Sundance Channel

Sometimes NIMBY is good: ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:48:11 +0000

"Not in my backyard" - it's an attitude environmentalists frequently encounter when proposed renewable energy installations move closer to becoming real ones. The Cape Wind project, for instance, has encountered stiff resistance from wealthy part-time residents of Cape Cop who, while supporting renewable energy in general, don't want their view spoiled. That's a fairly easy example of the NIMBY attitude to dismiss, as are those involving resistance to most wind projects. But what if a coal or nuclear plant was planned for nearby? Would you want to be "downstream" from either of those? Would the label NIMBY seem fair for those who protested such development? If you think so, you may want to check out ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA, which premieres on January 23rd at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Weekly Kickstarter Picks, 8/15/11

Perrin Drumm — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:30:19 +0000

We're starting off the week with our second batch of donation-worthy Kickstarter projects. What's this all about, you ask? Well, it seems like everyone is pitching their idea to Kickstarter. We think that's great, but with great power comes great responsibility, and while the 23-person Kickstarter team does their best to filter out the winning projects from the thousands and thousands of proposals they receive, there are still literally tens of thousands of new projects that launch each week. That's a lot of ways to spend your hard-earned five bucks. Too many ways, actually. How can one person sort through it all? Relax, we'll do it all for you, starting right now with this week's Kickstarter Picks.

Poop-powered lighting planned for Arizona dog park

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:44:26 +0000

Last Fall, we took a quick look at the Park Spark Project, a public art and energy generation project in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that converted dog poop in the energy for park lights. Turns out we weren't the only ones to take notice of this technology: former Gilbert, Arizona city councilwoman Linda Abbott also saw it, and started pushing for similar poop-powered lighting at the city's renowned Cosmo Dog Park.

Earth week activism: students protest coal fired power in their underwear

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:38:40 +0000

College kids running around campus in various states of undress... doesn't sound that unusual, huh? If you see such a thing this week, though, it may be an activism event. PACT Underwear, a company that makes its products from organic cotton, and donates 10% of its sales to a variety of environmental non-profits, has released its "Beyond Coal" line of underwear... and students are protesting coal power on campus in the fashionable undergarments... and nothing else.

Kibera slums community turns trash into cooking fuel

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:45:09 +0000

Extreme poverty, opens sewers, and lots and lots of trash: all are a part of normal conditions in Kenya's Kibera. One of the largest slums in Africa, Kibera's lack of sanitation services (or almost any government services) makes it a hotbed for disease. But an organization based within the community, Ushiriki Wa Safi, has implemented a concept that can help with at least one aspect of the unhealthy environment: using the massive piles of trash as fuel for community cookers for residents.

Bidder 70

Robert Redford — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:44:51 +0000

In 2008 a young environmental activist named Tim DeChristopher bid on 13 parcels of land quietly put up for auction by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the waning days of the Bush Administration. This land was part of a larger offering by the BLM of federal public land in an attempt to open it up to oil and gas exploration. The majority of the land was near national parks in southern Utah.

Harvesting human body heat in Sweden

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:00:40 +0000

Ever noticed how warm it gets when you're in a closed-in space with a lot of people? Yeah, could be anxiety from claustrophobia... but, more likely, you're noticing how much heat our bodies give off in the course of normal events. It turns out that heat can be harvested with century-old technology... and create significant energy savings.

Green tech finds (1/27/11)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:38:24 +0000

Electric scooters, drainwater heat recovery, and 313 mph... this week's green tech finds.

80% by 2035: Hard to think of any bigger news this week than President Obama's call for massive investment in clean energy technology... with a goal of 80% of the US' energy coming from "clean" sources by 2035. SustainableBusiness.com has some reactions to the POTUS' declaration of a "Sputnik moment."
Green foundry jobs come to Michigan: The small town of Eaton Rapids will be home to a new foundry that will produce castings for wind turbines. (via MLive)

Waste heat recovery from a crematorium: green or ghoulish?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:13:37 +0000

Waste heat recovery isn't nearly as sexy as solar panels or wind turbines... but it's a concept already proving its worth, with a lot of room for growth. It's also an idea that might strike most of us as pretty non-controversial; however, when the waste heat is coming from a crematorium, battle lines appear.

Vimeo of the Week: Small World Energy

Bradford Shellhammer — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:05:24 +0000

Small World Energy from Niles Heckman on Vimeo. Niles Heckman's Small World Energy is a wonderful little film telling the story of energy. Starting with the worst types of energy and finishing with the cleanest types of energy, his film shows what appears to be aerial views of these things. In actuality, it is a combo "of hand painting, photo collage, morphing, and texture projections." He wrote of the film:

Being extremely passionate about clean energy and a sustainable future for the planet, I felt obligated to do my version of a public service announcement. The concept was to start dirty and end clean. Beginning by showing the most destructive forms of energy (deforestation, coal, oil, shale) in addition to some of their side effects and then transition to systems that are cleaner but still have major downsides associated (nuclear, bio fuels, hydro) and conclude with renewables (geothermal, tidal, solar, and wind) which have very minimal negative side effects and impact on our ecosystem.

Green tech finds (12/9/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:44:43 +0000

Fuel cells, iPhone apps, and chicken coops... this week's green tech finds.

The fuel cell that does... everything: Think fuel cells are just for energy? Think again... researchers at the University of Colorado, Denver, are working on a microbial fuel cell that desalinates and cleans wastewater... in addition to producing electricity. (via Cleantechnica)
Border checkpoint to feature Living Machine: The US General Services Administration has approved a Living Machine wastewater treatment system for the border crossing point at Otay Mesa, California. That's an artist's rendering above... (via Water and Waste Water)

US colleges compete in Campus Conservation Nationals

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:12:22 +0000

Thought football was the main competition going on between colleges and universities this fall? Well, it will get the lion's share of the attention... but we're smack dab in the middle of another intercollegiate competitive event that could make a difference for the planet: the Campus Conservation Nationals.

White House not the only public property slated for solar panels

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:49:38 +0000

Last week's announcement that the White House would install solar panels and hot water systems the first residence grabbed a lot of attention in the mainstream media and green blogosphere... especially after Presidential staffers rejected a gift of one of the solar panels from the Carter presidency in September.

British biogas plant producing energy from sewage

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:45:38 +0000

As you can see in the picture above, the landscape of Didcot, Oxfordshire is dominated by cooling towers for coal and oil-fed power stations. Not the cleanest of energy sources, but, as of today, Didcot is contributing to greener energy generation in Great Britain as the home of the country's first biomethane station that produces gas from sewage.

College students spend summer building a passive DIY freezer

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:16:15 +0000

How'd you spend your summers during college? Working a crappy job? Taking more classes? Laying around in front of the TV at your parents' house? In Burlington, Vermont, a group of students undertook an internship under the tutelage of physics teacher Tom Tailer to eliminate the the electricity use of refrigerating and freezing food by building a passive freezer "out of mostly local, recycled or reused products."

Green tech finds (8/12/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:06:49 +0000

The greenest cell phone companies, solar Marines, and DIY LED Facebook notification... your green tech finds for the week.

Smart energy cities: The NRDC's Smarter Cities project has published a list of 22 US cities taking the lead on more sustainable energy use and production. (via GreenTech Pastures)
LED Facebook notification: OK, this is only marginally green, but Instructables has a project up for a DIY Facebook notification device that uses LED lights.

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.

Green tech finds (6/17/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:42:15 +0000

From low-tech lawn mowing to high-speed rail, we've got your run-down of some of the cool green tech stories from the week.

Industrial-strength rainwater harvesting: Seattle-area healthcare laundry service Sterile Surgical Systems has cut their massive water footprint significantly with a combination of rainwater harvesting and water treatment and recycling. (via Seattle Times)
Low-tech trike mower: PrintCollection uncovered a 1984 patent for a pedal-powered lawn mower... perhaps it's time to bring this one into production (via Buck's Weird News Blog)

Gulf oil spill clean-up: how you can help

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:55:38 +0000

With the sunken Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig now potentially leaking 25,000 barrels of oil a day, and a projected clean-up cost of $5 billion, the thought that you may be able to help with this environmental and economic disaster may seem far-fetched. Yet numerous non-profits have mobilized in the face of this emergency, and they need your help. Some of the things you can do to support clean-up efforts:

Volunteer: Many groups are enlisting volunteers to contribute to clean-up efforts. If you'd like to lend a hand directly, you can sign up with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, The Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, and Mobile Baykeeper. Obviously, these are just a few of the organizations looking for volunteers... several Facebook groups, and at least one website, have sprung up to coordinate these efforts.

Clash of the titans: James Cameron vs. the dam

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:34:25 +0000

Is blockbuster producer/director and self-proclaimed "king of the world" James Cameron powerful enough to take out a dam single-handed? Well, no... but the creator of AVATAR has apparently been moved by his own film's exploration of "the destruction of the natural world by expanding industrial interests, and the consequent impact to Indigenous populations." Since February, Cameron has become passionate about stopping the building of the Belo Monte dam in Brazil, and has joined with indigenous leaders and activists to protest the opening of the bidding process for the project (set to begin on April 20th).

What’s powering your lawn care service?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:50:26 +0000

Many environmentalists would argue (passionately) that "greening" your lawn means tearing it out, and replacing it with native plants or a vegetable garden. They're generally right: by and large, lawns are water-hoggin' monocultures that require relatively hefty amounts of energy to sustain. If you're not quite ready to dig up the grass, though, and you pay someone to maintain your lawn for you (or your landlord does), you can take a step towards a greener lawn by hiring a company that doesn't use traditional gas-powered mowers.

Earth Hour: 5 landmarks that will go dark on Saturday

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:47:32 +0000

On Saturday, March 27th, at 8:30 local time, the lights will go out in millions of homes, businesses, and schools in celebration of Earth Hour 2010. Started in Sydney, Australia in 2007, Earth Hour is now a global event organized by WWF in which people show their support for environmental action by turning off the lights for one hour. This year, 120 countries and territories will take part in this show of solidarity (up from 88 last year).

Feds to Eliminate One-Quarter of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 10 Years

Sundance Channel — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:00:46 +0000

President Barack Obama today announced that the federal government will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2020.

Oil From Port Arthur Tanker-Barge Collision Stretches Nine Miles

Sundance Channel — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:56:42 +0000

Cleanup crews and 27 skimmer boats are working to contain and remove oil from a massive spill that happened when a crude oil tanker and a barge collided Saturday in the Port Arthur Ship Channel.

Obama’s One-Year Environmental Grades Range From ‘B+’ to ‘C-’

Sundance Channel — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:41:10 +0000

One year after he was inaugurated with promises of "hope" and "change," President Barack Obama has earned only a grade of "C" for his handling of endangered species, climate, energy, public lands, and oceans from one conservation group but an overall grade of "B+" on climate and energy from another.

Green Cup Challenge invites schools to save energy, money, and maybe the planet

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:40:09 +0000

Can schoolkids do what world leaders in Copenhagen failed to do last month: lower greenhouse gas emissions in the face of climate change? You may have already seen how some students challenged leaders in Denmark with patches from the climate quilt; now, the Green Schools Alliance (a sponsor of the quilt) has persuaded 128 schools in 22 states to take direct action against global warming by participating in the Green Cup Challenge.

Michigan solar power farm not your typical father-son project…

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:20:49 +0000

Solar power in Michigan? Really? While it's probably not the last state you'd associate with solar power (that's Alaska), Michigan likely appears far down on your list of places ideal for a large-scale solar power installation. Attorney Sam Fields, his son Connor, and two other partners hope to prove you wrong with their 700-panel array in Galesburg.

Sundance environmental films: energy

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:40:19 +0000

CAN YOU DO THIS WITH YOUR TAP WATER? from JOSHFOX on Vimeo.

Imagine receiving a lucrative offer from an energy company to drill for natural gas on property you own. Would you take it? What would that drilling mean in terms of environmental quality for the land itself and the surrounding community? Filmmaker Josh Fox received such an offer, and his documentary GASLAND, which has its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, explores the impact of gas extraction, especially the process of "fracking," and the environmental consequences that can come from the quest for this "clean" energy source.

Huge Alaska Oil Spill Blamed on Ice Plugs

Sundance Channel — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:07:01 +0000

Ice plugged an inactive pipeline, causing it to burst, officials said Tuesday in an attempt to explain how 46,000 gallons of crude oil spewed onto the tundra near a BP Exploration processing center at Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's North Slope

Poop to power comes to China

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:26:43 +0000

You may have already heard of various projects that turn farm animal wastes into energy: from Connecticut to South Africa, farmers and energy experts are finding innovative ways of turning this waste material (and often pollutant) into power for cooking, heating, and even electricity generation.

100% green electricity potential exists in thirty US states

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:54:41 +0000

Arizona has massive solar power resources. Texas, Kansas, and South Dakota together could power the whole country with wind. And the Rocky Mountain region holds vast potential for geothermal power generation. Traditional thinking in renewable energy development holds that we should tap these resources, and then move the power generated around via a next-generation national electric grid. A new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance challenges this conventional wisdom, though, and makes the rather startling claim that 30 of the 50 US states could meet their own electricity demand entirely from in-state sources; seven more could generate 75% of their electricity needs this way. Thus, major (and expensive) improvements to the national grid may not be the most efficient use of resources.

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.

The Solar Decathlon is coming to DC

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:30:18 +0000

With all of the talk of green jobs as a source of recovery from the economic doldrums, and climate change as a top priority for legislative action, the timing couldn't be better for the next edition of the Solar Decathlon. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, this event brings twenty teams of college students from around the world together every two years to compete not in running, jumping, and throwing, but designing, building, and displaying a home that runs completely on solar energy.

Appeals Court: Power Companies Can Be Sued for Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sundance Channel — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:10:25 +0000

In a historic ruling, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with states and private land trusts that sued large power companies to make them curb their greenhouse gas emissions.

Green tech finds (8/20/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:54:02 +0000

From recycled plastic plywood to giraffe poop in your tank, it's a green tech-a-palooza... here are this week's finds:

Don't have an iPhone? Not to worry... 3rdWhale's comprehensive green information app is now available for open-source mobile platform Android, and a Blackberry Storm version is on the way.
Don't want an iPhone? Samsung's new Reclaim boasts a casing made from 40% bioplastic, outer packaging made from 70% recycled materials, very few nasty chemicals, and a very efficient charger.

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 [...]

Green tech finds (8/13/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:10:56 +0000

Can the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid really deliver 230 mpg? Can you power your DVD player with your exercise bike? Answers to these questions and more in this week's green tech finds...

Powering up with your bicycle: Exercise bikes aren't just good for keeping fit; many people are figuring out innovative ways to harness that power and create electricity.
A showcase green home in Silicon Valley: Eco-entrepreneur Marc Porat has turned his 1936 English Tudor Revival home into a carbon-neutral showcase of green tech.

The Earth Angel hand-powered vibe

Em and Lo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:00:27 +0000

It’s kind of ironic: women turn to vibrators so their hands don’t have to do the work, but with the new Earth Angel vibe you have to hand-crank it to get it to work. Of course, it’s for a good cause: renewable, sustainable energy! And we suppose if you crank using both hands equally, you [...]

The Saudi Arabia of cliches

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:09:23 +0000

A view of one of the Saudi Arabias of wind — Texas The US’ discussion over our energy future hasn’t just produced many innovative ideas for harnessing cleaner and renewable sources of power; it’s also given rise to its own collection of cliches. Arguably, the most prevalent among these is “_______ (a location) is the [...]

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.

Green tech finds (7/10/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:53:47 +0000

Techies rejoice! Here's your weekly run-down of some of the cooler green tech stories out there...

Free energy? There's a ton of it out there -- 7 quadrillion BTUs -- in the form of wasted heat. The Department of Energy has announced funding opportunities for R&D on how to tap this massive source of energy. (via Cleantechnica)
NYC -- the wind energy capital? It seems counterintuitive, but the Carnegie Institution and California State University have found that high-altitude winds, which are concentrated over the Big Apple (among other places), "contain enough energy to meet world demand 100 times over." (via Green Living Ideas)

Independence (from oil) Day

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:29:20 +0000

The concept of July 4th as “Oil Independence Day” or “Energy Independence Day” has been floating around for several years: everyone from bloggers to magazines to the Speaker of the House has touted the concept. This July 4th, New York-based artist Michael D’Antuono will add his voice to the debate with the unveiling of the [...]

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.

5 US towns seeking energy independence with renewable resources

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:00:20 +0000

You may have gotten your fill of the phrase "energy independence" with last year's election: both parties and presidential candidates touted the idea repeatedly. It's a compelling concept... it's also contentious. For some, energy independence means harvesting solar, wind, and geothermal power; for others, it's the motivation behind "Drill, baby, drill!" Either way, it's a challenging goal at the national level.

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.

Five critical questions to ask before installing that home wind turbine

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:30:06 +0000

Dreaming of a green home? Already got a picture in your head of your carbon neutral, low impact house? Even if it's just an upgraded version of your current home, that picture almost certainly includes solar panels on the roof, and/or a wind turbine situated on your land. It's an inspiring image. In reality, it may also be one that's going to produce more headaches (financial and otherwise) than clean energy... unless you do your homework. Learn more on what you need to do if you want to use solar or wind energy on your property...

Green tech finds (5/14/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:24:06 +0000

Just in time for the weekend -- your round-up of cool green technology news and notes.

Not planning to download one of the coal industry's new ringtones? How about one of these greener alternatives...
The fight against deforestation may one day have its own version of the daisy cutter: the Seedbomb (via Treehugger)

Sell your energy savings?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:16:18 +0000

While many of us buy carbon offsets and similar products from companies like Terrapass and NativeEnergy to achieve “carbon neutrality,” producing and selling these credits has generally been limited to bigger players. Earth Aid Enterprises, creators of the Earth Aid Kit, would like to change that equation. A new service from the company allows Earth [...]