Earth Policy News - Solar Thermal Power Coming to a Boil

Earth Policy Institute Plan B Update For Immediate Release July 22, 2008  SOLAR THERMAL POWER COMING TO A BOIL  http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2008/Update73.htm  Jonathan G. Dorn  After emerging in 2006 from 15 years of hibernation, the solar thermal power industry experienced a surge in 2007, with 100 megawatts of new capacity coming online worldwide. During the 1990s, cheap fossil fuels, combined with a loss of state and federal incentives, put a damper on solar thermal power development. However, recent increases in energy prices, escalating concerns about global climate change, and fresh economic incentives are renewing interest in this technology.  Considering that the energy in sunlight reaching the earth in just 70 minutes is equivalent to annual global energy consumption, the potential for solar power is virtually unlimited. With concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) capacity expected to double every 16 months over the next five years, worldwide installed CSP capacity will reach 6,400 megawatts in 2012--14 times the current capacity. (See data at http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2008/Update73_data.htm#table1.)  Unlike solar photovoltaics (PVs), which use semiconductors to convert sunlight directly into electricity, CSP plants generate electricity using heat. Much like a magnifying glass, reflectors focus sunlight onto a fluid-filled vessel. The heat absorbed by the fluid is used to generate steam that drives a turbine to produce electricity. Power generation after sunset is possible by storing excess heat in large, insulated tanks filled with molten salt. Since CSP plants require high levels of direct solar radiation to operate efficiently, deserts make ideal locations.  Two big advantages of CSP over conventional power plants are that the electricity generation is clean and carbon-free and, since the sun is the energy source, there are no fuel costs. Energy storage in the form of heat is also significantly cheaper than battery storage of electricity, providing CSP with an economical means to overcome intermittency and deliver dispatchable power.  The United States and Spain are leading the world in the development of solar thermal power, with a combined total of over 5,600 megawatts of new capacity expected to come online by 2012. Representing over 90 percent of the projected new capacity by 2012, the output from these plants would be enough to meet the electrical needs of more than 1.7 million homes.  The largest solar thermal power complex in operation today is the Solar Electricity Generating Station in the Mojave Desert in California. Coming online between 1985 and 1991, the 354-megawatt complex has been producing enough power for 100,000 homes for almost two decades. In June 2007, the 64-megawatt Nevada Solar One plant became the first multi-megawatt commercial CSP plant to come online in the United States in 16 years.  Today, more than a dozen new CSP plants are being planned in the United States, with some 3,100 megawatts expected to come online by 2012. (See data at http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2008/Update73.htm#table6.) Some impressive CSP projects in the planning stages include the 553-megawatt Mojave Solar Park in California, the 500-megawatt Solar One and 300-megawatt Solar Two projects in California, a 300-megawatt facility in Florida, and the 280-megawatt Solana plant in Arizona.  In Spain, the first commercial-scale CSP plant to begin operation outside the United States since the mid-1980s came online in 2007: the 11-megawatt PS10 tower. The tower is part of the 300-megawatt Solúcar Platform, which, when completed in 2013, will contain ten CSP plants and produce enough electricity to supply 153,000 homes while preventing 185,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually. All told, more than 60 plants are in the pipeline in Spain, with 2,570 megawatts expected to come online by 2012.  Economic and policy incentives are partly responsible for the renewed interest in CSP. The incentives in the United States include a 30-percent federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar through the end of 2008, which has good prospects for being extended, and Renewable Portfolio Standards in 26 states. California requires that utilities get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2010, and Nevada requires 20 percent by 2015, with at least 5 percent from solar power. The primary incentive in Spain is a feed-in tariff that guarantees that utilities will pay power producers €0.26 (40¢) per kilowatt-hour for electricity generated by CSP plants for 25 years.  In the southwestern United States, the cost of electricity from CSP plants (including the federal ITC) is roughly 13–17¢ per kilowatt-hour, meaning that CSP with thermal storage is competitive today with simple-cycle natural gas-fired power plants. The U.S. Department of Energy aims to reduce CSP costs to 7–10¢ per kilowatt-hour by 2015 and to 5–7¢ per kilowatt-hour by 2020, making CSP competitive with fossil-fuel-based power sources.  Outside the United States and Spain, regulatory incentives in France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal are expected to stimulate the installation of 3,200 megawatts of CSP capacity by 2020. China anticipates building 1,000 megawatts by that time. Other countries developing CSP include Australia, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. (See map at http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2008/Update73_data.htm#fig7.)  Using CSP plants to power electric vehicles could further reduce CO2 emissions and provide strategic advantages by relaxing dependence on oil. In Israel, a tender issued by the Ministry for National Infrastructures for the construction of CSP plants and a 19.4¢ per kilowatt-hour feed-in tariff for solar power systems are sparking interest in developing up to 250 megawatts of CSP in the Negev Desert. This would produce enough electricity to run the 100,000 electric cars that Project Better Place, a company focused on building an electric personal transportation system, is planning to put on Israeli roads by the end of 2010.  A study by Ausra, a solar energy company based in California, indicates that over 90 percent of fossil fuel–generated electricity in the United States and the majority of U.S. oil usage for transportation could be eliminated using solar thermal power plants--and for less than it would cost to continue importing oil. The land requirement for the CSP plants would be roughly 15,000 square miles (38,850 square kilometers, the equivalent of 15 percent of the land area of Nevada). While this may sound like a large tract, CSP plants use less land per equivalent electrical output than large hydroelectric dams when flooded land is included, or than coal plants when factoring in land used for coal mining. Another study, published in Scientific American in January 2008, proposes using CSP and PV plants to produce 69 percent of U.S. electricity and 35 percent of total U.S. energy, including transportation, by 2050.  CSP plants on less than 0.3 percent of the desert areas of North Africa and the Middle East could generate enough electricity to meet the needs of these two regions plus the European Union. Realizing this, the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation--an initiative of The Club of Rome, the Hamburg Climate Protection Foundation, and the National Energy Research Center of Jordan--conceived the DESERTEC Concept in 2003. This plan to develop a renewable energy network to transmit power to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa calls for 100,000 megawatts of CSP to be built throughout the Middle East and North Africa by 2050. Electricity delivery to Europe would occur via direct current transmission cables across the Mediterranean. Taking the lead in making the concept a reality, Algeria plans to build a 3,000-kilometer cable between the Algerian town of Adrar and the German city of Aachen to export 6,000 megawatts of solar thermal power by 2020.  If the projected annual growth rate of CSP through 2012 is maintained to 2020, global installed CSP capacity would exceed 200,000 megawatts--equivalent to 135 coal-fired power plants. With billions of dollars beginning to flow into the CSP industry and U.S. restrictions on carbon emissions imminent, CSP is primed to reach such capacity.  #     #     #  For more information on Earth Policy Institute’s goal of 200,000 MW of CSP worldwide, part of  a plan to cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2020, see Chapters 11-13 in Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, available at www.earthpolicy.org for free downloading.  For information contact:  Media Contact: Reah Janise Kauffman Tel: (202) 496-9290 x 12 E-mail: rjk (at) earthpolicy.org  Research Contact: Janet Larsen Tel: (202) 496-9290 x 14 E-mail: jlarsen (at) earthpolicy.org  Earth Policy Institute 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 403 Washington, DC 20036 Web: www.earthpolicy.org   

Al Gore's Climate Challenge Speech

UW-Madison News Release--State Forest Response to Climate Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7/14/08  CONTACT: David Mladenoff, (608) 262-1992, djmladen@ wisc.edu  SCATTERED NATURE OF WISCONSIN'S WOODLANDS COULD COMPLICATE FORESTS' RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE  MADISON - If a warmer Wisconsin climate causes some northern tree species to disappear in the future, it's easy to imagine that southern species will just expand their range northward as soon as the conditions suit them.  The reality, though, may not be nearly so simple. A model developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison forest ecologists Robert Scheller and David Mladenoff suggests that while certain northern species, such as balsam fir, spruce and jack pine, are likely to decline as the state's climate warms, oaks, hickories and other southern Wisconsin trees will be slow to replace them.   Why? Not only is warming expected to outpace the speed at which southern trees can migrate northward, but barriers to dispersal - particularly agricultural lands - will also likely delay their progress, says Mladenoff.   "The result is that northern forest biomass in the future - that is, the standing amount of forest - could decrease, because the trees that are there now will be experiencing less than optimal conditions," he says. "And the southern species aren't going to fill in as quickly as we'd like." He and Scheller report their findings in the current issue of Climate Research.  Mladenoff explains that trees "move" into new areas by producing seeds, which are then carried over short distances by wind, birds or mammals. Under the right conditions, dispersed seeds then grow into seedlings and eventually mature trees, which produce their own seeds to start the process all over again.  Already a slow process, dispersal becomes even slower when forests are broken up by farmland and urban areas - or fragmented - like they are in Wisconsin. Not only is less suitable habitat available overall, but patches of it can also be widely scattered, making it tough for seeds to cross the gaps. In particular, Mladenoff points to the wide band of agricultural land that runs across the middle of the state as a major obstacle to the northward migration of southern trees.  To arrive at their conclusions, Scheller and Mladenoff fed current satellite classification and forest inventory data for a 1.5 million-hectare area of northwestern Wisconsin into a model, LANDIS-II, that's designed to predict how landscapes will respond to climate shifts. Using two well-established sets of future climate predictions, they then examined changes in parameters such as forest succession, seed dispersal and tree growth during the next 200 years.  In the face of the scientists' predictions, is there anything woodland managers can do now? Mladenoff cautions people not to make any drastic management changes. But one thing managers might begin to try is assisted migration: testing how certain southern Wisconsin species - or even different genetic stocks of the same species - do when planted up north on a trial basis. A prime candidate for experiments like this might be sugar maple, says Mladenoff, which is already widely distributed across Wisconsin and is projected to "do OK" on moist soils in the north when the climate warms.   The state might even consider bringing back the field trials that used to go on routinely in the 1950s and '60s, he says, in which researchers would collect genetic variants of individual tree species all over the state and then plant them in many locations to see where they did best. Although time-consuming, an approach like this could help ease some of the uncertainty we're facing now.  "A lot of this is about our incomplete knowledge of how genetically diverse some species are," Mladenoff says, "and how adaptable they may be in different climates." ### - Madeline Fisher, (608) 890-0465, mmfisher@wisc.edu    **************************************************** For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email news release system, please send an email to: releases@news.wisc.edu  For more UW-Madison news, please visit:  http://www.news.wisc.edu/  University Communications University of Wisconsin-Madison 27 Bascom Hall 500 Lincoln Drive Madison, WI 53706  Phone: (608) 262-3571 Fax: (608) 262-2331   

GM to build world's biggest rooftop solar station in Spain

GM to build world's biggest rooftop solar station in Spain

US automaker General Motors said Tuesday it will equip the roof of its factory in Zaragoza in northeastern Spain with solar panels to create the world's largest rooftop source of power from the sun.

The electricity produced by the 10 megawatt installation will be used by the plant, GM's biggest in Europe, and also be sold to the local power grid, a company spokesman said.

"GM's Zaragoza plant will become home to the biggest roof-top solar power station worldwide. This has significant potential to...(Full Story)

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It fascinates me how a "US" company can do things like this to increase plant efficiency overseas, but close plants in the US and repeatedly kill the economies of small cities and towns in their own country. Why isn't this being done here? Why aren't the gas hog plants in the US being re-tooled to build fuel-efficient vehicles? They might as well be giving every US citizen the finger behind their backs. If I were Janesville's City Manager (Mayor?) or the one in charge of any of the other towns affected, I would lead a charge to seize the plant via eminent domain and then have the local citizens start up a community-owned competitor to make vehicles and other heavy equipment that are highly efficient and make sense.

Dan

My New song - saxophone - Pacha Mama Prayer

It's kind of New Age Blues with a Native American beat, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. (Of course, there's no way it could be performed live - it's all recorded in three separate tracks on the computer)


It's kind of New Age Blues with a Native American beat, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. (Of course, there's no way it could be performed live - it's all recorded in three separate tracks on the computer) I play a 1966 Selmer Bundy. The below song was recorded using the sax and my laptop. Percussion is my hands on the table, and I'm doing vocals. The software used is Audacity & LAME MP3 encoder, both of which are free. I recorded this in three separate parts, first the saxophone, then the vocals, then the percussion. Time from melody concept to full recording was one hour. (Pacha Mama = South American equivalent to Gaia, the Earth Mother Goddess.)

http://www.whizzyrds.com/Pachamamaprayer.mp3


I call my sax "Bello".

Live Tonight

In "Live", The Sundance Channel's "Big Ideas For a Small Planet" series tackles one of the largest segment of materials and energy use in the global economy - housing and building.

Beginning with the "E-House," an experimental laboratory that a family actually lives in, new ideas for efficiency are continually explored. There may be a new super-clean, super-efficient fireplace design one month, or home cooling that uses ground water and a fan, and anything else that could be dreamed up.

Following with Michael Gainer's deconstruction vs. demolition wonder business, we see how old housing currently fill landfills at the end of its useful life, and how it can be disassembled and re-used in home improvement projects, sustainable furniture, and myriad other ways. A shining jewel of this method is that the character, charm, and intricate design of many earlier architectural features is preserved and even showcased. Additionally, new jobs are added to the local economy through this effort.

Finally, we wrap up with with modular recycling; housing built from used steel cargo containers. Add a room? No Problem! Lift off the roof and set a couple down next to your existing home, add in some wiring, plumbing, glass and other odds and ends, you just doubled your living space. Stack them on top of your existing house to build up. Start off with a multi-family dwelling such as a two-or three flat. Love wide-open views and a super-strong structure? Love leaving our forests standing and breathing in CO2? Here you go - check out the cool finishes and "skins" you can put on the exterior.

Living large definitely gets a smaller footprint in this uplifting, hopeful documentary entitled simply "Live." Runtime is 30 minutes, airs Tuesday, June 3rd at 9pm Eastern & Pacific on the Sundance Channel.

--------------------------------------------

Regards,

Dan Stafford
Publisher,
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Pachamama Blues - Phuru

El Nuevo Musica del Sur...

Evade Human Extinction Now!

Evade Human Extinction Now!

After watching The 11th Hour, an environmental film on a scale even greater than An Inconvenient Truth, I came away with several new understandings.

First of all, the climate change issue of global warming is really only the worst of a self-inflicted interconnected web of issues killing off species the world over. Together, all of these issues, from deforestation, to pollution, to killing off 90% of sea life, (something we've already done) are adding up to the perfect storm that will wipe the human species off the face of the planet in only a few generations if we don't act now. It isn't just global warming anymore. It isn't just pollution anymore. It isn't just species extinctions anymore. It isn't just crazy weather anymore. It isn't just overflowing land fills anymore. It's Evade Human Extinction Now!

As with everything else that is a result of a collective cultural insanity, framing the issue is one major key to solving it.

This Earth will continue spinning around the Sun whether or not we exist upon it. We are making the choice, in the next ten to fifteen years, whether or not most life, including humans, will survive on this planet. It is that simple, and that direct, and that urgent.

The good news is, once we have enough awareness built up out there, and the collective grass roots will to change, human society is capable of changing quite radically in a very short time. If Detroit can completely retool in six months during the 1940's from making cars to making tanks and airplanes, so can the rest of global industry.

Already, per The 11th Hour, there are over one million environmental activist organizations around the world beginning to act in concert to effect large scale change.

If we as a species do not follow their lead, the humankind can not survive more than another century or two on this planet. If we get it together, and work together, we can have a long and healthy run on this planet, and beyond. We can save the future of innumerable other species as well, many of which our own survival depends on in subtle but critical ways.

Watch The 11th Hour all the way through, and you'll see an integrated presentation of the problems we face during the first half. That alone is more than most other films on such subjects have achieved. Many present only one facet of a larger picture. The 11th Hour goes on to also present an integrated array of solutions. If there were unlimited time, perhaps many of those solutions could be explored more in depth, but there is plenty there to present the overall picture of a society of solutions instead of a society of destruction or of regression.

It is NOT necessary to go back to stone knives, berries, roots, and wearing skins. It is simply necessary to re-design modern society to be able to function withing the available resources and that preserves the diversity of life on this planet, including humans. Additionally, many possible resources we have available that would be beneficial instead of harmful are grossly under-utilized. In a strange way, this is actually good news, as it gives us something good to change TO.

Critically important is the concept that every person in global society votes, regardless of their age, every single time they make a purchase. Granted, what happens in the political voting booth has huge repercussions, but every day we vote with every bit of currency we spend as well.

So, to Evade Human Extinction Now, what we really need to do is love and respect life, use forms of energy that are beneficial to life, and respect the rights of nature to coexist with us. If we don't respect the rights of natural systems to exist, they will ultimately fail - and no technology can save us from the loss of our own right to exist.

Evade Human Extinction Now! - Our grandchildren and great grandchildren will be very grateful for it, and even we ourselves will end up with better lives as a result.

Choose life. I know we can do it. What I don't know is if we will do it.

With great hope,

Dan Stafford
Publisher: The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal
Publisher: The 1st Church of Healing The Earth

How Green Does Your Garden Grow?

May 2008 How Does Your Garden Grow? Organic Gardening is Great for You, Your Family and the Planet Spring is definitely in the air. That means warm breezes, longer days and thawing ground. It’s also the start of gardening season in most parts of North America. Gardening is often described as the world's most popular leisure activity, and it's not hard to see why. There’s the ease of entry; the educational, psychological and physical benefits; the rich history; the family friendliness; and the generally low cost (despite that book about the $64 tomato). In fact, a number of observers have speculated that gardening actually grows in popularity during economic downturns, since people are likely to spend more time closer to home. Naturally, gardening can produce beautiful blooms and delicious fresh produce for you, your family and your neighbors to enjoy. By growing your own, you can control exactly what goes in your food, so there is no question about the food or flowers’ organic status. Conventional flowers, for instance, are raised with tremendous amounts of pesticides (since they aren't consumed), but it's easy to get great results at home, even if you only have room for a couple of containers on a deck or balcony. And don't forget that every plant you nurture takes a breath of carbon dioxide out of the air, helping to fight global warming. Greenery also helps naturally cool your outdoor space, reversing the heat island effect. It can shield your home from noise and prying eyes, and absorbs air and waterborne pollutants. Gardens also provide valuable habitat for wildlife, from bees to birds to larger creatures. Some tips to help you fight frustration, and green that thumb: 1. Pull weeds instead of spraying chemicals. Conventional herbicides are usually poisonous, so you don't want your pets or kids wallowing in the residue or tracking it inside. Weeding is great exercise. 2. Cultivate good soil and compost. The soil is your foundation, so take care of it. There are entire books about how to get the richest compost, no matter where you live or how much room you have, but all you really need is a place to keep clippings and table scraps moist. 3. Water often, and in the morning if possible. You'll cut waste to evaporation and promote healthy plants. 4. Choose native and heirloom plants. You're likely to get great results with natives, and support the most wildlife. Heirlooms can be tricky because they often are susceptible to disease, so research the variety first. You may have to get creative to prop up their defenses, such as planting complementary crops or sterilizing your soil first with the sun. 5. Try organic treatments. Going organic doesn't mean leaving your garden to fend for itself. There are a number of plant-derived sprays showing up, even in conventional nurseries, to control wilts, insect pests and nutrient deficiencies. Get a book on organic gardening and start experimenting! Gardening can be extremely rewarding. Don't get discouraged when you hit a bump. Some years you'll seem to get nary a tomato, but then the next you'll be blessed with so many of the sweetest, most glorious beefsteaks that you won't be able to give them all away. A Free Service of E-The Environmental Home | Subscribe | Advertise | About Us | Contact | Privacy Policy

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UW-Madison News Release--Putting Local Foods On The Map

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 5/14/08
>
> EDITOR'S NOTE: Visit the student-created 100-Mile Diet Map at http://www.chickmappers.com/100miledietmap
>
> CONTACT: Althea Archer, (218) 556-8053, aaarcher@wisc.edu; Heidi Banfi, (608) 698-3384, hmbanfi@gmail.com; Fran Ellsworth, (608) 239-4772, fran.ellsworth@gmail.com; Megan Turner, (608) 332-4572, mnturner@wisc.edu
>
> UW-MADISON GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS PUT LOCAL FOODS ON THE MAP
>
> MADISON - As temperatures warm, farm fields begin to green and outdoor farmers' markets get under way, the time is ripe for thinking about local foods. For Madison residents, finding locally produced foods is now just a mouse click away.
>
> Four University of Wisconsin-Madison geography students have created an interactive, online map of food sources within 100 miles of Madison. Their 100-Mile Diet Map aims to educate consumers and provide a central resource for those interested in eating close to home.
>
> Touted as a way to access fresher food from known sources, reduce transportation costs and invest in the local economy, the 100-mile diet refers to eating only foods that were grown or produced within a 100-mile radius of your home. First described by a Canadian couple in 2005, the 100-mile diet concept has grown in popularity recently as people become more concerned about the environmental and social consequences of their food choices.
>
> The idea resonated strongly with a group of geographic information systems (GIS) certificate program students enrolled this spring in geography professor Mark Harrower's Animated and Web-Based Mapping class. For Althea Archer, of Bemidji, Minn.; Heidi Banfi, of Deerfield, Wis.; Fran Ellsworth, of Madison; and Megan Turner, of Madison, a 100-Mile Diet Map sounded like the perfect end-of-semester project.
>
> Harrower, a cartographer, challenges his students to design Web-based maps that address real-world problems. "Who needs this map, and who's going to use it? What community would benefit?" he asks. "We don't just make stuff for the heck of it; we make it because there's an obvious need."
>
> Madison is lucky to have a variety of local eating resources, says Turner, but information is often scattered and not always user-friendly. "Maps are a powerful tool to clarify concepts and to organize data," she says. "We wanted to make it visually appealing with simple directions while also functional."
>
> In addition, the reality of eating locally can seem daunting even for people interested in trying it. "I think people view it as a challenge," says Banfi. "One of the goals of our map is to show that it's easy."
>
> "The food map is a great example of taking on … a really current topic," Harrower says. "It's such a geographic and spatial problem, and yet I've not seen any maps that help you figure this one out."
>
> One of his requirements is that students work with real data. The food map group members gathered much of their information from local organizations, including the Madison-based nonprofit Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group (REAP) and the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC).
>
> An initial public version of their map, available at http://www.chickmappers.com/100miledietmap, shows the locations of a variety of local-food sources, including farms, farmers' markets, food cooperatives and restaurants that serve locally produced items. For each, an icon links to contact information and what products are available, from fresh fruits and vegetables to meats, cheeses and eggs. Other links direct users to general information about the 100-mile diet, the benefits of local eating and ways to plan a diet based on seasonal local foods.
>
> Map users can tailor the food map to their own needs by selecting a subset of information - for example, viewing sources of a specific type of product or finding nearby farms involved in community-supported agriculture, a system where people can buy farm shares at the beginning of the growing season in return for a share of the harvest throughout the year.
>
> "The benefit of having this be an interactive Web map is that there are lots of different layers," says Archer. "The average user who just wants to know what the 100-mile diet is can go to the Web site and read and learn more. But if you're already doing it and you're in the middle of winter, and you realize, 'Oh no, I'm running out of vegetables - where can I get some?' you can use it too."
>
> Of course, some foods cannot be produced locally in Wisconsin - coffee, chocolate and olive oil are three big ones - but the students point out that consumers still have choices about where to buy such products. For example, they've chosen to include local coffee roasters and chocolatiers on their map.
>
> "Even if the source for the coffee isn't local, at least the processing is done locally," Archer says.
>
> Ellsworth adds, "I think there will always be food products that people aren't willing or able to give up that aren't locally sourced. But I think minimizing them is the goal. I'm not giving up my bananas. But there's no reason we should get spinach from California."
>
> She and the other students hope to dispel the idea that eating locally requires radical changes and to show how small steps can fit into many everyday lifestyles.
>
> "The goal of this isn't to be hard and fast and not eat anything from outside of 100 miles, it's trying to get people's attention shifted more toward that idea," says Ellsworth. "If everyone tried to incorporate as many food items from within 100 miles as possible, that's a lot more powerful than five people being so strict that they won't even cook their food in olive oil."
>
> They also challenge the notion that local products are more expensive than conventionally sourced counterparts.
>
> "Especially with food costs skyrocketing and gasoline prices going up, it may be cheaper to buy a quarter of a cow - or whatever - from a local farmer and put it in the freezer," Banfi explains. "Educating people about their other options is important."
>
> Though the food map started as a class project, the women will continue to maintain and expand it, possibly adding interactive resources such as recipes, blogs and even food preservation tutorials. They also intend to make the map seasonal so users can see what products are available even in the dead of winter. Ultimately, they hope to see this type of map expand beyond Madison and even beyond the state.
>
> "It's a lot of work … But I really want to see it nationwide, so that you can put in your address and find out what sources are available within 100 miles," Archer says. "That's the big-picture dream."
>
> All four women will receive their professional GIS certificates this month.
> ###
> - Jill Sakai, (608) 262-9772, jasakai@wisc.edu
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
> For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email
> news release system, please send an email to:
> releases@news.wisc.edu
>
> For more UW-Madison news, please visit:
> http://www.news.wisc.edu/
>
> University Communications
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> 27 Bascom Hall
> 500 Lincoln Drive
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> Phone: (608) 262-3571
> Fax: (608) 262-2331
>

David Suzuki Presents: Cosmetic Detox

	People practically kill themselves just to look good. No joke. Most of us slather our bodies with toxic chemicals without even knowing it. It’s enough to make you (and the planet) sick.  To help you make safe, healthy (and inexpensive!) choices when it comes to personal cosmetics, the Queen of Green Lindsay Coulter is back with tips and recipes for a luxurious home green spa treatment.  And because last month’s Greener Cleaner issue triggered a flood of reader mail, we’ve set up The Green Room – a place to air and share the green living conversation. Come on in! She’s back! Lindsay’s recipes and tips on safe cosmetics Read the ingredients list on your deodorant, shampoo and other cosmetics lately? Lots of multi-syllable words you’ve never heard of? Be wary of those. We smear and spray ourselves daily with concoctions that contain potentially harmful chemicals, some of which have been linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other major health problems. Not to worry, help is here! Come on in to Lindsay Coulter’s Green Spa, for a demonstration on how to pamper yourself (and your friends) the safe and healthy way! More... Which plastics are reusable (and which are toxic)? We want to say one word to you, just one word: plastics. Most are made of petrochemicals (the same stuff we use to fuel our vehicles, in increasingly short supply), and come in several varieties, many of which are recyclable. Since we’re suggesting you re-use plastic containers for homemade green cosmetics and cleaners, here’s some info on which ones are the safest for refills. (Think about it. Will you think about it? Apologies to The Graduate) More... The Green Room (keeping the conversation going) This newsletter is all about conversation (kind of like a talk show!) only on this program you’re the audience and the guest. And boy do you have a lot to say! We got so much mail from last month’s issue, we’re inviting you all into our new Green Room so you can read (and respond), too. See you there! More... Some things you can do right now Here’s this month’s list of easy green living ideas. Send us your tip sheet (pdf) and you could win a copy of David Suzuki's It's a Matter of Survival.  More...   Please pass this information on - to friends, neighbours, colleagues, classmates, political representatives - everyone. The more people understand the problems and how to fix them, the closer we all are to a healthier world.
In this Issue Lindsay Coulter’s recipes and tips on safe cosmetics Which plastics are reusable (and which are toxic)? The Green Room (keeping the conversation going) Some things you can do right now     Take Action Now: Hold an at-home Green Spa Hang your laundry out to dry Eat green fish Check your cosmetic IQ This issue is all about how you can lower your personal toxic load by using clean cosmetics. Want to test your knowledge on the subject? Try this quiz! Eco-Trivia A University of London study suggests that men who live in heavily polluted environments may be balding faster than those in cleaner areas. It seems that chemicals in the air block hair from developing properly. Know some great eco-trivia? Tell us about it! Share this newsletter --------------------------- Gail Mainster, Editor Email the Editor Join David Suzuki on Facebook --------------------------- Please forward this message to family and friends, and encourage them to sign up for free e-updates from the David Suzuki Foundation. ---------------------------- ---------------------------- The David Suzuki Foundation values your privacy and does not sell or trade email addresses. Please see our privacy policy for more information. ----------------------------

UW-Madison News Release--Wisconsin lakes/service learning proj

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 5/13/08
>
> CONTACT: Dominique Brossard, (608) 263-4701, dbrossard@wisc.edu
>
> CLASS WORKS TO PROTECT WISCONSIN LAKES IN SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT
>
> MADISON - The mention of Eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussels in Dominique Brossard's strategic communication class last February had students rolling their eyes and swapping puzzled looks.
>
> But after a semester of carefully tailoring multimedia campaigns to help a Wisconsin non-profit group get the word out about lake preservation, that initial bewilderment was replaced by an enthusiasm that could help keep state lakes free of invasive species.
>
> "My family owns a cabin on a lake and when I learned more about these aquatic invasive species, I felt that this has to stop. This was a local project. It gave us more of a drive to make it great and have an impact," says Jared Davis, a senior from Wisconsin Rapids.
>
> Brossard's class, in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, was helped by a grant from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Morgridge Center for Public Service, which she wrote along with UW Extension professor Bret Shaw. Students tackled a service learning project aimed at building awareness for the state's Clean Boats, Clean Waters mission.
>
> The group informs Wisconsin boaters about aquatic invasive species and encourages them to inspect and wash their boats after each use so they don't transport invasive species from lake to lake.
>
> In the past, the class had worked with high-profile Midwestern companies, such as Schwinn. But those projects didn't always resonate like the Clean Boats, Clean Waters campaign.
>
> "It was kind of a good surprise to work on something so local. With Clean Boats, Clean Waters, you can see how you can make a difference," says Katie Mioni, a junior from Rockford, Ill.
>
> Brossard divided her class into six project teams of about five students each and each devised a multimedia campaign to raise awareness of the problem and encourage behavior change. Last week, the teams made their final, 12-minute presentation to leaders of Clean Boats, Clean Waters and UW Extension.
>
> "I'm just blown away. They all looked so professional," says Erin Henegar, volunteer coordinator for Clean Boats, Clean Waters, which is based at UW-Stevens Point. "I'm totally amazed. In every single one of them, there is something we can use. They did a ton of work for us, so we can pick and choose."
>
> The campaigns were designed with a hypothetical $200,000 budget and involved everything from print and radio ads to advertisements on social networking sites such as Facebook and viral videos. Students also came up with promotional events such as fishing clinics for kids, fish cooking contests and giveaways of bucket and boat-cleaning sponges in the shape of the state.
>
> They built the campaigns based on actual survey and focus group research conducted with groups of lake users.
>
> Brossard says the ability to see their work put into practice provided some extra incentive for her students.
>
> "It was very motivational to have a project that was so local, and the quality of their work and their creativity were great," says Brossard.
>
> One of the groups, Stream Line Media, also drew some inspiration from this spring's retirement of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. It underscored for the group how attached Wisconsinites are to their state and its traditions.
>
> They built their campaign around the slogan, "Wisconsin's Been Good to You. Return the Favor."
>
> "A lot of the current messages are too informational for the normal person to care. We're trying to move toward a more emotional stance to get people more involved," says Matthew Wisniewski, a junior from Sun Prairie. "A lot of our ads are hitting on the emotional attachment people have to Wisconsin."
>
> Slogans for some of the other campaigns included "Preservation for the Future Generation," "Locals Only: Keep Invasive Species Out," "Are Aquatic Hitchhikers Ruining Your Experience at the Lake?" and a campaign using wild West wanted posters that ask "Are You Harboring This Criminal?"
>
> Another group used graphic depictions of people swimming and water skiing through weed-clogged lakes and asked: "Is This What You Had in Mind?"
>
> Brossard says she hopes to get students involved in more of these service learning projects that reach out to the state in the tradition of the Wisconsin Idea - that the boundaries of the campus are the boundaries of the state, and beyond.
>
> For more information about Clean Boats, Clean Waters, visit: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/CBCW
> ###
> - Dennis Chaptman, (608) 262-9406, dchaptman@wisc.edu
>
>
>
> ****************************************************
> For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email
> news release system, please send an email to:
> releases@news.wisc.edu
>
> For more UW-Madison news, please visit:
> http://www.news.wisc.edu/
>
> University Communications
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> 27 Bascom Hall
> 500 Lincoln Drive
> Madison, WI 53706
>
> Phone: (608) 262-3571
> Fax: (608) 262-2331
>

The Sundance Channel is extending the Green throughout the summer with some new programming:

The Sundance Channel is extending the Green throughout the summer with some new programming:

Outrageous Wasters,” a four-part series that follows a single family through an ultra-crash course in eco-aware living, designed to transform them from energy-guzzling “meanies” to tree-loving “greenies” in two weeks.    Kicking off on July 29 at 9pm et/pt is season 2 of “Its Not Easy Being Green.” In eight thirty-minute episodes three “green experts” travel around the British countryside advising and assisting a range of citizens in realizing their eco goals.

Tuesday, July 1^st     

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 1 (U.S. Television Premiere) - In the suburban town of Aylesbury, the Witheys – Stella; Mark, her husband of three years; and Stella’s 14-year-old son Jak – admit they have given little thought to environmental issues.  They’re a two-car family, with loads of electronic gadgets and a rather cavalier approach to consumption. 

10:10pm

Wetlands Preserved (U.S. Television Premiere) – Directed by Dean Budnick.  From 1989 to 2001, Budnick chronicles the environmentally friendly club’s legend with rare vintage concert footage and accounts from the club’s former owners, rock critics, musicians and club regulars.

 

 

Tuesday, July 8

9:00pm e/p

 “Outrageous Wasters” Episode 2 (U.S. Television Premiere) - The affluent Buchannan family – John, Susan and their children, 19-year-old Kris and 16-year-old Aimee – share a sumptuous home near Glasgow, Scotland.  They own three cars and a fourth vehicle is in the offing; their meals are largely comprised of imported ingredients. 

10:10pm

Garbage Warrior (Original Production) – Directed by Oliver Hodge and co-production of Open Eye Media, ITVS International and Sundance Channel.  This inspiring film profiles maverick architect Michael Reynolds, who has spent thirty years developing radically original models of self-sustaining housing near Taos, New Mexico. 

 

Tuesday, July 15^th 

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 3 (U.S. Television Premiere) - The Fowlers of Dunkirk – successful entrepreneur Roger; his wife Nicola; and their children, 15-year-old Francis, 13-year-old Jonathan and 9-year-old Katya – have a carbon footprint five times the British national average.  They play loads of games, have a shocking number of TVs, and host weekly parties that generate lots of empty bottles and leftover food – all of which ends up as landfill event.

10:10pm

In the Pit – Directed by Juan Carlos Rulfo. To give a human face to seemingly unendurable labor, Mexican documentarian Rulfo visited a major construction site as workers toiled to build an upper deck of Mexico City's immense Periferico Highway.  Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary, 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

 

Tuesday, July 22^nd   

9:00pm

“Outrageous Wasters” Episode 4 (U.S. Television Premiere) - Hairdressers/salon owners Stewart and Anji Armodtrading live 13 miles outside of London in Maidenhead, sharing a home with their 21-year-old year daughter Shanelle, their 18-year-old daughter Strong, and Strong’s friend, 17-year-old Carla.  Anji runs about 35 loads of laundry per week, and computer programmer Shanelle ends each day with a luxuriant bath

10:10pm

Genesis (Sundance Channel Premiere) – Directed by Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou.  From the French team behind the Microcosmos comes this bewitching look at the origins and evolution of life on Earth. 

 

Tuesday, July 29^th    

9:00pm

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 1 (U.S. Television Premiere) – In the borough of Wirral in northwest England, Dick meets Helen and Russell Keenan, who have ambitious plans for a self-sufficient eco-compound. 

9:35pm

The Greening of Southie – Directed by Ian Cheney.  This documentary goes behind the scenes and onto the scaffolds to follow the construction of Boston’s first green residential building, a luxury condominium complex called the Macallen. 

 

Tuesday, August 5

August 5^th at 9:00pm

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 2 (U.S. Television Premiere) Dick and James meet sisters Jake and Candy Moriarty, who have sold the family B&B and now want to create an eco-friendly campsite on land they own in Cornwall. 

 

9:35pm

The Unforeseen (Television Premiere) Directed by Laura Dunn.  Combining lyrical cinematography, illuminating archival footage and even-handed reportage, Dunn maps three decades of conflict between real estate developers and community-based conservationists in Austin, Texas.  Executive produced by Terrence Malick and Robert Redford.

 

Tuesday, August 12

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 3 (U.S. Television Premiere) Dick meets Chris and Carla Fletcher, rat-race refugees who have settled in Aberdeenshire, Scotland to grow their own food and raise livestock (including an unusual breed of sheep). 

9:35pm

Grass – Directed by Ron Mann.  While it’s unlikely to change US drug policy, this entertaining documentary chronicling the bizarre 100-year history of laws against the use of marijuana may prompt outrage, discussion and a perverse sense of nostalgia.

 

Tuesday, August 19

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 4 (U.S. Television Premiere) James meets Maggie of Staffordshire, who is renovating her 1930s house in a thoroughly eco-friendly fashion, re-using original fixtures and as many eco-friendly materials as possible. 

9:35pm

Ice Breaker (Television Premiere) – Directed by Jody Shapiro and David Best.  This documentary captures 42 days onboard a Canadian Coast Guard ship as it sails from Newfoundland to the high Arctic, patrolling some of the most spectacular and dangerous waterways on the planet. 

 

Tuesday, August 26

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 5 (U.S. Television Premiere) At New House Farm, James recruits his friends and his sister Charlotte help dig a new pond to attract more wildlife – and give the family’s ducklings their own home.  Dick meets with East London resident Andrew Martin, who wants to install a solar hot water heater in his back garden

9:35pm

Everything’s Cool – Directed by Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand.  Mixing humor with urgency, Gold and Helfand (Blue Vinyl) profile the small group of global warming messengers who continue to prod a largely apathetic public into political activism.

 

Tuesday, September

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 6 (U.S. Television Premiere) In Lincolnshire, we meet Zannah and Arthur, who are renovating a 200-year-old cottage that has no onsite heating source. 

 

9:35pm

Somba Ke: The Money Place – Directed by Linda Henningson, Petr Cizek and David Henningson.  Sombe Ke reveals the neglected story of the remote Canadian region that supplied the Manhattan Project with uranium for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bombs, and its dark and disturbing legacy.

 

Tuesday, September 9

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 7 (U.S. Television Premiere):  In the seaside area of New Forest, Matt Goldschmeid wants to make a permanent home of the lush vacation property his parents bought in the 1980s. 

9:35pm

Burning the Future: Coal in America – Directed by David Novack.  West Virginia provides coal to produce electricity for half the nation. Ironically, while preserving jobs, coal mining disfigures mountainsides, destroys plant and animal species and spreads toxic groundwater.

 

Tuesday, September 16

9:00pm e/p

“It’s Not Easy Being Green” Season 2/Episode 8 (U.S. Television Premiere Dick and Jim visit a Cambridge mechanic named Gary, who wants to save money by switching his car to biodiesel.  Using scrounged and free materials, the men construct a backyard biofuel processor, which will convert used vegetable oil from the local take-out restaurant.

 

9:35pm

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa – Directed by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg.  Some 400 people make their home on a rugged 15-square mile stretch of New Mexico desert known as the Mesa.  Devoid of basic amenities like running water, paved roads and power lines, the Mesa isn’t an easy place to live, but it does offer solitude and autonomy to those who need it, as well as an alternative to contemporary consumer society.