Sundance Channel

Green tech finds: the monster trade shows edition

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:44:16 +0000

CES and the Detroit Auto Show are going on this week, and we've got finds from both! The tiny electric pick up: Need to haul stuff? You won't get much into the Smart For-Us, but, as Charis Michelsen at Gas 2.0 points out, it's awfully cute, and may serve the actual hauling needs of most truck drivers. Your plants are Tweeting: And they're thirsty. That's right: the Botanicalls gadget (not sure what else to call it) sends you a tweet when your plants need watering. Only marginally green, but kind of cool. (via Crisp Green)

Green tech finds (4/14/11)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:00:33 +0000

Lots of solar news this week... from a new efficiency record, to solar company corporate responsibility rankings, to a DIY solar cooker.

Solar powered washing machines: They're just one part of a test to see if people are ready for the smart grid in Breda, The Netherlands. (via Crisp Green)
ENERGY STAR certification for senior facilities: Living and care facilities for elders are now among new commercial building types eligible for ENERGY STAR certification (via Earth Techling)

Green tech finds (1/6/11)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:17:31 +0000

The mother of all electronics trades shows -- CES -- starts today, so lots of new on that front this week... plus another green Groupon, and hornets that harvest solar power.

CES' green cred for real?: CES is promoting itself as green this year; Heather Clancy at GreenTech Pastures and Matthew Wheeland at Greenbiz dig into the claims, and the impact, of the monster trade show.
Bob Marley comes to CES: The House of Marley, a company founded by the legendary musician's family, is debuting its eco-friendly lines of earbuds, headphones, and docks at CES.

Green tech finds (12/2/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:56 +0000

Google Earth's new "tree view," state-by-state run-downs on solar power, and LED holiday lights... your green tech finds for the week.

Energy Star Plus: Paul Smith at Triplepundit profiles Energy Forward, a Northwest-based electronics efficiency standard that claims to exceed Energy Star standards by 30%.
Missouri a great state for solar? That's right... as are Arkansas, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. A new study out of Arizona State University ranks the optimal state for solar development based on environmental and economic factors.

Connecticut teen promotes green driving to peers

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:48:35 +0000

While teenagers are less likely than ever to get a drivers license, there are still millions of sixteen and seventeen-year-olds that want to get behind the wheel. When they do, issues like fuel efficiency generally aren't always at the top of their priority list...

Mississippi universities eye energy savings to close budget gap

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:20:04 +0000

State university systems are trying just about everything possible to make ends meet these days... from raising tuition and fees to selling bottled water. Mississippi's College Board would like to avoid socking it to students, so in order to make up for a 20% drop in state appropriations, the board is taking a look at energy savings.

Fannie & Freddie trying to kill the green collar economy?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:14:48 +0000

Property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing has caught on quickly around the country: from Berkeley to Baton Rouge, localities and states have recognized the environmental and economic benefits of creating financing opportunities for renewable energy and efficiency upgrades for home and business owners. Last week, government-backed mortgage lending agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac threw a giant monkey wrench into the growth of PACE by "refusing to accept loans on buildings in the program."

Pay as you save: British coalition government floats energy plan

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:30:31 +0000

At the federal level, the US tends to rely on various forms of tax incentives to spur consumer demand for energy efficiency and renewable installations. States and cities have tended to be a bit more creative in providing forms of up-front cost support, such as property tax financing and loan programs. Perhaps the feds should take a look at approach the new British government floated in yesterday's Queen's Speech: a "pay-as-you-save" loan program.

Creative reuse: a “green” theatre is probably an old theatre…

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:23:59 +0000

While certified green theatre may still be an anomaly, the live entertainment design community is discussing its environmental impact, as well as broader notions of sustainability, both online and in person. Yesterday, Live Design magazine published a blog post (the first in a series) from lighting designer and theatre consultant Curtis Kasefang on the concept of "sustainable theatres." Kasefang's notion of a sustainable performance space can be summed in up in one word: reuse.

Are we pissing away our water?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:20:01 +0000

Yep... so much so that US Environmental Protection Agencies WaterSense program (an ENERGY STAR for water) has addressed the issue by making the flushing urinal the first commercial product for which it's developed standards. According to the EPA, "Approximately 65 percent of the estimated 12 million urinals in the United States are old and inefficient. While the current federal standard for commercial urinals is 1.0 gallon per flush (gpf ), some older urinals use as much as five times that amount!"

Las Vegas betting on green

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:50:44 +0000

As a former resident of Las Vegas, I can attest to the obvious: with its air conditioned high-rise hotel/casinos, massive water features, and cookie-cutter gated developments as far as the eye can see, Sin City isn’t exactly a model of resource efficiency. Of course, many places aren’t… but Vegas’ unique combination of resource scarcity and [...]

How’s President Obama doing on his energy and efficiency promises?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:26:12 +0000

The House's passage of Waxman-Markey (aka the American Clean Energy and Security Act) isn't just a step forward in moving the United States away from addiction to fossil fuels, and towards a cleaner energy economy; it's also evidence that President Barack Obama plans to fight for many of the campaign promises he made on energy and the environment. Candidate Obama laid out a very ambitious and comprehensive approach to energy policy, recognizing that it's intimately tied to environmental concerns and economic growth and development.

Waxman-Markey takes first step towards a cleaner, more efficient energy economy

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:59:07 +0000

Friday's passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) signaled a definite shift in US policy towards energy use and climate change. Though the bill had its detractors -- most notably Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and even progressive Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) -- ACES, or Waxman-Markey, set new standards for clean energy adoption, energy efficiency, and, most notably, greenhouse gas emissions.

Want to green your workplace? Danny Seo shows you how…

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:06 +0000

Most tips and suggestions for living more sustainably focus on your home. That makes sense, as you have the most control over the energy and other resources you use there. But what about the office? Have you noticed practices there that make your inner greenie cringe, or even scream? The US Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program has just released a video featuring eco-lifestyle guru Danny Seo discussing ideas for bringing green to work.