A Challenge The Auto Companies Should Have Taken On Long Ago

Thanks to the fact that we have Barack Obama in the Oval Office, California and other states can now go ahead and enact strict pollution laws that go above and beyond what Bush's EPA enacted. Naturally, the bailed-out auto companies are complaining about having different standards to meet in the U.S. instead of one set by the federal government. The costs of achieving California's goal of 42.5 MPG in ten years are obviously more than the low numbers CAFE requires now, but these are changes U.S. companies should have foreseen.

From TPM:

David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., said he doesn't believe the EPA will approve all the waivers asked for by the states. To do so would be economically unworkable.

"If the industry is in total shambles, you can have any regulation you want — it's not doable," he said.

Cole said the additional regulations would have to be implemented "in a way that's achievable in the industry."

Environmental organizations said Obama's approach would help the companies in the long term, forcing them to produce fuel-efficient cars coveted by more consumers. Roland Hwang, a senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council, estimated that a more efficient car would save its driver $1,000 to $2,000 in fuel costs over its lifetime, offsetting some of the upfront cost.

Unfortunately they still see the problem in the short-term instead of the future of automobiles. As Hwang pointed out in the article, the demand is with the more environmentally-friendly vehicles than the gas guzzlers U.S. automakers put out now. Besides, I though that the market is where companies that innovate succeed and those that languish die, or does that not count for the execs at GM, Chrysler and others?

The problem with their bankruptcy and/or death is that it would put millions of Americans out of work, so what we need to do is fund them so that they build green enough so that they meet the high demands of states like California. The costs may be tough in the beginning, but in the end, the benefits pay out ten-fold.

Why 350 Is One Of The Most Important Numbers To Know

The level of carbon in our atmosphere is rising at an alarming rate due to our production and consumption habits. If only we did a few (or more than a few) key things to change the way we live, the number of particles in the atmosphere would be reduced and our planet could begin to balance itself out.

We Have Two Credit Crises On Our Hands

Everyone with access to a newspaper or even a radio is aware of the national and increasingly international credit crisis. Banks are afraid of loaning money to other banks in fear of them closing next week, so you can imagine what they think of small businesses and average people in need of some cash to buy a home, car or whatnot. Yet there is another crisis that does not care about dollars, euros or yen, it has to deal with our planet as a whole.

From The BBC:

The Living Planet Report is the work of WWF, the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network.

It says that more than three quarters of the world's population lives in countries where consumption levels are outstripping environmental renewal.

This makes them "ecological debtors", meaning that they are drawing - and often overdrawing - on the agricultural land, forests, seas and resources of other countries to sustain them.

The report concludes that the reckless consumption of "natural capital" is endangering the world's future prosperity, with clear economic impacts including high costs for food, water and energy.

Dr Dan Barlow, head of policy at the conservation group's Scotland arm, added: "While the media headlines continue to be dominated by the economic turmoil, the world is hurtling further into an ecological credit crunch."

The United States of course is the largest debtor in this sense, though China is vying to be the world's largest polluter and energy hog. Despite the arrogance of China's growing economy, that does not mean we in America cannot help to lead by example and help alleviate this ecological crisis. President Bush was certainly not up to the task, but under Obama and a public willing to make changes across the board, we can certainly alter our course for the better.

NY Shows Energy Conservation Can Be Easy

Not long ago oil was plentiful and cheap. Many Americans either had no clue or no care about conserving energy, whether it be for their cars or to keep their houses at a comfortable temperature. While oil prices may be down now, once the economy improves and consumption rises so will the price. Not only that, the environment is suffering at an increased rate due to our energy usage, so something must be done. Here in New York, efforts by the Office of General Services are making some headway.

From The Times Herald-Record:

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- A New York official says energy consumption in government buildings is down 8.4 percent from last year.

Office of General Services Commissioner John Egan says turning off lights and turning down temperatures cut energy consumption in the more than 50 buildings and more than 19.5 million square feet of office space that OGS manages.

OGS is also using a Web-enabled advanced metering system to monitor electricity, water and natural gas use in buildings around the state. Egan says the system allows OGS to analyze where and how kilowatt hours are consumed so officials can come up with more efficient conservation methods.

Now this is great news for the fifty or so buildings that OGS operates. Unfortunately there are millions of buildings across the state and many more in the nation that do not have access to this technology. Green construction is starting to help but too many old buildings are not even close to being energy efficient. When the Governor calls the legislature to special session in a month's time, expanding OGS' services to property owners should be brought up. With the talk about tax hikes and spending cuts, one way to dramatically reduce the cost of energy in the state would be to spend some cash on this.

Council Set To Pass Bill That'll Fine Stores That Waste A/C

Five years ago New Yorkers and much of the eastern seaboard dealt with a massive blackout. The main reason that happened was a poorly maintained power grid in the country. However, blackouts still occur and one of the biggest culprits is the massive taxation of power that our collective use puts on the system. Especially in the summer, the air conditioners crank up and use a ridiculous amount of power. In this walking city, tourists and locals alike are lured in on the hot days with air conditioning that pours out onto the street. They figure the extra utility bill cost is worth the extra foot traffic, but seldom consider the effect on the city's system and the environmental cost. Now some of the polluters will have to pay more for their wastefulness.

From The NY Times:

Councilwoman Gale A. Brewer, a Manhattan Democrat who is co-sponsoring the bill, said she gets a lot of mail from residents complaining about these stores. She said electronics stores are the biggest offenders, though there are plenty of other shops on Fifth Avenue, 34th Street and other popular areas that keep their doors open.

“I’m calling it the Clyde Haberman bill,” she said, a reference to the NYC columnist for The New York Times, who has written about the topic on several occasions.

Ms. Brewer and 18 other council members signed on to the bill, which would affect any business with at least 4,000 square feet, or small stores that are part of a chain with five or more stores in the city. The Department of Consumer Affairs would issue a warning to first-time offenders who kept their exterior doors open while an air-conditioning system intended to cool the area was in use.

Stores would be fined $200 for a second offense and $400 for subsequent violations within an 18-month period.

One of the first complaints I hear about this is that the legislation is "nanny-like" and unfair to businesses in the city. The reasoning goes, "if they want to pay for the extra a/c, then it is their dime." The problem with that is life, the power grid and the planet are all connected. While citizen action has gotten some businesses to keep their doors closed and the cool air in, it hasn't been enough, just walk down 34th St. or 5th Ave and see for yourself.

Personally, I feel that this bill does not go far enough. Restaurants are left out of the equation and many of those, especially bars open multiple windows and let the chilled air out to pour onto the sidewalk and the street. Sure, it is alluring for hot and sweaty New Yorkers to sit outside while being cooled, but come on, this planet is all of ours and we have to do our part to keep it functioning.

Drill, Drill, Drill Or Get A Tune-Up

As I am going to the dentist in two hours, the word "drill" repeated several times over almost immediately has me searching for an alternative. Although this isn't about my teeth, it is about our nation's coastline and pristine wilderness. Republicans want to lease even more land so that oil companies can have "instant assets" by taking their new properties (c/o us, the taxpayers) and selling them on the market to increase their margins.

This really isn't about reducing the price of oil, no matter how many times Minority Leader Boehner threatens to shut down the government in order to achieve it. However, there is an easy way to get that supposed oil that drilling proponents claim will come with their idea. It is called conservation, but there's an easier way than that, as Barack Obama pointed out, just get your tires inflated and your car tuned up.

From Time Magazine:

How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could save as much oil as new offshore drilling would produce. Gleeful Republicans have made this their daily talking point; Rush Limbaugh is having a field day; and the Republican National Committee is sending tire gauges labeled "Barack Obama's Energy Plan" to Washington reporters.

But who's really out of touch? The Bush Administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 bbl. per day by 2030. We use about 20 million bbl. per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone did, we could immediately reduce demand several percentage points. In other words: Obama is right.

And as Time points out a few paragraphs below, conserving energy is easy as long as you get in the habit of doing so. Unplugging appliances, having low-energy bulbs, taking mass transit, all things that are good for your wallet and the environment simultaneously. So while the right makes fun of Obama for leading people to conserve and help our energy crisis in a multi-faceted way (of course wind and solar projects are on their way too), he actually has a plan, while McCain is offering someone $300 million for a battery.

ZipCar Goes On A Low-Car Diet

With skyrocketing fuel costs and a decrease in the total miles Americans drive, ZipCar has decided to join the party of the newly energy-efficient. Gas is over four dollars a gallon and with $147 dollars for a barrel of oil (during the day today) that sweet unleaded 87, 89 or whatever octane you use will continue to climb. So to combat our addiction, ZipCar is challenging it's members to jump on the wagon for thirty days.

From Cool Hunting:

With gas prices at a record high and public transit a cost-effective and greener option, now's a good a time to ditch your car. Zipcar is trying to ease the transition with the "Low-Car Diet." Beginning 21 July 2008, they're challenging North Americans to go car-free for a full 30 days. They will replace participants' car keys with a complimentary transit pass, a free one-year Zipcar membership, drive time credit and a number of other perks from local partners. In the New York City area, Zoo York will aid the car-less participants by donating skateboards.

The events kicks of on the 21st with a ceremonial key-drop event at a currently undisclosed location. On 15 August 2008, they'll hold a completion event where people can compare their car-free experiences. Zipcar is offering the "Low-Car Diet" in ten of its American cities, plus Vancouver and Toronto. Current Zipcar members can also participate by sending an email. Get more info and apply by emailing rharmon [at] zipcar [dot] com.

Damn, that doesn't sound too bad. It doesn't make me want to sign up,I really don't drive very often unless I'm out of New York, but if I was, I'd definitely try it.

Conserving Energy The Hard Way May Be The Best Way

Alaska is not a place known for its energy conservation. Residents get paid by the government for the tremendous amount of oil that is pumped out of the state and people like it that way. No one wants to mess with the oil because everyone is invested in it. However, oil doesn't simply come out of the ground and turn on the lights. In the remote town of Juneau power is mostly supplied by hydroelectricity and this past winter it was cut off by an avalanche. What would these poor residents do?

From The Independent:

Everyone has been doing their bit, including the city authorities, which took steps that included closing the municipal sauna, mothballing one of the two lifts in the main library and turning off the airport's runway lights when planes are not landing or taking off. The hope is that some of the initiatives will endure after the avalanche damage is repaired, which may not be until early July.

Businesses have responded too. Televisions in display windows have gone dark. Department stores, hotels and offices have replaced some bulbs with energy-saving models and simply removed others.

At the convention centre, the thermostats have been notched down eight degrees to a not-so-toasty 60F. "Turn off, turn down, unplug," Sarah Lewis, chairwoman of the Juneau Commission on Sustainability, said recently. "That's what everyone is doing and being vigilant about and commenting when others are not."

In all, the city, unreachable by road and with a population of 30,000, has managed to cut consumption by 30 per cent in less than a month, a margin some experts had thought impossible.

It is impossible if you are not presented the situation where you have to cut your wasteful ways. When people are thrown extraordinary challenges, there is something inside of all of us to do what you gotta do. Survival is a basic human instinct, but living in our mass-consumption society makes us feel a level of comfort that lulls us into complacency. Perhaps Juneau can show us the way to be energy-conscious and 30,000 people can be an example for a nation of 300 million.

Energy Conservation, New York Style

Earth Day has come and gone, celebrated on one day in April every year and a way to remind our gluttonous selves that energy use should be curtailed. Of course for many it goes in one ear and out the other. Meanwhile here in Europe, everything is energy-efficient (especially the predominantly small car society) and in our hotel room here in Rome, you need the room key to turn the lights on. So when you leave for the Colosseo or the Fontana di Trevi, the lights stay off. Back in NYC you'd never see that, or even a good example by our city government.

From The NY Daily News:

Last year, Mayor Bloomberg promised an effort to keep the lights turned off in city buildings after the Daily News documented buildings with scores of bulbs burning brightly in the wee hours of the morning.

One of them was the Bronx court building, which wasn't yet open - and yet was brightly lighted at 3 a.m. Little seemed to have changed in the past 12 months.

"It looks like Christmas," said Keith, the maintenance worker, who declined to give his last name.

Despite the city issuing memos to employees to turn the lights off, many administrative buildings and icons stay on. I remember the Chrysler Building staying on last year until at least three in the morning. And what does the city have to say for itself about their continued wastefulness?

Mayoral spokesman John Gallagher said most of the late-night lights were attributable to the business of operating the nation's largest city.

"The 300,000 people charged with running this city don't work 9 to 5. It is a 24-hour-a-day job," he said.

"The lights don't go completely dark at City Hall and 1 Police Plaza because committed city employees are working around the clock to serve the people of New York."

Thats right, bug off because we are all working to serve everyone else. All 300,000 are slaving away day and night to keep NYC running. Give me a break, who does Gallagher think he is? Time for him and the city to shut up and do something about the gluttony of light.

Hypocritical Con Ed

You know that saying "Do as I say, not as I do?" It's commonly used by parents that preach to their children instead setting examples. They want the best for them of course, but are often unwilling to do the same for themselves and subsequently screw both the preacher and 'preached to.' This also seems to go on at our friendly Con Edison office. They love to preach energy conservation, but do they practice being good environmental stewards?

From Cajun Boy in the City:

If you've ever visited coned.com you'd know that much of the energy provider's website is devoted to touting energy conservation and increasing awareness of wasteful environmental practices.

Funny thing then that a reader whose apartment faces the Con Edison headquarters on 14th street snapped this picture from her bedroom window over the holiday weekend of a well-lit but seemingly devoid of Con Ed employees building...



I'm just saying...

Hmm, that looks pretty wasteful to me. I'm not going to waste more energy after hearing about this of course, but come on Con Ed...practice what you preach and stop wasting the juice. By the way, does anyone pay for their power bill or is that just a perk for being the master of all switches?

A Green Ball To Drop In NYC

Tonight officially ends the year that was 2007. On this 365th day of the year people will begin to celebrate the coming of 2008 and all that it can entail. We'll elect a new President (thank god), a larger majority in the House and Senate and do many great things, both political and non-political. As we bring in the new year, New York will change up the most famous New Year's event on the planet, that being the ball drop. For one hundred years now, the East Coast marks the change by "dropping" a ball in Times Square, but this year it is getting a beautiful and energy-efficient makeover.

From the BBC:

The LEDs on the $1.1m (£550,000) New Year's Eve Ball that will descend on Monday will be able to create a kaleidoscope of colours and patterns on each of its 672 crystal triangular panels.

As well as being smaller and more energy efficient, the 9,576 lights will substantially increase the brightness to more than 625,000 lumens.

"I'm proud to be able to save energy and show off this technology to the world with such a special event," said Kaj den Daas, chairman of Philips Lighting, which made the LEDs.

I'm not exactly sure what a lumen is, except for being a way to measure the brightness of lights but it sure does sound exciting. I won't be there to see it first-hand, but cheers to the Times Sq revelers that have decided to mark the New Year by being outside in the cold. I'll be safe and warm down at a party in SoHo, but I am glad that the festivities will be going green for 2008.

NYC City Council Follows Up On Bloomberg's PlaNYC

Bloomberg's PlaNYC earlier this year drew wide acclaim across the country as a model for cities to clean up and reduce energy usage. Now the City Council is getting in the act, making the goal of a 30% reduction in energy consumption by 2030. Not only are they dedicated to it, they're going to make it a law.

From The Daily News:

The City Council Wednesday will likely approve the Climate Protection Act, which forces the city to figure out a way to cut everyone's carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2030.

Mayor Bloomberg set a similar goal in his ambitious PlaNYC blueprint for the city's future, but the law would make it a lot harder for any future mayor to backtrack on the target.

"We've been wanting to do this for a long time," said Councilman James Gennaro (D-Queens), chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee.

Now this is a law that is far from frivolous (like many of their other pieces of legislation) and in fact a necessary component to maintain the preeminent city in the country (or any city) in the 21st century.

ConEd Has A Bright Idea

I am definitely not talking about the upcoming rate hike, those are never fun. Their bright idea is rather simple and makes complete sense. The idea begs the question, how many ConEd contracted businesses does it take to install millions of energy efficient lightbulbs across the city....all without charging customers a dime?

From AM New York:

In a new citywide initiative, Con Edison is teaming up with electrical companies to install free, energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs in residential homes. Con Ed pays the smaller companies to install the bulbs, avoiding out-of-pocket expenses for the consumer. But Con Ed also saves money because the bulbs use less electricity, lessening the need to construct power plants or upgrade existing ones. And as more customers switch to the bulbs, the risk of blackouts during times of peak demand will also decrease.

All parties involved say it's a win-win situation.

"There is such a thing as something for free in New York City," Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-Staten Island) said yesterday at a news conference at a participating home in his district, the Woodrow section of Staten Island.

All you have to do is contact Con Ed to find out what businesses are providing the service in your area. How simple is that? This really is a win-win for everyone.

Something From Nothing

There's no such thing as a free lunch...but what about free energy. Physicists have always said that every action must have an equal reaction, but that theory seems to be officially debunked. A new invention out of the U.K. not only defies the theory, it can save people money and the environment. Oh, and it consists of one 12 x 2 inch tube.

From The Daily Mail:

The device seems to break the fundamental physical law that energy cannot be created from nothing - but researchers believe it taps into a previously unrecognised source of energy, stored at a sub-atomic level within the hydrogen atoms in water.

The system - developed by scientists at a firm called Ecowatts in a nondescript laboratory on an industrial estate at Lancing, West Sussex - involves passing an electrical current through a mixture of water, potassium carbonate (otherwise known as potash) and a secret liquid catalyst, based on chrome.

This creates a reaction that releases an incredible amount of energy compared to that put in. If the reaction takes place in a unit surrounded by water, the liquid heats up, which could form the basis for a household heating system.

If the technology can be developed on a domestic scale, it means consumers will need much less energy for heating and hot water - creating smaller bills and fewer greenhouse gases.

Isn't science amazing? ConEd must be shitting their pants right now, heh heh.

A Smart Idea

Clean energy coupled with energy conservation is what is going to turn around this whole environmental mess on our hands. We simply cannot live the SUV, gas-guzzling lifestyle and expect to get away with it forever. How much do we need to destroy Earth until we get it? Well there are plenty of ideas to follow through with to save energy.

When I was in Europe last month, it was amazing to see all the energy-efficient automobiles on the road. They....get....it. One such four-wheeler is the Smart Car. Not only does it get 40mpg, the 8x5 foot space it takes up on the street enables the driver to get the impossible parking spots Escalades and Suburbans only dream about. When I got home, I was faced with the reality of so many cars that get 20mpg or less that let whomever was driving expand their ego just a little bit farther.

There is hope for us Americans though. The Smart Car is now available to buy in the States....and it only costs about twelve grand. In fact, as the Gothamist reports, 20,000 have signed up for it already. Modifications for the U.S. have been made that makes it stronger and more durable on roads full of cars that are double (or more) its size. If you need to zip around in something and want to feel like a steward of the environment, this is it.

Turning Down The Computer Screen

Saving our environment will consist of many different things. Governments must act on the macro scale to curb emissions and promote green technology when the markets refuse to do so. We as individuals must do our part as well. There are so many different actions we can take, from changing our light bulbs to fluorescents, using cloth bags for our groceries and refusing plastics, driving greener cars and now you can help by using a Google alternative called Blackle. What is that you ask and why does it make a difference?

From Gimundo:

In January, a blogger named Mark Ontkush wrote in his blog EcoIron that an all-black Google home page would save 750 megawatt-hours of electricity a year. What does that mean? We looked it up.

Turns out 750 megawatt-hours can power for an entire year:

-- 77 North American homes

-- 150 European homes

-- 268 African homes

-- 536 Asian or South American homes

-- 3,750 homes in Afghanistan

-- 6,000 televisions

-- 800 microwaves

Ontkush pointed out that an all-white Web page requires about 74 watts to display, where a black page requires only 59 watts.

In response, an Australian company called Heap Media created a Google-powered site called blackle.com. The site keeps a running total of the number of watts saved to date. At press time, that number was nearly 135 million watt-hours.

It won't make the Earth spin backwards, but like I said, every good action makes a difference. So when you need to google (which is something I do many, many times a day) remember to use Blackle and save some juice.

Saving Energy and Helping Low-Income Families On Long Island

Becoming more energy-efficient is just as essential as developing alternative energy sources. When we fight climate change on two fronts, the battle looks a little less daunting. Many new homes are being required to have better materials that cut the costs of heating and cooling. However many older homes are still leaking energy when the furnace or A/C is in use. No one feels those energy bills more than people with lower incomes. The House of Representatives helped enact a program to make their homes more efficient, but the Republican 109th Congress cut the funding. The result was that many families were put on the waiting list for assistance.

Now we are in the 110th Congress. The power given to Democrats has helped programs like these, enabling Long Island Representative Steve Israel (D-NY) to add $100 million in the appropriations bill. The fear is that Bush will veto the additional funding along with many other spending initiatives. Whichever way it goes, the impact will be felt by people like Genevieve Michta.

From Newsday:

With the assistance of a federal program that helps low-income Long Islanders make their homes more energy efficient, Genevieve Michta of Ronkonkoma no longer has to use duct tape to seal her windows to keep out the frigid air during the winter months.

"It saved my life," said Michta, 72, a retired waitress whose main income is social security. "It let me stay on Long Island."

(snip)

"She doesn't have to worry anymore about choosing between paying for her medicines and paying her LIPA bills," said Israel, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.

This is just one example of how government can postively...or negatively affect people in their everyday lives. It is great that the President has an energy efficient ranch down in Crawford. Yet it would be much better for millions more Americans to be able to help cut costs and save energy.

Lights Out In Sydney

For an hour earlier this evening, most of Sydney, Australia was shrouded in an unusual cloak of darkness. The problem was not a lack of electricity but the effects of a campaign to increase awareness for reducing energy consumption. It was a city-wide effort where the world-famous opera house, businesses and ordinary Sydneysiders (as they are called down under) took the time to shut their lights and remember that we need to conserve our natural resources.

Of course the one hour event will not do much in the overall scheme of things. Instead the organizers of the event were looking for people to realize their impact on the world and the reality of climate change. Australia may not consume oil and other natural resources like the U.S does, but they do keep the lights on like most countries in the Western world.

From the BBC:

Greg Bourne of environmental group WWF, one of the driving forces behind Earth Hour, said the big switch off took months to plan.

"The logistics is really quite amazing in the sense every tower block is owned by one company, maybe leased by another company, have 10 tenants in and a manager and working through all of these people has been fantastic."

Many restaurants signed up and planned to serve diners by candlelight.

The owner of the Newtown Hotel, which says it is Australia's oldest gay bar, told the BBC before the blackout that they would have fun while trying to send a serious message.

"Sometimes drag queens [female impersonators] do look better in the dark anyway," said Roger Zee.

"It's up to the patrons. They'll actually have their own torches so they'll be able to light up the drag queens on the stage themselves."

If the queens of drag can get involved so can the rest of us. No offense to drag queens of course. In all, climate change is serious business and we all need to do our part to sustain the planet that we live on. Conserving energy is the least we can do.