http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/ make a difference. measure it here. en jay@energyrace.com Copyright 2008 2008-06-23T22:29:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/livecoolerorg_selected_as_carbon_offset_solution_for_massachusetts_dnc_dele/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/livecoolerorg_selected_as_carbon_offset_solution_for_massachusetts_dnc_dele/#When:22:29:00Z Massachusetts State Party leaders endorse use of charitable offsets for Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Cite local energy savings and environmental benefits.LiveCooler Foundation, Inc. today announced a partnership with the Massachusetts Democratic Party to enable delegates attending this August’s national convention in Denver to offset their travel by investing in charitable carbon offsets that benefit low-income families in Massachusetts. Carbon offsets from MA-based non-profit LiveCooler.org will lead to the installation of energy efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs in the homes of low-income families who can’t afford them, thereby reducing energy costs and demand. The MA Green Delegate Challenge program was announced today by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Senator John Kerry, Boston City Councilor Mike Ross and Marc Pacheco, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “LiveCooler’s innovative approach to both fighting global climate change and helping low-income families reduce their energy costs is a win-win,” said Senator Kerry. The 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) has challenged all attending delegates to offset their carbon emissions, and will recognize the state with the highest percentage of participating members during the Convention in August. LiveCooler.org’s solution is the only offset program specifically designed to benefit low-income families in the delegates’ home district in Massachusetts. Dan Ruben, who led the effort to “green” the 2004 convention in Boston, and is now Executive Director of Boston Green Tourism, “When we greened the DNC in Boston four years ago it was a big step forward for the environment and the Democratic party. I’m delighted that the DNC and especially the MA delegation are building upon this tradition by making the connection between energy efficiency, local action and global warming.” Going Green: How It Works MA Delegates and supporters go to http://www.LiveCooler.org/massdems, to sponsor offsets.For a $15 donation, delegates and supporters sponsor a one-ton offset which is equal to 5.5 CFL bulbs installed. This donation installs enough bulbs to reduce 1,800 KWh of electricity use over 5 years, which saves $300 and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by one ton (2000 pounds), which meets the DNCC challenge standard (one ton per delegate). “I’m proud to work with LiveCooler to make Massachusetts the greenest delegation in the nation,” said Boston City Councilor Mike Ross. “Working together our delegation is going to offset thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide, directly assist low-income families and make an immediate yet lasting impact on our environment.” Jay Barnes, Executive Director of LiveCooler Foundation noted, “While LiveCooler’s national charitable offset program already operates in several Massachusetts municipalities, delegates and donors who live in locations in which LiveCooler does not yet operate can request that a program start in their municipality. This further localizes the offsets for the delegates - installing energy efficient bulbs in low-income homes within their community - saving their constituents energy and money.” Delegates can work with LiveCooler to start programs in their local communities. Friends, family and supporters of the delegates can make tax deductible donations in honor of their favorite delegate or the MA delegation as a whole. About LiveCooler Charitable Offsets Using nominal, tax-deductible donations, LiveCooler purchases and installs energy-efficient CFL light bulbs in low-income homes.These charitable carbon offsets cause a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and reduced electricity bills for low-income home owners. “Though LiveCooler is installing CFL bulbs throughout New England and in Washington DC as well, the focus of this partnership with the Massachusetts Democratic Party is for installations in Massachusetts.” said Mr. Barnes. “The structure of LiveCooler’s carbon offset gives it a distinct advantage in the marketplace,” said Nick d’Arbeloff, Executive Director of the New England Clean Energy Council. “Since the money they collect is going to energy savings that wouldn’t occur otherwise, and that’s extremely important.” LiveCooler uses donations to buy and install compact fluorescent (CFLs) lightbulbs in the homes of low-income families. In order to keep program costs down, LiveCooler works with non-profit, low-income family assistance organizations to get the CFLs installed. These assistance organizations install the CFLs within 60 days of the LiveCooler donation and provide paperwork for an audit trail. Once installed, less electricity is used, thereby burning less coal and putting less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The low-income families or their non-profit support groups using the CFLs save roughly 5-10% on their electric bill every month for 10 years (the estimated lifetime of the CFL). Global Warming 2008-06-23T22:29:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/are_we_picking_on_bottled_water63/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/are_we_picking_on_bottled_water63/#When:00:37:00Z Water comes under a large amount of criticism for how environmentally unfriendly it is to bottle water somewhere and then truck it across the country. It creates tons of carbon dioxide and of course millions of plastic bottles get used and then thrown away. It is not a nice picture. But what about other beverages? Are they flying under the eco-radar while water gets pummeled?I was at a meeting of a group of environmental activists recently that was held in a community meeting room at a large grocery store.  The meeting was going to last a couple of hours and I was thirsty so I decided to get a drink from the store.  Soda, diet soda and juices are too sweet for my taste.  So in spite of their checkered environmental reputation, I bought a bottle of water. Many people in the meeting were drinking fruit juice and that got me thinking.  Is a plastic bottle of fruit juice that much of an environmental improvement?  Sure, the juice probably didn’t come from Fiji or France but the fruit may have come from Australia or Chile.  The bottled water was put through an energy intensive filtering process but the fruit juice probably needed to be pasteurized, another energy intensive process.  Furthermore, the fruit needed fertilizer, pesticides, etc. and (hopefully) the water did not. I am not a beveridge sustainability expert but it seems to me that the criticism of bottled water comes from comparing it to tap water.  Tap water is usually free and it is local and therefore is the ultimate green drink.  But why are we less critical of fruit juices and soda?  Are the people who decide to stop buying bottled water switching to bottled juice or soda?  Or energy drinks?  And is that better for the environment? Global Warming 2008-06-12T00:37:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/clear_channel39s_kiss108_fm_uses_livecooler_to_offset_co2/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/clear_channel39s_kiss108_fm_uses_livecooler_to_offset_co2/#When:23:27:00Z Kiss 108 FM, the Boston radio station is softening the impact of their Kiss Concert by sponsoring the installation of energy-efficient lightbulbs in the homes of low-income families. The radio station, a member of the Clear Channel radio group, has selected LiveCooler.org to offset the impact of yesterday's annual Kiss Concert at the Tweeter Center outside of Boston.  On Kiss 108's behalf, LiveCooler is installing 965 energy-efficient lightbulbs in the homes of 120 low-income families in Boston.  Over five years, the 965 bulbs will reduce 168 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and save $30,000 in electricity costs for the low-income families. Kiss 108 FM also took steps to minimize the amount of driving to the concert by promoting GoLoCo, a ride sharing service.  Global Warming 2008-05-19T23:27:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/don39t_quit_your_day_job/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/don39t_quit_your_day_job/#When:16:40:00Z ABC News put out the word that they were looking for people to post videos on their site in honor of Earth Day 2008. Here is my cringe-worthy post. Here is the link to ABC's viewer feedback website where you can see other amateur Earth Day videos. Global Warming 2008-04-23T16:40:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/mit_energy_comparisons/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/mit_energy_comparisons/#When:00:35:00Z The MIT Energy Conference was this weekend and as part of their technologies exhibit, they asked the question, what would it take to power the city of Cambridge, MA for a year using various energy technologies and how much carbon dioxide would be produced. The exhibit authored by the MIT Energy Club and the MIT Sloan Energy and Environment Club provides the following answer: Coal Using coal would require 635,000 tonnes of coal or 6,350 rail cars.  That many rail cars makes a train 63 miles long.  The coal would produce 1,576,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Wind Using wind would require 74 square miles of land with 240 wind turbines.  0 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be produced. Natural Gas 112 billion gallons of natural gas would be needed to do the job and 749,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be produced. Biomass 64 square miles of forest would be needed so that 1,649,000 tonnes of wood could be harvested.  64 square miles is 10 times the size of Cambridge.  160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be produced. Solar Solar would require 2.2 square miles of land covered with solar panels.  0 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be produced. Nuclear 530 pounds of uranium would be needed and 55,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be produced. Yes, cost and minor issues like radioactive waste are not compared but it is a thought provoking nonetheless.  Coal comes off looking absurd and certainly the most environmentally damaging from a climate change standpoint.  Biomass also does not look particularly attractive with its large land requirement.  Wind and solar look good with their zero carbon dioxide footprint but interestingly wind requires 74 square miles to solar's 2.2 square miles.  Combined with the fact that solar is more easily sited on a roof than wind is makes solar look much better. Nuclear is the dark horse option.  Long (still?) the third rail of energy options, Nuclear looks pretty good when the 530 pounds of uranium are compared to the 2.2 square miles of solar panels or 74 square miles of wind turbines.  Maybe someone at MIT will figure out a way of reprocessing the nuclear waste into something more manageable. Global Warming 2008-04-17T00:35:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/worm_poop_recycled_sail_cloth_and_organic_chewing_gum/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/worm_poop_recycled_sail_cloth_and_organic_chewing_gum/#When:22:37:00Z It's the Down2Earth sustainable living expo; a refreshingly varied collection of products and services for your inner greenie.Here is a sampling of the exhibitors: WormJava - a gardening product made from worm castings. The Hempest - a large hemp clothing manufacturer. Le FP Green Body Care - vegan body care products. Ella Vickers Recycled Sail Cloth - a line of bags and cases made from old sails. Pixxlz.com - a 100% soy ink, 100% recycled paper print shop. Second Rotation - buys your old cell phone or gadgets and recycles them. The American entrepreneur is a great source of innovation and value creation. Global Warming 2008-03-29T22:37:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/nike_trash_talk/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/nike_trash_talk/#When:00:56:02Z It has a great name, it is made from recycled sneakers and manufacturing scraps, it has all the right moves so why can't I buy a pair? What a great idea.  Take the material that comes from the Nike recycling program, match it up with scrap leather from the manufacturing floor and you've got a green sneaker.  The name is a perfect match of the basketball culture of talking trash and the idea of using trashed materials to make the sure.  (Note the stitching which looks stylish but is designed to enable the use of small scraps of leather.) Problem is, you can't buy a pair.  At least, you can't on the Nike online store.  The sneaker was introduced in February so it may be too soon to tell.  But it is disappointing that the Nike web site and the Nike online store are not pushing the sneaker to all us impressionable shoppers.  Is the problem one of scale?  How difficult is it to create a high-volume assembly line (are sneakers made on assembly lines?) that makes a sneaker from scraps?  Or maybe the problem is that the Nike marketing department has determined that the youngsters that must be their market sweet spot are not into a green sneaker. If you hear any news on the Nike Trash Talk, let us know. (Photo via Treehugger.) Global Warming 2008-03-27T00:56:02-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/one_thousand_points_of_green/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/one_thousand_points_of_green/#When:13:41:00Z Sometimes when you are so close to a topic it is hard to see the big picture. Getting greener has spread well past the early-adopters. Here is a sampling of accomplishments from large businesses during just the past two weeks.Kodak, Wal-Mart to Recycle Picture Kiosk Consumables “Kodak and Wal-Mart are launching a national program to recycle used materials from in-store picture kiosks, including ribbons, spool and cartridges.” USPS Approves Reusable Envelope Line “The United States Postal Service (USPS) has certified reusable envelopes that allow for the initial envelope to also be used as the reply envelope.” Cadbury Reduces Egg Packaging by 20 Percent “With Easter less than a month away, Cadbury has unveiled a new product that will reduce cardboard and plastic packaging.” New Nike Shoe Made from Manufacturing Waste “The Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash debuted the Nike Trash Talk shoe last night, which is a new shoe made from recycled leather and rubber.” Pirates Launch Recycling Programs at Ballpark “The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced a new green campaign that will feature ballpark recycling efforts, energy reduction steps and other eco-friendly plans.” Con-way Freight Cuts Emissions by Reducing Truck Speed “Con-way Freight has modified the engine settings on its fleet of 8,400 tractor-trailers in a bid to improve fuel conservation and reduce carbon emissions. The truck engines’ speed governors have been reset to reduce maximum speeds from 65 to 62 miles per hour.” Staples Copy Centers Switch to FSC Recycled Paper “Office products giant Staples is now using recycled-content paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as the standard copy paper at its 1,400 Copy & Print Centers throughout the U.S. The copy paper - Staples own brand - is made from 50% post-consumer recycled waste content.” Global Warming 2008-03-17T13:41:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/renewable_energy_conference_shows_industry_vitality/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/renewable_energy_conference_shows_industry_vitality/#When:13:40:00Z What do wind turbines, insulation made from denim jeans, whisper-quiet bathroom fans and Walmart have in common? They were all found at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association conference and trade show this week in Boston.NESEA is an organization that has been working on sustainable energy since 1974 and this conference is their 33rd.  The conference is targeted to builders, architects, building managers, policy makers and students.  The collective goal is, in effect, to build energy-efficient, profitable homes and buildings and to retro-fit existing structures to reduce their energy costs.  In addition to workshops and meetings, there was a large trade show floor full of exhibitors of a wide array of renewable energy systems, energy efficiency products and tax credit information.  Even without the amount of federal support given to the fossil fuel industry, the renewable energy industry is thriving.  There were solar panels, wind turbines, combined heat and power units, green foam insulation vendors, geothermal providers, green modular homes and green architects. There were a few surprises.  Wal-Mart was present.  Their booth showcased the green products they carry in their stores and they were handing out free non-plastic, non-paper bags that said, 'Paper or Plastic? Neither.' that did not have a Wal-Mart logo on them.  Regardless of your opinion of Wal-Mart, during the past two years they have made substantial improvements in their energy use and provided a boost to compact fluorescent lightbulbs by rescuing them from bottom shelves and providing customer education. Another interesting vendor was Green Depot.  Green Depot is a cross between 'Home Depot' and 'Natural Resources Defense Council'.  They carry FSC-certified lumber, insulation made from recycled denim, tile made from recycled glass, zero-VOC paint, formaldehyde-free plywood and particle board, bamboo and cork flooring, etc.  Green Depot has 5 retail locations in Brooklyn, Long Island, Philadelphia, Newark and Boston.  Global Warming 2008-03-14T13:40:00-05:00 http://www.energyrace.com/index.php/commentary/rss_2.0/?FB_go=1&FB_url=http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/a_clever_led_recessed_light/ http://www.energyrace.com/commentary/a_clever_led_recessed_light/#When:20:10:00Z EFI, a non-profit energy efficient products distributor, showed me a clever new LED lighting product today that is easy to install and extremely efficient.As you have heard, LED lights are the next big thing in energy efficient lighting.  They are still quite expensive but the hope is that the prices will be dropping over time.  They are even more efficient than the highly efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.  The product EFI showed me is called the LR6 LED Downlight (Ok, the name is not super catchy) from Cree Lighting Solutions, Inc., in North Carolina.  The idea is to create a very efficient light that is easy to retro-fit into an existing recessed lighting fixture, that creates a very high quality of light.  The LR6 does quite well.  It replaces a 70 watt bulb and only uses 12 watts.  It screws into the existing light bulb socket eliminating the need to reinstall a new recessed can unit.  The light quality is very high (CRI=92) and the light lasts for 50,000 hours or 15 years.  It costs roughly $100 but saves $348 in electricity and $10 or so in incandescent light bulbs over the 15 years. Go to Cree Lighting or EFI for more details. Global Warming 2008-03-13T20:10:00-05:00