TresSugar

Berkeley Moves to Finance Home Solar Panels: Bright Idea?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:00:42 -0700

Berkeley, CA, has grabbed attention again - this time for starting a pioneering new program to provide city-backed loans for home solar-electric systems. This week the city council approved a new tax district that allows residents to finance solar energy systems through their property taxes.

Here's how the program works: the city provides the money for the installation and materials, and homeowners are able to pay back the loan at a fixed rate over 20 years. The cost amounts to about $180 per month to be added to property tax bills to eventually pay for the $22,000 system. Officials say those who choose to stick the panels where the sun do shine will recoup that cost through lowered energy bills.

Is this a perfect way for cities to make greener technologies a reality for homeowners?

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Shady Justice? Court Says Blocking Solar Panels Is Illegal

LibertySugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:00:34 -0700

In an epic showdown of redwood trees and solar panels, two environmentally-conscious families from Northern California met in criminal court for a battle of the shade. One electric car-owning family complained that their Prius-driving neighbors had redwood trees that were preventing the sun from hitting their solar panels. This is not an episode of South Park, but an actual proceeding in California criminal court.

The solar panels triumphed, and the convicted tree neighbors were forced to significantly trim decade-old redwoods. Under the Solar Shade Act, owners can be fined up to $1,000 a day for trees that impede solar panels. To see which came first, the solar panels or the shade, read more.

While this appears to be a case unique to California, typical neighbor issues were at play. Over the years, shade from their neighbor's growing trees, prevented the solar family from enjoying their hot tub or growing corn in the backyard. Seeking refuge in the solar law, the family installed the panels, informed the neighbors of the law, and offered to remove and replace the trees. The tree owners didn't want to touch the trees that were there first, so they all ended up in court.

California lawmakers recognize the dilemma. State Senator Joe Simitian has introduced a bill that will allow trees to grow if they were planted before the installation of solar panels.

Which neighbor do you find more sympathetic - the tree huggers or the tree haters?

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Army Green: 5 Ways the Military Will Lighten Its Carbon Load

CitizenSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:00:56 -0700

I don't know why I'd never thought about the military as a progressive force for change until I read this, but it makes sense: racial integration and that miracle we call the internet both marched out of the military. Now, one more modern change is coming - the military is going greener than fatigues!

The Department of Defense is responsible for over 1.5 percent of all US energy consumption, and it's now looking (prepare for the most overused phrase in "eco" . . . "journalism") to green up its act. (At least I spared you a "Red, White, and Green" joke - this time.) To see five ways the military and Department of Defense hope to cut bills and conserve energy on their new mission to save the planet, read more.

Create portable solar and wind power stations for emergencies like Hurricane Katrina.
Fuel Air Force planes with biofuel.
Develop hybrid military vehicles.
Install solar panels on air-base buildings.
Spray tents with foam insulation (hold your breath!) to reduce heating and air-conditioning needs.

The foam insulation alone has cut energy use by 45 percent. Is this money well spent? Is the military the perfect place to nurture environmental advances or do reports like these camouflage eco-deficiencies in other areas of government?

The Obama Girls Go Green at School

CitizenSugar — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

On Friday, CasaSugar let you know about the American Institute of Architecture's offer to help the White House become an international model of energy efficiency. If President-elect Barack Obama takes AIA up on the offer, he'll really be getting somewhere with his aforementioned green building goals. But, as it turns out, Obama has already begun to walk the walk: after much ado, he and Michelle have decided to send their daughters, Malia and Sasha, to an environmentally friendly, LEED-platinum school, the Sidwell Friends School in D.C. To hear about the school's eco-friendly architecture, read more.

When Sidwell decided to construct a new middle school, which was completed in September 2006, the school opted for sustainable design to express its commitment to environmental stewardship. Some of its eco-friendly components include constructed wetlands, water-efficient landscaping, use of local, regional, and recycled materials, a green roof, natural ventilation, and solar panels. In March 2007, it was awarded a LEED Platinum rating, making it not only the first K-12 school in the United States to have such a rating, but also the first LEED Platinum building in all of D.C.

Sidwell Friends also offsets electricity and gas for all buildings on both campuses as well as employee travel through the purchase of carbon offsets, and 50 percent of its energy purchased is from wind energy. The school also practices green housekeeping, food service, and composting. Now, that's walking the talk! Maybe Sidwell Friends' architects, KieranTimberlake, can show the White House a thing or two.
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Gore Shoots For the Moon With 10-Year Climate Change Goal

LibertySugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:01:55 -0700

Al Gore wants every kilowatt of electricity we use to be produced by wind, sun, and other sustainable energy sources within 10 years.

Gore is giving a speech on global warming right now in Washington, but previewed his finer points to the Associated Press saying he hopes the new president will share his deadline. Though he has endorsed Barack Obama, he praised both Obama and McCain for being "way ahead" of most politicians in the fight against global climate change.

The cost of switching to alternative electrical sources could be as much as 3 trillion dollars over 30 years in public and private money. It's a spendy bill, but Gore says it will "pay itself back many times over." To see how he hopes to incite change, read more. Gore added:

I have never seen an opportunity for the country like the one that's emerging now. . . . It's an expensive investment but not compared to the rising cost of continuing to invest in fossil fuels.

Gore actually compared his challenge to President Kennedy's pledge in May 1961 to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In order to meet his target, Gore said nuclear energy output would continue at current levels while the nation would have to increase its use of solar, wind, geothermal, and clean coal energy. This would require enormous investments in technologies that reduce energy waste and link existing grids, as well as support from the public. (Note to Gore: Have you adjusted your at-home energy use yet? I have!)

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Front Page: Mugabe at African Union Summit, Bush Signs War Bill, India Goes Solar

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:58:14 -0700

Mugabe at African Union Summit:
Newly sworn-in for a sixth term as president, Robert Mugabe who wrested a win from violent elections in Zimbabwe, is traveling in his official capacity. Mugabe arrived in Egypt today for an African Union summit, under pressure from the UN and his neighbors to create peace with his adversaries, perhaps difficult as world leaders have called the contest illegitimate because of bloodshed and intimidation, being neither free, fair, nor credible. The UN deputy secretary general, told the African leaders "we are facing an extremely grave crisis. This is the single greatest challenge to regional stability in Southern Africa, not only because of its terrible humanitarian and security consequences, but because of the dangerous political precedent it sets.” US Secretary of State Rice has also urged strong international action against Zimbabwe.

Bush Signs War Bill:
Moments ago, President Bush signed $162 billion war spending plan that constitutes the budget for military action in Iraq and Afghanistan for the remainder of his term. The spending plan approved by Congress also includes an increase of GI Bill college benefits, and a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits. This brings the total of money approved by Congress to more than $650 billion in the past five years.
India Goes Solar:
The Indian government has just announced a plan to confront the threat posed by climate change. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the plan focuses on sustainable sources of energy and that the development of India's capacity to tap solar power would be central to the strategy. Though India's carbon emissions are predicted to rise, Singh says of the plan, "our vision is to make India's economic development energy efficient. Our people have a right to economic and social development and to discard the ignominy of widespread poverty."

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Al Gore's Own Warming - His Home Energy Use Goes Up!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:00:45 -0700

Oh, Al! It's as if I'm psychic. Just the other day we were talking about the factors that distract from environmental causes, and his royal greenness himself, Al Gore, and his energy sucking house of eco-horrors came up.

Surely with his big ad campaign with Al Sharpton telling us to green our act, he's made some changes and stopped the energy suck at his own digs . . . right? Uh, no. In fact, quite the opposite. According to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, Al's energy consumption jumped 10 percent.

His house currently uses enough energy in a year to power 232 regular houses for a month. And this is after he spent $16,533 on eco-upgrades including solar panels, a geothermal system, new light bulbs, and better windows. Oh, and earning about $100 million dollars, a Nobel Prize, an Oscar, and a Grammy for his global warming agenda. Is this latest report a bout of bad luck or a big green monster?

Al. That's not acid rain - you're making the planet cry.

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Mediterranean Union Agrees to Rid the Middle East of WMDs

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:55:13 -0700

Nicolas Sarkozy, seen below with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, relished his role as host of 43 nations from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, launching his new Mediterranean Union. At the culmination of the meeting held in Paris yesterday, the nations' leaders condemned "terrorism in all forms" and agreed to "pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction."

Sarkozy's brainstorm has achieved the bold initiative of bringing together warring and impoverished nations alongside wealthy and industrialized nations to form the Mediterranean Union. He said at the closing of the summit yesterday, "we dreamed about a Union for the Mediterranean, and now it is a reality."

Leaders from the nations around the Mediterranean discussed a litany of problems including poverty, immigration, global warming and dwindling resources. To see how the Mediterranean Union plans to tackle peace in the Middle East, read more.

Though traditionally the gathering of nations like France, Italy, and Spain with Syria, Lebanon, and Israel might have yielded little in the way of substance, this might be the right summit at the right time. Instead of discussing abstract economic theories on disparity between Europe and the Middle East, they focused on practical projects like a lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. “We will build peace in the Mediterranean together, like yesterday we built peace in Europe,” Sarkozy said to his guests.

Among the goals agreed upon are “objectives of achieving peace, stability and security” in the region, a region-wide solar energy project, a Mediterranean student exchange program, a pollution eradication plan, as well as "practical steps to prevent the proliferation" of nuclear weapons, signed by all - including Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - though stops short of planning enforcement.

Is this a good move toward solving conflict - or another photo-op and handshake-meeting with no clear plan for results?

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Where I'm Clicking Now: Carrotmob Dangles the Green Cash

LibertySugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Carrotmob, a new environmental nonprofit, ditches the guilt sticks for the, you guessed it . . . carrots. Accepting that profit is a corporation's raison d’être, the founder wants to create irresistible economic incentives for environmental responsibility.

According to its website:

Companies will do what we want, not because of negative pressure, or morality, or a boycott, or a petition...there are enough sticks out there. We need a big juicy carrot. They will do what we say because they won't be able to resist the profits.

So, what are the logistics? Carrotmob plans to create a "mob" of consumers who will endorse certain environmentally friendly products, rewarding eco-friendly behavior with a beefy bottom line. To see how companies can win over the mob, read more.

In order to receive the mob's endorsement, the companies will submit bids, demonstrating just how environmentally safe the product is. For example, whoever creates the soap with the least chemicals and pollution, will be rewarded with the mob's business, resulting in more profits. Does this seem plausible?

Meanwhile, politicians are discussing other profit motivated solutions, specifically green collar jobs. For example, those in underprivileged areas can be trained to install solar panels, eventually becoming managers, owners, or inventors. It's good for the community, economy, and environment. Although some are skeptical that they will meet their promises, both Democratic candidates have pledged $150 billion to create 5 million green-collar jobs that will work to clean up the environment, lower energy use, and help build subways.

Are carrots, a.k.a. cash money, the best way to prevent corporations from harming the planet?

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