GreenPepper Blog

Save money, save energy -- Turn Off Your Computer

By Beth Starkin, GreenPepper

Yesterday USA Today had an interesting article about the economic and environmental impact of not shutting down computers every night.  Much to my surprise, all those computers left on every night is about the equivalent of 4 million cars on the road.

In the wake of a successful Earth Hour, this is just another example of small actions that can add up to big results.  Making green choices doesn’t have to mean making big sacrifices.  It can be as simple as shutting down your computer each night, turning out the light when you leave the room or shutting off the water while you brush your teeth.

Everyone needs to play their part in combating global warming, but spurring action often means making sure being green doesn’t seem like an overwhelming burden.  Making and applauding the small changes can only help to encourage the bigger ones.

 

Earth Hour – And Then Some?

By Ann Barlow, GreenPepper

I like the idea of Earth Hour.  Seriously – what a simple way to remind everyone that some simple cutting back on energy use can have a greater effect on climate change than all the burgeoning technologies for renewable energy.  It helps people feel like they can actually make a contribution, too, without having to make huge lifestyle changes. 

But what’s next month’s simple idea?  And the one after that?  I think we could extend the idea out without losing a lot of interest and adding a lot of complexity.  How about we turn off our PCs for an hour next month?  Our TVs in May?  A/C in June?

Climate change is a massive, massive problem that will require a lot of solutions, most of which will come from much more sophisticated approaches.  But while those are under way, why not continue to help people keep this top of mind when so much else is competing for attention.

See you in the dark Saturday night.

A Bird's Eye View of Energy Solutions

When we talk about energy, the same topics are rehashed constantly: efficiency, alternative sources, energy independence and climate change, but impact on bird populations, not so much.  However, a government report released last week shows that this may well have to become part of our everyday rhetoric when discussing energy solutions, as, over the past four decades, bird populations have diminished drastically, with energy production serving as a factor in the decline.

Now, I’m probably the furthest thing from a bird lover.  I think they’re annoying and gross, and tend to believe the pigeons in NY find entertainment in aiming at people’s heads as they walk unsuspectingly down the street.  Despite this, I recognize that birds play an important role in our ecosystem and feel the loss of any species, regardless of my personal opinion of it, is a tragic blow to the world overall.  But unfortunately, or perhaps, ironically, in our efforts to find energy sources that have less impact, we may just be contributing to the eradication of multiple species of birds as they fly into wind turbines, or their homes are converted to farms to produce biofuels.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way advocating that we should abandon wind farms, biofuels, or any of the other clean, renewable energy sources that may be contributing to bird loss, especially considering global warming is another major factor in declining populations.  I’m merely saying, in our search for solutions, let’s be well aware of new problems we may be creating and do our best to mitigate those problems.  There may never be a perfect solution, but we simply cannot turn a blind eye to outcomes we don’t like.  Otherwise, the next generations will be left with an entirely new global energy crisis to clean up.

Preserve the Oceans to Ensure Viable Alternative Energy Source

While a lot of emphasis is being placed on alternative technology manufacturing and funding - from wind and solar power to electric car innovation, we cannot overlook the importance of the health of our oceans to the vitality of our energy future.

Having heard renowned National Geographic oceanic explorer, Sylvia Earle, speak recently, she so eloquently portrays the ocean as being deeply connected to the soul and future of our world.  And she is at the forefront of research into algae harvesting as a very important resource for our alternative energy opportunities.  Algae biodiesel manufacturers like are already using this science to make this dream a reality.

What's scary, however, - and avoidable - is the reality of pollution as a major threat to the health  of our oceans and ultimately our energy future.  You don't need to look much farther than the floating football-field sized plastic blob in the Pacific Ocean to realize just how significant this problem is.  Or to read that a recent autopsy of a whale revealed it had swallowed more than 1OOO pounds of plastic.

Having witnessed the beauty of gray whales and their babies traveling north at Pt. Reyes recently, it highlights the importance for our future natural resources and the well being of our collective soul to provide for and protect our oceans. I only hope that our stimulus package efforts focus on generating alternative fuels from above AND below the surface and that the health of our oceans receive the funding and support so badly needed.  Our livelihood depends on it.

Solar Not Ready to Shine in Glitzy L.A.

By Ann Barlow, GreenPepper

While LA is teeming with eco-celebrities, it also continues to be the nation’s leading city in producing greenhouse gases.  This week, Angelinos had the chance to begin changing this dubious distinction by voting for a solar energy plan.  Known locally as Measure B (I think some of our PR brethren could have come up with something a bit more meaningful, don’t you?), the plan called for solar panels to be installed on buildings around the city and for LA’s energy utility to produce 400 MgW of power from solar by 2014.

Unfortunately, the measure failed by about 1000 votes.  But I have to say, I can’t entirely disagree with those who voted no, because the exact cost of the plan lacked real detail.  The consultants on either side of the measure varied in their estimates by a whopping $2 billion.  That may seem like chump change in these days of trillion-dollar federal budgets and hundreds of billions of dollars in stimulus investments, but Angelinos just couldn’t get comfortable with so many unanswered questions.  Nor, apparently, were they terribly excited about the fact that all the jobs created would be through the unionized workforce of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

So for now, expect to continue seeing the smog when you next visit LA.  What a lost opportunity.  I only hope others will learn from what went wrong in LA-LA Land.