Green Leaf Report

Years ago, miners carried canaries deep into coal mines to detect high levels of methane and carbon monoxide gas: If the canaries died, it was time to evacuate.  Interestingly, the National Audubon Society recently issued a report on the declining numbers of common bird species in America.  Some bird species are down over 80% in […]

  TXU has received their permits to build two more coal plants in Oak Grove, TX.  In classic TXU style, the two plants will be lignite burning; the dirtiest, most polluting form of coal will be used because it’s cheap. The fact that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality gave the green-light to this project on Wednesday helps clarify […]

Today I read an interesting article about the tradeoff between solar panels and reflective white paint in the amount of carbon dioxide prevented. By mimicking the reflective effects of an iceberg, white paint can both cool homes (thus preventing some energy use) and bounce solar radiation back from the surface of the planet.  It’s an important point- fancy […]

After all my venting about the phonebook that we received last week, what did I find on my doorstep yesterday?  Another phone book.  This second book was from a different phone company, but with the same lawyer advertising on the front cover.  So now I want to revise my analysis: I’ll multiply the total number […]

We just received our new phone book, but not through personal choice. Itcomes sneakily, quietly arriving without warning on our front step.  I weighed the book on my bathroom scale- it wasn’t the most accurate measure, but it weighedin at around 4 pounds.  On the cover of the book I noticed the smallcaption ‘Made from […]

I just attended a one-day solar seminar, taught by a gentleman who works on various aspects of the California Energy Commission’s Renewable Energy programs.  I enjoyed it; I didn’t know what I didn’t know about net metering and grid-connected solar. But one of the most eye opening discussions was the household wattage analysis. Before we discussed […]

A friend of mine sent me a link to the Sanyo Solar Ark the other day.  I love the message of teaching the community about environmental concerns and protecting the planet. 
Deep down, I have to wonder if Japan is getting ready to load their animals up, two by two.
 
Technorati tags: Solar+Ark+Sanyo

On a lighter note (getting away from nuclear war, the end of mankind, blah blah blah), let’s talk about gardening. Specifically, let’s talk about adapted plants that are more aggressive than our own native flora.
This article highlights an ongoing problem in the South: kudzu vines grow a foot a day and were introduced into the US […]

For the last few weeks leading up to the 2007 G8 summit, I’ve read a lot of articles about different posturing by the US and occasional other G8 nations that don’t want to agree to emissions controls.  Bush rolled out an optional plan for developed and developing nations to perhaps follow, if they sort of […]

  Dale Julin writes an interesting article about growing pains in the solar industry: “The Utility Fox is Guarding the Solar Henhouse.” The California Solar Initiative’s earmarking of around $2B for solar energy production is a program that should be repeated across every state, in whatever form of renewable energy is most appropriate for the […]

With all of the debate about global warming, I’m happy to see religions jump into the fray. The argument so often is an economic one, it’s good to sometimes see the religions pull back to the big picture: economic growth aside, what is the right thing to do for our fellow man and our planet?  Pollute […]

Another Atlantic hurricane season starts today, but the fearful headlines started weeks ago.  Will this year bring another Hurricane Katrina…? I won’t belittle the effects of Katrina.  It was a nasty storm that brought a lot of damage into my home town, we lost family members also.  But I don’t believe the storm alone caused […]