Solar Power in New York

Archive for September, 2009

The Real CO2 Footprint of a Product?

We’ve certainly seen quite a few companies come out and say that their manufacturing facilities have a zero impact on the environment, meaning zero footprint, but indeed, there is much controversy on how to determine what a zero foot print is. It’s almost impossible to get to zero, even if a company goes and plants 10,000 trees over the course of 5-years.

The other day at a Think Tank meeting, we were talking about how to establish a complete CO2 discharge chain of a product, including all its components in the process of making it. From the wrappers, card board box, printing, assembly, energy to do all that, the distance the people traveled to work in what type of cars, etc. I mean really narrowing down the actual discharges.

Not because we are Global Warming alarmists, but because we feel it is not exactly correct for a company to claim Zero Emissions. And that we must have a more realistic view of the total process, Supply chain and all.

Many companies like Dell in Texas have stated that they have finally achieved zero emissions, but they were attacked for stating that, why? Because, everyone has a different concept of what nothing is. In other words we are all out there fighting over nothing and that makes no sense to anyone, no matter how you figure it.

Indeed, we should be applauding Dell for their solar panels, LEEDs certified warehouses and assembly plant and all their hard work and meaningful dedication to do the right thing. And yet, we are not doing that are we? Instead we find people attacking businesses, even those that go out of their way, spending millions of dollars to do the right thing. I ask are we doing the right thing by allowing persnickety environmental complainers to attack America’s greatest companies?

Lance Winslow – Lance Winslow’s Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

Solar Flowers, A Mobile Art Installation That Provides Free Power …

Los Angeles artists Patrick Shearn and Cynthia Washburn of Poetic Kinetics, who have created art projects at Burning Man, recently made â??Solar Flowersâ?, an art installation that uses solar power to create free charging stations with …

Bird on a Wire: Solar Farm Gets Approved

NASHVILLE — Tennessee won federal approval Tuesday for a $62.5 million economic stimulus grant for a solar power demonstration farm in Haywood County and solar research institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. …

Solar Energy Centre to receive IITB solar thermal project …

Mumbai-based institute looks to develop a new solar center and testing ground sponsored by the government of India and backed by an industry-based consortium.

Timbuktu Chronicles: Zara Solar

Several customers of Zara Solar are earning extra income from their solar PV systems, due in part to the UNDP having provided 60% grants to people buying the equipment to set up or support a small business. A number of bars and cafes …

The Sil » Blog Archive » Solar Car Project launches Phoenix 2

This is what faces team members of the McMaster Solar Car Project, a group of students from several faculties at McMaster, including Engineering, Science and Business. From October 25-31, they will compete in the World Solar Challenge …

Real Threat is Hazardous Waste

For those staying in urban and suburban areas, we enjoy the regular collection of waste and recyclable materials. However, what most of us are not aware is the waste that is brought to dumps is actually many times more toxic than it was 30 years ago.

Hazardous Home Wastes

It is surprising just how toxic our world has become in just a few years. Synthetic chemicals didn’t even exist in any significant numbers before the turn of the 20th century. In the past, home furnishings were made of natural materials, such as carpets, pillows, curtains, bath items and towels. The things that are in the most and close contact with us each day, especially those made before 1980, were made of sustainable and renewable resources.

However, this is no longer true today. Every time when we replace our furnishing, we are trashing away materials that could contain chemicals, such as batteries and electronics. These home wastes are part of the hazardous waste brought to dumps each day.

Hazardous Waste In Overwhelmed landfills

In many countries, the problem of hazardous waste is compounded by the crisis of overwhelmed landfills. The danger from this waste getting loose in the environment is even more serious and precarious than ever. Increased danger of containment systems being breached is very real.

As pressure on forest and agricultural lands mounts, erosion due to major storm events could unleash these toxins into the ecosystems that is already fragile and damaged. Hazardous waste is becoming an acute problem beyond management in many countries.

Ben provides consultancy to real and virtual estate owners. Eco-Renewable Resources is one of Ben’s interest, with particular business focus on Sustainable Development

Bucks USA economic trends - Green technology

SunRun: A new deal for solar | Marc Gunther

A California startup is making it easier and less costly for homeowners to put solar panels on their roofs.

Solar Panel Plant Breaks Ground

A groundbreaking ceremony took place Wednesday just southeast of the Rockford airport where one China’s biggest companies will build a solar panel assembly plant. Rockford’s push to build international business partnerships took off …

Schwarzenegger to Hand Wins to Big Solar, Nuclear, Hydro Power …

If California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has his way, utilities in the state will get at least a third of their …

Podcast: Chemistry makes solar energy more economical

In this podcast from BASF you will learn how chemical innovations from BASF help to make solar energy more economical on its way being a sustainable contribution to the worldwide energy supply. BASF Corporate Communications started a …

Fat Spaniel: Solar Software Gets Smarter

In news highlighting that solar software is getting smarter, solar software startup Fat Spaniel Technologies is moving beyond just monitoring …

Green Tip – Moms Use Clothe Diapers

Sure, this is a little messier than the easier, disposable version. However, do you even realize the amount of disposable diapers that are filling landfills?? Cloth diapers are a choice that every mother should seriously consider. Let’s look at some facts that are quite alarming…

Disposable Diapers Sobering Facts:

* from birth to about 2-1/2 the average child will go through about 7,300 diapers

* the cost for that is about $2600

* 18 billion diapers enter landfills each year

* disposable diapers make up about 3.4 million tons of trash

* health risks such as fertility issues in males, eyes, nose and throat issues and even asthma-like symptoms have been connected to disposable diapers!

* long term negative affects on animal and water life.

* the chemicals that make disposable diapers white increase the risk of cancer

* affect development

* they use more water. yep. you may need to wash cloth diapers, however, way more water is used making disposable diapers!

* a study, conducted by Anderson Laboratories in 1999 and published in the Archives of Environmental Health, found that disposable diapers release chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and dipentene. They have been shown to have toxic health effects, such as cancer and brain damage, when used over time or high exposure.

* they use 1.3 million tons of wood pulp. that’s about 1/4 million trees every year.

* they take up to 500 years to break down.

* more viruses than you want to know about…including polio, survive for two weeks or more after disposed of.

There are many many many more reasons to avoid disposable diapers. However, I think our readers are intelligent and the above information is enough to get you thinking! Research for yourself. You will be shocked!

Go for organic natural reusable cloth diapers. You will not only be helping the environment and saving money, you will also protect your sweet precious love bugs from harm!

Copyright © Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

About the Author: Cindy Taylor is a Christian stay at home Mom who love the Lord and cares about God’s planet. You can see her passion and writing at her website, Green Christian Network (http://greenchristiannetwork.com).

free battery electric vehicle

Convertor Of Solar

Climate and Biodiversity For Common Good

Concerns about dangerous climate change and large biodiversity loss are visible throughout the world: unprecedented rates of temperature increases and species extinctions are a reality. In 1999 Dr. Peter Raven, president of the International Botanical Congress, published a paper in which he states that “current extinction rate is now approaching 1,000 times the background rate and may climb to 10,000 times the background rate during the next century, if present trends continue. At this rate, one-third to two-thirds of all species of plants, animals, and other organisms would be lost during the second half of the 21st century, a loss that would easily equal those of past extinctions”. He then outlined seven “Points to Slow the Extinction of Plants”, including financial and capacity building instruments to help developing countries protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity they host. As far as climate change is concerned, the responsibility of developed countries is high in providing the most threatened regions in the world with good instruments to cope with this challenge (or at least examples of them to implement autonomously).

Climate change plays a significant role in this human-induced mass extinction because it is increasing the already large biodiversity losses caused by habitat destruction and fragmentation, water and air pollution, introduction of invasive species. Marine ecosystems will be affected by an increase in sea temperature, but also by ocean acidification, because of the higher concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide (carbonic acid): in fact this reduces the shell formation ability in many organisms. Polar (and mountain) ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change, with effects such as thawing permafrost, decreased snow cover, losses from ice sheets and changes in ocean temperatures. Large impacts on Arctic biodiversity are already evident, pictures of polar bears wandering lost on small icebergs being a scary and sad symbol of the era we live in (even former U.S. President Bush, at the end of his mandate, recalled this image to show his fellow citizens he cared about climate change …)

In this rapidly changing environment it is therefore extremely important that conservation plans include adaption measures for ecosystems accordingly to the predicted regional climate patterns (but models need still to be improved a lot at this scale): dynamic approaches are needed to set good options for future ecosystems and landscapes. It will be necessary to facilitate the movement of species to new geographical locations, as they follow the shifting habitats.

The public concern is growing: in Africa last 28 February young people organized a march from impoverished urban areas to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness on climate change, together with the Kilimanjaro Initiative and the UN’s global UNite to Combat Climate Change campaign. It seems though that the global attention on climate change doesn’t fully consider implications for biodiversity yet: while the negotiations and speeches on climate issues are very popular (and the Nobel Prize was awarded to the entire IPCC together with Al Gore in 2007) the meetings and decisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (http://www.cbd.int/) don’t raise comparable interest. Is it because the anthropocentrism is (still) the prevailing philosophy and animals and plants are mainly seen by people as beautiful “supporting actors” on the planet we live on? Right when we are losing control of the global situation it is probably time to reflect on our role of dominant species and acknowledge the fundamental contribution of other organisms to our livelihoods, despite many of us live in the so called Technosphere.

Policies to protect the climate avoiding irreversible effects on the ecosystems need to be strongly interconnected with conservation strategies: preserving natural areas while helping them adapt to the changing climate means hopefully to leave better, or not as compromised, ecosystems to future generations. Climate and biodiversity, though ever changing and evolving, are common goods and they need common policies: if we reduce the human Ecological Footprint both the atmosphere and the biosphere will be better off (and our children and grandchildren living in them).

Written by Luca Marazzi on behalf of Responding to Climate Change.

For further information on Climate Change please visit the Responding to Climate Change website – http://www.rtcc.org

The Ecological Footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth’s ecosystems. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless the corresponding waste. Using this assessment, it is possible to estimate how much of the Earth (or how many planet Earths) it would take to support humanity if everybody lived a given lifestyle. For 2005, humanity’s total ecological footprint was estimated at 1.3 planet Earths – in other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.3 times faster than Earths can renew them. See also: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/

Clean Landfills

We’ve all read the stories about how municipal water systems in the United States are contaminated with toxins such as  lead, mercury, copper and even bacteria. In some parts of the country, stories of raw sewage leaks into fresh water supplies have made the news. And, people have reacted by drinking expensive bottled water as a supposedly healthier alternative to ordinary, inexpensive tap water.

City Water Supplies Are Safe

Of course, the truth about the safety of the nation’s municipal water supplies has finally come forth – drinking water from household taps virtually anywhere in the country is safe, pure and incredibly inexpensive. And, we’re learning that bottled water isn’t as healthy for us as we first thought. 

Get Off The Bottle

First there’s the plastic container, or bottle itself.  That convenient, plastic water bottle we’ve gotten used to carrying around is made from plastic material that contains cancer-producing toxins called phthalates.  These toxins actually leach into the water in the plastic bottle and accumulate in our bloodstreams.  Studies show that the concentrations of phthalates in our systems are increasing with each generation, mainly as a result of drinking water bottled in toxic plastic containers. 

Plastic is Hardly Boidegradable

These plastic bottles aren’t biodegradable.  Plastic throw-aways now represent at least 25% of the contents of our landfills.  And plastics won’t break down for around 10,000 years – some plastics can take even longer to degrade.  So our healthy-water myth has turned into a big health hazard.  What can people do?

A Nice and Effective Alternative

Fortunately, there are many easy and inexpensive alternatives to our drinking water challenges.You can easily install a simple charcoal-type filter system on your kitchen faucet. These inexpensive filters can remove up to 99.9% of heavy metals and other toxins that may (or mostly may not) be present in your city’s drinking water. And you can now buy a portable water filtration system that’s as convenient as your old plastic sports bottle, but the bottle is not made of toxic materials.

Cheap Filter Removes Most Contaminants

The filters that can be attached to your kitchen faucet are cheap (generally under $50) can be found at most hardware stores, reduce chlorine and heavy metals, and generally make your tap water taste better.  For example, the Brita system costs about $20 – 40 for a starter set, and $20 for each replacement filter.  It will filter about 100 gallons of drinking water and lasts for about 4 months.

Portable Filtration is the “Wave” of The Future

For about the same price, you can now get a 16 ounce portable water filtration system from Back to the Tap, which actually filters as you drink.  It uses a number 4 LDPE plastic bottle, which is the kind of plastic that doesn’t normally leach phthalates.  The filters are replaceable, and you can refill anywhere with plain tap water.  It can be refilled about 300 times, and that’s 300 disposable plastic bottles you’re not throwing into already full landfills.

Going green does take some conscious thought and careful planning, but it’s getting easier every day to go green.  In this case, you will be rewarded with better health and less plastic in landfills – and more money in your wallet.  Remember – bottled water costs MUCH more than gasoline, per gallon. So, save your health and the environment and tons of cash – by drinking water from your own household tap!

There’s no reason to poison your family and spend thousands of dollars just to have a clean home. Clean your house with simple and pure natural cleaners – and save enough money for a really nice vacation! Want to find out how to go green, save money and save Planet Earth? Click HERE to find out how being green can save you green!

Save money with solar power

Solar Powered Roadway Lights â?? Neatorama

The U.S. Department of Transportation granted $100000 to the Idaho-based startup Solar Roadways to build a prototype roadway composed of solar cells and glass. The accumulated energy could, hypothetically, be used to light the roadway …

First Solar To Build 2-Gigawatt Solar Power Plant in China …

Solar-panel maker First Solar lands a huge contract in China, which could both open a new market and help the company cut costs.

Solar Powered Bamboo Dollhouse » Coolest Gadgets

Solar Powered Bamboo Dollhouse on Coolest Gadgets.

Tokai Challenger: Solar cell-powered â??greenâ? race car

Sharp Japan today said [press release in English] it supplied a total of 2176 high-quality solar cells to a research team developing a …

First Solar plans 2 GW solar power plant for China | Cleantech Group

25-square-mile facility in Inner Mongolia is expected to be the biggest solar installation in the world when completed in 2019.

So Needed in Our Thinking, Mindset, Attitudes, and Concern

Global Warming and Climate Change have been frequent phrases used over these past few years, and in various places there has almost been a panic. We hear of National Leaders using words like Saving the Planet, as if there was anything any man could do to save, rescue or prolong what Almighty God has created.

This is a time for not being afraid. Everything is being shaken – climate – moral – spirituality – the banks – investments – the Money Market. This is exceedingly serious.

Three times we read in the Word of God – in the Old Testament and in the New Testament too – that this present world will perish – that it will wear out like a garment – and that God will roll it up like a worn out jacket that is ready for discarding and dispense with it. Of course, we also read that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and it will all be very much centred on Jerusalem.

Now, this is not a crank creed or extremist belief. This is mainstream Bible revelation.

Yes, there is a dilemma in as much as we wonder what we are to do just now, and that is where helping the poor and ministering to the poor is vitally important.

Invest in the poor. Invest in ministries that minister to the poor. Having been in Uganda and Kenya over these past years, and having recently returned from Kenya and from the poorest parts of Nairobi and Kisumu and Bungoma, there has been a slight degree of comfort in the knowledge that we have been able to give a little to alleviate the plight of those who are truly poor.

Normally, when we say we have nothing in our pockets, there might be a few Pounds or a few Dollars in our pockets, but when they say they have nothing the have NOTHING!

Jesus Christ was committed to all types of people and came to save sinners – those who were rich and those who were poor – but He gave us the task of caring for and looking after the poor, knowing that we will never be able to complete that task. That will not be completed until Jesus Christ returns.

Yes, we have to be concerned about our carbon footprint but we must not get all this out of proportion. We will not save and rescue the planet, and there is no point in praying against what the Word of God dictates will happen one day.

And yes, much of the suffering among the poor is caused by man’s sin.

There is plenty of food in the world, but man will not share it as he ought to – nor will he permit the relief agencies to do what they can.

There are millions who could be helped within two or three months with food, water, and medicine, if only those in Governments would permit people with a heart for the poor to work and serve and use their talents and energies in a positive productive manner.

Having done that, man can then start to work on the drainage and sewers, and mosquito nets for all who need one!

Injustice is one root cause of so much suffering, coupled with greed, corruption and rebellion.

And, we do not have to look at Africa to see this clearly. It has been on-going in the banks and insurance companies and the big commercial concerns over these past years and all this is coming to light just now. Jesus Christ taught that everything which was done in secret would one day be shouted from the house tops – and that is happening too.

The problem is not the icecaps but the cold calculating corruption in the hearts of men. Environmental abuse begins in the heads and minds of selfish self-centred man.

And yes again, we will do whatever we can to minister to the poor, which includes challenging those poor souls who have creamed of Millions and even Billions of Pounds and Dollars.

Do they not believe that one day they will have to stand before the Judgement Seat of Almighty God and answer for their words, their deed and decisions.

Yes – make a difference. Do what you can to challenge those who have made such a mess of things and get them to clean up their comfortable lives and their distorted thinking and demonstrate such repentance by serving the poor and ministering to their needs.

Sandy Shaw.

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kit

We’ve seen a fair number of variations for the Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kit before, so having another one thrown into the mix wouldn’t hurt, would it? This device connects to a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone via 2.0, and comes with…

Solar Surge Is The First Apple Licensed Solar Charging Case For …

It isn’t the only solar charging case on the market, but Novothink’s Solar Surge is the first to receive an official thumbs up from Apple.

The Media Consortium: Weekly Mulch: Solar Power Flares Up

By Raquel Brown, TMC Mediawire Blogger For a long time, only the economic elite could afford the hefty cost of solar energy.

Japan plans massive solar power station to orbit earth — DailyFinance

A group of Japanese companies unveiled plans to build a 1-gigawatt solar power collector in space, according to Earth2Tech. The system would beam the power back to Earth using radio waves. This sort of system has been discussed in the …

FuturePundit: Lowest Cost Solar Power At Coal Plants

“The thing that’s attractive about this is you only have to buy the solar field portion of the plant, which is 50 to 60 percent of the cost of the plant,” says Hank Price, director of technology at Abengoa Solar. …

Go Green – Get Rid of Junk Mail

Four million tons of junk mail is sent every year…at least half of which is never even opened. You probably are aware that your name, address, and spending habits are regularly being traded and sold on the open market.  By investing half an hour now, you can rid yourself of most of the junk mail for up to five years…and save a few trees while you’re doing it.

So here are a few tips that you can work on to lessen the load of junk you get every day:

• Product warranty cards do not register your product…that was done when you purchased it. They are used to fin out about your interests and your income for the sole purpose of junk mail.
• When ordering something on the phone, tell them specifically to not give your name and address to other companies for any reason.
• Any time you donate money or order a product or service by mail, write on it in large letters, telling them not to sell your name and address.
• When the junk come by first class mail, cross out the address and bar code, circle the first class postage and write “refused: return to sender”.
• Your credit card companies are the worst offenders and probably sell your name and address more than anyone else. Stopping them is easy; you just need your address and social security number. One call does it all for agencies Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and Innovis. Dial 1-888-5 OPT OUT (or 1-888-567-8688) 24 hours a day.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses.

Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company (http://www.liti4.com), public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa’s blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

Technology Summary

First Solar Scores With New CEO (FSLR, HON, GE) â?? 24/7 Wall St.

Solar Panel Pic First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) is making a significant management change, right at the top of the company. Mike Ahearn is stepping down as CEO and will be replaced by Robert J. Gillette. This may come as a shock to …

For Lagos artisans, it's goodbye 'NEPA', welcome solar | Vanguard

The joy of the families of Mr Ifeanyi Chukuemeka, Mrs Olayide Omowaye, and Mr Idowu Olawuyi, and 17 others knew no bound recently as they received a home power solar energy for their various businesses. …

Solar makes financial sense in Austin, if you are subsidized …

Geoff Styles (â?Can Solar Compete?â??) observes two reports from MIT’s Technology Review: one from August 2009 that says cost reductions achieved in the solar power industry â??have made solar power cheaper than the natural-gas-powered …

Greentech Media: First Solar Taps Honeywell Exec for CEO

The thin-film solar module maker has tapped Rob Gillette, who has been working as the CEO of Honeywell’s $11 billion aerospace division, to become CEO. The release came from Honeywell, who said that an internal executive would take over …

First Solar Has A New CEO, Robert J. Gillette

Former Honeywell Aerospace CEO comes in at a tough time for First Solar.