Algae Fuel -- California's Great Green Hope?

I'm sure by now you've all heard about green algae as one of the next big alternative energy sources expected to cure us of our dependence on foreign oil. Here's a description of 15 major players in this emerging market -- some of whom have already penned deals with large-scale energy companies such as Chevron -- and many of whom are based in California. Sounds good to me, considering our state is currently tied for third place when it comes to highest unemployment rate in the country. A boom in green algae production could mean more jobs in the years to come and certainly would be better for the environment than running vehicles on gasoline.

My only question? If burning deep-fryer cooking oil in your gas tank causes your car's exhaust to smell like french fries, will this green gook make your engine smell like pond scum? Yum. Well, can't say that'd be much worse than petro-chemical exhaust, really.

$700 Billion Bailout: Long-term Solution or Inadequate Quick Fix?

If you're like me, you've probably been wondering how exactly to feel regarding the proposed $700 billion financial bailout currently being debated in Congress, especially after hearing both presidential candidates during last night's debate suggest that the increase in spending won't necessarily significantly affect the kinds of programs they will try to implement if elected to office. That notion didn't make much sense to me, until I read Bill Gross's explanation as to why taxpayers may not get stuck with as large a bill as one might expect. In fact, according to Gross, chief investment officer at Pimco, the U.S. government would likely turn a profit in the deal. Assuming the government purchases the distressed mortgages from banks at a discount to what the mortgages are worth, when these mortgages are eventually resold or paid down in full, the government would reap the difference. However, there is still much debate on the issue, as this article in Grist reflects. Skim down to the blog comments at the end for a very entertaining read.

Wikia Green to be the People's Eco-Encyclopedia

I think it's safe to say that you're all familiar with Wikipedia at this point, unless of course you have no Internet access in which case, you're not reading this right now. In any case, Jimmy Wales, the intense-looking creator of all things Wiki, has recently given birth to Wikia Green -- a user-friendly collection of eco-conscious definitions and information that can help you answer everything from "What is bio-diesel?" to "How is organic coffee different from fair trade coffee?"

Sustainability Improves Most Valuable Global Brand Rankings

Interbrand's new list of the 100 Best Global Brands was recently published, with Coca-Cola, IBM, and Microsoft still in the top 3 positions. New to the list this year was H&M, FedEx, and Visa, while Google jumped all the way to the 10th position, up from 20th last year. Also new to the list: The notion that a company's sustainable business practices has an affect on how strong or weak a brand is deemed.

GE and Google Bring Green Things to Life

According to Sustainable Life Media, GE and Google have a vested interest in alternative energy technologies. So much so that they've been lobbying Capitol Hill to follow through with proposals that will allow them to reap the full benefits of their R&D investments. Shucks -- what am I supposed to do with all of my "Down with the Man" paraphernalia, now?

Veggies: Beware of Seitan and Wheat Gluten

This longish article in Grist.org is worth reading if you, like me, are a label reader -- or in any way concerned about our nation's food supply chain. It speaks of seitan and wheat glutan -- two more things to look out for in your processed food (in addition to high fructose corn syrup, even though corn-growers are launching new ads to try to convince you that the cellulose-forming sugar substitute is completely harmless). Next to hit store shelves, I predict: soylent green.

Paint it White

If you've ever been to Corfu or Mykenos, you'll understand when I write that the Greeks had it right all along: white roofs are the latest in global-warming fighting home owner materials. According to a new report, if enough people in the 100 largest cities around the globe were to opt for white roofs and white pavements, we would be able to reflect enough energy to keep the earth significantly cooler. I say, go for it! And the powers that be in California agree -- as of next year, all new and retrofitted residential and commercial buildings will be required to install heat-reflecting roofs. But why stop there? I think if enough people knew about the energy benefits of painting their roofs white (it cuts down on the need for air conditioning) they'd bare the brunt of upfront costs to ensure long-term energy savings -- from which we would all benefit.

"Green Nutrition" Labels May Be Next in Store

I'm a huge fan of nutrition labels on my packaged food. That way, I can compare potential purchases by lowest calories, lowest fat, and highest percentage of vitamins, minerals, and fiber (and drive all my friends crazy who just want tasty eats). I also adore it when grocery stores break down the price per quantity of packaged food item so I know when I get the best deal (otherwise I have to stand there trying to work it out in my head, which just annoys all the other shoppers trying to scoot by me in the store aisle). In any case, Professor Tim Lang, the guy who came up with the concept of "food miles" -- pointing out that the further your food has to be transported, the more energy you waste -- has devised another fantastic shopping tool: the Green Nutrition label. With it, rather than merely shopping based on nutritional value and price, you can throw into the mix such factors as carbon footprint, packaging levels, fair trade, water use, and more. All environmental factors would be rated using a standard system so that shoppers would be better able to judge if purchasing a fair trade bag of coffee from Costa Rica is better or worse than buying a bag of organic coffee from Hawaii. Ooh! I'm so excited!

High-Speed Train Could Keep Travel Clean

A vote for California's Prop 1A would mean a mixture of state, federal, and private funding would go towards constructing a new high-speed train, traveling at speeds of 220 mph from San Diego all the way north to San Francisco. Additional routes would reach locations such as Sacramento, San Jose, Bakersfield, Riverside, and Modesto, to name just a few. The L.A. to San Francisco trip would take a mere 2 hours and 38 minutes (sweet! And no LAX or SFO to deal with). Proponents of the proposition believe the project would create as many as 160,000 new construction jobs and 450,000 new permanent jobs, while taking 92 million vehicle trips off the road every year. They claim greenhouse gases would be reduced by 12 billion pounds a year and our dependence on foreign oil would be decreased by up to 12.7 million barrels a year. Hmm ... sounds good to me, especially as proponents claim no tax increases will be necessary to foot the bill. But I wonder if Californians who don't live in cities on the line, or who have much reason to trek from one half of the state to the other, will consider the train necessary.

Progress Stifling Initiatives

Sorry, I'm going to move away from eco-consciousness for a minute here to discuss social-consciousness, which should also be part of any company's triple bottom line (social, environmental, and economic factors which determine success -- or people, planet, profit) -- although this isn't really a company-based rant. It concerns me that Proposition 8 is on the ballot in this November's California election. A vote "for" the proposition would mean that gay couples who were told that they could get married (as of May 16 -- just four short months ago) would now go back to being not able to get married. Doesn't that seem like a step backward? Kind of like if we said "hey, we know that racial segregation in the public schools was deemed unconstitutional a while back, but as voters, we'd like to add a proposition to get segregation considered A-OK again." Seriously, people. Let's move forward.

Rethinking Tax Money for Road Maintenance

Apparently, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is claiming that because fewer people are on the road, less money is in the kitty to pay for road and bridge upkeep. Here's why: Each gallon of gasoline you buy is taxed at about 8%. This tax pays for transportation maintenance. Since higher gas prices have lead more people to take public transportation, walk, bike ride, or buy more fuel-efficient cars or hybrids, less money overall is in the kitty. However, even though you may think that fewer cars on the road would lead to less need for maintenance, you're forgetting that extreme weather conditions (along with heavy semi-trucks used for shipping) are to blame for much of the wear and tear. Bearing this in mind, should we raise the gas tax (which would potentially hit poorer people harder, who can't afford to pay $30,000 for a new hybrid)? Or start taxing based on miles driven, similar to California's new proposed pay-as-you-go car insurance? Or charge higher fees for vehicle registration? Or convert more highways into toll roads?

U.S. Counties Credited with Longest Life Expectancy

Glancing through a new study which pinpoints the top ten places in the United States to live a long life, it occurred to me that each location (for the most part) is near a body of water and full of forests and/or parks. Kind of seems like city dwellers die off sooner, rather than later. Makes a good case for hitting up some nature on the weekends whenever possible.

How Green Is Your Presidential Candidate?

And I don't mean inexperienced. Check out this handy chart to see where candidates stand on environmental issues. It might surprise you to note that the Democratic Party front-runner has developed a more thorough plan than the Green Party presidential hopeful. Odd, that.

Stop Me Before I Do This ...

Oh man. This is too much. I'm all for being concerned about the environment, but seriously, you don't have a funny bone in your whole body if you don't think this is hilarious.

Local Eating with a Conscience

Concerned about eating sustainably in your neighborhood? Fear not -- simply type your zip code into this handy online resource provided by the eat well guide and you'll discover eco-conscious restaurants, farmers' markets, caterers, and more located conveniently near your home.

Green Home Hunters and Hawkers

Looking for a new home? If you're concerned about what affect your housing purchase will have on the environment, you may want to nab a real estate agent who has the answers to the slew of questions you're bound to casually toss his or her way. Consider selecting a professional who has the National Association of Realtors' sustainable property designation.
And if you're in the business of selling homes, why not get yourself certified to gain an edge over the competition? If nothing else, you'll have one more merit badge with which to shame your arch nemeses.

From Junk to Gift Card

Trying to figure out what to do with your old computer or printer that is too busted to sell on eBay? (Or in my case, a cell phone recharger and a home telephone wall mount.) Give it to Office Depot and hook yerself up with a gift card redeemable for store products -- if your product qualifies. Best Buy has a similar program.

Legal Advice, er ... Sort of

Hey lawyer friends -- you probably thought your firm was off the hook when it came to worrying about carbon emissions, right? "We're a services provider" you whine, "we don't ship products from foreign countries or have to worry about what to do with post-consumer waste." Well, that may be, but you're not off the hook when it comes to answering to your mother ... mother nature, that is. (Take that and stick it on a bumper sticker! Wait a minute ...) A new carbon footprint measuring tool has been designed specifically for law firms, so take note.

Put Your Stale Wine to Work

I haven't tried this yet, but apparently you can use vinegar to clean just about anything. And it's better for the environment than bleach or other toxic cleaning supplies (which usually contain bleach, among other chemicals). But I imagine cleaning with vinegar and baking soda alone will also require extra elbow grease, so please do not try this at home if you are a class A weakling.

What's Wrong with Sweeping?

Ever since I was a child in the '80s I remember there being concerns over the use of leaf blowers in uptight suburban communities (like Piedmont, my hometown). But that was mostly due to noise pollution concerns, not the current reasons sited which include cutting back on energy waste, maintaining organic farming practices, and improving respiratory health. Also, on a separate but related note, does anyone else cringe when they walk past homeowners, gardeners, shop workers, and window washers hosing down the sidewalk to move plant droppings into the sewer drain? It takes them easily at least two to three times longer than if they were to use a broom alone. And the worst part is, California is suffering from what may be one of the most significant water crises in its history! Aagh! The outrage. So let's bring back the broom! (And by broom I don't mean a Swiffer, with thick, disposable paper towels. I mean old school brooms, as used by witches and ranch hands.)

Kiss Canada's Sweet Arctic Ice Shelves Goodbye

Nineteen square miles of Canada's Arctic ice shelves broke off a few days ago, the third massive ice shelf break for Canada in the past month and a half. Which, added to the fact that new research indicates that warmer oceans make for more ruthless storms, (think Gustav, Hanna, Ike and Josephine, people) has inspired me to put my MBA to work by investing in death carts and lunatic end-of-the-world preachers. "Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!" At least all those marketing classes will come in handy.

Is Anyone Else as Scared By This As I Am?

-- Reprinted from Grist.org

You, Shale, Know Our Velocity!
BLM finalizes plan for leasing oil shale in U.S. West

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has finalized plans to open some 1.9 million acres of public lands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming to oil-shale development, a necessary step on the road to tapping the vast reserves. The technology for turning oil shale into usable crude oil is energy-intensive and heavily polluting, but the Bush administration has pushed to clear the way for exploiting U.S. oil-shale deposits in the name of energy independence; oil-shale deposits in the three states could hold up to 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil. However, the processes for developing oil-shale deposits are still largely in the experimental stage so the full extent of the process's impacts on air quality, water quality, and wildlife in the area are as yet poorly understood. Environmentalists and Democrats in the region criticized the BLM's plan as misguided and premature. "Finalizing an environmental impact statement without any clear understanding of the environmental, community, economic, and energy impacts of commercial-scale oil shale development is irresponsible, short-sighted, and premature," said Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D).

Um, shouldn't we be focusing on renewable energy sources before getting involved in oil shale production, which will still involve heavy investments and likely be years away from producing any usable fuel? Just saying...

Ernst and Young Study Corporate Supply Chains

... and discover what the rest of us already pretty much knew. While most companies believe that sustainably sourcing products equates to better brand recognition that will ultimately lead to higher profits, they're sticking with business as usual. Why? Probably because they think it's too much hassle to make massive changes to operations when they're staying in the black -- especially in a downturn economy where businesses tend to be less risk adverse. But does that mean they'll shape up when the economy picks up? Time will tell.

eBay Creates New Site for Sustainable Goods

Called WorldofGood.com, the new eBay shopping site allows consumers to see how these products shape up in terms of eco-friendliness and social empowerment before purchasing. Great for everyone on the Christmas, Channukah, Kwanzaa, or Winter Solstice list.

However, for the gift of eco-conscious porn, check out F#@k for Forest. Or just to find out what Finnish activists get up to in their free time.

Going Meatless to Save the Planet

Going Meatless to Save the Planet
http://tinyurl.com/5nv3nc

Ford speeds away from the US market at 65 mpg

Ford Motor Company won't sell this car in the USA.

"The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can't Have": Ford's Fiesta ECOnetic gets an astonishing 65 mpg, but the carmaker can't afford to sell it in the U.S

Introducing thelittlegreygoose

What is the little grey goose? Maybe it's vodka. Maybe it's something else. Whatever it is, it most certainly is sustainable and environmentally sound. Well, here is our first attempt at describing it.

"The Grey Goose was a steady boat,

People said she'd never float.

But one night when the moon was high,

The Grey Goose flew away."