I ventured across an article from the Nature Conservancy regarding a sustainable project to protect 197,000 acres of the Great Redwood Forest in California (which happens to be 10 percent of all redwoods worldwide according to the Conservancy). Obviously the concern is the risk of deforestation and destructive building practices that could cause irreversible harm to the revered colossi.

A few interesting tidbits from the article:

• Humboldt County's tiny little milling town of Scotia is at the center of a bankruptcy case concerning the local timber industry. Scotia residents and the forest could share an intertwined fate once the ball gets rolling on the conservation project.
  
• Temporary protection is in place, but expires in 2050. The coalition of organizations are looking into a potential conservation easement, which essentially sells a portion of landowner rights to the Conservancy in order to prevent said landowner from offering developers chunks of forest to spin into a parking lot.

What is probably not immediately apparent is the underlying importance of such a project. Look, the environmentalist in all of us appreciates protecting the aesthetic beauty of historically important areas like the Great Redwood Forest. The renewable energy debate focuses much of it's time on energy independence, but keep in mind that deforestation is a significant contributor to increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

University of Arkansas scientists are researching the production of biodiesel from excess chicken fats using a process called supercritical methanol. Treating the animal fats by subjecting the substance to high temperatures and pressure has led researchers to a possible fuel alternative that could be produced using low-grade chicken fat, something this country is in no apparent shortage of.

As scientists try to find an alternative to the expensive, petroleum-based diesel fuel, the viability of creating biodiesel from animal fats is intriguing to say the least. Considering much of America's agricultural bi-products don't have a purpose other than creating additional waste material, the inexpensive substance could yield an unexpected advancement in alternative energy in the near future.

A recent press release from GreenEnergyChoice outlines five reasons to switch to renewable energy, with the site itself offering an easy online comparison and ordering system to do just that.

There is no secret badge or income level required to go green at home, work or just in your general, everyday habits. Faced with an onslaught of commercial advertising and environmental organizations going nuts over pending legislation in Washington, it's no wonder many of us are scared into stagnation.

Going green is not a frightening experience. In fact, there are multiple ways that you and your family can go green simply by changing subtle practices in your home. Just as well, switching to renewable energy and powering your home with non-polluting energy is much easier than you probably realized.

Everyone has heard of ways to contribute to the environment from buying renewable energy credits, recycling, and changing your light bulbs. Another easy way to go green  is changing the way you clean your home. Swap out those toxic, odorous, chemically based products for natural items you already have lying around the house.

In no time at all, you’ll be on your way in making your own non-toxic cleaning kit. Label your cleaning products and as always, keep away from pets and children. You'll help protect the environment and make your household safer for you and your family by going green with your cleaning supplies. Here’s a list of products you probably already have on hand that are both effective and safe:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Liquid Castile Soap (a mild soap made of olive oil and sodium hydroxide)
• Scouring Pad
• Cotton Washcloth or a Sponge
• Spray Bottles
• Newspaper
• Olive Oil
• Tea Tree Oil

Window and Mirror Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with ¼ c white vinegar and the rest with water. Use newspaper to clean the surface. Newspapers reduce the amount of streaks you would usually get with paper towels.

Tub and Sink Cleaner
Sprinkle surface with baking soda and use a wet rag to scrub. For additional cleaning power, add liquid Castile soap, and rinse well to prevent film from covering the surfaces.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Sprinkle baking soda inside of the bowl, add a few drops of liquid soap and scrub the bowl with a brush.

Creamy All-Purpose Scrubber/Cleaner
Pour ½ cup of baking soda into a bowl or container and add enough liquid soap to make a creamy texture. Add cleaner to sponge and clean surface(s).

Oven Cleaner
Sprinkle bottom of oven with water and generously cover the grime with enough baking soda to cover the surface. Then sprinkle some more water on top of it and let it soak overnight. The next day the grease and grime should have loosened up by then. Wash the remaining residue with a sponge and liquid soap.

Furniture Polish
Mix ½ teaspoon of olive oil along with ¼ of vinegar or lemon juice in a jar. Dab a washcloth into the mixture and wipe on the wood surface.

Mold Killers
Combine 2 teaspoons tea tree oil and 2 cups water in a spray bottle. This spray will work on common problem areas where you find mold or mildew. 

Three Green Building on the Planet

We’ve all heard about global warming and the campaign to get us all involved to solve the problem before it’s too late. There are those of us that have joined in and have begun to recycle and others that have bought hybrid cars, but are corporations doing their share?

Did you know that buildings account for 48 percent of all green house emissions? Shouldn’t they be held accountable for making their buildings green? What about new building that are cluttering the skyline – are they being built in an emissions safe way?

Well some building, here in America and across the globe, are and they are going to the green extreme. See the list below.

• New York, USA — The Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park is 54 stories and 1,200 feet tall. It is designed to have natural lighting, reuse waste and rainwater and made using recycles products.
• Melbourne, Australia — Council House 2, nicknamed CH2, is 10 stories and has won an award by the United Nations for being an energy efficient building. The building comes complete with sewage recycling, wind turbines and chilled ceilings just to name a few of its green qualities.
• Munich, Germany — The BMW Welt has solar panels on the roof to heat the building . Not only is this building stunning, it conserves energy.

My meager explanation of the building doesn’t even begin to explain the architectural beauty of these building. To see these pictures and more green buildings see the article on geekabout.com.

New year. New lifestyle. Sounds like a plan, doesn't it? In the spirit of organic products, renewable energy and those fun, little hybrid vehicles that resemble something from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, we have compiled a list of some great—and simple—ways to go green.

1. Turn off the TV or stereo upon leaving a room.
2. Run ceiling fans on low, or shut off completely and open a few windows for air circulation instead.
3. Switch to green energy if it is available in your area. If not, you can get RECs to offset your energy usage.
4. On hot days, try to run your ceiling fans rather than turn on the AC.
5. Run out of trash bags? Save plastic grocery bags and re-use them around the house.
6. Start a recycling program in your neighborhood, helping to collect and transport plastics, aluminum, etc. to your local recycle center.
7. Encourage your office to recycle paper products.
8. Buy goods in reusable packaging.
9. Try repairing or reusing common household items before tossing them.
10. Buy biodegradable diapers (or really go for the gold by using washable diapers).
11. Reduce your shower or bathing time.
12. Turn off faucets while brushing your teeth and washing your face. Run water only when you need to use it.
13. Use a water-efficient shower head. Look for the EPA's Watersense^® label on all plumbing products.
14. Check for leaks around fixtures and appliances.
15. Properly insulate your water heater.
16. Run your dishwasher only when full.
17. Do dishes the old-school way — a little soap and water works wonders.
18. Buy Energy Star^® appliances to increase efficiency and save on your utility bills.
19. Consider a solar or tankless water heater.
20. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and use up to 75 percent less energy.
21. Turn off lights and electronics when you leave a room.
22. Put your computer on standby or hibernate mode when not in use.
23. Ditch fancy screensavers, as they use up more energy...and hey, you shouldn't be around to watch them anyway.
24. Set your computer to go into sleep mode after a short period of time.
25. Hire an energy auditor through your energy provider, and determine whether your home is properly insulated.
26. Caulk around window ledges, doors, floor vents, and on the exterior of your home around vents and piping to plug up any air holes or gaps.
27. Use thick curtains to block out heat from the sun during the day.
28. Use dimmers and lamps to reduce wasteful lighting.
29. Get rid of space heaters and radiators — not only are they a safety hazard, but they are also energy guzzlers.
30. On cold days, try bundle up (lots and lots of socks) before you turn up the heat.
31. Hang dry clothes when you can.
32. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.
33. Wash and dry full loads only.
34. Upgrade your refrigerator and keep it clean and not overloaded. The more unnecessary items you have stocking your refrigerator shelves, the more energy is used to keep those items cold.
35. Boil only as much water as you need.
36. Simmer foods when possible, which requires less energy than boiling.
37. Only purchase organic products, locally grown if possible.
38. Try lowering your meal portions so that food is not thrown away.
39. Try and avoid the plastic parade by purchasing goods made from recyclable materials.
40. Contact local waste management or city officials to determine safe and non-toxic ways to dispose of household chemicals.
41. Avoid paints that contain toxic materials.
42. Shop for organic cleaning products with biodegradable containers, most of which are available both online and at local retailers.
43. Mix warm water with vinegar or baking soda for an efficient, all-purpose cleaning product.
44. Plan errands ahead of time to minimize driving distances.
45. Regularly maintain your vehicle to maximize fuel economy and lower emissions.
46. Carpool to save gas.
47. Limit use of AC in your vehicle whenever possible.
48. Placing plants in your home helps naturally filter air of harmful carbon dioxide.
49. Water grass at night to increase coverage and decrease burning. Consider installing rain barrels on your downspouts, collecting water that can be used later for irrigation and watering household plants.

The largest photovoltaic plant in the U.S. is now online, as Air Force's Nellis Base currently using it's silicon solar panels to power about a quarter of the entire base with solar energy. The technology is traditional solar electric, meaning that the heat from the sun is absorbed in the photovoltaic cell to produce electricity. Though the power output hovers around 14 MW, the solar electricity process is far more compact and efficient when compared to solar thermal technology that uses the sun's radiation to heat water and produce steam for turning generators. The facility includes more than 72,000 solar panels with six million cells on 140 acres of Nevada land, and providing more than 30 million kilowatt-hours of clean power annually.

What does all of this mean? There seems to be a growing consensus that photovoltaic, while more expensive to install and operate, has a greater power potential than solar thermal technology, meaning that the plant at Nellis Base is an important step to implementing solar power standards that actually equate to real options for commercial and residential use. AND... Nevada Power will support the program by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits generated by the solar facility.