years; yes, carbon dioxide molecules belched out by Model Ts are still up there. As a result, "incremental reductions in CO2 emissions" as called for by the 1997 Kyoto Treaty and legislation pending in Congress "will not stabilize atmospheric CO2 levels," argues climate researcher Wallace Broecker of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of Columbia. "They only slow the rate of increase."
RADICAL HUH....Read More...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
See http://pembina.org/wind/ and read about their program convert the energy you use to power your laptop -whether at home or in your office- to WIND ENERGY.
How do they determine the energy you spend while you're using your computer? Here is an excerpt from their site! Read on!
How do we calculate the electricity use of your computer?
Laptop Computers: The average laptop computer consumes 30 watts of electricity. It is assumed that most people (80%) use their computers nine hours a day, five days a week for the year. It is also assumed that some people (20%) leave their computers on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The total energy consumed in one year is:
30 W * [(2340 hr/yr)*80% + (8736 hr/yr)*20%)] = 110 kWh/yr
The average computer is expected to last three years before it is replaced with a new model. The total energy consumed over its three-year life span is 330 kWh or 0.33 MWh.
Desktop Computers: The average desktop computer consumes 120 watts of electricity. It is assumed that most people (75%) use their computers nine hours a day, five days a week for the year. It is also assumed that some people (25%) leave their computers on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The total energy consumed in one year is:
120 W * [(2340 hr/yr)*75% + (8736 hr/yr)*25%)] = 473 kWh/yr
The average computer is expected to last three years before it is replaced with a new model. The total energy consumed over its three-year life span is 1400 kWh or 1.4 MWh.
Sources
- Power consumption for laptops and desktops from Tufts University in Boston
- Canada's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990-2002. Greenhouse Gas Division, Environment Canada, August 2004.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Green.colonies.com will be passing out Heirloom seeds in Whistler Village on Earth Day thanks to Saltspring Island Seeds!
We will also be taking donations for Carbonfund.org who is taking BIG TIME action to OFFSET the effects of global warming through excessive Carbon Emissions Control!
Calculate your ecological footprint and purchase GREEN-e Labels to insure that your money is being used to fund alternative energies...take a look out how EASY it is the Green YOUR FEET~!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hilltrip is dedicated to improve the sustainability of our mountain environment and lifestyle.
A barometer of global climate change, Mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive to changes in temperature. Many climatologists believe that mountains provide an early glimpse of what may come to pass in lowland environments.
What does Sustainability mean?
At its most basic level, sustainable means "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
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LIVE GREEN!
If you read magazines, watch TV, surf, cook, shop....breathe......you have heard about being "GREEN".
The pages within Green.Colonies.com are meant to DIG UP the DIRT on issues involving Natural Resource Conservation, Reliable Agriculture systems, Energy Alternatives, Urban Sprawl, and of course the on-going debate about Global Warming.
TRUTH: Your actions affect the earth and its inhabitants with each footprint you lay down on this planet?
TRUTH: Living Green makes your tread lighter- your ecological footprint smaller - thus the resources we depend upon daily may be conserved and made to sustain future generations!
So...if your 'down', 'hip', or 'keen' to be ECO-generous to your nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or your own kids....Take a minute to join the Green Community inside Colonies.com. Make a profile for yourself, your family or your organization, and begin sharing with others about the ECO-actions you are taking.
These pages EXIST to provide us with tools to build a BETTER FUTURE for our lives on this planet.
Summon your inner ECO-CONSCIOUSNESS by reading the "GREEN TIPS of The Day" or try adding your own "Green Footprint Blog post" to INSPIRE and motivate others to join in on the 'Green Revolution'.
You will find out just how POWERFUL Community can be as you come together on a common ground with a similiar passion in you to LIVE BETTER, more WHOLE lives.
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AL GORE may not be the answer to global warming, but he sure did shake up a whole lotta people who once were completely oblivious to the roots of its devastating effects.
While you're there.....might as well check out the Carbon Calculator that will help you determine just how to START being part of the solution and STOP being part of the problem.
....THEN... print up a copy of the 10 Simple Solutions you can easily take advantage of in your own life....and your on your way to becoming a Green Revolutionary.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Life in an apartment block or in a suburban cutout does NOT have to fit into mold and certainly CAN feed the imagination....
Check out this engaging how-to video and see for yourself how designing and building your own personal 'EDEN' environment WILL beautify your view and CREATE a natural recycling center you may easily take advantage of daily!!
Check out the co-founder of Global Exchange, Dr. Kevin Danaher, as he GOES OFF about the inherent drivers of revolutionary change brought about by the greening of industry and consumerism.
I don't know...but I would guess that we're finding out that Green FEELS good! mmmmmmmmmmmm!
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