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Architecture2030 is a tremendous organization with a clear vision as to radically change the future for America’s (and the world’s) building infrastructure by putting the nation on a path so that 100% of new buildings will be carbon neutral (or better) in 2030. 

Appearing in next week’s New Yorker magazine, currently scrolling on their front page, pdf here, and available to read at their coal page is Global Warming:  Think You’re Making a Difference? Think Again. This is a forceful statement calling for “No More Coal”.  [Read more →]

Land-Tejas Companies, a real pioneer in gated communities, is setting off in a new direction with Discovery at Spring Trails.  As they promote themselves,

Innovation is the cornerstone of Land Tejas Companies, developer of Canyon Gate Communities. It is the refinement of vision and practicality.

And now, from the developer who introduced guard-gated communities and built-in technology, comes the world’s first solar-powered hybrid community.

Discovery at Spring Trails is designed in collaboration with GE’s Ecomagination® initiative. This program features renewable energy savings with solar power, whole-home energy efficiencies, advanced building science, water conservation and indoor air quality.

To what extent is this a sign of the times, an indication of a real shift, when pioneers in gated communities are turning to being pioneers in energy efficient building?  When those interested primarily in making green realize that they can best do so by going Green?

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When it comes to sensible policy and real progress on energy issues and Global Warming in the United States, the Sun is often rising in the West.

A few weeks ago (22 Aug 07), the Western Climate Initiative (WCI)  announced their regional goal:  a 15 percent aggregate reduction below 2005 levels by 2020. [Read more →]

Within a small (SMALL) addition, the new laundry, horror of horrors, windowless.  Off on the search for a natural light solution, from glass along one wall to a skylight. One-by-one, these solutions fell by the wayside as I contemplated the evil of needing to burn electricity and pump carbon dioxide every time emptying the washing machine fell to me. 

The power of the internet and a solution fell into my lap:  a light tube.  About a quarter the cost of a skylight, more convenient for the space, environmentally friendly (well insulated, reduce electricity use), and with an added benefit. A light kit inside that allows this to be a light at night.

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The sound machine of Global Warming denialists and skeptics is revving up. There are two new items that are certain to be rocketing around the globe within certain circles ‘proving’, somehow, that Global Warming isn’t real and that action to prevent it are misguided.

I’m not talking about Senator Steven’s latest claim that what we really need to fear is Global Cooling (to be dealt with later), but about

* Ted Schulte’s attack on Naomi Oreskes’ work about Global Warming consensus in the scientific literature; and,

* Bjorn Lomborg’s new book, Cool It.

What is striking about both of these works, about both of these skeptics, is their seemingly straightforward willingness to misrepresent, selectively quote, misconstrue information to support their claims and therefore to present an entirely misleading (false) case.  A false case that will trumpeted and circulated by too many who won’t take the time to question what they see.

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Carbon offset schmes have, well, too often seemed just like that to me.   Having read up on them (too much, I must say), at the end of the day I remained confused, unconvinced, and concerned. There are honest ones out there, I promise, just not sure that I am ready to fully endorse any of them. 

In another of what seems to be many both serious examinations and journalistic looks that raise serious questions, the LA Times published Can you buy a greener conscience? 

In this, there is one thing that really surprised me.  An Inconvenient Truth — a worldchanging film — was carbon neutral. We all know that. Okay …

What surprised me in the article was the following

Co-producer Lesley Chilcott used an online calculator to estimate that shooting the film used 41.4 tons of carbon dioxide and paid a middleman, a company called Native Energy, $12 a ton, or $496.80, to broker a deal to cut greenhouse gases elsewhere. The film’s distributors later made a similar payment to neutralize carbon dioxide from the marketing of the movie.

41.4 tons?  82,800 pounds of carbon dioxide?  Is that really all?

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The world is a complex place, with layers of purpose wrapped inside each other …

The European Union argues that it has serious concerns about Global Warming. That it seeks to have real movements forward on energy efficiency.  And yet …

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Do you remember Kermit and “It is hard being Green” … well, many people do … and, well, many people think that way.

Truth be told, it is a lot easier being green (or at least green hued) than many people realize.

We need to work to make sure that our next President is our Greenest we’ve ever seen.

Editor’s notes: Another in the occasional guest posts, here chapter1  from Daily Kos with an excellent discussion of urban bike sharing programs.

I’m going to tell you about a quick and easy-to-implement program that will reduce both oil use and city traffic, bring large benefits to public health, and get people where they need to go faster than before.

But I’m not going to tell you that it will have zero cost.

Instead, I’m going to tell you it will cost less than nothing.  It won’t add any new items to city budgets.  It may result in additional sources of revenue while reducing some city budget items.

The program is to introduce very cheap bicycle rentals located at kiosks around the city.  It will have the blessing of local government, but be run by a for-profit company.  After signing up online, you’ll unlock bikes with your credit card, ride to your destination, and lock them back up again.

The program has been implemented on a large scale in Lyon and Paris, and on a somewhat smaller scale in Vienna, Brussels and Cordoba.  The results are excellent so far, and similar programs are being considered by London and Seoul.

A few American cities are beginning to experiment with this.. but it is time for us to get serious.

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J’Accuse Robert J. Samuelson of facilitating inaction in the fact of Peak Oil.

J’Accuse Robert J. Samulson of putting this nation, humanity, my (and your) children at greater risk through his peddling of false information about options to deal with Global Warming.

J’Accuse Robert J. Samuelson of putting this nation, humanity, my (and your) children at greater risk.

Robert J. Samuelson, J’Accuse … J’Accuse

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