tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:58:13 +0000lookingCoursePictureBipartisanUnfriendPedestriansInfrastructurePhilippeRiverOfferTingeSecretsGreensSwedishSolarWaterBedbugGoingWorthGreenpeaceGreenwashingCommunityactionunmistakableSchoolslower emissionsPurchasesresearchersPlumeDenverNearlyGhettoalgaeexaminationVideoRenewablePlanetOceanaEnergybiofuelStickeconomyMillionToxicIndividualcollectiveTurtlesaposExploreorgLivingimpact100MotorYorkapossOutrageousBulbsGlobaltransmisionHockeyenvironmentalresponsibilityCleanersAwardadvertisingSandsHydrogenMicrobotsgeneralTalksLabelsGovernmentevidencestrengthensUnderstandingdmanualBuildingDangerouslykillingJohnsonMoneywarmingFacebookBustersgas savingStorieselectionGreenwashElectricWebinarGreenProjectpotenialCousteauBattleSustainabilityCanadaapossversusBreakingLivesPublicA conservatives approach on alternative energy resource<br> “If you think you can afford gasoline now!”http://ceseco.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)Blogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3491483938369125009Wed, 06 Oct 2010 02:49:00 +00002010-10-05T20:49:00.485-06:00researchersbiofuellookingalgaepotenial<img alt="" src="http://cesgeek.biz/bloggerimages/CEsEco/Ford_270x135.jpg" width="270" height="135" /> <p>There's been a lot of buzz about algae as an <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dkok2w" target="_bottom">alternative</a> biofuel. Several business and university researchers are looking at algae's potential as a viable alternative to fossil fuel. And earlier this year, the House of Representatives introduced the Green Jobs Act of 2010, which offers investment tax credits for algae-based biorefineries.</p><p>Now researchers at Ford are looking into algae as a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dkok2w" target="_bottom">fuel source</a>, the company announced.</p><p>"Algae have some very desirable characteristics as a potential biofuel feedstock and Ford wants to show its support any efforts that could lead to a viable, commercial-scale application of this technology," said Sherry Mueller, research scientist at Ford Motor Company. "At this point, algae researchers are still challenged to find economical and sustainable ways for commercial-scale controlled production and culturing of high oil-producing algae."</p><p>Certain species of algae have the ability to convert carbon dioxide to oil, carbohydrates, and other cell components through photosynthesis. Unlike soybeans and corn, algae is incredibly prolific; it can be grown almost anywhere in fresh or saline waters. Algae can also be grown year-round--there's no harvest season.</p><p>Earlier this year Ford researchers visited Wayne State University's National Biofuels <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dkok2w" target="_bottom">Energy</a> Laboratory, which is looking at suitable algae strains that could be used as a feedstock for biodiesel. Researchers at Ford's Systems Analytics and Environmental Sciences Department are also looking into other bio-based fuel alternatives such as ethanol and butanol, the company said.</p><p>"Ford has a long history of developing vehicles that run on renewable fuels; and the increased use of biofuels is an important element of our sustainability strategy now and moving forward," Tim Wallington, technical leader with the Ford Systems Analytics and Environmental Sciences Department said in a news release. "We look ahead from a technological, economic, environmental, and social standpoint at potential next-generation <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dkok2w" target="_bottom">renewable fuels </a>that could power our vehicles."</p><br /><p><a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20018362-48.html?part=rss&amp;tag=feed&amp;subj=GreenTech" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3491483938369125009?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/z2n_5CHU6usHdtb8xgDxKF1iAIE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/z2n_5CHU6usHdtb8xgDxKF1iAIE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/z2n_5CHU6usHdtb8xgDxKF1iAIE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/z2n_5CHU6usHdtb8xgDxKF1iAIE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cOgpXGW_o6o:cvkcjHWXex8:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/cOgpXGW_o6o" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/cOgpXGW_o6o/ford-researchers-looking-at-algae-as.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/ford-researchers-looking-at-algae-as.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3167864366050643539Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:49:00 +00002010-10-05T17:49:00.147-06:00MotorUnderstandingElectric<P>Written by Akweli Parker from HowStuffWorks.com.</EM></P><br /><P>After many false starts and a lot of -- forgive the expression -- resistance from major automakers, it appears as if mass-produced <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric automobiles</A> are ready to make significant inroads on the roadways.</P><br /><P>But with the internal combustion engine claiming nearly a century of market dominance, much of the driving public is clueless about how <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric motors</A> operate -- are they complicated? Are they safe? Thus, we present this brief guide to Understanding the Electric Car Motor.</P><br /><P><BIG><A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Electric Car Motor Parts</A></BIG></P><br /><P>Electric car motors work pretty much like any other electric motor. The motor itself consists of a <STRONG>field magnet</STRONG>, with north and south poles, an <STRONG>armature</STRONG>, <STRONG>commutator</STRONG>, and <STRONG>brushes</STRONG> (and very often, no brushes, as brushless motors last longer). A battery or set of batteries, when connected, turn the motor into an electromagnet.</P><br /><P>In addition, a controller is a computerized device that allows you to determine the rate and level of energy application, similar in effect to a throttle on a gasoline engine. </P><br /><P><IMG class=mt-image-none alt=electric-car-motor-armature.jpg src="http://cesgeek.biz/bloggerimages/CEsEco/electric-car-motor-armature.jpg" width=402 height=308></P><br /><P><BIG>How the Parts Work</BIG></P><br /><P>Two stationary, oppositely charged magnets sit in a steel drum -- this is the field magnet. The armature, which consists of wound wiring, a commutator, and (sometimes) brushes, sits on an axle within the drum assembly. As an electrical charge is sent through the armature, it becomes an electromagnet, and spins as its ends are repelled and attracted to the poles of the field magnet. To keep this rotation going, the polarity of the charge must be reversed. In a motor with brushes, the brushes accomplish this. In a brushless motor, the parts are laid out somewhat differently and a computer controls the action.</P><br /><P>The bottom line is that this assembly rotates about an axle at very high RPM and can be hooked up to power the wheels of an automobile.</P><br /><P>As you can perhaps tell, <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric car</A> motors are considerably simpler than their internal combustion counterparts. There is no need for fuel lines or tanks or an exhaust system in a completely electric vehicle. And since there are so few moving parts compared to an internal combustion engine, electrics are highly efficient users of energy.</P><br /><P>It's estimated that electric motors are able to convert about 80 percent of the energy they generate into usable forward motion. Gasoline engines typically only muster 15 percent efficiency. Where does that power go? It gets lost in the myriad movements of a gasoline engine's parts and in idling, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.</P><br /><P><A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Electric cars</A> used to be the pre-dominant vehicles on the roads -- back in the early 1900s, before they were elbowed out by the internal combustion engine. They've been dismissed by major automakers throughout the decades. But with worries about emissions mounting and of fossil fuels running out, it may very well be their time once again.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><A href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/understanding-the-electric-car-motor.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3167864366050643539?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8MVW227tAVYwr1AYvyh3p0v7LYE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8MVW227tAVYwr1AYvyh3p0v7LYE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8MVW227tAVYwr1AYvyh3p0v7LYE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8MVW227tAVYwr1AYvyh3p0v7LYE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=MyflgWjZ1Uw:ftcaFHciE6o:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/MyflgWjZ1Uw" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/MyflgWjZ1Uw/understanding-electric-car-motor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/understanding-electric-car-motor.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-8742726655977565184Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:47:00 +00002010-10-05T12:47:55.709-06:00ElectricHydrogen<P>Written by Christopher Lampton from HowStuffWorks.com.</EM></P><br /><P>Most people know by now what an <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric car</A> is. It?s a car that runs on a battery-powered electric motor. Unlike most cars on the road today, it lacks an internal combustion engine and uses electricity as its fuel rather than gasoline. Because it doesn?t burn fossil fuels to make itself run, it doesn?t produce any pollution while it?s in operation. This, at least in theory, makes electric cars a very green form of transportation.</P><br /><P>But what in the world is a hydrogen fuel cell car? It?s also a kind of <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric car</A>. It runs on a motor powered by electricity. What makes it different from a battery-electric vehicle (or BEV) is where the electricity comes from. Instead of a battery, a hydrogen fuel cell car has, well, a hydrogen fuel cell. This is a device that takes hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, and generates electricity from it while the car is running. In effect, a hydrogen fuel cell is a kind of battery that makes electricity on the fly.</P><br /><P><A title="Electric Car" href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drive 100 Miles for 1 Dollar of Electricity</A></P><br /><P>To see how this works, let?s take a quick refresher course in high school chemistry. (Don?t worry; we?ll make this as painless as possible.) Hydrogen is the smallest, lightest atom in existence. A standard-issue hydrogen atom consists of two things: a proton (which has a positive electric charge) and an electron (which has a negative electric charge). The hydrogen fuel cell strips these two things apart, so that the electrons are free to go their own way and become the electricity that runs the car?s motor. (Electricity Is nothing more a continuous flow of electrons.) Meanwhile, the proton becomes a hydrogen ion -- that is, a hydrogen atom with a positive electric charge -- and will bond together with any oxygen atoms in the vicinity to form water. (Water ? or H2O as the chemistry geeks call it ? is nothing more than two hydrogen ions with an oxygen atom attached.) This process releases a lot of heat, so the water becomes steam and the steam becomes the exhaust of the hydrogen fuel cell.</P><br /><P>The great thing ? and the green thing ? about both <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric cars</A> and hydrogen fuel cell cars is that they don?t produce any pollution at the tailpipe (unless you consider the steam being produced by the hydrogen fuel cell to be a form of pollution). So no matter whether you decide to buy an electric car or a hydrogen fuel cell car (though the latter isn?t likely to be widely available to customers for quite a few years yet), you?ll be helping to save the earth?s atmosphere, right?</P><br /><P>Well, not exactly. While neither type of car produces pollution at the tailpipe, they both have the potential to produce pollution when their ?fuel? is created. The fuel that an electric car runs on is electricity (which is used to charge the batteries) and the fuel that a hydrogen fuel cell car runs on is hydrogen (which is used to generate electricity). That electricity and that hydrogen have to come from somewhere. The electricity will mostly come from power plants that in the majority of cases are burning fossil fuels to produce that electricity and those fossil fuels will cause the same pollution that the electric car is intended to avoid. The hydrogen for the fuel cell vehicle will most likely be produced in the future by electrolysis, which involves passing electricity through water. And that electricity will come from the same potentially polluting sources as the electricity used to charge the electric car?s batteries.</P><br /><P>The truth is, <A href="http://tinyurl.com/257s6xy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">electric cars</A> and hydrogen fuel cell cars both have the potential to be wonderfully non-polluting forms of transportation, but to make them truly green we?ll need to move away from methods of producing electricity that burn fossil fuels. Instead of burning coal to generate electricity, we?ll need to concentrate on environmentally clean methods like hydropower, solar power, wind power and nuclear power, which produce little or no polluting emissions. When the day comes that most of our electricity comes from these sources, the electric car and the hydrogen fuel cell car will both be nearly perfect forms of green, non-polluting transportation.</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><A href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/electric-cars-vs-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-8742726655977565184?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/IeR53sw6kccrBqUtOiPVNizQ0xg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/IeR53sw6kccrBqUtOiPVNizQ0xg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/IeR53sw6kccrBqUtOiPVNizQ0xg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/IeR53sw6kccrBqUtOiPVNizQ0xg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0rum0brts28:GPBBA0izgjc:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/0rum0brts28" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/0rum0brts28/hydrogen-fuel-cell-vs-cars-electric.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/hydrogen-fuel-cell-vs-cars-electric.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5123887127589072161Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:10:00 +00002010-10-05T16:12:17.262-06:00dmanuallower emissionstransmisiongas saving<P>The simple truth is Manual Transmission vehical's get better milage than automatics.  EPA estimats to show this is true.</P><br /><P>A 2008 Honda Civic</P><br /><P>Automatic: City - 21, Highway - 31 </P><br /><P>Manual: City - 22, Highway - 31 </P><br /><P>A small gain but there.  These are probly not the best examples of the diffrance and as with all things the diffrence will varry with car and driving habits ,but the manual transmision will give better <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dwtwar" target="_bottom">gas milage </a>and performance for the life of the vehicle This is because a automatic transmision has losses such as the torque convirter that a manual transmison does not. A manual transmision can be 5%-10% more <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dwtwar" target="_bottom">fuel efficient </a>(the Epa's testing does not acount for driver habits). It also responds better to changes in driving habits since the driver is in more control and not a computer controled transmision(as with most automatics) made to please everyone from the wanabe racer to a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dwtwar" target="_bottom">fuel milage</a> minded driver or the grandma that cares about nothing but the smoothest possiable shifts meaning no one is perfectly happy , but with a manual the driver controls the charcterists of the car. The maunal transmision is normaly cheaper to buy and has and incredibly long life (1979 ford 150 350,000 miles no transmision work, ford tarus sho 230,000 miles no transmision work ,both still running) vs. and automatic (1992 Pontiac Transport Minivan, transmision failure at 180,000 miles). Manual transmisions also weigh less than automatics and less weight means more<a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dwtwar" target="_bottom"> fuel milage </a>and better performance.You can save money and the environment while having more fun driving. Who said green means slow and boring? Do yourself and the world a favor buy a car with a manual transmision. Its just going to be harder to multi-task so stop that to become a safer driver. The link below reinforces the above text. </P><br /><P>2008 Ford Mustang with the v6 engine </P><br /><P>Automatic: City - 16, Highway - 24 </P><br /><P>Manual: City - 17, Highway - 26 </P><br /><P>The v8 only gains one mile per gallon with the manual on the highway but that is still a gain.</P><br /><P>If all cars in the United States had manual transmisions then we would use about 38 million gallons a day less then we do now. That is 760 million pounds of CO2 It is a rough estimate and does not acount for manual cars on the road but does hint at the potintial. At the adverave number of miles an American drives, 16,500 miles at 25 <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dwtwar" target="_bottom">Miles per gallon </a>in an automatic would use 660 gallons of gas and produce 13200 pounds of CO2. While the same car with a 10% effincy boost would get about 27.5 Mpg, use 600 gallons of gas and produce 12000 pounds of CO2, saving 60 gallons of fuel and 1200 pounds of CO2 just from shifting your own gears and at $2 a gallon save you $120. </P><br /><P>The savings below does not reflect the innital savings of buying the manual transmision car.</P><STRONG>reference link:</STRONG> http://centsprout.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/fuel-efficiency-with-a-manu<BR><br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TopEmissionsSavingCreativeSolutions/~3/cqVBZLgWBa8/1067-Save-gas-drive-a-manual-transmision-car-" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5123887127589072161?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zZwMgCZQxNbhsoVfhUy371AOtTs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zZwMgCZQxNbhsoVfhUy371AOtTs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zZwMgCZQxNbhsoVfhUy371AOtTs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zZwMgCZQxNbhsoVfhUy371AOtTs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=awA8GM2E3h4:xc3hZtqurpw:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/awA8GM2E3h4" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/awA8GM2E3h4/driving-manual-transmission-vehical.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/driving-manual-transmission-vehical.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-1508401642938787785Sat, 02 Oct 2010 18:36:00 +00002010-10-02T12:36:55.239-06:00YorkapossDangerouslyLivingPedestrians<P>An ambitious new study by New York's Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) took a look at over 7,000 crashes that occurred in New York City between 2002-2006 and that resulted in the death or serious injury of at least one pedestrian. Its conclusions can help us identify the biggest threats to pedestrians in New York, and by extension, in other big cities. This data will hopefully help NYC and others to make the streets safer.</P><br /><P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Segoe UI','sans-serif'"><STRONG>Walking while being Green may be Hazardous to your Health (at least in New York)!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></STRONG></SPAN></P><br /><P><SPAN><STRONG>What to look out for:<BR></STRONG>Men seem to be more apt to hitting pedestrians than women. "in 80 percent of city accidents that resulted in a pedestrian's death or serious injury, a male driver was behind the wheel. (Fifty-seven percent of New York City vehicles are registered to men.)" The most dangerous kind of maneuver is the left turn at an intersection, with 3x the risk of a deadly collision compared to a right turn.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><br /><P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Segoe UI','sans-serif'">Some of the ways to alleviate these issues are to remove parking spaces on the side of the streets in certain places so that drivers doing left turns have better visibility, and to encourage pedestrians to favor sidewalks to the right of moving traffic and to be particularly careful at intersections.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><br /><P><br /><P><IMG class=mt-image-none height=501 alt=walking-sign src="http://cesgeek.biz/bloggerimages/CEsEco/walking-sign-500x.jpg" width=500><BR>Photo: Flickr, Creative Commons.</P><br /><P>Here are a few other key findings of the study:</P></P>Traffic fatalities in 2009 were down by 35% from 2001.Traffic crashes cost the City?s economy $4.29 billion annually.Pedestrians are 10 times more likely to die than a motor vehicle occupant in the event of a crash.NYC?s traffic fatality rate is about a quarter of the national rate and less than half the rate in the next 10 largest U.S. cities.Driver inattention was cited in nearly 36% of crashes resulting in pedestrians killed or seriously injured.27% of fatal pedestrian crashes involved driver failure to yield.Pedestrian-vehicle crashes involving unsafe speeds are twice as deadly as other crashes.80% of crashes that kill or seriously injure pedestrians involve male drivers.79% of crashes that kill or seriously injure pedestrians involve private vehicles, not taxis, trucks and buses.Most New Yorkers do not know the city?s standard speed limit is 30 m.p.h.<br /><P>But page 7 (pdf) of the report puts things in perspective: New York isn't particularly dangerous for pedestrians, ranking near Copenhagen and Portland, but it isn't as safe as it could be. Cities like Stockholm and Berlin have 2-3 times fewer fatalities per capita, and that should be the target. <br /><P>Via NYC DOT, NYT</P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><A href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/are-new-yorks-pedestrians-living-dangerously.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</A></P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-1508401642938787785?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3G6dpDOQz_pvDxv8ILrbqqeqM-8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3G6dpDOQz_pvDxv8ILrbqqeqM-8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3G6dpDOQz_pvDxv8ILrbqqeqM-8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3G6dpDOQz_pvDxv8ILrbqqeqM-8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=dGVCg335eIg:PeB76FZA0z4:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/dGVCg335eIg" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/dGVCg335eIg/living-on-edge-being-new-york.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/living-on-edge-being-new-york.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-2328768187235329740Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:23:00 +00002010-10-01T16:23:26.021-06:00UnfriendFacebookGreenpeace<P>Facebook is changing its carbon footprint it is planning to power their new data center in Oregon with coal. </P><br /><P>Facebook is also not giveing people the option to like or unlike that plan, so Greenpeace is doing so instead. </P><br /><P>Greenpeace is inviting people to join Facebook protest groups that call on the social networking site to "drop coal and commit to 100 percent renewable energy, cutting its carbon footprint and helping in the struggle to prevent catastrophic climate change."</P><br /><P>From Greenpeace:</P><br /><BLOCKQUOTE readability="10">Facebook can control where it builds its infrastructure; the power purchasing agreements it enters into; and how it uses its brand's power to advocate for strong policies that promote clean energy. Given all of the control Facebook does have, it can make a commitment to phase out coal and show the rest of the IT sector that it can be done... <br /><P><BR>At current growth rates data centers and telecommunication networks, the two key components of the cloud Facebook depends on, will consume about 1,963 billion kilowatts hours of electricity in 2020. That's more than triple their current consumption and more than the current electricity consumption of France, Germany, Canada and Brazil combined.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><P>Visit Greenpeace to learn more or join the call on Facebook to clean up its environmental record. </P><br /><P> </P><br /><P><A href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/join-greenpeace-call-facebook-unfriend-coal.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</A></P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-2328768187235329740?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lL-ClgUifEHi0sHQsvSyRxz3fCA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lL-ClgUifEHi0sHQsvSyRxz3fCA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lL-ClgUifEHi0sHQsvSyRxz3fCA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/lL-ClgUifEHi0sHQsvSyRxz3fCA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ZtlbBtR2gHY:QsPRdgJCyvA:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/ZtlbBtR2gHY" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/ZtlbBtR2gHY/join-greenpeace-call-to-facebook.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/10/join-greenpeace-call-to-facebook.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3204400350079850844Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:17:00 +00002010-09-25T11:25:53.534-06:00strengthensSwedishGreenselectiongeneral<IMG class="size-full wp-image-2479" title="Peter Eriksson and Maria Wetterstrand" alt="" src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2010/09/mp-peter-och-maria.png" width=550 height=367> Peter Eriksson and Maria Wetterstrand, political leaders of the Greens in Sweden, during a conference earlier this year.</P><P>If you have been reading this blog for a while now you probably know that last night it was election time in Sweden. This was an election with clear differences between the different political sides. The right-wing government (see explanation of the different political parties in Sweden below) who have been heavily criticized for their awful climate wrecking track record was up against a redgreen coalition including Sweden’s biggest political party the Social Democrats, the smaller Left Party and the Green Party. Unfortunately when the election night was over the right-wing government had received a majority of the votes and it seems that they will be able to remain in power. But none of the two main political blocks gained a majority of the votes.</P><P>This means that the climate was the big loser in this election as the current governments climate policy have been called a failure by heavy environmental organisations and even won greenwash awards.</P><P>But nonetheless the Greens in Sweden managed to get 7,2% of the votes, or 25 of the 349 seats in the parliament. The best election result ever for the Greens in Sweden. This is an 2% increase since the last election and it results in the Greens becoming the third major political force in Sweden.</P><P>Monica Frassoni and Philippe Lamberts, Co-Spokespersons for the European Greens, said in a statement that:</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="11"><P>"This is an excellent result for the Swedish Greens and we would like to congratulate the Greens’ leaders, Maria Wetterstrand and Peter Eriksson, and all the party’s activists and staff, for waging a strong and positive campaign which appealed to a large part of the Swedish electorate."</P><P>"We know that the Swedish Greens will continue to focus on real solutions to the problems currently facing Sweden and will fight hard for environmental sustainability including increased investment in renewables rather than dangerous and inefficient nuclear power, the Green New Deal and an economy that serves citizens’ interests." </P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>If you want you can learn more about the Swedish Greens over at the European Greens website.</P><P>But another very tragic and sad effect of the election yesterday night is that Sweden now has joined the many other European countries with far-right extremist parties in their parliaments. The Swedish Democrats, which is a political party based on racist and nazi values, gained a shocking 5.7% of the votes, or 20 of the 349 seats in the Swedish parliament. So it’s a very sad day for democracy in Sweden as well as around Europe that these dark forces gains more and more power.</P><P>The election result is still very uncertain as none of the two main political blocks gained majority. So we will have to wait and see until at the end of this week how the new political landscape in Sweden will look like.</P><P><IMG title=swedish-election-result border=0 alt=swedish-election-result src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2010/09/swedishelectionresult_thumb.png" width=440 height=140></P><P><STRONG>Government (right/centre-right): <BR></STRONG>Moderates (M) <BR>Centre Party (C) <BR>Liberal Party (FP) <BR>Christian Democrats (KD)</P><P><STRONG>Opposition (left/centre-left): <BR></STRONG>Social Democrats (S) <BR>Green Party (MP) <BR>Left Party (V)</P><P><STRONG>Opposition (extreme far-right): </STRONG><BR>Swedish Democrats (SD)</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.green-blog.org/2010/09/20/swedish-general-election-strengthens-the-greens/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3204400350079850844?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P0F0XqpDGpqsoJ1hLDWqQcUTgEA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P0F0XqpDGpqsoJ1hLDWqQcUTgEA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P0F0XqpDGpqsoJ1hLDWqQcUTgEA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P0F0XqpDGpqsoJ1hLDWqQcUTgEA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=EyzFR1F0uEI:if8c61jt7W8:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/EyzFR1F0uEI" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/EyzFR1F0uEI/swedish-general-election-strengthens.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/swedish-general-election-strengthens.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-2635257236231672542Sat, 25 Sep 2010 11:57:00 +00002010-09-25T11:27:06.952-06:00MoneySecretsGoingGreen<p>Make a difference and help the environment in the least costly way possible. Discover how "125 Secrets - How To Save Money By Going Green!" puts money in Your pocket and helps to protect the environment too.</p><br /><a href="http://csegeek.samd123.hop.clickbank.net/">Check it out!</a><br /><br><br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-2635257236231672542?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1s0zuUe7RtmyYGdANo7qV8hDzl4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1s0zuUe7RtmyYGdANo7qV8hDzl4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1s0zuUe7RtmyYGdANo7qV8hDzl4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1s0zuUe7RtmyYGdANo7qV8hDzl4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=qXQSJyerFms:oqJpjG9ggWk:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/qXQSJyerFms" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/qXQSJyerFms/go-green-save-green-125-secrets-how-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/go-green-save-green-125-secrets-how-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-7177708192539852345Sat, 25 Sep 2010 08:52:00 +00002010-09-25T11:29:47.793-06:00HockeyStickLives<IMG alt="Two new studies support conclusions related to a graph prepared by a prominent climatologist." src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/22/business/hockey/hockey-blogSpan.jpg" width=480 height=339>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Two new studies support conclusions related to a graph prepared by a prominent climatologist.<IMG alt="Green: Science" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs_v3/green/green_science.gif"><P>Few images in the climate change debate have stirred as much controversy as the storied “hockey stick” graph, which shows average temperatures in the northern hemisphere holding roughly steady for 900 years or so, until the 20th century, when they rise sharply.</P><P>First unveiled in 1998 by a paleoclimatologist, Michael Mann, the graph became an icon of global warming after it was featured in the summary of a crucial report by a United Nations climate panel from 2001. A version also appeared in the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”</P><P>The validity of Dr. Mann’s graph has been under attack by climate skeptics ever since, with some contrarians going so far as to claim that data was deliberately manipulated or omitted to produce its signature shape. </P><P>(A 2006 report by the National Research Council endorsed most, but not all, of Dr. Mann’s findings, which he later refined.)</P><P>“The label was always a caricature, and it became a stick to beat us with,” Dr. Mann said later, according to The Guardian newspaper.</P><P>Yet while the attacks continue, the “hockey stick” graph’s basic premise — that the planet’s recent warming is unprecedented over at least the last millennium — continues to draw support from a growing number of independent studies.</P><P>Two new studies bolstering the “hockey stick” hypothesis were published just recently. One that appeared this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters analyzed seashell deposits on the North Atlantic seafloor and determined that 20th-century warming in the region “had no equivalent during the last thousand years.”</P><P>Another study, in The Journal of Geophysical Research, analyzed ice cores from glaciers in the eastern Bolivian Andes dating back to 400 A.D.</P><P>“The last decades of the past millennium are characterized again by warm temperatures that seem to be unprecedented in the context of the last 1,600 years,” the researchers concluded.</P><P>A study published in September 2009 in the journal Science, meanwhile, found that temperatures in the Arctic in the last decade were likely warmer than any time since the birth of Christ.</P><P>The findings, which drew on the work of 30 researchers from six countries, analyzed lake sediment cores, glacial ice and tree-ring records and refuted the theory proposed by some skeptics that the recent warming was the result of small changes in the Earth’s axis of rotation.</P><P>Rather, it found that man-made emissions had in fact reversed a slow pattern of cooling caused by an orbital shift that began two millenniums ago.</P><P>“It’s basically saying the greenhouse gas emissions are overwhelming the system,” David Schneider, a climatologist and one of the study’s co-authors, said at the time.</P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/the-hockey-stick-lives/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-7177708192539852345?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/R5-a2HNQdXlJDdDigDPJarkuvPQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/R5-a2HNQdXlJDdDigDPJarkuvPQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/R5-a2HNQdXlJDdDigDPJarkuvPQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/R5-a2HNQdXlJDdDigDPJarkuvPQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=TESbJslEGt8:V2A5oBTypKo:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/TESbJslEGt8" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/TESbJslEGt8/stick-lives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/stick-lives.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5903195438315800813Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:14:00 +00002010-09-25T11:31:09.307-06:00PlanetPicturekillingWortheconomy<P>The graph below clearly shows that something is seriously wrong with our economy. Our overconsumption and fixation for more and more growth is killing our planet. You can click on the image to see it in more detail or explore the data behind the graphs here.</P><P><IMG class="alignnone size-large wp-image-2388" title="How our economy is killing the Earth" alt="How our economy is killing the Earth" src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2010/08/economy-killing-planet-1024x651.jpg" width=440 height=206></P><P>The graphs comes from New Scientist</EM> who recently did a special report on how our economy is killing the earth. In the report several “key thinkers from politics, economics and philosophy” gave their opinions about why they disagree with the current growth dogma. They write:</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="10"><P>“Most of us accept the need for a more sustainable way to live, by reducing carbon emissions, developing renewable technology and increasing energy efficiency.</P><P>But are these efforts to save the planet doomed? A growing band of experts are looking at figures like these and arguing that personal carbon virtue and collective environmentalism are futile as long as our economic system is built on the assumption of growth. The science tells us that if we are serious about saving Earth, we must reshape our economy.”</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Unfortunately you need to be a New Scientist</EM> subscriber to be able to read the actual articles.</P> <br /><p><a href="http://www.green-blog.org/2010/08/09/a-picture-is-worth-how-our-economy-is-killing-the-planet/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5903195438315800813?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KAqA8atHMM3sKiogLp6UXnrgp4U/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KAqA8atHMM3sKiogLp6UXnrgp4U/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KAqA8atHMM3sKiogLp6UXnrgp4U/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KAqA8atHMM3sKiogLp6UXnrgp4U/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=JfPpERgvymo:OsWG7KV-chE:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/JfPpERgvymo" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/JfPpERgvymo/picture-is-worth-how-our-economy-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/picture-is-worth-how-our-economy-is.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3925325218558251893Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:42:00 +00002010-09-25T11:32:14.280-06:00BattleBulbs<IMG alt="Green: Politics" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs_v3/green/green_politics.gif"><P>A trio of House Republicans, Joe Barton and Michael Burgess of Texas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, have introduced the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, which would repeal the section of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that sets minimum energy efficiency standards for light bulbs and would effectively phase out most ordinary incandescents. </P><IMG id=100000000356036 alt="Interloper: an energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb." src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/23/business/bulb2/bulb2-articleInline.jpg" width=190 height=254>Associated Press Interloper: an energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb.<P>While the new standards won’t take effect until 2012, the authors argue that they are having a negative impact. Specifically, they say the standards have led lighting companies to close several incandescent light bulb factories in the United States and send jobs overseas — particularly to China, where most compact fluorescent light bulbs, which are more efficient than incandescents, are manufactured. </P><P>Compact fluorescents are likely to be the cheapest bulbs on store shelves after retailers stop selling ordinary incandescents. </P><P>“The unanticipated consequences of the ’07 act – Washington-mandated layoffs in the middle of a desperate recession – is one of the many examples of what happens when politicians and activists think they know better than consumers and workers,” Mr. Barton, the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a statement. “Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to people who work for their own paychecks and earn their own living.” </P><P>Mr. Barton and his colleagues cite the recent the recent closing of a General Electric incandescent factory in Winchester, Va., where 200 workers lost their jobs, as an example of how the light bulb standards are harming American workers. </P><P>But proponents of the energy law say that such closings were already set into motion before the law was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George Bush in December 2007. Prior to the law’s passage, GE announced it was cutting jobs in its lighting division in response to a consumer shift toward more energy-efficient fluorescent products.</P><P>“It’s really consumer buying patterns,” James Campbell of GE’s consumer and industrial Unit said in a 2007 interview. “We’re really trying to be aggressive here and take the lead, restructuring plants and right-sizing ourselves to leverage what we see in the market.”</P><P>The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, a trade group that represents American lighting companies, said that the market for standard incandescent bulbs has declined 50 percent over the last five years. </P><P>But even though a significant number of people are making the switch to more efficient light bulbs, they are still in the minority. And some consumers who have tried compact fluorescents were disappointed by their performance and switched back. </P><P>Although they cost more to use in the long run, incandescents remain still the go-to choice for most Americans, many note.</P><P>“Despite the growing sales of energy-saving CFL’s, the reality is three out of every four sockets in the U.S. still contain the least efficient bulb available on the market, the 100-year-old incandescent bulb,” said Noah Horowitz, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The standards were needed to help make sure that every socket in the U.S. contained an energy-saving bulb, thereby preventing the need to build 30 large power plants and all the pollution that they generate.”</P><P>Mr. Horowitz and others suggest that the standards have actually spurred the development of more efficient, compliant versions. </P><P>Still, critics question why more of the new, energy-saving bulbs aren’t being manufactured in the United States.</P><P>“Why not convert the Winchester plant to produce CFL’s?” said Lisa Miller, Mr. Barton’s spokeswoman. </P><P>Janice Fraser, a communications manager for the GE Appliances & Lighting division, said the company did study the feasibility of retooling an incandescent factory and found that it was cost-prohibitive because of the high cost of manufacturing in the United States.</P><P>“We would have to invest a minimum of $40 million to retrofit a plant to make the bulbs on top of an already-high cost structure,” she said. “This would drive up production costs and make the selling price of GE CFL’s, at minimum, 50 percent higher than bulbs sold by competitors.”</P><P>Ms. Fraser said the company was creating some energy-efficient lighting manufacturing jobs in the United States, for example, by investing $60 million in GE’s lighting factory in Bucyrus, Ohio. The money is being used to expand production of linear fluorescent lamps, and 135 new positions were added, she said. </P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/the-battle-of-the-bulbs/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3925325218558251893?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KKPWSTDKHIYqCUUtha2GjrgBZNo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KKPWSTDKHIYqCUUtha2GjrgBZNo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KKPWSTDKHIYqCUUtha2GjrgBZNo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KKPWSTDKHIYqCUUtha2GjrgBZNo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=PA7LWVy5_3Y:3Xj6bMmGTU0:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/PA7LWVy5_3Y" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/PA7LWVy5_3Y/battle-of-bulbs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/battle-of-bulbs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5414110712897005269Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:41:00 +00002010-09-25T11:35:21.368-06:00Globalevidencewarmingunmistakable<P><IMG title=metoffice-report border=0 alt=metoffice-report src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2010/08/metofficereport_thumb.png" width=450 height=208></P><P>A new report released by the Met Office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has come to the conclusion that there is "unmistakable signs" that "the world is warming".</P><P>The report is based on 10 different indicators of temperature changes. According to the Met Office each indicator "proved consistent with a warming world". According to the report the air temperature over land, the sea-surface and marine air temperature has all increased. Our oceans are also heating and the humidity is getting higher. Tropospheric temperature in the ‘active-weather’ layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth’s surface has also increased. The Met Office also notes that sea-levels has increased while glaciers, spring snow cover in the northern hemisphere and arctic sea-ice are all in decline.</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="13"><P>“The temperature increase of one degree Fahrenheit over the past 50 years may seem small, but it has already altered our planet,” said Deke Arndt, co-editor of the report and chief of the Climate Monitoring Branch of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center. </P><P>“Glaciers and sea ice are melting, heavy rainfall is intensifying and heat waves are more common. And, as the new report tells us, there is now evidence that more than 90 percent of warming over the past 50 years has gone into our oceans.”</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>You can read a short summary of the report here. The electronic version of the full report can be found on the NOAA website.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.green-blog.org/2010/08/23/global-warming-evidence-is-unmistakable/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5414110712897005269?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EBfmuop5UUoBx0BFvGDPXkDLZgY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EBfmuop5UUoBx0BFvGDPXkDLZgY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EBfmuop5UUoBx0BFvGDPXkDLZgY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/EBfmuop5UUoBx0BFvGDPXkDLZgY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=SlSDyrBFlio:j6Yb_9D0Bhg:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/SlSDyrBFlio" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/SlSDyrBFlio/global-warming-evidence-is-unmistakable.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/global-warming-evidence-is-unmistakable.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5253393512591979625Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:08:00 +00002010-09-24T10:48:56.324-06:00CleanersGreenwashing<IMG id=100000000354707 alt="A Green Apple Dry Cleaners outlet in Manhattan cleans with carbon dioxide." src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/22/business/dry/dry-blogSpan.jpg" width=480 height=319>Keith Bedford for The New York Times This outlet in Manhattan dry cleans with liquid carbon dioxide, a greener alternative.<IMG alt="Green: Living" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs_v3/green/green_living.gif"><P>New York City doesn’t lack for dry cleaners, but many customers these days want their clothes not only clean but processed with environmentally sound practices. A bill pending in the City Council seeks to help consumers identify environmentally responsible dry cleaners, but some advocacy groups say the legislation would not go far enough.</P><P>The bill establishes standards that a dry cleaning business would have to abide by to be considered green and requires that it obtain a $340 license before it advertises itself as “organic,” “green” or “environmentally friendly.” Jessica Lappin, a Council member who is sponsoring the bill, said the goal was to prevent operators from posting those ubiquitous “organic” signs in their windows without doing anything to back it up. (I touched on this subject last year.)</P><P>“People should know what they’re getting, especially if they’re paying more,” Ms. Lappin said. “I don’t want consumers to be hoodwinked.”</P><P>She said the idea for the bill originated with requests from green cleaners that the city “level the playing field” — and groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, point out dryly that it shows. </P><P>One of its main objections to the bill as written is that it allows dry cleaners that use the solvent perchloroethylene, also known as perc, to promote themselves as environmentally friendly as long as the owner also engages in activities like recycling the hangers or plastic bags or using energy-efficient appliances.</P><P>Perc has been linked in some studies to cancer and neurological problems, and its use is strictly regulated.</P><P>“Dry cleaners would be permitted to hang ‘ecofriendly’ signs in their windows while using a cleaning solvent that, according to government scientists, can adversely affect the human nervous system and can damage the liver and the kidney, especially in occupational settings,” said Eric A. Goldstein, the group’s director for the New York City environment. “Rather than educate consumers, the proposed legislation would actually mislead them.”</P><P>Many cleaners have turned to methods that are only slightly less toxic than perc in the eyes of government and environmental watchdogs — for example, the petroleum-based solvents known as hydrocarbons. The environmentally preferable choice for dry cleaning, those watchdogs say, is actually wet cleaning, which involves water and biodegradable detergents. Another acceptable green option is replacing perc with liquid carbon dioxide, but this method requires equipment deemed too costly by the typical mom-and-pop dry cleaner.</P><P>Even better, some experts suggest, consumers can avoid buying clothes marked “dry clean only.”</P><P>After listening to testimony on Wednesday at a hearing of the City Council’s committee on consumer affairs, Councilwoman Lappin said, “There’s no clear consensus on what constitutes environmentally friendly in this arena, but everyone seemed to be in agreement that the dry cleaners calling themselves ‘organic’ are a problem.”</P><P>“We just have to figure out the best way to tackle it.”</P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/dry-cleaners-and-greenwashing/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5253393512591979625?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rw1zo6OfhNoSKqFgsd9Js_D1290/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rw1zo6OfhNoSKqFgsd9Js_D1290/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rw1zo6OfhNoSKqFgsd9Js_D1290/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rw1zo6OfhNoSKqFgsd9Js_D1290/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=pZR36CuCFFA:yt2vFVy8mk8:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/pZR36CuCFFA" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/pZR36CuCFFA/dry-cleaners-and-greenwashing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/dry-cleaners-and-greenwashing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-2393476429423128993Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:32:00 +00002010-09-24T06:32:00.584-06:00versusactioncollectiveenvironmentalimpactadvertisingIndividualexaminationresponsibility<P>Does the individualization of environmentalism have any merits? Can it successfully co-exist with collective action? Environmental advertising (or “green” advertising) assures consumers that they can evoke positive environmental change by adopting simple habits and by purchasing green goods provided by companies (Maniates, 2001). These include wearing clothing made from sustainable fibres, consuming local and organic food, purchasing hybrid cars or choosing cosmetics made with natural ingredients. However, some environmental scholars such as Michael Maniates have criticized these actions as greenwashing which individualizes environmental problems.</P><P>The tension at the heart of consumer culture is that it is a fragile system that cannot sustain itself indefinitely (Varey, 2001). The resources needed to extract, produce, transport, and advertise the products that consumers take for granted are being used up at an alarming rate, with devastating environmental costs. We all know this. Consumer culture has received ever-increasing blame for the environmental crisis, which marketing responds to with “green advertising”.</P><P>Michael Maniates’ research (2001) provides an insightful critique of this individualization associated with green marketing. Green advertising, he argues, coyly sidesteps the underlying issues of overconsumption and individualization, in the attempt to preserve familiar, comfortable patterns of consumption. According to Maniates, true environmental action would involve long term solutions such as collective public policy that reduces our consumption patterns and breaks our reliance on fossil fuels. This perspective argues that within green advertising, larger social patterns and powers are ignored and civic action is disregarded as a viable solution. Instead, individualization places all blame (as well as all responsibility for action) on individual consumers. In reality, however, green advertising is sustained through a capitalist system that is innately un-environmental in its need for constant growth and the development of new markets. Goldman and Papson (1996) share these sentiments, claiming that the entire purpose of advertising is to create demand for products, and therefore advertising is inherently un-environmental.</P><P><STRONG>Citizenship vs Consumption</STRONG></P><P>But maybe green advertising has benefits that cannot be disregarded. First, in order to fully grasp the complexities of contemporary culture, it is necessary to broaden the traditional definitions of “consumption” and “citizenship”. Maniates asserts that “the individualization of responsibility, because it characterizes environmental problems as the consequence of destructive consumer choice, asks that individuals imagine themselves as consumers first and citizens second” (2001, p. 34). However, I wish to counter this idea and maintain an alternative view of the coupling of the “citizen-consumer”. Trentmann agrees that this phenomenon leaves social change to the realm of consumption, but argues that this new form cannot be overlooked. Thus, the conventional definitions are no longer satisfactory. Citizenship –too often see as irrelevant and stuffy– is being transformed. As Trentmann asserts, “the political is back” (2007, p. 147). Consumption and citizenship do not have to be viewed as a zero-sum game. In fact, consumers are increasingly concerned about political ideas within their consumption habits—consumer boycotts, Fair Trade Certified alternatives and concerns over sweatshops are all examples of this.</P><P>Muldoon’s research draws on the concept of the citizen-consumer in the realm of environmentalism. For instance, as Muldoon argues (2006), people have different ways of being politically active, and the marketplace may be an arena for individuals who shy away from politics to be active in environmentalism. Others argue that it is often easier for voices to be heard within the marketplace than within politics. Since companies are afraid of losing business, they may be more likely to respond to public opinion. Here, green marketing has a useful purpose and can fill the voids in collective public action (Muldoon, 2006).</P><P>Although Maniates (2001) argues that environmental change is not possible in the realm of the individual consumer, the fact remains that in several cases, (such as some food and personal hygiene products) consumption may be inevitable—so why not offer environmentally-friendly alternatives? Perhaps, green advertising offers consumers a reminder and an opportunity to engage with their environmental values on an ongoing basis. Seyfang also arrives at the conclusion that individual environmentally-conscious consumption is a “necessary complement” to more radical action—necessary because people require some purchased goods (2005, p. 302).</P><P><STRONG>Empowering the Individual? </STRONG></P><P>A second argument claims that green advertising’s individualization is not detrimental because it acts as an empowering force for individuals. As previously mentioned, there was a high level of concern for the environment among Americans in the 90s. However, citizens’ actions do not reflect this level of concern. This is a situation that is still extremely relevant. The authors believe that environmental advertising can be remarkably effective at empowering individuals to act on their environmental concerns. Cobb-Walgren, Ellen and Wiener’s telephone survey measured perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) and environmental concern. Perceived consumer effectiveness is defined as the “belief that the efforts of an individual can make a difference in the solution to a problem” (1991, p. 103).</P><P>However, not all advertising is equally effective in empowering consumers. Interestingly, it appears that the more “lighthearted” advertising (advertising which serious environmentalists may critique) is more effective. The authors suggest that marketing may wish to avoid discussing how dire a situation is (what they call the “sick baby” appeal), or else individuals will be completely overwhelmed and will not feel that there is anything they can do. As they argue, “one can think he or she is guilty of contributing to the problem without thinking he or she has the power to solve the problem” (p. 105).</P><P>What is suggested instead of the “sick baby” approach is marketing campaigns that show how individuals are making an impact through their daily decisions. For instance, Encorp (a Canadian recycling company) regularly features advertising that mentions the positive impact of individuals’ decisions. One of their newspaper ads proudly declares: “Just by recycling your beverage containers you help keep the equivalent of 126,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases out of BC’s atmosphere” (Encorp, 2009). This way, people will be inspired to do more. The authors believe that this can be done without minimizing the importance of the issue at hand. In effect, the authors do not dismiss green advertising as a marketing campaign. Instead, they see it as a valuable tactic in warding off sentiments of hopelessness. As they argue, “both public and private policymakers who seek to encourage voluntary behavior on behalf of the environment should try to enhance consumer perceptions that their own actions will improve the environment” (1991, p. 111).</P><P>Therefore, these findings suggest that green advertising’s individualization of environmental action is not wholly detrimental. Green advertising may help to raise an individual’s personal sense of control in the problems of environmental destruction, causing more action to be taken. This is a key point that Maniates may have overlooked. Although collective action is perhaps the key element in positive change, individual empowerment may be the important precursor to collective action. In this way, individual action and collective action are not at odds.</P><P><STRONG>Greater Effects: Voluntary Simplicity</STRONG></P><P>Finally, there is some evidence to suggest that individual green consumption can actually lead to more significant action. Voluntary simplicity (VS) refers to the trend of adopting a lifestyle with little consumption and material goods (Kumju et al., 2006). This decision is noteworthy because it is born out of personal choice rather than economic necessity such as poverty or war. Voluntary simplicity is not necessarily new, but the researchers have uncovered a significant new element to add to the theory: beginner voluntary simplicity (BVS). Beginner voluntary simplifiers are not true voluntary simplifiers yet, but are important precursors in the process. They may not reduce their overall consumption, but have taken measures to purchase environmentally-friendly options (Kumju et al., 2006). Because of this, beginner voluntary simplifiers are a crucial target market for green advertising.</P><P>Essentially, consumption can be seen as a continuum rather than a binary, with voluntary simplicity on one side, and extreme consumerism on the other. This allows for the possibility of change. The authors decided to study this unique group to decide what steps they were taking, and what motivated them to take part in BVS. The authors determine that although advancement from BVS to VS is certainly not inevitable, there is a group of beginner voluntary simplifiers named “apprentice simplifiers” who will eventually become true voluntary simplifiers (Kumju et al., 2006). The role of green advertising is quite high for this group, the authors suggest, as they may “rely on more accessible and mainstream media, as well as actual product information on packaging” (Kumju et al., 2006, p. 526). Green advertising has educational appeal to this group of BVS.</P><P><STRONG>What do you think?</STRONG></P><P>After weighing the different arguments, Muldoon explains, “the game of sustainable living begins when more people can play. And anything that encourages greater contemplation of, and participation in, green issues is worth examining” (2006, para. 46). Here, I believe Muldoon is correct. Collective environmental groups are made up of individuals—empowered individuals who believe real change can be made. For this reason, it is simply not possible to altogether discount green advertising, and the individual action that stems from it. Green advertising and green consumerism can provide a place for the union of individual and collective action.</P><P>Therefore, I believe that individual action, though not sufficient, can be beneficial and may even strengthen areas of collective action. This is not to say that the greenwashing of products is a valuable advertising practice. Rather, I wish to avoid discounting the companies who have invested effort in the hopes of truly supplying a more environmentally-conscious product. I also want to recognize that individuals can be powerful agents of social change.</P><P>But I should open this conversation to you, the readers. You’re consumers of environmental media, and most likely buy environmentally-friendly products. What do you think? Is individual action sufficient? Is it important? Or is it just a way to continue destructive consumer culture?</P><P><STRONG>Reference List</STRONG></P><P>Cobb-Walgren, C., Ellen, P. & Wiener, J. (1991). The Role of Perceived Consumer Effectiveness in Motivating Environmentally Conscious Behaviors. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 10</EM> (2), 102-117. Retrieved July 15, 2010, from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.</P><P>Encorp. (2009). Beverage Containers [print ad]. Retrieved August 2, 2010, from http://www.encorp.ca/cfm/index.cfm?It=914&Id=1&Se=38,58</P><P>Kumju, H., McDonald, S., Oates, C. & Young, C. W. (2006). Toward Sustainable Consumption: Researching Voluntary Simplifiers. Psychology & Marketing, 23</EM>(6), 515–534. Retrieved July 16, 2010, from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.</P><P>Goldman & Papson. (1996). Green Marketing and the Commodity Self, Sign Wars, </EM>pp. 187-215. NY, New York: Guilford Press.</P><P>Maniates, Michael. (2001). Individualization: Plant a Tree, Buy a Bike, Save the World? Global</EM> Environmental Politics </EM>1</EM>(3), 31-52.</P><P>Muldoon, Annie. (2006). Where the Green is: Examining the Paradox of Environmentally Conscious Consumption. Electronic Green Journal, 23</EM>. Retrieved July 15, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.</P><P>Seyfang, Gill. (2005). Shopping for Sustainability: Can Sustainable Consumption Promote Ecological Citizenship? Environmental Politics 14</EM>(2), 290-306. Retrieved August 1, 2010, from Google Scholar database.</P><P>Trentmann, F. (2007). Citizenship and Consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture, 7</EM>(2), 147-158.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.green-blog.org/2010/08/19/individual-responsibility-versus-collective-action-an-examination-of-the-impact-of-environmental-advertising/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-2393476429423128993?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CRltBZWf5oA59t-ocQIoPnD7hYc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CRltBZWf5oA59t-ocQIoPnD7hYc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CRltBZWf5oA59t-ocQIoPnD7hYc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CRltBZWf5oA59t-ocQIoPnD7hYc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=kRuhjFy7sKE:VBEqG7l_xB8:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/kRuhjFy7sKE" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/kRuhjFy7sKE/individual-responsibility-versus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/individual-responsibility-versus.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3518439223863031975Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:57:00 +00002010-09-24T10:50:36.998-06:00GreenwashSwedishAwardGovernment<P><IMG title="Andreas Carlgren" border=0 alt="Andreas Carlgren" src="http://www.green-blog.org/media/images/uploads/2010/08/andreascarlgren_thumb.jpg" width=550 height=367></P><P>The Swedish right-wing government has won the yearly greenwash award in Sweden! The greenwash award is given to a company or a person who have done the best job to avoid real environmental action, and instead put effort into creating a fake green image. Friends of the Earth has, after a period of public online voting, given this award to Andreas Carlgren, the Swedish Environment Minister.</P><P>What is a bit surprising (or not) is that Andreas Carlgren won the award by far even though he was up against other heavy greenwash opponents such as Carl-Henrik Svanberg from BP and Shell. A reason for his crushing victory must be his involvement in the controversial new Swedish motorway project Bypass Stockholm which he is working hard to brand as an "environmentally friendly" solution to the traffic problems in Stockholm.</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="10"><P>In September 2009 the government gave permission for the largest and most expensive highway project ever, the so-called bypass Stockholm. The motorway will increase road traffic and get in the way for emission reductions. Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren defended the bypass by claiming that it is an "environmental and climate friendly option for Stockholm", "a major investment in trams and buses", and a motorway "for the future of environmentally friendly cars," said Ellie Cijvat, chairman of the Friends of the Earth in Sweden.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Read more about the Swedish government and its climate-wrecking efforts: <BR>- The Swedish government is bad for the environment <BR>- The Swedish government completes its climate wrecking track record with a pro-nuclear vote</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.green-blog.org/2010/08/25/swedish-government-wins-greenwash-award/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3518439223863031975?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_Eiv61BrGOlns8tmpjCcdWRDGdM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_Eiv61BrGOlns8tmpjCcdWRDGdM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_Eiv61BrGOlns8tmpjCcdWRDGdM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_Eiv61BrGOlns8tmpjCcdWRDGdM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=0jwBrb41ZW0:Y36UAfcAOlg:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/0jwBrb41ZW0" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/0jwBrb41ZW0/swedish-government-wins-greenwash-award.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/swedish-government-wins-greenwash-award.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-246791936110146736Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:47:00 +00002010-09-24T10:51:58.133-06:00BreakingGhetto<IMG alt="A spill test at the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River." src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/23/business/bonne/bonne-blogSpan.jpg" width=480 height=317>Bonneville Power Administration A spill test at the Chief Joseph Dam on the Columbia River near Bridgeport, Wash.<IMG alt="Green: Business" src="/greenbusiness.gif"><P>Saturated with too much energy from wind and water, the Bonneville Power Administration, a federal agency based in the Pacific Northwest, has been forced to look for outside help. For the moment its problems represent an extreme, but experts predict that other systems will find themselves in the same pickle as utilities build more wind machines in an effort to reach state-mandated quotas for renewable energy.</P><P>Bonneville, which issued a report this month on its rough patch, went through a period in June where it literally had to give energy away and induce neighboring utilities to shut down their fossil-fuel powered plants. The problem was that its own territory was struck by unexpected storms that filled its dams with water. </P><P>Other systems might have released the water and bypassed the wind turbines, but for Bonneville that causes environmental damage. Water that goes over a spillway as opposed to through a turbine picks up bubbles of nitrogen gas from the atmosphere. When baby salmon absorb the bubbles, they experience something resembling the bends in a human diver. </P><P>The same storms also brought wind. Bonneville has added 5,000 megawatts of wind power in the last few years, and it is mostly concentrated in the Columbia River Gorge in what is known as the “wind ghetto.” As a result, at any given moment, almost all of the wind machines in Bonneville’s territory are either running or not running. In June, they were running. </P><P>Normally hydro and wind are a good pairing because hydro plants can adjust their output almost instantly to compensate for a variation in winds. But if all the water has to go through the turbines, as was the case in June, the hydro operator loses the ability to cut back when there is a sudden surge in wind. </P><P>The system got so crowded that Bonneville took the highly unusual step of telling a nuclear power plant in its territory to cut output to 18 percent. Nuclear power plants are designed to run at 100 percent.</P><P>The next step, which it did not quite reach, would have been to tell the wind producers to “spill” wind, adjusting their blades so they produced no power. That would have denied the system electricity that has no operating cost and made it harder to meet renewable energy quotas. </P><P>To avoid being squeezed again, Bonneville has begun a pilot project with Iberdrola Renewables and Constellation Energy. About 1,100 megawatts of wind in Bonneville’s territory owned by Iberdrola will be balanced by a coal-fired plant in Centralia, Wash.; gas-fired power plants in Oregon; and hydro resources owned by other operators. </P><P>“We’re going to get to a point where we’re starting to choke on too much wind,’’ said James J. Thompson, vice president of Constellation. The solution for now, he said, is to dilute the variability of wind by spreading it over a bigger system. </P><P>The division of Constellation that does the work, formerly owned by Duke Energy North America, installs controls on remote generators that can receive information from a central control room in Houston every four seconds and increase or decrease generation. But usually what it is doing is balancing conventional generators against varying demand. </P><P>Mr. Thompson said that his company would use about 600 megawatts of generators to balance the 1,100 megawatts of wind, although on any given day, some of that 600 megawatts would not be available. Still, the amount on hand will be more than adequate to make up for cases in which the wind blows harder or more gently than predicted, requiring a coal- or gas-fired plant to gear up or trim its output. </P><P>In the longer term, the ability to compensate for varying wind output will require more power lines, experts say. And government studies show that with more wind installed in diverse locations, wind generation can offset itself, with machines in some locations running hard while others are becalmed, making for a steadier average.</P><P>For now, though, Bonneville Power Administration is outsourcing its problem to an operator with access to a broader portfolio of generators. </P><P>“Bonneville Power Administration hydro resources are stretching to their limits,’’ said Doug Johnson, a spokesman for the agency. “In the interest of getting as much wind on the system as we can, it’s important to find other resources. ‘’</P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/breaking-out-of-a-wind-ghetto/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-246791936110146736?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7Jzzcao8SvmFVjmSW6gPfhL4W98/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7Jzzcao8SvmFVjmSW6gPfhL4W98/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7Jzzcao8SvmFVjmSW6gPfhL4W98/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7Jzzcao8SvmFVjmSW6gPfhL4W98/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=ojrUoPwelIc:jXsUyaQzsdE:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/ojrUoPwelIc" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/ojrUoPwelIc/breaking-out-of-wind-ghetto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/breaking-out-of-wind-ghetto.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-4187183436647664538Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:43:00 +00002010-09-23T18:43:00.534-06:00RenewableEnergyBipartisan<IMG alt="Green: Politics" src="/greenpolitics.gif"><P>In a rare show of bipartisanship, a group of Democratic and Republican senators introduced legislation on Tuesday that would require utilities nationwide to generate at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass by 2021.</P><P>The bill was introduced by Jeff Bingaman, Democrat of New Mexico, and Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas.</P><P>“I think that the votes are present in the Senate to pass a renewable electricity standard,” Mr. Bingaman said in a statement.  “I think that they are present in the House. I think that we need to get on with figuring out what we can pass and move forward.”</P><P>The bill counts two other Republicans as co-sponsors: Susan Collins of Maine and John Ensign of Nevada. The bill may need several more Republicans on board to clear the 60- vote hurdle to end debate in the Senate, however, as some Southeastern and Midwestern Democrats may be likely to oppose the measure. </P><P>Senator Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, said in an interview with the news service Energy and Environment Daily that she could not support a renewable electricity standard unless the Obama administration’s moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, set to expire on Nov. 30, was lifted. “It just has to happen,” Ms. Landrieu said.</P><P>A standalone renewable electricity standard would not have her support, she said. “If that’s all it is, it’s not even worth me talking about it.”</P><P>The Democrats Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Evan Bayh of Indiana are also considered potential “no” votes on the measure. Ms. Lincoln and Mr. Nelson have expressed doubts about such standards in the past, and Mr. Bayh voted against a renewable electricity standard in a 2009 committee vote.</P><P>A nearly identical electricity mandate was drafted by Mr. Bingaman and passed by the Senate Energy and Environment Committee in 2009, but faced opposition from renewable energy groups and Democrats inclined toward a more ambitious target. But with cap-and-trade legislation all but dead in the Senate, and the prospect looming that no clean energy or climate legislation at all will be passed this year, some of those who previously opposed the measure have hopped on board.</P><P>“The R.E.S. passed by the Senate Energy Committee in 2009 is not as strong as it should be, but it would establish a first-ever national framework for increasing the use of renewable electricity,” said Marchant Wentworth of the Union of Concerned Scientists, which previously opposed the 15 percent mandate as far too weak. “That is a crucial step toward a lower-carbon economy, and we must take it now.”</P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/a-bipartisan-bill-on-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-4187183436647664538?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJwPAvORg65pAFE3Q4fx8u2qGrk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJwPAvORg65pAFE3Q4fx8u2qGrk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJwPAvORg65pAFE3Q4fx8u2qGrk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/RJwPAvORg65pAFE3Q4fx8u2qGrk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=jvhkHlPGbPI:3ZA2f_cXMVA:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/jvhkHlPGbPI" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/jvhkHlPGbPI/bipartisan-bill-on-renewable-energy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/bipartisan-bill-on-renewable-energy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-1790343461303864744Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:47:00 +00002010-09-23T16:39:22.921-06:00Green<p>Would You Like To Learn How To Save Around $500 Per Month By Going Green? Yes It's True! Going Green Can Make You Rich! Visit Affiliate Pge for giveaway Report & PLR to help promote.</p><br /><a href="http://csegeek.gogreenbr.hop.clickbank.net/">Check it out!</a><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-1790343461303864744?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/J32_OwdapQnvybA73MOLDn7Khbo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/J32_OwdapQnvybA73MOLDn7Khbo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/J32_OwdapQnvybA73MOLDn7Khbo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/J32_OwdapQnvybA73MOLDn7Khbo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=BXXc-62tIg8:h3arXHsmJl0:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/BXXc-62tIg8" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/BXXc-62tIg8/go-green-be-rich.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/go-green-be-rich.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-3221165269679087615Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:18:00 +00002010-09-24T10:53:37.082-06:00BedbugTingeBustersGreen<IMG alt="Warrick Bell, left, and Brian Hirsch, who work for a company called Protect-A-Bed, at a bedbug convention in Rosemont, Ill." src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/22/business/bedbug/bedbug-blogSpan.jpg" width=480 height=318>Sally Ryan for The New York Times Warrick Bell, left, and Brian Hirsch, Protect-A-Bed emissaries, at a convention in Rosemont, Ill.<IMG alt="Green: Living" src="/greenliving.gif"><P>A bedbug convention – the broadest of its kind in recent memory – continues in Rosemont, Ill., on Wednesday, a reminder that while these returning pests have certainly made a lot of people miserable lately, they are also keeping a lot of others employed.</P><P>Still, a central question looms at the conference even as the entomologists warn that there is no end in sight: What will the next solution to bedbugs look like?</P><P>To hear Phillip Cooper, the president of BedBug Central, which organized the sessions, tell it, there will indeed be a solution (just as there seemed to be decades ago when DDT was believed to have eradicated bedbugs). “There’s going to be a silver bullet,” Mr. Cooper said this week. “Whether it’s in five years, 10 years – it’s going to happen.”</P><P>That notion seems wishful for some places, like New York, where some stores have closed after outbreaks and nearly everyone seems to be looking behind box springs for some telltale sign. And another factor — environmental consciousness — has come to the fore since DDT first came along, adding a new challenge to whatever the new solution might be. </P><P>The list of possible antidotes is long, ranging from heating to vacuuming. Among a sampling of conferencegoers here, the least popular solutions involved sprays, dustings or anything involving chemicals. Heating, expensive but effective, was highly popular — and praised for being natural and nontoxic, at least for nonbugs like you and me.</P><P>Nearly everyone spoke of being “green.” (Indeed, the antibedbug companies here seem to have explored every possible permutation combining the words “bedbugs,” “green,” “safe” and “clean.”) Pest control companies boasted of being Green Shield Certified. So what is the ultimate answer?</P><P>No one seems quite sure. And not everyone here will benefit from whatever that “silver bullet” ultimately turns out to be. Asked whether the bedbug situation would be solved soon, one pest control company owner said jokingly, “Please, God, no!”</P><br /><p><a href="http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/a-green-tinge-to-bedbug-busters/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-3221165269679087615?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Bn_XnsHiYJqgS9mwOq8XajNwI0Y/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Bn_XnsHiYJqgS9mwOq8XajNwI0Y/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Bn_XnsHiYJqgS9mwOq8XajNwI0Y/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Bn_XnsHiYJqgS9mwOq8XajNwI0Y/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=Jt_-Z9xR62I:xWugBvSiM5U:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/Jt_-Z9xR62I" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/Jt_-Z9xR62I/green-tinge-to-bedbug-busters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's Eco)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/green-tinge-to-bedbug-busters.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-9175147997261798779Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:52:00 +00002010-09-23T11:52:00.304-06:00MillionNearlyPurchasesDenverThe U.S. Mint in Denver, a federal facility that produces coins, purchased enough wind to meet 100% of its electricity use. The facility will purchase nearly 13 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually through Xcel Energy's Windsource program. </P><P><STRONG>Additional Information -</EM></STRONG> Xcel Energy's Windsource to provide all electricity to U.S. Mint at Denver </P><P><STRONG>Contact:</STRONG> Guillermo Hernandez, 303-405-4736</P><BR><br /><p><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenPowerNetwork-RssFeed/~3/Ott7ul_oLzQ/news_template.shtml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-9175147997261798779?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PLn8MqtM7erMx1zTJkQmoEBrJw4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PLn8MqtM7erMx1zTJkQmoEBrJw4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PLn8MqtM7erMx1zTJkQmoEBrJw4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PLn8MqtM7erMx1zTJkQmoEBrJw4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=sOD25sINiTY:6y4xP6DGjvQ:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/sOD25sINiTY" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/sOD25sINiTY/us-mint-in-denver-purchases-nearly-13.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/us-mint-in-denver-purchases-nearly-13.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5250510376586486047Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:20:00 +00002010-09-23T10:20:00.943-06:00SchoolsOfferProjectPublicRiverCommunitySolarSalt River Project (SRP) launched SRP Community Solar, a program that allows public schools to purchase energy from a photovoltaic facility to be built in 2011. Schools districts can purchase the output for a fixed price of 9.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for 10 years. Of the 35 school districts in SRP territory, 26 have expressed interest in participating. SRP will retain the renewable energy certificates from the solar facility in order to meet a requirement by their board of directors to provide 15 percent of generation from sustainable resources by 2025. </P><P>The solar facility will be 20 megawatts (MW), of which 18 MW will be reserved for school districts. SRP is also developing a waiting list for residential customers who may be interested in participating in a similar program; 2 MW will be dedicated to the residential program. </P><P><STRONG>News Release -</EM></STRONG> SRP unveils Community Solar for public schools </P><P><STRONG>Contact:</STRONG> Patty Garcia Likens, 602-236-2500</P><BR><br /><p><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenPowerNetwork-RssFeed/~3/IYvbB-KiRJs/news_template.shtml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5250510376586486047?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FmlvSm4dARfbDZq_UeLqkvU2CT8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FmlvSm4dARfbDZq_UeLqkvU2CT8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FmlvSm4dARfbDZq_UeLqkvU2CT8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/FmlvSm4dARfbDZq_UeLqkvU2CT8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=34Z7VyE8sM8:59ezywdCLcs:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/34Z7VyE8sM8" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/34Z7VyE8sM8/salt-river-project-to-offer-community.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/salt-river-project-to-offer-community.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-7945614549664314808Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:37:00 +00002010-09-23T08:37:00.185-06:00LabelsGreen<P>Green Lantern : Because we are not always so serious! Besides, we need some new green guardians of the Universe.</P><P>More on Green comics:</P><P>Yesh, "Mutts" Cartoonist Patrick McDonnell Makes Every Day Earth Day</P><P>Arctic Circle Comic Strip is Environmentally Conscious, Funny</P><P>Credits: To my students at the Ryerson School of Interior Design, Library Case Study Group, who came up with this great idea and had the mad photoshop skilz to do it:</P><P>Esther Abrams, Jessica Baird ,Gillian Gregory, Nicole Hoppe, Anna MacDonald, Allison McMurter, Roxanne Thorpe, Nathan VanEgdom, Rohani Lim</P><br /><p><a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/games-quizzes/green-labels-quiz/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-7945614549664314808?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CXf_Zrp-HSwvCn1RUX3rGQ6Aswo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CXf_Zrp-HSwvCn1RUX3rGQ6Aswo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CXf_Zrp-HSwvCn1RUX3rGQ6Aswo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/CXf_Zrp-HSwvCn1RUX3rGQ6Aswo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=cDEzmFyHrik:vAZ4CtHwMvo:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/cDEzmFyHrik" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/cDEzmFyHrik/know-your-green-labels.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/know-your-green-labels.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-5113778592053843415Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:37:00 +00002010-09-23T07:37:00.211-06:00JohnsonExploreorgSustainability<P>For every person that buys local or brings their own bag to the grocery store, two others buy bottled water, or make a similar purchase that doesn't do anything to help curb consumption in the United States. Jack Johnson, the singer/songwriter, has started to add up the good buys, and is encouraging more people to put their money into sustainability. So far, almost $305 million has been spent. </P><P>You can make a personal commitment to environmental and social change at explore.org/JackJohnson. The goal is to reach 100,000 commitments. So far, 278 million "food miles" have been saved, along with more than 272,000 shopping bags and about 155,000 water bottles. Another 16,000 volunteer hours have been logged. More than 64,000 people have taken pledges.</P><P>Explore.org, an arm of The Annenberg Foundation, has teamed up with The (Jack) Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation for the "Capture Your Commitment" campaign. Fans who see Jack live can make a personal commitment to environmental and social change inside a photo booth. Those of us who don't have tickets can do it online at explore.org/JackJohnson.</P><P>Jack is doing all of this because he believes "an individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change." Commitments and photos are posted online with a tally of the pledges. </P><P>There's a potential prize for playing, too, including $25 iTunes gift cards, free downloads of Jack's new album "To the Sea," and the grand prize— a custom surfboard signed by Jack.</P><P><STRONG>More on Green, Socially Conscious Music</STRONG><BR>Jack Johnson Donating 100% of World Tour Profits to Charity<BR>Passion Pit Headlines Campus Consciousness Tour<BR>On Jewel's 'Shape of You," Cancer and Clean Water</P><br /><p><a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/instrumental/put-money-in-sustainability-jack-johnson-explore-org.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-5113778592053843415?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/vYrXLk3wCekQntdVC-MqkVqnv1U/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/vYrXLk3wCekQntdVC-MqkVqnv1U/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/vYrXLk3wCekQntdVC-MqkVqnv1U/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/vYrXLk3wCekQntdVC-MqkVqnv1U/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=afOgkID5Bqc:MUn1VSnzYbI:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/afOgkID5Bqc" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/afOgkID5Bqc/put-in-sustainability-with-jack-johnson.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/put-in-sustainability-with-jack-johnson.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-6233630155076000973Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:50:00 +00002010-09-23T05:50:00.830-06:00WaterInfrastructure<P>On May 8, Senators Benjamin Cardin, Barbara Boxer, James Inhofe, and Mike Crapo introduced the Water Infrastructure Financing Act to reform and increase investment in the Clean Water State Revolving fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which have not been reauthorized in 22 years and 13 years, respectively.</P><P>More:<BR>EPA Gives $565 Million of Stimulus Cash for Water Projects in the South.</P><br /><p><a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/games-quizzes/water-infrastructure-quiz/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-6233630155076000973?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/DriRzVi6umLjlfk2L9ivtLd4qDI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/DriRzVi6umLjlfk2L9ivtLd4qDI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/DriRzVi6umLjlfk2L9ivtLd4qDI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/DriRzVi6umLjlfk2L9ivtLd4qDI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=DaQqGz7D80k:MlaOuXh6vRY:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/DaQqGz7D80k" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/DaQqGz7D80k/know-your-water-infrastructure.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/know-your-water-infrastructure.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8528319643232527897.post-559575235823866968Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:15:00 +00002010-09-23T12:13:02.598-06:00SandsToxicVideoCanadaaposs<P>Welcome to Planet 100 for August 31, 2010. Here's what we're covering today.</P><P><STRONG><IMG border=0 align=left src="/play-button-icon.png">WATCH VIDEO: Canada's Oil Sands More Toxic Than Ever</STRONG></P><P><STRONG>Toxic Oil Sands</STRONG><BR>Oil sands operations in Calgary are polluting the Athabasca River system, contradicting the Alberta government's assertions that toxins in the watershed are naturally occurring.</P><P>Researchers said mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium are among the toxins being released into the Athabasca. The environmental impact of developing the oil sands, the biggest reserves of crude outside the Middle East, has been a topic of snowballing controversy in Canada and around the world.</P><P>The Alberta government has devoted millions of dollars to defend the multibillion-dollar industry. </P><P>Read More: Tar Sands Projects Responsible for Water Pollution in Alberta's Rivers - Despite Industry Claims to Contrary</P><P><STRONG>Hype Blooms</STRONG><BR>After a 60 Minutes special on the Bloom Energy company, hype is building for the clean, green ?power plant in a box.? But how green is the cutting edge fuel cell?</P><P>Google, Ebay, and Walmart have all purchased the $750,000 unit which they expect will pay for itself in 3-5 years through reduced energy consumption. The Bloom Box generates power by oxidizing (rather than combusting) fuels like natural gas or propane, generating up to 2x the energy output. </P><P>So though it does not replace fossil fuels, it does mean significantly reduced carbon emissions for big companies like Google who can afford the Bloom units.</P><P>Via: MNN</P><P><STRONG>Read more about the Bloom Box:</STRONG><BR>Yay or Meh? Bloom Box Fuel Cell on 60 Minute (Video)<BR>Bloom Energy Comes Out of the Shadows, Launches the Bloom Box Fuel Cell</P><P><STRONG>Toxic Popcorn</STRONG><BR>While popcorn remains a popular snack for movie nights at home, you may think twice before opting for the microwaved variety. An FDA report reveals that a chemical coating used in popcorn bags breaks down when heated releasing carcinogens. Our advice? Go old school and jostle some kernels on the stovetop.</P><P>Via: Yahoo</P><P><STRONG>Read more about popcorn:</STRONG><BR>Study Finds Popcorn Butter Alternatives Also Toxic<BR>Microwave Popcorn: The Next Asbestos<BR>Should You Cook with a Microwave or Stove?</P><P>Credits:<BR>Tar Sands ?AP Photo/Eamon Mac Mahon<BR>Tar Sands ?AP Photo/Jeff McIntosh<BR>Bloom Box units at Ebay HQ Courtesy of Bloom Energy<BR>VIDEO clip: Bloom Energy<BR>Popcorn ?JupiterImages/Thinkstock<BR>Horror movie ?Polka Dot Images/Thinkstock</P><br /><p><a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/planet-100/canadas-oil-sands-more-toxic-than-ever-video-news.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8528319643232527897-559575235823866968?l=ceseco.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9-DOKbV3kCc4_AmjYyIbweopDhM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9-DOKbV3kCc4_AmjYyIbweopDhM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9-DOKbV3kCc4_AmjYyIbweopDhM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/9-DOKbV3kCc4_AmjYyIbweopDhM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:KwTdNBX3Jqk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:KwTdNBX3Jqk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:l6gmwiTKsz0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=l6gmwiTKsz0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?i=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?a=M9CPhaG3sYM:nQ2REGydqjI:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CesEco?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CesEco/~4/M9CPhaG3sYM" height="1" width="1"/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CesEco/~3/M9CPhaG3sYM/canada-oil-sands-more-toxic-than-ever.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (CE's GeeBook)0http://ceseco.blogspot.com/2010/09/canada-oil-sands-more-toxic-than-ever.html