Our Green Streets Blog

A note from Peter Olins, co-founder of the Northern Colorado Entrepreneurs Network, my emphasis provided:

Glenn:

“Almost certain you’re on Al’s list, but just in case.
It’s almost worth a blog article about the next generation of nonpartisan “political” speech and action.
It also helps to be Nobel laureate :~)

Regards,

P.”

REPOWER AMERICA

When a clean energy economy finally becomes a reality in America, people will look back to the day that together, you and I launched The Repower America Wall.

The Wall is a place where literally thousands and thousands of people committed to a revolutionary new energy future for our nation and the world are coming together — to express our hopes, share our resolve, and step up to a leadership role in building a grassroots movement for change like nothing America has ever seen. It’s an opportunity for you to be part of the climate movement in a new way, in a way that takes us beyond ourselves.

Read more of this >>

This commentary by Marc Stoiber can be read in its entirety at Sustainable Life Media. I believe this is a good location for connecting to a collection of sustainability oriented people, events, and ideas. The following words, copied from the October 29, 2009 issue touched me with an encouraging ping, so I chose to share some of them, adding my own emphasis:

Mark Stoiber

“Executives today are being taught about ’social innovation’, a term that seamlessly incorporates the best of the above three terms, and reaches further – bringing along collective spirit, new thinking and economic responsibility for the ride.

“How does this work in real life? Consider:

“Ford developed a plastic shipping container used to ferry parts from one plant to the next. The shipping container eliminates the use of cardboard, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, reduces the number of shipments required, and is more ergonomic for factory workers. It is also recycled into splash shields for the F-150. Read more of this >>

Boulder's Best Organics

With the holiday season approaching, some folks may want to learn more about Best Organics, he company that provides Boulder’s Best Organics and Colorado’s Best Organics.

Adriane Little, an account manager for Best Organics, says one of the company’s target markets is the business sector. “We are targeting business to business sales and focusing on many different business industries, including natural and organic, service industries, medical industries, renewable energy companies, marketing/advertising, law firms, accounting, and many more.” Read more of this >>

For those who do not know Earthship, one of these scheduled webinars might be a great time to visit. And the price is exceptionally good, as is the subject matter! GRM

Earthship logo

“Long Way Home and Architects for Humanity will present world-renowned founder of Earthship Biotecture, Michael Reynolds (http://www.earthship.net/home/begin-here.html) as part of BuildBoston 2009 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston on Nov. 18, 2009 from 7 until 8 pm.

“Reynolds is best known for starting Eathship.net, a socially conscious construction venture that builds homes out of garbage with yearly utility bills under $100.”

Nov 16 and Dec 15 events: Read more of this >>

Today we received word from Chris Edwards, sales coordinator at Colorado-based New Wave Enviro Products. I believed my email box contained just one more of the many green promotional pitches I wade through, until I read further, especially the last line.

Here are clips from Mr. Edwards’ letter (emphasis place by me):

“…we manufacture and distribute water products, mainly through Natural Foods Retailers across the Nation. We have been in business for over 15 years and our products offer consumers a way to live litter free and chemical free lives by filtering the water they drink,  they shower and bathe in, and a way to ease the problem with our nation’s landfills.
Read more of this >>

These notes come from the World Bank Press Review on rising CO2 emissions coming from 40 industrialized countries:

“Carbon emissions by industrialized nations increased one percent in 2007, a ‘worrying’ rise ahead of a crunch climate summit in Copenhagen in December, the UN climate agency said Wednesday. Emissions in 2007 by 40 industrialized countries with reporting obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) were around four percent below 1990 levels, the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNCCS) said….” [Agence France Presse/Factiva]

AP adds that “…EU countries did cut their emissions year-to-year, by an average of 1.6 percent, led by Denmark’s 6.1 percent reduction. But the US, the biggest emitter in this group, increased its emissions by 1.4 percent, and the output of heat-trapping gases by Japan, Canada and Australia also rose, the data show….” [Associated Press/Factiva]

Greenwire reports that “…emissions in 2007…were around 4 percent below 1990 levels, the secretariat said. However, from 2000 to 2007, emissions rose 3 percent….Much of the decrease in CO2 emissions from 1990 levels is due to the economic decline of countries in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of communism….” [Greenwire (US)/Factiva]

Even at the risk of preaching, it is critical for all to comprehend what is happening with carbon on this planet and learn how we might better manage output. GRM

Auto graveyard - Nebraska farm Photo: Glenn Meyers

The following clips come from  Matt Cawood, writing on a study from the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists at farmonline:

“Agricultural land could be the focus of an “economic opportunity of unparalleled scale”, according to the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, which has called for a re-write of emissions trading legislation to properly recognise “terrestrial carbon”.

“In a discussion paper released earlier this week, the Group argues that by focusing on terrestrial carbon sequestration as a solution to climate change, Australia can simultaneously address many of its most pressing environmental challenges.

“Terrestrial carbon includes carbon stored in forests, woodlands, swamps, grasslands, farmland, soils, and derivatives like biochar and biofuels.

“We’re about to create a multibillion dollar terrestrial carbon market, and that has the potential to radically change our rural landscapes,” said Wentworth Group director Peter Cosier. “We have to maximise the benefits and minimise the consequences.”

Read more of this >>

We received this missive from the people at SustainLane:

“…because your blog is related to our mission of living healthy lives on a green planet. This is just a quick note introducing the Local Action Challenge, a local contest that encourages people in Denver, CO to think global, act local… and win prizes doing it!

“SustainLane is heading up the Local Action Challenge in partnership with Hopenhagen, an international movement to drive action on climate change at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen this December.

“Cities across the country – like Denver, CO – have sent in their top-ten lists of actions they’d like residents to take in order to combat climate change and otherwise care for the planet right in their own communities.”

Read more of this >>

Carbon Sciences (CABN), reported last week on Green Streets as a promising developer of technology to recycle CO2 emissions into fuels, has posted a video on its website and YouTube explaining its technology and nano-engineering innovations that CEO Byron Elton believes will lead to an industrial-scale process to produce fuels.
Read more of this >>

It is nearing time to be excited about the human spirit of innovation and invention.

I recommend visiting the Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2010, and looking at some of the entries from previous challenges, particularly the winners from last year (2009). Read more of this >>