Canada identifies with living walls

everGREEN landscape architects in Santa Barbara has been lecturing around Southern California, encouraging local governement to incentiv-ise sustainable green roofs and living walls. Good economic, social and environmental reasons include:

• increased property values (including adjacent properties)
• reduced stormwater & flooding
• improved water quality
• reduced air pollution
• reduced noise pollution
• reduced heat island effect (ambient city temperature)
• reduced energy needs due to insulation factor
• reduced HVAC equipment costs
• improved photo voltaic productivity by 6%
• restored habitat (otherwise lost to development)
• local produce grown on the building!
• decreased hospital stays
• improved childrens' test scores
• higher hotel room rates
• reduced worker absenteeism
• increased productivity
• fewer worker's compensation claims

Now Canada will incorporate living walls (vertical gardens) into their 2010 Singapore Expo. Canada has led the way for green roofs of late, and now they are improving upon that with living walls. Together, they make economic sense, strengthen the social fabric of society and improve the environment.

Supreme Justice Nominee has environmental record

Halleluja! everGREEN landscape architects is happy to learn that the environment may finaly have an advocate on the high court rather a tool of big oil.

Read more...

Gulf War Syndrome Caused by pesticide/vaccine cocktail

Finally, the military has determined the cause of Gulf War Syndrome (GWS). Not surprisingly, it is a combination of our own chemicals that soldiers were exposed to and injected with. Preventative medicine?

As the Greeks said, "War knows no winner."

Read the military's own account...

#1 Predattor of Pests dying off

First, it was Colony Collapse Syndrome affecting bees. Without them, we are without 1/2 of our food considering bees are the #1 pollinator of food crops.

Now, bats are mysteriously dying off and that means big trouble. After all bats main food source are mosquitoes. Without bats, we can count on more infectious and deadly disease world wide, such as West Nile Virus, encephalitis, malaria, etc. Reality - bats keep us safe.

Scientists are just beginning to look into possible causes that include, diminished habitat, pollution by chemical pesticides herbicides and fertilizers, etc.

This is so serious, that 25 Senators and Congressmen just sent a letter to US Dept. of Interior Secretary Salazar outlining the critical role bats play.

Water Restrictions in So. Cal.

Not surprising, given that California has an ever-increasing population and most people continue to waste water, including government. How often do we see water on in the middle of the day with a broken sprinkler head and water gushing down the storm drain?

Finally, when pressed to take action, the San Diego Water Authority announces mandatory water conservation of up to 20%.

Toronto to mandate eco-friendly architecture

We were happy to read John Lorinc's (New York Times) “Green Inc” blog

that within a month, Toronto should be the first city in North America to mandate "green" architecture, including green roofs that save on energy cost, make 50% reduction of heating and air conditioning systems possible, reduce stormwater flows, improve stormwater runoff quality, absord greenhouse gases, reduce heat island effect and last up to 50 years.

Pesticides

On April 22, 2009 a ban on cosmetic pesticides to effect in Ontario which prohibits the use of Round-Up and Glyphosate.

So is it any big surprise that Dow Chemical Company is suing the Canadian ban on cosmetic pesticides? Cosmetic psticides are those that provide a pristine lawn and/or thwart weeds (amything besides your lawn), in other words chemicals that make gardens look pretty by poisoning plants and who knows what else (pets? people?). It is difficult to know as exposure to these chemicals is at low doses and over long periods of time. But just as Rachel Carson asked 50 years ago in "Silent Spring", is the potential cost worth it?

Additionally, the US EPA has just identified Endochrine Disruptors (click for PDF) that are responsible for lifelong health problems, especially for kids.
Check Mary Shomon's story. As Mary states, The term "endocrine disruptor" refers to a chemical that can interact with and potentially disrupt the human and/or animal hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction. Thyroid hormones are a potential target of endocrine disruptors.

Unfortunately, people are exposed to many of these chemicals through food, water, residential interiors and agricultural pesticides.

In your home and garden, pesticides (including pyrethroid chemicals) include Raid, Ortho Home Defense, Capture, Scourge, and Anvil.

NEW TRENDS: green roofs and living walls

A recent trend in building design and renovation actually goes back to a much older tradition: making houses and other structures blend in with the landscape , even going so far as to building WITH landscape. In the spirit of "everything old is new again", green roofs and living walls return to a way of design and construction as old as the ancient viking culture.

Besides providing insulation, they both clean air, sequester carbon, reduce stormwater flows to reduce risk of flooding and improve stormwater runoff quality that otherwise pollute our rivers, lakes and oceans.

Feds designate "Solar American Cities".

Over the past 2 years, the U.S. Dept of Energy has designated cities as "Solar American Cities". These cities recieve millions of dollars for solar initiatives.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s 25 “Solar America Cities” include:
Ann Arbor, Austin, Berkeley, Boston, Denver, Houston, Knoxville, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, NYC, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Ore., Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Calif., Seattle and Tucson.

We, everGREEN landscape architects, find it discouraging that Los Angeles and Phoenix - two of the lagging sustainable cities with enormous populations, forward-thinking universities (CalTech) and limitless sunny days are not included. Maybe the Obama Administration will remedy this gross oversight...

For more...

2016 Chicago Olympics promises to be Greenest ever

Chicago, the premiere green roof Amercian city, promises to outdo the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
For both Chicago and Vancouver it is NOT a gimmick but rather public policy. Hoever, the olympics will showcase how these green cities are doing it right. Hopefully, the rest of the world wil emulate the green, energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly, cost-savings strategies.

The Future Green Building Prototype

We just became aware of the winners of the 2nd International Architecture Competition for Sustainable Housing.

Big and Green! An outstanding approach is demonstrated by Knafo Klimor in their competition entry for the Living Steel 2nd International Sustainable Housing Competition. They put the green stuff in greenhouses, where they were accessible and were designed for real food production rather than just a green edge to a balcony.

For more on the Winners.

In Fighting Santa Barbara Wildfires, Concerns About Chemicals

(NYTimes, 11-15-08)

The red clouds of fire retardant dropped onto the flames near Santa Barbara, Calif., on Friday were a welcome sight for owners of the hillside homes there.

“Critical,” Bill Payne, deputy chief of aviation for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said of the retardant’s role in helping to steer the fire away from populated areas, including the exclusive enclave of Montecito. “I mean, this is almost downtown Santa Barbara we’re talking about. We’re trying to keep it away from the town. We’re trying to herd it back into the forest.”

Retardant, whether released by small planes that sweep low through smoky canyons or by DC-10s in 12,000-gallon bursts, has become an increasingly common tool for fighting wildfires. Yet while many residents praise — and even demand — the use of retardant to protect their homes and neighborhoods, the potent mix of chemicals in the most common type can leave scars of its own, hurting watersheds and the fish and other animals that live in them.

For the entire NYTimes story...

Financial Benefits of Green Building

A study by Prof John Quigley at UC Berkeley shows that investment in green building practices results in higher rents and higher market value.
The working paper, entitled "Doing Well by Doing Good: Green Office Buildings" reports the findings of a study of rents at nearly 700 green office buildings. On average, the green buildings achieved a 6% increase in effective rent and $5 million in market value over their equivalent non-green counterparts.

McDonalds on the cutting edge?

'Green Plans in Blueprints for Retailers,' 11.07.08 - outlines some of the sustainable strategies being implemented around the country by the most unlikely of sources. I've seen a few articles discussing some of these ideas, such as plastic baseboards and moldings from used diapers in a Walmart, wind turbines at a Chicago Chipotle, and waste heat recovery at a Florida pizza chain. And then there's the McDonald's with a green roof.

When McDonalds and Walmart are raising the bar for sustainable construction, best to take notice OR go the way of the dinosaur...

Green Business Opportunities

First, Paul Hawkin, Hunter and Amory Lovins were talking about green commerce in their book "Natural Capitalism" and Paul Hawkin in his book "The Ecology of Commerce". Now 10 years later, political candidates - nationally and here in California - are finally embracing the notion of sustainability AND jobs. And more books and peer reviewed papers are proving the same.

Pundits like Thomas Friedman (particularly in his latest book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded) are calling for enormous investment in clean energy and energy-efficient technologies, while environmental activists are arguing that creating green jobs can save both the economy and the planet.

So what are you waiting for? Our firm, everGREEN landscape architects, was awarded the 2006 Santa Barbara County Green Award for most sustainable, cutting-edge business. More so than our garden's featured in national publications, the Green Award has been more meaningful to other joint venture partners, prospects and clients. We encourage you and your company to do the same. Your companies survival (i.e. sustainability) may depend on it...

Global warming pollution increases 3 percent

Whether you believe in global warming or not. The fact is, carbon dioxide increased by 3% from 2006 to 2007 despite the world wide economic downturn that many thought would result in less energy use during that same time.

The increase, called "scary" by some, was a surprise to scientists. The amount exceeds the most dire outlook for emissions from burning coal and oil and related activities as projected by a Nobel Prize-winning group of international scientists in 2007.

For reasons other than global warming, we have got to reduce carbon emissions that are proven to be directly related to acid rain, world-wide pollution, asthma and other health problems.

Developing countries not asked to reduce greenhouse gases by the 1997 Kyoto treaty (China and India among them) now account for 53 percent of carbon dioxide pollution. As of 2005, that group of nations surpassed industrialized nations in carbon dioxide emissions, a new analysis of older figures shows.

While this is merely a diagnosis of the problem, check everGREEN landscape architecture's blog for real, cutting-edge SOLUTIONS and companies making a difference...

New solar bag powers laptop

Even in this tight economy, you'll want to charge this bag. Voltaic Systems has incorporated mobile solar panels into a line of high-end bags, which might initially jolt your credit rating, but ultimately offset your electric bill. Voltaic produces funky, but functional items, like the Generator ($599), a laptop bag powerful enough to charge, you guessed it, a laptop or any other handheld electronics for up to 17 watts. Also, Voltaic's bags are made of recycled PET, aka soda bottles, a light and water-resistant alternative to nylon, which requires less energy to produce and ultimately carry.

Japan preps for electric vehicles with speedy charging stations

Tokyo Electric Power, a Japanese utility giant, says it has developed a recharging device that can give a small electric car enough charging during a five-minute stop to travel 40 kilometers – a substantial improvement on existing technology. Ten minutes would allow it to travel 60 kilometers.

The devices are expected to be installed at public places in Japanese cities, such as supermarkets and parking lots, and a number of dealerships selling Mitsubishis and Subarus have also agreed to install the stations.

According to the Financial Times (sub. rqd.), the company has been testing the recharging system with Mitsubishi and Subaru, both of which plan to roll out electric cars in 2009 and 2010, as does Nissan. At the charging speeds that Tokyo Electric Power cites, the device should be much faster than existing charging systems. The Tesla Roadster, for example, takes about 3.5 hours for a full charge using its “High Power Connector,” which lets the car drive for about 227 miles, or 365 km. Assuming that every 10-minute increment of charging adds 60 kilometers, the new system would be able to deliver a full charge in about one hour. Even allowing for error on all ends – maybe the utility’s charger is intended for smaller electric cars, or maybe the rate at which electric vehicles charge is more variable – the device is still more speedy than traditional means.
The national government of Japan, which is pushing a full-scale electric vehicle roll-out, is accepting applications from cities and towns wishing to become “model districts,” where power outlets would become available throughout towns for drivers to use free of charge. A region near Tokyo has committed to installing 150 stations, and proposed programs to offer incentives to EV drivers – such as discounts on parking, insurance, and loans – seem to be gaining traction. There’s also pressure on Japan Post, the newly privatized postal service, to convert all of its mail trucks into EVs.

Prince Charles says GMO crops will be "disaster"

Britain's Prince Charles said on Wednesday the widespread use of genetically modified crops would be the biggest environmental disaster of all time.

The 59-year-old heir to the British throne is well known for supporting organic farming, but his comments published in an interview with the Daily Telegraph were his most outspoken yet on GMO foods.

His views will strike a chord in Britain where biotech crops -- widely grown in North and South America -- have faced significant opposition with concerns centered on food safety and possible environmental impacts.

Charles said multinational food companies, such as Monsanto, were conducting a "gigantic experiment with nature and the whole of humanity which has gone seriously wrong".

If large companies took over the mass production of food, it would hurt small farmers and the environment, while "excessive approaches to modern forms of agriculture" had damaged water supplies in India's Punjab and in Western Australia, he said.

For more on this BBC new story

Pesticide Lawsuit Settled with the Natl. Marine Fisheries Service

Recently, a coalition of fishing and environmental groups settled a law suit with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The settlement requires NMFS to examine the impacts that 37 pesticides commonly used in the Pacific Northwest and California have on the protected salmon and steelhead. NMFS must also design permanent measures to help users minimize harmful pesticide effects.

The settlement requires NMFS to examine the impacts that 37 pesticides commonly used in the Pacific Northwest and California have on the protected salmon and steelhead. NMFS must also design permanent measures to help pesticide users minimize harmful pesticides effects.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the 37 toxic pesticides at issue in the settlement may harm protected salmon and steelhead. Most of the pesticides have been detected in major salmon and steelhead rivers in the Pacific Northwest and California.

More than five years ago, a federal court ordered EPA to consult with NMFS on the impacts that certain pesticides have on salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest and California. EPA began submitting the required assessments to NMFS, but NMFS never identified the measures needed to protect salmon and steelhead. The federal Endangered Species Act required NMFS to complete such actions within 90 days of receiving EPA’s assessments. They never did.

July 30, 2008, NMFS finally agreed to complete the overdue assessments over a four-year period. These consultations are expected to culminate in undetermined measures designed to reduce the amount of pesticides that run into salmon-supporting rivers and streams. Success.

Tucson Harvesting Rainwater

everGREEN landscape architects points out the merits of harvesting rainwater to all its clients. Now, the Tucson (Arizona) City Council, along with the help of homebuilders, developers, and environmental groups, has drafted an ordinance that would make rainwater harvesting a requirement. The requirement would only apply to new commercial developments, but the ordinance has a lot of issues that need to be worked out before it becomes official.

In Tucson, the sight of rain is pretty common at this time of the year, and much of it usually makes its way into a wash.

In the harvesting process, rainwater drips down into two collection points and collects in a cistern. Then, that water can be used to do a variety of things, such as watering plants.

There are a few questions people have about rainwater harvesting.
One sticking points is that harvested rainwater would have to supply a minimum of 75% of a development’s landscape water budget. And according to landscaper Richard Underwood, “Cisterns are not real attractive, they look like mini-silos.” Also, some cost about $2,000 to install. Obviously, Richard Underwood hasn't consulted a landscape architect. At everGREEN landscape architects, we have disguished cisterns as focal points - an enormous urn or a boulder, both made of ferrocement. There are also cisterns that fit within a column (think columns over a covered porch). We've even seen a cistern disguised as a boulder among 'real' boulders. You couldn't tell the difference. The possibilities are endless... Talk to a landscape architect.

The Tucason City Council won’t vote on the ordinance until October. If it passes, the plan wouldn’t go into effect until June of 2010.

Renewable-Energy Tax Credits Essential to Building Green Economy

As the unemployment rate reached a four-year high, and after Congress failed this week to extend essential renewable-energy tax credits, the Blue Green Alliance said today that the U.S. is missing an enormous opportunity to create middle-class green jobs that will reinvigorate our economy, increase our energy independence and fight the global-climate crisis.

"The future of our economy depends on investments in renewable-energy sources like wind and solar power," said David Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance.

At everGREEN landscape architects, we hope the election rings in new policies that stimulate business, sustainable ventures, quality of life and our very survival. We'll see...

8 States And Conservation Groups To Sue EPA

A coalition of conservation groups and state attorneys general has filed formal letters warning of impending lawsuits over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's failure to address global warming pollution from ocean-going ships and aircraft. The conservation groups' notice of 'intent to sue' was filed by Earthjustice on behalf of Oceana, Friends of the Earth and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Additionallly, eight state and local jurisdictions filed similar notices today, formally declaring their intent to sue the EPA for unreasonable delay. The states include California, Connecticut, Oregon, New Jersey, and the California Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management District, New York City, and the Pennsylvania Dept of Environmental Protection.

"More than 15 months after the Supreme Court's order, EPA continues to ignore its legal -- and moral -- obligation to act quickly to protect the health and welfare of Americans. The Bush administration is wasting precious time with continued foot-dragging -- time that we don't have. We have gone to court to force action by this or the next administration," said Martin Wagner of Earthjustice, who is representing the coalition.

City of Berkeley pays for homeowners to go solar

We at everGREEN landscape architects, couln't be more pleased by this story out of Berkeley, California.

Imagine if buying a cell phone meant paying for 20 years of cell phone service up front. That is essentially the way in which most people purchase solar panels - one pays an expensive up front fee for the promise of little to no electric bills in the future. But imagine if you could pay the same monthly electric bill to have solar panels installed on your roof as you typically pay the power company, and eventually you would have no bill at all!

For more...

Seminary Takes the LEED

As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), everGREEN landscape architects is glad to see the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating catching on. The Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) campus in Elkhart, Ind. is celebrating 50 years in 2008. AMBS dedicated its new gold rated LEED-certified library and campus center on April 25-26. It is the first theological library in the U.S. registered with the USGBC.

LEED green landscaping elements include:

1. prairie grasses and other native species that require little water and provides wildlife habitat.
2. Permeable concrete allows rainwater to be absorbed on site.
3. There are no gutters or down spouts, but water gardens collect water and negate the need for irrigation installation.
4. Also a minimum number of trees were removed from the site during construction and no new parking areas were added.
5. The library exceeded LEED requirements for use of regional materials and recycled content during renovation.
6. Over 85 percent of construction detritus was recycled.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Builds LEED Campus

everGREEN landscape architects (Santa Barbara, California) is glad to see the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation move forward with one of the greenest building projects in the northwest.

The greenest elements for the new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle is a 1.5 acre green roof for the parking garage (owned and operated by Seattle Center), which is already complete. The foundation says the “living” roof is the largest of its kind in Seattle and will eventually be sustained by Seattle’s wet climate. The campus will also have extensive green, sustainable landscaping to knit the campus with the neighborhood.

(More)

California Adopts America’s First State‐Wide Green Building Code

(July 18, 2008)
California enacted the nation’s first state-wide green building code. It sets a solid floor from which to build even stronger standards in the future. The new code could have been stronger, but the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) urged the Building Standards Commission to adopt it because it sets a powerful precedent and presents the opportunity for stronger revisions in the future. NRDC will work with the Commission and partner organizations to ensure that stronger green building standards become reality in California.
(for the full story)

One of the first insurance offices in the country to have a green roof

As the first and only Green Roof AP in Santa Barbara, California, everGREEN landscape architects is happy to announce State Farm Insurance has a lofty idea to deal with climate change - an 8.5 acre green roof atop it's regional headquarters.

Green roofs are becoming more mainstream as a way to improve the environment, the work place, and worker satisfaction (including less absenteeism). Also, with the energy savings come big economic reasons to go green.

Mexicans plant 8 million trees

Mexicans went out and planted more than 8 million trees across the country on Saturday as part of a government push to shed its reputation for environmental mismanagement and rampant illegal logging (estimated at 64,000 acres per year).

Packs of volunteers, including oil workers and schoolchildren, trekked into fields and forests up and down Mexico wielding shovels and wheelbarrows full of government-supplied saplings. They planted a 8.3 million trees, the environment ministry said.

EU Bans Pesticide & Nicotinoids linked to Bee Colony Collapse

In light of recent European bans of a pesticide linked to Bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), at least one key bee expert is calling for a ban of the same pesticide in the United States. The European Union’s tough stance on chemical regulation is the latest area in which the Europeans are reshaping business practices with demands that American companies either comply or lose access to a market of 27 countries and nearly 500 million people.

In June, the European Union rolled out new restrictions on makers of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems, changes that are forcing U.S. industries to find new ways to produce a wide range of everyday products.

The new laws in the European Union require companies to demonstrate that a chemical is safe before it enters commerce—the opposite of policies in the United States, where regulators must prove that a chemical is harmful before it can be restricted or removed from the market. Manufacturers say that complying with the European laws will add billions to their costs, possibly driving up prices of some products.

“In the United States, drastic action is needed,” says Canadian geneticist Joe Cummins, explaining that U.S. farmers and beekeepers shouldn’t have to wait for more evidence or for an air-tight explanation for the complex syndrome, which threatens one in every third bite of food in the United States. Now most apiarists and scientists realize that pesticides are a factor in CCD, he says.

Cummins’ remarks, in an interview with GreenRightNow, come less than a month after Germany’s ban of clothianidin, a nicotinoid pesticide commonly used to keep insects off of corn crops. The German government took the extraordinary action to protect bees and other essential pollinators, stating that there is now enough compelling evidence connecting the chemical to Bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in that country.

Adamantly opposed by the U.S. chemical industry and the Bush administration, the E.U. laws will be phased in over the next decade. It is difficult to know exactly how the changes will affect products sold in the United States. But American manufacturers are already searching for safer alternatives to chemicals used to make thousands of consumer goods, from bike helmets to shower curtains.

Big Oil Wins Again

In a 5-3 decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that the company should not have to pay (punitive damages) - not a penny more than the actual economic losses—some $500 million—incurred by the fishermen, natives and landowners who first initiated the class action suit almost two decades ago.


Back in 1994, a lower court originally ruled that the company should pay $5 billion to plaintiffs for damages after the mammoth 11 million gallon spill, the nation’s largest to date. On appeal, the 9th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals cut the amount the company owed in half to $2.5 billion. This latest ruling will put the issue to rest.

Writing in dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginburg said the court was engaging in “lawmaking” by concluding the punitive damages not exceed what ExxonMobil has already paid out to compensate victims for direct economic losses. “The new law made by the court should have been left to Congress,” she wrote. Justices Stevens and Breyer joined Ginsburg in dissent.

Big corporate polluters across the country are cheering that now they can violate law, manufacture inferior and hazardous products, and poison people and the environment without fear of financial damages.

This was a dark (and oily) day for the scales of justice.
Meanwhile Exxon is making billions in quarterly profits...

What can you do? Never buy ExxonMobil gasoline again.

California's Energy Future

Once again, California leads the way (among states) in becoming self-reliant with regard to an energy future. Green capitalism will surely thrive in California's environment with many new opportunities presenting themselves as an alternative to the global warming staus quo.

The question remains: will politicians prompted by big, glutonous oil water this legislation down?

everGREEN landscape architects has certainly benefitted from green commerce as more and more people realize the social, environmental, health and economic benefits of going "green". For more, go to our website

everGREEN landscape architects applaudes Earthrace Smashes World Record

Rising from the ashes of it first attempt, Earthrace has smashed the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by speedboat. The biodiesel-powered trimaran sailed into the Spanish port of Sagunto yesterday, just shy of 61 days since it set off. That took 14 days off the previous world record. Earthrace traveled the 24,000 nautical miles fueled by biodiesel to demonstrate the efficiency of alternative fuel sources.

This was the second try for the record by by skipper Pete Bethune of New Zealand. Stunning setbacks forced him to abandon his first attempt last year, including a fatal collision with a fishing vessel, his imprisonment in Guatemala and taking a bullet to the hull. The National Biodiesel Board’s own Harold Krauss, a soybean farmer from Hayes, Kansas, crewed a leg of the journey.

This time, Bethune was almost forced to abandon ship again when Earthrace crashed into logs in the surf off Borneo - damaging the rudder, propeller and drive shaft. A week-long storm in the Indian Ocean and a six-week wait to pass through the Panama canal also could not stand in the way of the record. A scare as the Columbian Navy opened fire on them.

“This fantastic team of people and our astonishing boat have broken the record by a massive margin,” said Bethune. "I finally feel that all the sacrifices made, especially by my wife and daughters, have been worth it. I don't even know how to begin to thank all the individuals and companies that have supported us along the way.”

Cutting Costs for Renewables

The costs of generating solar power will be on par with the costs of power made from fossil fuels like natural gas and coal within a decade, according to clean-tech research and publishing firm Clean Edge and green-economy nonprofit Co-op America. The two groups collaborated on a new report, the Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study, to provide a roadmap for utilities, solar companies, and regulators to work together so the nation can derive 10 percent or more of its power from the sun by 2025.

“As capital and fuel costs have doubled or tripled for coal, natural gas, and nuclear power over the past few years, solar power costs are coming down,” report co-author Alisa Gravitz of Co-op America told reporters. “For the first time in history, cost-competitive solar power is now within the planning horizon of every utility in the nation.”

In related news, the Financial Times reported last week that the U.S. is set to overtake Germany as the world’s largest wind market in 2009. American wind energy is riding the wave of an investment boom accounting for a 45 percent jump in capacity last year alone.

“Now is a pivotal moment for renewable energy in the United States,” says Peter Duprey, chief executive of Acciona Energy North America, a subsidiary of the Spanish infrastructure group Acciona. “There is a real opportunity here for companies to stake a major claim in the market because there has been a pent-up demand.”

Wild Earth Emergencies

WildEarth Guardians requested that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invoke an emergency provision in the Endangered Species Act to protect 32 plant and animal species facing imminent extinction. The species in question—including a silkworm disappearing as a result of cotton production, a mayfly not seen since 1934 but rediscovered in 2005, and rarely seen flowering plants—are currently found on one or no known sites and face multiple threats.

“These species deserve immediate, emergency protection under the Endangered Species Act,” said John Horning, the executive director of the New Mexico-based nonprofit. “The Fish and Wildlife Service has the authority to save them from vanishing forever, and we're urging them to use that authority.”

WildEarth Guardians came up with its list of 32 imperiled species by petitioning wildlife watchers across the country last summer. The group pointed out that the Bush administration has a dismal record in terms of adding species to its endangered and threatened lists. George H.W. Bush listed 58 species per year during its four year term, while Bill Clinton upped the ante, listing some 65 species per year during his tenure in the White House. In contrast, George W. Bush has listed nine species per year. WildEarth Guardians is hoping to turn up the heat on the administration to list especially imperiled species before it’s too late.

For its part, the Fish and Wildlife Service has yet to acknowledge the request, although officials point out that the agency has 90 days to respond formally to any such petitions.

“We’re requesting emergency protection for plants and animals that are a hair’s breadth from extinction,” added Horning. “Some haven’t been seen for decades, others are located at only one site on Earth—they all deserve the chance at survival that the Endangered Species Act provides.”

Also read, MSNBC

Millions of U.S. workers spanning a wide range of occupations will benefit from transforming the United States into a green economy

A report offers evidence that millions of Americans are currently employed in green jobs and that millions more could benefit from our country's transition to a clean-energy economy.

For more, read Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawkin.

California Voters Strongly Support Policies to Implement Global Warming Solutions Act

3 of 4 California voters support state energy policies to reduce global warming pollution. And any lawmaker who supports delaying these policies will have strong opposition from their constituents and risk a backlash at the polls in November.

Global Transport And Shipping To Carry On Polluting

Many industries argue that its business is so far superior to others that it should be exempt from reducing its global warming pollution. Shipping is one such industry. Shippers say they have the most efficient method of transporting many goods, but with everyone else paying the cost of global warming, should shipping get a free ride?

Maryland House and Senate Reject Global Warming Measure

Politics as usual. Of course, special interests encourage the Republicans to defeat this proactive legislation citing that it would present too high a price tag.

Try talking to the people of Iowa who have lost everything in this month's flooding. Ask them about the price tag to fight global warming versus the price tag of losing everything to global warming...

Toyota On Top in Fuel Race

Not to be outdone by rival Honda, Toyota last week announced it, too, will begin leasing a new hydrogen-powered, emissions-free fuel cell car. The FCHV-adv will be available later this year in Japan. The new car combines a hydrogen fuel cell engine with an electric motor in a hybrid format similar to its successful gasoline-electric Prius. It can go for 516 miles between hydrogen fill-ups, more than double the range of Toyota’s previous efforts to develop fuel cell cars.

As for rolling out the new vehicle overseas--such as in the eco-minded U.S.--Toyota is remaining mum. Meanwhile, Honda’s new fuel cell vehicle, the highly touted FCX Clarity, will be available for leasing in California, the only U.S. state with a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in place, within weeks.

China BANS plastic bags

China bans plastic bags.
So what are we waiting for?

Green Job Market Boom (click for story)

Another great resource is Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken.

US Senate Republicans block climate change plan

Neither of the two contenders for the Presidency even cast a vote.

Unbelieveable...
Why do I sense "market forces" at work?
This corporate bottom line has got to stop, before it stops us.

Despite Citizen Demand, City Council Finds Difficulty in Going Green

Will the political will ever catch up to the will of the people?
Our political candidates propose improvements by 2050.

Is that proactive enough? Can we wait that long?

Change starts at home, then city councils, then county, state and lastly federal...
The City of San Carlos (Calif.) claims it can only speand $15,000 annually on sustainable initiatives. We say you can't afford to spend that little. A penny invested today in prevention is a dollar worth tomorrow.

A great book, "Natural Capitalism", describes the prescription to successful sustainability.
To the future...

Pesticides: Germany Bans Chemicals Linked To Honeybee Devastation

by Alison Benjamin
(Published on Saturday, May 24, 2008 by The Guardian/UK)

Germany has banned a family of pesticides that are blamed for the deaths of millions of honeybees. The German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has suspended the registration for eight pesticide seed treatment products used in rapeseed oil and sweetcorn. The move follows reports from German beekeepers in the Baden-Württemberg region that two thirds of their bees died earlier this month following the application of a pesticide called clothianidin."

It's a real bee emergency," said Manfred Hederer, president of the German Professional Beekeepers' Association. "50-60% of the bees have died on average and some beekeepers have lost all their hives." Tests on dead bees showed that 99% of those examined had a build-up of clothianidin. The chemical, produced by Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of the German chemical giant Bayer, is sold in Europe under the trade name Poncho. It was applied to the seeds of sweetcorn planted along the Rhine this spring. The seeds are treated in advance of being planted or are sprayed while in the field. The company says an application error by the seed company which failed to use the glue-like substance that sticks the pesticide to the seed, led to the chemical getting into the air. Bayer spokesman Dr Julian Little told the BBC's Farming Today that misapplication is highly unusual. "It is an extremely rare event and has not been seen anywhere else in Europe," he said.

Clothianidin, like the other neonicotinoid pesticides that have been temporarily suspended in Germany, is a systemic chemical that works its way through a plant and attacks the nervous system of any insect it comes into contact with. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency it is "highly toxic" to honeybees. This is not the first time that Bayer, one of the world's leading pesticide manufacturers with sales of ¤5.8bn (£4.6bn) in 2007, has been blamed for killing honeybees. In the United States, a group of beekeepers from North Dakota is taking the company to court after losing thousands of honeybee colonies in 1995, during a period when oilseed rape in the area was treated with imidacloprid. A third of honeybees were killed by what has since been dubbed colony collapse disorder. Bayer's best selling pesticide, imidacloprid, sold under the name Gaucho in France, has been banned as a seed dressing for sunflowers in that country since 1999, after a third of French honeybees died following its widespread use. Five years later it was also banned as a sweetcorn treatment in France. A few months ago, the company's application for clothianidin was rejected by French authorities.Bayer has always maintained that imidacloprid is safe for bees if correctly applied. "Extensive internal and international scientific studies have confirmed that Gaucho does not present a hazard to bees," said Utz Klages, a spokesman for Bayer CropScience.Last year, Germany's Green MEP, Hiltrud Breyer, tabled an emergency motion calling for this family of pesticides to be banned across Europe while their role in killing honeybees were thoroughly investigated. Her action follows calls for a ban from beekeeping associations and environmental organisations across Europe.

Philipp Mimkes, spokesman for the German-based Coalition Against Bayer Dangers, said: "We have been pointing out the risks of neonicotinoids for almost 10 years now. This proves without a doubt that the chemicals can come into contact with bees and kill them. These pesticides shouldn't be on the market."

Safe Use of PVC questioned

PVC affects just about every aspect of our lives despite years of warning. Since the 1960s, scientists have clearly linked vinyl chloride to cancer.

Now that PVC is everywhere and many are suffering from health challenges brought on by PVC, media is beginning to take note and people are starting to listen...

Polluters to pay

(San Francisco, CA)
Bay Area factories, power plants, hospitals, airlines, oil refineries and other businesses that emit carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases may be among of the first in the nation to pay a tax to battle global warming.

It's probably not enought to discourage them from poisoning the air we breathe, but it's a start...

Cars that Never Need Gas

Who needs gas when thereare so many hybrids to choose from. Here is a little reading that helps clarify the choices. We also really love the AIR CAR and are currently on the waiting list once they begin importing to the US.

There is an old saying, the Stone Age didn't end for a lack of stones.
Nor will the Oil Age end for a lack of oil.

It's all about evolving to a higher state of conciousness and ideas that lead to better ways of doin things...

Utah woman arrested over dry lawn

A 70-year-old US woman has been left bruised and bloody after an unexpected clash with police who came to caution her for not watering her lawn.

Trouble flared when Utah pensioner Betty Perry, 70, refused to give her name after being upbraided because her garden breached local regulations.

For entire BBC story, click on headline.

National Wildlife Federation BestowsTop Honor to Edward Mazria

At their annual awards banquet in Keystone, Colorado last Saturday, the National Wildlife Federation awarded Architecture 2030 founder, Edward Mazria, with their most prestigious honor: the National Conservation Achievement Award. Mr. Mazria received this accolade in the Special Achievement category for his seminal work on the Building Sector's role in global warming.

The National Wildlife Federation's Conservation Achievement Awards have been presented annually since 1965. Recipients in 2007 included Vice President Al Gore, author and activist Bill McKibben, environmental champion Laurie David and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Here at everGREEN landscape architects, we have made a comittment to the 2030 challenge. What can you do to contribute to the answer?

California Moving Companies Turn to Biodiesel

Two California moving companies have recently taken bold steps to lighten their carbon footprint by powering their fleets with cleaner burning biodiesel fuel.

In an effort to reduce emissions and act responsibly, San Luis Obispo-based Meathead Movers began fueling all of its diesel-powered moving trucks with a B20 (20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel) biodiesel blend in April, 2008. Meanwhile, a residential and commercial moving company based in Los Angeles, California, NorthStar Moving Corporation, converted all 14 of its moving trucks to a B20 biodiesel blend in April, 2008.

Read more about Meathead Movers and NorthStar Moving Corporation's biodiesel use.

SCE seeks incentives for emissions-cutting program

LOS ANGELES, May 16 (Reuters) - Southern California Edison on Friday proposed to California clean air regulators what it calls the first major "early action" greenhouse gas reduction projects since the state's ambitious emissions-cutting plan was passed in 2006.

If the plan is approved, SCE's plan could reduce about 3.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in eight separate projects that use cleaner methods of making or saving energy.

The costs of the program is about $23 million, which will be passed to ratepayers to the tune of 20 cents for every $100 of current utility bills.

FOR THE FULL STORY...

Sierra Club California: Toward A Sustainable Budget

We're not sure what this means, except that Gov. Scwarzenegger is juggling funds. He and our other representatives should be watched closely...

Green Capitalism

Many predict that the future of job growth lies within a green economy. Expanding renewable energy industries, such as wind and solar, can offer high-paying jobs for skilled workers.
We've certainly done well in the past 2 years by being considered the most "green" landscape architecture firm in Santa Barbara. See for yourself.


Although activists have long discussed the potential of green jobs, political leaders have begun to take notice only in the past year or so. U.S. presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, have all promised policies that would create "millions" of green jobs. In December, the United States passed the world's first law that provides funding for green jobs, specifically targeted to citizens who are traditionally economically depressed, such as the unemployed, formerly incarcerated, and at-risk youth.

Canadian schools sent misinformation from climate change skeptics

OTTAWA -- An American think tank has sent out more than 11,000 brochures and DVDs to Canadian schools urging them to teach their students that scientists are exaggerating how human activity is the driving force behind global warming.

Click here for full story...

How Some Wineries Are Dealing With Global Warming

Interesting perspective from environmental, social and economic perspectives...

Founder of Weather Channel calls Global Warming "the greatest scam in history".

Since calling global warming "the greatest scam in history," the founder of The Weather Channel John Coleman has been an outspoken advocate for climate realism.
This weekend, Coleman posted at his KUSI-San Diego blog an "Open Letter to Environmentalists" challenging them to campaign for "environmental goals on the basis of their own merit" while urging alarmists to "Let go of the global warming frenzy before it leaves [them] discredited and embarrassed."

It's hard to believe. We thought the dinosaurs were extinct!

But don't take it from us, we encourage you to read more and blog John Coleman with your feelings.

Custom Soils lock up CO2

Using calcium-rich soil in landscaping and agriculture could fix thousands of tons of carbon dioxide in the ground each year, compensating for a significant fraction of annual greenhouse gas emission. The approach can be put into practice quickly and with limited investment, scientists report this month.

A team from Newcastle University in the U.K. says custom soils can remove carbon from the atmosphere, permanently and cost-effectively. This has never previously been attempted anywhere in the world.

Exploits Natural Cycle
The concept underlying the initiative exploits the fact that plants, crops and trees naturally absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis and then pump surplus carbon through their roots into the earth around them. In most soils, much of this carbon can escape back to the atmosphere or enters groundwater.

But in soils containing calcium-bearing silicates (natural or man-made), the team believes the carbon that oozes out of a plant’s roots may react with the calcium to form the harmless mineral calcium carbonate. The carbon then stays securely locked in the calcium carbonate, which simply remains in the soil, close to the plant’s roots, in the form of a coating on pebbles or as grains.
The scientists are investigating whether this process occurs as it may encourage the growing of more plants, crops etc in places where calcium-rich soils already exist. It would also open up the prospect that bespoke soils can be designed (i.e. with added calcium silicates, or specific plants) which optimise the carbon-capture process. Such soils could play a valuable role in carbon abatement all over the globe.

Making Custom Soils
The team will first try to detect calcium carbonate in natural soils that have developed on top of calcium-rich rocks or been exposed to concrete dust (which contains man-made calcium silicates). They will then study artificial soils made at the University from a mixture of compost and calcium-rich rock. Finally, they will grow plants in purpose-made soils containing a high level of calcium silicates and monitor accumulation of calcium carbonate there.

Study Links Pesticides to Parkinson’s

Another study has linked exposure to insecticides and herbicides with Parkinson’s disease. Landscape use of the chemicals thought to be responsible is less than it once was, but the findings should remind professionals to limit pesticide use and to always use protective gear.

Of interest to landscapers is the apparent relationship between Parkinson’s and chemicals used on turfgrass, trees and shrubs. Newer classes of insecticides and herbicides are often used today in these settings, however.

Organophosphate Link

“Similar to previous studies, both herbicide and insecticide use were shown to have significant positive associations with Parkinson’s disease, although the association was stronger for insecticide use,” the authors note.

“Two insecticide classes (the organochlorine and organophosphorus classes) were shown to significantly increase Parkinson’s disease risk.”

The report appears in the online open access journal BMC Neurology.

Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological disorder affecting about 1 million people in the U.S. The disorder typically develops in later life resulting in symptoms such as tremors and muscle rigidity

Multiple Causes

The majority of Parkinson’s disease cases are thought to be due to an interaction between genetic and environmental factors.

“Previous studies have shown that individuals with Parkinson’s disease are over twice as likely to report being exposed to pesticides as unaffected individuals” says the study’s lead author, Dana Hancock, “but few studies have looked at this association in people from the same family or have assessed associations between specific classes of pesticides and Parkinson’s disease.”

The authors detected an association between pesticide use and Parkinson’s disease. Among these, the strongest were between the disorder and use of herbicides and insecticides, such as organochlorides and organophosphates. No association was found between Parkinson’s disease and well-water drinking or living or working on a farm, which are two commonly used proxies for pesticide exposures.

Questions Remain

Many studies have supported pesticides as a risk factor for PD, but “biological evidence is presently insufficient to conclude that pesticide exposure causes PD”, says Hancock. “Further investigation of these specific pesticides and others may lead to identification of pertinent biological pathways influencing PD development.” In addition future genetic studies of Parkinson’s disease should consider the influence of pesticides, since exposure to pesticides may provide a trigger for the disease in genetically predisposed individuals.

Green Golf

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP) is an award winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. By helping people enhance the valuable natural areas and wildlife habitats that golf courses provide, improve efficiency, and minimize potentially harmful impacts of golf operations, the ACSP serves as vital resource for golf courses.

Who can join?
Membership is open to golf courses in the United States and internationally, including private clubs, public and municipal courses, PGA sites, 9-hole facilities, resort courses, and golf residential communities. Golf courses must be open for play; those under development or construction may join an Audubon Signature Program.

What’s involved?
Getting involved is easy. To join, simply fill out the registration form and send it along with the registration fee to Audubon International.

Your next step is to take stock of environmental resources and potential liabilities, and then develop an environmental plan that fits the course’s unique setting, goals, staff, budget, and time. Audubon International provides a Site Assessment and Environmental Planning form to provide guidance, as well as educational information to help you with:

• Environmental Planning
• Wildlife and Habitat Management
• Chemical Use Reduction and Safety
• Water Conservation
• Water Quality Management
• Outreach and Education

Based on your golf course assessment, we provide a site-specific report and work with you to implement your plan. The ACSP offers educational information and assistance, but all decisions regarding the operation of the course remain with the golf course itself.

How does a golf course obtain certification?
Certification improves the practice of golf course management. Your course can achieve certification by implementing environmental management practices in the above areas and documenting your results. Certification demonstrates your leadership as a steward of the environment and publicly recognizes and rewards your environmental achievements.

Get involved and get results!
ACSP golf courses receive A Guide to Environmental Stewardship on the Golf Course; an attractive membership art print; a subscription to our bi-monthly newsletter, Stewardship News; and a Certification Handbook to help plan, organize, and document environmental efforts. Membership also includes certification review by Audubon International ecologists and staff support and direct consultation via telephone, written communication, and email. Site visits are available on a fee-for-service basis.

The ACSP is all about results. Participating golf courses improve environmental performance and community relations, reduce liability, save money, and contribute to the conservation of our environment.

What does it cost?Annual registration fee: $200 (US)/$250 (International)

Drugs in Our Drinking Water

A recent investigation by reporters from the Associated Press (AP) found that a wide variety of pharmaceuticals—including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, sex hormones and over-the-counter painkillers—are present in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans across 24 major metropolitan areas from coast to coast. While the amounts of pharmaceuticals in any given sample may be tiny, scientists are worried that regular and cumulative exposure to even small amounts of mixed drugs could have subtle or more serious health effects on a large number of people over time.

Most of the pharmaceuticals in the water supply end up there when medication is not fully absorbed by the people taking it, and ends up passing through and getting flushed down the toilet. While such wastewater is treated for contaminants before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes, some drug residues remain.

Drinking bottled water—40 percent of which is derived from municipal tap water supplies—provides no insurance against ingesting unwanted medication. And if municipal water systems do not have the firepower to remove such pharmaceuticals from drinking water supplies, neither do home filtration systems designed to treat water after it comes out of the tap.

So what’s a health-conscious water drinker to do? How about moving? Of the 28 major U.S. metro areas examined by the AP, only Albuquerque, Austin and Virginia Beach tested negative for pharmaceuticals in municipal drinking water supplies.

Green Dry Cleaning

In the 19th century, the dry cleaning industry started using volatile liquids, such as gasoline and naphtha, to clean clothing and linens. Clothing is washed with a liquid, not water. The flammability of those early solvents led to the use of other solvents, and today eight out of 10 professional dry cleaners in the United States use the chemical perchloroethylene (commonly called perc) to clean clothes. And although perc is less flammable, it is still an awful chemical to have so prominently in our lives. It is outlawed in many countries, and California plans to phase out perc by 2023, with a ban on new perc equipment in effect soon.

OSHA has recommended that perc be handled as a human carcinogen, and the EPA has classified it as a possible human carcinogen. In addition, according to the EPA:

• Effects resulting from acute, inhalation exposure of humans to perc vapors include irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes, kidney dysfunction, and at lower concentrations, neurological effects, such as reversible mood and behavioral changes, impairment of coordination, dizziness, headache, sleepiness, and unconsciousness.
• Effects from chronic inhalation are neurological, including headaches, impairments in cognitive and motor neurobehavioral functioning and color vision decrements. Other effects noted in humans include cardiac arrhythmia, liver damage and possible kidney effects.
• Studies of dry cleaning workers exposed to perc and other solvents suggest an increased risk for a variety of cancers.
• Perc released into the air is also an environmental concern as it pollutes air and groundwater.

ALTERNATIVES
The dry cleaning industry (and industries that support them) would be pretty shortsighted not to be exploring other options, given the increasing evidence against perc. These are the methods currently available:

Petroleum-Based Solvents
Several petroleum-based solvents have been created as an alternative to perc, but they are still irritants and emit VOCs. The most notable one is a hydrocarbon called DF-2000, which is made by ExxonMobil. Now for the tricky part. Any chemical with a chain of carbon is scientifically classified as "organic," like gasoline and perc. Some dry cleaners that have switched from using perc to using DF-2000, claim that they offer "organic dry cleaning." They are using an organic solvent, in the scientific sense of the word, but it can be misleading for the consumer who thinks that "organic" is referring to an all-natural, safe method. DF-2000 is classified as a VOC and it is listed by the EPA as a neurotoxin and skin and eye irritant for workers. If your dry cleaner offers organic dry cleaning, check to see what exactly they mean.

Silicone-Based Solvents
GreenEarth is the brand name for siloxane D5, a silicone-based chemical that has been used for a long time in personal care products. GreenEarth claims its solvent is safe and degrades into sand, water and carbon dioxide. But the jury is still out on this one. California's Air Resources Board conducted an 18-month review of the health and safety research available on D5 liquid silicone. They concluded that while D5 does not qualify for a non-toxic alternative dry cleaning solvent grant program, it does remain an acceptable dry cleaning solvent alternative. In July 2005, the EPA received the final results of a two-year study in rats, which confirmed a significant increase in uterine tumors following exposure to 160 ppm of D5, the highest concentration tested in the study. No significant increase in tumors was observed at lower doses. The EPA is still assessing the health risks.

Carbon Dioxide
This is a new technology that uses liquid carbon dioxide under high pressure. Carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning uses non-toxic, liquid CO2 (at room temperature) as the cleaning solvent, along with detergent. The CO2 is captured as a by-product of existing industrial processes, thereby utilizing emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Since minimal CO2 is lost into the air with each load of clothing, its impact on global warming is minimal. CO2 cleaning also uses less energy than traditional dry cleaning, which involves heating the solvent. Carbon dioxide is normally a gas at room temperature. But under high pressure, it converts into a liquid and can act as a carrier of biodegradable soaps in much the same way that water does in a washing machine. And when the dry cleaning cycle stops, it turns back into a gas, much of which is reused. Clothes cleaned in this process dry instantly, are cool to the touch and have no odor. A Consumer Reports study showed that the CO2 cleaning method performed better than silicone-solvent based cleaning (a close second), professional wet-cleaning and traditional perc dry cleaning. This method has been highly touted by environmentalists. Unfortunately, the detergents used in CO2 cleaning may contain some VOCs. The equipment for carbon dioxide cleaning is very expensive and is all licensed by the company that developed the method. It may be a less viable financial alternative for small businesses who could only convert to this method by becoming a Hangers Cleaners franchise.

Professional Wet Cleaning
Most garments labeled "dry clean only" can be cleaned with water through a process called wet-cleaning. This is a time-intensive process that takes some skill and special equipment, so it is costlier. The trick to professional wet cleaning is the computerized operations that allow for precise control in order to gently wash, dry and finish garments.

The EPA considers it one of the safest professional cleaning methods; its benefits include no hazardous chemical use, no hazardous waste generation, no air pollution and reduced potential for water and soil contamination. In terms of its impact on water and energy consumption, a comprehensive study by UCLA found that wet cleaning has only a minor impact on water use and that it uses slightly less electricity and slightly more natural gas than dry cleaning.

The performance of wet-cleaning was weaker than that of CO2 and silicone-solvent based dry cleaning, though it's just as effective, or better than perc dry cleaning's performance. Wet cleaning is a win-win method.

TIPS

• Buy clothing and other fabric items that don't require dry cleaning, saving you money and protecting your health and the environment.
• If you must have clothing dry cleaned at a cleaner that uses perc, you need to know that low levels of perchloroethylene can be brought into your house along with your clothes, and it offgasses into your indoor air. Remove the garments from the plastic bags and let them air in a protected outdoor spot for several days.
• To find dry cleaners that use CO2, go to http://www.findco2.com/
• To find dry cleaners that use wet cleaning, go to http://www.epa.gov/
• To find dry cleaners that use silicone-based solvents, go to for tips on wet cleaning at home.

Compact Fluorescebts Lightbulbs (CFLs) are poisoning us

As the world embraces compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL) as an energy-efficient alternative to the incandescent bulbs that have reigned supreme for 125 years, a new crop of concerns has arisen about the potential for mercury contamination from the newer bulbs. Though each CFL contains only a trace amount of mercury, landfill managers are worried that large numbers of them ending up in their facilities could pose problems for employees, not to mention surrounding communities.

The EPA recommends switching over to the bulbs for the energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings, but it acknowledges that the newer bulbs pose a contamination problem when they break. The EPA's website provides a detailed outline on how to air out a room and eventually dispose of the pieces of a broken CFL so as not to endanger family members or the environment.

Currently only seven U.S. states ban putting CFLs in the regular landfill-bound garbage, and there are still very few CFL recycling centers. “I think there’s going to be hundreds of millions of [CFLs] in landfills all over the country,” says Leonard Worth of the Illinois-based CFL recycler Fluorecycle.

CFL manufacturers are working hard to minimize the amount of mercury in their bulbs while simultaneously ramping up R&D on other high-efficiency bulbs that do not contain toxic elements (such as light-emitting diode bulbs and high-efficiency incandescents). A solution is needed urgently, as Australia, China and now the U.S. have made big commitments to CFLs in order to lower their carbon footprints.

Coffee fire logs

Anoher great green product!

The Java-Log is a pressed fire log made from used coffee grounds, natural vegetable wax, 100% recyled packaging and free of chemicals. It burns brighter, hotter and produces 85% less carbon monoxide than traditional firewood. It even crackles!!!

The Java-Log weighs 5 pounds, a little smaller than a sawdust log. It comes in a wrapper, which is used to light the log. It burns for two to three hours, the same as a regular log, but it produces three times the flame capacity of wood because of the oils. Whereas, wood has a lot more char and carbon in it.

Last year, over 2 million Java-logs sold. That's 5,000 tons that didn't go into a landfill.

Congressional Resolution Appluades Automotive X prize

People love their cars. They are vital links to our jobs, our community, ourselves. For everything we love about them, cars are chained to the most severe global crises of our time: oil dependence and climate change.

The aim: to break this deadlock through the most radical approach to innovation yet - the X PRIZE.

The Automotive X PRIZE will invite teams from around the world to focus on a single goal: design viable, clean and super-efficient cars that people want to buy.

This will be a race for the ages, with major publicity and a big sack of cash waiting for the champion, and perhaps our future hanging in the balance.

$10 million is up for grabs in international green car competition.

Fifty international teams will vie for the Automotive X Prize, building vehicles that are energy efficient, clean, and safe.

Shocking Human impacts on Oceans

Researchers unveiled the first detailed map of human impacts on the world’s oceans last week, and the news is not good. A team of 20 acclaimed marine scientists from around the world collaborated on the project, finding that humans are having a major impact on marine ecosystems, leaving only four percent of the world’s oceans unaffected by human activities.

“In the past, many studies have shown the impact of individual activities,” said lead scientist Benjamin Halpern of California’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. “But here for the first time we have produced a global map of all of these different activities layered on top of each other so that we can get this big picture of the overall impact that humans are having rather than just single impacts.”

Scientists from the U.S., Canada and the UK worked together building a complex model to handle large amounts of data on 17 different human threats to marine ecosystems. They divided the world’s oceans in small squares and took a close look at data on how humans are influencing marine environments. In creating the final map, they calculated “human impact scores” for each location and put the numbers on the world map accordingly.

“I think the big surprise from all of this was seeing the complete coverage of human impacts,” said Mark Spalding, a Nature Conservancy marine scientist who worked on the map project.

“There’s nowhere really that escaped. It’s quite a shocking map to see,” said Spalding, adding that climate change and over-fishing remain the two biggest threats to restoring the world’s oceans.

"The message for policymakers seems clear to me: conservation action that cuts across the whole set of human impacts is needed now in many places around the globe."

“There’s an element of wake-up call when you get maps like this,” said Spalding. “I think that it is a real signal to roll up our sleeves and start managing our coasts and oceans.”

If you had to choose between solar panels and trees…

People can get a little kooky when they feel their neighbors are encroaching on their property. Thankfully, most people just shoot icy glares over the fence; they don't shoot and kill the guy next door. But it isn't unusual for such feuds to end up in court, especially where trees are concerned, given that the tall beasts can be rooted in one yard but extend into another.
Meet Richard Treanor and Carolynn Bissett of Sunnyvale, California. This Prius-driving couple lives next door to self-described environmentalist Mark Vargas. You’d think the trio of greenies would get along...

'Food Grade' Organic Weed Killer?

So the Environmental Protection Agency has registered what is "the world's first food grade organic herbicide," according to a recent news release. Created by Pharm Solutions, Inc., the herbicide known as "Weed Pharm" contains 200 grain "food grade" vinegar -- that's a whopping 20 percent acidity. (In contrast, the stuff you get at the grocery store is usually around four or five percent acidity.) The weed killer is "non selective" which means it'll desiccate your purple coneflower just as readily as it takes out all that pigweed. And, sure, I can see how something like that could come in handy. It's likely perfect for zapping weeds in the cracks around building foundations, perhaps, but I can't help but wonder if we really need such a thing in our gardens.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not on the weeds' collective side, by any means. After all, they steal water and nutrients in the soil that my storage onions and spicy globe basil could be getting. It's just that I wish gardeners would go back to their roots and rely on mechanical rather than chemical means to control weeds. That means mulching with good compost, worm castings, or other organic matter or laying down soy-inked newsprint. You could also simply break out the hoe and hand cultivators and burn off a few extra calories. (Incidentally, I still recall the first time I laid eyes on a hand cultivator. I was working on one of the first Certified Organic farms in my area, and I'd said, "This looks like an implement of torture" to which the farm owner replied, "Yes, and after a while it will begin to feel like one, too." She was right.)

And what about a little old-fashioned hand-pulling? Yanking weeds out while they're still small is not so bad, and, besides, periodically getting up-close-and-personal with your perennial flowers and annual vegetable plants is a great way to spot nutrient deficiencies or insect pest infestations before they have a chance to get out of hand.

2008 National Biodiesel Conference

New feedstocks for biodiesel is really the main focus of this year’s 2008 Natl' Biodiesel Conference & Expo, with the theme “Navigating a Changing Landscape.” To emphasize the opportunities, Jobe unvelied a Mercedes Benz C320 that runs on algae-based biodiesel developed by Solazyme. Solazyme hopes to begin mass-producing Soladiesel at a competitive price within three years.

More about Solazyme.

U.S. Hemp Market

Perhaps one of the greatest ironies is that the more successful hemp products become in the marketplace, the more we rely on hemp imports to fuel the growth. This unsustainable model exists because of the defective and ambiguous legal status of the industrial hemp plant. So, it is even more remarkable that the state of the U.S. industrial hemp market is vibrant!

The U.S. hemp market has experienced steady growth since 2000. Food, body care, paper products, clothing, textiles, cordage and other items are currently widely available in the U.S. marketplace. A conservative estimate of the total retail value of hemp products sold in the U.S. in 2007 is $350 million.

An increase in sales of hemp food products in stores has been noticeable since 2004 when the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) won a three-year legal battle against the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that permanently protects sales of hemp seed and oil for human consumption. In 2007 hemp milk became common in natural food stores and is one of the leading hemp food products in the marketplace. In 2007 hemp foods became mainstream, even appearing on the popular NBC TODAY Show. Hemp bread, shelled seed, cereal, frozen waffles, snack bars and hemp oil are widely available and can be found every in city and town.

Hemp is also widely listed as an ingredient in natural lotions, balms, soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Hemp clothing is also commonly sold in cities and towns everywhere. Dozens of designers of hemp clothing are manufacturing in the U.S. and importing the textiles from China. Much of the clothing is selling in medium to high-end retail boutiques. Hemp fabric is also routinely described by the media as a "green fabric" because it is pesticide-free and is linked to various solutions to reducing carbon emissions.

So, hemp is everywhere, in our major ports and in consumers' hands across the country — but it is not in the farmer's field.

Certify Your Garden as a Wildlife Sanctuary

Host a healthy and sustainable nature sanctuary, right in your own garden. You can even get it certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a bona fide wildlife habitat, complete with a yard sign you can stake on your grounds.

To transform your garden into a wildlife-friendly haven, start by replacing the grass with native and indigenous plants, whether they're succulents, bunch grasses or natives. Already adapted to local conditions, native plants are easy to grow and maintain, generally requiring less fertilizer and water, as well as less effort to rein in pests.

Besides tending to the needs of native birds, you should also extend some hometown hospitality to our pollinator pals, such as butterflies and bees, by growing a diverse variety of native flowers they're particularly drawn to, such as Toyon, Calif. Lilac, and Coffeeberry. Also, gardens with 10 or more species of attractive plants have been found to entice the most bees.

"Green" Roses

Sure, roses in general are beautiful, but need gallons of water and artificial fertilizers and require regular applications of pesticides. Rose gardeners who are singularly devoted to coddling such fussy, exotic species no matter what the cost may have their priorities out of whack. Some consider roses to be the Hummers of the garden.

Fortunately, it looks as if the rose-obsessed can finally do their thing without wasting water and poisoning area honey bees and other beneficial insects. During the last several years, Texas A&M University research scientists have tested hundreds of roses to determine which varieties can be grown in existing, unamended soil without extra watering and sans fertilization or spraying. From "April Moon" and "Carefree Wonder" to "Louis Philippe" and "Mrs. Dudley Cross", there are scores of "Earth Kind" roses which demand little attention.

Many are antique varieties which may not be quite as prolific or showy as hybrid roses, but at least they can hold their own without special treatment. Best of all, the research is ongoing, and, should you be interested in field testing some of these low-impact roses in your own back yard, the university welcomes your evaluations of any Earth Kind varieties you choose to grow. Scientists must agree to evaluate the performance of their Earth Kind roses at one, two, three, and four years after planting, and the use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides -- not even neem oil allowed.

Photo Voltaic Costs to Plummet

The solar industry is poised for a rapid decline in costs that will make it a mainstream power option in the next few years, according to a new assessment by the Worldwatch Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Prometheus Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Global production of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells has risen sixfold since 2000 and grew 41 percent in 2006 alone. Although grid-connected solar capacity still provides less than 1 percent of the world's electricity, it increased nearly 50 percent in 2006, to 5,000 megawatts, propelled by booming markets in Germany and Japan.

This growth, while dramatic, has been constrained by a shortage of manufacturing capacity for purified polysilicon, the same material that goes into semiconductor chips. But the situation will be reversed in the next two years as more than a dozen companies in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States bring on unprecedented levels of production capacity, stated the assessment.

Wind Industry Thriving Worldwide

The wind industry is undergoing temporary growing pains similar to the silicon shortage experienced by the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry: there are simply not enough materials or manufacturing capacity to keep up with the increasing demand for wind turbines. The need for steel, copper, concrete and other materials has driven up project costs, restricted turbine supplies and created a difficult market for smaller wind developers.

But despite a two-and-a-half year stretch of materials shortages and rising costs, the global wind industry is experiencing steady growth worldwide and increased acceptance by utilities, governments and citizens.

"Between 2004 and 2005, the global wind turbine market experienced a rapid period of escalation...Within the span of just that year the global demand for wind turbine components and supply jumped to a new plateau and a new rate of growth," says Joshua Magee, senior analyst for Emerging Energy Research's (EER) North American Wind Advisory Group.

Leland Walmsley
everGREEN - landscape architects
http://www.evergreen-sb.com/
Santa Barbara, CA

Algal Boom

A look at the new kid on the biofuel block
By Alisa Opar

Glen Kertz is excited about algae. But it’s not just because he’s a plant physiologist. Kert’s enthusiasm about the photosynthetic organisms stems from their ability to both provide a source of energy and absorb greenhouse gases.

Kertz is president of Valcent, a technology company that is nearing completion of its 6.2-acre algae facility in El Paso, Texas. “We can produce high-grade biofuel [with algae], and at the same time sequester carbon dioxide,” he says.

For more go to: http://www.plentymag.com/features/2007/06/algal_boom.php

Report Highlights Green Cities

The Urban Environment Report, put out by the Washington, D.C.-based Earth Day Network, ranks 72 U.S. cities on their greenness and contains a "vulnerable population index" that takes into account the segment of a city's population that is most susceptible to environmental changes including the unemployed and uninsured. "This study is the first of its kind, not only because of the sheer quantity of environmental data analyzed, but also because it redefines the term 'environmental' to include public health, poverty, education, and other quality-of-life issues," said Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers. Other factors studied include climate-change action, air quality, transportation, toxics, and human health. Topping the list of green go-getters is Fargo, ND, with Burlington, VT, Portland, OR, and Colorado Springs, CO, close behind. Languishing at the bottom: El Paso, Cleveland, Miami, and Detroit.

Los Angeles ranked as worst (of 72 cities) with regard to "Drinking & Surface Water" and near the bottom for "Quality of Life" and "Air Quality".

As one of Santa Barbara's greenest companies, NWA applaudes the efforts of those cities making an effort toward a sustainable world. We tirelessly promote "green" practices with our residential, commercial and city clients.

More on this report...

Minnesota Embraces Renewable Energy

The new Renewable Energy Standard that passed the Minnesota House on February 20, will require 25% of Minnesota's electricity to come from renewable sources -- such as wind and solar -- by the year 2025. Currently, Minnesota imports more electricity from outside sources than any other state.

Minnesota's numerical goal trails targets in place for Maine and New York, but those states had been getting a significant amount of electricity from large-scale hydropower facilities before their standards were adopted, according to data from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"As a percentage of where all their electricity will come from, Minnesota is now in the lead with this policy in terms of supporting new renewable energy development," said Jeff Deyette, an analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

More than 20 states have some type of renewable requirement or good-faith objective. Colorado is moving toward a standard of 20% by 2020, and Governor John Lynch of New Hampshire challenged lawmakers last week to adopt a 25% requirement by 2025.

For more information:

Ozone Hole Grows Again

As ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons were banned in Europe and began to be phased out in the U.S., the ozone hole seemed to be closing. But now demand for air conditioning in India and southern China is slowing the healing process. The main offending gas is refrigerant HCFC-22, which developing countries are allowed to continue using through 2040. Estimates have HCFC-22 output in developing countries rising 20% to 35% each year. Ozone producing air conditioners are, of course, much cheaper than cleaner modern ones, and chemical companies dole out HCFC-22 readily to repair shops.

Industrial countries currently must phase out production of HCFC-22 by 2020 and are ahead of schedule, with the U.S. banning domestic production in 2010. The Environmental Protection Agency is studying whether to ban imports of the gas and the sale of new products using the gas by then as well.

By contrast, the Montreal Protocol, which governs the phaseout of ozone- depleting chemicals, allows developing countries to continue using HCFC-22 through 2040.

China in particular is stepping up exports to the United States of air conditioners using the chemical, often labeled as R22, especially after the European Union finished phasing out the production and import of such air conditioners in 2004.

Pound for pound, HCFC-22 is only 5% as harmful to the ozone layer as the chlorofluorocarbons it replaced. But it still inflicts damage, especially when emitted in enormous quantities by China, now the world's dominant producer of window air conditioners, and by India, a fast-growing market and manufacturer.

For more

Beavers Return to the Hudson after 200 years!

Tese days it seems eco-voctories are far and few between.

One of New York City’s greater triumphs—the cleaning-up of the previously mucky Hudson River—was marked just a couple of days ago by the appearance of… a beaver. The beaver, incase high school biology class is a little fuzzy for you, too, is a semi-aquatic, dam-building, tail-slapping rodent, and it hasn’t been spotted in New York City for roughly 200 years.
Some biologists and New York City residents have suspected since last fall that a beaver was stealthily building a home in the Hudson, but it wasn’t until this Wednesday that biologists actually caught him on videotape. He was swimming upriver and looking for more material with which to insulate his home.

The beaver in question has been nicknamed José, after United States Representative José E. Serrano of the Bronx. Serrano has, according to an article in the Feb 23rd NY Times, “directed $15 million in federal funds toward the Hudson River’s rebirth.”

Patrick Thomas, Bronx Zoo curator of mammals, said José probably trekked out to the Bronx from a rural area like Westchester County, and that he seemed to be a male looking for a mate (a tad late for Valentines’ Day, José). He said that it would be interesting to see if a mate had accompanied José, or whether one would come down and help start a new beaver community, the likes of which New York City hasn’t seen since Times Square was farmland.

Beaver History 101, courtesy of the NY Times:
The North American beaver vanished from New York City in the early 1800s as a result of trapping, fur trading, and deforestation. Beavers helped speed Manhattan’s development by attracting fur traders who were eager to feed huge demands for their pelts in Europe. To this day, beavers remain tightly linked to New York’s identity. Images of the beaver are on the official seal and flag of New York City. It is the official state animal of New York State, and a Beaver Street is between Broadway and Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.

Guess we'll have to rewrite New York's beaver history...

For the NY Times article

Scary Dairy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last December that the agency will likely approve the sale of cloned foods this year. The FDA’s action flies in the face of widespread scientific concern about the risks of food from clones, and ignores the animal cruelty and troubling ethical concerns that the cloning process brings. What’s worse, the FDA indicates that it will not require labeling on cloned food, so consumers will have no way to avoid these experimental foods. The FDA is accepting public comments on its decision until April 2.

Cloning first succeeded in producing a live birth with the famed sheep clone Dolly in 1997, and has since been used with many other animal species, including dairy cows and beef cattle, poultry, hogs and other livestock. But after the hype, few followed the story of Dolly’s untimely demise. Just six years old when she was euthanized (sheep of Dolly’s breed generally live to 11 or 12), Dolly suffered from premature arthritis and lung disease usually seen in much older animals.

Sadly, Dolly was hardly unique among cloned animals. Incidents of unusual health problems, chronic illnesses and sudden unexpected deaths plague the cloning industry. Ian Wilmut, the lead scientist responsible for creating Dolly, has warned that even small imbalances in a clone’s hormone, protein or fat levels could compromise the safety of its milk or meat, saying, “If companies start marketing this food and there are problems it will bring the whole technology into disrepute.”

Tell the FDA: No Food From Cloned Animals

Will the US participate in the Climate Change Conversation?

The troubled Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is set to expire in 2012. With American sentiment for action on global warming building rapidly, environmentalists are focusing on drafting a follow-up agreement on which even holdouts like the U.S. and Australia can agree.

Thanks to Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth and with environmentally friendly Democrats running the show in Congress, activists feel that the time is ripe for talking up the possibilities of an agreement—whether a renewal of Kyoto or a different agreement entirely—that meets the concerns of the U.S., namely that developing nations like China and India are not subject to the same restrictions as industrialized nations.

Despite such efforts, however, the Bush administration has not changed its stance on Kyoto or any similar future agreement. “At the moment I am really quite skeptical. I get no sense that (U.S. President George W.) Bush is about to move on this,” Catherine Pearce, international climate change campaigner for the nonprofit Friends of the Earth, told reporters last week.

But that’s not stopping Pearce and her supporters from lobbying for a new all-inclusive global warming treaty, which would take as long as four years to iron out before it could be implemented. At that point, a new administration—one likely more concerned about staving off the myriad ill effects of global warming—will have moved into the White House.

For more on this story...

Drugging our water

Despite what you’ve seen in the movies, you usually shouldn’t flush your drugs down the toilet. The EPA issued new guidelines yesterday that suggest putting expired prescriptions in sealed containers with kitty litter or coffee grounds to prevent drug abuse and harm to the environment.

"Following these new guidelines will protect our nation's waterways and keep pharmaceuticals out of the hands of potential abusers,” says EPA administrator Stephen Johnson.

When people empty unused or expired prescriptions into their toilets, the drugs often end up in lakes and rivers. Scientists have found more than 100 chemical compounds in water samples taken from both surface and groundwater in the United States and Europe. Research shows that chemicals from prescriptions dumped into the sewage system could find their way into our drinking water.

Scientists also admit that they aren’t sure how the combination of chemicals in the water could affect humans, let alone plants and animals. So far, one researcher found that “this mixture of drugs at environmental levels inhibited the growth of human embryonic kidney cells,” according to the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Another study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry found that hormones from drugs in waste water can make male tadpoles female. “Our findings show that frogs are more sensitive to hormone-disrupting environmental pollutants than we previously thought,” Cecilia Berg, the researcher of the study, said in a press release.

The EPA recommendations state that “drugs should be flushed down the toilet only if the label says it's safe to do so,” and if people follow these directions, well that’s a start. But when it comes to non-flushable drugs, we have to wonder how many people are actually going to take the time to package their old prescriptions with the grounds from this morning’s coffee or the litter from their kitty’s box.

EPA drug disposal recommendations

For more...

Demolition < Deconstruction

When it comes to solid waste, most people think of candy wrappers, soda bottles and Styrofoam packing peanuts instead of the house they’re living in or the Target where they shop. However, the EPA estimates that up to 40 percent of U.S. solid waste is construction and demolition debris. Deconstruction—taking homes and commercial buildings apart, rather than landfilling the waste—does involve more labor than demolition, but it also avoids costly disposal fees. What had been a total loss—demolition and landfilling—turns into a revenue-generating opportunity to resell what was previously waste.

New Eco-friendly Products

TCrazy as it sounds, the latest trend in eco-friendly products is poop. Creative Paper Wales, a company based in Snowdonia, Wales, makes its patented Sheep Poo Paper ($6 to $40) out of, you guessed it, sheep poop. The process consists of taking fresh sheep poop, putting it in a pressure cooker and using the leftover cellulose fiber to make greeting cards, post cards and stationery. The process is completely Earth-friendly and the result is a cute, stink-free card featuring a cartoon sheep. Another poop-inspired product is the new Organic Worm Poop Fertilizer from Terracycle, an organic lawn care company based in Trenton, New Jersey. This product is made from the organic waste of worms and is packaged in recycled soda bottles collected by school children across the country. Just by adding water, you can bathe your lawn in nourishing (and eco-friendly) liquefied worm poop.