-
1. China tries to clean up air with a new ban on cars!
-
2. Plug-In 2008: Volt Battery Testing in Malibu Mule
-
3. MAZDA Unveils Fuel Efficient Crossover Car
-
4. Plug-In 2008: San Jose Partners With Coulomb's Smart Charging
-
5. Plug-In 2008: Detroit, Meet the Startups
-
6. RCA Unveils Sleek Sustainable Concept Cars
-
7. San Francisco Calls for Electric Car Pitches
-
8. LOTUS Looks at Lifecycle with the Eco Elise
-
9. California Clean Tech Open Announces 2008 Finalists
-
10. GM Partners with Utilities on Plug-In Vehicles
-
11. The Daily Sprout
-
12. Green Campaign Watch: McCain Blames Obama for Gas Prices and Checks Out Volt, Obama Must Fight Back on Energy
-
13. Virtual Goggles Track Real Carbon Emissions
-
14. PUBLIC FARM 1: Interactive Urban Gardening at PS1 Gallery
-
15. Project Better Place Pitches British PM
-
16. Al Gore Challenges America to go Carbon-Free in 10 years
-
17. EMOCJA SIDEBOARD Adapts with Interchangeable Pegs
-
18. Stunning New Sustainable Landmark for London's Southbank
-
19. FUSIONOPOLIS: Singapore's New Green Skyscraper
-
20. SUSTAINABLE STYLE: Indigenous Designs by Peruvian Knitters
-
21. Riverwired.com: Underinsured Is Unsustainable
-
22. Riverwired.com: Residential Wind Turbines
-
23. Riverwired.com: How to Talk to Your Kids about Global Warming
-
24. Riverwired.com: Top 10 Green Excuses
-
25. Riverwired.com: Top 10 Green Products: From Solar Backpacks to Bamboo Bikes
-
26. Riverwired.com: Top 10 Ideas for Saving Gas, Money and Driving Green
-
27. Riverwired.com: Green Freebie: How about a Toyota Prius?
-
28. Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check out this Freebie of the Week
-
29. Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check Out This Freebie of the Week
-
30. Riverwired.com: Reasons Why Anyone Can Go Solar
China tries to clean up air with a new ban on cars!
Jorge Chapa - TransportationTuesday
With the 2008 Summer Olympics just around the corner, the Chinese government has started their plan to ban one million vehicles from the streets of Beijing. The initiative got underway this week with the intention to reduce the city’s air pollution in time for the 2008 Olympic Games, which start August 8th. From July 20 to Sept. 20, Beijing will alternate the days that vehicles with even and odd license plate numbers will be allowed to drive in the city - in the hopes that this will reduce traffic and air pollution for the Olympics. China has also announced that fuel prices will be raised by 18 per cent.
Plug-In 2008: Volt Battery Testing in Malibu Mule
Katie Fehrenbacher - Startups
General Motors VP of Global Program Management, Jon Lauckner, gave a quick update on the Volt, GM’s plug-in vehicle, at the Plug-In 2008 conference Tuesday morning. Lauckner showed off several video clips of the Volt technology — including the lithium ion battery — being tested in the body of a white 3-year-old Malibu “mule” (a current vehicle modified with the systems of new models). Lauckner touted the progress of the lithium ion battery technology out of lab tests into mule vehicle testing.
Back in April photos of Malibu mules with Volt technology started to appear on sites like Autoblog Green. GM says the Malibu is being used because it’s of a similar size as the Volt, and the setup is a good way to see how the company’s 400-pound battery will be balanced on the road.
Lauckner said hundreds of members of the Volt team are working around the clock to get GMs plug-in into production in 2010. Also this morning GM announced that it would prep the market for its Volt by working with a consortium of over 30 utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute.
MAZDA Unveils Fuel Efficient Crossover Car
Ali Kriscenski - TransportationTuesday
Mazda recently announced that it will unveil it’s Kazamai crossover vehicle at the Moscow International Motor Show in August. Specifics on the sporty vehicle’s environmental performance will be revealed next month, but to date the car maker is touting this ride as a car that will “deliver exciting driving dynamics, frugal fuel consumption and greatly reduced CO2 emissions.”
Plug-In 2008: San Jose Partners With Coulomb's Smart Charging
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
Reed said San Jose plans to deploy Coulomb’s smart-charging stations at various locations throughout the city. The “smartlets” will be attached to a street light set-up that will use LED lighting technology and could also collect other data like traffic conditions. (The city of San Francisco made a public call for companies to pitch their electric vehicle charging infrastructure yesterday as well.)
Coulomb just launched its smart-charging technology on Monday; it includes public charging stations, a consumer subscription plan and grid management software for utilities. The company’s charging stations use wireless networks to connect to a data center, while its software can help utilities manage the rate of energy flow.
So it’s not surprising that Coulomb, which was founded in 2007, is being led by several old-school telecom and networking execs that hail from Cisco, Lucent and 3Com. Though Coulomb isn’t the only startup working on this tech: Seattle-based smart charging startup V2Green has made strides with its smart-charging software and hardware, and smart grid startup GridPoint has also expressed interest in selling into this space as well.
If you want to see how Coulomb tech works, the company’s president and founder, Praveen Mandal, demoed the charging station for us on a plug-in version of the Saturn Vue this morning. Hold tight, we’ve got some video footage of that coming soon.
Plug-In 2008: Detroit, Meet the Startups
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
At a time of record high gas prices and presidential candidates who are fighting over energy platforms, what could be more prescient than a conference highlighting plug-in vehicles? The first annual Plug-In 2008 conference kicks off this morning in downtown San Jose, and it looks to have hit a nerve. At least for the automakers and startups building the next-generation of technology.
Big Detroit has a major presence at the show, as the major automakers have started to embrace more fuel efficient vehicles in the face of difficult times for their businesses. Last night we reported that General Motors will be working with a consortium of over 30 utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute to push standardization, customer education and policy issues for plug-ins. Ford, which reports quarterly earnings this week and is reportedly shifting its focus to smaller vehicles, has representatives speaking during the show, and there will be two Ford plug-in vehicles on display: a Ford Escape at EPRI’s booth and an F-150 at Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies booth.
Much of the floor will be taken up by younger startups with technology for smart charging, quick charging, and plug-in conversion kits. A123System’s Hymotion is displaying its technology, and smart-charging startup Coulomb Technologies is demoing its tech on a Saturn Vue plug-in. Venture Vehicles plans to show a pure electric Alpha prototype (update: looks like Venture Vehicles cancelled) and Zap is expected to show off its Xebra and electric scooters.
One of the big highlights will be a lunchtime keynote from former head of Intel turned plug-in vehicle advocate Andy Grove. Grove, now 71, tells Bloomberg that in his speech he will discuss his concerns about global warming and reiterate his call for 10 million vehicles that can run 40 miles on all-electric battery power before the gas engine kicks in, within four years. Bloomberg also says Grove will advocate tax credits and interest free loans for plug-in conversions.
We’ll be blogging the events and taking video footage of the vehicles at the show. Stay tuned.
RCA Unveils Sleek Sustainable Concept Cars
Mike Chino - TransportationTuesday
Imagine soaring along the road in a car composed entirely of aerodynamic glass, or piloting a red rocket-car with a split chassis mimicking a motorcycle and sidecar. Now consider the fact that these souped-up super-roadsters were envisioned with careful consideration paid to issues of emissions and energy-efficiency. The Royal College of Art recently revealed a rousing rally of auto designs that match sleek profiles with cutting-edge concepts in sustainability. From efficient electric engines to ultra-lightweight materials and driver-less navigation systems, the RCA’s 2008 crop of concept cars struck us as nothing short of stunning.
San Francisco Calls for Electric Car Pitches
Craig Rubens - Policy
Among its many other green ambitions (solar, small-scale wind, marine turbines), the city of San Francisco is trying to prove its a good spot for electric vehicle startups. Mayor Gavin Newsom has been on a crusade to electrify the city’s cars, but has been searching for partners to get the job done. Yesterday, the office of the mayor and department of the environment of the city of San Francisco issued a request for information from any individual or company who could help the city design and deploy an electric vehicle infrastructure.
Newsom has has spoken often on his desire to have Shai Agassi’s Project Better Place use San Francisco as its first U.S city. Last week Newsom confessed “We’re desperately seeking their [Project Better Place's] attention,” and added that PBP is working on a feasibility study of the Bay Area. Perhaps the best way to get their attention is to start working with their competitors. This open call for information will surely illicit proposals from a variety of startups. With the Plug-In 2008 conference kicking off in San Jose this week, the Mayor’s office knows all the big players will be in the area.
The request for information is looking for ideas in smart charging, charger standardization, charger deployment and distribution, charging business models and vehicle adoption programs. Submissions are due September 19th. The city’s next step will be to review the submitted information and issue a request for proposals to put together an actionable pilot program.
The push to electrify the city’s cars is part of city’s goal to reduce greenhouse gases to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. And then there’s the fact that more charging station would make it easier for Newsom to fill up his Tesla Roadster when he’s about town.
LOTUS Looks at Lifecycle with the Eco Elise
Jorge Chapa - TransportationTuesday
Lotus is doing its best to convince us that they are the greenest car manufacturer, and their latest release, the Eco Elise, makes a great argument that this is the case. Not only is this an incredibly fuel efficient machine, it has been created to be manufactured with the greenest materials that Lotus could find. Embodied energy, material lifecycle, emissions and environmental impact of manufacturing and operating, and overall fuel efficiency are all factors that have been accounted for in the design and production of this soon to premiere vehicle.
California Clean Tech Open Announces 2008 Finalists
Katie Fehrenbacher - Startups
That California business competition that continues to launch some of the cleantech industry’s most innovative startups has just announced their finalists for this year. The California Clean Tech Open (CCTO) has announced 44 finalists (must not have had enough good ones to have the estimated 50) that make up 6 categories: “Air, Water & Waste,” “Energy Efficiency,” “Green Building,” “Renewables,” “Smart Power,” and “Transportation.”
Just being named a finalist will help out these 44 early stage startups. The CCTO says that past year’s companies have gone on to raise over $70 million in VC funding over the last two years, and 84 percent of the alumni are still viable businesses. This year’s picks include startups working on a solar-power ice maker, reuseable diapers, green modular buildings, landfill methane recovery, and home energy monitoring display. Here’s the CCTO’s picks below the jump:
Air, Water & Waste category – Prize Co-Sponsor Grundfos
- Clean Coal Inc.: “Removes contaminants from coal”
- Over the Moon Diapers: “High performance reusable diapers and service network”
- Porifera: “Carbon nanotube membrane for reverse osmosis desalination”
- PURE-T: “Salt free water softener using nanobeads”
- Purite: “Zero-energy chemical-free whole house water filtration”
- SequesCO: “Microbial CO2 capture and conversion to biofuel”
- Waste Water Works (WWW): “Microbial wastewater treatment also generates electricity”
Energy Efficiency category – Prize Sponsors PG&E, SCE and SDG&E:
- Atomic Precision Systems Inc.: “New semiconductor process for ultra-cheap LED lighting”
- Enovative Group: “Smart pump for hot water circulation”
- NexChem: “Energy-saving process improvement for zinc galvanizing”
- Transoptic: “Solar energy assistance for conventional water heaters”
- Viridis Earth: “Domestic HVAC retrofit to improve efficiency”
- WicKool: “Energy efficient water recovery for existing rooftop air conditioning”
Green Building category:
- BottleStone: “Ceramic stone countertops include 80% recycled glass”
- en-vis-age: “Green, modular and customizable buildings”
- Green Design Systems: “Straw wall building panels”
- GreenHomeAnswers.com: “Home improvement website for green products and services”
- GroundSource: “Residential geothermal system with installation services”
- ISTN: “Eco-friendly building insulation”
- Parco Homes: “Manufactured green (zero net energy) home kits”
- Solar Red: “Low cost rooftop PV installation system and components”
- Team Wawa: “Water-conserving shower system”
Renewables category – Prize Sponsors Google, PG&E, and SCE:
- Covalent Solar: “Organic thin film solar concentrators”
- Focal Point Energy: “Solar thermal water heater for industrial processes”
- IEM Applications: “Landfill methane accelerated recovery”
- Renewable Fuel Technologies: “Agricultural waste biomass converted to Green Coal”
- Solar Ice: “Solar powered ice maker”
- Solindis: “Optical solar concentrator for thin film PV”
Smart Power category – Prize Sponsors AMD and Siemens TTB:
- 1ARC Energy: “Higher capacity lithium-ion batteries”
- Cooler: “Carbon calculator to allow B2B targeted advertising in LOHAS”
- Energy Empowered: “Home display and control to reduce standby power usage”
- Enverity Corporation: “Greenhouse gas tracking and compliance”
- Power Assure: “Data center energy management software service”
- Renewable Voltage: “Treats organic waste to provide hydrogen and energy storage”
- Tangerine Network Devices: “Home energy display and control”
Transportation category – Prize Sponsor Lexus:
- AAA Fleets:“Turnkey electric vehicles and solar charging systems for fleets”
- E-Chargers: “Plug-in hybrid charging station”
- ElectraDrive: “Gas to electric drivetrain auto conversion”
- Electric Drive Research: “Plug-in/gas hybrid 2 person, 3 wheel sports car”
- ElectronVault, Inc.: “More efficient traction battery for hybrids”
- Enhanced Vehicle Acoustics: “Flexible engine sound generator for quiet cars”
- FuelMotion: “Series hybrid conversions for the developing world”
- Goose Networks: “Hosted dynamic scheduler for carpools/vanpools”
- Philo Fuel: “GPS-based audiovisual cues to help drivers optimize fuel efficiency”
GM Partners with Utilities on Plug-In Vehicles
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
General Motors says in an effort to prepare the market for its electric vehicle the Volt and the plug-in version of the Saturn Vue, the automaker has partnered with a consortium of over 30 utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute. The consortium, which GM’s Vice President, Global Program Management, Jon Lauckner will detail at the Plug-In 2008 conference in San Jose on Tuesday, will work on issues like standardization, customer education, infrastructure and public policy.
With electric vehicles starting to plug into the power grid, utilities are about to become the gas stations of the future, pointed out Mark Duvall, Program Manager, Electric Transportation at EPRI, at a GM-sponsored dinner event on Monday night. By teaming up with utilities an automaker like GM can help its cars become more mainstream by trying to ensure that all customers’ homes are outfitted to power its plug-ins.
The group could also use its collective weight to influence policy issues, as plug-in vehicles are starting to become a hot-button political issue. Last Friday presidential hopeful John McCain visited a GM facility in Warren, Mich., and sat in GM's Volt, saying the vehicle represents a key part of the country’s ability to eliminate its dependence on foreign oil.
GM isn’t the first automaker to work with EPRI and utilities on plug-in vehicles. In March Ford and EPRI announced a three year agreement to work on plug-in vehicle technology and trials. Ford is also working with California utility Southern California Edison on plug-in vehicle tech.
The Daily Sprout
Craig Rubens - Misc
Thomas Friedman’s Metaphor for the American Addiction to Oil: “When a person is addicted to crack cocaine, his problem is not that the price of crack is going up. His problem is what that crack addiction is doing to his whole body. The cure is not cheaper crack, which would only perpetuate the addiction and all the problems it is creating. The cure is to break the addiction.” - NYTimes.
Coulomb Debuts New Smart Charging Infrastructure: Coulomb Technologies has announced a new public smart charging system that allows customers to sign up with a subscription and helps utilities better management grid demand - Press Release.
Congress Considering Legislation to Boost Natural Gas Cars: Following the announcement of the Pickens Plan, two new initiatives have been proposed in Congress to boost natural gas use in transportation. One proposal mandates 10 percent of new cars run on natural gas and the other proposes to include natural gas in the renewable fuels standard - Green Car Congress.
EV-1 Owners Manual On Sale on eBay: Originally offered at a million bucks, the manual for GM’s ill-fated all electric EV-1 is now up for $100,000. The price is likely to keep dropping, but the auction is set to end on Wednesday - Huffington Post.
Green Campaign Watch: McCain Blames Obama for Gas Prices and Checks...
Craig Rubens - Policy
High gas prices are hitting Americans in the pocket book and they seem ready to fight back with their votes. A report from campaign consultants James Carville and Stan Greenberg earlier this month showed that voters care more about reducing gas prices than addressing energy conservation and global warming, a fact that McCain seems to be milking with a new television ad blaming Obama for high prices at the pump. But McCain knows the future is not in fossil fuels, as evidenced by his visit Friday to a GM plant, where he checked out a Chevy Volt. As one campaign watcher over at The Huffington Post notes, the ball is now in Obama’s court when it comes to energy, and he needs to start playing some offense by explaining to voters that nothing either candidate does will immediately lower gas prices.
New McCain Ad Blames Obama for High Gas Prices: The McCain campaign has put out another energy attack ad (embedded below), this time blaming Obama for high gas prices because of his refusal to permit offshore drilling. The ad equates domestic drilling with oil independence and claims that Obama has directly voted against independence from foreign oil. The AP reports the ad will run in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Northern Virginia and Wisconsin.
McCain Checks Out a Chevy Volt: McCain visited a GM facility in Warren, Mich., on Friday where he sat in GM’s big electric play, the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric hybrid due out in 2010. “The key, integral, vital part of our ability to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil will be directly related to that sign over there,” McCain said pointing to a sign for the Volt, the AP reports.
“How Obama Can Regain the Initiative on Energy”: McCain is on the offensive in the energy debate and Obama needs to start fighting back. Jeremy Jacquot at the Huffington Post writes how Obama can regain the high ground and win the energy debate with a principled argument that offers real straight talk on the energy crisis. Americans are starting to panic, Jacquot warns, with gas and energy prices so high. Obama needs to give a speech akin to Gore’s, Jacquot writes: Explain the current situation, articulate why McCain’s proposals won’t solve the problem and lay out the Obama energy plan.
Virtual Goggles Track Real Carbon Emissions
Wagner James Au - Misc
Carbon Goggles is a personal side project of Jim Pubrick, a programmer with Linden Lab, the company behind Second Life. He developed it last month while at a London mashup fest. His Goggles combine a virtual object tagging system and real-world carbon data gathered from AMEE, the open platform that measures global energy consumption.
But what’s the point of associating real-world emissions with virtual objects?
“The nice thing about doing it in Second Life,” Pubrick told me, “is that there are already lots of models of real-world objects that can be overlaid…so you can learn about real-world emissions, get a feel for the relative carbon cost of a kettle or car, without reading a spreadsheet.” Here’s a video of the process in action. Among the SL objects already tagged are virtual versions of Scion and Honda cars, and a Boeing 737.
It’s an intriguing project that could become a compelling educational tool– assuming, of course, Pubrick can get enough volunteers willing to learn how to tag the millions of objects that remain.
PUBLIC FARM 1: Interactive Urban Gardening at PS1 Gallery
Moe Beitiks - Art
This summer PS1 Contemporary Art Center, an arm of MOMA, celebrates the 10th year of Warm Up, its annual summer music series, in New York. This year folks who go to catch the DJs and live music will have the opportunity to also visit a farmers market, dip their feet in a cool pool, and generally chill in the shade of Public Farm 1, by Work Architecture Company. It’s a series of recyclable cardboard tubes that grows rainwater-irrigated veggies while providing solar-powered cell-phone charging and community playspace. Whew!
Project Better Place Pitches British PM
Craig Rubens - Startups
Shai Agassi’s worldwide whirlwind tour pushing his Project Better Place electric car infrastructure startup shows no signs of stopping, now the Independent reports that the entrepreneur has even pitched his startup’s plan to British Primer Minister Gordon Brown. The PM is expected to ask auto manufacturers to make all new cars sold in the UK either electric or hybrid by 2020 when he attends the British International Motor Show this week. According to The Independent, Project Better Place’s tech is the most developed of several proposals the government is considering. Project Better Place declined to comment.
The UK market is larger than either Israel and Denmark, where Project Better Places has already inked deals. And Brown is serious about electrifying the British fleet. Speaking at the G-8 Summit at the start of July, Brown suggested a punitive tax to help reach his goal of getting the emissions of all cars below 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer by 2020. Such a tax would be very similar to the tax systems in Denmark and Israel that could make Project Better Place’s proposed electric cars financially attractive.
We’re still waiting for official word as to whether or not Project Better Place will move into Portugal, where its business partners Nissan-Renault recently signed an agreement to provide electric cars and charging infrastructure. Project Better Place was not named as part of the deal.
Stateside, the San Francisco’s mayor’s office tells us they are continuing their push to get the Bay Area to be the first U.S. region to electrify its cars. A spokesman for the mayor said that following discussions with Project Better Place, the startup is now conducting a feasibility study to see what is needed to bring their electric car scheme to the Bay Area. Meanwhile, Mayor Newsom is worried that Hawaii might beat him to the electric car punch.
Al Gore Challenges America to go Carbon-Free in 10 years
Ali Kriscenski - Energy
Al Gore recently appealed to the competitive nature of the US as a market driven society with an energy challenge that calls for a complete shift to renewables in the entire electricity sector. The former Vice President and Nobel laureate is raising the bar with the goal of total carbon-free wind, solar and geothermal power by 2018. Part of the vision includes powering electric vehicles (as truly emissions free), but the ambitious plan would transcend through transportation and ripple throughout the green building industry and beyond. With elections on the near horizon and a push to drill for yet more oil, Gore’s challenge is as timely as it is clear: in order to transcend an unsustainable existence, we need to transform our energy outlook.
EMOCJA SIDEBOARD Adapts with Interchangeable Pegs
Alexandra Kain - DIY
Sometimes sustainability comes in the form of adaptability, making objects able to accommodate evolving styles or tastes. Polish design studio Emocja had transformation in mind when creating the Bufet Filcowy sideboard. A sleek black panel creates a canvas of some 4000 holes laid out dot-matrix style. Felt pegs of any hue (not unlike cigarette filters) can be arranged into infinite patterns.
Stunning New Sustainable Landmark for London's Southbank
Ali Kriscenski - Architecture
London-based Sheppard Robson architecture firm is bringing a new green office building to the shore of the River Thames at One Westminster Place in Southbank. With sustainability driving the design, the structure’s eye catching glass facade will reflect sunlight in a rainbow of colors creating a crystal like effect. The layers of glazing will also give occupants great views of the surrounding city, including Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge, and boost the building’s energy performance to an excellent BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) rating, the British environmental standard for buildings.
FUSIONOPOLIS: Singapore's New Green Skyscraper
Mahesh Basantani - Architecture
The Singapore skyline has been getting greener these days with new developments from some of the world’s most renown architects. The latest design to join the trend is a new futuristic green building from architect Ken Yeang named Fusionopolis. A research and development complex, this structure will adorn Singapore as the island nation’s most eco-friendly skyscraper.
SUSTAINABLE STYLE: Indigenous Designs by Peruvian Knitters
Abigail Doan - Accessories and Fashion
We sure love stylish sustainable knitwear and eco chic layering, and though were are experiencing a steamy summer here at Inhabitat central, we could not help but to be impressed by this gorgeous warm and fuzzy collection by Indigenous Designs. Handcrafted by Peruvian artisans operating under fair-trade guidelines and community-based artist training programs, the quality of these all-natural fiber garments is exceptionally high not to mention totally wearable. Fourteen year old Indigenous Designs is proof that sustainable style begins with the best raw materials and a vision to make a difference, both locally where things are made, as well as globally where the demand for environmental accountability and social responsibility has resonance with the fiber and discerning tastes of informed fashionistas.
Riverwired.com: Underinsured Is Unsustainable
ProgressiveKid - Sustainable Ideas
Underinsured is an oxymoron. If you're insured, you're insured—right? Wrong. As legions of us know all too well, paying high insurance premiums faithfully for years guarantees nothing but regular dings to your bank account and possibly little to nothing in return. Given that many of us have numerous insurance premiums, the dings can feel more like brutal gut kicks.
Chances are if and when you need to make an insurance claim you will find (or already have found) that, like me, you are "underinsured," meaning that you will not receive full coverage for needed services or you will receive no coverage at all because of exclusions you never knew existed. Your chance of coverage denial is greatest if you're making a health insurance claim. A study in the June 2008 issue of Health Affairs reports that over 25 million of us are now underinsured for health coverage, a 60 percent rise among working adults in the last four years. Add that to the 50 million Americans who are uninsured for health care, and it represents nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population. In terms of expenditures, we underinsured Americans are paying 10 percent or more of our income on out-of-pocket medical expenses and 5 percent or more of our income on health insurance deductibles.
When my partner and I developed incapacitating illnesses at around the same time, we discovered quite disastrously that our supposedly high quality health insurance did very little for us. Our need for care, including so-called "alternative care" after traditional medicine failed us, led us into crushing debt that we are still struggling to overcome ten years later. Like many people in our situation, we now blow off regular check ups and often do not seek help for needed medical care. We're in abundant company. Fifty-three percent of underinsured and 68 percent of uninsured people forgo needed medical care. We 75 million Americans are likely to skip recommended treatments and tests and leave prescriptions unfilled. As a result we are more likely to receive fatally late diagnoses of cancer and other life-threatening conditions, which for those of us with insurance ironically will cost our insurance providers far more money than if they had adequately covered preventative care. And because many of us do not have a regular doctor or nearby clinic, we often end up in costly emergency rooms, taxing the system even more. A July 17, 2008, story on NPR reported that about 50 percent of emergency room visits could be handled in doctor's offices or clinics, but for many Americans a hospital ER is the only option. By contrast, in Holland 90 percent of the country has 24/7 access to primary healthcare, including house calls.
Insurance is on my mind these days because my 5-year-old daughter was recently denied coverage for an eye condition that can be serious if untreated but responds well to therapy. Our health insurance company denied our request for coverage, despite the fact that my daughter's doctor recommended a course of eye therapy treatment to resolve the problem. When we contested the denial, backed up with extensive research about the benefits of eye therapy, our insurance provider acknowledged that the therapy would be beneficial but nevertheless denied coverage based on a technicality that such therapy was not listed among their covered services when we signed on. This begs the question, how is it reasonable to deny needed mainstream medical coverage that is deemed necessary by a doctor and that is in fact in this case a preventative measure against surgery?
The answer is that it is not reasonable. It is not reasonable for my family, or for society. Furthermore, and more importantly, it is not sustainable. For those of us who concern ourselves with issues of sustainability, as any thinking person must with 6.5 billion humans now on the planet, revising our health insurance system should be a top priority. Like Western medicine, American health insurance focuses almost pathologically on reactively treating acute illness rather than proactively supporting long-term wellness. My daughter's eye condition fundamentally affects her physical, intellectual, and emotional development. Giving her the care she needs to overcome the problem now would help foster her lifelong good health. It is in the best interest of the insurance company and society at large, whose collective premiums pay for individual treatment, to provide for my daughter's lifelong wellness so that she does not cost the system more money in the long-run on treatments for problems that could have been prevented.
As is the case in so many areas of contemporary American society, the kind of long-term big-picture thinking that creates sustainable systems (which one might call wisdom) is eclipsed by narrow, short-term agendas, sustainable or not. Our individualist-capitalist bias turns us against considerations of sustainability and the collective good in favor of pursuing individual gain, competition, and financial reward. This America-think has made us a nation of workers putting in the longest hours for the least amount of time off. It has made us the world's greediest energy consumer, using 25 percent of world energy, and the biggest carbon emitter after China; yet in spite of—or because of—our increased consumption, as a nation we are less satisfied in the last few decades than ever before. These are not statistics to be happy about, especially when that insurance claim denial letter arrives in the mail.
Julie Hall is the author of the new book A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids: Understanding Climate Change and What You Can Do About It and the founder of the green online store ProgressiveKid.
Image by Bernard Pollack, 2008, Creative Commons license.
©2008 ProgressiveKid
Riverwired.com: Residential Wind Turbines
Marcus - energy
Energy costs getting you down? Looking to cut down on bills, and get a little greener in the process? With energy bills rising by as much as fifty percent in recent years, chances are you're eager for some alternatives. Which is where wind power comes in. Wind is a clean, efficient, sustainable and cost-effective source of energy, and it's rapidly growing in popularity. A growing number of homes in the U.S. are opting to have residential wind turbines installed, and as a result are seeing dramatic reductions in their energy costs. Think wind power might be right for you? Keep reading to find out more.
Why wind?
First off, wind power will save you money—as much as 50-90 percent on your electric bill! Although wind turbines can cost from $6,000- $22,000, it's an investment that usually pays for itself in around six to fifteen years. Once the cost of the turbine has been recouped, it's not uncommon to see electric bills of $8- $15 dollars for up to nine months of the year! In addition, wind power is good for the environment—it produces zero pollution, and every kilowatt hour that is powered by wind will offset pollution that would have been generated by your utility company.
What kinds of residences are eligible for wind power?
Since a wind turbine is a relatively large structure, this type of power isn't really suitable for small-lot suburban homes or anything in an urban setting. Usually, a house on an acre or more of land is desirable. It's also important to consider wind speed in your area—in order for a turbine to be efficient, wind speed should be at an average of at least 10 miles per hour.
Where can I buy a residential wind turbine?
Take a look at this list of small wind turbine equipment providers.
Is there any way to benefit from wind power if I live in a small and/or urban location?
Why, yes, there is. In most areas, you can contact your energy company and switch to green power—that is, your energy company will purchase your power from sustainable energy sources in lieu of coal or oil. There is a minor charge, but it usually only amounts to a few extra dollars per month. This is a great alternative for city dwellers who wish they could install a massive wind tower on the top of their high rise.
Want to learn more about wind power?
Wind Turbine Power: Farmers Turning the Wind Into Gold
Inexpensive Residential Wind Turbine—Wind Power—Alternative Energy For Your Home
Can You Harness Wind Power or Not?
Home Wind-Power Turbines Going Mainstream
What YOU Should Know About Wind Power!
Can You Use Wind Turbines to Power Your Home?
Riverwired.com: How to Talk to Your Kids about Global Warming
ProgressiveKid - A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids
A woman I know lives with her family in a house that backs up against a forest. The forest is being clear cut, a not so infrequent occurrence in this part of the country. One day, while the woman was on a business call in the house, her nine-year-old son rounded up his two younger brothers, and the three of them marched out onto the logging road and stood in front of an oncoming logging truck. The truck driver managed to stop in time. At the children's request, the driver wrote down on a piece of paper the name of the logging company.
The four boys then returned home, and the oldest went to interrupt his mother's phone call. He told his mother what they had done and said he would keep doing it until she and his father did something to stop what was happening to the planet. He explained to his mother that he and his brothers were the ones who would be living through most of the effects of climate change, but that they needed their parents to help them since they were just children.
The mother got the message. She turned to some friends, and together they formed a climate change response team at their kids' school. The school now has a series of events and activities planned for the next school year. And they met with some other friends and acquaintances. All of us started Earth Kids Organized (EKO), a networking site and organizational model to help children, parents, and schools and other institutions across the planet communicate and work together to increase their power and effect.
Out of the Mouths of Kids
The point here is that kids know. They already, by age nine and younger, get what is happening, they want to do something about it, and they understand that they need help. But many of our climate change responses are adult centered and exclude kids from the action, which seems downright unfair given that our kids are the ones who are inheriting this situation.
Schools and libraries are logical places to base many kid-focused and kid-led efforts to respond swiftly and effectively to climate change. One elementary school is, at the request of the students, plowing over a grassy play area to make an organic fruit and vegetable garden. A middle school is working with a local organic farm to institute organic lunches one day a week. That same farm is working with local parents to institute organic farming camps for kids this summer. At another middle school library, students have formed one club to care for injured and homeless animals and another club to help the school compost. Two students at this school are making a documentary about the decline of a salmon stream.
Efforts like EKO are important because they expand the reach of children beyond the narrow confines of their own institutions and link children in a wider area, giving them a greater sense of hope and community. Families too need to feel that their efforts are not isolated and unique to their own homes. Joining other families in school- or community-based efforts can give everyone a sense of empowerment and even relief that people are responding appropriately to this crisis.
Five Kid-Sized Steps
Lowering your carbon emissions is important but it is just as important to involve your children in climate change conversation, research, and wider action. Consider taking the following steps at home and at school or the library with your children:
- Read together about climate change. Look for Julie's upcoming book A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids (Green Goat Books, August 2007) as a good place to start. Be sure to talk about what you have read.
- Create a culture of empathy toward all living things. Don't kill spiders and flies. Relocate them outside if necessary using a bug vac. Don't use toxic cleaning or lawn care products. Talk about and look for evidence of the animals, plants, and trees that share the space where you live. Turn your yard or school grounds into a Certified Wildlife Habitat.
- Get involved in something bigger. Help your kids start or join a climate change response team at their school or other local insitution.
- Get involved in something even bigger. Join EKO or another environmental group with a broad focus. The Internet is a great tool for this level of networking.
- Socialize with similarly engaged people. Your kids need to feel like they're not alone in their concerns for and work for the planet. Make sure that at least some of what you do in response to climate change is social. Picnics, potlucks, and informational fairs can make this uneasy business something that we and our children can live with better and more healthfully.
We're not protecting our children from anything by keeping them out of the business of responding to global warming. They already know and they're worried. The ways to ease their anxiety are (1) to show them that we are doing something about it and (2) to involve them. Besides, some of the most creative people I know are kids—maybe the answers to many of the planet's problems rest in some smaller-sized hands.
By Sarah at ProgressiveKid
Riverwired.com: Top 10 Green Excuses
kbutler - funny
If you're reading this article, odds are that you're probably at least a light pale green in your commitment to Mother Earth. (That or you're a friend or relative I've harassed to read my blog – you guys rock!) So in honor of the many shades of green out there, I present a list of top ten green excuses for your every day use.
TOP TEN GREEN EXCUSES
10. "I know I smell, but you couldn't possibly expect me to shower longer than 1.3 minutes and waste an extra 3.6 gallons of water."
9. You can't eat dinner at your mother-in-law's because you can't be subjected to another helping of her non-organic food/soul-crushing criticism.
8. "Of course I'm tired. I was up all night trying to figure out exactly why Madonna is on the cover of Vanity Fair's 2008 Green Issue."
7. "I'm sorry, but attending your son's Bar Mitzvah/daughter's confirmation/sister's wedding will offset my carbon footprint."
6. When you're pulled over for speeding, you say, "How about I give you 25 useful facts on solar power to make this whole thing go away? Okay, make it 50."
5. You walked into that adult sex shop because you thought that sign read "We're totally organic!"
4. "What do you mean, I can't set up an industrial wind turbine farm in my front yard? What is this, Communist Russia?"
3. You tackled that distinguished gentleman on the street because you thought he shared Al Gore's dreamy profile.
2. When you're mistaken for a homeless woman, you explain you're just taking "reduce, recycle, and reuse" to the next level.
1. "Oh, like you've never tried to run a Hummer off the road!"
Riverwired.com: Top 10 Green Products: From Solar Backpacks to Bamboo...
RiverWired.com - green products
Here at RiverWired, we pride ourselves in bringing you some of the most eco-friendly, economic, and all-around intriguing green items we can find. With that in mind, we've compiled this list (in no particular order) of 10 of some of our favorite products. Enjoy!
Click on each product for full description, price listing, and buying info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Riverwired.com: Top 10 Ideas for Saving Gas, Money and Driving Green
RiverWired.com - cars
Gas prices getting you down? Carbon emissions weighing heavy on your shoulders? At RiverWired we want to reduce your worries as we help you reduce your footprint. Instead of talking problems, we offer some solutions for saving gas and improving mileage. Now more than ever, you have big reasons for driving green.
1. 15 Tips For Better Mileage -- Want to Get 70 MPG in Your Toyota Prius?
3. Two Wheels Are Greener Than Four
4. Honda Civic GX Tops List of Greenest Cars
5. Driving Green = Fewer Greenbacks
6. Five Tips to Find the Cheapest Gas Near You
7. Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars: Save Gas, Save Money
8. Record Month For Selling Gas -- Saving Cars Getting Better Than 30 MPG
9. GE Backs Electric Cars -- This Time For Keeps!
10. Top 10 Green Things to Do While Stuck in Traffic
Riverwired.com: Green Freebie: How about a Toyota Prius?
RiverWired.com - Eco-Soa
Somebody somewhere is getting something green for free – why not you? Jet Blue Airways is making up for all those carbon emissions by giving you a chance to go green every day – with the Grand Prize of a Toyota Prius hybrid. Next prize-- $3000 gift card to Smith & Hawken, some of the most beautiful plants and gardening stuff around. And if you don't get those biggies, you may still qualify for an Energy Star Sharp LCD TV, or an eco-culinary retreat for four – or a trip for two to an Arizona spa. I'm feeling greener already – how about you?
Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check out this Freebie of the Week
RiverWired.com - amtrak
We love to help you save money and energy and resources. And savings don't get better than free stuff. Who doesn't love it?
Here's this week's green freebie:
A trip for two to Reykjavik, Iceland, (which we are told is actually a greener country than Greenland) courtesy of Amtrak (though last we checked, you cannot get there from the US by train, so go figure). After that Grand Prize, Amtrak is also giving away two roundtrip tickets to anywhere their trains travel.
Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check Out This Freebie of the Week
RiverWired.com - bike
Saving money is critical these days. We want to help. And nothing says savings better than something that is absolutely free. Especially when it is something that will help you live a little greener.
This week's green freebie:
A Trek 1.2 bike from Penn Cycle's Trek, so you can really lower your carbon footprint and get in great shape to save the world. You have to act quickly – the deadline for this giveaway is June 23, 2008.
Riverwired.com: Reasons Why Anyone Can Go Solar
jchait - earth-friendly homes
One of my favorite books, The Solar Living Sourcebook, notes that too often people sort of whine about locating the perfect plot of land for a solar powered home, when really solar can work for every location, just to varying degrees.
They make a good point.
Obviously, there's more sun on a mountain in New Mexico then in a valley in Northern Oregon. However, there's still sun everywhere, and if you have sun, you have solar potential. Basically any amount of solar power your home can use is a good deal for the environment. Any amount you can use is just that much less used from non-renewable sources, and that much money saved.
The Solar Living Sourcebook notes the following ideas:
- Anyone can utilize solar power to a degree. You have to use what you have, make the most of what's available, and use super smart before building planning.
- Work with nature, not against it.
- You don't have to accomplish great strides all at once. Simply working hard to reduce your dependency on your heater and AC is a good start. Learning to use less is a key point. Sure your plot may not produce enough solar power to have your electricity running 24/7, but should it? No one needs their lights or TV on all day.
Learn more about solar power:
- Super Slick Solar Home Lighting Design
- Passive Solar Home Building
- Awesome Solar and Wind System for Greener Building
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment