October 12, 2011

Largest Net Zero Complex at UC Davis. Going Green Living Express!

October 12, 2011 No Comments

UC Davis West Village, the largest planned zero net energy community in the United States, will hold an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its $300 million first phase:
315 apartments
42,500 square feet of commercial space
a recreation center and village square.
Zero net energy means the community is designed to generate as much energy as it consumes in the course of a year. This will be done through a combination of energy efficiency measures and a 4 megawatt solar photovoltaic system.
Phase I of the community’s construction has generated some 300 jobs and created new apartments that currently house 846 students, faculty and staff. Phase I also includes the Sacramento City College Davis Center, the first community college satellite on a University of California campus.

EPA Finalizes California’s List of Polluted Waters Trends Include 170% Increase In Toxicity Listings Since 2006

October 12, 2011 No Comments

More of California’s waterways are impaired than previously known, according to a list of polluted waterways submitted by the state to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and finalized by the agency today. Increased water monitoring data shows the number of rivers, streams and lakes in California exhibiting overall toxicity have increased 170 percent from 2006 to 2010.
California has some of the most magnificent rivers, lakes and coastal waters in the country. However, of its 3.0 million acres of lakes, bays, wetlands and estuaries, 1.6 million acres are not meeting water quality goals, and 1.4 million acres still need a pollution clean-up plan, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). Of the 215,000 miles of shoreline, streams and rivers, 30,000 miles are not meeting water quality goals, and 20,000 miles still need a TMDL. The most common contaminants in these waterways are pesticides and bacteria, followed by metals and nutrients.
“Clean water is vital to California’s pubic health, economy, recreation and wildlife,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “California has done an excellent job of increasing the amount of water monitored. Unfortunately, much of the new data points in the wrong direction. This list of impaired waters is a wake-up call to continue the critical local and statewide work to needed to heal California’s damaged waters. “

Exclusive!! James Cameron Says He Could Have Cleaned Up The Gulf in 6 Months and He Loves Green Lighting Book at Popular Mechanics 2011

October 12, 2011 No Comments

Yes, I was at the 2011 Popular Mechanics Breakthough Awards.
The 2011 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards honor innovators whose work will transform the world in years to come. They are reinventing the wheel—or, rather, the cell tower and the internal combustion engine; reaching new heights in wind power and space exploration; and figuring out clever new ways to clean up and observe the environment. They’re even helping the paralyzed to regain use of their legs. They’re determined and brilliant—and we can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.
James Cameron was the main honoree but there were so many others (we’ll get into them at another time..). However, I was pleased to follow up on an interview I did with James Cameron at the 2010 Environmental Medial Association awards ceremony about the gulf oil spill. We agreed that the panhandle of Florida has environmental dead zones from the Mississippi part of the Gulf Oil Spill.
James added that he was on the Gulf Coast oil spill caused by BP and his recommendations were what BP used in the first place!! Had they actually taken his suggestions earler (versus waiting for the government report) they would have cleaned up the Gulf Coast six months earlier!! Oye vay!

Save the Delaware by Josh Fox and the Gasland Team!!

October 12, 2011 No Comments

Dear Friends:
The Delaware is the river that runs through the heart of the film GASLAND. We’ve kept drilling and fracking out of the river basin for the past three and a half years. Now the Delaware River faces its most grave and urgent threat.
Please see this video that Matt Sanchez and I just created to highlight the critical importance of the upcoming vote on October 21st in Trenton NJ:
This is an urgent call to the fans of GASLAND and to the anti-fracking movement across the nation:
Please act now to Save the Delaware River.

Two people hiking on a forest trail with orange, red, and yellow autumn leaves

Forest Festival to Explore Gatineau Park

October 12, 2011 No Comments

The Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment invited all families in the Ottawa-Gatineau region to participate in a forest activity organized by Environment Canada, in partnership with the National Capital Commission. Forest Festival took place in Gatineau Park on Saturday, October 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, located at 33 Scott Road in Chelsea, Quebec.
“This is an opportunity to get out and enjoy the wonderful colors of fall and to appreciate the natural environment around us,” said Minister Kent. “This is also an occasion to celebrate Environment Canada’s 40 years of environmental leadership and to look forward to the 40 years to come.”