Forced Green

Looks like T. Boone and Walmart are in the lets make a deal phase.  Walmart
has announced it would buy 15 percent of the electricity for its Texas
facilities from Duke Energy wind farm.  That 15 percent equates to 226
million kilowatt hours or 18,000 homes could be powered for a year.

Walmart is buying the power and accompanying renewable energy credits
beginning in April from a Duke Energy wind farm in Notrees, Texas. The power
will supply WalMart’s 360 facilities within the competitive Texas grid. Read more…

Ambrosia for Evergreens

If this seems a little early, some folks do have a tradition of buying their
Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  So……

To prolong the green and beauty of Xmas trees and the freshness of natural evergreen

holiday decorations, mix a batch of this special holiday concoction.

*    add 1/4 cup of Miconized Iron (available at garden centers) to
one gallon of hot water

*    add 2 cups of light corn syrup

*    add 4 tsps of chlorine bleach

This stuff is powerful and can stain carpets, so keep a plastic sheet spread underneath.

Trim an inch off of the tree trunk and add more as it evaporates. Using a
turkey baster would help in reducing spillage.

Your tree and natural evergreen decorations will remain fresh and beautiful right
through the holidays.

Alright, now hit me with your best family secret recipe for keeping your greens
fresh through the holidays.  Come on, tell me…

Mariah Power, the manufacturer of the Windspire®, a residential and commercial wind power appliance, was recognized in “Best of What’s New” in the green tech category by Popular Science in its December 2008 issue.

The Windspire is a 30-foot tall, propeller-free, vertical-axis wind turbine designed for harnessing wind power in urban, suburban and rural locations for both residential and commercial use. Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and innovations and chooses the top 100 winners across 11 categories for inclusion in its annual “Best of What’s New” issue, the best-read issue of the year. To win, a product or technology must represent a significant step forward in its category.

This award comes on the heels of the company’s announcement of its first volume manufacturing facility in Michigan that will be up and running next year, and the first multi-unit commercial installation of six Windspires at Devon Bank the first “green bank” in the Chicago, Illinois area. Read more…

And we have lots to tell you about what Air Vehicle inventor Guy Negre and
his development team in Carros, France, are doing, including the October 9
announcement of a new Air Vehicle city transport solution called the AIRPod.
Also, all the Air Vehicles get new names!

When will the 4-door, six-seat US model be available? They expect it to be
manufactured in the US in 2010. They originally planned to take reservations for
the vehicle in 2008 but now plan do so in mid-2009 as we now anticipate demand
to far exceed the early production capability. Read more…

As you may have heard, Michael Moore decided to make his new film,
“Slacker Uprising,” available for free to everyone in the United States and
Canada. It is the first time ever that a major feature-length film is debuting
as a free download on the internet — legally. He is doing this for two reasons:

-      1. Next year it will be 20 years since his first film, “Roger & Me,”
-         so he’d like to give those of you who’ve supported his work over
-         the years a thank you gift in the form of a brand new movie; and Read more…

How are the Candidates Going to Clean America?

The method in which America creates energy has been a hot topic during the 2008
presidential election. For most, a primary concern deals with how we can keep prices
down at the pump while eliminating our need for foreign oil. This desire has lead to the
“drill here, drill now” crowd calling for domestic offshore drilling (among other things).
While everyone agrees that energy independent principles are vital to revving
up the American economy, there are big differences in how to accomplish this task.

Notably, when it comes to the energy resources and environmental protection standards,
there are fundamental differences in Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s interests.
Additionally, when it comes to bills in congress addressing consumer protection, Read more…